Naboo
4 ABY
Naboo was far more beautiful than Luke had ever envisioned when Anakin and Leia had told him about the peaceful and lush planet. It was as green as Endor with beautiful towering domes that only added the peace and tranquility of the planet. R2 had been squealing with delight as soon as they touched down and he now wished that they had decided to bring the two droids along seeing how excited the little droid had been. C3PO had been less excited than his friend and Luke had been fine with leaving him on the ship.
Luke could hardly believe that his mother was from here much less that she was once the Queen. But of course Leia was also from a beautiful planet where she was the Princess so he guessed it was just the women of his family that were lucky when it came to home worlds.
"Wow," said Luke as he followed behind Leia and Han, "it's so-"
"Beautiful?" asked Anakin smiling.
"I was going to say green, but yeah," said Luke craning his neck just to take it all in.
"Sure isn't Tatooine eh?" asked Han winking at the younger man.
"That's for sure," mumbled Luke as he looked at some of the locals, who were dressed in clothes that were hardly ever seen on Tatooine.
"All these years," whispered Leia as her eyes traveled to a painting on one of the pillars of a woman dressed in an elaborate red dress. She had remembered coming here only a few years before and being transfixed with the young Queen whose eyes seemed to hold meaning to Leia.
She hadn't known at the time that the late Queen she was looking at was her very own mother, and now she would never forget. The beautiful face with the white and red makeup would always be in her mind when she thought about her birth mother, the late Padme Naberrie of Naboo.
"She's so beautiful," said Leia as her hand reached out and grazed the painting.
She could feel Anakin walk up behind her, his eyes also transfixed with the still portrait of the woman he married.
"She was," breathed out Anakin as his blue eyes stared up into her painted brown ones.
"Is that?" asked Luke quietly with excitement in his voice as he came to stand behind them.
"It is," said Leia as she grabbed Luke's hand.
"Wow," said Luke in awe of the painting. Although the still portrait didn't do her any justice, it still brought out a likeness that Luke had always yearned for as child. His Aunt and Uncle had rarely talked about her, only telling him that she was a beautiful off-worlder who had stayed with them only a while before leaving with his father. His Aunt had once mentioned that she had dark silky hair and brown eyes, but never anything more. Not even her name.
"She looks look you," said Luke softly in her his sister's ear, his eyes never leaving the painting.
"We should go," said Leia quietly, "Pooja is expecting us. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting."
"Of course," said Anakin politely as he followed behind Leia. Luke followed unwillingly, not wanting to leave the only image he had ever beheld of his mother behind as he stole one last glance at her before turning and following the others.
"So Pooja," said Luke catching up the groups, "she's our cousin, right?"
"She's the daughter of Sola, Padme's older sister," said Anakin.
"But she doesn't know that," said Leia reminding everybody, "So don't go blabbing your mouth or anything."
"She might recognize me," said Anakin, "we have met on several occasions before."
"When she was a child," said Leia as she spotted a waving figure from across the bridge.
"Leia!" cried a brunette woman in fashionable clothes as she made her way over the group.
"Pooja," said Leia as the two friends and colleagues wrapped their arms together in a greeting hug.
"I'm so glad that you could make it," said Pooja pulling away, "I was worried when we received news of the battle on Endor, but now I see that you are fine."
"More than fine," said Leia smiling.
"And I see you have brought friends," said Pooja politely as her eyes traveled over the men, her eyes lingering on Anakin's with a slightly shocked expression.
Although Pooja had only been four when she and Anakin met, she was seven when they had last seen each other and old enough to recognize a face, especially the one she and her sister had had a crush on as a child.
"Ani?" she asked not believing her eyes as Anakin smiled down at his niece.
"Pooja," he said bowing to her as he had done when she was child, "you've grown a lot since we last met."
"But h-how?" she asked looking back to Leia for some sort of explanation.
"It's a long story," said Leia sighing, "It'll take a long time to explain."
"One I would like to explain to your family," said Anakin seriously, "there's a lot I have tell you guys."
"Apparently," breathed out Pooja, "all these years we just assumed that you had died in the Purges. My family will be glad to hear that you are alive and well."
Anakin nodded as they set off for the Naberrie house, where Pooja's family including her grandparents lived. Jobal and Ruwee had moved in with Sola and her family only a few months ago and although Pooja and Ryoo no longer lived with them, they still came over occasionally for family dinner.
Pooja told Anakin how hard it was for her grandparents and mother to come to terms with Padme's funeral and how they had never quite healed the scars that her death had brought them. Ruwee had blamed himself for years while Jobal had fallen into deep depression and how Sola had been devastated when she learned of her little sister's death but had slowly healed as time had gone on.
"They'll be so glad to see you," said Pooja as they made their way into the beautiful and elaborate house, "you were one of Aunt Padme's closest friends."
"I am glad to be seeing them as well," said Anakin with a tight smile as an older woman came out to greet Pooja.
The years had been good to Sola seeing as she was still a stunningly beautiful woman despite her greying hair and wrinkled skin. Anakin wondered briefly if this is how he and Padme would look if things had been drastically different.
"Hello mother," said Pooja as they hugged, "I hope you don't mind but I brought a few guests over for dinner."
"Not at all," said Sola as she smiled over at Leia.
"You must be Leia," she said grabbing the Princess's hand, "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise, Mrs. Naberrie," said Leia shaking her hand.
And these are?" asked Sola as she took in each man, her face widening with shock and disbelief upon seeing Anakin among the group.
"This is Luke, Han, and Anakin," said Leia introducing each of the men.
"Anakin Skywalker?" she said clutching a hand to her chest, "h-how?"
"It's a long story," said Anakin stepping forward, "one that I need to tell you and your family."
"O-okay," she said still trying to wrap her mind around it, "you going to explain how you're alive? Or how you haven't aged a day since I last saw you?"
"Both," said Anakin smiling at his sister-in-law.
Sola looked over at Pooja, who shrugged, before turning back and saying, "Well the rest of the family is in the dining room. I'm sure they would love to hear your story as much as I do."
The group followed the two women into the dining hall where Pooja's father, sister, and grandparents all sat around the table smiling as they ate.
"It seems as though we have company," said Sola interrupting everybody as they all turned to look at the new-comers, their eyes widening at the sight of Anakin.
"Ani?" asked Jobal as she shot a glance at her husband before standing up, "is that really you?"
"Jobal," said Anakin in greeting as the poor woman's eyes lit up with shock and surprise.
"My god," breathed Ruwee as he stood up and walked over the younger man, "it really is you."
"In the flesh," said Anakin a little awkwardly as everybody stared at him.
"Oh dear," said Jobal as she motioned for the group to take the extra seat, "please sit down."
"I'm sorry to have intruded like this," said Anakin as he and the other's took their seats.
"Nonsense," said Darred, "we also enjoy company, don't we?"
Anakin smiled lightly, "I'm afraid there are some things I must tell you, but before that I'd like to introduce you to Luke, Leia, and Han," he said nodding over the rest of his group.
"So what do want to tell us?" asked Sola slowly, her eyes narrowing suspiciously when her sister's death came to mind.
"There's a lot that happened and I owe it you to tell you what really happened to Padme," said Anakin carefully as dread filled the air around them.
Jobal closed her eyes and Ruwee's eyes got dark at the mention of his late daughter, "go on."
"When I was assigned to be Padme's protector," began Anakin, "I started to develop feelings for her despite me being a Jedi and her being a Senator. But she too had feelings for me and we fell in love with each other despite our careers and we decided to pursue a relationship."
"She never told us about this," said out Ruwee in surprise and shock as Jobal put a hand on his shoulder.
"With me being a Jedi and her being a Senator it was basically impossible," said Anakin, "so we decided to keep it a secret. After the fight on Geonosis, Padme and I came here and we got married at Varykino in secret with only the priest and our droids as witness."
"You what?" asked Jobal in shock as her hand came up to cover her mouth, "you two were married?"
"Yes," said Anakin truthfully as he took in Ruwee's shocked face.
"I should be surprised," said Sola after a few minutes, "but I'm not. I could tell that you two had feelings for each other, I just didn't know you guys took it this far."
"She didn't even tell us," said Ruwee after a few minutes of silence, "her own family."
"Does this mean that you were the father of her-?" said Jobal with tears in her eyes as she brought up the painful fact that her daughter had apparently died with her baby. It was not something that was ever discussed in the Naberrie family, seeing at it was far too painful and mysterious to ever confront.
"I am the father of her baby, but that is something I will discuss here shortly," said Anakin as he glanced over at Luke, Leia, and Han who were silent as they watched him.
"We were married for three years," began Anakin, "and while I was on a mission to save the Chancellor from the Separatists, he revealed his true nature to me. He took me by surprise and had me frozen in carbonite and replaced with a clone that no one would know what had really happened to me."
Jobal had unshed tears in her eyes as Anakin spoke while Ruwee looked lost and confused, "so you were frozen in carbonite and replaced with a clone? Why?"
"Because Palpatine was the Sith Lord the Jedi had been looking for for years," said Anakin, "he wanted me to be his apprentice but when he figured that I couldn't be turned, he created a clone and had me stashed away so I couldn't thwart his plans."
"So then what?" asked Ruwee, his voice only slightly demanding.
"He ordered the clones to turn on the Jedi and he seized control of the Senate and turned it into the Empire with his new apprentice, Darth Vader."
"What?" asked everybody around the room in shock.
"Darth Vader was your clone?" asked Pooja, appalled with the fact.
"Unfortunately yes," said Anakin as he felt Luke's hand on his arm.
"So how does this tie in with Padme's death?" asked Sola as she took the news with stride, "we were told that the Jedi had killed her, but we never believed it for a second."
"She went into labor after meeting up with Vader on Mustafar," said Anakin, his eyes darkening at the fact, "she thought that I had turned to the dark side and she was in enough distress to cause her to go into labor."
Jobal gasped, "On Mustafar? Vader didn't kill her, did he?"
"No," said Anakin, "Obi-Wan and Vader fought and he managed to incapacitate Vader and then he left him there while he took Padme to Polis Massa. He thought that Vader had died but Palpatine managed to save his life and force him into the infamous black suit that he always wears."
"So that's why he always wore it," muttered Ryoo under her breath.
Anakin took a deep breath as he prepared himself to tell them the most difficult part of the story, "Padme lived long enough to give birth to her twin children before she died."
The room was completely silent as they took in the news with shock and disbelief at the fact that Padme had given birth let alone twins. The coroner that performed Padme's autopsy had assured them that her baby had never been born and they had always believed that her baby rested eternally with her.
"What?!" cried Jobal as she started to sob, tears flowing freely from her brown eyes.
Ruwee had his mouth open as he stuttered for the words, but instead looked like a gold-fish out of water.
"No, no that can't be," said Sola indignantly as she glared over at Anakin, "Padme's baby died with her."
Anakin shook his head, "that's what they told you to protect the twins from the Emperor and Vader. If they had known that my children lived they would've come after them."
"Oh gods," said Sola in shock as she looked over to her crying mother and angry father.
"Who did this?!" he demanded in anger, "who lied to us and took our grandchildren from us?"
"Where are they?" asked Jobal wiping her tears away, "where are my daughter's babies? You must know, you are their father after all."
"Yoda and Obi-Wan separated them for their own good," said Anakin defending their actions, "they were adopted out to different families," said Anakin looking over at his son and daughter, "Luke to Tatooine with my step-family and Leia to Senator Organa and his wife on Alderaan."
All the eyes at the table traveled over to Luke and Leia as they realized that the two individuals were Anakin and Padme's children, the twins.
"Luke and Leia?" asked Jobal as she looked between the two before she started crying tears of joy as she realized that Leia could've only gotten her looks from her mother.
"You look just like your mother," she said looking into Leia's brown eyes, which were the exact same shade that Padme's were.
Leia didn't protest as Jobal wrapped her up in her arms and held her as she cried onto her shoulder before doing the same to Luke.
"All these years," mumbled Ruwee as tears spilled down his eyes as he as well wrapped his arms around his granddaughter and grandson for the first time.
Anakin smiled from his seat as he watched the family reunion take place between his late wife's family and his children. It felt good to finally tell them what had really happened to Padme and her baby and it also felt good to be accepted by them.
Jobal smiled as she made her way over to him and pulled him into her arms like any mother would.
"Thank you," she said as she pulled away from him, "thank you for bringing them back as well as telling us. You don't know what it's like to wonder without an answer for years," she said with sadness lacing her voice.
"Of course," he said smiling as best he could at his mother-in-law, "you were Padme's family, you deserved to know the truth."
"You were Padme's husband," said Ruwee shaking his hand, "and although I am displeased that you two kept it a secret, you're still family."
"Thank you," said Anakin with understanding. He knew that he would be displeased if Leia had done something similar without telling him, and also be hurt that she didn't feel like she could.
"Are you guy's planning on staying?" asked Jobal with hope in her eyes. She had just met her grandchildren, of course she wanted to spend time with them.
Anakin nodded, "they need a break and I need closure."
Jobal and Ruwee nodded in understanding, "we buried her in the Royal Cemetery," said Jobal, "it's beautiful and peaceful, just like she would've wanted."
Anakin nodded stiffly, "she always loved gardens."
Jobal smiled sadly, "she always did."
It was a small comfort to know that Padme had been laid to rest somewhere beautiful and peaceful. He wouldn't have buried her anywhere but Naboo, she wouldn't want to have been anywhere else.
He decided that he would take Luke and Leia to visit their mother first thing in the morning, but for now he would let them get to know the family that they had been stolen from. They seemed so happy as they smiled and listened to the stories of their mother from their grandparents. Luke was entranced with every detail he learned about her and Leia looked proud as Ruwee and Jobal talked about how she got elected as Queen at 14 and what she had done during the blockade of Naboo. He had no doubt that Leia already knew the entire story, but the look on her face as she heard stories about the woman her biological mother was priceless.
Anakin couldn't help but smile at the precious sight of Luke and Leia hang onto every word that was said about their mother. Han was also listening intently as Leia leaned back against his shoulder in contempt.
Han was a good man and he knew that Leia loved him and he was happy that she had found him in all this mess. The look they gave each other was the same one he and Padme would give each other and although it made his heart hurt, he was genuinely happy for them.
This moment right here was precious, and for the first time in a long time, he was happy.