"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together"

The boy didn't think. He simply acted. And what else was there to do? It mattered not whether he knew the girl; helping someone in need was the right thing to do. He had learned that, not only from his grandfather, but from his travels as well. And it wasn't like he could just let her die in the first place. She'd saved his life, and as far as he was concerned any member of Fairy Tail was a member of his family.

So when he saw the knife plunged into her body, when he was pulled away from his begrudging awe at her talent, he rushed forward and caught her body, attempting to shield her from any further attacks.

He'd tell himself that it was just instinct, nothing more and nothing less. But even he knew deep down that he wasn't just an animal. He had more than just instincts to him.

~Xandria's POV~

One moment I had been attacking Hades, and the next I was here, enclosed in darkness, and weighed down by—by something. I remember the shouts, the pain in my gut (I winced when I noticed that it was still there). However, everything else had been a blur, all of it going by far too quickly in a flash of adrenaline.

"Get out of my way! She needs medical attention!"

"Oh, and you're the one most qualified to give it, are you?"

"For your information, I happen to know plenty about bandaging a wound."

"Of course you do. I'm not surprised, considering the number of injuries you caused our guild when—"

"Oh leave him alone, Erza."

The sound of fabric tearing silenced the conversation, but I found myself slipping from consciousness again.

It took me a moment to realize that my eyes were closed.

Why were my eyes closed?

I frowned and blinked them open.

Six heads were peering down at my dirt covered face like I was some kind of animal—some kind of attraction at the zoo.

Then it dawned on me—for some strange reason I was lying on the ground.

I released a soft groan of pain, and the people around me released cheers of joy.

I frowned at the looks they were giving me.

"What?" I grunted, and suddenly Lucy lurched forward, embracing me in a bone crushing hug.

"We thought you were dead!" She blubbered, and I hissed in pain, trying to push her off of me as she pulled me upwards. She finally released me, and I was sitting up. Her claim had seemed a bit ridiculous, though. Wouldn't they have been able to see that I was breathing? Could they not have checked my pulse, my heart rate? "We didn't exactly trust Laxus' abilities as a healer, but Wendy helped him, so I think you're alright."

"What happened?" I murmured and raised a hand to me stomach in a weak attempt to stop the pain. However, I jerked my hand away once I saw the bandages round my waist. "What the-"

"Hades stabbed you." Lucy offered, and suddenly it all came flooding back—the fight, the underhanded move he made, the knife sinking into my abdomen.

"Oh yeah…" I paused, and a weak smile crossed my face. "Did you really think that some puny little knife would be enough to take me out?" Lucy and Wendy released weak laughs at my comment. "But I'll admit, I'm going to need to rest up a bit. Recover my strength you know?"

"We all need to recover." Erza stated. "But right now what's most important is finding the rest of our guild."

"And finishing the magic exam!" Natsu piped up, and I released a light laugh.

"Sorry pal, but I think we're going to have to save that for some other time." I said.

"You're just scared of losing to me." He scoffed, and I smirked.

"I may have just been stabbed, but that doesn't change the fact that I can still beat the shit out of you on any day, Dragneel."

Erza rolled her eyes. "You certainly haven't lost your sense of humor, Xandria."

I gave her a cheeky grin, but our conversation was interrupted by the sound of shouting in the opposite direction. I looked up from my spot on the ground to see an entire plethora of Grimiore Heart grunts rushing in our direction, headed by none other than our wailing Exceeds, who seemed to be having a time of it.

"Help us Natsu!" Happy cried as his legs carried him closer to us. I paled, trying to stand up, but found that the feat was too much for my injured body. I lowered my hand to my abdomen again, looking down to see a makeshift bandage. Blue reside covered the rest of my torso—healing magic.

"That's far enough!"

I turned my head in shock to see Makarov, the guild master, along with the rest of Fairy Tail standing in a firm line behind us, prepared to fight off the rest of Grimiore Heart. My mouth fell open as I stared at the rest of them, including, for some reason, little Levy, who must have come to the island at some time during the course of the attacks. I shook my head at her—the bravest and most determined woman I knew.

"Get off of this island right now!" Makarov ordered, and immediately they turned tail and fled, leaving us alone with the rest of our guild.

I sighed in relief, noticing the joyous reunions occurring throughout the members of the guild.

"And that should do it." Wendy announced with a flourish, tying off the final bandage over my chest.

"Thanks Wendy." I returned the young girl's warm smile with one of my own, and she seemed rather pleased as she helped me stand up.

"Aside from being stabbed, you should be fine in a few hours once your magic power recovers. Laxus did a decent job healing you, and I think I caught anything he missed, but I still think that once we get back to the main land you ought to visit the local doctor, just in case. Aside from that the only thing I can say for now is to take it easy, just like everyone else."

"Thanks doc." I said with a slight bow, and she laughed as I turned in the other direction, tugging at the uncomfortable bandages that crisscrossed my gut. My new shirt was scratchy too—a thick, military brown thing that was far too big for me. I felt like a walking mummy, though the only bandages I wore covered my stomach and limbs.

I sighed and continued to the edge of the clearing, hoping to have a peaceful moment to gather myself before I conversed with any more of my guildmates.

However, it seemed like that was too much to ask for.

"Well look who it is."

I turned around to give the man a withering look, and he almost grinned at me. Almost. But it could have been his attempt at hiding a grimace. I could never really tell.

"I must admit, I'm surprised to see you here, Blondie. I thought you were expelled," I replied, both my tone and expression bank, but I was irritated. Laxus had interrupted my solitude, and that was the one thing that I truly needed at the moment. My emotions were at an all-time high, and I didn't need anyone pestering me at the moment.

I prayed that he wouldn't remember me—that he'd hurry up and say his piece and then move on without any form of recognition. Besides, I'd saved his life, hadn't I? He had no right to bother me now.

He crossed his beefy arms (seriously pal, relax on those protein supplements) and narrowed his eyes as he stared at me. "You're a polite one, aren't you?" He retorted, and I rolled my eyes. He paused, and I almost thought he was done wasting my time, until he opened his mouth again. "So Alex-"

"Alex?" I interjected with a frown.

"That's your real name isn't it? Or would you rather me just call you Sabina?" He paused, trying to smother his grin as he glanced nonchalantly down to inspect his hands. I tried to hide the look of surprise that crossed my face then. He'd actually remembered me. Damnit. "That's right. I remembered your voice and your name, Xandria. But I have to say I like Alex a lot better."

"Do I look like I give a damn about what you like?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"No, you don't, but I don't give a damn about what you like either so I'm going to call you Alex anyway—at least until you start calling me Laxus."

I scoffed, giving him a bitter look.

"Like that'll ever happen, Blondie."

"Ah, there's that nickname again."

"I think Blondie's a bit too nice for you. What about lightning dolt? I think that one suits you a lot better," I announced, and he actually laughed at me, losing the serious guise and bursting into a quick bark of laughter. I frowned at him. This man was certainly a weird one, interrupting my silence, buzzing around my head like some kind of fly, acting so serious one moment, yet the next portraying flashes of humor. What a freak.

"That's a pretty good one, you know?"

"You know I really like the noise you make when you shut the hell up." I grumbled. "I don't have time for this."

"You're all bark and no bite."

"Are you asking me for a fight? Seriously, Blondie, I thought you would know better after seeing me on the battlefield today."

He laughed again.

"You think you can talk from the position you're in –all weak and injured from practically being stabbed to death?" He teased, and my face soured. He grinned at me.

"I think I liked you better when you were trying to bust down the door to my room."

"You were certainly a lot more enjoyable then," He remarked.

"Why do you keep trying to talk to me? I don't know you, don't really want to," I said and took a breath. "Look, I took a hard hit for you—I get that. And you tried to save me—I get that too. But it doesn't mean anything. Neither of us owes each other, ok? You don't have to keep pestering me like you have some debt to repay. You don't."

"And neither do you," He stated simply before turning to walk away from me. I wanted to be happy that I finally had peace and quiet, but I couldn't be. I was still too fed up from him marching over and riling me up like that.

"Alexandria."

I looked up at Erza, a questioning look in my eyes as she addressed me.

"What?"

"The master would like to speak with you."

I paled, and whatever appetite I had been beginning to work up instantly faded. Immediately the worst possibilities began to rush through my head. But all the same I nodded, my mass of brown hair bouncing up and down as I did so.

"Of course."

And with that I began slowly walking towards the part of the forest that Makarov was currently meditating in, my stomach twisting itself in knots of worry the entire way there.

It seemed like arrived within mere seconds, although I had taken my sweet time. Makarov didn't seem fazed, though, and the moment I stepped into the clearing he began to speak—it was as though he had some sort of supernatural ability to sense people's presence.

"Do you know why you're here, Alexandria?"

"Erza said you wished to speak with me?" I prompted, earning a grunt in response from the elderly man, who kept his back turned as he sat on the log in the center of the clearing.

"Do you know what I wish to speak about?"

I inhaled slightly, the nervous sound catching in my throat as my eyes continued to bore nervous holes into the back of his head. I bit my lip, an answer coming into my mind—the one answer that had been haunting me—hanging around my head ever since Erza had called for me.

"Hades, perhaps?"

An unpleasant noise came from Makarov at the sound of the other man's name.

"No, child. I am not here to bombard you with lectures over our former master." He stated, causing my eyes to widen in surprise at his words. Our former master? What? "I simply wanted to thank you, personally, for everything you did today."

"There's no need to-"

"But there is!" He cut me off. "It is important to me that my children know just how proud I am of them; especially you. You, who I put my trust in; you, who defeated the Dragonoid; you, who became a candidate for S class after only being in my guild for a mere two months. I am proud of you, my daughter, for not only fighting for what was right today, but for overcoming your dark past. I know these people were your former family. I know they were your guild. But I hope I can convey all the love of a father when I say that I am more proud of you than I have ever been before. You spared the life of a man who deserved death and helped save the lives of many in the guild, as well as the life of my very own grandson. And for that, I will be eternally grateful."

By now he had stood up and turned around to face me, the overwhelming emotion on his face becoming clear to even me. And in that moment, I felt accepted. I felt, for the first time in forever, as if I had a father of my own—one who loved me for who I was, flaws and all.

A smile, a true, heartbroken smile emerged on my face—something that was a rarity for me, especially on a day like today when my past was brought into question. A few tears fell from my eyes.

"Thank you, Master Makarov. Thank you for making me feel accepted. Thank you for giving me a home and protection and a family when I had nothing at all. But above all else, thank you for being a father to me. Thank you for filling that role. I've never had a dad. Hades killed my biological father, and then he took my dad's place, becoming a false father for me—going so far to cast a spell on me to make me forget my past. All I knew was Hades, and yet all Hades knew was chaos—he would have thrown me away as easily as he threw away a piece of trash. The man that stabbed me—the man that wanted to kill me—that was the only father I knew. So thank you, thank you for helping me realize that I have a hope and a future. Thank you for taking me in as one of your own. I didn't deserve it. And yet you did it all the same. You did it for a mistake like me; you ignored all my failures and misgivings."

"My child…" He trailed off, and I noticed as tears began to fall from his eyes as well. "My sweet daughter, you are allowed to fail without being a failure. You are allowed to make mistakes without becoming one. You are everything but a mistake. I've seen you grow so much since I've taken you in. You've saved the lives of your guildmates. You've done nothing but help us."

"Don't, please. You're making me cry." I said with a laugh, and Makarov smiled softly at me.

"I'm crying myself." He agreed with a nod. "And the last time I cried was when-"

"When lightning boy left" I interjected, and suddenly a shocked look filled the old man's weathered face.

"How did you-"

"I heard the rumors." I stated with a shrug.

"She met me too. Right after it all happened." A deep rumbling voice called from the other side of the clearing.

My jaw dropped. I didn't even have to turn around to realize it was Laxus.

I snapped like a whip, my cheeks turning red in rage.

How dare he. How dare he eavesdrop like this—just as I had poured my heart out to Makarov. Laxus had no right to be here! He wasn't even a member of the damn guild. What was he thinking? That he could swagger in and make me impressed with him in all his great, buffooning greatness?

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded. Steam was probably seeping from my ears.

Laxus only shrugged. "Observing, I suppose. I was on my way to speak with the master, but I heard voices so I'd decide that I'd stop to watch the show." He said, an emotionless mask playing across his face.

"I don't ever remember saying you could eavesdrop." I snarled, and Laxus snorted.

"I don't remember asking you for permission."

"Alexandria, please-" Makarov cut in, placing a warning hand on my shoulder. I whirled around to face the elder man.

"What? Do you think I should calm down? Please, Makarov," I jeered. "Your grandson had no right to do this. He heard everything I told you, Makarov—my past—all of it! That's none of his damn business."

"So what? I already heard. It's too late, princess." Laxus retorted.

With frigid, almost mechanical movements I turned around to glower at him.

"Don't call me princess, doucheface."

"Stop being such an asshole then."

"You're the asshole."

"You're the bitch."

"Bastard."

"Dipshit."

"Why you foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" I bellowed. "You aren't even a member of Fairy Tail! You shouldn't be on this island in the first place, much less snooping around and listening to people's conversations."

"Oh that's ripe coming from the toaster who got herself booted out of Grimiore Heart." Laxus exclaimed.

I turned positively purple.

"I think it's funny that you're the one criticizing me when I was the one that saved your goddamn life!" I shouted, and Laxus turned fifty shades of rage.

"I saved your goddamn life as well! In case you hadn't realized it yet, I was the one who caught your fall after Hades stabbed you. I was the one that knocked the asshole out so he couldn't do you anymore harm after your spell missed! I was the one to treat your wounds!I hate to break it to you, princess, but you're not the hero of this story any more than I am! If you can't handle my rudeness, don't be such a bitch to begin with!"

"Both of you stop!" Makarov shouted, and we both turned to him. "I will not tolerate this nonsense."

I was too shocked to respond, my mind still reeling from what Laxus had said to me.

A sudden noise, something like the wings of a thousand birds beating as they rose in the wind sounded in our ears. And we all looked up, a dark shadow clouding our vision. Whatever shock I felt was multiplied tenfold as I saw the dragon fly across the sky, blocking the sun and causing darkness to fall across the entire island.

"I think we should get back to the camp," I said.

"I think that sounds like a good idea," Laxus replied.

"The black dragon of the apocalypse, is this the one they call Acnologia?"

"Yeah," Gildarts replied with a slight shake of the head. "That's the one."

"You! Do you know where Igneel is!? And Grandine and Metallica too!" Natsu demanded, shaking his fist and addressing the beast in the sky with a menace. I shot him a glare.

"Knock it off Natsu!" Gildarts barked. "I know I told you how I got this arm," He paused, correcting himself. "No, how I got my whole body like this! Have a little sense!"

"It's coming down!" Freed exclaimed from his position beside me.

"How are we gonna fight it?"

"No you're lookin' at this the wrong way, Natsu. It's not about winning or losing this one. It's how are we gonna escape from it? No, more like, which of us are gonna survive?"

"You're sayin' this thing is gonna kill some of us?"

"Oh no! Everyone get down!"

~Laxus' POV~

For the second time that day I didn't think. I simply acted as if I was some kind of animal. My brain shut off and autopilot kicked in the moment that Acnologia released its roar, throwing my guildmates backwards and into the receding tree line.

She was standing beside me. We'd run back to the camp together after we saw the beast, dragging Makarov along behind us. And even though we didn't say anything along the way, the tension still remained. We didn't like each other any more than we had before.

So that's why, when the beast opened his mouth, releasing his roar upon all of us, I surprised myself by reaching out and grabbing the bitch.

And, apparently, I had surprised her too.

I tucked her body safely against my own as we were thrown backwards by several hundred yards, providing her with a soft landing and nothing but safety—being the gentleman that I was. I had expected a nod of acknowledgement from her—maybe a 'thanks' if I got lucky. After all, she was heavier than she looked, and it wouldn't hurt her to at least be civil.

But what I received instead was her swearing and thrashing against me in an attempt to get free. She caught me off guard too, because not only was she heavier than expected, she was quite a bit stronger as well.

Strong enough to throw even me off guard.

But I would never tell her that.

I made sure to drop her unceremoniously on the ground as soon as we were out of immediate danger—in an attempt to grant her wishes. But that only made her even madder. Or maybe she was just always mad. How should I know?

~Xandria's POV~

I barely found time to gather myself after I was on my feet again—after that bastard Laxus had manhandled me in some demented attempt to save me from Acnologia's roar.

I was perfectly capable of saving myself, thank you very much.

My guildmates didn't seem to believe the same though, and the moment that we were on our feet again they were all screaming.

"What the hell? The whole forest is just gone?"

"How powerful is that thing?"

"What is this? It did that with its roar alone? What is that monster?"

"It's… Tch! What, is it admiring its work? I guess that was its way of introducing itself, for now. We're still alive right? There's no time to be scared! We've gotta get off this island right away! Here it comes! Run, get your asses to the boat!"

"Run! We're all going home together!

And just like that we all started fleeing, our arms pumping and our chests heaving as we ran in the opposite direction.

~Laxus' POV~

Even when she ran she found a way to exercise her mouth. Someway, somehow, she found a way to get words out between breaths.

And she just thought it would be a great idea to give me a piece of her mind.

"What the hell were you thinking, Blondie?!"

"You positively manhandled me!"

"Believe me when I say that if we weren't currently being attacked by Acnologia I would be giving you hell."

"I can take care of myself; I didn't need your help."

"You don't just grab someone like that you've got to understand."

I thought I was going to explode. Her constant jabbering—the never-ending fighting, even as we were on the verge of death. Honestly, I was considering tripping the damn woman—let her be Acnologia's problem (although I seriously doubted that even a dragon would be able to handle her).

Any normal person would have just thanked me for shielding them from the dragon's roar.

But then again, there was nothing normal about the girl.

~Xandria's POV~

Laxus sure thought he was hot stuff—strutting up to the dragon—firing at it as if he was the only one who could save us.

Talk about an egotistical asshole.

I almost wanted Acnologia to devour him. Someone had to put him in his place (although I seriously doubted that even a dragon would be able to do that).

I especially thought I was going to lose it when he started shouting at us.

"Hey morons! Give it all the power you have!" Laxus shouted from his position in front of the dragon. "Anybody who says 'I don't have any left' is going to get their ass kicked by yours truly!" I'll kick his ass. "Combine your puny Fairy Tail powers with my lightning attack, and let's knock this bastard for a loop!"

I placed my arms in front of me, preparing to cast a spell of my own. I'd show that bastard that our Fairy Tail powers were far from puny. Jerk.

"Clama caelorum." I breathed, keeping the spell under my breath and focusing on my magic. A ball of energy slowly formed in my hands, the inky purple surface coming into existence slowly at first, and then all at once. A powerful melon sized ball of light and aura formed energy that came straight from the stars themselves. And for a moment, my skin began to pulse as it took on the similar darkened color of the very heaven's themselves, swirling in and out in dark purple clouds. But it was only for a moment. I exhaled, and suddenly the uncharacteristic color left my skin, filling the ball. It caved in on itself, exploding as I forced it forward towards the dragon in a blast of darkness that consumed not only Acnologia, but the magic of all the other members of Fairy Tail, powering it forward in a rainbowed explosion.

I held my ground as I watched as the dragon was knocked backwards as a result of our spells, crashing into the water with a loud splash.

I felt almost relieved that it was finally over—happy that after the hell of a day I'd finally be able to return to the guild and rest.

That was until Acnologia resurfaced from the ocean.

Today was just not my day.

"It's not using the power that it did when it fought me." Gildarts announced. "It's just playing with us!"

"It ascended again!"

"Shit, it's as healthy as ever!"

"What's it doing?"

"Using its breath!"

Everyone was speaking in rapid succession as the dragon rose from its watery grave, towering above us in all its formidability. I sucked in a sharp breath of my own, my mind scrambling for a plan. But it was too late. We were almost out of options.

"Maybe it's hopeless. Maybe it's going to end for all of us here…" Lucy trailed off, but I shook my head, taking both of her hands in my own.

"Oh stop moping around Lucy." I said, a reassuring grin spreading across my face. "I won't let you die here. We're going to live through this—all of us together."

"Everyone who can use defensive magic, go full power!" Erza shouted, and our heads turned to Freed who seemed to shrink away from our gaze.

"I don't have the time to draw runes."

"There are plenty of other kinds of defensive spells you can cast with letter based magic!" Levy blurted, earning several smiles.

"T-That's right."

"That's our Levy!"

"Everyone focus all your magic power on Freed and Levy!"

"Everyone hold hands!"

"Everyone join your power together as one! Let's show this creature the bond of our guild!"

Everyone was shouting encouragements as we circled up, each person clinging to their loved ones as our end drew near.

Too bad my good-for-nothing friends decided to abandon me in what could've been our last moments together on earth. Levy ran to Gajeel, and Lucy ran to Natsu. Thanks for nothing, guys.

I ended up grabbing the hands of the two people standing closest beside me after Lucy and Levy both abandoned me to cling to their men. Natsu and Gajeel comforted the two women while I was stuck holding the sweaty palms of both Bickslow and Mr. Grumpypants himself, Laxus.

We all stood in a wide circle, bracing ourselves as Acnologia began to blast out it's gathered roar, and with one final breath we all shouted together as one, giving each other reassuring squeezes by the hands.

"To Fairy Tail!"

In hindsight it seems a bit overdramatic, but our guild had a flair for theatrics anyway.

The boy hadn't meant to grab the girl's hand. He hadn't been expecting her to snatch up his scarred palm in a much smaller one of her own. He hadn't been expecting her to give his hand a reassuring squeeze before they were both blown to pieces. Not after she had spent the day mouthing off to him—not after he had annoyed her just for a bit of fun.

She had without a doubt surprised him. He—the stoic, stubborn, and rarely surprised being that he was. But she was unpredictable. One moment, she was nagging him, the next she was laughing at some joke that she'd probably made, or helping her friends, or guiding someone to safety, or punching someone in the face, or giving him a dirty look,

Or taking his hand.

The girl hadn't meant to grab the boy's hand. She didn't know what consumed her to take lightning dolt's hand in her own. Taking Bickslow's was one thing, but snatching up the ever irritable lightning boy's like that—she was just asking for him to make another smartass comment.

But she didn't really care about her silly grudge against him that much. She'd be unnecessarily cruel—taking out her tumultuous emotions from the day on him. And while that didn't mean they'd have to be friends—she figured she should let it go. And, as long as he didn't say anything to try and get a rise out of her, she wouldn't say anything she regretted again.

Besides. They were about to die. All of them. Why not hold someone's hand while you were blown into oblivion?