Hello everyone! Here at last is the promised epilogue. I have a lot of information sort of crammed into this, and it bounces around a bit as Sami is "reminiscing". Hope you all can keep up and I do hope you enjoy this final installment of "The Gift".

Thanks once again to everyone for your following and reviewing this story, and a big thank you to Valairy Scot for staying with me as my beta through this. ;)

Ch. 32: Epilogue

Brilliant beams of evening gold wafted its way across the indigo sky. Finally, they poked long iridescent fingers into a window that had only recently undergone a hard scrubbing to rid it of years of grime and filth that had been caked on it. Now the window sparkled in absurd contrast in the midst of a filthy, ancient structure made of old fashioned stones; stones darkened with age, showing the chipping mortar of many long years standing unattended. The golden light broke through the newly opened eye of this venerable relic and gently brushed the brow of a young woman sitting at an antiquated desk, a desk that was nicked and scarred, yet lovingly polished by its new owner who was now poring over plans and outlines.

She raised eyes red from fatigue and gazed at the setting Corellian sun. Brows that had been pinched in concentration now relaxed, smoothing out lines of work and worry. Her lips parted in a smile as blue/grey eyes flickered warm with happy memories of sunsets past... sunsets spent with the one person she adored more than anyone else - her daddy.

She loved her grandmother, and Luke, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, but these cherished moments with her father was just theirs alone. Just the two of them; she curled up in his lap when she was little, later as she grew older, sitting next to him on their favorite rock, watching the suns sink in a blaze of desert glory. He had a contentedness to him that was not often seen during the busy days training his two charges, and being trained by Master Qui-Gon. During those times he was truly happy.

Many evenings she had sat with her father, watching the twin suns of Tatooine sink into a khaki horizon. She knew he loved the sunsets, for to him it brought many memories of evenings watching the sunsets on Coruscant with his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. During those evening as she sat with him, he would tell her many stories of his life in the temple, of life as a Padawan and then later as a Jedi during the heyday of the republic when the Jedi were respected and sought after as peacekeepers, before the Clone Wars and the darkness of the Empire took it all away. He also told her stories of her mother, Siri Tachi. Sometimes they even felt her close by and when that happened her daddy would get a special look in his eyes and the lines seemed to disappear from his face and he would look years younger.

She never tired of hearing his stories and would ask for them again and again.

Now, eight months after the Empire had been finally defeated, she sat in the ancient temple of a long ago forgotten order, the structure having been given by the government of Corellia to the fledgling New Jedi Order, made up of Luke Skywalker and Misi Samantha Kenobi.

The work of rebuilding the Jedi Order had begun in earnest.

Sami and Luke had arrived on Corellia only a month ago after spending seven months on Coruscant testifying to a senate that had experienced its own housecleaning shortly after Darth Vader and the Emperior had finally been defeated. Senators who had been sympathetic to the Empire had been removed from office, some facing charges of crimes against the galaxy. The new senate included Luke's sister, Leia Organa, who with her now husband Han Solo had been a huge part of the defeat of the empire. Although Sami and Luke helped her train in Jedi disciplines for a short time, she had felt that her place was in the Senate, following in her adoptive father, Bail Organa's, footsteps. She with Han were now settled in their large apartment near the Senate building.

When not in the Senate testifying about their part in the Rebellion, they spent time in the burned out Jedi temple. They had been unprepared for the effect the temple would have on them. They stood in the main foyer, gripping one another's hands as they swallowed past tight, clenched throats and wiped away tears from their eyes. The presence of so many long ago Jedi ran through them like ghosts, made all the more poignant when they found Obi-Wan and Anakin's old quarters and each experienced a trace of their fathers' lingering presence. For a moment, Sami could almost see her father, a young Jedi in his prime steering a headstrong padawan Anakin through meditation exercises or sparring practice. Tears once again coursed down her cheeks as she found herself wishing she could have known her father and her mother when they had lived here, wishing that she could have been a part of this life in the temple. Luke, whose eyes betrayed a similar longing, cautioned her that they needed to focus on what they were there for, and to remember what Obi-Wan had always taught them: Jedi do not live in wishes and regrets. They needed to move forward.

Sami had nodded and wiped away her tears. The left the old quarters to find their way to the object of their visit; the archives. Her father's instructions had been thorough, and it did not take them long to find it, despite the rubble and debris.

They spent much time in the archives, or what was left of it after the Empire had burned and gutted just about everything in it. However, they did find in a hidden vault some holocrons and old tomes, filled with ancient Jedi teachings and wisdom. They studied them and gained much wisdom and understanding of the old Jedi order and it's code, but they knew the New Jedi Order would be different. For one thing it would embrace love and families. The basic tenets of the Jedi would remain intact...duty, loyalty, sacrifice, obedience. The basic code would live, but would just be augmented a little.

Pulling her thoughts back to the small room she sat in on Corellia, Sami glanced about her. There was much work to be done here; the first building of the New Jedi Order.

Upon completion of their investigations, the new senate had voted unanimously to help the Jedi rebuild, and the first act had been the old temple building on Corellia, offered by a grateful Corellian senator. The temple on Coruscant was also offered, and Sami felt that at a future time the temple could be restored, but they wanted to establish a new Jedi home away from Coruscant.

She glanced again at the plans she was putting together. She was not an architect, but drawing on the wisdom of her father and the force, she was becoming satisfied with how the new temple would be. The old building would be restored of course and be the new main temple, housing the new Council, made up right now of only herself and Luke she thought with a rueful smile.

The temple would also hold dorms for Jedi, students and Jedi/padawan teams who did not otherwise have families, classrooms, training salles, a cafeteria, and a creche much the way the old Temple had done. Around the grounds would be new housing for Jedi families who did not want to live in the temple itself, and also a garden, patterned much like the old Room of a Thousand Fountains her father had told them about. There would also be outdoor training areas.

As soon as they had arrived on Corellia, they sent messages all over the galaxy for any remaining Jedi to join them, but they had received no response, a testament to the thoroughness of the Empire's purge.

Messages were received by them though. Thousands of beings, upon learning that it was the once hated Jedi who had delivered the galaxy from the evil that reigned, were eager to send their force sensitive children for training. Luke had sent them all messages telling them that the children would be examined and chosen when they were ready to receive them at the new temple.

Sami sighed and folded the plans to carry home with her. It was getting late and Luke should be back shortly. He had spent most of the day trying again to find Jedi who could join them. He had told her earlier that he might have a surprise for her.

She wondered what it might be. Suddenly she felt a stirring within her. She glanced down, putting her hand on her belly. At six months her unborn child did not like to be ignored, it seemed.

"Now Obi-Wan Kenobi Skywalker, you be still. Your daddy will be here in a while."

His daddy. Her husband. Sami smiled as she remembered the first time a ten year old Luke had announced that he loved Sami and that someday he would marry her. She had laughed in his face.

At the time it had seemed a ridiculous joke. Luke was more a brother than anything to her and she couldn't imagine them ever being anything more. He had never given up though, and throughout their adolescent years it had been a game between them, he reminding her of his feelings and she rebuffing him. She never thought it would ever be anything more, until that awful day.

A shudder went through her as her thoughts once again turned to that day on the half finished new death star over Endor. They had faced Vader together, had fought valiantly together against him. He even made a comment about how well Obi-Wan had trained them, but then added that it was shame such talent was being wasted. With their moves and leaps, their sabers humming in perfect harmony they held their own against Vader and at one point nearly defeated him, but Luke did not want to kill him, only stop him. He had felt he must try to reach the man inside the helmet; his father. Sami respected his wishes and likewise only fought defensively, the way her father had taught her.

Vader, who had learned of their existence when the Rebellion first began and had been trying for months to capture them, had in turn only fought enough to slow them down. Sami was sure if he had really wanted to kill them they would already be dead. She had never felt such dark power, and tactics unknown by the Jedi. Obi-Wan had prepared them well for surprises, and on how to deflect force lightening, but the sheer oppressiveness of the dark side was almost more than she could bear.

At one point they had retreated, turned their sabers off to try to hide a moment, to try to find another advantage over Vader. However Vader soon found them and stalked them, his breath coming in ominous rasps, warning them, enticing them to turn and join him. That Kenobi and Skywalker, the children of the once great Jedi team, would be a formidable asset to the Empire, a team that would once and for all shut down all resistance against the Empire. The Emperor himself had hidden in the shadows, listening for Luke and Sami's answer, waiting for his moment to strike. When Luke and Sami had refused, he had stepped forward, his voice dripping with malice.

He had mocked them. He had reminded Luke that his father had abandoned him, that he had killed his mother, had urged him to kill Vader now and take his place by his side in the Empire. He had then turned his evil intentions on Sami, remarking what a lovely young woman she had become, how much she looked like her parents. Then in his hissing rasp, he made remarks about Obi-Wan and Siri's "illicit" affair.

Sami had been surprised by the rush of anger burning in her cheeks. She knew he was only trying to bait her; her father had warned her of this. She knew the truth about her parents, about the love they had shared, that in all the years they had loved each other they had only one night together, a night carefully considered and decided upon with the force as their ally and not just a base, one night stand. How often had her father told her that she had been a precious gift given to them as the result of that night? That she was a gift of their love and for the future Jedi. She knew all this, and wanted to defend their honor, but she didn't want to give this monster the satisfaction.

Feeling the turmoil in her he rasped gleefully, a gleam in yellow eyes piercing her soul.

"How does it feel to be the bastard child of the great Obi-Wan Kenobi?" he had spat out, using her father's name as though it were a curse word.

Her blade blazed as hotly as her cheeks, propelling her to rush him angrily, foolishly thinking she could catch him by surprise. Her father had warned her all her life against her often brash, thoughtless actions, but here she was again, in the most important confrontation she might ever have, and she allowed the Emperor's cheap words to hit their mark.

His laughter was derisive and cruel as his blade shot out in a heartbeat. He had sliced her thigh as soon as she had thrust her blade at him. He then force pushed her against the far wall, and hit her with force lightening. As she had fallen to the floor in the agony of this moment, she had breathed apology to her father and to Luke for failing them. Luke had cried out in horror and his blade was again activated. Vader blocked his blow against the Emperor and the two battled, lightsabers clashing in the blinding spark of red vs. blue.

Sami, now out of commission could only watch, her leg throbbing with pain, her head pounding from the effects of the lightening, her saber out of reach.

She watched as the two combatants slashed and parried, then she watched as the Emperor cajoled and encouraged Luke to kill Vader, watched in horror as Luke finally threw his saber down and refused to fight his father anymore; refused to kill him. She had winced as the Emperor then maliciously growled, "Then you will die".

The force lightening was intense. Luke had fallen to the ground, this body thrashing, his face torn in agony. He was dying, and it was then that Sami realized that she loved him. Not like a brother, but truly loved him, that she couldn't imagine life without him. She had stretched forth her hand and had begun to retrieve her saber when a most surprising thing happened.

Vader himself had picked up his master, and with the electricity now averted from Luke, and now surrounding the two Sith Lords, Vader had pulled the Emperor over his head and hurled him into the reactor shaft in the center of the death star.

Luke had saved his father, and his father had saved him. Relief filling Sami, she had passed out.

She had awakened later in a makeshift bed on Endor, a strange little creature called an Ewok tending to her. Her Jedi clothes were gone, she was draped in a tunic and her leg was bandaged. She learned later that Leia had taken care of her. She searched for Luke, and he was not far, talking to Leia and Han. When he saw her, he ran to her side and took her hand. She took one look at him, and he knew. It was then they had shared their first kiss.

He told her later about Vader, about how Anakin had returned, had died in his arms a redeemed man..a Jedi. They had wept together for joy.

She had suddenly sensed her father's presence nearby, a presence she had cherished ever since she and Luke had witnessed him lay his life down to Vader on the first Death Star to allow them to escape.

Stunned in agonized speechlessness, Luke and Sami could only watch helplessly on the ramp going into the Millennian Falcon as her father had lowered his saber and allowed his former student to cut him down. Then most astonishingly, his body had disappeared. Sami was numb, her father was gone!

"Daddy!" She had cried out, feeling as though her heart had just physically been ripped out of her. Vader had turned in surprise, staring at her. Luke gripped her arm as she choked back sobs. Suddenly her father's voice was there. Both Luke and Sami heard it.

"Run Luke, Sami! Run!" Tugging on her arm, Luke had dragged her onto the Millenium Falcon.

He had appeared to them several times since then the way Master Qui-Gon used to appeared to them during their years on Tatooine. He had guided them and adivised them through the war against the Empire. Although she was grateful for this she had missed him being there to hug her, to place his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

On Endor, along with his presence, she had felt others near as well; Qui-Gon, Yoda and a new presence..it had to be Anakin Skywalker. Luke squeezed her hand as they nodded respectfully to the masters. Peace had filled her then. She knew it was over, the Jedi would begin again, and Luke would always be by her side.

It had been a lovely double wedding, with Luke and Sami, and beside them, Leia and Han. Sami had been aware of two blue presences quietly watching the proceedings from afar. She had sensed their pride and joy as her parents watched her wed.

In the old office, Sami stood and stretched, feeling a slight tug on the scar that now ran down her left thigh, so similar to the scar her father had carried from his fight against Dooku at the start of the clone wars. The child inside her suddenly moved and kicked.

"Yes, I know, enough with the reminiscing. Daddy's coming."

The door suddenly opened and Luke bounced in with a happy grin. He swept her in his arms and kissed her, then swung her around. She gasped, her head spinning but she laughed.

"What?" she asked, clutching him as she regained her balance.

" I have good news for you," he said. "I found Ferus Olin! He's going to join us!"

"Wonderful!" Sami exclaimed, and throwing her arms around him, they danced around the room in celebration, laughing in between hugs and kisses.

Ferus had hidden in plain sight, watching over Leia for most of her life after his stint as a double agent was finished.

He had disappeared after the war was over and had not responded when the call had gone out for any remaining Jedi to contact them. Sami and Luke had been very disappointed. They had thought that even if there were no other Jedi left, surely Ferus would join them. Luke had been focusing his search on finding him and they had been close to losing hope, thinking that perhaps Ferus didn't want to be found.

"He only just now heard about the call and had contacted me this morning. He's coming in a few days. Now we are a council of three. Not a bad start!"

"I'm so glad. I wonder if he'll accept the revisions to the code, allowing for marriage and families."

"It's different for him, but I assured him that the main tenets of the code will remain intact, but we just felt that we need to allow the Jedi to marry and have families if they wish...and that we will just need to teach them to be able to let go if need be. If marital attachment leads someone to the dark side, it will be because of a flaw in their character or we failed to teach them, not because of attachment itself. And besides, in rebuilding the order, many of our students will be much older than the initiates that had been in the temple, they are already accustomed to attachment. It's just a new age for the Jedi, Ferus will have to understand that."

"He's a reasonable man. I think he will," Sami said.

"Let's go. Dinner with the new Senator tonight, and then bed for you. You need your rest." Luke patted Sami's tummy affectionately. "And how is my son?"

"Doing well. He sensed you coming and gave me a good kick in the ribs."

"Good for you, son!" he laughed, and Sami felt another kick in response.

"Hey, don't gang up on me!" Sami protested.

Luke opened the door. As they exited, Sami asked, "You wanna spar later?"

"In your condition? I think not!" Luke said, closing the door.

"What's the matter, afraid I'll give you a sound thrashing?"

"You wish!"

Laughter rang in the hall as they departed the old building, and in a corner of the room just vacated, more laughter echoed.

Two blue images appeared in the room, Siri held Obi-Wan's hand as they enjoyed the banter of their daughter and her husband.

Laughter subsided, Siri said softly, "You raised her well, my Love,"

"You've only told me that how many times already?" Obi-Wan responded, putting his arm around her affectionately.

"I know, but I can't help saying it again."

Obi-Wan nodded, smiling at her. His blue/gray eyes held deep joy as he beheld his love. Together they were now in the force, never again to be parted. Soon they would move deeper into the force joining their comrades already gone before.

Siri leaned against Obi-Wan's chest as his arm moved down to wrap snugly around her waist .

"So many changes to the order," Siri commented. "Did you see how much freer they are then we were in expressing emotion? They were almost downright silly about it. I couldn't imagine Mace Windu acting like that."

Siri giggled, amused at the thought.

Obi-Wan nodded. " I don't think we got quite that silly about things." He then grinned at her. "But we did have our moments. Remember that night in Garen's quarters where we had a certain water fight after dinner?"

"Oh yes," Siri said with a smile. "We all ended up on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs, soaking wet."

They laughed, and Siri also remembered that that was the night she had surprised Obi-Wan with her return to the temple after her undercover mission.

"Yes, we had our moments of silliness as well I guess, but will all these changes be a good thing for the Jedi?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Time will tell, but you know what? It's not ours to be concerned about anymore. I trained Luke and Sami to carefully consider the old code and any changes they believe might be necessary and to never forget the basic tenets of being a Jedi. They may discover some things need to be changed more or restricted more as they move forward, but overall I think they will be fine. And I think Ferus will bring a good balance as a former member of the old order, I'm glad he will be a part of it. The New Jedi Order is in good hands, my love, and I think it's time for us to let them go and move on."

Siri agreed, except for one more thing.

"Obi-Wan, I want to see our grandchild born."

"Attachment, Siri," Obi-Wan warned her impishly.

She gazed at him, her blue eyes large and teasing. "Don't give me that attachment tripe. I know you want to see our grandchild born as well and don't you deny it!"

Obi-Wan grinned. "I could never fool you, could I?"

"Good, it's settled then."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her tenderly. "I love you, Siri Tachi."

"I love you too, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

They kissed again, letting it linger between them as their blue forms faded back into the force.

Suddenly the door opened again and a puzzled Sami glanced inside, shook her head and then closed it again.

"What?" Luke said from a few feet away.

"I don't know..I just felt...well, I could have sworn I heard my parents laughing!"

"You probably did. If they had wanted to visit they would have. Come on, let's go."

"Coming!" Sami joined her husband and hand in hand they walked out into a cool breezy twilight evening. As they headed toward their transport to take them to dinner, she glanced up toward the twinkling stars and smiled.

Her parents had sacrificed everything, even their own lives to give her and the Jedi a future and hope. She would honor them with her life, her service to the Jedi order.

She and Luke together would honor not just their parents but all the Jedi who came before by rebuilding the New Jedi Order to be the peacekeeper of the galaxy once again.

And she would honor her father's name by raising her son to be the kind of Jedi his namesake was; devoted and brave, humble and honorable, a good man as well as a good Jedi

She couldn't think of a better way to remember her parents and their gift.

She took her husband's hand. The past behind them, they were ready to step confidently into the future.

THE END

Author's Note: The part with Obi-Wan and Siri was written, first because I wanted to include a scene with them, but also for Serendipityaey, who only wants Obi-Wan to be happy. How does eternity sound, A? ;)