Taking a deep breath, allowing the Force to flood her body again, Cyria held Sev's gaze and continued. "Sev, I don't want you to kill me. But I don't want to love someone who draws on the dark side. So I'm not running with you."

Sev just stared at her as Cyria forced herself to sit completely upright, using the Force to quell the pain in her head. He opened his mouth to speak but the sudden pounding of someone on the door prevented him.

"Malev! You here? Is it done?"

"Venom!" Sev hissed. He opened his hand and the lightsaber flew into his grasp. His response to the name of Malev showed he had taken on the name as well as the blood red lightsaber in his change of allegiances.

Cyria glanced at it, fear thumping at her heart, but she kept her expression calm. There is no death, there is only the Force.

Who knew I would look to the Code for comfort in a time like this?

"What do you want from me?" Sev demanded in a whisper, looking conflicted.

"You," Cyria said simply, and swung her legs out of bed, her boots landing firmly on the floor.

A crash reached their ears as the door was forced open and Sev stood, spinning to face the entrance into the bedroom as a man appeared. Tall, with jet black hair and black eyes, Venom gripped a glowing red lightsaber, his eyes finding Sev facing him.

"Why isn't she dead?" Venom asked in a cold voice. "I thought I warned you she should die, Malev. Or do I need to remind you what happens to those who go against the will of the dark side?"

Cyria held her breath. The Force would only help her for so long. Then she would succumb to the pain again and be unable to move or even just sit upright. She had to use what time she had wisely.

Sev didn't say anything, just stood with his finger hovering over the switch of his lightsaber. Venom cocked an eyebrow at him. "Well, Malev?"

Sev glanced at Cyria, his expression conflicted. His finger hit the ignition switch and the hum of his red blade joined that of Venom's.

The fear was washing over Cyria in typhoon waves, breaking against her defenses and threatening to drag her under. But she didn't move, just kept drawing on the Force as she pinned her eyes on Sev.

I should have run. Why did I think I could take a chance on him? I was wrong to love him, to think I could turn him back to the light. He joined the dark side to save his life. How is this moment any different?

A thought occurred to her. If I am to die, I will not die drowning in fear. There is no emotion, there is peace.

Peace. I'd like peace. The peace I felt with Sev was always nice. I want to die in that peace.

Sev lifted the lightsaber, Cyria felt immense calm wash over her as she rejected the fear, accepted her impending death, her coming departure into the Force, and the blade swung.

At Venom.

The Jedi Hunter brought his lightsaber up to block Sev's attack, taking a step back, and then they were dueling, moving furiously across the floor. Cyria stared at her would-be killer defending her from the dark sider, willingly forfeiting his own security, risking his own life, for her.

He hadn't been that far gone, after all.

The red blades whirled as they cut through the air, scorching walls and furniture as Sev and Venom fought in the small room. Cyria's breath came quick as she stood, the pain crashing against the bulwarks she had erected against it. She had limited time to make her move.

I could just run. I could run and hide and save myself.

Cyria inwardly snarled at the involuntary thought. No. What kind of Jedi am I? I can't leave Sev. I won't leave Sev.

She stood, casting a glance about the room. Where is it? Cyria felt the holster, still about her waist, but the blaster was absent. Did I lose it in the fall?

Then her eyes caught the glint of light on black metal from beside the door and saw the blaster sitting on the table right outside her room, where Sev must have placed it after carrying her inside.

Extending her hand, Cyria called on the Force to bring her the blaster. The weapon zipped across the room, narrowly avoiding the battling duo, and landed in her hand, gleaming and cool to the touch. She placed her finger gently on the trigger and turned toward Venom and Sev, knowing that she only had one shot, one chance to save the only man she had ever loved.

Cyria aimed the blaster in their direction, standing as still as stone, and closed her eyes momentarily, feeling the presence of the Force all around her. She had forgotten how good it felt, to feel calm and serene in the midst of chaos. There is no chaos, there is harmony. But Sev had given her the Force back, had given her a life worth living, a life with him. He had brought her, for a moment, peace.

Guide me. Guide me, direct my blaster.

Cyria felt the moment come, the split second ticking toward her, and pulled the trigger.

The red laser shot across the room, the sound of the discharge ricocheting off the walls. It came within a half second of killing Sev; by the time he moved across its path, the laser had already torn through Venom's forehead, instantly killing him.

The Jedi Hunter, eyes suddenly wide and vacant, swayed upright for the briefest of moments as Sev's lightsaber cut through his body, causing him to crumple to the floor, his lightsaber falling from his hand and hitting the floor.

Sev stared down at his former ally, his lightsaber powering down, as Cyria lowered her blaster. He then turned to her, breathing heavily from the exertion, but didn't make a move.

Cyria was the one to move, running and flinging her arms around his neck, burying her face in his tunic. Sev then wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I wasn't going to let him kill you."

"You've still got the Code in you," Cyria said, looking up at him. "Turns out we both do."

Sev laughed grimly. "But what now?"

Cyria glanced at Venom's body. "We go to the Outer Rim. We start over. But we never leave the path again. We never stray from the Jedi Code again."

"We are breaking the Code already," Sev said. "Jedi are not to love."

Cyria looked up at him. "You know, it's funny. I've been told my entire life that the Code says we're not to love, but where does it say that?"

Sev furrowed his brow. "It says plainly that there is no emotion, there is no passion."

Cyria smiled. "Yes.But with you, I only feel peace. And that, the Code allows."