Skywalker's Redemption Part Three: Reunion and Redemption

Anakin woke up the next day. He felt so weak that he thought he wouldn't be able to get from his cot to the door. He tried to sit up, but was too weak to move. So he fell back on the cot and tried to rest. Anakin slowly closed his eyes. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a noise coming from the door.

"Luke," he said, exhausted.

"Father, you don't look good," he said.

"I know. I feel so weak that all I want to do is sleep," he replied.

"You should rest," Luke said.

"No, if I rest I feel that the Force may call me before I get the chance to say good-bye to you and Leia." he said, "Please, go get Leia so I may apologize and say good-bye to her before I go." he said weakly.

"I will, father," Luke said, rising quickly to carry out his father's request. He exited the hut and walked out into the camp to find Leia. Walking through the camp he quickly scanned the crowd to find his sister. Then he spotted her talking with Han. "There you are!" Luke shouted, "I've been looking for you all over the place."

"What is it, Luke?" asked Leia, concerned.

"It's father," Luke replied. "I'm afraid he's going to leave us."

"When?" Leia asked.

"I don't know, but it will be soon." Luke replied.

"Why should I care?" Leia asked. "He is not my 'father', he is a monster!" She shouted, "my father was Bail Organa, Darth Vader is inhuman monster. I hate him!"

"He only requested that you come to see him so he could say good-bye. You don't have act so angry and hateful. Anger is of the Dark Side." Luke said, irritated.

"Alright, I'll come." Leia grumbled, "but I'm not going to speak to him!"

They both started to walk off. "Hey kid, wait!" Han shouted.

"What Han?" They both asked.

"I'm coming, too." Han replied. "What do you need to come for? Luke asked, "I know you hate my father, so why do you feel like you need to come?"

"Because," Han replied, "I feel like I need to see what in the world is going on." With that, they all walked toward the hut.

Anakin Skywalker broke out in sweats throughout the day as he tried to sleep. But sleep would not come. He had just closed his eyes when Luke came in. "Luke, is Leia with you?" he asked.

"I'll let Leia answer that question for you," Luke said.

"I'm here, Lord Vader," Leia replied, "but I didn't come here of my own free will. I came because Luke requested that I come. So what do you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for all the things I did to you and Han. I wish I could make it up to you. But I know that anything I do or say will fall on deaf ears. I hope that one day you will forgive me." Anakin said, his breathing was raspy and rapid. He felt the Force call to him.

"Luke, I must leave soon. I just wanted to tell you and Leia that I love you both. I'm sorry and I hope you will forgive me." Anakin said between gasps.

He looked up suddenly. "P-Padme," he gasped, "what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I told you I would come to you today. And so I have. I have come to take you home." Padme said quietly. "But Padme, I can't go, not yet. I must stay with Luke and Leia." Anakin said.

"Please, come back to me," she pleaded.

Anakin opened his mouth to reply, when suddenly, he saw other figures besides Padme. There was Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his mother, Shmi Skywalker.

"I don't deserve to become one with the Force. I feel like I failed you all," he turned to his mother," you especially," Anakin said wearily.

"No, Anakin. You did what you were destined to do." Qui-Gon Jinn said. "You brought balance back to the Force. You turned from the Dark Side, which is a feat in itself. Come with us."

"Annie, my son, you came home. It didn't matter that I died. I was happy you came home to me! Now it's time for another journey together." Shmi Skywalker smiled.

Obi-Wan stepped forward, "Anakin, You have succeeded, through my failure. Well done, my young Palawan. You have officially become a Jedi Knight. I am proud that I trained you."

"It is time, Anakin," Padme said as she bent towards him, her smile widened. she reached and took his hand. Immediately, Anakin's spirit leaped out of his body. He felt no pain or anguish as he stepped towards her. "Padme, it's good to see you again." He said. "I love you." Then he pulled her close

. "Anakin, please, not in front of everyone. Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Shmi, Luke, Leia and Han are here. I can't-not now," she said.

"Oh yes you can," he said and kissed her passionately, pulling her into his arms. A short time later, he released her, she pulled away.

"Well, so much for my protests," she said.

She turned to Luke and Leia, "Luke, my son, do not feel that you failed to save your father. You saved him and brought him back to Light Side, you brought back my husband, your father back to me. I am proud of you."

Turning to Leia she said, "Leia, I know you don't understand why you father became Darth Vader. I know that you feel betrayed that the very man you hate is your flesh and blood father. You don't understand it now, but one day, you will. I love you, farewell my daughter."

Anakin turned his gaze upon his son. "Luke, my son, you have freed me from my slavery. For that, I am truly thankful. Good work Luke, I'm proud of you."

Turning to Leia, he said, "Leia, I know that you hate me. I know that you would love for nothing better than to rip me apart. But I just want to say that I'm sorry for everything. I hope that time will heal old wounds. Good-bye my daughter, I love you."

Both husband and wife turned to Han and Padme said, "Han, I know that you love my daughter. I foresee that one day that you will be married. Take good care of her. Don't just jump into something without thinking. Be wise in your decisions. Never forget the ones you love."

Anakin turned to Han and said, "Han, I know that you and me get along like oil and water. But I want to apologize for all the cruelty I've shown you. I know you'll probably never forgive me, but I just want to say that I'm sorry."

Han was silent, speechless.

With that, Anakin and Padme Amidala Skywalker joined hands and together with the Jedi, they walked into the mists of the Living Force. For all of eternity they watched over their children. Through war and peace, good times and bad, they stood by their children's side, silently watching over them.

The End