[Video]

[faithfulson]

[ And the Skywalker angst train continues, because a face that hasn't been seen in a week decided to show up. ]

...I'm back.

[ Though there's a lot different. Luke looks older; not so much physically, but in the sense that Things Have Happened and he's somehow holding himself together with the mental equivalent of spit and glue. Even that just barely seems to be working; something is clearly wrong, and it's not just the new all black wardrobe. ]

I'm glad not much time has passed here. It's been a year for me, and...

[ Yeah, no; he's not holding it together very well at all. He needs to look away from the camera, visibly taking a few deep breaths, though his voice still wavers a bit when he speaks again: ]

Father, are you still here?

[ Responses to anyone other than Anakin will probably take a couple hours to happen. He just really needs his father to be alive and not dying in his arms right now. ]

Comments

Video.

[flightforfreedom]

Hey, welcome back.

Sounds like you remember things, at least.

But yeah. He's here. Was posting on the network earlier, so unless he got ported out in the last few hours he'll still be around.

You okay?

[faithfulson]

[ It's a couple hours later before Luke responds, and he looks a little better, if a little worn and tired. There's the occasional involuntary visible muscle twitch, but he still manages a small smile for him. ]

I'm all right, Poe. I just... I needed to see my father. My parents.

[ At least they're alive somewhere? Somewhere he wouldn't remember when he inevitably went back. ]

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe frowns, a little, because Luke's smiles usually come a hell of a lot easier. ]

... Yeah, I can imagine that a year might - throw you off, a lot. Uh - did you manage to reach him okay?

[faithfulson]

[ It's a lot harder for him to smile these days, especially after what he came from, but he's trying to for the people contacting him. ]

Yes; we've met up. We're okay. I'll... I'll be okay.

video

[articulations]

[ Almost within a matter of moments of Luke's return, breathing in, for her, is like a breath of fresh air. The void isn't as empty, not as endless. She needs a second to herself to remember what it feels like to be nearly whole again. ]

You're lucky there aren't any sarlacc pits in this place.

[faithfulson]

[ Congrats, Leia; Luke manages a smile at that one. It's a weak, tired smile, but it's a smile. ]

Or Hutts.

[ He let out a faint snort. ]

I'm... glad to see you're okay.

[articulations]

[ Look. What are siblings for? ]

Oh, I'm fantastic. Now that you're back.

[ Some small hint of sarcasm with that reply. It's then followed with: ]

I wouldn't feed you to the Hutts for leaving, Luke. I'd rather take my chances with the sarlacc.

[faithfulson]

[ Luke's smile faltered a little, recognizing the tell tale signs of Leia about to blow her top in rage. ]

It wasn't my idea.

video.

[senateur]

[ It takes a few minutes for Padmé to notice the new message, but then she's immediately responding, her expression tight and worried even as she smiles gently at the son she's only just beginning to know. The son who had left far too soon for her liking. ]

Luke, I'm so glad to see you've returned. [ And then, a moment later: ] What's wrong?

[faithfulson]

Mother...

[ For a moment, he had almost forgotten she had come back before he left. The pain in his expression is more prominent for a moment, before he looked away. ]

I... it's a long story. I'm not sure where to begin.

[senateur]

[ There's a weariness to him that makes her ache to wrap her arms around him, and that pain in his expression is like a blade to her own heart. But she keeps that from her voice, only concern and kindness making it into the words. ]

Anywhere. Or nowhere, if it's easier not to speak of it for now.

[ And, because it seems important: ]

You asked about your father. He's still here. [ Your family is still here, she wants so desperately to say. ]

[faithfulson]

[ Luke hesitated a moment, before nodding slowly, bowing his head. ]

I know... I feel he's here. I should...

[ He needed to go, he needed to go see him, see them both. He needed to feel that they were actually real and they were both okay. ]

I just... the porter... it didn't even give me a chance--

[ He broke himself off, swallowing thickly as he pressed a hand over his eyes. ]

[Video]

[prophesiedone]

Luke...! [He asks for him too. Anakin feels like his heart might burst.] Where are you? I'll come to you.

[And show him that he is VERY MUCH ALIVE.]

[Video]

[faithfulson]

[ Luke has to take a moment, just to stare, just to process that his father was really there and alive and breathing. It was just one scar on his face, not so many gashes and burn scars that it was hard to track them all. His face was bright and healthy, not pale from being locked away in a dark shell for over twenty years. In that moment, Luke looks like he's just going to break, tears gathering in his eyes and his throat struggling to allow him to speak. ]

H-Heropa, just outside the porter. Mother's coming this way too.

[Video] -> [Action]

[prophesiedone]

[He can't stand that expression. He is on his feet and running for the door, his surroundings nothing more than a confusing blur. If Luke needs him, he will find him.]

Good. I will be there shortly.

[When Anakin needs to book it, he can almost fly. The path he takes to the Porter is complicated, but he gets there five minutes quicker for it. Any dizziness from traveling quickly from city to city is shaken off and he is leaving the machine behind, searching desperately.

There? No, there. He smiles and races to Luke, dragging him immediately into his arms.]

I'm here.

[faithfulson]

[ It took Luke a moment to realize what was happening. One moment he was looking up, standing up as he saw his father practically zipping away from the porter and toward him, and the next moment he was being held tightly. He stared as well as he could over his father's shoulder (which wasn't much; it still wasn't fair that his father was so tall), struggling to maintain calm, but it wasn't working. For a moment, he could almost smell the acrid smoke of the Death Star slowly breaking down from the inside, could almost hear the wheeze of a breathing system that was failing. He could almost hear his father telling him to take his mask off so he could see him with his own eyes, and could almost hear that relieved sigh when he finally let out his last breath. ]

[ The pain, the sting of failure (even though his father had insisted he hadn't failed, that he saved him) hit him all over again. He could feel the tears coming to his eyes, and he buried his face against his (younger, healthier) father's shoulder, shaking against barely restrained sobs as he reached up and clung to his back. ]

video;

[crassidy]

[Looks like Cassidy is sitting in an all too familiar apartment, curtains all drawn, and frowning sympathetically into the camera.]

Looks like you've seen some better days there, lad. We'll get a brew on for ya whenever you're ready to come back.

video;

[faithfulson]

[ A couple hours later, and this message left for him was definitely something that got him to smile. ]

That sounds great, Cass.

video;

[crassidy]

[He's just glad to hear back from him, even if there is a delay.]

You uh, y'wanna talk about it any?

video »

[onlydoubts]

[ he doesn't really know Luke all that well, but seeing the look on his face and overall somber tone, it's enough to feel for. Obviously something had happened... ]

Must have been quite the year.

[ pause. ]

You alright, there?

video »

[faithfulson]

[ Even a year later, Bodhi is still his Big Damn Hero, and he's got a gentle smile on his face when he finally answers him. ]

You have no idea.

[ He let out a breath. ]

I'll be fine. I just needed to be with my parents for a bit.

video »

[onlydoubts]

[ #mutual admiration squad ]

Yeah? If you need to talk about it, over food or drink, I'm here to listen.

[ he's painfully behind as far as the drama that surrounds Luke's family, but he does at least know this much. ]

Did you find them? They're here - Anakin posted over the network, fairly recently.

video

[ct_7567]

[ They had only met the once - but any child of Anakin's is going to be relevant to Rex. He responds anyway. ]

Welcome back. A year's a long time to be away. Doubly as long if it was a difficult one.

[ He'd come back changed not so long ago as well - he hadn't appreciated the questions then, and doesn't care to force someone else to answer a slew of them, but he can note the obvious. ]

video

[faithfulson]

[ Rex gets treated with a small, happy smile. He actually knows Rex now, even if their interaction at Endor had been brief at best, just mostly knowing he was there, even though he didn't really know him. He wished he had taken the time to... ]

It really was, but it's... good to be back.

video

[ct_7567]

Ah. Well, that's the important thing. That those who want to come back get the chance.