Lina held Zelgadis against her shoulder as racking sobs shook his body.

"Oh, Zelgadis, Please, please don't cry…it's okay, I'm here, it's all over, it's alright--"

He flung his face up and pulled away from her. He backed up against the wall, shaking his head. "No! It's not okay! It's not okay, Lina, nothing's ever going to be alright ever again!" He shouted, slumping to the floor and resting his head on his knees, encircling them with his trembling arms. "It's over, but I'm not fine! I'm… I'm…" He shuddered. "I'm a monster, a monster, I killed so many people, I nearly killed you, I drove you to insanity, I hurt you beyond my own comprehension, I don't deserve to live." He looked at her, standing, turning away, "I Don't deserve you, Lina, I--"

He stopped short as Lina put her arms around him. "L-Lina?"

She turned him around to look at her. "Listen to me, Zelgadis Greywyrds, and listen good."

"Do. Not. Ever. Leave me again." Zelgadis started at the forcefulness of her tone. "I wouldn't be able to stand losing you a fourth time. I wasn't able to stand losing you the first time, I went absolutely insane. I couldn't stand losing you the second time, I felt my heart would break. I nearly killed you after losing you a third time, and I would kill myself if I lost you a fourth time."

Zelgadis was filled to the brim with horrible guilt already, it seemed impossible to be guiltier, but somehow he managed. "Lina, I--"

She grinned and slapped him on the back, hurting her hand and not caring. "Now, we'd better see to Gourry, hmm?" She dragged him along behind her as he was still trying to get his brain to catch up.

* * *

Iron bars, dirty, filthy, rat ridden cage, little or no food, water splashed in his face, disgust, anger, humiliation, pain from the pelted rocks…

Zelgadis turned to glared through the enchanted iron bars at the man he refused to call master.

Wait. Just wait. I will make you pay. You'll be sorry, so sorry, you did this to me. Zelgadis promised him silently. I will rip your limbs to pieces as you watch, destroy everything you love, Humiliate and torment you until you are driven mad as I, until hate and revenge are your only thoughts, night and day, until you dream of my face and toss and turn with fear.

Zelgadis smiled the catlike grin that made the poor boys told to feed him quiver with fear. Let them shake. He didn't care.

And with that thought of revenge, he fell into drifting thoughts, happy visions of torture and pain.

A shadow blocked his light. He opened his eyes and growled at the intruder who dared come near to him. And the cage stated to shift.

"You're not getting free, demon." Said the man who had bought his chains, but did not own him. He would never own Zelgadis. "I had these bars specially enchanted by one who uses the dark arts, so much stronger. Not even you can change it. You will never be free. You will die, dirty, unloved, undernourished, and no better than an animal." He chuckled. Zelgadis refused to react, but he was just ready to scream with frustration--

A figure stepped up beside the man. "Give him to me."

What? Zelgadis strained to look, but he couldn't see who the speaker was.

The owner of this cage laughed nervously. "Ah, I'm sorry, I can't, you see."

"Give him to me!"

"But, your highness, what--"

"GIVE HIM TO ME! Or I will hand you gasping for air from the highest turret!"

Who wants me now? Zelgadis thought silently. Some king for his collection, no doubt.

"Of…of course, your highness."

The figure stepped into the light--

LINA?? Zelgadis' breath stopped short and he stared at his new buyer.

She turned to him and smiled, opening her arms as the bars melted away. He felt himself filled with warmth, all the pain he'd ever felt burned away, and he drifted into a pool of cool nothingness…

And it faded to red…

He opened his eyes to see the carnage now surrounding him. Blood lay spattered everywhere, and pieces of humans and horses alike littered the ground.

Zelgadis turned slowly and felt something drag at his sword. Out of reflex he looked down at it, and immediately wished he hadn't.

Lina, eyes wide and glassy, staring up at him. Lina, who moved her hand up to his. Lina, who said,

"I forgive you."

Didn't she understand? He didn't want forgiveness. It only made him feel worse. He didn't want to be forgiven, he wanted her to hate him for what he had done. Only then could she be safe.

But she wasn’t safe. She wasn't dead, but she would be soon. It was a belly wound, a slow and painful death. He closed his eyes and stabbed her through the heart.

He felt the hand on his tighten and…hold. He opened his eyes and saw Lina smile.

"I love you, Zelgadis."

Didn't she see? Didn't she understand?

"You're supposed to be dead, dammit." He whispered.

She shrugged. Maybe he'd missed her heart. He stabbed again. She jerked and lay still.

Finally…

She blinked and grinned. He yelled aloud and chopped off her head.

Her body twitched for a moment, and…

Got up…

It reached over and--

Picked up it's head.

Lina smiled and held a bloody hand out to him.

* * *

Zelgadis awoke abruptly, screaming. He sat straight up, head in his hands, panting. Sweat soaked the bedsheets, and he tried desperately to orient himself.

They had healed Gourry and gone back to the palace. Lina had brought him to the room, and they'd talked for what seemed like forever. Then she'd left.

He stood and walked to the window and looked out. He tilted his head to the side and thought about the dream.

I've destroyed her, he thought glumly. I've hurt her in her soul, she'll never be okay again, and trying to help is only hurting her more…maybe if I drowned myself it would help--

"If you even think of it, don’t. Kill yourself and I'll track your soul down and beat the immortal crap out of it." He spun to look at Lina standing in the doorway, carrying two packs and the widest grin he'd seen for quite a while.

Gods he'd missed her.

"What are you doing here, Lina? And so early in the morning?" Zelgadis said, trying not to show any sign how worried he was. She smiled and skipped into the room. She then set the packs down with the greatest of care, and without a warning spun and tackled him gleefully. They fell to the floor in a tumble of arms and legs, Lina giggling all the time. Before he could disentangle himself, she took his head in her hands and leaned down next to it.

"Let's leave, Zelgadis." She said into his ear.

"What?" He asked, trying to get his brain out of the overload it seemed to be occupying recently. She grinned.

"Let's go somewhere, Zel. Someplace different, where people walk on their hands and ride gold dragons to school. Let's follow a rainbow until it fades, and guess the rest of the way. Lets follow a clue on absolutely nothing at all, lets throw reason to the wind and see if we can fly." She pulled him up and to the window, where the sun had not yet risen.

"Lets go to the stars."

He pulled is hand back and looked at her as if she'd grown antlers. "What are you talking about?" He asked, leaning against the wall and shaking his head. "There's no country I know of that has gold dragons as beasts of burden--"

"Stop being so grown up, Zel!" She took his hands and spun him about the room to imaginary music. "We've earned a rest, let's enjoy it! Hey, what's a guy like you doing in a kingdom like this? We could make beautiful music together."

Zelgadis couldn't help it. She was contagious. Laughter bubbled up in his throat, and he felt himself succumbing to it.

Lina grinned and pulled him to the packs. "Let's leave, Zel. We don't have to worry about anything, let's dance on the sunrise and rest on the moon. Let's weave dreams that other's only wish for. Just go on the road, not knowing where it goes and not caring! Come with me Zel." She grinned and tossed a pack at him. "Let's explore absolutely nothing."

He smiled. The first real, happy smile he'd had in quite a while.

"Sure, why not."

* * *

Xellos slammed his fist against the magic mirror, rendering it to shards. Dammit…He couldn't believe she'd actually succeeded in breaking the curse he'd set on Zelgadis. It shouldn't have been possible.

But she did.

He stalked around the room and glared at the window, panes of glass twisting and looping to make a two-dimensional rose. Very much like the one Lina had in her room. He punched it, shattering against the ground below. He didn't care.

How dare she do this! She should have had her mind and soul broken like toys by a careless child!

But no, instead, she heals herself and Zelgadis. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

I guess I'll have to be more forceful…