Beginning Again

Chapter 2

Rendal POV

I went with Alexa after we left the hangar and I looked at her seriously as we walked, though where we were heading I wasn't sure.  I felt guilt welling in my chest, I had to say something.  "Alexa, you know you could have gotten hurt doing that and I'm really sorry that I ever suggested it something so stupid."

"Why are you sorry?  I was the one who decided to do it.  Really Rendal, you don't need to apologise, besides it was fun."  She grinned at me and I could see in her eyes that she was still hyped up from the experience.

"But what if you'd gotten hurt?"

"Oh come on, you know I wouldn't let that happen.  I'm too good to let that happen and I wouldn't want you to be feeling guilty about it like you are now.  Everything turned out alright so you don't need to worry."

"Well....  I guess you're right."  I relented.

"Of course I am."

"Yeah well you don't need to keep rubbing it in my face."  I smirked.

"Yes I do."  I could tell she was teasing, but I just laughed.

"You're crazy."

"I could have told you that."

I shook my head, her sense of humour was just one of the many reasons I had fallen in love with her.

"So what do you want to do now?  After all of that maybe we shouldn't get too out of hand or we might have Master Skywalker coming after us."

"He won't, but we should probably go and tell Lorryn and Jenifire about this, I think they'll get a kick out of it."  She smirked and I nodded, they would enjoy hearing about what happened.

"Alright, let's go then, any idea where they are?"

"Nope, but my guess would either be their rooms or the mess hall."

So we went to their rooms to try and find them and when neither of our friends were there we decided to go and check the mess hall.  That was where we found them, sitting together and talking while they had their lunch.

"Hey guys, where have you been?"  Jenifire asked when we came to their table.

"Well it's sort of a long story."  Alexa grinned.  "Wanna hear it?"

"Of course."  Lorryn nodded with a smile.

"Ok then, move over."

We sat down with them and told them all about how we had been bored and decided to play a game of truth or dare.  It had started out simple enough with the dares being little things from holding their breath for as long as they could to standing on their heads.  However, things progressed to going and doing crazy stunts in the training hall and then ended with Alexa being dared to take one of the speeders out for a fly.  Needless to say that our friends were shocked that I had told Alexa to do something so totally outrageous.

I shook my head as I tried to defend my actions.  "I didn't think she would actually do it!"

"How could you not think she would, she never backs down from a dare."  Lorryn said, and we all knew she was right.  From our previous games as a group Alexa almost always did all the dares she was given, no matter how weird they were.  It made me wonder if she still thought she needed to prove herself to us.

"Fair point."  I sighed.

"Exactly.  Anyway what did Master Skywalker say?"

"Yeah, did he ban you two from playing that game?"

"Nope.  Doesn't even know we were playing it."  Alexa smirked proudly, but I quickly felt a chill run up my spine.

"He does now."

Alexa and I turned to see Master Skywalker standing right behind us.

Oh force.

We were in trouble now, I just knew it!  I gulped hard and glanced at Alexa, but she looked at her I couldn't help noticing that she seemed cool as a cucumber.  How could she be so calm when we had just been busted?

"Hey Anakin."  She greeted him.  "You know you're not really meant to sneak up behind people like that."

"Well you're not supposed to steal speeders and go on joyrides, but you did."  He smirked at her.

"Touche."  She chuckled.

"Now why didn't you two tell me that's why you did that?"

"I didn't want you to get angry at Rendal and me for playing the game.  I'm sorry that I did something so rash."

"Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly."  Alexa nodded with all seriousness.

"Well I accept your apology and I'm glad that you see that what you did was wrong, but you should have told me about the game.  Still...  I won't tell anyone, like I said before, just don't let it happen again."

"Thanks Anakin."  She smiled at him.

"You're welcome.  You three enjoy your lunch."  He smiled back then went across the room to with with Master Tano.

"Well that went better than I expected."  I stated, rather surprised.

"Yeah, I think he's going soft on you, Alexa."  Jenifire said.

"He's always been soft on me."  She chuckled in reply.

Anakin POV

After talking to the kids I went to sit with Ahsoka, smiling as I took a seat beside her.  "How are you?  Sorry I didn't get to see you earlier, I had a slight issue to deal with."  I nodded my head back in the direction of Alexa and her little group of friends.

"It's fine, everything ok?"

"Yeah, just Alexa managed to get herself into trouble again."

"What happened this time?"

"She decided to take a speeder out for a joyride."

Ahsoka looked at me in surprise.  "I thought you hadn't taught her how to...  Oh."

I nodded.  "That was the problem, she didn't actually know how to pilot it."  

"What made her think that was a good idea?"

"It was a dare."

"Ah."  We knew all to well that when Alexa was challenged to do something she just had to do it.  "Tell me you did something to deter her from doing something like that again."

"I've had an idea, but I won't act on it until tomorrow."

"What are you thinking?"

"You'll have to wait and find out."  I smirked, making her sigh in exasperation.

"If that's the way you want it, I just hope you don't do anything too mean."

"Don't worry, I won't."

It wouldn't be that mean...  Ok well maybe it would be, but Alexa needed to learn that what she had done was wrong and that all her actions had consequences.  It was the best way to make sure she didn't try that again.  I only hope that she wasn't too annoyed with me afterwards.