A/N: This chapter takes place almost a year and a half after the prologue. This fic, unlike the others, takes place at New Hope…Here it is!

Chapter One: Impossible Husbands

Kel sat in the window to her temporary quarters, rocking her sixteen-month old son in her arms as she awaited the arrival of her husband. Dom had received a month's leave from the Own, as a reward for his hard work and dedication. Knowing it would take him at least a week to travel back to Corus, Kel had then traveled north to meet him at the town of New Hope, which was not far from Third Company's Fort where Dom was stationed.

Kel herself had just gotten off of patrol duty in Southern Tortall, and after receiving Dom's note, she left with their son to meet him. Yuki, along with her daughter and fourteen-month old son, also accompanied her on the journey. Neal was also stationed in Northern Tortall, at a fort also near Third Company's. He and Dom would be arriving at New Hope together that night.

Kel had wanted to visit New Hope for sometime now, but then she got pregnant and had her baby, so this was the first visit she had made in about two years. Everyone was delighted to see her, especially with the baby in her arms. She was now sitting in her old rooms in headquarters, the place where they had given her to stay while visiting.

A young man, a couple of years younger than Kel, was the one to escort her and her son to their quarters. As Kel thanked him, he blushed and stumbled over a reply. Kel smiled as he awkwardly excused himself and walked quickly back to the stairway. Well, that's a new development…Kel chuckled to herself as she opened the door to her rooms.

As she rocked her son to sleep later that night, she looked out over the dark town. It was late, and not much was going on below that she could see from her second-story window. Smiling, she recalled memories of all the people she had seen again that day- Fanche, Loey, Meech, among many others. All the children had grown up so much in only two years, yet people like Fanche looked and acted as if she was gone for only a day.

Sighing, Kel looked once more towards the gates of New Hope, watching and listening for any signs of visitors. After waiting a few more minutes, however, she soon stood up, yawning. Walking into their son's small bedchamber, she tucked him in gently. Kissing his cheek, she then went and nestled into her own bed, her hand running over the empty space beside her as she eventually fell asleep.

"Oh perfect, the gate is closed," complained Neal, "Now what do we do?"

Dom rolled his eyes, "You Meathead, all we have to do is tell the guards to open it."

"Oh, right," said Neal sheepishly, "I'll just tell him who I am."

"Wait," said Dom. When Neal looked around at him, Dom grinned, "Don't you want them to let us in?"

Neal scowled, "Oh, shut your mouth, Dom."

"I'm just saying," Dom defended himself, chuckling all the while, "We may have a warmer welcome if you use a Scanran name."

It was Neal's turn to roll his eyes. "Very funny," he replied flatly, "But are we ever going to go in? I'm freezing, tired, and all I want to do is see my Blossom and two lovely children."

"Yeah, but do they want to see you?" asked Dom teasingly.

"Do you enjoy harassing me?" Neal asked.

"Yes," replied Dom truthfully. "I tease you because I like you so much, Meathead."

"Then you must like me a lot," muttered Neal.

Laughing, Dom spurred his horse on toward the gate and Neal soon caught up beside him.

It didn't take the two cousins long to unsaddle their horses inside the town's stable. When they were finished they both walked toward headquarters, where both of their families were staying.

Then, grinning, Dom told Neal, "I'll race you upstairs…loser has to bring both families breakfast in the morning…"

Eyeing Dom, Neal then accepted the stakes.

With that agreed, both men raced towards headquarters. Dom, reaching the door first, made sure to hinder his cousin's progress by closing the door behind him as he entered the building. Soon victorious, Dom stood by the door to his quarters as Neal came up the stairs behind him.

"I'd like a hot bowl of porridge in the morning, Meathead. Not too early, mind you," Dom teased the angry Neal.

He laughed as Neal entered a room not far down the hall from Dom and Kel's, mumbling to himself about insolent relatives and their tricks. Then Dom thought, as he watched his cousin disappear into his quarters, Now, that is opportune for a real trick. But he decided against any pranks for that night…he much rather wanted to spend it with Kel.

Walking into their quarters, Dom set down his travel packs and then headed into the small bedroom adjacent to the large sitting room, which he figured was where his son must be sleeping. His assumption was correct.

Rubbing his hand gently over the boy's head, Dom smiled. Everyone said that the young boy already looked a lot like him, but Dom also saw a lot of Kel in him.

Waking to his father's touch, the baby opened his eyes, and looking up at Dom, smiled. Dom chuckled.

As he admired their child, he heard the faint rustling of sheets coming from the other bedroom. Grinning, Dom told his son, "Go back to sleep, now. I have to go bother your mother." Then after kissing the top of his head and tucking the blanket tightly around him, Dom quietly left the room.

Crossing the sitting room, he then entered his and Kel's bedroom. Dom smiled as he watched Kel turning in her sleep. It can't get better than this, he thought, of coming home to both his wife and son.

He continued to watch Kel as she shifted under the covers, her hand ending up resting on his vacant pillow.

Smiling, Dom then walked over toward their wardrobe and opened it to put a few of his clothes away.

Hearing his movements, Kel slowly opened her eyes, and turning over onto her back, she sat up. After adjusting her eyes to the darkness, she recognized the familiar figure standing with his back to her.

"So, you'd rather unpack than say hello to your wife first?" she asked teasingly.

Dom, not hearing her wake, stopped and smiled. Then after he finished putting one of his shirts away, he turned around to look at Kel. Grinning, he replied, "I figured if I greeted you first, I would never get back to unpacking."

Kel chuckled sleepily. "You're probably right." Then she asked, "Why were you so late in getting here? I was beginning to worry that something had happened…"

Dom laughed softly, "Meathead happened. You, of all people, should now how long it takes him to pack and get moving."

Kel chuckled gently. "I guess I figured he'd be here by midday- seeing as how Yuki's here and all."

Dom smiled as he walked over to her side of the bed, where she sat. "Oh believe me, we would've been here at least an hour later if Neal hadn't paced our horses at such a quick speed. Then, when we got here, he literally raced up to his rooms to see his Blossom."

"But you didn't race up to see me?" smiled Kel.

Standing beside her, Dom said, "Are you kidding? I beat him up the stairs…and earned free breakfast service in the morning because of it."

They both laughed, before Kel joked, "I hope you didn't do it just to beat Neal and win you're little prize…"

Dom gave her one of his heart-warming smiles. "Of course not, Kel. I wanted to race up here anyway to see my son…and you, of course," he added lightheartedly.

Then he leaned down, their eyes meeting as Dom told her roughly, "And I also wanted to do this…" And he kissed her lips soundly.

Noticing that Dom was practically bent in half as he tried to kiss her, still seated on the bed, Kel then shifted herself up onto her knees. She then wrapped her arms around his neck as her new position also allowed Dom to pull her tightly against him, one hand cradling the back of her head, as they both leaned into the kiss.

Still having to bend over too far, Dom then rested one of his knees on the bed, his hand burrowing into her hair as he did so.

Then, slowly, they fell back onto the bed together, their lips still locked.

When they eventually pulled apart, Kel told him, slightly breathless, "You'd better get ready for bed, Dom."

He grinned. "I thought you were already helping me with that…"

Kel raised her eyebrows at him and shoved him slightly, also grinning. "Have I told you that you're impossible?"

"Many times," he replied, eyes glittering. Then he got up to do as she suggested. Watching him, Kel smiled. As he removed his shirt, however, Kel squinted in the dim light to see a fresh scar running along the length of his left shoulder.

Seeing where her gaze lingered, he told her, "Don't worry, Mother, Third Company and I just came across some bandits and one of them happened to get in a lucky swing."

"Why didn't you tell me in your letters?" Kel asked, watching as he walked over to the bed.

Dom grinned and replied, "Knowing you, you'd probably hunt down the bandits yourself, and besides, if I wrote to you about all the scars and scratches I accumulate on duty, my letters would be pages long."

Kel laughed, "And mine would be even longer."

Dom slipped in next to her, and sitting up, he looked over at her and asked, "Are you claiming that you have more scars than I do?"

Kel shrugged, grinning, "It's possible…"

"There's only one way to find out then- and that's to count 'em," said Dom, grinning roguishly as he reached for the hem of her nightshirt.

"Dom!" Kel whispered loudly, shoving him away.

"Ow! Did you have to hit my shoulder?" Dom asked mock-dramatically, clutching his left shoulder as he lay back on the bed.

Kel laughed softly, propping herself up on her elbow, "I didn't even touch your shoulder, you Player. You just want me to fuss all over you like some court lady."

Dom grinned up at her, "Is it working?"

"No," replied Kel, laughing again.

Sighing exaggeratedly, Dom said, "You wound me, my dear."

Rolling her eyes, Kel said, "What do I have to do to make you stop sounding like Neal?"

Eyes twinkling, he replied, "I'm sure you can think of something."

Seeing the familiar gleam in his eyes, Kel smiled. Then leaning over him, she gently kissed the bare skin of his injured shoulder. "How is that?" she asked when she lifted her head to look at him.

"Very nice," he replied, grinning into her hazel eyes above his blue ones. His grin grew wider as he added, "There are a few other places that need that same attention, however."

"Oh really?" Kel asked, amused. "And where would those be?"

"Well another bandit also punched me here," he said, pointing to his cheek. Kel responded by kissing the spot he indicated.

"And another one got me on the jaw," Dom added, grinning as Kel raised her eyebrows at him.

"It seems as though you need to work on your fighting skills, captain," she said. However, she did not hesitate to lower her lips to his jaw, where she left a series of small kisses. "Anywhere else where you failed to defend yourself?" asked Kel, chuckling.

His immediate response was to then point to his lips.

"A bandit punched you in the mouth also?" she asked skeptically.

"No, but it's cold up here and my lips got chapped…and very lonely." His eyes sparkled with familiar mischief.

"Are you trying to take advantage of my hospitality, Domitan of Masbolle?"

Hearing her laughter, he explained wickedly, "I'm definitely trying to take advantage of something here."

Kel laughed softly, "You are impossible."

Then she tenderly covered his mouth with her own as they both responded to the kiss. It wasn't long before Dom, with Kel held strongly in his arms, shifted so that Kel was then lying beneath him.

Smiling as they parted, Kel said lightheartedly, "Apparently you aren't too beaten up…"

She ran her hand gently through his hair as he again grinned and lowered his mouth to meet hers…

A/N: Well, how was that for some initial fluff? Lol. There will plenty more, I assure you. In the next chapter we'll see if Meathead adheres to the bet and brings everyone breakfast… :D. He should be thrilled lol.