I wanted to post this sooner, but I haven't had as much time to write as I wanted to, and I also had a bit of a writers block. But here it is, and you will find out something about Rogue.

Gajeel woke up the next morning and felt rested. He had slept better than he had done in weeks and it felt like a weight was lifted off of him. Levy wasn't sick. She was pregnant, but she wasn't sick. He still felt worried, but it was a different kind of worry.

He told Levy about his mother. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Opening up to someone and sharing a part of him like that was scary, but she had listened and she had shared his pain. She understood why he felt guilty about what happened, but she didn't judge him. It felt really good to have Levy's support and understanding. One more thing that he wasn't used to.

Gajeel stroked a few strands of hair away from Levy's face and kissed her forehead. She was really something. Something very special. He couldn't explain his feelings for her. He had never felt this way about anyone before. The only person he had ever loved was his mother, and he had only been a little kid back then. This was different, very different. Good different, but he was still trying to figure out what it meant to him and where it would lead.

He kissed her forehead again and rolled out of bed, careful not to wake her up. He got dressed and walked to the kitchen. He made toast, coffe for himselt and hot chocolate for Levy. He had really changed, making breakfast for the girl he l...

Levy came out from the bedroom and hid a yawn behind her hand. She was wearing one of his t-shirts, she liked sleeping in them, and her blue hair was a mess. Gajeel felt his heart skip a beat. If only she knew how sexy she was.

Levy yawned again and when she came closer Gajeel pulled her close and kissed her. He loved the way she tasted, the feel of her skin when he touched her, and the way her small body fit so well with his bigger body. They just looked at each other for a while and Levy couldn't help but smile.

"Is this for me?" Levy said and reached for the mug with hot chocolate.

"How ya feelin'?" he asked and took a sip from his coffee.

"Shouldn't I ask you that?"

Gajeel shrugged and Levy looked at him thoughtfully. He didn't seem as tense as before, like telling her about a part of his past had changed something in him. And it probably did. It was still so much to learn about him, and she would.

"I'm fine", Levy said. "I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep."

"Something's wrong?"

She could tell from sound of his voice that even if he hadn't decided about the baby yet, he still worried something would happen to it.

"No, nothing's wrong", she assured him. "I just thought about what you told me, and... It's so unfair, I just..."

Gajeel wrapped his arms around her and leaned his chin on the top of her head. The way she cared for him meant more than he could tell.

Gajeel took a deep breath and opened the door to the youth center. Maybe he should have stayed away longer. Maybe Lily was gonna kick him out. Only one way to find out.

Lily was standing at the front desk talking to Kinana. Rogue and Sting where close by talking about something and they all looked at him when he walked in.

Great, Gajeel thought.

"Back already?" Lily commented.

"Yeah."

"Did you work things out?"

"Sort of," Gajeel said.

"Come to my office. I want to talk to you."

"Sure", Gajeel said.

He walked past the front desk and on the way he turned to Rogue.

"Don't go anywhere. We're gonna talk later."

Rogue nodded and Gajeel followed Lily to his office. Lily closed the door behnd them and turned to Gajeel.

"I'm surprised to see you back already. What happened?"

"Shrimp's pregnant."

Gajeel sat down on the chair next to him and Lily walked to the other side of his desk and sat down on his chair.

"Congratulations?" he said.

"I'm not sure yet", Gajeel said and fidgeted with the keys in the pocket of his jacket. "I thoguht... I thought she was sick. She's been tired and throwing up and she... she reminded me so much of my mother."

"So that's why you've been acting like jerk lately, more than usual I mean. I understand, I can't imagine what it's like to go through that. But, I can't have my staff acting like you did. The kids here have enough of that at home or at school. I thoguht you could handle this, but if you can't..."

"I can. I will."

"But if you can't". Lily continued," there's no hard feelings. We just go back to how it used to be."

"Fine. Can I go now? I got work to do. And that kid's probably waiting for me."

"Yeah, you can go. You know something? I'm glad you're talking to him. The old you would never have done that."

"Yeah, whatever", Gajeel said and left Lily's office.

Lily was right. The younger version of Gajeel would never have talked to someone he'd been in a fight with, he would never try to explain anything. He was too angry at the world to do anything like that.

Gajeel found Rogue playing basketball with Sting and some other guys. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame. Rogue was a good basketball player and more confident than Gajeel had seen him so far. But then he noticed Gajeel and seemed to become a little nervous again.

Gajeel gestured for them to continue the game and waited at the doorway until they where finished. Then he motioned for Rogue to follow him.

"So..." Gajeel said when they stopped. "It's been kinda rough lately and I kinda took it out on you. Which I shouldn't. But you shouldn't be sneaking around like a freaking shadow, so if you got something to say, just say it!"

"Well, I..." Rogue began and looked down on his feet. "I don't know how to say this, but..."

He rubbed the back of his head and took a deep breath. He opened his mouth to speak, but not a word came out.

Gajeel looked at him and folded his arms.

"What?"

"I..."

Rogue took another deep breath. There was a hint of red on his cheeks and he seemed a bit flustered.

"I want you to teach me how to fight", he finally said.

For some reason Gajeel doubted that was what he was going to say.

" I ain't no teacher, kid. And I ain't teaching you to fight so you can impress your friends."

"It's not about that", Rogue said. "It's... Look, I know you're a good fighter. I know you fought your way through your school years and I know you fought those guys that were hitting on your girl at Fairy Tail."

"Is that so", Gajeel said and observed the young man standing infront of him, he seemed a little more confident again.

"like I said, I..."

"Please."

Rogue looked him into the eyes and got a determined look on his face. He folded his arms and Gajeel noticed the way he moved his left shoulder. Someone else probably wouldn't have noticed it, but Gajeel did. Come to think of it, he did the same thing when he was playing basketball.

Gajeel hooked his finger to the neckline of Rogue's t-shirt and pulled it to the side.

"Hey!" Rogue ojected.

A bruise in the shape of a hand covered his left shoulder.

Dammit! Gajeel thought. Even the bruises look familiar.

He let go of the t-shirt and took a step back.

"You have to tell someone", he said.

"No! I can't. If I tell someone it's only gonna get worse. I'm gonna be 18 soon..."

Gajeel sighed. If the abuser found out that someone knew about the abuse it could get even worse. Rogue could get his own apartment when he turned 18, but that didn't mean he would get away from the abuse.

"Fine, I'll teach you to fight", he said. "But only so you can defend yourself if necessary."

Wow, he rally had changed. He, who used to fight for the sake of fighting, stood here and told this kid to fight only if it was necessary.

"Thanks", Rogue said and relaxed a little.

"Don't thank me yet."

Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this. Rogue is an important character in this story, at least he will be. I just haven't figured out how fast I will move on from here.