Synopsis: Obi-Wan, Yoda, Ahsoka, and Anakin have restored the Jedi Order. Padme is made Chancellor of the Republic, restoring democracy. Anakin struggles with the guilt and memories of the atrocities he's committed, but Padme comforts him. Having a purpose to live again in his family, Anakin continues to work hard ensuring justice and order in the galaxy.
Five years had passed since Sidious had been overthrown. Reestablishing the Republic was not an easy feat, but with the overwhelming support of the common people, Imperial strongholds around the galaxy fell one by one. The remaining Jedi re-established the Jedi Order, albeit being composed of a mere three members initially: Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. Together with General Organa, they rounded up any remaining Imperialist for their trials: treason and murder being the most common offenses. Many were executed, while others were served milder sentences. Democracy, while fragil, prevailed.
As Sidious's fragmented armies were destroyed or sentenced in the early days of the New Republic, slowly the attention began to turn to Anakin. Many believed he should be executed or imprisoned, while others saw that he'd also saved them from the Empire. Obi-Wan fought hard in his defense, arguing they needed him to rebuild the Jedi Order. Any remaining members of the old supreme court saw validity in this, and sentenced Anakin to five years. In those five years there was one condition in exchange for not being sent to a prison cell: that he would aid the Republic in finding all of Sidious's strongholds. Anakin did just that, with Obi-Wan often by his side. Many believed his sentence was too light, but most of the common people didn't even know that Anakin had ever turned.
While Anakin fought for the galaxy, Padme had been appointed as Supreme Chancellor. The position once filled by a malicious tyrant was now occupied by someone who put the galaxy first, and the common people loved her for it. She overturned many of the Draconian rules imposed by Sidious, and passed many laws that made their lives much better. While spreading diplomacy during the day, she got to be a mother by night. Luke and Leia grew fast. Anakin was away often, but would come home a couple times a month to spend time with them. They learned to speak, walk, and grow into their own personalities, all with the love and support of both Padme and Anakin. They were a family, and soon would be one again full time when he aided in erasing the Empire for good.
The Jedi Order had been restored, although its numbers were incredibly low. Between the three remaining Jedi plus Anakin, they evaluated the old commandments of the Jedi code, and changed them for the better. Most argued of all was Anakin's rank, and due to being outvoted two to one, Anakin was made a master. The Jedi were allowed to marry and have attachments outside the Order, and emotions such as anger, or fear were not repressed, but rather integrated. They all hoped this would prevent future Jedi from turning. As for future Jedi, a touchy subject was inevitable: they would have to begin recruiting younglings once again. The guilt Anakin carried ate him inside and out. Luckily for him, his son proved to be strong with the Force, and would be assigned as his padawan.
Luke had just turned six when he was admitted into the Order, the first youngling since the fall of the old Republic. Anakin was ecstatic, as was Padme. Anakin left behind all his ties to the Sith, instead focusing on one and only goal: to raise his son and daughter alongside him. Padme fitted him with a new suit for the first day of Luke's training.
"Does it fit?" she asked as she put the helmet on. It was a similar fashion to the one Sidious had made for him, only its enamel was bright white instead of black. Padme had chosen the color.
"Yes, it does. Thank you, Padme," he rasped.
"Good. Luke is so excited. He couldn't even sleep last night, he was bouncing around in his room all night practicing with a broomstick," she chuckled. Anakin smiled at the thought of his son. Padme kissed her husband on his cheek. She didn't have to be Force-sensitive to know that he was uneasy.
"You're going to be a wonderful master to him. I know you will," she murmured reassuringly. Anakin removed his mask and turned to her, kissing her deeply.
"I love you, Padme," he murmured. Padme smiled, but before she could reply, Luke burst into the room with his broomstick. He slashed playfully at his father, batting his knees gently with the wooden handle and making the whooshing sounds of a saber with his mouth.
"I got you, dad!" he giggled. Anakin picked his son up and kissed him.
"You've got a lot to learn, my young padawan," Anakin laughed. Padme smiled by the doorway. Anakin picked his son up and headed to the Jedi temple, kissing his wife as he left.
"I'll see you tonight," he said before leaving. Luke held his father's hand as they walked together, eyes occasionally gawking at Anakin's armor-clad figure as they strolled through the streets. Luke eyed his father curiously, as he did with the strangers on the street.
"Dad, why is everybody staring at you?" he asked innocently. Anakin bowed his head in shame as he continued to walk. He could feel the eyes boring into him through his armor like lasers.
"Don't worry about it right now, Luke. Someday I will explain everything to you about the war that happened right before you were born, but today, let's focus on your first day as a Jedi," Anakin murmured cheerfully. Luke smiled up at his father. They were almost to the Temple when a stranger hissed at Anakin under his breath.
"Murderer," the stranger whispered, luckily low enough so Luke did not appear to hear him. Anakin tensed, quickening his pace with Luke walking briskly beside him.
"Dad, slow down!"
"Luke, do you want to race me?" Anakin challenged him playfully. Luke smiled wickedly, and together they ran through the streets, Luke laughing a little behind him. Still, the images of what Anakin had done flashed before his mind. How could I do that to children no older than Luke? he thought dismally. Luke looked back at his father as he surpassed him in the race, sensing the shift in his father's mood.
"Dad, what's wrong? Are you sad that I won?" Luke asked worriedly. Anakin nodded, shaking the memories from his mind.
"Yes, son. You're right," he sighed. Luke turned back and held his dad's hand again.
"It's okay Dad! You might beat me next time," Luke murmured. Anakin squeezed his son's hand and made their way into the temple. The last time I was here I slaughtered them all, Anakin thought anxiously. As he passed through the halls, he envisioned every terrified face of every child. He heard their screams all over again. His hands began to sweat, and his heart was racing, but luckily Obi-Wan intercepted the pair and distracted him.
"Ah, you've arrived! Welcome, Luke," Obi-Wan chuckled as the boy ran into his arms.
"Uncle Obi-Wan!"
"You have grown so much! How old are you now? One? Two? Maybe in a few more years you will be old enough to train with us," Obi-Wan teased him, knowing full well it was his first day training as a padawan.
"I'm six, and you know that," Luke retorted. Obi-Wan smiled and ruffled the boy's hair.
"Yes, yes. I'm only teasing you, Luke. Today will be your first day training to be a Jedi, and you will be trained by the best Jedi of them all, your father," Obi-Wan said. Luke was brimming from ear to ear. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan sensed the turmoil inside Anakin. He beckoned the pair to follow in order to drop Luke off with master Yoda initially, as every padawan usually did. They left Luke with Yoda while Obi-Wan pulled Anakin aside to speak in private.
"I sense something is bothering you. Just because you are a master now does not mean I will stop counseling you," Obi-Wan whispered. "What's wrong?" he added, a bit more concernedly.
"I'm-I'm haunted by the memories of what I've done here. Everytime I see Luke, I think about what kind of monster I am and how I could do that to younglings. I don't deserve to be training younglings, or be anywhere near them," he whispered sadly. Obi-Wan nodded and placed a gentle hand on Anakin's shoulder.
"The guilt is the price you must pay, Anakin. It will never go away for as long as you live, nor should it- but this is your son. You will train him to be the Jedi you wished you had been, the Jedi you are now, and you will train a number of younglings after him. It is your duty, and I have faith that you will do it well" he murmured. Anakin sighed, but knew Obi-Wan was right.
"Thank you, master. I will not fail you," Anakin replied. The pair turned to meet with the other younglings that awaited them, and began training the next generation of Jedi.
xxx
"Your son's a bit quick for you, huh Sky Guy?" Ahsoka called out teasingly as Luke evaded Anakin's half-hearted blows with his wooden saber. Even though Anakin wasn't trying to hurt his son and easily could have struck him, Luke's confidence swelled like a balloon.
"Would you like to take me on after, Snips?" Anakin teased back. The room filled with chuckling from the Jedi and the newly recruited padawans. It had been a long day of training, and all had learned quite a bit from their new masters. Luke slashed at his father, who deflected the blows playfully. Anakin lightly smacked his son when he provided an opening.
"Ow!" Luke yelped as he fell on the floor.
"Now, for all you watching, this is important not to give your opponent an opening, otherwise-"
"Master Skywalker," Luke's voice called out to him- only it wasn't Luke's voice he heard. Anakin trailed off, looking down at his son. As Luke stood up, Anakin's palms sweat with the horror of what he saw: it was not Luke's face, but that of the first youngling he'd slain.
"No," Anakin mumbled quietly to himself.
"There are too many of them, what are we going to do?" the dead boy asked him. Anakin stepped backwards, his eyes locked forward. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka glanced at one another knowing something was wrong. Ahsoka quickly stood up to finish the lesson while Obi-Wan guided Anakin away.
"Otherwise, when you're a Jedi, we won't be fighting with wooden swords," Ahsoka finished. As she continued, Obi-Wan pulled Anakin into the corridor. His breathing was rapid, beads of cold sweat coating his forehead.
"Anakin, snap out of it," Obi-Wan whispered.
"No, no, Obi-Wan, I can't do it… Everytime I look at Luke all I see is-"
"Let it go, Anakin. You cannot change the past. It is your duty to restore the Jedi, you are doing great," he said reassuringly to his former padawan. Tears only streaked Anakin's face as he struggled to regulate his breathing. Obi-Wan sighed. He knew this would not be easy for Anakin to overcome.
"Go home to Padme. Rest. I'll finish Luke's lesson and bring him home to you once we're finished. Come back tomorrow, it will get better with time," he murmured. Anakin nodded reluctantly before Obi-Wan hugged him tightly.
"I failed you, master," Anakin choked.
"No, no. You didn't. You're here. You're doing good things, and you will continue to do so. Go now," he murmured. Anakin did so, shambling home to where Padme would be. He evaded the whispers and glances as much as he could, the images of slain children still haunting him. When he arrived, Padme had just gotten home and was undressing from her senator's clothing. She smiled when she first saw him.
"Ah, you're home early! Where's Luke…" she trailed off as her smile faltered. Anakin took off his helmet to reveal his tortured face stained with tears. She quickly stood up to embrace him. His arms collapsed around her as he sobbed into the crook of her neck.
"Ani, what's wrong?"
"Every time I look at him, all I see are… I can't do it, Padme. It haunts me," he choked out. She didn't have to ask what he saw, or what haunted him. Padme stroked his back soothingly as he continued to sob.
"It'll get better. I promise," she murmured. Anakin seemed to slowly calm down. His pained eyes looked down at her, her soft brown ones up to his.
"How? How can I live with what I've done?" he asked hopelessly. Padme smiled sadly and hugged him tightly.
"The question isn't how, Ani. It's why. Why would you live with what you've done?" she asked him. Anakin eyed her curiously as he waited for her to continue.
"For the galaxy, and all the people in it. For you, and if you can't do it for yourself, do it for Luke. You live for Leia. You live for me, and our family. You live for the Jedi, and all our friends. If there's any why, you can bear any how," she whispered softly. Tears streamed down Anakin's face.
"I love you, Padme," he whispered before kissing her deeply.
"I love you too, Anakin," she murmured back. Anakin didn't forgive himself in that moment, but he knew someday he would- and with his family by his side.
THE END.