It's just a regular idle Tuesday when he sees her again. He's on one of his bi-weekly trips to pick up supplies from Mos Eisley when he spots her in the market. His life has become quite dull and monotonous the last 15 years, it feels like a bit of a shock to the system to see someone he recognizes from his past life. For half a second he almost doesn't recognize her, she has grown so much since he last saw her, become a true woman. But he knows deep down without a doubt it's her; her distinct colouring and the alert way she carries herself. It's not a surprise that she's changed either really, when he looks in the mirror he seems to see new lines and grey hairs on his face every day. He wants to call out to her, but he's afraid of who might be listening. As if on cue though she wheels around, eyes locking with his. She hides her shock well, but for a second he sees a mirrored version of what he felt a minute ago. She strides casually in his direction.
"Good to see you again-"
"Ben" he offers. "And you too-"
"Fulcrum."
She follows him through the dusty streets, and they eventually end in a quiet corner of a cantina, away from whatever evil eyes and ears might be near. She wraps him in a tight hug, and he's reminded more of the little padawan he once knew. They try to catch up on years gone past, but it's awkward. There's so much both of them can't say about their current so called employment, and so much time has passed. He is so relieved to see her alive though after all that has happened that he is pretty content to just sit here in her company for a while.
"I- I saw him again" she suddenly chokes out. He doesn't need to ask who she means. "Or felt him more like it, it wasn't really him though, not like I knew…." He grasps her hand across the table. He doesn't know what to say. He can feel the guilt dragging her down, he doesn't fully understand though, as he didn't think there was too much more of it to go around with the amount he was holding onto himself. They sit in silence for a long time. Eventually she starts to slide out of the booth, saying she has to go. He wants to tell her he'll see her again, but he feels in his heart he'll probably never will. So he wraps her in a final hug and whispers in her ear of how proud he is of the woman she's become. She's always felt a bit like family to him, like perhaps akin to having a little niece. It feels a bit like a broken family now though after what happened with his onetime brother.
It's hard to let her go. He watches her pull up her cloak and stride purposefully out of the cantina, and out of his life. She turns quickly to give him one last genuine smile before leaving though, and he feels a bit better somehow still than he has in years.