A Step Into The Dark | Cal Kestis AU

Chapter 8: Lacking

Eva held her promise, which was slightly disturbing to me.

A very large part of me was ready to move quickly, to draw my saber to prevent her escape.

But I never had to.

While we stood waiting for the elevator to go down the near two floors towards her block, Eva stood away from me as far as she could.

"You're quiet for once," I said, keeping my eyes up at the passing numbers.

I could feel her own piercing green eyes resting on me. "Do you want me to talk? Because I certainly can, Ginger."

A small part of me almost longed to hear her say something, to break the near awkward silence that now loomed. But the rational part knew my temper would snap rather quickly.

"No," I huffed a moment later. "There's no point in saying anything."

I glanced over at the girl in the corner of the elevator and saw a smirk resting on her lips.

"What are smirking at?"

Eva shook her head with a small laugh. "Nothing. You said there's no point in talking."

At that, I turned my full body towards her. "Tell me why you're laughing. There is absolutely nothing funny."

A small ding echoed in the tight space and Eva walked right past me into the hallway.

If there was one thing she had besides spunk, it was the audacity.

I quickly picked up my pace and followed her back to the room she had been placed in.

The stormtroopers watched in a sort of awe; it was as though Eva was leading me rather than vice versa.

She walked right into the holding cell where she had been less than an hour ago, completely on her on own.

I stood in the doorway, watching her movements which became limited as she leaned against the table where the glass of coloured water still sat.

At my expectant glance, she shook her head. "I'm not getting back in that chair, Cal. Say what you want, do whatever you want, but that was extremely uncomfortable and I hate being confined."

Eva seemed to think she ran the place, and I began to realise that I was being a near pushover.

"What do you propose I do, then, huh?" I scowled, noticing her face hadn't changed from that small resting smirk.

She shrugged. "You tell me. I just don't want to be in the chair."

"You don't get a choice."

Eva's expression still did not change. "Well I want one. Hey, I didn't run away did I? In fact I walked right back here. And something tells me you're reluctant." She cocked her head slightly.

Reluctant?

Noting my confusion, she continued on.

"You didn't try to stop me the entire way back here. You just let me walk ahead, why was that? You had all the opportunities in the galaxy to grab me and drag me back down here yourself. But you didn't. Why not, Ginger?"

I hesitated.

Because she was right. Why did I let her just lead me? She was the prisoner. I was in charge. Why did simply allow her to do as she pleased?

"Yeah, well that ends now. Get in the chair."

Eva did not moved, instead rolled her eyes. "That was cute. But no. And you didn't answer my question."

"I don't need to," I growled, taking a step forward. She didn't move. "You're not in charge here, Jedi."

"You're clearly not either."

I choked at her words and took a moment to compose myself, all the while she just stared at me. 

There wasn't anger, frustration, hate, anything of the sort anymore. Just a sense curiosity.

"Why do you hide it?" Eva questioned after a moment.

"Hide what? It's not like I'm going to tell you anything."

She shook her head briefly before sighing. "Your light."

I didn't have light.

Not anymore.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I scoffed, closing my eyes for a moment. It helped me think.

"Yes you do, at least you try to. You're not very good at it though," Eva retorted, coming to a full standing position. "I'm not stupid."

I rolled my eyes. "You must be if you think you rule the place."

"Yeah well, you don't. Isn't that the job of the Grand Inquisitor?" She asked, her voice softening to one of gentle interest.

I shrugged.  "Over the Inquisitors. But this is Lord Vader's fortress. I don't know why you care so much."

Eva looked ticked off with my continued hostility.

"Drop the act."

Act? What act?

"I don't know what you mean."

She narrowed her eyes and took a few steps towards me. "That's all you say. 'I don't know.' And you're calling me the dumb one. I told you to drop the act. It's just you and I, Ginger. So for the love of everything holy in me, drop the goddamn act."

Eva's sudden change in demeanor was frightening, to say the least. 

I backed up a few feet, my right hand now on my belt where my saber rested. "Stop it."

"Why don't you? Why do you keep up with the bitchy attitude? What do you gain from it besides white armoured idiots bowing at your feet?" Eva pressed, near pleading.

"'Bitchy?'" I snarled. "Don't you ever stop to think that you're the bitchy one? Hell, you never shut up. It's talk talk talk with you. I'm tired of it."

She crossed her arms, obviously not willing to move from her spot less than five feet away from me. "You used to be really talkative. You don't like talking because you don't want people to figure you out."

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with what she was saying.

The problem?

It was mostly true.

"I don't like talking because it's a waste of time. You'd be surprised how much you can accomplish with silence," I seethed, lifting her a foot off the ground with the Force.

"Thanks for the added height, Cal, at least we're on the same level now," Eva grinned. "Not so bad up here."

The frustration and irritation was building up, and I wasn't positive how long I could refrain from doing anything stupid.

"I know that this emo person isn't you," she said quietly, losing some of her bravado. "See, that's my gift. Like you can see echoes, I can see people. I can see things about them, who they really are. And I can see you."

My blood ran cold.

She knew. 

That meant that she knew. 

"You know I wouldn't tell anyone, right? I mean, I care, but it's not anyone else's business."

I dropped Eva to the floor.

"And it sure as hell isn't your business either," I whispered. "If you're so smart, you'll know that you better stay in here. I need to take care of something."

Eva didn't say anything, merely gave a small nod as I turned and left.

The lock on the door clicked behind me as I picked up the pace towards my quarters.

She knew.