Lost in the Familiar

Chapter 10 - The Scars Collected

Author's Note: Just wondering how many people are still reading this fic. :)

~ Amina Gila

Anakin hasn't seen the vision again by the next morning, but it's still replaying through his mind when he slips outside, partly to check the perimeter of the base, partly just to... get some air and try meditating. He needs to know how to find them if the Empire has them.

It's beautiful out here in the early morning, though that's hardly something he can appreciate right now. He hears a quiet rustling in the grass behind him. Glancing up, he sees Padme approaching him.

"You okay?" Padme asks, eyeing him as she takes a seat in the grass.

"The others were captured. I can sense it," he replies, quietly, "I have to find them."

"You can sense those things?" she inquires, eyes widening the slightest bit. "You're certain?"

"I saw it. I just don't know where they are." At least Padme is safe, but that doesn't do much to lessen his worry over the others.

Her expression tightens. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Usually, when I start having visions, they keep happening. If they cannot escape on their own, I will have more." Of that, he's certain, but that doesn't mean he likes the waiting.

Padme nods, and they fall into a brief silence, though he can feel her worry. "Have you eaten anything?" she inquires, finally.

He shakes his head, mutely. Doesn't really have the mental space to think about that right now.

"I can get you something," she offers.

"That's not necessary," he assures.

"We could always get something off the trees," she muses, standing and approaching one of the trees. Its branches hang low to the ground, and it has a small number of edible fruit.

Anakin can't quite resist the urge to reach out with the Force, pulling the fruit Padme's trying to pick off with the Force, making it hover just above her hand. She yelps, trying to catch it, and he hastily floats it out of her reach.

Yes, that is an entirely inappropriate use of the Force.

But it's not like Obi-Wan is here to scold him, and nor is Ahsoka here for him to be a bad example too.

"Stop that!" Padme says, though she sounds like she's about to start laughing.

"Stop what?" he asks, innocently.

"That!" she huffs when he carefully floats the fruit out of her reach again.

He laughs and so does she.

"Fine, why don't you pick the rest of these with the Force?" she suggests.

"That... technically is not an appropriate use of it," he replies, finally dropping the fruit into her hands.

"Appropriate?" Padme queries, a little surprised, though still mostly amused.

"Master Obi-Wan always said we should never use the Force for trivial things," Anakin explains.

"It's still strange to imagine him being a Jedi."

"He was once here, too."

"So I've heard." She picks a few more fruit, before coming back to join him. The... distraction is momentary, but at least he feels a little more able to eat right now.

"What was he like?" Padme asks.

Obi-Wan was so many things, Anakin doesn't even know how to go about describing him. "He... was the best Jedi I ever knew. We might have... struggled sometimes, but he was always there. He took care of me. He raised me. He's the closest thing I've ever had to a father."