A/N: The characters and locations belong to Tamora Pierce

Kel was sitting in her room at New Hope musing distractedly

The third company had been here for almost a fortnight. The Scanrans had been defeated and the third company wasn't needed on the front lines so they were sent here as a backup guard against any vengeance attacks. She had been thrilled when the third company had been posted here because it meant an opportunity to see Dom.

Before his arrival she hadn't seen him for over two months and she missed him. When she had first seen him again she was almost afraid the sheen would have worn off as it had with Neal and Cleon. One glance was enough to clear her mind of that notion. Now the only problem was Domitan still had no idea.

It was this that had her sitting in her room at the large desk put at her disposal. She was jotting down a list titled 'What I love about Domitan of Masbolle." Reading it over she scoffed. It was like a list some frippity court lady would write. Owen would be appalled that she was acting like a girl again. She crumpled up the note and tossed it into the waste bin and left the room just as a maid entered to tidy her quarters.

Strolling up to the wall she pushed the list and Dom out of her mind. The maid in her room however was about to start a catalyst. Picking up the garbage she carried it out to dump it and a crumpled piece of paper fell out and landed in the dirt of the yard unnoticed.

Strolling by only minutes later the note was scooped up by one Wolset, a solider in Dom's squad. When he glanced at the heading his eyes widened and a smiled formed on his lips. He had to show this to Dom and the men. Maybe they could discover who wrote it. This might just be enough to alleviate the boredom many had been feeling stuck here after the war's end.

He strolled to the Mess Hall where most of the men, including of course Dom, were congregated. "Hey Dommie, I got somethin' here that might interest you. Seems we have a maid runnin' about with a bit of a crush on you."

Dom turned and smiled "what maid doesn't have a crush on me?" he said with false arrogance. Wolset gave the note to Dom, whose reaction was very similar to Wolset's, though a faint blush tinted his cheeks. He banished it with a confident grin as he slipped the note into his pocket "I think I'll keep this thank you."

"Come on Dom don't ruin our fun. We want to find out who looves you" whined Wolset.

The men perked up at this "what's this about someone loving Dom? Some poor girl get a crack on the head?" This brought a burst of laughter and the paper was quickly removed from Dom's possession.

Fulcher spoke up "I suppose the first thing we can do is find out which maids can write. That should narrow down the list."

Reluctantly Dom gave them leave to look into who could write and retrieved his letter. He headed back to his own rooms to read the note and think. It clearly wasn't meant to be read, it had been crumpled up and discarded according to Wolset.

Dom read the list with curiosity.

What I love about Domitan of Masbolle

the way he always makes me laugh

the way he smiles

his ability to put everyone around him at ease

his sense of humor

his eyes

the way he treats his men, with respect and authority

the way his shoulders always fill his tunics

the way he stands up for in me

the was his brow quirks when he smiles

that little wing of hair that always sticks up when he comes to the mess in the morning

This wasn't just some random maid. It was someone he had spoken to, someone who knew things about him, who had seen him fight. It had to be someone who had been here the last time he had been at New Hope. The new refugees could likely be excluded since they had arrived in the time since he'd last been there. They had been moved to New Hope because it was closer to their former villages and orders were to slowly begin moving refugees home. As a result New Hope had a much smaller population, despite the new refugees.

He decided to do an investigation of his own. If he knew who the writer was he could handle the situation better, without hurting the girl. He got up to leave his room and Neal burst in. "Hey Meathead, ever heard of knocking?" Neal just shrugged "I'm supposed to get your reports from scout duty today." Dom quirked a brow "I usually report to Kel, what's up?" Neal shrugged again "she told me to do it 'cause she was busy."

That wasn't like Kel at all, she always debriefed him and there hadn't been any attacks or major problems that would have interfered today. Putting it aside he reported to Neal. "Hey Neal, you know all the maids here right?"

"I suppose"

He grabbed the parchment from his desk. "Can you tell me who wrote this?" Neal took the parchment and his eyes skimmed over it. Neal's eye's bulged and his jaw dropped open prompting Dom to ask with impatience "so does this mean you know who wrote it?" Neal composed himself to reply evasively "Nope, no idea."

"What are you playing at? It's obvious you know something."

"Trust me Dom, just drop this. I don't think she'd want you to have read this. If she wanted you to know she'd have told you."

"I can't just forget it. She clearly likes me so what difference does it make if I act on it? It's not like she wouldn't be interested."

"No but she might be humiliated." It was clear to Dom that Neal wasn't going to tell him anything and now he was just more curious than ever. He was going to solve this mystery. Maybe he'd ask Kel…

"Kel, hey Kel" Neal called approaching her on the walls. "I have need of a private word with you immediately."

Kel looked at him suspiciously but she nodded and followed him to her offices and closed the door unaware of the man watching the whole exchange. Dom had to say he was confused. If Kel was to busy to debrief him, how did she have time for impromptu meeting with Neal? Was she avoiding him for some reason?

In Kel's room Neal was bracing himself for an awkward confrontation. "Kel, I know how you feel about Dom." Kel whipped around and faced him, her Yamani calm no where present, her face was red and she was looking embarrassed and stunned. "I have no notion what you are talking about. "Kel, the men found your list. They're trying to figure out who wrote it. When I saw it I recognized your script so it won't take them long either."

He paused and Kel spoke quietly "how did they get it?" "I don't know Kel but they did and they don't know you wrote it. "This is why you were avoiding him this morning isn't it?" Kel nodded miserably, "I needed to distance myself from him, that man is on my mind too damn much."

Neal shook his head sympathetically "I don't know what to tell you Kel, this is the first time I've seen you want a man. With Cleon, it was him pursuing you…" Kel had to smile at this "You were always blind to that sort of thing weren't you? No matter, I can get past this. I always do." Neal was stunned by this revelation "you mean you were interested in someone else like this? When?"

"Forget about that its not important anymore, I will get over Dom, or at the very least remain professional. After all, if you hadn't seen the list you wouldn't have known." "Um Kel I think you're forgetting something. If they find out who wrote the list Dom will know the truth. I doubt acting distant will be much help then."

Kel's face fell "I have got to get that list!" Turning her full attention on Neal she continued "Where did you see it? Who has it?" Neal ran his hand through his hair nervously "It's in Dom's room."

That news caused Kel to sit down hard in the chair by her desk. She ran her hands over her face. "I'm doomed." It was all Neal could do not to laugh. He felt for Kel in her predicament but watching the commander that single handedly led a rogue group into Scanra during war and defeated Blayce the Gallan admit defeat at the idea of stealing a list was amusing.

"Um Kel, I think you can get it from his room. You marched through Scanra without getting caught, I hope you can slip in and out of a room without being caught. He hesitated a moment "besides if you're caught his time, at least you won't be executed."

Kel glared at him through her fingers "that might just be preferable." She sighed "I guess I don't have much choice though, I have to steal it back."

Tobe who was standing outside the door fled when he heard the occupants approaching it. Kel loved Dom! Tobe liked Dom well enough but he couldn't believe Kel had girly feelings for him. He couldn't believe Kel had girly feelings period.

Tobe wanted to steal the list back for his lady but he had a feeling that she wouldn't appreciate that he knew. Frankly he didn't understand why she didn't just tell him. Kel was great and Dom would have to be interested wouldn't he?

Kel ensured that Dom was busy on the walls of New Hope and slipped to the hall that led to his quarters. Saying a silent prayer she edged his door open and slipped in. She would have a hell of a time explaining why she was in Dom's bedroom if she were caught.

Quickly she ran her eyes over the room. The list was no where in sight, biting her lip she contemplated searching his desk. It would be an invasion of the commander's privacy but would it be worth it?

Frustrated Kel turned to leave the room. She couldn't tear his room apart, she'd have to get the list another way. She was stopped in her tracks by the door handle turning. Someone was coming in. Glancing around panicked she spotted a tall armoire and slipped in closing the door. She stood silently as the sounds of Dom moving around the room. She silently prayed PLEASE please don't let Dom look in here.

Surrounded by Dom's clothes his scent wafted around her as she stood there, feeling nervous and foolish. He smelled like pine trees and leather and mint, which was an odd combination and uniquely Dom. She had always wondered why he smelled of mint. Realizing she was allowing her mind to wander again she tried to push the scent out of her mind. Dom was still in his room. It sounded like he had sat on his bed. It seemed his shift had ended. The man wasn't leaving and she was trapped.

Silently she sunk herself to the floor of the wardrobe and sat holding her knees. If he stayed in the room long this could turn out to be a very uncomfortable venture but not as uncomfortable as if he found her there.

Tobe stood outside Dom's rooms he'd seen his lady slip in there and then shortly after Dom followed. Since there hadn't been an uproar Kel clearly hadn't been seen, he had to help her get out. "Commander, commander!" Tobe pounded on the door hoping that this would work. "The door flung open and Dom looked down at him "What's all the noise about?" "Kel needs to talk to you. You're to report to her offices immediately." With a curt nod Dom strolled down the corridor and out of sight.

Tobe slipped into the room "Lady Kel? You can come out now, Dom's gone and you should probably meet him. He thinks you want a word with him." Kel popped her head out of the wardrobe and looked at Tobe with a mix of frustration and gratitude.

"I think were going to have to have a little chat when this is done. Right now I have to meet Dom and come up with a reason that I requested to talk to him." She strode out of the room and Tobe followed.

Nervously Kel entered her office "Ah Dom, yes I needed to um…talk to you."

"I assumed that much when I was summoned here, what about?" Dom noticed that Kel's gaze flitted about refusing to meet his

"I…uh oh I just wanted to commend you on your contribution lately…yes that's it. You've been invaluable so thank you." Kel was definitely acting weird. She certainly had never had him come from his rooms for something so trivial. He cocked his head to the side "so that's it?" Kel nodded at him and Dom rose to leave.

Pasting a grin on Kel decided to take advantage of this opportunity "So I heard you have an admirer?"

Dom whirled around and felt the heat rise in his neck "Has everyone heard about that?" "So what's on the list?" Kel asked nonchalant. Dom shrugged "not much" and pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to her. She ran her eyes over it and handed it back. When Dom left the room Kel almost screamed in frustration. She now knew where the damn list was but it wasn't going to be easy to get her hands on it.

Dom walked back to his room. Kel was acting odd, he had a secret admirer and the entire third company was determined to find out who it was. His life was suddenly more complicated.

He just wanted to know who was interested in him and get Kel acting normal again so his life could get back to normal, possibly with a new girl to spend time with. He would find the third company and find out just who could write. That would bring him one step closer to getting his life back to normal.

"Hey Flyndan, what've you learned about the list writer?" Dom asked trotting up. "Well we talked to our clerks and we know who can write. There aren't too many, thirty or so that can write well enough to make the list including the men."

Dom glowered at him "we are not including the men." Flyndan laughed "it could be a man, you never know." "It's a woman." Was the growled response.

"Whatever you say, there are eight women. We've got Fanche, Elise, Marline, Debora, Celeste, Maura, Anne oh and of course Kel can write."

Dom nodded his head at each name, when the list ended he spoke "well we can rule out Fanche and Kel and Marline is engaged to some man she'd crazy about. I doubt Anne is the writer either, she's sixty. That means we just have to compare the hand-writing of Elise, Debora, Celeste and Maura to find my admirer."

Wolset who had come up while they were talking chimed in "Why is it that you are only including those who you wouldn't mind liking you? You've ruled out old people and men."

Dom glared at him and Wolset backed up hands raised "okay we'll look into those girls. Fulcher will actually be here soon with most, if not all of the samples. Flyndan gave us the list twenty minutes ago"

When Fulcher came up he had all the samples and Dom pulled out his list. "None of them match." Dom declared frustrated. "seems like we will have to look at the names you discounted after all. Let's see you excluded the men, Fanche and Marline." Said Fulcher. "and Kel" a new man in the Own piped up causing everyone to laugh except Dom who looked contemplative. "Just keep looking guys and let me know what you find out," said Dom walking off.

Dom headed back to his rooms, hopefully to be left alone this time. Kel? Gods I wish it were Kel. What were the odds of that? I mean this is Kel we're talking about, not bloody likely. It would explain why she was acting weird lately though. Of course he could always just find one of her memos and find out. Having decided he entered his rooms and began to rummage through his desk. There had to be a note from here somewhere. Nothing, he didn't have a single old memo from her.

When he realized he was frantically searching his things for a memo from Kel he couldn't help but laugh. His interest in Kel was making him crazy. She didn't like him. He took the note out of his pocket, laid it on the desk and went to go to Kel's room. He could get a writing sample there. Eventually his men would answer the question and he could put this behind him.

Kel stood in her room. Maybe the best way to get passed this would be to tell Dom the truth. That way he'd stop searching and she could stop hiding. It would, of course be the most humiliating experience of her life. He'd become awkward around her and…Nope she wasn't telling him a thing. She would just have to get the list back and pretend she had no idea what was going on.

She shouldn't even have said anything earlier about the list. It had helped her find out where it was but that wasn't going to get her the note. Dom kept it on his person so stealing it had become difficult. Of course, as usual Tobe knew more than he should and he had skills as a pick-pocket. She stuck her head out of her room and Loesia was walking by. "Loey I need you to bring Tobe here." Loey nodded and took off at a run while Kel returned to her room to wait.

Tobe arrived moments later "Tobias Boon, I think you've been eavesdropping again."

"I told you last time Lady, a servant has to know what's goin' on ta help properly, 'sides if I hadn't you'd still be trapped in Dom's wardrobe. I can' imagine you coulda explained yourself out of that situation."

Kel blushed and neither of the pair noticed the movement outside her door before she continued "Yes, I guess I have to thank you for that. I suppose you know I was trying to get my list back?" Tobe nodded and Kel continued, "well I didn't get it so I ne-e-e…" Kel ground to a halt when she spotted a gaping Dom in the doorway.

"It was your list?" He asked stunned. He'd hoped and pursued the idea in the abstract but he hadn't expected it to be true. "You like me?"

"Tobe, I think you should leave. Don't eavesdrop." Kel stated her eyes remaining fixed on Dom. "Kel? You haven't answered my question." Kel averted her eyes and Tobe, deciding that this wasn't the best time to argue, slipped out "look Dom, it doesn't have to be a big deal. We can just pretend this never happened, I'll take the list and you can pretend you don't know. I won't cause any scenes."

"How long Kel?" he asked hoarsely. Looking miserable Kel forced herself to meet his eyes "since my first day with the Own." She said softly.

Dom sat down hard on her bed "Why didn't you say anything? You gave no hint in over five years." Frustration began to rise in Kel.

"What was I supposed to say? Oh by the way Dom, I'm madly in love with you, its hardly ordinary conversation." Dom looked stunned again "In love with me?" he croaked. Kel let out a strangled cry. This was not going well. "Dom, this is hard enough as it is. Please just drop this.

"I can't Kel." "You ha-" Kel's statement was cut off be Dom's lips pressing against hers softly.

He pulled away and looked down at her a soft look in his eyes and he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close. She loved that she had to look up at Dom, it made her feel feminine Kel thought dazedly. She murmured "wow" and Dom laughed softly. "You should have told me sooner Kel." Kel nodded and he grasped beneath her chin lifting her face to his again and kissed her. They broke apart dazed.

"So Kel, does this mean you're interested?' She laughed and nodded pulling him into another kiss.

The next morning Dom and Kel arrived at the mess hall together. Smiling at Dom, Kel went to sit at a refugee table as usually, while Dom sat with the Own. Fulcher looked at him "Well Dom we got samples for all the ladies and even half of the men. We need the list to compare." Dom shrugged, unable to suppress a smile "It doesn't matter anymore."

"How doesn't it matter? You had us on the hunt yesterday and now you don't care. What exactly happened to you last night?"

"Look I just don't care about finding some random maid anymore. The list doesn't matter so you can search or stop depending on what you want but I lost the list so there's no frame of comparison." Dom was still smiling.

Fulcher looked at him suspiciously "you found out who wrote the list last night didn't you?" Dom shook his head "How would I do that?" He finished eating and left the hall whistling. Suddenly life was looking up again and things weren't so confusing anymore.

Kel watched Dom stride out of the hall. It was only a matter of time until there relationship was found out but she didn't doubt that most of the people of New Hope would support them. They would just have to show everyone they could maintain a relationship both personal and professional. Kel was glad she had written that list she had gotten everything she'd wanted.