Turn of the Tide

A loud rapping at the door brought Jaina out of a very comfortable and peaceful sleep. She opened her eye a crack and the light flooded in. Day cycle…oh great… she though groggily as she got up.



She was surprised to find Jag's arm around her, and him sleepy silently next to her. She smiled as she saw him. Their night had been a very special one (a/n NO Not that way you sickos!). She had learned a lot about Jag's family and he had learned a lot about hers. She wrinkled her forehead in confusion as she tried to figure out why they were in the same bed together.



"You fell asleep," Jag said softly next to her, answering her unsaid question. Her eyes flashed down to him and her heart skipped a beat as she made contact with his eyes. They were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Jag was having similar feelings. They were both jolted out of their stupor by another knock on the door. Jain hurriedly got off the bed and went to answer it.



"You kids ready for breakfast?" Jenos' happy voice carried into the confines of their small room and Jaina opened to door to find him holding two servings of old Imperial rations. He smiled and handed them to her. "They're not much but they got all the essentials in them so they keep us alive."



Jaina looked down at the cans in her hands. "Oh no they're great.," She said quickly, surprised by his kindness. She looked back at him and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks so much."



Jenos looked behind her at Jag who was now sitting up, pulling on his boots. "You kids have a good rest?" He said cheerfully. Jag mumbled something incoherent and gave him a thumbs up sign.



"It was great Jenos, Thanks so much for putting us up for the night."



"It's no problem. We humans have got to stick together now-a-days. This war is making us realize how much we need to be united," He gave a small salute to Jag and a quick nod to Jaina. "I've got to go on guards duty. Just came to give you your breakfast. You'll get another meal about 1500. We can only afford to have 2 meals a day. If you need anything. Don't hesitate to call me on your comlink that I gave you last night."



Jaina blinked in surprise at his forwardness. "Ah...Thanks." Jenos nodded and closed the door behind him. Jaina stared at the door for a moment before she turned around to face Jag. He was coming up behind her, looking greedily at the rations in her hands. Jaina was still zoned out as Jag took a can from her arms, opening it and grabbing a spoon from his utility belt.



"Whatsamatta Jaina?" he said between mouthfuls.



"Did that seem odd to you?" Jaina asked.



"What?"



"Why is he being so nice to us?"



"You make it sound like it's a crime to be nice," Jag said smiling at her. "Who knows?" he swallowed, "maybe he's just a nice guy."



"I don't know…" Jaina decided to shrug off the feeling and she helped herself to the other can of rations.



"Oh yuck!" She spewed after her first bite. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and looked up to Jag. "How do you eat this stuff?"



"Standard Imperial rations. Long flights, I tend to get hungry sometimes." He shrugged and continued to eat.



Jaina tested another bite, chewing very slowly. Not as if there was much to chew. It was mostly just grey, goo. "I remember this."



"Huh?"



"This," she said pointing to the can with her spoon. "Zekk gave this to us whenever we visited him as kids."



"Oh did he live in the outer rim too?" Jag smiled and set down his empty can. Jaina giggled.



"No, he lived in the lower levels," she looked around. "Or what WAS the lower levels."

There was silence for a few moments.



"So were you good friends with Zekk?"



"Oh yah," Jaina said, politely eating the rest of the rations, trying not to make a face. "We hung out all the time. He even trained at the Jedi Academy with us for a few years."



"How good?" Jaina looked up at him with one eyebrow raised.



"How good what?"



"How good of friends were you with him?" Jag looked uncomfortable. "I mean…did you ever go out with him or anything?"



Jaina laughed. "Oh Jag I know what kind of question that is! You're jealous!"



"I am not!" Jag stated defensively. "I'm just curious…" Jaina was still laughing, the forgotten can was sitting on the ground and she rolled over onto her own bed.



"Curious Jag?" She asked, looking up at him, trying to hold in her laughing.



"Is that against the law?" Jag folded his arms in front of his chest and frowned. "I don't see what's so funny."



Jaina gradually got to her feet and still giggling she walked over to Jag. She strung her arms around his neck, looking into his serious face. "Zekk and I kissed probably 3 times at most. But I really didn't care about him that way." She put on a seductive smile. "Not like I care about you…" Jag's face softened and he looked into her eyes.



They kissed. Jaina deepened into the kiss and his hands came up her waist.



All of a sudden, their door blasted in, knocking them both to the ground and practically unconscious. Before Jaina blacked out, she heard Jenos' gruff voice and the distinctive growls of Vong.



Oh Jag… she cried in her heart.



She passed out.