A/N: Hey folks! Sorry I didn't update sooner, hit a bit of a writers block, PLUS a lot of stuff going on in life. Was on the verge of being kicked out of my place, trouble finding a job, so on and so forth. But I finally managed to finish this chapter, and I really hope you'll like it! Uh...warning, it might get a little angsty...Don't kill me for the ending of this chapter please! *hides all the bricks*

And please fellow readers and writers, remember to READ AND REVIEW! It is what helps keep us writers going!

Chapter 11 Strong Enough?

Stepping away from the doors that he had stayed by for a moment to watch everything, Igneel stepped up to brace a hip against the table with the other exceeds.

Smirking slightly, knowing that what he was one of the reasons for the exceeds being there, he raised his voice to answer Carla's question.

"The other slayers and their mates. ALL of them."

"ALL? What do you mean ALL?!" Markarov sputtered, looking at the tall red haired young man striding further into the hall. "And just who the hell are you anyways?!"

"Yo Gramps, it's alright, he's on our side. Or more, well, on the dragons side." Natsu explained with his trademark grin. The same grin that had been missing for months. It was such a change in his attitude of late that many were shocked into silence. Exchanging looks, Gajeel and Levy snuck outside, using one of the side doors, knowing that no one would see them leave.

"Natsu, what is the meaning of this? Who is this man?" Markarov asked quietly, hopping down and moving to stand beside him.

"Really Markarov? You don't recognize me? I'm hurt!" Igneel said with a smirk, taking to a knee so they would be closer to each-others height. It took Markarov a moment, but when he finally realized why the same grin was so familiar, his reaction was one that no one was expecting.

An enlarged fist came crashing down on Igneel, causing the floor beneath him to crack. All around the guild, sweat drops could be seen as members looked on in shock.

"Seven years you flame brained idiot! Seven years I've been raising your boy and he's been causing countless damage to the guild and towns! I thought you taught him better before sending him my way!" As he yelled, Markarov pounded Igneel further into the floor, before finally coming to a stop and catching his breath. He didn't have to open his eyes to know that little to no physical damage had actually been done to the dragon king.

Anyone paying attention would see that Natsu was still sitting, and just watching like he hadn't a care in the world.

"Feel better Maki?" Igneel asked dryly as he got to his feet, hands dusting off his clothes.

"Yes I do….." Looking up at the dragon turned man now towering above him, Markarov pursed his lips for a moment...only to lash out a fist one last time and send Igneel flying across the guild hall. "Ok, NOW I feel better." He muttered before resuming his spot on top of the bar.

Letting out a slight groan, Igneel pulled himself from the crater of the wall he was in and joined the rest of the guild once more. "Ok, I get it, you're a bit pissed, and you're not the only one. But there are reasons I did things the way I did, and no, there isn't enough time to explain everything right now."

"Then what are we supposed to do right now Igneel? Your son's mate is missing, there's a new threat that we still don't know anything about, said threat is the one that took Lucy, and we're no closer to finding her than we were before." Markarov scoffed, glaring over the mug he was drinking out of. He was aware of how this looked to the rest of the members, and knew that there was going to be a lot of explaining later. He only hoped that for now his children would follow any orders given to them.

Looking around at the still silent members surrounding them, Igneel let his gaze fall on his son with a soft smile. He could see the soul bond mark on his arm, and knew that eventually the others would ask. At first he had been upset that the bond had happened for fear of losing his son. But now, he realized that perhaps it would lead them to Lucy that much faster.

"Listen up everybody. The other slayers, Sting, Rogue, and Cobra, along with their mates, will be here in a couple of days. I know how to find Lucy, but unfortunately we need the others here before we can proceed. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but we're closer to getting her back then you were in the last number of months. So please. Be patient just a little longer." Igneel said, keeping his gaze on his son, whose eyes lit with a fire of determination that would not be put out until his mate was with him once again.

The sound of the guild hall doors crashing against the walls drew everyones attention to find Levy stumbling into the hall, blood dripping down her face, and from her arm. Even as she collapsed to the floor, Wendy and Erza were rushing over to help her, Wendy's hands glowing brightly.

"Levy! What happened?! Who did this?!" Erza asked, lifting her carefully against her armor into a slumped position.

"T-they took him….Lucy…and….Phantoms Fist….th-they took….Gajeel…." Levy panted, tears mixing with the blood on her cheeks, a low keening wail spilling from her as sobs shook her small frame.

The silence shattered as roars of anger burst forth from slayers and members alike.

*Ten minutes before, when Gajeel and Levy snuck out of the hall*

"Come on shrimp, we need to talk…" Gajeel muttered to the small woman beside him, his eyes moving over the other members and seeing that they weren't being paid attention to. Thankfully even the exceeds were distracted, and before Levy could find a reason to stay, he grabbed her hand and pulled her through a side door leading them outside.

"Dammit Gajeel! Are you sure this is a smart idea? With everything going on, we should've stayed back there!" Levy huffed, jogging slightly to keep up with his longer strides as he led her around the guild hall to a tree close by but far enough for some privacy.

"Look! We need to talk, and we can't do that properly with all of those idiots in there!" Gajeel snapped, stopping and turning to stare down at the fairy that had somehow managed to worm her way into his heart.

"Couldn't it have waited? What's going on back there is pretty important!" Levy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"No it couldn't cause this is just as important!" Gajeel growled. Gritting his teeth, he spun around, throwing a punch into the tree behind him. The crack of wood could be heard as his fist splintered some of the bark. Surprisingly, the tree remained standing, albeit with a fist sized hole now in its trunk. Shaking his head, he forced himself to say the words that he knew would tear his heart to pieces.

"Look shrimp….I know you're my mate, and because of that you know I will always love you, I would give my life for you…" He said softly, afraid to face the eyes that he had always been able to get lost in.

"I know you do Gajeel, and I love you as well. Surely you know that by now?" Levy asked after a moment of shocked silence, lifting her hand to rest on his back.

"I do know. Levy…it's because of how I feel for you that….I don't want to do a soul bond with you…" He continued, squeezing his eyes shut at the pained gasp he heard.

"W-why? I mean I can understand why…I'm not the strongest….and I know you could do better than me….be with someone stronger…" Levy whispered, her hand falling to her side in a loose fist as pain tore through her. Swallowing hard against the lump in her throat, she turned back to stare blindly at the lights glinting from the windows and torches. She cringed away from him when she felt a large hand drop onto her shoulder, trying to turn her around.

"That's not it at all Levy! Your strength has nothing to do with it! You're strong in your own right and can give many of the members, myself included, a run for their money! Don't ever think that you're not strong!" Gajeel growled, feeling his stomach twist at the scent of her tears, the blue of her hair glowing in what light there was. He felt her cringe away from him like a stab in the heart, and had to fight every instinct to not let her go.

"But I'm not strong Gajeel! If I was I could handle going through whatever needs to be done to have the soul bond! You deserve someone who can handle it! And it's obviously not me, even you don't think I'm strong enough!" Levy shouted, spinning back around to glare up at him, unashamed of the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks as her eyes flared in anger and pain. "I know I'm not good enough for you, and it's obvious that Natsu made some kind of mistake when he claimed I was your—" Levys' shouting was cut off suddenly by a vicious growl followed by strong arms wrapping around and lifting her for Gajeel to press his lips hard onto hers. At her gasp of shock, he took control, slipping his tongue in to dance with hers, claiming the kiss with dominance, his growl vibrating low in his chest and against her.

A few moments passed of him trying to tell her in every way that he could through a kiss, how he felt about her. It wasn't until the much needed air made itself known before he freed her lips, resting his forehead against her own. Another few seconds passed before he found the words he needed to say to her, and when he said them, she felt her heart and soul shudder.

"Levy…listen to me….if there is going to be anyone who decides who is good enough for me, then it's going to be me. And YOU are more than good enough…I honestly don't deserve you…but only because of how good you are…and the strength you have blows me away every day…You are my mate, Natsu made no mistake about that. And I WILL claim you as soon as everything dealing with Phantoms Fist calms down. But I don't want to claim you in a soul bond….because I'm being selfish. I don't want you to die for me Levy. If I die….in soul bond that means you would go with me…..I'm not strong enough to live without you…but you…Levy if I died, I know you're strong enough to keep going until it really was your time….I don't want a tie like the soul bond to take that choice away from you….please Levy, understand….you're so much more….than I deserve…I…I lo-" Gajeel choked as he felt something stab into him from behind, the explosion of pain causing him to cry out even as he threw Levy away from him. Once he saw she was far enough away, he looked over his shoulder to find Lucy and what looked like, but wasn't Leo, standing behind him with dull eyes.

"L-Lucy?" Gajeel gasped against the pain, now seeing what Natsu had meant before. He could feel pain radiating from his shoulder and realized that Leo was holding a knife and the blade was buried in his shoulder. He could feel something in the blade sapping away his strength, and his magic. It took him a second longer to see that a blood red aura was starting to glow from Lucy's hands as she reached out from him. Turning his head back to see Levy scrambling to her knees, with blood spilling down her face, he met her gaze with a sad smile and shook his head quickly. He knew she would try and come after him. And he knew it was too late. Already he could feel himself being pulled into whatever magic it was that Lucy was being controlled by. He had just enough time to whisper a phrase to her before darkness claimed him.

A/N: I know I know a cliffhanger! Please don't kill me! I hope to have the next chapter posted sooner than I did this one, so please bare with me! Good news though! I got a part time job, might have a second, so my available time might be changing soon, but I'm still going to update as often as I can, and I am no longer on the verge of being kicked out of where I live!