Don't believe 14

"You mean other than trying to kill me that is?" said Sam "actually he was trying to kill me you were just there" said Luke "gee thanks" said Sam Anakin started laughing and Sam frowned in his direction. "So, what happens now?" said Sam Anakin looked at her and stopped laughing. He was getting a sense of confusion from her despite her bravado. The child was worried about something; unfortunately, all he was getting were vague images.

"That is entirely up to you?" said Luke He glanced at his dad as if asking him to hold his peace. "I, ah, I'm not sure, I need to just be alone, I'm going for a walk" said Sam. She started to walk away from them. Luke started to follow her, and Anakin grabbed his arm. "Allow her to make the choice herself, son" said Anakin Qui- Gon shifted the child into his arms so he could walk and still hold her close. "She's scared," said the child "yes I know darling, perhaps she has good reason to be?" said Qui Gon. The child narrowed her eyes and tried to read the girl as she walked away.

The child frowned "I can't read her anymore" said the child. "That's all-right Elena she has the right to her privacy," said Qui Gon. Qui-Gon turned towards the other exit and walked towards it; intent on settling his daughter in. He never thought he would see the child again. He hugged the child close and walked down the hall. He thought about how much everyone was owing that girl already, he only hoped she stayed here and gave them a chance to repay her.

Luke watched first Sam then Qui -Gon walk away from them. Most of the hanger was empty now except for a few lingering mechanics and the two Jedi. "Father if you knew about her why didn't you at least tell me?" said Luke "so you wouldn't jump to her defense, she needs to learn son" said Anakin "what if she does not want to?" said Luke Anakin looked at the launch bay doors. Han was landing again. "She may not have a choice," said Anakin. Han's ramp lowered and Han walked off his ship, while chewy shut it down. Han wasn't happy you could tell that much by his expression. The force was roiling with his irritation and anger.

He walked right up to Anakin "that was low" said Han "excuse me?" said Anakin "Han, what are you talking about?" said Luke "ask your father he knows, don't you general?" said Han. Anakin crossed his arms and glared at the man in front of him "Captain you forget yourself" said Anakin "no general I know who you are, or at least I thought I did" said Han "Han!" said Luke "what are you talking about?" said Luke. He was clearly confused by Han's actions. "Why don't you ask your dad why he had his fellow Jedi messing around in my nav computer?" said Han

Luke looked at his father with a look of shock. "Did you do that father?" said Luke Anakin looked slightly ashamed for a moment. "Dad?" said Luke "did they erase them?" said Luke "no, I hid them before they got to them, I'll not let him or any other do that to her" said Han. "Thank you Han, I didn't want to do that to her either" said Luke. He was glaring harshly at his father "I'll deal with it from here" said Luke "very well commander" said Han and walked away. Chewy walked right past them without acknowledging either of them.

Luke waited until they were out of sight before he rounded on his father. "Father what the heck were you trying to do?" said Luke "easy keep her here I thought that's what you wanted?" said Anakin "not like that, I'm sure if you give her a chance she'll choose to stay" said Luke. "Given what was at stake I only wanted to insure that," said Anakin. Luke sighed in exasperation.

"Well do me a favor talk to me about it first " said Luke "I suppose I should apologize to the smuggler," said Anakin "yes you should, and pray she doesn't find out about this" said Luke. He walked away from his dad and Anakin watched him go. His son was angry with him, and he had earned that anger. He decided that he had to speak to the girl first. He needed to somehow convince her to stay. Anakin walked towards where Sam had vanished. Using the force to find her location was easy. Approaching her now that was the hard part. She was in one of the gunner stations for the defense system. They were usually unmanned unless an alert was sounded.

Anakin climbed the ladder and climbed up inside with the girl. She was crying again so he waited until she noticed him. "Are you all right?" he asked gently Sam wiped her eyes and sniffled. Anakin held out his arms to her. The girl seemed to need some reassurance. Sam didn't know what to think when the general climbed into her hiding place. She wondered how he had even found her. He was holding his arms out to her like he intended to hug her.

She moved forward and he did. "We want you to feel welcome here Sam because you are sweetheart," said Anakin she was still sniffling "I, don't..hic ..Know.. If. I can do this?" said Sam "shush baby no one's asking you to do anything but learn" said Anakin "but, what about afterwards?" said Sam "afterwards you'll be able to handle yourself and you won't need us to defend you" said Anakin "your worried he's going to get hurt again defending me" said Sam. He looked momentarily surprised about her insight.

He had been thinking that the other night and worrying what would happen if she didn't learn to protect herself. "Yes I am but I'm also concerned about you, Sam you need to learn this like it or not you've made enemies child" said Anakin. Sam rested her head on his shoulder and murmured "I know" into his shoulder

"will you allow us to help you? you've already done so much to help us" said Anakin he tightened his grip on her and held the child tight. She was soft and warm and smelt of exotic flowers he couldn't name. He closed his eyes and tried very hard to remember she was still very much a child.

A very frightened one at that. "I've never had an enemy before I don't know how to even handle it" said Sam "we'll show you how, but you must trust us and you must stay with us," said Anakin. His voice was soft and very compelling, and his arms felt so good around her, so strong and warm. Just like his son's had, unlike Josh's weak bony arms. The thought made her sad again. Josh hadn't really stood a chance against that creature.

She swallowed and she wouldn't either unless she took their offer and learned. She put her arms tighter around his waist enjoying the sensation and breathed in his scent. He smelt of strange woodsy type plants and leather like smells. Damn they both smelt good and were built beneath those robes. Anakin kissed her forehead gently "Samantha please stay we need you child" said Anakin. She could feel that he meant it. Was this the sensation Luke referred to as the force?

"Yes it is can you feel anything else?" he asked. Sam reached out for the sensation and found a swirl of emotions greeting her. She stepped back some when she realized some of the emotions were coming from the general, one of which was most definitely attraction. "Do I make you nervous?" he said Sam nodded "I'm sorry, I just am getting some pretty mixed messages right now" said Sam "that's all right but I do need you to get one message from me" said Anakin "and that is?" said Sam. She sounded nervous to him. He smiled and did his best to be reassuring. "What about me makes you nervous?" he asked gently she looked uncertain again

"I'm not sure?" said Sam "it's all right I understand will you join me out of this small space" said Anakin Sam smiled and nodded yes. She watched the general climb down and followed him. The last thing she wanted was rumors spreading about her and Luke's dad. She wasn't quite sure what she had felt earlier from the man. All her experiences being with boys not men so far. She wasn't certain what to do about a mature relationship. Hell, she wasn't even sure what to do about Luke. He even seemed more mature than any guy she had ever been with. She wasn't sure what to make of it.

She climbed down the small ladder suddenly very nervous about being in such close quarters with the general. He sensed her nervousness and allowed her to go first. She didn't seem like a nervous child to him, so he assumed it was his presence. He seemed to inspire it with the younger females. They became all twittering nonsense when he was near. It was very annoying. He followed the young lady down the ladder. Sam was waiting at the bottom for him.

Security was talking to her, so he waved the man off. "Sorry sir didn't realize she was a Jedi," said the guard Anakin smiled at Sam's exasperated look. The guard turned and left her with the general. "I'm sorry about that we're a bit distrustful of strangers around here" said Anakin "but I wasn't doing anything but sitting up there" said Sam "they do not know that you could have been sabotaging the defenses for all they knew" said Anakin

Sam looked somewhat dismayed "why would I do that?" said Sam "I know you would not but if you worked for the emperor you would not hesitate to do so" said Anakin. Sam looked slightly upset "how horrid" said Sam "war usually is" said Anakin his voice sounded sad, and Sam was reminded of what Luke had told her on their trip here.

She didn't like the sadness that crept into his eyes, so she changed the subject. "What exactly would I be expected to learn?" said Sam The sadness vanished and once again his focus was on her. "To be a Jedi," said Anakin. "Well can we just start with defending myself?" said Sam Anakin smiled at her "do you not enjoy being rescued?" said Anakin "sorry fairy tale princess I am most definitely not, let Cinderella wait for her prince charming I'll rescue myself" said Sam Anakin chuckled "I shall pass that along to my son" said Anakin. "Will I still get to learn to fly, Luke said I could?" said Sam the man smiled "whatever my son promised will be kept" said Anakin she looked sideways at him and watched the general for a few minutes.

She could almost see some colors surrounding his head. When he had been sad earlier she thought she saw a blue aura. Now she was seeing some odd colors. She closed her eyes for a second and felt that Han was back. How she knew that she didn't know but he was heading for the officer's lounge on the upper levels. "Han's back?" said Sam Anakin nodded "I've got to tell him this" said Sam she started for the door and Anakin reached out and grabbed her arm. "Sam wait I must tell you something" he said his grab missed however and Sam was running for the lifts. Anakin watched her go in dismay, if the smuggler told her they might lose her.