Well, here it is!
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Chapter Ten
Jaina stood in the hangar bay next to Luke and Mara waiting for the Millennium Falcon to land. The Skywalkers were especially impatient because Jaina's parents had stopped by the Maw and were bringing Ben for a visit.
"There they are!" Mara cried as the unmistakable form of Han Solo's famous ship entered the atmosphere.
Luke smiled fondly at his wife. "Be patient, Mara," he murmured. "They'll get here in their own good time."
Mara turned and spitted him with a glare. "I'm never patient, Skywalker," she replied, her eyes flashing.
Don't I know it, Luke thought, giving a mental eye roll.
"Don't think I didn't hear that!" Mara's voice slashed through his thoughts.
"You were supposed to," Luke grinned.
Jaina sighed exasperatedly. "I hate it when you guys do that."
Before Luke could say anything else, the Falcon docked and the boarding ramp came down with a hiss. Han exited the ship first, followed closely by Leia with Ben Skywalker in her arms. At the sight of her son, Mara sprinted across the hangar bay with Luke hot on her heels.
And you told me to be patient? Mara thought smugly.
Well. Luke shrugged shamefaced.
Reaching Leia, Mara scooped Ben out of her sister-in-law's arms. "Hello, Ben," Mara said softly. "Did you miss me?" Crushing her son to her chest, she felt the ache in her heart caused by his absence depart.
Luke stroked the top of his son's head. "We've missed you, Ben," he murmured.
Leaving Luke and Mara to their happy reunion with their son, Han and Leia approached their own daughter unsure of what to expect. Surprising them, Jaina moved first, crushing them both in a large hug. "I missed you guys," she whispered into Han's chest.
"We missed you too, Princess," Han said, all choked up.
Staying in the embrace for several more moments, Jaina finally broke away. "I'll show you to your quarters, then give you a tour of the base. It's actually pretty nice, but there's not a lot to do around here."
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The next morning, Jaina was awakened from a sound sleep by several rapid knocks on her door. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, She swung her feet onto the floor and padded over to the door. Upon opening it, she had to clap a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. For there in the doorway stood Jag Fel, his wet T-shirt sticking to his sculpted chest muscles, soap suds dripping from his hair.
"Ummm. Jaina, do you mind if I use your refresher? I was in the shower when the water just turned off," he said, his face red.
Still laughing, Jaina motioned him in and shut the door. Turning back to him, she kissed him lovingly on the lips. Jag broke away reluctantly, then breathed, "We can continue this after I get out of the 'fresher." He trailed off as his mouth met Jaina's again.
Jaina broke away suddenly, making a face as she spat soap suds out of her mouth. "Remind me never to kiss you before you rinse off again," she said. "That stuff tastes nasty! Into the 'fresher with you!" Closing the door on him, she smiled and shook her head as she heard the water start up.
Humming under her breath, Jaina got dressed and tidied up her room. She liked the feeling of sharing quarters with Jag.
Her thoughts were interrupted by another knock on the door. Reaching out with the Force, she panicked as she sensed her father standing outside. Of all the times to visit me, why now?? What is he going to do once he finds Jag in here? Please, don't let him find out.
Bracing herself, she opened the door and tried to smile. "Hey, Dad," she said brightly.
"Good morning, Jaina," Han said, coming into her room and pecking her on the cheek. "Your mother wanted me to come see if you wanted to eat breakfast with us."
"Sure I'd love to," Jaina responded. "You can go back and tell her that, and I'll be along in a second."
"That's okay. I'll wait," Han said, settling himself in a chair.
This is just perfect, Jaina thought, uneasy. "Well, I'll be awhile," she tried again. "You just go tell Mom."
Han narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why do I get the feeling you're trying to get rid of me?"
Jaina laughed nervously. "Dad, that's ridiculous! Why would I want to get rid of you?"
Han nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Precisely what I was wondering."
Just then, the 'fresher door opened and Jag came out, wearing nothing but a pair of pants and toweling his hair dry. "Jaina, do you." he trailed off as he raised his head and realized who was also in the room.
Han leaped to his feet. "Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing half-naked in my little girl's room? " he shouted.
Jag raised his hands, dropping the towel. Even in the tense setting, Jaina couldn't help admiring how his chest muscles rippled with his movement. "I- I can explain," he said nervously.
"You'd better," Han said, drawing his blaster.
"Dad, stop this!" Jaina stepped in front of Jag. "Jag's my. friend. His 'fresher ran out of water while he was showering, and so I let him use mine. Put the blaster away, Dad."
"Oh, so that's what they're calling it now?" Han asked, his arm falling to his side. He extended his other hand. "I'm Han Solo, her father."
Jag reached out to take his hand. "I'm Jagged Fel."
At the sound of his last name, the blaster came up again. "Fel? As in Soontir Fel? As in Baron Soontir I'm-too-good-for-the-likes-of-you-so-I'll- go-start-my-own-private-Empire Fel?"
Jag's face flushed crimson. "Don't you dare insult my father," he said between gritted teeth. "He spent years out there in the Unknown Regions fighting to protect you and your precious Republic from things too horrible for you to imagine, even in your worst nightmares. By the blood of our people are your star systems kept safe!"
"Jag, Daddy, that's enough!" Jaina stepped back in between them. "I love both of you, and-"
Han turned to her incredulously. "What did you say? Was that just me, or did I just hear you say you were in love with Fel's brat? Please tell me that was just me."
"It wasn't, Dad," Jaina said. "I love Jag, and you're going to have to get over that. Just because you hated his father doesn't mean you have to hate Jag too. After all, you don't even know him!"
"I know enough," Han snarled, turning and slamming out of Jaina's room.
Jaina and Jag were left standing staring after Han's angry retreat. "Well, that went. well," Jag said.
Jaina turned on him. "How could you insult my father like that?"
Jag's jaw dropped. "What? He insulted my father first!"
Jaina sighed and dropped her head in her hands. "This was not the way I had planned to tell them," she murmured. "Please go, Jag. Just go."
"I'm not leaving until we get this sorted out," Jag said firmly. "If we leave it like this, we'll both just get angrier until we're so mad we won't even speak to each other. I'm not going to just walk away and let that happen to us." He took her by the shoulders and turned her to him. "Jaina, I'm sorry for what I said. And I'll apologize to your father next time I see him, as long as he doesn't draw a blaster and shoot me on the spot. It's just that the things he said about my father were just so. so wrong, that it made me angry."
"I know," Jaina said softly, raising her head to look at him. "And I'm sorry for trying to send you away."
"I forgive you," Jag whispered, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.
Jaina moaned into his mouth, bringing her arms up around his neck to pull him closer to her. Finally breaking the kiss, she gulped in air as he trailed fiery kisses along her jawbone. Returning to her mouth, Jag deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue. Jaina reciprocated, bringing her hands down to run along his bare torso. Groaning, Jag pulled away, gasping.
"I'd better go back now," he whispered. "In case your father comes back."
Jaina sighed regretfully, leaning her forehead against Jag's. "We never seem to have any time alone, do we?"
Jag smiled sadly and shook his head. "Sometimes it seems as though the whole galaxy is at odds with us," he murmured in response. "But somehow, we'll make time. Because we love each other. Even if the whole Yuuzhan Vong army stood between us, we would find a way to be together. In this war, we have to live for the now, for the precious moments we're able to steal. The hope of seeing you again is what gets me through each battle. Knowing how much pain I'd cause you if I died, I do my best to stay alive so we can continue to see each other. We have to believe that our love will conquer all. Now, it's all I have left live for."
Jaina's eyes filled with tears. "Me too," she whispered. "I love you, Jagged Fel."
"And I love you, Jaina Solo," Jag replied. Kissing her again, he then got his shirt and left. Jaina pressed her hand to her lips and blew him a kiss. "Here's hoping for the future," she whispered. "Here's hoping for us."
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Tell me what you think!
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Chapter Ten
Jaina stood in the hangar bay next to Luke and Mara waiting for the Millennium Falcon to land. The Skywalkers were especially impatient because Jaina's parents had stopped by the Maw and were bringing Ben for a visit.
"There they are!" Mara cried as the unmistakable form of Han Solo's famous ship entered the atmosphere.
Luke smiled fondly at his wife. "Be patient, Mara," he murmured. "They'll get here in their own good time."
Mara turned and spitted him with a glare. "I'm never patient, Skywalker," she replied, her eyes flashing.
Don't I know it, Luke thought, giving a mental eye roll.
"Don't think I didn't hear that!" Mara's voice slashed through his thoughts.
"You were supposed to," Luke grinned.
Jaina sighed exasperatedly. "I hate it when you guys do that."
Before Luke could say anything else, the Falcon docked and the boarding ramp came down with a hiss. Han exited the ship first, followed closely by Leia with Ben Skywalker in her arms. At the sight of her son, Mara sprinted across the hangar bay with Luke hot on her heels.
And you told me to be patient? Mara thought smugly.
Well. Luke shrugged shamefaced.
Reaching Leia, Mara scooped Ben out of her sister-in-law's arms. "Hello, Ben," Mara said softly. "Did you miss me?" Crushing her son to her chest, she felt the ache in her heart caused by his absence depart.
Luke stroked the top of his son's head. "We've missed you, Ben," he murmured.
Leaving Luke and Mara to their happy reunion with their son, Han and Leia approached their own daughter unsure of what to expect. Surprising them, Jaina moved first, crushing them both in a large hug. "I missed you guys," she whispered into Han's chest.
"We missed you too, Princess," Han said, all choked up.
Staying in the embrace for several more moments, Jaina finally broke away. "I'll show you to your quarters, then give you a tour of the base. It's actually pretty nice, but there's not a lot to do around here."
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The next morning, Jaina was awakened from a sound sleep by several rapid knocks on her door. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, She swung her feet onto the floor and padded over to the door. Upon opening it, she had to clap a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. For there in the doorway stood Jag Fel, his wet T-shirt sticking to his sculpted chest muscles, soap suds dripping from his hair.
"Ummm. Jaina, do you mind if I use your refresher? I was in the shower when the water just turned off," he said, his face red.
Still laughing, Jaina motioned him in and shut the door. Turning back to him, she kissed him lovingly on the lips. Jag broke away reluctantly, then breathed, "We can continue this after I get out of the 'fresher." He trailed off as his mouth met Jaina's again.
Jaina broke away suddenly, making a face as she spat soap suds out of her mouth. "Remind me never to kiss you before you rinse off again," she said. "That stuff tastes nasty! Into the 'fresher with you!" Closing the door on him, she smiled and shook her head as she heard the water start up.
Humming under her breath, Jaina got dressed and tidied up her room. She liked the feeling of sharing quarters with Jag.
Her thoughts were interrupted by another knock on the door. Reaching out with the Force, she panicked as she sensed her father standing outside. Of all the times to visit me, why now?? What is he going to do once he finds Jag in here? Please, don't let him find out.
Bracing herself, she opened the door and tried to smile. "Hey, Dad," she said brightly.
"Good morning, Jaina," Han said, coming into her room and pecking her on the cheek. "Your mother wanted me to come see if you wanted to eat breakfast with us."
"Sure I'd love to," Jaina responded. "You can go back and tell her that, and I'll be along in a second."
"That's okay. I'll wait," Han said, settling himself in a chair.
This is just perfect, Jaina thought, uneasy. "Well, I'll be awhile," she tried again. "You just go tell Mom."
Han narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why do I get the feeling you're trying to get rid of me?"
Jaina laughed nervously. "Dad, that's ridiculous! Why would I want to get rid of you?"
Han nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Precisely what I was wondering."
Just then, the 'fresher door opened and Jag came out, wearing nothing but a pair of pants and toweling his hair dry. "Jaina, do you." he trailed off as he raised his head and realized who was also in the room.
Han leaped to his feet. "Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing half-naked in my little girl's room? " he shouted.
Jag raised his hands, dropping the towel. Even in the tense setting, Jaina couldn't help admiring how his chest muscles rippled with his movement. "I- I can explain," he said nervously.
"You'd better," Han said, drawing his blaster.
"Dad, stop this!" Jaina stepped in front of Jag. "Jag's my. friend. His 'fresher ran out of water while he was showering, and so I let him use mine. Put the blaster away, Dad."
"Oh, so that's what they're calling it now?" Han asked, his arm falling to his side. He extended his other hand. "I'm Han Solo, her father."
Jag reached out to take his hand. "I'm Jagged Fel."
At the sound of his last name, the blaster came up again. "Fel? As in Soontir Fel? As in Baron Soontir I'm-too-good-for-the-likes-of-you-so-I'll- go-start-my-own-private-Empire Fel?"
Jag's face flushed crimson. "Don't you dare insult my father," he said between gritted teeth. "He spent years out there in the Unknown Regions fighting to protect you and your precious Republic from things too horrible for you to imagine, even in your worst nightmares. By the blood of our people are your star systems kept safe!"
"Jag, Daddy, that's enough!" Jaina stepped back in between them. "I love both of you, and-"
Han turned to her incredulously. "What did you say? Was that just me, or did I just hear you say you were in love with Fel's brat? Please tell me that was just me."
"It wasn't, Dad," Jaina said. "I love Jag, and you're going to have to get over that. Just because you hated his father doesn't mean you have to hate Jag too. After all, you don't even know him!"
"I know enough," Han snarled, turning and slamming out of Jaina's room.
Jaina and Jag were left standing staring after Han's angry retreat. "Well, that went. well," Jag said.
Jaina turned on him. "How could you insult my father like that?"
Jag's jaw dropped. "What? He insulted my father first!"
Jaina sighed and dropped her head in her hands. "This was not the way I had planned to tell them," she murmured. "Please go, Jag. Just go."
"I'm not leaving until we get this sorted out," Jag said firmly. "If we leave it like this, we'll both just get angrier until we're so mad we won't even speak to each other. I'm not going to just walk away and let that happen to us." He took her by the shoulders and turned her to him. "Jaina, I'm sorry for what I said. And I'll apologize to your father next time I see him, as long as he doesn't draw a blaster and shoot me on the spot. It's just that the things he said about my father were just so. so wrong, that it made me angry."
"I know," Jaina said softly, raising her head to look at him. "And I'm sorry for trying to send you away."
"I forgive you," Jag whispered, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.
Jaina moaned into his mouth, bringing her arms up around his neck to pull him closer to her. Finally breaking the kiss, she gulped in air as he trailed fiery kisses along her jawbone. Returning to her mouth, Jag deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue. Jaina reciprocated, bringing her hands down to run along his bare torso. Groaning, Jag pulled away, gasping.
"I'd better go back now," he whispered. "In case your father comes back."
Jaina sighed regretfully, leaning her forehead against Jag's. "We never seem to have any time alone, do we?"
Jag smiled sadly and shook his head. "Sometimes it seems as though the whole galaxy is at odds with us," he murmured in response. "But somehow, we'll make time. Because we love each other. Even if the whole Yuuzhan Vong army stood between us, we would find a way to be together. In this war, we have to live for the now, for the precious moments we're able to steal. The hope of seeing you again is what gets me through each battle. Knowing how much pain I'd cause you if I died, I do my best to stay alive so we can continue to see each other. We have to believe that our love will conquer all. Now, it's all I have left live for."
Jaina's eyes filled with tears. "Me too," she whispered. "I love you, Jagged Fel."
"And I love you, Jaina Solo," Jag replied. Kissing her again, he then got his shirt and left. Jaina pressed her hand to her lips and blew him a kiss. "Here's hoping for the future," she whispered. "Here's hoping for us."
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Tell me what you think!