Oh god, oh god, oh god...(open)

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian bursts into the Jedi dormitory, out of breath from having run all the way from the shopping district. Titian is cradled carefully in her arms, looking around in a bewildered fashion. His mommy sure is wierd today. He makes a curious noise, shoving his fist in his mouth as she shifts him, holding him tightly to her chest. Tears splash onto his little face as his mother sobs over him.

"I won't let them hurt you, boo bear. I promise. I promise we'll be happy, and no one will bother you. They can't take you from me. They can't..."

But they almost did. Twice. First the sith in the teahouse tried, and now that man at at the store...she almost didn't succeed. And all those people standing around...they didn't even move to help her! They stood and watched, and laughed at her, and took pictures to laugh at later.

"It was horrible!" she says to no one in particular.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei Wu Wei had just finished the final check-out preparations on his old room that he used to share with his wife, when he heard someone sobbing.

"Lillian, are you ok?" Wei asks through her door.

Lillian was almost never "ok" but he figured it would be a good way to begin. She might not tell him anything and might even push him away, but he was going to help her if he could. Wei's mother had taken a liking to Lillian and her baby, and enlisted her son to keep an eye on them both in her absence.

[Lillian Snow]

"No! A man at the shopping mall tried to steal Titian from me!"

She adjusts her baby boy in her arms so he can see Wei, knowing he'll cry if she doesn't. Titian smiles at the Knight; he's liked Wei since the Knight babysat him.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled and waved at Titian.

"He tried to take Titian? Why would he do that?"

The Knight spoke in a low, soothing tone so as not to get Lillian any more worked up than she already was.

"May I come in?" Wei didn't want to stand in her door all day.

[Lillian Snow]

She moves aside and lets him in, collapsing into a chair as Titian waves back.

"I...I don't know! But he did! He snuck up behind me to try and take him from my shopping cart, and when I saw him he tried to hit me!"

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei stepped just inside the door, taking in her account. "Is that right?" he asked in an incredulous tone.

He raised an eyebrow as he thought it over. "So what did you do?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Um!"

Well, this is the part she was hoping she wouldn't get asked about.

"I, um...I hit him...in the chin, with an open palm strike..."

She squirms, eyes wandering to the self-defense videos she's taken out of the archives. Why'd she have to go watching those before she went out?

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei nonchalantly followed her gaze to a number of martial arts instruction videos, and supressed a big smile.

"I see. Well, Lillian, you don't need to feel ashamed of yourself for defending your child. You were only doing the best you could with what you had. Sometimes we are not given the time or the chance to parley."

[Lillian Snow]

"I guess so. But no one tried to help me! No one spoke up or did anything. They all stared and laughed, and took pictures! No one even cared in the whole store..."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei frowned. "I'm sorry no one came to help. But people are like that. They hurt, and so they harp on other people's difficulty to try to ease their own pain. And I'm sorry to say that most people think Jedi are invincible and do not need help. They forget that we are human too."

If Lillian were not so uncomfortable with men, Wei would have hugged her. But unfortunately, all he could offer her was his words.

[Lillian Snow]

He is coming for you as well...watch out for him...

"Huh?"

The thought springs up as she reviews again the ordeal she's been through. She curls up, holding Titian to her, but says nothing and does nothing. Probably it's just adrenaline...she needs to calm down, and everything will be okay.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei pauses a moment, confused by Lillian's interjection. Surely she didn't just blank out right then? But Wei would repeat himself anyways.

"Do not be ashamed of your humanness, Lillian. Even though people think you are to be invincible, you do not, and should not have to live up to that very unrealistic standard."

Wei chuckled and leaned back, releasing a big breath. "Oh, if you would like, my mother and I can teach you some real martial arts. Those tapes are good if you're learning the hard martial arts, that is punching and kicking. But for the grapples and stuff, it's best to learn from a real instructor. Mom would help be your sparring partner."

[Lillian Snow]

She heard him and understood the first time, but doesn't say anything to interrupt him. As he mentions martial arts, she asks him only one question.

"How will it help? Apart from teaching me self-defense techniques?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

"You'll learn to be confident, and how not to be so frightened all the time," he replied.

Wei leaned forward, shifted a little, and then settled back down on the wall. "When you learn to act calmly when there's a fist flying in your face, not much else can faze you, really."

[Lillian Snow]

"Ah," she murmurs, nodding her acknowledgement.

"I...could, I guess. I'm not that strong though. I might not be able to do much."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei chuckled. "When I'm finished with you, it won't matter how strong you are. We're going to teach you the 'soft' martial arts. The throws are easy, and involve using the opponent's energy, rather than your own. What do you say?"

[Lillian Snow]

"Um...okay, I guess."

She sounds nervous, but there's a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She can learn discipline through this. Perhaps something active would be good for her. Certainly, having something interesting to watch would keep Titian quiet. He never sits still when she tries to meditate.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"So, are we good to go on this martial arts lesson idea?"

Wei wanted to make absolutely sure before he started making arrangements for his mother to stay.

[Lillian Snow]

"Sure," she agrees after a few more long moments. "It'll be good for me."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled and nodded. "That's the spirit! I'll make sure to tell my mother, and we'll get started on that the minute we are able."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian just nods, carrying Titian over to her window. The baby presses his face and hands against the cool glass, staring around at the garden outside with a quiet burble.

"Okay. Thank you."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei got up and started to let himself out. "You are most certainly welcome. I'll send you a message the minute my mother arrives. See you later!"