Chapter Title: Bonds

Series Title: Unlikely Brothers

Author: Obi the Kid

POV: Tanner and a couple of dead Jedi Masters (Tanner is 16, Dash is 22)

Chapter Summary: A presence from the past helps Tanner survive a life and death ordeal.

Series Summary: A series of non-chronological stories taking place in the world of my original characters Dashen and Tannerlin.

Rating: PG

Characters: Dashen Lesedi, Tannerlin Vai, Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Master Ayden Yen


As a general rule, panic is a word that I don't enjoy using, particularly when it refers to my state of being. And while I wasn't quite at the panic stage, I was there on the border, waiting for that final push inside its realm.

I was on a strange planet. I was in the forest. I was lost. I was alone. I had no transport. And worst of all, I had no idea of the current condition of my brother. My limited training as a Jedi hadn't really prepared me for any of this.

We'd gotten split up, Dashen and I. Part of a vacation tour group of all things (his brilliant idea on how to celebrate my sixteenth birthday), until bandits jumped our shuttle, threatened the lot with blasters and took off with the entire group in their grasp…minus one. Me. Don't ask me how, but in the fasted split second of my life, Dashen had tossed me into a dense thicket of thorns and told me to shut up and stay still. And while that seems simple enough to do, being stuck in a hundred different places with one inch thorns and then watching your brother be hauled away from you by bad guys…shutting up and staying still was just about impossible. But I did it despite its similarities to my past. The last time someone close to me had shoved me into a hiding place and told me to keep still and quiet, he ended up tortured and killed in front of me…as I hid. I still remember that day I lost Master Ayden. I still live with the sharp details of that memory every day. This current situation, at least the beginning of it, hit a little too close to home.

Thankfully in this case, when I'd last seen Dashen, he was alive and vertical. Now I just had to find him. If he followed our plan, he'd be in the first spaceport in the town nearest to where we were separated, huddled in the corner booth of the port's pub. It was our deal for when and if we ever got separated on a one of his jobs. Who knew we'd need to utilize it on vacation.

At least I'd figured out why he'd been so fast to shove me into a thorn bush so I wouldn't be taken. Every bandit loves a rogue Jedi. It was money. A lot money. The Empire still had a price on our heads that was enough to make those same heads spin. And although there didn't appear to be many Jedi still alive, finding one and turning him in was the dream of every criminal (and some non-criminals) in the galaxy. Now, mind you, I don't look anything like a Jedi anymore. No brown robe or beige tunics. No utility belt or light saber. No short apprentice hair style, although I did still have my white-banded padawan braid. My light brown hair hung over my eyes in the front and just past my shoulders in the back, easily disguising the braid. I held nothing in my personal possession that could ever been associated with the Jedi. Those things were at home; safe and protected. I did have Force capability of course, but unless I used it in view of others, or unless there was another Force user who could detect me within, I was safe there as well. Still, my brother worries. He'd already lost one brother (his real one) long ago. He wasn't about to lose me too.

But now, we had lost each other. And panic continued to inch forward.

I took note of what I had with me. Not much. A combat knife. Dash always made me carry a knife when we were out. Just in case. I'd gotten better as using it, but I still was more likely to cut off my own fingers than to hit a target coming at me. Jedi didn't teach knives. We were adept with blasters, but the light saber was our forte, and naturally I couldn't carry it with me. Big give away right there with one of those strapped to my waist. I wouldn't last two minutes as a free man if any criminal saw me with a saber. So that left me here, stuck in the woods, alone with a knife and a few snack bars in my pocket. And absolutely no idea where my brother had been taken.

"Okay, Tanner, deep breaths. Use what Master Ayden taught you. Use what Ben Kenobi taught you. The Force can lead you if you know how to use it and ask the right questions. And don't forget to use your own common sense too."

There. Good. Talking myself out of panic mode was helping…so long as nothing came along to push me in the opposite direction.

"They took him east. So, I'll go east."

I looked down. I could follow the disturbed leaves. And I did. I followed for a good hour. I followed until I glanced around and saw that in every direction, the leaves were disturbed.

A tracker I was not. Jedi did learn tracking, but it was later in their apprenticeship. Broken twigs. Overturned logs. Disturbed leaves. Pieces of things left behind. I could see all of that, but what did it all mean? How long had that twig been broken? Did it break when the bandits walked through it? Or had it been broken by an animal in the last day or the last month? I supposed if it was dried out, that meant time had passed, but twigs didn't dry out over night. Animals ran here too. I'd only seen small ones so far, but no doubt there were creatures bigger than me around these parts. I was small for my age. A couple inches shorter than most, so it wouldn't take much size for a creature to outdo me.

I found an overturned log and sat there. Dark was approaching. My stomach twisted. It was telling me all about its anxiety. I downed a snack bar to make it settle. Leaves rustled. Twigs snapped. Trees shook. Night creatures began their journey from their daylight hideouts to chirp, sing, groan and growl into the darkness. Other strange noises approached from all around. Normal sounds of forest life, but I wasn't a normal part of that life and I was jumpy.

I managed to find my center though. I found the Force and eased myself away from that teetering panic once more. Fire. I could start a fire. That was Jedi basic training right there. One of the most simple of all Force exercises, creating a spark using the power of nature combined with the living Force.

Rubbing my hands together after gathering a small bundle of kindling, I focused all my will into the driest area of the would-be fire pile. Nothing much happened after that. No spark. No fire. My hands were a bit shaky. The leaves and twigs wouldn't cooperate. And the night creatures seemed to be working together to shatter my focus every time I found it. An hour passed before I gave up.

Cue the panic!

Sitting on the log, I hugged my arms to my chest to fend off the chilly air and berated myself for not being able to handle an initiate skill. That was enough to set off negative thoughts about my brother. I pushed my gut back down more than a dozen times trying not to give in to the idea that he was either dead, hurt or that I'd never see him again. Memories of Master Ayden came to mind. Losing him was like losing a part of me. If I lost Dashen too? Hello panic, my old friend.

And that's when the snow began to fall. Perfect. Now all I needed was to freeze to death in the middle of a giant forest and then be eaten by wild boars. And all because I was too shaken to start a simple warming fire.

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Damn it, Jinn, help him, would you?

I have no capability to help those I cannot commune with, Ayden. Once you completely understand how this realm works, it will come easier to you. The comprehension. I share no bond with your apprentice. I share no link. Only you can accomplish what you seek with him from within the Force, but as I told you, it takes many years to achieve this state.

He needs help now. Your own apprentice has forged some type of bond with him, there must be a way to feed on that and communicate with him.

Obi-Wan has only a tendril of connection to the boy and it is intermittent at best. There is no link there, especially at such a distance and with Tannerlin in such an uncertain state. You have to believe that he will find his own way. Right now, he is fortunate.

I know, I know. Those bandits would have discovered him. They had a Force user among them. I felt it. That brother of his saved his life.

Not much unlike your actions when you did the same some seven or so years ago.

Except mine didn't have the exact outcome I would have enjoyed. I'd much rather be there, at his side, than floating around in this Force ghost land with you. No offense of course, Qui-Gon. Tannerlin would have made a great Jedi. Perhaps one of the finest in the order, far surpassing his foolish master. Now, he's had but a taste of what the Force is truly capable of.

And still he clings to those ideals that were taught to him. To the training you instilled in him. Force powerful or not, the boy becomes an image of his teacher.

Well, all that may be true, Qui-Gon, but he's still stranded in this forest with nothing but a knife and frightened state of mind. I need to help him. Somehow.

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I slept some, curled up next to the log, half buried in the leaves. The leaves further down were surprisingly dry so they provided enough warmth to fend off any frozen appendages. The snow continued though. Not in blizzard form, but steady enough. Trying the fire thing again, I did what I could to keep the unhelpful thoughts away as I fussed with the kindling. Meditation helped to an extent. I thought a lot about Master Ayden. And as my failure continued – still no fire – I figured I was racking up the letdown points with rapid ease.

"Some Jedi I am. Can't even light a stupid leaf on fire. We were performing that skill as five year olds. But now that I need it to save my life…"

Light had begun to break. The snow still fell. A couple inches covered the lesser canopied parts of the forest. I walked east. No point in wasting daylight. I wasn't sure how much ground our shuttle had covered before it was attacked, but I counted it as…a lot. There was no possible way for me to track anyone now, even if I knew what I was doing. Any snow prints would be far ahead or behind or to the north or south. I didn't know. Best I could figure was that heading in one direction was better than wandering aimlessly.

That day, I polished off another snack bar and kept hydrated by eating snow. I had one other snack bar left. Already my stomach was protesting the lack of sustenance. Once the limited supply was gone, it would start screaming at me. This next night was more difficult than the first. Colder by a good ten degrees and windy. Falling snow was joined by flying snow. My Force fire failed again. Probably because my hands were shaking so badly. I couldn't get them to stop. If only they made sounds, they could join my teeth in chattering song. Sitting up in the middle of the dark moonless night, I about shook to death. Panic was running full force now and horrible memories of years ago crept back to me. Master Ayden had kept me alive by sacrificing himself. Now, here I was, failing in the most basic of Jedi chores…starting a fire to keep warm.

"Sorry, Master. You taught me better, I know. Forget the fire; I can't even settle myself enough to even reach the Force. I could use its comfort. Its peace. I don't embrace it as much as I should. And that's wrong of me. I've found strength in other places lately. Dashen. Colton. My school work. I'll be a teacher's aide next session as long as I can keep my studies up. I lose focus of the Force though with so many other thing in my life. When I visit Ben, it's like re-learning it all. And it feels wonderful at the time, but then I lose myself in life again. The Force isn't my life anymore, Master. I keep it there. I keep it close enough to touch. I practice when I can, but it doesn't consume me as it would if I was a Jedi. If that means I failed you and my training, I'm sorry. I am. But you left. And I had nothing. Then Dashen found me and…" My head fell into my trembling icy hands. "This is why I can't start a stupid fire, isn't it? You always told to respect the Force. That if I lived by it, it would take care of me. And I didn't and now I'm out here freezing to death…I'm so sorry, Master."

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Some days, Jinn, some days I watch him – on his bad days – and I wonder if I made the right decision in keeping him safe on that day. Some days, he hurts so badly. Then other days – most days – he is this joyful spark, just as he was when I trained him. Then of course, I berate myself for thinking the worst. I can't watch him die out here. You know that.

There is something at play, Ayden. I feel it, although I can't pinpoint what it is. Somewhere…soon.

He's in danger?

Only from the weather. Dashen is up to something I suspect. He can be inventive at times. He is alive, as you said. And I get the sense that he's free from the bandits. What I don't understand is why I feel this. He is the furthest thing from a Force user that there is. But perhaps…No, I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.

I'd known someone would come for him, on that day I passed into the Force. I didn't know how I knew, I just did. Perhaps it's much the same as now. The brother is involved both times, but is not Force sensitive.

The sensation feels younger than Dashen did, doesn't it Ayden? There is more of an innocence around it. Do you recall?

Hard to say. I was…in dire straits at the time. But I want to say yes. If I can remember and focus on just that moment when I knew, when I absolutely knew that Tannerlin would be safe if I left him…there was the shadow of a voice. Very young. Not a Jedi though. Not trained, but gifted nonetheless. Enough so to make me know that my apprentice would be well. I can remember a flicker of someone. Dark hair. Black. Bright green eyes. I've seen that combination…I know it.

The brother! Obi-Wan has told me of him. Dashen's brother. They would share the same hair and eye color. I believe the child was eight when he died. Was it a boy you saw?

Possibly, but come now, Qui-Gon, you don't think that an eight year old non-Jedi child is capable of…

Roaming around in our heads? Not so much as he's roaming around in the Force. No one knew he was Force sensitive. No one guessed. It would explain how you knew that Tannerlin would be safe. It would explain what I feel right now.

A child with such veiled power? Surely the Jedi would have found him early.

It's possible they did. Or possible that they didn't. Either way, he remained on Terra.

So, you're telling me that an untrained child who died at the age of eight may have figured out this whole spirit world quicker than I, a fully trained Jedi Master?

The Force does work in mysterious ways, Ayden.

Now I just feel like a fool, Qui-Gon.

I have been there many times. Obi-Wan would tell you.

We should try and contact him, this brother.

Or perhaps not. If our conclusions are correct, I strongly suspect there is a reason that he's kept himself hidden from us. If so, I'd be wary of disturbing that motive.

Agreed. But how does all of this help my padawan? As I said, Qui-Gon, I will not watch him die. If I cannot be there with him…

Patience, Ayden, my friend.

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I heard someone yelling. Figured it was in my head though. And that would probably be a good thing, as it would mean that my head was still working and not frozen solid. I'd move onto the beginning of day five by now. Snack bars gone. I couldn't feel my feet or my fingers. Thankfully the snow had stopped but the wind hadn't followed. My body ached and shivered. Painful and uncomfortable, but again, it meant I was alive. The large rock that I'd curled under had at least protected me from the clumps of snow coming from the large trees all around. I'd half buried myself into the ground. Any degree of warmth was a good thing. On top of the large rock, before I'd huddled under, I'd leaned several large sticks into an unnatural position. If by some miracle, there was someone looking for me, perhaps they'd notice. I heard yelling again. Closer this time. I heard my name.

"Tanner! I know you're out there somewhere. You'd better not be dead, damn it. Or I will kill you! You hear me, little brother?"

Dash. He was alive. He was here. But how did he get away from…? I tried to push my way out of the leaf pile I was in, bumping my head on the rock in the process. Hopelessly I yelled a response, but all that came out was a harsh choke. That choke turned into a cough, which turned into…

"Hey, Lesedi? Over here. Come quick!"

Someone with Dashen had heard me and spotted me and then Dash was there pulling me out of the dirty snow and leaves. I couldn't stand. Really all I could do was shake all over. Even my attempt at a smile failed, my mouth pulling downward at the effort. Dash held onto me, picking me up like a child and walking me over to a small hover sled nearby.

"I guess I don't have to kill you now, hey, Mouse?"

I shivered my response.

"No worries, little brother. I'm here now. You'll be warm and toasty before you know it."

The ride to wherever seemed to go on forever. Dashen wasn't piloting the sled. He stayed with me, holding on and keeping me from freezing to death on the way back. Eventually I did feel a tinge of warmth, but it was right before I blacked out. And that was that.

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Something led Dashen to him, Qui-Gon. There is no way he would have found him otherwise. Not in a forest this immense. The brother?

I believe, Ayden, that our conclusion is correct. In fact, I'd wager a gamble on it.

If only we had the bartering tools, Master Jinn.

No need. Look over there. Black hair, green eyes. A boy. I do believe he is smiling at us, and waving.

The brother?

Indeed.

Huh. All these years dedicated to the Force, and we find out that we don't know a damn thing about it…until we die. It's a strange creature, Qui-Gon. A very strange creature. Tannerlin will be well once he recovers. I can see that. He's in good hands. Caring hands. It was my last worry as I lay dying those years ago. That I was leaving him alone. Leaving him to the unknown. He was always a good boy, Qui-Gon. Your own aside, you've never seen such an apprentice. I've never known anyone to make me proud every single day of my life. Tannerlin did. And one day, Qui-Gon, one day, I will find that path to him again. As you have found Obi-Wan…one day.

Well, I do enjoy being the teacher…

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My head pounded. My arms felt like anchors. Opening my eyes was like peering through thick mud. Worth the effort though. My brother was there.

"Welcome back, Mouse. It's been a while."

Some sort of guttural sound pushed forward from my pasty mouth, closely followed by a string of garbled words that even I didn't understand. I tried again. Attempt number two was somewhat improved, but still in need of work. Dashen understood though.

"Hospital. They've got a nice one here on Ottem. It's been three days since I brought you in. I got worried about how long you were out, but the healer, she threatened to stick me with a sleeping hypo if I didn't leave her to her job. You're okay though."

I didn't feel okay and my efforts at speaking continued to fail miserably. Dashen could talk though. He could talk with the best of them. Before long I learned everything that had happened.

"Turns out our malicious hoard of bandits were only after valuables. Money. Gold. Jewelry. Jedi."

I questioned him with a lifted eyebrow.

"Yup. They were awfully specific when they questioned each and every one of us over the span of about four days. Fortunately, I have the ability to be not only an idiot on my own, but can pull it off when forced to as well. Colton would be proud, by the way. They fell for my act and the worst we got were some knocks to the head, a few bruises and blindfolded trip to the middle of a crowded spaceport where no one would ask questions. And then poof! Gone. I checked the pub for you, but no go. Then I got worried. Especially when I heard a couple raiders ride in talking about the snow in the forest. A couple of my fellow former hostages said they'd go out with me if I was leaving to look for you. I tried to find a local to act as a guide, someone more familiar with the size of the landscape. No go. Couldn't pin down a tracker either. Not the most helpful of planets, I tell you. Remind me never to bring you back here for another birthday vacation, hmm?"

My head nodded in agreement and I made yet another feeble attempt to talk. All that came out though was a feeble and thick, "How?"

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You laugh at your frost-bitten apprentice, Ayden?

Dashen understands his mumbles. Even I couldn't accomplish that, and I was his teacher for a year and half!

As you said, he's in good hands.

I couldn't wish any better, unless they were my own.

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"How'd I find you? Pure dumb luck, Mouse. It's my only explanation. You know that I navigate by the stars and the position of the moon to the…"

From my vertical position on the bed, I grunted again and gave him my 'you're an idiot' glare.

"Fine. I don't navigate by anything. I just guess and hope. Better?"

This time, I offered him an undersized grin.

"Anyway, my point being, I started out hunting for you and for whatever reason, every decision I made on where to turn, which direction to go, all of that…every single decision was the right one. I came to a fork in the forest and it was almost like the way was marked. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought that someone or something was leading me right to you. But that's not possible. Is that possible? No, it's not possible. It's creepy. But not possible."

If Dashen had been a Force user, I would have said it was possible. Guided by its direction. But he wasn't. He was farther from it than anyone I've ever known. I didn't know the answer to how he found me. Maybe it was just pure dumb luck.

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If they only knew. Is there such a thing as a Guardian Spirit, Qui-Gon?

Yesterday, I would have told you no. Today, I'm not so certain that would be the correct answer. I can't see the brother any longer. Whatever he is, within this realm of the Force, he either cannot communicate or chooses not to. I don't suspect we can change his mind in that either.

All I can say is that I am grateful to him. Twice now he has saved the life of my apprentice.

By leading his own brother to Tannerlin. Such a strange relationship, the three of them. A link shared, but a link that only one of them can actually embrace. At least knowingly anyway.

Do you believe that deep down, Dashen knows he's there?

No. I'm confident that Dashen is a firm non believer in many things, wandering Force ghosts of long dead brothers included. However, Ayden, perhaps that opens him up to manipulation by that long dead brother. It allows him to be led easier than most. If he was conscious of the connection, instinct tells me that he'd be lost in a confusion of disbelieve and resistance.

His ignorance is his gift?

In a manner of speaking. And for him, it doesn't matter. It's not what drives him. What drives him is that boy there, your apprentice that he adopted seven years ago. The one he'd go to the ends of the galaxy for if it ever came to that. What Dashen believes or doesn't believe is inconsequential. He's a good man.

And he loves his brother.

Past and present.

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I was tired. Exhausted. Eyes kept floating up and down every time Dash said something else. I did my best not to miss what he was talking about, but after two hours, I'd had enough.

Grunt grunt. Moan moan. "Tired," I managed as Dashen sat on my bedside, the soft mattress reacting gently under his slim build. His hand covered mine.

"Sorry. I do enjoy my rambling, you know that. And if you'd just stop worrying me to death, I'd not have the need to talk your ears off when I get you back." A comforting pat to my hand, then, "I'll be here when you wake, Tanner. Promise."

The promise wasn't necessary. I knew he wasn't going anywhere unless that lady healer came back and dragged him out by his nostril hairs. And even then…

"Don't worry," he said, just about reading my mind, "She gave me permission to stay. I think she got tired of telling me no to everything. I can annoy with the best of them."

I agreed with him, but was fading fast. My head shifted to the side and I let my face relax. Eyes soon followed. Dash's hand stayed on mine and it was the last thing I knew as I faded to blackness.

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Qui-Gon. We can tell them through your apprentice. Tell them about the brother. Perhaps we should.

I think…I think if he wanted us to tell them, we'd know. There may be a time and place for it, but not now. Bringing his memory full force back into Dashen's life would be…disruptive. To the both of their lives. Tannerlin's as well. He's excelling in school. On his way to being a teacher's aide soon, Obi-Wan told me. Following your footsteps and achieving his dream of being a teacher.

He'll be a damn good one. Whatever he sets his mind to, he will excel. It's just what he is.

You raised a good boy, Ayden.

I can take only partial credit for that. He has a brother now who has provided just as much as what came from me, if not more. I am very proud of what Tannerlin has become. If only…perhaps with enough concentrated focus on just a few words I could…Tannerlin. Padawan. Proud. Always…

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Flying arms and hands aren't the norm when one wakes from an exhausted sleep. Unfortunately, the left side of my body had a mind of its own. I woke with a start, arm flying and hand slapping against one of the planet's hardest surfaces; Dashen's head. He'd been resting with his head lying on crossed arms on my bedside.

"Ow! Damn it, Tanner! Why?"

My own head flopped back and forth on the pillow, eyes darting here and there and everywhere in between. I'd heard…no…I'd felt…something. Hadn't I? Something familiar.

"Hey! Tanner! Stop that. What the hell's wrong with you?" Dashen recovered from his head slap and placed his hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look at him. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head and found the rusty voice I hadn't had the day before. Rest was a wonderful healer. "Heard something. Or I felt it. Not sure. Felt like…Master Ayden?"

Okay, I'd surprised the both of us with that one. He let me go and fell back to his chair.

"Ah…hmm…we'll no. And no again."

"What?"

"I just got you back from the frozen wasteland out there. You're not going to go wander off on some creepy ghost hunt looking for dead people."

"But Ben and Master Qui-Gon…"

"And no again. That whole thing by the way? Creepy. It may be real, but it's still creepy as hell. Just…stay. Okay? I need you here with me, not out there looking for some ghostly spirit that will reappear and make all your emotional pain go away. I need you focused on where we are and where we're going. You, school, teacher. Remember all that?"

"But…Dash…"

"And no desert either. Hermit life isn't for you. Not to mention those creepy Jawa things there. Have I said the word creepy enough yet? No? Huh. Well, those things qualify. So, stop thinking whatever it is you're thinking."

His spiel was over. I wasn't angry. He was worried. And this was how he worried at his best. By rambling and reaffirming our non-blood family bond in his own awkward way.

"Stop talking, Dash. I don't know what I felt, only what it felt and sounded like. It was probably just the end of a dream. Being almost frozen to death can probably do that. It seemed different though. It seemed real."

Helping me sit up, and setting several pillows behind me, Dashen sighed. "Look, Mouse, it's been a lot of years since your teacher died. It's been more since my brother died. Ayden was everything to you, as Kossi was to me. We have to accept that they're gone, no matter what we want. I don't get all that Force stuff, you know that. Don't get it, don't want to get it. It's unnerving to tell you the truth. But that's me. You have to believe what you feel. I don't know what you heard or what you think you heard, but we're here now. In the reality that is our lives. We have to live in the present."

He was right of course. Didn't help me shake the feeling though. If it was possible for Ben to talk to his old dead master, why wasn't it possible for me? Well, other than the lack of Jedi training I'd had and the lack of true knowledge about the Force…maybe it was just a dream.

I was ready to give up the idea when Dash surprised me with a question. "Do you remember what you heard?"

"A few words. More like a strained whisper. My name. Padawan. And the word proud. That was about it. I know it's probably not real, Dash, but it felt real. Maybe there's a chance?"

A shrug. "In the end, you guys are creepy enough. Who knows? If it was real though, there's not a thing we can do about it. And I can't have you getting obsessed with what it means and trying to find answers to it."

"But if it is true and it was Master Ayden…"

"Then the creep factor goes up and despite you getting lost in the snowy woods and almost turning into a sixteen-year-old frozen Jedicicle, you know he's still proud of you. And…that, little brother, is a pretty damn good thing to know."

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He does have a way of irritating and endearing all that same time doesn't he, Ayden?

Strangely so. I'm not so certain what I did was wise however. Not only for Tannerlin, but for myself. It was draining. Perhaps I should rest.

I can advise from experience, you will retain that drained feeling for a time. This realm as it is does seem to tax one's endurance. Your apprentice though, he's bright and level-headed, and with Dashen around, I don't suspect he'll waver from his present course. I would advise you to be mindful of his possible reactions should you try again. Obi-Wan was a fully trained Jedi Master at the time I first was able to commune with him. Tannerlin is but an apprentice of just over a year with an occasional sabbatical with Obi-Wan. As much as he misses you still, a course such as this may be more harmful than good…for the moment.

Knowing my apprentice and seeing where he is now, you are probably correct.

And leave the Force ghost brother out of the mix as well.

That was an unexpected surprise. Though it does make me feel a bit better about things. I don't think I need worry so much about Tannerlin. The course he is on is a good one.

Seems you will get to watch him grow up after all.

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The hard-hitting lady healer (I never did get her name) kept me in the hospital another two days with orders to not travel for another after that. That was fine, but we didn't have any place to stay and I wanted off this planet. Dashen snuck me on a public transport. Eight seats across separated by a skinny aisle. It was cramped and stinky and bumpy, but as long as it took us home to Kaolin, I didn't care.

I slept most of the trip anyway. Six hours. All of them leaning against my brother. If he minded, he didn't speak of it.

My mind kept going back to Master Ayden. Was it him? Was it a dream? Was it just something I wanted so badly that in my weakened state, I imagined? Whatever it was, the feeling was gone. Completely. I suppose it was for the best. I had things of my own to focus on. My school. My future. Keeping my brother out of trouble. If it was Master Ayden trying to commune with me through the Force, he'd try again…one day. I'd hold that in my heart, but I wouldn't fixate on it. Until then, I had family to keep. A tiny one that really only consisted of two people (Dashen, Colton…well, three if you count Ben – or maybe he'd make two and a half). Either way, I'd be okay. As long as I stopped letting Dash drag me to strange planets on my birthday vacations. He wasn't the best judge of vacation spots.

Next year, we stay home.

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You are wise, Padawan. Being home and with the people who love you, isn't such a bad thing. And one day you and I, we will see each other again. Until then, I have lessons to learn and a body to rest. Be well, Tannerlin. And look after that brother of yours…so that he can continue to look after you.

Come on, Ayden. Too much of this and you'll have the both of us with misty eyes. Let him be. You've got your own tasks to focus on. Let us rest, and then let us begin your training.

Funny, Qui-Gon. I'd always enjoyed being an apprentice. Seems one is never too old to learn.

Never too old, or in our case, never too dead…

Hmmm…well, yes, that too. Lead the way, my friend. Tannerlin has his future in sights. I will see to mine as well.

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Dashen nudged me with his shoulder several hours into our trip. "Got a good spot in mind for next year. And I swear, no bandits, snow, hostage situations or almost being frozen to death."

My head bounced into him with the motion of the ship. My eyes stayed closed. "Where, Dash?"

"Now if I tell you, how will it be a birthday surprise? Come on, Mouse, work with me here."

I snorted out a laugh. "I can't wait, Dash. Really."

"Liar. Go to sleep."

I didn't need to be told twice and I readjusted myself to lean more heavily against him. This time, he draped an arm around me for optimum comfort. Tall and lean, but he really did make good pillow when needed. He was a pretty good brother too…when he wasn't getting held hostage and leaving me lost in the icy forest of death on my birthday.

I guess I'd keep him.

He was family after all.

My family.

The End.