Chapter 11: Escaping and Anakin's Memories

"I love you too and I won't leave you, Ani," Padmè whispered.

Anakin pulled away and looked at her. Her eyes opened and she smiled at him. "Padmè! You're alive!" He gasped. She touched his face and sighed.

"And you're back as my Ani," she murmured.

"Mommy!" Luke gasped.

"Luke!"

Padmé hugged Luke tight with a smile. Just then, they heard alarms going off. "This place just went into self-destruct. We have to get out of here," Anakin informed. He picked Padmè up and they began to run after Sabé picked Luke up.

When they were halfway towards the ship, Anakin stopped. "I'm not coming," he informed. He placed Padmè into Obi-Wan's arms.

"What do you mean you're not coming?" Padmè asked.

"There's something I have to do. I'm not coming, Padmè," he assured.

He gave her a quick kiss and looked at Obi-Wan. "If I don't land on Tatooine at nightfall, you'll know," he stated. Obi-Wan nodded and placed a hand on his face.

"May the Force be with you, Anakin," he commented.

"May the Force be with you, Master," Anakin answered.

He hugged Sabè before giving Padmè a final kiss. After he hugged Luke one final time, he took off running. Padmé pointed to the ship on the left and they hurried on.

Once they were on the ship, Obi-Wan placed Padmè on a bed before hurrying towards the controls. Sabè placed a blanket around her friend and watched as she fell asleep with Luke in her arms. "How far away are we from Tatooine?" Sabè asked.

"We're not far if we jump from light speed," he replied.

"Then go," Sabè urged.

Obi-Wan pushed the button and they were off towards Tatooine.

When they landed on Tatooine and Padmè got off while leaning against Sabè. "MOMMY, LUKE!" Leia exclaimed. Padmé hugged Leia with a smile. Then she watched as the twins hugged each other with happiness in their eyes.

Anakin hurried down the hall when the warning went off. "Ten minutes till self-destruct," the computer informed. Anakin heard shots coming his way and tried his best to block them when a shot got his leg. He ignored the pain and tried to get to Mara Jade's prison cell. He came to a door and opened it. He hurried in and picked Mara Jade up. The girl was fast asleep and he hurried out of the room. "Five minutes until self-destruct," the computer announced. Anakin came to the main hanger and saw one last ship. He ran onto the ship and placed Mara Jade onto a bed. He turned everything on. "Thirty seconds until self-destruct," the computer announced. He then blasted off just as the Death Star blew up. He sighed in relief when he made it out.

When he flew towards Tatooine, Mara Jade woke up with a yawn. "Mister, are we going home?" She asked. Anakin put the ship into light speed before answering the young girl.

"Yes, Mara Jade, we're returning home," he replied.

He walked with a limp and smiled at her. "What's your name?" She asked finally.

"My name is Anakin Skywalker," he replied.

"Anakin," she murmured.

Anakin nodded before having the child go back to sleep. He sat at the controls and remembered the time he and Padmè were at the meadow on Naboo.(Flash Back)

"I don't know," Padmè sighed.

Anakin chuckled at her before speaking. "Sure you do. You just don't want to tell me," he insisted.

"You gonna use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?" She asked.

"They only work on the weak minded," he replied.

Padmè looked at the ground before answering. "All right, I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years that I. Very cute. Dark curly hair. Dreamy eyes," she explained.

"All right, I get the picture. Whatever happened to him?" He asked.

"I went into public service; he went on to become an artist," she replied.

"Maybe he was the smart one," he observed.

"You really don't like politicians do you?"

"I like two or three. I'm not sure about one of them."

They chuckled at it and looked away before Anakin began to speak again. "I don't think the system works," he added.

"How would have it work?" She asked.

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem...agree what's in the best interest of all the people, and then do it," he explained.

"That's exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree."

"Well, then they should be made to."

"By whom, who's going to make them?"

"I don't know. Someone."

"You?"

"Of course not me."

"But someone."

"Someone wise."

"Sounds a lot like a dictatorship to me."

"Well, if it works."

Padmè gave him a quizzical look and saw a smile appear on his face. "You're making fun of me," she pointed out.

"No. I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator," he answered.

Padmè was laughing when she saw Anakin riding on a shaak and he was laughing as he rode it too until he fell. The shaak trampled almost on him. She saw him look like he was trying to get up and she ran over to him. "ANI! Ani, are you all right?" She asked. She turned him over and he was laughing. She hit him and then they started rolling in the grass together. She was on top and was straddling him. They stopped laughing when they realized how close they actually were.

(End Flash Back)

Anakin sighed at the memory and looked down at his fake hand. He sighed again and leaned back until he heard a beeping noise on the computer. He had arrived at Tatooine, he was going to be with his wife and children at last.