*Magic Knights Headquarters Medical Wing - The following morning*
Consciousness returned to Levy slowly, like swimming up through deep, peaceful water toward distant sunlight. Her first awareness was of incredible comfort—soft sheets, a warm blanket, and the absence of the bone-deep exhaustion that had plagued her for days. Her second awareness was of an unfamiliar ceiling overhead, its stone arches definitely not belonging to any place she recognized.
"Where..." she began, her voice coming out as barely a whisper.
"You're safe," came Damian's voice immediately from somewhere nearby. "You're at Magic Knights headquarters, in our medical wing."
Levy turned her head slowly to see him sitting in a chair beside her bed, still wearing the same clothes from yesterday though they were now wrinkled from what looked like an uncomfortable night spent in that chair. His dark jade hair was disheveled, and there were dark circles under his emerald eyes that spoke of little or no sleep.
"Damian?" she said, memories beginning to return in fragments. "The forest... Gajeel... I remember you arriving, but then everything gets fuzzy."
"You collapsed from magical exhaustion," Damian explained gently, leaning forward in his chair. "Your body finally caught up with everything you'd put it through during your escape from Phantom Lord. I brought you here for medical treatment."
Levy tried to sit up, but immediately felt dizzy and had to lie back down. "How long have I been unconscious?"
"About twelve hours," Damian said, his voice carrying relief that she was awake and coherent. "The healer says you need at least three days of complete bed rest. No magical use, minimal physical activity."
"Three days?" Levy's eyes widened with alarm. "Damian, I can't stay here for three days! My guild needs me, especially with Phantom Lord—"
"Your guild needs you alive and healthy, not collapsing from exhaustion in the middle of a fight," Damian interrupted firmly. "Levy, you nearly gave yourself permanent magical pathway damage. If you'd pushed yourself any further yesterday..."
He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, but the fear in his voice was unmistakable.
"I'm fine now though," Levy insisted, though she made no attempt to sit up again. "I feel much better after sleeping."
"You feel better because you've had twelve hours of magical rest and healing treatment," Damian corrected. "The moment you try to use magic or strain yourself physically, you'll collapse again. And next time, the damage might not be reversible."
Levy was quiet for a moment, studying his face. The worry lines around his eyes, the way he kept his hands clenched in his lap as if to prevent himself from reaching out to her, the protective tension in his posture—all of it spoke to how frightened he'd been.
"You stayed here all night, didn't you?" she asked softly.
"I needed to make sure you were alright," Damian replied, not quite meeting her eyes. "I had to know you were safe."
"Damian..." Levy began, then stopped as the full implications of her situation hit her. "My team! Jet and Droy must be frantic. They don't know what happened to me."
"I spoke with Master Makarov last night," Damian assured her quickly. "He knows you're safe and recovering. He'll tell your team that you're being cared for without revealing the specifics."
"You went to Fairy Tail?" Levy asked in surprise. "But if anyone saw you there—"
"I was careful," Damian said. "And Makarov understands the need for discretion. As far as your guild knows, you're simply somewhere safe, recovering from your injuries."
Levy nodded slowly, then her expression grew troubled. "The conflict with Phantom Lord... how bad is it getting?"
Damian was quiet for a moment, clearly debating how much to tell her. "Intelligence reports suggest they're planning something significant. Master Jose isn't content with simple guild rivalry—he seems intent on completely destroying Fairy Tail."
"We have to help them," Levy said immediately, trying to sit up again. "I need to get back there—"
"No," Damian said firmly, gently but insistently pressing her back down onto the pillows. "Levy, listen to me. I know you want to help your friends, but you're in no condition to fight. You'd be a liability, not an asset."
"But they're my family," Levy protested, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "How can I just lie here while they're in danger?"
Damian felt something twist in his chest at the sight of her distress. Without thinking, he reached out and took her hand in both of his.
"Because they're strong," he said quietly. "Because Fairy Tail has survived dozens of conflicts that should have destroyed them. Because they have Natsu's determination, Erza's strategy, Gray's ice magic, and most importantly, they have each other."
"You really believe they can win?" Levy asked, her voice small.
"I've seen the intelligence reports on both guilds," Damian said with growing confidence. "Phantom Lord may have numbers and resources, but Fairy Tail has something more important—they fight as a family. Every member willing to risk everything for the others. That kind of bond is more powerful than any magical weapon."
Levy squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his certainty. "When you put it like that..."
"Besides," Damian continued with a slight smile, "your guild has defeated dark guilds, survived the Council's displeasure, and somehow managed to rebuild their hall every time Natsu destroys it. I think they can handle one delusional guild master with delusions of grandeur."
Despite her worry, Levy found herself smiling. "That's true. We are pretty resilient."
"Exactly," Damian said warmly. "So your job right now isn't to fight—it's to recover so you can be there for them when this is over. They'll need their brilliant script mage back at full strength."
"You think I'm brilliant?" Levy asked, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.
Damian felt heat rise in his own face as he realized what he'd said. "I think you're remarkable in every way," he said honestly. "Your intelligence, your dedication to your friends, your courage in the face of danger... Levy, you're extraordinary."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, hands still clasped, both lost in thoughts they weren't quite ready to voice. Finally, Levy spoke again.
"Will you stay?" she asked quietly. "I know you have responsibilities, duties to attend to, but..."
"I'm not going anywhere," Damian assured her immediately. "My knights can handle headquarters operations. My place is here, making sure you're safe."
"Thank you," Levy whispered. "For everything. For saving me, for taking care of me, for believing in my guild even when I'm scared they might not be strong enough."
"They are strong enough," Damian said with absolute conviction. "And so are you. Both individually and together."
As if summoned by their conversation, a communication lacrima on the bedside table began to glow softly. Damian activated it, and Tycun's face appeared in the crystal.
"Your Highness," Tycun reported, "we've received intelligence updates on the Phantom Lord situation. The conflict has escalated to direct assault—they've deployed their mobile guild hall and are moving toward Magnolia."
Levy gasped, her hand tightening on Damian's. "They're attacking the town?"
"Fairy Tail has evacuated all civilians and taken defensive positions," Tycun continued. "Early reports suggest they're holding their own, but the battle is far from over."
"Keep monitoring the situation," Damian ordered. "I want updates every hour."
"Of course, Your Highness. How is Miss McGarden?"
"Recovering," Damian replied, glancing at Levy's worried face. "But she needs to focus on getting better, not on conflicts she can't influence from here."
After Tycun signed off, Levy looked at Damian with a mixture of gratitude and concern. "You're having your knights monitor the battle for my sake."
"I'm having them monitor it because guild conflicts can affect kingdom stability," Damian replied diplomatically, though they both knew the real reason.
"Damian," Levy said softly, "why are you doing all this? The medical care, staying here with me, monitoring my guild's battle... this goes far beyond friendship or even your protective instincts."
Damian was quiet for a long moment, staring at their joined hands. When he finally looked up, his emerald eyes held a vulnerability she'd never seen before.
"Because the thought of losing you terrifies me more than any threat I've ever faced," he said quietly. "Because when that necklace activated yesterday, nothing else in the world mattered except getting to you in time. Because..."
He trailed off, unable to finish the confession that would change everything between them.
"Because?" Levy prompted gently.
"Because you've become the most important person in my world," Damian said finally. "And I'm not ready to examine what that means, but I know I can't lose you."
Levy felt her heart race at his words, understanding the depth of feeling he was trying not to name. "You won't lose me," she promised. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Then rest," Damian said, his voice rough with emotion. "Let your friends fight their battle while you prepare for whatever comes next. Trust in their strength while you rebuild your own."
"I'll try," Levy agreed, settling back into the pillows. "But only if you promise to keep me updated on how they're doing."
"Every hour," Damian promised. "And Levy? They're going to be fine. Fairy Tail always finds a way to protect what matters most to them."
As Levy finally allowed herself to relax and focus on recovery, both she and Damian knew that they were no longer just friends or allies. They were something deeper, something that neither was quite ready to name but both were beginning to acknowledge.
And in the distance, the sounds of magical combat echoed across Magnolia as Fairy Tail proved once again that the bonds of family were stronger than any force that sought to break them.
---
*To be continued...*