A Time To Mourn

He stood facing the remains of an old enemy. A former lover. An unrequited dream.

"You lied to me, once again," he told the empty shell that had once been her body. It's mechanical portions far outweighing anything biological. Too much metal and plastic for a traditional funeral pyre.

Sighing, he shook his head, and turned to face the other body currently laid in repose in the morgue. A sob hitched in his throat as pain flared to life at seeing her like this.

Physically, she resembled the old enemy. Red hair, smooth skin, supple lips, green eyes. Eyes that once flashed with fire and life and vitality.

This was the empty remains of an old lover. His wife. His helpmate. The dream that he lived and breathed.

His body hitched with unshed tears, and he took a deep breath, blowing out the grief and anger and frustration, offering them up as a sacrifice to the Force. He took a last look and turned away, heading back to the more populated areas of the Temple. Back to the life and the vitality of those areas. Back to where he can still feel her presence permeating everything around him.

Stepping out of the morgue, he found his son standing by the door, intently watching his hands.

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, Galactic Hero, mourning husband, stared at his son, trying to find the words to say. The words, the phrase, the intent, that would heal the breach in their relationship. A comment that would make everything all right again.

Nothing comes.

Just a deep silence stretched between father and son. A silence composed of too many fights, too many emotions, and the raw gaping wound in their hearts and the Force which was where Mara Jade Skywalker always glowed.

He raised his artificial hand, and squeezed it into a tight, balled fist. Pondering that final fight with his father. Wondering why he seemed to always lose those he loves.

"Son..."

Ben looked up at him, tears shining in his eyes as he slowly shook his head.

Luke's heart broke all over again. His son had grown up. There was no longer any innocence in his eyes or expression. Just a hard edge of bitterness, which Luke wished would never be seen in someone's soul again. For a moment, he wondered if this was how his father felt, when Luke stood over him. The pained outcry as he took his father's hand still rings in his ears, even after all these years.

Luke opened his mouth again to say something. Yet words failed him. After a moment, he snapped his mouth shut, and looked away from the bitterness in his son's eyes.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ben shake his head again.

"I understand now, Dad. After everything, I think I understand."

Luke faced him fully, watched as a tear slid down his son's cheek.

Anger clenched Ben's body, his shoulders shook as his fists tightened. The Force whirled with the Ben's anger and rage. "I... I want to avenge Mom, Dad. I want to kill whoever did this to her."

Luke raised a hand, and squeezed the bridge of his nose. Why did you have to die? he thought to himself. You were always better at this.

He lowered his hand. "I know that's how you feel. I feel that to. But it's not time for that now. Bringing her killer to justice can wait. Now... Now, it's a time to mourn. "

Ben dropped to his knees, his body once again shaking, except this time due to the tears that he had fought and denied.

Luke lowered himself to the ground beside him, wrapping him in a hug, cradling him against his chest.

Into his son's hair, he whispered words which his Aunt Beru taught him so many years ago:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."