To the end

Ramon: Another Lina and Gourry fic, which many will enjoy.

Sunny: The Slayers and all its characters don't belong to us, it belongs to Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Arazumi. Only Air Jay and Kiko belong to us.

Alandra: we hope that you people can enjoy this fic.

------

Chapter 13

------

Two day have passed since the death of Air Jay, and during all that time Lina has always been on Gourry's side and she hardly ate, she stays awake at night in case the wound on his chest begins to open again. Lina is getting very desperate, she just wonders how can that wound open up so much, it has tried to open at least ten times today. She just wonders why it keeps opening up, Urnt says that it is like Gourry is losing all his will to live, this is something that is really messing with Lina's mind, why would Gourry want to die? After all the adventures they have been in would he want to die on her? No he would not, he risked so much of him to save her from many perils, and he would not dare de on her, would he?

Lina gets up from her seat to get her cape and grabs the letter that it was for Prince Phill from Lina's part saying to give all the reward money to Gourry, and by the time they start reading the letter she would be lone gone. " I guess there is no more need to keep this, Air Jay is dead and reduce to dust……and besides I don't to leave Gourry no more I want him at my side……forever." And Lina uses a small fireball spell to burn the letter. Then she turns back to Gourry, still in coma, tears already start to form on her eyes. "Please…..don't take him away from me…..I need him!" prayed Lina, something that she doesn't do a lot but she is really desperate.

She then sits back to her chair and holds Gourry's hand, she loves the warm of his hands and arms, she had enjoy it in rare times when she is wounded or in that time when they got back from the Sea of Chaos, and she and Gourry were holding each other, she just wonders how that happen. She then looks back to his face and a tear ran down her cheek landing on Gourry's hand.

She just could not stop her hand from shaking, but she forced herself to calm down, after a few moments of silence she looks back at Gourry and leads her head next to his ear. "Hey…..Gourry…….are you listening to me? Do you……do you remember when we first meet? You have saved me from that group of bandits and you believed that I was just a little kid in trouble, after that we started some adventures of our own and we fought Rezo and Shabrimingo, but I didn't let you go of so easy ever since I found out you had the Sword of Light but I was kind of surprised myself then you never complained about me following you until you gave me the sword, maybe because you would never hand it to me, not even in a million years." Lina let out a small laugh. "Then there was that incident with Copy Rezo when we have meet Sylphiel and I saw how well you and Sylphiel got along so well, I admit that I was jealous and you don't see me admitting anything, do you? I was a little surprised myself when you wanted to continue to travel with me when you could have just stay with Sylphiel but since I was secretly happy to see that we were still travelling together I never bring that subject up." She then looks up to the window. "I just realised that I never thanked you when we were attacked by Rezo's monsters, I got wounded and you carried me all the way to the next town, I was embarrassed at the time. And when there was that incident with Kenzel and Mazenda I faked my death to caught them by surprise which I did very perfectly I might had." Then she looks back at Gourry. "Then you came to me and bonk me on the head, you were really upset and worry about me when I faked my death, those were the first times when some one ever showed so much care for me, I guess those were one of the main reasons why I got so attractive to you, and I got even more when were all in that sand temple and you said that you would protect me to the end." Lina let out a tear. "And the all the fights with Garv and Hell master start. And the memory of you being kidnapped is something I don't want to talk about……its too painful…I remember all the times we fought Valgarv when we were at the New world, you have protected me against a dozen of times, and once again I never thank you for it. We had so many adventures together, we always caused some mess, fought many foes, even when we thought that things are bad we always managed to achieve victory and………and……." This time Lina could not hold her tears anymore and gently rests her head on Gourry's shoulder. "Gourry……Gourry…..wake up…..wake up……please wake up Gourry……I need you……I love you……"

-------

Lina opens her eyes and finds her self flying in a white sky. "Where am I?" she asked her self and she looks around to se nothing by clouds all around her, for some strange reason she felt in peace and harmony, like she doesn't have a care in the world. "Am I dead?...is this why I fell so peaceful?"

Suddenly a light emerges from behind Lina, she turns round and sees Gourry flying directly at it. Lina started to panic and flies after him "Gourry! Don't follow the light!"

Gourry turns his head and sees Lina desperately trying to catch him, he just gives her a soft smile and continues his way to the light.

"NO!" screams Lina as she finally grabs him from behind.

"Let me go Lina….." said Gourry in a soft voice. "The light……it is so beautiful….."

"Gourry, if you go in there you will die for good!" screamed Lina holding Gourry more tight.

Gourry looks back at her with a tear in his eyes. "I know Lina, I know……"

"Then why are you going there?" shouted Lina some more with her own tears.

"Because I failed you Lina……"

"What?"

"I could not protect you well enough against Air Jay, he just stood there punching me like a wrack doll, I couldn't do anything and you ended up facing him on your own, I have already failed you when Copy Rezo attacked you and left you terribly wounded, ever since that day I promised that I would never let any harm coming to you…..I promised to protect you for the rest of my life but I failed. I don't deserve to live……let me go Lina." Gourry tried to remove her hands from him but Lina holds him even tighter.

"NO! I won't!"

Gourry closes his eyes. "Lina please……please let me go…… I don't have any more right to live."

"SHUT UP!" screamed Lina. "Damn it Gourry! All that it happened in that battle with Rezo was an accident, it was nobodies fault, and nobody is perfect you know! Please come baack with me Gourry, because if you don't I will go with you to the light!"

Gourry gasped "What? But why Lina? Why are you risking so much because of me? It is still not your time e so why are you risking your life for me?"

"You idiot! Don't you understand? After all this time and all the times we spend together you don't understand?" said Lina with more tears in her eyes "It is also because of the same reason why you followed me to the Sea of Chaos! I LOVE YOU!"

The words strike Gourry like if he was being born again. He looks back at Lina to see her resting her head on his back, after all this time of fear and hope he could not believe what he has heard. "Lina…...is this true?"

"I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!" Lina repeated very loud, still crying on Gourry's back. "Please Gourry……..don't leave me."

Gourry only remember the one time when Lina cried this much and it was when she saw those giant slugs, but this is different, she is not crying because of the fear she is crying from her heart. For the very first time Lina words really touch him deeply, she had risked her own life against the boy whose name he doesn't remember but listening to her confessing her feelings to him is something very different. The only reason why he wanted to die right now is because he was not sure if Lina would return his feelings even now when he failed to protect her, an act of coward of his part but now he wishes to live his life with Lina by his side.

He manages to turn around and gently cleans Lina's tears with his fingers. "Don't cry Lina…..you look more beautiful when you smile." Said Gourry, then he locks his lips with Lina's, giving her a kiss full of passion.

Lina panicked when Gourry kissed her but ended up returning the kiss, she's been dreaming about this for a long time but for some strange reason she feels that she had already kissed him, a long time ago.

After the kiss was broken Gourry whispers to Lina's hear. "I love you too Lina."

"Gourry….."

When those words were said, the light disappears and everything turns black.

------

Lina wakes up to see the light hitting her eyes, she can see more clearly that it is just the window and that it is morning already. "It was just a dream……"

"I don't think so."

Lina had her eyes wide open when she heard the voice and with out any delay she looks up to see Gourry smiling at her "Gourry……"

"Hi Lina." Said Gourry tapping Lina on the head.

"YOU IDIOT!" screamed Lina so loud that she almost awakens every one in the city. "Don't you ever do a stupid stunt like that on me again, you hear me? You know I hate people who get all sacrificial. And ….and ….and…." Lina could not help her self and hugs Gourry, crying happily at his chest.

And Gourry hugs her gently.

Urnt entered the room to see what that shouting was, and he was surprised and amazed to see Gourry is already awake. He just keeps saying that it is amazing to see how some one awakens so quickly after being at the doors of death. After seeing the touched scene between Lina and Gourry he decides to leave them alone.

"You brought me back Lina, you saved me from the light…..thank you." Whispered Gourry.

Lina open her eyes and looks up at Gourry, she thought tha the place where they were was nothing but a dream, but with Gourry words she is not sure anymore. She didn't care, she finally has her Gourry back.

To be concluded…….

Sunny: only one more chapter to go.

Ramon: it is almost done, and with some surprises in the end.

Maliska: please send us your reviews.