Gajeel's POV

Growling in frustration, I paced the hallway, waiting on news on my friends. Lucy had been admitted due to the seriousness of her seizure, Gray had to get stitches and had a concussion as well as a few broken ribs, and Natsu was still in surgery. Juvia sat with Gray as Levy sat with Lucy while the rest of the gang began to trickle in after alerting the parents as well as siblings of those hospitalized.

"Gajeel?" The nurse from earlier called my attention back to her. "Natsu is out of surgery and has been moved to the recovery unit. Gray is conscious and will be release tomorrow. And Lucy is being kept over night to assess the seriousness of her seizure."

"Thank you. Will you please let me know when Gray and Lucy can leave and update me when they move Natsu to a room we can visit him in?" I asked her as I sunk into the chair behind me.

"Baby, why don't you give me your number and head home. I'll call you as soon as I hear anything, okay?" The was she spoke, it was as if each teen around her was her own. She reminded me of my mother.

"Yea, okay." I said before giving her my cell number. Slowly I stood and went to collect the others.

I entered Gray's room to find the entirety of the gang, minus Natsu, Lucy, and Levy. The gang looked pissed as they turned to see me. My blood ran cold under their gaze. "What?"

"Gajeel, this wasn't an accident. We were ran off the road. The car slammed into a fucking tree. If Natsu hadn't shoved me out the door, I'd be right there next to him in surgery." Gray's eyes held guilt. They may fight like enemies, but they were best friends, brothers even.

"Do you know who it was?" I asked.

"Jose." The gang answered together and I found myself running down the hall to Lucy's room.

Just as I threw open the door, Levy was thrown back into my chest. I gentle set her on her feet, checking to make sure she wasn't badly injured. Her left eye was beginning to swell and change color, her lip was bleeding, her dress torn, exposing her undergarments. She had cuts across her stomach and bruises were forming at random. Anger and hate darkened her earth colored eyes.

I was about to put myself in front of her when Levy snarled and pulled a knife from her boot. She threw it embedding it deep in Jose's arm. I knew from watching her before that the girl could hold her own, but this was on a whole new level. She wasn't trying to defend herself this time. She was out for blood. I snagged the tiny girl up in a sudden fast motion and shoved her from the room, refusing to let her rage make her a monster.

Surveying the room, I saw Lucy's unconscious body hidden under her bed, chairs over turned and a table snapped in two. A puddle of blood surrounding a pair of boots that belonged to the man who stood before me.

Jose stood in the center of the room, Levy's blade in his arm and a bruise on his cheek. His eyebrow was busted open and he was clutching his side. His clothes were torn, covered in blood and dirt. His eyes held a crazy unlike any I'd ever seen.

"Ugh," Lucy's groan drew Jose's attention to her hiding spot. The devil of a man took a step towards her, stopping when I suddenly appeared in his way. He hurt Levy, tried to kill Natsu and Gray, and had seriously pissed me off. He wasn't touching Lucy too.

"Gajeel, it's been a while, my boy." That voice, my stomach twisted as memories bombarded my brain.

"Jose, what I wouldn't give to never see your nasty ass face. You fucked up my life and I won't let you do it to theirs." I snarled. This was the man who started that stupid gang, the reason I pushed Lucy off the slide, the one I'd wanted to impress as a child. Now, now I wanted him dead. But I wouldn't kill him. The Shrimp wouldn't kill him. No, instead, I rushed him as he smirked and buried my fist in his face as pain exploded in my side. I watched his body crumple to the ground as he lost consciousness. I heard the door open, saw my father, Igneel, and her. The girl I'd give my life to save over and over again. The one I'd sell my soul to see smiling and pain free.

And then I saw the blade. The knife Levy had thrown at Jose. A beautiful switchblade with an orange handle. The initials S.M. carved into the handle just below the silver blade that sat, buried deep in my side.

My vision began to blur and the world seemed to tilt. A pair of warm arms embraced me as I was gently lowered to the ground. Warm liquid dripped from somewhere above me, landing softly on my cheek.

Voices swirled around me, but only one stood out. A light, melodic voice. It played in my ears like a sad song as her sorrow overflowed. The voice broke as sobs rang out. I wanted to tell Levy not to cry, that I was there. That everything would be alright, but I couldn't. The darkness began to swallow her sweet words and I was left in silence.

Am I dead? Did I die?

No. I can't die. I still haven't told Levy. I have to tell her.

Why is it so dark? Isn't this the part where you're supposed to see a bright light? What about heaven? Am I good enough to see the pearly gates? Or am I bound for hell? I'm a monster, after all.

But.

I don't want to go.

I don't want to leave.

I don't want to lose everything.

I just want...

Her.