"If you keep scowling like that, your face will get stuck that way." A rough voice said behind him. Gajeel turned said scowl towards the pink haired old woman who came out of his cabin. They had been in port for nearly three hours by the time Natsu had found the Tortuga doctor and brought her to the ship. " How is she?" He asked, his voice quiet as he lost some of his scowl. The woman had her own frown. " The aid Mr.Lily gave her is the only reason she didn't bleed out. Iv given her some pain medicine and stitched her wounds. Just like any other patient on the reckless ship, as long as she gets rest and keeps the wounds clean she will make a full recovery." She said, eyeing his own freshly stitched shoulder and chest.

He sighed slightly in relief as he sagged in his chair. " She also," he tensed again. "Oh relax boy! The wound may have bled a lot but it was not life threatening. She is running a high fever, between the wounds and the iron it will take a while for it to break. Don't let her wander about." She said as she headed for the edge of the ship, smacking the captains head as she passed by. He grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot and watched her. " Thank you.... Porlyusika." He muttered quietly. She snorted but nodded before decending to the docks. He looked over his battered crew as they rested on dock, no one willing to hunt down an inn yet. He sighed quietly as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. A hand slapped his good shoulder, making him look up to see Lily smiling softly.

" If we want the ship repaired everyone's gonna have to get a move along." He said and Gajeel nodded before standing. " Alright men, everyone pile off. The usual place." He called. There were grumbles but they began gathering their belongings before leaving the ship, Gajeel went to his cabin to retrieve Levy. She was curled up under the blankets in one of his night shirts, her face was pale and drenched in sweat, and her breathing was labored.  He looked down sadly at the woman before kneeling beside the bed and taking one of her small hands. She opened her eyes, that were clouded with fever and looked at him, forcing a small smile to her lips. " Hey..." she said weakly and he tried to smile back. "We need to leave the ship for awhile." He told her, wiping her forehead with part of the blanket. She nodded and tried to sit up but he shook his head. " Why-" but she was cut off by his strong arms lifting her off the bed, still wrapped in the blanket. " Gajeel I can walk..." she grumbled, though her bandaged arm hooked around his neck. He chuckled lightly as he carried her out of the cabin. " Sure ya can shrimp." He said with a grin.

By the time they reached the inn and tavern where they usually stayed, the small fairy was fast asleep in his arms. "Welcome!" A very short woman with long blonde hair called from the bar. She wore a long white and pink dress with a golden corset and had translucent wings stretching behind her. " Mavis, how lovely to see you." Lily greeted with a smile. " If it isn't the Dragons! My you boys look rougher than usual." Mavis said with a giggle. She danced her way around the bar to stand in front of Lily and Gajeel as the rest of their crew had scattered about the tavern. " Who is she?" Mavis asked wide eyed as she stared at Levy.

" Levy, she's a new crew member and, as I'm sure your aware, a fae." Lily said with a smile at the tiny woman. " What happened to her?" She frowned at Levys pale face and bandaged arm. The men told her of the Navy's attack and how she fought back. The blonde fae frowned,"I may have something to help with her fever. For now you can take her upstairs to rest." Gajeel nodded and carried Levy upstairs to one of the inns rooms. He laid her in bed, causing her to stir slightly but she remained fast asleep. He left her to sleep as he returned to the bar below and sat beside Lily. They were quiet as Mavis set plates of food and tankers of beer in front of them, listening to the noise of the tavern.

A place like this was a well of rumors and tales, one could learn a lot just by sitting there an hour. Today was no exception,  "You hear?" A man at a near by table asked his companions. " You mean about Acnolgia?" This caught Gajeels attention, his tanker half way to his lips as he stopped to listen. " What about him?" A third man asked. " They say the pirate king has found the location of the fountain of youth." He tried to whisper, but his excitement made it impossible. Gajeel glance over towards Lily who was listening just as intently. " They say the Navy is trying to stop him from getting to it." The first said. " Why?" His friend snorted. "They don't want someone like him around forever idiot." The others laughed. " The only way to stop that man is if another pirate went after him, and even then there's no way anyone could beat him!" Again they laughed before continuing to talk about other things.

Gajeel turned his attention back to his food, startled to find Mavis staring up at him. " No way woman." He muttered as he downed his beer but the blonde woman continued to stare at him. " Nothing could make me go after that mad man." He muttered. She simply smiled softly before moving to the other end of the bar to help other customers.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

"Are you ok to move around Miss.Levy?" Lily asked the fae as she walked down the inn stairs. The crew of the Iron Dragon had been in port for nearly a week now, all nursing their injuries and wanting to do nothing but relax. " Please Mr.Lily, I can't lay about any more. I will go mad." Levy whined as she hopped up on the barstool beside him. He chuckled and ruffled her hair, causing her to puff out her cheeks and swat away his hand. " Well your definitely as spunky as usual." He said with a grin and she rolled her eyes.

She glanced around the noisy tavern and frowned slightly. " Where's Gajeel?" She asked and Lily gave her a knowing smirk, making her blush slightly. " The good captain is about with Natsu getting supplies. They should return shortly." He said with a soft smile and she nodded. As if their conversation summoned them, Natsu and Gajeel came through the tavern door, laughing about something. Levy smiled at the sight of him laughing, it had been a long time since she had seen him so carefree. He caught sight of her and a grin spread across his face as they made their way to the bar where she and Lily sat. " Oi shrimp, sure you should be up?" He said, making her pout again. " Like I told Lily, I would go mad if I sat still any longer." She said as they sat with them.

" You've got to be a little mad to be part of this crew." Natsu said with a snort, making the other three laugh. Mavis came then, plates piled with food and tankers of beer. "So when will we shove off again?" Levy asked before digging into her food, ready to be at sea again. " Just another few days. Figured the boys wouldn't mind, considering the excitement from the past few weeks." Gajeel said around a mouth full of food and she nodded. That day they stayed by each others side, finally catching up from the past twenty years, watching as Natsu and Grey started a bar fight, and even getting the crew of the Magnolia as they showed up. " So you all got cornered by the Navy too?" Levy asked Mirajane as she sat with them. The woman nodded, rubbing her bandaged neck. " Yes. They seem to be out in force lately. It's odd." She frowned as she thought. Gajeel and Lily shared a look that went unnoticed by everyone but Mavis. Gajeel shot her a glare before turning his attention back to Levy. That night he fell asleep beside her in their room, the loud sounds of Tortuga a strange lullaby of laughter and occasional gunfire.

{Bit of a filler chappy but also setting up for more adventures! Figured our dragons could use a break XD}