While You Were Out

Chapter 3

Lunch and Aftermath



Obi-Wan and Anakin made their way into a familiar and friendly place, Dex's Diner, No sooner than they had arrived, Dex himself swept the two infants into his arms and up into the air. The children screamed in delight as he effortlessly lifted them and lowered them. Anakin and Obi-Wan, grateful for a moment of freedom sat down and began to sip the Caf that had been immediately placed in front of them.

"Hello Master Luke," Dex rumbled in his gravely voice. "And Mistress Leia how is my little princess?"

"Va-DA!" Squealed Leia.

"D'LEX!" Luke giggled.

Unbidden, two bowls of mushy food were placed on the table along with two more steaming dishes of vegetables. Dex handed Luke to Obi-Wan and Leia to Anakin. Neither child was unhappy with the change in venue and Dex quickly took his temporary leave, having the urgent need to attend to matters in the kitchen. Obi-Wan's attention was totally on his friend so he was almost oblivious to the fact that a fork was hurtling across the table until Anakin snatched it out of the air, inches from his face.

"What by the gods was that?" asked Obi-Wan, incredulous.

"Possibly Luke," Anakin sighed, and placed a mouth full of mush on the end before handing it to Obi-Wan. "He's been displaying latent Force abilities as of late..." As an afterthought he added, "He wants to do everything himself as well."

As if to prove his father's point, Luke made a grab for the fork and tried to take a mouthful, dropping most of it all over Obi-Wan's tunic. Anakin seemed to have better luck with Leia, giving her small bites between his own hasty attempts at feeding himself.

Thing were going well enough until Leia grimaced, and then cooed satisfactorily. Within moments, the reason became apparent.

"Blast!" Obi-Wan choked. "I know it's not the specialty of the day... What are you feeding that child?"

Anakin rose from the seat, unperturbed. "I'll tend to her, she's been feeling a bit off for the last few days. Padmé was loathed to leave her, but she'll be all right. I think..."

Obi-Wan nodded, and continued the ongoing struggle with Luke who seemed determined to share his meal with the Jedi's tunic.

Once in the fresher, Anakin set his daughter on to a counter top and began undressing the squirming child.

"Now, let's see if we can't figure out what you are, my little friend. And where do you come from..."

He half closed his eyes as he opened the nappy, prepared for the worse.

Nothing.

Not so much as a damp spot.

Anakin sighed in relief, yet when he stroked her skin he found it to be a little warm, perhaps too warm. As carefully as he could, he redressed the little girl and then pulled out a small vial out of a repository of his cloak. Gently, he raised he head and gave her a few drops of the draught and then opened the front of his tunic and undershirt. Cradling her carefully, he rested her head against his chest and against his heart so she could hear it beating. Yes, she was most decidedly a bit warm. He would take her home and have the healer out but for now, father and daughter bonded in the quiet of the diner's fresher.

Leia fell asleep almost instantly and Anakin carefully made his way back to the table.

"I need to take her home," he told Obi-Wan. "She's a bit warm..."

Before Obi-Wan knew it, the words came tumbling out of his mouth.

"Should I keep the boy with me for a time? I'm sure he'll be quite all right..." To his surprise, he had actually grown to like the idea of taking care of the little one. At least for a while.

Anakin's eyes widened in surprise. Stoic Master Kenobi, enamored with a crecheling? "Are you sure?"

"He likes me," Obi-Wan insisted. "We'll do fine..."

A smile crossed Anakin's worried countenance. "He likes everyone... he's his mother's son in many respects... Are you SURE?"

Obi-Wan grimaced as Luke grabbed a hold of his nose and pulled... hard.

"I'm sure," smiled Obi-Wan through watery eyes. "Surely Luke and I can manage on our own for a bit. Take the girl home, I'll bring the boy back shortly. You have your com..."

Anakin pulled it out of his tunic with one free hand and found it snatched away with an invisible hand. Wordlessly, Obi-Wan handed his own back to Anakin as Luke began contentedly sucking on the end of his father's com again.

"You have A com..." he corrected himself, unabashed. "We'll be fine, won't we son?"

Luke honked his nose again and giggled.

Keeping Leia close to his breast, Anakin made a little bow. "Thank you Master... take care of Obi-Wan little one. Keep him out of trouble..."

As Obi-Wan waved them off, he heard the warning moments before the aroma hit his now throbbing nose.

"Fa-DA POOP!!" Luke crowed.

Obi-Wan groaned.

Another noise, louder than the first.

"Bee-poo-PY DA!" Luke giggled.

"Bee-poo-py da indeed," thought Obi-Wan as he realized that he had been left with nothing but the child itself and Anakin's chewed up com. He sighed aloud as he also realized that finding a nappy in Coco town might be harder than he originally thought.

"The adventure begins..."