A Reason to Stay

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 2nd July 2014

Characters: Saidrene, J'ackt
Description: Saidrene tells Jenackt that she's leaving and his response surprises her
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 14 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Kapera

Saidrene

J'ackt

"We're leaving Dolphin Cove. Mom told me today." Saidrene said as she
sat beside of Jenackt at their usual rock by the dragons' feeding
pens.

He had been prepared to take a bite of one of the meatrolls they had
brought with him, but her words stopped him. He blinked and then
slowly put down the meatroll to stare at Saidrene with sharp eyes.

"What? Why?"

Saidrene sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest, "Mom accepted a
position at another Weyr. They apparently needed another gold, and
with Kapera here now... Well, she won't be needed here anymore, I
guess. She said I could stay here if I wanted...." She glanced
sideways at Jenackt, "But... I have always been with her and Kaibren,
as annoying as the little snot is... I think I would be homesick for
them if I stayed."

"She's needed here." Jenackt bit out. He took a breath and ran a hand
through his hair. "And you're wanted here." His jaw twitched. Faranth,
two people that he actually felt absolutely comfortable with and could
talk to (not to mention share a bed with), and they were both leaving.

The word 'wanted' made Saidrene's heart squeeze. Was she really? "I
mean, I could stay...." She trailed off.

Jenackt looked at her, eyes searching her face. "You could. I'd like
it if you stayed."

Saidrene felt her breath catch. This wasn't the smile that Jenackt had
learned to use like a tool, it was just blank sincerity on her face,
"Okay, then I will stay." Her lips curved up into a smile.

He exhaled slowly. "Good." Jenackt looked at her and was honest. "I'd
miss having you around."

"I would miss you too, Jenackt. You are mostly the only reason for me
to stay." Saidrene said honestly, wondering if perhaps her mother had
been wrong when she had said that things would never progress between
her and Jenackt. Had she done the wrong thing aborting the baby?
Should she tell him? She glanced at him, no, she couldn't tell him.

He finally flashed a smile, but it wasn't his charm smile, it was
simply one of relief. "I think that's the first time anyone's told me
that they'd miss me if I was gone."

Saidrene tilted her head, her long, inky black hair spilling over her
shoulder, "You are the closest, and only, friend that I have here at
Dolphin Cove." She had met some of the other female Candidates but
they all expressed some sort of archaic fear of Jenackt, because he
was Holdless, or they were so prudish that Saidrene couldn't stand to
be around them.

Jenackt tilted his head slightly. "I don't see why. You're gorgeous
and...happy. Plus, who your mom is, I figure people would be all over
you trying to get close."

"It is the opposite actually. People assume you are a spoiled brat or
that you receive special treatment because your mother is a
goldrider." Saidrene told him, and then bumped shoulders with him,
"But you don't care who my mother is, so I guess that is why we can be
friends."

"They don't know your mother then." He replied dryly. He couldn't
comment on not caring about who her mother was. It would have only
made things a bit awkward. "People aren't their parents." He snorted
softly, memories of his own father surfacing. He shook them off and
turned to her, lifting a hand to tap on her lower lip. "Stay with me
tonight? I'm going to tell your mother goodbye and then I'll be back."

Saidrene smiled, that telltale flutter exploding in her chest, "Okay."
She agreed with a nod.

**See, Mother, you _were_ wrong. Jenackt _does_ want me around.** She
thought to herself.

Last updated on the July 15th 2014

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A Reason to Stay