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Library [3.09]

Opening the library on a Wednesday was a new experience. As was Altra's bristled fur and puffed tail.

Since Karal didn't know what was up with the 'cat, and Altra was disinclined to share, he simply sighed and went to make sure all was in order.

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"So I hear you're not happy with Jaina." Frowning slightly, John was just going to get straight to the point here.

Karal's expression smoothed out into simple calmness, even if he was very surprised, and no little concerned. "Is that what Jaina told you?" he asked.

"From what I understand, she's under the impression that you, her friend last time I checked, don't trust her." He was trying not to glare because glaring wasn't helpful.

And that made him sad. He shook his head slowly. "No, I do trust her," he said quietly. He wouldn't have confronted her in the stables, wouldn't have sought her out in the Preserve, if he hadn't. "I am afraid for her, but I trust her."

Well that was confusing. "What do you mean 'afraid for her'?"

Altra wandered over to sit directly at Karal's feet, looking up at John, so Karal could see him better. "The path she is on, I'm afraid it will lead her into dark places, places she might not be able to return from," he explained after a moment or two of silence.

"Yeah, she's been to the dark places and I'm pretty sure she's doing what she can to avoid going back there." John was getting sick of arguing this point with people.

"I know she has." He rubbed his temple, studying John through Altra's eyes. "What is it you wish me to say, John?"

John sighed and shook his head. "I want you to not give her reason to avoid you, Karal."

"Actually, I'm staying away from her. I as good as said I would when when I apologised. I had hoped she might come by for tea, but I am not surprised she hasn't," he admitted. "I didn't realise she was specifically avoiding me." Not that he was surprised by that, either.

"Okay, then I just don't know what I'm doing here anymore," John said, putting his own hand to his forehead. He was starting to understand why his new sib had randomly sat down on the ground after hearing things she didn't like hearing.

"John--" Karal took a step towards him, then stopped. "You're here because you're worried about Jaina. Because you don't want me to make a hard situation any worse, and I cant say that I didn't do that. But she won't think about anything she doesn't want to, and that is what worries me, more than worries me. I said things to her she did not want to hear, and I said them in a way I wish I hadn't, but it doesn't make then untrue."

"That's just it," John started, throwing his hands up. "She is thinking. She just doesn't own up to it all. And she's talking to me, but not about everything." Probably because he wasn't asking the right questions.

"She did promise she would think about what I said," he murmured. "I am gladder than you could know that she's talking, John, and that she has you." He hesitated, not at all sure how this would be taken, but..."Should you need to talk about what she's going through with someone, I can listen."

"Yeah, thanks," John was tempted. "Talking to the professor just makes me crazier, but I get the feeling he's not going to be hearing from her either. How did I become the go between, here?"

Karal's expression was deeply sympathetic. "You love her," he said simply. "And she needs you. I would be happy to talk to Professor Skywalker for you, should you want me to. You're carrying a great weight, but you have people who will do everything we can to help make it lighter."

"Well, uh, yeah." And it was weird to John that Karal knew about the love thing. He had only ever been capable of admitting it when Jaina was around.

"As for the professor, thanks, but we seem to have a deal. Don't ask, I barely understand it myself." He really didn't.

"I'm not going to," he assured John. "One of the secrets to a long and happy life is not asking questions where Professor Skywalker is concerned."

"Mostly because the answers are probably not anything close to something you ever wanted to know," John supplied. "Especially about an ethics professor."

"Sometimes, it is better to remain ignorant," Karal agreed. "Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah," John shrugged. "Are you going to attempt to talk to Jaina? Just like you would normally. Back before you thought she'd break out the Force lightning if you said the wrong thing."

"I never thought she'd hurt me, no matter how much she might have wanted to," Karal told him. "At least, not with the Force. I would very much like to talk to her again." He shrugged one shoulder helplessly. "I miss it, but if it's just going to make her more unhappy, then I'll stay away."

"She's not unhappy," John argued before he realized that was probably a lie. "Okay, well if she is unhappy, she has every right to be. You know her cousin's here."

"Her cousin?" Karal shook his head. "No, I didn't know."

"Then I'm going to warn you that newbies, war, and family are all topics that are likely to get her clamming up and wandering off. Mostly because her cousin's from another universe where her twin is still alive."

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