Jaina stepped back from Jag, but not too far. There was only an inch between them. The light from the candles and the fire silhouetted the walls behind him, giving the impression that Jag was far larger in breadth and height than was normal to him.

They're eyes met, each searching the other's for the answer to the question that lingered before them. *What now?* Jaina held her breath as she studied Jag's expression. Suddenly it seemed as if every part of him had come to light; it carried from his eyes, to his face, to his muscled arms and the firm, flat planes of his abdomen.

What she felt through the Force was not only Jag's powerful presence. It was her own. It was as their thoughts and feelings began to mesh into one and it was difficult to determine what belonged where. Jaina reached out her right hand and brought it to Jag's cheek. He caught it before she touched him, held her wrist delicately in his strong hands. He turned it over, palm-upward and planted a kiss there.

She continued to watch him as he lavished little kisses along her palm, her wrist, slowly trailing along upper arm. He was a different man than he had been on Borleias. Here, on Drognan, they both were growing and changing and it was the most wondrous thing Jaina had experienced in a long time. She brought her stare back up to his face and was struck at how different he looked. The look in his eyes, the twitch of a grin on his lip, his expression seemed more defined, masculine in some way. It was as if the character of the man had seeped outward from his soul, altering his features.

"Why, Jaina Solo," Jag said, a teasing lilt in his voice, "are you trying to seduce me?"

"Trying, no. Succeeding , yes."

Jag bent closer, and his hand slid down to rest at the curve of her lower back, pulling her hard against him. She went helplessly into the next kiss, drowning in the sheer essence and power of this man. She looped her arms around his neck, heated contours of his body meeting her curves. Gasping softly, Jaina welcomed another kiss, felt the intoxication begin.

Thundering inside, she surrendered when she knew she should have pulled back. Opening his lips, feeling the touch of his tongue, gently, but fiery, she moaned. The brace of his arms hardened around her and she arched closer.

Again, Jaina thought she heard him murmur into her mouth, her name and his lips traced over her cheek, his breath soft in her hair, like ecstasy at her ear. Her knees simply gave way for a moment, and she tightened her arm around his neck, flattened a palm on his chest, where the contour was hard and firm and his heart pounded like a drum.

Jaina became lost, deep in the essence of what she and Jag were sharing. It was the most profound moment of her life. She could sense all of Jag's emotions, opened to her willingly and it was like an aphrodisiac all its own. She wished briefly that Jag could experience this with her through the Force. It was the most wondrous thing she had ever encountered.

Warm and fine, his hands moved her, solace and comfort, pleasure and gift, rounding discreetly underneath her breast, slipping over the fabric of the dress at her abdomen, stopping there. She rocked toward him, searching desperately for his tender mouth.

Framing her face, Jag kissed her again and then drew back. She moaned in denial, her hands fervent on his chest, at his waist, sliding over his muscled arms as he shifted away from her. She didn't like the way he ended that wonderful kiss and she wasn't about to let this beautiful night come to an abrupt end.

She knew what Jag wanted. She wanted it too. She wanted to forget about pain and war and death and destruction. She wanted to be surrounded by love and affection, harmony, bliss. She loved Jag and she knew she could feel all those things and more in his loving embrace. She wanted him in a way that only a man and woman did when they were deeply in love.

Jag opened his mouth to stay something, but Jaina silenced him with a simple press of her fingers against his mouth. She took a little step away from him, and grinned as sweetly as she could manage. Her fingers trembled as they came up behind her neck and began to unfasten the crystal buttons holding the dress up....

.....and was surprised to feel Jag's hand clamp over hers, halting her actions. She looked at him, confused.

"No, Jaina." he replied. His voice was hoarse with his own barely contained emotions. He kept his fingers firmly over hers. "Not here. Not like this."

She half-turned to meet his stare. His eyes were hooded, passionate. She could sense the desire and the love washing over him directly at her, for her. "What do you mean, not like this? This is the perfect place! There is no one to interrupt us. We are on our own little secluded planet. Why not here?"

Jag sighed heavily, a gesture that Jaina imagined took a great deal of resolve, and brought his fingers to rest under her chin. His pale green eyes were drunk with desire and Jaina imagined she looked the same. "As perfect as this place is, yes, it's not the idea setting for you and I to give in to raging hormones." The sentence sounded odd coming from him and if the situation hadn't turned serious, she might have laughed.

Jaina shook her head. "I disagree. This is the perfect place for us, Jag. This is our place. What happens here, between us, stays that way. No one will have to know what we did."

"I think once we returned to Borleias, it would be obvious to many people." He raised an eyebrow. "Like your father. He'd kill me, revive me, and then kill me again. I don't know, Jaina. I happen to enjoy living."

The trembling from her fingers carried up to embrace her entire body. She felt as if this romantic evening she had planned for them had suddenly be cast aside as another insignificant part of her life. She tried to figure out why one minute Jag would kiss her with a passion then next rebuff her advances. "You don't want me." she declared, and cursed the sound of her voice, wavering with more emotion than she wanted him to hear.

Jag's hands dropped his sides, his stare focused on her. "I would think that even without your Jedi powers, you'd know that's not true." He blew out a long breath. "We need to be responsible, Jaina. Have you thought about the consequences?"

She turned to stare at him. "What consequences?"

"What if you got pregnant? Are you on medication?"

Jaina blinked. She hadn't even thought about that. "Well, I am, but I didn't take it before I left."

"And I don't exactly carry around 'extra shielding' in my ship." He took a step closer to her, and she heard him sigh, felt his dejection, when she turned her back on him. "We need to think about these things, Jaina. Do you really want to bring a baby in to the middle of the damnable war? Are you ready for that? I know I'm not ready to become a father just yet."

So there it was then. The true answer to what she asked him only a moment ago. His simple rejection of fatherhood was a mark against herself. Jaina focused her stare on the double doors of the dining hall.

"So. You don't want me, then."

She felt the tight grip of Jag's hand grab her forearm, and with a not-so- gentle yank, he spun her around to face him. Jaina was surprised by the strength in his grip, by the annoyance and frustration that blinded her through the Force. He wasn't angry, she could see that on his face, but he was determined to be heard.

"This isn't easy for me, either, Jaina! Don't you know how much I want to lay you down by that fire and make love to you until we pass out from exhaustion? Do you know how difficult this is, being so close to you yet knowing that I can't hold you like I want to, touch you like I dream about, kiss you the way you should be kissed?

Jaina faltered under the intensity of his stare, under the weight of his emotions. "I...do...know." she stammered out. "I do know. I feel it too."

"Exactly. A tempting as it would be to give in to this moment, it would be a mistake." He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair. Jaina closed her eyes briefly, loving the feel of his skin against her hair.

There was still a part of her that needed this moment, that had to fight for this night. She needed to forget the pain and anger and simply exist in peace and bliss. She knew Jag could provide that for her. She knew he would be the most wonderful, sweet, and devoted lover. "Don't you feel as though this is our little place, Jag? That everything that has been happening between has because it was meant to happen. Perhaps we were *meant* to be here. We've been learning about each other, talking about our lives. " She took a little stop forward, turning her gaze to meet his. The love shining from his pools of green was all the courage she needed. "I love you, Jag."

He flinched a little and inwardly, Jaina sensed him struggle with that briefly. They were silent for a moment, then Jag reached out and planted his hands on her hips, pulling her closer. "I've been falling in love with you since the moment we met," he breathed and Jaina felt as her heart had taken flight and was soaring among the clouds.

"And it scares the hell out of me."

Surprised, Jaina looked up at him. His expression was serious, but he recognized her looking at him and managed a grin. "It scares you?" she whispered. "Why?"

Jag slowly brought her over to the makeshift bed and gestured for her to sit down. Instead, she laid down on the side that would be facing Jag. He grinned at her little manoeuvre, and after tossing off his boots, laid down next to her as well. Jaina wrapped an arm over his bare chest, her legs finding their comfortable stop over his.

He supported her back, drawing her closer to him. Her head rested in the crook of his arm.

"I've been in a few relationships before but I've never been in love. I don't want to rush things between us, Jaina. I want to know everything there is to know about you. What you like, what you dislike. What kind of training you must endure as a Jedi. What's your favourite meal? Those sorts of things. I want to know everything about you and that scares me. This war is different from anything we've ever faced and I'm afraid that if something were to happen to one of us....."

He paused, seeking out the right words. Jaina felt his arm tighten around her and she snuggled closer. She sensed a lot of emotions from Jag just then. Possession. Compassion. Protection. Fondness. Admiration. Respect. Desire. Love.

And it was all for her.

Jag leaned his head back, his face pointing at the ceiling but he didn't closed his eyes. "I not afraid of Death, Jaina. I'm just afraid of leaving you behind, if I did get taken out in the damn war. Does that make sense?"

She pressed her lips to the closest part of him, his right nipple, and kissed him there. She heard his quick intake of breath and she giggled. "It does make sense. I feel that way too."

For a long moment they remained silent, the only sound in the room the fading strings of the music player. Jaina imagined for the umpteenth time staying here with Jag, wished that they could live in peace and solitude for the rest of their lives so the war couldn't touch them.

She felt indecision sweep over him for a moment, then Jag said, "I promise, Jaina, that if and when the time is right for us to make love, it will be most memorable night of your life."

Jaina couldn't help but snicker. "You certainly have a high opinion of yourself, Colonel."

Jag laughed. "I didn't mean it THAT way!"

Jaina giggled, stretching out as close to Jag as she could and was rewarded with his other arm around her. "Jag?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Promise me something, okay?"

He paused for a moment. "If I can."

Jaina thought about the last three days and all that they had shared and learned about each other. She recalled Jag's gentleness while tending her injury, thought about how peaceful he looked asleep, how they had danced around the makeshift ballroom, how they had kissed with all the love deep inside them.

"Promise me that no matter what happens between us, you won't forget this place. Promise me you won't forget this moment."

Jag did not hesitate.

"I promise I will not forget this moment."