I want to thank everybody who is reading and especially to those who took the time to review. This story was never intended to go past the first chapter, but my friends don't like it when I put my favorite farmboy through so much angst. I was highly encouraged to make things right. So this story was completely unplanned after the first chapter. If you liked how the story turned out I would love to hear from you.

This is the last chapter. If you don't understand the ending let me know. It makes reference to some things that are happening in the most recent profic books. I don't want to let out spoilers.

Thanks again for reading!

~JL~

~Coruscant: three months later~

Leia, we got a delivery." Han said as he signed for a package from a delivery droid. "It looks like a hologram projector from Luke. It says 'Honeymoon holos'"

Leia gave her husband a skeptical look.

"I'm sure your brother is not going to send you anything racy," Han laughed. "Besides, they brought the boys with them."

They sat on the couch and turned on the Holo and the first thing Leia noticed was how happy Luke looked. She never saw him that cheerful when he was with Callista. The holos went into a slideshow mode. Leia and Han watched the family hiking and swimming on the beaches of Chandrilla and then sightseeing at Coronet City and Bela Vistal on Corellia.

Leia sat back and smiled. "They look so happy."

Han put his arm around his wife. "Luke and Mara deserve this happiness." He smiled at Leia. "We should plan a second honeymoon."

She gave him a sultry grin. "Why don't we start now?"

Han kissed her tenderly. "I heard our bedroom is a great place to visit this time of year."

He picked up Leia off the couch and carried her to the bedroom. Leia was laughing happily. "Gods I love a scoundrel!"

.

~Coruscant: 2 Years Later~

"Leia," Han called out. "We got more holos from your brother."

Han went over to the dining room table where Leia was sipping some caf. He put the projector on the table and turned it on.

"Look how much the baby has grown?" Leia gasped. Han gazed at the image of his niece Jessa. The little girl had bright red hair like her mother but had Luke's goofy smile. She was in a one-piece swimsuit with little floatation devices around her upper arms. It looked like she was on the beach. The next holo was of Mara in a bikini.

"Wow, Mara lost all that baby weight." Leia remarked.

Han looked closer. "That's some bathing suit."

Leia frowned. "Don't be looking at my brother's wife that way."

Han gave her an innocent look. "I was just admiring the swimsuit and thinking how much better it would look on you."

"Scoundrel." Leia said as a smile crept on her face.

The next holo was of 'Grandpa Talon' standing in baggy swim trunks with the Ben and Darik smiling brightly next to him.

"Oh no!" Han yelp as the next holo came up of Chin in a very tight micro swimsuit. He was on the beach with Darik and Ben and it looked like he was in the process of throwing a ball to the boys.

Leia covered her eyes with her hand. "That suit doesn't leave much to the imagination."

Han gave his wife a fake glare. "Don't be looking at another man's swimsuit like that."

Leia laughed her eyes still covered. "Just let me know when it is over."

"Okay, it's over." Han said. Leia looked back only to cover her eyes again.

"Force, is that my brother in a C-Ring square-cut swimsuit?"

Han let out a hoot. "Luke, she married you already, you don't need to tempt her with the merchandise." He grinned at Leia. "Do you think I would look good in that type of suit?"

She gave him a heated gaze. "You would look good in anything…or nothing."

Han's eyes went wide. "Oh really." He turned off the projector. "Why don't we go to the bedroom while the kids are still at school and I will model some outfits for you."

She stood up from the table and took her husband's hand. "Why don't you model the "nothing" first."

.

~Coruscant: New Republic Fleet Academy, Graduating Ceremony 34ABY~

One thousand graduating seniors stood at attention on the Monument Plaza parade field. Their uniforms were crisp; shoes polished to a high shine, the brass of their belts reflected the light from the noon sun.

To the family, friends and dignitaries across the field the men of women standing in formation appeared silent and attentive. But years of standing at attention for daily drills and hours-long Pass-In-Reviews resulted in young men and women who could whisper and joke non-stop without ever moving their lips. It was risky; they knew there were officers in the viewing stands with macrobinoculars ready to pounce on any cadet not following the rules, but it was worth it. It helped ease the mindnumbing boredom of drill and ceremonies.

"Stang Skywalker, is that your entire family in the VIP bleachers," a tall male cadet whispered through his teeth.

"No, Jak," Ben replied. "I'm not related to Admiral Ackbar."

"It's a trap!" Ben's friend Deek whispered from behind him. Ben bit down on his lip trying not to laugh.

"Frack who is the gorgeous red head, I'd like to show her my flight stick." Jak whispered.

"Gross," Ben whispered back. "That's my step-mom."

"I mean the hot babe next to your step-mom," Jak murmured without moving his facial muscles

"That's worse!" Ben hissed. "That's my fourteen year old sister."

"It's a jailbait trap," Deek laughed.

"Shut up Deek," Ben and Jak whispered in unison.

"Shavit, is your entire family Jedi spooks?" Ben's friend Doran muttered softly. "How did you turn out normal, Ben?"

Ben didn't like the word spook. It was a derogatory term at the Academy for a Jedi. Most non-force users found Jedi spooky to be around, hence the term. "My biological mom didn't have Force abilities."

"Lucky you," Jak said softly. "How about the brunette?"

Ben squinted against the glare of the noon sun. "That's my cousin Jaina. She's in her mid-twenties, and she's a Jedi."

"She's hot," Deek whispered. "She could spank me with her lightsaber any day."

Ben almost shook his head, but caught himself at the last second. "First of all, that analogy doesn't make any sense unless you have suicidal tendencies, and second she has three boyfriends fighting over her already."

"Bummer," Jak whispered. "All the hot gals are taken."

"Excuse me," whispered a female voice behind Ben. "Unless you forgot, I'm a woman."

Jak risked a smiled. "You don't count. You're one of the guys, Kirrina."

Ben let a soft sigh escape his lips as he wondered when this ceremony was going to be over. The commencement speaker had been talking for almost an hour and it didn't look like he would ever wind down.

Perseverance and determination should always be the driving force in your military career. I will never forget the Battle of Yavin. I was commanding officer of a frigate providing cover for our brave fighter pilots. In fact we have the distinguished pilot whose flying and fighting skills resulted in the destruction of the Death Star, Master Luke Skywalker.

Ben moaned inwardly. He was hoping his Dad wouldn't be singled out.

"Your Dad's hot," Kirrina whispered with a chuckle. "Who's the other blond Jedi?"

"That's my brother Darik."

"I'd like to spank his lightsaber." She chuckled through her teeth. "Now that innuendo makes sense Deek."

"I don't get it," Deek mumbled back confused.

To Ben's great relief his father simply stood and waved at the crowd then sat back down.

Finally the speaker got down to the whole point of this ceremony.

You have, and should rightly have, pride in graduation from the New Republic Fleet Academy. You inherit the tradition of duty and honor. You inherit as well the tradition of service to the sentient beings of not only Coruscant but of the entire Galaxy. You represent them all. They have given you a glorious opportunity. Make good. Keep the faith. You have trained to be great warriors, but always remember the greatest goal for any warrior is to achieve peace.

Ladies and Gentlebeings. I would like to present the graduating class of 34 ABY.

Finally the cadets could break ranks. A large cheer went through the formation and a thousand hats flew up into the air in celebration.

Ben took the opportunity to grab Kirrina and give her a kiss. He smiled and said, "You were never one of the guys to me."

Kirrina blushed and then waved goodbye as she moved towards her awaiting family. Ben watched her go, sadly wondering if their paths would ever cross again. This should be the happiest day of his life, but he found the moment bittersweet; for years all he wanted was to graduate and now that his schooling was over all he could think about was how he was going to miss his friends.

A large hand slapped down on his shoulder startling him. "Good work!" Ben turned to see his adopted grandfather Talon Karrde.

"Thanks, I think all the training I had on the Wild Karrde helped through the flight portion of the training."

Talon smiled. "I enjoyed having you and your brother aboard during voyages. You were the best workers I've ever had."

Ben looked around, "Where's Dad?"

Talon looked up to the crowd of dignitaries. "Everybody and their relatives need to shake hands with the Jedi Master." Talon craned his neck to get a better view. "Here he comes."

Luke, Mara, Darik, Han, Leia and their three kids finally made their way over to Ben. Luke gave his son a warm embrace, followed by Mara. Ben thought he saw tears in her eyes, but she quickly brushed them away.

"I'm so proud of you, Ben," Luke said, his voice choked with emotion.

"Thanks dad," Ben smiled. "I couldn't have done it without everybody's support."

Ben looked at his family with pride. With the exception of his Uncle Han and Grandpa Talon, all were Jedi Knights. His brother Darik was rumored to be especially strong in the Force.

When he was younger he felt a little like an outsider, but his Uncle Han always pointed out to Ben that the rebel fleet, not the Jedi, destroyed the second Death Star and even Luke wouldn't have made that fateful shot on the first Death Star if his non-force using brother-in-law didn't come to save the day.

Darik came up to Ben and put an arm around his shoulder giving him a brotherly hug. "Congratulations, do you want to go out and celebrate…or will your friends not want to hang around a Jedi spook?"

Ben shook his head. "How do you hear things like that? No wonder people get creeped out."

Darik grinned. "Remember when I told you that Mom has really good hearing…mine's better." Darik looked over his shoulder. "Where's that cute girl that was interested in me? Does she still want to see my lightsaber?"

"Leave Kirrina alone," Ben said as he started walking toward the main reception area, motioning for his family to follow. "We're going to miss the commissioning ceremony."

"It's a trap!" Darik joked.

Ben shoved him playfully. "Gods you are such a jerk."

As the two boys walked away they didn't notice a middle-aged woman in the crowd staring intensely at Ben with doleful gray eyes. The Jedi in the crowd didn't notice her either nor could they sense her through the Force.

If they could pick up her thoughts they would have felt soul crushing misery and loneliness intermixed with shame, disgrace and suicidal despair. She had lost everything: Her husband, her son, her self-respect. She knew she had a sick soul that caused her to hurt all those around her, but she wasn't always like that.

It was the lack of the Force that was poisoning her. She needed to find it. She heard rumors that an old Force spirit could be found in the Maw. That's where she needed to go. If she could get the Force back maybe she could get her son and husband back one day.

Grief stricken and overwhelmed with sadness she turned and left on her journey to find the Force.

~The End~

Author's Note: If you haven't been reading the recent profic novels the ending might not make sense. If you are confused let me know.