Skywalker's Redemption Part Two: Apologies

The next day Anakin Skywalker slowly, painfully, made his way outside the Ewok camp. Pain shot through him every time he stepped, but he pressed through, keeping alive the hope that every step he took brought him closer to Padme, the woman he loved.

Staggering, exhausted, he stopped at the place where Padme had said he would see her, wheezing through his breath mask he sat on a log and he looked out into the forest.
He saw her walking slowly towards him.

A golden light shone around her being and her face glowed she smiled at him. It filled him with joy just to see her smile. That radiant smile that blew him away every time he saw it. But looking at her again Anakin realized it was a sad smile. Padme stopped and sat down beside him on the log where he was sitting to rest his aching body.
"Can we talk now?" Anakin asked.

"Yes," Padme said, her voice was just a whisper, but to Anakin, it was music. "Why wouldn't you talk to me last night?" He asked.

"Because, it was not my time to speak." Padme responded quietly.

"Padme," Anakin said, "I know this may not mean much to you, but-I'm sorry, for everything."

"How do I know your not just saying this to make me happy?" Her thoughts asked him desperately. She wanted to believe him, but her mind still doubted.

"I'm not just saying this to make you happy. I truly am sorry." His thoughts reached out, pleading with her. "Padme," Anakin said exasperated, "our son gave me a second chance, why can't you?"

"I-I can't! Padme stammered, "Don't you realize all the bad things you've done, to Luke, Leia, and me?" she asked, angrily.

"Yes, I know what I've done was wrong. I want to change. I want to restore what we lost." He slowly wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her closer to him.

"I know, Anakin, I understand, and I forgive you," Padme replied, all her anger at him was gone in a rush. She wrapped her arms around him and smiled.

Padme gingerly reached up and pulled off her husband's breath mask that covered his mouth. Then she pulled him close and kissed him. She realized how much she missed him and how happy she was to just be there in his arms. Anakin, of course, was rather shocked; he hadn't exactly expected his wife to kiss him. Especially after he had left her all those years ago, in her room, lonely and miserable in his idiotic Sith crusade with Palpatine. He expected her to hate him for it, his betrayal of her and the Jedi Order. But now, as they kissed he realized that she still cared for him, that she loved him and it didn't matter what he did.

They both pulled away and he said, "It's good to see you again. I love you, Padme."

"And I, you," she replied, "Promise me that you won't leave me again?" She asked.

"I won't leave you again, I promise," he replied and let her go. Padme quickly reinserted her husband's breath mask over his mouth and stood to her feet. As she stood up he saw the light around her begin to fade. As it faded, so did she. "Padme, where are you going? Will I ever see you again?" he asked.

"Tomorrow, Annie, tomorrow I will return," she said and started to walk away, her image steadily fading away.

"Padme, wait," Anakin said.

"What?" She asked. "You haven't called me Annie in years, why now?"

"Because, that's who you always were to me, even when you left I held onto the hope that you might one day come back to me. And so you have, my faith was not in vain." she replied. "Good-bye, Anakin," Padme said, then she vanished from his sight.

Anakin slowly made his way back to the hut. Pain surged through him but the joy he felt made his body numb to it. He made his way into the hut and collapsed on the cot. He smiled happily and quietly meditated on the days events. As he was deep in thoughts his son Luke came in.

"Father, where have you been all day?" he asked. Anakin smiled, "with your mother," he replied.

"What is mother like?" Luke asked, curious. He had never known her. Leia had fleeting memories, but they were very vague.

"Your mother is-well, it's hard to explain. She is -the most understanding person that I know. She understood me when no one else did. She was very beautiful. I hope to see her soon." He replied, exhausted. "She is coming tomorrow; I hope you and Leia will come to see her. Now, I need to rest," and then he lay down to sleep.