Levy's eyes shot open. A window let beautiful soft light stream across the room. She looked around. The room was small with two other beds besides hers. She was in a medical ward.

Slowly, she started to remember the things that had happened to her. She took in a shaky breath, remembering Elisio. She hugged herself at the memory, never being so glad to be covered in her life. As she moved, she could feel her wounds protesting, the new scabs and bandages pulling at her skin.

"Levy McGarden?" a voice made her jump. She looked up to see a doctor standing in the doorway. He approached with a soothing smile on his face, "How are you feeling?"

"Um… Ok I guess…" she blinked, not sure how to answer.

"We bandaged you up as best we could. Our healers probably aren't as well trained as you're used to, but we did our best,"

"Thank you," she said, a smile touching her face.

"You gave us quite a scare," he said, standing beside her, "But thankfully your friend over there got you here in the knick of time. He refused to leave your side so treating him was a bit trickier…"

She looked over to the corner of the room. Gajeel was sleeping in a chair, his arms and torso bandaged. She could see blood coming through the bandage on his torso and his arm was in a sling. Despite that, Levy felt a wave of relief flush through her at the sight of him ok.

"Where's Lilly?" she asked, turning back to the doctor.

"He headed back to your guild to tell your friends you'd be longer than previously thought," the doctor's smile faded a little, "they had started to worry about you,"

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"About a week,"

"And he's been here the entire time?" she wondered out loud, looking over at still sleeping Gajeel.

"Like I said, he refused to leave," he smiled down at her, "although helping him was a pain, you're lucky to have someone like him on your side,"

"Yeah… I guess so…"

Shortly after, the doctor left her. Levy just stared at the sleeping Gajeel. He looked exhausted and she was sure this sleep was at least going to be dreamless. Even though he was beat up, she couldn't help but think he looked peaceful.

Suddenly, one of his eyes opened.

"You're awake?" he said, his voice tired.

"Yeah," she sighed, pushing herself up and wincing slightly from the soreness in her arms, "The doctor was here earlier. He said I'd been out for about a week,"

"Yeah. He said he didn't know if you'd pull through, but I knew you would. You're stronger than you look," he grunted, standing up and walking towards her.

"Am I?" she scoffed, "I couldn't even keep myself from being caught,"

"That's not your fault," Gajeel growled, "I should've been there…"

"He told me you were dead," she stopped him, tears coming to her eyes, "He showed me one of your feathers and I… I thought…"

"Hey, hey," he leaned over, putting a hand on her head, "Ain't nobody getting rid of me. I can promise you that,"

"Yeah…" she snuffed, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I guess you're right,"

He smiled down at her, flashing her that half-smile that always turned her to jelly. She felt so happy seeing that smile again, knowing that it was all over.

"Lilly, where's Gajeel?"

It had been two weeks since the mission and Levy hadn't seen him since. He refused to come to the guild, always sending Lilly with the message that he was training. At first Levy just thought it was his way of coping with everything that had happened, but when it became apparent that he wasn't coming back anytime soon, she finally gave in and asked Lilly.

"He's training," the little Exceed murmured. She could see worry in his eyes.

"What's really going on, Lilly?" Levy persisted, "Where is he?"

"I'm not lying," he sighed, "he's at home, training. He refuses to stop, even when I've asked him to. He hardly eats and sleeps. All he does is train,"

"Why would he do something like that?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered. They both knew why, but neither wanted to say it.

"Take me to him,"

"What?" Lilly jumped, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Somebody's got to get him to stop. He's going to work himself to death,"

"…well… ok,"

Gajeel wrapped his knuckles, staring at his enemy of choice. Today it was a rugged punching bag. His muscles were sore and his heart was pounding. Sweat trickled down his face and chest. Taking I breath, he hit it as hard as he could. His arms protested each punch but he forced himself to continue.

"Gajeel!" Levy's voice echoed in his head. When they'd taken her away he didn't know what he'd do. Each hit that Elisio had dealt had broken bones and left dark bruises. He'd been covered in blood and left for dead before he could finally pull himself up. If it hadn't been for the iron Levy had left for him in a final act of despair he never would've been able to make it inside the guild.

Levy…

He saw her there, tied up for that sick mage's pleasure. Blood dripped down her body and tears were falling down her face and neck. Deep gashes from the whip he held in his hand cut deep into her skin.

She was so frail…

He could still smell the death that clung so closely to her. Darkness had filled her beautiful eyes and no spark of her happy-go-lucky self remained there. She had been completely and utterly broken.

'…Because I'm not strong enough…'

He hit the punching bag so hard the ceiling cracked.

Elisio…

He'd relished in the pain he'd put him through, had lost himself in it. The mage was begging for mercy, blood coming from his mouth. His arms were shattered from trying to block Gajeel's relentless attacks. It had been so long since he'd killed anyone, it was almost like the first time all over again. Feeling his hot blood spill over his hands and drip onto his clothing… the old thrill came back. His eyes were alight with fiery hatred.

He remembered watching Elisio's eyes dull, the pain and terror forever frozen on his face.

'Who are you kidding? You're just like him…' he thought darkly, his next punch shaking his bones.

He loved it, the feeling he'd gotten when he'd taken his revenge. His heart filled with something not quite as beautiful as lust. Like a black disease, it spread through his body until he couldn't stand it anymore. He'd gone insane; killing anyone in the dark guild he could get his hands on. Their blood marred the walls like a beautiful abstract.

So… Much… Blood…

Then he'd had the audacity to hold Levy with those disgusting, blood-covered hands. Was he going to contaminate her too? How could such a beautiful creature with a heart full of so much love even stand to be around him? He was nothing but a creature of the dark, carefully walking a tightrope between insanity and outright evil. His dark desires kept pulling him under, drowning him in unfathomable darkness…

And yet, she still tried to save him…

Every day, Lilly would come home, worry filling his eyes, and tell him Levy had been asking about him. That beautiful ray of hope still missed his company and anxiously awaited his return to Fairy Tail. It was like she was an angel reaching out a hand to pull him away from the demons that threatened to fill his heart with an impenetrable darkness. She was beautiful in ways that he'd never dreamed he'd be able to see. All he wanted to do was keep her safe, away from the sinister darkness that he'd known all his life.

There she was again, hung against the tree. Her eyes filling with fear as he quickly dispatched Jet and Droy. He'd written in black on her flesh, stamping Phantom Lord over her like she was some helpless sheep to be branded.

He couldn't stand it…

His hit sent the punching bag flying. The loud crash filled his ears, a crack started to split the wall from the impact. He could feel his knuckles burning and smell blood. He looked down at his hands, stained red like all his sins that could never be washed away.

"Levy…" he whispered, falling to his knees, a sadness that struck him deep in his heart pulling him apart. He watched the blood fall. Thick red drops started to form a small puddle on the cold ground.

If only he'd been stronger, none of this would have happened…

He squeezed his eyes shut, tears threatening to break through. He almost lost her, the only thing that kept him in the light. She had almost died in his arms and it was all because of him and his weakness. His only hope for redemption was almost wiped from his life forever, like a delicate candle being snuffed between his harsh fingers.

He lifted his arms and brought them down hard, hitting the ground with so much intensity the impact formed a crater around him. His muscles were sore and he felt like he couldn't move. His body was finally at its limit and he hated it.

He let the tears fall, even a hatred for them forming. Wasn't he always bragging about being strong? Wasn't he always saying he could take on anything? And here he was, reduced to nothing.

Nothing but a broken man with everything in the world to lose.

He felt dizzy. When was the last time he ate? When was the last time he slept?

He looked up at the ceiling, shutting his eyes and letting the tears streak down his face. How much relentless anger could be held in a single body before it broke? How much darkness could be contained in one heart before a man was consumed by it and driven insane? How much pain could someone inflict on those they cared about until they were left with none but themselves for company? It was as if he lived to answer those questions.

He took in a deep breath, steadying himself. Sleep. He desperately wanted sleep.

Lying down on the cold ground, he finally let his body succumb to exhaustion.