Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Lina and Gourry: Love Conspiracies ❯ More Relatives?! A Shocking Realization ( Chapter 4 )

Part IV: More Relatives? A Shocking Realization!

Lina knew Gourry was following her. She could hear him running behind her. He wasn't loud or anything, but she could hear his breathing and the pat of his feet against the burgundy carpet. She turned a corner and heard him skid. The thought of using "Ray Wing" to lose him had crossed her mind, but she couldn't concentrate long enough to even get words out. All she could hear in her head was Gourry shouting at Gallery at the top of his lungs.

"I don't care if she does or doesn't deserve me. I want to be with Lina. I love Lina! And I don't want her to leave me!"

Lina's eyes burned. She made a sharp left and recognized where she was. Just twenty more feet and she'd be in her room again. She made the right into her room and tried slamming the door behind her.

She heard a bang and a muffled `oof' as the door hit Gourry on the head. She whirled on him, knowing her eyes were watery but she didn't care. She just couldn't deal with this! "Gourry, I-" She cut herself off when she saw him stumble into the room… Without his towel.

"GOURRY!!" she screeched.

He stared at her for a moment, looked down and then scrambled for the towel, quickly wrapping it around his waist. Lina felt as if her brain were shutting down. That was twice. Twice in one day she had seen Gourry naked.

"Lina, please, listen to me. I'm-"

"Don't say anything, Gourry, please! I don't know what's going okay? I just want to be by myself for a while. That's all. Just a while. Can you please just do me this favor, please?"

Gourry straightened and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can't, Lina. If I let you think too long, you'll just make yourself more scared and then you'll leave. And I don't want you to leave-"

"I know what you want, Gourry! I-I-I just don't know what I want." Liar! Lina's brain screamed at her. "Your family is nice, they're just pushy and they just don't know when to quit. I mean, they're like playing massive `the ends justify the means' matchmaking, which I guess is okay `cause I do that too, just not with matchmaking or whatever, though I've tried with Zelgadis and Amelia-but that's not what I'm talking about!" She took a deep breath. "Your family just doesn't realize that we're not like that, are we?"

Gourry stared at her for a moment. Lina felt the warmth pooling below her belly spread as she stared into the deep blue eyes. She licked her lips, silently cursing herself and the mess Gourry's family had turned this into. Her heart leapt to her throat in dread when she saw his shoulders slump. It wasn't a big slump, just a little one. But Lina saw it, and she saw his eyes tear away from hers and look away.

"Yeah, you're right, Lina. We're not like that. They're just not listening." Gourry became still and he was looking out into space. Lina grabbed the front of her shirt in a death grip as she watched him. He turned around and headed toward the door. "I'm sorry, Lina," he whispered before turning and disappearing.

Lina stared at the empty space for a full minute before sinking onto her knees. She looked down and saw her hand was grasping the cloth over her heart. Her head drooped forward and tears started coming out of her eyes. She wasn't sobbing or really crying. But the tears just came out and dropped to the floor silently, her eyes wide and her lips trembling.

She just…she just turned Gourry away. Lina clutched at the hairs of the carpet with her other hand until both her hands were white-knuckled from her grip. She loved him, loved him since even before Phibrizzo took him, and loved him enough to risk the entire world for him. She knew it. She had admitted it to herself. She let him know a little bit of that when she had stayed with him even when he'd given up the Sword of Light. And now… Now he had said that he loved her in front of his uncle and his twin and …and she just turned him away.

Lina released the carpet and pounded her fist into the floor. Why had she done such a stupid thing?

"Miss Lina?"

Lina's head shot up and kneeling before her was the curly haired Flowery. "Are you all right?"

Lina wiped her tears away quickly and turned away. "What do you think?"

Flowery moved in front of Lina again. "We're sorry. Uncle Manny lectured all of us. And we deserved it. We were just so happy to see Gourry again and with a girl that we let ourselves get carried away. We really like you, you know. That's why we're so pushy…but that's still no excuse for the way everyone's been. We really don't want to push you two apart."

"No," Lina muttered bitterly. "You want to push us together but you guys are really horrible at it."

"Well, we're not usually this bad at it," she said sheepishly. "To tell you the truth, I was kind of hoping that with Gourry saying that you would `fess up too."

Lina stood up and brushed off her clothes. "I've got nothing to `fess up. Gourry and I don't have the kind of relationship you guys want."

"You're a horrible liar, Lina," Cody said.

Lina looked up to see Cody and Gallery at the door. Cody's little Golden Dragon cherub was snuggled up to her mother's neck and sucking contentedly on her thumb, eyes closed. Gallery was pink-cheeked with embarrassment.

Lina frowned and turned away from both of them. "I'm not lying."

"Yes, you are," Cody insisted. Lina heard the door shut. "You love Gourry, we've all been able to see it and he's crazy about you. But Lina, you're a lot like me. You're an adventurer born and bred. The thought of settling down or actually getting into a relationship that you'd actually have to work at and to give as well as take, scares the bloody smahoolies out of you. Doesn't it?"

Lina felt a hand on her should. She turned to see the female-Gourry. "I'm so sorry, Miss Lina," Gallery said. "I never should have done what I did. I went too far. You can fireball me if it'll make you feel better."

Lina groaned and turned around to face the three. "Gourry told you guys about that?"

Flowery giggled. "He told us a whole lot about you, Miss Lina. You're all he talks about…along with food."

Cody shrugged. "I got that info from Milgusia. Remember, he knows both of you, and he's a Golden Dragon. He knows your heart, Lina. You're the one he allowed to go to the Claire Bible. He told me about the Water Dragon King and you. He told me about Gourry and you."

Lina felt her cheeks start to burn.

Gallery put a hand on her chest. "I know it's my fault you turned Gourry away. But please don't do it. He loves you so much. You know…" Gallery smiled. "I always looked after Gourry when we were young. I was the older by a minute, but he was always my other half. Everyone said I got all the brains, while the strength was split equally, but he got all the sword talent. All I know is that the pointy end goes into the bad guy. But we both got a lot of heart. I loved learning and playing with my brother and the younger kids. Gourry just loved to play. Ever since we were little he dreamed of adventure and making all the games real. When he hit puberty he wanted to save beautiful babes. Sylphiel was always the damsel in distress in those games. That was when we still lived in Sairaag. When Cody first went out on her own, Gourry idolized her. He would hoard her letters like a starving man."

Cody chuckled. "I started writing two sets of letters eventually. One was for the family; the other was specifically for Gourry. It had all the gory, adventure-filled details."

Gallery clasped her hands behind her back. "He lived off those letters for years, living them out in play with Flowery and I, all of our younger cousins, and our neighbors." She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Actually just Sylphiel because she would always bring great picnic food." She sighed. "Eventually Gourry decided to go out on his own. To follow in Cody's footsteps. And he did. The only difference was that he never wrote because he probably forgot to. So we never knew what he was doing or how he was or anything. Drove Mom crazy for a while, until she got the first letter from Sylphiel telling us the news about running into Gourry, and then the news…the news about Sairaag."

Flowery took Lina's hand. "Sylphiel always had a crush on Gourry. But after she met him again and saw you…she hesitated. She wrote to us saying that Gourry was traveling with a `lively' sorceress and that she didn't think Gourry would ever leave her."

Cody's brow furrowed. "She wrote about `not ever leaving her' after the Hellmaster Phibrizzo incident that Milgusia was telling me about."

Gallery smiled at Lina. "Even though my twin had left, I still thought about him often and loved him very much. I worried, stressed and wished him luck and happiness. And when he came home, instead of treating him like a man who had been out in the world, experiencing and growing, he became my naïve twin again who I had to take care of." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "Gourry doesn't need me anymore. He still loves me and I'm still his twin but…he doesn't need me anymore."

Flowery gave Lina a brief little hug, before letting go again. "The only person he really needs now is you, Miss Lina."

Lina stared at the three smiling women in shock. The silence was broken when the door opened. Cody's twin, Mary, looked in with a sly smile. "You three done? It's dinnertime." Mary gave Lina a wink. "Miss Lina, you're excused from coming to the table. So is Gourry for that matter, not that he'll be coming out of his room anytime soon, anyway."

Flowery headed out first with a little wave to Lina and Cody followed with a thumb's up for good luck. Gallery smiled at Lina and whispered in her ear, "Gourry's room is a right from the door. Go down the hall, make another right, go through the Lavender Room and then make a left. His room will be the fifth door to your left." She then moved away and gave Lina a little wave before leaving. Mary gave her a wink before closing the door behind her.

Lina stared at the door for a beat. She looked toward the mirror on the vanity beside her and said to her reflection, "These women have to be the most unpredictable and confusing women in the world." She grinned at her reflection and fixed her hair and clothes. "A lot like me, huh?"

After a few more moments of primping, Lina sneaked out of her room and headed toward Gourry's room.

* * *

Gourry was standing on his balcony, leaning over the railing in only his pants. He'd run into Sherry and Laurie on his way back to his room-and though they'd been happy to see him and in a way he was happy to see them too-what had happened with Lina made him unresponsive. He'd left the two girls with only half an explanation to his down mood and continued on his way to his room.

He really didn't know what to do anymore. Everything was now a mess. Lina didn't love him-at least not in the let's-get-married-and-stay-together-forever kind of way. And that was the way he felt for her, and she knew it. He signed and dropped his face into his hands. Who was he kidding? Lina might know it now, but she'll pretend forever that she doesn't. And how were they going to continue traveling together? Lina would probably never be comfortable with him again. They had always worked so well together. Now, he'd probably never be with her ever again.

Gourry dropped his hands and stared into the garden, lit by the stars and moon. Everything was over now. All over. He'd never felt so miserable. He slumped down onto the floor and leaned his head against the stone column of the balcony railing. He'd…he'd lost Lina…

He ignored the first couple of knocks. He didn't want to deal with anymore of his family right now. He just wanted to be left alone so he could remember the happy times with Lina. The second round of knocks was much louder and insistent. The third batch had him calling out. "Come in, what do you want?"

Gourry heard the door open, but didn't bother to turn around. The person didn't say anything either-they just closed the door and stood by it. He didn't address whoever it was. He just wasn't interested. Gourry noticed when she finally started heading toward him. He knew it was a woman because of how lightly she stepped. He closed his eyes when she stopped right behind him. He took a deep breath and suddenly realized whom it was.

It was Lina. Nobody else smelled like sulfur and flowers.

A tingle went down his spine but he didn't turn to face her, he didn't say a thing, he didn't even acknowledge that he was aware of who was behind him. He just sat there, with his eyes closed, wishing that Lina would say something-even though he dreaded what she would say.

"You know," she whispered, her voice hesitant and unsure, "if you stay out here with only a pair of pants on, you'll catch your death. It's a chilly night out."

Gourry didn't respond, but he slowly opened his eyes, staring at the dark horizon. He didn't feel the cold. Oh, Lina… He heard her shift in place and felt the already thick tension mount even more.

He heard some rustling behind and beside him, but he still didn't turn to her. But in the next moment he felt the warmth of Lina's body beside him. He tried to resist the urge to turn around and look at her, but he couldn't. He glanced over at her quickly and saw her pinkened cheeks. Her skin looked a bit paler than it's usual golden hue, but that could have been just as easily from the chill in the air as well as from their worsening situation. Her hair glistened under the soft light of the moon and stars and the wind teased it gently. She didn't turn to him or look at him. And even though he didn't turn his head, he took in the loveliness of her profile and felt his heart hurt again. It had been doing that a lot lately, hadn't it? He tore his eyes away from her and closed them again, trying to resist the temptation to stare at her.

"Gourry?" she whispered so low that he figured the wind must have carried it to his ears so he could hear her. He tried not to say anything back, but he couldn't stop the burning in his chest.

"Yeah, Lina?" he whispered back, his voice hoarse.

He felt her gaze on him and it took so much of his willpower not to turn to look at her as well and meet her beautiful red gaze.

"Do you remember that time when we fought against Phibrizzo?" she asked, her voice sounding far away.

"Yes." Gourry remembered a lot from that time that he'd never told Lina. Phibrizzo had captured him. Gourry had fought so long against the spells. But Phibrizzo had been relentless. He wore Gourry out until he could no longer fight back mentally and took control of his mind, forcing him to fight Lina, Zelgadis, Amelia and Sylphiel. Zangulus had actually shown up then too-to help them-and Gourry had been grateful. It wasn't until Zangulus' wedding that Gourry got a chance to thank him for that. But Gourry had fought against the mind control even during that battle, trying his hardest to stop himself from hurting his friends. From hurting Lina. Phibrizzo hadn't let him go. He'd frozen Gourry and put him into a death-like sleep, where all he could do was dream.

Gourry closed his eyes. There had been pleasant, impossible dreams. Impossible dreams that turned into nightmares. The nightmares came back often.

And then there was that moment after Lina, possessed by the Lord of Nightmares, had destroyed Phibrizzo. When Lina had disappeared and would never come back. He'd followed her into the black void, refusing to let her go. For a long time he hadn't remembered exactly what happened in there; he only remembered the feelings. But bit-by-bit he began to remember. He remembered her disappearing in his arms after he'd told her how much he needed her. He remembered her coming back and smiling her smile at him. He remembered pulling her close and… He felt his cheeks burn and he pushed the memories to the back of his mind.

"I learned a lot from that time, Gourry. About myself especially," Lina said after the moment of silence.

"Me too," he replied, opening his eyes again.

There was a light giggle from Lina. "Learned about me or about you?"

Gourry was surprised at her tone and turned to her, unable to help himself. She was looking at him, one arm draped over her bent legs and the other holding up her chin. The corners of her lips were turned up and her eyes sparkling. Gourry forgot what he was going to say. "Huh?"

She shook her head. "Nevermind." She looked away and put her head on her arms. "We've been through a lot together, haven't we?"

"Yes, we have, Lina." Gourry hadn't looked away from her. Why was Lina here? He figured she'd never want to get near him again. And yet, here she was.

"We were together for Shabranigdo, Rezo and Copy Rezo. For Gaav and Phibrizzo. And for Dark Star and Valgaav. We've traveled together for what? Almost four years already, right? That's a long time to be together don't you think? We've almost died a couple of times, we've been through so much…" Lina trailed off and then bit her lip. "Do you remember what you said to me when we in the Claire Bible desert?"

Gourry remembered a couple of things. But he didn't want to assume what she was talking about. He could only hope. "We talked about a lot, Lina."

"Yes, but…" She took a deep breath and her cheeks turned a bright pink. She turned back to him, but her eyes darted around, trying not to look at him directly. "D-do you remember when I-I-I asked you how long you were planning on staying with me?" She said the last bit in a rush, her cheeks darkening. She took a deep breath.

Gourry couldn't help the small smile that spread across his lips. He looked at her and felt something inside so warm and soft and wonderful. "Yeah, Lina," he whispered. "I said forever."

She straightened up, her entire face becoming as red as her cheeks, as she stared at him with wide eyes. "Y-y-y-y-y-you r-re-re-remember that?!"

He nodded. "I wouldn't forget something like that, Lina."

She closed her eyes tightly and her fists clenched. "But you're a jellyfish brains! You don't even remember stuff that happened minutes before! You don't even remember Milgusia! H-h-h-h-h-how could you remember that?!"

Gourry stayed quiet for a long while after that, watching her take in deep, heaving confused breaths. He then turned away from her and looked back out into the dark garden. "I remember lots of things, Lina," he said and sighed.

But in the next moment he felt warm arms wrapping around his shoulders, and a warm body against his side. He stiffened for a moment, unsure and surprised. Then he relaxed and turned back to her.

She was kneeling by his side, smiling at him. She lay her head down on his shoulder and then gave him a little squeeze. Lina then started move away.

Gourry's eyes widened and he moved before she could get too far. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him so she was against his chest, her legs curling over one of his legs and pressing against his side. His other leg, which was still bent, was against her back, her hair cascading over it. Her arms where now linked behind his neck rather that around a shoulder. Lina blinked up at him, looking more puzzled than embarrassed or panicked. Gourry figured that was a good sign. He smiled down her. "You know, Lina. I meant it then. And I still mean it."

Lina's face suddenly turned a vibrant shade of red and her eyes darted around as if she just realized her position and predicament. Embarrassment was kicking in. Gourry knew in a moment she would either shove him off the balcony or fireball him. He clutched her to him and buried his face against her neck. He heard Lina gasp and her arms tighten around him, more out of surprise than anything else.

"Please, Lina," Gourry whispered against her neck. "Don't leave me. Don't pretend I didn't say what I said. I said it. I meant it." He pulled back and looked away. "If you don't like me, Lina, just say you don't. Don't-don't pretend."

"Gourry…"

He felt her hand against his cheek, and when she pushed his face back toward her, he didn't fight her. He saw her enflamed face and gulped, his face turning red as well. Her eyes were wide and unsure, but there was a glint of determination and guts that had enchanted, worried, and intimidated him from the beginning. The hand on his face rubbed his cheek before guiding him gently toward her. Gourry could hear his heart pounding and figured Lina could hear it too, it was so loud.

When Gourry saw Lina's beautiful eyes drift shut and her body lean up and against him, he felt like crushing her to him and crying out with joy. Instead he put his lips against hers and closed his eyes, feeling only the wonder of holding Lina and kissing Lina. He breathed her name over her lips and kissed her again and again.

Gourry suddenly felt her hands pushing at his shoulder and he pulled away, partly ashamed that he had done that to her, partly hurt that she would push him away, partly shaken from what the kiss had done to him. He opened his eyes and saw her wriggling away, her face blazing. She wasn't looking at him. Gourry released her and turned away. "I-I'm sorry, Lina," he said hoarsely.

She had already gotten up and was headed back into the room when she stopped. He heard her mumble something and he braved the attempt to look at her. Her face was still red, but she was confused and nervous. "Lina, I-"

She shook her head. "No, Gourry. It's-it's just that… I don't know. I wanted to, so… but…" She finally met his gaze. "Why does it feel like we've done that before?! I don't remember k-k-k-kissing you before n-n-n-now. And my brain was about to-to remember something but I-I-I-I don't remember…"

Gourry stood up and was a little hurt when Lina took a step back from him. Even though his heart twisted he knew why she did it, and it was okay. His felt his cheeks heat. "I…think I remember w-when."

Lina blinked at him, her eyes suddenly narrowing suspiciously. "I don't think you'd ever dare taking advantage of me when I don't know about it, Gourry! Did you?"

"No! Of course not. B-But…do you remember Phibrizzo? When you turned to the Lord of Nightmares?"

"Well, I know what happened but I don't anything between casting the spell and coming to with you holding me." She crossed her arms over chest glaring at him.

Gourry stared at his fingers and started fiddling with them. "Well, I-uh-followed you into that big black thing. And for a long time I didn't remember what happened in there until we woke up later. But after a little while I started, well, to remember stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

Gourry closed his eyes and clenched his fists at his sides. Another moment of truth? Yeesh, he really should have on insisted them not coming to the house. "I remember following after you and kept going farther and farther away. I lost my armor, my sword, everything. But I kept on going after you. I called after you, remembering everything we ever did, and I was trying to convince you to stop moving, to stay. I-I-I told you I needed you. Because I do. I finally managed to grab a hold of you, and then you disappeared. And I was just there. Alone. In nothing, because you'd left me. But then you came back and I held onto you." He opened his eyes and took a step toward her. He smiled at her, the feelings inside transmitting to expression on his face. "You smiled at me and said my name. I held you close…and-and-and we k-k-kissed."

Lina had a thunderstruck look on her face.

"I guess that's why we were holding each other when we came back," Gourry said sheepishly. Lina suddenly brought her hands to her face with a gasp. He brightened. "Do you remember?"

She dropped her arms. "No," she said flatly. "So you did take advantage of me while I was unconscious."

"No, I didn't! It was just a-weird situation!"

"How come you remember and I don't?"

Gourry sighed, shoulders slumping. "I don't know. I wasn't the one who was possessed, remember?"

He heard her move toward him but he didn't look at her again. "I thought I was going to remember something that I'd forgotten. But then it went away when I freaked out because the k-k-kiss seemed so familiar." Lina was silent for a little while after that. When she spoke again her voice was all trembly. "C-can we t-try again so I-I-I can r-re-remember?"

Gourry looked back at her with a rush of joy. Her face was red and she was looking at her toes, but he didn't care. He picked her up with a shout of happiness, startling Lina enough to make her squeak. "G-Gourry! P-put me down!" He twirled her around, until she laughed and was batting his arms so he'd release her.

When he finally complied, he let her body drag down against his making her and his breath hitch. Lina looked up at him with a shocked and embarrassed expression, but Gourry didn't let her think about it too much. He pulled her closer, lifted her chin and kissed her again and didn't pull away until she was clinging to him and she was kissing him back.

"Lina?" he whispered hoarsely against her mouth.

"Yeah, Gourry," she said in a voice similar to his.

"Can I kiss you again?"

Her face turned red again, but this time she smiled. "Okay."

* * *

Lina heard the tingling of the wind chime. She made a low moan of annoyance for being disturbed from her sleep and snuggled back into the covers and the warm man next to her. She heard his snort and then felt his arm move over her and pull her close, keeping her warm and safe. Lina half smiled as she began to fall back into a deep sleep.

Unfortunately she was prevented from doing so by a very loud knock and a door slamming open. Both she and Gourry shot up in bed. Lina blinked out the sleep in her eyes and then stiffened in horror.

A blue-haired, blue-eyed older female Gourry-copy walked into the room with an expression of surprise, then disbelief, and then that signature evil grin that characterized all the women in this house. Lina groaned and fell back against the bed cursing her endless bad luck. She heard Gourry mutter a confused, "Aunt Shaury?"

"Gourry, darling! I had no idea you'd gotten this far with your little redhead. Your mother and Runa filled me in on all the details last night, but they were talking about how they had horribly messed up. I swung by to assess the damage, but I'm relieved to know there isn't any. Have a nice night, nephew?"

"Yup!"

"GOURRY!" Lina shouted, sitting up again, her face blazing. "You stupid jellyfish brains. Don't you get what she's referring to. She thinks we slept together last night!"

"But we did sleep together, Lina."

Lina punched him in the face and Gourry fell off the bed from the force of it. "That's not what I mean, you IDIOT!" Face still blazing she turned on the other woman. "I'm not a morning person, lady, and you've just managed to push all the wrong buttons. Listen up, old bag, because this is the only time I'm going to say this! Gourry and I didn't do ANYTHING. We fell asleep. It's normal. We usually camp out and snuggle together. This wasn't anything different from anything before. So get your dirty mind out of the gutter!"

During the entire tirade, the older woman got tenser and definitely angrier. Lina didn't rightly care at the moment. Lina and the older woman glared at each other. The young sorceress knew that the likelihood of the Gabriev relative before her being a powerful sorceress was high, but right now, she was not going to back down to anyone.

A low chuckle from the door, brought both sorceress's attention to it. A man was leaning on the door, shoulders moving with his chuckles. Gray eyes glittering with amusement, were surrounded by crow's feet that added to the older gentleman's handsome appearance.

"Kerry! What-?"

He cut off the older woman and moved his graying, long brown hair out of his face. "Runa sent me after you to make sure her sister didn't do anything stupid. That, and poor Manny was looking distraught. He was there to see the mess caused by the ladies of the house last night remember. The last thing he wants is his wife to add to it."

Shaury pointed to Lina who only stuck out her middle finger at her. "But this rude girl just insulted me! And she beat Gourry! My husband could not be feeling sorry for this little heathen!"

Kerry chuckled again. "You deserved it, dear sister Shaury. Now, let's go back to breakfast and leave these two love birds alone." Kerry grabbed Shaury's arm firmly, despite her growl, and gave Lina a brilliant smile. "Miss Lina, Gourry, my suggestion in you get to the dining room as soon as possible, before someone else decides to check up on you both. Besides, the rest of the family's here. Rowdy, your brother, is a little late with his new wife, but he should be here soon." Kerry sighed. "At least I'm not the only one who missed his wedding. See you both soon." He closed the door behind him, shoving an upset Shaury before him. Lina could hear her arguing with Kerry all the way down the hall.

Gourry gave his uncle a crooked salute even though he had already left the room. Lina flopped on the bed fuming. "I can't believe this, Gourry." She sat up and glared at him. "You have even more relatives. Who's left might I ask?"

Gourry blinked at her and then shook his head as if to clear it. "Well, if everyone who wasn't here is here now then… That'd mean… Harry and Garry are here." Gourry smiled. "They're my cousins and Uncle Kerry's sons. They were with him before coming here. So if he's here then they are for sure. Harry looks just like me only skinnier."

"Anyone else?"

"Hmmmm…. Oh! Larry must be here, he wasn't here before. That's Uncle Manny and Aunt Shaury's son. Aunt Shaury was with him, and she's here so… Yeah. And uh… My brother Rowdy III. He'd be here with his new wife, I guess. I think that's about it…"

"But didn't your uncle just say that your brother isn't here yet."

"Oh yeah…"

Lina gave a longsuffering sigh. "Fine. I guess we just have to steel ourselves against a very uncomfortable breakfast." Lina cursed her luck. "I knew I should've gone back to my room last night…" Lina felt the bed shift as Gourry got back on it.

"I'm glad you stayed, Lina."

Lina turned toward him and saw his gentle eyes and the giant, red, swelling mark on his face from when she punched him. Lina started to laugh.

"What?" Gourry asked.

* * *

When they got to the dining room, at least Gourry's face was healed up, even though Shaury had probably told the entire entourage of Gabrievs. Lina was quickly introduced to the members of the family she hadn't seen or met yet. Shaury's son, Larry (brother to Danny (husband of Gaia), Cody and Mary) was blond and green-eyed and had an eerily familiar girl with him. Her name was Marlene and Lina was too afraid to picture her in armor rather than in the flouncy little dress she was in. She'd look too familiar to the Marlene she'd known from that kingdom years back. The last thing she needed was another acquaintance of hers to be getting hooked up with a Gabriev. Marlene however seemed to be giving Lina that `you-look-familiar' eye and Lina was praying she wouldn't be recognized.

Runa and Kerry's sons, Harry and Gary were completely different. Gary the younger of the two was a carbon copy of his father, only with blue hair instead of brown. He had a really serious expression on his face. Gourry had been right about Harry. The cousins looked exactly alike. The only difference was that Harry wore his long blond hair in a braid and was a bit leaner than Gourry. After meeting them both, Gary said nothing, other than a "Hello" and a curt nod, but Harry burst.

"Cousin! You're never going to believe whom I brought back with me! And we're getting married soon!"

Gourry grinned. "That's great, Harry!"

Harry then whirled on Lina, surprising her. "You're Miss Lina, right? I've heard so much about you from my fiancée. She'll be so happy to see you again."

Lina was already dreading this. She plastered on a smile. "Oh. Really? That's nice." Great, another person I know that married into this whacked family. I really have rotten luck, Lina thought, not realized Harry hadn't stopped talking. "She'll be right back with Dad. Cousin Rowdy just showed up with this new wife."

"You know," Gaia said, "Lina I think you know Rowdy's new wife. I really only met her at the wedding, but Huey, Selina and I all recognize her. We think she has something to do with you, but we're not certain."

Selina shivered lightly. "Her laugh gives me the shivers. I swear I do know her from somewhere…"

Lina felt a shot of dread up her spine.

"Miss Lina!"

Lina jumped four feet in the air and then whirled around to face a brilliant Sylphiel. "Hey! Sylphiel! What are you doing here?" Both Lina and Gourry ran up to the other girl. "How have you been?"

"Wonderful, Miss Lina. It's great to see you again. I'm missed you and Gourry-dear so much." Harry moved beside Sylphiel and both smiled at each other. Realization hit Lina like a Dragonslave.

"Sylphiel, this is great! You're the one getting with Harry! I'm so happy for you!" Gourry shouted, taking them both into his arms for a bear hug. Lina couldn't help but grin.

"I'm glad you approve, coz," Harry said.

"Of course. You two are great for each other!"

Sylphiel leaned over to Lina. "How are you and Gourry-dear doing, Miss Lina?"

Lina's face flamed up. "Sylphiel! I-I-I…"

There was a loud bang as the doors to the hall swung open. The adult version of the Rowdy Lina knew from ages ago stood there, grinning like a man who'd won the world's largest jackpot. "Hey, everyone! I'm back from my honeymoon! And you'll never guess what Uncle Kerry just found out about my wife!"

Lina began to look behind the large blue-haired, green-eyed Gourry-clone, when she heard a familiar chilling laugh.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"