Chapter: The Reunion

Author's note: Okay, the last two chapters received tremendous backlash (on theforce dot net) and seems some of FF readers have the same opinion... Which is fine, it shows that readers are paying attention to the story. Because of the backlash, I decided not to do the twist (even though I loved it) because it doesn't completely gel with the earlier chapters and plotholes galore have abound as mentioned by some of the readers. I may pursue this angle as a different alternate story. At any rate, your reviews do matter, so feel free to share your opinions, whether critical or praise. The new version of this chapter is below.

As always, Thanks for reading. -CG aka HKY

To Anakin's surprise, Mace and Yoda traveled to Coruscant willingly as prisoners of the Republic. Perhaps the comforts of Dagobah, or lack thereof no longer held any appeal for them, Anakin thought with a mischievous smile. A Coruscant prison was paradise compared the simmering swampy planet. It was a shame, what the two Jedi leaders had been reduced to for ten years. Two men who had been privileged, living a life of luxury in the Jedi temple, Yoda for more than 800 years, and Mace, not long after the birth.

They clung to that privilege, despite the Jedi's teachings of detachment. The new Order held no such pretensions. The Jedi were allowed to live as flesh and blood men and women They were allowed to have feelings of passion, love, and even lust. The tenets of the Jedi and the Sith were One. He had balanced the Force.

But privilege was the reason Mace and Yoda refused to let go of the old ways. Thinking themselves above the rest of human and alien kind, Anakin thought with a mental scoff! They had never been poor, like he had, as a child. They would never know what that was like, until life on Dagobah had showed them first hand what others beings had suffered while they were away at the temple, deciding whose lives were worth saving and whose were not.

But Mace and Yoda had other motives for going back to Coruscant. Which was to expose someone, whose evil had gone undetected for many years. Someone who had been painted a victim but had secretly devised the fall of the Republic. Was the person Sith? Mace and Windu could not be sure. They had little proof. But the villain would be exposed and destroyed soon enough.

Luke flowed to their thoughts. The boy had escaped from Dagobah to destroy his father and failed.

Their respective ships landed, and the prisoners compliantly followed Anakin and the storm troopers to the Jedi temple. In the distance Anakin saw Obi Wan, Dorme, a young woman, and the pirate Han Solo tanding outside as the fleet of ships arrived.

Anakin hoped Obi Wan would not greet his former masters as friends, but as enemies to the Republic. He felt a twinge of doubt. What if Obi Wan joined his masters and tried to destroy them together? Obi Wan, Anakin was not certain he could beat. Nor was he certain he'd ever want to.

Anakin's moment of quickly passed, however. He had someone else on his mind. He could feel her, nearby, somewhere in the temple.

He approached the group, and saw that Obi Wan had a look of concern in his eyes, the pirate a wry grin, and the young woman with two large buns on each side of her head, a look of wonder. She raced toward him, a smile on her face, tan linen dress flowing in the breeze. He recognized his daughter instantly.

"Father!" Leia cried.

Anakin broke free of his entourage and rushed to Leia. She leapt into his arms and he spun her around, squeezing her petite body in his arms, relieved she didn't hate him like her brother.

"Leia…" Anakin whispered, smoothing wisps of hair away from her face. "I missed you," he said, suddenly overcome with emotion.

"I missed you too, father. I didn't believe a word they said about you…" she blurted. "I'm proud that you're my father!" she insisted.

Her words hit his heart like a blast from a blaster gun. It was the first time in many years anyone had ever shown him such affection. He hugged her again and Leia pressed her head against his chest.

"But you want to see mother, now… don't you?" she said, looking up to meet his eyes. He knew, her ability to sense feelings was already strong.

"I have to see her, Leia. It's urgent. We'll talk and catch up on old times as soon as I'm done."

"You're not going to fight, are you?" Leia's eyebrows pressed down into a frown.

Anakin looked down. "I'll do the best I can," he answered.

"Please, father…" Leia said as she released his mechanical hand.

"Obi Wan has arranged a homecoming celebration for you and Luke."

"But Luke doesn't want to come home." Then leaning closer and bringing her voice down to a whisper… "He said you were evil. Father, I don't know what to do with him."

"He's doing exactly what I should have done for my mother. Protect her."

Leia released her father and he turned and raced into the temple, having already sensed where Padme waited. He ran to the veranda overlooking the garden just beyond the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

His heart pounded and his blood raced. He stopped to catch his breath, but not because he was tired. When he was done, he composed himself and strode through the veranda doors and lo! Padme stood overlooking the balcony as graceful and elegant as she had ever been.

She wore a sheer sky blue cloak with soft metallic lining. Beneath, he could see a strapless corn silk dress with matching gloves, similar to the leather outfit she wore on Naboo so many years ago when they first fell in love. A thin chain with a wooden charm adorned her neck.

Her hair fell in soft long curls that cascaded down her shoulders and back.

Without turning around, Padme spoke…

"What took you so long?" she said. With a devious countenance she turned and smirked. Her dark brown eyes glowed like amber colored embers in a dying flame. She had waited nervously for several hours, wondering if he would be angry, happy, or even sad. She didn't know what to expect, but seeing him, she recognized the intense look of longing that filled his eyes and was put at ease.

Anakin's heart kicked up a pace. He was so overwhelmed he couldn't speak. "I-- I… missed you so much Padme…" he stuttered. He strode to her, but was surprised when Padme backed away.

"Don't' come near me," she warned.

Anakin caught her by the arm and cupped her chin.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you a proper greeting," he answered. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "You're still mad at me," he observed.

Padme turned her head and gazed into Coruscant's darkening sky. "There are things that must be settled between us. Once and for all."

"If you think I'm going to let you go, the answer is no."

"It's not your choice, Anakin. I'm tired of everyone making decisions for me. Deciding where I go, where I should stay, what my children should learn."

"If you mean Master Yoda and Master Windu, I've already taken care of them. They're going to pay for kidnapping the woman I love and my children. They did it to get back at me. They should be executed for what they did!"

"Stop it!" Padme said. "Don't talk like that. Master Yoda and Master Windu deserve to be set free. I decided to stay on Dagobah. It was my choice."

"Then you're responsible for turning my children against me…" Anakin said.

"You did that on your own."

"I faked your death? I hid on a remote planet for ten years?" he answered, chest rising and falling breathlessly.

"You're hurting me…"

Padme shrugged out of his mechanical grasp and rubbed her arm. She started toward across the veranda, and without looking over her shoulder knew he was hot on her heels.

"Don't walk away from me," he demanded.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him again. "Where are you going?"

"To get my life back!" Padme said.

"Without me?"

He squeezed her wrists, pinning them against his chest. His mechanical hand locked around them like handcuffs.

"I don't want to hate you Anakin."

"You don't hate me, Padme. You love me. You always will."

"Not when you're like this."

"Like what?" he roared. "Do you love someone else? Is that why you ran away? Who is it? Mace Windu? I'll kill him-"

"Stop it, Anakin!"

The look in her eyes stopped him cold in his tracks. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't' lose it, and already he'd gone off the deep end. What was it about Padme that made him insane? Pushed him so far over the edge that he didn't realize what he was doing? That he was hurting her?

Composing himself, he let her go. "I'm-I'm sorry," he begged. "If you want to go…"

"Is something wrong?" a voice called.

Anakin tore his eyes away from Padme's face and looked toward the door. Obi Wan walked out and met them on the veranda.

"The festivities have begun. You may find it a little embarrassing, Senator Amidala, but all of Coruscant have been apprised of your return. The news that you're still alive has been wildly exciting. Everyone is happy to see you."

Collecting herself, Padme forced a smile. "Thank you, Obi Wan," she replied, accepting his extended hand.

"Anakin? You are coming to the celebration?"

Anakin met Padme's eyes, a quiet warning within them. "Padme was just explaining the circumstances surrounding her disappearance."

"Oh, Anakin. Let us discuss that bit of dreary news another time. There is much to be grateful for and plenty of celebrating to do."

Anakin reluctantly nodded and followed Obi Wan and Padme down the hall.