The Unseen

Epilogue

In which things end... :')

Thank you all so, so much for all the support you've shown! It means so much to me! This is the second long fic which I've finished, and it's one of my favorites in many ways, especially since it's a "Obi-Wan and Ahsoka redeem Vader." I love that trope if it's done right. Lol.

PS. On Thursday, I will release an alternate/bonus scene. :P

~ Amina Gila

One year later

It's been one year since Bail became Emperor, and in that time, he's made numerous reforms, ending with officially dissolving the Galactic Empire, and returning the galaxy back to a democracy, though he'll remain in charge for the next four years as his first term as Chancellor. Anakin hopes that the Senate will be willing to make the necessary changes, so that the New Republic doesn't face the same challenges as the Old one did.

One of the most important issues which Bail had to address was Anakin's fate. There were many who rallied in support of him, some even going so far as to request that he remain Emperor, a request which resulted in Anakin having to give another public speech, explaining his reasoning and speaking about his children. But naturally, many – especially those who he'd harmed as Vader – wanted him to be executed for war crimes.

In the end, as a compromise to both and acknowledging the danger Anakin could pose should he Fall again, Bail ordered Anakin to remain on Alderaan, forbidding him from leaving the planet without another person and explicit permission from Breha. In reality, since Anakin's new home is on the planet, he has no reason or desire to leave, except when necessity dictates it. The ruling was a clever way to let him live freely while still being legally punished for his actions.

He's been busy though, helping in the rebuilding of the Jedi Order, not that there was much to rebuild, but still. After settling down on Alderaan and deciding that reforming an order of trained Force sensitives would be a good idea, Obi-Wan had been sent to Dagobah to return Master Yoda from exile. He had come, of course, and after a long, immensely painful conversation with Anakin, had agreed to help them.

With the Order restored, Anakin officially took both Luke and Leia as his Padawans, while Obi-Wan decided to train Galen Marek, and Ahsoka accepted Mara Jade. Kanan Jarrus, who had eventually been persuaded to join them, took Ezra Bridger under his wing, one reason being that his fiancée, Hera Syndulla, had all but adopted the boy. Another surviving Jedi, Cal Kestis, who had also been a Padawan during the Purge, took Aralina Silk as his Padawan. All four children naturally received much therapy for the trauma they suffered, and a year later, Anakin is happy to see how much better they're doing.

On a more personal note, Anakin undertook to restore the Jedi Temple to its former glory, and while he knows that it will never be used in the same capacity as it was when he was young, he doesn't want the Jedi and their struggles to ever be forgotten. So, he decided to turn it into a museum with Obi-Wan's and Yoda's blessings. There was almost nothing harder than reentering the building, especially the Council chambers, as he tried to formulate what needed to be renovated. It'll take years before the museum is complete, but it will forever remain as a testimony to the Order which lost its way before falling to the Sith.

Another issue which Bail addressed was the matter of the surviving clones. Many of them died in the years immediately after the formation of the Empire, but there are still survivors. As a tribute to their loyal service, Bail gives them all citizenship as well as the ability to retire from the army if they so choose. Most of them have, going to live on different worlds, often staying with their closest brothers. Rex lives on Alderaan not far from them along with Cody, Echo, and the rest of Echo's newest squad mates.

After being rescued from the Separatists, Echo joined the Bad Batch, a group of genetically altered clones with a number of skillsets. Anakin had asked them to fight under him, and they did until he sent his men away. Echo had chosen to remain behind to feed intel. When he rejoined the rest, consisting of Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair, they had somehow adopted a female clone, Omega. She's close friends with both Luke and Leia despite their age difference.

Anakin doesn't know what the future will hold for any of them, but they'll be fine as long as they stay together.

***

The sunset is picturesque as it always is in the Alderaanian mountains, and Anakin sits on the top of a hill, watching the sun disappear over the horizon in the valley below. Leia, who lives with them half of each month, and Luke are lying on their stomachs side by side as they watch the last glimmers of gold vanish from sight. The Force isn't as strong here as it is in other places – there's no nexus here – but it is exceedingly calm and peaceful, and that's exactly what all the Jedis-to-be need.

Ahsoka is sitting to his left, arms crossed over her knees which are drawn up, leaning against him ever so slightly. She's an adult now, far more mature and confident than when he first met her fifteen years ago. Force, it's hard to realize that it's been so long for both of them. They've come a long way from their rocky start.

Obi-Wan is, of course, sitting to his right, arm wrapped around Anakin's shoulders as Anakin leans against his side taking comfort in the contact as he always has. It's better, more peaceful, than anything in the false reality he'd crafted for himself, because here, the three of them have actually discussed, dealt with, and moved past everything which transpired between them.

The sun vanishes, and as it does, a bird calls from a nearby tree. Anakin feels happiness swell up, surrounded by his family. This is all he's ever wanted, and he'd rather die than let someone take it from him.

I love you, he thinks fiercely, letting that thought echo into the Force around him, to the four people he would still kill for. I love you all so much.

No one answers, not verbally, but he receives back a mixture of silent love and adoration from the Force. This, this is true happiness, true love, true contentment, and in this moment, Anakin knows that he won't lose them, lose this. The Force won't allow it.

***

They don't lose each other.

They stay together when the surviving Inquisitors begin to cause problems on the Outer Rim, and Anakin hunts them down with Luke and Leia, while Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and their Padawans deal with Maul, who is running a crime empire.

They stay together when people with personal grudges against Anakin try to assassinate him numerous times, though they all fail.

They stay together when Luke marries Mara and Leia marries Han – much to Anakin's near-horror, though he does like the former-smuggler.

They stay together when surviving pro-Palpatine factions launch an attack to try and destroy the New Republic.

They stay together when they help the Ghost crew – now consisting of Kanan, Hera, Ezra, Sabine Wren, and Garazeb Orrelios – liberate Lothal from Admiral Thrawn, who was seeking to reform another Empire.

They stay together when Luke and Leia become Jedi Knights, and when Ahsoka is made the new Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.

They stay together when Leia becomes queen of Alderaan, not Senator like she'd originally hoped, because no one wanted Darth Vader's daughter to be Chancellor.

They stay together when the role of Grandmaster eventually falls on Luke, long after Anakin's grandchildren become Jedi Knights.

They are a family. They always will be, and they'll always, always stay together. Not even death can part them.

It doesn't.

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