title comes from the song "Please Don't Bend" by Donovan.

Please don't bend my heart
Made of Glass
I can't promise to be here for you.
Please don't bend my heart
She said to me
I can't promise to be here for you.

As soon as Fox was out the door 1K0 came bustling in, complaining, "Not a date, was it?"

Soniee sighed. It seemed a moment of peace and quiet to think was not anywhere in her immediate future. "It didn't start out that way. I thought he had sort of a crush on me but, 1K0, he said he's in love with me."

The bunny droid nodded as she rummaged through one of the trunks of clothes and pulled out a casual outfit for the day. "The duchess also had her share of admirers but she knew where to draw the line." 1K0 waddled back to her. "You, Mistress Soniee, have a prior claim on your affections."

"I do." She agreed as she submitted to the droids' help to dress.

"I have no doubt you will let the clone down gently."

Soniee wasn't sure if that was possible. She had just told him she would think about staying with him. With the lingering headache and the very recent memory of how he had kissed her, she didn't know what she wanted anymore. She finished dressing in the tunic and pants that had already been hemmed to her measurements and then began to plait her hair into a simple braid.

"This arrived for you this morning, Mistress." 1K0 held out a data pad and Soniee took it from her curiously. "I believe it came from Mandalore."

That made her a little hesitant to turn the thing on but she did so and found... "It's my Academy exam papers! The chakaar was true to his word." She added the last bit under her breath. But she couldn't start on them now. Fox was scheduled to go back on duty soon and she couldn't have him be late on top of everything else. She deactivated the pad and tossed it on the bed. Then she grabbed her helmet and started for the door while pulling it on.

"Oh do you have to wear that thing?" 1K0 whined. "You'd look so much prettier with your hair up in this headband."

"I think pretty is the last thing I need to be right now if I'm going explain things to Fox."

"Hmmm, perhaps I should have put you back in your Jedi garb."

Soniee sighed. "I don't think it'll matter much. He seems to like me just as well in whatever I wear."

She donned the helmet and stepped out of the bedroom to find Fox also now in full kit. She couldn't tell his facial expression but the way he limped quickly toward her, set his gloved hands on her shoulders and tapped the forehead of his helmet against hers, she was sure he must be grinning.

Had he read about that when he was learning Mando'a, she wondered? They called it the Keldabe kiss because it was the only way for a couple to show affection when they were in full beskar'gam.

"Mesh'la darasuum." Beautiful as always, he whispered. "Don't know if I care to let you visit Senator Bonteri looking so lovely."

"L-let me?" she stammered and then went on with a little more control. "I may call you by your title, Al'verde, but I believe I can still do what I like."

"Of course, My Lady." He stepped back and gave her a slight bow.

Soniee was reminded that 'My Lady' was what the Duchess was called, and of what Almec had said that if she was to marry Korkie that would be her title too. She swallowed. "Shall we be going then? I don't want you to be late on my account."

"Well, part of my job description is protecting members of the senate, so I doubt they'll go too hard on me if I'm late for escorting a Representative to a meeting with a Senator."

She nodded. She was still the Mandalorian Representative to the senate and then she remembered. "You said Padme was at an emergency Senate meeting. Did she say what it was for?"

"It was," he hedged, placing a hand on the small of her back to lead her out the door. "something about Commander Tano, arrangements for her trial." They walked slowly toward the landing platform where he could call a sky cab.

"Why didn't someone tell me? I should have been there. I should be there now. It's part of my responsibility, isn't it, as a representative? I'll go there now and I can see Lux later." She wanted to rush ahead get there as soon as possible but she could sense his pain from the injuries she had given him, so she went along with his measured pace.

"I'm sorry, Soniee. I think they had their vote hours ago." While they waited for the cab, his hand snaked a little tighter around her waist, protective but also possessive.

"Well what did they decide?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely sure but I'll find out for you if you like."

"Yes, please." She was just beginning to feel uncomfortable and was going to step away from him and say something when the cab hovered in front of them and waited for them to board.

The Rodian cabby nodded to them silently, but watched them through his mirror with interest whenever he could look away from the skyway. "Didn't know they were cloning females now."

It took Soniee a moment to realize that he was referring to the fact that she and Fox were both wearing their helmets. She could sense that the driver was joking and nearly laughed aloud but she could see Fox's fist clench in the seat next to her. She patted the fist and then informed the driver. "Yes, we come trained to kill a man in 37 different ways with our bare hands."

Fox's visor turned to face her and then she did laugh. It broke some of the tension that she'd been feeling.

The cabby laughed also and said, "Guess I'll have take that under consideration before I place my order with Kamino."

Fox shook his head. "This one's like no other female in the galaxy." He slid a little closer to her in the seat, put his hand on her knee, and began massaging ever so gently.

"Did you hear the news," The cabby continued to try to make small talk. "About the Jedi who's being kicked out of the Order?"

It was a question that piqued Soniee's interest but Fox's hand had begun to travel higher up her thigh and she had to put a stop to that before she could inquire. She squeezed his hand and moved it back down to her knee, whispering, "Fox, please." Then she tried to keep her voice level and answered, "No, I hadn't heard that. Who was it? Why?"

"Some Padawan, the one they think bombed the temple. Senate didn't think it would be very objective for her to have an internal Jedi trial." He informed them. "It'll be a Republic Military tribunal for that one."

"Ahsoka!" Soniee gasped. "But she wouldn't, she couldn't..."

Fox took his hand from her knee and put his arm around her shoulders instead. "An objective trial will be a good thing."

The driver swerved in traffic and looked back at Soniee in the mirror. "Did you, er, know her?"

"Anyone who knows Ahsoka would know she's not capable of the things they say she did!" she exclaimed.

Fox didn't speak but Soniee remembered that he had said he was the one who had found her in the cell after Letta Turmond had been killed and he had seen his brothers' bodies after her escape.

"They, er, said the trial would be later today," the driver ventured. "Probably be carried on the holonet with all the interest in the case..." His words petered out and they were quiet for the rest of the trip.

Soniee would have liked to scoot a little further away, but Fox seemed determined to comfort her. As soon as they had come to a stop at the medcenter, however, she jumped from the cab and hurried toward the entrance. Fox limped as fast as he could to catch up to her just inside the lobby.

"You're hurt." Her voice was accusing but she blamed herself entirely.

"I'm fine." He tried to assure her leading her once again with a hand on the small of her back toward the front desk.

The receptionist was young, human, and female, probably not too much older than Soniee, and she was very pretty. Maybe the whoever ran the medcenter thought she would be more welcoming than a droid but at the moment she was staring at a holoscreen that was playing some sort of gossip program.

"Excuse me," Fox cleared his throat and she looked up. He continued, "Hi, I've got Representative Soniee Ordo here to visit a patient, Senator Bonteri."

The receptionist perked up. "Did you say Ordo and Bonteri?" She tilted her head slightly, looking at Soniee's helmet as if she might be able to see around it or through it to the celebrity inside. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"I hope so," Soniee mumbled. She didn't ask how the woman knew her but she caught a few words from the holo program about some senator's rather indiscreet affair and had a pretty good idea.

The woman pushed a few buttons on the console in front of her and a holocard popped out of a slot. She looked at it and connected a clip to the top. "Put on this visitor badge." She handed it to Soniee. "Senator Bonteri's on the 16th floor room 16034. If you get lost just tap the badge it will instruct you where to go." She smiled and pointed toward the lifts.

"Thank you." Soniee clipped the badge to her tunic, then she turned in the direction the woman had indicated and started walking, ready to be away from the prying eyes.

"Is it true," The woman called after her. "That you're really from Onderon and you and Lux might be related?"

Soniee stopped and looked back glad she had the helmet on so that no one could see how flushed she had become. "You seem to know more about it than I do."

Fox limped over to her. But before he could say anything a med droid passed by and looked him over as if scanning him. Maybe it was scanning him. "You should have that hip looked at." And then it started to go on it's way.

Soniee called to it. "Why don't you check him over?"

The droid turned back and looked at her.

"Please, Soniee, it's not necessary. I'm fine, really." Fox was whispering and started to give her a gentle shove toward the lifts.

"I am only required to tend to Republic citizens." The droid informed her.

Soniee was taken aback. What did that mean? "I'm not a Republic citizen. I'm from a neutral system. Would you treat me if I was hurt?"

The droid glanced at her badge. "You are a representative to the senate and a guest of the republic. If you were in need of treatment I would be obliged to provide. As it is." He gave her a quick scan. "I believe a strong cup of caf would be the best medicine for a night's overindulgence." And with that he turned and went about his business.

"Someone ought to reprogram that one's bed side manor." Fox put a protective hand on her back once again and drew her over to a quiet spot around the corner.

"Was it true what he said?" Soniee asked. "That they won't treat you because you're not..."

He tried to brush it off as if it didn't make any difference. "We've got our own medics at the base. I'd rather be seen by them then that ol' tin can anyhow."

"It's not fair, though." She ranted, quietly. "You're out there protecting them everyday. You should have the same rights as any citizen."

She could hear him smiling as he said, "Bucket off, Miss."

She obeyed and she heard the seals release on his helmet as well. He was gazing at her and she looked away, embarrassed. Then he placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her face up towards him and bent to kiss her.

It didn't last long. She broke the connection almost as soon as it had begun. "Fox, I..."

"I'm sorry." He didn't sound sorry. "I know it's a public place and you have a reputation to uphold," he continued with a smirk and then he took the helmet out of her hands and laid it beside his on the floor at their feet. He took both her hands in his and looked her in the eye. "Soniee, I want you to know that I'm serious about this, about you staying here."

She thought she knew what was coming and she knew she had to say something, to tell him about Korkie, or at least that she had already said 'yes' to someone else. She opened her mouth but he only laid a finger on her lips to silence her.

"There was something else I read about when I was studying Mando'a." He rearranged their grip, hand to wrist, as if they were about to make a Mandalorian pact.

"Fox, please I..."

He silenced her with a look and then began, "Mhi solus tome, Mhi solus dar'tome..."

She flinched as if she would pull her hands away. He held them firm but gently.

"Mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde," he finished the Mandalorian wedding vow in a heartfelt whisper.

"Fox, I can't." She had tears in her eyes.

"K'urr, hush, I know you're not ready to say the words back to me now." He brushed a thumb over her cheek to dry it. "I just want you to know that if-when you're ready, I'll be waiting." Then with a look of desperation on his face He pulled her into a longer more passionate kiss.

She was trembling when he released her, he bent to pick up their helmets, and handed hers to her. "Go and see, Bonteri. Comm me when your through?" he asked and he seemed more shy now like the first time he'd taken off his helmet in the diner. "If I can't come and see you back to Senator Amidala's I'll send one of the vode to escort you."

Words wouldn't come so she merely nodded.

Fox smiled, reached forward, and tapped her visitor badge. "Turn left, board the lift, and let it carry you to the 16th floor..." it began to instruct her in a soft female voice.

"Better do what it says." He turned her toward the lifts and she took a couple of steps before she looked back again.

"Fox." She found her voice again but the words that came out were not really the words she needed to say. "Please tell me you'll go and see the medic when you get to the base."

"I promise, cyar'ika."

She stepped onto the lift, then turned, and held his gaze until the doors slid shut.

Translation of the Mandalorian wedding vows from "Republic Commando: Order 66" by Karen Traviss

We are one when together,
we are one when parted,
we share all,
we will raise warriors.