Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews. So, I promise not to abandon this story. I will finish it (don't you just hate it when stories you're reading just stop, I do) So, it's gettin good right? *nods hopefully* Ok, so this chapter kind of leads you hangin but I promise to get the next bit up soon. Thanks again and I hope you like it. :)


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"I don't think so squirt! You wait with the ship." Mara told the rebellious droid. He answered her with a negative reply.

"Aww Mara, he can come," Luke chided her avoiding the glare still directed at him.

"No, Mara's right, stay with the ship R2 and make sure when Jaina wakes up she doesn't get into any mischief," Padmè said and this time R2 obeyed. Luke looked at Anakin for support but he just smiled and shrugged, before turning to head for the farm.

"I can't believe it," Luke muttered shaking his head sadly at Anakin.

"So Luke why did you let us search for 15 minutes before telling us you know where the Lars live?" Padmè asked eyes narrowed.

"Yeah," Mara had to say.

"Luke just shuffled his feet and smirked reminding Padmè of Anakin.

"I don't know, I thought that maybe it was a different Lars or something."

Mara snorted "Sure Farmboy," and Padmè had to agree with her. At least Mara didn't deny the fact that she got a kick out of watching others humiliating themselfs. Well... not really humiliate but rather she liked to watch Watto squirm. Luke probably felt the same, and with the redness in his cheeks, red from embarrassment not the sun, she could tell he knew what she was thinking.

"Anakin," Padmè called out in a now-you've-had-it tone. Luke stepped behind Mara wincing slightly and Mara chuckled lightly.

"Yeah Padmè?"

"Can you teach me a... mind block thingy?"

His eyebrows rose at 'thingy' but he nodded anyway "I'll try"

"Do or do not," Mara commented slyly and Luke laughed and pulled her into his side.

Anakin looked like he was about to comment when he saw something that struck him as very familiar...

"3PO?"

"3PO?"

"Oh my!" the droid exclaimed looking at Anakin, ignoring the second voice, the second Skywalker entirely.

"Oh my Maker! Master Anakin! I knew you would return! And this must be Miss Padmè."

"Hello Threepio" Padmè said.

Mara snorted at the irony. That annoying droid had been created by none other then Anakin Skywalker.

Threepio glanced over at the laughing women but before he asked Anakin spoke up.

"I've come to see my mother."

"I think... I think we'd better go indoors" C-3PO stuttered. Anakin and Padmè exchanged nervous glances and Mara laced her fingers through Luke's, solemn now.

A young man and women came out of the house and stopped in front of them.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said stepping forward slightly. The young woman looked shocked.

"I'm Owen Lars. This is my girlfriend, Beru Whitesun."

Beru nodded and Padmè came forward giving up on Anakin to introduce everyone else.

"I'm Padmè, and this is Luke and Mara Jade," she said it as if it was meant to be their last name, but unlike earlier, Mara didn't really mind having anyone think that they were married.

"I guess I'm your stepbrother," Owen said, his eyes never leaving the young Jedi. "I had a feeling you might show up."

"Is my mother here?"

"No, she's not," came a gruff voice from behind. Everyone turned to see an old man glide out on a hover chair. One of his legs was bandaged and the other was missing.

"Cliegg Lars," the man said moving in close and extending his hand. Anakin stepped forward and shook his had with hesitation, worry present only to Padmè, who was by now pretty good at reading his emotions. "Shmi is my wife. We should go inside. We have a lot to talk about.

Anakin followed as if in a dream. Mara and Luke both looked towards Padmè with concern but she just shrugged slightly not knowing what to say and followed the others.

"It was just before dawn," Cliegg started as they all sat down around a small table. Luke pulled Mara down onto his lap when he noticed there weren't enough chairs, and much to his surprise he only received a glare before she relaxed into him.

"They came out of nowhere," Owen added and Luke had a hard time focusing on the young man that sat before him. Was this really his uncle from so long ago? And what had happened to his... grandmother, why did Owen's eyes hold the same sorrow that they had in them when he was growing up here?

"A band of Tuskan raiders," Cliegg explained.

Mara twisted round to look at Luke, her eyes shone with understanding of what was to come. He gave a solemn nod and pulled her a little closer.

Was this why Owen had warned him so relentlessly and vehemently about Tuskans when he was growing up?

Your mother had gone out early, like she always did, to pick mushrooms that grow on the vaporators. From the tracks, she was about half way home when they took her. Those Tuskans walk like men, but they're vicious, mindless, monsters!"

Anakin grimaced as he felt the older man's, his stepfather's, pain.

"Thirty of us went out after Shmi, four of us came back." Cliegg paused for a moment, as if it physically hurt him to continue.

"I'd still be out there, only...after I lost my leg..."Cliegg looked at them, tears in his eyes, and it struck Anakin that he really did, does, love his mother.

"I can't ride any more, until I heal."

Luke looked sideways at Mara, her eyes narrowed looking out or the room. Her hand rested lightly on her blaster and Luke could tell she was holding her feelings in check.

"I don't want to give up on her, but she's been gone a month. There's little hope she's lasted this long."

Anakin's face was contorted with pain and he stood abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Owen asked softly.

"To find my mother."

Padmè rose also, grabbing his arm, and with tears in her eyes supporting him with any decision he made.

"Your mother's dead son," Cliegg said softly. "Accept it."

Anakin wasn't looking at them, but beyond the deserts.

Searching.

Finally he replied, "She's alive, I know it!" with so much force in his voice that even Mara looked up at him.

Padmè squeezed his arm slightly before letting him walk away. She looked over at Luke and Mara. They were talking in frantic whispers, arguing softly back and forth. Mara nodded at something he said and Luke raised his hand slowly to touch her cheek. Padmè didn't have the force, she didn't need it to feel their love. Turning, she quickly went after Anakin, throwing her arms around his neck, holding him in a tight embrace.

"Stay safe," he told her gently.

"Anakin..."

"I won't be long."

"Wait!" Luke called out, running towards them with Mara trailing slowly behind. "I'm going with you."

Anakin just nodded in acceptance, knowing that Luke could be stubborn, and with another glance at Padmè he knew she would never let him go alone now that Luke presented this second option.

"Luke!" Mara exclaimed, as if she was scolding him when he turned to get on his speeder bike.

He got on anyway and gave her the look, which she ignored of course, and beckoned her closer.

"Be careful Luke," She ordered him, not really liking this power he seemed to hold over her, but relenting because she knew she had the same power over him.

"I will Mara," he promised with a slight smirk, before gently kissing her and zooming off with Anakin.

In a few moments they were gone. Padmè and Mara stood there, watching the horizon a long time after they disappeared from eyesight.