Two hours later, Anakin was sitting across from Tahiri at a tapcafe. Her cheeks were still bright from a flush and her body hunched slightly over the table. She lifted her cup of tea to her lips to take a slow sip from it.
She glanced up at Anakin. "I... I think I'm calming down now."
"You're exaggerating."
She shook her head. "No-I've always been kind of scared of stories about ghosts and other things like that... the Tusken Raiders who raised me used to tell one about a demon who welded a flaming sword and would slaughter entire tribes."
"You get scared too easily..."
She sighed and lowered her head a bit more.
A short while later, they were wandering aimlessly through the shopping district. Anakin pulled out his comlink once again, glancing at the chrono. He stopped and looked down at Tahiri. "Well, I need to head home now."
Tahiri nodded her head, looking around at the darkened streets.
Anakin paused for a moment, wondering if he should admit to what he was feeling. Finally he decided to do so. "I had fun today. Thank you, Tahiri."
Her head snapped up so she could look at him, a smile brightening her face again even as a blush tinted her cheeks. "I had fun today as well."
Anakin turned from her, waving at her over his shoulder. "See you."
She waved back. "Bye!"
Anakin started walking away. Then he heard the shuffle of Tahiri's step from behind him. He paused and turned to look at her. She stood a few paces behind him, a smile on her face. "See you."
She waved again, saying, "Bye."
He turned away again, continuing his walk home. Once again, he heard her footsteps. He growled under his breath slightly, and turned to look at her.
"Why are you following me?"
She sighed, and lowered her head, the smile falling from her face. "I'm scared of dark streets."
Anakin sighed, and then started walking again, taking a longer route home; one that would take him towards the spot where she usually left him. When they came to that spot he stopped and looked at her. "Is this okay?"
Her voice was soft and weak as she replied. "Mmhmm."
"Was that a 'yes' or an 'okay?'"
Without lifting her head, she muttered, "They're both the same."
"If you keep following me, you won't be able to make it home." After a moment, he added, "Should I walk you home?"
She sighed, shaking her head. "No, I'm fine. I'll get myself home."
Anakin frowned for a moment. "Are you really okay?"
She slowly nodded her head.
"Then I'll see you later, Tahiri."
She looked up at him. "Bye, Anakin." Then she turned from him and ran down the street.
Anakin watched her disappear around a corner. Where is she living at anyways, he wondered to himself.
Pushing the thought from his mind, he turned away and went home. When he arrived he found Mara, Jaina and Sannah sitting on the various couches. He paused to listen, and felt the shock reverberate through him as Sannah talked to the other two girls. He dropped into one of the chairs.
"You feel asleep?" he said, sounding both confused and angry at the same time.
"Yeah, during my interview. I fell asleep." Sannah replied. "I was sitting there, and my head kind of drooped... and then they told me I could go home."
"I can understand that," Jaina said, nodding her head slowly. "It's hard to stay awake when people will just go on and on."
Anakin glared at his sister. "You shouldn't be sympathizing with her."
Mara leaned forward in her chair. "Why don't I see if I can get you a job at the Temple? Maybe something in the crèche?"
Anakin and the girls' heads darted to look at Mara who was smiling happily. "Yeah... A report came across the wire about how the Temple needed some extra people helping out with the younglings."
As they watched, Mara pulled out her comlink and began talking softly into it. When she finished the conversation, she returned the comlink to her pocket and smiled at Sannah. "It's all set up."
Sannah dropped her head again, sighing slightly. "Kids, huh?"
Anakin smirked at her. "If you're just playing with kids, it should be fine."
Sannah looked at him for a moment, and then dropped her head again. "I wonder if I can do it."
Mara smiled at her, placing a hand on her thigh. "You can do it, Sannah."
Sannah just sighed once again.
------------------------------
Anakin stepped into the foyer of the Jedi Temple. He opened the bag he carried, looking at the various snack foods it contained and then sighed. "What am I doing?" He asked no one in particular.
Suddenly a large crash echoed throughout the Temple. Anakin's head snapped up, and he started running, heading towards the source of the sound. He ran past one of the classrooms, and skidding to a stop, noticed the desks strewn about. Tenel Ka stood in the middle of the room dressed in her leather armor, her chest heaving from exertion. Carefully, he stepped into the room.
"Tenel Ka? Are you okay?"
Between pants, she replied, "I'm fine."
"Demons again?"
She nodded her head sharply. Then glanced to the left and the right. After another moment, her posture relaxed and she lowered her sword, straightening her back as she began to stare out the window. "It's gone now."
"I see," Anakin replied and started looking around at the mess.
"Anakin?"
He looked at her.
"You don't have to come here. In fact you should stay closer to her."
Anakin frowned for a moment. "Sannah?"
Tenel Ka nodded her head.
He thought for a moment, and then said. "Yesterday you told me to be nice to her. What do you mean about that? Do you know something about Sannah?"
Her chin lifted higher for a moment. "I don't know anything. Just..." Her voice trailed off and the silence between them deepened.
Finally, Anakin broke it. "Just?"
She sighed and turned to face him. "She'll need you soon. More than anyone else." Then she dropped her gaze from his face. "I have that feeling."
"Just a feeling?"
She nodded and Anakin looked down, a frown coming to his face.
------------------------------------
Anakin walked into the apartment, nearly bumping into Jaina as he did so.
She looked at him. "You left again?"
"Yeah."
"Where did you go?"
He gave her a mischievous smile. "Hunting demons."
A confused expression flickered across her face. "What are 'demons?'"
Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."
"What?" The confused expression had settled firmly onto her face.
"How about, 'I'm searching for the answer to why I don't know?'"
Her eyebrows lifted. "That just makes it even more confusing."
"There are just things in this world that can't be understood," Anakin said with a grin as he walked past her towards his room. He dropped his jacket onto the bed, and grabbed his towel, heading towards the refresher. As he got closer, the door opened and Sannah stepped out. She paused and looked at him.
"Done already?" he asked her.
She nodded once quickly. "Yes, go ahead and hurry an get in."
Then she darted past him. He walked on into the refresher, an odd smell assaulting his nose. Sniffing, he stepped further into the refresher and glanced at the bathtub, finding it filled with Rycrit stew.
"Sannah!" He called out as loudly as he could.
He stormed from the refresher and found Sannah in her room, laying on her bed, her feet kicking as she read a holonovel. He picked her up and tossed her onto his shoulder. She began pounding on his back, screaming, "Let me down!"
Still stomping, he returned to the refresher and dropped Sannah to the tiled floor, pointing towards the tub. "What are you going to do with this much stew?"
Jaina appeared in the doorway, watching them. After a moment, she stepped around them and went to sit in front of the tub.
Sannah looked up at him, a defiant expression on her face. "Do you have proof it was me?"
"Who else would do something this stupid?" Anakin asked, knowing that his voice was rising.
Mara appeared in the doorway, watching Anakin and Sannah.
"I wouldn't do that," Sannah screamed back at him.
"I can't think of any other reason than your pranks," Anakin screamed.
Mara walked past them to stand beside Jaina, staring down at the tub filled with stew. Sannah replied, "I said, I wouldn't do that!"
"Sannah." Mara said her voice stern yet soft.
Anakin and Sannah stopped their yelling and both turned to face the Jedi Master. Once she had their attention, she continued. "You can't be wasting food like this."
Sannah's head dropped. "I'm sorry..."
Anakin straightened slightly. "Doing the same things over and over again. What are you thinking?"
"But..." she began and then her voice trailed off as she stared at the far wall, her eyes glazing over slightly.
Mara opened up the drain to the tub and then glanced over her shoulder. "It's got to drain, and then it needs to be cleaned."
Anakin looked at Mara for a moment, and then turned his attention back to Sannah. She knelt on the floor, her legs splayed out so that her butt rested firmly against the cold tiles. Her chin was tucked tight against her chest and tears lined her eyes. As he watched, one escaped and made a thin track down the side of her face.
In his mind, he could hear Tenel Ka's voice again, "She'll need you soon, more than anyone else."
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