"From the Ashes"

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 16

Padme lay covered in a dark blanket, considering her next move. She knew she had her blaster safely hidden and thought about using it to hijack Gerapaline's ship. But then who would fly it? What if she were outnumbered and killed? She had to bide her time for the right moment, her mother and the babies needed her. When the ship finally stopped, she had no idea if they had left the planet or even what system they were on. She played limp as they carried her inside a building and she heard the door shut. Silence. She waited a few more minutes to make sure no one was going to do anything, then she slowly raised the blanket and looked around. It was a very dark room, and in the corner was her mother. She had been badly beaten. She was bloody and it appeared her limbs were broken. "Mother? Is that you?" Padme said quietly. Hearing this, her mother turned her head and moaned.

"Padme, is that you? Is it really you?"

"Mother!" She hurried to her side and sat next to her, holding her broken body in her arms. Turning her face toward her, she noticed that her eyes were gone! Padme was full of anger and disgust at this. "Mother, how could they do this to you! What happened? Where are the babies?"

Her voice sounded strange, she was having a hard time speaking since all her teeth had been knocked out. "He has them, he is using them to bargain...they said they wouldn't hurt me, they only needed me to take care of the babies..I tried to hang on for the babies...I was so upset about Ruwee..your father..they killed him.."

"I know, I saw him, how, why!"

"This is Gerapaline, who owned the hospital and rehab center you had shut down. As you know he is a ruthless and crooked businessman, the worst Naboo has known in my lifetime. He had a huge crime syndicate going and now he's lost it all. I always knew he was evil, now he has snapped. You were right to be scared when you saw he'd escaped... he was after you for having him arrested..."

"Mother, I am sorry, it's all my fault.."

"No it is not! You tried to do what was right, you fought for good, he is the one who is wrong. You didn't know..."

Padme was crying from her deepest breath and soul. "Mother, I can't help it.. I blame myself...but I won't let them do this..."

"Be quiet, dear, or this will happen to you. They beat me because I tried to reason with them, to change their minds, to make them feel guilty.. they tried to do experiments on me. They put out my eyes then tried to replace them with their mechanical ones that do not work." She raised her head and it was then that Padme noticed the horrendous damage to her mother's face. She gasped, then begain to cry.

"They did it because of me, oh mother...I cannot deal with this...how can I save you now..."

"You cannot, Padme, I am dying."

"No, you can't be, not you, too!" She cradled her mother's bloody head on her lap. I love you, mother."

"I love you too, Padme. My good girl, my beautiful, grown up daughter...you've always been so good. I know you will do whatever you can to save my...your..babies. Don't let him have them. Don't let him hurt you. You must get away, you must stop him."

"I promise, Mother!"

"Padme, when the babies are older, tell them about me, how much I loved them."

Padme was heartbroken and in tears. "I..I will, we will never forget you."

"Padme, one more thing, please, be kind to Master Skywalker, he loves you so." Padme was surprised her mother would use her dying words to speak for Anakin. "Do not judge him too harshly, it was only his love that led him the way he went. Love does strange things to people. He loves you, please.." Padme just nodded.

"Mother, you are not dying, do you hear me?"

"I love you Padme, tell Sola and Ryoo and Pooja...Luke and Leia.."

"You are too good a woman, mother, you don't deserve this."

"Hold me, Padme, it hurts..so..Goodbye, I love you."

"I LOVE you." Padme said as she held her mother, crying. After awhile, she realized she was no longer breathing, but she still couldn't let go. Padme sat motionless, holding her mother as her body turned cold. "Why did she have to die?" She whispered.

Anakin ran around Mos Eisley, trying to find a way off Tatooine. He couldn't find anyone to take him in exchange for work. Looking back toward the cantina, he had an idea. He'd have to win a ship by gambling, perhaps by cheating. This didn't make him feel any better about himself, but it did cross his mind. It also sent a chill through him to think he would have to fly it himself. He had not flown since that night when he landed on Mustafar, and felt he could never bring himself to fly again. The great star pilot was so traumatized he had developed an aversion to flying, he felt a strong avoidance at the very thought of him back in a cockpit, controlling a spacecraft, or even a speeder. He started to go into one of his spells, but tried to pull himself back. He ran to the nearest brick wall and clutched it, breathing heavily, and trying to get ahold of himself. The thought of Padme, her mother and the babies being in such danger only served to make his fear worse, but he had to overcome it, and soon. Finally he turned back toward the cantina, making up his mind he was going to have to cheat some crooked pirate out of his ship.

Meanwhile, Obiwan was in transit to Tatooine in his starfighter. He knew that it wasn't going to be big enough for the both of them even if he did find Anakin, but he had no choice at the time. As he set down to land in Mos Eisley space port, he groaned to himself at the despicable sight. "Mos Eisley spaceport." He said to R2, who had to replace a broken R4 on this journey. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

Padme sat holding her mother's bloodstained body, stroking her bloody hair and gently rocking her back and forth as she had done when she was a baby. Memories and images filled her mind, anything to take away this one, this place, this time. Something else filled her, too. It was a steaming rage, a desire for revenge. She couldn't even begin to be the timid girl Queen who favored negotiations. There was nothing to negotiate here, it was torture and cold blooded murder of her innocent parents. Her emotions grew until she was about ready to explode. Someone will pay for this she promised herself, and her mother. "I'll never let go, I'll never forget you, I won't let anyone forget you." She cried, shaking, as she finally carefully released herself from her mother's body and stood up. For a few minutes, she stood staring down at her as her tears of sadness turned to fury. She hated Gerapaline and whoever else had done this, and she wanted them to suffer even more. She was unable to control this feeling as it consumed her, nor did she even try.

The door cracked open, and one of the cronies entered. "We didn't want to kill her Madame but she would not shut up. She kept lecturing us!"

Padme stomped forward in all her anger, pulling her blaster out from under her now stained velvet overdressing. "You killed my mother, you scum!" She tightened her teeth and narrowed her eyes as she took aim and shot the man dead before he could draw back. She felt good, even satisfied. She walked over and stood over his body, and addded one more shot right in his face. "There, that one's for my father." Hearing the blast, three more cronies came running, and were all promptly shot dead by a screaming, rampaging Padme. She did not feel any remorse whatsoever. They deserved it. In fact, it was too good for them. She stepped over their bodies like so much dumped trash and headed out into the hallway, blaster ready.

Obiwan ran about the dusty streets of the spaceport, searching the crowd, and his feelings, for Anakin. He did sense his presence nearby, so he stayed in one general area. His force sensitivity to his brother eventually drew him into the right cantina. But there was trouble! "You, you cheated me, I'm gonna kill you!" A gruff space pirate announced.

"I won your ship, now hand over your papers!" Anakin demanded.

"You'll be dead first!" The pirate spat, and at once two of his cohorts rushed to his side, all brandishing blasters.

"This could get ugly!" Obiwan said to himself as he put down his hood and drew his lightsaber, pulling Anakin's lightsaber from his belt as well.

"Anakin!" He shouted, and it caught the pirates off guard for a moment. Anakin smiled when he saw his brother arrive just in time. Obiwan held up Anakin's lightsaber. Anakin held out his hand and called it to him, igniting it immediately. By that time, Obiwan was by his side. "Back in action I see?" He said to Anakin.

"Not of my own choosing."

"But once again, of your own device. Let's go!" Anakin and Obiwan waved their lightsabers at the pirates with menacing stares.

One of the pirates yelled "Hey y'all are Jedi, I thought youse guys were all dead!"

"You heard wrong." Obiwan said with a sly smile and a tilted eyebrow. One of the gambling pirate's allies fled, the other joined with the disgruntled gambler in firing at Anakin and Obiwan. Out of practice as Anakin was, he was able to deflect all the blasts that came his way, as did Obiwan, who cut off the arm of the pirate's last ally, leaving him on the ground hollering. Together, Anakin and Obiwan ran out of the cantina, brandishing their weapons all the way. No one else challenged them.

Once they were outside, they kept running. Anakin's braced knee was doing well put to this test. "I'm sorry, Master." Anakin said. "But, thank you!"

"We'll get even on this life saving thing one day, though it would be nice not to have to. Anakin, hurry, R2 is with my starfighter. I'll have to squeeze you in."

"No, I won that guy's ship, he owes me! I was a big one too, we need the space!"

"Forget it, Anakin! It's not worth it, we have to go!" Anakin reluctantly agreed and followed Obiwan to the starfighter. "Care to take the pilot seat, Anakin? I know you don't like flying anymore, but it will be more comfortable than where the passenger must manage to fit."

Anakin looked at the seat, then Obiwan, then the seat. He leaped up into it, nimble as ever, and strapped himself in. "You got yourself a pilot, Master. I'm back where I belong." Obiwan smiled and R2 beeped as they left Tatooine under the capable control of Anakin's piloting skills.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 17

"Obiwan, I don't know what to do but I have to do something. I had another one of my nightmares, a vision, it was so real. It was about Padme and the babies. I could hear them and see them as clearly as I see and hear you right now. They are in danger, I have to find them."

Obiwan wasn't aware that Anakin didn't already know the news, and was only acting on his instinct. "Anakin, you mean you haven't seen the news.."

"What are you talking about?"

Obiwan thought it was best not to tell Anakin now, while he was flying, and after it had taken him so much fortitude to be able to do so again. "Nothing that can't wait until we get home."

"Come on Obiwan, I can sense something holding back in you. Let me know."

"Anakin, I am concerned, you should wait."

"You must tell me. I know it must be bad or you wouldn't be so concerned about my reaction. I already had the dream I need to know."

Obiwan sighed and was prepared to take the controls if Anakin were to lose his composure. "Anakin, your nightmares, they were true."

"I knew that, I could feel it, just not the details. What has happened?"

"You know that case she was working on, about the blind rehab center, and all the beings whose eyes were ruined so they could go there?"

"How could I forget, I nearly lost my own eyes because of it. Padme had it shut down, and those responsible jailed and paying large financial settlements to the victims."

"Were you aware that the man behind it was Gerapaline?"

"You mean that crooked, low down creep who has the crime syndicate in Naboo?"

"Yes, and since this caused him to be exposed, be investigated for all he's done, be jailed and lose his fortune. He blamed Padme."

"He should blame no one but himself."

"But you know how the evil are, like Palpatine, it's always someone else's fault! Anakin, he and a few cohorts have escaped from prison. They killed Padme's father, and have taken her mother and the babies hostage."

Anakin's hands fell from the controls and he went limp in his seat. "Oh, no, Obiwan, I didn't know it was that bad. Where is Padme?"

"I'm afraid he got her, too."

Anakin raised his hands into fists and pounded them on the dash panel. "I should never have left! I must find them!"

Obiwan was relieved that Anakin was taking a commanding position on this instead of wanting to run and hide. As bad as this situation was, perhaps it was what he needed to bring him back to himself, though not at the cost of lives. "Anakin, we have to find them. That is why I came for you. We must return to Coruscant, get a bigger ship, and go rescue them."

"I told you we should have taken the pirate's ship I won gambling!"

"What good would it have done if we had gotten killed, or you got injured again?"

"We could have taken them, me and you, nobody can stop us, not when we fight together!"

Obiwan was glad to see Anakin had his confidence and his arrogance back. "I'm sorry, Anakin, but we'll get another ship, and we'll save them."

Anakin stared out into the vastness of the open space ahead of them. "Oh, Master, how can we find them? It's hopeless." "Don't say that, Anakin. We have to find them, and we will."

Padme stepped cautiously but still filled with anger and a thirst for revenge as she tread down the hallway toward the sound of approaching footsteps. She had her blaster ready to go; she had no qualms about killing the next person who got in her way. They all had something to do with the murder of her parents. Shooting was too good for them. She wanted them to feel what her mother had felt, and she didn't regret that thought. Rounding a corner, she came face to face with another crony, whose shocked face only had a second to react before she blasted him too. Coming up from behind, laughing wickedly, was Gerapaline. He aimed his own larger blaster at Padme. "Drop it." He ordered her.

"Never. I will kill you if it kills me! Look what you've done, you killed my parents, you stole my children! For what, because I shut down your crooked, cruel shop of horrors?"

"You ruined me financially, you got me put in jail."

"Where you should have been years ago! Your crime syndicate has been a sore on the face of Naboo all my life! If it took the hospital scandal to stop you, you got off easier than you deserved!"

Gerapaline looked down at the most recently shot crony. "Poor fool. You know, he wasn't guilty, he even protested the things we did to your parents." Padme lowered her head. She recalled the story of Anakin and the sand people, how he had been so upset over his mother he had killed them all, even the innonents ones. I am becoming just like him, is this the dark side? She asked herself Is this how he felt? How could I have judged him? Facing the torture and murder of her own mother, she had done the same. Strangely, she didn't care. She was still full of hate and rage at what she had experienced. Padme held her blaster tight and looked up at Gerapaline.

"Where are my babies? Have you killed them too?"

He only smiled in an evil way. "Not yet. Not as long as I still have use for them."

"What use is this? They are a bit small for slave labor."

"Come, my dear." He motioned her to walk in a certain direction, making sure she was not behind him, knowing she was very ready and able to shoot him in the back. Nervously, she walked ahead of him until they came to a darkened room. Inside, she could hear the babies softly crying.

"My babies!" She cried out, wanting to run to them.

He blocked her path with his larger gun, and at the snap of his fingers, two more cronies appeared and disarmed her. She fought viciously, even spitting in their faces. One of them secured her hands behind her back as she was led into the room. "Where are they? Let me have my babies!"

"Not until you do something for me."

Anakin and Obiwan returned to Coruscant, landing at the Senate building. They were met by Senator Organa. "Greetings, my Jedi friends. It is good to have you here." He eyed Anakin up and down and smiled at him. "Well, you seem to be in fine shape. I had heard terrible things about your condiiton."

"They were all true, but I'm fine now."

"Amazing. Good to have you back." He paused again and spoke more quietly. "I want you to know, we all know about you and Senator...I mean, Padme. Her dresses never fooled me for a moment, I knew she was pregnant, and I knew you were the father."

"How could you know that?"

Organa raised one eyebrow. "The connection between the two of you was undeniable, and I know a woman as virtuous as Padme would only have.., um, made a child with someone she truly loved. I want you to know that I hold nothing against either of you for this. It was a shame you had to hide it."

"Thank you, sir."

"I also want to thank you both for exposing the disgraceful failure of us all and ending it."

"You mean, Palpatine?" Obiwan asked.

"Yes. How could we have been so fooled, so used! The entire war his own orchestration, such cost. You did what you had to do. It was for the best and we thank you." Both Anakin and Obiwan nodded in acknowledgement. "I also hear you fulfilled some kind of ancient prophecy?"

Anakin blushed, smiling with a shy but proud look on his face. "Senator, I'm sure you know that we have come to rescue Padme. Even if she were not my wife, I would do it. Since she is, and my children are involved, my interest is increased. Are there any leads as to her whereabouts?"

"Our police are quite certain Gerapaline is behind it, but we don't know what planet he is on."

"Was he registered as leaving Naboo airpace?"

"Not officially, but an unidentified ship did break the military code and get through. It may or may not have been him."

Anakin sighed. "Then, we have nothing."

Gerapaline turned on the light. Padme saw her babies in the corner being fed by on older, frail looking woman. "This is my mother." He informed her.

"Your mother works for you?"

"She knows she had better do as I say, she knows what I did to father."

"You killed your own father?"

"Mother knows it is best to do as I say.She is now the caretaker of your babies."

"After you killed my own mother?"

"I had planned for her to stay on as caretaker, and bargaining device, but she became too much for my men to bear with her constant lectures and outbursts.."

"She was right. I will avenge her, and not only what I have done so far. I will get you!" Hearing their mother's voice, the babies started to cry. She walked toward them. "Let me have my babies!" He allowed her to walk almost all the way to them, then stopped her just before she could touch them. Seeing and sensing her, they began to cry and reach for her. "Let me have my babies!" She screamed. He pushed her back until she fell on the floor.

"I told you, you may have your babies when yuou do everything I ask of you."

"And what if I don't?"

He picked up little Luke, still crying, and aimed a huge blaster to his head. He then motioned it toward Leia. "You know I will do it. I have orders for you to carry out, there are things you must do. It is the only way you can save them. If you fail, they will die."

Padme's face distorted as she looked at him, and the babies. She was so furious she could have torn him apart with her bare hands, only her love for the babies and fear for their safety stopped her. In a voice that she did not consider her own, she looked up at him from the floor. "What do I have to do? I have to save them, I can't live without them. I will do...anything."

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 18

"Senator! Come here, we have a transmission concerning Senator Amidala you will be interested in." An aide called, hurrying down the vast columned hallway.

"What is it?"

"Come, you must see the hologram, it is most disturbing." Bail Organa turned to follow as fast as he could in his dignified manner.

"May we see it?" Anakin asked.

"Of course. You're involved, too. Right this way."

Anakin and Obiwan jogged behind the Senator from Alderaan as he made his way to the hologram viewer. Entering the room, all of the other representatives from Naboo were gathered, with solemn and glum expressions. Even Binks had returned to work, with a cane and a seeing eye creature. "Meesa can't see this but it sounds soooo sad." He said, shaking his large head. Anakin was too interested and upset to even acknowledge his old friend.

"Play it again, now!" He demanded. His agressive voice was understandable considering it was his wife in danger.

Everyone was silent as it played again. Anakin watched the hologram materialize. It was Padme! She began to speak. "It is I, Senator Padme Naberrie Amidala. As a public declaration before the entire galaxy, I hearby announce that I was wrong about Gerapaline, denounce all action taken against him, and insist he be allowed to return to his home, his fortunes and freedom restored, with full honors and citizenship. I demand this in the name of Naboo and the Imperial Senate." Her face was like a droid's, frozen in one expression and emotionless.

"Shesa can't mean it!" Binks cried. "Shesa knows what he did to me. Ani, you knowsa Padme don't mean it."

He walked over to Jar Jar and touched his arm. "I am with you, Jar Jar. She hates him! She is against everything he did to you, to me, to everyone he has hurt in many ways. I know she is not doing this of her own free will. I hold much fear for her, surely she is being coerced, even threatened." He looked over at Obiwan, who of course agreed.

"Obiviously. How can he expect anyone to be fooled by this? He kills her father and kidnaps her and her mother and children and now he expects us to believe she is serious? I hate to think what he has done to her to make her say this."

Anakin's eyes turned cold and scared and his face pale. "Me too. He must be using blackmail and threats to the babies against her. There is no way she would consent to this, even if she herself were being tortured. At least that means the babies are still alive."

"Anakin, do you think this, feel it, or sense it?" Obiwan asked.

"Maybe all of those."

Organa stood quietly with and drummed a finger against his own chin. "Are you quite certain she's a hostage?"

"What?" Anakin and Obiwan said loudly, almost in unison. Anakin stared in surprise at the Senator. "What are you saying, that she is with him of her own free will?"

Binks also spoke on her behalf. "Nooo, shesa not do that. Shesa mad, she the one who turned him in. Shesa hate Gerapaline! Hesa the terror of Naboo!"

"Thank you, Jar Jar!" Anakin shook his hand. "I was thinking, did you ever find out who was behind your acid blinding?"

Jar Jar lowered his long head and swung his neck. "Somebody who blamed meesa for da war."

"Are you sure?" Anakin inquired. "Was he never caught? I think Gerapaline may have been behind it."

Binks was surprised, his head turning back and forth in his own darkness, unable to face Anakin. "Yousa may be right Ani! Hesa want business for his evil rehab place, get a high profile Gungan of Naboo to getsa publicity!"

"Exactly!" Anakin pointed to him, though he couldn't see it.

"Wesa need to find out."

"We need to find out quite a bit more than that." Organa added. "We need to find out exactly what role Padme played in all of this."

Anakin was stunned. "You are not insinuating Padme is with him of her own free will?" Organa glared back at Anakin, but didn't answer. Anakin didn't want to start a scene, but he could feel his anger growing. He turned his back and walked away. As unhappy as he had been with her lately, he knew she was not capable of being involved with a scumbag crime kingpin she hated so deeply all her life, or being involved in a plot involving her own parents and babies. With a glance of disapproval at Organa, Anakin turned and walked outside. He had to get outside for some fresh air.

Seeing how upset Anakin was, he spoke to Obiwan. "I'm sorry he feels that way. After the business with Chancellor Palpatine pulling what he did on us for so long, I must admit I don't trust anyone anymore."

"Senator, will all due respect, there is no chance Senator Amidala is anything other than an unwilling hostage."

"I would like to be so sure."

"Meesa so sure." Binks butted in. "Shesa innocent victim of bad, bad man."

"Thank you, Jar Jar." Obiwan told him. "Would you like me to help you back to your office?" He agreed, and Obiwan took his arm to lead him back down the hallway. On the way, they met Anakin on his way back to find Obiwan.

"I'm sorry I overreacted there, Master. I couldn't believe what he said."

"Meesa either, Ani." Binks said.

"Here you are, Jar Jar. Is there anything you need for me to get you? You going to be okay?" Anakin asked as he led him to his desk chair. "Meesa will. Meesa on your side, Jedi. Weesa gonna find out everything."

"Thanks for your support, you're a good friend." They bid him goodbye and turned and walked out of the Senate building side by side. Once they were outside, Anakin whispered to Obiwan, "He doesn't trust Padme, I am starting to think there is something else behind this. Could he be involved in something he's trying to hide, or frame Padme for?"

"Anakin, it's Senator Organa, how could you? He himself said after Palpatine everyone is overly suspicious of everyone's true motives."

"This is sad, and I don't see it changing anytime soon. But still, I wonder what he really meant." Then his eyes lit up as he turned back to Obiwan. "I have an idea. Did they try to trace the source of that transmission?"

"I will ask the Senator."

"No, don't. I am now suspicious of him. We must find another way." Once they were back at the Jedi temple, Anakin contacted Jar Jar and asked him if there were some way he could have it traced and let him know in private. He said he would be right on it and get back to them with any news.

"You did very well, Senator Amidala." Gerapaline smiled.

"No one is going to fall for that." She snapped.

They might. I have spies out there now spreading nasty rumors about you, it will be you who are ruined now, it is my revenge."

"YOUR revenge? After what you have done to my family? After all the lives of those on Naboo you ruined over the years?"

"You mean like that buffoon Representative Binks? Ha, he is good publicity, isn't he?"

"You blinded Jar Jar on purpose?"

"Yes, I did." He smirked at her. "High profile people bring the most response. You have no idea how much I wanted to take the eyes of your strong, handsome Jedi husband. I am most displeased you took him away before I could take him to my center for the blind. But no bother, as soon as he comes looking for you, he will lose his eyes anyway, if not his life first! That ever present sidekick of his too, what's his name, Kenobi?"

"You are disgusting!" She screamed in anger.She very much regretted ever thinking Anakin had deserved to be blind for punishment.

Gerapaline only laughed at her, beckoning his mother to bring the babies into the room. He put a blaster to each of their mouths, pretending to pull the trigger. Padme ran forward, but he then aimed the blaster at her. "I have killed your parents, I have nothing against wasting you as well. The only reason you still live is because you are still of use to me. And you will be. That message wasn't all I want from you. You will do my bidding, or the babies will die."

"NO!" She screamed and cried, pulling at her hair in frustration.

"Then you will do as I ask. Get down on your knees."

"Never."

"Do it, or I will kill them!"

Breathing heavily, with a look of total fury on her face, she complied. Looking up from her knees, she growled at him "I hate you!"

He only laughed. "Now, Senator Amidala, Queenie, you are ready for your next mission."

Anakin lay in his chambers at the temple, head buried in his pillow. He had considered going back to the apartment, it was empty now, but just as full of unpleasant vibes and sad memories. He might as well stay on at the temple, he had gotten used to being here, all except for the parts he avoided for what he had done there. In the night, Anakin had another nightmare. He saw the babies crying, hovered over by a dark image he could not get through. In the background he'd hear Padme screaming how much she hated someone, was it him she hated? Or the dark gloomy person between her and the babies? This unsettled him very much. He got up and started to pace the floor, and never got back to sleep. First thing in the morning, Jar Jar Binks called and asked him to come to his office and to bring Obiwan, there was important info on the transmission of Padme. Anakin, not wanting to run into Organa, asked Jar Jar if he could tell him now. He was afraid of beng overheard himself. He had done this as a special favor, it was not known by all. Anakin ran to get Obiwan, telling him they must go to the temple immediately.

When they arrived, they went straight to Binks' office, avoiding Organa. Binks informed them that the transmission had indeed come from Naboo. They were still there! He had such a deep syndicate on Naboo, but he had never really gotten a strong foothold on any other planet, so he decided to stay home. But where? It was still a big planet to have to search! Anakin hoped he'd be able to sense them once he was there. Jar Jar wished them luck, and Anakin and Obiwan walked down the hall toward the exit. Before they were able to get away free, Organa called out to them. Anakin stopped and closed his eyes, not wanting to deal with Organa and his suspicions.

"I'm sorry, Anakin, General Kenobi. There is another transmission on Padme, and it is not good news."

Anakin's heart jumped as he turned around. "What is it? She's not dead, is she? The babies.."

"No, it's not like that. Come with me." He showed them back to his holoviewer, and there they witnessed a sad thing. It was Padme, no question, carrying a large blaster, aiming it at everyone in the room as she passed! Padme was helping to rob a bank! She was on the wrong side of the law! Anakin was speechless and practically in tears. Obiwan closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Hostage, you say?" Organa commented. "Looks like she's going with them willingly."

"Padme would not do that!" Anakin defended. "They must have her brainwashed or threatened."

"I know you love her, but you must consider that she is going along with this because she wants to."

"Oh Senator Organa, no, we've all known her too long." Obiwan added.

Organa looked at him, then Anakin, then back at him again. "You thought you knew Anakin, didn't you? How did you know he would turn on you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's say I know more than you would like me to. There are things you may think are hidden and forgotten, that may not be."

Anakin hung his head in shame. He knew he was talking about Order 66 and was going to use it against him. He hadn't known Bail had been at the temple that night.

Obiwan rolled his eyes. "Look, Senator, you don't understand about the force, it was the dark side of the force, not him personally."

Organa didn't seem impressed. "You're right, I don't know much of the force. I try to trust you Jedi, but now that Palpatine, a force user has done so much wrong, I wonder about what others may be capabole of."

"Yes, yes, we know how his betrayal has destroyed all of your faith and made you suspicious and paranoid." Obiwan told him.

"Paranoid? With good reason! I am going to put out an all points bulletin. Arrest Senator Amidala."

"NO!" shouted Anakin. "She can't be guilty, there has to be an explaination!"

Obiwan tried to calm him. "At least if she is arrested by proper authorities, she will be out of the hands of Gerapaline."

"You're right, Obiwan. In he meantime, Senator, we will continue with our efforts to locate her, the babies, and this Gerapaline on our own."

"As you wish." Organa said in a cold voice. "Report to me what you find."

After he left, the two Jedi went to see Binks, who gave them the exact location of the bank the hologram security picture came from. Organa was withholding this from them, which they found strange. It was a good thing they had an old friend still in contact with the right people on Naboo. They thanked Jar Jar and hurried away. "Obiwan, we have to get there before she strikes again. We must secure a ship large enough for both of us, and hopefully Padme, her mother and the babies to travel home in." Hearing this, Jar Jar called them back. He offered them his Naboo ship, which was much like Padme's. Thanking him again, they gathered supplies, notified Yoda and made their getaway for Naboo before anyone found out.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 19

Padme walked in her shame and grief into yet another bank, her blaster held out in front of her. She saw large numbers of customers in line. "Look, it's Senator Amidala, she has indeed gone mad, the reports are true!" Someone yelled. She lowered her face in humiliation. She hated doing this! She loved the people of Naboo, and they had loved and supported her as Queen and as Senator. Gerapaline had hurt them all, and when she tried to stop him, he killed her parents, kidnapped her babies and used them to make her commit these acts.

"I won't do it. Not anymore, not this time." She mumbled into a wired comlink in which Gerapaline gave his instructions.

"You owe me. You are going to rob banks until I get back the fortune I lost because of you and your meddling. You must do it or..."

She heard the babies crying. "Okay! Don't hurt them!" She went ahead and joined in the robbery with the other cronies. As she was leaving, she came face to face with a family, parents, children and an elderly person. Gerapaline, who was monitoring on a vidscreen through a camera in another henchman's hat, saw it.

"Kill them." He ordered.

"NO!" She cried. In the comlink wired to her ear, a blaster clicked, and her babies cried.

"I'll do it, Queenie, you know I will. It is the only way you can save your own babies. Kill them!" For a second, she thought of calling his bluff. Perhaps he wouldn't really kill them. She loved her children very much, but were their lives more valuable than this innocent family? From behind, she heard guards coming. Her accomplices urged her to run. "Shoot your way out!" Gerapaline ordered through her comlink."Kill them or your babies DIE!" Trapped between the crowd and the surging guards, Padme was desparate. She feared for the lives of her babies. Something came over her, and she shot her way out of the bank. She saw several bodies fall in front of her. She didn't even look to see who it was she had killed. Running out of the bank to the getaway speeder, she screamed in Gerapaline's ear. "I hate you!"

By the time Anakin and Obiwan made it to Naboo, she was away from the scene, back at Gerapaline's compound. "Can you sense anything yet?" Obiwan asked. "I'm not getting them."

Anakin closed his eyes and reached out into the force. "I can feel something, but, it's not that strong." He opened his eyes again and looked down at the ground below. "I sense they are alive, but separated. I'm afraid of what that means."

Obiwan searched his feelings. "I think you're right. They must not all be in the same place, but it is still the same general area." They followed their feelings toward the strongest point. Leaving the ship in a safe place and leaving R2 to watch it, they headed toward the compound on foot.

"This looks like the place in the survelience video that Jar Jar sent us." Anakin said. "And I sense a force presence in there. It must be my babies."

"I feel it, too. Let's be careful. I'm sure we will not go in unopposed." Obiwan glanced over at Anakin, steadfastly approaching the building through tall weeds, his lightsaber drawn but not ignited. The look on his face said it all. Anakin was back in action, and just in time. The fear of what was really happening had overcome the fears in his memory. He hoped this would help Anakin's psyche, though if this adventure ended badly, he'd surely become worse.

Padme came to the call of Gerapaline, who was watching a recording of her latest escapade and laughing. "Good job, well done!" He turned to her, still chuckling.

She was unable to force a smile. "Where are my babies!"

"Babies?" He said. "Did you say, babies?" He snapped his fingers and his mother brought Luke to her. "Here he is!" Padme took Luke in her arms, but fear overtook her entire body.

"Where is my Leia?" She cried out.

"Your Leia? She's not yours anymore."

"What have you done with her? Did you kill her, even though you threatened me with her life to commit horrible acts!"

"Did you really ever think I would kill your babies, my foolish Queenie? Oh no, they are far too valuable. Do you know what healthy human babies go for on the black market, especially with the genetics of a beautiful, brilliant Queen and a strong, handsome Jedi?"

"What?"

"That's right, I sold her."

"SOLD!"

"Yes! You were such a good girl to do exactly as I instructed. I now have enough money to fund more of my projects, and I also have the money for your baby." He smiled sarcastically at her.Padme was so upset she could hardly speak.

"You sold my daughter? To who?"

"A very wealthy couple, she will be well cared for. They always dreamed of adopting a baby girl, and I made their dream come true. She will be loved with them."

"But...she's mine! You promised me if I did what you said the babies would be all right!"

"And she is all right! I said I wouldn't kill them, I never said I wouldn't sell them!" He laughed as she broke down and cried, cuddling Luke to her chest. "Best of all, I have succeeded in ruining the reputation of the person who ruined mine- you!" She looked up at him with fire in her eyes.

"I didn't ruin your reputation, you did that to yourself! You've been an evil man as long as I can remember, and my mother said the same thing! You deserved to be stopped!"

"That's your point of view, Queenie. Now you had best hold your tongue.."

"Or else what? You wouldn't kill Luke, he's got to be valuable to you, too."

"And he will be. I have used you for all I can get from you."

"Are you going to kill me now?"

"Kill? No, that is much too good for you. I want to release you back into the wild, to face the disgrace of what you have done!"

"But I didn't do it, it was you who made me!"

"You made your own decisions! No one will ever believe you!"

"What choice did I have, I had to save the lives of my babies! You used me! You lied to me!" She was shouting and shaking. Luke began to cry. She tried to calm him, but it was no use. The old woman came and took him out of the room. Padme lay in a defeated clump on the floor.

"And, my dear, there is one more treat left for you..." Grabbing her by the hair, Gerapaline viciously bent back her head and sprinkled a powder in her face. It burned her eyes terribly. When she opened them, she found she was blind. She cried and rubbed her eyes ferociously.

"No, no.." She continued to cry, but the tears could not wash out all the powder and its damage.

"Now, that's what you get for shutting down my hosptial and rehab center. You will suffer in the darkness as a reminder not to challenge me! It's going to be a pleasure to cap and remove your eyes. Skywalker's and Kenobi's too! I'm going to put their eyes in a jar and save them as my trophy! When that husband of yours and his friend get here, I'll have all three of you where I want you. They are walking into a trap, and you are the bait!"

Using the force to disable the security fence around the compound, as well as one of the back doors, Anakin and Obiwan entered the building. "All too easy." Anakin whispered. "I can't help thinking they let us get in, they want us here." Obiwan stared at Anakin in agreement.

"I sense a trap. We must be careful. Let's split up. They won't be prepared for both of us at different locations."

"Good idea, Master. May the force go with you."

"You too." They split and took separate hallways. Obiwan was surprised at how he seemed to go unapproached or unnoticed. Surely the trap would spring at any moment. He tried to heighten his force sense to feel for it while his eyes searched constantly, his lightsaber waving back and forth. He had no defense to what accosted him. Oozing from cracks in the wall, a gas overcame him. Choking and unable to breathe, he fell to the ground, holding his throat as if he had been force choked. His eyes were bulging as he gasped for air. Suddenly, standing over him in gas masks, were Gerapaline and two backup cronies.

"Take him." He ordered. Obiwan glared at them with scorn, too weak to reach for his lightsaber. Gerapaline sprayed the powder into Obiwan's wide open eyes. It burned and stung terribly, and this combined with his choking made him feel perhaps a quick death by blaster would be a lesser torture. Gerapaline had no such plans. He ordered his cronies to carry the blind, choking Obiwan to another room. "Too bad you came here, Kenobi. I am sure you did not come alone. Where is Skywalker?" There was no response.

Anakin, in another part of the building, sensed his brother in trouble. He also felt Padme near, and sensed Luke- but not Leia. This worried him and made him fear her dead. It so happened in his favor he had chosen the hallway which was used by Gerapaline's mother, and it was where she took the babies back and forth from her room. Because of this, it was left safe. Obiwan had been right, if they had gone together, they'd have gone down together. At least now Anakin had a chance to save them all. A craggy figure came out of the shadows. Anakin readied his lightsaber. He lowered it to his side when he saw it was only a helpless old woman, carrying a baby. She looked stunned to see him. Anakin was stunned to see the baby was Luke! "That's my son, hand him to me!" She looked very frightened and only shook her head as Anakin grabbed Luke from her arms and continued to run, lightsaber ready in the other hand. He heard the old woman calling for help and knew it would not be long before he faced strong opposition.

Inside his head, he could not only sense Obiwan in trouble, he could hear him calling..."Anakin am I reaching you?"

The telepathic message came through strong. "Yes!" His mind sent an answer. "Where are...".

"Anakin listen to me..GET OUT OF HERE! I know you have Luke, take him and go!" His telepathy ordered.

"I won't leave you, Master! I'm coming for you.."

"NO! If you do you will suffer the same fate as me...they gassed me and blinded me."

"Oh no, Master, I must help you! I'm coming!"

"I have trained you well Anakin, and now you must listen to your old teacher. I am here with Padme.."

"She's with you? Is she all right?"

"I'm afraid she can't see either, they got her eyes too. And I regret to inform you they have sold Leia in an illegal adoption." In this telepathic conversation, Obiwan could sense Anakin's weakened state of mind going to terrible places. "Don't go there, hold onto your sanity, you cannot panic, you cannot give up...all of our fates depend on you. You go take Luke to a place of safety, then you may return to help us and stop this evil madman!"

"Yes Master, I will do what I must.I will not desert you or Padme. I promise I will save you and get you back home for treatment. Tell her I have Luke, and we are going to find our Leia!" Obiwan broke contact with Anakin as he hurriedly departed the compound, galloping as fast as his braced knee would allow him back to the ship. He was gone before any of the cronies could catch him.

Inside a cold room, Obiwan was shaking as the effects of the gassing wore off. His eyes burned and he was unable to completely open them. Beside him, Padme was groaning. "I'm here, Padme." He whispered.

"Obiwan, thank you for coming. Didn't Anakin care enough to come? He must hate me so."

"No, he came with me. We split up, and wisely it appears. Padme, listen to me. I spoke to him through force telepathy. He has rescued Luke, and has escaped!"

"Oh Obiwan, I am so happy he got Luke away from here! What is to become of us?"

"Once Luke is secure he is coming back to save us."

"He can't, not alone."

"Perhaps he will get support from somewhere. He is coming back, he's going to save us, he's going to get us to the doctor for our eyes, and he's going to find Leia!" She was crying. He held her close and used the force to calm her, though he was not completely calm himself. "It's going to be all right, Padme."

"Does everyone think I'm a criminal now?" He didn't want to answer. "I'm afraid so, but we can fix that too. Hang on, be strong. We're going to get out of this."

"I'm so sorry, Obiwan..."

Outside the doorway, they heard a scream, a blaster shot, and a body hitting the floor. "You have failed me for the last time, old woman!" Gerapaline cruelly yelled as he shot his own mother. He kicked her body. "She is of no use to me now that the babies are gone. Men, get this mess out of here, and go hunt down Skywalker and that baby!"

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 20

Anakin tried to flee as fast as he could. He wondered how the local authorities could not have found and raided that compound. Surely they must be paid off. Corruption of the rankest kind infested this planet, and who knows how many others in the galaxy. So much has deteriorated while time and energy was wasted on a play pretend war! Something must be done, once this is over, to straighten it out. Padme would know what to do. Because of all the corruption, he didn't trust anyone on the planet with what he knew. The lives of Padme and Obiwan were too precious to risk, the situation with Gerapaline too volatile.A tear dripped from one eye as he thought of Padme and Obiwan, blind and captured, and in so much danger. He had sensed they would not be killed, at least not yet for Gerapaline would use them as bait. He hoped he'd be able to get them to the Coruscant med center before their eyes were too far gone to be saved. He remembered his own blindness, and how awful they must be suffering right now. Looking down at Luke, he was energized to go on.. He had to be strong, it all depended on him now. Luke gazed up at his father, cooeing and chortling. He was calmed by the force, and by the love of his father. Anakin hadn't seen him in weeks and could tell he had grown a lot. His face was cuter than it had been before. Then he thought of Leia. Where was she? If she was sold, surely it was to someone who wanted her, and someone with enough money to pay off Gerapaline's cronies, so she must be safe. Just the same, he had to find her and bring her back to her real family, he loved her, he wanted her. It was the right thing. He couldn't bear the thought of having a child lost somewhere in the galaxy, separated from him. He didn't want to miss out on her life. He had to find her.It would be so easy to give up and hide, but he had learned his lesson, that wasn't going to help anything. He had to be strong, it all depended on him now.

Anakin didn't know what to do with Luke to keep him safe. He had no family alive, Padme's parents were gone, her sister was surely being watched. He thought of taking him to the temple, but what could Tal and Yoda do? Then he remembered his mother's new husband on Tatooine, and his son and his girlfriend who was now his wife. That place again, he hated it, he wasn't being honest when he said he changed his mind. He heaved a heavy sigh and headed in the direction of Tatooine. It was terrible to have to see that place again, the place where he had buried his mother after finding her tortured and killed by the sand people. Her grave was there as he got out of the ship."You're a grandma." He told her, through the force in his mind, hoping somehow she'd know. He walked over to the grave and held Luke over it. "This was your Grandmother, Luke. Her name was Shmi and she was a very good person. I want you to know about her."

When he turned from the grave, he saw Owen and Beru standing there. "What are you doing here?" Owen complained. "You are nothing but trouble. Leave our peaceful lives alone."

Beru's eyes lit up as she gazed at Luke. "Is this your baby?" She asked.

"Yes, mine and Padme's. We had twins, a boy and a girl. The girl has been stolen. I must find a safe place for the boy while we find her."

"Oh no, not here, we don't need anyone coming around here asking questions. Next thing you know we'll be blaster fried!" Owen grouched.

Beru was saddened. "It's just a baby, Owen." He turned his eyes away from her. He didn't want to see that look. Since they had been married, they had hoped for a baby, but none had come. A doctor had told them they were unable to have their own, and Beru had been begging him to adopt a child. He wasn't ready to do that. "Can't he stay with us a little while?"

"If you promise not to get attached. He will be going home soon."

"I will do my best." She pleaded. Anakin also hoped she didn't get too attached. He didn't need any more trouble keeping his children, Leia had already been sold to someone. Anakin stood and scanned the entire area. What an ugly, ugly place this planet was, this moisture farm particularly. How sad it would be if Luke had to grow up here, and what unpleasant tasks he'd have to perform. They'd make him little more than a slave like he had been. He kissed Luke goodbye, promising to return soon.

"I appreciate it, I will make it up to you somehow." Anakin told Beru he hugged her goodbye.

"He will be safe with us. I will see to that." Owen turned and walked away, Beru waved until Anakin was long gone. He sensed this would be a safe place for Luke, for now.

Bail Organa was in his office at the Imperial Senate building, speaking with his wife the Queen of Alderaan by hololink. "Yes, my love, she's just as beautiful now as she was last night. I will be taking time off to be with our new daughter." He stared and smiled at the healthy girl in the image. "Dearest, are you sure this adoption is abover reproach? In my position, we can't have anything going wrong.Are you certain this adoption will not fail? I have never heard of the agency."

"I have known the lawyer for years, he is a fair man. He has assured us the baby is of noble blood, not the child of the unknown poor as most children put up for adoption are."

"But, if her family is so well to do, why can they not care for her?"

"They got themselves into some trouble and are now considered unfit."

"Don't they have any Grandparents who can take them?"

"He told me both the mother and father have no living family who can take them. Stop worrying, you wanted a little girl, and I got you one, beautiful, healthy, and with high quality breeding."

"Getting into trouble is high breeding? Would it not have been just as well to have the child of honest poor folk? What have her parents done?"

"I was told they were murderers, both of them, unfit to raise this little girl."

"How sad. I am glad we have her. She will have a life of opportunity and love."

"Yes, she will. She need not ever know the history of her family." He agreed with a smile and broke the hololink. His wife had held out hope for years they would be able to have their own children, but when all of the best medical experts in the galaxy were unable to help her, she finally consented to seek adoption. Organa had accessed many agencies, but none were able to connect him with a healthy newborn human girl until he was offered this one. She was two months old now, so not a newborn, but beautiful, and as promised, from a family of quailty bloodline. This was important to the Queen, if she could not carry on her own ancient dynastic line, this was the next best thing. Most of all, she didn't want to take a child whose parents would ever want to come back and try to claim her and break her heart. Bail had no idea that the lawyer he had considered a friend for years was a member of the crime syndicate connected to Gerapaline. He did wonder about how the baby came up so easy and so fast, but wanted her so badly he decided not to dig too deep and find out something he didn't want to know. He wasn't sure that the baby was Leia Skywalker, but it wasn't hard to start suspecting it considering the timing. If he did find out, it would be easy to label Padme as unfit. He was very upset about seeing Padme on the news in unsavory ways, and was very suspicious of her true motives since he had become paranoid after being so tricked by Palpatine. He was suspicious of the wrong person, for he had just been taken for a fool again by a lawyer with connections to the worst crime syndicate in the galaxy other than the Hutts. Gerapaline had his money, and was not going to reveal who the baby was, or who had taken her.

Anakin returned to Coruscant. He alerted Yoda as to what had occured, of course he had felt the disturbance in the force. Anakin told him he wasn't coming back to the temple, he must secure help and return to save Obiwan and Padme and catch Gerapaline. Arriving at the senate building, he sought out Jar Jar Binks. As he entered his office, he found it empty! What had happened? Was he all right? Soon an aide arrived and said sadly that Jar Jar had been caught in a scandal involving misuse of his private ship, and was asked to step down. He had been sent home. Anakin was furious! What kind of planet was Naboo to allow Gerapaline to get away and hide out untouched while poor blind Jar Jar was persecuted for helping his friends? It was only a ship! Now Anakin had no one here he felt he could trust. So much for raising an army to go spring the compound. He was at a loss as to what he should do next. Whatever he did, it looked like it was going to have to be alone. When he left the Senate building, he found that the the ship Jar Jar had given him was gone! It had been confiscated as part of the 'scandal'. Anakin couldn't help but wonder if someone on Naboo was involved in this, trying to stop him from returning. Now he was becoming as paraniod as Organa, but he couldn't help it. Now what would he do for transportation?

Furious, he stomped back into the building. There he noticed large numbers of people bearing gifts and balloons and pastries. He stopped one and asked what it was for. One Senate aide informed him there was a surprise party being given for Senator Organa. "Is it his birthday?"

"No, it's a shower. He and his wife have just adopted a beautiful baby girl!" Shockwaves pummeled through Anakin at these words. His daughter was missing, then suddenly, Organa has adopted a baby girl. He tried to think he was just being paranoid, but his feelings told him otherwise. Combined with Organa's recent odd behavior, he couldn't help it. There was something to worry about here, and it was going to have to be dealt with very delicately.

Anakin felt desperation coming back, as it had when he had turned to the dark side. His little girl had been sold, possibly to a very powerful politician and Queen of Alderaan. The eyes, and the lives, of Padme and Obiwan hung in a precarious balance. A dangerous and evil man was on the loose and a threat to the entire planet. He must get back to Naboo, and had no ship other than his starfighter which would not be large enough for them all. He went to the temple and told Yoda everything. He did not have any ship at the temple that would hold three full grown humans. Anakin confessed to him he was considering stealing a ship, and of course Yoda lectured him on this. Yoda told Anakin to go ahead and leave for Naboo immediately in his starfighter, and he would meditate on the problem and find a way to send someone else or come himself. Anakin felt better that Yoda had talked him out of committing another crime, and that he had his full support and backup. All he could do now was just as Yoda said, get to Naboo as quickly as possible, and hope for help later. He went directly to his starfighter and prepared to leave.

Remembering what Obiwan had said, he knew he'd have to find a way to protect himself from being blinded and gassed. He went to the med center and asked them if there was some kind of special mask he could use. The droid led him in the direction of a back closet. Inside, he saw a hideous black mask, with round eyes, snub nose and a triangle grid for a mouth. It was completed by a large, rounded headpiece. Anakin was chilled to look upon it. "Well, if I wear that thing, at least they'd be afraid of me! It should be enough to protect my eyes, but will it keep me from breathing gas?"

The droid explained that the mask was part of a suit that was intended to act as life support for someone with nonfunctional lungs. If he wore the entire suit with the mask, he'd be able to breathe through the air produced by the suit and circulated throughout it. He would even be able to breathe on planets whose atmospheres were not hospitable to humans. "Where did this thing come from?" He asked the droid. "Doesn't look like something you can just go buy at a store."

"It was a special suit for a special person." The droid explained. "Chancellor Palpatine himself had it ordered and made, just before his government fell. He said he had 'forseen' that it was going to be needed by someone close to him and very important."

Anakin's spine began to shiver. Could it have been- for him? Was he meant to have needed this ominous looking suit after Mustafar? Was he, as "Darth Vader", supposed to have to go about using this suit for the rest of his life? It was too eerie to think about. The droid allowed him to try it on. He was even more surprised, and disturbed, to find it was a perfect fit!

"Just my size." He said through its voice modulator as he looked at himself in the mirror through the mask. He must have been the one Palpatine had ordered it for! He had escaped his intended fate! He didn't need the suit after all. So if his injuries had been a punishment, his healing and health were a reward for making the right decision in the end..That made him feel better about himself. He realized now that when he changed his mind on Mustafar, he changed history. All the wrong, all the evil that might have been never became reality. What unspeakable things that may have befallen the galaxy were now avoided! Anakin was in awe of that revealation, and his significance in the force as the Chosen One. He knew now his current life was meant to be, that he was worthy, and he still had a purpose. He was going to make sure he did everything right now.

As he admired his reflection, he turned in all directions, looking at the cape, the helmet, all parts of the suit. With the height of the helmet and the boots, he was even taller than he was regularly. This was sure to intimidate Gerapaline! He felt very prepared for what awaited him. It had the mask to protect his eyes from the blinding powder, a self contained breathing system so he could never be gassed, and armour to protect his body. He thanked the droid, and walked out of the med center wearing the black suit and mask. Everyone in his path stepped aside as this dark vision strode past. He was "Darth Vader" on the outside, but Anakin Skywalker still dwelled inside.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 21

The room in which Padme and Obiwan lay was damp, cold, and dark. Of course, the last part didn't matter, considering they were both blind anyway. Padme began to sniffle and cry, and Obiwan crawled to her side. "Shh, it's okay, we're going to get out of here. We're going to find Leia. We're going to get to the med center and they'll fix our eyes like they did Anakin's."

"What if Anakin doesn't come back?"

"He will, of course he will!"

"What if they got him too?"

"He's all right, I can sense his life force."

"What if he doesn't come back because he hates me?"

"Hates you? Anakin? Never!"

"He might just decide to take our son off and raise him, who needs me? I was so mean, shutting him off the way I did. You know all the terrible things I said, even that he deserved to be blind."

"I know, but...

""Obiwan, you have no idea how much I have suffered." She stopped crying, and her voice took on a breathy tone. "Do you realize, I had to go through everything he did? I was put in the position to do evil things to save the ones I loved, that's what he did for me! Obiwan, I will never recover from the guilt of what I went through. I am eternally traumatized. I know exactly how Anakin felt, I feel so bad for him! I should have known he wasn't evil, it was Palpatine, it was the dark side...now, I'm even blind like he was. I said he deserved it, so I got what I deserved."

"Oh, no, Padme, don't feel that way." Obiwan tried to console her.

"Admit it, Obiwan. You know it's true. I was put through everything he was as some kind of test, or punishment, maybe by the force or something? It's all too strange. I believe it." Obiwan did not answer. He knew the mysteries and the powers of the force were great, but he didn't believe they'd purposely torture this woman. Though the irony was not lost on him. In a way it was good she was able to understand exactly what Anakin felt, though he did not wish any of her misfortunes on her. She started to cry again, and to almost convulse. "I want to die, please, if any of those cronies come back in here, let them kill me. I cannot live with myself, I would rather die." Obiwan was upset to hear this, and to sense her pain. He was about to try to calm her with his hand through the force when the door burst open.

"Queenie, I am not finished with you yet." Gerapaline's voice rang out of the darkness. His heavy footsteps charged toward her and he grabbed her by the clothes closest to her throat.

"Kill me." She whispered. "I don't care. Get it over with."

He laughed. "That would be much too good for you. You must live to suffer even more. I still have use for you."

"What more do you want from me?"

"You are going to replace that child your husband stole from me. You are going to give me a child, the son I've always wanted. My own flesh and blood.You will become my concubine slave." Knowing what this would mean, she bent her head back and howled in agony. Obiwan felt so helpless to protect her. Even blind there were things he could do with the force to help her, as Anakin had done in helping to kill Palpatine. But once he had done them, they would not be able to escape, so it would only be digging their grave by angering Gerapaline.

"Leave her alone!" Obiwan yelled.

"Or what, what is my caged and blind Jedi going to do? I warn you, my men are out in the hallway. If you try anything, you are immediately dead."

"Don't do it, Obiwan, it's not worth it." Padme cried. "I will die before I let him have me. I have already lost the will to live. Death will be a relief." This hurt Obiwan deeply. He wanted to help her, but didn't know what to do. Concentrating very hard in the force, he sensed a familiar presence. He said nothing to give it away.

Outside, Anakin had arrived, in the Darth Vader suit. He looked upon the compound with much fear. It was up to him, alone, to save Obiwan and Padme and stop this evil man's syndicate from any more terror. For a moment, his fear overtook him, and panic set in. He almost thought he couldn't do it, but his inner strength and love for Obiwan and Padme came through. This was not him, this was not Anakin Skywalker, this was Darth Vader, almost invincible in this suit. He was going to go through with it. With one last heavy breath making a sound through his mask, he headed in. The sentries at the doorway stood no chance against his force choke. Anakin realized he was going to have to reach into the dark side to draw on some of the powers he would need to complete this mission single handedly. He was prepared. Having been there and back, he no longer feared the dark side. It would not take him again. Inside the building, the alert was given. Watching the imposing black figure on hologram cameras, the avaiable cronies confidently let out the gasses. To their complete shock, he walked right through!

He was a fearful looking creature, large and covered in black, his frightening facade, his flowing cape. The breathing sounds that eminated from his mask only further intimidated the cronies. In this mask and suit with his self contained breathing system, no gas was going to harm him! Desperate, they tossed the blinding powder in his face. Of course, it slid harmlessly away from his well covered eyes. Anakin raised a black gloved hand to brush it away like so much minor nusiance. The cronies had been so certain their trap would be successful, they had nothing left to do but run for their lives or try to blast this monster. Half chose the first option. Those who chose to stay and use blasters soon found their shots deflected and their guns pulled away by the force into the hands of the ebony menace who stood before them. Knowing now resistence was futile, they too fled.

Anakin could sense Obiwan's presence, and feel Padme. He knew exactly where they were being held. Having busted the original gauntlets designed to stop him, he now walked freely thjrough the compound. He would meet no other opposition until he reached the doorway of the room where Gerapaline was brutalizing his wife. Her clothes ripped away, Gerapaline had her pinned to the floor, taunting her before raping her. Obiwan lay in despair at his inability to do what he wanted, though he did sense Anakin's presence coming closer. If Anakin had not been so near, he would have had no choice but to make a move to save Padme, but he knew it was a risk with both of them blind. He sent him a telepathic message, telling him for certain the location. He already saw it. Fearlessly in his armour, he stood facing the cronies who were guarding in the hallway.Shocked to see anyone had gotten past the gas and blinding powder trap, all they could do was start blasting.Inside the room, Gerapaline heard the commotion, but trusted his men to take care of the problem. As Padme cried and resisted with every bit of strength in her body under his weight, he began to remove his own clothing. Blaster fire flew at Anakin in the Vader suit, but none penetrated his armour. Most of it was deflected by his lightsaber as he used the force to take these blasters as well. Some of the shots bounced right back into the cronies, killing two of them. The other two charged at Anakin, and he had to use the force to push them away. They were now too injured to continue. "You will let me pass." Demanded the altered voice from the suit. Mixed with the breathing sounds, this terrified the now helpless cronies. Now, the time had come. Anakin used the huge heavy black boot on his healthy left leg to kick in the door.

"You will release her now!" Came the voice from the moduator, accompanied by the sound of mechanical breathing. Catching him in the act of attempting to rape Padme only added to Anakin's hatred and fueled his anger. Shocked, Gerapaline let loose of his grip on Padme, who thankfully had not yet been violated. Turning his head, he was aghast at the sight of the thing that had apparently defeated his entire backup guard system and entered the room. He stood up and fastened his pants. Obiwan heard Padme sigh with relief as she rolled over and tried to cover herself with her torn dress. Obiwan sensed Anakin strongly, but did not recognize the voice. Was Anakin with this robotic sounding thing? He only sensed one life presence, and that was Anakin's. Where was he? Padme was too emotionally spent to make a sound. Anakin marched steadily ahead. "Are you the one called Gerapaline?" He spoke, his voice artificially changed. Gerapaline didn't know what to say.

"Yes, it is him!" Obiwan announced.

"Damn you." He turned back to Obiwan with scorn.

"That is indeed Gerapaline." Padme's weak voice agreed. Gerapaline lowered his head, seemingly in defeat. Suddenly, he raised up with a shout, and aimed a poison dart at the dark suited being. It bent and fell harmlessly to the ground. Anakin folded his arms, and gestured his helmeted head toward his adversary.

"Are you quite finished?"

Gerapaline did not answer. He was, in more ways than one."You cannot kill me, an unarmed, helpless man!" He moaned, suddenly humbled. Anakin didn't know what to do. He wanted to torture and kill this evil person, but he was now unarmed, and it was not the Jedi way. It would take more drawing from the dark side to kill him now, and that worried him. He was determined not to let it take him again. On the other hand, Gerapaline was too dangerous to be kept alive. He had an army and a crime syndicate so deeply connected and well paid off he would surely escape again or walk free. Even though Anakin did not know the full extent of what had happened, what he did know was enough. Feeling his rage taking him close to the dark side, Anakin, in his Darth Vader suit, let go of any resistance. He picked Gerapaline up by the neck, his feet dangling off the ground. Anakin so badly wanted him to know who killed him and why, but it was too risky to remove his mask at this time. There could be a new crony coming with more gas and blinding powder

He kept it on, and spoke in the mask's amplified deeper voice: "You have committed countless atrocities throughout the galaxy in your evil and greed. This is for all of your victims everywhere. This is for all of those who suffered because of your crime ring, it's for the patients at your crooked hospital, this is for Padme Amidala, her family, and Obiwan Kenobi. This is from Anakin Skywalker." He raised his lightsaber to Gerapaline's head, but saw him reaching for yet another weapon. It was a blade, small and not enough to even penetrate the suit, but even so, he was technically an armed man again. He could kill him. Slicing through with his lightsaber, Anakin cut off the arm which held the knife. Gerapaline screamed. Still defiant, he lunged forward, and Anakin took the other arm. Even with no arms, his stubs seared shut by the lightsaber's lasers, he was too evil to stop. He tried to kick at him with spiked boots but Anakin used the lightsaber to quickly slice off both of his legs. Gerapaline fell to the floor. No more than a defeated, limbless torso remained of the evil madman who had caused so much suffering.

"I hate you!" Gerapaline groaned up at the black figure.

Anakin knew his opponent was mortally wounded, but couldn't forget all his evil deeds, and how he had tried to blind him, and how all those beings from Naboo had lost their eyes because of his greed. Anakin looked over at his wife and best friend, tortured and now blind because of this monster, less human than any droid. "This is how it feels!" Anakin grunted, slicing across Gerapaline's eyes with the tip of his lightsaber. Gerapaline screamed again as he lay there, delimbed and blinded. All he could do was holler in curses, but offered no apology or remorse for anything he had done. He would not suffer much longer. Anakin silenced him and ended his pain with a final lightsaber swipe across his throat. The rest of his body lay still. Anakin could not feel he had done the wrong thing, not this time. He felt with this justified execution of an evil, dangerous man, he had not only freed his loved ones but many past and potential victims in the galaxy. Having completed this almost impossible task all alone, Anakin Skywalker had regained the last bit of his lost self, his inner strength, courage, and confidence. He had been healed internally as well as externally, and had conquered inner demons.

Obiwan and Padme, being blind, had been spared the horrific sight of Gerapaline's dismemberment, though they had gathered he was dead. They did not comment, unsure who or what this was who had killed Gerapaline. Obiwan still sensed Anakin's presence very close, but couldn't see him or recognize the voice he heard coming from their heroic rescuer as his voice. Even if he could have seen, he would only have seen the suit and would still have been unsure as to the identity of its wearer. Surely this robot sounding man was with Anakin, he was obviously on their side. Anakin looked at Obiwan, but turned first to Padme. He knelt as best as he could in his armour and knee brace to her side and helped her arrange her torn dress to cover herself as best he could. He touched her face ever so gently with his heavily gloved hand.

"You are going to be all right now. I'm taking you safely away from here. Can you walk?"

"Walk, yes, but I will need help, as I can't see."

"Your eyes will heal in time, I will get you immediately to Coruscant for treatment." The strange, mechanical voice told her.

She raised a quivering hand to feel for a face, but hit only molded metal. "Who, are you?" She inquired. Reaching up to remove his helmet, with a large hiss of air escaping as he pulled off his mask, Anakin smiled and spoke softly into her ear in his own voice:

"Someone who loves you!"

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 22

"Anakin!" She cried in joy, pulling herself to him as he touched her bloodstained lips with his own.

"Anakin!" Obiwan almost laughed, crawling toward him. "I knew you could do it."

He pulled himself off Padme's lips long enough to respond."I wasn't so sure, Master. I couldn't have done it for myself. I did it for you, and for Padme, and the babies."

Padme was weeping. "I'm so sorry, Anakin, can you ever forgive me? I was so terrible to you, and now I know exactly how you felt. Everything that happened to you also happened to me." Anakin was touched but saddened by this. He didn't know what to say, so he only hugged her. "Anakin, they killed my mother, so I killed them, and not just the ones who did it, everyone around them."

Anakin was glad to hear her understand, but pitied her and was compassionate. "I am sorrry about your mother, I am sorry you had to go through that."

"You know, every time I did something bad, he had threatenened me that he was going to kill the babies!"

"I knew it was something like that."

"So, it's like what happened to you, I had to do it to save the ones I loved. But I still hate myself! Now I'm even blind like you. I can't help thinking this is what I deserve..."

Anakin put one of his black gloved fingers to her lips. "That's enough talk like that. Let's get out of here, there may be more of them." Her confession and apology meant more to him than he could say, but this was not a time or place for a deep discussion. As he helped Padme to her feet, he glanced once more at the body of Gerapaline. After hearing what Padme had just said, he regretting his brutality a little less. "I'm going to put this mask back on, so don't be surprised when you don't recognize my voice. If there is more gas or a trap ahead, it will do no good for me to go down while trying to rescue you. I'm not interested in going blind again, and if I go do, who's going to fly home?"

"You're right, Anakin." Obiwan walked toward him. "Do you think that you can show me the way, like I did for you when the babies came?"

"I was thinking the same thing." came the voice from the mask. "It will be hard for me to concentrate that deeply in the force while still keeping my mind on getting us out of here, but I'll do my best to see for you. It's going to look kind weird since I have this mask on, and maybe you should keep a hand on my cape in case I loose my concentration."

"I got it." He said, bravely taking a handful of the long black cape. Anakin picked Padme up and carried her, her long, now tangled and dirty hair flowing downward along with her tattered and bloodstained skirt. She put one arm around Anakin's shoulders and used the other to keep her dress closed. They left the room of doom and headed down the hall.

Anakin was very apprehensive, trying to see, hear and sense anything that might be ahead. For Obiwan and Padme, a new breed of fear had set in. While they were locked in a small dark room, it hadn't really hit them that they had actually lost their eyesight, now that sad fact became as overwhelmingly devastating to them as it had to Anakin. "I don't know if I can do it, Anakin." Obiwan said, sounding less confident than Anakin had ever heard him. This upset Anakin very much. Obiwan had always been there for him, had always been strong, had always had the answers. If he wasn't sure, Anakin was worried. He was going to have to be the one to take charge and be strong, because he had to.

"Can you see what I'm showing you?"

"A little bit, it comes and goes."

"That's because I can't completely clear my mind to concentrate on it under these circumstances. Keep holding onto me, and follow my footsteps and my voice. I won't leave you."

"Anakin, could you walk a little slower, I can't.."

"I'm sorry, Master. I know how it is when you can't see. I'll try, but we have to move as quickly as possible. Our lives depend on it." Padme was crying and biting her lip as she was trust bouncing through her own darkness as Anakin ran. At last they reached the door Anakin had entered, and they had encountered no more opposition. "I think I got them all." He said, but was still worried since he knew some of the henchmen had run in fear and had not been killed or immobilized. "Hold on, here we go." Anakin warned his two blind companions as he stepped out the door. "There's some steps here, take hold of the banister there, Obiwan. Hold on, Padme."

They had no sooner stepped out into the daylight than Anakin looked up to see several of the henchmen standing by the surrounding trees with very large blasters aimed at them. In his shock, he lost his telepathic connection to Obiwan, so he couldn't see it. "What has happened, Anakin, I can sense your fear." He spoke.

"This is not good." Anakin said back quietly. "Put the prisoners down and come with me."

One of the guards ordered. "You will all suffer for this outrage."

Anakin could have held them off had he been alone, but with the burden of two injured blind people, he knew if he put them down, they'd be killed. If he didn't, he'd be killed too. He didn't know what to do. He wished Obiwan could see and and his lightsaber so they could have used one of their hand signals, and he'd have a partner to fight with. Suddenly, Obiwan sensed a strong force presence nearby. "Anakin, did you bring someone with you?"

"No, why?"

"I sense Master Yoda." Anakin searched his feelings.

"I think I do too. Very strange. I don't see any sign of him or anyone else."

There was a calm silence for a few seconds as the guards watched to see what Anakin was going to do. Suddenly, the trees behind them rustled with activity, and a large number of Wookiee warriors charged out, roaring and taking every single one of the last guards prisoner before they could shoot back!" Anakin was laughing, and Padme and Obiwan asked what happened.

"Wookiees! Lots of them!" Just then, Master Yoda stepped into a clearing and looked up at Anakin.

"Told you I did, good relations with wookiees I have." He held out his arms and nodded his green head in their directions.

"Master Yoda, it is you!" Obiwan called out. Anakin remembered how Yoda had told him he'd help and send another ship if he could, and he came just when and where he was needed!

"Thank you, Master Yoda!" They all cheered. "Thank you, wookiees!" The wookiees took the guards inside and made sure they were locked up. They would be needed to tell the true story of Gerapaline's terror. A few stayed behind to guard them, others returned to the larger ship they had all come in. Yoda motioned for them to follow him, and Anakin walked along behind, still carrying Padme. Now that he was calmer, he was able again to show Obiwan the way to go, and he didn't even have to hold onto the cape much. Once inside, Anakin lay Padme down on a cot. Now he was able to remove his mask for what he hoped would be the very last time. He leaned his head back, ran his hands through his sweaty hair, and took a deep breath of air on his own. It felt very good. Then he sat down next to Padme, gently kissing her and brushing back her hair.

"You're going to be all right now, my love. We're going to get you to the med center for the same eye treatment I got, and you're going to get checked out."

"But, I can't..."

"Why not?"

"If I go to Coruscant, I am sure I will be arrested."

Anakin hadn't thought of that. He was so upset, he wanted to take on anyone who was going to try it, but he knew that would not help. "No matter what happens, you will not be denied medical care. Even if the worst happens, we will find a way to clear your name and get our babies back. Now you rest and keep your strength up." He kissed her one last time.

"Don't go.." She called out, grasping at the air in front of her in the direction she heard him moving.

"I have to fly the starfighter back, and check on Luke along the way."

"Yes, check on Luke, my baby..and what about Leia?"

"I think I know who has her. She is safe for now, but she will be ours again." He comforted her one more time.

"Take me with you, Anakin, I don't ever want to lose you again."

He touched her face again, his mouth so close to hers they could feel each others' warm breath. "Now, you have to go straight to the med center with Obiwan. Yoda and these wookiees will take good care of you. I'm going to go see our son," he kissed her, "then I'm going to come see you" he kissed her again, "then I'm going to get our daughter back." She whimpered "yes". Reluctantly, he then walked away.

One of the wookiees handed Anakin Obiwan's lightsaber, which had been taken from him after he was gassed. Anakin walked over to his blind friend and placed it in his hand. "You'll be needing this again soon."

Obiwan squeezed his hand around it and knew exactly what it was. "I hope so, Anakin."

"You will be back in action, I know it. You make sure you and Padme get the same forumula for your eyes they used on me. I will see you both very soon. The force will be with you." Anakin departed, and right behind him the Wookiee transport carrying the others headed for Coruscant.

Anakin made a stop by Tatooine and checked on Luke. He was doing very well, and had bonded with Beru. He hoped this would not be a problem. He thanked her again, and dashed as fast as he could fly back to Coruscant. As the Wookiee's transport ship, which was actually a confiscated freighter, landed at the med center, there was no trouble at all until someone recognized the patient a wookiee was carrying in as Padme Amidala, wanted woman. Yoda had to use his mind tricks to allow them to pass. Her getting medical care was the most important thing, other issues could wait. Obiwan explained to the droids about what had happened to their eyes, and he asked for the same formula that had cured Anakin. "You know" the droid told him, "the success rate for cures after scarring caused by the Naboo hospital is very low, Master Skywalker is the only one whose eyes have responded positively. There is a very large chance you and Senator Amidala will not see again, you must be prepared for that." Obiwan sighed heavily. He knew permanent blindness was a possibility but tried not to dwell on it.

"We are a different case, our eyes were not injured and treated incorrectly, he put some kind of powder in them."

The droid examined Obiwan's eyes. "I see they have been burned. They have hardly begun to heal, so no scarring has yet to set in. Your chances of recovery with our formula are excellent."

Obiwan was much happier now. "That's good to hear, thank you. How long?"

"I will treat and bandage your eyes. You will stay here for a few days to make sure things are going well, then you can be released. Return a week to ten days afterward. I cannot give a complete guarantee but I predict your eyes will do as well as Master Skywalker's. His were much worse, having scarred after the burns and being treated wrongly on Naboo, so yours are in less danger." He sat still while his eyes were washed and treated and bandaged.

"What about Padme?" He put his hand on the droid and followed him to Padme's bedside. Her eyes had been done the same as his, but her prognosis was not as bright. Her eyes were a bit more damaged because she had rubbed them and she risked losing part or all of her vision.

"Well," she spoke as she tried not to cry and wash out the treatment, "maybe all those people who are out to persecute and prosecute me will feel sorry for a poor blind lady." She faked a laugh.

"Don't even say that, Padme. Your eyes are going to get better, and we're going to clear you from all of this."

"But, I will never be free of the scars. I am damaged forever, in here." She said as she bit her lip, again fighting tears, and touched her hand to her heart, and her head. Someone very close to her would know exactly how that felt.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 23

When Anakin returned to Coruscant, he couldn't wait to get out of that hot, uncomfortable suit! He was sweating inside and felt stuck to it. His hair was still stiff with dried sweat from when his head was trapped inside the mask and helmet. .The armour was so cumbersome and restrictive to the movements he was used to. It was good to get his agility back. Taking off that suit was like lifting a load of stone from his shoulders! He left it in a heap on the floor as he took a shower and washed his hair, then changed back into his Jedi outfit and stuffed his suit into a big shopping bag.He carried it back into the med center,.swinging the bag back and forth on its twine handles as he walked. The mask was sticking out the opening at the top, face up.

"Here," he told the droid who had given it to him, "I'm returning this suit now. It worked very well but I won't be needing it anymore." The droid did not take the bag.

"We have no use for it at this time, Master Skywalker. On the unlikely event that someone does require just this particular suit, there isn't much chance it will fit him perfectly as it does you. You may keep it, there may be other missions you need it for in the future." Anakin looked down at the mask looking up at him and smiled. This made him even more certain the suit had been constructed especially for him, and he had escaped his fate of being in it for life.

"Will do. I appreciate it." He carried his burden as he went to visit Padme.

She was lying in the bed, eyes bandaged, wounds treated. Her pretty face and neck were bruised and battered. Her long hair had been so tangled and matted the droids had to cut some of it off, but it was still past her shoulders, smooth and pulled back behind her in a ponytail. Her arms had been sprained in the last struggle with Gerapaline, and they had been tightly bandaged all the way down to her hands, which had cuts all over them. Anakin was saddened by the site of this beautiful, classy lady lying there in such a condition. Though he had force choked her in his dark side rage, he felt he could never cause her any harm and was upset that anyone could, especially when all she had tried to do was to help others by stopping Gerapaline. He quietly sat down next to her and spoke to her gently as not to frighten her, since she couldn't see, or even sense his presence.

"Hello beautiful."

She jerked her body and turned her head toward him. "Oh stop it Anakin, you know I'm not."

"Yes you are. How long before I can take you out of here?"

"Go back to the temple, Anakin. I won't have you burdening yourself with me."

"Seems I remember saying something like that to someone not so long ago, and she said, if it were her lying here, wouldn't I take care of her? The answer was and still is yes." Her lips came together in a sad scowl and she looked like she was going to cry. She was deeply emotionally touched by his undying love. He put her to shame, and she felt so guilty about some of the things she'd said to him when she was mad. He could sense this, and tried to reassure her. "Now, you have to stop that, you need to keep the medicine in your eyes."

"Anakin, did my eyes look as bad as yours did when you were blind?"

Anakin couldn't help but spit out a little bit of laugh. "Well, I wouldn't know that, would I? How can I compare when I never got to see my eyes when I was blind?"

She gave a half smile. "And I can't see mine to know if they are as bad as the way yours looked!"

"I was worse off than you in a lot of ways and look at me now...um, well, I mean, I'm all right now, so you will be too."

"Anakin, is Luke all right?"

"Yes! I wanted to tell you, I checked on him and he's fine and healthy."

"You said you think you know who has Leia. Where is she?"

Anakin bent his head to whisper, he didn't want the gossip to get around. "I think the Organas have her."

She sighed and whispered back, "What?"

"They adopted a baby girl the same time Leia came up 'sold.' I haven't been around her to feel her presence, if I did I could be sure. But just the same I get a strong sense it's her."

"Gerapaline did say it was a very well to do family. Oh, Anakin, you have to find out for sure, and then we have to get her back."

"I know. You just rest and get yourself well, there are going to be battles ahead."

He kissed her as he got up to leave. "I'd better go now, I've got a lot to do." He said as he got up, carrying the suit in the bag.

"Anakin!" She called as she heard him walking away. "I love you."

He turned back and answered. "I know." He didn't mean to be cocky, he meant he could feel it. She loved him again, maybe she had never really stopped. He knew he had never stopped loving her. Anakin thought it, then said it aloud: "I love you too."

When Anakin left the hospital, he put his hood up so none of the media who were stalking the place would recognize him. He kept the suit out of sight, stuffing the large shopping bag under his cloak. There were reporters and gossip columnists hanging out waiting for news, but the center had kept all news of Padme confidential. Anakin also saw a police presence, and feared it was to arrest Padme as soon as she was released. When he got back to the temple, he stored the suit away and tried to watch a little of the news. Sure enough, rumors were flying about Padme. It was going to be impossible to just sneak her back into her normal life. Troubles lay ahead, and he didn't feel either of them were going to be up to it.

He walked into Obiwan's room and found him sitting on the floor, deep in medidtation. Through telepathy, Anakin sent him a message that he was there, and he came out of it. "I've been meditating on healing myself."

"That's a good idea, I should have done more of that when I was injured. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself to concentrate. You are stronger than I, you always have been."

"Thank you, Anakin, but I doubt myself sometimes too."

"Would it help if I joined you in meditation? Two of us might make you heal twice as fast." Thinking this was a good idea, he asked Anakin to join him. They joined hands and meditated together for Obiwan's eyes to heal. He could feel his body tingling with energy as the additional force power surged through him.

Later that day, Anakin ventured into the Senate building. As soon as he did, he could feel Leia's presence. She was here! Looking around, he finally came to a conference room where there was a meeting going on. The Queen of Alderaan was there, holding a baby. As Anakin got closer and closer, the feeling did, too. There was no question, the Organas were the ones who had bought his daughter from Gerapaline's agent! He was so angry, and so moved by his paternal instinct he wanted to go yell out 'that's my baby!' and take her from the Queen's arms. He knew he couldn't, and this tortured him very much. How was he even going to begin the process of getting her back? A lump came in his throat and tears came to his eyes as he fought them off, turning to leave. As he did, someone called to him. "Anakin Skywalker!" He turned to see Senator Organa coming up behind him, smiling broadly. "Don't you want to meet my new daughter?"

Anakin didn't know what to say. If he came out and accused Organa, it would only make him more defensive. If he didn't, time might slip away and they might never get her back. He felt he lost either way. For now, he didn't confront him. He couldn't afford to with Padme in such trouble. Anakin followed Organa to the conference room where the Queen sat with the baby. Anakin's eyes watered as he looked upon the little girl he recognized and sensed as his own. "She's beautiful." was all he could say. The Organas made no immediate mention of Padme's situation, and Anakin didn't bring it up.

"How are your own children?" He asked.

"Luke is staying with my stepbrother."

"Where is Leia, she's with Padme's sister, right?"

"No."

"Where is she then?"

Anakin stared right into Organa's eyes, searching for clues in them, and told him "We don't know."

Organa looked a bit taken by surprise, or like he had heard something he didn't want to hear. "What do you mean?"

"Gerapaline sold our daughter."

Organa looked disappointed to hear this. In the back of his mind, he had suspected the baby might be Leia, but tried to avoid it. Now learning Leia was missing he was having a hard time denying the possibility, but he said nothing. "I'm sorry, that's bad news. I hope you find her someday." He turned quickly and nervously walked away. Anakin got a bad feeling about it all. He'd have to find some way to get Leia back, but all the cards and odds were stacked against him and Padme.

Anakin went back to the hospital and told Padme that he had seen Leia. At least she was safe and alive and well cared for. They knew that with the crimes they had both committed it wasn't going to be easy to fight for their own child if it came to that, but Organa had involved himself with criminals, and that was bad too. Still, the Queen had a large fortune and the best connections. How could they ever defeat her? Anakin comforted Padme the best he could, and told her to try to remain calm so she could get well. As he left the hospital, the media tried to harass him again, and he had to use Jedi mind tricks on some of them. He could have used the force to get them all out there, but couldn't afford a public spectacle that would be filmed and photographed. Frustrated, he returned to the temple, meditated again with Obiwan, then went to sleep with it all weighing heavy on his mind. There had to be a way to work everything out, there just had to be.

The Tatooine suns were blazing into another ravishing sunset fading into the sand. Owen and Beru sat outside, sipping a refreshment and relaxing from another day of hard work on the moisture farm. Luke was in a little baby seat at their side, cooeing and kicking playfully. Beru wiggled a finger in front of his face, and he grabbed it with a cute giggle. "I know you love that kid, Beru, but you have to give him up someday so don't go getting all attached."

She frowned. "Can't you just let me enjoy him while I can?"

"The longer he stays, the harder it's going to be when he leaves. Personally I can't wait until he leaves. He's costing us money we don't have. If he were old enough to work and earn his keep.."

"Owen, is that all you can think of? Don't you have any feelings?"

"I'd have a lot more feelings for a kid who was big enough to help me."

"You want a slave, not a son!"

"Can't he be a bit of both? Don't most parents make their kids do chores?"

"I guess you're right. So you're saying, if a boy was older, he'd be less of a burden to you? Then perhaps we should look for an older orphan child to adopt instead of a baby."

"I didn't say that..."

Their conversation was interrupted by a clanking sound from behind. "Who's there?" Owen yelled, running in the direction of the commotion. He saw a brown haired little boy running and chased him down. When he grabbed him, he kicked with all his might. Finally Owen subdued him and carried him toward the residence.

"Are you gonna kill me?" He asked.

"No I'm not going to kill you. What are you doing sneaking around here?"

"I'm sorry, mister, I was hungry. I stowed away on a delivery speeder coming from Mos Eisely. I hung around there so long I was scared of getting killed or arrested."

"You were living on your own in a rough place like that? Where are your folks?"

The boy looked down at his feet, kicking some sand. "Dead. They owed too much money to Jabba the Hutt. He kept us all as slaves for awhile, then he threw my Mom and Dad in the sarlaac pit."

"That's awful, kid, I'm sorry. How did you escape?"

"One of the creatures on his skiff felt sorry for me and helped me get away. I only got as far as Mos Eisely, then I ended up here."

Beru came up to see what was going on, holding Luke in her arms. "That's a sad story, I can't stand to hear what the Hutts do to people. Are you from around here?"

"No, we were from Corellia, but he sent his bounty hunters and got us."

"Do you have any family on Corellia now?"

"I don't think so."

"Then, what are you going to do?"

"Just take care of myself, I guess." He looked so brave but still like the pitiful lost child he was.

Beru put her arm around him. "How would you like to stay here for awhile?" Owen gave her a negative look, but she stared him down."We can't let this poor child run around with no food or home." Owen turned his head and stomped his foot in anger, then had second thoughts.

"Boy, would you like to work here in exchange for food and shelter?" The boy's face lit up and he got as excited as any child. "Oh yippee! Do you mean it, mister? I'll do good, please don't throw me out!"

Beru hugged him. "Let's get you inside and give you a bath while I wash your clothes. If you're going to be our little boy, we need to know your name."

"It's Han Solo, lady."

"Han, that's a nice name. But you won't have to be solo anymore, I'm going to take care of you like my own little boy." That night after Han was washed and fed and put to bed, Owen and Beru sat up watching the stars and talking. "Thank you, Owen, now I have my son and you have your farm hand, and he has a safe and secure home to grow up in!"

"I don't know.."

"Yes, please, this is such a good thing for all of us."

"What about that little baby?"

"You're right, his parents will be coming back, I can't get too attached. No one is ever going to be coming for Han."

"What about Jabba the Hutt?"

"Surely he won't chase down this child. We can tell everyone he's our nephew whose parents died in the Clone Wars."

Owen softened up and gave the tender smile he had when she first fell in love with him. "You know, this might just work out for everyone." They snuggled under the clearest, brightest of starlit nights as Luke and Han snoozed peacefully inside.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 24

Two days later, nothing had changed and Anakin was still at a loss for what to do. Padme would be coming home in a few days, and he'd have to stay and take care of her. What about Luke? Her parents were dead so they could not come help anymore. Her sister had her own life and family on Naboo, and was also going through a lot of grief. It was a deeply helpless feeling taking him back into depression. He was roused from his gloom as Obiwan knocked on his door. "Anakin, will you take me to the med center now? I have to get my eyes checked."

"Is this the day.."

"No, it's just a checkup. I don't expect to be healed this soon." Anakin took his friend and brother to the same droid he had taken him to when he was blind. Anakin sat in a chair and waited while the droid removed the bandages to treat Obiwan's eyes with more of the formula. Anakin watched as Obiwan squinted in pain at the light.

"You can see the light, Obiwan, that's a good sign!" The droid told him not to expect too much too soon, and not to be disappointed if not much had changed yet. Obiwan's eyes adjusted to the light, and the droid asked him to open them and face him so he could examine them. To his delight, Obiwan found that he could already see perfectly! Anakin saw a smile come through his beard, and sensed his good feelings. "Obiwan! Your eyes, they look fine, just like always! You can see!"

"Yes, I can, just like before!" He looked all around the room, and then he and Anakin were able to once again look into each other's eyes. They both laughed and embraced, slapping each other's backs. The droid gave Obiwan a very thorough exam, and was amazed. This was the second miracle. Anakin's eyes had healed against the odds, and Obiwan's had healed in remarkable time.

"You Jedi must have very special eyes." The droid said. They both snickered shyly.

"I guess all that meditating and healing concentration helped!"

"Yes, it did, thank you! Maybe we can both try it to help Padme?"

"Yes, we must, and very soon!" Going to check on her, they saw she was asleep, and decided to let her rest and come back later. The droid informed them she must stay two more days for her injuries, then she could be released to them and seek outpatient treatment. This was at first good news, then a fear shot through Anakin. If she were out of the hospital, what would happen to her? Would she be arrested? What about the media? They were going to have to be cautious about everything. He and Obiwan would have to devise a very wise plan.

Anakin lay in his bed in his temple quarters, staring at the ceiling. Obiwan knocked and entered the room. "Anakin, come with me, we have a lot of work to do."

"On what, Master?" He said as he sat up on the side of his bed.

Obiwan was holding several holovid cartridges in his hand. "Look what I found! I was able to secure copies of all the security camera recordings in the places Padme helped rob. We're going to sit there and look through each and every second of them until we find a way to help her."

"You're the best, Obiwan. You always come through." The two of them went to a holovid viewer and turned them on. For a long time, they watched them over and over, painful as it was.

Finally, Anakin commented. "Is it just me cracking up because I've seen them so many times now, or do you think, maybe, Padme wasn't the one who fired the deadly shots at that family?"

"I was thinking the same thing. She did shoot, but the killing shots that dropped the victims seems to be coming from another direction. I don't think she killed them, any of them." They played each vid back, pausing the parts in question. "That's it, I knew it!" Obiwan pointed out. "There were second gunmen in every one of these, it was other cronies, not her who did the killings. Of course, she's still guilty by association, but if we can prove she was there under duress, it might be better for her." Anakin put his head down and didn't answer. Obiwan was perplexed.

"What's wrong, Anakin, aren't you happy about this?"

"Obiwan, Padme has now forgiven me my rampage because she understands how it felt to have to do something so terrible to save someone you love. If we prove she didn't actually kill them, she might go back to holding it against me again."

"So that it! You would rather she be guilty, because it's better for you?"

"I didn't say that."

"But isn't that what you mean?"

"I don't want her to go to jail, I don't want her to suffer anymore. But this was kind of a way for us to get back together and forgive.."

"You know, Anakin, you and she are more alike than you think." He recalled his conversations with Padme, both after she and Anakin broke up, and while he was imprisoned with her. He could tell they were kindred spirits and belonged together. "Just like when she told me she thoought you deserved to be blind and it wasn't right you weren't punished for what you..." Obiwan, realizing he had slipped terribly, stopped talking and avoided Anakin's stare.

Anakin looked very sad. "She said that, she thought I deserved what happened to me?" Obiwan nodded sadly. He could see how badly hurt Anakin's feelings were. "She said something like that to me, only not as bad." Anakin shook his head. "All that time I was hurt, she kept telling me how much she wanted me to get better, how sad it made her seeing me that way. Was she lying? She thought I deserved it! I don't know what to feel anymore. Maybe we shouldn't get back together."

"No, Anakin, please, she feels just terrible now. You should have heard her when we were in Gerapaline's compound, she is very full of forgiveness and regret..."

"That's because she thinks she did what I did. If she finds out she didn't shoot innocent people, she'll get right back to holding it agaisnt me again."

"Ah, so now maybe you're thinking she deserves to suffer, for what she did to you?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Anakin, you and she have both said things about each other that I didn't want to hear, things you shouldn't have. But you know what? I think it's just because you love each other so much."

"I'd like to believe that, of her. I know it is with me. Now, she's laying there in the bed all helpless and pitiful, so now she understands all that I felt."

"You want that for her?"

"No, I really don't, I don't want her blind, hurt. But I do want her to understand how I did those awful things for her, and that it was the dark side, not me, not myself who did them."

"I think she does. Anakin, we need to tell her, we need to get this known, to save her from being arrested."

"I know."

Obiwan and Anakin went directly to the med center. They entered to see Padme sitting up in bed, looking better than before. Stitches were taken out, bruises fading, her color returning. The droids took the bandages off her eyes. Anakin and Obiwan, having been through this tense moment themselves, felt for her. They watched and saw her squint, they knew she could see the light. She opened her eyes. Anakin watched her eyes. They seemed to come alive with a brief recognition of him, but she didn't look at him. The droid asked if she could see, and Anakin and Obiwan waited for her answer.

"No, it's not much better, I'm afraid." She told the droid.

"I'm sorry, Senator." the droid said. "I will reapply the formula and bandages, we will try one more time."

"No, please don't, it hurts my head."

"That might not be the best thing for your eyes, they must heal."

"Give me some drops, I'll put them in at home."

"If that is your desire. You may go home now, if you like."

"I would. Anakin, get my things, will you? Let's go home." Anakin gave Obiwan a suspicious look, and he returned it. How did she know he was there? She could see, and she was faking, just like he had done. He didn't say a word. The droid didn't pick up it, and they left it that way. Obiwan grabbed her personal items, and Anakin helped her out of the bed, taking her by the arm.

"Come on, darling. You did this for me, now I'm doing it for you. Careful of your step, now, wait, move this way for the doorway." He almost laughed out loud thinking how terrible she was at faking it, he had done so much better pretending not to see what was around him and ahead of him.

Flanked by Obiwan and Anakin, she was led out of the hospital. The crowd of media outside was ready and waiting. They shoved recorders into her face, asking her all kinds of questions. "Oh, no, stop, you wouldn't bother a poor, sick, blind woman, after the ordeals I've just been through? Leave me alone!" She played quite the drama queen. Some of them backed off, others continued to follow. They hadn't gotten far when some law enforcement agents stepped in front of them.

"Padme Naberrie Amidala, I am afraid I must carry out your arrest."

Anakin and Obiwan wanted to draw lightsabers, but they knew it was the wrong situation. Padme started to cry. "But...I'm blind, you can't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry, Senator."

"Wait" Anakin tried to speak for her. "Can't she come back home first, after all she's suffered? She lost her parents, she was tortured, shouldn't she be given time?"

The agent was not sympathetic. "She had time in the hospital. Now she must come with us."

"NO!" Anakin yelled. "I won't let you take her."

"Are you threatening us, Jedi?" They asked, pulling weapons. Anakin knew he could tate them, but they didn't need any more trouble. All the media was standing around, surely this would be a big deal that would hurt them all and their chances to live a normal life again.

Obiwan tried to stop him. "Anakin, tell them what we found." Anakin was again in confusion. Those vids might free Padme, but they might also make her go back to criticizing him. He hoped she wouldn't, but he had to do what was best for her.

"We have proof she didn't kill those people in the banks."

"I'd like to see that proof."

"Would you kindly let me take my wife home first?"

One of the agents strapped a tracking device to Padme's ankle. "She is under house arrest. If she leaves her apartment, this will sound and she will be apprehended immediately."

"Where can I go, I can't even see!" Padme whined. This was better than jail, so they didn't resist. Anakin was allowed to take her home, and they'd be meeting with officials later in the day to review the holovids in an attempt to clear Padme's name.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 25

Anakin and Obiwan brought Padme to her bed and gently helped her down into it. While they were not followed, they were still careful of bugs and spycams. Obiwan shut the windows and drapes. "I'm going to go get the vids, Anakin, then I'll come right back here."

"Be careful, Obiwan. Someone may be following you."

"I will."

After he was gone, Anakin lay down next to Padme and tried to cuddle her. She was not responsive. "Back in your own bed, safe and sound."

"I never thought I would be."

"What's wrong, don't you love me anymore?"

"I have been through a lot."

"I know. does that have something to do with the way you feel about me?"

"I can't tell you now."

He whispered in her ear in case the room was being bugged. "Padme, are you faking, like I was?"

"What?"

"Shhh. Yes, Padme, I know you saw me at the med center. You aren't a good faker."

"You think that's what I'm doing?"

"Yes, I do. Look, I won't tell anybody. I did it too, who am I to judge? If you want to continue to feign blindness to make them go easier on you, go ahead, but please, don't make me lead you around and cut up your food, okay?"

She was at first a bit sore, but soon smiled. "Yes, Anakin, that's exactly what I did, I admit it. I am a dirty, lying, faker just like you."

"You mean you can see okay again?"

"Yeah. That's why I didn't want him to put the bandages back on!"

He laughed. "I knew it!"

"You're not angry?"

"How could I be? I'm just so happy you're okay." She guilty seeing how much more forgiving he was. He smiled at her, their eyes meeting in a loving way for the first time since before Mustafar. They were both so happy in the moment, they didn't even want to discuss any of the other problems. He grabbed her and they rolled over and over in the bed, laughing. They ended up flat on their backs, staring up at the sky. It was still daylight, and it was beautiful and blue, with flashes of light reflecting off passing vehicles. "I love you." He told her. "It's so good to have you back."

"But for how long?" She turned away again, sad.

He was a bit upset she didn't tell him she loved him back, but didn't mention it. "Don't worry, Obiwan and I are going to get you out of this."

"How?" He didn't know if he should tell her.

Padme, there's something you need to know. Obiwan and I were reviewing the holovids from the banks you robbed." She looked sad and turned away. "You wanted to see me doing all that bad stuff?"

"No, we were trying to find a way to help, and we did!"

"You did?"

He took her hand in his and stared into her eyes, deeply. It felt so good to be able to do that. "Padme, from what we saw, you didn't kill that family, you didn't kill any customers. You shot at them, but the deadly fire came from other blasters around you, the cronies."

She sat up and sighed out loud. "Are you sure? You mean, I didn't kill any of them?"

"I don't think you did. So this means that they can't bring murder charges against you, only robbery and accessory, but those can be more easily bargained away, especially for a person of your position."

"You mean, I get cop a plea because I'm famous?"

"Something like that."

"I'm so ashamed. Others wouldn't be able to do that, but then again, others did it willingly, and I was coerced with threats to my children!"

"And we can use that!" Anakin shot back fast, pointing at her. "We can use that to our advantage!" Then he looked forlorn and put his head down. She reached over and pushed some blonde curls across his forehead.

"What's bothering you?"

He glanced shyly up at her with his deeply blue eyes and blinked his gorgeous long lashes. "Well, it's that, now that you know you didn't kill that family, you can't understand how I felt when.."

She put her hand over his mouth. "Yes, I do! I still do! I thought I killed those people, if you didn't tell me, I always would have! The worst thing is, I would have. I could have. I meant to, I did it to save someone, JUST-LIKE-YOU! I have walked along the same path, took the same direction. So this changes nothing about the way I feel!"

Anakin smiled and heaved a breath of relief. "Thank you, Padme, you're wonderful."

She held both sides of his face between her hands. "I do know how you felt, it was a bad thing but you get pushed into a terrible position. I saw a dark side of myself I didn't know existed, and it frightened me.."

"That's how it is, and the guilt.."

"I know that too."

"But you didn't really kill anyone!"

"I thought I did, I intened to, that's the point. Besides, I did kill some people. I blasted every one of the people who came in the room after my mother died- some had tortured and killed her, but some did not,some were innocent, but I killed them all! I knew exactly how you felt at the Tusken camp, and I felt for you."

Anakin began to pucker up and weep, he was so moved. "I am so sorry you had to go through that, you know I know how you suffered."

"I should have known how you suffered over your mother long before it was my own. You know, I can't help thinking, maybe somehow the force did all this to show me what you went through, so I'd understand. I promise, Anakin, I will never judge you again."

"This means more to me than anything you could say." He said as they embraced and kissed. They didn't want to let go of each other, ever again. Close to each other both in mind and body, their passion got the best of them, and they made love.

The next morning, an ominus knock came at the door. They awoke, their hearts pounding, and pulled on dressings to go answer it. Standing there in front of them were the agents who had confronted them at the med center. "Senator Amidala, we have some information on your case."

She didn't even remember to pretend to be blind, she just stared at them with her mouth open. "And...?"

"We are not going to press charges against you for murder."

"You're not?"

"No, something came up to show you weren't the one who did the killings in the banks." An agent held up copies of the holovids Obiwan had. "Another Jedi stopped by and showed us things in these we hadn't seen before. It gave us no pleasure to charge you, now, we don't have to."

"What about the other charges? I promise you, I didn't act of my own free will in any of them."

"We can use the fact that you were obviously coerced to perhaps get you off on probation, since you have no criminal record. On the other hand, I can't imagine your political career will survive this."

She looked very devastated. "You mean I must give up my position?"

"That will be up to your government on Naboo. My guess is you will lose it. Be thankful if that is all it will cost you."

Anakin had been silent, but spoke up. "She did a good thing, she helped us capture Gerapaline and end his syndicate!"

"That is true, but it is quite another case. It might help her, it may not. But for now, you are a free woman." The agent bent to the ground and removed her house arrest bracelet. "Good day." He said as he and the others turned to walk away. "Our business with you is at an end."

When the door was closed, Anakin swooped Padme up off the ground and spun her around in his arms. She tried to control her happiness until the agents were out of earshot. Anakin smiled at her as he sat her down. "You are a free woman, you're not going to jail!"

She whispered back "I did kill those people at Gerapaline's compound."

"They don't know that, and it was justifiable, you were a kidnap victim.They killed your parents, and you feared for your life. it was self defense."

Her arms tightly around his neck, she stood on her tiptoes and whispereed in his ear. "It was a rampage!"

"There is no record of it, you needn't worry. The only ones who witnessed it are now dead."

"What about the bank robbery?"

"You were under duress, we can prove it."

She looked down. "I am most likely ruined politically though, they can't have people with such scandals in position of power."

"You are surely not the first or the worst!" She swung around and faced the window. "A lot of them aren't found out. Look how long it took to find out about Palpatine!"

"That's for sure."

She stared out the window toward the Senate building. "I am all over the news. I am tainted for life." She started to cry.

He walked over and hugged her and dried her tears. "Not to me you aren't, you never will be." She hugged him back, and they rocked back and forth gently in the sunlight spilling through the glass.

Soon, Obiwan arrived, and they thanked him for what he had done. "I thought it best I do it, not involving either of you, considering.."

"Considering our reputations?"

Obiwan laughed. "No need to put it that way, but, kind of, yes. Coming from me, a Jedi with an unblemished reputation, it helped." They all laughed at his mock gloating. They both hugged him.

"We cannot thank you enough."

"It was my pleasure. Now, how are we going to get your daughter back?"

Padme looked at him sadly. "I've been so afraid of that. What will Bail do once he finds out? Will he do the right thing and give her back, or will he use my actions, and Anakin's, against us to keep her?"

"Surely he must have his own political hide to be concerned for, " Anakin brought up, "after all, he was involved with a crooked lawyer from Gerapaline's syndicate. He should be worrying himself."

"You're right!" Padme joined in. "It doesn't take much of a scandal to ruin one politically. I think we should go and see him about it, get it straight, now."

"Now?" Anakin questioned. "I don't know if I can deal with it right now."

"We have to. Come on, let's get dressed. I'm going to go tell Bail Organa to his face he has my daughter, and he adopted her illegally."

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 26

Anakin and Padme were very nervous about how they were going to confront Organa about Leia. They didn't just want to come right out and say it, but the longer they waited, the more the Organas became attached to her, the worse it was going to be. Anakin put on his traditional dark Jedi gear, and Padme wore one of her best velvet dresses, aquamarine with teal green designs. She tried to fix her hair into one of her famous intricate styles, but thanks to the droids cutting off the tangles it was no longer long enough. She sighed as she stuffed it into a small bun and added one of her golden headpieces. She turned to Anakin, who had been watching her the whole time. "How do I look?"

He cracked a smile. "You don't have to ever ask me that, you know I think you're beautiful." He walked over and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Always? Even the way you found me at Gerapaline's?"

"I don't want to think about that, there are a lot things I can't make myself think about right now. There is so much it bothers me to think about." He turned his back and gazed out the window.

She walked up and put her hand on his shoulder, turning him back around. "I know, but it's not doing us any good not to face things."

"I just can't deal with it all, if I have to, I will, otherwise, please don't mention...certain things. Don't you understand that now, after your own experiences?"

She looked up at him, rubbing her hand against his chest. "Yes, I guess I do. But what we have to do today is going to be very hard, but we must do it, for Leia."

Obiwan, who had gone back to the temple, returned to get them. "We had best go now, I have an audience with Senator Organa on Jedi business. We will have our time to talk to him, try to work this out." He motioned for them to get into a waiting speeder, and they glanced nervously one more time at each other before getting in.

"This is it." Padme mumbled under her breath as she watched the familiar but now ominus Senate building come closer and closer. They landed and went inside, together. Obiwan got out first, followed by Anakin and Padme. She wrapped her arm tightly around his, just like she had done to lead him when he was blind. Then she released it. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that, you won't need me to guide you anymore."

He reached for and put her arm right back where it was. "I don't need you to lead me around, and I don't need to lead you around, but that doesn't mean we still can't hang onto each other. I will always need your loving touch and companionship. I will always need you to show me the way and help guide me through the perils of life."

"Then love has blinded you?" She made the joking reference. They laughed, latched their arms tighter than ever, and stared and smiled warm and lovingly into each other's faces as they walked ahead to the challenge that awaited.

"Maybe we shouldn't, though," she started to say, "what if.."

"Padme, after all that's happened, I don't think there's a person on Coruscant who doesn't know about 'us.' It doesn't matter anymore." He squeezed her even closer to him. It felt so good to be able to do that out in the open, in plain view of everyone, without fear, without hiding behind pillars and lying. "Let's go get our daughter back." Obiwan smiled warmly as he watched them walk arm in arm beside him all the way down the hall. It was about time.

This was it. Obiwan entered first, and Senator Organa and his aide rose to greet him. Organa's smile disappeared when he saw Obiwan was not alone. "Master Kenobi, my meeting was with you. Why are these people here?"

"They have important business with you as well, Senator. Business I fear can no longer wait."

Organa glared first at Padme, then at Anakin, as if trying to intimidate them. "You both have been quite busy of late, haven't you? I want you to know, there is much on you both, you should be grateful you both have your lives, your health and your freedom. I wouldn't ask for more." He folded his arms, continuing to stare them both down. Padme and Anakin looked at each other, then at Obiwan, then back at Organa.

Finally, Padme broke the silence. "Senator, we have been friends and collegues for a long time."

"You may not use that in your favor, you are the same as anyone else to me." She was disappointed to hear his voice so harsh and stripped of compassion. He seemed to be building a wall of coldness toward them so he would have no problem rejected the inevitable plea.

Padme didn't care, she made it anyway. "Senator, we have heard that you have recently adopted a baby girl."

"Yes, we have, are you here to congratulate me?"

"Actually," she bravely continued, battling a lump on her throat, " I was here to question the adoption."

Organa's face became furious."That is none of your concern.. You will leave my office at once, all three of you, or I will have you removed. Master Kenobi, your Jedi business will have to wait until you can come alone."

Padme did not give up. "Wait, something isn't right!"

"You're right, it isn't, and I'm going to stop it right now by having you taken out of here and dealt with properly." He could not meet her eyes as he reached down to press the security button. By now, Padme's courageous facade was breaking down into the heartbreak of a desperate mother. She had nothing else to lose. She moved closer to Organa, stared him right in the eyes and spoke clearly and loudly:

"I believe you have my daughter, and you obtained her illegally through Gerapaline's syndicate. I want her back!"

The veins in Organa's neck bulged, and his aide pushed Padme away. "You have no right to come in here and make such accusastions. You are an insane, unstable woman who has lost her child and is now trying to claim mine! You will be removed from these premises for good!"

"No, you can't..!" Obiwan and Anakin were so tempted to use the force to help her, but knew it might only go harder on them all, so they restrained themselves though they were raging inside.

Anakin did manage to speak up. "Senator Organa, I have seen your daughter, and she is indeed my daughter, Leia Skywalker. Our daughter is missing, and you have adopted an 'orphan' child who appeared the same time we lost our Leia, looking exactly like our Leia! Can't you put the pieces together?"

Organa stared at Anakin, his face distraught with obvious pain and desperation for his child, as Padme's was. He looked at each of them, then at Obiwan, who was giving him quite a glare of knowing of guilt. As the security men burst into the door, they stopped, only seeing the recognizable faces of Padme, Anakin and Obiwan. "Where are the intruders?" One of them asked. With long hard stares all around, Organa finally told them, "It was a false alarm. You may go about your business. Nothing here I can't handle."

All in the room breathed a sigh of relief but said nothing. Organa sent his aide away and locked the door. He sat down in his chair and locked his fingers together, now almost as nervous as they were. "Senator Amidala, I am going to give you a chance to prove your allegations. Honestly, I have suspected and feared my daughter might be your Leia from the beginning, but I have been avoidant. My wife and I would be very upset to lose her, we have waited so long, and she is already such a joy to us. But, the honor in me will not allow me to keep a child who is not legally mine, and the conscience in me will not allow me to damage you any further to take away your child. I want you to know, I could very easily ruin you all for life, and keep the child. The ease with which I could have you both ruled unfit would stun you. You know it to be true. However, blast my decency, I am not that kind of a man. I couldn't live with myself if I were." Padme and Anakin were reduced to tears at his compassion. Obiwan nodded in approval. "You will all come with me to Alderaan today, we must get to the bottom of this for the good of us all."

Dark space brightened to clouds, which soon split to reveal magnificent high peaked mountains in a glorious landscape. "Your home world is among the most beautiful I've ever seen." Anakin said as he gazed out the viewport of Bail's private ship, scanning the entire scene slowly enough to take it all in.

Padme came up and joined him. "Just look at that, it's amazing." It became more panoramic the longer they flew over it, circling lower and lower to prepare for a safe landing without hitting any mountains.

"Flattery will not help you." Organa said, arms folded, not even looking their way. "That wasn't my intention, I am honestly in awe of the beauty of your planet. Since my bout of blindness I take no such sights for granted, I assure you. I want to savor and appreciate all the beauty of the universe."

"I'm sorry, Skywalker. I was half joking, anyway. What will be, must be.None of us can change that." The ship landed, and they disembarked only to be boarded onto a royal vehicle for transport to the palace where his wife and Leia were staying. They admired more beautiful scenery along the way, and no mention was made of the difficult situation that lie ahead. At last they arrived at the fabulous palace where Organa's wife, the Queen, was waiting. Her ancestors had ruled the planet proudly and peacefully for hundreds of generations, and she didn't want the line to end with her. Walking inside, no one spoke, but all admired the intricate ornamentation, statues and decor of the inside of the ancient palace. Two sturdy servants opened double doors for the group, all four strode through them, revealing glass doors opened onto a wide veranda with a spectacular view of the mountains and its surrounding lake. Sitting on an ornamental stone bench was the Queen of Alderaan, holding a baby girl in her arms. They all bowed slightly in her presence.

Obiwan stood back as Leia's parents joined her adoptive parents on the bench. Padme, who had seen Leia more recently than Anakin, immediately gasped and reached for the baby. Leia seemed to recognize her, too, and cooed and smiled. Her little arms reached toward her. Anakin had not seen the baby in weeks, but could still tell it was his daughter's face. More than that, he sensed her strongly in the force. He glanced at Obiwan, who gave him one of their hand signals. He also strongly sensed Leia's force presence. Only a Jedi or the child of a Jedi would be giving off such a powerful sense of the force. Both parents ached to take the little girl in their arms and embrace her back into their lives, and it hurt deeply that they could not. They all waited for the Queen to speak first. "I have been told that this child I have adopted may indeed be yours. If this is so, I cannot keep her from you, since neither of you willingly gave her up. It will hurt me deeply, but is it right that I should cause you to hurt deeply?"

Organa was saddened by his wife's words. Sitting next to her, he put his arm around her shoulders. "Darling love, if it is your desire to keep this child, you know nothing can stop us. These people here before you can easily be ruled as unfit, should you choose to fight them."

Anakin and Padme were upset to hear now that he was around his wife, Organa seemed to be changing his mind again. The Queen looked up at Padme. 'You yourself were a Queen, and you are of noble birth and breeding. We were told by those who arranged our adoption that this was true, so now I see this is what he meant. Do you see that this is your child?" Padme could only nod her head, using her hand to try to fight tears and words from coming too quickly to her. She regarded Anakin with a look and asked him the same. "Master Skywalker, is this your daughter?"

"Yes, your majesty, she is. I recognize her, and through the force I can feel her. I know you can't understand that, but we Jedi have certain powers that way, and I have used mine to sense my daughter."

"Does this mean your daughter will also have the force?"

"Yes, your majesty, she will, to what degree, we don't know yet, but as my child, she certainly has the capability."

The Queen looked back at her husband. "A child with such possibilities would be a great thing for this planet."

Obiwan spoke up immediately. "All force sensitive persons must be trained, or they will not be able to use their powers."

"Are you saying she must be a Jedi?"

"No, but if she is not raised to know the force, or ever trained in it, her sensitivity will be wasted."

"If we were to keep her, would you be willing to come back here and be her trainer?"

Obiwan was shocked. The Queen now seemed to be using him against his friends. He responded honestly."If this child is kept against the will of her natural parents, I will want nothing to do with the situation." The Queen looked down. She knew Obiwan had done the admirable and honorable thing, though it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

She looked back to Anakin. "Master Skywalker, are you also of noble birth?"

"No, m'am, I was born to a slave woman on Tatooine."

"A slave!" The Queen spoke roughly. "Your mother was a slave?"

"Yes, she was, but a very good woman."

"What about your father, was he also a slave?"

Anakin didn't know how to answer that in a way she'd understand or accept. "Your majesty, I have no father."

"Even if he is dead, he is still your father. Who was he?"

"I don't mean he is dead. My mother is dead, yet she is still my mother, always. I mean, I never had a father. I was concieved through the force. That is why I am the Chosen One."

The Queen leveled her stare on Anakin. She knew of Jedi, and the force, but found this impossible to accept by her standards of reasoning. "You were born, of a human woman, and the- force? There was no father, no man?"

"No, m'am."

She shook her head. "I cannot believe this."

"There are ways of the force that we are not meant to understand, but to take on faith. My mother was with no man, I was born of the force."

The Queen stared again, shook her head, and looked back at her husband. "Those adoption people were not only crooks, they were liars! Noble born parents, they promised, yet this is only half true! This man here is the child of a slave and some unknown man she slept with!"

Anakin's feelings were hurt, and he was hurt for the way the Queen spoke of his mother. "With all due respect, your majesty, I cannot stand here and allow my mother to be insulted. Yes she was a slave, but not of her own choosing. She did not ask to be pregnant with me. It is wrong that you should judge her so harshly."

"How dare you speak to me that way in my own palace. You are no longer welcome here. Go, now." She waved them off.

Anakin looked at Padme, who was crying. He turned to leave as guards appeared to escort him out. He and Obiwan could easily have overpowered them, but they didn't think it their best move. The Queen stood up, handing the baby to her husband. "You have given me a child of lies! I want no more to do with the illegal operation behind the criminals who brought her to us, or her scandelous parents. It is best she go now before she becomes accustomed to our life here on Alderaan. She was not born to it, will not share it. The grandchild of a slave woman and her unknown sleeping partner! Who knows what kind of man he was? Take her away!" Leia whimpered as she was rejected, and Bail tried to comfort her.

"But, my love, all children we may adopt will be of some imperfect past, that is why they'd be put up for adoption."

"Which is why I have not adopted up until now!"

"But you should not feel this way, any child deserves a chance." He tried to plead with her, but her mind was made up. Her years of being raised with an attitude of haughty superiority had made her feel this way, and closed her heart and mind. "Then if I am to have a child, and I am unable, the only option left is to have myself cloned! Summon my aides at once, we will send for the cloners of Kamino. I will have a daughter of my own perfect genetic line!"

All, including Bail himself, were shocked by her actions and comments. "Darling," he asked, "what of this child?"

"Give her to them, they want her so much, they deserve each other!" The Queen stormed inside, followed by her servants. Bail smiled, relieved of his burden and worries of what his wife was going to think. He was upset to know of her true feelings, and felt her a weaker, less compassionate ruler for them. He was actually relieved to do the right thing and hand Leia Skywalker back to her own mother's arms.

"Here you are, Padme. Love her, keep her well." Bail said with a sad, bittersweet smile.

Padme held Leia close, and could feel her cuddle back. Their strong bond had not been broken. "I- I don't believe it, she's mine, all mine again!" Anakin smiled and wept as he watched Padme cuddling their daughter. He walked over to them, putting his arms around them both, and stared at Leia like he was afraid she'd vanish again. Obiwan and Bail walked over and regarded them both with caring looks and pats on the back.

"This is just, this is right." Organa told them. "I will get her little things, you may have everything we bought for her." He started to choke up a little."You will let me see her sometime, won't you?" He had become attached to the baby himself.

"Of course." Padme said, through her gasping cries of happiness. "We wouldn't have it any other way, Uncle Bail!" He managed a smile, then followed them back to the waiting ship as the servants loaded Leia's possessions. Still clutched together in a loving embrace, the Skywalkers were too busy looking at their daughter to even pay attention to the scenery as they left Alderaan and headed back home to Coruscant. There was one more missing piece of the picture. Their joy was great, but still incomplete. The next day they would have to go to Tatooine.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 27

The Organa's private ship courteously returned them to Coruscant, the pilot dropping off Obiwan to the temple, and the Skywalkers to their penthouse. Coming inside, Anakin and Padme turned on the lights and looked at the house as a home, not just a residence. Their daughter was back, with no more fear of her being taken from them. They knew they needed their son to complete the family, and they would rest and start out again the next day. Padme held very tight to Leia, who had not cried all the way home through many miles and hyperspace. "Anakin, look at her, she's so perfect."

"Of course she is, she looks just like her mother."

They spent the whole night cuddling and loving and being so grateful for what they had, considering all they'd been through. They stared up at the skylight, with Leia between them. Her little eyes were open, and she seemed to be cooeing at the scene. "Look, Leia, isn't it pretty?" Padme pointed, and Leia seemed to chortle back an answer. They were so happy, and so safe at this moment. It felt good.

The next morning, before they were out of bed, Anakin got a message beep on his communicator. It was the med center, they wanted to see him immediately. "Oh dear, what could be wrong?" Padme worried, her face in a frown.

"It's about me, not you, so just stay here with the baby. I'll be all right."

"Maybe you should take Obiwan?" :

"If I need him, I'll call for him through telepathy. He's usually in his mediatation this time of the morning." Anakin cautiously went to see the droids who had sent for him, wondering what it was about. You wanted to see me, what is wrong?"

The droid told him to sit down, and take off his boots and pull up his pants. "It is time to see if your knee has healed sufficiently. You have ignored most of your recent therapy sessioms."

"I've been busy." That was an understatement!

The droid took off the brace and asked Anakin to step down on it. He felt for the strength of his ligaments, and then had him run on a treadmill device. All examinations showed his knee to be practically as good as new. "You will not be needing it anymore, you may go now, and not return unless you are injured again. You are a free, healthy young man."

Anakin was extremely happy. He was pronounced back to normal, after all he had been through. It was incredible. As he had lay blind, burned,having severe breathing problems, crippled, in such pain, he was sure he'd never live a normal life again, yet here he was, good as new physically. "Mind if I give it a try while I'm here with you?" He asked. The droid didn't know what he had in mind. He went out into the hallway, ran, then flew through the air in a double twist Jedi move and flipped back down onto his feet for a safe landing. So struggle, no pain. "Whoopee!" Anakin said without thinking how it sounded. "I'm me again! It feels so good!" His moves were completely back. He was very content and excited. Thanking the droid again, he quickly returned home.

When he got back, Padme was standing there with a worried look on her face. "What was wrong?" She timidly asked, fearing bad news.

"Get that look off your face, I'm fine! They only wanted to take off my knee brace, for good! I'm all better, Padme!" She squealed happily as he pulled her in mock dance moves around the apartment.They stood on the veranda for a moment, reflecting. "It's so hard to believe, how broken up my body was, I got it back, I got it all back" He held out his arms and looked up at the sky."You're healthy, too, and Obiwan. We are truly graced by the force. I feel very fortunate."

He knew that they still had emotional scars that would never totally heal, and problems that would not completely go away, but the fact that they were cured and relatively safe after their ordeals lightened his heart. More tasks did lie ahead, there was the issue of Padme's job, his place in the Jedi Order, dealing with the tragedies that had befallen them, and of course, the one at hand- gettng Luke back! While they were still watching the sky, Obiwan pulled up in a borrowed craft and told them to get in for Tatooine.

"Padme, perhaps you should stay here with Leia. You aren't completely strong yet, we can handle this." Obiwan said, giving Anakin a concerned look.

"No, I must go, I want my son."

Anakin sensed Obiwan's uneasiness. "Padme, he's right. There might be danger.."

"Danger? How? What's wrong with Luke?"

"Nothing, but it's a dangerous planet, and what if.."

"What if they don't give him back?" "Padme, we don't know what might happen. It's Tatooine. It's a dirty place. I'd feel better if you and Leia were here and safe. We'll be back soon."

She looked disappointed, but agreed. "All right. You two take care of yourselves and bring my baby back to me!"

As they flew out of Coruscant's sky and headed for Tatooine, Anakin spoke of his feelings to Obiwan. "You sensed something, didn't you? I could tell as soon as I saw your face."

"Yes, I didn't want to scare Padme, but I feel there is a thread awaiting us there." Anakin gazed out into space, then back at Obiwan. "I just knew it! I got my brace off this morning, you know, and I was feeling so good about life. I might have known something else was going to go wrong. What is it this time? I can sense it, but I can't pin it down."

"Nor can I, Anakin. We shall find out soon enough."

Landing on Tatooine near the Lars place, the sand blew in all directions as the ship set down. Disembarking and walking to the residence, they were met by Beru with tears in her eyes. "What has happened?" The Jedi anxiously asked, sensing something very bad.

"The boys are gone!"

"Gone? What boys?"

"Luke and Han."

"Who is Han?"

"He's a little orphan boy we have adopted. They have been taken away and Owen has gone out to look for them!"

Anakin closed his eyes and heaved a miserable breath. He was so glad Padme wasn't here. He was too distraught to speak. Obiwan continued to inquire of Beru. "Who took them? Do you know?"

"It was the sand people, the Tuskens." Anskin's eyes immediately snapped back open and locked in a stare at his mother's gravesite. She had been killed by Tuskens, and he had gone on a rampage and took out their whole village in revenge. Now he was back from the dark side, but didn't know how he was going to face it if his son were also killed by them.

Obiwan realized this and tried to calm Anakin. "I know what you're thinking, but we have to remain rational. We will find them if we have to take banthas to get around! We can sense Luke, that will help us. Keep your head, Anakin, this is very important."

"I know." He answered, his voice trying to remain steady through his anger and pain. He turned to Beru. "We're going to get them all three back. Stay inside in case any more come around." They exchanged anxious glances and caring looks before the two Jedi set off on foot.

They had hoped to be able to bargain with jawas for a borrowed speeder, but soon came across a broken down one they were able to reactivate using the force. It was a rattle trap and shook all the way but it would have to do. They flew all around the caves and dunes they knew the Tuskens populated, trying to sense Luke. "I can feel him, Obiwan, very strong!"

"So can I. He must be very near." They saw campfire smoke and knew they had to be near. They parked the speeder, nodded to each other, and headed in. They had both drawn their lightsabers but did not ignite them. As they appeared to the Tuskens inside, fear seemed to show in their faces. Some were survivors of Anakin's previous spree who had fled, others had heard of him through stories. The tall, blond human with the piercing blue eyes and the glowing blue stick who had wiped out so many of their kind in anger! He was a legend!

Now with Obiwan present, there were two of them. "I sense their fear." He told Anakin.

"Yes, I think they've heard of me." Having no intention of using it unless he was attacked first, Anakin ignited his lightsaber. As soon as the blue glow and hum penetrated the camp, the Tuskens grunted and fell back. Anakin waved it all around, staring menacingly at them. "You will let me pass or I will kill you all!" He didn't intend to, but the fear factor worked. Agressive negotiations, Padme would have said. Once they were all cleared out, Anakin followed his force sense of Luke to a tent and went inside. There was Luke, in the arms of an older boy, Han. In the corner was Owen, beaten and bound much as Shmi had been. It brought back terrible memories for Anakin. He tried to purge them from his mind so his emotions would not overcome him. He cut Owen down, and finding him able to still walk, quietly motioned him to follow. Anakin held Luke in his arms, covering him with his cloak. Obiwan carried Han piggyback, and Owen stumbled along. "All too easy." Anakin whispered to Obiwan.

"Your reputation preceded you, my friend. It was all we needed."

The shabby speeder barely made it back to the Lars place before breaking down again, smoking up the surrounding sand. Anakin lept out, still carrying Luke, Obiwan let Han walk on his own, and Owen stumbled behind. Beru, hearing the noise, came running. Her tears turned to a happy smile as she saw them approaching. She hugged and kissed Owen, as filthy as he was. Owen looked at Anakin and Obiwan and thanked them."My opinion of Jedi has just changed for the better."

They winked back at him. "You look out for those Tuskens next time."

"That I will." Obiwan put Han down, and he ran to Beru and Owen. They all hugged like the happy family they were.

Beru looked up at Anakin. "I guess you'll be taking your son back now?"

"Yes."

She appeared sad, but faked a brave smile. "I thought so. We have Han now, and you make sure you come back and see us. We're family, after all." Anakin hugged Beru warmly. "Always."

Han looked on sadly as he watched Luke leaving in Anakin's arms. "So you're his real Daddy, huh?"

"Yes, I am."

"Does that mean he's not really gonna be my brother?"

"Not brother, but cousin, kind of. How's that?"

"How about a friend?"

"You got it!" They shook hands.

"See you again? I'll see Luke again?" Han made him promise.

"I promise! I have a little girl, too, her name is Leia."

"Is she pretty?"

"Oh, she's real pretty." Anakin winked at Han. "You'll be seeing a lot of my kids over the years." There were more sad but happy hugs and farewells all around, and one last wave as the ship took to the air and headed back to Coruscant.

Anakin flew the speeder up onto the Veranda and stepped out, with a bundle in his arms. Padme heard it and came running, the anxious look on her face replaced by ecstasy as she saw her husband and son safely returned to her. "Thank you, Obiwan!" She said, looking at him with gratitude. Obiwan gazed and smiled at them both as he took the controls of the ship and returned to the temple. Padme pulled back Anakin's cloak to look at her son's face. He was a bit bigger now, but he also remembered her as Leia had and cooed and kicked wildly. "Did you have any trouble getting him back?"

Anakin didn't even feel like telling her about the kidnapping by the sand people right now, and having to see her get all worked up over it. "The story can wait. The main thing is, he's safe and sound and we are a family again!"

They took him into the bedroom and lay him beside Leia. The twins were so happy to be reunited! After Anakin had washed and changed, he climbed into the bed with his wife and children. It felt so good to be so safe and happy, and all together again. They all four stared up at the skylight, watching the lights go by.

"Look, Luke, isn't it beautiful?" Anakin pointed to the sky. "I told you, one day I'd take you flying in it. Didn't mean for it to be so soon, but there will me much more ahead for you and me, for all of us, together." Padme didn't speak, but tears of joy were in her eyes. She looked into Anakin's eyes, and he looked back at her in love. They all laid back down and stared up at the skylight, enjoying the sight so much they didn't even want to close their eyes to go to sleep.

It would be the last time they'd ever see it.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 28

In the night, Padme screamed out. Her body contorted in the bed, she was thrashing about and sweating. Anakin awoke and tried to calm her, calling out her name over and over until she woke up. "Was it a nightmare? I know a lot about those..."

She shook herself back to reality, the images still fresh in her head, the feeling they brought still climbing up her spine in cold shivers. "It was awful, it was about my Mother, I saw it all again, I felt so helpless, so hurt, and so angry..." She was breathing heavily as Anakin held her close.

"I know how you feel. You have been through some terrible experiences, and you will never be the same. You can't expect to just forget about it! Some who don't understand will tell you to 'snap out of it' or 'get over it' but it's not that easy, is it? It becomes a part of you."

She hugged him back, very tightly. "Yes, yes, that is how it feels! I am so sorry I wasn't more understanding of you. Now this is what I get."

"Oh, hush, please don't do that to yourself. It does no good."

"I am sorry, Anakin, I love you."

"It's all right." He could feel her heart pounding against his chest as they held each other close and eventually fell back to sleep. She knew, as he had found out, that emotional scars can be as deep and as hurtful as physical ones, and a lot harder to heal.

They were still lying face to face in each other's arms as dawn broke. They were all so tired, the light awoke no one, not even the babies. A few hours later, they were still asleep, when they were awakened by someone on the veranda..Anakin heard it first and sat straight up. He got a feeling of dread, he knew it wasn't Obiwan because he didn't sense him, and he did sense something unfriendly. With much concern and uneasiness, he dressed and went to opened the drapes, There stood two representatives from the Naboo government." Reluctantly, Anakin opened the sliding glass door panels. "We must speak with Senator Amidala."

"She is asleep."

"Asleep at this hour?"

"She's not been well."

"She will come to speak with us immediately." Anakin gave them a dirty look and went to tell Padme. She was of course very worried and upset.

"I knew it" she cried. "They're going to take me away, lock me up."

"Don't say that, wait and see."

"I know it's not good news." Anakin knew it, too, he could sense it, but he didn't discourage her.

When she went to face them, they did not look kindly upon her. "I regret to inform you that I have been sent here to take possession of your apartment. You are no longer a member of the Senate, or a representative of the planet of Naboo."

"What?" She gasped. "You can't just throw me out, I have a family."

"This apartment was given to you as an employee of the government of Naboo. Your tenure is over, so is your residency."

"I demand an audience with Queen Apailana!"

"That has already been scheduled. We will leave immediately."

"What of our children? Our things?"

"Take what you can carry with you, you will not be coming back. What remains will be shipped to you at a later date."

"To, where?" She sadly realized she had no home.It was the same empty feeling Anakin got when he had left the apartment, and didn't feel able to go back to the temple. Her parents were gone, she had no job, and now no home. Though she still had Anakin and the twins, this was a terrible blow to them all.

"That will be decided later. Come with us." Padme turned from them, giving Anakin a sad and desperate look. Even though things had been so bad, she always thought she'd at least have a home. How could they do this to her, to her babies? She closed the door and pulled the drapes, but they didn't leave. They stayed and waited until she came back, carrying Leia, and Anakin carrying Luke. She gave them a sad look, tying to instill some bit of sympathy for a displaced family, but they did not respond. With one more look back inside, she left the penthouse behind for the last time.

When they reached Naboo, the officials asked that she come before the Queen alone. Anakin protested, but waited outside the chamber with the babies, who were both fussing. Inside, Padme curstied before Queen Apailana. She recalled her days as Queen, and pondered sadly just how far she had apparently fallen.

"Padme, I am very sorry about this situation, but you leave me no recourse. The rules must apply to everyone, and you have broken them."

"It was not of my own free will, I was a victim."

"We all know that, and I am very sorry for all you had to endure, but it changes nothing. While you will not be imprisoned, your actions have become far too well known. I am afraid your political career is tainted. We cannot have anyone without a spotless reputation represent our planet. This is why Representative Binks was also released from duty."

"You fired Jar Jar Binks for trying to help me?"

"He disobeyed the rules, as did you. I am sorry, but having been Queen yourself you must understand my position. What would you have done?"

Padme thought for a moment. As easy as it would be to say she would not have done the same, she couldn't. This was all too personal to her, but looking at it objectively, she had to see the Queen's point. "I know, I understand, really I do. What I don't understand is how the government could allow itself to be so hoodwinked by Gerapaline and his syndicate, to let the entire planet become corrupt..."

The Queen interrupted. "As the Imperial Senate was hoodwinked by Palpatine and his phantom war?"

Padme looked down in disgrace, then faced her Queen again. "You are correct, of course. But can't you see, I was victimized, my parents killed, I found my father's body, my tortured mother died in my arms, my children and I kidnapped..."

"Yes, I do, I have much personal sympathy for you and I realize you were under duress when you joined in criminal activities. However, I cannot exhonerate you, or others will be asking the same."

"You mean, I am being made an example?"

"This gives me no pleasure. You have been a good representative of our planet and I do not like losing you. It is just the way things must be."

"They don't have to be, can't you change them?"

"I am truly, deeply, sorry."

"There is nothing you will do for me?"

"As a longtime civil servant you will be given a pension, but you are banned from government position for life."

"For life?"

"Unfortunately, your image is tainted now. Besides the recent incidents, you also secretly married a Jedi and allowed him to live in your apartment we provided you with."

Padme's voice raised as she became more upset. "Even the Jedi have not dismissed my husband, though they forbid attachments. Could you not make a similar exception for me?"

"The best I can do for you is to protect you from any charges being brought against you, and to provide you with a pension. I am sorry it had to come to this." Padme was very hurt and disappointed, but she knew she was not going to get any better than what she was offered. She gave a sharp curtsy and took her leave.

Outside in the waiting area, Anakin looked up when he heard the door open. Seeing her in tears, he could only offer his love and comfort. Together, they all cuddled in the chairs, the babies crying because they sensed the tenseness in their parents. "Oh Anakin, I got fired, now what are we going to do?"

"Maybe Master Yoda will allow us to live at the temple for the time being."

"You can't raise a family in the Jedi temple. Even if it turns out Luke and Leia are strong enough in the force to be trained, I will not allow them to be isolated there as the younglings were. I want a complete life for my children. The Queen is giving me a pension, perhaps we can find a modest dwelling with it."

"Here, or back on Coruscant? I must still have some duties with the Jedi."

"Oh, I don't know." She completely broke down and cried. All who passed by stared, but said nothing. Soon they were informed that they would be transported one more time to another location, but then the Naboo skiff would no longer be at their service. They had no home, no vehicle. Padme felt they had hit rock bottom.

Anakin was able to show her a bit of light. "Don't feel so bad, I know it's sentimental, but we have each other and the babies, and our health and freedom. For awhile there, I thought I had none of those. I feel most grateful that I do. We can make it, my angel. We are going to be all right." She was so moved by his love and support, and again felt so guilty she had denied affection to him when he needed it. The image played again in her mind, they way he had reached out to her just before she rejected him and he left "Please, Padme, hold me!" The memory haunted her. All she could do now was try to make it up to him with an extra loving hug, and a promise of true unconditional love in the future.He had proven his love and devotion to her, and he deserved as much in return.

Finally, they were asked to leave the premises. Padme could go to the only place she knew to turn to, her sister Sola's house. She didn't want to put her sister and her family on the spot, but had no other option at the moment. The Skywalker family was immediately transported there, and the skiff flew off for the last time, leaving them homeless and stranded. Sola opened the door, and ran to take her sister in her arms. "I'm sorry, Padme, I heard everything on the news. It's just dreadful. You can stay with me as long as need be."

"You're the greatest, Sola." She put her arm around her sister, and Sola held her hand. "I don't want to be a burden to you, you've got your own family."

"Come inside, I have a room prepared for you all. Welcome, Anakin." She smiled at him. "Let's have a look at those babies." Sola tried to get their minds off their problems. She brought refreshments and her little daughters Ryoo and Pooja came to see their baby cousins. When the girls had run off to play, Sola told them that both girls had been in the house at the time Ruwee was killed, and they had witnessed that as well as the kidnapping of Jobal, the babies, and even Padme. They had been going through some emotional problems and bouts of nightmares themselves. Sola had told the government and the law agents everything her daughters saw, and it did help to keep Padme out of legal trouble though it could not stop the scandal that ruined her political career. Padme felt so sorry for the girls, and thanked Sola for her support. "Padme, I know of a place for you to stay."

"I won't let you support me, Sola."

"It's not charity. It's your rightful home, one that is already paid for. The house you grew up in. The family home, our parents' house."

Padme was taken aback at the offer. "I couldn't accept."

"Why? The house was left to both of us, as their only children. I have a home, you don't. It's the right thing. Father and Mother would want this, you know they would."

"I appreciate the offer so much, but I couldn't.. go back in there, live there.. there are too many memories.. bad vibes..."

Sola shook her head sadly. "Oh, so that's it. I understand how you feel. The girls don't want to go back in there, either. It will get better in time, I know, give it a chance."

"Sola, I can't! You don't know how it is for me!"

Anakin put his arm around his wife. He knew how she felt, it was like him, how he couldn't face the parts of the temple where the massacre had taken place. He spoke up. "I know how you feel, I have felt similar things myself."

She turned to him. "The temple?"

"Yes. You see my love, while physical wounds heal, the emotional ones can be deeper. To some it may just look like a house. To you, it's a torture chamber of memories, regrets and grief."

"Yes, yes, that's exactly how it feels!" She said as she buried her head in his chest and wept.

Sola looked on sympathetically. "Come with me to the house, Padme. I'm going to help you work through this."

"I'm not ready, Sola."

"It isn't going to get any better if you keep avoiding it. We'll go tommorrow."

The next day, Sola asked Padme again if she'd go to their parents' house. She agreed to go but made no promises of how she'd react. Anakin said he'd stay there with her, but Sola thought it would be best if she had her sister alone, it was their home and family. Anakin was at first hurt by this, then realized he would be no help to her when he had the same problem, and still had something of his own to face. He borrowed one of Sola's husband's personal ships and made his way back to the temple. "Obiwan, it's time. I'm going into the parts of the temple my mind has forbidden me from entering. I'm going to face my past now." Obiwan nodded to his brother, and they walked side to side back to the place where Anakin would finally face the last of his unsettled turmoil. Far away on another planet, his soulmate would be doing the same. Padme had her sister, and Anakin had his brother. Somehow they were going to have to try and make it through.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 29

Before Padme was ready to face her parent's house, packages were delivered to the door. Government servants had wasted no time in clearing out all her personal belongings. The furniture had not yet been transported, but was supposed to be shipped later. It upset her they wouldn't even allow her to go through her own things. Sola allowed it all to be stored in her basement until Padme decided where she was going to live. She cried as she looked through it all, especially the babies' things, knowing she could never go back to her penthouse again. She knew there had to be some penalty for what had occured, and it could have been worse, but surely everyone on Naboo knew her well enough not to hold it against her. There were always those who relished in a scandal and the downfall of others, they must be the ones that Queen Apailana was concerned about. She wanted a representative with a spotless reputation, and Padme no longer had one. Neither did Jar Jar. Padme did have to consider who on Naboo did, after the recent Gerapaline revelations. It seemed half the business and officials were in some way tied to him or one of his cronies.

She also wondered about Bail Organa, and if his career would survive the botched adoption. His wife was the Queen of Alderaan so she'd make exceptions for him, but what would the people say? Would it really be right for his political career to survive and not hers? Just as she thought that, a story came on the holovid news in Sola's house. It seems that Organa had planned to run for Chancellor, but was stepping down amid clamor about his possible involvement with Gerapaline. Though he didn't do it intentionally, as Padme didn't, a scandal was enough to ruin your name. Organa would keep his Senate position, but not be able to seek higher office in the Galactic Republic.

"What a shame and a loss it is." Sola commented. "You and he were two of the best, most honest and truly caring people the government ever had."

Padme looked away sadly. She knew it was true, though found herself feeling guilty over being glad he didn't get off completely unscathed. "I'm sure others have done much worse, they just haven't been caught yet. I'm starting to agree with Anakin, I don't trust most politicians, either. Too much temptation for corruption. And all I tried to do was stop corruption...look what happened to me..."

The news did say that Mon Mothma was going to run for Chancellor, and that made her feel better. The Republic would be in good and capable hands with her in charge. Padme would vote for her, but felt that campaigning might taint Mothma's reputation with her now disgraced name, so she had better stay completely out of the political arena, as sad as that made her.

On Coruscant, Anakin had promised Obiwan to face the temple regions in the morning, after he had rested and meditated. He awoke to the sound of sirens and fire planes. Running to look out a window, he stared across the city skyline and saw smoke pouring from the top of Padme's apartment building! He went outside, kept running and got closer, where a crowd had gathered to watch.

"What happened?" He asked a passing firefighter.

"It was Senator Amidala's penthouse apartment! A drunk speeder driver went out of control and crashed through the skylight, just before dawn. Hit nose first into the bed and exploded on impact. Good think no one was home, anyone in that bed would surely have been killed."

Anakin's heart jumped, and he felt a strange bubble in the force. Staring up at the devastation, smoke billowing high out of the skylight, he recalled how he had often joked Padme that something like that might happen, and now it had. He was shaken to the core by the irony that their eviction had been for the best after all, it had literally come just in time to save their lives! Either way, it was lost forever, they would never look through the skylight again, never gaze at the city through the windows or off the veranda, but now, at least they were all four alive! The fire damage was extensive. The penthouse apartment could not be saved. By the time the flames and smoke had cleared, only a charred outline was seen in the spot where it had once graced the skyline. Anakin stared at it for awhile longer, memories filling his mind, tears filling his eyes. Then he turned away. Part of the past was gone, but there might be something better found to take its place.

Going back to the temple, Master Yoda, who rarely came down that way, met Anakin at his quarters door. "Moves in strange ways, the force does, Young Skywalker. Your destiny it was not to live in the apartment, your destiny it was also not to die there. Work out in your favor, it has. Believe I do you and your family will find peace." Anakin stared at Yoda in awe with widened eyes and a respectful expression.

"Yes, Master. Very profound wisdom. Thank you." Then he asked what he had been afraid to. "Master Yoda, am I still a Jedi, though you know I am married and have a family?"

"Follow you must the path meant for you. Take that both places it does. One of us you remain."

"Though I betrayed the Order to the darkside in my shame? Am I worthy of this temple, or my title of Jedi Knight?"

"Jedi Knight your title is not."

Anakin wasn't sure what he meant.If he was not put out of the order, why could he not be called a Jedi Knight? "What?"

"Master, your title is. Chosen One, you are. Forgiven, you are. Told you this, I did? Hmm? Or was it Obiwan I told? Tell you now, I do."

A broad smile spread across Anakin's face and his blue eyes sparkled. Others had called him Master as a general way of addressig a Jedi, but it had no real meaning if a member of the council didn't bestow the title officially on you. "Thank you, Master Yoda. I will do my best to be worthy."

Obiwan had been listening, and now appeared and spoke. "Come along, Master Skywalker." He smiled encouragingly. "We're going into the heart of the Temple."

Anxiety filled Anakin as he walked along the stone passageways he had known since childhood. As the area where he had slayed many Jedi approached, so did his panic. "Obiwan, I can't, I..."

Obiwan grasped his wrists. "You must, Anakin, this is all that remains for your full recovery. The longer you wait the harder it will be to ever do it. Give it all you have, my brother, draw from strength in the force. I am here with you." Anakin continued ahead, his body covered in sweat, his pulse pounding in his head and body. "I cannot look upon it, I can't.."

"Yoda would say, there is no can't. I do know how much this place upsets you and that is only more proof that you are full of regret and sorrow for your deeds! We all know that. Let yourself know it. You must face it."

On Naboo, the twins and Sola's girls had been left with a reliable servant while the two sisters went to face the spectre of their former happy family home. As soon as they saw it, Padme broke down, covering her face with both hands. "This is it." She whimpered. "Gerapaline grabbed me, right there." She took her hands down to point, and Sola saw that her mouth was wide open in terror and a frozen cry that couldn't come out. She stomped heavily and unhappily along, through the doorway, which had been sealed since the crime had occured. "I can't do it, I can't go inside!"

Sola consoled her sister with a sad smile and a hug. "We can do this. Think of all the good times we had here growing up, think of the happy moments, Father and Mother would like that." Try as she might to be brave, she was much too disturbed. Sola had not been here when it happened, and as much as she may try to be understanding or put herself in Padme's place, there was no comparison. Coming through the front door, Padme screamed. She saw the spot where her father had lay dead, and for moment she thought she saw it again.

"He was there, he was...(whispered) dead.."

"I know, I know," Sola was beginning to cry too, but held tight to Padme. Standing in the middle of the room, she started to thrash madly and scream.

"Get me out of here, I can't.. all I can see is death and pain...all the good is gone... NO!"

Her screaming face could easily morph into Anakin's in the Jedi temple, for the same thing was happening to him. Opening his eyes, and letting himself see the scene of the slaughter for the first time since he returned from the dark side, Anakin was breaking down. "NO! It was, here.. there... I did it.. I can't...let me go.." He tried to turn and run, but Obiwan pulled him back.

"It's over, you have to face it."

"I can't, ever.." Anakin dropped to his knees, eyes closed and head down. "I can't get the memories out of my head, I..killed them! They trusted me! They took me for one of them, one who was going to help, and I betrayed them in the worst and most shameful possible ways." Now his head raised, but his eyes were still closed, though rimmed with tears, and his mouth locked in clenched teeth. Now his fists pounded the floor until he fell face down onto it, screaming. His screams grew louder and louder, echoing through the mostly empty temple. Obiwan said nothing, he let Anakin get it all out. Perhaps this was not in his Jedi training, but it was what was in his mind, and he needed it. Yoda heard the tortured screams in his chambers, and knew what it meant. His head hung low. He felt the disturbance in the force, and let it continue. Tal was in his chamber, asked not to come out no matter what happened. Anakin was suffering so much, Obiwan feared his heart or blood vessels in his head might break. It seemed to be the only therapy that was going to help him.

His screams could have merged in unision with those of his wife, so far away, but experiencing much the same. She was also on the floor, head down, fists pounding. People outside came to see what was going on, and Sola brushed them away with her hand. Returning to Padme, she spoke to her.

"Padme, no matter how many times you see this room, nothing is ever going to take away what happened here. You must face it, or let it defeat you."

Padme sat up and faced Sola. "Is that what you told the girls? If it's this hard for me, imagine what it must be like for them. They are traumatized, all of us are. There is no denying that. I feel it is cruel to make us face this place."

"I would not do anything cruel to you or my daughters, Padme. If you are ever to live here, you must face your fear, and sadness, and horrible memories, so you can get over them and move on."

Padme stared at her. "Sola, you weren't here. I know you want what is best for us, but I see no purpose in putting us through this. I cannot live in this house. Ever."

When Anakin calmed down, Obiwan checked on him to make sure he had not passed out. He could feel and sense his pain, and his body shaking. "Obiwan, I never want to see this place again. There is nothing I can do to change what I did here, oh if only I could..." Then he thought of something that had entered his mind when he was injured, and thought he deserved it as punishment. He opened his eyes and looked up at Obiwan. "Then this is my punishment. I must face this place, where these things happened, and feel the guilt and pain each day for the rest of my life. I don't deserve to get over it, Obiwan, I deserve to feel this guilt, remorse and regret. It is all I can do for them now. To forget it and 'get over it' would be unworthy and disrespectful to their memories."

"Anakin, don't do this to yourself. We all agree it wasn't you, but Vader, and the dark side. Anakin Skywalker, the man you were, the man you are again would never have done that!"

"I know, Obiwan, but my body did it, it's in my mind now, it's in my being. I hate that part of myself so much, and I will never let it emerge again. It is defeated. As for the pain I caused here, I will take a piece of it with me, always. I am scarred by it, I am haunted by it. It's my punishment, it's mine, it's mine." He looked again at Obiwan, then rose to his feet and walked slowly to the center of the room. There, he stood and cried, for all those lost at his hand, and the part of him lost there, too. He would never be free, he didn't even want to be. But he had faced it down, and come out on the other side. He continued to stare at Obiwan, who finally walked to his side and embraced him.

"I will always be here for you, my brother." Anakin embraced him back, still crying.

"I am not worthy of you, your support, and kindness. I thank you for it all." They stood together in silence for a long time, ghosts of the past and energy for the future swirling around them. Obiwan couldn't let go, not as lon as Anakin needed him. The contact, like the screaming, were the therapy he needed. He could never again be emotionally whole after his experiences, but he was going to make it.

Sola was doing the same for her sister as Obiwan was doing for his brother. She wrapped her arms around Padme, and allowed her to cry it out. "You're right, Padme, I can't expect you to live here. You did come back here, you faced it. But it was a terrible thing, one you will live with every day. I was hoping the happy memories of Father and Mother and our good years here would not be ruined for you."

"I hate to look at it that way, I would love to keep this house as a memorial to them, to raise my children in the same place where our parents' love warmed us. It hurts to know that they won't be here to see my twins grow up, they loved them so much!" She cried again, and this time Sola broke down, too.

"Do you need more time? Do you want to try again tommorrow?"

"I have mixed feelings. I don't want to come back here, but I don't want to lose this place. It's too much a part of me, and Mother and Father. In some ways they are here, and I need them."

"They will always be with you, dear, no matter where you are."

"Do you believe that?"

"Yes, I do, for myself as well. Padme, if you want, I can speak to an agent about selling this house. We can take the money and buy you and your family something else, maybe in the lake country. You always loved it there, and so did they."

"Will it be wrong to their memories to do that?"

"I think they'd understand."

"And still love me?"

"Of course.They always loved you."

"And I killed them! They both died because of me!"

"No, no, Padme, it wasn't your fault!"

"Yes it was, if not for me, Gerapaline never would have come for them.. You blame me, don't you? Admt it!"

Sola took Padme in her loving arms and held her close. "No, no, little sister, I do not think that, I never have, and I know Mother and Father wouldn't, either. Gerapaline was a bad man, you tried to stop him, you didn't know what would happen!"

"I- I didn't know, that's it, oh Sola, I'd never have done a thing to hurt them on purpose, I am so sorry.. I always will be...so sorry.."

Sola consoled her again, this time her comforting voice reminded Padme of how her mother had sounded to her when she was a child. She let Padme get it all out until she stopped crying, though she knew that the heartache and emotional scars would never completely heal.

"Sola, what happened to all their things, all our things that were here?"

"Still here, back in those rooms. I was hoping someday you'd be able to go through them with me."

Padme looked down the hall and shuddered with fear. "Let's go down there, now."

"Are you sure?"

"It's something I have to do."

Sola took Padme's hand, and together they walked back down the familiar hallways of their family home. She glanced at the same old furniture, the same old items that had been a part of their lives for years. They were all here, but her parents weren't. Again, Padme felt so much pain, and hated Gerapaline for what he'd done to them all. Her parents should still be here, still be around to see their grandchildren grow, to share years with them all. That had been taken from her, and replaced by a sadness and hurt that would never leave her. It was never, ever going to be completely all right again, but she had faced it, and come out on the other side.

Just like Anakin.

Somehow in the force, he could feel her grief too. They had been through so much, and it had become a part of them that made them what they were, as all life experiences do to everyone. There was no running from it, no making it go away. It was there, and they must live with it. It was now up to them to drag themselves up from the ashes of their ruined lives and make their future the best it could be, with what they had left.

[Annie]

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 30

THE CONCLUSION

Padme returned to her sister's house. After much thought, she made her decision. "I can't do it, Sola, I'm sorry. I have decided I can't live in that house."

Sola was disappointed. "Are you sure, even in time?"

"I went in there, but I couldn't live there. Please, try to understand."

"I tell you what, Padme. I'll live there. How about you take this house, and I'll move in there?"

Just then, her two little daughters, Ryoo and Pooja, who had been listening, ran down the hall and faced her. "No, Momma, please, don't make us live there." Ryoo cried.

"Grandaddy..Grandaddy.." Pooja cried, her whole body shaking. "Grandaddy, didn't have a face no more." They both cried uncontrollably at the memory, and so did Padme.

Padme hugged her nieces to her tightly, and they cried it out together."I know, honey, I know, I know how you feel..."

Seeing this, Sola realized she had not been compassionate enough toward their feelings. It was bad enough having to know what happened, but they had seen it, experienced it. Sola gently pulled her girls from Padme, and hugged them herself. "It's okay, girls, you won't have to live there, I won't make you. We will keep this house. We can find other ways to remember Grandaddy and Grandma in nice ways." They nodded sadly at her.Finally, they calmed down, stopped crying, and went back down the hallway to their room. Padme glanced up at Sola. "Does that go double for me?"

Sola rolled her eyes. "Oh, okay, of course it does. I will contact my agent immediately."

The real estate agent was impressed with the property, despite its history, and gave a generous price for it. Standing outside the doorway for the last time, the sisters reflected on all the memories the family had shared there. "I am so sorry everything turned out this way. I can't believe we're never going to go back in there again." Sola said as she handed Padme the money. "Here, you take this and go buy yourself something you can live with."

Padme didn't take it. She looked up at Sola. "I will not accept it all, they were your parents too." Padme told her "You must take half."

.Sola turned her face to the ground. "Padme, you put me to shame."

"What?"

"You are too good. I feel so guilty now."

"About what? What have you done?"

"Padme, I recieved a rather large inheritance from father's estate. He was much wealthier than he let on. He always played the tightwad, I had no idea." Padme didn't comment, she only stared. Sola continued. "Padme, that husband of mine, he told me not to tell you. He said we should keep it all, we were the ones who were here with them while you were off galivanting all over the galaxy." She faced her sister and continued to explain about the money. "But now I see this is wrong, we should split it, even and fair. This is what Father and Mother would want." After a few anxious moments, they hugged.

The sisters did split the house money, and the inheritance. and the life insurance policies. Managed properly, it would be enough to keep them and their husbands and children for the rest of their lives, even if no one was actively employed. The news got even better when the Queen contacted Padme about being a historian for Naboo, and researching and writing its official history! She had lived so much of it herself, and would be a good one to explain the part about Palpatine and his invented war. Then when she was finished, with Anakin's help, she could write a series of Jedi and Clone Wars adventure novels, and maybe even some childrens' stories! As a writer, she could work at home, and not have to leave the children very often. Things were finally looking up.

Anakin and Obiwan walked the entire square footage of the Jedi temple, again. Anakin looked out the council room window at the city, and sighed heavily. "It's never going to get any better, Obiwan, what I did is never going to go away. But I've learned a lot, and I'm kind of proud of myself for standing up to it all. It would have been so much easier to just hide forever." Obiwan just met his eyes in a caring gaze and squeezed his arm. They had come through a lot together. Yoda appeared, with Tal behind him. He had been recieving messages from a few stray Jedi who had managed to escape Order 66. They were spread throughout the galaxy, some injured, some trapped or in hiding. Yoda informed Obiwan and Anakin he was assigning them with a very important mission. They must now go seek them all out, rescue them and bring them back to the temple to restore and improve the Jedi order. Tal was thrilled to be included.

"Master Yoda, can we have different sleeves, these floppy ones take away the aerodynamics of my fighting skills!" Tal suggested. "And how can you guys fight with your long robes on?"

Anakin laughed, and Obiwan did too, feeling very proud of his ambitious new apprentice.."Well, Tal, we've already dispensed with and retired the padawan haircut thanks to you, now perhaps an entire fashion makeover for the Jedi is in order!"

"Yes, some things changed will be, for the better will be.Rise again, the Jedi order will." Yoda confidenlty shook his green head. Once the stray Jedi were rounded up and returned home, they could restructure the old ways, learn from the past, and begin again.

Anakin was feeling excited about the future of the Jedi, but was feeling sad that he'd be gone from his family for so long. He thought about the conflict of family and order, and this is why the old masters had forbid attachments. But it was too late now, things had changed, and everything was going to work out fine. He knew that this mission would take weeks, possibly months. He went directly to Naboo to tell Padme before he left.

He went to meet her at Sola's, and she showed him the new family sized speeder she'd just bought. He was very happy with it, and flew it himself when she took him out to see the land in the lake country she had just purchased to build their new home.

"Do you recognize this place?" He looked all around, the field, the waterfalls, the mountains, the sky. This was the place where they had first fallen in love, or rather, where she had finally fallen in love with him.

"How could I forget?" He smiled, again admiring the incredible scenery, breathing in the fresh, fragrant air. "I can't believe we're going to be living here, it's so beautiful and peaceful. We can spend the rest of our lives sitting on the veranda gazing out at this view, and looking at the stars.."

"Oh, yes, Anakin, and we must have a skylight built like the one we had in the apartment."

"You know, when the penthouse was destroyed, I thought how sad it was we'd never see the views from there again, but we always will. We have them saved, right here." He pointed to his head, and hers. "We will never forget it. And we have more beauty to enjoy here. The stars are incredible here at night." She showed him exactly where the house was going to be, and told him it would be finished by the time he got back. "You know something Padme, I think this place is prettier than the penthouse, prettier than Alderaan, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life.." he held her and kissed her, "especially if you're here too. Or is it just because, I'm so in love with you?" Padme laughed softly at the reference, and they held each other one more time. He hated to leave.

"This is going to be my last long mission. Then after that, my duties should be much less.The Jedi we are bringing home will be able to handle things in the future. I will never again be away from you and the babies for more than a few days. I will spend as much time here as possible, you won't be able to get rid of me!" They both laughed. Then his expression turned sad, thinking about having to go for now. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Padme, it's all right now, we're going to have a wonderful life, in spite of everything. I have forseen it." He gazed lovingly at her with an expression that spoke louder than any words. She answered back with a tearful stare of her own, and watched as he turned to walk away.

Padme stayed with Sola until the house was finished ahead of schedule. She enjoyed picking out beautiful furnishings, and finally moving in. Day after day, she would look up from her work to gaze out the window, hoping to see her handsome husband there, or hoping not to see any more villains to harrass her. She kept a blaster for emergencies, and 3PO was always with her, and he was a great help with the twins.R2 would be there at times, too. Of her own free will, she had decided not to have any more personal servants other than a once a week maid, she'd lived such a public life since she was very young and now she wanted her privacy, even if it meant doing some of the chores herself. She didn't mind, she had her peace and freedom at last.Now if she could just get Anakin back home safely, her life would be more complete. She wanted him back with her, now.

Anakin, Obiwan and Tal were gone for three months. They saved many Jedi, and were returning home with them all. In the last rushed rescue, Anakin needed to breathe in a place of dangerous gasses, and had to use his Vader suit! Leaving in a rush from danger and due to time, he was still wearing it as they headed for home. The mission was at its end. The rescued Jedi were safely inside, some injured, and they needed to get back to Coruscant. Still rushing back, Anakin brought the ship out of hyperspace near the Naboo system. He kept it still for awhile, staring at the planet. "I have to go to her, Obiwan. I haven't seen her or the babies in months. I have had no contact in weeks."

Obiwan sighed and looked down, then back at Anakin, staring out at the planet, still in his Vader suit since there was no time or place to change yet. "You know, this is why Jedi aren't supposed to have.."

"I know, I know, but it's too late, isn't it?"

"I guess it is. Okay, let's put it down right here, you can go see your family, I will take the ship to the temple and get these guys situated and report to Yoda.

"You're the best, Obiwan, you know that?"

"I know." Obiwan smiled, and Anakin did, too, inside his helmet. "One thing, though, you had better take the mask off before she sees you, you'll scare the daylights out of her. Remember, she and I were blind when you rescued us from Gerapaline in that thing, then you stored it at the temple, she's never seen it."

"Oh, you're right! There's no room here to change, I'm sure she'll have more of my clothes at the new house."

"Do you even know where it is?"

"I was there, once, just before we left, It wasn't finished, but I remember the spot. It's in a field by the waterfalls, it's beautiful."

"It sounds lovely. I'm very happy for you and Padme. I will have to come and visit you there when I have spare time if you don't mind."

"You must, I insist! We will be seeing a lot of each other, here and on Coruscant.We're brothers, after all."

Anakin landed in the closest place available,around the bend on a flat road used as a landing strip between the nearest village and their land, well out of view of the house. This was a good safe place to land. Still in the Vader suit, he got out of the ship. Obiwan stood on the ramp, his arms folded, staring at him. "You had better take that mask off before she sees you!"

"I will, I'm just waiting to walk anonymously down there first. I'd rather wear this thing than to have to carry it. And, I don't know, it might be kind of fun to surprise her!"

"She might surprise you with a blaster if she doesn't recognize you."

Anakin laughed, through his Vader mask. "I'll take it off before I get there."

"Okay, I bid you good bye, then, 'Darth Vader'!" He laughed and so did Anakin. "I'll see you back in Coruscant soon, my brother. May the force be with you." Obiwan took controls of the ship, and headed in the direction of the city planet and the Jedi temple. Anakin set out on foot, in his Vader suit, through the fields of wildflowers. He had yet to encounter anyone, but if he did, he didn't want them, and not Padme, to be the first to see his face. They were both well known there, as they were on Coruscant, and most planets in the galaxy now.

Padme stood outside in the warm summer breeze, a good distance from the house. The babies were inside with 3PO, in their playroom. They were crawling now, and were quite a handful. They had grown so much, Anakin would be surprised when he saw them again. Padme looked up and saw the black clad character approaching. Obiwan was right, she hadn't seen him in the suit before, and now she was frightened. "Who goes there?" She called out. He tried to answer back, but only heard his own natural voice vibrating inside the mask. the voice modulator had shut down! He reached up to remove his helmet, but found it stuck! He ran closer, hoping that once he reached the house, she could help him with it. He didn't immediately consider she didn't take him for her husband, but a possible enemy. "Go away!" She screamed in a threatening voice. "You leave me, and my babies alone!"

Anakin now realized she thought he was an intruder, but unable to take off the mask, or make himself audible. There was nothing he could do but keep trying. Padme ran as fast as she could back inside the house, and returned with her emergency blaster. She aimed it at the black figure approaching her new home. Anakin was in her sites, and though he tried to convey his message by waving his arms and pointing, in her fear and worry, she wasn't getting it. She fired at him, and he had no choice but to deflect the shots away from them both. Seeing this, she became terrified, and dropped to the ground, her blaster falling from her hands. Anakin knew this was his chance to approach her. Aiming the force toward it, he reached up and tried to take off his helmet one more time. This time, it loosened, and was coming off, but it was too late. From the ground, Padme had aimed her blaster and shot at him. The helmet dropped off as he fell to the ground. As soon as she saw the long blond hair that flowed out from it, she knew she had made a terrible mistake.

Padme started shaking, and screaming, "Noooo!" She ran toward him, knelt down over him and pulled off the mask. It made a hiss as the air escaped from it. Sure enough, she was tortured to see the beautiful face of her husband, eyes and mouth closed, his body motionless. She clenched her fists and cried, her heart breaking. How could fate be so cruel, after all they'd been through? Her pain and suffering were immense. For a few seconds that seemed like hours, she looked away, not believing what she had just done. Padme now only wanted to lay herself prostrate with grief over his body. She couldn't live with herself and hoped to die right there of a broken heart and join him. As she turned toward Anakin, she looked one more time at his face. This time, his eyelashes fluttered as the beautiful blue eyes opened and looked at her, and the pouty lips cracked a smile, then opened into a full laugh. He had tricked her, just as he had done that day in the same field so long ago when he fell from the creature's back.

"Oh, you!" She cried, the drastic swing in emotions bursting inside her, but this time in a good way.

"Me? You're the one with the blaster, you tried to kill me!"

All anger and sadness melted at that moment as he pulled her to him, and they rolled over and over in the field of beautiful, fragrant wildflowers, laughing, kissing, and embracing. Finally, Padme pulled her mouth away from his. "Let's go inside first, we've got to get you out of that awful suit!" They helped each other up, then ran back to their house together, arm in arm. She was swinging the mask from her free hand, he was swinging the helmet.

As they entered their newly completed home, Anakin's eyes looked all around, taking everything in. "This is just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. It's perfect, you should be very proud.We are going to be so happy here! I love it, and I love you." They nuzzled again. "Where are the babies?" She took him to the playroom door, and they gazed lovingly at the twins, who had exhausted themselves and fell asleep on their play pallet in the floor pallet. 3PO, in an uncharacteristically quiet moment, gave them the 'hush' signal. Anakin silently stared at them for a minute, how perfect, beautiful and healthy they were, knowing how lucky he really was. They smiled, winked and walked away.

Padme then took him to their bedroom, and shut the door. She began helping him strip out of the Vader suit. Once it was off, he stored it away in his half of the huge walk-in closet, alongside spare Jedi outfits and other clothes she had there for him. Looking at the ominous facade and suit hanging empty, Anakin mocked the breathing sound and the way his voice sounded through the modulator. "Good bye, Lord Vader." He said, thinking once more of the priceless irony of it all as he closed the door on the suit until they could see it no more. This caused Padme to start laughing, and he joined her. They both fell backwards onto the bed, still laughing, holding each other tight, locked in a passionate embrace of eternal love.

Anakin and Padme were going to be all right now, they really were. The ultimate happiness of their life together awaited them, a beautful future spread out before them like the field of wildflowers. It was, after all, their destiny.

The damage to Padme's old apartment building was more extensive than first thought, It was so structurally unsound it had to be razed before it collapsed and caused a terrible disaster. Once the debris was hauled away, an old stone opening was found in the basement was found to lead to a deep cave with ancient drawings on its walls. Scientists and archaeologists came from all over the galaxy to explore and document this find. These ancient cave markings were rare, and important, not just historically, but because some had proven to be prophetic. One of them depicted a man coming up out of a fiery pool, rising from the ashes. His face looked a lot like Anakin Skywalker.

THE END