For anyone who has been waiting for this- I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a long time, especially longer than I expected. A lot of stuff happened: I went back to school, got a job, the play I'm directing was postponed (twice), I got inducted into a bunch of clubs, and I got friends and a boyfriend (shout out to sauce). So I've been rather busy. And you probably don't care. But I felt like I needed to explain myself. I would love if you'd review, it keeps me going!
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The Truth

The next morning came and Levy was so nervous that she couldn't even eat breakfast. She was about to go to her second punishment session. It's not as bad this way. I won't have to tell my friends about what is going on if I avoid them. I don't need to tell them about this mess until later. As it stood, all of Levy's friends thought Levy had been beaten before she got arrested. She didn't correct them and they didn't ask for the truth or the exact details of her arrest. And she was relieved. Levy was somehow embarrassed about what was really happening. Is that crazy?

Just like on Monday, Levy was taken from her room at noon. She was taken to the same room as before and Gajeel was standing in the corner. Levy once again decided to try and restrain herself from showing emotion. She saw a new pair of clothes on the table.

"Get changed, don't get changed. I don't care. You'll be keeping the clothes either way," Gajeel said. His arms were crossed and his head was down so Levy couldn't see his face. But Levy also didn't move to change. She didn't want to change clothes with someone else in the room. Not him. Not again.

"I'll stay just the way I am, thanks," Levy replied. Gajeel pushed himself off the wall and tilted his head so Levy saw his grin.

"I'm just gonna talk to ya, Shrimp," Gajeel revealed, "How about we start with my orders. They've changed, ya know. I've been told I can break things now. I wonder why. Have you been starting some trouble, Ms. McGarden?" Gajeel made himself comfortable on the chair Levy was tied to last time. Even though Levy wasn't tied up, she felt more confined than ever, just under his watchful eye.

"Just keep that new order in mind if you try anything- like leaving- again," he said, "Take a load off, Levy. Relax. We'll be talking for a while." Again, Levy didn't move.

"I said sit your ass down!" Gajeel barked. Levy jumped and squeaked. She moved this time. She quickly hopped onto the table, next to her new clothes.

"Good," Gajeel began talking like they were sharing gossip, which was an odd fit for the bulky man, "Now how 'bout we talk about why you're here. Like the person that called me to your house. Who was that again? Oh, that's right- it was your mother. She begged and pleaded, saying I would have the best find of my life. Finally I agreed, and she told me everything. She told me who I should be getting- you. What I would be getting- all of the titles she knew of, plus a few more. And she told me exactly where you would be hiding. Your own mother completely sold you out. Without a bribe. She was just sick of you."

"You're lying," was all Levy could say.

"No. I'm not. Brown hair, brown eyes, small in every sense of the word?" Gajeel described Levy's mother perfectly, "But, you already knew I couldn't be lying, though. How could I have been called in?" He spread his arms almost in a shrug.

"But you already knew I wasn't lying because of some stupid shit like my breathing patterns. I've seen your conclusions. I know you know," Gajeel concluded. What made Levy shudder was that he had been watching her. But he was right. About the breathing part. He was breathing steadily. He wasn't sweating at all. He looked her in the eye, but didn't stare into her eyes either. And that made her not only angry, but sad. Her own mother turned her in. Why?

"And you know," he was talking like they were having casual conversation again, "When I went back to tell her what had become of you- she said 'good riddance. I didn't even want that bitch anyway. I should've beat her more. Then maybe she wouldn't be such a brat.' And she told me to give you one of these." Gajeel broke his promise to "only talk" today and slapped Levy across the face. Hard. She fell over onto the table and her head slammed onto the cool metal surface. She winced and pulled herself up a bit. But then her vision went fuzzy and she felt two large hands on her arms and heard a far away voice whisper a disgruntled curse.

Levy woke up later to an empty room. Gajeel finally meandered back in a little while later.

"Have a nice nap?" Gajeel asked, "I hope you didn't mind. I stepped out once you passed out." Levy had been thinking over what Gajeel had been saying for a while. She realized that since he was telling the truth- she should believe him or at least hear him out.

"Now, how about we talk about your new fairy friends. I heard that place was too easy on you. And I can't believe you'd think you had friends there. How many of these fairies were you friends with again?"

"Seven,' Levy said. It was really only five- but who cares if she counted Jet and Droy. She began sounding and feeling very small and helpless.

"Oh, right. I'll bet on this: they're the friends of the first person you met," Gajeel smirked.

"Maybe..."

"That's what I thought. That one person- they only feel sorry for you. That's why they introduced you to their friends. Those friends don't like you. They just want you to be as less of a pain in the ass as possible. How many of them have you helped anyway? You know- with the little blue haired one."

"Two."

"And how many of them have helped you?"

"Five."

"Exactly. You can't pull your weight. And what's this?" Gajeel ripped Levy's tag off her wrist.

He read it out loud, "Wendy Marvell and Lucy? What- no last name for Lucy?" Gajeel asked, "She hasn't even told you her last name and she's your closest friend? I'll bet she didn't even tell you who she really was. Or what she was in for." Gajeel threw Levy's tag on the floor. She couldn't think about anything except that she really didn't know Lucy's last name. Why didn't she? They had gotten really close. Not as close as Levy and Wendy had become- but still! Doesn't Lucy trust me?

"You know, I'm thinking percentages here. I'm willing to bet on the roles all your new 'friends' play in your life. Two of them just want to get in your pants. One pities you. You've barely talked to another one. One is so close to you, you can't tell how little they actually care. Another one just plain hates you. And the last person is friends with everybody and they couldn't care less if it was you or me sitting next to them at dinner every night. You gotta think, Shrimp. These people aren't your friends. They're criminals." As Levy realized Gajeel was right, her whole world- that she had come to know and love more than almost any time in her life- crashed down around her. And it took all she had not to let him see it. But she was dying inside.

I can't believe I've been this stupid. They are criminals. How could I think they're my friends when I haven't had a single friend in my life? He knew how each of them has treated me and how each person I called a friend actually feels about me. Through the cameras all over the workshop, no doubt. How could I have been so stupid? I let my guard down in prison. That's the one place your guard should never fall. This is where sick, sadistic people are sent. Of course they're not nice. How could I think they were?

When Gajeel was done talking, he simply walked out of the room. Two guards came back into the room and made Levy leave after she picked up her tag. They escorted her back to Fairy Tail proper. She finally let herself break down. It was better for it to be in their presence then Gajeel's. There truly was nobody she could turn to anymore. She didn't have any friends, her mother didn't love her, her father had been gone for years now, and the rest of the people here were guards or criminals. Levy cried and wiped away her tears and just as she got to her room, a guard shoved two clumps of orange cloth in her hands. Then they left.

Levy walked right to her door and when she opened it, she felt sick from all her sadness being boiled into hate and rage after she saw all the faces in her room. It was all of them. All except Jet and Droy. Thank God- if Levy saw their face the only other thing that could of happened is she would explode. Actually and truly explode. There was no way she could have handled seeing all seven faces of the people she hated most. Lucy and Wendy had the gall to sit on her bed. Natsu at least had the decency to sit on the floor like the dog he was. And Gray and Erza just stood there like a couple of fools. Levy was so infuriated she was shaking. She wasn't one to actually yell in anger. She only got quiet- a terrifying kind of quiet that immediately shut everyone in her room up.

"What the fuck do you think you think you're doing?" she spoke to everyone. Her lips quivered and a tear fell down her cheek. A hot, frustration tear which she immediately brushed away after she put her new clothes into one hand. She was angry at herself for falling for their ruse, yes. But she was sure as shit angrier at them. She was far enough beyond pissed that she actually cursed at them. Her father had always told her that if there was any other word she could use instead of cursing, she should use that word. But right now, there were just no words to describe her feelings.

"Levy? What's wrong?" Lucy asked. She sounded both concerned and startled at her sudden burst of animosity.

"Yeah," she chuckled, "like you care. You know, I don't need your pity! I never did. I don't need you to be some kind of friend matchmaker. Just because I'm new, don't give me help just because you pity me!" The idiots around her looked confused. Lucy was quiet, albeit surprised. She didn't respond, which made Levy think she was right- and so was Gajeel.

"Levy, please tell us what-" Wendy didn't get to finish before Levy pointed an angry finger at her.

"Shut up! I can't believe I stood up for you! You don't deserve it- you're just some stupid kid. I can't believe I wrote your name on this because I wanted to!" Levy held up her tag, which she still hadn't put back on, "And I can't believe your name is on this! I don't even know it!" Levy had her attention back to Lucy. Wendy began to tear up because of Levy's yelling. She threw her tag at the wall between their heads. Wendy squeaked and began crying after being startled by that.

"Whoa, Levy. Please just calm down," Erza stepped a bit closer to diffuse the situation.

"Yeah, just listen to us for a second," Natsu tried. He stood up next to Erza.

"No! Why haven't you left yet? You barely know me!" Levy threw some of her new clothes at Erza, and the the rest at Natsu, "And you couldn't care any less if it was me standing right here or Elfman!"

She turned to Gray, "And you. I want you out the most. You haven't stopped hating me this whole time! And you pretended to be my friend? I. Cannot. Fucking. Believe you."

"What are you going to throw at me, Levy? Huh? There's nothing left in your hands," Gray said. At her sides, Levy clenched her fists. The nerve of this asshole.

He's right, but they won't leave! So, Levy did what she could think to do. She punched Gray in the face. It hit him square on, but he didn't move. Her hand hurt, but she didn't stop. She backhanded him or, at least, she tried to. Gray grabbed her wrist and wouldn't let her move it. Levy reciprocated by pounding his chest with her free hand. He just palmed her fist. She thrashed to get out of his hold- but he wouldn't let her out. Then, Gray shook Levy to get some sense into her.

He yelled, "Stop it! Just give me five minutes to talk!"

"No!" she yelled. She wouldn't stop thrashing.

"Then why did you let him talk for hours?" Gray yelled, "And why did you listen? You're a smart girl, Levy; why did you let him get to you?"

"Because he was right- he was telling the truth!" Levy screamed.

"No he didn't! He plays mind games!" Gray roared, "Would someone who hated you try this hard to tell you they didn't? Would someone who wasn't comfortable around you eat your food right off your plate like I did last night? Erza may not be able to talk to you much, but she wishes she could! Lucy can't stop talking about the new dress she's making for you and how nice you'll look in it! Wendy adores you, and I swear she's starting to think of you as an older sister! And you're right about Natsu. He couldn't care less if this was about you or anyone else in the workshop, because he cares about each and everyone of us here like we were family. Especially the people in this room. And damn it, Levy, if you can't see how much each and every one of us cares for you, then you're out of your damn mind. You must not be as smart as I thought you were." Gray had yelled that entire time and took a pause to calm himself a bit.

He was quieter, "But even if that's true, we'll never walk out of that door before proving ourselves to you." Levy's spell broke and she didn't know what to say or do. She was overwhelmingly disappointed in herself. And astoundingly happy to have met these people. She accused them of such horrid things. And when she looked into their eyes she saw hurt, but she also saw concern and she knew they would forgive her. She didn't know when exactly, but Levy had begun to sob. She put her hand to her face and felt the tears. Then, she felt the emotion: relief. Relief for so many things. Levy pulled her hands away from Gray only to hug him and cry into his chest. He didn't really hug her back, just patted her on the back. She felt a hand on her shoulder and was being pulled away from Gray. Levy put her hands to her face and felt Lucy pull her into a real hug. The two girls hugged each other, until Lucy pulled Levy to sit on the bed.

Lucy whispered something to Levy, "Heartfilia."

"Wha-what?" Levy breathed in heavily and wiped at her eyes.

"That's my last name. I don't just pity you Levy- and that's proof. Now you know my full name and I trust you with it."

"You didn't have to tell me that," Levy said. She knew what the name meant, she knew where Lucy came from.

"I wanted to," Lucy replied. Levy pulled away from Lucy and sat down next to Wendy. She cuddled up to her a little bit and could hear Wendy trying to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry Wendy. What I said was wrong. It was wrong because it wasn't true and it wasn't nice. At all. I was in a rage. Its not a good enough excuse, but please forgive me," Levy said to Wendy.

"Its okay," Wendy sniffed. She reached over and took Levy's hand. Levy closed her eyes and put her head to Wendy's. Then her eyes shot open.

"Wait, Gray. You said he. Earlier when you asked me why I let 'him' talk to me for hours. How did you know what was going on? And how did you know it was a him?"

"Wendy told us about your burn and not being able to be at work today, and well," Gray unbuttoned the top two buttons to his shirt. He pulled the collar down to show a burn scar which looked like what Wendy described Levy's burn to be like.

"We guessed from experience," Gray finished. His burn- more like mark- was on the right side of his chest. Erza pulled up her left sleeve and Natsu, his right. Erza's was just under her left shoulder and Natsu's was on his right shoulder. Lucy took off her glove, the one that was always on her right hand, and there was her mark. Wendy followed their lead and pulled up her right sleeve. Her scar was on her right shoulder.

"A lot of people in Fairy Tail have these. He did this to all of us. He tried to turn us against our friends," Natsu said.

"And a lot of us listened. When we listened- we hated our friends, and ourselves," Lucy said.

"And only Natsu, Erza and a few others ever denied what he said. It really is like a spell he puts you under with his mind tricks," Gray explained, "Erza snapped me out of it and Natsu helped Lucy and Wendy. But Wendy didn't fully break out of it until a few days ago when you showed up. That's why she was always in her room. She was too insecure and you helped her."

"Don't talk about her like she's not here," Levy said offhandedly.

"Sorry," was Gray's automatic response.

"Anyway, when Natsu tried to snap me out of it, I almost stabbed him. But we hugged it out. But that just shows your reaction wasn't the worst and it was kind of justified," Lucy smiled. She wasn't always the best at calming people down...

"But that's why he's on my tag. He was there for me when I really needed it," she concluded.

"And why Erza is on mine," Gray said.

"Anyway, Gajeel's a bad guy," Natsu chimed in, "He almost got me to cave in. But we need to show him up once and for all."

"And as soon as you can, we will need you to do it," Erza said, "It may be hard, but this is something we thought of together. And if you would agree that would-"

"I'll do it," Levy cut her off, "I know you hatched this plan with out me, but I'm needed. And I'll do it. We don't know who he'll take next or even when that'll be," A second went by, then a bubble popped in Levy's head- something wasn't right.

"Natsu, why didn't he break you? He doesn't seem like someone who would usually stop when he came so close to something he wanted." The room went quiet and nobody looked anyone else in the eye. This was obviously a touchy subject. And Levy was about to retract her question when-

"He was reassigned. It was in the middle of the session," Wendy, Erza and Gray looked at him, but Lucy just stared at the floor, "He was about to say something, but another guard came in and he smiled real wide. And he said, 'Sorry, but I got a nice blonde waiting for me in a great big house I gotta tend to.' The next day, Lucy showed up here with a black eye, split lip, two bruised ribs and a burned hand. Wendy wasn't there yet to fix 'er up, but we banded together and helped her as much as we could. She needed a job quick, and with her bruised ribs, she couldn't do too much, so Bisca gave her a job. And a little while later, Wendy moved in with choppy hair, a few stitches and a burned and bandaged shoulder. The mark was always the same. And I always regretted not fighting to make him stay. I regret feeling... relieved... when he was gone." The word "relieved" came out in a near whisper and she knew he was ashamed. But Levy also knew why he was telling her this. It was to make sure she followed through with her claim to break the man that broke all her friends. She had decided to help when Erza asked, but now she knew she wouldn't back down. Even if she didn't like it.

A few moments passed and nobody said anything, until Erza broke the silence, "But don't think we missed that blood in your hair."

"Or the new bruise," Wendy chirped.

"It was better than last week. He mostly talked," Levy said.

"Which isn't good. After he 'talks', he gets more violent. But usually he really does only talk. So why did he hit you?" Gray mused.

"He said it was from my mother. She asked him to," Levy replied.

"I guess," Gray's brow furrowed in wondering.

"But I hope you know we need to make this move to squash him soon. Because things do get worse," Erza sounded like she was preparing to lead an attack.

"I can handle this," Levy was determined.

"No, you can't. Nobody can for long," Erza said.

"He spreads salt in your wounds," Lucy said.

"I figured."

"And he uses electricity," Wendy supplied.

"I saw the cattle prod."

"So you understand the situation and why this needs to be done. Why we need to make sure he doesn't take another victim," Gray persisted.

"I get it."