Hey all! Happy New Year!! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was on vacation, then school (gag me), homework, just being plain tired, you know the rest... This is isn't a very long chapter (none of mine really are), but I hope you enjoy anyways! Please read and review, and be sure to check out my new forum (really Kiki Firestar's, but I help moderate it).

And now for...

CHAPTER 3: NEW FEELINGS

Laila walked away with Luke a little confused. She knew something was up with the way her master looked. Even though he always wore his intimidating mask, Laila knew him well enough to read his gestures and voice. He had his mental shields up, probably so Luke wouldn't suspect anything, so she couldn't pry his mind for the answer; but she couldn't guess what in the world he could be upset about.

"Hello? Laila?" Laila whipped her head around to see Luke standing a few feet behind her with a quizzical look on his baby-smooth face.

"Why are you all the way back there?" she asked in a rather rude fashion.

"I was telling you about our date and you didn't seem like you were paying attention, so I stopped to ask you what was wrong, but you kept walking."

"Oh, did I," she said chuckling through clenched teeth, "Did I?" she asked him, a red flush working its way up her cheeks.

Luke only nodded his head. "Are you alright? Maybe we should do this another time." he started walking back towards the main deck.

"No!" Laila ran after him and caught his arm. When she pulled him around his face was inches from hers. She breathed deeply while Luke looked a little startled. He had never been this close to a girl before. He could smell the peppermint on her breath from her toothpaste. She smelled good; like a mix between baby lotion and the bakery, an intoxicating smell when the two are mixed; he inhaled quickly.

It took Laila a moment to regain an attempted dignified look. "I...I mean, no, I want to go. I'm sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind today, yeah, a lot on my mind," she said with more confidence, proud of yet another dark-deed-lie.

"You're lying to me," he said glaring down on her. Laila, mad that her plot didn't work, looked at her shoes, her eyes big. She turned her head hoping he wouldn't see the tears that were begging to stream down her face at any second. How could I?! We haven't even started the date yet and I've already ruined my only chance at becoming a Sith! Oh, what will Master Vader say? He'll be so disappointed! She couldn't hold back any longer, she collapsed onto the ground, sobs shuddering through her body.

Luke sank down to the ground next to her. "Shh, shh," he murmured, "You really must have a lot going on. I'm sorry, really I am. It'll be ok. I promise. Why don't you just tell me what's wrong? I might be able to help." he made her face him, "Come on, what could it hurt?" he said smiling.

It could hurt a whole lot! Laila thought. She raced through her mind trying to find some other excuse...one that would be believable to her breakdown. Yes! She found the perfect one, one that was sure to be a winner.

"This...th...this," she stuttered, just for good measure, "Is the five year anniversary of my family's death." She heaved a sigh, and buried her face in her hands, willing new tears to overtake her.

Luke breathed in sharply. Still getting over his own family's death, he truly did feel for her

"Laila, I don't know what to say." or do. How do you comfort someone who's lost everything? When he had first discovered the loss of his own clan, he had had Ben there to help him. He also had the prospect of becoming a Jedi to ease the pain, something to take his mind off of it. But now Ben was gone.

Not knowing what else to do, Luke wrapped his arms around Laila and squeezed her tightly.

Laila stopped sobbing momentarily to analyze what was going on. She was surprised at how strong Luke's arms were. She could see his muscles from beneath the thin tunic he wore. He smelled incredible, the smell from his shower still fresh around him. She relaxed into his embrace, not realizing how much she enjoyed it. She felt like she could tell him everything at that moment, and he wouldn't care, and she wanted to. His bold movement made Laila see how much she craved for affection; she wanted to cry, laugh, yell, all at the same time. She leaned heavily against him, deciding that sobbing would be the best emotion to portray, as to keep up with the charade. Though Luke couldn't see, she was smiling.

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Vader stared at the spot his son had just left vacant. He had been this close to finding out more about the mysterious boy, his son.

He was so furious with Laila. Why couldn't she sense from him that she needed to stay away for just two more minutes? Vader, fuming with anger, smashed his fist into a TIE Fighter's left wing, leaving a large indent. A worker scurried away; the fear of what to come was painted clearly on his face.

Vader pulled his tight fist back, aiming at the Imperial symbol this time when he heard the sobbing. He knew who it was: Laila. He turned sharply on his heel, and walked quickly to the balcony, his cape fluttering furiously behind him.

The closer he came to the viewing, the louder the sobbing appeared. At last he reached the overlook, he hid behind the wall, so no one would see him. When he thought it was safe, he peered over to see the figures slumped on the ground. He knew who they were immediately, Luke and Laila, but why were they on the ground? And what was that Vader was feeling from his Padawan? Certainly not an emotion he had taught her. This was definitely not anger and frustration, or evil thoughts, or plotting, none of the things he had instructed her to do. This, no this, this was a completely different feeling. One Vader regretted feeling as he looked at his son and recalled how far he really had fallen. He sighed as he remembered what Laila was feeling, something he too had felt at one point in time. He knew it only lead to destruction so he sent an awful picture of Laila's worst nightmare into her mind as she sobbed in Luke's arms.

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Luke rocked back and forth as he held Laila close. She had stopped crying, but she still stayed where she was. Her breathing steadied into a regular pattern and it was then that Luke came to see that she had fallen asleep. He chuckled in spite of himself.

Seeing that the date was obviously canceled, he scooped her up in his strong arms and started to walk back to the main hanger.

Laila's mind held a variety of thoughts as she had drifted off into Dream Land. She had never felt so exhausted, sleep was a blessing.

Suddenly her mind was filled with troubling memories:

"Nooooo! Don't go! Don't leave me! Please!" the little girl trembled in the cold empty remains of her house.

"Come back." She whispered. She huddled in the corner, and willed to wake up from this horrendous nightmare.

More thoughts invaded her mind and she thrashed against Luke in an attempt to rid herself of whatever it was that was haunting her.

Luke hugged Laila closer trying to get her to stop squirming or else he would drop her.

While trying to regain his walk, Laila freed one of her arms and smacked Luke hard across the face.

Luke yelped and Laila woke up with a start and screamed when she found herself suspended in the air and squirmed some more. The result was Luke tripping over his own feet and falling on the newly waxed floors, bringing Laila with him.

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Vader saw his plan fully executed and grinned. He hated giving Laila those memories, but they caused the anger in her to surge, giving her the Sith-like qualities she needed. He watched Luke struggle to contain her and laughed. He knew Laila could never be contained. She was her own person, like someone he once knew. And that scared him as he watched, and felt, the bonds being made between the two young people as their embarrassment wore off and they found themselves laughing about the situation.

I know Laila's feelings when she's being held by Luke, they're a little intense, but you have to remember that Laila has never felt these feelings before, so they kind of hit her full blown. Just thought I should clarify, why they're so vivid. R&R please!! Have a peachy day:-)