"Okay Sara," An-Paj said reassuringly as he snipped the bandage at the back of her head, "We’re going to try again." She sighed thinking that it was useless. This was the third time that the healer’s had removed the bandages in order to test her sight. She had been in the infernal wards for just over a month and the healers had tried all different types of ointments in an effort to at least regain part of Sara’s vision after she had been blinded by the flash of light as the ship she and her Master were travelling on had burst into soundless flames. Her hands were still bandaged as they rested in her lap. They still hurt if she bent her fingers, the slowly healing skin of her palms scraped against the bandages. There was a knock at the door and then the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn. "I’m not too late am I An-Paj?" He asked politely. Sara wondered briefly what his interest was in her, she had never even met him before he had rescued her and the captain from their pod. Her Master, though, had never made it. She repressed a shudder at the thoughts and memories that tried to overwhelm her. Forcing the last images of her Master from her mind, she made herself smile at Qui-Gon as she felt him sit down beside her. "Do you think it will work?" He asked and she shrugged in reply before saying. "I don’t think so." She said softly her shoulders sagging and then she brightened again, "But you’ve got to try, you can’t give up. You’ve got to be cheery," She pointed in the vague direction of the Healers, and continued in a bright, false voice "Otherwise you get them down and after that An-Paj goes all grumpy and starts feeding you Master Yoda’s gruel." She felt his smile and smiled back wondering what he was really like and whether he was noticing her nervousness. To regain her sight would not only mean that she could see again, but it would hopefully free her from the images of her Master that haunted the darkness in which she lived. "Are you ready Sara?" Healer Leona asked softly. Sara felt the pressure of the healer’s fingers on the back of her head and braced herself against the chair. Then the pressure intensified and the next second all thoughts were driven from her head as white-hot pain flashed across the side of her head. Sara yelped in pain and then it was gone. She could feel the breathless excitement of those around her and yet nothing had changed, she was still locked in the cage of darkness. "Did you have to do it so hard?" She asked breathlessly. "Well?" An-Paj asked quickly, "Can you see anything?" "Only if you’ve taken my bandages off in the dark." Sara snapped back her irritation and anger flaring at the loss of hope. She was still trapped, encircled by darkness. There was an audible sigh from those around her and then she felt a broad palm on her shoulder. "It’s okay Sara." Qui-Gon's voice said and then as the first tears made their way down her cheeks she realised she was crying. He pulled her closer then and put his arms around her so she buried her face in his shirt her hands huddled protectively against her chest. * It felt like hours later when she realised that the healers had left and she was still sitting in Qui-Gon's lap as he rocked her and stroked her hair. "Your padawan will be wondering where you are." Sara said her voice croaking. She quite liked Xanatos too, he was quiet and reserved and had often come down to talk to her when Qui-Gon hadn’t been there. Qui-Gon propped her up and she realised that he was studying her. "You’re small for fourteen." He said ignoring her statement. "Master Ash-ka told me that I would grow eventually." She said and then the mention of her Master made fresh tears spring into her eyes. Qui-Gon touched her shoulder again and she felt a wave of the force so loving that it almost made her cry in itself. Without warning she gasped, small specks of light were dancing in front of her. The specks grew into colours. "Sara." Qui-Gon's hand grabbed her arm, "What’s wrong?" He asked. The spots grew and turned into blobs of colours, which changed to blurry shapes. "I can see." Sara said softly and startled, "I can see Qui-Gon!" She shouted and heard the hurried footsteps of healers. She looked up to see a big blue blob with smaller thinner blobs of blue coming out of it and two big grey blobs beneath it, obviously An-Paj. She turned to look at the figure beside her and it was at that moment that her vision cleared completely. Sara gasped. "What?" Qui-Gon asked hurriedly, "What’s wrong." Sara sat another moment in silence before replying, "I never thought you were so old!" |
 |
| If you have enjoyed this story please consider leaving feedback, no matter how short or long. Many thanks! Add Comment |
| Peek-a-Boo (I See You!) By Kit |