'What was with me? Why did I spare Xellos from my mace? Why did I run off?' Filia thought wildly as she ran through a forest of trees, her body shaking a bit fearfully. She felt as if fire was burning through her body and as if she was getting burned. She tripped over a tree stump, landing on the ground face first. She didn't really try to move out of the way of it. She laid there, her eyes clothes and her body still shaking.

Then she did something she never thought she would do in all her life. "XELLOS!! HELP ME!!!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, then breaking down into uncontrollable sobs.

Xellos's eyes snapped open, literally, as he heard Filia's cry for help. He turned to Lina and the group, noticing that they didn't hear the call. "Hmmm... Seems like Filia is having a nervous breakdown. Maybe we should go to the next town." He said cheerfully.

"Maybe so..." Lina said thoughtfully.

"So let's go, Ms. Lina! I'm hungry!" Amelia exclaimed.

"Yahoo!!" Gourry exclaimed taking off in a run, Amelia following.

"Hey! Hey wait for me!" Lina said, scrambling to her feet. Xellos simply teleported out.

Filia hugged herself, shivering from the cold. Why wasn't Xellos there? What were these crazy pictures going on through her head? Was she going crazy? Was Xellos the one driving her crazy? Her forehead was feeling warm and she wondered if she had a fever. She felt someone picked her up from the ground. Someone warm… she thought. All that before she passed out.

"Is she awake?" Filia's head was pounding as she heard the series of voices.

"Um… I think she's waking up. Ms. Filia? Ms. Filia can you hear me?" Amelia's face blinked a few times right over Filia's face.

"I'm alright Ms. Amelia…" Filia started to sit up while Amelia went to get a glass of water for Filia.

"Ah great! I was hoping we wouldn't have to postpone the trip for too long." Lina grinned.

"Good thing Mr. Zelgadis saw her out there." Amelia's muffled voice said.

"Mr. Zelgadis…? It was Mr. Zelgadis who rescued me?" Filia blinked.

"Yep… you seemed to have fallen." Lina said.

"Yes and you very warm so I brought you to this Island where I met Lina… a few days earlier than plan." Zelgadis put in.

"To which we all thought you had a fever but I took your temperature but it was regular." Amelia said, handing Filia a glass of water.

"Thank you Mr. Zelgadis... Ms. Amelia." Filia murmured, taking a sip of her water. 'So it wasn't Xellos after all…' She thought to herself.

Elsewhere someone took notice of all this and made her final decision. "Xellos…" Zellas Metallium called to her faithful servant, sure than her decision was the right one. "Current Mission… Kill Filia Ul Copt. The Dragon girl."

Xellos dropped the wine glass he was carrying for Zellas. The red wine spilled onto the white floor, covering it as if a kill had just been made. Xellos's eyes were wide, his whole body stiffened. He didn't actually believe that Lord Beastmaster would ever give such a command.

"I don't want you to fail this Xellos. It is important that you complete this task." Zellas said seriously, ignoring the wine.

"Y-Yes Ma'am... of course." Xellos nodded and bowed before her. Zellas's eyes narrowed, knowing this wasn't going to be as easy as it seemed. She glanced over at his staff. The one he carried everywhere. The one that Filia had gotten for him. Maybe she should tell him not to take it. She waved that thought away figuring it was silly superstition.

"In the meantime... get me some more wine. What a terrible thing to waste."

After making sure Filia was totally all right, Lina stretched and yawned and announced it was time for her to hit the sack. "Gotta wake up for the breakfast specials!" She grinned.

"Couldn't you just go to sleep late and wake up early?" Gourry questioned, following her out to go to his room.

"Well yeah... but I need my beauty rest!" Lina's voice was heard in Filia's room from down the hall.

Amelia giggled. "I guess I'll go to sleep too. Sleep well Ms. Filia." She said waving as she followed Lina's Gourry's steps.

"Yeah... Good night. And make sure you drink some water. It'll make you feel better and not get dehydrated." Zelgadis said, being the last and closing the door behind him. Filia sighed in relief, happy to be alone again. She went over to her room's desk and pulled out some papers. She wanted to record some things in her journal and write a few letters. Mainly to Jiras and Gravos... making sure her store was still standing.

Xellos knew what he was sent to do. He planned to do it in one swift motion, but he wanted to get close and figure out why Filia always confused him. Why she made him feel the way he did. Why it felt like he's known her before. Not surprising her at all, he appeared behind her.

"Hello Xellos…" She muttered disgustedly, her head still bowed to the papers before her. She really wasn't happy to see him.

"Ah… Filia. You seem to be having a fun time." He said nonchalantly, trying to seem as secretive as usual.

"I know you are here for something, Xellos. What do you want?" She asked standing up.

"Oh just a social call, Filia." He replied, grinning. Filia gave him a glare and folded her arms.

"I can read you like a book Xellos… that's not what you are here for. What is it?" She grounded out.

Xellos raised his eyebrows and decided to play his cards a different way. "Oh is that so? Then what is this face?" He made an absurd expression.

"Why you...! Namagomi how dare you tease me like that!!" She screeched, her fist twitching. She went to grab her mace but Xellos grabbed her arms and directed her up against the wall.

"Na-Na-Namagomi! Let me go!" Filia ordered a bit surprised. He was holding her a bit tightly and it surprised her. He grinned a slightly twisted grin, opening his eyes and glaring at her.

"My, my Filia… how do you like the tables turned? Now I'm in controlled." He taunted.

"Xellos…" She started in a wavering voice. "Let me go. You're scaring me…"

"You aren't supposed to reveal your weakness." He replied moving his face closer to her, touching his nose to hers. He could hear her breath was slightly uneven. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it.

He lifted a finger and traced it over her cheek. Normally she would feel disgusted, but she felt unnervingly calm. She didn't want him to notice that so she smacked his hand away. He paid no mind and leaned forward and tilted her chin and placed his lips to hers.

She slowly started to close her eyes as he brought the kiss further along. He started to explore her mouth with his tongue, she meeting his tongue and entwining hers with it.

Xellos reached for his staff, holding on to it tightly while he kept their kiss going deeply. He felt Filia reach and touch his chest lightly. He snapped his eyes open as he stared at her attentively. Why was he hesitant? Filia broke the kiss off and looked into his eyes with a slight smile.

"I know you have to… You could… kill me…" She murmured. She closed her eyes again and braced herself for the attack. There was none. Instead Xellos leaned down and hugged her, burying his face in her apron. His shoulders were shaking and Filia knew he was trying not to cry. She hugged him to herself, murmuring soothing things to him as if comforting him.

"Sleep…" She cast the spell with out a moments notice. She picked him up and carried him to her bed. She climbed in beside him and covered them both with the blankets. She sighed. She knew this is what he needed… and she needed too.