Chapter One

(There is going to be a background story at some point, but at the moment it will only cause spoilers, I hope you like this story, any queries just ask)

Mara woke again for the fifth time that night. Padmé Naberrie was haunting Mara in a way - ever since Anakin had told her of his secret wife, she hadn't gotten a good night sleep in four days. She had to do something about it. Mara got out of her bed and changed, then headed down to the main library.

Mara selected one of the empty booths for privacy and sat down. She opened all the medical records she could, for every single planet, from that date. Mara had spent the best part of a day pulling up files from every hospital in the galaxy.

It was gone noon and Mara was about to give up and get some lunch, when the file she wanted came up:

Name: Padmé Naberrie.

D.O.B: 27 PRE-EMPIRE DATE.

Treatment: Labor.

Diagnosis: Healthy twins - at birth, no up-keep in records.

Mother survived labor.

Mara felt her eyes widen and she read it over again - just to make sure. Padmé Naberrie was alive and well - and living on Alderaan! Mara jumped up her growling stomach forgotten and headed down to Vader's office. She had to tell him!

Vader was inspecting their new group of storm troopers, when he felt Mara's excitement through the force. He sighed and looked back at the troops - he needed a break anyway.

"Dismissed!" The troopers filed from the room and Vader headed up to his office - where he knew she'd be…

Mara entered Vader's office and sat down in the large stone chair on the visitor side of the table and waited for him to come back from his 'work'. When the door opened, Mara stood and smiled at the Dark Lord.

"Hiya Ani!" She'd been calling him by his real name, ever since she found out who he really was - of course only in private - and she had to admit he didn't seem to object. In fact, she knew he found it a nice change from 'Lord Vader' or 'My Lord!'

He nodded, "Mara, what can I do for you?" he asked, as he opened his desk draw.

"You can finish telling me about Padmé - because I have a hunch…" Mara sat on the edge of the desk and took a bit of her ration bar and he looked at her.

"Mara, I already told as much as I can - if the Emperor knew, I'd told you this much, we'd both be in big trouble!"

Mara grinned, "That's why he isn't going to find out! I have a very big piece of news, that's gonna throw a lot of sparks!"

Vader frowned beneath the mask, "Come on, take that thing off! There are no cameras in here, the blinds are down - and I hate speaking to a black blob!" Mara moaned and Vader laughed.

"Alright!" Vader removed the mask and Mara smiled, as she saw Anakin Skywalker grin back at her.

"Good thing I suggested surgery isn't it?"

He nodded, "Yes, thank you Mara."

Mara shook her head, "No, thank you for being my surrogate Dad." Mara turned fully to him on the desk and crossed her legs. "Tell me - please?"

He sighed, then leaned back in his chair. After a minute of silence Mara was

about to get up to leave, feeling his pain at old memories through the force, when he began to speak…

"She had brown hair and brown eyes…she was perfect." Mara smiled as he continued from where he'd left off last time. "When we next met, it was ten years later, she wasn't queen anymore. She was Senator for the Naboo, she'd come to vote against making an Army of the Republic. Her decoy was killed and Obi-Wan and I were assigned to protect her… familiar faces and all that."

Anakin took a breath and smiled, "She hadn't changed one bit, still the same as in my dreams…" he sighed, "We were only meant to protect her, but Padmé wanted us to find her would-be assassin. After a second attack, we chased Zam Wesell." He looked at Mara.

"We finally caught up with the shape changer. It was about to talk, when a bounty hunter - called Jango Fett - killed it! Obi-Wan went after him and I escorted Padmé back to Naboo, we stayed at the lake house there." Ani shook his head.

"Obi-Wan went out to Kamino to find him. It turned out that there had been a clone army ordered, by one of the Masters who'd been dead for ten years, Jango was the template! His payment wasn't just money, no, he had one unaltered clone of himself - this was his son Boba Fett!"

Mara nodded, she knew that he was a clone since he had the same scars as Jango. "Any way… they fought and Jango and his son escaped to Geonosis. Obi-Wan followed and got caught. But… while that was happening… Padmé and I kissed once. Then, she said what was blatantly true - to be together would destroy us." His eyes grew sad, "How right she was… We said no more on the matter, then I dreamed again of my mother - one of the many nightmares of her in pain."

Mara nodded, she had experienced her own. "Padmé understood and we left for Tatooine. When we arrived, we learned that Watto had sold her to a moisture farmer called Cleigg Lars. We went out there, Threepio was there - I'd had to leave him behind when I left. Oh, I forget to tell you that I made him, didn't I?"

Mara frowned, "No, you told me."

He nodded and continued, "I met Owen, my stepbrother and his girlfriend Beru, then I found out that my mother had been taken by Tusken Raiders. They'd tried to go after her, but most of the ones that went out died; Cleigg had lost his leg."

Anakin rubbed his eyes "But I wouldn't give up, I left Padmé with them and borrowed Owen's speeder bike, I found their camp and sneaked inside. When I found my mother, she was almost dead! When she realized it was me, she said that her life was complete; she tried to say 'I love you…' but died!"

Mara swallowed and grabbed his hand, she squeezed it and he squeezed back and then continued "Enraged, I went mad - and killed them all, including the women and the children…"

Anakin sighed "I went back, taking her body for a proper burial. I promised her, I'd never fail her again. Then we got a message off Obi-Wan, but he was attacked at the end, the council told me to stay where I was…"

They both froze, as they heard approaching footsteps and Anakin replaced his helmet, Mara got off the desk and moved to the side as the door opened. A young lieutenant entered.

"The data you requested, my Lord." Vader nodded, he placed the box on the table, then left.

Vader removed the helmet again and Mara resumed her seat "…And I was going to… but Padmé had other ideas. She started up the ship - they did say I had to protect her at all times, they just didn't state where!".

Mara laughed "Trust you!"

He smiled back "So we headed out, got there and were captured ourselves, all three of us were sentenced to death."

Mara broke into a full laugh "My gosh! You were just as bad at that sort of thing back then."

Ani nodded "Yep. Just before we entered the arena, she told me she loved me!"

He shook his head at the memory "The others and I were in a pickle, with three creatures trying to have us for dinner. I managed to get my chains off the pillar I was chained to and rode one. Padmé had a catlike creature, she climbed on top of her pillar - and had her back clawed."

Mara winced, her own scars bore a reminder "Obi-Wan had an eight-legged, insect-type thing, he managed to kill it in the end. When we were lightsabered by Jedi, two hundred went out there to save us - less than a quarter returned."

Mara nodded, she'd read about the battle of Geonosis.

"We fought, but were outnumbered till Yoda arrived with the Clone Army. We then went after Dooku, who'd escaped, Padmé fell out of the ship on the way there. I wanted to go back - Obi-Wan refused!"

Anakin stood and walked over to the painting on the wall, of the sand dunes of Tatooine, she sensed him sigh…

"When we caught up with him, we fought and I lost my right arm." He flexed his fingers "Yoda saved us in the end, but that meant letting Dooku escape. I returned Padmé to Naboo and we wed - in secret of course - the Jedi order frowned on Jedi having attachments."

Mara swallowed "Then the Clone Wars had begun?" She hazarded a guess.

He nodded "Yes. About three years later, Obi-Wan and I came back to Coruscant after another battle. We saved Palpatine, who'd been kidnapped by General Grievous - while on ship, I killed Count Dooku!"

Mara got to her feet and walked over to him. "When we got back I saw Padmé at the Senate, she pulled me aside and told me she was pregnant, I was so excited and proud!"

Mara looked at him "What? You were a father?"

He shook his head "Nearly. But - we had to keep this secret too - I couldn't even tell Obi-Wan! I was assigned to get close to Palpatine - the Jedi had started to get sussed to him - I found out he was the Sith we'd been hunting, but he told me he could save Padmé."

Mara winced, What deceit! "I'd began to dream again, this time it was Padmé and she'd die in child birth. I told the council and Master Windu and some others went to arrest him, I couldn't let it happen! I went there - turned out Palpatine had already killed them all, but Windu."

Mara swallowed "So you helped kill him?"

Anakin nodded "I couldn't bear to lose her –fat lot of good it did! So…I cut off Windu's hand." Mara looked at his right hand. "But Palpatine was no longer the weak old man he'd suddenly pretended to be, he killed him."

Anakin shuddered "I was then named 'Darth Vader'… I'd give a lot to change that day." He whispered the last…and Mara placed a hand on his back. "He implemented Order 66, he sent me to the temple where the clone troopers and I killed the younglings - and anybody else still there. Obi-Wan and Yoda barely managed to save themselves from it."

Mara nodded, biting her lip, this news she had would not help. "The Emperor sent me out to Mustafar, to dispose of the Separatists. Obi-Wan went to Padmé, to see if she knew where I was, he discovered that I was the father. Padmé said she didn't know where I was, and then headed after me."

He looked down at Mara "I wish she hadn't. When Padmé arrived, I was a bit miffed at seeing her there - but then I saw Obi-Wan standing on the ramp. I thought she'd betrayed me, so I… so I choked her!" Mara's eyes widened… and he took a step away from her.

She knew, he thought, she thought that he was a monster. But Mara just shook her head "You're not a monster –you were a young man who misread read the situation and reacted, for goodness sake, you're only human, Anakin!"

He blinked at her words, but continued "Obi-Wan stopped me, before I could kill her - and we fought till he cut off my legs and left arm. I was like his brother, he could not kill me, he left me lying there… with my body on fire!"

Anakin shivered "I hated him so much at the time. He took my lightsaber with him. The Emperor came and took me back to Coruscant to be put in the armour I found out afterwards that I'd killed her in anger…."

Mara looked at him, as he struggled to contain tears I know the truth I can take away this pain! Right now! Mara took a step closer to him and hugged his waist. He put his left arm around her shoulders and held her back. Mara then moved to tiptoe, so she was just below his ear and whispered the truth.

"She's not dead…."

Anakin stared at Mara for a long moment No it couldn't be, I saw the death certificate! I've visited her grave!

He opened his mouth to swear at the young woman, who'd lowered back to flats and taken three steps back. But Mara wouldn't lie! She understands my pain and shares it! No…he lied!

Mara nodded and Anakin walked over to her and hugged her again, she sighed… "It'll be alright, Mara, I know you wouldn't lie to me." He looked her in the eyes "You know I'd never hurt you don't you?"

She nodded a small smile on her lips "Of course, Ani, go to her! You need to see her…. show her you did what she asked, came back to her and are the Anakin Skywalker she loves."

Anakin raised an eyebrow "You think she'll forgive me?" Mara took a breath and went over to his desk "That's not very encouraging!"

She smiled "Padmé will probably be angry at first… but, when she sees you are Ani, I think she will."

He smiled back at Mara "Come with me."

Mara blinked "Why?"

He grinned "Because you were decent enough to tell me this - and I know Padmé can tell you about your mother."

Mara dropped the papers she was holding and stared at him "M-my mother?" She asked, he knew she could barely hope…he knew those words ripped her heart.

Anakin nodded "She was one of her handmaidens."

Mara covered her eyes and started to cry. He went over to her and cuddled her "It's alright Mara - I'm sorry I said anything." He could kick himself for upsetting her.

She shook her head "No - it's okay…" She looked at him "I just never thought I'd find out about her, or my father - I thought I'd be forever orphaned… except for you."

Anakin looked down at her, and he realised she was the reason he was where he was - a Jedi returning to the path - she was the child he never had… But now, he might have it, along with Mara. No matter what, he'd never desert her, she was his second chance - and he hers.

"I'll get a ship prepared - you just make sure you're there, okay?" Mara nodded and left the office.

Mara opened the door to her room and started to throw things into her duffel bag… she, Mara Jade, eighteen years of age, was going to meet someone who could tell her of her mother. Mara felt her heartbeat start to quicken, as she got more excited, Mara sat down on her bed and took a deep breath reciting Jedi passages from the code. She then stood and continued to pack, but she couldn't shake the excitement and fear. Something big was going to happen - she knew it!