Justice Never Pays

[James Justice]

James chuckled and let his aching body relax. He still hadn't slept off the run. Was waking up at midnight to take care of a psychotic woman on his list of favorite things to do? No, but damn his compassion. He couldn't help but do it. Skilled or not, able or not, he would try. That was what he did. Perhaps Leighlah was right. This woman needed help. He wasn't the right man for the job, but he was the only one around to do it, so he would do his best.

He delicately hoisted his leg on the bed to ease the throbbing. Even through the pain killers he could still feel it slightly. Besides, it was also about damage control; the less pressure on it, the sooner it would heal. He began working the kinks out of his neck as he listened. Her comment about him not knowing what he was able to do or being trained made him chuckle.

"Miss, if ye be implying that I can do that Saber-jockey sorcery stuff, ye got another thing coming," he said ironically denying the very thing that aided his persuasion and dynamic personality. "But I will tell ye what I am. I'm a man who has been down darkness and come back. I done things no one every should. I see things that shun't be seen. And if I can't help ye, I know those who can," the irony of the moment was not lost on him. He was connected, well connected. However those he knew who could help her, were far out of his reach as he was stuck on this dirtball.

James leaned back, streching his arm across the headboard to ease the tension on his lower back. He could feel it beginning to threaten to spasm. Leighlah's request echoed in his ears vividly once more. Make me proud, Captain. Rescue her. A moment of silence settled on him. He would do this. For her.

"The question is," he said at last, "Not whether I can help ye, or what to. Its if ye want it or not."

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

"Never say never," she commented, sighing as she closed her eyes for a moment.

When was the last time she had relaxed like this? When was the last time her mind was her own and not shared by thousands of others? To damn long. The souls she held captive still resided in her petite form, but for the moment they remained contained.

"I imagine that I have seen and done more...I wiped my memories several years ago..." she explained, hands folded across her abdomen as she lay beside James. "The dreams were just that once...they've gotten worse and I imagine they will only escalate..." She huffed in amusement and cast amber orbs up at James, her eyes seeming to glow for a moment.

She made to say more, but suddenly the voices returned with a vengeance. They began speaking once more, all at once, and she gasped softly. Sitting up once more she rubbed her temples and grumbled beneath her breath, her eyes darkening. "I need answers...especially about them," she tapped her temple with two fingers, her easy smile gone and replaced with a dark expression. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Anara pulled her legs beneath her and turned her gaze to James once more; she'd made a rather important decision.

"Those thugs will be back...the leader isn't as dim as would be preferred, but...I imagine I can be of further aide, if you'd like."

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James nodded, listening. When she turned back to the darker side of things he tensed slightly. He had a nature that tended to help people relax, that put them at ease. He always had. During his time as a youngling growing up on his dad's tramp freighter the man had joked about how he kept James around because he was his lucky charm. Their poverty had proved it was anything but the case. He supposed his spell over her couldn't last forever.

James nodded in agreement. He needed help--and she did too, only in a different way. If he was going to make it off this rock, he knew he couldn't do it alone right now. And if he was going to help her, well she had to come along with. Funny how things worked out that way sometimes. He resisted the urge to hold her close to his chest and run his fingers through her scarlet hair, assuring her things would be alright. He wouldn't touch her, at least not yet. If things got worse, yes, until then his voice and natural charm would have to do.

"I cain't exactly say no," he said with a chuckle. His eyes flickered with impish mischief, "But I bet ye are keeping me around for other reasons. Like I be too gorgeous to let out of ye sight. And by far too charming for ye to do without," but for now, business. He raised his left arm, displaying a metallic bracelet on his wrist, it was glimmering with diodes, "See this? It have a direct link to me ship, but we be out of range. If ye can give me one of the old laser-based bandwidth relays I can amp the signal and get her up in the air and meet us here. Granted that beaut shooting its way out of there will attract a lot of attention so ye can kiss the farm life goodbye."

He smirked again, this time truly and genuinely amused, "But something tells me ye already have."

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

She snorted in amusement, molten orbs dancing with mirth as the corners of her lips curled upward slightly. The voices were back and while she loathed their presence, it was one she was sadly accustomed to. Her headache remained, but was beginning to dull thanks to the medicine. Shifting upon the bed to rest against her headboard once more she nodded in understanding.

"I never was much for such a quiet life...I don't think at least..." she shrugged lamely, eyes cutting over to James.

"And if I am keeping you around because you are so charming and handsome? What's stopping you from running off once I've helped you get your ship back?" she teased, not at all serious. James was an attractive man, but her mind wasn't in the right place to consider him as more than a friend.

Wait...When had they become friends? Was that even an appropriate label?

No...but Anara could accept that perhaps they were on the path to becoming friends; something she couldn't recall having had in quite some time.

Aggressively ignoring the continuous buzzing of the souls she held trapped Anara brushed a hand through her hair before allowing her head to fall back upon the dark wood of her headboard. "I likely have what you need on my ship...but you'll have to wait 'til morning...You need rest and I need to try and sleep," she murmured, frowning softly as she met his gaze once more.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James nodded in understanding. He had never been this far from a city this long and this cut off from the outside world. It felt so---entraping. He hated it.
"I ain't much for it neither," he admited. "Dad raised me on his junk freighter. Truth be told I ain't never even been camping," he chuckled sheepishly.

There were a lot of people who would have seen him as a less of a man because he hadn't ever commited the primal act of masculinity. He shrugged it off. He didn't care and didn't have time.

"What's keeping me," he half asked as he repeated. Well there were a lot of reasons actually. It was hard to know where to start. She must have really been cut off to not know him or what he was like. He was making a circus of the 'net almost daily now.

"I always help those who help me," he said softly in a gravely voice, battered by years of smoking. "Always. And I never been one to turn someone around who needs help. Ye need help," he said gently. "And I can help ye. If not me, people I know."

He shrugged. Sleep. Right.

"Well if ye be wanting sleep, frankly I ain't leavin' this room. Ye could've killed yeself if I ain't stepped in." the spacer gave a wry smile. "I ain't about to let ye skip out on me like that."

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

She laughed, full and loud. Holding her hand out she called her saber back to her without any effort, offering it up to him as her laughter died down. "I'm a Master...Killing myself with my own saber even if I wasn't fully aware of my surroundings isn't possible. This is an extension of myself..." Pausing she shifted away from him to store her saber upon the table beside her bed.

"You were in far more danger," she said seriously, her mirth vanishing as she turned back to him with a soft frown and creased brow. Worry was written in her gaze and whether Anara realized it or not she was more human in that moment than she had been in a long while.

"I could have killed you..." Frowning she ran her hand through her hair again before turning narrowed amber eyes on James. Did he really think he was that charming?

"I'm beginning to get the feeling that I'm going to regret helping you," she teased, shifting on the bed to give him ample room to join her.

She was to tired to argue against sharing her bed with a complete stranger and trusted that her recent saber show would deter him from misbehaving; if his health didn't keep him in line. "Lie down before I change my mind and force you to sleep on the floor, bum leg or not," she added as she settled in, exhaustion sweeping over her the moment her head hit her pillow.

Anara hadn't realized how tired she was, not until that moment.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James shook his head, "Come on, miss, it'd take a lot more than ye with one of ye saber-jockeyin' fits to kill me. I ain't invincible but I am so close its scary."

James' mouth shut abruptly. Those were the last words his dad had ever said to him. Now he was dead, beyond dead in some sand dune on Tatoowine. He didn't mean to quote it, he hadn't even realized it. Why did he say that?

He shook it out of his head when she teased and gave one of his winning smiles, "Come on, miss, ye know ye love me already."

He got comfortable, or as best he could on the narrow bed. It wasn't meant for two, and honestly he wasn't used to spending a night in a bed with a woman he wasn't supposed to touch. Most of the time they wanted him to touch him more. It was apparently a day of firsts for him. He didn't exactly like it but he wasn't about to let this woman go to sleep alone, especially when she had almost chopped her own head off with that devil weapon.

His eyes stared at the ceiling for quite sometime as he monitored her steady breathing get weaker and weaker as she rapidly fell into the clutches of sleep. James nodded satisfied and cast her a glance in the moon light. A very long glance. Yes, she was asleep. Very asleep. He hesitated a moment before reaching out a second and gently brushing her crimson hair. Sasha had hair like that.

The memory of his past lover sent a ripping of hell through his body. Fresh wounds of her disappearance tore through his body like it had just been yesterday. No, time hadn't made it better, it had only made it worse. He swallowed as a tear trickled down the side of his face. He swore he would never let another woman close again. Especially after Leighlah had died. Her death ripped through him even worse more than compounding the ache he already felt. Stronger streams of tears began to pour down the sides of his face.

He rolled over facing his side so Anara wouldn't see him as let the ocean of grief consume him. He had almost let this woman close too. Almost. He resolved not to, never too. Damn if she had only been content to just take his physicality and let it be at that. But no. She had wanted this. She had wanted to search the inside of him and bring all this up again. He couldn't--he woudln
t--be hurt again. He wouldn't let her in. And he would't let her see this.

At last, after some time, sleep consumed him into dark nothingness.

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

Anara slept and didn't dream; at least when she woke up she couldn't recall dreaming. It was nice and when she did finally stir it was to find that she'd slept later than usual, but she couldn't complain about all that. She was comfortable and relaxed, and easily could have drifted right back to sleep.

Inhaling deeply she snuggled against the warmth at her side, curling tighter against it as a soft smile curled her lips. A steady rhythm was lulling her back to sleep as she distantly wondered how long it had been since she'd slept so well. It seemed like years and she couldn't recall ever waking only to drift right back asleep.

She shifted with a happy mumble, but as the heavy numbness of sleep left her limbs Anara suddenly realized that she wasn't simply snuggled up in her thick blanket. She wasn't alone in her bed and she'd completely forgotten. All at once she was wide awake, amber orbs focusing in on the tired face of James as she lifted her head form his chest. Some part of her whispered that she ought to be angry. Quick to blame the blasted voices she stubbornly beat the very idea of anger down; waking up cuddled up to James was something she should have expected.

With her emotions somewhat in check she studied James face, the slowly lightening sky beyond her shuttered window making him look years older. He was still exhausted and so Anara slowly relaxed against him once more, closing her eyes as she attempted to go back to sleep. It wasn't an easy task, but his steady heart beat and...was that him she was smelling? She took a deep breath and received her answer, her small frame relaxing further against him. With his scent and heart beat Anara eventually drifted back to sleep.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

Warmth. Tenderness. As he slowly drifted from sleep to wakefuless in the blissful either that was between the two states of mind he could feel something curled on him and in his arms. He smiled, it felt so nice. He hadn't felt this nice since.

"Leighlah," he murmured as his fingers ran through her silky hair. A long lost blissful state washed over him and he half-waking planted a kiss on her forehead. In his mind he was back on Alderaan, in their apparent. It was the first day of his new job in the Mechant industry.

Poor girl, he thought softly, not opening his eyes, the night's pleasures must have worn her out. He held her close, his fingertips gently caressing her back. She felt--different. Then it came crashing down; Leighlah was dead. He wasn't on Alderaan anymore. He wasn't in merchanting. He was a privateer. He was on the otherside of the galaxy on some backwater rock, with someone who had a mental breakdown the night before.

The hellish reality began to set in once more, like it did every morning. He could hold it off--a little longer. He opened his eyes. Yes, there she was, the redhead Anara. Her eyes were closed, but he couldn't tell if she was really asleep or had been awoken by his little episode.

But she was warm.

She looked happy.

She was so cozy.

Stop it. Now, he told himself. Don't get attached. Not again, not another heartbreak. Not this time. Give her anything she wants just not your heart. Its too broken to stand anymore of this, you hurt so badly as it is, once more and it will be enough to kill you. But still........

He leaned in close to her ear and gently whispered, "Good morning, sunshine."

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

She'd fallen back into a light sleep, free of dreams, and would have been content to stay there longer. However, James' shifting brought her back to the waking world and though she was loathe to wake up his whispered words managed to bring a smile to her lips. "Hush," she mumbled against his clothed chest, her eyes still closed as she didn't attempt to untangle herself from him. "You need more rest," she added as she stretched lazily at his side.

She attempted to go back to sleep, but it was useless. James was awake and now so was she. With a sigh she shifted beside him, slowly untangling herself from him although she didn't pull away entirely. The voices were still quiet as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she glanced at her window to glimpse strong light streaming in from around the shutters.

"How is your leg feeling?" she questioned softly, still resting beside him as though it were perfectly normal to be curled up in bed together. "I haven't slept that good...in a long time," she admitted suddenly with a small smile, her eyes shifting up to his before she settled back into the bed at his side.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

Don't do this, every cell of his body screamed out. Don't do this you will get hurt. Push her away. Push her out don't for the gods sake do this.

But he couldn't. He just--couldn't.

He smiled and let his fingers run through her scarlet hair soothingly, "I tend to do that for women."

The confidence was overwhelming but honestly, there was no small truth in it. He had that affect on, well most people around him could agree. He was the balm to all wounds just by his presence. If he only knew that it was his innate force abilities that his subconscious drew on, then he might have denied it's existence a little less.

"Leg is," he checked it, "Not that bad. Not throbbing no more. Aches a little," he touched it, "Somewhat tender."

Now to other practical things, "Ye got food here? And caf? Ye will find I'm a man of many skills--cooking be one of them."

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

"Hmm...I assumed as much," she murmured, stretching further before slowly sitting up as she pulled free of him and the comfort of her bed. Laughing she slipped from bed and stretched more fully, hands carding through her hair as she shook the grogginess of sleep from her mind. Slowly the voices began to stir, as though they too were waking up. Their presence was expected, but she had wished they'd remained dormant a while longer.

"Of course I have all that...I'm a Sith, not a barbarian," she explained, plucking her robe down from the back of her door. Slipping it on it covered her up a bit more than her sleeping attire, but still the short garment stopped several inches above her knees. "I'll go to the barn while you cook then? Get what you need from my ship before those thugs return...I'm surprised they didn't come in the night," she murmured, speaking more to herself than to James as she slipped from the room.

Being so casual with the man didn't feel off to her, but then she wasn't accustomed to interacting with others nor having others care about her well being. It was strange, but the change was nice and was having a clear affect upon her.

Slipping from the cabin she moved across the lawn to the barn, a slight wave of her hand bringing her ship to life as she entered the old barn. The loading ramp lowered and Anara disappeared inside.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

"Ye are wrong on both accounts, ye are hella sexy," he bantered back.

He had unashamedly enjoyed watching her morning routine as she got up and slipped into her robe. In a moment he pushed himself out of the bed and limped to his own. His leg was still somewhat ginger to weight as he walked.

First things first; blaster, cigarettes, then breakfast. He strapped the weapon to his good leg and slipped into his boots. He added his sonic pistol in the leg of one and his vibro knife in the other. He never felt home without 'em.

Lighting up his smoke, james found his way into the kitchen. He looked at the stock. Hmmm, not bad. He grabbed a half a carton of eggs from the fridge, cheese, a few vegitables, some diced meat, and a few sausages. In the pantry he found her spices basic but sufficing.. He shook his head. Good thing he came along or she would have found herself lacking anything subststantial flavor-wise.

The spacer grabbed a pan and a bowl. After chopping bits of the veggies he mixed them in with the others, making an omelet and beginning to cook on the stovetop.

Wait... Was he..... Humming? He shook himself, how long had he been Doing that? He had to stop. He never hummed. Never. Not since--

He plated the first omelet for his hostess and turned to cook the next for himself.

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

With a small crate in hand Anara returned from her adventure in the barn, hopefully she'd gathered everything James needed. Still wearing her robe and night clothes she set the box down just inside the kitchen, stopping momentarily to enjoy the view of James' arse as he worked.

What? She was allowed, after all she was a hot blooded woman and she couldn't imagine him arguing against her looking.

The voices whispered that she should do more than look or even enjoy the man's company, but she ignored them, for once her mind far from Darkness. Clearing her throat she stepped further into the kitchen, her shoes not making a sound on the worn wood as she moved to pour herself a cup of caf. "I may simply keep you around to cook...It smells incredible," she commented, smiling slightly as she leaned against the counter by the sink, content to watch him for the moment.

"I've got what you need," she added, nodding toward the nearby crate, but she trusted that James wouldn't worry about rigging up what he needed to boost his bracelets signal until after they'd eaten. To do otherwise would just be rude.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James smiled back at her. Inside he could feel himself screaming out that he was doing it again. Screaming to stop. Screaming that he was--

He ran his hand along her back and gave a flirtatious wink, "Thanks gorgeous. I do other things amazingly as well."

Stop! Stop stop!! But he couldn't. He could feel himself falling and falling hard like he hadn't since he was a young boy. Part of him wanted it to stop; he knew at the end there would only be heartache. But it felt so good, better than anything had in so long. For once he didn't need alcohol in his system to even get out of bed. For once he didn't need to keep himself busy to hide the hurt he felt. Part of him wanted to throw Justice Shipping away, the outside worlds could burn. He didn't care right now.

He plated the next omelet and offered it to her, "Family receipe," then he burst out with a loud laugh, "Ok I lied, me da couldn't cook and I never met me mum. I made it on the fly. Enjoy."

He pulled a seat out for her. When she had sat he rummaged in the fridge pouring a glass of juice for her and one for himself.

At last he sat across from her and set the drinks down.

It didn't matter that this would be all over in a few minutes they could at least have this now. For all the breakfasts he never had with Leighlah, he could have this now. For once, and be truly happy for the first time in so long.

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

"I'm not much for cooking...I'd rather..." she stopped short and looked to be concentrating. Her comfort with him was putting the voices in her head on edge and they were gnawing away at her sanity with more vigor than normal.

Taking a deep breath she bowed her head for a moment, small hands curling into fists as she fought against the Darkness within her. Eventually the voices calmed, but they were still agitated, speaking all at once so that she couldn't understand what they desired. Chaos seemed to be all they were good for though. Swallowing she slowly lifted her head, her eyes a bit darker than normal as she brushed her bangs from her face before reaching for the juice he'd poured for her.

"Singing...I'd rather sing than do anything else," she murmured with some effort, her eyes fluttering closed again as she wrestled with herself.

When she opened her eyes next they were back to normal, but she was far from relaxed as she took the first bite of her omelet. "Oh...wow that's good...I've never much cared for these honestly...but this is really good," she admitted with a soft laugh, her other hand rising to rub at her temple.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James saw the inner struggle in Anara. He didn't know exactly what was going on but it was clear enough she was on the verge of another episode. He took a moment to observe to decide what to do next. He pursed his lips.

"Thanks, I'm glad ye like it," he said softly.

He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. He sent his pheramones towards her, projecting calm, gentleness, and peace. He didn't know what else to do. Someone who had book smarts would know how to heal her. A Jedi would know how to sooth her pain.

He didn't have much to offer except his kindness and caring. He couldn't send a fleet to blast her issues away. He couldn't flirt them away. He doubted drinking would help her. And there was nothing he could buy to fix it.

But he could try. And he could care. That had to count for something.

"I bet you sing beautifully," he said warmly, his eyes locked on hers.

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

As he pulled her hand from her temple Anara started slightly, surprised by his touch as well as the fact that he seemed to care. All at once the voices rose up in anger at his attempt to calm her, to ease the pain they were causing, but Anara didn't react to them. Instead she actually reacted to what he was doing, his latent Force abilities affecting her more than his actual pheromones. Sighing softly she relaxed her hand in his, her gaze slowly meeting his as the voices seemed to drift away.

"Maybe I'll sing for you after all this," she murmured, his dark eyes drawing her in.

Blinking she seemed to return from the abyss his eyes had pulled her into and she smiled softly, moving to continue eating her breakfast. "Sorry about...just now," she finally commented. "I'm not alone in here," she admitted quietly, indicating her head with her fork. "They have been more agitated since we met...but you've helped quiet them...Even I can't do that."

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James smiled, "I'd like to hear you sing."

He let his guard down for the moment, unknowlingly and unintentionally. The carefree and careless exterior was replaced for the man who really was inside; the man who couldn't bear to see people suffer. He took a moment to be pulled into her eyes and her need before eating as well.

He waved her apology away, looking up.

"Don't be," he said gently before swallowing his bite. "Ye are a good person. And I'll do whatever I can to help ye," he looked back at his plate of mostly eaten omelet. He didn't know why he cared so much for people. And more than that why others couldn't care less.

"Whatever I can do to help ye," he repeated soflty before attacking what was left of his omelet with his fork.

[member="Anara Valnor"]

 

[Anara Valnor]

"Later...Promise," she smiled softly, surprised to find that she was actually looking forward to leaving the planet with him. It had been so long since she'd truly enjoyed being around anyone; Anara had never realized how lonely she was.

"You are a foolish man, James, but perhaps that is not such a bad thing..." she admitted softly, her focus returning to her meal. "I hope you still feel the same after I've recovered some of my memories." Her honesty surprised her, but still she continued, losing herself in her thoughts as she slowly finished her breakfast.

"I've got a bad feeling about it..."

[member="James Justice"]