~Levy~

"Levy! Gajeel!" The two of us startled awake when someone burst into the guest bedroom.

"What is it?" Gajeel asked, already out of bed, meeting a wide-eyed Cana halfway across the room.

"Karyn had a dream about Waylen!" She exclaimed. "A succubus dream, not a normal one. She talked to him, and she knows where he is!"

At this, I was out of bed and reaching for my crutches. "Let's go."

"Hang on a minute, Shrimp," Gajeel frowned, "you can't go."

I turned and met him with a glare. "Don't you dare think I'm going to stay here while the rest of you go get my son from those bastards."

"He's my son too, Lev," he said, more gently now as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm going," I said, walking passed him to get to my dresser. I threw on a pair of grey leggings and a white tank top, then pulled on my boots, being careful with my injured leg.

Gajeel let out a long sigh as he got dressed, knowing better than to argue with me. Cana had agreed to meet us downstairs with the others, and then we would be on our way.

I rushed downstairs as soon as we were ready, and practically dragged Gajeel out the door. "We're wasting time!" I told him.

Chuckling to himself, he picked me up and let out his wings. With a hard push, we were in the air, flying in the direction Cana had told us to go. All this time, we were so close to him, I thought to myself, knowing the cliff Karyn had described to us. It was only about an hour flight from our house, and we had taken Waylen there to play when he was younger.

"You're shaking," Gajeel murmured, holding me more tightly against him.

I clutched my hands a little more tightly together, having not even realized I had been. "We were only an hour away from him," I said, meeting Gajeel's eyes. "He's been suffering for over two weeks, and all this time we were only an hour away from him." Despite myself, tears filled my eyes as guilt wound itself around my insides.

"I know how you feel," he sighed. "We've been out searching everywhere, and we passed that spot over a dozen times. They've put some kind of magic around it to divert our attention from it, so that's why we missed it."

"It's officially his birthday," I practically whispered, feeling myself begin to shake again, I hope we aren't too late."

"We won't be," Gajeel said, determination in his voice as he returned his gaze ahead of him and picking up a bit more speed.

By the time we reached the cliff, Gajeel was sweating from having exerted himself during the quick flight. "Are you alright?" I asked, leaning on my crutches as he placed me on the ground.

"I'll be better once we get Waylen and beat the hell out of that demon," he said, marching forward.

I went as fast as I could through the trees, able to smell the demons even with my human nose. When I heard a small whimper, I abandoned the crutches and took off as a run, knowing my fractured leg would probably break completely under the strain, but not caring about anything other than Waylen.

"Waylen!" I shouted, finally entering the clearing.

"Mom!" I nearly fell to the ground when I spotted him. The demon who had attacked me was holding him up by a chain attached to his wings. Blood was dripping from them as his weight pulled against the chains, ripping his wings even further. His face was bruised, his lip was busted, and his right eye had swollen completely shut and was a nasty yellow-purple color. His arms were also bruised, and my hands balled into painfully tight fists when I noticed they were shaped like that demon's fingers.

"You bastards!" I snarled, launching myself at him.

"You're still alive?" The demon scoffed, smacking me away as he threw Waylen to the ground.

I got to my feet, fury and hatred boiling like lava through my veins. "If you lay another finger on my son, I'll rip your damn throat out."

"I'd like to see you try in that pathetic state," he sneered, kicking Waylen across the clearing.

"Waylen!" I shouted, running after him when he cried out.

Before I could take even three steps, the demon grabbed me by my hair, lifting me off the ground so he could glare into my eyes. "I'll make sure to finish you off this time, you pest."

"Get your hands off my wife!" Gajeel growled, his fist meeting the demon's jaw with a sickening crack. He caught me as I fell, worry filling his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" I snapped, wiggling out of his arms and trying not to wince when I put weight on my injured leg. "Get Waylen and go!"

"No way in hell," Gajeel frowned. "I'm helping you kill this asshole and get your powers back."

I turned to look in Waylen's direction, sighing in relief when I noticed Juvia unchaining his wings and tending to his wounds. Turning back to the demon, I gave Gajeel a nod and pulled the dagger from my boot. "Let's kick his ass."

"Gihi." A devilish grin spread across his face as white armor covered his body and a sword appeared in his hand. "I'm right behind ya."

As the demon recovered from Gajeel's punch, we attacked. I was so much weaker than usual, thanks to my useless human body, but that didn't stop me from ramming my dagger into the demon's thigh as he dodged an attack from Gajeel's sword. He shouted in pain, swinging his arm and catching my shoulder, sending me to the ground.

"Shit," I groaned, scraping my elbows on the ground as I caught myself. "Stupid, fragile human body." My dagger was still lodged in the demon's leg, and he was too distracted with Gajeel's endless swinging to pull it out. The demon may have been powerful, but Gajeel had been an archangel for centuries—his sword skills were nearly on Erza's level.

Getting back on my feet, I watched Gajeel's attacks, waiting for the right moment. I had been fighting alongside him for years now, so I knew his style well. When an opening appeared, making it safe for me to get in the range of his sword, I ducked down and grabbed my dagger, immediately driving it down into the demon's other leg and jumping out of the way.

Now that both of his legs were injured, it was difficult for him to dodge Gajeel's attacks. Now we've got you, you ugly bastard. Gajeel swung his sword down, slicing from the demon's chest to his stomach. As blood poured from the deep wound, the demon let out an enraged roar.

"Levy!" Gajeel shouted. I nodded, rushing forward with my blade raised. I sunk it into the demon's chest, making sure to meet his eyes as I gave it one final shove, burying it up to the hilt.

"Mom! Dad!" I turned as Waylen threw himself at me, wrapping his arms around my neck as I held him tightly.

"I'm so sorry!" He sobbed, meeting my eyes as tears soaked his bruised cheeks. "I didn't mean what I said. I love you so much."

"Shh," I soothed, kissing his forehead, "I know. I love you too, Waylen. Are you alright?"

He nodded, wiping in vein at the tears on his face. "Yeah." He frowned when he noticed the demon behind me. "Did you get the other one?"

I exchanged a glance with Gajeel. "The other one?" I asked.

"There was another demon. A littler one."

"Shit," I heard Gajeel spit, before he looked towards the trees.

A small demon stepped through the trees, a wicked grin in his face as dozens of demons rushed out around him, charging us.

"Take Waylen and run," Gajeel instructed, standing in front of us. The others had all been swallowed up in the crowd of demons, and I could hear them fighting.

"Gajeel, I can't—ah!" I doubled over as a sudden wave of pain rushed through me.

"Mom!" "Levy!" Waylen and Gajeel shouted.

I gasped as the pain increased in my head and back, closing my eyes tightly against it. When the pain suddenly disappeared, I straightened, breathing heavily. "What the hell—?"

"Your horns!" Waylen exclaimed, smiling. I lifted my arm to feel them, pausing when I noticed the blue scales covering my skin.

"Your powers must be coming back now that damned demon is almost dead," Gajeel said.

I knew the moment he had finally died, because a surge of energy shot through me. I felt like I would explode if I didn't release some of it, so I was kind of thankful when one of the demons reached us. Before Gajeel could even lift his sword, I was slicing the demon in half with my claws.

I grinned, staring down at the defeated demon as a laugh bubbled from my throat. Setting my gaze on the other demon who had helped to harm my son, I let out another laugh, bolting through the crowd of demons, slicing through any foolish enough to stand in my way.

"You're the one who hurt my son," I snarled, grabbing him by the throat as he let out a surprised, shrill little shriek. Lifting my already blood-soaked hand, I smirked. "That was the last mistake you'll ever make." I plunged my hand straight through his chest, throwing him to the ground as I tore my hand free.

When I turned back to Gajeel and Waylen, they were both staring at me with saucers for eyes. Gajeel's gaze held a mixture of pride and amazement, while Waylen's was purely awe. Feeling the initial rush of power wear off, I returned to my husband and son.

Gajeel chuckled when I reached him, pulling me into a kiss that reduced Waylen to exaggerated gagging noises. "I think that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen," Gajeel smirked against my lips, low enough that only I could hear him.

I giggled, taking a step back and grabbing my son's hand. "I'll leave the rest of them to you guys," I told him. "I want to get Waylen as far away from here as possible, and have Lucy patch him up and check for any more injuries."

Gajeel nodded. "We'll take care of them. Don't you worry about that."

"We're leaving dad and the others?" Waylen asked as he followed me away from the fight and towards the cliff.

"There aren't as many demons here as we faced during our last battle with Lucifer's followers," I told him with a smile. "Your dad could probably handle that pitiful group all on his own. They'll meet us at Aunt Lucy's before she even finishes putting on your bandages." To that, he gave me a heart-warming smile, the one he always reserved for me, and the one that I had so missed since this whole thing had begun.

Spreading my wings as we reached the edge of the cliff, I dived off, pausing when I realized he hadn't done the same. He attempted to extend his wings, but winced and folded them against his back, looking at me in fear. "I can't fly," he said. "My wings are both ripped."

I held out my hands to him, frowning when I spotted a demon break free of the rest and head towards us. "You need to jump to me, quickly," I told him.

He looked down, immediately taking a step back and shaking his head. "It's too far down, and I'm too heavy for you to carry me all the way back."

"I'll manage, so don't worry," I said, urging him forward as the demon drew ever closer.

He met my eyes, determination filling his. "Will you catch me if I fall?"

I smiled at him, my eyes filling with tears. "Always."

Nodding, he jumped, opening his arms and latching onto me tightly as I put distance between us and the edge of the cliff where the demon now stood shouting angrily.

"You're safe now," I told Waylen, hugging him tightly as I flew.