Hey. Sorry, this was late. I lacked motivation for a while and then last night I fell asleep and dreamt about Dex's diner. Yeah, I have no idea what I was thinking. Anyway. It gave me the motivation to finish this chapter so... yay for Dexster Jetster! (motivation comes from the weirdest sources) No beta. Any mistakes are mine. I got up at five am because I had an idea of how to continue it. I was half asleep for most of this chapter. I'm sorry in advanced.

I DON'T OWN STAR WARS!

Padme was stalling. She moved around Anakin's kitchen as her two children tried to play with Obi's cat.

The old feline was unimpressed at the kids' enticements and laid out of reach on top of a bookshelf. Luke and Leia quickly grew bored and moved on to pestering Obi to play with them.

Padme was scrubbing the skillet with all her frustration and anger at her parents.

She could have had this years ago. Luke and Leia could have been together all along and be this happy. She could have been with Anakin all this time and not have stupid nerves about a stupid date that she should have been an old pro at. Anakin and she had been on numerous dates already. Before Luke and Leia's birth.

It was funny how that was what defined her life. Before their birth and after their birth. Before she met Anakin again. After she met Anakin again.

"Padme."

A gentle hand laid on her elbow and Padme stopped her intense scrubbing. Padme looked up and met the steady gaze of Obi Kenobi.

"Go get ready for your date. I can finish here." Obi nudged her to the side.

"I've got it." Padme resumed her scraping with a spatula.

The utensil was plucked from her hands and she was gently shoved to the side of the sink.

"Hey!"

"I don't presume to even begin to know what you are feeling. All I know is that Anakin was a wreck after their birth. There were a few times I was worried that he would follow after you. Those days I spent here with him and Leia. I once spent almost two months here straight." Obi began scrubbing the pan. He looked up and met her eyes. "I have never seen him this happy in all the years I have known him." He paused for a moment. "Well, that's not exactly true. He was this happy once. Six and a half years ago when he met you. For that whole year and a half, he was happy. And now he has you back and I want this to work out between you. You both deserve this after what they did to you."

"Obi, I-" Padme was at a loss for words. Burning through her was gratefulness and fear and shame and guilt. It was all too much for her to decipher. "Thank you." She settled on. It was too few words to describe just how much she felt. It would have to do for now, but Padme vowed to do something for Obi to pay him back for the sacrifice he gave to his job and for the care he gave to Anakin and Leia.

"Go get ready. I've got Luke and Leia. We might have a picnic in the park." Obi shooed her from the kitchen.

"Okay. Okay. I'm going." Padme went to Anakin's bedroom cautiously. Anakin had been in there since they got back from breakfast with Shmi. "Anakin?" Padme knocked on the door.

"Come in," Anakin called.

Padme opened the door and found Anakin sitting at his desk with a whole mess of things spread out on the top. The gutted remains of two identical laptops were overflowing onto the nightstand next to him.

Padme stared as Anakin bowed his head over a small piece and used a tool to do something on the green circuit board.

"Anakin? Did you forget the time?" Padme winced as Anakin jumped so far that he banged his knee on the bottom of the desk.

"Padme? What time is it? I got so wrapped up in this project that I lost track of time. I'm sorry." Anakin stood up and tried to make order out of the mess of spare parts.

He seemed satisfied after a few adjustments, but to Padme, it still looked messy.

"Give me three seconds. I just need to change my shirt." Anakin went over to the dresser and began tugging on the handles of a drawer.

Padme walked to her suitcase sitting by the closet door. She unzipped it and sorted through her clothes for something clean. She was going to have to do laundry if she wanted something for tomorrow.

Soon, both were changed and were saying goodbye to their twins.

"Be good for Obi, Luke. I'll be back soon." Padme hugged her son and then turned to Leia. "Goodbye Sweetheart. You can call us if you need us." Padme carefully hugged her daughter.

"We'll be fine, Mama. Go have fun with Daddy." Leia squirmed away from her and ran over to Obi. "Can we play horse? I want a ride and Luke needs to play too."

Padme smiled fondly and left the apartment with Anakin by her side. It was time for their date.

Anakin strode down the sidewalk with Padme by his side. He was nervous. This was the first time since he found out she was alive that he would be able to interact with her without little ears listening in. "So… what do you want to do first? Sightseeing or lunch?"

Padme smiled up at him. "I could use some food."

"Lunch it is." Anakin led her towards his and Leia's favorite restaurant. "Dex is a little eccentric but he makes the best food ever. It might not look like much, but trust me. He has the best food."

Anakin pushed open the door to the small diner. He loved this place. Obi had found it at first and showed Leia and him.

The diner's outside was red and silver with huge glass windows that let in the sunlight. A sign above the door read 'DEX's' in red cursive script. The inside had booths lined up along the walls. A jukebox played in the corner. Customers sat in the cherry bench seats with plates of food and milkshakes in front of them.

"After you." Anakin held the door open for Padme to enter.

The smell of Dex's cheeseburgers made his mouth water. Anakin led her to Leia and his favorite booth. It was right in front of the window by the door.

They settled down and ordered their food.

"So…" Anakin spoke into the awkward silence that had fallen over them. "Last I knew you were almost graduating college with a degree in business. What happened after…?" Anakin couldn't finish the sentence. The lump in his throat was too big.

"After I graduated?" Padme gave a slight smile. "I started working at my mother's interior decorating firm for two years before striking out on my own. It didn't go over too well with my parents but they eventually gave in a little. Looking back it seems a whole lot now. I have a high end… sort of… well,"

Anakin found the blush to her cheeks cute.

"I'm a high-end party planner. Not my first choice for jobs but it meets Luke and my needs. We own a nice house just outside of Charlotte as far away from my parents as I could get without being rude." Padme accepted her sprite from the waitress with a polite smile.

Anakin nodded his thanks as the waitress set down his own soft drink. "Any fun stories to tell about Luke?" Anakin smiled as he thought of Leia.

"I have a few but I'm guessing not as much as you do about Leia." Padme took a sip but froze with the straw pressed between her lips. "Anakin? Why is that lady staring at me?" She whispered.

Anakin turned around and spotted Sienna Watson glaring at Padme angrily. Anakin looked back at Padme and grinned. "That's Sienna Watson. She used to be Leia's daycare teacher."

Anakin launched into the tale of supposed imaginary friends, 'mean' teachers, an innocent pair of scissors, and one very protective little girl.

Padme laughed at all the right parts and gasped when Anakin told her of the phone call he got.

"She called me, screaming hysterically, and calling Leia demon spawn. It didn't make me like her any better. From what I could get out of Leia, that occurred on the day you guys headed this way." Anakin saw their food coming and cleared a space for the plates.

"About that. I didn't know they had this bond type thing? Luke kept it from me at least." Padme eyed the messy double bacon cheeseburger that was set before her.

Anakin picked up his burger and took a bite. He chewed and swallowed before responding. "I did. Well, I thought Luke was Leia's imaginary friend. Ever since she could talk she would talk to 'thin air'. Everybody told me to discourage her but I couldn't do it. I just let her talk to Luke. I'm forever grateful I did. I never would have found you again."

"I'm glad too." Padme still hadn't picked up her food.

"Something wrong?" Anakin paused with his drink raised halfway to his mouth.

"Just wondering the best way to eat this." Padme's brow furrowed as she studied the burger before her.

"Padme, just dive on it. It's okay to get messy. I think I have some wipes in the truck if you need them." Anakin popped a french fry in his mouth as Padme set her jaw and picked up the burger.

"Here goes nothing," Padme muttered as she took her first bite of Dex's food.

Anakin waited until she swallowed before grinning. "What do you think? Is it the best food ever or what?"

"Or what." Padme teased.

There wasn't much talking until both burgers had been eaten. They chatted about little things as they ate their fries and drank their drinks. Anakin paid the bill and they headed back out into the hot Arizona sun.

Padme took in a deep breath of air. It may have been stifling hot but the air was a lot fresher here than back in North Carolina.

"Where to now?"

Padme was having a nice time. The burgers were some of the best eat-out food she has ever had. The conversation had been light and easy. Perfect for a couple who had been out of sync for the past five years.

"We are going for a walk." Anakin held out his arm and waved down the street. "A tour of all my old haunts as a kid and then we will swing by my shop. I need to make sure everything is okay and then we can go home?"

"Sounds good to me." Padme walked with Anakin down the street.

He showed her where the schools were. In this town, all three schools were all within the same four-block radius. (Leia would start kindergarten next year. According to Anakin)

They saw the small bowling alley/arcade/pizzeria that Leia and Anakin went to sometimes. (Leia could kick his butt on the dancing games. She was that good at them.)

They walked the main street and window shopped all the little shops down the way. (Leia loved the little toy store. In fact, some of Cliegg's work was displayed there)

They were walking out of town a little way when Padme had enough. "Anakin?" Padme came to a stop by the side of the dusty road.

"What's wrong?" Anakin walked back towards her.

"You have told me a lot about Leia and I am happy to hear about her, don't get me wrong, but I want to hear about you, what you have been up to, what you like, what your plans are. You've talked so much about Leia that I love her even more but you've hardly said anything about you." Padme placed her hands at her sides deliberately. She wanted to twist them in nerves. "Will you tell me about you?"

Anakin was quiet for a full minute before he sighed. "Yes. I'll tell you about me. What do you want to know?"

Anakin began walking again and Padme followed him.

"Why computers?" Padme asked the burning question. It had been on her mind ever since that morning when she saw him showing Luke his work. "You were a pilot. I thought you would go into another branch of mechanics."

Anakin fiddled with his prosthetic. "I couldn't. After my accident and you… I just couldn't stand to do it. When Leia was born I lived with my mother. I took night classes and learned enough about computers to fix them and I just sort of stumbled my way through the rest of it. I opened up my shop when Leia was two. I've been working hard ever since."

Anakin avoided her gaze and pointed to a massive boulder in the distance. "I used to race out there. That rock was the finish line. Every time I would win, I would buy my mom something we needed or she wanted with the money I got."

Padme raised an eyebrow. "Did she know?"

"My mother? No. I kept it from her for years but I am pretty sure she guessed. Racing wasn't exactly a secret in this town and people looked the other way as long as there were no injuries or fights." Anakin shot her an impish grin. "I won quite a lot. They were sad when I went off to college."

Padme let him distract her for now. She swore they would come back to this later.

They didn't go all the way out to the huge rock. They walked halfway before Padme got thirsty and they headed back.

"I'm sorry Ani. I'm not used to this heat." Padme apologized.

"It's alright. Not many like the desert. Plus it is getting to be the hottest part of today." Anakin led her back down the road back towards the town. "We should have taken the truck anyway. It might have made it go a lot faster."

They made it to town and Anakin got her a drink at the grocery store right on the edge of town.

"Hey, do you think we should get something for the kids and Obi to enjoy?" Anakin brought up the subject as he stood before a display of packaged cookies.

Padme fiddled with the cold bottle of water that Anakin just handed her. She wanted to buy it first before drinking it but she was really thirsty. She shot a look around and saw a mother with a toddler. The mother gave the toddler an open bag of snacks.

Padme decided to drink it anyway. She was going to pay for it anyway. As long as she did that right?

Padme twisted off the cap and drank the cool refreshing water.

"Padme?" Anakin turned to face her. "Should we get a treat for the kids and Obi?"

"What did you have in mind?" Padme eyed the beaming man in front of her.

"Uncle Obi?"

Leia had an amazing idea that she wanted to do before Daddy and Mama got back.

Luke and she had come up with it while Uncle Obi made lunch. They had sandwiches but Uncle Obi used the good bread to make it. His sandwiches were the best. Daddy made the best mac 'n cheese though.

After Daddy and Mama had left Uncle Obi played with them for a while. They played horse and monster.

Monster, was where Uncle Obi pretended to be a tickle monster and captured Luke. Leia had to save him. Then Leia got captured and Luke saved her.

They ate lunch as a break and now Leia wanted to do her idea. Right now Uncle Obi had put on a movie. (Mulan was the best in Leia's opinion. Uncle Obi even sang the song where she first joined the army and was training!)

"Yes, dear one?" Uncle Obi was rubbing Luke's back as the movie played on the tv.

"I had an idea. I want to color a picture for Daddy and Mama. Well, we want to color a picture for them. You have to do one too." Leia explained.

"I think we can do that after you take a nap." Uncle Obi looked at his watch.

"I'm not tired." Leia scowled. Leia had a feeling that pouting was not going to work. She widened her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Please can we color, Uncle Obi?"

Luke snorted in her head and sent her a picture of what she looked like. Leia poked him back and pleaded for help when it seemed like Uncle Obi was not going to budge.

Maybe you should tell him what it's about? He might help us because it's for mama and daddy.

Leia decided to listen to Luke. "Uncle Obi? We want to color pictures of our family so Mama and Daddy will decide to stay here. Luke says Mama was planning on going back to North Carolina in two days. Please, Uncle Obi? Can we please skip our nap to color pictures for Mama and Daddy?"

Uncle Obi did something weird. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He muttered something under his breath and then he finally looked at Leia.

"If you ever want a job in the future, Leia, you can always come to me."

With those strange words, Uncle Obi stood up and got out the paper and markers.

Leia settled at the kitchen table carefully coloring on a piece of paper. She first colored Daddy and her and then added in Luke and Mama. She then added Uncle Obi and Uncle Owen.

She had to start over then because there was no more room on the paper. She started over with her and daddy and then Mama and Luke and then Grandma and Grandpa and then Uncle Obi, Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, and her soon-to-be baby cousin.

Leia sighed in relief as she squeezed Aunt Beru's big tummy at the edge of the paper. She picked up a brown marker and colored the sandy dirt beneath them and then exchanged it for a blue one as she colored the sky.

The blue reminded her of 'Soka. She wanted to see her again. Leia still wanted her hair colored.

Leia set down the blue marker and grabbed at the end of her neatly braided hair. Mama's hair was this color. A brown that reminded Leia of chocolate. Leia wanted to touch her hair. Maybe Mama would let Leia do her hair or at least brush it?

What are you doing Leia?

Luke's words in her head got her out of her thoughts.

I was thinking of 'Soka and her hair.

What do you mean? Hair is hair.

Leia sighed at Luke's confusion.

No. Not 'Soka's hair. It's white and blue and she has it done in a weird style. She has two big braids down the side like me but she has one more in the middle down her back.

White hair? Is she old?

That's what I asked and she told me she dyed it.

Leia thought for a moment. Her eyes fell back to the blue marker before her. Leia grinned and grabbed a fresh sheet of paper. She drew 'Soka's face and hair.

She passed the paper to Luke. "This is 'Soka."

Uncle Obi must have seen her drawing. "Who's that Leia?"

"I just said. It's 'Soka." Leia went back to coloring the blue sky in her family picture.

"'Soka? You mean Ahsoka Tano?" Uncle Obi studied the picture. "It's very well done. I think she'll like it."

Leia stopped coloring. "You know 'Soka?"

"I do. In fact, I'll be seeing her after your parents get back." Uncle Obi didn't say anything more.

Leia shared a look with Luke. She quickly finished her family picture before grabbing a fresh piece of paper. Luke took a bit longer but he finished his picture too.

Leia was getting sleepy but she had to finish the picture. Leia yawned as she colored the last bit of her work.

"Leia, come on. Let's go finish the movie." Uncle Obi picked her up and laid her on the couch.

Leia let out a protest but then Uncle Obi's hand was on her back and he was humming some song and Leia just couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

Leia hummed along with Uncle Obi as she fell asleep.

Luke woke up to voices.

"How were they?" That was a man's voice. It was familiar but not quite.

"Absolute angels." Another man's voice. Almost familiar too.

The first man snorted. "Have you met Leia? I mean really met her."

"Anakin."

That was Mama's voice!

Luke sat up and sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Mama?"

"Hey, Sweetheart. How was your nap?"

Luke got down from the couch and walked over to his mama. He held out his arms and soon he was picked up. He placed his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. She still smelled like cinnamon and spices but there was something new there.

Luke felt himself being rocked. He still felt sleepy. His hand came up without him thinking and he slipped his thumb in his mouth. He only did that when he was really tired or he was scared. His grandparents hated it but Luke did it when they couldn't see. Arizona seemed far enough away from them that he could do it without being yelled at.

"Shhh. Go back to sleep Luke. I'm here." Luke's mama whispered.

Luke felt his eyes slipping closed. "Love you, Mama. Love you, Daddy. Made art for you."

Luke tried to explain but his mama's swaying got to him and he fell asleep again.

Luke woke the second time to food cooking. It was Luke's favorite food. Tacos.

Luke opened his eyes to see he was back on the couch. Leia was sitting on the couch next to him with Daddy. A show was on about some robots. It was interesting but they were already watching it.

"Daddy?" Luke yawned. "What are you watching?"

"Robots." Daddy answered.

Luke watched for a few minutes. "Can you start it over? It looks fun."

Daddy smiled a smile so big Luke thought his cheeks must have been hurting. "Sure."

Leia shot him a scary look while their daddy worked the remote.

"What?" Luke was confused. Why was Leia looking at him like that?

"Now we have to watch it from the beginning. I hate this movie." Leia scowled at the TV.

"Leia? What's wrong with this movie?" Daddy sounded like Mama does when Luke finds a spider.

"I don't like it." Leia pouted.

"You've always watched it with me before." Daddy paused the movie as it began to play.

"That's because you wanted to see it and there was nothing else to do." Leia crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, you watched this movie with me, not because you liked it, but because I like it?" Daddy frowned. "Why didn't you say something? We didn't have to watch it all the time."

Leia just sighed and got off the couch. "I'm going to see Mama."

Leia's walk looked different. She stood up straight and placed her hands by her side without swinging them. She moved at an even pace to the kitchen.

Luke felt dread welling up. That was how Grandmother Naberrie walked and how she wanted Luke to walk. How was she getting to Leia? She was back in North Carolina.

Luke had to stop this. He didn't want Leia to end up like his cousins. He wanted Leia to have her fun bouncy walk. He didn't want her to be stuffy and 'proper'.

Luke shot a panicked look at his dad. "Daddy? What's wrong with Leia? Why is she walking like that?"

Daddy looked thoughtful. "I think she's trying to be like your mother."

Luke let out a sigh of relief. Grandmother wasn't talking to her. "Well, I don't want her to be like Mama. I want her to be like Leia."

"Like Leia?" Luke's Daddy said what he said.

"Yes. Like Leia. Fun and happy. Not stuffy and proper like Grandmother wants." Luke tried to explain but all Daddy did was laugh.

"We'll talk to her. Want to watch the movie, Little Co-Pilot?" Daddy pressed play on the remote.

Luke eagerly watched the movie. Slowly he began inching his way to his daddy's side. By the time the evil robot started trying to chop up the others, Luke was close enough to hide his face in his daddy's side.

A big hand, soft and gentle, landed on his back and began moving soothingly.

Luke felt brave enough to watch the rest of the show.

"Dinner!" Leia yelled from the kitchen.

"Leia. I could have done that. I asked you to go get them for dinner."

Luke smiled at his mama's gentle scolding. With her and the rest of them, Leia had to see that everyone wanted her to be like Leia not like Mama.

Luke ate his food that night happily. He gave his parents his picture of his family. He hoped they could stay in Arizona. He wanted to be like this forever.