A/N: The end of the chapter originally was a semi-songfic to Hoobastank's The Reason, but, in accordance to guidelines, the lyrics have been scrapped and the writing has changed. Thanks for all your reviews -they're overwhelming my inbox, but in a good way! Still got the epilogue to go!

DarthGladiator45: You'll have to wait and see! ;)
TriGemini: Oh, wow, thank you so much for that review! Things will turn out a little differently than you expect, but I hope you like it anyway :) Your remarks about Leia were pretty interesting...hope your questions are answered here!
Stephanie C: The suit wasn't the mechanical one, that served as his organs etc. He just wore black, and the helmet was so he wouldn't have to look at his face. Hope that clears it up a little :) He's a little scarred, but not much. Glad you liked the chapter!
padmenaberrie32: Thank you! I'm glad you liked the chapter :)
Chou hime: Sorry! Here's more for you right away:)
Jokerisdaking: Aww, thank you! I'm glad I made you dance happily :) Here's the next chapter for you!
LVB: Thank you! I worked hard :) Hope your jaw isn't hurting, lol.
dramaqueen872005: Ah, you'll just have to see ;)
...wow...: Thank you so much! I should have made that clearer - the arm that got cut off was, in fact, the mechanical one. Anakin only had one mechanical arm in the prequels, at least until he got burnt and sliced. Hope that clears it up!
ChibiAzn3: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the chapters :)
Greatstar: Glad you liked the chapter :)
Emerald Green Queen: Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I read your review and I swear I typed a reply, but I guess it didn't...I'll reply to it now! Okay, your review on chapter 16 - I'm glad you liked the way I wrote the confrontation, and my intertwining of the movie and my storylines. And your review on chapter 17 - Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it :) I hope I meet your expectations! Thank you so much for reviewing as you do - I love reading them, even when I stupidly miss out on posting my replies!
Angel Sanada: Thanks! Just read on :)
pokey: Wow, thank you!
Laura-chan: I'm glad you liked it. I certainly will keep writing!
Miss.S.P.: Lol, thank you! I'll try to clear the helmet thing up - in my story, he's not severely injured by the flame. He's a little scarred etc from the burns, but he still had functioning organs, and the helmet was just so he wouldn't have to look at the face of his wife's killer - himself. Hope that's clearer!
Linwe-Amari: Lol, sure thing!
Hopeless4life: Don't cry! Here's the next chapter, read on!
Princess-Aiel: Oh, thank you! More is here :)
doreenthatshot: Thanks! No, I haven't gotten mine yet. Can't wait to watch it again!
Hunter Hatake: Thank you! More has been written, although this chapter is second-last. There's just the epilogue to go :)
Bloodcast-Wench1989: Thank you :) I'm glad you like it!

Chapter Eighteen

Anakin slowly opened his eyes and blinked. He saw sterile white and silver, and he realised he was lying down. Another blink and he could see that he was in a medcentre. His helmet was gone, and the weight of his black suit. He felt only the soft material of robes that reminded him of years long gone, years when he had been part of the Order.

He gazed at his surroundings for a moment, trying to remember how he had gotten here. His memories and thoughts turned inward, and he explored his mind.

He did not find the darkness.

He was no longer Vader.

As if in response to this realisation, he heard a familiar voice say, "Hello, Anakin."

He turned his head and saw Obi-Wan sitting by his bed.

"Obi-Wan!" he exclaimed, pushing himself up to a sitting position – and then his mixed emotions gave way to fear. Was his former master going to condemn and admonish him for his past deeds? He felt he deserved punishment. He no longer felt anger or hatred for his old mentor as he had before. He knew Obi-Wan was not to blame for his fall, had not turned anyone against him, and had simply done what he knew was right. His cheeks burned in intense shame and regret as he recalled his words and cruelty.

Obi-Wan smiled and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, I am not going to condemn you," he told him. "You had my forgiveness long ago."

Tears began to well up in Anakin's eyes. "I don't deserve your forgiveness," he choked out, feeling like a Padawan once again.

"I was sorrowful for your turn, Anakin. I tried to bring you back, and I failed. I have failed you a great many times in my life. But I believed that there was a possibility that you still could return, that the evil of Darth Vader could be destroyed. And so it has come to pass, and I do not hate you. I am not angry. I am only glad. And I want to ask for your forgiveness, for failing you, and for not being the teacher you deserved."

Anakin blinked rapidly. "You don't need forgiveness, Obi-Wan. You were the best Master- the best friend - I could ever have asked for. You did your best." He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft and full of remorse. "How can I ever atone for what I've done?"

"Do not dwell on the past. Yes, you made mistakes. You allowed lust for power to cloud your judgement. But you have renounced those ways, and the past is now in the past."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Anakin said in a voice thick with unshed tears. "You will always be a master to me. My brother. Will I have your forgiveness?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "There is nothing to forgive."

"Luke!" Leia cried, throwing her arms around her brother, who had just woken up.

"Leia," he greeted her, struggling to sit up when she released him.

Han strolled in. "Hey, kid," he said cheerfully. "You're looking better than when we picked you up. A little less crispy."

Luke laughed. "Hi, Han," he grinned. He looked around at the room of the medcentre he was in. "How did I get here?" he wondered aloud.

Leia glanced at Han. "It's a bit of a story…" she said.

"Tell me."

"All right." Leia sat down at the foot of the bed, and Han took a seat on the chair beside her. "After you spoke to me, I still wasn't comfortable with you going off by yourself. So I went to find Han to see if he would take me to find you. He was repairing the Falcon, because something broke." Here she shot Han a look.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault," he protested. "It was Chewie."

"Mmhm. I had to wait for him to fix it, and just before he finished, Obi-Wan appeared. I knew he already knew what you were doing, so I told him I was going after you. He looked at me for a minute and said that you had to face him alone, but you may need help. He said you would be taken to the Emperor. So when Han had finally finished working on the Falcon –" another glare, "– we headed to Coruscant."

"Wasn't easy, kid," Han put in. "There were Imperials everywhere."

"Once we reached the Imperial Senate building, we encountered more opposition," Leia continued. "I tried to get us in using my status as a Senator, but they recognised me as a Rebel. So Han had to…blast our way in."

"They didn't stand a chance against me," Han added boastfully.

Leia rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. "When we were halfway up, in the turbolift, I could feel you and Mother in terrible pain. I knew Obi-Wan felt it too. Just before the turbolift stopped, the sensation faded. Obi-Wan muttered 'He is defeated', and I was so afraid he meant you…and then we ran into the room, and you were all lying on the floor. We checked, and you were all fine…Mother's hand was holding Father's."

"How did you get us out?" Luke asked.

"Chewbacca carried Fa…Father, Obi-Wan and I carried Mother, and Han carried you."

"Yeah, you owe me, kid. Almost broke my back! The Imps weren't too happy either, but we'd already taken care of most of them."

Luke smiled. "So where are we now?"

"Coruscant had too many Imperials, and since the Emperor is dead, it was too dangerous to stay there. We're on Yavin Four, at the Rebel base."

"The Alliance isn't moving to Hoth?" Luke asked, relief beginning to wash over him.

"Why would we need to?" Leia replied with a smile. "There is no Emperor, and we can withstand any petty attacks from a desperate, sinking Empire here."

"So you feeling good enough to join the party?" Han grinned at Luke, slipping an arm around Leia's waist.

"Party?"

"The end of the Empire - or, at least the Emperor. We're taking time out to celebrate before we set about ending the war," Leia explained with a smile. "The celebrations are going to last a month at least!"

Luke grinned at the two of them. "Wouldn't miss it."

Anakin stood at the edge of the celebrations, watching the Rebels dance and laugh and celebrate. He was suddenly struck with how miserable the Empire had made the galaxy. He wished he had made the right decisions earlier – he had not meant for so many good people to suffer and die. There were many things he wished he had not done, but he had learned from his mistakes now.

"Anakin," came a soft voice behind him. He turned, and a smile spread on his face when he saw his beautiful wife.

His smile turned to uncertainty. He wanted nothing more to take her in his arms and hold her close, but remembering how he had treated her, how he had hurt her…

But all his doubts melted away when Padmé stepped forward, brought his head to hers and kissed him. For the first time in twenty years, he held his wife in his arms, felt the touch of her lips on his, breathed in the warmth of her closeness.

"I'm sorry," he whispered when she broke away.

"For what?"

"Everything."

She sighed and held him close, resting her cheek on his chest as she had done so often a long time ago.

"Anakin, just to have you back again is all I need," she told him. "I know you're sorry. And I have already forgiven you. I just want us to be together again. You are enough, just as you are."

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Padmé."

"I love you too, Anakin." She lifted her head and he leaned down and kissed her again.

When they broke apart again, they looked up to see Leia, fingers entwined with Han's, and Luke. Han gently disengaged his hand and Luke gave his twin a gentle push towards their parents.

Leia stepped forward, looking nervous, fiddling with her fingers. "Father," she said softly, sounding stilted. She looked at her hands.

He smiled, albeit a little uncertainly. "Leia." He reached forward and gently tilted her chin up to look into her eyes, noticing with a pang that she flinched slightly when he reached out. How could he take back memories and pain? How could he make amends for what he had done to her? "I'm so sorry for hurting you," he whispered sadly. "There is no excuse for what I did. I wish I could make the memory disappear. There is so much to be sorry for, and that is something I will have to live with every day. I can only hope that in the years to come, we can forge a true relationship. I do love you, Leia. Very much so. You are my family, and you are a part of me."

Leia's eyes filled with tears. Anakin hesitantly reached forward and hugged her lightly, awkwardly, feeling her stiffen - but then she relaxed and slipped her arms around him briefly.Anakin found as he held her, to his surprise, that there were tears in his eyes too.

Leia stepped back and took her place next to Han again. Anakin put his hand forward and shook Han's. Obi-Wan had told him about the Corellian's deeds in the Rebellion.

"Thank you, Captain, for everything you've done," he said. "I trust you have been given a reward?"

Han grinned and looked down at Leia. "I sure have," he replied. Anakin raised his eyebrows, and Leia nudged Han sharply, shooting him a half-cross, half-amused glare. "I mean,with your consent," he added hastily.

"Consent for what?"

"Well…" Leia began, twisting her fingers as an odd smile spread across her face. "Han and I would like to…be married."

Padmé gasped in delight and rushed forward to embrace her daughter.

"I think you have our consent," Anakin laughed.

As Padmé congratulated the couple, Anakin turned to Luke.

"I knew there was still good in you," the young Jedi smiled at his father.

"You did," Anakin said. "Thank you, Luke. I would not have turned back if it weren't for your faith in me." He looked over at his wife. "And your mother's love."

They were interrupted by a series of beeps and whistles. All five of them turned to see Artoo trundling up, accompanied by Threepio, Chewbacca and Obi-Wan.

"Artoo! Threepio!" Anakin said, surprised to see his old droids.

"The Maker!" Threepio exclaimed. "Oh, Master Anakin, it is so good to see you again."

Anakin grinned. "You too, Threepio."

Obi-Wan smiled at him, and Chewbacca moved next to Han. Anakin felt a hand slip into his, and he smiled at his wife. He took a moment to gaze at the people – and droids and Wookiee – around him. Here was his family, whether by blood, brotherhood, marriage or friendship. And it was for his family that he had turned from the darkness. His family had pulled him from the depths of black evil and brought him back into the light. Back into their midst. Back home.

Anakin Skywalker was no longer lost in the swirling darkness. He was home.