Gajeel woke from his sleep with a jerk, sitting up straight on his sleeping mat, a cold sweat dripping down his face and soaking his hair, his hands clenched into fists. He drew a hand across his eyes, growling deep in his throat. It was that damn dream again. Just when he thought he had it beat, it would come back with a vengeance after a job like this.

The cool, dawn breeze chilled his skin, calming him just a little. He was camped out in a small clearing in the woods just a couple hours walk outside Magnolia. He had gone on a job in a village on the coast of Fiore about a week ago to get rid of some members of a dark guild who were terrorizing the village and just stirring up trouble in general, some shit to do with reviving some ancient demon or something, he didn't pay much attention to the details.

He had just made it to the clearing the night before, so exhausted from their fight that he and Pantherlily had decided to make camp for the night and travel the remaining distance to Magnolia in the morning. And that's when the nightmare came.

It was always the same. A dark night near the river. Her terrified screams and pleas as she cried out in pain. A tree so enormous its topmost branches disappeared into the night sky. His fingers gliding across her smooth, white skin as he painted the Phantom Lord symbol on her flat stomach. He shuddered, growling again and digging his fingers into his skin, trying to force the memory from his mind.

Just then he heard a slight rustling and a loud yawn and turned his head to see Pantherlily walking over from his sleeping spot a few feet away, rubbing his eyes. "Awake already Gajeel?" the Exceed murmured sleepily. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," Gajeel grumbled shortly. "I just want to get moving that's all."

Pantherlily raised an eyebrow, turned his head to look up between the branches of the trees where the sky was just beginning to lighten and shrugged his shoulders, knowing it was best not to question his gruff partner when he was in this kind of mood. They quickly packed up their campsite, and headed back towards the road to Magnolia.

The sun had risen just slightly above the horizon by the time they reached Fairy Tail. Even though it was still early, the guild was already bustling with activity. Gajeel, feeling slightly better after the walk back, headed towards the guild where the former S-Class mage Mirajane was polishing glasses with a demure smile on her lips.

Gajeel smirked to himself, knowing that behind that kind smile there hid a demon who you did not want to mess with. There wasn't much that scarred Gajeel, but Mira was one of the few things that did give him pause (though he would never admit it).

As he walked towards the bar, he was forced to dodge a tumbling mass of arms and legs that was Natsu and Gray in one of their normal fights. As they rolled past, Gajeel transformed his arm into his iron club and gave Natsu a heavy blow to the back of the head. Natsu whirled around, forgetting about Gray laying on the floor before him in nothing but his boxers. The fire dragon slayer began yelling and screaming insults at Gajeel as flames flew from his fists and mouth, trying to provoke the iron dragon slayer into a full on brawl. But Gajeel just smirked and let out his signature chuckle before continuing towards the bar to turn in the details of his mission, fully intending to pick a fight with Natsu later in the day.

He turned in the information to Mira and immediately ordered a beer, not caring about the early hour. As he sat at the bar enjoying his beer and observing the chaos that was Fairy Tail, a slight movement at the guild doors caught his eye.

It was her and her two groupies. He would recognize that head of wild blue hair anywhere. Though he could barely see it over the top of the rest of the guild. But he knew it was her, he would know that scent anywhere.

Suddenly, his dream came flashing back to him along with a tumble of other memories involving her. Her limp body crucified to the tree in Magnolia Park. Her focus and the determined set of her mouth as she worked to crack Freed's ruins during Fantasia. The look on her face when he offered to be her partner for the S-Class exams. The taste of her solid script iron. The warm feeling of her small hand in his as they stood with the rest of their guild to face Achnologia's wrath...

This was too much for him. He downed what was left of his beer and stood abruptly, causing the stool he had been sitting on to the floor with a clatter. The guild turned as the fierce dragon slayer stormed through their midst, shrinking back as to not incur his wrath. Even Natsu knew better than to challenge his fellow dragon slayer when he was like this. He could feel Levy's deep brown eyes following him, filled with anxiety for her guild-mate and friend.

He didn't stop. He had to get out of there. He stormed past Lily who was sitting with the other Exceeds Charle and Happy and growled, "I'm going to train," before slamming the guild doors shut with so much force that the building shook.