Intermission - 7: Hiding from the Darkness

(Hyperspace)

(3rd Person PoV)

A 4 year old girl quietly poked her head out from behind the cock pit door as she spied on her parents. She hadn't been happy recently, being told they were leaving home and leaving the same day, it had been a rather quick and sudden decision, one that had hurt all that more for a young girl still growing up.

She didn't even get to say goodbye to a few of the rare friends she had actually made on the planet. But now she was going to be living somewhere else. Her parents wouldn't say where when she asked and they wouldn't reconsider either.

At the clear refusal to answers she had done what any other young child did, she sulked. Throwing a small tantrum all the way from their humble home, to the ship they were currently in, it had continued even as they set course for wherever they were going.

It was only after she spent herself out, fell asleep and then finally woken up that she decided she would talk to her parents again. She didn't know what had set her off so much and she was feeling bad about how she acted, if she knew what complex emotions were she might have realized she was feeling a little guilty at how she had behaved, but she didn't know that.

She didn't know how, but she had a feeling something bad was going to happen, it was there ever since her parents said they had to go, one of the main reasons she wanted to stay. It got even worse when she subconsciously realized how afraid her own parents were.

This had led to this moment, where the young girls hazel eyes peeked from around a corner watching as her parents talked, waiting for their destination to arrive. She may have been young but she had been learning galactic basic. She was a bit shaky with each word but enough to understand what her parents were saying. She made sure she stayed quiet so they wouldn't stop talking like had happened in the past…

"Do you think we lost him?" The soft voice of her mother sounded out in worry as she drew her eyes away from the window in front of them. She couldn't keep the trepidation out of her voice as the safety of her daughter was concerned.

With brown hair and eyes, she would have been a beauty to behold if she hadn't been stressed out over the last few months. Especially with the recent happenings. The man sitting next to her, put a strong hand on her shoulder as he leaned over, providing a shoulder for her to lean on.

With red hair and blue eyes, the beginning of a messy beard were showing on his Jaw line, his tired eyes looked down at the exhausted figure of his wife. He thought about her question for a short few seconds, hoping beyond hope that they had escaped their assassin, but a new feeling, one that he had only recently started to have said that no, no they hadn't.

Not only that, it was also telling him, that 'he' was coming after them now. 'He' knew he could now use the force and wanted what was his, the thoughts sent a spine tingling shiver down his back. The only silver lining in the discovery of his new abilities was hope, another different feeling that told him exactly where he had to go, to protect Rey at least.

The grim look in his eyes must have been all the confirmation his wife needed to understand what was happening. Tears sprouted to her eyes causing him to pull his wife even closer. He felt his throat tighten but held back the small sob that wanted to come forth.

"Everything's going to be alright. We'll protect our Rey, I promise." He could only fall back onto words of reassurance as he comforted her. Had he known this day would always come? He wanted to say no, but couldn't help but think this was his entire fault.

As he started to loose himself in the embrace of his wife, it was that feeling that once again made him look towards the exit to the cockpit, a look right into the blue eyes of his daughter. His surprise was quickly shared by his wife who quickly tried to hide the tears and put on a big smile.

They both knew she was getting to old to fall for that though. Her eyes looked so scared at the prospect of the unknown he couldn't help but motion towards her. "Come in Rey." She took tentative steps into the room, possibly hesitating after the tantrum she threw.

A warm smile appeared on his lips, motioning again. "Come on…i'm not going to bite." Finally reaching her parents, her hands raised up grabbing towards them and her father was happy to oblige. Wrapping both arms under her armpits and lifting her up quickly giving her a warm hug.

A quiet giggle finally left her lips, as his wife also laughed to the side, having calmed herself down, barely a trace of her tears left to see. Ruffling her brown hair as he gave her over to his wife, the man once more looked down at their coordinates.

He hoped his feeling was right. His head turned back to his happy family. He would do anything to keep them safe.

******************

(Courscant, Jedi Temple, ?)

(3rd person PoV)

Anakin didn't know where he was. He had been in the temple…he had just gone to sleep….he had been having a nice dream when suddenly it turned black. Everything around him turned dark. He felt a pulling sensation and then nothing.

His blue eyes darted around the black nothingness looking for something, anything that he could identify, but he could find nothing. At first he was strong; he was growing to be a Jedi. He had promised his mother, he had promised Qui-Gon, he was not going to fail them.

But as the minutes ticked on, as time continued to move, he became more and more afraid and in the young boys mind, there was nothing more he wanted than to see his mother once more. His thoughts drifted to the woman that had raised him, took care of him, loved him.

It was as he was starting to feel afraid that he finally felt something else tug at him. Relief flooded through him as he felt it, maybe he would finally get to leave this dark place. Or he hoped so.

One moment he was in darkness and then the next second he was looking into a blue sky, light shining from above. The light was blinding for only a second before he finally felt the warmth that surrounded him and he noticed what had changed.

His body had changed; it had gotten smaller, like when he was a child. He could still remember when he used to get piggyback rides from his mother, when they had free time outside of their working hours.

It was exactly like that, he was on the back of his mother, using her once again as a blanket as he fell asleep. He smiled to himself as he tightened his grip on his mom. The safety, the comfort, the confidence, it made him feel whole again and after spending a few weeks at the Jedi Temple he really wanted some of that right now.

He basked in it for a few seconds, before he finally started to look around. He had no clue where he was, he had never been to a planet with such terrain other than Naboo and even then that was different to whatever planet he found himself on. Not only that his mother was just the same as when he left her.

What was going on?

Before he could look around further he felt it. The darkness that came from behind. He wanted to turn his body but realized he couldn't, it was like he was a passenger, just someone on for the ride as he watched on.

That thought brought another small fear to the front of his mind. Was this where his mother was right now? What happened to Tatooine? Was she in danger? Judging from the darkness he felt behind her right now, he would say yes, yes she was!

Finally, mercifully for Anakin his mother finally turned around and he came face to face with the darkness. He couldn't make out any features. It was like they were blurred from his vision. All he could see was the darkness that wafted off them, the darkness that wrapped them.

And they were getting closer!

Anakin's body started to tremble as they moved closer and closer, finally only a step away from them. Even though he was scared, when the gloved hand reached out towards his mother he couldn't help but shout.

"Stay away from my mom!"

If his words were heard the darkness didn't seem to acknowledge him. Their hand came to rest on his mother's face as she stood still not saying a word. Anakin said nothing either, convinced now more than ever they couldn't hear him.

It was just as the thought went through his mind that the darkness moved, its eyes seemed to lock onto his, its voice traveling out. "A strong bond indeed." Anakin flinch as he caught sight of the red tinged eyes looking at him, before shaking his head, he was just imagining things.

They couldn't see him.

They couldn't!

It was at that moment the darkness turned and started to walk away. Anakin let out a breath of relief, thinking it was finally over before his mother started to follow! What was she doing, why is she following the darkness?! Anakin wanted so badly for her to get as far away as possible, but she couldn't hear him, none of them could!

Anakin could only tag along as his mother started to move behind the darkness, eyes gradually sighting a few of the Twi'leks that were working around his mother. He couldn't see everything that was happening. He could only see the sky as well as a few feet around his mother. It was like the others disappeared when she walked away from them.

It was as he was looking around he saw the second darkness, this one just as dark as the last. It was off to the side and didn't seem to have noticed Anakin as his mother passed, but oh how wrong he was.

Just as his mother passed he felt the eyes of the second darkness lock onto him as if it knew he was there. Once again the thought traveled through his mind that it could see him. But they couldn't, could they?

As he couldn't move he prayed his mother would also move on and not look back, but as if hearing him and doing the exact opposite, that's exactly what she did. Starring at the second darkness, Anakin shrank back behind the protective back of his mother, only peeking slightly over her shoulder to look at it.

The darkness only focused on him for a few seconds before turning back to whatever it was doing. Something Anakin was grateful for. His mother also turned back to the other darkness and moved to catch up with it at the same time.

One part of him at that time wanted to leave, to go back to the safety of the Jedi temple, but the other wanted to protect his mother. It was the protection of his mother that won out in the end as he prepared himself for whatever was to come, he wouldn't abandon his mom.

It was with that determination that they finally walked within a temple? Anakin couldn't see it quite so well, but a feeling told him that was what he just entered. Walking up a large staircase to the second floor Anakin once again felt a darkness.

But this darkness was so different from the other two…it was larger…denser….all encompassing. He felt his body tremble as they walked closer and closer to two large doors, almost like two gates keeping something at bay.

The darkness turned back to his mother for a second, saying something he couldn't hear before finally locking eyes with the young boy. There was almost a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she looked at him, something that instantly set his nerves on edge.

That was when the gates started opening…when 'it' was released. The darkness he had felt doubled…no tripled instantly causing his body to shake even harder. Glowing red abysses glinted from within the opening doors that petrified the boy to his core.

It was as he was about to be overwhelmed that he realized the other darkness was behind him. Not only that, her hand had grabbed the back of his neck, sending a shiver of pure ice down his spine. He could once again make out the words of the darkness.

The chilling female voice that would haunt him for many weeks and months to come as he thought back to this exact moment.

"I think that's enough for now."

And then….

Anakin was standing in front of the Jedi Temple. His body once again his own age, still frozen stiff. It was as he stood there that he saw it, his eyes opening even wider in fear. The temple was being covered in darkness, slowly but surely the whole building being turned a pitch black color.

His heart hammered in his chest as he fell back on his but in pure terror. He just wanted this nightmare to end. He just wanted this nightmare to end!

And with that it all finally stopped, the darkness disappeared, the blackness came back, but Anakin just sat there, finally letting the adrenaline leave his body and his body tired itself out. His eye lids grew heavy as his body fell backwards sinking through the ground he sat on as if it wasn't there, disappearing from that black space.

Leaving the waking nightmare behind.

Qui-Gon Jinn frowned as he knelled next to the sleeping form of Anakin Skywalker, having a connection with the boy, he was one of the first to feel the fluctuations in the force that he was causing that night.

He knew that a few of the other masters had probably sensed it by now, the feeling he was giving off was something disturbing, a tinge of darkness seemed to have rested over the boy, something that did not bode well.

The other children in the clan room had quickly been moved out when the other Jedi had started to feel the disturbance, the room next door as well when it became quickly clear that they could not wake the boy.

The force was telling him something, that Qui-Gon was sure of, but what he did not know. Going of the dark presence that surrounded the boy it could not be good. Some other masters had already gathered in the council chambers awaiting his report on the matter.

Qui-Gon had to sigh at this. Anakin was already considered an outcast after joining the order so late, by putting him into a clan when he was so much older it was no wonder he had started to become isolated, something Qui-Gon had quickly caught onto. It didn't help that he excelled at his training in all aspects except meditating.

He already had a master in Obi-Wan and though they were young, the children could tell he was focused on by the council. It was no surprise that he had been coming to the old Jedi master for advice and comfort more and more over the last few weeks.

Just as Qui-Gon was preparing to pull a chair over for him to sit down on, the young boy finally awoke, the grip of the dark side quickly leaving him. *Gasp* His sweating forehead, ragged breaths and wide eyes instantly told a tale of a nightmare that would harrow the boy for many nights.

It was only the quick hand on his shoulder and the calming presence from Jinn that kept the boy from possibly hyperventilating. "Anakin are you alright?" The concern in his voice couldn't be faked, and would likely be frowned down upon, even if it was for someone so young.

Anakin didn't respond for a few seconds, his eyes still seemingly out of it, glazed over by whatever the force had showed him. A frown appeared on Jinn's lips as he went to ask another question, but he was beaten to the punch when Anakin started to talk, his words half gibberish and sleepy.

"Mother in danger….have to help…darkness take her…darkness come here…temple black." Qui-Gon's eye brows almost shot into his hair line at the words. The ramifications on what they meant not lost on the Jedi master.

Anakin's body couldn't take anymore stress, before Qui-Gon could do anything else his body fell limp in his bed, finally reaching the land of dreams. *Sigh* This time Qui-Gon really couldn't keep himself from sighing.

He knew the affect Anakin's words would bring to the council when he reported them, the biggest reaction most likely coming from Master Windu himself. They would all be fixated on the last part of the vision, yes vision, he knew that's what it was.

The boy was special, it did not surprise him that the force would show him such a vision. No what concerned him in that moment was what happened to that kind woman he had met on Tatooine, the one that had let her son come and become a Jedi.

He hoped he was wrong about the feeling…he would have to check himself. But deep down he already knew. He felt it deep in his heart, he had failed her. *Sigh* Qui-Gon finally pulled himself up. The darkness that had surrounded Anakin during his vision had vanished. They might have to ask him a few questions later.

But for now he had to report to the others. He had a trip to make and possibly, a temple to defend.