Chapter 19 - Homecoming (Ariana)

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. We only own the characters we have invented from Earth. =)

Author's Note: This chapter was so bittersweet to write. The last chapter will be released on Friday, and next week, I'll start putting out the sequel! :)

~ Amina Gila

Palpatine is out for blood. One look at his eyes tells me he means to kill us. Just as I'm certain I'll be killed, the door flies open. Windu, Fisto, and two other Jedi masters whom I don't recognize race inside, igniting their lightsabers as they do. Palpatine doesn't give them a chance to react. Springing back, he extends his left hand, unleashing a violent barrage of lightning. Except for Windu – who blocks the bolts with his lightsaber – the other masters are knocked off their feet.

I don't think he even cares who he kills at this point. He only wants to escape with his life, even if he'll be forced to start from scratch. Teagan is thrown aside in a brutal Force shove, narrowly avoiding being speared with Fisto's lightsaber and knocking him off balance again. The other two masters recover themselves and lunge towards Palpatine along with Windu.

I realize the biggest problem is that most of the Jedi Masters are relying mainly on their combat skills. Channeling emotions requires some use of the Dark Side, which they are not doing. Palpatine leaps into the air, vaulting over their heads. While he's still in the air, he slices off one's head and takes off another's arm as he lands. Spinning around, he shoves me back, so I can't interfere. I fly backwards, crashing into a wall before collapsing onto the floor. My head hits the wall, and I almost see stars. I remain there, somewhat disoriented.

Teagan is still sitting on the floor, while Fisto leaps towards Palpatine. He never gets there, being hurled across the room with awe inspiring strength. Now I know that Palpatine hadn't wanted to kill us. If he'd faced us and Anakin with that much power, we all would have been dead. Well, Anakin might have won, but I know I wouldn't be alive to know about it. Fisto doesn't move, and a brief nudge of his Force signature tells me he's unconscious. I sigh of relief escapes me, and I'm grateful he's still alive.

Drawing on the Force, I try to regain my senses, while watching the duel between Windu and Sidious. It was epic in the movie but seeing it with my own eyes gives me a whole new admiration for the Jedi Master. Windu might have his faults, but he can fight and hold his own against a Sith Lord.

Ramona is the first to recover, slowly rising from the place she's been laying for the past couple minutes. She calls her lightsaber to her hand, preparing to join the battle. Teagan gets up next, looking unsure about attacking right now. I join them, unsteady standing up. Reaching into myself, I draw on my anger against Sidious and aversion for the future he could bring upon the galaxy to give me a boost. Even if it's not the most desired option, I'm willing to reach this far into the Dark Side if it means defeating a Sith Lord.

I won't let him win the battle, even though I know Windu can hold his own for a while longer. As I stand there, I somehow know that the duel will soon be over, and clearly, I'm not the only one who feels that way. Ramona and I both leap towards Palpatine, who is entirely focused on the Jedi Master he's fighting. She reaches him first, swinging her blade towards him. He deflects it with ease, turning too late to stop me from cutting off his right hand.

As it falls to the floor, still holding his lightsaber, he blasts Force lightning from his left hand towards Windu to keep him at bay. I hold mine up defensively to prevent myself from being electrocuted. Before I have a chance to register what's happening, Anakin, who I didn't realize was even conscious, leaps across the room. He lands behind Palpatine, stabbing the Sith Lord before he has a chance to react.

Sidious' body crumples to the floor, giving everyone one final hate-filled glare with his yellow eyes before he dies. Breathing heavily, we all stand there for a moment to catch our breaths. It certainly wasn't easy to kill the most powerful Sith Lord after Vader, but now, Sidious is gone, and I feel a tremendous shift in the Force. It's as though a vast expanse of darkness disappeared, and the Light Side surges throughout the galaxy. In retrospect, it was easier than I'd expected. We only have one casualty. I carefully avoid looking at the severed head on the floor.

As I reach out to the Force, I realize that everything is not as light as I thought it would be. I frown slightly at the strangeness. As far as I know, Palpatine was the only living Sith, but now he's dead. I brush it off as I remember that the Nightbrothers and Nightsisters are Dark Side users. They aren't nearly as powerful as Sith, but their presence will still cause some darkness.

I turn my focus inwards, working to let the darkness inside of me flow away, letting the peace of the Light Side flood through me. I glance towards Anakin and my sisters, letting myself feel the extent of my love for them. Love counters the darkness.

"We changed everything," Ramona declares finally sounding relieved.

A smile appears on my face as I realize the implications. Anakin won't fall to the Dark Side. Vader will never exist. The Jedi will not be annihilated. Padme will survive. Luke and Leia will have the lives they truly deserve.

"Yes. We did," I agree simply. I'm elated that we fulfilled our mission, but I still wish there had been another way. Glancing down at Palpatine's lifeless body, I realize that I do feel some sympathy for him. I don't think he had enough light to turn back, and nor did he want to, but that doesn't mean I'm happy we had to kill him. And this feeling, I now understand, is what the Jedi are all about. They feel compassion towards everyone, even the enemies they must kill. They don't necessarily want to kill, but they will if it must be done.

"I can't believe we're all still alive," Ramona adds.

"How are you still alive?" Windu asks, surprisingly sounding more curious than suspicious.

"We drew on our emotions and channeled the Dark Side," I answer with certainty, shaking myself out of my thoughts now that I've successfully restrained the Dark Side, "You have to use the darkness to defeat the darkness."

"You did awesome," compliments Anakin, as he turns to look at us.

I meet his eyes, feeling a flood of emotion rush through me. Ignoring Windu's presence, I step towards him, slipping my arms around him. He's so much like the older brother I've never really had, but always wanted. I relax as his arms wrap around me. The Force nudges me slightly, reminding me that we don't have much longer, so I indulge myself a moment longer, holding onto him before letting go, so my sisters can tackle him with a hug as well.

I'd almost forgotten that we'll be leaving soon. I force myself not to dwell on the repercussions of returning just yet. I don't want to be feeling melancholy when we're leaving. It's better to save that for when we get back home. I turn back to Windu, while my sisters are hugging Anakin. The Jedi Master is watching us, perhaps more disapprovingly that I would have liked, but I ignore it.

"It's nearly time for us to leave," I tell him, knowing without looking that Anakin is listening, "I have one more thing to tell you. Be wary of the clones. They were created by the Sith as a secret weapon to destroy the Jedi. They contain chips programmed with several orders including what is known as Order 66. When given that order, they will turn on any and all Jedi nearby and kill them. Buuuut, we stopped that from happening."

I see the shock on Windu's face when he hears as well as a sort of understanding. This is what the Council has been trying to understand for months, and the answer clearly surpasses any expectations he might have had.

"I am grateful," Windu replies quietly. I can feel his sincerity.

After a moment of silence, Anakin speaks up. "We'd better leave now. The sisters probably want to bid farewell to Senator Amidala." Windu nods, allowing us to go. My sisters and I follow Anakin out of the office, leaving Windu behind to take care of everything else. I'm hoping that we'll be able to spend the rest of our time in the Star Wars Universe with Anakin.

**b**

We reach Padme's apartment not long later to see her for the last time. We tell her an abbreviated version of what happened since she needs to leave for the Senate to help sort out the mess that will undoubtedly arise now that the Chancellor is dead. I try to hold back my melancholy as I say goodbye to her for the last time.

Once she's gone, Anakin takes us out onto the balcony for what will be the final time. We look at the twilight sky, as the sun sinks over the horizon. It's stunningly beautiful. While we all feel the truth, no one can bear to speak it aloud. This is our last moment together. After this, we'll probably never see each other again.

"So, I still have one question I want you to answer," Anakin murmurs, breaking the silence, "Who is Vader?"

I stare at the horizon, unable to answer for a moment as I picture the black cyborg in my mind. I know Anakin deserves an answer. Besides, it's the last chance we'll ever have to tell him anything he wants to know about the doomsday future we prevented. Swallowing, I turn, meeting his blue eyes.

"Originally, Palpatine would have succeeded in turning you to Dark Side. You became a Sith Lord known as Darth Vader," I explain quietly. A look of disbelief flits across his face followed by something that seems closer to resignation. He knows. He knows it's the truth. He knows he would have fallen and helped destroy the Jedi and Republic. What he probably is unwilling to consider is if he would have fought and tried to kill Obi-Wan.

No one speaks, and a peaceful silence falls over us once more as watch the last rays of sun slip over the horizon. Soon, it completely disappears beyond the distant buildings. It's one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. Somehow, it seems oddly fitting for our final moments together. The Force tugs at me gently, and I know it's time to leave.

"Now it's time for us to leave," I comment, as the Force slowly gathers around me and my sisters, preparing to transport us back to our own dimension.

Before I have a chance to move, my sisters launch themselves at Anakin, crushing him in a final hug. After pushing Teagan out of the way, I wrap my arms around him, letting myself hold onto him for the last time. I love you, Anakin. I'd never speak those words aloud – not yet – but I get the feeling that he knows anyways.

I step back with my sisters, overwhelmed with emotions, as I feel a final surge in the Force. The last thing I see from the Star Wars Universe is Anakin watching us before a brilliant rainbow flash of light fills my vision.

**b**

I open my eyes. The moon is shining brightly overhead, lighting up the entire area with its glow. I look around, slightly confused, before realizing that we're at home, sitting on the deck outside. It's almost as though nothing has ever happened. It looks just like it did – was that really two weeks ago? – when we fell asleep and jumped dimensions. No time has passed at all. Of course not. I wouldn't have expected it to.

I find myself wondering if it was just a dream. Nothing indicates it really happened, and logically, I know it's completely impossible, despite how real it felt to hug Anakin. I wonder if my sisters remember it also. Glancing over at them, I see both have just awakened.

"I had the most peculiar dream," all three of us chorus as we look at one another. Okay... Well, maybe it did happen after all, hard though it may be to believe. I close my eyes against the pain assaulting me. Even though I just saw Anakin a minute ago, I miss him terribly. I know that nothing will ever be able to fill the hole inside me. No one could ever take his place.

"Uh, you two tell me yours first," I command. I must know if they remember, since it seems as though they do.

"Why do we always have to go first?" protests Ramona, scowling.

"Just tell me," I demand impatiently. I'll let them talk first, especially since if they don't remember, my "dream" or whatever it was will take a while to describe.

"Fine," she sighs, "So, the three of us appeared on Invisible Hand in a rainbow flash –"

"The same thing happened in mine!" cries Teagan, interrupting. So, this really did happen. It's not just wishful thinking, even though it should be impossible. I look around me. It can't be real, can it?

"And mine!" I interject.

"And then we stopped Anakin from killing Dooku," continues Ramona, saying exactly what I thought she might.

"Umm... same in mine," adds Teagan.

"What if it wasn't a dream? What if it actually happened?" I suggest slowly. More than anything, I desperately want it all to be real, but I naturally can't dismiss my skepticism so fast. Dimension jumping? Doesn't it seem a little extravagant and other-worldly, literally?

"Is that really possible?" Teagan demands, a note of hope in her voice.

"Maybe," Ramona mumbles after a moment.

I take a slow breath, letting the Force flow through me. I feel different somehow. Just like that, I know. I know it was real. It all really happened, and I also have an explanation of how.

"Anything is possible. Time is all relative. Everything is happening at once. The future can change the past. We can change things now which will change everything, but at the same time won't affect anything at all." The concept is rather mind-boggling which is why I chose to elaborate, but I know my sisters get the point.

"Enough being a philosopher," grumbles Teagan, though she doesn't seem irritated. It sounded more like a reflexive response to my reciting the same speech so much.

Now that I'm thinking about possible evidence, I realize something that will be even more conclusive. Extending my hand, I reach towards a random piece of packaging laying nearby through the Force and focus on it. A second later, it floats off the ground and hovers in the air. My sisters immediately try the same thing with other nearby packing, with the same results.

We exchange meaningful looks. It really happened. We can't question it anymore. Even though it seems impossible, it really did happen. It defies all sense of logic, but anything is possible with the Force.

"It happened," breathes Ramona, speaking what we're all thinking, "We couldn't do this before tonight."

"Our lightsabers!" gasps Teagan suddenly.

My hand flies to my waist where my lightsaber should be to find nothing. "This isn't fair!" I cry. I wish we could have been allowed to keep the lightsabers. We did have them with us, after all. Ramona lets out an audible groan when she realizes hers is missing also. Is it impossible to transport items between dimensions? Or it is simply that nothing can leave the Star Wars Universe? It probably doesn't matter anyways.

"I don't think there's even a point telling anyone about this other than Evelyn because they'll never believe us," Teagan comments. Ramona and I nod in agreement. Unlike most of our friends, Evelyn is as obsessed with Star Wars as we are and believes in paranormal powers. Unlike Mark.

No one speaks, and my eyes drift towards the dark horizon. I'm suddenly missing Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padme, and even Yoda terribly. I'll never see them again. Watching the movies will never be the same, not after I knew them. Admittedly, it is wonderful to be back home after two long weeks of action, but at the same time, we're now without some of our new best friends. Ones that no one will ever believe existed.

We're completely alone with our pain and grief. No one will be able to help us. I'm soon struggling to hold back my tears as I remember my last moments with each of them. I love them so much, and I'll miss them even more, but I guess in the long run it was worth it. Even if I'll never see them again, at least I got a chance to know them. That's something that no one else has been given. And we're never alone. They'll always be with us in our hearts.