~~~

Epilogue

~~~

"Neal said you'd be up here."

Kel climbed up the last rungs of the ladder and joined her sergeant atop the thatched roof of one of New Hope's new cottages. Though being back at the camp after Lord Raoul's wedding had left the lady knight with plenty of work to do, she had stolen away from the refugees to spend a little time with Dom.

"So I actually have something to thank the Meathead for," was Dom's rejoinder. He moved closer to her on the roof so that he could put his arm around her. Having him touch her so familiarly was still somewhat of a shock after a few weeks of courtship, but certainly not an unpleasant or unwelcome one.

Working up the nerve to reciprocate such displays of affection proved far more difficult for her. However, they were all but out of sight here atop the roof. Hesitantly, she rested her head on his shoulder. The sun warmed her face pleasantly. "Remind me why we waited so long to do this?" she asked, snuggling closer.

"I'd rather not." He stroked her arm. "We were stupid, that's all."

"Hey," she said teasingly. "Speak for yourself, all right?"

She knew that he was raising his eyebrows. "My dearest Protector of the Small, surely you're not implying that I am stupid?"

A laugh escaped her. "You should have been a Player, Dom."

"Ah, but then I would never have met you." His voice was as warm as the sunlight.

Shifting slightly, she replied, "Good point."

"Or maybe I would have been part of a group of traveling players," suggested Dom. "And when you were a famous knight, our company would have come to perform for you in Tortall. And we would have fallen madly in love with each other at first sight . . ."

"And run away together to live a penniless miserable existence for the rest of our lives," Kel finished. "But that wouldn't have mattered because of our profound love for each other, right?"

"Kel, Kel." Dom shook his head. "You aren't a bit romantic."

She tilted her head up to face him, smiling. "Yes, I am," she said and pressed her lips to his. He kissed her back, his hand moving up to trace her chin and then push the hair back from her neck. After she finally drew away, he wore a thoughtful expression. "I might need more proof."

She shook her head and leaned up to kiss him again. When he opened his mouth to speak, she silenced him with a look. "Don't push your luck."

"Look who's talking," Dom retorted. "Pushing your luck has always worked for you."

Resettling herself against his shoulder, Kel grinned. The two were silent for some time, simply looking out over the unusually quiet afternoon at New Haven.

The lady knight finally broke the stillness by shifting slightly against him.

"What is it?" Dom asked absently.

"Nothing." She shifted again. "Just thinking."

Dom slid his hand underneath her hair, rubbing her neck and distracting her somewhat. "Just thinking about what?"

"Oh, you know," she said evasively.

"No, I don't." His laughter was evident in his voice.

"Well," He felt her shrug. "Just thinking about what . . . what we are now."

The words hung in the air between them, too late to retract them or laugh them off.

"Kel, you know that men of the Own aren't allowed to marry," he said at last.

She pulled away from him so she could look into his face, and he could read her surprise, as well as embarrassment. "Dom, that's not what I was thinking about at all-" she exclaimed softly.

"Oh," he teased. "So you don't want to marry me, then?"

She was blushing. "Well, no- I mean, yes, maybe, in the future- but not now . . ." She trailed off in confusion.

Dom laughed. "Oh, Kel." He took her face in his hands. "We're just us," he said seriously. "Is that all right?"

She smiled at him. "Us. I could definitely get used to that."

"I certainly hope so," Dom grinned back.

~~~

El Fin

~~~

Thanks: To all who reviewed. I know this has been said before, but it can't be said enough. Feedback is ambrosia to a writer. Cookies for all of you! Also, warmest thanks to both my loverly beta-readers, Jude and Hikki, who are fantabulous and patient with me. They both deserve a Dom of their very own. And to all those at WLD, for spreading the Dom love. Check us out; .

Author's Note: There will be no sequel to this fic, though I've had a tremendous time writing it. I will, however, be writing a myriad more K/D fics, so just watch this profile. I might even write a fanfic in which Dom was a Player, etc. : - )

Hot Chocolate and Dom-love go out to you all. May the Force be with you.