Class: Sith Inquisitor

When: Act II Finale

And then he watched her die.

Denravi collapsed to the floor like a puppet cut loose from its strings. "Sith!" Revel called out, running over to her. He didn't think of his own safety, of the ghosts and visions and apparitions crawling around the place.

"Don't you dare be dead, Sith," Revel whispered, lifting her head off of the ground. Her body started convulsing slightly and he turned her to her side. While convulsions weren't good, they meant she wasn't dead. He'd take anything he could get. "I am not piloting your ship without you."

Think. He had to think. They were in Darth Thanaton's private chambers in the Citadel. The rest of her companions were back enjoying the hospitality of Dromund Kaas. Picking her up and taking her to a medical droid was not an option. The last thing she'd want is for anyone to know. Sith already looked down on her for being a former slave. They find out she has ghosts in her head? They'd be out for blood.

Drellik was the only option. Revel's hands felt clumsy at a time when he needed them to be steady, more than ever, as he grabbed his holocom. The reclamation officer was flighty, but Revel knew deep down, he was an officer. He'd rise to the occasion. Revel had seen it more than once happen in his Republic days.

Within seconds, Drellik appeared on the com. Revel? I didn't expect-

"Grab Ashara and Khem and get over here now," Revel spat out. "Denravi's in trouble."

Drellik looked down and his eyes widened, seeing her unconscious on the floor. We'll leave at once.

The com cut off, leaving Revel alone with Denravi. The convulsions had stopped, and she still breathed. "Come on, Sith," he said, caressing her cheek. "Wake up."

Revel looked around. They were in the middle of a large room, perfect for someone to sneak up on them. As carefully as he could, Revel picked Denravi up, cradling her in his arms. With his foot, he kicked her lightsaber to the side of the room. She'd kill him if she knew how he treated her weapon, but she'd have to wake up first, wouldn't she?

Putting his back against the wall, so he could see the whole room, Revel slid down into a sitting position, Denravi still in his arms. He tucked her head under his chin and reached for his blaster. His blood cooled a bit, knowing he would be able to kill anyone who walked into the room.

Might take Drellik a good twenty minutes to get here, maybe less if Ashara could act like a Sith for once. They'd leave her alone in here if she simply acted like a Sith instead of a scared alien Padawan. So Revel would make sure to keep Denravi safe until Drellik got here.

"Why are you doing this to me, Sith?" Revel asked, his voice barely audible. He ran his fingers through her hair, smelling the lemon and sage scent she favored. "Every day I wake up, wondering if this is the day you push me over the edge."

His fingers tightened around his blaster. He'd feel better if he could have both out, but one would have to do. "And every day, all I have to do is look at your face and realize there is no edge," Revel said, holding her closer with his free arm. "See what happens when you let ghosts try to kill you? I get sentimental. You'll have to get me pretty damn drunk if you ever want me to say that to your face."

Taking solace in the steady sound of her breathing, Revel kissed her temple. "Funny how this is going down. How many outs have you given me, huh? And now you might be the one leaving me." He didn't even want to think about what lay ahead of them if she woke up. The ghosts in her head would slowly drive her mad before killing her outright. Revel tried to think of his life without her.

He came up empty.

"Damnit," Revel muttered, the reality of his feelings hitting him smack in the face. He loved her. Had for a while, most likely. Part of him wanted to say the words out loud, see how they felt on his tongue. But instead he'd keep them close, bury them a bit and see what sprouted when things finally came to light. "Damnit, Sith."

"Revel?"

Revel looked up, hearing Drellik call his name. Good thing he did. Mood he was in, he'd be tempted to shoot anything that moved. "Over here," he yelled, flinching at how his voice echoed in the large room.

Drellik already had out his medkit and started to work even before kneeling down next to Denravi. "What happened?" Drellik asked. "Here, lay her down."

Handling Denravi as carefully as he could, Revel lay her on the ground, taking extra care to make sure her head didn't hit the hard stone floor. Looking up, he saw Ashara and Zash – he could tell now it was Zash, thanks to its posture - guarding the stairs, making sure they had complete privacy.

He reached out his hand before he could stop himself, placing it on Drellik's forearm. The officer looked taken aback by the contact. "Fix her," Revel said, his voice as coarse as sand. "Fix her, please."

"I'll do my best," Drellik said with a crisp nod, before kneeling down next to Denravi.

Revel moved to talk to Ashara and Zash. He had no healing skills and would only get in the way of Drellik if he hovered. "What happened?" Ashara asked, her eyes full of concern.

"Ghosts overwhelmed her," Revel said, rubbing the back of his neck. "They're trying to take over, it sounded like."

Zash cocked her head. "Have her dreams gotten worse?"

Revel nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak. He never meant to betray Denravi's confidence by telling Zash about her dreams, but when she thrashed about in bed night after night, he just felt so damn helpless. "Every damn night, now."

"I have some ideas," Zash said. "Assuming she wakes up, there's research I'll need to do."

"I'll help," Ashara said, her voice soft. She bit at a thumb nail, looking always as worried as Revel felt. Ashara had gotten surprisingly attached to Denravi. He supposed it was some Force thing.

Revel looked at Denravi, laying completely still. Funny how she looked almost restful. "Anything, Drellik?" He walked over to them and squatted down. Her eyes moved behind their lids, but if that was a good sign or not, damned if he knew.

"She should wake soon."

Putting a hand over his mouth, Revel stared at the woman who managed to entwine herself into his soul without him even realizing. He loved her, and one day, he'd find the words to tell her.

He tried to picture the road ahead of them. Researching, looking for a sure to a disease which had no name and caused by ghost. But Revel would stay by her side through the worst of it. No doubt she would expect him to take off after this; a sane man would.

Good thing everyone always told him he was crazy.