A/N: I know it's been a while, but hey, nobody's perfect... This is for cje24576, because Anakin needs his happy ending. That poor guy sure deserves whatever peace he can get.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or the lyrics to 'Second Chance'. Star Wars belongs to George Lucas, and apparently Disney now, and the lyrics belong to Shinedown. I do own Saraiah Skywalker (Raia Janren Zolnerowich), Wyatt and Enya Jade, and Liam Jade (Nikolai Zolnerowich)
Italics = song lyrics
(Anakin/Vader's POV)
My eyes are open wide
By the way I made it through the day
I watch the world outside
By the way I'm leaving out today
It's been 19 long, pain-filled years since that day. The day that my life ended. The day that I lost everything that I held dear. I have nothing left, so I just spend my time wallowing in self-pity and destroying the galaxy... Most days it feels like someone else is controlling my body and making me do those heinous crimes... If only I had taken Wyatt and Enya up on their offer. This entire mess could have been avoided, and I'd still have little Saraiah by my side... Hmm, looks like we just got the princess's ship in our tractor beam. If she still has the plans, we can prove she is a rebel. That, and for some reason, she reminds me of my wife...
I just saw Haley's Comet, she waved
Said, "Why are you always running in place?"
Even the man in the moon disappeared
Somewhere in the stratosphere
Tarkin is a kriffing idiot! Why did he destroy Alderaan?! Everyone knew it would not work to persuade the princess to reveal the location of the rebel base! As I lead her back to her cell to await execution, I start to notice similarities between her and Padmé. Now that I think about it, she seems to have some of my personality traits. Wait - is she really my daughter? I use the Force and it confirms my suspicions: I HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER! HA - I WAS RIGHT! PALPATINE IS A KRIFFING LIAR! I ought to kill him for this, making me believe I had killed my wife and child 19 years ago! Wait a minute - is that the ghost of my wife, and did she just say 'twins'?!
Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can
To make them realize this is my life, I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance
Well, the Death Star is destroyed, Tarkin is dead and my daughter is safe. I still can't believe I have another daughter! Needless to say, Palpatine is pissed that his 'favorite toy' is in millions and millions of tiny pieces. I want to know the name of the pilot that managed to destroy the ball of doom so I can congr- I thought I had my comlink on silent!
"Hey Uncle D!"
"What is it, Jixton?"
"Well, you wanted to know two things: where your oldest is and the name of that pilot? First off, she was sent to her aunt and uncle's on Naboo, raised as their daughter, Raia Janren, and became the aide to her cousin Pooja when she became a senator."
"Ha. My little angel followed her mother into politics."
"She recently married a mechanic from Corellia. Turns out the Jade boy survived. Now for the second thing: the pilot's name is Luke Skywalker. Congrats Uncle D, you're a daddy and potentially a granddaddy! Hello? You th-"
I accidentally crushed the comlink in shock. Is that what she meant by twins?! I have two daughters, AND A SON! It's taking all of my concentration not to reveal my emotions to my 'master' and to keep myself from running around the ship yelling 'I'M A FATHER AGAIN!'
Please don't cry one tear for me
I'm not afraid of what I have to say
This is my one and only voice
So listen close, it's only for today
It's been three years since I found out my children were alive. Currently, the Executor is in orbit around Hoth, where the rebels have been found hiding on. This way I can hopefully see my son for the first time. Well, that plan went down the fresher: the rebels were alerted to our presence and fled, so now we're chasing the Falcon, where I can sense my younger daughter's presence. Solo better not try anything... This could work to my advantage. If I sent out feelings to Luke that Leia and Solo are in danger, he'll come running trying to save them, and then I can convince him to join me. What can possibly go wrong?
ONE EPIC DUEL LATER...
"There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
"I'll never join you!"
"If you only knew the power of the dark side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."
"He told me enough! It was you who killed him."
"No. I am your father."
"No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!"
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true."
"No! No! No!"
"Luke. You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son. Come with me. It is the only way."
I just saw Haley's Comet, she waved
Said, "Why are you always running in place?"
Even the man in the moon disappeared
Somewhere in the stratosphere
Okay, that did not work out like I had planned. Long story short, I cut off Luke's hand and then told him I'm his dad, then he let himself fall down the abyss... Next time I see him, though, I'll try to smooth things over. Anyway, it's been a year since the mishap at Bespin, and I see a stolen Imperial shuttle trying to get past the shields when I sense my children... Hey, wait a minute - when did Saraiah join the rebels? And is that really little Liam? Since I found a way to leave the suit for a short time, I start to think about how I should repent for my actions to my children...
Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can
To make them realize this is my life, I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance
As I start wandering around on the Forest Moon, I trip over a stupid root sticking out of the ground and land on my face. As if my face isn't scarred enough already... Then I hear two people walk towards me. As I look up, I get the surprise of my life...
"Are you alright, sir?"
"Liam? Liam Jade?"
I don't miss the look that he gives me as he says: "No, sir. I'm Nikolai Zolnerowich"
"Nik, is he alright?"
"Yeah, he's fine Raia."
"Holy Force! Daddy?!"
At this point, I started figuring out how to escape without them noticing...
"Raia, don't you know who that is? That's Darth Vader!"
"I know Liam, but he's also my father!"
"But Saraiah, he tortured your sister, cut off your brother's hand and took my sister!"
"And I forgave him! Besides, he didn't take Mara, that was the Inquisitor we captured a while ago..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, is your sister?!" Why didn't I figure this out a while ago?
"Wait - my baby sister is an assassin?!"
My little angel starts to ignore the yelling fest and gave me the slap on the face I deserved and then pulled me into a hug.
"Raia, what are you doing?"
"Hugging my father, what does it look like I'm doing?"
"Sara, don't you realize what you're doing? If anyone else sees you like this, they'll arrest me!"
"I don't care daddy! You should at least make amends with the twins..."
"Leia, if she's anything like me, will refuse to listen and Luke, as foreseen by Sidious, is going to come to me."
"Just don't let Luke die. And please try to come out of this alive - I want my daughter to meet her grandfather."
Liam and I both yell "YOU'RE PREGNANT?!"
Here is my chance
This is my chance
As I leave my oldest and her husband behind, I put that stupid suit back on and await Luke's arrival. I keep her advice in mind as I try to find some way to make it out of this in one piece. It's about time I got some sense smacked into me: this whole dark side thing is pointless. Stormtroopers then bring in Luke and I have no choice but to take him to Sidious. Turns out the old man wants to replace me with my son, only I come to that conclusion in the middle of dueling my son... Oh great... Now the boy's hiding...
"You cannot hide forever, Luke."
"I will not fight you."
"Give yourself to the dark side. It is the only way you can save your friends. Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for... (I had to act surprised, since neither Sidious nor Luke know that I know about Leia...) Sister! So...you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her, too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will."
"Never-r-r!"
Okay, that probably wasn't the smartest thing I've ever said... Now Luke wants to kill me! He manages to cut off my right hand - probably to get even for Bespin - before he tossed his lightsaber aside and says he's a Jedi like his father before him. I've never felt more proud in my life! Then Sidious had to ruin the moment and start zapping Luke. Not today old man: today you DIE! YOU WILL NEVER HARM ANOTHER MEMBER OF MY FAMILY AGAIN YOU DECREPIT MONSTER! Hmm, what's burning? I feel so, light...
Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can
To make them realize this is my life, I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance
The next thing I know, I'm in the hangar bay of the Death Star II. Then I notice my respirator is shorting out...
"Luke, help me take this mask off."
"But you'll die."
"Nothing can stop that now. Just for once... let me look on you with my own eyes." I see Luke's face with my own eyes for the first - and probably last - time. He looks just like me, with bits of Padmé in his face and height... "Now...go, my son. Leave me."
"No. You're coming with me. I can't leave you here. I've got to save you."
"You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sisters...you were right."
"Father...I won't leave you. Wait, sisters? As in more than one?!"
*SIGH*"Put these wires back in and help me onto the shuttle. I'll explain on the way..."
We get in the shuttle and I tell him all about his older sister but I don't tell him her name. He finally figures out her identity and then his comlink goes off.
"Luke! Are you ok!"
"Yes Leia, I'm fine. Hey, can you get Raia and meet me about 50 yards from the base?"
"What's going on?"
"Just trust me."
"Fine."
I hope Luke realizes that I've already met his sisters... Crap, I didn't realize how weak I am. I don't think I'm going to last the night...
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance
I see Saraiah, her husband Liam, Leia and Solo come running over when I see hatred pass over the faces of my youngest and the smuggler.
"Kid, what were you kriffing thinking?! Why would you drag major enemy number 2 to our base?!"
"Because Solo, I'm his father! Just ask Leia, Saraiah and Liam!"
I think I shocked the smuggler, and just about everyone in hearing distance...
"Look, Father most likely isn't going to last the night, so please Leia, set aside you feelings and at least try to be civil."
"Don't count on it..."
"Do or do not, little brother, there is no try."
"Hey, maybe we can use the Force to help him!"
"Hello! I'm laying right here, and unless one of you three inherited my mechanical magic and can help me, shut up while I try to fix this stupid life-support system!"
As I attempt to piece together my broken life-support system, I tell the twins about their mother, until it starts to get really hard to breathe... Luke and Saraiah both have sad looks on their face, realizing this might be the end, while Leia still looks angry.
"Leia, when I found out your mother was pregnant with you and your brother, I always thought you would be a girl. Granted, we had no idea it would be twins, but I always knew you were there. If I had known you two had survived, everything would have been different..."
I finally managed to break through her emotional barriers, as evidenced by her tearful "I forgive you, Father." It turns out my body didn't want to cooperate any longer, as I barely managed to squeak out an "I love you" to my children before everything faded to black...
Sometimes goodbye is a second chance
I wake up in a field overlooking a lake, almost like I'm back on Naboo. Three figures approach, and it doesn't take me long to identify two of them: the height of Master Yoda is a dead giveaway, and Obi-Wan is always serious-looking. The third takes longer, but it all clicks when the figure rushes over screaming "ANI!"
"Padmé? Am I dead? Is this even real?"
"Yes Ani. It's about time, honestly."
"Well, I would have turned back sooner if certain people *glares at Obi-Wan and Yoda* had reunited me with my children sooner..."
"Anakin, you were consumed by the dark side. We separated them for their protection!"
"Oh, so letting me believe I had killed the twins was 'for their own protection'?!"
"Look, the past is the past, we can't change that. Now, I want to see the celebration I'm sure our children are having."
My wife, ever the voice of reason, manages to reroute the conversation, as Master Yoda and Obi-Wan are trying to tell me how to appear to my family. The next thing I see is the forest of Endor, a bonfire in the clearing and people dancing, cheering and celebrating. I then see my children and their friends, and they all look over to where we were standing. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda materialize first, then Padmé and I fade into view. We see our children celebrating the end of the oppression of the Empire, Saraiah telling Luke and Leia stories about us, with Solo and Liam interrupting occasionally. As we fade away, I realize my saying goodbye to the dark side really is a second chance for the galaxy...