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[sith_happened]

Anakin was staring intently into space, lost in the memories of the weekend.

Not that he'd tell you that.

Nope.

The door was cracked open.

Delicate - Damien Rice

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[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"You knew him?" she asked shakily. "You knew him. He taught here? He was a teacher? He was here? Why? How?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin rested his hand in grasping distance but didn't push the contact.

"Breathe, Evey," he said softly. "He kept a lot of his reasons to himself."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Of course he did," she said, mostly to herself, and shook her head. "He always did. I don't even know his real name. I...he's why everything changed. I didn't know he'd been here."

Already, Fandom was looking better.

[sith_happened]

"He didn't tell me much at all," Anakin said, "but he did mention you."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"...how is that possible?" she asked, her eyes going wide. "How was he here after he knew me? There wasn't enough time."

[sith_happened]

"It might have been a different V who knew a different you," Anakin replied.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

Evey just stared at him. "...how? I don't understand. I understand the time thing, I do, but I don't understand how a different V could have known me. There was only one of him. He was all of us, but he was just one man."

[sith_happened]

Anakin frowned as he thought about it. "Sometimes death isn't as...permanent...for this island as it is for other places."

Which explained his freakout about Padmé.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

Evey swallowed thickly, trying to keep her breathing under control. She hadn't felt this short of breath since she'd been freed of the Shadow Gallery.

"He's not still here, is he?"

[sith_happened]

"I'm sorry, but he's not," he said softly.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Don't be sorry," she said immediately. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if he was."

[sith_happened]

"It'd probably be a lot like my reaction to Padmé," he guessed. "It's very strange to get what you want when you know it's impossible."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Twenty men killed him at home. And he left them in his wake. My supervisor saw me take care of his body." Evey shook her head. "Everyone would think he's an impersonator."

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded slowly. "It might be easier on them to keep this to yourself," he said.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"They think I'm crazy enough," she said with a sad little smile.

[sith_happened]

"You're not crazy," Anakin said. "You're just...bruised."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "I'm not supposed to be."

[sith_happened]

"Take it from someone who tried it," he said very softly. "You can't just ignore the pain and hope it will go away."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"I'm not in pain," she said, shaking her head.

She'd buried it. She was stronger than that.

[sith_happened]

Anakin's eyes were full of sympathy. "If you say so," he replied, not believing it for a moment.