For all the horribleness of the past few years and with what was going on now, Ben found himself truly happy. He was getting the chance to know the man his father named him after and he was getting to know his grandfather. The man Luke rarely ever spoke of for understandable reasons. Yes Mortis was getting butchered by an evil entity and the ship was probably eaten by the monster quakes. But Ben liked to look on the bright side of things. It was the only way he knew how to cope with all the people he had lost and all the torment he had endured.

Anakin was fascinated with the future version of his lightsaber. As was his right. Mara Jade-Skywalker had taken such care of the weapon that Ben was certain he would be able to pass it on to one of his children. If not his, maybe Jaina's... if they ever got back home.

Ben glanced over at his father. Luke had drifted off against the wall and looked to be asleep now. Ben was glad. It was not often he saw his father actually sleep. He turned back to Anakin who was praising the preservation of the crystal.

"All things considered I'm surprised it hasn't chipped." Ben laughed. "One time it got crushed by a boulder even. Dunno how it keeps going."

Anakin shook his head, a smile on his face. He opened his mouth as if to tell an elaborate tale, but suddenly the smile was erased for concern, his gaze just over Ben's shoulder. Ben frowned and turned, looking to his sleeping father. Luke had gone pale, sweat breaking out on his face. He shifted slightly in his sleep. Ben bit his lip as Anakin began to move forward.

"He has nightmares." Ben said before Anakin got close enough to touch Luke. "They didn't happen often... but Mom dying made them come back pretty bad."

Anakin frowned. "Shouldn't we wake him up?" He whispered.

Ben hesitated a moment. Luke murmured out a 'no'. "I will." Ben finally decided. The nightmare was not letting up like it usually did after this long. Coming close to his father Ben gently shook his shoulder. "Dad? Dad wake up." Luke's brows were knitted. He had begun to tremble. Ben frowned, he had never seen his father react to a nightmare like that. "Dad?" He said a little louder, shook him a little harder.

Suddenly Luke began to choke. Violently. Ben pulled back in horror as his father struggled for breath. Anakin grabbed Luke and pulled him away from the wall, laying the seizing man on his side. "Ben go get Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, find Daughter." Anakin instructed.

Ben nodded mutely, turning on his heel and fleeing the horrifying scene. He came to the next door down the hall and raised his fist, fully intent to push it down himself if he had to. But the door swung open. Obi-Wan was awake and Ahsoka stood right behind him. Ben was shaking. "It- it's my dad." He said. "I need to find Daughter. Please."

"Ahsoka go to Anakin." Obi-Wan decided immediately. He took Ben by the arm. "What's happened?" He asked as he led Ben further down the hall.

"I don't know!" Ben exclaimed. "One minute he was just sleeping, the next he's choking and he won't wake up and- and-"

Obi-Wan squeezed Ben's arm. "It's going to be okay, young one."

Ben nodded and swallowed hard as he and Obi-Wan broke into a run.

~~~

Anakin was hitting Luke's back when Ahsoka burst through the door. "I can't find anything." Anakin reported. He tried to sit Luke up in an effort to help along whatever was blocking his airway.

"Anakin stop!" Ahsoka snapped, gently but firmly she pushed Anakin away from Luke. "He's having a seizure." She said, trying hard to hide her exasperation with Anakin. "We have to let him ride it out." Ahsoka continued as she gingerly loosened and then tossed aside the belt and black obi around Luke's waist. She also made sure his high collar was not hurting him. "Get that pillow." Ahsoka then demanded. Anakin quickly tossed the flat pillow to Ahsoka. She slipped it under Luke's head and scooted back. The man was still seizing and making choked noises. No wonder Anakin mistook the situation.

"Okay, move him onto his side." Ahsoka decided, not wanting Luke to choke on his own saliva. Anakin quickly did as told, his hands on Luke's waist and thigh to keep him balanced. "Don't hold him tight," Ahsoka added quickly, running through her med classes with Rex. "We just have to keep him from hurting himself. For humans I think he should be fine as long as it doesn't last over five minutes."

"Ahsoka we can't just do nothing!" Anakin exclaimed, his face held an absolutely petrified look to it.

Ahsoka frowned. Anakin was always caring to others. But not like this. This type of concern tended to be reserved for his closest friends. "We are doing something Ana-." She began but suddenly the door opened and the glowing presence of Daughter filled the space. Ben came right in after her and started for Luke. Ahsoka jumped to her feet and caught him, gently pushing him to the wall and out of the way. "Ben, let them handle this."

Ben fought her weakly at first, but nodded in defeat as Daughter knelt beside Anakin.

"There is darkness at work here." Daughter declared, her sharp nose wrinkled in disgust. "It is Abeloth... she has reached out to him."

"Can't you help him?" Anakin asked, clearly disturbed by Daughter's words.

Daughter nodded slowly. "It will be difficult... but he is strong in the Force." She turned to the others. "The boy, get him away from here."

Ben stiffened. "What? Why?"

"She wants you as well." Daughter said gravely. "Ahsoka, take him to the throne room. Obi-Wan awaits you there. You will both be safe with my father."

Ahsoka nodded and pulled Ben. "It's going to be okay-"

Ben shook his head frantically. "No, no you don't understand. If he- if he..."

"Shh," Ahsoka shushed gently. "It's going to be okay. But he'd want you to be safe."

Ben took one last look at his father. Luke's seizure was over but he looked so sickly, like a corpse almost. Finally the boy nodded and Ahsoka led him out.

~~~

Anakin looked at the Daughter after Ahsoka and Ben had left. "What do you need me to do?" He asked, determined.

The Daughter looked to him appraisingly. "I have sent my conscience into the maw that holds Abeloth. She still remains there where my father locked her away. Alone and weak. Yet she is also here, tormenting us."

"Your point?" Anakin was getting impatient. With each passing moment Luke took on a more death like appearance. He could not handle it.

"Abeloth is not from this time." Daughter said, gauging Anakin's less than surprised response. "And somehow that does not startle you." She gestured for Anakin to get on the other side of Luke's still body. "This Jedi is not from this time. Nor is the boy. And they have your blood." Daughter took Anakin's hands, laying one hand over Luke's chest, the other over his eyes. "Call to your son. He is trapped in a world of darkness and he cannot find his way out. Find him."

Before Anakin could reply he was suddenly plunged into the Force. It felt like getting tossed into an ocean. His senses were disoriented, the world was there but it was not. He existed... yet he did not. But he did. Anakin searched blindly for an anchor. And a moment later he found it. The Light, it tethered to him. Suddenly Anakin was not blind, nor was he falling and getting tossed to and fro by the Force. It was quiet. Calm.

Anakin reached out with his feelings, searching. It was a void he found himself in. A dark void just barely split by the Light keeping him centered. "Luke?" Anakin called out. But there was no answer from the void. Not even an echo. "Luke? Answer me please!" Again there was no answer.

Anakin gathered his wits about him. He had no other choice though his every instinct screamed at him not to. He began walking deeper into the abyss. Whatever was happening, whatever was going to happen, he was determined to find Luke before his son was lost forever.

~~~

It was not often Luke found time to truly self reflect. There was always a wannabe Emperor, always a threat against his Order, against the freedom the Alliance had fought, bled and died for. Always his family and those he called friend were in danger. There was always something he had to do to save the galaxy. Now he was trapped. Alone in an abominable darkness. Luke inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. He could still feel Mara's touch in his hair. In the moments before her passing she had gathered her strength to reach out to him and say goodbye. Luke almost wish she hadn't. Wished he had been blissfully ignorant of her death. Wished he had found out from Leia or Han or some random trooper.

The touch in his hair was a constant tingle in his scalp. It taunted Luke at his strongest, yet comforted him at his weakest. He could feel it now. The monster had slithered away, allowing Luke his peace. And to reassess what he had done.

"Forgive me." Luke requested despite being certain Mara could not hear him from this hell. "It- it's hard. I've done my best. But I miss you." Luke shook his head and sighed. "That's no excuse what for I've done. Should've read the fine print, as you would so aptly say." He pinched the bridge of his nose. No one answered him.

Luke hugged his knees to his chest. Abeloth would be back soon. She had said when she returned she would release him and then hold up her end of their deal. Luke wondered how twisted that end would be. "Oh Mara, how could I have been so stupid?"He asked the void. But no one was there.