Okay so it is my last day on vacation in Colorado and half of you didn't know I went to Colorado so I spose it doesn't matter except for the fact that at the condo we're staying at, in Breckenridge, they have a really good computer. And since mine STILL has stupid retarded viruses on it I'm choosing to update now.

Oh yea I said I would post the drunken one and I will sooner or later honest. It will be funny. Just badger me if you want to read it right now or something.

I got three reviews last chapter and I appreciated them greatly. I recently(just today actually) found out that this story had been put under a C2 which I'm not exactly sure what those are but I'm glad because it is dedicated to "well written stories exploring romantic relationships between Kel and Neal." "Voyage of the KelNeal Ship" that is the name of it if you wanted to take a look at some of the other Kel Neal stories that are there. Okay well if you read this I'm surprised but I appreciate you reading my ramblings before my story(…I think) So now I will start.

Disclaimer: It saddens me to admit this but, Alas, I do not claim any ownership of anything that belongs to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 13

Gone

It was dark when Neal awoke, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. He hadn't known that his situation had exhausted him so much. He had dreamed about both Yuki and Kel. The dreams had made him ache inside. He had remembered all the good times he had, had with Yuki. He had also dreamed of Kel and only a faction of what had made him love her.

The dreams of Yuki, though, had given him a guilty knot in the pit of his stomach. He had treated her so terribly during their fight. He hadn't even allowed her to respond to his last statement. He had just slammed his door in her face.

Neal decided that Yuki at least deserved to have a final statement to. He had treated her horribly, and he also owed her an apology for his rash behavior. Neal wasn't going to go back to her, no matter what she said, but he owed her a calm explanation. He also owed her a chance to calmly respond.

With a sigh Neal got up from his bed and walked out of his rooms and into the hallway. It being so late, all the hallways and corridors on the way to Yuki's rooms were empty. When he arrived at Yuki's door he couldn't see the light of a candle under her door. Yuki usually stayed up late reading or writing to her family in the Yamani Islands, but Neal decided that she must also have been worn out from their argument.

In spite of the fact that he thought her asleep, Neal knocked on her door. When there was no response he knocked again. He couldn't let his apology wait until morning or Yuki might not want to listen. He tried to know a third time, but still got no response from the dark room.

Finally he tried the door; to his surprise it was unlocked. "Yuki?" he said pushing it open. Still receiving no response he called up a glowing green ball of magic, to illuminate the room.

It was completely empty. All of Yuki's things were gone. All the fancy fabrics from the Islands were gone, all the paintings, and antiques, nothing remained to show that someone had once lived in the rooms. When Neal walked into Yuki's bedchambers he found a small piece of parchment lying on the bed.

Thinking it a ransom note Neal rushed to the bed and picked up the note. Reading it quickly he almost dropped it in a mix of shock and horror. It wasn't a ransom note it was a note from Yuki:

If you are reading this I am gone. I do not want you to worry. I have not been kidnapped and there is no foul play in the reason that I am gone. I am leaving because I believe it is time I return home to my family. To my friends I will miss you and please write to me. To Neal, I am sorry things between us did not turn out as we would have wished. I am truly sorry that I hurt you while I was under the spell, and I hope that you find someone else who can love you how you wish to be loved. To Kel, Thank you for being a true friend, I won't forget you. Please tell Shinko I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but that it is something I must do.

With love,

Yuki

She wanted him to find someone else to love, even after he had been so horrible to her. Yuki didn't hate him for what he had said to her. She had gone back to the Islands, though. Neal knew it wasn't really to see her family it was because she needed to escape him, or the stress of seeing him.

Neal realized suddenly that he had to tell Kel. She needed to know. Yuki was one of her best friends and there was a part of the note addressed to her. It didn't matter if it was late Kel would want to see this. She would want to know as soon as possible.

Neal ran from Yuki's rooms in a mad dash for Kel's maybe Kel would be able to bring Yuki back. Maybe Yuki hadn't left to long ago. Neal didn't want to drive Yuki back to her home land just because he didn't love her the same way anymore.

A/N Yup very short and not that great I haven't written in a while so I'm kinda rusty and my left hand is starting to cramp up from such a little bit of typing it is shameful. I'm gonna go try to beat some money out of my older brother in poker. I hope you enjoyed this please review (I accept anonymous reviews so even if you don't have an accout you can review.) See you soon.

-Krissy-