Kel opened her eyes and immediately wished she could fall back asleep. Her heart still felt as if someone had torn it out. And her stomach--Kel lurched to the privy to be sick. She's never been ill before, but now in the mornings...she would have to see a healer soon.
"Kel!" Neal yelled through her door, "You need to eat!" Kel yanked her door open, staring at Neal through blooshot eyes. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?" Neal asked.
"I keep seeing him dying...I can't live with these dreams." Neal looked at his frieds with worried emerald eyes.
"Kel, I know it's hard, but you need to take care of yourself. Now, get dressed and we'll head down to breakfast."
"I'm not hungry."
"I don't care, get dressed." As soon as Neal shut her door, Kel returned to bed, staring at the ceiling. Half and candlemark later, Kel heard her door open, but paid it no attention. She felt strong arms haul her out of bed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked Alanna and Buri.
"Making sure you eat. If you don't want to get dressed, we'll do it for you." Kel only shurgged. The two older women looked at each other, the proceeded to stuff Kel into breeches and a tunic. Both Alanna and Buri grabbed Kel's arms, marching her to the mess. Neal was waiting for them, having already gotten Kel a bowl of porridge.
"Eat," he demanded. When Kel made no move to obey, he glared at her.
"You're being childish," Alanna accused.
"I'm not hungry!"
"Kel, you haven't eaten in two days! I'm worried about you," Neal said. Buri's arm wrapped around Kel's head, clamping down on her nose. When she opened her mouth to gasp for air, Alanna shoved a spoonful of porridge in. Coughing, Kel conceded, "Fine, I'll eat!" A few bites in, Kel paled and rushed from the room to be sick. Cool hands rested on her forehead as Neal's green magic rushed through her.
"Mithros!" he gasped, "Kel, you're with child!" Kel slid to her knees, tears falling down her face. Neal wrapped comforting arms around his best friend. This display of emotion unnerved him, he was used to Kel hiding behind her mask.
"What am I going to do? Dom's dead and I'm with child! I can't deal with this!"
"Shh...are you saying that your friends won't help? You know both Yuki and I will be there for you."
"I'll help too," Alanna interjected. She had followed Kel and Neal, watching them in silence.
"I'm not ready to be a single mother."
"You could always get rid of it..." Neal suggested quietly.
"NO! This is all I have left of Dom." Kel began crying again, she still had not gotten over his passing.
AN: I don't own the characters, they belong to Tamora Pierce....please R&R!