Countdown to the End (Gale) {Fairy Tail FF}

~~Special Chapter~~

After popular demand, I decided to do a special chapter! It'll have teh contents of the letter, and some other stuff to finish of this book!

I would like to thank you all so much for reading Countdown to the End. It was a long year writing it, but I did it! I had so much fun with this story, so thank you all for being a part of that! <3

~~~

"The only one who knows is the person it was addressed to. The person Levy loved most in this world. Gajeel." After reading the last line, I closed the book and leaned back with a sigh.

"One hell of a book wasn't it?" I chuckled. "All of her pestering the last few years really paid off. I can see why she's a best-selling author now. I'll have to read you her newest book next time, alright? Sorry it took so long to read you this one, I know how you hate to wait on reading books you've been looking forward to. It's already been three years since this book was published."

I sighed again in the following silence. "That means I haven't visited you in three years. Sorry about that. I know saying I got busy isn't an excuse, but I used it as one. Next year will be the tenth anniversary, you know that?" I looked over at the shiny, black stone, touching the engraving gently. "It doesn't seem like it's been almost ten years, does it, Levy?"

I pulled an envelope out of my jacket pocket, staring down at the wax seal, still unbroken, even after all these years. "I never had the heart to read it," I confessed, knowing if she were there she'd scold me for being a coward. Deciding I shouldn't wait any longer, I broke the seal and pulled out the piece of parchment which contained her letter. And I began reading.

~~

Dear Gajeel,

If you're reading this letter, it's because I'm a coward and couldn't just say all of this to you in person. You'll be angry either way, I'm sure, since I snuck away from your house to get back to my apartment to write it. Instead of getting on the morning train to go to Dee and Eli's, I went to Fairy Hills.

You really do worry about me too much, you know that?

But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like that about you. It's one of my favorite things about you, actually. You're always fussing over me, making sure I'm not in pain and that I'm comfortable. You can be rough about it and rude sometimes, but I still know that you care, and that's enough for me.

Enough with my babbling. What I wanted to tell you-why I wrote you this letter-is that I love you, Gajeel. I have for a very long time now, even though I've hidden those feelings and tried denying them over and over again. I can't anymore, and honestly, I don't want to. I want you to know how I feel about you. I want you to know how incredible I think you are, and how brave and strong. You give me so much strength just by being around that I feel like I'd b capable of doing anything.

I have never felt like this before, which is why I think it scared me so much in the beginning. I was terrified when I realized I had fallen in love with you. Not because it was you I was love with, but because I had fallen in love so deeply that I knew there would never be anyone who could ever make me feel like that.

And I didn't even know if you felt the same about me.

I'm still not entirely sure you do, but I think I have reason to hope now, after living with you like I have been. You act differently around me than you do the others, and I'm hoping that's not just my imagination.

I'm really, really hoping that you share my feelings.

Either way, I'm about to find out. Today I'm going to train with Deidre, and tomorrow, before I get on the train to help her again, I'm going to slip this note into your bedroom so that you'll see it while I'm gone.

I know that's pretty cowardly, but at least I'm getting my feelings to you. When I come home tomorrow, I'm hoping you'll greet me with an answer-selfishly, I'm hoping for a yes. Even if you don't, if you decide to pretend like you never received the letter, I suppose that's alright, too.

This isn't really about an answer from you, it's about me. I wanted you to know how I felt. I wanted you to know how grateful I am to you for everything you have ever done for me.

And I love you, Gajeel.

Yours,

Levy.

~~~

I stared down at the letter, unable to say anything. Even after all this time, the inside of the parchment still had a faint scent of her. Paper, ink, and flowers. It caused a tightening in my chest, right where the scars from the magic-canceling dagger and Light Pen were. They ached every time I missed Levy, every time I was reminded of her.

"Daddy!!"

I looked up from the stone, just in time to be hit in the face with blue hair as tiny arms went around my neck.

"Sorry, Gajeel," Lily apologized, flying over to us, "she insisted on being brought to you."

"What is it, Shrimp?" I asked the tiny girl, moving blue curls away from her face.

She puffed at her cheeks at the nickname, and I snickered. "I wanted to see her, too."

I looked down at the black stone before returning my eyes to hers and nodding. "Alright then."

I placed my hand over the picture of Levy's smiling face, a smile of my own pulling at my lips. "Levy, I've got someone here for ya to meet. Her name is Shiori. She came to the guild about three years ago, right after her parents were killed. She was only about one then, and needed someone to take care of her.

"Honestly, I've never really liked kids, but she was a different story altogether. She reminded me so much of you, Shrimp, that I immediately-and stupidly-volunteered to be the one to raise her." I chuckled at the memory. "You should have seen everyone's faces. I think poor Master nearly had a heart attack."

I paused when there was a tug on my sleeve. "I wanna say hi, too," she whispered, timidly.

I smiled and nodded, pushing her gently forward. "Go on."

"H-hi, Miss Levy," she said, touching the stone hesitantly, mimicking my action of placing my hand over Levy's picture. "Daddy talks about you a lot, and he says he misses you. You were really pretty, and I think daddy thinks so too. I'm sad I didn't get to meet you. I wanted to tell you that I'm taking care of daddy, so you don't have to worry about him. He still gets sad sometimes, but I make sure he gets happy again."

When she finished, she stepped away and looked up at me, smiling broadly. "Was that good?"

I nodded, patting the top of her head. "That was perfect, Shrimp. How about we head back home now?"

"Can we get ice cream?" She asked, excitedly, running towards the cemetery's exit with Lily close behind her.

"Sure thing, Shrimp," I promised.

After standing, I stared down at Levy's stone for several long moments. "She really is just like you, Shrimp. I think you would have liked her. She makes me stop at the bookstore every time we pass it, and she's always so kind to everyone around her. I couldn't save you back then, but I'm trying to make up for that. I'm going to do something with this sad life you gave up yours to save.

"I know you'd give me hell if I stayed sad forever, so I'm not going to. I'm going to give Shiori the best damn life I can, and I'm going to make sure this life isn't wasted."

I reached down and touched the top of the stone, just as Shiori called to me again. "I'll be back soon to read you Lucy's new book," I promised. "Maybe I'll bring Shiori next time, too."

I sighed, straightening and heading towards the exit. "No one could ever make me feel like you did, either, Shrimp. Even now, I still love you."