"Don't leave, what we have is irreplaceable. No, I won't trade this for nothing."
With her head held low, she quickly passed the temple guards without – hopefully – being noticed, running down the multiple steps outside the Jedi temple. Her hood was pulled over her face and senses on high alert when she walked to her ship. All this sneaking around made her feel extremely guilty and anxious, but just the simple thought of a certain blue-eyed man made it all go away instantly. That's why with a smile on her face she was watching the familiar apartment complex through her cockpit window and the only thing she felt was ecstasy and thrill. She could sense his presence, so overwhelming and full of something, she was never able to name. But the butterflies in her stomach told her, that it couldn't be anything bad.
Getting out of the ship, she walked through the big balcony with chairs, table, and sofa, hurrying through the entrance of the apartment. With anticipation, she stopped as soon as the glass door shut behind her and watched the man sitting on the sofa, head hung, and with some device in his hand. He looked concentrated and his eyebrows were pulled together in a deep frown, making him almost look worried. But Anakin was never worried, at least she never felt such emotion coming from him. "Good evening," she said with a smile on her face and watched him snap his head up to her. His face was surprised for a moment when he focused on the face of the woman, he did not expect to see in his apartment tonight.
"What..." he started but stopped himself and instead stood up from the sofa and with a couple of long steps, he was already standing in front of the smiling girl. She never gave him a chance to say anything else, leaping into his arms and grabbing his face to pull him into a kiss. That's the first time in weeks – since she left Anakin and Coruscant for a mission – she felt serenity, peace, harmony, and overall every good emotion she could feel. She was home in his arms, loving the fact that without a single thought, he wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up from the floor, so he didn't have to bend over. "What are you doing here?" he whispered, his face still close to her, looking into her eyes that were almost glowing in the darkroom. "I thought you won't be back for another couple of weeks."
She laughed and combed the hair on his neck with her fingers. She loved his hair, so soft, curly, and all over the place, yet at the same time it looked like it was supposed to be like that. "So, you are not happy to see me then?" she asked.
"No, no, no that's not what I meant," Anakin said immediately and shook his head, making her laugh again.
Aaliyah kissed him quickly and whispered: "I know," trying to give him a little space, which was not something he had in mind, pulling her even closer. "But since you asked, we got the situation under control sooner than we thought we would."
"That's good. That's good," he murmured and nod his head. "Any damages?" he asked as always when she came back from a mission. Without giving her any time to answer he pulled her hood from her head and the long robe from her shoulders, leaving her only in her white Jedi outfit. As always, her shoulders were exposed and so was a piece of the white bandage wrapped around it. "What's this?" he asked and bend down to kiss her on one shoulder and then on the injured one.
"Just a blaster wound. It's just a scratch," she shrugged and caressed his cheek to let him know she was healthy and alright. "It comes with my profession."
He hummed in agreement, but his face looked as if he was less than happy. "That's what I hate," his voice was smooth, yet with an angry edge to it. "You are in constant danger. All these wounds and scars..." he shook his head and turned his back to Aaliyah, but she quickly stooped him.
"No, no, we are not doing this now. We have not seen each other for weeks and I refuse to waste our time together with stupid arguments," he stood rigidly, but she still hugged him around the waist, looking up at him with pleading eyes. But he was too stubborn and absolutely hated the fact that she was risking her life being a Jedi.
"That's just it. It's not stupid, it's your life we are talking about," his face was frowning more and more each second, and the only thing she could do was nod.
"I know, I'm sorry. I would act the same if it was you."
"No, you would not. Because you are selfless, and you would think about all of those people who need help. But I am not," his hands gripped her face firmly but gently, without hurting her. "I am selfish, and I don't care about them, alright?" she was shocked at the icy tone of his voice but listed without a word. "I don't give a damn about the galaxy I care about you and your safety. The whole universe could burn for all I care," he was breathing heavily, obviously fighting with some kind of conflict inside of him. She could feel it, he was shocked and confused at his outburst too.
She pushed up on her toes to be closer to his face. His own hands slipped from her face to her waist and she grabbed his head to make him focus. "Let's forget about it tonight, please," she whispered and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "I just want to be with you," and she didn't have to beg him more. Anakin was trying to calm down for a while, but eventually he gave her a little smile. Without any more words he picked her up from the ground and carried her in the direction of his bedroom.
Aaliyah suddenly jerked her head and looked at the person who just came into the room and called her name. Obi-Wan was standing in front of her, dressed in new clothes and his injuries bandaged. Only his face was still blue from all of those bruises. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes," Aaliyah pushed her hair behind her ears and tried to act as if she wasn't just thinking about her past lover. Lover she was not supposed to even have. "What happened?"
"Nothing. Just that they left already," he informed her and sat next to her on her bed they gave her when she arrived on Yavin 4 a three days ago.
"Oh, yeah right," she nodded and felt her anxiety rise, thinking about every pilot from the Rebel Alliance, that was on a mission, which could decide the future of the whole galaxy. When they came to Yavin 4, she finally found out what was Artoo carrying this whole time. Plans for Death Star. A deadly weapon, that could give Empire so much power, they would be basically indestructible, untouchable. Death Star had the power to destroy a whole planet, as they already did with Alderaan and Scarif – where the plans were stolen from by brave rebels, who sacrificed themselves for a better future. For better tomorrow.
It was said, that the man – Galen Erso – responsible for the development and creation of Death Star sabotaged his own project. That this whole time, he was perhaps against the Empire, but he knew they would find another person, who would create their superweapon, if he declined. But he gave them hope and today was the day, when the best pilots went on a mission, to destroy Death Star before it could make more damage, than it already did. They lost two planets, people on those planets. Aaliyah closed her eyes, when she thought about the fact, that she will never see the kind face of her dear friend Bail Organa.
"Actually, I came here for something," said Obi-Wan suddenly. "You seem..." he started but winced and put a hand on his ribs. "You seem distant. As if you were not even here. Let me rephrase it. You seem more distant than usual. We lived together for five years now and I know you like your space, but this makes even me question everything."
Aaliyah sighed and wanted to tell him something, but she didn't know how and if she should. Everybody had enough trouble with the Rebell Alliance and Empire and Death Star. She didn't have to put more oil to the fire with her stupid problems. Plus, she didn't even know what it was, but these past days on Yavin she felt a weird presence around her. Calling her, almost talking to her, but she never heard anything, just sensed it all around her. As if something or someone was trying to contact her, but not quite. That's what was most frustrating for her, she couldn't quite figure it out. "I'm just stressed, and this new environment is too much," as soon as she said that, she visibly cringed. She was a Jedi and was used to traveling, so it was just fair, that Obi-Wan didn't believe her. "I don't know, everybody is looking at us like we are their saviors. We are Jedi I get it, but we lost everything, but I can feel that they are hoping, expecting us to fight and win against the Empire. But how? How can we? Are we strong enough? Is force even on our side anymore?"
Obi-Wan put his hand on her shoulder. "I understand and you have to understand, that for thousands of years, the Jedi were what gave the galaxy hope for better days, for peaceful days. They thought the Jedi were no more and suddenly two of them arrived with the plans for Death Star and they learned that it is possible to destroy the weapon. Don't lose hope, Aaliyah. We will fight, but we are not alone."
How was it possible for Obi-Wan to be so positive in times like this was beyond her, but as always, she appreciated it, his words making her feel at least a little better. "You were hurt, but here you are asking if I was alright," she laughed bitterly and shook her head.
Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulder. "I can't say my body is not in pain, but I will be as good as new in a couple of days. By the way, Oisin went with the squad too. He looks to be very anti-Empire and very hungry for some action and fight."
"Yeah, I noticed. I hope he will be alright. I know he is a good pilot, but this mission is something else. I would hate it if something happened to him, he is a good man," said Aaliyah and meant every word. Oisin helped her when she needed it most and even though they were no friends, more like acquaintances, she respected him and wished him nothing but the best.
Obi-Wan went to say something, when the doors to the room they were occupying flew open and the person standing there made Aaliyah's heart squeeze in pain and happiness at the same time. "Ahsoka," she whispered and stood up to run over to the younger Togruta girl. "Oh my god," she said in disbelieve and put her hands on Ahsoka's shoulders to make sure she was real, make sure this was not just a dream. "I thought I will never see you again," Aaliyah knew Ahsoka was alive, they contacted each other shortly after the attack on the Jedi Temple, but that was years ago, and her friend was suddenly back. And she was a grown woman, not the cheeky teenager Aaliyah once knew. She was a woman who saw a lot, who went through a lot and it made her harder, yet wiser.
"I know, we just arrived and when I heard you are here, I couldn't believe it," they hugged each other as if their life depended on it. And maybe it did because, in these times, friends and family are the only things keeping someone alive. That's why they had to stick together no matter what.
"So, you are with the Rebel Alliance?" Obi-Wan asked, making the two girls release each other.
"Aren't we all?" shrugged Ahsoka and smiled at Obi-Wan. They might be close, but Ahsoka still saw Obi-Wan as her ex master she had to respect. It doesn't matter if the Order exists or not or if she is still his apprentice or not. "For a while I was hiding too, but Padme contacted me. She was in danger and couldn't trust anyone, she still can't. There are a lot of backstabbers and traitors out there who would do anything just be on the Emperor's good side. And mainly on Vader's side. So, I came to help her, they were trying to assassinate her again. That was more than a year ago and since then I am hiding with Padme, making sure she is alright. We need her, people love her, and most would follow her anywhere."
"That means Padme is here too?" asked Aaliyah hopefully. She was dying to see the young senator yet again and hug her friend, to see she was fine.
"Yes, she's attending a meeting with all the leaders," nodded Ahsoka and went to tell something else, but Aaliyah was not able to listen, because her senses were suddenly overwhelmed and she felt that presence again, but it was stronger than before as if whoever was doing that finally got through some invisible barrier and it all went crashing down on her. It felt as if she was swallowed by the force, that wasn't hers. She was floating away, being pulled by the person's force. What worried her was the darkness and coldness she felt.
"Aaliyah," she suddenly heard in her head. It was the same voice whispering to her. The same voice that was talking to her when they were running away from the station. And she knew who it was then. Darth Vader and he was inside her head now, when she was far away. Somehow, he got to her and it scared her. And also, the fact that he seems to know her. He knew her name and was constantly whispering it in an intimate manner.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. "How do you know my name?" she asked.
"Because I know you," he said after a short pause.
"No, you don't," she said defensively. It was almost reflex to deny that monster like him could know her. Especially because she didn't know him. Nobody saw his face and lived to tell the story, maybe except for Palpatine. "How is it possible that you are talking to me? What did you do?" she asked.
"I didn't do anything."
"What do you want from me then?" she asked again.
He was quiet for a couple of seconds. "So many questions," he hummed, and his voice was nothing like she imagined, she realized. It was smooth, quiet, and almost gentle, but it couldn't be. "I want you to come to me. I want you to surrender," he said suddenly, and his voice was still the same, yet she knew there was a threat hiding inside his words and tone.
"Never," she spat, ready to somehow close the connection.
"Then every single person you hold dear to you will die. Could you live with that? That you could stop me from haunting them down? But you decided to be stubborn?" he was mocking her, that much was evident, and it made her anger rise, boiling in her veins. "Oh, you should calm down, Aaliyah. Such anger, that is definitely not a Jedi way."
The anger almost burned her skin, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. She was better than this. She had self-control and he will not destroy it. "Why me?"
"And why not you?" he answered, making her feel frustrated, because he never answered her questions properly. But what else could she expect?
"I will not surrender, and the Empire will fall," she declared suddenly, feeling confident in her words.
He was quiet for what felt like hours and the force around her was almost icy cold. He was not happy with her answer, not at all. "So, you choose the hard way?" he retorted. "As you wish," the connection almost snapped, when he ended it and she stood in the room again with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan looking at her in confusion and worry.
"What happened?" she asked and sat on her bed. She felt as if she was drowning and just now, somebody pulled her out of the water. Her mind was dizzy, and she couldn't catch her breath.
"I don't know. We were calling your name and you were just in some kind of trance," explained Ahsoka and sat next to Aaliyah. "Are you ok?"
"Yes, I am. I just...I don't know...I guess I was just deep in my thoughts," she tried to smile at both of them. She didn't know what happened but she sure as hell won't tell them, that she just had a conversation with Darth Vader.
"Are you sure?" asked Obi-Wan, and Aaliyah quickly nodded.
"I'm sure. Perhaps we should go and see how's everything going. After all there are important things than this, like destroying the Death Star," and with a deep breath she stood up and went for the door, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan following her still a little confused and worried about their friend's weird behavior.
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So, what do you think about this chapter? Any predictions? Let me know, I would be happy to hear from you.