Revised 10/29/14

Tess Naberrie watched the warm orange flame flicker in front of Luke's face. She couldn't even imagine what he must be feeling. Especially since Anakin Skywalker redeemed himself in his final moments.

The empty black encasement that was once the shell of Darth Vader sat on a pile of logs. It was hard to imagine that it was the very suit that used to strike fear throughout the galaxy—even in Luke and Tess. The death of such a person was not normally mourned.

"Are you alright?" Luke asked his sister softly.

"It's just…no one will ever know," she thought aloud. "No one will ever understand—no one saw what we saw."

"The world will celebrate the death of Darth Vader," Luke told her honestly. "But we'll mourn Anakin Skywalker."

Tess nodded slowly. Luke could sense something else was on his sister's mind. She confessed before he could ask.

"I watched my father die evil," she told him flatly. "You watched yours die just as soon as he redeemed himself from it." Tess sighed. "I don't know what's worse."

Both knew there really was no answer to that question, so Luke lowered the torch into the pile of logs. In a way, this was a funeral for both of their fathers. Within the flickering flames they watched their idealistic dreams of what it would be like to have a father burn away. Fireworks went off in the distance in celebration of the fall of the Empire. Luke gently took Tess' hand. She leaned into him, hugging him from the side as they both watched the black suit burn.

Leia watched the night sky light up with celebratory fireworks. She wondered how many other moons were lighting fireworks at the same time, for the same reason. The Ewoks danced around as happy as can be, and several of the rebels who helped fight the winning battle were showing up and reuniting with friends. Han—who had just embraced his friend Lando—noticed Leia sitting on the sidelines. He gave his friend a pat on the shoulder before going over to the princess.

"I thought you said you could feel that Tess and Luke weren't on the Death Star when it blew up?"

"I did," Leia assured him. "Just…it will be easier when I see them."

Han gave her a grin, then gestured behind her.

"Turn around."

Leia immediately stood up and spun around in the direction Han was pointing. They were a bit bruised, clearly exhausted, and seemed to be limping on both feet—but Luke and Tess were there. And they were alive.

Luke grinned from ear-to-ear at the sight of his twin sister, then nudged Tess forward. Tess didn't even need the nudge. She raced to Leia, forgetting that her entire body ached, and her feet didn't stop pounding the wood walkway until she was in her sister's arms.

This entire time all of them had been worried about what to ask, how to ask it, and how to explain whatever the group went through while they were apart, but suddenly that didn't matter.

They were reunited again, and that was all they cared about.

Amidst the festivities, Tess realized that she had lost track of Luke. After a bit of searching, she discovered him leaning up against a tree away from the crowd.

Tess approached him, nudging him with her elbow playfully.

Then suddenly, Tess saw what Luke was looking at. There—standing right in front of them—were three blue, blurry forms of Master Yoda, Ben Kenobi, and someone else who looked strangely familiar. Tess looked up at Luke with astonishment.

"How…?"

"The Force," Luke said with a grin. "The greatest Jedi never die."

Tess took a stronger look at the man who she didn't recognize. He reminded her of Luke. Those eyes… Then, it clicked in Tess' mind. The man was, without a doubt, a young Anakin Skywalker.

"He was right about the resemblance," Luke smiled.

As Tess returned her glance to the Force spirits in front of her, another one appeared to the right of Ben. Tess clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"Inny…" Tess muttered, barely controlling her emotions. Luke looked at her.

"Your guardian?" he asked. Tess nodded.

There, standing right there—was Inny Foetl, still somehow radiating the embrace of unconditional, unwavering love that Tess thought was lost forever.

"They'll always watch over us," Luke told Tess, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Though between me, Leia, Han, and Chewie I doubt you'll need anyone else watching over you."

Tess smiled and hugged her brother tightly.

Princess Leia made her way over to her brother and sister.

"What are you guys doing all the way over here?" she asked. The princess was not able to see the Force ghosts—at least not yet. For the moment Luke and Tess kept presence of the Jedi to themselves, grinning briefly at each other. One day, they would be able to share it with Leia. Maybe one day she would see them, too.

After one last look at their former masters and loved ones, Luke and Tess joined the rebels and Ewoks. For despite what it took to get there—the lives lost, the worlds long gone—today was a celebration.

Today, the rebels won the war.