It took all the will power I could muster to drag myself out of bed and make my way to the training wing when midnight approached. I was already running a few minutes late, but with swollen eyes and an aching heart, I put one foot in front of the other until I made it to the usual room Anakin and I meet in.

He was already there, his back facing the training room entrance as he gazed out the window. I hesitated when I saw his silhouette against the city lights and thoughts of running back to my room entered my mind. Suddenly, the idea of moving forward and continuing on with life like before felt too painful. I took a small step backwards into the darkness of the hallway.

"Don't even think about it." Anakin said in a clear voice from across the room, his back still turned towards me.

Momentarily stunned, I seriously considered if he could read my mind. This was enough to halt any thoughts of leaving. I opened my mouth to reply but couldn't find my words. So, I just stood there, silent and unmoving.

When Anakin finally turned to face me, he wore a serious expression. Pinning me with his gaze, he waited to see what I would do next. I couldn't help but avert my eyes to the floor.

Would I return to my room and allow myself to be completely consumed by grief, or would I take a step forward and continue on this path towards growing stronger? Would I succumb to rust and tarnish, or would I keep working on my shine?

Taking a deep breath, I found the strength to raise my sights and look Anakin in the eye. Beneath his usual intense expression, I could see something swimming behind his eyes. I felt a wave of calm rush over my body when I realized that while I could identify the ever-present impatience and severity, I couldn't see a single shred of doubt in those eyes.

Anakin had no doubt I could do this...that I would do this. He knew I would keep going.

And that, paired with the knowledge that Payto would physically push me into the room if he were here, pulled painfully at my heart but set my feet in motion forward.

Anakin watched me, the corner of his lip twitching into a whisper of a smile as I approached. When I got closer, I realized he was wearing his heavier winter outer robes.

"Going somewhere?" I asked in a quiet voice, eyeing his outerwear.

"We both are." He replied matter-of-factly. Cocking my head to the side, I gave him a questioning look.

"I think some fresh air would do us both some good." He said as he took a few steps towards the rack holding practice sabers, grabbing a set of robes draped over one of the bars. I continued watching as he looked down at the heap of fabric in his hands, he ran his thumb gently over one of the brass buttons.

And before I could register what was happening, my vision was suddenly cut off. That same set of robes that were just in Anakin's hands were now all of the sudden draped over my head. I blinked a couple of times under the dark brown fabric covering my face before I realized Anakin had flung the robe across the room and with a gentle force push, allowed it to completely enveloped me.

"Anakin! What the-" I exclaimed, clawing the robe from my head. I could feel the static from the fabric pulling my hair in all directions. Anakin was stifling a laugh when he came back into my vision. I glared in response but couldn't deny the tiny bubble of warmth that filled my chest at the sight of him smiling at me, even if it was at my own expense.

"Put that on." He cut me off with a chuckle, pointing to the robe I now held in my hand. "We're going on a speeder ride."

"To where?" I asked, looking between him and the robe.

"That is an unnecessary detail." He stated with a quick shake of his head. I rolled my eyes at his usual lack of answer and followed him with my gaze as he walked past me and towards the doorway.

I remained still in place as I watched him. Gently fumbling with the robe in my hand, I wondered what he was doing and where we were going. I appreciated Anakin not pressing me to talk about Payto and he was clearly trying to distract me, even just for a moment. But that familiar pain twisted in my gut. I was reminded of the last time I left the temple...for the concert. A night that felt so magical but was then twisted and used by Raj to gain our trust.

"Are you coming or not?" Anakin asked over his shoulder, pulling me from my thoughts. Again, just taking in his features, I felt that same sense of calm that momentarily soothed the sharp edges of my broken heart. So, with a forced smile, I nodded and proceeded to throw the robe over my shoulders and follow him out the door.

Moments later, we were weaving through the nighttime traffic of Coruscant. Anakin was expertly maneuvering around transports, ships and other speeders in a way that made my stomach drop, but also evoked smile-inducing adrenaline. Flying with him probably took a year off my life, but was undeniably fun. The cold air whipped across my face, and with my hand that wasn't clutching onto the side of my seat, I pulled my robe closer to my chin. However, I didn't mind the frigid air too much, it was nice to feel something different from pain and sadness.

Anakin veered sharply to the left, narrowly avoiding a speeder bike. I couldn't contain the shriek that was followed by laughter as my body jerked to the side. After catching my breath, I glanced over at Anakin who was biting his bottom lip to keep a grin at bay. It was clear that he felt at home in the pilot's seat.

"You are insane, Skywalker!" I called out over the wind.

"This is nothing," He shouted back, "you should see me in a pod racer!" And with that he thrusted his steering console forward that set us into what felt like a free fall towards the city below us. As a reflex, both my arms shot to the edge of my seat, white knuckling the sides with all my strength. I could feel my stomach flipping and I was grateful my appetite had been nonexistent otherwise I'm sure I'd be wearing my dinner.

My eyes stung as I kept my sight set straight, blinking hard to combat the fierce wind whipping by. The ground grew closer and closer, and I was sure Anakin would pull up any moment now. But he didn't.

"Anakin!" I exclaimed, starting to fear how rapidly we were approaching the ground. I whipped my head towards him, unable to look down anymore. His grin had fully enveloped his face as he eventually pulled the speeder level and kept us from splattering on the near surface below. My heart was racing, and surprisingly I welcomed each chaotic beat. I felt so alive.

"Nothing like a shot of adrenaline, huh Remlik?" Anakin said in a cheery tone I had never heard him use before. His eyes were wide and clear, and he seemed oddly at ease.

"Some call it adrenaline...others call it a death wish." I replied breathlessly and rested my head against the headrest behind me. But I couldn't hide my growing smile.

"You were loving it, don't lie to me." He said with a smirk, and with a gentle twist of his wrist, we were pulling off the main skylane and speeding towards the outskirts of the city center. I simply shook my head in response and remained silent for the rest of our journey to...wherever we were going. I was enjoying watching the city lights blur into one another and feeling the fresh air on my face.

Finally, we came to a stop once we reached an area that didn't feel quite as densely populated. I noted a handful of small shops arranged in a circle. They were all closed for business, but I noticed that there was a bakery, a credit center, as well as a droid part vendor. I had never been to this area of the city. It felt like an unremarkable, sleepy part of town.

I shot Anakin a curious look, and he just jutted his chin in the direction of the shops in response before he took off walking towards them. I sighed, pulling my cloak tighter around my shoulders to keep it from brushing the ground below, and followed him. I kept my eyes on his broad back as we made our way through the shops and into the center of the circle. Eventually, Anakin stepped to the side to reveal what looked like a large, jagged boulder protruding from the ground.

"What's that?" I asked softly, tipping my head to the side as I took in this...large rock.

"You, Kels, have just scaled the Manari Mountains." Anakin replied, waving his hand towards the boulder. I felt my face scrunch in confusion.

"This is one of the few exposed peaks of the mountain range Coruscant society is built on top of," He continued, "the mountains are sacred to the Jedi, the temple is actually right on top of the sacred Manari spire. You can't help but feel something when you are actually close enough to touch them..." His voice trailed off gently as he rested a hand on the smooth surface of the peak before him. I saw him glance in my direction with an intrigued expression.

"Oh yeah," I said softly, taking a step forward, "There's another peak in the city center." I recalled the large peak in the center of one of the urban parks that is typically packed with food vendors and off-world tourists. That peak is much larger than the one that currently stood before us.

Anakin nodded in response. "But they don't let you touch that one." He said as he dragged a finger across the stone. "This one is far enough away where it doesn't get much attention."

I gently tucked my bottom lip behind my teeth and took a hesitant step forward. Anakin kept his eyes on me as I slowly reached my hand forward and brushed the surface of the rock. As soon as my skin made contact, I felt a surge of energy shoot up through my arm. The warm buzz quickly spread up into to my chest, knocking my breath from my lungs. I gasped in response and quickly pulled my arm away and cradled it close to my body.

That was...weird.

"You felt something." Anakin whispered. I whipped my head in his direction and saw him looking at me, eyes wide in awe.

I gently shook my head and flexed my fingers by my side. I had felt something. In fact, I could still feel a warmth in my chest. Gently thrumming just above my heart.

"I mean...yeah..." I muttered, continuing to shake my head, "but didn't you say this place was sacred or something? Doesn't everyone feel something?" I said in a rushed voice, quick to dismiss this as normal.

"No, Kels. Not everyone does." Anakin said. He gently placed his hands on my shoulders and spun me around slowly to face him. He inclined his head down towards me so that he could look me straight in the eyes. As the warmth in my chest began to slowly fade, I felt my heartbeat pick up.

"W-what do you mean?" I stuttered.

"The force is particularly strong and concentrated within the peaks of these mountains. And those who are even the slightest...force sensitive...can sense it." He explained, giving me a cautious look as he said the second half of that sentence slowly and clearly. But I still wasn't sure I heard him right.

There was absolutely no fucking way.

I felt myself blink slowly as my eyes scanned his face for any hint of joking or irreverence. But once again, I was met with an expression completely free of doubt. I tilted my head to the side as my eyebrows kitted together in confusion.

"Anakin...what are you saying right now?" I asked, barely above a whisper. He opened his mouth to speak before shutting it. His eyes were dancing across my face. After taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"One of my first missions was on a tiny planet called Frenza," Anakin began in a steady voice, still keeping his hands on my shoulders, "The planet was scarcely populated, but it was home to a small, remote community who lived on one of the riverbanks that was laced with phrink, one of the most precious metals in the galaxy. We were called in for aid because the locals were being targeted by off-world pirates who wanted their land. But the pirates caught wind of our impending arrival and decided that if they weren't going to be able to keep the land, then no one would. So, they decided to bomb the damn the community had built to keep the river at bay. We arrived just after they set off their explosives and the entire encampment was flooded with decades worth of river water  and debris that had been held back by the damn. In seconds, civilians were fighting for their lives and being swept under the raging water...without ever reemerging." Anakin's face pinched at the recollection, and I could tell it was a painful memory.

"It was horrible," He continued. "We only had about a minute to make any rescues before the entire community was lost to the river. Imagine having to make that fucking choice...deciding who gets to live. But the council does have rules when it comes to this kind of thing; when all else fails, seek to save those who are force sensitive." He gave me a hard look before he carried on with his story, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Most Jedi masters can sense the force in others, even from a distance. So immediately, Obi-Wan picked out a little girl from the chaos who clearly had a connection to the force. She was clutching onto a piece of driftwood, desperately trying to stay afloat. It took us multiple attempts to grab her just seconds before she would have been swept away. But we got her. And by the time she was on our ship, there was no one left to save. It all happened so fast. She was terrified and completely traumatized. But we took her back to Coruscant, to the temple, and after some testing the council decided she was strong enough with the force to go into training. That little girl is now a youngling living in the temple with us. Soon she will become a padawan."

Anakin let out a shallow sigh and remained quiet after he was through with his story. My head was spinning. I was still reeling from the feeling I got from the mountain peak and now I was trying to follow along Anakin's tragic story. My brain was racing trying to parse through what this all means.

"When all else fails...seek to save those who are force sensitive." I repeated his line in a shaky voice. Anakin slowly nodded.

"You were the only one the Jedi managed to save from the infinity wave that hit Ova, right?" he asked gently.

Suddenly, it clicked in my brain.

"Wait," I said, taking a step backwards feeling faint all of the sudden, "you're not saying they rescued me because...because I'm..." I couldn't even say it out loud. It felt ridiculous to even consider that maybe, just maybe I am connected to the force. My legs started to wobble underneath me, and Anakin grabbed my elbow, guiding me to a sitting position on the ground. He sat next to me quietly, allowing me to process.

I couldn't focus on anything, my eyes darting from left to right and back again. There was no way this is happening. I have only ever felt so painfully normal. Destined to do nothing or be nothing impressive. Holding my head in my hands, I racked my brain for any inkling any hint that this might be true. I came up with nothing.

"No." I said with a firm shake of my head and looked over at Anakin, "I would know if I were force sensitive, wouldn't I?"

"Not necessarily," Anakin replied with a shrug. "Force sensitivity is a spectrum; some have stronger connections than others. And those who do not feel it as strongly naturally sometimes unlock a deeper connection later in life after a significant event or encounter."

I stared at Anakin. He was completely serious. And I couldn't help but laugh, causing him to rise his eyebrows in response.

"Anakin," I said with a scoff, "Never once have I ever moved anything with my mind. Not even close."

"The force manifests in many different ways." Anakin replied with a lofty tone.

"Okay you are sounding eerily like Obi-Wan right now." I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"No, seriously, Kels..." Anakin trailed off before taking a slow breath, "have you ever heard of force empathy?"

"No, Anakin, I have not heard of force empathy." I replied sarcastically, using air quotes around the last words for dramatic effect. This all felt so ridiculous. Anakin ignored my tone and continued.

"Force empathy is the ability to sense emotions in others, and even project or manipulate them." He explained. "It's rare and something many Jedi shy away from, so they do not succumb to the emotions."

I nodded my head slowly, taking in this information. Sure, I have always been able to sense others' emotions, but I always just chalked that up to being observant and intuitive. Qualities many regular, non-force sensitive people possess.

"Those who possess the ability and are either unaware or do not know how to control it, can become fucking beacons of emotion to others who can tap into force empathy, especially upon physical contact. I am one of the incredibly rare few who can also tap into force empathy," Anakin continued, not even hiding his prideful smirk. "And let me tell you, that night in the dining hall, when you offered me a second serving of stew and grazed my shoulder, your emotions...your nerves, your unease, your insecurities practically electrified me. I have never felt another's emotions so fucking loud." He gently nudged me with his shoulder as the embarrassment flooded through my system. I was completely unaware that I have been a total open book to Anakin Skywalker this whole time. And here I was thinking I had somewhat played it cool.

"Don't be embarrassed." He said with a soft laugh.

"Stop it." I said, shooting him a glare. I wished I could shut my embarrassment, and my brain off.

"And that night...when Payto..." Anakin said softly, his eyes darkened. I quickly nodded my head, not wanting to hear him say it out loud. Thankfully he continued, "Even without touching you, I felt your emotions so incredibly powerfully. Especially in front of the council. The fear, the anguish, the anger." He shook his head softly as if to dispel memories of feeling those emotions, "It practically took my breath away. It almost felt stronger than any emotion I myself could generate. So...I tried my hand at manipulating your emotions." He said carefully, checking my expression for a reaction. I held my features in a neutral position so he'd keep going.

"I haven't had a lot of practice, but I tried to project calm. Anything to bring some relief...for both of us." He said softly.

I thought back to that awful night, standing in the middle of the Jedi council being asked questions I was in no shape to answer. The image of Anakin standing in front of me came to the forefront of my memory, blocking my view from Master Windu, giving me his usual intense expression. I could still feel his hands resting on my shoulders, and the incredibly grounding sensation of his touch. I could recall craving his contact as soon as he withdrew, needing the calm he seemed to provide. Suddenly I was recounting in my mind the multiple times his touch acted as the anchor I needed amidst a storm of emotions.

"I think it worked." I whispered, quickly glancing over at him.

"I had a feeling." Anakin replied, he seemed to also be reliving the night in his memories. "I hope you don't feel...violated. I was just so frustrated with the council. They were being needlessly cruel with their questions, and I could literally feel how it was impacting you. And I couldn't believe no one else could feel that."

"Well...I think Master Yoda could feel it." I said softly, remembering the way his presence also evoked a sense of calm. And how he believed me just by looking into my eyes.

"Yeah...that tracks." Anakin replied with a sharp chuckle.

"Thank you, Anakin." I said after a few moments of silence. And I meant it. I'm not sure I would have made it through that night without the support I hadn't even realized he provided. He nodded in response and we sat there without saying anything for a while before he broke the silence.

"And..." He hesitated before continuing, "I think you can sense my emotions."

I couldn't help but audibly scoff at his suggestion. There was no way that could be true.

"I highly doubt that." I said, wrapping my arms around my legs.

"It may come as a surprise to you, but I actually come off as very closed-off to most people at the temple."

Well, that I knew to be true.

"But you..." he continued, "I have never had someone ask me 'what's wrong' when something is actually wrong with the stunning accuracy that you have. I know you can always tell when I'm unhappy, angry, unsure. Even if you don't press me on it. Those emotions I keep such a tight fucking leash on, that no one else ever seems to pick up on. But the way you react..." He let out a dark chuckle before continuing, "I swear you can see the emotions plain as day when you look me in the eye. I can't hide from you."

He wasn't wrong. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I considered all the times I could see certain emotions swimming just below the surface of his dark blue orbs. But again, I always attributed that to being perceptive.

"Maybe you're more obvious than you think." I whispered, suddenly very interested in the lace of my boot.

"No Kels," he said in a firm tone, grabbing my chin so that I'd look him in the eye, "I'm not. I have spent years making damn sure I'm not obvious with certain emotions."

And as if on cue, I felt a wave of fierce certainty that definitely wasn't coming from me.

"Well, if this is true, if I am force sensitive...why wasn't I given the opportunity to be a Jedi?" I asked the question that had been gnawing at me for the past few minutes.

Anakin let out a deep sigh and seemed to be considering his words before he spoke. "I don't know," he finally said, "It could have been any number of things. You were likely too old, or maybe there wasn't a Jedi who could dedicate enough time to train you and help you catch up, or perhaps your connection to the force wasn't quite strong enough. But clearly, they wanted to keep you close by at the temple. You were the first child to ever be part of the kitchen staff...at least to my knowledge."

"But you came to the temple late too, and they still trained you." I said, trying to hide the hurt in my voice. Which I realized didn't matter since Anakin could probably sense it.

"Yes...but I am exceptional." He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes in return which earned a laugh from Anakin. "It's because apparently, I am tied to a prophecy. The chosen one." The way he said those last words gave me the sense he resented the title bestowed upon him as a child.

"Oh..." Was all I could muster in response. Again, we sat in silence.

"If you want," Anakin said, "I could help teach you how to control it." I noticed he was drawing small circles into the dusty ground with his gloved finger.

I considered his offer. I wasn't even sure if I actually had this force empathy ability he claimed to share. Thinking about it overwhelmed me. These days, it took enough energy just to be awake. The idea of actually attempting to control a force ability felt impossible. A panic began to take root in my stomach, quickening my breathing and causing the borders of my vision to blur. My brain was overprocessing and shutting down at the same time. I couldn't do this.

"Please, Kels. Let me help you." Anakin said, flinching as he wrapped his hand around my forearm. I considered the possibility that the rollercoaster of emotions I have been on this past week impacted him just as much as it did me. If he could feel the absolute turmoil in my brain and heart as strongly as he claims, he probably wants to put an end it. He wants me to stop doing this to him.

"Okay..." I said with a shaky voice. "Teach me how to turn it off." I didn't want anyone, let alone Anakin Skywalker, to be assaulted by my whiplash of emotions.

"I will." Anakin said in a low voice, giving me a determined look.