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

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[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.

[sith_happened]

No one else would ever see him break down like Rory did.

He didn't trust anyone else that much.

He moved his head to her shoulder and finally let himself mourn his friend.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back silently and resting her head on his shoulder.

[sith_happened]

It didn't take long for Anakin to pull himself together again.

He knew Rory didn't need him to apologize.

He did anyway. "Sorry," he said, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm way too old for that."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You're never too old to grieve or be struck by death," Rory said hoarsely, running a hand over his hair.

[sith_happened]

"But I'm far too old to cry about it," Anakin insisted.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"No, you aren't," Rory said softly. "You're allowed, Anakin. He's your friend."

[sith_happened]

"He was my friend," Anakin echoed hollowly, "and I never even said goodbye."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You didn't know," she said gently. "How could you?"

[sith_happened]

"I should have," he insisted. "Somehow, I should have known. I'm tired of losing friends."

He finally registered how Rory was crouched. "That can't be comfortable," he commented softly, waving his hand at her.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," she said immediately.

[sith_happened]

"I'm not made of spun sugar," Anakin replied. "You can move to your own seat and I won't collapse. Really."

The grip on her hand told a different story.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I don't care. You can't make me move and I'm not going to, so get over it," Rory said.

[sith_happened]

"It'll be harder to fly this way," he pointed out.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"So we'll wait on flying. It's not like I'm never going to be in the sky again," she said, shrugging.

[sith_happened]

"I want to get off of this stupid planet for a while," Anakin said, voice cracking a little.

Flying as a coping mechanism had worked well for him for a long time now.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Then we'll go. Want me to fly, or to do it yourself? Do you even want me here?" she asked quietly.

[sith_happened]

"I always want you here," Anakin said before he could stop himself.