Picking Up the Pieces Ch.12 Family Business Part 7

It took hours of worried searching, but eventually, Lucy and company finally tracked down where Emmet ran off to. Though they really should've expected it--where else did the guy feel more safe and routine than at home?

After the construction worker made his escape, the room pretty much imploded as everyone bombarded Vitruvius and the president with questions; trying to make sense of the bombshell that was dropped. But with Business being just as in the dark as the master builders, and the wizard being his ever cryptic self, they didn't get very far. Only after they settled down did they think to go after their friend.

So it was that they began systematically checking off the list of places the Special liked to go--growing increasingly on edge when they'd come up empty, and praying he didn't hurt himself in his fit of grief. All the while, the not-DJ still struggled to wrap her head around it all. Business used to be sort of nice? He was MARRIED? Emmet was his...

She shook her head--not daring to say it aloud. Not yet. Right now, she had a shell shocked boyfriend to take care of, who she found sitting on his bedroom window balcony. His back was to his friends, who all breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him when they entered his apartment. But they hovered in the doorway--not knowing how to exactly approach him, especially when he gave no response to them bursting in. He HAD to know they were there, but it was unlike him to flat out ignore anyone.

A full minute of uncomfortable silence went by, before Lucy made a move and said carefully, "Emmet...?"

The construction worker visibly stiffened at her voice. Instead of a greeting, he just began sputtering, "You know...I thought it was sort of funny how similar President Business and I were...following instructions...not feeling very special..." He let out a half sigh, half sad laugh, "I guess now I know why."

But the situation was far from funny. At long last, he worked up the nerve to turn around; revealing his tear stained face to his group of very surprised friends who had never seen him so distraught before. One look at his miserable state was all the more incentive Lucy needed to close the gap between them and scoop Emmet up into a protective hug. Not a single word was uttered, and none were needed, as the Special practically collapsed in on himself and unabashedly poured out the worst and the last of his grief into her shoulder. Since words failed her at the moment, she simply stood there--being the best literal support beam she could be. Meanwhile, everyone else gathered around--keeping a respectable distance, but quietly letting the couple know that they were there for them.

Eventually, Emmet calmed down enough to mumble, "...m'sorry..."

"For what?" his girlfriend asked.

"Sorry I ran away..." he shivered at the thought, "I just couldn't be there anymore..."

"S'okay, lad. We understand", Metalbeard shook his head, "Sometimes, when a feller goes diggin', he don't find treasure, but rather, somethin' he wished would've stayed buried."

The construction worker almost hoped THIS little history lesson would've remained unsolved. He went on to say, "Guess I was also afraid..."

"Of what?" Benny raised a brow, "We wouldn't let the Prez do anything to ya'."

"No, I mean..." the Special's face turned a deep pink, both in embarrassment and in trepidation, as he whispered, "I was afraid you'd...hate me."

The builders were all taken aback at this sad confession. He really believed they wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore? Determined to set the record straight, Lucy spoke in her most soothing, reassuring tone, "Oh, Emmet...none of this is your fault. No matter where you came from, it doesn't change the fact that you're a great person." She hugged him even tighter, "We love you."

Her boyfriend blushed even harder--completely ashamed for having doubted the loyalty of this brave group of people who had stuck their necks out for him time and again. They wouldn't have gone hunting for him if they didn't care...but hearing it from Lucy--the one he loved most of all, just solidified it for him.

"Thanks guys..." Emmet poured all his gratitude into those two little words, before pulling back and wiping his eyes as he tried to explain, "...you know...my folks were always honest with me. I always knew I was adopted. But we obviously never knew who FROM. So we never really questioned it--never thought it was a big deal..."  His eyes took on a far away look as he struggled to put his feelings into words, "...but...the more I started thinking about it now...the more I realize I sort of WAS worried about having people like me...about fitting in..." He shrugged, "I guess maybe some part of me thought that...I must've done something wrong to be given up...so I always tried to please everyone...to be nice to everyone."

Benny waved away his friend's concern, "Dude, you couldn't be mean if you tried."

For all of a second, the Special smirked at the odd compliment. But his face then turned solemn again just as quickly, "Well, even so...when I lost my folks, my daily routine was kinda' all I had for a while. Between that and using the instructions to make friends, it filled the hole a little bit."

Or people he THOUGHT were his friends, anyway--he flashed back to that fateful day in the interrogation room.

Lucy, however, reflected on their harrowing adventure to the Island of Unused Parts--cringing at the memory of having to save her boyfriend from an illusion that played on his fears of being abandoned by everyone. She thought they had worked past this by now. But clearly, a few slivers of doubt still plagued him, as she got the impression that he must've been really close to his folks--that they were the one stable thing he had who assured him he was cared for and about. It was then the not-DJ suddenly felt like a class-A jerk for giving him a hard time when TAKOS Tuesday went down. It wasn't his fault he got swept up into a conflict he knew nothing about, yet he gave it his all to help her, even when no one believed in him.

She was on the verge of apologizing when Unikitty sort of beat her to the punch. The princess nuzzled into his side; wanting anything to see him smile again, "Well, I guess at least we now know what really happened." She spoke with complete conviction, "Your mom gave you away BECAUSE she loved you."

The construction worker simply blinked at her--not exactly liking the answer, but finding no argument to it. His friends, on the other hand, nodded their agreement. Batman, in particular, shook his head, "Can't blame her for wanting to get out when she did." He scratched his chin, "...although, the president's plans sort of made sense when you think about it."

Everyone instantly shot him a nasty glare, to which he folded his arms, "What? I didn't say I agreed; just that I understood. I'm kind of familiar with the whole, 'avenging your dead parents' thing."

Lucy had half a mind to punch him. Safe to say her ex-boyfriend had a knack for having both the best AND the worst timing ever. But she was interrupted by Emmet thinking aloud; his voice tinged with a quiet awe, "She really DID give up everything to make sure I was okay..."

Those last few memories of the woman he never got to meet; those fleeting moments of her tearfully kissing him goodbye...he clung to each of them like a fading photograph. And as the gravity of the sacrifice his real mom made for him sunk in, any lingering feelings of betrayal or malice towards her dissipated. His eyes then shifted back to gazing out the window, almost as if he were trying to spot her amid the concrete jungle outside, "...I wonder where she is out there?"

"We thought the same thing", his girlfriend recalled what happened after he left, "We asked Vitruvius, but apparently, his magic can only show the pasts of whoever was there in the circle, and the people personally connected to them." Her mouth drew a thin line of frustration, "He said he wasn't able to see where Anne's at right now."

"Of course", Batman rolled his eyes, "Because that would be too easy."

The action girl shot the Dark Knight another scowl, but even she had to admit to sharing his disappointment. At the same time, Metalbeard wracked his brain to try and harken back to the early days of the resistance, "Funny thing...now that I've gotten another gander at the lass...I DO remember crossin' paths with her on more than one occasion." He turned to Emmet, "This was years ago, mind ye'. Back when the master builders were first being rounded up and thrown into Davey Jones' locker. She engineered many a jail break for us...helped bring together some of the first rebel fighters. 'Course...how could any of us know she once courted the likes of Lord Business?" He shook his head at how small and ironic the world could be, but also paid the proper respect, "We really owe the lass alot."

The Special could only stand there and marvel over all this new information about his mom--something he had never truly craved until now. While he was blissfully living a normal life, his mother was risking life and limb to fight a secret war right under his feet! But as incredible as this all was, a new thought occurred to him. If a powerful wizard like Vitruvius couldn't find her...it might've been for a much sadder reason than just limited magic...

"Do you think she's okay?" he wondered aloud, "Somebody would've seen her by now, wouldn't they?"

Lucy seemed to be thinking the same thing. But as much as she wanted to hold out hope for him, she spoke with a frank honesty as she put a sympathetic hand on his back, "Emmet, you heard what Metalbeard said. This was a LONG time ago. She could've changed her name and appearance who knows how many times since then? Take it from me, it ain't that hard to do. And if even Vitruvius can't find her, then we've got two options..."

She purposely paused to allow her boyfriend to brace himself, because she knew he wasn't going to like either answer. With a heavy sigh, she replied, "Either A--she's dead."

The construction worker stewed on that possibility, then took a nervous breath, "...or?"

"Or B..." Lucy theorized, "...she's in some far off place and doesn't WANT  to be found. And if she was able to keep the whole 'wife of President Business' thing under wraps, then she's going to be GOOD at hiding."

Emmet bit his lip--trying to face facts. Yet he still wasn't ready to just quickly accept that his mom was gone for good. A strong and adventurous lady like that wouldn't be snuffed out so easily, she just couldn't.

Sensing his desperation, Unikitty tried to remain positive, "Hey, if I was able to see King Carl again after all this time, I'm sure we can find your mom too. If she IS out there, somewhere, she'll come back when she wants to."

The pirate wasn't so sure, "Aye, but ye' be hearin' her demands. It's only gonna' happen when her lily-livered scoundrel of a husband comes clean and proves he really IS a changed man." As abundant as the president's recent good deeds were, the sea captain's good eye narrowed, "Then again...ye' know the old sayin' about paintin' rust..."

But the Special was only half listening. He was wrapped up in his own little world--flashing back to the moment when he was helplessly stuck while Business closed in on him; smirking in triumph as the construction worker stared down the nasty end of the bottle of kragle...

"Now all I have to do is finish YOU...."

Emmet shivered at those haunting words that could've been the last thing he ever heard. By replaying that scene under a new context , it made him put a hand to his mouth--his heart dropping to his stomach as he muttered...

"...he almost kragled me..."

It took a moment, but soon, the other master builders came to understand what he was implying and turned similarly pale. Would anyone be able to face the president again after an epiphany like THAT?

The Special searched his friends' faces for any sort of clue or advice; his voice softly urging, "What do I do?"

"Ye' talk to him."

Everyone turned in surprise at the sound of Good Cop's voice. Up until then, the policemen had been stoically silent the whole time; watching with acute focus, but waiting for the right moment to add their own observation. Now the builders curiously looked on as the Cops calmly strode forward to stare the Special in the face with a mixture of grim determination and sympathy, "Ye' know this problem isn't gonna' go away on its own. Best to face him sooner than later."

"But how? What do you say to the guy you're related to who tried to take over the world?" the construction worker was thrown at how the former henchman could speak as if the answer were simple, "I mean, sure, I tried to be a friend to him; tried to help him to change, but...this is different."

Good believed quite the contrary, "So finding out you're related suddenly cancels out everything you two accomplished together?"

Emmet was about to open his mouth, but then stopped short and considered. He had acted on Vitruvius' advice and became a friend to Business when no one else would. As awkward as things could sometimes get, the man slowly came out of his shell and kickstarted more positive change in the span of a few months than he did in all his years in office. No one could deny that.

When the Special's face grew increasingly torn, Good spoke from experience, "We know how ye' feel, buddy. Ye' know very well how we went as far as to kragle our own parents." He intook a sharp breath, "...but they still forgave us."

"True..." the construction worker sadly blinked at him, "...but your parents are practically angels, not supervillains."

Bad Cop switched in to flash a scowl, "Which makes what I did to them all the more awful."

Emmet's eyes fell to the floor, downtrodden, making GCBC shake their head. They couldn't help but think back on how the master builder tracked them down when they themselves were shut up in their own house in fear of retaliation. The irony of the roles being reversed was so strong, they nearly laughed. But instead, Bad sighed, "Look...if there's one, tiny saving grace to all this, it's that Business didn't know ye' were his kid."

Before the Special could respond, the policeman quickly added, "Doesn't excuse what he tried to do, but none the less, had he known, he might've acted differently from the start."

Emmet could find no fault with that reasoning. But then again, that was a very big IF. He furrowed his eyebrows; still clearly unsure, to which Bad continued, "All we're tryin' to say is that runnin' away and sulkin' won't help."

His brother took control again to add, "Believe us, we tried that. Ye' saw how much THAT worked."

The construction worker merely nodded. With their own confrontation with the president in mind, Good made a point to clarify, "We're not sayin' ye' should forgive Business. That's yer' own call to make." He then leaned in, "But ye' at least have to go back and talk to him."

If only it were that simple. A long pause fell amongst the group...until Unikitty broke the quiet, "He WAS just as surprised...and we kinda' left him alone back there."

Metalbeard followed up her concern with, "Aye...don't know what the lily-liver could be gettin' into now that he be knowin'...THIS."

"Exactly", Bad Cop agreed, before clasping Emmet on the shoulder, "And if ye' need help, yer' friends are here to back ye' up."

The Special's eyes widened as the others nodded along--fully ready to back him to the hilt. Spurred on by their loyalty, he finally allowed himself a tiny smile; thankful for his friends that he considered family. Even more so, it was relieving that GCBC, at last, out loud, considered themselves as part of the group. Who knew it would take uncovering someone's strange history to admit that. And if they had the confidence in him to face this harsh truth, then far be it from him to disappoint them.

Plus, the Cops DID have a point, to which the construction worker shrugged, "Well...can't argue with the police, can I?"

Good Cop gave a sly wink, "We be the best interrogators for a reason."

Emmet allowed himself a chuckle, "You're right..."

And then, with a newfound resolve bolstered by his friends, he gathered his courage and stood up, "Okay...I may not be able to pick my family, but I can choose how I treat 'em. And like it or not, he IS my dad. And I gotta' fix this."

Beaming with pride, Lucy took his hand in hers, "Now THAT'S the Emmet I know."

Her boyfriend nodded to her with a new determination. With no other words spoken, he lead the master builders out of the safety of his apartment--ready to bring closure to his past once and for all. All the while, Lucy pondered that maybe there WAS another reason why the Piece of Resistance chose Emmet as the Special.

Perhaps the Prophecy wasn't so made up after all.

___________________________________________________________

Business used to scoff at the phrase, "it's lonely at the top." How could someone feel lonely when they rule the world and have everything they could ever want?

But in that moment, as the sole occupant of his office, he had never felt more disguarded and abandoned in his life...not since...THAT night...

Still reeling from the shock of the memories he was forced to live through again, the president stared numbly out the windows--wishing in vain that he could turn back time and undo every wrong doing he ever did. Having unearthed the photo of him and Anne from his desk drawer, he desperately clung to it as though it were a magic lamp that would miraculously make his wife reappear. He so badly wanted to speak to her again--to just see her...to tell her that everything she warned him about was right.

But to his chargin, his "magic lamp" summoned a different genie instead.

He didn't have to turn to sense a certain someone hovering next to him. Knowing he wasn't wriggling out of his spectator's gaze, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, "...so...what's the Man Upstairs like?"

He honestly WAS curious, thought there was no hiding the angry undertone to his voice. If Vitruvius was surprised by his question, he didn't show it. Instead, the wizard raised a brow, "...he and his son get along rather well."

The politician grit his teeth as he geared up to sucker punch his former arch nemesis...but then contemplated the science of how one could punch a ghost and gave up--settling for a deadpan frown, "Very funny..."

Still avoiding the elephant in the room, Business changed gears and asked a different question, as long as they were getting everything out in the open, "So...that guy who supposedly fell into the abyss...was that YOU?"

The way the world leader was talking, Vitruvius could tell he was just trying to play it cool and recover what little shreds of his personal walls he had left. So the specter played the game and spoke just as casually, "I didn't fall. I jumped..." He shrugged as if he had said he dove into a swimming pool, "I wanted to solve the mystery. I didn't think of the consequences..." His gaze turned upward, "...but I saw things few get to see...amazing things I couldn't comprehend at the time."

"But now you do?" the president asked with a growing interest.

The wizard gripped his staff a little tighter, "Time and age made me wiser."

Of course he would say that. Business squirmed in his seat; bulking under the ghost's mere presence and figuring these answers were being worded as such on purpose to force him to talk about...'the trip.' A substantial part of him was seething. What right did Vitruvius have to dig into his mind and put his most intimate memories on display for all to see?

...but then he recalled why and how he was speaking to a ghost to begin with, and suddenly felt like an ingrate. The sorcerer had EVERY right to do what he did. Really, he could have (and should have) enacted far harsher revenge on him...but exercised mercy. Why?

Even though no amount of words would ever fix such a horrible crime, the politician still had to try, "Look old m-" He stopped himself, "...Vitruvius...I'm...I'm sor-"

"There's no need to apologize", the wizard assured him, "I've long since forgiven you."

Surprised by such a calm response, the president finally turned to stare at his ex-enemy with wide eyed stupor--having completely expected to endure a well deserved chewing out. And though he DID receive a lecture, it was far more encouraging as Vitruvius spoke in a matter of fact tone, "No amount of hate or malice will solve anything. And in any case, I know you really ARE doing your best to change." He drew himself up like a concerned parent, "I think this little endeavor was punishment enough."

Business rested his chin in his hands; sighing as if to say 'oh really, you THINK'?"

Which made the wizard's next words more off putting, "But I did this to help you."

The politician had a hard time swallowing that. But he kept quiet and watched out of the corner of his eye as the sorcerer said his peace, "Part of reform isn't just doing good deeds; it's also confronting your past and trying to correct your mistakes or make amends with them." He paused to make sure his audience was listening, then went on, "Emmet was doing an admirable job in helping with that process...and now that he knows the truth..."

He was about to say more, when Business suddenly cut him off...but not with a curse or a snappy retort...

With tears.

The one mere mention of the Special was all it took to be the weak stone that finally caused the dam to burst, and the president unabashedly let loose all the guilt and anguish he'd been holding in. At that point, he could've given a flying brick that Vitruvius was watching him. The specter only sat through a slideshow of his life story--what was one more embarrassing moment? His entire body vibrated as he shed heavy sobs--hoping that maybe if he confessed everything, the higher powers that be would finally pull him out of the hole he dug himself into.

"I'm such an idiot..." he choked out, "I was so focused on the bad and what needed to be fixed...I forgot all the good I DID have going for me."

Images of his wife sprang to his mind's eye, and he began to think...REALLY think...about how much she supported him and stuck by him when no one else would listen. He grasped for the happiest of memories; all the times they laughed and cried together...and now all of it was gone. And he only had himself to blame.

"Anne was always on my side...SHE thought I was special...so special, she married me...and I was too dumb and blind to see it." He practically coiled up into a ball as he lamented, "I was so focused on trying to make our lives perfect, I didn't realize it already WAS perfect...and I ruined it."

HIs frustration boiling over, Business slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair in hopeless resignation; biting his lip so hard it nearly bled. His wife's scolding words from long ago came back to punch him in the stomach...'I'm doing this for you'? Who was he kidding? It was just an excuse, not a reason. He WAS just remaking the world for himself--never once asking her opinion. At what point did he go from confiding in her constantly, to shutting her out completely? And why had he never noticed it?

The politician hung his head in shame, "She was right...I thought I was keeping the world from being ruined...never stopped to think that I was doing the ruining myself."

With the bulk of his tears finally spent, the president wiped his eyes on his arm sleeve, before flopping further into his seat like an exhausted rag doll. Only then did he mumble what stuck in his craw the most at nearly a whisper, "...why is nothing that I do ever good enough?"

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Vitruvius suddenly patted him on the shoulder like one would comfort a child, "Need I remind you of all the people you've been helping with their own healing? By rebuilding their homes; allowing their freedom." He shook his head, "You really must give yourself the benefit of the doubt."

The world leader considered that point for a second, before the wizard went on to say, "But the time has come for your own heart to be healed."

Business wondered how he could possibly do that, seeing as how he was hunting down his own wife and nearly kraggled his own son. Unknowingly, maybe...but none the less, he now had a perfect idea of what Good Cop/Bad Cop must have felt like. Karma sure had a way of biting someone in the butt...

"How?" the president threw his arms out in desperation, "You saw how he looked at me. How he ran away from me...heck, *I* don't wanna' be around me right now..." His eyes fell to the floor as he pouted, "...why would he ever talk to me again?"

For the first time since appearing, the sorcerer smiled, "You underestimate the lad...I believe Emmet is stronger and closer than you think..."

And without a sound, or his typical ghostly 'woooo...', Vitruvius faded away.

While a part of him wanted to watch the wizard whisk away to the afterlife, Business couldn't help but remain more focused on the photo still in his hands. Anne's forever frozen smiling face continued to sting his heart...but he was determined to say his peace; hoping that somehow, what he was about to say would reach her. At that point, he figured anything was possible.

"Wherever you are out there...I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." He spoke aloud as if she were there, "I don't expect you to come back...but...I hope you know that...your son..." He corrected himself, "...OUR son...he turned out to be the most talented, most extraordinary, and most special person in the world."

He then planted a kiss on her flat cheek, "...and it's all because of you."

Glad to have those long buried feelings out of his system, he resolved to not keep the picture locked in a drawer anymore. With great care, he found a prominent place for it on his desk--a spot where he could always look at it as a reminder of what he had done...and what he still had to do.

And then, as if on cue, there came the sound of someone clearing their throat. The president whipped around at the noise...and then his jaw dropped.

The master builders had all returned. So wrapped up was he in his mourning that he barely noticed any of them walking in. They each blinked at the ex-villain with varying degrees of sad sympathy, to shock, to pity...

...and at the forefront was Emmet, who appeared as though he had come in angry, but the anger had since left him.

The two silently stared one another down for what seemed like an eternity, until the politician blushed, "Uh...how much of that did you guys hear?"

Noticing the streaks of dried tears, the construction worker said simply, "...enough."

Too much then...darn.

The president shifted uncomfortably on his feet; unexpecting and unprepared for this reunion, "Emmet...I...I'm..."

But the Special held up a hand to stop him. Clearly he was just as in the dark over what to do. But he had an idea, "I...think we need to get some advice about all this."

Business raised his unibrow, "Advice?"

Instead of explaining, Emmet turned to the astronaut, "Hey Benny? We need to borrow one of your spaceships."

"Sure; I can fly you anywhere", the spaceman was more than happy to help out his friend, "Which galaxy do you need?"

"Um..." the Special tried to recall the exact one, "One that's far away."

"How far away?" Benny wondered what he was talking about.

Hoping his recent research into other realms was about to pay off, Emmet repeated with conviction:

"...far...FAR....away."

_______________________________________________

Bee-dee-beep! Dee-dee-bee-bee-beep!

"Give me a second here. I'm trying to concentrate."

Though the young man spoke, he kept his focus completely on the task set before him; a bead of sweat snaking down his forehead as he called upon an otherworldly power of telekinesis. Like a miniature tornado, a flurry of items swirled and danced about in the air of his small, but homely parlor; following his gentle, mental commands, until he had assembled...

...a row of peanut butter sandwiches.

Though the feat might as well have been magic, the man ran a hand through his brownish-blonde hair as though it were nothing. Smiling at his handy work, he then turned to regard the white and blue robot waiting patiently for him--an unassuming little thing that looked more like a fancy trashcan on wheels. But he spoke to it with all the warmth one would show an old friend, "Well, you can tell Wicket and the other Ewoks that lunch is ready."

The shiny tin can just angrily beeped at him, then let out a long coo; the droid equivalent of a sigh, to which its human companion chuckled, "Okay R2, I'm sorry. What's bothering you?"

The robot spout off a string of excited binary, making the young man furrow his brow the more he listened, "Strange visitors? Show me."

Truly, he was colored curious, considering he wasn't expecting any other company. Throwing on a sandy brown robe, he beat a hasty retreat out of the stick and straw dwelling--following R2 for all of a couple yards, before stopping dead in his tracks to stare. Amid the tall trees of the forest landscape, he found himself faced with a blue spaceship of unknown make and model parked precariously so as not to damage the red woods. An equally blue-suited astronaut stood nearby, alongside an older man with a grey suit and red tie, as well as a befuddled construction worker. All three of them patiently waited--for what, who could say--but they kept their eyes on the ground; avoiding the stares of the growing crowd of curious onlookers.

R2 came wheeling back; running circles around his human friend, at the same time that another droid came walking up to him. Humanoid in shape, but solid gold from head to toe, it asked with an articulated accent, "Master Luke, these gentlemen have requested to see you. Do you know them by chance?"

Said master gave the visitors a more scrutinizing glance...and then familiarity dawned on him and he slowly nodded, "Not personally, but yes--I recognize them." He motioned towards the planet's natives, "Better go tell our friends to eat lunch without me. Something tells me this is serious."

The golden robot knew by then to trust his friend's heightened instincts. Without another word, he shuffled off; herding R2 with him like a parent would a child. Meanwhile, Luke approached the odd trio that stuck out like a tauntaun in a desert in the summertime. The man in the grey suit raised his unibrow--clearly intrigued, "And here I thought I was the only one who employed robots."

The blonde remained polite, but cautious, "Droids CAN be helpful, but C-3P0 is my friend."

The politician rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Sure, if you like British nannies for friends..."

The astronaut promptly elbowed him in the ribs, at the same time the construction worker cleared his throat; not wanting to make this meeting any more awkward, "Um...we're sorry to kinda' barge in on you here." He pointed to his comrades, "This is my friend, Benny. And I'm-"

"Emmet", Luke finished for him.

His new acquaintance blinked in surprise, "Whoa...how'd you know that?"

"A Jedi has his ways..." the blonde smiled at the company he found himself with, "...that, and news about the Special has traveled many parsecs."

Emmet's breath caught in his throat for a second. He wasn't quite sure whether to be amazed or slightly worried that he was known this far out in the galaxy. But before he could give it anymore thought, Luke turned his gaze on the president; stating simply, "And I know who YOU are."

The strange, almost soul-piercing stare the Jedi gave off caused Business to back up a step; balking under the sudden attention, and left to wonder why this guy, who had done nothing wrong, was making him so uncomfortable. The young man, oddly enough, hadn't said that sentence with any sort of malice--just stating a fact. But why?

As if to prove no ill will, the Jedi kept up the inviting expression and bowed respectfully, "A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Luke Skywalker."

"We know", Benny gave a half wave, half salute. Anyone who single handedly blew up a planet destroyer was cool in his book, "You're kinda' famous too."

'Kind of' would be the biggest understatement of the year. Despite his Jedi status, Luke allowed himself a humble shrug, as if defeating the Galactic Empire was no big deal, "So, what brings you all the way to Endor?"

Instantly, the trio's faces dropped. Not expecting to have to come straight to the point right away, their eyes drifted everywhere as Business muttered, "Uh...well, I...."

"Um...you see..." Emmet didn't begin to know where to start, "...it's complicated, but..."

"...you two are related, aren't you?"

Everyone froze--gaping at Luke's blatant reveal of the truth. So much for subtlety. Before they could ask how he knew, the blonde just shook his head and smirked at their befuddlement; speaking bluntly, "Force telepathy. I could sense it. I have a knack for it." His eyes then fell briefly and so did his voice, "I've got a bit of experience myself."

The construction worker rubbed the back of his head, "Well...that's sort of the reason why we're here. I'm kinda' new to the whole 'finding out you're related to a villain' thing."

"Ahem?" Business cleared his throat and glared, "EX-villain?"

Emmet went flush in the face at being corrected, "Right."

"And you want my advice?" the Jedi was less asking and more keeping the record straight. When his companions all nodded, he sighed; now certain this little pit stop of theirs was about to get more involved than they realized, "I appreciate you coming all this way for help. I'll do my best...but it's not just me you should talk to." He waved a hand, "Come with me."

Now curious, the Special and the president made a move to follow; stopping only when they noticed Benny lagging behind. Said astronaut hovered between wanting to support his friend, and wanting to give him some space, "Need me to tag along?"

"Thanks, but this is between us", Emmet appreciate the spaceman's concern, but felt he'd been dragged into enough drama for one day, "We'll call you if we need you."

"Okay. I'll just hang out with the locals", Benny shrugged; content to chat it up with the curious Ewoks who started circling him, "Hey there, fellas!"

But the teddy bear creatures seemed to show more interest in his spaceship than anything else. Only when a daring few began clamoring onto the hull did his mild amusement drop to panic, "Wait! Don't touch that!"

But the trio comprised of a former evil overlord, a construction worker, and a Jedi Knight, remained oblivious to the mischief going on behind them. With a sense of purpose, Luke led the way boldly--ushering his guests into the little dwelling he came out of earlier. Built into the roots of a hollowed out tree trunk the size of a house, the inside gave off a quaint, cottage-like atmosphere--furnished enough to be homey and inviting, but not overly so. It was a simple set up; perfect for a Jedi who needed a place to think with little distraction.

Case in point, Luke ushered his companions into a den-like area; the only light emanating from a small, but warm fireplace. With a mere flick of the wrist, he surprised the two visitors by calling upon the Force to rearrange the furniture in a timely fashion. Seconds later, a space had been cleared, to which he motioned for both of them to sit down, "If you'll give me a moment to concentrate..."

Emmet was all too happy to oblige; intrigued as to what was about to happen. Business, on the other hand, was instantly on edge, especially when the blonde closed his eyes to begin a deep meditation, "Oh no, not more mind space voodoo-hoodoo..."

But the Jedi calmly shook his head and spoke with assurance, "No, no--nothing like that. I'm just concentrating on focusing a great amount of Force energy."

The Special pulled on the president's arm in an effort to make him sit down (which he did so reluctantly). But even Emmet could sense something important was about to happen, and he asked, "To do what?"

But Luke didn't answer. Too deep was he in his trance. His captive audience remained silent as he raised a hand--speaking with a slow, calm conviction, "Father...please let yourself be seen...we seek your council..."

For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.

...and then, quite suddenly, the nearby fireplace spontaneously flared up, as though someone threw a fresh piece of kindling in it. At the same time, a great warmth fell upon the room, but strangely, it didn't feel like it was due to the flames, but rather, because of a significant shift in the atmosphere...like the space was being occupied by an unseen, strong presence--another soul trying to breach the wall between dimensions...

...and to both Emmet and Business' utter amazement, the outline of a person gradually flickered into existence; growing in intensity , until eventually, the two were faced with a transparent image standing just over Luke's shoulder. It was that of a young man--perhaps just a few years older than Skywalker--sporting mud brown Jedi robes, and equally dark and shaggy hair. Folding his arms, he regarded his stunned audience with a wry smirk.

The Special's mouth fell agape at the sight. The president , however, quickly recovered from the shock, and let out a groan, "Yeesh; how many more ghosts am I gonna' have to talk to today?"

The specter fixed the politician with a stern glare; his voice echoing akin to one speaking down a tunnel, "You would do well to guard your tongue, foolish president."

A shiver went down Business' spine. Pre-TAKOS Tuesday, he would've been flattered that he was known on other planets. Now the thought just spooked him, "You know me?"

"Know you?" the apparition rolled his eyes, "You've caused more disturbances in the Force than I can count."

His scolding caused the president's cheeks to burn with embarrassment at being called out on the carpet. But before he could be humiliated any further, the ghostly Jedi then set his sights on the construction worker and scratched his chin, "The simple builder is new to me, though."

Luke had opened his eyes by that point; smiling at his visitor, "This is Emmet. The one who brought balance back to the Force in his area of the galaxy."

Recognition dawned on the specter's face, and his eyes lit up, "So THIS is 'the Special'. It's an honor." He gave a respectful bow, "I am Anakin Skywalker."

"Who?" Business raised his unibrow in confusion; once again miffed that Emmet clearly knew more of what was going on than he did, if the Special's gaping mouth was any indication.

Anakin heaved a long suffering sigh, "Perhaps you would remember me under a different guise..."

He then put a hand over his mouth and made a show of breathing really heavy--slow, methodical, almost mechanical breaths that would make any person who heard them beg to be frozen in carbonite just to escape. Upon recognizing the chilling, but familiar sound, the politician's eyes grew as wide as saucers; his voice failing him, "Whoa...y-YOU'RE...?!"

The Jedi gave a single, solemn nod. That was all the more Business needed for his heart to race and his legs to grow weak. It took all of his willpower to keep from wiggling in his seat, like the giddiness of a little kid meeting his idol, which, in a sense, he was.

It wasn't often one could say they met Darth Vader.

"Uh...if I may say, sir..." the president's inner geek bubbled over as he found his manners, "I always thought you were kinda' cool."

All the Jedi training in the world couldn't stop Luke from rolling his eyes and face palming at the sheer absurdity of it all. Anakin, on the other hand, was admittedly bemused by the admission, but remained stoic, "Your words flatter me. But now is not the time for compliments. Least of all, to a name I do not wish to be associated with anymore."

The politician promptly deflated like a balloon. So much for humoring a fan boy. But he supposed he could understand. When doubters of his reform still only saw him as Lord Business, he wasn't too apt to exactly celebrate either. Thankfully, a wave of further awkwardness was avoided when the former Sith Lord glanced at his son, "As much as I cherish the moments we can reunite, I must ask; why have you summoned me?"

Luke motioned to their guests, "I think they've had an 'I am your father' moment."

Anakin nodded in instant understanding--his tone soft, "Ah...I see..."

Emmet still sat in a dumbfounded awe, having never expected to be talking to former Darth Vader too--not in person, that is. But at Luke's simple explanation, the Special, at long last, picked his jaw up off the floor and got back to the matter at hand, "Uh...yeah, that's pretty much how it went. Um...sorry for making this awkward, sir. But..."

"You needn't apologize. My son and I have made peace with our intertwined fates." Anakin held up a reassuring hand, "Talking about it helps quite a bit, actually. It puts things in perspective."

"That's just it, sir. I mean, I sort of read about what happened, but like...HOW did it happen?" The construction worker winced, "How did you guys...you know...deal with it?"

The two Jedi gave one another a glance, and for a moment, Emmet feared he had overstepped his bounds. But a minute later, the blonde nodded, to which his father took a breath of preparation, "You must understand that things aren't always that simple. While some changes seemed to go by in a flash, others took great time and care to come to terms with them. My own past is an example of that."

Anakin then finally left his long standing position to sit down next to his son; leaning in as though he were about to tell a campfire story. Which, considering the nearby fireplace and the way the foursome sat in a circle, it wasn't far off. Ex-Vader began in earnest, "I WAS an honorable Jedi once...and though it was frowned upon, I married the love of my life, Padme'. And for a time, we were happy."

The second the Jedi mentioned a wife, Business sat up and paid closer attention. He didn't know the former Sith Lord was married...

But Anakin's far away smirk didn't last long. The more he spoke, the more his expression soured, "..but then I began having premonitions...terrible dreams of the world in shambles and my beloved dying. I knew it was a sign of things to come, and I wished to find a way to stop it."

The president nodded. He knew the feeling all too well, "And did you?"

By the glare in Anakin's eye, something told Business the answer was 'no'. True enough, the Jedi shook his head, "My search for a solution brought me into the hands of Chancellor Palpatine...though you know him better as The Emperor." He paused to let that sink in a moment; eyes closing at his past foolishness, "It was he who introduced me to the Dark Side of the Force. And his promises of the Dark Side making me stronger were so great that I gave into temptation and became his pupil--hoping I could save Padme' from a terrible fate."

By that point, Emmet and Business were leaning as far forward as possible--hanging on every word. So intense was their attention, they barely noticed the fireplace flaring up a bit as the former Sith remembered; a wounded glint in his eyes, "But...in believing I was saving her, my mistakes were my own undoing..."

He looked down at his clenched fists (er, claws), "...in a fit of anger, it was by my own hand that she died."

The construction worker and the politician could do nothing but sit there in a stunned silence. The tale was hitting a little too close to home, as attested by the ever growing nauseous look on Business' face. Emmet, meanwhile, was more sad than anything else, and was about to say, 'I'm sorry'...

...but Anakin managed to push past the pain and continue, "As for my son, he and his sister were separated and hidden away for their protection. It wasn't until years later that fate reunited us....and it was through Luke that I was able to see the error of my ways."

He gave the younger Jedi a proud smile. But not wanting to let his father sell himself short, Luke finished the story, "He sacrificed himself to save me from the Emperor. By doing so, he was brought back to the Light Side of the Force. Since then, if people seek him out, my father gives his sage advice to others, so they don't make the same mistake he did and turn to the Dark Side."

For a solid minute, the two Jedi masters let their awestruck audience soak up the story--waiting for them to say something. But Emmet and Business could only stare with identical dumbstruck expressions; amazed and more than unnerved at how their backgrounds were nearly identical. There was no question they made the right choice in coming here for help.

When they didn't respond, Luke snapped them from their trance, "Do you understand now?"

The president nervously fiddled with his tie as he mumbled, "I guess so..."

Anakin raised a concerned brow, "Either you do or you do not. There is no 'guessing'."

"Well..." the politician swallowed the lump in his throat--at last giving voice to his long buried fears, "After all the stuff you did, don't people still hate you?"

The ex-sith lord wished he had a nicer answer for the former villain, but instead, he sighed and gave the flat truth, "Even as a specter, there are still many who do not trust me. Most likely, they never will. I've come to accept that." He then examined him a bit closer, "You worry that what you're doing for redemption isn't enough."

It was a statement, not a question, which made Business all the more surprised at how the ghostly Jedi could see right through him. The look he gave was all the more confirmation Anakin needed, "Time heals all wounds. Just continue to strive to change and do good. You will just have to exercise some patience. In time, people WILL understand."

Despite the words of encouragement, the president was still unsure. He'd always been so used to order and getting his way. How could he step away from that line of thinking? He shook his head, "But what if I relapse? Being bad's just...easier."

The way Business winced at that last word, it made Luke flash him a sad, but sympathetic smirk, "Mr. President, I have every faith that you can remain on the side of good. The moment I saw you, I could sense your soul through the Force. Your heart's been singed by the Dark Side, but I can tell it's begun to heal." He nodded, "You're already on the right path."

Suffice it to say, the politician was touched at the Jedi's belief in him. It certainly explained why Luke was so nice to him right off the bat when they met.

Emmet, however, still remained strangely quiet, to which the blonde turned to him, "You still have doubt? In your father, or in yourself?"

"Both", the Special hated to say it out loud, but it wouldn't help to lie. Not with two Jedi who could seemingly read their guests like a book.

"I understand the feeling", Luke explained, "When I first discovered the truth about my connection to Vader, I was angry and afraid at first as well. I feared that I would become just like him...and I nearly did."

Anakin bowed his head and looked away briefly, but his son spoke without any ill will, "But I was and AM a Jedi. And for my father's sake, and the fate of the galaxy, I knew I had to work my hardest to help him seek redemption. By doing so, balance was brought back to the Force."

Emmet still said nothing, but Luke could see the construction worker deliberating. So he tried a different tactic, "Let's put it another way. It's clear to me you were willing to give the president a second chance before. So why should this new piece of information change that?"

The Special blushed, "I don't know..."

"You need to understand that your father is only human. We all make mistakes--some bigger than others, granted..." Luke ignored that heavy understatement and continued; his tone hopeful, "...but if you two have been reunited, it has to be for a purpose. You're now his best chance at helping and supporting him. By doing so, you can both make the world a better place."

Emmet let out the breath he was holding--feeling immensely better for having his worries validated by someone who went through the same thing. At last, he managed a smirk, "Vitruvius said the same thing...you sound just like him..." Upon realizing he was thinking out loud, he clarified, "Uh, he was my old teacher."

"We know of him", Anakin, to the surprise of all, winked, "Where do you suppose HE trained?"

Before the Special could contemplate that cryptic little hint, Luke smiled at him, "I know you'll succeed, Emmet. Your aura is practically beaming with the Light Side of the Force." He raised a brow as he considered, "With proper training, you would make a great Jedi."

Emmet was about to laugh...until he realized the blonde wasn't joking, to which he put his hands up and weakly chuckled, "Uh, thanks, but...I'm happy just being a plain old construction worker. Becoming a master builder was enough."

The president brought up a mental image of clumsy Emmet swinging a lightsaber around. His clearly worried expression caused Luke to grin, "To each their own, I suppose. And it seems your humble path led others to greatness too."

He inclined his head towards Business, who, not for the first time, was taken aback at such kind words being thrown his way--ones he knew he didn't deserve. Taking the Jedi's silence as a cue, he then turned to stare the Special in the eyes for a long moment. And still in the midst of soaking up the lesson himself, the construction worker patiently waited for the president to say something.

And then, eventually, the ex-villain worked up the nerve to spit out what he should've said back at the office, "Emmet, I...I'm sorry. I know that's not saying much, but..." When words failed him, he tried again, "...I had two great people, and I threw them both away."

He buried his face in his hand, knowing there was nothing he could say that would fix the crime of tossing aside his wife and kid. Despite the encouragement from the ex-sith and his son, the president prepared himself for a verbal beatdown, if not a physical one.

Which made it all the more startling when Emmet took his free hand and squeezed it, saying gently, "You got ONE of 'em back."

The politician could only blink at the construction worker, totally confused, to which Emmet explained, "I'm not gonna' lie; what you did was pretty terrible." He drew a hard sigh, "But...I understand you were doing what you thought was right...even if it got out of control."

Business opened his mouth to apologize for the up-teenth time, but the Special stopped him, "I know you're sorry. And I know you mean it. And I'm gonna' do my best to help you." He then gained a spark of determination--a will to try and piece together this broken man who just wanted to start over, "And who knows? Maybe Mom is still out there?"

The politician wished he could be as hopeful, "If she is, she's gonna' be hard to find. I've been looking for at least twenty years."

The Special took both his hands in his, insisting, "Then we can look for her together."

The president clearly still had much to learn about his long lost son, for he marveled at how accepting Emmet could be, and how quickly he could do it. The construction worker gave him the tiniest of smirks, and it was the only push he needed to grow misty eyed and choke, "You're a lot like your mom...maybe I didn't completely lose her after all."

Emmet went pink in the face, "Aw, Business..."

"Sirius."

The Special almost didn't catch it, "What?"

"My first name. Anne was one of the only people who knew. It..." the president swallowed his pride, "...it's Sirius."

For a good ten seconds, Emmet just blinked--completely floored. Really? 'Sirius Business'? THAT was his real name? For such an ironic pun, no wonder he never wanted to say it. The construction worker nearly laughed, until the ex-villain folded his arms and ducked his head--no doubt waiting for the taunting to start.

But it never came. Instead, Emmet restrained himself and just smiled, "It suits you."

Business' mouth opened and closed unbelievingly. It was the same exact words Anne had said when she herself found out. He really WAS like his mother...

Before the president broke down a second time, the construction worker pulled him into an unresisting hug. Together, the pair stayed that way for a solid minute--any last apologies or misgivings being silently poured out. Though this was far from the end, it was a great first step, and Emmet knew this all could've gone much worse, to which he was thankful for all the support he had.

Speaking of whom...

The Special was so caught up in reconciling with his estranged father, he nearly forgot about the two Jedi in the room. Both he and Business turned to find Luke and Anakin watching them with relieved smiles. Quickly, the two stood at attention--Emmet rocking on his heels awkwardly, "Uh...thanks guys. Really. For everything."

Anakin nodded, "You're very welcome. If you seek any more guidance, you know where we are."

"Have a safe trip home", Luke gave a bow, "May the Force be with you."

The construction worker didn't know if there was a special phrase he had to say back, so he settled for a wave, "Um...you too!"

Not wanting to overstay their welcome, the odd duo made a quick, but quiet exit. The two Jedi watched them go--both confident that the ex-villain and the Special could work through their pain together. Only after they left did the former Sith pat the younger man on the shoulder, "Well done, son."

Since they were alone, the blonde dropped formality, "Thanks, Dad."

There came a pause...and then Anakin spied all the prepared lunches from earlier still lining the table, and asked, "So...you made me a sandwich too, right?"

Luke just put his head in his hand and sighed.

Outside, Emmet and Business made the semi-short trip back to the spaceship at a steady pace, but slow enough to contemplate everything that had transpired in that tiny room. Both of them had come to Endor thinking they were just going to get a few pointers--never expecting to come away having learned a life lesson and gained a new family member. While they knew this awkwardness between them was far from over, they were now ready to face it together, as attested by the way they walked side by side...perhaps a bit closer than they did when they arrived.

"So, um..." the president finally broke the silence, "...about what happened back there, I..."

The Special stopped him before either of them could become more embarrassed, "I think we're gonna' be okay."

Not wanting to jinx the moment, the two shared a smirk and left it at that.

...until they were stopped dead in their tracks upon coming up to their shuttlecraft to find Benny tied up and swinging from a tree, upside down. A group of Ewoks circled just beneath him; poking him with sticks like a birthday piñata. All the while, the spaceman greeted his friends as if nothing were amiss, "Hey guys!"

Thankfully, the astronaut appeared relatively unharmed. That didn't stop the construction worker from worrying, "You okay?!"

"Yeah, just hanging out!" Benny reassured with a grin, "I think they like me!"

That certainly remained to be seen, to which Business rolled his eyes. Emmet, meanwhile, showed a bit more initiative, and climbed up on an overturned log; having to stretch until he was just high enough to work at the knots and untie his friend.

But he became distracted by a gaggle of shouting; in particular when he heard someone distinctly yell, "HEY!!"

The Special glanced over at the commotion growing in volume as it came closer. Off in the distance, Luke was running out of his house--yelling after two people who were sprinting towards them...some guy sporting a vest, brown hair, and a blaster at the hip...and some grizzly bear looking creature...

And all at once, Emmet's heart froze when he recognized the two figures...and they did NOT look happy.

"Han! Chewbacca!" Luke called out in vain, "What are you doing?!"

"Stay outta' this, kid!" the man snapped--pointing at the helpless master builders, "Those are the punks who stole our hyperdrive!"

HIs furry companion let out a gurgle-roar; murder in his eyes. Not wanting to be on the wrong end of that blaster, Emmet frantically untied the rope. So fast was he that Benny had no time to remember his anti-gravity abilities and fell flat on his face. But he was yanked to his feet just as the first shots rang out, and just as Business raised a unibrow, "What's going on?"

The Special pushed on his back--urging him to flee, "Uh, we'll tell ya' on the way home!"

But the president's confusion couldn't be cured, even as he ducked a few laser blasts, "Who're THOSE guys?"

"We'll tell ya' later! It'll be, um...a great father/son bonding story!" Emmet pulled him by the arm, "Now RUN!"

With that last warning, the trio hightailed it to the spaceship--both Han Solo and Chewbacca on their heels; cursing and shooting, with Luke bringing up the rear, imploring them to stop.

And somewhere in the spirit realm, a reformed Sith Lord was watching it all and laughing.

To be continued...