A/N: I've gotten a couple reviews about my formatting for this story. This story is dialogue heavy and default formatting is pretty horrible. However, it is incorrect to start a new paragraph with every new speaker and it means I lose my genuine paragraph breaks. Please don't strain your eyes on my account; try hitting the 'B' up in the corner of the screen to enlarge the text. You can change the font as well.

As for the sheer number of reviews; wow. Thanks guys. This is the final part of this story. I'd like to write more in this pairing but I just need to finish the game again first; I want to try out more dialogue options with Atris. -D

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A week later Atris sought out Daric on the grassy slopes outside the academy. It was after the first batch of exams, and the majority of the students were outside, either dissecting their experiences or trying their best to forget them.

Daric was clowning around in a large group of his peers, walking around on his hands. Atris bit her lip as she watched the way his shirt fell around his head, exposing his lean, tanned torso. One of his friends gave him a shove and he overbalanced, his attempt to steady himself resulting in an undignified tumble into the grass. A Twi'lek girl, presumably the one who he was trying to impress, leapt to her feet and did a graceful series of back flips to the approving cheers of her audience.

Daric good-naturedly rebuffed the insults that were tossed his way by his friends, declaring loudly that at least he'd passed his exam and handstands weren't on the curriculum, and besides, he was cheated.
"Famous last words, Daric," he was reminded.

The talk died away as the students noticed Atris approach. Daric got to his feet as the other students nodded respectfully to her.
"Don't worry, I haven't got any extra work for you," she said.
"Do you have our results?" One of the more confident, or more worried, students asked. Atris shook her head.

Atris led them a little way from the other students, "I have to go to Dantooine-"
"Really? So I can go back to Dantooine for a while?"
Atris blinked in surprise, for she had expected him to be pleased to get a few days off, not ask if he could go too. "Well, yes, if you really want to."
"Oh excellent, thanks, Atris." He grinned at her and went back to his friends, cutting the conversation so abruptly Atris wondered if he expected her to change her mind.

It was only when she was in the midst of packing that Atris realized why he was so keen to go back. Revan. From what she understood the two had been close back on Dantooine, and it occurred to her for the first time that maybe that was why Daric was sent all the way to Corsucant to study under her.

Revan was a year or so older than Daric, and was a brilliant student. Her masters had high hopes for her; her devotion to helping others was often held up as an example to the other students. She had a certain disregard for the rules that Atris disapproved of, and Daric had been her shadow during the time Atris had taught them history on Dantooine. It now seemed more likely that Vrook had deliberately removed Daric from her influence.

Atris decided that there were important lessons for Daric to learn here, and so she had no problems with allowing him to accompany her to Dantooine. Aside from the obvious of course; they'd be in close contact for the duration of their trip. No, Atris decided, she'd resolved that. She was perfectly fine. Completely.

To Atris's relief, the trip was uneventful. Daric spent most of his time meditating, and they weren't the only passengers on board. When they arrived at Dantooine Atris went to talk to the other masters and Daric went off to look for his friends.

That evening Atris sat at the desk in her guest quarters and watched a news holodisc and wondered why she felt so uneasy about the galaxy. She had seen Daric briefly at dinner, and he hadn't looked terribly happy either. She sensed someone approach, and it took nearly no effort on her part to expand her awareness and identify Daric as her visitor.

She turned and the door opened just as Daric was raising his hand to knock.
"I can't sneak up on you, can I?"
"Were you intending to?"
"Well, no."
"What do you want to talk about, Daric? Revan?"
"Yeah, no. Well, kind of." He sat in a chair across from hers and she waited patiently while he collected his thoughts. "She's just so different now."
"It's called growing up; you may not know it, but you're different as well."
"Yeah, I know all that. But she and Malak- aww, I shouldn't even be talking to you."
"I'm honored that you came to me, and I won't betray your trust. I can't speak for Revan- it's been a long time since I last saw her, but the rules are there for a reason."
"You're not going to get her in trouble, are you?"
"I told you, no. She's not my student, you are. What seems so important when you're a teenager a few years later can be-"
"Silly?"
"You said it, not me."
"I still think the rules are stupid," he declared.
"Every padawan does," she said dryly. "The rules do get broken, and we know this. It's keeping the rule-breaking to a minimum that's important."
He heaved a sigh, "Well, Revan and I, we're friends now," he said, as if they had ever been anything else.
"I'm glad," she said understandingly, hiding her shock and shame at the relief she felt.
"I should go to bed." He stood, "Thank you, for listening I mean."
"That's what we're here for."

He paused in the doorway, "Have you ever been tempted to break the rules?"
"Everyone has," she replied.
"Did you?" His gaze was frighteningly direct, and serious.
"No." Not yet, she thought.
"Are you?"
"What?" She could feel her heart start to pound. He looked nervous but there was a determination in his stance. She could sense the need behind his words as the air between them thickened with meaning. She had to put an end to this; he had picked up on her feelings somehow. She was pulling together the phrases for a diplomatic denial when his gaze dropped and he smiled somewhat ruefully.
"I'm sorry; I ask too many personal questions."
"Yes, you do, rather." She was still too unsettled to sound angry; she just wanted him to go away. Now. "Goodnight Daric"
"Sleep well." He turned and was gone.

Atris put her head in her hands and tried to sort out just what had gone wrong. She couldn't help it; despite everything she felt elated that in some way he returned her feelings. It had made everything a million times more complicated, now it was likely she'd have to hurt him to end this …this thing, and yet it made her want to smile and sigh like a girl.

She didn't, of course. She used every meditation technique she could remember and calmed herself down. She was a Jedi Master, a teacher, the Keeper of Records, and for a surprising length of time, she remained just that.

Daric now only worked on his project every few days, as he was completing his tests. By unspoken agreement they kept their interactions to a minimum, but on the day before his final test that would mark him worthy to carry a lightsaber Daric came to turn in his project.

Atris thanked him, "Hopefully this will satisfy Master Vrook. He seems quite pleased with himself about how it all turned out."
"Shows what he knows," Daric said under his breath. Atris pretended not to hear him.
"You're a good student, and I have no doubt you'll make a fine Jedi. I wish you well on your final exam."
"Speaking of which..." He cocked his head to the side hopefully.
"No, I'm not going to tell you what it entails." She smiled, and for the first time since Dantooine she felt at ease in his presence.
"You can't give me a little clue as to what it's going to be?"
She laughed, "Sorry, that's against the rules." Mentioning the rules brewed an awkward silence between them.

After a moment's silence a slow smile spread across his face, "Say, do you want to fight? It'll be your last chance before I build my lightsaber."
"Owning a lightsaber won't make you a better fighter, you know."
"Is that a no?" His dark eyes glittered, his gaze challenging and direct.
"I'm not afraid of you." She pushed her chair back and stood. She was aware that she was playing with fire here, but some prideful part of her wanted to test herself. This was probably going to be the last time they would ever meet in the academy; it was her duty as a teacher to put an end to all of this, even if she had to beat it through his thick skull.

She wanted to see him fight one more time. She wanted him to lose, to prove to herself that she was stronger than him, that she could resist.

She wanted to dance with him.

They found an unoccupied training room and Atris quickly went back over all her lightsaber training in her head; it had been a while since she had experienced any combat.

Daric selected a double-bladed sword and did a quick warm-up. They slid into fighting stances and the battle began. He had youth and strength on his side, not to mention all the training he'd been doing recently. Atris found herself increasingly on the defensive, being forced back. She summoned her force powers and pushed.

The look of surprise on his face was comical as he landed sprawling on the training mat. He rolled out of the way of Atris's next swing and sprung to his feet.
"Hey, you didn't say we could use our powers!"
"I didn't say we couldn't, either," she replied.

The fight resumed on a more equal footing, for Atris resisted any mind tricks that Daric tried to play on her. They circled the ring, Atris waiting for the right moment to use the Force again, Daric trying to break through her defenses with aggressive attacks. An opening; his strong offensive style was tiring him faster than her defensive position. Atris pushed him back again and followed through without missing a beat.

Daric fell down and brought up his sword in a defensive move. Atris ended up on top of him, pushing down with her lightsaber with all her strength. They stayed like that for a few seconds, their breath rasping in their throats.
"You win," Daric said finally. When Atris released the pressure on his blade he tossed it away.

Atris switched off her lightsaber and let herself relax. "I think," she panted, "I'm a little out of practice. I should probably tell Master Kavar I need a refresher course."
"We could always do this again." Her eyes widened as his hands came up and gently wrapped around her upper arms. "Atris."
Her face heated up as she realized the position they were in. She looked down at her fingers splayed across his chest and shook her head.
"No, Daric," she choked out, "We are…student and master. This is beyond breaking the rules…this is, unfair. Fundamentally unfair."
"Okay." He let out the breath he'd been holding, "Okay," he repeated and he released his hold on her arms.

She was a bit surprised at his capitulation, but lost no time in rolling off him and getting to her feet. She smoothed her robes down awkwardly as he picked himself up off the floor.
"I'm sorry-" she began.
"Don't be," he said as he headed for the door, "we're only human after all."

She didn't see him again until his graduation. She was there with the other masters for the ceremony, although she didn't have to make a speech. His Jedi robes suited him well, and he wore them like he knew it. Someone had prevailed upon him to cut his hair, although she guessed it was still only a few weeks away from falling into his eyes again.

They were all so young and proud and hopeful, and Atris couldn't help but quietly share their joy. Still, she couldn't bring herself to quite meet his eyes.

Some of the more studious of her ex-students came up to her after the graduation to pay their respects. She appreciated it, although Master Kavar looked a little put-upon at the center of an enthusiastic bunch of young Jedi. She saw Daric in a group showing off their lightsabers. He had indeed graduated as a sentinel, but his double-blades glowed a brilliant orange. She guessed Revan had supplied the unusual crystal.

He didn't come up and talk to her. She felt relieved, to be honest, but she also felt a bit rejected as well. He seemed to have taken her refusal a lot better than she had. Maybe it hadn't meant much to him after all, she thought, ungrateful little- she indulged in a bit of unjustified irritation, just has she had all those…was it only months ago?

"You took your time."
Her breath caught in her throat. He was waiting for her, leaning against the wall near her door.
"Why are you looking so surprised?" he grinned. "We graduates owe it all to our teachers, the least we could do is thank them."
"So Master Vrook is getting a visit as well?" she asked, surprised by the lightness of her tone.
"I've already told him what I think of him," he said darkly.
"You didn't!"
He laughed, "No. I thought about it, but I restrained myself. I think he has a fair idea anyway."
"Well…" she trailed off, unsure what to say.
"Atris." He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her, "you are no longer my teacher."
She frowned at his approach, "Well, not officially-"
"Exactly. Although unofficially I wouldn't be adverse to learning some new things." His grin turned somewhat predatory.
"Look, Daric, I'm not quite sure what you-"

He kissed her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and bent his head to press his lips against hers. And she found herself kissing him back. He was everything she'd imagined; strong and sweet and dark. She wound her arms around his neck as he backed towards her door and she reflected that this had to be too good to last.

Like most things Atris thought, it turned out to be true.

End