Chapter 14

"Gracelin! Wake up!" Nomica yelled from the other side of the locked door.

"No! I'm not going to work!"

"Why not?"

"I have two weeks off! I'm going back to sleep now!"

Nomica gave up. Gracelin and she had been fighting twice as much. Greyton had even argued with Gracelin a few times; which was rare.

Gracelin rolled over to face Jacen. "I love you."

"I love you too." He touched his forehead to hers.

Jacen sensed that Nomica had left the house. Somehow, he knew that Gracelin knew too.

Gracelin got up and glanced out the window. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Okay."

Gracelin came back to her bedroom, clad in only a towel and her necklace he had given her. She walked in to see Jacen dressed and picking his clothes off the floor.

She grabbed his tunic off the floor and put it on over the towel. She walked over to her vanity and sat down. She started wringing out her hair, "Where are you going?"

"Gracey, you know I need to get back to Corusant. No one knew I planned to stay the night. My mother is probably in a panic."

Gracelin stood up and walked to where Jacen stood at the end of the bed. She took his face into her hands and pulled him close for a kiss. "I don't want you to leave."

"You know I don't want to." He kissed her forehead.

Gracelin sat down on the edge of the bed. Jacen wondered around looking for something. Gracelin just sighed and walked over to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a silver cylinder. She walked over and handed it to Jacen.

"You know, you're going to get hurt if you keep forgetting where you put that."

"I know. Thank you, Gracey."

She couldn't help but smile. "You're welcome." He clipped his lightsaber to his belt. They both stood silent for a moment. "I'm coming to Corusant." Gracelin stated.

"What?"

"Not today, but I'm going to leave tomorrow."

"You're serious?"

"Yes! I miss you. I have some time off before I start training for work. I'd really like to spend that time with my husband. And since you can't stay here, then I'll come to you. Plus, there's nothing stopping me."

"What about Nomica? And Greyton?"

"Don't worry about that."

"Where are you going to stay?"

"Well I was thinking…"

"You know we can't-"

"…with Luke and Mara."

Jacen faked a hurt expression. "You'd rather stay with them?"

Gracelin smiled and kissed him passionately, even slipping a little bit of her tongue in. "Not if I had a real choice."

"Walk me out?"

"Of course!" She took a hold of his hand and he led her downstairs.

"Do you want me to talk to Luke and Mara?"

"No, it'll be harder for them to turn me down once I'm there."

Jacen smiled, "You're so devious."

"I know." They headed out the door. "I love you!"

The rented speeder drove up. "I love you too." Jacen kissed her and walked toward the speeder.

"See you tomorrow Gracey!" He called to her.

"Be careful!" She called back as he climbed in and rode away.

"Yes! I am!" Gracelin yelled back.

"No you're not! What about your work? Where are you going to stay?" Nomica yelled to her daughter.

"I have two weeks off! I told you that! I'm going to stay with Luke and Mara."

"I don't want you going to Corusant!" I don't want you staying with Luke! Nomica had to hold her mouth shut so the last thought didn't escape.

"I'm still going!" Gracelin said in a normal tone. "I bought my ticket, my things are packed and I'm going." With that she grabbed her last bag by the door and left.

As the door slid shut behind her, Gracelin felt her eyes filling up with tears. Her relationship with her mother use to be wonderful but it seemed to be headed into a duracreate wall, and nothing seemed to help. She wished she could've left on better terms.

Gracelin decided that after she boarded her transport she would push her and her mother's problems out of her head. She wanted to focus on her husband and their relationship.

She did as she promised herself she would do and pushed her mother out of her head. She sat down and quickly began to fall asleep. She had a seven standard hour flight; that is if everything went as scheduled.

Gracelin stepped off her transport with all four bags in tow. She was struggling with them when a familiar voice entered her head.

Need any help?

She looked up to see Jacen standing down the walkway. Gracelin was too excited. She dropped the bags and took off running. Only to stop when she flung her arms around his neck; almost knocking him over. "I've missed you so much."

Not here; he sent her. Jacen walked back to pick up two of her bags and she followed.

"Are you taking me to Luke and Mara's?"

"Not yet, we're going to drop half you stuff off at my apartment."

"Really? And how do you plan on managing that?"

"Jaina and I've talked a little. She's going to help."

"You told her?"

"No, I told her I'd tell her a huge secret if she did two things. One: help me out with my plan. Two: didn't tell anyone. She agreed. I've been waiting for you to get here, so we could tell her together." Jacen took her bags and placed them in the speeder. He proceeded to help Gracelin in and climb in himself.

"Okay you two, spill it! What is going on?" Jaina said impatiently.

"Well remember I said I'd let you meet my boyfriend if you let me meet Kyp?" Gracelin started.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I decided not to wait." Gracelin took a deep breath and stepped aside to reveal Jacen standing behind her. "Jaina meet Jacen Solo," she paused, "my husband."

"You're what!" Jaina's mouth was left agape.

"Jaina, you're the first person we've told." Jacen stepped up to his sister.

"Well I told Sabè. But that doesn't count." Gracelin added.

"You two, got married?"

"Yes." Jacen answered.

"When? What about all that fighting you two did? Wait! Was it before or after the night at Kristea's house?"

"After." Gracelin answered. "Two days after; to be more precise."

"Oh Sith!"

"What?" Jacen asked his sister.

"I'm not helping you two tell them. I do not want to be in the middle of that."

"No! Jaina, I need, we need you to kind of help us fool Mom, Dad, Luke, and Mara."

"Jacen, you mean lie."

"Okay, so, are you going to help us?

"Do I have a choice?"

Gracelin sat beside her, "not really." She chuckled and put her arm around her sister-in-law.

"Well, brother, what do you have in mind?"

"You tell Mom and Dad, Gracey is at Luke's. Tell Luke, you invited her to stay with you."

"Aww! You called her Gracey!"

"Jaina, focus!"

"Sorry! I got it. Just tell them she's staying with the other one and hope the Force is with us."

"That too." Jacen added.

"So would it be wrong for me to assume that you'll be staying here?" Jaina asked Gracelin.

Gracelin blushed a bit. "Yes, Jaina. I'll be spending the night here."

Jacen watched as an embarrassed smile graced her lips. "Unfortunately we'll have to wait a few days before we can try."

"Okay." Jaina answered.

"We should probably head over to Luke and Mara's apartment."

"If it's too much of a bother don't worry about it. I just thought I'd ask." Gracelin said very convincingly.

"No, it's no problem. Um, our guest quarters are a little out of order." Luke explained Luke could feel a little bit of tension coming from Mara. I can't just leave Nomi's daughter out on the streets of Corusant.

I never said to do that. I don't have a problem with Gracelin. "Come on, I'll show you where you can put your stuff."

Luke waited until the two women were out of the room. "Did you know she was coming?"

"When I was there she said she'd like to come and visit everyone. I didn't know it'd be this soon." Jacen lied.

"Something must have happened."

All Jacen could think was, you have no idea.

"How long are you staying?" Luke asked.

Luke, Mara, Gracelin, and Jacen were sitting in the common room.

"A standard week, at the most. I needed to get away from home."

"Did something happen? With you and your mother?" Luke asked.

"I'd rather not discuss it." Gracelin answered defensively.

Jacen quickly picked up at the tone of her voice. Something's bothering her.

"The reason he asks is because there is a function we're attending in a few days. We didn't know if you'd still be here." Where the hell did that come from? I sounded like Leia!

Even Gracelin knew that sounded weird from Mara. She sounded almost, political. What was that? She sent Jacen.

I have no idea, he sent back. "I'm going to talk with Mom and see if she can take care of a gown for the evening."

"Okay."

They all entered into an uncomfortable silence.

Jacen was the one to break it. "Well its getting kind of late I'd better head on." He looked at Gracelin, "Jaina and I'll be here in the morning." He stood up to leave.

"Okay." I love you, she added.

Jacen found himself very glad he had helped her build up her mental shields. I love you too. I'd give you a more proper good bye but…

"I'll see you tomorrow." She stood up and hugged him. "Give Jaina a hug for me too. Oh and tell her thanks for meeting me at the landing pad."

Jacen was a little shocked but quickly recovered, "Yeah, alright, I will." With that Jacen left. He didn't want to go back to his apartment but decided it was best.