The Protector

[therealthing]

Chapter 31

Terror, sheer terror…it was in their eyes, in their auras, rolling off their bodies in great searing waves…No don’t…I’m sorry…don’t

Vader woke up with a start, his torso bathed in sweat. He could feel his heart pounding within him, and even he knew that was not good. Within seconds the alarm within the heart monitor he was still attached to started to sound. At once the door burst open and two medical droids and Doctor Rool rushed in.

Here we go, Vader thought impatiently as he braced himself for their examinations.

“How are you feeling?” Dr. Rool asked anxiously as she applied a stethoscope to his chest, the metal cold against his bare skin.

“Blood pressure is 200 over 100,” one of the droids reported. “Heart rate is 100.”

“I had a bad dream,” Vader explained amidst the commotion.

Rool nodded, continuing to listen to his heart. “Your heart is racing,” she told him, looking up at him, a troubled look in her eyes.

Padmé burst into the room at this point, her long hair disheveled, her dressing gown thrown hastily over her nightie. “What’s happening?” she asked, pushing her hair over her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream,” Vader explained.

Padmé looked at Dr. Rool. “Doctor?” she asked.

“One moment please,” she said as she continued to monitor his heart.

“Blood pressure is 110 over 80,” the droid reported.

“Heart rate is returning to normal.” Rool reported. She removed her stethoscope. “You gave us quite a scare,” she told Vader. “That must have been some dream.”

“It was,” he replied, not wanting to scare Padmé. “I need to see my children.”

Rool nodded. “Is that what the dream was about?” she asked.

Vader simply nodded.

“Obviously they are on your mind a great deal,” Rool continued. “What if we arranged to bring them here?”

“That’s a great idea,” Padmé said. “What do you think, Ani?”

Vader shook his head. “The distance is too great,” he replied. “No, their safety could be compromised traveling all that way. Their ship could be intercepted, the Empire could find them…no, out of the question.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to wait to see them,” Rool said.

Vader looked at her, the brooding expression not leaving his face. “So it seems,” he said simply.

Padmé walked to his side and took his hand. “Would it be alright for me to stay with him for while?”” she asked the physician. “Just to help him calm down?”

Rool nodded. “Yes, I think that’s a very good idea,” she said. “He must remain calm if he is to give his body the rest it needs.”

Padmé looked at Vader, knowing that for him that was much easier said than done. “Thank you doctor,” she said. “We’ll do our best, won’t we Anakin?”

Vader looked at his wife and simply nodded.

“Very well,” Rool said, walking away from the bedside. “Try to get some sleep,” she told Vader. “The longer it takes you to regain your strength, the longer your stay here will be I’m afraid,” she told him.

“I understand,” he replied, not taking his eyes away from Padmé.

Rool and one of the droids left at this point, leaving one remaining to continue to ensure that his heart rate and pressure resumed a normal level.

“Don’t they get it?” Vader said as Padmé sat on the edge of the bed. “So long as I am forced to remain here it will be next to impossible for me to remain calm,”

Padmé was beginning to think the same thing. But what could they do? It was a no win situation.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” she said, feeling helpless. “I wish I could think of a solution.”

Vader took her hand, feeling badly that he was venting his frustration on her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t’ mean to make you uneasy, Padmé. I’m just anxious to get out of here.”

“I know you are,” she said. “I’m just as anxious as you are. But you heard what she said; the longer you remain in this state of frustration, the longer it will take for your body to recover. So please Ani, try to keep calm.”

He nodded. “I will try,” he said, running a hand over the long tresses that hung over one shoulder. “Having you here with me helps,” he told her with a smile. “Your presence has always had a soothing affect on me.”

She smiled. “Good” she replied. “Then I will remain here with you,” she added, bringing her legs up onto the bed and snuggling up to him.

Vader was surprised yet pleased by her move, and pulled her close, loving the sensation of having her in his arms again. He looked over at the droid who was busy checking the readout on the monitor.

“Get out, “Vader said simply.

The droid looked up at him, registering as much surprise as an artificial life form can register. It did as it was told, however, and left the room.

Vader pulled the blanket up over the two of them, bringing one arm around her. He kissed her shoulder, loving the scent and feel of her silken hair against his face.

“What was your dream about?” Padmé asked.

Vader hesitated before replying and so she turned to face him. “Ani?”

“It’s difficult to describe,” he said. “The twins were afraid, terrified,” he told her. “I don’t know what it was they were afraid of though,” he added with a frown. “I need to see them, Padmé,” he told her. “I have to get to them.”

Padmé sighed. “What can we do?” she asked him. “They are adamant that you remain here. I don’t know how to change their minds.”

“No, neither do I,” Vader replied, rubbing the tips of her hair between his finger and thumb. “Do you know how incredible it is to be close to you like this again?” To be able to smell the scent of your hair, to feel its softness?”

Padmé smiled. “Yes, I know exactly what you mean,” she replied, running her hands down the sides of his face.

Vader closed his eyes, even the smallest touch from her electrifying his senses.

“I want to make love to you, Padmé,” he told her, opening his eyes and looking at her. “But I’m sure that would set off that damnable heart monitor again, and I don’t exactly wish an audience.”

Padmé smiled. “No, neither do I,” she said, looking into his eyes. “Besides, I think that might qualify as…overdoing it,” she added with a smile.

Vader raised his eyebrows. “Oh? You think so?”

Padmé nodded. “Oh yes, I know so,” she replied. Okay…stop this right now before you push him too far…”We’ll have plenty of time for that when we get home, Ani,” she told him.

“Yes, when we get home,” he replied. “Whenever that is,” he added pessimistically

She smiled. “Just think of that as motivation for keeping calm,” she suggested.

Vader smiled. “Calm? Hardly a work I’d use to describe the state you have me in right now, Padmé,” he told her.

Padmé’s face reddened. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea for me to stay here then,” she said, reproaching herself for her shortsightedness.

“No, don’t leave,” he said. “I’ll behave,” he added with a smile. “I promise.”

“Okay then,” she replied. “But remember; that heart monitor is ultra sensitive,” she teased him.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said pulling her into the crook of his arm. She nestled up close to him and closed her eyes.

“Good night my angel,” he said softly into her ear.

[therealthing]

Chapter 32

Padmé woke up before her husband the next morning. She turned and looked at him, watching him sleep. She could still hardly believe that he was healed and whole again. Even his hair is coming back, she thought as she noticed the blond stubble sprouting on his head and darker stubble on his face.

Yet despite his appearance, Padmé knew that he still had a long way to go before he truly was Anakin Skywalker again. The darkness that had claimed him five years earlier still surged through him; every so often she was reminded of its lethal presence. But he will conquer it, she thought with conviction. Together we will destroy it and its hold on him forever.

Padmé got out of bed quietly, not wishing to wake Vader, and, after putting on her robe, left the room.

I bury my face in the pillows, wrapping my arms around them and start to drift off again when she returns to the room. She is wearing her silken dressing gown, and has let down her hair. In her hand she has a bottle of something that smells wonderful.

“Now I want you to relax,” she says as she sits beside me on the bed. “You’re all tied up in knots again, aren’t you?” she asks.

I nod my head.

“Just as I thought,” she says. I feel something warm on my back and soon realize that it is massage oil. It feels amazing, and when she starts to work it into my shoulders, I feel as though I could melt right into the mattress beneath me.

“Ohhhhhh….” I groan. “That feels incredible.”

“I’m glad you like it,” she says, continuing to rub my tired muscles. Next she moves to the base of my neck, and I can feel her small but determined fingers slowly working their way down my spine.

“Where did you learn to do that?” I murmur against the pillow.

“My grandmother was a healer,” she replies, pouring more oil onto the small of my back. “She taught my mother, and my mother taught Sola and I.”

“Remind me to thank your mother the next time I see her,” I say with a smile.

Padmé laughs as her hands continue to work out all the tightness from my back. “I’m sure she would find it rather strange coming from you,” she comments.

“I guess so,” I reply, feeling myself relax under her expert hands. She leaves my back and moves down on the bed, and the next thing I feel is her warm, oiled hands upon my calves. “Mmmmmm…” is all I manage to say at this point.

She laughs again. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” she says. “Anakin, did anyone ever tell you that you have a lovely bottom?”

It is my turn to laugh. “Only you,” I tell her.

“Well you do,” she says. “Muscular, taut…just perfect,” she says, reaching up and giving me a light slap on the butt.

“Now now,” I say. “Behave yourself, Senator.”

She laughs. “Are you sure about that, Commander?”

I think about that for a moment. “Well….not entirely,” I admit.

Padmé laughs again. “Okay, turn over,” she says.

Turn over….oh boy, this is really getting interesting now…

“Lord Vader…Lord Vader.”

Vader was yanked from the beautiful visions of his dream by the monotonic voice of the medidroid. He opened eyes and glared up at it. “What?” he growled.

“I’ve brought you some breakfast,” the droid replied, setting down the tray. “Doctor Rool has ordered high calcium, high protein diet for you to strengthen your new bone and muscle tissue.”

Vader nodded his understanding as he sat up in his bed. “Where is my wife?” he asked.

“I don’t know sir,” the droid replied. “Shall I inquire for you?”

“Never mind,” Vader muttered, standing up. “I’d like to take a shower,” he said. “That’s something you can inquire about.”

“I shall do so at once,” the droid replied, pleased to have a task to perform. It scurried out of the room, leaving Vader alone.


“This report is very alarming,” Dr. Durran said as he examined the datapad in his hand. “Blood pressure 200 over 100?? That’s far too much stress on his heart.”

Dr. Rool nodded. “Yes, I know,” she replied. “He said he’d had a nightmare.”

“Do you believe him?” Durran asked her.

“Why shouldn’t’ I?” she asked. “Increased heart rate and blood pressure are common physical reactions to nightmares. The fact that they returned to normal within a short time would indicate that he was telling the truth. Why would you suspect otherwise?”

“Because he wants desperately to leave,” Durran replied. “And has unusual abilities that could enable him to…”

“To fake a crisis? Is that what you’re implying?”

Both physicians turned to see Padmé standing in the doorway. She looked at each of them in turn, her dark eyes reflecting her indignation.

“Mrs. Skywalker,” Durran began. “Your husband’s abilities are no secret,” he said. “And it’s quite obvious that he is more than anxious to leave this facility. Is it so far fetched to think that he would do such a thing?”

“Yes it is,” Padmé retorted at once. “Anakin is no liar! He has done many things, made many mistakes in his life, but he has never been a liar. Besides that, he has suffered from nightmares for as long as I’ve known him, so for him to have one now is not unusual at all, and I resent that you would imply otherwise.”

“Well, you certainly know your husband better than we do,” Dr. Rool commented, trying to soothe Padmé.

“Yes I do,” Padmé replied. “This is why I can tell you that so long as you force him to remain here, the more stress you will place on him.”

“What do you suggest, Padmé?” Dr. Rool asked in exasperation.

I don’t know!! Padmé wanted to scream. Instead, she merely shook her head. “I wish I knew what to suggest,” she replied.

Rool and Durran looked at one another.

“Doctor Rool! Doctor Durran!”

All three turned to see a medidroid scurrying down the corridor towards them.

“What is wrong?” Rool asked.

“We are no longer getting a readout from Lord Vader’s heart monitor.”

“What?” Durron exclaimed as all three of them started down the hallway.


Vader had almost forgotten how enjoyable a hot shower could be. It was not until he had lost the ability to perform even the most rudimentary things, like taking a shower, that he truly missed them. But now….this is fantastic, he thought as he closed his eyes and allowed the water to cascade over his body. He had grown impatient waiting for the droid to return and had simply disconnected himself from the monitoring device and gone ahead with the shower. He figured that if he were in and out quickly enough, the droid would never be the wiser. But now that he was rediscovering the joys of water on his new body, it was rather difficult to keep the shower short. What did motivate him, however, was the hunger rumbling in his stomach.

Remembering the breakfast tray, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower stall. Standing in front of the mirror as he toweled off, he was startled by the sight of his face after so long. He peered closely at himself, running a hand over his chin with a smile as he realized that he needed a shave.

From outside in his room he heard the door open. Great, he thought, hastily wrapping a towel around his waist. He reentered the room to see Padmé, Doctors Rool and Durran standing there.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dr. Durran asked.

“I would think that is fairly obvious,” Vader replied evenly.

“No, not the shower,” Durran replied testily. “This,” he said, picking up the synthetic patch that Vader had removed from his neck.

“I didn’t think I should get it wet,” he replied simply.

Padmé, relieved that he was alright, was amused by his cheekiness. That’s the Anakin I remember, she thought with a smile.

“I don’t think that is the point Dr. Durran is trying to make,” Dr. Rool said at this point.

“No, it most certainly isn’t,” Durran put in. “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove with this stunt, but I can assure you that none of us are impressed.”

Vader’s blue eyes grew cold as he stared at Durran. “I didn’t realize taking a shower was a stunt,” he replied evenly.

Durran grew uneasy under Vader’s stare, which, he decided, was every bit as intimidating and unnerving as the mask he had worn mere days ago.

“Please do not remove the patch again,” Dr. Rool said at last. “At least not without telling someone. That’s all we ask.”

Vader turned his eyes to her next. “Fair enough,” he replied, his gaze softening.

Rool looked at her colleague. “Shall we, Doctor?” she said, taking him by the arm.

Durran left without another word, but an uneasy feeling within him.

Vader watched them leave and then turned to Padmé with a smile. “I missed you when I woke up,” he said, reaching out to her.

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” she explained as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “You seemed to be having such a good sleep.” She put her hands on his bare chest. “Did you enjoy your shower?”

He nodded. “Yes,” He replied. “Though I would have enjoyed it far more if you had shared it with me,” he added.

Padmé smiled, running her hands up to his broad, bare shoulders. “Now Ani, you promised to behave,” she reminded him playfully.

“That was yesterday,” he replied, pulling her close. “Besides, no heart monitor, remember?” he added, kissing the side of her neck

“You’re terrible,” she said, closing her eyes as he nuzzled her neck. How easy it would be to just give in to the feelings that he was evoking within her. It seemed the repairs to his body had unleashed and possibly augmented his already healthy libido. Padmé knew that she needed to be the one to keep things from going too far, to be the voice of reason and responsibility; but it was so difficult to be responsible when he smelled so good, when his body was warm and beautiful and so very close to hers…

“Lord Vader, I have made the inquiry you requested.”

Padmé and Vader looked around quickly to see a medidroid standing before them, completely oblivious to the tender moment it was interrupting.

“Thank you,” Vader replied, not releasing his wife.

“You’re most welcome, sir,” the droid replied. “It is perfectly acceptable for you to proceed.”

Vader nodded. “Wonderful,” he replied as Padmé suppressed a laugh.

“I have brought you some additional clothing as well,” the droid continued, setting down a pile of clothes. “Should you wish to change.”

“Thank you,” Padmé said, stepping away from her husband. “That was very thoughtful of you, wasn’t it, Ani?”

Vader simply nodded, as he inwardly cursed the ill timing of the hapless droid.



“Akiva, I’m beginning to think we’ve made a terrible mistake,” Dr. Durran said as they walked through the corridor together.

“You mean you think we ought to release him?” Rool asked in surprise.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Durran responded. “I mean Vader. Have we made a mistake by helping him become even stronger? Have we created a monster?”

Rool was chilled by his words. “I’m surprised to hear you talk this way, Rath,” she said at last. “I thought you believed that he has changed, as I do.”

Durran shook his head. “I’m not so sure, Akiva,” he said, worry creasing his brow. “Did you see the way he looked at me just now? The look I saw in his eyes was not one of a redeemed man; it was the look of a killer. I can’t help but think that we have made an already dangerous man even more so.”

Rool frowned. “Don’t say that. I refuse to believe that. Padmé Amidala is a highly intelligent woman. She would never allow herself to be manipulated in the way that you are implying.”

“Padme Amidala is a woman in love,” Durran returned. “And is so desperate to have back the man she once loved that she would go to any lengths to make it happen. Love is blind, Akiva; haven’t you ever heard that expression? How else could she accept him despite all the atrocities he has committed?”

Rool remained silent, not wanting to consider for an instant that what he was saying may be true. It sickened her to think of it. No, it’s not true…he is different. He loves his wife, he loves his children… no monster could fake those kinds of emotions…

“I think you’re wrong,” Rool replied at last. “I think that we have helped him in his quest to regain his humanity, Rath. Is he redeemed? No, not yet, not entirely. But is he the same man who has terrorized the galaxy for the past five years? No, I don’t believe so. I never would have agreed to help him if I believed that. And deep down inside you feel the same way.”

Durran sighed. “I don’t know how to feel or what to believe anymore,” he admitted. “All I know is that he scares me, and I’ll sleep better when he’s out of our care.”

“Then maybe we should grant him his wish,” Rool suggested. “Let him go home.”

Durran nodded. “I won’t shirk my responsibility to him as a patient,” he told her. “But perhaps there is a way to give him what he wants without doing so.”

“I think there is,” Rool replied. “And he has already suggested it. A medi-droid.”

Durran nodded. “Yes, yes I remember,” he said, considering her words. “Well Akiva, perhaps that is the solution we are looking for.”

“Shall we tell him?” she asked.

“Let’s tell his wife,” Durran suggested. “I’ve had quite enough of Darth Vader for one day.”

[therealthing]

Chapter 33

“Excuse me, Mrs. Skywalker,” Two-Four-Bee said as it stepped into the room. “Doctors Durran and Rool would like a word with you.”

Padmé looked up at the droid. “What about?” she asked.

“I cannot say, milady,” the droid replied. “Only they said it was rather urgent.”

Padmé frowned and looked at Vader. “Seems they don’t want me to know,” he said. “Or else they’d just come here and talk to you.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Padmé replied. “Or else you’ve scared them away,” she suggested with a smile.

Vader raised his eyebrows. “Me?” he asked. “I can’t imagine why you’d think that,” he commented.

Padmé laughed as she stood up. “No, I’m sure you can’t, “she said, bending down and kissing his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

Vader nodded and watched her go, annoyed that the doctors had taken her away. What do they need to say to her that can’t be said in front of me? He wondered in irritation as he finished his meal.

“You wanted to see me, doctors?” Padmé asked as she entered their office.

“Yes Padmé,” Dr. Rool said, as they both stood to greet her. “Please, have a seat.”

Padmé sat down, looking at each of them in turn. “I have to admit that you have me quite alarmed,” she said. “What do you need to say to me that can’t be said in front of my husband?”

Rool looked at Durran. “Well, let’s just say we are more comfortable speaking with you alone,” she said trying to be diplomatic.

“I see,” Padmé replied, realizing that her comment to Vader had been accurate; they were afraid of him. “So what is this about?”

“Dr. Rool and I have decided that it would be more conducive to his recovery if your husband were to go home,” Dr. Durran replied. “It seems you were correct; the stress of being here is more than we anticipated, and it is hindering his recovery.”

Padmé raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You have certainly changed your mind quickly,” she observed. “Was my husband’s …stunt as you put it, the impetus behind this decision?”

Durran glanced at Dr. Rool briefly. “Well, not entirely,” he said, not terribly convincingly. “But we are confident that it would be in his best interest nonetheless.”

Padmé smiled. Who cares what made them change their mind; Ani can go home! “How soon can we leave?”

“Well, there are several stipulations we must insist upon,” Dr. Rool said, “in order for us to release him.”

“Of course,” Padmé replied. “I will follow your instructions to the letter.”

“First of all, one of our medidroids will accompany you back to Delaya,” Durran replied. “That way should something happen, he’ll have immediate attention.”

Padmé nodded, smiling to herself as she remembered that it had in fact been her husband who had initially made that suggestion. “That’s a reasonable request,” she said. “Anything else?”

“Only this list of instructions,” Dr. Rool said, handing Padmé a datapad. “It’s mainly a list of precautions and instructions for his day to day health care and exercise regimen.”

Padmé nodded, glancing over the list. She smiled as she did so, imagining her husband’s reaction to it.

“So when can we leave then?” she asked looking back up at doctors.

“As soon as you wish,” Dr. Rool replied. “I’ll make the preparations.”


Padmé returned to Vader’s room, the smile not leaving her face. Luke and Leia will be so excited, she thought. I can’t wait for them to see their father now that he’s whole again.

Vader looked up as the door opened, and smiled when he saw his wife enter the room. “You look rather pleased,” he commented.

“I am pleased,” she replied. “Very pleased.”

Vader nodded. “Indeed,” he said as she sat down across from him. “Are you going to tell me why? Or do I need to use one of my mind tricks on you?” he asked with a smile.

Padmé snorted. “They never worked on me, Ani, you know that,” she replied. “But you can try if you wish.”

Vader laughed. “No, I’d rather just have you tell me,” he said. “Your mind is not an easy one to read, and I’m not supposed to over do it, remember?”

“Yes, I remember,” she laughed. “How would you feel about going home?”

“Going home?” he said. “Are you serious?”

Padmé nodded. “Yes, that’s what they wanted to tell me,” she explained. “They feel that, how did they put it? Being at home would be more conducive to your recovery,” she said with a smile. “And realize that you are under too much stress here to allow you to properly convalesce.”

Vader smiled. “Fantastic,” he said. “So when do we leave?”

“Not so fast,” she said, assuming a more serious demeanor. “There is a rather lengthy list of instructions here that you must agree to before they’ll release you.”

“Of course,” he replied, folding his arms over his chest. “What instructions might they be?”

“Well, let’s see,” she said, looking at the list on the datapad.

“No strenuous exercise,” she began, reading from the datapad, “but walking daily, increasing the distance slowly; continue high calcium high protein diet until the medidroid determines you can begin a regular diet:” she looked up at him at this point. “They decided your idea of taking a droid with us is a good one after all,” she told him.

“How wise of them,” he commented. “Anything else?”

“Oh yes, much more,” she said, looking back down at the list. “Let’s see; it says here you will have periods of high energy bursts followed by extreme fatigue, and that this is normal and your body will regulate this over time. The medidroid will monitor you and decrease monitoring over time. You must return in one month for follow up testing and examination. If you have any shortness of breath, painful breathing or chest pains, swelling in your legs or arms weakness or dizziness, you must notify the medidroid and arrange immediate transport back here.” She looked up at him. “Well? Think you can live with that?”

Vader nodded. “Quite a lengthy list,” he commented.

“Yes, it is,” she replied, suppressing a smile at his obvious disappointment that one item from the list was missing. “Oh, there is one more thing here,” she remarked casually.

“What else?” he asked, almost afraid to know.

“It says here that you can resume marital relations immediately,” she replied, “and that they are actually good for your cardiovascular system.”

Vader laughed out loud. “Ah, so the doctors are ordering that we resume marital relations, is that what you’re saying?”

Padmé laughed. “Well, not in so many words,” she said.

“Oh I think they are,” he said, smiling broadly. “Far be it from me to disobey doctors’ orders,” he added. “So when do we go home?”

“Dr. Rool said she would make the arrangements,” Padmé replied. “So hopefully sometime this afternoon.”

“So we’ll be home when the children are waking up in the morning,” Vader said, smiling at the thought of it. “I can’t wait to see them, Padmé. Just to be able to finally kiss their precious faces will be like a dream come true,” he added.

Padmé smiled. “I can’t wait to see them either,” she said. “I can only imagine how surprised and excited they will be to see you.”

Vader nodded. “They won’t even recognize me,” he reflected. “I look so different now.”

Padmé nodded. “Yes, you do,” she said, touching his face. “You look like you did five years ago. It’s a miracle.”

“Well, the hair is a little shorter,” he said, rubbing the stubble on his head. “But it’s coming along.”

“Yes, it is,” she said. “You’ll need a shave soon too,” she commented, running her hands down the sides of his face.

Vader smiled, pulling her close to him. “As I recall, you like that scruffy, unkempt look,” he said.

Padmé laughed. “Yes, that’s true,” she said. “Makes you look so sexy,” she added.

“That’s good to know,” he said, pulling her close to kiss her.

“Excuse me sir, but Doctor Rool has ordered one more examination before you leave,” a medidroid announced as it entered the room.

Vader looked at Padmé and shook his head. “I can’t wait to get out of here,” he muttered.

Padmé giggled as he released her and permitted the droid to commence.

[therealthing]

Chapter 34

Humbarine

Obi-Wan Kenobi had spent the past forty-eight hours in hiding, and was beginning to grow anxious. He had no way of knowing what was happening on Delaya, if Padmé was even still there. Palpatine knew that she was alive; how long would it take before he found her and the twins? Palpatine was single-minded to the point of madness; Kenobi knew that he would stop at nothing to find Padmé, and when he found out that the twins were indeed alive, he would either take them or destroy them. I mustn’t let that happen – I vowed to protect Padmé and her children, and I will not break that promise.

Stealthily, using the Force to cloak his presence, he snuck on board a ship that was bound for Alderaan, inching his way ever closer to Delaya. Perhaps another 3 days and I’ll be there...if I’m lucky…he thought as he hid himself in the cargo hold. I won’t let him take your children, Padmé; I promise you.

Polis Massa

“So, it looks like you’re going home,” Dr. Rool said as she entered Vader’s room. The droid had almost finished its examination.

“Yes,” Vader replied simply.

Rool watched as the droid performed the final part of its examination. “Did your wife go over the list of precautions with you?”

“Yes,” Vader replied between deep breaths. “She did.”

“Any questions?” Rool asked.

Vader shook his head. “None that I can think of,” he said.

“Good,” Rool replied. “Two-four-bee will be accompanying you home,” she told him, “since he’s already familiar with your case.”

Vader merely nodded. “How long can I expect his company?” he asked.

“Well, let’s see where things stand in a month,” she replied. “Hopefully it won’t be long.”

“Let’s hope so,” he agreed.

“Oh yes, I’ve arranged for a medical capsule to be loaded onto your ship,” she remembered. “Not that I anticipate you’ll need it, but should an emergency arise, it could mean the difference between life and death for you.”

“I understand,” Vader replied.

Padmé returned at this point, a bundle of clothes and a pair of boots in her arms. Vader smiled when he saw her.

“I thought you might be more comfortable in these,” she said, setting down the boots and holding up the tunic and trousers.

“No doubt of that,” he replied. “Thank you, angel.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied.

“You are in excellent health,” Two-Four-Bee pronounced.

“Does that mean we can leave?” Vader asked.

Rool nodded. “Yes, whenever you’re ready.”

“I think we’re both more than ready,” Padmé said with a smile, linking her arm around Vader’s.

Dr. Rool nodded. “I’ll alert your pilot to prepare for your departure,” she said as she headed for the door.

“Dr. Rool,” Vader said, causing her to stop and turn around.

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” he said. “Words cannot adequately convey my gratitude.”

Rool smiled. “You’re most welcome,” she replied. “I was about to call you Lord Vader, but somehow I don’t think that’s appropriate any more, is it?”

Vader looked at Padmé. “Perhaps not,” he replied. “I’m not entirely certain anymore.”

Rool nodded. “May I ask something of you?”

“You may,” Vader replied.

“Not many people get a second chance at life,” she said. “You’ve been given one – use it to make a difference in the galaxy.”

Vader was taken aback by her words, and was unsure how to reply.

Padmé looked up at him, placing her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Dr. Rool,” she said, looking back at the physician. “You’ve given our family a fresh start, and there is no way we can ever thank you enough.”

Rool smiled at her. “Good luck to you both,” she said, keenly aware of Vader’s silence. Perhaps Rath is right…perhaps he will always be Darth Vader no matter what he looks like. “We’ll see you in a month,” she said at last and then left them both to contact the pilot who would take them back to Delaya.

“Time to get dressed,” Padmé said as the droid shuffled out of the room.

“Are you going to help me?” Vader asked with a smile.

“Do you need help?” she asked with a smile.

“Absolutely,” he replied. “I’m still convalescing, remember?”

Padmé laughed as she helped him with the dark brown tunic. “Yes, you’re so very helpless, aren’t you?”

Vader nodded. “Yes, in your presence I’m completely helpless.”

Padmé smiled. “I see,” she said, buttoning his tunic. “The Hero with no Fear, helpless,” she teased. “Please!”

Vader laughed as he watched her small hands work on the buttons of the tunic.

. “Well, even heroes have their weaknesses,” he told her. She looked up into his eyes.

“Is that what I am?” she asked.

“Well, yes and no,” he decided, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I am helpless to resist you, and yet you are a source of great strength for me. You and our children, my love for all of you, your love for me- that gives me strength.”

Padmé took his face in her hands. “Then use that strength, Ani,” she implored him. “Use it to eradicate the darkness inside of you. Use our love to destroy the hatred and anger that still dwells within you.”

Vader could feel the depth of her love, and it moved him. Can I ever be who I was again? Is there truly a way back?

“Let’s go home, Padmé,” he said at last, not wishing to make promises to her that he wasn’t certain he could keep.

Padmé nodded, disappointed in his lack of response. Yet, he did not refuse to consider it either, she reminded herself. So there is still hope.

“Lord Vader? Senator Amidala?”

Both turned to see Two-Four-Bee in the room. It held in its arms the suit and mask that had once defined Vader’s existence.

“What shall I do with this?” it asked.

Vader looked down at his wife and then released her. He walked over to the droid and took the suit from it. He unfolded it, and, finding his lightsaber, unclipped it from the belt. Then he dropped the suit onto the floor, and looked at the droid.

“Burn it,” he said simply, and then returned to his wife. “Come,” he said, taking her hand. “It’s time to go home.”

[therealthing]

Chapter 35

Within a few hours, Vader and Padmé were traveling through hyperspace on their way back to the Alderaan System. As predicted, Vader was still experiencing bouts of fatigue, despite his rapid recovery. All the excitement and preparation for departure had done him in, and he was sound asleep in the passenger lounge.

Padmé sat in a chair beside him, watching him as he slept. She too was tired, but the excitement of going home to Luke and Leia was too much to allow her to sleep. She smiled as she thought of how happy they would be to see him, how surprised they would be at his new appearance. Or will they be surprised at all? Knowing them they’ll already know. It had always been impossible to surprise Luke and Leia, they had such a strong Force sense even at a young age that they were able to foresee virtually everything she did, and sometimes even what she said. While she was used to it, Padmé knew that Dormé was unnerved by the twins’ psychic abilities. The thought of her hand maiden brought a frown to Padmé’s face. What have you been up to in our absence? She thought. What lies have you been trying to fill our children’s minds with?

Vader started to stir in his sleep, causing Padmé to look in his direction. She got up and went to his side, kneeling on the floor beside the cot. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She smiled. “Hi,” she said. “Did you have a nice rest?”

He nodded. “Are we almost home?” he asked, sitting up. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A few hours,” she told him. “I’m not sure where we are,” she added. “We’ve been in hyperspace over two hours now.”

Vader nodded. “Then we should be almost there,” he reflected, holding his hand out to her. Padmé stood up and sat beside him.

“Did you sleep at all?” he asked, putting his arm around her.

Padmé shook her head as she snuggled against him. “No,” she replied. “I’m too excited to sleep.”

Vader smiled and kissed the top of her head. “It hardly seems real, does it?” he commented. “I keep expecting to wake up.”

“Yes, I know what you mean,” she replied. “I wish I could say the twins will be surprised, but I’ve discovered just how difficult it is to surprise those two at all. Reminds me of trying to surprise you,” she added looking up at him.

“Well, it’s not easy to surprise a Force sensitive,” he told her. “Unless you’re a Force sensitive yourself,” he added with a smile.

“You mean you can surprise them?” she asked him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yes, I can,” he told her. “And I will. They won’t know we’re coming until we walk through the door.”

Padmé smiled. “I can’t wait to see the look on their faces,” she said.

“Neither can I,” Vader replied. “I can’t wait to get you alone, either,” he added, kissing her temple.

“Come on, let’s get you up and walking,” Padmé said as she stood up. She held her hands out to him.

“Must I?” he asked, taking her hands. “I’d much rather just sit here with you.”

“Yes, I know that,” she said, urging him up to his feet. “But you’ll get stiff if you sit too long without movement.”

“Very well,” he said, standing up. “You’re more efficient than any medidroid,” he commented with a smile. “Perhaps we can leave Two-Four-Bee shut down permanently.”

Padmé laughed. “Nice try,” she said. “Now come on, twice around the room at least.”

“Is that an order?” he teased.

Padmé stood with her hands on her hips. “Yes it is,” she said. “So get moving.”

Vader smiled and began his laps under the watchful eyes of his wife.

“One more,” she said after he had done three already.

“Yes milady,” he replied as he did one more turn around the room. “May I stop now?”

“Yes, you may,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said, sitting down again.

“Now lie down on your stomach,” she instructed.

“What for?”

“Just do it,” she replied with a smile. “I promise, you won’t regret it.”

“Very well,” he said, complying.

“Now,” she said, sitting beside him on the cot. “Relax,” she ordered as she brought her hands to his shoulders and commenced massaging them. “How is that?” she asked.

Vader closed his eyes. “Incredible,” he murmured.

Padmé smiled. “You always did love a nice massage,” she said.

“Uh huh,” he murmured, his body relaxing under the expert touch of his wife.

“Ani, do you remember that ten days we spent on Naboo?” she asked. “After you were knighted?”

Vader nodded. “Yes, I remember it well,” he replied with a smile.

“Wouldn’t that be wonderful if we could take the children there?” she said thinking aloud. “They’ve never seen Naboo. They would love it there, love the water,” she added.

“Perhaps we can do that someday,” he said, not wishing to dash her hopes. “But not as long as Palpatine lives,” he cautioned.

“No, of course not,” she replied, the thought of him sending a chill down her spine. “You know, Luke and Leia were conceived during that time,” she told him, pushing all thoughts of Palpatine from her mind.

“I’m not surprised,” he replied with a smile. “As I recall, you were rather insatiable during those ten days.”

“I wasn’t the only one,” she returned, bending down and kissing his cheek.

“Yes, that is true,” he admitted. He turned over to look at her. “I’ve never been able to get enough of you,” he told her.

“Nor I you,” she replied. “Of course, having children will make such spontaneity rather difficult,” she added.

“Well, we’ll just have to learn to be creative,” he said with a grin.

Padmé raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

Vader nodded. “Yes, there are always solutions when one is motivated,” he told her.

Padmé laughed. “Well I look forward to seeing your…creative solutions,” she said, bending down to kiss him.

Planet Delaya

“Leia, you’re being difficult,” Dormé said in exasperation. “What difference does it make what color your socks are??”

“I don’t like those,” Leia replied peevishly, folding her arms over her chest. “They always bunch up in my shoes.”

“They are almost brand new!” Dormé exclaimed. “I bought them myself not two months ago!”

“I want the ones Daddy bought me,” Leia insisted.

Dormé rolled her eyes. “Why doesn’t that surprise me,” she muttered under her breath as she dug through the drawer for the pair of socks Leia insisted upon.

“Why don’t you like my daddy?” Leia asked, reading easily the thoughts in Dormé’s mind.

Dormé didn’t turn around, nor did she answer. Finally she found the socks. “Is this the pair, your highness?” she asked.

Leia nodded and reached out for them. Dormé handed them to her, pretending she hadn’t heard the child’s question.

“I know you don’t,” Leia said at last as she put on her socks. “Why is that?”

Dormé looked at Leia, realizing she should have known better than to even think about Darth Vader in the presence of one of his children. “I do like him,” she lied, helping Leia with the socks. “Why do you think I don’t?”

“Because you think mean things about him,” Leia replied.

Dormé looked at the child, astonished by her ability to see through her. She’s getting stronger every day, she reflected. They both are.

“Well sometimes adults don’t get along, Leia,” Dormé said at last. “Just like sometimes you and Luke don’t get along, right? That doesn’t mean you don’t like one another.”

“Luke and I always get along,” Leia countered. “He’s my best friend.”

Dormé nodded. “Yes, I know he is,” she replied with a smile. “Ready for breakfast?”

“Uh huh,” Leia said skipping out of the room ahead of Dormé. She headed down the stairs and joined Luke and Neeja at the table.

“Are Daddy and Mommy coming home today?” Luke asked, just as either he or Leia did every morning.

“We don’t know,” Dormé said as she set a plate of breakfast in front of each of them. “But I don’t think so, Luke. They would have contacted us if they were.”

“Oh,” Luke replied sadly, poking around at his eggs with his fork.

“Don’t worry Luke,” Neeja said, trying to soothe the young boy. “I’m sure they will be home soon.”

Luke looked up at the Jedi Master. “Do you really think so, Master Neeja?”

Neeja nodded. “I have foreseen it,” he added, tapping one of his graying temples with one finger.

Luke smiled. Both he and Leia liked Neeja immensely, and were intrigued by his calm, mystical personality. He reminded them somewhat of Obi-Wan, who they had come to grow very fond of during the past five years, and whose present absence in their lives they could not understand.

“Can we go swimming after breakfast?” Leia asked.

“Perhaps,” Dormé said. “We’ll have to see how warm it is outside.”

“It’s warm,” Neeja said. “I was outside earlier.”

“Good,” Dormé said. “Maybe you can take them while I clean up the breakfast dishes,” she suggested.

“Certainly,” he replied, sensing that Dormé was simply trying to get the twins out of her hair for a while.

Luke and Leia looked at one another with a smile. I like Master Neeja, Leia thought.

So do I, Luke agreed. He makes me think of Obi-Wan.
Dormé wants to kiss Obi-Wan, Leia said, giggling slightly.

That’s yucky, Luke thought.

Neeja had to suppress a chuckle as he witnessed the unusual conversation between Anakin’s twins. Remarkable, he thought with a smile.

“Master Halcyon, Miss Dormé, a ship has just landed on the landing platform,” a sentry announced as he entered the kitchen. “It bears Alderaani markings.”

Dormé nodded. “Perhaps the Viceroy,” she suggested. “Show him in.”

“Of course.”

Luke and Leia stopped eating, as though they sensed something, someone.

“It’s not the Viceroy,” Luke said at last.

“Who is it then?” asked Dormé.

“It’s Mommy and Daddy!” Leia answered, as both twins stood up and rushed out of the room.

“Luke! Leia! Come back here!” Dormé called after them.

“Let them be,” Neeja said. “They’re right, you know.”

“Of course they are,” she replied. “They always are.”

Luke and Leia ran through the forest, following the sentry as he made his way back to the landing platform. They passed him just as the door was opening on the platform. The guard came up and stood behind them as the landing ramp descended.

“Mommy!!!” the twins cried in unison as Padmé appeared.

Padmé smiled and turned to Vader who stepped out onto the ramp with her.

Upon seeing their father, the twins stopped in their tracks. They knew who he was, despite the drastic change in his appearance; his eyes were the same eyes that they had seen looking at them with such utter adoration mere days ago. And when he smiled at them, they ran.

Vader ran too, the sight of his children filling his heart utterly. Padmé watched as the three of them met, as though for the first time. Vader picked them up in his arms, kissing each of them in turn over and over, as though trying to make up for the previous five years. The twins giggled, delighted with their father’s overt affection. They touched his face, rubbed the stubble on his chin, on his head, causing him to laugh out loud. He laughed with joy, for he had never felt such joy in his life as he did at that moment. Now I am complete, he thought as tears filled his eyes. Luke and Leia had their arms wrapped around his neck, pressing their faces against his as though they never wanted to release him as Padmé walked up to them. Vader looked at her, his eyes expressing the depth of emotion that he felt at that moment. Padmé felt it too, and it brought tears to her own eyes as well. She put her arms around the twins as the four of them simply stood in an embrace, truly a family at last.

[therealthing]

Chapter 36

“Did we surprise you?” Padmé asked as they walked back through the forest.

“Sort of,” Leia said. “We didn’t know you were here until your ship landed.”

Vader and Padmé looked at one another. “See what I mean?” Padmé said to him with a smile.

Vader nodded. “Yes,” he replied with a smile. “It’s not easy to surprise these two, is it?”

“But that’s okay,” Leia said, squeezing her father’s hand. “We were surprised when we saw you, Daddy. We didn’t know that you were all better now.”

“No?” Vader asked, looking down at his daughter. “So I did surprise you then,” he asked with a smile.

“Uh huh,” Leia replied, gazing up at him with undisguised adoration. “You’re beautiful, Daddy.”

Vader looked at Padmé and laughed. “That’s the first time anyone has every called me that, Leia,” he said. “Thank you.”


Dormé was wiping down the table when she heard voices and figured that the twins had returned with the visitors. She looked up, and dropped the cloth in her hand when she saw Anakin Skywalker standing before her, a twin holding each of his hands.

“Look Dormé,” Leia said excitedly. “Daddy is all better now!” she proclaimed. “Isn’t he beautiful?”

Dormé didn’t answer right away, but merely stared at Leia’s father. “He looks very well,” she commented, fighting to keep her feelings to herself. Beautiful is an understatement, she thought, looking admiringly at him. “Looks like the surgery was a success,” she added. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Vader replied, seeing the rather obvious admiration in her eyes and in her thoughts.

Padmé came up to him and linked her arm through his. “Isn’t it wonderful, Dormé?” she said with a smile, looking up at him. Vader looked at her and smiled, putting his hand over hers.

Dormé watched them, the love between them obvious, the physical attraction between them equally so. A pang of jealousy rippled through her as she watched them together; no doubt their physical relationship would soon resume, if it had not done so already. She remembered how Padmé used to confide in her how passionate a lover her husband was, and how envious she had always been of that relationship, knowing that the man she longed for was so unattainable. Or just plain obtuse, she reflected in frustration.

“Master Ani!! It’s so good to see you fully functional again!” Threepio declared as he shuffled into the room. “And who is this?” he added, in a tone that hinted of indignation when he saw Two-Four-Bee enter the room.

Padmé turned to the medidroid, having momentarily forgotten its existence. “This is Two-Four-Bee,” she said. “The medidroid that the facility sent to monitor Anakin’s health for the next few weeks.”

“I see,” Threepio responded, shuffling over to the droid. “I am See Threepio,” he told his rival. “Human cyborg relations,” he added for good measure.

Two-Four-Bee simply nodded in response. “Understood,” it replied as it shuffled away.

“Well, how rude!” Threepio exclaimed, watching the snooty droid leave the room.

“Threepio, I have a job for you,” Vader said.

“Oh yes sir,” Threepio replied at once. “What can I do for you?”

“Take apart that chamber upstairs,” he replied. “I don’t want to see a single piece of it left standing by nightfall.”

“That is rather a large task, sir,” Threepio replied. “But I shall endeavor to do my best,” he added stoically.

“Good,” Vader replied. “See to it at once.”

Threepio left the room, confused by the strange inconsistencies in the man before him. While he looked like Master Ani, he certainly didn’t act like him. Was he Master Ani? Or was he still Darth Vader? It did not compute, and Threepio was frustrated that his circuits couldn’t resolve it.


“Your recovery is miraculous, Anakin,” Neeja said as he, Vader and Padmé walked outside, the twins never far from their father.

“It is,” Vader replied. “I didn’t think it was possible, the emperor assured me that it wasn’t; I should have realized that he had lied,” he said as he watched his children go up to the edge of the lake behind the house.

Neeja nodded a frown on his face. “I hope now you see what an evil monster he is, Anakin.”

Vader looked at his wife. “Yes,” he replied. “I know all too well what he is, Neeja. And I plan to make him pay for all that he has done.”

“Destroying the Sith is part of the prophecy,” Neeja said, nodding his head. “So long as your reasons for destroying him are not rooted in Darkness.”

“I have very good reasons for wanting to destroy him,” Vader countered. “He lied to me, Neeja. He drove a wedge between my wife and I and then lied to me, telling me that I had killed her, when in fact she was very much alive.”

Neeja nodded. “And what about his part in the destruction of your relationship with Obi-Wan?” he asked. “Surely you realize now that he was responsible for that too.”

Vader frowned, the thought of Obi-Wan sent a wave of anger through him. “Obi-Wan tried to turn my wife against me,” he said. “He used her to get to me, to kill me, and then left me to die because he didn’t have the guts to kill me outright. He had as much a part in the destruction of that relationship as Sidious did.”

Padmé hated to hear the anger in his voice, see it in his eyes. Heaven help us all if Obi-Wan ever finds us here…the results will be as catastrophic as they were five years ago.

“Daddy, can you go swimming with us?” Leia called back to him. “The water is nice and warm.”

Vader looked over at his children, all trace of anger evaporating immediately. “That sounds like fun,” he called back to his daughter. “But you two aren’t dressed for swimming,” he added. “Why don’t we go back to the house and get into some swim suits? Assuming I have such a thing,” he added, looking at Padmé.

She smiled. “I’m sure we can come up with something,” she replied. “Neeja? Are you a swimmer?”

“Only when I have to be,” he replied with a smile. “Besides, I think this family needs some time alone. I will gladly remain in the house. I need to contact the viceroy about arranging my transport.”

“Where are you going?” Vader asked him.

“I want to visit Master Yoda,” he replied. “Let him know what has been happening. I’m sure he will be pleased to learn of your transformation, Anakin.”

Vader nodded. “Come along then,” he said as the twins took his hands. “Let’s go swimming.”


The warm weather was perfect for a day spent out doors, and the twins made sure that their parents spent every moment of it with them, including eating a picnic lunch on the beach beside the lake.

For Padmé, it was like a dream come true. How many times she had longed for the familial bliss that she was realizing now that Luke and Leia’s father had been made whole again. At the back of her mind, she knew that things were not perfect, that Anakin still harbored much Darth Vader in him. She had no delusions that things were idyllic; yet at this moment, right now, they were.

Padmé watched from the beach as Luke and Leia played with their father in the water, the joy that emanated from them all as brilliant as the sunshine above them. They are your strength, Anakin, she thought. It is their love that will bring you from the darkness. Let it guide you.

“Well I think it’s time we all went back inside,” Padmé said as the three of them finally emerged from the water. “You’ve worn out your father,” she added, smiling at Vader.

“I’m fine,” he replied, picking up the twins. “Never better.”

“Yes, well it’s getting late, and I’m sure Dormé has dinner waiting for us by now,” Padmé said as she wrapped a large towel around Vader’s shoulders and the twins. “And I’m sure after all that swimming you must be very hungry.”

“I am!” Luke replied at once.

“Me too!” added Leia. “Are you going to have dinner with us too, Daddy?” she asked hopefully.

Vader smiled at her. “Yes my lady, I am indeed,” he said, kissing her wet face.

“And I’m hungry too, so let’s be off.”


Dormé did indeed have dinner prepared and was just setting the table when they arrived back at the house. Padmé and Vader took the twins upstairs and got them dried off and changed for dinner. Luke and Leia raced downstairs as soon as they were dressed, leaving Padmé and Vader alone.

“Guess we ought to get changed,” Padmé said as they stood in the corridor outside the twins’ room.

“Yes, good idea,” Vader replied.

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand. With heart pounding, Padmé lead her husband down the hallway into their room. Most of the hyperbaric chamber had been dismantled by now, and Threepio was still working away at it when they entered the room.

“Threepio, leave the room,” Vader told the droid. “We need some privacy.”

Padmé felt her face grow warm, her heart racing with anticipation of what she expected would happen as soon as the droid left the room. For days now he had made it quite clear that he was just waiting for an opportunity to be alone with her, and now here it was. She watched him as he used the Force to close and lock the door behind Threepio, almost hitting the droid on the golden behind on his way out. And then he turned to her.

The moment their eyes met, she felt her knees grow weak. In an instant she was in his arms, neither of them caring about dinner, or the fact that there were people downstairs waiting for them. All that mattered was their need for the other, and the undeniable longing that filled them both at that moment.


“Where are Mommy and Daddy?” Leia asked as she poked at her supper.

Dormé exchanged a glance with Neeja, whose face bore the same impassive expression as ever. Dormé felt she knew exactly why they had been delayed. They’ve been apart for five years…what did you expect? She told herself.

“They’ll be along,” Dormé said simply. “Now go ahead and eat before it gets cold.”

Leia sighed, and commenced eating; hoping her parents would join them soon.

[therealthing]

Chapter 37

“Mommy, where have you been?” Leia demanded indignantly when Padmé appeared finally.

“I needed to shower and get dressed, “Padmé replied, sitting down. “Miss Nosy,” she added with a smile.

“Where is Daddy?” Luke asked.

“Well, you two wore him out so much that he’s fast asleep,” Padmé replied, helping herself to the meal in front of her. “He still needs lots of rest, so I didn’t wake him.”

Luke and Leia were disappointed, but accepted their mother’s explanation. Dormé, however, was not so easily fooled. She recognized the glow in Padmé’s cheeks; she had seen it many times when Padmé would return home to her apartment after a tryst with her Jedi lover. Dormé found herself envious again, as she had so many times before. Padmé had with Anakin what she so desperately wanted with Obi-Wan Kenobi; his utter devotion, his burning desire, his undying love.

“Dormé? Did you hear me?”

Dormé shook herself from her daydream to look at Padmé. “Sorry, what did you say?” she asked.

Padmé watched Dormé, wondering if Dormé had realized what had really gone on upstairs. “I said that this is delicious,” Padmé said. “Thank you.”

“Oh, you’re welcome,” Dormé said, standing up and starting to clear the dishes. She felt uneasy in Padmé’s presence all of a sudden, and wanted to leave the room.

Padmé watched her leave, more puzzled than ever by her odd behavior.

“Looks like Daddy isn’t the only one who’s tired,” Padmé commented as Luke yawned for the second time.

“I’m not tired,” Luke protested automatically.

“Yes you are,” Padmé replied, finishing her meal quickly. “Come on you two,” you need a bath after playing in the beach all day.”

“Can we have bubbles?” Leia asked excitedly, grabbing her mother’s hand as she stood up.

Padmé nodded. “Yes, of course,” she replied with a smile. “What’s a bath without bubbles?”

Luke and Leia followed their mother upstairs and into the fresher, where she started the bath running. “Now please try to keep the water in the tub this time,” she chided them gently.

“Luke makes me splash,” Leia protested as Padmé pulled her tee-shirt over her head.

“I do not!” protested Luke as he struggled out of his own shirt. “That game was your idea!”

“Okay, I don’t need to know whose idea it was,” Padmé said at last. “Just keep the water in the tub, okay?”

“Okay,” Luke and Leia replied in unison. They scrambled into the sudsy water, their small bodies almost entirely submerged in the sea of bubbles.

Padmé knelt down at the side of the tub and proceeded to wash the twins’ hair, using the clear running water to rinse it out.

“So did you have fun today?” she asked, resting her chin on her hands on the side of the tub.

“Yes, lots and lots of fun,” Leia replied, picking up handfuls of bubbles and blowing them at her brother.

“Daddy looks so different,” Luke said thoughtfully. “Is that how he looked before the fire?”

Padmé nodded. “Yes,” she told him. “Only he had much more hair than he does right now.”

“Is my hair the same color as his?” Luke asked hopefully.

Padmé smiled. “Yes Luke, you look very much like he did when he was a boy. You know he and I met when we were both just children.”

“Did you get married when you were children?” Luke asked.

“Of course not!” Leia declared. “Children can’t get married!”

“No, they can’t,” Padmé agreed. “But we knew that we would get married some day,” she added. “In fact, your daddy made this for me when he was just a boy,” she told them, pulling the japor snippet from under her blouse. “I’ve worn it every day since then.”

“Daddy made that?” Leia asked, looking at the pendant as though for the first time.

“Yes he did,” Padmé replied with a smile. “He was a very clever child,” she told them. “Just like you,” she added, taking their chins in her hands. The twins smiled, pleased at their mother’s praise.

Padmé turned and looked back around the room, realizing she’d forgotten something. “I’ll be right back,” she said standing up. “I forgot the towels.”

She left the twins, leaving the door open so she could hear any signs of tomfoolery. The linen closet was at the other end of the corridor. When she got there, she saw that the only bath towels left were up on the top shelf. Reaching up on her tip toes, she pulled them down, bringing down a box of winter clothing with it, spilling its contents on the floor.

“Great,” she muttered, getting down on her knees to pick up the clothing.

A short time later, having replaced the box on the shelf, Padmé returned to the fresher. Before she even reached the room, she heard the distinctive sound of splashing. She walked into the room, about to admonish the twins when the sight before her caused her to stop in her tracks.

“Anakin!”

Vader was in the room, wearing only his sleeping pants, engaged in an all out splashing war with his children. Water was everywhere: the walls, the floor, he was drenched with it. The twins were enjoying themselves immensely, and, judging by the enormous grin on his face, so was their father.

Upon hearing his name, Vader turned to see his wife standing there, a look of utter surprise on her face. He looked back at the children, a sheepish expression on his face. “Uh oh,” he said.

“Busted!” Leia declared gleefully, pointing a chubby finger at him. This caused Luke to burst out laughing, ending in a serious case of the hiccups. Vader walked through the puddles to where his wife stood taking in the entire scene with wide eyes.

“Hi,” he said with a smile. “Guess we got a little carried away,” he remarked sheepishly.

“Just a little,” Padmé agreed, looking around at the mess. “You’re as bad as they are,” she added with a smile.

Vader nodded his head. “Yes, I’m afraid so,” he said, looking over his shoulder and winking at the twins.

“Come on, let’s get them dried off,” Padmé said, stepping carefully around the puddles on the floor. “Although it looks like you’re just as wet as they are.”

“Well I have an idea about that,” Vader said, grabbing her and hugging her close despite her squeals of protest. The twins giggled madly, making Luke’s hiccups even worse.

“You are going to pay for this, Anakin Skywalker,” she laughed as she finally stopped struggling.

Vader merely laughed, enjoying himself too much to care about the possible consequences of his actions.

Finally Padmé and Vader managed to get the twins dried off and into their pajamas.

“I’m glad you’re home, Daddy,” Luke told his father as Vader tucked him in. “I missed you so much.”

Vader smiled, and sat on the edge of his son’s bed. “I missed you too, Luke,” he replied, running his fingers through Luke’s baby soft hair. “Very much.”

Luke smiled, trying to hold back a yawn as he did so. But his father noticed nonetheless. “Time for sleeping,” he said, pulling the covers up over him. He leaned down to the boy and kissed him tenderly on the brow. “Good night son,” he said. “Sweet dreams.”

Vader stood up and watched as Luke drifted off, Spotty safely tucked in the crook of one arm. Love filled him as he watched his small boy succumb to sleep, love unlike any he’d ever known. The connection he felt with his children was so powerful it almost frightened him with its intensity. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would lay down his life for either of them without a moment’s hesitation.

It wasn’t long before Luke was sound asleep, and Vader turned to Leia who was getting her hair braided by her mother. “Goodnight to you too, milady,” he said, bending down to kiss her goodnight. “Sweet dreams.”

“Are you hungry?” Padmé asked. “There’s dinner downstairs if you are.”

“I am actually,” Vader replied. “I worked up quite an appetite today,” he added with a smile.

Padmé smiled too, keeping her eyes on the braid she was making from Leia’s long dark hair. “I’ll be down in a few minutes,” she told him.

“Okay,” he said. “Goodnight Leia.”

“Goodnight Daddy,” she said, holding her arms out to hug him.

Vader bent down again and embraced her, kissing her once again. “Goodnight little one,” he said. “Sleep well.”

Vader headed downstairs to the kitchen to find some dinner, and found Neeja making a cup of tea.

“Good evening, Anakin,” the Jedi Master greeted him. “I thought you’d retired for the night.”

“No, just crashed for a little while,” Vader replied, opening the refrigerator. “I think I can expect to do that for a while,” he added.

Neeja nodded. “Bail Organa has arranged for me to go to Dagobah,” he said as Vader sat down at the table.

“Oh?” Vader asked, looking up at him. “What takes you there?”

“Master Yoda is there,” Neeja replied, taking a sip of his tea. “I am going to see him.”

“I didn’t realize that,” Vader replied. “What are your plans once you find him?”

Neeja studied the young man before him before he replied. “Well, I suppose that depends on you, Anakin.”

“On me?”

Neeja nodded. “On whether you truly are Anakin Skywalker now, or still Darth Vader. Do you even know? I certainly don’t.”

Vader shook his head. “No, neither do I,” he admitted. “More and more I feel like I can relate to Anakin Skywalker, to what being him was like; but when I think of Sidious, of Obi-Wan,” he said, his hands clenching into fists, “I’m not so sure who I am.”

Neeja frowned, disturbed by Vader’s admission. “There is still much darkness in you,” he said. “But you have already taken huge steps back towards the light, Anakin. Sparing me, for instance. If there wasn’t a part of you that was still Anakin Skywalker, you’d not have done that.”

“No, I suppose not,” Vader replied. “All I know is that I have a debt that must be paid,” he declared. “One that will be paid in blood by Darth Sidious.”

Neeja understood Vader’s need for retribution; yet he worried that exacting it would cost the young man what was left of his soul. “Don’t let your hatred for Sidious destroy you, Anakin,” he cautioned. “Revenge isn’t worth the price of your soul.”

With that Neeja left him alone to ponder where his destiny would take him.

[therealthing]

Chapter 38

“Like some company?”

Vader looked up to see Padmé. “Yes, very much so,” he replied. “Please join me.”

Padmé sat down across from him, pleased to see him eating real food again.

“Kids asleep?” he asked.

“Luke is,” she replied. “He is a great sleeper. He can fall asleep anywhere, and sleep through anything.”

Vader smiled. “He didn’t get that from me,” he commented. “And Leia? She’s still awake?”

“She was when I left the room,” Padmé replied, standing up and walking over to the refrigerator. “She’s too excited to go to sleep. She’s become quite a daddy’s girl,” she said, looking back at him with a smile. She returned to the table and set down a large glass of milk in front of him. “You need lots of calcium, remember?” she said.

“I remember,” he said, picking up the glass and taking a drink. “Thanks.”

She watched him, a dreamy smile on her face. “That was incredible, Anakin,” she said.

“It was,” he agreed. “Made me wonder how I lived five years without you. I don’t know how I did it.”

“Neither do I,” Padmé agreed. She hesitated before saying what was on her mind, not quite sure how to put into words what it was she wanted to say. “So, what happens now, Anakin?”

He looked up at her. “You know what happens now, Padmé,” he replied. “I will avenge us all by killing the emperor.”

Padmé frowned, disturbed by the coldness of his tone. “Ani, do you think that’s going to be easy? You know yourself how well guarded he is.”

“I didn’t say it was going to be easy,” he replied. “But I won’t let him get away with his treachery, Padmé. He will pay for it, I promise you.”

“But at what cost?” she asked. “Is it worth risking your life over?”

“What would you have me do, Padmé?” he responded. “Just let him get away with all the lies? The betrayal? The atrocities? Surely you can’t expect me to do that.”

Padmé was troubled by the vehemence of his reaction. Who are you, Ani?

She was about to reply when Leia entered the room.

“I can’t sleep,” she declared, climbing up onto her father’s lap.

“How hard did you try?” Padmé asked with a smile.

“I tried,” Leia replied. “I just can’t do it.”

Vader smiled. “I understand,” he said, stroking her dark hair softly. “I have trouble sleeping myself sometimes.”

Padmé was astonished by the transformation that the presence of his child had over her husband. Moments before Leia had arrived, he was full of anger, just thinking of Palpatine; and now, in Leia’s presence, his anger had evaporated. They are they key, Padmé thought. Luke and Leia will be his way back….if only he will let them take him there.

“Your whiskers tickle, Daddy,” Leia giggled as Vader kissed her cheek.

He smiled. “I guess it’s time for a shave,” he said, rubbing his chin.

“Obi-Wan’s whiskers are ticklish too,” Leia said.

Vader had to fight to keep his composure, the thought of Obi-Wan kissing his children more than he could bear to think of. He looked at Padmé, his eyes conveying his anger.

“So Obi-Wan has kissed you, has he Leia?” Vader asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

“Yes, lots of times,” Leia replied. “Dormé wishes he’d kiss her, but he doesn’t.”

That comment was all it took to shatter the ice that had formed over Vader’s heart at the mention of Kenobi’s name. “She does, does she?” he asked, a grin forming on his face.

“Uh huh,” Leia yawned. “She wants to marry him.”

Vader looked at Padmé, his amusement clear on his face. “How do you know that, Leia?” Padmé asked.

“She thinks about him all the time,” Leia replied. “Ask Luke.”

Padmé couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s comment. She’d suspected that Dormé was fond of the Jedi Master, but didn’t realize her feelings were of that nature.

“When is Obi-Wan coming to see us, Mommy?” Leia asked.

Padmé’s amusement soon disappeared. “He isn’t,” she replied. “Obi-Wan is not welcome in our house any more, Leia.”

“Because of what he did to you, Daddy?” Leia asked.

Vader nodded, not wishing to upset his child with his anger. “That’s right,” he said. “I’m afraid you won’t see Obi-Wan Kenobi ever again.” Not so long as I live, he thought resolutely.

“I think it’s time for bed,” Padmé said, standing up. “Come along,” she added, holding her hand out to Leia.

“Can I just visit with Daddy a little longer?” Leia pleaded.

“I’ll take her up, Padmé,” Vader told her.

“Very well,” she said. “I’m going up now. Don’t be long,” she said.

“I won’t,” he replied.

Padmé left the room, concerned and yet amazed by the inconsistencies that existed within her husband. Now that he looked like Anakin Skywalker again, it was easy to forget that he was still Darth Vader in many ways. Too many ways….she thought anxiously. There is so much darkness in him still…will he ever be able to eradicate it completely?

“Dormé will be disappointed I’m afraid,” Vader told his daughter.

“She doesn’t like you, Daddy,” Leia told him. “I don’t know why.”

Vader frowned. “Yes I know she doesn’t,” he replied. “You must learn how to block out the thoughts of others, little one,” he told her gently.

“How do I do that?” she asked.

“I will teach you,” he said, standing up and picking her up in the process. “There is much I want to teach you and Luke. You are special, you know that don’t you? You and your brother have special abilities, abilities that will make you powerful some day.”

“What do you mean, Daddy?” Leia asked as he started up the stairs with her.

“You will understand when you are older, little one,” he told her with a smile as he entered the room where Luke was sound
asleep. “Now it is time for you to go to sleep.”

“I’m not tired,” she protested half-heartedly.

Vader merely smiled as he lay her down on her bed. “Yes, I know,” he replied, indulging her. “But your brother is asleep, I’m going to sleep, your mother is asleep; there’s no one to play with.”

“Okay, I guess I will go to sleep too then,” Leia relented at last, stifling a yawn. Vader grinned and pulled the covers up over her. He bent down and kissed her cheek tenderly. “Good night my lady,” he said. “Sleep well.”

Vader left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He walked down the hallway to the bedroom he shared with his wife. Taking a moment to take off his shirt and trousers, he climbed into bed, moving over to where his wife was, wrapping an arm around her.

Padmé turned to him, not quite asleep yet. “Ani?” she murmured sleepily.

“Did I wake you?” he asked, running his hand up her arm slowly.

“No,” she said. “I was just starting to drift. Did you get Leia down?”

“Well, she’s in her bed,” he told her. “But I think she’ll be asleep soon enough.”

“I hope so,” she replied.

“Did you know that Dormé had a thing for Obi-Wan?” he asked her.

“I had my suspicions,” Padmé told him. “I’m sure he has no clue.”

“No, probably not,” he replied. “I just hope that her affection for him didn’t cause her to do something foolish.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like telling him where you are,” he replied, “or contacting him since coming here. I don’t need to tell you how I’d feel about him showing up here.”

“No, you don’t,” she said. “I don’t want to see him any more than you do, Anakin. I don’t think she told him, she hasn’t said anything about him since she arrived here.”

“That doesn’t mean anything, Padmé,” he told her, running his fingers through her hair. “If she knows how you feel about him, she wouldn’t tell you, would she?”

“No, I don’t suppose she would,” Padmé conceded. “Let’s not worry about that, Ani,” she said, reaching out to caress his face gently. “You’ve been so moody this evening, let it go. Please? Can you do that for me?”

Vader smiled. “For you? Yes, I can do anything Padmé.”

“I hope you mean that, Anakin,” she said. “You’ve come too far to slip back into the Darkness again.”

Vader did not respond, not knowing what he could say to reassure her, not wanting to lie to her. “I…I don’t want to be that person again, Padmé,” he told her, admitting it for the first time, even to himself. “When I think of the things I’ve done…” he stopped as images of the younglings he slew jumping to his mind. “There is so much blood on my hands…I don’t know how I can ever put that behind me. I’m not the man that I was, Padmé; how can I ever be that man again, after everything that I’ve done?”

Padmé could hear the pain in his voice, the shame; and it gave her hope. If he felt guilty for what he had done, then he was on his way back. No Sith would feel guilt, no matter what he had done.

“You’re already that man, Anakin,” she told him, caressing his face with her hands. “Can’t you see that? When you are with Luke and Leia, there is no trace of Darth Vader within you. Your love for them destroys every hint of the dark side that you still possess. Haven’t you noticed that? Can you honestly tell me that you felt like Darth Vader this afternoon when you were splashing those two? Would a Sith take such delight in playing with his children?”

Vader considered her words, allowed himself to consider them. Was the joy he felt when he was with his children part of the dark side? Was the bliss he felt in his wife’s arms part of it? The dark side knew nothing of love; it was the very antithesis of love. So how could the dark side still hold a part of my soul if I feel so much love for this family of mine?

“No,” he said at last. “A Sith knows nothing of love. But…”

“Listen to me,” she said, laying a finger over his lips. “I believe in you, Anakin,” she told him. “With all my heart I do. Do you know what I told Obi-Wan after the twins were born? Before he told me that you had died?”

Vader simply shook his head.

“I told him that I knew there was still good in you,” she replied. “Even after what you did on Mustafar, I could still feel it. Perhaps that is why he lied to me, perhaps he was afraid that my belief in you would make me try to find you, and it would have, had I known you were alive. But that’s not what I’m trying to get at right now. The point I’m trying to make is that you never completely succumbed to the darkness, Anakin. There was always still a small part of Anakin Skywalker in you, even in your darkest time. That spark, that ember of him is growing, and I see it more every day. And if you are truthful to yourself, you will admit that you feel it more every day too.”

Padmé’s words were provocative, and they forced Vader to look deep within himself. It had been so long since he had considered himself Anakin Skywalker that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to be him. Yet, she was right; when he was with his family, he was Anakin Skywalker. Claiming the right to call them his family meant acknowledging the existence of that man he had denied for five years. But she had never denied his existence; even after the atrocities he had committed, even after he had nearly killed her in his jealous, insane rage- she had still seen that man in him. She still loved him, and that alone was astonishing to him.

“Padmé,” he said at last, “I…I’m so confused. I don’t know who I am anymore. All I know is that you and the children have given meaning back to my life, have given me a reason to live again. Without you, I would have nothing, I would be nothing.”

“But you have us,” she reminded him. “You will always have us, Anakin. We belong together, and nothing will separate us again. Let us help you, let me help you. I don’t want you to go through this alone, not like before. I’m strong enough to help you through this, Ani. Please let me.”

Anakin smiled at her, the emotions he felt preventing him from speaking. Instead he merely pulled her into his arms and held her close, knowing that words were not needed between them. She was a part of him, as he was a part of her; neither of them complete without the other. Padmé smiled as she nestled up close to him, feeling as though her beloved Anakin had taken one step closer to the light.

[therealthing]

Chapter 39

Night has fallen as we ascend the enormous staircase that leads to the Jedi Temple. Behind me I hear the footfalls of a thousand boots upon the concrete, the night air bristling with the awesome, lethal power embodied in their white armored bodies.

Blaster fire sings through the air, felling all in its path, we step over the bodies, not slowing for a moment, pushing through, ignoring the screams of outrage and pain that assault our ears.

The Council Chamber is dark, but I know they are here. As they sense my presence they creep out from behind the council chairs, tiny, terrified and confused.

“Master Skywalker, there are so many of them!” one youngling tells me, his eyes wide with fear. “What should we do?” I respond with a slice of my lightsaber…looking down at the dead youngling, I see the face of my son…

Padmé woke up to the sound of her husband’s shouts of agony. She sat up at once, and reached over to him.

“Anakin, wake up!!” she cried, shaking him on the shoulder. “Wake up!”

Anakin’s eyes snapped open and he stared wild eyed around him, the images from his dream still filling his mind.

“Ani, it’s okay, you were dreaming,” she said, turning his face to hers. “It was just a dream.” She was alarmed to see that he was trembling.

He looked at her, forcing the horrifying apparitions from his mind. “Padmé,” he stammered. “What have I done?”

Padmé frowned, not understanding what he meant. “Anakin, wake up,” she told him, thinking he was still half asleep. “You were dreaming.”

Anakin shook his head, as hot tears started forth and rolled down his face. “No, it was no dream,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “The younglings…I killed them, Padmé…so many of them...some of them younger than our twins…I murdered them!!”

“Ani,” she said, torn between the shock and horror of his actions and the heartbreak she felt for him as the guilt and shame of his actions overwhelmed him. Compassion won over, and she pulled him close to her as he wept. It’s begun, she realized. His redemption has begun. There would be many moments like this, when the realization of all that he had done crashed over him, as the goodness that was fighting for supremacy suffered the shame of it. And I will be there to help him through each of those moments, Padmé vowed as she held him close, stroking his short hair, whispering words of comfort. I will be his life line through this, and I will not let him suffer it alone.

Anakin managed to drift back to sleep after a while, though it was a restless, fitful sleep. Visions of the younglings did not return, for which he was grateful; but his sleep was interrupted by the unsettled mind of one of his children. He sat up, focusing his mind on them, knowing for certain that one of them was having a nightmare. Quietly he climbed out of the bed, not disturbing Padmé, and left the room. He crept down the corridor quietly until he reached the twins’ room. It’s Luke, he realized as he stood at the door for a moment.

Opening the door silently, he headed for Luke’s bed, and, sure enough, saw that his son was tossing and turning in the throes of a nightmare. Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he took Luke by the shoulders. “Wake up, Luke,” he whispered. “You’re having a nightmare, wake up.”

Luke opened his eyes and looked around for a moment, and then up at his father. “Daddy?” he said, his voice trembling with fear.

“It’s okay Luke,” Anakin said, pulling Luke up into his embrace. “You’re safe.”

Luke wrapped his arms around his father’s neck tightly, taking comfort in his strong, reassuring presence.

Anakin stroked his son’s hair gently, feeling utterly connected with his small son. Padmé is right…these precious little ones are the way back.

“Daddy, will you stay with me?” Luke asked.

“Of course I will, Luke,” Anakin replied. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.” He brought his feet up onto the bed and pulled the covers over himself and his son. Luke nestled up against his father, as Anakin wrapped one powerful arm around him protectively.

“Good night Daddy,” Luke yawned.

“Good night Luke,” Anakin replied, kissing the top of the boy’s head. “Sweet dreams.” Luke was asleep again within minutes, his small body pressed up against his father’s side. Anakin closed his eyes, trying to relax in the small bed. He had barely closed his eyes for a moment when he heard his daughter’s small voice beside him.

“Daddy, can I sleep with you too?” she asked.

Anakin smiled. “Of course,” he replied, holding out his hand to her. She climbed into the bed, nestling into the crook of his arm. Anakin folded his arm over her, kissing the top of her head.

“Thanks Daddy,” Leia said sleepily. “Good night.”

“Good night my lady,” he said. “Sleep well.”


Padmé woke up alone the next morning. She sat up; alarmed that Anakin was not in the room. He must be in the fresher, she realized, getting out of the bed. She opened the door to the bedroom, and saw the door to the fresher was open, and that the room was empty. Where could he be? She wondered. And then she heard voices coming from the room down the corridor, the room where the twins slept. As she walked closer to the room, she heard the distinctive sound of giggling, and smiled as she realized where Anakin was.

Opening the door to the twins’ room, she laughed when she saw the scene before her. Anakin was sitting on Luke’s bed, holding each of the twins at arms’ length as they tried to reach him in an effort to tickle his bare abdomen. Anakin looked up when he noticed the door open and smiled when he saw Padmé standing there.

“They’re ganging up on me,” he said with a smile, using the Force to hold each of the children just out of reach.

Padmé laughed, watching as the twins struggled to reach their father, giggling furiously as their arms swung wildly in front of them.

“Now, is that fair?” Padmé asked with a smile as she sat on the bed beside Anakin. “Two against one?”

“Yes, ‘cause he’s so big and we’re so small,” Leia declared.

Anakin laughed, and relented at last, releasing the twins who immediately attacked him, sending him onto his back as they assaulted his ribcage with their tiny hands, tickling him furiously. Anakin’s laughter turned hysterical as the twins continued their attack, causing tears to spring to his eyes.

Padmé watched the three of them, her heart full. This is Anakin Skywalker, she reflected. Right now, Darth Vader doesn’t exist. Right now the Darkness has no sway over him.

“Okay, okay, I surrender!” Anakin cried at last. “You win!!”

Luke and Leia cheered their victory, but it was short lived as their father came back at them, grabbing each of them around the waist and picking them up easily, one under each arm.

“What do you think, Padmé?” he asked as the twins kicked and flailed about to be let loose. “Maybe a good spanking to teach them some respect?” he said with a wink.

Padmé nodded, folding her arms over her chest. “Yes, I think that’s a fine idea,” she said. “Or at least a good tickling,” she added, reaching out and tickling each of the twins on the belly as they squirmed and squealed in their father’s arms.

“Okay, I think that’s enough,” Padmé said as Anakin set the twins down. “How does breakfast sound to everyone?”

“Good!” Leia shouted, seconded by her brother. The two of them raced out of the room, followed by their parents at a much more leisurely pace.

Dormé was downstairs setting the table for breakfast when the twins came barreling into the room. “Slow down you two,” she chided. “Where’s the fire?”

Luke and Leia looked at her, and then at one another, and started giggling all over again.

Dormé shook her head, lost as usual, and continued setting the table. “Sit down,” she said. “Breakfast is all ready.”

The twins sat down beside one another just as Anakin and Padmé entered the room, hand in hand.

“Good morning,” Dormé said to them, trying not to look at the open front of Anakin’s sleep shirt.

“Good morning, “Padmé said as Anakin pulled out chair for her. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek as Dormé watched. Anakin could sense Dormé’s jealousy, and it amused him. He looked at her and smiled, causing her to turn away and leave the room.

“So what shall we do today?” Anakin asked the twins.

Planet Alderaan

“Your Excellency, there is a message here from a Master Jedi Neeja Halcyon.”

Bail Organa set his cup of tea down and sat at the comm. screen in his office. He activated the screen and played back the message.

Greetings your Excellency. I hope this morning finds you well. I have wonderful news; Anakin has returned to Delaya a new man. The surgery was a complete success and he is recovering rapidly. Not only that, I strong feel that he is abandoning the Dark Side, something I have felt from our initial meeting on Garos IV. I truly believe that in time he will become Anakin Skywalker in every way once again; being with his family will help him in this metamorphosis. It is time for me to leave Delaya- Master Yoda must be told of all that has happened, for I feel that our destinies are linked to Anakin’s, and that he will be key in the resurgence of the Jedi Order in the months to come. He will need our help to destroy the Sith Lord, Sidious, and this is why I must see Master Yoda. I realize that I am once again impinging upon your generosity, Viceroy, but if you could provide me once again with transport, I would be most grateful. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

With this, the Jedi Master bowed respectfully and his image faded out.

Organa considered the words of Halcyon, whose judgment he valued highly. If he believed that Anakin Skywalker was indeed on the road back to the light, then it must be true. Revealing the whereabouts of Master Yoda was chancy, but if Halcyon believed they could trust Skywalker, then that was good enough for him. Besides, if he could help destroy the despot Palpatine, he would do whatever he could to do so, and gladly.

Organa made up his mind, and sent a return message to Delaya. It was short and to the point. Be ready first thing tomorrow morning to leave Delaya. May the Force be with you.

Planet Delaya

“Please take a deep breath, Lord Vader,” Two-Four-Bee asked.

Anakin did so, still marveling at how wonderful it felt to breathe on his own again.

“Excellent,” the droid responded. “One more should do it.”

Anakin complied as the droid watched the readout on its computer screen.

“Well?” he asked.

“Your lungs are functioning remarkably well,” it told him. “As is your heart. Truly, you have made an extraordinary recovery, Lord Vader.”

“Two-Four-Bee, don’t call me that,” Anakin said. “I’m not Lord Vader anymore.”

The droid stopped what it was doing to look up at its patient. “I don’t understand, sir,” it replied. “That is the designation you have been using since you first arrived at Polis Massa. Why would you change it? It is not logical.”

“Never mind the why,” Anakin said, putting his shirt back on. “Just don’t do it anymore. My name is Anakin Skywalker, that’s the name I want to be called.”

“As you wish my lord,” the droid replied.

Anakin shook his head as he stood up. “So I’m good to go?” he asked as he buttoned up his shirt.

“You are functioning within expected perimeters,” the droid replied.

“That’s good, right?” Anakin said with a smile.

“Yes, that is good,” it replied.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” he said and then left the room, leaving a rather bewildered droid to question the illogic of the human species.

“Well?” Padmé asked him as he met her in the corridor.

“I’m in great shape,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Remarkable I believe was the word used.”

“Well I could have told you that,” she said with a smile.

Anakin smiled. “It feels so good to be alive, Padmé,” he said. “And I have you to thank for it. If you hadn’t done the research on this incredible procedure, I’d have spent the rest of my life in that mask. How will I ever be able to thank you?”

“You don’t need to thank me, Anakin,” she replied, taking his face in her hands. “Having you back in my life, seeing you with our children is all the thanks I need.”

“Well, perhaps there is some way I can show you my gratitude,” he said with a smile.

Padmé laughed. “I’m sure you can think of a way,” she replied as he bent to kiss her.

Planet Alderaan

Obi-Wan Kenobi finally found his way to the royal palace. Now to get in, he thought, checking out the formidable looking gate at the entrance to the property. I’ve come this far, I’m not going to stop now.

“Stop, state your business here.”

Kenobi looked at the guards calmly, reaching out with the Force to manipulate the minds of the two men. “I am expected by the Viceroy,” he said smoothly. “You’d be wise to show me in right away.”

The guards looked at one another, neither of them realizing that they had just been bamboozled by the strangely dressed man in front of them.

“This way,” one of them said, falling into step beside the Jedi Master.

Kenobi merely smiled under his hood. Bail won’t let me down…he is the last link to Padmé and the twins. With any luck, I’ll reach Delaya in 24 hours, maybe less.

The guards showed Kenobi into the palace and up a flight of stairs to the office of the Viceroy. No one was inside, and the viceroy’s assistant was not to be found.

“Wait here,” the guard instructed the Jedi Master. “I will inquire about the Viceroy’s whereabouts.”

Kenobi merely nodded as he took a seat, his hands buried deep inside his sleeves. He felt confident, smug even, about the Herculean effort it took to get this far. Only one more trip and I will be with them. He felt certain that Padmé would have cooled off by now, and be only too happy to see him. She needs me, perhaps now she realizes just how much, perhaps now she will understand how foolish she was to try to look for a human being under the mask of Darth Vader.

[therealthing]

Chapter 40

Planet Alderaan
“
Obi-Wan! What are you doing here?” Bail Organa asked.

Obi-Wan stood up to meet the Viceroy. “I’m here for your help, Bail,” he said. “I have spent the past several weeks traveling across the quadrant, and I have one more voyage to make. That is why I am here- I need you to help me get to Delaya.”

Delaya?? How did he know?

“What takes you there?” Organa asked, keeping his exterior as calm as possible.

Obi-Wan studied the viceroy closely. Your thoughts betray you, Bail, he thought. “I think you know,” he replied simply. “I know Padmé and the twins are there. I am sure she has been quite anxious there all this time, alone. I am going to keep my promise.”

“What promise would that be?” Organa asked, unnerved by the irony of the situation.

“I promised to watch over Padmé and her children,” Kenobi explained. “She left Hannas II hurriedly, and in a fit of anger. I was afraid she would go to Vader, but I suppose she came to her senses before she did something utterly foolhardy.”

Organa watched the Jedi Master, struck by his arrogance. “What makes you think you know anything, Obi-Wan?” he asked pointedly.

Obi-Wan smiled. “A letter from an…admirer,” he replied. “Miss Dormé left me word informing me that Padmé and the twins were under your protection on the planet Delaya. I realize that you have not returned to the capital because of the obligation you feel you owe to her,” he continued. “But now that I am here, you can rest assured that I will resume that responsibility.”

Organa did not know how to respond. If he told him the truth, that Padmé was not in need of his or any one else’s protection, he would ask why. And if he found out the reason, a confrontation between them would be inevitable. Such a confrontation would be disastrous, for as far as Vader had come, he still harbored a great deal of resentment and anger where Obi-Wan Kenobi was concerned. Such a confrontation right now could set him back, sending him spiraling down into the darkness once again. Somehow I have to keep him from going to Delaya…somehow I have to prevent the two of them from coming face to face…but how? And then he had an idea.

“Padmé and the twins are no longer on Delaya,” Organa began. “They were, you’re right; but just last week Padmé took the twins to Naboo. She is staying with her parents there, so you see, Obi-Wan; there is no need for you to worry about protecting her. She is well protected, that I promise you.” At least that much is true.

Obi-Wan watched the Viceroy closely, clearing seeing the deception in his explanation. He was lying, that much was obvious; the question was, why? Why was he lying? Had someone got to him? Had someone threatened him? There was one name that kept popping up in Organa’s mind, one that he did not utter: Vader.

“Curious,” Kenobi said, folding his arms over his chest. “I would think that Padmé would know better than to travel to a planet that is so closely tied to her. Not if she is trying to hide.”

Damn, Organa thought. I didn’t think of that. “Well you know how stubborn Senator Amidala can be,” he replied. “She insisted upon it. Once she found out that Vader was dead, there was no stopping her.”

“So she knows then?” Kenobi asked, going along with the ruse, letting Organa hang himself with his own rope. “How did she learn of that?”

“I told her,” Organa said. “I thought she ought to know.”

Kenobi nodded, more convinced than ever that Vader was at the center of this web of lies. “I see,” he replied. “And how did she take the news?”

Organa shrugged. “Well, I suppose she was somewhat relieved, but saddened all the same.”

“Of course,” Kenobi replied. “Well, it seems I’ve come a long way for nothing,” he said.

“Sorry obi-Wan,” Organa said, smiling with relief. “I can arrange for transport back to Hannas II if you wish.”

Kenobi bowed to him. “Thank you Viceroy,” he said. “That would be most kind of you.”

Planet Delaya

“Good morning Mommy! Good morning Daddy!”

Padmé opened her eyes to see Leia and Luke standing beside the bed. She smiled and shook the heavy arm that was draped across her. “Wake up, Ani,” she said. “We have visitors.”

Anakin opened his eyes slowly and, seeing his children, smiled.

“Good morning,” he said, removing his arm from his wife’s body. “How did everyone sleep?”

“Good!” Leia said, as she and Luke climbed into bed with their parents. Snuggling down between Padmé and Anakin, Luke and Leia giggled as they pulled the covers up under their chins.

Anakin looked over at his wife, amused by the twins’ antics. So much for spontaneity, he thought to himself.

“We’re having a visitor today,” Padmé told the children. “Viceroy Organa is coming to see us this morning.”

“I wish Master Nejaa wasn’t leaving,” Luke said. “I like him.”

“Master Nejaa will be back,” Anakin replied. “I promise you.”

Padmé looked over at him. “Oh?” she asked. “How do you know that?”

“He said as much,” Anakin replied. “I think he has appointed himself my personal watchdog,” he added with a smile.

Padmé smiled. “Well I think it’s wonderful that you and he are getting on so well,” she said. “Almost like old times, isn’t it?”

Anakin nodded. “Almost,” he agreed, a frown forming on his brow as the thought of Obi-Wan jumped to mind. “It’s nice to know not everyone has written me off completely.”

Padmé knew who he was referring to: Obi-Wan. “No one will be able to deny the changes in you, Anakin- no one. Not even Obi-Wan.”

“I have my doubts about that,” Anakin replied. “Kenobi has never been open-minded. He sees things as black and white, always has. No doubt he tried to talk you out of coming to me once you learned the truth.”

“Yes, he did,” Padmé acknowledged. “He told me that you were incapable of loving me or the children; but I knew he was wrong, and told him so. He has no idea where we are, Ani, so you needn’t worry about that.”

“Kenobi is very resourceful,” Anakin reminded her. “If he wanted to find you, he would do so.”

Padmé frowned, the thought of another confrontation between Anakin and Obi-Wan unnerving her. “I hope not,” she said quietly. “I can’t imagine what would happen between the two of you should you meet again.”

Anakin looked at her. “I think you know what would happen,” he replied.

“Daddy, why did Obi-Wan hurt you?” Leia asked.

Anakin looked down at her, and then up at his wife. How do I answer that one? He wondered.

“Obi-Wan and your father had an argument,” Padmé tried to explain. “And things became…violent.”

Luke looked at his father. “You miss him, don’t you Daddy?”

Anakin looked down at this son, startled by his words. “Why would you think that?” he asked.

“Because thinking of him hurts you,” Luke replied. “You’re angry at him, but you miss him too.”

“I do not miss him, Luke,” Anakin replied quietly. “I never want to see him again.”

Luke could not reconcile the feelings he sensed from his father with his words- they didn’t match.

“Obi-Wan and I were once friends,” Anakin explained to his son, sensing his confusion. “Very good friends. But that all changed.” He did not want to go into the details about what had transpired on Mustafar; the horror of what had happened on that day was too intense for his young children.

Padmé could sense that Anakin was becoming uneasy discussing Kenobi with his children. “Come on kids,” she said, climbing out of bed. “Time to get up and have breakfast. Viceroy Organa will be here soon.”

Luke and Leia followed their mother out of the bed.

“Are you coming Daddy?” Leia asked, turning back to her father.

Anakin nodded, pushing the dark thoughts of revenge from his mind. “Yes my lady, I’m coming,” he said.

Nejaa was already up and meditating outside when Anakin joined him on the patio, a cup of caff in his hand.

“Good morning, Anakin,” Nejaa said, opening his eyes to watch the young man approaching him.

“Good morning Nejaa,” Anakin responded. “I suppose you’ll be on your way soon.”

Nejaa nodded. “I will,” he replied. “I am most anxious to relate to Master Yoda all that has transpired. It is beyond even his precognitive abilities, this redemption of yours.”

“Well, I don’t suppose too many people held out much hope for me, Master,” Anakin said. “Including myself.”

Nejaa smiled. “Well, no one took into account the power of love, Anakin. The love you have for your family has been your road to redemption.”

“It makes you wonder doesn’t it?” Anakin commented. “Perhaps emotional attachments have some merit after all.”

“They do indeed,” Nejaa concurred. “You have proven that. Of course, not everyone is remarkable as your wife. She has stuck by your side through all of this, not every one would.”

“I know that,” Anakin replied. “Padmé is an extraordinary woman, and I count myself extremely blessed to have her in my life. Not to mention our children,” he added, smiling at the thought of them. “I can’t explain it, Nejaa; when I am with them, every dark impulse, every shred of anger evaporates. Even before this miraculous physical transformation, even when I was still Darth Vader in every sense of the word, when I was with them, the Darkness just seemed to …disappear.”

“Of course,” Nejaa replied. “Love is the opposite of hate, Anakin. They cannot co-exist.”

“No, I suppose not,” Anakin replied. “So when can we expect you back on Delaya?”

Nejaa sighed. “Well, I suppose that depends on what Master Yoda has to say about all this. I imagine at some point he will want to see you for himself, to see for himself that you have truly changed.”

“I understand,” Anakin replied. “I will miss you, Nejaa. You’ve been a good friend through all this.”

Nejaa smiled. “It has been an honor to be a part of this metamorphosis of yours, Anakin. Besides, your children are remarkable. I enjoyed every moment I spent with them.”

Anakin smiled, his paternal pride shining through. “Yes, they are aren’t they? I suppose they are the living proof that there is some good in me.”

Nejaa put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “Don’t ever doubt that, Anakin,” he said. “There is a great deal of good in you. You are the Chosen One, and perhaps the fate of the Chosen One is to struggle with Darkness before realizing his ultimate destiny.”

“Perhaps,” Anakin said. “But I have renounced the Dark Side now, Nejaa; I will not let it take me from my family again.”

“I know you won’t, Anakin,” he replied. “I have faith in you. The moment you spared my life back on Garos IV, I knew that you had changed. And each day since then I have seen more of the young man I knew and less of the Dark Lord of the Sith.”

“I mean to destroy the Sith, Nejaa,” Anakin said, his eyes following the progression of a bird as it skimmed across the surface of the lake in the distance. “That is my destiny, I know it now.”

“And we will help you destroy him, Anakin,” Nejaa said. “You can count on that.”

As Anakin watched the distance, he saw the Viceroy’s ship descending over the forest. “Looks like Organa is here,” he said. “Guess this is goodbye.”

Nejaa nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid so. “

“Come in and say goodbye to the kids,” Anakin said. “They will miss you if you don’t.”

Nejaa smiled. “I wouldn’t think of leaving without saying goodbye to them.”

The two men walked into the house as the ship made its landing on the platform hidden deep in the Delayan forest. Bail Organa descended the ramp first, along with his personal guard, Captain Antilles. They were met by two security men at the foot of the ramp and escorted through the forest towards the house.

After they disappeared into the foliage, a third passenger descended the ramp, one whose presence on board had gone undetected. After a quick look around his surroundings, Obi-Wan Kenobi put up his hood and headed toward the path that led into the dense forest.

[therealthing]

Chapter 41

“Welcome Bail,” Padmé said as she and Anakin greeted him on the patio behind the house.

“Thank you, Padmé,” he said, staring at Anakin. “I can’t believe it,” he said. “You look …well, you look like you did five years ago!”

Anakin nodded. “Yes, it’s a miracle,” he replied. “I can still hardly believe it myself.”

“I hope this will help you become the man you were then,” Organa said. “Not just in appearance.”

“He already is that man,” Padmé said, looking up at Anakin with adoration.

Anakin looked down at her with a smile. “Well, I’m almost there,” he said. “Thanks to my family.”

Organa nodded. “You’re a lucky man to have such a family,” he told Anakin. “I hope you realize that.”

Anakin nodded. “I do, believe me,” he said, putting his arm around his wife. “I do.”

“There is something we need to discuss,” Organa said, his face becoming serious. “I’m afraid it isn’t good news.”

Padmé looked up at Anakin fearfully and then back at Organa. “What is it?” she asked.

“It’s Kenobi,” Organa said. “He’s on Alderaan. He knows you’re here, Padmé.”

Anakin felt the anger surge through him. “What??” he demanded. “How?? How did he know?”

“Apparently your handmaiden left him a message when she left Hannas II,” Organa explained, “telling him that Padmé and the twins were here under my protection.”

Padmé felt herself grow tense with anger at this revelation. She has never said a word about that message! Were you just counting on this to happen, Dormé? “I can’t believe she has done this,” Padmé said at last, her voice edged with anger. “And has never had the courage to tell me!”

“No wonder she feels such animosity towards me,” Anakin remarked. “She’s an ally of Kenobi’s. She may have been contacting him all the time we were away, Padmé! Who knows? She may have sent him the very coordinates to this house, just hoping he’d come here for another shot at me.”

“Kenobi thinks you’re dead, Anakin,” Organa told him. “I guess he bought the news like everyone else. But as for Padmé, I’m not so sure he believed what I told him.”

“What did you tell him?” Anakin asked.

“I told him that Padmé had been here, but that she was no longer,” Organa explained. “But I’m afraid I’m not a very good liar- I told him that she had gone to Naboo, which, of course, would be far too dangerous for her, and he knows it.”

“Do you think he will come here?” Padmé asked.

“I don’t know,” Organa admitted. “But I thought you needed to be warned all the same.”

“He will do well to stay away from my family,” Anakin said. “I will not stand for him interfering in the lives of my children and my wife any more.”

“And what will you do if he does show up?” Organa asked.

Anakin looked down at Padmé. “I will do what I must,” he said simply.

Luke and Leia came racing out of the house at this point, and headed straight for their father.

“Come on Daddy,” Leia said, pulling on his hand. “You said you’d come for a walk in the forest with us today, remember?”

“Yes, I remember,” Anakin said. “But not just now, Leia.”

“But Daddy,” Leia whined, putting out her bottom lip petulantly. “You promised!”

“Leia, Daddy needs to speak to Viceroy Organa,” Padmé explained gently. “You can go for a walk later on.”

“But Mommy,” Leia complained. “I….”

“Leia, stop,” Anakin said to her, turning to the forest. He stared at the foliage, a stirring in the Force causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. “He’s here,” he said, a frown forming on his brow. “He’s coming.”

“Who is coming, Daddy?” Leia asked, confused by her father’s seemingly irrational behavior.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Anakin said, not taking his eyes from the forest, knowing that somewhere within its dense foliage his former master was making his way towards them. He turned back to this wife. “Let’s get the kids inside,” he said, taking them each by the hand.

Padmé nodded and they hurried the children into the house, along with Organa and Nejaa.

“How can you be so sure he’s here?” Organa asked as they entered the house. “He had no transportation.”

“That hasn’t stopped him before,” Anakin remarked with a frown. “He is quite clever at making himself scarce when he needs to.” He looked at Nejaa. “You’ve sensed his presence, haven’t you?”

Halcyon nodded. “I’m afraid so,” he said. “He is here, no doubt of it.”

Anakin stood for a moment and then headed upstairs.

“Where are you going?” Padmé called after him. He did not reply, but appeared moments later, carrying his lightsaber in his hand.

“Oh Ani,” Padmé said, looking at the lethal weapon in his hand. “You don’t think it will come to this, do you?”

“I don’t know, Padmé,” he replied. “But given the way things ended the last time we met, it’s a logical precaution to take. Besides, if what Bail has said is true, he’s not expecting to see me here. No doubt I will be the last person he wants to see.”

“Don’t let your anger from the past make you do something rash, Anakin,” Halcyon warned. “This is a test, Anakin, don’t you see that? If you let your anger dictate your actions, you will undo all the progress you’ve made over the past weeks.”

Anakin looked at the Jedi Master, conflicting emotions surging through him. I won’t let the Dark side take me again…I won’t let it win…but neither will I let Obi-Wan Kenobi barge his way into my family’s life again…he has done enough damage, he has told enough lies…

“Obi-Wan is the one who has forced this confrontation, Nejaa,” he said at last. “Not me. He will be the one to be tested, not I.”

Nejaa frowned, seeing the truth of Anakin’s words. Obi-Wan don’t be a fool…don’t let your pride prevent you from doing the right thing.

Anakin looked up, as though hearing something outside. “He is here,” he said, his grip on his lightsaber tightening. He walked toward the door and the turned and looked back at his family. “Stay here, all of you,” he said. “This is between him and me.” And then he turned and left again.

Padmé ran over to the door and watched as Anakin strode towards the forest, the fear and anxiety welling up within her. Please don’t let this be the undoing of him…please don’t let his anger cause him to slip back into Darkness…

Anakin stopped when he heard the sound of footfalls upon the forest floor. Holding his unlit lightsaber in his hand, he could feel every muscle of his body tense in anticipation of the confrontation at hand. His heart pounded within him, his mouth was dry as each sense was heightened in anticipation. Finally, Obi-Wan emerged from the forest.

“So, we meet again, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said, pacing back and forth like a caged animal, fighting to control his rage.

Obi- Wan stood looking in shock at Anakin, hardly able to believe his eyes.

“Don’t recognize me, my old master?” Anakin asked. “I suppose I look rather different from the last time you saw me,” he added coldly.

“Yes, you do,” acknowledged Obi-Wan. “But I still sense that the change is only skin deep, Vader.”

Anakin frowned with a shake of his head. “You still think you know everything, don’t you Obi-Wan?” he said. “Never willing to admit you were wrong, are you? Even when faced with your own blatant lies, like the one you told Padmé five years ago.”

“What did you expect me to tell her?” Kenobi countered. “After you attacked her on Mustafar, she needed to be protected from you and your emperor, and telling her you were dead was the best way to do that. I vowed never to let you hurt her again after that day, Vader.”

“Padmé is my wife!” Anakin retorted angrily. “Luke and Leia are my children! We belong together; you had no right to interfere!”

“You forfeited all rights to those precious children as well as your wife when you tried to kill them!” Kenobi countered.

Anger surged through Anakin at the sanctimonious attitude of his former master and friend. “You may not be one to forgive, but Padmé is. And she has forgiven me. She loves me, Obi-Wan, and we are going to raise our family together, with or without your blessing.”

“I don’t know what sort of lies you’ve told your wife, but I refuse to believe that being with you is what is best for her,” Kenobi retorted. “She is blinded by her love for you, and I for one will not stand by and allow you to take advantage of that love. She is misguided and vulnerable, and you, like a true Sith, have swooped down upon her and manipulated her into thinking that you love her and the children, when you and I both know that no Sith is capable of loving anyone or anything but power!”

“Silence!!” Anakin shouted, his lightsaber springing to life, despite his best efforts to keep his anger at bay. “You will be silent! You know nothing about us, nothing!”

Kenobi raised his own weapon to meet that of Anakin’s. “No, Vader, I know all too well about you,” he said. “You see, I have been with Padmé all this time, I know what losing the man she loved did to her, and I will not allow it to happen all over again. Nor will I allow you to destroy those beautiful children with your twisted notions.”

Anakin lunged furiously at Kenobi, the anger surging through him. “You will not come near my children again!!” he roared.

The two blades flashed furiously, crashing against one another, as the two former brothers continued the battles that had started five years earlier on Mustafar.

Padmé watched in horror as the battle heated up, feeling helpless to do anything to stop it. She felt a tugging on her sleeve and looked down to see Luke standing beside her.

“Luke, go play with your sister,” she said, returning her attention to the duel outside.

“Leia isn’t here, Mommy,” Luke said. “She’s gone outside.”

“What!?” Padmé cried. Without a moment’s hesitation, she opened the door and rushed outside, followed immediately by Nejaa.

“Do your children know about how you’ve spent the past five years, Vader?” Kenobi asked as they stared at one another across their locked blades. “Do they know about the younglings at the Jedi Temple?”

“That was in the past!” Anakin shouted. “I’ve changed! I love my children, and they love me!”

“If you’ve changed, then why is your blade still red?” Kenobi counted, pushing against Anakin’s saber. The two stood at one another for a moment, trying to catch their breath.

“Daddy?”

Anakin whirled around at the sound of his daughter’s voice, horrified to find her so close to the battle. “Daddy…” she said as the tears filled her eyes.

The look of fear in his child’s eyes melted his heart, and he reached his hand out to her.

“Don’t touch that child!” Kenobi shouted, leaping into the air and delivering a kick directly to Anakin’s chest.

“ANAKIN!” Padmé screamed as he staggered back. She ran to him, as Leia started to cry.

“Leave him alone!!” Padmé screamed at Obi-Wan. “Didn’t I tell you to leave us alone!!”

“Padmé, don’t you see?” Kenobi said, “You’re letting him manipulate you! He…” Kenobi stopped when he saw Anakin fighting for breath.

“Ani,” Padmé said, putting an arm around his waist. His knees buckled as he felt the world start spinning around him. “Ani!!” she cried, alarmed as he fell to his knees, his breathing becoming erratic as he struggled for air.

“Leia, get Two-Four-Bee, hurry!!” Padmé cried as Leia ran into the house.

“Anakin, what is it? What’s wrong?” Padmé asked anxiously as she took his face in her hands.

Anakin looked up at her, rubbing his chest as the pain in it worsened, as it became tightness. Something is wrong…very wrong. “I…I don’t know,” he gasped. “It hurts when I breathe…it…feels so tight…”

Padmé looked up at Obi-Wan, her dark eyes full of anger. “What have you done!?” she cried furiously. “What have you done to him??”

Bail Organa, along with the children and Two-Four-Bee hurried outside and over to Anakin who was rapidly becoming weaker.

“What is wrong??” Padmé asked the droid. “Why can’t he breathe properly??”

The medidroid performed a quick examination of Anakin. “This is not good,” it pronounced portentously. “We must get him to a medical facility immediately.”

“Why? What is wrong?” Padmé asked in alarm.

“He has a Tension Pneomothorax to his left lung which is progressing to a Hemothorax,” the droid reported.

“And that means?” Nejaa asked.

“It means one of his lungs has been damaged,” the droid reported. “And if we do not get him to the center at Polis Massa his heart will also become damaged,” he continued ominously. “He needs immediate treatment, far beyond what I am equipped to provide.”

Padmé looked at Nejaa, her eyes wide with terror. “Oh gods,” she gasped. “Anakin!” she looked at him as he continued to weaken. “The medical capsule,” she remembered. “Get it! We have to hurry!”

Organa and the droid hurried away to fetch the medical capsule as Luke and Leia approached their father with Nejaa. Anakin was lying down by now, weakening rapidly as he fought to remain conscious. When he saw the twins, he tried to smile at them, but was unable to manage it. He looked up at Nejaa, motioning for him to come close.

“Nejaa,” he said softly, his voice barely audible. “If…if something happens to me…take care of my family...”

Nejaa nodded, too upset to speak. He looked up at Obi-Wan, who could only stand by and watch numbly to the crisis as it unfolded.

“Don’t talk that way, Anakin,” Padmé said, cradling him in her arms. “You’re going to be fine!” she looked up desperately at Nejaa as though looking for his confirmation. “He’s going to be fine!”

Anakin looked up at his wife, wishing he would reassure her. He looked at his children, telling them without words how much he loved them. Luke and Leia came closer and embraced him, too frightened for words.

Finally Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, and saw in his former master’s eyes the realization of what he had done. What have I done? Obi-Wan thought in agony as he watched Anakin’s strength ebb, as he felt the love for his family filling him even as his strength waned. Forgive me, my brother. I was wrong.
Anakin closed his eyes, surrounded by his family, feeling their love wash over him. He didn’t even know it when they placed him in the medical capsule, and by the time they left Delaya, he had been placed in stasis by the medidroid in order to sustain him for the trip to Polis Massa.

Padmé and the twins sat at his side, the three of them silent as they held one another for support. Nejaa stayed close by as well, desperately worried, but offering his support to Padmé in her time of need.

As for Obi-Wan, he too had come along, despite Padmé’s vehement protestations. Nejaa had managed to convince her, and in the interest of saving time, Padmé had given in. She refused to speak to him, however; nor even to look at him, and Obi-Wan could feel the depth of her anger, of her resentment towards him. Not that I can blame her, he thought miserably. I didn’t even let him explain…I didn’t even listen to him…what kind of a Jedi am I? He berated himself as he struggled to come to grips with the shame and guilt of what he had done. All he could hope for now was that they reached Polis Massa before it was too late to save Anakin. Don’t give up now, Anakin, Obi-Wan thought. You’ve come too far to give up now.

Obi-Wan looked up as Nejaa entered the hold.

“Any change?” he asked.

Nejaa nodded. “I’m afraid so,” he replied solemnly. “Anakin has gone into shock.”

[therealthing]

Chapter 42

Planet Delaya

Dormé wandered around the empty house alone, wringing her hands in despair and guilt. What if he dies? What if they don’t get there in time? It’s my fault…Obi-Wan never would have found them if it weren’t for me.

Trying to put the situation out of her mind, she occupied herself with household chores. Those twins certainly like to make a mess, she reflected as she commenced picking up toys from the floor of their room. I’ve never seen children with so many toys! She thought, and then she remembered where they had all come from: their father. The twins loved their father; no, they adored him. What will it do to them if he dies? What will it do to Padmé?

Dormé sat on the edge of Leia’s bed, her face in her hands as the last heated exchange she’d had with Padmé flashed through her mind…

“What’s happening Padmé?”

“You have the audacity to ask me that? How long have you and Obi-Wan had this planned?”

“It was never planned, Padmé! How can you think such a thing?”

“Because you hate Anakin! Because you have never accepted him! I know of your infatuation with Kenobi, Dormé, I know that you and he have been against the idea of Anakin and I being reunited, and I know that either of you would do anything to see that it didn’t happen- even killing Anakin!”

“Padmé, you’re upset, you don’t know what you’re saying!”

“I know exactly what I’m saying!! May the Force help you both if anything happens to my Ani!”

“But…”

But Dormé’s words were halted by a slap in the face before Padmé had bolted from the house to accompany her husband to Polis Massa.

“What have I done?” Dormé whispered as hot tears rolled down her face. “Oh gods, what have I done??”

Polis Massa

Dr. Rool was waiting with an emergency medical team on the landing platform when Bail Organa’s ship arrived. The viceroy had notified the facility en route of the situation in order to expedite Anakin’s care.

“What is his current condition?” Dr. Rool asked as the medical capsule containing Anakin’s unconscious body was brought into the facility.

“He has been in stasis since we left the Alderaan System, and went into shock two hours ago, ” Two-Four-Bee replied. “Significant loss of function to the left lung due to a blunt chest trauma.”

Dr. Rool frowned, nodding her understanding. “Collapsed lung,” she said, reproaching herself for allowing him to leave the facility so soon. “Take him to the operating theatre at once,” she ordered the droids as she fell into step behind them.

“Dr. Rool!”

The physician turned to see Padmé approaching her with her twins in tow.

“Dr. Rool please tell me you can help him,” Padmé pleaded.

“I won’t know anything until I can examine him, Padmé,” she replied. “But you know that I will do everything I can.”

Padmé nodded, her tears starting again. She stopped and looked down at the twins. “It will be okay,” she told them. “Daddy is going to be fine.”

The twins knew how frightened their mother was, and sensed that things were far more serious than anyone was telling them.

“Mommy, why did Obi-Wan do that?” Leia asked, still stunned by the terrible scene she had witnessed. “Why did he hurt my daddy?”

Padmé was about to answer when she caught sight of Obi-Wan coming towards them.

“Perhaps you should ask him yourself,” she said, her dark eyes glaring angrily at him. “He can explain it to you, for I’m sure I can’t.”

Leia looked at Obi-wan, her as yet unrefined Force senses telling her how despondent Kenobi was. He was filled with regret, with worry and guilt over what had happened. Then why had he done it? Leia wondered in confusion.

“I’m sorry, Leia,” Obi-Wan said simply. “I…I don’t know what else I can say.”

Padmé bit back a response and took Leia by the hand again. “Come with us, Leia.

Obi-Wan stopped and watched Padmé and her children hurry away down the corridor. He didn’t know what he could do to rectify the situation. If Anakin should die, how will I ever be able to forgive myself? Padmé will hate me even more than she already does…and the twins will grow up resenting me. The way Anakin’s daughter had looked at him just then unnerved him; there was no doubt that the Skywalker twins had inherited their father’s natural abilities to use the Force. What if the resentment they harbored turned them to the Dark Side? What if they felt compelled to avenge their father some day? What Dark Force would be unleashed upon the galaxy should the children of the Chosen One decide to follow the same dark path that had claimed their father? I can’t let that happen... Obi-Wan thought desperately. The galaxy would not stand a chance against two Dark Skywalkers.

“Mrs. Skywalker I’m afraid you’ll have to wait here,” Dr. Rool said as Anakin’s medical capsule was brought to the surgical wing. “We will keep you posted as best we can, but the sooner we attend to your husband, the greater the chance he has of surviving.”

Padmé nodded numbly, holding onto the twins’ hands tightly. She watched as Dr. Rool entered through the blast doors into the surgical wing. Let him be alright…he has to be alright, he has to survive.

“Perhaps the twins would like to come with me to find something to eat,” Organa said as he rejoined the twins and Padmé.

Padmé looked up at the viceroy, grateful for his presence. “Thank you, Bail,” she said. Then, looking down at the twins, she squatted to face them both. “Go with the viceroy.” She told them. “I’ll be waiting right here.”

“Can we see Daddy when we come back?” Luke asked, not fully understanding the situation.

Padmé glanced up at Bail briefly before returning her attention to her son. “I hope so, Luke,” she said softly.

Luke sensed his mother’s great fear, and put his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. “He’ll be okay, Mommy,” he said to her. “I know it.”

Padmé closed her eyes as they filled with tears, hoping against hope that her son’s words were the precognition of a Force sensitive and not merely the hopes of a five year old boy.

Standing up again, Padmé watched as the twins walked away with Organa. As they disappeared around the corner, Padmé saw Obi-Wan standing there, watching her. She turned away, the anger filling her just at the sight of him.

Obi-Wan could see the anger in the very set of her shoulders, feel it emanating from every pore of her body. But he had to try; he had to reach out to her, no matter how ugly a situation it promised to be.

“Padmé, may I speak with you?” Obi-Wan said as he stepped up to stand behind her.

Padmé did not turn to him, did not acknowledge his presence in the small waiting area at all. Obi-Wan stood patiently, feeling terribly uncomfortable in her icy presence.

“Padmé, I know what you are feeling,” he began. That got her attention.

She turned to him, her dark eyes full of anger. “Don’t you dare say that to me!” she spat. “How would you know what I am feeling?? You are incapable of it! You know nothing about real, human feelings, Obi-Wan! All you know is your precious Jedi Code! So don’t tell me you know what I am feeling,” she concluded, turning away from him.

Obi-Wan winced under her words, yet he knew that they were deserved. “I know how angry you are,” he began again, determined to get through to her. “And deservedly so. But Padmé, please…please hear me out.”

Padmé turned back to him, and saw Nejaa standing close by. He simply nodded at her, as though encouraging her to given Kenobi a chance to say his piece. Reluctantly she turned her eyes back to Kenobi, her face like stone.

“I want to begin by saying that I am sorry,” Obi-Wan began. “I am sorry for lying to you five years ago, for not telling you sooner about what had happened on Mustafar. As I told you back on Hannas II, I only did so to protect you. I truly believed that if you knew Vader was alive that…”

“His name is Anakin,” Padmé interjected angrily. “Anakin! You see? You are still calling him Vader. So nothing has changed. I don’t think I want to hear any more of this, Obi-Wan. It was a mistake to even let you come here.”

“But Padmé,” he began, and then felt the hand of Nejaa upon his shoulder. He turned to face his fellow Jedi.

“Let her be, Obi-Wan,” Nejaa advised. “She is not ready to listen to you. Can’t you see that?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “I suppose not,” he said. “I’m just anxious to…to...”

“To be absolved?” Nejaa offered, studying Kenobi closely. “Because that isn’t going to happen too easily I’m afraid.”

“No, it isn’t,” Kenobi acknowledged, casting his eyes downward. “I was wrong, Master Halcyon,” he said miserably. “I was wrong not to take Anakin at his word.” He looked up again, and Nejaa could see in his eyes the pain and shame he was suffering. “I should have believed him,” Kenobi continued. “I should have felt the truth in him; instead I was just too consumed with revenge, with proving that I was right. I have not behaved in a manner befitting a Jedi,” he concluded, hanging his head once again.

Nejaa nodded. “No, you have not,” he agreed. “You have acted more like a Sith in your lust for revenge, Obi-Wan. So what are you going to do to make up for this? How are you going to atone for this?”

“I don’t know,” Kenobi admitted miserably. “But I will do whatever it takes, Master. Halcyon. Whatever it takes.”

Nejaa was about to respond when Dr. Rool emerged from the blast doors and approached Padmé. Nejaa hurried over to hear what she had to say.

“Dr. Rool, please tell us you have good news,” Padmé said as Nejaa stood at her side, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

“Your husband is alive,” Dr. Rool began. “The stasis sustained him and enabled him to survive the shock that ordinarily would have killed him.”

“So you are going to be able to help him then?” Padmé asked hopefully.

“I hope so,” the physician replied. “His lung has collapsed. The trauma he sustained to his chest caused an air leak to develop, which eventually caused the collapse. Ordinarily this condition is fatal, for it leads to hypoxia, or decreased oxygen in the blood. It rapidly affects all systems, causing the lungs and heart to be in distress, and can lead to death if not treated immediately.”

Padmé felt herself grow numb as she listened to the doctor’s prognosis. “But…you’ve reached him in time, right?” she asked hopefully. “You can save him, can’t you?”

“It is a rapidly progressing condition,” Dr. Rool explained patiently. “But I think we can intervene before it is too late. I have instructed the droids to prepare him for immediate surgery, Padmé. We will insert a chest tube, a large plastic tube through the chest wall between the ribs to remove the air completely. The chest tube is attached to a vacuum that slowly and continuously removes air from the chest cavity. This allows the lung to re-expand. As the lung heals and stops leaking air, the vacuum is turned down and then the chest tube is removed. Hospitalization is required for proper care of the chest tube and because several days may be required before the affected lung re-expands.”

Padmé listened in silent horror to the doctor’s description. My poor Ani, she thought, fighting to maintain her composure. “I understand,” she said. “How long will this procedure take?”

“Not long,” Dr. Rool assured her with a smile. “I’d better get back to him. We’ll keep you posted, Padmé. I promise.”

Padmé nodded and watched as the doctor walked away. She turned to Nejaa and finally, after being so strong for so long, broke down. Nejaa held her as she wept, the terror and despair pouring out of her in great racking sobs. The Jedi Master simply held her as she wept, trying his best to stay strong for her in her hour of need.

[therealthing]

Chapter 43

It had been several hours since arriving at Polis Massa. Luke and Leia were asleep, curled up on a sofa in the waiting room, blankets thrown over them. Bail Organa was nodding off in one of the chairs, Nejaa Halcyon was in deep meditation, which, Padmé suspected, was just another way of saying he was asleep.

Padmé, however, was unable to sleep, meditate or even sit for more than a few minutes. Her state of worry had her too agitated to do so. Instead she paced, much as she had done only a short time ago when she had been waiting for him to recover from his life altering surgery. We left too soon…we should have listened to the doctors...if we had not left this never would have happened.

Walking over to the sofa where the twins were asleep, she bent down and kissed them each on the cheek, and then pulled the blankets up over Luke’s shoulders. She was grateful for the twins’ ability to sleep, grateful that they were too young to realize how serious the situation was. If they knew the danger their father’s life was in, they would be inconsolable. At least they have been spared that much, she thought, watching her children as they slept.

“Mrs. Skywalker?”

Padmé turned quickly to see Dr. Rool standing there still clad in her surgical garb.

“Dr. Rool,” Padmé said, rushing over to her. “How is he? Is he okay? Did you get to him in time??”

“He’s alive,” Dr. Rool said, removing her surgical mask and cap. “We have managed to remove the air in the pleural space,” she told Padmé. “And removed the danger of pneumomediastinum, or complications to his heart.”

“Thank the gods for that,” sighed Padmé. “So he’s going to be okay, then?” she asked.

Dr. Rool did not reply at once, which alarmed Padmé immediately.

“Tell me Padmé,” the physician said at last. “Did Anakin incur any head trauma during his fight? Any head injury at all?”

Padmé shook her head. “No, none at all,” she replied. “Why do you ask? What is wrong??”

“Sit down, Padmé,” Rool said.

Oh gods…something is wrong….something is very wrong…Padmé thought frantically as she sat down. Organa and Nejaa were now wide awake and listening to the physician as well.

“Your husband is stable, Padmé,” Rool said at once, sensing Padmé’s fear. “He is out of danger.”

“Then what is it?” Padmé asked. “I know something is wrong, even though you haven’t said it yet.”

Rool sighed. “Well, he’s exhibiting some symptoms we cannot account for,” she replied. “Namely, he is completely unresponsive to stimuli. And considering he has suffered no head trauma, there doesn’t seem to be a reason for it.”

“What do you mean, unresponsive?” Padmé asked, her fear returning.

“I mean he’s in a coma,” Rool replied. “We are currently running tests to determine why, but considering he did not suffer any head trauma, I don’t think we need to worry about neurological damage.”

“Then what could be the reason for it?” asked Nejaa.

“Well, I have a theory,” Rool replied. “But until I have more information, I don’t feel quite right about discussing it yet. But the tests won’t take long; as soon as I know more, I will let you know.”

Padmé nodded, fighting to remain strong. “May I see him?” she asked softly.

Rool smiled. “Of course, come with me.”

Padmé looked back at the twins, who were still fast asleep.

“Don’t worry Padmé,” Organa told her. “We’ll stay with them.”

Padmé nodded and then turned back to accompany Dr. Rool into the surgical wing.

The two women walked through a set of security blast doors that lead to the surgical wing of the facility. Padmé felt her stomach tighten as they drew closer to where Anakin was being treated.

“The chest tube is still in place, just to prepare you,” Rool said as they entered the critical care unit.

Padmé nodded her understanding as she followed Rool into the room. Anakin was lying on a diagnostic bed. She felt her throat constrict as she saw him. He was so still, so lifeless, with a large tube inserted into his chest, marring the perfection of his newly made body.

“My poor Ani,” she whispered as she reached his bed. He looked peaceful, as though he was enjoying a deep sleep. She immediately went to touch him, but held back, and looked up at Dr. Rool as though asking for permission.

“It’s alright,” Rool said, “you can touch him. Talk to him, it will help him.”

“Really?” Padmé asked, looking back down at his face. “You think he can hear me?”

“Yes, on some level,” Rool explained. “Patients in this state of stasis are often brought around by the voice of a loved one; I’ve seen it happen many times. Excuse me for a moment, Padmé; I’m going to consult with the technicians on the results of the brain scan we did.”

Padmé nodded her understanding, not taking her eyes from Anakin’s face. She brought her hands up and framed his face, stroking his cheeks gently. “Ani, I’m here,” she said, determined to awaken him from his stasis. “I’m not going anywhere. The children are with me too, though they’re asleep right now. We’re all here for you, Anakin. Please come back to us soon,” she said, her voice faltering. Bending down to him she kissed him softly on the mouth. “I love you,” she said. “Please come back to me.”

“Good news, Padmé,” Dr. Rool declared as she returned to Anakin’s bedside.

Padmé straightened up and looked at her expectantly. “What is it?” she asked.

“The brain scans were negative for any abnormalities,” Rool told her. “Meaning, there is no neurological damage, no brain damage.”

Padmé smiled, relief filling her. She looked down at Anakin, feeling for the first time that everything just might be alright. “So why is he still unconscious then?” she asked.

“My theory is that the physical exertion during the light saber battle combined with the subsequent chest injury overwhelmed the regenerating process that his body was still undergoing,” she explained. “Now his body has gone into its own natural state of stasis in order to give it the rest he needs in order to recover from the trauma it suffered.”

Padmé nodded. “That makes perfect sense,” she replied. She looked up at the physician. “If we’d only taken your advice and stayed longer, none of this would have happened,” she said.

Rool smiled. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Padme,” she said. “Your husband is not exactly an easy man to say no to.”

Padme shook her head with a smile. “No, that’s certainly true. So how long can we expect him to be in this…stasis?”

Rool shrugged. “I don’t know,” she replied. “There’s no way of knowing, really. It could be hours, it could be days. He’s in no danger though, Padmé. He’s stable, and the injuries he incurred have been repaired. Just stay with him, talk to him, get his kids to talk to him. Eventually someone will manage to get through to him.”

“Thank you Dr. Rool,” Padmé said. “Once again we are in your debt.”

“You’re welcome,” Rool replied, looking down at her patient. “He truly is a remarkable man though, isn’t he?”

Padmé nodded with a smile. “Yes, he certainly is.”

[therealthing]

Chapter 44

“Mommy, we had ice cream!” Leia announced as she and Luke came into the room. “Where is Daddy? Where...” she stopped when she saw her father lying still and quiet on the bed. She looked up at Padmé, her eyes wide with alarm. “What is wrong with Daddy??”

Padmé walked over to her children and knelt down before them. “Your daddy is going to be fine,” she told them gently, taking one of their hands in her. “He’s having a big sleep right now to give his body a chance to get strong again. But he’ll be fine, isn’t that right, Dr. Rool?”

Dr. Rool nodded. “That’s right,” she said, looking at the twins. “Your father just needs some rest, that’s all.”

Luke and Leia looked at one another, as though trying to decide if they believed what they were being told.

“Why does he need rest?” Luke asked at last.

Padmé and the physician exchanged a glance.

“Well,” Dr. Rool began. “It’s because your daddy had an accident,” she explained gently. “He was in a fight, and he was hurt pretty badly. But he’s going to be okay.”

“Obi-Wan hurt him,” Leia said with a frown. “I saw him, he kicked Daddy. That was bad of him, wasn’t it Mommy?”

Padmé frowned. “Yes it was,” she said. “But the important thing is that Daddy is going to be fine, children. In fact, it would help him get better if you talked to him. Dr. Rool says that he can hear you, even though he is asleep.”

“Daddy can hear us all the time,” Luke stated matter-of-factly. “Even when we’re far apart.”

“Yes, I know Luke,” Padmé acknowledged with a smile. “Come on,” she said, holding out her hands to them. “Let’s go talk to him.”

Luke and Leia held their mother’s hands as they approached their father’s bed. Padmé could feel their tiny hands tighten upon hers, and she knew that despite her reassurances, they were frightened. No doubt it was unnerving for them to see their normally exuberant and energetic father so quiet and still.

“Anakin, the twins are here,” Padmé said, showing by example how to talk to him as if he were awake. She looked down at them. “Go ahead,” she told them gently. “It’s okay to touch him, you won’t hurt him.”

Luke reached out his hand first, and rested it gently upon his father’s hand. He studied Anakin’s face, almost as though in communication with him. The psychic bond between Anakin and his children still astounded Padmé, and she almost envied him that ability to communicate with them on such an intimate level.

Leia held back, however, watching her fathers’ face with a worried expression on her face.

“It’s alright, Leia,” Padmé encouraged her. “Go ahead. Daddy would like it if you talked to him.”

Leia looked up at her mother, her dark eyes troubled. “Mommy, is it my fault that Daddy was hurt?” she asked.

Padmé felt her heart ache at the expression in her child’s eyes as she asked the question. “Oh Leia,” she said, hugging her tightly. “Of course not! Don’t even think that! The only one to blame for this is Obi-Wan, Leia. You had nothing to do with it.”

Leia nodded, tears spilling down on to her mother’s shoulder. “I wish this had never happened,” she said desolately. “I wish Daddy was awake and we were all back home.”

Padmé closed her eyes against her own tears. “I know, Leia,” she said gently. “But he will be awake soon, I promise, and then we can all go home. Don’t worry, Leia, everything will be fine. Now come,” she said, taking Leia by the hand. “It will help Daddy to wake up if he knows we are all here.”

Leia wiped her eyes and nodded, looking up at her mother bravely. “Okay Mommy,” she said. She let Padmé lead her over to the other side of Anakin’s bed, across from where Luke stood. Leia looked at Anakin’s face, and then tentatively reached her hand out to touch his face. Gently, lovingly she stroked his face, and soon she smiled. “His whiskers tickle,” she told her mother.

Padmé smiled, relieved to see Leia’s acceptance of the situation. “Yes, he’ll need a shave when he wakes up,” she said.

Leia nodded her head with a smile, and then returned her gaze to her father’s face. “He’s dreaming about you, Mommy,” she said matter-of-factly.

“How do you know that?” Padmé asked in surprise.

Leia shrugged. “I just do,” she said simply.

“He is,” Luke agreed. “It’s a happy dream, he’s happy right now.”

Padmé smiled, not doubting for a moment that her children were right. Dream sweetly, Ani, she thought as she reached over Leia to caress his face gently. Dream sweetly and hurry home to us. Padmé looked at Luke who was studying his father’s face intently, almost as though in communication with him. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed someone standing at the observation window and looked up straight into the eyes of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Seeing him sent the smile from her face immediately, and filled her with fresh anger. I never should have let him come here! He has no right to be here!

“I’ll be right back children,” she said, and walked around Anakin’s bed towards the door. Obi-Wan watched her approaching, but did not move from where he stood looking at Anakin with his children.

“I don’t want you near my husband or my children,” Padmé said to him when she reached the corridor. “I didn’t want you here at all, but Nejaa somehow managed to convince me to let you come along. But that doesn’t mean I have to let you near my family!”

Obi-Wan looked at her contritely. “Padmé, I know you are angry with me,” he began, reciting the same litany he had recited so many times before. “But please, don’t make me leave. I’m worried about Anakin, I…”

“Worried about him!” she cried indignantly. “Don’t make me laugh, Obi-Wan! If you were so worried about him, why did you attack him as you did? Why didn’t you listen to him when he told you he’d change? I heard what he said to you, I saw the whole thing. Do you honestly think I’d let my children near him if he was the monster you thought he was?? Would I have anything to do with him? How little you must think of me if you believe for a moment that I would place my children in jeopardy that way!”

“Padmé, I was wrong,” Obi-Wan said simply. “I was wrong about him, what more can I say? I never expected that the man I fought on Mustafar could ever become the man I once called brother again. I was wrong not to listen to him, I was wrong not to give him a chance to speak before attacking him. I suppose I was just so afraid that he would hurt you and the children who I had sworn to protect that I acted without thinking, and for that I am truly and deeply sorry. I know my words mean little to you, but I felt compelled to tell you anyway.”

Padmé could see how contrite Kenobi was, how much he regretted what had happened on Delaya; but she found it difficult to summon even a modicum of sympathy for him. At least now he sees the truth, she thought to herself. At least now he understands. “What do you want me to say, Obi-Wan?” she asked tiredly. “That I forgive you? That it’s okay that you lied to me? What is it you want anyway?”

“I just want Anakin to be alright,” Obi-Wan responded quietly. “I just want the chance to tell him how sorry I am, and how much I’ve missed him.”

Despite herself, Padmé was touched by his words, by the sincerity behind them.

“He’s in a coma,” she told him. “But the doctors say he’ll be alright.”

Obi-Wan nodded his understanding. “Thank you for telling me, Padmé,” he said. “I will leave you and your family in peace now,” he added with a bow to her, and then he walked away.

Padmé watched him leave, confused and bewildered by the radical change in his attitude. Are you sincere, Obi-Wan? She couldn’t help but wonder. Or is this just another way of trying to manipulate me? She wished she could believe him, wished that she knew for certain that he was telling her the truth, that his feelings were genuine; having him on their side once again would be a tremendous asset, especially if Anakin planned on confronting the emperor. But past experience had taught her all too well that Obi-Wan Kenobi was a master of manipulation. She wished that she possessed the same intuitive abilities her children did so that she could see the truth of it all; but she did not. All she could do was take him at his word, and hope that his word was sincere.

Padmé decided to put him out of her mind, at least for now, and returned to her family once again.

[therealthing]

Chapter 45

Dr. Rool had provided cots for Padmé and the children so that they could sleep in Anakin’s room. Padmé had tried to sleep, but with little success. The regular visits from the medidroid who was monitoring Anakin’s progress interrupted what little sleep she managed to get. Finally she decided to get up, finding it too frustrating to toss and turn on the narrow cot.

Padmé bent down to kiss each of the twins, pulling the blanket up on each of them. The conversation she’d had with Obi-Wan had occupied her mind greatly during the many wakeful moments during the night. She remembered how close he and Anakin had been at one time. They had been best friends, like brothers; how did it all go so wrong? Padmé realized that the same cancer that had infected her own relationship with Anakin had also been responsible for the destruction of his relationship with his best friend: Palpatine. How long had he been filling Anakin’s mind with lies? She wondered as she walked over to Anakin’s bedside. How did you manage to destroy that trust?

Padmé sat down in the chair beside Anakin’s bed and took his hand in hers. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it tenderly. “I’ve always loved your hands, Ani,” she told him. “So strong, but so tender too,” she mused with a smile. She looked at his face, so calm looking and peaceful in sleep. “Obi-Wan wants to see you, Ani,” she told him. “I don’t know what to do,” she sighed, running a hand over her brow. “Part of me wants to believe him, to believe that he is sincerely sorry for what he has done. He seems to be very contrite; but I’m afraid to trust him again after everything that he has done.“ She paused, almost as though she was waiting for him to respond. Deep down inside, she knew that in order for Anakin to know true redemption, he must forgive his former master. But how can I expect him to forgive Obi-Wan when I’m not even sure that I can? “I wish I knew what you wanted me to do, Anakin,” she said at last. “I wish I knew what was best.”

She stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching up to run her fingers through Anakin’s short spiky hair. “I miss you,” she said softly. “I miss your laughter, and your smile. I miss feeling your arms around me late at night, and waking up to your kisses in the morning,” she continued, feeling her emotions rising to the surface again. She watched his face closely for any sort of reaction, but of course, there was none. “What are you dreaming about?” she asked him. “I wish I could see into your mind like Luke and Leia can. They miss you too,” she added. “Leia has been feeling badly for what happened, like it’s her fault. I told her she was not to blame, but I’m not sure that she believes that. She is so sensitive, Ani, even though she acts like she isn’t sometimes, she truly is. She reminds me so much of you,” she said with a smile. “Maybe that’s why she loves you so much.”

Padmé sighed as a wave of fatigue washed over her. She laid her head down on the bed beside Anakin, her arm reaching over his chest. Eventually her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.

Nejaa Halcyon was walking through the corridor heading towards the intensive care unit when he came face to face with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

“Hello Obi-Wan,” Nejaa said. “Have you been in to see Anakin?”

“No, I have not,” Obi-Wan replied. “Padmé has made it very clear that she wants me no where near him or the children.”

Nejaa nodded thoughtfully. “Padmé is very angry,” he remarked. “Her loyalty to Anakin is unflagging, and her devotion to him is tremendous. You have to expect that she would be angry right now, Obi-Wan,” he commented. “She has a lot of reason to be angry with you. After all, this is the second time you’ve tried to kill the man she loves.”

Obi-Wan frowned, wincing under his fellow Jedi’s words; but he couldn’t deny them. He had done his best to kill Anakin not once but twice now. On Mustafar it was a matter of survival; but the manner in which he left him there to burn had given the Jedi Master nightmares ever since. And now this.

“Yes, I know that,” Obi-Wan said at last. “I just hope that in time she will forgive me, as well as Anakin.”

“Anakin has come a long way since you saw him last, Obi-Wan,” Nejaa replied, folding his arms over his chest. “Since Padmé and the twins have come into his life, he’s a different man. He spared my life, and that happened mere days after he was reunited with Padmé, when he was still Darth Vader in every sense of the word.”

“He spared you? Darth Vader did that?” Kenobi asked in astonishment.

Nejaa nodded. “Yes, he did,” he replied. “He renounced the Emperor when he learned of his treachery, and has vowed to destroy him. Every day he grows closer to being the man he was, Obi-Wan. You should have listened to him when he tried to tell you that.”

“Yes, I realize that now,” Obi-Wan replied contritely. “I suppose I was just so afraid of Padmé and the twins being manipulated by him that I didn’t stop to consider that he may have changed. It seemed inconceivable that he could have.”

“Yes, I can understand how you’d feel that way,” Nejaa conceded. “But he has. Being with his family has brought him out of the Darkness. It makes me wonder if the Jedi Code forbidding emotional attachments was foolishness, considering the power of the love between Anakin and his family, and what that love has done to transform Darth Vader.”

“Something to mention to Master Yoda when we see him next,” Kenobi commented. “Does he know about this? About Anakin’s redemption?”

“No, I was on my way to Dagobah when this happened,” Nejaa explained. “However, given Master Yoda’s amazing insight, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has already sensed the shift.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, you could be right,” he said. “His insights are remarkable,” he commented. And then a thought struck him. “Nejaa, if Yoda is capable of sensing the shift, wouldn’t Palpatine be as well?”

Nejaa frowned. “Palpatine thinks Vader is dead,” he said. “Just as everyone in the galaxy does.”

“Perhaps he believed that at first,” Obi-Wan pressed. “But Anakin’s Force signature is stronger than anyone’s, even Palpatine himself. Don’t you think it’s possible that he could sense that he was in fact alive? And that he has abandoned the Dark Side?”

Nejaa considered Obi-Wan’s words for a moment, his frown deepening. “You could be right,” he said at last. “And if you are, then Palpatine will come looking for Anakin. And if he finds him…”

“He will find the twins,” Kenobi finished. “We cannot let that happen, Nejaa. No matter what the cost, we must protect the twins from that fiend.”

“Agreed,” Nejaa said. “I will go to Dagobah and consult with Master Yoda. Perhaps it is time we formulated a plan.”

“I think so,” Kenobi replied. “How will you get there?”

“The viceroy had agreed to provide me with transport,” Nejaa replied. “I’m certain that I can still count on him to do so.”

“Very good,” Obi-Wan replied. “I will stay here and let Padmé know where you have gone.”

“Don’t tell her what we suspect, Obi-Wan,” Nejaa cautioned. “Not yet. I don’t want her to be any more frightened than she already is.”

“Yes, good idea,” Kenobi replied. “Will you leave today?”

Nejaa nodded. “As soon as I can make the arrangements, yes,” he replied.

“Very well,” Kenobi replied. “Let’s go find Bail and tell him our plan.”


Padmé woke up a few hours later, feeling stiff and achy from the uncomfortable position she had fallen asleep in. She sat up, rubbing the small of her back as she did so. Looking at Anakin, she was disappointed to see that he had not moved at all since she had fallen asleep, and wore the same expression on his face as he had for more than twenty four hours now.

Padmé stood up and walked over to where the twins were still sleeping. I wonder what time it is, she wondered with a yawn. The sound of the door opening was heard, and she turned to see Dr. Rool entering the room.

“Good morning, Padmé,” the doctor greeted her. “Did you manage to get some sleep?”

“A little,” Padmé replied. “What time is it?”

“Just a little past 0800,” Rool replied as she walked over to Anakin’s bed. “No change?”

Padmé shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not,” she replied, her voice full of the disappointment she felt.

“Well, it’s only been twenty four hours,” Rool replied. “That’s not really so long.”

“It certainly feels like it,” Padmé replied. “How long do comas like this usually last?”

“There is no prescribed duration,” Rool replied. “Each case is different. Considering your husband’s excellent health and the fact that he’s young and strong, I don’t expect it will be too long.”

Padmé nodded, feeling hopeful at that doctor’s words. “Do you think I could go and freshen up?” she asked. “I would really like a shower,” she added.

Rool nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “I’ve taken the liberty of putting some things for you and the children in the quarters you used when you were here last. Go right ahead, Padmé. I’ll stay here with the children while you’re gone.”

Padmé smiled, grateful for the woman’s compassion. “Thank you so much,” she said. “You are very kind.”

Dr. Rool smiled. “Not at all. I like to do what I can to make the waiting more bearable.”

“I won’t be long,” Padmé said. She looked back once more at the twins, and then left the room as the doctor started her examination of the still sleeping Anakin.