A Light Put Out

The next morning.

"Gee.. I wonder what's for breakfast." Gourry murmured.

Behind him, Amelia sighed, "Oh, Mr. Gourry, is that all you ever think about?"

Gourry blinked, "Yeah. I suppose." He looked up at Lina, in front of him.. "What about you, Lina?" he asked.

"Huh?" she said, as she hadn't been paying attention, "Oh, Sure.." she went back to walking..

"What's wrong Lina?" he asked.

"Bad dream.." Lina said.

Gourry nodded, "I know what that's like." He said.

Lina laughed, "No you don't.." she said.

Gourry stopped, causing Amelia to bump into him, "Yeah, I do, Lina.." he said, "I'm sort of tired of you putting me down all the time.." he said.

Behind Amelia, Zel raised an eyebrow, "I would have thought you'd be used to it by now.." he muttered.

"Well, I'm not!" he said. Lina blinked.

"Well, gee, Gourry. I'm sorry.." she murmured, "I didn't mean to insult you.."

Gourry nodded, and smiled, "That's Okay." He said, and he started walking again, "what was your dream about, Lina?" he asked.

Lina shrugged, "Stuff.." she murmured, "I don't exactly remember.." she lied.

Gourry shrugged, "That's Okay, I forget stuff all the time.." he said.

Lina giggled, "Oh, Gourry.." she said.

Later on..

"I'm starving!" Lina said, smiling. Gourry winced..

"Actually.. I'm not that hungry anymore.." he said. He blinked. It was getting a little fuzzy around the edges. A voice came to him, but he wasn't really listening.

"Mr. Gourry?" Amelia said, worried. He sat down heavily in the dusty road. Lina whirled.

"Gourry?" she said. Amelia ran up, just as Gourry lay down in the road. She kneeled in the dust, and her hand touched his arm. She recoiled, and then put he hands on his forehead. She bit her lip.

"Oh, Miss Lina.. He's burning up." She said.

Zel raised an eyebrow, "How could it come on so quickly?" he asked. Gourry coughed, weakly.

Lina smiled shakily, running over to him, "Oh.. he's fine, just a little.." she stopped as she put her hand on his forehead. His body was nearly caked in dirt and cold sweat.

He shivered, "Lina, when did it get so cold in here?" he asked weakly.

Lina looked up, all serious, "We have to get him to a doctor." She said.

Amelia blinked, "It's. Miss Lina.. It's too late." She said. Gourry's eyes were open, but unseeing.

Lina's eyes quivered, "Gou..Gourry?" she said.

His glazed eyes blinked, "What's wrong, Lina?" he said, softly, "You sound so sad."

Lina shook her head, the tears flowing, "Gourry, why didn't you tell us you were so sick?" she asked, almost as a rhetorical question.

Gourry shrugged jerkily, "I didn't want to worry you.." his voice rasped. Lina's eyes brimmed with tears.

"You.. Gourry, You can't leave me.. Not now!" she said, pleading, "Not like this!"

Amelia blinked, her eyes filling with tears as well, "Gourry-san, you can't.." she said, then stopped, unable to say any more.

Gourry coughed weakly, "Ironic." He said softly, "I wish I had died with more honor than this." He said.

Lina put her hands on his shoulders, and softly shook, "No, Gourry, You can't die! I need you, Gourry!" she said, panicked.

Silently, Zel walked forward. He motioned for Lina to move, eyes set in a mournful glassy look. Weakly, he placed a hand on Gourry's shoulder and said, "Gourry. You can go.. We give you our permission to die. And we honor you, for all you have done for us. Thank you."

Gourry smiled, and sighed, "Thanks Zel.." he said, "Bye Lina, bye Amelia.." he said, smiling, "Maybe someday I'll see you all again." He said. He sighed, and his eyes closed. Gently, Zel took his body up, and blinked.

Lina jumped up, "NO!" she shouted, "NO! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?! HOW COULD YOU LET HIM?" she said.

Zel placed Gourry gently in the road, and turned away, "You think I wanted to have to do that? Lina, you could see he was in pain. He is released from it now. Do you think I won't miss him?"

Amelia shook her head, "It came so quickly.. but. How?"

Lina shrugged.. She started sobbing, "That.. Stupid. Jellyfish brains.." she choked between sobs. Her sobbing died down, and she finished the thought, "He said Maybe.. but where he's going, I know we'll all be together someday.." She cried again, over Gourry's body, and Amelia and Zel embraced her and each other, crying as well.

With a start, Gourry awoke, and blinked. He looked out the window, and noticed that it was the middle of the night. He tried to remember what he had been dreaming about, but he couldn't. All he could remember was that Lina was really sad in it.