* Chaotic Silence *
At the very same time Tahiri let loose her tears, Jacen fell to her side and rocked her slowly. His uncle had also felt the empty vacancy now in the Force. He didn't need to call for Leia and Han, for he already was receiving their petrified words through his comlink.
It was his father, but for the first time his words seemed to come through clearly and strong. "Luke, is it true?"
"I… I don't know." For the first time the Jedi Master was without words. He could not believe the fact that his nephew had been killed, he would not.
Jacen tore his eyes away from Luke, and looked down at the young woman weeping in his arms. Never in his life had he felt so guilty. A tear fell down his cheek. No, it could not be happening. His brother was still alive. He had to be. Not for him, but for Tahiri. She needed him. She loved him. *Anakin, * he whispered to whatever was left of his brother. *Anakin, please do not do this to us, to her. I cannot bear to see Tahiri cry like this. Come back, please come back. *
Suddenly, Tahiri's grip on his arm grew tighter as if she felt something he did not. Something deeper and more intimate. Lifting up his hand, Jacen stroked her hair back and began to rub her back.
"He's not coming back," her soft tear filled voice came out like an empty whisper. "Anakin—"
"Shhh… Tahiri, he's in good hands. Corran will help him. He would never let him die on his own time." Jacen reassured her, but deep inside Tahiri didn't think his words were that accurate as they always had been before. She just clung to Jacen, squeezing tight her eyes wishing everything that had happened hadn't been or would turn out ok.
Nevertheless, it was hopeless. The pain still rose inside of her, shattering every part of her, every commitment of trust and love she had ever made to anyone, slowly began to crumble. She never had a false safe sense of security since the time on Yavin where she had been nearly shaped into a Yuuzhan Vong, but now it only broke her heart. Ever since she had been little her, bonds between one person or another had been betrayed or forcefully swindled away. Tahiri thought that maybe this time…
Another wave of memories resurfaced and caught the fifteen year old off guard, and she began to cry for Anakin again. He was gone, and so was she. He had been the only one to complete that empty part inside of her. To close off all the pain of the torture, to talk her through and remind her that she wasn't who the Yuuzhan Vong imprinted in her mind to be, but she was Tahiri Veila, who would always be his. But after what had happened in Jacen's room… Tahiri still hadn't been very clear on what she and Anakin still had been. She knew it had changed… or thought it had. Then it came to her mind.
He had known the kiss was going to happen. He had known her confusion between him and his brother. He had known it all. He knew he wasn't going to make it out of Yuuzhan Vong territory ever again, and she had been wrong…
They all had.
At the very same time Tahiri let loose her tears, Jacen fell to her side and rocked her slowly. His uncle had also felt the empty vacancy now in the Force. He didn't need to call for Leia and Han, for he already was receiving their petrified words through his comlink.
It was his father, but for the first time his words seemed to come through clearly and strong. "Luke, is it true?"
"I… I don't know." For the first time the Jedi Master was without words. He could not believe the fact that his nephew had been killed, he would not.
Jacen tore his eyes away from Luke, and looked down at the young woman weeping in his arms. Never in his life had he felt so guilty. A tear fell down his cheek. No, it could not be happening. His brother was still alive. He had to be. Not for him, but for Tahiri. She needed him. She loved him. *Anakin, * he whispered to whatever was left of his brother. *Anakin, please do not do this to us, to her. I cannot bear to see Tahiri cry like this. Come back, please come back. *
Suddenly, Tahiri's grip on his arm grew tighter as if she felt something he did not. Something deeper and more intimate. Lifting up his hand, Jacen stroked her hair back and began to rub her back.
"He's not coming back," her soft tear filled voice came out like an empty whisper. "Anakin—"
"Shhh… Tahiri, he's in good hands. Corran will help him. He would never let him die on his own time." Jacen reassured her, but deep inside Tahiri didn't think his words were that accurate as they always had been before. She just clung to Jacen, squeezing tight her eyes wishing everything that had happened hadn't been or would turn out ok.
Nevertheless, it was hopeless. The pain still rose inside of her, shattering every part of her, every commitment of trust and love she had ever made to anyone, slowly began to crumble. She never had a false safe sense of security since the time on Yavin where she had been nearly shaped into a Yuuzhan Vong, but now it only broke her heart. Ever since she had been little her, bonds between one person or another had been betrayed or forcefully swindled away. Tahiri thought that maybe this time…
Another wave of memories resurfaced and caught the fifteen year old off guard, and she began to cry for Anakin again. He was gone, and so was she. He had been the only one to complete that empty part inside of her. To close off all the pain of the torture, to talk her through and remind her that she wasn't who the Yuuzhan Vong imprinted in her mind to be, but she was Tahiri Veila, who would always be his. But after what had happened in Jacen's room… Tahiri still hadn't been very clear on what she and Anakin still had been. She knew it had changed… or thought it had. Then it came to her mind.
He had known the kiss was going to happen. He had known her confusion between him and his brother. He had known it all. He knew he wasn't going to make it out of Yuuzhan Vong territory ever again, and she had been wrong…
They all had.