So... running wasn't my idea. I tried to talk them into staying. Lucy has some self control but got caught up with the others. Not to mention Erza is scary. Let's hope they can outrun her huh?

Velvet Thorn. I, the all powerful author, am afraid to face Erza's wrath after I let them run off like that.

RosesMcKellar. I'm jumping up and down squealing in glee at the possibilities right now. I'm so excited!

ytygr, twizt312. I wrote the story, read it, rewrote it, and read it again. I'm still laughing.

Raelin Thaon. Bickslow is so proud of his Cosplayer for that. I think it is because she is willing to try to see things from where other people are standing.

mistydragonslayer. A short story or a one shot maybe. A couple ideas come to mind. I'll see what I can do. Also thank you.

Firesong23. Thanks!

angelMwings. Cobra makes a good artistic vent for negative... everything. I feel like my BixLu is a watercolor painting right now. Soft and blended. With splashes of bright color.

Unoyoko94. (Bows dramatically) Thank you, thank you very much. I will have you know they plan to go straight home from here. If they don't get sidetracked I will get them home in about 3 days of their time.

Fairy Tail is not mine.

XxXxXxXxX

"They didn't realize they were bothering you sir. It may take them a couple days to pack themselves off, but vagabonds like that are normally quick to move on once force is brought to bear." Lies. So many lies. Any minute now her purple leggings were going to burst into flames. She could feel Bickslow's chest shaking where she leaned back against him, both of them trying not to break out laughing at the ridiculous tale she was spinning of the down on their luck circus troupe squatting in the castle and the way they had cowered when faced with two powerful wizards. "Normally we would stay to escort them from the area, but I received an urgent message from a friend in the Sabertooth guild and I need to get to her as quickly as possible. Fairy Tail will be in contact to confirm their departure, at which point you can send the reward to the guild or one of us will return to collect."

"Everyone knows Fairy Tail's word is good young lady. Why don't you go ahead and take these keys with you. It's not like anyone around here can use them anyway. I can have the jewel transferred at the end of the week once someone has been up there to check it for me. Just in case you have to come back and run them off again."

"Thank you, sir. Fairy Tail will be in touch." They managed to walk out of the building in a perfect imitation of someone not running for their lives. "Babies can you fly us to catch up to Meredy and the Slither Bat?" *Slither Bat, stupid Cyclops, yay Candy Girl, flying. Bickslow had his tongue out as he laughed. "Umm. Sorry, Bix. I'm all up in your zone aren't I?"

"Cosplayer, you are more than welcome to get all up in my whatever you want whenever you want. I'm glad you get along so well with my babies." He ran a single finger up the back of her neck and she shivered. "Like the lady said babies. Let's fly." She gave a small shriek as he scooped her up like a princess and hopped in his babies. Well, ok then. She had no problems with being held in his arms as they shot through the air. No problem at all.

It was relatively easy to overlook, what with the way he dressed and the very laid back manner he carried himself in, that Bickslow had a well honed acrobats body and that his work out and sparring partner was none other than Laxus Dreyer. Yes, she carried a couple memories of him from past summers when his usual gear was just to much to wear and avoid heat stroke, but her brain didn't tend to associate them with the every day version of him she saw in the guild. Right now though, held tight against his well formed chest by strong arms, she was very much remembering what he was hiding under his jester-knight costume.

"I can't believe the shit that came out of your mouth in there! If I hadn't been there myself I would have believed you. I was there and I almost believe what you told that mayor was really what happened! Never took you as the type to tell such a bold faced lie, Cosplayer."

"I'm a writer, Bix. I'm really good at just making stuff up. All I needed was the inspiration. A drunk Erza with Crime Sorciere at her mercy is very inspiring. Besides, you know you loved it. I'm hilarious."

"Hell yeah, you are. I just didn't think you had it in you."

"I'm wounded, Bickslow. What you thought I was boring?"

"Never. Course my idea of what kind of fun you might be good for has changed quite a bit since I met you."

"Oh? So what kind of fun did you think I was when we met?"

"Nope. Not tellin'. I need my babies to keep up from falling and both arms to keep your sexy self from plummeting to your doom. I can't defend myself right now." Lucy was pretty sure her inner evil was showing through the grin growing on her face. As he had pointed out his hands were busy, so he couldn't stop her from reaching up to unbuckle his visor.

"So temporary fun? Super sexy fun with my super sexy fun bags?" He choked on air. She loved deep blush that spread over his cheeks. The slightly glazed, wide eyed stare he was giving her said he was having trouble processing the images she had just shoved into his brain. She was such a bad girl. The babies were giggling hysterically from under his feet.

"C-Cos..." He managed to take a deep breath. "What the fuck, Lucy?" *sexy, so sexy, oooh, so much fun, sexy Cosplayer. "Shut up babies. You aren't helping! Don't encourage her!"

"Oh come on. You can't tell me you didn't think it." She knew she had officially lost her mind. Being pressed up against all this hard muscle had somehow allowed Cana to possess her. Or at least take control of her vocal cords. That was the only explanation. That or Virgo had spiked their lunch. Maybe that was it.

"I... well... you... I wasn't..." So adorable. She could all but roast marshmallows with his blush. He narrowed his eyes at her and she was suddenly feeling very vulnerable. "Careful, Cosplayer. Just because my hands are busy, doesn't mean I can't take a dive down your shirt. My tongue could have lots of fun in there." She shivered. It was most definitely not because she was cold.

*Cyclops alert, Candy Girl, dive dive. Lucy's stomach went missing as the babies all but fell from the sky. The way Bickslow was holding her and the angle of their dive a had her falling backwards. She trusted him and the babies but her body was terrified. Her arms wrapped around his neck automatically to pull her tight against his chest. Mavis, this was sending thrills through her on so many levels.

"I swear if you two don't cut that out I'm gonna poison you before the day is over." Bickslow set her gently back onto her feet. She smiled at the emotionally polar opposites before her. Cobra, all scowl and death threats, and Meredy, all squeals and giggles. They were both so cute really, once you realized Cobra was mostly bark these days. "Oh no you don't, Tits. I'll poison your ass so fast!"

"What is your problem this time, Cyclops? Daily dose of cyanide wearing off?"

"No, but if I had some I'd be in a much better mood. You two, with your lovey dovey bullshit, are going to make me hurl." Lucy felt the hand resting on her waist pull her minutely closer, and rolled her eyes.

"I'll be sure to tell Kinana how sick lovey dovey bullshit makes you." She heard Bickslow cackle behind her and smirked at the scowling Dragon slayer. "After all I'm sure she wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Fuck you, Tits."

"Sorry, that position has been filled." Bickslow's inhale at her words was audible.

"Not really. Eye fucking and fantasizing don't count."

"Awe, Cyclops, don't be jealous. I can give you a ride if you want. Cosplayer has a prepaid kiss account. We can start one for you if you want." Bickslow's hand slid from her waist to the small of her back.

"I will so poison your ass, Echo."

"Sorry. My ass is reserved. No touching." He ran one finger up her spine and she fought to suppress the shiver that the sensation raised.

"How about I poison your face instead?"

"You really wanna suck on my tongue that bad I'm game." He began tracing circles on the skin at the nape of her neck. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Ok boys. You are both sexy." She pulled away to tuck one hand in Cobra' s elbow, then reached back to tuck her other hand in Bickslow's. "Meredy, pick an arm to decorate and let's get to skipping down this yellow brick road!" Meredy grabbed Cobra' s arm before he could escape, and the babies began to sing an appropriate yellow brick skipping song.

"I'm not skipping and I'm not singing. You can't make me!" The girls began to drag him down the road. Bickslow laughed.

"Maybe we can't, but Bixy could. Couldn't you, Bixy?" She felt Bickslow tense. "Lucky for you we aren't that desperate to pepermanently scar our brains with that image. Right Meredy?"

"Well I don't know, Lucy. I know people who would pay good money for a recording of that. We could hold a silent auction and make millions! Please, Bickslow! Possess his crusty toxic soul and make him dance and sing the scarecrow song! Please!" Bickslow was twitching, so Lucy slid her hand further up his arm and leaned into him.

"I... umm... no. How did you know I could do that?" Meredy ducked her head.

"We... I... did a lot of research before... Tenrou Island. I had all the skills and abilities of the Fairy Tail wizards present memorized, along with as much personal information as we could discover. There wasn't much on you or your team, but I know about your magic. I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable? I didn't realize... I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry."

"You're... make me... no. You know what I can do and you are ok with it?" Bickslow suddenly seemed to panic. "Lucy, where is my visor?"

"I hid it. I'm evil that way." It was hanging from her belt in plain sight. Well, in plain sight of anyone on the opposite side of her than Bickslow. "Look at my eyes, Bix." His response was slow but he eventually met her eyes. "Cobra and Meredy both knew what your eyes could do before they asked to travel with us. They trust you. Just like I do."

"Not like you, Tits. Nobody trusts like you. Your sense of self preservation is broken."

"No it's not, Slither Bat."

"Yes it is. You are in the middle of nowhere with three people who all tried to kill you on four separate occasions and you are perfectly ok with it. Hell you are friends with at least four other people who have tried to murder you on three entirely different occasions. Really. If that doesn't indicate you have a problem I don't know what does." Bickslow placed a warm hand against her cheek as they continued to walk.

"No. She doesn't have a problem and she isn't broken. Lucy is just magical." Lucy blinked at him.

"I'm a wizard, Bix. Just like you are."

"They know what I meant." He dropped his hand and she glanced to her other side to see the Witches nod.

"Ok then. I'm an extra magical wizard. Pick up the pace, Slither Bat. I want more miles between us and Erza before dark forces us to stop for the night." He didn't skip with them, but he did walk faster.

XxXxXxXxX

Lucy never gave his visor back. Even when he realized it was hanging from her belt and flicked her nose for it. He didn't really mind. It was a really fun day once he got over his initial jitters. Meredy was a sweetheart, who seemed to adore his babies. Plue and Virgo were both called out for a game of hide and seek that the girls were pulled into. Literally. There were chains involved. It was scary.

Bickslow was beyond thrilled to discover that he could shield himself and his babies from Cobra's snooping, using seith battle techniques taught to him by the only other seith mage he had ever met. Basically he tightened his bond with the babies. It made him more aware of them, but blocked the slayer out. Cobra seemed happy with it too, stating that the echo between him and his babies made his head hurt and messed with his ability to focus.

Once the soul listening was out of the way they found that they got along relatively well. Cobra's sense of humor was easy for Bickslow to get used to, as it was quite similar to Laxus's. Those two would either get along fabulously or kill each other. Cobra on his part was quick enough to keep up with the tumbles and leaps Bickslow's mind moved in and the back and forth banter seemed to put both of them in a good mood.

When the sun had started painting red in the sky he had taken Lucy up with the babies to go ahead and find a place to set up camp. By the time the Witches caught up with them as the last light faded, two pink tents had been set up and comouflaged to avoid discovery, hot dinner was served without producing a fire, and a screen had been set up by the creek for then to take turns rinsing off the travel dust. Meredy declared Virgo an angel.

XxXxXxXxX

To be continued