A/N: Thank you for the thoughtful reviews! I do read them all!

Can I say that this pandemic stuff has been horrible for my anxiety? It's been really rough for me lately but I'm hopeful for more good days than bad…hopefully.

Anakin will live at the end! I can promise you this! Canon is the darkest timeline for this poor guy and I refuse to have any of my stories be darker than Canon. So don't stress about our reluctant hero and enjoy his bumpy road back to redemption! There's still much fun to be had despite that spoiler.

FYI-not many people know about the Anakin and Darth Vader connection but that's coming up in later chapters.

This chapter, by its nature, is a little sad but each part had a glimmer of hope. Hold on to that hope as you read this.

"The night is darkest just before the dawn." The Dark Knight

Chapter 13

Nevah

Skywalker farm

The night was quiet.

Here on Nevah, it seems all would slumber once the shroud of darkness fell, a soft blanket that lulled and beckon a deep hibernation. An occasional cricket could be heard but nothing more than that and, even though the air was still, it was peaceful. Just by chance, maybe a gentle rustle of the wind would tickle the tall grass, the soft rustling making sure everything was alive and well. The night delicately lit by Nevah's single moon drove most living creatures to enjoy their peaceful respite as the distant stars twinkled dimly in the darken nighttime Nevah sky.

Anakin never liked the nights here. It was too quiet and, to most, that would be peaceful and well appreciated, but to him, it was louder and more deafening than the busiest nights in the endless traffic that hastened all hours of the day on Coruscant. At least on the lively and boisterous planet, he could shift his focus away to the bustling noise of everyday life, the millions of people that saturated the Capital with their thoughts and feelings, or the vibrations of the numerous droids that routinely sustained the Capital. The choices were endless, any number of distractions he could easily pluck from.

Not here.

Here, when he was awake at night, all he had were his thoughts.

Standing over the cold rim of his bathroom sink, his two hands tightly gripped the cool metal frame. Even his cybernetic hand could appreciate the shocking and awakening sensation that jolted him back into his body. Quietly contemplating, he had been standing there for several long minutes, his head hung forward, near the overhead mirror, his eyes shut lightly, listening to the dead of the night. The overgrown strands of his long ash colored hair cascaded around his face, entangling and mingling with his thick beard. In the distance, he could hear the soft, calm muttering of Padmé and Obi Wan in the living room, an occasional laugh here and there. But that wasn't what concerned him. Taking a more extensive breath than necessary, he opened his misty blue eyes, tilting his head up enough with a candid and curious expression before peering into the revealing mirror.

The person staring back at him he barely recognized. He thought he knew, and for the last five years, he had slowly come to understand and welcome the face. That all shattered in the course of one evening.

Squinting to understand, he gazed longingly into the deep blue pools in the mirror, the tiny flecks of green and brown drifting in them. Drawing his attention to the edge, he noted the heavy wrinkles that started to set in the corners of his eyes, a combination of hearty laughter and joyful hard work under the blazing sun doing manual labor on his home.

HOME.

He sighed. He never had a home. Not really. Home was people. They were his mother regardless of where their slave lives took them and Padmé, whether on Coruscant or the few fleeting moments they snuck off and stole on Naboo. Here, he had both the people he cherished as well as a house that he proudly built with his own two hands.

He ran an index finger through his thick beard, the coarse hair apparent against his skin as he noted the peppering of greying hairs that seem to multiply exponentially, though not many, but still very noticeable, especially to him. By the Force, he was getting old! He grimaced as he fingered a grey hair. For all the times he made fun of Obi Wan for his own rapidly multiplying signs of aging, it seems like it finally caught up to Anakin as well. Not even this time lock of a place seemed to prevent the natural cycle of life.

How many times had Anakin come to this very mirror when his family was asleep, woken up yet again by another nightmare? Just as he did now, he would stare intensely into the mirror, hoping the answers would magically appear and reveal itself in all its comforting glory. When that didn't happen, he would wash his hands multiples times in an attempt to clean off the invisible blood that never seemed to clear. In repeating this act, he hoped to understand that obscured part of his past, as transparent and obvious as the thick beard and long locks that shrouded his face. So many things he had done in his past that he wished would just disappear. Be as though it never happened. Just a bad dream he would soon wake from.

Then Luke gazed adoringly at him in that way.

Anakin had locked away the good and the bad of his past. It was always harder to really grasp his accomplishments; the positive feats in his life. Somehow they always seemed tainted by his mistakes that everyone was always so ready to remind him of. Everything he did came with a critique, but you forgot this, or you were reckless with that. Everyone constantly found blaring flaws in anything he ever did.

Everyone except Padmé.

He leaned so heavily on her during those dark times as she regularly reminded him of the goodness inside him and encouraged him whenever he wanted to give up. That he had a great purpose in life that hasn't been fulfilled yet. Fueled by the precious yet fleeting moments they had together, she was his rock against the stormy waves of the galaxy. She was the most amazing person he had ever met until she gifted him with two beautiful souls who both were so life giving, just like their mother. Amazing and radiating brightly, his twin children were the breath of life in his otherwise dark existence.

His lovely children, Leia and Luke. And Luke? Even in his spirited five years of age, young Luke had already the overflowing love and compassion his mother exuded. He gave Anakin hope in the darkest part of his life he tucked far away. His bright encouragement lit a new path for him, a way to make things right. To finally be free of his past.

He sighed heavily again, staring into the weary eyes reflected back on him.

Perhaps this was meant to happen. The will of the Force works in mysterious ways like he was told so many times before, yet he never really understood. He was, after all, the Chosen one.

The Chosen One.

A deep disdain filled him as he took a moment and grimaced at the thought. It was his duty that he wished above all else he could escape. As much as he liked to will it away, he supposed he had to do this. How long could they stay hidden here? If he was honest to himself, sooner or later, the Empire would find their way out here just as Obi Wan had. He had to do this. If nothing else, so that his children could have a better future. Although he did do a pretty good job these past several years but, to be fair, he couldn't protect them forever. Reluctantly, he brushed a long grey hair out of his face, slowly accepting the truth. Even the Chosen one wasn't invincible to getting old.

He just wished he had more time.

Taking one last look, the face in the mirror returning a wavering gaze, as he hoped to make this moment last just a little longer, before he closed his eyes, willing himself to move forward. When he opened his eyes, a steadfastness filled him as his path became clear. His committed blue eyes flickered his attention to the little plain wooden box on an overhanging shelf above the sink's backsplash. Flipping it open, he grabbed the blade that rested in there before peering into the mirror once again, observing as he turned his head from one side to the other. Nowadays, his hair was parted down the middle, unlike the asymmetrical part he did before. It covered his face better this way, especially that noticeable scar that went down his right eye. Thumbing gingerly as he traced the sharp edge of the blade, he took one final look in the mirror.

"No point in hiding anymore," he calmly told himself as he pulled up several strands of his long dirty blond locks then proceeded to make the first cuts.

After Padmé had clearly defined to Obi Wan the condition she would allow him to take her husband, that Anakin must be brought home alive, they had briefly caught up. Rekindling the ongoing friendship spurred from the time he assisted her with the Trade Federation dispute, which coincided with meeting a certain slave boy. Curiously, she knew these two important men in her life for roughly the same amount of time, yet her relationship with each had taken drastically different turns.

Time had not been kind to Obi Wan. His sluggish body movements, the deep lines of worry across his forehead, and the rough, disheveled, hampered state of his current appearance contrasted so starkly from the usual meticulous care she had known him for. Everything about him made him seem at least 20 years older compared to the 43 years old Obi Wan was currently. If anything, guilt crept into her heart at the thought that her husband was most likely a prominent cause of Obi Wan's anguish and premature aging. Though her actions were not entirely without fault, and while she sympathized with her old friend, she didn't regret what she did, what Padmé and Anakin both did for the sake of their family.

Softly padding out of the living room after ending their conversation, Padmé made a quick turn around the corner in search of her husband. With the bedroom empty, she tried for her second choice and made her way over to their bathroom. She found the door closed, raising her suspicions, and she reached for the doorknob only to stop short as it turned on its own accord before she could grab hold of it.

Looking up, as the soft white light from their bathroom spilled onto the floor in front of her, the doorway revealed a wondrous sight as her eyes went wide with awe. She couldn't help but gasp softly at the amazing sight she wasn't expecting. Her handsome once Jedi familiar clean shaved face, complete with a shorter trimmed hairline right before it hit the top of his shoulders - he never did like having very short hair - and parted the way she remembered.

Perfectly like a snapshot of the past, his bangs now shorter with that sexy strand of hair that fell over his forehead that never seemed to stay in place no matter how many times he would flick and tuck it away. Gone was the mustache and beard she had grown accustomed to and she was reminded how full his lips really were. Standing there, it felt like she was back in her Senatorial apartment with Anakin once again sneaking away to steal a moment with her and her heart stilled at the thought. The memory so vivid and the sight so familiar that it didn't seem like a day passed from that time. Her strong Jedi protector. Strikingly, she was reminded of how powerful Anakin really was, and for a moment, all she could do was stare at him.

Catching her look, Anakin raised an amused eyebrow enjoying her blatant stares. "You like what you see?" He couldn't help the teasing remark.

Realizing how she must have looked, Padmé decided to ignore the rueful remark while she licked her lips, buying herself a couple precious seconds before she spoke. "You're all cleaned up," she stated, not as judgment but merely declaring the facts.

"You said you hated my beard so I shaved it off." Anakin revealed, the corner of his lips curling up with a mischievous glimmer in his bright blue eyes.

So typical of her husband. Padmé was instinctively spurred to protest but then stopped herself. Deciding to just admonish him by giving him a withering glare in keen acknowledgment she knew he wanted before returning to her previous matter, her eyes gave him a once over from head to toe. "I never thought you put those old robes on ever again." She quietly observed.

Her curiosity drew his own as Anakin's eyes followed Padmé's down. Dressed in his old leather boots, with his black pants tucked into them, the leather belt now wrapped around the well worn tunic and black leather tabard instead of the tattered farmer clothing and jacket he wore earlier. It was a little more snug than he remembered them but it fitted all the same.

"I figured I should dress a little more properly instead of a dirt caked farmer or a grease stained mechanic," Anakin commented as he adjusted his belt, his lightsaber weight odd against his thigh. "Still, this doesn't feel right." He commented, a slight frown crossed his now beardless face as he looked up into Padmé's soft brown eyes. "I'm not a Jedi anymore." His face was drawn and etched with lines of worry.

She didn't share the same concerns as Anakin and as Padmé returned his look in a lovingly way, Anakin's eyebrows twitched in confusion. Taking her time, she patiently gave him a slow, measured once over as he shifted his weight in response. With her eyes locked onto his, she stepped closer until their nose barely touch. She took her small hands, bringing them up to lay them across his dark tunic, feeling his warmth underneath his clothes, and then slowly brought her hands down as her eyes followed her hands. Then again, she lifted her hands and repeated the gesture, this time with his tabard, straightening his robes like she used to do in the past. Memories of past filled her mind of chance rendezvous on random planets when they found out they were in proximity of each other, early mornings in her apartment as he left for practice at the Jedi temple, and even the salacious visits to her office at the Senate. Each time she would make these same motions capturing the normalcy of the moment; a wife doting lovingly on her husband. A bright smile crossed her beautiful face at the warm memories of her brave, passionate warrior husband as she tenderly reminisced proudly.

"You're dressed as a guardian of the light," Padmé said softly as their eyes met again and she appreciated the complexity of her husband's deep blue eyes, open windows into his soul.

Something in her words resonated within him that seemed simply right. A gifted and honest orator, she always found the words that would encourage and comfort him. He couldn't help the peaceful smile that crept onto his face. "I can accept that."

But there was something that bothered him, as he collected his thoughts, his face grew sober while he cupped his wife's petite, delicate hands in his large rough, callous hands, holding them preciously against his slowly pounding heart. The intensity in his dark blue eyes shining brightly as he focused intently on her, carefully picking his following words.

"I love you, Padmé. I love you more than anything. More than my own life. Everything I have is your's, Padme." He poured out his heart to his beloved wife as he brought her enclosed hands up for a loving kiss.

No matter how many times she heard him say this, it always filled Padmé's heart with joy to be cherished so much, and she thought her heart would explode from his sheer intensity. Except for this time, the words held more weight and it made the situation that much harder. With a pained expression, she cupped his jaw in both her hands lovingly, caressing his cheek with her thumb while a grim smile set on her face. She answered. "I know, Ani."

It felt good to hear her say Ani again and not keep it a secret, now that the children knew the truth, and be able to openly call her by her beautiful true name. There was something freeing with all the honesty the night had brought with it. With a shuttering breath, he continued as he laid his hands on top of hers. "I thought this would be enough. That if I had you and the kids that I could ignore everything else going on." Anakin took a deep breath, pausing to collect himself. "But I can't. I have to do this. I have to make things right. You know?"

His wife smiles sadly but in understanding. "I know, Ani. It's who you are. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you."

A little surprised, Anakin stopped to consider the implications behind her words and how calmly she reasoned. It was like she expected him to confess this. A wry, knowing look crossed his face as he whispered, "You knew this would happen. Didn't you?"

She responded only by smiling kindly and it spoke volume in itself.

After all these years, Anakin shouldn't be surprised as he merely chuckled lightly in amazement of his wife's infinite wisdom. Sometimes she knew him better than he knew himself, and he trusted her with that, genuinely cherishing the comfort in having such a connection and it made his heart ache even more to leave her.

"I was hoping you would try to talk me out of this." Anakin confessed, averting his gaze as he thumbed her wrists and hands pressed against his face.

"Do you really think I could have?" Padmé asked the rhetorical question innocently while her pretty brown eyes widen as she batted her long lashes at her stubborn husband.

Of all the amazing things his wife was - equally headstrong, intelligent, compassionate, courageous - naive was never one of them. Once the former Jedi had set his mind to something, there was very little anyone could do to convince him otherwise. Anakin couldn't help a quiet, appreciative chuckle. "Can't blame me for hoping, though." He quipped as he flashed her a placating look fully adorned with a pouty lip. The faint pink blush that graced his wife's face would warm his heart on the coldest, loneliest nights and he allowed himself the small victory.

They gazed lovingly into each other eyes, pausing as they stole this precious time for themselves but then everything came rushing back to Padmé. Her eyes widened as she remembered herself. "I don't want to forget!" Pulling away gently, she shuffled through the pockets in her pants. "I want you to take this with you." Releasing her hand out of her pocket, in her right palm, as she opened it, laid the intricately carved piece of ivory wood native to Tatooine. The japor snippet a young Anakin once gave to her that she had kept and cherished this whole time.

"Padmé, I can't take this." Anakin protested as he pulled away slightly.

"Please, I want you to have it. You told me once that it was meant to bring the wearer good luck. I want you to take it with you." Padmé started as she reached out for Anakin's warm hand and delicately placed it into his palm, folding his larger, calloused fingers over with her smaller hand.

Not one usually for superstition she had other intentions for it. Thinking back to all her interactions with Sheev Palpatine, she understood how incredibly manipulative and clever the man was. Playing foolishly into his hands, she remembered how he artfully puppeted her and the senate into the exact direction he wanted, slowly piece by piece, without anyone realizing it until it was too late. So intentional and methodical with every interaction, nothing was left to chance, and everything was carefully planned. It even extended to how he personally entangled himself intimately with Anakin, subtly spinning his web around him since he was a child. She always had a bad feeling about how deeply interested the Chancellor was with her husband and she finally understood why only after the fact. Just how important her husband was to the Sith Lord's plans. A master manipulator she couldn't deny and she was throwing her husband back into the lion's den.

"A reminder for when you lose your way. I want you to take this with you to remember us." She squeezed her hand tighter around his. "To come back to us." Padmé pleaded sadly. She couldn't hold back the fearful tears filling her vision as she pushed away thoughts that this would be the last she'll ever see him.

Her distress was not lost on Anakin. He saw through Padmé's brave front and understood her worry and fears hiding below the surface of her beautifully serene face while the tears exposed her true feelings. As he felt his stomach churn in response, he reached out to her, stepping closer. "Padmé, I WILL come back to you. There is nothing that can separate us. Even if I have to tear the very fabric of the Force to get back to you, I will. With every fiber of my being, I will always find a way back to you. I promise!" Anakin declared, using the full authority in his voice.

Her heart fluttered at his willful proclamation, a reminder of his strength and fortitude. A clarity that will hopefully endure his journey. Yet, a part of her still worried. So much darkness covered most of Anakin's life with a childhood of slavery, watching his mother - the only real love he had in his horrific childhood - die in his arms, the Jedi's cold, distant ways and ignorance of true suffering, and even his lingering regret for actions born out of unhealed deep, desperate pains for being misunderstood and under appreciated. His family was the light and joy in a sea of misery and sorrow of his grief filled and tumultuous existence. She hoped that they would be enough of a light to pull him out of the darkness he was entering. A hope to scorch away the despair and anguish that was to come so he doesn't fall again.

"Just stay in the light, my love. That's all I want for you." Padmé's said, her voice soft and tender. Then she moved to capture his lips in a passionate embrace, pouring her hopes and wishes for him into it as she felt his solid and dedicated arms wrap around and comfort her and her troubled heart. The heated kiss still tingling on her lips as she pulled away, trying desperately to reign her heavy emotions, she whispered breathlessly, "You should go talk to the twins."

Anakin was lost in thought as he looked down into his hand at the japor snippet dangling by its chain. Curling his fingers, he lifted the necklace up and around his neck, letting it settle against his chest before fingering the ivory wood. Despite what his wife said about it bringing him luck, he knew she wasn't a superstitious person. She struggled with understanding on a tangible level what the Force was despite all the unbelievable feats she's seen the Jedi perform. Yet even the Jedi had trouble with the concept of chance, needing to believe everything happened purposefully in a linear way. Luck was an elusive thing, even more obscure within the idea of the Force. But not to Anakin, he believed in luck entirely and it was a natural part of trusting the ebb and flow of the Force. He also considered that luck was on his side and hopefully will be again. Looking down at the pendant, he felt the weight of the chain against his neck, noting how it felt odd and yet right at the same time. He found himself absently thumbing the craved grooves in the wood, his mind drifting to the little boy who carved into it, pouring out all his hopes and dreams and aspirations.

Sighing loudly, he let the snippet fall from his fingers to hang loosely against his chest. His eyes darted upwards to his wife, the sweet guardian angel of his soul with whom his wiser younger self somehow recognized immediately. Hoping to savor one last kiss, he pulled his wife in closely and was met without any protest, returning his affections fervently. Within a span of a breath, the kiss was over, and Anakin took the time to rest his head against Padmé, just holding her close to his chest. Their shuddering breaths met in sync against each other as they silently savored the moment feeling the strong thump of each other's heartbeat.

All too soon it was over and Anakin was the first to break away. He whispered as he broke their embrace, "I love you, Padmé and I will see you again. I swear it." The words fell from his lips as a binding oath; an assurance that things will be alright. He watched as she nodded, too overwhelmed by emotions to speak any further. One final gesture of comfort, he took her hand and placed a delicate kiss on the back, earning a small smile from her as he made his way out of the bedroom towards the twins' room.

Anakin paused at the children's' door, his hand stopping as he hesitated before grabbing the doorknob. Filled with dread and heartache, for a second, he contemplated letting them sleep but then brushed the ridiculous notion aside as he quickly berated himself. He needed to do this. What if… No. He wouldn't finish that thought. He'll see his children again. This was just like the times he left for Lah'mu to work at the mechanic shop. Just like that. Despite the lingering doubts, he willed himself forth as he convinced himself of this, taking a step forward to open the door.

Once through, with a quick scan around the room, he found the children tucked into their individual beds, each on their own side of the square shaped bedroom. After all the excitement from earlier in the evening, he would be surprised if they really did fall asleep as they should be. Still, he was sure to be quiet as he glanced over towards Luke's bed. The young boy laid on his back pretending to be asleep but Anakin couldn't miss the sneaky look with one eye open betraying the not so slumbering child.

Shaking his head at the not so stealthy display, Anakin approached his son carefully, pausing to turn on the lamp by the bed as he sat at the edge next to Luke's still body, the boy's small hand laid outside the covers by his side. Anakin's clean shaven face cracked a small lopsided smile and he reached to encircling Luke's five year old fingers in his large adult hand, noting how much bigger his hand was compared to his son. He quietly greeted the wide awake boy. "Hey, little man. You're supposed to be asleep."

Luke's father's reassuring hand over his encouraged the young boy to give up the ruse, his eyes fluttering open as he answered. "I couldn't fall asleep," Luke admitted softly. He sat up in bed, tightening his grip on his father's hand before looking up. "You shaved." Luke noted, pointing with his free hand.

His son's natural curiosity was something Anakin always appreciated about him. His sense of wonder with the world around him was infectious. It always amazed him how Luke took everything in stride in a way that was so different from himself. "I did. What do you think?" Anakin asked as he turned to give his son a better view in the dim lamplight.

Luke paused as he tilted his head in consideration before replying, his lips pursed in concentration as he decided on a small smile. "I like it!" He chirped.

"Yeah?" Anakin questioned, raising an eyebrow in expectation with a smile on his face.

"Yeah!" Luke stated more confidently this time, smiling as he nodded. It was an expected reaction from the bubbly, optimistic young boy and yet it comforted his father's heart all the same.

"You're dressed like the other man?" Luke stated as a question. "You going to leave with him, huh?" The keen mind of the boy not missing the significance.

"Yeah, he needs my help." Anakin openly admitted to his son as he squeezed the boy's hand a little tighter.

"Are you going to go save the Galaxy?" Luke asked with wide, thoughtful eyes, the smile never leaving his face.

Taking a deep breath before answering, Anakin searched his son's eyes and found no condemnation or hesitation and it was easy for him to be honest. "I'm going to try to."

Luke studied him as he peered deep into his father's eyes and Anakin waited patiently. "You will. I know you will." He smiled broadly with white of his teeth showing, gazing at his father with evident admiration. "No one can beat my dad." His expression brimming with pride and confidence in his father.

Chuckling lightly, Anakin paused, appreciating his son's place in his life. The dear sweet soul in front of him. It was easy for him to feel relaxed in his son's presence. Almost absentmindedly, Anakin took his hand and loving ruffled Luke's shaggy hair. His son had a deep reserve of patience and strength, so similar to his mother. Relying on his son's fortitude helped Anakin with what he needed to say next. A stern expression signaled his intent as Anakin leaned in closer to discuss the pressing issue. Speaking in a deep and serious tone, he said, "I need you to do something while I'm away."

Luke answered reflexively. "I know. Watch over mom and Leia while you're away." He repeated what his father commanded every time he left. That Luke was the man of the house while his father was gone. It's his job to watch over his mother and sister, not because they were weak and couldn't help themselves - that was not the case at all - but because that was his privilege to assume such responsibility and to cultivate a desire to protect those he loved most.

"Yes, and I know you'll do well to protect them. But I want you to do something else." Anakin leaned in closer and Luke became curious. "You know that bond you have with your sister?" His father paused when Luke's eyes widen in recognition and he waited as Luke nodded his head. "You have that bond with all living creatures. This is a very special gift that you and your sister share. I want you to listen to it. If it tells you that there's danger, I want you to take your mom and sister to the bunker, ok?" Anakin said as he noticed the questioning look in his son's eyes. "It'll feel just like when you felt I was in danger outside in the fields. I want you to listen to that. Do you think you can do that?"

Luke was stunned.

Not only did his father finally address the lingering question but he answered it so thoroughly like he genuinely understood what Luke and Leia felt. It was real. And it was a gift, like his father said, not a curse. Suddenly all the shame he felt about it was lifted and it delighted him to no end to know that his father embraced this. The little boy swelled up with pride and he sat up a little straighter with possibly a more responsible, mature look in light of the revelation.

"Yes, father," Luke said formally, taking the new responsibility seriously, wholeheartedly diving into his commitment. "I won't fail you."

Anakin couldn't help a proud smile. "I know you won't." Luke was so young, both his children were so young. Yet, Anakin knew the Force was strong in his children, and if Anakin needed to face his fate, he also needed to face his children's abilities and use it to their advantage. With his whole heart, he hoped that the Force would protect his family. He assured his son, affectionately rubbing his hand through Luke's sandy hair again before deciding to pull him in for a kiss on his son's forehead. "I'm so proud of you and I love you so much, Luke." He whispered against Luke's head with his eyes closed, worry and painful emotions so close to the surface.

"I love you too, dad. And…dad?" Leaning into his father's embrace, Luke hesitantly added and Anakin turned to him curiously.

"Yes, my son?"

"We'll finish Patessa when you come back, right?" The young boy added, the unfinished droid the two were building together on his mind as hope dancing in his expression but his small hands twisting in the bedsheets with concern.

"Yes!" Anakin nodded enthusiastically to encourage his son, pushing aside the renegade feelings that came through earlier. "Of course we will! In fact…" Luke's father's voice trailed off as he leaned back, chin up with that confident smile his children grew up with. "We'll make him so amazing that Teesee will get jealous!"

The confidence in his voice and proclamation was all the little boy needed to hear. There was no doubt in the trust Luke had for his father, about anything, and the grin that broke across Luke's face warmed Anakin's spirit. With loving hands, Anakin's fingers skimming the soft fabric of his son's bedsheets as he grabbed them gently and lifted them up, gesturing for his son to lay back down. "Now, go back to sleep. I need to talk to your sister."

Being obedient, Luke had moved to lay down until he heard his sister's name mentioned and halted. They didn't need a Force connection to understand as father and son both paused, skeptically looking at each other, and a knowing glance was shared between them. It wasn't that Luke wanted his father to leave them. He loved and wanted his father's presence just as much as his sister, but he grasped the vital role his fearless and capable dad played in this greater issue going on even though he didn't completely understand it. His dad was the best there was and he was the only one that could do this. So Luke was able to let him go knowing this but his sister? She was a different story. They were like night and day sometimes. He was a kid, and yes, he got mad, emotional, threw a ridiculous tantrum from time to time, but that was nothing compared to the strong, whirling tornado of feelings that was his sister. She was the living embodiment of anger that could not be appeased, only patiently waited out until the storm that was Leia had subsided.

It was with this look that he pitied his father. Attempting and failing to hide his feelings from his twin's bond, his sister's bed on the opposite side of the room, he mouthed good luck to his father, who nodded in agreement to his son with a slightly reluctant eye roll. Well, if there was anyone that could tame Leia, it was his father.

After tucking in his son, they both knew the difficult conversation he was about to have, and giving his son one last kiss on his small, ash hair covered forehead, he made his way over. As Anakin crossed the small bedroom to Leia's side, he wasn't sure what to expect but he didn't need the aid of the Force to feel the turbulent emotions radiating off his beloved daughter.

Stretching his aching back as he walked, the beating he took from Obi Wan earlier in the night still thrumming through his body and the tall tale signs of bruises he knew that would eventually show up, he slowly ventured to Leia's bed directly across from Luke's. Her tiny body twisted away from them, facing the wall.

This child.

His beautiful and passionate daughter. This was going to be the hardest one to say goodbye to of all of them. She was so much like him. She felt so deeply like her father and loved so intensely. Maybe that's why he was the most protective of her, actually especially so. She was so easily and deeply wounded. Something grinded at him painfully as the idea of causing his little girl sorrow and it made him even more hesitant to do this. Stopping at her bed frame, with his eyes skimming over her bed, Anakin knew she heard the whole conversation and reluctantly leaned over. As expected, he wasn't surprised when she didn't budge when he sat on her bed. This didn't deter him because, when it came to Leia, he had the patience for her that would rival Obi Wan's and it was because of this he took a sympathetic hand and rubbed her shoulder as she laid still, knowing she was very awake and probably livid.

Reacting as she had in the past, the familiar action was so soothing to the little girl and the angry, proud front she hoped to maintain - her silent protest of everything - melted under the loving act by her father. After several moments, a couple of shaky breaths proved she was awake and Leia finally spoke up, comforted by his calming gesture. Holding on to a shred of pride, her face still hidden away, she said in a muffled voice, "You're leaving us." Her voice strained and wavering with emotions as the hint of betrayal came through her words.

Winching painfully, Anakin closed his heavy eyelids against her words. The accusations in them stung. "It's just like when I go fix things." He helplessly reasoned, trying to give context to the situation. She let him go to Lah'mu and he always returned home. He planned to do the same thing.

"No, it's not!" Leia abruptly snapped, she finally turned around and sat up to face her father, the onslaught of emotions coming through her pained expression, and it made Anakin's guilt deepen further. "This is different!" The fury burned brightly in her piercing brown eyes. Now that she was actually looking at her father, she noticed the change in his appearance, the foreign clothing in the dim light, and shockingly, how smooth and clean his face was. She almost didn't recognize him. A sharp frown crossed her face. "You never shaved your beard before! I don't like it. You look wrong." Her expressive eyes darting all over her father, looking for recognition and panic filled her voice.

In Anakin's struggle to stay composed, his daughter's strong emotions resonated and flooded his senses as he sighed, mulling over her words. She was so strong willed and intensely devoted to her family and he couldn't blame her because he was the same way. Because he knew her so well and connected on such a deep level, sharing a sacred bond no one else had, he respected her feelings of betrayal. Returning her gaze with a much softer, tender look, he reached up and lovingly brushed a curly lock out his sweet daughter's face as she eyed him suspiciously. "Princess," he began hesitantly, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm doing this for you. So that one day you and your brother can safely leave this planet."

"But I don't wana leave!" She cried appallingly. Stubbornness fueled by dread and fear, she continued, "I'm happy here! We're happy here. Why do we ever have to leave." She protested with frustration evident in her voice. The small girl whimpered as Anakin watched with troubled eyes as his daughter's lip quivered before she continued in a small voice. "I thought you loved me?"

"Of course I love you!" Anakin interjected as he gathered the tearful little girl into his arms for a tight, secure hug.

The galaxy around them stopped as the father and daughter sat there treasuring each other embrace.

As he gently rocked her in his arms, Anakin waited patiently under the soft sobs until he felt Leia's small frame start to relax. The little girl melting into the comfort of her father's strong arms and solid chest and her sniffles became softer and less frequent. After Anakin felt, with some confidence, that she was calmer now, he whispered his pray for his children into her hair. "I want you and your brother to have a future where you can be whatever you want to be. I know it's hard to understand now, but maybe one day you will. Until then, you have to trust me." He planted a kiss into her thick curls. "I promise you I'll come back. I love you too much to stay away." He said, his voice faltering with his wishes for a better life for his children.

Leia's thoughts drifted to her brother across the room and she couldn't understand how he could be so open to the idea of their father leaving. Fear encircled the young girl's heart in a way she never felt before. Yet, her father's strong arms around her and his soothing words encouraged her. Her father was strong and powerful. She always knew this, and when the older man showed up, it only proved to her how capable her father was compared to the smaller man. Even that bearded ragged person understood and respected how powerful he was. Her father's presence was commanding and she never felt afraid of anything when he was around. Leia didn't like to share. It was something her mother chastised her for regularly. Maybe this was one of those times she had to share something that was precious to her. That other's needed his strength like she did. Perhaps she could do this or at least she would try.

Imbued with renewed purpose, Leia pushed away from the warmth of her father's chest and looked up into his awaiting gaze. She bit her lip before shyly asking. "Y…you promise you won't forget me?"

Oh, his brave little girl!

Anakin frowned deeply at that and he pulled his hands up to cup his daughter's precious face in his rough hands, her small face almost drowning them. Pausing, searching for the right words, making sure she understood him, his eyes scanned her face before he spoke. "No, princess. I could never…EVER forget you." Against his will, he felt his eyes growing moist. His voice trembled with an outpouring of love. "I will be thinking about you every single day until I return." Every word was spoken as passionately as was his love for his daughter.

Leia had so much trouble reigning in her emotions as she sobbed and chocked out her response. "Ok, daddy." Her tiny voice trembled so fearfully and she tried so hard to have courage.

Overwhelmed by her sorrow, Anakin planted a kiss against her brow before drawing her back into his arms again. "I love you so much, princess. Don't ever forget that!"

His heart ached. It ached so much and so deeply that a part of him wanted to storm out to the living room and tell Obi Wan he changed his mind. That maybe his daughter was right and they had everything they needed. They could just stay here in this little bubble forever and that would be enough.

Damn everyone else!

But in his heart, he knew he couldn't turn back now. As difficult as this was. It needed to be done. Because Padmé, despite her insistence that she was happy, deserved a much better life than what this backwater planet could provide. Because his two amazing, incredibly intelligent, and capable children deserved a chance to grow and become everything he saw in them. He was doing it for them, and if it was in his power to grant them this, he owed this to his family.

"I love you too, daddy," the little girl whispered against her father's chest, her tiny hands clinging tighter to his robes as she was assured he would keep his promise. She trusted her father completely. After a moment, through the distress, a curious thought crossed her mind and she asked before she really understood it. "When you come back, can you grow your beard out again?"

And for some reason, a smile broke out on Anakin's face. "Whatever you want, princess."

A/N: How was that guys? I know, it was rough...but I wanted to grow Anakin's character as a father and show how precious his children are for him and his mental stability. Plus, I love writing Anakin and Padmé!

Love isn't wrong. It's love that binds us and keeps us moving forward to be better people. (But it's also important to selflessly love someone enough to let them go when it's time…)

Don't forget what I said at the beginning of the chapter! It's going to be ok, guys!

The cast list for Kenobi came out! It's finally happening! I hope it's not too action forward. I want drama, angst, nightmares, and mental torment! Maybe my head canon is more dark but it makes for great character development and insight and that's what I want for these characters I so intimately love and cherish!

Ok, I need your help! I suck at naming ships. All the names in my head are super cheesy or already exist in Canon or Legends. What shall we call Obi Wan's little shuttle that they'll be taking back to the Rebel's base? Send me your suggestions or suffer my really bad naming abilities. LOL

I'm going to keep going with this story and you'll want me to! Obi Wan and Anakin alone on a shuttle with no referee? Gloves are coming off!