A/N: this chapter is mostly dialogue... sorry if it isn't interesting but I wrote what popped in my mind

Chapter 10

"Mommy!"

Levy opened her arms as the little boy with black hair and red eyes ran to her. He threw himself in her arms and hugged her tightly. She picked him up in her arms and squeezed him. He giggled when she kissed his cheek lightly. This was her life. He was her everything. She didn't care how he came into the world because he was her baby boy.

"I missed Mommy!" He said sweetly as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"I missed you too, Keitaro. Are you being good for Grandpa?"

"Uh huh! Mommy? Who's that big scary man behind you?"

Levy sighed and turned to face Gajeel. His face was like stone. He portrayed no emotions at all. His eyes were glued on the boy in her arms. "That's Mommy's friend, honey. Go back to Grandpa. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay!"

Keitaro took off running back to his table. Gajeel's eyes followed him before snapping back to Levy. His eyes narrowed. "I see why ya swore it was me. Is he really your kid?"

"Yes, Gajeel. He's my son. He will be three soon." She smiled lovingly at the child. Gajeel's heart warmed at the look on her face. She looked back him, a protective look on her face. "I could easily find out who done it, you know. He is my proof. But I refuse to put my baby through that. You can leave now if you want to. I'll have my dad take me back to the dorm after I eat lunch."

Gajeel thought about it for a moment, looking back at the boy at the table eating his fries. He grinned at the woman beside him and began to walk to the table that her father and son were sitting at. Levy smiled, happy that he didn't turn his back and walk out the door. Her heart began to nurse a small flame of hope for their budding relationship. She followed him and sat beside her father since Gajeel took the seat next to Keitaro. Her father smiled and hugged her.

"Hello, dear. I didn't know you would be coming in today!" Lance hugged his daughter. "Are you going to introduce us to your friend, little pixie?"

"Dad, I asked you not to call me that in public." Levy blushed and bent her head. Gajeel laughed and she scowled at him.

"But why? You are my little pixie!" Gajeel and Keitaro laughed as Lance squeezed his daughter to him.

"Okay! Okay! Ugh! Dad, this is Gajeel. He is in my dorm and was assigned to be my partner for this week. Gajeel, this is my dad, Lance."

"I'm Kei!" Keitaro shouted, not to be left out.

Lance laughed. "Yes, you are Kei. Why don't you tell Mr. Gajeel how old you are going to be on your birthday?"

He beamed, "Thwee!"

Gajeel smiled at the kid and ruffled his hair. Keitaro asked him many questions like why was his hair long. Levy and Gajeel ordered their food and ate; Gajeel refused to let Levy pay and ended up buying all four of their lunch. After they were done, Keitaro begged to go to the park and Levy agreed to go with him. They put Levy's bag in the trunk of Lance's car and all piled in. Keitaro stood in front of Gajeel and begged with puppy dog eyes until Gajeel grunted and came to play with him. Levy laughed, knowing that once her son wasn't around, Gajeel would begin to harass her with questions. She sighed and laid her head against her father's shoulder.

"Levy, have you noticed how much they look alike?" Lance asked in a low voice, trying not to upset his precious daughter. He saw it the moment that he spotted Levy in the restaurant.

"I noticed the very first moment I saw him. We were in front of everybody when I first saw him. I freaked out and ran away. He followed me. He isn't the one. I know he's not."

"Okay. If you say he isn't, then he isn't. Which means that he is a friend? Is he a boyfriend? My baby is growing up too fast!" he hugged her tight and cried.

Levy blushed bright red. "W-what? No! It isn't like that Dad!"

Lance laughed and patted Levy's back. She was such a sweet girl. She deserved a little happiness in her life other than Keitaro. He knew she claimed she didn't need anyone other than her family and her son, but he knew better. She needs love and if the way Gajeel smiled at her when she wasn't watching was any kind of sign, then she may have already found it. Would he be able to love Keitaro as his own if their relationship became more serious? Sure they were playing together now, but that is the easy part. How would he feel raising another man's child? Not many men could take on that responsibility.

"Do you know that your brothers were Kei's age when I married your mother? My family told me that I was biting off more than I could chew by taking in another man's children. I told them that I didn't care who their father was because I loved them and they were my children now. It takes a strong man to love a child that isn't his."

"I know, Dad. Don't worry though. Gajeel and I aren't like that. He wouldn't like me anyway. He is always calling me short or a kid. I don't need another man in my life. I have you, Jet, Droy, and my little Keitaro."

"Keitaro is going to ask about his dad one day, Levy. Your brothers asked even though they had me. You will have to tell him something. Of course he has your brothers and me, but sometimes that is not enough in a boy's life. Sometimes he will need a father."

"When the time comes that he does ask, then that is when I will tell him that his dad was a bad man who done bad things. I'll tell him that I do not know his father's name and that he hurt me. That is all he needs to know."

"You are a smart girl, Levy. You always have been. I am so proud of the woman you have become. Your mother would be proud, too."

She smiled sadly. She didn't remember her mother that much. All she had were pictures and stories. "Dad, I want to thank you for offering to take care of Kei while I'm at college."

"Why do I hear a 'but' at the end of that?"

"I found out that the school offers a daycare program for its students that are parents. I want to take Kei to live with me in the dorm. These last few nights have been torture for me. I have never been separated from him more than a few hours. In my heart, I feel that he should be with me. I shouldn't leave him to be raised by someone else."

"Oh, Levy! You really are mature! You let me know when to bring him to you and I will!" Tears welled up in his eyes. His baby girl wasn't a baby any longer. She had grown into a strong and beautiful young woman. He was so proud of her.

Levy opened her mouth to say something when a blood curling scream ripped through the air. Her blood ran cold. She stood up, running toward the sound. She found Gajeel sitting on the ground, holding a crying Keitaro in his arms. Keitaro had his face buried in Gajeel's chest. Her heart stopped at the look of pure terror on Gajeel's face. She didn't know which scared her more; her son's cries or the terrified look on Gajeel's face. She rushed to Gajeel's side and dropped to her knees, pulling Keitaro into her arms. She looked at Gajeel with a questioning look.

"We were playing hide and seek. I was counting while he hid. He must have climbed up the jungle gym because I finished counting and opened my eyes as another kid ran past him. He started to fall from the top. I thought my heart was going to stop when he screamed. Somehow I managed to catch him before he hit the ground." The color was slowly returning to his face. Keitaro sniffled and wiped his tear streaked face on Levy's shirt. She smiled at him, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Oh, thank you, Gajeel! Thank you so much!"

"Mommy, Gaj saved me!" Keitaro whimpered.

"I know, baby. He's a hero."

"Like Draco?" He asked innocently.

"Yep. Just like Draco, honey."

"Who is Draco?" Gajeel asked the pair.

"Tell the story, Mommy!" Levy smiled and nodded. She carried him to a large tree and leaned against it. Gajeel sat beside her. Keitaro crawled out of her lap and settled himself into Gajeel's. He just smiled at the kid and ruffled his hair.

"In the world of mystical beings, Draco is a man with the powers of a dragon. He was handsome and very strong. However, he had no family. He was all alone in the world. Until he met a very special fairy. He fell in love with the beautiful fairy named Remi easily. Remi was an only child who had only her mother but her mother was very sick and didn't have much time left to live. She went out to find an herb that may have the potential to heal here mother. That was when she met Draco…

"Who are you?" She asked the dark man sitting beside a tree with his eyes closed.

He just grunted and continued to ignore her. She stomped her foot in frustration. She walked over to him and gently kicked his leg. He didn't even flinch. She groaned and pulled her leg back to kick a little harder when his hand wrapped around her ankle. She gasped at his cold touch. When she looked down, she noticed that his hand was covered in iron scales.

"What are you kicking me for, silly girl? Do you have any sense? I could easily kill a little pixie like you."

"I am a fairy! You are not that smart are you?"

"Watch it, little fairy." He growled and released her ankle.

She sat beside him. "I'm sorry for kicking you. My name is Remi. Are you one of the Dragon Slayers?"

"Yep. The last one still alive."

"Oh wow! That is amazing! I never met a Dragon Slayer before!"

And so it went on like that for weeks. The two would meet every day and just talk. It was usually about his past life or her current life. Most of the time, she would pack a small lunch for them to share. After two months, she confessed to him that she loved him. He finally smiled at her that day and kissed her. They were both very happy.

He never thought that someone could love him. He believed he was a monster. His own family didn't want him. They had abandoned him. Everyone he ever cared for abandoned him. His mind told him that she would never leave his side. That was why he decided that he would go to town the next day and ask her to marry him.

As he got closer to town, he could hear screams and the warning sirens. His blood ran cold and he took off running. He had to find her. He had to protect her. He had just made it to town when he heard it. A screech filled the air and everyone froze. After a moment of silence, the city became frantic. Everybody ran for the underground camp. His lungs spurred him on in the direction of her house.

Draco was nearing when a great large dragon flew overhead. Its scales where the color of storm clouds. He started to run faster when he heard her screams. His eyes locked on her form. She was flying, trying to avoid the dragon at the same time that she was leading it away from her home and her mother. His heart squeezed in fear. He knew what he had to do.

"Iron Dragons Roar!" Draco shouted as an iron attack was directed for the giant dragon. The attack hit the dragon in its back right leg. It roared in pain then turned his attention to Draco. Draco grinned and coated his body in iron scales. "How about you attack me?"

The dragon roared and flapped his wings in his direction.

"Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!"

Draco's arm turned into a large spearhead. A large number of steel spears fired at the dragon multiple times back to back. The dragon yelled in agony and tried to flee but was stopped.

"Oh no you don't! You do not attack my woman and get away with it! Dragon slayer secret art; Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!"

The mighty dragon fell after that; defeated. The village thanked him and welcomed him with open arms. His little fairy had been injured but it was nothing serious. He never left her side. She demanded that he marry her before he went and got himself killed. He just laughed and agreed…

"They were married two weeks later. She had two beautiful children and lived happily ever after." Levy finished.

"That was a cool story and all but there ain't any way that he could beat a dragon." Gajeel pointed out.

"Gajeel, he was born with magic that was created to defeat dragons. Plus, anything is possible when the one you love is in danger."

Gajeel looked down at the sleeping toddler in his arms and smiled. He was a really great kid. He had a wild imagination and was really smart for a two year old. Gajeel figured it was genetic and that he got it from his mother. When she was telling the story, her face had such an interesting look to it. It was easy to see that she loved the story and that she had the whole thing memorized. It was also easy to see that she passed on her love of books and that particular story on to her son

"Shrimp, I have questions."

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