A/N: Weeeelll....I should be doing "Threads of Life," but I'm trying to get a plot sorted out...and its taking a while...This is going to be a short story about Kel and Dom...yes, my favorite couple. Seriously, why do people like Kel/Neal so much? He's engaged!! And no, it's not all fluff...it also has a plot...(as much plot as a one-shot can have)

It was a bright summer day, and the birds were chirping outside a window. A girl – woman of about twenty two or so blinked, then yawned and stretched. Looking at the light outside, she yelped and leaped out of bed.

"Goddess!! What am I doing sleeping in so late?" she said to herself. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan was to go to a celebration in the city of Corus today, and she had totally forgotten. 'Why hasn't anyone called me?' she wondered. She got dressed, then walked to her door and peeked outside.

"Hello?" she called. Her shout reverberated throughout the empty halls. "Shit," she muttered (A/N: Why is it that I can't swear, but I can make my characters swear?) She ran outside and down the long hill towards the stables of the King's Own where she kept her horse, Peachblossom. Quickly putting on his tack, she jumped on and galloped down to the stables. Once out of the stables, she saw people wandering down to the city for the celebration...the latecomers. She was one of them! For all the times for her to sleep in, it had to be today! She wondered what time it was, thinking that perhaps the parade was in progress. If it was, she would be in deep trouble with not only Raoul and her friends, but also the King. Even though she didn't particularly like him, she still respected him. She finally saw the King's Own area, and galloped over breathing hard. She saw Raoul, who turned, mirth crinkling up the sides of his eyes.

"Look who finally decided to show up!" he said as she rounded the corner and halted Peachblossom. Kel lowered her head, feeling slightly ashamed and said,

"I'm sorry m'lord, won't happen again." Once again, he laughed and replied,

"No worries, the parade hasn't started and for all of the functions I tried to get out of, you're entitled to one too!"

"But, m'lord!" she gasped. "I wasn't trying to get out of it...it just...happened." Raoul patted her back and she realized that he wasn't mad at her. Turning around, she saw Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle trotting towards her.

"So, the gallant lady finally decided to show up sir?" he directed the question at Raoul. Kel turned a faint shade of red and only the person who she least wanted to notice noticed.

"What's this?" he asked, "A fair lady is embarrassed? Who thought to see the day?" Dom laughed then turned serious, well as serious as a person related to Neal could possibly be. "How are you doing Kel? I haven't seen you around much."

"Well, I've been busy avoiding social functions...you know how I am," Kel finally joked. She relaxed a little and started talking to Dom as if nothing had happened. As she was looking at him, she realized how perfectly he filled his King's Own uniform and how he made her heart flutter at every little smile or gesture. 'I like him!' she thought. 'Well, I don't think I ever stopped in the first place, not even when I thought I was in love with Cleon.' Kel shook her head. All these thoughts did were to make her confused (A/N: somehow, that sentence doesn't sound right...) She realized that Dom was looking at her.

"A penny for you thoughts my lady?" he asked. She blushed and was about to shake her head when the horn started for the beginning of the parade, sparing her the embarrassment of having to think of an answer.

The parade started well, but unfortunately halfway through, a peal of thunder broke through the celebrations. Shortly thereafter, rain started pouring down, and chaos ensued. There were women screaming, babies crying and people scattering everywhere. Somehow through all of this, Kel was knocked off of Peachblossom and trampled into the mud. She looked up to see an ugly scar-faced man leering down at her through the torrents of rain. No- one could see her because of the rain and most people had gone inside anyway.

'What happened to everyone?' she thought. 'And who is this man?' She couldn't get a coherent thought through her brain and her head swam at her attempts to think.

"What is it sweety," the man crooned nastily. "Lost ya way? And what kinda girl dresses like a man? Trying to escape a husband. I can help ya wi' that." At the mans sickening smile, Kel's stomach lurched, but before anything else could happen, he roughly kicked her stomach. This made her head reel and she struggled to get up. He hit her roughly over the head.

"Now now, m'dear, you must obey your Uncle Ratty." He kicked and pushed her several more times before seeming to tire. Either that, or he wanted to get out of the rain. Kel was left in the mud washed streets, filthy, with salty tears intermingling with the rain washing down her cheeks. She couldn't get up, and despaired.

What seemed like hours later, she heard a horse galloping down the still rain-washed streets. She turned her head as much as she was able and saw a man on a horse marked with the Own.

"Kel!" she heard the man shout. She couldn't make out the identity of the voice through the noise of the rain, but she sighed. Whoever knew her by name and sight was surely a friend. The horse galloped up and the man jumped off, running towards her.

"Oh my god Kel! What did they do to you?" It was Dom. He ran up and dropped to his knees, taking Kel into his arms. Moving her made her head swim, but she managed a tentative smile.

He brushed back a piece of hair that was sticking to her sodden and filthy cheek.

"Sshh..." he murmured. "It's gonna be all right. We'll find out who did it." As Dom gazed into Kel's eyes, at that moment so innocent and unassuming, he realized that he loved her. Sure, it was a weird time, but to see her so weak after those many battles showed him that she wasn't a god, merely human. Kel's eyes looked back at his, and hazel locked with ice-blue. Suddenly, Dom's face was too close and Kel's breathing became harder. They were so close they could touch noses, and finally, his lips were on hers, gently caressing them. Kel's head swam again, but for a different reason this time.

In the rain they kissed, oblivious to their surroundings and both realized that they were with the person the wanted to be with for the rest of their lives. Dom broke away and gazed at Kel.

"I love you Kel," he said, and the sun came out and mingled with the rain. She smiled.

A/N: Okay, I had this really good idea, and I wanted to write it and get it up, so it's a little shorter and a little worse than first planned...why are all of my fics so serious? (yes I realize I have only written two...but that's beside the point.) Anyway, they kissed, so that's what matters ;)

Review review review!!! Yes, I know its just a one-shot, but reviews are still good, and while your at it, read my other story.