Trading Secrets

[Anastasia Rade]

Dantooine
Burad Hills

Ana had been with "Ice" now for a few months. Things between them had been perfectly wonderful thus far and she cherished ever moment she spent with him. She hated being a part from him which had her rearranging her schedule to spend more time with the man she had grown to love.

Sighing happily she leaned her head against his shoulder as she snuggled up closer to him. They had spent the entire day exploring the forest below together. The couple now sat on top a hill where they could watch the suns set in the sky. The perfect end to another perfect day with him. Things couldn't get any better than sitting here with the one she loved.

Ana hadn't told him how she felt as of yet but she believed he knew through her actions. As one hand snaked behind his back the other reached for his hand to hold in her own.

It was clear to Ana that he was "the one." She pictured them having a family together one day and settling in her current cabin home or perhaps building a new dwelling all their own.

She knew where clone "Ice" came but not the original. Ana hadn't asked though as she didn't want to answer the same question back. She wished to share more of herself with him. It was high time she did.

"When I was a little girl I often wondered what it would be like to watch the sunset. It's beautiful and the perfect night for it." She paused as a light sigh escaped her lips. "I know I don't talk about my childhood a lot or at all really. It's because, I never had one. As far back as I can remember I have been a slave. Mainly to the Graug but I was passed off to Sith as well." She sighed lifting her head up slightly. " I count myself lucky for not only being to thrive on the outside but finding someone as special as you." She lightly smiled kissing him on the cheek. The past at the end of the day was the past and she didn't let it affect her future.

[member="Aaden Renolds"]

 

[Aaden Renolds]

'Ice' smiled, though he was slightly taken by surprise with her sudden retelling of her past. He could understand why she didn't want to talk about it. And though he would hopefully never know what it was like to be a slave, he could certainly imagine. The concept had always been a disgusting one for 'Ice'. Why, he even treated his droids like normal people rather than simply machines built to do his bidding. Hearing her relate such a closed off secret got him pondering about his secrets. After giving her a kiss on the cheek as well, he rested his forehead against hers, preferring to get lost in those beautiful blue eyes of hers instead of the sun setting in the distance.

A slight frown began to crease his brow as he realized she trusted him with her past, her heart, and even her love. True, the words had never actually been spoken. But the actions she constantly displayed gave evidence of a strong caring woman. A woman that cared for him in a way that nobody had in a very long time. Yet despite all this, he hadn't even shared with her his actual name. 'Ice' let out a sigh as he withdrew his face from hers. He wanted to tell her everything. But when it came down to it, he found himself holding back. It had been secrets he had kept faithfully to himself for decades. There was almost nobody still alive that knew his name or race.

Would it really be so hard to have someone know? Surely she wouldn't turn him away for knowing what he was....right? It was then he decided it was time to finally share more of himself than he had let anyone know in a very long time. "And I you." He said wholeheartedly in response to her last comment. "And thank you for sharing that with me. I know it's been something you have held close. It's funny, I've actually been wanting to tell you more as well. You're the first person that I feel that I can actually trust with anything." He paused a moment allowing a smile to retake his expression. "My name is Aaden....Aaden Reynolds..." He finally added as he turned to face her. "It's not something I've ever spoken of....well, because there have always been people that have not taken kindly to me or my family because of what we are."

He fidgeted slightly, uneasy with the topic. But still he pressed forward. "You see...I'm uh, not what you think. There is much more to me than meets the eye. I'm not actually human...I'm what's called a Shi'ido. We are a race of shape shifters. Throughout our history most people tend to view us as nothing more than thieves, assassins, or worse. It's for this reason I have always been very secretive about who I really am. As most would simply have me hunted down like some wild Kath Hound." He shrugged his shoulders and braced for her reaction.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Trust as she well knew was a hard thing to come by yet it was a very easy thing to lose. She had trust issues stemming not only from her past but from a past relationship. It has been a short fling but had been very painful in the end. Since than she closed herself off again until Ice. She not only wanted to but Ana felt she could tell him anything and she wished to.

Ice she had found was a very closed off person which Ana could understand. She never pushed him to talk as the young had always firmly believed he would talk when ready. It warmed her heart hearing now that he wished to open up to her. Ana's hand lightly squeezed his as a little reassurance that he could trust her as he began.

The first secret wasn't too much of a surprise. She had guessed "Ice" was a code name but the reasoning behind it was something else. She had always known he was a clone but had figured him human or mostly human. Instead he was a completely different species. A species she was familiar with not only through text but from the past.

She couldn't blame him for keeping such a secret as there were those whom would use it against him. People whom would sell him to make a quick credit. Hearing his secret only made her love him more. He must really trust her to be baring her soul out to her like this.

As she thought about what he was further a few things that had boggled her were now cleared up. He could take the shape of whatever he wished and at times he did. Even the thought of it placed a smile on her face.

If he was a different species they wouldn't be able to have children. She waved the thought off however as she believed they could find a way. There was always a way.

Placing a hand lightly on his cheek Ana glazed up into his eyes as she spoke. "Thank you. I promise to guard your secret with my life. I love you Aaden." She stated before leaning in for a kiss.

She could call him that here but in the present of others he would be Ice. Ana would never betray the trust he placed in her.

[member="Aaden Renolds"]

 

[Aaden Renolds]

It was a strange thing to hear the sound of his actual name. But coming from her lips, it didn't make him nearly as uncomfortable as he thought it might. In fact it actually warmed his very soul to realize someone in this galaxy could know both those things and not care. That wasn't to say he would go around blabbing to everyone about who he was, but it was still nice. "I love you too." Aaden said honestly as he leaned in and returned her kiss happily. Now those three little words were even more surprisingly easy to say. He hadn't said them to anyone since he was a child, and even then it was his parents. Such a whirlwind of emotions he seemed to always feel when around the beauty next to him. But never in a bad way.

Another worried look began to spring up on his face though. He knew full well she wanted a family, but he also knew because of his race, he couldn't give that to her. He wanted to be with her he realized, more than just about anything. But he wanted her happiness more. If they were going to continue this quickly developing romance, she had to know what being with him would mean for her dreams. There were some things with nature that simply couldn't be overcome, or so he thought at that moment. "Ana, there is something else you should know." He paused as he cleared his throat trying to think of how to put this delicately as possible. Not truly a talent he possessed. Aaden, tended to be about as blunt as a brick. Ironically honesty was probably his best trait, not diplomacy. "Because I am what I am...well I know you said you wanted a family...that isn't really an option if you wish to stay with me."

As awkward as it was to talk about, if they were truly going to progress in their relationship, she needed to know what she was getting into. And Aaden knew that was a particularly fond goal for her.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

The thought of not being able to have a family with him had cross her mind but Ana had pushed it away. It wasn't something she wanted to think about. Not when these past few weeks she had been dreaming about such things. Little Aaden and Ana's running around the home. It made her smile just thinking about it.

It hurt to think she may not be able to have that with him. The galaxy was a cruel place allowing her to find the man she wanted to be with but not allowing them to have a family together. Hadn't they both been through enough?

Instead of allowing the dream to go up in flame she took a deep breath and lightly smiled at him as she kissed his cheek. There had to be another way and if not they could adopt. "I know we can't have a family the natural way but I believe that with all the scientific advancements and knowledge out there we can find a way. There are fertility treatment centers all over the galaxy. There has to be one whom can help us."

Ana hadn't done much research in the way of scientific advancements in the fertility field but she would now. She would ask her scientists on staff but didn't want to arose suspicion in anyway so this she would make her own pet project.

The thought than hit her that she had never asked if he wanted a family. Ana had assumed that he did otherwise he would have said something sooner. She knew searching for a solution would mean putting themselves out there.

"We can work on finding a solution together," she stated as her fingers intertwined with his. Her blue eyes were focused on his as she waited for a response.

[member="Aaden Renolds"]

 

[Aaden Renolds]

Her answer was both a relief and a concern. He was glad to hear she wasn't willing to just give up on him. Aaden wouldn't have necessarily blamed her, if it had meant that much to her. But still, it was nice to see she was willing to look into other options. Though what would happen he wondered, if they weren't able to find a way to make it work for them? They could perhaps adopt, but would that be something she would even care for? Would that be something he'd care for? There were many questions he simply couldn't answer at the present. Like her, the thought of having the sound of small feet running threw their home was one that made him smile.

Having his own cloning facilities, he was fairly versed on many different ways to bring a being into the galaxy. Technically speaking, it wouldn't be a challenge whatsoever for her to have a child that was at least half her. But then, he knew the other half wouldn't be him, and vice versa. It would be someone else. If they adopted, the child or children wouldn't have either of them at all. And a clone would be only either of them.

Then of course there was the depressing thought that if they did start a family together, he would live to see them all grow old and die. As sad as it was though, he had grown used to it. At his age, he had already outlived a few generations worth of friends, and associates. It would not be something that would deter him from starting a family of his own with her. How did the saying go? It was better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. With her, he actually found himself wanting this for the first time.

With that in mind, the only thing that was truly bothering him currently was that their children wouldn't have both of them within them. Maybe he was just over thinking this, perhaps even being a bit selfish...but was it really wrong to want their children to have a bit of both of them? Perhaps he would make this a pet project of his and get his cloning specialists on this. They were a little short on projects at the moment as he was still trying to acquire his next specimens for experimentation. These jumbled and almost incoherent thoughts ran through his mind in the blink of an eye as he gazed back into her eyes.

He finally nodded to her with a smile and gave her a kiss. Aaden wasn't sure if it was actually possible what they were trying to do, but he wouldn't burst her bubble any further yet, until he himself was certain it wasn't possible. "Aye." He replied genuinely. "We can indeed." With his two biggest secrets out in the open for her now, he found himself suddenly relieved of a heavy burden. He didn't have to be careful around her, which was something he had really hated doing of late. And he knew she would keep his secret. For now, he simply smiled widely and turned back to the beautiful sunset as it was just passing behind the distant hill and out of view.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

It was enough for now that he was willing to look into solutions with her. She wanted children that were a bit of both of them. Perhaps they could make a hybrid using each of their DNA mix it in a lab? There was this thing called In Vitro Fertilization. That could work? Ana was getting a head of herself though. She would for at least night just enjoy his company.

Age was another factor to consider about his species as they wouldn't grow old together. She wondered if there was a way she could combat that as well. These thoughts and ideas could all way till she got back to the lab.

Sighing happily she lightly kissed his cheek before leaning her head against his shoulders looking out onto the sunset. It really was a beautiful night and she was happy to be spending it with the man she loved.

"I have never watched the sun set before. It's beautiful."

[member="Aaden Renolds"]