as always, nothing is mine, just the story and oc.

Obi-wan was surprised, to say the least, that the owner of the shop had even agreed to sell the bike for 1000 credits. This Folay man didn't seem like someone who liked getting less than than he would've wanted.

Then again, he probably would have accepted the offer if it hadn't been for what the woman had blurted out. He didn't even know she was listening in. Though it surprised him more than it should've; the whole town of Milipel seemed next to abandoned, and there was no one else in the store. He could only assume nothing happened in that poor town, and no one else was in the store, either.

There was also something about this girl. When he walked into the small repair shop, he couldn't help but feel a shift in the force. It was small, but enough that he picked up on it. When he looked around the shop, and didn't even have to investigate any further to know it was coming from the girl at the counter. Was there truly another force sensitive living on Tatooine? He shrugged it off as much as he could, reminding himself he hadn't been around any sort of life form in a while and that it could just be the fact that the force always felt and acted different around certain people. He chose to ignore the fact that the last time the force felt that way was around his former padawan.

"I'll go get the bike ready for you to take home." Folay grumbled. "Miona, get the paper work and have him do it." he turned back to Obi-wan. "You can pay at the counter while you're signing the papers." he grabbed the bike by the front, and with considerable effort, and drug it outside.

The girl was already walking to the desk, then motioned with her head to follow her. As he was following behind, even though not that close, any doubts that she was gifted in the force became silenced.

He leaned against the desk on both palms and watched the girl rummage on the other side of the desk, looking for the papers. The simple feeling of being around someone who was slightly force sensitive was strange. And it made nervousness course through his veins as the memories associated with the feeling came rushing back to his head. He could feel the strange giddy emotions she was projecting reminded him a lot of how it felt to be around the younglings, which drug up more stuff he didn't want to deal with at the moment. But of course, he didn't know to what extent she was sensitive yet, since without probing from the force it could be slightly difficult to feel the difference from a padawan to a master. That calmed him slightly, though not as much as he would've liked. But he continued to simply watch her.

She was considerably short, only come up to about his shoulder, she had tan skin from obviously growing up being under two suns a lot, and blond hair that was bleached out by the suns and was cut into choppy layers.

The girl interrupted his thoughts by placing a paper in front of him. "Read the paper, then sign at the bottom." she told him almost robotically as she handed him an old pen. "It's basically telling people that the speeder is now legally your property."

"Ok," he replied, willing his voice to stay steady despite the storm of feelings inside. He took the paper, and started reading through all the terms and conditions. "Thank you."

"Oh, no problem, all I did was grab the papers."

"No, no, I meant for telling me he was about to rip me off, then standing up and saying something." he said.

She looked up at him, and they made eye contact, and he was almost thrown back by how openly she displayed her emotions. The main emotion he sensed right off the bat was curiosity, there was an undertone of nervousness, but he was surprised when he felt attraction wafting off of her in waves. "Oh, yeah." she laughed nervously. "I don't know what got over me. I have watched Folay rip off so many costumers before, but this was just the last straw i guess." She looked away and paused. "I didn't even mean to say anything. I've always been too scared. I think- I don't know what came over me."

He signed the paper and slid it back over to her with the pen on top. "Well, that was a very brave thing to do,-"

"Miona." she said. "Miona Desyk."

"Thank you, Miona."

She mumbled a you're welcome, grabbed the papers, and he felt her flustered feelings filling the air around them. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to being around someone who projected their feelings so openly to the point he felt like he was breathing them in. "You're not from around here, are you mister...?"

"Kenobi, Ben Kenobi." It felt weird being called mister instead of Commander or Master like he was used to, but those were obviously not options at all. So he decided to tell her, "But just call me Ben. And no, I am not."

"Hm. I didn't think so." She scribbled something down at the bottom of the paper. "So, you're a traveler, huh?" her voice was steady and cheery, and he would've fallen for the front she put up if he wasn't practically choking on the swirl of nervousness and curiosity she was throwing at him. All he wanted to do was extend the force out just a little and see how she would react and what it would tell him. He really wanted to know.

He then realized he hadn't answered the question yet. "Oh. Yes, yes. I am." he stopped there and hoped she wouldn't pry.

She simply nodded, and formed a messy signature at the bottom where she had to sign. "Well then," she said with a joking tone, "welcome to the lovely planet of Tatooine, Ben. Enjoy your stay, however long it might be."

"It'll probably be a while." he said flatly. Another emotion started radiating off her, but he couldn't figure out which one. Maybe if he probed, even for a couple seconds, he could figure it out, and possibly understand deeper her connection with the force, but... no. It was one thing when he was not in exile, since he could openly train the girl, but not now. Not when he had to pretend to be a plain old traveler that knew nothing of the force or how to use it. And using the force to probe a girl who was probably only a little force sensitive would not be playing the part, in any way.

"Well, maybe I'll see you around then," Miona said as she stuck the paper on top of a stack on the shelf behind her, "Milipel is not a huge town, you know. Oh, and 1000 credits for the bike, please."

"Possibly, then. And here you are." he pulled out some of the last credits he had left, counted out 1000 and handed them to her. He counted the rest as she grabbed them and tossed them in a basket under the counter. Only 1000 left.

"Miona, are you done with him?" Folay shouted from the entry, causing the both of them to jump. Obi wan turned around to face him.

"Yes, of course sir," she replied.

"Good. Send him out, the speeder is ready for him to take home." he disappeared behind the flap doors again.

He spun around once again and faced Miona. He opened his mouth, trying to figure out how to thank her. He was silent for a few seconds, then decided on, "I would like to extend my gratitude for all you've done for me today. It did not go unnoticed."

"Really, it was not a problem at all." she replied. "I guess I'll maybe see you later?"

"I won't be going anywhere anytime soon, unfortunately." he started making his way over to the door, or the flaps that served as doors. "So yes, I'll be around." He smiled at her, then left. The suns on the horizon hit him hard in the eyes and he could already feel the dry, overwhelming heat from them start sinking back into his skin.

Folay then gave him a quick rundown on how to control the specific speeder he had just bought, and soon he was blasting across the desert heading home. Well maybe he couldn't qualify the small cave a home and probably not even a house, but more so the shelter he had set up camp in until he could find an actual house he could buy that was close enough to Luke, but not too close, and also near enough to a town so he wouldn't have to travel for too long to get necessary resources to live. But until then, a cave would do just fine.

The last sliver of the second sun was just above the horizon when Obi-wan got back to the cave. The night was a blur, he ate only because he knew he had to and less because he was hungry, and most of the time he spent mulling over what had happened in town. Why did she say something? Of course, he wasn't complaining since he wouldn't have had enough to buy the speeder for the 2000 Folay was asking, but still. But he saw the look on Folay's face when she spoke up, and knew that people, mostly men, on outer rim planets didn't have a reputation for being so kind, so Obi-wan wasn't sure how far he would take it. He didn't want to expect the worst, but something told him he wouldn't be the type to just let it go. And judging by the way the force was apprehensive around him, he was pretty sure his suspicions were correct.

And then there was Miona Desyk, her and her unquestionable connection with the force. He didn't even know where to start with her. The Jedi side of him was aggressively telling him it was his duty and obligation to train her, but then again the order was gone. He was all that was left, and if he got turned in to the Empire, it would die with him. So maybe it wasn't a good idea. If training her got him exposed, all hope would be lost.

You're thinking way too far ahead, he told himself. You don't even know how much you're going to see the girl around Milipel, but most importantly you don't know the strength of her connection to the force. Figure it out as the time comes.

His mind was still whirring when he climbed into his bed roll, laid out on the dusty ground in the corner of the cave. It was dark out, he could see some stars through a small crack above him. A tidal wave of grief washed over him as he realized one of the stars he saw was once a sun he saw rise and set everyday over an enormous city-scape. The sun Coruscant circled around. He was so far away now, and it hurt like a stab to the gut every time he remembered that he might never get to see that sun he grew up with along with the city he called home ever again. His whole life he had known was now as far away as that single spot in the sky.

He didn't even know there was tears in his eyes until fell down his cheekbone and disappeared into his beard. He had to calm down, and stop this relapse before he got in too deep in the grief and depression. Anger and jealousy were the main paths to the dark side, but grief could work in the same ways if it got out of hand. In fact, he felt the dark side all the time now, looming and hovering around him, watching him like a predator does prey. He would never give in. He couldn't. If the Jedi were to ever exist again, he had to stay strong.

Obi-wan's mind drifted back to Miona, but this time not about his confusion about what to do with her, but simply replaying the moments when she accidently made eye contact with him and the warm wave of her flusteredness and fascination being blown into the air around them.

He had to physically open his eyes to stop the thoughts. Why was this affecting him at all? He had been around women and girls that got all nervous, obviously because they found him charming or something, he didn't know. But never had it affected him to this point.

Thankfully, the tiredness really started taking over, and soon after he let it drag him down into a mostly peaceful sleep.

A/N: hey guys! thank you so much for reading, it always means so much to me, and i really hope you enjoyed!

I am off like all of this week so hopefully the time between updates won't be too long.

Originally this chapter was gonna be two chapters, but today is my birthday, more specifically my "sweet" sixteenth (no way, i am still 12 in my mind) so as my present to you all i decided to be cool and nice and make it one big long one! Omg i'm so kind your welcome.

Anyways thanks again! Consider leaving a review! I love you all!

- S