Getting back to Coruscant had involved a lot of immediate activity in trying to get things settled and telling people and getting information and yet for as hard as it was, Jaina preferred it to when all that was done and she had time to herself again.
She'd considered making this call before she'd even left Hapes, and she'd say she'd waited to get more information about what was going on- which was true- but she just really didn't want to have to make this call.
But she had to do it, so she called and maybe hoped that he wouldn't pick up, because this would be horrible to leave on someone's voicemail.
"Yeah." It wasn't like Ben was the first person she'd had to tell about this, so she was trying to tell herself it shouldn't be that difficult. Even though it really, really was. "We need to talk."
There was a very long pause on Ben's side of the line as he shoved aside his memories of this very same moment from a few years ago and struggled to get his emotions under control.
"Yeah," she said, nodding. And she really was handling this better than she would have thought, not totally ignoring the grieving process. "We're headed out already so at least I have other things to focus on."
"Not so good," Jaina admitted. "He's worrying me a little."
That would be Jaina vastly understating things. But she was determined to handle Alema and Jacen, so at least that should take some pressure off, right?
"I'm not used to seeing him like this," she said. "I have no idea how to deal with it." It was leading to a lot of 'Okay, whatever you say, Uncle Luke' and she didn't like feeling like that was the way to respond when he was like this.
She'd considered making this call before she'd even left Hapes, and she'd say she'd waited to get more information about what was going on- which was true- but she just really didn't want to have to make this call.
But she had to do it, so she called and maybe hoped that he wouldn't pick up, because this would be horrible to leave on someone's voicemail.
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Jaina didn't. "Hey, it's me."
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"Jaina?"
Please don't tell me...
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"Everyone okay?" he asked very, very quietly.
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She refused to use 'your mom' there. Wasn't happening. This was one of those times she felt it very important to keep the timelines clear.
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"Oh," he finally managed.
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That would be Jaina vastly understating things. But she was determined to handle Alema and Jacen, so at least that should take some pressure off, right?
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Focusing on other people meant he didn't have to deal with his own emotions, and he was clinging to that.
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