AN: I do not own "The Slayers", I just play in the sandbox. Chapter title is from "The Moth" by Aimee Mann (it's been a long time since I've done song lyrics as chapter titles!) Anyway, while reviewing my earlier fics for my final work in this series I realized that there were still a few unanswered questions I wouldn't be able to resolve in that one shot. So this fic came in mind as a way to answer them, a sort of a twisted "Slayers" meets "Little Women" type thing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

"We've got company!" Gourry announced as he came in through the door.

Initially Lina was excited, and she looked up from the meal she was putting the finishing touches on to see who he had brought home with him, hoping to see a family friend, or perhaps even some of Gourry's extended family who occasionally passed through Zefiel City. But when she turned and saw that her husband had brought home some street urchin Lina felt her stomach drop. How could he!? More importantly, how could she have married someone so idiotic that he would be completely oblivious to the danger that he had just brought into this home!?

Lina's daughters raced to the door to greet their father and the newcomer. The young, male, down on his luck newcomer who, despite his raggedy, dirty clothing, was entirely too attractive for her daughters' own good. His brown eyes were a striking contrast to his fair colored hair, and his skin was nicely tanned. But it was the expression on his face, a mix of hard luck along with a defiant refusal to succumb to tragedy as he barely managed to conceal the shame of his situation that would have evoked a desire even within her hardened heart to give him a loving home to shelter him…had she not had three daughters. Three teenage daughters.

This was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea.

"This is Kenneth." Gourry said as he put his hands on the boy's shoulders. No, Lina decided she better start thinking of him in terms of the danger that he was. He was no boy. He was a young man. "I'm going to give him sword lessons and help him secure a position as a royal guard."

It wasn't the first time Gourry had done this. No, every few years he would bring in some hard on his luck adolescent to rescue him. It had always bothered Lina. Especially now that her girls were the ages they were. Seventeen, fifteen and twelve. Already Dianna, the oldest, was appraising Kenneth like a cat toying with a mouse while blush crept into their youngest, Attie's, cheeks. Min, at least, seemed immune even as she smiled politely. But then Min, thankfully, had high expectations for a future husband, and someone dragged off the street and consigned to the life of a royal bodyguard would be far below her standards. And fortunately, given the way that young Drake Cecil had been calling on her lately, her affections seemed to lie elsewhere.

"Kenneth, these are my girls, Dianna, Minny…"

"Min." Min interrupted him even as she softened it with a hug. "I outgrew of Minny years ago."

"Min, and Attie." Gourry said proudly as he wrapped his arms around them, "And over there is my wife, Lina."

Lina glared at Gourry, but she couldn't exactly turn the boy out now. "I suppose you invited him over for supper."

"There's always room for one more." Gourry said happily as he ignored the glower she was favoring him with.

"Go ahead and wash up, then." Lina said with a sigh. As Gourry showed Kenneth where the water pump was, Lina grabbed Dianna's arm and held it tightly. "Behave."

Dianna smiled mirthlessly, "You shouldn't worry so much, Mom."

Lina shook her head. This was not good. Dianna had a shard of Shabranigdu in her soul and all of the evil tendencies that could be expected with housing such a thing. Keeping her fighting for her humanity was a constant struggle, as was keeping the secret of who she housed in her soul from the rest of the world. "I mean it, Di."

"Don't worry," she said as she started setting the plates on the table, "I like him."

She then turned and flashed that smile to Lina, a smile that told her plainly that Dianna was playing at a game that she could only guess at. Lina's stomach flopped as she said. "That's why I worry."

Min grabbed the roast and moved to set it on the table as Gourry came back in with Kenneth. "You can go ahead and sit here." Min told Kenneth as she held open a seat, and Lina felt her heart sink as Dianna sat down beside him.

Meanwhile, Gourry came up to give her a kiss hello. She extended her cheek begrudgingly as she murmured, "You and me are going to have a talk later."

"Would it be better if I just go?" Kenneth asked quietly, and to her embarrassment she realized she'd spoken too loudly and had found herself put oddly on the spot.

Lina sighed, "Despite what you may have heard of me, I'm not that heartless. Go ahead, dig in."

"Really, if it's a problem…" he started.

"Nonsense!" Dianna exclaimed as she grabbed the bread basket and held it in front of him, "There's more than enough for everyone. These are store bought so they're probably the best thing on this table I'm afraid. Mom is many things but a great cook is not one of them and she gets a bit embarrassed when people have to eat her cooking."

"Thank you." He said as he grabbed a roll and put it on his plate as everyone else sat down for supper. "And I really am grateful. I'll eat anything, no matter how bad it is!"

There was a time when Lina would have wanted to smack Dianna, but Lina could take it as long as the jabs were at her and not one of her sisters. And while Lina was resolved to letting him stay for dinner, she was not reconciled at all to the way he was glancing at Dianna. She needed to do something to illustrate to her daughter that it would not be a good idea to pursue him, so she asked, "Hey Kenneth, what did you try to pilfer from my parents' store?"

Kenneth jumped to his feet as he yelled, "What are you accusing me of!?"

Lina's eyes widened. She was completely unprepared for how angry the question made him! But hopefully if she provoked him a bit more it could prove her point?

But Gourry was quick to put a hand on Kenneth's arm, "Usually when I bring someone home it's because they tried to rob the store. Lina's just being protective. Kenneth wasn't stealing, he asked for a job so he could buy some food."

"That's rather industrious of you." Min said as Dianna gently put a hand on Kenneth's other arm, and as Lina watched as the sparks flew between them, she realized that her plan had just backfired spectacularly.

Damn!

"And he worked hard unloading some shipments that came in." Gourry added.

"Well, I bet you worked up the appetite!" Min said, "Try the roast, despite what Di says, it's one of the few dishes Mom is able to pull off well."

"Please sit back down," Dianna added, "I'd like to get to know you better. After awhile you just learn to tune Mom out."

Kenneth sat back down and tried the roast, "This is very good."

"It's not half bad." Dianna agreed.

"You try working all day and then getting home and cooking something decent!" Lina yelled, in a thoroughly sour mood by now.

"That's why I'm going to be rich enough to hire a cook!" Min said chipperly.

"With a face like that it shouldn't be too hard to find a sugar daddy." Dianna said deviously. "It's the only thing you have going for you."

Min blushed as Kenneth grinned despite himself while Attie's face lost its color. Meanwhile, Lina stepped on Dianna's foot even as she bit her tongue. Years of terrible fights with Dianna had taught her it was best to let Gourry handle it. Quietly he asked, "How appropriate was that?"

"Oh, it wasn't." Dianna said, "But I couldn't resist. I am so sorry, Min. Now that I think of it you are a decent enough sorceress."

Min glared at her, and then stood up, "Mom, I wasn't planning to make the announcement until later, but I was one of the sorceresses that Madame Eleanora chose to introduce to the Eternal Queen at the Festival Ball."

Dianna dropped her fork with the announcement. The Festival Ball was rather exclusive to the nobility and the wealthy. Only the exceptionally talented were given an invitation to hobnob with them. All of their girls had dreamed of wowing someone with their talents one day and being invited, even if they considered it a pipe dream. Min, it appeared, had taken it far more seriously than they had ever realized.

"Fortunately I've been saving the money I've earned working as a library clerk for just such an occasion. Is it alright if I run to the dressmaker to put my order in?"

"You really think they'll be open this late?" Lina asked, "Honestly, Min, that ball is four months away! You can put it in tomorrow, when you'll have time to be properly measured."

Min grinned, and then she stared at Dianna, "Yes, I guess preparations for the most important dress I'll ever wear will have to wait for one more day. Keep that in mind the next time you suggest that all I am is my beauty."

Dianna was now rather red faced as she grasped her fork tightly as her muscles clenched, and Lina looked across the table at Gourry as they worried about what form Dianna's retaliation would take. Part of Lina wanted to take Min aside and ask her what she was thinking, provoking Dianna like that. Yet Lina also had to admit, if she had been in Min's shoes, she would have snapped long before now. Meanwhile, Min continued, "I'd still like to go out tonight. Drake got some new horses and he'd like to take me riding."

"Is your homework done?" Lina asked.

"Of course."

"Have fun, then."

"Thank you." Min said.

Lina turned to Attie, and decided to navigate things to a safer topic, "How was school?"

"The same as always." Attie replied as she poked at her food. "The exam to get my color status was set for two weeks."

"You'll do fine." Lina said, "I'll walk you through what to expect."

Fortunately the conversation was safer after that point, even if Dianna seethed through it. Well, Lina decided, if Dianna wasn't going to be turned off Kenneth hopefully her sulking would turn Kenneth off her!

As the dinner plates were cleared away, Min approached Kenneth and said, "You know, I was sorting through Dad's clothes the other day and set aside some outfits to give away. They may be a bit big for you, but…"

"I don't need handouts." Kenneth flared.

"Take them." Gourry said, "You'll need some good clothes on your back when you apply to be a guard."

"I'll get there on my own."

"There's no shame in getting a leg up." Min said, "Getting ahead is all about the connections that you make."

"And what would you know about that, Min?" Dianna asked. "Something must have tilted Madame Eleanora's opinion of you in your favor."

"Hey Di," Attie said, "I need your help with that report to the guild I'm working on."

"Oh, can it wait?" Dianna asked, "We've got a guest."

"It's due tomorrow, and you know I'm no good with writing!"

"Fine," Dianna said, and Lina silently thanked Attie for diverting her.

"I'm going to go ahead and show Kenneth the basics anyway." Gourry said.

"Thank goodness." Lina said. What she left unsaid was, "get him out of here, and never bring him back!"

As Lina walked through the house after everyone had gone to bed, she checked to make sure that the door to Dianna's room was locked. Lina hated how barbaric it felt to lock her in, but given Dianna's desires to hurt others they'd had to do it to protect the younger children. And given that Min had now provoked Dianna's jealousy, Lina knew that they needed to be on guard. At least Min was strong enough to protect herself from Dianna now, but everyone was vulnerable as they slept.

Of course, a locked door wouldn't stop Dianna if she really wanted to cause harm.

Lina pushed the thought aside and walked into her bedroom. Gourry was sitting on the bed, humming to himself as he polished his boots. Lina went up and smacked the backside of his thick head. "What the hell were you thinking?" she demanded.

"That I could help?" Gourry replied coolly.

"Never offer help if it's going to disadvantage you! Did you see how well he was getting on with Dianna?"

"Come on, Lina! They're at that age." He replied, "We can't stop her from growing up."

"Surely you can't think that it's a good idea for Dianna to get romantically involved with him?" Lina said incredulously.

"No," he replied, "But telling her she's not allowed to see Kenneth will just make her want to see him more, won't it?"

"That's why you shouldn't have brought him home in the first place! You damn well brought an apple pie home, and she's going to eat him alive!"

"Lina, if it's not Kenneth it's going to be someone else."

"Not anyone local, they're all too scared of her." Lina replied.

"He'll hear the rumors soon enough, and then he'll run."

"And that could be what sets her off." Lina said as she sat down on the bed beside him, her heart in her throat. "If this rivalry with Min doesn't."

He put a hand on her shoulder, but she batted him away. "I'm still mad at you!"

"You shouldn't work so hard to change things you can't control," he said, "Just prepare yourself for the fallout."

"Oh, I'm prepared." Lina said darkly as she struggled against her tears. She had joined the guild years ago to research spells that would kill Dianna should she ever merge with Shabranigdu to destroy the world, "And since you aren't the one who would have to deliver the killing blow if that happens, then forgive me for wanting to make sure that doesn't come to pass."

"That's not what I want either!" he said, "And I don't think it will come to that. All I'm saying is that…"

"That you'll think more carefully before you take some pretty young man home with you!" Lina snapped. "The damage is already done with Kenneth, and if we get through this I want to make sure that there won't be a next time! Because I have to plan how I would kill her every time I go into work! And I don't need you bringing me closer to that!"

Gourry shook his head as he held his hands up, "Fine."

"I mean it! We've got enough on our plate keeping this family from imploding to worry about helping others! I don't need you bringing in kindling!"

"You don't need to remind me." He said, "I wasn't thinking…"

"And if you even try to pull a dopey, I forget act…"

He folded is arms across his chest as he scowled as he asked, "Is there anything else?"

She glared at him for a moment, then she softened her stance, even though her belly continued to ache. "Talk to Di."

"Huh?"

"That ball Min is going to. It's going to set her off, and I don't know what she'll do to Min to retaliate. Sis doesn't get these things at all and I wouldn't trust her with this conversation, but I'm sure you can see why it would be important to her, and you're the one who's best with reaching her. I mean Di and I would be screaming at each other in five seconds flat if I tried."

"I'll talk to her." He said. "In fact, I'll go see if she's still up."

Lina nodded as he stood up. Then she said quickly as she grabbed his hand, "You do always end up reminding me why I'm glad to have you around. Even if you are an idiot."

He swooped down to kiss the crown of her head, though the tension still filled the air between them. "Thanks for telling me. I'll be back."

The light was still on in Dianna's room. Gourry knocked and then unlocked it when she said, "Come in."

She was sitting at her desk as she wrote, still in her day clothes. "What?" she asked.

"I wanted to check in. See how you are doing with Min's news."

Dianna shook her head, "Honestly I'm way too preoccupied with my job interview tomorrow to give a silly ball much thought. And if you'll excuse me, I'm reviewing what I will say."

Gourry peered over her shoulder to see what she was writing and she sighed and shoved it at him, "Happy now?"

He skimmed through it, and saw that it was notes about white healing magic as she continued, "Honestly I've not had a bad outburst in years! That you don't trust me…"

"I trust you. I don't trust Shabranigdu." Gourry said.

"I won't let him gain control!" she persisted, "I can control him now!"

"Let's keep it that way."

"If you don't think I'm strong enough…"

"You've proven you're strong enough, but we can't get complacent. And look, your mom is terrified about something bad happening to you, so help me reassure her. She worries about you so." Dianna was silent as she stared at her desk, and Gourry put a hand on her knee, "Look, I'm glad you're taking your interview tomorrow so seriously. But I don't believe that you're not upset about that ball. Help me think of something to say to your mother when I go back to my bedroom."

Dianna sighed, "Well, perhaps I am a little upset." She conceded, "But I swear I'm putting my energies to good use! Perhaps if I distinguish myself as a midwife I'll get my own invitation. It's still a few months away."

"I want to believe that Di."

"Then everything is good." She said.

"What if you don't get to go though?"

"Then there's always next year." Dianna said.

Gourry was silent for a moment. "I want to believe that, but I need more reassurance than that."

"I'm not going to hurt Min!" Dianna insisted, "I control him so much better now! If I get the urge I'll leave the room, I'll go to the woods, I promise. Really, I'm not thinking of hurting her!"

He grabbed her hand, "No. Come tell me if you get the urge to hurt her. First thing. No matter what is happening, I will drop everything."

"I know. Now, I need to get back to preparing for this interview tomorrow."

Gourry nodded as he observed her. He wanted to believe that they had been successful enough with her that they had gotten to a point where her jealousy could be provoked and she would not feel the need to hurt whoever had unleashed it. And they had been successful in smaller instances, but nothing this large. This would definitely be a test. For now, what more was there to do than to trust her while sleeping with one eye open? He stood up and kissed the crown of her head, "Good luck."