Hello bbs! I am back and ready to keep writing.

This is a cute one. Let me know what you think.

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How many pairs of underwear does one bring on a Jedi mission? Should I bring a pair of heels? Do I need to pack a swimsuit? Will I need my apron??

All thoughts that ran through my head as I stared down at my bed which was now cluttered with everything I own. With my full wardrobe on display in front of me, I bit my lip as my eyes darted from item to item.

Anakin had told me to quickly pack a bag and be back in the ship platform in fifteen minutes. However, he failed to provide any detail whatsoever in regards to what I will need. I wasn't sure what would be necessary in order to convince the people of Canto Bight that I am indeed, a fathier trainer.

Finally deciding I would just bring the basics; I rapidly shoved the essentials into a small canvas bag. Taking a final scan of the room, I let out a shaky sigh. This room had been my home, my own personal corner of the galaxy for almost a decade. I couldn't remember the last time I spent a night anywhere else.

However now, I wasn't even sure when I'd be back. There was a slight twinge at my heart as the feeling of beginning a new chapter took over. I wondered if I would look back on this moment as when my life truly changed as I knew it. I am leaving the temple. I am leaving the entire fucking planet.

It might seem like an insignificant action to some, but to me this was everything I had been dreaming about.

I slung the bag over my shoulder and with once last glance at the familiar behind me, I walked out the door. As I made my way down the hallway, I hesitated in front of one of the rooms. It was one I had frequented many, many times. It almost felt like an extension of my room. Payto's room.

The door was closed and I wasn't sure what was behind the heavy metal barrier. Had they left it untouched? Had they cleared it out? I didn't want to know. I gently raised a hand to rest on the cool metal door, trying to combat the sudden tightness in my throat.

Oh, how I wished he was here to do this with me.

The grief nipped at my heart once again. I had to close my eyes to keep them from filling with tears. I missed my best friend more than words could describe. I decided that I wasn't just doing this for myself and my own individual desires, I wasn't even doing this for Anakin and the Jedi order. I was doing this for Payto. To fulfill a promise we always held each other to. One day we'd get out of here. One day we would be part of a grand adventure.

"Be with me, Payto." I whispered and dropped my hand from his door. And with a sigh, I blinked my tears away and continue down the hall and to the ship bay.

When I turned the corner into the massive landing platform. I saw Anakin standing in front of a large ship. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was wearing an impatient expression.

"I said fifteen minutes tops, Kels." He said as I approached, eyeing the bag slung over my shoulder.

"Well, it would have helped if you told me what I need to bring." I replied, tilting my chin up to look at him. However, I couldn't stop a heat from dusting across my cheeks. I hadn't realized how long I was taking.

"Just get on the ship." He said with an eye roll and jerked his head towards the large ramp descending from the ship behind him. My eyes followed the ramp and I saw Obi-Wan in calm conversation with a clone trooper at the top while Ahsoka sat nearby tinkering with what looked to be some sort of an advanced holopad.

That's when the holy shit this is happening nerves hit.

I gulped as butterflies fluttered to life in my stomach. This has all happened so fast. It felt like one minute I was dancing at 79s and the next I was about to board a ship to the outer rim. This was certainly not how I pictured my night going. Hesitating, I suddenly didn't feel "ready." As if I hadn't had enough time to prepare for this.

That's when I felt Anakin approach and gently place his hand on the small of my back. Wordlessly, he pushed me forward. The weight of his hand on my back was a comforting anchor, grounding me and encouraging me to walk. So, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and made my way up the ramp and into the ship.

Ahsoka lifted her head and gave me a soft smile and wave as I stepped into the ship's main communal area. We were taking a low-profile civilian transport vessel as to not attract any unwanted attention. The inside was cold and grey with a circular booth in the center that likely fit no more than four people. I turned my head to the side and got a glimpse into the cockpit. Buttons flashed on the dashboard and voices were coming through over the static speaker.

I stood there, clutching my bag, not really sure what to do next. I didn't want to get in the way of whatever was going on here, so I decided to shuffle to the corner of the compartment and just observe. I watched as Obi-Wan finished his conversation with the clone trooper and bid him goodbye.

"Alright, let's do this." I heard Anakin's voice call out as he ascended the ramp and punched the button to the side of the entrance which caused the ramp to lift and seal the ship shut.

He then made his way into the cockpit with Obi-Wan following closely.

"Let's get the show on the road." Ahsoka muttered and followed her fellow Jedi into the cockpit.

"Um..." I mumbled, not knowing what to do now. Am I allowed in the cockpit? What even is take-off procedure?

I craned my neck into the cockpit and saw the three Jedi strapping themselves into large leather seats. Anakin was of course seated just behind the steering console, our pilot.

"Kels, get in here." Anakin called out. He was still facing away from me pushing up one of the many levers in front of him. With a soft shake of my head, I followed his command and stepped into the cockpit.

I quietly slipped into the vacant seat right behind Anakin and fastened the belt loosely across my lap. Ahsoka was seated next to me, still preoccupied by her holopad. Turning my head slightly forward, I noticed Obi-Wan already had his feet kicked up in front of him with his eyes closed. I had no idea how one could attempt to sleep in a moment like this.

Because my adrenaline was fucking racing.

Anakin spoke a series of call signs into the speaker and was met with a wave of confirmation. Then, I heard "ready for takeoff, General" over the speaker. I could see his head bob just above the back of his chair. His golden curls a mess as usual.

Suddenly he swiveled his chair around to face me.

"You good?" He asked me, his eyebrows slightly raised.

"Me? Yeah...all good." I replied a little too quickly. Anakin smirked, clearly not convinced.

"When was the last time you travelled through space?" He asked.

"Um...when I came here from Ova." I said, reminded of the terrifying ride I took away from my home without knowing a single soul at just ten years old. That was the last and only time I had ever travelled through space.

I saw Anakin's expression soften ever so slightly. "I know you're nervous." He said.

"Nervous? No, I'm good, I promise." I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking as I forced a smile that ended up feeling more like a grimace.

"You are going to be okay; I promise you that." Anakin said in a firm tone, ignoring my attempt at playing it cool. He clearly didn't have time for the bullshit.

"I know..." I whispered. I could feel him assessing me with his gaze.

"I um, I have something for you." Anakin said after a few seconds of silence. I watched as he reached into the pocket of his tunic, gathering something in his fist. He then brought his hand in front of me and opened his fist. A glint of gold flashed through the air as a delicate chain dangled from his fingers. I gasped when I realized what it was.

There, hanging from his grip, were two small golden spheres, no bigger than freshwater pearls, now attached to a thin gold chain. The two gleaming planets from the old galaxy sculpture in a forgotten corner of the temple. Ova and Draxton.

The feeling that rushed through my body was so intense I had to remind myself to breath at the sight of the two tiny gold planets gently swaying in front of me. A glistening reminder that I need to keep going, that despite feeling unprepared and insecure, I have to answer when adventure calls. A bittersweet assurance that despite my best friend being gone, I indeed still carry him with me.

When my eyes finally tore away from the small spheres and landed on the deep blue gaze of the man holding the delicate necklace, I had to stop myself from jumping out of my seat and throwing my arms around his neck.

"Anakin..." I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corner of my eyes.

"You can do this, Kels." Anakin said in a low voice, as he grabbed my hand gently and pressed the necklace into my palm.

Unable to fully articulate how much this gesture meant to me, I simply nodded in response, staring down at the dainty necklace in my hand. Anakin hesitated for a moment before reaching forward to pull on my seatbelt, tightening it and ensuring it was secure and turning back around.

I couldn't tear my gaze away from the two tiny planets I now held in my hand. They were warm to the touch as I delicately brushed my fingers over them, likely from being nestled in Anakin's pocket. This necklace had all the sudden become my most prized possession.

I only looked away once I felt the ship lurch upwards. I quickly enclosed my fingers around the necklace and held it tight as my eyes darted around the cockpit. I caught Ashoka looking at me with a curious expression, she quickly averted her gaze once she saw me take notice.

"Here we go." I heard Obi-Wan's voice say despite his eyes still being closed.

I used my free hand to grip the bottom of my seat. Through the front window, I watched as we rose through the air and glided upwards, quickly overtaking the many skyscrapers and buildings of Coruscant. The sky was painted in light pinks and purples as the sun was just preparing to rise over the horizon.

I saw Anakin gradually push a large lever forward as he began to increase our speed upwards towards the atmosphere. As we gained speed, I felt my back press into my seat. I did my best to ignore my stomach flipping at the sensation.

The sky began to transform from the pastel hues to the darker indigo shade of space and suddenly with a jerk, we burst through the atmosphere. I heard Anakin flipping switches and tapping on dials as he leveled out the ship which was no longer held in the confines of gravity.

I felt my eyes widen at the sight...the endless inky black dotted with distant stars as far as the eye could see.  It was beautiful. We sailed by massive ships that I could only assume were part of the Republic fleet that guarded Coruscant. I realized my concept of "huge" and "vast" had been greatly uninformed. The sheer size of the Republic armada and the sprawling galaxy before us was something I had had never been able to conceptualize until now. I was in awe.

"Prepare to jump into hyperspace." Anakin declared after we had cleared the blockade.

I noticed Obi-Wan remove his feet from the dashboard as he settled into a more secure position. And Ahsoka finally clicked off her holopad, adjusting her gaze forward instead. I simply tightened my grip on my seat.

Then Anakin's gloved hand found a large silver lever. "No turning back now, Remlik" he called over his shoulder and proceeded to thrust the lever forward.

There was a slight pause in movement before my entire body was pitched backwards, my arms so heavy against the backrest I couldn't even lift them. The black space began to melt away into white, glowing streaks as we hurdled into hyperspace. By now, my stomach was in my throat.

However, just as I thought I might vomit, the ship settled into a steady momentum. And if I didn't know any better, I could have sworn we ceased movement. I heard the Jedi unclip their seatbelts and Ahsoka hopped off her chair.

"See? Not so bad!" She quipped in my direction as she bounded back towards the communal space. I let out a breathy laugh in response, still not trusting the state of my stomach to say anything else.

Slowly, I unfurled my hands. One from the seat, and one gripping onto the necklace as if it were my own life force. I flexed my hands as I noticed the red indents on my palm from the tiny gold spheres. I couldn't help but smile down at the sight.

With shaking hands, I gently unclasped the necklace and brought it up to my neck. It took me a couple tries to re-hook the chain behind my back, but once I succeeded, I was immediately comforted by the delicate weight against my chest. I swore to myself I would never take it off.

I noticed Obi-Wan had reassumed his casual position and Anakin was busy reading one of the many screens on the dashboard. Not wanting to bother either of them, I quietly undid my seatbelt and followed Ahsoka to the communal space behind us. I spotted her sprawled out across the booth lining the table.

"So, how long do you think it will take to get to Canto Bight?" I asked, leaning against the booth. I realized I hadn't asked the most basic questions.

"Probably a couple days." She said, tossing a screw up into the air and allowing it to hover over her hand.

"Days?" I repeated. I had very wrongfully assumed it would only be a matter of hours until we reached our destination.

"Yeah, if we don't run into any issues. The galaxy is a big place, Kels." She said with a soft chuckle.

"Right, of course." I said with a shake of my head, trying to hide the blush creeping into my face. "So, what do we do in the meantime?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Usually, I will work on repairs to equipment or I'll go over battle plans." She said with a deep sigh. "Space travel can be so boring." The screw she was balancing in the air clattered to the floor as she flung her arms out to her sides in a dramatic display.

I took this as an opportunity to scan the room around us. It was largely bare, with only the most basic items; however, something caught my eye on the corner of a metal shelf. A smile crept onto my face as I approached the set of dice that had captured my attention.

"Have you ever played Coruscant Shift?" I asked Ahsoka after picking up the dice and rolling them in my cupped hands.

"I haven't." She said, cocking her head to the side and eyeing the dice in my hands.

I smiled and rushed to sit down across from her at the table. "It's pretty straightforward. Essentially whoever gets to an even shift first wins." I said.

She nodded, carefully watching as I rolled the dice as an example and proceeded to further explain the rules of the game.

"Alright, I'm in." She eventually chirped and swiped the dice of the table, shaking them in her hands.

Ahsoka and I played a few games, the friendly competition increasing with each round. We would goad each other on in between rolls and Ahsoka would have me full on belly laughing after she'd dramatically flail to the side after a bad roll. I found myself truly having fun. I hadn't felt this way in a long time...playing dice and laughing with a friend. Or at least someone I hoped would become a friend.

After I had another consecutive game-winning roll, Ahsoka threw up her arms in defeat.

"I swear you're cheating." She said with an incredulous look.

I felt a tug at my heart as I was immediately brought back to the many times Payto and I would play and he'd accuse me of cheating. I chuckled in response and ducked my head briefly to hide the fact that I needed to swallow the lump in my throat. I began to open my mouth to tell her about the many times we spent our breaks from the kitchen playing a variety of dice games. How we'd trick the droids into tipping their hand and we'd beat them every single time. How we'd daydream about taking our skills to the casino and making a fortune. But I couldn't get the words past my lips.

"It's all in the wrist." I settled on saying with a shrug and soft smile. "And I suppose a lot of practice doesn't hurt."

"Hmmm," She hummed softly, focusing on one of the dice in front of her and rolling it to a winning number using the force. She shot me a sneaky smirk, "I might not need the practice."

"Now that is cheating." I accused with a laugh.

"Come on Snips, don't give up all your tricks so soon." I heard a voice say from behind me. Ahsoka smirked as she looked past me. I turned to follow her gaze and saw her master leaning casually against the doorframe mirroring her same smirk.

"Oh please, as if you have never used the force for a little assist." She said with an eye roll.

"Deceit is not the Jedi way, Padawan." He said in an overly arrogant voice and made his way over to us. He then slid into the booth next to Ahsoka. I watched his eyes flick down to my necklace as he faced me.

"And tell me," Ahsoka began in an innocent voice, "is there deceit involved when tricking the younglings into meditating for an hour instead of training them so you could take a nap?"

"Anakin!" I exclaimed, adding an exaggerated gasp for dramatic flair.

"I thought that stayed between us." He replied, shooting his padawan a smirk.

"She won't tell anyone." Ahsoka replied, waving a hand in my direction.

"Ooh I don't know about that," I said and bit down on a sly grin, "dirt on a Jedi can be extremely valuable."

"Bold move, threatening a Jedi." Anakin tutted, tilting his head with a mischievous glint in his eye. I felt my heart skip a beat.

"I'm willing to take that risk." I replied, echoing his tone and locking in on his gaze.

There were a few seconds of charged silence between us. I saw Ahsoka's eyes dart between us in my peripheral vision.

"Soo anyways," She said slowly, not even hiding her smirk, "Kels, I have questions about this outfit." She changed the subject and gestured to my attire. I only then remembered I was still wearing my revealing outfit from the club. In my rush to pack and gather my things, I hadn't bothered to change. I suddenly felt very exposed, and heat rushed to my cheeks.

"Oh, uh" I stuttered, looking down at my silky dress and fishnets. "I was at a club," was all I mustered up as an explanation.

"I see," Ahsoka said slowly, I could see questions dancing behind her eyes. "Well, I like it. You look hot. Much better than that apron of yours." She said with a smile. My face continued to flush, and I glanced over at Anakin whose throat bobbed ever so slightly despite keeping his features trained into a neutral position.

"Thanks." I said with a small smile, suddenly feeling shy.

"So do you and your friends go clubbing a lot?" Ahsoka pressed with genuine curiosity. It occurred to me that just like any other teenager, she was curious about night life.

"Not really," I replied honestly, "I just used to go with Payto from time to time."

I watched her curious expression morph into a sympathetic one. "Oh, right. I'm sorry. Forget I asked" she winced softly. I could practically see her mind working on finding a new way to change the subject. She must have assumed I didn't want to talk about him. She began to open her mouth but Anakin cut her off.

"Tell us about Payto." He said in a smooth voice, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table. Hearing Anakin say his name caused my heart to twinge. Ahsoka shot him a look, but he kept his eyes on me.

I felt the corners of my mouth twitch, undecided between a smile or a frown. However, Anakin looked at me with such earnest, like he really wanted to hear me talk about my friend. So, despite my eyes stinging with the threat of tears, I finally smiled.

"He was very allergic to most animals." I blurted out, voicing the first thing that popped into my head. "But he insisted on feeding all of the stray loth-cats that made their way to the temple. He would pet them, talk to them, even sometimes referred to himself as their adopted mother." I chuckled fondly at the memory of a dozen fuzzy loth-cats swarming my friend, all purring and vying for his affection. "He'd suffer through the stuffy nose and itchy eyes because he never wanted anything or anyone to feel like they didn't have a safe place to go, a home. I guess I was included in that. One of the first things we bonded over was our love for animals."

I felt a grin spread across my face as I lingered in the happy memory. I hadn't realized how much I was aching to talk about him. Explain how he lived as opposed to focusing on his death. I wanted people to know him. I made eye contact with Anakin who was looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher. He nodded his head ever so slightly, encouraging me to continue.

So, I launched into the next anecdote, telling the two Jedi in front of me about the times when Payto and I were young, and we'd sneak into the kitchen to steal the freshly baked biscuits. And about Payto's incredible talent for design and described the many outfits he custom made for me using mere scraps to create something beautiful. I told the story about the time we had been given a pack of cigarettes from a rogue senator and Glynn caught us smoking outside the kitchen during our break. I chuckled as I recalled the way she absolutely laid into Payto and I and tried to ground us.

The more I spoke about him, the more a sense of comfort and ease filled my chest. I felt the weight of all the cherished memories I shared with him lessen ever so slightly as I shared them with Anakin and Ahsoka. Anakin kept his eyes on me the entire time, a small smile pulling at his lips as he listened intently.

I felt a rush of gratitude for the man sitting across from me. For asking about my dear friend. For allowing me to share and relive these memories. I decided to lift my mental shield just a tiny bit so he could feel my gratitude before snapping it closed again. And I swear I could see his soft smile grow ever so slightly. 

I spent the next hour or so gushing about my friend. And I didn't feel insecure or shy about the deluge of information I was sharing  because despite Ahsoka politely excusing herself to check on an engine light or Obi-Wan popping in and out of the conversation, Anakin remained sat in front of me, listening with patience and never allowing his eyes to leave me as I spoke about Payto. 

And it was in that moment, I realized I might be in love with Anakin Skywalker.