Bedtime in the Sunshine

"I'm sorry," Big Anakin said insincerely as his grandchildren climbed into bed. "I didn't know you'd actually get into trouble."

"We don't believe you," Jacen said. "You were using us to cause some mayhem."

The spirit slipped into the remaining shadows as the sun began to creep through the window. "Jacen, I'm hurt." To the children's surprise, Big Anakin began to pout. Jaina thought she even heard a whimper.

"Aw, he's faking it!" Little Anakin accused.

Big Anakin's pout deepened. This time, Jaina was sure that she heard him whimper. "Don't cry, Grampa," she said. "He didn't mean it."

Big Anakin turned towards Little Anakin. Little Anakin snuggled under his covers. "Yes I did."

"Fine," Big Anakin said. "I know when I'm not wanted." He feigned a sniffle as he turned to walk away.

"Wait!" all three called at once.

Big Anakin stopped with one foot in the air. He slowly lowered it to the floor. "Suckers," he mumbled in Toyderian. "What?" he said in Basic.

"We're sorry," Jacen said. "Please don't go yet."

Big Anakin mentally rubbed his hands together in wicked glee. "Okay." He spun to face the children. It was then he realized how tired they all looked. "On second thought, maybe I should give you the day off. Your parents need the space anyway."

"Noooo!" they all whined.

Big Anakin spread his hands. "What do you want me to do? Tell you another story?" To his surprise, the children actually didn't say anything. "What?" he asked. "You didn't like the last story I told you?"

"Can't you tell us one that won't scare us or make Mom mad?" Little Anakin asked.

Big Anakin thought for a moment. "Well, there was that time when . . .wait. I can't tell you that one." He thought a little longer. "Oh! When I was in the Outer Rim . . .nope. Can't tell you that one either." He tapped his fingers together. "I got it! This was when your grandmother and I were on Naboo, and . . .hold on. I REALLY can't tell you that one."

This time it was the children's turn to pout. "I don't believe it," Big Anakin said. "I actually don't have anything to tell you."

"Why don't you make something up?" Jaina suggested.

Big Anakin sighed. "I can do that." His eyes moved back and forth as his mind raced to create something on the spot. "Okay," he said as he raised his hands. "This one is about a boy and a girl who were lost in the forest. All they had to lead them home was a trail of breadcrumbs. They continued through the forest until they came upon a house made of candy."

(X)

"Did you know about this?" Han asked Leia.

"Of course I knew," she said between chuckles. "It was a good night, so I decided to wait to tell you."

"A good night?" Han asked. "For what?"

"Anakin was just visiting his grandchildren. He didn't mean any harm."

"He didn't mean any harm?" Han leaned towards Luke. "This coming from a woman who used to hate his guts."

"Oh Han," Leia groaned. "I've grown up since then. That's all behind me, or else I wouldn't have gotten this far through his visit. Hell, I wouldn't have gotten through all these years of being called Lady Vader by the Noghri."

Han finished wiping his face with a damp cloth. "Either way, that's no excuse for what they did."

"Even so," Luke offered, "how many chances will they get to cause total mayhem, all in the name of Anakin Skywalker? They'll probably never see him again in their natural lives."

Han glared at his brother-in-law. "Are you saying you condone this?"

"No," Luke said. "I'm just saying they've had a once in a lifetime opportunity. Let them enjoy it. It'll be over soon."

"And that is the key phrase," Leia said. "It will be over soon."

(X)

The children were never quite sure how it happened. One minute, their grandfather was telling them about two children lost in the woods, eating a house made of candy, and then being fattened so an evil woman could make them into stew. The next minute, he was telling them about how it reminded him of such and such, and then he ran off on a tangent about when he and Obi-wan landed on the living planet Zonama Sekot. Then he proceeded to relate a tale of chaotic battle in an arena before getting into a story about getting drunk with Obi-wan on Naos III. For the rest of their lives, they never understood what really went on in the fifteen minutes it took to get through all that.

"Wait! Wait!" Jaina said. "Are you telling us a fairy tale or your life story?"

"What difference does it make?" Big Anakin asked. His hands were still in the air as he was halfway through a lightsaber swing.

"Well, you're confusing us."

Big Anakin narrowed his eyes. "I can't tell you what I want to tell you. You'll just go screaming to your mother again."

"Okay, okay," Jacen said while waving his hands. "We'll be good this time. Just tell us something good."

"What if you go running off again?"

"We won't! I promise!"

Big Anakin looked at Jaina and Little Anakin. "What about you two?" They simply nodded. "Fine," Big Anakin said. "Let me think . . .okay! I got one! Jacen wanted a Darth Vader story, so I'll tell you about the time I went to this volcano planet called Mustafar."

(X)

The first thing Han, Luke, and Leia heard was screaming. Han and Luke leapt to their feet and ran for the children's bedroom. At her wits' end, Leia let her head drop against the table again. As soon as she stood, and before Han and Luke reached the door, Jacen and Jaina ran into them while in a mad dash for the kitchen.

"Whoa!" Han said as he grabbed Jaina by her collar. "What's going on?"

Jacen looked up at Luke and began pointing towards the bedroom. Though he tried to say something, he seemed incapable of actually forming any words. Leia stepped into the living room and folded her arms as she waited patiently for her father's explanation.

Seconds later, Little Anakin dashed out of the bedroom. He was obviously in a good mood, as he swung his arms around and giggled hysterically. Big Anakin was close behind. He reached down to grab his namesake by the shirt. Whether he could have gotten a grip on his grandson didn't matter; he missed anyway and fell facefirst onto the floor.

"Well, Father," Leia said as Big Anakin stood, "at least you managed to spare one of them. What was it this time? A woman who found out her husband was a cannibal? Or maybe you finished that story about the kid whose head fell off?"

Big Anakin dismissed her with a casual wave of his hand. "It was nothing like that. I told them about when I fought Obi-wan on Mustafar, right after I became Darth Vader. That's all."

"Yeah!" Little Anakin said excitedly. "They fought, and fought, and, and, and, and Obi-wan cut off Grampa's left arm and both of his legs! And Grampa was set on fire! And that's why he had to wear that big black suit!"

Leia tapped her foot impatiently as she raised her fiery gaze to her father's ghost. "Hey!" Big Anakin said. "I don't know why you're upset this time." Big Anakin extended a hand towards Little Anakin. "He liked it!"

"I know," Leia said. "Which is exactly why I named him after you." Leia ruffled Little Anakin's hair. "I thought I told you you were banned from telling my children any stories."

"Huh? Oh!" Big Anakin wrinkled his forehead as if it were simply a matter he conveniently forgot. "I guess you did. Oh well."

Leia walked towards the children's bedroom. "In here, Father. Now!"

"Why?"

As she passed him, Leia subconsciously reached up to snatch his ear. He saw it coming and leaned out of the way. Leia continued past him. Big Anakin looked back towards the children before following. The twins pointed towards him.

"Ooooooooh" they said. "You're in trouuuuuuuuubbbbblllllllleee." Anakin jerked towards them and growled like a snapping dog. They gasped and hid behind Han and Luke.

Everyone watched them enter the bedroom in silence. Moments later, they heard Leia's angry voice in her chastising mother mood. Luke and the children heard Anakin Skywalker complaining back at her, along with some obviously unpleasant words in Toyderian. To Han, it was a one-sided conversation. Little Anakin translated for him while leaving out the adult parts. Everyone waited in silence until Leia stomped out of the bedroom with Big Anakin right behind her. She waved her hand towards the bedroom.

"Take the kids to bed."

Big Anakin was sure she was talking to him. "What?"

Leia's eyes widened as she smirked at her father. "Put the kids back to bed. You got them up. You put them down."

"Are you serious? The sun's coming up."

"Don't you ever do as you're told?"

Big Anakin scoffed. "What are you? Drunk?"

Leia instantly returned to her motherly persona. "Put the kids to bed, Father. Just do as you're told, and no one has to get hurt."

Big Anakin felt just slightly less cocky. "Are you serious?"

All three children nodded. "Yeeeeaaaah!" they said.

Big Anakin rolled his eyes. "Fine. Follow me, you little Tuskan Raiders."

As if on cue, all three children raised their arms above their heads and began to squeal and honk like Sand People. Luke, Leia, and Han watched in bewilderment as Jaina, Jacen, and Little Anakin galumphed back towards their room.