"I don't like this." Owen said dubiously.

Obi-Wan sipped the drink they were sharing as he watched Padme and Beru fuss with the twins.

"None of us do." he replied quietly. "But this is what we've been forced to deal with."

Owen nodded. "So Anakin is dead?"

"As near to it that it no longer matters."

Owen nodded soberly. "You don't know?"

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed. "Whatever was left of Anakin was dead when I left him."

Now it was Owen's turn to look surprised. "You killed him?"

Obi-Wan said nothing and at his silence Owen put his head in his hands. "Stars, I told him nothing good would come of being a Jedi. You were his friend and you killed him." he shook his head, sitting back. "He couldn't even save Shimi." he tapped the table as he looked at the two children, and then at Beru. "I guess Beru could use the company. She's wanted kids for a while now." he turned his gaze back to Obi-Wan, waving a finger at him. "You have to promise that nothing will come to endanger our lives here."

"I can't make that promise." Obi-Wan said. "If the Empire realizes they're here nothing but trouble will follow. I will do everything I can to protect Leda and the children...and you."

"I don't need your help." Owen said dubiously.

Obi-Wan nodded. "That's fine. I will not interfere in your life anymore than is necessary but the twins would benefit from a family."

Owen managed to smile for a change. "Yes, I imagine they would, and this place can do with some laughter too. You're out in the Jundland Wastes you said?"

"Yes, there's an old farmstead there we're taking over."

"The mighty Jedi is going to be a farmer?" Owen remarked with humor.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "We all do what we must."

"I'll drink to that." Owen said, raising his glass.

"Ben." Padme called. "If you're done over there, Beru and I are going to make dinner if you'll handle the twins."

Owen smiled at Obi-Wan. "Well Ben, time to play father."

Obi-Wan said nothing as he stood up and walked over to accost Luke and Leia from the smiling clutches of their aunt.


"I think that went well." Padme said as she laid the twins to sleep in the crib they shared. "We should go there more often, it certainly took a lot out of them."

"Dinner wasn't bad either." Obi-Wan said as he looked down at the two fretfully sleeping children.

Padme closed her eyes and looked away.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "You know I wanted to do all this with Anakin. After the war...I wanted to return to Naboo and just raise our children with him." she turned to Obi-Wan, leaning against him. It took Obi-Wan a moment but he put his arms around her. He felt moisture on his thin tunic and realized she was crying. "That will never happen now." she sobbed. "He's gone, even if he's still alive, he's gone."

It hit Obi-Wan then, Padme was only now coming to realize how complete Anakin's change was. How lost he was to her and to all of them. He kissed the top of her head and she tensed. Looking up at him.

"That must have been pretty awkward." she said with a faint smile, wiping the tears from her eyes.

He nodded. "I must say it's different."

"Caring?"

Obi-Wan nodded again. "I've spent my life keeping my emotions in check and now...after the war and now this." he shook his head. "I think I understand why Anakin was so..."

"Hurt." Padme finished for him. "Believe me Obi-Wan, I understand. Anakin was so lost and confused especially towards...the end." she reached up and touched his cheek. "We'll get through this together. I wish we had another way but this is what fate, the Force, or whatever it is has given us." Padme smiled then, surprising Obi-Wan with the genuineness of the gesture. "For what it's worth, I think Anakin would be happy to know that you were raising his children."

Obi-Wan winced, wondering what his friend—his brother nearly—would think about it if he ever found out. Given how twisted Anakin had become, Obi-Wan doubted that the newly made Lord of the Sith would be overly pleased at all.

"Excuse me Master Ben." C-3PO's voice called from the door to the bedroom. "I don't mean to interrupt but I was able to finish programming the vaporators. They'll begin collecting water right away and the irrigation systems will feed the hydroponics and our storage tanks."

Obi-Wan turned to look at the golden droid with a forced smile. He really did seem to have impeccable timing. "Thank yo Threepio."

"Oh you're most welcome sir I—" a rude blatting sound came from behind the droid as he jerked forwards. "Yes Artoo I know you helped." the astromech twittered again and Threepio reacted indignantly. "No I wasn't trying to hoard all the glory for myself you bucket of bolts. I was merely being informative!"

Padme shook her head and put her arms around Obi-Wan. "You see why I wanted him to come with us?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "For the humor?"


Obi-Wan stood very still, his eyes closed. He could hear the quiet swishing sound of the target remote as it drifted around him. He could feel the droid's presence in the Force as it drifted lazily through the air. He waited patiently for the intent to change, then it happened. His saber snapped to life. The remote fired a flurry of bolts. Obi-Wan deflected one, two, and three. The fourth one nearly made it through but he swatted it away and back at the remote. It struck the droid dead center and the droid's attack program deactivated. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and turned to look at the rising suns as they began to crest over the mountains to the north.

He felt Padme's eyes on him and turned again to look at her as she watched him from the entrance to their home. She was wearing a simple tunic, much like the one she'd worn when she'd pretended to be her own handmaiden all those years ago.

"You know I hate the sound of that thing." she said quietly.

"The remote?"

She shook her head. "No, the saber. It reminds me of Anakin."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I'm sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I need to be stronger. The children are Force sensitive, aren't they?"

"It's too early to tell." Obi-Wan said evasively.

"You know as well as I do that they're going to be if they're not already. Anakin was supposed to bring balance remember? He's obviously not the one going to do it. So it will be my children."

Obi-Wan honestly hadn't thought of that but it made sense. He looked at Padme. "I am sorry."

She shook her head. "It's just another thing I can't control. Like when Arelia took my place at the funeral."

Obi-Wan didn't say anything as Padme looked at him. Her expression wasn't accusing nor was there resentment. She simply was stating the truth of the matter.

He sighed heavily. "I promise I won't make that sort of decision without you again."

She smiled at him. "Obi-Wan...Ben, please don't lie to me. I know you'll do whatever you have to in order to protect me and the children. I just hate feeling so powerless against all that is happening in the galaxy. We don't even know what the Empire is doing."

"Hopefully it won't be something we'll have to worry about for a long time."

Padme shook her head. "Don't start taking up optimism now Ben. The Empire isn't going to rest until it has expanded throughout the galaxy. They'll come here eventually. Then we'll be all too aware of what they're doing."