(A/N: Okay guys, look, I updated! Since Spring Break is coming up, expect

more frequent updates…also look for the very special Tobe/Loey fic! I actually haven't decided on a title yet…you guys can help me out with that…

In the beginning, here, just imagine Neal as being a bit hung over. Poor baby. I guess that's what happens when you dive into Death to save your best friend.

Also, I really don't like the dialogue when Neal gets in a catfight with…well…you'll see, but I'm just leaving it the way 'tis so I can update this ASAP. I might revise it later. -

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tammy cept the plot, etc. etc. Is this really necessary?)

Neal was first aware of light—glaring, obnoxious light, shining through his closed lids and calling him back from unconsciousness. Every muscle in his body ached. Opening his eyes slowly, he was immediately hit with a pounding headache. Needless to say, he shut them again. "Errrgh…" he groaned, eyes still closed, cursing the sunlight that shone so cheerily in through the inconveniently placed windows in the infirmary. Damned sunshine. Damned cheeriness.

"'Errgh' is right," retorted a sharp voice. Neal wrenched his eyelids open and sat up, ignoring the swamping pain centering on his sinuses. He shaded his face from the sunlight, hoping that it was Kel that sat at his bedside and expecting perhaps to look into her long-lashed hazel eyes. Instead, he met the harsh cerulean ones of a very pale Merric. Neal winced and prepared himself for the worst. Sure enough, Merric didn't let him down.

"What were you DOING?" he demanded. "Are you some kind of—idiot that doesn't know how to STOP himself from doing INCREDIBLY STUPID THINGS?" He took a breath, then continued his tirade. "Do you have ANY IDEA what it was like to come in here and find my two BEST FRIENDS DEAD in each others' ARMS?! DO YOU?!"

Neal opened his mouth for a minute, then closed it again, noticing that despite Merric's apparent rage, his cheeks were ashen and his eyes looked haunted. "Merric…I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean…"

Merric, panting, looked slightly sheepish after finishing his rant. "Well…that's all right, I suppose," he said finally. "Just don't scare me like that again. EVER."

Neal grinned shakily. "Agreed." He levered his aching body off the edge of the cot, stretching in his chair. "How long was I out?" he asked, wincing as his spine cracked.

"I'm not sure," came the reply. "It was nearly dusk when I came in and found you and Kel…"

Memory hit Neal in the stomach like an errant lance manned by Raoul of Goldenlake. "Kel…where is she?" he asked, panicked, suddenly realizing that the cot that had held Kel was empty. "She didn't…die, did she?" His head swam as he considered the possibility.

Merric's eyes cleared. "No," he said, laughing slightly at Neal's wild, fearful expression. "No," he said again, "She's in there." He pointed to the door that separated Neal's office from the rest of the infirmary. In response to Neal's odd, querying look, he said, "Lady Alanna's working on her in there. She thought they'd have more privacy if—"

"Lady Alanna? But—why? How?" Neal asked, utterly perplexed.

Merric grinned and ran a hand over his curls self-consciously. "I kind of went crazy when I found you two…you know…so I told the first person I saw to summon Lady Alanna. "I thought, well, she IS the most powerful healer I know of…"

Neal rolled his eyes. "Great. My former knight-master gets to be present for my very own death and rebirth. I'm sure she'll be terribly pleased with me."

Merric cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, she won't chide you too badly, I'm sure…after all, you did save the realm's second Lady Knight; she has to hold that in some esteem."

Neal shook his head mournfully. "You'll be lucky to find me hanging on to life by a thread after she's through with me," he said, getting up rather unsteadily to head toward the office.

"I wouldn't go in there just yet," Merric called after him. "Lady Alanna doesn't like to be distracted."

Neal pointedly ignored him, continuing on his wobbly way toward the door. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you," Merric muttered darkly.

---

Lady Alanna of Trebond and Olau, Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, and Domitan of Masbolle sat grouped around a cot with the sleeping Kel. Lady Alanna shone dimly with purple fire, one hand placed on Kel's forehead. "There," she said finally, leaning back. "I've burned out the infection. She should be fine." She stood up, legs gone stiff.

Raoul grinned shakily. "That's a load off my shoulders."

Dom stretched and cricked his neck. "What about Neal?" he asked, remembering the stubborn cousin who had lain so protectively over his best friend, even in their "deaths".

Alanna rolled her eyes. "I took a look at the idiot boy on our way in. He'll be fine, apart from some minor aches."

A voice sounded from the half-open door. "You only call them minor because you can't feel them," Neal drawled with a grimace. "Plus, why am I an 'idiot boy', as you so eloquently put it?"

Alanna whirled, eyes flashing, as Neal suddenly realized he'd given her the perfect opening. Sure enough, she took it.

"I referred to you as IDIOT BOY because that is EXACTLY what you are!" she yelled. Raoul's eyes darted to the sleeping Kel, and he and Dom immediately leapt up and tried to shush Alanna. "Get OFF of me, you IMBECILES!" They sat back down again. She continued, voice slightly—very slightly—softer, "What were you thinking? You can't just—just—treat death like a PLAYTHING! It's DEATH, for gods' sakes! You could have killed yourself AND Kel!"

Neal felt his temper rising slightly. "Might I remind you that Kel was already DEAD when I went in after her?" he asked, voice clipped from the effort of restraining his anger. "Or did Dom forget to mention that part?" Dom looked sheepish. "So you're suggesting that I should have just sat around humming a happy little tune whilst my, oh, best friend in the realm, died before my very eyes? Why, what a brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of that!" Bitter sarcasm crept into Neal's voice, and he stopped before he could anger Alanna any further. As it was, he wouldn't have been surprised to see acrid smoke creeping out from beneath her flame-red hair.

"Do NOT take that tone with me, boy," she hissed at him.

Neal snapped. "I will take whatever tone I WISH, Lady ALANNA," he hissed right back at her. "Oh, by the way, while you were preaching to me, did you stop to consider that you did the EXACT SAME DEED with PRINCE JONATHAN?"

Alanna looked faintly dumbstruck before pulling herself together and replying, "That was completely different. We had the GODDESS on our side, while you, you didn't even have the god of—"

"But we did," Neal interrupted. "Or were you so high and mighty that you didn't even stop to consider that even us lowly MALE knights can be aided by gods?"

She clearly didn't believe him. "Really," she said. "Which god would that be, then? The god of stupid actions? The god of, oh, I don't know, idiots? Take your pick!"

Neal was caught for a second. Who HAD that mysterious voice belonged to, anyway? As he frantically racked his memories, he stammered, "Ermm…"

"I knew it," Alanna scoffed. "More likely aided with spit and a fat lot of luck than a god—"

Suddenly, Neal felt an epiphany springing on him. Of course—hadn't their encounter with Irnai the seer girl three years past taught him anything? He recognized the voice now as the Chamber of the Ordeal. No wonder it had aided him—it was sort of Kel's patron god, after all, if you could call it that…it had aided her in the capture of Blayce, anyway…

"Try the Chamber of the Ordeal," Neal said triumphantly. He enjoyed the look of astonishment dawning in the redhead's eyes, not to mention the jaw-dropped expressions of Dom and Raoul sitting in the chairs beside her. "Oh, didn't Kel mention her little stint with the Chamber a few years ago? It put her on the quest to find Blayce. Guess it wasn't through with us, eh, Alanna?" He smirked at her. He'd show Alanna to jump down his throat!

"Well—" she said. "Well—I suppose—that's a bit different, if the CHAMBER—gods know I've never heard of—" Turning a bit crimson, she nodded finally. "Fine. Well. That still doesn't make it much better."

"He did save Kel," Dom pointed out pertly. "Without much consequence on his part, it seems."

Alanna nodded grudgingly. "I suppose…"

Raoul cut in. "Of course, that doesn't give Neal leave to go playing the Black God whenever he wishes…"

"Which I have NO intention of doing," Neal retorted. "This was a one-time thing, and only to save Kel."

"Fine," Dom said, clearly glad to get off the subject. "Alanna, you agree that Neal did right in saving Kel…" Alanna nodded again, eyes slightly narrowed. "And Neal, you agree never to do something THAT idiotic again." Neal frowned at the choice of words, but nodded anyway.

That through with, Neal pulled up a chair and plopped down in it. Alanna sat down as well. "So, how's she doing?" he asked, trying to get a better look at Kel.

"She should be fine. I burned off most of the infection. She just needs to sleep for a while, to give her body a chance to rest," Alanna replied.

"I'll keep vigil," Neal volunteered. "You know, so that someone will be there when she wakes."

Alanna looked ready to argue again, but resigned herself to saying, "Fine, but as soon as you feel yourself tiring, let one of us know. Don't forget that she isn't the only one who died."

"Fair enough," Neal replied, and settled himself more comfortably in the hard wooden chair.

Alanna, Raoul, and Dom got up, with only Dom looking over his shoulder at the cot as they exited the too-small room.

Neal leaned back in his chair, studying Kel's sleeping face. The color had returned to her cheeks and lips, and she looked healthier. He felt a wave of relief wash over him gently.

It would be a long wait, but he was willing to wait it out, to be there when she awoke.

(A/N: I know, I know what you alllll are thinking. Well, most of you. "WHEN THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO GET TO THE GOOD STUFF! THE PART WHEN NEAL AND KEL INTERACT! COME ON WOMAN!"

My answer to that is—okay, okay, keep your pants (skirts) on!

And review.)