" What were you getting?" Kel wanted to know. Neal flashed her a smile, and made a sign to show he wasn't telling. Kel scowled. * I hate secrets. Why is he doing this to me? He always does this. He's just waiting for me to crack.* " Ok." She muttered. "Fine. Don't tell me."

" Kel..." Neal whispered, his voice apologetic. " I didn't mean it that way."

Kel turned to look him in the eye. " Well Neal. It sounded that way." A stunned silence sat in the tense air between them. Numair stood in the stunned silence, obviously amused.

" If I may interrupt?" Breaking the silence, he was greeted with twin glares. " You should really be going."

" What did I say?" Neal wanted to know as they walked to the room where Numair would be doing the transportation spell.

" You and your damned cryptic smiles." Kel muttered back, so only he could hear. " It just gets a little annoying Neal."

" So I've found out." He murmured. " Look, I'm sorry, it's not like I do it on purpose." Kel glared.

" Will there be any after affects?" She asked Numair.

He smiled to himself. " No, there shouldn't be."

" SHOULDN'T be?" Neal asked incredulously. " You mean there COULD be?"

Numair opened his mouth, but Kel interrupted. " Oh, stop being such a worrywort Neal! We'll be fine!" Looking Numair in the eyes, she said simply, " Let's get this over with."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neal opened his eyes, disoriented. * Where the...Ahhh. Carthak.* His shirt and tunic were much to hot for the weather. He stood, and was still for a moment, trying to stop the spinning room.

The gentle rocking told him he was on a boat. He walked slowly to the armoir across the room, and pulled open the doors to find lightweight breeches and shirts. " Thank Mithros." He breathed, trading his heavy woolen breeches for the cotton ones. He pulled the little box out of the pocket, and put in one of the new breeches' pockets, buttoning it closed.

He discarded his shirt and tunic, and was trying to decide on a white, gold-trimmed shirt, or a crimson red shirt; when the door opened. He spun around, ready to block any attacks, or make one if nessacary. He heard a gasp.

" KEL?!?" He asked disbelieving. " Can't be you?" The girl nodded. " What?" Neal asked incredulously. He then relaized he didn't have a shirt on. * Idiot.* He cried mentally. Once he had his shirt on, he faced her.

Her hair was swept up in a bun. * I didn't know it was long enough to do that with.* tendrils escaped it, gently curling. She was wearing a white shift with a crimson surcoat with gold embroidery on it. She smiled at the look on his face.

" You clean up nice Queenscove."

Neal raised an eyebrow. " You do too." He nervously tried to straighten his collar. He had chosen to wear the red shirt. Kel saw he was only wrinkling the shirt, and swept over to help him.

" When it comes to clothes, you're a lost cause." SHe murmured to him, standing on her tiptoes. Neal smiled.

" But I've got you. So I'm good to go." Kel stepped back a little.

" Neal..." She said quietly.

" Kel don't." He realized if he wanted he could kiss her, but didn't push his luck. Closing his eyes, he commented, " Please. Before I do something we'll both regret." He kept his eyes closed until he heard the door click behind her, he never saw the hurt look in her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kel let out the breath she'd been holding when she got outside the door. * Why can't I make up my mind?!?* Sighing, she went to go stand at the helm with the rest of the Tortallan deligates.

She could see the harbor, and the Emperor Kaddar waiting.All of a sudden a hand rested on her shoulder. " Nervous?" Neal whispered.

Kel couldn't trust herself to answer, so she shook her head. * He might've regretted it, but I don't think I would've.* She thought obstinantly, making her small frown into her Yamani mask.