I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters.

All he could see was darkness. The darkness surrounded him, bound itself to him, twisting him to its desire. Pain. There was so much pain. The darkness brought the pain, and the pain brought more darkness. That was all there was, endless pain and darkness.

"Anakin, wake up." softly said a gentle voice.

He knew that voice. A single speck of light emerged in the distance. He ran towards the light, but the darkness entangled him. He struggled against the darkness, fighting back the pain. The voice was getting louder. The light grew closer and closer. He felt the light's warmth, the gentle voice giving him comfort and strength. The light consumed him, cradled him, driving away every last trace of the darkness.

He felt a hand gently caress his cheek. A warm breath tickled his chin as the angelic voice filled his ears.

"Come on Anakin. It's time to get up." gentle said the voice.

It was all coming back to him. He knew who the voice belonged to. Summoning all his strength, he forced his eyes open and was met with the most beautiful sight he could have ever seen.

Anakin could not believe his eyes. There before him sat his wife Padme Amidala, who had been dead for over twenty years. If Anakin had been in a clearer state of mind, he would have noticed the streaks of gray in Padme's beautiful brown curls, the faint wrinkles in her soft milky white skin, or the tired and aged look in her chocolate brown eyes. But Anakin did not notice any of these oddities. All that mattered was that Padme was here and with him.

Anakin felt like his heart would explode in his chest. It had been so long since he and Padme had last been together. There last meeting had been tragic, but this was the moment Anakin had been waiting years for, and he wasn't going to waist it. Reaching out with a shaky hand, Anakin gentle caressed his wife's cheek. Anakin felt tears run down his cheeks as he tried to form words with his hoarse voice.

"Anakin, are you alright?" worriedly asked Padme.

"Padme, I'm so sorry. I was a fool to believe Palpatine's lies. I know I can never make up for all the wrong I have done. But please, Padme, forgive me. Please, forgive me." sobbed Anakin.

Padme was confused by her husband's words. What in the galaxy was Anakin talking about?

"Anakin, Palpatine's been dead for over twenty years." spoke Padme.

Anakin was now wide awake. The first thing he noticed was that he could actually be awake. That meant he had to be alive. But that was impossible. He had died on the second Death Star. How could he be alive? It wasn't possible.

Anakin sighed, running a hand through his hair. Hair! He hadn't had hair since Mustafar. He could remember the flames engulf him as he was burned alive. The burns Anakin had sustained (alongside losing his legs and remaining arm) had forced him to live out the rest of his life in that kriffing life support suit, in constant turmoil and pain.

That's when Anakin realised wasn't wearing his life support suit. How was he breathing? He should be gasping for breath, but he felt fine. Actually, he felt better than fine. He felt amazing. Had breathing always felt this good? Anakin felt the steady rhythm of his lungs pump air in and out of his body increase with the rate of his heartbeat. Anakin put a hand to his chest, trying to make sense of what was happening to him.

The former Sith Lord was shocked when he felt his hand touch smooth, unblemished skin. He was even more shocked when he realised he actually had a real hand to feel the smooth skin with. Anakin almost fainted when he acknowledged all of his limbs (besides his right forearm) were actual flesh and blood, not the uncomfortable prosthetics he had been stuck with for over half his life.

Padme watched as her husband buried his head in his hands and cried. She heard Anakin mutter something about a "Death Star" and an "Emperor," but most of what Anakin was saying was drowned out by his hysterical sobs. Padme didn't know what had brought on her husband's sudden hysteria, but Padme knew she couldn't just leave him to suffer. Gently taking her husband's hands in her own, Padme tried to persuade Anakin to tell her what was bothering him.

"Anakin talk to me. I am your wife. I want to help you but I can't unless you talk to me." gently spoke Padme.

Anakin remained silent, his face twisting in pain the more she tried to comfort him.

"Please, Anakin, look at me. We promised not to keep secrets from each other anymore. Anakin, just tell me, did you have another nightmare?" concernedly asked Padme.

Anakin got a hold of himself. Taking in a deep breath, Anakin released his anxieties into the Force. Whatever was going on, Anakin knew he needed answers, and he couldn't get those answers if he let his emotions control him. Until he figured out what was going on, Anakin thought it would be best if he played along, at least for now?

"It was horrible, Padme. I joined Palpatine. I betrayed everyone, destroyed everything. The Jedi and the Republic were destroyed by me. You died by my hand. Everyone in the galaxy suffered because of me. I became the very thing I was supposed to destroy and lost everything because of it." shakily spoke Anakin.

Padme wiped the tears from her husband's face before wrapping her arms around his waist. Anakin stiffened before melting into his wife's comforting embrace. Padme twirled one of her husband's graying locks between her slender fingers, the other soothingly running up and down his back.

"It was just a dream, Anakin. It was only a dream. I know how you get around this time of year, but don't worry. I know you wonder what might have happened if you joined Palpatine, but you didn't. You stayed a Jedi and remained in the Light. You killed Palpatine and saved the Republic. You are a good man, Anakin, stop worrying over what might have been and let's just enjoy the time we have together. This is the first day off we've had together in months, and I don't want to waste a second." gently spoke Padme.

Padme kissed her husband on the cheek before putting on a robe and getting out of bed. Anakin soon followed, quickly pulling on a pair of pants when he realised the indecency of his current state. Padme was a bit confused by Anakin's hurried response to get dressed, almost as though he couldn't remember how they made love to each other last night. Pushing the lingering thought aside, Padme decided to focus on getting ready for the day.

"I'll see to breakfast. Anything you want in particular?" wondered Padme.

Anakin froze. He hadn't eaten, truly eaten anything in over twenty years. His digestive system had been damaged just like the rest of his organs by the fire. Anakin didn't know how his stomach would react to food after so many years, and he really wasn't that keen to find out.

"I'm not really that hungry." insisted Anakin.

"Are you sure?" asked Padme.

"Maybe some toast or something. I just don't feel like anything big." told Anakin.

With a small smile, Padme turned and left the room. Anakin waited until Padme was down the hall before looking around the room. He was in his bedroom in his apartment at 500 Republica. Besides a new coat of paint on the walls, a few armchairs, new sheets on the bed, and some curtains added to the windows, the room was exactly as Anakin remembered it. High ceiling, carpeted floor, and a stunning view. If Anakin didn't know any better he would have sworn he had just woken up from spending the night with Padme. Perhaps that was what was happening. Maybe the last twenty years had all just been a dream, as Padme said. But the memories of his life as a Sith were too real for Anakin to just brush off as a dream. No, his life as a Sith had been real, that much Anakin knew for sure. Whatever was happening to him, Anakin swore to get to the bottom of it, after breakfast.

Tell me if anyone seems too OOC. Comment if you like the story.