A/N: So, despite the vote winning in favor of a honeymoon chapter, I just couldn't make it work. Damn writer's block. Sorry, y'all, we are just moving on. So here it is...

Chapter 50

Gray sighed heavily as he looked between the two guests he was supposed to escort. He had no clue why he was chosen to do this, as surely Natsu would have been a better choice considering how... interesting these guests were. Both men were rather... flamboyant, concerning their clothes and hair.

They were both young, tall, skinny men, one fair skinned and one olive toned. The fair skinned one had wild orange hair and the other had blackish blue hair that was done up... oddly. It somehow rose above his head and curled forward with a claw, of all things, at the end. Gray didn't even want to mention their outlandish, flashy clothes. The redhead had a bright purple shirt on under a huge brown coat, with an odd floppy tophat that matched the coat. The one with the weird hairstyle was more reserved, wearing a simple white shirt and green pants, but he had bright yellow ammo belts slung across both shoulders... empty, of course, as they'd both been stripped of weapons before being allowed into the mansion.

Currently, Gray was showing the guests around the mansion. They were not allowed to know of restricted areas, of course, but he showed them the guard barracks and the gardens and such. They were mostly killing time while they waited for their meeting with the Don, as they were here to seek protection.

The trio rounded a corner, only to run into a little blue-haired woman carrying books from the library. She let out a startled squeak as she collided with Gray, who caught her by the arms before she could fall.

"Oh, sorry, Gray, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." she said with an apologetic laugh.

"No, that was my fault. Sorry, Levy." Gray returned with a smile, bending down to pick her books up for her. When he stood again he found that Levy was staring at the guests with wide eyes, and they were staring back with equally large eyes. "Oh, Levy, these are some really important guests from another family. Meet-"

"Jet and Droy." Levy finished his sentence, startling him. He looked between the three again.

"You... know them?" he asked, and all three nodded, still staring at each other.

"That... that's really you... Levy?" the redhead, Jet, was the first to break the silence. "Levy McGarden?" Levy could only nod.

"We, we heard there was someone with your name here... b-but we thought it would be an immposter because... you know..." Jet trailed off.

"We thought you were dead." Droy finished. "What... what happened? How did you end up here?"

"Um, that's... a long story." Levy mumbled, looking between them. She didn't know how to handle this. She hadn't seen them in years and, what's more, she had no idea why they were in the mansion and being escorted around. She looked to Gray, who looked a bit uncomfortable with the turn of events, and he noticed how her eyes flickered a bit to the right. One of the signals she'd been taught, it meant she needed to leave the situation, and he needed to make that happen for her.

"Er, look at that, it's time for your meeting with the don." Gray spoke up and began urging the men down the hall. "See you later, Levy, we have a strict schedule to keep to." He hurried them along while they looked back at Levy like... lost puppies, almost. Levy just stared back before hurrying away. She needed to find Lily.

Gajeel looked up from his paperwork as his wife hurried into his office, looking a bit upset. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she was asking him where Lily was.

"Last I checked, in the gym." Gajeel hummed, focusing on his work again. "Why, shrimp? What's got you all worked up?"

"T-there's some guests here, Gajeel. They have a meeting with the don set up."

"And? We have guests all the time."

"Gajeel, I know these two. Lily probably does, too." Levy told him, earning a raised brow from her husband. "I grew up with them. Their parents were best friends with my parents." Gajeel put his pen down and sat back, giving his wife a curious look.

"So... they were probably part of the McGarden family." Gajeel deduced, earning a nod from his wife. Gajeel sat and thought about this development. Every time people from Levy's past showed up it got dangerous. Lily showed up just before everything with Laxus went down and Brain caused a war that almost got her and Gajeel killed. They were two for two... and he could understand why she was so nervous now. And no doubt confused about their presence here. He, personally, didn't know these men... but he knew his father would have the answers they needed. Gajeel stood up with a sigh, turning to his little distraught wife. "Well, shrimp, only one way to find out if this is good or bad. Let's go interrupt their meeting." he said as he slid an arm around her waist and started to lead her out of the office.

"Eh, b-but what about Lily?"

"What about him?"

"H-he knows them, too. He probably knows more about all this than I do, because he would have known their parents..." Levy pointed out. Gajeel nodded with a grin. She was sharp, thinking of everything they can use to their advantage.

"Alright, let's go track him down, first."

"You're positive it's those two?" Lily questioned without pausing in his workout with Natsu. He dodged Natsu's gloved fist and threw his own punch as they danced around the boxing ring.

"Positive." Levy told her friend and body guard.

"What do you know about 'em?" Gajeel asked.

"Their parents were captains in the McGarden family." Lily explained, throwing another punch. "Their parents, at least, were loyal to yours, my lady. And the boys were quite smitten with you, last I checked. Your supposed death really got to them." he grunted as Natsu landed a solid punch to his gut. "Don't get cocky, kid." he huffed, increasing the ferocity of his own attacks. Natsu held his own pretty well, but Lily was the smarter fighter. He threw Natsu off balance, and brought him to the ground, taking him in a hold until he tapped out. Lily was the victor.

"I didn't stay with the family for very long after your parents were killed and you disappeared." Lily sighed as he stepped out of the ring a minute later. "I know their parents were doing what they could to keep the family together, but I saw things going downhill fast. Having no leaders, no heir, it caused a lot of issues, and there was a power struggle starting. I left before the infighting began." he explained to Gajeel and Levy. "I was far more concerned with finding you, my lady, than keeping a broken family together."

"I-I understand." Levy gave him a small smile.

"I don't know what happened after I left, but, whatever group came of it... they didn't stay in Oak Town for long. Phantom Lord ensured they were the only ones there." Lily sighed. "But I believe Jet and Droy's parents would have formed their own group somewhere along the way, and would have kept with the McGarden family's morals and rules."

"Possibly, but that doesn't mean they still abide by them." Gajeel added wisely. "We're gonna go see them and the old man. Get some answers. Come with?" he offered to Lily, who nodded.

"Let me change, and I will be there shortly."

"A-are you sure it's okay to interrupt?" Levy questioned as they got closer to the don's office.

"It's important, shrimp." Gajeel just huffed. His old man knew about this, knew about Levy's relation to these men, he just knew it. He didn't even bother knocking on the office door, walking right in and dragging Levy in with him. Lily shook his head in silent amusement and followed them inside, taking up a guarding position by the door.

"Boy, I'm busy." Metalicana grumbled from his desk, gesturing to the two men seated in front of him. They looked at Gajeel with wide, terrified eyes. And here they thought the Don was scary. This man was every bit as intimidating as the Don, but he was younger and stronger looking. And then they saw Levy standing behind the scary man... holding his hand. She avoided looking at them, focusing on the Don.

"Old man, ya need to be tellin me when ya invite interesting people over." Gajeel huffed in annoyance at his father. He saw the glint in the don's eyes, which told him he was right. Metalicana knew very well who these people were to Levy. "Tell me what's goin on, Old man." Metalicana merely inhaled on his cigar, blowing the smoke out through his nose.

"Gentlemen, I apologize for the interruption. This is my son, Gajeel. And it seems you already know little Levy." The don introduced, gesturing to Gajeel and Levy. "These nice gentlemen are the current leaders of the McGarden family. Jet and Droy." the don said calmly. "They've come to seek protection from a rival family and discuss an alliance."

"The... McGarden family is still around?" Levy asked in shock, looking to Jet and Droy, who nodded mutely.

"Alright, answers. Now." Gajeel demanded, looking between his father and the strange men who couldn't seem to keep their eyes off his wife. "How the hell is your family still around, when last I checked y'all fell apart over a decade ago?"

"W-well, um, you see..." Droy stuttered.

"After everyone thought Levy and her parents were dead," Jet took over the explanation, "there was a lot of question as to who would lead the family. We had a lot of infighting and the family broke up for a while. Our parents got together and rebuilt what they could, and kept the family name to honor Leo and Liza. We've been... hanging on since then."

"W-we took over after our parents passed away." Droy added sadly before meeting Levy's eyes. "We had no idea you were still alive, Levy. Not until we heard rumors about you being here. This... it changes everything."

"It... does?" Levy asked warily, staying close to her husband who was listening intently.

"This family is rightfully yours, Levy. You're the last McGarden left." Jet said seriously. "You need to come back with us, help us build the family back up."

"Oi, now wait just a damn second." Gajeel growled at this, moving Levy behind him protectively. "She ain't goin anywhere, especially with the likes of you."

"But she's the last McGarden! You can't just keep our rightful leader from us." Jet protested before looking to Levy, who was peeking out from behind Gajeel. "You belong to us, Levy! How can you just stand there and let this barbarian keep you from us?!"

"Jet, don't you dare talk about my husband that way!" Levy snapped angrily at her childhood friend, surprising all that were present, even the don who had yet to witness Levy's anger. She was normally such a sweet girl. Gajeel just grinned. There was that fire he loved to see!

"H-Husband?!" Jet and Droy exclaimed together in shock as Levy stepped forward angrily.

"I am Levy Redfox. I am happily married to the next leader of Fairy Tail, and I am staying right here because I don't belong to anyone and can make my own decisions. I'm not some pawn to be used to keep a family from falling apart!" she growled out, stomping her foot and glaring furiously at the men who just stared at her in shock. Gajeel just grinned proudly, as did his father and even Lily. Jet opened his mouth to speak but Levy leveled him with a sharp glare. "You so much as hint that I 'belong' to anyone, I will have you thrown out of here and negotiations for protection will be off the table!"

Jet shut his mouth with an audible click, looking to the don with wide eyes. Could she do that? Metalicana just grinned at him. If that's what his daughter-in-law wanted, she was well within her rights to ensure it happened. It made no difference to him, and his easy grin assured Jet of that. Gajeel, meanwhile, was ecstatic that Levy finally understood her role as his wife, and the authority that came with it.

All was silent for a long while. Jet and Droy gaped at Levy in utter shock. Lily just watched the scene from where he stood against the door, the Don observed everything with an easy grin, and Gajeel kept a close eye on the men while Levy tried to even out her breathing after her angry rant. It was then that a chuckle filled the room. All eyes turned to Droy, who was laughing softly.

"She really hasn't changed, eh, Jet?" he chuckled, coaxing a small grin from the redhead.

"Still the same old Levy." he agreed with his own chuckle. He stood, then, and gave a deep bow to her. "I'm sorry, Levy. I really need to think before I speak, and I didn't mean to offend you." his apology surprised her, but she gave a small smile, nonetheless, and nodded her acceptance of his apology. The silence returned, only to be broken as Levy's stomach rumbled. A round of chuckles filled the room as Levy turned crimson.

"I suppose we should break for lunch, gentlemen. I'm quite famished, myself." the don chuckled.

"Old man, how bout I take over the discussions from here?" Gajeel suggested, earning a raised brow from his father and paled faces from Jet and Droy. "They upset my wife. I should be the one to make this decision after that."

"Fair enough." the don chuckled, waving them off. Gajeel gave a twisted grin to the shrinking men. Oh, seeing them squirm almost made up for them upsetting his wife.

"C'mon, you two, we can... talk over lunch. On me."

A few minutes later found them seated in an unassuming chain steak house. Thankfully the lunch rush had already passed, which left them in a mostly empty restaurant. The waitresses were doing everything they could to tend to the group, having recognized Gajeel as a very important person.

"Alright, give me details." Gajeel said firmly as they waited for their food to arrive. Levy munched happily on some peanuts, content to let Gajeel do what he does, while Lily and Gray kept a sharp eye out for anything remotely dangerous to their boss and his wife. "Who do you need protection from and why... and what's in it for us?"

"Um, well... there's this gang coming into our territory called the Believers." Jet explained. "They started out as a kind of Robin Hood group, stole from the wealthy, helped the poor. We just... let them be, because they didn't mess with us."

"But then they got a new leader." Droy added. "Their numbers doubled overnight, they stopped helping the poor, and they began to focus on us. We could hold them off, at first... but they keep growing. They're trying to push us out."

"Did ya do somethin to this new leader of theirs?" Gajeel questioned.

"As far as we know, he's a kid of one of the people that broke away from the McGarden family after Leo and Liza died." Jet told him. "We didn't do anything to him, personally, but our parents might have."

"I see." Gajeel took this all in. So a potentially slighted former ally was encroaching on their territory. "So what's in it for Fairy Tail if we bail ya out of this mess?"

"Well..." Jet started but paused as their food came out. They waited until the waitresses left them alone before speaking. "We... don't have much to offer by way of payment..."

"Let me get this straight." Gajeel stopped him with an annoyed sigh. "You came to beg fer help, hopin we would just do it outta the kindness of our hearts?" he questioned sarcastically. "Then you go and insult my wife, and still have the audacity to think we'd help ya without payment?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." Droy mumbled.

"This is a business, you idiots. Ya don't run a business by wasting money and resources on something with no return on it." Gajeel scoffed, rolling his eyes before pinning the two with a firm stare. "If you hadn't apologized to my wife properly, we wouldn't even be talking right now. But we are... and yer tellin me ya got no way of payin us fer our help?"

"Well... there is plan B..." Jet said warily, looking to Droy who seemed upset at the suggestion but nodded. "We... we were going to propose a merger... if it came to this... and it has." Now that got Gajeel's attention. Levy's too. She had paused her eating, with her fork halfway to her mouth, to stare at them in shock.

"Now that's an interesting proposition." Gajeel hummed, leaning forward. "Go on..."

"Look, we... we're not very good at this mob leader stuff." Droy said. "We're barely holding things together. There's been a bunch of internal conflict on top of the Believers threat."

"We came to Fairy Tail for a couple of reasons. You're the strongest family in the area, and your don has helped out the little guy before. Getting help and getting the Believers off our back would calm the internal issues." Jet sighed. "But we also came because of rumors about Levy being here. We had hoped, if the rumors were true, having her come back would quiet things within the family and restore order until the threat of the Believers was gone." he explained. "And since neither of those is going to happen without payment..."

"The McGarden family is the payment." Droy finished, looking to Gajeel. "We are offering all of our members, resources, and territory to Fairy Tail... in exchange for the end of the Believers."

"That's quite the offer." Gajeel hummed thoughtfully, looking between the two men for a long moment. Then he sighed and sat back. "Tell you what, you give me a list of all yer assets, people or otherwise. I will... think about it." he offered to the men. They looked at each other uneasily, sharing a silent conversation. They'd been hoping for an immediate answer but... this was their last hope. Jet took a deep breath and held a folder out to Gajeel, who took it with a smirk. "Smart move. Now, let's enjoy the rest of our lunch."

Ah, I finally got another chapter out, yay! I'm so sorry about the missing honeymoon piece. If I ever overcome my writer's block on it, I will post it into Shots, Shots, Shots! and tell y'all about it, no worries.

Please, tell me what you guys think. Also I'm trying a new thing. Usually I just type these chapters up and post them all in one go. I'm trying to write a few chapters in advance now. There might be a few delays at first while I get in the rhythm but I assure you this will lead to steadier updates... probably.

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12