Strong Enough
Chapter 2
Kyp found her the next morning, eating alone, in the officer's lounge. Jag was suspiciously absent and nowhere to be seen. He crossed the room, taking a seat across from her. She didn't even look up. "I'd like to be alone."
"Too bad, Goddess, deities don't get time alone." He sat forward, dropping his tone so that the two other people in the room wouldn't catch his words. "What's wrong?" She lifted her head, and he caught the sheen of tears, her brown eyes miserable. He was immediately concerned. "Jay?"
She shook her head, blinking away the moisture. "I'd like to be alone, Kyp. Please?"
"Like this?" he glanced towards the other people in the room, "Not a chance. I'm still your friend... well, sort of. Did you talk to him?"
She pushed away from the table, getting to her feet, "I said I wanted to be left alone Durron. Back off."
Kyp leaned back in his chair, looking up at her. "Whatever you desire your Greatness."
She grabbed her tray and marched across the room, sitting herself by the main viewport. He watched her. Tracing the lines of her face, admiring her profile, yet he could feel the sadness emanating from her. Had she spoken to Jag? He hoped so, but if she had, why was she so sad? Shouldn't she be thrilled she'd managed to escape without making the worst mistake of her life? Or was she regretting it after having a night to reflect? Confusion was warring with sadness and he pushed himself to his feet. The hell with leaving her alone, he couldn't sit idle while she was fighting herself; he'd get her into a screaming match if he had to. Anything to get a response.
Crossing the room, he slapped his hands down on the table. "I want to talk to you."
"I told you to leave me alone!" she hissed.
He smirked. "Too bad, you just have to deal with me, Goddess. In private. Unless you'd like to speak with me here." He pointedly eyed the two officers who were listening discreetly to their conversation.
She glared at him, but he didn't budge. If she wanted him gone, she would have to walk away. But she couldn't. She'd dressed in the clothes Jag had chosen for her the night before and was regretting it as she stood. She didn't need reminders of Kyp; he was impossible to forget. "Fine. Five minutes." She brushed past him heading for an adjoining room. Close on her heels, Kyp closed the door as he stepped inside and leaned against it. She rounded on him. "Spit it out."
He crossed his feet at the ankles, looking her up and down. "You look good in my colors."
He face flushed red as the look in his eyes said she'd look better out of them. "What did I tell you, Kyp?"
"I simply gave you a compliment. Don't be reading too much into it, Goddess."
She glared at him. "You're infuriating. What do you want?"
He smirked but said nothing. She began to pace, "Ok, bad choice of words. Your five minutes are going by fast, I'd start talking if I were you."
"Good thing you're not, then. Did you talk to him?"
She stopped, facing him, and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's my business."
"What?" he said incredulously. "I think it's more than just yours."
"Back off, Kyp." She cautioned, "I'm spoiling for a fight."
"I can see that, I'm not blind. Yet. I just want a yes or no, Jaina. Did you talk to him?"
She nodded. "I did. Don't ask me what he said because he didn't say anything. I hurt him, Kyp. Badly. He deserves better than this."
"Than what? An ex-fiancée who can't make up her mind?"
She lunged forward, her hand aiming for the side of his face, but she never got close. Kyp caught her wrist in one hand, spreading it wide, catching the other as she tried to free herself and then forced them behind her back, dragging her flush against him. "Am I wrong, Goddess?" he bit out. "Am I?"
Her eyes spat fire. "Yes!"
"Am I?" he demanded again, his voice lashing like a whip. "You can't have it both ways. Either you want him or you want me, not both."
She struggled, trying to free herself, but he was too strong and settled instead for kicking him in the shins. His grip loosened but didn't break. Kyp spun, trapping her between the door and his body so she couldn't get leverage, and glared down at her. "Are you willing to be burned again, Jaina?"
She tossed her head, getting her hair off her face. "Touch me like that and I'll kill you."
He smirked. "Before or after you thoroughly enjoy yourself?"
She colored as she stilled. "Let me go."
He shook his head. "Never. You're mine."
"I'm not yours!" she hissed, her neck beginning to ache from looking up at him. Damn the man and his height.
"And you're not Jag's."
She shook her head. "No, but-"
His head came down, cutting her off and swallowing her words with a vicious kiss. "Then you're mine." He whispered fiercely against her lips.
He wasn't ready for it when it happened and he staggered back, releasing her as a Force shove, harder than anything he'd come to expect from her, pushed him back. Free, she stalked towards him, hitting him in the chest with the flat of her hand. "If you ever try to manhandle me again..." she threatened.
His smile was cocky but he didn't attempt to hold her again. "You enjoyed it, Goddess, the evidence is in your cheeks. I can feel it."
"You exasperating man! I'm the one who's feeling terrible because, not only did I cheat on my fiancée, but I broke it off with him because of you! You! The one man who can push my buttons!"
"You need that." He told her smugly. "All that passionless romance has turned you sour."
"Can't you be serious for two seconds?!"
"Can you stop accusing me of something I didn't do?" he countered.
"Is there anything you haven't done?" she asked caustically.
"To you? I can think of a thing or two."
This time he wasn't fast enough and her hand came across quickly, connecting painfully with his cheek. "You're a jerk, Kyp." She spat.
"All part of my charm," he replied, fighting the urge to put a hand to his stinging face. She had one powerful slap.
"And you're blowing this out of proportion. Don't you think you've overacting just a little?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, "Really? How should I be reacting? Jumping for joy?"
"The thought had crossed my mind. I'd settle for a kiss."
"It's not over!" she spat. "Jag didn't accept that I broke up with him." She pulled the datapad from her pocket and tossed it to him, not caring if he didn't catch it. His reactions were as fast as ever, though and he caught it in mid-air, flipping it around as he flicked it on. Show off! she thought peevishly. But there was no pride in his movements, they were just simply... there. She could help but admire him as his eyes scanned the note. The man knew who and what he was; it was a refreshing change.
Kyp lifted his gaze to meet hers. "So what happens now?"
"I wait until he comes back."
"And us?"
"There is no us, Kyp," she told him flatly. "Not yet. Not until I work this out with Jag."
He tossed the datapad back to her. "I can't accept that, Jay."
"You don't have much of a choice. My dad's supposed to be coming to talk to the General tomorrow, maybe he'll offer a distraction."
Kyp arched an eyebrow and stepped towards her. "Not the Solo I have in mind when I think of a distraction."
"Kyp..." she warned, backing away.
"We can keep this between you and me Goddess, or I can go and ask your dad for your hand tomorrow."
Her jaw dropped, her eyes widening in surprise. "You wouldn't!"
"Care to try me?"
She flushed at the double meaning implied in his words. "You promised..."
"I promised not to say anything until you spoke to him," he reminded her. "You told Jag, you said it yourself. The fact that he hasn't what, taken his ring back? That doesn't mean you're not free. You certainly don't consider yourself engaged to him anymore."
"That's not the point! How will it look if he comes back early to find another one of these?" she swept her hair off her neck. "He walked in on me as I was coming out of the shower. The shower, Kyp! What if he'd seen that?"
"He what?!"
Whoops! she shrugged, dropping her hair back. "He's had the combination to my room for awhile, it's not unusual for him to come by before he gets sent on a side mission."
"So you went from him to me?"
"Do you trust me at all?" she demanded, planting her hands on her hips. "Of course I didn't go from you to him, I even turned down a hug and a kiss, which only made him suspicious! I felt nine inches tall, Kyp, I've never felt that horrible in my life."
He stopped short of her. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."
"It's not your fault. I should have told you no." she spread her arms wide and stepped up to him, the sudden change in her demeanor catching him off guard.
Had she been taking lessons from his school of quick mood-swings? He hoped not. Dealing with a semi-predictable Jaina was one thing, dealing with one who could go from mad to happy in two seconds flat would completely confound him. His arms went around her as she laid her head against his chest. He couldn't help his reaction as his body curled protectively around hers. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "No. You can't be." She looked up at him, "If you're sorry you'll start to regret it, and I don't. I love you, Kyp and it's killing me."
His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, but he smiled anyway. "You'll make a man feel immortal with those words, Goddess."
She laughed softly, but it choked off on the end and he held her tighter as she buried her face in the soft fabric of his shirt. "I should be relieved I'm no longer engaged to Jag," she whispered softly. "But all I feel is guilt. Why does everything have to be so confusing?"
He gently ran a hand over her hair, knowing she wasn't asking him, and wisely held his tongue. He could feel the dampness from her tears soaking through his shirt; feel her shaking as she squeezed him tightly around the waist. He let her cry, simply holding her to him securely and whispering soft words of comfort to her as he kissed her forehead.
They stood like that for long minutes, Jaina taking strength from his presence before slowly, reluctantly releasing her hold on him. She wiped her face with her sleeve, and found a smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to use you as shoulder today."
He smiled, "Use me anytime you need me. It's why I'm here."
She chuckled. "It's why you can't leave, you mean. Thanks Kyp. Look, when my dad gets here, I'll explain the situation to him. But don't talk to him until I get the chance, alright?"
He nodded, reaching up to gently stroke her face. "Alright. I don't know about you but I-"
The scramble alarm blaring through the room cut him off and their gazes locked. So much for a leisurely breakfast. They left the room at a sprint, heading for the flight deck. They could talk about this when they got back.
Chapter 2
Kyp found her the next morning, eating alone, in the officer's lounge. Jag was suspiciously absent and nowhere to be seen. He crossed the room, taking a seat across from her. She didn't even look up. "I'd like to be alone."
"Too bad, Goddess, deities don't get time alone." He sat forward, dropping his tone so that the two other people in the room wouldn't catch his words. "What's wrong?" She lifted her head, and he caught the sheen of tears, her brown eyes miserable. He was immediately concerned. "Jay?"
She shook her head, blinking away the moisture. "I'd like to be alone, Kyp. Please?"
"Like this?" he glanced towards the other people in the room, "Not a chance. I'm still your friend... well, sort of. Did you talk to him?"
She pushed away from the table, getting to her feet, "I said I wanted to be left alone Durron. Back off."
Kyp leaned back in his chair, looking up at her. "Whatever you desire your Greatness."
She grabbed her tray and marched across the room, sitting herself by the main viewport. He watched her. Tracing the lines of her face, admiring her profile, yet he could feel the sadness emanating from her. Had she spoken to Jag? He hoped so, but if she had, why was she so sad? Shouldn't she be thrilled she'd managed to escape without making the worst mistake of her life? Or was she regretting it after having a night to reflect? Confusion was warring with sadness and he pushed himself to his feet. The hell with leaving her alone, he couldn't sit idle while she was fighting herself; he'd get her into a screaming match if he had to. Anything to get a response.
Crossing the room, he slapped his hands down on the table. "I want to talk to you."
"I told you to leave me alone!" she hissed.
He smirked. "Too bad, you just have to deal with me, Goddess. In private. Unless you'd like to speak with me here." He pointedly eyed the two officers who were listening discreetly to their conversation.
She glared at him, but he didn't budge. If she wanted him gone, she would have to walk away. But she couldn't. She'd dressed in the clothes Jag had chosen for her the night before and was regretting it as she stood. She didn't need reminders of Kyp; he was impossible to forget. "Fine. Five minutes." She brushed past him heading for an adjoining room. Close on her heels, Kyp closed the door as he stepped inside and leaned against it. She rounded on him. "Spit it out."
He crossed his feet at the ankles, looking her up and down. "You look good in my colors."
He face flushed red as the look in his eyes said she'd look better out of them. "What did I tell you, Kyp?"
"I simply gave you a compliment. Don't be reading too much into it, Goddess."
She glared at him. "You're infuriating. What do you want?"
He smirked but said nothing. She began to pace, "Ok, bad choice of words. Your five minutes are going by fast, I'd start talking if I were you."
"Good thing you're not, then. Did you talk to him?"
She stopped, facing him, and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's my business."
"What?" he said incredulously. "I think it's more than just yours."
"Back off, Kyp." She cautioned, "I'm spoiling for a fight."
"I can see that, I'm not blind. Yet. I just want a yes or no, Jaina. Did you talk to him?"
She nodded. "I did. Don't ask me what he said because he didn't say anything. I hurt him, Kyp. Badly. He deserves better than this."
"Than what? An ex-fiancée who can't make up her mind?"
She lunged forward, her hand aiming for the side of his face, but she never got close. Kyp caught her wrist in one hand, spreading it wide, catching the other as she tried to free herself and then forced them behind her back, dragging her flush against him. "Am I wrong, Goddess?" he bit out. "Am I?"
Her eyes spat fire. "Yes!"
"Am I?" he demanded again, his voice lashing like a whip. "You can't have it both ways. Either you want him or you want me, not both."
She struggled, trying to free herself, but he was too strong and settled instead for kicking him in the shins. His grip loosened but didn't break. Kyp spun, trapping her between the door and his body so she couldn't get leverage, and glared down at her. "Are you willing to be burned again, Jaina?"
She tossed her head, getting her hair off her face. "Touch me like that and I'll kill you."
He smirked. "Before or after you thoroughly enjoy yourself?"
She colored as she stilled. "Let me go."
He shook his head. "Never. You're mine."
"I'm not yours!" she hissed, her neck beginning to ache from looking up at him. Damn the man and his height.
"And you're not Jag's."
She shook her head. "No, but-"
His head came down, cutting her off and swallowing her words with a vicious kiss. "Then you're mine." He whispered fiercely against her lips.
He wasn't ready for it when it happened and he staggered back, releasing her as a Force shove, harder than anything he'd come to expect from her, pushed him back. Free, she stalked towards him, hitting him in the chest with the flat of her hand. "If you ever try to manhandle me again..." she threatened.
His smile was cocky but he didn't attempt to hold her again. "You enjoyed it, Goddess, the evidence is in your cheeks. I can feel it."
"You exasperating man! I'm the one who's feeling terrible because, not only did I cheat on my fiancée, but I broke it off with him because of you! You! The one man who can push my buttons!"
"You need that." He told her smugly. "All that passionless romance has turned you sour."
"Can't you be serious for two seconds?!"
"Can you stop accusing me of something I didn't do?" he countered.
"Is there anything you haven't done?" she asked caustically.
"To you? I can think of a thing or two."
This time he wasn't fast enough and her hand came across quickly, connecting painfully with his cheek. "You're a jerk, Kyp." She spat.
"All part of my charm," he replied, fighting the urge to put a hand to his stinging face. She had one powerful slap.
"And you're blowing this out of proportion. Don't you think you've overacting just a little?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, "Really? How should I be reacting? Jumping for joy?"
"The thought had crossed my mind. I'd settle for a kiss."
"It's not over!" she spat. "Jag didn't accept that I broke up with him." She pulled the datapad from her pocket and tossed it to him, not caring if he didn't catch it. His reactions were as fast as ever, though and he caught it in mid-air, flipping it around as he flicked it on. Show off! she thought peevishly. But there was no pride in his movements, they were just simply... there. She could help but admire him as his eyes scanned the note. The man knew who and what he was; it was a refreshing change.
Kyp lifted his gaze to meet hers. "So what happens now?"
"I wait until he comes back."
"And us?"
"There is no us, Kyp," she told him flatly. "Not yet. Not until I work this out with Jag."
He tossed the datapad back to her. "I can't accept that, Jay."
"You don't have much of a choice. My dad's supposed to be coming to talk to the General tomorrow, maybe he'll offer a distraction."
Kyp arched an eyebrow and stepped towards her. "Not the Solo I have in mind when I think of a distraction."
"Kyp..." she warned, backing away.
"We can keep this between you and me Goddess, or I can go and ask your dad for your hand tomorrow."
Her jaw dropped, her eyes widening in surprise. "You wouldn't!"
"Care to try me?"
She flushed at the double meaning implied in his words. "You promised..."
"I promised not to say anything until you spoke to him," he reminded her. "You told Jag, you said it yourself. The fact that he hasn't what, taken his ring back? That doesn't mean you're not free. You certainly don't consider yourself engaged to him anymore."
"That's not the point! How will it look if he comes back early to find another one of these?" she swept her hair off her neck. "He walked in on me as I was coming out of the shower. The shower, Kyp! What if he'd seen that?"
"He what?!"
Whoops! she shrugged, dropping her hair back. "He's had the combination to my room for awhile, it's not unusual for him to come by before he gets sent on a side mission."
"So you went from him to me?"
"Do you trust me at all?" she demanded, planting her hands on her hips. "Of course I didn't go from you to him, I even turned down a hug and a kiss, which only made him suspicious! I felt nine inches tall, Kyp, I've never felt that horrible in my life."
He stopped short of her. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."
"It's not your fault. I should have told you no." she spread her arms wide and stepped up to him, the sudden change in her demeanor catching him off guard.
Had she been taking lessons from his school of quick mood-swings? He hoped not. Dealing with a semi-predictable Jaina was one thing, dealing with one who could go from mad to happy in two seconds flat would completely confound him. His arms went around her as she laid her head against his chest. He couldn't help his reaction as his body curled protectively around hers. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "No. You can't be." She looked up at him, "If you're sorry you'll start to regret it, and I don't. I love you, Kyp and it's killing me."
His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, but he smiled anyway. "You'll make a man feel immortal with those words, Goddess."
She laughed softly, but it choked off on the end and he held her tighter as she buried her face in the soft fabric of his shirt. "I should be relieved I'm no longer engaged to Jag," she whispered softly. "But all I feel is guilt. Why does everything have to be so confusing?"
He gently ran a hand over her hair, knowing she wasn't asking him, and wisely held his tongue. He could feel the dampness from her tears soaking through his shirt; feel her shaking as she squeezed him tightly around the waist. He let her cry, simply holding her to him securely and whispering soft words of comfort to her as he kissed her forehead.
They stood like that for long minutes, Jaina taking strength from his presence before slowly, reluctantly releasing her hold on him. She wiped her face with her sleeve, and found a smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to use you as shoulder today."
He smiled, "Use me anytime you need me. It's why I'm here."
She chuckled. "It's why you can't leave, you mean. Thanks Kyp. Look, when my dad gets here, I'll explain the situation to him. But don't talk to him until I get the chance, alright?"
He nodded, reaching up to gently stroke her face. "Alright. I don't know about you but I-"
The scramble alarm blaring through the room cut him off and their gazes locked. So much for a leisurely breakfast. They left the room at a sprint, heading for the flight deck. They could talk about this when they got back.