Scenario 1- ''I Like You, Neal.''

Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her eardrums. She swore it was going to pop out of her chest, it was beating so fast. Despite how nervous she felt, she knew that she had to do this, that it couldn't go on like this anymore. She had to tell him.

But what if he didn't like her? Could she handle that? What if he liking him irrevocably changed their friendship? Wouldn't to just be easier to let this crush-thingy fade?

Don't tell him, a part of her mind was screaming, if you tell him, you'll regret it. With that, second thoughts poured through her head.

No, the other part of her mind said, you have to tell him. He deserves to know. It's not like you can keep going on like this anyway. It's too hard and… awkward… and confusing. You've had this crush for over a year-no, two years- now and it still hasn't faded. He'll find out somehow, sometime about this crush and it would be better if he found this out from you.

She knocked on the door, and forced her knock to be audible.

She knocked three times and he still didn't answer. Maybe this is a sign from the gods that I shouldn't do this, she thought.

She decided to knock on the door one more time and if he still didn't answer, she would leave.

On that last knock, he opened the door.

''Good morning, Kel,'' he said, ''what brings you here at this hour? You woke me up.''

His sandy hair was knotted and ruffled from sleep, and he was in his pajamas.

''Neal, it's noon!'' She couldn't help pointing that out- Neal always slept until ridiculous hours on rest days.

''Oh, it is?''

Kel nodded and Neal yawned.

''I could of slept a bit longer if you hadn't come,'' he said, ''which brings me back to- Why did you come here?''

Kel swore her heart was in her throat, she was so nervous. Her heart beat faster than before, and she swore that it would fall out right next to Neal. She took a deep breath.

''You all right, Kel?'' he asked, noticing she didn't say anything and looked like she was in pain.

She nodded, and prepared the speech she made up in her head: ''Neal, I like you. I like you more than a friend, a lot more than a friend. I have for a long time. I hope you like me, too. If you don't, then I hope we can be friends.''

Feeling like her knees would collapse from under her, Kel ran away before he could respond.

Despite how quickly she said it, Neal heard ''I like you'' and ''more than a friend.''

He stood there in shock- he had no idea whatsoever that Kel had liked him. Out of all the things he expected her to tell him that was the last thing he expected he expected her to say. The news was like cold water thrown on him while he was sleeping.

Neal thought a lot about it. A relationship with Kel couldn't work out. He didn't feel the emotions she did, firstly. He couldn't give it a try, either- there was too much an age difference, and it would feel morally wrong to go out with her. Plus, if the relationship didn't work out… it would jeopardize their friendship.

After that, he sat there thinking of a way to tell her he didn't feel without hurting her.

He knocked on Kel's door, feeling extremely nervous.

''Kel, I think we need to talk,'' he told her when she opened the door.

She put on her Yamani mask and nodded.

Uh oh, Neal thought, her mask. That's not a good sign.

''Kel, I really like you,'' he began, and he noticed a flicker of hope on her face (Oh that's not making it easier, he thought when he did), ''but as a friend. I hope we can still be friends. You're a great girl but…''

''I understand.''

A brief flicker of disappointment lit her face before she put the mask back on.

''Kel…'' he began.

''It's alright, I understand how you don't like me,'' she said, '' I hope we can still be friends, too.''

Even though her voice was clear, there were tears in her eyes.

''I'm really sorry,'' he said.

''I told you it's alright,'' she said, her back turned.

He knew she was crying, and felt immense guilt. He wished things were different, that she was older or he was younger, just so she wouldn't have to hurt. He wished anything so she wouldn't have to hurt, and he wouldn't be the one to have hurt her.

Not knowing what else to say, he left the room.

''Lalasa,'' Kel said as her maid entered the room, ''he doesn't like me back.''

She broke out sobbing.

''Oh Kel..''

Lalasa went to her and held her as she sobbed.

Lalasa knew Kel liked Neal, and knew that a relationship between the two couldn't ever work out but it still broke her heart to see that rejection unraveled her mistress.

Even though Kel was tough, she was still subject to heartbreak.

''Neal, what's wrong with Kel?'' Owen asked Neal.

The guilt Neal had been feeling the past couple of days grew at the fact that clueless Owen could see that something was wrong with his best friend.

''None of your business, Jesslaw,'' Neal told him sharply.

''Jeez, I was just asking,'' Owen said, taken aback by his tone.

It was then that the possibility that Kel was suffering heartbreak at the hands of Neal was a thought that entered his thoughts.

''You didn't do that, did you?'' he asked.

''I said it's none of your business!''

''You did! What were you thinking? Do you know how many of us would have gladly taken that offer?''

''Shut up, Owen,'' he said, ''I feel guilty enough.''

It was hard for Kel to look at him, and worse talk to him, and pretend that everything was alright when it wasn't. It was hard to think about him, for every time she did her heart squeezed and it was hard to breathe.

Sometimes when she woke up, she forgot. Then it came back and hurt her all over again.

Slowly and painfully, her crush ebbed away. Time went on and she had other infatuations, even other relationships. She realized, later on, how stupid and impossible, it really was (But wasn't that what love was? she thought).

Whether telling him was a mistake, Kel never knew. She gave Neal a part of her heart that she couldn't get back, she knew that. And she knew that she learned a lesson or two about love from it.

A/N This came to me randomly last night- I had to write it down. I know I should have been working on my other story but… I hoped you liked it. It wasn't my favorite idea, but oh well. Please review anyway. I'll write another oneshot as soon as I can.