Giving Way to Warm

Written by Annika Nesicha/Sailor Bakura

"Somewhere, where the orchids grow,
I can't find those church bells,
That played when you died...

I'll say it loud, here by your grave,
Those angels can't ever take my place..."
- Tori Amos

A sharp wind cut through Annika's hair as she stood on a hill that overlooked a lake. The sun was setting, and it filled the sky with a prism of lush colour that seemed to stretch into Eternity. The purples melted into the oranges and the pinks collided with the blues... it was so beautiful. But, there were no more tears for Annika to cry; she had used them already. They were shed for her daughters, for herself, for her future, for her past, and now as she stood next to the fresh grave belonging to her eldest daughter, she found she had no tears left.

Annika placed a small bouquet of Ame's favourite flowers, purple orchids, onto the loose mound of dirt and sighed. No more tears. She felt empty; there are no words to describe the loss of a child, there are only feelings, agonising, heart-wrenching feelings that throb and ache. A hand touched the small of her back, startling her. Her skin formed goose bumps because the presence was familiar, and it reminded her of Ame.

"Hello, Seiyaku," Annika whispered without even looking at him. He choked down something he wanted to say and just stood there with her. He watched from the corner of his eye as Annika stared off into nothingness; her eyes seemed distant, and he didn't know what to say. He was grieving too, and he was angry. Angry at fate, angry for the way things turned out... it wasn't supposed to be like this. As if she heard his thoughts, Annika turned to him.

"I know that! But that's not a reason for her to die! She was eight years old! They had no right to take her from me!! None! I hate them! I hate Fate! I hate Destiny! I hate the Gods!!" she cried. She wanted to lash out at something, she wanted to rip something to shreds... but all that was there for her was a cold gravestone and an empty coffin buried beneath it.

Seiyaku started to reach out for her but drew back; he didn't want to confuse her. He loved her so much. Their love had transcended everything to reach the place where it was now. It wasn't the same love that she shared with Obi-Wan Kenobi; it was different - but just as strong. The wind rustled again, and Annika closed her eyes.

"You know something? I swear I can still smell her. She always smelled like orchids..." Annika smiled. "Did you know she used to take three baths a day? She loved them... she loved the water. And she loved cold weather and rain, and candy."

She laughed. "Yes." Frowning, she said sombrely, "This is my entire fault. If I had paid more attention to her, or her feelings, maybe..."

"Annika..." This time he did reach out to her, but just as his hand was centimetres away from her shoulder, a voice interrupted them.

"Your Majesty!" Halla Windsor called from the bottom of the hill. Halla, the Captain of the Bakuran Royal Army, ran up and knelt to Queen Annika. "Your Majesty, someone is here to see you. It's urgent."

A meaningless smile spread across her face. "That's all right, I should come inside the Palace anyway, it's getting dark. Goodnight Ame," she whispered as she placed her warm hand onto the ice-cold concrete headstone. Seiyaku helped her back to the Palace and walked with her down the massive hall leading to the Queen's Waiting Room. It had been so long since he'd been down this hall, and little had changed. The rugs were new, he noticed. Large rain pillars still stood sentry at every corner, and their sound still brought back memories of when he first set foot in the Royal Palace at Bakura. The first time he'd seen the impressive gardens, the time he proposed to Annika, their wedding, Ame...

"Seiyaku?" Annika's soft voice snapped him back into their present time. He blinked and focused on her face. She was saying something, but his heart was beating too loud in his ears to hear her. His thoughts betrayed him, and images of the daughter he barely knew flashed into his mind. He had never seen her before the day of her fifth birthday, and he marvelled at the tiny miracle he helped create. She was small and fragile, with pink hair and eyes... and now she was gone. Annika turned and headed into the waiting room alone after giving Seiyaku one final glance. He watched her disappear behind the intricately carved wooden doors before allowing himself the right to cry.

Annika was unsure of who was there to talk to her, and honestly, she didn't care. Her mind was so disorganised and frustrated that she'd be surprised if she could stand for much longer. Each footstep was heavy and deliberate; she took her time getting to the cloaked person who stood, staring out of a window. Matters of business couldn't bother her today, she would simply tell the stranger to return at a later date.

Gliding forward, her heart was suddenly stabbed with fear, and she stopped. Her eyes bore holes into the cloaked figure's back. News of Ame's death might have spread, and with it the location of the Palace. Kishi, her backstabbing Sith brother, had escaped, and there was no way find him. Annika's heart raced as she thought of her other daughters, sleeping upstairs. She hadn't fought against the Sith in years, not since Lys and Lysthea were born, but she would defend her home and the lives of her children to her death. With her hands shaking, she reached up for her henshin brooch that she still wore.

The figure slowly turned to face the Queen and removed his hood. Annika fainted before she had the chance to say a word.

Annika awoke in her bed. She was groggy and exhausted but felt a sense of urgency; something took place earlier, but her mind was too foggy to remember.

"Aah, you're awake, finally," Seiyaku said from the doorway to her bedroom. He lit a few more candles, bathing the room in a warm golden glow. Annika placed a hand to her head and moaned. Her head hurt terribly and she felt nauseous; even the heat from the fireplace chilled her.

Without warning, the feeling of panic swept over her body again and she bit her lip sharply to keep focused. She wasn't gifted with the Force, so what did this mean? Then she remembered. She remembered her brother, and Ame, standing with Seiyaku at the grave, the waiting room, and the man in the cloak...

She couldn't move. She was frozen, her entire body rigid as sheet of pure crystal. Her ears whooshed with a mixture of her heartbeat and her sharp breathing. She found that her hands were clutched in fists around the white comforter on the bed, and she was physically shaking. Then she felt the gentle warmth of the Force like a sun dawning over the horizon... and she calmed. Another warm wave crashed into her soul, and she forced herself to look to her left. She had to make sure she wasn't crazy; she had to make sure he wasn't really there. But he was.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had been sitting in a chair next to her bed the entire time, and she hadn't noticed. The brown cloak he had worn earlier was casually draped over the back of the chair and didn't look so threatening anymore. He was leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees and his hands clasped. His brow was furrowed, but he still carried the serenity of the Jedi. Annika paled and her lip quivered, but no tears sprang to her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she yelled suddenly. She climbed out of her bed and stood over him, her eyes were on fire and her cheeks burned a deep scarlet. "Are you crazy? What's wrong with you? How dare you! Leave! Now!"

Seiyaku was stunned - he thought she would be relieved to see him; instead she was angry. He watched as she grabbed his cloak and threw it at him. When Obi-Wan didn't move, she took a hold of his arm and tried to get him out of the chair.

"You have to leave now! If they find you, they'll kill you! Why did you come here? I don't want you here - just go!!" she said, frantically trying to pull him to his feet.

"Annika, Annika... Annika," he said gently. Clasping her hands between his own, he looked into her eyes and slowly shook his head. "I'm not leaving."

With that, tears filled her eyes at last. "No... please... I can't lose you too... please go." She fell to her knees and let her forehead fall until it touched his knees. He placed his hands on her head and stroked her hair. Seiyaku watched the tender scene only briefly before leaving them to a bittersweet reunion.

Annika began to sob, finally allowing her grief to escape. And it broke Obi-Wan's heart further. Tears welled in his eyes, but he didn't stop them; instead, he lifted his wife onto his lap. Holding her close, they cried all through the night.

The next morning, Obi-Wan left Annika asleep in her bed; he had someone else to talk to before he left for Tatooine. The Bakuran sky was clear and bright, possessing only the faintest trace of clouds - this was one of the rare days when it wasn't raining. He marvelled at the undeniable beauty of this planet and how magical it all seemed.

The person he was looking for sat perched on a hill between a tree and a grave. Obi-Wan bowed respectfully at Ame's grave before placing a strong hand on Seiyaku's shoulder. The black-haired man quickly wiped his eyes and offered Obi-Wan a place next to him. For a few minutes they sat in silence, listening to the sound of the wind as it weaved through the tree branches and dried the dewy grass, stalk by stalk.

"You too." Another moment of silence ticked away before Obi-Wan said, "I have to thank you for taking care of Annika in my absence. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Seiyaku simply grunted his reply and continued to stare at the lake. Obi-Wan sighed.

"So how long did she manage to keep you hidden in the Palace?" asked Obi-Wan with a jovial tone to his voice.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Well, I'm attuned to the living Force. But more importantly, I would expect nothing less from one of Annika's children." Both men laughed as they shared a common knowledge.

Seiyaku explained, "I came here on her fifth birthday, all I wanted to do was see her... just once. She ended up hiding me in the room directly below hers for almost three years. Sneaky thing, that one." He laughed. "Oh!" He looked up suddenly. "I want to show you something before you leave." Seiyaku led Obi-Wan back into the Palace and up a flight of stairs. He stopped at a heavy wooden, door.

"What I'm about to show you," he said, "are two of the most precious things ever to grace the Universe." Obi-Wan shrugged; he was completely confused until Seiyaku swung open the door. Sitting on a powder-blue-coloured carpet, two little girls were busy stacking blocks one on top of the other.

It felt like the wind had been knocked out of Obi-Wan. His jaw dropped open as he realised he was looking at his children. Children he had never seen. He watched for a moment from the doorway, not wanting to disturb them. Obi-Wan felt conflicted; he didn't know whether to run to them or away from them. His heart told him to embrace his children; his mind said it was better that they never know of his existence.

Seiyaku leaned into him and said, "Love them now. You'll never know when there will be another chance."

Obi-Wan looked deep into the other man's eyes and nodded. Slowly, he edged into the room, trying not to make much noise. It was bliss to see his daughters this way, see them taking turns and sharing so graciously. He beamed with pride as he realised they must've inherited those Jedi qualities from -

"Give it back, Thea!!" one of the girls yelled. She made a grab at a purple block being held by her sister. Lysthea threw the block across the room, Lys knocked the block tower to the ground, and they both started to cry.

"Girls!" Seiyaku admonished from the door. Immediately both tiny children became aware of the stranger standing only a few paces away. Lys stood on her young, wobbly legs and planted her fists squarely on her hips.

"I'm Lysthea Kenobi!" the other little girl squeaked. "Lysthea Kenobi! Lysthea Kenobi! Lysthea Kenobi!"

"I've never wanted to do anything more in my life," he said honestly. Lys squinted her eyes at him, then smiled and handed him two blocks. Slowly they rebuilt the tower, one step at a time. When it was finished, Lysthea clapped her hands loudly.

"WOW! You're a good builder!" Lys said to Obi-Wan with her eyes wide. When one is three years old, everything is amazing.

Lysthea smiled and yelled, "Mommy!!" when Annika appeared in the doorway. She ran over and grabbed one hand, and Lys grabbed the other. "Come look what we built, Mommy!" Lys said, dragging Annika over to the tower.

"That's so beautiful, girls!" Annika looked at Obi-Wan more than the stacked blocks, something that Lys noticed.

"Thank you!" the twins sang in unison. They both toddled over and wrapped their short arms around Obi-Wan's neck. He glanced up at Annika with tears in his eyes.

A short while later, Annika, Seiyaku and Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in the docking bay. Annika was naturally reluctant for Obi-Wan to leave, but she knew they would see each other again soon.

"Seiyaku, take care of her for me," Obi-Wan said. The black-haired man nodded, and they shook hands.

Loud clapping came from behind one of the ships. It was followed by sinister laughter. "Well, well, well. If this isn't my lucky day, I don't know what is."

"Kishi," Annika gasped at the sight of her brother. He bowed to her and brandished a blaster and a cage full of Ysalamiri. Obi-Wan instinctively reached for his lightsaber, but it was gone. He couldn't risk it being detected by any security, so he had journeyed without it.

"I just knew you would come, Jedi. What a dysfunctional family you have, sister. Here you stand with your ex-husband, and your current husband, while your child with your first husband is dead, and the children with your current husband are upstairs. And the two men shake hands... Priceless!

"Come on, Kenobi, how can you stand here with this woman after she betrayed you?"

"She did no such thing. I didn't think we had a future together; I wanted her to be happy. I'm thankful for Seiyaku."

Kishi snarled, "Oh please. Give me a break. You may be a Jedi, but you're still human."

"What do you want, Kishi?" Seiyaku asked. He stepped in front of Annika protectively.

"You're kidding, right? I'm standing here with three people the Emperor wants dead: the Jedi Kenobi, the Queen of Bakura, and the fugitive."

Annika looked quizzically at Seiyaku. Kishi stopped his methodical pacing and glared at Annika. He batted his eyelashes and pouted.

"Oh that's right. Hubby number one didn't tell you that, did he? He didn't tell you that he was on his way back to you eight years ago. He never remarried; the Empire captured him. And he was a guest at one of our finest jails. He never told us where you were hiding, sister. Oh, we tortured him, but he still never talked. That's loyalty for you. Unfortunately, he escaped three years ago. I guess that's what makes this capture so sweet. I get all three of you."

"Are you going to cry, sister? Hmmm? Are you? You've cried and grieved for days over your dead brat, but no one cries for my baby, for my little girl!"

"Oh, that's right. She's living, but she's missing! That makes me feel so much better."

Obi-Wan stepped forward. "Take me to the Emperor. I'll go peacefully, but leave these two alone."

"I can't let you do this, Kishi," Annika said. She knew she would need to transform into Sailor Bakura, and once she did that, she could try to turn him back to the Light.

"And just what are you going to do to me, Sailor Bakura?" he asked sarcastically. Annika had forgotten that Kishi knew her secret identity. "You can't do anything... without this." He produced the heart-shaped brooch that held the henshin jewel. Kishi threw it into the air and shot a blaster hole straight through it.

For a moment, Annika felt as if her soul were being crushed, then yanked from her body. The pain was excruciating but temporary; it left her weak, and she felt cold and alone. Kishi kicked the destroyed brooch over to her.

"Here, try it, go ahead. Don't cry, Annika... think of it this way - you'll get to see Ame again." He smiled and leveled the blaster at Obi-Wan. "I'll kill you first - that way I can make her suffer just a bit longer."

Annika took a step closer to her brother. She bowed her head and stood silently. Obi-Wan and Seiyaku looked at each other and then took a few steps away from the Queen. Each of them knew what was coming; something Obi-Wan had seen twice, and Seiyaku only once. A small gold point illuminated on Annika's forehead before it blossomed into a golden star.

Wordlessly, her body floated several metres above the grey floor, and in a flash of vibrant silver and pink light, Annika had transformed. Her fuku was different, her hair was different, and she carried a long staff.

"I am Sailor Celestia, a Guardian of the First Realm, Sister to Fire, Air, Terra, and Metal, Heiress to the Sacred Grail, and Holder of the Blessed Divinity."

Kishi stood, motionless, staring at his sister. He shook his head violently. "That's impossible! That's a lie; it's only a myth!"

Sailor Celestia held her staff in front of her heart and whispered a small prayer. Kishi tried desperately to open a bolthole, but Annika closed it every time. She continued her prayer until a pink cloud appeared and enveloped Kishi; it disappeared, taking him with it.

In another wordless action, Sailor Celestia was gone, returning to the form of Queen Annika. She collapsed to the floor - all of her energy had been drained. Obi-Wan cradled her as she whispered, "Ame..."

Somewhere beyond distant, beyond forever, Kishi lay in bliss. He was floating in something pure and warm. He felt only love, only happiness. Suddenly, he was ripped from that world and shocked into another. He was on his knees staring at a pair of tiny pink boots. He followed the frame upwards until he recognised this was his niece.

"Uncle Kishi? You're not supposed to be here," Ame said. Pink clouds flowed around her figure as she approached him.

"What?" The bottom literally dropped out from under Kishi's feet, and he was falling. Falling faster and faster into the unknown. Sliding through a tunnel of black light, he landed with a 'thud' onto a very cold stone floor. This time he saw a pair of black boots and an identical fuku to the one his niece had been wearing, except the pink was replaced by black. Even her hair and eyes were black like coal. The little girl in front of him displayed her long Glaive and pointed its sharp end at Kishi's neck.

Watching as the ship carrying her beloved flew away into the night, Annika sighed. She had punished her brother by sending him to the Underworld, where he would work off his evil deeds; she had to let her husband return to his exile, and her daughter was still dead.

She put Lys and Lysthea to bed before she and Seiyaku ventured out to stand between the tree and Ame's grave. As the Bakuran moon glowed elegantly over the lake, reflecting its image, Seiyaku wrapped his jacket around Annika's shoulders.

"But I'll be Home, I'll be home, to take you in my arms..."
- Tori Amos

Obi-Wan Kenobi lounged under a large tree in Salis D'aar, Bakura, with the head of his girlfriend, Annika Nesicha, in his lap. One of his hands was happily occupied stroking her long, soft hair, while the other was holding a book of poetry by the Earth poet Robert Burns.

"O my love's like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June; O my love's like the melody, that's sweetly played in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, so deep in love am I; And I will love thee still, my dear, till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt with the sun; O I will love thee still, my dear, while the sands o' life shall run.

O my love's like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June; O my love's like the melody, that's sweetly played in tune," he read softly.

Annika sighed blissfully. She was so glad she and Obi-Wan took this holiday together - just the two of them. Here, there was nothing to distract them, no Jedi and no Senshi.

The sunlight filtered through the top of the trees, spattering patches of light over the grass. It was an unusually sunny day in Bakura, but, Annika noted, dark clouds did lurk on the horizon.

"Race you to the Palace!" Annika yelled. She sprinted fast up the embankment, but Obi-Wan made it to the gates first. Annika folded her arms over her pink shirt and pouted. "No fair using the Force to run faster! You cheated!" Thunder rumbled off in the distance. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms protectively around Annika's shoulders, leading her inside.

Queen Nikana and her husband were away on official business, leaving the Palace all but deserted. Annika flopped into a chair and kicked her shoes off. Obi-Wan walked over to a window and scanned the area. He felt a disturbance in the Force but was unsure of its meaning. The feeling wasn't one of threat, but was still strong. Annika tiptoed up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, then laid her head onto his warm shoulder. She closed her eyes and revelled in his presence... never wanting this moment to end.

"Ow, Annika!" Obi-Wan winced as his frightened girlfriend clutched his waist tightly. "What's wrong? I thought you loved thunderstorms."

He smiled and patted her hand. He didn't tell her about the tremble in the Force; she would worry. Besides, it probably wasn't anything to worry over. "Are you hungry? Why don't you let me cook you dinner?" Obi-Wan asked so as to change the subject.

"Please do!!" she squealed. As Obi-Wan left the room, Annika turned to look out the window. There was a pit in her stomach and flutters in her heart. It took something pretty serious for Annika to feel the Force. She frowned and prayed nothing would ruin her time with Obi-Wan. Suddenly the rain began to pour in thick sheets. Heavy drops slapped against the glass, their sound reverberating in Annika's soul.

That night, the rain came down in torrents. It was so dense that seeing farther than a few metres was impossible. Obi-Wan stoked the fire and walked over to join Annika at the window.

"Mmm..." Annika was too busy staring at nothing. The thunderstorm was raging, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was supposed to be seeing something. It was Obi-Wan's turn to wrap his arms around Annika's waist, and he kissed her neck.

Lightning forked across the sky, illuminating a small shadow near one of the trees, catching Annika's attention.

"No -" she grabbed his arm "- this is for me. I don't know how I know, but this is for me." She ran from the room, down the stairs, and out into the cold rain. A strong gust of wind almost knocked her down but only managed to unravel her hair, sending it flying in all directions. Fumbling in the dark, she reached out for something - anything. Once more, lightning graced the sky, erasing all shadow. Under the tree, Annika saw a small pink-haired child, curled up into a ball, sound asleep.

Hoisting the tiny thing into her arms, Annika ran through the mud, back to the palace. Obi-Wan was at the door, waiting to scoop the girl from her arms. He laid her on a nearby sofa and covered her with a blanket. Touching his fingertips to her head, he slipped into a trance, trying to assess her injuries. Finally, he said, "She's fine, just exhausted. Let's take her upstairs to one of the guest rooms. She'll sleep soundly until morning. We can find out who she is then."

Annika nodded and led him to the spare bedroom across the hall from her own room. Obi-Wan tucked the little girl into bed and turned out the lights. He shared a concerned look with Annika.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I think we'll find out tomorrow. For now she's safe and warm - that's all that matters. Come on, let's get some sleep."

By the morning, Bakura had returned to a light drizzle. The passion bud vines twisted around the trees in long slender tendrils, and small birds chirped a tune to greet the new day.

Annika rolled over in bed and reached her hand out, hoping to find her boyfriend, but instead found the small girl from earlier. Jumping straight out of bed, she stared at the sleeping girl. She must've come into Annika's room in the middle of the night and climbed into the bed. As surprised as she was, Annika didn't want to lose this moment. She touched the little girl's face, and a familiar feeling came over her. It was as if she knew this child.

Downstairs, Obi-Wan was leaning against the wall, staring out of a window with a worried look on his face. He didn't hear Annika descend the staircase; he was so lost in thought, that he didn't hear her enter the room.

"Obi-Wan?" she whispered softly, rousing him from his thoughts. Smiling at her, he walked over, kissed her on the forehead, then sat down. He folded his arms and sighed. He needed to tell Annika the information he'd learned from last night. When he probed the little girl's mind to check for illnesses, he accidentally learned something he shouldn't have. But how could he tell Annika?

Tiny, frightened feet scampered down the stairs. The little pink-haired girl was in a panic. She'd woken up alone. She was back in her bedroom, but it was decorated differently. She had to find Kendra, but the first person she saw was Obi-Wan. Without hesitating, she ran and jumped into his arms.

"Good morning, little one," he said in her ear. She clung to him for dear life, breathing heavily and shaking. "What's wrong? Why are you so frightened?"

Annika walked up and sat down next to her. "You're on the planet Bakura." She reached up and touched the little girl's arm, but she jerked away and furrowed her brow at Annika.

"Well," Obi-Wan said, "I'm sure we'll find your mommy soon," he said using his calm-Jedi voice.

Obi-Wan looked crossly at the girl. "I don't like that tone of voice. You must always respect your elders."

"What a beautiful name!" Annika said in an attempt to cheer her up, but the small child just scowled.

Sighing, Obi-Wan placed the little girl on the cushion next to him and escorted Annika into another room. "I think," he said, "we should take her back to Coruscant with us tonight."

"Because it has been my experience that when strange-haired children appear out of nowhere, they usually end up being a Chibi."

Later that night, as Obi-Wan was loading their luggage back onto the borrowed Crystal Prism, Annika was laying on her bed crying. She felt bad for the way she thought of the little girl earlier; she did judge her in a horrible light. Looking over to the window, Annika saw rain start to fall.

"Annika! We're ready to go!" Obi-Wan yelled up to her. She grabbed her plush rabbit and shuffled her feet down the stairs.

"Where's Ame?" Obi-Wan asked when he saw Annika alone. "I thought she was with you."

Obi-Wan had to use the Force to find her, and when he did, his heart broke. She was hiding behind a chair, rolled up into a ball, crying. He reached out to her with the Force, trying to calm her, but she was unreachable.

"Ame? Can you hear me?" he soothed her. She continued to cry as she started rocking back and forth. "What's wrong? Will you let me help you?" She didn't say a word.

Annika pulled him away from Ame and over to a private corner of the room. "Maybe we should leave her here. There are doctors here who can help her, and the authorities will be able to find her mother, I promise."

Lowering his head, Obi-Wan whispered, "I know something about her... about Ame. We have to take her with us."

"The Jedi Healers? Will they be able to fix what's wrong with her? I still think we should find her mother first, don't you?"

"Annika -" he was cut off by Ame's terrified screams. She crawled out from behind the chair, holding her head.

"Make her leave me alone, please!" Ame screamed at Obi-Wan. He was puzzled and took her by the shoulders.

"I... I can't!" A blast of bright pink light surrounded Ame. The whole room was illuminated; Annika shielded her eyes. When the light faded away, Annika gasped at the transformed little girl still clutched in Obi-Wan's arms.

Ame fell to the ground and cried more. Then, as if a terrible spell broke over her, the tiny sailor stood and smiled. "She's gone."

"Who?" Obi-Wan asked, but Ame simply shook her head. "I think it's time you told her."

Ame skulked over to stand in front of Annika. She cleared her throat. "My name is Princess Annika Ame, Heir to the thrones of Bakura and Serenity... also... I am Sailor Chibi Serenity."

Annika's eyes were wide as she looked down at the small girl. "You are my daughter?"

"This can be your room if you want," Annika said to Ame as she led her around the Room Behind the Waterfall. "It's close to mine, and it has a window."

"Thank you. I know you're only being nice to me because I'm your daughter. You don't have to pretend you like me."

"Oh Ame! That's not so! I love you very much!" Annika suddenly was gripped by the urge to take Ame into her arms, but she was afraid to approach her; if Ame jerked away again, it would break Annika's heart.

"Ame? Earlier, when you said 'she' wouldn't leave you alone... who were talking about?"

"I can't tell you, it's not important anyway. I'm going to stop her from even existing."

"I said I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for a while. Can you shut my door on your way out?"

Annika nodded. She stood in the hallway for a moment before placing her hand on the pretty purple door. She jumped when Obi-Wan surprised her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

The strong Jedi sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. I honestly don't. She has fairly strong mental shields. Whatever her secrets are, she doesn't want anyone to know about them. Don't worry, we'll protect her."

Obi-Wan placed his arm around her shoulders and said, "Yes... I guess we do." He took one more look at Ame's door, then down at Annika, before sighing heavily.