A Birthday Less Ordinary

Title: A Birthday Less Ordinary
Author: Emmy
Geek Artist: Darry
Disclaimer: Don´t be a jerk, George.
Summary: It´s Jaelly Bean´s birthday!!

"Well, happy birthday to me," Jael said sarcastically. It just seemed like any other day at the end of a not so exciting week. Everything that was supposed to be fun turned out not to be, and now all she wanted to do was sleep. She sat in her chair staring at her computer screen thinking some exciting piece of email would come through any moment. But all she got was spammed. A nap was definitely in order.

~*~

Jael slowly opened her eyes and looked at the clock. "Crap!" She sat straight up in bed and rubbed her eyes. It was 7:00 and long past the time for her birthday dinner. Why didn't anyone wake her? She kicked off the covers as they stuck to her jeans and jumped for her door, swinging it open.

"Mom?" she called out as she walked down the stairs. Strange, it sounded like the house was empty. "I overslept....sorry!" she offered to anyone who would hear. But when she stuck her head in the kitchen, the room was empty. "Okay, where are you guys hiding?"

She peeked out the window, but didn't see any cars. Odd. Then she looked to the refrigerator and saw a note.

Dear Jael,

Sorry we missed you. Went out for dinner and a movie. Will be home late. Pizza in the freezer. Have fun, honey.

Love, Mom

Missed her? She was upstairs all afternoon. Jael pouted. A really, really big pout. It was her birthday! And her own family had deserted her. And all she'd get was frozen pizza.

And then she gasped. Was that....laughter? Wait, it was the television. Besides, her faithful canine companion would have eaten anyone who got close to the house. Jael sighed and sulked toward the living room to turn off the TV. Halfway there, she stopped. There was the laughter again. It didn't sound like anybody who was supposed to be in her house.

Jael tiptoed in and gasped loudly when she saw the back of the couch and the head that extended above it. The head turned suddenly at the sound of her surprise, and she stumbled back into the wall. How.... She tapped her head with her fingers because she obviously needed to wake up.

"Jael!" the guy who looked exactly like Obi-Wan, who WAS NOT REAL, exclaimed. "Happy birthday!" Jael eep'd as he walked over to her and gave her a big hug. Oh gosh. He was real, alright. He leaned back and grinned. "I hope I didn't wake you?"

"Uh...no."

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," he said, placing his hand on her cheek.

"I'm....fine. Uh...how'd you get in?" Not to mention, the bigger question of how he actually took living form.

"Oh, your mom let me in before they left," he said walking back over to the couch.

Alright, she really was dreaming. Obi-Wan had met her family and still decided to stay. She looked at the television and noticed that he was watching Mystery Science Theater. Okay, this could actually work out.

"You're hungry, I hope," he said, clicking off the television.

"Um, yeah." The thought occurred to run upstairs and grab her digital camera and send some photos to Boston.

"Good! Dinner is on the table," he said, walking up and placing his arm around her shoulders to sweep her toward the dining room. "I got take out from Chuy's if that's alright."

Alright? It was about as perfect as it could get. "Yeah, that's great," she said, a little more relaxed. She could go along with this, no problem. A padawan. Wait, not just any padawan, THE padawan. In her house. And he likes Mexican food. Jael couldn't really think of a good reason to ask any questions that involved a 'how' or a 'why'.

Jael watched Obi-Wan in wonder. He chowed down on his Elvis Memorial Taco Plate and talked and chortled like this was all NORMAL. As though sitting at her dinner table in Austin, Texas on planet Earth was something he did every other day. At first she had worried she was being delusional....but now she wondered if he was.

Not that it mattered or anything.

"Don't you like it?" he asked.

"What?"

"Your dinner."

Jael looked down at the abundance of food still on her plate. "Oh, I'm just full. It's a lot of food."

Obi-Wan looked down at his empty plate and grinned. "Hope you don't mind a pudgy padawan."

"Um...heh...." The grin was too much. Jael was glad she was sitting.

"Okay," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Time for your present."

"Present?"

He chuckled and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of her chair. "Well, it is your birthday, silly."

Jael trotted along behind Obi-Wan as he pulled her back into the living room. He led her to the couch and sat her down and then grabbed the gigantic gift bag sitting on the coffee table that she could swear wasn't there before. But since she hadn't really been paying close attention to the coffee table with Obi-Wan sitting in her living room, she wasn't going to argue the point.

She pulled the card out and carefully tore open the envelope with shaky fingers, still trying to let all this wonderful strangeness sink in...and afraid she might wake up. And then she hoped he didn't hear her tiny squeak when he sat down and placed his hand on her shoulder.

The card was one of those adorable pictures that made her sick to her stomach when other people received them. A little boy and a little girl dressed like sweethearts from the 1940's, standing in front of a train, the boy holding out a rose to the girl.

Jael opened the card and saw the inscription, "To my sweet Jael." And whatever Hallmark had actually printed on the inside didn't make a damn bit of difference. She read the handwriting again. His handwriting. Her name. And the word "sweet."

She could die right now. She hoped she didn't. But she could.

She looked up at him. His face was covered with amusement. "Well, go on. Open it."

Jael opened the bag and pulled out the curly shredded paper that hid her gift. And then she gasped. "Oh my God." She blinked. No, her eyesight wasn't failing her.

She reached in and pulled out an ergonomic mouse.

An ergonomic keyboard.

And a web cam.

"I.... I can't believe this," she stammered.

"I know you wanted all three, and I just couldn't decide on which one you'd want more. I know the mouse and the keyboard aren't very exciting, but with the pain you've been having...." Obi-Wan took hold of her hand and gently massaged it. Jael swallowed hard and willed her body to maintain solid form. "And I thought you'd have fun with the web cam. I suppose it's not very romantic, though."

Romantic? He hardly knew her.... In fact, he didn't know her at all.

Obi-Wan chuckled slightly and gave her a somewhat confused look. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Perfect," she sighed, gazing into his eyes. And then she realized her mouth was gaping open. "Uh...." She looked down at her gifts. "They're perfect. Thank you. I.... I don't know what to say. You shouldn't have."

"Of course I should have. I just wish I could give you more," he said, lightly stroking her cheek. "Force knows you deserve it."

Jael gulped.

Then Obi-Wan smiled. "One more thing." He stood up quickly and walked away.

And Jael feared one more thing just might really kill her.

"Close your eyes," he said as he returned from the kitchen.

Jael giggled and shut her eyes tight.

"Are they closed?"

"Yes."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes!"

Obi-Wan chuckled and sat down on the couch next to her again. "Alright, you can open them."

Jael's eyelids flipped open and before her she saw a delectable piece of chocolate cake on a plate with a single candle stuck toward the top of it, the flame flickering in the light breeze from the open window.

"Make a wish," he said.

Well, she already had that. So she simply wished that this wasn't a dream after all. And then she blew out her candle.

Obi-Wan held up two forks. "Do you mind if we share? This was the best I could do."

"No, not at all. It's wonderful," Jael said.

Obi-Wan saddled in right next to her. "Watch a movie?"

"Sure."

He clicked on the television and surfed until he found something interesting. But Jael wasn't exactly sure what it was because her senses were too busy processing the feel of his tunic on her arm, the warmth of his leg pressed against hers, his clean and very male scent, the sound of his breathing and laughter, and then the very pleasant feeling of his arm wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her close.

"Thank you for the birthday party," Jael said.

"Well, it wasn't much of a party," he said.

"It was the best one I've ever had."

Obi-Wan placed his hand on her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. Then his head bent down, and he placed a sweet, heart-stopping kiss on her lips. "I'm glad you liked it." He kissed her forehead and hugged her, running his fingers through her hair.

Jael decided to just stay right there, her face buried in his neck. It was a good place to be. She closed her eyes and savored this unbelievable experience.

~*~

"Hey there, babydoll," whispered against her hair.

"Hmmm?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"Hmmm." Nothing could drag her out of her best sleep in days....or away from the reassuring rhythm of his heartbeat.

Obi-Wan grabbed the remote and turned off the television. He sat forward slightly, careful not to disturb her, and then he slipped his arm under her legs and lifted her into his lap. Then he stood up and carried her upstairs to her room.

Jael was vaguely aware of being moved and carried. She only hoped she wasn't drooling on him.

Obi-Wan laid her down on the bed and then stood up to pull the covers over her.

"Mmmm..." Jael sort of whined, wiggling her fingers toward him.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. He removed his boots and then climbed into the bed, facing her.

Jael drowsily opened her heavy eyelids just to verify the fact that, yes, this really was Obi-Wan in her bed. She had a fleeting thought about her digital camera again.

"You know I'm here," he said softly, reaching forward to stroke her hair. He leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers. "Close your eyes." He kissed her eyelids as she did so. And then he pulled her in so her head rested under his chin. "Now sleep."

Jael tried to hold on to consciousness...but by the third mental recitation of "I will not fall asleep," she was out.

~*~

Jael rolled over in her bed and was highly disturbed by the sunlight blaring rudely in her face. She grabbed the pillow and pulled it over her head. As her mind woke up a little more, she stretched out her leg, noticing she was still in her clothes. She stretched her arms out wide and yawned.

And then she realized she was alone.

Well, of course it was a dream...as much as she didn't want to admit it.

"Are you awake?"

Jael didn't even hear the door open.

"Honey, why are you sleeping in your clothes?"

"Um.... I was tired."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, Mom."

"Would you mind explaining this?"

Jael slowly lifted the pillow off her face, squinting her eyes until they adjusted to the light. Then she bounded out of bed. She stopped for a moment to recover from the immediate head rush and then grabbed the bag from her mom and removed its contents.

And then the goofiest grin known to humankind spread across her face.

"Who is all this from?" her mom asked as a mother would.

Jael opened the card and saw that mind-numbing handwriting again. "A friend," she said.

"That's some friend," her mom said, again in that for-mother's-only tone.

"Yes, he is," Jael said with a slight squeal.

Her mom sighed in that way that only mothers do when their daughters don't elaborate on who "he" is. "Oh, you left your camera downstairs," she said handing it over.

"I did?" Jael took the camera and noticed there were three more pictures on it than there were yesterday afternoon.

No, it couldn't be.

Jael scrambled to her computer and plugged in the camera.

"You sure everything is alright?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be down in a bit," Jael said, which was the universal expression for "go away, it's computer time." Jael gave her mom the required good daughter smile as she walked out of the room. And then she downloaded the pictures, slapping her hand over her mouth to muffle the deafening squeal.

She never thought she'd be thrilled to see pictures of herself asleep.

It was time to email Boston.

http://www.geocities.com/nursedarry/jaelbday.html

Happy Birthday!!