a/n I do not own Star Wars. I do own Terry, Tony, Gabrielle, Matris, and Lord Dalton.

"How could you let them go off and do a thing like this, Luke?" Han asked exasperated as he paced the floor.

Luke sighed. "Han... you know as well as I do that there is no possible way to stop them from accomplishing what they want to do."

"But the least you could've done is gone with them!" Han yelled. "You have five teenage Jedi on the loose... one who is my son, and another who is emotionally unstable at this time if what happened was described correctly to me."

"Han just calm down," Luke told him. "Besides if we hurry we can still track them."

Han hesitated a moment. "Alright. Come on."

They made their way to the Millenium Falcon and were gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group had been there for only a few hours. Gabrielle was in and out of consciousness. Realizing what pain it would bring his daughter, Dalton removed Terry, Tony, and Jacen, leaving her alone with Matris as well as being alone in her pain. Terry had put up a fight, but in the end Dalton had won, knocking Terry unconscious. Tears of sorrow spilled down Gabrielle's face.

Why? Gabrielle thought. Why is this happening? Why did they have to act like heroes and try to rescue her? And why the hell is Matris here?

Gabrielle hated to be left alone with Matris and weak. Something about the girl scared her. But Gabrielle barely noticed Matris's presence. She was too weak to do much of anything, but she did notice Matris watching over her at times. At the moment Matris was asleep while Gabrielle watched her from a distance. Something was wrong with Matris and she could feel it as well as see it. Matris had been talking in her sleep for quite awhile. Gabrielle tried to drown it out for it scared her, but being so weak she could not. Finally Gabrielle could bear it no longer.

Grimacing, Gabrielle painfully pulled herself across the floor to where Matris was lying. "Wake up," Gabrielle said through gritted teeth as she shook Matris.

Matris woke suddenly and gripped her hand tightly, tears forming in her eyes. Matris looked straight into her eyes searching for something.

"What... are you doing?" Matris asked blinking back tears.

"To me it looked like I was saving you from a nightmare, but that might just be me," Gabrielle said sarcastically through the pain.

"Why do you have to be such a sarcastic little bitch?" Matris said stonily.

"Me? A bitch?" Gabrielle asked incredulously. "I don't think so why don't you take a look at yourself."

Matris letting her rage get the better of her popped Gabrielle in the jaw. Gabrielle fell back and lay there for a moment unmoving.

"You ungracious bitch," Gabrielle said barely controlling her own emotion. "I wake you from your damn dream and you attack me while I'm down. What a swell warrior you are. You have about as much honor as a Hutt."

With that Gabrielle laid back down closing her eyes.

Well I tried... just fuck this whole thing... fuck what Skywalker said, Gabrielle thought. Casey was right. I don't fit in anywhere. I should have just stayed with Casey.

Matris sat angrily in a corner. What the fuck do I owe this... child? What does she know of warrior etiquette?

Matris looked at the slight form of Gabrielle lying on the ground. Matris closed her eyes tightly. More than you apparently. She had every chance to attack you back at the Temple and every chance she had she did not take. I even tried to invade her mind. What the hell is wrong with me? Gabrielle is a kindred spirit... I should have no problems with her. After all the worst thing she did to me was beat me in a battle.

Matris stood up, walked over to Gabrielle, and sat down besides her.

"Back for more?" Gabrielle asked not opening her eyes. "Maybe you'd like to kick me while I'm down as well. Or better yet maybe you have a spare blaster you'd like to blow my brains with."

"I came to... apologize," Matris said with an effort. "So... I'm sorry."

"An apology? To someone as lowly as I?" Gabrielle said sarcastically. "Oh I am graced with an apology from you almighty one."

Gabrielle realized she had over-stepped the boundary as soon as she say Matris stiffen. "I'm sorry... I'm sort of in an awkward position considering..." she stopped when a fresh wave of pain engulfed her.

Gabrielle felt Terry's presence immediately, but it was not enough. No matter what her father could still place as much pain as needed on her. Then she felt another presence.

Who...

Gabrielle looked at Matris who in turn looked back and smiled wanly at her.

"Perhaps together we can beat this," Matris told her. "If we all could link together maybe we could divert the pain some way until Master Skywalker can reach us."

Gabrielle nodded as she felt her strength the ebbing. She felt the presence of Tony and Jacen. But it was still too much.

"Terry..." Gabrielle moaned.

Gabrielle felt Terry reach out for her and Matris reach for her hand.

Then darkness engulfed her yet again...