(A/N: Just a friendly reminder that this is an AU story. That means I am allowed to play with the characters, including personality, age, etc...)

Chapter Seven:

Beru and Owen searched the desert surrounding their farm, sticking close to the direction Luke went off in, but after several hours they still hadn't turned up anything.

Beru was stony-faced upon returning to the homestead, and as soon as the speeder stopped, she leapt from the cab to march inside.

Frowning, Owen followed. When he found Beru at the comm. station, he lifted his brows.

"Who are you calling?"

Beru typed in the code, and shot him a warning glare. "Obi wan. And if you don't curb your pride just this once, I swear I will walk out on you, Owen. That is my boy out there, no matter what mistakes he's made!"

Owen didn't get a chance to reply because Beru hit send. Neither one of them was surprised when the Jedi answered instantly.

"Beru, what's the matter?" Obi wan asked worriedly. "I felt something from Luke, but now he's alarmingly quiet."

"Obi wan, we need your help!" Beru pleaded fervently. "Luke's lost in the desert, and we can't find him. Please help us! Luke has no supplies, and he's been out there for hours now!"

"I'm on my way." Obi wan disconnected and Beru prayed to the Force that he would be able to find Luke in time.

00000

Luke had never known such a thirst could exist. He supposed that if his initial venture into the sands hadn't been such a vigorous work-out, he wouldn't be as desperate for water.

But now Luke knew a brand new form of torture, and he hated it.

His mouth had dried up long ago, and he was barely able to feel his feet. Luke had been walking for who-knew how long now and the rock formation, while it grew closer with each step, sometimes seems like it was still just out of reach.

The only goal Luke had left was to get to the rocks; where he could at least find shade, if not some tiny bit of moisture. Working his mouth lethargically, Luke felt what remained of his saliva formulate on his tongue, and he gulped it back down.

But even that didn't come close to quenching his thirst.

Luke stumbled, feeling the exposed skin of his hands and even some of his face continue to sear from the unforgiving rays of the two suns that were still in the sky. He cursed himself for the millionth time that afternoon, wishing he'd had the foresight to at least stay on the farm.

But it was too late for that, and he decided to reserve his flagging energy for survival.

When he looked back up, he felt the first stirrings of hope: the ground beneath his boots was changing, signaling that he was almost to his destination. Feeling a minimal renewal of adrenaline, Luke picked up his pace, though his stride was anything but sure.

He felt his toes drag more and more with each faster step he took until he at last fell on his hands and knees. He paused there, even as the suns baked him dry.

Panting heavily, Luke saw black static beginning to creep into his vision, and when his head spun without his body moving he knew he was in serious trouble.

Shade, Luke… get into the shade! Luke ordered himself.

If he collapsed out here he was done for, Luke knew. Heaving himself up, Luke crawled slowly until his fingertips touched the shade given off by the larges boulder formation. The much cooler sand almost burned in its own right, so hot was Luke.

But that final contact was all the encouragement he needed to put on his final burst of speed. When his shaking hands touched the base of the rock, Luke finally allowed himself to collapse.

His chest still heaved, and his vision continued to darken, even in the shade. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, none of them making much sense, yet all of them chastising him for his utter foolishness.

A sudden urge sent him onto his side, and Luke vomited what was left in his stomach all over.

Luke knew he should be searching for moisture, but he found his strength had completely left him, and so he simply closed his eyes and allowed the dark spots to drag him under.

His final competent thought was that he would never get to see his little girl again.

00000

Obi wan stopped his speeder at the Lars residence only long enough to get a sense of where Luke had gone, and then he was off again. His old speeder was rarely used unless he had to make an emergency trip such as the one he was on right now.

Obi wan opened himself to the Force, seeking out the presence of his charge. To his great alarm, he felt nothing but desperation and dizziness from Luke. Obi wan forced down his fear that Luke was in horrible shape, and instead put his Jedi training to good use.

He latched on to Luke's presence and used it like a homing beacon, surprised at how far out the boy had been able to go. Obi wan wondered briefly what could have sent Luke out into the desert like this.

The boy was normally so much more responsible, and he knew the dangers of venturing unprepared into the desert surrounding his home. So whatever had happened had been big enough to set the boy off… and to cause him to ignore his better judgment.

Obi wan felt a spike in Luke's sense and then it was abruptly dimmed. Obi wan's fear spiked then, and he picked up as much speed as his old vehicle could. Luke's presence was much harder to detect now, and as such, Obi wan was forced to keep a keen eye out.

When he spotted a collection of stone, he felt the urge in the Force to go there. Luke would have known to seek out shelter of some sort, to get out of the direct suns. Obi wan drew rapidly closer, and because of the heat waves roiling off the hot sand, he didn't see the pale form on the ground until he was nearly on top of it.

"Luke!"

Obi wan slammed on the brakes and leapt from the speeder, rushing to Luke's side and turning him over. The boy was completely limp and did to respond to any of his probes, physical or otherwise.

Fearing the worst, Obi wan felt for a pulse. He breathed a brief sigh when he found one, and then he took a good look at the ground, and spotted the vomit.

Feeling that time was of the essence Obi wan attempted to move the boy.

Placing him in the speeder, the Jedi hopped inside and then paused.

He checked the scope on his speeder, and found that the closest source for any kind of help— astonishingly— was Anchorhead. However, judging by the vomit he'd found, and Luke's unresponsive state, Obi wan knew he had to get Luke to the hospital.

Gunning the speeder, the Jedi took the shortest route to Mos Eisley.

00000

Beru was frantic when the suns began to set and there was still no sign of her nephew or the Jedi she had sent after him.

Had they been too late? Was Luke gone forever?

Beru swallowed her tears, trying to remain strong like Owen. She was still angry with him for being so stubborn as to send Luke scurrying away like this. But she refused to focus on that now.

Think positively, Beru… like Luke does.

But she knew he hadn't been himself for several months, and she hated to see him as thin as a rail, which he was now. He barely ate, only doing so in just enough amounts to not actually be starving, but it was frightening to Beru.

He also worked ceaselessly, and Beru was afraid he would simply pass out while on the job one of these days.

Her thoughts cut off when a trill sounded from the comm. station inside the domed house.

Beru raced back inside as though hellfire were on her heels, and she slapped the activation button, panting as the voice emitted from the speaker.

"Beru, it's Ben," Obi wan spoke, using his new name to avoid suspicion.

"Did you find him?" Beru had to force herself not to shout at her friend. "Oh, please tell me you found Luke!"

"I did…" Ben sounded grim.

"Is he okay?" Beru almost didn't want to know.

"He's in bad shape, Beru. I managed to get him to the medical center in Mos Eisley, but it's pretty serious." Ben sighed. "He's with the doctor now, if you want to come down."

"We will be there as soon as we can." Beru signed off, forgetting in her haste to thank the Jedi.

When she spotted Owen, she lifted her head. "Get dressed; we're going to Mos Eisley."

Owen opened his mouth, but Beru wasn't finished.

"You will fix this Owen!" Beru shoved a finger in her husband's face. "You will at least apologize to Luke for what you did today, or be prepared to sleep on the couch until you do."

With that she brushed past him. She only stopped to grab Luke a change of clothes, and then she was inside the garage, where Owen had the speeder waiting.