Shmi
Anakin POV
WC: 1078
I was walking down the hall of the hospital holding onto a trooper for dear life. He was helping me not fall on my face and look like a complete fool. All of my limbs have grown back, with all of the skin and muscle that came with it. They had regrown rapidly, but not painfully thanks to the painkillers that the doctors had put me on. When I looked in the mirror, I could see that I looked the same as the day when Padme told me I was going to be a father, which was one of the last days I truly felt happy.
"Your doing good. Keep it up," praised the physical therapist, Click. He was a clone trooper that looked like a young Rex, and he seemed to have the same sense of humor. The first day of physical therapy was easy, we were just getting the range of motion of all of my muscles. But soon it got harder, as we began moving my limbs and getting them to behave. Today was the second day of walking down the hall with some help. Click had a good philosophy of pushing me when I needed it and then holding me back before I hurt myself.
"You are doing good, Sir," Click said. "Now, back to bed."
We turned around and I walked back to my room. I tried to walk strong but I realized how much I needed my Darth Vader suit to function. At least I could finally breathe on my own without the horrible mask on face. Finally, I look like me and not the monster Palpatine made me to be.
"How soon before I can walk on my own?" I asked, as he lead me back to the hospital room and help me get back into the bed.
Click laughed. "You are ambitious, Skywalker. Maybe in a day or two with a cane, and then you can walk without a cane in a week."
"When will I be released?"
"That will depend on the doctor. I am just the physical therapist."
There was a knock on the door. He turned to me and said, "Looks like you have a visitor. See you tomorrow."
He opened the door, "Afternoon ma'am."
"Hello," came my mother's voice. My heart skipped a beat. My mom was here, was I ready for her to see the monster her son had become? "The nurse said Anakin Skywalker was in this room."
"He's right here ma'am. I'll give you some privacy."
Suddenly, her face appeared in the doorway. She looked different somehow. Her black hair was shiny, and she was wearing a pink dress that spread into her cheeks. She even had a french manicure on her fingernails. What I really noticed was that for once in my life she did not look tired, starved, beaten, or whipped. My mom was safe and healthy. I felt a smile spread across my face.
"Hey Mom," I said.
"Hello Ani," she said coming over to me. She bent down and gave me a kiss on my forehead. "Are you in a lot of pain?"
"No, I'm fine." I lied. "That was the physical therapist. He said I could even walk on my own in a little while."
"That good. I saw what happened Anakin. After all of these years, you killed the Emperor, and brought hope to those who have none. I am so proud of you."
I let the words that she said to me when I had won my freedom wash over me. The fact that she was proud of me meant so much to me. I pulled her into a hug and just let the tears I had been meaning to hold back fall.
"I'm so sorry Mom," I whispered. "I couldn't. I tried, but I couldn't."
She pushed me back gently and looked at me with an inquisitive look. "What do you mean Ani? What could you not do?"
"I couldn't save you," I said to clarify. "I tried to be strong enough, but I couldn't be."
"Anakin, you mean after all these years, you still blame yourself for my death? "
I nodded. The truth was I hated myself for letting her die.
"Why?"
"I saw it happen in my dreams. I waited too long to do anything about. By the time I acted on my feelings you were too hurt, and you died. I will never forgive myself."
"What do you mean you saw it?"
I swallowed hard. "When I slept I would see you. There was blood and broken bones and you were calling out to me to fix it. But I couldn't. I didn't know how." I hung my head in shame as tears came to my eyes. My mind flashed back to what those… animals did to her, and how broken she felt in my arms. I couldn't heal her and I was too late to save her. I had failed her.
"Ani. Look at me. Please."
I did.
"When you were a little boy, you would ask me why we were slaves and others were not. I told you that the galaxy was broken and that it needed fixing. Do you remember that?"
I nodded.
"When you got upset about things, about Watto yelling at you, about Kitster being beaten by his master, and other things, do you remember what you would do?"
I shook my head.
"You would find something broke in the house and fix it. Or you would find something in the house and make it more efficient. That is the only reason I even let you podrace, because working on that damn thing was so therapeutic for you. It gave you control."
I nodded. So that is why she would put up with it. I figured if she really wanted to she could take Watto. The thought made me smile.
"You always had to fix something, and if you could not fix it, you thought something was wrong with you. Sometimes life is unfixable, baby."
"When you… died, Padme told me there were things no one could fix."
"Well, she was right. Your girl is smart."
I nodded thinking about my girl. She was smart indeed.
"So," I said. "Can you forgive me, Mom? For all I have done?"
"Oh, baby," She said sitting beside me and putting a comforting hand on my back, "I already have. The question is can you forgive yourself?"