Resting his head on her bed, Gajeel waited for Levy to wake up. He didn't like hospitals. All they held for him was pain and death. Levy moaned in pain and confusion. He instantly dimmed the lights and placed a cool rag on her forehead and over her eyes. "Shh...Just rest Shrimp. Yer safe. Yer in the hospital. We tied Bora up while we waited for the Guard to come collect him. I had Wendy call them as I ran out the door. You have a concussion and he broke your eye socket. Guess you have a story to go along with that shiner after all." Gajeel chuckled.
Her voice was raspy as she spoke. "He's...locked up?" Removing the rag from her eyes, Gajeel smiled softly at her. "Yes, Shrimp. The Guard took him away. There will be a trial for his assault and battery of both you and Lucy." Gajeel could see the question forming in her eyes, so he answered it. "She's fine. Natsu's with her. She has two broken ribs and a bruised kidney, but she will heal." Gajeel rubbed her forehead and gently brushed her hair back. "Rest now. The Guard will be here soon to talk to you. They will talk to Lucy when she wakes up too. They have already taken Natsu, Gray, and I's statements."
Gajeel picked the styrofoam cup up off the little stand by the bed and bent the straw. "Take a drink, and then rest a little. You'll feel better." Gajeel helped her take a few sips from the cup before he set it back on the stand. "I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere. I will keep you safe." Gajeel was surprised at what came out of her mouth when next she spoke. "But who will keep you safe, Bear?" Levy fell asleep as he continued to rub her forehead. Bear?!
Levy woke up about an hour later. "Water." Gajeel instantly grabbed the cup and helped her take a drink. "Do you feel up to answering some questions?" When Levy nodded with a wince, Gajeel leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Ok, I'll go get the Guard. I'll be right back." emWhy did I just kiss her?/em Gajeel found the Guard in the hallway. "Levy is ready to answer your questions now." Gajeel didn't wait for a response. He turned on his heel and returned to Levy's side.
Gajeel held her hand as the Guard made her repeat the story over and over, and answer question after question. They turned to Gajeel. "I think we have all we need from Ms. McGarden. When will Ms. Marvell be arriving?" Gajeel pulled out his phone to check his messages. "Any minute. Gray went to go get her from the hotel after you took his statement." The Guard officers nodded and left the room. "Water." Levy croaked.
Wendy came into the room quietly. Meeting her eyes, Gajeel looked to Levy. Lifting a finger to his lips, he indicated that Levy had fallen back to sleep. Wendy nodded and took the chair on the other side of Levy's bed. Several hours later Levy woke crying softly, her hands coming up to hide her face. Gajeel stood to go to her side, but Wendy was shaking her head and crawling into Levy's bed. Gajeel took his chair out into the hallway.
Wendy poked her head out the door about 45 minutes later. She looked a lot older than her fourteen years. Gajeel stood and enveloped Wendy in a loving embrace. "Thank's Munchkin." Wendy hugged him back and smiled. She didn't say anything, but headed to Lucy's room. Presumably to give Natsu a break. Not that Gajeel thought he would take one. Wendy really was a god send. As Gajeel entered the room silently, he saw that Levy was curled up on her side, sleeping.
Gajeel wanted to curl up behind Levy, but he didn't want to scare her. She looked so small, so broken, laying in that hospital bed. Gajeel pulled his chair up to the side of the bed that Levy was facing and rested his head on his folded arms while he waited for her to wake up. Gajeel hadn't realized he was crying until Levy silently brushed a tear away from his cheek. "Why are you crying, Bear?"
Gajeel sat up and brushed his tears away. "Why do you keep calling me bear?" Gajeel chose to ignore her question. She didn't need his guilt on top of what she was dealing with. Gajeel walked around the bed and climbed up behind her. Pulling her snugly against him, he silently waited for her answer.
"Wendy..." She cleared her throat and reached for the water. She couldn't quite make it, so he grabbed it for her with his superior reach. After she took a drink, he set the cup back on the stand and they settled back in. "Wendy told me about Lily, and Charle. How you are really a big teddy bear." Gajeel smiled. "Did she now?" Levy nodded. "I'll have to give that girl a talkin' to. She's going to ruin my reputation!" He felt Levy chuckle more than he heard it.
Gajeel was content to lay with Levy. After a while, he noticed there was a stillness about her that he hadn't seen since Wendy had been in the hospital. "Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop Levy. For right now, there are no shoes. Just big, scary, teddy bear me, the quiet of this room, and you. Just rest." He closed his eyes as he settled down again. He wasn't expecting what came out of her mouth. "It's not that. I umm...I...need the nurse."
Gajeel went full panic mode. "Is something wrong?! Tell me what yer feeling. Is it yer head? Do you need the basket? (Trash can) Are you going to vomit?" He felt Levy laughing. "Bear fits just fine. No. I...I umm...Just call the nurse for me...please?" Gajeel nodded as he hit the Call button.
"How can I help you?" The nurse asked over the intercom. As Gajeel inhaled to speak, Levy opened her mouth and uttered words he wasn't expecting. "I have to go. I need help." There was a pause before the nurse spoke again. "Alright. Someone will be right in." The intercom went silent as the nurse disconnected. Gajeel was confused. "Go? Go where? You don't plan on leaving the hospital, do you?" As Gajeel was gearing up to ask another barrage of question, Levy spoke. "Hush, Bear. I don't plan on leaving. But you better not let the nurse catch you laying in bed with me. They might kick you out."
Levy giggled as he carefully, but quickly, got out of the bed. He began pacing restlessly as they waited for the nurse to arrive. Levy kept giggling at him. The nurse arrived and shooed him out. He started stammering stupidly. As he exited the room, he heard Levy and the scary nurse giggling. Looking down the hall worriedly, he saw Natsu standing outside Lucy's door too. "Did she have to 'GO' too?" Natsu nodded questioningly. Gajeel shrugged while shaking his head. Wendy started laughing at them. "Munchkin! Explain."
Wendy laughed louder and shook her head. "Not on your life...Bear!" Wendy skittered down the hallway a little. Dancing away from Gajeel's grasp. "I know where you sleep, kid!" The Guard officer's still waiting for Lucy's statement looked at him harshly. Wendy stuck her tongue out and pulled the lower lid of one eye down. "I know where you sleep too...Bear! Gajeel grumbled about her precarious position. Glaring at Natsu he growled his next words. "Not a fucking word, Flame brain!" Natsu held his hands up and shook his head as if he knew nothing.
Wendy poked her head around the corner. "Yeah...Pinky! Natsu's mouth dropped open and he pointed at Wendy. He looked from Wendy to Gajeel and back again. He never once closed his mouth. "Pi..." Looking to Gajeel, he spoke in stupid, broken words. "How...she can't...when...Lucy!" Gajeel just smiled. Wendy must have laid and comforted Lucy too. Both nurses came out at the same time. Within an instant, both men were back in their respective rooms, asking a barrage of questions that would never be answered so long as they lived.