Disclaimer--I do not own any of Tamora Pierce's characters or places or anything. No infringement of copyright is intended by the publication of this story. I do own Skye. Haha, so there, Tammy! I do have something!

Dedication-- To my lovely sister Julia (aka Starlit Niphredil). I couldn't have done it without you. Please don't call me Meathead anymore, term of endearment or not.

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Kel smiled at the young man before her dismounting from a weary brown mare.

"Long ride?" Kel asked her best friend, Neal of Queenscove.

"Yes, I started out just before dawn. I wanted to get here before sundown," Neal replied quietly.

"Well, you had better wash up. You've arrived just in time for supper."

"Mm-hmm."

"What? Not 'Yes, Mother'? Is everything alright?" Kel's voice was gently teasing, but her eyes betrayed real concern. It was not normal for Neal to be this…subdued. And he looked tired, even depressed.

"Mmm. Fine. Look, I'm not very hungry right now. I think I'm just going to…go…to my rooms…" His words trailed off, and Neal wandered away.

Kel frowned as she watched Neal absently bump into a fence-post, apologize for not watching where he was going, then shake his head as he realized he was talking to a fence.

Something was definitely wrong. This was not normal behavior for Neal. Usually—except early in the mornings—he was lively and always ready with a quick retort. Kel had given him the perfect opportunity to use his sharp tongue, and he had said nothing. Neal wasn't the type who fell into a depression for no reason.

Why he almost looks like he did back when he fell into fits of mistemper over his 'unrequited love' for unattainable ladies, Kel thought to herself. Then she shook her head at her own folly. That was silly, Neal had not acted that was since he and Yuki…had something happened between them?

But no, they were completely in love. There must be something else bothering him. Kel would talk to him. After all, that was what friends were for. And she wanted him to be able to heal. They needed every healer possible to help with all the wounded from the last battle.

Despite the fall of Blayce and his killing machines, Scanran forces continued to harrass New Hope. There had been many battles recently as the Scanran fought desperately to gain the upper hand in the war.

There had been several attempts to overrun New Hope in the past few weeks, and with Neal on a one month leave to visit his betrothed Yuki in Corus, Kel had put in a request for another healer.

As the toll of wounded rose with each battle, Kel had realized the need for a healer other than their ordinary group of hedgewitches and midwives.

If Neal had not been in Corus, New Hope would have been fine. But while he was absent, Kel had needed someone else to help her people. And for once, luck was with her. Her request had gone in about the same tiem as a fresh group of healers arrived from the capital. One of them, a young woman by the name of Skye Whyte, had been sent over to New Hope almost immediately.

Speaking of Skye, Kel wondered if she'd be allowed to keep the healer now that Neal had returned. She was sure Neal would be glad for help; she knew that sometimes he felt overwhelmed. Another healer was always useful. And besides, Kel rather liked the woman. Skye had a lively sense of humor and was brisk but kind with her patients. She did have a sharp tongue and a quick temper, though. Hopefully Skye and Neal would get along alright.

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True to his word, Neal did not attend dinner that night. Kel was forced to go to Neal's room and knock repeatedly on the door until he answered it out of sheer irritation to make her stop.

"Neal, I'm not leaving until you'll talk to me," Kel told him firmly. "Now what's wrong? You aren't eating, you're unnaturally quiet and worst of all, you won't say anything about it! What's happened? Is is your father? Is it Alanna? Is it, is it--"

"Nothing's wrong," Neal sighed. "I'm just not hungry."

"Since when are you not hungry?" Kel wanted to know. "You're always hungry. It's not as if we're having nothing but vegetables for dinner."

"It's just…"

"What?"

"I never thought this would happen," Neal admitted. "Everything was perfect. I never expected that anything would go wrong."

Kel's gaze softened. "What went wrong?" she asked gently. "Neal, it's best for you to talk about it. It won't do you any good to keep it inside."

"Yuki," Neal said flatly. "From the very beginning, our relationship was like a dream. Everything was right, as if we were meant to be. But then, when I visited, nothing was perfect anymore. We kept arguing, about everything. And, and she…I don't see her as I once did. And I don't know why, but nothing felt the same."

"Neal, I'm so sorry," Kel said quietly.

"And then, when I told Yuki that I wasn't sure that we should get married, she starting muttering under her breath in Yamani. Then she said she felt the same way, but…" Neal stopped.

"But what?"

"Those weeks I spent in Corus seem almost surreal. Before we decided to break it off, everytime I was around her, I felt awkward and…uncomfortable. And then when I was alone, I felt like I was living a lie. But there was someone else. Kel, she had stopped loving me. And as soon as she realized she didn't want to be with me, she found someone else. Before we even had a chance to talk." At this, Neal's words stopped, and a single tear coursed down his cheek.

Kel put her arms around him, and let him cry for his loss. Some time later, he spoke again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break down like that. I just…"

"It's fine," Kel told him. "I know how you feel. I've been through this. And don't think I didn't shed any tears over Cleon. I just did it where no one could see me."

"That's just like you, Kel. Having your emotional breakdowns where no one can help you. You're so strong. And here I am, crying on your shoulder about my romantic loss."

"Just like our page years, minus the crying."

At that, Neal managed a watery smile.

"Well, supper is probably over by now, but I'm sure I could talk the cooks into giving me some leftover food for you." Kel glanced at Neal. "Are you alright now?"

"I will be," Neal replied quietly.

As she stood to leave, he spoke again.

"Kel, thank you."

She smiled, and shut the door softly behind her.

A/N-- Well there it is. Now, this is not a Kel/Neal fic. I hope it didn't seem like that too much. I was trying to capture their friendship, and nothing more. Skye will be making an appearance in the next chapter. Sorry if there are horrible grammer and/or spelling errors, but I HAVE NO BETA! So it's not my fault. Ahem. My sister was too busy jumping around shouting "Neal! Neal!" to proof-read my chappie. So I'd like a beta if anyone's interested. Hopefully I don't sound completely daft, cos I'm not. Mostly.