As if Mondays weren't bad enough already, all day Tiv couldn't concentrate for thinking of the images she saw. Every moment a chant in her head kept repeating: "past or future, past or future?"

Because if Boba, Anakin, and Obi-Wan were so young, then it had to be the past. But if Qui-Gon was dead, then it had to be the future, as much as Tiv might regret it.

Maybe she should want him dead, but at the moment, that was the last thing from her mind. Right now, she didn't care whether or not she was starting to like her Jedi captors, if only she could figure out this mystery.

Maybe it hadn't been Qui-Gon. No, that was impossible. As much as Tiv hated it, when the fire had cleared, the face she had seen was that of her master. He was dead, but it was the past.

It was, wasn't it? Unless, possibly, there was some reason for the future to be like that? Could people get younger? She wished there was someone for her to ask.

"Tiv!" a sudden voice called. She turned around and saw Luke jogging up to her. "How're you doing?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned. Tiv would have been touched, if she had really believed it.

"What do you want?" she snapped. Luke seemed a little taken aback, but he continued bravely.

"I just wanted to…" he began, and then stopped. "Look, Tiv, are you okay?"

Now it was Tiv's turn to be taken aback. She didn't know what she had expected, but it hadn't been concern. Not from a boy like Luke who was practically a stranger to her. Why should he care? More importantly, why did he?

"I- I'm fine, Luke," she managed to stutter out. Then she added, "Why?"

"Why what?" asked Luke, looking as confused as she did.

"Why do you care?" Tiv blurted.

Luke blinked. "Because you're my friend," he answered simply. "Why do you ask?"

Before Tiv could answer, Boba appeared, saving them both a lot more confusion and embarrassment.

"Luke, Tic, c'mon!" he cried, using the nickname for Tiv that he so tenaciously hung on to. "I gotta show you something."

"What are you even doing here, Boba?" demanded Tiv as they followed him.

"Taun We brought me early. Hey, you can't say that this is exactly a bad time, can you?"

So he had heard at least part of their conversation. Typical Boba.

"Anyway," he added, "You're classes are over by now."

"Yeah, but we still didn't expect to see you here for another couple of hours," retorted Luke.

"Well, don't I feel unwelcome," Boba grinned. "I'll just go sulk."

There was a pause, and then Tiv said,

"I don't see you going anywhere."

"I'll sulk later," her friend replied. "Right now, this is too important."

Tiv and Luke exchanged glances. What could be so important that Boba would resist a chance to sulk for it?

They were about to find out. Actually, it would have really stunk if they didn't, but that just sounds better. Boba led them into the Meditation Gardens without slowing down. None of the children cared that they seemed to be disturbing just about everyone there. After all, whatever he had found scared or at least unnerved Boba, and that scared or at least unnerved Tiv and Luke.

"Here," Boba said suddenly, pushing aside some branches to reveal the small space behind a group of bushes that the boys had shown her a few days ago when they got into trouble with their masters.

Behind the bushes in their hiding spot were two people. A young man who seemed to be eighteen at the youngest and twenty-two at the oldest was lying on the ground unconscious. He was covered with dirt, cuts and bruises, although, besides not being conscious, he didn't seem too badly hurt. With surprise, Tiv noticed that he was a Jedi, probably a Knight, and a new one at that, she guessed by the small tuft of hair where a braid must have been recently placed. After all, he didn't look nearly old enough to be a Master.

Perhaps he had gotten his injuries protecting the other person, because she certainly seemed to need it. She was about Colac's age, Tiv would guess, not a Jedi, probably rather rich. Brown hair and eyes, very pretty, although for now, just cute.

There was one other thing she noticed about them. The girl was unfamiliar, yes, but the man was the one she had seen in the images, three times. Each and every one was with Qui-Gon, and the last was at his funeral.

But Tiv didn't say any of this aloud. How could she? To do so would be actually admitting that she had seen the images, and that they were real. While they and everything related to them remained in her mind, she could pretend the had never happened. And that she would keep doing as long as she could.

Boba knelt down next to the girl and said, "I've got to go find someone to help you, okay? This is Tiv, and that's Luke. They'll stay with you until I come back, understand?"

The little girl nodded, and he turned to his friends. "I don't know where she came from," he explained, putting a little emphasis and glancing pointedly at Luke, "but it must have been scary, because she doesn't want to be left alone for too long. You two were the closest people I could find. Will you stay with them until I get back with Taun We and the others?"

Tiv and Luke nodded, although Tiv made a mental note to ask why he had been looking at Luke in that meaningful way. Later, though. Now was not the time.

"Sure, Boba," Tiv said cheerfully.

He grinned. "Thanks, Tic," her friend told her. "You too, Luke." And he ran off.

The pair turned back to the other two.

"I wonder what knocked him out," Tiv commented, looking at the unconscious man.

Luke turned to the little girl. "Do you know?" he asked. Tiv was impressed, noticing that he managed to talk as if speaking to an adult, while still seeming gentle enough to talk to a very terrified child.

The girl shook her head. "I've never met him before," she whispered.

"It's scary," Tiv said comfortingly. "Going to a new place, I mean. But don't worry. It'll be okay."

"How do you know?" the girl demanded sharply.

Tiv was taken aback for a second, and then said, "I don't, really. But I guess that it'll be okay for somebody, right? So the universe can't be all bad."

"Wow, Tiv, I didn't know you were so philosophical," teased Luke. She ignored him, mostly.

"I'm Leia," the girl said.

"I'm Tiv, and this is my friend Luke. The other boy was Boba."

Suddenly the man on the ground moaned, and all three turned back to him. Tiv knelt down and examined his head.

"What is it?" asked Luke nervously.

"Uhh, well, he got hit on the head. And it's bad and will probably hurt when he wakes up."

"And what should we do about that?" demanded her friend.

She glared at him. "Ask a doctor. I have no idea."

"Maybe not wake him up," Leia said suddenly. They both turned to her, and she shrugged. "Well, if it will hurt when he wakes up, then we shouldn't wake him up, or it'll hurt, right?"

"Kids are so logical," muttered Tiv, straightening up. "She's probably right. Let's just leave it alone."

The man moaned again, and began to shiver.

"Well, at least we should make him more comfortable," suggested Luke, pulling off his cloak and putting it over the man. Tiv stared at him in surprise. It was cold and about to rain, so Luke would probably be cold without his cloak. Why was he giving it up for a complete stranger?

Not to be outdone, she pulled off her own cloak and placed it gently around his head so he wouldn't bump it while thrashing around. When she stood back up, she saw that Luke was watching her with an odd look on his face, somewhere between amusement and pride.

"What?" she demanded.

Before he could answer, they heard footsteps from outside, and Boba's voice calling them.

"Uhh, guys?" he called. "Where are you? I kinda… forgot where the entrance is."

"You're so stupid, Boba," Tiv said.

"We're over here," Luke added, a bit more helpfully.

"Thank you," said Qui-Gon's voice, and Tiv suppressed a smile. These two strangers would be alright now, she was sure.

The adults and Boba entered the 'secret' area and stopped short.

"Oh, Force," Qui-Gon muttered. "Not again."

So what did you think? Review and tell me, as always. Did you see that coming or didn't you? Yeah, I'm pathetic. Hey, what did you think of Tiv suddenly being so sure that everyone would be alright as soon as Qui-Gon showed up? Any guesses as to who the unconscious man is? Anyone want me to shut up? I'm guessing there are going to be quite a few people nodding their heads about now. Have a happy today!

-Whosa