Disclaimer: The song featured is "Good Night My Someone," from the play The Music Man. I do not own this song. That honor goes to Rodger and Hammerstein.
Chapter 3
My stepbrother is coming out of his father's home. There is Beru. My how she looks exactly as I remember her. And there is Lars. I don't recall his first name any longer. I don't know if I will ever call him father. I have no father, but maybe bringing my mom back to him alive will help mend. . . I don't have to mend anything. I have to remember that.
Padme has been very quiet the entire way. I know that she is realizing the truth of my words, but I think she is incredibly uncomfortable with all these truths. I only hope that this doesn't draw her away from me.
I hand the ship back over to her and go back to the medical bay. C-3PO says something, but I'm not registering it. It is so odd to see her lying there and to know that the Sand People are alive this time, that I didn't kill them for what they have done.
I take the wires off of her and touch a button that makes the bed into a stretcher that floats into the air. I guide it gently through the corridor and down the landing ramp.
"Mom?" Owen asks, rushing over.
"She will live. I promise. I am her son, Anakin," I say, but I can't help but feel a twinge in my heart. He called her mom. But she's my Mom. Not his. Yet, I know that she has probably become his Mother and if she adopted him then he most certainly would be my brother.
"Shmi!" Lars exclaims, rushing his chair over to her. He puts his hand over hers and gives it a squeeze. There are tears in his eyes, tears of joy.
"Thank you, son. Thank you," he whispers to me.
"You're welcome," I answer numbly. Beru comes up besides me.
"You must be Annie the Jedi that Shmi has told me so much about. It is lovely to meet you, Anakin. I am Owen's girlfriend, Beru. What does your mother need?"
"She needs fluids. Plenty of it. An IV drip would be sufficient for that. And rest," C-3PO answers her. Beru nods.
"I'll see to it," she says and takes the stretcher to bring inside. Owen follows her.
"Where did you find her?" Lars asks as he directs Padme and I into his home.
"In the desert. With the Sand People. I had a premonition," I say. Lars nodded.
"Shmi tells me you are a Jedi," he says. I nod.
"Not surprising that you found her so quickly then. Did you know about our marriage?"
I don't know how to answer. The first time I was here I had no idea she had gotten married, but seeing as I have been through this before I do know.
"I just found out. Is Owen her son as well?" Lars shook his head.
"No. His mother died a long time ago. However, Shmi has become a mother to him. Does that bother you?" I shake my head.
"No. I'm glad that she was able to raise someone while I have been gone. I know how much it hurt her to have me leave," I reply. Lars nodded.
"Yes, but know that there hasn't been a day gone by that she hasn't mentioned you at least once. Owen views you as his older brother," Lars answers.
"It would be nice to have a brother. And possibly with time I could view you as a father," I say. Lars smiles at me, a bright and genuine smile.
"I would like that very much. I have considered you a son long before today. Your mother told me of your amazing birth and that you have no father."
"Yes. It is a part of a prophecy from what I am told." Lars just nods in reply. I know that he is thinking as we walk into the glorious cool of his household. I am surprised at how much I remember this place. I didn't spend a lot of time, but I realize that it grew on me and that I missed seeing it.
"There is another surprise that you don't know. A surprise that I am not sure if I am the right person to tell you," Lars begins.
"Nothing could surprise me," I reply. Lars chuckles.
"That's probably true. Well then. Your mother and I are to have a child. Twins actually."
I stop in my tracks. Padme stops besides me. Memories sweep in my mind of when I first rescued my mother. The Sand People had not taken just one life. They had taken three away from me, Owen, Beru, Padme, and Lars. The thought chills me.
"Really? That is wonderful! Congratulations!" I exclaim cheerfully, clapping Lars on the shoulder.
"Thank you. I hope that our children will be well after the ordeal that she has endured."
"They will be. I know it," I reassure him. Lars smiles at me brightly.
"Thank you. Make yourselves at home. I am going to go and check on Shmi," he says, manuevering his chair down to where Beru had taken her.
"Anakin," Padme says softly, placing her hand upon my forearm. I turn to look at her.
"What you said was true wasn't it?" I only nod.
"I believe you now. About everything," I give her a weak smile.
"I'm glad. We are going to go through a whole lot more before we get married though," I warn her. She gives me her special smile.
"I know," she says.
Owen comes back, smiling.
"Mom is doing fine. She's resting comfortably, but has insisted that Dad stay by her side. Mom is claiming you as her shining hero . . ." Owen trails off, realizing that he had called Shmi Mom twice already in front of me.
"I'm sorry. She's just become a mother to me," he starts to explain. I lift my hand to stop him.
"It's all right. It is very nice to have a brother," I say, holding out my hand to shake his. He takes it and gives me a large smile.
"It is very nice to have a big brother. And soon we'll have two new little ones to add to the Lars Family. . . Uh. Skywalker/Lars Family," Owen said. I snort.
"Nice cover up," I say, teasing him.
"Thanks. I tried. Are you two hungry or thirsty at all?" He offers. We nod together and Owen leads us into the kitchen / dining room. He takes out three cups and opens the refrigerator and gets that milk that I haven't had in ages. He pours it into the glasses and hands us each one.
"Thank you," Padme says politely.
"Thank you," I reply after her.
"So what is training to be a Jedi like?" Owen asks me, wide eyed. I can see that he is still a kid. He will become a man quickly, but right now he is a kid that has heard the legends of the Jedi just as I had when I was a slave here.
"It is intense and extremely hard. We are not allowed to feel any feelings, but I disagree with that. It's a different lifestyle," I answer.
"Do you have a lightsaber?" He asks. I nod and take it off my belt. I hold it out away from the table and everyone else before I turn it on. Owen marvels at it.
"That is just amazing. It's such an elegant weapon," he says. I smile.
"I could teach you how to wield one," I offer.
"Anakin! You can't!" Padme reprimands. I look at her.
"A war is coming. He'll need to wield some sort of weapon," I retort. She just gives me a look. Owen snorts.
"You act like an old married couple," he said, chuckling. I look over and see Padme's eyes widen and then go back to normal quickly. Her diplomatic side is taking over.
"We've just been around each other a whole lot over the years," I reply.
All of a sudden Beru runs into the kitchen, frantic.
"Come quick! Shmi's having the twins! Oh. . . What to do? What to do?" Beru exclaims, running around the kitchen. Owen grabs her around the waist and stops her.
"Get blankets and a bucket of water and pan to wash the children in. Now go," he says before letting her shoot off to get what they need. Padme, who would have already ran to the room if she knew where it was, was waiting as calmly as she possibly could for Owen to lead the way.
"Hurry!" Lars' voice bellows from the room. My heart beats quickly. I have never seen anyone give birth, let another my mother. I am very scared.
We get to her room and I rush to my mother's side.
"Oh Annie. You're here!" She exclaims. I nod and give her a smile.
"Wouldn't miss it for anything, Mom," I reply.
Before I know it her twins are born. I think I must have blinked and missed it all. I have no idea what happened. Mom is tired and is going in and out of consciousness. Lars is holding his two baby girls, one in each arm. I can tell that he is exhausted. So is Owen and Beru.
"Padme and I could watch over the twins. You all should get some sleep. You've had a very chaotic day," I say, offering to take one of the girls. Lars nods and hands me the one they've named Mona. Padme takes Sandra and we walk out of the room and head to the living room.
The baby in my arms is fast asleep and I don't want to wake her so I sit down carefully upon the couch. Sandra, however, is fussing. I am suddenly just sitting there watching her bounce the child gently. And for the first time I hear her sing.
"Good night my someone, good night my love. Sleep tight my someone, sleep tight my love. Our star is shining its brightest light. For good night, my someone good night. Sweet dreams be yours dear if dreams there be. Sweet dreams to carry you close to me. I wish I may and I wish I might. Now good night my someone, good night. True love can be whispered from heart to heart. When lovers are parted, they say. But I must depend on a wish and a star. As long as my heart doesn't know who you are. Sweet dreams be yours dear if dreams there be. Sweet dreams to carry you close to me. I wish I may and I wish I might. Now good night my someone, good night. Good night. Good night," Padme sang to her softly, lullying the fussing child right to sleep.
"That was beautiful," I told her softly. Padme turns to me quickly. It is as if she had forgotten that I was there with her.
"Don't ask me to ever sing again," she says.
"But you sing beautifully," I say.
"Well that is the one and only time you will ever hear me sing."
I sigh deeply and watch the little bundle in my arms.