AN: New Jedi Order Series. From Wedge's POV. George Lucas owns Star Wars and everything. This story goes along with "Reminders" River Hobbit 216
The Other Half
Looking down at the band of gold circling my ring finger, I marvel at its design. There are no cracks or slits in it, it is simply a band of gold going around forever, and it's never going to stop.
My heart does a little flip inside my throat as I think back to the time Iella had given it to me. I still can picture her face as she slid the ring onto my finger. I can remember her glowing smile as I wrapped my arms around her.
I remember the long nights that we spent together after our wedding. I remember the times that I spent with her and our girls, and those times are the memories that I hold on to. Those times were few and far between because of my job. But I didn't care about that, as long as I remember the times that I did have with my family.
I feel hot tears begin to roll down my face. My eyes are drawn back to the ring on my finger. Those times that I remember Iella are important to me, no matter what, and the ring reminds me of those times.
I wipe my eyes, but I can't stop my tears. I can't forget about what had happened and what I saw. I am glad that my girls did not have to witness it. They were not on the planet. Iella – I swallow as I remember – Iella was killed before my very eyes. Sobbing, I can just picture her killers, even now. It was the Yuuzhan Vong. Yuuzhan Vong warriors are relentless with their prisoners and sacrificed whom they saw fit. If Luke had not held me back, I would have sacrificed myself to be by her side. He had stopped me from joining her, even when I had turned against him. I hurt so much that I didn't see the honour in her death. For me, there is no honour in her death. Only in her life.
I have been without the other half of my soul for nearly three years now, and it still doesn't get any easier. My eyes blur as I wipe them again. My tears continue to find their way down my face and they drop onto the gold band on my hand. Nothing could be as excruciating as to losing Iella on that day, and I know I would have died beside her if Luke had not been there beside me.
He stopped me because he knew something that I had overlooked in that painful moment of losing the one I love, and that something is my daughters. He stopped me because my daughters needed me.