Chapter 14.

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''Stay Strong, Stay Positive, and Never Give Up."

7 Years.

An 18 year old Luke was waiting outside his sisters college for her class to finish, they had promised Breha that they would head into the town to pick up so groceries for that evening. He sighed in frustration as she was once again, late. Luke was to begin studying mechanics at a very successful college, whilst Leia had followed In the footsteps of her birth mother and began a life studying politics. Both, aiming for such success. Bail and Breha had done such a great job with them and took everything at the twin's pace, especially after Padme leaving them. It only took them a couple days of isolation and getting through it together before they both realised that they had to honour their mother's wishes and do everything she asked of them, especially if she was sacrificing so much for them. Luke had grown up to be a complete handsome young man, much like Anakin around his age. Leia resembled so much of Padme, was beautiful, kind and caring, but she very much had Anakin's attitude sometimes. They had been so appreciative of everything the Organa's had done for them, but only referred to them as mom and dad in the presence of others to fit with the story, something the Organa's understood and were completely okay with. Mali had supported them through so much too, since she had been in their lives since they were very young, that was a nice comfort for them, but as they got older so did Mali and she moved into a small place of her own, it was peaceful and checked in with them often. As for the twin's communication with Padme and Obi Wan, they had holographic communication calls every couple of days, for the past 7 years. All of them hated it but they knew it was for the best, although it frustrated Padme, every time she thought it was okay to return to her kids, something else would come up preventing it. She felt so guilty, like she was missing out on them growing up, despite the constant communication with them, it wasn't the same as being with them in person, but she knew one day and It would all be worth it.

Luke sighed as he leaned against the wall watching the doors of the concrete political education building open, of course Leia was the last one out, as always. Rolling his eyes as she approached him with books to her chest, "Last one out...again." He said unimpressed with his sister, Leia scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Listen if you decide to turn up 10 minutes earlier don't complain to me about the wait...besides, I was talking with some of the girls from my class." Leia said in a sassy way, she was very point and straight to the point, never afraid to speak her mind, whereas Luke was a little more reserved and held back. Laughing at his sisters words shaking his head as they walked back to his speeder, "You mean flirting with Kin Fol?" Luke knew the real reason his sister was always running behind, she had had this massive crush on a boy named in Kin Fol since she was 16 years old, and when she had found out that he was going to be attending the same college as her in the same major she was over joyed. Luke had never liked him though, he had a bad reputation, Leia rolled her eyes at his comment, "No..." She tried to lie, but a simple look from Luke was all that was required. "Okay fine, we were talking about the annual ball of Alderaan in the palace in a couple days, he asked if I was going." She said simply climbing into his speeder with him. "And what did you say?" Luke asked as he too climbed in starting up the engine, "I told him that considering I'm majoring in politics and the 'daughter' of a former queen and well respected senator, it would be disrespectful for me to not attend.." She paused for a second wondering whether she should say the next part. "..And then he asked me to attend with him..." She mumbled knowing she couldn't ever hide anything from him but knowing he wouldn't like it. It had always been him and her so when other people came into the picture neither of them really liked it. Luke sighed simply at his sisters words as he made it onto the main highway into the city centre of Aldeeran, "Like a date?" He asked looking to her, she just nodded with an eyeroll. "You can do so much better than him Leia, the guy thinks he's a gift of god...and I guarantee you're not the only girl he is talking too." He added, Leia rolled her eyes at him. "Oh whatever Luke, just give the guy a chance you don't know him..." Luke just sighed and shook his head, but Leia furrowed her eyebrows knowing there was something more bothering him. "What's bothering you Luke?" She asked knowing her brother far to well, that and their connection in the force didn't really allow either of them to hide anything from each other. Luke ignored her and Leia sighed, "Is it mom?" She asked softly referring to Padme. "She hasn't called us in days Leia...what if something has happened?" Luke asked worried, he counted on those calls every 2 or 3 days with his mother, he had always been so close with her, it bothered him. Although Leia was very outspoken and more confident than Luke, she hid her feelings a lot better than him, appearing to be a lot stronger, but Luke, Luke in her eyes was so much braver than her, it wasn't easy for him to talk about the things he did. "She'll be okay Luke...we can't afford to think like that, she's a strong woman, she'll be okay...besides she made a promise to us and I don't believe for a second she would break that." Leia added trying to comfort him. "I know...I just worry that is all." Luke said clearly not wanting to talk more about it. "Me too.." Was all Leia responded with as they reached the city.

44 years old, the 7 years had passed fast for Padme, Obi Wan was getting older and older by the year and she knew that he wasn't as strong as he used to be, he was approaching 60 after all. She still looked as beautiful as ever but once more, her face maturing with her age. Padme had literally been to every system you could think off, spending no more than a couple of days in each spot, it was tiring, always being on the run, but she kept as far away from Alderaan as possible, and the planets nearby, she couldn't risk any of it. She prayed for the days she could return to her twins, but when the time seemed right something else would just pop up. She hated the fact she had missed out so much on their lives, even though she had spoken to them and knew absolutely everything happening to them, from the littlest things to their greatest achievements. She had to be patient and trust in the force, Obi Wan had taught her that, had taught her so many things over the years, how to defend herself like a Jedi would knowing that being confronted by Vader or even Palpatine was no easy blaster battle that she was used too. Even for the twins, Bail and Breha had organised private self defense classes incase anything happened, Mali had even been teaching Luke and Leia about the force that was within them, since she was a lot more connected to it.

The two adults had just left the atmosphere of Abafar after a much needed fuel top up and supplies, the had been roaming the galaxy for 7 years of course they were running a little low on things. It wasn't ten minutes later that their ship had come to a standstill mid flight. "What is going on?" Obi Wan asked Padme concerned, Padme sighed as she tried to fix the controls. "We've been overridden, I've lost all control." She said simply, knowing it was a very bad sign, looking to Obi Wan he gave her a look to remain calm as their ship began being pulled up into another much larger ship. She stood up ready to defend herself if need be, her hand on her blaster at all times. Before the door of their ship was blown off, she covered herself from the blast before a group of heavily armed men walked through the ship, the leader with a huge smirk on his face, "Inform the the empire, tell them we've found the senator..and the Jedi." He smirked, Padme swallowed hard looking to the men, "We're about to become very rich men." He said once more with a smirk, as he watched his fellow men handcuff and keep Obi Wan and Padme prisoner. There was nothing they could do, Vader found her...there was no stopping this, she was nervous but she would do whatever it took to save him, and she had kids to go home too...dying was not apart of her plan, not now.

After being passed from ship to ship, Padme and Obi Wan were finally brought aboard Vader's ship. Swallowing hard she stumbled as the storm troopers led her and Obi Wan down the long white corridors of the imperial ship. If anything she was more pissed off at the fact these lousy smugglers and thieves had stopped time with her kids over the calls. "Relax Padme, remember what I taught you, block your mind...don't let him in...be strong." Obi Wan said quietly to her knowing If Vader got inside her mind everything they had fought so hard to protect would be destroyed. Padme looked to him and nodded before they had came to an abrupt stop, standing side by side with Obi Wan, in front of him, for the first time in 7 years, it was hard for her, she knew the man behind this mask was her husband, but he wasn't all at once, he was a man of evil and had been for 18 years, she didn't say anything just stood tall and strong, and brave...she had to get through this. "Long have I waited for you to come out of hiding Obi Wan, we meet again at last." Vader said to him, Padme looked to Obi Wan who seemed to remain calm, although she could see a thousand memories of his time with Anakin over the years coming back to him, his PTSD kicking in, still, he didn't show a single bit of fear, she envied him. Vader's voice rang through her, hard to believe that this evil man was once her loving Ani. "When I met you I was but the learner now I am the master." Vader added once more, "Only a master of evil Darth." Obi Wan said so bluntly, it was like she could sense the anger building up within Anakin at his old masters words. "Take him away, I will handle him later..." He ordered his guards, Obi Wan looked to Padme to tell her it was going to be okay, nodding she watched him leave feeling a little more worried now. "I will deal with this one myself." He said simply referring to Padme.

7 years since she last saw him...18 years since she had last been with him. How she longed for him to return to the man she once knew, although he would never be the Anakin she once knew, things were so different then.

But still, despite the intimidating suit, and the evil he had become

She did not fear him...surprisingly, not for a second.