Laxus moved quickly through the trees and brush, somehow it though it felt like he couldn't move fast enough. He felt like his body was vibrating with electricity, probably from the adrenaline. He let that uneasy feeling push him faster.

Laxus sighed in relief when he reached the tree line bordering the small clearing that held the cabin. He allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and take in the situation. In the dark it was hard to see what was happening but he could make out at least 3 or 4 figures. He couldn't make out which one was Jose, he would just have to take a chance when he decided to make a move. Laxus stayed patience studying the figures and his patience was rewarded in the form of moonlight reflecting off of almost platinum white hair. Laxus knew that had to be Lyon. Lyon was facing a figure sitting on the ground and he knew it had to be Jose when the man's ugly laugh carried faintly to his position. Incredibly it seemed as if everything was under control and in their favor.

Laxus strolled out of his cover towards the others. As he approached his heart lifted seeing Gary and Leo were safe and sound also. The two boys gave shocked looks but recovered with goofy grins when she saw the blond walk up.

Lyon however had turned away before he noticed Laxus.

Laxus called out to Lyon but if Lyon had heard him he didn't show it. In fact Laxus watched as Lyon took impossible quick stride nearly collapsing down next to a figure in the grass.

Laxus blinked once before the realization set in and he was by Lyon's side within a second.

There was no surprised greeting between the two, any story of how they both arrived where they were had to wait.

Lyon bent so his eyes wild as he looked over the pierced teen. The moon seemed to be reaching at all the right angles now giving much more worrisome assessment of Gajeel.

The brash teen looked incredibly pale. As Lyon brushed some of the dark hair out of Gajeel's face he notice that his skin felt slick with sweat but instead of feeling heated Gajeel felt frigid. That wasn't the worst part, Gajeel's eyes scrunched shut, then opened blinking back tears. As he spoke his voice was shaky from trying to hold the in the fact that he was crying, "Great, this is awesome, I'm a fucking harass sniveling like a little girl." Gajeel took a couple shallow breaths as he tried once more to blink away the blurry vision, "Is that fucking Laxus? Everything is blurry but I know that oversized blond head."

"Gajeel are you in a lot of pain, where is it at?" Laxus started searching Gajeel over as Lyon pointed out the wounds.

"Naw, not really," Gajeel answered.

Lyon spoke, "Stop acting like its nothing. It's understandable that you hurt, I'm sure in would of let the tears go way before you have."

Gajeel sighed, when he spoke it seemed like he was thinking carefully speaking choppy and slowly. "What no, not crying cuz it hurts. It don't hurt. I really can't feel anything much. Kinda numb all over. I can't see right, my head feels fuzzy like I have, I have to drag all the things in my head out to speak and it all heavy. Breathing is heavy, and words are heavy. It's cold. Its heavy. I think I'm dying I think. I think that why I'm crying."

"No." Levy was standing a few feet away her eyes wide and glassy. "No, you were ok. You smiled and laughed. No. No. I can't believe that no." Laxus could see her face was shiny and wet as she lowered to her knees closer to Gajeel.

"I told ya so!" Jose sang out laughing like a maniac until one of Grays boots connected with the side of his head. Gray squared down to Jose's level and stared down the shocked man.

"If I have to watch someone I care about die again I'm going make sure all of your insides end up on the outside. I'm fucking done with the nightmare and being scared that someone like YOU is going to show up and rip someone out of my life. I'm done waiting for the bad shit to happen. I promise you I will become yours and my worst nightmares if Gajeel dies you stupid piece of a shit." Gray's chest heaved from the bubbling rage. He relived those last moments of his mom almost every night in nightmares. Now it was like all those pains and broken feelings were trying to drown him again. He didn't know how much he held in until he had to face that kind of terror again. The entire day had been nothing but trauma old and new. Gray wasn't sure of what would happen even in the next second but he knew he couldn't handle any more. Surely it would be better to be the monster than live in its wake.

Leo rested his hand on Grey's forearm and spoke calmly. "I am so with you buddy. I think he would deserve every ounce of that rage murder shit your talking. But me and you we made that deal remember. We were actually going to try this whole deal with our shit and heal so we can live our life stuff. Take out meds and learn how to be happy. Right?"

Gray nodded.

"Well if you go all tokyo ghoul on his ass it'll just be that much more baggage to deal with and probably from a jail cell. Let this ass hole lie here until they come for him or take his chance in the forest all tied up he's the least of our worries now."

Gray nodded again joined the others around Gajeel. "What do we do? Some stay and some go back for help? Is there even enough time for that?" Lyon looked to Laxus, they all were looking to the blond like he had the answers. His heartbeat, he was going to let them all down.

Gajeel's breathing was laboured and loud. Laxus fished both hands in his hair like the frustrated move would produce an answer.

Laxus's heartbeat, Gajeel's breathing, and a moment of terrifying silence played on repeat in the the blond head. They were all still when Laxus sprung up making them all jump a little.

"Levy tie up the wounds a little tighter and stronger as best as you can use whatever clothes the boys can spare wrap them good."

She nodded and went to work as Leo gave her his over shirt to shred for bandages.

"Gray you and Leo run back to that cabin there were some old sheets and drapes in a corner bring them all." The boys shot up like a canon and took off running. "As soon as the get back we need to rip them in long thick strips the have to be strong enough to hold Gajeel and long enough to fit around both of us."

Gajeel moaned as Levy jostled the injured man. When the boys returned from the cabin they started ripping the old fabric until Laxus felt there was enough.

The blond was crouched,"Ok I need you guys to carefully get Gajeel on my back. Like I'm going to give him a piggy back ride. Use the fabric to tie him to me. Its got to be secure, you have to make sure."

"Laxus do you intend to carry Gajeel back on your own? That's going to be an insane hike carrying dead weight almost comparable to yours " Lyon asked.

"Listen it's not a discussion and we have no other options."

"We can help you carry him," Gray spoke up.

"No it's already going to be rough can you imagine 2 or 3 people trying to carry him and move together in that forest, well drop him like that."

"But Laxus.."

"We don't have time for this! Help me get him secure so I don't have to worry about holding on to him or sit down and shut the fuck up." Laxus watched them jump into action. Lyon and Gray lifted and help Gajeel while Levy and Leo tied the 2 together. When they were done Laxus slowly rose to his feet.

"Levy go slow so you don't get lost and guide them back to camp ok?"

The short girl was confused, "Ok but you are going too right?"

Laxus nodded, "Yes but going to ahead as fast as I can. You guys will probably lose sight of me."

"You don't think we can keep up with you while you are carrying a 200 pound pin fusion?" Leo asked.

"That's exactly what I'm hoping."

Laxus didn't wait today good bye or good luck. He took off in a run at full speed leaving the others gasping. There was no time to question if he could do it, he only knew he had to.

FTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFTFT

Laxus stopped using his hand braced on a tree to help support himself. He held his breath for a moment so he could hear the very audible sound of Gajeel breathing. He had no clue what time it was but he was exhausted. It had been daylight when he had first set out with Lucy and Freed. Now it was probably midnight or later, not that Laxus couldn't pull an all nighter but the mental and physical stress of the day was wearing on him. He knew in the daylight he could make the camp in less than an hour but carrying his friend while exhausted in the dark would take longer. Pushing himself off the tree he ignored the burning in his upper thighs from the strain.

This time he started moving slower and more cautiously. He knew being tired would make him clumsy and he couldn't fall with Gajeel on his back, It worried him when he had reached the spot where he and Ivan had the confrontation earlier. There was no sign of Ivan but if Gramps or the police had collected the man wouldn't they have came for them? Or has Gramps not sent help out yet, if so where was Ivan. That thought made Laxus nervous. He knew Ivan wouldn't stick around especially when he didn't have an advantage somehow. But Ivan was also the kind of man to hold a grudge and wait for his perfect moment, even if it took a while.

Laxus kept a watchful eye while deep in his thoughts but it was dark so he couldn't be blamed for not seeing slick moss that covered the stone he stepped on. As he fell he jerked trying to twist his body to keep his weight off of Gajeel. That move sent him rolling down at an awkward angle with his right foot hitting the ground first jarring with the hard ground while the rest of his body still fell forward with a forceful momentum causing his ankle to bend underneath as the rest of his body landed on top.

"FUCK, FUCKING SHIT!" He knew it was bad, he had felt the snap and then the pain and it almost made him puke. He didn't stop screaming at God or the universe or maybe even himself he wasn't sure, "WHY?! WHY CAN'T ONE THING JUST WORK OUT! I KNOW I MESSED UP A LOT. I KNOW OF ALL THE PEOPLE I DON'T DESERVE THINGS TO GO RIGHT BUT DAMMIT THIS ISN'T FOR ME. WHATEVER IS IN CHARGE OF THE FUCKING EXISTENCE I'M REALLY FUCKING TRYING SO CAN I GET ONE FUCKING BREAK I DON'T DESERVE FOR HIM?"

His voice grew softer as his body shuddered. As his head started to spin he realized he might of hit his head in the fall also,"Please, I know i have no right to ask for anything but if he dies it's all on me, this was all my fault. Please I really fucking get it now. Please just please."

Laxus felt his eyelids getting heavier and he knew he was going to pass out. A buzzing sound was drowning out his thoughts but he couldn't tell if it was in his head or blood rushing through his ears maybe. Gajeel rested heavy on top of him and he knew there was no coming back from all these mistakes. Tears fell and he laid his forehead on the cold ground giving up. The leaves rustled in front of him and he looked up as the world spun before he was enveloped in darkness. As he fell completely unconscious the thought he saw a flash of red.