A/N: Going into this, you should know that in the Knights of the Old Republic Comic series, a Mandalorian scientist who experimented on Jedi (unethically) in an attempt to learn about the Force. Malak, who's name at the time was Alek, was one of those Jedi. One set of experiments involved radiation, resulting in the loss of his hair. This story obviously doesn't follow the timeline after that because of the adaptations. If you're interested, 'The Secret Journals of Doctor Demagol' is a good read, and by one of the authors of the comics. Go look it up! It's good!

Reva threw her arms around him and kissed him, so hard he had to take a step back when he caught her. She didn't want to stand there staring at him and see the way his eyes had changed; she could sense it like poison inside him already. So much, so much anger. She wanted to take that away, keep him safe, ignore it and pretend that it wasn't there. After just a second, he gently pushed her back away from him.

"Hey, I'm sore enough without you bruising my lips too." It was his apology, but it spoke volumes.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes for a moment without saying a word before wrapping her arms around him again and burying her face in his shirt. The smell of blood and sweat was overwhelming; she just blocked it out for the sake of knowing his heart was still beating.

"Alek. I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you. I couldn't- I thought-" There was a painful desperation in her heart that drove her to not trust her own senses that he was there. Even with his thoughts whispering in amongst hers she reached out to him in the Force, just to be sure. All the pain and terror, sheer terror, she had had when he was lost came rushing out and she realised she'd started crying. She was glad she'd met him here, away from the camp and the troops.

"Shh, I'm here, girlie. It takes more than a couple of soldiers and a crazy doctor to keep me away from you." He planted a kiss on the top of her head and held her.

It seemed like enough finally and she half-laughed in relief and belief. Trying to pull of a smile, she leaned back to look at him again.

"Your hair," It came out like a whisper as she reached up to run her knuckles over a scar on his cheek.

"It should grow back. But I never really liked long hair anyway. What do you think?"

"That you're trying not to worry me."

He was silent for a second, then grinned, "Does it look that bad?"

Submitting, playing along, she answered, "I can get used to it."

The Jedi hid her face in Alek's shirt again, taking a deep breath to remember what he smelled like; he felt her start to relax.

"Are you okay? I mean, are you really, honestly alright?" Not just healing, but inside, deep down, was he still holding together? He kissed her hair.

"It's nothing you can't fix, Reva."

"I love you. I love you so much. Don't you ever scare me like that again." She accepted his answer, but she knew he was lying. There were things he planned to always cover up and hide from her about the span of time he'd been gone. But it seemed so insignificant right now, everything did, just in this second when they were together.

"Are you going to kiss me again or am I going to have to kiss you?" He said it like he was teasing, but he knew she was smarter than that.

"You aren't subtle, Alek Squinquargesimus, and you're a rotten liar, and you're an idiot to think you can lie to someone who can hear you think." The last knot in her throat released and she wiped at her eyes.

"I'd love to know why you're the only one who can ever pronounce that."

"Maybe," She went up on tiptoe and smiled with her lips right over his, "It's a matter of personal investment. Come on, we'll go see the medics."

Alek woke and sat up with a heavy sigh, thinking about lies. There was a first time for everything, he supposed, even lying to the person you loved most. He felt like he still shouldn't be so close to her, but she hadn't listened to him, just repeated that the healers had cleared him. She was next to him and he looked over to her, watching her breathe in the gentle rhythm of sleep. The war hadn't gotten to her in her sleep yet; he wasn't looking forward to the day it did. They worked her enough that she'd collapse almost as soon as she got the chance.

As always, when he watched her she sensed it. It woke her up and she rolled over, whispering in the dark, looking up at him, "Are you okay?"

The warmth of the skin of her hand on his jaw was pleasant and welcome, but the concern in her eyes made him feel a little guilty, "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You're so worried."

"We're at war."

"I don't care about that, I care about you," There wasn't a way she could stress the word enough, "You hurt so badly. Why won't you let me help you?"

He didn't say anything. In the darkness the quiet was oppressive. She sat up and curled up against him, putting one hand over his heart; he picked it up and kissed her knuckles.

"You smell good," The words were whispered against her inky black hair in the language of the world he lost so long ago. She didn't answer out loud, but by pouring warmth, trust, and contentment into the link between their minds and closing her eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She kissed his jaw, "Go back to sleep."

With another sigh, Alek lay back down and held her close. She was asleep again in a few moments. He followed, like he always did.

A/N: I promise you that's his technical last name. It's on Wookiepedia, honest. Am I crazy or is there a way I'm missing to indent the paragraphs on this set-up? Anyway, hope you liked it.