WARNING: chapters contain some spoilers for future chapters of The Gift.

This drabble takes place between chapter 10 and chapter 19 of The Gift (chapter 19 is not yet written)

2/4

I'm watching my daughter again. She is staring at the data pads with a frustrated expression on her face.

Anakin is teaching her how to write and read Basic. She is doing quite well; despite often teasing between the two…well, Buffy mostly.

"This doesn't make sense. This is not Basic." She mutters to herself.

At that I feel amusement coming from Anakin in waves. Look like he's getting a little payback on Buffy.

"That's because it's Huttese."

At Buffy's glare he adds smugly: "At lest you're improving, now you know when it's not Basic."

I really want to laugh at the children's antic. But I have to be careful. Anakin could sense me and sometimes if I get to close to Buffy…well I think once she nearly saw me.

Now that was a close call.

I can't make contact with those two… yet.

But I will. I don't know when the time will be right, but I will show myself to them.

One of the good things about being dead is that time has no meaning for me.

When I found out that Joyce died, before Buffy got here… to say I was shocked would be an understatement.

It took all my self-control not to start searching for her right away.

But I will find her…

So I started search netherworld of the Force, since I heard Buffy tell Anakin that she lost her mother too and that he wasn't the only one who lost a parent.

That was one of the more serious conversations they had. One that didn't end in a shouting match, or glaring, or a laughing fit.

They had a lot of those.

As I've said I began searching foe Joyce and I will find her in time.

But meanwhile….

I wasn't wrong about Obi-Wan's reaction. Poor boy couldn't form a coherent sentence.

That was couple of weeks ago.

And now I have to inform Master Yoda about… well everything and no matter how entertaining Obi-Wan's imitation of a Gubba fish was, I think that Master Yoda's will be even more.

…I feel a great disturbance in the Force. Anakin is furious.

It's like a storm.

Looks like Yoda will have to wait a little while longer.

For some reason they are on Kamino. Buffy, Mara and the Kaminoan Toun Wee are waiting before a closed door. The Kaminoan is looking concerned, Mara is afraid, and my daughter …

Buffy just stood there, head cocked to the side listening to the noise coming from behind the door.

It sound like Anakin is demolishing the room in his anger. Whatever happened, it must have been bad.

I can't say that I'm surprised at the news… sad, but not surprised. That is exactly the kind of thing that should be expected from Palpatine

I watch how Buffy and Mara leave. Then making the decision I step closer to Anakin. He tenses and looks sharply in my direction.

"Qui-Gon?"

"Hello Anakin."

"How…"

I shrug. "I'm part of the living Force Anakin."

"That name has no meaning for me." He says, but there is a slight catch in his voice. He is visibly shaken.

Not something I like to see on him.

"It's the name your mother give you." I answer with a smile. Anakin winces and turns away. I can feel anger coming from him again.

"I heard what is on that data pad. Can't say I was surprised, Palpatine was always manipulative."

"I trusted him. And he lied to me. Worst he ordered a hit on my mother and…I've been a fool."

I nod and sit down. "He fooled the Jedi council and the Senate so you are in a good company of fools."

That got a smile from Anakin. "I guess so."

"What happened," I continue, "wasn't your fault."

At his look I shrug, "Well, not entirely. You could have made a different decision, but at that point Palpatine had twisted you in so many knots that if he told you that your mother was a duck you would have believed him."

After an hour of talking with Anakin I left him calmer. Oh, he is still angry, but he is calmer and already making plans.

Now all I have to do is inform an old friend of mine that she'll be getting some company.

Soon.

End drabble!