Raina's POV.
Raina walked into Luke's room at the medical center. He was sitting up and had just been checked out by the doctor.
The Twi'lek doctor smiled at Luke. "You'll be good as new in no time."
"Thanks." Luke smiled back.
The doctor passed by Raina on the way out.
"He'll be just fine."
Raina nodded. "Thank you."
The doctor smiled and exited.
Raina looked at Luke and smiled. He smiled back. She walked over to his bed.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Fine." He answered.
Raina sat on the edge of the bed.
"You had me pretty scared there." She told him.
Luke looked down. "You weren't the only one."
Raina watched as Luke stared at the blankets and cuddled with them.
"Raina. . .you proved yourself last night." He said.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
He looked up. "You chose your duty over your emotions. You chose to leave me and save Nima instead of risking the mission and saving me." Luke said.
Raina looked down. She didn't know what to say.
"I'm very proud of you." He said.
Raina looked up to see Luke smiling.
"Thank you."
"Because of what you did I have no choice, but to promote you to Jedi Knight." He announced.
Raina's eyes widened. "Jedi Knight?"
Luke nodded. Raina smiled widely and hugged him.
She laughed happily. "I can't believe it!" She exclaimed.
Luke laughed. "You deserve it."
Raina pulled away. "You know it wasn't easy to leave you right?" She asked.
Luke looked down and became serious.
"I know."
Raina looked down. "You know. . .what I said before I-"
"Don't. Don't apologize for that. If you do, it means I fought for nothing." Luke said.
"I don't understand." Raina said.
"After I was shot. . .I knew I wasn't going to make it. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of you waiting for me at the ship. And those last words you said to me." Luke admitted.
"Luke. . ." She began.
"Raina I love you with all my heart, but I'm not the Jedi I should be."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "I-I what are you saying?"
Luke sighed and took her hands in his. "Raina, after you become a Jedi Knight. . .I can't marry you."
Raina froze. They had never mentioned marriage although she had thought about it many times. Was he serious?
"But-but you said that after I became a Jedi. . .after I proved that I-"
"I know. I know what I said, but that was when I thought you were the one who wasn't strong, when in reality it was me." He said.
"That's not true! Your the strongest person I know!" Raina exclaimed.
"No. . .Raina I'm not. Everyday all I've wanted to do was to be with you and the only way I could keep myself from failing again was to stay away from you. And then on the mission at the first sign of danger the only thing I could think of was you and making sure you were safe." He admitted.
"Luke-"
He interrupted her. "No, Raina listen. Why do you think I was so careless as to leave my lightsaber exposed?" He asked.
Raina knew why, but didn't say anything.
"It was because, on the ship before we left, the only thing on my mind was keep Raina safe." He continued.
"That's why I forgot my poncho. And the reason why I got distracted was because all I could think about was you. I felt your destress when you came to the platform and didn't know how to get down. That's what distracted me."
"Luke, that could happen to anyone. . ."
"The only thing that kept me going after being shot was the thought of you waiting for me at the ship. That's why I made it back. Because of you. If you wouldn't have been there I don't even think I would have made it." Luke said.
Raina began to realize that he was completely serious. "Luke, you can't be serious. How long do we have to wait until you can be in a relationship with me?" She asked slightly angered.
"Raina that's just it. I've done a lot of meditation on this and. . .I feel that the Old Jedi Order was right."
"What?!" She exclaimed.
"Wait a minute. I don't think that all Jedi can't marry. I believe most can, but there are some. . ."
Raina felt tears come to her eyes. "Who can't." Raina spoke.
Luke nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"And your one of those few." She deduced.
Tears began to cloud her vision.
Luke nodded sadly.
Raina looked down fighting her tears, but failing.
"Raina I am so sorry. You should know that I want to be with you just as much as you want to be with me, but I worry that if I let myself. . .it may be a path that leads me to darkness." He said.
"Like my vision?" She asked crying.
Luke hesitated, but finally nodded. "Yes. Like your vision."
"But I thought you said you wouldn't turn to the dark side for me? And that I was the one who needed to become stronger." She reminded him as tears fell down her cheeks.
"I know, but as the months have gone by. . .,if it even possible, my love for you has grown. If you were to be taken from me. . .I don't know what I'd do. And if there was a way I could save you. . .I would be very tempted to do turn. Even more so if we were married. I don't know what would stop me from turning for you then."
Raina stared at him and tried to stop from crying. Her breathing was unsteady and rapid. His hand went to her cheek as he tried to wipe away her tears. She leaned against his hand and began crying again.
"I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted it to be this way."
Raina put her hands on his. She kissed his palm, and was surprised that he let her.
She looked back to him. "I love you. Please know that." He begged.
She remembered another time he had said the same thing.
"I don't want to loose you, Raina. I want you in my life, but I just- I can't be with you."
Raina sniffled and nodded. "I know. I understand. I just. . .I wish it wouldn't be so." She breathed.
Luke looked at her in sorrow.
"So do I, but it is."
He pulled his hands away from her face.
"I will always love you, Luke. I can't make my feelings disappear." She told him.
He nodded. "I know. And I will always love you." He said.
She could tell he was trying to be strong.
"We'll always be friends." She said.
"Best friends." Luke corrected her.
Raina nodded and leaned forward to hug him. The embraced one-another tightly. Almost as if they were worried the other would disappear. She and Luke sat there in silence for a long while.
Finally Raina pulled away.
"I should go. I need to contact Leia and let her know that the mission was successful." Raina said, getting up.
Luke nodded. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
Raina nodded emotionless. "See you."
When Raina got back to the ship she walked into the cockpit and curled up in the pilot seat. She looked out the widow at the night sky. She was finally going to get what she had always wanted. She was going to become a Jedi. Yet all she could think about was how she would never be able to be Luke's and he would never be her's.
Raina put her head on her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. She cried and cried for what seemed like hours. She soon heard a quiet beep and whistle. Raina looked up suddenly and saw Artoo in the doorway.
Raina sniffled. "Hey, Artoo."
The droid beeped a question.
"Yes, Luke's alright. He's going to be just fine. And I'm not crying." She answered trying to hide the fact form Luke's loyal little droid.
He came closer to her and beeped again.
"Fine. I'm crying, but It's not a big deal." She said.
Artoo whistled sadly, telling her she could talk to him about whatever was causing her to cry.
Raina smiled. "Thanks Artoo, but I don't know if I can tell you. With you being Luke's droid. . ."
Artoo quickly interrupted Raina.
"Are you sure you won't tell Luke?"
He beeped a positive response.
She sighed. "I just. . .I want to be with Luke so much. That's all I've ever wanted and now when I thought my dream had come true he tells me he can't be with me."
She let out a breathy laugh.
"It's like I'm not supposed to be happy. Or maybe Luke and I were never truly meant to be." She looked down sadly.
Artoo bumped her and whistled a few times.
"Thanks Artoo, but I'm afraid it's not that easy. Luke knows how I feel about him, but he still can't be with me. I understand his reasons. I just wish things could be different." She sighed.
Artoo beeped and whistled sadly.
It's okay, Artoo. I'll be alright. It will take some time, but I'll be okay."
Artoo came even closer to Raina and let her lay her head on his dome.