Hey guys!

So today, double sized chapter! There's no other reason than: I once again got carried away haha ;) And I absolutely wanted to write that last scene even if the chapter's number of words was already higher than usual before I even started writing the scene :p

On that thought, I hope you'll like it! :D

Lily xx

It's only when Levy was far away from them that Gajeel felt a weight off of his shoulders. Then the sentence she had whispered to him came back to his mind: "Please stay strong. Stay alive for my sake". And he was planning to do so. Filled with a new wave of energy, he ran to his opponent, ready to put him out of commission as soon as possible. Just as he did a couple of weeks earlier during Totomaru's first attack, in a now one against one battle, he quickly had the upper hand. However, despite the beating Totomaru was getting, the assassin still had on his face that satisfied grin. "That bastard's hiding something", thought Gajeel suspicious. When he gave the final blow to his opponent's head, making him lose consciousness, the young man understood why. Hand clapping behind his back instantly made him want to hit something... preferably the one applauding in such an annoying way.

"What a great demonstration of your strength Redfox" said maliciously the man. "It almost makes me feel sorry for having to eliminate you".

"Jose" growled Gajeel between his teeth, recognising him.

"Captain Jose" corrected Phantom's leader.

"Not for me" retorted Gajeel. "You could as well be a rooky, to me your only an obstacle on my way that I'm ready to dispose of".

"And with who's help Redfox?" He snickered.

Gajeel saw at least 5 silhouettes walking out of the forest. And that without counting that Jose was on his own a formidable adversary. He tightened his fists. Despite what he said, he knew very well that his chances of surviving that attack were thin.

Then he attacked him. Everything went so fast that Gajeel only listened to his instincts. He felt some bone breaking under one of his hits, heard the thud made by an opponent collapsing on the ground. Most of them weren't half as good as Gajeel, but being outnumbered was starting to be too much of an handicap. Despite his efforts to dodge the numerous attacks, one hit reached his temple. The young man instantly was filled with dizziness. Not enough to make him lose consciousness, but enough to reduce to nothing his hopes of dodging the next assault. Soon enough, he was immobilised by the two remaining men, Jose standing right before him displaying a triumphant look. Then he rose his eyes, curious, noticing the letter that could be partially seen out of his pocket, subtilizing it wile Gajeel couldn't move. He then burst into laughter reading the content, throwing the pieces of the letter he just ripped in his face.

"I knew you and Lockser were imbeciles not having suspected anything in eighteen years but that... you just pushed your credulity even further than I could have imagined".

"Your done talking nonsense?" Barked Gajeel out of patience. "What's your freaking problem with Levy? And why the hell did Phantom haven't already kicked August's ass if you know about him?"

"Why would I dethrone the one I myself put in power?" Answered Jose with a cruel smile.

Gajeel's eyes widened by the surprise of the news.

"What?"

"You never found suspicious that all of the most devoted members of Phantom as well as the former leader all perished in one single mission? August wanted an access to the throne and I wanted control over the kingdom."

Rage filled Gajeel more and more. Seeing the young man trying in vain to free himself, Jose taunted him.

"You're starting to understand, don't you? That night, I got rid of all my problems at once: sending to protect the royal family all of those I thought could cause me problems while my men were ready to take care of them. After that, I only had to take the place that was offered to me at the head of Phantom and use my organisation's influence to put August on the throne. In return, he's letting me carte blanche on the decisions concerning the kingdom. And that plan was flawless until I learned that the princess had survived".

"You...."

Jose cloned up to Gajeel, his eyes inches from his.

"Your little bitch is in my way, Redfox. If it can reassure you, you can always keep in mind that both of you will die from the same sword..."

He was cut off by a butthead on Gajeel's behalf that broke the nose of the horrible man. Much to Gajeel's displeasure, Jose's smile didn't fall. Then, without Gajeel being able to do anything, Jose plunged his sword in his shoulder. The young man let out a painful growl.

"The injury Totomaru had inflicted to you was starting to get a little too well to may taste".

"You bastard..."

"That's for breaking my nose. And that..."

He pieced his tight with his weapon.

"That is for betraying me."

After closing his eyes because of the pain, Gajeel opened them back, glaring at Jose. If he was to die, no way he'd give Jose the pleasure of braking him.

"And that he finally said, ready to hit his chest with a last fatal hit, it's for interfering with my business".

But his move stayed suspended as a heartbreaking scream filled the forest.

"Don't touch him!" Yelled Levy in tears. "I'm the one you really want! I surrender... but you have to let him go".

His heart tightened probably as much as if Jose had plunged his sword in it. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be safe, far from all of this, not having the stupidest idea ever!

"Get the hell out of here Levy!" he barked.

Rather than listening to him, she walked closer to Jose.

** A couple of hours earlier **

Gray woke up to Levy's voice that seemed to be on the edge of panic. When he met up with Juvia, the later was alone, a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong with Levy?" He asked.

"Levy is worried about Gajeel".

"What did metal head do this time!"

"He went to deliver a letter Juvia had written to Phantom..."

"What?"

Quickly, the young woman explained the situation and the reasons that had convinced Gajeel to volunteer.

"Idiot! Why didn't he ask anyone to go with him?" he reproached him.

He may not get along very well with Gajeel, he had learned to consider him as a valuable ally.

"He asked Juvia to protect Levy and..."

"That imbecile is too proud to ask me for help" completed the young man.

Juvia nodded.

"Since when did he left?"

"A little less than an hour ago" told Juvia.

"Perfect, I'll catch up with him".

On that thought, he went to his stuff to pick up the sword Gajeel had offered him. Then he froze: the sword... Levy's wasn't there. No one goes for a jogging with a sword. Clenching his teeth, he went back to Juvia.

"Your protégée went after him".

"What?"

"Her sword is nowhere to be found. Let's go" he added to her hesitation, dragging her towards the pathway.

When she finally got over the fact that Gray was holding her hand, it already had been half an hour since they headed in the direction indicated by Juvia. They continued their walk for about two other hours when someone ran into them.

"Levy? What happened to you?" Asked Gray seeing his friend, fear in her eyes and seeming completely exhausted.

"We're in big trouble. Phantom is our enemy. And he needs help" she managed to say panting.

The young woman barely took enough time to explain the situation before heading back in Gajeel's direction. He seemed more than capable to win against Totomaru, but she couldn't help that bad feeling that hunted her from the instant she had left Gajeel.

When Gajeel appeared once more in her sight, that bad feeling was confirmed in one of her worst fear as a sword ripped through the leg of the man to whom she gave all her trust. She had to use all her self-control to restrain from screaming.

"I'll make a diversion. Get him out of this" she said in a tone that didn't let any room for opposition while she was about to get out of the forest". She had no idea of what she was about to do, but her body took the decision for her. As soon as she saw the sword ready to befell him, she screamed with all she had.

"Don't touch him!" Yelled Levy in tears.

Then man stopped briefly. She had gained a couple of seconds. Then she had an idea, a dangerous idea.

"I'm the one you really want! I surrender... but you have to let him go".

"Get the hell out of here Levy!" he barked.

Ignoring Gajeel's words, she took a deep breath than walked to the assassin. He could kill her without hesitation, whenever he wanted. "Act fast" she mentally begged Gray and Juvia. As if they answered her silent demand, the man's smile fell when the young woman's friends got out of the woods behind those who were maintaining Gajeel still.

As for Levy, she had to draw her sword to block the attack of the one that seemed to be the leader. Despite her new skills, the man easily surpassed her, disarming her in only a couple of blows. Happily, the young woman had managed to distract him long enough for Gray and Juvia to come to her rescue, those maintaining Gajeel vanquished.

"Levy can go to Gajeel" assured Juvia. "She and Gray will take over with Jose.

Once Levy gone, Juvia attacked Jose, quickly followed by Gray's hit. She never had fought against her ex captain, but the young woman knew his combat skills were legendary in Phantom.

Gray and her however managed to keep on to his pace. She was filled with joy realising how much Gray's attacks were in sync with hers. The later was rather good with wielding the sword. As if they fought side by side all their lives, he exchanged a couple of hits with Jose, then indicated something by sign to Juvia. Despite the absence of words, the young woman understood what he meant. She took place behind him, letting Gray the opportunity to finally block Jose's sword under his on the ground. Then he bent over, indicating to Juvia that it was her turn. To that signal, the young woman jumped on her love's back, giving herself the momentum to kick Jose right in the face. The shock was big enough to make him drop his sword before being pushed a couple of steps further by the impact.

As for Gray, he caught her in his arms, making sure she didn't hit the ground while landing. When they looked back in Jose's direction, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Shit!" Exclaimed Gray realising that the one called Jose had probably many placed to disappear, being right beside the organisation he was controlling. "We have to get out of here as soon as possible" he resigned himself.

Seeing that Juvia wasn't reacting, her face red from all the blushing and mumbling something about love, he dragged her by the hand to the others.

***

The group got as far as possible from Phantom without however getting to the original basecamp because of Gajeel's injuries. Despite the makeshift bandage on his wound, he had lost a lot of blood and, as soon as they had put a reasonable distance between Clover and them, they decided to improvise a campsite.

Even though the young man's injuries worried Levy, she knew he would be fine. However, what worried her the most was his behaviour. Despite a couple of sentences used to summarise what really happened the night of their parent's murder, Gajeel hadn't said a word nor accept help from anyone to walk, relying only on a branch for support.

Once the campsite ready, she went to look for him and found him sited on an old three stump.

"Gajeel?" She asked with hesitation.

"Leave me alone" he offered as only greeting.

What in the world could have put him in that state? Wondered Levy. Could Jose have told him something else?

"Gajeel please, tell me what's wrong".

"Everything's fine" he growled obviously in a bad mood.

"You don't really think I'll believe this" she said half worried, half mad he still refused to open up to her. "You haven't said a thing since the end of the battle".

"You weren't supposed to be in that battle" he said, losing his patience.

"And letting you getting pierced by that sword?" Exclaimed Levy who couldn't contain herself anymore.

"Your telling me that surrendering to the one who wants you dead for weeks is a good way to prevent it?" he answered, speaking louder.

"If it's what it takes to make a diversion, yes!"

"Tssss. It's still a stupid idea".

"And why is it stupid when I take risks for you while you always take some for my sake?

Gajeel opened his mouth then closed it. He could see the frustration in those hazel eyes he loved so much. What could he answer to that? How could he tell her that the anger he had felt believing she had sacrificed herself for him was the worst he could have ever imagined? Part of that anger was still in him.

"Would you just shut up!" she yelled at her.

"Not before you tell me what's wrong!" she maintained.

Her face was so close to his, the sited position of Gajeel even allowing Levy to be a little higher than him. That face he had thought he could never see again because she once more acted for the other's sake rather then for herself.

"Leave me alone!"

"Why?" she insisted.

"Because I though that I had lost you!" He barked back, finally letting erupt the rage he had accumulated, showing the pain he had felt in his look.

For one of the first time in his life, Gajeel had said out loud what he really felt. And for one of the first times in her life, Levy acted without thinking.

Her hands intertwined behind his neck, pulling the young man's lips to hers. Then she realised what she just did. Intensely blushing, she pulled back. But Gajeel's hand sliding behind her neck, he caught her before she was too far away and locked his mouth with hers once more. The chaste kiss from the beginning quickly became something more passionate, something wonderful, making Levy's heart pound so fast. The young woman only realised at that moment how much she wanted to do that for a long time now, how much she needed him.

After being pulled closer by Gajeel, Levy now sat on the tight that had been spared, extending their kiss. Now against his chest, the young woman could feel that his heart was beating as fast as hers. Or maybe was it only hers that was beating for the both of them? She simply couldn't distinguish them.

"Don't you ever again take stupid decisions like that" he said in a hushed tone when they finally pull back, panting a little.

"Only if you promise me to stay alive" she answered before curling up against him."

"Gihi! You can be sure of that shrimp" he answered pressing his chin with metallic reflections on her head with blue curls.