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Anakin stepped out of his room, and turned back to look into it. Sannah sat on the floor, staring up at him, fear etched onto her face. Mara sat beside her, worry on her face as she watched the younger girl.
Anakin lowered his eyes for a moment, and then returned his attention back to Sannah. "Sannah, I'll be going out for a little bit, all right?"
She didn't reply, just continued to look at him with those needy eyes of hers.
He sighed. "What do you say when someone leaves?"
She just made a small whimpering sound.
"It'll be fine, Anakin." Mara said from her place on the floor. "I'll be right here playing with her."
Anakin nodded. "Are you sure, Aunt Mara? You're busy after all."
She shook her head. "I'm positive. After all I'm the one that wants to do this."
He nodded his head once, and turned away, leaving the room behind. From back there, he could hear the murmur of Mara's voice as she began to softly talk to Sannah. He paused at the edge of the hallway, resting his head against the jamb for a moment, squeezing his eyes shut tight. It had been two days since Sannah announced that she wanted to marry him.
And in those two days she had just regressed, her breathing becoming more and more labored, as she became more and more childlike.
He exhaled and slowly took in a deep breath and then left the apartment.
Fifteen minutes later, he was leaning against the gate that led into the Jedi Temple, watching as the trainees slowly filter through it. For a second, an amused thought flickered through his mind at the fact that this was where Sannah so often waited for him. A thought that was quickly chased by a lightning bolt of pain. He grimaced and noticed that Ganner was walking out of the gate.
Anakin straightened, and then called out, "Ganner."
Ganner stopped in his tracks, and glanced towards Anakin, his face hardening slightly as he looked towards the younger Jedi.
A short time later, the two had settled at a table of a local cantina. Anakin sat across the table from Ganner, staring down into the steaming cup of caf he had sitting in front of him. Without looking up, he began speaking. "She doesn't talk anymore. She doesn't laugh or get angry. She's on the verge of losing anything like human emotions."
He took a sip of the caf, grimacing slightly at the bitter aftertaste. Then he continued, "Mara and Jaina are helping to take care of her, but she only opens up to me. Can you meet her?"
Again, he paused for a moment, his eyes flickered up from the caf to look at Ganner for a second, and then they returned to the dark liquid. "I know it'll be painful for you, but I think you can understand, and maybe reach her."
Ganner grimaced and slowly nodded his head.
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Sannah followed Anakin onto the elevator. The doors shut, and he turned to look out the window-wall, watching the sun as it settled towards the horizon. They stepped off at the ground floor, and he led her towards a park on the far side of the shopping district. A massive fountain sat in the center of the park, the babble of the water as it splashed back down into the pool making a comforting background noise.
Taking her hand in his, he led her past the fountain to a small bench off to the side where Ganner stood waiting.
They stopped a few paces from them, and Ganner nodded his head, and then said, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Ganner Rhysode."
Sannah looked away from him, cuddling up against Anakin instead, pressing her face into his shoulder.
"What's your name?" Ganner asked.
He waited for a moment, and then asked again. "Your name? You do have a name right?"
In response, Sannah just whimpered, and clung tighter to Anakin's shirt.
"Come here," Ganner demanded.
Sannah looked up at him, and then up at Anakin. He nodded his head once, and said, "Go on, go."
She looked up at him for a moment longer, and then took a hesitant step towards Ganner. For his part, Ganner walked towards her as she did so, and took one of her hands in his.
"It's all right," Ganner said softly.
Then Anakin could feel the Force as it flowed through them, and then Ganner was speaking again.
"What's your name? Try to remember."
"S... Sa..." Sannah stuttered out.
Ganner nodded his head. "What comes after the 'Sa'?"
"Sa...nah," she replied.
Anakin could feel his eyes widen. Happy at hearing her speak again, even though it had only been a few days since she had last spoken a word.
"Sannah," Ganner said. "Such a nice name."
"Sann.. ah."
Ganner nodded his head, and then pointed towards Anakin. "What's his name?"
Sannah's head swiveled to face Anakin, and he could see her brow crease as she thought.
Ganner spoke again, "He's the person you've been waiting for."
She whimpered again, and Ganner said, "Do your best."
She lifted a knuckle to her lips and chewed on it for a moment. Then she whispered, "Ah... Anatin..." She looked away from him for a moment, and then caught his eyes with her. "Ann... a... kin... Ankin... Anakin!"
Her face brightened with a smile, and she spun in a circle as she called out Anakin's name. Then she launched herself at him, wrapping him in a hug, and nuzzling her face against his chest.
Anakin's hands went around her of their own accord, and he let out a breath he wasn't aware that he was holding. "Sannah, you remembered."
After a minute, he looked up from Sannah towards Ganner, and frowned at the sorrow he saw on his face.
"Ganner?"
He shook his head. "It's only temporary. The Changing can be pushed back by force of will, but biology will have its way sooner or later."
Anakin nodded his head. "I understand. Thank you."
Ganner looked away from them. "If she gets a fever again, then that will probably be it. If she had something she wished for; then please try and grant it."
Anakin looked away from Ganner, staring down at the top of Sannah's head. Softly, he said, "What she wished for..."
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Anakin sat on the floor of his room, with his back leaned up against his bed. Sannah was stretched out beside him, holding one of her arms up, the other hand playing with the bells tied around her wrist. Anakin took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she continued to ring the small bells.
He looked down at her and said. "You should have asked for a better present that those."
She continued hitting the bells and Anakin sighed again.
A few moments later, he spoke once more. "Hey Sannah."
She looked up at him.
"What did you want to do? I know there's a lot of things you wanted to do, right?" He paused, hoping for her to speak again. "Anything you like, I'll do with you."
She just smiled at him and then returned her attention to the bells.
A few hours later, Anakin, Sannah, Mara and Jaina were walking down the street, heading towards the shopping district and one of the restaurants located there. Mara glanced over her shoulder, looking towards where Anakin and Sannah walked behind her. "Things like this are good for a change, you know."
Jaina's head bobbed in agreement. "Yeah, we've not gone out as a family for dinner in forever."
They went to one of the more upscale restaurants on Yavin. A small bistro that specialized in Commenorean food. The two hours they spent there flew past to Anakin. The warmth of family and Sannah's smiles helped his heavy heart. Seeing her active and smiling, made him happy.
As they left, Anakin nodded towards his aunt. "Thanks Aunt Mara."
She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's a pleasure."
He then glanced towards Sannah, saying, "That was fun, right Sannah?"
She nodded her head slowly, her eyes wide as she looked around the shopping district, as if this was the first time she had ever seen it.
Anakin looked around as well, and then pointed towards one of the holobooths. "Hey, let's do that next."
They crowded behind the curtain, Jaina muttering curses about having an image of her taken, and after a moment, he looked down and realized that Sannah was not in the booth with them. He stepped out, and looked around, finding her standing a few steps behind it, her hands clasped into fists tucked under her chin.
He held his hand out towards her. "Come on Sannah. You need to be in this picture as well. You don't have to just watch this time."
He noticed that Jaina had stepped out from behind the curtain, and that she nodded her head in agreement with him. "Hurry up, Sannah."
Mara ripped open the curtain, a scowl on her face. "Solo here has convinced me that I need a picture taken. So you better hurry up and get in here.
Anakin smiled as he watched Sannah's eyes flicker from one of them to the next, finally meeting his own gaze. He made a small "come here" gesture with his hand, and her face once more lightened with a smile and she rushed towards him.
They all then crowded in front of the camera, and with a few flashes of bright white light, the experience was over. A few minutes later, a small piece of flimsy slid into a pocket of the machine, displaying four still images of them. Anakin pulled it out and smiled at it for a moment, before showing it to Sannah.
He tucked the strip of pictures into a pocket and then they all began the walk home.
When they arrived, Mara grinned towards them, and said. "The night's still young, feel like doing something else?"
Jaina cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?"
Her grin grew larger, and she gestured towards the stairwell hidden at the opposite end of the hallway. "Take the stairs up to the roof. I'll be up in a few minutes."
Anakin glanced between his sister and Sannah as Mara went inside. Jaina shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the stairs. He took Sannah by the hand and followed her. They climbed the stairs and pushed open the heavy manual door and stepped out onto the roof.
Sannah rushed to the edge, grabbing hold of the chain link fence and looking out at the gas giant hanging large overhead, its glow giving a red-ember tinge to the black night sky, overawing the light of all but the brightest stars.
He followed her at a more sedate pace, and took up position behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders as she watched the clouds move across the face of Yavin.
The door behind them opened with a bang, and they all turned to see Mara stepping out carrying a bucket and around six metal rods about 30 centimeters in length. She walked over to them with a smile on her face and set the bucket down at their feet.
"I've been hiding these from Luke," she said. "He's such a Farmboy, and would use them all up within a day if I'd let him."
Anakin leaned closer to inspect one of the rods, noticing that he had been coated in something. "What is it?"
"It's a rod coated in aluminum and potassium nitrate. I picked them up on Agumar, they're called sparklers."
Jaina frowned. "What do they do?"
"Here, see." she replied as she picked one up, and pulled out a small lighter.
She flicked the lighter on, and touched the small flame to the sparkler. Sannah clapped and laughed as it ignited in a bright silver flame. Mara passed that one to Jaina and then pulled out another one, and held it to Sannah.
Sannah grinned as she took it from her.
Mara nodded her head. "If I'm reading that label right, this one contains strontium as well. Should give you a red flame."
She then touched the flame to the end, and the sparkler erupted into a bright red flame that spat and hissed. Sannah grinned and spun in a circle, twirling the sparkler around her, as her laughter reached up towards the heavens.
Anakin leaned back against the fence, and watched as Jaina and Sannah played with the sparklers, a happy smile on his face. After a while, he glanced towards his aunt. He caught her eyes, and smiled for her, mouthing the words, "Thank you," in her direction.
She nodded her head, and then turned her attention back to Sannah and Jaina.
As Anakin looked to Sannah, she paused in her twirling as her laughter suddenly died out. Frowning, he straightened up in his seat slightly, and his mouth dropped open in horror as her eyes rolled back up, until just the whites showed. He was moving before it even registered in his mind that she was falling, and arrived at her side just in time to catch her.
"Sannah!" he called out, hoping for, but not really expecting an answer.
He placed the back of his hand against her forehead, and felt the fever coursing through her skin.
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Anakin knelt beside the bed, watching as Sannah slept. Her breath came in small labored gasps, a compress was laid across her forehead and her cheeks were flushed with the fever. From behind him, he could feel Mara's and Jaina's worry flooding the Force. He reached out and grasped her hand, the bells attached to her wrist tinkling as he did so.
He laid his head down for a moment, and when he raised it again the lights were out, and the other two girls had gone.
The first rays of the dawn could be seen streaming through his bedroom window: A clean light which held the promise of a new day and a new life.
Yet, Anakin felt cheated by the sun's cheerful rays. He felt that it was making promises that it could not really keep. That despite how beautiful the sunrise was; it would always be followed by a sunset.
He dropped his head down again, and a few moments later felt a weak push against his hair. He lifted his head once more to find Sannah staring at him, her eyes wide and filled with fear as she made a small, inarticulate sound.
He leaned closer to her, and said, "Sannah, you're awake. How're you feeling?"
A smile flickered across her face.
"You did well," Anakin said. "Is there anything you want? Anything I can get you?"
He paused as she continued to smile at him, then he pressed a hand against her forehead and could still feel the fever burn there. He closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he opened them again. "I could go get you a meatrolll. Or something else."
She made another inarticulate sound.
He sighed in reply and lowered his head for a moment. "I know. You just wanted to be with me. Isn't that right."
Her lips curled slightly into a grin, and Anakin smiled at her in return.
"All right," he said. "I'll read a book to you."
Anakin stood up, and walked to the desk, grabbing the holonovel on top of the stack of them. He glanced at the title, a small smile twisting his lips as he returned to her bedside. "It's your favorite book."
"Don't go to sleep now," he said as he sat down beside her. "I'm going to read it to you now."
He activated the device, and began. "So, the story begins, 'Love always comes suddenly.'"
As he read, he remembered things. The first time he saw Sannah after his return. Her standing there in the middle of the shopping district a scowl on her face as she prepared to attack him. Then when she went to throw her first punch she tripped instead, falling against his chest.
He continued the story, and Ganner's words came to his mind. If she wished for anything, please try and grant it.
He neared the last few lines of dialogue.
"Understood. I'll definitely come back for you. At that time, let's become one. Let's get married."
Anakin turned off the device without finishing the final sentences. His back straightening as he turned to face Sannah. Another memory came; this one from just a few nights ago, when he was lying beside Sannah on the bed, and had just finished reading this very same book. He remembered how she had turned to face him, and announce that she wanted to get married. That she had wanted to marry him.
He laid a hand on top of hers, and smiled at her. "Let's get married, Sannah."
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Anakin guided Sannah into the living room where Mara sat, bouncing Ben on her leg. She looked up at them as they entered, a smile appearing on her face as she saw Sannah up and about.
"Sannah, so you woke up finally."
Anakin nodded his head. "Yeah, she woke up. But now we're going out for a bit."
Mara's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Are you sure that's a wise idea?"
Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows what's a wise idea anymore. She's changing into a fish remember."
He took Sannah's hand in his and walked out the door, letting out a sigh. He knew he shouldn't take his frustration out on his aunt, but found that he couldn't help himself. As the door closed, he could hear his aunt as she called out, "Take care..."
Then the sharp pain of sorrow and grief radiated through the Force before it was savagely cut off by her shields. Anakin exhaled slowly, and led Sannah onto the elevator.
They left the apartment building, and found Ganner standing out in front of it, a frown etched onto his face.
Anakin turned and began walking towards the Temple.
"Skipping class?" he said. "We're such the naughty ones."
Ganner snorted in amusement. "This is the least I can do. Besides, I'm a friend."
"I'm thinking of stopping by the Temple for a moment and then heading out to Yavin 8."
"I see," Ganner replied. "I think that's probably a good idea. I'm amazed she's actually able to still walk."
They walked on in silence, until they were standing outside the Temple. Ganner nodded his head once sharply. "Then, this is as far as I go."
"Yeah," Anakin replied. "Could you also tell Jaina that I'm out here and need to see her."
Ganner nodded his head and then turned to Sannah. "Sannah, let's play together again someday." He began to turn away. "Good bye."
And then he was gone; disappeared into the depths of the Temple.
Anakin knelt on the steps that led to the viewing platform that was on top of the Temple, and Sannah nestled herself against him. They waited a short while until Jaina came running out of the Temple.
"Sannah," she called out when she saw her with him. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah," Anakin replied. "She wanted to play with you."
"Well, it's lunch break right now, so I have the time." Jaina stepped closer towards them, and took Sannah by the hand. "So, what do you want to do?"
Anakin smiled happily as he watched the two girls dug in the sand around the play equipment which the crèche used for the smaller children. While they played, he slipped away for a few moments, and went down to the shopping district to buy a few things, quickly returning before Sannah noticed him missing.
All too soon, Jaina's time was up and she stood up, and turning away from them took a few steps away. She paused, and hung her head for a moment. Then she lifted it again, and turned back to face Sannah. "Sannah, when I come back, let's play again. There's just so many things I want to talk about with you."
Sannah gave her a large smile, and Jaina returned it and then turned away again, heading towards the Temple.
"Jaina!" Anakin called out.
She stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Thanks."
She shook her head, and then rubbed the palm of her hand against one eye. "Well, see you later."
Then she took off at a run into the temple itself.
He watched where she had disappeared for a moment and then headed towards the landing field. He grinned slightly as he saw the old Y-Wing settled onto the dirt patch. Artoo rolled up from the direction of the Temple, whistling a happy tune.
Anakin nodded his head, and patted the droid on the top of its dome. "Thanks, Artoo."
He climbed aboard, and then helped Sannah up, sitting her into the gunner's seat, making sure she was strapped in. He dropped into the pilot's seat and then activated the engines. A low thrum filled the cockpit as he fed power to the repulsors. Then the craft was lifting away, heading towards space.
And Yavin 8.
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Anakin broke through the atmosphere, the high clouds buffeting his ship with the turbulence of the thunderstorm he rode through. He piloted towards the Sistra Mountains on the strength of his memory alone, a small light in the darkness of his past.
The clouds finally parted, and he could make out the dim outline of the mountain home of the Melodie through the rain that still pelted the canopy of his ship, whipped almost vertically by the speed of his passage.
After what seemed forever, even the rain was left behind. Bright streams of sunshine beat down upon his ship and he banked slightly, heading towards the blue and green mountain in the distance. Flashes of the past assailed him, memories of coming here with Lyric, fighting the animals that tried to eat the Melodies, meeting and befriending Sannah.
A flash of blond hair and green eyes flickered across his mind, and he suddenly felt like he was suffocating. He could taste metallic river water in the back of his throat, could feel an almost overpowering urge to thrash about in his seat and escape the confines of the cockpit.
Sannah's small whimper of concern broke through his panic and his memories, dragging him back to the present and exactly what he was doing.
He gripped the control yoke tighter and banked the craft, heading towards the small clearing that he knew was just a few hundred meters from where the Changing took place. The landing went smoothly, and he popped the canopy, pushing it open and crawling out of the cockpit. Standing atop the craft he looked around, admiring the watery scent on the air. It took him a few minutes, but he finally recognized it as the same smell that always clung to Sannah. He reached back into the cockpit and grabbed the bag that sat next to the seat and then walked to the gunner's cockpit where Sannah sat.
He unhatched Sannah's canopy, and helped her out of the small space. With wide eyes, she looked around, a child-like expression of joy and wonder was affixed to her face. He smiled at her happily, content in the knowledge that she was happy to be home.
She tried to take a deep breath, but gagged on the air instead, doubling over with pain. Anakin quickly reached out and grabbed her and she leaned into his embrace. He brushed the hair away from the side of her face, and looked down to notice the bright red lines across her neck. They looked inflamed and infected and almost like the skin was about ready to break there on her neck.
Picking her up, he jumped down to the ground, and started carrying her towards the entrance of the shallow alcove cave he could see in the distance: the entrance to the Changing pool.
He finally sat her down onto her feet, and she took a few hesitant steps, until she was able to see the waters of the pool. She stared into the darkened waters, watching the algae as it floated across the water.
Then she turned and ran from it, going just a few meters until she fell, tripped by her legs as they tried to join.
Anakin rushed over to her side, and helped her to sit up. Tears ran down her face, and she looked up at Anakin. She then shook her head violently from side to side.
"You don't want to go into the pool," he asked. "But if you don't you'll die."
She opened her mouth and then closed it. She tried again to speak, but only a small squeak came out. Finally, she closed her eyes, and inhaled as deeply as she could and slowly let the breath out. She opened her eyes and then in a weak, hoarse voice, said, "Stay, Ankin."
Anakin nodded his head. "I know you want to stay with me, but I can't just let you die."
She turned her head away from him, as a sob shook her thin frame.
Anakin watched for a moment, and then opened the bag, pulling out a Corellian Bridal Veil. The flash of the white material attracted Sannah's attention and she turned towards him.
He smiled at her, and placed the veil atop her head, saying, "This is a Corellian Bridal Veil. I told you that we could get married, so that's what we're doing. Right here. Right now. I love you, Sannah. Will you love me in return?"
More tears ran down her face as she looked up at him and then slowly nodded her head. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, gently kissing her, trying to hold back his own tears, surprised at how hot and dry they felt.
He pulled back, and smiled down at her, just as her entire body convulsed. Then she went rigid, her back was arched, and her mouth snapped open into a silent scream.
"Sannah!" he called out, grabbing up her body, holding it close to his own.
Then just as fast as the attack came, it left, her body falling limp in his arms. He pushed her hair away from her neck, noticing that the gills on the side of her throat were fully opened now, and then he pressed two fingers against the artery that rain next to them.
"No!" he screamed as he could not feel a pulse.
He scooped her up, and ran towards the alcove and the Changing Pool. Around him, he could feel other Melodies watching him, but he ignored them. He arrived at the pool's edge and jumped in, submerging Sannah into the water.
"Sannah, please..." he said even as the tears streamed down his cheeks. "Please don't die."
Her body convulsed once again, snapping out of his arms and then sunk out of sight into the depths of the pool.
"No!" he screamed again, and dove under the water, kicking hard after her limp body. He swam deeper and deeper even as his lungs started to burn with the need to breathe.
Suddenly powerful arms grabbed him, and he could make out long, dark hair, bright eyes and the silver flash of a fish's tail. The tail pumped once in a powerful stroke, propelling them towards the surface.
The broke through the surface, and he sputtered a cough, as the Melodie helped him to shore.
He stood up and turned towards her, and recognized his old friend, Lyric.
"Why did you stop me?" He asked, a small part of him dismayed at the anger he could hear in his voice.
She shook her head sadly. "There is nothing down there for you, Anakin."
"Sannah's down there."
She dunked her head under the water for a moment, and then broke the surface once more. "That doesn't matter. The way she was sinking... Like I said, there is nothing down there for you. Go home."
Anakin watched his friend for a moment and then she dropped beneath the waters again. Turning from him, she quickly disappeared into its depths.
He dropped to his knees and slammed his fist against the rocky shore, even as the tears streamed down his face.
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Anakin walked into the apartment. Sitting on the couch were his aunt and sister. Their eyes rimmed with red, obviously crying. They looked up at him as he walked in, and he shook his head slowly.
Jaina looked away, breaking down into tears once more.
Mara started to get up and Anakin just turned away, he quickly went down the hall to his room.
Before he went into his own room, he looked down the hall towards the door to the room that Sannah had stayed in.
He stared at it for a moment, and then he opened his own door and felt a tear slice down his face as he walked into his empty room.
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It was breakfast. An uncomfortable silence had fallen over everyone, a tenseness that hung in the air, which no one could really name a reason for, but everyone seemed to recognize. Anakin stole furtive glances at Sannah where she sat across the table from him, watching her as she slowly ate her food.
Suddenly, Sannah's fork was rattling on the floor as she stared at her hand. With her voice low and filled with confusion, she stammered, "I, I dropped my fork."
Mara stood up, a frown flickering across her face. "I'll wash it for you."
Anakin watched as the Jedi Master walked around the table and bent over to pick up the young girl's fork. He then focused on Sannah again, noticing that she was still staring at her hand. As if by dropping the fork, it had suddenly become something alien and unknown. Slowly, she closed her hand and then opened it again, her yellow eyes never moving from her fingers.
Mara returned from the kitchen and held the fork out towards Sannah. "Here," she said.
Sannah took the fork, her focus shifting between the offending piece of cutlery and her own hand. "Thank you," she mumbled, not looking at Mara.
Mara spoke again, "Make sure you hold it right."
Sannah nodded her head, and went to spear a piece of sausage. As she did, the fork slid from her grasp again, clattering to her plate loudly. Hesitantly, she squeezed her hand into a fist a few times and began to chew on her lower lip.
From beside him, Jaina leaned forward against the table, concern etched into her eyes. "Are you sure you're all right Sannah?"
Sannah continued to stare at her hand, and slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm all right. Just a little clumsy today is all."
Anakin frowned and thought, she has no idea what's happening to her...
With that thought, Ganner's voice sounded in his head, her energy will waver and soon she'll stop being able to speak. It'll become harder for her to act human.
With his fork, Anakin pushed at the eggs on his plate for a moment longer. Excusing himself, he pushed back from the table and then stood up, silently walking away. He lowered his head, and frowned, worry over Sannah eating away at his peace of mind and his heart.
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Anakin stepped out of the building, glancing up towards the morning sun where it hung low in the east. The crisp, autumn air held a slight bite to it, not enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to let him know that winter was coming. He closed his eyes and stood there in the sun for a moment, letting its bright yellow light warm his face.
The door behind him opened and then shut and he turned to find Sannah standing there, bundled in a heavy jacket. Her arms were crossed over her chest, as she shivered slightly.
He arched an eyebrow in her direction and she shrugged, saying, "It's cold today."
Without saying anything, Anakin began walking towards the school and Sannah fell into step beside him.
They got a few steps down the street when Sannah spoke again, "It's cold today."
Anakin didn't reply, just continued walking.
"It's really cold today."
He sighed. "You keep saying that."
"That's because it's really, really cold today," she shot back.
He barked a short, sharp laugh. "I think you just don't like the cold."
"Yeah," she began slowly. "I like being warm." She then looked up at the sky, watching the clouds as she walked beside him. "When the spring comes... it'd be great if it was always spring."
Anakin nodded his head. "So, you like the spring."
She hopped a few steps out in front of him and then spun so that she faced him, a big grin on her face. "Yeah. I love the spring. If it was always spring time then I'd always be full of energy."
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Anakin glanced towards Master Horn who was writing arcane symbols on the board; they had something to do with hyperspacial physics but he wasn't entirely certain what. Neither was he interested in paying attention. Sighing, he glanced over at Jaina, noticing that she was trying, and failing, to stay awake in class.
He turned away and looked out the window, staring at the clouds as they floated across the sky.
All those years ago, he thought to himself. We were taking Lyric home. Ganner's Lyric. And one of the Melody kids helped me and... For a moment, bouncing blond curls and green eyes which shone with laughter flashed through his mind, but the glimpse was gone as quickly as it had appeared. She helped us save Lyric and helped us fight in the catacombs. We had her tested and then brought her with us. Oh, Sith. What did we do. What did I do? I brought her here; took her away from her home planet, and then... then... I just went home.
Anakin's frown deepened and he looked away from the window to face the board where Master Horn wrote. He didn't want to think the thoughts that were running through his head. A light sweat beaded up on his brow, and he ground his teeth.
Why, he asked of himself. Why did I leave?
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Anakin stepped out of the temple grounds, watching his feet as he walked slowly towards the main gates. As he neared, he heard a sharp inhale, something that sounded like a mixture of a laugh and a sigh of relief. He looked up to find Sannah peeking around the edge of the column at the edge of the gate.
Once she noticed that he was looking at her, she came around the corner, a bright smile shining on her face.
She stopped in front of him, and he reached out, placing his hand against her cheek, smiling as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
"Hey," he said to her.
Her eyes snapped open, their yellow tint shining with happiness. "So, are you going to buy me a meatroll today?"
He arched an eyebrow at her. "So, you want food again, huh?"
A mischievous smile settled onto her lips as she replied, "Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come all the way over here to get you."
A short while later, they were walking through the business district as Sannah happily ate her meatroll. She paused for a moment and then looked up at Anakin.
"So, if I ask for something, you'll buy it for me?"
Anakin laughed. "Yeah, why not."
She turned back to her meatroll and thought for a moment. Finally, she turned her attention back to him. "It's weird that you have so much money."
"That's because I don't waste my allowance the way you do."
Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and then she tossed her head around. They walked in silence for a few more steps.
"So," she began again. "I can ask for anything, right?"
He nodded his head. "Yes," he replied, even as he thought, Am I going to regret this?
She stopped and darted into a store. He followed behind her and she began rummaging through a pegboard filled with bracelets. Finding the one she wanted, she spun to face him, holding up her prize. Anakin looked closer, noticing the two silver bells attached to a thin piece of elastic. She raised it over her head, a bright grin on her face.
"This. This is what I want."
Nodding his head, Anakin went and bought it for her. He handed it to her, and she slipped it onto her wrist. They once more began walking through the district, her smile bright and happy as the bells tinkled with her every step.
They neared the holobooth, and she paused, watching the group of girls at it as they discussed the pictures they had just taken.
Anakin paused behind her, and looked over at what she was staring at. "If you want to join them," he said. "Why not go over and say something."
She spun towards him, an angry blush coloring her cheeks. "I wasn't thinking that!"
"You really are shy aren't you?" he asked. Then he looked up, thinking out loud. "Even around Jaina and Aunt Mara you don't really speak unless you're spoken to."
She turned away, her nose twisted up in thought. "Really?"
Anakin ignored her question, and continued thinking out loud. "Maybe we should all take a picture. After all, we're all living at the same place."
Sannah dropped her chin to her chest and closed her eyes. "I'm just a freeloader. You said so yourself."
Then she lifted her chin and began to walk away from him, the bells on her wrist tinkling.
---------------------------------
Anakin settled into his usual seat across from Sannah just as Jaina came into the dining area. She looked around and took a deep long inhale. She then turned towards her aunt, a smile crossing her lips in a flash.
"We're having thakitillo tonight!" She said, almost dancing with excitement.
Mara brought the final plate into the dining area from the kitchen, setting it down in front of Sannah. She looked at Jaina and nodded her head once in a quick affirmative. "That's right. And if memory serves, it'll be the first time that Sannah has had it."
Jaina sat down in the chair next to Sannah, the grin on her face growing larger as she smelled the steam coming from the plate in front of her. She glanced over at Sannah and said, "Aunt Mara's thakitillo is the best."
"Let's just eat," Mara replied with a smile.
Sannah dug her spoon into the green curds and Anakin watched happily as she shoved them into her mouth. As she did so, her eyes brightened, and a large smile appeared on her face. "This is good!"
--------------------------------
Anakin was in the refresher, arms crossed over his chest, and a stern expression on his face. Sannah stood in front of him, dressed in her pajamas. Her lips were twisted into a pout, and her brows were creased.
"You don't have to watch me," she said.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I know, but I'm going to anyways."
"I can brush my own teeth, you know."
He nodded his head. "I know. But lately you haven't been. Your toothbrush is always dry."
She sighed, hanging her head slightly. Then she picked up her toothbrush and the toothpaste. When she went to put the paste onto the brush, it slipped from her hand. Anakin reached out and grabbed it before it fell. After a moment, he handed it back to her.
"Hold onto it properly this time."
She sighed again. "I will."
She stuck the toothbrush into her mouth, and yanked it back out suddenly. "It's hot."
Anakin glanced at the label of the toothpaste. "It's cinnamon. What have you been brushing your teeth with? Just water?"
She shook her head slowly. "No," she began hesitantly. "It's... I just stopped being able to brush one day. I don't know why."
He took the brush from her, and nodded his head. "Well, you've gotta brush. So open your mouth."
She sighed again, and opened her mouth wide.
-----------------------------------
Anakin lay in his bed, facing the wall. He wanted to sleep, but worry and thoughts about Sannah constantly rolled through his head, ensuring that sleep was far away from him. Then he heard the near silent whoosh of his bedroom door opening.
"Anakin?" It was Sannah's voice calling out. Soft and hesitant.
He ignored it and about a half minute passed.
"Anakin," she began again. "Ikrit says he wants to sleep in here again tonight. Is that okay?"
Another half minute passed. "I asked, so I'm coming in. Okay?"
Then he heard the soft shuffle of her feet, followed quickly by the sound of the door closing. He rolled over to face her, and she let out a small yelp sound as her eyes popped open wide and her mouth dropped open in shock.
Finally, she seemed to recover her senses and said, "You were awake?"
He lifted one eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Are you sure it's not you that wants to sleep with me?"
She looked away from him and replied, "Don't say such gross things. Of course I don't want to sleep in the same bed as you."
He rolled back over facing the wall once more. "Do what you want."
"Hear that Ikrit? Isn't it great?"
Then she crawled into the bed with him, snuggling up against him.
He laid there, the metallic, watery scent that always surrounded her filling his nostrils even as her light snore reached his ears.
In the back of his head he could hear Ganner's words to him again; you've found yourself in the middle of a miracle. One, which by her very nature cannot last.
He sighed and sat up. Carefully, he got out of bed. Once he was standing again, he checked to make sure that she was still sleeping and then left the room. He stared out the window of the elevator as he rode down it. The doors slid open and a ping noise echoed through the small space. Mechanically, he stepped out and left the building to begin wandering aimlessly around the town.
Before he knew it, he found himself hiking up the path to the Temple of the Blueleaf Cluster. As he crested the ridge, he looked towards the darkened entryway into the temple itself.
Why am I here, he wondered. It's not like coming here will give me any answers. It won't help me understand anything.
He stared at the entrance and a strong wind whipped through his hair, tugging at his clothes. Then he heard the soft tinkling of bells from behind him. Slowly, he turned to find Sannah standing a dozen or so paces away from him, one hand holding a jacket closed against the wind. Fear and worry shone in her eyes.
"Were you following me?" he asked.
"You left without saying anything to me," she replied. "I was worried that you might leave me alone again." Surprise etched itself onto her face, her eyes widening as she realized what she had just said. "Leave me alone... again..."
She lowered her head slightly, the hand holding the jacket closed, pulling the cloth tighter. "I feel like this happened before. A long time ago. That I was left all alone, deserted..." Her body trembled slightly and Anakin saw a tear appear at the corner of one of her eyes. "I looked everywhere for you, and couldn't find you."
He watched as the tear slid down her face, running a shining path down her cheek.
She began speaking again. "I stopped looking here. At this spot. I... used to..."
As she spoke, he noticed the light in her eyes dimming. Suddenly scared, he started running towards her. "No!" he called out. "Don't try to remember." He stopped in front of her and wrapped her in his arms. "D... don't try to remember. You don't have to remember. You're just a human girl named Sannah. Right?"
The tension left her body as she leaned into his embrace, laying her head onto his shoulder. "Yeah... that's right."
He hugged her tighter. "You're cold, right? Let's go home."
"Okay," she replied as her arms wrapped around his back.
Hand in hand they returned to the apartment and went to Anakin's room. He climbed into his bed, and faced the wall. Then he felt the bed shift as she climbed in behind him.
Silence covered them for a while.
Then she broke it. "Hey?"
"Hmm?"
Her voice sounded small and weak. "I'm kind of scared..."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't really know," she began. "But when I'm sleeping alone, all of a sudden I end up in a real dark place. It's pitch black, and I can't see anything and I'm all alone."
"Don't worry," he replied. "I won't leave on my own anymore."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I promise."
She let out a sigh of contentment and in the Force could feel her as she settled into a deep, comfortable sleep. He twisted around to look at her for a moment, and then he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him.
-----------------------------------
Anakin walked out of the building, reveling in the bright afternoon sunshine. Whistling an old Corellian tune, he walked towards the gate. As he crossed it, his smile faltered, and then fell away completely. He looked to the left and the right, as a frown crept to his lips.
Sannah? he thought to himself. She's not here today? He looked around the open field in front of the Temple's gate. Then leaned against the stone gatepost. I guess I'll just have to wait here for a bit to see if she shows up.
Anakin waited as the sun slowly sunk towards the horizon. As it neared dinner time, he sighed and stepped away from the wall, and then began heading home.
He opened the door, and Jaina looked up from the datapad she was reading, smiling towards him. "Welcome home."
"Hey," he replied. "Where's Sannah?"
Jaina shook her head. "She's not with you?"
Anakin frowned, and then turned around and ran towards the elevator. As he rode down to the ground floor he paced back and forth, and was running out into the lobby even before the doors fully opened. He ran towards the business district, checking the shops that Sannah liked best, his breath a heavy pant.
He hit the wall he stood next to, frustrated that he could not find her anywhere.
He looked around, and saw the top of the Temple in the distance. He began running that way, coming to the gate where she usually met him.
Then he continued running around the Temple, heading towards the Temple of the Blueleaf Cluster. He pushed past the brush and stepped into the clearing which housed the smaller temple, calling out, "Sannah!"
He darted into the Temple and went up the thin steps to the room with the blue crystal. He dropped to his knees when he still could not find her. Sannah? Is this good-bye? Would you just leave like this?
A short time later, he dragged himself into the apartment. Mara and Jaina sat on the couch, matching frowns on their faces. They looked towards him, hope sparking briefly in their eyes, until Anakin shook his head. He walked the rest of the way into the living room and dropped onto the smaller sofa facing the other two.
Mara leaned back in her seat for a moment, and then pulled out her comlink, and pressed a few buttons on its face.
A feminine voice issued from the small speakers. "This is the Crèche. el-Tha speaking."
"Master el-Tha, this is Master Mara Skywalker, was Sannah there today?"
"I'm sorry Master Skywalker, but Sannah hasn't been to work at the Crèche since she brought that furry thing. Ikrit I think she called it."
Mara's face darkened slightly. "I see," she said and then closed the connection.
Jaina finally spoke. "Maybe she just didn't feel at home here after all. Maybe if I-"
"It's not your fault," Anakin said, interrupting her. "Everything... All of this is my responsibility."
The front door opened and all three of them shot out of their seats. Anakin turned and saw Sannah standing there. Dirt was smudged across her face, and her clothes were ripped and stained with grass.
He started running towards her, as he did so; he called out, "Sannah!"
Her name ripped from his throat again; as he watched her eyes roll backwards, showing their white and she suddenly collapse. He touched the Force, speeding to her side, and caught her right before she hit the ground.
Mara arrived at his side a few seconds later and touched her forehead. "She has a fever." She then looked at Jaina who was standing over them. "Get a bed ready."
Jaina nodded her head and ran towards Sannah's room.
Sannah's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at Anakin. "Ikrit... Ikrit disappeared. I've been looking for him this whole time, but I couldn't find him."
Anakin frowned and glanced towards Mara. "I understand," he said, looking back down at her. "Leave the rest to us. You just rest, okay?"
Her yellow eyes locked with his, and she made a smaller whimpering sound. Then her eyes closed and she was unconscious once again.
-----------------------------
Anakin sat in a chair beside her bed, watching her sleep. A light blanket was pulled to her chin, and a compress lay across her head. Occasionally a shiver would course through her slight form.
Suddenly, her eyelids fluttered. She lifted her arm, snaking it out of the covers, causing the small bells still tied to her wrist to tinkle. "Anakin?"
He took her hand in both of his. "I'm right here, Sannah."
A small smile came to her lips, as she softly said, "You're warm."
"And you like warm things, right Sannah?" he replied with a chuckle. "You just rest and get better soon. I'll read to you and we'll go buy something good to eat."
Her smile grew slightly larger, and then she rolled her head to the side, falling asleep once more.
The next morning, he sat near the door, stepping into the heavy Corellian-style boots that he has taken to wearing. He stands up, and takes a step towards the door only to feel a tug against the hem of his shirt. Frowning, he turned and looked down to find Sannah sitting on the floor, her large yellow eyes looking up at him.
"Why aren't you still sleeping?"
She made a small, whimpering sound, and he noticed the worry and fear in her eyes.
He sat on the floor beside her. "What's wrong?" he said. "If you're still not feeling good, go back to bed."
"No."
"And just why not?"
Her chin lowered, and she stopped looking at him. "You'll disappear this time."
Anakin felt the shock rock through him. "What are you saying? That doesn't sound like you at all."
She sighed, a simple motion of her shoulders lifting slightly and then settling lower, yet Anakin could feel the fear and sorrow emanating from her.
Sannah, he thought to himself. Then he sighed in reply, and said. "I'll skip training."
-----------------------------------
Anakin stepped onto the bridge, his boots resounding heavily against its stone surface. He looked up from his feet, seeing the older Jedi standing at the apex of the bridge, watching the river rush beneath them.
Without speaking, Anakin crossed the distance to him, and leaned against the railing beside Ganner.
He stared into the dark water as well, watching the current as it twisted its way around a large rock jutting out of the center of the river.
After a few minutes, Ganner broke the silence between them. "How is she?"
Anakin shook his head, and replied, "She's sleeping right now. Thanks for asking."
"She had a fever didn't she?"
Anakin nodded his head. "Yeah. A high one, but it broke early this morning."
"She's trying to stay human."
"What?"
Ganner sighed, and hung his head slightly. "She's trying to stay human and her body is fighting her. That's what the fever was."
"What's going to happen?"
"If she doesn't accept the transformation? She'll die."
Anakin's chest constricted, he felt as if someone had just punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind from him. He leaned over the railing, squeezing his eyes shut tight.
"Why isn't she accepting the Change?" he asked as he opened his eyes again.
"To stay with you," Ganner replied softly. "Her feelings for you are so strong, she wants to stay by your side, and she wants it so bad that she's denying her very nature to do so."
"And she's just going to let herself die this way?"
Ganner nodded.
He then lifted himself up off the railing, looking towards the older Jedi. "Why is she acting more child-like though?"
Ganner shook his head. "I... I'm not sure. Lyric didn't try this hard to put off the Changing, I can only guess that the process is trying to destroy her mental faculties in an effort to force the Change."
"Is there anything that can be done?"
Ganner shook his head again. "Just wait for her to change or for her to die. Those are your only options."
Anakin felt a tear slip from his eye. "If you know anything... you've got to tell me."
Ganner looked away, staring down at the river once again.
"Would you like to hear a child's story?"
Anakin frowned, and slowly nodded his head. "Anything."
"Thousands of years ago, a Sith Lord came to Yavin, bringing with him his Massassi slave-warriors. These Massassi were strong and fierce and destructive. Land fighters without par. Yet for all their ferocity, for all their fearsomeness they were terrified of the open water. They were from an arid world, and the thought of open water terrified them to the point where they were useless against worlds like Mon Calamari." Ganner paused for a moment, looking at Anakin to make sure that he was keeping up.
Then he began speaking again. "So the Sith Lord began working with the indigenous people of Yavin 8. They were a near-human race who called themselves the Melodie, and had at one time in their near past been human. Regardless, there's nothing in their fundamental genetic makeup which made them incompatible with humans. From these Melodies he crafted a race of beings that he could begin their training on land, and then when they reached a certain age would become the fighting force he needed for worlds with large populations beneath water."
Ganner stopped speaking, and once more began to watch the water as it rushed past beneath them. Anakin just stood there, digesting what Ganner had just told him.
Anakin started to leave, but Ganner spoke again, "You're going to hurt."
Frowning, Anakin turned back to Ganner. "I'll survive."
The older Jedi turned his haunted eyes onto Anakin and barked a short, sharp, bitter laugh, and then he held his hands out on either side of him. "So have I. Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt though. It doesn't mean that every day I don't wish to see her again. To kiss her one more time."
Anakin watched Ganner for a moment longer, and then nodded his head once, sharply in acknowledgment. Then he turned to go once more. As he reached the spot where the bridge met the dirt of the path, he turned back towards Ganner.
"Hey, Ganner?"
"Yes?"
"Sometimes pain is a good thing. It reminds us of who we are, that we're still alive, and of all that we've lost. Hiding it away behind walls doesn't solve anything, but neither does wallowing in it. If I hurt once she's gone, it'll be because I loved her and she loved me. To let that be the defining moment of my life, well it seems to me that that would be disgracing her memory."
Then Anakin turned away, and began the long walk back to the apartment he shared with his sister and Sannah.
----------------------------------
Anakin finished telling Mara and Jaina the story about Sannah. He told them everything that he remembered. How he had visited Yavin 8, taking Lyric home. How he'd fought at Sannah's side to save the Melodies from the wild animals of that planet. How he just disappeared on her once he lost his memories, leaving her here alone and forgotten. He even told them the story of how the Sith had modified the Melodies, making them into what they were now.
Finally exhausted, he leaned against the bed and stroked Sannah's hair gently, watching her as she slept.
Jaina finally spoke. "That's... I'm not sure what to make of that."
Mara lowered her head. "I knew already."
Anakin's eyes widened as his head shot around from looking at Sannah to stare at his aunt. "What?"
She gave him a curl of a smile. "I knew exactly who Sannah was when she showed up. She had disappeared from the Temple not long after you left. When she reappeared, Luke and I decided to not tell her everything in the hopes that she would regain her memory on her own."
Anakin frowned. "I... what are you hiding from me then?"
Mara stood up, and looked down at him. After a moment, she replied, "Are you asking if I know what happened to make you lose your memories? Then no. All anyone knows is that you snuck out of the Temple, and when you were found the next day, you couldn't remember any of the previous five years."
Anakin looked up at his aunt for a moment longer, and then turned away from her, taking up his vigil over Sannah, ignoring both of the others.
--------------------------------
"Anakin?"
He looked up at Sannah's voice. Frowning at how soft it had become over the past three days since her fever had broken. She caught his eye, and smiled weakly.
"Read to me?"
"Of course," he replied.
Her smile grew larger, and she picked up one of the holonovels, holding it out towards him. "Read."
He glanced at the title, and arched an eyebrow towards her, saying, "This one again?"
She smiled at him, and nodded her head quickly.
He smiled back at her, "I'll read you whatever you want."
He turned on the device, the first words appearing on the screen, and then he began to read. "Love always comes suddenly."
Anakin could feel eyes on him, and he glanced up to find Sannah staring at him. He flashed her a lopsided grin and said, "Hey, if you don't look at the screen, you won't know what's going on."
Anakin smiled at her, as she turned to face the machine, and Anakin began reading once again.
The story was winding down.
"Understood. I'll definitely come back for you. At that time, let's become one. Let's get married. Until then... farewell." Anakin then turned off the device, and said, "The end."
Anakin smiled at the device and then said, "That was a good story."
Sannah rolled over, a wistful expression on her face. "I want... to get married."
His head snapped up, and he looked over at her. She was laying on her side, staring at him, and then after a moment she said again, "I want... to get married."
"When you get older," he replied, reaching for another holonovel.
"I want to marry Anakin."
Anakin knew that the shock he felt was clearly on his face. He slowly turned back towards Sannah.
"If I do," she continued. "Then we'll always be together."
He didn't know what to say, and she just slowly moved closer, nestling her face against his chest. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her, gently kissing her on top of the head.
Almost silently he whispered, "Sannah..."
Next Post
Previous Post
Anakin stepped into the main corridor of the Temple, amazed at the quiet bustle of energy the building seemed to contain. He looked around, his feelings an odd contrast between happiness and melancholy. Worry warred with joy over Sannah - joy that he was able to find her the previous evening and worry over the demons that drove her to throw Ikrit from the bridge in the first place.
He took a few more steps into the room and then saw Tenel Ka as she drifted past him, dressed in the customary robes of the Jedi trainees, heading down one of the side corridors.
"Tenel Ka!" He called out, rushing after her.
She stopped and turned to look at him, her face as emotionless as ever.
"Yes?" She inquired.
"I just wanted to thank you. Sannah, the girl I came to talk to you about last night, was up at the Temple of the Blueleaf Cluster, just like you said."
She nodded her head once, and then turned back around, starting to walk down the hallway again.
Anakin fell into step beside her. "Do you know anything about her?"
Tenel Ka shook her head. "No."
"How did you know where she would be?"
Tenel Ka sighed. "Like I said, it was just a feeling."
He frowned, and looked hard at her. "She can't remember anything you know. So if you know something about her, then you should tell me."
"I do not," she replied, a firmness entering her voice.
"But you knew where she would be."
Tenel Ka shook her head. "It was just a feeling. We are Jedi, we are supposed to trust them, remember?"
Anakin growled slightly, frustrated with how the conversation was going. Then one of the older students stepped out of a classroom. Anakin identified him as Ganner Rhysode, one of Jaina's teammates. Ganner walked past them, ignoring them, with a dark expression covering his face. After he passed, Tenel Ka stopped.
She lowered her head slightly. "I do not know anything. But if it was him..."
Her voice trailed off as Anakin turned and watched Ganner disappear down a hallway.
"But... what does that mean?" Anakin asked as he turned back around to Tenel Ka. He frowned as he noticed that she was gone as well. Sighing, Anakin went to his class.
The rest of Anakin's day was a blur. He sat through lessons without truly paying attention. He had lunch with Tenel Ka and Eyrl without really tasting the food. Everything seemed dull and lackluster due to his confusion and concern over Sannah.
Before long, the musical tone which signaled the end of the day sounded out, echoing through the halls of the Temple.
Anakin stood and gathered his things, not really paying attention as Jaina, Kiori and Raynar tried to get his attention.
He left the room, his focus somewhere near his feet, allowing his Jedi senses to guide him through the halls.
He reached the set of stairs that would take him to the main entrance and began walking down them. The steady clomp of his boots, an oddly unsettling noise amidst the bustle of the other trainees as they rushed about to either extracurricular activities or to their homes. He arrived at the landing halfway between floors, and glanced out the window for a moment as he turned to continue to the ground floor. Though his gaze flickered out across the landscape that the window displayed, something out there, near the main gate of the Temple, caught his eye. He stopped and turned back to the window, looking out it. Trying to find what his subconscious had noticed.
Then he figured out what it was. Sannah. She stood by the gate, watching the Jedi trainees as they left the grounds.
"What's she doing?" He wondered aloud.
From behind him, he heard a deep, masculine voice. "She's waiting for you."
Anakin glanced over his shoulder and saw Ganner standing there; his face a mask of calm. He stepped up beside Anakin, looking out the window as well. "She knows you, doesn't she?"
He nodded his head in reply.
"She looks like a good kid," Ganner continued.
"Well," Anakin started. "She can be clumsy and she's not that great with people."
Ganner then asked, "What's her name?"
"Sannah. She's a Melodie," he replied without really thinking about it.
Then he realized what he had done. He had thought of something about Sannah's past without realizing it. As he thought it over, a memory flashed through his mind. He stood in front of an adult: one wearing the flowing robes of a Jedi. The only feature of the Master he could remember though, were bright, shining, non-human eyes. A sharp, lancing pain ran down his arm, and he looked down to find a jagged scratch through the orange of his jumpsuit. He then looked over to his left, where Sannah stood beside him, nervously chewing on a knuckle. Anakin felt himself gesture towards her. "Master, this is Sannah, and she wants to come to Yavin IV for training!"
And just as quickly as the memory appeared it faded. Anakin took a step back; edging away from the window and blinking his eyes a couple times. He glanced around, looking for Ganner but he did not see him anywhere.
He considered the memory. I'm the one who brought her here, he thought to himself, as he watched her through the window. I'm the one who brought her here and then abandoned her. Left her alone on this world when I went back home all those years ago.
He watched her for a moment longer and then left the Temple. As he neared the gate, he saw Sannah again, as she stood near the entrance, watching everyone that walked out.
He called out her name, "Sannah."
She focused on him, the clouds lifting from her face, transforming it into something bright and happy. Then she rushed over to him.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Were you waiting for me?"
Her smile faltered. "Is that wrong?"
Anakin smirked. "You're really not honest, are you?"
He then looked at her, the memory he had of her slicing through his brain again. The fact that he was the one that abandoned her had become a claw that dug at his heart.
"What?" she asked the last traces of the smile gone, in its place a frown slowly formed.
He shook his head, shaking the memory away. "It's... it's nothing."
Sannah, glancing down at her feet, kicked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. "I... I had hoped that we could walk home together."
---------------------------------
Anakin and Sannah walked side-by-side through the shopping district. He kept glancing down at her, noticing the melancholy that painted her face. Her entire posture showed it, slightly hunched shoulders, downcast eyes. The smile she usually wore, oddly absent.
"What's wrong?" he asked, hoping for an answer. "You're not that happy today."
She sighed, her feet shuffling along. "They got mad at me for bringing Ikrit to the crèche."
"Of course," he replied.
"They told me that I couldn't bring him with me tomorrow."
Anakin looked around, hoping to find something that could cheer her up. Then he spied the vendor who sold meatrolls. He grinned, and looked down at Sannah. "I'll buy you some meatrolls, so cheer up!"
Sannah looked up at him, confusion painted on her face. Then she glanced to her right and saw the vendor. Her entire demeanor changed, her shoulders lifted, and her chin came up. She turned back to him, a smile on her face. "Really?"
Anakin smirked at her. "It's what you had planned, isn't it? Or else you wouldn't have waited for me."
Sannah giggled. "Yeah, that's it. Right Ikrit?"
Ikrit just made a snuffling noise, something almost like a sneeze, in reply.
-----------------
Anakin sat at his desk, working on an assignment for Master Durron. Suddenly, feet pounded down the hallway, and Sannah's voice called out. "Anakin! Anakin!"
The door to his room banged open and she rushed over to his desk.
"Anakin!"
He sighed and looked at her, as she stood next to him. "Don't come into my room without knocking."
Her eyebrows lifted, and she started chewing on her lower lip. "But you come into my room without knocking."
"I don't care," he replied, turning back to his assignment. "Besides, I'm fixing the homework that you cut up."
Her eyebrows came together in a scowl. "If you say that, then fine, I don't care either. And I was going to show you something nice."
Anakin looked at her from the corner of his eyes, trying his best to keep a grin from his face. "I already saw you naked."
Her mouth dropped open in shock. Then she blinked a few times, and crossed her arms over her chest, turning away from him slightly. "I'm not going to show you that."
She turned away from him fully, taking a few steps away from him. She then let out a theatrical sigh. "It's sad that Anakin won't be able to see something so cute."
Anakin sighed and stood up. Sannah glanced over her shoulder at him, a grin lighting her face. She then darted out of the room while Anakin followed behind her at a more sedate pace. Anakin stepped into her room, to find her kneeling on the floor, her back to him. He walked forward and dropped to his knees beside her and then looked at what held her attention.
Ikrit sat there, drinking blue milk from a bowl.
He turned his attention back to Sannah, arching an eyebrow. "This is nice?"
She nodded her head once, sharply. Smiling, she said. "Yes. It's cute."
Anakin sighed and stood back up, walking towards the door. "I'm going to go do my assignment."
A short while later, Anakin closed the binder of flimsies that contained his homework, and leaned back. Finally, he thought. That's finished.
Suddenly, pounding could be heard from his door. "Anakin!" The door slammed open, and Sannah stood there, fear etched onto her face. "There's a problem Anakin. A big one."
Anakin sighed. "Is it that Ikrit is eating food?"
She slowly shook her head. "No... Ikrit ate too much and now he's sick."
He winced as he stood up to follow her. On the way to her room, he stopped at the linen closet and grabbed a few towels. When he walked into Sannah's room, he was instantly glad that he had done so. Sighing, he knelt down and began to clean up the mess.
He finished cleaning up the mess and glanced at Sannah, where she knelt beside her bed, one arm wrapped over Ikrit, her head resting beside his.
He walked over to her and stood over her for a minute. Finally, she lifted her head and looked at him. "Is he going to be all right?"
Anakin nodded his head. "Yeah. Just make sure you warm up the milk the next time you give it to him."
She laid her head down next to Ikrit again, snuggling her face into his flank. "I'm sorry, Ikrit."
Anakin stood there, watching them both. Then to his surprise, he heard a slight snore coming from Sannah.
He stood over her, and as he did so, he remembered something. He walked into a hidden cove, a circular area about ten meters round, filled with dark water blanketed with blue-green algae. He continued watching as some of the kids that surrounded him, slid a girl into the water. She sank beneath the algae, disappearing from view entirely.
In the spots where he could see the water through the algae, the calm water was marred with movement from beneath its surface.
He turned and studied the cove. It was set deep within the mountain, but the jagged rocks that ringed it did not close out the sky. The entire cove was open to a shaft of thick sunlight. Perched on the rocks surrounding the pool were young children with bagfuls of stones.
"She'll be all right now," one of the children said to him in a voice that sounded like the soft patter of water falling on dry sand. "You brought her in time."
Frowning, he wondered just what the memory meant. What he was doing. Why he just allowed that girl to be pushed under the water like that.
He sighed, knowing that though the answer might lie in his memory, it would not come to him this night. Looking down at Sannah, he noticed a shiver run through her slim frame and he reached over and picked up a blanket.
Carefully, he draped it over her shoulders, covering her with it. He gently kissed the top of her head, and then straightened, finding Ikrit watching him, his blue eyes shining brightly in the dim light.
A thin, grave voice spoke in his head, saying, "It won't be long now."
---------------------------------
Anakin and Sannah walked together down the street. Silence reigned over them, yet it was a comfortable silence. He looked down at her, noting the bright, happy smile that was on her face.
Then as he watched, she tripped and fell, falling flat on her face.
He winced in sympathy, as she sat up on her knees, rubbing at her nose with one of her hands. Anakin held his own hand out towards her, an offer of assistance.
"Are you all right, Sannah?"
She looked up at him, and then nodded her head. "Yeah... I just tripped is all."
Then she grabbed his hand, and used it to pull herself back to a standing position. She started walking once again, and Anakin watched her for a few moments before falling into step beside her.
---------------------------------
During one of the breaks in his training schedule, Anakin climbed the steps on the exterior of the Jedi Temple. Ignoring the Jedi who was silently standing up there already, looking out towards the large river in the distance, he allowed himself to make a slow circuit of the top, gazing out over the landscape. Finally he stopped, and focused on the Jedi trainee who stood there silently.
He was a handsome man, as if he could be on recruiting holos for the military or for the Jedi themselves.
An air of damaged silence hung over him, and finally Anakin spoke. "Do you remember that girl from yesterday?"
Without looking at him, Ganner nodded his head. "Yes. I do."
"Do you know anything about her? Do you know who she is?"
The elder Jedi shook his head. "No, I don't."
Anakin frowned, and said, "But you seem like you know something."
Ganner laughed. "It's not me that she knows. It's you. She's here because of you."
"I don't understand," Anakin cried out.
Ganner shrugged his shoulders. "That's not my problem."
"She doesn't remember anything."
Ganner shrugged his shoulders again. "She's a Melodie."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that it's time for the ch-"
"Stop!" Anakin interrupted, even as he finds his hands covering his ears. He blinked his eyes a few times and then shook his head. "No. Don't say it."
He fled back down the steps, leaving Ganner alone at the top.
After classes had ended for the day, Anakin walked out the main gate of the Jedi Temple. Leaning against it, her eyes closed was Sannah. As soon as he faced her, her eyes popped open, the yellow reflecting the sunlight, giving her face an almost ethereal glow.
"Anakin!" she exclaimed happily.
He smiled at her, and replied in a much calmer manner. "Hello, Sannah."
"Guess what, Anakin. I had a trace of a memory today."
He smiled at her. "That's great, Sannah. Tell me about it."
She grabbed his hand and started running, pulling him along behind her. "This way!"
They ran behind the Jedi Temple and up the hill that stood there. When they were about half way up, she stopped and started looking around for something. "It has to be around here somewhere."
"What?"
She grinned. "This!"
Anakin walked over, and hidden between the fallen limbs and an overhang of rock was a deep shaft. Sannah edged herself over the lip, and started climbing down. He watched her for a moment, and then flipped himself over the edge as well, his hands and feet almost instinctively finding the correct path down. They reached the bottom, and Anakin looked around. The stench of sulfur greeted his nose and he took a few more steps forward, kneeling down by a natural hot spring.
He looked up at Sannah. "What is this place?"
She shook her head. "I don't know..."
He noticed that she had stepped closer to him and he stood up to face her. As he did, she struck out, hitting him in the chest. Surprised, he looked at her, noticing the pain and fear that were painted on her face.
"What was that for?" he asked.
She rubbed her arms, and shivered as if she were cold even in the warm, humid air that surrounded them.
"I... I don't know," she began. "I... it's this place. I just got angry here."
Without speaking, Anakin wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face against his chest, as her shoulders started to shake from her sobs. "Something... something bad happened here."
Minutes passed and she finally seemed to have herself under control. She pulled herself away from him, rubbing a hand at her face, scrubbing away her tears.
Anakin gestured with his head towards the rock wall that led back to the surface. "Come on, let's get out of here."
She looked hesitant. Glancing around the room.
He grinned. "I'll buy you something to eat."
Her head snapped to face him, and a hesitant smile appeared on her lips. "Then we can go."
She proudly walked past him, and started climbing up the wall. When she had gotten about two meters off the ground, she let out a yell, and slid back to the bottom.
"Sannah!" Anakin called out as he rushed to her side. He knelt down beside her, and noticed that she was holding one arm. He looked closer at it, and saw the roughed patch of scrapped skin.
"Are you all right?" he asked. "Do you think you can still climb out?"
She looked down at her arm for a moment, and then looked up at the patch of sky above - a small blue circle hovering in the distance above them.
She nodded her head. "Yeah... I can make it. I just slipped is all."
She stood up and then once more started climbing. Anakin waited for a second, and then began ascending right behind her, ready to reach out and grab her.
What felt like an eternity later to Anakin, they finally made the surface, and he heaved himself up and over the lip of the shaft. He knelt on the ground, caching his breath. Then he looked over at Sannah, who was spread out on the ground, panting hard. He noticed the odd ridges on her neck as they pulsed in time to the heaves of her chest. Then she rolled over to face him, hiding the ridges.
"Sorry," she panted. "I guess I'm more out of shape than I thought."
Anakin grinned at her. "It's okay, climbing up that wasn't easy."
She sat up and glowered at him. "Says the guy who's not even breathing hard."
He just laughed and stood up. He stretched his hand out towards her, and she gripped it. He pulled her to her feet and as she pulled her hand away from his, he noticed the thin layer of skin that extended from the base of her fingers to about halfway up to her first knuckle.
Did she always have that, he wondered to himself. Then she started back down the path they had followed to get here, heading back towards the town and the Jedi Temple. A heavy weight seemed to settle around his heart as he followed her down.
----------------------------------------------
Anakin and Sannah walked through the shopping district, Sannah window shopping and happily eating a meatroll as they strolled along.
She suddenly stopped and turned towards the sound of laughter. Three girls stood around the holobooth again. Anakin watched as a wistful expression crossed her face. Then in a flash, it was gone and she was once more walking down the street.
Then she stopped again. This time, in front of a small bridal boutique. Two wedding dresses were displayed in the wide windows on either side of the entrance. One the white of a traditional Alderaanian dress. The other the red of a traditional Coruscanti wedding gown.
Anakin stepped up beside her as she stared at them. She glanced at Anakin quickly, and then focused on the dresses once more.
"They're pretty aren't they?" she asked.
Anakin grunted a reply, watching Sannah rather than the dresses.
Sadness seemed to pierce the evening air, and she rubbed her at her upper arms with her hands. Sighing, she turned away and started walking once again.
Anakin watched her for a moment, and then glanced up at the wedding dress. Frowning, he turned away and quickly caught up to Sannah, falling into step beside her.
She glanced up at him, a forced grin on her face. "Bet I'll beat you home."
Then she started running. Anakin shook his head, calling out, "Hey, be careful, you don't want to trip again do you?"
She glanced over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him.
---------------------------------
They were all seated around the dinner table, the conversation as appetizing as the food itself. Suddenly, Sannah spasmed; her whole body clenched as she dropped her fork to the ground. Her sudden movement, caught Anakin's eye and he focused on her even as she stared at the offending piece of cutlery.
Jaina spoke up into the silence that had descended around them. "Are you all right? That's the third time you've dropped your fork."
Without looking up, Sannah slowly nodded her head. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I... I'm... my hand just doesn't seem to want to grip anything tonight."
Anakin glanced at Mara, noticing the hard expression on her face. Then he looked at Jaina, noting the concern.
Smirking, he leaned over the table towards Sannah's plate, holding his fork out over it.
"Well, since you can't eat, we can't let this food go to waste."
He then jabbed down, collecting a forkful of the diced protatoes. He sat back, a big grin on his face as he quickly ate them.
Sannah stood up, her hands slapping down onto the table on either side of her plate. "Hey! That's my food!"
Anakin smiled to himself as Jaina laughed at their antics, happy that the mounting tension had broken.
Later that night, he was lying on his bed, reading an article on the ethical use of capital punishment as an assignment for Master Horn when someone rapped on his door three times in quick succession.
He glanced up, looking towards the door as whoever was on the far side knocked again.
He stood and walked to the door. Opening it, he found Sannah standing on the far side, a holonovel datachit in her hands. She was looking down at her feet as one of them twisted back and forth slightly.
"What?" he asked.
She hesitated for a moment, and then lifted the datachit. "I got a new holo."
Anakin nodded his head. "That's good."
He then tried to close his door, but she stepped into the way before he could do so.
"Want to read it with me?"
Anakin arched an eyebrow in her direction. "Don't you want to read it by yourself?"
She shook her head quickly as she said, "Nope! I want to read it with you!"
He sighed, and stepped backwards. With a giggle she darted into his room and threw herself on the bed. She then held the book out to him. "Here, read it to me."
"Hey," he replied, a frown forming on his face. "How did this go from me reading with you, to me reading to you?"
She giggled again. "That's how it works."
He sighed again, taking the datachit from her and stretching out on the bed. He slipped the card into his datapad and activated the holonovel, as she cuddled up against his side. The scent of her hair assaulted his nose, it was a clean, almost metallic, smell. Almost the same smell as the natural springs on Corellia.
Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, savoring the scent.
Then he opened them again, and turned the novel to a random scene. He read the words that scrolled up aloud, '''Look, I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some time, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you're the only one for me.'"
Frowning, he pulled the card out of the datapad and looked at the label. He glanced over at Sannah, saying, "Hey, this is a girl's romance novel. Why do I want to read this thing?"
She beamed a smile in his direction. "Because it's fun."
Sighing in defeat, he plugged the card back into the pad and began reading the story from the beginning.
Two hours later, he finished the story and shut off the datapad. He pulled the card out and handed it to her.
She took it from him, and looked at the card, a frown on her face.
"What's wrong?"
Her nose twisted slightly and then she looked up at him. "Do you think I'll ever get married?"
Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows what will happen in the future."
"I... I just want to have a family, to raise one the same way Mrs. Mara is raising Ben."
Anakin sat up and looked down at her, noticing the way her face had clouded with pain.
He patted the top of her head. "I'm sure you'll find someone."
Growling, she rolled out of the bed and stormed to the door. "Just... Just shut up, Anakin."
Then she stomped out of his room. Anakin watched as the door closed, wondering what had just happened.
--------------------------------
Anakin was deep asleep. He was warm and happy nestled beneath the covers.
Suddenly, he was rocking violently back and forth.
A voice rang out in the darkness, a harsh, stern whisper. "Anakin!"
He cracked his eyes, and looked up to find Sannah leaning over him, concern on her face.
"What?"
She bit at her lip for a moment. "Have you seen Ikrit?"
He shook his head. "No, now go to sleep."
He tried to roll over onto his side, but she grabbed his shoulder instead. "But, I can't find Ikrit."
Anakin sighed. "I'm sure you'll find him in the morning."
She growled slightly, and then ripped the covers off of him, revealing a curled up bundle of fur.
"Ikrit!" she squealed with delight.
When she went to pick him up, Anakin grabbed her hand. "Why don't you just leave him there? He's asleep."
She looked down at Ikrit and then over at Anakin. "But I wanted to sleep next to him. He's warm."
"You'll be fine for one night."
She pouted for a moment, and then a mischievous grin broke onto her face.
"Then I'll just sleep in here," she said as she climbed into his bed. She pushed him over into the corner, laying her head onto his pillow, and cuddled up next to Ikrit.
"Hey," Anakin said. "Go to your own bed."
But to his surprise, she was already asleep.
He frowned and then laid his own head down onto the mattress, watching Sannah as she slept.
--------------------------------
Anakin climbed the steps on the exterior of the Jedi Temple. He paused, just short of being visible from anyone standing on the very top of the building. Frowning at the steps. Part of him wanting to turn away and flee back down the stairs, wanting to hide in his classroom.
He sighed and finished his ascent.
Ganner stood in the same place he had the day before, staring out into the distance towards the great river. Today, the sky was slightly clearer and Anakin could just make out the light blue circle of one of Yavin's other moons.
Anakin stood behind Ganner, staring at the same landscape, wondering what the older trainee saw when he watched the land.
Ganner broke the silence. "You want to know don't you? You want to know what's happening to her. Why everything is this way. You want to know what I know. Right?"
"Yeah," Anakin said as he nodded his head. "I do."
"You were there at the end for her as well, my Lyric."
"What?" Anakin asked; the confusion painted clearly on his face.
Ganner sighed. "That's right, your memory..." He then inhaled deeply, holding the breath for a handful of heartbeats before slowly exhaling. He turned and faced Anakin and dropped into a standard meditation pose. Anakin copied him, sitting a short distance away, directly in front of him.
"It was nine years ago when I first met her, I was all of thirteen. Master Tionne brought her back from Yavin 8--a Melodie just a few years away from her Changing." He paused, lowering his head for a moment. When he raised it, Anakin could make out the thin track of a tear. "She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I did everything to get closer to her, and we did start spending more and more time together. It was the greatest two and a half years of my life. She had told me about the changing, but I hadn't really listened. I hadn't cared. I was young and in love. I thought it would last forever."
He paused again, closing his eyes, and slowly breathing. Anakin silently watched.
After a while, Ganner opened his eyes again, and continued. "A few months before the Changing began in earnest, she told me that she was going to have to go back to her homeworld soon, and that we would never see each other again. We fought like two wild neks. I demanded that she stay, she would silently shake her head. In the end, I told her to leave me alone and that I never wanted to see her again."
Ganner focused on Anakin then, the pain shining brightly in his eyes. "That was a few days before you met her actually. Anyways, you met her, and befriended her after I had thrown her away. Her Changing was in full bloom by this point and the next thing I know, Lyric, you, Tionne and one of the other students were away on Yavin 8. It was time for Lyric's Changing—a ceremony that I had at one time promised her I would attend and protect her at, and I was hiding back here, too lost in my own pain to help her through hers."
"What is the Changing?" Anakin asked.
"The Melodie are a morphogenic species. They start their life out hatching from eggs as a humanoid. Once they have fully matured into an adult, their body mutates, changing into something like a fish/human hybrid. They call this mutation the Changing--and it can only be carried out in the algae pools of the Sistra Mountain on Yavin 8."
Anakin frowned, looking down at his hands where they had balled into fists on his lap. "And... and this Changing, it's going to happen to Sannah, right?"
Ganner nodded his head. "Yes."
After a few moments, he spoke again. "It will start small; she'll be out of breath. Tripping over her own feet. Soon, she won't be able to hold anything. Her energy will wane, and it will do it fast. One day she might be fine, the next she'll not be able to move."
Silence crashed down over them. Anakin ground his teeth together, angry at the inherent unfairness of existence, of life. Angry, and afraid, as suddenly he recalled all the times recently that she had tripped or dropped her fork.
Finally, Ganner stood, and strolled towards the steps. He began walking down them, and then suddenly stopped. He glanced over his shoulder at Anakin, and spoke, his voice harsh and unforgiving. "Turn her away. Send her home, and forget about her. Do it today. Otherwise, all you're doing is setting yourself up for pain and suffering."
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Anakin stepped out of his room, to find Sannah sitting in the hallway, the white-furred creature sprawled across her legs. As he looked down, they both looked up at him.
"I want to keep him, do you think we can?" Sannah asked.
Anakin sighed and knelt down in front of them, scratching at the creature's head. "I don't see why not, but we should probably ask Aunt Mara."
She chewed at her lower lip for a moment, worry clouding her face. "But what if... I'm scared."
Anakin smiled at her, and then replied, "It shouldn't be a hassle, and in fact she'll probably answer fairly quickly."
Sannah sighed, and then stood up. As she did so, the creature climbed her chest and then situated itself on her shoulders, stretched across the back of her neck. With her head lowered, Sannah followed Anakin out of their apartment and across the hall. He pressed the doorbell and a few moments later, the door opened to reveal Mara Jade standing there, a then sheathe of sweat covering her face and her bared shoulders.
Her green eyes flickered from Anakin to Sannah and then settled on the white creature for a moment before returning to Anakin.
"Yes?" she inquired.
"Can I keep him?" Sannah asked.
Mara Jade focused on Sannah for a moment before looking at the white animal. Finally, she nodded her head. "I don't see why that would be a problem. Just make sure that if Jaina's allergic to it, that you keep it away from her. I don't want to listen to her whine when she inevitably pets it."
Sannah's face transformed from fear and worry to a bright, shining smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Mara!"
She then whipped the creature from her shoulders and spun in a circle, dancing in the hallway with it.
Mara laughed, and then glanced towards Anakin. "Anything else?"
"No," Anakin replied, shaking his head.
"Then I've got to finish my exercise regimen."
She then shut the door and Anakin returned to his apartment, walking into the kitchen. Sannah followed happily, jabbering at the creature as she did so. Anakin merely shook his head as he grabbed a protein bar for breakfast. He glanced at where Sannah still stood, holding the animal.
"Well," he began. "Since we got that out of the way, what are we going to name him?"
Sannah frowned as she looked at the animal. "I'm not sure..."
Anakin grinned. "Then leave it to me!"
"You?"
"Sure, I can think up a cute name for it."
He then began to tap a finger against his chin. After a few moments, he turned a big smile on Sannah. "We can call him Canron!"
Sannah frowned. "Isn't that a food?"
"Nerf?"
She fumed. "You're just saying things that you like to eat!"
Then the animal spoke. "Ikrit!"
Both of the teens focused on the white creature.
"What?" Sannah said.
"Ikrit! Ikirt!" The creature exclaimed. His eyes flickering between them both.
"I think he wants to be called 'Nerf'." Anakin said. "He started speaking after I said that as a name."
The creature's ears flattened and he jumped out of Sannah's arms. "Ikirt!"
Sannah grinned as she knelt down in front of him. "I know; you want to be called 'Ikrit' don't you."
Ikrit jumped onto her shoulders, wiggling himself into his usual position. Sannah reached up to scratch at his head. "Then it's settled, your name is Ikrit!"
Anakin just rolled his eyes. "I've got to finish getting ready for class. Are you ready for work?"
"Yes!" Sannah happily said.
Anakin walked away and finished getting into his Jedi robes. He then returned to the living room to find Sannah waiting by the door. When he walked in, she smiled at him. "Are you ready?"
Anakin nodded, and she danced out into the hallway, and pressed the button to call the lift.
As soon as they had stepped out of the apartment building, Anakin looked over and realized that he could see tufts of white fur between the brown of her curls.
"Are you planning on taking him to the crèche?"
"Yes," she replied. "I want us to be together."
Anakin sighed. "Takes a lot of nerves to say that, considering you're the one who tossed him off the bridge."
"That wasn't on purpose," she said. "Besides, when I lost my memories, Ikrit helped me. He brought me my portfolio and would bring me food."
"How can you be so stupid? You're trying to make it sound like he's yours when it's convenient for you."
Sannah's face twisted in ire. "He came to me, so he's mine. Right Ikrit?"
Ikrit lifted his head and looked at her for a moment. His large eyes blinked twice, and then he dropped his head back to her shoulder, returning to sleep.
They walked for a while longer in silence, drawing ever closer to the Jedi Temple.
"Hey, Anakin..." Sannah began, hesitation lacing her voice.
"Yes?"
"Well," she replied, drawing the word out longer than necessary. "Why is rhsycate so good?"
Anakin frowned as he looked at her, wondering what she was talking about. "What?"
Sannah looked up at him, a grin on her face. "Just making regular conversation."
Anakin arched an eyebrow at her. "That's not exactly regular. Anyways, are you sure you want me to tell you everything about making a rhyscate?"
She frowned as she thought. "Well, you could just say that 'it's tasty' or something."
Anakin smiled the way he had seen spokesbeings on the holonet do while trying to sell products, and said, "It's tasty!"
Then he dropped the act, and lowered his head. "That was stupid."
Sannah stomped her foot. "It's not stupid."
Then she darted in, and spanked him hard.
Laughing, she ran off as Anakin yelped in surprise.
"Why you," he began as he started chasing after her. "Wait! Come back here!"
She continued to giggle as she ran from him.
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