Dom ran his hands through his hair. What had he just heard? He was just walking by Lady Ahndraya's room, when he heard shouting. Most of the time it would be nothing out of the ordinary that a noble was shouting at their servant, but Dom knew Lady Ahndraya well enough now to know that she would not do that, especially to Zonta, who was a noble herself.

So what was happening?

"Keeping secrets may have worked for a while, but it must stop. It will just lead to more pain. Ignore the pain, and it goes away. That is what you seem to think. But you're wrong! If you ignore it, it will just come back stronger, and then it will be too late! You will be back home, and he really will have forgotten about you! Is that your answer?" He had heard Zonta say through the door.

He had heard Lady Ahndraya say something in Chatran. "You can, do it, Lady. And you must, you must." That was all he heard.

What had they been talking about? Who were they talking about? What were they talking about?

Dom rubbed his eyes. Maybe he should talk to her. Maybe he should tell her how he felt about her, just in case.

But how did he feel about her? A simple feeling was not possible. He had only known Lady Ahndraya for a few weeks, but he knew he felt something for her. But he did not think it was love. He knew what it was.

It was familiarity. Ahndraya reminded him of Kel. He could not lie to himself. She had so many similar attributes to Kel, that he found himself attracted to her.

But he could fool himself no longer. He did not feel love for Ahndraya. He only felt love for Kel, Ahndraya was just his own personal reincarnation of Kel.

There was nothing there for him.

-----

Kel paced her room. She had to think of a way to tell him. She had to come up with something. No matter how horrible she told herself something was, it was not as bad as losing Dom forever. She had to capture him back, while she still had a chance.

So why did that seem so difficult?

Zonta brought her breakfast again that morning. Kel had been awake all night, pacing her room, rolling around in her bed. She couldn't settle, she could only think.

"Have you a made a decision yet?" Zonta asked, handing Kel a piece of toast.

Kel nodded slowly. "I have," she said. "I have decided I am not going to tell him." Zonta frowned. "Yet." Kel added. "I am going to give it time. I promise, Zonta, that I will tell him before I leave."

Zonta sighed. "It is up to you," she said, "but I promise you, it can only get harder. Ignore the pain, Lady, and it will come back stronger."

Kel nodded and smiled weakly. "I know, Zonta. I won't let that happen, I just need more time to think."

"I will do it." She whispered to herself.

Kel saw Dom that night at dinner. "Evening," she said.

Dom smiled. "Good evening, Ahndraya." He said.

Kel smiled back at him, nervous. She hoped that she still had her skills with her Yamani lump face. She looked at Dom's face. He looked completely calm, smiling at her. Kel smiled. She had spent so long trying to remember what his face looked at, and now that she could see it, it seemed too perfect.

His smile was too broad, his eyes to bright. She couldn't bear to look at him. "Excuse me." She said, averting her eyes. Not waiting for his response, Kel swiftly stood up from the table and walked out of the room.

-----

"That was odd, she didn't even eat any dinner!" Neal said from farther down the table. "What did you say to her, Dom?"

Dom shrugged. "All I said was hello! Maybe you did something, Meathead!"

Neal frowned at him. "Shut up, Dom."

Fhire rolled her eyes. "Look, why doesn't someone just go talk to her?" She said. "I don't know about all of you, but I haven't eaten. Has anyone finished?" She looked at Dom.

He narrowed his eyes. "Fine," he said sighing. "I'll go." He stood up and skulked out of the room.

"Lady Ahndraya?" He called out when he reached the hall. There was no answer. He walked outside. "Ahndraya?" He called out again.

He ventured out further when he heard rustling. He found Ahndraya sitting on a bench deep in the gardens. He sat down beside her with a sigh.

"Are you alright?"

She smiled weakly. "I'm fine, thank you. I just needed some air. I felt a little sick to my stomach." She said.

"Ah." Dom nodded.

He glanced over at Ahndraya. She looked uneasy. "Are you sure you're alright?" Dom asked.

Ahndraya nodded, smiling. "Fine." She said.

"You know," Dom said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "I think you fit in really well here at Corus." Maybe he hadn't chosen them very well after all. "I mean- that's not what I meant."

Ahndraya put her hand on his arm. "I understand." She said, smiling.

"I know what it is now." He said.

She looked at him, puzzled. "Know what what is?"

"Why I am so attracted to you." He said calmly. Ahndraya blushed. "You remind me of Kel."

She nodded. "Your wife." She said calmly.

Dom looked at her. "You know of her?"

Ahndraya nodded, looking nervous. "Fhire told me. But please, do not be angry with her!"

Dom shrugged. "You remind me of Kel, and that's what it was. I knew I felt something." He didn't really know what he was saying any more. The words were spilling out of his mouth, pushing all of his thoughts and dreams towards her.

Ahndraya stood up. "I have to leave." She said.

"Again?"

She frowned. "This talk, it is unacceptable." She said.

Dom's face fell. Maybe he had interpreted wrong.

"I will not be told things like that. No woman wants to hear that, noble or not." She turned away.

Thoughts rushed through Dom's head as Ahndraya walked away. He had to do something fast. Ahndraya reminded him of Kel. Kel was gone, but he had promised himself that she was not dead.

Ahndraya. The thought of her sparked something in him. She reminded him of Kel. She was like Kel. She was Kel.

If Dom said something, he could ruin their friendship forever. But if he said nothing, he would never know, and he would take only Kel's memory to the grave.

"Kel!" He cried. Ahndraya stopped, but did not turn back to him.

"I am afraid that you have the wrong name, Dom."

He shook his head. "No, I don't. You are not real. You do not exist. You are something you have created."

Ahndraya turned around and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

Dom took a step towards her. "When were you born, Ahndraya? What are your parent's names? How old are they? What is your favourite colour?" He threw every personal question he could think of at her. She had to slip, she had to.

"March 3rd, Alexander and Helene, they are 59 and 55, respective respectively, and green. Does that answer your questions?" She said, frowning, her fists clenched.

Dom shook his head. "What was the name of your childhood best friend? The name of your first pet? What was the name of your first love, your first kiss?" He said, holding her at the shoulders now.

"You are scaring me, Dom. Please let me go."

"Answer me, Kel!" He said.

She began to cry. "Just let go of me!" She pushed him away and turned away from him, walking away quickly.

"Why did you not tell me, Kel?" He asked quietly.

Ahndraya stopped where she was.

-----

Kel closed her eyes. How had he done this? How would a normal woman with nothing to hide act in this situation? She told herself she would walk away, but she could not. Her feet remained firmly planted where they were.

"Why, Kel?" Dom repeated calmly.

Kel turned around and stood up straight. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Finally, she formed a sentence.

"Because then I would never be able to leave you again."

She then picked up her skirts and ran all the way back to her rooms, leaving Dom standing in the garden, dumbstruck.

"Lady Ahndraya, what is wrong?" Zonta said when Kel got back.

Kel shook her head, fighting back tears. "Just pack your things, Zonta." She said. "We do not wait for morning. We leave now. We will find a way home."

Zonta did not ask questions. She listened to Kel, and quickly packed all of her things. Kel finished packing quickly and checked the room.

She paused at the door. "Get the horses ready." She said to Zonta. "I will be down momentarily."

Zonta nodded and ran down the hallway.

As soon as the door was closed, Kel let the tears come. Seven years worth of tears flowed from Kel's eyes. Seven years of being alone. Seven years of pretending to be someone else. Seven years of never turning back. All of these tears flowed from her eyes at once.

There was a knock on the door. Kel immediately stopped crying and lay very still.

"Let me in!" Some one said. "I can hear you in there!" Dom's voice carried clearly through the door. He was shouting.

Kel let out a sob; she could not stop herself. She had it in her, and she could not stop it.

"Kel, please let me in." He said, calmly now. "Just let me see you."

Without her telling them to, Kel's feet carried her over to the door and she opened it.

Dom leapt at her and hugged her as soon as she did, almost knocking the wind out of her. "Mithros, Kel! I thought you were dead!" He said, crying.

Kel smiled through her tears. "I was." She whispered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ooh... this chapter made me cry too! All these past few chapters have made me cry.

Wake-Robin: Thank you!

FSI: I will, don't worry! I'm just on a roll here.

Laelai: Thanks! I am doing my best, don't worry!

Ossini: Err.. thank you!

Goddess Usagi: heehee... I am so evil about that...

Lady of Masbolle: I don't really know what it is. I just look at something and say, would I be willing to speak like this? If not, than I don't do it. Okay, and while I love your reviews, don't'cha think you should let some other people have some of my time? Wait a minute, no! Keep reviewing!

Keladry Sakura: thank you, that was perfect!

Enchantress Sun: uh... isn't it kind of obvious? Oh well, I can't blame you for not knowing...you didn't write the story, now did you?

Pinky: oops, sorry. Too late! Well, technically, it will still be suspense for the next chapter... but I am running out of things to say, and this was a really long story line, for me!

GrapeStarburst: that's cool... I understand. Nope, no war aimed in here. I was trying to figure it out today, but I couldn't find a way that I liked to put war into this specific story line, so I just left it out. Kel has seen enough war!

Well, I am finito.

"I bet the main reason the police keep people away from a plane crash is they don't want anybody walking in and lying down in the crash stuff, then, when somebody comes up, act like they just woke up and go, "What was THAT?!""

-unolimbo