Leesa was positively fuming when the lecture was over!

Her father was here! And he didn't even to remember to warn her or anything...or maybe that had been his objective all the time!

Of course it had been his objective! Arriving unannounced, catching off-guard, probably spying on her...

Pash had to speed up to catch up with her. He could feel her underlying anger, which was not a good thing, taking in account that was usually Miss Cool! It was way beyond obvious that her father's presence at the Academy, had irritated her to no end...

He felt pity for her, not that he'd ever voice that out to her...he enjoyed having his head attached safely on his neck, and he had already learned that crossing Leesa was NOT a good idea! Visions of his loving parents came to mind, and he couldn't for the life of him understand how a father and a daughter could become to estranged...Why Thrawn had decided to close himself up after his younger son and wife's passing, keeping his surviving children left outside, was a choice he just get his brain around. Wouldn't it have been immensely easier to heal through the love of his kids? Isolation didn't sound like a healthy thing...

"Leesa...wait up!"

"I have to get out of here, Xander...I really don't feel like up with my father just yet..." Leesa turn to face him, and Pash could swear she was on verge of tears. She was trapped between loving her father, the man he'd been before tragedy had taken two members of her family in the space of a year, and her complete opposition to what she viewed as a blind obedience in a regime she didn't believe any more! "Each time we meet, it's always the same thing...we always end up arguing...and can't do it any more...I can't...I'm tired of it all..." Leesa looked absolutely defeated. This was really wearing on her!

"Running away from him will not solve your problem! You know that and I know that! You think I can't feel the bitterness in your voice, whenever you speak of your father? The pain is right there in your expression...even your eyes loose a bit of glow...I don't like to see like this, I love you too much to let wither away. Go talk to him!" Pash ran his hand quickly through her cheek, making it a subtle movement, almost unnoticeable.

"I just can't believe you're actually asking me this! Are you sure you're coming down with a fever? Maybe I should take you to MedCenter instead..." Her lips twitched in a mock-smile. She knew deep down inside he was right, of course! But it didn't made it any easier to take that step...

Unbeknownst to both lovers, Senior Captain Thrawn was standing a bit further from them. He'd follow his daughter, hoping that he could get to talk to her, but now he was watching the exchange between her and the human cadet standing next to her .

He couldn't hear what they were saying, but their stance, their expressions and the quick movement he'd catch from the red headed human, told him that there had to be some kind of relationship there! Obviously the human boy cared for his daughter.

He walked the distance between him and the pair and cleared his throat to announce his presence. Both snapped to attention, as any military personnel should, but the coldness in his daughter's action felt like a slap...

"I need to talk to Cadet Lees'Alani, Cadet?..."

"Layn Sir! Pilot Cadet Xander Layn!" Pash announced, with a rigid posture.

"Cadet Layn..." He rose an eyebrow as if evaluating the man standing in front of him. He had to admit, the boy didn't look fearful or intimidated...which didn't mean he was good enough for his little girl! "I'll be wanting to speak to you too, later on..." He gestured for his daughter to follow him, and they both walked to one of the available offices, leaving a puzzled Pash behind.

"Sit, child." He pointed at a chair facing a desk, proceeding to sit on the other one.

"I'm fine standing up...thank you..." She offered without so much as looking in her father's direction.

"It wasn't really a suggestion..."

Knowing there was no use in being stubborn just for the sake of being stubborn,

and conceded.

"All right...what do you wish to know?"

"I wished to get a better welcome from my younger daughter, not a cold reception."

"I learned from the best!"

"I could just pretend that remark is not directed at me...but I'm not one to play the fool, nor the made a fool of..."

"You're also not the one to admit he's wrong, nor to say he's sorry! Oh, but I forgot! You're never wrong...or sorry...Are you?...Father?" The last word was filled with hurt, and Thrawn felt it to his core!

When had he begun to shut Leesa out? Thyrin's sudden death had created a gap between him and his family. Even between him and his beloved wife Taria. How could he know that she would succumb to a devastating illness, that not even the prime batches of Bacta could stop? In one year...one damned year he'd lost his younger son and the love of his life, but he'd also allowed that gap to become a deep rift...

Now, Theryan had left to the Ascendancy. His older son was serving the Chiss society and being prepared by the Eight Ruling Family, to fill the place that had once been his bother Thrass'. That of course, meant that he could only see his son when he decided to visit him in this part of the Galaxy! His exile was permanent...

Only Thalya, his eldest, remained by his side, or rather by Voss Parck's side! She had always been the quieter of his four children, and she avoided conflicts whenever possible.

She was now the doting mother of a little baby boy. The child was one of his secret joys. Being a grandfather was something he had enjoyed deeply. Watching the boy in his cradle, his little hand reaching for his finger, brought him delightful memories! He had become a father already on exile, a fact that had been stressful for him due to his fear of not being able to provide what his new born daughter needed in such a hostile planet. Then Theryan and Leesa came, and his fears had subsided. The children had given him purpose and had strengthen his marriage. Taria was a wonderful mother, and he enjoyed watching dealing with the kids with such ease, like she had been born to do it! He missed her so...sometimes he believed her absence would drive him mad. She was...had been...his safe harbour, her arms where his home, and now she was gone forever...

"Are you alright?" He asked, with a subdued tone. He reached his hand towards hers, over the desk, in a silent plea. Leesa hesitated, but gave in and held his hand. She swallowed hard, trying to ignored the knot on her stomach and the burn sensation on her eyes. Their hands clenched and they stood there, in a frozen moment gazing at each other. They were not on that office any more...they were somewhere else, when life was simpler...happier...she knew he was remembering the same moment she was. It was almost a silent pact, to go back on that moment, when the sun was shining, and she was leaning on her father, listening to him telling stories of an ice bound planet she'd never been on. Relishing on tales of his youth and uncle Thrass', of the day he'd entered the Academy in Csilla, the moment his eyes fell on the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, how they fell in love...those stories always brought a smile to her! She missed that...she missed her family, when they where a complete and strong unit.

The moist in her eyes was threatening to become a barrage of tears. It wasn't fair! How had a perfect summer become such a tragedy?

"It wasn't my fault..."She wispered faintly. "...It wasn't my fault...he was by my side, and then...then...HE WAS THERE!..but then..."

She bolted from the chair breaking contact with her father, leaving him wide eyed, mouth open and a shocked expression!

"Is that what you thought? That I blamed you for what happened? For Thyrin's death? You were 15! If anyone was responsible it was me...He was stubborn, strong willed and always wanted to do things his way...it was an accident Leesa..." He stepped from behind the desk and grabbed his daughter by her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. Pain and guilt...she'd been torturing herself for years for what been a tragic accident! He pulled her to his arms and held her tightly while she gave way to her pain and tears started flowing. He kissed her hair and spoke soft soothing words in Cheuhn like he did when she was a little girl, and she was ill or sad. He felt her starting to calm down against his chest as he rocked her gently.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...Do you want to come back home? I can get out of here this very moment, if you really want too..just say the word and we'll be back at the Strikefast!

She tilted her head upwards to meet her father's eyes, and for a moment, just a moment, she was tempted to say yes. But too many things had changed in her life, and going away now meant that would probably never see Xander again. She couldn't leave him, she just couldn't! She rested her forehead on her father's chest and sighed.

"I can't...I...don't think I don't appreciated you wanting to get me back home. I do, but I already began this and no way in hell am I going jump out of it, just because my dad can bail me out!"

" In other words, 'please don't take me away from my new boyfriend!'. Am I right? Mr. Red there seemed quite possessive and protective of you!" Thrawn smirked at his daughter, looking at her stunned expression and knowing he'd been right in his assumption. "Is he good to you? Because if he so much has try to hurt you, I can get him jettisoned from the nearest air lock...without a Vacuum Suit!"

"He's very good to me! And don't worry, I'm not letting it affect my studies. And neither is he! Promise me you give him hell!" She waved a finger at him as a warning.

"It is my unalienable right as father, to give any suitor of my younger daughter the amount of hell I see fit! If he can't take it, then he's unworthy of you anyway...But I promise I'll give him back to you in one piece!" Thrawn kissed her fondly on her forehead, feeling closer to his daughter than he'd been in the last years. The coldness was gone, his little girl was standing in front of him again, with an open smile! He embraced her again and concentrated on rhythm of her breathing, cherishing the moment, holding on to it as if it was the most beautiful work of art in the entire Galaxy!

"I never stopped loving you dad...never!" She kissed on the cheek and with a smiled turned away, looking back at him once again. "Shall I bring him here then?"

"You do that, my dear child...you do that..."

"What do you mean, he knows?" Pash asked, surprised.

"He knows about us. I told he was an observant person. He noticed on the spot that we were together. And he wants to talk to you..."

"Awesome! Ah well...goodbye my love...it was a fine happy interlude...my my demise is coming...goodbye..." He offered in a theatrical way, using exaggerated gestures to make his point.

"Would you stop that!" She chided him." He just wants to talk to you to, you know, make sure you're a suitable person for me...father's rights and things like those..."

"No blasters involved then?"

"No blasters involved!"

"You promise?"

"I promise..."

"A kiss for good luck?"

Leesa laughed wholeheartedly and kissed him softly. "Go now! And behave! Try not to forget what I told about Chiss manners..."

"Yes mommy..." He blinked , while keeping a childish air to him.