EPILOGUE

No nightmares plagued Shadow's mind in the following years of living on Dantooine. With his beloved at his side, there was no reason for negative thoughts or haunting memories to dwell in his dreams at all. However, nothing stopped Ahsoka from constantly tossing and turning, and waking up in cold sweats. What worried him the most was what plagued her mind, and whenever he asked about it she constantly assured him she was alright, and unbothered by anything.

But this night was different.

Ahsoka jolted upright, shaking the bed and waking Shadow who slept lightly beside her. Her fingers clenched the soft sheets beneath her as her eyes searched the room's darkness. Momentarily, her vivid gaze tilted to the open window pooling in moonlight and then to Shadow's raised head.

He stared quizzically at her. "Are you okay?" His hand softly caressed over her fingers and up her arm, calming the tension gripping her muscles.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, her lips softened into a smile as she leaned forward and kissed him. As he sleepily returned the kiss, she released the sheets caught in her fits and gently rested her head back down on the pillow. He shifted closer, pulling her into his muscular chest.

In the moonlight she could see his features – older than when she first met him, but still the same handsome man she gave her heart to. She reached up and let her fingertips fondly trace the chiseled contours of her face. And as her fingers traveled up toward his nose, eyes, and eyebrows, Shadow leaned into her hand, kissing her palm.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again.

Ahsoka didn't know where to start. She'd heard the downfall of the Jedi Order – the collapse of the Republic – and the new Empire that commanded over what was once a democratic system. Everything she knew in the past was destroyed, and it sickened her to think what became of the ones she cared about. But she lived with someone who could not only protect her, but fight with her.

"I'm sure," she finally said. She nestled herself closer against his warm chest, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The nightmare she awoke to moments ago buzzed away like it never existed. She calmed herself, prepared to fall into a deep sleep once again, when she felt a strange prickling up her spine. An intangible feeling that only left her poisoned with uneasiness.

Her eyes opened again and slowly she raised her head.

"Something wrong?" Shadow asked. He already was starting to relax again like her when she moved. As Ahsoka's eyes turned to meet his, she could tell that concern glowed in the corners of his eyes.

"Yes." She forced herself to uncoil from his arms and out of bed. Her bare feet soundlessly stepped across the room and for the window. Behind her she heard Shadow throw the covers off his body and follow her footsteps – coming to stand centimeters apart.

His mouth brushed against her ear and he whispered, "What?"

"Something doesn't feel right," she replied, not sure how to quite explain it. "I've always feared they'd find us; that's what I constantly dream about." Her chest tightened as she turned around and faced him. She couldn't help but bury her face in his chest, recalling the awful dreams that held repetitive images: the Empire finding them, separating them, and worse- killing Shadow. "I'm scared," she whispered into him.

His arms coiled around her, his closeness comforting to feel. "There's no need to be afraid—"

Ahsoka's body jerked aside, crashing into the old floorboards with Shadow's arms still around her. She barely had time to utter a word when a loud boom! reverberated around their room, and a sudden bright light flashed behind them. Downstairs she could hear the shattering front door, and heavy footsteps swarming into the main floor.

"Shit," Shadow coughed as he loosened his grip on her. "You okay?" He slowly pushed himself to his knees, helping her up.

"Fine," she blurted, "you?"

"Okay."

Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

"They found us," Ahsoka gasped. "I knew they'd find us."

Shadow glanced back toward the bed, focusing on the bedside tables that were aflame. There both their lightsabers laid, close to the residual flames from the explosion. With a flick of his wrist his hilt went flying to his hand. "Don't panic," he soothed, "they were bound to find us eventually. Rumors about our protection over the village must have sent them coming."

Ahsoka nodded, summoning her own weapons to her hands.

The front door burst open and the first Stormtroopers piled in, blasters afire the moment they smashed through. Shadow and Ahsoka ducked to avoid the first few bolts, and had enough time to ignite their lightsabers.

Shadow's deep blue arced for the first wave stepping into the room, leaving hot amber streaks in their armor and their bodies still on the floor. His weapon returned to his open hand and he proceeded forward to the hallway.

Ahsoka edged closer to the window, peering out to see a few more waves advancing on the farmhouse. She hated the idea of these pests destroying what was left of Shadow's childhood home, but right now he didn't seem to mind. Swiftly she propelled herself out the window, her twin light blue blades waving attention her way.

They opened fire without hesitation, and her blades deftly deflected their bolts. The Force softened her landing, and augmented her speed as she threw herself at the oncoming troopers. In a blur her twin weapons twisted and turned, deathly propellers smoothly slicing and dicing the threats that come too close.

When she finished off the last, the entire yard became a grave yard of exposed corpses. Her gaze soon traveled to the smashed front door and the commotion inside. She could hear the shouts of Stormtroopers as Shadow finished them off. Quickly she headed back into the house, stepping over the severed limbs and heads of various troopers. Ahsoka followed the conflict noise to the kitchen.

The last trooper was down on his knees, armless and staring up at Shadow in defiance. His blade slashed diagonally across the soldier's shoulders and he fell back in two.

"I think that's the last of them," Ahsoka said, extinguishing her blades. A soft sigh of relief pushed off her lips as she stepped over more bodies, coming to stand beside him. Her hand touched his warm face and she kissed him.

After a few moments of savoring the peace – savoring their embrace – Shadow reluctantly pulled his lips away from hers. "We can't stay here," he told her. "It's time we've moved on."

"Are you sure?" Ahsoka asked. "What about the village?"

"We've done our part," he assured her. "My father wanted smugglers not to touch that place anymore – and with rumors of two 'Jedi' guarding them, those smugglers will stay away. The Empire won't think to bother them, I'm certain. They'll see their fallen soldiers and know that we've fled."

His words brought a faint smile to her lips before she nodded. The farmhouse had its ups and downs, but she knew this place definitely brought up ghosts in Shadow's past – ones he particularly wished to forget.

Without wasting more time they gathered what they needed, bringing along their lightsabers and their cloaks, and the necessary credits they'd need to use. Together they went to an old speeder resting in the barn, and zoomed off down the road. They traveled past the village, traveled away from the place they once found solace.

Shadow took Ahsoka's hand, maintaining one hand to pilot the speeder. His gaze focused on hers for a moment, a smirk lighting his face. "I was never too fond of staying in one place," he chuckled optimistically.

Ahsoka smiled back. "Me neither."

So I thought that is a pretty good note to end on, really. In the future this story (including the first book) needs to undergo some serious re-editing, but alas that must happen later on in time when my life doesn't feel so demanding.

Thank you all very much for reading this story! I am also very thankful you (most of you I hope) stayed with me through to the end, despite how long and frustrating that's been. (: