Promise Chapter 23: Love, a star wars fanfic

Chapter Twenty-Three: Love

"You're back! But where's Bastila? Is she alive? What happened inside that temple?"

How did Carth know Bastila was inside the temple? Revan wondered as she reached for a kolto pack. Her arms ached from all the fighting; her legs ached from all the walking. All she wanted to do was lie down in a hot bathtub. Instead she injected her body with the healing medicine and waited for it to work, hoping Jolee or Juhani would answer Carth's question. She didn't want to talk about it. Bastila falling to the dark side… Revan didn't want to think about it any more than she had to.

Revan, Jolee, and Juhani had used the Force to speed up their steps, making it back to the Ebon Hawk in half the time it would normally take. There they were, on the sandy beach in front of the ship, the entire crew of the Ebon Hawk looking at the three Jedi, eagerly awaiting the answer to Carth's question.

"We ran into Bastila, yes," Revan said when no one else spoke. Her voice reflected the amount of pain she was currently in. "Bastila…" Her bright eyes filled with tears. "She's fallen to the dark side, Carth."

"The dark side?" Carth gasped. "Bastila? No! No! How could that happen?"

Revan wanted to sit down, to feel Carth's arms around her as he whispered everything was going to be all right. But Carth was standing about six feet away from her, showing no urge to run over and embrace her. Revan tried to feel out with the Force to see what he was thinking, but was too exhausted to focus properly.

"She was always in danger of being seduced by the dark side, Carth," Jolee said.
"Bastila was strong, but she was always impatient and headstrong. Malak preyed upon her weaknesses." Jolee shook his head. "This planet is a tainted place. The Star Forge and temple have twisted the Force into an instrument of evil—just as Malak has twisted Bastila into a servant of the Sith."

Revan looked at Jolee. "What are you saying?"

Jolee frowned. "Malak has a strong hold on Bastila now—it will be difficult for her to break free of his influence, especially considering her long association with you. Remember the bond that was forged between you when she rekindled the spark that was your life. Through that bond she touched your memories… and also the echo of the dark taint within you."

"But there's still hope for her, right?" Carth asked. "I mean, Revan rejected the dark side, so Bastila could, too, right? We might still be able to save her."

Revan frowned. "This is my fault. We have to do something… We have to save her."

"I don't know what fate awaits us," Juhani spoke, "but I sense Bastila still has a role to play in the events to come. I have no doubt she will be waiting for us on the Star Forge."

Jolee snorted. "No doubt." He turned to Revan. "I must say that it's good to have you with us, my dear. For a minute there I thought you might decide…" Jolee's voice trailed off. "Well, never mind what I thought."

Carth's ears perked up. "Decide? Decide what?"

"Bastila tried to tempt her to the dark side, to reclaim Revan's heritage," Juhani said. "She failed."

"So you did it?" Carth cried. Revan looked at him and tried to focus again. "You turned against Darth Revan once and for all? I knew she wasn't part of you anymore. I… I knew it!"

Revan slowly nodded. "I… I chose the light side, yes," she whispered. For you… I chose it for you…

Revan had never seen Carth happier. He walked over to her side and gripped her shoulders. "I told you that you would have to make a choice eventually, that you would be tested. I think that was it. I, I can feel it." He cupped the side of her face and used his thumb to brush away a tear trickling down her face. "And you did exactly what I'd hoped you would. It couldn't've been easy. I'm… I'm very proud of you."

"I could never do that again," she whispered. "I don't want to be Darth Revan." Revan bit her lip and turned her head away. "Bastila… She doesn't know…"

"I know," Carth said. "I can't blame Bastila for being turned, however. She's… she's just so young and doesn't deserve this kind of fate."

Revan felt Carth's emotions hit her like a dam bursting. Happiness… He was happy, joyful, excited, proud… She looked up at him, their eyes meeting.

"I… I love you," he said, "and I can't wait until all of this is over with."

Revan was at a loss for words. She'd loved him for so long, even before she admitted it. And now… now she didn't know what to say at all. Despite the pain she was currently in, Revan wrapped her arms around Carth's neck and said what was on her mind.

"I love you, too," she whispered, resting her head on Carth's shoulder as he held her close. He kissed the side of her cheek. Revan sniffed and relaxed in his arms. "I wanted to tell you… so many times…"

"Shhh," Carth whispered, gently stroking her hair. "I know. I've wanted to, too…"

As Canderous would later describe the scene, it was then Revan's turn to suck Carth's face off. She kissed him passionately, not caring that the rest of the crew looked on. They where the ones gossiping behind her back as to how involved she and Carth were. He said he loved her, and she said she loved him back. Let the entire galaxy watch, Revan didn't care.

"Hey!" Mission cried. "Sheesh, get a room, will ya?"

Revan felt Carth chuckle against her lips. Their kiss broke as Carth pressed his forehead against Revan's, the two of them softly laughing at Mission, then at themselves for acting like teenagers. Zaalbar growled at Mission, but Revan paid it no attention. She looked into Carth's eyes and realized that he loved her just as much as she loved him.

Revan then realized how difficult it was going to be from this point forward. She had already determined the Star Forge would be the end of her journey. She wasn't Liana, she was Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith on a redemption-seeking quest to take down Darth Malak and destroy the Star Forge. And that's where it all would end…

"Oh sure," Mission said to Zaalbar. "Even a good omen can get itself a room, though, don't you think?"

Jolee smiled. "Well, I'm an old man and I know you should take love when you can find it. Good for you two, I say."

But it isn't going to be that way, Revan thought, frowning as she looked into Carth's eyes. She then held Carth close again and felt confusion from him. She didn't want to go to the Star Forge… She wanted to forget about it and stay on the Rakatan planet forever; just her and Carth, no one else. But it wasn't going to be like that. I don't want to lose you, flyboy… I wish there was another way…

"Confidence is all well and good, Carth," Juhani suddenly spoke, "but if we are going to catch up with Bastila we should leave soon, don't you think?"

Carth gave Revan a squeeze, then broke the embrace. "Okay, let's get moving," he said. "The longer we wait, the harder this is going to be."

Canderous snorted. "You can say that again."

"What?" Carth asked, confused.

Canderous smiled. "Nothing. Just agreeing with you, that's all."

Carth opened the door to Revan's quarters. "We've fixed the—"

Revan was asleep. She'd taken her shower, changed into a fresh set of robes and was fast asleep. Carth smiled at her sleeping form, walked over and knelt beside the bed. Very gently he stroked her damp hair. Revan didn't twitch in her sleep, but sighed softly. He watched her sleep, hoping she wasn't dreaming or seeing any past memories surface. She'd been through so much today. When he saw her walking back to the beach after returning from the temple, his heart leapt to his throat. He wanted to run over to her and hold her, making sure everything was okay. But Canderous stopped him, grabbing his arm and telling him to "let the girl breathe." So he had. Revan had looked so hurt, so broken, it took everything in his power to just stand there and look at her until he could no longer restrain himself.

Then he said he loved her.

And she said she loved him back. And he knew she meant it.

Carth couldn't explain his feelings for her. It wasn't as if he was a rookie at love. He'd spent most of his adult life married, and raising a family. All he knew now was that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Revan by his side, even if the Jedi Council was against the idea of love. Somehow they'd make it work, Carth could feel it. They'd find a way to stay together. Friends? Lovers? Spouses?

Spouses. The word rang through Carth's mind. Did he really want to marry Revan? Did he really want to make that kind of commitment to her?

This wasn't the time to think about it, he told himself. Right now they had to make it through the Star Forge. The Star Forge first, everything else second.

Carth hoped Revan wasn't still intent on dying.

He closed his eyes and hoped she'd realize there was another way. She was stronger than Malak; she could defeat him easily. But it was a matter of her convincing herself that she could do it. They'd come so far together, and to throw it all away now, Carth couldn't fathom it.

No, he could. After Morgana died, he was willing to throw his entire life away in pursuit of Saul Karath. He'd never thought of life after Saul, that there would be a reason for living. Morgana and Dustil were his life, and when they were taken away, nothing else mattered.

Then Liana Suul came into the picture. She gave him a reason to keep living. He'd slowly begun to fall in love with Liana, admiring her, watching her, flirting with her through playful teasing. She was a beautiful person, both inside and out, reminding him of Morgana in so many ways…

But she wasn't Liana Suul, one-time smuggler from Corellia. She was Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith, brainwashed by the Jedi Council to seek out the Star Maps and destroy Darth Malak.

But it didn't matter now. It took Carth so long to see that she'd changed, that she wasn't the murderous monster who had destroyed so many Republic worlds. Whether she was Liana or Revan didn't matter anymore. And it meant the world to him now that she understood he spoke the truth.

"Carth." He turned his head and saw Juhani standing in the doorway. "We're ready to leave."

Carth nodded. "Thanks."

Juhani walked away. Carth looked back at Revan's sleeping body, smiled, then lightly kissed her cheek. He stood up and turned to leave.

"Love you, flyboy," came a soft whisper.

Carth smiled and looked back at Revan. Her bright eyes were open and she was smiling at him. "Love you, too," he said.