You Get Me-Chapter 6
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For the first time in a long time, Tahiri was actually looking forward to a new day. She felt like she had been drifting in some kind of emotional limbo for so long that this glimmer of hope was like a drop of water to her thirsty soul. It wasn't that she expected Jacen Solo to work a miracle for her, but just the idea that he was taking time out for her helped to ease some of the pain she'd been wallowing in for the past year.
Looking around her room now made last night's 'visit' by Anakin's ghost seem like it never happened.
Ghost?--- Is that what he had been? Or was it as Jacen said?-a manifestation of her own heart's needs and desires. She chuckled and shook her head. If it was her own desires, then why in the world did she lead herself to Jacen?
Her eyes shot to the door. Jacen was waiting patiently on the other side, ready to begin-but begin what exactly, Tahiri had no clue. Part of her was frightened, unwilling to confront the very pain she'd been clinging to, while another part of her-one that had been forced to hide since the entrance of the Vong into her life-was anxious at the prospect of the unknown and unpredictable future.
Quickly, she jumped in the shower; then hurriedly dressed in a pair of black pants and a tan-colored tank. Glancing only briefly in the mirror to ruffle her still damp hair into place over her Vong mark, she grabbed a jacket and left the room. When the door opened, she found Jacen leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and a peaceful look on his face. A tiny grin escaped his lips.
"That was fast," he stated, opening his eyes and standing up straight.
"Were you sleeping?" Tahiri asked.
"No, no-just meditating while I had the chance," he explained. "I find the older I get, the more I need it."
Tahiri laughed out loud. "Oh, yeah, you're so old, Jacen Solo."
His grin widened but then the expression on his face grew more serious. "Maybe not chronologically, but I think we're both mature beyond our years. Don't you?"
"Um," the statement took her by surprise and she stammered out a response. "I guess you're right."
Jacen sensed her uneasiness and knew he needed to take it slow. Tahiri tried to put forth a tough front, but he knew deep inside she was as fragile as a delicate shadowmoth.
"You hungry? Because I'm starving!" he exclaimed. His move worked. He felt the tension leave her as she smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Great! I know this neat little place."
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Breakfast had been delicious. It was as if her taste buds had awakened from a long hibernation. Every bite tasted better than the one before it.
Jacen had taken control of the conversation, a fact she appreciated. The topic eventually turned to Anakin, which Tahiri had expected would happen sooner or later. However, after the initial stab of pain in her gut, it gradually ebbed away, partly due to the stories Jacen was sharing. They were all good memories he had of his younger brother while they were growing up. Tales of trouble they had either caused or found themselves smack dab in the middle of-stories of their relentless aggravation of poor C3PO, of teasing Jaina until she ran to their parents crying. Jacen quickly added that it didn't take long for their sister to figure out all the advantages of being 'daddy's little princess'.
"My rear end still smarts from those memories," he admitted with a chuckle. "Dad always did like her best." He was rewarded with Tahiri's laughter from across the table.
"I didn't realize he was such a little troublemaker," she said.
"Yeah, well, I was usually the brains behind the mayhem. He usually just came along for the ride."
Tahiri grew silent and Jacen was afraid she was going to block him out. Then she surprised him.
"He looked up to you, you know," she said looking him straight in the eye. Those were words he hadn't expected to hear. Jacen was speechless as he gazed into her bright green eyes. Funny how he'd never noticed quite how green they were before now. "It's true," she continued. "He used to tell me about how he couldn't wait until he could be off doing great things like you. I know you had some problems with each other right before--- right before he. died--- but, he still loved you."
"I-I know he did," Jacen replied, "and I loved him, too. Thank you, though, for reminding me how much." Now Tahiri was at a loss for words, so Jacen continued. "Tahiri, you knew a side of Anakin that I didn't. I hope that you'll share some of your memories of him with me someday. when you're ready."
She offered a quick little grin and then returned her attention to the food on her plate. Jacen took another bite of his breakfast and contemplated his next move.
"I'd like you to show me what you do every day," he stated after swallowing.
Tahiri pushed her plate away and smirked at him. "Shouldn't you know that already seeing as how you were spying on me just a few days ago?"
He snickered. "Good point," he conceded. "But this time I won't be skulking around in the shadows."
Again, she laughed out loud, and he found he liked to see her smiling. Her whole face seemed to light up, and he could see why his brother had been attracted to her. She was pretty, in a sweet and natural kind of way. really cute.
"Okay," she agreed. "But only if you can keep up with my busy routine. First up is a workout." She stood up and looked down at him in his chair. "Ready to sweat?"
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For the first time in a long time, Tahiri was actually looking forward to a new day. She felt like she had been drifting in some kind of emotional limbo for so long that this glimmer of hope was like a drop of water to her thirsty soul. It wasn't that she expected Jacen Solo to work a miracle for her, but just the idea that he was taking time out for her helped to ease some of the pain she'd been wallowing in for the past year.
Looking around her room now made last night's 'visit' by Anakin's ghost seem like it never happened.
Ghost?--- Is that what he had been? Or was it as Jacen said?-a manifestation of her own heart's needs and desires. She chuckled and shook her head. If it was her own desires, then why in the world did she lead herself to Jacen?
Her eyes shot to the door. Jacen was waiting patiently on the other side, ready to begin-but begin what exactly, Tahiri had no clue. Part of her was frightened, unwilling to confront the very pain she'd been clinging to, while another part of her-one that had been forced to hide since the entrance of the Vong into her life-was anxious at the prospect of the unknown and unpredictable future.
Quickly, she jumped in the shower; then hurriedly dressed in a pair of black pants and a tan-colored tank. Glancing only briefly in the mirror to ruffle her still damp hair into place over her Vong mark, she grabbed a jacket and left the room. When the door opened, she found Jacen leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and a peaceful look on his face. A tiny grin escaped his lips.
"That was fast," he stated, opening his eyes and standing up straight.
"Were you sleeping?" Tahiri asked.
"No, no-just meditating while I had the chance," he explained. "I find the older I get, the more I need it."
Tahiri laughed out loud. "Oh, yeah, you're so old, Jacen Solo."
His grin widened but then the expression on his face grew more serious. "Maybe not chronologically, but I think we're both mature beyond our years. Don't you?"
"Um," the statement took her by surprise and she stammered out a response. "I guess you're right."
Jacen sensed her uneasiness and knew he needed to take it slow. Tahiri tried to put forth a tough front, but he knew deep inside she was as fragile as a delicate shadowmoth.
"You hungry? Because I'm starving!" he exclaimed. His move worked. He felt the tension leave her as she smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Great! I know this neat little place."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Breakfast had been delicious. It was as if her taste buds had awakened from a long hibernation. Every bite tasted better than the one before it.
Jacen had taken control of the conversation, a fact she appreciated. The topic eventually turned to Anakin, which Tahiri had expected would happen sooner or later. However, after the initial stab of pain in her gut, it gradually ebbed away, partly due to the stories Jacen was sharing. They were all good memories he had of his younger brother while they were growing up. Tales of trouble they had either caused or found themselves smack dab in the middle of-stories of their relentless aggravation of poor C3PO, of teasing Jaina until she ran to their parents crying. Jacen quickly added that it didn't take long for their sister to figure out all the advantages of being 'daddy's little princess'.
"My rear end still smarts from those memories," he admitted with a chuckle. "Dad always did like her best." He was rewarded with Tahiri's laughter from across the table.
"I didn't realize he was such a little troublemaker," she said.
"Yeah, well, I was usually the brains behind the mayhem. He usually just came along for the ride."
Tahiri grew silent and Jacen was afraid she was going to block him out. Then she surprised him.
"He looked up to you, you know," she said looking him straight in the eye. Those were words he hadn't expected to hear. Jacen was speechless as he gazed into her bright green eyes. Funny how he'd never noticed quite how green they were before now. "It's true," she continued. "He used to tell me about how he couldn't wait until he could be off doing great things like you. I know you had some problems with each other right before--- right before he. died--- but, he still loved you."
"I-I know he did," Jacen replied, "and I loved him, too. Thank you, though, for reminding me how much." Now Tahiri was at a loss for words, so Jacen continued. "Tahiri, you knew a side of Anakin that I didn't. I hope that you'll share some of your memories of him with me someday. when you're ready."
She offered a quick little grin and then returned her attention to the food on her plate. Jacen took another bite of his breakfast and contemplated his next move.
"I'd like you to show me what you do every day," he stated after swallowing.
Tahiri pushed her plate away and smirked at him. "Shouldn't you know that already seeing as how you were spying on me just a few days ago?"
He snickered. "Good point," he conceded. "But this time I won't be skulking around in the shadows."
Again, she laughed out loud, and he found he liked to see her smiling. Her whole face seemed to light up, and he could see why his brother had been attracted to her. She was pretty, in a sweet and natural kind of way. really cute.
"Okay," she agreed. "But only if you can keep up with my busy routine. First up is a workout." She stood up and looked down at him in his chair. "Ready to sweat?"
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