A/N: Wow! So many lovely reviews! This chapter should answer most people's questions. It's duel time!

pokey: Thanks!
eridani: Thanks - it took me a little while to get it right, and I'm glad you like it!
Hopeless4life: Thank you! Soon enough for you? lol.
TriGemini: Do you know, you probably are the best at capturing exactly what happened in each chapters and what will happen later? It freaks me out a little! But your comments about Padmé telling Luke and Leia that they are twins should be answered in this chapter. Thank you for your review!
Jedi Knight Emerald Tyrande: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!
Stephanie C: Yeah, I was considering writing the weird monster dragging Luke under, but I figured that Padmé had been having a bad enough day ;). And this chapter will answer your question!
Periain: Thank you! I haven't actually read that one yet, although I have been meaning to - I know it's good,I've read the first chapter or so.I've just been too busy to finish it! I'm glad you think my fic is good!
Emily: Thank you! And your question will be answered :)
Chou hime: Thanks! I'm glad it's a good way.
akidura: Thank you for your lovely review. You'll have to wait and see what happens :)
doreenthatshot: Glad you like it :)
Miss.S.P.: Yeah, Artoo and Threepio are definitely R2-D2 and C3PO, but in most of the books I read, whenever someone's talking to/about them, they usually have Artoo and Threepio written down. I just decided to do it that way :)
Laura-chan: Yes, it is now duel-time! Although I'm not particularly good at writing battle sequences...anyway, hope you like it!
Snow Lepord: Thank you, and here's the next chapter for you :)

Chapter Six

The red blade hummed quietly in Vader's black-gloved hands. Fitting colours for a Sith Lord – the colour of blood and the absence of light.

"I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan." Vader's voice sliced through his mask. "We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete."

Obi-Wan ignited his own saber, its blue glow illuminating his face. The familiar song of the weapon, though quiet, filled the Jedi's ears. He had not heard the hum of his blade in years.

He took an offensive stance, and the Dark Lord took the defensive.

"When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master," Vader said confidently.

"Only a master of evil, Darth," Obi-Wan replied, his tone saddened rather than angry.

They faced each other, motionless, seeming to wait for an opportunity. Suddenly, Obi-Wan lunged and drove his lightsaber forward – but Vader was there, blocking his attack like a bolt of lightning. He answered with a counterslash that Obi-Wan parried as speedily as he had done.

"Your powers are weak, old man," Vader noted tauntingly.

Obi-Wan's reply was a faint smile and another parry, moving around the Sith in fluid movements. They fought on, trading blow for blow. They began to back toward the docking bay, and Obi-Wan saw that their conflict was attracting the attention of the stormtroopers guarding the Millennium Falcon. He felt in the Force the presence of the Skywalker twins nearby – they could escape to the ship in the midst of the distraction.

Vader used Obi-Wan's momentary lapse in concentration to his advantage, swinging his blade over and down, but the Jedi blocked the slash and twisted elegantly around. Their sabers were locked together, pushing against one another with mighty strength.

Suddenly, an image filled Obi-Wan's mind – the image of nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, by his side in new Jedi robes. He firmly pushed the picture away, but another one of teenage Anakin laughing at a prank he had pulled on his master took its place. Other images of a younger Anakin flashed before Obi-Wan's mind's eye, reminding him of the bond they had shared as Master and Padawan, as friends, and as brothers.

Obi-Wan gazed on the black mask of Vader almost pityingly – his young friend had been twisted and broken into this new dark form. He understood what the Force was telling him – there was still good residing somewhere in the murky recesses of evil in Darth Vader. He could not kill him, not when there was still hope.

Other pictures swam in his head, pictures of youngpeople holding lightsabers,listening toLuke and Obi-Wan intently as they taught about the ways of the Force. And another realisation came to him - he was not to die. He was to live on and wait - to die here, to Vader's blade, was not the fate he had been waiting for. Many other threads branched out from this one, other threads of other futures.

He knew that neither he nor Vader would perish in this conflict – though how he would escape, he did not know, as the troopers were rapidly closing in. He hazarded a glance at the Falcon, and to his relief saw Han, Chewbacca, Threepio, Artoo, Luke and Leia almost at the ramp. And there, standing motionless and staring at the battle was Padmé.

"Obi-Wan!" she cried out. "Obi-Wan, quickly, get away!"

At the sound of her voice, Vader looked around, trying to locate her. Obi-Wan stole that moment and darted off, easily deflecting the stormtroopers' shots as he ran.

"Go!" he shouted to the group of Rebels as he rushed to the ship. Padmé was still staring at the stunned Vader, but Leia grabbed her hand and pulled her up the ramp into the Falcon, and Obi-Wan followed seconds later. Within moments, Han and Chewbacca had the freighter in the air.

Obi-Wan, Padmé, Luke and Leia sat in the central hold area, each lost in their own ruminations. Suddenly, Han came tearing in.

"Come on, buddy, we're not out of this yet!" he addressed Luke.

The boy got up and followed to the gunports, and Leia moved to the cockpit, leaving Obi-Wan, Padmé and the droids in the holding area.

Padmé turned to the old Jedi, her eyes hollow. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked him quietly.

Obi-Wan sighed faintly. There was no need to ask what she meant."For the same reason we separated the twins."

"To protect us?"

He nodded. "As long as you did not know, there was less of chance of you searching for him and him finding you. We did not discover his identity until after the twins had been separated – and we found that he did not know you were alive."

"I wouldn't have gone to find him, Obi-Wan," she said firmly, still vaguely upset.

"Wouldn't you?" Obi-Wan gave her a piercing look. "You believed there was still good in him. If you had known he was alive, you would have tried to draw it out."

Padmé looked down at her hands, defeated. She knew he was right. She couldn't deny that.

Presently, she raised her head and asked, "Does Luke know about me?"

"Beru and Owen told him that his mother had been called away to a distant planet and had not returned," Obi-Wan answered readily, staring into the distance.

Padmé gave an ironic smile. "That's not far from the truth." The smile faded. "Is he angry?"

Obi-Wan looked up at her. "Hmm? Oh, no. To tell you the truth, he was more interested in learning about his father than his mother."

"Would it – would it be all right if I told him?"

He glanced at her sharply. "Only about you. It is not time yet to reveal the identity of his father."

"Of course." She stood up. "I don't think I'd be able to handle telling him," she murmured as she began to move to the cockpit. Just before she left the hold area, she paused and turned back. "Thank you, Obi-Wan, for looking after Luke. You are a good friend to me," she said sincerely. Then she disappeared into the corridors.

Leia was stalking down the corridor as her mother walked up. Catching her by the arm, Padmé asked, "Leia, what's wrong?"

The look on the young woman's face was that of exasperation. "Oh, it's that insufferable captain. All he loves is money!"

Padmé hid a smile. Her daughter seemed to be much affected by the handsome Solo. "Try not to let him get to you," she advised. "Can you wait in the hold area for me? I want to talk to you and Luke."

"Why?" Leia asked curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough," Padmé replied simply. Leia shrugged and walked on, and Padmé moved to the cockpit.

Hearing the voices of her son and Han Solo inside, she paused outside the door.

"…I don't know, do you think it's possible for a Princess and a guy like me to…" Han was saying.

"No," Luke cut him off sharply.

Padmé smiled and raised her eyebrows. From what she had just heard, there would be some interesting developments between her daughter and the captain. Suddenly, she frowned. Her son's tone had been almost…jealous! She entered the cockpit hastily.

"Luke, could I talk to you for a few minutes?" she asked smoothly.

"Sure," Luke answered, getting up and following her out of the cockpit.

Once they entered the hold area, Padmé gestured for Luke to sit next to Leia. She took a seat across from them. In the corner, Obi-Wan and the droids watched the proceedings silently.

"Luke," Padmé began, drawing in a deep breath. "We have not been formally introduced, but I'm sure you know by now that I am Leia's mother."

Luke nodded, puzzled, and Leia gazed at her mother inquisitively.

"What do you know of your mother?" the older woman asked Luke.

The young man knitted his brow in confusion. "Only that she was called away somewhere and never returned. Why? Did you know her?" His tone turned to one of eagerness.

Padmé smiled, almost imperceptibly. "Yes." Shesighed. "There is something I must tell you both." Her eyes took on a distant, faraway look as she reminisced. "When I had Leia, I didn't just give birth to her. I gave birth to twins – two beautiful, healthy babies who saved me from dying. I had almost lost the will to live, you see, but when Obi-Wan placed my children in my arms, I found renewed strength." She smiled sadly at the memory and continued. "Shortly after that, we had to separate the twins to keep them safe from the Emperor. Their father had been a strong and powerful Jedi Knight, and the Emperor wished – and still wishes – to eradicate all the Jedi in the galaxy."

At this, Luke sat up straighter and stared at the woman with wide eyes. Padmé showed no signs of noticing, and kept talking.

"One baby – you, Leia – was sent to live with me on the planet of Alderaan, a system ruled by my friend Bail Organa and his wife. The other – a boy – was sent to live on Tatooine with his aunt and uncle, under the watchful eyes of my good friend Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"You mean –" Luke started, completely stunned. Leia was speechless.

Slowly, Padmé nodded. "Yes," she answered. She turned to Luke. "Luke, you are Leia's twin brother – and you are my son."

"Your son?" Luke said wonderingly, looking a little shell-shocked. "You're my mother?"

She nodded and her gaze travelled to Leia. The young woman was staring at Luke.

"I have a twin!" she exclaimed. "You're my brother! I knew there was a reason for that...that bond I felt." She hugged him, and Luke hugged her back, surprise and amazement written all over his face. Relief flooded Padmé's body – she had been worried about Leia's reaction, worried that her daughter would be angry with her for keeping the truth from her for all those years.

Luke broke away from his sisterand turned back to Padmé. My mother, he thought, half-dazedly.

"If you're my mother, how come I never heard anything about you?" he asked. The question was not accusatory or angry, simply curious.

Padmé's smile was sad. "What your aunt and uncle told you was the truth, in a way. I was called to Alderaan, but this was because I had to protect both of you from the Emperor. I wanted to contact you, believe me, I did, but I couldn't. It was too dangerous – the Emperor could have intercepted messages and come to take you - andus - away." She remembered those times – the yearning to see her son, to know how he was growing up, to hear him talk. She had not been there to hear his first words or see his first steps – that joy had been stolen from her because of the Empire. Stolen from her by the Emperor – and his apprentice.

She reached out tentatively, and her son moved into her embrace. She hugged him tightly – the first time she had held her Luke since he had been a day old. Turning, she hugged Leia, and then sat back to look upon her two children.

At last, she had been reunited with her son – and now she and the twins were together.