He listened closely, finally getting the answer to the question he had in his mind all of these years. Why? She told him, in painful detail, bringing back memories of that night, and that morning. The fight they had, he ran through his mind. Every painful word, every gut-wrenching moment. She said she was selfish, but she wanted him to fight for her. Perhaps that was his undoing.<br/><br/>"I asked you to stay. When you left, I thought I got my answer," he told her simply. "I looked for you the next morning, to try and convince you--" he cut himself off. He wanted to tell her how he thought of her every day, how he had to meditate just to help forget her, how he wanted her to come back, and even thought of leaving at one point to look for her. His bags were packed, he was almost out of the temple, when his master convinced him to stay.<br/><br/>He lifted his head and looked at her, deep into her eyes. It was a familiar look, one steeped in heartache. They had shared said look many times in the past when training to be Jedi together. They would be as close as this, sometimes even closer, but never touching. He always wanted to lean in, and touch his lips on hers--but they were Jedi, and that was forbidden. They came painfully close one time, when they were trapped on Hoth--when his feelings really began to come out.<br/><br/>Now he looked at her, deep past her eyes. He swallowed hard trying to fight the urge to embrace her. He was a Jedi, he reminded himself.<span style="font-style: italic">There is no passion, there is serenity</span>he whispered in his mind. Still, he couldn't fight it. It was as if that moment in the tunnel had switched something on in him. He wanted this, and didn't want to fight it anymore.<br/><br/>He heard a lightsaber ignite, and Dren turned to look. A Zabrak emerged from the darkness, running full force. "Sith! What have you done to the others?!" Shiek ran at Dren and Aeris, as he lifted his blade.<br/><br/>"Sheik, wait!" Dren screamed, but the Zabrak, brash as always, lunged at her. Dren took out his lightsaber, stepped back, and blocked the blade.<br/><br/>With their lightsabers clashed, sizzling, Sheik turned to Dren with his mouth agape. "She has you under her spell too? Then it is too late for you," Sheik responded. So he swung at Dren--