Hey guys! Miraxus chapter for today. But don't worry Gale fans, they'll have their own chapter soon enough ;)

Mira was out of breath. Even though she trained daily, the effort she was demanding from her body for a long moment already started to weight her down and tiredness was taking over her muscles. With a quick look on Laxus, she could tell he was in the same situation as her.

- You're holding on? He said as if he could read her mind.

- Could be worst. You?

- Same here. But it'd be about time we get rid of the two last ones.

Mira nodded in agreement even if he couldn't see her. Two men were lying on the ground, unconscious, but the two remaining seemed the toughest and showed less signs of fatigue than Laxus and herself. Redoubling their efforts, they managed to put out a third one who, destabilised from Mira's feint, took Laxus's punch right in the face.

- Only one of those scumbags left! Smiled Laxus, obviously relived to see the odds getting in their favor.

Now alone against his two opponents, the man turned around and rushed to the hangar.

- What a coward! Exclaimed Laxus, visibly destabilised, before continuing. You really think you can hide in there? He shouted, entering the shack behind the man.

- Laxus wait! Yelled Mira. It must be a...

The blond man understood to late from what the young woman was trying to warn him when he saw a gun pointed on him. "That's why he came here...to get the weapon" he thought, angry he didn't thought of it sooner.

- Oh! You and your little bitch aren't so confidant anymore! He said, seeming to savor each word.

- Stop it! Were only trying to defend ourselves! We don't even know what's happening here, intervened Mira with the strongest voice she could use.

- Maybe you're not, be he already has a good idea of what's going on. He said, agitating the gun in Laxus's direction. But I can also be kind if I want to. Run away now and there will only be one death.

Mira felt her blood boiling right through her veins. If he thought she would let Laxus to die, he was sorely mistaken.

- Do as he says Mira, settled Laxus in a firm voice. It was stupid enough to come in the first place. Do not take another idiot decision.

Did he really just used her nickname? Until now, he only used her full name. She shook her head. "You got more important things to focus on" she mentally reprimanded herself. An escape... She needed to come up with something that wouldn't end with Laxus's death. A shiver of disgust crossed her spine at that thought. No. No way she'd let that happen. Not again...

- You herd your friend? Scram!

- No!

- What? You dare... he started. Stay were you are or I swear you'll be the first one to die! He shouted quickly as she was taking the two last steps before she reached the man.

The gun was now not more than an inch from her heart. One wrong move and it was over. She took a couple of seconds to analyse one last time what she must do while faking despair. She had to look troubled, unable to act. She must be close enough. She must deviate to the right to avoid Laxus. Okay, everything seems right, she thought. Although it seemed an eternity had passed, her cogitation had only lasted a few seconds. With a warning, she put on a serious look and deviated the weapon while grabbing with strength the arm holding it.

As planned, her adversary didn't saw the riposte come and the gun was brought away from her vital organs. That didn't meant he was helpless. He pulled the trigger as soon as he understood what had happen... way too soon. The young woman mentally thanked herself for the precaution she took by deviating to her right. If not, Laxus would probably have been shoot. However, a sharp pain startled her, making her almost drop her grip on the arm, still wrestling for the gun's control. She was weakening. She was about to let go. Then a big hit on her opponent made him drop his gun. She fell on her side, knowing she had succeeded.

***

Mira, that idiot reckless stubborn girl, just did the stupidest but most courageous thing he ever saw. Everything went so fast that he only understood what just happened when he saw a pool of blood growing under Mira. Her right leg was hit by a bullet. And even then, there she was, keeping on the fight against the man who had sworn to kill him. Without wasting any additional second, he hit their opponent with every ounce of force he still had, making him fall to a safe distance from Mira, the weapon now in the girl's trembling hands. He added a couple of hits to be sure the man wouldn't fight back and grabbed the collar of his shirt with two hands, pinning him on the wall.

- Who are you working for?

He laughed. A nasty and confronting one.

- And why should I tell you?

Laxus hit him again. Shit! With Mira injured, he didn't have time for that crap. However, it may be his only chance to locate his father.

- I don't give a crap about your sloppy business. I only want to know if you're working for Ivan Dreyar.

- And to whom do I owe the honor? He replied, now curious to the name's mention.

Obviously, he was surprised Laxus knew Ivan. He was aware of something, there weren't any doubts.

- Laxus Dreyar, his son. And you can trust my word when I say it would be good for your heath to answer me!

- All I can tell you is to come back in that same hangar, precisely two weeks from now. I'll give him your message. If the boss wants to see you, trust me, he will.

- And if I want to see him now?

- In that case, you'll have to torture me in vain while your little girlfriend loses every drop of blood she has left.

Laxus let out a curse. He didn't really have another choice except trusting him. He had to help the one who save his life barely a couple of minutes ago. Without warning, he gave a violent punch on the temple of his interlocutor, making him lost conscience for good and went to Mirajane.

- You're an idiot. He dropped wearily, kneeling next to her.

- I have to admit it wasn't my best idea, she agreed with a grimace of pain. But I'd do it again, she added.

It troubled Laxus a little but he didn't let it show. He ripped a sleeve from his shirt and made a bandage out of it. Once he was done, he placed a hand behind her back and under her knees, careful to not hurt her, and lifted Mira in his arm.

- Thanks, he whispered as Mira's head rested on his shoulder.

- My pleasure, she mumbled half asleep.

- Oi! Don't fall asleep now! He said, shaking her lightly. You lost too much blood, do not sleep before we get to the hospital.

- O...kay.

Laxus sighed and accelerated his pace. Once in the car, he took the hospital's direction, grumbling once in a while she must wake up. "It's gonna be a long night" he thought.

***

Mira looked at her decent sterile bandage. Stiches held the wound closed. Even if the one Laxus had made her was rough, it likely saved her from a hemorrhage. With her crouches' help, which she must use for about two weeks, and armed with pain killers and antibiotics, she went to meet Laxus in the waiting room.

- Finally done? The impatient man asked seeing her.

- Yes. We can leave.

- About time! I'm drained.

Mira had to admit they were in bad shape. He may not have injuries as severe as Mira's bullet wound but a black eye was starting to take form around Laxus's left eye and many bruises covered both their bodies. That aside, the sun was already rising in the horizon and they were exhausted.

- I rented a room in the motel across the road. The car's already parked there.

Mira nodded before initiating clumsy steps with her crouches. After a couple of annoyingly slow footsteps, Laxus raised his eyes to the sky, took her crouches from her hands and lifted her like a couple of hours ago.

- It would've take all night, he justified himself to Mira's interrogating look.

- The night is already over, she pointed out.

- Tsss. You're such a pain when you want to.

The comment made Mira smile but she didn't add anything. When they entered the room, he put her on one of the two beds and dropped unceremoniously on the second. By the time Mira was able to find a more or less comfortable way to sleep because of her leg, she could already ear light snores. The young woman tried to do the same, ignoring the presentment that problems were just starting.