Peace of the Jedi [Sequel to Sword of the Lanterns]

Chapter Thirty-One- Accusations

Jaina braced herself against the wall. Zekk had his arm around her shoulders, guiding her on. She was out of danger now, but she hadn't walked for three weeks. She had to gain her strength back. 

Allana hopped along slowly behind them, wishing the adults would go faster. She wanted to talk to Auntie Jaya but Zekk had begged her to keep quiet, at least for now, but she really couldn't understand why.

Jaina was too happy to see them that she hadn't even asked why they were so far from home. Had Hal found them and brought them back? Had they been looking for her? She wasn't about to go home, if that's what they were here for.

"So, missing arm. I guess you really are a Skywalker," Zekk grinned. "Took you long enough." He brushed her bangs back from her eyes as they fell from her ponytail.

"Oh please," Jaina smirked lopsidedly, "I've always been more like my dad than my mom." She knew she was still out of it, because all she wanted was to grab Zekk's stupid, adorably stubbled face and kiss him. 

Perhaps he wasn't the best person to help her walk, as the blood donation full of midi-chlorians he gave left him on less-than-average-performance, but he was the only person Jaina wanted to be with at the moment, and everyone else was deployed on a mission or helping their mentors. 

Jaina stumbled, and when Zekk went to catch her they tumbled into a heap on the polished Watchtower floors, laughing at each other's pain.

Allana couldn't keep it in anymore. "Daddy was like grandma, wasn't he?" She asked. 

Jaina stopped laughing.

Zekk pulled Jaina to her feet and helped her brace against the wall, mulling over the answer, "Yes, Allana, your dad was a lot like his mother." He said quietly.

Allana nodded, satisfied with the answer, then her nose scrunched up, like Jaina when she was considering a rather complicated gadget, or rather, like Jacen when he was trying to understand a rather stubborn creature, her mother's sharp hazel eyes narrowing. "Aunt Jaya?"

Zekk turned, seeing Jaina stumbling down the hall as fast as she could.

"Jaina!" He sprinted after her.

Jaina let the tears fall. It was either that or lose the last bit of support that she had. Her body shook with sobs, threatening to spill her guts all over the sterile League base. She hadn't cried like this since the day she killed him. 

"Jaina!" Zekk shouted, trying to keep up. Jaina forced her legs to move faster and faster until she fell forward again, only to be caught by Kaldur.

"Jaina," He whispered, helping her down to a sitting position on the floor, where Zekk and Allana finally caught up, "Jaina, what are you doing to yourself?"

Jaina shook her head, sobbing too hard to form anything coherant. "Don't you get it? I killed him! I killed him! My own brother! He's dead because of me!"

"Jaina," Zekk started, choosing to ignore the shocked look on Kaldur's face for the present moment, "If you hadn't killed him he would have killed billions more."

"I could have stopped him," Jaina inhaled heavily, the cold wall on her cheek the only thing that kept her anchored to reality, "Uncle Luke was able to bring granpa back, why couldn't I save Jasa?"

Zekk's eyes squeezed shut. "That wasn't what the force wanted."

Jaina nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Of course. The force wanted it," She said, her voice deathly quiet. Allana took a step back. 

Jaina held her fist against her forehead and screamed. Kaldur and Zekk both refused to be moved, not budging an inch as Jaina's sobs returned. As she allowed them, they both slowly embraced her.