Jaden leaned her head against Rosh's shoulder and sighed contentedly as they sat side by side at sunset up on the Academy's roof. It'd been a whirlwind six months since their first kiss and things were going pretty well for them. But not everything had been easy…

They'd held a funeral for Kalil not too long after returning from Korriban, as well as a few other students who'd become one with the Force that day. Poor Arta-Mess took it the hardest, but hearing Kalil's last words from Jaden had done her a little good. Jacyyn almost never left her side, he'd become such a comfort if not more in their friendship.

They'd held a separate funeral for Tavion. Only Luke, Kyle, Jaden, and per his request, Rosh, were in attendance. Her burial site was only marked with the words: "A sister with the Force. Lost in life, but found in death."

Jaden and Rosh had stayed up late on the roof talking into the night about everything.

"I'm glad she found peace, in a way, it gives me relief," Rosh had said. "I feel like I can finally move on, you know?"

Putting the cult behind him helped as he, Jaden, Kyle, and sometimes Jan, went on several missions, aiding the New Republic with tracking down cult members and capturing Imperial bases that he'd heard about while with the Disciples of Ragnos.

The New Republic surgeons had done an excellent job outfitting Rosh with a cyberbionic left arm. Jaden twined her fingers through his new ones, knowing he could feel it through his artificial nerves, and thought about how quickly he'd adapted to life with a prosthetic limb. He'd become such an exemplary student, rising through the ranks very rapidly under Kyle's tutelage -with a little help from her.

Now that she was a full fledged member of the New Jedi Order and independent of her master, Jaden had become a part of Luke's inner counsel. She took on special missions and occasionally aided in the training of new students that were rapidly coming into the Academy.

But Jaden still cherished the times she spent with Kyle. She knew she'd never have a need to not go to her former master for advice. He'd become such a safe place to pour her heart out to.

And then there was Rosh. He was close to becoming a Jedi Knight any day now. He'd changed so much and all for the better, he even took to growing his hair a little longer. She liked how it softened out his rougher edges and gave his features an overall more mature appearance. He'd truly grown into the man Jaden had always glimpsed him to be.

"Did you hear that Luke asked Kyle to take on a new position now that we're getting even more students?" Jaden said, her head still resting against her boyfriend's shoulder.

"No, really? What position?"

"He's going to be our Battlemaster, or 'Head Lightsaber Combat Instructor'. But Battlemaster sounds cooler, more official. Master Corran's going to be helping him, mostly with Jar Kai instruction."

"I wonder if he'll take on any new students," Rosh mused.

"He said he might, but not for a while." Jaden lifted her head and turned to look him in the eyes at an angle. "We were enough of a challenge for him." Her smile was lightly teasing.

"I'll bet. He'll be studentless soon enough, he told me he and Luke picked a date for my Knighting Ceremony. Oh, and he wants you to join since you apparently weren't 'officially' knighted or something like that. I don't think you've told me that story yet." Rosh raised an eyebrow while a boyish grin played on the corner of his dimpled mouth. Jaden's stomach did a somersault.

She waved her hand away dismissively. "Oh, that. It was after… After Vjun." She felt his body tense next to her, but only for a moment. Old wounds were taking their time to process before they fully healed. "It was… scary. And wonderful, and intimate, just the three of us. It was kind of what I secretly wanted for a Knighting Ceremony instead of being out in the open in front of everybody."

"I understand that," Rosh affirmed. "But, would you still like to do it? Ever since our first day at the Academy, I had this vision of being up there and getting knighted. Being the first student in our class, rising the ranks before anyone else. But… then I started to make friends, to get to know you better, to see that being better than everyone has its drawbacks. Obviously. Then, after I got captured, especially after Vjun once you knocked some sense into me, I started seeing a different vision. I saw you up there with me. I realized I didn't want to live my life alone anymore. I didn't want a life without you, or other people, in it." He took her hand and squeezed, bringing it softly to his lips for a kiss. "That's when I realized I loved you."

Jaden's cheeks warmed and she brought his hand to her lips, imitating his kissing of her hand. "In that case, I'll do it. I'll get re-knighted with you."

Rosh's smile was brighter than the setting sun. "And afterwards, could we go to the Hyperspace Lane Cafe to celebrate? Maybe take a stroll in Monument plaza, see the peak of Mount Umate again?"

"Of course!" She said, "Then after that we'll go to that sweet shop on Corellia and watch the waves on the beach." She loved how their beautiful viridian color matched his lightsaber.

"You know if we keep this up we're sure to become the next Kyle and Jan," he chuckled.

Jaden laughed with him, remembering fondly when Jan had first met Rosh. She'd lost no time in immediately throwing her arms around him in a warm welcome, even joking that they were twins now because of the cyberbionic/cybernetic enhancements of their limbs. She treated him the same way she'd treated Jaden, with kindness and the same kind of motherly affection she'd shown her back on Nar Kreeta. Come to think of it, Jan had been acting much more softer, nurturing and altogether motherly of late. Kyle wouldn't say a word but Jaden had her suspicions. She'd find out soon enough just by looking at Jan without having to use her Force senses.

Jaden looked out at the dusky forest bathed in the sunset's glow, her and Rosh's fingers still entwined, the gentle evening breeze playing with their hair. The peace and quiet was glorious.

"You were right, it is better at sunset here," she said, calling back to their first time on the roof.

"Mmm?" He murmured. "Oh yeah, that's right, it is better. More beautiful.

"By the way, did I hear correctly that Master Skywalker has some guests downstairs?" Rosh looked down at her, trying to hide his curiosity. And failing.

Jaden gave him a sly look. He's trying to sneak out a bit of gossip for the others, I'm sure of it!

"Oh yeah… It's no one really. Just his sister and Han and their son, Ben." Rosh raised an eyebrow at her mention of only the most famous people in the galaxy and their offspring. Jaden shrugged for emphasis. "I think they're here to talk about enrolling Ben at the Academy soon."

"Oh nice, so, not big news at all."

"None whatsoever," Jaden said, then giggled, not able to contain her laughter. She loved their playful shorthand.

"When was the first time you realized that you loved me?" Rosh asked suddenly. Jaden only hesitated a moment to process his question.

"That's hard to answer. I believe it's something that grew gradually, over time. I guess it might have started when you first gave me the necklace you made." Her free hand played with the pendant at her throat. "Or maybe it was the time I saw you comforting Goran down in the workshop."

"What? You saw us?" Rosh asked, shocked.

"Yeah, I felt weird about interrupting. But I couldn't help watching. You were so open and sweet with him. It was like I was seeing you for the first time, really seeing you." She paused and looked out into the fading twilight, watching as the first few stars sparkled into view. "Y'know, sometimes… When I was younger, I would often look out at the stars and wonder what my purpose was. If I would ever do anything worth noting or if I would ever find someone to love…"

"I think you did find it," Rosh replied. "You helped save the galaxy. You saved me! You're wondering if you found your purpose but you did! I'd even dare to say that you discovered your destiny!"

Jaden's reply was a soft mixture of a laugh and a sigh. "Yeah, I think you're right." She pulled her eyes away from the vanishing sliver of the setting sun and looked him in the eyes. "I don't know what's ahead for us, but I'm glad that we'll be facing it together."

"Me too." Rosh's eyes were misty as he leaned down to kiss his girlfriend.

After their lips parted, Jaden smiled mischievously at him and whispered, "And you know what? I've been so busy with everything that I've forgotten something I wanted you to do for me."

"And what's that?" Rosh smirked.

"You still haven't told me about what happened on Naboo yet."

THE END