Disclaimer: (I forgot to put it in the first chapter) The only thing that's mine is Marius. This will do for the rest of the chapters…
Before I begin, I would love to thank all the readers and reviewers. anakinzgirl, Gizzi1213, ButterCowLuvr, Kenobifan, Jedi X-man Serena Kenobi, Amberleah, and Phantom'sJediBandieGirl. I also want to thank ButterCowLuvr, again, for reminding me of the other thing I should have done in the last chapter: Telling the background of the story.
Well, it started when I saw this little girl during Padme's funeral in ROTS. I thought she was Padme's little sister, then this fic started to come up. I found out then that there was a deleted scene from AOTC, where Padme took Anakin to her family. So, I searched for the complete script on the internet, and that's when I found out that Padme didn't have a little sister, but a big sister who had two children. The older one is Ryoo (6 years old) and the younger one is Pooja (4 years old). Pooja matches my description of the girl in this fic so much, that I decided that it has to be her who should be my main character.
One more thing… Numbers, or in this case, ages, play a big part in this fic. In every chapter, I will insert some clues about how old Pooja is or Obi Wan is. I leave it to you to interpret it the way you like…
Thank you and enjoy!
2
"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier," started Pooja, as Obi Wan, who had healed from his shock, led her to the house and offered her a cup of tea, "of my visit,
"I've been tracking down your trace for the last 6 months."
She sat down while her host whirled around the house with nothing significant to do. She moved on,
"That would be since all my family have passed away."
Her keen explanation startled Obi Wan. He stopped moving and seated himself before her.
"I'm sorry," whispered he, at long last.
A smile lit up her face and she replied, "That's all right. You didn't do anything wrong."
A quiet laugh came out of her before both of them grew silent. She drank her tea to fill the moment, yet it was clear that she still had a few things left unsaid.
"It was very hard, finding you. Many times have I searched high and low and found only disappointments. Lucky for me a farmer I met as soon as I arrived at the planet was familiar with my description of yours,
"Although, he warned me not to stay close to you."
She lowered her head as she finished her words, not knowing exactly how the Jedi would react. When he did react, though, only a sigh was given, "Oh."
Silence overcame them once more; silence that could be misinterpreted as a way to let the guest know, she was not expected and it was better for her to leave sooner than later.
Secretly, Obi Wan fixed his eyes on Pooja. Her head was still held close to her chin. Her eyes blinked at the fluid inside her cup; the tea was cold already. Still, what he discovered there wasn't just this 19-year-old Pooja sitting in front of him, who travelled planets merely to see him; it was also Pooja he met 5 years ago, back at his aunt's funeral. The look he saw then was what he witnessed now. The look of despair. The look she gave at times she felt something was taken out of her. And just like 5 years ago, he was suddenly charged with the urge to never let her down.
"Well," he uttered as Pooja, her eyes bigger with surprise, ceased to contemplate on her tea and sighted him with delight.
"Of course, you won't find any Obi Wan Kenobi or General Kenobi here or anywhere around the galaxy,
"Locals know me as Ben Kenobi."
Her cheeks blushed all of a sudden. Her lips formed a smile hearing the name she always deemed as a misspelling. Yes, 5 years ago, when Obi Wan resided in this planet, he knew he had to disguise. He couldn't use his real name. And what was better than 'Ben'?
His words soothed, not only Pooja, but also Obi Wan himself. He felt glad and proud of himself at the same time. The single phrase of 'Ben' now had also opened the door to another conversation.
"But, I still don't understand," asked he, "the reason why you should be looking for me."
Her brows knitted for she felt confused, "Why, can't you guess?" she enquired, "why else would I be here? To be with my remaining family, of course!"
Family? Obi Wan's thought ran wildly and it wasn't long when he remembered the night they first met and how she mistook him as Padme's husband… and Luke's father.
"I… I want to be with my uncle and… Oh, dear! I never asked you his name!"
Obi Wan didn't know what to say or how to start what he wanted to say.
"Luke," he spoke, at last, "Luke Skywalker."
"Skywalker?" she laughed the name merrily, "but your name's Kenobi. And Skywalker was the other Jedi, the one protecting her at Naboo years ago!"
Obi Wan replied none, giving way for his words to enter her mind and woke her up. As she digested the newly information, the smile on her face gradually lost. Her jaw dropped and her lips parted to ask, "What?"
"Pooja, I am not your aunt's husband…"
And with that, he revealed all the truth. How Anakin Skywalker used to be his Padawan, how he –in spite of the rules that forbade him- fell in love with Padme and married her, how he had betrayed her and the rest of the world, how he abandoned her to death, how the twins were separated; Obi Wan revealed it all to her.
When he finished, her lips were still opened, her forehead frowned. Then it was her turn to let out a sigh, "Oh."
But then the same smile emerged once more, "Oh," she repeated. She stood up from her chair and Obi Wan, either because he could do nothing else, or just simply wanted to express courtesy, imitated her move.
"No time should be wasted, then," she moved on, "I'm afraid I must leave now. Immediately!"
"Was it something I said?" asked Obi Wan. His voice was filled with remorse.
"Oh, no! Of course not!" she replied hurriedly, but then she stopped. Her eyes were occupied with her inner thoughts and she continued, "well, yes, actually,
"But don't worry, it's just that, I understand now, I can't stay here any longer. It will endanger both of us. Well, three of us, as a matter of fact."
She had made her way to the front door, but Obi Wan's question hindered her, "But are you not sad? Disappointed? Angry?"
"Funnily," answered she, "no."
She was only two steps further, yet Obi Wan had interrupted her pace once again, "Where are you going?"
"Back to Naboo, I guess. The Emperor had, literally, condemned the whole planet, but the people are still struggling,
"I have friends who still believe in the Old Republic, they were thinking of starting a rebellion. A good friend of mine, Marius, is the leader. I can stay with him. Or the others."
"But what are you going to do?"
She felt embarrassed all of a sudden and, smiling, she told him, "I'm writing,
"I never told this to anyone, but I was never like Padme. I was more like my grandfather, the poet,
"I want to be a writer."
She waited for another question, but it never came. So, turning her heels, she headed back to the front door. However, when her walking was delayed once more, it wasn't because of Obi Wan and his never ending questions. Slowly, she walked back to his direction and it was her time to ask.
"I have one favour,
"Do you mind if I come here and visit you every year? I know I haven't much time today, but I would love to see Luke as often as I can. Even when 'often' means 'once in a year'."
Obi Wan let out his own smile when he replied, "You don't even have to ask."
Her contagious laugh echoed again and Obi Wan couldn't help smiling much wider.
"Till we meet again, then," she saluted, "General Kenobi."
"Please," Obi Wan gestured, "it's Ben."
"Till we meet again, Ben," she corrected.
With those last words, she opened the door and paved her way out of the hut and the planet, till the time should come when she would knock the sandy door yet again.
Obi Wan exhaled deeply. Inside his stomach was a feeling of lightness. His heart felt like a feather. It must be the laugh; he hadn't laughed since a decade ago.
"Till we meet again," he greeted back to the dusty air.