Anakin POV

Three days after my discussion with Yoda, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and I were called to an emergency council meeting. This could only mean one thing, that the Sith were at it again. Everyone was grim when I got into the Council's chambers, confirming my worst nightmare.

"Feel the presence of the Dark Side, we do," said Yoda.

"The Sith are mounting a force," said Obi-Wan. "This is unlike anything we have seen in any thing in history. They are organized. Led by Sidious."

"Stop them, we must. Or consume us, they will," said Yoda.

"Our spies have tracked them to Malachor," said Mace Windu.

I looked at Ahsoka, and she shared with me a sad look. That was where she learned that Darth Vader had consumed Anakin. Our friendship was nearly broken on that planet, but we survived, and this time we were going together.

"You will face the Sith, Anakin," said Plo Koon.

"I am not ready, Master," I said. I was too angry about Ahsoka, I was too attached to my kids, I was too scared for Padme. I had been training for two years and a quarter, but I could not face Sidious.

"What's this?" said Windu. "Have I finally lived to see the day when overconfident Skywalker admits he cannot do something?"

"I can't do this. I have tried to be the Jedi I was supposed to be. I am angry that my mom got tortured, I am terrified I am going to lose my wife, I hate them for what happened to Ahsoka, I worry about my daughter. I am drawn to the Dark Side, and I have no idea how to resist it alone."

"My friend," said Obi-Wan, "who said you had to. I will go with you."

"I will go," said Depa.

"So will I," said Master Plo.

"Join you, I will," said Master Yoda.

"I am coming," said Ahsoka. No one said anything. "I have healed and I am not going to let my master take Sidious alone. I am coming!"

"I will go as well," said Mace Windu. "It will take all of the training you have not to fall to the Dark Side. You will need to stand with friends."

"With friends," said Obi-Wan.

"We take them together, Master," said Ahsoka.

I walked into our home, maybe for the last time in a while. It felt different. Suddenly I was looking at the colors of the walls, the pictures Ashla and Jinn drew that were on the fridge, the smell of roses that Padme insists on having on the dining room table. It was all wonderful, a blessing. Palpatine would ruin it if he found them. I could not let that happen.

I walked into the sitting room and see Jinn and Ashla sitting on the floor with Padme with their stuff ewoks.

"What sound does an ewok make, Ashla?" said Padme. "Grrr," she said, shaking the bear a little.

Ashla laughed and rolled backwards. "Grrr," she said.

"Bar," said Jinn, shaking his bear.

"Yes, Jinn. Bear," laughed Padme.

"How's it going?"

"Good. Getting some play time in before dinner and bedtime. How was your day?"

"Alright," I sighed. "We got an assignment. First one in three months."

"Oh," she said. "No Jinn, don't put that one in your mouth. It's sissy's. Here suck on this one." She handed him a stuffed clone trooper toy. "Is Ahsoka healed?"

"She seems to be. Depa cleared her. Rex is coming."

"There is only one person that important," she said. "You found Sidious."

"Yeah." I felt the tension in the room shift. She was getting angry or scared, I could not tell which. "We think he is on Malastar."

"Alright," she said.

"Half the council is coming with us. I would not be fighting him alone," I said.

"Fine," she said, getting up and grabbing Ashla. "Can you grab Jinn, they need to be fed."

We sat them at the table and gave them a cup of blue milk in a sippy cup, some grapes, cut up bananas, antarian peas, carrots, and cut up pork. They are most of it. Ashla did not like carrots, and Jinn did not like peas. I gave them another little portion of it mixed together, and Ashla ate it, but Jinn did not. Most of it got on their face and not in their mouths.

"Win some, lose some," I said.

"It seems we have a picky eater," said Padme tickling Jinn's stomach.

He laughed.

"Help me with the dishes?" she asked.

I nodded and got up to help with everything. Ashla and Jinn sat in their high chairs and watched us work together. We put the dishes in the dishwasher, and grabbed the kids for bath time. When they were little we tried to use the little baby bathtub that we got from the baby shower. That worked when they were infants, but they outgrew it fast. Now we grab one and hop in the sonic and wash them off. I did Jinn and Padme did Ashla. That way everyone got their showers around the same time. It occurred to me that I was changing into pajamas at nineteen hundred hours, but I was tired.

"Story?" asked Jinn.

"Yes, storytime," said Padme. We got the kids on the couch and read a story of the Ewok family playing and laughing on Endor. The kids liked it because the characters looked like their stuffed bears. When the story was over I grabbed Ashla and Padme grabbed Jinn and we tucked them into bed. We kissed them both goodnight.

I wandered into the kitchen for a second helping of fruit and nuts, then I went to the sitting room to watch some HoloNet. I found a documentary on how they harvest lightsaber crystals, when Padme came into the room.

"Turn it off," she demanded.