Chapter 8.
Cadena—
We finally broke away from the kiss and Jim looked hesitantly down at the floor. I cleared my throat and looked away. "Um…so!" Skyrela says awkwardly. "Who's up for some cake?"
•◊•
We were all exhausted when we finally got out of Dex's. Master Chang yawned and stretched his arms. "C'mon, let's get going back to the Temple before someone sees us and begins freaking out." He says, smirking. I rolled my eyes. "They'll freak out when they see YOU, not the rest of us." I said teasingly.
Master Chang snickered and said, "At least your sense of humor is improving." I sighed and Suki says, "That was fun!"
I nodded wearily. "Thanks for everything, you guys." I said quietly, hugging my friends again.
"It's no problem." Lamia says carelessly. "It's good to party every once in a while." Lamia yawned and she says, "I'll get going first. See all of you around!"
We nodded and then Master Chang turned to Jim and me. "You two have some alone time." He says gently. "It looks like you need it." He grinned and waved, bringing the rest of my friends along with him.
Jim turned to me and I looked up at him. "You look tired." He commented. I nodded. "What can you expect? I'm just really worn out." I said, closing my eyes. Jim took my hand and says, "I think I might be able to take care of that."
I nodded sleepily and Jim led me into his apartment. "What's this?" I asked. Jim shrugged and said, "General Chang wanted us to have some alone time, so…" He gestured around the room.
I smiled and rested my head against Jim's shoulder. "I'm glad that we get this time together." I whispered. Jim looked down at me and grinned. "I'm glad, too." He says.
We sat down on Jim's bed and I held his hand. He sighed and then whispered, "Cadena, I have something to tell you."
I looked up at him. "What is it?" I asked quietly.
Jim gave me a sheepish smile and looked out the window. "You remember when we first met? Back on Florrum?" He asks.
I nodded. I would never forget that experience.
"Well…I liked you a lot the second I saw you." Jim says.
I didn't say anything.
Jim laughed lightly and says, "On Felucia, you told me to forget everything that happened between us…that there WAS no 'us'…and I tried to forget about it, honest, I did…" He took in a shaky breath and said, "But the thing about liking someone…well, it's hard to forget easily."
"So…what do you mean?" I asked.
Jim looked at me and said, "I love you, Cadena. I love you a lot. I want to be with you all the time and I know that it's against the Code for you to form attachments, but I really just…I can't control it. It's something out of my control."
I bit my lip, not knowing what to say and then I gave him a small smile.
"Well, that makes the two of us." I said softly. Jim tilted his head in confusion. I looked down at our hands and then whispered, "I love you just as much…I didn't ever want to tell anyone, and I hoped that it was just a phase, that it would go away in a couple of days, but it didn't."
Jim turned to me and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
And for once, I didn't fight it back.
•◊•
I woke up feeling Jim's protective arm wrapped around my shoulders and my head was resting on his chest.
I nestled my head against the cotton of his shirt and sighed happily.
Jim's eyes fluttered open and he mumbled, "Hey, Cadena."
I grinned and he stroke my hair slowly with his hand. "If I could pause this moment forever, I would, you know that, right?" He whispered.
I sighed and murmured, "I know."
Jim smiled and he says, "You're beautiful when you smile." I felt my face heat up and then he laughed. "You're even cuter when you begin blushing." He says teasingly and I rolled my eyes. Jim laughed even harder and he pulled me into another hug. I allowed a small smile and then whispered, "After this war, we're going to have every day be like this one…"
Jim chuckles and whispered back, "Deal."
Just then, the door opened and my friends stopped dead in their tracks when they saw our position on the bed.
"What the…!" Master Chang shouts and Alex and Kandra exchanged stricken looks.
"You two…you two…what the hell…were you…!" Cody sputtered and then rested his head on the wall, moaning.
Batu looked stiff and his eyes were narrowed at us, as though he wasn't sure to either attack or remain still.
I bit my lip in embarrassment and then Lamia growled at Jim, "I told you that if you laid one FINGER on Cadena…" She was about to launch herself at him when I shouted, "Relax everyone, it's not what it looks like…"
I stood up. "See? I still have clothes on, right?" I said, glaring at all of them. Suki snickered for a minute and then I said, "We just fell asleep because we were so tired, that's all."
Skyrela blinked and then Master Chang shook his head. "Never mind that, something really bad happened." He says urgently.
"You mean worse than finding our friends sleeping together?" Cody asks flatly. "I did NOT sleep…not like that!" I shot back, blushing.
Master Chang sighed. "Not that! Cadena, Anakin…he woke up." He says.
Suddenly, it was as though the rest of the world has caved in, and all of my senses had sharpened. But then I caught all of the scared notes in Master Chang's voice and then I asked, "Is there more?"
Alex sighed and she says, "You'll want to come with us."
I exchanged bewildered looks with Jim and we all walked out. I mounted a speeder and Jim sat with me. He started it up and we followed Master Chang to the Temple.
"Ah…I'll wait here." Jim says awkwardly and shoved his hands in his pockets. I nodded and then whispered, "Thanks for everything, Jim. I'll come back out as soon as I can."
Jim nodded and I ran up the steps.
•◊•
"Ah, Cadena." Obi-wan greets me and stands up from Anakin's bedside. I entered in hesitantly. I felt my friends walking in from behind me and then Skyrela whispered in my ear, "No matter what, don't feel too bad when you realize what happens."
I shot her a quizzical look and then turned back to Obi-wan. "Is he…is he okay?" I whispered.
Anakin sat up and I spotted the familiar flash of chestnut colored hair. I smiled and before anyone could stop me, I was standing next to him.
"Master." I said weakly. "You're…you're okay!"
Anakin smiled somewhat tiredly at me and then he says, "It's…good to see you…Cadena…?" His voice lifted as though to ask a question and I raised an eyebrow. "Are you…feeling okay, Master?" I asked.
Obi-wan grasped my shoulder and says, "Cadena…Anakin…he lost his memory."
I blinked and then smiled nervously. "That's a funny joke, Master Kenobi, but it'd be weird if you're using it now." I said, trying to make my voice feel light.
"He's not joking around." Anakin spoke up and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Master, I…" He lifted a hand to cut me off.
Anakin stood up slowly and he looked at me in the eye. "Don't call me 'Master'." He says quietly. "It's not right for you to address me that way when I don't know who you really are."
I bit my lip and looked down at the ground. "So…you really can't remember anything?" I whispered. Anakin shook his head sadly.
"I'm sorry." He says.
•◊•
The wind whipped around me as I walked slowly and unevenly to the Temple steps.
I could feel my friends watching me but I didn't look back.
Jim was waiting for me like he said he would and he stood up. "So…is everything okay?" He asks quietly. I slumped down on the steps and rested my chin in my hands. Jim's eyes widened and he sat down next to me. "What's going on? Are you hurt somewhere? Did something go badly?" He asks and I gave him a faint, sad smile.
"That's sweet of you to worry, but no…nothing is wrong." I said quietly. Jim raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you so upset?" He asks.
I sighed and traced the ground with a fingernail. "Anakin lost his memory." I said. "The healers said that he'll be fine in a couple days, and his memory may return but…it's still scary how he looked at me like that." I whispered.
We were both silent and then Jim wrapped his arms around me. "It'll be okay." He murmured. "General Skywalker is a tough nut to crack…he'll pull through."
I smirked. "'Tough nut to crack'? Maybe." I said. Jim chuckled lightly and says, "Maybe I'm only saying that because the first time I met him he shouted at me for letting you go rescue a villager in a burning house by yourself."
I giggled and nudged him. "Well, we both got out of that weird situation okay." I said pleasantly. Jim nodded. "See…your master has been there for you through thick and thin. Don't worry." He says and I smiled, actually feeling as though a heavy load had been removed from my back. I looked up at his eyes and whispered, "Thanks."
Jim squeezed my hand. "No problem, Cadena. You know that I'll be there for you whenever you need me, too." He says. I nodded. "That's all I need to hear." I said quietly.
•◊•
"So…are you feeling okay?" Ahsoka asks me when I came out of the refresher. I nodded. The dull light of the storm clouds shone through the windows as I sat down across from Ahsoka.
"I'll be fine." I said, flicking at the table. "The healers said that his memory might return after a couple days, after all."
Ahsoka watched me carefully and she says, "It still hurts, doesn't it?" I smirked and looked down at the floor. "You know me too well." I said quietly.
Ahsoka sighed and says, "Cadena, I was also an apprentice of his. Trust me, I know how you feel." I leaned back in my chair and mumbled, "I just hope that nothing will change after his memory comes back."
