Disclaimer: All rights belong to Disney, George Lucas, and all the men and women that created the Star Wars movies, books, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made. The cover art image belongs to peanutbutterroastedchestnuts. tumblr .com (remove the spaces)

Rating: T for violence, disturbing imagery, and dark themes

Author's Note: Last chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with me for over a year. This is the longest story I've ever written, and I've honestly fallen in love with the characters and the places and stories. As a writer, this "little" fic has been a huge growing experience, and as a person, I feel as though I've figured out a lot of myself within these words and pages. Minerva/Nyx is half the person I wish I could be and half the person I already am. Once again, thank you so much for your support. This wouldn't be possible without all of your loyalty and kindness. I hope you've enjoyed this ride as much as I have.

Chapter 29

I find myself again in the same glade where I had journeyed to the last time I had died. This time is different, though. This time I am aware that my visit here is short. Over the past five years I've been working with the Force and learning how to be completely selfless to join with it and yet still be visible and influential. A Force Ghost, they call it.

But before I enter the Force and the real world again, I have a few, final parting words for those I'm leaving behind.

I hug Lillea and Xavier tightly. They smile at me. There is no pity in their eyes. Although my life was short - 24-years-short - I hadn't wasted it. I had lived a lifetime in those years, and they are proud of me.

"Thank you for watching over me," I say, holding one in each arm. "I didn't feel alone. I didn't die alone."

"We'll always be with you," Lillea replies, clutching my hand tightly in hers.

"You're the most important person for us," Xavier adds.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you," I say, my voice heavy. I mean it. I won't see them for a long, long time. And I have no idea if I'll ever see them again, honestly. They've kept aging in this place, so I do not know if they will continue to age. And if they do, I don't know where they will go once they've aged too much.

So much is unknown about death, even in the afterlife. And since I'm returning to the real world, even though only in spirit, my questions will remain unanswered.

"Do you know when you will be able to return?" Xavier asks.

Another unanswerable question. "No, I don't." I take a deep breath and steel myself. "But this is my destiny."

"Do you truly believe that?" Lillea asks, her eyes shining.

It would be dishonest of me to deny it. "Yes. I finally know what my purpose is. This is meant to be."

Xavier sets a hand on my shoulder. "Then you go with our blessing."

I embrace them both again. Here is my happiness, but I am willing to leave it behind to earn redemption and to follow my destiny. Because although this is happiness, finding my purpose in life is joy. And that is the one thing I've been lacking all these years.

Saying goodbye to Damari a second time is nearly impossible. Once again, I'm slightly shameful as he approaches. Part of me is worried he'll be mad that I cheated on him, although that's stupid, since he's dead. But once again, there is no judgement in his eyes. He just smiles sadly and holds onto me tightly.

"I don't like losing you over and over again," he says quietly, so only I can hear.

"I don't like leaving you any more," I reply, but we both know it's what I have to do.

"I'll be waiting."

And that's why I love him so much. No matter happens, he's still waiting for me. He'll always wait for me.

I don't deserve him at all.

"Thank you for understanding." I grip both of his hands tightly in mine. "I look forward to seeing you again."

And, just like that, I'm leaving them behind again. It's selfish, in a way, that I'm abandoning them so that I can fulfill my life's purpose, but in a way it's also the most selfless thing I've done. The last thing I want to do is leave them and return to the real world, but I'm needed. The Force Priestesses see all, and they wouldn't have made me promise to do this if it wasn't important.

Speaking of the Force Priestesses. As my surroundings melt into something else and the ones I love disappear, the five of them materialize. This time when Joy looks at me, she smiles. I return the gesture. I get the feeling her and I are going to be good friends soon.

Even Serenity looks familiar in a way that she hadn't the first time we'd met. "Are you ready?" she asks.

Ready for what? I want to ask, but instead I just nod.

"You've seen what is going to happy in the galaxy. You've seen the fall of the Republic and the Jedi. You've seen the rise of the Empire and of your former master. You know there is no stopping those things from happening."

I nod. It's true; I've seen it all. The horrors, the few bright moments, the death. It's nothing new to me. And it's set in stone. Nothing can change the course of history now.

"But you've also seen the hope. You've seen the rise of two siblings, one intelligent and brave, one a powerful Force user and compassionate. You've seen that they, along with countless other brave individuals, have the potential to bring back balance to the Force and justice to the galaxy."

A small smile breaks across my face. It's a petty smile, one that has risen in response to the knowledge that my master, despite all his careful planning and work, can be defeated. Will be defeated.

"Yes."

Serenity nods. "Then you know what your task it. As a Force Ghost and invisible guide, you will make sure those individuals do what they have to do. Lead them towards the victory you see ahead."

It's a job I relish. I do it with great joy. Years pass, and my sole job is to help lead powerful and courageous people towards the paths they need to go on.

I help that girl from the lake on Naboo, Padmé Naberrie, as she becomes Queen and Senator and eventually the mother of the hope of the galaxy. She is a remarkable woman who only needs slight nudging in the right direction. When she dies, I am right at her side.

I help another amazing woman, a human from Kalevala, named Satine Kryze. She is just as deft in the political and battle field as Padmé, although I admire her passion for peace. I am at her side countless times, whether she is in a battle of words with the other senators or if she is caught in a trap set by those who wished to bring her planet into the Clone Wars. Most of the time, though, she doesn't need my help. She is brilliant and brave, and I am not not surprised that Obi-Wan, whose path crosses with hers many times, falls for her. I'm happy for him, although my heart breaks when she dies in his arms. Many times I wonder if I could have helped her more, if perhaps I could have prevented that tragedy.

Although I help dozens of sentients, especially woman, I have to admit that there are two who stick out more than aforementioned and the others. One of them has a background similar to mine.

Jyn Erso watched her mother murdered in front of her eyes, and she saw her father betray her at a young age. I can relate to seeing family killed and to being backstabbed. She went rogue for years, alway running and hiding, a criminal with a good heart. That was me. Until she found her purpose. Then she went after it with all her passion, and if it wasn't for her, the galaxy would be doomed. To be perfectly honest, I barely helped her. Instead I touched those around her and helped them adapt to her irregularities and eventually follow her to their deaths. When Cassian Andor had her father in his sights, it was me that whispered for him to not pull the trigger. I wasn't sure he'd listen, but he did. Chirrut was somewhat Force-sensitive, but it was I who helped him achieve his Jedi-level dreams.

They are all people I wish I could have saved, but some people have to die. We can't all live forever.

The other remarkable woman is Leia Organa. I've never met someone whose sass rivaled mine until I met her. The way she just shuts the other politicians down - goals, man. And then she turns around and blasts the hell out of the Empire's troops in a white dress with their own blasters - she's a goddess. Not to mention she just watched everyone she loved blow up on Alderaan, yet she had the strength to carry on.

It was a privilege getting to spend decades following people like them. Helping nudge people in the right direction, watching history unfold, getting to see my few friends as they continue their lives - I've never been happier.

It's not all sunshine and smiles, though. There are hard times, like when Qui-Gon was killed by the very same Sith apprentice who killed me. And with my own lightsaber. Man, I wanted to rip his head off there, but Obi-Wan took care of it.

And, of course, seeing so many people die while I have no power to stop it is the worst thing in the world. All I can do is whisper things in people's ears and in their dreams. I can't stop blasters or disease or any other force that kills.

But the pain, the suffering, the grief - it's all worth it when, decades later, a small group of rebels and a large group of ewoks on Endor are celebrating the end of an Empire. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Anakin, and I are standing together, watching, all of us finally satisfied that our hard work and sacrifices are not for nothing. We've been through so much, yet we've finally seen the fruits of our labor bloom.

Saying goodbye to them is hard, but I'm used to goodbyes by now. And besides, when I say goodbye to them, I can finally reunite with my siblings and with Damari.

I save Obi-Wan's goodbye for last. After reminiscing over our years, both alive and as a Force Ghost, I can't help but beg him to come with me to my afterlife. "There's plenty of room for you. And you'd be more than welcome."

Truth is, I don't want to let him go. He's my best friend in the whole galaxy. I know him better than I know Damari or my siblings. And he's a huge part of my life. A life without him would be like having part of my own heart gone.

For a moment, I think he'll agree. He looks like he wants to. But when he turns to me, he shakes his head slowly. "I can't. There's someone else I need to spend forever with."

I suspect I know who that person is, and it makes sense. It would be selfish of me to convince him otherwise, so I don't bother. I simply nod and bid him farewell. I'm tired of being selfish.

I'm ready to be happy.

Author's Note: If you've enjoyed this story and are interested in reading more of my stories, please check my profile out. I write mainly in the Marvel Universe, although you can find some Maze Runner and Percy Jackson in my archive. If you want more Star Wars, I have started a new Star Wars fanfic set about a year before Rogue One/A New Hope about a girl in Coruscant who starts as a petty thief and eventually becomes one of the best pilots in the galaxy. It's called "Racing Through The Stars"