Chapter 21

Nomi heard a knock at the door and then another. She tried to ignore it. She had gotten only a few hours of sleep and wasn't ready to get up yet. She was still on the couch and Luke was beside her. He was asleep. He looks so peaceful. Ewe! Is that drool? Oh good its not. I better answer the door before he wakes up. Nomi quickly walked to the refresher to grab her robe.

She could sense that who ever was behind that door was very angry. She glanced down at her chrono. It was an hour until noon. Luke missed his meeting. Probably Leia coming to do some yelling.

Nomi pressed the necessary buttons on the keypad to unlock and open the door. The door slid open, and she was utterly surprised when Leia wasn't standing on the other side.

"Gavin? What are you doing here?"

"Why the hell Nomica? I can't believe it!" Gavin was yelling at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"How could you do it? I mean you should've known better." Gavin was still yelling.

"Gavin calm down and come inside. Whatever it is we can talk about it inside."

"I'm not going to calm down! I can't believe the way your acting! You act as if nothing happened!"

Luke was woken up be a loud voice. The voice was too deep to be Nomi or Leia. Luke quickly got up and to the door. When he got there he saw Nomi standing in a robe and talking to a young man.

The man was dressed as a pilot and seemed to know Nomi. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine Luke."

"NO!" Gavin shouted. "Everything is not fine! You killed him!"

How did Gavin know about my dream? "What are you talking about?"

"He is DEAD! Nomica he DIED yesterday!"

"Wait! What?" Luke cut in. "Who died?"

Gavin finally stopped yelling, he spoke in a low voice. "Her dad."

"What?" Nomi thought she might have been dreaming again. It wasn't until she hit the floor, that reality dawned on her. Tears came at an unusually fast speed.

Luke was quickly by her side, to check and make sure she hadn't past out.

"What happened?" Nomi asked. I HAVE to know!

"Damn Nomica, Losa was there. And so were Decame and little Ramey. She told him what you had said and he had a heart attack." Gavin was now inside the apartment and sitting with Luke and Nomi on the floor.

"It was my fault." Nomi said barely audible.

"No its not." Luke whispered into her ear.

"We've got to figure out what's going to happen to Ramey." Gavin said.

"Who's Ramey?" Luke asked.

"Nomica's parents adopted a little boy a few years back. The kid's parents just left him." Gavin looked far off. "Now he's been abandoned again."

"When is the funeral?" Nomi said in between breaths.

"In three days. I'm leaving day after tomorrow." Gavin stood up. "I hope you come." He walked away and out of the apartment.

Nomi stayed stationed on the floor. She couldn't seem to move. She felt numb, like nothing any one would do would affect her. For a while she just sat on the floor and let Luke hold her. Luke tried to send her calming waves through the Force but there was nothing he could do for her. Her emotions wouldn't be tranquil.

Luke tried to help Nomi stand so she could go sit on the couch or lay in the bed. She however wouldn't move from the spot she was in. She just sat there and continued to cry. Luke picked her up.

She didn't want to move. She hoped if she stayed there she would wake up in her bed. But it didn't happen. Luke picked her up and she knew that this wasn't a dream. That, this was real life. She knew that it was the news of Luke's and her impending marriage that caused the attack. She put her arms around Luke's neck as he set her down on the bed.

Luke tried to pull back but Nomi wouldn't let go. She couldn't be alone, not right now. She couldn't understand how she could feel so guilty. Her father hadn't talked to her in a long time; he had sent her off when she could've used him and Luke. He didn't treat her with respect. She couldn't understand how with the way he treated her that she could still care so much.

Luke sat with her and did what he could to comfort her. He knew to loose a parent wasn't an easy thing. He had lost his parents, his aunt and uncle, and Obi-wan. He knew that the loss of her father would bring up old pains of the loss of her mother. Then, maybe, even Biggs and Nicka.

Luke realized how wonderful it was that after all these years and all the pain they've been through that they would end up here, in each other's arms. He realized soon that Nomi was getting weak from all the crying and the lack of sleep. He laid her down and stayed with her. She laid there and cried.

Luke would stay as long as she needed him too. She knew that and it brought her some comfort. Luke was gently pushing locks of her hair behind her ear. The way he always did when trying to make her feel better. She felt as though she couldn't look him in the eyes. He gently placed a kiss on her forehead. Soon though, the lack of sleep over took power over her grief and she was asleep.

Luke got up to let her sleep not wishing to disturb her. He wasn't sure what to think of the situation. He was sad that her father was gone, but not as sad as he felt he should've been. He chastised himself for the way her felt.

Luke turned his thoughts back to Nomi. With the funeral in a couple of days, she'll be sure to attend. It'll be back on Tatooine. Luke wasn't sure if he could handle going back to Tatooine. He decided if Nomi asked him he would go.

Luke looked at his chrono and knew he had missed his meeting this morning. He thought about going and seeing Leia to apologize. But what if Nomi needs me and I'm not here. He pushed the thought away. There was a big dinner being held tonight in honor of one of the Senators. He knew that he and Nomi wouldn't be attending. I'll talk to Leia tomorrow.

Luke started to think about the dream that Nomi had had. So it wasn't just a dream. It was a premonition. Luke wished he would've listened to her when she said it felt different. There wasn't much he could've done. Luke sat in the common room debating what he should do next.

Meditation. It'll help calm my nerves and I'll be able to help Nomi better. Luke took his position andcleared his mind. He let all his anxieties flow into the Force. Then a picture came before him:

There was a young woman standing in front of him. She looked to be in her teen years. She was upset and talking but Luke couldn't tell what she was saying. She looked as if she was going to cry. Then all of the sudden she fell but before Luke could hop up from where he was seated someone else caught her.

The face looked vaguely familiar. He was older than she was. He caught her with only the speed a Jedi would have. He whispered something to her and helped her stand up.

The girl was crying now and Luke could feel her emotions through the Force. She was angry, distressed, fearful, and heartbroken all at the same time. She suddenly looked away from Luke to someone sitting beside him. He couldn't see who it was, the vision stayed focused on her.

She turned quickly and tried to walk away. The young man from before was standing in front of her. He wouldn't let her pass. She put her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her blonde curly hair.

He guided her out of the room and cast a glance back at Luke. It was one of disappointment and shock. Luke was hurt by the way the boy had looked at him.

Luke came out of his meditation quickly. He didn't know that girl; at least he didn't think he did. He didn't know the boy either. The way they had both carried themselves seemed oddly familiar. There were so many questions Luke had. Who was the girl? Who was that guy? What would make her that upset? Who or what was she looking at before she tried to leave?

Luke knew however that the Force would eventually give him the answers he wanted. Luke turned his attention back to the problems at hand. He wished there was something he could do for Nomi but he sadly knew this was something she would have to get through on her own.

Luke got off the couch and went into the bedroom. Nomi was asleep and had a hold of his pillow. She clung to it as if her life depended on it. He walked around to his side of the bed. He saw that even though she was asleep, she was still crying. Tears continued to roll down her face.

Luke lay down and propped his head up on his elbow. He used his other hand to wipe her tears away. He laid there for hours beside her. She would wake up and roll over or reach out to hold his hand. He knew she needed him and she never had to say a word.

Luke had lain there so long that eventually the sun was beginning to set and clouds were moving in. He remained by her side though. He worried though that his rumbling stomach would wake her. She continued to sleep and every once in a while she would awaken.

Luke waited until she was asleep again and decided a snack would be good. He hadn't had anything to eat all day. He walked into the kitchenette and got a small piece of fruit. He grabbed a glass of water and quickly drank it. He didn't wish to be away from Nomi long, for fear she would wake up and he would not be there.

He quickly finished his fruit. He headed back to the bedroom. He opened the door to see that Nomi wasn't there.