A/N: Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter… *wink*

Sticks- your reviews make me smile… can't wait for this one… *evil laugh*

Disclaimer: Kyp is still not mine, and this makes me sad.

Part IV

"Kyp! Kyp, wait up!" He slowed but did not stop. A cold anger was escaping him that froze in the pit of Jaina's stomach. When he reached a turbolift, she rushed ahead, not entirely sure that he would have held the car for her. Thankfully, they were the only two inside. "Kyp, what's wrong? We did really well out there, neither of our squadrons lost anyone…" he stared at the doors as though willing them to open mid-level. "Please, Kyp…" He turned and looked at her, and the fiery intensity of his eyes scared her. "Kyp?"

And then he was there, mouth descending hungrily on hers, hands running through her hair that was still damp with sweat from the warm cockpit and the short but intense fight. She was too shocked to do much of anything, but the beep of the lift car indicating their approaching stop jolted him back to his senses. Growling, he pressed a different button and the car continued up another three levels than initially planned.

"Kyp? Where are you going?"

"Your quarters."

She accepted that in calm silence. Clearly he did not want to discuss his frustrations here for the ship to see and hear. When the car arrived, he pulled her out with him, leading her down the corridor with a grip around her forearm.

Reaching the proper room, she waved her identichip for the control pad and they quickly entered the room, Kyp smacking the pad on the other side to shut the door behind them. He let go of her arm, ran a hand through his long hair, and sat heavily in the chair by the small desk in the corner.

For a long minute, she sat on the edge of the bed and waited for him to speak. When he didn't, she huffed in frustration. "Want to tell me what's the matter?"

His expression had cooled slightly but she still sensed an underlying angry frustration. At least it wasn't directed at her. "General Wedge Antilles is the matter," he finally spat.

"What?" She wasn't sure what she'd expected- but it wasn't that. "Is this about… me flying with Rogue Squadron and not the Dozen?" He didn't answer and she had her confirmation. "Kyp- if I'd flown with you, I'd have been an extra wing, your numbers were even. Rogue needed another fighter."

He gave a short, barking laugh. "They needed another fighter because Antilles wanted you there. Why choose this flight to test his wings? It wasn't even a close engagement, we had them easily outnumbered."

She stared. "Why would General Antilles care which squad I flew with?"

"To get under my skin."

"Kyp…" she frowned. "Wedge Antilles is above such petty tactics, especially when lives are at stake. And…" she hesitated, "even if he did want to annoy you, you're only showing him how easy it is to do so."

That stopped him short in his furious musings. For a moment, Jaina thought he was about to transfer that anger to her, but he chuckled and his features softened. His voice was still serious though. "You're my apprentice; you should have flown with me."

She stood and crossed the room, looked unsure for a moment, and then settled herself down in Kyp's lap. He looked pleasantly surprised and brought his arms up around her as she leaned back against his chest, sighing tiredly. "If you'd like," she offered, "I could talk to him tomorrow."

He seemed to consider for a moment before exhaling deeply. "No," he was resigned. "It wouldn't be proper protocol. I'll speak with him soon."

Glad to have calmed him down this much, Jaina tilted her head up and smiled softly. Kyp leaned over and placed a light kiss on her forehead, arms tightening around her waist. "Why did you want to come here instead of your room?"

He chuckled ruefully. "I knew you'd follow me either way; it seemed… politer… not to make you traverse half the ship in the middle of the night once I was done raging against the leadership."

"How considerate of you," she teased. "Still… I don't think there needs to be any traversing."

"Oh?"

She turned sideways on his lap so she could look up at his face more easily. A light kiss was placed against his cheek before she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Stay here tonight." He considered her for a moment silently. "Morning activities are canceled," she pointed out, "we have no obligations until thirteen hundred…"

"Jaina Solo," he said in mock-scandalous surprise, "are you propositioning me?"

Her face fell. "Was I that obvious?"

He froze. "I was joking," he admitted.

"Oh." She went red but continued on doggedly. "Well, I wasn't. You should stay. And we can… see where the night takes us."

The ensuing silence was heavy, and Jaina bit her lip nervously. "If you'd like," he finally murmured lowly against her ear. "Where's your medpac?"

Her body tensed ever so slightly, but he sensed a nervous anticipation above all else. "The travel case by the door."

With a flick of his wrist, the case opened and the bag in question soared across the room into his outstretched hand. As he caught it, he leaned down to capture her lips in his, not relenting as he rummaged through the kit one handed, seeking the thin tube he'd handed her some two weeks prior…

He pulled back and looked carefully into her eyes as his hands deftly opened the canister. He removed the small injection vial within and tapped it a few times. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked her. "Not that there's a point of no return or anything…"

"I'm sure," she interrupted in a whisper. Regarding her through heavily lidded eyes, he undid the top few fastens on her flight suit, pulling the right sleeve down below her shoulder. With one more verifying look at Jaina's face, he placed the tip of the syringe against her arm and depressed the spring mechanism. She winced, but the built-in numbing agent quickly counteracted the brief pain of the needle. She watched him as he set the syringe on the desk. "Now what?"

He chuckled low and deep, twisting her stomach into more anticipatory knots. "Relax," he rubbed her back in small circles, "we have hours, remember? And I don't know about you," he grimaced, "but I could use a sanisteam after that skirmish."

"Oh," her face colored a bit, "yeah. Good point."

But she made no move to stand and it occurred to Kyp that she was very much clueless about essentially everything that she had proposed for the night. Carefully, he maneuvered her onto her feet and stood, pulling her back against his chest. "Tell you what," he brushed her hair off of her bare shoulder, "I'll go first, give you a few minutes to relax… and then you can take as much time as you need in the refresher, and if you change your mind about me staying, that's okay too."

Leaving her to her own devices, Kyp enjoyed the few minutes to collect his own thoughts.

Part of him was nervous- probably more nervous than she was. This was Jaina, not some random fling between squadrons. He'd known her since she was all of a toddler when her father had helped rescue him from Kessel and practically adopted him for several weeks while he enjoyed freedom, prior to beginning his Jedi training.

More importantly- she was young and, in the matters at hand, wholly innocent. A deep primal part of him reveled in that knowledge. A closer part, the part that worried about the future, wondered if he shouldn't hurt her feelings now to avoid breaking her heart later. She was inexperienced, and that more often than not led to impressionability and attachments, the desire for promises that couldn't be kept.

Then again- Jaina was nothing if not pragmatic. They were at war, many friends and Jedi had already died; nothing was forever and she knew that. She was here by choice, had second-guessed her every opportunity to leave, and still chose to remain with him. Who was he, then, to pretend to know what was best for her? Isn't that what Wedge Antilles was trying to do, when he questioned their relationship? She might be young, but Jaina was her own person, had been far more independent by the age of thirteen than most beings twice her age. And now, at seventeen, she'd been fighting a deadly invasion force for more than a year, had proven her skills in the Force, in a snubfighter, with a lightsaber… she was no child and could decide what she wanted.

When he exited the refresher, he saw her breathing hitch as she caught site of his form, clad only in his flightsuit undershorts. Smirking smugly, he stepped aside and allowed her to bypass him. Then she was gone and he was again left to his thoughts. He chose to attempt to clear his mind, however, figuring she'd take a while.

He was right.

It was probably fifteen or twenty minutes before he heard the door open again. He was sitting on her bed, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed in front of him, eyes closed. A few seconds passed; he wanted her to be the one to initiate whatever happened from here on tonight.

"Kyp."

He opened his eyes and they immediately darkened in desire. She wore only a small bathrobe that hung to mid-thigh; compared to the full-body flight suit, or occasional Jedi robes, it was a remarkable improvement, he thought slyly. The neck was open just enough to make him want to see more, the sash around the waist cinched tightly, accentuating her figure.

"Come here, beautiful." He held out his hand and she tentatively sat on the bed next to him, but sliding close under his arm to lean against his side, sighing contentedly. "Are you tired?" he asked softly, pulling her damp hair around behind her shoulders.

A flash of confusion emanated from her. "A little," she acknowledged. "Not enough to sleep yet. I'm still running on a stimpak from before the fight."

As was he. Even Jedi could benefit from artificially-created energy, freeing up more of their Force powers and awareness for the battle itself. He ghosted his lips over the sensitive flesh on her neck under her ear. "What do you want, Jaina? The night is yours."

In response, she pulled away and turned towards him slightly, placing a hand against his bare chest and another against his cheek as she leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss started off soft and deepened into something hungry and passionate…

She pulled away, a smile touching the corners of her lips. Taking initiative and surprising him further still, she swung her leg around and was astride him, revealing more and more of her pale, toned legs as the robe rode higher…

His hands ran up and down the tops of her thighs as she leaned into him, pressing feather-light kisses across his brow, over his eyes, on his cheeks, everywhere except his mouth. Groaning softly, one hand ran up to her waist and she trembled as he sought the tie of the sash.

When it was undone, his breath grew heavier and quicker, her anticipation rose in the Force… gently, slowly, giving her every chance to reach out and stay his hands, he pulled the sides of the robe apart… and chuckled.

She grinned coyly. "Figured I should make you work for it." Under the robe, she wore a plain white undershirt and standard issue sleep shorts that could be found in just about any cabin aboard any military vessel.

"Gladly," he growled, crushing her to him and ravaging her mouth thoroughly in retaliation for her sly trickery. He deepened the kiss, hands roaming across the thin material that lay between them… and then he felt her small hands pushing against his chest, and her attempt to pull away from the kiss.

He immediately released her and she backed away gasping. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, afraid he had ruined it again.

She just smiled sardonically. "Couldn't breathe."

They just sat and stared at one another for a few seconds before they both laughed. A certain amount of tension seemed to leave them, and Kyp chose that moment to grab her suddenly and roll her around. She shrieked and laughed, finding herself suddenly pressed firmly against the mattress by Kyp's considerably heavier weight. Her robe was twisted, hair flying in her face, but the look in her eyes stopped Kyp short.

Total adoration.

She was breathing deeply, a soft smile playing across her lips, but that look… it clenched his heart and twisted his gut as he realized something.

It was he who was going to be irrevocably altered by this relationship.

"Kyp?"

He blinked. Her brows had furrowed in concern and he wondered how long he'd been simply staring at her. "Sorry," he stammered. "I just… you're beautiful."

A faint pink rose in her neck and face, but she smiled sincerely. "My," she said quietly, "have I rendered the great Master Durron speechless?"

Unable to respond, he rose up off of her and she looked confused and a little hurt before he pulled her up with him. Noiselessly, he slid the robe off of her shoulders and ran his hands down her thinly-clad torso, skimming the sensitive flesh of her stomach, ghosting over the swell of her breasts as she shivered. No longer reluctant to take the lead, he sought the edge of her undershirt and kissed her firmly on the mouth before pulling it up over her head.

He stared at her. Embarrassed, she turned her face away, but he caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her gaze back towards him. "Don't," he whispered hoarsely. "You have nothing to be ashamed about, Jaina."

Having divested her of everything save the sleep shorts, Kyp slowly and gently lowered her back to the small bed where she lay, chest rising and falling quickly with her heavy breathing, expression torn between self-consciousness and desire.

He clasped her hands in his and raised them over her head as he forcefully brought his mouth back to hers. His body pressed flush against hers and she whimpered; the noise sent a fresh jolt of arousal through him. With a concerted effort, he moved slowly down her body, letting his mouth drift down her neck, the middle of her chest, across her belly, until he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, his hands at her hips, fingering the waistband of her shorts.

Her body lifted slightly- her silent permission to continue. He did not hesitate, and then she was finally laid bare before him and his eyes smoldered, drinking in the unblemished perfection of her body.

Once, she twitched, and he read her instinctive desire to cover herself in the motion. Swiftly he stood and took her hands, pulling her to a sitting position before turning her to the side and pressing her back down lengthwise along the bed instead, where he could wrap his arms around her trembling form and lie down holding her.

For some time, they lay like that, listening to each others' breathing and feeling their hearts beating together. And eventually, he felt her breathing slow and it grew gradually steadier as she drifted into a comfortable slumber.

When she awoke some hours later, her initial reaction was confusion and mild panic; she was pressed tightly against a wall and had nowhere to move.

Then she calmed slightly and remembered. Twisting her head around and wriggling out of Kyp's tight grip around her waist, she turned and saw his face, relaxed in sleep and looking more peaceful than she could ever really recall. As her mind worked through process of waking up, she thought her whole body would be a vibrant red flush if Kyp were awake to see her right now. There was more than a little confusion lingering though… there hadn't been a plan, per say, but if there had been, she was reasonably sure that falling asleep when they had would not have been on it.

Her internal sense of time suggested that it was not yet nearly time they'd have to actually go about their duties; the alarm at midnight and ensuing four hour skirmish and debriefs had persuaded the higher-ups to postpone the usual morning schedule until the afternoon and cancel the simulator trainings altogether for the day- they'd had enough excitement in the battle. Consequently, she didn't feel particular inclined to go anywhere until about 1200 and she was reasonably sure that it was still fairly early in the morning. Nevertheless… paranoia wanted her to be sure.

There was a chrono on the bedside table. She tried to look up over Kyp's slumbering form to get a glance at it, but as she leaned forward across his chest, his arms came up to clamp around her upper arms.

"Going somewhere?"

She smirked and struggled in his grasp. "Just checking the time, Master."

He opened his mouth to respond then stopped, closed his eyes, and groaned. "Jaina… for the love of all things sacred, stop squirming like that."

She froze… looked down… and her entire being exploded in an embarrassed blush. He chuckled and pulled her firmly against him, tucking loose hairs behind her ears. "Relax," he murmured softly. "It's barely oh-eight-thirty. Did you sleep well?"

"Hm," she considered, arching her back slightly to stretch- and to retaliate for her embarrassment as she watched in satisfaction when he grimaced and his eyes darkened. She abandoned her revenge quickly though and resettled herself against him, burrowing unconsciously into the warmth of the blanket covering them and the heat of his body. "Yes," she finally declared. "My sleep was very… relaxed." A finger reached up to trace random patterns on his bare chest. "I feel good."

"Excellent," he rolled slightly so he was hovering above her, propped on one elbow while he caressed her face. "You may need your strength."

Her stomach twisted in anticipation at the barely-veiled lust in his teasing tone. When she spoke though, her voice was soft, hesitant. "Kyp?" He met her eyes questioningly. "Why the nap?"

He looked genuinely confused. "What?"

"Last night… or this morning, however… we just sort of… stopped."

"You were tired; your stimpak wore off." She frowned and he smiled down at her endearingly. "Jaina, this is for you. You need to want it, to take it… the first time you give yourself to someone shouldn't be because they're expecting you to, or you think you should. It has to be because you're ready and it's what you want."

Her voice was practically a whisper. "But it is what I want."

"Prove it," he hissed, skimming a hand across the bare flesh of her side. She shivered and hesitated for the briefest of moments before reaching up and pulling him to her, feeling the warm, muscular flesh of his abdomen press against her; she wrapped her legs loosely around his hips as she hugged him to her, kissing his face, neck, chest…

Her back arched as his mouth found a sensitive spot above her collar bone and his hands gently stroked and teased her breasts. The only sound for a minute was the heavy breathing of both as they coaxed each other further and further to the edge. "Kyp," she finally gasped, fingers teasing the waist of his shorts, "please."

"Please what?" he mumbled, nibbling thoughtfully on her ear.

"Lose the pants," she growled, earning a satisfying surprised look from him. "Now."

Grinning suggestively, he did as commanded, but sobered once more as her demeanor shifted ever so slightly towards anxious when he settled back above her moments later. "Hey," he murmured, pulling wild locks of hair from her face. "Tell me to stop and I will."

"I know," she whispered. And then, even softer still, "Take me, Kyp."

Obedient for once in his rebellious life, he positioned himself and braced for and inevitable combination of his overwhelming pleasure and her raw pain. "This will hurt," he warned softly, and she nodded; before she had time to think about it, he thrust deep inside her, simultaneously smothering her cry with his mouth and caressing her face.

He stilled and listened to her gasping breathing while he felt her drawing on the Force to suppress her pain. "Sh," he murmured, kissing her softly and wiping at the sudden moisture in the corners of her eyes. After several seconds, her initial shock seemed to have lessened and she exuded a bit more calmness. "Are you alright?"

She nodded tightly and he- excruciatingly slowly- began to rock back and forth, taking her with long, deep strokes, possessing her completely… his words poured forth unbidden. "You're mine now, Jaina," he murmured, "I'll never let you go."

His pace quickened and briefly, she lifted her hips and matched him, thrust-for-thrust. Then she was gasping and, suddenly, her whole aura shifted and she was completely overwhelmed; he was already pulling away from her when she gasped, "Kyp, stop… it's too much, stop…"

In just a few seconds, he settled beside her and pulled the blanket up over her trembling body before drawing her into his arms, pressing his lips against the base of her neck and wrapping an arm protectively around her waist. "It's okay," he murmured comfortingly, "breathe…"

"I'm sorry," her response seemed automatic.

"You've nothing to be sorry for," his voice was soothing. "It's a lot to handle, the first time." He held her until she visibly and mentally relaxed, and he could no longer sense the embarrassed panic of moments earlier. "You okay?" he murmured, lightly skimming his fingers across her hips and stomach.

"Mm," she sighed, relaxing back against him.

She tensed as she felt his fingers slide lower and lower down her body… then groaned as he began gently touching, stroking, caressing her and any thoughts of resistance were quickly lost to a fuzzy haze of blissful pleasure.

For his part, Kyp watched her heavy-lidded, half-closed eyes flutter and her body alternately tense and relax with a hungry expression on his face. "The pain will go away after the first few times," he said lowly, breath hot against her ear. "Don't focus on it." She whimpered and shook her head in acknowledgement, but unable to reply verbally in her current state. "You're beautiful, Jaina; how is it that a fighter-pilot, Jedi warrior like yourself is so passionate?"

She didn't answer- not that he'd expected her to even possess the ability at the moment. For a few more minutes, he was relentless, possibly more desperate for her release than she was; he wanted to see her, Jaina, usually so close and controlled, lose herself and fall apart for him.

He wasn't disappointed. Physical reactions and surging emotions in the Force signaled near success in his task. Leaning in close, he nuzzled against her neck and murmured, "Let go, Jaina." Seconds later, she stilled, even stopped breathing… and then she was gasping and shuddering against him while he slowed his ministrations until, eventually, her whole body relaxed back against the bed, exhausted and sated. Her entire body was flushed a pale pink and Kyp drank in the sight before him.

"Perfect," he said lowly.

A comfortable silence lasted a few minutes while Jaina relaxed back into his grasp. Logic suggested that she'd probably try for another couple hours of sleep before getting up for a quick lunch and making it to briefings in the afternoon. As had already been proven in the last several hours, however- Jaina Solo was unpredictable.

Once she had recovered suitably, she rolled around to face Kyp, who caressed her cheek and leaned over to capture her lips in a soft but lengthy kiss. Not bothering to break it, she pushed him off his side and onto his back, swinging a leg around to straddle him, grinning mischievously the entire time. His dark eyes bore into hers but he said nothing as she slowly but determinedly lowered herself onto him, wincing briefly at the friction to raw, sensitive flesh, but continuing gamely on.

Words were entirely unnecessary; Kyp reached for her and held her hips, supporting her as she slowly- and perhaps a bit curiously- rocked back and forth. He coaxed her body down to his and kissed her fiercely as he fought the urge to take her hard and fast.

Despite her slow, steady pace, hours of pent-up frustration made short work of Kyp's self-control. In just a few minutes, he tightened his grip at her waist and held her while he groaned and stilled in his release. She was breathing hard against him, and he sensed a subtle intermingling of pleasure and pain diffusing as he lifted her from him and rolled sideways, pulling her close to him once more.

Sweaty, dirty, hearts beating fast but together, they slept.

End Part IV