I had to take a break after that one lol. it was hard, but it turned out way better than I expected it would! and I'm super glad it was worth the wait! kinda makes this chapter look weak lmao. so, a few things happened in my life and I found out that I am currently expecting! it was in the middle of the last chapter that I found out, which was why it took a bit to get that one and this one out. but I'm super happy about it and can't wait for what the future holds! I'm gonna continue this story until it's finished, so don't worry about me dropping it. I'm also in the process of getting all the details for my next Gajevy AU fanfic which I hope you guys like! I may drop the first chapter after I finish with this half of the current story. IDK. we'll see :)

(GUEST, GUEST) I'm really really glad that the smut turned out so well! I was doubting myself, but the more I reread it, the better it got! I'm super proud of my work! And in terms of ability changing... I don't think there will be any changes, but Gajeel does have some underlying powers that he himself isn't even familiar with, since he prefers to use his hands. back when he got kidnapped, I toyed with the idea of him rusting the chains, so we've got that to look forward to. Levy, may or may not gain properties to her energy that's related to metal or iron, but I'll have to just continue writing the story and see what happens, 'cuz I don't even know myself lol. I really just go with the flow when I write. if it happens, it happens! :)

(RAO HYUGA 18)_thank you! you know, I look forward to your comment/review of each chapter, and it means a lot to me that you've actually been with this story for a while now! thank you for hanging in there with me! It has been a very fun story to write! I hope you like what happens in the future! I've got some big plans to end out this half of the story that people may or may not like! I'm super excited to test those waters!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"I didn't learn that I was soulless until I was maybe eleven or twelve, and believe it or not, it was a goblin that told me."

Levy laid on her side wrapped in his thick comforter as he served as the big spoon against her. She'd never felt more at peace in her life than when she was with him and it was a feeling she never wanted to let go of. They lost track of time during their coupling, but she was sure they went at it for a least a few hours and he was even better than she imagined he would be. They became one, and when he claimed her, all she wanted to do was open her heart, her body, and her soul to him. He accepted her with open arms, how could she not tell him anything and everything?

Gajeel had both arms wrapped around her small frame, his nose buried in her hair as she sat snug against him, 'perfectly, as always.' He wished he could have met her when he was alive, and he wondered if their lives would have been less miserable if they had each other. Of course, there were cons to that idea; one or both of them dying and running the risk of not being reborn and separated forever, but with things the way they were now, he didn't have to worry about that. For some reason, they were brought together in their afterlife, and that only meant they'd have each other for eternity.

"When I confronted my parents about it, they confessed immediately," she continued, completely comfortable sharing personal parts of her life with him. She sighed, sinking deeper into his embrace. "They told me it was the reason they had tight reigns on me. And ever since then, the reigns got tighter."

He held her closer, staying quiet as she spoke. He could tell she never really opened up to anyone; they were the same. They both had no one really to vent to on a regular basis, so he knew it felt good to get that stuff off her chest. Especially stuff so deeply rooted in her memories.

"I was already homeschooled, and I had limited access to the outside world. I'm surprised they let me become friends with Lucy, honestly. After they knew I knew the true reason, they stopped letting me go outside altogether. They told me, 'since I knew what was going on, there was no reason to let me have any freedom.' It sucked."

"I'm sorry ya had ta go through all that, Lev," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"It's alright, it's over now," she twisted in his arms, turning on her other side to face a bare chest. "It's just nice to talk about this to someone, you know?"

She rested her head on his chest, letting the steady sound of his heartbeat soothe her. "I mean, at the time, I assumed they had good reason for it. They told me it was to protect me from spirits and to keep them from harassing me constantly, and in my mind, I was like 'yeah, that makes sense.' I was young and didn't know any better. But… they still came after me. It didn't matter where I was. It wasn't like I could hide from them."

"So, they kept ya locked away even knowing they were still coming after ya?" Gajeel asked, trying to piece everything together as she nodded.

"It wasn't until after they died from the Fallout that I found out they were the ones who sold my soul. They sold it before I was even born," Levy cringed at the memory, not really wanting to recreate the night she found that out, but his love and comfort gave her all the safety she needed. She hooked an arm around his midsection, hugging him gently. "A goblin came to me when I was seventeen and told me that my parents sold my soul to a demon for wealth years before I was even born, and I didn't believe him at first. But then, he started telling me things nobody else knew, even things my own parents didn't know."

"That's fucked up…" Gajeel muttered under his breath. His parents weren't perfect, but for the duration of his young life, they did show him love and care, it wasn't until his dad decided to abandon them that everything went downhill.

"Yeah, tell me about it," she said, defeated. She wished she could have had a normal life, but she guessed that was too much to ask for. "After the goblin was finally able to convince me… he tried to take over my body."

So, that's why she hated goblins. That only made him feel like shit. He already had that thought in the back of his head, but to actually hear the reason why felt like a knife to the heart. He didn't associate himself with the creatures of the Spirit World; he thought himself above them when he knew in reality, he was no better. He hated that he was lumped in the same category as those beings, and he wanted nothing but to prove to her that he was different. "Lev…"

"And he almost succeeded, too," her voice was small, almost breaking at the memory. When he held her tighter, it gave her the courage to continue. "Since I had no soul, I was basically a door for them to pass through me or use me as a vessel. It's not easy for them to leave the Spirit World, so it only makes sense that they want to live amongst the humans. He managed to take over my body for a brief period of time, but I was able to expel him. It was hard and painful, but I managed."

"I did a lot of research on different types of spirits so I could communicate with them properly," she continued. "Then, one day Lucy told me I should read up on how to… I guess exercise them if they ever caught me off guard. It was a good idea… but it was difficult. I don't like remembering the time my body wasn't mine. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing that I let my guard down long enough for a creature to use me like that."

"I stayed on high alert constantly after that," she swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. She was getting close to talking about the talisman, which was still a raw subject between the two. They never talked about it aside from the time when she initially remembered. How would he react? "Some years after that, I learned about the talisman. Of course, I did my research on it- or what little research I could do; there wasn't much on it aside from the fact that it was an object that had certain properties to it that connected it to other worlds. And as luck would have it, it actually kept the spirits from approaching me. I don't know how or why, but it was a great relief. I still heard their voices, and they were easy to tune out most of the time. There were times where they got overbearing, to the point where it led to a migraine, but it was still manageable."

Gajeel grit his teeth, angry that those things went after her like they did, angry that she went through so much shit and he couldn't do anything about it, angry that he let himself get so worked up over the talisman when she clearly needed it more than he did. He was no different. He kept putting that into his brain. He went after her just like the others. He was no different. He'd yelled at her, asking her why her life was more important than his, but the answer was right there. He felt like such a dick. Why did she choose him, anyway? It confused him almost to the point of angering him. He didn't deserve her; he was nowhere near worthy. It felt wrong to hold her, but it felt oh, so right even more. He held onto her tighter, again thinking she'd vanish if he let her go.

Levy felt his body temperature rise, likely from frustration. He was probably fighting himself internally, trying to differentiate himself from the rest of the beings of the Spirit World. She lifted her head to take a good look at his face and just as she suspected, it was all screwed up. Her hands found his cheeks in an instant, offering that comfort she knew he needed. "Gajeel…"

"Levy," he said her name in a voice so low, he could barely hear himself speak. "I wanna do right by ya. I ain't like the others, I promise. An' I know that's somethin' they all say, but…"

"Hey," she stretched up a bit to plant a light kiss on his lips, then his chin. "Don't you ever compare yourself to them. I know you're not like them. Even if you don't think so, you've already proved it. You're one of a kind, and I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours forever."

"Why? I don't deserve ta have ya like this," large fingers found their way into her blue tresses and garnet eyes stared into honey. "But yer the only reason I wanna live right now. Isn't it wrong fer us ta be tagether?"

"Why would it be? Who says we can't?" She asked, almost incredulously. Why did he doubt himself like this? She believed in signs from the universe, and clearly, they were meant to be. "Gajeel, we belong together, can't you see? Forget everything that's happened in the past!"

"Lev…" tears welled in the corner of his eyes, being wiped away by her fingertips before they could fall. "Thank ya so damn much. I really don't know what I'd do without ya. I wouldn't have been able ta go through this alone. I'm so grateful that ya were brought ta me again."

"Just don't let me go," Levy gave that sweet smile he loved so much, bringing down the wall he was subconsciously trying to build with ease. She could see it. She could see him break a little, but she was there to mend what was broken and vice versa.

"Shorty," he rolled her onto her back and hovered over her, taking in the loveliness of her bare body and appreciating the way her hair haloed above her head fittingly. She was so beautiful; he'd never get tired of thinking it, saying it, proving it. He let a hand ghost down her face and all across her body as he praised her. "If ya think I'm ever gonna let ya go, ya got another thing comin'. I know I've only known ya fer a short amount of time, but… sometime in that period of time, ya turned inta the light of my life, an' the day I woke up ta ya fixin' me up, I realized that I needed ya by my side."

"Gajeel…" she closed her eyes, her turn to prevent tears from falling. Where did he learn such sweet words? She felt his hair fall to the side as he leaned into her space and took her for a deep kiss. It felt so good being able to finally act on their emotions, and it seemed like every time they were intimate, their connection grew deeper.

"Levy," he broke the kiss, staring intently into her now lidded eyes. "This ain't easy fer me ta say, especially since I've never said this ta anyone other than my family, but… I love ya so fuckin' much. So damn much. I don't care that things are movin' fast. All I wanna do now is spend forever provin' my worth t'ya. I wanna prove that I am worthy enough ta call ya mine. I wanna protect ya even though I know yer more than capable of takin' care of yerself. I love ya more than anythin', Levy. An' I'm almost one hundred percent certain ya feel the same way… don't ya, Lev?"

She knew he loved her, but she never thought he'd say it out loud, and so sweetly, at that. His hand eventually came to rest on her cheek, and she laid her hand atop his, reading every expression on his face. He was vulnerable and expectant, waiting eagerly for her reply. He was scared, but why? Of course, she loved him! Could he not see it? "Gajeel, how could I not love the man that freed me? The man that brings me light when I'm at my darkest? The man who passes no judgment and accepts me and all my flaws and loves me unconditionally? It's impossible not to love you."

She pulled him down so she could hug him close to her body, the weight of him pressing against her frame comfortable. "I want you to know that you are worthy enough to love me. Who the hell decided you weren't, anyway? Please, Gajeel, love me! Love me as much as you want! Don't let irrational thoughts keep you from happiness!"

"Fuck," he hooked his arms under hers and held her shoulders, kissing her neck up to her ear. "Yer perfect. Nothin' else matters when I'm with ya. Thank ya so damn much fer lovin' a bastard like me, an' thank ya fer lettin' me love ya."

"Give yourself more credit," she said softly, small hands smoothing across his back. "You're an amazing being, inside and out. You're tough! I mean, look at what you've just gone through! You've only come out stronger because of it!"

"I wouldn't have been able ta do it without ya, Lev," he sighed, rolling them so that he was on his back and she was lying on top of him. "…sorry I went back ta my dad. I know that was irresponsible of me. I just needed ta hear the truth from his mouth. Sorry fer makin' ya worry."

Levy sat up, her hands on his chest as she remembered her encounter with that demon. Gajeel couldn't take him alone! What was he thinking? That was one tree she dreaded having barked up. "He's dangerous! He could have killed you!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," he held her hands in his in apology, even thinking her angry face was beyond gorgeous. "When I heard it was the door ta the Underworld, I just shut down. I was so pissed off at my dad fer puttin' that burden on me. He knew 'bout that shit the whole damn time, an' it pissed me off even more. I couldn't help but try ta take my anger out on him, but…"

"…he was stronger than you thought…" a dark silence fell over the two as the topic they were both unknowingly avoiding came to light.

"Lev…" he hesitated. "Why'd ya attack him?"

She looked away, ashamed that he found out, but angry at the demon for ratting her out. Why wouldn't he have? He lived to make people miserable even if it happened to be his own son. She wasn't sorry for attacking that evil creature, but she was sorry that it had to be his father. "Gajeel, I…"

"What happened?" He had so many questions. "When did it even happen? I know ya wouldn't attack anyone fer no valid reason, so what was it that set ya off? Why didn't I see it?"

"I'm sorry for attacking your father, Gajeel, but at the time…" she took a deep breath. "It was in the beginning, a little bit after you guys reunited. I wanted to see what he was all about, you know? I wanted to see the truth behind those lies I knew he was telling. I kept trying to read his mind but for whatever reason… I kept getting kicked out. He knew what I was doing, and it was like he was standing guard in his brain, thwarting my attempt each time. But… after a few tries… he let me in."

Gajeel kissed her fingers, easing her nerves a bit. She tensed up when she started explaining what happened, which was understandable, and he wanted to make her just as comfortable as she made him. He watched her patiently while he massaged her hands, waiting for her to continue at her own pace.

"He let me in, but not really," she continued. "He stopped time…"

"What the fuck?" Gajeel couldn't help but speak out loud. Just how much power did he have if he had the ability to stop time? Was she serious? How the hell…?

"Yeah," she said, giving his hands a soft squeeze. "He told me he was tired of me trying to get into his head and I got a bad feeling in my gut, so I swung my blade. I was only able to graze him slightly, and it was then that I realized I couldn't do anything at the moment."

"Wait," he said, still trying to wrap his head around what he just learned. "Yer tellin' me that he stopped time? How the hell are we supposed ta fight against that?!"

"Well, from what I could tell, it took a lot out of him to even do it for a very small period of time," she reassured. "And what do you mean, fight against him? Why would we? We can just destroy the talisman and leave him down there forever. He can't get out without it, remember?"

Those deafening words rang in his head over and over again. That voice saying he'd get out with or without the talisman would be the new thing to haunt his dreams and he wasn't sure he wanted to tell Levy, either. All she would do is go knives-first and start a fight and who knew how that would turn out? After all, they were the same in that aspect. But what were they supposed to do when his dad finally showed his face? There was no way in hell he was going to let them slide so easily. Would he be able to protect Levy? Could she handle him on her own? He couldn't let that happen.

"Speaking of destroying the talisman," she continued, not noticing the plethora of thoughts filtering in and out of his head. "After you left, I stayed with Lucy and the fallen angel for a bit and found the reason why they were looking for you."

She slid her hands up and down his chest after a few seconds to get his attention. She eventually saw how lost in his mind he was and worried that she said something wrong. "What's wrong? Are you mad at me?"

"No, Lev," he grabbed her face and brought it down for a kiss. "I ain't mad at ya. Now, what were ya sayin' 'bout the talisman?"

"I guess that Fallen, what was his name?" Levy laid back down on his chest, loving being close to him like this. "Laxus? Well, anyway, he's trying to stop the rest of the Fallen from using the talisman to open the door. He and Lucy told me they were trying to get ahold of it so they could destroy it. Honestly, it's not a half-bad idea. But… I'm still a little uneasy about working with them. I know they're on the good side, but there's just something in me that won't let me trust them fully. What do you think?"

Gajeel didn't really have much to say about the Fallen aside from the fact that he was really hoping to get his hands dirty and wipe him off the face of the Earth. A job is a job, which now that he's abandoning this one, he'll have to tell Lily and get reprimanded. If he was honest, he got more of a shitty vibe from the human girl than he did from the fallen angel. He actually seemed to be working for the greater good, whereas she… she was hiding something, he was sure of it.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "It ain't really my place ta say anythin'."

"Why isn't it? I told them the talisman wasn't mine to give and that I had to check with you first," she sat up again, pouting at his response.

"If ya really want my honest opinion," he said, crossing his arms behind his head. "I trust the angel more than I trust the human. If ya wanna give it ta them fer 'em ta destroy, then do it. I trust ya, Lev. I just don't want anythin' ta do with the damned thing ever again."

In his head, it didn't matter if it was destroyed or not. No matter their choice, it wasn't going to stop his dad from crawling out of literal Hell and trying to kill them both and everything else in his path. "I think destroyin' it will give both of us that peace of mind we've been lookin' fer."

"But I don't want to just give it to them! What if it falls in the wrong hands?" Levy asked, her face full of worry. "And what do you mean you trust the Fallen more than Lucy? She was my best friend! If anything, she'd be the trustworthy one out of the two!"

"I think she's hidin' somethin'," he replied, turning his nose up at the topic. He really didn't care for that girl.

"Like what?" Levy cocked her head to the side, genuinely curious about what Gajeel saw that she didn't.

"I dunno," he shrugged again. "But she's got skeletons. An' it ain't the fact that she's marked by a Fallen."

Levy had that thought deep in the back of her mind, but she pushed it aside thinking it was only the fact that she was galivanting with a fallen angel. Something told her Gajeel was right… what was she hiding? Lucy was terrible at keeping secrets, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?

"Look," he said, seeing her let his thoughts consume her. This was why he didn't really want to tell her. He knew she'd get all worked up and that was the last thing he wanted. "How 'bout we destroy the talisman together? All four of us. So, yer little human friend an' the angel are happy, an' we have peace of mind. That way, ya can keep yer eye on it an' make sure they don't run off with it, or whatever."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" She asked, giving it some serious thought. She was sure it wouldn't take all of them to destroy it, but it would be nice to see it be done. She was sure Lucy would appreciate the gesture, also.

"It's better than just handin' it over an' walkin' away," he said, reaching up and tucking a stray blue lock behind her ear. "Trust me, Shorty. Yer gonna feel better 'bout it if ya do."

"We definitely have to go back to that beach," Lucy raved, stars in her eyes as they walked through the trees of his island.

"What's wrong with our little beach here?" Laxus teased, moving thick leaves and branches out of the way as she explored. He was pretty much just letting her do what she wanted to at this point since he had nothing else better to do, and it was fun to see her so happy.

"Nothing, nothing!" She waved her hands while she blushed. "It was just… so pretty… and…"

"Or did you like what we did there?" He laughed, dropping a hand on her shoulder. "Because we could do that here, too."

"Laxus! Come on!" She exclaimed. "You know we don't have time for that! We have to meet Levy here, soon."

"I still don't know how you convinced me to let her come to my island," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "Even if she won't kill me, it's still dangerous for her to know where we live."

"Oh, you worry too much," the blonde said with a wave of her hand. "She's meeting us at the edge of the beach here, and the house is way inland. She won't even know this place is yours."

"You say 'way inland' as if this is a big island," he grunted, a bad feeling sitting somewhere in his gut. "A couple steps this way, and she can see the house clear as day."

"Just trust me, Lax," Lucy turned and held his arm, swinging it back and forth in an attempt to get that grumpy look off his face. "When Levy says something, she means it. And I think as long as Levy tells him not to, the goblin won't do anything either."

"I'm not really worried about the goblin," he replied coolly. 'I mean, yeah, he's strong, but nothing I can't handle. It's the angel I'm worried about. She tranqued me, remember!"

"Well, you were still a little drunk, right? She just caught you off guard, that's all," she reassured. "Besides, you won't have to worry about her, okay?"

"I'll trust you, Lu," he said reluctantly. "But if she tries anything, you better know I won't hesitate to fight back."

"I know, Lax."

"I'm gonna have to go see Cana again for more liquor," he mumbled to himself. He only brought one extra jug with him and he was saving it for a rainy day. Was it now?

"Also, we need to thank her for pointing us in the right direction," Lucy said, a thumb to her chin. "It was because of her that I got to be reunited with Levy again!"

"Do you think they went to see her?" Laxus asked, squatting and digging around in the sand. Cana didn't even do a reading for him, which meant she already knew where it was, but how? He knew she was a neutral party so there was no way she'd have gone out to look for it herself, so how else did she know?

"I'm not sure, but it makes sense if you think about it." Lucy extended a hand and pulled Laxus up and down the path a few more yards until they were at the edge of his island. "I don't think he knew his dad was in the Underworld before he went there, so it only makes sense that they sought out help."

"The question is, if that was the case," he said thoughtfully. "How do they know her in the first place?"

A chilled breeze washed over them, chillier than the ocean air that was always persistent. Lucy rubbed her upper arms to make the goosebumps go away. "Hey, is it just me, or did it get really cold out of nowhere?"

With a deep sigh and a hand dragged down his face, Laxus shook his head. "No, Lu. It's not just you."

He turned around and anger immediately took over him. What the fuck was he doing here, and how the fuck did he know where he was?

"Laxus, sorry to barge in on you guys like this," Gray said, glancing at the blonde girl. He never really had any issues with either Laxus or Lucy, but the fact that he was working with Salamander was enough for Laxus to dislike him with a passion. But… he was here for a really good reason, and all he could do was hope that they would hear him out.

Laxus didn't falter when it came to grabbing the ice angel by the collar, tiny currents of electricity pulsing from his hands. He'd had this island for over three centuries and not once had anyone shown up uninvited. "How'd you find this place?! Do you really wanna die, Gray?"

"Laxus, just listen to me, I'm not here to cause trouble!" Gray tried to pry his hands off his jacket, which was sure to be wrinkled by now. "I just wanted to ask you something!"

"How the hell did you find this place?" Laxus growled, a sound he hadn't heard from himself in ages. He was glad to have gotten all that anger out of him years ago.

"Relax!" Gray held his hands up. "Freed told me!"

Fuck! Of course, that scrawny, green-haired kiss-ass told him! And this was what he got for telling Freed where he lived in the first place! He let go of Gray and took a few steps back, running a hand through his short hair. "Goddamnit! What the fuck do you want, then?"

"Laxus… why are you after the talisman?"

"Why do you think?!" He shouted, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "You all are idiots! And I'm just trying to prevent the end of Earth. Some of us actually like living here!"

Ah, Juvia said the same thing. If he really thought about it, Earth wasn't all that bad. He could do whatever he wanted to do, he just chose to stick with the others and live in the bunker, only because it was familiar. It was comfortable. After having that talk with her, he realized that perhaps he was letting Salamander's actions and wants influence his own. He needed to take a step back and really think about what it was he wanted. But, given the information he just got, he didn't think there was time to sit and think about anything.

"The talisman," Gray said cautiously. "Will it get us back home?"

Laxus scoffed. This little asshole knew something, clearly. But if this was one way to stop Salamander, then he'd gladly tell him what he knew. "No."

"Damnit!" The ice angel knew the truth, yet he was still pissed when he heard the confirmation a second time. Now he had a new objective, and that was to convince those dumbasses at the bunker that they were making a huge mistake. "Well, what is it then?"

"Do you really wanna know?" Laxus asked, pinching his brow.

"Obviously, or I wouldn't have risked you beating me to a pulp to come here!" Gray spat, trying to figure out why he was being so testy. After all, he was on his side now!

"It's a door to Hell," he said. "And me and Lu are trying to find it and destroy it so the pink-haired dummy won't find it and open it."

"What makes you think the goblin is going to give it to you?" Gray asked, wondering how much Laxus' plan had advanced.

"I'm pretty sure you and Salamander were watching us, so you know that we got in contact with the goblin," the blond said knowingly. He wasn't dumb. There was way too much concentrated energy just sitting in one place for them to have not been found.

"Yeah, and that's an angel with him, right?"

"Not just any angel," Laxus said, his hand resting on the top of his head.

"Yeah, I know," Gray knew exactly who she was and what her beef with the Fallen was. How Laxus got so close to her without her taking him down was beyond him. "How did you manage to convince her you were on the good side?"

"It was mainly Lu who did the convincing for me, since they were old friends and all," he motioned to the blonde next to him, who was standing there looking like a confused doe. "Anyway, any moment now, we're supposed to meet them with the talisman and figure out how to destroy it. I'd ask for your help, but she'll probably kill you the moment she sees you."

"Yeah, and I don't really want to pick a fight with the goblin, either," Gray said sheepishly.

"Well, I cleared up any issues he had with the Fallen, so you guys should have one less enemy," Laxus said, wondering if he still had his hatred for them.

"Not just that," Gray sighed, turning to face the water. "I'm the one who snatched him up in the first place. Not to mention I didn't really go easy on him."

"Oh, well whatever bone he has to pick with you, is on you," Laxus stated, dismissing the subject. He didn't give two flying fucks about why the goblin hated Gray. All he cared about was finding the talisman and destroying it so he and Lucy could move on with their lives. "You should probably go soon. They're going to be here any moment."

"Wait a minute, you got pissed off at me for being here, and yet you're letting the goblin and angel show up? What kind of sense does that make?" It was hard to admit, but Gray was actually a bit offended! They'd known each other for a couple hundred years, and he still hadn't been invited to his island!

"Don't look at me, it was all Lucy's idea," Laxus rolled his eyes, not liking the idea himself, but it was too late now. "You think I want two beings with grudges toward our kind to know where my safe space is?"

"You didn't even want your own friends to know where it was," Gray griped.

"I did tell my friends," Laxus clarified. "One of them went off to the Spirit World with some creature, another moved away and seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth, and the other told you! And I told them only in case of emergency, so how the fuck did you get Freed to tell you?"

"You know, anything to do with you, he immediately caves," Gray snickered.

"Whatever," the stoic blond said, ready for this conversation to be over. "So, what now? You gonna go tell Salamander that he's got it all wrong?"

"I was hoping I could help you guys destroy it but seeing as the angel and goblin will be there…" Gray didn't really know what to do next. After talking to Juvia, he learned that no matter what, they were most likely stuck there, and the only two other places they could go were places no angel wanted to be.

He had to tell Salamander that the talisman wasn't what he thought it was but knowing him… he wouldn't believe it in the slightest. So, then what? Tell him anyway and risk a real fight breaking out between them? Who's to say the rest of the bunker will believe him? All he really could do was run it by him and go from there. If he believed him, then good. They could take the proper steps to get rid of it. If he chose not to believe him, then he'd just make sure Laxus was able to destroy it and maybe stay with Juvia for a while.

"I guess I'm gonna go run it by Salamander, and see what he says," Gray said with a burdened sigh.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Laxus chuckled, walking to stand next to his comrade. "He's stubborn as a mule. Be prepared to make an enemy!"

"Yeah… looking forward to it."

"Just remember," Laxus put a hand on his shoulder and leaned down slightly. "Once things go haywire, you can't come here!"

"Gee, thanks," Gray said, deadpan. "I already know you don't want me here, so why would I come back? I was only here to confirm something. Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude on you and Lucy."

"Oh, please," he laughed. "We've already done everything under the sun!"

"I didn't need to know that," Gray said before vanishing, leaving a laughing blond behind.

Lucy walked up to Laxus and rested her head against his arm, looking out into the vast, dark blue sea. "You know Salamander won't listen, right?"

"I know."