Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Tammy. Although I wish I owned Dom..

Dom's POV

I did mean what I said. I really think I love her. Kel is so beautiful not just on the outside. She radiates kindness and energy. She's so oblivious to my feelings towards her. For the moment, I think I'll keep it that way.

"I guess you're right" But she isn't.

Dom couldn't eat with her right there. He sat there looking at her. Kel kept obscuring his thoughts. Dom's eyes had love in them and she didn't even notice.

After lunch, Dom was in his rooms thinking whether to tell Kel about his feelings toward her when he heard knocking. Quickly, he opened the door.

"You must go to the Great Hall. Lord Raoul requests all of 3rd Company to be there" The messenger stated importantly.

"Do you know what's going on?" Dom asked, concerned.

"No sir, but must be pretty important judging by My Lord's tone when he told me to tell you"

"Thank you." Dom answered tersely.

The messenger left. Dom started off towards the Great Hall. If we have to leave tonight, I won't be able to tell Kel about my feelings toward her. All right then, I'll tell her right after the meeting is over. It's decided.

Dom entered the Great Hall and was greeted by Quasim.

"Do you know what's going on?" Quasim inquired

"No idea. But it must be pretty important." Dom answered

"Yeah, it should. Raoul wouldn't get away from Buri for something that wasn't important." Quasim said Dom grinned.

"Attention please" Raoul started, "I have some really urgent information, and I will get right to the point. A surprise attack was placed on Fort Mastiff. Nobody is alive. There were fifteen or twenty of those metal creatures. We're not sure if anybody survived. We will leave tomorrow morning to help. The wedding will be postponed." The last part Raoul said with a break in his voice. "You are dismissed"

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That night, Dom decided to finally do it. Tell Kel his feelings about her. However she reacts, it's her problem, at least now she will know.

Dom silently walks up to Kel's rooms. He knocks. Deep breath, shoulders back, stop sweating. Kel opens the door. Gods, she's beautiful. "Hello Kel. Can I come in?"

"Sure Dom, it would be nice to talk to someone who doesn't lick himself." Kel looked at Jump.

Dom grinned. It was now or never. "Kel, I have something really important to say to you. I love you." Dom walked over to her and kissed her lightly on the lips. He noticed she didn't pull away, and maybe even kissed back. "I have loved you ever since I worked with you in Haven. I was hoping we could be more than just friends. You are a great commander." Dom continued. Seeing the stunned look on Kel's face, he started to the door. Oh well. At least now she knows.

"Wait Dom, I love you too" Kel called after him.

"You do?" Dom answered dumbly. "Yes. I do" Kel said.

Dom walked back to her. And kissed her, this time with more confidence. She kissed back. They sat there just holding each other and enjoying each other's company. Then Dom remembered that he was leaving in the morning. "Kel, I can't stay here. I'm leaving in the morning. There was a huge surprise attack on Fort Mastiff. Almost everybody there died. There were fifteen to twenty of those metal machines."

"But I killed the Nothing Man," Kel protested. "Where did they get those machines?"

"Those must be the remaining machines, as for them to say that 'we haven't lost yet'" Dom suggested. "I should get going now. Good bye Kel"

They exchanged one last kiss and Dom left.

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While 3rd Company was riding to Fort Mastiff, Dom thought. I am really lucky to have Kel as a lover. Maybe even one day I could get married to her. I would be the happiest man alive. I love her so much.

Finally they arrived at Fort Mastiff. It was a mess. Some people who were already there, who didn't die, were cleaning up, and burying bodies. 3rd Company started helping. Raoul walked up to one person and started questioning him. "What is your name?" Raoul asked

"Harlan m'lord."

"How did this happen?" Raoul gestured to the fallen bodies and the mess.

"Can't rightly tell you sir. We was all getting' ready for bed, when them machines came. They was all over the place killin' everyone. Killed my own wife. I'm still mourning. Loved her so much. But, she died fighting." Harlan replied.

"We're all very sorry for your loss. Hold on, what was that?" Lord Raoul heard a noise. A sort of scratching. Then, at least 10 of those metal creatures came out of nowhere. Dom's first thought was, where do they get them? The Nothing Man was killed. He forgot about that, because two of the metal things were advancing upon him at the same time. Gods let me live through this, he prayed. Then he had to fight.

The monsters' great, metal jaws were crunching mercilessly. They were flailing their monstrous paws, and trying to charge Dom. Dom managed to kill one of the creatures by puncturing it with his war hammer. The other one kept attacking him. It was throwing out it's arms and legs, and tossing it's head. Plus, it kept trying to bite him. One of the bites actually hurt Dom. The monster bit him in the arm, and Dom was losing blood fast. One last blow to Dom's head, and he almost blacked out. In one last attempt to kill the thing, Dom threw his war hammer at it, and it died. At the same time, Dom blacked out.

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Haha. Cliffy!!