Disclaimer: Please note that I don't own the characters OR the song. Don't sue me, either, cause I'm not making any money off this whatsoever. (Trust me; if I was, it would be a whole different story.)
Opening A/N Updated April 15, 2005 Hey there!! This is the first fic that I've ever posted (only god knows how many are under my bed) so please take a look and see if you like. It's a Kel/Neal songfic to Dido's "Thank You", which I listened to on repeat while writing this, and it turned out to be exactly how I wanted it to end up: fluffy, romantic, and rather angsty. This wouldn't exactly be likely to happen in the canon, so you have to pretend that it would. All I'm asking is for a little bit of your imagination xD. The update that I've most currently made is a re-writing of the disclaimer, author's notes, and summary. I've also combined chapter one and two, since chapter two was only ending thank-you notes. However, please note that none of the actual story was changed.
Another A/N Updated December 29, 2007 I know it's been forever, and no one would think I'd update. But I did! I still like this story, even though it's not that well written and pretty clichéd, as well as not that funny in moments it's supposed to be funny. xD
But I added the lyrics back in, screw if they want to take them off. The story needs them, and that's what the whole point of it is—it's a songfic for crying out loud, right!? And I also made the comments a separate chapter, to get more reviews, and they're also taking up a whole bunch of space. I don't think I'll be revising this at all. If I wanted to make it better and more IC, I would just have to re-do the whole thing, and I could do something like that, I don't know. We'll see, eh? Just read and enjoy for now. Luff, Fanty.
Thank You
Keladry of Mindelan ran through the thickly crowded palace halls, with hot, steaming tears running down from her soft hazel eyes to her rosy cheeks. She pushed past everyone she met, so angry that she didn't care if she hurt anyone or anything. Everything she passed merged into one colorless blur. The rain beat hard and fast on the windows, the sleet slammed against the glass, just like Kel's feet slammed against the floor. The palace hall was long and endless; it seemed as if the faster and faster she ran, the longer and longer it stretched.
Her feet were bare from throwing off her shoes, and now were getting dirty from the walked-on palace floors. Her mouse brown hair was coming out of the tight, elegant bun she had placed it in, streaming down to her shoulders. Different colors of face paint ran down her cheeks, down her neck, staining her lips and the collar of her dress. Her hands desperately hung on to her skirt, which was pulled up right below her knees, to keep from tripping. The rain pounded even harder, the sleet slammed even faster, and the faster and harder they fell, the faster and harder Kel ran. The people around her gaped at her appearance, but she didn't care. It couldn't get any worse.
Anger seethed into her heart and mind. She felt infuriated at herself, outraged at the despicable conservatives, enraged at everyone, and anyone. She felt horrible, and couldn't believe, couldn't understand, herself. Kel hadpromised that she would never fall, never break under their useless words. Yet this time, they hit her right in the heart. She had not only betrayed her promise, she had made a fool of herself, her friends, and her family in front of the entire court. Tonight at the ball, two of those conservatives had ridiculed her, and she had run out of the room, pulling up her skirts and kicking off her shoes. That night, she just wasn't strong enough, so she broke. Cracked like a porcelain doll.
Past person after person she ran, she pushed, her skirt getting torn and lopsided. More tears had started to form, and she began to question herself. About where those tears came from, about why she was here. Still fumbling with her skirt, she started to mumble and murmur about anything else, other then tonight: how the last time she had border duty, how she always had to force-feed Neal his vegetables. She just couldn't stand the pain anymore, she had to get it out somehow – so she came to an abrupt stop right in the middle of the hall, and tore off the bottom of her skirt. After tossing it aside, making sure it hit someone, she ran, crying, into the palace gardens.
The rain and sleet shone on the magnificent flowers and shrubs, making them shine in the moonlight. The darkness seemed to swamp the garden, yet letting the candle lamps shine forcefully throughout the night. Benches aligned the island of flowers in the center of the gardens, all with a candle lamp on each side. The sleet that beat on the benches bounced off the hard stone, and had the likeness of concrete. Even though the green plants flourished along the gardens, mud was everywhere on the ground, making deep puddles of filth and grime.
As Kel splashed in, calf-deep through the mud and gunk, she naturally thanked the gods that no one was around to see her breaking down. With a breath of fresh air, her vision returned, and Kel quickly brushed away her tears. But more came back, again and again, one after the other. Stomping through the mud in her bare feet, with rain and sleet pounding on her back, Kel thrust herself on a nearby stone bench, next to a soft pink rose bush. She brought her knees up to her chest, and started to cry even more desperately, rocking back and forth. Burying her head in her knees, she felt hot tears run down her cold, cold legs.
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
And I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be gray
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so
bad
It's not so bad
The shining glass chandelier cast beams of light down on the crowded ballroom floor. The music had stopped playing; the dancers had stopped dancing, and mostly everyone way looking at the door, the way where Keladry of Mindelan had left with a slam. Yet some people were looking at the two men who had so loudly and openly ridiculed her. Kel's friends were standing by the refreshment table, all looking at the two men, looking as if they would kill them. Neal brushed his hands through his hair, and replayed the night's events in his head.
There was a ball tonight, and Neal had persuaded Kel to come. Throughout the whole night, two shabby looking men, who turned out were very conservative, kept leering at Kel as if she had no right to be here, no right to live. Suddenly, after about two hours of the ball, they had come up to Kel and started to yell threats in her ear. Neal gaped at every phrase. "I'll strip you and tie you right out in the middle of the palace, for everyone to see, then, in front of everyone, beat you till my knuckles bleed," and "If you ever come near Corus again, I'll beat you, rape you, and then sell you to that whore-house down the street. I'm surprised you're not there already, being the slut that you are." A single tear ran down Kel's cheek and stormed over to the door. Then she threw off her shoes, hiked up her skirts, and left out the door with a loud, booming bang that shook the whole room.
Neal looked around the ballroom with worried eyes. He was stunned, he couldn't speak or move. It seemed everyone else was the same way, doing the thing he had been: replaying the night over and over in their own heads. The part when Kel started to cry kept flashing over and over in his mind. Had he even seen Kel cry before? Then suddenly he had a thought, and cursed himself for not thinking of it earlier and wasting so much time. Since no one else was going to, Neal was going to go after her.
As he started to move, everyone else's eyes started to move toward him, but he didn't care. All he cared about now was reaching Kel before she did anything to herself. Pushing past people and people in the ballroom, he reached the door. With one large movement, Neal pulled it open and ran after, pushing after the same people, the same children, women, men. All he could see was Kel's hair, streaming out behind her. It was the one thing he concentrated on, and just like Kel, didn't care who he ran over with his feet. And yet like Kel again, he was too worried and angry to hear the gasps or see the stares. Suddenly Kel came to an abrupt stop, and tore off about half of her dress; it was in her way. She had made sure she hit someone with her scrap of the cloth, but little did Kel know that the person she hit was Neal.
Neal stooped to pick up the cloth, yet stood up just in time to see Kel rush through the entrance to the palace gardens. Quickly he ran after her, but stopped in the door way to see what she was doing. Kel was splashing through the mud, which seemed to be about calf-deep. She murmured something about "gods" and "no one" through her sobs. Each sob and cry made Neal's heart sink lower and lower, and he couldn't help but think that it was his fault because he asked her to go to that ball. When Neal looked back up, Kel was on a stone bench, her knees up to her chest, crying her heart out, with hot tears running down her legs. The sleet and rain beat down her back, and the lights seemed to single her out.
I drank too
much last night, got bills to pay
My head just feels in pain
I
missed the bus and there'll be hell today
I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there,
They'll all imply that I might not
last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad
It's
not so bad
"Kel!" Neal called out and ran over by the bench to support her. She looked horrible, the worst Neal had seen in his whole life, which was a long time. Kel stared up at Neal with huge, bloodshot, piercing eyes that tore his heart into pieces. Her neck had white streaks where tears left a mark, and her dress was all muddy and torn. Her legs again had white streaks running down them, down to her toes, which were wiggling at the sight of him. Her hair was tousled, and she looked so defenseless. He couldn't help put pull her into a warm, embracing hug that made a stream of warmth run through her heart.
She started to cry into his shirt, and onto his lap. He could catch her breath, ragged and rough, straining through the sobs. Without a second thought, Neal began to run his fingers through her hair and bent down, whispering in her ear, and dropped the piece of cloth.
"It's going to be okay, it's going to be alright," he said through a small, breathy voice. A voice so calm, as if nothing had happened. And that's what Kel really needed, to take her mind off things. To go to a place where nothing bad happened, where she was totally free to be who she wanted to be. Suddenly, Neal clutched her tighter, as if someone was going to grab her away from him. After a while, Kel stopped crying, and they sat there in each other's embraces for a moment. Then Kel looked up at Neal with grateful eyes, and a small smile on her face.
With a sigh and a heave, he lifted her up into his arms, her hands around his neck and his arms resting her legs and back, and stood. With her in his arms he walked back inside the palace, back into the halls. This time though, Neal took his care where he walked. He noticed the stares and heard the gasps. But he didn't care. He had his whole heart right in his arms, and he would do anything for her. Slowly, Neal made way to his chambers and set Kel down with a soft swish. Getting the key out of his pocket, he put it into the lock and opened the door. He took Kel's hand and dragged her into the doorway, then left to another room to find something.
Neal's room was simple, yet very warm and comforting. From where Kel was standing, the doorway she was in was far left. She could see the top half of a bed against the left wall. On her right, there was a circular working table with circular shelves attached to the back. A cushioned chair was neatly tucked under the table, but you couldn't say the same thing about the table. Papers were flowing everywhere, random books lay around, and what seemed like a week old piece of beef was on top of the shelves. Kel walked over to the table and picked up a book, which was titled What to do With a Week-Old Piece of Beef. She chuckled and put the book down, then walked over to the doorway of the room she had seen Neal enter; she wanted to see what he was doing.
Neal came back and looked at Kel with his deep, emerald eyes, which melted her from the inside out. He swiftly draped a towel over her shoulders, and decided to embrace her again. As Kel's chest was pushed against Neal's, she could hear his heart beating next to hers. Suddenly Neal withdrew and tilted her chin with his hand. Slowly, but not hesitantly, Neal pressed his soft lips against Kel's wet ones. Kel closed her eyes and instantly opened her mouth under his, desire tearing her heart into pieces. She brought her hands to his neck and pushed his mouth onto hers, flicking her tongue into his mouth, and his met hers as a response.
Push the door I'm home at last
And I'm soaking
through and through
Then you handed me a towel
And all I see
is you
And even if my house falls down now
I wouldn't have
a clue
Because you're near me
As soon as Neal felt their tongues meet, he lifted Kel by the back to her knees, and she locked her ankles above his hips. With that, he brought her over to the bed, and laid her down gently. Kel opened her eyes and stopped contact with him for a brief second, just enough to whisper "Thank You" to his lips, and then let the burning desire for need inside her heart continue.
And I want to thank you
For giving
me the best day of my life
Oh, just to be with you
Is having
the best day of my life
fin
Closing A/N: Thanks for reading it, and getting all the way through the end with me! I'd be so extremely awesome if you could review – I'd greatly appreciate it!! Even just a simple "I read it" would be completely fine. In fact, you don't particularly have to like it – I'd be really interesting if someone were to debate any points I tried to make in this. Flames are welcome as well. Oh, and if you're interested, go and see the other fanfiction I have written (if any of them have been put up). Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!! Luff, Fanty! (PS: Kel and Neal probably end up having sex. It's up to them ultimately, but I just wanted to inform you.)
