AN: OK, so I am hitting the pandemic wall pretty hard. There is hope, I got my second Pfizer jab and am hoping we can send my kids back to school soon. In the meantime I am continuing to burn the candle at both ends and after a year of it, I am exhausted. I am still engaged with Slayers and fanfiction, but I've been spending a lot of time editing older work because it requires less mental effort than creating new stuff. And until things settle down more and I have some sort of sustained break, new stuff will likely be slow to come out. I hope everyone is safe and healthy and that your 2021 is better than your 2020!

Someone had once told Lina that while a seizure may be terrifying to witness that people often recovered from them quickly. But once the seizing stopped Gourry did not wake up, and it took only a brief glance at the expression on Sylphiel and Amelia's faces for Lina to realize that it was bad. After trying a few things to revive him and a counter sleeping spell, Sylphiel said, "Let's get him to the parlor." Her voice was strangely slow as several of the men moved at what felt like a snail's pace to lift him. Lina felt as though they were paddling in a boat upstream to try to help as she internally screamed at Gourry to wake up even as she remained strangely silent as she followed them into the downstairs parlor.

They laid Gourry on the couch and Lina looked at Leia as she wrapped an arm around her protectively as Han said, "The rest of us are going to take over with the opening ceremonies. You go on and take care of things here."

Lina nodded but didn't trust herself to speak as Sylphiel and Amelia started examining Gourry while her mother stayed put as Han left with Zel and Rick. Why was this happening? Gourry was young and healthy. He'd never mentioned having trouble with seizures before and in all of their time together she'd never witnessed anything like this.

"Forty-two." Amelia said.

"That's low, even for Sir Gourry." Sylphiel commented.

"What?" Lina asked.

"His heart rate." Sylphiel said as she turned and started digging through her bag and pulled out some herbs and started to administer them. "Like a lot of athletic men his heart rate is lower than average, so it may not be something to worry about."

But what if it is? Lina thought as she felt as though her neck would snap from the tension as her heartbeat accelerated, "But what does that mean? Will he be okay?"

"He's stable for now." Sylphiel said as she returned to her bag and pulled out a pair of crystal spectacles which she put on. After a moment she took them off and handed them to Amelia, "Princess Amelia, please look. I've never seen anything like this."

Amelia took the spectacles from her and let out a gasp. Lina looked between the two women, "What is it?"

"He's under some sort of curse." Sylphiel explained, "But its signature is strange. It's weaker than it should be, which is something to be thankful for. There's no easy way to say this, but if it was at full strength it would have killed him."

Lina's heart skipped a beat as Amelia said, "It's like the curse wasn't directly placed on him. Sort of like how some spells with create a backsplatter that hit people who aren't the intended target. But curses don't work that way."

"Gourry's future self was cursed so he couldn't reveal who M is." Lina stated, "Could he have been cursed through his connection with his future self?"

"That's the best and only explanation that we have." Sylphiel said. "However, we've never encountered anything like this, so it's hard to say anything conclusively."

"But why would M curse Mr. Gourry in the future? What would it matter to M if Mr. Gourry reveals him in the past or not?" Amelia asked.

"There's no use in debating what happened in a future that will never come to pass." Leia said. "How do we lift this curse?"

A whooshing sound rang through the air as a portal opened close to the ground, and everyone in the room but Lina and Gourry jumped a little as Aurelia crawled through it. A few minutes later her brother joined her and the portal closed behind them. "I guess the twins are crawling now?" Sylphiel asked as she cracked a smile.

Lina shook her head and she reached down to scoop Aurelia up as her mother picked up Midas, "Moe is going to have to tie them to the crib."

The twins looked at Gourry and Aurelia pointed and exclaimed, "Da!"

Hope flared within Lina. The twins were blessed with powers that hadn't been fully explored. What if they could help Gourry? Lina walked up to Gourry and said to her daughter, "Daddy's here, he's sleeping."

Aurelia reached towards him, and Lina went and laid her on his chest. Midas pointed and reached his own arms out, but the twins were big enough now that if Gourry was not actively holding them they could no longer both rest on his chest with no risk of falling over, so Leia continued to hold him as they watched and hoped that Aurelia would work some magic. Aurelia babbled happily as she grabbed Gourry's nose and squeezed. But the swordsman did not so much as stir. After a few moments it became apparent that there would be no episode of miraculous healing, and as the disappointment crashed into Lina she turned around so no one could see her tears as Amelia picked Aurelia up.

It took Lina a few moments to direct her thoughts, but she finally calmed herself enough to muse aloud, "But how did it even…Unless M is here, and Gourry saw them and tried to warn us, and that's what started the seizure?"

After a moment's thought Sylphiel said, "I can't think of any other explanation. But that would mean that there is someone rather dangerous here with us."

"Only, the M in our timeline wouldn't be the dangerous villain that they become in the future, not necessarily." Amelia said, "And there's no way that they could know."

"We'll find out who M is later, what can be done to help Gourry?" Leia asked.

"Curses aren't exactly my specialty." Sylphiel said apologetically, "And I hate to say it, considering that they were never able to lift the curse in the future, it implies that there may not be a way to do it."

"This can't be it. There has to be a way!" Lina said as she turned around.

Someone knocked on the door and Lina wondered if she was being too loud. She took a moment to run a hand through her hair, "Come in."

Lina's eyebrows hit her hairline as Morticia floated in. "Forgive the intrusion. However, it was apparent to me from the moment that I laid eyes on Sir Gourry that he was under a curse. I was wondering if you would permit me to break it?"

Lina's heart raced as she wondered if Morticia was offering a miracle or a trick. But then, Amelia was right. If Morticia was M there was no way she could know that her future self cursed Gourry so he couldn't reveal her identity. But if she was M, and M was that dangerous, then was this someone they should even trust with such a delicate task to begin with?

The only thing that Lina knew for sure was that she needed more information. "And how would you do that?"

"I would scry for the Mazoku Lord that the curse draws power from, and then negotiate with him to release Sir Gourry." Morticia explained.

Lina blinked as she shook her head and decided that there was no way that plan would work, "You'd negotiate with a Mazoku Lord?"

"Doesn't everyone who uses Black Magic?" Morticia said.

Lina shook her head, "And what if they don't want to give Gourry up? The Mazoku race would like nothing more than to see him dead!"

"A point well taken. Well, it will take longer, but I can gradually chip away at the curse. Their powers are so vast and that they usually don't notice where their power goes. It's like sneaking into a large mansion and stealing a prize while the owner is at the opposite end."

Lina looked over at Gourry, who appeared stable for the moment, and then she looked at Sylphiel. Her face was carefully neutral. But before she could give it more thought, the door opened with a bang as Moe stormed in, and then relief washed through him as he saw the twins, "Oh thank goodness. They crawled through that portal…"

"Gourry is ill." Lina said curtly, "I guess they wanted to check in on him. I'll keep them with me for now, I think hearing them may help Gourry to wake up. In the meantime, Moe, could you please fetch Luna? Also, get Indy and Jean-Luc."

"Yes, of course." Moe said as he left and closed the door behind him.

"Morticia, can you explain what you mean by gradually chipping away at the curse?" Lina asked.

"There's a tricky little spell, Demu Pebb. Most of the people they teach it to can't successfully cast it, but I was able to manage it. It is a bit like sawing through the fibers of a rope and it takes time and diligence. And if the Mazoku Lord becomes aware of what I am doing it could very well be fatal to me, which is simply scintillating when you think about it."

Lina shook her head as she looked at the ground, "I appreciate your offer. But before we take you up on it I would like to confer with my colleagues in private."

"Of course." Morticia said, "I will be unpacking my bags if you need me."

"Thank you."

Lina did not take time to dispense with pleasantries as she asked Jean-Luc and Indiana if there was anything that could explain Gourry's condition in Hypatia's notes (there wasn't). After sending them off, she took on the larger task of bringing Luna up to speed on the situation, a situation made frustrating by the fact that it felt as though she was wasting time they didn't have. While Lina was usually known for giving too much information, for once she kept it curt and to the point as she explained about the discovery of Hypatia's research, M, and Gourry's current condition. "So," Lina said as she wrapped up, "What do I need to know about Morticia?"

Luna was contemplative as she replied, "As far as breaking the curse, she is your best bet. The focus required is so intense that most people who study the technique are never able to use it effectively. Her mentors said her ability is unprecedented."

"So she can break it?" Lina clarified.

"Yes," Luna said. "But as for her character, to be honest I wasn't sure if I should give her a spot at Maninstit."

"Why?"

"Her mother was widowed numerous times and the circumstances were rather suspicious." Luna elaborated. "And while Morticia says she loves the worldly pleasures too deeply to wish to see the world destroyed, she also likes to commune with demons for the purposes of deceiving them."

"Why'd you offer her a spot then?" Lina exclaimed.

"Because I figured that without our training and guidance she'd be a much larger threat. And even if she does turn bad, at least we would know her strengths and limitations." Luna said.

"With all due respect," Amelia said, "We may gain knowledge about her, but we would also be teaching her dangerous magic! We would be complicit if she goes bad!"

"Then make sure she doesn't go bad." Luna said stoically, "Further, plenty of people find Mazoku legends fascinating. It doesn't mean they want to destroy the world. I figured she was your average angsty teenager girl."

"Do you think she is M?" Sylphiel asked.

"I can't rule it out." Luna admitted, "But there are still other people M could be. I'm afraid that I can't bring much clarity here."

"What do you think?" Lina asked Sylphiel.

"He's stable for now. Why don't I go to the library and do some research…" Sylphiel began as they all looked over at Gourry as he abruptly twitched and then the way his chest rose and fell changed, moving from being steady to irregular. Lina felt her heart sink into her stomach as Sylphiel's mouth drew into a tight line as the twins looked up from the blocks they were playing with, "The situation has changed. If he doesn't get help soon then I'm afraid that he will die."

"Get Morticia." Lina said without a second thought as Leia raced to the door.

"But Lina…" Amelia began.

"If he's going to die regardless then she's our only chance of breaking him from this." Lina interrupted, "If she is M, then we buy time for now, worry about the consequences later."

"Right," Amelia said quietly as the twins crawled up to the couch where Gourry laid and Lina steadily joined them.

She reached out and stroked his hair as she struggled to keep her lip from trembling, "Don't worry my love. I'm not going to let you die without a fight."

Midas slept curled against her shoulder, his slight weight a grounding comfort as Lina watched as Morticia got out a crystal ball and set it on a mini rug that had a pentagram sewn onto it. Lina yearned to hold Gourry's hand, but as it was Sylphiel and Amelia had to stay close by to administer first aide if his condition deteriorated, and with Morticia also having to be close, there simply wasn't room. So Lina did the only thing she could, watch from a distance with Leia and her children.

It was maddening to be unable to do anything to help him. She hadn't been this helpless with Hellmaster Phibrizo! And her commitment to Gourry had deepened dramatically in the years since she had confronted him. After all they had been through, this couldn't be the way that it ended! Lina itched to do something personally. But all she could do was trust that she had the best people in the world in the room with her to help him.

In theory. Lina decided it would be best to watch Morticia like a hawk. And as she did, she had to admit that Morticia's technique was spellbinding. Her enunciation was flawless as she chanted the Chaos Words as she stared into the crystal ball and moved her fingers in a delicate dance around it. But was it working?

Lina got up and quietly walked over and peered into the crystal ball to see if it would be illuminating. But if there was any clarity to be gained from the whisps of blue clouds it was beyond Lina's training. She looked over at Gourry to see if there was any change. There wasn't.

Discouraged, Lina turned and walked over to a window and stared out into the night as she fought back against her thoughts. After all, she had walked through many a dark night and into a beautiful dawn. But it was hard to keep her anxieties over being a young widow with two small babies away. A future without Gourry by their side annoying their kids by cracking dad jokes felt desolate and incomprehensible. He had to pull through this!

But what if he didn't?

The minutes dragged into hours with no change. And despite the late hour Lina was too anxious to nod off. Still, she was startled by Gourry's sudden intake of breath as he shot up on the couch, his eyes wide open as his threw his limbs out. After a moment he exhaled and leaned back onto the couch as he looked around the room and Lina felt her knees go weak with relief as she rushed to his side. "Gourry!"

"What happened?" he asked as Lina forced herself between Sylphiel and Amelia and him and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder.

"You had a seizure. We nearly lost you." Lina stated.

"A what?" Gourry asked, and Lina smiled a little.

Sylphiel took a moment to explain what a seizure was and then she asked, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Gourry took a deep breath, "Getting ready for all the kids to return to Maninstit?"

Lina lifted her head to kiss him on the forehead, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired, but well otherwise."

"Let's get you up and see how well you're walking." Sylphiel said.

Lina backed away to let Sylphiel and Amelia run whatever tests they needed and she regarded Morticia. "Thank you for saving my husband. Every student has to show their worth to be accepted into this school, and you just demonstrated yours and then some."

"It was my pleasure." Morticia responded. "May I go now? I do so enjoy a moonless night."

Lina decided that she wasn't going to try to make sense of why. "You're not going for a walk at this hour?"

"Why not?" Morticia said as she packed her things and stood up, "Sleep well."

Leia walked up to her as she shook their head. Usually Lina would object to students wandering the grounds so late, but she had just saved Gourry. And perhaps she needed some time to unwind after such a feat of magic. Lina could understand that much.

The door closed behind Morticia and the group looked at each other. "I think I'll send Luna to keep an eye on her just in case. So, what's the verdict?" Lina asked.

"I suspect he will make a full recovery." Sylphiel said, "Though we don't know if his memory was affected."

Gourry looked at Lina and held his arms open, "Hey."

She ran into his arms and held him as tightly as she dared with Midas being between them. She took a few deep grounding breaths as Sylphiel got out the crystal spectacles again and put them on. "It looks like the curse has been broken."

"Curse?" Gourry asked.

"We think that's how the seizure happened." Lina explained, "The curse your future self had attached to you somehow, preventing you from disclosing who M was."

Lina desperately wanted to ask if he knew, but she was scared of triggering another seizure. And it was soon apparent that she wasn't the only one who was worried. Leia quickly asked, "Is it safe to ask?"

"In theory." Sylphiel said.

"Do you remember who triggered the seizure? Who M is?"

Gourry thought for a moment and then shook his head, "No. Everything is blank after we came into the foyer."

"Do you think it was Morticia?" Lina asked, "That girl who just left? That was Morticia."

Gourry thought for a moment and then shook his head, "I honestly can't say either way."

Lina patted him on the back, "We're just glad you're here and that you're going to be okay."

"Was it really that bad?" Gourry asked.

"Come on, let's get the kiddos to bed and get some rest ourselves." Lina said as she decided to put the question of who M was and whether or not to trust Morticia to rest for the moment as she started directing him towards the door, "We can sort this all out tomorrow."