Beyond - Legends "Your hands can heal, your hands can bruise." - K/J AU, post-NJO (PART II: 4/25!)

Hello all! I originally intended for this to be a vignette. Then a frightening thing happened: I started getting ideas. So now I'm breaking it up into a few different sections. Three at the most, maybe just two depending on how long these ideas stick with me. You know how it goes.

A few housekeeping items:
One: The title for this story comes from a song by The Civil Wars called Poison & Wine. It's an intensely beautiful song and I'd highly recommend you look up the music video that accompanies it. It's heartbreaking and wonderful.
Two: (Disclaimer) I don't own any of these characters nor any piece of the universe created for them; all due gratitude to G. Lucas and his team for that one.

This is entirely AU, taking place sometime within the decade following the Vong war. All comments and criticism are happily received! Oh, and a big thank you to Lady_Tahiri for kicking me into gear on this sucker. You're keeping me accountable, LT, and for that I'm quite grateful!

Thanks for clicking.
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Your hands can heal, your hands can bruise.

She twisted the rings roughly around her finger.

It was a nervous habit. Perpetual motion; she struggled tremendously to simply be still.

Three years ago he had left because nothing else felt right.

I don't know what I want. Not even with you.

His words had plagued her viciously. He had disappeared, cut her off, pushed her away without any hope for a future. The worst part was the uncertainty. Could she have done more to help? Had anything been true? Why could't he allow her into his life? She couldn't have fixed what troubled him - no one but himself could do that - but she could've supported him in his confusion and pain. She would have done whatever he asked.

But he refused her even that. And then he did what he once swore was an impossibility - he left.

She dropped her hands to her sides, adjusted her jacket, gently cracked her knuckles, moved the hair back behind her ear. Her thumb drifted back to the five gold bands centered on her middle finger, and absently began fiddling once more.

The instant he had turned from her that night, she knew he wasn't coming back. She knew that no more words, tears, would make any difference. His mind had been made up. But that didn't stop her mind from constructing options. If she had only five more minutes with him, she could make him hear her. Perhaps if she remained resolute in her promise to wait for him. Maybe if he just got a little space, gave it a little time?

After four months of silence, she stopped expecting to see his name highlighted in her message box each night when she returned home. After six months, she found that her thoughts didn't instinctively gravitate towards him hour after hour. After a year, she began to feel her spirit being stitched whole again.

Sixteen months after that final touch between them, the revolution broke out on the capitol planet, and she resumed her duties as head of Twin Suns Squadron.

The wind whipped fiercely outside of the small, antiquated hangar. She was taken aback with her anxiety. Long ago, she thought herself beyond such intense reactions. This was all in her past, why wouldn't the final, vague ghosts leave her? She tapped her ringed hand lightly against her leg.

Now and then she heard murmurs from mutual acquaintances that hinted at his whereabouts, but she turned her mind from such information. If he wanted her to know, he would find a way to tell her. Her self-respect kept her from trying to contact him. She didn't have much control over this situation, but she did have control over herself.
That couldn't be taken away.

She'd rehearsed her speech, she knew exactly how this would go because she wouldn't allow the conversation to stray from its course. A ship appeared not far above the horizon. Her breath caught maliciously. She was sure her voice had retreated behind her heart and wouldn't ever return to its post. She grasped her suddenly sh

 

Even though I'm not into K/J I have to say this is a wonderful start.

Jaina's anxiety is almost palpable. A nervous wreck, the poor woman.

Would you PM me when you update, please?

 

You have me intrigued despite myself LOL I'm a large, rabid fan of Jaina and Jag but this is too good to pass up. I'll be keeping up for sure.

Because, frankly, I know mush is coming.

 

The above is my way of saying that you are made of awesome and it's not even Friday yet and I love it when he calls her Jay and obviously add me to the PM list. On a more serious note, I'm glad you started this one from Jaina's POV. Here's to hoping there will be mush to counterbalance the angst. I can already tell this is going to be an angsty ficlet. Plus, just the fact that you liked Five First Kisses so much means you are an angst monger extraordinaire.

Jade_eyes, we will make a convert out of you yet mwahahahaha.

 

*is greatly intrigued*

This is off to a wonderful start!! Could you please add me to the PM list??

~Celeste

 

Awesome start !

I love the title.

Poor Jaina, you did a wonderful job with her emotional state. You can just feel just how upset she really is.

I'm going to add a third voice to not being a K/J'er (not romantically, anyway), but a huge fan of Jag/Jaina. But this has got me very intrigued.

Please add me to you PM list, don't want to miss out on any.

 

Interesting start. I enjoyed the feelings of anxiousness you created here. You used some great descriptions to evoke what Jaina was going through.

I look forward to seeing where this is headed

 

This is excellent so far. I can't wait to read the rest!

 

A really interesting start.
I'm anixous to see where this goes.
Please put on the PM list if you have one!

 

Ceillean: Thank you! Glad you're here, even if K/J isn't your number one choice. You're on the PM list!

Jade_eyes: Thanks so much! Like with Ceillean, glad you clicked even though this isn't J/J. I'll try to not disappoint!

Lady_Tahiri : It's true, I'm totally into the angsty fics! But I'll do my best to put in a fair balance of mush. Can't have all anguish and no happiness. Thanks again!

CelseteAntola : Thank you!

Kailene: As with the other J/J fans, welcome! Glad you decided to drop in. Thank you!

YodaKenobi: You're very kind -- thanks!

Wraiths_Ghost: I'm glad you're liking it! Thanks for clicking and commenting.

SITH_MAYO: I will include you on the PM list. Thanks for your interest!


You are all fantastic readers and I'm so glad this little fic has intrigued you! I will have part two up by the end of the weekend -- promise!

Thanks for your kind words. Hope your weekends have been delightful and adventurous so far!

-jun.

 

As promised - an update! I've officially decided this will be broken up into three pieces, so the next and final one will be set to go in the next few days. I hope you enjoy!

PM list:
Ceillean
Lady_Tahiri
CelseteAntola
Kailene
SITH_MAYO


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Part Two

"Hello, Jay."

His voice echoed lightly. He looked weathered and tired, worn from the inside out.

"I didn't think you knew I was arriving today."

She spun the rings around her finger twice before answering. To her great relief, her voice remained steady and relaxed. "Antilles asked me to meet you about an hour ago."

She paused. "I'm to brief you on the strike."

Kyp studied her face; Jaina tried to avoid his eyes without appearing deliberate or uncomfortable. Both remained silent.

Personnel moved about them, arranging crates and tending to Kyp's ship and its post-flight needs. They seemed oblivious of the static tension between the two immobile figures.

"Jaina, I--" he began softly.

"With any luck, you can be out of here within 96 hours," she cut him off. "Our mission isn't complicated. Once General Antilles learned you were in the system, he just figured it wouldn't hurt to have your support."

He took a deep breath and moved his own hands behind his back, "That was my understanding as well."

She nodded her head in a quick snap, then turned around and strode off.

****

Inside the conference room, charts and maps, intel and holograms piled high. Their facilities didn't exactly qualify as state-of-the-art, but suited their purposes well enough. Jaina spoke through their mission carefully, making sure to include all pertinent information. She was professional, completely devoid of any visible tension.

Kyp gazed upon her and silently hated himself. He couldn't tear his attention from her face, her eyes, the way her hair fell around her shoulders. She looked thin. Her face seemed hollow, but still entirely beautiful. It was less a physical gauntness, and more a severe emotional one that's been locked away for too long, and has started to push to the surface.

She paused to pull up a different map.

"Jaina," Kyp said, he said in a barely audible tone.

"Now if you'll look at the far side of this cluster," she continued, pushing past his interruption, "you'll note the dense cloud that surrounds it."

"Jaina," he tried again, louder this time.

"We believe that this cloud will generate enough interference for our ships to slip in with little warning to them."

She punched a few more buttons, and the image magnified five times.

"Now, your squadron will enter from this quadrant here," she said.

"Jay, please," he said, rising to reach out to her.

She whirled around. "What, Kyp? What do you want from me?"

She stood tensed, like someone ready to come to blows.

He raised his hands complacently, as if to show her he was unarmed. "I just want to talk. I didn't expect to see you so suddenly, I thought I'd have more time."

Jaina took a few steps back, but didn't relax. "More time for what? You've had years. What difference did you possibly think a few hours would make?"

Silence.

"Jaina, please look at me," he said.

With less certainty, she replied. "I'm looking straight at you."

Kyp took a few steps forward, which she instinctively responded to and backed further away. "No, Jay. You're looking right through me."

For an instant her eyes flicked up to his, locked there, and he felt the full force of her anguish slam through him. There was so much pain, confusion, he felt ill with the strength of it. Then just as quick, she backed into the door, and slipped through it without delay.

 

I wonder if she'll forgive him? She keeps running away. I hope she stops somewhere along the line and gives him a chance.
Looks to me that he's at least trying to make amends.

Thanks for the PM.

Lovely update.

 

Well, I can't say you didn't warn me about the angst. I hope Jaina's okay, and not just physically. Am waiting expectantly for the third part.

I also checked out the song you took the title from and LOVED it. But why oh why do none of the places I usually download music from stock this song? Or anything else by this awesome band for that matter?? I refuse to give in and pay a dollar for it on iTunes.

 

Woo!
The tension in that was incredibly well done.
I'm so curious to see what happened in the past. Why Kyp left?
Thanks for the PM. Looking forward to more..

 

Excellent update. Kyp's sensitivity to Jaina is intense and poignant. I can feel the words they need to say on the tips of their tongues He seems readier to talk than she but she's had years to stew in her juices and wonder if not why he left, why he stayed away so long

What he needs to do LOL is corner her alone where she can't get away too quickly and get her to promise to let him say all he needs to say ... whether she believes him or not is her choice.

 

I think Jade_eyes hit it right on the head. She had a long time for her anger to simmer; to blame herself, wonder why he left for so long.

He does need to get her somewhere secluded where they can really talk things over, somewhere where there's no weapons . Because in Jaina's case it's going to be more like yelling and screaming.

 

Absolutely gripping!!

I wanted to choke Jaina for walking away, but I know that I'd probably do the same thing in her position. Wonderful characterizations here... and I'm dying to know if Kyp's going to go after her! [face_hopeful]

Great update!!

~Celeste

 

Hello all!
I swear I haven't forgotten you or this mini-fic! This past week I started working full-time, which has proven good for my work productivity level, but bad for my fic-writing-productivity level. I will have the final post to this sucker up and running within the week - mark my word!

In the meantime, thank you all for your comments and support. You're a terrific group, and I'm so grateful for your thoughts and encouragement.

Individual responses and post number three will be forthcoming!

Cheers to you all,
-jun.