Slayers: A Past Reborn

Chapter Three: Dreams that Kill?

When Lina woke up again, she glanced over at Gourry, who had fallen asleep against a tree. She smiled slightly, then stopped, remembering the dream she had had the night before.

"But it was just a dream," Lina said softly out loud to herself, "Nothing to worry about, right?"

Getting up, Lina made her way as quietly as possible out of camp and to the small creek they had passed on their way. What she needed now was to clean herself up as much as possible and catch some breakfast. Everything was fixed by food*.

Even though she had tried to be quiet, her movements had still woken Gourry, who, upon waking did not see Lina so he started to panic.

"Lina?!" He yelled, getting up and looking around.

"Right here" Lina replied, walking back to the campsite.

"Oh…" Gourry let out a sigh of relief. He had been afraid that the guy had come back. "So…who was that guy from last night Lina?"

"Oh him…" Lina put down the fish she had caught and sat down on her bedroll. "That was Jeran. He was…someone I used to know from Zephilia, before he disappeared," Lina stopped and frowned, "I haven't seen him since then, well, except for last night that is."

Gourry frowned too, "Why would he attack you if he knows you?"

"I don't know Gourry. I think it's safe to assume that he's obviously changed…" Lina trailed off.

"Hmmm…" Gourry said thoughtfully, "Well, let's just hope we don't see him again!"

"Yeah…" Lina trailed off again, "Well, any ways! I caught us some breakfast!"

After frying up the fish, they packed up their stuff and headed to the next town. By the time they reached it, it was nearly sundown. They found and inn, the only inn in the town, and went in to check for a room.

"What?!?"

"We only have one room available," the desk clerk said, looking down at the register book. "Being the only inn in the town makes us quite popular miss.

"Well, does the room at LEAST have two beds!"

"Let me check," the desk clerk flipped a few pages in his book, "Yes, it has two beds."

"Alright! We'll take it!"

He gave them the key, and after a large dinner, the two went upstairs. They went to bed immediately, seeing as Gourry had gotten only a little sleep from keeping watch the whole previous night, and Lina had had the whole "bad dream" thing.

Gourry laid in his bed and glanced over at Lina in hers. He was glad that they were sharing a room. That way, he could protect her better if that guy tried anything again. Of course, there was always the added enjoyment of being near her, watching her sleep…Gourry shook his head to keep those thoughts from entering his mind. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep, watching Lina do the same.

As Lina fell asleep she told herself that she would NOT have a bad dream, only good ones. (Of course the subconscious NEVER listens to the conscious, or else it wouldn't be subconscious anymore, would it?)

Lina was flying. Not with raywing or levitation, but by some other means, just sort of gliding through the air. Without knowing, she landed on a cliff and walked towards a forest. Voices…she could hear voices. As she walked closer, she saw a little redheaded girl with her back turned to her. Without seeing her face, she knew it was the "little" her from the previous night. With her though was a little silver haired boy. Jeran.

She listened closer, and actually remembered the conversation.

"I bet you I can blow up that tree!" Little Lina (from now on L.Lina) boasted.

"Like its that hard to blow stuff up!" Little Jeran (from now on L.Jeran) snapped back sarcastically.

"Well, I bet you can't! Your just jealous!" L.Lina stuck out her tongue at him.

"JEALOUS? Of YOU? Ha! Don't make me laugh! I'm going to be the GREATEST SORCERER!" L.Jeran took a triumphant pose, then on afterthought, looked at L.Lina and offered, "You can be the second greatest."

"Gee, thanks," L.Lina said sarcastically, then picked up a rock and threw it at him, "I'M A GIRL! I'LL BE THE GREATEST SORCERESS IN THE WORLD!"

L.Jeran chuckled, "Oh yeah, I forgot…sorry." he paused, "Lets make a pact Lina, whatever happens, who ever is greatest or whatever, that we'll be together! The Greatest Sorcerer and the Greatest Sorceress! We'll be unstoppable!" L.Jeran stuck his hand out.

"Deal!" L.Lina shook it.

Lina, the real one, gasped silently, finally understanding why Jeran was coming after her. But why? Why the way that he had? L.Jeran disappeared and the L.Lina looked at the real one.

"You remember now?"

"Yeah…but it was just a childhood pact. Not a real one."

"It WAS real! To Jeran and to you. You know it!"

"But I'm with Gourry, so-"

L.Lina laughed, "With Gourry?"

"Yes…uh, we travel together."

"Gourry doesn't care! He doesn't want to travel with you! He just does out of obligation! Why don't you just tell him to get lost!" L.Lina said angrily, her eyes narrowing at Lina.

"What? I'm not going to do that! He's my friend and-"

"Friend? You have no friends!"

"Yes I do! Amelia, and Zel and-"

"And where are they now?"

"Well, Amelia's at home and Zel is looking for his cure-"

"So, as soon as they don't have any further use for traveling with you, they leave?"

"No! They have responsibilities and-"

"Responsibilities my ass! Your just making excuses! Remember Lina, I AM you! I know how you truly feel."

"If you know how I truly feel, then you should know that if you don't stop cutting me off, you little sadistic me, I'm gonna fireball you to kingdom come!"

L.Lina went on, ignoring her comment," I know you care deeply for Gourry, but, lets face it! He doesn't care for you! You need to get over him and move on with your life!"

Lina looked at her younger self. Could this be true? No…no, it couldn't be…

"Just tell him to leave. He'll be fine! Maybe he'll go to Sylphiels…they'd be good together you know."

Lina cringed at this, knowing how annoying Sylphiel could be when it came to "Gourry Dear".

"No! I won't send him away! He's my friend and…and…"

"Your friend? I don't think so! If he was your friend, then why does he call you flat chested? And a little kid? And-"

"Stop!"

L.Lina grinned and walked to the older one "Face the facts Lina, No one is with, your by yourself, alone." L.Lina took her hand and led her to a cliff. Pointing she said, "Everyone is against you." The wind blew and she heard a whispered voice in her ear "…one for the head, one for the heart, one for the soul…".

Lina looked at the little "her". "What does that mean?"

L.Lina's eyes went black and she shoved Lina off of the cliff. She fell, screaming…

**********

…And woke up screaming, which of course sent Gourry flying out of his bed, reaching for his sword.

Lina curled up on the bed and tried to calm herself. Tears were rolling down onto her pillow as her body was racked with sobs. Gourry put the sword back and walked to Lina's bed.

Sitting down, he gently put a hand on Lina's shoulder. "Lina…?"

Slowly, Lina's composure came back. She looked at Gourry and tried to smile thru the remaining tears, "It's just a a bad dream…"

Gourry frowned, "That's what you said yesterday Lina. Maybe it'll help to tell me?" He hated to see her unhappy."

Lina knew that she couldn't tell him. It was way too personal. But he- now, she couldn't. Her own mind and feelings were confusing her. She smiled again at him, "No Gourry, I'm alright."

Gourry continued to frown, the worry not leaving his face, " You know you can tell me, right Lina? I'll listen."

Lina couldn't help herself. The look he had on his face at that moment was one so full of concern. She sat up and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I know Gourry."

Gourry hugged her back, a bit suprised. She didn't usually show so much affection…but maybe because she had been caught off guard or maybe because it was late…Gourry began to feel very VERY sleepy thinking so much. He glanced down at Lina, who was asleep, her arms still wrapped around his neck. Smiling, he tried to lay the sorceress down, only to find that her fingers were locked in an iron-like grip.

`Well`, he thought to himself, `This won't be so bad…I just hope she doesn't fireball me in the morning." And with that, laid down next to Lina, wrapping his arms around her, and settled into a deep sleep.

**************

Lina was running. Running from something. Then suddenly, she turned around. "Why are you following me!" She yelled.

Well, Lina was suprissed. It wasn't the little sadistic Lina, or Jeran, or a monster. It was Gourry.

Gourry smiled down at her. "Because I love you Lina."

Lina, shocked, looked up at him. "You…you what?"

"I love you. Do you love me?"

Lina blushed, then smiled slightly. Leaning forward, she hugged him, "Yes…"

And, as they kissed, Lina woke up to find herself really in Gourry's arms. Blushing slightly, she realized she was…comfortable. Safe. Content…

…Happy.

And on top of all that, she had had a good dream.

Lina smiled and snuggled closer to Gourry. As she slowly drifted back to sleep, she felt Gourry's arms tighten around her. Yes, she realized, she was happy.