A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away

Chapter 163

About a week later, not only had Luna finally been released from the Halls of Healing, she had been praising both the Force and God, whoever that was, for the freedom, but the Jedi were preparing to move back to Coruscant. The Order was also about to adopt a new code, one that, while currently classified, Obi-Wan seemed to be rather happy with.

Anakin took it as good news.

He walked down the halls, ignoring the looks of amazement and wonder from some of the other Jedi. It may have been a few weeks, but apparently the star status of killing the Sith that had caused so much trouble for the galaxy had long lasting hero effect.

Anakin could not wait for it to wear off. Being thought of a hero was nice and all, but he'd prefer to walk around the Temple and other familiar places without everyone staring at him.

Which brought him to why he was there.

Come on, she's got to be somewhere, Anakin thought to himself, sending out yet another probe through the Force.

Still nothing.

Anakin held back a sigh before deciding to make another round on the ground level's outer halls. Luna had pulled off a disappearing act again, something that was happening more and more as of late, and had hidden herself from the Force, something that was also becoming an annoyingly common occurrence. While it appeared as though Palpatine's people within the Order had quit trying to kill her, Anakin still didn't like to leave her on her own.

He went down the stairs, returning greetings as he went, before ending up on the ground floor. Halfway down the first hall, Anakin stopped.

Luna was leaning on a column, halfway hidden from sight, as she stared out the window into the icy landscape beyond.

"Hey," he said as he came over to her. Luna's head snapped toward him.

"Hi," she muttered, looking slightly sullen as she turned back to the window. Anakin just sighed.

It was like they had traded places. Instead of Anakin constantly trying to figure out how to prevent Padmé's death, and therefore being rather gloomy to be around, it was now Luna who was brooding over something, what it was, Anakin was still working on.

It was not a reversal Anakin was found of. It's not like either of them had anything to really worry about anymore.

"Whatcha thinking about?" he asked as he stopped to stand beside her.

"Nothing," Luna replied as she watched the snow fall.

"It doesn't look like nothing."

She shook her head, as if coming out of a trance. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." Luna gave him a smile. "Were you looking for me or something?"

"Don't change the topic, the last time you were this glum was after that argument with Leia, and that only lasted for a few hours. What's up?" Anakin asked crossing his arms as he looked down at her, unwilling to let her get off the hook this time around. Luna looked away from his gaze and out into the snow.

"Really, Anakin, it's nothing."

"Luna, you're worrying me."

"I'm.... I'm just thinking about what comes next," she told him after a moment, with a shrug, forcing a smile. "Palpatine is gone, and there's a galaxy full of possibilities now. That could mean good and bad things, but I don't know.... I guess that's just unnerving to me: not knowing.... I always knew what the future would hold on Earth, even when new variables were thrown into the equation. The future might as well have been set in stone: I knew what I had to do to survive. Even when I met you, I knew the path that everyone would go down more or less, but now I don't...."

"You do realize that's what everyone else has to deal with, right? No one knows what the future holds, and no one will ever be able to say for sure," Anakin told her before placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "But, we'll figure it out, together."

"You don't know that."

"Sure, I do."

"No, you don't!" Luna told him spinning out of his grasp as they locked eyes. "Anakin, I may not stay here! I'm from Earth. It's where I belong. For all I know, the Force may send me back today or tomorrow or a month from now. You're ignoring what's bound to happen eventually: I will be sent back. It's only a matter of time."

"Are you sure?" Anakin forced himself to ask after a moment, even as his mind rebelled against the thought. Luna leaving? No, there was no way. She'd been here for months already. If the Force was going to send her back, it would have already done so....right?

"I did my job: you didn't fall. The Force has no more use for me here. I've read a lot of fanfictions: anytime someone from another world interferes with a different one, they are always sent back. Borrowed time, Anakin, I've been running on it my whole life, and eventually the time for my stay in this galaxy will run out."

"You don't know for sure."

"But it's the most likely path," Luna told him, turning away. Anakin noticed there were tears in her eyes. "and we've already established the universe is out to get me. I'll be going back, whether or not I want to."

"Hey," Anakin said softly, gently turning her back to face him, "Luna, look at me."

It took a few moments, but her watering eyes slowly turned up to his. As soon as Anakin held her gaze, he began to speak, "Until—if—you go, you've still got me and Padmé and Obi-Wan.... Try not to over think the future and prepare for something that may not happen, alright? For all we know, the universe has finally decided to cut you some slack, why waste it?"

"I guess," she muttered.

"There is no I guess, there is I know and I don't know. So, do you want to waste whatever time you've got left on Ilum just staring at the snow, or do you want to go out and check out where the younglings find their crystals?"

Luna's eyes widened. "That's an option?"

"It is now," Anakin replied with a small smile. "What do you say?"

"I'd love to!"

"Then let's go get some coats." The two walked down the hall with smiles, but even as Anakin looked at the girl beside him, his heart clenched.

Luna gone just like that?

The thought was unbearable.