Levy sat watching as the final duels were fought. Today was the Masters, White Sea was still ahead as they had been throughout the games, leading by a hefty 40 points, but, if Lucy and Kaleb had both failed, they could still be beaten.

Beside her Bickslow sat, he wasn't slated to fight today so was sitting in White Seas area beneath the guilds balcony having gotten her a seat beside him so she could watch in person instead of back at the hotel on the lacrima screen.

She bit at her lip as she watched the master of Emerald Eye take down the Master of High Sun. Joren was merciless, from what Levy had seen he had cultivated his perception magic into a powerful offensive tool and he wasn't above hurting people, in fact, he did it, to make pointed displays.

The master of High Sun was a telepath with telekinetic abilities, he was fast and powerful and the fight was intense. Joren, after the first several minutes though, was clearly stronger, and while his mages hadn't done so well against High Sun's guild team a few days ago, Joren was almost making a fool out of Vinsor, the Master of High Sun.

"Mind Control, telepathy, none of it can touch me boy!" He yelled. That was another thing about Joren, he made an effort to demoralize his opponents, Levy had watched him get some so enraged they had used attacks at levels that could have killed Joren if he'd been where those attacks hit, and he'd gotten Riptide, a smaller guild from a town just 20 miles from Pelerno disqualified, their master kicked out of the competition for using an attack that could have killed.

The organizers of the games didn't mind injuries, they were expected, but a powered up attack sent at a level capable of killing was against the rules, killing blows were banned.

Joren taunted his opponents relentlessly. "Watch your temper little boy! It makes you sloppy and you wouldn't want to join your lover getting kicked out of the games!" He shouted and the crowd gasped. Lover? Vinsor was married, his wife was fighting in the games with him and she'd done nothing, had not been kicked out of the games…

"Shut up!" Vinsor snarled and sand from the arena floor formed up into long rods swinging wildly at Joren. Trouble was Joren seemed everywhere then and Vinsor was flailing.

"Shut up? But I SAW you!" Joren called and there in the middle of the ring Vinsor was suddenly standing naked, the Guildmaster of Riptide, a beautiful woman with bobbed straight black hair, pressed against a see through wall as Vinsor pounded wildly into her and she moaned and writhed and clawed at the wall behind her.

Vinsor staggered, eyes wide in shock and jerked his head to look to the stands where his guild was on their private balcony, his dark green eyes locking with his wife's whose had filled with tears. She shook her head, turned and ran.

"NO! It didn't happen! I would never do that to Gwen! I love my wife! It's an illusion! A LIE!" He screamed and then Vinsor, like the beautiful Guildmaster of Riptide, cracked and the arena started churning as his green eyes flared and his magic built so hard and fast the pressure shook the ground all around him.

When the arena floor, flagpoles from all around the grandstands and even some of the lighting fixtures ripped away from their anchors and flew at Joren there was a loud painfully familiar buzzing noise followed by a flare of runes and wards.

Vinsor was suddenly covered in runes and slammed to the ground. "Guildmaster Vinsor and High Sun are disqualified for violating the mandate that no magical attacks designed to kill may be used during the games. Joren and Emerald Eye win the round, 10 points instead of 20 due to his methods."

Joren made a face but laughed.

"For the record! Gwen dear if you're listening? I made that whole thing up hoping you'd react that way, knew it would finish your husband off seeing you all hurt not trusting him!" Joren shouted and the crowd was just a mixture of cheers, boos, and a lot of talking about what they had just seen.

"It's not how he used to be…" Bickslow said and Levy looked at him in surprise at his serious tone.

"Joren...he was Kaleb's mentor when we were a kid, helped Kaleb master several of his most powerful attacks. When Kaleb started showing he had stronger than average abilities, Joren started pressuring him to leave White Sea and join Emerald Eye, Kaleb finally refused and Dad had to step in because Kaleb was only 16 and Joren got nasty when Kaleb turned him down. He and Grenlow even got into it, but Grenlow set him on his ass. Last Games they faced each other Kaleb held back, didn't want to take his mentor down and make him look bad, You've seen how strong Kaleb is, shit, the organizers of the Games are considering a rule that Wizard Saints won't be able to participate but every time they vote people protest against the idea. All because Kaleb's so damn strong. But he wouldn't put Joren down fast, let him get in some good attacks and it was a mistake, Joren manipulated him, took advantage of Kaleb's mercy and ended up beating Kaleb, humiliated him for being merciful." Bickslow said.

"He's been pretty rough ever since, Emerald Eye flirts with being a dark guild to the point the Boscan Magic council has threatened their license a couple of times. No idea what all happened to make Joren turn like he has over the years, but I know Kaleb and him….yeah, no love lost there." He admitted.

Levy nodded "He seems pretty dark, that stunt down there...that was...evil." She said quietly and Bickslow nodded, shaking his head, a few strands of deep blue hair falling over his crimson eyes. She kept herself from sighing, trying to keep focused on what they were talking about because it was important but she couldn't help it. When Kaleb walked onto the balcony she could see Lucy run into his arms, watched her friend get lifted off the ground and kissed breathless by a man who clearly loved her, how much did she want that herself?

So very badly...thinking back she had never had it,she and Gajeel had started down that path but they were still testing the waters when Jet and Droy had done what they'd done. Nobody wanted her...she was too small, had no chest, was a little plain looking and...she was boring…

"Earthland to Bookworm...hey...you in there?" Bickslow was snapping his fingers around her and his babies were spinning all around their heads. She blinked, meeting his crimson eyes.

"Yeah...sorry Bickslow, just lost in thought…" She admitted and he smiled, without the visor...he was so handsome. Even with it you could kind of guess, his mouth and jaw were just...nice...without it though, wearing just some slightly darkened bladed sunglasses you could see his eyes though, he was just...stunning.

"I'm alright bluebird. There's an hour break before the duels start back up, Lucy doesn't have hers for three, you wanna grab some lunch with me?" He offered and Levy narrowed her eyes on him.

"Why are you being so nice to me Bickslow? Shouldn't you be luring some pretty thing into a storage room or something?" She asked, knowing it was a little harsh, but she just wasn't in the mood to be played with and couldn't figure out why one of Fairy Tails biggest playboys was even giving her the time of day. They were in Bosco, with his looks he could have walked up to any unattached woman and probably gotten all he wanted.

"I'm a naturally nice guy Bluebird, and contrary to what the rumor mill might have said? I don't spend all my spare time seducing and fucking pretty girls." He smirked, standing and holding a hand out to her.

She sighed, it was a mean thing to say, and she was about to apologize when he leaned down once she'd stood and whispered.

"I also seduce and fuck sexy guys, I'm Boscan, I don't discriminate."

She huffed and rolled her eyes but let him lead her through the milling crowds out to where all the food stands were. They walked almost all of them before she settled on some steamed dumplings and he got a kebab then they found a spot to sit and watched the crowds, somehow he got her talking and once she started, she couldn't seem to stop.

She was grateful they had found a little table tucked under the grandstands in the shade because she was crying, and Bickslow had set his food down and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry into his shoulder.

"Not gonna lie, Gajeel didn't look so hot when he got here, Cosplayer and the rest of us had to sort of rally round him ya know? He was still fucked up over what Jet made you do, and I'll tell ya now, he better hope they keep his ass in jail for a good long time because me and some others wouldn't mind giving his scrawny ass a good beating for what he did." He told her quietly and Levy just stayed quiet, trying to rein her emotions back in, she had no idea why she had just dumped all her baggage on Bickslow, or why he was letting her and listening and being so good about it but she was glad he was.

"You didn't do it though, Bluebird, it wasn't you, it was Jet and Droy that hurt both of you, I know you want to think you could have somehow prevented it all but Droy knows his fucking plants and Jet's just a psychotic asshole that was always way the fuck too obsessed with you. You know them following you around like they did, the cheering and shit they would do around you when you worked? That shit creeped me right the fuck out, creeped out a lot of people, if anything? Why did you let those two act like that around you?" He asked as gently as he could manage.

It really had always bugged him, Gods those two idiots flailing and acting like complete maniacs around Levy while she worked had always been creepy as fuck. That she let them do it had always puzzled him.

Levy cringed at the question, she knew it was weird, knew that people found it a little disturbing and sure as hell never helped her with her work but she'd always been tiny and perceived as weak and tended to fade into the background for a lot of people, their antics, as weird as they were, had brought her attention and made her feel strangely special, she knew it was twisted, but she was as close to the definition of wallflower as it was possible to get and it was the only attention she really got was when those two went all creepy and started cheering while she worked.

She looked up at Bickslow and was expecting some form of criticism, disapproval, but all she saw was concerned curiosity and she sighed. "It was twisted, I knew that, but unless they were acting like idiots nobody even looked our way, what we did was...insignificant, we didn't fight grand battles, didn't take on the hard jobs...we couldn't. I...I guess I just liked the attention even though I knew it wasn't the right kind, someone was saying my work mattered, that I wasn't...unimportant."

"Unim...Bluebird, you beat the Thunder Legion, YOU did that, you deciphered Freed's fucking runes and allowed Gajeel and Natsu to get out and join the fight, you turned the tide you know that? That wasn't unimportant. Shit, Kaleb would about give an arm to have a script mage of your caliber in White Sea, he damn near came when Freed signed up!" He grinned at her and Levy blushed, glaring at him for his vulgarity but the glare fell into a smile.

"Thanks Bickslow...It's sweet of you to say." She said quietly.

He smiled at her, he'd admit she'd never caught his eye, he'd been too damned wrapped up in too many other things and until Fairy Tail had disbanded, he'd just not really worried about anything but having a good time, going on jobs with his team and waiting for the restrictions on Seith mages to be lifted in Bosco, something that had thankfully happened a little over a year ago.

Like she said...she'd always not been terribly noticeable, always sitting and reading, sometimes if she was with the other louder more outgoing women he'd see her, but Levy was an intellectual, someone on Freed's level, not his, he was a party boy, still was to a certain degree, but seeing his brothers settling down had him re-evaluating his priorities lately.

He'd known Levy since he was 15 and had first come to the guild and there was something to be said about that comfortable familiarity. No she wasn't a knock out like Lucy, didn't have the sultry qualities of Cana or sweet beauty of Mirajane, but Levy had her own special charm, he could see why Gajeel had found her so appealing.

"Come on, I'll buy you some ice cream and we'll get back to our seats before it's Lucy's turn out there, I have good jewel on her kicking the second of Nova Gate into next week." He said with a wicked grin and Levy laughed, rolling her eyes but accepting his outstretched hand.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Lucy drew a deep breath, she was about to take on the husband of the Guildmaster of Nova Gate. Thane had given her the man's bio and she'd almost shuddered when she'd learned he was an explosion mage...like the demon Jackal who had nearly killed her.

"You'll be fine, you can summon me in if you need me, I just can't use my magic independent of your commands or the judges will penalize you. But..if you need me Sunrise…" Kaleb said firmly, tipping her chin up and kissing her.

"I know...just a personal goal not to need to." She admitted and he smiled at her, kissing her again.

"Whatever you decide, I'll be right up there watching." He said pointing toward the guilds balcony and she smiled up at him

"What if I just summon you down to strip and distract him and the crowd?" she asked and he laughed.

"We revisiting that? Not getting enough private shows huh? Well if I'm doing that I want my own lap dance tonight." He growled and Lucy grinned. "We'll see who strips for who tonight when I'm done." She said in a sly tone that had one of his brows arching and his lavender eyes igniting.

She stepped neatly from his arms and strode to the man at the door waiting to let her into the ring. She'd now been into it enough she was comfortable walking out those doors and did so with her head high. She wasn't in formal regalia for these duels, she was in a snug black and gold spellweave that all mages received.

Stretchy, silky soft and incredibly durable the fabric had a slight sheen to it almost like it was wet, and could withstand fire, ice, wind, everything magical, you could still receive a cut through it but it wasn't easy and the fabric rarely rendered as fast as the skin beneath it would.

Lucy had been impressed with it to the point she'd had Thane order her some more items after wearing this set through several duels and challenges now. The leggings were black with gold piping up the outside seams on both legs, soft black leather boots that came mid calf. In cold weather there was a black pull on shirt that went under it but right not she wore only the black and gold ¼ jacket that covered her chest, held her bust in with really good support that impressed her. ¾ sleeves that slid up her arms and were buckled in place just above her bicep then lightweight padded pauldrons of black and gold.

The symbol of White Sea was on the back of the jacket as well as the left breast and all of it, while snug, barely felt like it was there, it was lightweight, breathed well, and took damage like nothing Lucy had ever worn before, she was tempted to have a lot of her wardrobe replaced with this sort of fabric, it was that good.

She felt good, the bond to her husband was solid and a quick glance as she crossed the ring showed him walking out onto the balcony and standing beside Laxus to watch. Of the two of them the fans were liking her more.

"I put on a better show, you just overpower everyone and have them crawl to your feet, seriously boring." She told him and Kaleb had chuckled.

"My magic isn't very showy, it's true." He conceded and she'd smiled

"You have those gorgeous shining white wings though, you should just pull them out even if you don't need them." She had suggested and he'd rolled his eyes.

"I'll leave the throngs of fans to you Sunshine, all your spirits, and their beautiful Princess….half of Bosco will be clambering to know more about you." He'd said.

He wasn't wrong there either, Jason was in Bosco working on articles for Boscos Sorcerers Weekly as well as Fiores and he'd already called her and begged her for an interview.

"Oh please Lucy! I had no idea you had moved to Bosco, and you married the Master of White Sea that is so COOL! Makes you a Guild Master yourself! You seriously need to write something about the differences between guild work and structure and stuff for us! And get your husband to pose with you for some pictures and an interview!" He'd begged, this after he had pretty much ignored her endlessly back in Fiore.

Still, Lucy's pride really did want to see herself in that magazine, and have the people back in Fiore see just how well she was doing. She knew Natsu, Erza and Gray were all here, seeing how much she had grown, how them abandoning her had not broken her and left her waiting for their return with her life on hold.

She knew how she was going to handle this opponent, and the gold and platinum keys appeared in her hand as she faced Eron in his blue and silver guild colors.

"A pleasure to see another spouse not hiding in their Guildmasters shadows." Eron said with a bow.

"I'm pleased to meet you Master Eron, I've heard great things about Nova Gate." She returned.

"As charming as I would expect of the wife of Master Kaleb. I won't dishonor you by holding back." He told her with a smile and she returned it. Oh he was good looking, dark brown hair falling in waves over his shoulders, deep yellow eyes and a handsome face. He was trying to charm her, use his looks and polite words to maybe get her softened a bit. Wouldn't work, for one thing? He was good looking but she was married to better, in her opinion at least, and...she damn well meant to wipe the arena floor with him and win this bitch.

Explosion mage, Lucy's mind had already been chewing on this since Thane had told her who she was going to face today this morning. Once the initial panic had worn off thanks to a very patient Kaleb and his skills in distracting her by giving her a foot massage that had somehow turned into her draping her legs over his shoulders and him making her unable walk right all morning.

As soon as the bell sounded Gemini was out and she had Laxus and Cristoff flanking her,she'd had the spirit copy the two slayers knowing their magic types would be strong against an explosion mage, Laxus was just fast as fuck and hit like a train and Cristoff could use mists to lessen the explosive potency in the air and increase the impact of Laxus' electricity. Gemini-Cris opened his hands and the minty scent of the mists that filled the ring made Lucy smile as Laxus sent lightning snaking along the dampened surface at her opponent, whose first volley, just like she'd hoped, exploded in the mists, meeting too much resistance to travel like he'd wanted them to.

She darted to the side and called her second spirit, watching Draco in his human form appear a moment before she whispered her call for his stardress and her draconic armor formed over her.

"Try to explode this damn it." She grit through her teeth as Gemini-Laxus sent more lightning raining through the heavy mists at Eron.

The explosion mage was fast though, trying to get a clear shot at Lucy but Gemini-Laxus and Gemini-Cristoff had other ideas and he was spending most of his time avoiding them and their attacks.

Finally an explosion went off close and Lucy was tossed a few dozen feet through the air to land with a grunt in the sand. Draco was nearby though so when Eron tried for another shot the Dragon hit him with a shooting star attack that the man narrowly managed to explode before it hit him, the shockwave from his own explosion sending him flying and giving Lucy time to regain her feet.

They went back and forth then for several long minutes and Lucy started to feel the strain of maintaining three spirits using large attacks. She was pretty sure the last hit she'd taken may have cracked a rib too as it burned bad when she tried to breathe.

She couldn't risk having Gemini-Crostoff try a healing spell though, she'd learned the hard way trying to use the replica like that just how much magic a healing spell cost. Crossing her fingers, she drew a breath and Draco got the hint, sending a Celestial roar at Eron just as Cristoff sent one and Laxus crossed his own so no matter where he went, Eron ran right into one..

Fortunately, he made the same mistake a lot of people made when facing Cristoff, assuming that because his magic focused on healing his attacks were weaker. He tried to jump through Cristoffs roar and instead got launched back into Laxus' which jolted him into Dracos.

Eron landed in a crumpled heap in the sand and the buzzer went off declaring him unconscious.

"Lucy Pradesh wins! 20 points to White Sea!"

In the stands Natsu folded his arms across his chest and glared. "I'll never get used to that." He growled and Gray looked at him with a frown.

"What? What's wrong? She won! It was a great fight!" He protested. Natsu had been non-stop bitching since the games had gotten going, and he and Erza had been working overtime trying to keep the fire slayer from doing something stupid.

"Why doesn't her "husband" talk to me huh? I've asked like ten times." He'd demanded on the way to the stadium that morning.

"8 of those requests were that he fight you for Lucy Natsu, Master Kaleb is busy with the games and he's Lucy's husband and mate, he doesn't need to fight you for her, she has chosen him, accepted his proposal and married him in addition to mating with him." Erza had said in a clipped voice.

"He's afraid, knows Luce and I are super close and that she's probably thinking hard about leaving Bosco and coming back with us, that's why he won't talk to me." Natsu had responded.

Gray's patience was, understandably, a little thin with his friend at this point. So he was already frowning when Natsu replied.

"Not that, she's Lucy Heartfillia...my best friend and partner and an important member of Fairy Tail." He grumbled.

"You gotta let it go Natsu, she's married, mated to the guy! I'd think you of all people being a dragon slayer would get the whole "Mated" thing" Gray said incredulously.

"Well I don't. ok?! I went away so I could get stronger so I could take better care of my friends, of HER! It's only been 12 months Gray, 12 months was all it took for her to replace us, to replace Fairy Tail! It makes me feel like maybe we didn't matter that much in the first place, maybe all her lectures about how we abandoned her when she needed us are just a load of crap to make her feel better about her abandoning US!" He shouted and Gray and Erza were both staring in amazement at him.

Gray opened his mouth to say something but Thane, Lucy and Kaleb's aid suddenly appeared with a soft whoosh of magic, clapped a hand on Natsu shoulder and he and the fire slayer vanished.

Erza jerked around to look up at the balcony. Kaleb wasn't there… "The fuck just happened?!" Gray demanded.

"I think Natsu is about to have the talk he's been wanting."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Natsu blinked, narrowing his eyes and taking in his surroundings, he wasn't sure where he was exactly but it wasn't the stadium, though this was definitely a magic practice ring and, standing a few feet away, lavender eyes narrowed on him, was Kaleb Pradesh.

"I think I've heard enough of your delusional temper tantrums concerning my wife." Kaleb said in a dangerous tone that had Natsu's hackles rising. He smirked, cracking his knuckles.

"Only one with delusions here is you buddy if you think Lucy will stay here, she's got Fairy Tail in her blood, and I've been her best friend through thick and thin, not saying she's gonna dump you, I know you two adopted those kids together, but she ain't gonna stay here once Fairy Tail is alive and thriving again." Natsu said firmly.

"Her best friend through thick and thin? Do you know how you all survived Tartaros? Have you even asked anyone who it was that defeated Mard Geer?" Kaleb demanded.

Natsu glared at him, this man, he was the reason Luce wasn't already back in Magnolia with him, rebuilding Fairy Tail, he was why everyone was still here, and ok, he was a pretty boy, Natsu knew Lucy's love life sucked before, she complained about it endlessly enough, so some good looking guy with money showed up and swept her off her feet, well...to hell with all that!

"Doesn't matter, we're alive that's all that matters." He responded and Kaleb shook his head.

"Lucy sacrificed Aquarius to summon the Spirit King who then defeated Mard Geer and saved all your lives, Natsu. Aquarius, her first key, the one her mother gave her, she broke the key to save all of you and what did you all do? You abandoned her, left her with nothing but a note being the fine best friend you are. When I met her she was still contemplating suicide because she was so lonely, so miserable and so sure not any of you, gave a damn about her or what she'd sacrificed for all of you." Kaleb snapped.

Natsu's mouth had fallen open. He knew how precious Aquarius was to Lucy, he narrowed his eyes then, growling.

"Liar, I've seen her with Aquarius' key she called her in one of her duels."

"She found the key, or well...my brother tracked it down and Lucy led a team to go get it, travelled through Pergrand where she rescued Cana and Bacchus and my older brother. " Kaleb told him.

"And you didn't help her?" Natsu sneered "Some loving Husband you are."

"She needed to do it on her own, because YOU and your damn cat have been ruining her self esteem with fat jokes and your whole damn team was endlessly telling her she needed you all to protect her." Kaleb returned and Natsu snarled at him.

"Just jokes asshole, Luce knew we were just kidding!" He snapped.

"Yeah, and you kidded about wrecking her apartment, sleeping in her bed uninvited, ate all of her food and destroyed so much on missions you often came home owing money instead of making any, there was a lot thick and thin about your friendship with my wife Natsu but very little of it was any good for HER. What happened before the here and now is done, gone. Lucy has risen above it, gotten stronger, happier, and while I stood by and let her tell you she wasn't leaving with you or returning to Fairy Tail and remained silent because I knew she could handle it? I will step in after the fact and enforce her decisions. You will not harass her, try to guilt her into anything, Natsu, she's happy here and you need to let her have that." Kaleb said in a much more dangerous tone than he'd used before.

Natsu curled his lip "She'll be happy in Magnolia, with her Nakama, I'm her best friend, who are you.." He started.

"I'm her husband Natsu, how do you keep managing to diminish the significance of that? Lucy loves me, you understand? I love her, I asked her to marry me, she said yes, she chose me, chose to be with me, you get that? I didn't force her, she hasn't been kidnapped and she doesn't NEED you. I would also ask her if she thinks of you as a "best friend" anymore after how you abandoned her." He said.

"Stop saying that! I didn't abandon her! I went to train to get strong enough to protect her!" Natsu roared.

"Lucy's word, not mine or did you forget she said that to you? Need a reminder?" Natsu paled as the whole scene replayed in his mind in perfect detail, of Lucy telling him she wasn't going back, telling him he'd abandoned her.

He couldn't even shove the vision aside, it took over everything, he couldn't see or smell or hear anything until it was done.

"The fuck…" He growled wavering a little. He glared up at Kaleb who didn't flinch.

"I'm a Mindbender Natsu, and just so I'm certain you will not be ignoring my wife's feelings and disregarding her wishes again? Have a taste of what used to fill her mind when I met her…."

Stored away Kaleb held those dark and terrible thoughts, the wishes for death, the miserable empty feeling of abandonment, loneliness, worthlessness. He kept them locked away so he could remind himself whenever he got busy and considered leaving his wife for a business trip or not including her in something she could help with, he could remind himself what disregarding her and ignoring her needs had done to her when her friends at Fairy Tail had done it and it steeled his resolve to be there, to always support her, to protect her without getting in her way or ever hindering her ability to defend herself.

He let Lucy set her limits, then he came in behind her, supported her, and enforced her will. That was his role, and if it meant he took on her former best friend? Then he was stepping right up to this man and taking him down a few pegs.

Natsu actually fell to his knees, tears pouring from his eyes, a wretched sob wracking his body as Kaleb blacked out his own natural distance from such things and forced him to take in Lucy's thoughts, her perceptions, a couple of the times Happy had told her she was fat and he had laughed, what Lucy had thought, what she'd felt. The state she was in when Kaleb had first met her.

Just tastes, nothing too long, but it was enough that when Kaleb stopped Natsu was laying on his side curled in a fetal position sobbing.

"Still want to fight me Natsu? If you do, I'll humor you, but don't think for a moment I won't reduce you to the mentality of a damned toddler and have you pissing yourself on the floor before I'm done. I am Lucy's mate, her husband, and you WILL respect that even if I have to ram it down your damned throat, you will also respect her, her wishes, her feelings, all of it or I will MAKE you feel all the pain you've visited on her. For what you did to her I should beat you bloody with my bare hands, but because of her love for you, because it is her wish you are Ok and can leave here as a friend? I won't do what I want to." He growled.

Natsu struggled to his feet, wiping the tears from his face and shaking his head. "How do I...know you didn't just warp all that shit you just pushed into my head?" He demanded, Kaleb glared at him.

"I wish...no...you got what I perceived, nothing more or less. The true thoughts and feelings. Now, I would like to be on civil terms with you Natsu, it would make Lucy happy and her happiness means everything to me. Are we going to keep having problems? Because she is no longer Lucy Heartfillia, she is and always will be my wife, Lucy Pradesh." He said and Natsu looked up at him.

"You mean it? Her happiness means everything to you?" He demanded, still panting a little.

Kaleb nodded "She's my world, my sunrise...she means everything to me, I won't allow even her own friends to hurt her, not again, you hurt her once already, it was more than enough." Kaleb replied.

Natsu nodded,wiping at his eyes again and looking around with some interest. "So...where are we?" He asked.

Kaleb smiled faintly. "White Seas branch in Pelerno, this is one of the practice rings." He replied.

Natsu nodded. "Mind if I...work out some frustration?" He asked and Kaleb smirked, undoing his cloak and handing it to Thane before turning back to the Fire slayer rolling up the silk sleeves of his white shirt. "Only if I get to do the same." He growled and Natsu smirked, hands suddenly covered in fire a moment before Thane teleported back outside the ring and the slayer charged the Guildmaster.

Over an hour later Kaleb strode from the ring, tossing his scorched shirt and vest into a trash can. "Take me to my suite then come back and make sure Natsu gets to his room alright ok Thane?" He asked, brushing soot from his white leather pants. Thane bowed "Yes Master Kaleb."

Natsu lay on the arena floor grinning and panting "I feel better…" he said.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Lucy looked up with a gasp as Thane and Kaleb appeared in the middle of the sitting area of their suite. She had just gotten the boys to sleep and had started pacing a little. Thane had said Kaleb was fine, just having a "talk" with Natsu but she'd still worried and now, here he was, shirtless, black soot on his skin, in his hair and on his white leather pants and boots, looking like he'd just rolled around in a camp fire.

It was a look she knew way to well, she'd worn it for fucking years.

"Are you ok?" She asked and Kaleb smiled, nodding

"Perfectly fine. Natsu's a bit tired but he's ok too, we worked things out, my way first, then...his way." He shrugged. Lucy frowned, taking his hand and pulling him into the bathroom insisting he strip down and doing the same herself, following him into the shower and washing him down herself, tsking and grumbling over every bruise, every burn she found.

Kaleb just smiled and let her fuss, it was all necessary, he felt confident Natsu would be Ok now, and so then, would he and Lucy.