Chapter Two: Skipping Practice

Walking through the door to his quarters, Dom smiled and looked around the sitting room. It was small and occupied by a few sitting areas and an easily accessible weapons rack, useful for last minute calls which are frequent in the King's Own. He put his bag down and took off his chain mail armor, placing it neatly inside the wardrobe on the left wall of the room, beside the door to the latrine. As he was closing the wardrobe doors, he heard muffled sounds coming from the bedroom. He turned and smiled as he walked toward the slightly opened door.

Opening it all the way, he leaned in the door frame to admire the woman sleeping in his bed. Their bed. He still hasn't gotten used to that yet. They were married a few months after the new law was passed and have been married about seven months. Even though he has been away for most of the time, he still is not used to coming home to an occupied room. But he definitely liked it.

He decided that she had not been asleep long, because the candles were still fairly tall and burning. Most likely writing more reports he thought to himself, smiling some more. He watched the candle light dance across her sleeping face, and stood there looking at her for a while. Her light brown hair had grown some more since the last time he saw her, and her tan from the summer, he could tell, was starting to fade just like autumn had faded into winter. He laughed softly when she twitched her nose because Jump's tail got too close. Jump, aware of Dom's presence, had stood up on the bed, wagging his crooked tail in delight on seeing him. Dom walked over to the dog and scratched his head and ears in greeting. Of course, this got Jump even more excited, causing Kel to sleepily tell him to calm down. Seeing that she didn't open her eyes, Dom held his finger to his lips and Jump understood and calmed down.

Dom then proceeded to get ready for bed himself, leaving the room to use the latrine and unpack his travel bag. On his return, he walked over to his side of the bed, seeing that it was still occupied. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked down at Jump, who did not look like he wanted to move at all this time. Dom smiled when Jump opened one eyelid, as if to see if he was still there. "Come on you crazy pup. I know you're not asleep." As if taking his cue, Jump started to snore, causing Dom to laugh quietly. Trying to outsmart him, Dom walked to the door and closed it, pretending he left. Jump didn't move. Dom sighed, "All right you win. If you get off my side I'll give you a treat, how 'bout that?"

Immediately Jump perked up, hopped off the bed and rushed into the other room. Dom gave him his treat, and then returned to the bedroom, closing the door before Jump had a chance to reclaim his spot.

Finally getting into bed, Dom lifted up the covers on his side and slid in gently, trying not to wake his wife...yet.

However, his movements were too much, for Kel said, voice heavy with sleep, "Jump, if you don't settle down, I'll put you out in the other room."

Dom, lying beside his wife, and propped up on his right arm, chuckled and replied, "Already ahead of you, Mother."

Kel's eyelids snapped up, as did her head, ramming her forehead into Dom's.

They both groaned in pain, clutching both of their heads. "Welcome home to you, too," said Dom, rubbing the sore area.

Kel, massaging her own forehead, replied, "It was your own fault for scaring me like that. You should be glad that is all that hurts."

That got Dom to smile, and tease, "I scared the protector of the small? I think I should receive an award...a kiss would be quite acceptable."

That rewarded him with a pillow being thrown at his face, which he barely avoided. He laughed, blue eyes twinkling, "Missed me."

Kel smiled, looking at her husband lovingly, "I sure did."

They moved to embrace each other, both overly content in each other's arms. They stayed that way for a bit of time, although it did not seem long enough to either of them. Dom loved the way she felt in his hold; a perfect fit. He had dreamed of holding her for months and was overjoyed to finally do so.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Kel asked softly, "How was your journey?"

Not lifting his head from where it rested next to hers, Dom replied, "Long, and it started to get quite cold, even during the days. But thoughts of you warmed me."

Kel pushed him away playfully, smiling and rolling her eyes, "You sound like Neal."

"Then Meathead must actually sound intelligent, much to my own disbelief." Kel laughed, making Dom smile in delight.

"How was the North? Besides cold..." she asked, wanting to hear all about what he had been doing.

Dom answered all the questions she asked, smiling at her sincere interest.

"Did you visit New Hope?" she asked, eager to hear about how it was doing.

"Do you just want to read my reports? It would probably prove much easier," stated Dom, chuckling.

"Are they written already?"

Dom laughed, "Of course not. I always hope that miraculously somehow they will write themselves. Naturally, that just means that my reports are done at the last minute possible like everyone else's. Except for yours of course."

He went on to describe Third Company's visit to New Hope, which after the war was turned into an running town. Many of the refugees that Kel protected ended up staying there, only a few leaving after the war was over. Kel missed almost all of them, especially the children. Dom reassured her of their safety and comfort, knowing how much she cared for them still.

Dom then asked her, "What have you been up to?"

Kel sighed, "Just trying to keep myself busy and in shape. I've basically just been training, and watching the new pages. How is Raoul and Third Company?"

"Oh, you know- helping to rebuild towns, fighting bandits, rigging Raoul's tent, putting peppers in each others' food- same old, same old."

Kel smiled, remembering many tricks played in Third Company during her own squire years. Dom and Raoul were always the main conspirators. Thinking about her squiredom, she asked, "How is Raoul's new squire? It's the Lioness's son, right?"

"Oh, Alan, he's a good lad." Then Dom smiled and said, sounding secretive, "Don't tell Raoul but I've recruited him into playing many pranks on our dear knight commander. He's had some great ideas."

"Poor Raoul, his own squire is against him," said Kel, shaking her head in mock sadness. "Does Alan seem to like the Own?"

Dom thought back to his encounters with the boy, truthfully answering, "Yeah, he does. We all like him, too." Then, with a mischievous smile playing on his lips, he looked at Kel and slowly started to move toward her, causing her to lie back on the bed. "However," he said softly, bright blue eyes dancing over hers, while lowering his face toward her neck, "I liked Raoul's last squire much more..."

"Really?" Kel teased, smiling from Dom's attention.

"Mmhmm," he murmured into her neck.

Feeling mischievous herself, Kel asked, "Nothing else to tell me?"

Dom lifted his head and grinned at her, "Of course there is, my dear Protector. You are the most beautiful woman in the world..."

Kel laughed, pushing her fingers against his mouth, which he had been angling toward her own.

"I'm flattered Dom, but I was talking about your journey. Is there anything else to tell me about it?"

He smiled and replied, "Nope, nothing else to report."

Kel noticed he again started to lean down toward her, but before his face was too close to hers, she turned over on her side and appeared to be trying to get comfortable. "Well then," she said, eyes closing, "I better get back to sleep. I plan to get up for dawn glaive practice with Her Majesty, Shinko, and Yuki. Goodnight, Dom."

Kel slipped her Yamani Mask on to hide her mirth and laughter, which was close to uncontrollable.

"Goodnight? Kel I haven't seen you in over two months, you can't go to sleep now," said Dom, surprised.

"You said there was nothing else to tell me, Dom," she replied, trying to prevent her Mask from slipping. It was hard to do. I am stone, I am stone, she repeated in her head.

"I'll tell you anything to keep you from going to sleep," he said, laughing softly.

Kel smiled, turned back over and sat up beside her husband, looking into his eyes, "And why would you want to do that? A grumpy lady knight is not pleasant."

Dom chuckled and then smiled sincerely, "Because I love you, Kel, and I missed you."

"Well then," she said, smiling back, "That changes my plans..." With that she gently pushed Dom down on the bed and she kissed him on his cheek.

His bold grin flashing, Dom pointed to his lips, and said, "You missed."

Kel laughed tenderly, "A lady knight never misses." With that she gently and slowly covered his mouth with hers. Immediately Dom placed his one hand behind her head, and the other wrapped around her body, pulling her closer.

Oh yes, he thought to himself, smiling against Kel's lips, I definitely love this.

A/N: This is not the end! More to come! I hope to update soon!