Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from the game, or places, nor the inventions and yadda yadda yadda…I own the main character, but her status as an exile belongs to LA and Obsidian, so are the rest I've listed before. I sure wish I owned the boys… Sue me, and all you'll get is a grouchy teenager.
Author's Notes: I'd like to thank Kosiah for betaing this piece. Without her, it'd be horrible. So, Kosiah… Big Hug!
This is a piece inspired by a missing cut ending someone found from the K2 game…a very good ending, I might add.
Betrayal of Hearts
The massive halls of the Trayus Academy were full of darkness. As he walked cautiously through them, Disciple felt small, like a gizka trapped inside the Ebon Hawk with the homicidal droid.
He shook off the feeling, and tried his best not to step on the bodies that littered the halls. He frowned at the carnage, and wondered how in the galaxy she, a single Jedi, was able to massacre more than four-dozen Sith.
"I'm a wound in the Force. I grow stronger by leeching the Force off others."
The young man frowned at the memory. She had shown no emotion when she spoke of it, but he knew. He knew that she was breaking inside. Her eyes gave everything away—like windows that allow you to look out, and see the change of the weather.
In the next hall he entered, his eyes widened immediately.
Sion laid there, unmoving. Dead.
The exile had saved him. He knew. She had finally made Darth Sion realize that all he had done was for nothing. And Disciple smiled at her success.
"Hey, kid."
Disciple jerked at the voice and turned to see Atton walking casually out of the shadows. He felt something—something that didn't feel quite right. On the older man's face was a smirk, and he noticed that his eyes were narrowed. Despite his sense of foreboding, the younger man breathed a sigh of relief.
"Atton…the exile, where is she?"
The dark-haired man sauntered towards him with his hands in his pockets. At a nearer distance, Disciple saw what was wrong. Atton's eyes gleamed with pure hatred. The smile on his face masked the calm fury behind it. The young Jedi felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, and a sinister feeling assailed him.
Atton the Murderer was back.
Disciple watched him circle him, reading him. Atton kept the smile on his face, as his eyes glanced up and down at the blonde-haired kid.
"I've no idea what she sees in you." Atton drawled. Disciple focused on the clicking of his boots on the stone floor and he gripped his lightsabre tighter.
"I do not understand what you're talking about, Atton."
Atton chuckled. "Don't play stupid with me, Jedi. Sure, you look the part. But you know what I'm talking about." The chuckles died down and he gave the younger man a venomous glare. "You know what I'm talking about," he repeated.
"Atton, Kreia is using you against-"
He got cut off with a cold laugh. "Really? I had no idea…" Sarcasm dripped in Atton's voice as he stopped right in front Disciple. "Everybody uses each other, kid. That's the main step to survival. And if Kreia's really using me? Well, I won't lose anything, since I've already lost what mattered most to me."
Atton menacingly stepped closer to Disciple and he narrowed his eyes again. "Everything was fine until you showed up, with your prissy ass and phony heroic attitude. You ruined everything for me." Then he spat. "She was mine! She was mine until you came along!"
"Atton, the exile and I…it is not what you think-" Disciple began. He watched the anger build up in the other man, and tried to back away. But Atton never stopped his advance. "You have mistaken us!"
The pilot closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, a pair of golden eyes, not brown stared back at Disciple
"Mistaken or no…it doesn't matter anymore. That old witch reminded me why I hated Jedi." Atton growled. "Jedi lie. All of them. It's what they do. Everything that comes out from their mouths are nothing but fabrications to blind others from the truth! They manipulate everyone to make people think they're invincible!"
"Atton, snap out of it. You do not know what you are doing!" Disciple panicked. He felt the wall behind his back and he swallowed. "You do not want to do this!"
Atton gave him an evil grin. "That, you're wrong, kid. I've wanted to hurt you for a very long time now. But because of her…" His grin faded slightly. "Because of her I remained civil. Nothing matters now. Ready to join the Force, as you Jedi say, kid?"
"I won't fight you, Atton."
The older man chuckled coldly again, and ignited his lightsabre with a snap-hiss. "Don't worry, kid. I'm very good at this, and it won't hurt a bit." The smile grew wider as he added. "Not."
Just as Atton had swung the blade over Disciple's head, the two of them heard the stone doors to the Trayus Core open.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Kas'shen. Atton…he-"
The evil smile never left Atton's face while he lowered his lightsabre. He watched her walk towards the two of them carefully, trying to comprehend what was going on. Disciple moved away from the wall, and ignited his own blade.
The scoundrel smirked when he saw Kas'shen jerked away from Disciple and looked at the two blades. "What. Is. Going. On?" She repeated.
"So, you killed the old schutta, eh? I knew you would." Atton turned towards the other man and eyed the blade. "I thought you said you weren't going to fight me."
"Come on, stop this nonsense. Let's get back to the Hawk." Kas'shen sighed tiredly and she rubbed her temples.
"Kas'shen. Stand back," Disciple warned her. The Jedi cocked an eyebrow at the two in confusion, and struggled to understand.
Her eyes widened with realization seeing Atton's face. "Your…eyes…"
"Beautiful, eh?" Atton joked painfully. "You never did noticed me much, with Golden Boy here." The smile faded when he continued. "Came to see your precious boyfriend die?"
Disciple repositioned himself in front of the exile protectively. Atton merely scoffed at his bravery. "Atton. This is between you and I. Do not involve her."
Atton watched the exile gape at the two men in total confusion out of the corner of his eye. If only she understood. If only she knew that he was fighting for her.
"Atton. Put down the blade," she told him slowly. "You're going to hurt someone."
"Oh, I intend to." Atton smirked. "And that 'someone' is right in front of you." He gestured at Disciple with his still-ignited lightsabre.
The exile moved closer to Disciple, and whispered in his ear, her voice shaking with anxiety. "Di, let me handle him. Get back to the Hawk."
Disciple spun around to look at her, his blue eyes wide in disbelief. "I can't leave you here. He's gone mad!"
Kas'shen grabbed his arm and argued. "This is happening because of me. And only I can solve this problem."
"Finished with all your love talk yet? I feel sick looking at the two of you." Atton growled. He resumed his battle stance and charged at Disciple. The words that came with the run were loud and full of anger. "Why don't the two of you die together and make it a happy ending?"
Disciple's green blade clashed with Atton's orange one and then he jumped back. Kas'shen had ignited her blade and pushed Disciple away from her. "Di, get out of here!"
The young man ignored her and charged at Atton. Kas'shen screamed, and Force Pushed him out of the hall. To ensure his safety, she locked the doors with the Force.
Atton attacked her again. Due to the force of it, she was pushed to the defensive. He unleashed all of his Echani training on her. Her fatigue wasn't helping her either. Blow by blow, she parried, as she was thrown into confusion by his sudden change.
A sudden pain on her abdomen made her lose her concentration and she fell. Atton's blade came down, and he saw her close her eyes, ready for the final blow.
But it never came.
She opened her eyes slowly to see the tip of the orange blade dangerously near her throat, and she felt the heat emitting from it. Her right hand went to the hole on her stomach and covered it in pain. She dropped her lightsabre and it rolled to the other end of the room.
"Why?"
Atton didn't answer her immediately. He watched her pant for breath, and when he finally spoke, his voice was very low. "Why?" The man almost snorted. "I should be the one asking this, Kash. Why do you love him?"
Confusion was plastered all over her face when she heard what he said.
"Is it because he's younger? Because he's more 'Jedi-like'? Because he knows how to 'flatter' a lady?" Anger, pain, hatred dripped in his voice. "Is it…because he's not a murderer like me?" The last words were nothing but a whisper. Nevertheless, she heard him.
"Atton…"
"I've nothing to offer, right?" He sounded dejected. "I'm just another fool, right?" He clenched his hands, one tightly around the lightsabre hilt, and the other by his side. The anger he was taught to use as a weapon against others was bubbling inside of him as he spoke. Her eyes never left his face. "But I'd give you my love… and life." When he spoke, his head was lowered.
He didn't see the realization glint in her eyes. And he certainly didn't see the pain that came after. The gears began to turn in Kas'shen's head, as she finally understood what he was going through.
"I loved you more than I love myself. And that's something big!" Atton shouted. "I gave you my everything, and you threw it away only to jump into the arms of another man!"
He felt his tears fall and wet his cheeks, but the thought of humiliation wasn't enough to drown out the anger and grief he had deep inside.
"You…never told me…" Pain grew into minor annoyance, and minor annoyance grew into frustration. "Damn it, you big assed schutta! You never told me you loved me!" she screamed. "So everything is everyone's fault, and you're not the one to blame?"
Atton's eyes widened slightly at her outburst and he backed away slowly from the raving woman.
"I spent the last eight months with you and all you ever did was push me away, schutta! And you're blaming your pain on me?" Kas'shen stormed up towards him. "Schutta!"
She fell onto a knee and grabbed her stomach in pain. "Di…is just like a brother to me, idiot."
"Jedi lies." The venom was back in his voice. "All Jedi lies. Every one of you lied to me."
"If you'd ever stop being so selfish, Atton, you'd see the world differently, and not everything is as you thought it was." She paused to take in a deep breath from the pain. "You idiot… The one I loved was you…" Another gasp for air. "Is you."
"Wha-" The shock on his face went away as soon as it came. "Lies," he hissed. "I've seen how you snuggle up close to him. I've seen how you looked at him. You never looked at me like that, Jedi. Never."
Kas'shen growled at his stupidity. "That Kreia really screwed you up." She forced herself to stand, and tried to call to the Force to heal herself. "How else am I supposed to look at him?"
Atton gave no answer.
"I love you, Atton." Kas'shen mumbled. "I just never had the guts to tell you." She moved closer towards him, despite the fact that his blade was still on and he was still angry. Atton watched her hold out a hand to touch his face lightly. The coolness of her finger tingled his skin, and he forced himself not to react to it.
"How am I going to make you trust me? I love you…" Kas'shen titled her head upwards, and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you." She repeated.
Atton gave in, and dropped his lightsabre to pull her into a fierce hug and passionate kiss. He took in her scent and the feel of her body against his. Her warmth intoxicated him, making him drunk with her presence. His hand crept up to her neck and he kneaded the muscles there, getting a low moan from her. He felt her hands splayed on his back; moving slowly up and down; exploring him.
The scoundrel thought of this as a dream come true, and he deepened his kiss. His left hand moved to the front of her robe, and he started parting the fabric…
Suddenly, he gasped, but with Kas'shen's mouth on his, he couldn't make much sound.
He released her, and fell to his knees grabbing his right leg. Atton felt the extreme pain on his thigh and saw a hole burnt through his leg. And it was his turn to widen his eyes in confusion at her.
Kas'shen held her lightsabre in her hand and gazed expressionlessly at him. "That's for fighting me when I'm tired and stabbing me, idiot." She knelt down to be level with him, and kissed him fiercely. "The next time you do that, the body part with a hole will not be your leg." The exile muttered against his lips.
She reached for his leg and he yelped in pain. Tendrils of her life Force seeped into the wound, knitting the flesh together. Her face had changed, and her eyes were cold and red. Veins marred her former beauty, and the smile she gave was no longer warm.
The scoundrel wondered what happened to her.
She pressed her lips to his again and stood up. Barely sparing him a glance, she spoke. "Kreia showed me a lot. I now know what path I wish to take. Come, my love. The Sith awaits us. I'll see if the others will follow. If they do not…" A small smile crept onto her face. "A new Lord has risen. And the end of the Jedi has come."
Kas'shen chuckled. "Oh the dramatic talk."
Atton stood up, uncertain of what to do. He couldn't understand her sudden change. For a minute there she was teeming with light, and the next… The man shook his head. Some part of her was in him when she healed his wound. He could almost feel her inside of him.
Thoughts swarmed through his mind. He was bound to her, he knew. She was stronger than him, and he couldn't run. A shiver went up his spine, and he knew he was going back to the old ways of his life. But he still couldn't believe the sudden change.
And he wondered if she was the exile anymore.
But she was here, with him. She had called him her love. That was what mattered most to him. He would remain with her, and the Jedi's taunts would no longer assail his mind. Kas'shen was his.
Or was she really?
She headed towards the exit; towards a new life. And towards the end of the Republic.
And he followed.
celestine1: Eh...hadn't noticed that. Changed it, and thanks!
