This is a oneshot requested by KungFu Jedi. I'm normally not used to writing this much angst, particularly from Luke. You have been warned! On a lighter note, I sincerely hope that you all enjoy this fic. :-D

Title: Souls of the Departed

Summary: If only he could reach out and touch his outstretched hand. He could see the young face smiling beautifully, waiting to receive him… Luke has a hard time overcoming the death of his father. Oneshot.

Rated: K+

Disclaimer: I don't own SW, sorry.

They were all so happy now. Everyone was celebrating and laughing. Faces that had never before smiled in all the time that he had known them were now giggling like excitable younglings. The whole galaxy seemed to be celebrating…

All except for him.

Luke Skywalker smiled as he hugged his sister and his best friend, but the galaxy seemed so empty. Nobody was supposed to be celebrating; all of their laughter and cheer was an insult to what the mood should have been: solemn and respectful. After all, a great man had died today: Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father.

It had been all his fault, really. If only he could have managed to get his father to the forest moon in time to be treated by some doctors… but it was too late now. His father was dead.

All his life, Luke had been wishing he could meet his father. He had loved Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, but it wasn't the same as having an actual parent there. When he had found out that Darth Vader was his father, it originally had terrified and repulsed him, but then a childlike joy began to spring forth as he realized that his father really was alive and accessible if he could just get through that black armor.

And yet when he finally did, when he finally saw the face of Anakin Skywalker… he lost him.

Luke suddenly felt so empty. The very thing he had been fighting for all this time was now lost to him. He should be happy; his father had been redeemed and was now finally at peace. Luke knew he should be content with that knowledge, but Force, why did he have to leave him?

After releasing the hug he had been holding with Leia, Luke wandered into the group of Rebels and Ewoks celebrating the emperor's demise. He was sure they were celebrating Vader's demise, too. He should be celebrating with them, too; after all, with the emperor and Vader dead, the Galactic Empire will surely crumble… but it didn't seem to matter anymore.

He knew this was a wrong feeling. He was being selfish. He still had Han, Lando, Chewbacca, Leia… the list went on and on… but it just didn't seem satisfactory. No one would ever fill the empty hole that tore at his heart; the empty hole that only a father's loving embrace could fill.

As Luke looked around the area, he noticed three figures observing from a distance. They were slightly transparent and had a blue hue about them. Luke recognized that from when he was visited by Obi-Wan; they were Force ghosts.

Two of the figures he immediately recognized: Yoda and Ben. The third, though, to the far left… who was that? Was that…?

Luke held his breath, praying that his assumption was right. The man smiled lovingly and watched Luke as he drew closer, almost in a trance.

The Force ghost's smile grew and he held out a loving hand. Luke began to run towards the figure. If only he could reach out and touch his outstretched hand. He could see the young face smiling beautifully, waiting to receive him.

Just as Luke drew near, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Leia, smiling lovingly.

No… he moaned mentally. He couldn't just return to the party, not when he was there waiting for him.

Luke begged the Force to let him reach the outstretched hand. He begged everything sacred to allow him this one moment of peace that he would never again obtain. He had to know, he had to hear his voice…

Leia began to pull him back towards the party. She didn't seem to notice the three Force ghosts at all. Luke tried to struggle out of her grip, but by the time he looked back, the three figures were gone.

The emptiness returned in full blast. Luke froze in mid-step. He couldn't take this… he wanted to see him… he couldn't live without at least talking to him once more… just one more time… oh, Force, please…

"Oh, Luke, what am I going to do with you? You're almost as hopeless as me."

The world had gone black. All Luke could see was the figure of the young man before him. The radiant smile was brighter than the two suns of Tatooine.

"F-father?" Luke called out timidly.

"Yes, Luke, it's me," Anakin Skywalker responded with a smile. "Did you think I would just abandon you?"

"I—but you…" Luke trailed off in disbelief, but he soon shook it off and ran towards his father. As he ran, though, Anakin seemed to get further and further away. "Wait!"

"Luke, I am dead," Anakin said. "We cannot touch each other. However, I can talk to you… at least for now."

"Why did you have to die?" Luke moaned.

"Death is a natural part of life," his father said. "A very wise Jedi once told me that. Do not mourn my passing, Luke. I am at peace here, and besides, some day you, too, will join me. Until that day comes, remember this: whether you can or cannot see me, I will always be watching over you…"

Luke closed his eyes, breathing in the words as if it were his only life source. He drank them up as if they were the first sip of water he had had in days. When he opened his eyes once again, he was back on Endor in the middle of the party. Leia was still walking him towards the group.

As he neared the other Rebels, he felt a new strength within him, remembering the words his father told him:

"Whether you can or cannot see me, I will always be watching over you,"

Fin

Okay, so this was suppose to be angsty but, hey, I'm a sucker for happy endings! :-P

Reviews please!