A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.

Chapter five: A Tale of Return.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.

The others arrived as quickly as they could. When they stepped into the warehouse Natsu was still beating up the bandits, punching out his rage. Gray and Juvia stepped in and relieved the Fire Dragon, allowing him to run to his captured mate. The remaining men fell with ease and the Ice mage locked them in a chilly prison so they couldn't escape.

"I'll go and see if they need help!" Wendy said as she walked into the other room where the floor had been demolished, followed by Carla and Lily. Happy stayed with Gray, almost afraid to see Lucy in a weakened state.

Gray didn't protest but Juvia looked worried and thought aloud, "Is that a good idea? Juvia remembers Carla talking about them being tortured… If Gajeel saw that he would surely…" Her voice trailed off but Gray knew what she meant. Redfox was sure to kill the enemy.

"Wendy, wait!" He yelled but was too late because he heard the young girl cry out, sobbing over the horrific sight. Her brown eyes were locked on the bloody form which lay before Gajeel and Levy – but not only that, people were strung up like dolls, naked and harmed.

"Kid, get out of here!" Gajeel ordered as he kept himself between Levy and Wendy's young eyes.

"Wendy!" Lily was the one to grab her collar and lift her out of the basement, carrying her away from the scene. Carla hovered for a moment, staring with wide eyes until Lily returned and guided her out.

Once the Dragons had satisfied themselves holding their women in their arms they carried them out of the dank dungeon and took them out of the rusty shed, laying them on the soft ground with a blanket over their bare bodies. Wendy got to work healing them while Gray and Juvia released the other captives, giving them food and water as well as clothing from the stolen supplies. The others had been injured but not as recent as the two mages so they happily passed on a healing session.

Black Steel and Salamander stuck to Levy and Lucy's sides, not willing to leave them for a moment. Lucy continued to reassure Natsu that she was okay, that all was well, and in his own childish way he clung to the words with great comfort and also great sorrow for fear that she felt she must be strong simply for him. Levy was much too weak to talk any so Gajeel was the one to do the comforting, stroking her blue locks while Wendy worked on her and as soon as the young Sky Dragon had finished he hugged her close, pressing his forehead to hers.

After Gray and Juvia got the rest of the captives organised they began planning their way back to Clover Town.

"I doubt they could walk all that way," said Wendy.

"Juvia agrees," the Water Mage's eyes slowly tore from Gray before resting on the small cluster of ten women which were leaning against the surrounding trees, as far away from the shack as they could possibly get. "They are much too weak for such a journey. Perhaps Juvia and Gray-sama should go on ahead and get help?" Gajeel could see the glee in her eyes at the thought of being along with her cold crush.

"No," Salamander cut in before Gray could protest. "Luc and Levy need to get out of here, even with Wendy's healing they're weak and need to be cared for. We should get them back to the guild as soon as possible."

The two male Dragons shared a brief look, nodded to each other and came to an unspoken agreement. "We'll take the girls back to town with Wendy. Once we make sure people are coming to help we'll get them back to Fairy Tail and the kid can lead them back here."

Juvia wasn't at all displeased by such a plan.

"But Natsu…" Happy cut in as he padded over from beside Carla and rested his paw on the Fire Dragon's arm. "We should fly them back, we can move a lot quicker…" Lily glided over from where the women were framing the small opening and nodded his agreement.

"Urm, actually… I think Natsu-san and Gajeel-san are right," Wendy said with a small fidget. "I've healed them enough and restored their strength so they're out of danger but Lucy-san and Levy-san would be more comfortable being carried by them."

The three felines looked to her and then slowly consented since she was the healer of the group. "It's settled then, stay here and we'll get going. We can still get some ground covered before dark." Gajeel said as he slipped his arms under Levy's unconscious body, tensing his muscles as he lifted her slender frame and tucked her close to his chest. "Lily, stay here with Juvia and Gray."

"Right!"

With Happy's help Salamander lifted Lucy onto his back and the three Dragons got moving along with the two Exceeds. They quickly slipped out of the clearing and into the thick sea of trees. "Good luck!" called Juvia from behind them. From the corner of his eye Gajeel could see Wendy's concerned gaze drifting between her two patients but he tried not to get too distracted for fear that he would lose his sanity.

The time passed too quickly for any of the mages' liking and they failed to cover much ground. Thanks to the severity of their wounds Levy and Lucy couldn't stand to go too quickly, even when being carried, Levy especially seemed to struggle to regain any strength. The blonde celestial mage regained consciousness every hour or so and would ask how her bookworm friend was but the answer was always the same - no change. Not once did the Shrimp awaken since drifting into her sleeping state.

Gajeel grew concerned and as darkness fell he desperately wished to continue. "I need to get her back."

"We can't travel in the dark," Wendy protested, "We'll fall over rocks and roots which will only hurt Levy more."

"She's right," Carla added.

Gently Natsu slipped Lucy from his back and laid her down on a bed of moss. "I don't like it any more than you do, Gajeel, but we don't have a choice."

Redfox ground his teeth and clutched Levy tighter to him, disliking the sense of helplessness which captivated his heart as he gazed at her limp body. "Wendy, can you heal her some more?" he asked in a whisper. "She feels like she's getting weaker... not stronger."

With a concerned look the young Dragon nodded, her hair flicking about in the gentle breeze as she clenched her fist and hardened her eyes into a deep gaze of determination. "Of course, anything I can do!" Gajeel smiled gently at that, he was pleased to see her working so hard and how strong she'd become. Slowly and tenderly the Iron Dragon laid his mate down and stroked her hair back so her smooth forehead was visible. Her skin had become thick with sweat and her temperature had risen a great deal since leaving the rusty shed.

The Exceeds began floating around in the night and quickly gathered some stray wood and Natsu swiftly got a campfire lit while he tended to his girlfriend.

Wendy fell to her knees to the Shrimp's right and tentatively placed her hands over her injured form. A moment passed before she flinched back and stared with wide eyes. Gajeel's eyes flicked between the two girls as he leaned forward. "What is it? Kid!" He reached forward and firmly grasped her slender shoulder being sure not to harm her he shook the healer's body, but even that failed to snap her from her surprise.

"What happened?" Carla asked as she flapped over and landed to her Dragon's side. "Wendy, what's wrong?"

Wendy ignored them as her eyes remained locked on Levy. With shaking hands the young girl reached out and pulled the loose shirt up to expose the teenager's stomach. It was then that Gajeel felt his chest constrict. Where the three prongs had stabbed her skin were thick, black, pulsing veins which throbbed outward into her body while the small rings of punctured flesh had expanded with blood and become crusted bubbles. "What the hell's happening?" Gajeel gasped as his red eyes locked on the grotesque sight. "What did that thing do to her?!"

Wendy's fingers cautiously traced the strong black lines which ran from Levy's bellybutton to her sides and under her clothing. "It's poisoning her," she whispered. "Her magical energy is still leaking out and it's poisoning her to do so."

"No!" Gajeel growled. That bastard! I should have done more than kill him! I should have ripped his...

"Gajeel!" Natsu strode over filled with confidence and strength. "Keep it together, getting worked up won't help Levy."

"Heh, that doesn't sound like the Salamander I know." He spat as he tried to regain his self-control. Dragneel was right - he couldn't lose himself to anger. He had to remain calm and think his way through the matter at hand. Think... I have to save Levy... "Wendy, can you stop this?"

She shook her head as her brown eyes focused on his. "It's too far into the bloodstream... I'm sorry, I should have noticed it before..."

"No!" he snapped. "It's not your fault, you healed the wounds you knew about. You're no use if you're too busy blaming yourself so don't go there."

"Gajeel!" Carla protested but Wendy quietened her.

"Salamander, we have to keep going!" Natsu nodded his understanding. Without allowing the others time to complain Black Steel Gajeel scooped up his dying mate and stormed through the forest beside the Flame Brain who lit the way.

Wendy followed behind her fellow Dragon Slayers in haste, she didn't wish to be left behind and she knew if she was to be of any help it would be to the two injured mages. Happy and Carla stayed with her, flying by her side and lifting her over any large rocks which blocked her way. The young girl couldn't help but feel envious of the love Levy and Lucy received from Gajeel and Natsu. It was such an honest emotion that it was almost tangible in the air as they held their dear ones close. Even though she was young and perhaps a little foolish she hoped that one day a man would care for her the way those two cared for their mates.

However a single person drifted into her mind as she had such thoughts… His left shoulder which displayed his red Fairy Tail mark was shown with pride in her image, raven, slightly spiked hair covered his forehead in decorative bangs, his orange scarf was tucked around his neck as normal - just like his idol's white one. His trained muscles and deep eyes…

Romeo…

As she became lost in her own world the Sky Dragon met the earth with a strong Thud! "Wendy!" The white feline gasped.

"Are you alright, Wendy?" Happy asked in a calmer tone as he grasped the back of her jacket and lifted her to her feet.

She nodded, suddenly glad for the lack of light since it helped to hide her bright cheeks. "I-I'm fine!" She stumbled forward, attempting to act normal. She'd never thought of Romeo in such a way before, of course, she'd noticed the undeniable change in his physique and maturity in her seven years of absence. But was that really enough to get over the fact that he was technically her junior by several years?

Ever since arriving at Fairy Tail she'd enjoyed his company and often thought him a kind person but he'd grown and had begun to blossom into a young man which made Wendy wonder if there could ever be more between them than friendship. Her cheeks grew redder at such thinking, was she really in her right mind or was she just overcome with a desire to feel loved? No, this isn't the time!

She shook her head, denying herself the right to have such ideas when her teammates' lives were on the line. She strode forward, focusing especially hard on every step as she picked up speed, relying heavily on her nose to follow Natsu and Gajeel's scent. Since it was so dark she'd lost sight of them already. Even though her eyes were better than most, with a dim moon and no stars in the sky it was impossible to see clearly.

After a few minutes she was able to gain ground and was once again only strides behind her fellow Dragon Slayers. The two cats remained by her side, seemingly refusing to leave her to be alone. She smiled at that, glad for the care of her friends. Even though Wendy was still able to continue she could feel the fatigue clawing at her strength with each passing step. She'd already done three healing sessions and spent all day traveling, fighting and generally being on alert. She could feel her power draining but she didn't dare inform the others. She didn't wish to appear weak or hinder them any, especially after her mistake had put Levy's life in danger.

They walked all the way through the night only pausing twice for Wendy to check and assist the two female teenagers. Gajeel could see how tired the young Dragon was and felt nothing but gratitude that she battled through her lack of strength to help them. When the sun rose above the horizon and allowed its lazy morning rays to dance on the earth's surface they sighted Clover Town's border.

"We'll fly Wendy on ahead," Carla said in her usual matter of fact tone. "We shall ask them to get transportation available for you as soon as you arrive."

Gajeel and Natsu agreed and waved them off as the two cats carried the young Sky Dragon by her jacket and flew her into the distance. The two men continued to walk, shifting their mates around when their muscles began to ache but never stopped until they were well into Clover Town. Waiting for them was a tired Wendy along with the two Exceeds.

"Over here!" Called Wendy. In the light it was easy to see the dark circles which had begun to form under her eyes.

Slamander stepped ahead and began talking to Happy about what to do before he walked back over to Gajeel who was heading straight for the train station. "Happy says they've set up a train just for us, direct to Magnolia Town! We should be there in an hour, maybe two."

Redfox wasn't thrilled at the thought of enduring motion sickness but he thought it a small price to pay for getting Levy home. The two Dragons wasted no time and boarded the train, hugging onto their stomachs as soon as it began to move. Wendy waved goodbye along with Carla and Happy before heading back towards the forest and gathering citizans who were going to help them with the captured women.

The train went none stop for an hour and forty minutes, carrying the four mages all the way to Magnolia. Shakily Gajeel carried Levy from the mobile and then dropped to the floor, gasping for air and strength. Natsu followed him but the Fire Dragon Slayer was no longer strong enough to carry his mate, in stead he was dragging her along behind him like a sake of potatoes.

"Natsu? Gajeel? Is that you?"

Redfox looked up slowly as he clung to Levy with weak arms and struggled not to heave. Before him stood Fairy Tail's strongest woman, Titania, surrounded by luggage. Her red hair was as straight as ever and she stood tall, proudly displaying her toned, muscular form.

"What are you two doing here?" Then her eyes fell to the women... "Lucy! Levy!" She gasped as she released her hold on the large trailor and fell to her knees, examining them. "We need to get them to Polyushka!"

Gajeel nodded his head as he sucked in another lungful of clean air, looking over his shoulder to Natsu who had passed out. "Get... Lucy... I can carry... Levy."

"Are you sure?" She asked sternly. He simply nodded as he returned to his feet. "What about Natsu?" She asked even though she was already lifting Lucy onto her back.

"Leave that... idiot. He's not even strong enough to protect... his mate." The Iron Dragon panted as he slowly began to move forward.

Erza paused a moment before following. "I suppose you're right, I shall return to him as soon as these two are tended to." The two carefully carried the injured mages out of the Train station and out into the street of Magnolia, home to the Fairy Tail guild. After a short while the S-class couldn't contain her curiosity. "What happened to these two? Did you four take a job while I was away."

"No," answered Gajeel. With each step he was recovering from the motion sickness and growing stronger. "These two took one alone, they got beaten up and captured but Carla had a vision about it so me, Natsu, Wendy, Gray and Juvia went to save them. When we got there they were already like this."

Her anger was clear as the early sky but Titania still tried to contain her rage. "And what of their captures?"

"Dead or locked in ice," was the flat reply.

The two remained in silence for the remains of their trip through Magnolia, out into the outskirts and deeper still until they reached the surrounding forest where the healer worked. They were greeted with the standard hate for humans however Gajeel wasn't in the mood to listen and quickly thrust Levy upon the pink haired woman, demanding she do her best to heal the bookworm. So, on the terms that the healthy remain outside and remain silent, she agreed to heal the girls.

From there time passed too slowly for Redfox. Each second was painful as he waited to hear something, anything, of his mate's condition. Erza remained silent in order to honor their agreement and also in respect to the suffering Dragon. She could see the pain in his eyes as he worried over the bookworm, his bookworm... Dreading a negative outcome.

Don't die on me, Levy. I didn't even get to tell you... that I... I love you, STUPID SHRIMP!

Natsu awoke with his face pressed against the cool floor of Magnolia's train station. He sat up slowly, groggily rubbing at his eyes and lips as he examined his surroundings. He couldn't remember much, least of all falling unconscious, but he remembered why he was there and the torturous means he'd taken to get there. "Lucy!" His eyes darted around again but all he found was a neatly stacked mound of suitcases which were strapped onto the familiar trolly. That's Erza's!

With a twitch of his nose the Dragon quickly caught the armoured mage's scent along with Gajeel's, Levy's and the most imporant person's - Lucy's. If Erza's with them I don't have anything to worry about! She won't let anything happen. However that didn't stop his gut from knotting and his chest from aching with unease. With a low grumble her got to his feet and ran out of the station, trolly in tow. He knew full well if he simply left it there Erza would kill him.

The journey was swift, only proving troublesome when Erza's luggage prevented the Dragon from darting swiftly between trees. After a mile or so of forest Natsu gave up and abandoned it, making sure to memorize the surroundings so he could find it again later, before continuing on down the trail after the scent of his Guild mates.

When he arrived at the treehouse where Porlyusica lived his fellow Dragon Slayer, Gajeel Redfox, and Titania, Erza Scarlet, sat waiting with lowered heads. "Hey!" he called as he ran over. "What's going on? Where are the girls?"

"Inside." Gajeel snapped, "Where else would they be?!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know?"

"Use your stinking head, idiot!"

"I did, that's why I asked!" Natsu retorted.

Gajeel scoffed. "It didn't sound like you were using your head to me, but then again... I wouldn't know what that looks like since I've never seen you use it."

"Why you...!"

"Natsu!" Lucy's voice cut into their bickering before Erza could as she slammed the door open, a wide smile on her battered face.

"Lucy?" he asked as he turned to see her, a grin pulling at his lips. "Lucy!" He ran forward and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her soft hair and familiar scent.

Gajeel jumped to his feet, pushing passed the happy couple to see the pink haired woman hovering in the middle of the room with her eternally grumpy expression. "You weren't quiet, stinking humans!" With a gentle snort she stepped aside and revealed the quickly recovering Levy McGarden sat up in bed.

"Levy!" Gajeel shot forward, his eyes focused soley on her as he fell to his knees and hugged her to him, his arms holding her securely around the waist. "You're okay... You're really okay...! You idiot, why did you do something so reckless? That bastard could have killed you!"

Erza watched in the background with a smile, glad to see the joy on her comrades' faces as they embraced the people they loved most of all. She couldn't help but think of Jellal and how much she wished to share such raw emotions with him.

Levy simply smiled as she reached down and stroked Gajeel's black mane, remembering his words. "Are you deaf? I said MATE! It's a lot more than boyfriend and girlfriend, you bastard." The memory of his surprisingly soft lips came to mind, too. Her weak hand shifted and cupped his cheek, tilting his head back to look at her. She could see the anger, worry and also fear thick within their red depths. "I'm sorry I scared you like that," she said gently as she closed the distance between them. "But... I'm glad you came for me. Thank you, Gajeel."

Their lips met for a tentative moment before they pulled back and shared a short look. Gajeel shifted his weight and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him for another kiss, however before their lips touched he gently whispered the one thing he'd wanted to say for too long. "I love you, Levy. Will you be mine?"

Levy answered with a kiss and they quickly forgot about their surrounding friends.

A/N: Ta da! Hope you enjoyed it~ I know the Wendy section was a little unnecessary but I was trying to show how strong a Dragon's love is and how it affects those around them. I hope that makes sense and showed in the story!

Thanks again to all the amazing people who have followed this short fanfic and said such wonderful things about it. I love you all!

Note: Sorry for any mistakes, I was rushing a little to finish this chapter so I haven't done any read throughs yet. When I have more time I will go through and clean up the full thing!

Writers live for their reviews~