Chapter 32

Lily smiled happily to himself as he escorted Levy to the mansion's tea room. Levy was chatting away with him, a happy smile on her face. She was always so full of life, and Lily admired that about her. She'd asked him several times now where they were going and why. He'd merely told her it was a surprise, but that she should thank her fiancé when she saw him again. She'd gotten a thoughtful look on her face, her curiosity only growing, but she accepted it as a surprise to her from Gajeel.

The walk was fairly short. Levy and Gajeel's room was almost directly in the center of the mansion, just a few doors down the hall from the Don's room and even his office. Therefore, she was relatively equidistant to every room in the mansion. Lily was happy to have some alone time with his charge. She was such a sweet girl and he was always happy to be around her. She'd been this way even as a child. He adored her, like the daughter or perhaps niece he'd never had, and he would lay down his life for her without thought. She was far too sweet and gentle for this dark world she was in...

It amused him, this morning, when he'd noticed prominent marks all over her neck. She didn't even seem to know they were there, as she would have blushed if she'd known. Knowing what her surprise was, however, he decided not to point them out to her. No harm in having a little fun at her expense. Still, he was happy for her. Gajeel obviously treated her well, and she clearly meant the world to him. He couldn't have found a better match for the petite woman if he'd tried. Gajeel was strong, intelligent, a brilliant leader, and deep down very kind, though he knew when and where he had to be cold, calculating, and ruthless. He was a perfect balance to Levy's sweet, innocent nature, and he took care to keep her that way as much as possible.

Yes, Lily rather liked Gajeel, especially for Levy's sake. They weren't a perfect couple, by any means, but they were perfect for each other, and that's what mattered the most.

They finally arrived in the tea room, and Levy squealed happily at seeing Lucy and Juvia sitting around a table full of sweets and tea. She turned to Lily with wide, happy eyes. "This is my surprise?!" she cheered, which made Lily smile as he nodded.

"Gajeel noticed you seemed lonely lately. He asked me to arrange for you to enjoy an afternoon with your friends, my lady." he said, giving a bow and grandly gesturing to the room, where Lucy and Juvia were waiting with happy smiles. He was surprised when Levy's tiny arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled the tall man down for a hug. She kissed his bald head with a happy smile.

"Thank you, Lily! This is a wonderful surprise, and it's as much from you as it is from Gajeel. Thank you!" Levy smiled at him. He gave her a soft smile in return and motioned her into the room.

"It is my pleasure. Enjoy your afternoon. I will be right outside should you need anything." He smiled at how she eagerly hurried into the room, embracing her friends with a big hug. It had been weeks since she'd seen them both, having been all but locked away in the mansion for her own safety. The last time she'd seen them was at her welcome party, and she didn't get to be alone with them. Lucy, she'd seen a bit more recently, as she'd stayed with her the night Gajeel went after Laxus. Even then, they'd focused more on baby Kasai than they did on much else. Kasai, it seemed, was quite the daddy's girl and, with him out with Gajeel for the night, she was quite the fussy one.

"Oh, we've missed you!" Lucy hummed as she hugged her friend. "I tell you what, as soon as this whole Phantom Lord thing blows over, we're going to a spa for a week, just the three of us!"

"Oh, that sounds wonderful! Juvia is most excited." Juvia clapped her hands happily.

"Me, too! That sounds like fun." Levy smiled, but was interrupted as her stomach growled. She blushed a bit. "I haven't eaten yet, today. All this food looks so good. Why don't we eat and catch up?"

"Sounds good to me!" Lucy giggled, grabbing a few plates and passing them out. They feasted on finger sandwiches, scones, and a variety of cakes and cookies, enjoying some delicious imported tea that had been prepared for them. It wasn't long before the teasing began. Lucy noticed the marks on Levy's neck first, and she got an evil look on her smiling face. "Sooo, Levy-chan..." Levy from at the sound of her voice. She knew that sound. Lucy was planning something.

"Y-yes?" she squeaked upon seeing the evil smirk on her face.

"You seem to have had a pretty good night last night, huh?" Lucy chuckled. Juvia caught on, seeing the marks on Levy's neck, and she giggled but didn't interfere. Levy blushed at the memories of the previous night, the wonderful pleasure Gajeel had shown her... but how did Lucy know... wait... She grabbed a spoon and looked into it's reflection, gasping in horror at the sheer number of hickeys dotting her neck. Oh, she was going to kill Gajeel!

"T-that's n-not... it's not what it l-looks like!" Levy squeaked out through her crimson blush.

"Oh? Juvia thinks it looks like Mr. Boss has a biting fetish." Juvia chuckled evilly, joining in on the teasing.

"H-he does but-"

"Oh, just admit it, Levy-chan." Lucy interrupted her with a smirk. "You had some pretty hot, dirty sex with your new fiancé last night, didn't you?"

"I-I-"

"Juvia didn't hear a no." Juvia giggled as Levy found herself morbidly embarrassed. She could barely form words, but she finally got something out in a high-pitched squeak.

"I'm still a virgin!"

Both the other women stopped their teasing to just stare at her in shock. Levy felt as if her face couldn't possibly be any redder. She hid her face in her hands, just wanting to hide under a rock. She stayed that way until Lucy gently but firmly pulled her hands away from her face.

"You're telling the truth?" Lucy almost didn't believe her, but there was no way her face would be so red if she wasn't telling the truth. Levy could only nod. "But... this is Gajeel we're talking about! We are talking about the same Gajeel? Right?" Again, Levy nodded. "But... the marks... and you sharing a room..."

"I g-get nightmares a lot." Levy whimpered out. "Gajeel's the only one that makes them go away. That's why we share a room. Plus I'm safer that way."

"And the marks?" Juvia asked now.

"S-sometimes we do more than kiss... b-but I... we've never... gone all the way." She tried to hide in her hands again, but Lucy wouldn't let her. Both women had guilty looks on their faces.

"Oh, Levy, I'm so sorry for teasing you so much! I just thought you were shy about it!" Lucy embraced the embarrassed girl.

"Juvia is sorry, too. Juvia had no idea Mr. Boss had such control..."

"I'm shocked, too. You know what his reputation is, surely?" Lucy looked down at Levy with wide eyes. Levy only nodded. She was fully aware of Gajeel's womanizing habits before they'd met. "He's not... not going to someone else, is he? I don't care if he's my boss, I'll kick his ass if that's what he's doing!"

"N-no, he hasn't been with anyone since we met." Levy assured her. "He's been a perfect gentleman about it. E-even last night... we... we almost did b-but I wasn't ready... he backed off and told me he would wait as long as he had to."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Juvia crooned.

"That is pretty sweet, actually." Lucy smiled now, backing off. "I can't believe it. That womanizer finally found someone worth waiting for. He must really love you..."

"H-he does." Levy gave a small smile. He didn't even have to tell her as much as he did. She knew he loved her. She knew it by the way he looked at her, by the way he treated her, and by the fact that he was so patient with her in the bedroom. He never urged her farther than she was comfortable, he never complained about moving at her pace, and hell he even put her pleasure first and would rather leave himself hurting for release than push her to help him out. Even last night, he fell asleep with a raging hard on, and he wouldn't let her even think about helping him with it. He knew how tired she was, knew how much he'd tired her further with his actions... and he let her sleep rather than complain about being fair. "He loves me. I know he does, and I love him so much it hurts..." Levy told the girls, who smiled sweetly at her.

"Juvia thinks you two make the perfect couple, although Juvia's and Gray's relationship is even perfecter." Juvia swooned just at the thought of her husband. "Juvia is so lucky~ Ah, but Levy-chan is so lucky, too!"

"I agree, you and Gajeel make a great pair. You balance each other out, and there's just so much love there." Lucy had hearts in her eyes, too. "So cute... who would have thought our big, tough boss would finally meet his match?"

"Aw, guys..." Levy blushed, but she was smiling happily. She hugged bother of her friends happily. Just as she did, a large tremor shook the mansion, causing all the girls to tense up. Lily burst into the room, his eyes frantic.

"Ladies, the mansion is under attack. We need to move. Now!" he ushered them out of the room, and they all hurried to do as he said. "Quickly, the Don's office is the safest room in the mansion!" Lily urged them in the direction of the office. All three girls were running, Lily bringing up the rear. He had a pistol in each hand, and he was keeping close watch for any intruders as they ran. Lucy had pulled out a tiny pistol she'd had hidden on her. They stopped at each intersection until Lucy looked around and made sure the way was clear.

Levy's heart was racing from both the exercise and the fear. Someone was attacking the mansion. But the only ones she knew of with that kind of firepower was Phantom Lord. This was it! Phantom Lord was finally making their move by attacking Fairy Tail's base of operations! And the Don and Gajeel both just had to be out on business!

"There they are!" a shout behind them had Levy looking back. Far down the hall she saw a group of men pointing at them. They were all heavily armed, and one of them aimed his gun at them, spraying a few bullets in their direction. The girls screamed, ducking down a side hall as Lily countered with shots of his own, taking down two of the men.

"Keep going! I will hold them off as long as I can!" Lily shouted at them. Levy stared at him with watery eyes. No, he was outnumbered! They would kill him! She tried to stop him, but Juvia grabbed her and pulled her along. She watched in horror as a bullet found purchase in Lily's shoulder, his cry of pain making he scream.

"Lily!" She cried, watching her friend fall to his knees as bullets rained down on and around him. "LILY!"

"There's nothing we can do, Levy!" Lucy called back, but her eyes, too, were full of tears. "Don't let him die in vain! We need to keep going!"

"Please, Levy-chan! Hurry!" Juvia pulled at her, and they were once more making a run for the Don's office. They were almost there, just one more turn! Lucy wasn't even checking for hostiles now, her main goal was reaching the office. They rounded the last corner, and Lucy cursed herself for rushing head on towards the office. There was another group of intruders not ten feet from them, their backs turned to them. If Lucy had checked the corner, first, she would have seen them in time to avoid them without alerting them to their presence. But now it was too late. Juvia and Levy rounded the corner, and the sound of footsteps made the group of men turn to them. Guns were drawn instantly. Thinking quickly, Lucy yanked Juvia and Levy into the first room she saw, one of the guest bedrooms. She locked the door and pushed a dresser in front of it, but that wouldn't hold off several men for very long. She turned to a crying Levy and a fretful Juvia with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry... it's a dead end." She sniffed, feeling her own tears in her eyes. They could hear the men trying to break down the door. One of them shouted out about getting the McGarden girl no matter what. Levy stifled a sob at this. They... they were after her! Lily, he died because of her! Her friends were in danger because of her! This was all her fault!

"We won't let them get you." Lucy said, misinterpreting her sobbing. She looked at Juvia, who understood what she wanted. Juvia reached out and took Levy's necklace, the one Gajeel gave her when he claimed her as his woman, and she put it on herself while Lucy pulled out a pocket knife. Levy watched with wide eyes as Lucy cut Juvia's long blue hair down to her shoulders. "It's a long shot, but maybe they will believe it."

"No... don't do this..." Levy cried as she realized they were making Juvia out to be her. "They're after me... why would you do this?"

"Because it's our duty to protect you. And because we love you, Levy." Lucy told her firmly. "We won't let anything happen to you, as long as we can prevent it."

"Yes! It's an honor to protect Levy-chan." Juvia nodded, her eyes full of determination. "You are Juvia now, and Juvia is Levy." She told her firmly, just before the door was forced down, followed by the dresser. The women all gathered in a corner, keeping Levy in the back. Lucy had her gun aimed at the first man through the door. She killed him without remorse, and the man that came after her. But she only had three bullets in her tiny pistol, and she missed the third man. When he noticed she was shooting blanks now, he grinned and gave the all clear to the rest of the men. Soon five men were in the room, surrounding them, their guns poised to shoot if they resisted.

"Which one of ya is the McGarden bitch?" One man demanded. The women kept silent, which angered the man.

"Boss said she has blue hair." another man spoke up.

"Two of em got blue hair, you idiot!" the first man snarled, approaching the girls. He aimed his gun at Lucy's head, knowing he could shoot her without repercussions. "Tell me, girly. Which one is little Miss McGarden?" Lucy spat at him and he backhanded her. "Tell me, or I'll blow your brains out next time." he snarled.

"Wait." Another man walked into the room, and all eyes turned to him. He was more well dressed than the rest of the men, who were mostly in jeans and t-shirts.

"Why?" the first man growled. "She's obviously not the McGarden girl. Can't I just kill her?"

"And risk Jude Heartfilia's wrath? I think not." The man scoffed. Levy's eyes widened. Lucy was... a Heartfilia? Jude Heartfilia was a well-known billionaire who lived in Crocus. He was not associated with the mob, but he had his own means of getting what he wanted and those who crossed him were never seen again. "We are taking her with us, and we will present her to Mr. Heartfilia as a token of good will. He's been searching for his runaway daughter a very long time, after all." Lucy growled at the man's words but said nothing. All that mattered to her now was protecting Levy. She did, however, find herself extremely grateful that Kasai was with her husband at home. If her father knew he had a grandchild, there's no telling what he would do to get both of them.

"So what, then, are we taking all of them?" the first man questioned angrily. The other man just nodded.

"Take them all. And remember. Put them to sleep if you must, but they are not to be harmed. Not yet, anyways." He chuckled darkly, and several men laughed along with them. Levy and Juvia let out a scream as the first man landed a blow to Lucy's temple knocking her out instantly. She landed in a heap on the floor, and Levy bent down to check on her. She cried as Juvia was then knocked out in a similar fashion, and she looked up at the man in horror as he pulled back his hand. She shut her eyes tightly as the pain came.

muahaha another cliffhanger for you! deal with it XD

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Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12