Nyx walked quickly to keep up with Gajeel's large stride. The trip had been silent so far, after the event in the guild, both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Nyx looked up at Gajeel, who had a scowl plastered to his face. She couldn't believe that he suffered because of her. He never even let on that he remembered that night, let alone that it caused him to suffer. He finally noticed that she was watching him. He cocked a brow.

"What are you looking at?" She looked away.

"Sorry…" she mumbled quickly. Gajeel sighed.

"Are you alright?" she blinked.

"What?"

"You fell pretty hard when your brother shoved you." She looked back up at him, meeting his red gaze. She wasn't sure, but it almost looked as though there was concern in his eyes.

"Yeah...I'm fine. I'm sorry he attacked you…" Gajeel just shrugged. He let out another sigh. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why he had snapped. People get shoved in that guild on a daily basis, but watching Nyx get shoved was something he couldn't tolerate. "So Gajeel," she started, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Yeah Nyx?" She was somewhat taken aback. That was the second time he had used her name that day, and never called her by her name.

"What is this job we're going on?" she asked. He fished around his pocket for a moment before pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment. He handed it over to her so she could read it.

"There have a couple of mages using their magic to terrorize a village," he explained. "It shouldn't be too difficult for you." She nodded, looking at the sneering faces of the two mages they would be going after. She sighed and looked at the ground. She pictured that she'd be happier going on a job with Gajeel, but guilt just ate away at her. Guilt over Gray, and guilt over any suffering she caused Gajeel.

"Gajeel...I'm so sorry…"

"You already said that," he growled. She shook her head.

"No...I haven't. I had no idea... " He looked down at her.

"No idea about what?" he questioned.

"You told my brother that...you suffer every day...because of me." He eyes were beginning to water.

"You idiot." She looked up at him with surprise, stopping in her tracks. He stopped as well. "Don't you dare dwell on that, you hear me?" He put his hand on her head, and in a gentler tone added, "Please don't add to my guilt." He bent down so he was eye level with her. "Got it shrimp?" Biting her lip, she nodded. He straightened up, patting her on the head. "Good, lets keep going, we're way behind schedule."

"Right," she agreed, unable to take her eyes from the dragon slayer. As they continued forward, Gajeel couldn't help but steal glances at Nyx, whose eyes seemed stuck to him. Usually if someone stared at him that way, it would piss him off to no end, but now he couldn't quite tell what it was he was feeling. It wasn't anger, he knew that, but it brought a similar warmth. The warmth was more comforting than the heat of rage though. He shook his head a little, casting another look at her.

They reached the village by sundown. It seemed quiet, all of the villagers had settled in their homes for the night.

"Doesn't look like there's much trouble here," Nyx noted.

"Whatever, lets find an inn and take a look around." They were greeted warmly by the inn's owner, and given a room. They left their bags there, and headed into town. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Shops were closed, lights flickered in the windows of homes, and not a single malicious mage in sight. Gajeel let out a growl. "Well this was pointless."

"I don't get it...something's not right here Gajeel," Nyx stated. Though everything seemed so peaceful, she sensed that something was off. She'd been to towns with similar problems, and the inns wouldn't have allowed anyone new in town to stay, windows were boarded and dark, and shops were heavily padlocked. This town was nothing like that.

"You're just imagining things Jewels. Lets go get some shut eye and figure this crap out tomorrow," Gajeel suggested. Hesitantly, Nyx nodded, unable to shake the strange feeling.

It was about dawn when Nyx sat up, her sleep disrupted by a racket on the floor below.

"What the hell?" she mumbled groggily. She got up and went over to the bed where Gajeel was sprawled out, snoring slightly. "Gajeel," she whispered harshly. "Gajeel, get up." She shook the sleeping dragon, and he bolted up.

"What the hell Jewels?" he snapped. She put a finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet. He grumbled something under his breath, but listened, his brow furrowing when the racket from below hit his ears. "Let's go check it out," he said. Nyx nodded in agreement. He got out of bed, but before they could even get to the door, the inn's owner burst into the room.

"Please help! Those mages took my kid!" Gajeel and Nyx looked at each other, then back at the owner.

"Which way?" Gajeel demanded. The man pointed.

"The outskirts of town!" They nodded and ran out of the room.