Chapter 54
Hospital in Theed
An awkward silence ensued for what felt like several minutes, as Anakin digested this unexpected news. Luke and Leia looked at one another, each of them sensing the ambivalence within their father. Padmé wasn't force sensitive, but she could see how her spouse felt and frowned.
"Ani, you don't need to do this," she said, wrapping her hands around his forearm protectively. "You're under enough stress. You don't need this confrontation right now."
Anakin looked up at his wife, seeing the worry in her eyes. "I can't avoid him forever, Padmé," he reminded her.
"Of course not," Padmé agreed. "But once you're well, once your heart is repaired...I just don't think this is a good time."
"I completely agree," Leia spoke up. "Tell him to leave, Luke," she added. "This isn't the time or the place."
Luke looked at his father, still waiting for him to say something. "Father?" he asked finally.
"Tell him to come in, Luke," Anakin said finally. Leia and Padmé both turned to look at him in surprise. "It'll be okay," he told them both. "Don't worry."
The two women looked at each other with a frown, neither of them liking the situation. Yet, they said nothing, knowing that it was not their decision to make.
Anakin sat up, not wanting to appear an invalid, and waited for Luke to return with Obi-Wan.
"Do you want us to stay?" Padmé asked him.
"No," Anakin told her. "I think it would be better if he and I were alone. We both have a lot to say," he added.
Padmé nodded, and then left the room with Leia. Anakin waited for the door to close behind her, and then pushed the covers back and got out of bed. He stood up and walked over to the window, anxiety filling him as he waited. And then he sensed a presence he'd not felt in a life time. Obi-Wan..
"Hello Anakin."
Anakin turned to face his onetime master, his onetime best friend. Neither man said a word as they faced each other for the first time in two decades.
"You're looking well," Obi-Wan said finally. "I ...I came to Bespin when you were in stasis," he went on. "It's truly miraculous," he added.
Anakin nodded, but still wasn't able to find the words he needed to say. "I...I don't know what to say," he admitted finally. "I want to say so much, but...I don't have the words to say it. I don't know that such words even exist."
Obi-Wan nodded, understanding completely. "We both have a lot to say, Anakin," he replied. "Perhaps we ought to simply start with, I'm sorry."
Anakin felt a tightening in his throat at the sound of those simple words. A lifetime of memories rushed to mind, growing up with Obi-Wan as his mentor, his father figure, his best friend...good times, memories of laughter, of adventure, of dangers shared...and then Mustafar...
"I'm sorry too," Anakin said finally, his voice betraying his emotions. "Sorry isn't really good enough, though," he added, looking away. "There are no words, Obi-Wan," he added, looking out the window again. His fists tightened as he fought to keep control of his emotions. "No words can express how I feel about what I did, about what I became."
Obi-Wan watched his former padawan, sensing the tremendous guilt within him. More than that, he sensed the changes in Anakin as well. The darkness that had destroyed him was all but gone, with only traces of it left, barely perceptible.
"Your children tell me that you are planning a joint venture with the Rebel Alliance," Obi-Wan commented, deciding to change the subject. There was still much to say, more than either man knew how to put into words. And yet, it seemed that the time wasn't right for such a talk, there were more pressing matters that needed discussing.
Anakin looked back at Obi-Wan and nodded, grateful that he'd been spared the agony of rehashing the past for the time being. "Yes," he replied, "my one time second in command has betrayed me," he went on. "And is currently in control of a weapon far worse than the original Death Star."
Obi-Wan frowned. "Another blasted death star?" he remarked. "Palpatine didn't have much in the way of creativity, did he?" he quipped dryly.
Anakin smiled. "No, not much," he agreed. "I could really use your help with his," he added. "Will you join us, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I'm a little long in the tooth for such an adventure, don't you think?" he asked.
"Well, you are old," Anakin concurred good-naturedly. "But you have more experience than anyone I know," he added. "So what do you say? One more adventure for old time's sake?"
Obi-Wan chuckled. "You always did have a way of talking me into things, old friend," he replied.
Anakin smiled. "It's good to see you, Obi-Wan," he said, holding his hand out to the older man. "I've missed you."
Obi-Wan shook Anakin's hand. "I've missed you too, my young padawan."
Luke and Leia watched their mother as she paced up and down the corridor, her body language telling even someone who wasn't force sensitive exactly how she was feeling.
"Mother, will you please sit down?" Luke asked for the third time. "Everything will be fine."
Padmé looked at her son with a frown. "You didn't see them the last time they met, Luke," she replied. "It was...it was horrible," she added quietly, willing the images of Mustafar away from her mind.
"But he's changed so much since then," Leia reminded her. "He's not the same man who destroyed the Jedi, who attacked you," she went on. "Surely you believe that."
"Yes, I believe it," Padmé sighed, looking back at the door. "It's just..." she stopped as the door opened and a laughing Obi-Wan emerged, with Anakin at his side.
"Ani!" Padmé exclaimed. "What the...what are you doing out of bed?"
"I was going crazy, so I thought I'd go for a little stroll," Anakin told her. "Obi-Wan suggested it," he added for good measure.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened in shock. "I did nothing of the kind!" he protested.
Anakin laughed, and then put an arm around Padmé. "You worry too much, do you know that?"
Padmé wasn't amused, but decided not to say anything for now. "Does the doctor know you're up and about?"
"No, but he's about to," Anakin replied, nodding in the direction of the attending physician.
"Well, this is certainly...surprising," the physician said with a tight smile. "Out of bed, out of your room," he went on. "Don't you think you might be pushing things just a little?"
"No," Anakin replied. "I'm fine, and I want to leave," he added. "Surely there's a person in this hospital in greater need of a bed than me."
The doctor's frown deepened and he looked at Padmé. "Is he always this ...difficult?" he asked.
Padmé nodded at once.
"You have no idea," Obi-Wan put in for good measure.
Luke and Leia exchanged an amused look, both of them relieved to see their father and his one-time best friend reconnecting.
"Well, let's just take things one step at a time, shall we?" the doctor suggested. "If you'll please return to your room, I will see what I can do about...expediting your release."
"Very well," Anakin replied, turning to return to his room.
"We'll be waiting here," Luke called to his father as Padmé followed him into the room.
"Well, that went far better than I'd hoped," Obi-Wan confided in Luke and Leia after the door to Anakin's room had closed.
"We told you he'd changed," Leia pointed out. "He's not Darth Vader anymore."
"He hasn't been Darth Vader in quite some time," Luke added. Obi-wan nodded in agreement.
"I just hope that the Rebel leaders can see that," Leia added with a frown. "They're so narrow minded when it comes to Father."
"Yes, well, I may have some influence over them," Obi-Wan commented. "The galaxy needs Anakin, and they know it. It's only their stubborn pride that's preventing them from admitting it. And pride is a terrible, destructive thing, young ones."
Luke and Leia knew what he was referring to: the pride of the Jedi. The pride that prevented them from seeing Sidious right under their noses until it was too late to stop him.
"They have to realize that the only way there will ever be peace in the galaxy is through him," Leia spoke up. "He is the key, and if they can't see that then they're...well, they're ..."
"Blind?" offered Obi-Wan. He sighed. "We were all blind, I'm afraid. All of us. I most of all," he added with a frown.
"What do you mean?" Luke asked.
"I should have seen what your father was going through, Luke," Obi-Wan admitted. "If I had...well, I suppose it's futile to speculate on what might have been."
"It is," Leia agreed. "The future is what we need to focus on. And there won't be a future if Piett isn't stopped."
"There now," the doctor said as he injected a hypodermic needle containing digoxin into Anakin's arm. "You must do this every day," he instructed, "or else have someone else do it. Perhaps your medi-droid."
Anakin nodded, watching the doctor. "I won't forget," he told him. "And I'm sure my wife will make sure of it," he added, looking at Padmé.
"Excellent," the doctor said, giving one more listen to Anakin's heart.
Anakin waited for a moment, growing more impatient as the moments of silence passed. Each moment that passed lessened his chances of getting to Piett before it was too late. Finally he spoke. "Well? Can I leave now?" Anakin pressed once the doctor had finished examining him.
Padmé smiled and looked at the doctor, who seemed rather exasperated by this point.
"I suppose that would be acceptable," the physician finally said.
"Great," Anakin said, getting to his feet at once.
"I'll make sure he takes his shots," Padmé assured the doctor.
"Good," the doctor replied, handing her the case containing the injections. "There are enough here for two weeks," he told her. "If you are nearing the end of the two weeks and are still unable to come in for permanent treatment, then you must contact us immediately for more of the drug. One missed shot could cause you to go into heart failure again," he told Anakin.
"I understand," Anakin said, buttoning his tunic up.
"Thank you doctor," Padmé said, speaking for her spouse as well as herself. "We appreciate all that you've done."
The doctor nodded, and watched as Anakin left with his wife.
"Dad? You're leaving?" Luke said as Anakin and Padmé emerged from the room.
"Yes, the doctor released me," Anakin explained. "I'm fine, really," he added, saying the words for what felt like the hundredth time.
Leia wasn't so sure, but said nothing. "Let's go home then," she said, linking her arm through her father's. "Time to make history," she added with a smile.
Anakin looked down at her and smiled. "Yes, time to make history."
It was very late by the time they arrived back at the lake estate, and the large house was quiet save for the handful of servants who remained on hand lest the mistress of the home needed them. After directing one of them to show Obi-Wan to one of the empty guest rooms, Padmé dismissed them all for the night. The servants weren't the only ones who were awake; Han had decided to wait for Leia to return, not wishing to appear insensitive to her father's sudden illness.
"You didn't need to stay up," Leia told Han as the rest of the family dispersed for bed. "It's very late. Besides, I know how you feel about my father," she added.
Han frowned. The feelings are mutual, princess, he thought, but dared not say. "Just because we have issues doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry," he said. "You love your dad, I get that."
Leia looked up at him, knowing it was hard for Han to express his feelings. He had an image to uphold, after all.
"I do," she said. "But I love you too, you know," she added, linking her arm through his. "Even though you're a scruffy, cocky, stuck up..."
"Yeah, yeah," Han replied, smiling as he put his arm around her. "I know. Come on, I'm beat. I just hope Ackbar doesn't snore like he did last night. The wall between our rooms was shaking so bad I couldn't sleep."
Leia laughed, not doubting it for a moment.
Elsewhere in the house...
"Ani? You coming to bed?" Padmé asked as she sat on the edge of their bed.
Anakin nodded. "Just going to get some air first," he told her. "Be right there."
Padmé watched him as he exited through the balcony door and then climbed into bed. She was more tired than she wanted to let on, the events over the past 24 hours leaving her emotionally drained. It wasn't long before she fell asleep.
As for Anakin, sleep was far from his mind as he stood on the terrace lookingout at the still waters below. The sky was bright with stars, Naboo's three moons reflecting brilliantly on the calm waters of the lake. Anakin had been surprised by the unexpected appearance of Obi-Wan, even more so by the acceptance his former master had demonstrated of him. It's almost as though nothing had ever happened between us, he reflected. But it had...he reminded himself, frowning. Thoughts of the past had begun to enter his subconscious mind, his sleep invaded by images of the nefarious deeds he'd committed. Seeing Obi-Wan again after so long had brought those images into his conscious mind, forcing him to face them head on. And that wasn't something Anakin was ready to do. How can I ever learn to live with this? Anakin asked himself as he stared out into the night. How can I ever know peace with everything that I've done?
"Father?"
Anakin started, too absorbed in his thoughts to have sensed his son's presence. He turned and noted the look of concern on Luke's face. Forcing himself to smile, Anakin looked back at the lake. "Beautiful night isn't it?" he asked.
Luke nodded, his father's inner turmoil emanating from him in waves. "Can't sleep?" he asked, leaning his arms on the railing in the exact manner of his father.
Anakin shook his head, not taking his eyes from the distant waterfall, its waters illuminated in the bright moonlight. "Guess I have too much on my mind," he commented.
"No doubt," Luke agreed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Anakin turned to his son, the love and concern he felt from him bringing a lump to his throat. "No," Anakin replied softly. "I...thank you," he added, looking away again. "But no, not now, not...not yet."
Luke sighed. "Father, you shut everyone out when you turned to the Dark Side," he reminded him gently. "Don't shut us out now," he added.
Anakin turned back to his son, unable to keep the tears from filling his eyes. The
goodness that radiated from Luke warmed Anakin's soul. "I won't," he replied, reaching out and putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I promise."
Luke nodded, and gave his father a smile. "You should get to bed," he said. "Mom will kick your butt if she finds out you were out here at this hour."
Anakin laughed. "I guess so," he responded. You won't rat me out to her, will you son?" he asked.
Luke shook his head. "Not a word," he replied.
"Thanks," Anakin said. "Goodnight son," he added.
"Goodnight, Dad," Luke replied.
