Now, as you read this ficcie, you must remember one big majorly important thingy: I AM A TRAD SUPPORTER!!! Z/A, L/G, X/F... you know the deal! Also, all my ficcies end happily. Happily for me means Z/A, L/G, X/F... meaning you know how this is going to end. Just keep those thoughts in your mind as you read, okay? Now, I don't own Slayers, but I do own my plottyness! So NYAH!!!

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It was a dark and stormy night. Thunder clouds were black and heavy, covering the stars in the pitch black outside. Inside the inn, everyone was nestled snug in their beds. Everyone meaning Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis, Amelia, Xellos, and Filia. They were all in their own rooms, all warm and toasty and asleep in their fluffy beds.

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Quietly, Lina slipped out from under her covers. She tiptoed down the halls in her pajamas and socks. Looking around nervously to make sure no one saw her, she opened the door to another room, and sneaked inside.

Once inside, she faced the bed, grinning widely. The occupant of the bed was facing the other wall. Silently, Lina crossed over there, and climbed into bed, wrapping her arms around the other. Slowly, the other person turned around. Lina smiled at the face of Zelgadis.

"Another midnight rendezvous?" Zelgadis asked, moving his hands to Lina's hips.

Lina kissed Zelgadis, and said, "Actually, I came to tell you something."

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Gourry leapt out of his bed, and looked around. No one was in his room. Good. He turned around, and bunched up his blankets so it would look like he was still in his bed before heading to the door. Very slowly and quietly, Gourry opened the door. He poked his head out, and looked in the hallway. No one there. Good.

Very quietly, Gourry shuffled his feet across the carpeted floor and headed for another inn room. When he reached the room, he grabbed the door handle, and turned it very very slowly and carefully. He gently pushed the door open, and slipped inside, closing it behind him again.

"You made it," a voice whispered from across the room.

Gourry turned around to face Filia, and nodded. "It wasn't hard, but I made it," he told her, moving closer.

Filia, who was wearing a light linen nightgown, smiled widely when Gourry's arms went around her waist. "Gourry, we should stop meeting like this," she told him.

"How else can we meet?" Gourry asked, brushing a strand of hair away from Filia's face. "No one else needs to know about this."

"Exactly," Filia said. "No one can know.... which is why I think...." A small tear fell down her cheek, and she leaned against Gourry sadly.

Gourry, a concerned look on his face, asked, "What? What is it?"

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Amelia stayed awake, staring up at the ceiling, her hands clasped behind her head. She waited impatiently as the minutes slowly ticked by on the clock beside her bed. It was a warm night, so she was wearing just a thin night dress. Outside, the storm pounded against her windows, which gave her goose bumps.

But the sound of soft footsteps on her floor made her chills all go away. Smiling, she turned to face the one she'd been waiting for.

"Hello again, Amelia-san," Xellos said, coming closer to the bed.

"Xellos-san," Amelia said, sitting up in bed. "You're late. I was getting worried!"

Xellos sat on Amelia's bed beside her, and said, "I apologize. Forgive me?"

Smiling, Amelia hugged Xellos tightly. "Always!" she promised.

Slowly, Xellos's hand went under Amelia's chin, and lifted her head. He leaned down, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Shall we?" he asked in a whisper.

Amelia nodded, and shivers ran down her back as she felt Xellos's hand slip up her back beneath her night dress.

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Zelgadis stared in shock at Lina, who was now standing by his door. "What do you mean?" he asked incredulously.

"I mean," Lina told him. "That I don't love you anymore. I know I said I did, but.... it faded away.... I--"

"Stop!" Zelgadis said sharply, but quietly. "Just leave! I never want to see you again! And I doubt you want to see my face, either."

"Zel!" Lina protested. "It's not about how you look, it's--"

"Leave!" Zelgadis said, standing up and storming over to where Lina was. "You can't stand the sight of me? Well, you can just leave!" With that, he leaned around Lina, his face inches from hers, opened the door, and shoved her out into the hallway. When Lina got up and out of the way, Zelgadis closed the door, and leaned against it heavily.

Scrambling to her feet, Lina went back to her room, fresh tears on her face.

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"What's wrong?" Gourry asked comfortingly, placing his hand on Filia's back. "You can tell me."

Filia shook her head, and said, "We can't do this anymore. We have to stop."

"We.... what?" Gourry stared down at Filia, who pulled away from his embrace.

Filia wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Just as I said," she told him. "If we have to keep our love secret, then I don't want to do it anymore."

Gourry just stared at her, speechless.

"I'm sorry," Filia said in a whisper.

For a moment, Gourry didn't speak. Then he just nodded, and said, "I don't understand, but if you don't want to love me anymore, then I guess I'll just go...."

Filia kissed Gourry softly on his lips, and said, "A parting gift."

With that, Gourry turned away, and left the room despondently. Filia dropped to her knees, and covered her face with her hands. "What did I just do?" she asked herself around her sobs.

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Xellos lay beside Amelia in her bed, watching Amelia smile at him.

"Xellos-san?" Amelia asked dreamily.

"Yes?"

Snuggling against Xellos, Amelia asked, "What are you thinking?"

Xellos hesitated. Then he answered, "I'm thinking that.... you don't want to hear what I have to tell you."

Amelia lifted her head and looked Xellos right in the eyes. "What do you have to tell me?" she asked, a slight quaver in her voice.

Xellos sighed, and said, "I don't love you."

Amelia stared at him. "You.... don't?" she asked in a squeaky voice. "But, Xellos-san--"

"I never have, Amelia-san," Xellos said. "I've only kept myself involved in this little affair because of all the perks."

Amelia backed away from Xellos, tugging on the ribbons of her nightdress. "You... you're hentai! Get out of my bed! Out of my room! Right now! You shouldn't have done that to me, Xellos-san! You really shouldn't have!!" She didn't shout, but she said her words with such malice that Xellos backed out of the bed.

Xellos bowed mockingly, picked up his staff, and said, "It's been enjoyable, Amelia-san, but all good things must come to an end."

"Out!" Amelia said loudly, throwing a shoe at him. Before the shoe could hit him, Xellos teleported away, leaving Amelia alone in her room.

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Gourry stood in the hallway for a second, before making up his mind about where to go. He headed over to another room, and knocked softly on the door.

"Please go away," a choked voice answered.

"Are.... are you okay?" Gourry asked gently.

There was a pause, and then, "Gourry-san?"

"Yeah, it's me," Gourry answered.

"You can come in."

Gourry opened the door, and stepped inside. He looked at Amelia, who was curled up in her bed, crying. "What happened?" he asked her, coming to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Oh, Gourry-san," Amelia wept. "I thought Xellos-san loved me! Now my heart hurts.... he was just using me...." Sadly, Amelia threw her arms around Gourry's neck, and sobbed into his shoulder. "It was so bad.... I had no idea Xellos was just a hentai.... I really didn't...."

Gourry rubbed Amelia's back, and said, "It's okay, Amelia. He can't hurt you anymore. I won't let him."

"Really?" Amelia asked, looking up at Gourry.

"Really," Gourry answered with a smile.

Without thinking, Amelia smiled widely, and planted a kiss right on Gourry's lips. Instead of backing off, Gourry kissed her right back.

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When Xellos teleported, he hung around in the astral plane for a moment. He then decided to visit his other "love". He appeared again on the physical plane in the room he wished, and looked around. When he saw them leaning against the door dejectedly, he felt sympathetic.

"What happened?" Xellos asked, stepping closer.

Zelgadis looked up at Xellos. "Why are you here?" he asked. "I thought we ended this."

"Well, I had a little mishap with Amelia-san," Xellos said. "Turns out, she doesn't like me."

"Amelia?" Zelgadis asked. "What were you doing with Amelia?"

"Oh, the usual," Xellos said. "Not that she matters."

Standing up straight, Zelgadis asked, "Well, then who does matter now?"

Grinning, Xellos said, "You."

"No," Zelgadis said sharply.

"No?" Xellos asked. "You're saying you aren't important to me?"

"I'm saying it's not going to happen again," Zelgadis said. "I don't wish to... to spend time with you any more."

Xellos frowned. "Why? Don't you want to be together again?"

"No," Zelgadis said sharply. "Now get out."

"Fine," Xellos said. "I'll do that." With that last sharp word, Xellos teleported away.

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Gourry suddenly backed away from Amelia's kiss. "Amelia, I...."

"What is it, Gourry-san?" Amelia asked.

"We can't do this again," Gourry said. "The last time we tried this, it didn't work out. It can't work out again."

"But--"

"Amelia," Gourry told her. "Listen. It won't work. It can't. We can't start this again."

Tears started up in Amelia's eyes again. "You don't love me either?"

"I never said I didn't--"

"You never said you did, either!"

"Amelia--"

"Stop!" Amelia sobbed. "Just don't.... I don't love you either, so go away! I don't want to love anybody! Leave me alone!"

Gourry stood up, and said, "Sorry," before he left the room. Once in the hallway again, he knew right where he had to go. He crossed the hall, and opened the door to the right room.

"Gourry?" a voice asked.

"Yeah, I'm back...."

"For good this time?"

"I don't know," Gourry answered truthfully.

Zelgadis stepped out of the dark shadows of his room. "If it isn't for good, don't even bother."

"I don't know," Gourry said. "No one ever knows how long it'll last.... do they?"

"No, they don't," Zelgadis told him. "But you shouldn't start something and never intend to keep it up."

"I said I was sorry about last time--"

"Sorry doesn't always cut it," Zelgadis said.

Gourry stared. "Zel, but.... I didn't mean--"

"Enough!" Zelgadis snapped. "Go find someone who you can make a commitment to!"

Gourry was speechless. "But I--"

"Go!"

"Fine!" Gourry said sharply. "I will go! And find someone who can appreciate me!"

"Good!"

Gourry stormed out of the room, and wanted to slam the door, but knew it would wake people up. Instead, he left it open, and walked down the hall.

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Xellos reappeared inside another room. He knew he would find comfort in this person. If Zelgadis had been like that, then that meant their relationship had ended as well. "Hello?" he said into the darkness.

Instantly, he felt arms around his neck, and someone kissing him passionately. When he was able to talk again, he said, grinning, "Nice to see you, too."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Lina asked, tracing an imaginary pattern on Xellos's chest.

"You were occupied with Zelgadis," Xellos told her.

"Ah, Zel was just there to pass the time when you weren't here," Lina said, before standing on tiptoe to kiss him again. Slowly, Xellos moved Lina over to the bed.

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Filia, sobbing up a storm, staggered out of her room. She stumbled over to the room she knew she had to go to, and opened the door. When she saw him, she practically fell into his arms.

"Filia.... what's the matter?" Zelgadis asked, catching her and holding her tightly.

Shaking her head, Filia said, "Nothing.... nothing.... just hold me."

"Just hold you?" Zelgadis queried.

"Yes," Filia said. "Please."

"I can do more than just hold you," Zelgadis told her.

Filia looked up at him with pleading eyes, which closed once Zelgadis started kissing her. "You taste salty," Zelgadis informed her after he broke off their kiss. "You've been crying."

"It's over," Filia said. "As long as I'm with you, I'm okay."

Smiling, Zelgadis kissed Filia again. As they subconsciously moved to the floor, they didn't stop kissing.

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Amelia suddenly stopped crying. "Why didn't I give Gourry-san a chance to explain himself?" she asked. "He should get a chance. It's only just...." Slowly, she crawled out of bed, and opened her door. Without checking the hallway, she bolted over to Gourry's room. Opening the door, she crept inside. Gourry was in his bed with the covers up over his head. Sadly, Amelia went over there. She reached out her hand to put it on Gourry's shoulder, but her hand met only blanket.

"Gourry-san?" Amelia asked, confused. She pulled back the blanket, and saw that the sheets were bunched up to make it seem like Gourry was in there. Slowly, Amelia sat down on Gourry's bed, facing the back wall. "I wonder where he went...."

"Amelia?" Gourry's voice asked.

Amelia turned around, and saw Gourry entering the room. "Oh, Gourry-san!" she cried, and ran over to him, hugging him tightly around his waist. "I feel so awful for not giving you a chance to explain!"

Gourry hugged Amelia back, and said, "I never said I loved you before, because I wasn't sure.... but I'm positive now, Amelia. I do love you."

Tears of joy on her face, Amelia stood up on tiptoe, and pulled Gourry's head down, kissing him. Gourry picked Amelia up, the two of them still kissing, and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down gently, and reached over to turn out the light.

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At the same exact moment, all six members of the Slayers crew woke up from identical nightmares. Zelgadis looked around wildly. He was in his room, on his bed, and nobody was there with him. Lina, Gourry, Amelia, Filia, and Xellos all looked around as well, and found themselves in their own rooms, occupied only by themselves.

Suddenly, the six of them all shot out of their beds and ran into the halls, their doors flying open. Amelia swung her head this way and that. She then ran forward, and held Zelgadis tightly around his waist, crying into his pajama shirt. Zelgadis's arms went around her, and, self-consciously, he backed into his room with Amelia, closing the door after him.

Gourry and Lina both made eye contact, and ran at each other. Lina jumped up and threw her arms around Gourry's neck, Gourry holding onto her tightly to keep her from falling. Gourry walked ahead, and carried Lina back to her room.

Xellos and Filia both saw each other, but neither made any moves towards the other. Instead, Filia backed into her room slowly, almost ready to close the door. Xellos hurried over there, and caught the door before it could close. He looked Filia right in the eye, and followed her into her room.

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Somewhere deep in the Demon Sea, a certain crazy mazoku was laughing hysterically.

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This fic was TORTURE to write, up until the very end! And yes, it was ALL a dream!! ^___^ Destructive Sorceress and my crazy thoughts were both to blame. DS for writing "Late One Night" and for my little encounter with her hentai lemon, and me for... well... being me... What else can I say? But aren't y'all glad it was all just a big bad dream? And sent by Dolphin, no less! Tee hee! *whew* I am SO gold that was a DREAM!!! Anyway, R&R! Remember, chant this every night before you go to bed: Trad is good. Trad is good. Trad is good. Trad is good....