Private Back Together

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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Prelude​

Well over a year ago now, Valery stepped out of stasis and began to adjust to this new time she found herself in. Between looking for a ship, scrambling credits for food, and learning about how much had changed and who was long gone, she was struggling immensely. But after the basic needs for survival and travel were taken care of, she made the decision to confront the past she left behind on New Cov, with the hopes of moving forward. She knew this was going to be one of the toughest things to do — to find her old Temple and remnants of what she once considered home. ​

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But during her trip there, she met someone who helped her get through it all. Someone she could lean on, and someone who understood her. What she didn't know at the time, however, was that she'd soon fall in love with him, thus beginning an entirely new journey. ​

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Together with Kahlil Noble , she was heading into a bright new future.​

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Chapter I: Vision​

Ever since word reached her via Millia that Kahlil was alive, and no longer touched by the Dark Side, she had trouble falling asleep at night. She couldn't help but wonder where he was, whether or not he was safe, and how she was going to find him again. This night started like any other, with Valery finding herself staring at the ceiling until pure exhaustion would force her asleep. But tonight, the Force reached out to her and her usual nightmares turned into a more vivid reality.​

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...​

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"Kahlil?!" Valery called out at the top of her lungs as she felt his presence.​

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The woman was standing deep inside what appeared to be a jungle, with tall trees blocking most of the moon and starlight above. Looking up, she watched as thunder split the sky apart, and when it did, she could feel the scar on her face burning. This looked familiar — she has been here before. With widened eyes and quick steps, she began to move through the dense flora, but he wasn't getting closer. ​

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Instead, she felt as if something was following her, something dark and threatening.​

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"Kahlil, where are you?!" she repeated, but her voice fell silent against the thunder and rain.​

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Valery continued to move, now sprinting, but he seemed so far away, and danger was close. Looking around, she spotted pairs of yellow eyes around her in the bushes, lurking like that one night she could never forget. She knew exactly where she was, but why? ​

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The woman suddenly stopped and drew in heavy breaths as exhaustion kicked in. Yellow eyes drew closer and began to circle around her, like predators approaching their prey. She gritted her teeth and from all directions, certain death jumped out towards her. But right before they could reach the woman, a bright blue light flashed into her mind, and she found herself awake, covered in a cold sweat and with the image of her lover on her mind.​

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"Kahlil...."​

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"I'm coming."​

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Chapter II: New Cov​

Valery hadn't even left a note when she quickly got changed, grabbed her lightsabers, and left Yula's apartment. There was simply no time to waste — she had to get to New Cov before it was too late. She knew that Kahlil was going to be there, but she also knew it wasn't going to be a safe trip. The Force had warned her about something, but she didn't know what it was. But right now, that didn't matter to her at all. She could finally get him back.​

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After boarding her X-wing, she plotted a course and jumped to the dangerous Jungle World, only to arrive there soon after at night. Just the mere sight of the planet shrouded in the darkness of night caused images of her vision to flashback into her mind, but she cast them aside and plotted a course for Ilic, the domed capital city of the planet. It had the highest population, and thus was the most likely place to find him.​

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But right as the woman pierced through the atmosphere, her sensors began to show signs of incoming ships. Three other vessels had jumped out behind her and approached rapidly. Two of them were so fast that they had to be fighters while the other, a transport ship of some kind, lingered in the back.​

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"What the..." she frowned heavily and tried to establish communications, but it was met with several bolts striking her shields. Immediately, she took evasive actions but she wasn't in her usual state and hadn't been in combat flight for many months. So where she'd normally outclass these fighters, she now found herself taking hit after hit... until the engine caught fire.​

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She was going down fast.​

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"No no no..."​

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With every bit of thrust she had, Valery tried to level the ship but she couldn't pull it entirely straight — by some miracle, the ship went between a group of trees and pierced itself into the jungle ground below. While the impact was softened somewhat by the surrounding flora, Valery was knocked forward in her seat and everything went black.​

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But she wasn't safe.​

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[Kahlil Noble]

It'd been a long time since Kahlil last stepped foot on New Cov. Not since he first met Valery Noble , now that he thought about it. The memories alone brought a soft smile to his lips, though the day was far from the same. Rain drizzled throughout the town, a very clear opposite to the sunny day it was when they first spoke to each other. Ah, he missed her. Mortis had been.. Special. Seeing her again, feeling her. Even now he could still feel that echo linger.

Wait.

His gaze lifted to the sky just in time to see a ship go crashing off into the jungle. His eyes widened. He dropped everything, much to the protest of the man he was currently picking up a delivery from, and ran to the jungle. There was no way what he felt was actually her. But still, he had this sinking feeling. Something was wrong.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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With a loud moan of pain, Valery opened her eyes — she was still sitting inside the cockpit of her X-wing, which was now buried within vines and other plants. Her head was exploding from the pain but through her own efforts, she had at least not hit her stomach against the panel in front of her.​

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The woman then flicked a switch and with a long hissing sound, the canopy opened up, allowing the heavy rain to immediately fall inside and soak her. Cold shivers went down her spine but pure adrenaline and fear for her child's life kept her going without really registering her own pain.​

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But as she stepped out of her X-wing and took a moment to focus, her senses felt him. Through their unique bond, she could feel him moving closer, but something was different about him. He really had lost his connection to the Force, making it impossible for her to reach out to him. The only thing that did echo between them through the bond was her despair, as her senses now picked up on her attackers too.​

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Deep within the jungle, and from all directions, Large figures in stormtrooper armor were ravaging their way through the fauna and flora. Sent by those wanting to kill her, they weren't ordinary soldiers. These beasts were wearing animal hides over their armor, had red hands painted over their helmets and body armor; and all of them carried an animalistic bloodlust with them. As if they weren't any different from the predators looking to devour people.​

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Feeling that they were getting closer, Valery began to run but no matter how fast she moved, their pace was far greater than her own in her current state. Soon, two of the goliaths cut off her path in front of her, forcing Valery to draw her violet blade once again. But rather than letting them get close, she used what little energy she had to lift them off the ground, and smashed them into a large tree.​

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They were down, but she was injured, cold, exhausted and there were many more of them.​

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[Kahlil Noble]

The jungles were a dangerous place. Especially when Kahlil couldn't sense the danger around him. The echo of the Force that he could still hear wasn't anywhere close to the level he'd been before he was severed from the Force. Yet he still ran through the underbrush, blaster in hand, uncaring of that sort of risk. Until he ended up face to face with one of the predators. He crashed through the brush just in time to see the large Mantessan Panthac in the middle of feeding.

A nervous laugh escaped him as he raised a hand, trying not to seem like a threat. The beast didn't seem to take kindly to that though, leaving behind it's meal to instead stalk towards the larger figure. This was bad.

He didn't have time for this.

Still, the once Jedi took a breath. The echo was still there. Around him, around the creature. If he could.. Kahlil reached out. The beast still growled at him, neither retreating nor seeming alright with his approach. Yet as he got closer, the echo grew in volume. Unhesitating, he set a hand atop the Panthac's head. And a bond was made. It wouldn't last long, he knew that much, but the creature's growls faded to a low purr.

Kahlil let out a sigh, then turned his attention ahead. "Let's go."

The underbrush around Valery Noble came alive as she ran from her hunters. Growls and snarls filled the air as a pack of Panthac descended on her foes, unseen through the bush. Yelling, orders, growls and snarls, all filled the relative silence as the two sides fought. Kahlil's brief bond had spread, enlisting him the help of the local wildlife. But he still didn't know where she was.

He emerged from the brush just in time to see one of the troopers level a blaster his way. He fired first, clean through the armored figures chest. And hissed. He still held hope this wasn't anything serious, but to see a Maw trooper here? Did that really mean Valery was here of all places? Lifting the rifle from the fresh corpse he continued on, barreling through the underbrush in a hopes to find his love.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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"Kahlil?!" Valery called out at the top of her lungs.​

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She could feel him — he really was there and getting closer, but so much darkness still stood between them. With every bit of strength she had left, she tried to get closer to him, but she simply wasn't fast enough. Soon, a group of Maw brutes forced their way through the thick New Cov vines and charged towards her, but something unexpected came up right behind them.​

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Valery recognized the predators from earlier trips to New Cov. They were dangerous pack animals she was taught to always avoid, but now they exclusively went after the large Maw soldiers. From a predator's perspective, it made little sense to leave the weakened, pregnant woman alone to instead fight something much bigger than yourself.​

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But then she felt it, faint but recognizable, and it all made sense.​

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Her eyes watered up and with newfound strength, she continued forward, pushing herself past the clash in the jungle. Again, she felt him getting closer through their bond, and while it helped her keep going, it also blinded her from seeing the two Maw brutes popping up through the bushes. Valery's eyes then widened as a large metal blade came down toward her head, but her reflexes were quick enough to cut it apart with her lightsaber.​

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Knowing this was life or death for both herself and her child, she channeled all her strength and followed-up by driving the violet plasma through his torso. As the beast died on her blade, she looked at it through long strands of wet hair, but she was too late to withdraw it to fight the other.​

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A powerful fist struck her right against the side of her head less than a second later, causing her vision to blank for a moment while her weapon fell to the ground. She stumbled back from the now-dead Maw soldier, but the other was right on top of her. With both his hands, he lifted her off the ground and tossed the woman towards a nearby tree, hoping to cripple her completely.​

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Valery knew striking it this fast could be lethal for the child, so with the last bit of energy she had, she was able to dampen the impact with the Force, right before hitting it. A loud scream of pain escaped her lips as she crumbled down, now sitting with her back against the tree while heavy rain continued to fall down on her.​

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"Kahli-" she tried to scream, but it was suddenly silenced by a large hand gripping around her throat and neck. With brute strength, the Maw beast began to lift her off the ground, keeping her with her back against the tree while he choked her. Valery tried to resist, to fight back, but she lacked the strength to do so. As her arms fell beside her body, the Maw brute used his other hand to remove his helmet and showed his teeth.​

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He was ready to eat her alive.​

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[Kahlil Noble]

"Kahlil?!"

The voice filled his ears, even from the distance they were away from each other. Valery Noble was here. He gritted his teeth as he redoubled his run through the underbrush, uncaring of the scratches and bruises from the branches in his way. Not even the jungle itself could hold him back. He came crashing through another of the bushes, just in time to see Valery held by her throat.

She was alive. He could feel that much. This much closer the echo that lingered around him was strong enough to tell him that. More, though. He raised a hand. All at once the pressure around Valery's throat was gone. The lumbering being that wanted to feast on Jedi flesh was pulled back. Then forced to their knees, into the ground. Gravity around the trooper increased at a rapid pace, forcing them to their hands, then flat against the ground. Pinned, unable to move. Alive but stuck.

Kahlil walked past them as the struggled. Valery was all he cared about. With the beasts around him fighting against the jungle itself he lifted her into his arms, smiling. They had a lot to talk about, after he got her away from this.

"Come pick us up R6."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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Valery looked at the beast that held a grip on her throat and briefly feared this would be the end. That she would be killed along with her child, leaving Kahlil behind even though they were this close to finding each other. But mere seconds before the lack of oxygen to her brain would knock her out, the pressure suddenly vanished and she watched the beast fly back.​

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While Valery fell down to her knees on the ground, gasping for air, she looked up to see the attacker being pinned against the ground with incredible force. And from behind him, a familiar tall figure appeared. ​

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Just seeing his face against after so long, to feel his presence and to see his smile as he came closer; was more than enough to send tears down her cheeks. For just a moment, she couldn't believe it but when she felt his touch, she knew all of this was real. They really had found each other again.​

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Lacking the strength to get up, she let him lift her up into his arms, and her head would come to rest against him, a wide smile on her face and a stream of tears down her cheeks. ​

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"Kahlil..." she said weakly. "You found me," Valery said but it was hard not to choke up.​

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Her eyes closed and with one hand resting over her stomach, she was able to tell him one last thing.​

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"I love you."​

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But although they were finally back together, they were not safe just yet. R6 had gotten Kahlil's message and the ship was already on its way, but it could not get into the dense jungle — it was forced to stand ready for pick-up at the edge of the tree line. It wasn't far but there was still one problem ahead.​

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The commander of this assault group, a Sith, was on his way. It wasn't a powerful Force-user by any stretch of the imagination, but Valery was hurt and Kahlil's power relied on their bond. Luckily, their bond was very strong.​

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[Kahlil Noble]

"I know."

There was so much more Kahlil wanted to say as he carried Valery Noble in his arms, but he could tell she was weak. Why, though? His gaze drifted, looking for wounds. Only to fall on her stomach. His mind blanked, but only for a moment. When they were safe on his ship that'd be the first thing he'd bring up. Right now? His gaze lifted as he felt someone else approach.

Well, more felt it through the echo he shared with the woman in his arms. A Sith, between him and safety. Neither him or the Sith said a thing. Kahlil walked forward, past the still pinned soldier growling in the mud. Even as the Sith pulled their saber, igniting the dim colored jungle in a haze of red, there was no jump in emotion from the once Jedi. He'd never be stronger than he was now, protecting Valery.

As the Sith leapt forward to try and strike the two down, he froze midair. Then plummeted under a similar effect to the cannibal. Crushing weight, immobilizing but nonlethal, kept the Sith from moving. From being a threat. They couldn't even try to use the Force to strike out at the larger man as Kahlil walked by. Reduced to growling, just like their subordinate.

The walk wasn't long. The Jungle remained on Kahlil's side, protecting Valery and him until he finally boarded his ship. They took off, heading out into space. Jumping into hyperspace to finally be safe. Wordlessly he set Valery onto the couch before rushing to get a medkit. By the time she'd wake, he'd of treated her wounds and set about making them food. Hot chocolate, still steaming, was on the table before her as he lingered in the kitchen, humming softly.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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With an audible moan, Valery's eyes opened up and began to look around. This place looked familiar, and the humming she heard from the kitchen was something she recognized too. Was all of this a dream? No, she still felt sore from moving and fighting through the jungle. ​

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Which meant...​

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Valery blinked and quickly got up to her feet, her body turning in the direction of the kitchen just to see him standing there. As quickly as she could, she moved over to him, ignoring any bits of lingering pain that could slow her down. She was being careful not to knock him against something hot, but she came in for quite the hug and held him tightly.​

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For a moment, she didn't even know what to say. Where should they even begin? So she decided to just speak from the heart, as her eyes shifted up to his.​

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"I've missed you so, so much." she nuzzled her face against him and let out a few shaky breaths.​

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"So much has happened since you left. It has been so difficult without you and..." Valery then realized something really important hadn't been mentioned yet. She then stepped back some and placed both her hands on her stomach while she looked at him with a smile and some tears of happiness.​

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"Sweetie, I'm pregnant with your child."​

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[Kahlil Noble]

He didn't exactly feel her arrival. More heard the shuffle as she got up and walked over. Now that they were safe, his need to pull on their connection had faded. And with it his ability to sense through the echo of the Force. It was.. Odd. Having that echo so close but only temporary is something to get used to. Kahlil set down the spatula as he felt Valery Noble 's embrace, turning to wrap his arms around her in turn. Pulling her close.

"I know." Again, too many things he wanted to say came to mind, but as she stepped back and set her hands on her stomach, only one mattered. He smiled brightly, almost in disbelief as he reached out a hand to set against her stomach. A child. His child. He was going to be a dad. Oh god he was going to be a dad. The realization settled in obviously in his features. The wonderment, the happiness. The dread only a parent could feel from the nervousness of being a first time parent.

"We're gonna be parents." He spoke in disbelief, then joy. "You're gonna be a mom."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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Valery looked at him with a huge smile and stepped closer to take his hand. She placed it gently over her stomach and looked up, her expression stronger than before. She knew it was going to be extremely challenging, nerve-racking and there were going be times where they'd be struck by fear. But now that Kahlil was back with her, she felt ready to take on the responsibility and looked forward to watching their child grow up.​

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This was one of the biggest moments in their lives.​

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"That's right," she said with a warm smile. "We're going to have that family we once talked about."​

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Valery seemed incredibly happy at the thought. There was so much catching up to do, but right now that didn't matter — nothing was more important to her than Kahlil and her daughter.​

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"We need to also come up with a name for her," she said, thus letting him know it was a daughter. "I wanted to wait for you to be back before settling on anything."​

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[Kahlil Noble]

Before he left, this all would of brought horror to the back of his mind. The shadow of doubt born from his connection to his father. The brand that marked his fate. Now? Free of it? All there was was joy. Nervousness, sure. But not because he was scared his father might randomly take over his body. New parent nerves, excitement, all of it. All shared with Valery Noble . Her?

He blinked, lifting his gaze from the baby bump to the mother of his child. Daughter. Kahlil just smiled brighter.

"Vera."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Pregnancy: 3/4 of the way in 3rd trimester​

Ship: Factory link​

Tag: Kahlil Noble ​

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A chuckle escaped Valery's lips as she watched the realization that he was getting a daughter kick in. His smile would be met with one of her own, which only grew wider when he suggested Vera as a name for their daughter.​

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"That's a beautiful name. It's perfect..." Valery said before stepping into him again, into this warm embrace. She had missed this so much that if it wasn't for the fact that food was being prepared, she'd stand here with him for hours. Just embracing him. But smelling it, she stepped back and looked back into his eyes.​

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"Let's sit down, eat and catch up? I'm sure we have a lot to talk about." Valery said, excited to tell him about her Padawans and all the good things that had happened as well.​

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