A soft.. warm..... bed? But.. wasn't she just in a cold, wet, dirty forest?
Slowly, she opened her eyes, indeed, she was inside a buliding... a house.. her house.. This was only reconignized by the slightly burnt ceiling.. Made by Lina herself, so many years ago....
Still, she was so very tired.. If only I could go back to my dream.. She thought, one which made her smile a little in her half- awake state. The dream had been once real, it was of when she was young. The youger self was just returning from magic pratice with her sister and had ran into the kitchen and jumped onto the chair of the kitchen table without even stopping. Her father would laugh, saying "Lina-Chan, I bet you only go to practice so you can come home and eat after!" After teasing her, he would pat her head, and kiss her cheek.. And she would giggle..
And this dream, had only accomplished in reminding her about what had happened.
Rubbing her eyes, she yawned and adjusted her eyes to the light she had awaken to. Papa won't be here.. She suddenly thought, laying still for only a moment before lightly stretching and all together stirring in her little bed.
"Finally awake?" Asked a familar voice from the side of her bed.
Lina froze still as she heard that voice. Slight, turning her head to the side, she comfirmed her beilef in whom the owner of the voice was. She was right.
"You've been sleeping" Her sister then said, waking Lina from her dream-like state. Her sister then reached her hand over to Lina's forehead. "You feel alright?"
"I'm fine." Lina said, breaking away from Luna's hand upon her forehead and sitting up. Sitting up a little too quickly, which made her slightly ill.. Which she shook off. Throwing her legs off to the side of the bed, she stood, and almost fell.. She smiled back to her sister quickly before proceeding.
"Need help?" Asked her sister, with a not-too-amsued look on her face.
"I'm fine!" Insisted Lina, throwing her body from the bed, falling forward, and to the wind to barf up whatever she had ate last.
Luna rushed to the window, and found herself smiling as she looking down at whatever Lina had accidently used as targets. They were two young boys, who were now ewwing in disgust and yelling up at the window. Luna shurgged, and whispered into Lina's ear: "Those two stole from the store last week. Good job sis!"
Lina whipped at her mouth before yelling out at the boys: "Haha! You deserved it!"
"Ahh!! Do you know who that is?!" Cried out one of the boys suddenly, coming to the realization of the situation.
"Huh?" The other said, confused as he to stare up at the window. "AHH!! ITS THE BANDIT KILLER!! THE DRAGON SPOOKER!! LINA INVERSE!!!"
Again, Lina laughed, begining to forget all about the accident. "Is that so?" She cried out after the boys, begining to chant a spell, and then releasing.. "Fire Ball!!!"
Nothing happened.
"What in the nine hells?!" Cried out Lina, pulling her hand in front of her face to exaime, and then back out the window. "I said FIRE BALL damnit!" And then, she remembered.
"That time of the month?" Asked Luna casually, placing her hands on her hips.
Lina simply stood there, feeling as though she had turned to stone. What would she say.. WHAT WOULD SHE SAY?! "N-no.. not exactly.."
"Oh?" Luna continued, leaning forward. "You wouldn't happen to have a spell or curse on you?"
Why did she ask that?! Lina's mind raced. She could probably detact that stuff!! "Well.. uhhh.. no.." Lina stated, bit more nerously than before.
A smile came to Luna's face. One Lina caught very quickly, and it was one.. she decided, she better get away from VERY quickly..
"Dear sister.." She smiled wider, leaning even further towards the smaller girl. So close, Lina could spell the light scent of fresh grapes upon her light pink waitress dress and apron. "So, you finally admited?"
"Huh?" Lina turned her head quickly, to face her sister. "W-what do you mean?"
"Did the deed" She replyed quickly. "I CAN explain further if need be.."
"No no!!" Lina cried, waving around her arms franticly, and blushing.
The grin slowly faded from the older woman's face as she stared at her sister, a serious face now painted upon her, instead of the late silly one. "Well then.." She said slowly, pulling her sister from the window and to the bed. "If what I am thinking is correct.. we need to talk.." She plopped her sister promptly upon the bed. "And while we do so, I'm brushing your hair, its flithy!"
"Uhh..k.." Lina's reply came studdered, the color from her face draining. Her sister must know.. That must be why she's talking so much.. Pumping infromation out of me.. I hate being younger.. That's when she suddenly felt the soft touch of a brush going through her long, orange, red hair. How was she going to take THIS seriously...
"Anyways, I think I know what's happened to your magic." She said rather calmly, finding a knot and yanking it from exsistance in a not-so-nice way. "And I think you know too."
Squirming in her seat, she nodded, and then cried out in pain as her hair was pulled. Never nod your head while your hair is being brushed by another. "Y-Yeah.."
"So, what I am thinking is true?"
"Uhh.. what are you thinking..?" By this time, Lina was still as ever, pale as a ghost, and sweating like she was in a sauna.
"Gourry knocked you up, because you are too stupid to protect yourself, you ran away because you suddenly felt nervous or something, and I found you" She placed a finger to her cheek and smiled. "Riigght? If so, fill me in."
Argh.. Why did she ALWAYS have to spell things out like that?! She squrimed a bit more before talking. Her mouth was dry, remembering that one detail that caused this entire problem.. "Well.. Umm.. I was kinda talking a walk.. You know, clear my head and all. A lot of stuff has happened.. By the way - "
"Don't try and change the subject." Luna yanked a little harder to pull away at yet another knot. "Continue."
"Err.. well.. anyways.. I went for a walk.. And kinda.. never went back." She bit her lip. "And then you found me.. After two months.."
"A two month walk, huh?" Luna leaned to her sister from the bed. "I don't beileve this is something you can walk away from. Does.. Loverbo - Gourry know?"
"Ah.. not exactly.."
Luna stopped brushing her hair. "Is that so?" She set the brush upon the bed, and walked around to face her sister. Leaning down to her height to sit on her legs, she continued. "Don't you think, it might be important to tell him?"
"Well.. yeah." She looked away. "But thats easier said then done!"
"I think mom needs to hear this."
"AHH!! NO SHE DOESN'T!!"
But before she knew it, she was pulled out the door, and sitting at the kitchen table. Her mother staring down at her like a peice of meat on a butchers table.
"Is that so?" repeated her mother, hands on hips in that motherly tone. Oh yay.. Luna had already told.. "And what are you to do? Are you going to raise this child? Is that man going to even know he has a child?!" She sighed, finding herself rather harsh, even by her own standards. "Listen Lina-Chan - "
And that's when the knock on the front door echoed across the house. Oh thank L-Sama for that knock on the door..
"I'll get that." Informed the mother as she left the room with a sigh of relief from Lina. And then, she realized...
"Hey Luna.." She said, in almost a whisper. "Do you think..... It could be the boys I kinda.. well - "
But the question never fully came out as the mother's voice called out from the living room. "Lina-Chan, its for you!"
Luna simply shurgged as Lina left slowly to the living room..... Which was followed my a blood curtling scream.
Now, their were four in the kitchen. Luna sat on the counter, picking at her nails with no apparent concern of the matter before her. Their mother stood, arms crossed staring down at now TWO faces. One of her youngest daughter, the other of.......
"So.. Gourry.. You are. the one whom.." She stopped, swallowing hard. "You.. defiled.. my little girl..?"
"Defile?" Gourry asked, lifting an eyebrow, obviously missing what she had said. "What - "
Luna looked up from her nails to comment. "She means SEX."
Everyone blushed, with the exception of Luna.
"OOOhhh!!!" Gourry said, blushing as well, slapping a fist in his palm.
The mother coughed, carefully looking back to the group. "Yes.. well.. Anyways.. Since.. Since your father is not here any longer, Lina-Chan..... Since he is not here, I am the only one here to.. protect you.."
"I'm her protector too.." Gourry butted in, just as proud of the fact as he had been years ago.
Lina's mother stayed silent for many moments before once again speaking. "Well.. I supose you are." She said quickly, suddenly remembering what her husband had said about 'the boy' when the group had left. That he was.. a good boy. That he would certainly protect their daughter, no matter what. And that someday, he could feel it, he would be part of the family some day. He always did have a knack for such things.. Her husband. "But lecturing about it won't help, will it? Although I wish you wouldn't have skipped the important step of marriage.." She lightly sighed, taking a seat from across the table. "We need to think about now. And Lina-Chan, I don't want you even to BLAME Gourry for this, it takes two, he didn't do it by himself."
Gourry raised his hand.
"Gourry.. were not in school.." Lina muttered.
"Yes Gourry-San?" Mother asked politely, smiling.
"What are we talking about?" He asked, as several heads hit the table all at once.
Lina was over Gourry, about to pummel him when her mother, Lynn, spoke.
"Lina-Chan, maybe you should tell him."
And with that, Lina completely froze. Her heart jumped to her throat, as she know sat quietly in her seat. H-How would she say it? What would she do..?
"Tell me what? Lina? Is it bad?" He looked down to her worried face, and instantly figured out that much. He wasn't as stupid as people made him out to be.
Lina opened her mouth, but it was dry. Not even a mutter left her mouth.. She closed her mouth and reopened it to try again.. Still, nothing happened. It was like.. a horrible nightmare! She just couldn't imagine how he would respond. Sure, he was usually happy, but did he really.. I mean did he need or want a child? They had some much to go for.. So much adventuring and new things to find and explore.. And this was just the thing to hault it all.
But she NEEDED to tell him.. She had no choice. Well.. I mean sure, she had a choice, but.. It was just wrong not to say.. and wrong for her not to tell him in the first place, whether she had been sure about it or not.
"Maybe you should start by telling him about why you never came back from your walk." Luna called from the counter, without even looking up. She hated watching her sister suffer, that was her job!
"Yeah Lina.. Why did you leave? Did I do something wrong..?" Asked the now overly worried Gourry. She had never really been this quiet! She spoke more than anyone he had ever known, after all.
"N-No.. its not that.." Lina said slowly, looking up to her mother. Her mother nodded slowly, and she could tell that her mother wanted to help her despertaly, but knew she needed to do this. "Gourry.. I left 'cause.. well, I guess 'cause I got scared.."
"Scared?" Gourry repeated, staring at her more intently than he ever had.
She nodded, her crimsion eyes looking up to him like they never had before. "Gourry.. We kinda.. umm.." She stopped. Straighten yourself out stupid! She yelled at herself, starightening herself in her chair and looking to him with determination. She would not fail, after all, she did come from a strong line of women. "Gourry." She had suddenly said, strongly, as strong as any other time something serious had occured. "Well, we have a.. well, I supose a problem."
"A problem? Is it bad?" He asked, leaning forward, and about to reach for her hand. He stopped when he thought about the elbow through his head..
Lina looked to her mother, whom only slightly smiled. She was unable to answer, it was Lina, and Lina alone whom could. "Well, it has its good points and bad points.."
Gourry nodded thoughtfully, leaning slightly back but staring at her just as intently. "So.. what is this problem?"
"Well.. Gourry.. I was gunna blame you, but I can't.." She laughed a little nervously. "So, its kinda my fault.."
"Stop lingering, just say it damnit!" Called Luna once more, again not looking up, continuing to busy herself.
"Ah.. okay.. well, Gourry, we need to stop adventuring, well, at least I do.."
"Huh?! Why?!" He asked, almost standing from his chair. The expression on his face readable for anyone whom wanted to read it.
"Well.. I won't have my magic.. for about nine months.." She shuffled in her seat a bit.
"Nine months?!" Gourry cried out. "Thats a long time! Why so long?!"
"Gourry.." She paused, and swallowed hard. "I'm preganat."
"Oh." Gourry said rather plainly, like they were speaking of the weather. And even if you spoke of the weather, you got a little more excited than that!
"Oh?" Reapeated Lina, a little dazed by his remark.
"Oh, Okay." He said, before a large thump hit the floor as he passed out.
"Is he alright?"
"He should be. He should be used to me pounding on him by now."
"Cute embraces?"
"Luna.. not like that.."
"Argghh..." Came the dazed voice of Gourry, as he rubbed the back of his sore head. "What happened..? Something about Lina being - " He opened his eyes a bit more, sitting up and almost running into Lina's forehead.
"Watch it JellyFish for brains!" Lina cried out, restraining herself.
"Is that his pet name?"
"Luna.."
"I like snooky wookums myself.."
"Luna.. please.. stop." Lina held her head with a sigh, when she was suddenly grabbed by her shoulders almost roughly. "W-Wha - ?!"
"Lina.." He said sternly, and almost angrily. "Lina, don't ever do that again."
While this was going on.... Lynn and Luna had made their escape. Although.. they were both peeking from the creak in the door...
But it wasn't like the two ever noticed...
"Do what..?!" Lina asked, staring hard and trying to pull away with no result.
"Don't ever run away like that, Lina, shit, you scared the HELL out of me! Leaving for two months.. Do you know how long I looked for you?!"
"N-No.." She said shakily. What was wrong with him??
"I looked for since you left, all the way here! And I RAN! Lina, I ran like hell, I didn't see you at all for two months! And I thought something had happened.. Lina.. Lina I'm your protector, right? So.. let me protect you.. Oh L-Sama don't EVER do that again.." He finally whispered before pulling her into his chest.
Lina was... stunned. All she did was lay there.. Why was he acting like this? She wondered, lightly gripped his shirt without even realizing she did so. At least he didn't hate her.. She pressed her lips tightly together, fighting the urge to just melt right there in his arms. Although.. now she just felt awkward. What would she say? I just want to break the silence! Her voice yelled, so she said the first thing that came to mind. "I'm sorry Gourry."
And she could feel Gourry nod against her head, as he leaned down to her ear to breath softly into it: "Lina, I'm glad.."
Lina's face flushed, as she tightened her hold self-consiously on his blue, loose shirt. "Glad..?" She whispered back, slightly trembling under his touch, and the breath that touched her...
She felt him nod once more before he continued. "Lina, I'm glad.. that I'm going to be a daddy.. 'cause your going to be the mom. I wouldn't have it any other way.. 'cept.." He paused, and Lina held her breath. "'Cept, I think you mom is right, we did miss a step." He pulled her in front of himself, and brushed her stray hairs from her face. "Lina, do ya want to marry me?"
Okay... now Lina's mind stopped working. He had.. asked her to - Wait - Slow down! She clentched her tiny fists. What was she going to say to THAT?! What an eventful evening..
"So..?"
"I'm thinking!" She blurted out. Argh.. that was stupid..
"Alright.." He answered, sitting back to his spot on the floor. Lina suddenly stood, to his surprise. "Lina, what are you - "
"So, let me get this straight.." She began slowly. "You want me to be a fat bride? Hmm.."
"No! NO!" Gourry cried out, flailing his arms wildly. "I didn't mean it like - " But he was stopped when she bent back down to the height he was. She leaned herself towards him, nuzzling his nose.
"Fine, Jellyfish." She said with a giggle, placing her forehead against his own. "But where's my ring?"
"Lina!" Gourry cried happily, jumping to his feet and swirling her around. "This will only be a tempory ceromony, we'll have a better one later, I promise! And I'll get the ring - "
"Ohh... my little girl is getting married!!" Lynn cried, wiping at her eyes with a tissue. "Now.. if only.." Her eyes flashed to Luna, whom tried her best to ignore her mother.
"M-Mom..?!" Lina said, staring at her, mildly blushing.
Luna stood, walking to her sister and now her sisters fiancee'. "Could you put her down?" She asked, as he suddenly realized he was still holding her.
As soon as Gourry set her down, she ran like a bat out of hell to the door, ran outside, and barfed.
Luna then smiled to him, extending a hand and shaking his. "Welcome to the family." She said, without an emotion. She then released, and made her way out of the room.
Lynn giggled as she too came from the door they had been peeking behind. "So, I now have a son?" She asked, almost excitedly. "Her father would be proud of how you and her handled that." Lynn said, eyes strong, yet sad. Her smile never fading once.
Gourry could only smile, and blush. He had never really expected to be brung into the family so easily...
Yet it was, as she began to leave the room, she only turned once to face him again, and smiled. He knew, he was getting off easily.
Soon, it was night, and the couple had been put in Lina's room..... In Lina's bed....
This is so... awkward.. Thought Lina, as she pulled the covers further toward her chin, watching him as he got ready to sleep himself. Why is he so calm about it? She wondered, with a light shiver. It was like.. he had.. "Gee Gourry.." She said, nervously. "It's like.. you've slept with someone before.."
"I have!" He said, finishing his braid. "Why do you - " But he had no time to finish as he was pulled to the bed, Lina upon him, strangling him.
"You've WHAT?!" Lina sneered, tightening her hold only slightly.
"W-Wha-WHAT?!" He cried out the same, holding onto her small wrists. "I Would think - " He choked, through her hold, though it was loosening. "You would - Remember too - ACK!"
Lina let go all the way, simply sitting upon him. "Oh." She said, before falling besides him, close. The bed was not that big.. "Sorry." She said quickly.
But there was no reply as snoring was heard. She smiled, falling into his arms, letting out a relaxful sigh. She would deal with her family, or whatever later. Let tonight, let tonight let there be some peace... As she drifted away to her own dreamscape.
Why do I always finish these things so damn late?! Oh well, least I finish um at all! I can't wait to write the next chapter! So much fun I am having, indeed I am. Wow.. Watched Kenshin today too XD Now, I shall leave you fine people be.. And pray I got them, for the most part, in character. The shortest one YET.....