Hi everyone!

As promised, here is another installment of Sound Pod to tide you over until the end of November. It's a long one… seriously long lol. And hopefully it will make up for the lack of updates while I work on the book.

I won't keep you, but things are going. I won't say well because my characters are fighting me (as is my confidence at this point) but… I am pressing forward. Hopefully I can beat them into submission soon haha.

The song for the chapter is How Did You Love by Shinedown and it really drives where all of this came from. Hopefully you'll agree :) watch?v=GA1Sm3tvS0c

BUT! On to the reading.

Chapter 51 - How Did You Love?

"Oh, for muse of truth that we could descend into the darkest hell of our own inventions.

A kingdom, a stage, a cage…" ~Shinedown~

"You can have the sound of a thousand voices calling your name."

"Scrambled eggs and nightshade with a side of ham, just the way you like it."

Cobra grinned as he lifted the plate up, his nostrils flaring as the slightly sweet fragrance filled his smell receptors. Sometimes in life, it was the most simple of things that brought about a little ray of sunshine. For him, the toxicity that he knew awaited his taste buds was that little light in the dark. "Thanks, Mira."

The white-haired woman smiled affectionately. "Gotta make sure you boys eat well."

His grin softened as he caught movement and watched as a delicate hand came to rest on her midsection. Here was a woman who was pregnant and should be taking it a little easier. Yet she was still behind that god-forsaken bar, running it and the kitchen as she always did. "Make sure you take care of yourself too, Demon."

"You're so sweet, Cobra."

"Don't say that shit so loud," he playfully sneered.

Mira chuckled and shook her head. "Your secret's safe with me, I promise."

He highly doubted that but it really didn't matter to him. Things had changed, he'd changed. For the first time in his life, he had a home and family. It went beyond just Kinana, extending to the Tatsu and even beyond. He'd sorely misjudged the Fairies in his past life and all of the rainbow-farting unicorns that went with them. They were a foolish lot, insane from the ground up. But they loved and they loved deep, forgiving even the worst of sinners like himself. That alone spoke in leaps and bounds as to why they were as strong as they were. Having something to defend that wasn't just monetary, that made all the difference in the world.

He understood that now.

Taking his plate, he made his way across the guildhall to the table the Tatsu had commandeered when they were in and sat down. It was uncommonly quiet in the hall, unsettling in a way. The only sounds were the soft murmur of concerned thoughts and wishes for things to return to normal. He found himself agreeing, wanting the noise and chatter of before. It blocked things out, quieting the voices and making it easier to just exist instead of constantly being on edge. It was reminiscent of the Seis days past and he had no real desire to return to that life or the roaming that came with it.

He shoveled a forkful of eggs into his mouth and his eyes rolled in appreciation. Buttery goodness with a slight bittersweet aftertaste coated his tongue. He could practically feel the magic receptors in his body twitching to life as the toxins permeated through the flesh of his mouth and into the bloodstream. Saying it was heavenly delicious would be a crude understatement.

"You can have the light of the world blind you, bathe you in grace."

"Does he make that face during sex?"

"Hmm, not sex but definitely when I'm blowing 'im."

The food lodged in his throat and he choked, his eyes flying open to find his mate and pseudo-sister grinning like Cheshire cats. He pounded a fist against his chest and reached for his stein, hoping to wash it down. Just so I can kill them both! His eyes watered and his body wanted to revolt as he swallowed large mouthfuls of ale. But luckily, it paid off when the eggs dislodged and went down without doing him in.

"That-could've died-Fuck you both!" he finally managed to gasp out as his lungs screamed for oxygen.

"Thanks," Lucy chuckled as she took a seat across from him. "But incest really isn't my kink."

Kinana walked around and bent over to kiss the top of his head before taking the seat next to him. "Apparently shock therapy is, though," she chuckled as she nuzzled against his side. "But I'll gladly take you up on that offer."

Cobra gave a sarcastic laugh and rolled his eye. "Later, Dollface."

"It's too quiet in here," Lucy sighed as she glanced around. "I miss the noise."

He slapped at his mate's hand when she stole a piece of egg from his plate, not that he was really expecting to deter her. Anything he had was hers and she knew it. "Same, where's the big guy and my nephew?"

Lucy gestured to the second floor. "Spark Plug's up in his office," she frowned. "He got a call and Levi's with my Mom and Draco."

His fork stopped just shy of his lips and he quirked a brow. He could hear her thoughts running rampant on both subjects. Fear, separation anxiety, curiosity, nervousness; all of it crowded the space between her ears until they were the only things controlling her. "You need to chill."

"I know," the Celestial mage groaned. "I can't help it, though."

Kinana reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "Like I said outside, you're okay. Levi's safe and we will get through this."

Cobra's fork fell to his plate with a clatter and he slowly turned to glare at his mate. "Outside?"

"What?" the purple-haired woman blinked. "We were practicing."

"But I don't see so easily what you hold in your hands."

"I don't care if you were stripping to the goddamn hokey pokey!"

"Erik," Lucy growled.

His head whipped back, his steely gaze landing on her. "Don't Erik me, Toots. You both should know you aren't allowed outside alone!"

"Take a chill pill, Bleach. They weren't alone."

He looked up to find Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray walking over with plates of their own. They all had wet hair and carried the faint smell of soap. Upon closer inspection, he could make out faint bruises on Gray's arm. "Brawling in the shower now?"

Gray took a seat and glared across the table. "No, Dick. We were outside with Luce and Kinana."

It only took one listen to confirm it was true but it was the bitching, moaning and groaning that had him quirking a brow. "You got your ass handed to you by a couple of chicks?"

A firm slap landed on his arm, making him jump and he looked over at his mate in disbelief. "What did I do now?"

"We aren't chicks, Erik."

"Unless you're Natsu…"

Cobra looked over at the Ice Make mage with everyone else and he started to question the statement. But it was the thought that simmered behind the smug grin the raven haired man wore that did him in. A bark of laughter erupted from between his lips.

"I don't get it."

The pink-haired Slayer's words only made it worse, the severity of his laughter increasing until he was clutching his stomach. "Chicks," he guffawed between gasps for air. "With dicks!"

The table erupted into laughter at the poor Slayer's expense, his usually cheery face sullen. "Fuck you, Ice Princess!"

"Only if you promise to use your chick dick," Gray laughed.

The mental images that wafted through Lucy's head as she fell on the table laughing sweetened the deal. A rubber chicken hanging from Natsu's open zipper, flopping in the wind for the world to see. He clutched at his stomach, sharp pains digging into his side from the lack of real oxygen. At this rate, he was sure he'd piss himself for the first time since he was a child. "Toots," he wheezed. "You… You gotta cut that shit out."

"Cause castles crumble, kingdoms fall and turn into sand."

The blonde's head lifted, a cheery grin splitting her face. "You like that huh?"

"Now you gotta share, Bunny."

"Picture Natsu with a rubber chick hanging where his dick should be," she giggled suggestively.

"Y'all are a bunch of assholes," Natsu pouted. "Not funny, Luigi. Not funny at all."

Lucy wiped at her eyes and gave a mock frown. "I'm… I'm sorry," she barely got out as she tried to draw back in the underlying hints of laughter that threatened to escape. "It wasn't very… nice of me to picture you with a rubber chicken for a peen."

"Why the fuck are you picturing Natsu's peen at all?"

All the laughter died at the table as they all turned to see a very skeptical Laxus standing there, glaring at his mate with a large roll of paper in hand. Well, fuck us all with a giant chain covered baseball bat. Cobra cleared his throat, knowing it was he who'd let Gray's proverbial cat out of the bag. "It was my fault, Nine Volt. I called them chicks, Gray thought about Natsu being a chick with a dick and…"

He just had to stop because it sounded utterly ridiculous, even to his ears. Truth or not, it was really fucking weird. "Just… Yeah, don't worry about it 'cuz it wasn't what you're thinking."

"Uh huh," the large Blond hummed as he moved around to sit between Lucy and Gajeel. "Where's the others?"

"Rogue and Sting should be here any minute," Gajeel mumbled around a chunk of iron. "They were going in the showers as we were leaving."

Lucy giggled and Cobra kicked her under the table. "Don't even, Toots."

She gave him a look as if to say she had no clue what he was talking about but she knew alright. He'd heard it loud and clear. Her mind went straight to the gutter, thinking it was a shame they didn't get to see Natsu's chicken dick. He saw the quiver of her lips and he shook his head. It was definitely something he'd just come to accept from the blonde. She was everything he never imagined her to be, perverted mind and all.

But it wasn't the time for jokes, not when he knew why Laxus was asking after the others.

Turning his attention to the Alpha Slayer, his lips thinned. The wait was over, the time of sitting idle coming to an end. "You heard back," he stated rather than asked. It would be useless. He already knew the answer.

"Yeah," Laxus replied as his eyes drifted to the back of the guild hall. "Gray, would you mind yelling at the two yahoos in the showers?"

"You can be an angel of mercy or give into hate."

The Ice Make mage gave a nod as he stood and Cobra watched the man walk off. If they thought the place was quiet before, it was still as death now. He couldn't even hear the others breathe, their thoughts quieting as they waited. It was like kneeling in front of the block, awaiting the sharpened edge of the executioner's blade. He wanted the relief that would follow but dreaded the moments of pain that would come as the flesh was severed.

Fingers wove through his and he turned to find the comforting jade gaze of his mate, a gentle yet knowing smile settled on her lips.

"We face this together. Whatever happens, I'm beside you."

She wasn't the powerhouse of magic that the other women brought to their slayers. But she was his and that was all that mattered. They'd already faced hell, too many times to count. Not being able to hear her for so long, being separated by the cruelty of fate, finding each other only to be ripped away once more and then given the chance to finally be together only to have her life threatened and their child murdered. Yet she was still beside him, comforting him when he did not deserve it.

He brought her hand up and pressed his lips to the back of her knuckles. Lilacs and juniper with hints of sweet, but deadly bloodroot intertwined. "I love ya, Doll Face."

"For forever?"

"Forever and always."

"Ya think they're having thought sex?"

"Flame Brain, yer a fucking idiot."

There was nothing like having one's family there to ruin a good moment. Cobra turned to glare at the men across the table. "We were, Dick Chick. I was just in the middle of fucking her on top of your goddamn plate before you so rudely interrupted."

Natsu's eyes went wide, a blush settling on his cheeks as he glanced down at the empty plate in front of him and back up. "W-why would you do that on my plate? I eat off of it."

"I'm gonna make you choke on his dick if you don't shut the hell up, Natsu."

Cobra bit his lip as the color drained completely from the Fire Dragon Slayer's face with Laxus' harshly growled words. It was pretty certain the big guy was in a foul mood. While he didn't favor his own body parts being used in a threat, especially not the family jewels. He was of half a mind to prod the village idiot just to see if the Alpha would seriously follow through on the threat. It held a certain entertainment value that was difficult to pass up.

"You can try to buy it just like it every other careless mistake."

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting, someone thought it would be funny to soap up the shower stall floor."

Damn, Rogue and his perfect fucking timing…

He didn't even have to guess to know it had to be Natsu. He'd seen the asshole do it before. Granted, watching Elfman go sliding across the room to take out a few mages had been comical. He just feared that shit ever happening to him, hence his propensity to only shower at his apartment. He waited, hopeful, that someone would call the guy out. It could be exactly what was needed to make the threat a reality. But much to his dismay, not a word was said.

"'S all good," Laxus grumbled. "Take a seat and put your thinking caps on."

"Should we go get the other mates?"

The blonde Slayer looked up at Rogue and shook his head. "No, you guys can fill them in later."

"But-"

Cobra quirked a brow when Sting's argument was stopped short with just a glare from the Alpha. "I'd just take a seat and shut your trap, for now, Gandalf."

There was no smart ass comeback, not a single word uttered in response. Silence fell over the table as everyone settled into their seats. It was strange and only added to the heaviness that fell upon them. Anxious anticipation, dreadful apprehension. He hated it, hated sitting there waiting. "So?"

Laxus glanced over at him before looking around at the others. "Jellal confirmed Ivan's location," he started as he laid the roll of paper on the table and spread it to reveal the map they'd been pouring over for days. "This is where we'd set up camp when we were looking for Levy and our target is this mountain range here."

Cobra leaned up onto the table and took note of the terrain and surrounding areas. He knew the area enough to remember that the mountain side there got rough. Steep slopes and vertical rocky faces. "If they've been coming and going as frequently as we think, there's got to be a path leading up there. Right?"

The large blond Slayer nodded and pointed to an area just west that should have been just woods. "It's hidden by an illusion enchantment which is how it probably got missed when we were out there. Scouting the area, Jellal says it's pretty well manned. He's counted a good three to four troops moving in and out of the area with more estimated to be inside the cave system."

"Three to four?" Rogue frowned. "Laxus, that would mean a good hundred-twenty soldiers. At least. How the hell does Ivan have that many men at his disposal?"

"How do you justify I'm mystified by the ways of your heart."

Laxus gave a small shake of his head. "My father's always been connected. He had his own guild, my guess is he's got promises of shared wealth out with several of the other dark guilds for the support."

"This should be easy, we can just blast them off the side of the mountain."

Cobra turned to glare at Natsu. "Are you really that damn stupid?"

"What?" The pink-haired Slayer blinked. "It's what we do."

Laxus ran a hand over his face and let go of a heavy sigh. "Did you forget my damn daughter is in that cave system, Ash Breath? We can't go in blasting everything to smithereens because we'd risk collapsing the mountain on top of everything thing."

Natsu slumped in his chair, his face falling. "Sorry, didn't think about that."

"Just…" the Alpha shook his head. "Just use the brain in your head and I know ya got one."

Cobra watched the exchange and rolled his eye. That was like asking Juvia to stop stalking. It was a pipedream that would likely never happen. He'd been inside the guy's head enough to know. Great on the attack but planning was definitely not his strong suit. Ever.

"So, what is your plan?"

He glanced over at Gajeel before looking back at Laxus. "I'm thinking we need a way out of town first. Or at least, that's what Nine Volt is thinking."

The large blond nodded. "We'll coordinate with Jellal on taking the mountain, but we can't let them know we're coming. Ivan's got eyes here, that much we've all figured out. So we need a way out without tipping whoever those eyes may be."

"What about an illusion of our own?" Sting suggested.

Rogue blinked at his guild master. "Seriously? Which one of us here is capable of creating an illusion that big?"

"At least I had a suggestion, Asshole."

When the Shadow Dragon Slayer started to argue, Laxus threw a hand up. "It's a valid thought because I considered it too. But, we seem to be a little short when it comes to illusion magic so it's out of the picture."

Natsu hesitantly raised a hand. "We could do like that kid in Home Alone did."

"With a million lies the truth will rise to tear you apart."

"Huh?" Laxus frowned.

"He used cardboard cutouts at the windows and made them move and stuff."

Gajeel threw a chunk of iron at the pink-haired Slayer's head, hitting him right between the eyes. "That's so fucking stupid, Natsu."

Cobra started to laugh but it quickly passed as he studied the guy he usually believed to be an idiot. The thoughts running inside his head actually surprised him as being pretty damn valid. Fucked up and needed serious tweaking, but valid nonetheless. "So stupid," he grinned. "It could actually work."

"You're joking, right?"

Cobra looked at Laxus and shrugged. "Think about it. We just need to make it look like we're all home. Freed's figured out how to rewrite his runes so he could easily set up a perimeter to keep anyone that isn't a Fairy far enough away. Granted, the mates that will be staying will have to remain home but it adds to the appearance that everything is business as usual."

The Alpha stared at him for a moment, chewing his lip as he considered the notion. "I don't know-"

"It could work, actually."

Everyone turned to Lucy, who tapped a finger against her lips before speaking again. "Gemini could easily copy any of us. I could leave Gemini out here. For a good while, at least to make it look plausible."

"What about your magic?" Rogue questioned. "Won't that put a strain on your magic leaving that gate open?"

Lucy pulled her keys off of her belt, holding up one in particular. "If I use Andromeda's key, my magic containers shouldn't be affected."

"Virgo and I could also open our own gates as well."

Cobra jumped at the unexpected voice behind him. He was usually more in tune with things around him and he had to wonder how the lion spirit got that close without him noticing. "Don't do that shit again, you could lose your dick that way."

"Sorry," Loke grinned.

Lucy frowned and gave a roll of her eyes. "Don't be an ass, Loke. Now's not really the time for jokes."

"Wooaahh!"

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said with a bow. "I apologize. I only meant to be quick about getting here."

"Whatever," Laxus cut in. "As stupid as this plan sounds, it very well could work and it's all we've really got. We'll head out of town through the forest and pass to the east and catch the train at the next depot up the line. I'll get Freed on writing the runes, we need to be ready to head out before first light."

"Why don't we have the mates that are staying behind, stay at my place?" Gajeel offered. "I can leave Lily here as an extra measure. It's on the east side and closer to town should they need anything."

"Elfman and I can always go over and check on them," Mira piped up as she set a tray of ale steins down on the table. "As can the others here in the guild."

Cobra looked up at her and frowned. "You're pregnant, Demon Lady."

"Pregnant," she grinned. "Yes. Dead and unable? Not so much, Chloroform."

He blinked at her insult, not having expected her to call him anything other than Cobra. He heard Lucy snort from the other side of the table and he kicked her shin. "You still need to be taking care of yourself, Mira."

The white-haired mage shrugged. "I'm fine. Halphas and Sitri are doing just fine taking care of my cargo, Cobra. We can all handle things here while you guys are gone."

Fucking baby-having demon witches.

He wanted to argue the point but Laxus quickly brought it to an end.

"Then it's settled. I will get Bix to help me on the cutouts. Go home, do what you need to do and we'll meet up at Gajeel's around three-thirty tomorrow morning."

Everyone agreed and quickly stood up from the table. Cobra watched as they all went off in their own directions and he glanced over to find his mate studying him. A nervous pitch settled in his gut and he frowned. The cards were shuffled and ready to be dealt. The game would start tomorrow morning and he didn't like not knowing how it would play out. Fear had never been his thing before coming here. But then, he'd never had a mate and a family. A life he cherished and would kill himself to protect. "Let's go home, Doll Face. We've got shit to do."

"No one gets out alive, every day is do or die."

"What are you doing, Kitten?"

Flare jumped at the sound of Rogue's voice. She'd been lost in her own little world, reading and had not heard the shower cut off or the bathroom door open. Looking up from her book, her breath caught at the sight of him standing there in nothing more than a towel and a smile. He was absolutely gorgeous with his wet, raven hair slicked back. Droplets of water still clung to his fair skin as her eyes trekked down from his freckle-covered shoulders to the sinewed curves of his chest and abs, to the line of coal black hair that started just beneath his navel and disappeared beneath his towel. Thank the gods Frosch is at Sting's...

Her cheeks warmed and she blinked as she looked back down at her book. "I, uh, I was just reading."

She heard his bare feet pad across the living room and the couch beside her dipped under his weight as he came to sit beside her. Thin fingers brushed a lock of hair that had escaped her braid, pinning it behind her ear and she looked up to find him studying her. His face was pensive, no doubt in thought. Not that she could blame him. Things were coming to a head, they'd found Ivan and it was time to eliminate the threat. No matter the cost. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Rogue sighed and slid an arm around her shoulder, tugging to pull her closer. "You aren't going to like my thought."

Her head came to rest against his chest and the rumble of his voice was soothing, the steady beat of his heart calming. He'd been quiet since they had arrived home. She'd been left to her own devices as he packed. Her bag was already set and had been for a while just in case. "Try me?"

"I think I'd prefer it if you stayed with Yukino and Levy here, in Magnolia."

The hand she'd brought up to rub his stomach stilled and she lifted her head to look up at him as though he'd lost his mind. He was absolutely right. She didn't like his thought, not one bit. They'd been together now for months, only a single bite away from completing the process that would bind them together for the rest of their natural lives. And he was still doubting her. The thought hurt but in place of tears from his inability to believe, anger rose in its place. "You're joking, right?"

"No," he sighed heavily. "I was only thinking-"

"Then stop fucking thinking," she spat out to cut him off. She pushed off of his chest but his arm locked around her to keep her in place. "Let me go. Now."

"Would you please, for once, just hear me out?"

"No," she growled as she struggled to free herself from his grasp. "I've heard enough, thanks."

"The one thing you leave behind."

A growl tore from his lips and she quickly found herself flipped on the couch, her back against the cushions with him caging her in from above. "Why do you have to be so fucking hard-headed?"

"I'm the hardheaded one?" she scoffed. "You say I'm your mate but when it comes to push and shove, you want to leave me behind. Fuck you, Ryos. Fuck you right in the goddamn ass because I have just as much in this fight as you do. The things that man did to me… What he's done to my friends…"

He shifted above her, a knee coming down to wedge between her legs and spreading them so that he could settle between them. She hated the fact that her body instantly reacted to him pressed against her. Even soft, she could feel the length of him resting against her with only the thin barrier of her panties and his towel between them. Pulling from within, she allowed her magic to swell. The tendrils of her hair worked against the hair tie binding it only to be trapped by the thick weight of shadows that swirled around them.

"Flare," Rogue started. "Kitten, I do not want to leave you behind."

"Bullshit. You just said-"

His lips crushed down against hers and it was then that she realized he was trembling. In her struggle and her anger, she'd missed it before. Letting her guard down, his fear and anxiety flowed through the connection they'd already established. Little bits invaded her, stalling the air in her throat.

He pulled back to look down at her, his emotions deepening the crimson of his eyes. "I'm scared, Flare. For the first time since Skiadrum, I'm terrified."

Flare felt her heart break at the quiver in his voice. She reached up to palm his cheek and he nuzzled against it. This wasn't the self-assured Slayer that she'd come to know. "What are you afraid of, Baby? You're a dragon. You're my dragon. The magic of your dad flows through you."

Gentle fingers brushed her cheek. "I'm not afraid for myself. I just found you and we're not fully mated yet. I don't doubt you or your capabilities, Kitten. But I am afraid of something happening to you there. I can't risk losing you. I love you, more than I ever thought possible and I'm terrified of being left without you. I'm terrified of what I'd do if I was."

His words brought tears to her eyes and her heart swelled in her chest. Finding someone like him, finding the love she'd found with him; she didn't think it would ever happen to her. And she completely understood the way he felt. Losing him would kill her. If something happened to him and she was left behind, life for her couldn't go on. Not when she knew what she would miss. "Then finish it, Dragon."

"Is how did you love, how did you love?"

Rogue went rigid above her, his brows furrowing. "I had planned to do it-"

"Afterward," she finished for him. "I know, but do you think I will be any better off if something happens to you out there? If I'm there, and I should be, I'd rather us go down together if that's what it takes. You and me, Ryos. Life could not bear me if you fall and I wasn't there to stop it. I'd rather die at your side than waste away without you."

His expression softened and he leaned down to gently press his lips to hers. "You drive a hard bargain, Psycho Kitty."

The giggle that rose at his pet name for her died on the tip of his tongue as it swept into her mouth. The warm scent of nutmeg and cloves surrounded her, filling her until he was the air she breathed. Firm, yet gentle, his lips dominated hers. Fingers wove into her hair, canting her head as he deepened the kiss and she could only moan into his mouth as her legs lifted to wrap around his waist. He was everything to her. The only man who could piss her off and make her melt in the same breath.

Abruptly, though, he broke the kiss and pulled back to peer down at her. The air she tried to recapture stalled as the light caught in his eyes. Her core instantaneously clenched and her mouth ran dry. She knew those eyes, having seen them before. Slitted pupils set against brilliantly bright ruby red irises. His tongue swept over his lips before they pulled up into a devious grin, baring sharpened canines.

"I'd suggest you go shower," he growled from deep within his chest. "And I'd be quick about it if I were you."

"Wh-why?"

His head dipped and the fingers in her hair tightened, pulling her head back to expose the span of her throat. Razor-sharp teeth gently brushed against her skin and she shivered beneath him.

"Because you have a date with a Dragon and he doesn't want to be kept waiting for much longer."

"It's not what you believe..."

"I'm gonna be a great babysitter for Sting-Kun."

"Fro thinks so too!"

Sting laughed at the exceeds' antics. They'd been discussing helping Yukino watch after Kai for an hour now and it had gone from ridiculous to insane. Lector was sure he had the whole looking after Kai thing in the bag with feeding her fish and using the feathered cat toy to entertain her. It had been comical until he'd suggested that if she got too fussy, they could put her in the cat carrier. She wasn't a damn pet. "Let Yuki handle looking after Kai and the two of you just help her get bottles or diapers, alright?"

"Fro likes bottles," the cosplaying exceed smiled. "Fro likes Flare and Rogue too."

Lector crossed his arms with a huff. "Diapers and bottles. I can do more, Sting-kun."

"I'm sure you can, Buddy," he chuckled as he pushed up from the couch. "I'm going to check on my girls and get a shower. You two behave in here."

"Fro always behaves!"

"I think that was meant more for me, Frosch."

"Oh, well Fro will behave too. With Lector."

He chuckled as he quietly slipped down the hall, pausing in the doorway when he caught sight of his mate leaning over their daughter's crib. The two exceeds were quickly forgotten as he smiled from the dark cover of the hallway. Never in a million years did he ever think he could be so lucky. It seemed a lifetime ago that she was just another guildmate. Granted, one he'd noticed but always just out of reach.

But that had been as much his fault as it had been others.

They had all followed Jiemma too fiercely, adapted to his cruel ways too willingly. Fear had been a driving factor but none had really tried to revolt. Not before the Games and he could kick himself for not releasing them all from his tyranny before. His stomach pitched every time he remembered being just as mean to her as Jiemma himself. He hadn't been a leader then, following suit with the others when they teased her. How she ever forgave him was beyond comprehension. But he was glad she had.

His life wouldn't be the same without her and the little girl they'd given life to.

He knew that he lacked, in many areas. Too many to count, but he knew he had heart and his belonged to both of them. Yukino completed him and made him better for it. His love for her knew no boundaries. She was the sky to his earth, the light in the dark. She was the peanut butter to his jelly, holding him together in the most impossible of situations. Life could not get any better and he couldn't love anyone more, or so he'd thought.

"Those prayers will make you bleed."

And then Kai came along.

That precious little girl with his hair and her mother's eyes was their entire world. He was one hundred and ten percent smitten with her. Every day there was something new to explore and discover, all through those gorgeous toffee eyes of hers. She brought laughter back into their home when the world around them was bleak. She was the proof that he and Yukino existed. Long after they were gone, their life and love would go on in her.

And that was what terrified him the most.

Tomorrow they would leave town. He would leave them both behind without him to protect and watch over them. He had faith in her and the Fairies but it was not the same. They didn't love the two as he did. They didn't understand them the way he did. He feared being in battle and something happening. What if he was fighting for his life and felt Yukino slip away? What if their bond did not work being so far apart and he didn't know until he returned?

There were too many what if's and it didn't sit well.

"You're worrying again."

His mate's voice brought him back from the depths of his own mind and he blinked, finding her pulling the door closed behind her. He'd been so lost that he hadn't realized she'd moved from their daughter's side. "Is she asleep?"

"Soundly," Yukino smiled as she slipped her arms around his waist. "Talk to me?"

He wound his arms around her, hugging her close as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "It's nothing for you to concern yourself over."

He heard her sigh before she pulled away and turned for the bedroom. He didn't need to see her face or hear her words to know he'd pissed her off. But what was he supposed to say? It was his job to do the worrying. He couldn't tell her he was scared of leaving her alone. She'd only shit kittens and they'd claw his eyes out. "Yuki…"

She threw a hand up before she disappeared into their bedroom. "Whatever, Sting."

And these kittens are better how?

He rolled his eyes at his dragon's voice. It apparently didn't matter at all because she was pissy either way. Following her into the bedroom, he reached back to pull his shirt up over his head and tossed it into the clothes hamper. "Baby, look-"

"But while you're on your knees."

"No," she seethed as she yanked a dresser drawer open. "You look. I'm your damn mate, not just another guild member. You're worried and I can feel it. All I am wanting is for you to talk to me. Tell me what your concerns are so we can deal with it before you leave."

And this is why SHE'S your better half, kiddo.

He was of half a mind to tell his dragon where to go stuff it. He wasn't stupid. He knew she made a valid point. "That's the issue," he sighed in defeat.

"Huh?"

"Me leaving," he said as he turned his back and started undoing the buckle on his belt. "That's the issue."

"Sting, we'll be fine here so there's nothing to worry about."

He turned back to glare at her only to find her bent over, her ass in the air as she pulled off her pants. Gone were the granny panties she'd worn during her pregnancy and her usual bikini style panties were back. The edges fell just shy of covering the full curve of her ass, accentuating the fullness of it and his arousal twitched in his pants. So not the time, Dude. "I have to worry, Babe. I'm leaving you and Kai here, alone."

She stood and turned to toss her pants in his direction. "No, Babe you don't. When you leave in the morning you have one job and that's it."

Sting's brows shot for his hairline. "Excuse me?"

Yukino pulled off her shirt and slowly made her way across the room towards him. "You heard me," she said rather matter-of-factly as she came to stand before him. "I have things here under control. I will be just fine looking after our daughter. But you, you can't go worrying about us."

"You're my mate and that's my daughter!"

"And that's why you can't worry!" she bellowed in return.

His brows furrowed and he stared at her, confused. That was exactly why he worried. Was she just not understanding? "Yuki, I'm a little lost here…"

"Because you're an idiot sometimes…"

He'd barely heard her whispered words as her head hung. He smelled salt before he heard the sniffle come from the curtain of powder blue hair. It only perplexed him further, not understanding what exactly was wrong. "I am an idiot," he whispered as he reached up to hook a finger under her quivering chin. "So can you maybe explain it so I understand?"

"How did you love, how did you love, how did you love?"

A groan rocketed from his lips when she suddenly slammed herself against him, pinning him to the wall as she buried her face in his chest. Wet, salty tears smeared on his chest and her shoulders trembled in silent sobs.

"You can't worry about us," she sobbed in barely a whisper. "You need your head in the game and not on us because… Because I need you, she needs you to come back to us."

And he finally understood what she was getting out. She wasn't saying it wasn't his job to worry. He literally couldn't because it would only provide a distraction. His arms trapped her against him as his fingers buried in the locks of her hair. Nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head, he sighed when the scent of her settled in his nose. Stardust and peppermint. "I'll be coming back, Lovebug."

"Don't get cocky," came the muffled reply.

He chuckled and pulled back enough to scoop her up, an arm slipping behind her knees and the other behind her back. She was light and fit perfectly against him as her arms wove around his neck, her face burying in the crook. He walked towards the bed and carefully sat down, keeping her in his lap. "Look at me, Lovebug."

She pulled back to peer up at him from under her bangs, wet streaks running down her round face. "What?"

A soft smile settled on his lips at the sound of her watery sniffles and he reached up to wipe at the tear tracks. "This isn't me being cocky, I promise. I will be coming back home to you and Kai. No mat-"

"Don't make a promise you-"

He pressed a finger to her lips to silence her words. "Yukino, this is fact. No matter what the cost, even if I'm on a stretcher, I'll be back on that stretcher with air in my chest and a beat in my heart. I would rather Kai have a crippled father than no parents at all. She will need you so much more than me. All girls need their mothers and I mean to see that she keeps hers."

"Sting…"

The crack in her voice told him enough. She understood his message and she finally got that he knew his job. Slipping his hand back, he palmed her jaw and started at her forehead. He pressed his lips against her flesh. "I-will-be-back-for-you," he said as he kissed his way down her face. Over her eyes, the slope of her nose, the fullness of her cheeks until he reached the bow of her lips. His thumb brushed against her flushed skin and blue locked with brown. "We've got a lot of years left, Yukino and I mean to make good on my promise I gave when we mated. I will be with you when we are old, wrinkled and my heart will still be completely yours."

Fresh tears slipped from the corners of her eyes and her fingers sank into the back of his hair. "Let's take a quick shower? I've got a Dragon who leaves in the morning and I need to send him off with enough of me to hold him until he returns."

"Nothing ever feels quite the same when you are what you dreamed."

"My bag's all packed, Natsu."

The Fire Dragon Slayer pulled the drawstring on his backpack and secured the slide lock in place before looking up. "Mine too, Happy."

The blue Exceed smiled and hopped down from the back of the couch. "Don't forget to wake me like you did last time."

He pushed up from the couch to stand and lifted his bag from the coffee table with a roll of his eyes. He'd only ever forgotten the exceed once and that had been years ago. There was no doubt that he'd never hear the end of it. But then, perhaps he needed the constant reminder so it never happened again. There was no doubt in his mind that he got a little scatterbrained when he got over excited. "I won't, Happy. G'night."

"Night, Natsu. Don't let the bedbugs bite."

A chuckle tumbled from his lips as he watched his bestest and closest friend climb up into the hammock that was strung up in the loft of his small cabin. The little guy had gladly given up his own bedroom when Lisanna had announced she was pregnant. He'd been planning on building an addition to the home, to make more room. But the selfless act had spared him a little time to getting around to actually doing it.

His eyes strayed to the room, whose door still remained closed and unsealed. A heavy feeling settled in his chest, an ache that refused to go away. They'd been so happy and couldn't wait to bring the little tyke home. The three of them had painstakingly decorated the room. Fire trucks and fire-fighting clowns adorned the curtains and bed linens, the walls repainted a dazzling blue. A rocker set off to one side, beside the window with a view to the back yard and forest beyond. There was a white blanket tossed over the back that Lisanna had hand stitched to look just like his scarf. Only now, the room sat unused. Empty.

The way he felt when his thoughts wandered to the son that should be home with them.

He often contemplated what could have happened and contemptuous rage billowed inside of him when he did. While Lisanna tried to remain optimistic, he just couldn't. It went against everything that he was, but he had to prepare himself for the utmost worst. There was no reason for Ivan to keep the boy alive if he had, indeed, survived the traumatic birth. To be ripped away from her body the way he had, Natsu couldn't imagine something so small and defenseless surviving.

It went against reason to think otherwise.

With a heavy breath, he pushed the negativity away and lowered the lights to an ambient glow. The time for contemplating just how he was going to go all King Kamehameha on those responsible was over. They were leaving in the morning to exact their attack. The time was at hand for him to do just that and he had a mate that he desperately needed to hold and reaffirm that she, too, was ready for what was to come.

"And you will never look at anything the same when you see what I see"

He walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him, the sound of the shower running catching his attention. He quickly shed what remained of his clothes, tossing the pants and boxers into the clothes hamper (Just so that Lis wouldn't bitch at him for being a pig. Again.) and placing his shoes beside the dresser. He quietly crept to the bathroom door and carefully opened it, keeping a hold on the knob so it wouldn't slam into the wall.

The entire room was filled with steam, the air heavy with piping hot vapor. He loved that she now preferred the warmer water temperature over the lukewarm water she used to bathe in before they mated. The flame that now decorated the flare of her hip demanded it, making her as warm blooded as he with a propensity towards the hot side of the spectrum.

"You're letting in the cold air, Natsu."

He muttered a curse beneath his breath as he shut the door and moved for the shower. There was no sneaking up on her the way he'd been able to do with Lucy back in the day. Not that he really wanted to see his best friend naked, but he enjoyed hearing her scream in terror when he yanked the curtain back and thrust a banana at her. A chuckle slipped out at the memory of the Blonde flailing in the slippery tub, sending water and soap suds everywhere. They were good times and he sometimes missed being able to mess with his best friend as he had. But now he feared her mate would most likely kill him if he tried.

If Lisanna didn't kill him first for even thinking it. Or Lucy herself, she'd become even scarier than she was before.

Natsu pulled the curtain back and a grin settled on his lips. His mate was blessed with hearing almost as good as his, given her animal souls. Even in human form, she was breathtaking. A true sight to behold with her snow white hair slicked back under the steady stream of water from the shower head. His narrow eyes followed the flow of water as it streamed down over her porcelain skin and feminine curves. She looked like a water sprite that had been in a bedtime story that Igneel had once read to him. Lithe and nimble with the face of a fairy and delicate features.

He loved every inch of Lisanna, with everything that he was. But it was her eyes that always did him in. Those large pools of blue, just like the lakes that water sprites were believed to come from. They were like windows to her heart, the love she returned always shining back at him. Eyes were his thing. It was why he'd first thought himself to be in love with the blonde Celestial mage. Her wide, doe-like eyes had pulled him in, reminding him of Lisanna's. It had been like finding a piece of the one person he'd loved the most that he'd thought was lost to him for forever.

"How we forget ourselves, lose our way from the cradle to the grave"

But then Edolas had given her back.

And that was when he knew. Lisanna was truly his mate and not just his dragon's mate. She was his soulmate. The love of his life, the air that he breathed and the only person who his heart beat for. She was the one Igneel had spoken of so long ago. The one that would ignite a fire inside of him that burned brighter and hotter than any other flame that could exist. The one that would make him feel whole and unburden his heavy heart, even on the worst of days. She cleared the smoke from the air and allowed him to see things he'd never seen before.

You can't lose her again, Natsu.

He wholeheartedly agreed with his dragon on this. It would not be as it was before, her just gone from his life. He would feel her pass, just like Laxus had felt Lucy go when she gave birth. Grief, the likes that had never been felt before, would tear him apart from the inside. His heart would shatter into a million pieces and it would be a painful end for him. One he wasn't yet ready to face. He wanted a chance for more with her. A chance to maybe get married in the back yard, have more children, grow old…

"Honey bear?"

He blinked away the stinging in his eyes at the sing-song sound of her voice and forced a smile. "Sorry, was admiring the view."

"Uh huh," Lisanna chuckled before tossing the soapy pink bath sponge at him. "Get in here so I can wash your back."

What if I never get to hear that again?

The unspoken question tightened a vice on his chest and without another thought, he dropped the sponge as he stepped into the shower. His hands came up to frame her cherubic face and he pressed her back against the tiled wall. Her hiss of discomfort went unnoticed, silenced as his mouth captured hers and his tongue stole between her parted lips in search of hers. Rough and demanding, he poured every ounce of his need for her into his kiss. He needed her to know, to understand that she truly was his everything.

Delicate fingers wove into his hair as she melted against him and he relished the sound of her kiss muffled moan. The feminine softness of her curves, of the body he'd spent hours worshipping, molded to his. They fit together like puzzles pieces, a puzzle he wanted to assemble over and over again if the fates would let him. Cherries and sugar. She tasted every bit the freshly baked cherry pie that she smelled like. It was home and he wanted more, craved it worse than he craved food.

"Na-Natsu," Lisanna mumbled against his lips as her hands came up to wiggle between their bodies. "Air. I need- Air."

The body's stupid need to breathe.

His hands halted their trek southward and he broke from her lips, his forehead coming to rest against hers. "Sorry, I…"

"You can't replicate or duplicate, gotta find your own way. Yeahhhh!"

He didn't exactly know how to say what was flowing through his head. He wasn't eloquent like the others, his mind and vocabulary too simple. His actions always spoke for him and that usually just led him into trouble. Gentle hands came up to cup his cheeks as water streamed overhead, washing the taste of her from his lips.

"I know, Honey Bear," she gently smiled as she pushed the water from his eyes with just a soft brush of her fingers. "I love you, too. So very much, more than all the fish in the sea."

The stinging in his eyes returned and he gave a small chuckle. There wouldn't be any fish in the sea if Happy had his way but he got her meaning nonetheless. He reached up and pulled one of her hands down so that he could press his lips to the palm. "Promise me something?"

"Anything. Just name it and it's yours."

It still warmed him that after all of these years, she was still so eager to be his. He pressed her hand back to his cheek and nuzzled himself against it, a purr rumbling from the depths of his gut. "Promise me that you're ready for this, that you'll be careful when we're out there. And if you're not, then promise me that you'll stay here."

A soft sigh fell from her lips and she leaned forward to brush them, tenderly, against his. "While I can't promise that I'll be ready for everything we might find up there on that mountain. I can say without uncertainty that I am ready to fight at your side. For our child, for us and for our family."

Her words were meant to calm the nervous flutter in his chest, but they didn't. He loved her bravery and should be happy for it. The cloud of smoke that shadowed the possible outcomes of what was to come wouldn't allow it. He loved her too much. "I get that. But if there comes-"

Thin, alabaster arms wound around him, crushing his body against hers to cut off his words.

"There won't come a time, Natsu," she mumbled as her face buried in the crook of his neck. "We'll face this together and no matter what happens, we've loved each other enough to get through it."

Hot, salty tears welled in his eyes and his arms slipped around her, his hands flattening against her back to pull her tighter. Her words echoed in his head, over and over again but it wasn't enough. It never would be, but he had the night to try and make it so. His nose buried in the wet tresses of her hair and he pressed his lips against her. "Not yet," he mumbled. "But let's go to bed so I can love you until we have."

"No one gets out alive, every day is do or die."

"And next, we will add the flour. Be sure to constantly stir, a roux is easy to burn."

Cobra blinked as the view to the television was blocked and he looked up to find his mate standing there, hands on hips and looking like she was ready to spit nails. But it only took one small listen to understand why. She'd apparently been standing there for five minutes, calling his name and he hadn't heard a peep. He'd been lost in old re-runs of Justin Wilson's Cajun Cooking.

Not that he'd been paying any real attention to the television. His mind was too busy going over the multitude of possibilities. He'd spoken to Midnight by lacrima just an hour before and the number of soldiers had been increasing over the last day. More going in than what was coming out of the cave system. That only meant one thing. Close quarter combat where friend and foe were breathing the same air. His poison would be virtually useless unless the cavern system was more extensive than they were planning on.

He didn't exactly like the odds. All of their slayer abilities would be limited for fear that they created a cave in. If it meant cutting off more troops, great. But if it meant trapping friendlies or worse, killing one of his family. Not so great. They were concerns that he was sure Laxus was taking into consideration, but he'd need to mention them nonetheless. If Natsu got it in his flea-sized brain to go balls to the wall, that could be a disaster and he'd hate to have to kill the village idiot. He was still a brother, moron or not.

He raked his hands over his face and groaned in frustration. "Kina, I'm sorry. My mind just got away from me."

"You've been lost in that thing since we left Gajeel's," she chuckled as she came to kneel between his spread legs.

He grimaced, knowing she was right. He didn't like going into the unknown and he certainly didn't relish the thought of doing it with her. Things had been different in the past when she was a snake. She packed a venomous bite and could get herself out of any compromising position. He never had to worry but now, he was concerned. She'd been working on takeover magic with Mira and he'd seen the great strides that she'd taken. But was it enough? He wasn't exactly sure. It terrified him to think of them getting separated in the heat of battle and something happening. He feared her getting overrun.

The fragility of the caves and his dragon force be damned, he'd unleash all unholy hell on any that harmed her.

Or our kin.

"The one thing you leave behind."

That was another set of problems all unto themselves. He'd seen, first hand, just how much the kin bond affected them. It had been pure hell when Lucy had gone into labor, feeling a piece of the same darkness that had threatened to consume Laxus when she'd slipped away. The grief had stolen the air from his chest and unleashed a pain he'd only ever experienced once. When Kinana had been taken, her fate unknown and all trace of her gone. He'd never wanted to feel that again and yet he had, for the Blonde that he'd once tried to snuff out himself. He was fucked, royally, if any of his brethren fell.

As good as it felt to have a family, it was a hindrance in times like this.

Arms slipped around his waist and he looked down as she laid her head in his lap. "We'll all be fine, Erik. As long as we stick together, we'll beat this."

Always the optimistic one, she was. A single corner of his lips pulled up and he brought a hand up to bury into her hair. The soft tresses fell over his fingers like silk, caressing his skin like a feather as he combed through it. A soft hum of contentment rose from his mate, soothing the anxious beast inside. She always did that for him. Even as a snake, she could take the worst of his rage from sixty to nothing in mere seconds. "You can't leave my side, Doll Face."

"Leave your side?" Kinana asked as she lifted her head from his hips to peer up at him from under her bangs. "What would make you think I would, Love?"

A heavy sigh fell from his lips and his hand slipped down to caress the curve of her cheek, his thumb brushing gently over the full bow of her lips. "I meant when the fighting starts, I don't want you out of reach."

Her thin brows furrowed and she stiffened. "I'm not incapable, Erik."

I shoulda seen that coming…

"I'm not saying ya are, Doll Face."

"Then what exactly are you saying? I can't hear what you do."

Oh, and could he hear. The banshees had been released from hell and had taken up permanent residence in her head. He pushed her back, his head shaking as he leaned forward and palmed her cheeks. Wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts, panties and on her knees, she presented an image that always got him. But it's not the time for that, ya pervert. "Kina, do you realize what you mean to me?"

"Yes..."

He scooted to the edge of the couch and pulled her up into a full kneel. "You're not just my mate, Cu."

A blush settled on her cheeks and she tried to look away but he held her still. "You haven't called me that in a long time."

"But it got your attention, didn't it?"

"Is how did you love, how did you love?"

She smiled shyly and gave a nod of her head, making him smile. He adored that side of her and it had been too long since he'd seen it. Their relationship had grown, morphing and reinventing itself over the years from Master and pet to spouses, partners in life. But it had been their roots that had built what they had and it was time to remind them both of that. "You're my best friend, my confidante, the reason I fucking live and the reason I learned to love. Who would I be without you? What would I be other than a sad, angry asshole with no real purpose? Cu, I may have been the one to lead you for so damn long. But this entire time, it's been you with all the fucking power."

Kinana's chin quivered and he could smell the salt before he saw the tears pool on her lower lids. "But you hold the lea-"

He silenced her words with his lips, his unsteady breath warming the small space between their flesh. Tenderly, he kissed her as he pushed what he felt for her through their mate bond. "I can only lead because you allow me to," he whispered. "That will never change but in this, I need you to let me protect you. No matter what, do not leave my damn side. If… If something happens to you…"

She gave a knowing, but sad smile as his words trailed off and she reached up to pull one of his hands down to her lips. "When will you listen to me?" she replied softly before pressing a kiss to his palm and pressing it back to her cheek. "I told you earlier that no matter what happens, I'm beside you and I meant it. You lead and I will always follow because I choose to. Even in a crowded room, Erik, I will always choose you. No one else could ever own the collar around my neck. Only my Dragon."

Cobra's eye drifted closed as he leaned in to press his forehead to hers. His fingers slipped down to brush against her neck, finding it bare. "Speaking of…"

A small squeak slipped from her lips and she sagged against him. "On the nightstand, I was waiting for you."

A frown settled on his lips at her words. It seemed as though she was always waiting for him. And that needed to come to an end, here and now. His hand slipped down to grasp hers and he gave a gentle tug. "Come on," he said as he stood. "No more waiting."

She scurried up after him, a small smile gracing her features as the light returned to her eyes. "Does this mean… Will you..."

He pulled her towards their bedroom, a confident grin tugged at a corner of his mouth. "It's time I remind you who you belong to, Cu. Tomorrow might not come and I need to know you'll always remember."

"It's not what you believe..."

"Are these things really necessary, Gajeel?"

The Iron Dragon Slayer cut the light off in the kitchen and walked out into the living room to find Pantherlily sitting in the chair. The exceed was in full battle form, his amber eyes cautiously watching the painted cutouts flittering about. He'd been all for the idea until Bix had arrived and made his grand suggestion to make their farce a little more lifelike.

Two wooden cutouts had been made and painted to look like Cobra and himself. Reedus had outdone himself on the care he'd put into the lifelike replicas. But that was where the resemblance had ended. Both had been infused with pieces of the Seith mage's magic and souls that had yet to have babies carved for them were deposited inside to animate them.

It had been comical at the time, listening to the two little smartasses converse and tease the exceed. Now, it was just creepy. Their voices too high pitched and the never ending mocking of things said was annoying. He suddenly regretted the decision to have them set up here, in his home. It meant having to spend the night knowing the two souls were running amok. It meant having to leave his mate in the house with them. That just bothered the hell out of him and the only consolation was that Lily would be here should anything happen.

"Unfortunately," he grumbled as he walked over to pick his glass of water up from the table. "Yes. I'd suggest you do like me and retire to yer damn room for the night."

The Exceed's face pinched in distaste. "I could arrange a bonfire."

"And Bicks would kill yer ass," he chuckled. "Night, Lily."

"Goodnight, Gajeel. Wake me when you get up."

He gave a nod and made his way down the hall, his footsteps slowing as he reached Wendy's open bedroom door. He peered in to find her closing her bag and he smiled. The small, not so small, Slayer had grown so much since all of this had started. She was changing, growing into a young lady. The baby in her face was morphing, maturing. The little, frilly nightgowns gone, replaced by long t-shirts and sleep shorts that were just a bit too short for his liking. "Did you cut another damn pair of shorts?"

Wendy jumped, a shriek rocketing from her lips as she spun and tugged at the hem of her shirt. "Gajeel!"

"It is not nice to be spying on young girls," Charle frowned from her small bed. "Dirty old men, the lot of you."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Whatever, Snowball. I've got a mate."

"You sure things will be okay with her staying?"

"Those prayers will make you bleed."

The small Slayer's words struck a chord. It was a sore subject. Unavoidable or not, he didn't exactly like the idea of leaving her here without him at her side. Not after what they'd gone through the last time. "Lily will be here, Squirt. She's carrying my kid so she's safer here."

His words did nothing to convince him otherwise and the quirk of Wendy's brow told him she wasn't exactly buying it either. "Are you saying you wanna stay?"

The blue-haired Slayer frowned, contemplation crossing her face before she gave a small shake of her head. "No, you all will need me more out there."

"Then what do you suggest?"

A look of surprise rose on the young girl's face and guilt flooded in. They forgot, all too often, that the young Slayer had a voice, a say in what they did. Smart as a whip, she was more than capable of adding an intelligent thought to the Tatsu's decisions. He made a mental note to include her more often in their discussions. It was time to treat her like the adult she was quickly growing into.

"Gajeel, I…" Wendy paused, her feet shuffling nervously against the floor. "Maybe I could ask Romeo to come watch over them too? I might feel better if he was here to help Lily."

He bit his lip to keep from chuckling when a bright blush spread over her cheeks. She was wanting to rely on her mate and it was absolutely the cutest damned thing he'd ever seen. He had to wonder what he might have been like had he found Levy when he was younger. The thought stuck and he gave a shake of his head. He was an outright asshole in his youth, still was but he'd improved a little since then.

"Sounds like a good plan," he nodded. "Get on the line and tell him we leave out at three thirty so he'd better be here before then."

"Thank you, Gajeel!"

The small girl dashed across the room to slam into him, her small arms wrapping around his waist as her face buried into his chest. He was used to the shows of affection from his kin, but it always took him by surprise. How far he'd come since joining Fairy Tail. He'd been an absolute dick, not worthy of the love he had now. The best thing that had ever happened to him was the war between Phantom and Fairy Tail. It had turned his life from meaningless to an overflowing cup. He had family and friends, real ones that accepted him despite the shit he'd done.

He wrapped an arm around the girl and ruffled her hair with the other, laughing when she groaned. "Make yer call and then get yer ass to bed, Squirt."

"Yes sir," Wendy smiled as she pulled away. "Love you."

"Love you too," he smiled as he pulled the door shut.

"But while you're on your knees."

He pushed further down the hall and quietly opened the door to his own bedroom. He found his mate laying on the bed, back propped on the pillows and readers firmly seated on her nose as she read a book. A corner of his mouth ticked up as he made his way over to set his water down on the nightstand. "What'cha reading?"

"Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets," she smiled as she looked up over her frames.

He pulled a corner of the blankets back and flopped down on the bed beside her with a roll of his eyes. "My wand's better."

A bark of laughter burst from her lips and she closed the book. "Care to demonstrate?"

Gajeel grinned when she pulled the glasses from their perch and gave a suggestive wiggle of her brows. He rolled to his side and slipped an arm beneath her, his fingers gripping her hips to give her a tug. "Put that damn book up and I might."

He waited, impatiently, as she did just that. He heard the book hit the floor, followed by the clicking of her glasses hitting the bedside table and he didn't miss a beat. A squeal erupted from her lips as he pulled her to him and rolled them so that she lay atop him.

"Ooh! Mister Redfox," she purred as she shifted her legs to straddle him. "I'd say your wand is at the ready."

His hands slid down the length of her sides, a soft growl rumbling in his chest as his fingers reached the fleshy curve of her ass. Her head dipped and he lifted just a little to nip at her lips. "Mhm, it's ready to be in your Patronus."

"My pervy dragon," Levy chuckled as she moved her elbows to the bed beneath him. "I love you. You know that, right?"

His eyes fluttered closed as her fingers weaved into his hair, her nails scraping gently against his scalp. He loved when she did it, the way a dog loved being scratched behind the ear. It had a way of calming him, gently soothing him into a puddle of goo. "Without a damn doubt," he mumbled. "But you keep that up, ya ain't gettin' the wand."

He felt the shift in the air before he realized that she didn't respond. He felt the flat of her hands press against his chest and opened his eyes as she pushed to sit up. She looked thoughtful and anxious. "What's wrong, Shrimp?"

She didn't say anything at first, just staring down at him before finally whispering. "I don't want you to go."

"How did you love, how did you love..."

She was scared he could feel it. Reaching up, he pulled her back down to his chest and wound his arms around her to keep her there. "I know," he mumbled against the top of her head. "I wish you could go with me."

"Me too…"

Nuzzling into her hair, his hands smoothed over her back. He could feel the slight tremble in her limbs, the tension in her spine and he understood. But there was no getting around it. There was no way she was going out there and he had his own reasons for revenge. He wasn't going to let the others go into battle and him not be there. "You know Lily will be here with ya and as long as ya don't leave, they can't get in here. Not with Greenie's new rune crap."

"I know," she mumbled as she buried her face in his chest. "I'm just worried about you going out there without Lily."

He started to reassure her when the meaning of her words sank in and a pout settled on his lips, his pierced brows furrowing. "Are you sayin' I can't take care of my damn self?"

"Maybe…"

Gajeel's eyes narrowed and he rolled, flipping her over so that she was trapped beneath the bulk of his body. His fingers went to her sides, digging in playfully as his teeth found the hollow between her neck and shoulder. Shrill laughter filled the otherwise quiet room, taking the gloom of the next day with it. "Maybe? I've been handling my own shit for years," he growled as he continued to tickle her.

"Ga- Gaj- I-" Her words were broken by laughter and gasps for air as her small hands tried fruitlessly to push him off. "I'm- Imma- BWAHAHA!"

Her small body bucked beneath him, her limbs trying to work beneath him. Anything to get a hold but he knew just how useless it was. Her four foot, eleven inches, and one hundred, fifteen pounds were no match for his much larger, heavier frame. "Ready to give up?"

"Y-yes! Gah! I'm gonna pee!"

It only took that one little word for him to immediately cease and desist. He knew exactly what that felt like and really didn't want to relive it. She'd pissed all over him just once when he'd held her down. That was enough and just the thought of the warm wet spreading over his midsection had him shuddering in revulsion. His grip on her loosened and he adjusted himself up onto his elbows to pull some of his weight from on her.

"How did you love?"

Looking down at her, the shadows that had crossed her small, dainty features were gone. Instead, she looked lively, her cheeks flushed in exertion, her chest heaving and a smile spread over her face. Fuck me, she's beautiful. His head dipped and he captured her pouty bottom lip with his own, his teeth gently scraping over her flesh. "You don't need to worry about me, Shrimp."

She wiggled until her arms were free and her small hands came up to press against his cheeks. "I'll always worry about my dragon, it's my job."

A half-hearted chuckle slipped from his lips and he shook his head. "Then I guess it's my job to hurry the fuck up and come home?"

Her hands slid up, her fingers digging into his hair to pull his head down. "Exactly, get it done and come back to me safe and sound so we can raise this hellion of yours together."

"Hellion, huh?" he smirked as he brushed his nose against hers.

"Yep, just like his Daddy."

Her lips teased his, just barely touching to leave him wanting more. But that was how his little bookworm was. Aged paper and peppermint tainted with hints of metal and cloves wet his appetite and soft touches brought him to his knees. What she lacked in size, she made up for in mind alone and she used it against him. He'd always want her. "Then how about I give you a little hell to keep you warm until I get back?"

"This ain't no cross to carry."

Laxus shut off the light in the bathroom and walked out into the bedroom to find it empty. His brow furrowed, expecting to find his mate already in bed. Or at the very least, sitting there waiting for him to be done. Their day had been busy. They'd managed to get things set up and fortified at Gajeel's. All of the runes had been rechecked, rewritten and tested just to be sure. Him, Reedus and Bickslow got the moronic cutouts done and animated. He'd even taken the time to memorize the layout of the Dragon Slayer's home just so that he could thought project an image of himself there from time to time.

They'd received confirmation from Sabertooth that Orga and Rufus would be heading this way as a precaution. He'd appreciated the forethought that Sting had on getting them involved. On one hand, he'd considered having them come along, the extra manpower could have been useful but they would be best served coming here to protect the mates that were staying. The stage had been set and they only had to wait several hours to put it into motion. The time for bringing justice to his father and siblings was close at hand.

And he feared it.

It had not occurred to him that he might be incapable until she'd so astutely pointed it out. Since their conversation, he'd thought of nothing else. He knew what had to be done. Of that, there was no doubt. Even through his grandfather's fierce arguments to the contrary. There was no escaping the fact that as long as Ivan drew breath in his chest, he would continue to pose a threat that could very possibly lead to the world's destruction. The man, in his greed, would never stop until he'd wiped every last speck of light and good from Earthland. All in the pursuit of money and even his own blood be damned.

He carefully weighed his options. Gajeel, Cobra, even Rogue would never falter. They knew what had to be done and they'd do it without question or doubt. He knew it could very well take all three of them combined to effectively bring Ivan to his knees and deliver the end that was coming. Natsu and Sting, the two of them could and would do it. But most likely by pure accident. They were a brute force without the forethought of strategy. They'd bring the fires of heaven and hell, but it would come at the cost of possibly destroying everything else around them.

Then there was Draco's suggestion of allowing Lucy to take the lead. He was extremely aware that she could do it. There wasn't a single doubt in his mind that she could. Since their mating, he'd seen her power alone come to rival his own. But where he was not always the quickest of thinkers when it came to the thick of things, she had him on tactics. She was far more mentally nimble than he was, seeing all options before making a move. Whereas he just simply used his strength and power to overcome any obstacles that dared rise up against him when the time was running short.

He just didn't care for the thought of her having to carry that burden back home.

He knew his mate, only all too well. She was tenderhearted. She carried her emotions out in the open for the world to see. Her capacity for forgiving and forgetting rivaled only the good lord himself. But her weakness was giving herself absolution. When she fucked up, the world around her knew it. She let it burden her to a fault, allowing herself to get sucked into the inky depths of her own darkness. He saw the pure light that was within her and he hated the thought of tainting it. He wanted more for her and that was the only area of doubt for him.

"We are the judge and jury."

He sniffed at the air and caught the trail of scent, following it out into the hall and down the steps. He found her sitting in the living room with only a single lamp to illuminate the book in her lap. Even from a distance, he could see the watery hint of a smile that graced her full lips as her thin, delicate fingers turned the thick page. "What are you doing down here?"

A hand quickly wiped her eyes and she looked up to offer a small, forced smile. "Had some pictures that I needed to add to the baby book."

He made his way over and took a seat beside her, his arm draping over her shoulders to pull her against his side. "And you got to looking through them."

"Yeah…"

He looked down and couldn't stop himself from reaching out to brush his fingers over the picture closest to him. It had been taken just after they'd brought the twins home. He was laying on the couch, his eyes closed with both babies sound asleep on his chest. He didn't even realize the picture existed but he remembered clearly lying with them. She'd fussed at him for falling asleep that way, claiming one of them could have fallen or crushed had he turned. The image made his chest hurt, his heart aching to have them both back home. He knew where Levi was, but with Chimes not there, the separation only worsened.

"I miss them both, so much."

The acrid scent of salt burned his nose before he heard the sniffle and a frown pulled at the corners of his lips. He reached over and pulled the book from her lap, setting it on the table. "Come here," he said as he tugged on her leg.

Gathering the ends of her robe, she climbed up to straddle his lap and curled her arms in to lay against his chest. It was a stark reminder of just how small she was compared to him as his arms circled around her. He held her close as she softly wept, not caring that her tears slicked his chest. His arms rubbed her back and he just allowed her to cry it out. He knew the pain and grief she felt, the emotions flowing freely between them through the connection of their bond.

When the trembling began to subside and the gasps for air mellowed into shallow, hiccuped breaths, he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "They'll both be home soon."

Her head moved softly moved against him in a small nod. "I know, but still…"

Laxus raked his fingers through her still damp hair, combing and fanning it against the soft satin of her robe. "I'm worried too," he whispered against her hair. "But we both have to believe that we'll succeed. I refuse to accept anything less."

"No one gets out alive, every day is do or die."

He felt her moist lips press against his skin, just over his heart and it skipped a beat.

"I love you, Spark Plug," she softly replied. "And I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd probably be happier, not dealing with this shit."

He felt her shift against him before a howl of pain burst from his lips. Her fingers clamped down on his nipple as though she was trying to pop a damn pimple. His hand slapped at hers and she tried to wiggle out of his grasp. An arm clenched around her waist, holding her fast as his other went in search of that spot on her side. It got her every time and the moment his fingers dug in, a squeal erupted from her lips and she squirmed even more.

"Laxus!" She shouted in laughter. "No! St-stop!"

His probing fingers moved up to her armpit and dug in again, his shoulders tensing as she slapped at him relentlessly. "Not until you apologize, Static."

"So-sorry! I'm-m-m s-sorry!"

His fingers stilled and he grinned in triumph as she pushed herself up to sit, her knees planted in the cushions beside him. "Won't go pinching my nipple again, will you?" he chuckled as he rubbed a hand over the sore bud. "That shit hurt."

"Wahhh. Poor baby," she playfully spat. "Can't take a little nipple action."

"I've never tried to rip your damn nipples off!"

"You deserved it," Lucy replied smugly.

His brow quirked as he gaped at her. "Why the hell do I deserve to be nippleless?"

"You said I'd be happier without you."

"Static," he sighed. "It was a damn joke."

A pout settled on her lips as she reached out to poke him in the chest. "I'd never be happy without you, Laxus. No matter what's happened, no matter what comes. You're it for me, the best thing that's ever happened in my life outside of Levi and Chimes. And I wouldn't have them without you so don't ever joke about that."

All the play evaporated out of him and Laxus stilled. Bringing a hand up to gently brush her hair back from her face, her cheeks still flushed from laughing. "I know, Static. I know because I feel the same damn way." He pulled her back down on his chest and feathered his lips across her forehead. "I still don't know why you ever chose me but I thank my lucky ass stars every damn night that you did. I don't deserve you or the two beautiful children you've given me, but I promise I will do whatever it takes to keep you."

"Just love me and bring our daughter back home."

"Always and we aren't coming back without her, Static."

"The one thing you leave behind."

The contented sigh that fell from his mate's lips brought a smile to his face and he allowed himself to relax as she sank against him. Her warmth permeated his skin, the feel of her against him comforting. It was something he'd never pictured himself having but she'd given him so much more than he could have dreamed. Love that was beyond comprehension, forgiveness that was unrepayable, a connection that was unbreakable. In such a short span of time, they'd been tried and tested, yet they always found their way back.

This had to be more than luck and much more than what the dragons before them had planned.

"One must learn to love, and go through a good deal of suffering to get to it... and the journey is always towards the other soul."

He hadn't realized they'd both gone silent until she spoke and her words struck a chord, having read it in a book that Freed had given him to read. The author had become one that he enjoyed. He smiled as she peered up at him and brushed his nose against hers. "I want to live my life so that my nights are not full of regrets."

A bright smile spread across her face and her arms came up to rest on his shoulders as she brushed her lips against his. "The fact that you can quote Lawrence is pretty sexy."

His hands slid slowly down her back to the curve of her ass. In their play, the fabric had risen and he growled low in his chest when his fingers found the creamy, smooth span of bare flesh. "I think you take the cake on being sexy in this relationship."

He muffled her chuckle as their lips met and molded as one in an open-mouthed kiss. The delicious taste of strawberries and cream exploded over his taste buds as their tongues entwined. Thin fingers buried in his hair and he palmed the fleshy curve of her ass, pulling her tightly against him. The heat of her core seeped through the thin cotton of his sleep shorts, awakening his arousal and she moaned into his mouth.

Slow and languid, he explored the cavern of her mouth and charted the surface of her lips with his tongue. Her hips gave a small roll against him and his moan chorused with the breathy sigh that escaped her lips. No matter how many times he touched her, he still marveled at the perfection that she was. Beautiful beyond words, even more so with the weight she still carried from childbirth, and completely his to worship.

"Is how did you love, how did you love?"

A hand slid under the fabric of her robe to travel up and over her smooth back, his fingers dancing along the length of her spine. He took delight in the way she shivered against him and patches of goosebumps rose beneath the calloused surface of his fingertips. "God," he breathed against her plump lips as her tongue danced across his. "I need you, so fucking bad."

Her fingers curled in his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp. "Then take your fill, Dragon," she breathlessly replied. "Take me until you've had enough and then take me again so I never forget."

With a guttural moan, his arms tightened around her small frame to hold her against him as he moved them and laid her out on the couch. She pulled herself free from the confines of her robe as he settled himself between her spread thighs. His lips returned to the landscape of her flesh, trailing down over her chin and lower still to the slope of her throat. Hands roaming, his fingers traveled down the outside of her thighs to the swell of her hips and love handles. A lesser man would find no value in the added padding pregnancy had visited upon her body. But he took pride in every mark and extra stretch of skin.

She was a goddess in his eyes and he'd worship at her altar for all eternity.

A small hand slipped between their bodies and his hips surged as dainty fingers gripped the length of his arousal through his pants. His lips broke free from the dusty rose tip of her breast as a moan crawled up from his throat. Despite the barrier of fabric, her touch still threatened to unhinge him. It was agonizingly slow, the way her fist stroked him and it left him gasping for air against the meaty flesh of her breast. He thrust into her grasp, wanting… No, needing more. He needed to feel all of her skin against his, needed to feel her soft hand wrapped around him.

"Static…"

His voice sounded rough, gritty and full of need. Even to his own ears and her reply came in the form of a moan. His teeth captured a pebbled tip of a breast and her body bowed beneath him as her fingers pushed at the waistband of his pants.

"Laxus, p-please…"

Reluctantly, he pulled away to kneel and quickly pushed the elastic waistband of his pants down over his hips. The hiss that fell from his lips when the cool air hit the heated flesh of his arousal melted into a moan as she warmed him with the warmth of her grasp as her fingers wrapped around him. "Fu-fuck, Lucy."

An impish grin plumped her cheeks as her lips rose and she brought her free hand up to her lips. The air in his lungs escaped in a rush as he watched her lick her palm, a thread of saliva stretching to its breaking point when she pulled it away. "That's exactly what I want you to do. Fuck me, mark me, let the world know who I belong to."

"Sh-shit!"

"It's not what you believe; those prayers will make you bleed."

One hand gripped the back of the couch, the other stopping his fall when her wet hand wrapped around his length and slid up the shaft of his arousal. It tested the boundaries of his restraint and it was on the verge of snapping. Did she know just how fucking sexy she was or how utterly she owned him? He didn't know, nor did he care, as she stroked him and he so easily caved by thrusting into her fist. It only wet his already overwhelming thirst to sheath himself inside of her, to feel her walls gripping him the way her fingers did.

Foreheads pressed together, he watched from beneath heavy lids as she teased him unmercifully. And herself. Every thrust of his hips sent the sensitive tip of his erection across the bridge of her clit, pulling more moisture back into her palm. Her hips rose to meet it, her breathy mewls joining the sounds of his grunted moans and labored breaths. It was quickly becoming too much, and still not enough despite the heady aroma of her arousal that thickened the air he breathed.

"L-Lucy…"

Her body clenched beneath him and a throaty moan rocketed from her kiss-swollen lips. Her fingers slid down the length of his arousal one last time as she passed the tip over her clit and nestled it against her opening. Already, he could feel her body suckling at him, beckoning him inside.

"Now, Dragon."

He didn't need to be told twice as his hips surged forward, sheathing his entire length in the tight, wet confines of her body with one thrust. It was like finding the precipice between heaven and hell. Pieces of his soul sucked down to the deepest and darkest depths of who she could be while the other half bathed in the light of who she was. He could die, right there in that moment and he knew without a single doubt that he'd have zero regrets. Not when he knew that she'd completed his world, completed him.

Her arms drew around him, her fingers gripping his back and his head dipped to brush his lips against hers. The urge to just unleash everything inside of him weighed heavy but he made himself still. He wanted to savor that moment, relish in the feel of her body wrapped around him. Take pride in the way her eyes rolled back in her head and her chest struggled to recapture the breath he stole.

"But while you're on your knees."

And just when he thought he might go insane, he slowly pulled his hips back and waited until her eyes pleaded for relief, until she was panting in need. Only then did his resolve snap and he surged forward once more, fast and hard to seat himself back inside of her. Over and over again, he repeated it. Memorizing every sensation, every moan and sigh that he forced from deep inside of her, every little movement of her face as it crossed from need to depraved satisfaction.

"O-oh god! Fu-Ma-ma-more-You-Fuck, Faster!"

Her stammered words only served to fuel the need to possess her. Anchoring one hand in the blonde tresses of her hair and one gripping the thick of her thigh, he sped up the pace. Her mewls and moans morphed into pleasured cries of passion with every snap of his hips. He felt himself reach the deepest center of her and even further still. Her body opened up around him, her walls fluttering against him. It pulled him in until he was no longer clear where her soul ended and his began. It was beautiful and earth shattering, his end quickly approaching.

His lids fought him as he struggled to hold the eye contact they shared. He watched the glaze wash over her doe-brown eyes and felt her trembling form starting to tense. His own release built in the pit of his stomach. The sensation in the base of his spine that had started as just a tingle roared into a fire that raced through his veins. But he couldn't look away. As his balls tightened and he felt the gates that held back his release open, he knew he couldn't miss it. He needed to see her world shatter. Out of any memory, he could choose to go into battle with, this was the one he wanted to carry with him.

The memory of how they loved.

"How did you love, how did you love, how did you love?"

I do want to just share the band's words on the meaning of the song because I think it summed up this chapter perfectly… and I found their interview only after writing this.

"The whole dynamic of that song was, if you've been given the greatest gift in the world, what do you think that gift is? For me, it would be the gift of life, and with that, you have to understand that if you've been given life, you will eventually pass away, but in the meantime, in the middle of all that, what kind of life did you lead? Were you a good person? Did you give back to the world? To your community? Did you give back to society? Did you give to your family? Did you give more than you receive? It's looking back at your legacy, and every single day that you're on this Earth, you're always going to have some form of a threat to your ideas, who you are as an individual, you always want to be able to protect your family, so there's going to be a threat there of some nature. That particular song, and the record itself is about living your life before you pass away. What is that legacy, and are you proud of that before you move on into your next journey." -Brent Smith, Shinedown

I shall see you guys in a couple of weeks!

Big hugs and lots of love!

Nana