Well, guys, this is it! It's been over twelve years, but we've finally reached the last chapter of Enter the Foreign. Before we get this show on the road, I'd like to thank all of my readers for following along on this twisty little time travel adventure. Whether you've been here from the beginning or joined in somewhere along the way, I appreciate all of you so, so much! My sincerest thanks for your comments and support and enthusiasm!
Finishing EtF is a pretty big deal for me, not only because it's only the second novel-length story I've ever finished, but because I first had the basic idea for it fifteen years ago and had no idea back then how special this story and the 'verse it spawned would become to me. This fic never really left me, not even during my eight-year hiatus from posting, and since returning to work on it two years ago, it has inspired over a dozen new stories that I never, ever expected to write. So that's been incredibly rewarding and a lot of fun, and if you like this story, I hope you'll consider giving the rest of my "Enter!verse" a try. ;)
Finally, I am planning to put together a list of all of the related spin-offs/sequels/prequels in a separate chapter following the conclusion of this story, and I'll do my best to keep that updated as I work on new projects. I also started writing a longer quasi-sequel to EtF about two years ago (yeah, I know, I can't work in chronological order to save my life), and I'm more than 40,000 words deep into that story. So be on the lookout for all of those!
Thank you for joining me on this wild ride, guys. It's been awesome.
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Chapter Twenty-Five
Here in the void, he floats.
It's a strange sensation, strung up by nothing, caught somewhere between dreams and reality, death and life, cradled by a darkness that waits not to strike, but to envelope and protect. A cocoon for the soul, and he wonders what he'll be when he emerges.
"He's so young."
The voice is soft, a tender sound echoing in ears that have gone too long without hearing, and it seems to drift into the void from some distant, ancient place.
"Yes," another voice – this one slightly deeper – replies.
"I almost don't want to wake him," the first voice says.
"But we must. His destiny is not yet fulfilled."
His eyes open, and they are filled with pure white light, blinding in its intensity. He lifts a hand to shield his eyes as he searches for the source of the overwhelming radiance before him. There are two individuals floating with him in the void, hovering just beyond his reach. They are the source of the light, and as he takes in their beautiful faces, he's filled with so much joy that it hurts.
"It's you," he whispers.
They smile at each other before gazing down at him.
"Hello, Father," Leia says.
Luke's eyes are warmth itself. "It's good to see you again."
A kernel of doubt remains, despite the delirious happiness of this moment. "But how? I mean, I'm dead, aren't I?"
"It's a bit complicated," Luke says. "You see, you already died once in our universe."
"And it seems our netherworld can't accept more than one Anakin Skywalker," Leia finishes.
Anakin shakes his head, turning to glance around the endless expanse. "Your universe? I don't understand. Where am I?"
Luke looks around at the void. "A gap between our universe and yours – a plane beyond the physical, where the Force joins all together."
Sorrow grips him as he recalls the searing blade that passed through his body, and Jacen's. "This is the place, isn't it? The place he wanted to reach?"
His own sorrow pales next to what he senses from his children. "Yes," Leia whispers. She breathes in deep – he wonders if she's actually breathing, or if it's simply the memory of that reflex – and shakes her head. "But I'm afraid it doesn't quite work the way he expected."
He wishes he could feel relief at that revelation, that there was never any chance of Jacen's plan succeeding, that his choice to stand against his own grandchild was the right one. "I'm sorry I couldn't save him."
His daughter smiles at him, a sad smile, but one that holds more than a little hope as well. "You still can," she says.
His pulse quickens at her words. "How? How can I do that now?"
The twins share a knowing look, and his son answers. "You're being sent home, to your world."
He lifts his hands without thinking, absently running his fingers over his abdomen, right where the lightsabers had burned through him. "Then I'm not dead?"
Luke shakes his head, and Anakin wonders if he's imagining the faint spark of mischief in his eyes. "No, you're not dead. Not yet."
"And you're sending me back?"
"Not us," Luke says. "This is the will of the Force. For you to return to your world, to your time, and bring balance."
It's… it's more than he'd had any right to hope for, and he sinks to his knees before them. He finds he can't even look at them. So pure… so good. He bows his head and covers his eyes, unworthy to be in their presence. "I'm so sorry, for everything. I don't deserve this. Seeing you… it's what I wanted, but I don't deserve it."
He feels someone removing his hands from his face and sees Luke kneeling before him. "You've got a second chance, Father. Things don't have to be the way they were in our world. You can still choose."
Leia joins Luke, resting a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "You have all the strength you need to defeat him. Just remember who you're fighting for." Her fingers brush against his face. "And let go of your shame."
He closes his eyes and basks in the warmth of their presence, the softness of their touch, his face damp with tears. The air grows heavy around them, as if bending under a great burden. His children stand.
Luke's voice is gentle but firm. "It's time, Father." The void begins to fill with sounds and images and sensations, past and future colliding, all spun together in a tangled, confusing web. For a second he wants to shut it all out, but then Leia reaches out to him.
"Take my hand."
He gazes up at Leia, and at Luke, before allowing his eyes to rest on the hand offered to him.
Destiny is simply a matter of choosing. It always has been.
He reaches for his daughter, and she pulls him up through the void, rushing toward the chaos, toward the crossroads.
Toward his destiny.
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Anakin awoke with a start, his cheek pressed against a cool and unyielding surface. The boundless white of the void had been replaced with smooth walls and curved archways, all in rich, soothing earth tones, and all of it suffused with a warm, lambent glow. He tilted his head back, taking in the sight of the corridor before him and the open doorway behind him. This was no Sith throne room. He was lying outside the council chamber in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Home.
He was home.
Anakin began to lift himself up, startled to discover that his artificial arm was intact, as if nothing had happened to it. He flexed that hand in front of his face, staring at the familiar leather glove that covered it. Next, he noticed his sleeves – they belonged to the same dark brown tunic he'd always favored, loose and practical and comfortable. From there, his gaze wandered down to his abdomen, and he took in a sharp breath as the memory of his wounds seared through his gut for an instant, a phantom of the blades that had pierced him. But had any of it truly happened, or were those memories simply products of an agitated psyche, things his own mind had conjured up in a dream?
As he rose slowly to his feet, Anakin sensed something at the edge of his awareness, a disturbance in the Force that was growing more urgent and insistent by the second. He turned back toward the open doorway, his gaze caught by the last rays of sunlight setting through the windows of the council chamber. By instinct more so than choice, he found his eyes drawn toward the Senate building, to the place where he knew the Chancellor's office to be. He found his lightsaber – his own, this time – at his hip, relief and a sobering sense of purpose washing over him as his fingers brushed against the hilt.
Maybe it didn't matter if his time in that world was real. What he had learned there was.
And so Anakin turned away from the council chamber and the setting sun and the foolish choice he had made once upon a time, and he ran to the closest hangar, because it was up to him to save the future.
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The window shattered, shards of transparisteel whipping about in a frenzy as the wind howled and tore at the ledge; and for one moment, Darth Sidious thought to imagine it as the very howling of the Force itself, an echo of the triumph he concealed even as his lightsaber flew from his grasp and he stumbled backward to escape the lethal edge of Mace Windu's amethyst blade. The Jedi Master was a fierce opponent, and far cannier than most of his brethren, and Sidious felt a thrill race through him at the apparent danger he found himself in.
There had been an instant – not even half a second – during the battle when the Force had seemed to surge against him, bucking at the web of control he'd weaved around this world and its people, tugging at the snares he'd set across the galaxy; and in that single instant, he had felt strangely and inexplicably vulnerable, as though he were caught in the midst of a bright and unending void. A world without shadow.
That instant ended before it had barely begun, and he had relished in the power that rose to meet him, that buoyed him in the face of the storm that was Mace Windu. The Jedi Master was strong, yes, but Sidious was stronger still. The darkness wasn't simply a side to be chosen – it was everything. It was the heat of matter colliding in an endless cycle of creation and destruction, it was stars burning into existence, incredible and dreadful and doomed, and it was the cold dark of space, the still and eternal night that bound the universe together. The Force that the Jedi knew and followed was hardly more than a shade, and for their arrogance in believing it to be more than that, Sidious would gladly destroy them all.
How he had longed for this day, this great and glorious day. How he had yearned to face the Jedi in combat just once, in a magnificent battle that would cement his rule and unify the galaxy under the might of the Sith. He had been patient and careful and unwaveringly dedicated to the tenets of his ancient order. This day would finally see his patience rewarded. This day would see the end of the Jedi.
Master Windu leveled his blade at Sidious. "The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have lost, my lord."
A presence flickered across Sidious's awareness as he braced himself against the open ledge: a supernova that flashed and burned in the Force too brightly to be contained, and he knew that young Anakin Skywalker would be here soon, perhaps within minutes. That would be a victory every bit as sweet as the death of the Jedi themselves – the final and irreversible corruption of their chosen savior.
"No," he replied with a smile, making no attempt to contain his dark glee. "No, no – you have lost!"
He unleashed a torrent of lightning from his fingertips, exulting in the pain as it deflected off the Jedi's lightsaber and arced back at him, tearing away the mask of Palpatine that he had long presented to the galaxy. The lightning he commanded was fueled by a bottomless well of hatred and loathing, more powerful than Mace Windu's feeble attempts to repel him, and he called upon every drop of that power. His attack began to overwhelm the Jedi Master's weapon, crackling along its length and hissing as it crawled up the man's arms. He could see the Jedi weakening with each passing second, unable to absorb or deflect so much energy and bending dangerously under the pressure.
Mace Windu went down on one knee, defiant even while lightning licked at his body and his face, and Darth Sidious smiled again and ceased his attack, because the time had finally come, and he still had one last role to play.
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Anakin burst into the Chancellor's office and found Palpatine and Master Windu at the edge of the shattered window. The Chancellor was on the ground, smoke rising from his body as he clung to the ledge, one hand outstretched toward his opponent to ward him off. "Please," Palpatine begged. "Please, don't kill me."
Master Windu struggled to his feet, and Anakin noticed wisps of smoke coming off his clothes as well. The Jedi Master angled his lightsaber toward Palpatine and eyed the Sith Lord warily. He turned his head as Anakin approached, and the look of surprise on his face was followed quickly by relief. "Skywalker. Help me—"
But Palpatine shook his head and looked up at Anakin with desperate eyes. "The Jedi have taken over, Anakin. Didn't I tell you it would come to this? Help me, my boy. Save me."
Anakin stared down at the Chancellor, at the Sith Lord who had deceived him and the entire galaxy, at the man who would see himself as Emperor over all, with his chosen puppet by his side. A familiar rage kindled in his heart, but he could see it now for what it was: an emotion like any other, one that he didn't need to fear, just as he didn't need to fear the darkness inside him, so long as he kept his gaze fixed on the light.
"Never," he said, igniting his saber and stepping to Master Windu's side. It was with deep satisfaction that he watched pure shock register on Palpatine's face. "You can take your dark side and go to hell, because I won't join you, and I won't save you either."
Palpatine's eyes went wide, and his visage darkened, caught somewhere between disbelief and unadulterated rage. "Young fool," he growled. "Only I have the power to save your wife. If you kill me, she will die."
All things die, Anakin Skywalker. Even stars burn out.
Yes, he replied to that insidious whisper, recognizing it, too, for what it was – a truth and a lie he had told himself over and over again, so wrapped up in all the things that he might lose that he'd never considered everything he had to gain. He thought of Ben and Allana, and Davin and Dolan, and all the people he'd fought alongside in that distant future. And he thought of Padmé and Obi-Wan, and Luke and Leia.
All things die. Everyone I love will die one day.
But they won't die because of me.
Anakin gripped his lightsaber in both hands and took a step forward. "You're right," he said with a grim nod. "She will, someday. But you won't be there to see it."
Palpatine's hands flew up, and Anakin snapped his blade up to deflect the wild rush of lightning that poured from them. Master Windu's lightsaber flashed as he brought his weapon to bear, taking as much of the attack as he could. Anakin gritted his teeth against the onslaught and moved forward; with each step he took, the lightning intensified, snaking around his lightsaber and traveling through his body.
Finally, he stood over Palpatine, and the Dark Lord of the Sith stared up at him with fear and fire in his eyes. As Anakin centered the cerulean blade of his saber over the would-be Emperor's heart, Palpatine made one last effort to sway him.
"I will make you the most powerful being who has ever lived! You can still save her. No life will be beyond your control!"
Anakin breathed in deep, ignoring the continued burn of the lightning, and he couldn't help the wry grin that tugged at his mouth. "Goodbye, Your Highness."
He drove his lightsaber through Palpatine's chest, and the Sith Lord screamed with rage before perishing in an explosion of dark energy. That energy pulsed violently outward, throwing Anakin out the window, and even as he reached for something to grab hold of, he wondered if this would be his end.
If it was, he decided it was worth it.
A hand closed around his wrist, and the sudden change in momentum slammed him against the side of the building. He looked up into Mace Windu's dark eyes – eyes that were full of an emotion he'd never seen the Jedi Master direct at him: gratitude.
"You did it," Master Windu said as the night air whipped around them both. "You defeated the Sith."
Anakin winced. "No disrespect, Master, but can you pull me up first?"
Master Windu heaved him up onto the window sill, and the two of them lay there for a time, unable to move, gulping in as much air as they could. Anakin closed his eyes and reached out through the Force to find the two people he loved most in this world. Padmé's presence was anxious but strong. He could feel the faintest hint of consciousness in her womb, and he nearly wept knowing his children were alive and that he would get the chance to meet them.
Once he had soaked in that reality, he stretched out further, honing in on the part of him that was in Obi-Wan even when they were light years apart. His former master was indeed far away, finishing his mission on Utapau most likely. He wanted to tell him everything that had happened, even if some of it wasn't real, even if it was only a dream. Maybe, when he returned…
His head throbbed, and his vision started to go white.
The last thing he heard was Master Windu calling his name.
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"Anakin…"
He heard the voice through a fog of pain and fatigue, calling to him in soft tones he would have recognized anywhere. He tried to mumble a response, but he wasn't sure if it made it past his lips.
"Anakin!"
He cracked one eye open as a pair of warm hands touched his face. "Padmé?"
She smiled wide, and in her eyes he saw such unguarded love that it left him speechless. Her arms were wrapped around him, supporting him, her pregnant belly pressed against his side. He wondered for a moment if this was a dream, too.
He didn't realize he'd closed his eyes again until he felt Padmé's lips against his, trying to rouse him. He responded to her kiss with more than enough energy to reassure her he was alive. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and when he looked up at her, he saw that her eyes held the beginning traces of tears.
"You're okay," she whispered, laughing a little as she ran one hand along the side of his face.
Anakin smiled up at her and raised a weak hand to mimic her gesture. "I am now."
He noticed movement behind her, and she turned to follow his gaze. "Master Windu commed me and told me what happened," she said. "I came as fast as I could."
Anakin stared at Mace in disbelief. "How did you know?"
The Jedi Master fixed him with the sort of long-suffering look that he usually reserved for unruly Padawans; it was a look that Anakin was well-acquainted with. "I may not have known you were married, Skywalker, but I've known for years how fond you are of Senator Amidala." Master Windu glanced away from them and raised both eyebrows. "I just didn't realize it was that kind of fondness."
Padmé straightened up and shifted her body toward his in a protective stance. "You're not going to expel him from the Order, are you? Not after what he's done?"
For a few seconds, Master Windu looked like nothing so much as an exhausted old man. "Let's not worry about that right now."
Before he could say more, a whole swarm of people entered the office, including two Jedi Anakin recognized as healers. Behind them he saw HoloNet reporters, Senate guards, and Force knew who else. He smiled weakly at Padmé. "I guess our secret's out now."
He was glad, though. No more secrets. No more lies. No more places the darkness could hide and fester inside him. A burden lifted off him in that moment, and as he looked up at his wife, he realized he had finally found some small measure of peace. He could accept whatever decision the Council made because it wouldn't change who he was inside.
He was a Jedi Knight, and he would be one until he drew his last breath.
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The weeks after Chancellor Palpatine's death were tumultuous and difficult for the Republic and the Jedi Order. It wasn't every day that the leader of the galaxy was assassinated by his own trusted ally. Testimony had to be given, evidence gathered. A war was still being fought, although that conflict was thankfully coming to a close. For a time, it seemed public opinion might turn against all the Jedi, especially the Hero With No Fear who had admitted to killing the Chancellor. The poster boy for the war effort became a mysterious, reviled creature. Wasn't he one of Palpatine's favorites? Why had he done it?
In the Senate, Mon Mothma of Chandrila was elected Interim Chancellor. Padmé Amidala – revealed to be the secret wife of the traitor Anakin Skywalker – took a leave of absence while her husband prepared to stand trial. Investigations were launched against the Jedi Order, even while their generals continued to serve on the front lines of the war.
The turning point came when the Senate's investigators stumbled upon a directive called "Order Sixty-Six". Details were still forthcoming, but it seemed to be a secret fail-safe that called for the deaths of not just the Jedi generals, but the entire order itself, down to the last babe. And even though the citizens of the Republic were hesitant to trust the Jedi again, they were shocked and appalled that their beloved Chancellor could devise something so heinous. Perhaps there was some truth to the Jedi's claim that Palpatine had orchestrated the entire war.
A few days before he was to go on trial, Anakin Skywalker was released and all charges against him dropped. The Jedi Order requested he take a sabbatical; it just so happened to coincide with his wife's last month of pregnancy. It would be a while before he found out the truth of his release – that through the tireless efforts of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Bail Organa, evidence proving Palpatine was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious was brought to light – and in that time, the great Jedi hero and the beloved galactic senator welcomed their twin children into the world.
And so it was that four months after his journey to the future, Anakin sat on the balcony of Padmé's lake house on Naboo, leaning back to accommodate the babies sleeping on his chest. It still amazed him that they could be so tiny and yet so perfectly formed. Their heads were turned to face each other, and he noticed that they even breathed in unison. He bent his head forward to place a kiss on each of their smooth foreheads. Luke and Leia. His son and his daughter.
"I thought I might find you here."
Anakin looked over his shoulder, slowly, so as not to disturb the babies, and smiled at Padmé. "I couldn't resist."
Padmé walked over and put her hands on Anakin's shoulders. "I don't blame you. I never want to put them down."
Anakin focused on their warmth, on the way they instinctively burrowed into him whenever he held them. He still found it hard to fathom that these were his children, that they were bound to him in a way that no one else in the entire galaxy was. That one day they would be grown up and start families of their own, and there would be grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He wondered how many he would live to see. He wondered if any of them would be Allana or Davin or Dolan.
He wondered if any of them would be Ben, or Jacen.
"You're thinking about the future again." It wasn't a question. Padmé squeezed his shoulders and bent down to kiss just below his ear.
Anakin sighed. "When I think about everything that's coming… it can be overwhelming."
"Then don't focus on all of that. We have the rest of our lives to fight those battles, but we only have a few precious years with our babies."
She was right, of course. He kissed Luke and Leia again, before being distracted by a familiar presence. He glanced back at the interior of the villa. "Obi-Wan is here."
Padmé nodded. "He commed a few minutes ago; I was coming to tell you."
He must have been too awed by the twins to notice his friend's presence before now. He offered Luke to Padmé and stood up with Leia as they headed for the dwelling's entrance.
Obi-Wan grinned when he saw the twins. "They've gotten bigger."
Anakin cocked one eyebrow and tried not to laugh. "They tend to do that."
Luke stirred in Padmé's arms, and Obi-Wan reached out to touch his cheek, a tender expression on his face. "I didn't mean to interrupt their naptime—"
Anakin cut him off with a wave of his free hand. "Obi-Wan, you know you're always welcome here."
"Yes," the older man replied. "Thank you. But I do come with news, this time."
"Good or bad?"
"I suppose that depends on your point of view." There was a hint of a smile on his face, but Anakin also sensed uncertainty. "The Council has decided you may end your sabbatical and return to the Order whenever you are ready."
"Isn't that good news? Why do you look worried?"
Obi-Wan hesitated. "In all honesty, I wasn't sure you'd want to return."
Anakin exchanged a glance with Padmé. "Last time we talked you said the Order would be making some changes."
Obi-Wan nodded. "In light of recent events with the Chancellor, the Council has decided to look inward for ways to improve the Order and our connection to the Force. We would like you to help us do that."
"Me?" Anakin certainly hadn't been expecting that. "Why?"
A mischievous grin quirked Obi-Wan's lips. "You are the Chosen One, are you not? Destined to bring balance to the Force? Perhaps destroying the Sith was only part of that destiny."
Anakin eyed his friend with amused suspicion. "This was your idea, wasn't it?"
"I may have suggested it." Obi-Wan's expression turned from innocent to serious. "Anakin, we want you to return as a member of the Council. A true member this time, to help us adapt the Jedi Order to a changing galaxy."
"Obi-Wan, you know I don't blame them for anything that's happened. Not when I… what I almost did…" Anakin shook his head and sighed. "None of them could do worse than what I might have done. But I'm not sure I'd be a good fit. In fact, I know I wouldn't."
Obi-Wan gripped his shoulder, and the look of pride in his eyes was unexpected. "Anakin, any one of us can fall. All our teachings about resisting the dark side would be meaningless if there was no possibility of our falling. You chose to serve the Force and fought a great evil. You are more than equal to any member of the Jedi Council, and they all know that."
Anakin glanced down at his daughter, still asleep in his arms. "I won't be separated from my family," he said, a firm set to his jaw as he looked up at Obi-Wan.
"I don't think that will be a problem," his friend replied.
"You're serious?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I believe we are entering a new era for the Jedi. By the time your children are Knights, there may be many families in the Order. And I truly believe that to be a good thing."
Anakin looked over at Padmé, then at Luke cradled against her shoulder, slumbering peacefully. "I'll have to think about it."
"Of course."
Padmé rubbed Luke's back gently and swayed in place. "There's caf in the kitchen, Obi-Wan – or tea, if you'd like me to get you some?"
"Tea sounds lovely, Padmé, but you mustn't go to any trouble. I can prepare my own tea—"
"It's no trouble—"
"—and I suspect you two will want to talk in private." Obi-Wan's gaze turned to Anakin, then to Leia lying nestled in his arms. He reached out to stroke her tiny forehead, and when he pulled away, he rested his hand on Anakin's arm for just a moment. Nothing more was said, but his former master's small smile and the unguarded warmth Anakin sensed from him were more than enough to convey his meaning.
Anakin watched his friend disappear into the house, and he considered his offer. A chance to shape the future for not only his family, but generations of Jedi to come? A chance to prepare the Order and the Republic and the people of the galaxy for what was coming? How could he refuse?
"You want to go, don't you?"
Anakin wrapped an arm around Padmé's shoulders and drew her close, noticing the way Luke and Leia shifted toward each other. "Not if I can't take you with me," he murmured.
Padmé's gaze lingered on the twins for a moment before she lifted her chin to look at him. "We'll always be with you," she said, as if there were no question of it being otherwise. "And I think we both know where we belong."
"Maybe. But for now, I'm going to follow your advice and live in this moment."
Leia squirmed and opened her eyes, looking up at him. He stroked her cheek, and she fell back to sleep almost instantly. Next to him, still leaning against Padmé's shoulder, Luke yawned and stretched an arm out. Anakin reached out with one finger and touched his son's closed fist, and Luke instinctively wrapped his tiny fingers around it.
"Come on," Padmé said softly. "Why don't we join Obi-Wan for some tea? You know he's probably already prepared some for us."
Anakin grinned a little at that, and he followed Padmé to the kitchen, leaving the cares and worries of the future for another day.
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Forty-Six Years Later
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A delighted squeal issued through the lake house, and the copper-haired baby that had uttered it wobbled a bit as he happily banged his fists against his legs. He'd been listening to his grandfather tell him a story, and they'd just reached his favorite part.
"—and Ben reached out to his enemy and told him it wasn't too late to turn back, that he could still do what was right. And as the Dark Lord of the Sith looked up at Ben, a deep sorrow filled him, and regret for all that he had done, and the fire left his eyes – and he finally took the hand that was offered to him."
The baby on the floor wobbled forward again, and his grandfather caught him and tickled him under his chin, eliciting another happy gurgle.
"And that's how you got your name," Anakin told the baby. He glanced up at his grandson's mother and grinned. "Ben was your mom's favorite character when she was a Padawan."
Mara Jade Skywalker kneeled down next to Ben and brought her face close to his. "He still is my favorite character," she said as she nuzzled his nose. Ben giggled and offered her a shy, sweet smile.
Anakin watched the exchange, a knot forming in his chest as he remembered the true story of Ben's namesake. He'd never told anyone but Padmé and Obi-Wan about that strange journey, but he carried the memory of it with him wherever he went. Over the years he had faced many trials and temptations; through them all he had trusted the Force and found strength in the love of his family. Not just his family here, but the ones he'd left behind in that distant galaxy.
"You should tell him the one about the Kessel Run," a voice called out from across the room. Anakin looked up to see his son-in-law shooting him a lopsided smirk. "Now that's a great story."
Anakin shook his head, laughing under his breath. The one time he'd let Han Solo beat him in that death trap of a starship of his, and he was never, ever going to live it down. "Maybe I should tell him the gundark story," Anakin replied with a grin. "He likes that one, too."
Han draped an arm across the back of the sofa and scooted closer to Leia, exchanging an amused glance with her before turning his attention to Mara. "I can't believe you let him tell that story in front of the baby."
Mara shrugged. "You're assuming Ben hasn't already heard it from me," she said with a small grin as she gathered her son in her arms. She planted a kiss on his chubby cheek before setting him back down. "Silly Uncle Han."
Anakin rose from the floor and hooked his thumbs in his belt. "The twins have been listening to the gundark story since they were Ben's age, and they turned out fine."
"Of course they turned out fine." Han jerked his thumb at his chest, smiling wide. "They're my kids."
Anakin met his daughter's eyes across the room; she rolled them affectionately, then leaned over to kiss her husband on the cheek. "You two are being ridiculous again," Leia said, unfazed as always by their friendly rivalry. As she and Han turned to talk more privately with one another, Anakin surveyed the rest of the room.
The lakeside villa on Naboo remained one of the few unspoiled refuges for their family, and for the first time in many, many months, they were all gathered here – Luke and Mara and their children, Leia and Han and theirs. They'd even managed to get Owen and Beru and Tahiri and most of Sola's family here for a few days; the extended Naberrie clan had returned home for the night, but Anakin's stepbrother and sister-in-law were sitting with Padmé across the room, sipping at their drinks as they watched the older grandchildren play an unusually noisy game of dejarik. And as long as there wasn't any trouble along the hyperspace lanes from Alderaan, they were expecting Bail and Breha in the morning.
Anakin sighed and tried not to think too much about the risks involved with such travel, the dangers that had become almost routine by now. The war against the Yuuzhan Vong had raged for over two long years, and though they'd been prepared for the invaders, the conflict was still more brutal and devastating than he could have imagined. The Republic was finally coming close to winning the war, but Anakin feared what that victory might cost.
A chime sounded, and See-Threepio walked into the room, his arms raised halfway to his chest in a way that always made him appear rather alarmed. "Miss Jaina," the golden protocol droid announced, "there is a comm for you, from a Colonel Jagged Fel of—"
"You hear that, Jaina?" Little Anakin – not so little anymore, not by a long shot – grinned as he looked up from the dejarik board. "Colonel Fel is calling you."
"Thanks, Threepio!" Jaina all but shouted, tossing a glare at her brother in the process. "I'll take it in my room."
Anakin watched his granddaughter hurry away, smiling to himself as he did. Then he sensed movement behind him, and he looked over his shoulder for the source.
Luke was standing alone in the doorway to the veranda, his eyes following Ben's every movement. He was trying hard not to project his feelings, but Anakin could tell he was troubled. The older Jedi joined his son at the door.
"You're worried about something."
Luke looked up at Anakin and frowned. "Am I that transparent?"
Anakin shook his head. "I may not be Leia or Mara, but I can still read you fairly well, son."
A half-hearted laugh. "And here I thought after all these years I was finally getting good at masking my emotions." Luke crossed his arms and looked away, his eyes once again on Ben. "Something's come up."
"Bad?"
The muscles in Luke's jaw visibly tightened, but he shook his head. "We have a chance to take out the facility where they're cloning the voxyn, maybe even eradicate the source. I was asked to lead the strike team." He took a deep breath before continuing. "We leave tomorrow."
Anakin's breath caught in his throat. He might as well have been twenty-three again, sitting in that abandoned hut on Tatooine as Ben described the mission that had killed one cousin and irrevocably changed the other two. How long had he been waiting for this singular moment?
Anakin listened as Luke provided what details he could about the mission. Eventually Ben caught sight of his father and let out a happy, high-pitched greeting, and Luke's sense in the Force lightened considerably as he strode forward to sweep his son into his arms. Anakin watched the two of them playing together, a heavy weight gripping his heart.
"I see he's told you."
Anakin kept his eyes forward as Obi-Wan joined him in the doorway. "You knew?"
"I spoke with him before he came in here." Obi-Wan paused for a moment and let out a small sigh. "You know, I never once doubted you when you told me about the future and everything that happened in that other world, but I did hope it would turn out you were wrong."
Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. "So did I."
They watched the younger generations for several long seconds before Obi-Wan broke the silence again. "I take it you'll be going in Luke's place?"
Anakin nodded slowly. "I knew this day would come. I just didn't realize the choice would be so easy."
"When your children are at stake, the choices do seem to become clearer, yes." A fond smile crossed Obi-Wan's face, as if he were remembering an old, well-worn joke. "I'm going with you, of course."
"No." Anakin rounded on him, fighting to keep his voice down. "Absolutely not. You're too old for this sort of mission."
"Anakin—"
"It'll be dangerous."
"Anakin, I know dangerous situations are your speciality, but believe it or not, I could use a little adventure. And do I need to remind you again how old Dooku was when he wiped the floor with you?"
"That was different—"
"It's only different because you want it to be different." Obi-Wan placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder and smiled impishly. "Face it, my old apprentice. You're stuck with me."
Anakin blew out an exasperated breath. "I should have known better by now." He gave his friend a pointed look. "I'm not kidding about the danger, though. Ben told me what he knew about Myrkr, and it was beyond anything I could comprehend at the time, but now that I've fought the Yuuzhan Vong firsthand…" He trailed off, unable to finish.
"You don't have to say it, Anakin. I know. But in a way I'm glad. How many people get to go on their last mission knowing that it's their last? And to go with their best friend, no less."
The muscles in Anakin's face twitched into something resembling a smile. "We've had a good run, haven't we?"
Obi-Wan's eyes twinkled. "The best, I'd say."
From across the room – almost as if she'd sensed the direction of their conversation – Padmé looked up and met Anakin's gaze, and she took a long, deep breath. After nearly five decades together, she could read him as well as Obi-Wan could, maybe even better at times. He tried to give her a reassuring smile.
"Everything okay, Gramps?"
Anakin looked away from Padmé and turned his attention to his oldest grandson. The eyes that looked back at him were so different from the ones he had seen a lifetime ago. Those eyes had been mercurial and bitter, twisted by pain and grief and darkness. It hurt to remember those eyes and the way they had stared off into space before closing forever. But unlike the sad, broken person Anakin had known, the young man in front of him radiated compassion and warmth, and he took the pain of others so very seriously. He still struggled at times with his place in their family, and in the war, and with who he thought he ought to be – but he'd never once given Anakin any reason to doubt that he would grow into a good and wise man, Jedi or not.
Maybe his Jacen would never face the trials and tragedies that had shaped his counterpart. Maybe the ripple effects of this mission to Myrkr would never be as widespread as they had been in Ben's world. Maybe none of it mattered in the grand cosmic scheme of things, or maybe it mattered more than anyone could guess. Right here, right now, all Anakin truly knew was that he loved his family, and if he could spare even one of them from being lost, he would gladly give his life.
He slung one arm over his grandson's shoulders and hugged him tight. "More than okay, Jacen," he answered. "I love you. Always remember that."
He ruffled the boy's hair so as not to worry him, even though they'd long passed the point where Jacen was fooled by such things. "I know, Gramps," his grandson replied in a soft voice. "I love you, too." Jacen's brow furrowed. "But you're sure you're okay?"
Anakin nodded. "Absolutely."
Jacen studied him for a moment, a small, sober smile on his lips; then he nodded and turned away, walking over to where Luke and Mara were playing with Ben. The baby laughed as soon as he saw his cousin, and Jacen reached down to scoop Ben up into his arms. That, perhaps more than any other interaction Anakin had witnessed tonight, touched something deep inside him, a part of him that few had ever seen. A piece of himself that was left behind in another universe where he'd died in his grandson's arms.
As Anakin ruminated over the peculiarities of fate, he sensed his oldest friend join him once again.
"Do you think we've really changed things?" he said quietly to Obi-Wan, asking the question that had started a thousand similar conversations over the years. "I know so many things are different now, but sometimes it still seems like we've hardly deviated from the path Ben described to me."
As always, Obi-Wan reached out to grasp his shoulder, and smiled. "Anakin. The fact that you're here now changes everything."
Anakin took a long breath, and he let his gaze travel around the room, pausing on each member of his family. Stars, there were so many of them now. He couldn't have imagined it would be this way one day. He couldn't have imagined the impact one decision would have on the course of his life or the fate of the galaxy.
Over the years, Anakin had caught glimpses of the different paths he might travel down. Many of those potential paths were shrouded in the Force, twisting and turning in ways that he already knew might end in heartbreak and despair. But there were others – many, many others – that shone brightly, hinting at futures filled with peace and hope and love. He never saw himself in those futures, but he recognized the beacons of light that were his children, and his grandchildren, and so many others, standing firm against the darkness. That was the true legacy of the Chosen One, he'd come to realize. A legacy of balance that would endure long after he was gone, because it had never really belonged to him to begin with. It had always been so much bigger than that.
"Ani!"
He turned toward the sound of his wife's voice and found her smiling at him. Even after sixty years and all the incredible things he'd witnessed throughout the galaxy, Padmé's smile was still one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen. "Come inside," she called out, motioning for him to join her.
Anakin heaved a deep, contented sigh as he gazed at her, surrounded by the family they had made, and he silently thanked the Force for the second chance it had given him, such a long time ago. He might not have very many moments left to live, but he was going to live in this one for as long as he possibly could.
.
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Epilogue
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Another universe. Another time.
Beneath a new set of stars, the inhabitants of the Jedi enclave on Zonama Sekot emerged from their dwellings and came together in celebration. The Dark Lord and Master of the Sith was dead and his forces scattered. In time, the Empire would crumble. There were still battles to be fought and systems to liberate, but tonight was for celebrating. The lower branches of the boras were alive with bioluminescent insects, adding their light to the otherworldly glow of the towering globe-stalks that ringed the amphitheater – the site of the evening's festivities. Members of the closest neighboring Ferroan and Yuuzhan Vong villages arrived with food and drink and even, to the delight of the children, a few musical instruments. Before long, the Yuuzhan Vong musicians had struck up a tune that got everyone else dancing.
It was to this joyous scene that Ben Skywalker and Tahiri Veila and all their companions returned, battered and bruised, but victorious nonetheless. One-by-one the revelers noticed their arrival and came to draw them into the festivities. Carin and Savl Horn reached them first, and Ben smiled a little as Valin dropped to his knees and gathered both of his children in his arms. Syal kneeled down next to him, fielding Carin's excited questions and ruffling Savl's hair, and Valin leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.
About time, Ben thought as he watched them for a few more seconds. Myri echoed his sentiments out loud as she swept past them all, dragging Ulin along behind her, clearly on a mission. A reminder from Tahiri to take it easy on their slicer friend was met with a wink and a casual wave from Myri and a slightly sheepish grin from Ulin, and Ben didn't miss the way Tahiri smiled wider in response.
A whooping laugh caught his attention, and he turned to see Kohr spinning Dira Nal into his arms. They continued to laugh as they tried to keep up with the rapid tempo of the music. Behind them, Karanya and Kala Di were beaming as they watched the pair and whispered to each other. Meanwhile, Myri and Ulin had already managed to procure a table and chairs and looked to be setting up for a card game. Myri called out to Elias and Arden, who stood just outside the circle of dancers, holding each other and laughing along with their friends. Elias caught Ben's eye and waved, and Ben returned the wave, smiling at his friend and at the aura of peace he sensed in him.
Finally, he found the two people he'd been looking for. Davin and Dolan zigzagged through the crowd and flung themselves into his and Tahiri's arms. Allana joined in the embrace, and the five of them stood huddled together for the longest time. Then, because they were still eight-year-old boys, the twins broke away and began pulling Tahiri toward the dancers.
Ben noticed a small, blond-haired boy standing a few meters away, staring at him and Allana. Before he could say anything, Allana went and picked up the little boy and carried him over.
"Ben," she said, "I want you to meet my brother, Roan."
The boy was silent, but he looked at Ben more out of curiosity than fear. Ben smiled. "Hey, Roan. Welcome to the family."
Roan nodded before burying his face in Allana's shoulder. She kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. "Let's go find Davin and Dolan." She looked up at Ben. "You coming with us?"
Ben briefly surveyed the party. "You go ahead. I think I'll just watch for a little while."
Allana took Roan with her, leaving Ben alone at the shadowy fringes of the enclave. He observed the celebration for a while, content to see his family and friends so happy and free. He even smiled at the sight of Allana grabbing Ames for a dance. Davin had partnered with Roan in perfect imitation of the adults, and Tahiri was spinning Dolan around in circles, making the usually somber boy laugh out loud.
Ben was about to head toward the others when he sensed something behind him. He turned his head to glance back, and what he saw left him breathless.
They were standing there, a trio of luminous figures distinct from the glow of the tempasi – figures that he knew. Aunt Leia and Jaina gazed at him with all the warmth that he remembered, and he felt that warmth like a balm on his soul. The third ghostly figure stood between them, his arms draped over their shoulders as he grinned at Ben. He'd been too young to remember meeting him, but he'd seen enough holos to recognize Anakin Solo anywhere.
The air around his aunt and cousins shimmered, not unlike the way it often did under the intense glare of Tatooine's twin suns. Another woman stood there with them, her braided hair framing a fiercely proud and regal face that he wouldn't soon forget. How could he, when he saw so much of that face every day in her daughter? Tenel Ka held a hand to her heart and bowed her head, and Ben returned the gesture.
Other forms materialized, less distinct shades that nevertheless pulsed with an energy all their own. He felt a comforting weight on his shoulder, a strong, confident hand that had always known just what direction to aim him, even without the Force. Next, he experienced a profound sense of gratitude, and Davin and Dolan's faces flashed through his thoughts. He might not have been able to see Uncle Han or Jag as clearly as he saw the others, but he knew they were there.
Aunt Leia looked over her shoulder, and Ben followed her gaze as two more figures appeared. If his heart could have stopped from shock and happiness, it would have in that moment.
His mom and dad stood together, their expressions filled with such joy and love… Force, he'd nearly forgotten what it was like to be on the receiving end of their love, and now he wondered how he'd managed so long without it. He wanted so badly to go to them, to run into their arms; knowing that he couldn't made him ache. There was so much he wanted to say to them, things he hadn't been able to tell them while they lived. But as he stared into the tempasi and met their silent gaze, those words no longer seemed important. He realized they'd been with him all along.
A twig snapped behind him, and he spun around to find Allana and Tahiri approaching him slowly with Roan and the twins in tow. At first he thought he was going to be dragged back to the celebration, but then he noticed the awed expressions on their faces. Allana was holding a trembling hand to her mouth, and the three boys couldn't have opened their eyes any wider if they'd tried. Tahiri looked on the verge of tears.
"Ben?" she whispered, unable to say more.
Ben nodded at her and turned back to where the ghosts of their loved ones had appeared. Behind his parents, two more figures took form, both wearing the traditional, nondescript robes of the old Jedi Order. He didn't recognize the bearded man smiling in approval, although he had a feeling he should have. The tall man next to him, however, he knew instantly.
Ben gasped as he took in the sight of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, leaning casually against a tree, arms folded across his chest. His eyes rose to meet Ben's, and he nodded. They were old eyes, Ben realized. Eyes that had watched the galaxy from behind a mask and seen the true depths to which a person could sink. This was his grandfather, certainly, but he wasn't the Anakin that Ben had known. His friend.
The weight of that loss was still heavy on him. He wondered where Anakin was if not here. Maybe he was at peace. Maybe he'd been given a second chance to make things right. Maybe one day there might be a world where Jacen was given the same chance.
As if in answer to his thoughts, his grandfather smiled, and for a brief moment the tempasi was gone. He saw a villa overlooking a lake and his family alive and well. He saw his mom and dad, younger, sitting on the floor with a baby between them, and realized he was looking at himself. He saw Aunt Leia and Uncle Han, and his cousins Jaina and Anakin, and Tahiri sitting with a couple of girls about her age that he didn't know, but who nevertheless struck him as strangely familiar. He saw a woman sitting next to Aunt Leia, and though she was much older than she'd been in the hologram Artoo had captured long ago, he knew this was his grandmother, Padmé.
Finally, he saw Jacen, standing out on the veranda underneath a sea of stars. Next to him, arm around his shoulders, was an old man with a familiar lightsaber hanging from his hip. The old man looked straight up at Ben, blue eyes still as clear as he remembered them.
Thank you, Anakin whispered across time and space.
"Thank you," Ben whispered back as the vision faded. The sounds of the celebration rang loud in his ears, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Elias and Arden waving at them to rejoin the party. They hadn't seen the ghosts.
Ben looked back at his parents. They nodded at him, and even without words their meaning was clear. He had spent so many years running and hiding and fighting to survive. It was time for him to live.
It was time for all of them to live.
.
Fin