Disclaimer: I still own nothing shockingly.

Chapter Three: Awake

Summary: Anakin didn't turn. His duel with Sidious left him in a coma lasting four years. He wakes, and meets his little son.

The medic was doing the usual routine check. Making sure the patient was stable, that all vital signs were normal, and none of the equipment hooked up to him was malfunctioning in any way. She documented several things and checked off the list on the datapad.

She stepped away to retrieve a fresh, clean breathing tube as it was due to be changed.

It was all routine, the patient had been here, condition unchanging for four years now. She'd expected no difference. She turned towards the med bed again, only to stumble back with an exclamation of utter surprise.

"Why, he's awake!"

Anakin Skywalker sat up in a medical bed. Or rather, he sat propped up by several pillows. His mind was foggy, and he was trying to make sense of...everything, while medics fussed all around him.

He took stock of everything he could. First, most noticeably, he was weak. Alarmingly so. When first he'd come to his senses, he'd instinctively tried to sit up, despite the young medic urging him lie still. The effort had defeated more completely than Dooku had when he was a padawan learner.

He tried to think what the last thing he remembered was. But all he could come up with was...pain. Blind agonizing pain.

He barely noticed the medics finally finishing their work and filing out except for one who he guessed was just keeping an eye on him.

At some point he heard voices outside his door. Two people conversing he concluded. One he didn't recognize, the other was familiar. It was a voice that had represented wisdom, safety and comfort throughout most of his life.

The door opened, And Obi-wan Kenobi stepped through.

Obi-wan's gray-blue gaze locked on the bed. When he saw Anakin's eyes open he rushed over.

"Anakin." He breathed.

"Master?"

His voice was horse from disuse, but upon hearing it years worth of worry and built-up tension seemed to drain out of Obi-wan. His shoulders lowered, his hands uncurled and his eyes relaxed, and Anakin could could have sworn he saw the sparkle of tears. Then his master blinked and it was gone.

"You're awake." He said moving to sit in a chair beside the bed.

Anakin's lips quirked in a smile. "So it would seem." He said, taking the rare opportunity to turn his master's usual sarcasm back on him. Then the smile faded. " What happened?" He asked seriously.

Obi-wan studied him carefully. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Anakin hesitated. "I've been trying to figure that out myself. I just remember, pain, and lightning?"

Obi-wan nodded. "Dark side lightning. You remember that particularly nasty sith technique Dooku used."

Anakin groaned at the memory of getting blasted in the chest with sith lightning sprouting from Dooku's fingertips.

"How could I forget?"

His master smirked. "I'm sure I don't know." Anakin glared at him, but Obi-wan ignored it as he continued. "You confronted the chancellor with Master Windu. Do you recall?"

Anakin considered, then nodded, the memory coming back to him now, so Obi-wan went on. "The two of you together managed to hold him off long enough for Master Yoda and I to come to your aid. Sidious took the first opportunity he could to blast you with lightning, and you blacked out.

"Yes. I remember now. " He said, wincing as he did. Kriff, he really should have been expecting that. Sith don't play the by rules after all. He should know. "So, did you-"

"We defeated him, naturally. He was immensely powerful, but he couldn't take us all on at once. He knew that of course which is why he tried to take you out of the picture, in a desperate attempt to give himself some semblance of a chance."

"So he's dead?" Said Anakin, just to clarify. He had noticed the Force felt, brighter, clearer, like the tone of a new bell. Not clouded, and dim, as it had for several years. Particularly during the Clone Wars.

"The details aren't important. But yes, we killed him in the end. We immediately tended to you, but you were already fast slipping into a coma. One no one was sure when you'd wake from, if ever." He looked Anakin straight in the eye now. "One that has lasted over four years."

Anakin took a moment to process that. And horror filled him.

Four years.

Four years. He'd been gone four years and left-

"Padme!" Oh Force, Padme!

Obi-wan placed a firm hand on his chest. "She's fine, Anakin, not to worry. She's perfectly fine." He smiled warmly. "And so are the children." He added with a twinkle in his eye.

Anakin stilled. "You, you know about that?" He asked, an odd mix of terrified and relieved.

"Certainly I know. Padme couldn't very well keep it a secret much longer, especially after the birth, which went quite smoothly, despite her distress at your condition. I'm shocked she was able to conceal it as long as she did." He paused and looked down, sadness clear on his face. "I must say I am rather disappointed, even hurt that you didn't feel you could trust me with this."

Anakin didn't know what to say. Obi-wan looked genuinely disappointed and remorseful. He swallowed "Master, I-" But Obi-wan put up a hand. "But that's a discussion for another time Anakin." He was smiling again. "You've finally woken up and this is a happy occasion."

Anakin released a breath and eyed his old mentor gratefully.

"So she gave birth, did it-"

He stopped.

His mind abruptly backtracked to earlier in the conversation.

Obi-wan said-

"Did…...did you say children? Plural?"

Ob-wan's smile broadened. "I did indeed. Children. Twins. Padme gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl. Congratulations Anakin."

Anakin mouthed, twins, as if trying the word out. Then his mind swam. Two babies. Two. A boy and a girl. Grinning like a fool, he started talking a mile a minute.

"How are they? What do they look like? What are their names? Are they with Padme? Are they coming here? When will they get here? How-"

"Padme is on her way." Obi-wan cut his young friend off. "I commed her the moment I heard you were conscious."

Sensing the question on his old padawan's lips, he quickly continued, "She'll be a little while Anakin. Three years ago, we had to transfer you here, to this specialized medical facility here on Aarondor. It's about four hours from Coruscant."

"They won't arrive for a while then." Anakin murmured more to himself than to Obi-wan. Disappointed, he slumped further into the cushions. He honestly wasn't certain how long he could stand waiting to see his angel. His angel, and his babies. His children.

In that moment he was sure he would go mad with anticipation before they got here.

"Actually…." Obi-wan began, and Anakin perked up. His eyes suddenly glued to him. "What?" He demanded.

"I have one of the twins here with me."

"What?! Why with you?"

Obi-wan quirked an eyebrow, then shrugged. "It's difficult for Padme to handle both twins at once when she's at the senate even when she has her handmaiden. They are Force-sensitive after all. So I take one or both of them off her hands when I can. We've all visited you in rotations-"

"Where?!" Anakin almost shouted the word. Instinctively, he reached out carefully with the Force, and felt a small presence nearby. Small but almost blindingly bright, and so…..pure. Pure light, like a small star.

"In the waiting area at the moment, the doctor wasn't certain you should-"

But Anakin was already struggling to get off the bed. Just in spite of all the tubes hooked up to him. Some of his strength had begun to return already,(Though it would take months for him to fully recover, he knew) and the thought of one of his children, in such close proximity, tantalisingly close….He didn't care what anyone said. He needed this now.

Obi-wan however, again stepped forward to push his old apprentice back down. Anakin made a move to shove his hand away, but Obi-wan placed both hands on his shoulders and spoke quickly.

"Stay put, now, I'll bring him to you. Just have a spot of patience. You're still recovering. Do you want to put yourself in another coma before Padme even gets here?"

Anakin forced himself to calm down and laid back obediently. He looked at Obi-wan expectantly, an almost wild need behind his eyes.

Obi-wan nodded. "I'll be right back then. Don't you move." He said in a tone that brooked no argument.

He seemed to be gone for an eternity. More than once Anakin was tempted to jump out of bed and go after him. His eyes never moved from the door, so he saw the instant Obi-wan returned. His eyes were immediately drawn to the tiny figure in his arms. Bright, sandy-blond hair, lighter than his own, stood out against the deep brown of Obi-wan's robe.

His old mentor approached him and spoke softly. "Anakin. This is your son."

A name. Give me a name.

"This is Luke."

Luke. Anakin latched onto the name, mouthing it, rolling it over in his mind and he decided it was perfect.

Luke turned his head to look directly at him, and Anakin's breath caught. Blue eyes, identical to his own, stared at him curiously.

Obi-wan moved to to put the perfect little angel on the bed, in Anakin's lap. He seemed to weigh almost nothing. Luke looked curiously up at him, his little head cocked. Anakin immediately decided the expression was adorable.

Luke pointed a tiny finger at Anakin and said to Obi-wan. "He's awake."

Obi-wan smiled at the boy. "Yes, Luke. Your father's finally awake."

Luke's head swiveled back to Anakin. "Daddy?" He asked, and a thrill shook Anakin at the sound of it.

Anakin reached out with the Force again to the thrumming, blindingly bright, and incredibly pure Force presence of his son. This time, he felt his son reach out for him in return, and Anakin couldn't help gasping aloud. A channel seemed to open up between father and son. A strong, unwavering connection. This, this was incredible. It was so clear, so open. It felt as though it were an intricate part of himself. His Force bond with his master had never felt like this, nor with Ahsoka, or even his mother.

He'd...he'd never felt anyone like this before.

Obi-wan's voice brought him out of his trance. "Say hello to your father, Luke."

Obediently, Luke put up his hand in a little wave. "Hi."

Anakin reached out with one hand, his flesh one, and touched the feather-soft hair. He trailed down and traced the curve of the jaw. He brushed the round cheek with his thumb. He touched the eyes, ears and soft pink lips. He touched the nose with a finger, making the little boy giggle. It was a heavenly sound that made Anakin's heart swell.

Then his son put his own hand up and touched his father's hair, his jaw, his cheeks, his eyes, ears, lips and nose. Anakin closed his eyes briefly, allowing his son to explore and relishing in the sweet, gentle touch.

Then Anakin could no longer help himself. He wrapped his arms around his tiny son. A thrill went through him as Luke snuggled into him. Through the open bond, he caught a wave of pleasure from Luke at being so snug, to his delight.

He was vaguely aware that his face was wet.

Anakin finally found his voice.

"Hello, Little one." He choked out, then whispered, "I've waited so long for you. For you….and your Sister."

"Leia."

He blinked.

"Leia? Is- is that her name?"

Luke nodded seriously. "Leia." He repeated, as if to make certain Anakin had it right.

Luke and Leia. He loved the sound of it.

"I can't wait to meet her."

Was it even possible for one person to feel as much love as he did for the tiny child in his arms? He'd thought he'd known all about love. Padme was his true love, and he loved her more than life itself, but this. This was something different. Something new entirely. Something beyond all his imaginings. Something pure, and good, and so, so right.

In that moment it occurred to him, he would die for this precious bundle in his arms. Without hesitation.

The man who was his daddy was nice, Luke decided. He could feel him. Like he felt Leia, but different. He felt really warm, and even without the smile on his face, Luke could tell he was happy. It made Luke feel good all inside. There were other feelings too. Strange ones that Luke didn't have a name for. But mostly it was happiness.

He touched Luke all over, and he wondered if it was a game. Mommy sometimes played games like that. He touched him back, the same way he had, and that seemed to please him, so Luke thought with satisfaction that he must have played the game right.

Then his daddy held him and Luke immediately decided he liked that. He had big arms that almost completely covered Luke, and Luke tried to get even deeper in. Mommy and Uncle Obi sometimes held him and that was nice, but it wasn't like this. It made him feel safe. It made him feel good.

Mommy and Uncle Obi had always taken him and Leia to visit their daddy while he was sleeping. They usually got bored of it fast, since there wasn't much to do, other than watch Daddy sleep and talk to him. Luke once asked Mommy why Daddy was asleep all the time. She said that a long time ago Daddy was really hurt, and now his body was sleeping, trying to get better.

He liked Daddy much better awake, Luke thought.

Note: Aarondor is a planet I made up for plot convenience btw, so don't bother looking it up on Wookieepedia or anything.