So, we've got some dreaming going on here, some fate decisions, some Return of the Kuroth, and then next chapter I just can't wait lol :D :D :D

Sorry I'm excited mwahahaha

For those who haven't yet, my page on Facebook is AngelDesaray of Fanfiction. I have a sketch of Luke's new lightsaber on there, and I'll be putting up fanart and cover photos, eventually I'll do sneak peeks, I do update alerts, etc etc. I strongly suggest liking it. I know Luke's lightsaber isn't the only sketch I'll be putting up there, I just don't know what I'll sketch next for you guys.

PLEASEEEEEE Review!

Enjoy!

"So when are you going to drug me up again?" Luke asked Saani charmingly as she did her routine check up on her patient. It had been three days, and Luke had improved immensely in such a short space of time. Even now he was upright, resting his back against the raised head of the bed while he watched her with his bright blue gaze.

Saani couldn't help but snicker at his question. Luke was really starting to grow on her by now; it was hard not to be charmed by him once you got past all the sadness that hung around the man more often than not. "You know you're only getting the painkiller's morning and night now."

"And the middle of the day," Luke added, playing with his fingernails absentmindedly before he leaned back again and watched her mess with his drip. "I will admit, I won't miss being hooked up to this thing."

"You're not out of the woods yet Skywalker, don't get ahead of yourself."

The smile slipped off of his face almost instantly. Saani was also getting used to his mood swings. "I've still got a lot of problems to face...though I think some of them are going to find me today."

Saani frowned, looking him over worriedly. "What are you talking about?"

Luke shrugged. "I can sense unrest, and I know it's about me; they're still fighting over what to do with me. Something's going to happen though..." he muttered under his breath.

Saani frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I think you should get some more rest. You were tossing around a lot last night, and you look tired."

Luke smiled weakly. "Just dreams. Nothing new, really."

Saani shook her head. "Still, get some sleep. I'll knock you out if I have to."

Luke sighed. "All right, all right."

Saani smiled gently at him. "Good. If something really is coming, than you'll need your strength."

Luke returned her smile. "Thank you Saani; I owe you."

"Well then, sleep and we'll be even."

Luke simply laughed.

He was in pain. It wasn't a new pain; he was getting rather used to feeling pain. That didn't mean he wasn't going to hurt any less, though. In fact, instead of the pain lessening, it was getting worse. A whimper escaped him despite his efforts, and he curled into a tight ball, as if that would help him feel better. A particularly painful spasm went through his chest and he felt like someone was shoving a knife through his heart, gasping in agony for several long and tedious moments. Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, but the pain did not recede. He stayed where he was, lying as still as he could while tried to gather his breath and overcome the pain that was starting to send spasms of agony through him.

"Luke..."

Luke stirred at the familiar voice, looking up to meet familiar emerald eyes. "Mara," he whispered, his voice reflecting the pain he was in. "It hurts..."

Mara looked at him sorrowfully, placing one hand on his cheek and the other over one of the hands that were gripping his arms in a death grip. "I know...that's why you have to stop doing this to yourself," she whispered mournfully.

Luke jerked in surprise. "What are you talking about?" he gasped through a particularly painful wave.

"You're doing this to yourself. All of your pain is because you can't forgive yourself, and it's starting to hurt more than just you." Luke felt pain flare through him as if someone had set him on fire and he let out a sharp cry of agony. "You need to let your guilt go, or it will destroy you, please Luke; let it go."

Luke shook his head viciously. "I can't," he forced out through clenched teeth. "It's not that simple..."

"Then you'll be consumed again, driven by your guilt and self-disgust," Mara said sadly. "If you can't forgive yourself, then you have already lost. There is a difference between accepting your mistakes, and never letting go of the past. I would have thought you knew that by now."

Luke was shocked into silence, watching as Mara stood and started to back away from him. A raw panic he hadn't felt in a while reared its head and seized his heart. He didn't want her to leave him here, alone to this pain. "Mara!" he called, but she had already disappeared into the darkness around. He pushed himself to his hands and knees, but he already knew it was useless; she was gone. "Mara..." he whispered, tears leaking out of his eyes as he momentarily went blind from his pain. The torment only increased as the moments ticked by, and Luke found himself reaching for what she had said to free himself of the agony that was wracking his entire being.

"Let it go...let it go...get a hold of yourself, Luke; just let it go!"

Luke's eyes flew open and he sat up with a sharp gasp, scanning the room and straining to hear over his pounding heart. There was tumult in the Force, and it wasn't entirely from Luke's dream. In fact, he could sense most of it headed towards him from down the hall, as well as hear raised voices growing steadily louder. Luke grit his teeth, shoving the phantom of emotional pain aside from his dream as he pushed himself upright on the bed, staring at the door to his room as the voices came steadily closer. He just knew that they were there for him, though he wasn't so sure he was ready for them.

The voices grew to a dull roar, and then the crowd finally reached his room. A Jedi Master that Luke did not recognize plowed through the door, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Windu, Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi Mundi, Shaak Ti, and many others followed right behind him. Their words blurred together in a cacophony of noise that hurt Luke's ears after being in peace and quiet for so long.

"—cannot stay here any longer—"

"—public somehow found out—"

"—unrest and demands punishment be dealt for violating—"

"—saved the Chancellor—"

"—shouldn't have let him live—"

"—really punish him for saving someone—"

"—must be punished, he obviously hasn't learned his lesson—"

"—do we even know he's not fallen again—"

"—this is ridiculous—"

"He's recovering, and you're all insane if you think I'm going to let you move him, least of all take him to a cell," Anakin said, his voice booming over all of them, strategically positioning himself at the end of Luke's bed.

"Master Skywalker, we've already talked about this; considering your direct personal relationship with him, you don't really have a say in the matter," another council member Luke didn't recognize said in a rather cold tone of voice.

"The Force I don't!" Anakin said vehemently, bristling visibly.

"Skywalker, he is going to be detained until everything can be settled now that he's well enough to be moved."

"He's staying right here, and no one's going anywhere near him," Anakin shot back, his tone sharp and warning.

"Am I allowed to speak for myself?" Luke suddenly asked loudly, drawing every eye towards himself. Luke refused to shrink under the sudden shift of attention, and instead sat a little straighter in his bed, adjusting his right arm so that his drip wasn't hurting him. When he didn't meet any opposition, he pushed on. "I'm perfectly aware that I violated my sentence when I came to Coruscant, but I was just trying to help someone. I had no intent on staying, and in fact I planned on dropping him off and then turning right back around to go back to the planet I was supposed to be spending my exile on. Your friend Judro seemed to have another plan for me entirely."

"How do we know that you're not in league with Judro now?" the same cold-toned master asked him.

"Because you're not dead?" Luke suggested with a slight snap to his voice. He sighed, gesturing to himself. "This is all because I refused to join him to help take down the Republic, and I'm sure if my father hadn't arrived he would have taken me to do more. Now, I know I violated my exile, and I was fully expectant to have to deal with repercussions should I be discovered, so I won't be surprised if I'm sent back. In fact, I won't argue...as long as Jeza comes with me should you choose to send me back."

"Jeza?" Shaak Ti asked, confused. Anakin held up a hand.

"It's a long story," he said shortly. "Luke, you're not going to be sent back."

"I think that's up the majority here. I did violate my exile Father, there's going to be repercussions," Luke pointed out.

"That's not entirely true," came a new voice. Everyone's attention shifted towards the door, and a path was almost immediately made as Kuroth entered the room, dressed in his Chancellor robes and standing straight and true with a commanding, regal air to him. Kuroth came to stand beside Luke's bed, putting a gentle yet firm hand on Luke's shoulder. Luke didn't miss the spikes of disgust he sensed through the Force from some of the Jedi Masters in the room at the action. "How are you feeling Luke?"

"Better," Luke admitted quietly. It was the first time he'd seen the Chancellor since the three of them were onboard the Nexu.

"I believe it's time for me to pay you back for saving my life; and I might have promised Jeza before we even arrived in the Coruscant system I would try to do something to help the two of you as well," Kuroth said with a small smile. He cast his gaze around the room, straightening up. "I am fully aware now of just who my rescuer is; I did not know who he was when he saved me the first time, or the second time, but I did have my suspicions the more of his story I heard. That does not change my opinion of him. Luke did not know who I was, so I know that the person that I saw is who he really is, and I don't see him as the threat everyone has been trying to paint him as. I see a good, strong young man and loving father that's trying to do what's right despite his past mistakes, and a group of people holding an old grudge and unable to give an honestly respectable and moral man the chance to amend those mistakes."

"Chancellor—" one of the masters started to say, but Kuroth held up a hand and gave them a sharp look to cut them off.

"I stand with Grandmaster Skywalker on this matter. Luke was fully ready to sacrifice himself for a complete stranger—for the Republic—and refused to join Judro's cause even when Judro threatened his adoptive daughter's life. In fact, he did sacrifice himself. I'm sure he did not expect to come back, but expected to die on that cruiser with no one ever knowing what he'd done. I'm forever in his debt...and that is why that, as Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, I'm giving him a full pardon, and we are to continue on as if his crimes never happened."

Luke sat there in shock, staring up at Kuroth's serious face as his firm and solemn words registered in his mind. "Chancellor, I can't accept that," Luke managed to stutter out.

"And why not?" Kuroth asked curiously. "I admire your humility, and the fact that you're willing to take full responsibility of your actions, but I can't help but wonder why, after five years, you still cannot forgive yourself and let go of your guilt."

Luke was about to continue to refuse the pardon before he snapped his mouth shut, his dream rushing back to him.

All of your pain is because you can't forgive yourself...You need to let your guilt go, or it will destroy you...

"I still have yet to let it go and forgive myself," Luke admitted quietly. "I'm trying but...I feel I haven't done as much as I could to make amends."

Kuroth squeezed Luke's shoulder. "Well then, consider this as a chance to start making those amends. You can't very well fix your mistakes if you're stuck on an isolated planet instead of out in the Galaxy trying to right the wrongs." Kuroth turned back to the others. "I am pardoning his crimes and excusing his violation of his sentence. He's allowed to wander the Galaxy to his heart's content again, and legally cannot be held accountable for what happened five years ago, for in the eyes of the Republic he has paid his debt in full. His record will be wiped clean, and he will receive full, unhindered citizenship. Whether he's welcomed back into the Jedi Order...well, that's up to the Council and Luke himself, as I do not have authority there."

"That matter needs further discussion to see where the Council as a whole lands on the issue. Though I must ask you to reconsider giving this pardon Chancellor," the same icy master said, his hard gaze riveted to Luke.

"I don't need to reconsider Master Jedi, because I know it is the right thing to do. I do not know how Luke has wronged you, but I think if you're so insistent that Grandmaster Skywalker has no opinion on the matter of his son because of personal ties, than you should not have an opinion on the matter for the same reason; personal ties to the person in question," Kuroth said coolly. The Jedi Master stiffened, but said nothing; Kuroth was the Supreme Chancellor, so how could he?

"I believe this ordeal has been sorted out for us," Anakin said evenly, his tone deceivingly calm. "Luke will remain here in the Halls of Healing until Healer Sedaya sees him fit to be released, after which he will go where he so wishes. I suggest that everyone return to their daily duties, and let him rest."

It took a moment, but the Jedi Masters slowly started to file out of the room, leaving only Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Kuroth in the room with Luke. Numbly, Luke slid back to lying down on his bed, trying to process what had just happened. Anakin ran a hand down his tired face before he bowed to the Kuroth. "I must thank you for that Chancellor. I cannot begin to express how much Luke's pardon means to me."

Kuroth smiled. "The honor was mine Grandmaster. After hearing young Jeza speak so highly of Luke I resolved to lift his exile when we arrived. It was the least I could do. It will take a little while to make the pardon official, but not any longer than it should take for Luke to be cleared." Kuroth placed his hand on Luke's shoulder, smiling at him. "I truly hope that this helps to pay you back for what you've done for me Luke...and I hope in time that you learn to forgive yourself and let go of the past."

"I hope so too...Chancellor," Luke said slowly. It was going to take him a little while to get used to that.

Kuroth's smile grew a little more and he pulled away. "Now, I'm afraid I must return to my duties in the Senate Building. Tell Jeza I said hello, and please, keep in touch."

"I will," Luke promised, watching Kuroth leave the room with a grateful expression on his face. He turned back to Obi-Wan and his Father, his expression still holding traces of his initial shock at what had just happened.

Obi-Wan was the first to speak. "If the majority of the council allows it...do you think you will come back to the Jedi Order?"

Luke purposely avoided looking Anakin in the eyes. They both knew that being a Jedi was Luke's life; he'd always strived for it in both of his lives with unwavering certainty. What about now, after everything that had happened? Had he really meant what he said to Kuroth back on Xenon, that he wasn't a Jedi and probably never would be again?

Luke sighed. "I...I don't know, Ben. I know I won't be accepted with open arms, and I know it won't be easy. It might be better to remain outside of the Jedi Order...at least for now."

"Are you sure?" Anakin asked with a frown, sitting beside Luke on the bed. "I know how much being a Jedi means to you Luke..."

"Right now, I need to focus on amending my mistakes with as many as possible, and regaining the trust of the Order. I'd prefer to do that outside of the Order so that I can do it at my own pace."

Anakin put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "When you're ready to come back to the Order, we'll be waiting for you, okay?"

Luke nodded. "Thank you Father...though I still have yet to figure out how this war the Republic is in started in the first place. I have no idea what's going on, how it happened...and I want to know."

Anakin sighed. "We'll talk about that whenever you're back to your full strength and safely home. Deal?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Deal." He grew quiet for a moment before he continued with his questions. "Have you heard from Mara yet?"

Anakin shook his head. There wasn't a hint of malice in his eyes as there had been when Luke was sent into exile, signaling that Anakin finally had enough time to forgive Mara and put her part in Luke's imprisonment in the past. That was something Luke had been sincerely worried about, and it relieved him to know that his father had managed to let go of that particular grudge. It wasn't just because he didn't want his father to fall back to the dark side either.

"No, we haven't received word from them yet. Don't worry Luke, I'm sure that they're all right, you don't have to worry, all right?" Anakin consoled him. Luke shifted uncomfortably in place, casting his eyes downward.

"I'm just worried," he murmured. Anakin frowned.

"There's no need to be concerned, I'm sure they're fine..." When Luke didn't respond, Anakin's frown deepened. "Unless there's something you're not telling me."

Luke sighed. "I...I had a dream before all of this happened."

The mood in the room immediately shifted to a deep seriousness. Skywalker dreams were known to be matters not taken lightly. Obi-Wan walked to stand on the other side of Luke's bed. "What was the dream about?" he asked.

Luke hesitated for just a moment before he plunged into describing his dream the night before Kuroth arrived on Xenon, sparing no details. Once he finished describing it, he explained how it connected to his concern for Mara.

"I know the two voices I heard was Jeza and Mara; that's why I'm so worried about not hearing from her. And the Sith, I think it was Judro. I can't think of who else it would be," he explained. Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a look before Anakin spoke.

"Well Jeza's fine, so I think for now it's safe to assume Mara is as well. On the other hand, there's actually a lot of dark siders running around right now. When you received your sentence, there was a lot of Jedi who felt like you had gotten off too easy and needed a more severe punishment. Judro most likely stirred up those feelings to overflowing rage against the Republic and the Order, and gathered all them to his campaign. How Judro fell is another matter that we're still trying to figure out," Anakin explained.

"I think I know," Luke whispered. Obi-Wan and Anakin fixed Luke with surprised stares while Luke cleared his throat. "Judro, his Master, and another Padawan he cared deeply for were some of my victims on the planet Vulpter. I didn't remember at first but...I've thought a little more about it since then."

"There's nothing you can do about it now though, so don't beat yourself up about it Luke," Obi-Wan reprimanded him gently. Luke shook his head.

"You didn't let me finish. Sidious didn't just want me to kill anyone I came across. I had orders to turn as many Jedi as I could, too. I didn't remember at first, but Judro was one of the ones that I turned. After I turned them and made sure they were firmly rooted in the dark side, I was supposed to send them back to infiltrate the Jedi Temple and await an order to take out the Order after Yoda died and...and you, Father, were taken care of; to strike when the Jedi were in disarray. I don't know how many I turned, it's all hazy and hard to remember, but I would dare say that not all of them are fighting openly with Judro right now if he's playing his cards right." Luke looked up at them with fire in his eyes. "You might have traitors in your midst."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier, before your trial?" Obi-Wan asked a little sharply.

"Sorry, but there were other things on my mind at the time, like if I would even be allowed to live," Luke said with a bitter edge to his voice. He pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself. "The last thing on my mind was Dark Jedi that had infiltrated the Order, though now that I think about it, I wish I had remembered before I was sent to Xenon."

Anakin stared thoughtfully at the ground, chewing on the inside of his cheek while he thought. "Do you think you could pick them out if you got the chance?" Anakin finally asked slowly. Luke eyed him cautiously.

"Perhaps...it takes a while for me to remember victims, so I can't say that I'll be very effective, and it might take me a while to find them...before you say anything though, I don't think members of the Order will take kindly to me coming in and pointing fingers at people saying they're Dark Jedi."

"We'll keep an eye out, and if we find anyone suspicious we'll bring you a holoimage and a record of what they were doing while you were...apprenticed to Sidious," Anakin said slowly. "Would that work for you?"

Luke nodded. "That could work. I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll try."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Sounds good."

Anakin stood up from the bed. "I have to go talk to Saani; you should be cleared soon, and then you can finally come home. Your room is the same as it was the day we left; it hasn't been touched."

"Where's Jeza been staying?" Luke asked. He was surprised he hadn't asked yet.

"With me, in my Temple Quarters," Anakin assured him. "She wanted to be close to you. When we go back to the apartment I was thinking she could stay in Leia's old room. Leia moved out and has her own apartment with Han," he added at Luke's confused expression.

"I'm okay with that," Luke said with a nod. Saani entered the room at that moment, glancing between the three.

"If you don't mind, it's time for his painkillers," she informed them, stepping around Obi-Wan with a syringe so she could reach Luke's drip.

"Oh goody," Luke mumbled sarcastically with a smile he was sure looked goofy. "Is it really that time all ready?"

"Yes it is; you slept for quite some time," Saani explained, injecting the drug into Luke's drip immediately. Luke sighed in a sound of contentment, relaxing into the bed as he waited for the drugs to take effect. Anakin snickered slightly at his son's expression.

"Are we going to have to worry about you becoming a drug addict?" he joked lightly.

"Maybe," Luke responded slyly. Anakin chuckled, patting Luke's leg lightly as he stood up.

"We'll leave you to your medications. I'll talk to you in the morning if there's any developments on...well...anything."

"Goodnight Father, Ben," Luke called, watching them leave with increasingly droopy eyelids.

"Goodnight Pilot," Anakin responded softly, slipping out of the room only when he saw Luke's eyelids flutter completely shut.