Early Redemption by QueenNaberrie Chapters 26-30

[queennaberrie]

Chapter 26

Obi-Wan entered the Separatists’ ship, headed towards the turbo lift and got on it. He pushed the button for the third level where the brig was located and continued to devise the plan he had been working on since he left Senator Organa’s ship. As the turbo lift ascended, he contemplated what he should tell them and decided to draw from the conversation they just had in the conference room as his guide.

When the turbo lift finally reached the third level, the doors opened and he stepped out into the hallway. He was immediately greeted by Senator Organa’s guards, who had been assigned to watch over the prisoners and bring them their meals. They immediately saluted him and were about to call him by name. “Shh.” Obi-Wan said as he immediately brought his right index finger up to his mouth. “You will address me as General Kay from now on. Do you understand?” He asked them with a wink.

The guards looked at each other and then nodded their heads in understanding. “Yes, Sir.” The lieutenant in charge complied. “Um…General Kay, the prisoners are demanding to speak with Lord Vader.”

“Well, we can’t have that, can we?” Obi-Wan answered them. “Now take me to the prisoners’ cell. I understand you had to move them to a larger cell.”

“Yes Sir.” The lieutenant said as he led the hooded Jedi down the corridor to the end of the cell block. “This is their cell, Sir.” He said pointing to a door on the right side of the cell block.

“Thank you, Lieutenant?” Obi-Wan answered him. “And be ready for anything.” He told him while the lieutenant nodded and stepped back, pulling his pistol blaster from its holster and holding it in front of him. Obi-Wan nodded back at the lieutenant as he entered the code to open the door and then ignited his lightsaber. He saw Separatists all sitting around the outer walls of the cell with frightened looks on their faces as he entered. “On your feet, you Separatist scum.” He ordered them.

All the Separatists were immediately on their feet and Nute Gunray immediately stepped forward. “General Kay, we humbly request to speak with Lord Vader.”

Obi-Wan sneered at him. “Lord Vader cannot see you right now. He was recently severely injured in battle and recovering after having to be put into a black life support suit, which has made him crankier than ever. In fact, he told me that he has changed his mind and wants me to kill all of you.”

A large gasp came from all of the Separatists as they cowered near each other. “But…but…I thought Lord Vader said we would be useful to him?” Nute asked.

“Change of plans.” Obi-Wan told them in thought as they looked back in fear. “But…that was his first idea on how to get rid you. And you should thank me because I did you all a favor.” He told them as they became to look more hopeful. “I convinced him that perhaps you could still be useful to us in the future, so he has agreed to allow me to let you go under one condition. He will contact you, you will not contact him under any circumstance or he will kill you on the spot. Do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes.” They all responded in unison.

“Good. Now I am arranging to have some new identities made up for you. You will all separate and start new lives in other parts of the galaxy. You must not contact anyone you know or Lord Vader will have you killed. He is taking a great risk in letting you go as his master, Lord Sidious, told him to kill all of you. So you better heed his warning.”

The Separatists all nodded in compliance.

“Good. Now someone will be coming to take this vessel to a neutral planet and from there you will all be given your new identification datapads.” Obi-Wan told them. “Once you have them, I or Lord Vader, never want to see your ugly faces again.”

“Y-Yes, General Kay.” Nute answered.

“Then we understand each other.” Obi-Wan said as he started back towards the door. He then stopped and turned to face them again in the doorway. “And I don’t want to hear of you giving any of your guards any trouble either.”

Nute bowed to him. “We will give them no problems. And thank Lord Vader for our freedom. We will not fail him.”

“Thank you, Viceroy. I will pass along your message.” Obi-Wan said with a slight bow. “Good day, gentlemen and have a great life.” Obi-Wan then turned and left the room, pushing the button to shut and lock the door behind him. The lieutenant gave him a strange look.

“Don’t ask.” Obi-Wan said as he removed his hood and started down the corridor back towards the turbo lift. The lieutenant nodded and followed him. When they reached the turbo lift, Obi-Wan turned and faced the guards again. “I know this seems strange to all of you, but we are going to be letting the prisoners go soon. A representative from Senator Organa’s staff should be contacting you shortly about their new identification datapads and where you will need to take them. They are not to be harmed under any circumstances and I am certain that they should not be a threat once they are let go.”

“Yes, Sir.” The lieutentant said as the guards gave each other strange looks.

“But why?” One of the other guards asked him.

“Because we have no other means of punishing them for their crimes; therefore, it has been decided that exile will be their punishment.” Obi-Wan answered them as he pushed the button for the turbo lift and the doors opened. “If you have any more questions, please direct them to Senator Organa himself.” He told them as he got on the turbo lift. “May the Force be with you.”

All the guards weakly smiled at him, knowing that would probably be the last time they would hear that from a Jedi. The lieutenant stepped forward. “And may the Force be with you as well, Master Kenobi.” The lieutenant bowed. “I wish you and the remaining Jedi the best of luck.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Obi-Wan responded with a weak smile and then pushed the button to close the doors.

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Senator Organa’s ship had left Polis Massa and was now on route to Naboo to proceed with the last part of their plan before going into exile. Padme and Anakin entered their room to find Leia asleep in a plush chair next to the babies’ bassinettes and the babies asleep as well. “It looks like they wore each other out.” Padme told her husband with a smile.

At the sound of her mother’s voice, adult Leia opened her eyes. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms above her head. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”

“It’s ok, Leia.” Anakin told her with a smile. “The babies are sleeping too.”

“Well, I guess I better go to my own room and try to get some more sleep. We have quite a day ahead of us tomorrow.” Leia told them as she got to her feet and moved towards the door.

“Thank you for taking care of the babies for us.” Padme told her daughter as she passed them on the way to the door. She reached out and gave her daughter a hug.

“It was no problem.” Leia responded and the broke their embrace, smiling at her mother. “I was glad to do it.” She then also looked at her father with a smile and turned to leave the room.

“We love you, Leia.” Anakin told her as she went out the door.

Leia turned and smiled at him. “I love both of you too.” She then paused walking over to give her father a quick hug too. “Good night.” She told them as she released her embrace and went back over to the door, closing the door behind her as she left.

Anakin and Padme were now somewhat alone again and they embraced one another in a passionate kiss and lingered there for a long time. It was Padme who finally broke their kiss and stared into Anakin’s bright blue eyes. She then reached up and ran her fingers through his golden, blonde curls. “I guess we should cut your hair now, shouldn’t we?” She asked him.

Anakin reached up and took her hand from his hair and started to kiss it. “Yes.” He told her as he led her into the refresher and opened the medicine cabinet over the sink, taking out a pair of scissors. “Cut it for me?” He asked her as he handed the scissors to her, handle first.

“I’d love to.” She told him as he sat down on the edge of the tub. Padme then proceeded to use the removable shower head to wet Anakin’s hair and the proceeded to cut it, letting his hair fall into the tub.

Anakin reveled in the feel of her touch as she combed and ran her fingers through his hair. He’d known she had been taught how to cut hair by her older sister, Sola, so he trusted her with his hair.

When she finally finished, she put down the scissors on the sink and stood in front of him, admiring her handy work, crossing her arms in front of her and putting her right hand under her chin. “I don’t know.” She said with a grimace.

Anakin looked at her with concern. Or do I trust her when it comes to my hair? He thought to himself as the look on her face continued to concern him. “Doesn’t it look ok?” He finally asked her.

Padme smiled down at her husband. “It looks fine.” She said as she giggled and bent down to kiss him lightly on the lips. She then looked into his eyes. “It’s just I’ve always liked your hair longer. It seems so strange to see it so short again.” She told him as she ran her fingers through his now shorter hair.

“Again? How short did you cut it?” Anakin asked with concern. “You didn’t make me look like a padawan again did you?”

Padme giggled again. “Of course not. I didn’t cut it THAT short.” She paused and smiled at him, sitting down sideways on his lap and putting her arms around his neck. “I couldn’t do that do you, even if I tried.” Then she brushed her hand along Anakin’s unshaven chin. “It’s going to be hard to get used to you having beard too. It tickles when we kiss.”

Anakin laughed. “Well, it’s not a beard yet.” He told her and then kissed her on the lips quickly before surprising her by lifting her up and carrying her out of the refresher in his arms. “Put me down Anakin Skywalker.” She protested as he laughed.

“As you wish, milady.” He told her with a smile as he set her down on her feet in their bedroom, kissed her again, and then walked over to the vanity to check out his new hair cut. “It looks good, Padme.” He told her as he looked back at her through the reflection in the mirror and ran his left hand through it. She had left it a little longer on top, so he could still comb it to the side where it had been parted before. He then became serious and turned around to look at his wife standing in the middle of the room, smiling at him. “Do you know what you’re going to wear tomorrow?” He asked her.

Padme’s expression also then became serious and she sighed. “Yes. I had them bring my luggage from my Nubian cruiser.” She told him as she opened the closet door on the wall to the left of the bedroom door. She took out a shimmering blue maternity dress. “I thought this one would be nice to wear.” Padme told him as she held it in front of her.

Anakin smiled and moved closer to her. “Yes, I think that will do nicely.” He told her as he reached her, took the dress from her hands and threw it on the bed. Anakin then reached down and kissed her again as she put her arms around his neck. He then broke away from their kiss and just held her in his arms. “I’m just glad I’m not planning your real funeral.” He told her with tears forming his eyes as he looked over her shoulder. “I couldn’t live with out you.”

Padme held her husband tighter. “But we’re not. I’m not going anywhere.”

Anakin then back out of their embrace and reached down and put his hand on her still slightly swollen abdomen. “We have a dress, but what about making everyone believe you’re still pregnant?”

Padme looked away in thought and then let go of their embrace, walking back over towards the closet. Anakin followed her as she started digging through her things looking for something. “Where is it?” She said out of frustration.

“What are you looking for?” Anakin asked her as he came up behind her.

“Here it is.” She finally said, not answering him but instead held it up in front of him.

Anakin got a confused look on his face. “What is that?”

“Haven’t you ever seen an inflatable pillow before?” Padme said with a smile.

“Is that what that is?” Anakin said with a smirk.

Padme mockingly glared at him. “Well, I think it will do nicely.” She said as she tried to blow it up but was having difficulty.

“Here, let me have it.” Anakin said as he took the inflatable pillow from her hands and tried to blow it up himself.

Padme just laughed at him as his faced turned red from the effort. “It’s harder than it looks, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps.” Anakin said with a frustrated look on his face and then tried again while Padme continued to laugh at him, forgetting to keep the volume down and the babies started to cry. Both parents became serious and walked over to the bassinettes, Anakin dropping the inflatable pillow to the floor.

“Oh, I have to get used to having sleeping babies in the room.” Padme said as she picked up Luke and Anakin picked up Leia, trying to comfort them.

“I know what you mean.” Anakin agreed as he tried to comfort Leia through the Force, but then began to realize the true reason for her discomfort. “Oh no…not again.”

“What is it, Anakin?” Padme asked him with a concerned look on her face as Luke started to settle down and Leia continued to cry.

“Leia’s diaper needs changing and I think we really need to consider investing in disposable diapers. They hold the leaks better.” Anakin told her as Padme started to laugh at the wet spot on Anakin’s tunic. “This is the second tunic in two days. Luke was the little culprit the last time.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” Padme said as she continued to laugh and reached over to take Leia from Anakin’s hands.

But Anakin shooed her away and walked over to the changing table. “No, I can do it, Padme.” He told her as he laid baby Leia on the changing table and started removing her wet clothes and then her diaper. “You were asleep at the time and…Whew! Stinky Leia.” Anakin said crinkling his nose as he found yet another surprise awaiting him. Padme was continued to laugh as Leia started to calm down now that her father was cleaning her up and putting a clean diaper on her.

Padme came over to inspect the work while still holding Luke, who was now settling back down to sleep. “Good job, Daddy. You get five gold stars.” She told him as Anakin found another sleeper to put on Leia and put her in it.

“Thank you so much.” Anakin responded as he picked Leia up and took her back over to the bassinette to lay her down. “She should go back to sleep now.” He told Padme.

Padme then laid Luke back down in his bassinette. “When did you become such an expert at all this?” She asked him with surprise.

“While you were recovering, I was watching the babies a lot. Leia, well our adult daughter, helped me a lot at first. She said she used to baby sit when she was younger.” He told his wife with a smile.

“Hmm. A Jedi Knight AND he changes diapers. I’ve definitly got myself a keeper.” Padme said with a smirk as she walked back over to pick up the inflatable pillow Anakin had dropped on the floor and looked at it with frustration. “Now if we can only inflate this blasted pillow.”

Anakin walked back over to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Let’s not worry about that tonight.” He told her as he kissed her on the neck. “We can find a way to inflate it tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” Padme agreed but then an idea came to her. “I have an idea and I think it will be more realistic.”

“What?” Anakin said as she released herself from his embrace and went into the refresher and closed the door. Anakin heard the water running and some other weird noises coming from the refresher that caused him some concern. He walked over to the door and knocked on it. “Padme, what are you doing? Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be right out.” She responded, then a few minutes later, the door opened and to Anakin’s surprise, she looked pregnant again. “So what do you think?” She said as she moved side to side. “Convincing enough?”

Anakin reached down and touched her ‘stomach’ with his left hand. “Amazing…I think it will work.” He told her with a smile.

“Good. Problem solved then.” Padme said with a smile back to him as she took the water-filled inflatable pillow out from under her tan maternity top and placed it on the floor. Both of them snickered quietly as Padme then went back into the refresher to get ready for bed.

Anakin changed into his sleep pants and climbed into bed to await his wife. When she was done in the refresher, she came out in a blue, silky nightgown and walked over to the bed, pulling back the covers and crawled in next to her husband. Anakin pulled her close. “Goodnight, Padme.” Anakin told her while kissing her on the forehead.

“Goodnight, Ani.” Padme responded as she cuddled up against him with her head on his bare chest.

Despite everything that was going to occur the next day, they soon drifted off to sleep in each others arms, knowing that, if everything goes well, they would be able to spend the rest of their lives with each other.

[queennaberrie]

Chapter 27

When Padme and Anakin awoke the next morning, they got the babies around for the day and started to psych themselves for the day to come. Senator Organa had informed them that they had arrived at Naboo and were beginning their landing procedures. He also told them that Padme’s parents had been informed that the ship carrying their daughter’s and her unborn child’s bodies had arrived.

Anakin watched over the babies while Padme went into the refresher to get a shower and change into the blue maternity dress she had picked out the night before to wear. When she came out of the refresher, Anakin couldn’t help but notice that his wife was acting as blue as the dress she was wearing and walked over to embrace and comfort her, kissing the top of her head. It was then that they heard a knock on their door and Anakin released his embrace from Padme and walked over to the door. “Who is it?” He inquired.

“It’s Leia. I’m here to help Mother with her hair.” They heard Leia’s muffled voice say through the door.

Anakin, who was dressed in a plain dark blue tunic and pants, opened the door and smiled at his daughter as she entered. “Good morning, Leia.”

“Good morning, Father.” She told him as she noticed his shorter hair. “I see you cut your hair last night. It looks nice.”

“Thank you.” Anakin said. “But your mother deserves all the credit.” He told her with a smile as he shut the door again and then proceeded to walk over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Leia smiled at him and then turned to her Mother. “Are you ready?” Leia asked her with a concerned look on her face.

Padme weakly smiled at her daughter and then gave her a hug. “As I’ll ever be. I just hope this little charade works.” Padme said and then backed out of their hug, walking over to the vanity to sit down with Leia right behind her.

“I’m sure every thing will work out fine, Mother.” Leia tried to assure her as she grabbed the hair brush from the vanity and started brushing her mother’s hair. “How would you like it styled?”

“I think down…but pulled away from my face would be nice.” Padme said as Leia nodded.

Anakin watched as Leia styled her mother’s hair and then added some flowers to her curly, chocolate brown locks. When they appeared to be done, Anakin stood up and walked over behind his wife and put his hands on her shoulders. He then bent down and kissed her on the neck. “You look beautiful.” Anakin told her.

“Thank you, Anakin.” Padme said as she reached up with her right hand and pulled his head down for a light kiss on the lips. She then started to stand up, picking up a vial that was sitting on the vanity and walked over to the bed. She set the vial on the night stand and the turned around to look for the water-filled inflatable pillow that she was going to use to make her look pregnant again, but wasn’t finding it.

Anakin, noticing that his wife was looking around, realized what she was looking for and walked over to where he saw it laying on the floor, picked it up and brought it over to her. “Is this what you’re looking for?”

“Yes, thank you.” Padme answered with a weak smile on her face. “We can’t forget this.” She told him as she secured it in her clothing underneath her dress and then proceeded to walk over the bassinettes to kiss both of her babies before returning to the bed and sitting down.

“Are you ready now?” Anakin asked her with concern. “The time in drawing near for your family to arrive.”

Padme weakly smiled at him and then her adult daughter. “Yes. Please hand me that sleeping potion Yoda gave us.”

Anakin nodded and then walked over to the night stand, picking up the vial she had just placed there and gave it to her. Padme took it from him and looked up into his eyes with fear and sadness in her own. “I don’t like doing this to my family.” She told him as a tear started rolling down her cheek.

Anakin then sat on the bed and pulled his wife close, wiping the tear from her cheek with his left hand. “Don’t cry, Padme. Perhaps we can tell them you’re alive later, once things have settled down.”

Padme weakly smiled up at her husband and then they kissed one more time before he released her from his embrace. “That would be nice.” She told him while still looking into his eyes. But then she turned her attention back to the vial she would have to drink from and undid the cork. “Buttom’s up.” She told him as she drank the contents and got a weird look on her face while looking at the bottle. “Oh…this tastes awful.” She declared before Anakin chuckled a little and then became serious again as he took the vial from her hands. He then set it back on the night stand next to him and pulled her close to him to comfort her as the drug started to take effect.

“It will be alright, Mother.” Leia assured her as both Anakin and she watched Padme gradually slip into a deep sleep.

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A standard half-hour later, Anakin, still holding her in his arms, looked down at Padme in horror at how pale and unresponsive his wife had become. Her body temperature had also dropped far enough to make her feel cold to the touch. Anakin started to panic a little, thinking perhaps the sleeping potion was too strong for her and, in effect, acted more like a poison to kill her. “Padme?” Anakin said while he tried to rouse her. “PADME?”

Leia got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over to her father who now had tears forming in his eyes. She put her right hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “Father, don’t worry. She’s fine. Yoda told us that the potion would truly make her appear to be dead.”

“I know.” Anakin said as he looked up at his daughter with tears in his eyes. “It just didn’t occur to me that it would seem quite this real.” He told her as he tried feeling for Padme’s pulse in her wrist and didn’t really feel one. “It’s just way too convincing. I can’t even feel her through the Force anymore.” He sighed and pulled Padme’s sleeping body closer to him. “I know Yoda told us that it would have this effect, but it’s still really hard to witness.”

Leia weakly smiled down at her father. “I know. It’s scary to me as well.” There was then a knock on the door and Leia walked over to open it. There stood Obi-Wan wearing plain dark brown pants and a green tunic. “Obi-Wan.” She said with a smile as he looked back at her with a grim look on his face. She then became serious. “What’s wrong?”

“Padme’s family is here to retrieve the body.” Obi-Wan said as he walked passed Leia and entered the room to see Anakin still holding his wife’s convincingly lifeless body in his arms and rocking her. “Anakin, we need to secure the potion’s effect through a Force sleep and then put her in the coffin her parents just arrive with.”

Anakin nodded his head and then kissed his wife on the forehead before laying her head back down on the pillow. He put his hand on her forehead and closed his eyes, reinforcing the sleeping drug with a Force induced sleep as well. He then kissed her softly on the lips and stood up to face Obi-Wan. “It feels so real, Obi-Wan. It’s frightening.”

Obi-Wan looked at Padme’s pale, lifeless form, not sensing any life force coming from her and had to agree. “It is rather eerie, isn’t it?” Obi-Wan responded as he walked over and put his right hand on his ‘brother’s’ shoulder. “She’ll be fine. And in 24 hours we’ll all be away from here and starting our new lives on Tatooine.”

“I know.” Anakin sighed. “I just hope Vader doesn’t show up.”

Obi-Wan gave Anakin another grim look. “I’m afraid he already has. His ship was just spotted orbiting the planet.”

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan with shock. “Vader is here, now?”

“Yes and you’ve blocked yours and the babies’ Force signatures as Yoda instructed you, haven’t you?” Obi-Wan asked him with concern.

Anakin got a look of panic on his face. “No, I better do it now and do the same for Luke and Leia.” Anakin said as he rushed over to the babies’ beds and put his hands on them, closing his eyes to use the Force to block his children’s Force signatures. He then proceeded to do the same with himself and then turned to his adult daughter, Leia. “Have you been able to block your Force signature, Leia?”

Leia smiled. “Yes, Luke taught be how to do it. I’ll be fine.”

Anakin sighed with relief and hoped that Vader hadn’t sensed the presence of his family. He had been so upset about Padme and the mock funeral that it had slipped his mind to hide their Force signatures. He then walked back over to the bed and picked up Padme’s limp body off the bed. He turned to look at Obi-Wan. “Where is this coffin her family brought?”

“In the hanger bay. They have a carriage waiting to take her to her family mausoleum where they will conduct the funeral.” Obi-Wan answered them.

“I’ll stay here with the babies.” Leia told them as Obi-Wan and Anakin nodded to her in agreement.

“Thank you, Leia. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Anakin told her with a weak smile as he turned, carrying his wife out the door and down the hallway to turbo lift that leads to the hanger bay.

Obi-Wan walked next to him and pushed the button for the turbo lift when they reached it. He didn’t know what to tell Anakin beyond what he’d already told him. How many times can I tell him it will be ok?” He thought to himself as the turbo lift arrived and the doors opened.

Both men got on the lift and then rode in silence until they arrived on the hanger bay level and the doors opened. “Where is this coffin?” Anakin finally asked him, looking around.

“This way, Anakin.” Obi-Wan told him as they walked towards a durasteel box on a carriage, being drawn by six white beasts. Tears started forming in Anakin’s eyes as climbed up onto the carriage using the portable stairs the hanger crew had placed next to it and he lowered Padme into the coffin. He then placed her arms in a folded position just above her ‘stomach’ and turned to look down at Obi-Wan. “Obi-Wan, I’m glad this isn’t for real.” He told him as he backed down a couple stairs and looked at his wife’s beautiful, but pale face.

Obi-Wan came up behind his friend on the stairs and put his right arm around him to comfort him. “But it’s not…and soon you two will be together again.” He told him as he smiled over at his ‘brother’.

Anakin smiled back at Obi-Wan. “Thank you, Obi-Wan.”

“For what?” Obi-Wan asked with a confused look on his face.

“For being here for me.” Anakin answered him.

“My pleasure, my brother.” Obi-Wan responded.

It was then that Bail Organa approached them and then looked over at Padme in the coffin, his face going pale. “Is she...?”

“She fine, Senator.” Anakin told him and he and Obi-Wan descended the stairs to stand in front of him.. “She’ll wake up in a day or so.”

“But…but it looks so…so convincing.” Bail said with astonishment while still staring at her appearingly lifeless form. “Are you sure?” He asked them, looking back at them with concern and worry.

“Absolutely sure.” Obi-Wan tried to assure him.

“Well…” Bail said trying to regain his composure. “…her family waits below to see their daughter’s body.” He told them with sadness. “Are you two staying on board or are you going to accompany us?”

Obi-Wan and Anakin looked at one another. “We are going to follow at a safe distance.” Anakin told him. “We just need to find some un-Jedi-like cloaks to wear.”

“No problem. In fact, I can do better than that.” Bail said as he turned to a lieutenant that was standing by. “Go get those uniforms I asked for in General Kenobi and Knight Skywalker’s sizes.”

“Yes, Sir.” The lieutenant said while saluting and then turned on his heel to go to retrieve the uniforms.

Bail turned back to the two Jedi. “I figured you two would like to follow the procession, so what better way to blend in than in the uniform of one of my guards. Several of them will also be following behind the Nubian guards.”

Obi-Wan and Anakin got grateful looks on their faces at Bail’s resourcefulness. “Thank you yet again, Senator Organa.” Obi-Wan told him as the lieutenant returned with gray Aldreraanean officers uniforms with hats and handed them to the two Jedi, who took them graciously.

“We will hurry and put these on. Will you wait for us?” Anakin asked him.

“Certainly…you may use the pilots’ locker room over there.” Bail answered as he pointed to a door off to the right. Both Jedi bowed and then ran into the locker room to change.

When the returned five standard minutes later, as promised, Bail was still there, patiently waiting for them and supervising the placement of some flowers the family requested be put on around the coffin during their wait. He had told her family that it would be better for them to wait outside until everything was ready for them to see her. They had reluctantly agreed, not quite understanding the reasoning but complied just the same.

Anakin and Obi-Wan then joined a group of Aldraneean soldiers and marched along with them, hiding their lightsabers under their tunics. It was perfect. They blended in so well that when the carriage came down the ramp, Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie never noticed them. Neither did Padme’s sister Sola, her husband Darred and their children Ryoo and Pooja, who Anakin especially had gotten to know during their stay on Naboo before he and Padme had been married.

Of course, they were all overcome with grief at seeing Padme’s ‘body’ as she was led down the ramp towards them. Anakin and Obi-Wan both watched as their hearts went out to Padme’s family as they started to cry and mourn over her. Darred lifted Ryoo and then Pooja so they could put flowers in their Aunt Padme’s coffin with tears rolling down their faces.

Anakin had to look away. I’m glad Padme isn’t aware of everything that’s going on around her. She would be heart broken. And I will make sure her family knows the truth someday, somehow. He promised himself.

After several standard minutes, the funeral procession started its course through the streets of Theed. Mourners lined the streets and Anakin couldn’t help but feel for all of them. They were losing their beloved queen and senator. Tears started to form in his eyes as more thoughts of losing her for real flooded his mind. Oh Padme.

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Executor – In Orbit around Naboo

Vader waited on the bridge of the Executor, the ship the Emperor had given him command of. He was looking out the view port with his arms crossed in front of him waiting for the proper time to enter his shuttle and pay his respects at his beloved angel. He knew his presence at the funeral would create suspicion, so he wanted to say good-bye to her in his own way once the funeral was done and everyone had gone. This was a private moment, one he certainly didn’t want anyone to witness.

As he waited, he felt something odd in the Force. He felt a Force signature which felt familiar, but one he couldn’t quite figure out who it was. He had felt this same Force signature earlier and it had confused him then and it was still confusing him now. Who are you? He thought to himself. It was a great mystery that he hoped one day he would solve. But not today…today was to be reserved for his angel, his wife, his lost love, his soul. Yes, Padme had been his soul and his very reason for living; and without her, he was just an empty shell. And he knew this would remain for as long as he lived without her, because without her he was nothing.

And then there was their child, who had also died with her…all at his own hand. Vader’s eyes started to fill with tears at the life that would never be…at the chance to be a father to little boy or girl who might have had Padme’s eyes, his chin and her patience. But alas it will never to be. Noticing his men staring at him, he did his best to keep his emotions under check, so his men wouldn’t witness him breaking down in front of them.

So then he allowed his thoughts to drift to another thing that confused him. It was two other faint Force signatures he had sensed in close proximity to the mysterious one, but those tiny signatures were of those untrained in the Force. He had never felt them before either, but they felt as familiar as this mysterious Force signature had that has continuously eluded him since he donned the black suit. Perhaps someday I will solve that mystery as well. He said to himself as he tried to shift his thoughts again.

Vader closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, hoping he might sense Obi-Wan on the planet’s surface. He thought he had sensed him briefly upon coming out of hyperspace but then he was gone. And still is gone. Vader realized as he opened his eyes and gazed out the view port again. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking. He thought to himself. Perhaps he wanted so badly for Obi-Wan to be dead for all that he’d done to him and his family that he was hoping he might be at Padme’s funeral. But his Force signature was not on the planet either, Vader realized and sighed out of frustration.

But then his thoughts came back towards his beloved angel, lying in a cold, dark mausoleum in the Theed cemetery, and it brought tears back to his eyes, causing his flesh to burn as the salty tears streamed down his cheeks beneath the mask.

Not wanting his men to see him breakdown in front of them, he silently turned and headed back to his quarters so he could mourn and wallow in his misery without anyone watching him. As soon as he was back in his quarters, he closed the door and locked it. Vader then immediately fell to his knees. “WHY? Padme WHY?” He yelled at the ceiling. “Why did you leave me? You said you’d never leave me!” He continued to yell as he then broke down in wept for his lost angel.

[queennaberrie]

Chapter 28

Anakin and Obi-Wan followed the funeral procession all the way to the Naberrie family mausoleum, where the carriage stopped. Some of the Nubian guards stepped forward in ceremony to act as the pallbearers and acted as one as they lifted the coffin off of the carriage then proceeded to take it up the steps leading into the mausoleum. The Naberrie family following close behind, hugging and comforting each other as they continued to cry for the loss of their daughter, sister and aunt. Senator Organa, the current queen of Naboo and a few of Padme’s other close colleagues also followed the family into the tomb.

Obi-Wan and Anakin stood at attention with the other Alderaanean soldiers as Anakin started to look around for any sign of Vader; but to his relief, didn’t see him anywhere. What would I do if I were him? He thought to himself as he continued to stand at attention next to Obi-Wan.

“Anakin, quit looking round or you’ll bring unwanted attention to us.” Obi-Wan said to him through the Force.

“But Obi-Wan, Vader has to be here somewhere.” Anakin said back to him. “We have to be ready for him.”

“Perhaps he’s waiting until later…after everyone has left. We’ll have to be careful if that’s the case. We may even have to wait until he’s come and gone before we take Padme back to Senator Organa’s ship.” Obi-Wan responded.

Ánakin gave Obi-Wan a look of concern. “And when will that be? She could wake up and then where will we be?”

“Well…we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, Anakin. Hopefully the Force induced sleep you also placed on her will keep her knocked out long enough.” Obi-Wan said as he looked back at him with concern.

------------------------------------------

After about a standard hour, the grief stricken Naberrie family finally emerged from the mausoleum and stepped into an awaiting transport to take them back to their homes. Bail and the other colleagues came out of the mausoleum shortly thereafter and all got into their prospective transports. Although, Bail stopped and took a fleeting glance over towards Anakin and Obi-Wan’s way before entering his transport and then he flew away. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other. Soon it would be their turn to continue on with the plan.

The Nubian and Aldraanean guards continued to stand in a ceremonial formation as mourners were then allowed inside to pay their last respects to their former queen and senator, each one filing in and out of the building with sad and tear stricken faces at the loss of one of their most beloved leaders.

Finally, after many several hours, the lines of people ceased and the guards that wanted to enter the mausoleum were then allowed inside. Anakin and Obi-Wan joined the other guards as they made their way up the steps and noticed immediately the amount of flowers, cards and gifts that were placed around Padme’s coffin. She really was loved by her people. Anakin said to himself as they continued in the line of guards paying their last respects.

Once they reached the coffin that was now lying inside a marble vault casket, Anakin looked down as his wife’s lovely form and tried to resist the urge to kiss her and take her in his arms. He knew that would not look good to the other guards so, instead, he followed Obi-Wan as he continued back towards the door. But before going outside again, they paused just inside the door and acted like they were going to continue to pay their respects as they stood in silence, waiting for the rest of the guards to leave.

They then continued back over to Padme’s coffin to check on her, Anakin putting his hand on her forehead and then he kissed her on the lips like he had wanted to do earlier. It had only been 12 hours since she took the potion, so, to their relief, she was still deep in the drug induced sleep.

“Come on, Anakin. We need to get her out of here and close the marble top before someone really buries her here.” Obi-Wan whispered to him and both men started to reach down into the marble vault casket with Obi-Wan at her feet and Anakin at her head. But then they stopped short, looking at each other in horror, as they heard the sound of mechanical breathing getting louder and louder as the source of that sound came closer to the mausoleum.

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other in continued horror. “Vader?” Anakin said through the Force as Obi-Wan nodded and they ran to hide behind another of the marble vault caskets that lined the walls of the Naberrie family tomb. They sunk down behind it, sitting on the floor with their backs leaning up against it and then reinforced their Force signature blocks. ”Now what?” Anakin asked Obi-Wan through the Force as he looked over at Obi-Wan with fear, his eyes sparkling in the faint light in the tomb.

“We wait.” Obi-Wan responded as he looked back at Anakin with an equally worried expression on his face.

They both sat in momentary dread as they heard the heavy mechanical breathing of Vader get louder until they heard him enter the mausoleum, closing the squeaky durasteel door of the tomb behind him, and then the sound of his heavy feet walking across the stone floor to his beloved’s final resting place. Anakin and Obi-Wan tried to stay as quiet and still as possible, waiting in fear of possibility of Vader discovering their presence.

Vader, not sensing anyone in the tomb, looked down at his wife’s lovely, but pale face. It’s almost as if she’s just sleeping and will wake up at any moment. Vader thought to himself as he continued to gaze down at Padme’s still form and ran his right mechanical hand along her cheek. He then fell to his knees and took Padme’s hand in his mechanical one. “Padme, I am so sorry. I never meant to kill you. I did all of this to save you. Despite how it turned out, I hope you know that and that I will always love you. An-And I hope that you will be able to forgive me.” Vader said as they could hear his agony even through the mechanical voice and breathing.

A tear started falling from Anakin’s right eye as he felt Vader’s pain. Thoughts of losing Padme came flooding back into his mind as he heard the Dark Lord break down in anguish over the loss of his angel. He knew that he shouldn’t feel sorry for him, but he couldn’t help himself. After all, Vader was, in essence, still another version of himself, something that didn’t escape his consciousness.

Obi-Wan looked over at Anakin and, even in the dim light, saw the tears in his eyes. He put his left hand on Anakin’s shoulder and Anakin smiled back at him, knowing that Obi-Wan was trying to comfort him during this surreal and sad situation.

Anakin laid his head back up against the side of the marble vault casket as both Jedi continued to listen. Vader was now weeping and feelings of total loss and sorrow washed through the mausoleum with high intensity.

It was then that Obi-Wan decided to risk sneaking a peek around the side of the marble casket, making sure he stayed in the shadows. He watch in dread as he saw the Dark Lord reach out with his right mechanical hand and put it on Padme’s ‘stomach’. Oh no…I hope he won’t be able to tell it’s not real. Obi-Wan thought to himself…but sighed in relief as Vader didn’t seem to notice.

“What’s happening? I just saw you tense up.” Anakin asked Obi-Wan through the Force.

Óbi-Wan cautiously and quielty moved back to his sitting position next to Anakin and looked over at him, looking white as a sheet. “Vader just touched Padme’s stomach.”

Anakin’s eyes became as big as saucers. “You don’t think he’s noticed it’s not real, do you?”

“I don’t know for sure.” Obi-Wan answered him. “But it doesn’t appear that he has.”

“I’m just glad Padme thought of filling the inflatable pillow with water.” Anakin told him. “She thought it would be more realistic. And I am eternally grateful for her foresightedness.”

“I’ll second that.” Obi-Wan agreed.

Vader continued to stroke Padme’s ‘stomach’ with his mechanical hand, not noticing anything was amiss. ”And I’m sorry my child, for not allowing you to come into the world. If you had, you would have been loved by both of us.”

Anakin and Obi-Wan both silently sighed in relief. ”It appears, he definitely hasn’t noticed.” Anakin told Obi-Wan through the Force, but then he felt something crawl passed his leg. ”Um…Obi-Wan, was that you?”

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a confused look. “Was what me? I didn’t touch you.” Obi-Wan responded through their Force link.

”Then something just crawled passed my leg.” Anakin told him with a bewildered look on his face. “What do you think it is?”

“I don’t know. A Nubian rat, I suppose. They’re all over in these cemeteries.” Obi-Wan responded as he felt something rub against his leg as well.

“Oh, isn’t that reassuring.” Anakin replied by giving him a sarcastic look. “Aren’t those supposed to carry some sort of disease?”

“Not all of them…Ah…Anakin…now something just rubbed passed my leg.” Obi-Wan told him. “I sure hope Vader hurries up. I’m getting a really bad feeling about this.” He said then he let out a small gasp and his boot slipped across the stone floor, making a scratching noise, as something crawled across his stomach.

Vader heard noises that sounded like a gasp and scraping, coming from somewhere with in the tomb. It echoed off the walls, making it hard to determine the direction it really came from. He then immediately got back to his feet, taking his light saber from his belt and ignited the red blade. ”Whose there?” His mechanical voice demanded as he tried to reach out with the Force and started to slowly walk around the room, his black cape gliding across the floor. “Come out now and perhaps I will spare your life.”

”Now you’ve done it.” Anakin chided Obi-Wan as they stared at each other in horror. They pressed themselves as close as they could to the backside of the marble casket, and hardly dared to breath as they heard the hum of Vader light saber and the sound of his mechanical limbs on the stone floor while he circled the tomb. Anakin then swatted at one of the creatures that had been trying to crawl up on his stomach, causing it to squeal and scrabble out from behind the marble casket they were hiding behind. The rodent scurried out into the path of the Dark Lord and gave another frightened squeak at the sight of the towering black monster standing over it and it scurried off into another part of the tomb, as fast as its little legs could carry it.

It’s only a Nubian rat. Vader said to himself as he extinguished his light saber and returned it to his belt.

Obi-Wan and Anakin heard Vader chuckling to himself as he headed back over to Padme’s coffin. They both sighed in relief for their luck at not being discovered. ”That was close.” Obi-Wan said through the Force.

“No thanks to you.” Anakin retorted as he glared over at his former master. ”I didn’t know you had a fear of rodents.”

“I don’t. Just ones that crawl across my chest behind caskets in dark, creepy tombs.” Obi-Wan responded. It was all Anakin could do to keep from laughing and giving away their presence, covering his mouth with both his hands and tears forming in his eyes. “And you better calm down or you’ll be the one giving us away.” Obi-Wan added as he noticed Anakin’s strained effort to maintain his silence.

---------------------------------

After many hours, Obi-Wan and Anakin were still waiting for Vader to leave. Anakin laid his head back against the marble casket and rolled his eyes up into his head out of frustration and boredom. ”How much longer is he going to stay here?”

“I really don’t know, Anakin.” Obi-Wan responded as he ran his right hand through his hair. “It’s obvious he loves Padme just as much as you do. He could never leave.”

Anakin just glared over at him. “How long has it been anyway?” Anakin then asked him.

Obi-Wan, who looked just as bored and fighting to stay awake, looked down at his wrist chrono. ”It’s been 11 hours. It should be dawn soon.” He told him as they noticed a slight orange glow coming through the blue, maroon and silver stained glass windows.

“And Padme could wake up soon.” Anakin added as they both looked at each other with worry.

“Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen while Vader is still here.” Obi-Wan responded.

They had heard Vader weeping all night, talking to Padme about the memories they shared together and about their hopes and dreams for their life together. Anakin and Obi-Wan, both felt for him…but they certainly couldn’t do anything to let him know the truth…at least not yet. They both felt that someday, Vader would learn the truth…but that day was not today.

“Good-bye, my love.” Vader said as he stood and looked down at his angel one last time. It must be my grief. She almost looks like she’s getting color back in her cheeks. “I will keep your memory in my heart until my dying breath.” Vader finished as he then turned and sadly walked over to the durasteel door, opened it and stepped out into the orange rays of a new day dawning. He then closed the door behind him once again, finally allowing Anakin and Obi-Wan to emerge from their hiding place.

At hearing Vader finally leave, Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan who had just drifted off to sleep, his head bobbing up and down off of his chest. “Obi-Wan, wake up.” Anakin said as he poked his former master in the shoulder with his right index finger.

“Wh-What?” Obi-Wan said as his head shot up with his eyes slightly open and looked over at Anakin still half awake.

“Vader just left.” Anakin told him as he got to his feet and stretched. His butt had become numb from sitting on the hard, cold stone floor all night, causing him to hobble out from behind the marble casket that had become their hiding place for the duration of the night.

“Oh…FINALLY.” Obi-Wan replied as he tried getting to his feet, but then realized that his legs had fallen asleep and he couldn’t get up. “Oh no.” He said as he plopped back down on the hard, stone floor. “Ow”.

“What?” Anakin said as he looked back over towards their former hiding place. “Where are you?” He said as he walked back over to where Obi-Wan should have been standing and he looked around as he saw no one..

“I’m down here.” Obi-Wan said. “It seems that my legs have gone numb from sitting too long and I can’t move them. Oww…oww. and I think the circulation is coming back now.” He moaned.

Anakin laughed as his rear-end was started to feel normal again and he walked behind the marble casket and bent down to help Obi-Wan to his feet. “If it makes you feel any better, my butt went to sleep.”

“Well…at least you can walk.” Obi-Wan retorted as Anakin got him to his feet and Obi-Wan put his right arm around Anakin’s shoulders for support.

“Ohhhhh” Both men heard a moan from Padme’s direction, causing them both to look towards her coffin. “Ani…Where are you?”

“Right here, Angel.” Anakin said as Obi-Wan unwrapped his right arm from around Anakin’s shoulders and then leaned up against the casket they had been hiding behind. Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. “Will you be ok?”

“I’ll be fine. Go help your wife.” Obi-Wan told him as he shooed him away.

Anakin practically ran over to Padme and put his arms around her as helped her sit up. “Padme, Vader just left. You couldn’t have timed waking up any better.” He told her as she returned his embrace. Padme looked at him in awe as he reached down and picked her up to carry her in his arms.

“He JUST left?” Padme finally said with shock.

“Yes.” Obi-Wan said as the circulation finally started coming back into his legs enough that he could hobble over to where they were.

“What happened to you?” Padme asked as she yawned and laid her head on Anakin’s shoulder.

“A long wait on a cold, hard floor is what happened.” Obi-Wan answered her as he bent over and put his hands on his knees. He then put his right hand on his lower back as he stood up again, his back making a cracking sound.

“Are you going to be ok, Master?” Anakin asked him as both he and Padme cringed from the cracking sound.

“I’ll be fine. But we better get that coffin closed and push that marble top put on Padme’s vault before someone sees us.” Obi-Wan responded as Anakin sat Padme down on one of the marble benches and joined Obi-Wan as he closed the durasteel coffin.

Both men, with great effort, pushed the heavy, marble slab over off from the table that had been set up next to the casket. The lid slid into place with a loud clank of stone hitting stone and both men paused, trying to catch their breath.

Anakin wiped his brow with his sleeve and joined Padme on the bench, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. Obi-Wan leaned up against Padme’s marble casket and wiped his brow as well. “Well, ready to go to Tatooine?” Obi-Wan asked them, still trying to catch his breath.

Padme and Anakin looked at each other and then at Obi-Wan with smiles on their faces. “Yes, we are.” Anakin answered him cheerfully.

[queennaberrie]

Chapter 29

Obi-Wan took his commlink from his belt and turned it on. “This is Ben. We are ready for transport.” He said in code into the commlink.

“We will send a transport for you right away, Sir.” The officer on the other end told him.

“Very well…We will be awaiting your arrival.” Obi-Wan answered and turned off his commlink. He then looked over at Padme and Anakin who were embracing, kissing and comforting one another. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and smiled, still leaning up against Padme’s marble vault. Despite what Luke and Leia had told them about their futures, he thought about how they had been able to prevent at least some of the events from coming to pass. Obi-Wan still had his ‘brother’ and his ‘brother’ still had his wife and children. This revelation brought happiness to Obi-Wan’s heart and gave him new hope for their futures and that of the galaxy.

Breaking out of his reverie, Obi-Wan walked over closer to the young lovers, who were now just holding each other, and he put his right hand on Anakin’s left shoulder. Anakin then Padme turned to look up at Obi-Wan. “The transport should be here soon.” He told them.

They both smiled back at Obi-Wan. “Good.” Anakin answered him. “Perhaps now we can go on with our lives with some semblance of peace.” Anakin added and then looked down. “I just wish we could do more, though. I still feel so guilty for falling for Palpatine’s lies and for what happened to Master Windu.”

Padme hugged Anakin tighter. “Now don’t you go blaming yourself again.” Padme told her husband as he looked back at her and weakly smiled. “You did not kill Master Windu. Palpatine did. You said so yourself.”

“Padme’s right, Anakin. It was Palpatine that killed Master Windu, not you.” Obi-Wan interjected as Anakin and Padme both looked back at him. “And you were just as deceived as the rest of us. We all thought that Palpatine had the Republic’s best interests at heart. Unfortunately, we were all wrong and we paid for it dearly.” Obi-Wan told him as he then put his right hand on his chin and looked away in thought. “We can only hope that the Force will provide us with the right opportunity to eventually take Palpatine out of power.”

Anakin looked down at the floor and then back at Obi-Wan. “Why do we have to wait? Why don’t we go after him now?”

Obi-Wan looked at his ‘brother’ and smiled to himself. Always the impatient one. “You must have patience, Anakin…because it’s the will of the Force that we wait. The Emperor has too many supporters right now. It would be suicide to try to bring him down now; and then where would the galaxy be? We may be the galaxy’s last hope.”

Anakin looked down again and thought about what Obi-Wan had just said. After a few moments, he then looked back at his former master. “I know that you’re right, Obi-Wan. But I just hate doing nothing.”

Padme pulled her husband tighter to her and held his chin in her right hand, turning his head so he was forced to look at her. “Ani, I know this is hard for you; but we must think positive.” She then smiled at him, putting both arms around his neck, and kissed him lightly on the lips. She pulled back and looked lovingly into his sparkly, blue eyes. “We can raise our family together, Ani. And then grow old together like we always dreamed about.” Then her smile became even bigger as she laid her head on his shoulder. “Perhaps we can even have more children.”

Anakin smiled down at Padme, running his left hand down her cheek and then laid his head on top of hers. “Yes, that would be wonderful, Padme.” But then he became more serious and looked away. “If only it could be that simple.”

“What do you mean?” Padme asked with concern on her face as she lifted her head back up to look at her husband.

Anakin looked back at Padme and weakly smiled, looking directly into her beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. “You know it won’t be that simple, Padme. Eventually Obi-Wan and I will have to come out of hiding and face the Emperor and Vader.” He sighed and looked away. “And we could lose any chance of us growing old together because of it.”

Obi-Wan put his right hand on Anakin’s shoulder again, causing the couple to look up at him again. “Anakin.” He sighed. “Then we will all enjoy the time we have together while it lasts. It could be years before we have to face our destinies. And who’s to say that you both won’t be able to grow old together? You still might have that dream.”

Padme looked back at her husband. “Obi-Wan’s right. We could still grow old together.” She tried to assure him and Anakin looked lovingly back at his wife. “We just have to keep faith in that.”

“I’ll try to.” Anakin responded as he weakly smiled back at his wife and they both just continued to stare into each others eyes. They then met each other in the middle as they started to softly kiss.

Obi-Wan smiled at the loving couple and then heard the noise of an approaching transport, turning his head in the direction of the door. He then turned back to where Anakin and Padme were now passionately kissing. “Eh..hem.” Obi-Wan cleared his throat as he put his right fist over his mouth. Anakin and Padme immediately broke from their intense kiss and turned to look at Obi-Wan. “I believe our transport has arrived.”

It was then that they heard the squeaky, durasteel door of the mausoleum start to open, causing them all to cautiously look at the door. “Master Kenobi? Knight Skywalker? Are you in here?”

“Yes, we are.” Obi-Wan answered the young man who poked his head in the door and they recognized as an Aldreanean Navy lieutenant from Senator Organa’s ship.

The lieutenant smiled and then opened the door far enough for him to slip inside, carrying some black cloaks and wearing one himself, they noticed. “Senator Organa sent these mourning cloaks for you all to put on. We had no idea that it would take so long for you to contact us. And the citizens of Theed should be waking up soon. He felt that it would be necessary for all of you to have a disguise.”

“Yes, thank you Lieutenant.” Obi-Wan said as he smiled and took the cloaks from him. “That was good thinking on his part.”

The lieutenant smiled and bowed. “We will be waiting just outside when you’re ready to leave.” The lieutenant said as he turned, pulling his hood back up, and went back through the door.

“Padme, do you think you can walk?” Obi-Wan asked her as he handed them both a cloak to wear.

“Yes, I think so.” She answered him as husband and wife stood up and took their cloaks from Obi-Wan.

“Good. We wouldn’t want anyone thinking we’re stealing your body if someone saw us carrying you out of here.” Obi-Wan told her.

She nodded and continued to pull the cloak around her and pulled up the hood. Anakin did the same. Padme’s cloak was a little too long, but it wasn’t long enough to hinder her walking. Anakin’s was a little too short and Obi-Wan seemed to get the only one that fit properly, Anakin noticed.

“Hey, Obi-Wan. How did you get a cloak that actually fits you?” Anakin asked with mock irritation.

Obi-Wan looked both Padme and Anakin up and down, then smiled with amusement. “Oh, I don’t know…Maybe because I’m the elder one here.”

“Oh, is that so.” Anakin retorted. “In that case, age before beauty.” Anakin said as he smirked and held out his hand towards the door.

Obi-Wan just mockingly glared at him and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He then took his right hand and pointed his right index finger towards Anakin. “You know…” He started and then stopped, shaking his head, when he couldn’t think of a smart comeback. “Why do I even bother?” He finally said as Anakin smirked in satisfaction of having stumped his former master. “Come on.” Obi-Wan said as motioned them to follow him and he headed out the door, pulling his hood up as he went.

Anakin smiled down at Padme and chuckled. “I guess I stumped the great ‘Negotiator’”. He told her as she laughed and looked lovingly back up at her husband.

“That you did.” She responded and they both pulled their hoods up over their heads and proceeded towards the door. Anakin then put his right arm around her and she put her left around his waist, laying her head against his chest as they walked out the door together.

They stopped just outside the door and Anakin then let go of his wife so he could close the door. He pulled on door, it squeaking and creaking until the door shut with a loud clank, symbolically closing another chapter on their lives. Anakin then turned back to Padme, who was smiling at him through tear filled eyes from under her cloak. Anakin smiled back down at her and put his right arm back around her as they both walked down the stairs and across the courtyard towards the transport. Today marked a huge change in their lives, one that they hoped would, in the end, lead to a happy ending.

-------------------------------------------

When they arrived back at the Senator Organa’s ship, Obi-Wan and the happy couple immediately went to their prospective rooms. Anakin and Obi-Wan, especially, were tired from being up all night and in dire need to use the refresher after such a long wait hiding in the tomb.

Padme could only laugh as her husband practically ran straight to the refresher when they reached their room, with Leia giving her mother an inquisitive look. “Is he ok?” Leia asked her mother as she was sitting in a chair feeding baby Luke with a bottle.

This question caused Padme to laugh even louder, covering her mouth with both hands. “He’s fine.” Padme finally said between snickers as she took off her cloak, putting it on the bed, and crossed the room to pick up a cooing baby Leia from her bassinette. She had long since removed the water-filled inflatable pillow from her clothes on their way back to the ship and had her more slender appearance back. She then sat down in another chair on the opposite side of the bassinettes, cradling her baby daughter in her arms, and turned to her adult daughter, who still had a look of bewilderment on her face. “He had a VERY long wait hiding with Obi-Wan in the tomb and is just in dire need to use the refresher. I presume that is where Obi-Wan is also at this very moment.”

Leia started to snicker. “Oh, is that all. From the look on his face, I could have sworn he was in a lot pain, possibly injured.”

Padme continued laughing. “Oh, yes. In pain, I’m sure he was.” She answered her daughter as they both continued laughing.

“I heard that!” Came the muffled voice of Anakin from the refresher. “And it’s not that funny!” This caused the ladies to laugh even harder until Anakin emerged from the refresher with a mock glare on his face. “Oh, so this is the thanks I get? I wait around for 11 hours…11 HOURS for my evil Sith self to leave, a wait, mind you, that also included having Nubian rats crawling all over both Obi-Wan and I…and I can tell you that was no picnic…And enduring hours on end of sitting in one place with Obi-Wan, while enduring his constant sarcastic remarks. And it gets even better. Should I go on?” He said waving his arms around.

Padme stopped laughing and smiled at her husband. She then got up from her chair and walked over to Anakin with baby Leia still in her arms. She put her free arm around his waist and reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sorry, Anakin. You’ve had a long 24 hours and we shouldn’t be laughing at you.” But then she got a big smile on her face again as she tried to stifle a laugh. “But it’s just too funny not to laugh.”

“Oh, funny…just laugh it up ladies. I will get my revenge someday. You know I will.” Anakin said with a twinkle in his eye, trying stay as serious as possible. But then he broke his facade and started to laugh with them, putting both of his arms lovingly around Padme and baby Leia. He bent down and kissed his wife softly on the lips and looked into her eyes.

When they were done kissing, Padme looked back into her husband’s eyes. “I knew you weren’t really mad and just teasing us.”

“Oh you know me that well, milady?” Anakin responded with a smile.

“Yes, I do.” Padme responded as baby Leia then started to fuss and then cry. “Aww.” Padme said as she looked down at baby Leia and then Anakin took his baby daughter from Padme into his arms, carrying her over to the bed.

“Shh.” Anakin said to his baby girl, while trying to use the Force to comfort her, which did partially work but she still was being rather fussy.

“She, I, she may be hungry.” Adult Leia awkwardly said. “She hasn’t been fed yet.” She told them as she realized that Luke had finally finished his bottle. Leia then put a rag over her shoulder and then proceeded to lay Luke’s head on her shoulder as she patted and rubbed his back, causing a sound of a tiny burp to come from him.

Padme then crossed the room to take baby Leia back from Anakin. “I’ll feed Leia, Ani. Why don’t you get ready for bed? You’ve been up over 24 standard hours and need your rest.” She told him as she took baby Leia back into her arms.

He tried to protest, but knew she was right. Anakin then got up from the bed and walked over to where his adult daughter was sitting and bent down to kiss his adult daughter and baby son on the cheek. He then stood up and looked down at Leia who was looking up at him with a smile on her face. “If I don’t see you before you leave, good-night, Leia.” He told her with a smile.

“Good-night, Father.” Leia answered him as they noticed that baby Luke was starting to drift back off to sleep. Anakin put his left hand on his son’s head and smiled.

Anakin then walked over to Padme, who was now breast feeding baby Leia while covering herself with a blanket. He bent down and kissed his wife on the cheek. “I’ll be out shortly.” He told her and then turned towards the refresher and entered it, closing the door with a click, to take a shower and change into his sleep pants.

Leia then got up from her chair with a sleeping Luke and placed him in his bassinette, covering him with his baby blanket. She then turned to her mother and smiled. “I guess I should tell you good-night as well.” She said as she walked over to her mother and kissed her on the cheek.

“Good-night, Leia.” Padme replied as she smiled up at her adult daughter. “Tomorrow we’ll be on Tatooine and will see Luke again.”

Leia smiled. “Yes, I’ve missed him.” She realized.

“Yes, so have your father and I.” Padme agreed and Leia smiled back at her.

“Well…good-night, or should I say good morning as it’s already dawn?” Her mother nodded and smiled. “I’ll see you all after we get all get some sleep.” Leia then said with a smile and then turned to quietly leave her parents room, shutting the door behind her.

After Padme finished feeding baby Leia, like her brother, she too feel asleep, so Padme put her into her bassinette and covered her up with a blanket to keep her warm. As she looked down at her two sleeping babies, it made her reminisce about when she first met Anakin as a little boy; and they had taken him onboard her ship to go to Courscant, so he could become a Jedi. She had found him in the cargo hold, huddled against a wall shivering, so she had picked up a blanket and put it around him. Just to think, I’m now doing the same for our children…Ani’s and my children.. And that little Ani is now my husband. But he wasn’t little Ani anymore. He was a man and she loved him dearly.

She also thought back to the day she saw him 10 years later, when he arrived with Obi-Wan because they had been assigned to be her Jedi protectors. At first she didn’t recognize the tall, handsome young man standing behind Obi-Wan. It hadn’t dawned on her that he was the little boy they had found on Tatooine. But then when realization hit her, it sent goosebumps through her and it took all her will power not to laugh at his awkward declaration of how beautiful she had become. And all she could think of to say was “You will always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine.” And now…now they were husband and wife and had two beautiful little babies. It brought tears of happiness to her eyes.

Her thoughts then started to drift back to last horrifying days they had spent together. The fact that they were able to escape the horror of what had happened over the past few days was beyond being a miracle. She brought her hands up to her eyes as it dawned on her how close she had come to losing all of them, and she began to weep uncontrollably.

It was then that a pair of loving arms came around her waist and she felt soft kisses on her neck. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear her Ani come out from the refresher. She turned to face him with tears still evident in her eyes and she put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his warm, bare chest.

Anakin looked down at her with concern, seeing her tear filled eyes. “What’s the matter, Padme?” He asked her as she tightened her embrace around him and he bent down to kiss her on her forehead. “Shh. It’s ok. What’s wrong?” He asked again when she hadn’t answered him.

“I’m just so glad we’re still together.” She finally told him. “And that we’re all safe.”

“So am I.” He told her as they continued to hold each other tight. “And I promise we won’t ever be apart again.”

Padme then looked up at her husband that was looking down at her with those beautiful, blue eyes of his. “I love you, Anakin.”

“I love you too.” He said as he bent down and passionately kissed her on the lips.

It was Padme who finally backed out of their kiss and looked up at her husband. “I-I should get ready for bed.”

“Ok, Angel.” Anakin said with a smile as he released her from their embrace and watched as she went into the refresher to change, closing the door behind her.

Anakin then looked down at their two sleeping angels and bent down to give each one of them a kiss on the cheek goodnight. He then stood back up, looking down at them with love. But then he started to feel being up the last 24 hours taking its toll. He yawned and crossed the room to their bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in. As soon as he hit the pillow, he was asleep.

After several minutes, Padme finally emerged from the refresher and shut the light off. She smiled over at her husband’s sleeping form and walked over to their babies’ bassinettes to check on them and kissing them goodnight before climbing into bed herself.

Although, upon getting into bed, she had slept for so long, that she now realized she wasn’t tired and found herself staring at the ceiling. But it felt good to be in bed next to her husband, who was now sleeping on his back. She looked over at him with love in her eyes and then reached up to turn the light off on the night stand. Padme then laid back down and cuddled up against Anakin. And, after what seemed like an eternity, she finally drifted off to sleep herself.

[queennaberrie]

Chapter 30

Anakin awoke to hear the laughter of Padme and Leia. He opened his eyes and looked over to see his wife sitting in front of the vanity and Leia trying to style his wife’s now very short hair. He sat up as both the women turned to look at him as he threw off the covers and swung his feet around to place on the floor, then stood up.

“Ani, you’re finally awake.” Padme said with a smile as she got up from the vanity and walked over to stand in front of him, wearing a light blue tunic, matching pants, and brown boots. “Do you like my hair?” She asked as she ran her hand through her now bobbed hair, and then shook her head back and forth, letting it swing back and forth.

Anakin smiled down at his wife and put his left hand through her hair and kissed her lightly on the lips. He then looked into her eyes. “It will take a bit of getting used to, but I think it looks very nice on you.” He told her.

Padme looked at him suspiciously and then sadness. “You hate it!” Padme retorted with a pout, running her right hand through it again.

Anakin ran his left hand down her cheek and smiled down at her. “No, I don’t hate it. It brings out your beautiful features, especially your eyes.”

“But…” Padme said looking up at him inquisitively.

“Why would you say there’s a but?” Anakin asked her with his hands now on her shoulders.

“Because you have that tone in your voice.” Padme responded with her hands now on her hips.

“And what tone is that?” Anakin asked, looking down at her slyly.

“The one that says you’re holding something back.” Padme told him while squinting her eyes up at him with suspicion. “So don’t hide anything from me, Anakin Skywalker. What do you really think?”

Anakin sighed and smiled down at his wife again, running his left hand through her hair. “Ok…I confess…I love it but I hate it. It does make you look very beautiful, I admit, but you know I prefer it long.”

Padme smiled back up at her husband. “Now that’s more like it. I want complete honesty from you from now on.” She told him while pointing her right index finger up at him. “No sneaking around with half truths. Do you hear me?”

Anakin laughed. “So when we’re both old and gray, I should tell you so.”

Padme then started to laugh with him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and he put his arms around her. “No, in that instance, you can still tell me I’m beautiful, even if I’m not.” She told him with a smile.

Leia, who had been standing by, smiling at her parents loving exchange, finally spoke up. “We’ve landed on Tatooine and Luke should be here soon.” She told her father.

Both her parents looked at Leia and smiled. “In that case, I better get changed.” Anakin said as kissed his wife quickly on the lips before letting her go to head for the refresher, closing he door behind him.

“Well, that went better than you hoped.” Leia said as she walked up to her mother and smiled, with her arms crossed in front of her.

Padme smiled back at her daughter. “Yes, I thought for sure he’d totally hate it. I’m not sure if I even like it. I’ve never had it cut this short before.” She said as she reached up to touch the back of her hair.

Then they heard a knock on the door and Padme went over to open it. There stood Obi-Wan, who now also looked rested up after the long day they’d endured for the mock funeral. “Good day…Renee.” Obi-Wan said as he winked at her.

“Good day…Ben.” Padme said, winking back at him while still trying to get used to using their new names. “Will you come in?” She said as she stepped aside to let him enter.

“Certainly, but look who else is here to greet you.” Obi-Wan said as he walked in and smiled at Leia as he turned to face the door again. Luke then came into view in the doorway.

“Luke!” Both Padme and Leia said in unison as he entered his parent’s bedroom and Padme put her arms around him.

“Mother, I’ve missed you.” Luke responded as they embraced, but then backed out of it as they looked at one another in the face, smiling, with their hands still on each other’s shoulders.

“I’ve missed you too.” Padme replied.

“Luke.” Leia said with a smile as her brother let go of his mother and then embraced his sister. “We’ve all missed you.”

“And I’ve missed all of you too.” Luke responded as he then became serious and started to look around. “Where’s father?”

“Oh, he’s in the refresher getting changed.” Padme answered him with a smile. “He should be out shortly. Do you want to see the babies?”

Luke nodded his head as he released himself from Leia’s embrace, smiled at her, and then followed his mother over to the bassinettes. “This is so weird.” He said as he looked down at himself and his sister as babies. They were both moving their little legs and arms around, while looking up at Luke and their mother with big bright eyes.

“Yes, it is.” Padme responded with a laugh as she put her right arm around her adult son. “Can you imagine how it’s been for Leia, having to help take care of you and your sister as babies?”

“I’ll bet it’s been very surreal for her.” He said as he smiled over at his mother.

It was then that they heard the door of the refresher open and Anakin emerged wearing a simple tan tunic and matching pants. He smiled when he saw his adult son. “Luke, I didn’t know you were here.”

Padme and Luke both turned to face him. “Hello, Father.” Luke said as he smiled back at him and then walked over to him. They looked at one another and then gave each other a hug.

“I’ve missed you, son.” Anakin told him.

“And I’ve missed you as well.” Luke replied.

“Well…” Obi-Wan started as he rubbed his hands together. “Now that everyone is reacquainted. What do you say about us all getting some breakfast before leaving the ship together? There’s a lot we all need to discuss.”

“That sounds like a good idea. I’m famished.” Anakin said with a smile.

“I’ll get the babies’ carriers.” Padme said as she walked over to retrieve them from their closet, opening the door and pulling them out, one in each hand.

“Carriers?” Anakin said with amazement as he scratched his head. “When did we get those?”

“Oh, I’ve had them.” Padme responded with a smile as she walked passed her husband back to the babies’ bassinettes, placing both carriers on the bed. “Leia and I packed them when we left Courscant.”

“Oh.” Anakin said as walked over to the closet and looked inside with curiosity. “What else do you have stashed in here?” He asked as he poked his head in the closet.

Padme laughed. “Not too many more surprises. I can assure you. Are you going to help me?” She asked him.

Anakin smiled over at her and then crossed the room, smiling down as his wife as he lifted baby Luke from his bassinette. He followed Padme’s lead as she lifted Leia up and then put her into one of the carriers, fastening her in with the straps. Anakin watched what she did and did the same with Luke. She smiled over at him and inspected his work, nodding and smiling at him with approval. “I did good?” Anakin asked her as he smiled back at her.

“You did perfect.” Padme responded with a smile as she lifted Leia’s carrier and started towards the door. “Coming?”

Anakin smiled at her as he saw her walking towards the door. “Yes.” He responded as he picked up Luke’s carrier and followed her. But then he then stopped at the door, noticing everyone else still standing just inside the door, watching them. “Are you all coming?”

They all laughed. “Yes.” Luke said as they followed Padme and Anakin out into the hallway.

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Anakin and Padme sat baby Luke and Leia’s carriers on the floor nearby where they could see them as everyone sat around the conference table to eat breakfast.

“I assume you all are wondering how you’re going to live now that you’re on Tatooine?” Bail asked from the end of the table as she wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

They all looked at him. “Yes.” Anakin answered him. “But I was hoping that perhaps my stepbrother, Owen, and his wife might be able to put us up for awhile until we get settled.”

“They’re willing to, Father.” Luke interjected from directly across the table. “They told me that they are willing to help you anyway they can.”

Anakin smiled at his son. “Good. I was hoping so.” But then he got a look of curiosity on his face as he remembered the youngling his stepbrother and his wife had adopted. “So how is Tobin settling in?” He asked Luke.

Luke smiled over at him. “Oh, he’s settling in fine. I think he likes having a family to take care of him.” He then became sad, looking down and then back up at his father. “He’s been through so much. So have the other younglings. I just hope they all will be as fortunate.”

“I will make sure they all get loving families to take care of them.” Bail interjected. “In fact, we should transfer them to this ship after breakfast.”

Luke nodded and smiled to where Bail was sitting to his left. “Thank you, Senator.” He answered him, and then turned to his sister, who was sitting to his right, with a serious expression on his face. He knew that what he was about to suggest was not going to be taken very well by her, but he knew it was necessary. “Leia, during my time here, I’ve had a lot of time to think.”

Leia looked at him with an equally serious look on her face. “What about, Luke?”

Luke looked down and then back up at his sister. “I think it’s time that we return to the future.”

Everyone looked at him with shock. “But why?” Leia asked. “There still so much to be done here.”

“I know.” Luke answered her. “But we did what we came here to do…to warn them of the future. We have no business staying here now. We’ve served our purpose and now I feel it’s time to return to our own time.”

“But, Luke, we don’t know what we’ll find when we get back there.” Leia retorted. “We didn’t prevent Palpatine from taking over again. It could be worse, not better.”

Luke looked back over at their father and then their mother from across the table. “Oh, I think we’ll find things are changed for the better.” He said as he smiled over at his parents and then looked back at his sister. “Father won’t be Darth Vader this time.”

“Yes, but there’s that other Darth Vader.” Leia reminded him.

“Leia, Luke is right.” Anakin interjected. “Although, your mother and I will miss you terribly…I, too, feel it’s the will of the Force that you should return to your own time.”

Leia looked over at her father with tears forming in her eyes. “But…”

“It’s ok, Leia.” Anakin tried to assure her. “You did your job. Now it’s our turn to try to make things right.” Leia looked down as a tear started flowing down her cheek. “And if everything goes well, we’ll be there to greet you when you arrive back in the future.”

This caused Leia to look back at her father with a smile. “I hope so. But it will tear me apart if all of you aren’t still alive in the future. I’ll miss you all terribly.” She said, looking down again.

Luke looked over at her sister with surprise. He’d known that Leia had started to soften towards their father before they had left Courscant; but now she was showing genuine affection for him. He smiled over at his sister. “I’m glad you’ve finally been able to fully accept our father.”

Leia looked over at her brother and smiled. “Yes, I’ve gotten to know him much better over the past few days.” She told him and then laughed, looking back over at her parents. “It really has only been a few days, hasn’t it? And I feel like I’ve know you all my life.”

“Yes, it has.” Padme replied. “Although, you’re right…With all that’s occurred, it does feel like it’s been a lifetime.”

“I’ll second that.” Obi-Wan added and smiled at Anakin and then Padme from the other end of the table before turning his attention back over to Luke and Leia. “We owe you both so much. You saved your father from darkness and given us all new hope for the future.”

“But we failed.” Leia told him as she looked at Obi-Wan, who was sitting to her right. “We weren’t able to stop Palpatine from declaring himself Emperor and…and then there’s that other Darth Vader. The galaxy is still in darkness.”

Padme took her husbands left hand in her right, smiled up at him and then over to their daughter. “But Leia, you didn’t fail. We all still have each other. If you and Luke hadn’t come here, we wouldn’t even have that. So you did do a lot of good by coming here.”

Leia smiled at her mother. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Yes, she is right, Leia.” Anakin added with a smile. There was along pause as no one knew what else to say. But then Anakin turned to Luke. “So…when are you planning on returning to the future?” He finally asked.

Luke smiled back over to his father. “I think after we finish getting you settled at Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s.”

Anakin nodded and weakly smiled at him, not knowing what else to say.

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After their breakfast meeting, Luke and Leia helped their parents move all their things into the Lar’s moisture farm, with Beru taking an immediate liking to the babies and agreeing to watch over them while their parents got settled and said their good-byes.

The younglings and padawans that Anakin and Luke had saved from the Temple had since been moved to Senator Organa’s ship and Bail had come to say good-bye to the young time travelers along with their parents and Obi-Wan.

They had all gathered just outside the Lar’s domed entrance to their home; and Padme and then Anakin hugged their adult children with tears evident in the eyes of both parents and children. “We’ll miss you.” Padme said as she hugged Leia tight and then reluctantly broke her embrace before moving to Luke.

“We’ll miss you, too, Mother.” Luke said as Leia wiped the tears from her eyes before turning her attention to her father.

Anakin reached down and kissed Leia on the cheek and then embraced her with Leia putting her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek as well. “I’ll miss you, Father.” She told him between sniffles.

“And I’ll miss you, my daughter.” He told her as he stepped back enough to look at her and smile, taking both of her hands in his before releasing them to turn his attention towards his son.

“I’ll miss you, too, Father.” Luke said as Padme finally removed herself from their embrace and then Luke moved over to hug his father, with his father returning his tight embrace.

Anakin then backed out of their embrace, looking down at his son with a loving smile before doing the same for his daughter. He took each of their hands in his. “We will see each other again.” He tried to assure them. “I know we will.”

“I hope so.” Leia said with a smile and tears still flowing down her cheeks. It was then that she noticed that her adoptive father, Bail Organa, was standing nearby. Releasing her hand from her father’s, she walked over to Bail and put her arms around him. “Thank you for everything.” She told him as he returned his embrace.

“Your welcome.” Bail said with a smile. “It’s been an honor…And perhaps I’ll also see you in the future as well.” He told her as they backed out of their hug and smiled at one another.

“I hope so.” Leia responded.

Padme then walked over to Anakin, putting her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest with tears streaming down her cheeks. Anakin put his right arm around her and bent down to kiss her on the forehead to comfort her before turning his attention back to watch their adult children finish with their good-byes.

Luke moved over to Obi-Wan and embraced him as well. “Good-bye, Ben.” Luke told him as Obi-Wan returned his embrace. “I hope to see you in the future.”

“As I do.” Obi-Wan said with a smile as Luke then smiled back up at him.

Luke then let go of Obi-Wan and walked back over to join his sister. He turned to Leia, who was standing to his right and gave her a sad glance. “Well…I think it’s time.”

Leia sadly turned to her brother and weakly smiled at him. “Yes.” Was all she could say as they lifted the lids to the devices on their wrists, revealing the button that would send them back to their own time.

“May the Force be with you.” Luke said as both he and Leia looked back up at their parents.

“And with you.” Anakin answered him sadly as they pushed the buttons on their wrist devices, sending them back to the future in blinding flash of light.

The group who watched them leave had to cover their eyes from the blinding light and then Anakin held his wife closer to him as she continued to weep as they looked at the spot where they had just been. “We’ll see them again, Padme. Our babies will grow up.” He told her. “And, hopefully, we will be there when they return to the future; and they will remember everything that’s happened the last few days.”

Padme smiled up at her husband. “I know.” She told him as she then looked away in sorrow. “But I’ll still miss them.”

“So will I.” Anakin responded as he kissed her on the forehead again and pulled her closer to him.

Obi-Wan then walked over to his ‘brother’ and his wife, putting his right hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “Well, come on. We have a lot to do to get our lives set up here.”

Anakin and Padme both smiled at him in agreement, and then they all turned to Bail to say good-bye. Anakin reached out with his right hand to shake Bail’s hand. “And thank you, Senator Organa, for all that you’ve done for us. I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you.”

Bail smiled back at Anakin. “The pleasure was all mine, Anakin. And if there is anything I can ever do for you, please don’t hesitate to call me. I have a feeling we all will have a bumpy road ahead of us. And perhaps I’ll even have to call on you for a favor in the future.”

“I can’t agree more, Senator. And we would be happy to help you in any way we can.” Obi-Wan interjected as Bail turned his attention to him and they shook hands.

“Take care of yourselves.” Bail said as he smiled at Obi-Wan. “And may the Force be all with you.” He told them.

“And with you.” Anakin answered him with a smile.

“Good-bye, Bail.” Padme added as he smiled and then turned to head back towards his ship.

Anakin smiled down at his wife. “Well, I guess we have our whole lives ahead of us. What shall we do first?”

“I don’t know.” Padme said. “I guess we should get our things unpacked and then start looking for a home for our family. I packed some jewelry that I can sell.”

“And I’ll see if I can find a job in Anchorhead as a mechanic.” Anakin added. “I always was good at fixing things. I might as well see if I can make a living at it.” He then looked over at Obi-Wan who was now staring out into space, with his right hand on his chin. “How about you, Obi-Wan? Do you know what you’re going to do?”

Obi-Wan looked over at his friends and smiled. “Oh, I suppose I should try to find somewhere to live too. I wouldn’t want to burden the two of you. As for a job, I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do yet.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll think of something, Master.” Anakin answered him.

“That’s Ben to you…Aaron.” Obi-Wan answered him with a smile. “We better start getting used to our new names.”

“I know.” Anakin said as he smiled at him, still holding Padme close. “And I guess I’ll have to break the habit of calling you Master.” He told them as they all laughed.

“So…Renee…shall we?” Anakin asked his wife as he pointed his right hand towards the entrance to the Lar’s homestead.

“Yes, lets.” She said as they went arm in arm into the dome.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms in front of his chest and shook his head with a smile. Life is certainly going to be interesting from now on. He said to himself as he chuckled. He then lowered his arms to his sides and followed his ‘family’ inside to start their new life.

Author’s Note: Don’t worry folks. This isn’t the end. I thought at one point that I would continue this story as a sequel, but then decided against it. There’s still a lot that’s got to happen before this story truly ends.

And just so you’re not wondering, I will be concentrating on their lives between Episodes III & IV for a few chapters, making a few jumps in years. Then we’ll be back to the real action, when it’s time to resurface and go after the Emperor and Vader. There are just some interesting things that I’d like to indulge in before moving on, which I hope you all will enjoy as well. Don’t worry, though, I won’t be getting side-tracked. It will all go along with the plot of the story.

And if you’re wondering about what happened to adult Luke and Leia when they returned to the future, well, you’re just going to have to stick around to find out. grin

So fasten your seat belts folks, because you’re going to be in for quite a ride.