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Chapter 4: Tahiri and Anakin

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Floating on his back Anakin looked up at the line of sky that snaked with the river. He never thought that he would be back on Yavin 4 again. Then again after an unfortunate encounter with the Vong that had left him dead he never imagined that he would be much of anywhere. He had been brought back by his brother almost two and a half years ago. The Vong had been destroyed maybe a year ago. He was brought back because of Tahiri's pain. He had felt it even though he had been dead. He had seen her nightmares of him dying and her killing herself only to be with him. He had begged Jason to bring him back for Tahiri and Jason had done so.

Tahiri wadded over to him. She could feel him going back over the last few years. She put her hand on his chest. True she had wanted to kill herself when he had died. She had felt him die and not just through the force. Her whole body had been in searing pain. Every nerve in her body had felt like she had been hit with a plasma ball. Then all had gone numb. She had thought that she had died, but no she was alive. She remembered seeing Anakin dead and wanting to be dead too. Now to have him alive again was like magic. She had never thought that she would ever see him again. Anakin reached out and covered her hand with his. She looked down at Anakin and saw him grinning up at her.

"Do you know how much I love you?" Anakin asked as he stood up in the water, taking her other hand in his. Tahiri's eyes sparkled electric blue with flecks of green and brown. He began to lose himself in those eyes. As he did any barrier he had had up to block things out fell. Tahiri felt his love course through her veins. Every nerve ending tingled. She knew how much he loved her. Just then Anakin released her right hand only to stroke her cheek. Tahiri leaned into his touch. Anakin put his forefinger under her chin and kissed her. First on the forehead, he kissed each scar the Vong had left there. Next he kissed her eyes, followed by her nose. Then softly Anakin allowed a kiss to play across her lips. So soft was the kiss that Tahiri had thought it was merely his breath. Suddenly Anakin kissed her a bit more passionately. They stood in the river holding each other for what seemed like forever.

Soon they needed to breath, for even the best of Jedi need air. They looked into each others eyes. Tahiri was the first one to break the silence.

"I love you Anakin. I know I wouldn't be able to live without you. You saved my life uncountable times. You'll never know how much I care for you. Even through the Force you shall never know. I love you so much Ana…." She was cut off by Anakin putting a finger to her lips.

"I know how much you love me. Even as I was dead I felt your pain. Your love brought me back. Tahiri you have no idea how many times you have saved my life and still do. I love you Tahiri. You mean the galaxy to me." Anakin told Tahiri as he pulled her close.

Tahiri looked up at him. Her eyes met his in a searching gaze. His ice grey/blue eyes took her by surprise. When he fought his eyes were hard and cold, now that she saw him looking at her they glinted at a hidden fire. She knew even with the Vong destroyed Anakin was still blaming himself for Chewie's death as well as his own and many others. Slowly he would learn that it wasn't his fault, of this she was confident.

"How do you know that those deaths weren't my fault?" Anakin asked Tahiri.

"Because each was willing to give their life. You were trying to save others just as Chewie was doing. You two had given your lives so that others might live. No one blames you for what happened. Even in death Chewie was defiant if I remember correctly he was shaking his fist at the falling moon. Like him you gave your last defiant breath to stop the Vong. It was war Anakin and people die in war! You have to stop blaming yourself." Tahiri said forcibly to Anakin.

"Then why was I able to come back and Chewie wasn't?" Anakin questioned.

"For two reasons: A) because there was no body for his life's energy to go into and B) can't you see him the Lowbacca and all the other Wookiees? He's here not physically, but he's here. I've felt him," Tahiri's answer came quickly as if she had been expecting him to ask that question. She smiled. "Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah. I had never even thought about Chewie influencing Lowie, but now that you mention it he does act a lot more like Chewie now," Anakin thought, he smiled. "Maybe those deaths weren't my fault. Even though I'll always feel guilt about the what ifs." Anakin looked back at the sky. The sun had just come out from behind a cloud. Anakin smiled this would be a day of changes. Though he knew he would always feel the pangs of guilt from the deaths of so many he knew that he had done all he could've done. He looked down at Tahiri, he thought of all she had helped him through and would help him through. How he loved this girl. No, he corrected himself, not a girl, a young woman, matured beyond her years because of a war she had been thrown into and was now free of. He smiled, pulled Tahiri to him and kissed her passionately. She returned the kiss with equal passion. All the pain that the two had suffered left them through that one single kiss. Upon releasing, Anakin flashed Tahiri the famous Solo grin.

"I love you Tahiri," he whispered as he pulled her close. Tahiri lay her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Anakin."