A/N: Eek- last post! Thanks for sticking through, hope you enjoyed, and comments are greatly appreciated- enjoy!

Epilogue

Two Months Later

Not since they married on Zonama Sekot had their entire families come together in the same place. But on a warm and sunny afternoon, as they awaited the last shuttle that would come from Corellia, as Jaina and Jag clasped hands while she used the Force to create a light barrier that directed the winds from the landing craft around them, she looked forward to the coming days of reconnection.

"Syd seems nice," Jaina murmured absently as the shuttle set down.

"Hm," Jag agreed. "Yes; a shame that, as an older brother, I'm honor-bound to dislike him regardless of his personal merits."

She smacked his arm lightly- the one that didn't have a baby in it. His younger sister, Wynssa, and her husband Syd had arrived only an hour prior, and were now being shown their quarters and given time to freshen up after a long flight from Bastion. "That's hardly fair," she protested. "Jacen's always liked you. And he may not be an older brother, but surely a twin is even more absurdly protective than any old normal brother."

A voice called out from behind them. "That's only because Jacen was so relieved to see that you didn't have anything to do with me anymore." They turned; Jaina shook her head ruefully as Kyp strode towards them, glancing at the powering-down shuttle. "Speaking of which- at the risk of being repetitive and redundant- Wedge is going to kill me."

Jaina laughed but Jag just cocked a confused brow. "Is he?"

"Sure- he still thinks I knocked up your wife."

Jag narrowed his eyes menacingly before chuckling softly. "Remember what we said? We aren't going to even try this time- the whole family gets the whole story."

"Still gives Wedge plenty of time to kill Kyp before hearing the full explanation though," Jaina pointed out reasonably. "Which begs the question then- why are you here?"

"Ah," Kyp looked around. "I was looking for Leyla actually."

A mischievous tint came to Jag's eye as he glanced once at Jaina and then looked very seriously at Kyp. "I saw her a little while ago, running around on the Garden Level. She was with a friend though- a boy. They might have been holding hands, I can't say for sure."

Kyp scowled and wordlessly turned and headed back towards the temple. When he was out of ear shot, Jag chuckled to himself while Jaina stared at him, unimpressed.

"You realize that after Kyp's done with that poor kid, he'll be too terrified to ever leave his room again?"

"Too late," Jag's eyes danced merrily. "Ben already got a hold of him."

She smiled wryly. "Ah. And I was wondering why you weren't going with Kyp to threaten him."

"I guess it's nice to see that, in the absence of an older brother, Leyla has a cousin who will fill the role in practical matters."

"Practical matters?" Jaina queried. "Such as threatening to assault potential suitors?"

Jag winced. "Please don't use the word 'suitor.' She's only twelve, you know."

Jaina grinned wickedly. "I was only sixteen when we met…"

"Yeah, but you were eighteen before I managed to lure you in with my charming ways. Gives me an extra two years to breathe easy." She glanced pointedly at Kyp's retreating figure. "Right," he cringed. "Forget I said anything. Back to plan A."

"Which is?"

"Locking her in her room until she's thirty."

"Ah, yes." They started forward as the ramp of the shuttle lowered, and Syal Antilles Fel appeared soon thereafter, descending with a beaming smile on her face as she found Jag in her searching gaze.

When she reached the bottom of the ramp, Jag embraced her warmly. "Welcome, mother," he murmured. "It's wonderful to see you again, finally."

She didn't seem quite able to formulate a vocal response, but the tightness with which she gripped her son spoke volumes.

Jaina watched as Soontir and Wedge came next, each exchanging embraces with Jag while Jaina hovered slightly in the back, holding Naviin. Syal came to her with kind eyes and peered down at the squirming baby. "He's beautiful, Jaina," she said warmly. "May I…?"

Smiling, Jaina handed the child over to his grandmother and took the opportunity to join the growing crowd- Iella had descended with their two daughters, Syal and Myri, both already in their early twenties; Jaina remembered them as young girls of about ten and eleven playing with a two-year-old Leyla, and she smiled wistfully. Hugs and congratulations were exchanged, and Jaina was about to ask Syal about her piloting and plans to join the Defense Fleet, when Jag took her arm gently and pulled her aside.

"Darling," he murmured in her ear, "I'm afraid I have a secret of my own that I must now tell you about."

"Now?" she asked, glancing up as two last figures brought up the rear of the large group. One was Ashik, and he gave Jaina a warm smile as he stepped onto the grass. The other was tall and unknown to her… but still… somehow familiar.

Jag nodded and led her over to the new man, who immediately extended a hand. She shook it, quirking a brow bemusedly. "Jaina," Jag said quietly, "this is Cem- my brother."

"Your…?" She studied the face and saw the resemblance; the firm set of his jaw, the serious, deep-set eyes that were the hazel color of Wedge's. "It's an honor to meet you, Cem," she said, a bit curiously.

"The honor is mine, Jaina," he spoke in a semi-formal manner that evoked a younger Jag, before they had grown close. "And I hope you'll forgive my brother for the… omission."

Jag spoke up to explain. "My parents decided, after Chak and Davin were born, to uphold the long-standing Chiss tradition of raising a 'shadow-child.' Cem was next and chosen for the… dubious honor. By the time you and I met, Cem was already living in the Imperial Remnant, flying under the command of an old friend and co-pilot of my father's. As of a year ago, he headed an elite squadron headquartered- ironically- aboard the same flagship where Syd serves."

"Hardly ironic," Cem said pointedly. "I arranged his transfer when I heard of the engagement. He doesn't know that, of course."

Jag looked at him incredulously a moment before chuckling. "Brothers," Jaina muttered under her breath.

X-X-X-X

His heart almost stopped beating when he saw her pale face and blank expression. A quick glance reassured him that Leyla was fine, her slumbering form was lying on the sofa beside Jaina, little chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, hurrying to the sofa and sitting carefully on the other side of the dozing infant. "Jaina, what is it?"

It took her a minute to formulate the words. "It's… I was wrong; mom was right."

"About what?"

"Jacen."

He stared. The young Jedi from the Myrkr mission had felt him die after they had been forced to leave him behind, after Vergere's betrayal… and only Leia had insisted that he lived. "He's… alive?" he queried. "You can feel him again?"

"I spoke to him. He's on Mon Calamari. He escaped."

Jag grinned, but his smile faltered when she retained the wide-eyed, blank look. "Jaina, what's wrong?"

She shook her head as though to clear it. "I- nothing. It's just… I have to see him."

"Of course," he assured her. "Don't worry, we'll work it out. I can take some time off, and my mother can help with Leyla… Jaina?" he touched her arm hesitantly. "What is it, what did Jacen say?"

She swallowed thickly. "Not Jacen," she muttered. "Uncle Luke got the call through. Omas and the rest of the Council want to do a knighting ceremony for the Myrkr survivors… on Mon Calamari. They're all headquartered there now, I guess Admiral Ackbar is doing some strategic planning…"

"Jaina," he cupped her cheek and turned her head to face him. "What's the matter?"

"Kyp is on the Advisory Council."

He frowned. "Since when?"

"Two or three months ago."

"What?"

She stood suddenly and began to pace. "I don't know! Uncle Luke says that he's better, that he's back from the edge, that he's remorseful… he's going on missions with the Jedi again, he went with Luke and Mara and a bunch of Wraiths on an infiltration mission to Coruscant…"

"If you aren't comfortable going…"

"I have to see my brother!" For a moment, they regarded one another in silence. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "But… what am I supposed to do here, Jag? How do I go there with the possibility of coming face-to-face with him again? What if he realizes I'm hiding something? What if he guesses what is it that I'm hiding?"

With trembling hands, she picked up the infant and cradled her to her chest, sitting back down on the sofa and letting Jag draw her against him. "I don't know," he murmured. "But your uncle will be there if you need help, and… chances are, he'll be just as eager to avoid you as you him. If he's as remorseful as Luke says he is."

She sighed. It was a fair point.

Leyla began to squirm in her arms and wake up. Jaina looked down and saw her yawn and smiled lightly to herself… even now, nearly two months later, she couldn't get over the innocent purity of the little being who came from such a dark place.

Leyla… dark beauty…

"I have to see him, don't I?" she whispered. "I have to let go."

"Let go of what?" Jag asked quickly, mildly alarmed.

She stroked her daughter's soft cheek. "The anger, the bitterness… how will I be able to give Leyla all that she needs if I'm forever bitter towards… towards her father?"

"I think you have the right to be bitter," Jag murmured evenly. "And… what if he hurts you again?"

She exhaled heavily and glanced at him. "Then we would know that he can never know that Leyla is his daughter."

"Isn't that the plan already?"

She slumped against him, staring down at Leyla's wide eyes, already darkening to brown. "I don't know," she whispered. "I have to see him."

X-X-X-X

"So how about that Corellian ale now?"

Leia turned and smiled sardonically at Wedge. "I was wondering if you were going to mention that."

He shrugged and sighed, turning to look out over the big banquet-style setup that had been erected outside under a canopy for the twenty-odd people who were part of the Solo-Skywalker-Fel-Antilles family gathering. That number also included Ashik and Kyp, of course, the latter of whom was sitting between Leyla and Jaina and, after several times when the girl snapped at him in exasperation to stop asking about 'the boy,' Jaina finally laughingly told him to knock it off.

Ben sat on Leyla's other side, and it looked to Wedge that he was siding with Kyp in the matter.

"You were pretty sneaky," he pointed out to her. "Han would have been proud."

"I just wish it hadn't been necessary."

He winced. "Yeah. See, there goes my biological predisposition, running my mouth off again."

She grinned and put a hand comfortingly on his forearm. "Nah," she argued. "You just made a good little pawn, and you played your role admirably. Did Jag tell you that he decked Kyp when he first arrived on Ossus with Zekk?"

Wedge's brows shot up in surprise. "No," he chuckled. "He neglected to mention that part." For a long moment, he stared at the Jedi Master on the far side of the pavilion as he ruffled Leyla's hair affectionately, as he took baby Naviin from Jaina before she stood and went to join in a conversation between Jacen and Jag. "You know, five years ago, I would have found that thought strangely satisfying, but now…" he sighed. "Blast it, Leia, I think I'm running out of reasons to keep trying to dislike Kyp Durron."

She nodded sympathetically. "Infuriating, isn't it?"

"Just when I think I can safely go back to despising the guy behind his back…"

"You find out that everything he's done has been to save Leyla, or to protect Jaina and her baby?"

"Yep."

She laughed lightly. "Careful, Wedge- before you know it, the two of you might end up… friends." She gave a mock-gasp of horror. He narrowed his eyes at her jokingly. "But in the meantime, why don't you go say hi and visit your new nephew?"

"Yeah, alright."

X-X-X-X

Two Weeks Later

Heaving an exhausted sigh, Jaina sat heavily on the sofa, squeezing herself into the space between Jag and Kyp and draping an arm around each of their shoulders. "Well," she sank down and rested her head back against the sofa, "that's the last of them."

"Jacen made it off alright?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "He'll be back soon enough though, I think he plans on corrupting Naviin with his impish-uncle's ways as early as possible." Jag smiled ruefully. "You know how it's been ten years since our whole family has been congregated in the same place?" she asked. "Yeah- let's make the next one in another ten."

Jag reached over and lifted her arm from Kyp's shoulder before gently turning her body slightly and pulling her to lean against him, his arms wrapped tight around her. "I didn't think it was that bad," he murmured. "Our fathers didn't kill each other, Wedge didn't kill Kyp, and Syal and Myri only succeeding in luring Leyla and Ben into a little bit of trouble."

"That's fair," Kyp pointed out reasonably. "And Iella did say that the green would wash out in another few days." After a moment's pause, they all laughed- and then another noise broke in, and Jaina sighed again. Kyp touched a restraining hand to her knee. "I'll get it."

"Don't bother," she stood with effort, moving slowly, tiredly. "He's hungry." Smiling down at the fussing baby, she reached in and tickled his little belly before lifting Naviin from the bassinet. "Hey there, little man… you're getting bigger every day, aren't you?"

With long-practiced ease, she balanced the boy in one arm while using her free hand to draw the nursing cloak on over her tunic. Returning to the sofa, she sat down and quickly situated the baby and adjusted the tunic beneath the cloak that protected her modesty.

It wasn't until several seconds later, when Kyp glanced around from the HoloNet broadcast he was half-paying attention to that he registered what she was doing. "Oh," his face went slightly red. "Sorry, do you want me to…?" he gestured half-heartedly towards the door to his room while she fixed him with an incredulous stare while Jag snickered behind his hand.

"Honestly, Kyp, it's been two and a half months, this probably happens a good half-dozen times a day on average… at what point are you going to stop running out of the room whenever Naviin is hungry?"

"You just like making me uncomfortable," he accused.

She smirked and glanced pointedly down at the encompassing cloak. "Let me ask you this, Kyp- if you didn't know that I was nursing him right now, would you even be able to tell?"

He narrowed his eyes before sighing and slumping backwards. "Fine. You win. But to answer your first question, it's going to stop happening pretty soon…" he met her eyes and his look softened slightly, "because I won't be sticking around much longer." That drew both of their attention immediately. "I think it's time to let you guys really be a family again."

Jag's mouth quirked ruefully. "Like it or not Kyp, you're part of the family." His expression sobered slightly. "I hope you didn't get the impression from either of us that…?"

"No," Kyp assured him. "It's nothing like that. I just…" he trailed off and looked away, collecting his thoughts. "I think it's time for me to do my own thing."

"What do you mean?" Jaina frowned lightly, shifting her weight slightly to hold Naviin more comfortably.

He glanced at her and smiled wryly. "We've been living together for almost a year now, Jaina- and I was happy to do it, to protect you and Naviin, would do it again in a heartbeat… but it's done, my purpose is at an end- a happy one, I might add. And for some five years, our lives have been closely linked, but now that Leyla is here at Ossus to stay… maybe it's time for me to figure out what's next in my life." He took a deep breath. "Everyone is moving on… the two of you are starting fresh here, Leyla has years of training ahead of her. But if I stayed around," he met her eyes evenly, "I'd just be clinging to something that isn't there anymore."

Jaina bit her lip and nodded in acknowledgement. Jag observed the two of them closely, as they seemed to almost forget he was still there while they locked eyes, and he wondered what was communicated silently between them, wondered what had passed between them in the months of his absence.

He'd probably never know.

He didn't even think that they did.

X-X-X-X

"Aren't you going to ask?"

He pulled her closer and placed the softest of kisses against her neck. "I thought I'd let you bring it up in your own time."

They were quiet for a few minutes, listening to each other breathing, enjoying being together again after several weeks apart. When she still said nothing after a lengthy silence, he finally spoke up. "Did you see him?"

"Yes." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He waited another few beats for her to elaborate. She didn't. "By accident or design?"

The faintest hint of amusement came across in her voice. "Design; I practically had to hunt him down."

"You what?"

She shook her head ruefully. "He wasn't there when I arrived; there was some minor offensive in Ylesia that he was helping head up. When he got in two days later…" she sighed. "I could sense it, the moment he landed…"

"Could sense what?"

"The regret, the remorse. He kept trying to pull his presence back, like he wanted to hide from me, and he avoided me at all costs for three days until the ceremony. So once it was over, I followed him out and… it was awful, Jag."

His stomach twisted. "What?" he demanded. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she assured him softly. "His guilt, the absolute self-hatred… it was horrible to feel. He…" she hesitated, feeling almost like she was betraying a confidence. "He cried, and he apologized expecting nothing in return."

"What would you give him in return?" Jag scowled.

Her voice was serene. "Forgiveness."

Jag huffed. "That'll be the day," he muttered. She stiffened ever so slightly, and he frowned, though she could not see it in the darkened room, facing away from him anyway as he held her. "You did, didn't you? You forgave him."

The tone was more accusing than he had meant it to sound, and her response was slightly defensive. "It was the only thing I could do."

"You could have let him avoid you like he wanted," Jag murmured wryly. Her silence was terse, and she stilled in his arms and, in the blink of an eye, he understood. "You're going to tell him."

"Eventually," she whispered. "If this war ever ends and he comes out of it without another slide… then yes, I'll tell him. If I'd done it on Mon Calamari, the guilt and regret would have killed him, but… eventually."

He bit his lip, but had to say it, had to make sure that she understood the full ramifications of what she suggested. "You realize that… if you tell him about Leyla… you will tie yourself to him for the duration of Leyla's childhood. Once he knows the truth, you won't be able to deny him a claim in her life."

She was thoughtfully silent for a long time, and he wasn't sure if she was reconsidering, or just searching for the proper words to rebut him. "Maybe it's a Force-thing," she finally murmured. "But… I think Kyp has some important part to play yet. And I don't know when or why, but… Leyla is going to need him some day."

But what really bothered her, as she lay restless in her fiancé's arms, was that other lingering sensation, that persistent feeling that- despite all that had happened between them, the betrayals and the shattered trust- that some day, she would need him too.

X-X-X-X

A week later, the three of them and Leyla strode slowly across the grounds, gradually working their way towards the hangar, where a StealthX was waiting for Kyp. He planned to first go to Coruscant, for the first time in nearly a year, meet with the Master's Council… and go from there. He had no definite plans- just to see where life… where the Force… would take him.

"You'll come back soon, right?" Leyla peered up at her father, voicing the same concern she had repeated almost daily for the past week.

"I don't know," Kyp repeated honestly. "But I'll be in touch, and you'll always be able to reach me and… I won't be gone too long, even if I'm not back soon. Deal?"

Sighing reluctantly, she nodded. None of them could really blame her for wanting to keep her family close by, after what had happened the last time they had splintered.

"Besides," Kyp leaned closer to Leyla, drawing an arm around her shoulders as they walked. "I was talking to a nice omwati student earlier, and she asked if I ever took apprentices. I haven't in..." he glanced ruefully at Jaina, "quite some time, but I was thinking that maybe it's about time to do my duty as a Master." He frowned. "What's so funny?"

Leyla grinned and looked up at him. "The student- was her name Ziv?"

"Yes…"

She laughed delightedly. "Daddy, you can't apprentice her… she totally has a crush on you."

That got Jaina going, and her shoulders shook with laughter as she handed Naviin to Jag to avoid jostling the baby in her mirth.

"Does she now?" Kyp's brows quirked in consternation. "That's… weird. But no, I wasn't planning on apprenticing Ziv. I've sort of got my eye on another student, but it'll be a few years before it's time to assign them a Master…"

"Who?"

He smiled. "You. If you'll have me." She looked surprised, but pleasantly so. "Don't worry about it now," he stopped her before she could open her mouth. "Just something to think on as your training here progresses, but no pressure." As he mussed her hair affectionately, the four of them walked into the hangar.

"Well," Jag clasped Kyp's shoulder. "I guess this is goodbye- for now."

"For now," Kyp agreed. "Take care of Leyla and Naviin. And… take care of Jaina."

He glanced at her, expected that same retort that she always fired back, that she could take care of herself… but it never came. As he watched her eyes water slightly, he wondered if she hadn't become just a little more in tune with her own limitations… her own weaknesses… by events of the past year. To some extent, he suspected that they all had.

She came slowly to face him, staring resignedly up at him. "You take care of yourself," she ordered. "And stay out of trouble."

He grinned roguishly. "Don't I always?"

Chuckling ruefully under her breath, she sighed softly and reached out to pull him into a hug. His arms enfolded her tightly, and she leaned against his chest, feeling the tears welling in her eyes. "What did I do to deserve you, Kyp?"

She thought his answering laugh and words were a little choked. "Just wear a cloak in the rain from now on, and we'll call it even."

She pulled away and wiped at a damp cheek. "Goodbye, Kyp."

He shared a slightly longer farewell with Leyla while Jag clasped Jaina's hand tightly in his, balancing their nearly three-month-old son in the crook of his other arm. "He'll be okay," he murmured, as Kyp and Leyla embraced one last time before he gracefully leapt onto the wing of the StealthX. "We'll be okay." She leaned against him, and he drew an arm about her waist, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Fin

A/N: Again, please let me know how you liked it! It's been a fun ride for me, I hope it has been for you! :-)

Cheers!

*~Lexi~*