Secluded glade in the Preserve [morning and NFB]

[sith_happened]

He'd promised he'd help with her nightmares, so Anakin left the hotel early and walked back to the preserve.

After checking to make sure there weren't any squirrels or deer in the vicinity, he pulled his hood up over his head and sat down on a rock, waiting for Callisto to arrive.

[OOC: Locked to Callisto, please. SP for great time zone justice.]

Comments

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Not that Callisto was dragging her feet or looking nervous or anything, nope.

[sith_happened]

"Have you changed your mind?" Anakin asked softly.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto shook her head jerkily. "No, let's just get it over with."

[sith_happened]

Anakin moved from the rock. "I find it easier to concentrate outside," he said, putting his robe on the ground and sitting down, then patting a spot across from him. "There's nothing to be nervous about. It's just me."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto hugged her knees to her chest as she sat. "I know that."

[sith_happened]

Anakin looked a little dubious. "Good," he said quietly, "because this won't work if you don't have a little faith in me. Have you ever tried meditating before?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

She shook her head again, smoother this time. "No."

[sith_happened]

"That's where we start," Anakin said. "Until you can control your mind enough to shut it up when you want to, the nightmares will be in charge. And I think we both agree that's not acceptable any longer."

He looked at her worriedly. "How long has it been since you've gotten more than a few minutes of sleep at a stretch, Callisto?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Too long," Callisto replied. "I lost track."

[sith_happened]

Anakin let out an unhappy sigh. "I should've offered this back in May. I apologize."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't like I was telling people," Callisto pointed out.

[sith_happened]

"Wasn't like I couldn't tell you were in pain anyway," Anakin countered a little snappishly.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"No one else gave much of a damn so I don't see why you should beat yourself up about it," Callisto snapped back.

[sith_happened]

"That's exactly why I'm beating myself up about it," Anakin said, dropping his voice.

He shook his head. "This is not helping. Okay. I need you to close your eyes, try to clear your mind and concentrate on your breathing and the sound of my voice."

His tone turned rueful. "Which won't be snapping at you."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Close my eyes and breathe?" she repeated, biting her lip.

[sith_happened]

"Close your eyes," Anakin said, keeping his tone gentle. "Concentrate on the blackness. Don't let anything intrude. It's just you and me. Nothing else exists."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto hesitantly closed her eyes, trying to keep her breathing even.

[sith_happened]

"You're doing fine," Anakin said soothingly, watching her carefully for signs that she might be getting spooked. "Listen to me. You're the one in control."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't feel like it."

[sith_happened]

"It will," Anakin said. "Focus on the black."

His voice dropped to barely a whisper. "There is no emotion; there is peace," he recited. "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto bit back a cynical reply and tried to focus on his voice.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's mind was tracking along similar paths. "Don't waste your time numbering how many ways you think that's wrong," he murmured softly. "I had thousands of examples. It distracts from your purpose. You're learning control."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"So someone can just take it away on a whim again?"

There wasn't an undercurrent of fear there, nope. Really.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's heart turned in his chest at hearing that kind of question from Callisto.

"You're learning another weapon, Cal," he said. "No one's taking anything away ever again."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"You don't know that."