Author's Notes: Thanks again, Thrawn's Girl. Yes, it is a very difficult time for Luke, Anakin, and Han. These chapters even made me sad when I was writing them, but they can find comfort in each other. Hope you did well on your Latin test.

Allana, I'm afraid I can't say much at this point. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone. But if you've been enjoying "Fear," please keep reading. Hopefully, you won't be disappointed in the ending.

I'll post again on Friday. Hope you enjoy ch. 16.

Fear Part 16

Luke woke early the next morning. For a few seconds he glanced around at the unfamiliar room, feeling disoriented. Then as he caught sight of Anakin asleep on the sofa by the wall, he remembered the previous day's events and the terrible grief washed over him again.

He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain, but it didn't help. Nothing could change the fact that Leia was dead and Han blamed him for it. He had failed his family. He had failed his students. Tera and Elissa were dead, too, and he had been their Master. He should have protected them with his own life, yet they were gone and he was left. If only he had paid more attention to that warning from the Force, if only he had thought more carefully.

Unable to bear the pain alone, he slipped out of bed and over to the sofa. Anakin must be terribly worn out not to have sensed his son's anguish and woken up already. Luke didn't want to disturb him, but he suddenly, desperately needed to have some contact with his father, just to know that he wasn't completely alone, that someone still loved and cared for him.

He knelt on the floor beside the couch and rested his head on his father's chest. A moment later Anakin opened his eyes and then laid his hand on Luke's head, stroking his hair. It was easier to communicate through the Force than to summon the effort to speak aloud, so Luke reached for their mind-link.

//I'm sorry I woke you.//

//That's all right.// Anakin kept smoothing his son's hair, gently, lovingly.

//I didn't mean to. It's just-well, I needed you.//

//I need you, too.// Anakin's eyes filled with tears and he sat up and motioned for Luke to sit beside him. //Come here, son.//

As Luke joined him, Anakin wrapped his arms around the boy and wept quietly for a while. Luke clung to him, but Anakin noticed that he remained dry- eyed.

//Why don't you cry, youngling? It might help you to feel a little better.// He sent.

Luke shook his head slightly. //Nothing will make me feel better.//

Anakin sighed. //Still, it isn't good for you to keep your grief bottled up inside. It's all right to cry and let it out.//

Luke didn't answer for a while. Finally, in a mental whisper, he said. //I can't cry. I just feel frozen inside.//

His father caressed through his hair again and for a time they were quiet. Finally Anakin got to his feet, rather reluctantly, and said aloud, "We need to see about getting a change of clothing for us all, and I'll ask one of the assistants to send up some breakfast as well. I don't think any of us wants to go to the dining hall to eat."

//I don't want breakfast.//

"I know you don't. I don't either," Anakin said quietly. "But we need to eat something. It's not going to do Leia, Tera, and Elissa any good if we starve ourselves. We have to keep up our strength if we're going to catch the bombers."

Luke didn't answer, didn't move. Anakin asked softly, "Luke, don't you want to catch them?"

Slowly, Luke nodded. //Yes, of course, but-// he stopped and his shoulders slumped in despair.

Anakin knelt in front of him. //What is it, son?//

//It won't bring them back.//

The pain in the simple words was unbearable. Anakin pulled his son into his arms again and wished desperately that he could say or do something to help ease Luke's misery. But his own heart was shattered into a million pieces. How could he lessen Luke's pain when his own was threatening to consume him?

All he could do was hold his son, remind him of how much he was loved, and pray that it would be enough to help him survive this terrible loss.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and said in a voice rough with emotion. "No. No, it won't bring them back. But the bombers still have to be caught. Leia and the padawans deserve to have justice done. And we still have Keren and Gil. We have to keep them safe, and that means capturing Ignatia Kane and her followers."

When Luke didn't respond, Anakin said more firmly, "And I'm not going to let you shut down. You're my child. I love you with all my heart, and I'm not going to sit back and allow you to starve yourself or beat yourself up over this. Understand?"

For a moment Anakin didn't think Luke was going to answer and he was wondering what he would do next if his son remained apathetic and unresponsive. It was all very well to say he wouldn't permit Luke to continue on this path, but he wasn't sure what he could actually do to prevent it if offering love and comfort wasn't enough. But then Luke nodded and whispered, "Okay."

"Well, then, why don't you go take a shower and I'll see about breakfast and the extra clothes. I'll lay them on your bed, all right?"

Luke nodded again and they slowly stood and went about the business of preparing for the day. Later on, while the Skywalkers and the padawans were picking at breakfast, Anakin said quietly, "After we eat, I'm going to contact General Madine and see what we can do to help. All right, Luke?"

"Yes," Luke murmured agreement as he listlessly shoved the eggs about on his plate with his fork. Anakin sighed. He wasn't at all sure that Luke was really able to help in the investigation, but he had decided that it would be best if he and Luke stayed together. He wanted to be right there to offer emotional support, and protection if it were needed. He had lost his daughter. There was no way he was going to leave his son's side now.

"What about us? What can we do, Master Anakin?" Gil wanted to know.

"You and Keren will stay here with NRI agents to guard you," Anakin's tone indicated that he would not welcome any arguments.

It was lost on Gil. "No," he almost wailed. "We want to help. Please, Master Anakin, let us come."

But Anakin shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "Keren, Gil, you are both very talented and show a great deal of promise. But right now, you are not ready for a dangerous mission, and our enemies have proven to be quite dangerous. We've underestimated them. But no more. I need to be able to concentrate on tracking them down and capturing them. I don't want to have to be worrying about your safety," His eyes flicked at Luke. He was going to have enough to worry about, wondering if his son were able to defend himself and being ready to go to his aid.

Keren spoke up. "Gil, Master Anakin is right. He and Master Luke are going to have enough to do without having to watch out for us."

"But I want to help," the boy protested.

"And so do I," Keren agreed. "But we'd only be a hindrance, maybe even a danger, to Master Anakin and Master Luke if we went along this time."

Anakin patted Gil's shoulder and said, "Your heart is in the right place, Gil, but I'm afraid Keren's right. If you really want to help, then you'll stay in the palace with the agents. I'll be able to do my job better if I know that the two of you are safe. Now, I need your word that you'll stay here."

Keren nodded and Gil rather reluctantly said, "Yes, Master Anakin."

As Threepio began collecting the breakfast plates to send back to the kitchen, Keren suggested that she help Gil continue his studies that morning. Gil didn't seem pleased at that idea, but he glanced at Anakin, who was sitting beside his son, looking tense and anxious, and at Luke, who was still and pale with grief, and he agreed without a fuss.

"I think I saw some Naboo history books back in my bedroom. I'll go get them," he offered and left the room.

Anakin gave Keren a grateful glance. "Thank you, Keren. I appreciate your help and support. You've been wonderful, taking care of Gil and keeping him busy. I don't know what we'd have done without you. I just wanted you to know that."

Keren's eyes filled with tears. For so long, she'd been uneasy around Anakin, but now the sorrow in his eyes, the gratitude in his voice, and the tenderness in his motions as he gently held his son's hand caused the last of her reservations to melt away. She crossed over to him and knelt to give him a hug, surprising the both of them. Then, before he could say anything else, she straightened and quickly followed Gil out of the room.

Anakin cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. "Well, I guess I need to call Madine."

He moved toward the communicator, but before he could reach it, it began buzzing. When he turned it on, he was shocked to see an image of Mon Mothma herself.

"Anakin, is it true?" she asked without preamble. Her voice was calm as always, but sad, and her eyes were anxious.

"Yes," Anakin's voice threatened to close down on him and he had to swallow hard before he could go on. "I'm afraid so. We've lost Leia. Two of our padawans as well."

Saying the words aloud brought it home to him as it hadn't quite hit before, and he bowed his head, fighting not to break down again.

Mon Mothma closed her eyes for an instant, as if in denial. But then she lifted her chin and said crisply, "I will inform General Madine that he has unlimited resources to use in this investigation. I will also send another group of agents and some of our best commando squads to Naboo at once."

She paused, then continued in the same brisk tone. "Anakin, I'm sure you wish to take part in the investigation, but I must request that you return to Coruscant at once."

Anakin's head snapped up. "What? Why?" He blanched. "Surely you don't think I had anything-"

"No," she cut in swiftly. "I know that you've changed. I know that you would never take part in anything like this."

"Then why-"

"Some members of the Senate are concerned. Not because they think you might have been involved, but because they're afraid of how you might react to this tragedy. After all, you yourself have told us how losing your loved ones was the main reason you turned to darkness. They want to be sure that's not going to happen again."

"Mon Mothma, I know the mistakes I've made in the past. I'm not going to repeat them," Anakin began.

She sighed. "I believe you. And I understand how hard it will be for you to leave Naboo right now. But we do have our best agents working on the case. And if you'll just come speak with the Senate in person, let them see for themselves that you're still on the side of the light, I think it would be the best thing for the New Republic, and for the future of the Jedi."

Anakin shook his head in frustration. "But I can't leave now. Leia is-was my daughter. I have to help in this case. I can't just turn it over to someone else."

Mon Mothma gazed at him, her eyes wide with compassion. When she spoke, her tone was sympathetic, but firm. "Anakin, your daughter was my trusted colleague for a long time. And she was my friend as well. I grieve for her, and I understand your feelings. But I have a responsibility to do what is best for the New Republic. If you refuse to come to Coruscant, it will cause a great deal of anxiety in the Senate. Those who are concerned now will become even more afraid, and those who are supportive could easily lose faith in you. And in the new Jedi Order. If you want to honor your daughter's memory and what she believed in, you'll come."

Anakin's face twisted in pain, his eyes were filled with doubts and protests. He started to speak, then stopped and exhaled sharply. There was a long moment of silence. Then Mon Mothma spoke again, very gently.

"Please come. You won't have to stay long. I promise. And Luke can remain on Naboo and help with the search. Surely you have faith in his abilities."

Anakin glanced over at his son. Luke was still sitting on the sofa on the other side of the room, pale and drawn with grief, and apparently not interested in Mon Mothma's call.

"This has devestated Luke," he said softly. "I can't leave him. He'll come with me."

Mon Mothma looked about, but Luke was out of her sight range. "Is Luke with you now? Could I speak with him?"

Anakin nodded and went over to his son. "Luke, Mon Mothma wants to speak with you. Come on, son." He guided Luke across the room to stand in front of the communicator.

"Luke, I'm so sorry," her voice wavered almost imperceptibly as she saw the raw suffering on the boy's face. "I wish I could do something to lessen the pain, but we will keep going and we will make your sister proud."

She turned her attention back to Anakin. "I'll expect to see you and Luke on Coruscant soon then." She paused and added, "Anakin, thank you." And she was gone.

"Well, I guess this means a change in plans," Anakin said after a moment. He wrapped one arm around Luke's shoulders as he tried to think of the preparations that would need to be made. "We'll have to let Han and Chewbacca know we're going. I'll need to speak with Madine about security arrangements for Keren and Gil, and we'll need the Angel."

He stopped as another thought occured to him. "And even though I'm sure there'll be some formal state ceremony later on, I'd like to have a small memorial service before we leave." He blinked back tears and bowed his head against Luke's hair, both to comfort his son and himself. /How are we going to get through this?/

He didn't intend to send the thought to Luke-he was trying to be strong for him-but Luke must have sensed something. His father's pain pulled him out of his own a little bit and he hugged Anakin back. //I love you, Father.//

//I love you, too, youngling.//

Anakin held him close, allowing himself several long minutes to grieve before taking a deep breath and reaching to switch on the communicator again. There was much to do before he and Luke could leave for Coruscant.

TBC