A/N: Hey people! I'm back, again…and it hasn't even been a week yet! Isn't this great? Oh well…some of you thought that Kel was very OOC in the last chapter…with her crying and all…I'm sorry…but that's just the way I'm writing her, ok? Anyways…here's my next chapter…and Dom's here!!! Joy. Rapture. I think its time to celebrate. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I Own Nothing. Remember that now.

Kel's diary is in italics.

Flashbacks are bold.

Thoughts while in flashbacks are bold italics.

Everything else is just normal.

Got that?

Good.

Chapter 6: The Return of Dom

(cue the fanfare!!)

May 14, 461

Mithros, what am I going to do? Third Company of the Kings Own rode into Corus yesterday. I've missed Dom so much—his sense of humor, his smile…Goddess help me—I did not just say that. I hadn't had much of a chance to really talk to him in so many months, I had almost gotten accustomed to having him not there…and now he's back. When they rode into the courtyard that afternoon, I was there visiting Peachblossom and Dom waved and gave me that grin of his…and my heart gave this big flop. Bad heart. Stop doing that. He's not interested in me, anyway—never was and never will be. There's no point in getting a crush on him again…and I'd thought I was over him, too.

But that wasn't the worst thing that happened today—what happened at dinner was the worst. Over the last couple of days I've seen a lot of Darryn…we still haven't really had a decent conversation…but…without actually talking to him I've learned a lot about his personality…and he really is a great guy. The horrible thing happened while we were eating in the mess hall—Neal, Yuki, Tobe and myself—when Dom strolled in and sat down with us with that grin of his again. My evil heart flip-flopped (again) no matter what I had told it earlier…it evidently doesn't listen very well—since it disobeyed me and went flop again. Stupid heart of mine. I refuse to get a crush on him again. I'm done with crushes, boys, and all that goes with them. A few minutes later, Darryn walked in and my stupid heart had the audacity to go flop over him, too! Gods, is it really possible to have a crush on more than one person at the same time or is there really something wrong with me?

Now I understand how Neal used to be before he met Yuki—going from being hopelessly in love and despairing over one girl one week and then the next time we'd ask, he'd be completely over her and on to the next girl. It was funny, sometimes, to watch him. Now that I'm living it…it doesn't seem too funny any more. Oh Goddess—tell me I haven't gotten as fickle as Neal was!

Sometimes I wish I didn't just pretend to be stone—but that I really was stone—stones don't have to deal with emotions or feelings going riot inside them. It would be nice not to feel anything at all. Just nice, quiet, nothingness. The only cure I can think of for myself is to completely ignore Darryn and Dom and go on with my life. Yes. That will work. I'll just immerse myself in practice and Tobe…and just…forget all about them…It can't be that hard…can it?

Kel sighed and carefully put her diary away in the cupboard and left to go put her plan in action.

Hmmmm…now…where do I want to go where neither Darryn nor Dom would be? Wait! No. I'm not avoiding them…just ignoring them. There's a difference. Ok…so I don't need to think about them. Even better…now…where to go? I think I'll go visit Peachblossom…maybe take him out for a couple of passes on the quintain or something. Her internal discussion over, Kel smiled again and walked briskly toward the stables. She was so absorbed in brushing Peachblossom and putting his tack on that she didn't even notice when two people entered the stable. Only when they were getting close to the stall that she was occupying did she hear their voices. Her head snapped up and she listened to their conversation.

"…you know its good to be home, Neal, so why bother asking?" declared one voice while the other chuckled at him.

Kel froze. She knew those voices. Pressing close to Peachblossom's side and ducking her head to stay out of view she prayed that they wouldn't notice her. I'm not here. I don't exist. You don't see me. There's nothing of interest whatsoever in this stall… I'm not here…I'm not here…she said over and over again. So absorbed was she in this mental recital that she didn't realize that the voices outside had paused. The stall door swung open to reveal Neal and his cousin. They both gaped at the girl who was crouched by her horse, her eyes clenched tightly shut and muttering something over and over under her breath.

Finally, Dom broke the silence, "Uh…hi, Kel!" he said softly so as to not startle her. "We didn't know you were in here."

Shit. Kel opened her eyes and turned around. "Oh…hello Dom, Neal. Nice day, isn't it? Well, I'd best be going. Wouldn't want Peachblossom to bite anyone, would we?" she said quickly, leading her horse out of the stables.

"Kel….wait…" Dom started, grabbing her shoulder. She tensed, her body going rigid as she waited for him to let go. So much for ignoring him. "Are you okay? You don't seem to be…well…yourself today."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Dom. Don't worry about me," she said, looking at the ground. Thinking that this signaled the end of the conversation and that she was free to go, she turned to leave, but the same hand held her back.

"Say that to my face, Kel," commanded Dom.

She looked up, flinching at the hard look in his blue eyes. Taking a deep breath, she repeated, "I'm fine, Dom. Now leave me alone." Before anybody else could stop her, she turned on her heel and marched quickly out of the stables, Peachblossom turning around to give one rapid lunge at Neal, his favorite snack, before being tugged away.

The cousins looked at each other, and then back at the empty stable door. There was definitely something wrong, but what it was, exactly, neither could say. Quietly, they vowed to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering Kel, one way or another.

A/N: Tada! I'm finished with this part. I wasn't sure if I should stop here or not…but since I wanted to get this chapter out…and I really have NO clue what I'm going to do next…AND because I happen to LOVE cliff hangers…(and torturing readers)…I stopped here. Ok…usual request: what did you think? Good/Bad/Terrible/Fit Only For Burning/Reader Was Killed By This Chapter & Can Not Review….you know…one of those…. ^__^ Sorry its so short. I really am trying to make them longer. I kinda like short chapters, though…how's this…when you review…tell me whether you'd like shorter chapters more frequently…or would you be willing to wait two weeks or so between updates and have longer chapters?

Also: thanks very very much to Mea (aka The Flirt) for reading this chapter before I posted it…and for the comments and offer of herself as basis of a character's personality/conversations. What would I do without you?

One last request…PLEASE read my other story….Harry Potter and the Twilight Zone and tell me if it's worth continuing…because frankly…I won't write any more unless somebody out there reads it and tells me that it isn't pointless…and stupid….and not worth reading….heck...I don't care if you FLAME me….just give me some kind of indication that you read the darn thing, ok? Thanks!

Review!!! The Penguin begs you!

~ Erm the Penguin ~