It was late in the afternoon when Lina, Gourry, and Lucia passed through the palace gates. Immediately there was a shriek, and Lina nearly felt herself tumbling over as glossy black hair filled her vision. "Miss Lina!" Amelia cried, "It's been so long!"

"Dammit, Amelia!" Lina snapped even though she hugged her back, "Careful with the pregnant lady, okay?"

"Lucia sure has gotten big!" Zel commented as ran up to greet them, a ball in his hands.

"Yes, well, she eats all of the time." Gourry said as he pulled her off his shoulders and put her on the ground. "Go play with the others."

Lucia clung shyly to Gourry's leg as she watched Benny play with Sylphiel's older children and Gracia's boys while Amelia said as she put a hand on Lina's belly, "She's not the only one getting big."

"Thanks." Lina said dryly. "Don't remind me. Anyway, where is Sylphiel?"

"She's in her apartment." Amelia said.

"Has she recovered her powers?"

"I don't know. She hasn't returned to work yet."

"Hmm. I need to see her right away."

"But Miss Lina, you just got in!" Amelia protested. "Don't you want to settle down and catch up?"

"Later. This is more important. We'll come down and talk when we're done."

Amelia and Zel exchanged a glance. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Lina smiled tiredly and grabbed Gourry's hand and set off for the entrance into the palace. Lucia screamed as she ran behind them, reaching her arms up as she did until Gourry picked her up. "I'll let you know when I know anything."

The three walked silently through the labyrinth of hallways and apartments that was the palace. Eventually they reached Sylphiel's apartments and knocked on the door.

"Miss Lina? Mister Gourry?" Sylphiel asked as she answered it, baby at her breast. "When did you get in?"

"Just now. Congrats on the newest one! And I need to talk to you." Lina said quickly.

"Come in." Sylphiel said, and the three travelers walked in and seated themselves on the sofa. Garrett looked up from playing with his blocks at the newcomers. "Hi!" he said as he waved.

"Hi!" Gourry said back as Lucia waved. He sat her on the floor, "Why don't you two play together?"

Lucia was having none of that. She ran to Gourry and climbed onto his lap as Sylphiel stared at Lina, "What's wrong?"

"Are your powers back?" Lina said in response.

Sylphiel nodded, "Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't know." Lina sighed, feeling unusually alarmist, "I don't even know if something is wrong. I just have this feeling that something isn't right either. I also have had this feeling that if I didn't get to Seyruun, something bad would happen to this child, that there's something dangerous about this pregnancy. It sounds so silly…"

Sylphiel nodded, "Not at all. Why don't you lie down? I'll check things out."

Lina went to the larger sofa and laid down on it while Sylphiel handed her youngest to Gourry. As he cuddled the newborn, Lucia attempted to take as much room on his lap as possible while shouting, "My daddy!"

Sylphiel laughed a little, "I'd say you'd best prepare yourself for some sibling rivalry."

Gourry paled a little as he wrapped a calming arm around Lucia while he nestled the infant in his other arm. Lina snapped, "Yes, that happens. Now stop gabbing and start the exam!"

Sylphiel knelt beside Lina and placed her hands on her abdomen. "How many weeks?"

"Twenty-two."

Sylphiel frowned, "Are you sure?"

"Pretty. Why?"

Sylphiel smiled as she put a hand on her shoulder, "You're bigger than what you would expect at twenty-two weeks."

"Meaning?"

"Either you miscalculated the days, or you could be having twins."

"I can't have twins!" Lina screamed.

"Is there any way to know for sure?" Gourry asked as Lucia studied the infant disdainfully.

"I'm going to listen for a heartbeat. Just a minute while I grab something." Sylphiel said as she stood up and went into her room.

"It's not twins!" Lina said as Gourry shrugged.

Sylphiel came back with a strange looking object and put the large, circular end on Lina's stomach and her ear to the small circle on the other end. Her face scrunched up in concentration for a minute before she smiled, "Two heart beats. It's twins."

"But taking care of one baby is so much work! How am I going to take care of two and a toddler at the same time?" Lina shouted.

"It will be hard." Sylphiel said as she sat down on the couch, "But I think you can handle it."

"Oh, brother!" Lina sighed as she sat up.

"Are they healthy?" Gourry asked as Sylphiel moved to pick up her youngest from him.

"Quite."

"Then why does Lina have those bad feelings?"

"Twin pregnancies are more risky, but I wouldn't worry too much. She's in the White Magic Capital now. If something does go wrong then there's no better spot for her to be in."

Gourry bit his lip as he held Lucia a little closer to him while Lina cradled her head with her hands. "That's not too comforting."

"Think of it this way. The midwives in Zefiel City can handle an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery well. But if anything goes wrong then the outcome could be tragic. But in Seyruun we have the means to provide care for things that they can't in Zefiel City. If she goes into labor early in Zefiel City, which happens a lot with twin pregnancies, then she could lose them. But here we can stop her from doing that. That's probably why she felt a need to come here."

Gourry thought about what she said as Lina asked, "So this means that there is going to be a complication."

Sylphiel patted her on the arm, "No. But if there is, then there's no better place for you to be."

"I don't know what to write to my folks back home." Lina said as she sat with Amelia in the palace gardens as they watched their husbands romp around with their children. "Hey Mom, hey Dad, we're here safely, but I'm having twins and there will be a complication. I can just imagine the freak out that would cause!"

"But you don't know for sure that there will be a complication." Amelia pointed out.

"I guess." Lina said, "But I feel it in my gut!"

"Hmm," Amelia said thoughtfully, "May be you should invite your mother down here closer to when the time comes so she can help you with Lucia."

"I guess." Lina said.

Suddenly her attention was focused on Gourry, who had just cried out. Then she grinned as she watched Lucia, who was on his shoulders, pull his hair and yell, "Giddy up pony!"

"Lucia, don't!" Gourry said as he tried to grab at her hands. She let go of his hair and put her hands over his eyes before lowering her head to smack the back of his with it. "Ow!" Gourry cried as she shrieked with laughter.

Lina laughed with her as Amelia smiled. "You go, Lucia! Slay that blond, lug-headed monster!" Lina called.

"Traitor!" Gourry yelled as he struggled to get Lucia off his shoulders. "You could help!"

Lina rested her hands on her belly as she fought to control her laughter. Zel walked up to them and said, "But this is so much more entertaining."

Gourry reached around and lifted Lucia off his shoulders, only to cry out again as her tiny hands got tangled in his hair and pulled at it. He swung around with her awkwardly as he struggled to find a way to put her down without ripping his hair out by the root. He flailed around awkwardly for a moment as Lina commented, "For someone who is such a nimble swordsman, this sure has you stumped."

"Lina…" he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Zel decided to give him a break and held the troublesome two year old steady so that Gourry could disentangle her from his hair. He heaved a sigh of relief as they finally separated and Zel sat her on the ground, "Go play with Benny!" he instructed as Gourry went and collapsed beside his wife, who was brushing tears of laughter from her eyes.

"That's it. I'm cutting my hair." Gourry said as Benny ran into Amelia's arms, nearly knocking her over as Lucia ran to Lina.

Lina kissed her on the crown of her head and said, "Oh Lucia. Always good for giving me a laugh when I need one."

"Are you really going to cut your hair, Mr. Gourry?" Amelia asked as she cuddled with Benny.

"Yes." Gourry said, his voice serious.

"Why do you wear it so long anyway?" Zel asked as he sat down beside Benny.

"Because that's how they wear it in Elmekia."

"Is that where you're from?" Amelia asked, "I had no idea. What is it like there?"

Gourry shrugged as he sat back up, "Don't remember."

"Huh?" Amelia said, and then she caught Lina's eye. "Oh. Well, they should be putting on dinner soon. Who's hungry?"

Lina sighed as she allowed herself to relax. After spending the past few weeks on the road and staying the nights in cramped inns with a toddler, it was so nice to have said toddler secured in a separate room and to enjoy a comfortable bed with Gourry. Of course, Lucia did not take to the strange room readily, but after a lot of singing, reading, and cajoling, she was finally asleep. Leaving her and Gourry to enjoy the first alone time together they had had for weeks.

"So, there's really two babies in here?" Gourry asked as he felt her stomach.

"May be." Lina said, "There's always the possibility that Sylphiel is wrong."

Gourry looked at her as she closed her eyes sagely. She looked so tired and worried and he wished that there was a way to make her feel better, to take the anxiety away. Eventually she sighed and pulled at her hair, "Who am I kidding? It being twins makes sense."

"Oh?" he asked.

"For one thing I could never pin down for sure if it was a boy or a girl. Sometimes it felt like a girl, other times a boy. But it couldn't be both." Lina explained as Gourry moved so that he could lie beside her while keeping his hand on her abdomen.

"But if you were having twins, one boy and one girl, then that would be why." He finished for her as she stroked his arm.

She nodded, "In a nutshell. Oh brother. What are we going to do? We're never going to get any sleep once they are born!"

"Let's not get too far ahead!" Gourry said, "They still won't be here for a while."

"I guess." She said, "Yeah, you're right. First I have to get through the rest of this pregnancy."

He said nothing but held her a little closer. "Do you still have your bad feeling?"

She was quiet for a minute before answering, "Now that we're here, it will be okay."

The unspoken words of I hope hung awkwardly in the air.

He convulsed with fear and loss as his eyes shot open. Gone were the cold marble corridors he had known as a boy. Gone was the blood that stained them. As his eyes adjusted to the dark he could make out the comforting wood paneling, as clean and crisp as ever. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting his wife's shadow on the wall. He turned so he could hold her, taking comfort in the warmth that radiated, feeling relieved that she was alive and safe and that he had not waken her.

It was that recurring nightmare he had had since he was a child. It had been years since he'd dreamed about it. The sense of disquiet it had evoked clung to him as he breathed deeply and worked to will it away. Why, after all of these years, was the past returning to haunt him?

Lina turned so that she was on her back as she snarled, hitting him with her left hand as she did. After all of these years he was used to getting punched and hit as she slept. He lowered his hand to her stomach. Feeling the babies when she was pregnant was something he found comforting. He smiled a little as he felt them kick for the first time.

He started to wonder how on earth Lina could sleep with all of the activity going on in there as the reality that it was twins seemed to sink deep within his bones. There was no way one baby could account for all of that movement. He started to wonder if they were playing. And then his thoughts started to turn darker.

There was so much movement that it almost seemed as though they were warring with each other, competing for space in a tiny, cramped environment. The thirst for conquest of a limited number of resources. His squirmed as his sense of foreboding rose.

He sighed, and decided to give up sleep as a lost cause. He glanced at the clock. It was still two hours before he really had to be up but it certainly wouldn't hurt to use the extra time to go through his drills. He grabbed his sword, which he still kept on his nightstand, and quietly made his way to the living room. As he put it through the paces he felt himself calm down and relax as he wondered why he was letting the past hold such a grip on him when things were going so well. Warm sunlight was starting to stream through the curtains when he realized that he was being watched. He lowered his sword and ran a hand through his hair.

"Morning." He said.

"How long have you been up?" Lina asked as she stared at him from the entrance to their room.

"Awhile." He said as he walked towards her to kiss her cheek. He was a bit disgusted with himself when he realized that he did not want to put a hand on her swelling stomach to bid good morning to the twins. He forced his discomfort down as he reached down to pat her belly.

She was staring at him intently. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." He said. He didn't want to worry her with his stupid fears. She already had enough on her plate. "Do you want to go down for breakfast or have it sent up?"

She held his gaze for a moment, clearly not convinced that everything was okay. For the present at least she seemed to drop it. "Well, it has been a few years, and I'd like to join the others. There's a lot of catching up to do."

"Room for five more?" Gracia asked as she opened the door and noted the already cramped apartments.

Lina sighed as she let them in, "Sure, just make sure your boys clean up any mess that is made, okay?"

"Go play with the other children in the bedroom." Gracia instructed. Lina did not have to ask how Gracia knew where the other children were. As it was, Sylphiel's four oldest children, Benny and Lucia were in there sounding like a herd of elephants. Lina hated to think of what the room would look like when they finished, but for now it was enough that Lucia was being adequately entertained by someone who was not her.

Gracia sat down next to Amelia while Charles took a seat next to Zel. "So, you're here to see Mr. Gourry's new haircut as well?" Amelia asked.

Gracia nodded, "Well, it has been the talk of the castle all day."

"I'm surprised that such a little matter has garnered so much attention." Zel said as Lina nodded in agreement.

"Yes, even the king of Seyruun has deigned to pay me a visit to see my husband's new look." Lina said, and Phil knitted his eyebrows together as he worked to figure out how to take it.

"By the way Miss Lina." Amelia said, "Why doesn't Mr. Gourry like to talk about Elmekia?"

Lina glared at her as the room became silent. "What's this about Elmekia?" Gracia asked.

"Yesterday Mr. Gourry mentioned being from there but didn't want to talk about it." Amelia explained.

"And if he didn't want to talk about it last night, what makes you think he would want me talking about it with all of you?" Lina asked, her voice low.

"Oh." Amelia said, looking slightly chastened, "I guess you're right."

"It is strange." Sylphiel said, "I mean, no one from his family was at your wedding."

"Now that you've mentioned it," Zel said, "We never have met any of his family. And he never talks about himself."

"Well, he was a mercenary." Rick said.

"So?" Amelia asked.

"People with happy childhoods don't become mercenaries." He explained, "Mercenaries are always running from something."

"Now that you mention it, it is strange that he would be a mercenary. Most tend not to be very loyal to anything, but ever since he met Miss Lina he's demonstrated that he is remarkably loyal." Amelia said.

"It is an interesting contradiction." Zel said, "I wonder how much of it Lina can explain."

Lina felt her face grow red as his comment struck a nerve. While she had gotten bits and pieces of what happened from Gourry, she knew she did not have the full story. And while she knew it was because he simply did not like to think about it, it did gall that there was a big chunk of his history that she was in the dark about. "Listen well, because this is all I'm saying. While he was growing up his family feuded over who would possess the Sword of Light. And a lot of them killed each other over it. And he doesn't like talking about it because it's too painful for him."

"But then how did he end up with the sword?" Sylphiel asked.

Lina stared at the ground, feeling bad that Zel had goaded her into telling as much as she already had. "May be you should ask him that yourself."

As if on cue, the door opened and the topic of the conversation walked in, his golden hair as long as it ever was. His eyes widened in surprise when he found all of their friends packed into their living room. "Oh, hi guys. What are you doing here?"

"We all came to see if you were really going to cut your hair." Amelia explained, "But I guess you changed your mind."

Gourry stared straight ahead for a moment as the muffled sounds of the laughter of children rang from Lucia's room and then he smiled sheepishly, "Actually, I completely forgot I was even going to do that!"

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Gourry asked for the umpteenth time.

Lina worked hard to keep her smile from faltering, "Yes! Lucia and I will get in some extra girl time dressing each other up and doing our hair! So unless you want to don a frilly dress and a tiara, get out of here and enjoy yourself for a change!"

He stared at her hesitantly. While he did feel the need to have a night out, he would much rather have it with her and not Smithy. But he supposed that he should make an appearance. Part of being a royal guard meant that you had to go to parties to celebrate the life events of co-workers who were too dense to appreciate how lucky they were to have what they did in life.

"Don't put her to bed until I get back."

It took all of Lina's willpower not to roll her eyes. While she appreciated his dedication to his family, lately whatever it was that had been bothering him was getting worse. She knew he was having nightmares, but damned if she could get him to talk about it. She was hoping that an evening away would calm his nerves. "Go have fun!" she said.

He smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. He hoped Lina didn't notice his moment of hesitation when he put his hand to her belly. Something about feeling the twins move was still disconcerting. He grabbed Lucia and kissed her goodbye and headed out for the banquet hall where the party was. Smithy was a decent enough guard but Gourry thought his sense of priorities were skewed. Still, it wasn't every month that someone celebrated the upcoming arrival of their first child. That said, it was a relief when he walked into the hall and found that Zel, Rick and Charles had saved a seat for him.

No sooner did Gourry sit with them than had Smithy come up and put an arm around him as he asked, "Did you hear the news?"

Gourry winced at the smell of beer at his breath, "What news?"

"Davina is in labor!" he said.

Gourry frowned, "Shouldn't you be with her then?"

Smithy laughed as he put a hand on his arm, "Of course you would say something like that! The baby won't be here for a while. Might as well live it up now before I'm forever tied down!"

Annoyance washed through him. It was not the first time he had heard such a sentiment from another man. Usually he ignored it and changed the subject. If a man didn't want to be at the side of his wife during the birth of their child it was his loss. But for some reason tonight it was really bugging him. "Lina was in labor for days, and I stayed by her side the whole time."

Smithy laughed while Charles snorted. "Don't." Rick said to Charles warningly.

"Oh, Gourry." Smithy said, "You set that husband bar so high that the rest of us just can't compete!"

"You say that, but Rick, you stayed with Sylphiel during each of yours, didn't you?"

"Never crossed my mind to leave." Rick replied.

"See? It's the least we can do to stay there with them considering what they're going through."

"I don't know about Rick, but Gourry is too scared of what the Dragon Spooker would do to him should he miss the birth of their children."

Gourry sent Charles a cold look. "Didn't you stay with Gracia when she was in labor?"

"Yes, because I was scared of what would happen were I to leave! Never marry a sorceress, she'll turn you into a toad or something if you displease her!"

"Fortunately I don't have that problem." Smithy said.

"I've gotten Lina mad a lot. She hasn't turned me into a toad." Gourry said airily.

"That's because she hits when she gets mad." Charles said, "Really, I'm amazed that you leave her alone with Lucia with that temper of hers."

Gourry felt his face flush as his blood boiled as he said, "I trust Lina."

Smithy laughed as he said, "Trust her? Or fear what she would do if you ever tried to leave her?"

Gourry regarded him coldly as Zel said, "That's enough. There's a lot that keeps them together, but fear of her isn't one of those things."

Charles slumped forward as Smithy took another swig of ale, "Come on! Only someone who is completely whipped would have been able to last as long with the Enemy of All Who Lives as he has!"

In a flash Gourry was out of his seat, and in a second Smithy was reminded why Gourry was considered to be the best warrior in the land. A loud smacking sound reverberated through the banquet hall, causing the surrounding conversations to cease as everyone turned to see Smithy crumble to the floor. Gourry lowered his fist as he stared at Smithy disdainfully as the other man slowly picked himself up and looked at Gourry in dismay, wiping the blood from his nose if he did so.

"Your face looks rather banged up." Gourry commented, his voice low, "May be you should go to your wife. She should have a midwife there who can fix that up for you."

Zel covered his mouth with his hand as Charles and Rick openly laughed. "He got you good." Charles said.

"And by the way," Gourry continued, "If it wasn't for Lina, this kingdom, this world, wouldn't be here anymore. So before you go insulting my wife and the mother of my children, you'd better think about that."

Smithy grabbed a napkin and put it to his nose and made a hurried exit. Gourry took a deep breath and said before heading towards the door., "Guess the party is over."

"Gourry, wait!" Zel called as he ran after him and caught up to him in the hallway. "Don't pay too much attention to Charles at the moment. The situation in Solaria has been deteriorating, which means Gracia has been drinking a lot, which means they've been arguing a lot, which means that he has been drinking a lot. He'll regret everything in the morning. And Smithy just isn't worth it. You know that."

"They still didn't have to say those things." Gourry said.

"No," Zel agreed. "Do you want to take a walk?"

Gourry thought for a moment and then nodded. They were silent for a moment as they walked towards the courtyard. "I overheard Amelia and Lina talking yesterday. Lina's worried about you."

When Gourry didn't reply Zel continued, "She mentioned that you've been having nightmares." Gourry's eyes narrowed. So Lina had noticed. Before he could say anything Zel continued, "You know that there's no safer place for her to be in than Seyruun."

"It's not that." Gourry said, "Well, maybe it is. I can't explain it really. I'm actually surprised I've been acting the way I have. It's just a bad feeling. For a while I never thought I'd have a family. And Lina and Lucia are everything to me. I'm just scared that something will happen to them."

"But didn't Sylphiel say that the twins were healthy and everything looked good?" Zel asked, and Gourry nodded.

"Is there something else you're worried about?"

When Gourry did not answer Zel asked, "Have you talked to Lina about this?"

"No, it doesn't seem fair to bother her with it when she has enough on her plate. She's really scared right now herself, and she has better reasons to be."

"When is the last time you two had a night out? Just the two of you, without Lucia?" Zel asked.

"Not since we left Zefiria." Gourry said.

"Why don't you let Amelia and I watched her tomorrow? Let you two get out and have a talk."

"Well, it still puzzles me that Zel would suggest this, but I am glad he did!" Lina said as she dug into her food.

Gourry smiled. "I didn't know how badly we needed the break until we got it!"

It had been a pleasant afternoon spent at the horse races. And now they were catching an early dinner before going back to the palace. "I'm surprised you didn't realize you needed this. You're usually more aware of that stuff."

Gourry nodded as he took a bite from a drumstick. Lina continued, "In fact you've been acting strange lately. You've been having nightmares. Don't try to deny it."

"I won't." he said.

"So what gives?" she asked as she started to eat her spaghetti.

"I used to have nightmares, back before I met you. And lately a lot of the ones I used to have are starting again."

Lina continued to meet his gaze steadily as she slurped her spaghetti while he continued, "I've told you that there was a lot of bloodshed over owning the Sword of Light." Lina nodded. "Well, a lot of people I cared about died. In front of me, when I was very young. There were times when the fighting would stop, when it seemed as if everyone was getting along. Those were the good times, and each time I thought that surely everyone had learned their lesson, that a sword wasn't worth the cost in blood. But then the fighting would start again."

His voice trailed off as he noticed that she was looking at something behind him before she turned her gaze back to him. Before he could ask her about it she said, "That sounds horrible, but why are you dreaming about it now after all of this time?"

He took a drink as he thought. She wasn't going to like the answer. "I think hearing that we're having twins was what did it."

Her eyes widened as she dropped her fork, "Well, it's not like I'm too keen on the idea either."

He grabbed her hands, "It's not that I don't want them! I do! It's killing me because I want them both so much, but having them scares me so much, too."

"You're not making much sense!" Lina said.

"It's just, well, as my grandmother said, history repeats itself. That's why you have to study it."

Her eyes narrowed, "But you didn't study it."

He nodded, "The present was always scary enough. I didn't want to see the future."

She shuddered, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The feud in my family started with twins."

"Huh?" Lina asked.

"My grandmother had twins, and no one knew if my father or uncle was older. Each of them wanted the sword and the power that came with owning it and so they started fighting over it."

"I don't understand though. If the sword is going to whoever is the oldest, than wouldn't that mean it goes to Lucia?"

"Because the oldest isn't always the best one for it."

"What? Are you going to choose who gets it based on criteria?" she asked as she ate some garlic bread.

"I just think that's there's more to consider than who is the oldest." Gourry explained as he tossed the bone on his plate and picked up another drumstick, noting that once again her eyes flickered briefly to something behind him before she asked.

"Such as?"

"Well, whoever is good with a sword for one thing."

"Well, then shouldn't that be the simple solution? Whoever is the best with a sword gets it?"

"What if two of them are equally good? Or what if one wants to run experiments on it like you do? Or what if they just crave the power that comes with the sword? My uncle was a horrible swordsman. It didn't stop him from killing to get the Sword of Light."

"Okay, point." Lina said as she finished her garlic bread, "Then how would you choose in those situations?"

Gourry thought for a minute, "Whoever wouldn't let their lust for power and possession get in the way of their family."

"Huh?"

Gourry took a bit of chicken and chewed slowly, knowing how bad what he said next was going to sound, "The reason I stole the Sword of Light was because I thought that anyone who would kill their kin for a sword and power didn't deserve to have it. I was one of the few people in my family who thought that way, though."

Lina's eyes widened, "Gourry…"

Softly he continued, "So the best one to get the Blast Sword really would be the one who doesn't want power. But what if one of our other children really wants it?"

"You don't think our children will kill each other to get the sword, do you?" she exclaimed.

He lowered his gaze as she said, "That's crazy! We're going to raise our kids to know better!"

"I hope so." He replied, "But since I was a child I've seen how power can corrupt and tear a family apart. It's just hard to see it not happening…"

He stopped talking as her eyes left his to focus on something behind him. He cocked his head at her quizzically before turning to look himself. All he saw was the other patrons of the restaurant, a few harried waitresses, an old cuckoo clock on the wall, and a window looking out into the well kept city streets. He turned when he realized she was speaking, "Well, it's different this time!" Lina pointed out. "The twins will be younger than Lucia and if they start fighting over it I'll smack them on the head and tell them to knock it off! I can be pretty fearsome you know!"

He smiled, "I just wish we had more that we could give the other two."

Lina sighed. "I know what you mean. It had to be done, but I wish that somehow I'd been able to get through that last battle with Shabranigdo with my Demon's Blood Amulets intact."

"That would make it easier, having something to give each of them. Though in my family it probably wouldn't have mattered. If it was a powerful object then my father and my uncle would have wanted all three."

Lina felt alarmed at the turn his thoughts were taking. "Do you really think that our children will be so selfish?"

"No! Not in my head at least." Gourry said, "But my bones are telling me something different. Growing up I learned to never let my guard down. Just when I thought it was safe to, someone was there to take advantage of it."

"Wow, no wonder you're so alert."

"How did the food turn out?" a waitress asked, causing both of them to snap their heads up and give the customary compliment as she refilled their drinks and left.

"I think that's it." He resumed, "Things have been calm for too long."

"Huh?" Lina asked.

"Well, growing up a period of calm always preceded a storm. And there was always something dangerous happening when we were living on the road. I'm not used to year after year of quiet like this, no fighting whether it's from family members or from monsters and…Lina, why do you keep looking behind me?"

"It's nothing." She said quickly as he looked at her skeptically. "And yes, I was listening to every word you were saying. I guess it makes sense. It's been five years since we settled down. I guess it still takes time to fully adjust."

"It frustrates me that I even have to adjust! This is what I've always wanted after all, what I'd always dreamt of."

"Well, it's like what Sylphiel says. We never fully recover from our childhoods."

"Sylphiel says that?" He asked as Lina nodded. "What does it mean?"

"Oh, we'll be here all night if I explain that!" Lina groused as a waitress came up.

"Is there anything more I can get for you?" she asked.

"Hell yeah! I'm eating for three!" Lina said as she ordered some extra food. The waitress went off and Lina focused her attention on Gourry again. "Anyway, I guess it makes sense why you're so anxious. But just keep reminding yourself that there's no reason to be. Things are different now from when they were when you were a kid, namely you have me and I'm not going to let…"

A reddish tint colored her face as she squeezed her eyes shut and her hands gripped the edge of the table. "Lina!" Gourry cried as he stood up.

"I'm…" she took a deep breath, "I think we have to go back to the palace." She said as her skin returned to its normal color.

Gourry signaled to the waitress, "Change of plan, check please!" While she went off, he directed his attention back to his wife, "What's wrong?"

"I think I'm having contractions. That's why I keep looking at the clock behind you. And they're getting stronger and closer." She said.

"What does that mean?"

"That the twins are ready to make their appearance!"

Gourry's eyes widened, "But, it's too soon, isn't it? You're only seven months."

"I know!" Lina shouted as the waitress left their check on the table, "That's why we need to go back…"

Once again her face turned red as she grabbed his hand. His alarm grew as she slowly crushed his hand as she struggled to breath. Finally she relaxed. Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, she glanced at the check, took out some money, placed it on the table and stood up. "We've got to hurry."

Life has a way of making you regret your wishes, Lina considered as they walked to the palace. She had been hoping for a quick, speedy delivery this time around, unlike the prolonged one she had had with Lucia. What she didn't anticipate was that it might happen two months too soon!

The contractions were building with a rapidity that terrified her. When they had started back to the palace she was still able to walk through them. By the time they had passed the gates she found herself crouching by a statue as she struggled with the pain while Gourry rubbed her back. She was dimly aware of the guards coming to ask if she was all right, and of Gourry asking one to go and get Sylphiel. They met her on their way to their apartments as Lina was gripping a banister in the throes of yet another contraction.

Sylphiel put a hand on her shoulder and waited for it to pass before asking, "Has your water broken?"

"I don't think so." Lina said as she wondered why Sylphiel was pulling her in a direction that was not where their apartment was.

"Good." She said, "We've got to get you to the temple. I've already sent word for them to get a room prepared."

"Temple?" Lina asked as Gourry followed them.

Sylphiel nodded, "Yes, we're going to have to stop the progression of labor, but to do that we'll need to place you within a special magic circle."

"If you say so." Lina said.

It was a relief when they finally made it to the temple. The healers directed her to a small room in the back with a bed in the center of a magic symbol that she was unfamiliar with. "Sit on the bed." Sylphiel instructed.

Lina did as requested, and then grabbed Gourry's hand as she felt the familiar pressure build around her stomach start as Sylphiel began to chant a spell. Instantly it vanished, and Lina relaxed. "It's over."

Sylphiel smiled. "Do you mind if I check on the babies?"

Lina shook her head as she lifted her shirt. Sylphiel put her hands on her abdomen, "Both are fine." She reported.

"Good. So, how long until I can go home?" Lina asked.

Sylphiel looked at her steadily, "Your labor is only stopped for as long as you remain within this circle."

"What?" Lina said, her voice low.

"If you leave this circle, even for a second, the contractions will start again. And you would risk having your water broken. And if that happens then we would have to let the labor progress, even if it is too early. So until we get to a point where it will be safe to deliver them, or, and hopefully this doesn't happen, one or both of them becomes distressed, you will have to stay here."

"But…but…" Lina stammered, "But I have a toddler! And things to do! I can't stay in a bed for the next two months! I'll go crazy!"

"Is there really no way?" Gourry asked.

"I'm afraid not. If you want to give these babies their best chance, then you'll have to stay right here."

Lina leaned back against the bed as her resentment bubbled and spat. "It's because it's twins, isn't it? If I was just having one like I should it wouldn't even be an issue."

"There's no way to know that." Sylphiel said. "Why don't I give you two some time? I'll let Zel and Amelia know what is happening."

"Could you ask if they mind keeping Lucia with them until we get this worked out?" Gourry asked.

"Of course."

"What are we going to do?" Gourry asked as Sylphiel left.

Lina took a deep breath. "Well, Mom should be here any day. I think Phil will understand if you need to take a few days off to take care of Lucia until then. And I'm going to need you to go and get the research I brought with me. Might as well polish off a few papers for the guild while I'm stuck here. I may be out for the next few months, but I can still turn a profit!"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Just let me know what I can do to make this easier."

She nodded. "Hey Gourry?"

"What?"

"Doesn't this make you wish for the days when we were fighting mazoku?"

He smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. "No. I'll go get your research."