Prologue (Again)

Heather was dying. That was the cruel reality, and everybody knew it. They didn't want to accept it.

She was an unfortunate girl. At ten years old, a car ran the red lights, killing her mother, and by some, so-called miracle, she survived. Only losing her legs and completely shattering her right arm while puncturing one of her lungs.

After that, somehow her father saw fit to leave her to the administrations of the hospital, be it out of grief or plain cowardice, Heather didn't know. She didn't care.

To this day, five years later, she was still in this hospital bed where she had spent most of her memorable life. She spent her days imagining what it would be like to have an everyday life and how it would feel to run around laughing and playing like all the other kids. She thought that she would settle for an ordinary life.

You see, in the hospital, there was this community of children and nurses like her. It was like a kind of terminally ill ward. Of course, they couldn't call it that. The nurses were too kind, and Heather would often see tears in their eyes, and very occasionally, the children would disappear with the explanation that 'they had gone to a better place'.

The whole community would gather around to say goodbye to the kid and then they would move on. None of the kids really understood. They were too young.

All but Heather of course.

She was the oldest of the lot and fully understood what was happening.

Due to her almost constant state of fragility, she wouldn't get to join the rest of them as they played.

The only people she had were the nurses, who tried their best to be mother figures, but soon enough, they would always leave.

It was simply too upsetting for most of them; they wouldn't allow themselves to get too attached to a child due to the inevitability of heartbreak.

At first, it hurt her to watch them leave. But soon she grew numb to it.

Of course, there was one nurse who always stayed with her while on duty in Heather's ward. She was a kind woman who always smiled kindly at Heather and the rest of the kids. Never frowning.

The two of them had a mutual understanding, whether they knew it or not. Until the end.

And the end was coming. Over the past month, her working lung couldn't take the strain due to her growing body, and it became harder and harder to breathe. Until one day, when she couldn't bear it anymore.

"Nurse Natalie, please can you bring the other kids here," Heather begged Natalie, but the nurse wouldn't. She couldn't; she wouldn't. That would mean giving up.

"Heather... please don't give up. Please don't." Natalie begged Heather in return but seeing Heather's resolve. She could see that her mind was already made up.

"Nat, you and I both know what the doctors said. I only... only have a couple of days." Heather started having a coughing fit, which laced her lips with a trace of blood. Her lungs burnt as if they were on fire, but there was also a certain numbness to it. It was almost a little comfortable.

She closed her eyes and could hear her blood pounding past her eardrums. She writhed a little trying to sink into the sheets of her bed in an attempt to get more comfortable.

Nurse Natalie looked upon Heather with sorrowful eyes and visibly slumped in resignation; she knew Heather was right. It wouldn't be right for her to deny Heather to see her only friends, just because she didn't want to give up herself.

"Alright..." Natalie sighed quietly and dragged her feet to the door to Heather's room.

As soon as she shut the door behind her, Heather heard sobbing audible through the thin walls of the hospital room, and a soft impact as Natalie leaned against the wall. She listened to the sound of the other nurses rushing to her aid.

One of them poked their head in through the door to check that Heather was ok. Upon seeing Heather's chest rising and falling, steadily once more, she left the room.

"Go get the other kids, she... she wants to say g...good...goodbye." In between sobs, she communicated Heather's wishes for perhaps the last time.

The other nurses mumbled words that Heather couldn't quite hear, and soon it was tranquil, the summer air permeated her room as the sun beamed into the room from her window overlooking the park.

She looked around her room as though looking for her last time; the walls were a soft blue. It reminded her of the sky which she now so rarely sees. She looked at all the posters on the wall; she bought them with the money that her father gives her every month. Perhaps as a way to say sorry. She didn't care. It didn't make up for anything he did.

Even if he did come now, she wouldn't ever forgive him for leaving her. His reasons be damned.

Those posters had some of her best memories; there were characters such as Obi-Wan, Luke, Yoda and Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars.

This series of films was always her favourite; she sometimes pretended that she was in the world of star wars. A great Jedi master so powerful that she was on par with masters like Yoda and Luke in his prime.

She had read all the comics of Vader and Luke's adventures such as his fights against Abeloth, she also loved to theories about, 'what ifs' and she even wrote a couple of these herself.

She adored the world, the characters, even those like Sidious and Count Dooku. Their power to annihilate worlds and the ability to grasp the very galaxy in their hands. It was awe-inspiring.

At some point during this trip down memory lane, she dozed off to never wake again. The last thing she thought was of this world that she felt had been created just for her. Her little heaven.

.....

Heather felt weightless. She was confused. 'Didn't I just die, isn't that what its supposed to feel like?' Her confusion gave way to anxiety as she had no clue what was happening. She hadn't experienced any anomalies or unknowns since her time in the hospital outside of a couple of new nurses here and there.

Certainly not an out of body experience.

Carefully she opened her eyes, only to see a pair of tearful eyes and a crying woman cradling her face.

'Natalie'? She whispered. When there was no change in expression or response, 'Natalie, what's wrong?'

Once again, there was no response from Natalie; she kept sobbing.

Heather reached up with her arm and tried to touch Natalie's face, but something astounding happened, her hand passed right into her face. '...'

Heather's expression changed to one of shock as she yelped out in surprise. 'She was dead; she was truly dead'. This sudden realisation sobered her up almost instantly, and she removed herself from the bed. She couldn't deal with looking at Natalie's grieving face.

Suddenly the door opened, and the rest of the nurses rushed in to assist Natalie. They weren't yet aware that Heather had passed away, only that there was an emergency.

Natalie had pressed the emergency button that every patient had on their bedside table.

Soon enough they came to know of the situation as they realised that Heather's body wasn't moving in any way. They all moved to support Natalie and place the sheets over Heather's body. Some were crying; these were the ones who had known Heather the most, the others just stood there solemnly.

Heather was moved by this display of affection from the staff, some of whom she considered family. There was Kristina, who would always be there to change her sheets and clothes and Sophia, who would help to Natalie to feed her whenever she wasn't required elsewhere.

But before she was entirely at peace with the scene before her, she felt a powerful presence drawing closer. It wasn't malevolent, but kind and solemn. Beautiful and breezy. It felt like life itself.

Yet there was also another presence there, one that was darker, yet still somehow soothing and peaceful. Like it was meant to be.

Heather gravitated towards these two auras while on complete autopilot. She moved through the wall of her room, with enough presence of mind to take one last look at the ones she considered her family.

While doing so she noticed the children in the back of the room, standing there in confusion before being ushered out of the room by the supporting nurses.

This made her feel yet sadder. She hadn't been able to say goodbye to her friends; they had brought her comfort and joy in her darkest hours and were her brightest light in this life that had now come to an end.

She turned her attention away from the scene and finally passed through the wall. Upon leaving the hospital, she spotted two figures floating in the air, ethereal like herself but ... grander, much grander.

She felt instinctual submission and peace when looking at them. One was a woman in a white gown with golden stitching and a crown upon her head. While the other was a young man, incredibly attractive. He was wearing a grey robe with raven black hair.

She drew closer to them; they smiled at her, she smiled back.

On a subconscious level, she knew why they were there, but something seemed a little off.

[Young one], the voice appeared in Heather's mind without any verbal communication, yet this didn't seem odd. [A peaceful and righteous soul such as yourself shouldn't have led such a life.]

[I see it fit for you to live again and thrive. The karma you built up in this life is truly astounding] The entity praised Heather and the life she led.

[But I will allow you, if you should so choose, to go with Thanatos and rest in eternal peace]

Heather was dumbfounded, 'Thanatos, as in the God of Death?'

[Yes child, you can take this path if you so wish. Or you can take my hand and I will join you in your next life.] The goddess allowed this to sink in. [Due to your astounding amount of karma, if you choose to be reincarnated, I will grant you three wishes as well as a choice of your destination.]

Heather was stunned. She had read about encounters like these in novels. ...A chance at reincarnation, and choice.

In the hospital, Heather had seldom had a choice; sure she could change her room up and her food. But she was limited by her physical condition.

The goddess understood this and enjoyed the look of shock and happiness that was now evident on Heather's face.

After a couple of seconds, she almost immediately chose a second chance at life. The goddess felt this choice and waved for Thanatos to leave. Whom bowed while smiling at Heather and evaporated into thin air.

[What will it be child?]

'Skyriver galaxy, my lady.'

[Hummm... A fan of Star Wars I see] Heather chuckled shyly and nodded in affirmation. 'Yes, my lady'.

[No need for the honorific child. For one as bright as you, I'm sure you can understand how boring all this 'my lady' and 'goddess' talk can be?]

Heather looked up at the goddess once more. 'Then what should I call you my la... uh.' The goddess chuckles.

[Azraelle, my dear. Goddess of life, death and rebirth at your service] Azraelle chuckles to herself. It had been a long time since she had had a good chat with a mortal being. She found it rather refreshing.

[Now about those wishes...] Azraelle led Heather on.

'Ooops. I wish for high force sensitivity so I can never feel weak again, a caring family and to be born in 36BBY as a Togruta, and for my final wish. I would like for you to stay with me in my stay new life'.

[I probably would, either way, my darling. You are too much of a gem to give up right away] The goddess was a tad emotional after having a wish to be used to keep her with the girl. It showed the compassion that she hadn't seen in the godly realm for a while now.

Heather blushed and brimmed with joy at the thought of having company for the whole of her next life.

[Heather... you are aware that you won't have any memories for this life or our meeting aren't you?] It was very rare for Azraelle to become this attached to one of her chosen as she felt to Heather, she became sad that it was possible that the Heather she was talking to would never regain memories of their encounter.

['At least I will be able to guide her in her next life'] She consoled herself with this knowledge. She would not allow the cruel beings of that galaxy to warp her, to mould her in their image.

Heather was saddened as well. She had made a new friend even in death, only to lose her almost immediately.

[Don't you worry child, I will guide you and protect you in your next life. You can feel happy knowing that your next rebirth will be one of compassion and love] Azraelle assured herself and Heather at the same time. Promising once more to protect the innocence of this precious child.

'Thank you Azraelle. I will be under your care.' With a final bow, Heather began to disappear from this plane, and she heard the last words of Azraelle. [Sleep well child] She fell into slumber once more.