[D7 LM] Home? Sweet... ugh... home?

[Alysele Cortess]

"I am fine Ni." Said Aly with more conviction than she felt. "You don't need to be worried. I can walk fine, the rest will heal." She put up the front perfectly. "Let's talk about you instead. How has your day been?" She said as they entered his room.

[Niall Organa]

"You're sure." Niall said again, a concerned frown on his handsome features. He glanced at her again. He'd offered to carry her things, let her lean on him, and had just stopped short of offering to carry her himself. Still, he offered her his hand, to guide her over to the couch.

"My day." Niall frowns for a moment, then sighs, giving her a wan smile. "Okay, Aly. But have you eaten? If you have, I imagine it was hospital food, and I know how that is. Let me order us something. And then, I can tell you about my day. Which, while it hasn't been quite as bad as yours, I fancy it comes rather close." He smiled at her. Even injured and unhappy, she was making him feel a bit better at least.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Yes, I am sure." It seemed old routines held her up for now.

"I had some.. paste. I don't know its exact name. Might be better actually." She put her meager stuff down.

"Yeah, something with taste sounds good." Her smile, her humor, it was... there, but barely. She frowned. "That doesn't sound good. Are you okay?" Her voice grew in concern.

[Niall Organa]

"Paste." Niall made a face. "Yes, we can do better than that. One nice thing about this compound being rather like an embassy is that the food is much better than the usual army fare." Rising, he made a quick call from his commconsole. And indeed, it is not long before a bland-faced private brought in two trays. The food is light, but flavorful, some sort of spiced bread and creamy porridge.

Niall sat back down, setting the trays in front of them. "But to answer your question, yes, I'm okay." He dipped his spoon in his porridge, lifted it to his lips, and then set it back down with a sigh. "The woman who was killed yesterday. That I couldn't save. The insurgents sent me her head in a damned box." His jaw clenched visibly, his shoulders growing tight.

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly practically attacked the porridge. "So good.... thorn seed porridge, never thought I'd say this." As Niall explained, she slowed down, and put her spoon down. Reaching out, she touched his shoulder. "Niall.. it wasn't your fault. You did everything you could." Somehow, the words rang in her mind as she thought of her own situation.

[Niall Organa]

Aly could feel Niall relax noticeably at her touch, the tension fading. He gave her another smile, still faint. "Yes. I know. Thank you, Aly." He sighed. After a moment, he picks up his spoon again, beginning to eat as well.

He pauses, though. "But it wasn't enough. I don't know. Would things have been better if I'd worked harder? Or if I'd let someone else step up instead?"

[Alysele Cortess]

"Niall... we don't know." She felt weird... empty, hollow. The words were coming out automatically at this point, and she lost control. "Don't think on the past. Think on the future. Dwelling won't help. Do better, next time! You'll be better, I know!"

[Niall Organa]

Niall blinked, briefly thrown off by the sudden rush of platitudes. He cling to the last one, though, the one that brought a smile to his face. "Okay." He said. "You're right. If only you had as much faith in my ability to not get shot." He took another bite, seeming reassured.

And yet, something about the way she'd said those reassurances bothered him. He glanced at her, his grey eyes gently concerned. "And what about you? Would you tell me about your day? And your last night?" His tone was light as he continued to eat, keeping his question casual, as though that could lessen the impact of it.

[Alysele Cortess]

"They always shoot the pretty ones first." She said half-heartedly, before dipping into the porridge again. "My day has been... fine. Yesterday, I..." she fell silent. "I fought against the nikto. Again. And lost. Again."

[Niall Organa]

"Oh." Niall said.

Part of being good with words was knowing when words would do no good. He knew how much Aly's confidence had been shaken the first time. He had an inkling this was even worse.

And so, Niall reached out. His hand found her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze for a few moments. If words were as useless now as he though, hopefully she could at least take some comfort from his touch, as he did from hers.

He resumed eating. "So, where do things stand now? With the Nikto. And with you."

[Alysele Cortess]

"Oh." Niall said.

Part of being good with words was knowing when words would do no good. He knew how much Aly's confidence had been shaken the first time. He had an inkling this was even worse.

And so, Niall reached out. His hand found her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze for a few moments. If words were as useless now as he though, hopefully she could at least take some comfort from his touch, as he did from hers.

He resumed eating. "So, where do things stand now? With the Nikto. And with you."

Aly looked down at his hand, extending her own to touch it, hold it. "Well, I'm not marrying him, that's for sure." She smiled ruefully, trying to power through it all. "The cult is dead, but he might live. A building collapsed but we didn't find the body."

She sighed, letting his hand go to eat some more. "It's... I failed Niall."

[Niall Organa]

Niall choked back unexpected laughter. "I should hope not." He murmured. "Especially since your husband to be would be missing, hopefully dead. Although I'm well acquainted with the wonders that kolto can do."

At her admission, Niall just nodded. He knew how useless it would be to argue. He ate a few moments longer before speaking. "And yet, life goes on. Which I am very glad for." He shot her a quick glance. "I know this is a difficult question... but what does this mean to you?"

[Alysele Cortess]

Niall choked back unexpected laughter. "I should hope not." He murmured. "Especially since your husband to be would be missing, hopefully dead. Although I'm well acquainted with the wonders that kolto can do."

At her admission, Niall just nodded. He knew how useless it would be to argue. He ate a few moments longer before speaking. "And yet, life goes on. Which I am very glad for." He shot her a quick glance. "I know this is a difficult question... but what does this mean to you?"

Aly laughed lightly. "Oh? What would be your recommendation for kolto? Room temperature, or?"

She was silent for a long, awkward time. Very long time. "I have no idea. I failed. IT was a situation I have been training for the last decade. And I lost. It was my strongest area, and I was weak." She put her spoon down, but continued to gaze at the porridge. "Maybe this means I am not good at what I have trained for. Perhaps, I need to do something else."

[Niall Organa]

"Ugh. Don't remind me. All my food tasted like kolto for weeks. And I recommend it slightly chilled." For this last, he exaggerated his upper-class Alderaanian accent, grinning at her.

Niall waited patiently for her to talk, his grey eyes soft as he looked at her. As she set down her spoon, he gently took her hand once more, holding it just like they'd used to do as children. "Maybe." Niall said, his tone uncertain. "I won't believe you're not good. That's just not the Aly I know. I would believe there are better. Garrick Lorne trained for a decade, and has been fighting for two after that. I don't think you've nearly peaked yet."

"But if you think something else might be better..." Niall spoke hesitantly. In truth, he wasn't sure the Jedi were the best fit for Aly. But he didn't know what else she might do. "Can I tell you about when I was shot? I mean... this time?" He asked suddenly, his hand coming up to touch the center of his chest.

[Alysele Cortess]

She laughed a little. "Perhaps. He is a master now... but he also has his regrets." She recalled her talk with him. "He is determined, that is for sure. I... am not sure I could become like him." All that machine, and steel, inside of her... a chill went up her spine.

Tilting her head, she was confused, but nodded along.

[Niall Organa]

Niall shook his head. "No, I don't think you should, either. I think you can be great in your own way. The Aly code." He smiled at the shared joke, but his tone was serious.

He sat back, still holding her hand. "Well. I always tell people that I don't remember when I was shot. But that's not true. I remember it all the time." He was silent a moment.

"It was all very sudden. The Imps were still out of range, or so I thought. And then, it felt like a heavy weight hit me in the chest, knocking me to the floor. And stayed on me, holding me there, no matter how much I wanted to move. And then, it was gone... but I didn't remember why I'd wanted to get up anymore."

He cleared his throat. "The shot stopped my heart. My sergeant managed to pull me back to the medics. But depending on your definition, I was dead for almost three minutes."

[Alysele Cortess]

Niall shook his head. "No, I don't think you should, either. I think you can be great in your own way. The Aly code." He smiled at the shared joke, but his tone was serious.

He sat back, still holding her hand. "Well. I always tell people that I don't remember when I was shot. But that's not true. I remember it all the time." He was silent a moment.

"It was all very sudden. The Imps were still out of range, or so I thought. And then, it felt like a heavy weight hit me in the chest, knocking me to the floor. And stayed on me, holding me there, no matter how much I wanted to move. And then, it was gone... but I didn't remember why I'd wanted to get up anymore."

He cleared his throat. "The shot stopped my heart. My sergeant managed to pull me back to the medics. But depending on your definition, I was dead for almost three minutes."

"Mhm. Still need to write that some day." She put her spoon away, and raised her hand to gently touch his chest as he spoke. "Niall." There was pain in her voice. "That's... scary." She leaned in to hug him. "Please be careful."

[Niall Organa]

"Mmm. Sorry." He returned her hug, his arms tightening around her. "It's a bit scary for me, too. That sergeant who dragged me off... I never got to thank him. He went back to the fight, and was killed." He was silent a few moments.

Then he smiled at her. "But it wasn't supposed to scare you. Look." He reached up, holding her hand to his chest. His heart beat steadily, tangible through his uniform shirt. "See? It still beats."

He held her hand there a moment, and then continued. "My point is, defeat, even unto death, didn't stop me. I know it won't stop you, either." He spoke firmly, with conviction. "Whether that means you becoming a Jedi master or... or whatever else you decide."

[Alysele Cortess]

2Well.... I'm not in a positive mood, but you're not helpin either." She smiled weakly, brushing his chest with her hand.

"Jedi master? Me?" She laughed. "I thought about it, but.... after yesterday, I don't feel I am cut out for this." She looked away.

"I am useless... a Jedi should be saving people. Doing things. And yet here I am, needing to be rescued."

[Niall Organa]

"Yes, you." Niall said. "As it happens, I think you would make an amazing Jedi master. I've thought that for a while." He looked down. "I've thought it ever since I came to terms with you being a Jedi. Which... took a few years, I'll admit."

He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "And everyone needs rescuing sometimes. Maybe if you stay a Jedi, the next time I need to be rescued, you can be there." He smiled at her, but his grey eyes were serious.

He sighed, pleasantly. "But I also trust you to know what's best for yourself. But if you do need me to help you, in any way, you know you can trust me to be there, right?"

[Alysele Cortess]

"Yes, you." Niall said. "As it happens, I think you would make an amazing Jedi master. I've thought that for a while." He looked down. "I've thought it ever since I came to terms with you being a Jedi. Which... took a few years, I'll admit."

He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "And everyone needs rescuing sometimes. Maybe if you stay a Jedi, the next time I need to be rescued, you can be there." He smiled at her, but his grey eyes were serious.

He sighed, pleasantly. "But I also trust you to know what's best for yourself. But if you do need me to help you, in any way, you know you can trust me to be there, right?"

"Oh? What makes you think that?" Her voice was full of curioisty. "Me too, don't worry." She extended a hand and caressed him. "I'd be always up to rescuing you. Hrm... of course, after that I assume I am going to get the obligatory kiss of gratitude."

She giggled. "Well... you have more trust in me than I have in myself at the moment. I... don't know what I want to do. Or at least, I'm not sure."

[Niall Organa]

The question brought Niall to a halt for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure." He said, truthfully. "But... even when we were children, I knew there was something special about you. I can't explain it. A feeling, I guess. But knowing you now, that feeling has gotten stronger, not weaker."

He leaned closer, his grey eyes sparkling. "Of course. In fact, let me express my gratitude in advance." He kissed her tenderly, his lips moving softly against hers.

As they separated, he smiled. "Well. Think about it. Make a choice on your own time. In the meantime, I'm glad you're okay." His tone was casual, but a flash of remembered fear was visible in his grey eyes.

[Alysele Cortess]

After the kiss, Aly leaned in to hug him. "I'm not easy to get rid of..." She smiled, and leaned back. "I wish I knew. I... just I don't think I am suited to this. Failing against the same opponent... it feels embarasing. And painful." She winced as she twisted her body.

[Niall Organa]

Niall is silent a moment, and then gives her a smile, his grey eyes strangely intent. "Can I hold you to that, Aly?" He asked. "I know where I'm headed next, more or less. But after this is all over-" He waved a hand around, "-I don't want to wait another ten years before I see you again. Jedi or not."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly's smile slowly faded away. "Niall.... I." She sighed. "I can promise I will do all in my power to meet with you as often as I can. Besides that... this... I cannot make promises. Whatever I decide, I will need to make sacrifices. Not the same sacrifices, but sacrifices nonetheless."