A/N: Firstly, I would like to thank you for the two lurvely reviews. You make me feel so good about myself lol! I'm glad that there are still people around who like the KelJoren pairing. Am I the only one who thought that the last one ended a little bit abruptly?

Do you think the title of this chapter is too sappy?

Answer IN YOUR REVIEWS! (runs off being a review-freak)

And, replies.

Blackcopper: You are my first reviewer ever! hands out cookie. I'll try to keep up the good work! THANK YOU!

Arachnomadness: Thank you. It's the first fanfic I wrote I thought was fit to be put on the site, so I don't know if I deserve that compliment, but I'll take it anyway! I will keep writing as long as you keep REVIEWING (runs off being a review freak again). A cookie for you too. THANKS.

All right, A/N is getting too long, I just want to say that constructive criticism is also appreciated, as long as it's constructive and not just insulting my writing because you hate me for no particular reason. Also, if anyone thinks the rating should go up, please tell me. Now, without further ado….

It was funny, thought Joren, that someone so strong could be so beautiful. He wasn't much of a sap, as everyone who had ever met him knew, but Keladry brought out in him a quality of sweetness that was nonexistent in with anyone else. Though many observed Joren a tough guy, he was a man who loved a woman. And a man who loves a woman like Keladry can't be like any other average man.

He blamed her for his resounding non-toughness. Or, rather, her parents. If they hadn't given birth to her, he wouldn't have fallen in love with her, and the people who saw him near her wouldn't have qualified him as a complete and utter love struck incompetent mess (though I'm sure he exaggerated that description a little bit). She went from beautiful young woman to soccer mom, from ambitious police officer to room parent. She went from sweatpants to uniform to elegant skirt. She went from hair elastic to police badge to jeweled butterfly pin.

He remembered the first time he had seen her in a skirt.

"We'd like to introduce to you our new officer, Keladry Mindelan! She's been offered position of co-Chief because of resounding skill in hand to hand combat as well as an intellect to beat my own! Keladry has gone through the academy in an amazingly little amount of time, impressing everyone there! Now, ladies and gentlemen, Keladry Mindelan!"

The audience clapped, and Kel could imagine that if her mother was there she would've been in the back clapping and crying like no one else. But Kel hadn't begun to receive her co-Chief's salary yet, and her parents wouldn't have been able to afford flying all the way from Tortall to Carthak, where her position was going to be. They could barely afford their expensive long distance phone calls until Keladry found out and immediately promised her salary so that they could talk to each other.

As she walked up to shake the Chief's hand, Keladry looked down, pulling at uncomfortable skirt she had been forced into. It wasn't hers, obviously, but her sister's, and Kel was reminded that her sister had a more petite figure, though Kel's was more muscular. Kel smiled weakly at the audience and made some lame speech, aware that behind her Joren was smirking at her. She carefully walked back to her seat—forcibly placed next to her fellow co-Chief---and sat, folding her hands in her lap.

Since they had almost literally the same job, Kel and Joren's room were across the hall. Joren swore that the exact second after they got into the rooms, he had heard a rip and a resounding yell of "IT'S OFF!"

He smirked slightly in remembrance. She had never told him exactly what happened to the skirt, and he had the tact not to ask. He carefully lay his arm over her shoulders, her head resting peacefully on his chest as she slept. As he glanced at her he smiled. It was difficult for him not to.