| Title: I Don’t Know You Anymore Author: Marina Kenobi Summary: When Marina gets some much needed time without Obi-Wan, something long buried from her past resurfaces…Based off of the Savage Garden song "I Don’t Know You Anymore". Spoilers: My own stories. If you’d prefer to wait a couple of years to read my Episode 2, then go ahead, but I’m warning you now…there are a few spoilers in here about things that happen to Marina! Disclaimer: Well, I don’t own Obi-Wan (darn!) or Star Wars, that’s the Flannel Guy’s domain. And as great as the song is, "I Don’t Know You Anymore" is also not my creation, but it’s Savage Garden’s. Marina and the others are my characters, though. Feedback: Marina_Kenobi@yahoo.com …I like constructive criticism, not flames! Acknowledgements: Thanks and chocolate to Corra, for letting me bounce character ideas off of her, and to Clonetrooper Bob, for being the first Clonetrooper to post on my message board. (Look! I acknowledge people who lurk on my website!) Author’s Note: For those interested, the lyrics to the song are after the story. * * * Husbands can be highly annoying things. Marina Jadé Jinn Kenobi discovered this truism once again three months after her son had been born. Her husband, the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, insisted on trying to help with every little thing about the baby. The first month, it was endearing; the second month, it was still cute, although a tinge frustrating; now, it was full blown annoying. That was why Obi-Wan suddenly discovered himself being sent on a mission halfway across the galaxy. Being the former Padawan of a Councilor did have its privileges. Obi-Wan was very reluctant to leave his wife and son Jarril even if the mission was only supposed to last a few days. However, he quickly saw the wisdom of leaving—Marina still had a temper, no matter how much a patient and loving mother she was to Jarril. So Obi-Wan had left, and it was just Marina and Jarril on Coruscant. At the moment, Jarril was showing his stubborn side and refusing to be coaxed to sleep. Marina was trying to rock him to sleep when her comlink beeped. Continuing to rock Jarril, she reached onto her belt and took off her comlink. "Kenobi," she said lowly into it. "Marina?" a vaguely familiar male voice replied. She couldn’t quite place the voice… "Yes, this is Marina," she confirmed, gripping the comlink slightly harder. "I’m afraid you have an advantage over me. Who are you?" "Marina, it’s Brandel. Brandel Larob." "Brandel?" she repeated in disbelief. She held Jarril a little closer. "Yes, it’s me. I was wondering if maybe I could visit you." "To–today?" Marina questioned, stunned. Events were moving almost too fast for her tastes. "Yes, today," the voice asserted. "Look, I know I shouldn’t have called, but Marina, this ten-year silence has been rather childish." And of course you would be the one to extend any sort of peace offering—you always were in control of us, Marina thought bitterly. Outloud, she said, "Does Irisi know about this?" "Marina, we can relax for awhile and talk about anything. Almost like normal people instead of Jedi." There was a burst of static as Brandel sighed. "Look, I know you haven’t forgiven me, but if you can at least pretend, I can come and face you. And your new life." "Quite a courageous act," Marina responded. "Too bad you weren’t more courageous back then." "Marina–" the voice started, but Marina didn’t hear the rest. Jarril started crying again. She shifted her grip on him, allowing her son to rest his head on her shoulder. His crying quieted down to a whimper. The comlink was quiet. "Hello?" she said. "Was—was that a baby?" the reply came. Marina bit her tongue to keep from biting out a sarcastic remark. "Yes, Brandel, it was a baby. My son. He’s three months old. Why?" "You have a child," Brandel responded. "I…I really didn’t expect that." "It has been ten years," Marina replied, somewhat gently. She wasn’t sure why she was being so kind. "You’re married, aren’t you?" His sudden question took her by surprise. "Well, yes. I’ve been married for a little more than a year now." "Look, Marina, a lot has changed," Brandel said. "Your name, your place in the Order—even your personality seems different. I know we haven’t spoken to each other in a long time, but we’re just running now, from our mutually painful past. To be frank, Marina, I just want to see you again." "Look under Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Temple directory. I’ll see you over here in—ten minutes? I need time to put my son down for a nap." "Of—of course—uh, that’s fine with me. Ten minutes." She had thrown Brandel off for once. "See you then," she replied coolly and clicked off her comlink. She looked down at Jarril, who stared up at her with his father’s blue-green eyes. She smiled at him, and he crinkled his nose in response. "This time, you really are taking a nap, young Kenobi," she told him firmly, and carried him to his room. * * * Precisely ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Marina tuck a stray piece of her behind her ear (she had taken to wearing it down when she was around home, since both her husband and son seemed to like it that way) and opened the door. There, standing in front of her, was a figure directly from the past. He was about 1.9 meters tall, with black hair and striking blue eyes. He was also smiling slightly. The smile faltered as he saw Marina. "Marina?" he asked, uncertain. "Hello, Brandel," she replied. "You…you look different," Brandel said. "It’s not the age, it’s the mileage," she responded wryly. "I’m only twenty-nine years old. Please, come in." She gestured to take in the room. Brandel came in and sat down on one of the couches. He glanced around the room. His gaze passed over everything, then seemed to pause at the picture of Marina and Obi-Wan’s wedding. "Would you like something to drink?" Marina asked politely. His eyes flicked up to Marina. "Whatever you’ll be having." "I’ll be back in a minute, then," she responded. She paused. "If you feel like you want to catch up on my life through pictures, you can look through that holograph album on the caf table." Then she disappeared from the room into the kitchen. When she returned a few minutes later with two mugs of steaming hot liquid, she found Brandel engrossed in looking at a picture in the holograph album. "Here’s your drink," she said to get his attention. He looked up, put the album back on the table, and took his mug. He took a sip of the drink, then smiled slightly. "I should have known. Hot chocolate," he declared. "One thing certainly hasn’t changed about you." "I needed something to remain a constant," she replied. She smiled. "Besides, it just tastes good." Brandel laughed slightly. He ran a hand through his black hair. "Last I heard, you were still with Irisi," Marina commented casually, sitting down in a chair across from the couch. "She’s still my wife," Brandel replied cautiously. Marina nodded. "Did you hear what happened to the Senator of Fondor and her aide last winter?" she said, changing the subject. "One of my friends was involved in wrapping up the situation this spring," Brandel replied. "It was very messy for a while there." "That story reminded me of you, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Senator," she pointedly said. "If you know what I mean." Brandel met her gaze steadily. "What’s your point, Marina? What are you getting at?" "I’m not sure," she replied coolly. "Perhaps I finally feel like I’ve gotten my life together again. Yet here you are…" She lowered her gaze. "And?" Brandel prompted. "Don’t stop, Marina. You can go ahead and give me a piece of your mind. It’s alright with me." "It’s just…the past year and a half have been so wonderful. I can’t help but wonder what you being here might do to all that." She met his gaze steadily. "Especially if you’re still the same Brandel I remember." "The last opinion you had of me…it hasn’t changed, has it?" Brandel responded. Marina glanced away. "I don’t know you anymore, Brandel. Like you said, our whole lives are different now. We haven’t spoken to each other decently in ten years. Ten years!" "Why, Marina?" Brandel questioned. "Why do we keep running from it?" Marina shook her head. She got up from her chair and started to move towards the kitchen. "Wait, Reen," he said, using her old nickname, the one that he invented for her. Marina froze in place. She slowly turned back around. "I know that I really let you down, Reen," Brandel admitted. "More than once, to be completely honest. And I do know that I never really treated you right. Trust me, I’ve paid for that, Reen. I’m still paying for it." He took a deep breath. "I lost you, Marina. I’m still regretting how idiotic I was with you. I don’t expect you to forgive me now, Reen, maybe not ever, but I at least thought that you should know." Brandel waited a minute, but after no response whatsoever from Marina, he stood up. "Maybe I shouldn’t have called," he offered. "Maybe it still was too soon to remind you of the pain I inflicted upon you." He started moving towards the door. He turned back suddenly. "Oh, stang it all. I know we can’t get back what we had. What could you even call it? A dictatorship? The reason I came back today…we’re getting older now, Marina. We’re good at what we do, and the Republic needs all the Jedi it can in its current state. I didn’t want something to happen without you at least knowing that I’m sorry." He paused again. Marina spoke into the silence. "Brandel, I don’t know who you are anymore. Maybe you’re still the same arrogant twenty-two year old you were when I last knew you. Most likely you’re not, just as I’m not the same quiet twenty year old. The point is, we’ve both changed. It would be wrong of me not to forgive you now. I forgive you, Brandel." Silence reigned in the room. Then Brandel moved over to Marina. He extended his hand to her. "My name is Brandel Larob." Marina accepted his hand. "My name is Marina Qwin Kenobi. It’s nice to meet you again." "And you as well, Jedi Kenobi," Brandel responded easily, shaking her hand. "Speaking of Kenobi, where is the lucky man?" Marina laughed lightly and gestured for Brandel to sit back down. "Obi-Wan was driving me crazy, so I had Master Adi get him out of the system." Brandel shook his head. "Someone driving you crazy? I didn’t think that would ever be a problem." "He’s been like that ever since I met him. At the time I still wasn’t looking upon guys too kindly…" "I thought I’d heard rumors to that effect," Brandel commented. "I’m sorry that I caused you that much heartache." "Well, Obi-Wan was too stubborn to let that stop him, so don’t worry about it," Marina responded. "And you have a son?" he asked. "Yes," Marina confirmed. "His name is Jarril, and he’s finally getting a nap, so I’m afraid you won’t be able to see him this visit." "As stubborn as his mother?" Brandel teased. She shook her head. "Worse. Both his mother and father." He had to laugh at that. "My youngest, Nashira, is like that." "How many children do you and Irisi have?" Marina curiously asked. "We ended up having three," replied Brandel. "A boy and two girls." Marina took a sip of her chocolate. "How old are they now?" "Javin, my son, is nine years old now," Brandel reported. "Aellyn is six, and little Nashira just recently turned four." He pulled a holograph out of the pouch at his belt. "Here’s the most current picture of the three of them." "Nashira is darling," Marina told him, studying the holograph intently. "Javin looks a lot like you, and Aellyn…" "Looks like Irisi? It’s rather strange having two miniatures running around the Temple," he commented cheekily. "Jarril looks more like my husband than me," Marina declared. She smiled. "Which is actually fine with me. I like the way my husband looks." She noticed Brandel’s empty mug. "Would you like some more hot chocolate? I can run right in and grab some for you." "No, thank you. Actually…" Brandel glanced up at the wall chronometer. "I really should get going." Marina nodded and walked Brandel to the door. They both started speaking at the same time. "I think it might be best if–" "Do you think that we should–" They both laughed. Brandel gestured for Marina to go first. "I think that we should keep this visit just between us. We both have busy enough lives anyway." Brandel nodded. "I was going to ask you if you thought we should do that. By all means, I still think we should acknowledge one another if we ever pass each other but…" "I agree. You will have to see Jarril sometime, however," Marina told him. He smiled. "I would like that." He turned to leave. "Brandel?" He looked back at Marina. "Thank you for having the courage to apologize. And…well, keep on loving Irisi. I don’t think she ever truly knew what was going on, but she still deserves your love." Brandel nodded. "I will." He paused, then said, "May the Force be with you, Reen." As he stepped swiftly out the door, she quietly replied, "As well as with you, Rand. You need it." * * * I would like to visit you for a while Get away and out of this city Maybe I shouldn’t have called but someone had to be the first to break We can go sit on your back porch Relax Talk about anything It don’t matter I’ll be courageous if you can pretend that you’ve forgiven me Because I don’t know you anymore I don’t recognize this place The picture frames have changed and so has your name We don’t talk much anymore We keep running from the pain But what I wouldn’t give to see your face again Springtime in the city Always such relief from the winter freeze The snow was more lonely than cold if you know what I mean Everyone’s got an agenda Don’t stop Keep that chin up you’ll be alright Can you believe what a year it’s been Are you still the same? Has your opinion changed? Because I don’t know you anymore I don’t recognize this place The picture frames have changed and so has your name We don’t talk much anymore We keep running from these sentences But what I wouldn’t give to see your face again I know I let you down Again and again I know I never really treated you right I’ve paid the price I’m still paying for it everyday So maybe I shouldn’t have called Was it too soon to tell? Oh what the hell It doesn’t really matter How do you redefine something that never really had a name? Has your opinion changed? Because I don’t know you anymore I don’t recognize this place The picture frames have changed and so has your name We don’t talk much anymore We keep running from the pain But what I wouldn’t give to see your face again I see your face I see your face Copyright 1999 Savage Garden Off their Affirmation album Story copyright 2001 Marina Kenobi Ask before you archive! I'd like to visit. |
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