Anakin pressed his fingertips against his temples as he felt a stress headache take hold. He wanted his baby girl, the one who called him daddy without hesitation, even at age thirty she still referred to him as daddy. The silence was deafening and very uncomfortable. He hoped she would see reason and not chew his head off like last time.
"Anakin?" Leia questioned sounding concerned as he glanced at her. "What tipped you off?"
"Even at age thirty, you always called me daddy," Anakin answered honestly. "You don't know your way around the house and had no clue this boat dock was here. You and Han love coming out here and taking the boat out. I can sense it through the Force and your tense around me," he paused for a second as he remembered the conversation he had with Master Yoda a few days after the twins were born. "Master Yoda mentioned this could happen. There is a way to unlock your other memories and converge them as one. I would need your permission first."
Leia fell silent as she watched him as if gauging him. Anakin could sense her making calculations in the back of her mind about their relationship. He sat down on the small bench as he waited for her response. If he was being truthful, he was terrified about losing her after thirty years from holding her within mere minutes of her being born to holding his grandchildren for the first time.
"Can I think about it first?" Leia questioned as she sat down on the bench beside him.
"Of course," Anakin agreed feeling a small sliver of hope. "I got to execute Palpatine, and after everything you told me. It strangely felt liberating. We destroyed the Death Star, dismantled all of Tarkin's plans and destroyed his blue plans," he paused for a second as Leia turned her attention to him looking surprised. "We even found the Rogue Planet and convinced the spirit to take the planet back to the Yuuzhan Vong," he paused for a second. "The first time I held you, I immediately fell in love. You always have been my baby girl. And Bail agreed to be your godfather."
"He is?" Leia questioned in a hopeful tone as Anakin nodded.
"Yes he is. Knowing your relationship we asked him and he agreed. He's going to be here shortly," Anakin explained with a smile. "And he's going to know somethings off right away.
"What else can you tell me?" Leia questioned as he sensed her warming up a little to him.
"You're a senator on Naboo's behalf, even though you weren't born on Naboo you were still queen from age fourteen to eighteen just like your mother was," Anakin continued to explain causing her to grin. "And your mother is chancellor right now and slowly in her own manipulative way is preening you over for this job."
Leia smirked as she took a hold of Anakin's hand. "So did Mon Mothma," she explained with a small smile. "I took over as Chancellor for the New Republic."
"That does not surprise me," Anakin felt the tension ease more as they continued to talk. "I love you so much, Leia," he felt her lean against his side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as little Anakin ran up to them. "Your mother had to find ways to keep me preoccupied when you were dating Han."
"Grandpa, I'm hungry. Breakfast?" Anakin asked with a hopeful smile.
"Soon, little Anakin," Anakin answered with a smile as he picked up Anakin into his lap and kissed the top of his grandsons head. "I'll be in shortly. I just need to talk with your mommy about a few things."
"Okay," Anakin squirmed out of his lap and ran back to the house as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Anakin glanced down at Leia as she closed her eyes. He sensed the tension melt away as Leia snuggled against his shoulder causing him to smile. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "You've always been my baby girl and always will be, no matter what you decide."
Leia gave a small contented sigh. "Dad, you have my permission."
Anakin felt relief flood him as he connected his mind with hers and went to the specific spot Yoda taught him years ago. He gave it a small nudge with his mind as he sensed memories flooding Leia's mind.
After a few minutes of silence. Leia leaned into his him as he sensed the connection between their minds open again as relief flooded him. "I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, baby girl," Anakin answered as he allowed his love for her to wash over her through the Force. They stayed in this hug for several minutes before Leia released him and turned towards the house. It was time to eat.
Leia watched the door as she waited for Luke and Mara to arrive. She wondered if the same happened to Luke as it happened to her. Maybe this was the way the Force could make things right due to traveling back through time. Anakin had removed the mental block allowing her to remember both lives.
Leia was surprised due to the amount of memories she had of Anakin and Padme and Anakin turned out to be an amazing father. She had no qualms of calling him daddy which she thought would never happen. His love for her was evident, and she could tell by the expression on his face he was terrified of losing her. It caused her to ask Anakin what tipped him off instead of chewing his ear off. She listened as he pointed out every single detail that made Anakin realize she was not the child he raised.
As she listened to him, something in the back of her mind said it was all right to trust him. Now she had memories from both lives, not that was a bad thing. It would allow her to continue to know what she needed to do in this life, she had a feeling this was going to be permanent. The door swung open as she sensed her brother and sister-in-law enter. She could sense the old Luke being awoken coming from him and Mara kept shooting him looks of concern. "Mara, Luke. It's so good to see you and may I hold my nephew?"
"It's good to see you too, Leia," Luke responded sounding relieved as he handed Ben over.
"Leia, Luke's been acting strange all morning," Mara pointed out with a frown. "What's going on? Is he dying?"
"No he's not dying," Leia answered with a reassuring smile as she glanced at Luke. "Dads out back, you might want to go and have a chat with him," she glanced down at Ben as he waved his little chubby arms happily causing her to smile as she sensed Ben reach out to her through the Force.
"Not a bad idea, let daddy dearest deal with you," Mara grabbed Luke's arm and dragged him to the back of the house causing Leia to smirk.
/Sorry Ben, it appears your going to be stuck in this body. Did you still want memories of your old life? Or did you want to retain your memories?/ Leia questioned in the back of Ben's mind.
/I get to do all the stuff I wanted to do, that I didn't think of doing while being a kid again./ Ben answered back causing Leia to grin.
/And you think Luke would not catch on to mischief making?/ Leia questioned teasingly causing Ben to frown. /I love you, Ben./
/I love you too, Aunt Leia./ Ben shot back with a smile. /At least I still get to live./
Leia gave a short nod in agreement. Coming back through the time warp meant they had a fifty percent chance of losing Ben altogether. She was thankful that did not happen.
Luke felt Mara's grip tighten as they continued to head towards the back where Mara claimed there was a boat dock and chastised him for not remembering. He didn't remember anything from this life causing him to frown.
As they approached the dock he noticed a man waiting for them who looked vaguely familiar causing his heart to skip a beat. Was it possible that Anakin survived this time? "Father?"
"You don't recognize your own father?" Mara questioned with an expression of disbelief. "Did you hit your head or something?"
"Mara, please leave us," Anakin requested with a frown. "I will deal with him."
Luke shuddered at the thought as Mara loosened her grip and walked back towards the house. He took a cautious step towards Anakin feeling his heart catch in his throat. This is all he ever wanted, was a chance to get to know his father. He stretched his mind out with the Force brushing Anakin's mind with his own and could sense he was not dark. "You're not Vader?"
"Thanks to you and your sister, I am not Vader this time," Anakin answered in a reassuring tone. "And I'm grateful. You and your sister waking up with memories from another life time can be a bit problematic," he paused for a second and shook his head sadly. "Master Yoda mentioned this could happen and prepared me a head of time. I will need your permission to enter your mind to awaken your memories from this life and converge them as one."
Luke didn't know what to say, it sounded like this was going to be permanent and Anakin was right about one thing. Having memories from another life time would cause problems. "How did Leia react?"
"We talked for a bit and she gave me her permission," Anakin answered with a smile. "I promise you, you have nothing to worry about."
Luke closed his eyes and stretched out with his mind and brushed Leia's. He noticed she felt different and familiar to him as if he only knew half of her and not the full person. He turned his attention to Anakin and smiled. "Prove it, is Alderaan destroyed?"
Ankin smiled in turn and shook his head. "No, Alderaan is still there and Bail Organa will be here shortly. We destroyed the Death Star and dismantled everything including blue prints. Tarkin was brought up on charges of treason and was executed."
Luke turned his attention to the boat dock entrance as Leia walked out onto the dock with a bright smile and waved. "Luke, you have nothing to fear. Daddy was gentle."
Luke glanced at Leia as she ran to him and hugged him tightly. "Leia, I'm relieved to see you're okay. Daddy?"
Leia smiled and nodded. "I have memories of just calling him daddy when I'm in a good mood, dad when I'm mad at him."
Luke chuckled lightly as he turned his attention to Anakin. "I guess if Leia trusts you enough, so can I. You have my permission, father."
"I'm relieved to hear it," Anakin gave a reassuring smile as Luke gave a short nod in agreement. He wondered if Anakin feared of losing him and Leia after raising them.
Luke closed his eyes lowering his mind shields down allowing Anakin to enter his mind. He felt his father gently touch a specific spot in his mind causing it to shift as memories of another life flooded his mind.
"Daddy daddy, guess what I learned?" Luke heard his younger self say as Anakin scooped him up and held him in his arms.
"What did you learn, little Jedi?" Anakin questioned in an amused tone as Luke grinned.
"Auntie Ahsoka saved you and grandpa from a gun dark nest," Luke answered with a grin causing Anakin to groan.
"Ahsoka," Anakin muttered under his breath. "We had everything under control."
"Not the way she tells it," Luke grinned as Anakin put Luke back on his feet.
"And next on the list of lectures, not believing everything you're told," Anakin grinned as Luke made a stubborn face.
"She showed me through the Force.." Luke answered with a grin causing Anakin to roll his eyes.
Luke closed his eyes as he felt his father's love for him. How Anakin and Padme supplied everything him and his sister needed. Anakin was the father he always wanted. All the lectures he got from Padme and Anakin when he rebelled or got into trouble.
Luke watched as Mara won her fight in single hand to hand combat competition. She was absolutely amazing and beautiful to him. They had been dating for three years and he planned to finally pop the question to her. He began to remember everything about this life and he wished he lived it instead of his other self. On the other hand he still has Mara and Ben. He was grateful. He still had everyone he cared about in the other life, they were a big part of his. Ahsoka told him story after embarrassing story about Anakin.
Luke looked down at Ben in his arms causing him to grin from ear to ear. He was a father. He opened his eyes and glanced at Anakin with a smirk. "Dad, have you run into any gun dark nests lately?"
"I can't believe Ahsoka told you that story, especially at age five," Anakin muttered under his breath.
Luke grinned as he hugged Anakin to him. "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, son," Anakin answered he hugged Luke tightly to him. He didn't let go for several minutes as he felt his father's love wash over him. He has a chance to really get to know Anakin and he wouldn't trade this chance in the galaxy for anything.
Thanks for reading :)
To be concluded.