"I love you too," Jacen replied, so quietly it was more like just mouthing it, but he knew she would understand. And then his gaze was locked back on his counterpart.
It was Caedus who attacked first, swinging his lightsaber at Jacen, and forcing him to use Alema's blade to block, while using the Force to drive his own towards Caedus's side before the Sith pushed back, his swings going wide and wild.
It was Jacen who dragged the fight outside, wanting to be away from the people he cared about. If Caedus had noticed that, he didn't say anything, just pushing on with the lightsaber duel. Even with his one lightsaber to Jacen's two, he was still more than holding his own, pausing every now and then to use to the Force to wrench entire brick walls to throw at his oher self, Jacen managing to block every attack. Both were using the precognition their Force sensitivity allowed them, to predict each other's attacks.
It meant Jacen sensed rather than saw the renewed build up of Force Lightning in his enemy's hand, still he smirked at Caedus as he focused, Absorbing the attack and using it to replenish his own strength, causing Caedus to hesitate for just a moment, before Jacen unleashed the new strength into a Choke that sent Caedus flying backwards, a Choke he had to release as Caedus let loose a Force Scream, tearing through Jacen's mental and physical defenses. Jacen flinched, recognizing the power behind the Scream, the same ability he'd once used to warn Tenel Ka and Allana. Where he had Screamed, caedus had stayed silent. Now though, while his Scream had been in love, Caedus's was filled with rage and hate and the Dark Side.
"Why don't you give it up?" Caedus sneered. "You can never hope to be free of me."
It was then Jacen realized what it would take to destroy the monster in front of him. He'd have to destroy the monster inside. Stop being the 'Ex Sith' or 'Former Jedi' but become truly both. Achieve balance. It was a power he'd once sworn never to use again, one that might even kill him to use now. But it was the only way.
"You're wrong," he looked up and directly at Caedus. "I am now, and always will be, Jacen Solo. I am no longer a Sith." He could feel the power of the Balance growing, the light and dark parts of himself working in harmony, even as they drained his energy, before they finally blasted outwards, an explosion of light that shook the city to its foundations and caught Caedus square in the chest. If the Sith screamed again, Jacen didn't hear it.
All it took was moments before the light faded and Caedus was gone. Destroyed entirely. Jacen, now visibly aged from using that power, sagged to the ground for a second before forcing himself to stand, staggering back to the Hyperion. To Tenel Ka.
He was aware of how he looked as he half fell through the door, burns from the Lightning, wounds from the lightsabers, blood both is own and Caedus's covering his body. And five years, obviously five extra years worn into his face. Still, he made it to stand in front of Tenel Ka, taking her face in both his hands.
"I just had to live in a galaxy without you in it. I never want to do that again," he told her, his eyes meeting hers. "Marry me?"