I don't know how much time must have passed as I stood there, but I was suddenly startled out of my reverie by a pair of strong hands on my shoulders. I leaned back into that touch like a cat seeking affection, practically purring as I felt the last of my tension bleed away under Qui-Gon's ministrations.
"Mmm. This feels wonderful. You give great massages," I purred.
"I could feel your tension on the other side of the Palace," he said quietly.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against his chest. "Yeah, well, you can blame the Coucil for that. They certainly know how to stress a person out, don't they? I nealy had a bloody heart attack. I don't know how you can stand them half the time," I remarked dryly.
Qui-Gon laughed, a deep rumbling sound that had an oddly calming effect on me. "Yes, that seems to be the highlight of their lives. Now you see why we're always at odds with each other," he replied.
I nodded. "I understand exactly how that is. My family and I were always at odds with each other before..." I hesitated for a moment, holding back tears. "Before they abandoned me. It was all planned," I whispered as the tears started to fall.
Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around me and held me close to him as I cried, resting his chin gently on the top of my head. Just having him there with me brought me a little bit of comfort, and I wasn't really surprised that a bond had started to form between us. I wondered idly if he'd noticed it yet.
"Shh. It's all right. It's all right, little one. Let it out, I'm here. I won't leave if you don't want me to," he whispered soothingly.
I shook my head slightly. "No, please. Stay with me," I said, hardly aware of the pleading tone in my voice.
"All right, I'll stay," Qui-Gon replied softly.
"Thank you. Maybe I'll tell you what happened one of these days. It's just too painful right now. It's only been two months," I said.
Qui-Gon placed a kiss on the top of my head and led me back inside. Night had fallen, and it had grown considerably colder outside. Casey was awake by now, and she and Kenobi were sitting on the couch, talking. Casey kept giving Anakin that evil glare of hers. He looked like he was trying to keep as much distance between himself and Casey as was humanly possible. I shook my head.
"Hey, guys," I said quietly, wiping away the last traces of my tears.
"Oh, hey Layla," Casey said as Qui-Gon and I sat down. "I was just telling Obi-Wan that the Council agreed to let us stay and become Jedi."
I glanced over at Anakin and saw him turn pale. Somehow I managed to keep from laughing and rested my head on Qui-Gon's shoulder.
"The Council has also granted us permission to train Anakin," Qui-Gon said.
At that, I sat up and Casey and I exchanged glances.
"What?! Really?!" Anakin exclaimed excitedly.
If the circumstances had been different, and had I not known what he would become in the future, I might have actually felt happy for the kid. But as it was, I only felt an almost overwhelming sense of despair at that particular train of thought. I quickly pushed it aside before Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan could notice it, though.
"Yes, you will become a Jedi, Anakin. I promise," Obi-Wan said.
//Layla?//
//Hmmm? What?// I sent back to Casey.
//Are you all right?// she asked.
//Yeah, I'm fine. Why?//
//You sure?//
//Yeah, I'm sure. I was just thinking about something, that's all// I offered as a lame sort of excuse.
//Thinking about what, Layla?//
//Nothing. I'll tell you later, ok?//
//All right.//
I sighed in relief, grateful that she had just left the conversation at that. I leaned back and closed my eyes. But just as I was starting to drift off, I heard the others cry out in surprise. I yelled, too, at the bright flash of blue light that I saw even through my closed eyelids.
TBC...MWA HA HA!!! It's almost finished! Yay! But whilst you're waiting, R&R this part and let me know what you think so far!
~*Celestia Vitaria*~
"Mmm. This feels wonderful. You give great massages," I purred.
"I could feel your tension on the other side of the Palace," he said quietly.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against his chest. "Yeah, well, you can blame the Coucil for that. They certainly know how to stress a person out, don't they? I nealy had a bloody heart attack. I don't know how you can stand them half the time," I remarked dryly.
Qui-Gon laughed, a deep rumbling sound that had an oddly calming effect on me. "Yes, that seems to be the highlight of their lives. Now you see why we're always at odds with each other," he replied.
I nodded. "I understand exactly how that is. My family and I were always at odds with each other before..." I hesitated for a moment, holding back tears. "Before they abandoned me. It was all planned," I whispered as the tears started to fall.
Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around me and held me close to him as I cried, resting his chin gently on the top of my head. Just having him there with me brought me a little bit of comfort, and I wasn't really surprised that a bond had started to form between us. I wondered idly if he'd noticed it yet.
"Shh. It's all right. It's all right, little one. Let it out, I'm here. I won't leave if you don't want me to," he whispered soothingly.
I shook my head slightly. "No, please. Stay with me," I said, hardly aware of the pleading tone in my voice.
"All right, I'll stay," Qui-Gon replied softly.
"Thank you. Maybe I'll tell you what happened one of these days. It's just too painful right now. It's only been two months," I said.
Qui-Gon placed a kiss on the top of my head and led me back inside. Night had fallen, and it had grown considerably colder outside. Casey was awake by now, and she and Kenobi were sitting on the couch, talking. Casey kept giving Anakin that evil glare of hers. He looked like he was trying to keep as much distance between himself and Casey as was humanly possible. I shook my head.
"Hey, guys," I said quietly, wiping away the last traces of my tears.
"Oh, hey Layla," Casey said as Qui-Gon and I sat down. "I was just telling Obi-Wan that the Council agreed to let us stay and become Jedi."
I glanced over at Anakin and saw him turn pale. Somehow I managed to keep from laughing and rested my head on Qui-Gon's shoulder.
"The Council has also granted us permission to train Anakin," Qui-Gon said.
At that, I sat up and Casey and I exchanged glances.
"What?! Really?!" Anakin exclaimed excitedly.
If the circumstances had been different, and had I not known what he would become in the future, I might have actually felt happy for the kid. But as it was, I only felt an almost overwhelming sense of despair at that particular train of thought. I quickly pushed it aside before Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan could notice it, though.
"Yes, you will become a Jedi, Anakin. I promise," Obi-Wan said.
//Layla?//
//Hmmm? What?// I sent back to Casey.
//Are you all right?// she asked.
//Yeah, I'm fine. Why?//
//You sure?//
//Yeah, I'm sure. I was just thinking about something, that's all// I offered as a lame sort of excuse.
//Thinking about what, Layla?//
//Nothing. I'll tell you later, ok?//
//All right.//
I sighed in relief, grateful that she had just left the conversation at that. I leaned back and closed my eyes. But just as I was starting to drift off, I heard the others cry out in surprise. I yelled, too, at the bright flash of blue light that I saw even through my closed eyelids.
TBC...MWA HA HA!!! It's almost finished! Yay! But whilst you're waiting, R&R this part and let me know what you think so far!
~*Celestia Vitaria*~