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2
Creeping silently away from the house, Anakin held Luke against his chest. Glancing down, he felt a smile curl his lips.
He's so tiny! But he'll grow to be strong, that much is certain. Almost as if he'd heard his father's inner monologue, Luke turned bright blue eyes on his sire's face, gave a sigh of contentment, and snuggled deeper into the midnight-black robes. Anakin turned inward as he ran, sensing the re-emergence of long-buried emotions such as peace, happiness, and love. One part of his mind, the darker part, tried to force them out, but the presence of his son in his arms was enough to anchor them in his mind.
I never thought anything could be so pure as the love I feel for them…but I can't feel that. The darkness is poisoned by these weak emotions…but are they so weak? I've never felt anything so strong.Doing a quick scan of the area with the Force, Anakin jammed his heels into the permacrete, causing Luke to cry out in surprise. Oh, no! "Pad! Get back here!" He called, loud as he could without alerting their pursuers.
Padme turned back, frowning. "Ani? -" The whine of a blaster bolt cut off the rest of that sentence. Anakin pushed Padme out of its path, then turned his back to the bolt. He absorbed its energy through his back, and he sighed in relief. Anger took over a second later, and he whirled around to face the stormtroopers. They shot stun bolts at his family, but Anakin called on his dark power and turned the bolts around, sending them speeding back to their owners. Troopers fell, arms and legs twitching comically. Anakin sneered, curling his lip, and clenched his hand into a fist. The other troopers, the ones who were still awake, fell to the ground, clutching their throats. Anakin chuckled darkly.
Luke, hearing this cruel sound, began to cry. He sobbed on the black robes, confused and frightened by the change of mood in his sire.
Anakin was brought from the darkness by his son's first lamentation. He shook his head, bewildered, and began to soothe the little one. "It's okay, Luke. You're safe now, everything's alright." Luke quieted, but still whimpered softly. Anakin turned to his wife; "We have to leave, now. Do you have transport?"
"Yes, but it'll take awhile to get to where it's hidden." Padme began to grow alarmed at the sudden pallor of her husband's face. "What is it, Ani?"
"Palpatine; he's here. I can't believe they followed me! We have to get to a ship, he wants the children…he may not want to kill them…"
"He will, Ani. Nevertheless, do you remember the Sith Laws? There can be only two. Even if he keeps one of them, he'll kill the other one, and then he'll kill you."
"No, I won't believe that." Anakin shook his head in denial, shutting his eyes tight against what he knew was true. Palpatine had given him a chance to be someone important, but in the end, he was just another piece of Tatooine filth. Not good enough to be in any position of authority, always the follower…always the slave.
He shook himself from his thoughts and looked at Padme again, "Where is your ship?"
"In the palace hangar."
"No good, he's too close, he'll catch us before we get there. We'll have to take my ship, come on." He took her hand and led her around the corner, glancing around warily. Stalking forward, keeping to the shadows they crept toward the ship.
It was in sight…
It was ten paces away…
It was five paces away…
They sprinted into the Sith Infiltrator – modified, of course. Padme didn't think that there was ever a ship that Anakin had owned that he hadn't modified in some way – and Anakin, a hand on his new lightsaber, walked into the cockpit. Palpatine didn't feel near, and Anakin had hidden their presence well, but there was no sense in taking foolish chances. No one was in the ship with the Skywalkers, and no one had messed around with the ship.
This is far too easy… Anakin thought anxiously as the ship lifted off. Breaking free of the atmosphere, Padme came to sit in the cockpit with him, cocking an eyebrow at the co-pilot seat; or rather, the lack thereof. Anakin smiled and indicated the seats that were slightly behind the pilot's chair.
"I wasn't planning on having company in this baby when I designed her, sorry." He glanced back at her, saw her settle herself in a seat, then asked her, "Where do you want to head off to? And just to tell you, it's very unlikely that we're not being tracked, so we'll need to make a couple of pit-stops."
"Why don't we make those stops first, then I'll tell you." She glanced at the radar and winced. "Heads up, we've got company."
"I know." Anakin swerved though the hailstorm of TIEs and started blasting away with the cannons. Luke, who he'd placed on the floor when he'd slid into the pilot's seat, giggled at the feel of acceleration and stood up. Walking over to his father, he tugged on the long pant leg. Anakin looked down briefly, smiling. "What do you think you're doing, little one?" Luke gurgled in answer to him and climbed up to sit on his father's lap. He cooed at the unnumbered stars that faced him and tried to push some buttons on the console.
When he was about to push a big red button, Anakin saw him. "You might not want to touch the missile launcher, but you can touch this." He gently re-directed his hand to rest on a green button. "Go on, Luke, push it." Anakin told him. Luke giggled and hit the button, sending the ship forward at an incredible speed. Luke screeched with laughter and hit the button again.
Anakin laughed, a warm sound. Glancing back at Padme, he grinned, "You never told me he was such a speed demon!"
Padme smiled, looking around the cockpit. The stick was from a Naboo Starfighter, and apparently allowed for great maneuverability. There were little modifications here and there, making the ship swift and deadly. She shivered; suddenly pitying the Imperial pilots who were called to fly against the Jedi's Chosen One.
Minutes later it was all over.
The last of the TIEs retreated, hotly pursued by Anakin. Pulling a swift 180-degree turn just outside of tractor range, Anakin shot them back towards space, rapidly punching in co-ordinates and pulling the lever for the ignition of the hyperdrive. Stars blurred and lengthened as the ship fled into the safety of hyperspace.
He rose from his seat, bringing Luke into his arms again. "You're going to be one hell of a pilot when you grow up, kid."
"He gets that from his father." Padme said softly, a sleeping Leia in her arms. Anakin smiled at the compliment and led her out of the cockpit. Padme yawned slightly, covering her mouth with a hand. What time is it, anyway? I'm going to fall asleep…
Hearing her thoughts, Anakin turned toward her, "Listen, you're tired, and so are the kids, why don't you get some rest? I'll show you where the cabin is."
"Cabin?" Padme raised a brow.
"As I said, I wasn't expecting company when I designed her. So, you and the children take the cabin, and I'll sleep in the cockpit. There should be enough room in there for the three of you. Is that alright?"
"Sure. Will you be okay?"
"I've slept in worse places, trust me. Here," they entered the small cabin, and Anakin laid his son – who had fallen asleep on his shoulder – on the bed, "we'll be arriving at Corellia by mid-morning, their time. Goodnight." He turned to go, but as soon as he was out the door, he was caught by the sleeve.
"Ani," Padme spoke in low tones, careful not to wake the sleeping children. "I never got to thank you for getting us out of there."
"It's all right, don't worry about it."
"No, you gave up your new life for this, and I can never express how thankful I am that you've done so. I was scared, for a moment that you wouldn't. That you'd turn us in…"
Anakin hung his head, "Don't think the thought hadn't crossed my mind, because it did. But you were right about the Rule of Two; Palpatine would cast me out like that, if someone more powerful came along. I was a fool to think that I was valuable…"
"Ani…" Padme drew close to him, cupped his face with her hand. "You are valuable. If not for you, Luke and Leia would be dead now, or condemned to a life of hate. They need you, Ani; they need to know their father. Luke obviously thinks that the galaxy revolves around you, and Leia is more content then I've ever seen her. They need your protection and guidance, and they don't care if you're the Dark Lord over all the known galaxy. All you have to be is Anakin Skywalker, their father. And," Padme took a deep breath; "I need you, Ani. Gods, I've never felt so vulnerable, but it's the truth! When I thought I'd lost you…" She shut her eyes tight against the tears that were threatening, and ducked her head.
A warm thumb wiped the tears away, and Padme opened her eyes, surprised at his tenderness. After all Obi-Wan had said Anakin had done, deep down, he was still the same boy who'd so earnestly asked her whether she was an angel. She buried her head in his robes and breathed in his scent, releasing her sorrow and fear. After a moment, an obviously shocked Anakin brought up his arms and embraced her. After a moment they parted, each staring at the other.
Padme stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek softly, "Goodnight, Ani."
Later that night, asleep in the cockpit, Anakin thrashed in pain and terror.
You think you can hide your family from me forever, slave? You have no clue as to my power…Leave my family alone! Anakin screamed mentally, desperately trying to wake and escape his master.
You cannot stop me, boy. "Chosen One", indeed. You are pathetic. With every word, agony screamed through Anakin's body. He pushed back, but he was weakened by the unending wave of dark power from his tormentor. He screamed.
Please! Leave me alone! Suddenly Anakin felt something cool on his face, and he burst into wakefulness with a gasp. Breathing deeply, he calmed himself, slowly realising that he was back on his own ship, sprawled out in the pilot's chair. There was a heaviness on his chest, and something patted his face, making him jump, his eyes snapping open. Leia sat on his chest, and Luke was beside his chair, their eyes were wide with fear.
"What are you two doing up?" Anakin shifted, careful not to dislodge Leia. She lay down and snuggled into him, nuzzling closer to the heat his body produced. Luke clambered up as well, burrowing under his father's arm and watching him with big, blue eyes. Cradling one child in each arm, Anakin tried to fall asleep again.
You have no clue as to my power… Anakin shivered at the memory. Feeling Luke squirm under his arm, he opened his eyes. Luke reached out one chubby arm and gently patted Anakin's hair, like one would pat a pet. Anakin smiled at this attempt at reassurance from a child barely two years old.
"Thank you, Luke." And the strange thing was, he meant it. The sense of love, happiness, and contentment emanating from Luke was keeping the Dark at bay. Feeling foolish, but unable to resist the instinct, he quickly bowed his head and brushed his lips against Luke's head. Closing his eyes, feeling slightly less foolish then he thought he would, with a child in each arm, he started to drift off to sleep.
"Da?" Anakin's eyes opened, and he looked at Luke in wonder.
"Did you say something?"
"Da!" Luke grinned, proud of himself after such a feat.
"Did…did you just call me Dad?"
"Da!" Luke looked at him, as if confirming the obvious. He snuggled closer, his head burrowing under Anakin's chin, into his throat. "Da…" he whispered.
"Goodnight, son." Anakin finally drifted off, his children asleep beside him.