FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 6

The next morning, Anakin slept until almost noon. Finally, Obiwan roused him. "Get up, Anakin, it's visiting hour at the med center."

He rubbed his head and groaned. "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't see when it's light outside anymore so I overslept." He sat up, almost frantic, yelling "PADME! Is she all right?"

"Of course she is, I have spoken with her this morning, she wants to see you."

"And the babies?"

"Fine, Anakin, they're all fine. It's all right, the nightmare is gone!" Anakin felt so good, he didn't know what to say.

They went to visit Padme and the babies, and every day for the next 3 days they remained in the med center. They took extra care with twins, though they were healthy in every way. Anakin wanted nothing but the best for his children, and his wife! Then came the happy day when they were brought home. Padme's entire family traveled from Naboo to visit them, and Obiwan was there to help. It was such a happy time, only hampered by Anakin not being able to see, but Obiwan sent him as many images as he could so he could really know what they looked like. He stayed out of the way and let Padme have her time with her family, they were so in love with the twins! Luke, and Leia, Padme had chosen the names herself. Every night before they went to bed, Anakin would hold the babies tightly in his arms, caressing their little cheeks and letting them squeeze his fingers with their little fists. They were so small and so alive, they brought him more life, too. At night he loved to cuddle next to Padme and listen to the babies' breathing nearby. They were all fine, nothing had gone wrong. He couldn't believe it. He felt very much at peace.

Finally, the excitement faded and Padme's family went home. It was just the little family and occasionally the droids, or Obiwan. Anakin, in all the rush and celebrating, had almost forgotten that the medical droids had told him to return in 10 days to have his eyes checked again. He didn't want to go, because he knew this was the final chance. They said if there was no change this time, they would discontinue treatment and give up all hope of his sight ever returning. He didn't want to let go of that last shred of hope, but he knew waiting wasn't changing anything.

"Padme, will you be okay if I go down to the med center today?"

"What for?"

"Did you forget, the time is up, you know, for my eyes. I need to go."

"Oh Anakin, I almost forgot. I've been so busy. I'm sorry."

"Don't you be sorry for anything, you just take care of yourself and the babies." He kissed her and rubbed his hands softly up and down her body. Since he'd been blind for so long, two months now, he was becoming very sensitive to feeling her every curve with his good hand.

Obiwan arrived to take him to the med center. Anakin was so anxious on the way, he could feel his blood pounding in the veins of his flesh arm. It became more tense as Obiwan led him to the specialist who had treated him. He sat down and waited. "Are you ready, Master Skywalker?" The droid asked. Anakin took a deep breath. His lungs were working fine, he was now free of all breathing assistance; he would just have to be careful of infections. His heart pounded again as the droid slowly removed the bandages from his eyes. He thought he noticed an immediate difference as a bright light spilled in. There was no question, this was a big improvement, unless he was just imagining it, Was it real? With much fear, he cracked his eyelids and opened his eyes.

"Well, Anakin, can you see?" Obiwan asked from across the room. At first there was no answer. Obiwan studied Anakin's face. It appeared to be stunned, but gave away no positive or negative emotion. He looked into Anakin's eyes. All the cloudy scarring was gone, his corneas were transparent again, clear and smooth and perfectly shaped. His eyes looked like they always had before they were burned. But they did not move, and Anakin did not speak. "Anakin, can you see anything? Anakin?"

After a few more seconds of silence, he finally spoke. "No. I can't. Let's go home."

Obiwan was so disappointed. "Anakin, are you sure? Your eyes look fine to me."

The droid came closer to him with a lighted instrument. "This is very strange, Master Skywalker." He looked into Anakin's eyes, leaning him back in the chair to examine them thoroughly. He checked out Anakin's eyes, optic nerves, even scanning the visual cortex of his brain. Physically, Anakin was completely capable of sight, yet he still reported being blind. "I don't see any medical reason why you can't see, your eyes have healed sufficiently. I am unable to find a cause for your continued blindness."

"I told you, I can't see."

"Then I am afraid there is nothing else than I can do for you. Your treatment is discontinued." The droid informed him.

Obiwan waited for Anakin to become distraught, but he sat calmy and motionless as he said flatly, "So be it."

Obiwan took Anakin by the arm and led him back out to the speeder they had come in. Obiwan stared at Anakin, but he didn't look back. "Anakin, if there are no more medical reasons you can't see, could it be, maybe something psychological?"

"Are you questioning my sanity?"

"Well, actually, yes, and not just over this." Anakin turned away from him. "It is worth checking out, your fear may be causing a blockage in your mind. I have heard of this happening. But your eyes look fine to me, Anakin. The specialists have pronounced them perfectly healthy. There has to be another reason you can't see."

"I'm blind, Obiwan, that's all there is to it.Take me home."

When they reached the veranda, Padme was waiting anxiously for his return. When she saw his bandages gone, and his eyes looking exactly like they had before he was hurt, she squealed in excitement. "Anakin, your eyes, they're back!" She walked over and hugged him while he was still in the speeder. Obiwan glanced at her and shook his head sadly. "What, no, it can't be.." She turned Anakin's face toward her and looked into his eyes. "Those are your eyes, Anakin, they look just like they always have, why can't they see?" He lowered his head and didn't answer. She started to cry. In a few minutes, he got up and walked arm in arm with her back inside and sat down on the sofa.

"It's over, Padme. Let's not talk about it anymore, no more treatments, no more doctors. This is just the way it's going to be, forever. I will just have to stay here with you and the babies and never go anywhere else."

"Oh Anakin" she cried, her tears wetting his shoulders.

Obiwan watched, and tried to search Anakin's true feelings. He was doing a good job hiding them. Had his intense fear of having to return to the temple, or the order, or anything, caused a psychological blindness? The specialists had examined him thoroughly. It had to be something deep in his mind. There was no other possible reason he couldn't see. That had to be it. Obiwan decided to leave them alone for now, and bid them goodbye.After he returned to the temple, Obiwan began to wonder about Anakin. He would have to consult Yoda, the archives and meditate heavily on the subject. He stared out the council room window in the direction of Padme's apartment, deep in thought. He didn't understand it. Anakin had been so concerned about his eyes, so wanting to see again, yet now that his last hope was gone, he didn't even seem upset. He sensed Anakin was relaxed and at ease, he no longer felt so much tension in him. He had failed to read Anakin's thoughts, he was much too force strong to allow anyone to get through. Obiwan didn't understand Anakin's reaction. How could he suddenly not care anymore about his blindness? There had to be more to it. He'd have to find out.

Padme got up to get Anakin a refreshment, then sat back down at his side, placing the glass in his hand until his fingers clasped around it. He put it to his lips and took a sip, then handed it back to her in the wrong direction. "Here, I don't want any more." She took it away, then sat staring at him. He was so beautiful! His eyes were clear and lovely again, but they weren't focused on her. His singed lashes had come back in, long and beautiful as before. His face now free of scars, his shortened golden hair growing out very fast, fluffy curls covered his head and had began crawling back down his neck. She couldn't stand to think he would never look into her eyes again, never see their children for himself with his own eyes, but be lost in darkness for the rest of his life. She threw herself down on the sofa next to him and began to cry. "I'm so sorry, Anakin. I really wanted you to be able to see again, so much!" Padme cried, hugging all over him. They were wrapped tightly in each other's arms.He reached his arms around her and patted her back.

"It's all right, my love, as long as you still love me, I can handle this, I can handle anything. I have you and the babies, that's all I need." She cried again, but he didn't. Leaning his chin on her shoulder, his head facing away from hers, Anakin raised his healthy eyes and glanced out the window at the buildings and lights of Coruscant. What an amazing scene it was, especially for someone who had been in the dark for the last two months.

Later that night, after the babies had been put down for the night, Padme pulled Anakin into the bed, and they cuddled and snuggled as she told him what she saw through the skylight. After she had rolled over and gone sound asleep, and Anakin was completely sure she was out, he turned over on his back, opened his eyes wide and stared up at the skylight. The scene in the night sky above the city was incredible, it was so much better to see it for yourself than to have another person describe it to you. He gazed at it for a good while, then carefully rolled over to look at the babies sleeping in the bassinet. They were perfect and beautiful, and seeing them for himself was much better than having Obiwan send him telepathic images of what he saw. He then turned his gaze to the windows, where a few bright lights were penetrating through. Finally, he cast his eyes down on Padme. How lovely she was, sleeping, alive and healthy, and loving him. Now everything was truly perfect. With his sight now back to normal, he was completely healed from all the physical injuries he had sustained on Mustafar. Padme and the babies had survived childbirth. There were no duties, no responsibilities, no battles to fight, no prophecies to fulfill. He felt very happy with his life now: he wanted it to stay like this forever. He wasn't about to have anything change and spoil it by letting everyone know he could see again. No one expects much of a blind man. Anakin felt bad about deceiving Padme and Obiwan, but this is how it had to be. He lay back down on his side of the bed and stared at the stars through the skylight again, enjoying the view to the fullest, not wanting to close his eyes even to go to sleep.