Hello my reader and reviewers. This only took like two weeks right? No? Oh, well at least I got it up right and you can thank Sarah for that.

A big humongous thank you goes out to SarahE7191, again, who is my Beta for this story and What You Let Go Part 2. And who also runs the C2 Community Kel Kicked Out which I am a staff member. Go on and check it out there are tons of stories on there. Also check out my other stories and leave reviews for them.

Check out my other stories and leaves reviews for them, I'm starving for reviews. And somebody take up the challenge please I don't want to have to write three stories at once. I have another challenge to but this one is just a short one shot. I'll post it separately.

Oh, and another thing…

As of right now this story has had 1,524 hits, granted about 50 of them are mine, and only 37 reviews. Please, please, please leave me some nice reviews. I appreciate the ones I've gotten. But don't make the nice author beg anymore, I need the reviews to survive. that was a little drastic but I think I made my point.

Bookworm1992: thanks so much. I was worried I would make her seem weird but I'm glad you liked it.

SarahE7191: I'm glad you still review; It makes me happy to know you like it that much. And I'd never update a chapter without your expert advice so no worry there.

bookworm.amm: thanks for the review on the demanded review… Yah that make sense right? don't look at me like that

schmofela: I got another chapter but it wasn't to quick. At least it didn't take as long as last time. You can thank Sarah for that

abyssgirl: Oh yes poor handsome Dom. But he has my shoulder to cry on… sigh….

wastxd1syphony: I like the epic love story thing to. I'm thinking of playing with Dom's poor lovers' heart but that would be too cruel. You'll just have to wait and see.

Mrs. Dom Massbolle: I can't get them together yet cause then the story would have to end. But we all know it'll happen so hang in there.

Lady Azkaban: Here's an update, hope you enjoy.

rapidishponyta: Wow, I mean wow. Comparing me to Tamora? That's the second time that's happened. pokes inflating head with pin

Pie of Doomeh: Thanks, I'll have to check out your story and give you a review for it. You're such a faithful reviewer I'd hate for one of your stories to not be reviewed. Is it under your name or Lady Mystique's?

Cheeseycraziness: You caught me, I spelled it both ways I'm ashamed. Anyway, please forgive me, I mean loves not worth it if you don't have to fight, right?

doms celestial artemis: I love cherries so I hope I still get one even though this took awhile. I'm glad you like my stories enough to reread them all, BTW, how long did that take?!?

Starzgirl: Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Here's another chapter to enjoy.

purple smurfs r real: Sorry I denied you more but absence makes the heart grow stronger, or something like that.

Dom leaned against the wall, discreetly watching Kel and the children of the camp go through their morning spear exercises. You'd never know she had been kissing someone last night, he thought bitterly as he looked at her calm face. Dom shifted guiltily on his feet for thinking like that, for all he knew it was just a kiss and Kel was a woman, she could do what she wanted. Kel called out a last cadence to her young fighters, the butt of the staff she was using hitting the ground as she counted. A lanky youth jogged up to Kel and whispered something in her ear. Kel nodded back at him and smiled before turning back to her group, never having stopped calling out the beat.

"Good," Kel told them "We're done for the day. If you get a chance between chores later, I want you to get those spears sharpened. Now go clean up and get some breakfast." she ordered. Kel handed her staff to Tobe before following the youth from the yard. Dom shrank back against the building and waited for her to pass before stepping out. Tobe was joking with his friends while they tidied up the small yard.

As soon as Dom stepped into the yard Tobe saw him. His young face lit up and he ran over to Dom. "Sergeant Dom I knew you were here, I talked with your horse last night in the stable." When he got to Dom, Tobe gave him a strong hug around the middle. Dom patted Tobe's head and chuckled. "Have you talked to Lady Kel yet?" Tobe asked him eagerly as he pulled away and shouldered the spear and staff.

"No I haven't. I wanted to talk with you first." Dom said. He looked around the yard and saw that people used it to cross to the kitchens and that there wouldn't be much privacy here. "Perhaps somewhere else." Dom suggested.

Tobe looked around confused but shrugged his shoulders. "I have to go put these away first." he said lifting up the weapons.

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Kel followed the youth to the open area in front of the gate where a young knight was standing next to his horse talking with Lord Wyldon and petting Jump. Behind him were around fifty foot soldiers dressed expertly to resemble craftsmen. They milled about the yard talking with each other and leaning against wagons carrying their supplies. Kel walked up to the knight and Wyldon. When she reached them the knight looked up at her, his brown eyes laughing and his equally brown curls sticking out from under his helm plastered to his head with sweat.

Owen caught Kel in his arms and swung her around twice before setting her back on the ground. "Kel look." He said pointing to the crest on his chest. "I'm a knight, Kel, a knight!" Kel looked at him shocked and he pulled her into a hug. "I was so scared when I went into the chamber, but I didn't speak and I passed. When I was knighted… god's that was a wonderful moment." Owen's face was lit up with the memory. "Isn't it jolly that my first assignment is here with you?"

Kel looked at Wyldon who was holding back his laughter unsuccessfully. "Yes Keladry isn't it jolly." He told her.

Kel balked at Wyldon's mirth. She was willing to take the new Wyldon in stride but this might be too much for her. Instead of dwelling on it she turned back to Owen. "I'm so glad you'll be here for this. I need every fighter I can get as well as all my friends. Come with me, I'll show you where you can put your things." As they were walking away, Owen talking excitedly about what he had done since they had last seen each other; Kel looked back over her shoulder at Wyldon. A faint smile still lingered on his thin lips. When he saw her looked at him the turned to talk with the men still standing there, whom Kel had completely forgotten in her desire to get as far from him as possible.

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Dom followed Tobe to Kel's rooms and waited respectfully outside while Tobe put the weapons away and changed out of his dusty sweaty practice clothes. Then they walked side by side to the stables talking idly. When they entered Dom looked around at the number of people inside and raised an eyebrow at Tobe. Tobe just motioned with his hand and kept walking. As he walked by a horse head stuck out of each stall and Tobe took his time to talk with each one, stroking its neck and if something was wrong calling one of the hostlers over to take care of it. Dom shook his head in amazed at how much Tobe reminded him of Kel who did the same thing with the citizens of New Hope. They finally exited the stable and Tobe continued on to a small covered hay barn beyond.

Dom followed Tobe in and was surprised to see not hay as he had expected but a crude table, four chairs, and a bookshelf with small trinkets like polished rocks and knots of wood on it. Dom looked around then at his host. Tobe blushed, "This is where me, Loey, Gydo, Irnai, Keon, and Meech play."

Dom nodded his head in understanding and sat down in one of the chairs opposite of where Tobe sat. "I wanted to talk to you about Kel." he said bluntly to Tobe. Tobe's eyes widened but he didn't say anything so Dom continued. "I ...we were wondering why she had been acting so odd lately." Dom said feeling bad for lying to the trusting boy. "We, that is, Neal and I, noticed that she seemed distracted last night after she left the fire. Neal thinks she is really sick and is wondering if maybe she should be sent back to Corus to see his father. We'd hate for that to happen though, since she's needed around here." Dom looked at Tobe imploringly. "Unless you know if there is a reason she might have been acting like that."

Tobe got up from his seat and closed the shutters then sat back down. "I maybe know something." Tobe confessed but stopped short of saying anything else.

Dom knew he had to say the right thing to Tobe so he could get the information he wanted. "Neal's right isn't he." Dom said half getting up from his seat. "I'll go tell Lord Wyldon, we need to get her out of here as fast as we can."

Tobe stood up shocked. "No." he said holding out a hand to stop Dom. "It's nothing really, I just… last night…by the fire." Tobe began haltingly. Dom sat down and waited for him to say what he needed to. "One of the soldiers from the Own kissed Lady Kel." He looked at Dom guiltily through his bangs. "My Lady didn't expect him to do it though and she was surprised." Tobe swallowed loudly and clenched his sweaty hands together. "She's not sick or anything."

"Is she courting him?" Dom asked.

Tobe shook his head no. "I've never seen him before so when Lady Kel and him walked away after, I followed. They went to the corral so I had a mare, Cricket; help me listen to what they said."

"And what did they say?" Dom prodded when he stopped.

"Tobe shrugged his shoulders again. "Lady Kel told him she didn't like him and that she didn't mean for it to seem like that. Then he went on about Lady Kel going to have a love like in story books and bard songs. Then they said they would still be friends and he left. After that Lady Kel went to bed. She didn't say anything to me when I came in so I'm sure there wasn't anything wrong."

"Could you point the man out to me?" Dom asked.

Tobe nodded. "But please don't tell Lady Kel I spied on her." he pleaded.

Dom stood up and held out his hand for Tobe to shake. Tobe stood up and took his hand, Dom shook it and smiled. "You did the right thing Tobe and not a word of our meeting will pass from my lips." Dom turned and opened the door. "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

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The first thing Dom saw when he and Tobe entered the mess hall was Kel. His eyes were magnetically drawn to her and he could almost see a glow around her. Even with all the colors and people packed into the benches she was the center of the room. Dom watched her as he stood in line. She was talking with the man sitting across from her, it took Dom a moment to realize that it was Squire Owen all grown up and recently knighted. Several men from Dom's old squad, Merric, and Lord Raoul sat with them. Dom took his tray from a stack and turned his attention to Tobe. "Can you point out the man?" he asked quietly.

Tobe looked around the hall discretely his brows knit together in contemplation. His eyes went over each face at each table until he saw the one he was looking for. "There." Tobe said to Dom. "He's at Lady Kel's table, on the opposite side of her, fifth in."

Dom's eyes snapped back to the table and counted the heads of four people, when he got to the fifth his eyes narrowed. Emmit, he thought, I can't believe its Emmit. It doesn't matter anyway, Dom told himself, Kel told him she didn't like him.

After his tray had been loaded with food Dom straightened his back, put a smile on his face, and walked over to Kel's table. When he reached it he set his tray down in the spot beside Owen. "Is this space taken?" He asked looking at Kel. She choked on the fig she had just eaten and began to cough.

"Dom," she exclaimed between coughs. "When did you get here?"

Dom filled her cup from a pitcher of water from the table and pushed it into her hand. "Late last night." he told her. "I slept in this morning, just woke up."

"You got here sooner than I thought you would." Raoul commented a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"The weather was good." Dom said simply before tucking into the meal before him.

"So, Dom, do you miss being our sergeant?" Wolset asked him grinning.

"I'd say yes but I don't want to let it go to your heads." Dom told him and the rest of his old squad who was sitting at the table. They chuckled and Dom asked them what had transpired while he was gone.

Kel watched Dom and completely forgot about eating. Her heart was still thumping in her chest from her first sight of him. Every time he smiled at her Kel's breath caught in her throat and her pulse quickened. She knew the feeling well; it was the same every time she saw him after being apart for so long. Kel had hoped she would grow out of this crush over the last year but apparently she wasn't going to be so lucky.

Kel stood and picked her full tray from the table. "I'm off to go meet with Saefas to figure out which strand of trees to cut down for the new buildings."

Dom stood up quickly. "I'll go with you." Owen looked at him, his eyebrows raised. "I want to see how the building is coming along." he explained. "If I'm going to protect it I'd like to know what it is."

Kel smiled at him. "I hope you won't mind getting your boots dirty."

"That's the way I like them." Dom replied following her to the dishwashers. They deposited their trays then headed out into the midmorning sun.

"You sure have been busy since I came through here last." Dom commented.

Kel looked around her. "The last time you were here was right after Raoul's wedding wasn't it?" she asked knowing full well down to the date when he had left. Dom nodded and they continued to walk in silence. "So, did you hear they turned New Hope into a fief and made me the baroness?" Kel asked trying to break the silence.

Dom stopped and looked at her shocked. "That's great Kel." He told her. "I'm happy for you." He smiled at the uncertain look that flitted across her face.

"Raoul says I have to get married now." she told him jokingly.

Dom's heart jumped into his throat. The words almost spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Oh." he said lamely, kicking himself for sounding so stupid.

Kel looked at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering at his reaction. "You're promotion was big news to me too. I mean wow, second in command of the entire Kings Own." She said trying to change the subject.

"Neal says it was a mistake. They meant to give someone else the promotion but gave it to me by mistake. Then they felt bad so they let me keep it." Dom said trying to make Kel laugh.

"Speaking of Neal," Kel said pointing ahead of them. Dom looked and saw Neal jaunting across the distance towards them.

Dom smirked. "Meathead." he called out, extending his arms.

"Why, if it isn't the worst mannered member of the Kings Own." Neal answered loudly. When he reached Dom they clasped hands then Dom pulled Neal into a headlock.

"Worst mannered hunh?" Dom asked him. Neal answered with an undistinguishable mumble. "Do you think I'm ill-mannered Kel?" Dom asked her thoughtfully.

"Of course Kel is going to agree with you." Neal gasped.

Kel's eyes grew wide then she composed herself. "If I say you have the manners of a Yamani will you let Neal go?" Kel asked him. "He's nervous enough from this baby he might just suffocate."

Dom let Neal go and stepped back. Neal straightened up and smoothed out his clothes, then ran his fingers through his hair to put it back in place, muttering under his breath. "Here I was glad that a member of my family was going to be here for my first child being born and the first thing he does is put me in a head lock."

"Neal, Dom was just joking." Kel told him trying to sooth his hurt ego. "I can tell you were coming over to say something, so spit it out."

"As a matter of fact I was going to invite you both to come and have dinner with us tonight." He said looking at Kel and Dom. "Yuki can't leave the apartment because she can't walk down the stairs and she's getting bored. I told her I would invite you, Kel up for dinner but then Dom showed up so I was going to invite him too. Now I'm not so sure." Neal said narrowing his eyes in Dom's direction.

"Dom, say you're sorry." Kel ordered him sighing.

Dom looked at her and stuck out his bottom lip. "But Kel?" he whined. Kel shook her head slightly and Dom turned back to Neal. "I'm sorry for messing up his highnesses hair." He said giving an exaggerated bow.

"I always knew you would be on my side Kel." Neal said looking smugly at Dom. "You can both be there at the dinner bell." Neal cleared his throat and began to walk away then turned around. "Oh, and Dom, bring some flowers or something."

Kel couldn't help herself; she let out a bark of laughter before putting her hand over her mouth to smother it. She looked at Dom's face and another laugh escaped before she recomposed herself. "He was just kidding." Kel told him. Dom looked at her incredulously.

"The audacity." He said looking at Neal's retreating back.

"Well to be fair you did put him in a headlock." Kel said before continuing on her way.

"And you, sticking up for him." Dom called after her waving his arms in the air.

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