Anakin went outside the ruins of the palace when he heard the noise of the
Millenium Falcon approaching the atmosphere. He was really nervous to meet
them. He didn't know how he'd react. How they would react. His father...
'Better not to think about it' he thought. "Where are you when I need you,
Ani?" he asked his grandfather.
No reply came. "How typical" he said aloud. His father's ship was landing now. It brought back memories of that fateful day, on Sernpidal. He got closer to the landing spot and waited. The first one to get down the ramp was his uncle. He wore his usual serene expression on his face but beneath it, there was definitely something wrong about him. When he reached Anakin, he patted the young man on his back and smiled. Following him was aunt Mara. She gave him a small smile and tried to reach him through the Force, sending reassurance. She hugged him briefly. That made Anakin feel a bit more at ease, as if at least someone would be on his side and understood him.
His breath was suddenly caught on his throat when he saw his mother. He had almost got used to seeing her as that young brave woman as she had been in the days of the war. It was as if he hadn't seen her for months now. Their eyes met and he could feel her sorrow and desperation through the Force. Desperation for him. Worry. She had dark circles under her eyes. 'This is all my fault' he thought. His mother sent back to him *No, Anakin. It's mine too.* She had tears in her eyes now as he finally let go of everything and ran to his mother's arms. it was as if she knew what he had been through later and understood. Perhaps she knew. How stupid he had been. They were hugging so tightly that they both collapsed to the ground.
"Oh, Anakin" she murmured between sobs. When she regained some control over her emotions she said "We have so much to talk about"
"I'm so sorry mom" he hugged her tighter. He was trying unsuccessfully to find the right words "I've seen...What I've seen..."
"I know what you've seen... I can only imagine what you've been through..." She started to stand up again without letting go of him. He felt so small again, though he was quite tall for his age and much taller than her.
"Anakin" he heard his father's voice behind his mother and felt a hand against his own, resting on his mother's shoulder. He raised his head to look up at the eyes of his father. He was certainly not the same man he had seen in his visions. Gone was that recklessness and arrogance from his face. Now, Han Solo looked like...Looked like a person in distraught. A worried father. He couldn't help but compare the young Han Solo with this one before his eyes. Who would have guessed?
Anakin wanted his father to hug him really bad. He wanted nothing more than to be forgiven now. For everything. But there was too much between them still. They weren't ready for that yet. His mother caught on his thoughts and he could see sorrow in her eyes, which was quickly replaced by acceptance. They needed more time.
So, he took one last look at his father before taking his mother's hand on his own and leading the way into the ruins of Theed Palace.
The silence was becoming unbearable as everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Everyone, including Han, felt uncomfortable in the place. Anakin hadn't still let go of his mother's hands and decided that was all becoming too much for him to bear. "So, mom. As this is some kind of weird family reunion, where are Jacen and Jaina?"
"They'll be arriving shortly." She paused and changed the subject "Do you know why you are here, Anakin?"
"Not exactly. How did you know where to find me?" he asked as he glanced between his mother and uncle for a response.
"Your grandfather. I've seen some of the things you've seen. I dreamt of you. And then your grandfather appeared to me and told me to come. All of us." She said in a most serious tone. She repeated the question "Do you know why this is all happening?"
"I think so. I think Ani-"as he received some surprised glances he explained "that's how he told me to call him. Anyway, Ani wants to prevent history from repeating itself" he stated dryly. "Therefore, he's been showing me things...Images from the past." He glanced at his family. "Your past." There was pain in his eyes as he was reminded of his mother's pain. Of what she had been through. He avoided her eyes. "And also... I don't know how this got into my ship but I found this" he pulled the small leather notebook out of his backpack and placed it in his mother's hands.
Her eyes widened in surprise as recognition downed on her. She whispered "My journal" she looked up at her son "But how?"
"I don't know but I guess the Force had something to do with it. And grandpa too."
"Anakin" interrupted Luke "Do you know why he chose this place?"
"No. Do you?"
"Yes." Replied Mara. "We think this is your grandmother's home planet."
As Anakin was about to reply, a familiar form made its appearance in the former throne room. "Yes, Mara Jade. This used to be Theed Palace. Queen Amidala, later my wife, once ruled in this place." A tall twenty year-old man with blond hair and crystal blue eyes appeared in front of them. There was a loud thud as Leia let the diary fall from her hands and she whispered "Father..."
With a wide smile which spread all over his face, Anakin Skywalker replied "Hello, Leia. My daughter. Hello, Luke, my son."
No reply came. "How typical" he said aloud. His father's ship was landing now. It brought back memories of that fateful day, on Sernpidal. He got closer to the landing spot and waited. The first one to get down the ramp was his uncle. He wore his usual serene expression on his face but beneath it, there was definitely something wrong about him. When he reached Anakin, he patted the young man on his back and smiled. Following him was aunt Mara. She gave him a small smile and tried to reach him through the Force, sending reassurance. She hugged him briefly. That made Anakin feel a bit more at ease, as if at least someone would be on his side and understood him.
His breath was suddenly caught on his throat when he saw his mother. He had almost got used to seeing her as that young brave woman as she had been in the days of the war. It was as if he hadn't seen her for months now. Their eyes met and he could feel her sorrow and desperation through the Force. Desperation for him. Worry. She had dark circles under her eyes. 'This is all my fault' he thought. His mother sent back to him *No, Anakin. It's mine too.* She had tears in her eyes now as he finally let go of everything and ran to his mother's arms. it was as if she knew what he had been through later and understood. Perhaps she knew. How stupid he had been. They were hugging so tightly that they both collapsed to the ground.
"Oh, Anakin" she murmured between sobs. When she regained some control over her emotions she said "We have so much to talk about"
"I'm so sorry mom" he hugged her tighter. He was trying unsuccessfully to find the right words "I've seen...What I've seen..."
"I know what you've seen... I can only imagine what you've been through..." She started to stand up again without letting go of him. He felt so small again, though he was quite tall for his age and much taller than her.
"Anakin" he heard his father's voice behind his mother and felt a hand against his own, resting on his mother's shoulder. He raised his head to look up at the eyes of his father. He was certainly not the same man he had seen in his visions. Gone was that recklessness and arrogance from his face. Now, Han Solo looked like...Looked like a person in distraught. A worried father. He couldn't help but compare the young Han Solo with this one before his eyes. Who would have guessed?
Anakin wanted his father to hug him really bad. He wanted nothing more than to be forgiven now. For everything. But there was too much between them still. They weren't ready for that yet. His mother caught on his thoughts and he could see sorrow in her eyes, which was quickly replaced by acceptance. They needed more time.
So, he took one last look at his father before taking his mother's hand on his own and leading the way into the ruins of Theed Palace.
The silence was becoming unbearable as everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Everyone, including Han, felt uncomfortable in the place. Anakin hadn't still let go of his mother's hands and decided that was all becoming too much for him to bear. "So, mom. As this is some kind of weird family reunion, where are Jacen and Jaina?"
"They'll be arriving shortly." She paused and changed the subject "Do you know why you are here, Anakin?"
"Not exactly. How did you know where to find me?" he asked as he glanced between his mother and uncle for a response.
"Your grandfather. I've seen some of the things you've seen. I dreamt of you. And then your grandfather appeared to me and told me to come. All of us." She said in a most serious tone. She repeated the question "Do you know why this is all happening?"
"I think so. I think Ani-"as he received some surprised glances he explained "that's how he told me to call him. Anyway, Ani wants to prevent history from repeating itself" he stated dryly. "Therefore, he's been showing me things...Images from the past." He glanced at his family. "Your past." There was pain in his eyes as he was reminded of his mother's pain. Of what she had been through. He avoided her eyes. "And also... I don't know how this got into my ship but I found this" he pulled the small leather notebook out of his backpack and placed it in his mother's hands.
Her eyes widened in surprise as recognition downed on her. She whispered "My journal" she looked up at her son "But how?"
"I don't know but I guess the Force had something to do with it. And grandpa too."
"Anakin" interrupted Luke "Do you know why he chose this place?"
"No. Do you?"
"Yes." Replied Mara. "We think this is your grandmother's home planet."
As Anakin was about to reply, a familiar form made its appearance in the former throne room. "Yes, Mara Jade. This used to be Theed Palace. Queen Amidala, later my wife, once ruled in this place." A tall twenty year-old man with blond hair and crystal blue eyes appeared in front of them. There was a loud thud as Leia let the diary fall from her hands and she whispered "Father..."
With a wide smile which spread all over his face, Anakin Skywalker replied "Hello, Leia. My daughter. Hello, Luke, my son."