I'm terribly sorry for the hiatus this story has taken…But I've found my muse again and so here it's back…

Recap for those who need a reminder of what was going on.

This story takes place in 43 ABY and the events of Legacy never happened.

Ben is Jacen's apprentice and they are sent to Kaut with Jysella Horn to mediate a labor dispute. While there Jacen and Ben begin it develop feelings for the young Jedi. Jysella starts to see Jacen as more than a friend and reconnects her friendship with Ben.

They return to Coruscant and Jacen and Jysella begin to date and they begin to fall in love. Ben also falls into love with Jys but she only sees him as a friend. However, Ben knows Jacen is harboring a secret.

Ben knows about the lie his cousin and Master has been living. Jacen has a daughter and he suspects that Tenel Ka is more than just a friend.

Jacen in fact goes back to Hapes for Allan's birthday and he professes his love to Tenel Ka while he admits to himself that he is in love with Jysella also, but he is unwilling to give up either woman. So, he decides that he won't. He intends to continue his double life.

While Jacen is away Ben sees his chance to make his move. He and Jys strengthen their friendship and Ben asks her out, hoping for more. She agrees but she later wishes it had been Jacen. Jacen filled with jealousy at Ben heads to Jys's quarters. There they profess their love for each other and nearly let their passion carry them away. They are saved by Jacen getting called to an emergency Council meeting, but he realizes that Jys doesn't have feelings for Ben and that he was okay with them going to dinner.

However, Corran Horn isn't so convinced that Jacen is all that Jacen claims and warns him that he had better never hurt Jysella, after the Council meeting that assigns Jacen, Ben and Jysella to a mission to Bastion to investigate a terrorist bombing that is being blamed on a rogue Jedi.

And this brings us to now…Ben and Jysella's date…

Chapter 11

Ben led Jysella into to the popular Mid-level Twi'leki restaurant and smiled when a beautiful green skinned scantily dressed female Twi'lek came running towards them.

"Ben Skywalker, by the gods. It's good to see you again," her voice was light but contained a practiced sensuality that came with her profession.

He awkwardly embraced her and tried not to touch too much of her bare skin on her back. As they came apart she smiled brightly at him. He grinned back and said, "Yeah, it's been awhile. How've ya been Maya?"

She entwined her arm around his and held his hand, as she continued to grin she responded, "Oh, I've been good. But now that you're here—"

"Well, Ben, are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Jysella's amused voice piped in. Ben actually had to concentrate on not letting his face turn as red as his hair.

"I'm sorry, Jys. Jys, this is Maya Zorr. Maya, Jedi Knight Jysella Horn." The Twi'lek smiled sweetly at Jys while she took her hand to shake. Ben couldn't help but feel the growing animosity within the young dancer. Nor, could he escape the growing amusement and curiosity in Jys, but what bothered him was that it wasn't jealousy.

Jys smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you."

Maya, who hadn't let Ben's hand go though the exchange, forced a smile and bowed her head, "Same." Then she turned back to Ben and said, "Where've you been?"

Ben blushed again and said, "I've been around and on missions. Umm…Can we sit somewhere?" At her sensual smile he quickly added, "I mean Jys and I, we're here to have dinner."

Suddenly, the young Twi'lek lost her smile and she finally let go of his arm and hand. "Of course. Follow me." She turned sharply and all but sashayed toward a table, making sure Ben got a good look at her swaying curves. While they were seated, she looked back at the door where a young human entered and was looking around. She instantly regained her pleasant attitude she had before, as she said to Ben and Jysella, "Enjoy your meals." With that she swayed her way to the young man at the door and greeted him much as she had Ben. But this time he was much more responsive than Ben had been.

Ben and Jys turned back to meet gazes and Jys raised a dark brow and dryly said, "I am so wanting to hear this interesting tale."

Ben quickly looked down at the table and pretended to be interested in rearranging the flatware, suddenly irritated. His face turned red because she was enjoying his embarrassment not because she was jealous that the daughter of the restaurant owner may have been a lover, he grumbled, "She's a friend. Nothing more."

"Oh, really," Jys leaned in over her folded arms and continued to grin at him.

Finally, he signed and looked at her. Resigned, he admitted, "Okay, she had been slightly more than that once. But she isn't now. She's my friend. Can we drop this now? If I'd known she was working tonight I'd taken you somewhere else."

Jys getting the message that Ben didn't want to talk about it anymore, leaned back and said more seriously, "Alright. I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't mean to pry or to make a joke of it."

Ben took a deep breath and met her gaze, "I probably saved her life two years ago and we've been friends ever since. Her father owns the restaurant and this place serves the best Twi'lek food in this part of Galactic City. She also dances in the cantina next door, which is also owned by Mr. Zorr."

Jys just stared at him and he got the impression that she was surprised at his words. "How did you save her life?"

Ben looked back down at the table, "It was nothing really."

Jys's soft voice brought his attention back to her, "Saving a life is never nothing, Ben."

"She was being accosted by a three thugs in a nearby ally way late one night while she was walking home. I just happened by. Jace and I were following up on some lead and it had brought me down here to the Mid-level. They had beaten her pretty badly and I'm sure they had other intentions too," he paused and glanced away. A moment later he looked back up again, "All I did was pull my lightsaber and they let her go to fight me. After one of them began to shoot at me, I easily deflected their shots back at them."

"You killed them?"

He shook his head, taken aback by the intensity in her voice, "Of course not. I simply maimed them and called in the CSB." He shrugged and finished his story by saying, "I took her home and her father swore that he'd be indebted to me forever."

Jys stared at Ben and he was tempted to probe her, but he couldn't. A silence fell over them until she said as she looked around the dimly lit dinning room, "This is a nice place. I'm glad that you suggested it. I haven't had Twi'leki food in ages."

Ben smiled, and reached to the button at the center of the table that would activate the menu. "Then I'm glad that I did too."

Suddenly, the two Jedi looked up to find a widely smiling, heavy-set, grey-green male Twi'lek heading toward their table. He was dressed in the white uniform of a chef and surprisingly it appeared spotless, but Ben knew that he had been working in the kitchen of his establishment all day.

"Ben, my boy!" the man esclaimed in greeting and Ben stood up to be wrapped up in a strong embrace by the large alien. "How are you?"

Ben moved away and blushed again, "Mr. Zorr. Hello. I've been fine. Things good with you?"

"Yes, yes." Then his red eyes fell onto Jysella and he held out his hand and she took it. Jys was surprised when Zorr leaned down and touched his lips to its back. Smiling at her he asked, "And who might you be?"

Jys blushed profusely at his attention and shyly smiled, "I'm Jysella Horn. I'm a friend of Ben's."

The Twi'lek straightened and announced, "Well, any friend of Knight Skywalker's is a friend of mine. Welcome to the Sundance Grille. Order whatever you would like. It's on the house."

Jys let out a surprised giggle as Ben thanked him and the big Twi'lek then headed toward the table where Maya was obviously flirting with the young man she had greeted earlier at the door. After a few words that they couldn't hear, Maya stalked off behind her father and the young man looked terrified.

The Jedi laughed and Ben pushed a button in the center of the table to bring up the holomenu. "He isn't your typical Twi'lek father. He's very protective of his three daughters."

Jys was watching him closely but her amusement and good humor was contagious. He looked back up at her and he mischievously added, "I'm glad that he doesn't know everything."

---

Jys laughed but deep down she felt a tinge of something. Could it be envy? Jealousy? But why? Ben was only her friend.

She struggled with the growing admiration she was feeling for the younger man. They eat their meals, which included the desert and the bottle of the restaurant's best wine Zorr insisted that they also have, in pleasant companionship. They found themselves thoroughly enjoying each other's company and all too soon they were finished. They continued to talk for a long while afterward about the upcoming mission and all matter of other things, but soon they knew they had to leave.

Ben surprised her again when he dropped a sizable creditchit with the serving droid with the explicit instructions to slip it in with the night's receipts. They caught an airtaxi that took them both back to the Temple.

Ben walked her to her door and Jys turned toward him after punching in the door code. "I had a great time tonight, Ben. Thank you."

He smiled and Jysella found herself drawn to its brightness. His eyes were dark in the low lighting of the corridor as she gazed into them. "I had fun too. Can we do this again sometime?"

Her smile faltered some as she realized his implications. "Ben, I don't think that would—"

She never got to finish the sentence as his lips came down onto hers as he pulled her close. She didn't respond at first to the hesitant kiss, but Ben's hesitancy was brief and he licked her upper lip, seeking entrance into her mouth. She found herself respond to him as he deepened the kiss, putting her hands on his chest she kissed him back with a passion that matched his. Then suddenly she realized what she was doing.

She pushed him back and took a step away from him. Breathless and terrified at what she had done, she said wide-eyed, "Ben, I'm sorry. I can't do this."

Ben's embarrassment and anger was instant, "Why? Is it because I'm younger than you? Is it because of Jacen?"

"Ben, you know that Jacen and I—"

She never had the chance to finish the sentence. Ben spun on his heel and rushed down the hall toward the lift. But she quietly finished the sentence anyway, "—love each other."

However, as she entered the comforting darkness of her quarters, she felt confused and like a betrayer. A betrayer of Jacen's love and a betrayer of Ben's friendship, because nothing would ever be the same; for she had kissed Ben back, and wanted it as much as he did. Letting out a sob, she threw herself onto the still mussed comforter of her bed where she and Jacen nearly made love earlier that morning. The memory only caused her tears to come all the more and she whispered, "Oh Jacen, please forgive me."

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