Over the next few days, Bastila saw Revan more and more. She realized that they hadn't been avoiding each other, but that she simply hadn't noticed Revan's presence. They talked casually when they had a moment, nodding a greeting when they didn't.

Surprised to find that they both were scheduled to eat their meals at the same time, they started sitting together, talking and becoming fast friends. Bastila confided in Revan how much she hated being singled out for having the special ability Battle Meditation, where she could turn the tides of battles in one group's favor if she wished. Revan, in turn, complained about the strictness of the Jedi Order on familial relationships and the ideals about love.

They trained together whenever they could, sparring out in the plains. They fought small groups of kath hounds, searching for the fabled crystal cave together. During their small battles, Bastila and Revan developed a joint form; they were able to perfectly complement the other's blows and quickly take out enemies.

Having become so close that they were nearly inseparable, they almost knew the other's thoughts before they thought them. It proved helpful when fighting off the kath hounds on their search for the crystal cave. They finally found it, after many months of searching, and Revan immediately announced she wanted to go in. Bastila, though a little less adamant, agreed quickly and they headed in.

It was pitch black inside the cave, so they ignited their lightsabers for light. The moment the blades shot out of the hilts, a large swarm of kinrath attacked.

Bastila fought off and killed a few, yelping when she felt one of the beasts bite her. The wound burned a moment later, forcing Bastila to realize that she'd been poisoned.

"What's wrong?" Revan asked immediately, her concern obvious. She had apparently heard Bastila's cry above all the squealing and known that something had happened.

"It bit me," Bastila responded through her grit teeth. She opened her mouth to say something else, only to find that her lightsaber got knocked out of her hand and extinguished. A particularly large kinrath leapt up on Bastila's shoulders, throwing her to the ground. It squealed loudly, baring its fangs and leaning toward her. Bastila screamed, screwing her eyes shut and throwing her hands up to protect her face. The moment she did so, the ground spun underneath her. The poison was rushing through her bloodstream, working to kill her. Bastila fought off a wave of nausea, faintly aware of the kinrath on top of her being thrown away.

She felt hands grabbing her arms and hauling her up onto someone's back. She was suddenly too disoriented by the poison attacking her brain to realize it was Revan. Bastila heard someone calling her name frantically, finally allowing the darkness surrounding her to take her away.

"Bastila…"

Bastila struggled to open her eyes, groaning a little as she tried to move. Her leg was aching, and for a brief moment, she wondered why.

"Bastila?"

Kinrath. She remembered now. Bastila frowned, wondering who was talking to her. Why did they sound so worried?

"Bastila, come on, wake up!"

Bastila grunted something she hoped sounded like 'I'm fine' and tried again to open her eyes. She did so with great difficulty, blinking a few times before the world came into focus. Revan was leaning over her, looking extremely anxious. Sweat had gathered on Revan's forehead and temples, showing that she had nearly fought herself to death to save both of their lives.

"Bastila?!"

Bastila grinned weakly, glancing around. "You okay?" she asked hoarsely, surprised to find that she was in a small room laying on a cot. A protocol droid stood at the ready in case they needed anything. The door was open, showing a long hallway beyond the room.

Revan sighed, nearly melting away with relief. Bastila noticed for the first time that Revan's cheeks were wet with tears. "I'm much better now," Revan responded, returning Bastila's smile as she dried her eyes. "I was worried about you. I didn't think I'd ever get to hear your cute little accent again."

Bastila stuck her tongue out at Revan. "I'm fine. I'm always fine," she said and shrugged, lifting herself into a sitting position. She felt Revan's arms go around her shoulders to steady her, grateful as she felt herself wobble. "Really, I'm fine, Rev. Thanks."

Revan rolled her eyes, hugging Bastila with a friendly affection. "You had me worried, buddy."

Bastila grinned, gesturing around with her chin. "Where are we?"

"We're in a farmhouse, actually," Revan replied, releasing her hold on Bastila, watching as Bastila tested her own balance. "I finished off all the kinrath after you went down--" Revan's voice hitched in her throat, but she swallowed and continued. "--and I carried you all the way here. It was the closest place."

Bastila nodded, turning and slipping off the cot, straightening as she stood on her own two feet. She groaned a split second later, her leg giving out beneath her weight. Before Bastila could topple to the ground, Revan's arms were around her, keeping her steady.

Bastila grimaced. "I don't think I can walk yet," she grumbled. "I can't even stand up!"

Revan helped lower Bastila back onto the cot, shrugging. "It's all right. I'm sure the farmer'll give us a ride back to the Enclave."

As if on cue, an older man walked in, smiling kindly at Bastila. "Good to see you're awake. You gave your friend quite a scare." He handed Bastila a small syringe, which she injected near her waist. The healing fluid quickly flowed through her system, causing her to sigh with relief.

The farmer smiled. "Feel better?"

Bastila nodded. "Much, thank you. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. I'm sorry."

The farmer shrugged, waving away Bastila's apology. "It's perfectly all right. We've all got to help each other." He seemed to think on his words for a moment, snapping out of his reverie after a moment. "Do you girls need a ride back to that Enclave of yours?" he asked. "After all, it's all I can do to help you out, and besides that, I doubt that leg of yours is ready for a walk."

Bastila and Revan smiled their thanks and nodded. With a smile in return, the farmer rose to get his speeder ready for the short trip.

The farmer dropped them off just outside the Jedi Enclave's courtyard entrance. Both girls thanked him, and he sped away, waving at them kindly.

Revan turned to Bastila, who was gingerly testing her weight as she leaned against a tree trunk. "You okay?" Revan asked.

Bastila shrugged. "I think so. I should be perfect in an hour or so." She scowled at her leg as it shook beneath her. Bastila grumbled and then looked up at Revan, a pleading look in her eyes. "Could you…?"

Revan grinned and caught Bastila's arm, throwing it over her own shoulders and taking on some of Bastila's weight. Together they began hobbling toward the Enclave entrance. Revan sighed. "Oh, I can hardly wait to explain this to Vrook," she muttered sardonically.

Revan was right; Vrook was completely disgusted with the situation and sentenced them both to a day and night out in the plains to think about what they'd done.

"This is stupid," Bastila fumed, pulling up a few blades of grass and shredding them. "This isn't done to sixteen year olds! This is a punishment for the younglings!"

Revan watched Bastila out of the corner of her eye. "Calm down, Bas. It's just one night."

Bastila snorted, though she did stop to calm down before she spoke again. "Still! I think it's dumb."

They were both silent for a long time, staring at the setting sun. A kath hound bayed in the distance, a faint, mournful sound.

"Hey, Bas?" Revan asked softly.

"What?"

"Don't scare me like that again."

Bastila cocked her head, confused for a moment. Finally, Revan's meaning came to her. "Oh. I'll try not to, Rev. But, you know, we're kind of accident prone," she added with a chuckle.

Revan snorted, a hint of a smile on her face.

Bastila watched as the smile disappeared and Revan's expression became pensive again. She was silent, as was Revan, for a few long minutes. "What's wrong, Revan?" Bastila asked softly, uneasy as she imagined the possible answers she might receive.

Revan paused, opening and then closing her mouth once, finally shaking her head. "Nothing."

Bastila reached out and rested a hand on Revan's shoulder, waiting until her friend looked at her. "Revan, I can tell something's wrong. Just tell me?"

"I… um…" Revan hesitated, glancing at Bastila uncertainly. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."

Bastila raised her eyebrows. "Oh? What about?"

"My feelings, I guess," Revan sighed. "About my friends."

Bastila nodded, turning and gazing at her friend in the fading light. "Let me guess," she said slowly, purposefully keeping all her emotions out of her voice. "You're falling for that tall guy. I forgot his name…"

"Malak?" Revan laughed. "No, I'm not. He's a good friend, but nothing more than that." She sighed. "No, Bastila, it's someone else."

"Oh, really?" Bastila asked, intrigued now that she had ruled out Malak. She raised a questioning eyebrow, grinning. "Who?"

Revan looked away after a moment's hesitation, deciding that she didn't want to pursue the topic any more. "Never mind."

"Revan!" Bastila whined. "Don't do that! You know I hate it."

Revan sighed, immediately defeated. "Fine. You know how I was so worried about you when you woke up?"

Bastila nodded.

"I was scared. I thought I might lose you." Revan was silent again. "I couldn't stand that, Bas… I care about you too much to lose you."

Bastila smiled, apparently still not understanding.

Revan groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You don't get it, do you?" She looked up at Bastila to see if her friend understood. The somewhat blank look in Bastila's eyes answered Revan's question. "Bastila, I'm different than you! I have feelings that you and every other Jedi doesn't have!"

Bastila frowned, uncertainly putting the pieces together. "Feelings?" she repeated softly.

"I'm gay, Bastila." Revan turned away, tears leaping to her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to force her tears away.

"Seriously?" Bastila sounded completely blown away, though it was obvious she was keeping her voice gentle.

Revan nodded, still not looking in Bastila's direction. She swiped her sleeve across her eyes, wishing she didn't have to be crying. "I… I understand if you don't want to be around me anymore," she whispered, trying not to let her voice crack. "I--" She interrupted herself, shaking her head violently and getting to her feet. Revan ran, ignoring Bastila's surprised cry behind her.

After a few minutes, Revan stopped, leaning against the nearest tree as she gasped for breath, still crying.

Only a moment later did Bastila's footfalls become audible behind her, coming to a stop as she paused a few feet from her friend. "Revan, look at me," she pleaded breathlessly, massaging her side where a stitch was beginning to form.

Revan ignored her, her body trembling with both crying and exhaustion.

Bastila stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Revan, rocking her friend gently. "Don't cry," she murmured. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

Revan drew a long breath, hesitating to ask her question. She felt a few more traitorous tears slip down her cheeks before she spoke. "You don't hate me for it, do you?"

Bastila chuckled, squeezing Revan gently. "Hardly. You're my best friend, Rev. Something like this isn't going to change that."

Revan finally tuned her gaze on Bastila, the expression on her face one of unease. "You do know that I've got, um, feelings for you, right?"

Bastila nodded slowly, looking her friend in the eye. A small, uncertain smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Yes," she replied slowly.

Revan frowned, her eyebrows raising in confusion. "What?" she asked uncomfortably.

"You aren't so different from me, Revan," Bastila murmured, her eyes dropping to Revan's collar as a light blush crept up her neck. "I, uh, I might have… feelings for you, too."

Revan gaped at Bastila. She was too shocked to even form words, so she just stared, her heart pounding in her ears.

As the silence dragged on, Bastila's blush deepened. She didn't look at Revan, chewing on her lip uneasily. "I… maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Bastila mumbled, releasing Revan and stepping away. "I just thought--"

Revan cut her off, catching Bastila's wrists and pulling her toward her, kissing her softly. She felt her brain flood with emotion, blocking out anything else that had been going on. For a few moments, it was just her and Bastila.

Revan seemed to suddenly realize what she was doing, pulling away. She looked up to see Bastila staring at her, an unreadable expression in Bastila's eyes.

"I--um, sorry. I couldn't help myself." Revan bit her lip, her gaze dropping to her hands which were still wrapped around Bastila's wrists. "Was that way out of line?"

Bastila managed a grin, shaking her head shyly. "No way. That was perfect." She wrapped her arms around Revan's neck, leaning in to kiss Revan again.

Part of that might have been a little redundant, sorry. I originally wrote that different and then changed it, and might have completely botched it...

Anyway, I got a review saying something about Malak's name being Alek?

Thanks SynysterShadow, I didn't know that at the time I was writing. =] It's a little too late to go back and change it, so for now Malak will still be Malak.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 1! Your feedback was very much appreciated!