The Flash Back
***Flash back***
"Gourry, don't worry it's just a cold. I just need a few days rest and I'll be back on my feet in no time." Lina said in a raspy voice. Lina woke up that morning feeling crummy, she had a bad cough and a sore throat. Gourry had been fussing over Lina all morning and it was driving the poor sorceress out of her mind, she wasn't use to getting so spoiled.
"Lina, I'll get that, you just stay in bed and get better." Gourry said as he got Lina's book from a chair across the room. Lina rolled her eyes. She hated being stuck in bed.
"Gourry, why don't you go check on Liana, see what she's doing." Lina had realized that the child had been quiet for far too long, it wasn't like her to be so quiet.
"Not to worry Lina, I sent her over to play with Joanna. I want you to have peace and quiet." Gourry gave Lina a good-hearted smile. Lina rolled over and closed her eyes and was asleep in no time.
It was the after noon when Lina woke up, she had been sleeping all day and she wasn't feeling any better, she was feeling worse. She looked around the room of their house. She wished that she had someone to talk to. Lina remembered the day they moved into the house. It seemed so big at first, but Amelia insisted that they move into a house close to the palace so that they wouldn't have to travel long to see each other. Lina only agreed to moving into the house because she figured it wasn't fit for a married couple to travel for the rest of their lives. When Lina became pregnant with Liana, she was grateful for the extra room and large yard.
"So you're awake?" Gourry's voice broke through Lina's thoughts.
"Huh? ::cough:: Yea, I'm awake and tell you the truth, I'm feeling kinda hungry." Lina rubbed her rumbling tummy. Gourry smiled and revealed a large bowl of steamy chicken soup. "I figured you would be hungry when you woke up." He placed a tray in Lina's lap and put the bowl on top of it.
"Gourry, you really are an idiot." Lina smiled as she took the spoon and dug in.
"Why do you say that?" Gourry said giving Lina a sideways glance.
"Oh Gourry. I'm just kidding." Lina grabbed his shirt and pulled him down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Gourry hugged Lina and picked up her spoon and handed it to her saying, "Eat up, your soups going to get cold." Lina couldn't help smiling, she was starting to like being fussed over.
That night Gourry held Lina close to his chest as she slept. He stroked her hair and smiled to himself, he hated seeing her so sick, but she wasn't about to let it beat her. Just then Lina started having a coughing fit so bad that it woke her up. Lina leaned over the bed and blood trickled from her mouth as her coughing racked her tiny body. "Lina! Are you ok?" Gourry asked. He was very worried now. When the coughing fit was over, Lina laid back in bed next to Gourry and said in a raspy voice, "I think I need to see a doctor Gourry." Lina's body was shaking and Gourry could feel her tight little back muscles against his chest. He was truly worried, he had never seen anyone with a cold cough up blood like that.
The next morning Gourry woke up to find Lina shivering and looking very pale. He tried to wake her up but she only told him to go away and let her sleep. When Gourry felt her forehead, he found she had a very high fever. Not wanting Lina out in a draft, Gourry decided to go get a doctor and bring him here. Gourry didn't mind paying extra for the house call, he just wanted Lina to feel better.
When Gourry brought the doctor back, he found Lina lying on the floor, shivering. She had pulled a pillow down with her so the doctor figured that she must have gotten down there on purpose. Gourry picked Lina up and put her back in bed. Lina woke up and looked up at Gourry, her eyes were full of pain and sickness. "Gourry, it's so hot." She said in a voice that was barely audible.
"Shhh, it's going to be ok, I brought a doctor to see you." Gourry pushed Lina's sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes.
"You need to leave while I examine her Mr. Gabriev." The doctor said as he escorted Gourry out of the room. The doctor looked down Lina's throat and ruled out strep and tonsillitis. He listened to her breath and her lungs were very tight and they rattled when she took a breath in. The doctor took her temperature and it was very high for it to be a cold. He checked her ears, no, not an ear infection either. So the doctor took some blood and told Gourry that he would be back the next morning to give him the results. "I've never seen anything like this. You say she only started feeling bad yesterday morning? I've never seen anyone get so sick that fast." The doctor said as he stepped up into his carriage.
Gourry went back into the house and returned to his wife's side. "Oh Lina, I wish I knew what was wrong with you." Gourry said as he held Lina's hand. Lina looked at him through exhausted eyes. She had been coughing so hard that she could barely sit up. "Gourry, I'm pretty sick, huh?" She said with a weak smile.
"Yea, you are. Lina, get some rest, please. Your daughter is worried about you, can I bring her in to see you ?" Gourry asked. Lina's eyes widened. "Gourry, no. I don't want her to catch this!" Lina choked out. Lina herself was feeling horrible, she couldn't even imagine what this would do to a seven year old.
"Ok, I'll tell her that you're asleep, which you will be." Gourry smiled at Lina. He tucked her in and kissed her on her forehead. Lina closed her eyes and was asleep again. Lina slept the whole day and night.
The next morning, around ten, the doctor returned. He didn't look none to hopeful. Gourry greeted him at the door and hastily invited him to come in. The doctor sat in the chair in the main room and placed his briefcase on his lap and opened it. "I'll be frank Mr. Gabriev. I don't know what's wrong with your wife. Is she a sorceress by any chance?" The doctor looked at Gourry over his paper work and Gourry nodded. "That's what I was afraid of. There has been an epidemic that has been striking down sorceress' with strong magical abilities, I take it your wife is a strong sorceress as well?" Again Gourry nodded, the color had drained from his face. The doctor continued on, "I'm sorry Mr. Gabriev, but I haven't seen that many happy endings with this illness, I've only seen one sorceress get better but she didn't have strong magic like all the other cases. Mr. Gabriev, do you follow me?" Gourry's jaw had dropped, he couldn't believe what the doctor was saying.
"Lina's going to die?" He spat out. The doctor nodded sadly. "There isn't much hope, at the rate she's going, I don't think that she has much time left. I'm so sorry."
"Is this illness contagious?" Gourry asked.
"That's the thing, it isn't. Even if Lina had been around somebody with the same illness, she wouldn't have caught it from them. It just strikes out of nowhere. There isn't a cause nor cure. All you can do for her now is just make her comfortable, and don't be afraid to let other's see her, it could be the last time they'll ever get to see her. Does she have any family?"
"Uh, yea. They live pretty far away though." Gourry said as he thought about when they traveled from Seyruun to go see Lina's family when she found out she was pregnant, it took them six days to get there.
"I suggest you write to them and tell them about Lina. I must go now, I have other appointments. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me." With that, the doctor left. Gourry sat in the main room a while longer, he was trying to grasp the thought of Lina dying. 'I must tell Amelia and Zel. They'll want to see her.' Gourry said to himself. Gourry brought Liana over to her friend's house and explained to the mother what was going on and she agreed that Liana could stay with her as long as she needed to. Gourry thanked her and made his way to the palace.
At the palace gate, Gourry found a new guard. This proved to be a problem, the guard didn't know who Gourry was and wasn't about to just let him walk into the palace. Gourry stood there for quite some time arguing with the guard when he saw Amelia and Zel walking arm in arm around the garden. "Hey Zel, Amelia! Over here!" Gourry yelled. He somehow managed to push past the guard and made his way over to his friends. Zel and Amelia were a little surprised to see Gourry looking so frantic. Just as Gourry was about five feet from them, the guard tackled him and yanked Gourry's arms behind his back. "Ok mister, you're going to the dungeon." The guard snarled at Gourry. Gourry looked at Amelia and Zel with pleading eyes, Amelia had never seen Gourry like this before, she quickly snapped out of her daze and yelled at the guard. "Let him go! You don't just go throwing friends of the royal family in dungeons without consulting us first!" The guard quickly released Gourry and bowed down low. "I'm sorry princess, I didn't know." And with that, the guard returned to his post.
"Gourry, What's going on? You look distressed." Amelia said as she put her hand on Gourry's shoulder.
"It's Lina, she's very sick." Gourry said. He told them about what the doctor said and Zel and Amelia had the same reaction Gourry did when the doctor told him. They were in disbelief for a moment, but agreed to go back with Gourry.
When they got to Gabriev home, Gourry hurried to get inside. When he reached the bedroom he shared with Lina, he found her still sleeping. He had hoped that she would have waken up by now. Zel and Amelia made their way to Lina's bed on tip toe. It was so quiet and still, it scared Gourry a bit.
"Lina?" Amelia asked softly. Lina stirred a bit and opened her eyes and looked up at Amelia.
"Hey kiddo, how ya' feeling?" Zel asked in a voice that Gourry only heard him use when he talked to his son.
"I've got a nasty cold, I'll get better though." Lina's voice was raspy and rattled. Gourry almost started sobbing when he heard Lina talk. She knew she was dying, but she wasn't about to admit it. "I haven't seen you two in a while ::cough-cough:: how's your son, Mark doing?" Lina tried to make herself not sound as sick as she was.
"He's great. You know, he thinks so highly of Liana, we were just talking about her yesterday and he was saying how he wanted to go see her." Amelia smiled warmly at Lina. Lina looked out the window, her eyes sparkled as she thought about how she would watch her daughter and Amelia's son play all day. They made such a cute couple.
"Zel, Amelia, may I have a moment alone with Gourry?" Lina looked at them with pained eyes. Amelia nodded and left with Zel close behind her. Before closing the door after himself, Zel looked back at Lina and said, "We've had many so adventures together Lina, just know I haven't regretted a single one." Lina smiled and nodded weakly at Zel and he left the room.
Lina had another coughing fit after Zel closed the door and her whole body crumbled under the forceful pressure that the coughing had put on her. When the fit was over she laid very still with her eyes closed and Gourry quickly made his way to the side of her bed and knelt down by her. It took Lina a while to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry Gourry. I wish I could get better, but I'm not going to am I?" Lina looked into Gourry's blue eyes, which were filled with so much pain. He lowered his head and began crying. "Shhh, it's ok. Gourry, please don't cry. I need you to be strong. I'm not afraid, neither should you." Lina started stroking Gourry's long blond hair.
"Lina, I need you, I just don't know how I'm going to get along without you." He said between sobs.
"Gourry, you'll always have me. I'll live on through our daughter and our memories." Lina squeaked. Gourry gazed into Lina's crimson eyes and smiled. He leaned over and kissed her soft lips and she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.
Gourry left the room and was surprised to find Zel and Amelia still there. Zel sat on the couch in the main room and Amelia was fast asleep in his lap. "She cried herself to sleep, poor kid." Zel said as stroked Amelia's back. "How's Lina?" Zel looked up at Gourry's pained face.
"She's asleep." Gourry sighed. "The coughing has made her so weak and she doesn't have much of an appetite. I don't know how much longer she's going to last." Gourry plopped down in the chair across from Zel.
"I'm so sorry that this has to happen to you guys. How's Liana taking it?"
"She doesn't even know that her mother's dying, she just thinks that Lina's sick with a cold. All she talks about is how she can't wait for Mommy to get better so that we can all go on a picnic under our tree." Gourry looked out the window and his eyes filled with tears.
"If you need any help telling her..."
"No, I have to do it." Gourry stopped Zel in the middle of his sentence.
"Well, we should get going." Zel said as he picked up Amelia and brought her out to their carriage.
As Zel gently put Amelia into the carriage without waking her, he said to Gourry, "If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know. You know where we are and I'll make sure that you won't have anymore trouble with the guards." Zel gave Gourry one of his rare, heart-filled grins and then he climbed into the driver's seat and urged the horses on into an easy trot and off they went.
Gourry went and got his daughter from her friend's house. He decided that she must know what was going on. When Gourry got her home, he brought her up to her room and placed her on her bed. "Liana, we need to have a little chat about Mommy, ok?" he kneeled so that he was at eye level with her.
"What's wrong? Is Mommy going to get better?" Liana asked as she clutched her favorite teddy bear that her mother had given her for her birthday.
"Mommy's very sick and she isn't going to get well. But Liana, you must know that your mother won't really be leaving us. Just know that a piece of her lives in you and as long as you remember the good times you've had with her, she'll never really be gone." Gourry looked into his child's eyes and asked her, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I think so. If I remember her, she won't be really dead, right?" Liana looked at her father and he nodded.
"Mommy's asleep right now, but when she wakes up, you can see her, ok Baby Bear?" Liana jumped forward and hugged her father.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Liana, did you get dinner yet?" Liana nodded.
"It was chicken and gravy. It was very good."
"I have some things that need to be done, you just sit here and play with your teddy for a while." Liana nodded and hugged her bear tightly.
Gourry went into the kitchen and pulled out a pen and paper. He thought for a minute on how to tell Lina's family that she was going to die. He finally decided on how he could put it to them and when he was finished, it read:
Dear Inverse Family,
I'm writing you this letter because Lina's very sick. The doctor says she doesn't have very long to live. I hope that you will come and see her. I know she'd like to see you all one last time. Please hurry, she's become very weak, I don't know how much longer she can hold on. Again, I'm sorry that this letter had to bring such bad news. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gourry Gabrieve.
Gourry sealed the letter in an envelope and the next day gave it to Zel and he flew it over to the Inverse's. Needless to say they came in a hurry to see Lina. They flew back over with Zel and it only took them a day to make it. It was very sad for Gourry to watch Lina's mother break down and cry like that and her father had a very grim look on his face. Lina's sister was trying very hard to keep it together, but when she saw her little sister lying in bed, looking so sick, she left the room crying. It had been a very hard week for Gourry and this just topped it. Lina had barley any strength left to speak. The doctor was right, Lina was going at a fast pace.
After the family left Lina's room, Gourry went in to go sit with Lina. Everyone was there to say good-bye to Lina. Old faces brought back so many memories. Sylphiel had come to take care of Lina. Martina and Zangulus had stopped by to visit. Filia and Xellos were there too. Filia was feeling so bad for Lina that she didn't mace Xellos and he hadn't said anything mean to Filia. The whole gang and Lina's family waited in the main room(which we can safely say was getting rather small) while Gourry and Liana sat with Lina.
"Hi Mommy." Liana said when Gourry brought her up to Lina's bed side.
"Hey Baby Bear." Lina smiled. She tried to keep the tiredness out of her voice, she didn't want her daughter to see how weak she was.
"You feeling better?"
"I feel much better now that you're here." Lina made an effort to hug her child, but just didn't have the strength, she managed to squeeze her a bit and even that was enough to tire Lina out.
"Liana, will you do Mommy a favor and take care of your Daddy for me once I'm gone?" Gourry had told Lina that morning how he explained to Liana that she was dying. Lina thought that it was good that her daughter knew the truth.
"I'll do that Mommy. I love you."
"I love you so much Baby Bear. You be a good girl ok?" Liana smiled at her mother and nodded. Gourry asked Sylphiel to bring the child out of the room so he could have a moment with Lina, and Sylphiel did just that.
"Lina, you've been so strong, it's just hard to believe that you're going to die." Gourry cried. Lina looked out the large window at the tree on the hill were they called their 'spot'. The setting sun's rays outlined the tree and it looked almost magical. That was were she had most of her fond memories. That was were she'd want to be forever.
"Gourry, you know our spot under the old tree were we'd watch the sunsets and have picnics? That's were I want my final resting place to be. Promise me that's were I'll be buried." Lina was tiring fast and Gourry could see that in Lina's eyes.
"I promise Lina. And when I die, I'll have my body laid to rest right next to yours, so we can be together forever." Gourry started sobbing even harder and bent down to hug Lina. He picked up the little sorceress in his arms and hugged her tightly. Lina used what was left of her strength and threw her arms around Gourry's neck.
Gourry held her for what seemed like hours, then he noticed that her body started to quiver then it stopped and her arms fell limply to her side. Gourry pulled Lina back and saw that her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. Lina Inverse had left her body and was now embarking on a new adventure. Gourry gently laid the tiny woman back down on the bed, crossed her arms and pulled up the covers.
"Good-night Lina. I'll wait to see you again in my dreams." With that Gourry kissed Lina's forehead and blew out the candle in the lamp above the bed.
***Flash back***
"Gourry, don't worry it's just a cold. I just need a few days rest and I'll be back on my feet in no time." Lina said in a raspy voice. Lina woke up that morning feeling crummy, she had a bad cough and a sore throat. Gourry had been fussing over Lina all morning and it was driving the poor sorceress out of her mind, she wasn't use to getting so spoiled.
"Lina, I'll get that, you just stay in bed and get better." Gourry said as he got Lina's book from a chair across the room. Lina rolled her eyes. She hated being stuck in bed.
"Gourry, why don't you go check on Liana, see what she's doing." Lina had realized that the child had been quiet for far too long, it wasn't like her to be so quiet.
"Not to worry Lina, I sent her over to play with Joanna. I want you to have peace and quiet." Gourry gave Lina a good-hearted smile. Lina rolled over and closed her eyes and was asleep in no time.
It was the after noon when Lina woke up, she had been sleeping all day and she wasn't feeling any better, she was feeling worse. She looked around the room of their house. She wished that she had someone to talk to. Lina remembered the day they moved into the house. It seemed so big at first, but Amelia insisted that they move into a house close to the palace so that they wouldn't have to travel long to see each other. Lina only agreed to moving into the house because she figured it wasn't fit for a married couple to travel for the rest of their lives. When Lina became pregnant with Liana, she was grateful for the extra room and large yard.
"So you're awake?" Gourry's voice broke through Lina's thoughts.
"Huh? ::cough:: Yea, I'm awake and tell you the truth, I'm feeling kinda hungry." Lina rubbed her rumbling tummy. Gourry smiled and revealed a large bowl of steamy chicken soup. "I figured you would be hungry when you woke up." He placed a tray in Lina's lap and put the bowl on top of it.
"Gourry, you really are an idiot." Lina smiled as she took the spoon and dug in.
"Why do you say that?" Gourry said giving Lina a sideways glance.
"Oh Gourry. I'm just kidding." Lina grabbed his shirt and pulled him down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Gourry hugged Lina and picked up her spoon and handed it to her saying, "Eat up, your soups going to get cold." Lina couldn't help smiling, she was starting to like being fussed over.
That night Gourry held Lina close to his chest as she slept. He stroked her hair and smiled to himself, he hated seeing her so sick, but she wasn't about to let it beat her. Just then Lina started having a coughing fit so bad that it woke her up. Lina leaned over the bed and blood trickled from her mouth as her coughing racked her tiny body. "Lina! Are you ok?" Gourry asked. He was very worried now. When the coughing fit was over, Lina laid back in bed next to Gourry and said in a raspy voice, "I think I need to see a doctor Gourry." Lina's body was shaking and Gourry could feel her tight little back muscles against his chest. He was truly worried, he had never seen anyone with a cold cough up blood like that.
The next morning Gourry woke up to find Lina shivering and looking very pale. He tried to wake her up but she only told him to go away and let her sleep. When Gourry felt her forehead, he found she had a very high fever. Not wanting Lina out in a draft, Gourry decided to go get a doctor and bring him here. Gourry didn't mind paying extra for the house call, he just wanted Lina to feel better.
When Gourry brought the doctor back, he found Lina lying on the floor, shivering. She had pulled a pillow down with her so the doctor figured that she must have gotten down there on purpose. Gourry picked Lina up and put her back in bed. Lina woke up and looked up at Gourry, her eyes were full of pain and sickness. "Gourry, it's so hot." She said in a voice that was barely audible.
"Shhh, it's going to be ok, I brought a doctor to see you." Gourry pushed Lina's sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes.
"You need to leave while I examine her Mr. Gabriev." The doctor said as he escorted Gourry out of the room. The doctor looked down Lina's throat and ruled out strep and tonsillitis. He listened to her breath and her lungs were very tight and they rattled when she took a breath in. The doctor took her temperature and it was very high for it to be a cold. He checked her ears, no, not an ear infection either. So the doctor took some blood and told Gourry that he would be back the next morning to give him the results. "I've never seen anything like this. You say she only started feeling bad yesterday morning? I've never seen anyone get so sick that fast." The doctor said as he stepped up into his carriage.
Gourry went back into the house and returned to his wife's side. "Oh Lina, I wish I knew what was wrong with you." Gourry said as he held Lina's hand. Lina looked at him through exhausted eyes. She had been coughing so hard that she could barely sit up. "Gourry, I'm pretty sick, huh?" She said with a weak smile.
"Yea, you are. Lina, get some rest, please. Your daughter is worried about you, can I bring her in to see you ?" Gourry asked. Lina's eyes widened. "Gourry, no. I don't want her to catch this!" Lina choked out. Lina herself was feeling horrible, she couldn't even imagine what this would do to a seven year old.
"Ok, I'll tell her that you're asleep, which you will be." Gourry smiled at Lina. He tucked her in and kissed her on her forehead. Lina closed her eyes and was asleep again. Lina slept the whole day and night.
The next morning, around ten, the doctor returned. He didn't look none to hopeful. Gourry greeted him at the door and hastily invited him to come in. The doctor sat in the chair in the main room and placed his briefcase on his lap and opened it. "I'll be frank Mr. Gabriev. I don't know what's wrong with your wife. Is she a sorceress by any chance?" The doctor looked at Gourry over his paper work and Gourry nodded. "That's what I was afraid of. There has been an epidemic that has been striking down sorceress' with strong magical abilities, I take it your wife is a strong sorceress as well?" Again Gourry nodded, the color had drained from his face. The doctor continued on, "I'm sorry Mr. Gabriev, but I haven't seen that many happy endings with this illness, I've only seen one sorceress get better but she didn't have strong magic like all the other cases. Mr. Gabriev, do you follow me?" Gourry's jaw had dropped, he couldn't believe what the doctor was saying.
"Lina's going to die?" He spat out. The doctor nodded sadly. "There isn't much hope, at the rate she's going, I don't think that she has much time left. I'm so sorry."
"Is this illness contagious?" Gourry asked.
"That's the thing, it isn't. Even if Lina had been around somebody with the same illness, she wouldn't have caught it from them. It just strikes out of nowhere. There isn't a cause nor cure. All you can do for her now is just make her comfortable, and don't be afraid to let other's see her, it could be the last time they'll ever get to see her. Does she have any family?"
"Uh, yea. They live pretty far away though." Gourry said as he thought about when they traveled from Seyruun to go see Lina's family when she found out she was pregnant, it took them six days to get there.
"I suggest you write to them and tell them about Lina. I must go now, I have other appointments. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me." With that, the doctor left. Gourry sat in the main room a while longer, he was trying to grasp the thought of Lina dying. 'I must tell Amelia and Zel. They'll want to see her.' Gourry said to himself. Gourry brought Liana over to her friend's house and explained to the mother what was going on and she agreed that Liana could stay with her as long as she needed to. Gourry thanked her and made his way to the palace.
At the palace gate, Gourry found a new guard. This proved to be a problem, the guard didn't know who Gourry was and wasn't about to just let him walk into the palace. Gourry stood there for quite some time arguing with the guard when he saw Amelia and Zel walking arm in arm around the garden. "Hey Zel, Amelia! Over here!" Gourry yelled. He somehow managed to push past the guard and made his way over to his friends. Zel and Amelia were a little surprised to see Gourry looking so frantic. Just as Gourry was about five feet from them, the guard tackled him and yanked Gourry's arms behind his back. "Ok mister, you're going to the dungeon." The guard snarled at Gourry. Gourry looked at Amelia and Zel with pleading eyes, Amelia had never seen Gourry like this before, she quickly snapped out of her daze and yelled at the guard. "Let him go! You don't just go throwing friends of the royal family in dungeons without consulting us first!" The guard quickly released Gourry and bowed down low. "I'm sorry princess, I didn't know." And with that, the guard returned to his post.
"Gourry, What's going on? You look distressed." Amelia said as she put her hand on Gourry's shoulder.
"It's Lina, she's very sick." Gourry said. He told them about what the doctor said and Zel and Amelia had the same reaction Gourry did when the doctor told him. They were in disbelief for a moment, but agreed to go back with Gourry.
When they got to Gabriev home, Gourry hurried to get inside. When he reached the bedroom he shared with Lina, he found her still sleeping. He had hoped that she would have waken up by now. Zel and Amelia made their way to Lina's bed on tip toe. It was so quiet and still, it scared Gourry a bit.
"Lina?" Amelia asked softly. Lina stirred a bit and opened her eyes and looked up at Amelia.
"Hey kiddo, how ya' feeling?" Zel asked in a voice that Gourry only heard him use when he talked to his son.
"I've got a nasty cold, I'll get better though." Lina's voice was raspy and rattled. Gourry almost started sobbing when he heard Lina talk. She knew she was dying, but she wasn't about to admit it. "I haven't seen you two in a while ::cough-cough:: how's your son, Mark doing?" Lina tried to make herself not sound as sick as she was.
"He's great. You know, he thinks so highly of Liana, we were just talking about her yesterday and he was saying how he wanted to go see her." Amelia smiled warmly at Lina. Lina looked out the window, her eyes sparkled as she thought about how she would watch her daughter and Amelia's son play all day. They made such a cute couple.
"Zel, Amelia, may I have a moment alone with Gourry?" Lina looked at them with pained eyes. Amelia nodded and left with Zel close behind her. Before closing the door after himself, Zel looked back at Lina and said, "We've had many so adventures together Lina, just know I haven't regretted a single one." Lina smiled and nodded weakly at Zel and he left the room.
Lina had another coughing fit after Zel closed the door and her whole body crumbled under the forceful pressure that the coughing had put on her. When the fit was over she laid very still with her eyes closed and Gourry quickly made his way to the side of her bed and knelt down by her. It took Lina a while to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry Gourry. I wish I could get better, but I'm not going to am I?" Lina looked into Gourry's blue eyes, which were filled with so much pain. He lowered his head and began crying. "Shhh, it's ok. Gourry, please don't cry. I need you to be strong. I'm not afraid, neither should you." Lina started stroking Gourry's long blond hair.
"Lina, I need you, I just don't know how I'm going to get along without you." He said between sobs.
"Gourry, you'll always have me. I'll live on through our daughter and our memories." Lina squeaked. Gourry gazed into Lina's crimson eyes and smiled. He leaned over and kissed her soft lips and she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.
Gourry left the room and was surprised to find Zel and Amelia still there. Zel sat on the couch in the main room and Amelia was fast asleep in his lap. "She cried herself to sleep, poor kid." Zel said as stroked Amelia's back. "How's Lina?" Zel looked up at Gourry's pained face.
"She's asleep." Gourry sighed. "The coughing has made her so weak and she doesn't have much of an appetite. I don't know how much longer she's going to last." Gourry plopped down in the chair across from Zel.
"I'm so sorry that this has to happen to you guys. How's Liana taking it?"
"She doesn't even know that her mother's dying, she just thinks that Lina's sick with a cold. All she talks about is how she can't wait for Mommy to get better so that we can all go on a picnic under our tree." Gourry looked out the window and his eyes filled with tears.
"If you need any help telling her..."
"No, I have to do it." Gourry stopped Zel in the middle of his sentence.
"Well, we should get going." Zel said as he picked up Amelia and brought her out to their carriage.
As Zel gently put Amelia into the carriage without waking her, he said to Gourry, "If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know. You know where we are and I'll make sure that you won't have anymore trouble with the guards." Zel gave Gourry one of his rare, heart-filled grins and then he climbed into the driver's seat and urged the horses on into an easy trot and off they went.
Gourry went and got his daughter from her friend's house. He decided that she must know what was going on. When Gourry got her home, he brought her up to her room and placed her on her bed. "Liana, we need to have a little chat about Mommy, ok?" he kneeled so that he was at eye level with her.
"What's wrong? Is Mommy going to get better?" Liana asked as she clutched her favorite teddy bear that her mother had given her for her birthday.
"Mommy's very sick and she isn't going to get well. But Liana, you must know that your mother won't really be leaving us. Just know that a piece of her lives in you and as long as you remember the good times you've had with her, she'll never really be gone." Gourry looked into his child's eyes and asked her, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I think so. If I remember her, she won't be really dead, right?" Liana looked at her father and he nodded.
"Mommy's asleep right now, but when she wakes up, you can see her, ok Baby Bear?" Liana jumped forward and hugged her father.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Liana, did you get dinner yet?" Liana nodded.
"It was chicken and gravy. It was very good."
"I have some things that need to be done, you just sit here and play with your teddy for a while." Liana nodded and hugged her bear tightly.
Gourry went into the kitchen and pulled out a pen and paper. He thought for a minute on how to tell Lina's family that she was going to die. He finally decided on how he could put it to them and when he was finished, it read:
Dear Inverse Family,
I'm writing you this letter because Lina's very sick. The doctor says she doesn't have very long to live. I hope that you will come and see her. I know she'd like to see you all one last time. Please hurry, she's become very weak, I don't know how much longer she can hold on. Again, I'm sorry that this letter had to bring such bad news. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gourry Gabrieve.
Gourry sealed the letter in an envelope and the next day gave it to Zel and he flew it over to the Inverse's. Needless to say they came in a hurry to see Lina. They flew back over with Zel and it only took them a day to make it. It was very sad for Gourry to watch Lina's mother break down and cry like that and her father had a very grim look on his face. Lina's sister was trying very hard to keep it together, but when she saw her little sister lying in bed, looking so sick, she left the room crying. It had been a very hard week for Gourry and this just topped it. Lina had barley any strength left to speak. The doctor was right, Lina was going at a fast pace.
After the family left Lina's room, Gourry went in to go sit with Lina. Everyone was there to say good-bye to Lina. Old faces brought back so many memories. Sylphiel had come to take care of Lina. Martina and Zangulus had stopped by to visit. Filia and Xellos were there too. Filia was feeling so bad for Lina that she didn't mace Xellos and he hadn't said anything mean to Filia. The whole gang and Lina's family waited in the main room(which we can safely say was getting rather small) while Gourry and Liana sat with Lina.
"Hi Mommy." Liana said when Gourry brought her up to Lina's bed side.
"Hey Baby Bear." Lina smiled. She tried to keep the tiredness out of her voice, she didn't want her daughter to see how weak she was.
"You feeling better?"
"I feel much better now that you're here." Lina made an effort to hug her child, but just didn't have the strength, she managed to squeeze her a bit and even that was enough to tire Lina out.
"Liana, will you do Mommy a favor and take care of your Daddy for me once I'm gone?" Gourry had told Lina that morning how he explained to Liana that she was dying. Lina thought that it was good that her daughter knew the truth.
"I'll do that Mommy. I love you."
"I love you so much Baby Bear. You be a good girl ok?" Liana smiled at her mother and nodded. Gourry asked Sylphiel to bring the child out of the room so he could have a moment with Lina, and Sylphiel did just that.
"Lina, you've been so strong, it's just hard to believe that you're going to die." Gourry cried. Lina looked out the large window at the tree on the hill were they called their 'spot'. The setting sun's rays outlined the tree and it looked almost magical. That was were she had most of her fond memories. That was were she'd want to be forever.
"Gourry, you know our spot under the old tree were we'd watch the sunsets and have picnics? That's were I want my final resting place to be. Promise me that's were I'll be buried." Lina was tiring fast and Gourry could see that in Lina's eyes.
"I promise Lina. And when I die, I'll have my body laid to rest right next to yours, so we can be together forever." Gourry started sobbing even harder and bent down to hug Lina. He picked up the little sorceress in his arms and hugged her tightly. Lina used what was left of her strength and threw her arms around Gourry's neck.
Gourry held her for what seemed like hours, then he noticed that her body started to quiver then it stopped and her arms fell limply to her side. Gourry pulled Lina back and saw that her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. Lina Inverse had left her body and was now embarking on a new adventure. Gourry gently laid the tiny woman back down on the bed, crossed her arms and pulled up the covers.
"Good-night Lina. I'll wait to see you again in my dreams." With that Gourry kissed Lina's forehead and blew out the candle in the lamp above the bed.