A/N: Welcome to the last chapter of Island in a Sea of Sand. Thanks to all of you who have favorited and followed this fic and a special thanks to those of you who reviewed, I never would have finished this story without you! The sequel is up, so if you want to read about the continuing adventurers of Obi-Wan and Luke, read: Island in a Sea of Sun, featuring chapters from little Luke's perspective.
Chapter Sixteen—Part 2
I was angry with my friend: And I watered it in fears, And it grew both day and night, And into my garden stole
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
A Poison Tree by William Blake
Boba Fett slumps to the ground, struck by no less than twelve blaster bolts. A loud cheer rises from the eight men and one woman of the Freedom Militia whom have been lying in wait for most of the day, hidden under reflector sheets covered with sand. Obi-Wan raises his hand and orders them not to move. Then he walks cautiously over to the motionless body. The armor's breastplate is riddled with still smoking holes from the blaster fire. He pry's off the helmet to reveal the bounty hunter's scared face, his lifeless eyes staring into the distance.
"You should have left when I gave you the chance," he tells the dead man softly.
Over a week ago, a relative of one of his militia members had overheard in a Mos Eisley cantina that the bounty hunter Boba Fett had a contract on someone named Ben Lars and was he was willing to pay for information about his whereabouts. This relative had told the militia member, whom had then told the rest of the militia, all of whom had insisted on guarding Obi-Wan day and night to prevent his death.
Obi-Wan would have like to deal with Fett on his own but as that was no longer an option, he managed to persuade his militia to set a trap for the bounty hunter instead. And so, for the past week, his senior militia members have been hiding, blasters at the ready, while he went about his daily chores, waiting for Boba Fett to appear.
Shaking his head regretfully, he stands and gives the all clear to his men, all of whom cheer again. One of them picks up Luke and tosses him to another and the boy shrieks with laughter. Watching them he cannot help laughing himself, even as he help loads Boba Fett's body onto the landspeeder so they will not have to carry it back. One of the men pulls out a radio and tells the militia members whom are staying in the Lars house that they have succeeded and that they can start the party early.
"But Luke's fifth birthday isn't for two more weeks," he protests.
"We know," the young man laughs. A dizzy Luke wobbles over to Obi-Wan and raises his hands, asking to be carried. He obliges the boy, who puts his arms around his neck.
"This is your party." The young man returns the radio to his pocket. "For your anniversary, and for your last five birthdays, since we all realized that none of us knows when your birthday is. How come you never told us? Anyway, the party was supposed to start later today but since we're finished…" he trails off, nodding his head at the body in the landspeeder.
"It was supposed to be a surprise party, so don't tell anyone I told you. The Darklighters and the Marstraps and the Sunbers are coming too."
"You said it is for my anniversary? What anniversary of mine are we celebrating?" he asks, bemused.
"Don't you remember? Today is the officially the fifth year to the day since you arrived here!" the young man claps Obi-Wan on the back.
"I get to be the first to say it so, happy late birthday and happy anniversary!" the young man slaps his back again before hopping in the landspeeder.
Luke looks up at him, frowning. "I'm sorry I didn't get you a present, Daddy."
He looks at his friends surrounding him, laughing and joking as they all started walking back to the house and then back at his son, whom was staring at him with concerned blue eyes. Obi-Wan blinks rapidly, forcing the moisture that was gathering in his eyes to dissipate. Hugging the boy tighter to his chest, he answers in a low voice,
"That is alright, youngling. I already have everything I need."