GAJEEL POV

3 months ealier..

"Gajeel, I would like a moment with you." Makarov said to me, I grunted and stood up, walking with him into the back of the guild, I knew exactly what this was about. Their was bandages covering my entire body head to toe, every movement ached and sent pains straight to my head. A constant erring headache since that evening...couple a days ago I nearly experienced Levy die in front of me and along with not only her but everyone cause I could hold myself together. Dammit.
   "How are you feeling since the incident." Makarov asked, his eyes closed waiting for an answer. I shrugged and turned my head giving the same energy back.
   "Pretty beat, but I'll manage." Makarov "hmm"d as he opened one eye to peer at me.
   "My dear boy, I'm aware that the actions leading up to the lose of our mission was caused from some...unexplained doings upon you. You were dragged back here by your guild mates, along with a few others who couldn't stand. The worst one being Levy." I flinched at the name. The thoughts were running back to me, seeing her body fall with no color or limb moving. It was terrifying to say the least. I haven't seen her since then, I was just waiting on the say so that she had woken and you best believe I'd be the first one there. Makarov took my silence as a time to continue talking.
   "Levy, was in a great deal of pain, she's lucky to be alive. Non the less, such missions shouldn't lead to that extreme measure for a underling whom was there as only to help in the enchantment part. Even though given instructions wasn't to exactly to protect her, but she was left defenseless. And I don't think I need to remind of you of the last time she was in that state." A dark glow came from him as he spoke those words. He's right though, the last time she was beaten so bad...was from my own hands. Those memories pain me every time I looked at her from that point on. But it was as though it never happened to her, if anyone brought it up, she would go onto something else. She had visible scars and I know she thinks of it as much as i did. Especially since we somehow became pretty close friends, someone I could lean to, laugh with, to bully senseless. Regardless of what went down when I was in Phantom Lord, it was nothing like this time.
   "With all respect sir, Levy did an amazing job at the front lines. And no one was prepared for what was under the enchantment. Really it was a-"
   "I know, but I've made my mind about Levy being left out of the operation from here on." Makarov spoke, I grit my teeth together, suddenly annoyed.
   "What the hell does this have to do with me? I'm not in control of what the shrimp does anyway, I tried to help!" I yelled, Makarov had both eyes open at this point and remained calm through my loud actions.
   "With all that's happened...she seems to connect with you the most, so in my opinion I feel that you are suited to tell her yourself that she is off the mission. It's just too dangerous to have her out there with the dark guild master targeting her the way he is. Do you understand the order im giving you?"
   "I...I do yes, but she's not gonna just listen to me. She's as stubborn as Natsu, as a matter of fact nearly everyone here is stubborn." I muttered the last bit.
  "Then make her, she doesn't need to be around anyone, all she needs to do is focus on her health and ultimate protection. Do it in however way you see fit to keep her away from all this conflict. Please Gajeel," Makarov played his hand over his heart, "levy is like a daughter to me, and has been here since she was born. She's the glue to the society here and I never want to see her the way I did, nearly dead."
   The headache got even worse at that point, i couldn't believe what the master wanted me to do. And what's worse is I know exactly how I was going to do it. Everything I've ever wanted to tell her..I'll do the opposite, cause after the things I could say Makarov was right to pick me to do it .
   "Just promise me she'll be safe here." I said softly, meeting eyes with Makarov was a bad move, cause he saw through my thick skull and his eyesbrows raised. Master could sense the feelings I had for Levy, I had tremendous feelings for that shrimp that only grew stronger with every smile she threw me, despite everything.
   "Gajeel, she'll be fine. I have a lot of respect for you son." And those were his last words before turning away.
   Fuck dude, I walked back over to my area and grabbed my shit before looking at Lily, ushering that I was heading out, to go check hospital times. Only things were different, I felt a build up in my chest as I left the guild hall.....

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   Drip drip drop...Juvia repeated the same words over by the window. It was pouring rain out, lights barely lit inside the Guildhall since everyone had gone home besides a few wizards. Papers scattered in front of me, coordinates and local train station times. Everything I could do to get any lead on Levy. Who had gone missing the day after she was released from the hospital. Like she never existed. 3 months and I've only slept maybe a month of all of it. It was a nightmare that wouldn't go away even when I was awake. They were worse when I did sleep cause all I would imagine was the way begged for me after I turned my back to her walking out the hospital. Mentally I'm trapped in there, empty white tile floors and endless hallways with her cries. I balled my firsts up tightly, I ruined everything, I should have been straight up with her instead of being an asshole like I always am, I pretended that those words didn't effect me but at least I did my job right, I kept her as far away from Magnolia since I haven't seen her since that day. I missed her so much I couldn't explain it. I rested my head down on the table and and squeezed my eyes shut. Forcing myself to calm down before having another break down in the guildhall again.
"Gajeel." It was lily, he walked into the quiet and dull hall, soaking in water, which Juvia, who sat on the other side crocheting something for Gray, was using her magic to lure the water from off lily into her hand. Lily thanked her and walked over to me, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"We had a sign of her." He finally spoke. I shot straight, a sudden rush came over me.
"Where! Where is she!!" Lily slammed his hands on my shoulders and kept me in my seat.
"It's not like that, we found an outfit that matched the scent given to the hound dogs." He paused and looked at me "it was torn to shreds." He finished.
"Oh." I shook with emotions, forcing my eyes to not to twitch in anger, as I sat before Lily, looking like an idiot who had all the hope. Lily though had his doubts about Levy's disappearance and I don't blame him. But I never stopped looking, making a promise with him that we would find her, whether she was alive or not. I was chipping the wood off the table with my finger nail while I looked around to see if anyone saw my overreaction before looking at lily again.
   "Where did you find it?" I asked, Lily shifted and looked slightly uncomfortable before speaking again.
   "Just a mile from the last sighting of Deliroy. There's not even a scent of her past the clothes. It was hard enough for the dogs." Lily seemed stressed as he sighed and put his face in his hand. A long moment went by before I spoke. 

   "I need to go over there and see for myself about that scent." 

    "You know that wont work, its not like you've already tried that before."

    "It doesn't matter! Obviously I wasn't doing a better job, cause her clothes were just there!" I yelled, at this point I didn't give a shit if anyone heard the things I was saying, its not like they already know how upsetting it was for me, for everyone in the guild. Maybe I was just making things worse for everyone and denying the memorial for more time to cover ground around Fiore. 

   "You don't know when to quit do you, look at yourself!" My drink was suddenly throw past my head and shattered on the wall behind me, my widened watching Lily grow with anger, shoulders heaving and breathing hard. He lunged forward and grabbed the collar of my shirt with both hands, our faces inches apart. "Put honor on Levy and be reasonable with yourself! You've been dragging this out longer than you know and its hurting everyone around you, you aren't the only one who cares for her." Anger rose in me too as a matter of fact. I put my hand on Lily's chest and shoved him forward, he tripped over the chair and fumbled to the ground. 

   "I ain't taking that shit from you cat, I know ' alive! I can feel it, and if I want to cover old ground I'm going to fucking do it. I don't listen to anyone by myself," I pushed away my own chair and walked out the guild, stepping over Lily and giving everyone who looked my way a death glare. I stopped suddenly when I heard something hit the ground by my feet. Looking down I found my eyes looking at a ragged torn yellow ribbon, and my heart sank, it was covered in blood. Lily was sitting up catching his breath. 

  "Go right ahead Gajeel, no ones going to stop you." Lily said before aggressively hitting my shoulder as he walked out the building. I scrooped up the ribbon and held it to my nose inhaling it deeply. After a moment I breathed it in again, then again. 

   "What?" I mumbled looking back at the ribbon, smelled it again and thought in silence, the blood was fresh, not from today but it was new and it was definitely Levy's. My feelings were off the roof as I bolted out the doors. All I could think of was were she was, bleeding out or needing serious medial attention, I was so stupid to ever hurt her the way I did and there wasn't a thing I could do besides run into the darkness. I ran for miles before stopping out of breath, catching no scent of her since the ribbon left my nose. As I leaned on a tree to rest there were footsteps approaching. 

   "Iron Metal Club." I shot my arm out towards the sound and a grunt responded back. 

   "Aye! What the hell are you doing!" Natsu spilled from the bushes laughing, great, this is not what I needed right now. 

   "What do you want." I sneered. 

   "Well, me and Happy overheard you're fight in the guild hall, we wanted to help you search for Levy, I live around here and I've been getting bad feelings here and there and they've only started since Levy went missing, plus two noses is better than one!" Happy poked his head out the bushes and waved nervously. I sighed. 

  "I would actually really appreciate it, I'm going over to the old battle field, ya know, where Deliroy was hiding." Natsu punched his fist with fire and smiled. 

   "Then what are we waiting for! Lead the way you iron rod." Natsu yelled. 

   "Just don't get on my nerves okay!" I yelled already fed up. We ran up the woods, we ran for awhile before I realized how chilled it was outside, and how cold she must be. I'm coming for you.

Yall ready for this? Cause I've been working on this story for like 3 years LMAOOOOOO serisouly, I writing in Gajeel's POV cause I feel like his feeling are so internal and I love expressing them for his AHAHA cant keep your thoughts from me Redfox.