cellobowsandarrows:
If there was one thing that could bring a little light to a dark situation it was a childs smile. Kate liked kids, Anakin kinda reminded her of Simones kids, so young and innocent and yet not in some way and so unware of the reality and the real harshness of the world and yet they weren’t sheltered. They just didn’t understand the fact the world was a pretty shit place, there was no alterer motives with them. Honest and straight to the point and so very egar to make things better. Sometimes Kate wondered her world might have been a far better place if people listened to kids more often. They had it more right than most of the adults.
It was sinking in how far away from home she was, this was this horrible feeling sinking in to her chest as she sat up straighter and it wasn’t pain….it was this wash of sorrow and almost loss. She had no idea what to do. How to survive here. She wasn’t a phone call away from the company to come and get her, she wasn’t able to call the family private jet to come and get her and take her home. No this was much more serious than that.
There were little flashes of memory, the green lights, the way Clint had screamed her name at her…and then somehow she was here. Tilting her head a little to the side she studied Anakin for a moment…the names were none that she recognised. “Mos Espa? Is that Spanish or something?” The sentence slipped out of her mouth before she realised what she had said. God she had to stop doing that. “Tatooine…” Kate tested the name on her lips for a moment before she crossed her legs, got herself comfortable for a moment and sat her bow on her lap. “I think…I might just be on the wrong planet Anakin…in fact I suspect I’m…very far away from where I should be.” Yet she smiled, almost reassuring because Kate was not going to be looked after a kid, oh the maternal instincts were strong in her. “How old are you…and isn’t it past your bed time?” She asked narrowing one eye at him. “When I was your age my mother would have had me if she caught me out this late. I should get you home before you get in to trouble.”
Giving her a quizzical look at the unfamiliar word “Spanish,” Anakin dropped onto his haunches beside her and winced a little as the change of position put pressure on a fresh bruise. So she really was from a far away planet, an entirely new one. He’d figured as much at first glance, but the confirmation still sent excitement thrilling through him—especially since she seemed to be lost. It wasn’t often that anything this exciting came to Tatooine.
“I’m nine and three-quarters years old,” he announced, lifting his chin with self-satisfaction, and then added, “That’s almost ten,” for emphasis. It had taken an agonisingly long time to get this close to double digits and he wasn’t about to let it go unappreciated.
At the mention of bedtimes and mothers, though, he hesitated, and his smile became sheepish and a little guilty. “Well… yeah,” he admitted, wishing he were grown-up enough that things like curfews didn’t apply. Apparently, though, even in Kate’s culture almost-ten-year-olds were still subject to them for a while. “But Mom’s still at the shop,” he went on dismissively with renewed confidence. “I don’t think she’ll mind if I just wait up for her.”
Still, he knew that there were legitimate reasons not to be outside this late. Sandstorms could appear with lethal speed in the dark and muggers weren’t uncommon even in residential areas. Anakin had no intention of going to sleep anytime soon with such an interesting person to talk to instead, but he could at least get her to safety.
“All right, we’ll go inside,” he relented, tugging at her sleeve with one hand and indicating the direction of his home with the other as he began to stand up again.
