Author's note: I hope I'm playing with your feels, my Misty-es! MWAHAHAHAHAHAAA. I've made this chappie a little longer for you all.

Sketcher1994 , oh, he'll get a job, alright XD

CHAPTER 3

Heavy knocking late at night startled Gajeel. Somebody was pounding on his door frantically as he hurried to yell at whoever was making such a ruckus in the middle of the night. He was about to bitchslap the unlucky bastard, but stopped dead in his track when he looked through the visor.

"Levy? What are you..."

"I need your help, please!" She said urgently, looking at him with pleading eyes. He made way for her to get inside, watching her go past him in a hurry and placing her bundled coat on the table.

"You're all wet!" He hurried to the bathroom to grab a towel and bring it back to her. "What's wrong?" Levy's shaky hands were fumbling with her cell phone.

"Mira? Help. I f... found a baby..." Her voice cracked and she started shaking with tears. Gajeel stopped dead in his track, staring at her, then at her coat. "In a dumpster! And she's f... freezing... and I don't know what to do..." She started sobbing heavily, caressing the small baby inside her coat. Gajeel approached carefully, wrapping the towel over her shaking shoulders, staring with wide eyes at the small hand that was wrapped around Levy's index finger. "Okay..." She sniffed heavily to calm herself. "Gimme a pen and some paper." She turned to Gajeel with puffy eyes, wiping some tears away. He scrambled to the fridge, took a post it and a pencil and returned quickly to her. She started scribbling quickly and thanked her friend, turning the phone off.

"Can you go buy these? I'm gonna give her a bath." Gajeel was about to ask about the little bundle, but Levy stopped him before he could utter a word. "Please, I'll explain later." She burned her brown eyes into his until he nodded. She shoved her wallet in his hands and hurried back to the small human, took her gingerly in her arms and went to the bathroom. Gajeel wasted no more time, grabbing his keys and going to a nonstop close to his apartment building. He bought with his own money some baby clothes, a formula, diapers and a bottle and hurried back home. Levy was still in the bathroom with the baby, washing the little girl in his sink.

"There you go, little one. You're safe now." She whispered soothingly.

"I'm back. What do I do with these?"

"Boil some water and disinfect the bottle. Just pour the water in it when it's boiling." He hurried to the kitchen and did what Levy instructed and, before she was out of the bathroom with the baby, he already prepared the formula. Levy placed the now clean baby on a blanket on the table, put on a diaper and dressed her carefully. Gajeel came behind her and placed the bottle under her nose, Levy blinking surprised.

"I just followed the instructions on the formula box." Her impressed stare activated a blush on Gajeel's cheeks. Levy took the squirming baby in her arms, placing the head on her arm carefully and let Gajeel pop the bottle inside the baby's mouth. She took it hungrily, suckling it without breathing. At one point, she coughed a bit, spilling some milk on her puffy cheeks, but everything was back to normal with a pat on the back. The baby fell asleep before finishing the bottle, Gajeel and Levy smiling warmly.

"We make a great team." Gajeel whispered, watching the baby intently, caressing her little head. He snapped his eyes to Levy when he felt her shake and saw her sobbing heavily." Hey, now... What's wrong?"

"H... how could... anyone do s... something like that? How c... could you throw away your baby in a dumpster? Why?" Gajeel took the baby from her hands and placed her on the bed, then turned to Levy to hug her tightly.

"She's safe now, thanks to you. She's lucky you were around to find her. It's okay..."

"It's NOT okay! To throw away your new born baby like garbage!" She grabbed a handful of his shirt, holding onto him as he caressed her head slowly. Levy's phone rang, the bluenette jumping slightly. "Yeah?" She answered quickly. "Master! Yeah, no, no... I've put her to sleep. Yes, it's a girl. She seems healthy, but I have no idea how long she was in that dumpster... I took photos, when Mira gets here, I'll send them to her. Okay... Thank you, Master. Have a good night."

"What was that all about?" Gajeel asked curiously.

"I have some friends who work at 'Fairy Tail Orphanage'. Mira should be here any minute to take the baby there."

"How about that explanation?" Gajeel looked at the baby lying on his bed when Levy looked at him confused.

"Oh, right... Well, there's nothing spectacular. I was coming home from work and I heard something when I was passing an alley... I thought my jacket would be enough when it started raining... I never imagined I'd find a..." She took a steady breath and continued. "I heard a baby cry and... I followed it... When I saw her... I just..." Levy's eyes filled again, Gajeel caressing her hand. "Here." She shoved her phone under his nose, letting him slide through the photos she took. "When I touched her, she was so cold... So I took off my jacket to wrap her up, hence me all wet. Then I came here. Thank you so much. I couldn't have gone and buy what she needed... Thank you." Levy burned her eyes into his red ones, Gajeel looking away from embarrassment.

"No problem. I owe you more than you know, so..." He scratched his head, looking at the baby. "She's... beautiful..." He said with awe, taking her carefully in is arms.

"You're really good with kids, aren't you?" Levy caressed the baby's little arm, Gajeel staring at her.

"Yeah… I took care of my siblings after my dad took off…" He looked away, avoiding her questioning gaze.

"I grew up in an orphanage… 'Fairy Tail', to be more specific. I never felt the need for a mom or a dad, they are really great people, taking care of everyone like we're a huge family. It's kinda chaotic, but they make you feel like you belong." Gajeel turned his head to look at a smiling Levy, guessing by her warm eyes that she was remembering something really special. Then it dawned upon him. She was beautiful. She was glowing. And when Levy turned her gaze on him, smiling warmly, her eyes still puffy from the crying, his body reacted on its own.

Gajeel lifted his hand and placed it on Levy's cheek, surprise clear in her brown eyes. He felt her stop her breath and pull the baby closer to her chest, not looking away from his red eyes as Gajeel got closer to her. He closed his eyes just barely, just enough to see Levy's cheeks redden, anticipating his move. Gajeel was close enough to hear her heart beating faster, closing his eyes to finish what he started, his lips parting slightly.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

They both jumped, scrambling away from each other, Gajeel hurrying to the door and kicking a chair by mistake.

"OUCH! Hold on!" He swore under his breath, limping to the door. He yanked it open and a white haired girl greeted him with a wide smile.

"Mira! Oh, thank God!" Levy placed the baby on the bed and hurried to the door, jumping in her arms when Gajeel made space for her to get inside.

"It's so good to see you again, Levy!" She returned the hug briefly, for Levy broke off and noticed Gajeel behind Mira, looking at them questioningly.

"Oh, sorry. This is Gajeel, my friend and neighbor. He helped me a lot today." Levy looked at him smiling, activating a blush.

"Gajeel Redfox, pleased to meet ya." He extended his hand for a shake, Mira taking it in both her hands.

"Thank you so much for taking care of Levy, she can be a little… too kind for her own good." They both laughed when Levy scowled. "So, where's the little bundle?" Levy led her to the bed, letting Mira do her job. She checked the small life and took her in her arms, heading for the door. "She seems healthy, but I'm gonna give her a check up at the orphanage." Levy sent the photos to Mira's cell-phone just before she left, thanking the two young people for their help. And, so, Mirajane left with the baby in her arms. Once Gajeel closed the door behind her, he turned back to Levy, noticing she looked a bit down.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking…" She shook her head.

"About?"

"I can't wait to become a mother." She smiled warmly at him, Gajeel feeling his mouth twitch. Her smile was addictive.

"Yeah… Me too… A father, I mean. I would never abandon my kids. I'd stay by their side for as long as I live, and beyond, if there's anything after this." His voice was suddenly fierce, his insides squirming pleasantly when he looked at the short bluenette. There was a long moment of silence before Levy got up from his bed and headed for the door.

"Thank you, Gajeel. Really. For everything." She hugged him tightly before opening the door.

"Yeah, no problem. Anytime, squirt." He slapped himself internally for such a lame answer and for not finding the strength to close the goddamn door and take Levy in his arms again, never to let go.

"Dinner's on me tomorrow. Have a good night." Levy opened the door to her apartment, waving slightly before going inside and closing the door.

"Yeah, thanks… Good night." He closed his own door, going back to his bed and slumping heavily. A moment later, he lay down, placing his hands under his head, looking at the ceiling and thinking hard. Sleep finally came after almost an hour of tossing in the bed.

TBC

How about it? Did you liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Please review, your opinion matters to me as a writer.