Tiv sat up again, kicking herself for falling asleep. She wondered what Qui-Gon (he had introduced himself on the way over) would do when he saw that she wasn't awake. He didn't seem to be present, but, sitting up, she realized that she was outside the bar behind which she and Colac lived.

A movement out of the corner of her eyes caught her attention, and Tiv ducked down as she spotted Gerish coming towards her. He hadn't noticed her before, and if she stayed down, maybe he wouldn't…

"Tiv?" asked a sudden voice, and the girl recognized it as Colac.

"She was here a moment ago…" began Qui-Gon, and Tiv saw Gerish stop and watch the two with interest.

If ever she could have used the phrase 'internal battle', now would be the time. Should she get up so that Colac knew she was there, or stay down so that Gerish didn't? But then, Colac and Qui-Gon would inevitably come over to the speeder which would mean they'd see her, and Gerish would too. Postponing it wouldn't help anything, only make her look stupid.

"Here I am!" she cried, sitting up. Qui-Gon looked surprised at her sudden appearance, but Colac, accustomed to it, only smiled.

"I thought he said you were asleep," commented the boy, jerking his head at Qui-Gon.

"Yes, well, rarely do I fall asleep without waking up. In fact, it has never happened to me at all."

"I'm sure it will one day," said Qui-Gon comfortingly.

"Gee, thanks," retorted Tiv sarcastically, spotting Gerish grinning out of the corner of her eye, but refusing to look at him.

Qui-Gon dumped the backpack he was carrying into the speeder, and opened the door so that Colac could get in. As Tiv scooted to one side for her brother, she spotted Gerish still grinning manically. Probably glad to be rid of us, she thought angrily. I'm glad to be rid of him, too. She refused to admit that if they were rid of each other, she would be gone permanently.

"What happened?" asked Colac, diverting her attention away from Gerish.

"Well… apparently… I got knocked out. By a door."

"You got knocked out by a door? What, was it evil or something?" demanded Colac.

"No," Qui-Gon told him from the front. "It was just being handled by someone…. unusual."

"Unusual how?"

"You'll see," answered Qui-Gon mysteriously. Colac and Tiv rolled their eyes, and went back to their conversation.

"So what were you doing in front of a door being handled by this unusual person?" asked Colac.

"Uhh… following people I shouldn't into places I shouldn't," answered Tiv.

"As usual."

Their conversation continued on this vein for quite a while, until about halfway to their destination, Tiv asked, "So, who were those people there when I woke up?"

"Just the two of us, why?" asked Colac.

"No, not that time, the other time! Just after I got knocked out by the door."

"Well how should I know?"

"I wasn't asking you, I was asking him!"

"Umm, unusual people," answered Qui-Gon, looking unsure how to describe his friends.

"What is with you and the word unusual?" demanded Colac.

"My friends are unusual. Have you ever met them?"

"No, why would I have?"

"Then you don't know how unusual they are. One day, you will. Actually, probably today or tomorrow." He glanced up at the sky. "More likely tomorrow, it's getting late."

"Why would we meet your friends at all?" demanded Tiv sleepily. You can't really blame her, considering.

Qui-Gon glanced back at her, and decided that she was too tired for long explanations like the one her question would merit. "Never mind. Are you feeling alright?"

"No. My head hurts. And I'm tired. What did you mean about your friends?"

"Well, that's not surprising that your head hurts, considering how hard Anakin hit you."

"I thought you said a door hit her," Colac snapped. "What, was the door named Anakin or something?"

Qui-Gon grinned, glad the boy, if unwittingly, was helping him avoid Tiv's questions. "No, the door was being handled by someone named Anakin, my former apprentice."

"Oh." Colac seemed to consider that for a moment. Actually, he was considering whether to help this guy avoid Tiv's questionings, but Qui-Gon didn't know that. Finally, he decided. "Is he unusual?"

"Aren't we all. Yes, he is very, very unusual." Seeing that Tiv was about to change the subject again, Qui-Gon launched into a whole story about Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the rest of his 'unusual' friends.

It was dark by the time the trio reached the Jedi Temple. Qui-Gon turned around to help Tiv and Colac out, and smiled when he realized that both children were asleep.

Colac's eyes flickered partway opened, but Qui-Gon didn't notice. The boy felt much too tired to stand, and to his surprise, as he saw the Jedi lifting up his sister, he started to rise too. Rolling over without opening his eyes any farther, he saw a bearded man with slightly lighter and shorter hair than Jinn holding his sleepy form.

"Is this her brother?" the man asked, and Jinn nodded.

"They were living in a tiny room behind a bar," he told the other man. Both shook their heads. "They shouldn't even be allowed in there, much less live there," Jinn continued.

Colac tried to protest that he was, indeed, perfectly capable of living anywhere he wanted, and that he had Tiv to look after him, didn't he? But he found himself to be too tired.

I'll tell them in the morning, he told himself sleepily. Without even bothering to wonder where he and Tiv would sleep, his eyes closed completely, and he fell asleep.

So, another short one. I'd tell you the reviewers, but there weren't any, and there should have been… umm… please? Pretty please? Okay, I'll shut up now, but please press that little button on the bottom left corner of the screen. See it? See that purplish-blue thingy? Good, now press it… type in your name, and tell me what you think. Please.