Side Ways Love

"Lord Raoul and the Own are here!" yelled Tobe as he ran into Kel's suite. She brushed the hair out of her face and walked out of her room. Suddenly, what Tobe had said dawned on her. Dom! She would see the blue eyed sergeant that appeared in her dreams. Raoul, of course, who was like a fatherly figure to her.

She ran out of headquarters and to the gate. There they were, riding under the flag of Raoul of Goldenlake and Domitan of Masbolle. She sighed.

"Open the gate!" she yelled to the guards. "Raoul! Dom! Over here!" as they rode over to her, she got a weird feeling in her stomach. Taking her glaive out, she held it at ready.

"Are you going to try to kill us? Poor lowly soldiers looking for a warm bath, a comfortable bed and some meager gruel?" Raoul joked. Kel kept a firm grip on her glaive and kept watching the sky. She spotted them.

"Hurrocks! At arms!" She swung her glaive in the hair, chopping off the head of a hurrock.

"Kel!" Dom's sword flashed over her head as she dodge another hurrock's talons. Dom finished it off. Suddenly, Kel felt a searing pain down her side. Looking down, she saw her side was completely open and bleeding heavily. Using her last energy, she whispered

"Dom..." He heard and saw her fall to the ground in a faint. Killing the hurrock he had been fighting, he ran over to help her.

(Parentheses are thoughts)

CHAPTER 2

Kel was dreaming so deeply, she didn't realize that she was almost in the realm of the Black God. She wasn't in pain anymore, and for that she was thankful. Leaving the pain behind had been great, but she had a feeling that the warmth and comfort of the person who was holding her's arms was also leaving. She didn't want that. So she decided she would put up with the pain, so she could see who the comfort was from.

Suddenly, she heard voices. (hmmm. I wonder who those people are. I hope they're Dom. Neal! I hear Neal's voice. I want to go and talk to him. Maybe he can make my pain go away!). So she pushed herself to the surface of the dark, into the light.

"Aahh!" she yelled out in pain. Dom and Neal rushed to her side, Dom taking hold of her hand and whispering soothing words, Neal sending his already weak powers into her body.

Her eyes fluttered open. There, right in front of her eyes, were a pair of blazing blue ones looking back at her, worry lined in their blue depths. She sighed and breathed in his unique scent.

"Dom... It hurts. Make it stop." She pleaded

"We're trying Kel. We're trying. Duke Baird is coming with Raoul."

"Aaah!"She called out in pain again. Dom looked at Neal pleadingly.

"What? I dont have enough power left. I can only put her back to sleep." Neal explained. After Kel also looked at him, he put his hand on her forehead and sent his magic into her to put her to sleep.

"You love her" proclaimed Neal, a scowl on his face.

"What?"

"You heard me. You love her"

"You have absolutely no proof!"

"Oh. Really. The why are you still holding her hand and smoothing her hair out of her face. You have huge sleep bags under your eyes from lack of sleep from staying up to watch over her. You were practically crying when she said she was in pain. All that isn't proof? Seriously Dom, don't hurt her. Love her. Like she does you." and with that he stomped out of the infirmary of New Hope. Dom shook his head, then realized what the Meathead had said. He ran after his cousin.

"What do you mean she loves me?" he grabbed his cousin by the scruff of his shirt and turned him around to look in his eyes; Neal scowled as he pried Dom's fingers from his neck.

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that Meathead! Keep going. What do you mean she loves me?"

"Ain't it obvious? You should be the one called Meathead! She ran to you when you when you arrived, when she woke up just now, she sighed when she saw your face, and she talks in her sleep about you. "Dom...Dom..." Quite annoying, but Merric thinks its funny, quite, so do the soldiers and refugees. And then, guess what I saw when she woke up? Her hand tried to lift itself to touch your face, but she was too weak. So go get back in there and keep her company. You two better be a couple by the time Yuki has her baby. That gives you 3 months. Which you are on your leave for, and shall be staying with Kel to help her heal. You hear me? Good. Now Goodbye Meathead Junior." DOm stared at his cousin's retreating back with his jaw hanging wide open for about five minutes Then he realized Kel might need him so he rushed back to her sick bed.

When he got there, she was trying to sit up. He came to her and put pillows behind her back. He took her hand and squeezed it tight.

CHAPTER 3

"Kel. I have something to tell you. If you don't agree, then it won't get in between our friendship. OK? Good. See. The thing is... I ...I don't know how to say this."

"Show me then."

"Good idea" He took a deep breath and leaned forward to press his lips sweetly against hers.

(She's not pushing me away. Wait. Is she kissing me back? Oh. Is this happening?)

"Can you tell me now?" Kel asked when he pulled away.

"I...I love you!" Kel gasped then took his chin in her hand.

"Guess what? I love you too my beautiful blue-eyed sergeant!" With that she pulled his head back. She started getting out of breath.

"Now, now. You get some rest. I'm not going anywhere. We'll continue later. I want to be able to walk around holding your hand and show you off so get some healing rest." She closed her eyes, stiill holding his hand. He brushed his lips lightly over hers before settling back down on his chair.

"So, I see you finally told her." Dom turned around to see his commander, Raoul standing in the doorway, arms crossed. A huge grin plastered on his face.

"Huh?"

"I saw you kissing her. Quite sweet, actually. I'll have to change the law about men in the Own not being able to marry. Jon might not approve, but, what the heck. If it makes you two happy." Dom just looked quizzically at his commander.

"What?"

"Have you gone deaf Masbolle? Mindelan and you are in love and will eventually realize it and want to get married; and if I don't change the law then she won't marry you because she won't let you leave the Own. I know her. Never sacrifice anyone for herself, only sacrifice herself for everyone else. But I could make you... WEll godbye Dom, let me know if she gets better." Raoul walked off, muttering something about commanders and stupid boys. Dom shook his head and turned his attention back to Kel. She stirred and he gently put his hand on her forehead.

CHAPTER 4

Three weeks later Kel and Dom were seen walking hand in hand along the ramparts of New Hope.

"Kel?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, sweet"

"I love you too" He grabbed her waist and spun her round so she could kiss her. He backed her up against the wall. His tongue pressed against her lips, asking to be let in. She didn't know that but needed to breathe so she opened her mouth. His tongue slithered in, and she realized what he was doing. He gasped when her hands wound themselves in his hair. They kissed and kissed...and kissed...

"You know, it's actually quite entertaining watching you two make out for 5 hours,

but I'm hungry, Raoul sent me to you for breadkfast 5 hourse ago and I've been standing here with news of lunch!"

"Sorry, Meathead!" They said in unison.

"I think I forgive you. I'm not sure though. I have an idea for revenge on Kel, let me think about you, Meathead Junior."

"Meathead Jr? Since when are you Meathead Junior? You're older than him! Yuo should be Meathead Senior."

"Kel! Senior? Why senior? It makes me sound old!" Dom playfully punched Kel in the shoulder. She feigned hurt and he leaned down and kissed her shoulder.

"Better?"

"Much."

"I'd thank you for getting a room!"

"Oh. Sorry. Forgot you were there. Where was that lunch you were talking about?"

"Where do you think? In the mess hall!"

"Oh. Right, forgot about that." He grabbed Kel's hand and they trotted to the fod hall, leaving Neal behind, a scowl on his face.

"What is wrong, darling?" asked Yuki, his soon-to-mother wife. She gently touched his shoulder.

Heaving a sigh, he said "He's gonna hurt her. He can't marry. And they're almost at that stage! They'll get hurt when he offers to leave the Own for her and she'll refuse. Never do anything for herself. I'm ok now. Let's go eat." He grabbed Yuki's hand and they ran off.

Neal was still thinking about what to do when he got called off to a meeting with Raoul.

CHAPTER 5

"Kel? What do you think about marriage?" Dom was venturing on treacherous land and he knew it.

"I don't really. I'm happy like this in your arms." Dom sighed. She would be ready when she would be. (I would wait for her forever!)

"Dom! Kel! Meeting. Personal meeting but its important for you the young couple of lovebirds that spend hours making out! Come on!" Kel's face was beet red despite her Yamani mask and Dom joyfully slung his arm around her shoulder. They walked to the meeting room. There was Neal, Alanna, Duke Baird, and Buri.

"You are all gathered here because I have some news. Buri is with child. Hush! That is not it. I am leaving the Own to spendmore time with her and the child, or soon to be child. So I have to pick one of you insubordinate curs. I have picked Sergeant Domitan to replace me. Now you may marry Kel, just think a bit about work too. Okay? And you better not quit soon, there aren't many good second-in-commands after you. Goodbye. Leave me and my beautiful wife alone." With that he started makin out with his wife. Kel looked at Dom, and they started making out too.

"Oy! What did I say! Me and my wife, not you and your girlfriend commander. Get! And get a room!"

"Wait, Kel!" Buri rushed over to whisper in Kel's ear "Do you have a charm? No? I have one for you." She walked over to a drawer in the table and scooped something up in her hand, fingers concealing the object. She gave it to Kel who handled it the same way. Dom and Raoul watched the exchange with interest.

"What was that?" Dom asked when they were outside.

"Oh. Just something that will help satisfy you, safely." She took Dom's hand and dragged him away, smiling lustly.