Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I have just recenly finished my first year of college (yeah me!) and what a year it was. Unfortunately, all the school work left me little time to write. Thankfully, though, summer is now here and I have all the time I want to write. My goal is to finish this story by the end of the summer, but who knows if I will. Anyways, I want to thank those of you who reviewed last chapter: jenny gryffindork, The EarthSong, Kristen, x californiaCHAOS, TheHollister. Thank you all so much. Your thoughts, opinions, and enthusiasm for my writing is a great joy to me.

Chapter Twenty-four

Tears were falling freely down her beautiful face and it broke his heart to see those tears shining in the moonlight. No woman should ever have to shed a tear, especially not one as beautiful and wonderful as Juliana.

With a cautious hand, so as not to scare her, he reached out and gently brushed the tears away. Her eyes flew to his, wide with shock and fear.

"You shouldn't have to cry over him." He whispered, his heart breaking to see her sadness. "You shouldn't have to suffer like you do."

"Gawain?" His name on her lips sounded so exquisite. She moved as if to say something more, but Gawain laid a gentle finger over her lips.

"Why do you let him hurt you like this?" He asked, his eyes searching hers. "You deserve so much more."

Juliana stepped away from him, shaking her head.

"You don't understand." She whispered. "I love him." Her eyes met his, pleading with him to understand.

And Gawain did understand. He understood all too well.

Juliana had fallen for Galahad and now her heart had no way of getting over him no matter how much pain he had caused her.

Gawain wished that he could help her, that he could somehow ease Juliana's pain. All he could think to do, however, was wrap her in his arms and let her cry out her hurt.

It was such a beautiful night out that Galahad felt guilty for having such a dark mood. But there was nothing to be done for that. He wandered the garden, allowing the moonlight to guide his path. The heady scent of the flowers filled him, spilling into his lungs and flooding his senses. It was enough to get drunk on, but Galahad did not want his senses dulled tonight. No, tonight he needed all his wits about him for tonight he would apologize to Juliana and make things right between them once more.

Rounding a bend in the path, Galahad spotted a couple in the midst of a soft embrace. He moved to turn back the way he came, not wanting to interrupt their private moment. Just as he turned, the moonlight hit against the woman's face and Galahad stumbled in his steps, anger burning through his veins as he recognized Juliana. And it was none other than his supposed best friend with his arms around the young woman.

Galahad felt the anger burning righteously in his chest, his heart feeling as if it were about to burst. Without thinking about the consequences of his actions, Galahad marched over to the couple.

She cried into Gawain's shoulder until she felt as if there were no tears left inside of her. Juliana was about to step out of Gawain's comforting arms when he was suddenly pulled away from her. She gasped in surprise and looked up to see who had so rudely ripped them apart.

"Galahad?" She was surprised to see him standing there, his eyes burning harshly in the light of the moon. His knuckles were white as he roughly gripped Gawain's shoulder.

"Galahad, what are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes searching his. Nothing but anger met her gaze.

"I could ask you a similar question." Galahad replied, his voice rough. "Or shall I venture to question why you are here with him?" He shoved Gawain's shoulder roughly.

"Gawain and I were talking, nothing more." Juliana replied, wanting to stop whatever trouble might come. The look on Galahad's face frightened her and she did not want anyone to get hurt.

"Then why were you in his arms?" Galahad cried. He spun Gawain around to face him, using more strength than Juliana remembered him having.

"How can you call yourself friend?" He spat in Gawain's face. "You just waited for the right time to make Juliana yours."

Gawain wiped the spit from his face and turned his gaze on Galahad.

"I did not need to wait for anything," he said, his voice eerily calm. "I have no desire to take what is yours. Perhaps you should ask yourself, though, if Juliana was ever truly yours. You have done a fine job of warming your bed with another while pining away for her. Mayhap you should have kept with Zephaniah instead of hurting Juliana in the way you have."

Galahad's fist flew so fast that Juliana didn't know that he had punched Gawain until the elder knight's head turned with the impact.

"Galahad, stop!" She cried as the two knights fell to the earth in a pile of flying fists, kicking feet, and grunts. "Please just stop!" The tears that she had thought were gone started to slowly trickle down her already-tearstained cheeks. "Please stop."

She stepped away from them, wanting to distance herself. From what she did not know. Perhaps it was to keep from getting hurt physically, or was it to keep from getting hurt emotionally?

As the tears continued to slowly stream down her face, Juliana ran back to her rooms. She did not want to wait around to see the outcome of their foolishness.

Galahad rubbed his aching jaw as he stretched out across his bed. A new bruise was sure to cover the old one as Gawain had a knack for punching the exact same spot as he had the last time.

Juliana had run from him, had run from the spectacle he was making of himself. He couldn't help it, though. Gawain had pushed him to it. His friend knew better than to taunt him in that way. Gawain knew how much he cared for Juliana; he knew how it killed Galahad to be at odds with the woman he loved.

Galahad sighed; he had truly made a fool of himself.

Sitting up in bed, Galahad stared at his hands. Calloused, weathered they were warrior's hands, and now their knuckles were split and blood was beginning to dry in the wounds. Theses were the hands that had once touched Juliana's soft skin, brushed her hair from her face. They had held her close, caressed her check just before a passionate kiss. Now they were marked with scars from a battle that never should have happened.

Galahad had acted impulsively on his anger, he knew that. His friends had often said that Galahad may be a gentle man on normal days, but when provoked it was like waking the bear from his hibernation. His temper was quick when it involved those he cared about. And the sight that he had wandered upon had certainly provoked his anger. To see Juliana in the arms of another man, and that man his friend, had made Galahad's heart bleed in a way that it never had before. He saw in that instant just what was at stake should he allow his stubbornness to rule him. But he had not acted properly. His temper had bested him and forced him to act without thinking. And now he may have lost Juliana forever. Galahad wished more than anything that he could take back his impulsive actions, but they were over and done with, and now he had to live with them.

First thing tomorrow I will find Juliana, he thought, and I will make amends, once and for all.

Sorry it's so short y'all. Please review and let me know what you thought!