eyeofbeholder

Stacia felt simply awful. She just didn't know what to do. Should she run after Zelgadis or should she continue looking for the Clare Bible?

She kicked a rock in frustration. She didn't mean to hurt the blue guys feeling. Hell, she didn't know he felt so ashamed of his looks.

Stacia stopped pacing and looked up into the starlit sky. She let out a sigh. "And they said girls are emotional" Stacia looked harder into the sky. "Well you can at least come out. I know your there"

Eimaj fell out of the tree and luckily landed on her feet. Her cat face was filled with surprise. "How did you know I was there?"

Stacia shrugged. "I didn't. It was a guess."

Eimaj fell over. "Ahhhh! I fell for it! Me, tricked by a human!"

A trickle of a smile appeared on Stacia's face. "Naturally"

Eimaj's cat ears twitched. "Hey that's evil. What kind of best friend are you anyway?"

"Yours"

Eimaj sighed. "Forget I even said a word"

"Too late"

Stacia's best friends eyes narrowed. "Your being more evil than usual. Does this have to do with a blue guy by any chance?"

Stacia's green eyes went wide and she whirled around. "How did you know?!"

Eimaj grinned. "I didn't, I took a guess"

Stacia's mouth dropped. "And who's evil again?"

The Nalith's face grew serious. "Well aren't you going to tell me what's wrong?" She held up a furry finger. "I know one of them. Zelgadis"

Stacia sighed in defeat. "I think I hurt Zel's feelings"

"I'm sure you didn't mean to"

"I didn't" Stacia whispered.

"Do you...want to tell me what you said?"

Stacia's shoulders sank. "I-I don't want to talk about it"

"Oh. Well I'm here for you if you want to talk or.." Eimaj grinned. "To kill Amelia whichever comes first" Eimaj expected Stacia to laugh at that one, but she looked even more depressed. "Hey that was a joke"

Stacia's purple hair covered her eyes. "I'm sorry but...I think I want to be alone"

Eimaj's ears drooped. "Oh Stace please cheer up"

Stacia turned so her back faced her best friend. "Please leave"

Hurt, Eimaj took a step back. "Sure as you wish"

The Nalith turned angrily than she looked over her shoulder and said sadly. "You should go after him"

Stacia looked shocked. "Eimaj wait!" By the time the words left her mouth it was too late. Eimaj was gone.

Stacia stood alone in the darkness. A cold wind blew around her. She shivered and pulled her purple cloak around her. "Go after him" Stacia repeated.

Stacia felt the tingling of the levitation spell as it took effect. She lifted into the sky. Stacia was afraid of heights since forever, but flying was the fastest way of travel. Besides teleportation , but since she didn't know where exactly Zelgadis was she couldn't just zap there.

Holding her breath she hovered just above the trees. It was harder to breath at that level. Another thing she hated about flight the higher you go the harder it was to breathe.

Taking a few deep breaths of air she began to slowly move forward. Stacia closed her eyes. "Come on Stacia you have to go faster than this"

Building up her courage she went full speed ahead. She couldn't see him anywhere. Then a thought hit her. "Maybe I should go higher up. I'll probably be able to see more then"

Stacia looked warily up. "Here we go"

Stacia shot up like a rocket. A little bit faster than she intended. To Stacia's own amazement she screamed.

Stacia stopped on a dime. She was shaking uncontrollably and she felt very sick. She held her stomach. How did she go up so fast. Then she felt very faint. Stacia looked back down to the ground. She screamed before she could stop herself. She was high! All she could see was a big green dab that was the forest she was just in.

Stacias eyes began to haze over. Everything began to spin. She held her head. She needed air!

Then the thing Stacia feared the most happened. She began to feel that tingly feeling she felt each time the a spell was wearing off.

She wouldn't make it in time. She was to far up. But how? She knew she could hold the levitation spell of rat least an hour. She had only been up in the air for fifteen minutes. How can this happen? Why her?

Then she began to fall. This time she wasn't the least bit ashamed of her screaming. She set it all out. Her eyes closed shut. Any second now she know she'll hit the ground or smack into one of the trees. But she heard a hum. It grew louder and louder than the roar of the wind as it zipped past her. Just a hum.

She felt herself slowing down. The wind began to die. She felt two arms sliped under her.

Stacia looked up. She saw the blue jaw line of Zel's face. Her eyes half closed she whispered his name before she fell into the sweet bliss of sleep.

* * * *

Stacia awoke with a jerk. Draped over her was Zelgadis' cape. It was still night time she noticed. She gripped Zel's cape and held it close to her.

"Your finally awake?"

"Huh?" Stacia turned her head. She saw the stern face of Zelgadis looking at her from across the fire. Stacia nodded and sat up.

They sat in silence just the two of them.

Stacia looked up into the sky. "It's still night?"

"Actually you've been out for three days"

Stacia looked shocked. Zel always go to the point so quickly. "That long?"

Zelgadis didn't answer.

Stacia looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry I bothered you"

Zel pocked at the fire with his sword.

Stacia looked at Zel then quickly she was on her feet. "I...thanks for saving me"

Zelgadis shrugged.

"How did you know? I mean how did you save me? I thought you were long gone"

Zel sighed. "I heard you scream. You are pretty loud"

Stacia blushed and looked into the fire. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean to hurt you"

"I can't be helped. It's true"

Stacia stood up so fast Zelgadis jumped. "No it's not! I think your one of ht nicest guys I know. And let me ensure you I know a lot of guys in my time and I can tell you they don't even come close to you"

Zel was silent once again.

Stacia took in another breathe of air. "Look Zel. I like you. I consider ... I consider.."

"You consider me...?"

"I consider you can make a woman very happy"

Zelgadis scoffed. "And who would want me? I'm a monster. A freak"

"I would"

Zelgadis shook his head and stood up. "Nobody could"

He began to turn around. Stacia leapt over the fire and ran in front of Zel, putting a hand on his chest. Stopping him from going any further. "Zelgadis please listen to me for a sec. I couldn't care what you look like what maters to me is what's inside"

"Sorry to disappoint you. But I'm a freak inside and..."

Before Zel could finish Stacia kissed him. Major goose bumps ran down his arms and legs. His mouth burned against Stacia's lips and not in an unpleasant way.

Stacia backed up face down. "See. Your skin isn't as rough as you thought"

Zelgadis' expression was priceless. His eyes were wide open and he looked about as stiff as a board. Then he began to turn red beat red then purple.
S
tacia looked up embarrassed like, just before Zel fell over form lack of oxygen.She screamed out his name and fell to his side. She held his head, but was pricked by his wire like hair. Determined to convert Zel she ripped off her cloak and wrapped around her hands for protection against his hair.
She looked to see if he was breathing. He was. She felt his pulse. It was beating at an incredible rate. Then she looked down at his face. She was amazed to think it was ever blue. It was completely red! "Oh Zelgadis"

His eyes slowly opened. He looked confused as he stated up into Stacia's eyes. "What happened?"

"I kissed you and you fell over"

His eyes went wide once again and he skittered about a foot away from Stacia. He held his chest.

"You you you you you..."

Stacia nodded her head and looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry I couldn't help it"

"Cou-cou-cou- Couldn't help it?"

Stacia felt her face growing warm. "Uh-huh. I've been wanting to do that for a long time.

Stacia kept her eyes on the ground. "Was I wrong?" Then when she wasn't hearing anything from Zelgadis she looked up.

Zel was out of it. He seemed to be staring off into the distance. His mouth was wide open.

"Zel?"

"Huh?" Zelgadis jumped back into reality.

"Did I do something wrong?

Zel's eyes grew wider (If that was even possible) then he looked down. His eyes were shadowed by the moonlight.

Stacia took that as a 'yes'. Choked she stood up. Slowly she walked over still clutching his cape.
"I'm sorry" She handed him his cape.

Zel took it with out looking up. Hurt terribly Stacia turned to leave.

Zelgadis grabbed her hand. "Please"

Stacia stopped and slowly turned around.

"Please don't go"

Tears began to fall down Stacia's face. She felt weak.

Zel stood up still holding Stacia's hand. It hurt form the cuts she gotten from his hair, but she held it in.

She still couldn't see his eyes as he wiped away her tears with his hand. But he tears kept flowing. Stacia didn't know what was wrong with her.

"I didn't say I don't like you" Zel whispered.

He then looked into Stacia's eyes. For the first time Stacia saw warmth and happiness in them.
Stacia felt her legs give. Zel caught her and held her against his chest.

"Thank-you" he whispered.

And Stacia cried some more.