Lucy visited the humble residence of Levy on the fifth day after the death of Rose. She brought comfort-food but noticed that healthy food was scare.
On the sixth day Juvia visited. She had given Gray the task to look after the children. She wanted to give Levy some rest and brought a light salad that she had made. Levy ate barely a bite from it. Juvia left it on the counter for the mourning mage to eat if she needed.
Gajeel knocked on the door on the seventh day. 'Levy?', he knocked a second time before opening the door. The door was unlocked.
He walked upstairs to find Levy staring in front of her with a blanc stare. 'Shrimp?', he asked carefully. 'Today is the funeral. Do you want to go?'
Levy hid under her blankets. 'It's fine if you don't want to', she heard him say.
'I want to', her voice sounded broken. Even if she said that she wanted to, she stayed underneath the blankets. Gajeel waited. It took a while before Levy spoke again: 'It's hard to loose someone twice'.
The dragon slayer didn't know what he should say in this situation. He placed a hand on one of the bumps, he imagined it was her shoulder. Crying got louder as she sniffed under the cover. 'It took me a month last time to get over it a little'.
Levy had lost both her parents and her sister on the same day when she was a child. That was soon before she joined Fairy Tail.
'We are here for you shrimp. You don't need to do this alone', Gajeel mumbled something that should be words of strength. Truth be told, he was feeling a little weak too. He had trouble sleeping, eating, doing anything of daily routine. He felt responsible for Rose's death and was having a hard time processing what happened that day.
But he needed to be stronger than ever before if he wanted to help Levy.
'Thank you', she removed the blanket and looked at him through her tears. Gajeel handed her a box of tissues. 'It's over three hours. Take your time'. He stood up and left the bedroom. Levy needed a chance to get dressed. 'I'm downstairs'. He got outside and noticed the open door to Rose's bedroom. He closed it. Levy didn't have to look at that.
After an hour she went down. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had little life in those eyes.
'Can we stay here until... we have to go?', was her plead. She took her place next Gajeel on the couch. She leaned against him. After a while she spoke again with another plead. 'Can you come with me to my old home-town?', Levy asked.
'Sure shrimp. Anything'.
It stayed silent for another while. Levy had some thoughts to sort out but this time she wanted Gajeels opinion. 'Do you think she had fun at the guild?'
'Yeah, Rose was happy'.
'I'm afraid that her life was terrible. We lost each other for a long time. And then she was trapped on that mountain for almost 10 years'.
'Rose was strong. I really think she was happy in the end', Gajeel pulled Levy closer. 'She would have wanted you to be happy too'.
'I will try', her words were barely hearable.
They took their time. They talked little about what happened and went early to the funeral. It was held next to the river. They would send her way, guided with good spirits by floating a boat to the ocean.
There was already a large crowd by the time they gathered. Lucy walked up to Gajeel and Levy to guid them to the chairs in the front. Levy made sure to keep the dragon slayer close at all time. He knew best how she was feeling at this point and why. He wouldn't talk much and only respond when he was asked. She appreciated the silence.
Some members of Fairy Tail gathered around Levy to pay their respects. With every hand that was shaken, with every hug that was given, with every word that was said, she was having even a tougher time.
At one point Gajeel guided Levy to a chair in the second row, in the middle of the crowd. People wouldn't bother her quickly if they weren't able to reach her. He shot evil glances at the ones that tried. Levy was grateful for that.
Makarov was the one to lead the mourning men and women through the process. He started to speak about the strong will of Rose. How she had survived disasters and how she extracted power from grief. He reminded, with tears running over his face, that it was something they could all learn from. He assured everyone that it was alright to weep over the fallen and that it was alright to enjoy life.
Levy only listened to half of it. Her mind was numb. She kept thinking she wanted to leave. It went over too quick. Sure they had good times. Doing the household tasks together, shopping for new clothes, a few missions. She wasn't ready to say her farewells. She grabbed Gajeels arm for help. She pressed her face in his clothes and cried.
Later, during the funeral, Makarov asked if anyone would like to have a word. Levy stood up, shaking on her legs. She had some words she wanted to say to her sister. She knew there wasn't another chance to say them. It was now or never. It felt like Rose was watching over them. That she could her Levy's word. And if they sent her out to the ocean, she would leave too.
She was still shaking when she stood in front. Her shoulders shook with every sniff. 'Rose, is for me very special', she couldn't speak in the past. 'She makes me smile and looks out for me. I love that time we went out for our first mission and you punched a stranger just before we entered the village. And that someone turned out to be the one needing our help', Levy let out a miserable laugh. 'He even needed help getting rid of some bullies', she stopped. Not sure what to say.... Tears started to stream over her cheeks, but she didn't notice.
'I miss you. Can you come back another time?'. Levy scanned the crowd. Somehow hoping that Rose would really stand up.
Teru started to cry and Juvia had to stand up. She excused herself as she walked away. Teru and Bozu still had each other. Mirajane sat in the middle of Elfman and Lisanna. Levy was now alone.
'Rose, I know we didn't always agree. You didn't even like books', a faint smile through her tears. 'But I loved to have you around. I want to argue some more with you, especially over the silly things like...', she couldn't think of something. Her mind was stuck at the last argument they had. The one about Gajeel. She just wanted Rose to accept him. She never imagined the body swap to end like this. She would have had more magic if she was in her own body. She could've escaped if she didn't insisted. 'It's my fault you're dead', she said it before she was aware of it. Gajeel quickly stood up and went to Levy. He wanted to take her away to a quiet place but she refused.
'NO! It's all my fault. I didn't know. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW', she covered her eyes. The tears were back. 'I should've accepted the fact that you didn't like Gajeel. It's my fault'.
The strength in her knees were gone. Levy dropped on her knees, weeping in front of everyone. She heard several members of Fairy Tail cry with her. 'Please come back', Levy pleaded against Gajeels chest.
'Come', he led her to the river. There was already a boat floating on the waves. The ocean was rough today. The boat wouldn't come far if it stayed like this.
On the background they heard another short word of farewell. 'I feel like I'm going crazy', she admitted to Gajeel.
'It's alright. Go crazy. I will stay with you', he looked at the boat as well. He had a pained look on his face too. Levy knew that Rose would've been sad too if the tables were turned and it was Gajeel who had died. She shook the thought away. She wouldn't know what she was going to do if Gajeel would die too.
'Thank you', she whispered.
In another minute the crowd started to join the two. The closest friends of Levy gathered around her. They didn't speak, just sat beside her.
Gray sat a little further away with Teru in his arms, just in case that the young one would cry. Natsu sat next to him with Bozu laying in the grass.
Juvia had left Bozu into the care of Natsu because she was asked to help sent Rose to the ocean. She walked into the water, her black dress swaying on the current of the waves. The river went up to her hips. Juvia tried to look calm, but her eyes and nose were red from her tears.
She took her place behind the boat, her face directed at the ocean. Jet and Droy loosened the ropes.
Juvia looked at Makarov and waited for his signal to send Rose out to the afterlife.
A small nod was enough. 'Wherever you are..', Marakov his words were spoken with courage. '...in this world or another, we will watch over you'. He lifted his hand high into the sky. He directed his index finger to the heavens. It was the signal all members of Fairy tail knew about. The sign that they would look over each other.
Juvia called to the magic inside her. Small waves curled on each side of the water mage. Those curls grew higher until they were able to push the bat towards the ocean. The boat itself rocked willingly on the current and set out for its journey.
The whole guild followed Makarovs lead. Each and every friend and guild member pointed at the heavens. Levy looked up to see the signals. Everyone looked sad and yet they had strength in them. Levy lifted her hand a little and unsure towards the heavens as well.
v Z=��^q'