After Life Day with the Mitchells, Carmine found the greatest miracle being that he formed a special bond with Caroline's family. Now, whenever he decided that he would propose to her, he believed they would give their blessing immediately. But, you couldn't imagine the Mitchells' shock when Carmine revealed to them that Qui-Gon Jinn was the Jedi who'd fathered him.

"I've heard he was like a father to many," Caroline had said. "But I never imagined he was an actual father."

"Well, he is. Was." Carmine said. "And even though I hardly saw him, he made every moment last and always went out of his way to show he cared."

Carmine continued to do well in his classes. In fact, a lot changed for him as he continued to excel at Melody Prep.

He joined the cheer squad and became the team captain, he won a lot of academic achievement awards for his skills in dance, vocal performance, and instrumental performance, and he even got the part of the nutcracker prince with Caroline as Clara in a school production of The Nutcracker, as well as some big parts in other dance performances. But, he seldom sang for any performances. If he did, he sang pretty quietly.

And when summer vacation came, Carmine got to go to places he'd never gotten to with his grandmother, including a water park he'd always wanted to go to when he was younger.

Nevertheless, Carmine's life had really turned around. He had a loving mother, a nice home, real friends in school, and a girlfriend who was beautiful in every way. But, there were times when Carmine felt depressed, especially on five particular days of the year. The days his father and grandmother passed away, their birthdays, and his own birthday.

Today, it was Carmine's sixteenth birthday, and Susy presented him with a special present.

Carmine opened the box, and inside he found a special journal that was midnight purple with stars on it, and it had a big treble clef in the middle with the words, No Treble Shining in sparkly gold letters underneath.

"Thanks, Mom." said Carmine. "I'll write some great music in it for sure."

However, Susy noticed Carmine seemed down today. It was his sixteenth birthday. He should've been happy, right? But, time and time again, he couldn't stop thinking about how much he missed his birth family. His father coming to visit him and spending the day with him, his grandmother giving him a scrumptious little cake she baked and decorated herself. It was times like this he felt lonely.

"What's the matter, Sweetie?" asked Susy. "Do you not like your journal?"

"No, it's not that. I love the journal." Carmine said. "It's just... a lot of emotions today."

Carmine still remembered his first birthday without his father, and the first without his grandmother. He still had no idea what happened to his birth mother, but there were so many times he wished he could've found out. Was she magical like him? Did she want to give him up? Was she even still alive? Where was she from? What did she look like?

Carmine never even saw a picture of his birth mother. He didn't even know her name.

"Is it wrong to wish I still had some of my birth family with me?" asked Carmine, surprising Susy a bit. "Don't get me wrong. I love you, Mom. You've been the greatest since day one. I just... I just..."

Susy hugged Carmine and said, "I know, Sweetie. It was hard to lose your family, and you were alone for a long time. You may never be done grieving. I myself still haven't finished grieving over losing my own grandmother. And you're not alone anymore. I didn't know your birth family, but I know they would just want you to be happy and lead your best life."

Carmine took his adoptive mother's words to heart. He knew she was right. Qui-Gon and Miranda would just want their boy to be happy.

And he was not aware that today, someone else felt very much like him today as well.

Sixteen-year-old Padawan Anakin Skywalker walked through the halls by himself today. In the Jedi Temple, birthdays were treated just like any day out of the year. No big parties with cake and balloons or anything really. The only birthdays that were really celebrated were a Jedi's thirteenth birthday, when a young Jedi was considered of age, and they performed a ritual in which the birthday Padawan would reflect on the past and receive a special gift from his or her master.

Anakin was bored out of his mind today, and a bit sad as well. Even if the Jedi did celebrate birthdays, Anakin didn't have a lot of friends at the Temple. A lot of days, Anakin missed his mother, Shmi Skywalker. Having to leave her behind on Tatooine was the hardest thing he'd ever done, and losing Qui-Gon Jinn, who felt like a father to him even though they'd just met for a short time.

Unlike some kids, Anakin didn't have a plush toy to snuggle with when he was younger. Not a lot of Jedi knew this, but Anakin kept a special rag with him that was really soft. He sometimes held it when he was upset, like a security blanket. But this time around, it didn't do much.

Anakin sighed, "Some birthday this is."

Anakin was a very smart boy. Advanced for his age, in fact. He had the highest scores in all of his educational studies, he was the most skilled fighter, and he was the best at mechanics too.

It had been seven years since Anakin first came to the Jedi Temple, and he still wasn't accepted as well as the other Jedi. New Jedi younglings came every year, but none of them could be Anakin's friends because they were too young, and Anakin wasn't allowed in the nursery since he was just a Padawan.

And many days, Anakin longed for adventure in the great wide somewhere. Sadly, Jedi did not seek such, and Anakin didn't know where else he could go if he were to leave the Order. He was sixteen; too young to live on his own. And he didn't want to go into foster care either. Not after all the things he'd heard about it.

Anakin:

I've walked through

all these halls before
I've been in and out of
every door, oh-whoa-oh
There's nothin' in this
Temple I don't know
In every class, my grade's the best
The highest score on every test
I think that means
it's time for me to go
I know there's more that's out there
And I just haven't found it yet
I know there's more that's out there
Another me I haven't met

Meanwhile, at Melody Academy...

Carmine walked through the halls and waved to some of his friends.

Carmine:

Everyone here likes who I am

And it's not from a magic
spell's command, whoa-oh
I'm not as scared as I once was before
But still I miss my dad
My grandma, my old life
High school's great, sure,
but who am I anymore?

Anakin:

It's not that I'm ungrateful

Anakin looked outside a window at the Temple, seeing all the vehicles flying out in the city.

or trying to succeed
But there's something left still
missing, something that I need

Anakin thought about how his mother always said the biggest problem in the galaxy was that no one helped each other, so Anakin felt that he should make it his job to help others. The only problem was he didn't have the means to help anyone at the moment, nor did he know where anyone needed help or who needed it most.

I know there's more that's out there

Maybe folks that need my help
I know there's more that's out there
Because I've seen it for myself

There's only so much the Jedi offer
And I'm not saying that's so bad
But I know there's more that's out there
'Cause it's a life I wish I had

Carmine:

Carmine walked down the halls during lunch later, having found a note from Caroline on his locker asking him to meet her in one of the classrooms during lunch.

Beyond these rooms, beyond these walls

So much to learn, I can't see it all

Anakin:

This Temple's home, this planet safe
But how can I be home and
still feel out of place?

Carmine:

And I know there's more that's out there
Another world to explore

And I know there's more that's out there
Am I wrong for wanting more?

Both:

And I can't wait for it to happen
But what it is I cannot say
I just know there's
more that's out there
And it's calling out my name
And I'm searching for the answer
'Cause I feel I've lost my way
I may not know what's really out there
But I'll find out someday!
I'll find out someday...

Carmine came to the door and opened it. And there, in the room, the lights turned on, and Caroline and all of Carmine's friends jumped out and yelled "Surprise!"

And Carmine was definitely surprised. There was pizza, presents, and a very yummy looking cake shaped like a guitar that said "Happy Birthday, Carmine" in yellow letters made of icing.

"Happy birthday, buddy!" Sanjay playfully punched his friend's shoulder.

Caroline gave her boyfriend a big kiss on his lips.

"You did all this for me?" said Carmine, happy tears in his eyes.

"With a little help, of course." Caroline said. "Do you like it?"

"No. I love it." Carmine smiled. "Thank you all so much. You've made my birthday so happy this year."

Anakin, meanwhile, sat down later that evening, reading a book. He had nothing else to do, so he figured he might as well do something productive.

"Supper time, Anakin." Obi-Wan called from the other room.

"Coming, Master." Anakin got up to eat.

Anakin was a little surprised to see that Obi-Wan got him a nice little cake for his day. It didn't seem like Obi-Wan, but even he couldn't deny that Anakin seemed down today. A cupcake made Anakin happy when he was a kid, so he figured, why not?

"Happy birthday, Anakin." said Obi-Wan.

"Thanks, Master."

Anakin really appreciated what his master did for him, but sometimes he wondered something. For a long time, he had this gut feeling that something was missing from his life. Padme, he definitely wished he had in his life right now, but she wasn't the answer to the weird feeling he had. Some nights, Anakin would have dreams. Dreams that were... more like visions. Visions of back when he was a baby. Sadly, they were too blurry for him to make out, and he couldn't speak to the Jedi about it because he knew they would just dismiss it as teenage drama or something.

For now, all Anakin could do was continue to progress in his Jedi training, and hopefully enjoy the rest of his birthday.

Carmine had other things to worry about now. This was his final year at Melody Academy, and he was going to make it their best yet. Senior Prom was coming up, and Carmine planned to give Caroline a proper prom-posal. Despite their relationship being so great and it seems obvious they would go together, Carmine nevertheless planned to prove his love to Caroline. And after that birthday surprise she threw for him, he was going to make sure he gave her a prom-posal she would never forget.

Featured Song:

1. What More is Out There? from MLP Equestria Girls (deleted duet version)