FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 3

Obiwan led Anakin to where Padme lay on the ship. Looking up, she saw the condition her husband was in, and cried out. "Oh, Anakin!" Threepio was very upset to see his maker and friend in such a condition. Obiwan layed Anakin by her side, and went back up front to fly the ship back to Coruscant. Padme started to cry as she looked over every inch of Anakin. She wanted to hug him, but knew any touching would only cause him more pain. There were open, bloody burns on all of his limbs that were cracked and rimmed with black ash. She noticed that his lovely golden hair was shorter now because it had caught fire, and his neck and ears were also a bit burned. His clothes were tattered and torn and falling apart. His boots were burned off, and his poor raw feet were sticking through them. She gently wrapped her arms around his burned shoulders to raise his head. She smoothed back the golden curls on his forhead, the ends charred from the heat, and ran her fingers back through what was left of his hair. Then she stared at his face, and gasped out in horror and grief. She didn't want to frighten him, but the sight of his burned cheeks and the damage to his face upset her badly. He seemed barely conscious. "Anakin, can you hear me?" She spoke in a whisper.

"Padme, is that you, oh Padme, are you okay?"

She smiled to know there was still enough of him left to answer. "I am fine, don't you worry, the baby and I are all right, it's you I'm worried about. Anakin, please, open your eyes and look at me." He turned his head away from her voice.

"I can't, Padme, I'm sorry. My eyes were put out by the flying, burning ashes from the lava. I can't see you anymore."
Padme broke immediately into tears.

"Oh no, Anakin, no, please, let me see those pretty blue eyes, let me look into them again, you can see me, you have to see me." Her warm tears dripped onto his burned face. He couldn't give her the answer she wanted.

"I'm not any more pleased about this than you are, believe me." He turned toward her and strained to open his eyes. The light was very painful to them, but even in the brightest light he couldn't see any more than her dark form as a shadow. Padme cringed as she looked into his once adoring eyes. The surfaces appeared melted and distorted, instead of smooth and clear. She could still make out their beautiful blue color beneath, so that gave her hope maybe the damage was not as deep or hopeless as they feared. With a groan, he closed them, and she lay her hand gently across his singed eyelashes and brows.

"You just keep them closed, we'll get you to a doctor, we'll take care of all these burns, you'll be as good as new."

Anakin shook his head. "I don't think so, Padme, but thank you for caring. I love you." She cried even louder now, and hugged him tighter.

"Owww!" he shrieked in pain. She let go of her grip on him.

"I love you too." She sobbed. In their sadness, grief and pain, they lay still beside each other, Anakin's hand resting on Padme's pregnant abdomen, as Obiwan flew the ship home.

Obiwan thought as he flew that no one but he and Anakin knew what had occured on Mustafar. Palpatine and the clones were dead, and Padme didn't know yet. How would they break this story to everyone back home? It was surely big news, but if they didn't know Palpatine was a Sith would anyone believe them? Or should he even tell? All these thoughts played in his mind as he hit hyperspace for the fastest return possible. He never even bothered to check on Anakin, he could feel his life force, and it was calm, and at peace. That meant Padme was okay too. Suddenly, a chill went through him! He couldn't return to Coruscant! While Anakin and Padme needed the expert medical care they'd recieve there, it was far too dangerous! Order 66 was still out there, he didn't know what the other clones would do now that Lord Sidious was no more. There may even be an arrest order out for Anakin, too. He'd have to find out for sure what was going on there before returning, but in the meantime his passengers had to get immediate care. Infection would set in on Anakin's wounds, and the more time passed, the less chance there would be of saving his sight. His breathing difficulties were also of great concern. He changed directions and headed for Naboo.

Once they landed, the patients were immediately taken in over everyone else waiting. There was no time for explainations. Obiwan watched anxiously as Anakin and Padme were taken to side by side examination areas. He paced back and forth until one of the droids came out to speak to him. "Your patients are resting comfortably, sir."

"How are they?" Senator Amidala is fine, she was having a bit of premature labor pains, but she is calm now, and they have subsided. She will not deliver now. There are minor wounds to her neck and arm, nothing to worry about."

"What about him?" Obiwan asked, not wanting to mention Anakin's name in case they didn't know it.

"He is much worse, I am afraid. We have cleaned and dressed all his burns, some are very deep. We can only hope the treatment and the bacta will prevent infection and heal he scarring. His hair was burned, but his scalp and follicles remain undamaged. We cut off all the affected hair, and it will grow back normally in time."

"What about his eyes?"

"We have cleaned and medicated them and bound them. The damage appears severe. If the burns did not penetrate beneath the corneas, they should heal, and he may regain some or even all of his vision. If it is deeper as I fear it may be, his sight will be lost forever. I must be honest, I don't see this as a very positive situation. Perhaps when his body burns are healed more we should assign him to a rehabilitation center for the newly blinded. We have some excellent facilities here to help them deal with..."

Obiwan cut him off, not wanting to hear any more about Anakin being blind for life."None of his limbs had to be amputated?"

"No, sir, and they won't be unless the infection becomes severe and impossible to treat." Obiwan didn't like to imagine Anakin missing any more limbs, either. He shook his head, and changed the subject once more.

"Is he breathing all right?"

The droid had more bad news. "I'm afraid his lungs were damaged by whatever he inhaled. There are burns and some of his air sacks are destroyed. He is on a ventilator now, he may require surgery, and perhaps be dependant on a breathing device for the rest of his life." Obiwan was devastated. Anakin had turned back just in time, and even fulfilled the prophecy, how could he be left a cripple, blind and unable to breathe? He got images in his mind of healthy, active Anakin and all the things they'd done together, and this brought him to tears. He leaned his head down and put his hand over his eyes so no one could see him cry. He walked away and stepped outside for some fresh air. If it was this hard for him to take, how was Anakiin going to handle the news?

Padme's condition improved so much over the next hour that she was not even admitted to the hospital. She was wheeled carefully over to visit Anakin, who had fallen asleep. She watched him lying there, his eyes bandaged, his face covered with healing gel and patches. His limbs and were chest covered with bacta and bandage wraps, his mouth and nose covered by a breathing mask, hooked up to machines. His feet were completely wrapped in a heavy white bandage, and held elevated by a chain. The sight of him in such a helpless condition made her cry again. She reached over and rubbed her hand on the side of his face in a spot that wasn't covered. He felt this, and started to stir. He tried to speak but couldn't for the breathing mask. She patted the top of his head and whispered: "Shhh, my love, it's only me, the one who loves you. Rest and get well, I am fine, and guess what, we're having twins! My examination revealed two babies, both strong and healthy like their father." She could see emotion try to fill his face though his features were covered. "Come back to us, Anakin. Rest well, take care, I love you. I will return later to check on you. Do everything the doctors say, I want you back." He calmed down and exhaled heavily. His cardiac monitor showed his pulse was back at a normal rate.

She got out of the wheelchair, and walked out into the waiting area to look for Obiwan. He had just come in from outside. Seeing her walking around, his head turned sharply in shock. "Padme! Are you all right?"

"Yes, Obiwan, there is nothing wrong with me, they said I could go home but I don't want to leave Anakin."

"How is he?"

"Didn't the droids, tell you, everything?" She said, with deep sadness in her eyes. Obiwan lowered his head and nodded. Padme bit her lip. "Oh, Obiwan, it can't be true, he has to get well, we'll do everything we can to help him.""You know he has my support, and having you and the babies will be the best medicine he could get."

"Obiwan, what of the situation on Coruscant, is it safe to go back?"

"I don't know. I am trying to contact Master Yoda. I will not go back the only Jedi left on the planet. Who knows what kind of chaos the government is in, have you heard anything?"

"I've been too concerned for Anakin to think of anything else."

"So have I. But now, we must."

They hated leaving Anakin alone in the hospital, but knew that time and rest would be the best for his healing. Obiwan stepped into his room to say goodbye, squeezing his bandaged left hand gently. "You rest and get well, my brother, we may need you in the time to come." Anakin squeezed back, just a little, and somehow Obiwan felt his life and warmth through the force. "I must leave now, but I will be back, so you be in better shape when I return." He sadly turned and left Anakin to the medical unit. Padme told Obiwan she was going to spend a day with her family and rest. She even intended on telling them the truth about Anakin and her pregnancy. Nothing that had seemed important mattered now. She didn't even care if she was kicked out of the senate, what kind of government was going exist anyway? There would be much to do. For now she must rest. Obiwan told her goodbye and flew her to her parents' house. Then he set out to contact Yoda through a hololink.

"Master Yoda, where are you?"

"On Coruscant I am, in hiding, failed have I, Obiwan."

"Failed, how?""Failed to kill Lord Sidious. Escaped he has."

"Master Yoda, did you not feel a strong tremor in the force?"

"Felt it I did. Death of the Chosen One, was it, I presume?"

"Your feelings do not serve you well, Master Yoda. Anakin is not dead."

"Kill him you did not? Failed have you too?"

"No, Master Yoda! Anakin is not consumed by the dark side anymore! He came back to us, he helped me defeat Palpatine! Palpatine is dead, the Sith are no more, Anakin has fulfilled his prophecy as the Chosen One!"

Yoda put his hand to his forehead. "Good news this is, but unexpected. Where now is Anakin?"

"I'm afraid he was hurt badly, he is in the hospital. He was blinded, and his body is badly damaged by burns. He is having respiratory problems. He should survive, but will likely not recover fully."

"Sorry I am to hear this, Master Kenobi. May the force be with him."

"Yes, may it be with us all. Is it safe to return to Coruscant? What of Order 66?"
Yoda sent Obiwan a news bulliten. Once Lord Sidious was destroyed, the clone armies lost contact with him and were at a loss as to what to do next. They stood stunned and unmoving. An emergency Provisional Government under Mon Mothma, Bail Organa and other Senators had called for order, and a curfew until all clones could be rounded up and given new orders. A few surviving Jedi had returned to the Temple and none were threatened.

"Does this mean it is safe to return to Coruscant?"

"Think so, I did not, but with news you now tell, I say yes. The Sith no more are. We are safe."

Obiwan smiled. "I will leave for home immediately, Master Yoda. I will see you there."