My first decent Slayers fic.. even though I was afraid Shelly-sempai would kill me. After all, she HATES the couple of Zel/Amelia.. and yet, she still told me to write another. Anyway.. if you steal this fic, then I will steal Filia's mace and. well you've seen that thing! (most likely)

Written in Stone

Part 1

Parallels

"Five portions!" Lina shouted. The waitress, wide eyed, hurried off.

"So, Miss Lina, where are we off to now?" Amelia asked. Lina lay back, resting her feet on the table.

"Well, I don't know.." she said, "And I can't figure it out until I get some food!" she whined. Zelgadis sighed. He silently left the table, a breeze pushing out his cape behind him. Amelia watched him leave with wide eyes.

"Oh, Mr. Zelgadis." She whispered. She got up and ran from the table. Lina noticed her running off, and made to get up. Her upward progress was halted by a hand on her shoulder.

"Just leave them." He said. Lina stared after them, but reluctantly sat back.

A few meters away, Zelgadis sat, staring off into the night. He was simultaneously hating himself and reveling in his feelings.

*Ugh! Why does this bother me so much? It's over now, it's all over. And yet, and yet I still see her lying there, her life's blood flowing and spreading across the..* he wiped his eyes. *and perhaps the worst part was being helpless. I couldn't save her.* He looked down. Suddenly, a hand on his shoulder shocked him to attention.

"Hello, Mr. Zelgadis." Amelia said.

"Oh, Amelia." Zel said. He turned away.

"What's the." Amelia said, then she stopped. She turned away.

*I'm sure he doesn't care. Oh, but I was so scared! And he, he saved my life like that, but even though he was. and I couldn't help!* She looked down.

"You know I-" they said simultaneously. They paused.

*It's just stupid of me.* Zel thought, *So stupid of me.. A normal girl and a, and a freak like me! It would never work. So it will just hurt forever. Sometimes I wish I was entirely stone, that way I wouldn't have to feel like this.* he felt the moistness on his cheek, *Of course, then I would lose all feeling. But I'm sure I wouldn't care. And I'm already almost there.* he thought bitterly. Amelia turned to him.

"Mr. Zelgadis," She said. He turned to face her, "I have to tell you something."

"Yes?" He said, trying to effect boredom, or at least his same flat, emotionless exterior, but his voice cracked.

"I was. really worried about you, you know, back there when." Before she finished her thought, Zel nodded, he knew. Amelia looked away, tears threatening to well up.

* I knew it, I knew he didn't care! It must have been, some kind of accident. An accident when he. saved my life. I knew a powerful sorcerer and swordsman like him could never like a normal girl like me!* she finished. Zel sighed.

"Amelia, I-" he paused, before his eyes was her lifeless body, and he heard her voice saying 'I'm okay,' before it faded away, "Couldn't. help.." He said in a small voice, trailing off.

"What was that, Mr. Zelgadis?" Amelia asked. Zel sighed.

"Can we do away with the Mr.?" He asked. Amelia was taken aback, but she nodded.

"All right.. Zelgadis." Amelia said, a bit incredulously. Zel shook his head.

"No, wait, I don't want you to get rid of it. Augh.. I don't know what I want!" he said, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"Mr. Zelgadis.." Amelia said.

"Amelia." Zel started. He gasped, it was almost painful to say this, probably because he had been the mysterious swordsman/sorcerer for so long, "I'm sorry. I couldn't. help. you." Amelia gasped, lifting a hand to her mouth.

"Mr. Zelgadis, no! You helped! Don't you remember? You saved me! It was I who couldn't help you." she said, looking down. Zel sighed.

*I wish I didn't care.. or I knew that she cared.* he thought.

*I wish he knew I cared. And. I wish he cared.* Amelia thought. She walked around him, siting down next to him.

*If I don't tell him now.* she thought.

*If I don't tell her now.* he thought. Amelia sighed.

"Mr..Zelgadis." Amelia started, "I." Zel sighed.

"Amelia." he said, "there's something I have to tell you." He was just about to finish the thought when.

"Hey! Zel, Amelia! It's time to go! We're off to find treasure, food, and. food!" Zel and Amelia gazed, wide eyed, at Lina. Gourry, standing behind her, shrugged as if to say,

'Sorry, I tried' Zel gave Amelia a furtive glance, then he sighed, getting up.

"Let's go, Amelia," he said. Amelia got up.

"Yes, Mr. Zelgadis." She said, sighing. Lina grinned her little neko smile at them.

"I think I hear bells!" she sang. Zel facefaulted.

"W-What?" he said, twitching.

"Wedding bells!" she shouted, striking a pose. Zel and Amelia sweatdropped.

"Ahh! What?" Amelia said. Lina grinned.

"Let's go!" she said, walking off. Gourry looked at Zel, who was twitching, little anime vein standing out on his forehead.

"Uh, I think it would be better if you just let it be.." he said, jerking a thumb at Lina. Zel sighed. Amelia looked back at him. Lina grinned.

"Beautiful, genius sorceress Lina Inverse and her companions are off to conquer the world!" she shouted, thrusting a finger to the sky.

"With justice!" Amelia added. Gourry and Zel sweatdropped.

"If we have to." Zel said. Amelia looked back at him.

*Oh... I suppose telling him would only bring on the inevitable.* she thought.

*If I told her, all it would do is cause me pain* Zel thought.

*I'm better off this way.* they both thought, * Much better..*