I am hyped to write this. Let's go.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

Sting reached the cell again, sword in hand, and he slid the key in the lock. Levy looked up again. Relief washed over her as she saw the sword in his hand.

"Hold still. I'm going to cut your binds."

He raised the sword above his head, and slammed it down on the chain behind Levy. She jolted backwards as the chain was forced down, landing painfully on her wounded shoulder. She bit her lip to stop from screaming from the pain, drawing blood. Sting sliced Carla's chains next, and pried the cuffs off of Levy's hands using his dagger's hilt. Levy rolled her shoulders, giving a hiss from the pain.

"Are you hurt?"

"I think my shoulder is dislocated." The elf whimpered.

Sting gave her a pitiful look, and he sighed. "We're going to have to pop it back into place."

"What?!" Levy cried, scrambling backwards.

Sting knelt beside her, and put both hands in place on Levy's left shoulder. She winced at the sudden contact.

"I'm going to count you down, Levy."

Levy looked at him unsurely. "Sting do you know what you're doing?"

"No."

"WHAT?!" Levy cried, and Sting gave her a warning look.

"We're not going anywhere if you can't keep it down. Now I'm going to count you down."

"Oh dear God."

"3..." Sting started, and Levy closed her eyes.

"2..."

"1!" And with a sudden shove and a pop, the bone popped back into place. Levy gave an ungodly shriek, her body convulsing. Sting pulled her to him, shushing her. Levy cried, clutching her shoulder with her uninjured hand.

"You could have warned me." She snipped, and Sting chuckled.

"I did."

The trio could hear footsteps pounding against the corridor. Levy's scream had attracted guards. Sting scooped the injured woman and cat into his arms, and Carla made hersef a resting spot on Levy's chest. Pain was the primary feeling she was experiencing, coming in waves from her shoulder. Sting began to run.

Out of the cell, down the hall, past the weapons room, down the corridor. Footsteps thundered behind him, shouts echoing off the high ceilings. An arrow whizzed past Sting's head, and he picked up the pace. The woman was small and light, which was convenient. The cat didn't weigh much, either. His eyes searched frantically for an exit as he ran down the stairs, running, running, running.

A window. Yes. Titania had given him a device to allow him to arrive back at the palace when he touched it. But he had to be outdoors. Sting leapt as high as he could, burying his face in his shoulder to shield his face from the broken glass.

With all the strength in his right arm, he hoisted Levy and Carla up into a sitting position, and all three of them were falling. Arrows came through the window like rain, and Sting pivoted to the side midair to avoid one that could have very well gone strait through his skull. He reached down to the pendant that hung around his neck, and ran a thumb across the surface.

He, and his passengers dissolved into light.

...

Titania almost dropped her strawberry cake at the sudden flash of light that appeared in her throne room, but caught it before her morsel could hit the floor. She sighed in relief. One of her knights, Sting Eucliffe, sat crouched in the middle of the floor, various arrows scattered around his form. In his arms was a small woman with blue hair, a white cast curled into a ball on her abdomen.

With precision, Erza set her cake on the armrest of her chair, rising.

"Sting. Your mission was successful, I see?"

Sting looked up, rising to his full height. "Yes, your highness. But Levy is injured."

Levy coughed weakly. "No, I'm fine. Just... need rest."

"You're bleeding."

"Where is my husband?" Levy asked.

Titania paused. "What is his name?"

"It's Gajeel. Is he here? If he isn't we have to go get him. I need to find him." The bluenette struggled in Stings arms, and he gingerly set her down on the carpet. She wobbled, falling to her knees.

"You are in no fit state to walk." Titania observed, "Sting, take her to the infirmary."

Levy's heart seized. "Titania, please! Is my husband here?!"

"Yes. He is here. And I will-"

She was interrupted by a shout. "Levy!"

The woman recognized the voice, and she crawled around the queen's skirts to see Gajeel, running towards her. He knelt, scooping her into his arms.

Levy began to cry, her arms around his neck. Tears ran down his own cheeks. "Thank the gods that yer safe, shrimp."

Gajeel tilted her back enough to kiss her, deeply and passionately. Sting shifted uncomfortably and Titania smiled, tears in her eyes. When they broke apart, Levy spoke from where her face was buried in Gajeel's shoulder.

"Is there anywhere I can have a bath?"

"How about we get you some medical attention, first." Wendy said, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Yeah." Levy sighed, but Gajeel kept her in his arms. "As long as Gajeel can come with me."

Titania chuckled. "Off with you three, then. Porlyusica will be waiting in the infirmary for you." The queen turned to one of the doorways, calling out, "Virgo!"

The pink haired maid appeared from around a corner, bowing politely. "Yes, my queen?"

"Go tell Mirajane in the kitchen that she needs to prepare a meal for our new guest. She will be treated with our greatest hospitality."

Virgo disappeared again with another bow.

Now, how about returning to that strawberry cake...

Lucy lay on the window seat in her room, surrounded by plush pillows. She had since changed from the nightgown and into a red dress that reached her ankles. The skirt flowed when she walked, and it was tied at the waist with a thick white ribbon. It had long, tight fitting sleeves and a neckline that dipped just below her collarbone. A soft violet blanket was wrapped around her body, one of the books from the shelves in her hand. She had been lucky enough to find a copy of something she'd read. A fairy tale, in fact. "Beauty and the Beast."

Lucy had adored it since she was a kid. She'd always loved how Belle was able to find love in an unlikely place. She'd fallen in love with someone who seemed unloveable, and he loved her unconditionally in return. Lucy wanted that sort of love. Someone to wipe away her tears, to hold her close, and to kiss her lips tenderly. She wanted love and all its faults. The heartbreak, if it was part of the package, and the laughter, all the tears. To have loved and lost was better than to have never loved at all.

But all the books made it sound like love was so easy. But slowly, Lucy was beginning to realize that love wasn't anything to be taken lightly. It wrapped it's warm fingers around her very soul, tugging, tugging so hard she felt like her mind may spill out her ears.

The kiss was coming up in her book. Lucy traced her own lips with her fingers. But then came the part where the villainous Gaston attempted to slay the beast, and Belle was weeping over his body. It described her heartbreak, her feeling of loss. And the final 'I love you' that conquered even death. Lucy felt tears of her own escape her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. That kiss, Lucy wanted more than anything. Or something with just as much feeling.

Lucy put the book on a pillow, pages down, burying her head in her knees.

Love was hard, and Lucy was beginning to discover just how hard it was.

Why? Because she was finally realizing how hard she was falling for Natsu.

Ah, the slow burn is very slow. Stay tuned for more!

~Starry