A week later...
"Zel!! Tell me!! Where we going??" Lina begged as he was lifting her up from the bed and into the wheelchair the hospital had provided them.
"I told you. It's a surprise." Zel said calmly, hiding a smile. Even though the situation was funny, he didn't feel like smiling at all. It's been a week. Only a week and already she look close to death. She barely looks like the Lina I know. The healthy flow she had is now long gone. Her hair has lost its color, as well as hair face. She looks downright pale. Also her slim figure...looks like she's been through the concentration camp. The only thing that hasn't changed are her eyes. They are still full of emotional energy. The crimson color hasn't changed at all. Zel fought back a sigh and started to push the wheelchair out to the parking lot.
"You know what Zel? I want to go visit the beach, before the time comes." Lina avoided using the word 'death'. She didn't really want to make Zel upset. Although she didn't say it directly, she could still feel Zel stiffened in the back.
"You will." The rest of the trip to the car outside of the hospital was silent. Zel and Lina were each thinking of their own thoughts. At the car, Filia was there waiting with Xelloss.
Lina and Zel glanced at each other and smothered a laugh. "Amazing. Those two hated each other, and now they are like so inseperable." Lina remarked. "Love is just plain weird."
"I agree. I think those two were just meant to be. Just took them so long to realize that they liked each other." Zel softly smiled. Their relationship opened up this entire week. I'm glad for both of them. I was afraid that Fruitcake might have taken our relationship kind of hard, but I'm glad he found Filia and vice versa. Things are going very smoothly. Then again...their "little" quarrel comes up every now and then. Now that Filia is taking Japanese, she thought of a new nickname for him in Japanese. I don't blame her. The nickname does fit him. Zel let out a chuckle.
Lina looked at her lover. "What you're thinking about how Filia calling Xelloss 'Namagomi', fits huh?"
Zel gave her an incredulous look. "How'd you know?"
Lina shrugged. "I have no clue. Maybe I'm psychic now."
"Hey! Are you guys coming or not!!??" Filia called impatiently.
"Patient Filia..." Xelloss tried to calm her down, but instead the opposite effect happened.
"Don't tell me what to do you Namagomi!!" Filia bonked him on the head with her purse.
"Owww..." Xelloss gave her a pained look. "Are you gonna ever stop calling me that?"
Filia paused. "Nope! Not until men start using both of their brain instead of just half!"
Lina cracked up at that. "I agree with you Filia. Men are so simple minded. Except for the man behind me right now...sometimes that is."
Both Zelgadiss and Xelloss rolled their eyes. "Are we gonna stay here all day and yap or are we gonna go?" Xelloss asked.
"Let's go!" Lina shouted, but weakly.
"Yep. Lina can you get in the car?" Zelgadiss asked.
"Yeah." Lina got in the car with no troubles.
Xelloss took the wheelchair and stuffed it in the trunk. The rest of them got in the car. Zelgadiss was driving. Lina was in the front with him. Xel and Filia were in the back. After getting comfortable, Filia wrapped Lina's eyes with a black opaque handkerchief.
"Hey!! What's this for?" Lina tried to get it off, but Filia and Xelloss caught her hands.
"If you saw where I'm driving, you'd know where we going, so I'm covering your eyes."
Lina pouted. "But..."
"Don't you want it to be a surprise?" Zelgadiss asked.
Lina thought about that. "Ok." Lina finally answered. "I'll go along with this."
"Good." Zel started the car and they left the parking lot and got onto the highway.
"Ok. We're here!" Zel said cheerfully.
"Now is it me, or do I hear waves?" Lina asked, her eyes still covered.
The three of them glanced at each other and grinned mischievously. They helped her out of the car. They then all walked for a bit. Then Filia finally took the handkerchief of Lina.
Lina's eyes were blinded by the sunlight and so she had to blink couple of times to get them adjusted. When they were adjusted, she looked ahead. In front of her was a one-story house on the cliff overlooking the ocean. Lina's mouth fell opened. "Isn't this the beach you and I love? But where'd did the house come from? I don't remember seeing the house before."
Zel smiled widely. "I had it built during the summer. I wanted to leave near the beach sometimes, so I got it built. I knew you'd wanted to stay near the beach, so I remembered the house and decided that this was perfect for us to stay."
Tears came to Lina's eyes. "It's....it's...wonderful." Lina walked up to Zel and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him. "This is perfect. There is no other place that I'd want to spend my days with you Zel..."
Zel put his hands on her waist and hugged her back. "I love you Lina..."
Filia and Xelloss stood by and watched. "Awww...!" Filia reached up and wiped her eyes. "This is so romantic."
Xelloss nodded in agreement. "Yep. Shall we go back now?" Xelloss held up an arm. She accepted it. "Well you two lovebirds. We're going to go back. Enjoy!"
"How you getting home?" Lina asked.
"Oh. Filia came here early this morning and met Zel here. Her car is here. We came back to the hospital with Zel, so we left the car here." Xelloss explained.
"Ok. Be careful driving back." Zel said.
"Yeah, yeah," Xelloss smirked. "You two better get cracking!" With that him grabbed Filia's hand and ran off before the message went through Lina's and Zel's brain. When it finally hit them they blushed. "XELLOSS!" They both screamed at the car that was driving away.
Zel regained his composure and turned to Lina. "Shall we go in the house?"
"Lead the way."
Another week passed...
"Lina are you ok?" Zel rubbed her back, concerned for her. Lina was throwing up for the medicines she was taking made her really sick.
"I'm fine..." Lina gagged. "I'm fine."
Damn! I can't stand to see her suffering. I just can't! Zel sighed and continued to rub her back. Few minutes later Lina stopped heaving. Zel picked her up gently and carried her to her bed. He laid her there, and covered her with blankets. He grabbed a chair and sat in it next to the bed. He took her hands and just sat there.
Zel...he's done so much for me. I feel guilty. He shouldn't be worked up over me. Lina looked at him weakly. The past week was the best week and the worst week. He and I did so many things together. Walked around the beach. Watch the waves, sunset, and sunrise together. He also showed me artworks he did of me. I am impressed. I always knew he had an awesome artistic side. The bad thing is that I'm always sick now; that my illness is harder on him then it is on me.
Lina smiled at him. "Let's invite our family and friends over next week for a little reunion."
Zel looked at her surprise. "Is that what you want to do?"
She nodded. "Yes. Invite your family and mine. Also we have to do invite Xelloss. Also...invite Amelia and her father."
Now Zel was really surprised. "Amelia and her father?? After all the things she did to you, you want to invite her?"
Lina just smiled. "It's in the past. Let's not hold grudges against her now. I'm sure she learned her lessons."
Zel looked away guiltily. "I suppose you're right." He released her hands and got up. "I'll start calling them now."
Lina nodded. "I'll just take a nap." She closed her eyes and drifted to a deep sleep. Zel sighed and stared at her. She seems to be less hurting when she's asleep. Sometimes I think it's the best if she was already gone. Then she wouldn't be suffering as much... Zel sighed again and left the room to call the people she wanted to see.