Shin didn't realize how exhausted she was from being out, stranded on some foreign planet and injured without proper care, to the point where she'd dozed off during her treatment she was receiving on the New Republic base. It wasn't until she sensed Sabine, who must have convinced Hera to let her explain things much later than the meeting they tried to call Sabine into, getting closer and closer until she cracked her eyes open again and tried to push away the tiredness behind them.

Sabine was leaning against the wall of the med center by the time Shin opened her eyes. Her arms were crossed in front of her, but she didn't seem upset—quite the opposite. "I'm glad to see you're awake, you look better than you did on the transport over here." Her voice was softer, perhaps because she knew how tired she'd been. "It took longer than expected speaking with Hera, or I'd have been here sooner—are you feeling better?"

Upon seeing Sabine with her own two eyes, Shin couldn't stand the way it made her feel—she'd never understood the term "butterflies in your stomach" a day in her life, but if she had to guess it's meaning beyond consuming real live butterflies and having them flutter around inside of you, this must have been it. "I got some good care and some good rest, I'd say I'm feeling much better... everything stings less, the medic said it was starting to look infected."

"I can only imagine, you learned the hard way that my medic skills are... not the best." Sabine said in a semi-joking tone, before approaching the bed she was still lying on—sitting right on the edge of it. "You'll be staying with me for awhile, so I hope you haven't gotten tired of me yet. I know I was *almost* beginning to enjoy your company."

Shin carefully sat up and looked at Sabine, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. "And I was *nearly* beginning to enjoy having you in my presence... so hopefully you don't do anything that makes me tired of you much quicker." She rambled on for a moment, not quite sure why she couldn't get these words out of her mouth.

Sabine felt the need to glance around the room—it was empty by now, considering they'd wanted to give her the chance to rest that she'd so clearly needed. "... I had a few things in mind, but I don't know if they'd make you tire of me." She turned back to look at her, her expression fairly unreadable. "Unless you think I should go for it anyways?"

Tilting her head, Shin seemed intrigued. She couldn't read Sabine at this moment... so she wondered what she could have been thinking or teasing her with. "I think you should. I mean—I promise I won't get tired of you since I have to stay beside you all this time..."

This action was quite the shock to Shin—but it wasn't unwelcome... she couldn't lie and pretend she hadn't thought about kissing Sabine for a long time, since after their first duel when she'd regretted hurting her. She carefully put her own hand on Sabine's shoulder before just looking at her upon pulling away, mouth slightly agape in wonder of the moment just shared.

Sabine looked at her for a *very* long time after the... kiss. She wondered what she'd just done—kissing a woman who by all means, she should be complete enemies with. But she... didn't see them that way. Even after their first encounter, Shin had worked her way into her thoughts somehow... and it had built up to this. "... Are you tired of me yet?" She finally managed to ask, her hand still unmoving from its spot, rested against her cheek.

Shin shook her head softly, moving her own hand up to Sabine's cheek. "No—not at all. If anything... this makes me less tired of you..." She hesitated for quite a moment, before leaning in a bit. "Do you mind if I- if *I* kiss *you*...?"

"Considering I just kissed you... I don't think you really needed to ask—but of course you can." She took that as a good sign... she still wanted to be around her. To kiss her *again*. Sabine leaned forward a bit more, since she didn't want Shin to move too much with her newly treated wound.

Shin allowed herself to kiss Sabine once again, this time letting the kiss last for a moment longer than the first. There was something kind of special about this moment, something they faded after a moment upon remembering how wrong this seemed... as she pulled away, Shin suddenly looked unsure compared to as in-awe as before. She knew nothing would be able to last... Sabine and Shin came from different worlds. What would happen when Baylan and Morgan came to find her...? What would happen if the New Republic never liked this thing between them? And she doubted Ahsoka, Sabine's own master in the force, would ever have an understanding for anything Sabine and Shin shared.

Sabine looked up at her, noticing how unsure she looked compared to before... and although she had her suspicions as to why, she still decided to ask. "... What's wrong, Shin? I mean... I could easily assume it's because we're... different. But I just... didn't really want to think about that. Because I... we... you. I care about you."

"I can't pretend that I don't care about you... I just... what if things would never work... Sabine, I'm here as a prisoner. Maybe if I wasn't a high security person wandering here, with a dark Jedi master and Heiress to the Empire looking for me as we speak... I wouldn't be so worried." Shin was honest with her, looking down a bit.

"... Right. I can't imagine that Ahsoka will be all too pleased with me about this either... but it's not like I've ever listened to her anyway." She tried to crack a smile, gently resting her hand on her chin, tilting her face up to her once again. "As far as you're concerned... I don't know what the Republic will say, and I'm sure Baylan and Morgan will find out eventually... but what do *you* want?"

Shin had no hesitation on the question Sabine asked her. "I want you—I. I want to *be* with you. I want to be with you so badly, I've never stopped thinking about you after our run-in on Lothal... I felt bad for what I did... I always have."

"I haven't stopped thinking about you either... although I was admittingly rather peeved at being stabbed, I have to admit... you held yourself well in combat. I found the whole thing impressive." Sabine gently reached for her hands. "If you want to stay here with me... then we'll figure it out. We always do. You can continue your mission to find Thrawn... but it'll be with me. On our terms."

Shin took her hands and gave them a light squeeze. "I want to... I want to stay with you... I will tell the Republic all I know, I will be honest... and I will help you find your friend."

"I'll be thankful to have you at my side for that—really. And if the Republic has any issue with it, they can take it up with *me*. I chose to bring you here... and I trust you. The others will come around." She squeezed her hands in return. "I mean that."

Shin kept her hands clasped into Sabine's before leaning into her, sighing softly in more of a content manner. "I appreciate you... and I adore you, Sabine... getting to know you better these past few days meant a lot, and it means a lot you're willing to take this chance... for us."

"I appreciate you too, Shin..." she slowly let go of her hands, just so she could wrap her arms around the woman, very gently pulling her closer. "I can't speak for everyone... but perhaps people will understand us...eventually."

She let herself close her eyes again, taking a deep breath. "If they want change in this galaxy, they'll open their minds to even the most of unlikely of couples..." Shin kept her head leaning against the other woman.

Coming in behind them was Hera, who unfortunately just couldn't push back the Republic's briefing with Sabine any further... but she was quiet, just wanting. There was something... sweet about this. It reminded her of... of her and Kanan once, growing into adulthood while learning their more feelings alongside the others.

Sabine almost let herself relax for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of holding her so close, her so gently... of course it was interrupted when she felt Hera behind them, sitting up more abruptly, letting go of Shin, although she didn't quite move away from her either. "Hera—I didn't hear you." She swallowed, but kept her resolve. She knew she'd seen enough... but it wasn't like they'd be able to hide it anyway. "Did you need me? Sorry for slipping away so soon, but I wanted to... check on her."

Hera kept a soft, understanding look on her face. She cared about Sabine as if she were a child of her own... obviously she would want to be able to get behind any choice Sabine made for her own life. "Don't apologize—really. I didn't mean to interrupt you both. I just couldn't hold back the rest of the New Republic for much longer and they insist on a briefing right now."

"Right, I get it. It's a troubling situation with tracking them down." She nodded in understanding, thankful for Hera trusting her enough not question anything. "Do they want both of us, or just me? Either way, she's probably capable of coming along by now... her wound is healing nicely."

"If Shin is able to come along then I'm sure no one would be opposed to it." Hera said very honestly.

Shin sat up a bit more. "I think it is for the best if I come along—I mean, I am assigned to stay with Sabine."

Hera couldn't hide her smile as she heard Shin speak up to her. "Then it's settled, you two can follow me."