Beyond - Legends Unapologize [Jaina/Zekk - YJK AU - Vig]

Disclaimer: It?s George?s sandbox, I?m simply wrecking the sandcastles.
Disclaimer 2: "Unapologize" is sung by Carrie Underwood - just borrowing the premis of the lyrics

Title: Unapologize
Author: Jade_Max
Genre: Romance / Angst
Characters: Jaina / Zekk
Timeframe: YJK AU, Post "Jedi Siege"
Summary: Zekk let something slip he'd sworn he would never say...
Author's Note: It's been a long time since I revisited this couple in public, but I heard this song and couldn't resist. So... enjoy

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[i]I unapologize
I meant every word
Won't take back the way I feel about you
Can't unsay what you heard
'Cause you heard me right, and I won't try
To fight 'em back or hide my feelings for you
I unapologize
- Unapologize; Carrie Underwood[/i]


[b][u] Unapologize [/b][/u]

Sleeping didn't help.

Tossing and turning, Zekk struggled to find a comfortable position in the worn cot that was now his bunk on the ship he'd inherited, all the while trying to ignore the voice in the back of his mind. [i]Stupid! Stupid![/i] it kept chanting - and [i]not[/i] for the reasons most people would think considering everything he'd been through of late.

If any of the Jedi Masters - and he used the term loosely; only Luke Skywalker deserved that honor - could have read his thoughts just then they'd surely have assumed their natural direction. Meaning, he was regretting having attacked the Jedi Academy; of turning on his friends; of becoming the one thing Jedi strove to avoid above all else.

They'd have assumed he was regretting these things and more.

But they'd have been wrong.

No; his betrayal of his friends wasn't as raw as another of his now monumental mistakes - and he'd made quite a few. [i]This[/i] mistake was something that would cost him a precious commodity, one he hadn't been willing to risk before and one that he technically wasn't willing to risk now. One he wouldn't [i]be[/i] risking if he'd been able to keep his trap shut.

Except he'd made a promise to her and that promise was one that tore him apart now. After the battle at the Jedi Temple, his best girl - Jaina Solo - had extracted a promise that he never lie to her; and he had been able to keep that promise relatively well... until yesterday.

Yesterday had been a rare day; a day where he'd been able to spend with just her. A day that had been going so [i]perfectly[/i] he should have known it couldn't last. They'd spent the day in the under levels of Coruscant; Jaina had been home visiting and he'd been back to get some things he'd been forced to leave behind when he'd been taken by the Shadow Academy.

[i]She[/i] had found [i]him[/i].

Cornered him really.

Practically pinned him to the wall with that cheeky, sexy half-grin of hers before offering a challenge he couldn't refuse. That she'd no longer been angry with him over trying to kill her still floored him, but he'd gone. Never, not even as a Darkside Jedi, had he been able to resist her. He had a feeling that would never change. All Jaina had to do was flash that challenging, sexy half smile of hers and he was lost.

The day had started in the under levels and ended in one of the more well-to-do restaurants with Jaina taking advantage of her mother's standing account. They'd had a fabulous day simply enjoying one another's company and Zekk was reminded of the girl he'd known for so many years; a girl several years his junior and one he had [i]no[/i] business feeling the way he did about.

Yet, that hadn't stopped him from taking her home, cheekily dropping her on the open balcony of her parent's apartment and illegally parking the rented speeder just off the rail. Jaina had loved it. They'd stood there as night had begun, the [i]humm[/i] of the power cell in the parked speeder keeping them company as they talked.

Or rather, as [i]he'd[/i] talked and [i]she'd[/i] listened.

Unable to keep anything from her, he'd begun at the beginning with the insecurities that had left him vulnerable, his jealousy of her and her brother and their strength in the Force. He'd spoken o

 

I'll say one thing for Zekk: he has guts. And Jaina... sarcastic and accepting and loving all at once. Liked that.


Good story, Jade_Max.

 

Thanks Daena! I had fun with this...

 

This was really nice. I liked seeing Jaina's softer side here.

But still...poor Zekk.

I feel sorry him. But at least he still has his best friend.

 

Aw, poor Zekk. Took guts to do that.

Lovely piece.

 

This was a nice reminder of the time when these two were (albeit well put together) confused kids. They wear it well.

 

Lovely, and great showing Zekk's courage and stubbornness. You wrote their reactions both very well. Makes me wish Jaina would have reciprocated then for his bravery!

 

Ceillean ? Sometimes friendship is the best one can hope for ? and is better than what might have otherwise been. I think he?s stronger for having had Jaina as his friend ? and only his friend. Jaina?s softer side is harder to write, but before she became all jaded and nuts (NJO and beyond) it came out more frequently. I loved the YJK books

FelsGoddess ? guts and more *grin* glad you enjoyed it!

Neo-Paladin ? Thanks! I wanted to go back to when they were well written and less complicated ? yet more? YJK is, I think, one of my favourite time periods because of it.

Luna_Nightshade ? Thank you; I wish Jaina would have reciprocated as well, but it wouldn?t have fit *sighs* even with the AU since I wrote it to ft into what was already there even if it was to the side and under column ?B?.