Playlist:

❶ "Jessica's Theme"—The Man from Snowy River OST

⊘ Silence

❶ Luke entered the study around 0400 carrying two mugs of herbal tea. He glanced over at his sleeping nephew. "Any problems tonight?"

"Not a one," Naluma said as she padded across the floor in her socked feet and took a mug. She sipped some of the piping hot beverage as steam wafted her face.

Relaxed for the first time in days, Luke led Naluma to the couch in front of the stone fireplace. He stirred up the embers before sitting beside her. Elevating their feet on the hassock, they watched the fire crackle and enjoyed the exhilaration of their Force-bond.

Naluma ran her fingers through his hair as she took a long draft from the mug. What are we going to do, Luke?

Luke wrapped his arm around Naluma's shoulders. I don't know. He sighed as he set his mug on the accent table. He's hurting so much, but I don't know how to reach him. He grabbed her hand and massaged it with his thumb. He's so hungry for attention, he'll take even negative attention ...

Naluma rubbed her eyes and yawned widely. I'm not even sure he knows what to do with positive attention anymore.

She rested her head on Luke, falling asleep in that position not long after. He placed her mug of tea on the end table and covered her with a blanket from the back of the sofa as Ben snored on the couch under the window behind him.

Anakin's words echoed in his head. Love ... it's what saved me. It will save Ben.

He kissed Naluma on the top of her head as he pondered how to show Ben that love without the boy pushing him away.

⊘ Luke turned his head when he heard Ben shuffle around 0730. When their eyes met, Ben meandered over and asked for permission to sit with a nod.

Master Luke responded with a nod and put his fingers to his lips. He whispered, "Good morning, Ben."

Ben sat in the overstuffed armchair, his back stiff and his leg bouncing. "Good morning." The bags under his eyes and the knots in his hair revealed the boy's discomfort.

"How's the assignment?"

"Sorry, but I fell asleep in the middle of it last night." The boy's face flushed in embarrassment.

He's seeking approval. This is new. "Expected, considering you were out for four days. Your sleep schedule will settle down once you have a routine." He raised his eyebrows and squinted at the boy. "Are you ready to cooperate yet?"

"Not sure ..."

At least he's being honest. "It will make it a lot easier for you."

Ben closed his eyes and pursed his lips together as he gripped his knees hard enough Luke was sure he'd have a bruise later. "I—I just don't know if I want to be a Jedi."

"My door is always open to you, Ben. If you have any questions or concerns or if you just want to talk, I'm here." He flashed his nephew a smile.

Ben's breathing eased and his grip relaxed.

"Besides, I want you to finish the assignment first before you make that particular decision." Luke leaned forward and stared the boy in his eyes. "What I want to know, though, is can I trust you?"

The boy lowered his head and stared at his hands as he thought about the question. 

"Not to flee? Not to lash out in anger?" Luke tilted his head and gave a lopsided grin, which drew an unexpected smile from his nephew.

"I guess."

"Good." He stood up and turned the sleeping Naluma lengthwise on the couch.

Ben grabbed her legs and helped Luke arrange her. Good thing Naluma can sleep through an explosion.

"Thanks." He rested her head on a cushion and covered her again with the blanket that had slipped off. "Hungry?" Luke asked.

"Starving."

"Dining hall has flatcakes."

The boy's eyes brightened and a smile threatened to break through.

Luke put his arm around Ben's shoulder and led him out the door and down the corridor to the expansive dining hall.

Ben sighed when he saw the empty dining hall. Luke felt the fear creeping back into him—fear of rejection. The Jedi Master squeezed his shoulder and led the boy along the massive windows, feeling him relax a tiny bit more.

Beamed ceilings soared high above the round tables. A roaring fire crackled in the mammoth river-stone fireplace at the end of the hall. Luke led them behind the fireplace to the foodline.

Within minutes, Luke was grinning at the boy's overloaded tray. Luke chose the seats closest to the fireplace. They had barely sat down before Ben started shoveling in eggs, ronto strips, and flatcakes.

"The cooks will be happy you finished the leftovers."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have left some."

The Jedi shook his head with a slight smile. "It was a compliment. Don't worry. We have more food."

Ben grabbed his plate. "Really? Can I?"

His uncle nodded and stared out the window as the boy hurried back to the kitchen for his third serving. He doesn't even know how to recognize a compliment. What have they done to him?

When they arrived back at the study, Ben returned to work on the essay without grumbling. After a few minutes of searching through the history book for information, he asked, "Unc—Master Skywalker, is there another book that covers the death of Master Kenobi? It's not in this one."

"Hmm, no, it wouldn't be in that one." He looked through his volumes and found the newest history book on the shelf—History of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. "Try this one."

Ben took the book and looked at it. It was a smaller volume, but his eyes widened when he saw the byline—Senator Leia Organa of Alderaan. "I didn't know my mom wrote a book."

"She published that volume while you were still a baby. You were named after him, you know."

"I was?"

"Yes, he was a great Jedi Master. And a good friend." He narrowed his eyes at the boy. "You have a lot to live up to if you are going to honor his name."

Once Ben was absorbed in the book, Luke left him unobserved in the study.

The Jedi Master returned a few minutes later with a tray for the sleeping Jedi Fau. He took the food to his desk and then woke her up with a gentle shake. "Naluma." He spoke in her mind, Good morning, my love.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up. Good morning. You are my favorite alarm. She grinned as she held out her arms to hug him.

We're being watched. Luke lifted his eyebrows toward Ben in warning.

Good. She wrapped her arms around him and pecked him on the lips. Maybe it will help.

"Ready for breakfast?"

She sniffed and took in the aroma of ronto strips and stimcaf. "Hmm, smells heavenly. Thank you." After replacing the blanket and cushion, she moved to the desk for breakfast. She peered over at Ben, who was working with diligence. She tilted her head at Luke in a question.

He's decided to cooperate, but he's not sure he wants to be a Jedi yet.

What if he decides not to be?

I gave him the same choice I gave you. Luke smiled and shook his head trying not to laugh.

You didn't?

It worked with you, didn't it? He could not control a snort and chuckle. "What do you have going on today?"

She glanced at the chronometer on the bookcase as she yawned. "Ah, I've got unarmed combat in ten minutes and advanced saber after that, with field medicine at 1300 and strategy at 1500." She gulped her stimcaf down and wiped her mouth.

"I'll take your strategy class. Get some rack time this afternoon." As she picked up her plate to return it to the kitchen, he said, "Leave that."

"Thanks." She hastened from the study while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She kissed him on the cheek before exiting the study.

When Ben finished his essay at 1130, Luke asked, "Want a tour of the place? See what classes are like?"

"Yes!" Standing next to the window, the afternoon sun cast its rays on half of Ben's face while the other half remained in shadow.

Luke wasn't sure if the boy's enthusiasm stemmed from being held in the room for so long or if something bigger motivated him. Darkness clouded everything in the Force now. 

Did you know ...

● Stimcaf is coffee. Even the Jedi can't get moving without it.

● While the Jedi Padawan were trained in a one-on-one mentoring relationship before the Purge, the New Jedi Academy does not have that luxury. With only a few Jedi Knights and many more Padawan, a more structured educational system was developed, with Padawan rotating on missions with the Jedi Knights.

Tell me what you think ...

● What other changes do you think the addition of Ben to the academy will bring?