Beyond - Legends With Open Eyes (Jacen, Anakin Skywalker) - fic-gift for Idrelle_Miocovani

Title: With Open Eyes
Author: mavjade
Genre: Angst, slight humor, 1st person POV (Jacen)
Characters: Jacen Solo, Anakin Skywalker
Timeline: Right at the end of Invincible
Authors Notes: This is a fic-gift for Idrelle_Miocovani who requested:
Characters: Anakin Skywalker and Jacen Solo.
1. Meeting in the afterlife
2. Discussing the Skywalker legacy
3. Something somewhat humorous occurring, since I can imagine this could be very angsty.
I don't want this to be a parody.

I want to thank Idrelle for this request. It was challenging but I have more fun writing this than I have in a long time. It really prodded my muse! I'd never really written either of these characters so I hope I didn't screw them up too badly.

~*~*~*~


I know this is it, the final moment. As Jaina approaches me time seems to slow down, more than it ever seemed like using the Force. I know what Jaina is about to do, that it will be my twin that will strike the killing blow. I also know that her strike will render her vulnerable and I will have the opportunity to take her with me. For fractions of a second I consider doing this, that she and my parents in some way deserve it, but as I raise my blade I become aware that this is not truly the case and that I could take that moment to warn the ones I love most, the ones I've been trying to protect despite their eventual betrayal. So as my twin is rushing towards me, I look her in the eyes and I reach out to Tenel Ka and to my beautiful daughter Allana and warn them that they are not safe.

Blackness

I do not know what this is or where I am, but I do know that I must be dead. All I see is black.

I lay, pondering if this is what happens when one dies as a Sith, when a tiny bit of light shines in the distance. I try to reach out to it, to pull myself towards it's beauty, but find I can do no such thing. As I lay and look at it, I notice it is slowly coming closer and getting larger. I take deep breaths and do my best to be patient. As it draws closer I notice a shadow in the light. It looks to be a man, though I cannot quite make out who it could be.

I try to speak out but it is as though my vocal chords have seized up and all that will escape my lips is a soft whine that sounds as though a small animal is crying for its mother. Again, I take a deep breath and try to wait. It is as though the man in the light is willing me to be patient, that he knows I am confused and if I must admit, only to myself, frightened.

The white light suddenly engulfed me and it was as though I could feel again, like I was not only physically in the darkness but mentally as well. As I got a closer look at him I realized that he was not a shadow at all but he had a hazy blue appearance to him. Although I had never met him I recognized him immediately having been told many stories of his life by my uncle.

I had just opened my mouth to speak to him when he spoke first.

"Jacen," he said my real name and not the name I was as a Sith Lord, filling me with more hope than I thought imaginable. Had I been forgiven for the things I'd done that I now knew to be wrong?


"Not yet, but you will be. You've already taken the first step. By reaching out to Tenel Ka and Allana and not striking down your sister you have allowed yourself to become one with the Force in the natural and intended way."

"So this is the afterlife?" I ask, wondering if this is all there is.

"Yes," he says. "And no. There is much more than this but it must be earned. You now know the things you did in your life and the gravity of those actions, but only knowing does not fix them."


"How do I fix them? What do I have to do to be forgiven?" I ask him.

"You must figure that out for yourself."

The smile on his face is a little unnerving but for some reason I saw that answer coming. I figured it must have been because of all the years of following Uncle Luke. He would never actually give you an answer; he made you figure it out for yourself.

He speaks once again having seemingly read my thoughts. "A smart on

 

Aww, that was so sweet!! It's nice to see Anakin finally giving out some words of wisdom and Jacen feeling regret and wanting to make amends.

 

Beautifully done, but I'd expect nothing less.

 

So beautiful, mav! You really captured the scene, with such stark emotions... this is exactly what I hoped for, thank you, thank you, thank you!

"So that is the Skywalker legacy? To become dark?" I ask him knowing that is not the truth but a question I feel needs asking anyway.

"No, you know that it is not. It is overcoming that darkness that is our destiny. Becoming more in tune with the Force by having seen all sides of it."

Had to quote this, because it sums the scene up -- and also the characters of Anakin and Jacen -- so perfectly. Cycles of Light and Dark have always been at the heart of Star Wars for me, and it's wonderful to see Jacen get some form of redemption.

Thank you!

 

Very nicely done. Rather liked the title...very appropriate for the fic.

 

Nat: Aww, that was so sweet!! It's nice to see Anakin finally giving out some words of wisdom and Jacen feeling regret and wanting to make amends.

Thanks Nat! Yeah... I figure Anakin by this point would be a little wiser! LOL! Thanks for reading!!

Vadey: Beautifully done, but I'd expect nothing less.
Thank you som much, Kim! I was a little nervous having not really written either of them before.
Thanks for reading!

Idrelle: So beautiful, mav! You really captured the scene, with such stark emotions... this is exactly what I hoped for, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you!
I'll admit your request was going to someone else but they told me they didn't think they could do it so I traded with them and I am very glad I did. It really prodded my muse and stretched me as a writer, so thank you for an awesome request!

Had to quote this, because it sums the scene up -- and also the characters of Anakin and Jacen -- so perfectly. Cycles of Light and Dark have always been at the heart of Star Wars for me, and it's wonderful to see Jacen get some form of redemption.
That has always been at center of SW for me as well, especially for the Skywalker family. That last scene of Jacen in Invincible left me hope that he had in some way redeemed himself and I really wanted to show that.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!

MiralukaJedi: Very nicely done. Rather liked the title...very appropriate for the fic.
Thank you, Miraluka! Sometimes titles are really hard for me but this one pretty much titled itself!
Thanks for reading!