Hello everyone! I was going to wait a little longer before posting this but since the Final Battle for Naruto is coming out today, I figured a new chapter may help those who watch it get through this tough time (including me!). lol

An important note about the chapter! This mission is an actual one from the anime. Episode 225, Lightning Man. When I watched it I felt that it was the perfect way to showcase how much Laxus changed. So if you haven't watched it, I suggest you do.

As always a huge thank you goes out to my reviewers! Thank you, Savage Kill, Insane-As-The-Mind and Nevermorea!

I do not own Fairy Tail, but Saphira is mine!

Enjoy!

Chapter 14

The next day, Saphira couldn't help but feel nervous. How in the world was she supposed to tell him? "Accidentally" bump into him? Pull him aside? Pretend she had no idea? None of her ideas sounded very good to her, so she got up, took a shower and dressed for the day. She put on a deep purple crop top and black jeans, along with her standard combat boots and black gloves. She brushed out her long hair and left it down and walked out of her room and over to Laxus's door.

Before she could build herself up to knock Erik came down the stairs and said, "He's not here. Laxus left about an hour ago."

"Really? Where did he go?"

"Hm… I think his grandfather called earlier and said something about a job request for him."

"Well that's inconvenient…" Saphira muttered. "Oh! You haven't yet a single curse word this morning! Are you still sick?"

"No." Erik growled. "Kinana said I should stop cursing so much. She said 'it doesn't reflect well on me' or some shit like that."

"Ah, well that didn't last long. Come on lets go to the guild." She said as she made her way towards the door.

"Today is the day, huh?"

"Yea."

(Line Break)

Once they arrived at the guild, Erik headed straight for Kinana as Saphira watched them with a soft smile. 'Dare I hope for something like that?' She thought as she walked over to the table that Levy, Lucy and Loke were at.

She sat down next to the lion celestial spirit and greeted everyone at the table. Today it seemed that everyone was buzzing about a job that came in specifically for Laxus. 'If he already took the job how am I supposed to tell him?'

"Do you think he'll take it?" Levy asked.

"Of course he will, it has been a while since he's been on a job. I bet he wants to get out of here for a while," replied Lucy.

'So I guess he hasn't been here yet. Maybe he's out gathering the Thunder God Tribe. My window of opportunity is extremely small today.' Saphira thought with a sigh.

Laxus arrived at the guild shortly after Saphira. He accepted the job and had a short conversation with his grandfather. Afterwards he walked over to the table Saphira was sitting at.

"Do you want to come on this job with me? Gramps said he would keep an eye on Erik. We should only be gone for the day." The towering blonde haired man asked.

First she looked over at the master. 'Just how much did the sneaky old man know!? And was it really okay to leave Erik here? What if the council drops in for one of their surprise check ins?' She thought. The small man nodded to her and then she looked at Loke for guidance. Why? She wasn't sure, but he had always been her rock.

"You should go." Leo said with a smile. "You can't stay here forever. Go out and enjoy the day. And remember you can always call me if you need me."

She smiled and nodded at her longtime friend and said 'yes' to Laxus. As they started to leave the guild with the Thunder God Tribe, Master Makarov caught Laxus's attention.

"Laxus, don't get swallowed up by lightning."

"Don't drown in booze, old man."

That was all that was said as the group headed out the guild hall doors and towards the train station.

Laxus wouldn't lie to himself. When Saphira looked at Loke for what in his mind looked like permission to go, his blood boiled. 'Why is that damn lion so important to her! And what the hell did he mean by 'you can always call me if you need me?' She's not a celestial mage so there's no way she can summon him… So he must've meant by lacrima phone. Does that mean he has a special lacrima like I do?' The more he thought about it the more pissed off he became.

"So where are we going?" Saphira asked the group in an attempt to cool the rage Laxus had seemed to have developed since they left the hall.

"Borwatt, they have requested me for a job." Laxus simply answered.

"Oh I know that town. I passed through there on my way home just a couple months ago. I wonder what could've happened."

"Excellent! Having someone who knows the area is a great idea Laxus. Unfortunately this town isn't listed on any maps that I know off. Offering Saphira-san the option of coming with us is just what I would expect of our great leader!" Freed gushed.

"Yea! And total bonus! She's major eye candy!" Bickslow said. Everyone but Saphira missed the low growl that came from Laxus after the seith mage's comment.

"That's no way to treat a lady Bickslow!" Evergreen scolded. "I for one am thrilled to have another woman in our group!" She pulled Saphira into a quick hug just before they reached their train.

(Line Break)

From a dragon slayer point of view, the train ride wasn't too horrible. Laxus and Saphira, both having a weakness for motion, did get a little sick. But nowhere near as bad as a certain pink haired dragon slayer. Laxus had listened to his sound pod the entire way and Saphira had taken a nap. Needless to say both slayers were thankful to finally get off the train. And thankfully the trip had also calmed Laxus down.

The town of Borwatt was practically a ghost town. There were awful thunder clouds hovering above and lightning rods on almost every building. The air felt like it had been permanently charged with electricity. And everyone could feel it in the air. Every now and then you would see an inhabitant of the town peeking out from a window or doorway.

'This is strange…these poor people are frightened and it looks nothing like the town I visited a few months ago. Lightning doesn't normally behave like this.' Saphira thought. 'There has to be…'

Her thoughts were cut off by Freed frantically yelling Laxus's name. She turned her head just in time to see Laxus get struck by lightning. Not just once but nearly ten times, honestly she had lost count. He shot the collected lightning back at the sky using the dragon's roar, temporarily clearing the clouds.

The townspeople flooded out of their houses to praise the tall lightning dragon slayer, but Saphira couldn't move, her legs felt like anvils holding her in place.

'I can't breathe!' Saphira took a moment to breathe in and out slowly, trying to get her breathing back under control. 'Laxus was struck by lightning! Relax! Get a hold of yourself; he's a lightning dragon slayer for fucks sake! He's fine. But when he was struck by the lightning I was actually scared…' She thought as she put her hand on her pounding heart. 'My heartbeat is nearly pounding out of my chest too… I was scared… because I thought he may get hurt… the thought of Laxus being injured scares me…'

'There are limits to how much strain his body can take. If that happens again he will be severely weakened.'

Her inner dragon was of course right… She just loved to point out the obvious. Pushing the awful thoughts to the back of her mind, Saphira's eyes locked onto Laxus as he was surrounded by adoring people. Men, women and children a like all wanted to shake the hand of their hero. 'Laxus has no idea how to deal with all those adoring people.' She thought with a smile. 'I wonder if this is what being in love feels like? If he had been hurt from taking on so much lightning… what would I have done?'

She walked over to the group to meet the mayor who had come out to see them, Mr. De Cybele he said his name was. Along with Ga Maille, his executive secretary.

'I don't like these two at all,' she thought as they were led up a mountain side to the mayor's home. He had a perfect view of the town below and strangely his house was unaffected by the lightning.

The mages were led into a room almost like a library. The group took a seat on one of the couches, with Laxus in the middle with Freed and Bickslow to his right and Evergreen and Saphira to his left.

The mayor sat on the couch in front of them and explained that the lightning started after Laxus's last visit to the town, apparently after fighting with some low life thugs.

"Borwatt was a prosperous post town, but because of the lightning, nobody comes, so now we're more like a ghost town. And what started this whole plague of lightning was your initial lightning that night." Explained the mayor.

Evergreen yelled out, "That's an unfounded accusation!"

Up to this point Saphira had said nothing and couldn't help but silently agree with the brown haired woman as she continued to glare at the mayor. Something about this whole situation stunk, and she didn't like it.

Laxus cut Evergreen off by saying, "Wait, what do you want me to do?"

The mayor's smirk was absolutely revolting as he answered, "Well, rid the town of lightning."

The more she listened to the revolting words coming out of the snake sitting in front of her, her anger just seemed to spike more and more with every word.

'They are blackmailing Laxus by putting Fairy Tail's reputation on the line.' Saphira thought as her sharp nails dug into the soft upholstered sofa and growled lowly.

Laxus was the only other person in the room that could possibly hear the low growl, so when he did he glanced over at the black haired woman next to Evergreen. 'What set her off? I can feel her anger from here… though I can't see her eyes… her bangs are in the way.' Laxus figured the mayor was dirty but had no proof. So he had to unfortunately turn his attention back to the weasel in front of him.

"Do we have an understanding?" Asked the mayor.

"No we do not." Everyone heard Saphira growl menacingly. She finally lifted her head showing why she chose to hide her face.

The mayor immediately shrank back in his seat as he caught a glimpse of icy dragon eyes staring him down. The very same eyes Laxus had seen once before when he had chased her into the forest. Only this time they were different. She wasn't calm. Saphira was pissed off and her eyes had taken on a dangerous glow.

As she continued to glare at the mayor she said, "Lightning is unpredictable. Even in a mage's hands. That is why there are so few mages who choose to wield it. So I'm not sure how you did this but once I find out… you're going to have to answer to me."

With that said she got up and walked out of the mayor's manor. Staying any longer would be a bad thing for the mayor's health.

'grrrrrrr… I want to rip off that weasel's head so fucking bad! Blackmailing my mate… threating my home… shady little fucker.' She was so infuriated and absorbed in her thoughts that she missed most of her temporary team's conversation. Honestly her mind was so clouded she had all but forgotten the entire reason she was even there.

(Line Break)

"Should we um…" Bickslow started as he pointed to the irate black haired slayer.

"No, let her cool down on her own," Laxus said.

They discussed the mayor and the job as they walked down the mountain side with Saphira trailing behind them; until Laxus stopped and said something that caught her attention.

"The old man's words are coming back to me. That night, it was as if I had been swallowed up by lightning and drowned in booze."

Saphira felt her anger subside as she stared at Laxus, while he was overlooking the lightning riddled town.

'I can't let this happen. We will stop this lightning,' she thought.

"The thunderclouds are back," Bickslow said.

"Are you going to be a lightning rod again?" Freed asked.

'Hell no,' Saphira thought as she glanced at Laxus with worried eyes.

Her reaction didn't go unnoticed. Evergreen saw and recognized the emotion immediately, how could she not. She feels the same way for Elfman. 'I doubt she even knows it herself.' Evergreen thought.

But all Laxus said was, "I started this mess. If I don't clean it up, it'll cause trouble for all of Fairy Tail."

"I'll help you," Evergreen stated.

Then Bickslow said, "Count me in!"

"The Thunder God Tribe has followed you because we believe in you. Just tell us what to do." Freed added.

And surprising everyone else present Saphira then said, "Me too, I may not officially be part of the Thunder God Tribe but his is personal now and you are family. I'm with you Laxus."

She said her last sentence while looking at him straight in the eyes. 'I believe in you too,' she thought.

"I'm sorry for bringing you into this." Laxus said, apologizing to everyone present.

(Line Break)

As they ran down towards the town Bickslow got the information from one of his dolls that indeed the mayor was behind everything. But they still needed to find the source and stop the lightning to prove without a doubt that the dirty weasel had planned it.

On their way through town the group was attacked by creatures made of electricity. Laxus immediately charged forward and counter attacked. With the creatures consisting of electricity he was able to absorb the energy and force the creature to dissipate. Soon he began to glow because of the vast amount of energy he was absorbing.

Bickslow yelled, "Are you okay?! Aren't you getting overloaded with electricity?"

"I've gotta absorb it! Otherwise, you guys and the town are gonna get hurt!" Laxus replied.

"Damn! He's not the only one who can absorb lightning!" Saphira shouted as she followed Laxus's lead and absorbed electricity right alongside him, taking a lot of the strain off him.

"How are you able to wield electricity? It is not a core element, it should be harming you."

"I'll explain later Freed! Focus would you?"

"Right!" Everyone shouted.

"Completely destroy the creatures! That's the only way this will work!" Saphira shouted over the noise of the fighting.

"You got it! Baryon Formation!"

"In that case, Fairy Bomb: Gremlin!"

They destroyed the monsters and re-grouped. Laxus was glowing a bright yellow, while Saphira was covered in a turquoise blue light, nearly the same color as her flames. Laxus looked over at her to make sure she was okay. Freed was right, she shouldn't be able to use lightning magic, maybe there was a way she had been able to learn it in her ten years away from the guild. 'Wow… she looks like a fierce warrior…better yet a fierce dragoness,' he thought.

Without much of a break, more monsters appeared.

"It's coming from below…" Freed muttered.

Laxus fell to the ground, supporting himself with one knee on the ground. The electricity was starting to take a toll on him, but he assured his team that he was fine.

'He's not fine.' Saphira thought as she kept her eyes on him, listening to his wild heart rate and labored breathing. 'He's taking in too much electricity… anymore and he'll be seriously injured….'

Laxus and Freed headed over to the statue where Laxus had fought the last time he was here, looking for the source of the electrical creatures.

Saphira looked at Evergreen and said, "Can you and Bickslow handle this by yourselves? I have to go with Laxus."

She smiled and said, "I know, and yea we got this."

"You know what?"

"It's the way you look at him. I see the concern for his well-being in your eyes." Evergreen said as she winked at Saphira. But she just blushed and nodded before she chased after Laxus.

'Is it really that obvious?' she thought.

(Line Break)

Underneath the city there was an expansive sewer system, and soon enough the three mages came across a huge sphere of electricity.

"This is my electricity." Laxus stated.

"You can tell?" Asked an astonished Freed.

"Electricity-wielding wizards all use different wavelengths. They are like fingerprints."

'So this is what the mayor has been hiding? This electricity has been drawing the lightning towards the town.' She thought, and then she heard Laxus say,

"I don't care. I'm going to end this."

"How?" She asked.

Laxus looked at both Freed and Saphira, "I'm going neutralize it by hitting it with the electricity I've been taking in."

'Would that really work? I took in some of that electricity too. Does he have enough?' Saphira thought worriedly as she watched her fellow slayer approach the massive crackling orb of energy.

As he advanced towards the orb the electricity surged towards him. She heard Freed yell, "It's too much for you to handle alone!"

'Freed is right! There is no way! I could help take some of the strain off but I would need to be touching him. Wait! Why am I so worried? Isn't that the reason I came with him on this job? To finally tell him.' Saphira's eyes widened as she watched her future mate continue towards the mass of energy.

"Don't worry about me! Just think about protecting the town! And Saphira get the hell out of here, I don't want any stray lightning to hit you." Laxus yelled over his shoulder.

"Dammit all to hell!" She yelled as she leaped over to where Laxus stood.

"I am not going to let you leave me! You idiot! And I am not going to leave you either!" She yelled as she took off her glove that hid her mate mark and put her hand on his left shoulder.

He tensed as what felt like liquid fire rushed through his veins.

"Ugh!" 'What the fuck is this?' Laxus looked over to Saphira and saw the fire in her eyes as she gave him a sharp nod. He then felt her magic course through him like warm water, soothing his very being. 'Now we're talking! This will work!' he thought.

In unison they yelled, "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Roaring Thunder!" The pair sent a huge wave of power towards the sphere of electricity.

"Laxus-sama! Saphira-san!" Freed yelled to his companions.

As the smoke cleared from the underground tunnel Laxus and Saphira fell to their knees breathing heavily and completely exhausted from their ordeal.

Laxus looked over at the woman kneeling beside him and said, "What the hell was that?"

Silently she reached over and grabbed his left hand and turned it over. There engraved on his palm, sat the very same mark he had in his dream. Saphira then put her right arm over his left and turned her palm up and put hers next to his, clearly showing the lightning bolt she had.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She said quietly, but before he could say anything Freed came over to check on them.

"That was really something. I'm surprised that you two were able to withstand all that power."

"Never underestimate a dragon." She said as she stood up.

"You mean dragon slayer." Freed said, meaning to correct her.

She looked over to Freed, "No, I meant dragon." Once again her eyes were those of a dragon. She turned around to leave and said over her shoulder, "I'll see you two topside." Both men watched as she disappeared into the dark tunnel.

'That lacrima on the floor is the proof we needed. The mayor planned this whole farce… no one hurts my mate.'

(Line Break)

"It didn't explode?"

"While you and Saphira-san were doing your best, I set up my runes to destroy it," Freed answered.

Laxus walked over and picked up the lacrima that was left from the electricity sphere.

"That lacrima must have amplified your electrical power."

"How could that have happened?"

"I can only think that it was all a setup."

After hearing Freed suggest a setup, Laxus thought back to the look in Saphira's eyes just before she left the tunnel.

"SHIT!" He yelled as he barreled his way down the tunnel towards the exit. But he was met halfway by Bickslow and Evergreen.

"Laxus! What happened to Saphira? There was a dreadful aura coming off her when she met us at the top." Evergreen asked.

"I'll explain on the way! Come on!"

As they ran towards the exit Laxus explained his theory as to why Saphira was so mad.

"We found this lacrima after we destroyed the object that had been causing the lightning to hit the town. And now we have the proof to discredit the mayor, but Saphira must've seen it first and put it together faster than any of us. She must've been actively searching for any proof to discredit the shady mayor."

Once they came out of the tunnel it was east to see the awful storm brewing over the mayor's mansion.

"I have to stop her! I'll meet you guys at the train station after."

'She's my mate so I should be able to calm her down. And I can get there faster alone.' He thought as he used his lightning to transport himself to the manor.

(Line Break)

'I want to kill him… if I do…it would be bad for home… and for mate.'

Her thoughts were not solely her own as she meshed further with her dragon side. Her instinct to protect her family from getting a bad name and protecting her mate's honor where forefront in her mind. Now that the connection between herself and Laxus was made her instinct to protect him was ten times stronger. And the sole recipient of her wrath was just in the next room.

The mayor was sitting on his couch drinking tea when there was a drastic change in the atmosphere. The air in his fine home became stiflingly hot. The ground shook as though there was an earthquake passing through, causing pictures to crash onto the floor and books to fall off their shelves. Extreme wind followed as it brought water with it and soaked both the mayor and his secretary.

The two watched in horror as Saphira calmly advanced towards them as blue lightning jumped and danced on her skin.

"I told you… I warned you…and you put my mate in danger. You will not be forgiven."

She stood directly in front of them now as they quivered on the floor.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't electrocute both of you." She snarled, showing off her frighteningly long canines.

"The… the magic counsel…they will come for you." The secretary whispered.

"Not good enough. I do not fear the counsel. The council fears me. I am too strong. I can obliterate any mage they send for me. Including the wizard saints… they asked me to be one ya know. I hate politics though, especially slimy, corrupt, little shits who have too much power."

She raised her hand, completely prepared to do the unthinkable. But before she could, yellow lightning struck the manor and Laxus broke through the wall, he then pulled her away from the whimpering duo.

He pulled her in close and put his head in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent. Saphira instinctually did the same thing and calmed down immediately.

"Laxus…" she sighed.

The larger dragon slayer pulled one arm away from her and threw the lacrima he had been holding straight at the mayor. More lightning followed the first strike as it continued to hit inside the manor. He stared on while holding onto the woman he now knew was his mate, fully intending to destroy the entire manor. But the weasel's granddaughter ran into the room. Laxus quickly darted across the room to divert the lightning bolt that would've hit them, he neutralized it by sending up a lightning strike of his own.

"So you can protect something." He said as he peered at the mayor, who had used himself as a shield.

"I thought you were a good-for-nothing who only thought of himself. Next time, make an effort on behalf of the town's citizens."

Laxus grabbed Saphira's hand and pulled her alongside himself as they left the manor. As they started the long walk to the train station they continued to hold hands.

'I can't believe that it's over. He finally knows… And he's not yelling at me… Is that even a good sign?' Saphira thought as she walked alongside Laxus. She considered talking to him but decided that it was best to leave him to his thoughts.

Laxus had no idea what to think! The entire time his mate was so close! Hell he was even living on the same house with her! 'How long has she known? She apologized for not telling me sooner, so it must've been a while. To keep such an important thing a secret?! Why? I bet that little thought hearing shit knew about this!' He thought angrily. The hand that was holding Saphira's unconsciously gripped hers tighter.

Feeling the small amount of anger coming off Laxus, Saphira carefully chanced a glance at the man beside her. There was a slight crease between his brows and it only seemed to deepen as time went on. If she continued to let him come to his own conclusions… it won't be good for either of them. So she stopped in her tracks and held his hand tighter so he would stop as well.

He turned and looked at her confused.

"Will you tell me what you are thinking? I… I know this must've been a huge shock to you… And I'm so sorry I kept it from you! But you weren't ready! I wasn't ready! I… You…" Saphira bit her lip to stop her rambling as she waiting for Laxus to say something.

He loosened his grip and her hand fell from his. "I don't know what I'm thinking." Laxus admitted.

"Well, you have to have questions, right?" She asked as she crossed her arms under her chest. "Let me answer them."

"I don't want to do this here, or right now. Can we just go the train station?"

This was bad. Mates aren't supposed to distance themselves from one another right out the gate. 'If this continues like this… we won't be able to bridge the gap.' She thought as she watched him move to turn around and keep walking.

"Akane Beach." Saphira blurted out without thinking.

"What?" Once again Laxus looked at her confused. "What about Akane Beach."

"There is a forest there, perfect for training. I did some training there nearly seven years ago. We could go now and send for the other slayers to meet us there… It would give us time to… ya know… sort things out."

Laxus stood there silently thinking about what she had offered. Time alone with her, no interruptions. This was his chance to finally get some answers. But…

"We aren't exactly prepared for camping." Laxus pointed out.

"Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it. So?"

"… Okay but we have to let the others know."

"Of course." Saphira said as she moved to walk past Laxus on her way to the train station. But Laxus caught her elbow as she passed him. When she stopped to look at him he let go.

"Just because I let go earlier doesn't mean I don't want to hold your hand." Laxus said as he held out his left hand, the very same one with his mate mark.

She almost cried. But she bit her lip to fight back the tears. Saphira was so happy. How could she not be? Maybe everything would turn out alright. Maybe she wasn't as doomed as she had always believed. 'I'm going to have to tell him my past… everything about me.'

As they walked hand in hand Laxus could've sworn that he felt her happiness flow through their marks and straight into him. The only one who really knew how these marks worked was Saphira. 'So many unanswered questions… Maybe I'll finally get the answers.'