The Grin

It was that grin that did it.

It was coy, and fun, and symbolized just everything that I loved about her. She's tossed it at me every time that I'd done something to make her happy. It's an infectious grin, one that I'd do anything to see directed at me. Which does remind me of my favorite memory of that grin. We were staying at a resort on Piathi, beach-side during local winter. Not the best, or most logical of times to visit a seaside resort, but then we are Jedi, and our schedules don't always work out the way we expect.

Plus, it would be the slow season for them. That makes the difference between there being a few dozen couples at the resort and there being several hundred. I get enough of those holonet shills and people wanting autographs in my daily life; I try to take vacations with Tahiri at times when we'd be less bothered by those folks.

Anyways, the memory was using taking the long way to the beach.

Hand in hand we stepped up onto the top of the dune. We were surrounded by beach grass, the smallest of which came up to my waist. Occasionally, a stiff breeze would flash across, shivering the seed pods all around us, carrying the strong tang of the ocean scent.

I looked out across the wide expanse of water that was just a few hundred meters down slope from us. Pure white, quartz-based sand jetted out from the edge of the grasses until it was met by the white foam of the crashing surf. further out the water started out as a blue-green but quickly shifted to darker and darker shades of blue until it was a nearly navy colored line kissing the steel grey of the cloud filled sky.

With a flash of a grin, I looked down at my companion. She was a few centimeters shorter than me, so most of what I saw was her curly blond hair being pushed around by the wind. Shifting my stance slightly, I could make out the sheer amazement that was etched onto her face as she stared at the water.

She must have felt my attention, because she shifted hers to me. Her green eyes locked onto mine and I once again felt that searing jolt race down my spine.

It doesn't matter how many times she looks at me, I always get that.

"Wow, Anakin.. it's, it's just so much water...I've never seen so much water in one place. Whoever owns this must be rich."

I chuckled, and shook my head. "This is Piathi, not Tatooine, there's plenty of water here. No one owns this ocean."

Her cheeks flushed red, and she shifted her gaze away from me. "I... I know that, Dummy."

Still grinning, I gave her hand another gentle squeeze and then started walking forward, pulling her along. "Come on, let's go down to the water. It's too cold for us to actually swim or anything, but we can still walk along its edge."

"Are you sure? I mean... it's a lot of water."

I cast a quick glance behind me. "Hey, I'm here. What could go wrong?"

She sighed, and muttered something that I didn't catch, but I could still feel her sense of trepidation in the Force.

Then we were at the water's edge. The smell of salt and water was heavier, more pronounced, and there was a tinge of seaweed and fish to it as well. If anything the wind had gotten colder and I was glad that I was wearing my leather Corellian-style jacket. I glanced over at Tahiri, and took in what she was dressed in. Heavy-duty denim pants, running shoes, a simple pull-over tunic and then a light jacket over that. She looked warm enough, but she was from Tatooine. "Are you warm enough?"

She looked up at me, and smiled slightly. With a quick nod of her head, she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine like this."

Still holding her hand, we began to walk along the edge of the water. She glanced down as the water came rushing towards us. "I wish you hadn't made me wear shoes."

I laughed. "I know, but who knows what was in that stuff we walked through."

She sighed and we continued are walk; heading further and further away from the resort where we had hotel rooms at. Surreptitiously, I glanced at my chrono, and noted the time on Yavin IV. With a grin, I stopped, and glanced at her.

She continued a few more steps, and then noticing the pull on her hand, turned to face me. "What is it Anakin?"

"Happy Anniversary," I replied with a grin, as I pulled out a small wrapped package.

She blinked as she hesitatingly took the box from me. "Anniversary?"

I grinned at her. "Yeah, we met 10 years ago, at this moment, on Yavin."

Her cheeks flushed bright red as she looked at the package. "I... I didn't get you anything."

I laughed, and leaned forward claiming her lips in a kiss. After a few moments, I leaned back. "That was all I need."

If anything her blush grew brighter, as she lifted the package slightly. "Can I open it?"

Nodding my head, I watched as she slowly opened the box, to pull out the thin necklace with a small silver pendant. It caught the light of the thin winter sun, and flashed brightly. It was an odd-shaped thing, a mixture of swirls and hard angular lines. The books I had read on Tusken sociology and history indicated that it was a love charm.

She lifted it closer, staring at it. Then she burst out laughing. Her body doubling over from whatever had amused her so much.

I frowned. "What?"

She looked up, the tears glistening in her eyes. "This," she replied, lifting the pendant a bit higher.

"What's wrong with it? The holonet said that it was a Tusken love charm."

If anything, she laughed harder.

I stood, feeling my frustration growing.

Finally, she seemed to get her laughter under control. She blew out a breath slowly, one hand still holding the chain, the other holding her side. "Oh, that hurts..."

"So, what's wrong with the love charm?"

Her shoulders hitched slightly, and her lips were twisted into that grin as she looked at me again. "Love charm, huh Jedi-boy?"

"Yeah," I replied sullenly.

She looked at the pendant again, and then slipped it over her head. "I guess it could be that, from a certain point of view. It's a birthing charm. For Banthas."

I blinked. My mouth opened, yet I couldn't think of anything to say, so I snapped it shut.

She giggled again, and then leaned forward, kissing me deeply. I happily returned the kiss, while still trying to figure out what to say.

Breaking away, she turned from me and began walking back towards the resort. "Come on, Jedi-boy, let's go get some lunch."

She took a few steps away, and I was still trying to figure out just how to respond to my monumental screw up on the gift.

In mid-stride, she paused and turned her torso halfway towards me. Her face was focused on me, that grin there on her lips. The wind had picked up again, and was tugging her curls away from her.

That grin once again captured my heart and made it do double speed in my chest.

"Hurry up won't you," she said with that grin growing ever so slightly larger. "We still have to see just how well you're love charm is going to work."