Cry: A Dark Romance Short Story
By Trickster-Jaina-Fel

Disclaimer: The universe and recognizable characters belong to George Lucas. The assorted songs belong to various artists, whom I recognize immediately below the exert. The song that inspired this ("Cry") belongs to Faith Hill. The plot, Sanar, Mikela, Lara and Nycith belong to me (if you wish to use them, ask first). I'm not making any money out of this so don't sue.
Summary: In a galaxy where the attack on the second Death Star never took place and Luke and Anakin Skywalker were killed by the Emperor, Jaina Solo and Kyp Durron meet. As their relationship progresses from friendship to much more, however, Kyp begins to slip away from Jaina and into the grasp of the Emperor. Desperate to save her husband, Jaina follows him – but at what price?
Characters: Jaina Solo (Durron), Kyp Durron, Sanar Klis, Mikela Durron, Emperor Palpatine
Keywords: AU, short story, Sith Lords, angst, romance, friendship
Author's Note: alright, here's the scoop: the AU starts in RotJ, after Luke leaves Dagobah. From there, he goes to meet up with Han and Leia and the Twin talk happens. There's no second Death Star. Luke leaves Leia with a lot on her mind, and confronts Vader. Vader and Luke duel. Vader returns to the Light. Emperor kills Anakin and Luke. The Empire continues. Han and Leia continue fighting with the Rebellion and, two years later, they are married. A few years later, Jaina and Jacen are born, etc. Time goes on. The Imperials are constantly after the Solo family, especially the Solo kids who have been trained as best they can as Jedi. Leia is killed when the Solo twins are about seventeen. A few years later, Jaina and Kyp (who escaped Kessel on his own and never destroyed Carida) meet. Their relationship ends up being somewhat like their 'partnership' in the EU. Our story starts three years after Kyp and Jaina meet. Enjoy :D
AN2: I originally planned for this to be just a song-viggie to Faith Hill's "Cry" but, um, that didn't sit well with the story, so now it's a short story, go figure :P The story skips ahead lots, showing short but important scenes.

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She was a goner, Jaina realized with no small amount of horror. The Emperor's Hand –Jade, was it? – had been backing her closer and closer to the cliff with every slash and lunge, and Jaina hadn't had time to notice it until now. Her lightsaber was knocked from her hands, and flew down…down…down into the rocky crevices kilometres below.

"Nice knowing you, Jedi," the assassin sneered. She raised her lightsaber; Jaina moved to duck under the slice, and…

Nothing happened.

Realizing something was wrong too late, Jaina was unable to stop her momentum and she rolled awkwardly, her right leg taking the brunt of it. When Jaina came up, Jade was nowhere to be seen. In her place was…

"If you ever think of dying on me again," Kyp said through gritted teeth, deactivating his lightsaber, "just remember that I'll never let you rest in peace."

She didn't – couldn't – move from her crouch, her breath coming in quick gasps. So close. "D-deal," she managed, taking the hand that he was offering. When she tried to stand, though, her leg flared in pain and the world tilted under her.

He caught her before she hit the ground, but she was barely aware of it.

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Jaina awoke some time later in a large, unusually comfortable bed. Unusual, but nice. She had grown used to sleeping wherever there was room. Vaguely, she wondered what her mother – dead for several years now – would have thought. Somehow, Jaina doubted Princess Leia had ever had to sleep on a brandy-covered, duracrete floor, or on a cot with broken springs in a sleazy pay-by-the-hour motel.

She stretched, her arms extending above her head and her leg muscles tensing for a moment before relaxing. She sat up and her eyes found a medium-sized room with golden-wood floors and walls, and wall-length blue curtains to cover the windows. Beside her was a small dresser with two rolls of bandages on top. In the far corner, there was a desk with a datapad on top.

The sight caused her to frown in confusion; it had been a long time since she had woken up without Kyp nearby, who was usually either watching her impassively or still sleeping a few metres away. The curtains moved in the wind, and she pulled the blanket up to keep the cold off her. It occurred to her that she was in what passed for her nightclothes – a long sleeve shirt and knee-length pants – and she searched her mind for the memory of changing. It didn't come up.

The door swished open and Kyp walked in; he froze when he saw her. "You're up."

She sighed in relief. Kyp was back; they were still safe. "Where were you?" she queried, eyeing the tray of – she hoped – food that was in his hands.

He smirked, but she noticed that he avoided her eyes. "Miss me, Goddess?"

She looked at him down her nose. He would bring up her old Intelligence op codename. "You only wish."

"I know," he retorted. Grinning impishly, he closed the door behind him. "Well, I have you now, my pretty," he leered.

She shook her head and swung her legs out of the bed. "Honestly; you're impossible, Durron." Before she could put her feet on the ground, they froze. Well used to this childish prank that Kyp seemed to adore, she scowled in her partner's direction. "Do you mind? I want to eat."

"So eat in bed," he countered lightly as he pulled a chair up by her bed.

She watched his expression suspiciously. Something was smelly in Dantooine. Very smelly. "What is this – Happy Hour Hotel?" she demanded sarcastically.

She tried to stand again, but he pushed her back before she could even work against the Force-hold he'd put on her feet. "Goddess, you just barely survived that fight against Jade. I had to drag you here and put you into a healing trance without your help. Don't you dare get up; you'll undo all my hard work."

She glared at him, but stopped struggling. It took too much energy anyway. Kriffing dizzy spells; they'd been far too much trouble lately. She decided to thank her lucky stars that she'd been able to hide them from Kyp. If he turned into a mother hen over a sprained knee – or whatever it was – she certainly wasn't going to give him licence to go nuts over occasional headaches and fluctuations in her equilibrium.

"You came out badly too," she muttered peevishly, noticing the cut that ran along the left side of his face.

"Just eat," he ordered impatiently, eyes rolling and mouth twisting in disgust.

Deciding she'd needled him enough – for the moment – she grabbed a croissant off the tray and bit into it. "Since when do we have the money for this kind of food anyway?" she asked through a mouthful of pastry.

Kyp groaned in exasperation. "Do you always have to question good luck?" he demanded.

She held her hands up in a sign of peace and made a face at him. "Jeez, it was just a question. Don't bite my head off."

He was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry," he muttered, watching her. "I'm just – I thought… They're catching up."

Jaina's eyes were bitter, cynical. "Aren't they always?"

"They almost had us." Kyp's urgency suggested that there was something rattling around in his brain that he didn't want to get out. It was escaping, anyway.

"No." She bit into the pastry viciously, chewed and swallowed. "Jade made the fight personal; I humiliated her in front of some important people years ago. Her orders were to bring us in alive; I guess she got sick of being a lapdog. I prefer that."

Kyp's voice was emotionless. "What do you mean?"

She frowned at him. "I mean exactly what you've decided for yourself. I'll die before I ever let them get me." His green eyes snapped to hers as she continued, fervent. "If I have to over-load my mind with the Force, use my own lightsaber against me – "

He glared at her, eyes aflame. "Stop it!" he croaked.

She pressed on. "I'll never go to them alive, Kyp," she vowed. "Never. You know what they do to Jedi."

"Shock" could not begin to explain the feeling that rushed over Jaina when Kyp stood, smouldering with rage. "Don't say that," he said, clutching her wrists, barely reining in on his anger.

"Durron?" Jaina squeaked. She had seen Kyp in a fury before, but never had it been directed at her. Her mind flew back to what her mother had told her once. "I don't trust him; he has so much anger… Don't get in his way, Jaina, ever."

Seeing her fear, Kyp forced himself to calm, but her words echoed in his mind with each breath he took. Taking her by surprise, he hugged her tightly. "Please don't say that," he whispered.

Jaina didn't move.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." She stiffened, her pride immediately stinging, but he continued. "I just…" His shielding intensified, so it felt like she was the only one in the room. "I care about you, Jay; I don't want to lose you too."

Her eyes flew to his. Confessions of affection were taboo with them, ever since their brothers had been killed. People you cared about had a nasty habit of dying and leaving you alone and more desperate than before. "Kyp…" She sighed, pulled back and drew her fingers through her hair. "I care about you, too, but – "

"Jaina, I didn't mean I care – I mean I care. I love you."

Jaina knew she should blink before her eyes dried out, but she couldn't. He had said it. He had actually said it.

Kyp Durron, Jedi Knight and her partner, had said what both of them had been dancing around for years.

This is bad, she thought frantically. This is bad, bad, bad. No, I can't… We're not doing this. Zekk died. Jula was taken; who knows how she met her end. Both of us know better than this. We're in the middle of a war! Falling in love only gives the Empire another person to use against us.

"You don't have to say anything," Kyp muttered, standing. "I know better than to expect anything."

WHAT? No, Kyp…!

He turned to leave, but she snatched his hand before he could walk out. "Wait." He stopped. "Look at me," she begged. It was stupid, crazy, foolish, but… "I love you, too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

She felt him go rigid, but then he was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. His touch sent sparks flying through her, making her light-headed. His eyes searched hers, as if her confession was more incomprehensible, unbelievable than his own.

It's war, her rational mind warned her again. War. He'll be taken from you! Don't make it worse for yourself. "I love you," she repeated, damning herself, before pressing her lips to his.

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If I should die this very moment
I wouldn't fear
For I've never known completeness
Like being here
Wrapped in the warmth of you
Loving every breath of you
Why live life from dream to dream
And dread the day...
- "Gorecki" (from "Moulin Rouge!")

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"Stars, I love you," he whispered, his eyes roving over her in awe as she moved as close to him as possible.

She didn't blush – it would have been pointless after everything. "I love you too," she returned, just as she had a thousand times that night, and snuggled into the crook of his arm, her eyes closing. For once, she allowed herself to relax, unworried by the Imperial patrols that searched for Kyp and herself, secure in his love. Kyp wouldn't let anything happen to her – to either of them.

"I never will," he promised, hearing the echo of her thoughts. She smiled as he tightened his hold on her.

This was the sanctuary that had been missing through her childhood. Nothing, she swore fiercely, would ever pull them apart. Nothing.

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Don't worry, this is just the first of six chapters (give or take) ;).

Please R&R!

-TJF