AN: Long wait, I know. Sorry. For more info on why, see Blind.

Chapter One: Vigil

A lone figure stood between a dozen Hapan guards and one large cylinder. The young Jedi had lightsaber drawn and in a defensive stance. Prepared to defend herself and the bacta tube behind her. The dim light of the room was lit by her lightsaber…

And one other.

"Tahiri, stand down."

"No. You aren't going to take him." Her stance deepened and the opposing Jedi also prepared to fight.

"You don't have a choice, Tahiri. We need that tube free now."

"No, you don't. The only one who needs this tube is using it right now."

"… if that's the way it has to be…"

Tahiri's blade came down into a dueling position.

Tenel Ka's mirrored hers...

Two days ago…

Tahiri as sitting at an enormous banquet fit for a returning Hapan Princess. She didn't exactly dislike the food, it was mainly the fact that she just didn't have an appetite.

Maybe it was the air. The fresh, clean, filtered air that the Hapan royalty breathed was so in contrast to the foul air in the world ship only a day ago. Maybe it was the company, the rich and powerful of Hapan showing off all their male servants and their best clothes and their false joy at their princess's return. But most likely…

Most likely it was the fact that the one who should be there with them was busy recovering from near fatal wounds in a bacta tank.

Anakin…

"Tahiri."

"Hm?" Tahiri looked up from her full plate of various traditional Hapan food towards Jaina, sitting across from her at the table.

"Relax. Your aura is choking every force sensitive in the room. Eat something." Jaina gave her a small smile to show her she was joking, and Tahiri returned it.

Even if the smile was only skin deep.

"Jaina… I don't think I can eat anything. I…" She didn't need to say any more, which was beneficial because they were obviously being listened to by at least four or five recording devices hidden around the room.

I'm worried.

"Don't be like that, Tahiri. The least you could do is try it, they are being hospitable, aren't they?"

Translation, they haven't outright attacked the Jedi and Anakin is being healed, so trust them a little.

"I wish I could, I just don't have an appetite after everything that has happened."

I can't trust people like this. Not after what they said when we brought Anakin in. 'He would receive treatment until someone more important needed the bacta container.' What kind of reassurance is that? Every person in this palace is considered more important then Anakin after the Centerpoint incident.

"Try. For diplomacy and for Anakin."

Tahiri's smile came back to her face for a small instant before she took a small amount of food into her mouth.

Good.

Too good.

Tahiri couldn't eat this food. She had been raised by sand people, and then at the Yavin Four academy. There had never been fancy food, ever. And all the spices and flavors of this food just made the food much too strong for her tastes. She still managed to chew her bite and swallow, knowing that if it stayed down at least she would get some nourishment from it.

Until help came, she could live off of ration bars.

She glanced down the table to see that she wasn't the only one not enjoying the meal. Tesar was picking at the food with distaste. Her meat had been cooked, and that was not to Barabel liking. In fact, not one of the Jedi party was eating as much as any other person there.

The time spent on the edge of death seemed to have removed their appetites.

Tahiri only hoped that it would one day return, or she might need to find thinner Jedi robes. Luckily for her she had been given special permission from the Queen Mother herself to be excused from dinner early. Which was saying something, given that dinner could last over three standard time units. Tahiri took her chance and was swiftly away from the bright colors and rich perfumes.

She preferred the cool, moist, and woody smell of Yavin Four.

Before the 'cleansing'…

But a close second was the cool sterile room she was entering. The medical ward had become her permanent residence for the past few hours sense their arrival and likely would be for the duration of their stay.

Bacta was an incredibly scarce resource in war time, and the Hapan royalty had enough money from cutting their food budgets, Tahiri couldn't see where, to sustain two.

One held a Hapan noble in near suspended animation, though hope for his recovery from his brain trauma was near nil. The other, less sophisticated, tube contained the only person that seemed to matter in her mind anymore.

"Anakin…"

"Miss Veila." A medical droid came from behind her. "He cannot hear you. The unconsciousness along with the bacta in the tube does not allow sound through to his brain…"

"I know that, I was just… talking to myself."

"Speaking to oneself is a sign of mental disorders in humans, but I have not witnessed any other symptoms of insanity from you in the past few hours…"

"Em-Dee, I don't need to hear that. Tell me. How is he?"

"Normally information would only be privy to close relatives or spouses. But, Miss Solo has signed a release to give his information to you. Young Master Solo is stabilized, and slowly recovering from what could best be described as serious interior burns. A mystery, to be sure."

"Yes, I know. So, when we he be able to wake up?"

"Estimation of consciousness is between three and ten days."

"So long?"

"The brain was only slightly affected, but because it is so complex for humans it is very difficult to say exactly when he will wake up. And yes, that long. He won't be completely healed on the inside until three days from… two hours and fifteen minutes ago. Then we can begin the process of trying to wake the young master."

"Em-Dee, is there… some place I could rest that would be out of your way?"

"I hardly ever travel in the most north-western corner of this room, so you will have precisely zero point zero two percent chance of needing to move in the next eight time parts."

Tahiri had stopped listening at 'corner' and by the time the droid's rant was finished, Tahiri was laying on her back against the cold floor.

But she was used to it.

Simplicity was one of the ways of the Jedi, and it was Tahiri's greatest strength according to a few of her peers. Anakin had always told her that she always seemed to get enough to survive no mater what she had.

It was one of the nicest things anyone had said about her. And until the one who said it was well, she would make sure that no one kicked him out of the tube.

Em-Dee had said that it would kill him.

He'd die in minutes.

And that couldn't happen.

"Mom?"

"Jaina! Thank goodness, we finally got a hold of you! Jaina, how are you? How's Jacen? And… Anakin?"
Jaina held the long distance comlink slightly away from her ear, as her mother's voice came through in a frantic volume and rate.

"Mom, I'm fine. Jacen… we don't know."

"What…"

"I lost contact a while ago, Mom. I… I think he might be…"

"No, he isn't. Don't think that. I would know if he died. This was different from… well… and Anakin, how is he?"

"Mom, Anakin is in a bacta container here on Hapan. Come quickly, though. The politics here might be a problem. They… well, let's just say that the next time any person of higher ranking then Anakin gets even slightly wounded Anakin gets kicked out of it."

"No! That would kill him!" Jaina was slightly surprised that her mother knew that, but given the connection she seemed to have to her children, she wouldn't put it down as impossible.

"I know. And I don't really want to start a war here, so come quickly."

"Your father and I are already on our way, and we'll be there within three days. Luke and Mara are trying to come as soon as possible. Just… just hold off until we get there, ok?"

"Ok, Mom."

"See you soon."

Jaina cut off the connection with a sigh. Now if anyone was coming for her…

Luke Skywalker stood in the hold of Mara's Jade Shadow. His wife was up front in the pilot's seat, going through checklist after checklist. Luke himself was merely standing in an empty room.

To an untrained eye.

To a Jedi it would have felt like waves of power were flowing out of him. Luke was, quite simply, meditating on his family.

His son was safe. His wife was safe. His sister was safe. Her husband was safe. His niece was safe. His nephews… his nephews were unknown. Jacen's force presence had disappeared completely from even his ability to find.

Which meant either death or a removal from the force. And removal from the force was extremely difficult and Luke knew none who knew how to do it safely. But Luke wasn't worried as much as he could have been. Jacen wasn't dead, so he would come through somehow. There was no way to find him, so there was no way to rescue him. Out of Luke's hands.

Luke's other nephew…

That was where the trouble lay.

He had been channeling more force energy then, likely, anyone in the known history of the Republic, Old and New. Even when his former students had channeled their energy through another student to knock back six star destroyers…

It couldn't compare.

If a human was a bright spot in the force, Anakin had been a neutron star. It had been unreal.

He shouldn't be alive.

So why was he?

It was the question Luke needed to have answered. Anakin had a lot of explaining on where he learned to do what he did, and after a stern interrogation he would likely be promoted to Master status. Not one master in the galaxy had missed that energy pulse.

If he could harness it, he could become one of the greatest Jedi to have lived.

Greater then Obi-wan.

Greater then Yoda.

Greater then his namesake, Anakin Skywalker.

Greater then Luke.

At that thought, where lesser men would feel a tinge of jealousy and malice to the young Jedi, Luke smiled a purely happy smile. The thought of his nephew surpassing him overjoyed him. Luke was looking forward to hearing the story.

"Farmboy, you ok?" Luke turned with all the grace of a dancer to face his wife. She hadn't thought much of the idea to leave Ben behind, but had agreed when Luke had insisted.

"Yes, Mara. I feel quite fine."

"It's just that… I could sense happiness from you. With all this going on… well, it is quite difficult to get happy feelings from anyone."

"It's Anakin. Remember the power he gave off? I keep getting drawn back to it."

"The power?"

"No, Anakin. I always thought that if there was ever a Jedi who could eventually surpass me it would be him. And that outburst, as uncontrolled as it was, was absolutely amazing." Mara smiled.

"Well, you'll get a chance to ask him soon, won't you?" Mara wrapped him in an embrace that was not common to either of them, but Luke accepted with gratitude.

"Yes."

"You know… I don't know where we would be… without… you know… Leia and Han and their kids…"

"I know…"

"And Ben…"

"A better child I have not met. So much like his mother."

"Hm… maybe… another wouldn't be so bad…"

"Mara… you know why we can't…"

"I know… but the sickness is gone now… and… and I promise I wouldn't go anywhere near battle…"

"You told me that last time…"

"But I didn't mean it that time." Luke had to laugh at his wife.

"Oh Mara, what will I do with you?"

"Grant my every wish, and right now… I wish we could have another."

"Mara…" Luke looked into his wife's eyes, trying to find a cause or a doubt in her eyes. But he saw only resolution and absolute faith. "… alright."

"Thank you, Luke."

Jaina Solo was an enigma. A tomboyish Jedi with suicidal tendencies that seemed to only cause him trouble. Her attitude and lack of proper foresight would be the death of her, without a doubt, and most likely the death of him.

Jagged Fel, the best human pilot in the Chiss armada, and the one who was hopelessly enthralled by the person that was Jaina Solo.

Damn her. Why does she have to be so… so… different.

The young woman, not too young, was filling his thoughts almost at all times. Her face had once popped into his head while in a combat situation.

Which meant that it was beyond Chiss training to ignore. And Jag was a master at concentration and strategy. Here he was, flying a Chiss Claw Craft as fast as he could towards the latest rumors of her position. He would confront the distraction and end it. His life and the lives of all he flew to protect depended on it.

What if you can't end it, Fel?

Silent.

Come on… even your military mind can't get rid of her. What will you do? Kill her?

If I need to…

Bull shit. You couldn't pull a trigger with the reticule on her, and you know it. She would likely not even die, Jedi and all.

I can't keep being distracted.

Really? You like the distractions, I can tell. You like her. You like Jaina Solo. You're just going to Hapan so you can see her.

Despite his outward appearance, Jag Fell had a kid inside of him that was a source of constant belittlement of the serious man that was his outer shell. His mind would bicker back and forth, and in this case the child and the man agreed.

Yes… I do like Jaina Solo.

So how are you going to end the distraction?

Ask her out for dinner.

Now you're talking.

Tahiri awoke with the hunger pains caused by lack of food. She had been alternating resting and watching for the past hours, somehow managing to go another day in the cold and sterile medical bay. Every once and a while Jaina or another member of their team would show up and stay with her, but they seemed at a loss for what to say to her or what to do in her presence. All Tahiri would do was sit and either watch Anakin or talk with the medical droid that was always around.

"Em-Dee? What time is it?"

Silence answered her.

"Em-Dee?" Tahiri stood up from her position in the corner and viewed the entire area around the medical bay. Nothing. The droid was nowhere to be seen, and considering that it was impossible for him to leave this area…

Unless…

Unless there has been a medical emergency! Then he would have been summoned to the scene of the problem… until they decide to take the wounded…

Here.

Tahiri ran to the door before opening it and peering out both directions for anyone coming. Hopefully it was a minor injury, nothing bacta would be needed for. Hopefully it was only a sprained ankle, or a broken finger, or a mild concussion. Tahiri's hopes went out the window went she saw a group turn the corner of the hall some twenty yards away. Em-Dee led a group of Hapan palace guards and one noblewoman towards the chamber. Tahiri popped her head back inside and shut the door.

No… it's too soon!

Tahiri locked the door, for whatever good it would do when the people trying to get in know all the codes, and then drew her lightsaber. Then she put it away again. Then drew it again. It was difficult for her to understand exactly what to do. These were technically allies, after all.

Allies trying to murder her best friend… only close friend… her Anakin.

She turned the blade on, the green blade flashing strange shadows on the walls. In a flash of inspiration Tahiri slowly held her blade up to where the door met the frame and lightly went over the crack, fusing the metal together without breaking through.

Now what?

A barricade? No, nothing to put in the way. Help? She didn't have a comlink. The Force?

The Force.

Tahiri suddenly let all her panic and fear flow out of her body and into the Force, flooding the immediate area with her negative emotions. Any Jedi on the planet would come to her aide. Tahiri sank to the floor and assumed a meditative pose, her unlit lightsaber resting in her lap. Before she was able to focus, though, a loud banging was heard on the other side of the door.

"Hey, open up in their! We have a wounded noblewoman!"

"How wounded?"

"… what?" The nobles were obviously not used to being questioned.

"I said, how wounded is she?"

"She… she cut her hand on a ceremonial blade."

"Tough luck."

Silence came from the other side of the door, and she almost laughed as she imagined the looks on their faces. That was probably the first time someone had ever stood up to that noble.

"Open the door."

"Why?"

"We already told you, open up so the wounded can have treatment."

"Bacta?"

"Of course."

"Go to hell. You aren't getting in."

"WHAT? Open the door instantly or face prosecution when we do open the door by force!"

"Yeah? Well I'll get right on that, then."

Silence again. These guys must be extremely new to the whole idea of a hostile situation. Tahiri was snickering slightly until she saw the most troubling thing she had ever seen in her life.

A lightsaber was cutting through the other side of the door.

Tahiri had barely enough time to stand and light her lightsaber before the door was completely cut open and had fallen into the area. Out of the doorway stepped someone Tahiri had looked up to and admired. Someone who had been through a lot, just as she had. Troubling mental times as well as damaging physical ones. Tahiri stood facing off with Tenel Ka.

And a dozen other armed men.

Em-Dee rolled his way in towing a hover stretcher with an only slightly bleeding noblewoman on top who looked more pale from shock that someone stood between her and quick healing then from blood loss or pain. Tahiri was quick to use the Force to push Em-Dee and the stretcher as far from the tube she now guarded and into the corner of the room. The guards fanned out behind Tenel Ka and got into firing positions, though they didn't aim their weapons yet. It wasn't quite to that point.

"Tahiri, stand down."

"No. You aren't going to take him." Tahiri's stance deepened and the opposing Jedi also prepared to fight.

"You don't have a choice, Tahiri. We need that tube free now."

"No, you don't. The only one who needs this tube is using it right now." No noble will push out Anakin for a mere cut!

"… if that's the way it has to be…"

"Tenel, it will kill him! They take him out now and he dies!"

"That is the way things are on Hapan."

"NO! That woman could be fine with first aid. Maybe she would get a scar, but that would be it. Probably not even that!" The woman looked mortified at the prospect of a scar. "You're willing to let Anakin die to save a noble from a scar?"

"…Hapan is willing."

"Well they no longer have a say it this. Leave, Tenel Ka, and take this guards with you, or so help me I will defend Anakin's life with my own to the end, and you know I will!"

Tenel Ka stood with her blade ready to attack, her soldiers with their guns at the ready. Her duty as princess was to enforce laws such as these. If her friends got in trouble then it would be her fault and seen as shame on her mother. If it was anything else besides a weak friendship and a life as compared to her duty and mother… she wouldn't hesitate to choose the friend and life. But it was her mother that was counting on her. Could she break the law this time?

Sweat trickled down Tahiri's face as the room, cold only minutes before, felt warmer from the tension. Tenel Ka didn't move, so Tahiri didn't. The people just stood their, waiting for someone to make a move.

The first move was made by someone completely unexpected.

"Hello, Tahiri. Tenel Ka. How is my… neph… ew… um, may I ask what is going on?"

In the destroyed doorway stood no one else but Grand Master Luke Skywalker. He gracefully stepped through the door and walked between the two Jedi about to duel.

"Lightsabers."

Tahiri and Tenel Ka immediately placed unlit lightsabers into his outstretched hands. It was almost a muscle reaction from their days in the academy.

"Now, exactly why is everyone standing here and why two of my Jedi were about ready to fight? This is not the place for a friendly spar and these men are not the ones I would have overseeing it. And why is that woman on a stretcher, her hand appears wounded but not her legs."

"Who are you to…" Before she had started her rant about how important she was and how much pain she was obviously in, the man had already shown up at her side with her hand in his. Seconds later, to everyone's great amazement, her hand was healed.

"There you go, now you don't need treatment. Come again soon."

Tahiri giggled a little at that. What on earth would anyone want to come to a medical facility again soon?

"And you, my students, have a lot of explaining to do. But first, how is Anakin?"

Jaina was wandering the halls of the palace before she felt Tahiri's force outburst of emotion. Instantly she had started running towards the medical bay, but knew she would never make it in less then ten minutes. She ran as fast as she could, using the Force to enhance her own speed as she dodged her way through servants and droids. She had just finished jumping a human sized droid when she noticed something.

There was a man on the other side of the droid.

Right in her way.

And it was someone she knew.

Jag?

Time seemed to stop for both as their eyes connected.

But, as time is want to do, it started right back up. Jaina collided with Jag as she returned to the ground and Jag was completely bowled over by Jaina. They rolled down the hall way a few feet before coming to a stop. Jaina opened her eyes, which she had shut from the impact, and stared right into Jagged Fel's face.

She was lying on her back on the ground, with Jag staring right back into her eyes from on top. Jaina could barely think, his face was so close. Her mind and heart were racing, causing her face to flush slightly.

"Jag?"

"Yes?"

Just like him to answer like that.

"Can… um… can you… get off?"

"No."

Jaina blushed even more.

"Uh… why?"

"Don't want to."

And then Jaina was caught up in something that she had never done before. Jag was kissing her.

Jagged Fel was kissing her. On the floor, after she tackled him, in a place he shouldn't have been.

No… wait… he definitely should be exactly where he is right now.

Jaina kissed him in return, just deepening the kiss even more.

"Mara, something is definitely wrong with Tenel Ka."

"Wait, you said she was openly willing to kill Anakin to heal a noble's cut hand? And you're saying something is just wrong with her? Luke, that is an understatement if I ever heard one. If Tahiri hadn't been there…"

"If she hadn't been there, Anakin would now be dead. I don't know what to do, Mara. Her actions are not those of the Tenel Ka I used to know. Until we get the counsel together again, I don't know what to do with her."

"What about Tahiri? Where is she now?"

"Still with Anakin. She saved his life, you know."

"He saved hers as well."

"So… you think I should plan for a wedding in the near future?"

"Maybe, but if we aren't careful Tahiri might do something worse."

"Such as?"

"Tie him up and elope with him."

"Something tells me he wouldn't mind it at all."

They kept coming and going. Visitors she recognized easily. Luke and Mara came to visit and return her lightsaber, and only hours later Han and Leia arrived and thanked her with tears and embracing. Jaina had arrived soon after, followed by that fighter pilot from the Chiss. Jag, wasn't it? It seemed the cavalry had arrived and her vigil was unnecessary now. At least two Jedi, including herself, were in the room at one time. The Solos were nearly always around, except while sleeping and eating they were one of the few constants in the room. Em-Dee was always around as well, and he had vocally forgiven her for her impolite actions earlier. Right now, though, she was alone.

Now all that was needed was a few hours more for Anakin to awaken…

Tahiri?

A voice in her head? Great. She was going insane... again.

Is that you, Tahiri?

This was interesting. It wasn't her own mind speaking. Words, clear and precise, were coming directly from an exterior source into her mind. It was different from Jedi communication, which only were vague directions in the most controlled master's hands.

Are you asleep?

Wait… those weren't coming from inside her mind…

Bacta tank speaker.

"Tahiri… I can see that you're awake. What? Are you not talking to me now?"

"An…Anakin?"

Tahiri spun around as quick as she could to face the bacta tank she had been leaning against. Sticking his head out of the top of the liquid was Anakin Solo, smiling at her as if nothing had just happened. As if he hadn't just almost died three times in the past few days. As is he wasn't supposed to be wounded for still another twelve hours.

"You… you… Idiot!"

"Huh?"

"Get back in that bacta! You're supposed to be in it for twelve more hours!"

"Oh. Ok."

Anakin put the breath mask over his face so he no longer had to breathe the actual bacta and sunk back into the fluid.

"How's this? Good and covered?"

"Better."

Tahiri sat right back down with her back to the canister. Not comprehending that he was actually back.

"So… are you gonna talk to me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You almost died."

"I grasp that from the way you said I still had twelve hours left in this goo."

"Three times."

"Wow, I must be pretty daring in my unconscious state."

Tahiri's face broke into a smile. Why did he have to be so happy and make her laugh?

"So… what happened while I was out?"

"We escaped."

"I can see that."

"We escaped in a Vong ship and barely made it to Hapan. We were waiting here for over two days for you to wake up."

"Wow, I really was almost dead."

"And then… never mind. Shut up, you need your rest."

"Come in and make me."

Tahiri could barely suppress her laughter.

"Hey, Tahiri. I felt you in my trance. You seemed angry and frustrated. You shouldn't feel that way ever."

"…Go to sleep."

"Tahiri is just being humble, Anakin."

"Uncle Luke! It's good to see you."

Tahiri's head popped up to face the Jedi Master in the door. Oh, of course. That was where Jaina had left to trade shifts with. Luke walked up to the bacta tank with a smile on his face that matched the one in his heart.

"Mas… Uncle Luke."

"Tahiri, I see your vigil paid off. Anakin looks fine."

"It wasn't…"

"Vigil? How long was Tahiri here?"

Now Tahiri stood and turned towards the tank.

"Listen… I just… I…"

She had never thought that she would need to explain her way out of her behavior the last few days.

"Tahiri saved your life by staying by your side. You were going to be removed from the bacta early to make room for a noble with a minor wound. While causing a minor crisis in the politics here, Tahiri managed to save you the death that would have awaited you if you were removed."

"I… that is…"

"Tahiri stayed by your side every moment since you were nearly killed on the world ship. Seems she has been keeping you company in your unconsciousness for a few days now."

"What? Really?"

"Mast… Uncle Luke!"

"Tahiri?"

Tahiri was starting to feel overwhelmed. Sure, she had planned to tell Anakin all about how she cared for him. Just… she hadn't expected it to be this soon. She wasn't ready for this.

So she stopped talking and walked out of the room.