Scenario 19- ''I'm Sorry.''

Kel loved Neal. She loved almost every aspect of their relationship. She loved the way they seemed to have the perfect relationship. They aligned with each other; their chemistry was perfect. He treated her like she had never been treated before, and it aroused a feeling within her that she had never been treated before.

But one day, there was a moment when their sunshine was interrupted by a gray cloud. They had their first argument.

It was stupid, really. Neal didn't wanted to go to the Midwinter festivals; Kel did. Somehow that turned into a full- blown argument, livid and scorching. Vicious words and vicious names were thrown at each other, steel-tipped arrows that ripped both their pride and their state of mind.

Days after, they still weren't talking to each other; they wouldn't even look at each other. Their friends were careful around them. Anger and hurt pride flamed in the air, and put an unbreakable wall between Kel and Neal.

''What's up with Kel and Neal?'' Faleron asked Merric one day, as Kel and Neal sat in two different tables in the mess hall.

''I think they got into an argument,'' Merric said.

''Well that's obvious,'' Faleron said, ''but I mean what about?''

''I have no idea.''

''It must be pretty serious, I suppose,'' Faleron said, ''for them not even to be talking to each other.''

Merric nodded gravely, as he eyed the two of them.

But then a bit of time blew the anger shortly blew away from their hearts. Kel and Neal truly loved each other, and a desire to reconcile with each other began to surface. However, their pride and fear of rejection prevented them from doing so.

So they continued to not speak to each other, and their silence became a wall that grew higher with each passing day. Each night was a restless one, wrestling with the urge and the fear inside of friends were at a complete loss of what to do; each was hesitant to take sides and afraid that this whole event was going to leave them with one less friend.

''Do you think they're going to make up soon?'' Owen asked Seaver another day at the mess hall.

''I hope so,'' Seaver said, ''but it's been lasting so long.''

''We should say something to them.''

''We should stay out of it.''

''But...''

Seaver sighed. ''It's none of our business, Owen. They'll have to work it out themselves.''

But for Owen, that simply wasn't good enough. They were acting like small children, and they weren't thinking about how they affected others; they were putting their happiness on the line for no reason at all along with the peace of mind of everyone else around them.

''Why are you angry with Kel?'' Owen asked Neal later that night.

''It's none of your business,'' Neal said, his voice terse.

''You both are my friends,'' Owen said, ''so how is it not my business?''

''Owen...'' Neal was clenching his fists inside of his pockets, trying to contain his anger.

''What?'' Owen was unfazed by the glare Neal was giving him, and just as determined as ever.

Owen was a great friend, but there was many a time where he didn't pick things up when he should have. This was one of those times.

Neal sighed, trying to keep his cool and not show the wounds that were still bleeding inside of him. It was times like these that Neal wished he had Kel's ability to hide emotion.

''I just don't want to talk about it, Owen,'' he said, his voice soft with the heartbreak that still lay inside of him and breaking slightly from the tears he was holding inside of his throat.

Owen detected some of this. He decided not to skirt around the topic and asked frankly, ''Do you want to make up with her?''

''Yes.''

''Then why don't you?''

''Because...''

''Because why?''

''She probably is still angry with me; she probably won't want to make up. And... I don't know if I can.''

''How do you know that?''

''Because... I just do. I know Kel.''

Owen looked doubtful. ''I think you should make up with her,'' he said. ''It's been too long. You should at least try.''

Meanwhile, Kel was going to her mother for guidance. Their fight was taking its toll on her. She was getting easily distracted; she was thinking about Neal all the time; she was constantly debating whether she should go and mend her relationship with Neal. And her mother was perfect with things like that.

As soon as her mother saw Kel, she knew Kel had a problem.

''A boy?'' Ilane asked Kel.

Kel nodded forlornly.

''Tell me your problem,'' Ilane said.

Kel proceeded to tell her mother how they fought, and how they now didn't speak to each other.

''I want to make up with him, Momma,'' she said. ''I really do; I love him. I just don't know how.''

''Is it that?'' Ilane asked, ''or are you just too afraid to try?''

Kel sighed; her mother knew her so well. ''I'm afraid he won't love me back.''

''Of course he'll still love you back,'' Ilane said. ''He's probably feeling the same way as you are.''

''But what if he doesn't want to make up?''

Ilane put her hand on Kel's shoulder. ''Then that's his fault, and you're better off without him.''

Kel looked down and said nothing.

''If you don't try, you'll never know,'' Ilane said. ''You'll always wonder.''

The next day, Kel approached Neal's door, her heart thundering in her chest.

He was just as beautiful as ever, and she knew she loved him just as much. She felt an ache swell in her chest, the ache that came from the hurt of their separation.

She knew that she was going to get this out of the way as soon as she possibly could. She wasn't going to sugarcoat it. Plus, if she didn't say it right away, she didn't know she was going to say it at all.

''Neal,'' she said as soon as he opened the door, ''I'm sorry.''

It came out rushed, jumbled and barely coherent. But she knew Neal had heard her. Kel felt her heart jump in her throat as Neal studied her.

Then he broke his gaze, and looked at the ground. Kel, for a horrible second, wondered if he didn't love her anymore.

But then he looked up at her, and his gaze melted.

''I'm sorry, too.'' His voice was a whisper, but it echoed loudly in her ears.

''This was so stupid,'' Kel said.

''I know.''

''I love you.''

''I love you, too.''

Neal pressed his lips onto Kel's. As they kissed they knew that all was forgotten.

Okay, so I finally got this out. I haven't updated in forever, I know, and I am so sorry. It's just that there's been a ton of stuff in my life that has gotten in the way of this and… I'll try to update better next time. Unfortunately, In Her Darkest Hour will probably have a while to be updated too. My apologies. Well, please review on this.