9

The return of Anakin Skywalker

Prolog

The full moon hung high in the sky over the planet of Alderaan. From her balcony on the highest peek of the Alderaanian royal Palace, Padm'e Amidala Skywalker gazed up at the moon with a heavy hart. For tonight marked the fifth anniversary of her marriage to Anakin Skywalker. These were not happy tiding however. It all started two years ago. The Clone Wars had just ended, yet nothing of any consequence had changed. Palpatine still held the power in the senate and it seemed he'd never give it up. And somewhere admits all the kayos Anakin began to change. Soon Anakin had turned to the dark side and ceased to excise and the Senate that Padm'e had worked so hard to protect had become an empire. Yes, the woman who once had everything to live for had lost everything! Not everything you still have Leia. But how long will that last? It's only a matter of time before you loose her too. Padm'e looked back up at the moon. Oh Anakin why did you have to do this to me, to us? Why did it have to be this way? Why can't we go back to the way things were? When there was nothing but our love and the sunset over the lake of Naboo. Padm'e spent many nights looking up at the moon and dreaming of a time when things were simpler and nothing in the galaxy mattered more then love. But those days are over now. It's time to move on and stop living in the past. But no matter how much she wanted to she knew she could never let go of her past until she stopped loving him. And that, she told herself, is something I cannot do.

Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader, the most feared man in the galaxy stood with his hands behind his back, turned so as to over look the construction of the Death Star. But even as he watched officers go from station to station hurriedly trying to finish what had to be done before the deadline this afternoon his mind was somewhere else entirely. Five years! Has it really been five years? It seems like only yesterday that— His thoughts were interrupted when Admiral Veers appeared from a working station across the way. "Sir!"

"What is it Admiral", Vader asked? The annoyance clearly showed in his voice.

"The Emperor requests an audience with you."

"Now?"

"I'm sorry my lord he says it's urgent." Vader sighed.

"Vary well; tell the Emperor I will be there shortly."

"Yes my Lord."

The men dressed completely in red from head to toe that served as Palpatine's personal bodyguards stood silently at attention when Vader came up to the entrance of the thrown room. Vader paid them no mind, partly because after two years of working for the emperor he hardly noticed them at all and partly because he saw no reason to. Once inside the thrown room Vader saw a dark, hooded figure sitting in the shadows. Vader approached the dark figure and knelt. "You summoned me my master?"

"Raise my friend", Palpatine said, getting up from where he was seated to walk besides his apprentice. Rising he began to walk in stride with Palpatine. "I have something to show you Lord Vader. Something that I think might be of great interest to you."

"What", Vader asked turning to face his master? Palpatine motioned for him to follow. Stopping at what appeared to be just an ordinary wall Palpatine felt the wall until he came upon an uneven section.. Tapping it twice with his walking stick the wall made a scraping sound and before Vader could even blink the wall had turned completely around, revealing a room that Vader had never seen before. Vader flashed Palpatine a questioning glance. A sinister smile was the only response the other man gave. Palpatine walked inside the room with Vader following hesitatingly behind him.

"Do you know what this is", Palpatine asked Vader once inside the room? Once over his shock Vader surveyed the room. To his amazement the room was filled with what seemed to be all sorts of different types of equipment. (Although none of them looked familiar.) "It appears to be a lab of some kind but I'm not sure as to what." Palpatine

nodded. "In fact this is a science lab."

"What kind a science lab?"

"A cloning lab." Vader's breathe caught in his chest.

"A cloning lab? But master we have more then enough Storm Troopers. Besides Jango Fett is dead."

"Ah, but we are not cloning more troops."

"Well if we're not going to clone more troops master, then what are we cloning?" Palpatine pushed a button on one of the labs many consuls and another secret passage opened up, this time revealing a chair. "Sit my apprentice." Vader was overwhelmed by shock. "You want to clone me? But…why?"

"So I will have a replacement."

"I don't understand."

"Call it preparation."

"Preparation?"

"Yes, in the event of your unfortunate demise I will need a new apprentice. But since no one could completely compensate for such a grate loss I will have to improvise. But if I were to clone you I might regain some of what I would have lost." Vader's throat tightened, his thoughts spinning around in his head as he realized what was happening. He wants to clone me? He's asked some crazy things of me before, but this time he's gone to far! Well he's not getting his way this time. Vader's attention snapped back to reality when he heard his master's voice. "Lord Vader?"

"Yes master?"

"Submit for DNA extraction."

"No!"

"What?"

"You herd me."

"You will obey me Lord Vader."

"Anakin Skywalker!"

"What?"

"My name…is Anakin Skywalker." Palpatine's blood began to boil at the vary mention of that name. Because he knew the man to whom the name belonged to would never serve a sith and thus he had lost the most powerful apprentice that he ever had , or ever hoped to have. After a moment of silence Anakin spoke again. "I'm through Palpatine. I'm through working for you. And I'm through being used as your pawn. I was never meant to be a sith I know that now. My destiny is far grater then any you might have for me. I am the Chosen One. I was meant to destroy you and all the evil you've inflicted upon the universe."

"What makes you think you can defeat me? I am invincible!"

"Not too invincible", Anakin said pointing to the scares on his face. Palpatine's face flashed red with anger. "You will fight me Skywalker."

"I intend to."

"And I will defeat you."

"That's where you're gravely mistaken!"

"We shall see." Palpatine activated his lightsaber. Anakin did the same.

"Your move", he said. Anakin herd a loud scream as Palpatine leaped into the air. In a blink-of –an – eye Palpatine had landed directly behind Anakin. But before he could reach up and choke him Anakin had succeeded in locking him in a headlock. Raising him up in the air, Anakin sent him catapulting across the room. Upon landing Palpatine hit his head hard on the wall. His hands now free Anakin leapt though the air landing right in front of Palpatine. In one swift movement Anakin drove his lightsaber into Palpatine's stomach. Palpatine let out a scream of pain and sank the rest of the way onto the floor. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and through it tot the floor, making a clattering sound on impact. Anakin turned to leave, but was stopped in his tracks when he herd Palpatine's voice. "You may think you've won this time Skywalker, but I will return. And when I do I'll be even more powerful then before. And don't think that just because you didn't give me your DNA for cloning that you stopped my plans, for I have other means." And with those last chilling words Palpatine was no more.

Alderaan: Padm'e's apartment

Someone knocked on the door that led to Padm'e Skywalker's apartment, walking to the door she peered into the small peeping hole to see who was there. Bail. Padm'e unlatched the lock on her door to let in the visitor. "Hello Bail", she said as he walked inside. "Good morning."

"What brings you by this early?"

"I just wanted to see how you were."

"It was our Anniversary yesterday."

"Padm'e you got to let him go."

"What do you mean?"

"Anakin isn't coming back. It's time you realize that and move on."

"What are you saying? That I should just stop loving him, well I can't!

"Padm'e if not for yourself do it for Leia."

"Bail", Padm'e said tears in her eyes, "Don't ask me to do that anything but that."

"Just think about it. Please Padm'e think about it." And with that Bail left Padm'e alone.

Anakin Skywalker, now free from the bonds of his former life sat at the controls of a TIE fighter and was now on his way home. Wherever home is. For the first time since his escape was unsure of what to do. Where was he to go? He hadn't thought of that. He was so fixed on trying to escape that he had completely overlooked where he was going to go after he escaped. My home is wherever Padm'e is. But where was that he was unsure of that too. Anakin had not seen her for two and a half years. The reason being that she disappeared shortly before his turn and now he was unsure as to her whereabouts. I'll find you angel, no matter what it takes. With that thought lounged firmly in his mind Anakin Skywalker, went to sleep.

Anakin opened his eyes and looked around panic stricken. Where am I? What is this place? Anakin found himself in a lush, green meadow that strangely reminded him of Naboo. This place is oddly familiar. Have I been here before? Before Anakin could investigate farther he heard someone call his name. The voice was like something out of a dream, yet he knew it instantly. Padm'e? But that's impossible! He heard the voice again but this time more clearly. "Anakin!"

"Padm'e", he called back?

"Anakin!"

"Padm'e, where are you?"

"I'm over here." Anakin turned around and there in the distance he saw a figure standing on a hilltop waiting for him.

Once Anakin reached the top of the hillside he looked around for Padm'e, but she was nowhere in site. Just before Anakin climbed back down the hill thinking it was all a dream someone came up behind him, pushing him to the ground. Before he could react Anakin heard the sound of sweet laughter ringing in his ear. Anakin recognized the laugh instantly. Herolled onto his back, a smile on his face and for the first time in almost three years their eyes met. A moment later Padm'e's body came down on his and she engulfed him in a slow, passionate kiss that seem to last an all-to – brief eternity. When their lips finally parted a moment later and they both rose to their feet Anakin looked into her eyes and said, "I'm sorry , I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know."

I've missed you Padm'e if you only knew how much. Oh there's so much I want to tell you."

"There is so much we both need to say but there isn't time."

"Time for what? What do you mean?"

There isn't time to explain, come." Before Anakin could protest Padm'e had grabbed his hand and took off running. After a few minuets of running Padm'e finally halted in front of a house. As soon as he could catch his breath he looked at his surroundings. The house its self looked out of place with its surroundings. In fact the house looked exactly like ones you would find on Tatooine. Padm'e took Anakin inside the small hut. Entering the small hallway, they were greeted by a little boy no more then two years of age. "Mommy, mommy", the little boy said, running into Padm'e's arms. "Mommy", Anakin asked?

"Anakin, this is Luke he's your son."

"My Son?" Anakin turned to face his wife only to find that she wasn't there. "Padm'e", he called! "Padm'e!"…

Anakin awoke with a jolt. Beads of perspiration dripped down from his forehead onto his chest. He sat up his thoughts racing. Was it real? Or was it all just a dream, a figment of my imagination? Then it came to him. Maybe it wasn't a dream at all, rather a vision. Is the force trying to tell me something? But what could it be trying to tell me? Anakin thought back to what he saw in the vision. The meadow why did it seem so familiar? Anakin thought back to something Padm'e had once told him. "Alderaan is so beautiful that sometimes I think I'm back home on Naboo." Wait a minuet what if the place that he thought was Naboo wasn't Naboo at all! What if it was Alderaan! What if that's where Padm'e has been all along! He was so excited about this new revelation that he nearing forgot that there was more to the vision. Wait a second there was a little boy there. Who was that little boy? Then he remembered what Padm'e had said in the vision. "Anakin, this is Luke he's your son. " I have a son? But I would have known if she was pregnant. I know I would have! When Anakin pondered over the vision in grater detail however, he noticed something very odd. The house didn't match its surroundings! It reminds me of the Lars homestead on Tatooine. Wait I got it! What if that house isn't on Alderaan at all? What if the house is the Lars homestead on Tatooine and they have my son? Anakin got up from bed and set a course for Alderaan.

Alderaan: Padm'e's apartment

Padm'e was getting ready for her afternoon walk with Leia when she heard the beeping of her long rang transceiver. That's odd who would be trying to contact me? Padm'e walked over to her computer console and pressed the receive button. As the hologram image slowly flickered to life Padm'e froze as she realized who is was who contacted her. Anakin! He found me! What dose he want?I s he going to kill me? "Padm'e?"

"W…what do you want?"

"I just want to talk."

"You just want to talk? Well I don't Anakin. And how dare you call me after what you did.

"You have every right to be angry—"

"Angry? Angry? Anakin you hurt me!"

"I understand—"

"Understand…under—" Padm'e began to cry.

"Padm'e don't cry…haaa Padm'e listen please. I've changed. I'm no longer part of the Empire." Padm'e looked up wide-eyed. Suddenly her expression changed from shock to suspicion. "I don't believe you you're lying. No one has ever returned from the dark side

ever!"

"I have."

"Prove it!"

"Turn on the Holonet News."

"Why?"

"You want poof turn on the Holonet News." As soon as Padm'e turned on the Holonet she was shocked to find that Emperor Palptine had died and according to the report the cause of death was yet to be determined. Padm'e quickly turned it off. "He's dead? But how?"

"I killed him."

"You killed him? Oh Anakin you have changed! I'm so sorry I doubted you. At last you've finally come back to me!

I'll pick you up in four hours…that is if you want me to."

"Of course I want you to."

"Good I'll be there in a few hours. Be packed and ready to go when I get there."

"Alright, I love you."

"I love you too angel." Anakin went to sever the connection.

"Anakin!" Anakin stopped just before the connection was severed.

"Yes angel?"

"Why a few hours."

"There's something I have to do first."

"Alright." Then the connection was severed. Padm'e lingered by the computer consul rooted to that spot. Was this really happening? Was he really coming back? Finally as Padm'e tore herself away from the computer consul was she able to gasp what was happening. He's really coming back isn't he? Finally after all these years of waiting he's finally coming back! Then Bail's words rang like a bell in her mind. "Anakin is never coming back it's time to move on." Well Bail your wrong Anakin is coming back.

Four hours later Padm'e had her and Leia's bags packed and ready to go when she heard a knock on the door. Padm'e ran to the door with vigorous enthusiasm. When she opened the door however, she was disappointed to find Bail on the other side. "Oh Bail."

"You were expecting someone else?"

"Actually, yes I was."

Really and who would that be?"

"Anakin."

"I thought we talked about that. It's time to let him go."

"But you don't understand he contacted me."

"He contacted you?"

"And he said he turned back from the dark side."

"You realize that it could be a trick, a ploy to get you out of hiding."

"I don't think so and besides he's on his way here. I'm going with him Bail and there's nothing you could say to make me change my mind."

"And what about Leia?"

"Naturally I'll be taking her with me."

"But Anakin doesn't know you were pregnant."

"He's her father and once I tell him the truth I'm sure he'll love her just as much as I do."

"Since there's nothing I can say to make you change your mind I want you to know that you go with my blessing."

"Thank you Bail." Picking up Leia and her bags Padm'e left the room.

The landing platform…

Padm'e and Leia came out just in time to see a TIE fighter landing on the landing platform. A moment later the hatch opened and Padm'e saw two figures heading her direction. He's with someone? Who could that possibly be? Before she could ponder the question further they walked up beside them. "Anakin!" Padm'e ran into his arms.

"Padm'e", he said kissing her passionately.

"Anakin there's something I need to tell you", she said after breaking the kiss.

"I already know."

"What?"

"I know about our son."

"Our Son?"

"Luke, that's why it took me so long to get here I had to go to Tatooine and pick him up." It wasn't until now that Padm'e realized the figure she saw walking with Anakin when he landed was her own son. "Oh but Anakin there's more."

"More?"

"Anakin this is your daughter Leia." Padm'e indicated the little girl beside her.

"I don't understand."

"Ani, I had twins."

"Twins? That's…wonderful. Padm'e that's wonderful!" Padm'e laughed and kissed him again. "Let go home Padm'e", he said after there lips parted. Picking up Luck and Leia the reunited lovers boarded the ship and set course for Coruscant.