Neh'avi

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Meh'ano en'ss'anu'ek da a'ni'eh
Au'ri' Kheh'ana e'kheh'ss'o
Uri'o'auna kama'a
Ia no'aur'a en'de'ek na'ori'ss'a jeh'uma dia'ek ma'ka'aul'a
Kheh neh'avi

The return trip to the Dauntless was a strange affair. Subdued in the aftermath of the disastrous ending of the contest of wills between Lupines and bounty hunters, and utter joy and elation at the fact that after so long, Loklorien s'Ilancy had - in her arms at this very moment - her daughter.

It was a blessing and a tragedy, and the elder Lupine was torn on how to react. In the end she knew that what had befallen Arya was something that would need to be remedied, but for Teagan's sake, s'Il kept a tight hold on the girl. She crushed her to her chest, unable to speak for the longest time, and it wasn't until they were on their final approach to Dauntless' main hangar bay that she found her voice.

"Dama missed you so much," she whispered repeatedly, rocking back and forth.

For her part, Teagan held just as tightly to her mother, and had succumbed to happy tears, burying her head into Dama's chest, hands balling into fists that clutched her mother's shirt.

s'Il had decided it best to also wrap the girl in her own outer tunic, securing it tightly with her belt cinched as far as it could go, then knotted. Over that, Teagan had been given the shuttle pilot's uniform jacket. It was an odd arrangement, but it was better than having the little Lupine run about in the suit she'd been born with.

The elder Lupine shut her eyes tightly as she clung to her daughter, and she felt a tear escape to travel down her cheek.

"I missed you so very much."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak wasn't about to let go of Dama for anything. Not even if Dama was on fire. She cried, her face pushed against Dama to make sure that she'd not disappear. How long had she been gone?! It felt like years and years.

"I... *hic*... I missed you too," she managed to get out between sobs.

Eventually she lifted her head up to look at Dama with tear-stained, red-rimmed eyes. The worry on her face was plain to see.

"Did Daddy miss me too?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il lifted her hand to smooth out the worry lines in her daughter's face.

"Of course he did," she soothed, leaning forward to lay a gentle kiss to the girl's forehead.

"He missed you just as much as I did."

s'Il couldn't take her eyes away, and she brushed away strands of hair from Teagan's face. She had grown to be sure, but thoughts on that could wait as she felt herself fall into the realization that she'd gotten her baby girl back. It was a thought that caused her to pull the girl to her once more, holding her tights while resting a chin over the top of a sandy blonde mop of hair.

Neither mother nor daughter moved, even as the shuttle touched down. It eased to the deck of the hangar bay, and as the pilot finished his post-flight shutdowns before making his way to the lowering boarding ramp, it was obvious that the Jedi would not be wishing to move for a short while yet. He didn't even try to speak, instead knowing it best to make himself scarce.

And so now alone in the shuttle, s'Il rocked Teagan back and forth, arms around the girl in a firm and protective hold as she whispered words of love in Bast'yr.

[General Dan]

"Loklorien s'Ilancy, I leave my ship in your hands for two hours and you do this?"

Dan's gravelly kvetching sounded up the shuttle's gangplank as a signal to his arrival. He stomped heavily into the shuttle, determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

"You deviate from patrol, fire on a ship, leave your post, and wake me without half an inkling as to what's going on?!"

He reached the crew cabin, and paused. The sight that greeted him explained everything.

"Tak!"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

It didn't matter that his voice sounded angry. She just plain didn't care, and as the heavy sounds of his boots came close Teagan twisted in Dama's arms. She beamed wide, and just the sight of him caused a fresh well of tears as she slid from Dama's lap, hitting the deck with bare feet.

In no time at all Teagan was running to him, one hand coming up to wipe at her eyes while the other stretched out to take hold of him.

[General Dan]

He swooped down to sweep her off her feet in an enthusiastic embrace.

"Oh...how long has it been! I can't believe it! I can't!"

Relief washed over the Rebel General as he smoothed her hair over, clutching him close to her for what seemed like forever. As he held her, he looked over Teagan's shoulder at s'Il, with an expression that said all was forgiven.

"What happened?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her movements to stand were slow and measured, her eyes never leaving the heartwarming sight of father and daughter.

"She was traveling with another Lupine."

s'Il moved toward the two, the smile that she wore was a relieved and serene one.

"Once I'd discovered that, it was simply a matter of arranging a meeting."

Less than the truth yes, but she had become proficient enough in the art of deception, and taking credit for finding their daughter had come naturally. It was inconsequential however, beside the much larger fact that Teagan had been returned, and further talk on the matter of the bounty hunters who'd followed Arya could be discussed at a later time.

She reached the two, and her hand went out to brush over the back of Teagan's head gently. Wiping at the tear that had formed and fallen from her own eye, s'Il clenched her jaw to keep from the joyful weeping that threatened to overtake her. She closed her eyes and leaned forward to rest her forehead against Dan's shoulder.

"We'll never be apart again," she whispered, her voice very audibly shaking.

[General Dan]

The matter of another lupine aside, Dan showed relief at his daughter's reunion with the family.

"And the bounty hunters? Were they..."

He hesitated to discuss such dark matters around his daughter. But his concern was visible. Were they after Teagan? Who would do such a thing?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She knew where his train of thought was going, and leaned away to shake her head.

"Not for her."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

If her Dad was worried over upsetting her with talk of the bounty hunters, he needn't worry. With her arms firmly around his neck, Teagan held onto him with no intentions of letting go.

She turned her head so that it rested beneath his chin, giving a light sniffle as her tears began to dry.

"Dama said you missed me as much as she did," her voice was tiny, and still a little bit unsteady.

"Did you?"

[General Dan]

Dan hoisted her squarely ahead, his eyes meeting hers with his complete attention.

"Every bit, little girl. It hasn't been the same here without you and all the comics strewn about on the floor. I've missed you more than you know."

He gave her a squeeze at each shoulder, a relieved smile set nearly permanently on his face.

"Don't you ever leave me again."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Another sniff, and she gave a smile of her own while continuing to wipe at her eyes.

"I won't. I promise."

Of course, she hadn't been the one to voluntarily leave, and the memory of Zem saying that he and Dama were having troubles came to the forefront of her mind.

"Zem told me that you and Dama were having trouble, and that was why I had to leave."

She bit her lip before once more leaning into him, content to simply be held.

"Did you fix them?"

[General Dan]

Dan glanced up to Lok, curious to see her expression at this revelation. Of course, he'd known that her absence had been the work of the Jedi, but he wondered just how much was said. That she still genuinely clung to him was every indication that she was oblivious.

"Teagan, there are some things we should tell you about Zem. I'm afraid he's not a nice man."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il reached out to quiet her daughter, knowing that the girl was ready to offer a quick denial. A gentle shush, and the Lupine further wiped dried tears from Teagan's face.

"We can talk about that later," she soothed.

Her other hand went to weave itself around Dan's lower back, pulling him close and turning him toward the boarding ramp at the same time.

"First, I think it's time we went home."

[General Dan]

"Agreed. No more talk of danger or any of that. I'm clearing my schedule. We owe it to ourselves to be a family again."

Dan rose up, threading his fingers between Teagan's as he held her hand. The family left the shuttle as they should - together.

"I'll make sure to put a word in to the mess hall. My baby girl gets whatever she wants today."

Dan figured he'd regret that somewhat, as he knew that his daughter's tastes had become abhorrent on account of spending time around the denizens of Layla. Still, he let it go. Anything for her.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

There were plenty of curious stares given to the trio as they made their way from the main hangar, but s'Il paid them no mind. She had her daughter back, and at the moment that was all that mattered.

As they made their way through the halls and corridors, around corners and past officers and soldiers alike, the Lupine found her features settling into an expression of happiness and realized content. Her family was whole again, and there was nothing that could break it apart - neither she nor Dan would allow what had happened before to happen again.

As they stepped into the lift that would take them to the deck that held the officer's quarters, s'Il reached down to scoop Teagan up into her arms. Once again a hand went out to smooth across blonde hair, and she closed her eyes as she felt the girl rest her head against her shoulder, bright eyes staring at Dan and a grin on her lips.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Held in her Dama's arms, Teagan stared at her Dad. He looked just the same as the last time she'd seen him - which was a good thing. That meant that even though it'd seemed like years since she saw him, it really wasn't since he didn't look any older.

Her smile shifted downward slightly, as she felt a pang of concern.

What if they didn't think she'd be coming back? What if they'd decided to give away her things? Or if her room had been turned into some... some sort of office or they rented it out to a fighter pilot?! Or worse yet, what if they'd bought another kid to replace her??!!

Each thought brought a deeper shade of worry, and she bit her lip.

"You guys didn't give away all of my clothes and stuff, did you? Or give my room to someone else?"

She wasn't sure she really wanted to hear the answer to that.

[General Dan]

Dan paused mid-step, a look somewhere between shock and amusement. He looked to s'Il, whose expression seemed to mirror his own.

"Why on Coruscant would we ever do that?"

He gave her hand a squeeze.

"No sweety. We left it just like you left it. Not a thing moved. Even all the mess, just the same."

He paused, a knowing smile on his face.

"Although that does mean you have to clean your room now."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

More than a little amused at Teagan's concern, s'Il found herself smiling. She hugged the girl just a little tighter. Even as they stopped in front of the door to their quarters, s'Il still held Teagan as Dan keyed the entry code.

The door opened, and stepping inside, she set her daughter down.

"Go change, and we'll be off to get some food as soon as you do."

The girl needed no other bidding, and with a grin from ear to ear, ran through the front sitting room to disappear through the doorway that led into a hall.

For long moments she said nothing, simply staring after her daughter. The smile that she wore faded somewhat however, and squaring her shoulders just a little bit, the Lupine carefully turned around to look at Dan.

[General Dan]

"We can breathe a breath of relief again."

Dan looked down to her, placing a hand at her shoulder.

"No more searching, no more wondering where she might be. We're whole again.

As good as that is, it brings up certain questions."