The Story of Jade Jinn Halcyon and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Chapter 3
Wedge decided to look for Jade at her favorite spot. It consisted of a small river and lots of plant life. He know that growing up on Tatooine, a planet devoid of plants and water, she developed an appreciation of these things and how they existed in the Force.
As he searched for Jade, Wedge thought of his life since he left Gus Tetra. Booster had shown up shortly after his parents were killed. He'd stayed with Booster and Mirax for a while until he decided smuggling just wasn't for him. He'd then decided to join the Rebellion. There he met Biggs Darklighter, the two became fast friends. Biggs always spoke of his two friends back home, Luke Skywalker and Jade Halcyon. He would speak of their adventures, flying through Beggar's Canyon and getting into trouble with Luke and Jade's guardian.
So naturally, when Luke and Jade showed up with Mace Windu, he became good friends with them also. Luke spent lots of time catching up with Biggs and helping Han Solo work on his ship. Luke also became friends with Leia Organa; the Alderinian Princess Han had saved. Jade had felt left out to begin with. She had started confiding in Wedge. As it turns out, she had thought Luke was abandoning her. Wedge, after much persuasion, got Jade to talk to Luke about it. They discussed things and straightened them out. Since then, all of them, Luke, Jade, Leia, Han, Wedge, and Biggs often gathered as a group.
When they weren't with 'the gang', Wedge and Jade spent most of their time together. Many had thought they were dating, among other things. In all actuality, Jade was his best friend. They always took long walks together; and sometimes, just for fun, they'd walk in holding hands or with their arms around each other, just to stir things up.
But they knew being lovers would never work. They had enough in common to be best friends, but too much in common to be anything else.
He came to the clearing where he knew Jade would be. 'I'd better announce myself or she just might pull a blaster on me!'
"J.J.," he called to her using her nickname.
She whirled around pointing her blaster right between Wedge's eyes.
"Tell me why I shouldn't just blast you where you stand?"
"Because, who then would put up with your wonderful crap, JJ?" he asked
jokingly.
"Sorry Wedge," she said reholstering her blaster, "guess I'm a little on edge right now."
"Gee, I would've never guessed," Wedge said sarcastically.
"Shut up you," she said while punching his arm as he sat down.
"Ow!" he yelped, playfully shoving her. He then turned serious, "what's wrong JJ?"
"Biggs," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I just can't believe he's gone."
Wedge wrapped an arm around her and hugged her.
"He did what he did so Luke could succeed. He would want you to celebrate JJ, not cry over him. You had feelings for him didn't you?"
"Yeah," she admitted, " but things wouldn't have worked."
"How do you know?"
"I just know. As much as I cared for him he just wasn't the right one for me."
"I don't know if there is a 'right one'. I know I haven't found her yet."
"You will one day Wedge. Now me on the other hand, will never find anyone. Guys just don't seem to be interested in me." Wedge gave her a mock hurt look. "Besides in a friendly way Wedge, besides seeing me as 'one of the guys'."
"You will one day, someone special is out there just waiting for you. I have a question though."
"Ok, shoot," she replied.
"Why did you react like you did earlier? I thought Luke was going to blast me where I stood," he added using his famous Corellian grin. Then he looked to Jade and realized she wasn't smiling. "JJ, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, don't worry about it."
"Don't give me that crap Jade Halcyon! You never lose control like that. You're one of my best friends, if something is wrong I want to help, or at least try."
"What do you want to know Wedge! That my childhood sucked! That I hated my life on Tatooine! That my guardians hated me and could not have cared less about my well-being! That just once, even thought a Jedi should have no anger, I wanted to hit back, to protect myself, to put him through what he put me through, to pay him back!"
All she could do was think of how embarrassed she was to be so emotional. She wanted to cry, but refused to let anyone see her do it.
Wedge realized Jade was fighting back tears. 'She just needs to let everything out,' he thought. He slid closer to her, wrapping his arms around her.
She pounded her fist against his chest, trying to push him away. He just held her tighter, refusing to let her get away.
"It's not fair!" she cried, the assault with her fist slackening. "I'm taken away from my family, for my safety! I'm taken to that dust ball of a planet for my safety! My guardian says he did what he did, for my safety!"
"That's it Jade, just let it all out," he told her as she quit her assault and rested her head on his shoulder and wept.
Wedge sat with Jade in his arms comforting her until she drifted off to sleep. He then carried her to her rooms.
When he arrived, he tucked her in and pulled up a chair by her bed. He wanted to be there for her to talk to when she woke up.
He finally got her to open up to him. Now that he'd gotten that far, he didn't want her to close herself off from others again.
Soon Jade woke up.
"Wedge, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to talk with my friend," he replied.
"Well don't bother yourself with it, I don't need your pity," Jade said rather heatedly.
"Pity you? I'd never do that. Not pity, but admiration, I admire and respect you so much Jade."
"Admire?" she asked, confused.
"Yes, admire. Even after going through all of that, you're a wonderful person with a great personality. I admire that."
"Well don't!" she spat.
"Oh no you don't Jade," he said getting out of the chair and sitting next to her on the bed. "I know exactly what you are trying to do. You don't want anyone to see you hurting so you push them away. Well it may have worked for everyone else, including Luke and Mace, but it's not gonna work on me, I know you too well."
"I don't know what you are talking about Wedge," she said trying to figure out an escape.
"Yes you do, anytime you start to show emotion, you pull away from everyone. We're your friends, we love you, why do you close yourself off from us?"
"I don't want anyone to see me as weak," she whispered just barely audible.
"Weak! Jade you are the last person that I would ever think of as weak."
Just then Jade heard the noise coming from outside. "Wedge, what's that?"
"The party," he stated.
"It's still going on?"
"Yeah, and they're having an award ceremony later for Luke, Han and you."
"Oh, really. Well, I guess it's about time to join the land of the living. Care to be my escort?'' she asked.
"I'd love to."
The got off the bed, walked out the door and went to the party arm in arm.
Author's Note: Ok, before you ask, Jade and Wedge are not, I repeat ARE NOT, a couple. They are just very, very close friends, nothing more. As for the story moving so fast, right now, I'm just trying to set up Jade's role in the Rebellion. Since we all know the original trilogy, I didn't feel the need to spend much time on it, so I'm just trying to hit the high points and establish what she was doing at the different times. And finally, Obi-Wan. He will make and appearance hopefully soon, but first, I must set up reasons for Jade to react the way she does to him and men in general. Please be patient and keep reading and reviewing. Any suggestions are welcomed.
