Chapter Forty-eight:

Three years later

The Force flowed through Luke as he performed his katas. Luke's body was completely relaxed and his arms and legs moved fluidly, calmly. Beside him Leia was likewise moving, and Luke could feel his sister's life-force burning bright. Her lungs were now fully healed, and though she had been on a rebreather with medicated air for a year and a half, her healing was complete. She now breathed completely on her own, and Luke was thankful.

A little ahead of the pair was their father, Anakin, and he was leading them in their family's katas. They had been learning the forms for lightsaber combat since Anakin had told his twins that they were now old enough to build their first weapon.

Anakin had begun their training with simple sticks a year earlier, and had progressed the younger Skywalkers to training sabers a few months later. Luke had been ecstatic to learn, while Leia had been more reserved. But both twins were doing well in their lightsaber studies.

Luke, now thirteen, couldn't wait to build his first real lightsaber. He had been planning it for weeks now, and he was only minimally nervous about the actual build, since it was done entirely in the Force.

Luke loved lightsaber combat, and he felt like the art came naturally to him. Indeed Obi Wan, who visited often to help train the twins, had mentioned the very same thing.

Luke focused in when their routine came to its conclusion, breathing in deeply and releasing his breath into the air. The trio held their ending poses for a full thirty seconds before they stood straight.

"Very well done both of you." Anakin praised as he turned to face his twins.

"Thanks Dad," Luke responded, smiling.

"Can we go for a swim today?" Leia asked, indicating the lake nearby.

Anakin followed his daughter's line of sight and smiled. "I suppose we could take the rest of the day off. Why don't you both get your swimsuits on?"

Luke and Leia whooped with delight and raced to do as they'd been told. The family had moved into the lake house Padmé used to own. Now it belonged to Anakin, since Vader had purchased the property long ago.

The planet and the area were beautiful, Luke thought, and he always felt echoes of his mother in the halls as he walked them. There was nothing definite like a vision, but rather small eddies that let him know she had been real.

Luke entered his room and paused in his changing when he heard the low whine of engines approaching. Knowing there were only a select few who knew where the Skywalker family was, Luke grinned happily.

He flew through the rest of his changing and then raced out to meet up with the water speeder that had just pulled up at the dock.

"Han!" Luke called as he leapt from the railing down to where the boat was in one agile bound.

Han grinned when he saw him and the two wrapped each other in a bear hug once Han was off the speeder. "Hey Luke!"

Chewbacca patted Luke's head affectionately, ruffling the boy's blond locks to make him laugh.

"Chewie, stop that!" Luke complained half-heartedly.

Obi Wan was last off the vessel, and he greeted Luke with a warm smile. "Hello Young Luke, how are you this afternoon?"

"I'm doing great," Luke answered. "We're about to go swimming, you guys want to come?"

Chewie held up a hand, shaking his head, but Han nodded. "You bet. This is a perfect day to get wet."

Luke led their party back up the stairs, and wasn't surprised to find that Anakin was waiting there. His father had undoubtedly sensed the approach of the speeder. The man embraced Obi Wan in a brotherly manner when the elder Jedi completed the climb to the balcony.

"It's good to see you, Obi Wan," Anakin said, nodding to Han and Chewbacca. "Gents."

Han scrunched his nose. "I'm no gentleman."

Anakin chuckled. "Just accept the greeting."

Han sighed theatrically. "I suppose."

Leia arrived then, catching Han's attention... something Luke did not miss. Luke was personally not interested in a relationship at this point in his life. But where Leia was concerned, Luke was simply glad that it was Han that liked Luke's sister.

Leia saw Han's interest and blushed lightly, straightening her bathing suit. "Hi guys."

The group entered the house and Han broke off to suit up also while the adults conversed. They eventually made their way to the shore, where Luke and Han raced into the water and began splashing each other.

Leia rolled her eyes at their playful antics, but joined in when they weren't paying attention. Luke spluttered when water hit his face from the side, and Han slipped on something and went completely under.

Leia laughed heartily at them both, though her laughter turned to a shriek when both boys jumped at her. Leia did her best to evade, but the boys finally caught her and the trio began to wrestle.

On shore, Anakin smiled softly, and then turned to face Obi Wan. "How is Mon doing as Prime Minister?"

At the first formal election, Mon Mothma had run for re-election and won. The New Republic had grown substantially since the woman had taken the helm, and Anakin was happy to see it.

"She is trying to reinstate the Jedi Order," Obi Wan told his friend. "She asked me if I would be willing to train a new generation of Knights."

Anakin nodded. That was why Obi Wan and the others had been gone: they'd left to answer Mon's summons. Han had gone along to get a change of scenery as he put it. "I will help too if you decide to accept."

Obi Wan inclined his head. "I did agree. However, I will select a place of training before I begin anything."

Anakin pursed his lips, thinking. "What about Dantooine? Lots of space there."

Obi Wan fingered his neatly trimmed beard. "Possibly. I will need to look around myself."

Anakin flinched when Luke was shoved under the water by his sister and brother-in-arms. He tensed, waiting to see if Luke had one of his occasional flashbacks, but when his son popped up without any issues, Anakin relaxed.

Anakin returned his attention to Obi Wan. "How many will be in the first class?"

"I was thinking of beginning with about a dozen," Obi Wan replied. "That would be about the size of classes Master Yoda taught in the Temple."

Anakin considered. "I could do twelve also. That's two dozen to start."

"Actually, I thought we could split the twelve into two groups," Obi Wan said. "Six each; though you'd have your children also."

Anakin nodded again. "Alright."

Anakin jumped when water suddenly splashed him, and he looked up to see Luke laughing madly and running away. Growling playfully, Anakin leapt up and gave chase, following his son into the water and joining in their play.

Obi Wan gazed upon the family, grateful that Anakin had been given a second chance in his life. Things in the galaxy were not yet fully healed from the Empire's tyranny, but it was a lot better off.

And with the upcoming generation, Obi Wan felt like the galaxy was in good hands.

The Jedi simply watched, content, as his little family played. Their work could begin tomorrow.

Thank you for reading my story; I hope you have enjoyed it. God bless!