AN: This takes place in the third novel, "The Ghosts of Sairaag." Gourry and Sylphiel go to find the Blessed Blade and while they are gone, Lina is attacked and gravely injured.

I do not own "The Slayers," I just play in the sandbox.

It was not the last place in the world he wanted to be, but it was close to the bottom of the list. He really did not want to be alone with Sylphiel. He didn't want to answer any questions she might have. He didn't want to have to struggle with a way to let her down gently. And he didn't want to be so far from Lina when there was a powerful enemy out to kill them.

They walked in awkward silence for so long that when Sylphiel did finally speak he nearly jumped out of his skin. "How long have you been traveling with her?"

She said it as casually as one might ask about the weather, but it would be pointless to deny the deeper implications to the question. He shrugged, "I dunno. A few months give or take."

"Oh." She said, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn't she asked, "Do you plan to continue traveling with her?"

"Well, I am her guardian." He explained.

"Guardian?"

He smiled, "A kid like her is always getting into trouble. Someone needs to look out for her."

"Oh." She said softly, "So I guess there wasn't enough to keep you busy in Sairaag."

Gourry tensed as she continued, "You left so quickly, I always wondered why."

He grinned nervously and scratched the back of his head, "You know, I don't remember. But I must have had a good reason!"

Her calm façade broke slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. He took a deep breath to steal himself against the guilt that he felt. In actuality he remembered all too well why he had left. He'd fought beside Sylphiel the last time he was there. He knew she had been taken with him but there was nothing on his part. Sure, she was industrious, competent and pretty, but she was always so damned formal! She wasn't someone he could joke with or relax around. As the daughter of a public official she always had to be so strict and formal and expected the same from him.

But when Sylphiel's father sat him down and told him that he approved of him as a match for Sylphiel and what would be expected of him as the husband of the High Priest's daughter, he realized he needed to leave, and fast.

Staying in Sairaag was tempting. He was a hero and adored by the citizens. But he could not stay and become a public figure. If his family ever learned that he was living in Sairaag with the High Priest's daughter and weilding the Sword of Light, all of the troubles that he had sacrificed so much to get away from would follow him to Sairaag. He could not let that happen. So he left. But there was no way he could explain that to her.

Undaunted, Sylphiel continued, "When all this is over, would you like to visit Father? It has been awhile and I'm sure he'd like to catch up with you."

Gourry mentally squirmed, "I'll have to run it by Lina. She may have other plans."

"I see." She said quietly

They walked in awkward silence until Sylphiel finally found where she had stashed the Blessed Blade and retrieved it. As they continued back she asked, "What do you think of Miss Lina?"

Gourry felt his stomach twist. How was he supposed to answer that? "Don't worry. She's a little reckless, but I'm sure she can take Rezo or whoever he is down without destroying Sairaag."

"That's good to know." She said quietly, and then, her control fracturing, "Are you two intimate?"

He took a deep breath, "No." he said simply, "Just friends."

Somehow, it was both the truth and a lie. Officially, they were just friends. They'd just met after all. But he knew good and well that his feelings for Lina were growing beyond mere friendship.

Sylphiel studied him closely for a moment before looking at the ground, and he had the strange sense that she'd picked up on where his heart lay. "What is it about her that you like?"

He could hear the second part of her question, though she didn't voice it. "And what about me did you not like?" His stomach twisted. He wasn't about to pour his heart out to Sylphiel. It would only cause her pain.

Before he could respond, he smelled the rusty hint of blood. He grabbed the hilt of his sword as his heart started to race, "Someone's been hurt." He breathed.

Sylphiel frowned as he started to run. "How do you know that?" she asked.

He didn't answer her as the smell grew stronger and she started to run to keep up. From up ahead he could hear Zel chanting, but no one else. Why wasn't Lina talking? Usually she never shut up! Why had he even left her in the first place?

He ran even faster, and soon he rounded a tunnel and found the opening where they had left the group. The bottom seemed to dissolve from his stomach as he saw Lina lying on the ground, motionless and deathly pale. Zel was over her, looking distressed. "No!"

He scrambled to her side, wondering where all of the blood was coming from as he picked her up and shook her, "Lina! Wake up!"

"Careful, Gourry, she has a very bad stomach wound." Zel cautioned, "Lay her flat or you will make it worse." Zel clarified as Gourry looked at him dumbly while Sylphiel caught up, slightly breathless.

"What happened?" she asked as Gourry reluctantly set Lina down and grabbed her hand.

"Lantz and Eris got taken over and attacked her." Zel explained, "They slipped into a coma when I came over to investigate a sound I heard."

"Do something!" Gourry whispered harshly to Sylphiel as he brushed Lina's hair from her face, "You can talk about what happened later."

To his confoundment, Sylphiel walked over to Lantz and Eris instead of Lina, "I need to break the spell on them first. If they attack us while I'm healing her, we'll be in an even worse spot. It won't take long."

Gourry stared at her as though betrayed as Zel whispered, "She has a point. We have to secure the scene first."

Gourry looked down at Lina. She was still warm, but the life was obviously flowing away from her. He stroked her hair as though that would keep her grounded with her body as he waited for what seemed like an eternity for Sylphiel to break the spell on Lantz and Eris. Finally she came over to them and calmly announced that she would now heal Lina.

"Master Gourry, " she said calmly, looking at his hand entwined with Lina's, "You will need to step back and give her room."

He closed his eyes, wondering yet again why he had even left in the first place, and then stepped back to let Sylphiel do her job. Right before she started to chant she looked at him, "It seems as if your feelings towards her are much more than friendly."

He didn't say anything as he watched Sylphiel heal her apprehensively, and waited for Lina to show that spark of life that would assure him that everything would be okay.