He laughs. "You mean like the other night?"
"That was noisy." she smiled.
He smiled. "I thought we might want to actually hear each other tonight."
"Yes, that would be nice. So how was your talk with Lord Du'Cruet."
"It was interesting," he said. "Even enlightening. You're right, he is different from the man at the labs."
"So is everything all right now?"
He nods, looking somewhat bemused. "I don't know what I expected."
Octavia laughed. "He does take people off guard."
His brows furrowed. "He was more interested in you, I think."
"What do you mean?"
He sat back. "He said a few times that he only wants the best for you."
"Best for me?" Octavia questioned. "Why is he concerned about me?"
"I think he really cares about you."
She shook her head. "What did he tell you."
"He wanted to know what my intentions were." Tor shook his head.
Octavia choked on her drink. "He has no right to ask you that."
"He sounded like a concerned father."
"A ... concerned ...." Octavia's eyes widen. "That is one thing he'll never be."
"I said it's what he sounded like," Tor said, leaning toward her. "I didn't mean... you know. He's just concerned about you."
"Maybe, still I don't like him taking liberties."
"How is that a liberty?" he asked.
"You mentioned he asked you your intentions. Don't you think that is going a bit far?" Octavia asked
"I don't know," he said, picking up his glass. He looked into the wine, crimson droplets clinging to the bowl of the glass. "Would you ask something like that about a friend you were worried about?"
Octavia shook her head. "No, I guess not. So what did you tell him?"
He smiled across the table at her. "That my intentions are honorable."
"Honorable, that's nice to know." Octavia smiled.
"And that I plan on making it more permanent in the future," he added, watching her.
Octavia sat her glass down and looked at Tor. "I ... knew from our earlier talk ..." she paused. "More permanent? You're sure?"
"Not right away," he said. "In the future. Maybe even the near future. I'm sure, Octavia."
Octavia looked at him as she thought on his words.
She reached for his hand and nodded. "When that day comes ... when we know ... I'd ..."Octavia couldn't believe how hard it was
"You'd..?" he asked.
Octavia leaned forward. "Be honored."
His smile lit up his face. "Are *you* sure?"
"I'm quite sure." she answered "As long as you don't feel like you are being pushed into this."
"I don't," he assured her. "I just don't want to make you feel rushed, either."
"Rushed?" she laughed. "I don't but are you certain about Lord Du'Cruet, he's the one asking the questions."
"You mean that he's pushing?" Tor chuckled. "No, I don't think he is. He might be acting protective of you, but I don't think he'd push one way or the other."
"I never saw anyone being protective of me." Octavia chuckled. "You were the first I think on Arridor."
He grimaced. "Not really, Octavia. I got you... well... it was my fault you were pegged as a Force user."
"You're fault how?"
He shifts in his seat. He thought she'd realized this. "When I took you out. Remember you said something about being bumped in the theater?"
She nodded. "It was all planned," she stated at last. "But that is in the past, you came to our aide."
An image of her, wounded, lying on the floor of the cave, flashes through his mind. He grimaces. "Almost too late. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I'd been too late."
Octavia looked at him. "The think is you weren't too late, and you helped us."
He reached across the table to her. She took his hand. "Can you tell me why we're across from each other?"
He blinked. "So we can look at each other when we talk?"
"Good reason. I just never understood it." she shook her head. "I mean it, you helped in the end, and you were doing your duty in the beginning as well."
"I thought I was," he said.
"Everyone can wrong once in their life Tor."
"I'll try to keep it to that being the only time I'm ever that wrong."
"Tor, no one is perfect, that is part of being human. Do you think the Jedi are infallible?"
"No," he said. "I know not even the Jedi are perfect."
"So, we can only do the best we can at a given moment."
He nodded.
"So, we were talking of the future."
"Our future," he stressed.
Octavia smiled. "Yes, our future. That sounds so strange."
"But you're okay with it, even if it sounds strange?"
Octavia laughed softly. "Yes, I'm okay with it." she paused. "I really care for you Tor and I've given you my pledge."
He smiled and raised his glass. "To our future."
Octavia followed suit "To our future."
He gently tapped his glass against hers, looking at her in the dim lighting of the restaurant.
"Where do we go from here?" he asked, them smiled at her. "I really haven't done this before."
"Like I have?" Octavia laughed. "I guess we go the way we have been and see what happens. I know I will miss you when you do leave."
"I'll miss you, too," he said. "We'll have to work at getting time together."
"I am certain it will be arranged, we must do our duty first."
"I know, Octavia."
"Did you ever see this happening?" she asked. "I mean falling in love with someone?"
"Yes and no," he said thoughtfully. "I always figured I'd end up marrying someone on Arridor, but I never really gave it much thought."
Octavia nodded. "Did you have an idea of the type you would marry?"
He nodded. "Someone soft and quiet," he chuckled.
"You know... boring."
"Someone of high upbringing?"
He nodded.
"Pretty much."
"You asked me once if our relationship would get me into trouble with the council, I answered you honestly. You never told me what type of trouble you could get into."
"I shouldn't get into any trouble," he said. "You're one of the 'good guys' that saved the labs. Besides..." he gave her a sad smile. "I'm not sure how anything is going to work once we get back home."
"That is one thing that no one can predict Tor." Octavia stated. "It's going to be hard on all of you."
"I know."
"I will be here for you Tor, just like I told you before. I will always be here."
"I know, Octavia, and I appreciate that." He reaches for her. "I want us to always be there for each other."
"And we will."
He smiled. "You know, on Arridor, it's customary to give someone you care for a token of how you feel."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slender box, wrapped in gold paper.
Octavia watched him with interest.
He held the box out to her. "This is for you," he said.
Octavia took the package and looked at Tor
"Open it," he urged.
Octavia swallowed and opened it staring at the bracelet that lay inside. Silver with small dark stones. "You ... didn't have to." She looked up at him. "It's lovely."
"I hope it fits," he said. "Put it on?"
"Yes, but I think I need help." Octavia took it out and handed it him.
He took it and stood to come around the table. He knelt next to her, holding the bracelet out between his hands.
Holding out her right hand to him, she watched as he put it on.
He fastened the bracelet, keeping his hands around her wrist for a moment. "There." He looked up at her.
"It fits perfectly." she leaned over and kissed him.
He leaned into the kiss, then pulled away reluctantly.
"I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"You didn't," he said. "But... we should take this someplace more private." He smiles up at her.
"I agree. Shall we leave?"
Tor got up to leave credits for their meal. "If you're ready, my Lady," he said with a smile.
"Yes, I'm ready."
He held his hand out to her.
Taking his hand, she rose to her feet. *So now I'm your lady as well as your Jedi,* she sent with a smile.
He grinned at her. "Aren't you?"
"That and more." she whispered.
"Oh?"
*I'm also a woman who realizes she's in love with you*.
He pulled her close. "I love you, Jedi." He smiles down at her.
She laughed. "So were do we go from here?"
"We could go for a walk or we could go back to the estate."
"I think I'd prefer the walk, it will give me time to clear my head, besides, if we go back now, I'm sure we'll both be cornered by Lord Du'Cruet and I prefer my time with you to be quiet."
He frowned. "Cornered by him? Why?"
"To talk, especially if he's curious." she laughed. "Nothing bad, Tor. I think we both have to realize and come to terms people will figure out there's something between us."
"Come to terms?" he asked. "Octavia, my men know. It's a little hard for them to miss."
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