Laelwen – I just can't bring myself to kill him.

LianneZ4 – Actually not much of it left, I just needed the time to sit down and finish it.

Thanks for all who have read this. We are finally at the end.

Epilogue

It was surreal. To have spent so much of his life wanting Qui-Gon Jinn dead, only to stand at his funeral pyre wishing only to speak with him one last time. Xanatos' throat felt constricted and raw, his eyes stung, longing to release tears he would not allow fall down his face. It was all Obi-Wan was doing to keep his composure and stoic Jedi calm and he would not complicate matters by allowing his own emotion to show, no matter how worthy he felt it was. To crumble would be devastating to Obi-Wan. Xanatos knew that he would be there later when the young man chose to finally fall apart – a safe place free from Jedi judgment where they could mourn together.

"What will happen to me now?" the young boy asked.

"The Council has given me permission to train you. I am your Master now. You will become a Jedi, I promise."

Xanatos had to admit that his first meeting with Anakin Skywalker did little to earn the boy's trust. Without a doubt, the dose of raw fear and alarm had shell-shocked the poor child. It was not every day that one saw their most dreaded vision began to take shape in the real world. Fortunately, the boy was friendly with a large heart, and had already forgiven Xanatos.

At least he had not needed to fight too much with the troll to grant the new master and padawan a vacation on Telos. The house in Iesha province would be a good place for them to get away and forge a new relationship without the council's watchful eyes hovering over them. Soren was already seeing to the mother's freedom, which would go a long way to helping Anakin adjust to his new life.

Xanatos glanced to where Yoda and Mace Windu were whispering among themselves. The Sith had returned just as his visions had foretold, something that did little to ease their concerns about the future.

"Take care of them, Little One. The Force is depending on you."

A smile tugged at his lips, pleased the Force still chose to talk to him in his mother's voice. The former Jedi took a deep breath at the realization of his task. He would need to be there for the boy. If anyone understood the call of the darkness and could offer guidance in resisting the cruel temptress, it was him. That guidance wouldn't be found on the vaulted Jedi Council. Xanatos hoped that he and Obi-Wan could steer the boy away from becoming the mechanical menace of his visions – Darth Vader.