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."
----------------------
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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