Now, you may be spoiled now...but I don't have the next part done. So this should even it out. I've started working on it but no guarantees. This should make up for the last one. I LOVE this update myself. LOL Enjoy! And try not to squee too loud!
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The crew was waiting at the bottom of the ramp, all eyes, save one, on her as she walked to stand behind Jag. Her eyes were empty of their normal cheerfulness and Kyp found that he couldn't blame her. It wasn't exactly something you would wish on anyone. He knew they all wanted to just grab her and run back onto the ship. Putting as much distance as they could between themselves and Zekk. He also knew it wasn't going to happen. When Jag made a decision, he stuck to it. Now matter how wrong it was.
Jag stood facing the entrance to the hangar, knowing he couldn't turn around. If he did, he might second guess himself and he couldn't. His crew came before anything else. If a man couldn't protect his crew, he didn't have their loyalty. Maybe if he kept telling himself that he would actually start to believe it.
\__/
"I have to say I'm surprised you turned her in Fel." Zekk's personal guard told him as they watched Jaina be led away. "I do hope she's still in pristine condition."
Jag's eyes shifted to the man and he glared. "No one touched her." He said almost casually.
"Splendid. He'll be happy to hear that. You know he likes his toys new." Gunner commented, practically drooling as the young woman made her way across the floor. "Oh, and incidentally, the Prince has asked me to inform you that this will nullify the warrant he put out for you and your crew involving the bar fight that was associated with Ms. Solo's escape."
"How big of him." Kyp snarked not liking this deal more every minute.
"And just think all this because the strumpet doesn't want to marry him."
Jag's heart twisted painfully in his chest. He didn't care, he told himself. It wasn't his problem.
"She didn't want to marry him?!" Jysella proclaimed loudly. "What the kriff?"
Before anyone could respond, a smack sounded through the room and Jag looked over to see Jaina leaning against the wall, holding her cheek. Rage exploded inside him and in that split second, he did something he never did. He changed his mind. One of the men reached up to smack her again when he heard his own voice call out.
"Jaina!" Jag screamed, watching as if in slow motion. To his surprise though, she didn't turn around at his shout. Reaching into her boot, she pulled out the vibroblade he had given her and came up at an angle, slashing the stomach of the man trying to hurt her. Knowing she had used up her one surprise attack she pivoted on her heel and threw herself out of the man's reach. Kyp had sprinted across the floor as the first smack had sounded and came up behind her, yanking her out of the way to engage the soldier.
Distracted by the scene, and shocked at his actions, Jag didn't sense someone sneaking up behind him. A burning sensation started in his left shoulder and by the time he registered the attack, he had two more wounds to add to the first. Planting his right foot on the ground, he brought his left up in a roundhouse, sending the attacker sprawling to the ground and pulling out his blaster to finish the job. The young man had also pulled his blaster; having rid himself of the blade into Jag's left side and fired at the same time. His left shoulder rocked backwards as he felt the bolt blister his flesh. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the pain away and pulled the weapon out of his side. He glanced up to take stock of his crew.
Kyp had disposed of Jaina's attacker and a few more from the looks of it. He was currently working with Jysella to make his way back to the Doom, pushing Jaina along as he went. Satisfied that she was safe, he located everyone else and let out a piercing whistle, their signal to retreat. The crew dispersed with the remaining soldiers, thankfully there weren't many, and made their way onto the ship. Jag was pleased to see that Valin had the ship ready to take off by the time everyone made it on board.
Running to the cockpit, he sat down behind Kyp and strapped himself in without a word. There would be time for him to vent later.
"You're bleeding all over the seat Fel." Kyp threw out, as he finished the calculations for their jump and Valin flew them out of the hangar.
"Last time I checked it was my ship. I can bleed on the kriffing seats if I want." He tried to sound harsh but he sounded more like a petulant child. Kyp didn't bother to hide the smile that flew to his face.
"Yeah, but you're not the one that has to clean it up." Valin offered, earning a grunt from their captain.
"Mutiny." He mumbled as the stars elongated outside the viewport. "Kriffing mutiny." He sat there for a minute, allowing the familiar sounds and feel of the ship to center him. He knew they were right, but he'd be damned if he proved it. His sight started to get fuzzy, but he didn't move. He couldn't feel his left arm, probably from the blood loss, and still he sat. Kyp and Valin turned around to pin him with their gazes and he simply stared back. Jag heard a dripping sound and finally rolled his eyes.
"Mutiny." He spat as he got up slowly and walked out of the cockpit. Silently he made his way down the hall, not speaking to Jysella and Tenel as he passed them. He had almost made it to his room when she stepped out in front of him from an adjoining hallway. A brief scream erupted from her and he reached out to steady her small form as she teetered off balance. When she had regained her senses, somewhat, she looked at the hand holding her arm and her eyes widened, shooting up to his.
"You're bleeding." She said, causing his brow to raise in question.
"So you're not oblivious after all." He said bitingly pushing her aside gently to continue his journey. Her footsteps echoed behind his and he fought the need to huff. Rogues didn't huff. Of course they also didn't rescue women from the foul clutches of the scum of the galaxy either. Jag stopped suddenly.
"Gods, I must have lost more blood than I thought." He mumbled to himself, shaking his head slightly.
"Jag, you should have someone look at that."
Jag stopped again, turning to face her. She must have been following extremely close because she very nearly ran into him. His gaze dropped to hers and she raised her chin defiantly, causing his mouth to twitch as he fought a grin.
"Thank you, captain obvious." He goaded her, perversely enjoying trying to get a rise out of the girl. If he sent his gaze anywhere but her eyes he might forget she wasn't a girl. Jag groaned inwardly as his remaining blood moved southward, effectively rendering his brain useless until the object of his demise disappeared.
Jaina reached her hand up and for a brief moment he thought she was going to smack him. But she simply palmed the door to his room and crossed her arms over her chest.
"In." She told him, shifting her weight to one leg and shooting him a glance that brooked no argument. His mouth twitched again as his body fought to override his brain. He would blame the decision he was about to make on his lack of blood later. Silently, he turned and walked into his room, feeling her follow him.
"Take your shirt off." She told him as she turned to pull the first aid kit down from the wall. When she turned back around he was still standing there, shock on his face.
"I can't treat your wounds with your shirt on Jagged. Take it off." He fought back the shiver at hearing her say his full name. There was something very appealing about it coming from her mouth.
"Kyp can do it." Jag said quietly, still not moving.
"So you'd rather have him touch you? Fine." She said, throwing the kit down on the bunk and turning towards the door. His fingers wrapped around her wrist before she could get far and he pulled her back towards him. Their bodies were pressed together along the torso and she could feel his breath as it rushed across her ear. Swallowing, she took a deep breath and tried to forget how she couldn't use her higher brain functions around him.
"Do you always want to fix things and make them right?" He asked quietly, his eyes closed as he willed his body to stop betraying him. He never should have stopped her. Should have let her leave and just suffered, but the prospect of her touching him had won out. He was sick of fighting it.
"It's genetic. I blame my parents." She whispered, fighting to keep her body from trembling. It was a few heartbeats before Jag finally released her wrist and moved away from her. She stood staring at the door, asking herself if she could do this without making a fool of herself. Well, it's too late to run now Solo.
Jaina turned around and nearly choked. He was sitting on the edge of the bunk, shirtless in all his glory. She wasn't sure if it was the chiseled physique or the wounds that affected her more. Taking a deep breath she regained her composure and walked over to him. Crawling carefully onto the bed behind him, she went through the kit to get the items she would need. When she looked back up she couldn't help but stare at the designs on his back. She had seen the faintest glimpse of tattooed skin on him, but it had been minute. Seeing him with his shirt off, brought a whole new side to Jagged Fel.
Reaching out, she ran her fingers lightly over a small symbol on his shoulder. The skin quivered beneath her touch and she stopped suddenly.
"I'm sorry." She said meekly, picking up the bottle of cleanser and a piece of gauze to clean his wounds with.
"It's ok." He whispered, closing his eyes against the feelings her touch had evoked. He'd had plenty of women trace his tats. It shouldn't be anything new to him, but of course she was different. She wasn't like most women he knew. He found himself imaging how unblemished her fair skin would be under her clothes and fisted his hands on his thighs.
Don't go there, Fel. That leads to a world of hurt. He told himself as he tried to find the eye of the storm.
Her small fingers were gentle against his back and he almost wished she would be rougher. The pain might make him forget the hardening of his body. Kyp was right. Next port they were in he was getting laid.
She was silent for a few minutes and he started to relax a little. Until she spoke again.
"What do they mean?" She asked her voice husky.
"The designs?"
"Yes. I'm assuming they mean something if you've covered yourself in them." She responded, hoping the talk would take her mind off his exquisite form. She touched the one adorning his right shoulder and he sighed.
"That's a Valknut. It's called the 'knot of the slain'." He told her, his voice strong but quiet. "Its use commonly signifies the afterlife. If it's drawn in one stroke it's considered a talisman of protection against spirits."
Jaina nodded, even though he couldn't see the gesture and finished wiping the blood and dirt from his back. The bleeding had finally stopped as she reached down to get a bacta patch and glanced at the next design.
"And this one?" She asked, pointing to the other shoulder to another small tattoo. This one reminded her of a boat of some sort, but she remained quiet, letting him tell the story.
"That one is the spirit ship or ship of the slain. It signifies the ancient practice of sending the deceased into the afterlife aboard a burning ship."
Jaina remained quiet after his explanation, concentrating on applying a patch to one of his puncture wounds.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're morbid?" She asked playfully and he chuckled.
"Yeah, I think it's been mentioned once or twice."
"Just checking." She said, moving on to his next wound. Her fingertips touched his left bicep and trailed down the design etched around the muscular appendage. "And this?"
Jag took a deep breath and shifted slightly on the bunk. "That's a phoenix. The mythical bird of fire."
"Oooo wait. I know this one." She told him excitedly and he was happy when he let her speak. "It's considered a rebirth or resurrection symbol in many cultures. What was it…at the end of its life the phoenix would be consumed by flames, then would miraculously be reborn from the ashes. Is that right?"
A small smile came to his face and he nodded. "Yes." He told her quietly, almost feeling the satisfaction coming off of her. "You sure you haven't done this before?" He asked.
"What, guessed tattoos?"
Jag laughed and she felt unsure suddenly. She hoped he wasn't laughing at her. Her naivety had been the butt of more than one joke in her lifetime.
"No. Dressed wounds. I can hardly feel you doing it." He told her, laughter still evident in his voice.
"Oh." she said shortly, sure her cheeks were red. "Yeah, I've had to bandage my brother up more than a few times."
"You have a brother?" He inhaled deeply when her hands moved lower down his back and applied another patch. Thankfully he had bunched his shirt up in his lap, so God's forbid, if he had to turn around his desire wouldn't be evident to her.
"Yes. We're twins actually." She told him shortly, and he frowned sensing she was hiding something. Jag let it slide, knowing he had his own demons to keep. It wouldn't exactly be fair to force hers to light.
"Is he your only sibling?" Jag asked, not sure if he was making polite conversation, or if he really wanted to know.
"No, we have a younger brother too."
They lapsed into silence again as Jaina finished her ministrations and started to climb off the bed.
"Lay down, I'll get the front now." She told him casually, and he had to bite his lip. This wouldn't be easy. He shifted slightly, leaving his shirt across his lap and managed to lie down in a halfway comfortable position leaning towards his right side. Hopefully she wouldn't move his shirt, because he would have some explaining to do if she did. But she seemed oblivious to his plight as she perched next to him and reached for his wounds. Her fingers touched the left part of his chest and he jumped slightly.
"Sorry." She murmured.
"It's ok. Just not used to someone being gentle with me. They're usually trying to kill me." He told her, his face passive but with a glint in his eyes. She smiled back at him and then got back to work. He watched her as she worked and her gaze kept roaming back and forth between his injuries and the rest of his tattoos. Smiling, he decided to put her out of her misery.
"It's a tribal tattoo." He told her, as her eyes finally settled on his right arm. That one always drew interest when anyone saw it. An intricate weaving of thick lines wove its way from the top of his right shoulder and the tips ended at his wrist. The lines became thinner and more space appeared between them as the design moved downwards, almost like vines on a tree. They were outlined in dark black and became red, then yellow as you moved towards the center of each vine. She studied the design carefully, not wanting to think about how painful it must have been to get it. It covered nearly every ounce of skin until it just above his elbow.
Gently her fingers traced one of the vines, following to its conclusion. She met his eyes briefly, then flicked her own back to his arm.
"I got it for my family."
"I'm sure they were thrilled." She said jokingly.
"I'm sure my mother would have been overjoyed." He deadpanned, his eyes moving to the ceiling.
"I'm sorry, I didn't…"
"Stop doing that." He told her, exasperation filling his command. "You don't have to apologize for everything. Believe me, I'm not easily insulted." Her answer was a nod, as she went back to the design. "Their names are hidden in the lines." He added quietly.
Her finger ran slowly down his arm again and she saw him lock his jaw. She wasn't completely stupid. Her touch was affecting him more than he was letting on but she found it impossible to stop now that she had finally gotten what seemed like unlimited access to touch him. Jaina definitely didn't know just how fine the line was she currently treading. But she wanted to kiss him so badly right now that she was willing to risk the consequences.
"Jaina." He said, his voice showing the strain of holding himself back. Her eyes flicked up to his and her breath caught in her throat. The green had deepened and she found herself mesmerized by them. Swallowing visibly, she leaned forward, her gaze never leaving his. Jag showed no reaction as she continued her assault on his arm while moving closer to him. A slight tick showed in his cheek right before she stopped. Their lips were millimeters apart, their breath mixing together, her hair gently rasping against his exposed skin. Her pulse skyrocketed, as she leaned forward to cover the last bit of space. Closing her eyes, she moved her lips over his a couple of times then frowned. Her eyes shot open and she gave him a curious glance. He had just sat there giving her no response at all. Shame slammed into her and she finally broke their eye contact, standing to leave the room before she made a bigger fool out of herself. She didn't make it very far.
Jag's arm snaked out and pulled her down onto his lap, his lips instantly finding hers. This was not a chaste kiss. No, this was the kiss of a man who had been pushed too far and was set on devouring her in retribution. Her hands had come to rest on his shoulders as she had fallen and now found themselves winding their way into his hair. Without asking, his tongue dove into her mouth and she met him stroke for stroke as he adjusted her on his lap so that she was straddling his hips.
His left arm wound around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he reached up with the other hand and angled her head to change the depth of the kiss. Tingles ran up and down her spine as he consumed her, his tongue leaving no place undiscovered in her mouth. She was lost in a haze of passion and suddenly bucked on his lap unconsciously. Slowly his hands made their way down to her hips in an attempt to still her movements. He squeezed when she tried to move again, groaning when she succeeded in a slight movement.
She ripped her mouth from his and he took the opportunity to sample the skin on her neck, sucking a small patch into his mouth. A moan ripped from her and he caressed the curve of her backside in response. His body was screaming for release, wanting her completely and wanting it now. He had to stop this.
Finding strength he hadn't known he possessed, he pulled back from her slightly and rested his forehead against her breastbone. His breathing was ragged, as was hers and speech was impossible as they tried to regain their senses. One of her hands was wound around his neck, while the other trailed gently up and down his arm. Instead of inflaming him further, her touch was unexpectedly calming.
After a few minutes, he finally got the energy to move out from under her and off the bed. Running a hand through his hair, he walked over to the closet to pull out a clean shirt. He leaned his head against the cool metal of the closet door and took a deep breath.
"Next time, Kyp cleans my wounds." He told her quietly, no anger evident in his voice. Just a factual statement. Jag turned slightly to see that she hadn't moved. She was still kneeling on his bed and she nodded her head in a daze. Normally it would please him immensely to have affected a woman so much, but not Jaina. She had messed him up as much as he had her. He couldn't let it happen again. Turning, he sighed and left the room.
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"What do you mean you lost her?!" He roared, sending something flying through the air towards the poor man that had been chosen to deliver the news.
"How could well-trained guards be outmaneuvered by a bunch of stupid, lazy space pirates?!"
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30 minutes later…
Jaina had finally composed herself enough to leave Jag's room and found her way to the common area. She had no clue where they were going and frankly, she didn't care. She found some of the crew talking and when she entered the room they stopped.
"You alright?" Kyp asked, brotherly concern in his voice.
"Yes." She replied softly, wringing her hands in front of her. Jag hadn't looked up or acknowledged her since she had appeared in the room. The others were staring at her expectantly.
"I wanted to say thank you." She started, hoping she could convey how thankful she was that they had risked so much to pull her out of there.
"How about you thank us by telling why Zekk wants you so damn bad?" Coran threw out, knowing that was the question they all wanted to ask. Tenel Ka came into the room and Jaina waited until she had seated herself to start.
"I was 13 when Zekk first expressed an interest in me. I had grown up in the palace; my mom worked in his father's office and my dad was a mechanic. My father wasn't thrilled, needless to say since he was ten years older than me. So for a while he laid off. I'm guessing so he didn't want arouse any suspicion."
"Don't' know why. That's pretty much normal work for him." Valin joked, the other's chuckling at his comment and Jaina managing a small smile.
She moved back a little and leaned against one of the counters, steeling herself to finish the story. "When I turned 18 he started to 'woo' me again. I wanted nothing to do with him, so I turned him down as politely as I could. I had heard the stories of other girls he had 'chosen' and didn't want any part of it. Plus my parents still worked for his father and I didn't want to jeopardize their positions by being outright rude. He seemed to let it go…then his parents were killed and everything changed."
"When I rejected him again, I was sure he would fire both my parents and banish us, but he didn't. He said he understood and he backed off. At least we thought he had. What he was really doing was lulling us into a false sense of security." Jaina shivered unconsciously and Jag's body screamed for him to do something about it. But he stayed put knowing he wasn't going to be surprised by the rest of the story.
"He got me a job working with my dad in the main hangar. I was in heaven. I'd grown up fixing things with him and it had become second nature to me and in my naïveté I thought nothing of his gesture. He got my twin a job working with the local zoo, his dream job. We were all so blinded by his gifts that three years later we were blindsided."
Jaina hoisted herself up on the counter and bit her bottom lip, not doing his libido any good. She swung her legs and he had to smile at the innocent action.
"I'd dated over the years, nothing serious. But it seemed like after one date, the boys would disappear from the palace and no one would ever see them again. At first I blamed my dad for scaring them away. He swore he hadn't, but wouldn't say the thought never crossed his mind. My little brother overheard a conversation one day by some of his guards. He apparently had gotten rid of the competition." She said the last part quietly, the sadness evident in her posture. "We didn't find that out until it was too late of course. Had I known earlier, I would have told my parents and we would have left. Found somewhere else to live where he couldn't bother us."
He felt his anger rise at the way Zekk had manipulated Jaina and her family. No thoughts as to their feelings or wishes. That was his typical way. Always had been.
"A week before I met all of you, he had called me into his office. Said he needed to discuss a promotion with me. I didn't think anything of it at the time and went, not telling anyone where I was going." She stopped and cleared her throat, obviously not wanting to go on. Tenel got out of her seat and walked over, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. The surprise was evident on the crew's faces, but no one said anything. Tenel Ka wasn't one to show affection but it was obvious the young woman was upset.
"The conversation started inauspiciously enough. He said that he had received glowing reports from not only my father, but the other mechanics as well. Then the conversation changed. He said he had a position that he wanted me to fill that was tailor made for me. I was excited, thinking I was going to be working like my dad, on the big ships. That wasn't what he had in mind."
Zekk stood up from behind his desk, his tall, sinewy body resplendent in his regal clothes. It wasn't that she didn't think he was handsome. He was definitely good looking, but she just didn't feel that way about him. His steps halted next to her chair and he held his hand out to her. Cautiously she took it and he turned her to stand in front of him. Jaina was almost afraid to meet his gaze, but she did and what she saw there make her skin crawl. "I want you to be my wife." He told her calmly, as if they were discussing the weather. Her shock prevented her from answering right away, and for that she was grateful. She might have said something she regretted later. "I don't know what to say your majesty." Zekk's smile was malicious and for once she saw it for what it was. It was as if a light had suddenly been turned on and everything came into focus. Her innocence had unfortunately got her here and now she had to find a way to back out of this quietly so her family didn't get hurt. "Yes would be a good answer." With her now open eyes she saw his smile crack slightly and what she saw scared her. "I'm sorry but…I have no desire for that position. Besides, I wouldn't even begin to know how to behave at the level that position required." She whispered, praying he would be grateful for her easy rejection. He stepped closer, leaving only mere centimeters between them. A finger came up to caress her cheek and she somehow managed to withhold a shudder. "I can teach you everything you need to know my dear. There's nothing you need to worry about." He told her, his face getting closer to hers. She couldn't breath for a moment, the fear was so great. It would be so easy for him to hurt her right now and no one would know. She had heard the rumors of women he had kept locked away for his enjoyment only and she didn't want to meet the same fate. But he hadn't asked her to become his lover, merely his wife. No, she would not go there. "I can't. I don't…" "Don't what?" He asked when she hesitated. "I don't love you." His laugh echoed throughout the room and she took the opportunity to step back from him slightly. "Love. Such an innocent you are Jaina. I never asked for your love. I can have you without that." Her heart skipped a beat and she thought that surely she had slipped into her own personal hell. "If you don't marry me, I'll arrest your family and have them held on treason charges. They'll spend the rest of their lives in my dungeons, which I'm sure won't be that long. And you will be thrown out on the street. No one will give you a job, give you shelter or food because they will meet the same fate." He said calmly, his face contorting into a cruel mask. "You'll have nothing and you're family will die." The silence hung heavy in the room. She stared at him, willing this to be a nightmare that she would wake up from. "Those are your options my dear." He told her quietly as he moved towards her. It took everything she had to not back away from him. She would not show fear. "What if I don't like either of those?" She asked, raising her chin in defiance. Zekk brought up one hand and ran his fingers lightly down her arm. A wicked smile grew on his face and her heart sped up in fear. "I always get what I want, Jaina." He whispered menacingly. "And I want you."
"So you ran away?"
Jaina shook her head, a sigh escaping her.
"No, I went home and told my parents what had happened. My father was livid, as you can imagine. Wanted to go and give him a piece of his mind right then. Somehow my mother stopped him. She and my father talked about it for a while in the other room. When they came back into the room, I hadn't expected their response. They told me to run. That even if I had stayed there and agreed to become his wife, he would still find a way to use them against me in the future."
"They were right." Kyp said softly.
"I know that now. But at the time I didn't want to leave. My brother convinced me to go. He told me to find my father's friends from his days at the academy and ask them to help."
"So what were you doing in the pub that night?" Valin asked.
Jaina snorted. "I had been hiding for almost a week before I finally realized the nightmare was real and I needed to get help. I knew that bar had a lot of patrons that were pilots so I took my chances. What I didn't know was that I had been so caught up in arguing with myself that I allowed his men to track me. Shows you how little I knew."
"Oh I don't know." Jysella piped in, everyone's gaze going to her. "You wouldn't have met us if you hadn't gone in there that night. You'd be married to the bastard."
"And none of you would be involved in this mess. I'm so sorry I dragged you into it."
"Do I need to make my earlier comment an order?" Jag said harshly, but when she looked up there was no malice in his eyes.
Jaina smiled weakly and shook her head no.
"Good." He said, holding her stare longer than he should have.
"So what do we do now, boss?" Coran asked.
Jag smiled. "I think it's time we pay my uncle a visit."
\__/
Kyp plopped down in the co-pilot's seat and swiveled the chair to face Jag.
"So what was the comment you threatened to make an order?"
Jag laughed. "Curiosity been bothering you for the last hour Durron?"
"Something like that."
"I told her that if she kept apologizing I was going to kick your butt."
Kyp just stared at his friend.
"Why do you do that?" He asked.
"Do what?"
"Always threatened to kick my ass. We both know you can't."
Jag turned and raised an eyebrow at his comment.
"We do?"
"Yeah. You couldn't even kick my ass if I was asleep."
Tenel Ka snickered from the doorway and Jag turned back around to the console. "Whatever helps you sleep at night Durron." He said, pushing a button, then standing up to leave the room. Tenel waited until he was down the hall before she slid into his vacated seat.
"You gonna lock your door tonight?" She asked her friend.
"Sith yes. Thankfully I can override his code."
\__/
Was it worth it?
