The beach- Thursday evening

[solo_sword]

Jaina's portal was delayed. She had no idea how a portal could be delayed, but here she was. After a while of waiting at the causeway, she'd come to the beach, figuring that if she was going to be stuck waiting, she should at least get a change of scenery.

Watching the waves made her think too much, though. About her grandfather and Tiny Mom,

Comments

[nonelikemesince]

Anakin had kept to himself a bit since the conversation with Leia and his grandfather the other day, but he'd been keenly aware of Jaina's presence on the island.

So he made his way down the beach toward her this evening, face set in a thoughtful (if not scowling) expression.

"Had a fun trip?"

The deadpan expression hinted at how he suspected the answer was no.

[solo_sword]

"You know I've had better?" she said, but smiled a little and patted the sand next to her. "Heard what's going on?"

[nonelikemesince]

Anakin dropped easily into the sand and tucked his knees up to his chest. "You mean with our family on island?" He grimaced. "Yeah. I barged in on that conversation."

[solo_sword]

"That part I didn't know," she said, wincing. "This is what happens when timelines collide really badly."

[nonelikemesince]

"You'd probably have been able to tell if you'd been on the island at the time." Anakin glanced up at her through the hair falling into his eyes, looking sheepish. "I just felt how mad she was, and realized where she was going, and --"

He'd charged headlong into it, but she knew him well enough to figure that out.

[solo_sword]

Anakin? Charge headlong into anything? Psh.

"Sorry you had to see that," she told him. "I haven't heard much about it, but what I did hear didn't sound great."

[nonelikemesince]

It was about as unrealistic as Jaina ending up in a life-threatening situation.

"It wasn't pretty," Anakin agreed. To understate massively. "As far as Mom being really mad goes, that one was definitely up there."

A beat.

"It isn't surprising, given the circumstances. The weird part was, I didn't know who to stick up for."

[solo_sword]

"That sort of thing gets complicated kind of fast here. Who did you stick up for?" she wondered.

[nonelikemesince]

"Both of them, in the end," Anakin admitted. "Mom for having a right to be mad, and Grandfather for -- well, I told her he deserved another chance."

It was a surprise to him, too, if the look on his face was any indication.

[solo_sword]

"I know, that last part takes some getting used to," she told him reassuringly. "But I'd say that was the right call."

[nonelikemesince]

It always felt good to get validation from Jaina, so Anakin flashed her a grateful smile.

"I guess, if I have his name, I might as well learn why, right?" he asked. "You and Tahiri were both pretty insistent about that, and if both of you are teaming up on me, I don't have much of a choice."

He grinned, if briefly. "It felt like the right call."

[solo_sword]

She grinned briefly right back. "It's a messed-up situation here where it would have probably gone badly any way we handled it," she explained. "It's amazing how redemption can complicate some things."

[nonelikemesince]

They could do matching grins for a second and everyone could take two shots for the "lopsided Solo grin" description.

"It was pretty inevitable, wasn't it?" Anakin agreed. "But wow, was that ever a sight I never expected I'd ever see. Just in case anyone ever thought they didn't have enough reason to be intimidated by Mom."

His eyes went wide when he turned to her. "He apologized to her."

[solo_sword]

"It's rare, but he does it sometimes," Jaina said. Sorry, little brother's brain.

[nonelikemesince]

Never mind little brother's brain. The strangled squeaking noise made it sound like his respiratory system was in jeopardy.

"He's done it before?"

[solo_sword]

"Uh huh. Keep breathing, please," she told him.

...Well, okay, she meant it that way, too.