AN: This is an EU/AU based off of an RPG. After the destruction of the Temple, Siri and her Padawan , Taylor have traveled to Alderaan, and are helped by Bail. While there, Siri works at a Rehab Center for animals, helped by her Force abilities. Over this time, Taylor becomes sick with an unknown illness.
This is the 'prequel' to "Unwell".
"Siri, where are you going?" Kane, Siri's boss and co-worker, asked, following Siri out of the operating room, still wearing his scrubs. He cared about Siri, perhaps more than he should, since she was still very loyal to her missing husband, Obi-Wan. However, Kane couldn't help it when he saw what working like this was doing to her.
"I have to get to work. I'm going to be late!" she exclaimed, pulling off her scrubs as she entered the small room they had for changing.
She tossed the scrubs into a bin to be washed, leaving her in normal pants and a tunic. Going to her locker, she pulled out a small cloth bag.
"Siri, do you really need this? I mean, I know the hospital is expensive, but there has to be another way. You work hard here then work at the restaurant. And then I know you are always at the hospital after that. Do you ever sleep? And when was the last time you ate something?" he asked, having his back turned so she could change.
"Listen, Kane, I wish I could stay and help take care of that lynx," Siri started as she zipped up her skirt from the garment bag that she had as well. She shoved her other clothes into the bag.
"You need to take care of yourself," Kane interrupted, turning to her.
"But I need to go," Siri continued, acting as if he hadn't spoken, buttoning the final button on the collar of her blouse, sliding on her dress shoes.
Not waiting for him to answer, she closed her locker, leaving the bag of clothes there, and rushed out the door.
The shoes pinched Siri's feet, but she moved as fast as she could, from the outskirts of the city, through the somewhat busy streets of Alderaa.
Finally, Siri made it to the restaurant, which was like a very upscale cafe.
Entering through the backdoor, Siri was met by a very impatient supervisor. "You are late!" the woman barked at her before Siri had even had a chance to put on the uniformed apron.
"I know. I'm sorry," Siri was quick to apologize though it was hard to. She had to swallow her pride repeatedly since Taylor had become sick. First with doctors who refused to do extra treatment before payment. Once again with the banks for medical loans, though none of them would allow it. Yet another time when pressing Kane to come to her for extra work that needed to be done around the center, which would usually pay extra for overtime. Finally, working at this restaurant, she had to wait on patrons and do everything she was told to by the supervisors.
"Don't be sorry, be on time," the supervisor continued. "Get out there," she hissed at Siri, shoving a pad paper and pen into Siri's hand before pushing Siri into the kitchen when then led to the dining area.
Already exhausted, Siri had to hold back a sigh, seeing her section already full.
However, she knew more people meant more tips, which in turn meant more credit to pay the doctors for more treatment for Taylor.
Siri gave a nod to the waitress who had Siri's section the shift before her, and took the woman's orders that were still cooking and after that she barely had time to think.
She was rushing from one table to the next to take orders, get refills and bring food. She always found that bringing the food was the hardest. She had to stand in the hot, steamy kitchen, load her tray carefully, carry the heavy tray to the table and then balance the tray with one hand while the other passed out the food. She had to be careful not to use for Force for help too, just in case someone picked up on it.
Finally, things started to slow down and Siri had a quick 10-minute break and she bought herself a small side salad, but found it almost impossible to eat. It had been like this since Taylor had gotten sick, and Siri knew she wasn't taking care of herself. She had lost weight; clothes that had fit were now loose. Her hair, normally pulled back or falling freely past her shoulders was different. Siri had cut her hair herself, and it was only slightly past her chin now, to make it easier to manage. Her skin was also paled with circles under her eyes that she had used make up from Lemida to cover it up. She had to look at least presentable here.
The break was over too soon and Siri saw a hostess seating a family of four at a booth. Two adults and two children, one a boy around Taylor's age and the other was a girl about four or five standard years old.
"Hello, my name is Siri," she forced a smile. "Our special today is restal with red chifton sauces and a side of wild rice. Our soup of the day is backed zimbta. Can I start you with something to drink?" she repeated the phrase like she had at least a dozen times that day.
"We would like a bottle of your Corellian wine," the man spoke up, motioning to himself and the woman Siri assumed was his wife. "And some milk for our daughter."
"And I want juice," the boy chimed in. Siri nodded to them all, making quick notes of their orders. "Hey, I want two juices," the boy told her. When more than half a second passed without Siri answering, still filling out the order, the little boy kicked Siri in the shin, hard.
Siri bit her lip, refusing to say anything. He was a spoiled child and his parents didn't even see this act. Siri excused herself and went to get their drinks. She gave them to the family, then took their order.
"I want cake," the boy told her and Siri ignored him. "Hey! I want cake!" he demanded.
"Not until after your dinner," his father told him firmly.
The boy glared but stopped demanding loudly. "Hey, bring me cake now," he whispered to Siri, who shook her head and the boy glared at her as she left. She'd be sorry.
As she limped into the kitchen, she saw a bruise forming from the kick. Sighing, she gave the order to one of the cooks before starting to bring food to others.
She caught the boy looking at her darkly a few times, and did her best to ignore, and avoid that table.
However, with another group, a business party it looked like, taking a corner table, it was impossible to not walk past the boy and his family
Luckily, the boy did not speak to her, though he shot her a glare when she brought the dinner without the cake.
From there, Siri took the order of business group, four men. The tray was going to be heavy; she already knew it. She would definitely need both hands.
Siri didn't have time to think about that though. More people were seated and more orders needed to be taken.
Things were going smoothly though. Too smoothly. At least too smoothly for Siri and what the Force had been giving her recently.
She had been keeping her mind on the tasks at hands. She had to be sure not to mess up orders and to be fast enough. Her supervisor continued to threaten her almost daily. For messing up, being too slow, or being late. Siri knew that she was lucky to have gotten this job. She couldn't mess it up, no matter how much she wanted to cry from the treatment.
Siri picked up the tray for the business group, feeling how heavy it was. The plates by themselves were heavy enough. Adding food and then a large number of plates, she had to control her movements, nervous about the tray tipping.
In fact, she was concentrating so hard on holding the tray, and keeping herself moving through the exhaustion she felt, that she failed to notice the young boy.
As Siri started to walk by the table, the boy, still upset at her, stuck out his leg.
Unable to see this, Siri tripped right into the boy's leg.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Siri flew forward, tray flying from her hands. She tried to steady herself but it was too late and she only managed to turn herself slightly, not even able to throw her arms up to block her fall. She fell onto her shoulder hard with a small cry from the shock and pain that radiated up her arm.
The crash of dishes on the ground, shattering, brought everyone's attention to the fallen waitress. All was silent as they watched her struggle against tears to get to her feet and start to pick up the pieces of broken dinnerware, cutting her hand in the process. Slowly, everyone's attention turned to his or her food and companions. All except for a smirking little boy.
"Siri? Are you alright?" another waitress, Thesa, asked coming over to her.
Siri just looked over at her, trying to hide her tears as Thesa knelt down beside her.
"It'll be ok," Thesa assured her as she helped Siri pick up the broken pieces, placing them on Siri's tray, most of the food contents spilt on the floor.
Helping Siri to her feet and then handing her the tray, Thesa went to find a droid to clean up the mess still on the floor.
Siri hated feeling the looks of all the patrons on her. It was shameful. One of the worst feelings in the world to her. The only thing worse was being helpless.
Seeing the look on her supervisor's face, she knew she was in trouble. Letting out a deep breath, Siri went up to her, head held high.
The supervisor led Siri into the kitchen, took the tray, setting it down carefully before grabbing Siri's arm roughly. Siri had to fight back any sound of protest from her injured arm.
"You…." The woman growled at her. "You clumsy, foolish…" the list went on, but Siri blocked her out.
"This is coming out of your pay. The pay of your last paycheck, if it even covers that."
"Last paycheck?" Siri asked, knowing that this meant.
"Last paycheck," the woman growled. "You….are…fired," she told Siri, emphasizing each word.
Siri looked at the woman she had feared for so long. The woman who had hired her. The woman who was now firing her. Amazingly enough, Siri wasn't upset by this. In fact, she was relieved.
"Fine, you know what," Siri pulled off her apron, dropped it on the floor, then ground her heel into the fabric. "Have your lousy apron and job. I don't need them, or you."
With that, Siri turned on her heel. She knew there was food on her clothing, but she didn't care. She had lost her pride when Taylor had gotten sick. In doing so, she had lost sight of the possibilities.
Walking right out the front door, giving only a faint smile to Thesa, she marched out into the cool night air. Looking up at the night sky, and the few bright stars she could see through the lights, she absentmindedly started to play with her wedding ring that she wore on a chain around her neck
So she had lost her job. She could find a new one. She had forgotten. She was not just Siri Kenobi, waitress. Even if no one else could know because of the Purge, she was, and forever would be Jedi Knight Siri Kenobi.
A faint light played over Siri's features. The Jedi were not extinct. It would only take time for them to rise and face the Emperor. She would be there for that day. And so would Taylor, her Padawan by duty, but daughter by love.
Looking up at the stars, Siri felt as if the Force was giving her the strength she had been lacking for months. And finally, for the first time in ages, Siri leaned her head back, a smile on her features. It was going to be okay. They were going to be ok.