Beauty of Fairy Tail (Gale/Gajevy AU)

Chapter 34

          When Gajeel finally arrives back home, I'm asleep on the couch. For once, it's pretty sound. I'm sure part of my sleeping problem has to do with darkness. The warm sunshine and soft couch that smells like Gajeel are a true comfort. They're everything that cursed dungeon wasn't. Gajeel sits on the couch and wakes me up, unintentionally, while pulling me into his lap.

          "Hey there, big daddy," I say, kissing him on the cheek. He smiles down at me as I wrap my arms around his neck.

          "Hey, Shrimp." Gajeel plants a kiss on the top of my head. I giggle at him.

          "How was the mission?" I ask.

          "A whole lot less fun without y- Wait a minute. How much sleep did you get, last night?" I start playing with a strand of his hair.

          "A few hours. Why?" I ask.

          "Because I know you and the only times you get this flirty are when you're drunk or tired. Did you have that dream again?" He looks at me seriously. I love the intensity I see in his red eyes when he's concerned about me. It makes me feel safe. His eyes sparkle with sunlight and I'm almost lost in them.

          "Yeah, but that doesn't matter. It's just a nightmare, right?" I flirt. I continue twisting his hair around my fingers.

          "Yeah, well, it's a nightmare that we need to get rid of," Gajeel states. He stands up, holding me bridal style.  "When I faced my fears, my dreams went away. We need you to face your fears. I'm sick of watching you like this, Levy." I pout a bit, annoyed by Gajeel's attitude. He chuckles and tells me to knock it off. 

          "Where are we going Gajeel?" He gives me a soft smirk. 

          "We're going back to that stinking pit of a castle, but first you need a nap. I'm not dealing with Flirtypants the whole way," the dragon grumbles. I snuggle into his chest and sigh. He carries me up to to our room and crawls into bed. He holds me against him as he shuts his eyes and tells me to do the same. I don't want to go back to sleep,  right now, but Gajeel's tight embrace prevents me from moving much.

          "Can I at least turn over?" I ask, unimpressed with the situation. Gajeel grumbles and holds a bit tighter. I sigh and shut my eyes. In an instant, I'm back in my nightmares. The men are looming over me as monstrous shadows. I cower and try to hide, curling into myself. I doesn't work. I feel the men getting closer and closer, until they're looming over me.

          It's getting darker and darker. I can feel the men reaching for me. I start to cry. I feel like I'm being suffocated. I feel the darkness consuming me. Then, I see a light. It's dim, at first, but grows brighter and brighter. I hear the sound of boots on a stone floor. After a few seconds, I feel a hand on my head.

          "Come on, Levy. It's time to get up," a voice says. I start to feel the tears fade away. I raise my head towards the voice. I see the long hair and kind eyes that I can only associate with the word 'home.' Gajeel helps me to my feet. I bury my face in his chest and shut my eyes, clutching at his shirt.

          "Levy... everything is ok. Open your eyes and turn around." Gajeel disappears, like a ghost, leaving me. I stumble and open my eyes. Everything is white and seems to be radiating light from everywhere.

          I take a deep breath and turn around. I close my eyes for a moment, hoping the men are gone. When I open them, Gajeel is smiling at me. As if walking of of the mist, my friends start to appear, beside him. I see Lucy and Natsu, Gray and Juvia, Jet and Droy, and all the others. Even my favorite librarian and bookstore clerk are there.

          With everyone here to cheer me on, I know that there is nothing to worry about. I run to Gajeel and hug him as tight as I can. I feel his warm arms wrap around me.

          When he lets me go, everyone else has faded away, leaving a unison whisper of, "You will never be alone." Levy smiles, knowing that her fears are behind her. Before she wakes up, Gajeel, dream Gajeel, holds her tight and kisses the top of her head.

          "I'll be waiting for you, when you wake up. I love you, Shrimp." And Gajeel fades away, like the mist, taking the rest of the dream world with him.

          When I open my eyes, I feel the familiar warmth of Gajeel, pressed to my back and wrapped around me. I whisper to see if he's awake. He is. His grab tightens, ever so slightly, for a moment, and he buries his face in my hair. He uses one hand go remove it from the crook of my neck and plants a kiss on my skin.

          "You slept well, for once," Gajeel whispers, against my neck. I tilt my head slightly, to allow him more access. Man, do his lips feel good there. Even resting, they send a thrill across my skin.

          "I don't think I'll have those dreams, anymore. It's all thanks to this scruffy, black haired guy I know," I mumble.

          "Does this guy happen to live with you and be your fiancé?" I finally manage to flip myself over and face Gajeel. I rub my nose against his and giggle.

          "Maaaybe." I drag the 'a' in a childish manner. "He's also my hero and baby daddy." My hand trails down to my stomach. I feel the smooth skin, where my shirt crawled up. I also feel old scars from training and battling. They aren't as big or as noticeable as Gajeel's, but serve as a personal reminder. I'm only human, and so are my babies. I'm going to need to be careful to protect them.

          "I can't wait to meet them, Gajeel. I can't wait to start this family," I say, looking up at my lover. "We're getting married