Chapter 55: The Blessing of Family

Anakin was smiling as he slowly circled around his twin. Annalie was giving him the same exact smirk, her dagger in hands. Anakin had his vibroblade in his hand and slashed at her middle. Jumping up, she jumped over her brother's head and went to kick him in the back. Sensing her attack, he rolled across the ground and threw Force Lightning at her.

Annalie held her hands up and blocked the lightning aimed at her. The lightning formed into small spheres and she aimed them at her brother. Anakin back flipped twice to dodge both lightning spheres.

Anakin whipped out his lightsaber at the same time his twin did. Gold and silver clashed as they continued their practice fight. Annalie suddenly called for her dagger and aimed it for Anakin's middle. Anakin quickly reignited the other side of his lightsaber and her dagger was sliced in two from trying to hit him. Grasping her forearm, he threw her over his shoulder and she hit the ground. His twin rolled across the ground and jumped to her feet. The two of them clashed lightsabers again and they just stared at each other. "It's a draw!" Bastila called out to them, laughing.

The Skywalker twins smiled as they stopped their practice. "Daddy!" Helena called smiling as she ran over to him with her arms wide open. Anakin got down on his knees and embraced his youngest. Padmé watched as Annalie smiled softly at the two of them before taking Kodai into her arms.

"You seem a bit tired this morning," Padmé commented as she walked over to her sister-in-law.

"Hmm, Kodai is still waking me during the night," she replied softly as she held her son close.

Padmé furrowed her brow to see Annalie staring at her son lovingly, but yet her eyes were misty.

Walking back to camp, they saw Luke looking at one of the tribe member's bow and arrows. "Luke," Anakin called. Luke looked up and his blue eyes widened. Excitedly, he handed the weapon back to the tribe member and ran over to his father.

"Father!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around him.

Anakin embraced his son tightly with a smile. "Dad!" Leia shrieked excitedly as she ran over and jumped into her father's free arm. Smiling, Anakin lifted his eldest children up off the ground. Padmé smiled as Rowan ran out of the tent and over to his father. The children had only just arrived and they were anxious to see their father again after being reunited with their mother.

Anakin set his children down and smiled. "You two are growing up too fast for my liking," he commented chuckling as he embraced the four of them.

"Can't help it," Leia commented.

Chucking, he kissed the top of his ten-year-old daughter's head before hugging all four of them even tighter. Padmé walked over and Anakin welcomed his wife into their tight embrace. He couldn't remember the last time they were all together and this happy.

After their little reunion, Anakin was sitting down on the ground with Helena in his lap. The little girl was snuggled up against his chest with a smile. Anakin stroked his daughter's blond curls when Padmé sat beside him. "I really like it here," she commented, sounding a bit surprised.

"I never thought Dxun would actually be the safe haven to raise our kids," he commented.

They looked over to see Luke and Leia joining on a game with the other children while Rowan was sitting on the ground with Raif, playing a game with him. Padmé shook her head slowly, smiling softly. "I have never seen our children so happy," she said softly.

"Me either, this place has done wonders," he commented as he looked around.

"I thought the same thing when I settled here," Annalie answered.

Walking over, she sat down beside them with a sleeping Kodai in her arms. "Where are Bastila and Obi-Wan?" she asked curiously.

"Sasha wanted to do some more training," Anakin replied, gesturing over to the training area where Obi-Wan and Bastila were giving their daughter another lesson.

Annalie noticed that Padmé was looking at the sleeping infant in her arms. "Have you and Anakin ever thought about having one more?" she asked. The couple glanced at each at the suggestion.

"I think we are fine with the four we have," Anakin replied.

Helena yawned and was snuggling up against her father's chest. "According to Ryla, she hasn't slept much since we left," Padmé murmured as she stroked her daughter's hair.

"It's obvious she's calmed by Anakin's aura," Bastila commented as she walked up.

Anakin smiled as he stared at his three-year-old. Helena just snuggled up closer to him, gripping the front of his tunic. He continued to stroke his daughter's hair while Padmé was watching her husband fondly. "I never asked, how did you two meet?" Annalie asked as she sat across from them. Padmé laughed a little at the memory, looking at her husband.

"Do you want to tell her?" she asked.

Anakin chuckled lightly. "You tell it so much better than me," he replied. Padmé smiled softly, holding her husband's hand.

"When I was Queen of Naboo, my planet was being attacked by the Trade Federation and thanks to Obi-Wan and his master, Qui-Gon, we were able to escape. Our ship was badly damaged so we had to land on Tatooine. I was young, I was curious about a planet I have never seen before so I disguised myself as a handmaiden to go with Qui-Gon to the nearest city to find parts for the ship," she explained.

Reaching over, Anakin held his wife's hand and pressed kisses to her knuckles. "I was fourteen at the time," she added, "We found one junk shop and while Qui-Gon was looking for the parts they needed, Watto had Anakin watch the shop while he was working."

"I was ten at the time. I saw her and the first thing I asked her was 'Are you an angel?'," he said smiling.

Padmé smiled at him, moving her thumb over the side of his hand. "They are said to be the most beautiful creatures in the world and I could've sworn Padmé was one, she still is," he added. Annalie saw her brother's eyes just sparkle as he and Padmé spoke of the moment they had met. "I've been in love with her since I was ten-years-old," he murmured.

"At least your fate has made it so you could be together," Annalie said smiling.

Bastila walked over to them with Raif in her arms. "Thanks to Bastila she made it so," Anakin answered as his former Master sat with them.

"If only I had known of another," Bastila told them, looking at Annalie.

Annalie gave the woman a small smile. "Don't pity me, Bastila. I am alright," she assured her, looking down at her sleeping son. Kodai let out a little noise as he arched his little back as he stretched.

"Aren't they just precious when they do that?" Padmé asked.

"They are, they truly are," Annalie replied smiling.

"So, are we going to ever meet his father?" Anakin asked curiously.

Annalie frowned, stroking her son's cheek lightly. "Regin…he was killed in battle when I had just found out I was pregnant with Kodai," she said.

"Oh Anna…" Padmé said softly, hugging her gently, "I'm so sorry."

Anakin moved so he could hug his twin as well. "We had gone out to search for you, Regin and I were a great team together," she said with tears in her eyes. Sighing, she cradled her son to her chest. "Except, what I didn't know was Regin had a bigger target in mind," she said softly.

Annalie awoke to the ship landing and the sound of the platform lowering. Getting up, she grabbed her bow and quiver beside the bed. "Regin!" she called getting up. She ran down to see her husband fighting the hoards of Stormtroopers. It was then she realized where they were. "REGIN! NAYC!" she shouted. (REGIN! NO!) Instead of acknowledging her, he had slashed through the many Stormtroopers that were trying to attack him.

Jumping down from the platform, she pulled out three arrows and fired all three of them into the opponents' chests. "REGIN! K'OYACYI!" She shouted. (REGIN! COME BACK!) She ran after her husband as he went through the halls. Except, she stopped suddenly when she was surrounded by Stormtroopers. Pulling out her dagger, she started stabbing them in the areas that weren't protected. "REGIN!" she shouted for her husband.

After defeating her many enemies, she ran through the halls when she came to the Emperor's office. Running into it, her eyes widened in horror at what she walked in on. Her husband was lying on the floor with one of the Guards' pikes in his side. The Emperor and his guards were nowhere in sight. "Regin!" she called tearfully. Running to him, she pulled him into her arms. "Regin! Jorhaa'ir at ni! Gedet'ye sirbur mayen," she begged. (Regin, talk to me! Say anything.) His eyes opened and he stared up at her.

"Mesh'la…Anna…ni kar'taylir darasuum gar," he whispered. (Beautiful…Anna…I love you.)

Annalie had tears in her eyes. "Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar balyc," she whispered. (I love you too.) He touched her face lightly for a second, but then his hand touched her stomach.

"Kodai," he whispered.

Tears fell down her cheeks as he fell limp in her arms. "No, no, please come back, please you can't leave me," she begged sobbing. She rested her forehead against his chest sobbing. "NO!" she screamed in agony.

Annalie wiped the tears from her face as she stroked her son's cheeks. "On his dying breath he whispered our son's name," she whispered. Anakin hugged his sister close, kissing the side of her head. "Using the Force and with every fiber of adrenaline rushing through my system I was able to get Regin back onto our ship and back home before we were captured," she said softly.

Tears fell down her face at the memory and rested her forehead against her son's. "He died trying to right the wrongs done to me," she added. Letting out a shaky breath, she cradled her child closer to her. "No longer will the Emperor steal anything more from me," she said angrily, "The way he would win is if I immersed myself into the Dark Side again. Allow it to swallow me up and join him again." She shook her head slowly. "Never again will I let him take me away, he will pay for everything he has done to me, my son, and the rest of our family," she told her brother, looking at him.

Anakin rested his forehead against the top of his twin's head. "He won't hurt you ever again," he said quietly, "He will pay for what he has done to us, this family, and the Galaxy." Padmé watched with tears in her eyes as her husband comforted his twin through her heartbreak.

Evening fell and Bastila walked out of hers and Obi-Wan's tent to see her former apprentice staring out at the forest. "What is on your mind, young one?" she asked as she stood beside him. Anakin sighed as he kept his arms crossed over his chest.

"It's unfair of what Annalie's gone through. First being raised with such violence and abuse. Then after she finally finds that bit of happiness the Emperor snatches it away," he answered.

Bastila gripped his shoulder lightly, frowning slightly at him. "He would've done the same to me if you weren't here," he told her, "He would've taken everything away from me."

"You're stronger than that now, you're no longer prone to falling for his manipulating ways," she answered.

Anakin looked at his former Master. "Thanks to you, I owe you so much Bastila. You really saved my families' lives as well as my own," he told her. Bastila smiled, touching Anakin's cheek lightly.

"You are more control with your emotions now Anakin than you were when you were a child," she answered.

The two of them started walking together. "Anakin, when I first met you. You were a lost little boy, just freed from slavery but denied what you thought was your dreams. You had a lot of anger and confusion," she explained, "I took you in and had you mold your emotions to use to your advantage and not to your enemies'." Anakin nodded his head slowly and let out a sigh. "You have taught me a lot of things as well," she added.

"I did?" he asked.

The older woman chuckled lightly, nodding her head slowly. "Oh yes, you see before you became my apprentice. I was lost as well, just someone following a mission. I had nothing left, my children, my grandchildren, and their children were all gone. I literally had no family left, I was alone for centuries," she explained. She gripped his shoulder again. "Then I received the opportunity to train you. You have taught me that it is alright to be attached to someone. Albeit it was used against me at one point, but I had lost my touch with the Force a bit as well to let that happen to me, that was my own misjudgment," she added.

"Bastila…" he started with a sigh.

Bastila stood in front of him, smiling at him. "Just as much as you have a lot to thank me for, I have a lot to thank you for," she told him. She pulled him into a tight, motherly type embrace and kissed his forehead softly. "You just continue to be the father and husband you were meant to be, and you will be able to defeat the Emperor once and for all," she added. Anakin nodded his head slowly as he hugged her back.

When Anakin walked into his hut, he saw his wife getting ready for bed and smiled. Realizing she was being watched, she looked over at her husband. "What?" she asked.

"You're just so…beautiful," he told her.

Smiling she walked over to him and rested her hands on his chest. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers lightly, lovingly. She kissed him back, moving her hands up his chest and ran her thumbs along his jaw line. Pulling away, he kissed her ear and rested his forehead against the side of her head. "I love you," he whispered. Padmé hugged him back, moving her fingers through his hair.

"I love you too," she answered.

Looking over to the back of their hut, he saw all four of their children sleeping peacefully. "They tried to wait for you," she told her husband, letting him go.

"They need their sleep anyways," he replied.

Walking over to his children, he placed kisses to their temples and covered Helena and Leia up more. He just stood there, staring at his children with fond eyes when his wife walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Have you thought about having one more?" Padmé asked. Smiling, he looked down at her and moved his fingers through her curls.

"If we are blessed with one more," he answered smiling.

Padmé smiled back, resting her head on his chest. "I agree," she said with a sigh. He moved his hand over her back and let out a sigh as they stared at their children for what felt like hours before they went to bed.

Author's note: Alright so we can all know everyone's ages just in case there are people wondering.

Anakin: 32

Padmé: 36

Luke and Leia: 10

Rowan: 7

Helena: 3

Thank you guys so much for your support. The next chapter will be up ASAP.

Arwennicole