Darius awoke in a pained state. He felt as if his head was swimming in a pool of molten carbonite. He forced his eyes open, his headache considerably worsening as the lights hit him in the eyes. He moved his head (in much pain) to see Atton and Brianna sleeping in chairs next to his bed. "Why?" He mouthed to himself.

Why did she loved him so much? Yet when he stood with her, his heart was moved with emotion and he felt this sense of calm and peace. "Because I love her…" His voice was weak.

The Jedi stood up, staggering to his feet. Next to his bed were his black Sith Robes, (Not that he was a Sith, he just liked to use them) and his saber on top of them. Collecting them, he pulled them over his jumpsuit and stood up knees wobbling.

"How could Bao-Dur sleep through all of this?" He asked himself.

He shrugged off the feeling and walked into the cockpit. Sure enough, the Irodonian was placing spikes and components into the core and blow-torching the wires. Darius limped over to him, clasping his hands behind his back.

Bao-Dur looked up from his work and smiled. "Take it easy. I woke up and found you in the medical bay. I will suggest that you keep your lighstsaber on safety." He figured he was trying to throw some humor into the moment.

Darius gave him a half hearted smile, rubbing his ribs which he figured were broken. "I'll note that." He said quietly.

It was obvious the Irodonian was uncomfortable with the silence. "So, where are Atton and the Handmaiden."

Darius sighed lofting both eyebrows irritated. "Sleep. In the medical bay."

He nodded and went back to his work. Darius didn't mind, he wasn't in a chatting mood as it was. He limped away to the Starboard room, observing the map. They were floating in space right before Telos. His guess was that he was stuck in the ship for another good day or two.

The Jed sighed, slumping forward in his chair, grasping both his sides. He grunted in pain as his ribs painfully contracted. He began to sweat his breath becoming ragged for a moment. He breathed a sigh of relief as the pain passed.

"Do I really love her?" He asked himself. "I feel something, no doubt."

"Yes, I truly… love her." He mind was completely made up, he really did love her. But he couldn't bring her with him where he was going…

"I will follow in your footsteps Commander." He said, head hanging gulping slightly. "And then we will fight the Sith and finally end this conflict for good."

"That's the spirit." Something whispered deeply. Oddly enough it sounded like Kreia. Darius heaved and laid back contentedly. It felt as if a deep weight had been lifted. Now all he wanted to do was sleep…

"Run Darius!" That voice was familiar. The Jedi ran through a jungle, the sound of gunshots and cries of pain filled the air as the jungle behind him exploded in flames.

"We can't hold them off, I'll call for reinforcements!" Darius yelled back stopping for a few moments. "Delta Squad, go back and relieve the Rogues, move out! Keep it sharp boys!" He commanded to the troops following closely.

"Yes, General!" The all said in unison.

He turned around, bursting through the flames, ignited his saber to meet the bolts of energy being fired at him. The Jedi gathered the Force around him, making it explode around him, pushing back the Mandolorians.

"Commander, that's the first wave. I don't have enough energy to stop the second!" He yelled to a black cloaked figure.

"Very good General. Hold your position, we will separate and meet back at camp after you have secured the forest area!"

"Yes Commander Revan!" He said, saluting.

The Jedi turned to the company around him, emotion of fear and hurt in their eyes. Darius met their gazes as they circled around him. He paced the circle. "Alright boys, you heard Revan! You need to focus. And remember, it doesn't matter to me if you win or lose, but do you remember who you came here for? The Republic, that's right. If we fall today we have forsaken her, the ones we love and so on!

"But we cannot fall! If we do, we fail all of them and every sacrifice our allies, every death means nothing if we fail, here on Dxun!" Just then, a battalion of troops encamped around them. Darius raised his saber. "For the Republic!"
Gun shots rung and his saber hummed as triumph came to them that day…

"Exile, wake up." Someone said, shaking him. Darius opened his eyes groggily, sweating profusely from his nightmare. She dabbed his face gently with a cloth.

"I'm up." He said grumpily. He stood up, grasping his ribs having to sit down from the staggering pain. He gnashed his teeth and closed his eyes. "You shouldn't have left the Medical Bay in your condition." She said in her usual business voice.

Darius smiled slightly. It was good that she was not falling all over him at the moment. "Yea, sorry about that. I just hate staying in one place at once." He opened his eyes and locked his gaze on hers.

He stood up one more time and walked away from the chair, towering over her. She followed him down the hall to the Crew Quarters where he spent most of his time lately.

Once inside the small Quarters, Darius looked around depression hitting him again. "Just when I thought it was going up." He mumbled to himself, turning around to look at the Handmaiden.

Pain was very much audible in his eyes as the Knight stared passionately into her warm, blue eyes. "You told me something earlier today." He said, his voice so soft and full of emotion it could move a mountain.

"And I meant it." She said her voice with the same compassion.

"I was confused for a long time. And I… I was afraid when that Sith came on board. I was afraid that I- that I would lose you." He said, gulping. He smiled and looked at his feet. "And now I want to tell you this… I love you as well."

Now everything made sense. It all fell into place as he said those words. He couldn't take it anymore, Darius stepped forward and embraced, not dare letting go. Everything was so in the moment as he rocked her gently in his arms, resting his head on hers.

She hugged him back, forgetting that she was squeezing the death out of his broken ribs. He smiled as he felt her head rest on his toned chest, relaxing into his arms. "I love you." He whispered.

She pulled away form him and looked into his eyes. "I know." And for the first time, they kissed passionately not noticing a certain scoundrel smirking outside the door.

"'Bout time." Atton mumbled to himself, laughing.