Author notes- Here's another chapter. WARNING: Lots of mush in this chapter. This chapter is definitely Rated T. I hope you all love it.
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After a long climb, Omega finally made it out of the trench and to the surface. He walked a few meters away from the trench's edge then stopped and waited for the probes. After waiting for one minute, Omega finally saw two little white circular probes slowly hovering straight towards him. The probes continued to approach Omega then stopped four meters away from him. Suddenly a small blue light appeared on both probes, which meant that they had indeed spotted Omega. The two probes then turned around and immediately hovered away into the night. Good. Go. Go and inform my father and brother where I am. So they can come and meet their destiny. Omega thought with an evil glare. And that destiny is death. Oh yes, the countdown for my father, brother, and the Jedi's destruction has now officially begun.
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Ben, who was sitting on his bed, stared straight ahead with a very sad look on his face. He was currently thinking about what he had just heard in the hallway. Although Ben felt deeply hurt and depressed inside, he also felt empty. As if a part of his very soul had been snatched away. He loved Keira so much and to hear her say that she deeply loved Valin, just greatly broke his heart.
Ben closed his eyes then took a deep breath and stretched out with the Light to try and relax himself. Five minutes passed and the sorrow was still there plaguing him. Ben opened his eyes then turned his gaze to the window. It was no use, not even the Light could lessen the pain he felt. Nothing can. Thought Ben. I was right. Sadly, I was right all along. Keira does love Valin more and the very thing that she was probably going to tell me in the fitness area was that she loved Valin. She wasn't going to kiss me. She probably didn't even want to kiss me. Maybe it was me who was trying to kiss her and all she wanted to do was to just lightly reject me. And that explains why Keira was so hesitant to tell me what it is that was on her mind. She was worried that her rejection would hurt my feelings. Ben sighed. I love her so much and yet she doesn't love me at all. She never did love me. She never will love me.
That very thought made the pain and sadness within Ben thicken. He could no longer control it. The pain and sorrow that he was feeling had now grown too immense. It felt like a thousand daggers were stabbing him straight through the heart non-stop. The pain, the sorrow, the sadness, and the hurt were so thick that Ben was now on the verge to tears. Images of Keira began to relentlessly swarm in Ben's heads. The thought that he could never be with her also circled in his mind, plaguing and eating away at him like a parasite. And the memory of the words that Keira said to Valin in the hallway echoed through his brain, causing the pain that he felt to greatly increase. I mustn't cry. I must not give in to this sadness. I must not-. Ben thought as tears began to drip down his face. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't prevent the tears from pouring. Ben covered his eyes with his right hand and began to heavily cry. He cried for six minutes until he suddenly heard a knock on his door. Ben removed his right hand from his now tear soaked eyes then wiped the tears from his face. He sniffed then got up from his bed and slowly made his way to his door.
He wiped a few more tears away then took a deep breath and opened the door. To his surprise, he saw that the one knocking on his door was none other than Keira.
At first Ben didn't say a word. He just stared at Keira with a very depressed look on his face. Once again, he felt that stinging, saddening pain in his heart. But he had to somehow control this powerful sadness. He couldn't possibly let Keira, who now had a worried look on her face, see him this weak and pathetic.
"Keira? What are you doing here?" Ben said weakly.
"I, uh, just came by because I wanted to spend some time with you tonight." Keira said gently while looking into Ben's eyes. Her heart sank as she saw the hurt and sadness that filled his eyes. Just seeing Ben this depressed made Keira feel absolutely terrible inside.
Ben sniffed then replied. "Keira, I, kind of want to be left alone for a while."
"Ben what's wrong?" Keira asked softly with a hint of concern in her voice.
"Nothing. There's, nothing wrong. I feel just-." Ben suddenly stopped as he continued to stare at Keira. Just looking at her made him feel worst. Once again, he felt the pain and sadness wash over him like a tidal wave. The thought that he will never be able to be with her filled his head. He turned his now tear filled gaze to the ground then finished his sentence. "Just fine."
Keira's heart shattered at the sight of Ben crying. Sadness soon entered and enveloped her soul. Whenever Ben was sad or depressed, it always made her feel the same way. She loved Ben so much that she just couldn't take seeing him like this. The whole thing made Keira want to hold Ben and comfort him with every bit of love in her heart.
Keira, who was now on the verge to tears, walked closer to Ben, then gently placed her hand on his arm. "Ben." She said softly.
Ben briefly stared into her eyes with a very sad expression on his face then slowly looked back at the ground. He then turned and slowly made his way to his balcony. He walked to the balcony's edge then stopped. Keira sighed then strolled on over to Ben, who was standing on the balcony staring out at the scenery with a very depressed look on his face.
Keira placed her hand on Ben's arm and began to gently rub it. "Ben, I can clearly see the pain and sorrow in your eyes. Heck, I can even feel it radiating from you through the Force." Said Keira. She stepped closer to Ben then spoke again. "You have always been there for me when I needed comfort. Now I want to be there for you. I care about you a lot, Ben. Please, just tell me what it is that's troubling you. What is it that's making you feel so sad?"
Ben didn't reply. He just continued to stare out at the Mon Calamari scenery.
"Is it…about Orion?" asked Keira.
Ben still didn't reply. Instead he just turned his gaze downward. Keira automatically knew that meant 'no'. Keira sighed then began to think about what could be the cause for Ben's depression. After a few seconds, she finally came up with another possible reason for Ben's sadness.
"Is it about…all those who have died recently?" Said Keira.
Ben slowly shook his head. "No. That's not it." Replied Ben.
"Then Ben, what is it? What's making you feel this way?"
Ben looked at Keira then said honestly. "You."
"What?" Keira said with a hint of confusion.
"You, Keira. The reason I feel this way is because of you."
"Me? What did I do?"
Ben shook his head. "Oh, Keira." He said as he gently took her hand into his. "You didn't do anything wrong. You just followed what your heart told you that's all."
Keira frowned. "I don't understand. What are you-?"
"Keira. I…I have to tell you something that I should have told you a long time ago. But I guess, the reason I never told you before is because, well, I basically knew what your answer was going to be. But currently, at the moment, I don't really care anymore."
"Ben, what is it?"
"I know that you probably don't feel the same way. But I just wanted you to know that-." Ben paused and took a deep breath. "That I love you."
A look of surprise spread across Keira's face but it was soon replaced with a sweet and loving smile. She gazed into Ben's eyes and felt this surge of love enter her heart.
"I love you with all my heart and soul. But I know that you do not feel the same way." Ben said disappointedly as he slowly looked down at his feet.
A few tears ran down Keira's face, but they weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of happiness. "Oh Ben." Keira said as she wiped the tears from her face. She then stepped even closer to Ben until the distance between them was only a few centimeters.
"Don't worry. I…I won't get in the way between you and Valin." Said Ben, who still had his gaze fixated on the ground.
"Valin?"
Ben looked at Keira then spoke. "Yeah. I now know that he's the one you truly love. I heard you tell him that in the hallway."
"So that's what's bothering you." Said Keira. She then slowly shook her head with a smile on her face. "Well, you obviously didn't hear everything that I said. For I told Valin that I did love him, but only like a brother."
A look of confusion suddenly spread across Ben's face. "But I thought that-."
"Well, it appears that you've thought wrong. However, I will admit that I am, without a doubt, in love with someone." Said Keira. She then looked deep into Ben's eyes affectionately and said. "Someone who's always been there for me no matter what. And have always been kind, loving, caring, and just plain sweet towards me. That someone has been my best and greatest friend for years. That someone, Ben, is you."
Ben couldn't believe it. All this time he had been wrong. I can't believe this. So it wasn't Valin that she loved, it was I. Ben thought with a look of surprise on his face.
Keira now walked even closer to Ben until there was no more distance between them. Both Keira and Ben stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Their lips were now only two inches apart.
"I love you, Ben. I love you so much." Keira said almost in a whisper.
Ben gently caressed Keira's cheek. All the sadness, pain, and sorrow had emptied out of his heart. The only thing he now felt was peace and pure love.
"Keira." Ben said in a low but loving tone.
Ben wrapped his hands around Keira's small waist then they both leaned closer until their lips met in a soft but loving kiss. The kiss was the greatest thing that Ben had ever felt in his life. Love just radiated through Ben like a giant power generator. They slowly pulled away then looked into each other's eyes. They stared at each other for a few seconds until they finally kissed again. Their kiss this time was a lot more passionate and a lot more intense. Their breathing had become more rapid as their kiss became even more intense. Ben began to slowly and affectionately rub his hands up and down Keira's back. Keira ran her hands up Ben's chest then gently wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their hot and passionate kiss. Ben brought his hands back down at Keira's waist. Keira moaned in pleasure as Ben began to plant several soft and loving kisses on her neck. Ben kissed her cheek then kissed the edge of her mouth. Their lips then once again met in a deep and passionate kiss. They pulled away then Keira, who like Ben was breathing heavily, slowly backed up into the balcony wall. Ben pinned her arms against the wall then they both kissed each other again. Their kiss was once again hot and intense. Ben sent several kisses up and down Keira's neck, which caused her to moan. They then kissed each other again. Ben released Keira's arms and wrapped his hands around her waist. Keira ran her hands through Ben's red hair then once again wrapped her arms around Ben's neck. They released their kiss then looked each other affectionately in the eyes.
They both took several deep breaths. Keira caressed Ben's cheek then kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you." Keira said in almost a whisper.
"And I love you. Oh, by the cosmos, I love you." Replied Ben.
They both smiled then their lips met in another loving but intense kiss.
