Chapter 10: Redemption

Padmé woke up with a sigh, smiling when she felt her husband's arms wrapped protectively around her waist. When she heard noises coming from the monitor by the bed she carefully moved out form under her husband's arms. She pulled her robe on and made her way down the hall to the babies' room.

Entering the nursery, she smiled as she walked over and looked at her children. "Good morning," she cooed softly at them. Smiling she lifted Leia up into her arms, kissing her forehead. "You're the fussy one hm?" she asked. Leia let out a little noise before grabbing at her mother's long brown curls. Smiling, she kissed her daughter's forehead again before walking over to the changing table.

After putting her daughter in a clean diaper, she put her in a little pale purple dress before kissing her cheeks. "You're so precious," she cooed softly at her gurgling daughter. Smiling she placed Leia into her swing before walking over to Luke who was now wide awake. "You want attention now?" she cooed softly as she lifted Luke up into her arms. Luke let out a little noise before his tiny hands grasped the front of her nightgown. "Yes you are always the hungry one," she commented softly as she sat down in the rocking chair.

While Padmé was busy with the twins, Anakin was struggling against his dreams. Waking up with a gasp he sat up from bed. His head and torso was covered in sweat. Letting out a shaky breath he put his head in his hands as he tried to calm himself. Climbing out of bed he pulled on a shirt before standing out on the balcony. Clasping his hands behind his back he closed his eyes as he began to meditate to try to calm his frazzled nerves. "Master Skywalker there are too many of them what are we going to do?" the little boy's words echoed in his head.

Unable to concentrate on his meditation, he sat down on the marble floor with his hands buried into his hair. "I'm a monster, I am truly a monster," he told himself. The screams of the younglings he had murdered echoed through his head. Swallowing hard he lowered his head as his eyes closed, his guilt for his crime gripping him.

Padmé walked back into the bedroom to find her husband not in his bed. Looking up she saw that the balcony doors were open and went outside, expecting to find him meditating. Stepping outside, she didn't find him in his usual position meditating she looked to her side to find him sitting on the ground with his head in his hands. "Ani, what is it?" she asked worriedly as she kneeled in front of him.

"I'm a murderer," he told his wife his voice low and broken.

She placed her hand on the back of his neck. "Why are you here with me? Why? I killed so many people. I killed children Padmé! You should be wanting to keep Luke and Leia away from me. I don't deserve to be part of their lives," he told her. Shaking her head slowly she tried to grab a hold of his hands but he wouldn't budge.

"No, I'm not going to do that to you," she answered.

"Why? I deserve that much punishment. I deserve to be hated and unwanted, I deserve it all," he told her.

Still shaking her head, this time she was able to pry his hands from his hair. "Anakin, look at me," she insisted forcing him to look up.

"You should hate me," he answered.

"I don't hate you. Anakin, we can't change the decisions we have made in our past. No matter how hard we wish for it, it is done and it can't be undone. You can however, is try to show the galaxy that you are that good person everyone remembers you by again," she explained.

Anakin leaned forward, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "I see the children in my dreams, Padmé. I hear their screams in my head. I see myself killing people that I once called my friends," he explained.

"You made a mistake," she whispered.

"I made several thousands of mistakes that night," he answered.

"Palpatine used you against us. We were betrayed Anakin, someone told him that we were married and he used that against you," she told him pulling back.

Letting out a shaky breath, he closed his eyes as he lowered his head. "I love you Anakin. I love you and our children love you. Their eyes light up like fireworks when you walk into the room," she added. He sat in silence for a little while longer before he suddenly got up off the ground. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have to prove to one person that I am trying to change," he told his wife as he began to change into his Sith robes.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'll return as soon as I can," he replied.

He kissed her gently before leaving.

Arriving on the Star Destroyer, Anakin got off the ship with Piett right behind him. "Welcome back Lord Vader," Ozzle greeted.

"Set a course for Alderaan," Anakin replied without a second glance.

"Right away my lord," Ozzle answered.

"And I want a full status report on the ship," he ordered.

"Right away," Ozzle answered.

Anakin made his way to one of his private rooms to send a message to Sidious.

When they arrived at Alderaan, Anakin made his way to the main hanger. "Lord Vader, are you sure you don't need to be accompanied?" Ozzle asked.

"I have no need of bodyguards Ozzle just stay on this ship," he ordered.

"Yes my Lord," he answered.

Anakin got on the ship and piloted the ship toward Alderaan.

Landing on the platform, Anakin got up and walked down the ramp to see Bail Organa waiting for him. "Lord Vader, what a surprise," he commented.

"Thank you Viceroy, we have much to discuss," Anakin answered.

"Of course, right this way if you please," Bail told him.

Anakin followed the Viceroy inside and looked around. "What brings you to our peaceful planet?" Bail asked.

"I am here looking for a child Viceroy," Anakin replied his hands behind his back as he spoke.

"A child?" Bail asked curiously.

Anakin nodded his head slowly when he looked outside to see Breha Organa sitting in the gardens with a smile on her face as a little girl ran up to her with a flower in her hand. "And that would be the child," he commented.

"That child? That's my daughter, Amara," Bail told the young man.

Anakin looked at the Viceroy. "I am well aware that you took that girl from the Jedi Temple during the purge," he informed. Bail cleared his throat as he stood by the window watching his wife play with the child.

"Lord Vader please have mercy on the child. Especially for my wife, she has grown attached to the girl," he answered.

"She is still a Jedi in training," Anakin told him.
"If I may, she hasn't used her abilities since the night of the purge. She is too afraid to even want to become a Jedi anymore, please Vader. Let her stay here, let her live a normal life with Breha and me," Bail insisted.

Anakin shook his head slowly. "Bail, I have no desire to hurt the child. I just want to bring her home to her sister who believes I have murdered her sister. I have turned from the Dark Side, Viceroy. I am once more Anakin Skywalker working undercover for Sidious so I can keep my position as head of the Imperial Army," he explained. Bail stared at him in disbelief.

"And why should I believe you?" he asked.

"Because I know that Padmé Amidala is still alive," Anakin replied as they walked down the hall.

"She truly isn't dead?" Bail asked.

"No, she is alive and well. She is back home," Anakin replied while he watched as Breha lifted the giggling girl into her lap, tickling her.

Anakin let out a deep breath. "I would like to speak to your wife," he informed.

"You will not," Bail answered.

"I just need to talk to her about the girl," he answered.

"Amara has traumatized enough in her young life. She doesn't need to see you," Bail told him.

"I mean her no harm," Anakin answered.

"Do you think she will understand that? She's only four," Bail pointed out.

Anakin looked back at the girl before nodding his head slowly. "I understand," he answered.

"I hope you do, we're still calming her when she screams at night. You might've freed her from death, Vader…" Bail started.

"Don't call me than anymore," Anakin answered.

Bail nodded his head slowly. "My answer remains the same, you won't be seeing the girl," he informed.

"Then I'll find a way to bring her sister here, because she believes that I murdered her as well as the rest of the children," Anakin answered.

During the conversation, they didn't hear the door open. Little Amara ran in with a smile. "Daddy! Look!" she exclaimed as she ran over to Bail. Seeing the girl sprint over to Bail with a smile, Anakin pulled his hood over his head as he moved back into the shadows.

"What do you have precious?" he asked squatting in front of her.

The little girl smiled as she opened her clasped hands to reveal a tiny bird. "Did you catch that?" Bail asked.

"No, it landed in my hands," she replied.

Breha was standing behind her with a smile. "Who was here?" she asked as she lifted the little girl up into her arms. Anakin closed his eyes, lowering his head a little.

"He was here," Bail replied, refusing to say his name so he wouldn't scare his daughter.

"Is he still here?" she asked.

"Who mama?" Amara asked as she played with the necklace around her mother's neck.

"No one sweetheart," Breha replied.

Bail went to look over at Anakin when he saw that he was gone.

Walking towards the door, Anakin saw R2-D2 standing there. "Did you get what we needed Artoo?" he asked.

"Whirl, whirl," the droid answered.

Anakin made sure his hood was still over his head. "Let's go home," he murmured as they went back to the ship.

When they arrived back at the Lake Country, Anakin got out of the boat after lifting the droid back onto the dock. Padmé was waiting at the top of the stairs with Luke in her arms. "Where did you go?" she asked.

"Where's Sidara?" he asked.

"She's training, what's going on?" Padmé asked.

He kissed her gently, his hand on the side of her neck. Pulling away, he kissed the top of Luke's head. "What's going on?" she asked a little stunned by his greeting.

"I'm going to show her that I didn't harm Maila," he told her.

She gave him a quizzical look as they went inside.

Sidara was training with Dacken when Anakin walked in. "What do you want?" Sidara demanded.

"You wanted proof that your sister was alive?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, but I know it's something you don't have,' she replied.

Anakin looked down at the Astrodroid. "Artoo, show her the evidence," he instructed the droid. The little droid made a few beeping noises before a light came from his lense and a hologram appeared on the table. Sidara's eyes widened when she saw the hologram of her little sister playing in a garden while a woman was watching her with a smile.

"Maila!" she gasped as she kneeled in front of the table.

"Her name is now Amara Organa and she is in the care of Bail and Breha Organa on Alderaan," Anakin informed.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the hologram. "She really is alive," she whispered.

"I tried to bring her here for you, but Bail was right, she wouldn't understand that I am not that person who killed her friends that night," Anakin explained.

Sidara sniffled before looking at Anakin. "Thank you," she murmured. Padmé rested her hand on her husband's shoulder with a small smile. Anakin kissed the side of his wife's head with small smile.

"I'm proud of you," she murmured.

Anakin smiled, resting his forehead against the side of her head while holding Luke's tiny hand.