Ignition (Jeran/Invited) -- Completed.

[Dae Jinn]

<font size=1>Continued from <a href=http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27392>here</a></font>

"I'm sorry, I need this time."


Jeran's words repeated in her mind as Dae entered the home they shared on Gias. She couldn't understand why he wouldn't talk to her, share what he was thinking and feeling with her. Why he had to leave her for weeks, months at a time.
She was tired of it, tired of waiting for him to come back. She had packed a bag of her things, and left him a note, if he did happen to return here before she did. She doubted it, but she didn't plan on returning here soon. She was sick of coming home to an empty house, worrying if he had be captured, or worse, during a hunt. She read over the note, sighing as she left it on the kitchen table....

<font color=red><center>Jeran,
Have gone to Coruscant for a break. Don't know when I'll be back.
See you, Dae. </center></font>

Soon, Dae was back "home", on Coruscant. The lights in the club flashed and blinked in time to the pounding drum and bass music blasting out of the many speakers. She was on the dance floor, moving to the music, moving with the large crowd of people surrounding her. She pushed her way through the crowd, leaning against the bar, and ordering her usual.

"Vodka, leave the bottle."
It was her fourth bottle of the night, and she wasn't planning on stopping untill she couldn't think straight. She didn't want to think about the Lost, to think about the Force, to think about Jeran. She closed her eyes, tilting her back as she drained the clear alcohol from her glass. The bartender gave her a look and shook his head. She smirked back.
"What the frell are you lookin' at? Never seen a lady drink before?" She laughed, pouring herself another glass. She looked around, taking in the sights, people-watching. Here, the upscale mingled with the low-class, criminals bought each other drinks, and sold other more illegal things. She took a sip of her glass, and sighed, staring down at the counter-top.

[Jeran Conrad]

Footsteps down the alleyway--clop...clop...clop...clop...a slow gait. Possibly intoxicated. It didn't matter.

Stopped.

"What, hmmmm? Somethin's smells fishy," said a medium-toned voice. Maybe he had sensed Jeran. Maybe not.

Footsteps closer--clop...clop...clop...clop...

Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Don't breathe.

Footsteps right next to his hiding place--clop...clop--

SNAP-HISS--VRrrrrrrrrrMMMMM, VRrrrrrMMMMMM

The blue blade of Jeran's lightsaber came to life whirling through the air as he swung it towards the man. Immediately, with the element of suprise and a precise skill from using the shadows his entire life, the blade had pinpointed it's target, finding the right hand of a Dark Jedi Padawan reaching for the lightsaber at his belt. The hand was severed at the wrist as the weapon too fell from the now lost grip. The other hand shot across, grabbing the stub with pain as the Dark Jedi dropped to his knees--forced by agony. He let out a low whine.

"Who the hell are you? A Jedi?" His eyes followed the man's figure, searching for a face in the empty, dark hood. The icy blade was held only inches from the man's kneck.

"If only you were that fortunate," Jeran replied, pulling back on the blade and sweeping it downward, severing the head of the Dark Jedi. The body fell back into a lying position as the blue blade--once alive with furious energy--was sentenced back into it's cage.

The young man breathed a deep, deep sigh of relief. All his troubles had been riding within that man's body. It had been released--another victory for the lightside. He felt cleansed. Kneeling to touch the ground of his victory, one name only made its way into his weary mind:

Dae Jinn.

********

The note was fairly fresh. It had only been two days since he had left her on the transport. Maybe it had been a mistake--how was he to know? He was no expert in the arts of love, and he found great difficulty in explaining himself. He trusted Dae--more than he trusted anyone else in this twisted galaxy. He cared for her even more than that. But somehow, for some reason, for any reason at all, he could not communicate well with her when it came to personal strife. He owed an explanation to her.

It wasn't hard to pick up her scent. Even in Coruscant, the trail of body odor one left behind was easy to pick up. Of course, it helped when you knew someone's routine--he had narrowed the search down to a few blocks in Dae's home sector. With a little help from his nose and the Force--he had always been an expert tracker--he had narrowed it down to a single club. It would be easy to find her from here on out.

He paused in front of the mirror to look himself over. He had showered vigorously, gotten a slight hair cut, and did the unmaginable--bought new clothing. It was something odd for him, but the clerk had been a great help. She had picked out something very modern for him--some kind of deeply crimson, button-up shirt and a pair of black...slacks? Was that what she called them? He couldn't remember. On top of that, he wore a very uncomfortable belt and some strange boots--they weren't boots at all. They were dark, black shoes that looked very shiny and were soft-soled. They weren't too uncomfortable. Despite all this, he still wore the same trust cloak he always wore--lined with his lightsaber, comm link, and a few other pouches of gear he kept with him.

Finally, deciding he was properly fit to address her, he entered the club. Without hesitation, he looked straight to the bar and saw her--she looked terrible. Her head was droopy, her posture tired as she hung over a bottle of some type of alcohol. He didn't know what--he didn't know his liqour in the slightest--but it looked like rough stuff. He could smell it from where he was standing.

He made his way up to the bar and found a stool one stool down from Dae. Ordering water, he turned his attention down to her. He put on a smile, but didn't make direct eye contact with her. It was possible he had rubbed her the wrong way, and it was necessary to keep this easy and build it up slowly from there.

"Come here often?" He spoke at last, his voice soft and gentle. It was calming.

[Dae Jinn]

"Only to get looped,' Dae murmured, almost to herself. She didn't bother looking to the voice, it was probably some jerk who wanted to spend the night with her. Well, she wasn't in the mood to put up with it. She slammed back her drink, then started to pour herself another.
'If you're looking for a fun time, frell off. I'm not interested."

[Jeran Conrad]

She was sloshed already. Already, the bottle of whatever had apparently begun to take its toll. Her eyes had deep, dark bags underneath them and her mouth drooped as she poured another drink into it. He had tried to talk to her like this once before. . .

It didn't go well.

But he couldn't help it. He had to talk to her now--tonight, here in this club. It wasn't as though he needed to clear his conscience. No. This was not some self-righteous approach. He really wanted to make this right--make her understand he was wrong. He wanted her to see that he had been a fool.

He prayed the the Force that he could get the words out.

"I. . .uh. . .I didn't mean it like that." He stumbled over his words. He was a terrible speaker. "Dae. . .it's me."

[Dae Jinn]

"Me who?" Dae turned, squinting and her eyes widened. "What the frell are you doing here!"

It was more of a statement than a question, Dae stood, grabbing her drink and scowling at him. He looked, different. He had cleaned himself up, bought new clothes and followed her. He had come here...to do what? Talk to her? Tell her how horrible she was? She shook her head.
"I thought you needed "time"...I don't want to talk to you right now." She sighed softly, but didn't leave. She looked him over, and brushed a stray strand of his hair back behind his ear. "You look...really good..."

[Jeran Conrad]

"I had some time. It was empty. . ." He paused. "Empty without you." He recieved a water from the bartender and kept his eyes towards Dae. He smiled as she touched his hair.

"Look. . .if you. . .if you need me to be away right now. . .I understand." He looked at her sincerely, letting her know that he meant it. He understood her and he wanted her to have the freedom she derserved.

[Dae Jinn]

"I don't know what I need." She mumbled, trailing a finger down his cheek. She downed her drink and shook her head, setting the empty glass on the counter. She looked at him with sad, hurt eyes.
"Unlike you, I don't like to run from what problems we may be having..."

[Jeran Conrad]

"You know, we all have different ways of dealing with things," he said, somewhat irritated by her remark. He didn't consider himself a coward, but he didn't always know what to do.

"You think I always have the answers instantly every time something goes wrong?" He looked at her, this time his eyes a little more fierce. "Sometimes, I need some time to think. I need time to clear my mind." He turned himself away from her.

"If you can't respect that, then I don't know. . ." he trailed off, a bit irritated.

[Dae Jinn]

"Yeah, and everytimes one little thing happens, you blame me and run off. I'm getting sick of it, I don't see why I have to respect you, when you don't respect me all the time." Her voice cracked a bit. "You always think I'm up to something, or that I'm being evil or whatever, well, I'm not. You're always telling me how horrible I am, but you're just as bad."

[Jeran Conrad]

"Telling you how evil you are?!?" Jeran nearly stood as emotion grew within him. "I have no idea what you mean? I merely do my best to protect you!" He thought about the comment. He thought he meant it. But did he?

"How does taking time away from a situation to anaylize it make me 'just as bad'?" He thought for a second. "What the frell does that mean anyway?"

[Dae Jinn]

"You merely throw the fact that I'm a Sith in my face, every chance you get! And, I meant what you did to poor Tevit! After all this talk about being calm and the Lightside, you go and do something like that!"

The next thing he knew, her fist was balled up and aimed for his face. It connected with his right cheek, knocking him slightly off balance. Dae turned and started to disappear into the crowd...

[Jeran Conrad]

Shocked was not a powerful enough word to describe him.

As he regained his balance, he reminded himself that she was bilogically stronger than him and that he hadn't seen it coming--that was why he had faltered. Next time, he would keep his left arm bent slightl forward so that he would be able to react with a block.

WHAT WAS HE THINKING!

Stop it! Stop it! He tried to reason with himself. A voice of reason in his head. Was it his own? This is not training or some game! This is your life! This is Dae! She's walking away! He was right. His eyes remained wide as he felt pain set in. It wasn't the pain of his cheek after the punch or the way his jaw had felt slightly--ever so slightly--unhinged. It was the pain of emotion in his gut--a sickness that grew slowly stronger. Her words hurt. Why?

Because she's right.

No, that wasn't why. She was a Sith--she should be ashamed of herself. She was lucky that he actually cared, lucky that he hadn't killed her.

No, you're lucky. You're lucky she saved you on Gais. You're lucky she cares enough not to tell her Master all about you and have you marked for death.

Maybe you're right.

I am. He hoped that no one else was monitoring this inner dialogue so as they wouldn't think him insane. And what you did to Tevit was terribly wrong. I couldn't believe it.

Niether could he. It was true.

You owe her this. An apology--total and unconditional.

No, not yet. I can't. I can't do that. . she. . I have to. . .it's just that. . .

Don't you walk away from this! I can't make you do this, but I'm telling you right now--if you walk away from this, you will wish you were dead.

He made his way to the bar, his back towards Dae. He needed a second to think--a minute to sort some things out. Think, he thought. Think.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae pushed her way through the crowd, tears stinging her eyes. She hoped Jeran wasn't following her...but part of her hoped he would. That he would grab her arm and ask for forgiveness. That he wouldn't run again. She shoved past some drunken patrons, making her way outside.

The cold night air hit her, making her gasp slightly. Inside the club it had been balmy, warm, sweaty. Outside was chilly, bitter by comparison. She wrapped her arms around her body, shivering, looking back through the glass windows of the club. Jeran wasn't coming. Dae shook her head sadly, and started walking slowly home...She knew he wouldn't come. Her heart ached in her chest, wishing he would appear behind her, come calling after her. But he didn't; she kept walking, wiping her eyes and keeping her head down.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: shouts ahead of Dae got her attention, then she saw the cause of the commotion. Her home was burning, lighting up the night in a magickal green witchfire. Water wouldn't douse it, and Dae knew that the fire would keep burning, til only cinders remained ::

[Jeran Conrad]

Fine, I'm going. But this better work.

Jeran dropped some credits onto the metallic table of the bar and turned on his heels. His face still hurt, but his heart ached more. He had deserved it--that much was true. But he would not allow her to leave.

For the first time, he felt how it must have been like from Dae's perspective. How she must feel evertime he left. He didn't wish it on her anymore, as his own heart reached out to her as she turned the cold shoulder to him. He would never walk out on her again--never, so he pledged.

Coming into the street, a weird feeling overtook him. A familiar sense--something. . .not pleasant. He didn't know what it was, but his eyes feel upon Dae as she stormed down the street.

"Dae, please, stop. . ." He called to her, coming closer to her. Closing in, he reached a hand out to grasp her shoulder.

"Dae, please. . .I'm sorry. . .I deserved that, and I know it, and I. . ." he paused. Tears began to stain his cheeks as he pleaded with her.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae's gasped as she approached the place where her home was. The strange green fire was consuming the entire building, but nothing else. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped.
Dae spun around, expecting an angry Sorsha to be waiting, her hand going for the silver cylinder that hung from her belt. Instead, she found Jeran standing, his hand on her shoulder. Tears were falling down his cheeks. She had never seen him this way, so sad. Pleading with her...

"Dae, please. . .I'm sorry. . .I deserved that, and I know it, and I. . ."
He paused, and found he couldn't say more. Dae's lips were pressed gently against his, her fingers brushing away the tears that had fallen. She pulled away, resting her forehead on his, before kissing him once more. She laughed, her own tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Sorsha burnt down my house....."

[Jeran Conrad]

"You. . .who. . .what?" His words came out in a jumbled mess as he held her close to him. He looked towards the place that once held Dae's home only to see rubble and what appeared to be a green flame that had combusted the lot. He had no clue what this meant, but he was sure that it wasn't good. No matter what it seemed to touch, the flame only burnt the single home.

Strange, for sure, and definitely the mark of something else at play. This was no arson. Someone--maybe even something, he didn't know--had sabatoged the place.

"I though Sorsha was your mentor, your master," he spoke, puzzled. "Why would someone in her position do such damage to your possessions?" He began to think things through aloud.

"This is one reason why I feared us, Dae," he said, breaking contact with her. He turned from her and paced a few steps. "I worry about these kinds of things. Why would she do such a thing?" He turned back to face Dae again. "Because of me, Dae. Because of me." His eyes were soft and in thought.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae sighed, and shook her head. "Heh, why do you think she did it? She must know more than about what has been going on then just our relationship. If it was only about you.."

Dae looked to him, more tears falling from her eyes. "I think I should go...It's not safe for you. I'm not safe for you..."

She turned away from him, walking towards the smoking hole where her home once stood. The fire was begining to die down, slowly burning itself out. There was nothing left. Dae knelt down, picking up a handful of ashes and letting it slip through her fingers. She laughed.

"I wonder if this is worth it...Is being with me worth it to you, Jeran? Is it worth the danger?"

[Jeran Conrad]

Jeran's brow furrowed a bit as he thought about her comment.

"You say that with a certain sick desparation in your voice, Dae," he said, feeling as though he had to defend himself from some sort of accusational onlsaught. "You say that as though you doubt me, Dae. As though you doubt my commitment to you. If that is what you think. . .dispell the thought! I would never abandonned the commitment I have pledged to you."

"I love you. I care for you more deeply than love. . .it's something else, something inside of us. A deep-rooted connection that will not be broken. No matter what relations may grow or even falter between us, this connection will not. And I will not give that up." He turned away, his emotion again manifesting as small, burning tears in his eyes.

"If you will not stay with me. . .if you will not have me as your own. . .I will not leave you. . .you do know this?" He turned back to face her. "I will always be somewhere, always seeking to protect you. Even if you wish for me to. . ." He stopped.

[Dae Jinn]

"I don't...please don't ever think that!" She brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face, leaving dusty smudges on her tear-stained cheeks. Slowly Dae rose to her feet, turning to face him.

"You know how I feel about you, how much I love you and how much I care for you, you're my heart, Jeran....But, if anything was to happen to you, because of me, because of my Darkside connections, I would die."

Her hands clenched into fists and she looked away. 'I couldn't live with myself if you were hurt because of me, protecting me. I..don't know what to do."

[Jeran Conrad]

"I can fend for myself, Dae." He had a confidence that was admirable at least. In reality, if certain darkside forces were to want him dead, it woul dbe asily attained. However, he was able to take care of himself adequately, and it gave him a sense of pride that he kept close.

"What do you believe in, Dae? Do you believe in the power and strength of love? Do you believe in what we have?" He thought as he spoke. This was a crossroads in their life together, and things were going to change. From this day on, they would never be the same, no matter the outcome.

[Dae Jinn]

"You know I do. And whatever happens, I know I'll always have you there beside me. I know our love can survive anything that comes our way."
She turned her eyes to him, a tiny smile appearing on her lips as she looked him over.
"But, I love you. And part of me will always be concerned with your safety. Even if you were a Jedi Master, I would still worry every time you left for a hunt."
She reached over, taking his hand and stroking it softly. It had become almost a habit when they were with each other -- a way to show affection that few would take note of. She found it comforting, stroking the rough callouses of his hands gently with her fingertips.
"Whatever happens now, I want to face it together."

[Jeran Conrad]

"Then you have decided," he spoke, taking her hand into his own and holding her closely. "You will not leave me nor will you make me go--as I will do niether to you." He kissed her softly on her forehead as they stood.

From the streets, one could see the pair nestled together. They stood and watched the strange green flame engulf the last of Dae's house as the structure crumbled in on itself. Such a modern home--the place where they had been together several times. It was strange to see it go, as he had always thought of it as a sanctuary to his own nomadic nature.

It burned as a symbol of even their love. It seemed that no matter what the two would come to face, it would only be their love that would hold them together. They would face trials, they would face adversity, they would even face destruction. At times, it seemed as love would fail and leave them defending each other. Jeran thought that maybe they wouldn't always win. Maybe they would stumble, maybe they would fall.

Tonight, however, they conquered.