It's raining. It's been raining for the past seven hours but that doesn't matter. Not to me. She doesn't know that I'm here, watching her. Never sees me staring as she leaves her apartment. Never notices me standing in the shadows when she returns. That's how I want it to be. For the moment. When I'm ready I'll make my move. I've been stood here watching for two months now just waiting for the right moment…time becomes irrelevant after a while. Persistence is what counts. And I can be very persistent when I put my mind to it. Love can drive a person to do very irrational things. It can drive a man to the edge, sometimes further than that. Powerful emotions are frightening. Exhilarating. So much good and evil has been committed in the name of love. This isn't love. It's something more than that. There have been others in my life who have been important to me…but not like this. This is pain, actual and physical hurt eating away at me like a cancer. I have to get this sorted out. And I will. So she can continue in her blissful ignorance for the time being, unaware of her hidden watcher. She can close the blinds and shut out the world and myself if she wishes. I can close my eyes and still see her. That's not all I can see. From the murky street corners I am aware of the presence of another. Someone else watching, a fleeting figure in the darkness. He's been my shadow for the last eight weeks. I know he's there. They say it will rain for the next week on and off. Even the sky is weeping. But is it crying for me or for her? Qui-Gon fixed his padawan with the kind of look you might expect an adult to give to a recalcitrant toddler, one who was indulging in throwing his toys across the other side of the room in a tantrum. He was worried about Obi-Wan. Had been ever since his close call at the hands of Rufus Merdan. Somehow his padawan's concentration had slumped to an all time low, his mind always away on some hidden trail of thought, eyes with a vacant look to them. It was almost like the time when his padawan had started moping around after Jemmiah… She was worrying Qui-Gon, too. Her reaction to the Merdan affair had been extreme. She had quietly and without any fuss upped and moved out of the temple and into her own place, leaving Qui-Gon to wonder if she and his padawan had been fighting again. Somehow he'd expected the drama of the last few months to bring them closer together but instead they seemed to be drifting even further apart. Part of him wanted to admit that it was probably for the best…and the other part didn't want to admit how used to their being together he had become. Well, he had become reconciled to it at least. And it hurt him to see them both miserable. He knew he'd get no real answer from Obi-Wan if he tried to pry. The young man would explain what was troubling him in his own time, if he felt he was able. Qui-Gon was still curious to know what had caused this latest rift and so he had visited Jemmiah instead, on pretence of making sure she was settled into her new home. Her own attitude bothered him almost as much as Obi-Wan's had. She'd shrugged a lot, made small and polite conversation and not once had she enquired after his padawan. "Have you had a fight?" he had asked bluntly. She had just smiled sadly and shook her head. "Then what?" Qui-Gon persisted. "Let's just say that we had a…difference of opinion." Jemmiah replied. Then she'd all but evicted him from her apartment on the pretext that she had to go to the swoop track. That was bothering him too. He'd never liked her association with swoop racing, but just like her on-off relationship with Obi-Wan he had been forced to accept it. There still wasn't a day that went by when he didn't curse Captain Demodae for getting her so involved in such a dangerous sport, even though Jemmiah mostly flew speed trials against the clock as opposed to actual matches. But always Qui-Gon dreaded the call that he felt would inevitably come one day, telling him she'd been smashed up in some accident or worse still… Rela had been keeping a watchful, sisterly eye on her, and for that Qui-Gon was eternally grateful. He'd never known two such individuals that could court trouble as easily as breathing came to them, and yet Rela had this in-built ability to find her way out of any trouble that came her way. He wished he could have said the same for Jemmiah… The more he stared at his padawan the more Jinn felt certain that this latest glitch in Obi-Wan's training was Jemmiah-related. "You're not concentrating." He stated coolly. "I am!" Obi-Wan grumbled. "What is going on in that head of yours? You've been able to do this exercise for years padawan." Qui-Gon looked round the training room as if a reason would suddenly present itself, waiting for enlightenment. "Then there's not much point in me doing it, is there?" Obi-Wan retorted sharply, regretting his words the moment they were out his mouth. His master's eyes narrowed in displeasure. "Well, when you behave like a child you are given exercises to match accordingly." Qui-Gon replied. "Unless you think you have already attained all the knowledge and wisdom involved in sabre training. Is that it? Do you think you know everything? Would you like us to swap roles again like the time Jemmiah suggested we trade places for a day?" The deliberate use of her name had the expected result, Qui-Gon noticed. His padawan had not been quick enough to hide the flinch at his words. Nodding to himself, Jinn deactivated the green sabre blade and motioned his padawan over to the side of the room where the benches were. "I'm not tired, master." Obi-Wan muttered. "Well, I am tired." Qui-Gon replied. "I am tired of you going around with a face as miserable as a wet day on Dagobah. So, sit down and we'll discuss this." Obi-Wan suddenly appreciated how ridiculous his petulant outburst had been, and with an irritated sigh followed his master to the benches, throwing himself onto the wooden seat. He couldn't quite bring himself to match his master's gaze. "Well?" Qui-Gon asked in a less ascerbic tone. "Are you going to talk to me or are you going to look at the rungs on the wall all day?" "There's…nothing wrong, master. I'm sorry if I have been impolite." Obi-Wan said contritely. "I accept your apology. Now I'd like a true answer." Qui-Gon frowned at Obi-Wan's lack of response. He allowed a brief moment of silence to elapse before snapping his padawan back to the present. "Is it something to do with your difference in opinion with Jemmiah?" he asked, hoping to draw him out. Obi-Wan looked stung. "What do you know about that?" he asked. "Ah, I see I'm right." Qui-Gon paused. "Perhaps for your own peace of mind you should tell me about it." "I-I'm not sure." Obi-Wan looked away again. "It's obviously affecting you. You've not been able to concentrate on anything at all over the last couple of months. At first I put it down to your ordeal with Rufus Mer…" "I don't ever want to hear that man's name mentioned again." Obi-Wan grimaced. "He's still out there, somewhere. Causing misery and suffering for other luckless individuals…it might not be us for the moment but you can bet that he won't just go away quietly." "And yet Jemmiah moved out of the temple." Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan. "Now, what would induce her to move out of one of the safest places on Coruscant and into a place of her own with nobody to look out for her? Must have been something important, don't you think?" he asked innocently. Obi-Wan grabbed the towel beside him on the bench and stood up, finally looking Qui-Gon in the face. "I'll tell you why, if you really want to know." He said with the faintest degree of trembling in his voice. "She left the temple because she couldn't stand being around me a moment longer." "What?" Qui-Gon frowned. Kenobi slung the towel over his shoulder. "I said she didn't want to be with me any more." Obi-Wan worked hard to keep his expression blank and uncaring. "I asked her to marry me. She turned me down." He watched as the shock seemed to deprive his master of speech, and then turned on his heel and marched over to the door. Rela slowly peered outside her door. The coast was clear! She darted out and turned to lock her door then… "Hello Rela. Can you help me real quick?" Rela’s head hit the wall with an audible THUNK. "Hello Mrs. Krabople. What’s wrong now?" "Tuffy’s stuck and I can’t reach him. Do you think you can get him down?" Rela looked at her neighbor suspiciously knowing that she had an ulterior motive. "Mrs. K, I need to get to work." "I don’t believe that you still work there." Mrs. Krabople muttered. "Please it will only take a second. Tuffy likes you." "Yes ma’am." Rela agreed knowing that she would never get out of there if she didn’t. Rela followed Mrs. Krabople into her apartment in the search for Tuffy. Rela quickly found him hanging on the holo-terminal, happily batting at the images on the screen. "Hello Tube Rat. What have you gotten me into this time?" "Squeak, squeak!" "I wish she would stop too." "Rela, you aren’t planning on having a party any time soon are you?" Where did that come from? Rela asked herself. "No, ma’am, not any time soon. Parties seen to be frowned upon lately." "Oh that’s Brak’s fault. His father, the super, said the insurance company won’t pay for any more damage done from parties. Ever since Brak had that barbecue in the stairwell that caught one of the floors on fire." "Oh, I missed that one." "You did? Oh, it was great." A knock on the door interrupted them. Rela stayed by the holo-terminal holding Tuffy waiting for Mrs. Krabople to come back. When she did none other than Brak accompanied her. He was a short fellow with dirty blonde hair and downy fur that covered his entire body. Rela wasn’t sure what kind of being he was but she did know that he had a mental capacity, as she remembered, of an empty shot glass. "Why Rela, look who it is." Mrs. Krabople said excitedly. "I had completely forgotten that I had called Brak to look at my kitchen drain." "Hello Brak." Rela said politely as possible knowing that her noisy neighbor had ambushed her. Brak gave her a knowing smirk. "Hey Rel. How you doin’?" "Fine Brak. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get to work." Rela explained trying to make a break for it. Brak gave her a quick look up and down, whistled appreciatively through his teeth then started towards the kitchen. Rela rolled her eyes and started to inch towards the door. "Well what do you think?" Mrs. Krabople asked. "I think that I should be angry at you. Mrs. K I’m already seeing someone." "Who? That Jedi boy? He’ll just break your heart Rela. Just like what happened to that naked one and that dear sweet girl. They were such a cute couple." Rela smothered a snicker at the description of Jemmiah as that dear sweet girl. Mrs. Krabople didn’t notice and continued talking. "What does he do for you anyway?" Wouldn’t you like to know, Rela sighed contently to herself. "I mean something that can be mentioned in mixed company." Mrs. Krabople clarified. "He makes me laugh." Rela smiled. Mrs. Krabople moved Rela so they could both look into the kitchen to see Brak hunched down hitting pipes with a hammer. Just in time to see his backside fully exposed because of his ill-fitting pants. "I could have gone all day without seeing that." Rela muttered to Tuffy, who had fallen asleep in her hands. "Rela, you do know that Brak’s single." "Really? Now that’s a shocker." Rela told her dryly. She quickly handed the sleeping Tuffy over and headed for the door. "Now if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get to work. I don’t want to be late. Again." "Rela listen to me." Mrs. Krabople called out, now in her mother mode. "You be careful out there. Something’s weird is going on. It’s all over the HoloNet. Girls are going missing. Young girls. Single girls. Trust your instincts and don’t fall in some freak’s trap." "I’m always careful Mrs. K, but I will keep my guard up." "Let that dear sweet friend of yours know too, and that tattooed one as well." "Yes, ma’am!" Rela called back already out the door. "I pray that you are careful Rela." Mrs. Krabople muttered to herself. "Edna?" Mrs. Krabople turned around to see Brak soaking wet holding a hammer and a piece of pipe. "I think it’s broken." Rela walked swiftly down the street without trying to give the impression of haste, trying to look confident without appearing like she cared what other people thought. Not that she did, really. At first glance the thing that struck you initially about Rela Quinn was her lack of height, and thereafter her red curls, neatly tied back from her face yet always like a dam threatening to spill over with water. The brisk, feisty strides that she took more than matched her streetwise attitude and woe betide anyone else who tried to get in her way as she headed off to her workplace. She was a careful person without being overly cautious. Perhaps that was why Mrs. Krabople's warnings of strange goings on in the nearby streets of Coruscant still wrung in her ears as she continued to march with determination past the alleyways and dingy streets. Stick to the main roads and you were fine. There were too many people about for anything untoward to happen even in the murk of an early morning beset with heavy rain. But always behind the well kept streets and brightly lit façade lurked a hidden something…a something that Rela did not want to get acquainted with again. A roughness, a seediness. An uncomfortable and oppressing world of crime and squalor. And danger. The thought made her shiver inspite of herself and Rela sternly rebuked her mind for letting itself wander without permission. Coruscant never slept. There were always people about on the streets, getting on with their own busy lives, it was just that Mrs. K's instruction to be extra vigilant was now leading Rela to imagine all manner of things. Like she was being watched. "Get a grip, Rela girl!" she scolded herself. "There's nobody watching you. Keep your head up and show you don't give a damn." Rela forced herself to NOT look round, however her skin was beginning to crawl. She was beginning to feel more edgy than she would care to admit. Damn Mrs. K! How could she throw that at her just as she was setting out for work? And more to the point how could she even try to set her up with Brak, even though she knew only too well that she was already seeing - Was that footsteps she could hear behind her? Rela sped up through a mixture of annoyance and anxiety. No way was she letting anyone follow her. The footsteps were there, not the imagined phantoms she had hoped they would be. She strained her ears and listened to the boots as they thumped against the permacrete, evidently speeding up as they sought to keep up with her. That was all the incentive that Rela needed. She waited until she had drawn level with the mouth of the nearest alley and dived swiftly in, abandoning her theory of being safe on the main streets in favor of a little subterfuge. The dank smell drifting from further beyond her hiding place was not a pleasant one, reminding the red head of precisely why she didn't want to be there in the first place… Holding her breath, Rela waited, listening as the booted feet stopped abruptly in the alleyway. "Where the heck has she gone?" a familiar voice grumbled. Rela sighed outloud and sagged against the wall in relief, trying to regain her composure before replying indignantly: "Jemmy! You idiot! You nearly scared the life out of me!" Jemmiah peered into the gloom, puzzled. "Rel? Whatcha doin' in there?" the Corellian wondered. "Hide and seek. What do you think." Rela grunted, only too glad to return to the main street again. "What are you doing up at this time?" Jemmy walked stiffly, if not a little painfully, beside her smaller friend. The normal fluent, loping gait seemed to have been altered to that of someone nearly four times her age. "Or do I not want to know?" Rela added with an arch of the eyebrow that was not lost on Jemmiah at all. "Nothing like that." Jemmy muttered. "Sith, I hurt everywhere." "What's wrong?" Rela let the smooth skin on her forehead crease in a frown. "You OK?" "Not really." Jemmiah put a hand to her back. "I've been down at the swoop track practicing for the weekend's big race. I like to avoid the other swoop jockeys so I tend to head out before everyone else." She pulled a face. "But I had some mechanical problems. Came off the swoop." Rela opened her mouth to protest but Jemmy wearily waved them away. "Look, I'm fine. The swoop's fine and I'm fine. Everything is fine." "Have you let anyone check you over?" Rela demanded. "Well," Jemmy flashed a rueful grin; "there were one or two spectators out walking their cannoids who volunteered to look at me." She snickered softly. "But I get the impression they weren't really medics." "Jemmy, go to the temple!" Rela snapped, surprising the younger girl by her vehemence. "Get An-Paj to take a look at you." "There's nothing wrong with me that a stiff brandy wouldn't cure." Jemmy scowled. "How do you know?" "I am not going back to the temple." Jemmiah was adamant. "No way. I'll go to one of the regular infirmaries if I have to but I'm not going there. It'll only increase my chances of running into…" she let her voice trail off. Rela watched the soft gulp and momentarily felt sorry for her, but practicality took precedence over everything else. "You could end up waiting for hours and hours to be seen if you don't go to the temple. Look, Leona can help you. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan don't even have to know you were there." "Oh, yes! Master Jinn would just love to hear about this one. Leona tells An-Paj and An-Paj tells Simeon and Simeon tells Obi-Wan…" "Simeon would do that." Rela replied. "Rela, don't get me wrong. I love Simeon to bits and always will but he has a mouth on him as big as Hutt's behind." "Fine!" Rela yelled. "You put your welfare in danger if you want. I've had enough. From now on you're on your own. I'm not going to be the one who has to explain to Qui-Gon why you're in the mortuary." "Don't exaggerate." "Do what you want. You usually do anyway. Why don't you try thinking of someone other than yourself? Selfish, brain dead Corellian…" Had it been anyone else who had said that Rela was convinced they would now be lying in the gutter searching for their missing teeth. The shock soon gave way to the predictable fury but Jemmy's only retort was to spin round and limp off back the way she had come from. Rela, similarly annoyed, did exactly the same. It was only as Rela got within shouting distance of her workplace that she stopped to think about what she had said. They were both fiery and hot-tempered. Right now Jemmy was probably back at her apartment wondering just what she had to do to keep hold of her friends. For the past two months all her companions at the temple had been effectively cut off as a result of her resolve to sever all ties from Obi-Wan. Captain Demodae was often off planet. That just left Spider and herself. Or just Spider, if she didn't go back there right now and apologize. "Why did I have to let my big mouth run away with me?" she groaned, knowing she'd get no peace if she didn't turn round. "Now I have to go back and say sorry and I'm gonna be late for my work. Again!" Deciding that now would be a very good time to contract an imaginary illness, Rela followed her instincts, followed her feet and followed the road that led to Jemmiah's new place. If she couldn't talk some sense into the girl, nobody could. Jemmiah slowly began to peel away her racing gear, trying as best she cold to ignore the bruising she knew would already be visible on her skin. Sure enough, all the way down from her left shoulder and running along her side to below her knee spread a mixture of dark, mottled skin and splashes of angry purple-red. Rela's words of chastisement still plagued her as she pulled on her bathrobe, tying it loosely at the side so that it wouldn't chafe against her abused flesh. What had she said that was so wrong? Jemmy couldn't understand what had caused such a vehement reaction in Rela. It wasn't as if she were obliged to follow her every command and instruction. Kriffit, Rela. You're not my mother! Yet to fall out with one of her few remaining friends left a very bad taste in the Corellian's mouth and the headache that pressed down on her skull she attributed in no small way to her fight with the argumentative and fiery Rela Quinn. "Just once - Just once, you hear me - I'd like something to go right for me." Jemmy muttered as she limped stiffly into the kitchen in search of a tumbler for her headache pills. "Is that such a terrible thing to ask? Why does nothing ever turn out well for me?" Because you won't let it, her inner voice replied. Her inner voice. She'd been trying to ignore that more and more in the last few months but to no avail. It always told her little truths about herself that she didn't want to hear and Jemmiah wished with all her heart that it would just abandon her, just as she'd turned her back on everyone else she cared for. It had been a sad but necessary choice to leave her friends behind. She couldn't really justify putting them in the awkward role of sitting on the fence and mediating between two very angry and hurt young people. And she didn't want to hurt anyone else ever again. YOU hurt him. YOU did that. Proud of yourself? retorted her inner voice once more. "Shut up." Jemmiah grumbled. In four days time she would be competing for the richest prize Coruscant had seen for a humble swoop race. The money the winner would receive was an extraordinary amount. All she had to do was complete the course in the fastest time and make sure she turned up on the day healthy, well and in one piece. Jemmy looked at the bruises on her hip and thigh once more. Fat chance of being healthy and well… "Why did you have to be right, Rela?" hissed Jemmy, a hand held to her head. She knew her only chance of being passed fit to race was to get those bruises seen to as soon as possible, and that meant going to the temple infirmary. Which also meant An-Paj or Leona asking all sorts of questions, and a probable dousing in sticky Bacta bandages - and no doubt a visit from Master Jinn lecturing her on the dangers of travelling at high speed… OK. So what if Rela's right? Big deal. I'm still suspicious. She might genuinely worried about me - and I should be grateful - but there's a part of me that feels she's trying to find ways of getting me back with Ben again. And I can't allow that. I can't… "For once, inner voice, I have to agree with you." Jemmiah closed her eyes, willing the headache away. "She means well but it's over…finished." Who are you trying to convince? "How many times do I have to tell you to butt out of my mind? This is a private conversation." Do you know how stupid you sound, talking to yourself like this? "Who's gonna see me, huh?" Jemmy sighed, eyes alighting on the swoop helmet with the darkened visor that sat upon the seat of her sofa. Lilith had bought it for her eighteenth birthday. By this point, Qui-Gon already knew about her frequent trips to the track. Sith, she remembered the traded insults and heated tongue lashing that had taken place when he'd confronted Lilith about it all. But in the end he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop her. Yeah, if I've hurt Ben then I've disappointed Master Jinn, she grimaced. Seems to be a special habit I have for kicking people in the teeth. Her head continued to throb, leaving Jemmy to screw up her eyes and wait for the pain to subside. Just when she thought she was beginning to tame the thudding inside her skull, the door chime sounded. The Corellian sighed irritably and walked to the voice recognition key. "Who is it?" she growled, already knowing the answer. Sure enough, the source of her headache replied in a cautious voice. "It's me." Rela answered dryly. "Gonna let me in?" "Why should I?" "Because it's not easy making an apology when faced with a door." Rela paused for a moment. "C'mon, Jem. I want to see you're OK." A small stab of guilt at doubting Rela's sincerity earlier on forced Jemmiah to open the door, covering herself fully with her gown to make sure that none of the impressive, multi-colored bruises showed. Rela stepped into the doorway and looked about. "What is it?" Jemmy muttered. "I'm looking for booby-trapped devices or trip-wires or something nasty that'll hit me in the face." Rela craned her head about. "Nope, don't see any." "I must be slipping." Rela caught sight of the dirty and recently dented racing helmet and walked over to the couch, throwing herself down in the space next to it. She patted the top, grinning. "Bet you're glad you wore this." She remarked. "I'm not stupid." Jemmy glared back. "Credit me with some sense." "I'll credit you with some sense when you've agreed to see An-Paj." Rela folded her arms, facing her down. "Well?" Jemmiah clenched her teeth. "What sort of apology is that?" "Jem, I am sorry. Really I am. I got a bit carried away, but I was worried about you. I'm still worried about you." She ran her eyes over the figure before her, partially hunched over in discomfort. "It's just bruising. I've had worse." Jemmiah pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose. "So are you going to?" "What?" "See An-Paj?" "Rela! Don't you ever give in?" "Nope." Rela shook her head. "Better back down and let me escort you to the healers. You'll get seen to almost immediately and…" "I'm not sure." Jemmiah looked at her feet uncertainly. "What if I run into Ben? I don't think I can face him right now." "You can't hide forever." Rela offered. "Wouldn't it be better to speak to him and sort things out?" "No…I can't do that." Jemmy said sadly. "It's better that I stay away from him. Too much has happened. Anyhow, why aren't you at work?" "Don't change the subject. We're talking about you, not me." The miserable expression on Jemmy's face persuaded Rela to adopt a softer approach. "Why don't you sit down?" "Considering it's my apartment we're in I'd say that's generous of you." Jemmy murmured, but lowered herself slowly into a chair opposite Rela, wincing as she sat down. "Seeing as I've called in sick from work now would be an ideal chance to have a little talk." Rela tilted her head inquisitively to one side. "What about?" This time it was Rela's turn to sigh. "Jemmy, I don't understand. I've tried to talk to Obi-Wan…" she saw Jemmy stare apprehensively from beneath her dark brows, "…but he wouldn't say a thing. What happened between you guys? You were so close." "Not all the time." Jemmy swallowed silently. "But you were perfect for each other. Everyone said so." Rela countered. "So what went wrong?" It was a good few moments before Jemmy steeled herself to answer. "Lot's of people say we're made for each other. I mean, when we're together away from the temple it's different. Remember that trip to the funfair? It was weird. We kind of became different people. Everything was so…easy." "Yeah, I remember." Rela rolled her eyes. "You two got stuck in the tunnel of love for three hours. As for what the rescue team said when they got you out…" Jemmy's eyes lit up briefly. "Then we went to the circus. Remember? Simeon got his head stuck in that Empiglorph's mouth." Jemmy laughed. "I'm sure he won't forget it in a hurry." Rela said dryly. "And Ned pretended to be that fortune teller." "Don't remind me." "And Qui-Gon and Dex got stuck on the big wheel when the power went down." Rela's brow furrowed. "They thought you and Obi had eloped, didn't they?" Jemmy's smile died on her face. "Have I said something wrong?" Rela dared. "Like I say, many people have just kind of expected the two of us to settle down together. Telling us that we were an ideal match. Almost had me believing it. But there were times…" "Everyone goes through rough patches." Protested Rela. "This wasn't rough. It was mega-rough." Jemmy started to twist her hair. "We had a small disagreement… no. Actually, it was quite a big one." "What about?" "If you want to know that you'll have to get it from Ben." Jemmy said determinedly. "Suffice it to say he said something that I found to be extremely tactless and painful. So I told him…well, I won't tell you what I actually told him. The result was that we were barely speaking. And then there was state ball. In order to get back at me he danced somewhat provocatively with one of the ladies. You should have seen Master Jinn's face." Jemmy almost groaned at the memory. "We spent the whole evening trying to annoy one another. Then of course I had to go one better. I made a play for one of the ambassadors." "Oh Jem, you didn't!" "Nearly caused a political scandal. Master Jinn was livid, not surprisingly. And as for Ben, well, he called the whole thing off. It was like that for some time and then…" "Rufus Merdan." Rela stated. "Rel, the whole thing was a nightmare. I thought after Ben had got better that maybe we'd be back on speaking terms, you know? Maybe friends. It was a difficult time. Imagine my shock when he told me he still loved me, after all the hurt I'd caused." "But if he loves you, that's good. Isn't it?" "No." "But why?" "Because I always hurt him. I hurt everyone that has anything to do with me. I'm surprised you dared to show your face round her what with my track record. I don't want Master Jinn and Ben to be hurt because of me. I'm sick of it." She said with finality. "Jemmy, that's ludicrous! You are depriving yourself of happiness over some silly idea…" "It's not silly!" Jemmy yelled back. She waited five seconds, composing her voice again. " Think about it. Merdan's still out there. He won't have given up. He'll be lying low some place. He managed to get into the temple, Rela! One of the safest places on the planet and he still got in! The next time he makes a move, at least by staying away from the temple I won't be putting either of them at risk like the last time." "That's why you moved out?" Rela asked. "Partly." Jemmy toyed with her hair again. "Then what else?" "Ben asked me to marry him." She said eventually. "Jemmy, that's wonderful!" "It isn't! I can't say yes! Not whilst that maniac is running loose…not after the last time. And it would be a disaster! He's not even a knight yet! He hasn't taken his trials. Master Jinn would never approve...the council wouldn't approve either. He'd probably be dismissed from the temple..." "They are feeble reasons and you know it." "Rela, if I marry him…he'll die. I just know it. I can't risk it. I'm a jinx. I've dreamt it over and over again…so has Master Jinn. We can't both be wrong. Remember the cantina crawl a few years back?" "It would be difficult to forget." Rela replied. "Master Jinn almost begged me not to marry him. I was sixteen years old, for Sith's sake! I had no intentions of marrying him and yet Master Jinn was so worried about it that he made me promise I wouldn't." "But he likes the two of you together." Rela complained. "He told me he'd got used to the idea." Jemmiah's headache got worse if anything with the constant arguing and she lowered her voice in deference to her pulsing brain. "That's not all. I've seen what it's like. I nearly got conned into marrying my cousin once before. If it hadn't have been for the fact that he didn't want an already pregnant wife I would have been stuck on Corellia for the past four years at least. And then there was the Deb.'s ball…the whole idea of marriage just gives me the creeps. Ben's a Jedi first and foremost. I can't ask him to change and I wouldn't ask him either. He's away so often on missions. Dangerous missions. You know, I can barely remember my father. I just remember him as being very tall. I hardly saw him because he was away so often. And I don't want that for myself. I don't want to be lonely like my mother was." She looked at Rela. "You see? There are so many factors here. I guess I'm just a big coward at heart, but until I can overcome all these fears I can't even begin to think of accepting anyone's proposal. Rela, I'm just a mess. He deserves someone better." "That's garbage." Rela stated. "Do you still care for him?" "Rela…" "Do you?" "Look, it doesn't matter what I want…" "Ah-Ha! So you do!" Rela grinned triumphantly. "I never said…" "You didn't have to, It's written all over your face." Rela let out a deep breath. "C'mon. I'm taking you to see An-Paj." "But…" "No buts! The sooner you're healed the quicker you get back on track. Go get changed. I'll wait for you." As Jemmiah hobbled out of the chair and towards her room, Rela peered out of the window down upon the busy city scene below. She could have sworn that someone had been watching her as she'd made her way to Jemmy's place. Mrs. Krabople was turning her into a nervous wreck. First with tales of strangers abducting girls and then with all this Brak business… I'm almost certain I can arrange for a coincidental meeting to take place in the infirmary. Rela glowed to herself. Jemmy will thank me for it one day. She pressed her nose against the window like a small, curious child. The rain had started up again, much more heavy this time. No self-respecting crazy would be out in this weather… The lone figure stared up at the multi-storey building, the rain soaking into his clothes. He could see the window of the apartment quite easily from here. There are two of them up there. I can't help but wonder what they're talking about. Not about me: they don't even know that I'm here. I just stand here, watching. Always watching. But not for long. |
| Someone to Watch Over Me by Jemmiah and Mouse |
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