The Guardian

Disclaimer: I do not own SW or any characters, ect. I am considering writing a sequel. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 3: The Mind of a Child

Two lightsabres sprang to life with a snap-hiss as Mara and Luke raced down the path. "He's close now," Luke tried to reassure, but Mara had the distinct urge to throttle him. Her baby was safe and she knew that her son was the one thing she would die for and the one thing she would kill for. She pitied the being that ended up on the wrong side of her blade. Luke increased his pace with a Force assisted push tearing through brush at a frantic speed letting the Force lead him to his son. His soul cried out hearing his son's plea. Mara grabbed her belly, the strength of the bond and the intensity of her son's fear nearly driving her to her knees. Abruptly, the contact was broken. They reached the clearing where Ben should have been and Luke motioned her back. There, in the center, was an irkyat crouched over their son. Mara lunged forward and then stopped in midstride.

The cat was purring softly and licking Ben's cheek. The child was laughing and completely unharmed. He scratched the cats massive chin. Mara and Luke approached cautiously extinguishing their lightsabres but keeping them close. "Mommy, Daddy—Look," Ben called. The cat's fur bristled and its spots begin to shift color. Ben looked into the cat's eyes and abruptly, it relaxed and rolled onto its side. "It's ok, daddy. He won't hurt you. He's good. I told him you're friends."

"What? How did you do that?" Mara asked still wary of the animal.

"I told him in pictures. It was like drawing a picture with my mind."

Luke's eyes widened. Ben was already developing telepathic powers. Mara tentatively reached down to touch the cat's fur. "How did you know how to do that?" Luke asked him.

"Anakin told me."

"Sweetie, you know your cousin, Anakin died right after you were born." Mara knelt by the child.

"I know. He told me I cried when I felt it. He said he saw me."

Luke looked around intently finding nothing.

"Ben, are you telling me you see him?"

The child answered him matter of factly, "Yes. I see him a lot. He's here right now."

Luke's heart filled with sorrow. How could he be so blind when he longed so deeply to see his nephew again.

"Anakin," Mara called softly. "Why can't we see you?"

Ben cocked his head as if listening intently.

"He said it would make you too sad. You weren't ready. He wants you to know that he's not afraid. He says he loves you and.." Ben trailed off and looked momentarily confused. "He says he's not alone. He's with grandfather now."

A tear rolled down Luke's cheek. Mara placed her hand on his shoulder staring into the distance hoping just as much as Luke to catch a glimpse of the boy who held so much promise and brought such light. Their patience was rewarded as in the distance, Anakin appeared standing on a hilltop smiling at them. He didn't speak but only lifted a hand in greeting before disappearing. Luke gathered his son and Mara into his arms and held them tightly. The Irkyat rubbed around the trio as they slowly struggled to their feet.

"Daddy," Ben asked, "Am I in trouble?"

It was Mara who answered. "This is a new level of trouble."

"Am I grounded in trouble?"

"I think that's a start," she said.

Luke set him on his shoulder noting that the Irkyat still followed.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, Ben?"

"The Irkyat is all alone….and I was thinking that since he doesn't have a family, we could be his family…"

Mara looked at Luke for help, but he was suppressing a laugh.

She found herself laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"Dad?" Ben begged sleepily.

"We'll see," Luke responded imagining the two hundred pound cat prowling through the temple.

On a hill, two figures watched from the hill as the trio farther and farther away. Anakin turned, smiling at his grandfather and raised a hand in a final goodbye. Ben raised his hand almost imperceptibly from where he rested on his father's shoulder. The pair turned away from the family and returned to the Force where they had always waited and would always wait until they were needed again.