This chapter has been sitting around on my flashdrive for weeks until I just remembered I did it. Sorry for the long delay! But hopefully the last chapter will be up much sooner since I realize how close I am to finishing.

Enjoy!

-DFD

Chapter 24

Anakin trembled as the droids moved around him, checking everything- vitals, reactions, and organ function… everything. His eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail all the while Padme stood by his side, her hand never leaving his. He would occasionally give it a squeeze and look at her, as if to confirm it was real before returning to looking around the room. The droid came to hover in front of them, "You seem to be in good health, Master Skywalker." It said, "My analysis tells me you have been in a state of suspended animation for approximately 508.897 days. Because of that, your body will need time to readjust." The droid pauses, waiting for a response from him, but Anakin remained silent.

"How long should that take?" Padme asked when it was obvious he wasn't going to respond.

"Approximately forty-five days or so. There will be certain tests and exercises he will need to complete two hours everyday for the duration of the rehabilitation." The droid responded, "We will start tomorrow to ensure Master Skywalker is well rested and not put through unnecessary traumas." Padme nodded and watched as the droid hovered away from them.

Turning her attention to her husband, she noticed the knit in his brow and the rapid blinking of his eyes, "How are you feeling?" She asked.

He shook his head and brought his hand to his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Confused." He said, "I… My memories of the past year are… confusing. They overlap weirdly and I… its hard to organize it all." He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head, "And my body just feels so heavy."

"You just need to get used to it again." Padme said, "Everything will go back to normal soon, I promise." She said with a smile as she rubbed his back.

Anakin's eyes went wide before his head whipped to look at her, "Serena." He said, "Where- I have-" He went to stand but Padme gripped his shoulder and pushed him back to sit down.

"She's alright." She said, "She's staying with my parents." Padme explained, and a small smile graced her face, "And she's helping them out with our babies." Her eyes train on his as he absorbs the information. His eyes go wide and his jaw drops.

"Baby?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Wait, babies? You said babies? As in, plural?"

Padme smiled and nodded her head, "Twins." She explained, sliding her hands up his arms to wrap around his neck, "I… while you were…" Her gaze drops for a moment, "I found out I was pregnant some time after you were taken." She said, her eyes finding his again, "We have a son, Luke. And a daughter, Leia. I was desperate to find you, I was afraid that… that they would grow up without their father." Leaning forward she rests her forehead against his, "You have no idea how happy I am that you're alright."

Anakin brought his hands to encircle her waist, pulling her closer to him, "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been," He said, "I would have been lost without you." Gently, he pressed his lips to hers and she eagerly returned his kiss, her fingers gripping his hair tightly. They stayed like that for several minutes, both desperate to make up for lost time. But as a service droid entered the room, they reluctantly pulled away.

"Your pardon." The droid said, "I have brought clean clothes for you, Master Skywalker." It said as it came forward and placed the clothes on the table next to him before leaving.

Anakin slid off of the table, bracing his hand against it to help keep him steady as he unlaced his shredded pants and let them slide to the floor. He tried to get the new clean pair of pants on by himself, but it was a nearly impossible task with how physically weak he felt. Without a word about it, Padme helped him get them on, one leg at a time. He looked away as she helped him, slightly ashamed at how he can't even do a simple task on his own but he was still grateful for her help. With the pants now bunched at his knees, he carefully pulled them up with one hand before getting back on the table so he could lace them. Pulling his feet up onto the table, he pulled on the pair of tall black boots.

Obi-Wan walked in just as he was finishing pulling on a black tunic. "I'm glad to see you are well." He said, "I was worried the year of captivity would have had more dire consequences."

Anakin smiled, "Is that saying having two memories of the past year and barely able to dress myself is not a dire consequence?"

The older Jedi returned his smile, "No, but I imagined someone as sadistic as Palpatine would have done something far worse."

The smile on his face fell as his eyes met the ground. The mention of the Emperor is an all too clear reminder that the war is far from won and brings up the issue of what to do next. They don't even know where he is. Padme had explained her near execution and how the Emperor had escaped. But where did he go? Anakin feels a firm hand on his shoulder and looks up to see Obi-Wan clasping it, "Don't worry about that." He said, well aware what his former apprentice was thinking about, "We'll find him. But in the mean time, I think it's about time you got some real food." He said with a smile.

His stomach rumbled in agreement as he got down from the table. Slinging his arm over Obi-Wan's shoulder, he lets the man help him walk down the hall to the cafeteria. Anakin remains mostly quiet throughout the meal as he feasts on whatever he can. He always had an almost insatiable appetite and after being fed intravenously for a year, to be able to actually eat again is a dream for him. Obi-Wan informs him that Ahsoka had been asked to go to Naboo to meet with some informants to gather information on Imperial movements. Apparently the forces there have started to disappear, leaving some to wonder if the Emperor is pushing his forces to a more strategic point. And as it is convenient she will be there, she also plans to pick up his children and the droids and bring them back to the fleet.

His children. Anakin smiles at the thought of seeing Serena again, of making things right between them since the last time they spoke had not gone very well. And he is even more excited to meet his other children. The ones who's births he missed- who's first year he had missed. Never again, he swears. Never again will he miss a single day of his children's lives. Looking over to Padme he can't even express how grateful he is that she never gave up on him.

[][][][]

Ahsoka dropped out of hyperspace far enough away from Naboo that if there were still Imperials in the area her ship would not be detected. Yet as she drew closer, it seemed that precaution was utterly unnecessary. Nowhere near the planet was there even a single Imperial ship. The space around the planet looked almost deserted. There were no other incoming transports at all. Their contacts were right that the whole thing was strange, and she had a bad feeling about the entire trip.

Landing in front of the palace in Theed, she is greeted by the leaders of the Naboo Resistance along side the Queen who had been secretly aiding the rebels to the best of her limited ability. Ahsoka bowed to them in respect. "You should not have come." The Queen said, "Or at the very least you should have brought a fleet."

Ahsoka shrugged, "I'm just here to investigate what is going on." She responded, "If there is cause to believe the Empire will strike, then we'll bring the fleet. We lack the numbers to just send them where we feel threatened."

The Queen shook her head, "Don't you see? We are threatened." She said, "The Emperor is on the Death Star. And it's coming here."

[][][][]

Anakin sat in the detention block's meeting room. Across the table, Vader sat dressed in a red prison jumpsuit with his hands bound in front of him. Anakin sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. This was weird. Everything was weird. He was sitting across from a scarred Sith version of himself and he had no idea why. He remembers Vader from his Alpha memories and he had been curious about the whole 'evil clone' thing that had happened. But now as he sits there staring at him, he wonders why he even bothered to begin with. This clone was nothing like him and there were only traces of Alpha's personality in him, though he supposes a lifetime of cruel training has something to do with his dark attributes.

"So…" He starts, "You're Vader…"

"And you're…" Vader pauses for a moment, "I guess you're sort of my father?"

Anakin laughs awkwardly, "Don't call me that," He says, "It's just… weird."

Vader nods his head, "Understood."

Anakin lets out a heavy sigh, "Um… I guess I should thank you… for not killing my wife and kids, and my friends," He scratches the back of his neck, "And for helping getting me back to them."

Vader nods once again, "It was… the right thing to do." He said, "Though I do wonder what happens to me now." He held up his bound hands, "Is this what I get for doing the right thing?"

Anakin's brow furrows as he thinks about it. Padme had told him how the idea of clones of him running around is a little creepy to her and he can't blame her. Even now it makes him uncomfortable. "I… don't know." He said after a moment, "This… really isn't my decision."

"And if it were?"

Now he knew why he was asking. Vader wanted to know what he thought about it. What he would do. Anakin shifted in his seat. What could he say? There was no way for him to say what he wanted to without causing offence.

"You don't agree with my methods, do you?" He asked after Anakin was silent for too long, "You don't care what happens to me so long as I'm gone."

Anakin opens his mouth to retort, but no words come out. It was unfortunately true on some level, though put very bluntly. "Uh… Not exactly…" He says, hoping he can smooth things over a little, "I just… take it from my perspective. This entire thing is just… weird. There really is no other way to describe it. I wake up with two sets of memories in my head, and with so much going on right now, I haven't had time to think about everything." He pauses and scratches his neck again, "I just… I think just given that I'm really in no position to make big decisions like that."

Vader's eyes narrow at him, "You say that, but I know you've already made your mind up about me and my brothers." He said, "You and your whore of a wife can think what you want, but I won't let your opinions on us force us into an unfavorable position."

Anakin matched Vader's glare, "I suggest you speak with caution when you bring up my wife." He threatened.

The Sith scoffed, "What are you going to do about it? You're in no shape to fight me. I'd beat you."

"Then I'd suggest you watch your back. Because once I'm well enough, you'll wish you hadn't said a word."

Vader made to retort but before he could, the door to the room opened on Anakin's side. Obi-Wan entered, his hands folded in the sleeves of his cloak. The Jedi's eyes met his for a moment before meeting Anakin's.

"We have to cut this meeting short," He said, "Something's come up."

Anakin nodded at his former master and met Vader's gaze once more before letting Obi-Wan help him to his feet. He was better at walking on his own. After only a few hours of being back on solid ground, he had already nearly mastered walking again, though much slower than he used to. Getting up and sitting down as still difficult, but its only a matter of time before he is well again.

[][][][]

Padme stood in the conference room surrounded by the other rebel leaders and high ranking officers. They were all bickering over what to do about the latest development and what they should do. Many thought the best thing to do was to confront the Empire now- to take their fleet and engage them fully before they can do anything on Naboo. But there were also those that felt the risk was too great and that as much as they hated it, the best thing to do was to go into hiding until they were up to strength. Padme closed her eyes to block out the fighting. Her opinion on the matter was extremely biased. Naboo is her home- her family is there- her children are there; even if the rebels agree to leave things be, she cannot. She would get on the first ship she could and fly home, never mind the Death Star in orbit there.

Anakin fortunately arrived just as Mon Mothma called for everyone's attention. He came to stand next to her, a knit in his brow, silently asking her what's wrong. She says nothing and simply takes his flesh hand in both of hers, squeezing it tightly.

"By now, most of you have probably heard what Ahsoka reported." Mon started, "But to clarify, the Death Star is now in orbit above Naboo. We haven't received any demands, but it is clear what they want. They want us to fight and die, or surrender and die, else they will destroy Naboo." Mothma pauses to let her words sink in as quiet whispers break out in the room. Anakin looks at Padme, his eyes wide and worried for Ahsoka and the children. "Please." She calls, raising her hand for silence, "We all know what happened to Alderaan, what happened to Bail Organa. Do we really want this to happen again?"

"What are you suggesting?" One of the officers shouted from the back of the room, "How do we defeat a station that can blow up a planet?"

Mothma closes her eyes, "I don't know. But if we don't do something, we will lose another planet. Millions of innocent people will die. Is that really the legacy we wish to leave? The Rebel Alliance fights for the freedom and the rights of people, doing nothing, is the same as abandoning everything we stand for." Hushed murmurs of agreement could be heard in the crowd, but there were still those who disagreed. "We need a plan, a way to combat this monstrous station. Do we have any ideas? Any at all?"

The rebels in the room shouted ideas back and fourth, each one more drastic than the last as they worked on finding a way to win. "Ani." Padme said, pulling his attention to her. Her question was clearly visible in her eyes. What about the children? What are they going to do?

Anakin closed his eyes as his mind raced to come up with something, but he is still far from being able to do much, let alone fight in a battle. But… he had been on the Death Star before… not as Anakin, but as Alpha. He had hacked into the ship before. His eyes shot open. He had been on the ship; he had seen its layout, its schematics. There had to be a weak point, and he had seen it. He can't remember clearly because he hadn't been looking for it that time, but if there was a weakness, his mind was the key.

"What is it?" Padme asked, knowing the look on his face well. He had a plan.

Anakin turned to her and smiled before pulling her with him up to where Mothma was standing.

"I think I can find the station's weakness." He said simply, and that was all she needed to hear to give him her full and undivided attention.

[][][][]

Ahsoka stared at the station orbiting the planet. It cast a dark shadow over the entire city and forced most people in doors to avoid it. But not her. She had somewhere to be. Walking down the main streets of Theed, she made her way to Padme's family home. When she was within a blocks distance of the home, she watched as the door burst open and Serena came running towards her. "What's happening?" the girl asked.

"Nothing good." She said simply, "Nothing good at all. We need to get all of you onto a ship now. I'm taking you to your dad."