The silence was broken loud beeping. Voices drifted in and out, but they were too far away for Levy to make out what they were saying. She thought she had heard Lucy's voice once. Felt warm tears hitting her hand. That felt like a lifetime ago. Levy was happy in her current state. She felt safe, warm and peaceful. Well, it would be if the beeping would stop. Then she could relax. There was something she was forgetting but the effort to recall it took too much effort. Levy floated in and out of  limbo, each time her awareness came back stronger. As her consciousness returned so did her memories. Those crimson eyes. She could feel them watching her from the darkness. The images from that night flooded back into her mind. The beeping increased pulling her from the nightmare. Levy couldn't fight the inevitable and her eyes opened squinting against the bright light coming from the window. Levy could feel her heart racing, the loud pounding in her ears blocking all sound. The lacrima in the corner sharing her fear with anyone who was in hearing distance.

The shrieking of the lacrima caused the day nurse to stick her head into the room. She had been working at Magnolia hospital for years and had taken care of Shadow Gear on more than one occasion. No matter how banged up they had gotten they never lost their cheerful disposition. But, as she walked into the room she knew this time was different. As the nurse rounded the foot of Levy's bed she looked into the young girls eyes. They were dull, lifeless. The poor child looked so lost. When Shadow Gear had been brought to the emergency room she had almost fainted. Someone had taken great care to torture these wonderful mages. They usually brought hope and happiness with them, now that light was gone. Whoever had done this was truly a monster.

"Good morning Levy" she said with a smile. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Levy shook her head no. At least it wasn't the pain the nurse was referring to.

"How about a shower? That always makes me feel better."

Levy nodded and started to get out of the bed. Suddenly she froze gripping the front of her hospital gown.

"What's wrong honey?" The nurse said kindly.

"The mark... what if the mark is still there?" Levy started shaking uncontrollably.

The nurse sat on the bed beside the bluenette. "While you were unconscious I removed the mark. I made sure that no trace of it was left." She rubbed Levy's hunched back. "Come one let's try to stand."

The fear that his mark might still be on her skin treatened to overwhelm Levy but, with the nurses help, she obeyed. Holding the old woman's hands she stood her muscles quickly adjusting to the change. With the nurses help she walked to the bathroom. Levy stared in shock at the haunted face looking back at her from the mirror. Was that really her? The bluenette's thoughts were broken once again by the nurse.

"If you need help I'll be changing your bedsheets while you shower. After you're done I'll reapply your bandages. Just yell if you need anything."

The door closed behind the nurse and levy got undressed. While the water warmed, she stared at the rainbow colors of the bruises that covered her side. They were hardly visible, one more treatment and they would be gone. She touched her ribs and flinched. They were still sore but still... she had gotten off easy. Soon the pain would just be a memory. Levy stuck her hand under the running water and decided it was hot enough. She felt dirty and was thankful for the warm shower. The bluenette enjoyed the feeling of the water running down her body. Levy watched the water swirl around the drain. Closing her eyes she tried to pretend that all of her thoughts could be sent down the drain as well. The leering comments and implications from that man she pictured each one swirling into the abyss. Opening her eyes again she looked down at her stomach and screamed. The mark was back, this time covering her entire torso. She jumped back her head slamming against the tile causing her to see stars. The nurse burst into the bathroom.

"Levy dear, what wrong?" Levy could her the worry in the old lady's voice. She forced herself to look back down at her stomach. The mark was gone. All that was left was pale skin and soap suds.

"N-nothing. I-it's nothing" Levy stammered. "I thought I saw something. I was wrong."

"Alright dear, if you're sure. I'm going to go grab your bandages." And with that the nurse left.

Levy looked back down. She was sure she had seen... but now there was nothing there. No mark, no paint, nothing. Soon no trace of the monster's handiwork would be left. She almost wished that her inner scars would show on the outside. Or that maybe that the hospitals healing magic could work on her mental wounds as well as they worked on her physical injuries. She sighed and turned off the water.

A few minutes later she left the bathroom. She looked down at her fresh bandages. She felt like a mummy.

"The healer will be in to discharge you in a few hours. Would you like me to get you anything? A book perhaps?"

"No thank you." Levy's reply was distant. The nurse was in shock. Levy was known for being a bookworm. And she had refused a book. The poor child had a long way to go. The old woman thought. She left thinking about the conversation she needed to have with Makarov and how if she ever got her hands on the animal that did this... she'd make them pay.

Levy sat in the hospital bed thinking. Weak, useless, small, pathetic. The list rolled on through her head. Add horrible friend. She had completely forgotten to ask about Jet and Droy. They fought so hard for her and she didn't even ask if they were ok. She would fix that now. Determined Levy walked to the nurses station.

"Um excuse me?"

"How can I help you?" The nurse calmly looked up from the lacrima in front of her.

"I was brought in with two of my friends. I was wondering what room they were in. Their names are Sarusuke and Droy." Levy stated. She used Jets formal name knowing the hospital wouldn't have his nickname on file.

"Their room is right beside yours." The nurse replied pointing to an open door. "It looks like the three of you will be able to go home today. I'll be right in to discharge the three of you. I have a feeling we will soon need your rooms."

Ignoring the nurses ominous statement, Levy walked over to the open door and knocked on the doorframe.

"Hello? Anybody in here?"

Jet looked around the corner of the wall. "LEVY!" He yelled

Levy ran and gave him a hug. Being careful not to hurt is injured arm. Droy hobbled over. He was still getting used to the crutches. Soon all three teammates were hugging.

"I thought I lost you guys!" Levy sobbed.

"We're sorry we couldn't protect you" the boys cried back.

"It's okay guys. We are team Shadow Gear. We will always pull through" Levy push the image of red eyes and fangs to the back of her mind. She quickly caught the boys up on what they had missed while they were knocked out in the alley. And continuously boosted their ego reassuring them that she wouldn't have survived with out their help. Soon the nurse came discharging them. As Levy waited for her friends to gather their belongings the ground began to shake and alarms starting going off all over the hospital.

Levy jumped out of Jet's hospital bed and ran into the hall way. Nurses and healers were running down the corridor. The nurses station was empty. Levy stopped a young nurse.

"What's going on?"

"It's Phantom Lord. Their attacking Fairy Tail." The nurse replied as she fled down the hall. Levy turned and ran back into the room.

"Phantom is attacking!" She yelled at her friends. "Then we need to go." Jet replied curtly adjusting the band of his sling. They hurried out of the room and down the hallway. Droy stopped abruptly staring into an open room. "Reedus?" He asked.

The big mage looked as battered as the rest of them. A nurse was in his room finishing up his release.

"What happened to you?" Jet asked.

"Gajeel" Reedus rasped.

"Figures" Levy grumbled.

"He took Lucy. I couldn't stop him." Reedus sobbed. He quickly told Shadow Gear everything that had happened since they had been taken down from the tree.

"We have to get to Fairy Tail. Even if we don't have much strength, every little bit will help. Plus we can show Phantom Lord that they didn't hurt us as badly as they thought. And they can never crush Fairy Tail's spirit." Levy replied trying to comfort the sobbing man. All four of them hurried from the hospital and headed to the ruined guild, as fast as Droy could manage on his crutches.

By the time they finally made it to the guild, the war was already over. Their guild mates were busy tending to the injured. Makarov and Lucy looked over the ruined guild. Levy thought she could see a shadowy figure looking down from Phantom's demolished guild. Could it be... her breath caught in her throat. She blinked and the figure was gone. Levy shook her head and walked up behind Makarov, who was lamenting over the new damage. Levy could see the devastation on Lucy's face. She knew it was because Lucy felt responsible for everything that happened. She could almost see the weight of Lucy's thoughts. The blonde stood with hunched shoulders and began to shudder as she fought tears.

"Don't look like that Lu-chan. Sorry for making you worry about us. But Reedus told us the whole story. No one thinks it's your fault." Levy walked to her friend and gave her a hug.

"It's a victory. One where we all fought together. " said Droy as he stopped behind the bluenette.

"Although our guild was destroyed we can always rebuild. At least we hadn't started repairing it from the first time." Jet said with a laugh joining his teammates. The three of them stood arms around each other showing their solidarity. Levy's eyes flickered back to Phantom's guild hall. The Shadow was back. If he wants to watch so badly then let's give him a show. The bluenette thought and flashed her biggest smile at Lucy making sure the figure would be able to see it as well. Her smile was infectious to her teammates and soon the tree of them looked like the last few days had never happened. Take that! She thought as the shadow disappeared from view again.

"Lucy... I-I am so sorry..." Reedus could hardly look the young girl in the eye. Lucy walked over and gave him a hug. Muttering something about her not blaming him, both mages sobbing loudly.

"Hold your head high my dear." Makarov said patting Lucy on her back. "You're a member of Fairy Tail. One person's sadness is everyone's sadness. One person's happiness is everyone's happiness. That's what it means to be a guild." Makarov lead everyone into the guilds basement. It was time for healing to begin.