AN: I know it's been a while since I posted this, and due to the lack of comments I believe it's also cost me some readers.  I want to give a quick explanation as to WHY I suddenly stopped posting chapters for this story...especially since the entire SERIES has been written and just needs sorted and edited before being posted.

First of all, this story is on three websites:  Wattpad, AO3, and Fanfiction Net.  While readers here on Wattpad have been nothing but supportive, AO3 and Fanfiction readers have suddenly become, literally, made entirely out of negative backlash against the inclusion of Nakari as a character and the attention being given to her relationship with Luke. I won't go into details, I've already had my venting to friends and concerned readers that are on a messaging basis with me about this backlash.  I'm not removing Nakari from the story Jedi Jesi Jiin and I wrote.

Why this is important in my sudden disappearance, is because I was getting so much negative feedback constantly, and the positive on Wattpad suddenly disappeared due to my lack of updates, that I reached the point I didn't WANT to post updates and have to deal with all the negative comments/reviews.  I stopped having excitement to share the chapters and grew to dread posting new chapters, which meant I stopped working on the editing entirely.

However, I'm a stubborn mule who hates leaving things unfinished.  So, in an effort to bring back Binary Skies and finish the series, I'm going to continue posting the chapters on Wattpad alone.  When I'm ready (And I already have the editing process done since the chapters will already be posted on here) I'll post the chapters on AO3 and Fanfiction as well, and hopefully if the backlash continues it won't stop me from posting since all the editing will already be done.

That's enough about that, though--Onward with the story!!!

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

The two days of Nakari's ICU time passed slowly for both Skywalker's. Other members of the Alliance—mostly friends of Luke's, and Leia of course—visited and brought gifts of food and such to the men.

But Anakin was forced to watch as Luke grew increasingly depressed and worried. So much so that he hadn't touched any food and he had barely slept despite how exhausted he was.

Anakin had tried to get him to eat, but short of resorting to forcing the food down Luke's throat, he'd been unsuccessful.

The thought crossed his mind to ban Luke from seeing Nakari again until he ate something, but Anakin instantly banished that thought. He would never do that to his son.

However, there was something else he could try.

"Luke, I've been patient with you not eating, and while I know why you feel you can't, please, try to eat something once you're by Nakari again." Anakin paused, letting his proposal sink in. "How do you plan to help her in her recovery if you starve yourself and end up in the med ward, too?"

Luke winced. He knew his father was guilt-tripping him to get him to eat, but it still tended to work each time. "I can't help it," he murmured. "I can't stomach it, and when I do eat it tastes bitter no matter what I'm eating...and sometimes it just comes right back up."

Anakin sighed. "I know, but I'm deadly serious, Luke. You are not going to be any help to Nakari if you don't start taking care of yourself."

Luke hung his head. He hated to make his father worry any more than he already did, but he didn't know if he could stand trying to force something down again. Still, he nodded, if only to satisfy Anakin and try for food one more time. "All right...but not much, and something very, very light," Luke finally murmured. He was already feeling queasy with nerves.

Today was the day the medics tried to see how Nakari would react to a bacta submersion. Hopefully it would go well, and Luke would be able to spend more time close to her, and she'd heal quicker.

Anakin breathed a thanks to the Force and stood. "I'll be back."

Not long after Anakin departed, the medic on duty entered the room.

"Commander Skywalker?"

Luke rose to his feet, anxiety ripping through him when he saw the medic approaching. "Yes? How is she?" he asked nervously.

The medic offered a small smile. "She was checked over and deemed ready for bacta treatment, and so we put her in a tank. The transfer was smooth and she showed no signs of stress or of a relapse," the man reported. "We are now ready to let you see her."

The medic glanced around. "Should we wait for your companion?"

Luke had to grab onto a nearby chair for support as relief rushed though his entire being, though he was quick to regain control of himself and focus on the medic's words. He frowned, torn. He wanted desperately to see Nakari, but he had just promised his father he would eat...and Anakin would be deeply concerned to return to an empty waiting room...

"I think we should wait, if only so he knows where I'll be. He went to get something for me to eat," Luke finally said. With how concerned Anakin had been for Luke, he didn't want to worry his father any further, no matter how brief or little that worry may be.

When Anakin returned with a piece of toast, two scrambled eggs and a glass of juice, he was startled when Luke nearly pounced on him.

"Whoa! You can eat when..." Anakin halted at Luke's demeanor. He was...dare Anakin think it...happy.

"What happened?" Anakin demanded, looking up only then to see the medic.

"We can see Nakari now; she had a smooth transfer into the bacta," Luke explained in a rush. He couldn't help but think that with her in the bacta, it meant more, longer visits, and he could stay with her more. He still couldn't touch her, and that had really been starting to wear on him, but she was improving, and it gave him some hope to hear of the easy transfer.

Anakin sighed gratefully. "Let's go see her then, but once you're settled, you will eat."

Luke nodded. "Yes, okay, deal," Luke replied, unable to help but feel a little impatient. He turned back to the medic, a slight spring in his step as he followed the medic. "What are the visiting hours for her?" Luke asked, suspicious he might not be allowed to stay with her 24/7.

Still, more time was better than less time.

The medic hesitated. "Actually, Princess Leia pulled a few strings for you." He waved them into a room with three tanks divided by privacy curtains.

Anakin was the last in the door, so he nearly ran into Luke when his son stopped just inside the entrance. Anakin followed his line of sight to Nakari, who floated in the tank on the far left. There was a privacy screen erected over most of the tank to preserve her dignity since one didn't wear clothes in a bacta tank.

Anakin also saw a narrow cot and tiny table with a lamp and of course a comfortable chair next to the tank.

"The Princess had this set up for Commander Skywalker," the doctor explained, unaware that Luke hadn't taken his attention off Nakari. "And you will be allowed to stay as long as you don't block access to the tank itself. This is just so that if something happens, we have immediate access to her. Thus, you must leave the chair where it is, and the other furniture." The man paused. "Also, please do not adjust the tank in any way. I know that sounds like common sense, but we have had cases that necessitate the direction."

Anakin spoke up. "Thank you. When am I allowed to visit?"

"Visiting hours are from 08:00 to 20:00 hours for all others," the man replied.

"Thank you." Anakin shook his hand. "Thanks for everything."

"Of course." The man looked to Luke. "If you need anything, just let any medic know."

Luke nodded in acknowledgement, eyes trained to the tank and Nakari's halo of curls suspended in the liquid around her face. The way she was momentarily suspended, her hand was lightly pressed against the tank, as if she was ready to peer out of the glass. Luke moved out of the medic's way as the man departed, walking up to the tank and very lightly pressing his hand against the glass where Nakari's was. He splayed his fingers so that, had the glass not been there, he could have intertwined their fingers. His heart throbbed painfully again, but he also couldn't have been happier for the additions that would allow him to stay with Nakari constantly. It was more than he had expected.

As he'd done when he'd first visited her in the ICU, he gently stroked her presence, their presences practically snuggling they were so close.

Anakin hovered behind for a few minutes to allow Luke some privacy, but then he stepped forward and set the tray on the table.

"I'm going to leave you two alone for a time," he said softly. "I think I'll go get some sleep, unless you want me to stay."

Luke glanced at his father, giving him a slight nod. "Its fine, you go on and get your rest," Luke assured him. He glanced at the tray, then back up at Anakin. "And I promise I'll try to eat something," Luke added almost as an afterthought. His hand still lingered on the glass, and he had no intent on pulling away any time soon, both within and without the Force.

Anakin retreated, leaving Luke be. He made his way to his shared room with Luke and collapsed onto the bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

~*~

Her loneliness was eating away at her, and she was powerless to do anything to change it. She wept silently, because that was all she could do.

She was afraid also. Scared that she would be trapped in this...nothingness, forever! Couldn't someone rescue her? Why did she have to be all alone?

Where had that fleeting comfort from...however long before...gone? Why hadn't it returned?

Was she forgotten?

...she felt forgotten...

But wait!

Nakari was once more jolted from her oppressive emptiness when that source of heat finally returned. She recognized it instantly and strained every sense she had to try and grasp back at the source.

Part of her wondered, in her mad, fruitless endeavor to return the—caress?—wondered why she was so needful of this particular touch.

This heat...it was a comfort she felt she should know.

But she didn't...

...did she?

There were no words this time, but nor did the warmth leave any time soon. She tried turning her head, lifting a finger, anything, but she still couldn't, and her heart cried out for more.

She felt the tears return, and they traced lines of despair down frozen cheeks.

She wanted to be free of her prison, but nothing she did made any difference. She could only pray that this comforting warmth lingered longer...

...before she was once more plunged into the frigid depths of the darkness.

~*~

As soon as Anakin was gone, Luke turned his head back to Nakari floating in the bacta, the fingers of his free hand tracing the lines of her face that wasn't covered in the oxygen mask. His heart was aching, and silent tears tracked down his face as he 'embraced' Nakari's presence the best he could.

"I'm here, Nakari..." he murmured just as he had in the ICU. "I'm here and I'm not leaving this time. I don't have to, now."

Oh, how he wished to touch her, but he couldn't, at least not for another four days. He closed his eyes, choosing to revel in the memories of her touch for compensation as he held her presence close. Strangely, he felt moved to say similar words as when she'd had her nightmare, whispering them in a soft caress through the Force.

"It's all right, I'm here. It's Luke. You're going to be fine. Feel me, hear me...please," he whispered, choking a little on a sudden rush of tears as he spoke. "Don't leave me. Just hold on, keep fighting. I'll be waiting for you, and I'll be here when you wake up...I promise. Please, Nakari...stay with me."

~*~

The sound from before also returned, though her pressure-clogged ears couldn't make out what was said.

Nakari felt trapped again, as though she were now being compressed from two ends: the nothingness and now this presence, which caused her more intense emotional agony because she couldn't respond.

Then the caress from before touched her mind, and she jerked in alarm...until she realized that these words she could hear.

"It's alright...I'm here..."

Who was there? Who was this?

She had to know...no...she had to remember...

She felt the burn sear all the way through her...and she only then realized that in her panic, she had missed the bulk of the words in her mind.

"...Please, Nakari...stay with me..."

Stay with you?

Her heart gave a painful wrench and she found herself internally screaming.

WHO ARE YOU?!

The searing in her veins burned hotter and she cried out from the intensity of her need to know...

Please, Nakari begged in her mind. I...I need you...I don't know why. Why is not knowing who you are so...devastating? I don't know...but I must remember you...

~*~

Luke sighed, leaning his forehead against the cool glass as if it could suck away his pain. His heart went out to her, floating in the bacta. He must have looked like a crazy person, practically embracing her capsule as he whispered words to her as if she could hear him. Though maybe she could. He'd been able to hear his father during his recovery, recounting stories of his life as a Jedi and relieving Luke of his pain. Maybe...maybe Nakari could hear him.

He wanted to feed that hope, but he didn't want it crushed, either. Still, he took a deep breath, turning his caress through the Force gentle, slow, loving—just as he'd been back in the hotel, just as he'd been every time he held her, close to telling her how he felt.

"I don't know if you can hear me," he murmured in a purposely slow tone, making sure he kept sending his words both with his voice and with the Force. "When I was where you were, a few months ago...I remember it being so dark and cold, and I didn't know if I'd ever escape, if I'd ever recover or if I'd be pulled into a void I'd never wake up from."

~*~

Nakari felt the mind caress again, followed by words, and despite her internal agony, she managed to hear this time.

"...I don't know if you can hear me..."

Yes, she cried. I can hear you! But...

"When I was where you were, a few months ago...I remember it being so dark and cold, and I didn't know if I'd ever escape, if I'd ever recover or if I'd be pulled into a void I'd never wake up from."

And with that she was riveted. Hot tears spilled like waterfalls from her eyes. It was dark...so, so dark...and cold. That word was inadequate...

~*~

He closed his eyes against a hot flow of tears. "But there was someone there for me to chase it away when I managed to hear them, and that made all the difference if I stopped to listen. I'm here if you need me, Nakari. I promised you I'd stay, that I'd be here for you; I'm keeping my promise."

~*~

Nakari sucked in a breath.

I am listening, she cried. Oh, how I'm listening! But who are you? And why would you promise me something like that?

~*~

That was when he started to cry openly, his heart and soul bleeding from emotional agony he'd been bottling the past few days. "Please, Nakari, I can't lose you, too—"

~*~

Nakari squirmed. Why...Why couldn't they lose her? Who was this?

~*~

"I've lost so many people I care about, don't leave me too. I can't take it; just please hold on, hold to me if you don't have anything left to hold onto. I'll always be here when you need me, I'll always be your pilot..."

~*~

She was utterly desperate now. Who was this pilot?

...Pilot...Pilot...

That word singed...

Who...are...you? she sobbed.

And why did the word pilot mean so much?

~*~

"Your Luke," he finished in a bare whisper.

~*~

"Your Luke."

With a suddenness that was frightening in its intensity, all things froze.

Luke.

A name. Finally, a name.

But not just a name...

Pilot. Luke.

She strained her mind, trying to connect those two key pieces while they tried to elude her.

Pilot...Who cared about a pilot?

Luke.

A flash of blue hit her then. Why was blue so important?

Wait! Not just blue...but gold. Hair! Golden hair...blue eyes...like the sky. A space with seats, controls and a view of stars...

And a pilot in one seat.

Pilot...

Nakari gasped heavily. Not just a pilot...The pilot...

PILOT!

Nakari felt the first stirrings of remembrance...

Lips drawn up in a smile...a mouth to her skin...a scent—a musky, homey scent that drove her wild while also bringing utter, comforting peace. A face...his voice...laughter and teasing words...a tiny heart in a cup of caf...his gentle fingertips caressing her cheek, her jaw...him brushing her hair, something that had won him her heart all over again...

Luke...

Luke!

And not just Luke...but her Luke!

A burst of joy sang from her heart, so potent it flared like a supernova.

Luke! Oh, Luke! You found me, Nakari wept.

Then a deep fear settled into her and she put every ounce of her limited strength into making some sort of physical gesture.

But would he even see it?

Please, Luke...don't leave me! Please don't send me back into that nothingness!

She strained...strained...and managed to get her hand to pull back and then return to the...whatever it was against.

And then she was spent, left to her depleted strength, and begging Luke not to leave her alone.

~*~

Luke, eyes closed, took another shaky breath, head still pressed against the glass. "I'm not going anywhere this time," he whispered. "Last time you were in the ICU and they wouldn't let me stay, but Leia, she...she set up a cot for me...right next to you. I'll be here almost all the time, right here...I'm not going anywhere."

He took a deep, slow breath, steadying himself. "Four days in the bacta, and then you're out of the tank...and I can finally touch you, hold your hand, caress your cheek..." he murmured. "After that it's all up to you. Just please stay with me...I thought I'd lost you, I thought you were gone and...and I'm still terrified of that happening..."

~*~

She was so worn out that all she could do was listen. She had no strength to even cry anymore, though that hurt, because the tears stung at her eyes but wouldn't leak out.

Her heart spoke back to him, though, and she prayed her would hear her.

Luke...my sweet, loving Pilot...I would stay with you until the end of time if you asked me to. And even if you never ask me...even if...

Now she did have the strength to leak a few tears, each one a piece of her aching heart. She had told him more than once she wouldn't ask him to say it...but each time she thought he would, and he didn't, it hurt her.

...even if I never hear you tell me how you feel...just three little words...I would never again give my heart to another. It's yours, to break, or to mend and hold safe.

~*~

At the thought of Nakari dying, when he was so close to having her back, his bottom lip trembled, tears leaking out as he grit his teeth in pained frustration at himself as he tried to hold back the fresh torrent of emotion.

"I'm so sorry, Nakari," he choked out. "I-I should have been there, I should have done something, I should have been able to do something! I tried to move those grenades but I wasn't strong enough, I'm sorry...And I-I knew something was wrong, I could feel it, I could feel that I shouldn't let you go alone, but I did anyway. I should have gone with you..."

His voice cracked, as did his control, and he found himself crying brokenly against the glass, releasing the feelings that he'd been bottling since the incident. His breath stuttered through a sharp sob, wanting to hold her in his arms but stuck with simply crying against the glass that separated them, holding her presence close to his own in the Force. His biggest regret rapidly filled his heart, his sobs turning into painful gasps.

"I should have told you...I should have..." he paused, sucking in a sharp breath as he tried to suffer the pain in his heart long enough to tell her unconscious form what he needed to. "I showed you in all those little ways but I...I needed to say it, and on Kupoh...Nakari, I tried to tell you so many times, but each time it just didn't feel like the right time, or it was out of place. And all I could think when I felt you get hit, when I saw you lying there..."

His voice cracked and he went silent for a few moments, leaning into the tank for support. "I just want to go back to that Luke, back to Kupoh, and I want to shake some sense into him, I want to scream at him and tell him to tell you how he feels before it's too late. I can't live with this regret of never telling you, I can't, if you—if you...I can't..." he stopped again, sucking in more pained breaths as he struggled to regain some semblance of control. "I should have told you, I'm sorry, I tried but I didn't try hard enough, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

He slipped down to the floor at the base of her tank, trying to hold himself together, to keep himself in one piece as he was overcome by his anguish. "I'm so sorry...this is my fault, this is all my fault...Please, oh Force, don't take her from me, please! Not her too, don't take her, too, I need to tell her, I need to let her know, please, don't take her from me! Not without letting her know how I feel, don't let her die before I can tell her...I'm so sorry, Nakari!"

~*~

Nakari's heart was officially in pieces as she heard Luke's broken, heart-wrenched words. She was trying so, so hard to cry with him, but she literally couldn't, that's how spent she was. However, she realized that her weak body—which she somehow had the barest hint of awareness of now—was quivering.

And she couldn't stop it.

She accepted it as her body's way of trying to cry with the man she loved, since she couldn't do it from where she was, still trapped deep within that dark nothing. Luke's voice—his warmth—was all she wanted to focus on, but even that was starting to slip dangerously, and her exhausted mind couldn't understand why.

Wait...wait, I don't want to lose him, she pled with the darkness, which was rapidly reclaiming her mind. Please, I need...to hear the...rest! He n-needs...me! Please!

But she was pulled under again, and she had no awareness of anything at that point...not even the nothingness.

~*~

Luke stayed sitting on the floor, silent tears slipping from his eyes. "I should have told you I loved you, sooner," Luke gasped, eyes squeezed shut against the pain.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that, the emptiness that had plagued him returning and seeming to suck away the ability for Luke to even cry. Eventually, he managed to get to his feet and drag himself to the chair, knowing that he didn't want somebody to arrive and find him huddled desperately against Nakari's tank. He stayed there in that chair for a long time, hand buried in his face as he thought over everything he'd been feeling, wallowing in more misery before he remembered his deal with his father. No doubt his food would be cold by now, and he had even less of an appetite than earlier...but he needed to eat something.

Luke eyed the solid foods, the toast and the eggs, with a dirty look, pretty sure he wouldn't be able to stomach them right now. Instead he reached for the juice Anakin had swiped, staring at it for a long time before he tried to take a sip.

Bitter. Of course.

He blanched, setting it aside and slipping back into his depression. His stomach ached from hunger, but at the same time it churned and rebelled at the thought of food.

He'd try again later, but for now...

He just wanted to be alone with his pain.

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

"Luke Skywalker, enough is enough!" Anakin growled, his heart constricting painfully at the vision his son now presented.

It was now the beginning of day four of Nakari's time in the bacta tank, and Luke had fallen only deeper into a depression, so much so that he'd not eaten much—if anything—despite Anakin's efforts to the contrary.

And now...Luke had lost a dangerous amount of weight in just the short time it had been since Nakari's...accident. It had been nearly a week in total. Luke's face was drawn, and he even looked thin, with his clothing now loose on his frame as he sat hunched in the chair by the tank. There were also deep, dark circles under his eyes, marking the lack of sleep the younger man had been forcing upon himself.

It broke Anakin's heart...again. And he felt like a failure that he had allowed this. He, as Luke's father...he should have stepped in sooner, forced the food down, something!

Luke closed his eyes at his father's tone, shuddering slightly. He was so tired of trying to satisfy Anakin's concern over his eater habits; he couldn't help it! If he ate, it came right back up. He couldn't stomach it, no matter when or how or what he ate. He had tried, many times, but he just couldn't do it anymore.

Despite his outlook, he couldn't snap at his father. Not only did he lack the strength, but he also lacked the heart to do so.

Luke turned his head away, eyes still closed so Anakin couldn't see the look in his eyes. "I'm sorry; I tried. I can't."

He knew his situation was getting worse. The sad thing was, he didn't much care. He'd tried to fix it, he truly had, but he was so tired of trying at this point.

Anakin's nostrils flared, and he stepped right over to Luke and knelt in front of him. It was time to bring out the big guns...for Luke's sake.

And despite how much it was going to pain Anakin to do it.

Anakin took a deep breath, prayed that his son didn't walk away from him, and began. "Luke, what do you think Nakari would say...hell, what would she think, if she woke up to you right now?"

Luke felt a sharp spasm go through him at the thought, and he felt his chest constrict. She'd be devastated that he'd been driven to this point. "I tried, Anakin—every time I try to eat or sleep...I just can't." He flinched at his voice. Even he could hear how resigned he sounded.

Anakin shook his head. "You know what I think?" His voice cracked a little on his next sentence. "I think you've lost sight of your promise to Nakari."

Luke's eyes snapped open and he shot his father an accusing look, pulling back like Anakin had shocked him. "No! How-how could you say that? I'm never going to forget the promises I've made her!"

I'm never going to forget how I've failed her, either, his heart cried out at the same time.

Anakin gave Luke a hard look, not backing down now: he finally had Luke's attention.

"Did you not promise to take care of her?" His voice was sharp. "You told Nakari you'd be there when she woke up."

Anakin paused pointedly. "I, for one, would love to know how you intend to keep that promise."

~*~

The next time she became aware of the empty void surrounding her, it was to discover it wasn't so empty anymore.

She felt something all around her body; her limbs were held suspended as though she were in space yet engulfed in gel. Was she...floating?

Nakari could also taste a foul, bitter, salty thing in her mouth, and she wanted to gag, but she couldn't. There was something in her mouth, forcing air into her lungs and then sucking it back out in a cycle as her chest worked.

Nakari was also able to barely maneuver her limbs, though it was probably not noticeable due to the attributes of the substance that held her body up.

However, those discoveries were set aside when she realized she could now hear things, and she was shocked at the words she registered.

~*~

Anakin sat back and gestured with his hand, unaware that the pair of them had an audience.

"Look at you, Luke!" he nearly shouted. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? You've lost twenty pounds! Twenty pounds! You look like something that was dragged out of a horror show!"

~*~

What?

~*~

"You haven't been taking care of yourself at all!" Anakin let his anger show in his eyes. "I would be willing to bet one thousand credits that you can't get out of this chair under your own power. Right now!"

To emphasize his point, Anakin abruptly grabbed Luke's arm, hauled him to his feet and let go. Luke promptly sank back into his seat, his body trebling.

"Now, with this all in mind; how do you plan to help Nakari with her recovery if you aren't in any condition to do so?" Anakin's face was now contorted in pain. "You've given up! I can't believe you've given up!"

"I haven't given up!" Luke shouted, voice cracking as his eyes burned with tears both angry and hurt, though they didn't spill. He surprised all of them by springing out of his chair, and something, somewhere, shattered. He trembled, both from exhaustion and anger. He gestured sharply with his hand, unaware of just how much control he'd just lost when something was knocked over because of it. "I would never give up on her! It's myself I've given up on!"

Those words passed his lips, and the short fight rushed out of him, sending him back into the chair with the admittance, his voice turning quiet. "I can't sleep because every time I close my eyes to try and rest I see her on Omereth again. And sometimes I'm too late, and I hold her when she dies," Luke whispered. "And I can't eat because every time I try it comes right back up and leaves me feeling worse and so much weaker than before."

Anakin closed his eyes, still trying to make his point.

"You can deny it all you want," he said softly. "But the reality is you've quit on Nakari. No matter what you say to trick yourself into believing otherwise, you have given up on her recovery. Even when she's obviously alive and healing right before your face."

Anakin leaned forward. "Luke, you need to let go of what happened. You are wallowing in the past," he gestured exasperatedly at the tank, his voice rising incredulously, "when you should be rejoicing at the fact that Nakari is still alive!"

Anakin grabbed Luke's chin and turned his face toward his own. "Did you hear me? She is still alive! You heard that medic, Nakari should not have made it. Yet here she is, living, breathing...but she's going to have a heart attack if she wakes up to see the man she loves reduced to what you are now."

~*~

Going to? She was already panicking.

Nakari struggled to make some sort of movement with her limbs, but something stopped her. She felt Luke needed this...chat.

Luke pulled his chin away, his anger and frustration growing. "I've already told you that Nakari isn't the one I've given up on. I'm not blind, I can see her healing," he half-growled. "I can't eat, and I can't sleep—do you know how many times I've tried because you asked me to? How many times I ran to the refresher because when I tried to force it down it just made me violently sick? I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but right now this is the best I can do about it—try and fail repeatedly. And if I still cared I'd hate myself for it, too!"

That last snapped sentence had partially been a lie; occasionally he did find the strength to care—and he was indeed disgusted with himself for yet another failure.

Anakin looked away. "There are alternatives to eating," he said in a defeated tone. "If you can't stomach anything, then ask for an IV."

Anakin ran a hand through his hair, feeling both hopeless and helpless.

"I'm sorry, Luke," he whispered, struggling to hold back tears of pain. "I'm sorry that you can't eat. I'm sorry you don't love yourself anymore, and I'm sorry for letting this get out of hand."

He turned to leave. "I've been trying so hard to be a good father, but if you won't let me, then I...I won't force you into anything. Even to heal." He threw one last glance at Nakari. "I'm sorry."

He started for the door, unable to take it anymore.

Luke chewed at his bottom lip, a deep hatred of himself for fighting with his father settling in. They never fought. This was the first time, and he hated it. What would he do if Anakin was taken back to his time right now? How would Luke live with himself?

"Wait..." he finally managed to say in a broken, dejected tone.

Anakin paused, but did not turn around. "Yes?"

Luke sucked in a trembling breath, feeling a few tears escape his desperate control. "I can't fight with you, now. I hate it and I'm sorry," Luke said, burying his face in one of his hands as he croaked out the rest. "I'm sorry...what do you suggest I do? I don't know what to do anymore..."

Anakin closed his eyes for a moment, gauging Luke's sincerity before he turned.

"You need to start forgiving yourself, Son. That's the root of all these issues." Anakin paused. "As for the food...I'll get you something to drink and crackers. Sip the drink a little bit at a time to help your stomach readjust to having something in it. Then once you feel you can try something solid, eat a cracker."

Anakin returned to Luke, knelt down and drew him into a tentative embrace.

"Please, Luke," he pled quietly. "Please forgive yourself. It happened, yes, but it's in the past. And if you can't let go of the past, then you'll never be able to enjoy the present. And when Nakari wakes, don't you want to enjoy a plethora of moments with her? I mean, really spend time with her. You're not going to want all of this baggage on your shoulders when she wakes."

~*~

Yes, Nakari cried, thrashing in the tank. Please listen to him, Luke!

~*~

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, I..." Luke murmured as he held tight to Anakin, burying his face in Anakin's shoulder. He gave up on an excuse or explanation—it was rather self-explanatory. Instead, he simply nodded. "I'll try," he whispered, tightening his hold.

"I'll try, I promise..."

Anakin breathed a sigh. "Thank you."

He stood, ready to get the food, when a team of medics arrived.

"It's time to remove Miss. Kelen from the tank." The man gestured for them to leave the room. "Please wait in the seating area while we do so."

Anakin lifted Luke to his feet, wrapping his son's arm around his shoulder.

"Come on."

Luke grit his teeth, forcing himself to support himself as much as possible, drawing on the Force even for support. At the same time, his spirits lifted some.

Nakari was coming out of the tank. Luke would finally be able to touch her. An almost peaceful sense of joy started to bloom in his chest.

Perhaps he would be able to eat today.

Anakin didn't want to leave Luke yet, so he commed Leia and asked for her help in bringing Luke some food. To his surprise, it was Solo who showed up, a bowl of something in hand as well as a tumbler of some liquid.

"Hiya, Kid!" Han greeted. "I'm here to deliver a gift from Chewie. He says the tea," Han shook the tumbler, "will soothe your stomach and help you gain strength, while the soup will fill your stomach without overdoing it."

Han settled down next to the pair and held out the proffered items.

Luke accepted the gifts, but set them aside in favor of wrapping Han into an unexpected hug. The smuggler grunted in surprise.

"Geez, Kid, it's just some soup," Han said with a small, awkward laugh.

"It's not for the soup...it's for earlier. Thank you so much for what you did for Nakari. I never thanked you properly."

Han was noticeably surprised, but he patted Luke's back in response, returning the embrace briefly. "Of course, Kid. A blind man could see how much she means to you."

Anakin smiled at them, giving Han a grateful look over Luke's head.

As Luke pulled back, Anakin gestured to the bag. "Wookies are excellent chefs. Don't pass this up, Son."

Luke hesitated a moment, and then nodded, sitting down to make another attempt at food and praying he could keep it down.

Anakin monitored Luke closely as the young man gingerly ate, and he begged the Force to help his son.

At first, Luke was certain the food would come right back up, his stomach rebelling violently. However, Luke drew on his happy memories to calm his stomach. He reached for the Force as well for calm, taking small, hesitant sips.

Anakin sat back when, after several sips of soup, Luke didn't suddenly run for the refresher. Luke even tried the tea, and yet he didn't eat all the offering.

"It's okay, Kid" Han assured him. "You ate a good portion. You don't want to overdo it too soon.''

Anakin nodded, but held out a hand to stop Han when he took the bowl and soup away. "Leave the tea, please. He can continue to sip on it."

"Alright," Han stood. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Thank you, Han," Luke said sincerely. "I'll see you again sometime soon."

Luke watched Han leave, his eyelids heavy now that he'd actually stomached something warm. There was still every chance it would come back up later, but for now he'd been able to stomach it. Still, though his eyelids drooped, he refused to sleep until after he saw Nakari, until he touched and held and caressed and maybe even kissed her. He needed that closure before he even thought of sleep.

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

Anakin sat with Luke until the doctor finally returned to them.

"Thank you for your patience," the man said. "We have Miss. Kelen situated in her room now, and you may go in to see her. Visiting hours remain the same for Anakin, but once more, Commander Skywalker may remain if he wishes. There is a convertible couch in the room, as well as other basic amenities."

The man gestured. "If you'll follow me, I will take you to her."

Anakin stood, holding out a hand to Luke. "I'll help you to the room, then I'll let you have your privacy."

"Thank you," Luke said softly, taking Anakin's hand to rise to his feet. "I think when I'm done...I'm going to try to sleep..." he informed Anakin, letting Anakin support him as they made their way to Nakari's room.

Anakin smiled. "That's good to hear."

They followed the medic, who paused outside a door. "You may touch her now, if you wish, but please be gentle. Also, once again, do not adjust any of the medial equipment in use. She is stronger than before, but her body needs rest. I expect she will make a full recovery, but again, that is up to her."

The medic paused. "Another thing: Miss. Kelen is stull unconscious, and I have no way to tell when she will wake up. After such an ordeal, it could be some time before she regains awareness. Once she does wake, she will more than likely be weak, due to her body's ordeal, and the prolonged inactivity. You must be patient with her while she recovers."

The man glanced at the door. "I have a feeling she will need to go through therapy, but that remains to be seen. If you recall my report on the concussive effect on her nerves, she could be...I don't know how to put this delicately, but she will be...out of whack for a time. This could manifest in things like her hearing, sensitivity to bright lights and flashes, or hyper-sensitivity to touch. Those are just examples, mind you. We won't know the full extent of this condition until she's awake enough for us to perform a few tests."

"Do you have any questions at this time?" the medic finished, looking to them both.

Anakin shook his head. "I'm good. Luke?"

"No, no questions," Luke informed the medic, eyes fixed on the door. He was aching to see her, his heart singing in anticipation as the memories he'd held onto flashed vividly before his eyes. He longed to touch her, to hold her hand...

In fact, he was certain he could gather the strength to make it to her bedside by himself, solely from the determination to truly be by her side as he'd longed to be these past six days. His heart warmed, and he felt noticeably better.

I'm here Nakari...I'm here.

The medic nodded. "Very well. Oh, there was one more thing. She has a good number of scars left over from the shrapnel. This could become a source of discomfort for her. Be prepared to comfort her on this if necessary." He opened the door. "Also, please be respectful of other patients and patrons."

With that he left, and Anakin sensed Luke's desire for more privacy. "Can you walk on your own? If so, I'll leave and visit later."

Luke nodded, a fire of determination in his eyes. "Yes, I can walk on my own...thank you, Father."

Anakin nodded, lingering long enough to make sure Luke really could support himself before he turned and left. Luke palmed open the door, eyes immediately drawn to the bed that Nakari lay on.

Luke felt warmth rush through him at the sight of her, his load suddenly feeling much lighter as he approached the bedside. There was already a chair situated and ready for him as it was well known to the medics by now that Luke quite literally never left Nakari's side. They'd even chosen a room that had a small, miniature refresher attached to the room, and he could already see the couch on the other side of Nakari's bed, almost close enough for him to reach out a hand and touch her from the couch.

Quietly, Luke took the chair, eyes roaming over her still form on the bed. After so long being separated from her by glass or not being allowed to touch her, he finally could...and he was partially afraid to do so.

As always, the first thing he did was reach out to Nakari in the Force, drawing her presence close to his. he let her presence sooth him, washing away his pains and the ache in his heart. Then, tenderly, Luke reached out to touch her, his fingers trembling slightly as he gently stroked her cheek. His breath caught in his throat at the feel of her skin meeting his, and tears sprang into his eyes as he shifted closer, surer of himself as he stroked her cheek again much more confidently. He repeated the motion before he allowed himself to stretch out and brush the hair from her face, run his fingers tenderly down her arm, and intertwine her hand in his with loving gentleness, heart filled with joy the entire time.

"I'm here, Nakari...I'm here," he whispered. "I won't leave...I'm here..."

He smiled, resting his other hand very lightly against her cheek. "I can finally touch you," he said in a voice shaky with relief, running his thumb over the back of her hand. "Force, I've missed this...I've needed this..."

~*~

She became aware once more, and for a moment she panicked. Where was the substance that had surrounded her for so long? Why did she suddenly feel naked and exposed? Where was she?

She was cold...it was cold like in the darkness that still refused to let her leave.

She began to shiver, and only then did she remember that she had more sensory ability. But everything was heightened...and the beeping on her left was almost too loud. She cringed.

Make it stop, please, she thought, almost desperate as other sounds began to invade her ears. She tried to shift her head, but nothing happened. She'd even take that nothingness back if it meant her ears could stop ringing and hurting from the overdose of noises.

Then a warm...something touched her cheek, and internally she jumped, her heart racing as the difference in temperature nearly scalded her. Why was everything so...so sensitive?

She was still shivering, and she didn't know how to stop it. That warmth then rested fully on her cheek, and she tried to shy away.

It hurts, it's too hot!

Then garbled words came to her ears, mingling with the other noises, and she struggled to make them out, only partially successful.

"...here Nakari...won't leave..."

Luke?

Nakari hated to want him not to touch her—or speak—but her body couldn't handle it right now, and she tried to find a way to communicate her discomfort, but her unresponsive body refused her.

She was forced to endure the pain, the noise...and the shame of not wanting Luke to touch her. At the very least, maybe her shivering wasn't just an internal thing, and he'd see it.

~*~

Luke reluctantly let his hand fall away from her cheek, his exhaustion falling over him again. He kept his hand within hers just a little longer before he finally gave into his exhaustion, hardly finding the strength to get out of the chair and move over to the couch. He stretched out on the comforters facing Nakari, and was asleep within seconds.

~*~

When he finally stopped touching her, she felt relief, and then bitter shame. How could she not want him to touch her? Pain or no!

Luke, she cried in her mind. Wait! Please...come...come back!

Now where he had touched her was even colder than before his contact had been made. Nakari still heard all the noises, and she willed herself to return to that void from before, if only to escape.

Just before she did, however, a single tear leaked from her eye, visible to the physical world: a testament to her despair.