Chapter 16 - helping hand -

Levy arrived at the apartment as she had stopped by to buy some strips for hickys, concealer, extra clothes and panties… at this point she was expecting the worst…

As the door opened slowly she saw her daughter sitting on a sofa where she can see clearly more then one love bite on her. She looked at her ashamed daughter who hid her face from her, she looked now at Liddan who had opened the door as he too was ashamed of what he had done to her daughter…

The air was tense as butter as time ran slowly until levy bursted out in laughter.

"Oh! What's it like to be young and in love… come on gine let's get you covered up and cleaned up before your father comes and starts looking for you. I only bought us enough time to get ready and leave soon."

*gine agreed with her mother as she followed her into the bathroom and began helping her daughter with makeup and her clothes that would help cover majority of the marks without looking suspicious.*

When levy finally finished she had both Liddan and Gine kneel infront of her to tell her what they have done wrong.

"Now, tell me what was wrong about what happened last night?"

"I should have tooken gine home right after I carried her out of the party..'OW!'"

*levy bonked Liddan's head as she shook her head.*

"You should have advised your father or mother about your situation, also you should have stayed at the party where their was less chances of this happening without getting caught…"

*levy explained to Liddan who only bowed his head in apology..*

"Now, gine.. what did you do wrong?"

"Um, I … I didn't stop and tried kissing Liddan without his consent? 'OW!'"

*levy this time pinched her daughters cheek as she didn't know about this but also was the wrong answer to her question.*

"No! And that's not okay either gine!… the correct answer was you didn't use protection! The reason I know this is because I did not see one condom wrapper in the trash bin or laying around on the floor! Gine, you can be pregnant you know!"

*levy lectured her daughter who should have known better but felt a sting in her heart as she watched her daughters face begin to turn red with embarrassment and shame..*

"I'm sowwy mommy~… I wasn't thinking…*sob* it was just all sudden…"

*levy came kneeling next to her daughter as she patted her back in a comforting hug. She shushed her as she cleaned her face from her tears she had let out.*

"I'm sorry too aunt levy… if I would have just left right after protecting gine from that jerk to calm down, I wouldn't have lost control…"

*Liddan was the most childish person in the room as he looked down at his hands while waiting for levys harsh punishment, levy smiled at how kind and very self righteous Liddan was and patted his head.*

"It's okay… that's why people make mistakes to learn from them… I remember too how I messed up one night and had pushed gines father to his breaking point… I was pregnant with the twins right after.. and that's something I don't want my daughter to deal with alone… so gine, next time just be careful okay?"

*gine sniffed as she really appreciated her mother to be so kind and forgiving as she hugged her once more. Liddan only bowed his head in gratitude to levy as he walked them out of his apartment and down the street to treat levy and gine to a late breakfast..*

You might say it was a mistake because they happened to run into Gajeel who had already begun following levys scent because she took too long to come back… he catched on that levy was hiding something and was more surprised to see levy with his daughter who was wearing a weird fashion sense she never would have worn, and Liddan with some scratch marks my his neck and one hicky he missed in covering up.

Levy already knew it was too late for Liddan to run and she couldn't stop her 5'6 husband who weighed around 200lbs.. but was quite surprised to see he didn't immediately threw a temper tantrum..

*Gajeel was fuming in rage, how could Liddan.. the only one he did trust with his daughter, have slept with her?! He wasn't stupid in thinking maybe they just happened to walk together today in the morning.. he was a 1st generation dragon slayer who was probably the best experienced in all his senses. He could smell the rotten musk still even if they scrubbed their skins off. But then he had seen how happy his daughter looked before she had spotted him.. was maybe Liddan the perfect person to pair her up as a life partner? He knew Liddan wouldn't dare to harm her much less make her cry. He sighed as he closed his eyes and turned around.*

"Hurry up and get out of here Liddan.. your the last person I want to see right now."

*liddan squirmed as he bowed at a 90 degree angle to Gajeel, levy and finally Gine. Then high tailed it out of their as he followed gajeels orders.*

"Gine! Come here,… walk with me.."

*Gajeel began walking away as Gine looked at her mother worried but levy only nodded confident her father wasn't upset. Gine looked back to her father who was farther away now as she ran behind him and walked behind him scared to show her face or if he could tell where she's been at since last night.*

"Gine… *sigh* why did you do it? Was it because the heat of the moment? Or do you have feelings for him?"

*Gajeel decided to make the conversation as short and less awkward by just getting straight to his question.. levy did have a point… she wasn't little anymore to let him or levy make decisions for her. He had to begin starting to trust her judgment on things and support her on her decisions now.. he just wanted to know why had she done it though..*

"….Yes father, I have feelings for Liddan.. I love him.."

*Gine took a short sharp breath as she waited for her father to continue.*

".. hm.. and does he share those same feelings?"

".. yes father…"

"Are you prepared to bare your consequences for your mistakes then?"

"Yes father.."

*Gine sounded a bit more confident now as she saw her father wasn't against her relationship with Liddan but also wasn't too happy about it. She wanted to show her father now her confidence in how she can be a responsible person not just as his daughter, but as her own person now.*

"… hm… Liddan.. um, … he isn't a bad guy just so you know… I'm actually a bit glad it was him who you fell in love with… so, .. go. Go on a date first and take things slow with him… then do all the things that come after marriage okay?"

*Gajeel turned around now as he stopped walking, he turned to his small daughter as he still visioned her as his little baby.. he began tearing up as she began panicking on what to do.*

"Oh Gine… when did you grow up behind daddy's back? *sniff sniff* I still want you to be my baby girl still Gine…"

*Gajeel hugged his daughter gently afraid to squeeze her small frame like her mothers not too much. Gine whimpered as she hugged him tightly back as she sobbed softly into his arms.*

"I will always be your baby girl dad… don't worry, I won't change.. I promise…"

With that Gajeel gave her a affirmative hum and let her go, he twirled her around with one hand as he aligned her off to where Liddan had ran.. she understood the message and let her fingertips slide out of her fathers hand and gave him a sad smile. She waved to him as she ran back to Liddan. He watched his little girl grow up into a beautiful woman now as he saw her disappear in the blob of people.

"I'm proud of you Gajeel.."

*levy came behind him as she hugged his arm, he smirked as he wrapped his arm around her waist as he looked ahead.*

"For what?.. not kicking the brat's ass who slept with my daughter?."

*levy snickered as she was relieved of that too, but she tugged at his vest as he looked down at her..*

"… Thank you for being a great father to our daughter… I'm glad I met you Gajeel…"

*levy smiled as the wrinkles in the corner of her eyes appeared more with time… Gajeel hated time was passing by so fast… but also appreciated he was growing old with her as well.. he took a big sigh as he took out his hand and asked to hold her hand like the first time they went on their date.. levy giggled as she played her bashful younger self from long ago as she accepted his hand. They both walked side by side heading home..*