Settle in... Its a long chapter.
==[o0o]==

Levy sat in the living room with Natsu and Gajeel several weeks later, She was being lightly batted by two small kittens one blue Korat abruptly named Happy due to the amount of loud mewing he had started at all hours of the day. And a larger black kitten that had rounded ears, his red eyes stared menacingly at a kiwi Levy was trying to eat as Happy clambered up and down her dress before leaping like a crazy idiot onto the floor, landing with a 'poomf'.

"Gajeel... What are you going to name him?"

Gajeel was busy beating Natsu at a game on the large television trying to unwind.

"Uh... Pantherlily, cause he looks like a panther. I guess. FUCK!"

Natsu grinned happily as he beat Gajeel on the screen, "Take that bolts for brains! Hee!"

"Hmm... Lily... Lily did you want some of my kiwi?" the black kitten had been sitting on Levy's lap never taking his eyes off the green furry fruit in her hands. Occasionally pawing her fingers for attention.

The minute she offered the kiwi his eyes lit up standing on his hind legs before loosing balance and toppling over backwards. Happy decided he would pounce on top of Lily, scratching and biting each other as they play fought. Levy giggled as she watched them roll around the floor before hiding underneath the sofa's and carpets.

The world had seemed to return to normal for everyone, all except Levy. She was still adjusting to friends again and having a caring someone in her life. It felt completely unnatural. Gajeel had put his home up for sale shortly after the entire incident and had moved into rented accommodation for the time being. Dumping most of his work at Wendy's tiny place.

He had called her into his office the same morning as Levy started and sat her down. He found out that his friends had worked behind him knowing full well he was reluctant to pursue Karen and the fact that he was completely unaware of what she was up to. Juvia had confided in Wendy on many occasions expressing her disgust for Karen and that she feared what might happen to Gajeel. All she wanted was her best friend to be safe and secure. Wendy agreed after speaking to Mirajane, head of the security of her concerns and what the best method was to do.

The bluenette wanted to avoid telling Gajeel as long as she had to, it was all to protect him. She loved him as a brother and would do anything. Even if he wanted a divorce she knew he had no idea of how to approach it and she would be the one doing it anyway so she prayed that acting before being asked wasn't going to be an issue.

Gajeel's main concern was due to Sabertooth Private Eye getting involved. It made the whole thing a lot more complicated. Wendy counteracted that stating that she had overheard Karen speaking to someone on the phone one morning in the office, mentioning Sabertooth. She was merely doing her job and wanted to use it against the woman, luring her into a false sense of security. Gajeel smirked enjoying how the PA's mind worked and praised her for her hard work, giving her a two week paid vacation to where ever she wanted and a hefty raise. Mentioning that she should be able to afford somewhere nicer now.

She couldn't believe her ears when she heard him say the praise. He barely praised anyone if at all, she grinned before running around the table and hugged him deeply. Her white fangs grinning from ear to ear before she kissed his cheek making him blush as he awkwardly held his arms outwards unsure if he should return the hug or not.

"Oi..." he mumbled trying not to look at her. "Just.. get outta here alright? Sort out Shrim-Levy yeh?"

"Mhm! Thank you Gajeel!" She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she grabbed her papers and pens, leaving his office and meeting up with Levy waiting nervously.

Levy loved her new job. Her main role was no longer needed now that Karen was the main source of the problem. Now she worked underneath Wendy in fact, organising volumes of paperwork, researching projects that would assist Wendy and doing various tasks to help around the Kurogane Industries side of the building.

She had picked it up quickly, each day had a different challenge and offered her free reign of the building whilst she had her own small office to work out of she had filled it up with a large quantity of papers and random books she had got hold of to better understand engineering and architectural work.

Eric never left Levy's thoughts, she wanted to go back to her home and see him, just to check up on him but Lucy had warned her it wasn't a good idea, he wasn't to be trusted.

Sighing Levy lent back in her chair twiddling her pen in her fingers before biting the end of the pen. Pushing her self backwards she stood up and stretched, walking out of the room and down towards the restrooms.

Glancing around she felt as if she was being watched. Thinking nothing of it due to being a busy office building she pushed open the door to the restroom and walked into a stall.

She heard the door open and assumed it was another woman using the mirror to touch up their make up. A deep dirty cough sounded in the bathroom making Levy blink. Her hands hesitated on the door handle of the stall hoping that her mind was playing tricks on her. She had heard that Eric had lost his job for not attending work and not notifying them, perhaps he changed professions. She shook her head, no he loved this place.

Shaking the sinking feeling off she opened the door and met eyes of the same ones she wanted to forget staring back at her. Grabbing the bluenette by the throat Eric rammed Levy back into the stall winding her as her back hit the tiled walls.

He had red burn marks over his face and hands. Part of his eyebrows and eyelashes were missing. Whilst his eyes looked the same. He coughed over his shoulder as he held her throat tight, closing down on her windpipe. The smoke inhalation of the house fire caused him repository problems as he refused help.

"Levy.. Levy Levy Levy Levy! What's the matter? Are you not happy to see your husband!?"

Levy's eyes widened as she tried to scream only to find that she lost oxygen and couldn't take a breath in without great difficulty.

"I wanted to apologise my Levy! Ohh.. Shh its OK" he stroked her hair with his dirty hands putting unkind pressure on her healing head wound.

"Oh... I fought and fought and you know what... How could I ever leave you alone? I watched you... For so long Levy... Oh I followed you everywhere! Did you know that?! I saw you at the restaurant with him. I followed you down that alleyway with him. I saw you take off my ring. Why Levy? Why would you hurt me?!

I Love you! Ohhh shhh" he stroked her head again, watching her begin to tear up.

Leaning in closely he lent out his tongue, the rancid breath poured over her as he licked up her cheek, tasting her tears.

"Oh... So sweet... Such a sweet thing."

She winced feeling the rough wet tongue running up her cheek.

"Levy... I know you saw Mr. Redfox... You know how much I idolise that man! You made me loose my job... Did you know that? You got my sister imprisoned! Why? She is your sister in-law Levy! Why would you do that to your own family?"

Croaking out slightly she managed to speak, "She isn't family..."

Growling angrily he pulled his hand on her throat back, thrusting her backwards into the wall making her buck her head, hitting the wall.

Grunting with pain Levy teared up, her heart raced. She felt like it was going to be over.

"You... You even copied him, why would you do that?! Its revolting. Your once beautiful face, now you look like a complete monstrosity! Hey?!" He slapped Levy's face hard as she begun to close her eyes from lack of oxygen and head butting the wall.

"Hey Levy, wake the fuck up!" Eric released his hand from her throat, grabbing her by the shoulders and begun to shake her furiously.

Knowing this may be the only chance she got, Levy cracked open an eye and kneed Eric as hard as she could possibly manage in the crotch making him grab himself, howling in pain as he tumbled backwards out of the stall.

Levy's heart raced as she saw Eric rolling on the floor, rushing over his body she pulled open the restroom doors and ran down the corridor hoping to find someone to help her. The bathroom door slammed open with Eric screaming loudly behind her,

"GET BACK HERE LEVY! YOU WILL NEVER BE FREE YOU BITCH!"

Running in a blind panic Levy ran into a meeting room with Wendy and Gajeel discussing a new project.

"Shrimp!? What the –" The sound of Eric tearing up the corridor after Levy made his blood run cold. "Wendy."

Taking Levy into her arms Wendy tried to soothe the uncontrollable mess.

"Oii... Levy... Where did you go... I only want to talk...!? LEVY!" Eric pushed open the meeting room door to meet Gajeel cracking his knuckles.

His dragon like eyes staring demoniacally at Eric, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck he noticed the pocket knife in Eric's right hand.

"Mr. Redfox! You know what its like – some women just need a little beating to get them to listen to you, its really the only language they understand!" Eric laughed at his joke not noticing Gajeel staring down looking unimpressed.

Reeling back his fist Gajeel punched Eric square in the jaw, before promptly head butting him backwards out of the meeting room door and on to the floor, scattering his knife along the floor.

Looming over his body he stood on Eric's hand preventing him from reaching the knife. "Tsk. You're just a piece of shit. Like your sister."

Trying to tear his arm out from underneath Gajeel's iron footed grip Eric screeched at Levy who was holding tightly onto Wendy.

"LEVY! I can't believe you ruined our marriage for this monster!"

Sniffing loudly Levy turned and looked at the scene. Gajeel saw snarling at the man on the floor, shouting at him to shut up.

"Gajeel. Let him go." Levy pushed lightly off Wendy. Rubbing her neck slowly, she watched Gajeel grumble loudly before watching Eric uneasily stand up.

"I'm glad you got your guard dog under control." Eric smirked watching Levy closely.

"Shut up Eric."

He stammered, "Do-n't speak to m-me-"

"I said. Shut up Eric!" Levy hunched her shoulders as her hazel eyes burnt, she felt the warm pressure of Gajeel's hand gripping onto her shoulder, encouraging her to get her closure.

"He is anything but a monster. YOU are the monster. You did this to me. You caused all the sadness in my world because you are a just a sad little man Eric. Beating up women makes you feel big, doesn't it?"

She took a step forward, making Eric uneasy, "Stay away from me Levy"

Her face tilted slightly, "Or what Eric? Afraid of what your wife will do to you?"

"Y-You ruined everything of mine!"

"I never did anything. I loved you. And I still do. I feel sorry for you Eric. You pushed me so far away that I can never forgive you. I can never help you again. Its over. We are over. Forever. I never want to see you again."

"No. No you can't do this to me Levy!"

Levy swiped her arm cross her body, "Leave me alone for ever! Go Now!" Closing her eyes tightly the sound of security could be heard running furiously up the corridor.

Taking Eric into custody Levy forced Gajeel to drop the charges much to his frustration. He needed to be put away he barked.

A week later Levy discovered on the news whilst she sat with Gajeel on the sofa at Lucy's that the body of man named Eric Bate's had been discovered. Levy cried on Gajeel's lap as she heard the news. She wanted him to go, but not to commit suicide. She wanted closure but not like this. Gajeel rubbed her back trying to soothe her cries.

Several hours later Levy came to the glum conclusion that everyone was right and she was living in the past. Whilst the unfortunate had happened of Eric's suicide he was a troubled man who needed help and it was too late. She lost her home and lived out of a shoebox.

Gajeel offered moving into a new home with Levy to try and cheer her up. At the time she reluctantly agreed. Whilst she loved Gajeel she couldn't feel anything. Moving on was hard and she knew that the future was going to be much harder to deal with. But now she had her friends and her Gajeel back in her life. And that was the future. Her bright future. Full of love and happiness and she couldn't ask for anything better.

==[o0o]==

Thank you for spending the hours reading this story! Liking, reviewing, following and favoriting. Hopefully I've answered all questions I put into the story...

Guest - Karen stole Gajeel from Levy. Levy and Karen were best friends!

Guest :p - If Gajeel and Levy never broke up or Never met Karen I believe they'd still be together but the outcome would be happier? Not to say they are not happy now... But they lost so much time that now they have to make up for it...

ALSO – don't feel bad for Karen or Eric. They are MY cross to bare ;)
Show them hate, Show them love. I wrote them as I saw them.

Beneath is My story. Read if you want.

This is based on my life. Its a true story (90%) I altered names, locations, jobs and times skips due to story/dramaness... A lot of the additional information is from my friends and my Gajeel! I was very blind to everything going on but I wouldn't be with you now if they hadn't saved me. I love them so very much and I wish I hadn't of pushed them away. Also all the violence that happened. Happened. I was put in hospital from the head injury. "Eric" was in the hospital when I woke up laying over me. He held scissors in his hand, collecting my hair.

He followed me everywhere. He stalked me. He knew my routine it was terrifying!

He followed me to my place of work and attacked me in the bathroom and threatened to kill me. He wanted to take me away from my friends. If he couldn't have me. No one was allowed me basically.

He did set fire to our home. However it was ruled as accidental.

And I still morn his loss.

I met my Gajeel when I was 14 and fell madly in love with him. (he is 4 years older than me... IT WASNT PERVY PLEASE UNDERSTAND! Nothing sexual happened until I was 16 at a legal age. And I friggin instigated it. so. Yeah.) He lived about an hour away from me (I met him online however [webcam to webcam]) when I met him at 16 we became an official couple. Yet as Karen so kindly pointed out we never became a true sexual couple... :P

I met Karen by chance as me and my Gajeel were out in his area and we got to talking. We clicked like you wouldn't believe and we quickly became best friends. I never thought about her questions, always asking about my bf and such. But he was indeed left a large inheritance. And she knew this when I told her (WHY!? I don't know... but that's what you get for being 16 hmm?)

2 years passed and my bf begun to hang out with Karen a lot over the years) She lived near him and unlike me... I couldn't drive yet so he spoke about her a lot, making me mad. So when I confronted her she confessed that she wanted him and only used me to get to him. I got upset and she threatened to kill me (she was a very fucking scary person. I still believe she would kill me to this day. )

Scared I broke up with Gajeel making up a stupid excuse that we weren't suited for each other.

When he turned 21 turning 22 he married Karen and invited me to their wedding. As a show of good faith I attended but I was only 18 (he is dec and i'm oct. I get a three year gap at this point... Its fucking confusing just... yes.) He married in Nov of 2008 at the wedding I met "Eric" he was a peculiar man certainly but he made me laugh and he was so affectionate. Completely different to my Gajeel.

We quickly married after 6 months of dating and right up until 2011 I was still married to that man. Just over three years I married him. The first year everything was normal. We had a home, I had a job he worked hard and I encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Which he did. He became a massive workaholic, and turned to drink. At first I used to leave the house whenever he got drunk just to get away from his shit but as the weeks and months progressed I begun to feel reluctant about leaving him alone. He begun to beat me in his drunken rages and when he woke up the next morning and saw the marks he used to apologise and buy me gifts to make up for it. Or take me out. Anything to make me happy. Or to make him feel better I suppose. So In the end he did put me in hospital after meeting up with my friend again, she had randomly seen me shopping in my supermarket very late at night (I think it was like 2am) trying to hide my face. I had cut all ties with my family and friends. Just not sure how to handle it. But I believed I could do it alone. When she saw me she hugged me. And it was at that moment I realised that I missed her. I missed loved. She didn't care that I never spoke to her, she was happy to see that I was alive.

Entrusting her boyfriend and his mate they went over to my home to collect my belongings. And the Juvia in this story did find a shrine. He had apparently collected various pieces of my clothing and had cut them up, very methodically and taken my hair and anything else and stuck it onto the shrine.

My Gajeel had visited my in the hospital because of my Lucy friend. She was still speaking to him and told him that he should visit I was unconscious so I have no idea how long he spent there but from what my friends told me he barely left my side. Sleeping on the couch until I'd wake up.

When I did wake I remember seeing his beautiful blue eyes. Those were the first things I saw. I will never forget seeing them. I could stare at them for hours and never get bored. They are truly beautiful.

After that we started talking again, meeting up a couple of times. I had moved in with my friend Lucy and the following year after a lot of shit from Karen. She is a fucking disgrace of a woman. She almost burnt his inheritance. My Gajeel finally managed to get a divorce, not before she was incredibly vindictive and wanted half. Unfortunately she had spent a vast majority of it, so she took his home.

I had managed to save some spare money and we both moved into this TINY studio flat... I mean the bathroom didn't have a wall. It was literally a curtain!

Eric. Unfortunately died of a brain embolism he was travelling on a plane a week previous to New Zealand. Whilst he was over there he suffered a massive stroke. The clot had reached his brain. I do feel incredibly sorry for him and I wished he would of seeked help. And I could never tell him how I felt. I still haven't but I've used this story to get my feelings out and air them. Hoping to gain some closure. Because of this I am trying to regain my life and as such I moved into a new home recently with my Gajeel (August) and we are going from strength to strength. As i'm now trying to get over my severe depression (new found panic attacks, it just gets fucking better I tell yah!) I'm taking it day by day. I started this before I was even diagnosed, but It makes sense. I wanted to share the world my story and I hope that it was worth it.

I dedicated this story to my Boyfriend Alex, My old best friend Alice, her boyfriend Karl. His best friend Anthony and his girlfriend Hannah. I also morn Steven. I still love you. And I'm sorry for everything that you went through. I hope that you are happier now that you've passed on. And Nicola. I would like to wish my positive thoughts but thankfully you have never got back in touch with us after these few years and I couldn't be more grateful. I have never and will never have as much hatred towards anyone but her. However using her brother is something I will never understand.

They are/ You are the best friends I could ever of hoped for. And Now I can begin to close the door and look towards my future.

Thank you for taking this journey with me again. :)

PLEASE feel free to ask any questions – however it would be easier via PM but if you leave a comment I will respond via reviews but I don't really enjoy that XD – Thank you all xxxxxxx

(btw i'm 24 atm phaha)