"Don't you even think about it!" Lina reached out and slapped Gourry on the back of his hand with the butter knife. "That's mine!" She stabbed the last of the roasted game hens and plopped it onto her plate.

Gourry only shook his head in mock despair. "I can never win."

"You got that right." She replied with a grin and tore apart at the meat.

Gourry leaned on his elbows and watched the sorceress eat, as there was no more food to be had on the table where they sat. In fact, there weren't any foodstuffs left in the dinner, for Lina had ordered all they had available.

As Lina finished up the last of the meal, she leaned back; arms folded, and returned a curious gaze. "Gourry? Why are you looking at me that way? And if you say to me 'Keep eating like that and you'll bust everywhere but your bust.' I'll send you on a one way trip to the moon."

"I was just thinking."

Lina cocked an eyebrow. "Thinking? You?" She laughed and signaled the waiter to bring the bill.

"Lina?"

"Yes?"

"What will you be doing now that all the excitement is over?"

"Excitement?"

"You know, Valgaav's defeat and the magic barrier being broken and all; you know." He tried to even out his thoughts.

Lina frowned. "Haven't thought about it."

Gourry shrugged and stifled a yawn. "Because I, well I-"

Lina stopped him and took the bill from the waiter, eyes slightly bugging out of her head. "Gourry, mind chipping in?"

He grinned and tossed a few coins on the table.

Lina grimaced. "Stingy!"

Gourry shook his head. "Oh no, I'm only paying for the portions I ate, Lina-"

"Hah hah; fine." Lina fished around in her cape and paid off the bill. She turned her attention back to the swordsman. "So what were you saying to me?"

"Nothing."

"Must have been something." She muttered. Not that it surprised her. He often forgot what he was talking about. "Gourry?"

"Yes, Lina-san?"

"Are you really planning on protecting me for life?"

Gourry cleared his throat. "Well, I said so, didn't I?"

"Yes you did, but why do you?" She pressed on.

"Because I lo-" He struggled to continue. "Because you are my friend."

"Oh? But, don't you have any future plans for yourself Gourry? Anything at all?"

"They don't matter none."

"Of course they do! Yogurt for Brains! They do!"

Gourry fell back out of his seat from the volume of her voice.

Lina leaned over the table. "Oi, Gourry? You okay?"

The swordsman nodded and set his chair back up the right way and took a seat. "Lina, I don't want to leave you on your own. Just because you are Lina Inverse the Bandit Killer and Dragon Spooker and-"

Lina's eyes narrowed. "Don't push it."

"Hai!" He replied in haste. "You aren't invincible and you need someone to watch your back."

"Gourry, I was traveling just fine on my own before you came into my life. I can take care of myself you know." She argued. Yet, maybe he didn't know.

"Lina-" He leaned forward over the table.

"Gourry, I release you from your services to me. Go and find your own destiny, fulfill your needs for once." She demanded, waving him back.

Gourry couldn't believe his ears. "You are telling me to leave you? I can't do that to you, after all we've-" He stammered. "Where will you go?"

Lina rested her chin on her arm as she leaned heavily on the table. "I guess I'll go home."

"Home? Where's that?"

"Zelfilia."

"Oh I see, well-"

"Oh no, you aren't escorting me back home. I mean it Gourry; do something for your self. You aren't my slave, even though I might have treated you like one at times." She rose from her seat with a slight grin curling the corners of her mouth, and went to his side. "Isn't there a certain someone you miss? A special shrine maiden, hmm?"

Gourry rubbed the back of his head nervously and nodded like an embarrassed child. "Well, maybe."

"Maybe? Gods Gourry, just go to her and sweep her off her feet." She slapped him hard on the back. "Well, I'm going to bed; see you in the morning." She pattered up the stairs to her room, leaving a rather startled 'Jelly Fish Brains' sitting in thought.

"Hmm, Lina is sure acting strange today." He still couldn't understand what had come over her. Was she tiring of his company? After they'd been through so much together, how could she just dismiss him like he was nothing to her?

Gourry woke to the sound of someone knocking at his door. With a yawn he rose from his bed and pulled on his traveling clothing. "Just a minute..." He began; then blinked as a letter was pushed under his door. "What's this?" He fumbled with the sealed parchment for a minute with one hand as he slipped on his shirt. He unfolded the paper to reveal a short letter written as if in great haste. The script was hard to read and it took him a while to take it all in.

Dear Gourry,
I have always treasured your friendship through the years we've traveled together
and will never forget you. Even so, I feel it is time for you to take your own road.
Don't bother coming after me, for as you read this letter, I am already long gone.
Please forgive me for all the times I treated you ill.

Your friend always,
~Lina

"L-Lina?" He stumbled out the door in a wild attack of panic, and rushed out of the inn. Gourry stopped in the middle of the street, searching in vain for a glimpse of the redhead. "Lina, how could you leave without saying good-bye?" He slumped over with head bowed, his world that he'd built around her, shattering. The swordsman crumpled the note and let it fall to the ground, returning to the inn with a heavy heart. "Zelfilia..."

Gourry pulled the poorly stuffed pillow over his head with a small groan. Not that dream again. But he couldn't forget the pain of that day, and played back so vividly in his dreams which brought him no rest.

"How could she have-" He began aloud. "How will I find you?"