Scenario 16- ''I Want to Marry You.''

Kel knew she loved Neal after he had healed one of her refugees. The way he had handled and looked after the girl warmed her heart. At that moment, the essence of him showed so strong and... She knew that she had loved that witty, loyal, loving man in a way that moved beyond friendship.

Neal knew that he loved Kel when he saw her commanding the legions also patrolled at her refugee camp. There was a beauty to her then, one that was so bright that he couldn't look away. At that moment the essence of her was glowing and... He knew he loved that brave, beautiful, kind woman in a way that moved beyond friendship.

Kel was the first to confess her true feelings to him. She had written a speech that she had edited and rewritten twelve times over. She ended up forgetting the words when the time came to actually tell him.

So she awkwardly began to confess her feelings for him when he cut her off and confessed his feelings for her.

And then they became lovers. Kel knew immediately that what she had with him was different than with any other lover she ever had. She knew what they had was special and fierce and true.

As of then, they were lovers officially for four years. And now...

Now Kel wanted to marry Neal. She thought that their relationship reached a point where they would have a successful marriage together.

The wish began somewhere around the time when their two good friends, Yuki and Dom, married each other.

''Their wedding was so nice, wasn't it, Neal?'' she asked him.

''Yes, it was.''

''I could tell Yuki was happy, even though she couldn't show it.''

''Yes, I know.''

''Maybe it was nice, if we could, too.''

Of course, Neal had to change the subject. Kel forget what exactly he changed it to, but he changed it and he did so effectively. Kel even forgot about the topic for a while.

But then... Then it came back as a strong urge. She thought about it when they were together; she felt the potency of their relationship and knew that it was one of the strongest things she had ever felt. To marry him was something she had felt with a strong surety in her heart.

She was hoping the topic would come up again, or that Neal might ask her. It only did in short bursts, though, because Neal always changed the subject when it did. Kel decided to confront him and maybe propose. And why not? She had been unconventional with her gender roles, so why not be unconventional with her marriage proposal?

Kel was hesitant to talk to him about it, however. Both of them had their careers as knights, so there was a lot of ways marriage could affect that. Also, it would be hard if they decided to have children.

And, if Kel admitted it to herself, she was unsure of how she would react if he told her that he didn't want to marry her.

She finally gathered up the nerve to tell him one day.

Neal noticed something was off as she bit her lip, and looked from him.

''What is it?'' he asked.

''Neal...'' she began.

''What?'' he repeated, getting nervous at her hesitation.

''I've been thinking...''

''Oh no. This can't be good.''

Kel's face clouded.

Neal sighed. ''I shouldn't have said that,'' he said, ''but... this is out of character for you.'' Then his face darkened, as realization spread across his face.

''Wait, you aren't pregnant, are you?''

Kel laughed. ''No.''

''Thank the gods.''

''You sound like it would be a curse.''

''Well it's just not the right timing. I mean we could handle it if it happened but...''

''I know.''

A brief pause followed.

''So,'' Neal said, ''What were you going to tell me?''

She took a deep breath, before answering him. ''I want to marry you.''

Neal raised his eyebrows. ''What?''

` ''Well I've been thinking about it and...''

''And?"'

Kel felt nervousness gather inside her. ''I would postpone children but we should get married. We've been together a long time now. I think we should do it.''

''But what about our careers?''

''It's not like we're Riders, Neal. We can still get married and have our careers.''

''Well, why would we need to get married? Aren't we good enough as we are?''

''Yes, but...''

''We are. We don't need to get married.''

Kel didn't know what to say. His tone sounded so final, and she felt like there was nothing else to say. She had never felt so ready to give up on something. That was so unlike her.

For weeks she would mention it and he would change the topic. At that point, Kel did not feel resignation; she felt annoyance.

''Why?'' she asked him one day, ''why won't you marry me?''

''Why should we get married?''

''I just think it would be...''

''We don't need to get married.''

''Well I want to. Why don't you?''

''I just think we don't need to, Kel.''

For all the nonchalance he was trying to pull off, his tone sounded surprisingly urgent. It had a tone of stubbornness and decision that Kel never knew Neal could possess up until now.

And then... Kel did something completely out of character for her... She had acted upon hurt feelings and impulse.

''I think we should break up.''

''What?''

''If don't agree on this, if we don't have the same idea...''

''Kel, marriage wouldn't change anything.''

Yes it would, Kel thought, It would show that you would love me enough to make a lasting commitment to me. She couldn't find the words to say that however.

So she left, her heavy boots making loud, harsh sounds against the floor.

Kel immediately regretted breaking up with Neal, but still, she found that she couldn't approach him. She would spend countless hours awake and wondering whether she had made the right decision.

Neal started to wonder whether he was right in not wanting to marry Kel. The lack of reason to marry wasn't the reason why he didn't want to marry Kel.

The truth was that he had an underlying fear of commitment, along with a fear of the unknown that marriage would bring.

But he began to miss Kel with an ache that ran deep to his bones. Her smile, her eyes, and the feeling of her kisses haunted him with a phantom pain at intermittent hours of the day.

But still... He was unsure whether he should approach her, apologize to her and marry her.

When he thought about it, he decided to go to Dom. Dom had previously had a very notorious reputation for his fear of commitment. That's why it had been such a shock when he had married Yuki.

''That's a complicated question, Neal,'' Dom answered when Neal asked for advice, ''Marriage isn't so bad and I don't regret it, but saying that, I love Yuki a lot. It is a commitment but... I think it was worth it with me. It really depends on how much you love her and how much you are willing to sacrifice for that love.''

Dom's words echoed in Neal's mind, and that was when Neal finally decided to approach Kel.

With a ring in his hand and a heart beating fast in his chest, he approached Kel.

''I'm sorry, Neal,'' she said, as she saw him, ''we don't have to...''

He shook his head. ''No,'' he whispered.

He then bent on one knee, causing Kel to let out a surprised squeak. ''Kel, I...''

Okay... so this is my least favorite I have to say. It didn't turn out as smoothly as I had planned, and I don't think I captured the essence of the characters nearly as well as I should have. I considered quitting it, but I decided that you all should have the opportunity to read it and judge it instead of making you wait a whole lot longer. The next one will be better, though, I promise.