So, it is my firm belief that such deep-rooted issues as Anakin clearly have in the canon, these issues - lessened as they obviously are by circumstances in this set-up - would not just go away without effort, regardless of context. Anakin's thoughts in this chapter reflect this belief.

TapTap

Qui-Gon watched indulgently as Leia floated a teddy bear to join them as they settled into her bed for a story. Now almost eight years old, the twins had finally gotten proper bedrooms of their own, instead of sleeping together in a bigger bed. (Perfect as that had been for nightmare handling and bedtime reading.)

Now, Leia had picked out a book (Qui-Gon was not any better and floated that over, too, himself) and the two settled in for a long-time favourite story about a dragon-slaying princess.

Meanwhile, in Luke's bedroom, Obi-Wan was recounting a story about a young Jedi facing impossible odds and winning every time. Said hero was called Luke, naturally, or sometimes Anakin instead. Anakin's stories were all his own - they had gotten out of some tight spots over the years - but little Luke didn't know that most of the other stories were originally Qui-Gon's stories: and the hero was usually either Carriel, or possibly a mix of other adventures, more or less made up.

Carriel herself, was also misusing her powers, in her case floating a series of small, coloured stones to entertain an increasingly sleepy two-year old. Anakin and Padme's youngest child, Quiwan, (Properly, Carriel suspected it ought to be "Qui-Wan", considering the name's origins, but no one pronounced it that way. Maybe they would if he chose to ever be a Jedi) was a pretty child, even more so than his admittedly beautiful sister and already handsome older brother, and everyone seemed united in the firm conviction that the child would grow up to be a heartbreaker one day.

"Like his mysterious father," someone had once whispered, only to get such a look from Anakin that nobody dared ever breathe a word of that suspicion again. He thought it was endlessly amusing, and Carriel rather agreed. So, it seemed, did Qui-Gon and Yoda, while Padme and Obi-Wan (like the two of them usually did) chose to be adults.

Anakin was standing out on the balcony off of the Queen's official suite, breathing in the cooling night air. It had been almost five years since he first came to live on Naboo, but it still seemed strange to him. He was endlessly glad that hic children got to grow up here, that his wife got to return home to stay, and when she expected Qui-Wan he had suffered from none of the vicious nightmares which had scared him so the previous time. Lucky, was the word he'd use to describe all the chances he'd gotten and the way his life had played out.

Yet, sometimes there was still a hollow feeling in his chest, as if he had not yet quite found his purpose. He had confided as much to Qui-Gon, who had been sympathetic of his feelings, but also hinted that this was probably a problem to do with youth. Considering it had seemed to lessen with time; what at some nights had once been empty and hollow in his heart could now be effortlessly chased away by one touch of Padme, well, he was still young, maybe, but he was old enough for sure to realise that maybe Qui-Gon had a point.

He had found his space, after all. It was not perfect - half the people of Naboo still considered him a formality in the fringes of his own family - but it was certainly more than close enough. He was content, if not entirely at peace. Yet.

"Anakin?" Padme was not surprised to find her husband out on their balcony - it was common enough that she tended to be startled to find him in bed instead - nor was she worried like she might have been a few years ago. There was a slight darkness to Anakin sometimes, that fear Yoda had first sensed in him, perhaps, but she could no longer guess at it when looking at him. The steadiness of a few more years suited Anakin eminently well, and she was certain she'd only grow more attracted to him, as well as impressed. Just like she had so far.

He had a childishly rebellious streak, to be sure, but then so did she; and she found herself actually hoping that their children had inherited it as well. With Qui-Gon around to teach them mischievousness, it was certainly being cultivated.

Back in the now, as three Jedi read bed time stories to their children, Anakin turned to face her with a smile, welcoming her into his arms with a thoughtful naturalness which made her heart hurt with happiness. They still had things to face and battles to fight, she did not doubt it, but they had so much to be grateful for.