HOME | DD

Description
Nate stood out on one of the balconies of the jedi temple on Coruscant, his hands resting on the railing as he stared out at the lights of the city. He hadn't said much to Naali when he'd dropped her off at home or to Verdin other then the fact that he was tired and would probably ask the temple if he could use a room for the night and then take off the next day for the Forest Moon of Endor.

He sighed softly. It was all a lie. He was perfectly rested, if not a bit more on edge then was normal for him. He simply needed time to think some things over in his mind. He ran a hand through his wild flame-hued hair, his head hanging in frustration as he struggled with his thoughts. He slipped off his flight jacket and tossed it over one broad shoulder. The cool night breeze felt good against the short-sleeved shirt he wore and he could not kick the strange feeling of being home again as he stood on the temple balcony. It had been a strange day indeed between his unexpected meeting with Verdin on Tortuga and the crazy adventure that had followed. It had felt good, like old times next to his old friend. Then when Verdin had called Naali and he'd seen her face once more...

He let out a sigh, interlacing his fingers together and leaning forward against the railing. He closed his eyes. He had thought if he left the academy, if he fell in love, married even, then the connection he shared with Naali would eventually just fade away. He was so very wrong. Just seeing her on the com screen had caused his breath to catch..and the way she'd said his name - yes, she was shocked to see him, but there had been something else in her voice as well. He gripped the railing once more, his eyes opening. He was probably just imagining the whole thing and why WAS he still on this planet? Was it because he needed time to think? He knew that was true, but he also wondered if it was because he might have a chance to see her again.

He shook his head to clear it. Perhaps a little late night meditation was in order, he thought to himself. Then he glanced down at his hand and turned it palm up, then closed it into a fist. He could feel the bit of darkness in him because of what he'd done earlier that night. Some meditation was definitely in order. He'd never felt like this and it couldn't be helping his train of thought. He sighed once more. He'd done the right thing, he kept telling himself..but what bothered him the most was that he had done so without forethought. He gripped the railing more tightly as he thought back upon that moment. When he'd heard that Caspian was attacking Naali, there had been no other thought in his mind except getting to her before she was hurt. He knew he'd pushed the speeder he had been driving more then he should have and when he'd almost reached her, it had started to malfunction. Verdin sped by him just as he saw Caspian bring Naali to her knees and proceed to raise his lightsaber to sever her head. He'd felt her pain through the connection they shared and had felt something within him give way.

He furrowed a brow as he thought back on what happened next. He'd acted with only one thought - to save her from harm. He'd summoned the force up inside him like he never had before and let it fly from his extended hand in the form of force lightning. Caspian was sent sprawling through the air and away from Naali. He could still hear Verdin's voice shouting out his name in shock for what he'd done. It had taken him a moment to gather himself back together as he knew he had acted in anger and desperation. He also knew he had gained a bit of darkness because of the power he'd used.

As Verdin dealt with the fallen Caspian, Nate had rushed to Naali's side and helped to heal her wounds. He wondered if she had felt the tremble he had tried to keep out of his hands. Then when they had stopped by Brett's bar, he had over stepped his bounds by asking her to dance. He thought he'd only done so to try and get her into a better mood, but he silently wondered if he'd had different motives...and BY THE FORCE, they'd been playing the FORBIDDEN DANCE when he'd asked.

He covered his face with his hands for a moment, feeling quite the fool. She'd looked at him without emotion (save perhaps a bit of shock) and had reminded him that he was married and besides, it was against the jedi code. What had he been thinking?!? When he'd given her a lift home, there had been nothing but silence between them and he'd felt horrible. She couldn't have missed the fact that he'd used force lightning and then he went and asked her to dance the forbidden dance with him..mind you, at the time he hadn't been paying that much attention to what song was playing and had simply wanted to dance, but how would she know that. He tried to convince himself of that fact as he shook his head and turned from the balcony. He decided then and there, that a trip to Brett's bar for a drink was in order and he would meditate this all away later. Afterall, he'd made a promise to his wife Adriane that he would give up his life as a jedi for her and as much as the force and this place called to him...he would have to figure out some way to suck it all up and move on.

He went to his room and quickly packed the few things he'd brought with him and turned in the key card to his room. He slung his old duffel bag over his shoulder and walked slowly out of the temple. Perhaps it was best if he just slept on his ship..at least there he wouldn't feel such a strong feeling of belonging. But first, a few drinks at Bretts were definitely in order.

Description
Nate stood out on one of the balconies of the jedi temple on Coruscant, his hands resting on the railing as he stared out at the lights of the city. He hadn't said much to Naali when he'd dropped her off at home or to Verdin other then the fact that he was tired and would probably ask the temple if he could use a room for the night and then take off the next day for the Forest Moon of Endor.

He sighed softly. It was all a lie. He was perfectly rested, if not a bit more on edge then was normal for him. He simply needed time to think some things over in his mind. He ran a hand through his wild flame-hued hair, his head hanging in frustration as he struggled with his thoughts. He slipped off his flight jacket and tossed it over one broad shoulder. The cool night breeze felt good against the short-sleeved shirt he wore and he could not kick the strange feeling of being home again as he stood on the temple balcony. It had been a strange day indeed between his unexpected meeting with Verdin on Tortuga and the crazy adventure that had followed. It had felt good, like old times next to his old friend. Then when Verdin had called Naali and he'd seen her face once more...

He let out a sigh, interlacing his fingers together and leaning forward against the railing. He closed his eyes. He had thought if he left the academy, if he fell in love, married even, then the connection he shared with Naali would eventually just fade away. He was so very wrong. Just seeing her on the com screen had caused his breath to catch..and the way she'd said his name - yes, she was shocked to see him, but there had been something else in her voice as well. He gripped the railing once more, his eyes opening. He was probably just imagining the whole thing and why WAS he still on this planet? Was it because he needed time to think? He knew that was true, but he also wondered if it was because he might have a chance to see her again.

He shook his head to clear it. Perhaps a little late night meditation was in order, he thought to himself. Then he glanced down at his hand and turned it palm up, then closed it into a fist. He could feel the bit of darkness in him because of what he'd done earlier that night. Some meditation was definitely in order. He'd never felt like this and it couldn't be helping his train of thought. He sighed once more. He'd done the right thing, he kept telling himself..but what bothered him the most was that he had done so without forethought. He gripped the railing more tightly as he thought back upon that moment. When he'd heard that Caspian was attacking Naali, there had been no other thought in his mind except getting to her before she was hurt. He knew he'd pushed the speeder he had been driving more then he should have and when he'd almost reached her, it had started to malfunction. Verdin sped by him just as he saw Caspian bring Naali to her knees and proceed to raise his lightsaber to sever her head. He'd felt her pain through the connection they shared and had felt something within him give way.

He furrowed a brow as he thought back on what happened next. He'd acted with only one thought - to save her from harm. He'd summoned the force up inside him like he never had before and let it fly from his extended hand in the form of force lightning. Caspian was sent sprawling through the air and away from Naali. He could still hear Verdin's voice shouting out his name in shock for what he'd done. It had taken him a moment to gather himself back together as he knew he had acted in anger and desperation. He also knew he had gained a bit of darkness because of the power he'd used.

As Verdin dealt with the fallen Caspian, Nate had rushed to Naali's side and helped to heal her wounds. He wondered if she had felt the tremble he had tried to keep out of his hands. Then when they had stopped by Brett's bar, he had over stepped his bounds by asking her to dance. He thought he'd only done so to try and get her into a better mood, but he silently wondered if he'd had different motives...and BY THE FORCE, they'd been playing the FORBIDDEN DANCE when he'd asked.

He covered his face with his hands for a moment, feeling quite the fool. She'd looked at him without emotion (save perhaps a bit of shock) and had reminded him that he was married and besides, it was against the jedi code. What had he been thinking?!? When he'd given her a lift home, there had been nothing but silence between them and he'd felt horrible. She couldn't have missed the fact that he'd used force lightning and then he went and asked her to dance the forbidden dance with him..mind you, at the time he hadn't been paying that much attention to what song was playing and had simply wanted to dance, but how would she know that. He tried to convince himself of that fact as he shook his head and turned from the balcony. He decided then and there, that a trip to Brett's bar for a drink was in order and he would meditate this all away later. Afterall, he'd made a promise to his wife Adriane that he would give up his life as a jedi for her and as much as the force and this place called to him...he would have to figure out some way to suck it all up and move on.

He went to his room and quickly packed the few things he'd brought with him and turned in the key card to his room. He slung his old duffel bag over his shoulder and walked slowly out of the temple. Perhaps it was best if he just slept on his ship..at least there he wouldn't feel such a strong feeling of belonging. But first, a few drinks at Bretts were definitely in order.