CHAPTER 29

Luke and his father had been busy constructing a new lightsaber for nearly 2 hours. By the time they returned to the sick bay, Anakin felt a familiar presence in the Force; Padmé was awake.

"Anakin, a word with you please," Piett called as he saw the two Skywalkers coming down the corridor.

"You go ahead, Luke," Anakin instructed his son. "I'll catch up to you in moment."

Luke did not need to be told twice, for he was as anxious as hs father to see how Padmé was.

"What is it?" Anakin asked.

"We received a message from Coruscant a moment ago," Piett related. "It seems the emperor is indeed alive, and is threatening to send his personal flotilla of TIE fighters to destroy this vessel if you do not surrender yourself immediately."

Anakin snorted in response. "Let him try," he replied. "A swarm of gnats against a rancor. I will be paying the emperor a visit; he needn't be concerned about that."

Piett couldn't help but smile. "So what message should I send in response?"

"Tell him to send his fleet," Anakin replied. "If he thinks he can intimidate me again, he's got another thing coming. That will serve my purpose as well, for he will not expect us if we refuse his order.'

Piett nodded. "Very good, sir," he approved. "I shall be sure that the shields are at maximum power and our gunners are ready for a fight."

"They could use the practice," Anakin replied as he walked away, hearing Piett chuckle to himself as he did so.

Anakin stopped in the doorway of the sickbay, uncertain if he ought to intrude upon the reunion within. Luke and Leia sat on either side of Padmé's bed, each of them holding one of her hands as she looked up at each of them in turn, her dark eyes shining with love and joy. Anakin watched as each of his children expressed their relief and joy at seeing their mother alive.

He felt his heart ache to think that it was he who responsible for keeping the three of them apart for so long. If he had only listened to his wife on that day so long ago when she had begged him to come away with him, how different everyone's life would have turned out. He would have been there to see his children as they took their first steps, learned to string words together into a sentence, to hear them call him Daddy…

But no...You chose the Darkness instead...you chose Palpatine over your family... Anakin could feel the rage bubbling up within him, making him wonder if indeed he had eradicated the Darkness from him completely. The hatred he felt for Palpatine was powerful, and potent, and filled his soul utterly, pushing out anything and everything else at that moment, his whole being bent on revenge…and then Padmé's eyes met his.

That moment he felt his anger melt away, retreat into the shadows of Darkness that still lingered around his battered heart. She had always been the only one to keep his demons at bay; when he lost her, all hope of redemption had been lost as well. But now she was back. She was alive. And she was looking at him as she once had, all those years ago. I am not worthy of her...not after everything I've done. I was never worthy of her.

Anakin stepped into the room; his steps had never been so unsure, and moved over to where his wife lay watching him.

"Hello," he said simply, awkwardly. His hand moved to run it through his hair, a gesture he had used when he'd had a full head of thick unruly hair, a gesture of nervousness, of self doubt. Now all he felt was the blond stubble that had begun to sprout on his newly healed scalp.

"Hello," Padmé replied. Anakin could sense that she did not know what to call him, whether he was truly Anakin Skywalker, or, despite his appearance, still the Dark Lord who had ripped her life apart.

"How are you feeling?" he asked the awkwardness reaching palpable proportions.

"I'm okay," she replied. "Better."

"What did he do to you?" he asked bluntly.

Padmé was taken aback by his directness. "He…I was drugged," she replied. "He found me months ago and kept me prisoner. He was trying to find out what I knew about Luke," she said looking at her son. "If I knew where he was. I didn't know anything, but he didn't believe me. I think if you hadn't shown up when you did…." She stopped as the horror of her ordeal overwhelmed her.

Anakin frowned; the images and terror she felt flooding through his mind, infuriating him. "Palpatine will pay for what he has done to you, Padmé," he replied, the anger simmering just under the surface. "He will not get away with this."

Padmé was troubled by the look in his eyes, the look of anger that reminded her of that horrible day so long ago. Who was he? Had he been redeemed? Or was there still a Sith lurking behind those brilliant blue eyes?

"Luke told me," she said, looking at her son. "I wish you would reconsider this…"

"There is no other way, Padmé," Anakin interrupted. "He does not understand anything but violence, and so he shall have it. I swore upon your empty grave that I would avenge you, Padmé, you and our children. And that is exactly what I intend to do." He turned his eyes to his son. "It's time, Luke," he said.

Luke nodded. "I'm coming," he said. He turned back to his mother and smiled at her. "It'll be okay," he told her softly. "I know he is angry right now, but he truly has changed, Mother. I know it. I can feel it."

Padmé nodded, trying to take comfort in her son's declaration. "Be careful," she said, touching his face.

Luke took his mother's hand and kissed her palm. "I will," he said. He turned to his sister. "Take care of each other," he said as he stood up.

Leia stood up to face her brother. "Please be careful Luke," she said, embracing him tightly.

"I will," he told his sister. "See you soon."

Leia released her brother and looked at the doorway where her father was waiting. She wished she had it in her to reach out to him, but still could not quite manage to do it. She still saw glimpses of Vader in him, no matter what he looked like on the outside.

"Ready?" Luke asked as he met his father at the doorway.

Anakin nodded. "Yes, I'm ready." He looked back up at his daughter and his wife. "We'll be back soon," he said, trying to sound optimistic.

Leia nodded. "Good luck," she said simply.

Anakin smiled, knowing the effort it took for her to even say that much. "Thank you," replied. Then he and Luke turned and left the room.

Leia turned back to her mother, who seemed lost in thought.

"He has changed," Padmé said thoughtfully. "Hasn't he, Leia? He's not Vader anymore, is he?"

Leia turned back to where her father had stood mere moments ago. "I hope not," she said softly. "I truly hope not."