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I enjoy writing Jysella and I love showing her POV too
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Sorry for the long delay in updating...I hope to have the next one next week.
Chapter 8
Two weeks had passed before Ben and Jysella were able to finally get away from Ossus. Luke had taken a slight turn for the worse and was now dependant on a respirator to help him breathe. His heart was also growing weaker and a pacemaker had been implanted. However, Luke ensured Ben that he would be alright and that he supported Ben's desire to visit with Master Durron.
The situation with Melina was much more delicate. She didn't quite understand why Ben had tried to leave her and Ben's explanation only caused more and more uneasy questions. Questions he wasn't really ready to answer just quite yet. However, Jysella was wonderful and helped him with appeasing the young girl's curiosity and concern. By the time Ben announced that he and Jysella were going to Coruscant, Mellie was actually pretty receptive to the idea. She still wished that he wouldn't go, but he and Jys repeatedly promised that he'd return.
Seha was still fuming that Jysella seemed to be sticking up for her ex-husband. She found it almost unthinkable that Jysella would do so after all the time she had avoided him when they had been married. He had also guessed that Seha wasn't exactly happy with the friendship growing between Ben and Jys. Ben's own relationship with his ex-wife was anything but perfect. She didn't hold any feelings toward Ben, he was certain of that, but she was still upset with the way he had left her with the responsibility of a child not yet two years old.
This tension was also placing a strain on Jysella's and Seha's friendship, which Ben felt bad about. Seha seemed almost jealous of Ben, not because she still held any feelings for him, but because he seemed to be monopolizing Jysella's time and Melina's as well. The three of them did more and more things together, from going on picnics to facing off in the sims. Ben began to help Jys teach her classes and found that he really enjoyed being a flight instructor. The older students were a little leery of him at first, since most of them were old enough to remember Ben as a Sith, but after a few days they began to warm up to him.
Ben knew that Seha and Jys must have had some pretty heavy words just days before they left, because Jys had avoided Ben for an entire day. Jys wouldn't volunteer what her friend had said to upset her, but Ben had no doubt that it had to do with him. He could even guess as to what it was about and for some reason that irritated him to no end.
Ben suddenly felt Jysella's approach and shook his wonderings from his mind. He looked over his shoulder as she came into the cockpit of the Morning Star, s miled and asked, "All settled in back there?"
She made her way over to the co-pilot's chair and fell into it. Returning his s mile she nodded, "Yeah."
A tone beeped from the navcomputer and he glanced sideways to her, "Better strap in."
She pulled the crash wedding over her shoulders and fastened the clip. She finally met his gaze and raised a dark brow. "Nice ship. So, you won it in a Sabacc game?"
Ben pulled the hyperdrive lever and chuckled as he drew his attention back to the woman who he realized he suddenly owed a great deal to. "Yeah, pretty high stakes stuff. I was actually on your grandfather's ship when I won her," he patted the consol affectionately.
Her jaw dropped, "You were on the Venture? I can't believe Granddad didn't mention it. How long ago? There for a long time Masters Luke and Mara had everyone looking for you."
Ben shrugged, "I tried to keep really low key. I'm not surprised that Booster didn't recognize me. It was about six years ago, I guess. I was actually there with a—a lady friend and I wasn't there as Ben Skywalker but as her close friend," he looked away as he added that last bit, suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable about that side of his life.
Jys looked out the viewport at the blue whirl of hyperspace. Then she turned and narrowed her eyes at him, "Really? And here we all thought you were just out there doing good deeds and learning about the Force."
"It's not all of what you think," he snapped. Then when she stared at him he quickly found hyperspace very interesting and added softly, "I was actually there to act as her bodyguard. We had met on Commenor and she had had several attempts on her life. I saved her from the last one just because I was in the right place at the right time. She was amazed that I was willing to save her and asked me if I'd go on a vacation with her as her bodyguard."
"You don't need to explain to me. I'm just surprised that you'd do something as mundane as being a bodyguard. That's all. So, how did you win the Morning Star? I'm surprised that Granddad let you play; I guess if he knew who you were he wouldn't have. Dad, Valin and I aren't allowed anywhere near the gambling tables. He thinks we'll use the Force to cheat," she rolled her eyes and then added, "He won't even let us play dice anymore since he realized that despite popular belief we could cheat at that…if we wanted to, of course," she ended with a smirk.
Ben matched her smirk, "Of course. But I didn't cheat, if that's what you're implying. I won the Star fair and square."
"Okay. But you said that it was high stakes and, knowing some of Booster's Sabacc tables, I know they can be. Whole planets have been won and lost at some of his tables. So what did you a simple, self-exiled, roaming, peacekeeping, bodyguarding Jedi have to provide as collateral?"
He knew that she was mocking him, but he didn't take offense. He grinned and said, "I had a very wealthy benefactor. You see," he shrugged and scratched the back of his neck, "my charge was Latyna Ward."
"The actress?!" she exclaimed as she spun in the chair and leaned forward. "You had an affair with Latyna Ward?"
Ben actually felt his face burn with the beginnings of a blush, "Who said that I had an affair with her?"
She laughed as she sat up, "Oh, come on, Ben. Don't think I'm naïve about what you really were doing. I know your history too well, I'm afraid."
"Okay," Ben took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We were there—together—sexually. But I was also acting as her bodyguard. My cover was that I was just her latest plaything. So, to act out the part—"
"A part that you were more than willing to play, I bet!" she interrupted and laughed, but something about it seemed a bit forced this time.
Finally, realizing that he wasn't going to be able to just sweep this out the nearest airlock, Ben signed in exasperation. "Yes, I was willing to play the part. But you tell me, what sentient male wouldn't? Latyna is considered to be one of the most beautiful and sex appealing humans in the galaxy. And as far as I can tell," he grinned at her, "I'm very male and at least somewhat sentient."
Then he pinned her with a gaze that he had used on more than one female but this time it was even more intense. This time it was real, "But as far as being the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, I actually have to beg to differ. I know someone who even outshines Latyna."
She blushed and quickly looked down at her hands in her lap. Ben swallowed and thought that she was truly the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. Sure, the honey haired, hazel eyed Latyna was appealing but she never stirred him as much as Jysella was beginning to.
He had found himself waking up at night with Jysella on his mind and in his dreams. He wanted her that was true. But over the past week and a half with her being almost a constant in his life, he felt something more for her. Friendship, deep and strong for sure, but there was something significantly more there as well.
Suddenly, as he gazed deeply into her mesmerizing jade eyes, he realized she was feeling it too. He reached out to her and feathered the back of his fingers along her high cheekbone. Although, he half expected for her to flinch away from his touch, she didn't. Instead, she surprised him by laying her hand over his on her cheek and leaning into it as her eyes fluttered closed.
Encouraged by her response he leaned closer to her across the narrow space between the seats. Allowing the other hand to snake around her waist, he pulled her toward him until she was straddling his lap.
"Ben?" she gazed at him with an open, questioning expression.
He s miled and threaded his hand into the black silk of her hair. Without saying a word he simply held her eyes captive with his. Then she moved in. At first she only brushed his lips. Hers were soft and he wanted more, but he knew she would also have to want it, or she'd only end up fighting him.
Again she whispered his name, making it sound almost like a warrior's whimper of defeat, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
He let out a low moan and pulled her tight against him. She clung to him and as her kiss became more heated, Ben finally let himself go. He ran his tongue over the curve of her upper lip and she immediately allowed him access to the sweetness of her mouth which he plundered. He felt the incredible heat begin to simmer between them and, after completely ravaging her mouth and lips, he broke the kiss and began to place scorching butterfly kisses to her ear. After several moments of caressing it with his tongue and lips he whispered, hoarsely and lustfully, "Jysella, let me show you just how beautiful you are."
She shuddered and moaned as she extended her neck to him. He s miled against her skin and moved his hot mouth down along its graceful arch to find her pulse point. He was glad to find that her pulse was rapidly thumping in response to her own desire. Then he gently suckled the soft skin, causing her to melt further into him.
His hands, which had been in her hair and suddenly spawning minds of their own, glided down her body. She moaned again as they brushed over her between their bodies in a rather intimate manor. However when they found the bottom of her tunic and began to pull upward as he found her mouth again with his own, she grew stiff and pulled back.
"Jys? What's wrong, baby?" he spoke softly and stroked her face.
"Ben…" she shook her head with a wild expression of fear and indecision shining from her eyes, completely replacing the fiery desire he had seen there only moments before. "Ben, I—I can't do this," she cried and was instantly out of his lap, running from the cockpit.
"Jys?" he stood and started after her but he stopped after taking only a step in her direction. He frustratingly smoothed his hands over his breaded hair and growled as sudden realization hit him, "Damn, her to the Hells of Corellia!"
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