Chapter 4
"I'm spending the day with my dad today." Sara spoke to Jacen over the holo-phone in the living room of the apartment, where her and her son now live in with her father and his wife. "When are you coming home?"
"We're getting home in about five days" Jacen replied. He was on the Falcon floating in the orbit of Coruscant, getting ready to go with his family on a short vacation to Corellia, before the mission to Myrkr. Han and Leia wanted some quality family time together before war scattered their family across the galaxy.
"I miss you." She pouted and shortly cracked a smile across her face because she could no longer hold a straight face while she teased him.
"I miss you too," Jacen smiled. "Don't look so sad, I'll be back before you know it."
"Yea and then you are just going to leave right after you get back." She humored him, took a deep breath in and sighed. "I should get going."
"So should I. I love you, see you soon." Sara heard Han swearing at something in the background, making her smile and chuckle to herself.
"I love you too. Bye" she said as she turned of the screen.
"You almost ready to go?" Luke asked as he entered the room, his daughter turning from the screen to face him.
Sara saw her father gazing at her with a fatherly smile that warmed her heart. "Almost." She smiled back. "Is Mara coming?" Thinking it was oddly quieter then normal, she looked around the living room into the kitchen wondering where Mara, Ben and her son were.
"No she is taking Ben and Obi-Wan out shopping. She is getting school supplies for Obi-Wan. Then she is taking them to the beach platform. So, today it is just you and me." Luke smiled, walked into the kitchen and searched the fridge for food as he explained.
"Just like it used to be." her eyes filled with delight as a smile ran across her face. "I can't wait!"
Luke smiled back at her amazed about how much she had grown up in the past three years. "I'm a little hungry. Do you want anything to eat before we head out?" Luke started to make sandwiches before she could even answer.
"Sure. Let me grab my holocam while you finish up." Sara left the kitchen area and walked to her bedroom where she opened a drawer in her nightstand and found the Holocam. She reached down to grab the cam when a sickening feeling brushed over her. Something was not right. The feeling of pain and fear flooded her. Her mind went to her son, but felt a bundle of joy where he was. Jacen crossed her mind next. Was something was wrong with the Falcon, but the sickening feeling was closer. "Daddy," she whispered to herself as dread filled her. She ran back to the kitchen and stopped in her tracks when she saw her father collapse onto the floor. "Daddy?" she dropped her holocam letting it fall to the floor and shatter in to peaces. "DADDY!" she screamed as the frightened girl hurried over to Luke side.
Sara leaned over her father, his face pail as a ghost. "Daddy, Please….No" she watched her father's eyes as he winced in pain. Luke reached out to touch his daughter's face. She grabbed it and pushed it against her face kissing his shaky hand. "Daddy please! Somebody help me!" She screamed out hoping someone was near by to hear her plea. "Daddy no…don't leave me" She begged for him to be ok but he was fading quickly. "…HELP! Anyone! Help!" Sara cried out again. Sensing that no one was around, she realized she had to do something. She closed her eyes letting the Force guide her actions and placed her hand on his forehead. Instantly she felt all the pain her father was feeling flow through her making her cry out in agony. The pain was so over powerful that darkness soon followed.
The enormous wooden doors swung opened echoing throughout the grand chamber of one of Korriban's many Sith temples. A human proudly marched through locking his gaze on his Sith Master who was sitting in his throne meditating. Upon reaching him he knelt down to one knee offering himself to his lords services. "You summoned me Darth Themus."
The Zabrak sat quietly with his eyes closed concentrating on the darkness flowing through him. "There is a disturbance in the force." His voiced boomed throughout the room as he spoke. He opened his eyes. "This disturbance might give us the chance we need to obtain the child."
"Yes Master. I have felt it too." The apprentice was eager to hear that they are so closed to there goal of obtaining the key in defeating the Jedi.
"Go to Coruscant and intercept the Key." He ordered.
"Yes Master," the human was honored to be given the task but hesitated as a thought crossed his mind.
"Darth Zom, your thoughts betray you." Darth Themus accused him.
"What if I run in to Skywalker? I am no match for him alone."
"You have a lot to learn." Themus scolded him. "You will not have trouble with Skywalker."
"Yes Master." He bowed his head as sign of apology.
"And Darth Zom," he locked his eyes on him. "Don't fail."
The order sent a chill down Zom's spine but he did not show his fear to his master. "Yes Master." The human bowed and swiftly stood. He turned on his heel and walked out of the grand chamber in the same manor he entered in.
The Solo family traveled through Hyperspace on there way to Corellia. Jaina was sitting next to her father and tried to help him fix a modification with the lighting in the hallway that connected the common room and the cockpit. Jacen sat with his brother and mother playing a game of Dejarik while they waited to arrive out of hyperspace. Jacen moved his blue Mantellian Savrips peace and it attacked Anakin's yellow Houjix peace. The two peaces fought until the Mantellian Savrips won.
Frustrated, Anakin sighed. "You cheated!" he accused his older brother.
"I did not." He bickered back. "You still have a chance to win."
"He is right sweetheart." Leia analyzed the game as she sat next to her youngest son. "All you have to do…"
"Mom, don't tell him!" Jacen exclaimed. "Let him figure…" Jacen's sentence trailed off as the feeling of pain brushed over him. He looked around at his mother and brother, the expression on their face showed that they had felt it too. Jaina hurried into the common room with a worried look in face and tears in her eyes.
"Jaina, I didn't mean it like that," Han followed his daughter hoping he didn't offend her by something he said. "I just meant that…" Han caught sight of the rest of his family. He didn't need the Force to know that something was not right. "What happened?"
"It's Luke." Leia spoke softly. "Something is wrong with him." Everyone was silent. No one knew what to say or do until an alarm went off indicating that they had arrived at their destination and everyone seemed to move at once. Han left to go to the cockpit followed by Leia and Anakin, Jaina walked over to the Falcon's communication system and tried to get a hold of Mara. Jacen Pulled out his personal comlink and tried to get a hold of Sara.
After both of them being unsuccessful on reaching anyone, the twins joined their parents and brother in the cockpit. "Any word?" Leia asked her children.
"No," Jacen shook his head.
Another beep sounded that startled everyone, it was an incoming call to the Falcon. Han took a deep breath and answered it apprehensively. "Hello?"
"Han, it's Corran." The familiar voice sounded through out the cockpit. "You might need to cut your trip short, Luke is in the medical ward."
"Is he ok?" He asked almost fearing the answer to the question.
"Yea, he'll be ok. He just had a heart attack."
"How is Mara?"
"She is hanging in there. She needs some help with the kids."
Jacen's eyes widen and jumped out of his chair. "Where's Sara?"
Silence filled the cockpit. Jacen clinch his jaw tight as he waited for the answer. Finally Corran spoke "She is taking this really hard."
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Jacen decided with out discussion.
Jacen arrived at the medical ward and poked his head in the open door were Luke had been placed in. When Mara saw her nephew in the doorway way she quickly walked over to him and hugged him. "Thanks for coming home early Jacen, He is in a Force Healing hibernation. He is going to be fine when he wakes up." Mara gestured the young man in to the small medical room where Luke was resting as she gave him Luke's status up date. "We all felt him in the force and Corran was the first to arrive. He heard her screaming as he ran to the apartment. When he finally got their both Luke and Sara were unconscious. He said that she woke up shortly after he got there and while the medics taking care of Luke, Corran said that Sara was pacing back and forth muttering to herself how she thought she killed him, but whatever she did it saved his life. She hasn't left his side. Danni came to pick up the kids but she can only take them until tomorrow morning" She looked at Sara curled up the tiny bed next to her father. "She needs a break from this place."
"We'll stop by your place and pick up a change of clothes. Then I'll take her to my place, you can tell Danni to bring the kids by there when ever she needs to. How are you doing?" Jacen asked surprised at how well his aunt was holding up.
"I'm hanging in there. They say he is going to be fine, thank the Force." Jacen could see that she was in control but he could feel that she was all shook up inside. "I don't know what I would do without him." Mara voiced quivered at the thought of losing her husband. "I can't imagine raising Ben without him, on my own. Ben would have never known what a wonderful man his father was." The thought frighten her.
Jacen wrapped his arms around his aunt, knowing that he didn't have the words to say to comfort her. Mara hugged him back tightly and then let go so she could gain back her composer she temporarily lost.
"Could you do me a favor Jacen?"
"Anything," he responded without a second thought.
"Take care of Sara, she hasn't eaten or slept yet and I'm worried she is going to get sick."
"You have enough to worry about. I'll take care of her. I'm sorry about Uncle Luke, everything will be ok." He gave his aunt another hug to comfort her. "Mom and Dad will be back late tomorrow. They got a little held up on Corellia." They turned and walked over to the bed where Sara lied curled up on the bed next to her father.
"Sara, Jacen is here. He is going to take you with him." Mara said solemnly but Sara didn't respond. "You need a break from here." She tried to explain to the unresponsive girl.
"Come on Sara," Jacen put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll bring you back tomorrow." He gently guided her to get up off the bed. Sara followed him willingly with out a word or with out shedding a tear. She desperately put her arms around her loved one's waist and clung on to him tightly.
"I'll call you if any thing happens." Mara told them as Jacen walked Sara out of the room.
Sara walked into Jacen's bedroom with her arms wrapped around herself. Jacen followed behind her caring a bag full of Sara's stuff. Sara stopped in the middle of the room. She had not said a word since Jacen arrived at the med center. Jacen brought Sara's bag to the far side of the room. After setting it down he closed the curtains to block out the light from the city. Jacen turned and looked at Sara. She was just standing their, lost. She seemed to have her mind on other things, but Jacen didn't know what.
Jacen walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Everything is going to be alright." He reassured her. He kissed her on the head and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close to his warm body. But Sara just stood still, completely nonresponsive to his touch.
"Are you hungry?" Jacen asked her, but she didn't answer. "I'm going to go and warm up some soup," Jacen kissed her on the head again "Do you want to sit down?" he asked her but still there was no response. "Ok, I'll be right back." And he left her standing there in the middle of the room.
A little while later Jacen came back into the room with a bowl of soup. He set it on the night stand next to his bed. Sara had not moved from where she was standing when he left the room, but something had changed in her eyes. Jacen stood in front of Sara and looked in her teary eyes. He didn't know what to do to bring her back from the lost world she was in. "Sara? Please come back to me?"
Sara collapsed to her knees, Jacen went down with her to try and catch her. He sat there next to his lost love. She started was crying uncontrollably as she curled up next to Jacen; resting her head in his lap and all he could do was hold her.
"It's going to be alright Sara, you'll see." He combed his fingers threw her fine silky brown hair, while he let her cry.
The bright yellow sun broke in through the curtains to Jacen's room falling across his face, waking him up. His muscles were stiff, and then realized that he and Sara had fallen asleep right on the floor in the middle of the room. Slowly Jacen got up off the floor and pick Sara up and cradled her in his arms. He placed her in the bed gently being careful not to wake his sleeping beauty.
He went into the kitchen to rummage for food. Before he could find anything that looked good, the door buzzer rang. He quickly walked over to answer it. When he opened the door, there stood Danni with Ben in her arms fast asleep and Obi-wan jumping in to Jacen's arms. Jacen wrapped the boy in a monstrous hug. "Mara said I could bring them by." Danni said, completely exhausted.
"Yea that's not a problem at all." Jacen set Obi-wan on the floor. "Thank you for watching them." Jacen took the sleeping Ben from Danni's arms.
Obi-wan tugged on Jacen's Jedi robe. "Are Mommy and Grandpa going to be alright?"
"Grandpa will be ok, and Mommy is sleeping right now," He knelt down awkwardly with Ben in his arms "But she will be fine. She just needs some rest." He ruffled the boys hair. "Why don't you watch a little holonet?"
"Ok" Obi-wan ran over to the couch and his attention was turned to the holonet on.
"Well I have to get going" Danni said after Obi-wan left.
"Thanks again Danni for taking care of the kids."
"It wasn't a problem I'm just glad to help." She gave Jacen a friendly hug and she left the apartment.
Jacen laid a blanket on the ground and laid Ben on it to sleep. He plopped down on the couch next to Obi-wan and watched a bit of the Holo-net, until out of the corner of his eye he saw a figure come to the door of the bedroom. He looked over and saw his sleeping beauty smiling at him. Jacen smiled back, then he leaned down to whisper into Obi-wan "Look who is up."
Obi-wan turned to see his mother standing there with a big smile on her face. He ran over to her and jumped into her arms. Jacen got up and followed him over to her. "You look so much better." He kissed her on her forehead and she rested her head on his shoulder as she held her son in her arm.
Later that afternoon while he was putting away lunch leftovers, Jacen received a call from Mara. "All right everyone, get ready to go. We are going to the medical ward." Jacen announced to Sara who was finishing up feeding Ben and Obi-wan who was trying unsuccessfully to help her. Obi-wan ran off to the other room with out being asked twice to get ready. Sara got up and walked over to Jacen with an eager look on her face.
"Is he alright?" Sara asked hopefully. Jacen smiled and put his arms around her.
"He is fine," Jacen kissed her on the head "And awake." Sara pulled back from him and looked at him with wide eyes, then threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug relieved to hear the news about her father.
A week had past since Luke was in the medical ward. He had made a quick recovery with the help of the Force. Today he will need his strength, so he could comfort his wife and daughter as they would send their children off to the Jedi academy and sent the strike team on their mission.
The space port was chaotic, people coming and leaving, loading and unloading cargo, there were huddles of people saying their goodbyes to loved ones. "Remember I'm doing this for you and Obi-wan" Jacen tried to comfort Sara by holding her in his arms. It had come time for Jacen and the rest of the strike team to execute their mission to Myrkr, in which they had been preparing for weeks.
"Bye Squirt," Jacen knelt down to Obi-Wan's level. "You have a safe trip with Ben and the other students. And learn a lot at the Jedi Academy." Obi-Wan nodded and Jacen gave him a hug. "I'll miss you." Jacen stood up and looked deeply Sara in the eyes "I love you."
Trying to hold back her tears Sara spoke softly, "I know." She managed a small smile. "Now kiss me and go and get this whole thing over with." Jacen smiled, stepped closer to Sara and held her in his arm, finally his lips met hers as they kissed goodbye.
As Sara and Obi-Wan watched Jacen walk into the ship that would take him away from them, he stopped at the top of the ramp, turned and waved to them. Sara knelt down and wrapped her arms around her son. "How would you like Jacen to be your father?" she whispered his ear.
"But I already think of him as my dad." Obi-Wan kept his eyes on Jacen and waved back to him. Sara smiled and squeezed him "I know you do." Together they watched the Jedi disappear into the ship that would take him to Myrkr.
A few hours later it came time for Obi-Wan to leave with Ben and the other Jedi Academy students. She stood there with Mara and her father watching their children being taken from them. Sara kept reminding herself that it was a part of growing up and it was good for him to go to school, but part of her wanted to keep him a little boy forever.
"Why do I have to loose both my boys in one day?" She asked her father rhetorically, and then smiled as she noticed that Obi-Wan did the same thing that Jacen did when he had left earlier, at the top of the ramp he turned and waved to his mom before walking inside. The thought crossed Sara mind that her son wanted to be just like Jacen, as she waved back to him.
Luke put an arm around his daughter and the other around his wife. "Nothing is going to happen to them. They are going to be fine."
