A/N: Yeah, I just couldn't leave them like that. All the same, this is not terribly fluffy. But I hope you enjoy.

Kel sighed gratefully as she drank the punch Dom had brought.

"Is that better?"

He's as gallant as ever, she thought. Part of her appreciated it, but the other part wished he would stop pretending. She was no lady, and it was only a matter of time before a real lady caught his eye.

"Oh, yes, thank you," she murmured the polite response expected of her like a good diplomat's daughter, words giving no insight into her real thoughts or feelings- the hurt and disappointment of knowing that she wanted to have…something with him but that it was impossible. She didn't dare look into his eyes, fearing they might give her away.

"Kel?" He touched her arm lightly and she jumped, not expecting it. She was being ridiculous, she knew. She was past even being mad at herself for it. Instead she felt the walls of the ballroom closing in as a lump grew in her throat. She knew that she had to leave, now, to save face. Go be with Jump and her sparrows, practice her glaive, anything to get Dom's voice and touch out of her head.

"Yes?"

"You don't look well. Would you like to take a walk or…"

She cut him off at the suggestion of a walk- she couldn't bear any more pretend romance that would only end in disappointment. "No, I'm not feeling well. Actually, I think I'll go back to my rooms and sleep. I'm not used to all of this dancing and socializing- not like you." She put a smile on her face, weak and watery as it was.

"Then, my lady, please allow me to escort you to your chambers."

Her blood went even colder at the thought of him near her rooms than it had when he had suggested a walk. "No, I mean- Dom, that's really not necessary."

"No, I insist. I wouldn't desert a friend in need." He hauled her up by one arm. "Come on, Lady Knight. I'll make sure you get home alright."

Grudgingly, Kel resigned herself to her escort as they moved towards the door. Why was he being so nice? It wasn't helping at all. Even worse, she noticed that their exit drew the gazes of several people in the room, including several ladies, who glared. No. Its not like that, she thought at them helplessly. It never could or would be like that. It didn't matter one bit that he was with her now, walking silently through the winding halls- doubtless he would be back to romance those court ladies as soon as he had dropped her off at her rooms. Maybe at the end of the night he would kiss one of them- sooner or later, he would probably marry one of them…

These depressing thoughts turned the lump in her throat into a burning sensation in her eyes and nose. She had to stop or she'd be weeping soon. And weeping was something that she utterly refused to do in front of any of her male friends, much less Dom. If there was one thing she couldn't afford, it was for them to see her weak and vulnerable- that kind of thing was for the court ladies they chased after, not the Lady Knight they might have to take orders from later. It was her curse, to want to be a woman to some, like Dom, when it mattered, but to be too afraid to show it for fear they would lose what respect they had for her.

By the time glimpsed her door at the end of the hall, she had nearly succeeding in getting her feelings under control. She took her arm from his and tried to sound cheery. "Thank you, Dom. I think I'll alright from here. Have a good night." She barely heard his reply as she whirled and walked purposefully to her door. But as soon as she shut the door behind her, her control collapsed. She could feel the tears she had been holding back running down her cheeks as she sat down on her bed, but it didn't mater now. She was alone, it was dark and it was ok to cry.

Dom stood at the end of the hallway, completely nonplussed. Kel had looked pale and wan as he guided her through the halls to her room- it worried him. She was hardly ever ill- perhaps she was upset? Her falsely cheery goodbye clearly told him she didn't want his help- though she would never ask for help willingly- but at the same time he wondered if he should check up on her. He might not deserve anything from her, but he was her friend after all. He started to stride after her.

But he stopped as a new thought occurred to him. Could he be the reason that she was upset? If so, he was in trouble. He had felt the glares of his cousin and a few of her friends as they left the ballroom, all of them thinking the worst of him, none of them trusting his intentions. He knew what they thought- that he would try to seduce her, take advantage of her. That could never happen, he wanted to scream at them. She wasn't interested and he wouldn't, couldn't ever treat Kel that way. He was just acting like the good soldier and a gentleman, escorting her home out of concern for a friend. He would never try to distress her, much less hurt her.

But he seemed done so anyway. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. It was all his fault. If only he could've kept a hold on himself, he thought angrily. If he had never asked her to dance, never let his feelings show, then he would never have upset her. He wondered if she would ever speak to him again. He didn't know if he could bear it if she didn't. His previous flirts had often snubbed and avoided him for weeks after their relationships ended. Other times the ladies had spent time flirting with other men in order to prove to him that they were no longer interested, a tactic he severely disliked. A picture of Kel, dressed up and flirting with one of her knight friends appeared in his treacherous brain and his stomach clenched in distate and misery. He should probably just leave her alone, he thought, and hope that in the morning they could pretend that none of this had ever happened.

The muffled sound of a sob reached his ears. He looked up, startled. It seemed to be coming from the slightly ajar door through which Kel had just disappeared. He strode down the hall and stopped in front of her door. The sound of another sob confirmed that the sound was indeed coming from the room, from her. He nudged the door open to reveal a crying Kel on the bed.

For a long moment they started at each other. Then he did the only thing he could do- closed the distance between them and pulled her up into his arms in a strong hug.

She fitted into his arms perfectly, just as she had when they had danced. He could feel the wetness from her tears mark his shirt near the shoulder, but he didn't care. "Kel? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked her softly.

She pulled away slightly, not looking at him. "Its nothing."

"Like hell it is, Kel. I've never seen you cry before." He put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. "What is it?" he asked gently. "You can tell me."

She looked away again. After a moment, she croaked, "I'm in love with someone, but he doesn't feel the same."

Funny, Dom thought ruefully, I'm in the exact same situation.

Then it hit him like lightning. Kel was much too sensible a girl to be upset over something as small as not wanting to hurt a friend's feelings. What if he had misinterpreted the signals earlier? What if she did have feelings for him and was too afraid to show it? It was possible that she was just as confused as he was.

There was only one way to find out, Dom thought as he leaned down and gently touched his lips to hers.