Chapter Seventy-Eight
The screams were what woke Levy up. She jerked up, crying out as twisted metal tore through her legs and arms. She turned her head. The shuttle all around her was a crumbled mess; like a soda can that had been crushed one too many times in idle hands. She turned her head the other way and her mouth fell open.
A demon of Mard Geer, its shape too mangled to see properly in the flickering lights of the ruined shuttle; was dragging Mirajean by her hair; blood trickling out of her mouth; and her left arm was missing. Over the demon's other shoulder was Lucy's limp body. Her blonde hair stained orange and brown in what she guessed was blood of her and Natsu. Levy's eyes shifted around. Where was he? He wouldn't let Lucy get taken. Even in a blitz attack.
"Here we come!" A pained voice cried and Levy watched as Happy flew clumsily into view; one of his wings bent at an awkward angle. He held Natsu in his singed paws and dropped him. But Natsu landed on one bent knee and pitched forward; catching himself on his left hand. He lifted his head and Levy gasped. Half his face was burnt beyond recognition. She shook her head, this couldn't be happen. Not Natsu. Not Lucy.
"Gajeel?" She whispered; then remembered he wasn't there. He'd left because he wouldn't let her go. If he had been there, this wouldn't have happened. She should have fought harder. She pulled against the metal, screaming as it tore through her flesh. She could smell the copper scent of her blood as she wretched herself free and pointed at the demon.
"Stop!" She shouted but the demon didn't slow. She looked down; the metal was still on her fingers and she dropped her hand and shouted with all her might. "LUCY WAKE UP!"
"Levy!" Levy jerked, her head whipping to the side and Lucy was bent over her, Cana and Erza over her shoulders. She felt the tears well up. "Are you…"
"It was just a nightmare!" She cried and wrapped her arms around her friend. Lucy released a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around her friend. Alfie had notified her that Levy's metrics were elevated, and she seemed distressed, and she wasn't sure what to do. She hadn't been able to wake Levy which had worried the AI. Lucy had then run into Cana and Erza as she had started to make her way down the hall, and they had insisted on following when she gave them the rundown.
"What was it about?" Cana asked and the bluenette wiped at her face as she pulled away from Lucy's warm embrace. Cana smoothed some hair out of her face that had gotten plastered from the light sweat she had worked up hurrying to Levy's room.
"I don't rem…"
"Levy." Erza chided softly and the younger girl's shoulders sagged.
"I woke up in a wrecked shuttle. A demon had Mira and Lucy and was getting away. Natsu and Happy were badly injured. I couldn't see anyone else, hear anyone else. I still had the metal tips on my fingers and couldn't do anything but watch…"
"Oh Levy." Lucy pulled her in for another hug. "It's just a dream. Alfie would never let an accident like that happen. She's too on top of it."
"Lucy…"
"I confirm. I have layers of security predicting possible attacks. I am going to protect my Guild." Alfie hummed in the background and changed the lights to a softer and warmer glow. "Your metrics are lowering. I will refrain from notifying either Wendy or Gajeel."
"Thanks for that." She said and pushed her hair out of her face. She shook her head and sniffed. "I'm sorry to worry you all."
"It's okay. This is what we do, be there for one another. Bad dreams, bad realities; whatever comes." Cana said and sat down on the bed and threw her arm around the other two girls. "We may not always know the right things to say or do; but we'll always be there."
"And we are all scared. So, you don't have to try and pretend because you've over thought it." Erza said and gave the brown eyed girl a knowing look and she nodded sheepishly.
"Bet that it's also because she doesn't have a certain metal build-a-dragon to cuddle up with in bed." Cana smirked and Levy's eyes narrowed.
"What was that?" She asked, and the brunette across from her smirked even more.
"Did you fall asleep a little…pent up Levy darling?"
"Oh you!" She shouted and tried to lunge for her, but Lucy was in the middle and was laughing. Erza slapped the back of Cana's head and rolled her eyes. Her lips fighting to smile as she saw the tension leave Levy's form. Cana had a special skill, that was for sure.
"Stop it. Both of you." Lucy giggled and she caught Levy's hand. "And you are fine. The metal is gone. Sort of."
And sort of was right. The tips of her fingers were free now. But the metal had settled into a small band around each wrist. And Erza pulled back the blanket, and the chains that had held her in place were now bands around her ankles.
"Went from house arrest to police inspired jewelry. Very classy of him." Cana whistled and Levy's eyes narrowed.
"Cana you are one comment away from me letting her go." Lucy warned and the older girl smiled and shook her hair back off of her shoulders.
"Sorry. Too easy but I'll behave." She held up a hand, a card flipping through her fingers and then stood up. The card disappeared but a sunflower appeared in between her fingers. She held it out to Levy. "I'm also going to go ahead and go back to sleep. Alfie, you'll wake us if we are needed?"
"Affirmative. Please sleep well." The AI commented softly.
Levy clutched the sunflower to her chest and smiled as Erza followed Cana out after wishing the other two sweet dreams. The two older girls linked arms as they walked out of the room. Levy rested her head on Lucy's shoulder.
"You sure that you are, okay?" Lucy asked after a few minutes of strained silence. Levy nodded, twisting the stem of the flower between her hands. "Because we can talk about it if you aren't."
"I'm fine. It's just…everything and then Gajeel and the others going off like decoys. It's not easy. I'm worried. Even with Alfie helping them and us. Mard Geer isn't some school yard bully."
"But Gajeel and the others aren't school yard kids either. They're warriors. Soldiers who have had much more experience than any of us."
"It doesn't make it easier to know he's out there…in danger." Levy struggled to put her fears to words correctly.
"And you can't help from here." Lucy guessed and her friend nodded slowly. "So…you want to go find him?"
"He'd skin me alive if I tried that." Levy shivered and shook her head. "And I know…deep down he'll be fine. I just hate it. It feels like a trap. I can't explain it."
"I understand. Constant stress, strain, and worry makes it hard to function. I just don't want you to think that you are alone. You aren't. Ever."
"I know." She said and smiled weakly at her friend. "I'm sorry about the nightmare though. I am really surprised that I had a nightmare that vivid to start with."
"Well whatever reason you had that bad dream, please know that I want to help eradicate it. No matter what it takes. I want my best friend to have the best sleep she possibly can." Lucy's brown eyes were sincere and it warmed Levy's heart a bit.
"Well given that I'm just worried and I know that Alfie could patch me through to Gajeel if I asked; there is nothing you need to do. And I just needed the comfort you all gave me. Reassurances that it really was just a dream."
"It was." Lucy kissed Levy's forehead as she stood up. "You know how to reach out; right?"
"Through Alfie." She said and watched as her last friend left the room. She waited some time before throwing back the blanket and sliding on the slippers that Alfie had set out at some point. She sighed heavily and walked out of the room. The hallway lit up low, down close to the floor and higher up above her head. She walked through it as quietly as possible and looked around. She could hear snoring and soft whispers. Everyone had secrets. She stepped into the main living part and sighed. It felt open; more free there. She needed that after feeling trapped in her dream, on both levels.
She leaned against the table and crossed her arms. She sighed and shook her head. She was running through ideas to try and calm her brain, but it wasn't working. That happened sometimes. Especially when stressed.
"Is Gajeel asleep on his shuttle?" She asked softly and Alfie hummed as she looked for that data.
"Currently yes." Alfie answered and she nodded. He could probably sleep anytime, anywhere, for any reason. And deep down, Levy knew that he needed all he could get too. She sighed and ran her hands over her face and then into her hair.
"Should I wake him up?" Alfie asked and Levy shook her head.
"No. He needs to sleep. Sleep is important." She whispered. She hated how many thoughts were running around in her head. She couldn't make them stop. She didn't know what to do. She tried to remember what she used to do before the invasion, but she realized it would be grabbing a book and reading until she fell asleep. She twisted and put her back against the wall and sighed.
"How can I help?" Alfie asked and waited. "Would you like me to summon Wendy to provide sleep aid?"
"No. It's not worth waking her up." Levy assumed she was sleeping. Lord knew the younger girl needed to sleep after all the healing she's been doing lately. "Do you have any chamomile tea?"
There were some low vibrations and then the table opened as a kettle and a mug appeared. Beside the mug were several bags with different brands of the tea Levy had requested. She grabbed the one brand she had always wanted to try but could never afford; and put it in the mug and poured the hot water over it. She pulled the mug closer and inhaled the calming scent of the tea. Alfie adjusted the seat behind her, providing more cushion and she also dropped a blanket around Levy's shoulders. Levy pulled it closer and rested her head on the back of the seat. She cradled the mug to her chest. The silence making her shift uneasily.
"What is wrong?" Alfie asked and Levy looked around before taking a sip of her tea. "My main protocol is to help the members of my Guild. Can you please tell me what I can do; so that I can perform my purpose?"
"It's weird…and I don't want anyone else to know."
"I will maintain your privacy as long as it's not dangerous." Alfie offered and Levy nodded.
"Can you relay the audio of Gajeel sleeping? It doesn't have to be loud; and just around me is fine. I just…want to know he's really safe."
"Very well." The AI stated and the table opened. "These are replicated from what the air files called "ear buds". It will play the audio for your hearing only."
"Thank you!" Levy carefully put them in and sighed; they fit better than any ear bud she had ever owned before. A part of her wondered if the AI had measured her ears and made them to size. She sipped on the tea as the audio started. The heavy breath instantly had the muscles in her shoulders relaxing. She heard him roll and the thump of his arm as it was flung out and landed on the empty bed. There was grumble and then he moved until his breathing evened out. She smiled against the warm mug and sighed. His breathing was measured and calming. After she finished the tea, she set the mug on the table and curled up against the cushion. She closed her eyes, never feeling when the AI shifted the seat to a bed and dropped a privacy wall around it. On the outside the AI put a message to not disturb Levy.
"Luce?" Natsu snuggled closer as Lucy returned to bed. He'd woken up as Alfie had woken up Lucy, but she had reassured him to go back to sleep. He had but it hadn't been restful.
"I'm here Natsu." She murmured and snuggled close, and he wrapped her in his arms. Happy slid down the pillow, his back curling up against Lucy's back. Natsu smiled softly; his fingers gently brushing through the Exceed's fur before settling on Lucy's back and pressing her closer against him.
"Everything….okay?" He asked, his words broken by a yawn.
"Yeah. Levy just had a nightmare. She's calm now." Lucy whispered softly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and her hands drifted sleepily over the scales on his back.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I think the bond between her and Gajeel is making sleep hard for her."
"You think that maybe?" Natsu woke up a bit; and looked down at her. Her blonde hair moved slowly as she nodded. "Really?"
"If they aren't Growlkins than I'm wondering what they are." She whispered. He smiled against her hair and inhaled deeply. Her scent enveloped him and calmed his excitement.
"May their path be easier to traverse." He whispered, a small pang in his heart. Lucy nestled closer and she squeezed him a little tighter and he closed his eyes and almost immediately started to snore. Lucy's lips quirked at the edges, and she kissed a scale near his heart.
Gajeel grunted as he rolled over and his arm felt only the emptiness of the bed beside him. He sat up, shaking his head and looking around. The room was pitch black and cool. His usual requirements. But as he sat there in the dark, he realized that he missed the soft light that Levy required; and the warmth of her curled against him. He couldn't remember when he started to find comfort in those things. For most of his life, the dark and cold were what he was familiar with. He turned and swung his legs off of the side of the bed.
"Can I help?" Alfie asked softly and he tensed momentarily as the AI surprised him. Then he relaxed.
"How is Levy?" He didn't bother to beat around the anvil. He was worried about her.
"Sleeping." The AI stated calmly, and he nodded. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Has she forgiven me yet for what I did?"
"I cannot answer that." The AI didn't mince its words. "But she also inquired if you were safe, so she is at least concerned."
"Better than the other options I guess." He rubbed a hand over his face. He stood up slowly and started for the door then stopped. He glanced at the comm at his waist. He had only been asleep for a few sckrowls. Not enough to be fully prepared for whatever fight he was headed into. He walked back to the bed.
"May I make a suggestion to help you sleep?" Alfie inquired and he took a moment to think about it and then sat down on the bed.
"Sure, why the hell not."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence." The AI's tone was obviously a mixture of annoyance and humor which surprised the Dragis to a certain degree. "Please lie down and get comfortable."
Gajeel did as directed and pulled the sheet up to his waist and threw one hand over his eyes and the other crossed over his chest. He inhaled deeply and slowly let it out. Then softly, so softly he almost missed it—he heard breathing of another person. He held his breath. Slowly the breathing got a little louder, and instantly his muscles started to relax. He knew that breathing. "Shrimp?"
"I am playing audio of her current breathing. She also had a hard time falling asleep not know if you were safe or not. So, I did similar for her." The AI admitted calmly, and he felt a smile tug on his lips, but he suppressed it.
"Thanks. I won't rat you out if you don't rat me out." He said and the AI hummed. Gajeel closed his eyes under his arm and inhaled deeply again. The weariness washed over him, and he let himself sink into sleep.