Beyond The Best of Us - J/J, Han - post-NJO AU ...A Special Thank You...

*Making inquiries about the Witness Protection Program*
*Peeks out from behind large rock*
I really don't want to! But you're forcing my hand, I'm sorry!

What can I say, my dear friend Gloria? I was under the influence of Membrosia? I fell to the Dark Side? I'm a horrible tease? Yeah, that's it.


No, seriously, I had to give you something to think about leading up to the sequel - besides everybody being happy. But you know me, you just never know where I might take all this, do you?
Just between you and me.. I prefer cliffies, to fluff. Unless it's one-post fluff. But if it's a full-length story, I want the excitement and anticipation.

Have faith!


P.S. You were in Paris? Hope you didn't run into any trouble such as they've been having in France the last few weeks...
Oui, madam! We almost canceled our trip thanks to the rioting, but we thought, oh what the heck. We're not going to back out simply because of fear. We didn't tell anyone in our family that we were going (Sheesh, do I sound like a Joiner or what? 'We', 'us', 'our'.. ), we didn't see anything at all to even let on that there was a disruption of peace. Increased security around the tourists' attractions. Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, not so much at Notre Dame.. Though of course I'm not complaining, there were a lot of military men there, too, keeping guard..

I wanted to go there for my birthday, since I have free flight benefits anyway that we never use(!), so we went. In doing so, we're now not paying any bills, though! Oooh weeell..

It was marvelous though. I totally fell in love with the city. Then I had to leave.

Cliffies are good ... always in motion, the future... LOL!

Glad you saw Paris - I haven't ... yet!

oldj

You should go!

Finally was able to get a digital camera, thanks to this trip. Loads of pictures. I just have to figure out how to load them to the computer.

30 days and 3 hours till the first post-

this is only approximate (I'm, of course, not counting)

Maybe some day... *sigh*

You're funny! *gets back to work on sequel*


oldj

I was away from a while, but I returned to find thie beautiful epilogue.


You have been absolutely spectacular in sharing your views and offering your support.

For such wonderful writing, it was our pleasure!


Their babies. Two months old tomorrow. Three tiny children who, by their very existence, had changed to many lives.

I'm so glad that everything worked out here. For the longest time, I was worried that something might happened to the boy because tampering with a baby in the womb can have bad consequences. And Jaina and Jag as parents!!! If only profic understood that was the way to go.



They were all fast asleep. Jag was sprawled across her side of the bed. Rand?s face was nestled against his father?s neck, held tight by Jag?s left hand. Jara was curled in the crook of her father?s right arm, and Hallie lay on his chest, her fingers grasping his shirt. All four seemed to breathe in unison.

How beautiful.


There was no way for Jag to reach out to her, not physically anyway. ?Jay, this is a difficult way to start a marriage. I know we?ve been fighting ? a lot ? and I?m sorry, too.?

As much as I love seeing happy J/J, it only makes sense that they'd fight a lot. Like Han and Leia


Shawnkyr raised an eyebrow when she caught his poorly-concealed happiness.

Shawnie! I love it when authors use Shawnkyr. Inara's, your's, and Trep's are my favorite characterizations of her.


?Yes,? Soontir chuckled. ?And I?m sure that Syal will be more than happy to have another adult on hand.?




Jacen feared that he took after his Uncle Luke when it came to women.

That means you have to write another ten sequels before Jacen finally settles down. No problem with me.


Lando found it hard to draw air into his chest. Without warning, the only picture he'd ever seen of his first child appeared in his mind's eye. He startled, gasping a sudden breath that Tendra interpreted as a sense of awe over their first moments as a family. But Lando's thoughts paused over a terrible act perpetrated so many years before. Arennal, I hope you two are in a good place. He rubbed his thumb over the back of his daughter's tiny hand. Clear skies to you both. And with that simple wish, the old image vanished; his past had been replaced by a wondrous present.

This is so beautiful. That Lando is finding happiness, and how he's finally putting Arennal behind him.


?I know,? Han interjected. ?A bad feelin? about this.?

Evil cliffie!! But I'll forgive you because this is one of the best stories ever.

Awww, cute with Lando and Tendra. I wonder what will happen with Jaina and Jag.

oldj,

Still have a long ways to go. However, feedback is so deserving as each chapter is continually awe-inspiring.

Chapter 5

I love Luke's tenderness to Jaina. I always thought he'd make a great uncle and father-even before I started reading the EU. And still - I like your version of it much more. lol

The banter between Jag and Fel was quite funny.
?I don?t know why he?s here, Dad, but I?m sure he didn?t come all this way to test his new laser cannons on your estate.? lol

And it gets even better when you bring Hand and Lando into the mix....LOL

?You might have to peel me off Fel.?

?Which one?? Lando said as he hit the ramp release.

And you leave it there? Ah! (Thank goodness this it completed!)

Chapter 6

Whoa! Who is this mysterious 'red' voice. Your writing gave me chills. I know it's the evil baby. But - there's more to this character.

?And,? Mara answered, ?perhaps only his body died. It wouldn't be the first time that we?ve come across a Force presence that outlived its mortal flesh.?

Okay-my exact reaction to this..."Yick!"

The explosion was sudden and I'm worried about Han....Great chapter...lot's of drama.

Chapter 7 - Amazing! Still worried about Han. I'm also fighting the urge to 'flip' through the other chapters to find out if our old buddy is okay. But I'll resist the dark side. (For now, anyway)

I know there's quite a bit a head. But I can't wait to continue on.

almost time for the epilouge..... (I forgot when the first post was )

yay i m so excited.... you have NO idea!

Thanks to ImperialSpy, Miranda and goddess for your continued interest in this!

I had scheduled the sequel to start December 19th.



If you're good, I might start a week early...

oldj

I'm up for that.

S.

I've been very good. No coal in my stocking, this year, anyway.

Catching up - I have a ways to go. But am still plugging along, m'dear oldj.

After reading what you've got so far of the sequel to this story, I just HAD to come read this. It took awhile, but I finished the whole story. Simply amazing. You really sent them all through a lot. I was teary-eyed several times while reading. You did a great job capturing emotions.

A big Thank You! to PonyTricks, skywalker and Miranda!

Plus:

Wow! I can't believe you came over and read this! I really appreciate your making the effort and that you enjoyed it.

Thank you so much!

oldj

Just to finish this one completely, I've added a piece of cover art ... don't laugh! I'm working with less than adequate software!

*Must buy Photoshop*

oldj

I love the cover art! Very nice landscape.

You're too kind - and I really mean that! The background is a modification of a topographical satellite picture of an aspect of Mount Everest. When I get Photoshop, I'll do a better job on the resolution.

Thanks, Fels.

oldj

what else can i say?

I really like the cover art!!

I was having a panic attack at first because i didn't think to look on the first page...me =

That ship is you're new favorite picture!!

Hey there Scrubs
I can't believe I never looked at your stories earlier! This was really great, and I can't wait to catch up on the sequel to it. It was an excellent idea, and made a common idea fresh and exciting (the pregnancy thing I mean) Totally unexpected yet brilliant.

And even though I hate cliffies, I like how you ended it, not mushy. It would be completely unrealistic if Jag and Jaina were AOK, and the Lando/Tendra twist is also intriguing. I hope they're okay.

Guess Ill just have to find out by reading the sequel!

Again, great story, I need to look at more of your short stories and such.

-Flygirl

To say "thanks" is trite and completely inadequate, but its all I've got right now, so...

Thank you to everyone who read even part of this epic, to those of you who enjoyed it, to those who nominated it for an amazing array of awards, and to those whose collective votes brought this story to Best Drama status at the WFFA's. You walked beside me on a very long journey; your company was far better than I deserved.

I was a true noobie when I wrote the first paragraphs of this story, thinking perhaps that I could write seven or eight chapters. Knowing you were here, waiting for more, gave me the determination to expand it, and best of all, finish it. To have written so many thousands of words in relatively coherent order is something I believed I could not do. The completion and success of "Best of Us" truly heralds a collaboration of writer and audience. Without you, I would have given up.

That same collaboration is the foundation for all of the fanfic I have written. I therefore share the honor of Best Author with all of you as well.

A writer without an audience will forever be lost in a jumble of words.

Thank you.

~ oldj ~