Links to artwork can be given upon request.

OooooooOooooooO

Previously in Chapter 4:

She was awake and trying hard to hide it from me. I don't think that will ever possible between us again. Hiding anything, that is. She must have come to the same conclusion.

"Get out," she whispered hoarsely, her eyes still closed.

"Jaina…" Still on the bed beside her, I silently begged her to understand.

"Get OUT!"

Chapter 6: Til Death Do Us Part

Just go. Help me. Too many. Go away. Please stay. Go away. Leave me alone. Oh Force! Why is this happening now? Go. Get out. Go. Just breathe, Jaina. Breathe. In. Out. That's right. Why do these things ever happen? Why won't you leave me alone? I want to be alone. You've never been alone. Liar! I need to be alone. You're scared to be alone. Just go away. Please?

My first instinct was the desire to stuff my fingers in my ears and try to block the assault of Jaina's frenzied thoughts on my unsuspecting brain. If this was a Force bond, then the Jedi could have it! Instead, I made myself listen to her rantings in hopes of finding the key to her condition in them. It didn't take long to realize that she wasn't terribly coherent right now. Not coherent? No, she is mad. Then, preparing for the worst, I took a deep breath, locked my arms around her, and whispered, "no," emphasizing it in her mind, as well.

Jaina immediately went still, her mind a tangled web of nervous energy. She became, in the passing of a second, a wild thing trapped within the confines of my arms. I suddenly doubted, as the Force began to crackle around her, that my arms would be enough to hold her.

Smart, Kyp, real smart. Time for Plan B.

There was no graceful or simple way to disentangle myself from Jaina, but I managed to do it quickly and with a minimum of – ah – embarrassing contact. I felt my face burning none the less as I stood beside her bunk, pondering my next words. I couldn't leave her here like this, I just couldn't. She wasn't herself.

The swirling eddies of Force energy around her didn't stop after I moved, but they took on a more regular pattern. I wondered idly whether this was a by product of our newly minted Bond or some other symptom of the duress she was under. I have heard that Healers often see these "Force Patterns" and some of the more intuitive Masters, but let's face it. I destroy, I don't Heal. I break things, not fix them. I don't say this to be self deprecating, but rather to acknowledge my place in the Force.

I am the blister that tells you need a new pair of boots, to speak plainly. Nothing less, and nothing more. We all have our roles to play.

I suddenly understood my role with Jaina a little bit better. Jacen would be proud of me. So would Master Skywalker. I hate that!

In order to make up for my "pleasing Master Skywalker" slip, I used a casual display of Force power that I know he would have frowned on and floated the bedding off of the top bunk to the decking of the Goddess. Then, I chose my words with care.

"I am not going anywhere, Jaina. No, don't go crazy on me. I am not leaving this room, you can't make me."

She sat up and turned to me, staring, as the vortexes of power sped up around her.

Okay, so maybe that wasn't the "care" I should take in choosing words when dealing with Jaina Solo. She can deal with it, though.

"Oh don't bother getting up. I am not sharing your bed again, Goddess. This mortal will lay down here on the floor, where I can keep my eyes on you. You've already tried to die on me once, today, and I don't want you trying that again. I won't always be around to save your life, you know." I suddenly realized that I was shaking my finger at her just like Han used to do to me and quickly snatched my hand out of the air.

Silence and the Leia Glare of Doom. Good thing that the vaping Empire didn't know about the Leia Glare of Doom. They would have turned it to evil long ago. Too bad that Jaina, apparently, did know about it. That look should be a Force skill.

"This silent game isn't working, Jaina. I've been playing it since before you were born."

She regarded me blankly before rolling over and pulling the coverlet from the foot of her bunk to her.

"You have an ego the size of the Death Star, Kyp, to think that you are always an acceptable alternative to Death."

Some seconds later, I remembered to close my mouth. She thought she was serious. I could feel the conviction coursing through her. It stung.

"I just," I stopped, at a loss, "I just needed to know you were okay."

"Not everything is about you, Kyp. I'm not okay, I don't think I ever will be again."

She didn't say anything else, falling asleep quickly. I didn't say anything, either. What could I say?

While she sleeps, I keep vigil. Slowly, the currents around her dissipate like steam until the only movement that's left is the regular up and down of her chest. She is dreaming, I know, but I am trying to be a gentleman and not peek. Besides, I am not sure I want to know.

It is cold on this vaping wall, distracted by nothing more than the hiss of air over her lips and the regular thrum of the hyperdrive, and me with nothing but time to think about what she said. I really need to think about something else, too, because it is starting to make me mad. Not just a little bit, either, but really, really angry. How dare she?

I saved her life! We both know she didn't want to die. That kiss with me/Jag… he better never find out about that, or so help me, I'll… anyway, that is enough to tell me she has something worth living for. Please, let me be right this time.

Apparently, watching a woman's chest heave against the confines of her shirt isn't nearly as exciting as in the books. You know the ones - those smutty holo novels that your girl likes to leave lying around your apartment, turned to the screen of whatever thing she wants to try next? Yeah, those. And yes, I read, don't you?

When I woke up, it was to the sight of an empty bed before me and the ghost of Jaina Solo watching from the opposite corner of her cabin. She obviously changed into thin pants and a small silky top while I was sleeping, presumably sleep clothes for her, but her hair was still a matted mess and her feet were bare on the cold metal decking. These were all secondary observations, though.

What really caught my attention were her eyes. I've never seen eyes so sad, so empty. That's why I call her a ghost, because right now, she is. She is the Ghost of Jaina Solo.

"Do you know how many men live inside my mind right now?"

The look in her eyes was chilling, but I knew she wanted an answer and so tried to run a quick tally as I sat up and faced her on her own level.

"Three?"

"No, Kyp, there is another."

Confused, I answered, "But I already counted myself."

The look in her eyes softened and she reached up and caressed my jaw gently, "Yes, yes, you did."

Then she slapped me.

That's it!

"What was that for!" I yelled at her.

She laughed a little too maniacally for my tastes, I like my girls on the sane side, thank you very much.

"That is for getting yourself into this mess with me, Durron!"

I roared back, "I save your life and I get slapped?"

"Yes." She spoke oh so primly, too. I was furious. "If I thought I could get by with slapping you again with this kriffing Bond in place, then I would!"

"I really wish you would try." I growled just under my breath.

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

She finally lost some of her composure as she leaned forward, her eyes shining feverishly, "You don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"Don't you know what this makes you?" As I stared at her dumbly, she told me, "It makes you my slave, Kyp. My. Slave."

I stiffened.

"I am no one's slave anymore, Jaina. Not even yours."

When she laughed, then only thing that kept me from hitting her was the fact that she was a woman. "Yes, Kyp, you are. You are new to Bonding, but it makes you as much my slave as you have made me yours. Do you like what you see, Master?"

I blanched.