Chapter Six

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It was getting dark, and the darkness was torture to Mission. She sat in front of the small fire that they had built, her eyes cast into the flames, examining the flickering beauty of the deadly enchantment. They still had no word, and it wasn't until they heard a ship roaring to life and zooming away that they paid any attention to anything. Mission gasped at the noise, Carth leapt up, and Zaalbar moved instantaneously to his Twi'lek friend's side.

"What was that?" the little blue Twi'lek gasped. Carth shook his head, and Zaalbar growled something low. Mission sighed. "I know what it was, Big Z. But… how, and why?" Once again, Zaalbar growled. "Do you think they abandoned us?" The wookie fell silent, and Mission herself fell into an uneasy silence. They waited, darkness growing nearer until at last they heard footsteps. Everybody leapt to their feet, prepared for either their friends or anything else. They weren't quite sure what was coming, but they knew it was going to be dangerous. Jolee and Juhani came down first, heads tipped. They didn't look at the group, or each other. Neither spoke a word, they simply moved aside, and slowly, the group looked up once more to see an exhausted and physically aching Revan move down the pathway.

"You're back!" Carth exclaimed, running forwards. "What happened? Where's Bastila? What was going on inside that temple?" The agitation in his voice egged the silence from the trio on further. Revan was the first to look up from the sandy beach of the tropical paradise. Her eyes cast towards Carth's, her long, auburn curls were tumbling from the neatly tied ponytail she usually kept. Her big, green eyes were cast across towards Carth. Revan's chest rose and fell gracefully, but in frantic leaps. She was terrified, it was clear, but her strength shone through. Not a word did she speak, not for several moments. After a long minute, maybe more, Revan at last spoke.

"Bastila is gone. She has turned to the dark side." Her voice held strong, but the wavering feeling inside of her, as if she herself didn't believe it, was constant. Revan focused on everybody's faces. Everybody's except Carth. She knew how he would feel, she could hear it in every fiber of her being. She could feel it echoing inside of her. The bitter words that he would speak, the angry tones. He would be furious, blame Revan. She would be the scapegoat, the dog that got kicked. She would be the gizka they had carried for so long, playing with and yelling at for no reason. No. She refused to look at that expression, that fury.

For a moment, all was silent. The wind blew their hair and fur around, and Revan smelled the salty air. She longed to crawl into bed, forget this awful day for just one night. Pain sliced through her body like a knife, and she was far too drained to do anything about it. Carth spoke, then. "Wait… Bastila? The dark side? No! How could this happen?" Carth gasped. Revan's eyes cast towards him at last, surprised she hadn't heard something that accused her of being the reason. At least, she hadn't heard anything yet.

Jolee spoke up, very nearly cutting Carth off and saving Revan from having to relive the painful experience from earlier verbally. "Bastila was always in danger of leaning towards the dark side, Carth. She was strong, yes, but she was always impatient and headstrong. Malak knew that, and he preyed upon her weaknesses." Revan flinched at the tone when Jolee said "weaknesses".

Did Revan, herself, have the same weaknesses? Was she going to have troubles in the future? She was suddenly frightened by the idea, unsure of what was to come. If Bastila, one who Revan had leaned on in times of need, was so quick to turn, what about Revan? One who had been there, knew the pull and the touch. The power and the passion. What would happen to her if she was weak, had a moment of weakness? Terror began to wrap itself around Revan's heart, and she could do nothing more than stand there, hoping for somebody to speak again. Jolee spoke again.

"This planet is tainted and evil. The temple and the Star Forge have twisted it, changed it, just as Malak has twisted Bastila into a servant of the Sith."

Those words struck a chord in Revan once more, and she gulped back her fear, her anxiety. She hoped that Jolee or Juhani wouldn't feel the desire to reach out, try to touch her with the Force and find out if she was alright. She didn't need their worry mingling with her own. So, she attempted to keep focus on the conversation, no matter how painful it truly was. "We can still save her." There was a certain desperation mingling in Revan's voice, one that she hadn't anticipated. The group looked at her, sympathy in their eyes.

Jolee, as always, was the one to take the wheel on this. He knew more about the situation at hand, anyways. "Malak's hold on her is strong, and it will be hard for her to break free… Especially due to her long standing association with you. You must remember that when the bond was forged between you two, and how it was forged by her reaching into you. Touching your memories, and rekindling the spark of life left within you. It was by this that she touched the darkness inside of you, however."

Revan's jaw fell slightly ajar. She had felt it, that she was partially responsible, but she hadn't known it was to this extent. Carth spoke next. "But… There's still hope for her, right? I mean we can still save her?" He sounded as nervous as Revan felt. "I mean…" Carth began again. "Revan rejected the dark side, so why can't Bastila?"

Revan's eyes snapped in Carth's direction. Did he just say… It took her a moment to realize that that statement, that hopeful, hopeful statement, had been directed at Revan, herself. Clearing her throat, Revan took a moment to think, choose her words carefully. "It will be hard, but we'll try."

That sounded like the half-hearted promise she had given to the Duros earlier that day, and she was sure that the crew knew it, too. However they didn't say anything, they knew it was better than nothing at this point. They all knew it, and Revan knew that returning Bastila from the dark side would be far more difficult than anybody had really pointed out. Everybody was so focused on the hope that she could come back, nobody thought about how it would feel to her. They had encountered ex-Sith in the past, Carth's own son being one of them. Those things.. They didn't turn out well all the time. In the case of Dustil, it had taken a lot more convincing than either Carth or Revan would've liked to get him back.

Jolee, of course, had to say something to finish the conversation, or start a new one at least. "I must say it's good to have you with us, my dear." Revan looked at him, understanding the statement was for her. "For a minute there I thought you might decide…. Well, never mind what I thought. It's not important now."

Carth leapt in, and Revan flinched back, falling silent once more and allowing those around her to speak freely about the incident that had happened back at the temple, the one that had – admittedly – been a far more difficult choice than Revan would have liked.

"Decide? Decide what exactly?" Carth snapped, more worried than anything else.

Juhani, for the first time since their arrival back at camp, spoke. "Bastila tried to lure her to the dark side with the promise of Revan's heritage being returned. She failed."

Carth's eyes widened, and a certain pride erupted from them. Admittedly, Revan was the tiniest bit offended by the look of surprise, as well, and the tone in his voice. But the pride… That was what sang through. "So… So you did it." Revan nodded. "You did it once and for all, you turned against your past. Turned against the dark side." For the first time in what seemed like years, Revan watched as a smile began to form on Carth's lips. "I knew it… I knew that she, she couldn't defeat you I just… I just knew it." They all knew which "she" Carth was talking about. Revan. The true Revan, the dark, twisted Sith Lord. Revan had turned against that version of her, and was honestly proud of herself for doing so.

"Do you remember when I said you would have to make a choice? That you would be tested?" Revan looked at him, nodding carefully. "Well.. I think that was it. It was. I can feel it." The pride in his voice, and eyes, still radiated, and Revan drank in freely from the overwhelming beauty of his face. "It couldn't have been easy, but… I'm proud of you."

She knew that last part already, but hearing it from him? Knowing what he felt? That felt better than anything else in the world. She couldn't say anything back, she just offered a small smile. It had been the most difficult choice of her life, but in the end, she wondered – secretly – if it was really all that difficult. Up there on the temple's precipice, she remembered hearing Bastila's offer, contemplating it, and then she remembered hearing Carth's voice in her head.

"I think I could love you."

That, somehow, had kept her from turning herself over and giving up completely, especially when it felt like all else was lost. Maybe, just maybe, there was still that hope for the two of them. After another long few minutes of silence, the group glanced around at each other. Revan ached, she was tired, and she just wanted to rest. Her eyes cast in Carth's direction for a split moment more, before turning away again.

"Do you think…" Carth began, sighing. "Do you think we could go talk? Privately?"

Revan was about to answer when Mission scoffed from the side. "Yeah, talk. Sure, Carth, I'm sure that's what you wanna do."

Both Revan and Carth flushed, but Carth ignored Mission's outburst. "Please."

Revan nodded, beginning to walk back to the Ebon Hawk. It was a miracle her legs still worked, what with the agony she had put them through in the last few days. They made their way to Revan's quarters, and she shut the door, turning around once more. Suddenly, Carth's arms were wrapped around her. Revan gasped, quietly, stunned by the sudden movement. "I was afraid I was going to lose you, but I just knew you could make it through that. I knew you would come back to me."

For a moment, Revan was unsure what to say, and so she just smiled. "So, so you don't hate me then?" she asked, feeling as nervous as a child asking if their parent was still angry. Only probably far more so.

"No, I don't hate you. I'm not sure I have since I found out. I… well, I love you. More than I thought I ever could. So hate you? No."

Revan smiled, then, leaning forward and pressing her lips against his. "I love you too," she whispered, finally pulling up for air. This. This was why she had come back, why she had rejected Bastila. It was all for this moment. And every single second was worth it.

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A/N Hope you enjoyed! Chapter seven coming soon! Read and review please and thanks (:

-Shay.