A/N: On the song, any words in brackets and italics are the actions that they do while singing.
Chapter Five: Stage ActSeveral nights later, Jaina had gotten used to working with the bands rhythms and was ready to learn her duets with Zekk for the next night's performance. Mandy whipped up a couple songs for them and gave one to Jizz to help Zekk learn and she helped Jaina.
"So we just get up and sing it like usual?" Jaina asked.
"Well, this on is a bit different. You and Zekk have a special little 'something' in this song, since it's the last one for the night," Mandy replied uncomfortably. Jaina eyed her suspiciously.
"What kind of 'little something'?"
"Just read it."
Jaina did as Mandy instructed and let out a sigh when she came to the part Mandy had indicated. "Oh, that's all." She did a double-take and reread it. "We have to kiss! Onstage" She all but screeched. She looked frantically around the room as if looking for an escape ladder. "But... but... but..." She spluttered. We're just friends She thought. I wonder what he'll think of this!
Mandy grinned. "I knew you wouldn't mind."
"What makes you think I don't mind?" She squeaked.
Mandy looked confused. "I've seen the way he looks at you; I thought..."
"No. No, no, no," Jaina repeated the word. "We're just friends. I don't want to kiss him!"
"But you always look..." Mandy trailed off. She was older and already had a boyfriend and had thought Jaina and Zekk would be like her and Jizz.
Jaina sighed. "Its fine; I'll sing it. It'll just seem a little... weird." I can't believe she wants me to kiss him! I can't believe I'm doing this...
Once Mandy and Jizz were sure both of them knew all the songs, Mandy told Zekk to come in to practice with Jaina. Once she was satisfied with his rendition, she left them alone to practice. When the door closed behind her, Jaina and Zekk turned to face each other.
"Well, this should be fun!" Zekk declared cheerfully, smiling at Jaina.
She stared at him. Fun? Maybe Jizz hadn't told him about the closing of the show. Then she had an even worse thought. What if Jizz had told him and he thought it would be fun!?
"Um, what do you mean?"
Zekk looked puzzled. "It'll be fun getting to perform all these songs. Why, what did you think I meant?"
Jaina chewed her lower lip. "Oh, nothing." He gave her a 'look'. She chewed her lip some more, then finally spit out the words. "Did Jizz tell you about that last song? Leaving?"
Zekk wrinkled his brow. "Uh, yeah. It's not a really hard song, just remembering who sings what parts of which verses." He looked at her quizzically.
Jaina bit her lip again. "No, that's not quite what I meant. Oh, well lets just go through the songs and work on the choreographies."
When they finally got to Leaving, they were both fairly comfortable singing together and laughing at their mistakes.
"So, what is it about this 'Leaving' that you don't especially like?" Zekk asked.
Is he just playing naive or does he really not know? Jaina wondered. His voice sounded innocent enough, but Zekk was a rather good actor.
"Well, um... uh..." Jaina trailed off. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'll give you a hint." She puckered up her lips and leaned towards him. Zekk leaned backwards on his chair to stay away from her and fell over. She grinned and helped him up.
"Don't do it again!" Zekk pleaded, half in jest.
Jaina sighed again, the smile slipping from her face. "Well, you're gonna have to. Mandy decided to write it into the closing song."
Zekk groaned and slapped a hand to his forehead, letting it slide down his face in despair. "It sounds just like her," he grumbled. He took a breath to fortify himself. "Well, lets get on with it," he said in a resigned voice.
Jaina picked up the lyrics, and then paused. "Wait. Um, Zekk, would you mind terribly if we just rehearsed the other parts of the song up to the last line of the lyrics and skipped the kiss until we're onstage?"
Zekk snorted. "No way! I'd give anything to skip it!"
Jaina sighed happily. "Oh, good. I was afraid you might... you know..."
"Want to do it?" Zekk asked incredulously. "Sorry, Jay! We're just friends... whatever Mandy may think!"
They both laughed and proceeded to rehearse the song.
"Ooh, I'm so nervous!" Jaina whispered backstage as they were getting ready to go on to sing.
"Hey, relax, Jay!" Zekk whispered back, putting an arm around her shoulder and giving her a friendly squeeze. "You'll be fine. You always are," he added with a grin. "Besides, you couldn't mess up. You look too pretty," he added with a wink that only she saw. Jaina looked up to where Jacen was standing, smothering a grin. He had heard every word of their exchange, but had obviously not seen Zekk's wink. Zekk saw her looking pointedly at Jacen and dropped his arm.
"You ready?" He whispered.
"As long as you're with me!" She whispered back. What she meant was that if he forgot the lyrics and she had to continue solo, she'd kill him after the performance. She saw Jacen taking it the wrong way again and promised herself she'd have a 'talk' with him after the show.
"Come on, we're on!" Zekk whispered, taking Jaina's hand and leading her out onto the stage. They both plastered on giant stage smiles and waved and bowed. Jaina's sequined dress shimmered as Jizz introduced the first song and they launched into a rollicking song about the stars.
Finally, it came time for the last song. The songs had all started out fast and started slowing down with each consecutive song to lead up to Leaving. It was a slow song, almost like a ballad and the melody was beautiful and haunting. Jaina and Zekk had rehearsed it more times than they could count and were more than confident in everything... except the kiss.
Zekk: Lay down your sweet and weary head./ Zekk brought Jaina's head to his shoulder
Night is falling,/
I will be here to the end./
Zekk: Sleep now,/
And dream of what your life will be./
Of what it was,/
And of what the future sees./
Zekk: Why do you weep?/
What are these tears upon your face?/ Zekk wiped away imaginary tears from Jaina's upturned face
Soon you will see/
I'll make your fears all pass away./
Zekk: Safe in my arms,/
You're only sleeping./
Jaina: What can you see?/
On our horizon?/
What do our fortunes tell?/ Both turned to look out over the audience for the next two verses
Zekk & Jaina: Across the sea/
A pale moon rises./
Zekk: Their ships have come/
Jaina: To bring you to war./
Jaina: And dawn will turn to silver glass,/
A light on the water,/
All will pass./ Jaina turned back to face Zekk, her head dropped to her chest
Jaina: Hope fades/
Into the world of night./
Through darkness falling,/
Out of memory and time./
Zekk put a finger under her chin & brought her head up to look at him
Zekk: Don't say we have come now to the end./
Though ships are coming,/
You and I will meet again./
Zekk: And you'll be here in my arms,/ Zekk brought Jaina back to his shoulder
Just sleeping./
Jaina: What can you see?/
On our horizon?/
What do our fortunes tell?/ Both turned to look out over the audience for the next two verses
Zekk & Jaina: Across the sea/
A pale moon rises./
Zekk: Their ships have come/
Jaina: To bring you to war./
Jaina: And dawn will turn to silver glass,/
A light on the water./
The ships pass/
Zekk & Jaina: Into the west./
Zekk pulled Jaina into a kiss as the lights flashed out. They both wiped their lips with their sleeves, and then quickly turned back to the audience to bow as the lights came back on.
As soon as the applause ended, they both scurried offstage. Once out of sight of the audience, they both started furiously wiping their mouths.
As they walked back to their dressing rooms, Zekk wiped more red off his mouth.
"Yuck!" He commented, "it makes it look like you bit my lip! Tell Mandy to lay off with the lipstick!"
"Hey, I didn't want it on my lips any more than you!" Jaina laughed. "And heck, I've got it worse than you. I've got... something on my mouth. Yuck! Did you eat and not wash your mouth before singing or something?"
Now it was Zekk's turn to laugh. "Nope. I never wash it anyways," he said with a sly grin. Jaina rolled her eyes, but smiled back. She sighed.
"Mm, now I'm hungry."
Zekk grinned. "Dinner?"
"Uh, sure, but let me change first, 'k?"
Zekk nodded and they both went into their changing rooms to put on their clothes.
When Jaina emerged from her changing room, Zekk was waiting for her. He was dressed in rather nice clothes (for Zekk). Jaina turned to go back to her room.
"Sorry, I didn't realize I should get dressed up. I'll just be a minute."
Zekk grabbed her arm. "Oh no you won't!" He said, smiling and pulling her after him. "You'd take half an hour putting on a dress that you'd spend all night trying not to get dirty because it isn't yours and it'd turn out to be a miserable night. I'd rather just have you be the Jaina I know." He winked at her.
She grinned. "Well, I've never seen Zekk in a suit. Are you sure you're not his twin brother?"
He grinned back. "Its not a suit and you know it. Its just a nice pair of slacks and a button-up shirt. Although for me, I guess that is a suit."
Jaina nodded and laughed. "So, where are we going?"
"Oh, I thought we'd go to the Shooting Star. It's the nicest place I know."
Jaina nodded again. "Mom said she went there once. She said it was rather nice for a smaller restaurant. The kind you'd be able to afford," she added with a wink.
Zekk nodded. "It may not be what you're used to, but it's the best I can do." He tucked her hand into his elbow and led her off like a classy gentleman with his lady.
Zekk hopped out of the sky taxi, paid the man and helped Jaina out. She tossed the cabby a little tip of her pocket money and then followed Zekk.
He tucked her hand into his elbow again and led her into the restaurant. Her eyes widened as she took in the bright lights in the lobby and the dim, almost romantic lighting over the tables. Men and women in formal attire strode past them and Jaina's brow furrowed.
"I feel so out of place, Zekk! Mom took us to some very classy restaurants when we would come here for her Senator things, but none of them were like this! If this is a 'small restaurant', I'd hate to see a 'big restaurant'!" She whispered.
"Hey, just relax. I've come here before wearing stuff like this and no one'll stare at you. In fact, we might not be the only ones." He pointed to another couple in casual clothing more like theirs. "You'd probably look too much like a doll in a big, fancy dress. Right now, I think you look beautiful."
Jaina blushed just a little. "Yeah right. You say that to all your girls."
Zekk paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Jaina stared at him for a few moments before realizing that he was joking. She grinned at him. "You're such a nut," she said, laughing.
"And proud of it, m'lady!" She just rolled her eyes at him.
They ordered their food with no difficulty. Soon, a hidden band struck up a soft dancing tune. Zekk rose and bowed to Jaina.
"Dance, m'lady?" He asked in a voice with a rather good accent. She smiled and snorted, but slipped out of the chair. Taking her hand, Zekk led her out onto the dance floor.
As they twirled past a table situated in a little alcove, Jaina heard something that made her ears prick.
"So what're we gonna do about all those kids that escaped last week?" One person asked. She could just barely tell that it was a man he spoke so low.
She whispered in Zekk's ear to try to stay near that table. He gave the barest of nods, but contrived to stay near the table in question without drawing attention to them. Thus, Jaina was able to hear the rest of the conversation.
"Well, we've gotta keep lookin', else the department head'll have our heads!" Said a second man. The first shook his head.
"I don't know where else we can look!"
"Well, how 'bout some of the local dance clubs and stuff? Or some of those teen hangouts. There's a good enough chance they stopped in one of those places."
The first man considered this, then nodded. "We've got enough men in our department; we can send one or two to check each of the popular ones and then they can go to some of the less popular ones after."
Jaina and Zekk looked at each other. What would they do? Jaina wished she could speak mind to mind with her friend like some of the other Jedi could so that they wouldn't draw attention to themselves while trying to figure something out, but that was pretty futile. She tried to think of what else they could do. Not much. They were booked at The Rose Night for the next week and she wasn't sure they could cancel. Well, they might have to since there was a reasonable chance she could be recognized otherwise.
They had to find a way out... fast.