In•hale

How Long Without You?

Qui-Gon, if it was him, didn't say anymore last night and I briefly considered that I had gone mad and was beginning to hear voices in my head that weren't real.

I still had my eyes closed, concentrating to try to contact him but it still wasn't working so I quit. Disappointment overwhelmed me. I was so sure that it was him. How was it even possible? Why hadn't he said anymore?

I groaned, opened my eyes, sat up and realized that it was morning. I seriously hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night and was border line lethargic. Maybe some tea would wake me up....I pulled myself off of the couch and--

"Aghh!" I hissed. As soon as I stood up, my head began pounding violently. I stumbled clumsily into the refresher and took a look at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot, my hair rumpled and unkept and my skin was flushed and burning up.

Groaning, I stepped out of the refresher and threw on a shirt. What was I, sick? I went and brewed some tea but it was only after I took a sip when I realized that hushed voices were coming out of Anakin's room. Who had he let in without my permission? I shook my head but stopped abruptly when the movement sent a whole new wave of pain wracking my skull. Perhaps the lack of sleep combined with the seeming impossibility of Qui-Gon contacting me had done some damage on my body somehow. That had to be it.

I placed my tea cup on the counter before stepping into Anakin's room and finding him and Chalset laying out of the floor. They looked startled at first to see me, but it was only one second before Chal gave me a heartwarming smile. She said, "I rang five times before Anakin had to let me in because you were out cold on the couch."

"Well, uh, good morning to you too, but I don't think it was sleeping you saw me doing." I responded, leaning against the door frame and rubbing at my eyes. Identical looks of startledness crossed both of their faces for the second time in just a few seconds. It was like they had bonded their emotions somehow and I found it amusing.

"You wanna tell me that you were meditating?!" Chal asked incredulously.

"Uh, something like that....I'll tell you later." I said, suddenly uncomfortable. Would she think I was crazy or desperate if I told her that Qui-Gon had spoken to me? Her eyes suddenly became more alert, searching my face. Did she know that something was bothering me? Of course she knew! Who was I kidding?

"Obi, you look awful." she said suddenly.

Anakin laughed out loud. "I was gonna say that!" They high fived each other.

These two....

"Thanks," I said. "So what are you two doing?" I wondered, noticing Chal's lightsaber lying on the ground between them. At my question, she picked it up and dismantled it using the Force. Anakin turned his immediate attention to it, aweing at how the pieces went together.

"I was just showing Ani the different parts of my lightsaber and how to put them together!" she cheerfully said. She turned to Anakin. "Alright watch closely." She slowly put her lightsaber back together as Anakin watched intently. "If you don't do it correctly, then it won't turn on. But," She pressed the ignition button and the green light shone brightly in the darker room. "I did it correctly." She grinned as though she'd won a free trip around the galaxy.

I made a 'pfft' noise and left the doorway to retrieve my tea and my new lightsaber. When I came back I ignited my saber, turned the intensity level down to its lowest, handed it to Anakin and then sat down next to Chal and sipped my tea.

"No matter what she says," I started, tapping Chal's arm with my elbow as Anakin swung around the far to large hilt of my saber. "Blue will always be the cooler, better, and more finesse color."