AN: This is a small idea I've had for a while now, this is (as you probably guessed) an AU though in a sense it sticks to canon, to outline key differences: Anakin and Padmé do not marry at the end of AOTC, Anakin leaves the Jedi Order a year into the Clone Wars and lives in peace on Naboo, the Empire still formed but without Anakin it is now down to the Dark Lady of the Sith Darth Treasourious (Barriss Offee) to hunt down the remnants of the Jedi Order, Obi Wan and Padmé are alive and well, Obi Wan is married, he and Sabé, one of Padmé's ex handmaidens married 6 months after Order 66, Anakin and Obi Wan run a fashion shop where they design and sell classy clothing, suits, dresses, all of that. This fic takes place 2 years after the timeframe of ROTS and there is a time jump near the end, enough of that nonsense, enjoy!
Anakin Skywalker's home, Naboo
Anakin Skywalker stood in his front garden, quietly peering out at the darkening sky, he welcomed the peace and quiet, the sky, like stars was a most soothing sight for Anakin and whenever he felt troubled, he came outside to gaze up. Anakin checked his watch and shook his head in amazement, Obi Wan was late again. He and Obi Wan had a meeting with a friend of theirs in the modelling industry, apparently, they wanted one of Anakin's designs, Obi Wan sometimes acted as if his look was everything, perfect hair and beard, perfect aftershave, perfect cologne and perfect suits, luckily those they had in abundance. He looked down at his own clothing, examining it for a moment, he wore an eccentric burgundy red tuxedo with perfectly polished red boots, his cybernetic arm had a red glove over it to fit the look and he was wearing a white shirt underneath all of this. Anakin reached into his jacket to get a mirror out and looked at his face, it was more peaceful than it had been during the war and lacked the distinctive scar over his face that Ventress had given him, he got that removed fairly quickly after he left as he didn't want anyone recognising him. Anakin had also grown a beard and his hair was longer, the beard was neatly trimmed but very thick and had a dark blonde colour, just like his hair, which was straight back just beyond his shoulders and he had put hair wax to make sure the fringe was off his face.
"Anakin, I'm ready now."
Anakin turned to see his brother in all but blood standing there, a smile on his distinguished face. Obi Wan Kenobi was unrecognisable from the minimalistic Jedi Master he'd once been, his now shoulder length auburn hair had only a little bit of silver present at the sides and his beard almost looked like a war between auburn and silver. He wore a navy-blue double-breasted suit with a black shirt and a pair of polished black boots, his wedding ring glistened on his left hand and their speeder ignition key in his right hand.
"You ready Obi Wan?" Anakin asked, Obi Wan smiled.
"Our business grows big time with this deal and there is a massive profit to be made, I'm ready, Sabé wants us to be prepared for our son's arrival after all," he explained, Anakin smirked, Sabé had become pregnant 5 months ago and they were looking for a modest home to raise their family, they had found one house they loved in the Lake Country but because of business they were looking for a place on the outskirts of Theed, no such luck yet.
"You know what they say Obi Wan, 'happy wife, happy life'," Anakin teased, Obi Wan's face reddened.
"I get enough of that from her, you too?" he mockingly complained, Anakin laughed.
"Come on, we're going to be late at this rate," Anakin told him, Obi Wan nodded and they left for their speeder, open cockpit and bright yellow, very quick as well so they could be on time to any meetings or dinners.
Imperial Senator Padmé Amidala's office, Theed Palace
Padmé Amidala sighed in frustration, looking absently over a number of datapads that had been dropped on her desk unceremoniously by Moff Quarsh Panaka. Padmé felt her thoughts wonder again, in her mind's eye she saw Anakin walking away from her, heartbroken, his broad shoulders slumped and shaking from sobbing after she denied his marriage proposal, she also saw Jedi being killed by the clones and Lady Treasourious, she saw Palpatine declare himself leader of an Empire and finally she saw a familiar face, Obi Wan Kenobi, she knew he was alive, where though was another question entirely. Padmé's comm beeped, interrupting her thoughts.
"What?" she asked with strained patience, there was a pause.
"Senator? Why are you so annoyed?" Obi Wan Kenobi's cultured, yet concerned voice spoke, Padmé froze.
"Obi Wan?" she asked in astonishment, there was some laughter at her reaction in the background, female laughter.
"Darling, allow me," Sabé spoke, Padmé became even more shocked.
"What? Has the legendary Senator Amidala caught her tongue?" Sabé teased her, Padmé came out of her shocked stupor.
"No! I was just shocked, where are you?" Padmé asked.
"We're at a formal dinner, care to join us?" Sabé asked, Padmé smiled.
"Give me a moment," she said as she placed the comm on her desk, she typed in the Queen's frequency code and sent a message, "Your majesty, I'm done and leaving for the day," before taking the comm from her desk, "I can join you now," Padmé said.
"Great! I'll be coming to get you from the palace now," Sabé said with a smile, Padmé smiled herself and went to her palace suite to dress in a lighter and more free flowing dress, she picked a royal blue one that while sleeveless, was made with a thick warm material, it was thinner than Senatorial gowns though as she hated them, Padmé exited her suite and walked through the palace to the exit and found the patiently waiting (pregnant?) form of her once handmaiden, Sabé Valerté Kenobi.
"Padmé!" Sabé exclaimed excitedly, wrapping her arms around Padmé as best she could, Padmé did the same, mindful of her friend's pregnancy.
"Sabé, we have a lot to catch up on, evidently," Padmé said, breaking the embrace and gesturing to her pregnant stomach, Sabé smiled.
"True, but that isn't all," she replied, holding her left hand up, Padmé saw the gleam on her 4th finger and smiled, ignoring the sudden jealousy in her stomach that her friend was married, and she was not.
"Oh my! Congratulations!" she exclaimed, hugging her friend again, Sabé laughed.
"Thanks, though I believe the men are getting impatient, come on," Sabé told her, tugging on her hands to follow. Sabé led Padmé to a fine dining restaurant that was one of the best on Naboo, she could see people laughing at the bar, one man she noted was wearing a navy blue suit and turned when he heard footsteps in their direction, smiling and standing up when he saw Sabé, she ran for Obi Wan and hugged him, before pulling back and placing a tender kiss on his lips.
"I trust our friend came for dinner tonight?" Obi Wan said, Sabé smiled and motioned for Padmé to come closer, she hung back though and raised her eyebrows.
"Yes darling, she's just here," Sabé said, again motioning for her, Padmé sighed and came to see Sabé's husband was indeed Obi Wan Kenobi, that surprised her because she knew Obi Wan had followed the Jedi Code loyally and suspected he would even in exile. Padmé was also surprised when she noticed Obi Wan's smile vanish and his expression harden slightly when he looked at her, she could see anger in his hazel eyes, and she had a feeling he was going to talk to her about what she did to Anakin.
"Can I speak to Padmé alone Sabé?" Obi Wan asked calmly, Sabé nodded and kissed his cheek.
"I'll be here, saving your spot," she replied, Obi Wan smiled slightly but it faded as he motioned for Padmé to follow him out of the restaurant and just next to the entrance.
"What is this about Obi Wan?" Padmé asked once they were outside, Obi Wan folded his arms across his chest.
"Did you ever think you should've taken Anakin's offer to marry him?" Obi Wan answered with another question, Padmé swallowed.
"Yes, I think about it all the time, I wanted to find him, I just don't know where he could've gone after he left the Jedi Order behind," Padmé told him honestly, Obi Wan's expression relaxed slightly.
"Thank you for the honesty, but if you were to find him again, would you be the same towards him?" he asked, Padmé frowned.
"What does this have to do with anything and why are you lecturing me about it?" she asked, Obi Wan clenched his jaw.
"Lecturing? Oh no, I'm trying to understand why you broke his heart!" Obi Wan shouted angrily, Padmé glared at him.
"How was I supposed to do that to him? You told him repeatedly of Jedi commitment and everything that came with, had he been with me you would've expelled him!" Padmé shouted back, Obi Wan ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"I don't have a problem with Jedi being in relationships, Quinlan Vos, one of my closest friends has a wife and son, as does Neeja Halcyon, hell Qui Gon Jinn, my own Master had a girlfriend so I would be a hypocrite to deny Anakin that, I hope you don't," he told her before turning back to the restaurant and walking back in. Obi Wan didn't see it, but Padmé now had tears in her eyes as she rested against the building and started crying, her head was in her hands, she was only jolted into reality again when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Padmé raised her head slowly and stared into warm blue eyes, familiar blue eyes, the hand felt different, but it was still comforting to her.
"Don't cry Padmé, I forgave you ages ago," Anakin Skywalker told her softly, holding her eyes with his, Padmé sniffled and Anakin simply wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. Anakin's gloved hand rubbed up and down her back soothingly, helping the tense muscles in her body relax, he pulled back and gave her a warm smile and offered her his arm.
"Want to come in and have something to eat?" Anakin asked, Padmé smiled and nodded decisively.
"Of course, but before we go in, there is something I want to do," she said, Anakin furrowed his brows in confusion.
"What is that?" he asked, in response all Padmé did was grab his face in her hands and kissed him, deeply and passionately. Although he was shocked, Anakin didn't object and kissed her back, before pulling away with obvious reluctance.
"You've wanted to do that for a while now?" Anakin asked breathlessly, Padmé blushed at his observation.
"Yes Ani, I have, we'll talk more at your home though," she promised, Anakin smiled and nodded in agreement. Arm in arm, they walked into the restaurant and up to the table where the Shaak steak special was served to most men, Obi Wan included, Anakin preferred the regular Shaak steak as the Shaak special was cooked rare, something he hated personally, he went for a medium cut, Padmé had a Nubian Shaak salad, a delicacy she had always liked growing up. The meal finished quickly and Anakin, Obi Wan and Sabé all stood up and turned to the exit, Anakin though turned when he noticed how slowly Padmé was getting up.
"Are you alright?" he asked in concern, Padmé smiled.
"I'm fine, I guess this is almost surreal because usually I'm in more formal locations than this," she explained, Anakin smiled.
"That's fair, I'll stop you at the palace so you can get your stuff and I'll wait for you outside," Anakin told her, Padmé smiled.
"Thanks Anakin," Padmé replied gratefully, kissing his cheek, before going outside to their waiting speeder, Anakin followed her in an almost dazed state.
Hours later
Padmé lay in the bed of one of the spare bedrooms Anakin's large home had, Anakin had given her this room to sleep in for the night. However, something wasn't letting Padmé sleep and she could almost sense that Anakin was the same, though how she didn't know. Padmé got out of the bed and put on her blue robe over her nightgown and some slippers and quietly padded out of the room, she went downstairs to see that the lights in the hallway and kitchen were both on and a shirtless Anakin sat at his seat with a steaming cup of tea in his hands, he looked up at her as she entered the kitchen.
"Couldn't sleep?" Anakin asked, Padmé shook her head.
"No, you?" she asked, he too shook his head.
"No, in fact I come down for tea quite often because I struggle to sleep," he told her honestly, Padmé frowned.
"What woke you up tonight?" Padmé asked, Anakin's eyes became haunted.
"My mother's death and the last mission I took in the war before leaving the Jedi behind," he said heavily, Padmé became intrigued and sat down near him.
"Tell me," she urged softly, Anakin took a deep breath.
"After Naboo, I built a new lightsaber and in order for me to get comfortable with my prosthesis they kept me off of the front lines for a time, a few months after I was deemed ready to fight, they sent us to Ratattak where a Republic arms dealer was being attacked by the Separatists. Myself, Obi Wan and Mace Windu were sent on this mission to help the man out, but because the droids were invading his factories the weapons production was stalled, and I noticed collars, slave collars on the dead workers. The battle continued and the only way we saw was to blow up the factories with artillery strikes, we did so and killed off all of the droids, but I also went in with Obi Wan to check for survivors, there was one man there coughing, and he turned to us and his eyes were pained, he said and I quote why didn't you save us? You know my past Padmé, you also know how personally I would take that, Obi Wan knew and tried to comfort me about it, Mace Windu however saw what we did, regardless of implicitly condoning slavery as the greater good and said that I should stop wishing to change the fates of the people who died, I didn't take that well but I said nothing until the next Council meeting the next day. I told them all that if they condoned slavery, regardless of the war, I would leave, and you know what the sick bastards did? They lectured me on hatred being the path to the dark side, every Jedi on that Council except Plo Koon, Kit Fisto and Obi Wan, after that I wrote a letter to Obi Wan and placed it in his quarters, before I left the Temple and never looked back." Anakin finished his story, but it was clear that speaking of it again was difficult for him. Padmé's anger flared, but she controlled it and did what Anakin needed and took him in her arms.
"I'm so sorry, Ani, I kept wondering at first where you'd gone, but now I know, I wouldn't have stayed either," Padmé whispered softly, Anakin lifted his head and met her gaze warmly.
"Thank you…Angel," he said with a warm smile, Padmé blushed at the nickname and felt her heartbeat speed up as their lips met softly, the kiss started soft and tender, but quickly became needy and hungry, though he pulled back to look her seriously in the eye.
"Do you want this Angel?" Anakin asked seriously, Padmé met his eye, smiled and nodded. That was all he needed and he swept her into his arms, carried her up the steps back to his room and took her robe and gown off, then made his way to the bed where she eagerly joined him, Anakin then used the force to turn the lights off and close his room's door, knowing that he didn't need an audience for what he and Padmé were about to do, afterwards, he gave Padmé his full attention and passion.
The next morning
Padmé woke up with her head resting against something warm, she pulled back a little bit only to see Anakin's sleeping face and smiled, recalling what had occurred last night. She placed a kiss on his cheeks and his lips but was surprised to feel him respond to her and hear a warm chuckle from his lips when he pulled back.
"Angel, didn't you get enough last night?" he asked in amusement, Padmé giggled.
"No," she replied contentedly and then their morning was the same as their evening, entwined together.
Once they finally got out of bed, Anakin and Padmé both had a brunch due to how late they actually got out of bed, Anakin a cheese omelette and Padmé a BLT and as Anakin finished eating, the doorbell rang.
"I'll go see who that is," Anakin told her, Padmé nodded in agreement and he went to the door, opening it and gasping in shock to see the supposedly dead Count Dooku at the door, looking mostly the same, but with a black leather glove on his left hand and a surprisingly genuine smirk on his face.
"You've been busy of late, my friend," Dooku spoke calmly, Anakin's curiosity peaked, but he was also guarded.
"Dooku…I thought you were dead, and it seems like karma is indeed a bitch isn't it," Anakin replied, gesturing to Dooku's gloved hand, Dooku looked at himself and frowned.
"It does seem that way indeed Anakin, but that isn't why I'm here, may I come in?" he asked, Anakin looked weary, but nodded regardless and stepped aside to let Dooku in.
"Follow me to the living room Count," Anakin instructed, motioning to the room on the left just before the stair case upstairs, where they all sat down, Anakin and Padmé sat together, same with Obi Wan and Sabé who were watching a film and Dooku sat on one of the other chairs, a crimson red, but very nice fabric.
"All of you are wondering why I am here aren't you," Dooku began, it was a statement more than a question, all present nodded, "Well, I have heard of your organisation and contacts of mine have worked with you and your agents on missions and they recommended I come to meet you in person and as you aptly pointed out earlier, I have a prosthetic left hand, that is down to General Grievous, who I killed and I denounced the Sith and their ways immediately afterwards, like what you have done with the Jedi Way, being that both of you have girlfriends-"
"Sabé and I are married and expecting a son Count, and as for Anakin and Padmé I wouldn't be so sure but with them who knows," Obi Wan cut him off sharply, Dooku was unaffected by the sharp tone and forged on.
"Then I congratulate you Obi Wan. But back to Anakin, you have set up a spy organisation where all of your spies are supposedly tailors with spy training, espionage training, skills in assassination, good with machinery and all with a good fashion sense, am I correct?" Dooku asked, Anakin felt a little uncomfortable that a man he once thought of as an enemy knew so much about his secret operations but knew conversely that Dooku didn't wish him or his family any harm, otherwise Dooku would've done something by now.
"And now you know of this, what do you plan to do?" Anakin asked pointedly, Dooku smiled.
"I wish to join you, I wish to see Palpatine dead, if only for revenge though I fear with my age that- "
"Say no more Count, I've got the picture, you wish to be at home comfortable and safe, but you still wish to take part, I understand. You will be instated as the head of our training facilities in the mansion we use in the lake as you would be experienced in all of the methods we employ, and it keeps you safe, is this fair?" Anakin cut him off and offered his right hand. Dooku looked at the hand, mulling over Anakin's offer silently, Anakin made good points and it was too tempting to pass up, he smiled at him and shook his hand.
"That will be most agreeable," Dooku said amicably.
9 years later
"Blast! Anakin, why did we have to go on this mission?!" 49-year-old Obi Wan Kenobi griped.
"You know why, Obi Wan, we have been preparing for this for years, all of the small operations, all of the spies we've trained, all of the suits we've made, has come down to this, the mission to infiltrate the Imperial Palace and assassinate Darth Sidious," 34-year-old Anakin Skywalker replied calmly.
Obi Wan rolled his eyes under his hood. Both he and Anakin wore hooded cloaks over their suits in order to keep them from getting dirty and to keep their faces hidden. Obi Wan could see Anakin's point, they had been working to this point in all of the time that had passed since the Jedi and Republic had died out and the only people who had the experience and willingness to conduct this particular kill were both himself and Anakin. Obi Wan having suggested training techniques to keep their spy numbers evolving and Anakin had created the organisation off his own back, that alone gave him reason to be here.
However, Obi Wan Kenobi was also getting old, his shoulder length hair was now more silver than auburn, his beard was now completely silver and the missions he and Anakin conducted had been very stressful, leading to wrinkles starting to form around his eyes, this was the case for both of them, for Anakin it was more stress lining than age lining, but for him it was both, age and stress, he also had 3 children waiting for him, 9-year-old Chris, 6-year-old Jennifer and his youngest, 4-year-old Oscar.
As for Anakin Skywalker, his main concern was getting back to his family, which consisted of himself, his wife of 8 years Padmé Amidala Skywalker who had retired from the Senate not long after their marriage and their 4 children, 7-year-old James, 5-year-old Natalie, 3-year-old Anna and their youngest, 18 month old Harry, Padmé was also 2 months pregnant so quite soon they would have 5 children. Anakin wouldn't trade this life for anything, it gave him peace, quiet (except for wedding season), anonymity and happiness and now the galaxy could have this happiness too when they killed Darth Sidious himself.
"Be that as it may, we have families back home! There are younger spies we've trained that can handle this," Obi Wan countered, Anakin rolled his eyes.
"I don't think so, this mission needs experience, we have that, our younger spies do not have the experience necessary for a mission of this scale," Anakin countered back, Obi Wan sighed in resignation.
"Fine, but after this, the spies are all on leave and we are simple designers and family men," Obi Wan relented, Anakin smiled.
"Gladly," he muttered, before both men marched up the steps of the Imperial Palace, they had come because Palpatine wanted some of their suits for himself and wished to meet with the people who designed them personally. Anakin had designed the suits Palpatine would try on to shoot a poison dart into the man's throat from a concealed launcher in the collar and in order to keep customers from purchasing them, he'd had them hidden in the mansion, while creating normal suits for the customers they had to purchase freely and without fear of being poisoned.
3 hours later
Emperor Sheev Palpatine, Sith Master Darth Sidious stood before a mirror in the suit that he had been provided by the designers he's heard his men praise repeatedly, and he could finally see why.
The suit was elegant yet very comfortable, it seemed to fit a person more comfortably than most because it was designed with them in mind. Sidious had ordered his in black, dark brown and navy blue, all single-breasted suits, however the designers decided to provide the option of the double-breasted suit regardless and said he didn't need to pay for them both, only the single breasted, that had pleased him.
Suddenly, he felt his danger senses flaring in the force, but before he could do anything, he felt a prick in his neck and suddenly fell to the floor, though why was lost on the Dark Lord as he felt his strength dwindling.
Then it dawned on him, the designers had wanted him dead and planned accordingly, but he couldn't do anything but die seething because like Jango Fett had done to Zam Wessel years ago, they had fired the dart into his neck and it had an instant impact, killing him in seconds.
25 years later
2 couples, both had been through much hardship, strife, conflict and war in their lives, but eventually, they won. This was the mindset of both Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi as they stood at the balcony of Varykino on the 25th anniversary of the Emperor's death.
Both families were doing well, Padmé's last pregnancy years earlier had resulted in twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker and both families had expanded to grandchildren years ago, Obi Wan's eldest son Chris, who was 34 had 4 children, Jinn, Lana, Kiera and Sam, his other children both had no children yet. Anakin's eldest son James, who was 32 had 3 children, Ben, Kara and Shmi, his other children had a few, Natalie was pregnant with her 2nd child, a daughter, her young son was named Tom, Anna had none yet, Harry had a little girl named Mara and the twins weren't parents yet either.
"You've been thinking of our mission from 25 years ago haven't you Obi Wan," 59-year-old Anakin Skywalker said knowingly, 74-year-old Obi Wan Kenobi nodded and ran a wrinkled hand through his silver hair.
"It is the anniversary of that day Anakin and we aren't finished yet, we've got more than 50 years left in us for sure," he replied, Anakin smiled.
"I do hope so old friend I really do," Anakin replied, looking down at his hands, one hand that while rough and calloused, was gentle with his wife, children, grandchildren and best friend and the other he received 40 years ago after an injury from a man he grew to respect greatly.
Both Anakin and Obi Wan would die of old age when the time came, for Obi Wan that was at the age of 128, for Anakin that was at the age of 124, their wives had passed in at 107 and 115 respectively, becoming one with the force and watching over their families. Obi Wan Kenobi left behind 3 children, 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren, Anakin Skywalker left behind 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren.
Gone, but never forgotten.
THE END.