Beyond - Legends Fragile: An Anakin and Tahiri Story A previously unposted outtake up 5/20/11

And here we go... picking up about three seconds from where we left off in chapter 12...


Fragile

Chapter 13

Magnet and Steel



Anakin flicked a finger towards the stereo to turn on some music - something soothing ? then hugged his baby closer to his chest and continued to sway and rock Will around the living room. He closed his eyes, opened himself to the Force, reached out to his little boy, and smiled when he felt his little boy reach back.

Even though he was only nine months old, Will was already able to do things that most Force sensitives weren?t able to until they were far older than him; he could levitate toys, call objects to himself that were across the room, convey emotions and needs to his parents?and he could shatter glass when angry; not one of Anakin?s favorite things.

What was one of Anakin?s favorite things was feeling Will use the Force to touch him. It was similar to how Anakin and Tahiri used to reach for each other, the way their emotions would meld together. It wasn?t as strong or intense with Will, by any means, just like having a conversation with Tahiri would be different than having a conversation with Will; the desire and the intent were there, but the sophistication wasn?t.

Will suddenly wiggled in Anakin?s arms and strained to turn toward the door. A moment later it slid open to reveal Tahiri, and Anakin?s breath caught in his throat.

She looked exhausted, but even more beautiful then his heart remembered.

A wide smile lit her face as she glided in, dropped her bag, and opened her arms to take Will.

?Hi, baby.? She whispered as she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead into his, and smoothed her palm over his hair. ?Momma missed you so much.? She leaned back to look at him, grasped one of his hands and pulled it up to her mouth to kiss his fingers, then kissed his cheek. ?Did you miss momma??

?He has,? Anakin answered for him, ?a lot.?

Tahiri looked up at Anakin, her smile smaller, but still there. ?Hi.?

?Hi.?

They stood, looking at each other for a long moment, neither saying anything until Anakin forced himself to break the silence.

?Uhm? I know it?s past his bedtime? but I called flight control - they said you?d be here soon? and I knew you?d want to see him? I thought maybe you?d want to nurse him to sleep??

He let the sentence trail off, not sure where to go next.

?Actually, that would be astral, I?m about to explode. Thank you for thinking of it.?

?Sure. He?s all ready to go. He had some fruit and vegetables earlier, not in that order - I stuck to your instructions. And he?s had a bath, well, actually a shower. It?s easier that way? for me? to shower him? with me. And I just changed his diaper, and those are clean pajamas. At least I think they?re pajamas, it?s hard to tell with some of his clothes, but they don?t have snaps or zippers so I figured they?d be okay to sleep in, but if you want to change him??

Anakin stopped when he noticed that Tahiri had an amused look on her face and he wasn?t sure if she was laughing with him or at him.

?These are pajamas, but you?re right; some of them are hard to tell apart.? She turned toward the kitchen, a curious look on her face. ?Do I smell food??

Anakin put one hand on his hip, and with the other reached up and scratched his head, looked toward the kitchen himself, then back at Tahiri.

?Ah? yeah, I thought you might be hungry? I made a little something? for us? to eat. If you want to put him down, it should be ready in about twenty minutes.?

Anakin held his breath, waited for her to answer, waited for her to say ?thank you for babysitting, you can go now?, waited to have his heart ripped out of his chest, watched as she seemed to debate how to respond.

?Um? I?m kinda tired? and grungy??

?That?s okay,? Anakin cut in hurriedly. ?I?ll just throw it in the fridge. You can eat it tomorrow, or, whenever. I?ll just grab my stuff and let you two...?

?Anakin??

?Yeah??

?Can I take a quick shower after I put him down, or will that ruin what you m

 

Now that you have the Anakin and Tahiri subplot winding down (as in they aren't at each other's throats and becoming a family now) let's see what's happening with the rest of the SkySolo's. I'm sure it would be a good break for Luke and Mara who, if I remember right, you didn't really spend a lot of time on when they all were there for Anakin before he flipped on Han. Maybe since they know Will is pretty much by himself (at least with kids to play with) they bring Ben to meat him and clear some air with Anakin. Because from what I remember you had Luke and Mara just stay out of everything with the Solo family. They didn't take sides, they just stayed out of the way so they wouldn't alienate anyone. Plus they didn't want to have any drop-off with their performance in the war.

Let's see the whole Skywalker family soon if you haven't already written the whole story out.

 

Lovely lovely lovely!! Squee! Squee! Loved Anakin's vulnerability and humble honesty in Chapter 12, and Chapter 13 -- terrific from first to last. I adore Magnet and Steel anyway. It's a marvelous love song.

Huggles!!!

You were right, the mush was worth the wait!!

 

Nice! I love all introspection Anakin did in the first chapter and the the sincere effort he put into showing Tahiri he was sincere and wanted things to work.
Also a nice touch how he actually mended relationship with a few of the others first and that kind of showed him where he was making some of his mistakes with her.



By the way, I really like the Friday posting schedule. It works well for me. I frequently have a a little more time on Saturday mornings so I can read the new post. I do notice and read the PMs but don't need them to get to the thread, so do what works for you there.

 

Preggers, you're forgiven!

I love that Anakin has bonded with Will. Also, his "nickname" Will of the Force. Gah, adorable!


Great job, looking forward to next week!

 

wow, a great batch of posts. It's great to see Anakin and Tahiri there together.

Great job! Can't wait for Friday.

 

Ah, good man there.

This is, as Tenel Ka would say, a fact.

Dude. If she's been gone for any more than 48 hours, pump or no, she's gonna wanna see the baby. And feed him. Alot.

Milk Bewbies of Doom.

Don't even think about getting near her until that's taken care of!

And the last bit just made me melt!

*bubbles into a pile of goo*

Loved it!

CJM

 

I am such a ditz! I somehow missed the first post on Saturday and just read the second one and was like wow...I missed something...then read your PM and was like what? Huh? There is more? Yippee...went back and read it...and yes now you are completely forgiven for all the angst.
They are such a fun sweet and yet completely complex couple. I liked how you touched on all of Anakin's abandonment issues its really amazing the kid doesn't have a complex. I loved how Tahiri picked up on the fact he was building a family with his new squad and even he didn't realize that was what he was doing.
So I am looking forward to Jaina getting a clue as you hinted would happen earlier and just seeing the whole family kinda reunite and heal...though I must admit it would be equally satisfying to watch Anakin kick Jacen in the butt for being such a you know what.

Okay Looking forward to Friday!

 

so I am delurking. I have been reading this at work looking for fics to keep me occupied and let me just say...

It certainly does.

I love the premise of the story.

The first chapters were as intriguing as can be and made me wonder what would happen when they did go on the mission. The two Tahiris were great and it was interesting to their thoughts as reactions.

And then the mission. Wow, so intense, so heartwrenching.

And then Han and Leia turning on Tahiri. I have never been so mad at them. And of course Jaina and Jacen (which happen to be two of my favorite characters ever) and I got angry at them too.

But when Anakin came back and the struggles in the last few chapters and to realize both of them aren't perfect, I loved the story anymore. Personally I think those two have so much to cover and talk about, to figure out.

But to see Anakin as a father just brings such joy. I miss his character so much in pro fic. Will is adorable and I just know he is going to be trouble in the future.

This is a wonderful fic and cannot wait for more!

 

*jumps for joy*

yay they're back together

great updates

 

AWWEEE Great post!!! *tells anakin she's sorry for wanting to throw him in the wall and gives him a giant hug* can't wait for more Preggs

 

Good afternoon kids!

I'm working on replies and the beta is trying to do the edit, but he is sick. So I'm not going to swear on Darth Little Boy's or Big Sithter's heads that the update will be up before midnight west coast time. If not, we should definitely have it up tomorrow.

Thank you all again for reading and thank you all for the praise, and for hanging in there while Anakin got his act together. The next few updates are tons more fun.

I promise.



PP

 

whateveritis12

Now that you have the Anakin and Tahiri subplot winding down (as in they aren't at each other's throats and becoming a family now)

First off, welcome! And thank you for reading. Second? this may not be the story you were thinking you were reading. Anakin and Tahiri would be the only plot? really. Not the subplot. I mean there will be a little of the Solowalkers coming back, but really, there are here in relations to how if effects A&T in this story.

So if that is totally not what you thought you were getting here, I totally understand if I don?t see you again. Thanks for reading anyway.

let's see what's happening with the rest of the SkySolo's. I'm sure it would be a good break for Luke and Mara who, if I remember right, you didn't really spend a lot of time on when they all were there for Anakin before he flipped on Han. Maybe since they know Will is pretty much by himself (at least with kids to play with) they bring Ben to meat him and clear some air with Anakin. Because from what I remember you had Luke and Mara just stay out of everything with the Solo family. They didn't take sides, they just stayed out of the way so they wouldn't alienate anyone. Plus they didn't want to have any drop-off with their performance in the war.
No? Actually? Luke tried to send Tahiri to the maw, claiming that she was still a kid and he had the authority to send her anywhere he wanted, and she rebelled, and Anakin wasn?t to happy when he heard about that later. Though I do touch on all of these issues in the coming weeks. But more from Anakin?s POV.

And we have no Ben in this story. Sorry.

Let's see the whole Skywalker family soon if you haven't already written the whole story out.
I am currently working on Chapter 23. I believe I?ll have it all wrapped up in 26 or 27 chapters? but then when I started, I was thinking this would be a little 5 or 6 chapter story? so what do I know?

Again, thanky you so much for reading this far and I?m sorry if this rest is just not what you were thinking, but I?d be thrilled if you gave it a chance anyway.


Jade_eyes

Lovely lovely lovely!! Squee! Squee!
I?m thrilled that you were thrilled. You see why I wanted to post both chapters even though it was close to 8000 words? it was all just so much Anakin goodness.

Loved Anakin's vulnerability and humble honesty in Chapter 12,
He?s a good boy. He always was, sort of what made his death in profic such a kriffing tragedy.

and Chapter 13 -- terrific from first to last. I adore Magnet and Steel anyway. It's a marvelous love song.
Thank you I was particularily happy with it, and very excited to share.

You were right, the mush was worth the wait!!
See? there was a journey that needed to be gotten through! I wasn?t doing it arbitrarily, there was a goal. Actually, all kidding aside, it was a writing exercise; could I get him from A to B to C to D. Hopefully I did.


TahiriSoloFan
Nice! I love all introspection Anakin did in the first chapter and the the sincere effort he put into showing Tahiri he was sincere and wanted things to work.
He did put a lot into it. And he does adore her.
Also a nice touch how he actually mended relationship with a few of the others first and that kind of showed him where he was making some of his mistakes with her.
I have always maintained that SW would be a whole different kettle of krakana if there were therapists.



By the way, I really like the Friday posting schedule. It works well for me. I frequently have a a little more time on Saturday mornings so I can read the new post. I do notice and read the PMs but don't need them to get to the thread, so do what works for you there.
It generally works for me? this week? the Beta was fel?d.


lost_lauries_grapes
Preggers, you're forgiven!
That means a lot to me. I was actually starting to fear you guys would all abandon me, thinking I was just mean for the sake of being mean. I promise, there is almost nothing but fun for awhile

 

Oh Ok, well Luke was only doing what he thought was best and the safest route for her. He just pulled the you'd better listen to me you unruly child at the wrong/worst time.

There was way too many over reactions on everyone's side during that exchange. There was too much grief rolling around and everyone just needed to stay away from everyone. Of course that didn't happen and you have people saying things they shouldn't have said when they were too emotional.

Of course at the time Anakin rolls around still alive, he ends up flipping his lid unreasonably (though understandably) and Tahiri was being a little petty. First in her taking on Anakin as an intelligence agent (A case where she's too close to personally. Iella should have just informed her that they had found Anakin and told her where he was, not given her total control of everything to do with him), then freezing out the Solo's when they come to see him.

 

*crawls out from under pillows and peaks through mascara crusted lashes*

Was I thinking I was still in college last night?

And I went home with those strangers why?

Oi...

Anyway, had the most interesting evening... and now my head hurts in a way that almost transcends descriptions. And the Beta is AWOL... so I'm off to nap and then hunt the little bugger down and find that edit for you all.

but first this:

yeah... I'm not sure that Luke was doing what was 'best' as much as he was pulling rank and dealing with how to solve one problem based on his own feelings of guilt stemming from another situation.
But maybe that's just a different way of saying the same thing. And yes, they did all behave badly, as Han and Anakin will discuss soon, but fast forward to the med center: I think the issue wasn't that Tahiri was being petty, I think the issue, and the reason Iella gave her supervision, was that is she didn't, Leia would have pulled rank and Tahiri would likely have been kicking her heals in the waiting room, when, lets face it, it was his wife and baby Anakin was most focused on seeing when he woke up. Not that he didn't want to see to others.

Maybe that's the disconnect here, for you and for the Solowalkers; Anakin has left the nest and created his own, he's a man with his own life, and its not that he doesn't care for his family, but that he has other prioritites and that its not a competition, its simply the way things are.

Also, Tahiri, as she stated when she walked into the med center, never had any intention of freezing out the family, as she said when she cme in, she just needed a few minute alone with Anakin, and needed to get a grip. All she ws ever trying to do was make sure they didn't freeze her out.

Sorry of all of that didn't come across in a better way.

 

star_writer24
iam such a ditz!
Like I said, the clinical name for it is ; New Mother Stupid. It?s a common affliction. Ask TahiriSoloFan, she has FOUR KIDS!!!!

I?m not totally unconvinced that part of the short term memory isn?t linked to the placenta, and therefore leaves with it?



But on to more important things.

I somehow missed the first post on Saturday and just read the second one and was like wow...I missed something...then read your PM and was like what? Huh? There is more? Yippee...
I aim to please. I hope reading it backwards didn?t take away from the read itself.

went back and read it...and yes now you are completely forgiven for all the angst.
Thank you!

They are such a fun sweet and yet completely complex couple.
*Lays down on the floor and genuflecs in gratitude*
That is precisely what I am trying to get across, that they are a complex couple, that they are complex characters. One of the things I disliked, or found unsatisfying in the fic I was reading prior to writing this, and I guess, sort of, how I ended up writing this, was the tendency to write her as just walking around barefoot, nagging him and calling him dummy, and him being a goof. I honestly just don?t picture them like that. First off, they both have some pretty major psychological issues, she brings his up in Conquest, and as if all her family stuff wasn?t enough, we have her stuff from Conquest. But A&T are so indelibly connected, and so smart, I have to think that they, especially her, would look for a deeper way to deal with all of this than just calling him ?dummy? and bossing him around. Also, in my mind, HAD Anakin lived this long in profic, he?d be a MAN, not a whiny little twerp like his grandfather at the same age, not a petulant twerp like his brother at the same age, but an actual man. And I think where Luke is a combination of those two well up until Mara comes along and straightens his stuff out for him, Anakin was sort of born with this straight ahead, very pragmatic focus. He was born to be a man, and he?s more than up to the task of being a man for Tahiri, he just needed to get his head around what he?d just gone through on Myrkr, which, I think was an understandable thing. I think it would have been wrong if he?d have gotten back form Mryrk and had been all right.

I liked how you touched on all of Anakin's abandonment issues its really amazing the kid doesn't have a complex.
Yeah? again, the issues these people have and should have and that aren?t touched on? I?ve always thought LotF would have been far more interesting, and involving had there been any attempt to get into the psychology of why Jacen fell. I don?t know, I guess Tahiri?s ?when Jacen broke? theory in Omen leading us into the entire Luke and Ben plot, is that, but not in a way that I found satisfying.

I loved how Tahiri picked up on the fact he was building a family with his new squad and even he didn't realize that was what he was doing.
Again, He?s a super genius, according to his family and Del Rey, that isn?t even me making stuff up, he?s not going to be best friends since childhood, or fall in love with, an air head, and this portrayal of her as a vapid blonde has always killed me. Its just not right. So I like to make her a super genius too. In fact I did. In fact, Anakin even calls her that in the next update? which you would see if I could find my darn Beta.

But anyway, she?s also spent most of her life with no family, or with Anakin being her only family, she gets this stuff, and she gets him, so yeah, she would instantly get that he was engaging in self protection.

So I am looking forward to Jaina getting a clue as you hinted would happen earlier and just seeing the whole family kinda reunite and heal...though I must admit it would be equally satisfying to watch Anakin kick Jacen in the butt for being such a you know what.
Jaina will have a 7000 word POV update next week, which, I have to say, I think may have been my most favorite chapter to wr

 

Pregnantpadme and her Brilliant Beta will not be fel?d by colds or flu or cheap vodka? only slightly waylaid.

So here you go; a 5000 word look at the story from our hero?s eyes!

?Cause I lurv Anakin!






Fragile

Chapter 14

Back To Life, Back To Reality



Tahiri titled her chin and let out a ragged breath, as her heart rate began to slow and her excitement began to ebb.

As the brilliance of her passion continued to fade, Anakin laid a slow trail of kisses down her throat, pleased by the contentment he could feel radiating from her. Even after ? according to Dr. Abay ? the impressive number of times they?d made love, the fact that he could consistently elicit such a response often got him excited enough to go again.

But this time, another presence stopped him dead in his tracks. He rested the crown of his head where is mouth had just been and chuckled.

?Incoming??

She let out another deep, throaty sigh. ?At least he?s considerate enough to give us time to finish.?

?I?ve bribed him to stay in his crib until we?re done.? Anakin confessed, his own voice still rough.

?With what?? The sound of delight he knew so well had been replaced over the years by a deeper laugh, not a giggle as often, but the emotion was the same.

He pushed himself up slightly, so he could look into her eyes, and slowly traced a hand along her body; his fingers danced along her ribs, then slid down to her waist. She sighed again, and smiled up at him as she draped her arms around his neck, and he continued his manual exploration; waist to hip, hip to knee, knee to ankle, then tucked her leg tightly into his side.

?I told him I?d buy him his own X-Wing when he turns two, if he agreed to hang out in bed every morning until I?ve finished ravaging ?mama?.?

?And did you specify the size of the X-Wing you?d be buying him?? she asked, suspiciously.

?What are you, his advocate?? he countered in disbelief. ?I figured you?d be on my side!?

?Oh, I?m on your side,? she smiled wickedly, but then grew thoughtful, motherly. ?You don?t think we?re doing any damage to him, do you??

?If we are, I?m sure the MD droid will let you know.? Anakin teased.

Tahiri slapped his arm. ?I?m being serious. What if he grows up and has memories of being bought off so we can??

?Ravage each other?? He finished for her.

?Yeah. What if he feels neglected and that causes some kind of syndrome or something??

?What parenting manual did you fall asleep reading last night?? Anakin asked, mockingly.

They?d had this conversation more than once, and for all the ways in which his wife was progressive, and unconventional, and a risk-taker, she was quite the opposite in her parenting. Anakin had actually wondered - though not aloud - if the fear and interest Shimmra had shown in Will had simply provided Tahiri with a convenient excuse to have a military squad watching over their son around the clock. He sort of thought that she?d have found another reason had the Yuuzhan Vong not provided one for her.

Of course Anakin hadn?t had to kill a man with his bare hands in order to protect Will weeks after his birth, so he kept his mouth shut and indulged her, only lightly mocked her, and had learned very quickly when and where he could poke fun.

Tahiri squinted at him, held her hand out, and called the nightgown Anakin had taken off of her a mere thirty minutes earlier up from the floor.

?Forgive me for not wanting to damage our son?s psyche.?

Anakin leaned back down, pinning her to the bed again, and began nipping at her throat in the very spot he?d left off, murmuring in between kisses, ?Having parents who enjoy showing each other affection is not going to damage his psyche, and the last thing our son is is neglected.?

She pinched his ribs lightly, ?Get off me and get dressed before he gets in here.?

?We?ve got time; he?s skulking.? But Anakin rolled onto his back anyway, and reached for the sleep pants on the floor beside the bed, pulling them on under the blanket.

?Do you think other parents have toddlers w

 

Oh no, Preggers! Not cheap Vodka! Anything but that!


I really loved this:

Great job, looking forward to next Friday/Saturday (in case you want to get cruncked again. XD)

 

I NEVER want to feel like I did this morning again... I thought I left those days behind when I left college... or some other thing I left behind in my twenties. But seriously, I've been drinking expensive Vodka, and, like never more than 2 or 3 martinis or Lemondrops in a night, and only that once in a Blue, Blue Moon, for so long, that it never crossed my mind as my new 'friend' was buying a GALLON OF SMIRNOFF on the way back to her house, that we might as well have been drinking rubbing alcohol.

Evidently it was disinfecting MY BRAIN while I was talking to this woman's husband about the Irish being assigned to lead the charge against the Mexicans in the Spanish-American war and how the Irish and the Mexicans were kindred spirits, united against the tyranny of an oppressive monarchist Britian...

It was one of those nights.

Anyway, the next update has been done for a billion years, and its 7000 words, if I add or edit, or 'come up with' any more for this one, Beta-Boy may cut me off. So I'm actually going to email it to him now.. that way it can sit on his desktop for days and we can squabble about time management skills from Tuesday to Thursday.

Men....

But in other news! I bought marshmellow shooters for Big Sithter and Darth Little Boy, I also bought one for my god-son, who turned 18 last week. And I broke out my god-son's shooter and unwrapped it and the kids and I could have a three way marshmellow war, because just being the 'wall' between them while they tried to shoot each other wasn't as much fun as it would seem. Holy Banthas! That was so much fun! We giggled like maniacs forever. They can hurt a little, the marshmellows, or so Darth Little Boy kept crying while I stalked him across the playroom, so I guess, be careful. Nah, I'm kidding, I didn't hurt my own babies with marshmellows, but they did hit me in a few odd places, and then fell down laughing like crazy when mommy broke out that third shooter to go after them.

So, if any of you are interested, I'll get you the info on these things. They're like $5.00 a piece, made out of PVC, and couldn't be more fun!

 

awwwee mush and cute kiddie talk I luv it can't wait for the next post

~Brook Out

 

I absolutely adored the couple mush and the family sweetness at the beginning. It gooified me quite wonderfully. They're a lovely family.

I found the revelation that the whole voxyn mission and elimination of Vergere didn't change more in the timestream quite fascinating.

And quite shocking that it didn't derail the whole Sekot and Potentium aspects of the war plan.
I wish I knew what Anakin's choice SHOULD be.
Do love the camaraderie and teasing Anakin has with his squad. Great balance to all the seriousness.

 

Ugh... cheap drinks. Never a good thing. And isn't it amazing what you can pontificate on when you've had a few pops.

Loved the 'morning' bit in the beginning. Isn't always the way, though. Anytime Mr. CJM tried to do anything other hand hold my hand, the Wailing-Baby Alarm would go off. At one point, Darth Pre Schooler would push his face away if he tried to kiss me while I was holding her.

No wonder she doesn't have a sibling.

So some of the fam-dam has shown up, eh? Very interested to see the meeting between the twins and Anakin after all this time.

Good Stuff.

CJM

 

Very nice! Now we see how Anakin and Tahiri have been doing, and its time to move on to the bigger Skywalker/Solo family relationship. Hopefully everyone has mellowed out and is willing to mend the relationships. Put a great big old X on Zenoma Sekot and avoid it like the plague! Just because its aware and ancient doesn't mean it has a soul or know what's best.



Edit for spelling errors.

 

*shudders* bad vodka memeries

aww they're so cute

and now time for the big family reunion

great as always