Ye Olde Shuttle Parking(e) [afternoon]

[sith_happened]

After coming back from settling some details with Zoe about Hamlet, Anakin should have been preparing for his flight out with Rory.

Instead he was sitting on the shuttle ramp and staring off into nothingness, lost in his own thoughts.

[SP for great justice, huzzah!]

Elsewhere - Sarah Mclachlan

Comments

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory wasn't sure if he would even want to go flying after yesterday, but there she was.

"Hey."

[sith_happened]

Anakin was very rarely surprised, but her voice made him jump.

"Hi," he said softly, trying to look like everything was okay.

It very clearly wasn't.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"What happened?" she asked immediately.

[sith_happened]

He stood up and walked towards her, then reached for her hands.

He really, really didn't want to tell her this.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Okay, officially scaring me," Rory said, letting him take her hands.

[sith_happened]

He held on tightly, not sure if he was giving or receiving comfort from the gesture.

"Hamlet died, love," he said softly, "shortly after he got home. I found out yesterday."

He didn't even notice the word he'd used to address her.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"...what?" Rory asked, staring. "Hamlet died? What...how? When did he leave?"

[sith_happened]

"He left last week," Anakin said, using his Very Grown Up voice, which he very rarely did around her. "And he was poisoned by his uncle, Rikku said." He bit his lip. "She was really, really upset. I didn't want to push her for details. But Hamlet died king of Denmark."

He looked away. "Destiny is incredibly cruel."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Can we sit down?" Rory asked, feeling herself slip away from her emotions. "I think we need to sit down."

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded, a little numb himself.

And clinging to her hand like a lifeline.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Come on," she said softly, pulling him aboard the shuttle and steering him towards his seat. "Sit."

[sith_happened]

He dropped heavily into it. "It's not fair," he said hollowly. "There are so many useless people in the universe--people who squander their lives on stupid, pointless things--why did it have to be someone else I knew?"

He turned his head away. "I'm being ridiculous," he muttered.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You're grieving," she said softly, kneeling next to him and taking his hands.

[sith_happened]

"I didn't need another name to add to my list," he said in a broken little voice. "I didn't."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Sweetie," she said quietly. "I know. But at least he died king?"

[sith_happened]

"But he still died," Anakin said, wiping at his eyes angrily. "He's Luke's age. Where is the sense in that? The bigger purpose?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it's not there," she said gently.

[sith_happened]

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Anakin replied, but there wasn't any anger in his voice.

Just numbness.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Just trying to help," she said, clearly a little wounded.

[sith_happened]

Anakin leaned in so their foreheads were almost touching.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyes shining with tears. "I shouldn't take this out on you."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory leaned in so their foreheads did touch, and reached a hand up to his cheek. "It's okay. At least you're dealing with it."

[sith_happened]

He closed his eyes and let the tears spill over. "I'm dealing with it like a five year old."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You're dealing like a human, god forbid," Rory said softly, rubbing her thumb over his cheeks.

[sith_happened]

"But I'm Jedi," Anakin whispered. "I'm supposed to be better than this."

On this particular issue, Anakin was still learning how to find a balance.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I won't tell anyone that you dared to just be Anakin today," she said quietly.