Disclaimer: Damn it, must I go through this depressing statement every single chapter? Okay, I DON'T OWN STAR WARS, and I never will or else Anakin would be completely intact, unscarred, and mine…mwahaha.

A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I was getting' kind of bored of writing these innocent little kiddy chapters and wanted to get to the mush, but I still have two or three more non mushy chapters to write…darn it. These reviews keep me goin'.

FilthyMushi—YES! Anakin was in character and it was entertaining. That lifts my heart, I was worried for a sec. Thanks!

The Al Bhed Slayer—Thanks for the explanation and the review (it was just bugging me cuz I didn't know what an Al Bhed was, lol). I'll read Eternal Balance ASAP, thanks for updating that as well!

AnakinLuvr34—Someone who has me on story alert! I'm truly honored, thank you so much.

Piper331—Summer school stinks. Seriously. Thanks for the review, just you wait and see what happens to our favorite hottie…

Nianko—I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't have the motivation or ideas to write a huge chapter though! Just wait till the mush comes, mwahahahaha…lol, your idea is good but it's not what's happenin', sorry. Read and find out!

Amanda—You'll just have to read and see, won't ya? Lol, jkjk, thanks for the review—it'll stop being sad and start being happy.

HaydenChristiansenisHOOTT!—lol, I'm liking your name. I will e-mail you when I update, mwahahahaha. Thanks for the review!

PART ONE: BUDDING

Chapter Three

Ali awoke early the next morning, eager to see Anakin again and to reattempt the miracle of last morning. She skipped happily into the practice room. Once inside, she picked out the exact same feather—for good luck's sake—and sat Indian style in the exact same corner. Although she had been taught there was no such thing as luck, there could be no harm in making sure.

Ali tried her best to focus her entire being on lifting the feather, but her thoughts drifted despite her efforts. She kept remembering Anakin's success yesterday—he had lifted the feather after about ten tries, and showed extraordinary talent at the lightsaber for someone who had never practiced before. Every time he accomplished something she had failed at, pangs of jealousy hit her. But he was her best friend—her only friend. Anakin was her raft in a storming ocean, her life support. She wouldn't—couldn't—grudge him anything.

"Hey Ali," A voice called from the doorway, breaking her concentration. She looked up, and saw Anakin standing there, scratching his blonde head sheepishly. His hair was tousled from sleep, and there was an air of guilt around him.

"Good morning," She smiled at her friend, but quickly let it dissolve at his serious expression. "What's wrong?" She asked, concerned now. A hesitant silence followed. He was obviously thinking of what to say next.

"I actually have to tell you something, Ali," He muttered, his head down. Something on the floor was obviously very interesting, for he refused to look up and meet her eyes. "It was stupid of me, and really mean—but it wasn't supposed to be. I never meant for it to go so far, though, you have to know that. It was a prank, and I didn't mean for it to be so mean. I never thought—I didn't know—I was just trying to be funny and to get you to finish your exercise faster—and that's how it happened," he finished lamely.

"Wait, what?" Ali asked, confused. He took a big breath and opened his mouth again when—as luck would have it—Sera walked into the room. Walked wasn't the right word, more like strutted. Confidence radiated from her being, and she did the whole hair flip thing again when she caught sight of Anakin.

"Oh, Anakin, it's so nice to see you!" She flashed that smile again, the flakey sweet one that Ali hated. "I've been thinking about you, you know."

"Really?" He asked hopefully, smiling back.

"Yes, especially after your success yesterday," Sera giggled. "You did so well for someone's first time. It was amazing to watch you improve. You must be a natural with the Force, I've never seen someone so skilled." Ali was getting seriously fed up—this girl was not only a flirt, but she was stuck up, mean, a suck up, and kept interrupting Anakin's conversations with her. Obviously Ali's new friend was Sera's new target.

"Oh, thanks," Anakin looked down at the floor again, playing with the feather that Ali was practicing on. "You were really good too." This was sickening. He was falling for Sera.

"So Anakin, you were going to tell me something earlier?" Ali interrupted irritably.

"I was?" Anakin asked, dazed. He kept glancing at Sera and her fluttering eyelashes and attractive smile.

"Oh, you forgot? Go figure—I should've known you'd find more important things to occupy your thoughts." She said maliciously, and immediately regretted her words at Anakin's hurt look.

"Ali," He began apologetically.

"Forget it," She turned away from him, picked up her feather, and stalked away to an opposite corner.

"Forget her," Sera said when Anakin made to move after Ali. She grabbed his arm and stepped in front of him. "So, tell me about your origins, Anakin. I never got to talk to you long enough yesterday." Anakin twisted away from her and walked to Ali. He crouched down beside her, leaving Sera lonely and rejected at the side.

"I'm sorry I was ignoring you," He whispered at the bowed red head.

"Go away," she muttered, her eyes still closed and unmoving.

"Don't stay mad, Ali," He pleaded, his eyes big and blue and puppy dog like. She looked up at him, and couldn't help but smile slightly. "Please? I won't do it again." She bit her lip, and then laughed at his forlorn expression.

"I forgive you," Ali grinned. "Let's go practice with the lightsabers." She walked to the bin full of feathers and was about to put hers back when a voice called.

"I don't see why you're bothering with her, Anakin," Sera said, her voice saturated with hate and jealousy. "She's Useless. Alianne's been in the Jedi Temple for over three years, and she still can't lift a feather with the Force."

"You're wrong," Ali said, her voice wavering from anger. "I can too lift a feather with the Force. And even if I'm not as good at using the Force as you are, I still have morals—and more midichlorians, Sera." She saw the blonde's face turn positively purple with rage. Sera wasn't so pretty anymore.

"Prove it," Sera hissed. "Do it now, if you're so good."

"Fine, I will," Ali looked down at the feather in her hand and sat down, Indian style, trying to control her rage. "I did it yesterday, I can do it again," She murmured defiantly, lifting her chin.

"Ummm…about that, Ali," Anakin chewed his lip nervously. He had not imagined this situation when he broke the news to her. This was not good. Not good. If he could dig a hole in the floor and shrink into it, he would. This would hurt his friend more than anything ever before, especially if he said it in front of Sera. It would crack her self esteem, leave her ruined. Oh why did he have to do the stupid prank? But he couldn't not tell her, could he? Or were some things left better unsaid?

"Shhh, she's trying to focus," Sera said tauntingly, sneering at the sitting girl.

Focus. Ali thought. Let the anger fade, and let the calm and peace take over. Focus. Concentrate on the task at hand, and don't think about anything else. I don't care if Sera wants to make fun of me, or if Anakin's better than I am. He's the Chosen One and she's mean. What I care about is my abilities. I can do this. Focus. It's inside me. I can do it, and I believe in myself.

I believe in you too. Anakin's voice echoed inside her head. The support he showed for her was overwhelming, and it made her feel so good. She smiled, and let go of everything but the Force.

Lift, she willed the feather peacefully.Lift.

A/N: And, being evil, I'll leave it off there. I think I have three more non mushy chapters to go through, mwahahahaha…then the fluff begins. PLEASE REVIEW! It means so much to me as an author. I'd appreciate it so much. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEEE! Oh, and I apologize for the shortness. I decided to have a cliffie, lol. A crappy cliffie, but one all the same.