Chapter 85

The ensuing hours passed by with agonizing slowness as the droids worked frantically to save Anakin's life.

Padmé and her children waited in the adjoining room, none able to sit for more than a few moments at a time. Ylla and Han remained with the family, offering them support as best they could. Firmus Piett was also present, waiting anxious for word on his commander who had also become his hero in a remarkably short time.

"Does Obi-Wan know?" Luke asked his mother.

Padmé looked at her son and shook her head. "No," she replied. "I don't want to tell him yet. He only just regained consciousness a few hours before you returned. He's in no condition to hear such a thing."

"He will be able to sense it soon any way," Leia remarked. "The two of them are so close."

Padmé nodded with a sad smile. "Yes, they have been close for a very long time," she said. "More like brothers than simply friends." She looked towards the door that lead to the intensive care unit. "I wish they would let us know what is going on," she muttered. "This waiting is killing me."

"We have the best medical facilities in the fleet," Piett told her. "If anyone can help him, they can."

This offered the family of Anakin some comfort; though nothing would truly set their minds at ease until the one they loved was out of danger and in their midst again.

Suddenly an alarm was heard, followed by a flurry of activity. Padmé and her children watched in silent fear as an additional group of medical droids rushed into the intensive care unit.

"What is going on!?" Padmé cried, rushing after them.

The door slid open and Padmé could see the medical team working frantically over Anakin. The heart monitor that he was attached to was the source of the alarm that had sounded moments earlier.

"Ani!" Padmé screamed as she saw the monitor's screen. Anakin's heart had stopped.

Anakin found himself in a place that was filled with bright white light. He felt completely at peace, his body seemingly made of the same white light that surrounded him. He walked along, not knowing where he was going, not really caring. Ahead of him a figure appeared, and his heart swelled when he recognized who it was.

"Mom!" he cried. "Is it you? Is it really you??"

Shmi smiled her face radiant. She was whole again, unbroken, unmarred and glowing with health. "Yes Ani, it's me," she replied.

"How is this possible?" Anakin asked. "You died! I held you in my arms as you died!"

Shmi brought a hand to his face and softly touched his cheek. "I know," she said.

Anakin did not understand for a moment, but then the realization dawned on him.

"I'm…I'm dead," he said at last.

Shmi nodded. "You died on the operating table," she explained. "But it's not your time Ani. You need to finish what you began. You must go back."

Anakin nodded as thoughts of his family came to his mind. Padmé…

"Your family needs you," Shmi told him, reading his mind easily.

"I know," Anakin replied softly, anxious all of a sudden. He could only imagine the crushing grief they must be feeling at this moment. And yet, the thought of leaving his mother again broke his heart.

"I've missed you Mom," he told her, feeling his eyes fill with tears.

Shmi smiled. "I'm very proud of you, Anakin. You have become the man I always knew you could be."

Her words moved him too much to allow him to respond, so he only nodded in response.

"Now go back to your family, Anakin," she told him as she started to pull back from him. "Go now before it is too late to return. And remember that I love you, Ani."

"I love you too Mom," he called back to her as she receded into the light once again. He was unable to move and could only watch as she disappeared. The light began to bleed away until he was in darkness again. And then he heard her voice.

"Anakin don't leave me!"

He fought against the lethargy in his broken body to open his eyes. The bright light assaulted them, and all was confusion for a moment. But then he felt someone take his hand, and he knew who it was. He turned his eyes to see her face. "Padmé," he said his voice barely audible.

Padmé could not control the tears that streamed down her face. "I'm here, Ani," she said, squeezing his hand. "Stay with me, Ani."

"I promised I would, didn't I?" He replied, trying to smile.

Padmé half laughed half sobbed at his comment. He closed his eyes again as the weakness filled him once again. She looked up at the droids. "You must help him," she implored.

"We'll do everything we can," they assured her.

Padmé nodded, and stepped back away from the bed, where she was supported by Luke and Leia who had also been present during Anakin's crisis. She turned to them and saw that they were as distraught as she was.

"He made it back to us, Mom," Luke told her, taking her gently by the shoulders. "He will make it through this, I know it."

Padmé allowed her son to lead her out of the room again while the medi-droids attended to Anakin. Leia stayed back, watching them from the corner of the room as they fought to save her father's life. She felt as though she were in the midst of a terrible nightmare, that the events of the past forty hours were simply too horrific to be true. She knew that she would never forget how helpless and terrified she was during the ordeal in the shuttle, how desperately she wanted to help her father, but was unable to do so. He can't die, not now, not after we have finally found one another, she thought numbly. How can I go on if he dies? He is a part of me, my hero, my dearest friend… Leia brushed tears from her face, the fear and despair overwhelming her. She was trying to be strong for her mother's sake; but the thought of losing her father was beyond her ability to manage. And then she had an idea.

Leia left the room and headed for the recovery wing of the medical facility, where Obi-Wan Kenobi was. She approached her Master, hoping to find him awake, tempted to wake him even if he weren't. Obi-Wan sensed her approach and opened his eyes.

"It's good to see you awake, Master," she said, forcing herself to smile.

Obi-Wan looked into her face, knowing at once that something was terribly wrong. "What is it?" he asked simply.

Leia, who was as good at hiding her feelings as her father, broke down into fresh tears at his question. "It's Dad," she said softly. "He's hurt, Obi-Wan, very badly hurt."

Obi-Wan frowned, deeply troubled by this news. "How? What happened? Was it the emperor?"

Leia shook her head. "No, Palpatine is dead," she replied. "It happened on the way back to the ship." She then proceeded to tell Obi-Wan about the explosion, and its effects on the shuttle. Obi-Wan listened with a grave look on his face.

"There has to be some way to help him," Leia said. "Don't the Jedi have some sort of healing ability?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, but only a few are trained to use it," he explained. "I'm afraid neither Master Yoda nor I are so trained," he informed her regretfully.

Leia was greatly disappointed to hear this, but it did not deter her. "I want to try, Obi-Wan," she said at last. "My father and I have a very close connection; surely I can do something to help him."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I'm sure you can. Let's talk to Master Yoda and see what he thinks."

Leia smiled, a glimmer of hope finally making its way into her heart.