A month later, everything was seemingly going great for the new lovers. They shared many kisses and late nights just laying together talking about anything that came to their mind. They went on a few jobs with the Thunder Legion and everything was going great. So, wanting some alone time together and wanting quick money, Laxus and Adryn decided to go on a job themselves. It was a simple job, just helping out another guild, in a nearby town, with something that would only take a day. They should return to the guild that night, that's how simple the job was.

"I can't believe we have to take a train..." Adryn muttered sadly as she climbed upon the moving death box. Laxus sighed and sat down right next to her.

"It's the only way to get there so quickly," Laxus responded as he looked over to the girl who was already turning a bit green. The train hadn't even started moving yet. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm with you after all!" Adryn smiled up at Laxus who just smiled back at her. The train ride was terrible for both of them. They couldn't fall asleep, because who would wake them up, so they both stayed awake. Neither wanted to leave the other to fend for themselves, so it just sucked, but at least they were together. "So, where is this guild?"

"I think it's just past this alley," Laxus responded as he turned down said alley. However, as soon as they entered the alley, they were surrounded by people. They all had something in common, the guild mark of Raven Tail. "Shit," Laxus swore instantly as all the people moved to attack them. Laxus and Adryn tried their hardest to fight them off, but there were too many people and they were actually strong this time.

"This is for Master Ivan!" One man yelled out as he smashed Laxus over the head with a pole, causing Laxus to hit the ground.

"Laxus!" Adryn cried out as she saw her boyfriend go down, however, that distraction was enough for someone to be able to also hit her over the head. Both of the lovers laid on the ground, bleeding and unconscious.

When they didn't return that night, Freed grew worried, but he figured that they just stayed the night to have more alone time. However, when they didn't return by the next night, the whole guild was worried. So, the master sent the Thunder Legion out to find them. They hurried to the town that Laxus and Adryn went to and followed the instructions that Freed remembered seeing off the paper that Laxus had. It led them to the alley that everything went down in.

"Freed, look over here!" Evergreen cried out as she made her way to a blob of black. She picked it up and it turned out to be Adryn's cloak. There were traces of blood on it. As they looked around the alley, they saw two dried pools of blood.

"They must have been met by an ambush. They wouldn't go down unless there were many people that surrounded them. Even then, they must have been strong to take Laxus down like that. He would never have let Adryn get hurt, so he must have gone down first." Freed suggested as he examined the scene. "We need to get back to Fairy Tail. Now."

~

Adryn woke up with a massive headache. She didn't remember anything that happened, but once she opened her eyes, she realized that she wasn't anywhere that she knew. She looked down at herself and saw she was wearing a pale blue nightgown that only came to her thighs.

"What the hell?" Adryn muttered to herself. She realized she was on a bed, so she climbed off of it and walked to the door of the room she was in. The door opened instantly as soon as she tried it, much to her surprise. So, Adryn began her trek through the halls of wherever she was. There were multiple halls that seemed to lead around in circles and some that even led to dead ends. Most of the doors were locked, and what ones were unlocked were completely empty or had bedroom furniture in them. There were no windows, prompting Adryn to assume she was in an underground hideout or something like that.

Slowly, things came back to her and she remembered how she got there in the first place. So, worried about Laxus, the girl began to search faster to try to find him. More hallways and more doors later, she came up with absolutely no people at all. There seemed to be no one there, or no one was allowing themselves to be seen by her. That, or they were in the locked rooms that she couldn't enter.

"Where the hell is Laxus?" Adryn muttered to herself as she turned a corner and entered down another hallway. However, her question was then answered. There at the end of the hallway stood Laxus and Eclipse. They were standing there talking. Adryn could hear bits and pieces, but from what she heard, they were talking about where she was. That gave Adryn a bad feeling so she quickly hid in an unlocked room. She hoped that they didn't see or hear her, but she had a feeling that she needed to hide. The room she entered was one of the empty rooms that didn't even have a closet or any other doors leading out of there. She'd trapped herself.

"I think she went in here." Adryn heard Eclipse say, however, her voice sounded monotone and just plain wrong. It wasn't the Eclipse that she knew.

"I think it was this room." Adryn heard Laxus speak up next with his voice sounding the same as Eclipse's. Adryn hurried to the door and grabbed the doorknob. She felt the handle trying to be turned on the other side, but she wouldn't let it budge. "I must be right, this door won't open. She must be holding the doorknob."

"What if it's just locked?"

"I can smell her scent on the other side of this door." Adryn began to panic internally. She kept a tight hold of the doorknob, but she knew that in a test of strength, Laxus would win. She was most definitely physically weaker than her boyfriend. "I'll just kick it down."

"You'll hit her! We aren't supposed to harm her." Eclipse snapped at the man, with her voice slightly raising a bit.

"Adryn, move aside and let us in," Laxus called through the door.

"No! Go away!" Adryn yelled back to Laxus.

"It's just us, we won't harm you," Eclipse responded in a fake sweet voice that sent chills down Adryn's spine. Adryn felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. She was afraid and knew that something bad was about to happen to her.

"You will hurt me, I know it. You aren't my friends!"

"Come on Adryn, I love you, just open the door." Laxus' words were sweet, too sweet.

"Laxus has never said those words to me, so I know that you aren't him right now!"

"Let us in, dammit!" Laxus then banged on the door, causing Adryn to jolt and release the doorknob. She instantly tried to grab it again, but it was too late. The door was opening, so Adryn hurried away from it and reached the other side of the room.

"Stay away from me!"

"We just want to talk." Both Eclipse and Laxus spoke in unison. They began to slowly approach her causing Adryn to internally panic even further. She knew there was only one way out of the room, and she needed to reach that door before they got their hands on her.

"I'm sorry, both of you," Adryn spoke up as her eyes began to glow. She focused her energy on both of them, causing them both to show the signs of being attacked by her pain magic. She'd never attacked two people at once using her pain magic, so she felt proud of herself, but she didn't have any time to pat herself on the back. She used them collapsing to the ground as her opening. She slowly crept around them, keeping her eyes on them the whole time and made it to the door. She instantly spun around and raced out of the room. She knew that they'd come after her within a few minutes after the attack. It would take some time though, for them to get over how strong she caused their pain to be. She just hoped that she didn't kill them accidentally.

So, Adryn ran through the halls, nearly slipping and falling a few times she flung herself around a corner. She turned down this hallway and that hallway, but she couldn't find the exit or even smell the outdoors. She was utterly lost and had little hope of escaping. All hope came crashing down when she turned a corner and smacked right into somebody. She let out a scream when they grabbed her, pinning her to the wall.

"Hello, Adryn. It's been a while since we last saw each other. I guess you saw my new toys, right?" It was Ivan's voice. Adryn looked up and saw his smile as he stared down at her. Tears began to fill her eyes, and they began to glow, trying to attack Ivan. However, before any pain could happen, he covered her eyes with a cloth and tied it behind her head. So, she tried to shock him with her lightning, but before that could work, he shackled her hands with magic canceling handcuffs.

"Let me go!" Adryn cried out as she struggled in his grasp.

"You look quite beautiful in that. I knew blue was your color." That sent Adryn spiraling. She began to cry but before she could yell at Ivan again, she heard two pairs of footsteps approaching her and Ivan.

"Master, you've caught Adryn?" Eclipse questioned as she saw the scene in front of her.

"You idiots, you had one job and you failed me. What would you have done had she escaped?!" Ivan yelled at the two standing a few feet away from him and Adryn.

"I'm sorry, Master," Eclipse muttered in shame as Laxus remained quiet.

"Now that I have my hands on you, I'll take back the lacrima that I put inside of you. I'll use it to make a better, more obedient child." Ivan stated as he turned his attention back to the crying Adryn. She felt like she had no hope left, so she broke down and began to scream. At first, it was just screaming, but then she began to address those around her.

"Ivan! I hate you with everything I have! I hope you die a death more painful than anything you could imagine and I promise you, when I see again, I will end you myself!" Adryn screamed out as she struggled in Ivan's hands. "Eclipse, you are pathetic! I can't believe someone as strong as you got brainwashed, a second time! I hope you know that I hate you as well, you killed Nova and I will never forgive you for that!" Eclipse twitched at hearing those words but said nothing to Adryn. "And Laxus... I don't love you and I regret everything that we have together. If you could turn against me so easily, then I wish you nothing good. You all will regret what you've done to me, and I will end all of you and everyone involved in this!" Adryn continued to scream out as she cried.

"That's funny, Adryn. You think anyone cares what a dying girl has to say?" Ivan began to laugh at the now sobbing girl. Ivan then began to walk Adryn down the hallway, away from Eclipse and Laxus, only to have Ivan knocked to the floor a moment later.

"Let Adryn go!" Eclipse demanded as she stared down at the shocked man. "Get her out of here! I'll handle him!"

"Right," Laxus stated as he ran to Adryn, picked her up and began to hurry off away from Ivan and Eclipse.

"How did you two wake up?! What is going on?!" Ivan bellowed as he stood back up to begin running after Laxus and Adryn. Eclipse stepped between them, however, and smiled at Ivan.

"Hearing her yell those terrible things shocked us out of your brainwashing. You weren't stronger than the power of love I guess." Eclipse stated as she just smirked at Ivan and got ready to attack him.

While those two began their fight, Laxus got Adryn to the other side of the hideout they were in and hid one of the bedrooms. He gently sat Adryn down on the bed and removed her shackles and then her blindfold. He couldn't help but gasp at what he saw. He'd never seen Adryn crying like that before and instantly felt terrible because of it.

"Adryn, I'm sorry for-"

"I'm so sorry for saying those horrible things to you and Eclipse!" Adryn broke down, cutting Laxus off with her sobs. "I just wanted you two to come back to me!"

"It's alright, we won't hold a grudge against you. After all, it shocked us back to our senses." Laxus surprisingly gently told the girl. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her before wrapping his arms around the shaking girl. "I told you I'd protect you, and I failed at that. I'm sorry, Adryn." The girl pulled away from Laxus enough to began to wipe her eyes as she shook her head.

"No, you protected me when it mattered most." Adryn gave Laxus a small smile before she leaned against him. "I'm just glad you're back." The two stayed like that for a little bit before Adryn fully calmed down. They then let each other go and stood up, with Adryn putting her arms into Laxus' coat so it didn't fall off of her.

"Why are you wearing such a short outfit anyway?" Laxus questioned finally as it had been on his mind since he came back to his senses.

"I woke up like this, so I don't know."

"So that means... someone changed your clothes while you were unconscious?" Laxus wasn't sure he liked the thought of that, so he quickly changed the subject. "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm sorry to say this, but I think we need to end Ivan."

"What?" Laxus was taken aback by Adryn's comment and how she said it so simply.

"I mean, he's caused my young life to be a living hell, killed my family, killed Eclipse's family, brainwashed both of you and tried to turn you against me. He's escaped custody, so we can't trust that he'll stay where he's supposed to, and clearly he is still out to get me. I'm tired of it." Adryn explained as she looked up at her boyfriend. Laxus frowned and turned away from Adryn. He was hesitant to agree to kill his own father, but soon enough he agreed to Adryn's plan.

"Alright." Laxus agreed simply before talking again, "Let's get back to Eclipse before he escapes again."

"Yeah." Adryn nodded her head as she followed the man out of the door. Laxus and Adryn hurried to where they left Ivan and Eclipse. It took them longer to get back than it did to get away from them in the first place. However, soon they were at the scene where Eclipse was fighting Ivan. What they saw shocked Adryn.

"Oh, look there. They've come back for you." Ivan laughed as he held Eclipse by her throat. Eclipse was struggling but she wasn't able to break free from his grasp. Instantly, Adryn's eyes began to glow and Ivan began to feel the searing pain in his chest.

"Let. Her. Go." Adryn demanded as she glared at Ivan. Sure enough, Ivan dropped Eclipse and Laxus pulled her up to her feet. "Eclipse, Laxus, get away from him. I'm going to kill him."

"What? You can't do that Adryn. Not only would that take away so much magical power from you and put you in danger, but it would fuck your mind up." Eclipse noted as she pulled out a dagger.

"What are you doing?" Adryn questioned her friend as Eclipse set her sights on the man who was now on his knees. Ivan was gasping for air as pain shot through him.

"If you want Ivan dead, then let me do it."

"I should kill him, he's my father after all," Laxus stated as he took a step forward towards Eclipse. However, the pink-haired girl just shook her head.

"Neither if you should do this. Especially not you, Laxus. Adryn and I are killers already, but you don't have to become someone so cold-blooded as to be able to kill his own father."

"I can do this, Eclipse! Back away!" Adryn yelled at her friend, who just shook her head again.

"You have gotten over what you've done. I'm scared of what this could do to you if you killed him now."

"...Fine." Adryn closed her eyes and turned away from the scene. Laxus walked passed Eclipse and went to his girlfriend, before pulling Adryn into his arms. Both of them didn't want to witness what was about to happen to Ivan.

"You can't kill me," Ivan growled to Eclipse as she turned to face him. He was still on his knees and still felt residual pain from Adryn's magic.

"That's where you're wrong." Eclipse raised up the dagger and then brought it down right into Ivan's chest. He yelled out in pain as Eclipse dug her dagger deep into his body. Adryn flinched in Laxus' arms, so he just held her tighter. He, himself, wasn't reacting too well to hearing his own father's last moments. The two could hear Eclipse yank the dagger back out of his chest, to allow the blood to begin to pour out of him.

"You... will... regret this..." Ivan muttered as his breathing became labored. Everything went quiet for a few minutes before Eclipse turned to her best friend and Laxus.

"It's done... We should probably call the Magic Council, right?" Eclipse questioned hesitantly. She didn't really want to do that, due to her just killing a man, but she knew it had to be done.

"I guess we have to, right, Laxus?" Adryn asks her boyfriend as she looks up at him. He seemed a little shaken up, but for the most part, he was alright.

"We have to call them," Laxus confirms as he pulls out his device to call the Magic Council. After explaining to them all that happened, they arrive to take the dead body away and to arrest Eclipse for murder.

"Why do you have to take her?! She was just protecting us!" Adryn yelled out at the men as Eclipse was pulled away. Laxus had to hold the redhead back from running after them.

"Adryn, they have to take her for now, but it doesn't mean that they will keep her forever," Laxus explained to the upset girl. She struggled for another moment before giving up. She then went still in Laxus' arms and glared at the Magic Council people as she watched Eclipse being loaded into a vehicle.

"What are we going to do now?"

"...We have to go back to the guild to tell everyone what happened... Gramps needs to know what happened to his son." Laxus spoke with a somber tone, to which Adryn just nodded her head. The two quickly got on a train and headed back to Magnolia. Once there, they hurried to the guildhall. It was about dusk, so mostly everyone was drinking, however, when Laxus and Adryn burst into the guildhall, they all paused and looked to them.

"Laxus! Adryn!" The Thunder Legion cried out as they hurried to their friends.

"Where have you been?" Freed questioned as he began to check them over for wounds.

"What's up with your outfit, Adryn?" Bickslow questioned in a suggestive tone. Evergreen just smacked him for that and asked her question.

"Are you two alright? It's been days since you left on that job." A lot of other guild members began to get up and approach the pair, questioning them as well. Adryn was clearly getting overwhelmed and took a step backward, while Laxus moved in front of her protectively.

"Let them explain everything. Everyone back away from them." Master Makarov demanded as he came out of whatever room he was just in to see what all the commotion was about. Everyone did as their master told them to and backed away from Laxus and Adryn. "Now, what happened to you two?"

"It's a long story, Gramps, and I don't think you'll like the outcome," Laxus explained to his grandfather as he approached him. Adryn trailed behind and just followed Laxus to the bar where Mirajane gave the two water to drink. Adryn sipped at her drink while Laxus explained the whole situation.

Laxus explained how they were ambushed, how he and Eclipse were brainwashed, how they almost allowed Ivan to take off with Adryn and how they ended up having to let Eclipse kill Ivan.

"So, Ivan is dead?" Master Makarov muttered wanting Laxus to repeat it.

"I'm sorry, Master. I never wanted anything to come to this." Adryn finally spoke up as she looked down at the ground.

"It isn't your fault, Adryn," Laxus stated as he turned to his girlfriend.

"Laxus is right. Ivan brought this upon himself." Master Makarov stated finally, seeming to accept the situation. He was obviously upset over it, but he knew that it had to be done. "I'm just worried about what they will do to Eclipse. She might not be one of us, but

she's your family, Adryn."

"I know... I hope they don't do anything drastic..." Adryn muttered worriedly.

"Laxus, take her home. Both of you need to take some time to yourselves." To his grandfather's words, Laxus nodded his head. Laxus wrapped an arm around Adryn and guided her out of the guildhall. He didn't take her to her home, he guided her to his home.

"Where are we?" Adryn finally asked as she looked up for the first time in a while. She saw that she was somewhere in town, but she didn't know where.

"My apartment building." Laxus simply explained as he walked up the stairs with her still next to him. Adryn allowed him to guide her into his apartment and to his kitchen. He sat her down at his dining table and then began to prepare food for them. As all this happened, Adryn didn't say a single word. She just blankly stared at Laxus and watched his actions.

"What are you doing, Laxus?" Adryn finally questioned after he made a few loud bangs as he moved around in his kitchen.

"I don't think we've eaten in a while. We need food." Laxus muttered as he began to cook food.

"You can cook?"

"I was living on my own for some time before, you know."

"Oh, that's right. I guess I never thought about you being able to provide for yourself like that before." Adryn didn't mean it in a harsh way, so Laxus didn't take any offense to it. Soon enough, Laxus was done with the cooking and he was putting the food on plates for the two of them.

"Let's eat," Laxus stated as he set the plate in front of Adryn and then set his own plate down before sitting across from the girl.

"Thank you." Adryn practically whispered as she began to nibble on the food in front of her. Laxus ate and watched as Adryn mostly just picked at her food and took a few bites here and there.

"Are you alright?" Laxus knew that she wasn't alright.

"I'm just... I think I'm still in shock is all." Adryn admitted to her boyfriend.

"Do you regret it all?"

"No, I don't. I'm... glad that Ivan can no longer hurt anyone. I just feel like something is off like something isn't right. Plus, I'm worried about how the remaining members of Raven Tail will react to Ivan's death." Laxus nodded his head to Adryn's words. An idea instantly came to mind.

"We, as in us and the Thunder Legion, could go hunt down everyone in Raven Tail and take them all down. No matter how long it would take. Of course, after we find out Eclipse's fate."

"Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you." Adryn then stood up from her seat. "I should get going now."

"No," Laxus stated as he stood up from his seat as well. "You shouldn't be alone anymore."

"Why?"

"I love you, Adryn. I want you to live here with me."

"Huh?" Adryn was rightfully shocked as Laxus had hardly even admitted to the girl that he liked her in the first place. Laxus didn't always tell his feelings to her, so for him to outright admit he loved her, it was shocking.

"Nearly losing you made me realize that I should be honest and just tell you about how I feel for you."

"I'm sorry, Laxus. I think we should break up. Despite how we feel about each other, I've brought you so much trouble and you're better off with someone like Mira or someone like that. Someone from the guild, that's a truly good person." Laxus just shook his head and walked to the girl.

"I don't and haven't ever felt anything like this for any girl in the guild. Hell, I've never admitted to loving anyone but you before. You are the first girl I've ever truly loved. I would die for you if I had to." Laxus spoke all this as he looked directly in Adryn's eyes. She could see his sincerity. It was quite shocking to hear such things from the man who didn't seem the type to say such things.

"Well don't do that. You aren't allowed to die."

"Then you aren't allowed to give up on our relationship." Adryn just stared up at Laxus before sighing.

"Alright, I give up. I'll stay here with you." Adryn finally spoke up after a moment. "Despite trying to leave you a moment ago, I have to admit that I love you as well, Laxus." Laxus couldn't help but smile down at the girl. He was admittedly glad to hear her admission. He was also glad at what Adryn did next. She took a step towards the man and wrapped her arms around him. He reciprocated by wrapping his arms around her as well. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other. They had a feeling that things would turn out just fine for them. Or at least they hoped.