Into the Purge

Chapter Nineteen: A New Path

Chapter Nineteen: A New Path

Slowly Sheema began to heal, both physically and mentally. She enjoyed being with this two person family, and at the moment she really didn't have a way to go anywhere else.

Kenta had been kind enough to go back to the wreckage and find M8-AE for her, his main battery pack had been damaged, but between Kenta and herself they soon had him on working order.

During her stay there she learned that he too was a Jedi in hiding, having been trained by the master she had met the night Conai had been born, Mace Windu.

She also found that he was very reluctant to talk of his past life outside the Temple, he also never spoke of Laeta's mother, and she got the feeling he didn't particularly trust her...

Kenta for his part had a very good reason not to trust anyone, he'd been personally betrayed, and he had sworn never to love again.

But he had to admit Sheema was becoming easier to trust. She reminded him of the people he used to know before the Purge, her sense was calming, and capable. Not once did he ever feel the ominous wave of anger or hate that would raise alarms.

By the same token Sheema was also attracted to Kenta, he was quiet, yet capable, she judged much by how a person interacted with the young, and weak. And when she was him interact with Laeta she knew she was looking at an honest, worthy man. 

As Sheema's injuries became nonexistent Kenta took to showing her around the area so she could be familiar with it. And very slowly those tours became something more to both of them.

One particular day Kenta was planning to take her to some of the more picturesque wooded areas. He had noticed that she seemed to love being deep in nature. She had only told him a little about her past, as he had to her, but he knew that she had spent a great deal of time on Endor.

Instead of bringing Laeta with them he opted to wait until his little son was asleep. Sheema had been exploring on her own most of the time. Kenta had the sneaking suspicion she was working odd jobs to begin supporting herself, and someday leave the planet. 

As he waited for her to return, he found himself idly fingering her lightsaber, she left it hidden in the same place as his own, and he couldn't help but wonder under what circumstances had she been forced to ignite it?

He heard the front door open and hastily shoved the lightsaber back into place. 

"Sheema?" He called, not really needing to, he already sensed her enter the house. 

"Yes it's me, I'm sorry I'm late. I,,, Got lost." She muttered, avoiding his eyes, he saw through the lie instantly, he also noted the sag in her one pocket, payday. For a moment he thought of pursuing the conversation but decided to let it drop for the moment.  Instead he motioned out the open door. 

"I promised you I would show you something other than the city tonight." He reminded her, Sheema nodded her head, taking a glance behind him as though looking for something. 

"Is Laeta sleeping?" She asked, clearly worried where the child was. Kenta nodded his head, and softly shut the door. 

Together they made their way slowly down a thin path. They were quiet most to the time, occasionally trying to gently pick up on the others thoughts. 

Finally Kenta pushed some brush away to reveal a small lake, fed by an even smaller water fall. Tears came to Sheema's eyes, it reminded her so much of the place she had been when her  master had, quite literally, crashed into her small world.

Kenta felt the rush of emotions come across the woman, and he felt sympathy for her, she had been deeply hurt by the evil in this world, just like he...

Almost unthinkingly he put his hand on her back and led her around to a dry crevice just behind the waterfall. For a long time they just sat, talking of small things, each carefully not to cross the emotional boundaries the other had put up. 

While they were talking Kenta slowly began to realize how much they complemented each other, it reminded him somewhat of how he felt in the presence of his old master... Well not exactly, Kenta had been too much of a 'loose blaster' and Windu too strict to really become one single, functioning unit. 

Sheema was saying something about it being peaceful here, that she hadn't felt peace in a long time. As she was saying that he gently placed his hand on top of hers, she turned her attention slowly towards him, and for a moment the two just looked at each other, as thought they were actually looking for the first time...

The water was reflected in Sheema's green eyes, making them almost sparkle, the moonlight illuminated her hair just enough to give the gold color a glow. 

Likewise to Sheema she saw Kenta's strong jaw, his eyes were strong, and gentle. Just like the hand that was now placed over hers. Between them something was shared, something neither had even felt before.

Yeas Sheema had felt attraction to others in the past, and so had he, he had his son to prove that. But there was something deeper at work here, and they both knew it, slowly they leaned towards each other, drawn by the same force, when they were just inches away Kenta paused. He had sworn that he would never love again. Love was a dangerous, and sometimes ruthless thing. And here he was, looking straight into the beautiful eyes of someone that pulled something deep inside him. 

He looked deep into her eyes, at the surface, her expression mirrored his, but deeper down he saw caution, and also trust, along with good. There was nothing curtained from him, no mysterious mists for him to push through. 

Sheema had moved just a little closer, stopping when she realized he had paused. She was about to move away when he suddenly seemed to make up his mind, and closed the distance.

As soon as their lips met something happened, it felt like shocks sparked between them, and each felt part of their life force enter into the other, binding them together on a much deeper level. Slowly Sheema moved closer to Kenta, her arms coming around his neck, while his arms felt their way to the small of her back.  

"You realize what this is?" Sheema breathed, as they broke the kiss for a moment, putting her head against his neck. Kenta nodded his head, kissing her forehead before moving back to her mouth.

"Force bound." He said simply, at the moment he felt too much contentment to really think it though. Of course he had read about them before, in the Archives, they weren't common happenings, not exactly rare, but close enough. 

The moment was suddenly ruined when Sheema pushed herself against Kenta more, this caused him to loose his balance, sending both falling into the water. Sheema let out a short cry, but having learned to swim on Endor she had her head above water almost instantly.

Kenta was right behind her, and for a moment the two just eyed each other, both curious to see what the other would do. For Sheema, she had a fleeting fear of doubt, would he suddenly forget what had happened between them and go away?

Kenta felt her thoughts, since they had kissed he could sense her better than he had ever been able to with anyone else. Slowly he swam over to her, she eyes him cautiously, but didn't move away. He stopped about six inches from her, still marveling how clearly her sense came to him, and he knew she was doing the same thing.

He kissed her again, this time with more purpose, he wanted her to know that she meant something to him. Sheema sighed softly and put her arms back around his neck, this was something so powerful, and yet so wonderful.

This is what she had been hoping to find since she was young, someone to love her...