The dance could not have been more perfect if he had planned it out.  The way she gazed into his eyes in the beginning was so beautiful he had absolutely no words to describe it.  It had been clear she was curious as to what he was doing, but she soon had given herself over to the Force and the dance so inspired by it.  With her head against his chest; Thal-ion was acutely aware of her warmth and body as they swayed together.  Every curve of her seemed to meld to him, and he felt as if he were truly enchanted more than he ever dared imagine was possible. This was even after their time resting together and kissing, but this...this moment was more powerful by far.  How such could be was beyond his reasoning, but it really didn't matter.  All that mattered was being with her in this perfect moment.  His own heart raced with her like this, and he was certainly aware of her own racing heart.  Such perfection had never been known to him, and he could neither stop blushing...nor wanted to stop.<br/><br/>Then, the dance stopped, and she was once more gazing into his eyes even as he was playing with her divine mane of hair ever so softly.  He supposed he was making it rather difficult for her to stand by her original decision, but her rebuke was less that and more teasing.  The rest of what transpired made him so warm inside...so attracted to her in ways he simply could not explain.  Alethea was confessing she wasn't strong enough for this, but to what was she referring to?  Was she referring to not being able to resist kissing him again?  Or was it more than that?  Perhaps she meant the overall potent emotions which were flooding them both at this very moment.  For the truth was, he was not sure he was strong enough to resist either.  Nor, in truth, did he wish to.  The memory of their shared kisses was not something so easily dismissed.  Though it was clear their affection for each other was more than the physical; there was still the draw of such to each other.<br/><br/>As if an echo of the voices she heard also came to him...though from her or from the same source was not something he knew, but the voices urged him to give in.  To kiss her, and why not!  After all, she had kissed him plenty of times, and he certainly desired to kiss her.  There was nothing wrong with sharing this raging inferno with one another...nothing at all.<br/><br/>Or...was there?  Was she willing?  Did she really want him to kiss her?  She had doubts...doubts which lingered inside her that this was right.  Part of it could have been her Jedi training - where emotions were suppose to be suppressed and even banished.  It could not be from her lack of desire to feel him kissing her.  Nervousness...yes, that was a true possibility.  Certainly, he was nervous, because this was still so new to him as it was to her.  He wanted to kiss her so badly...yes, even until they were both breathless.  Perhaps more than that...who could say what was to happen.  Perhaps that was the point.  Now was hardly the time to allow such fire to swarm them.  To do so when they were unsure of what was to come was foolish.  And...there was a sense...just a vague feeling...<br/><br/>Alethea needed him to be strong.  She needed him to be the one to put the brakes on before this went further.  Not from a lack of desire for him, but from understanding that once they started...it would be nearly impossible to stop.  When they knew an enemy was on the way...knowing there was trouble coming; now was hardly the time to allow this fire to sweep them up.  He gulped hard...gazing into her divine blue eyes, and he did not pull away.  Instead, Thal-ion leaned in to kiss her brow softly in understanding.  It was his way of showing her he knew now was not the right time...no matter how they felt.  There would be a time, and it was likely not far off, but in the immediate here and now...this was a bad idea.  He drew her close to him...the embrace of a man who loved a woman with all his heart, mind, and soul, and he shared his comprehension with her...shared and accepted this moment for what it was.  This was a time to learn more of each other, and a time to understand that what they were sharing was just the beginning.  He smiled with his eyes closed as he held her like this...wrapped in his embrace of warmth, comfort, understand, and the Force.  They would wait, and they would be the better for it.<br/><br/>The Force did whisper they had until the next day to move if they wished to help.  Nothing was going to happen before then...not for them to intercede in.  And so, Thal-ion held the woman he loved so deeply already, and played with her hair gently.  There was no need for them to go anywhere now.  They had today to rest...to relax...to be themselves with each other.  They had time, and he intended to give her that time.  Kissing was not the only thing they could do.  More to learn of each there was, and he preferred to do such while cuddling with her as they shared their thoughts of each other.  The need to talk was important; less either of them misread the other.  The Force may be all powerful and encompassing, but they were not.  With all the energy they had spent; it would be wise for them to simply rest and talk.<span style="font-style: italic">Sometimes</span>, Thal-ion thought to himself,<span style="font-style: italic">Jedi forget to simply relax and enjoy.</span><br/><br/>Thus, the young Jedi Sentinel finally lifted Alethea's eyes to his own...a single finger under her chin lightly.  "We have time to talk and rest, Alethea, and I would love to do so while we are in each others' arms," he confided in her.