This is an extension of the story I wanted to tag on at the end. Not sure I plan on anymore, but who knows? Enjoy!

SouL PurPosE

Reunion

My family had noticed an unusual change in my behavior. I usually wasn't so giddy or sweet as I'd been lately. In fact, I was known to be rather blunt and sarcastic. It's just who I was and I had never denied my true self. If others couldn't accept me for who I am, then that was their own fault!

At first, I wasn't sure where this good mood was coming from. Surely not from the rumors I'd been hearing about the Emperor murdering anyone who dared to defy him. Slowly but surely, anything that was once considered good was being eliminated.

Despite that, I awoke every day with a bright countenance and an optimistic outlook. It just wasn't me and had lasted for months. No matter what I did, I couldn't seem to wipe this silly smile off my face.

And then one day something unusual happened. A discomfort started deep within my gut and I ended up losing my first meal. The same thing occurred every single morning for two weeks and I began to worry something was definitely wrong with me.

I went to see our family physician who checked my blood, saliva, and anything else he could think of. He came to the conclusion that I was suffering from morning sickness. The impossibility of being pregnant caused me to laugh uproariously for several minutes, which only annoyed him.

"There are no viruses, plagues, bacterial infections, or cellular disruptions to cause an illness of this nature," he assured me. "Morning sickness is the only diagnosis I can offer."

"Yeah…all right," I said while chuckling before hopping off his examination table and grabbing my cloak. Before leaving his office, I glanced around to look for hidden cameras. Maybe I was on some kind of secret Holonet show where innocent people were pranked. They were very popular not that long ago.

I chose to walk home instead of taking a transport. It was a mile from the med center to my parent's house, which would give me time to think. All of my tests were normal, except for the one symptom of early morning nausea and subsequent vomiting. Indeed, it was as if I was expecting. What could possibly be causing it? I wasn't eating or drinking anything abnormal for me. The only change in my life had been returning to live with my parents, and life there was exactly the same as it had been before I moved to Coruscant to take care of Padme.

The thought of my former employer and friend stopped me in my tracks. Crazier things had happened. She had been in possession of my body for Force sake! Could we possibly be linked somehow? If so, did that mean she was…?

Good heavens!

I hurried home and demanded enough credits for passage, graciously sidestepping answering any of my little sister's nosy questions, focusing mainly on my father. He was my biggest fan and handed me what I had asked for without any questions.

"Whatever you're up to, be careful, sweetheart," he told me. "It's dangerous out there."

I promised him I would and hurried to the spaceport, where I boarded a transport headed to Corellia. From there, I would travel to Axion II and finally make it to Stewjon. I couldn't afford anything faster.

After seventeen hours of cramped and rather smelly public transportation, I arrived in Sendo City and was then on my way to the mountain village of Xeridun. Halfway up the path, I was met with none other than my newest friend, Obi-Wan's brother, Owen.

"What are you doing back here?" he asked rather gruffly.

What had I ever done to this man to make him dislike me so much?

"If I'm not mistaken, you were supposed to stay away so as not to draw attention to Stewjon," he pointed out, glaring at me and doing his best to block my way. "Someone may begin to wonder why you keep traveling here, and it might raise suspicion, which can…"

"Oh, give me a break," I loudly interrupted him. "Nobody followed me, I'm not in cahoots with the Emperor, and if I didn't know any better, I would say you have a crush on me."

That shut him up!

"I beg your pardon?"

"See? The proof is right there. You have no idea how to respond. Think about it," I told him before brushing past him to continue my trek.

I smiled in a friendly way to others I met on the trail, finally passing through the opening in the cliff wall.

"Miss Dorme!" a woman younger than me came running over. I couldn't recall meeting her during my last visit, but she seemed to know me. "Padme is going to be so pleased to see you!"

"I'll be pleased to see her as well," I told the girl. "Do you know where she is by chance?"

"She's in the packing station with Mr. Kenobi. Bye!"

As quickly as she'd approached me, the young one ran off. I passed the grinding factory and poked my head into two other buildings before I discovered where the pack animals were being loaded with bags of sellium powder for their trip down the mountain.

Obi-Wan was busy lifting and carrying the bags while Padme was keeping the animal calm. Others were busy doing the same thing, but my focus was entirely on the Senator. Or at least on her abdominal area.

It was impossible to tell from here and I called out her name excitedly.

"Dorme!" she shouted once she saw me. Her exuberance excited the dwarf happabore she'd been holding onto and caused it to rear up, dumping most of the bags off its back. "Sorry!" she shouted, although it didn't stop her from rushing over to greet me with a strong hug.

"What are you doing here?" she asked before hugging me once again.

After calming down the pack animal, Obi-Wan joined us. He appeared to be arguing with himself and then gave up the battle to embrace me. I appreciated the gesture and patted his back in a friendly manner.

"I have something to talk to you both about. You may find this especially interesting, Master Kenobi."

"Mister," he corrected me. "These days, I go by Mister."

My brows shot up high. I wasn't sure I could do that, but I'd try. "All right. Is there someplace we could go talk, Mister Kenobi?"

We gathered in a newer, larger structure than the home Obi-Wan had once lived in. Everywhere I looked were touches I recognized as Padme's. There were holopics, craft items, and colorful dishes on display, as well as a few decorative woven fabrics in various shades of purple. It struck me that this was now her home and she was quite pleased with it.

Obi-Wan set a tray on the table in front of us which held a pot of steaming water, a variety of teas, and three cups. He fixed all of them and then offered one to me.

"What's so important to bring you out all this way?" Padme asked and once again, a ridiculous smile spread across my face.

"How far along are you?" I asked her bluntly, which caused her eyes to widen with surprise. "I mean, the baby. How many months?"

Padme glanced at Obi-Wan, who also appeared surprised, and then back to me before answering. "Three months. How did you know?"

I leaned back in my seat, feeling rather smug and proud that I had deducted the reason for my symptoms correctly.

"Apparently, you and I not only once shared my body, but a part of you was apparently left behind," I explained while pointing to my head. "I've been acting stupidly happy for the past couple of months until all of a sudden I start waking up nauseated. I saw a physician and he honestly had no idea what was going on. I actually figured it out all on my own."

"You can feel what I'm feeling? Like...everything?" Padme asked me, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Don't freak out," I advised her. "Just the highs and lows. No specifics. It's not like I'm experiencing your orgasms or anything."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat at that point but I charged ahead.

"So, when can I move in?"

"I beg your pardon?"

So much like his brother.

"I made a commitment to the Senator years ago and I plan on fulfilling it. She's not only important to me as a leader, and also as a friend. You're going to need someone to help out with the baby when it comes. I promise not to cause trouble. I can even help out with the sellium harvest."

I held my breath as the two stared at each other and began to carry on a private conversation right in front of me.

"We could build on another room right next to the nursery," Padme suggested.

"Owen was saying we could use some more hands with the harvest," Obi-Wan noted.

"Are you saying I can stay?" I asked excitedly.

"That all depends," Obi-Wan said, turning to me. "Are you afraid of heights?"