Saving Levy

Chapter Five

Beep... beep... beep...

What is that noise?

Beep... beep... beep...

I've heard it before...

Beep... beep... beep...

Why can't I remember where I heard that noise before?

Beep... beep...

Wait...

Beep...

It was in a hospital...

-o0o0o0o0o0o-

Levy opened her eyes to the warm glow of the mid-afternoon sun. The warm rays covered her like a blanket heating her skin. Her body felt stiff, almost as if she had laid motionless for hours on end, but when she tried to move, sharp pains lacerated her body. Slowly, so as not to hurt herself again, Levy turned her head to take in her surroundings.

She was in a startlingly white room. The walls, floor and ceiling the color of freshly bleached, bright white cotton. She blinked, looking from her own strange and uncomfortable bed to the matching ones across from her and beside her. A small white blanket lay draped over her small body and she seemed to be dressed in some sort of white, uncomfortably open backwards paper like robe. A loud beeping came from the odd looking machine beside her, the noise beginning to hurt her head. The window next to her showed a lovely garden surrounding a sign that read Magnolia Memorial Hospital.

Hospital...

Levy's body shot forward into a sitting position as the beeping got faster, triggering some sort of alarm system. She was in a hospital. Why was she in a hospital? Panic surged through her as she threw the blanket from her, uncovering bandages and casts that held tightly to her body. Bruises covered the flesh left unwrapped, her right ankle, left index finger and a toe on her left leg were secured in casts and braces so she couldn't move them and they healed properly. She felt tight wrapped bandages cover her upper torso. Her head swam as the door opened allowing a large shadow to fall over her.

"LEVY!" A rough, deep voice echoed around the hospital room.

Gajeel stood frozen feet away holding a large, soft stuffed bear with a heart in its paws and a bouquet of lilies in his arms. "You're finally awake!"

the relief on his face filled her heart with an emotion she didn't understand. She wanted to hold him close to her chest and tell him everything was okay. She wanted to run her fingers through his soft, black mane and breathe in his familiar scent. How could this man she'd only just began to get to know, the man who walked into her life only a month or so before, come to mean so much to her that she associated him to safety?

Gajeel dropped his presents without thinking about it and moved towards her. Before he could stop himself, he pressed his lips to Levy's swallowing the gasp she had let out at his sudden movement. She tasted sweet like chocolate dipped strawberries. Her lips were so soft, he felt he could go the rest of his life happy having felt their gentle comfort. Suddenly, reality crashed down on him as he realized what he'd done. Gajeel paused, waiting to see how the girl in front of him would handle his sudden, impulsive move.

Levy gave a sigh against his lips. She had always dreamed of what her first kiss would be like. In her fantasies, she'd be dressed in a beautiful outfit, standing in the gentle moonlight as her date walked her up to the front door. He'd tell he good night and lean in to kiss her, stopping just before their lips met to allow her a chance to refuse. She'd lean forward and press their lips together, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck. Then her date would back off, kissing her hand and whispering another goodbye before disappearing into the night. She never, in all her years of dreaming, thought she'd be in a hospital bed.