Chapter 16

The moment the ship half-crashed-half-landed upon Coruscant, Anakin felt something different in the force. He wasn't sure what it was a first, but he wasn't able to dismiss it either.

Aric climbed out of the spaceship and Mace cut a very angry Dooku loose under the promise of behaving… Not that it would happen.

Anakin lifted himself out of the cockpit and onto the landing hanger. Three figures approached them. Anakin felt a small fierce cold strike his heart when he saw them.

It could have been so different… he thought.

Mace climbed out and embraced Obi-Wan. The girl not far from him bowed and introduced herself to Mace, but Anakin already knew who she was. He held no resentment for her past mistakes. He'd had his own.

Luke shook Windu's hand and then bounded over towards the ship as his father stepped down. When their eyes met, Anakin hesitated, but Luke did not. He embraced his father happily.

"Father, it's so good to see you."

Anakin slowly hugged him back, forcing himself not to cry. He pulled Luke back and took a good look at him. Then he smiled.

"So this is Skywalker Junior?" a snide voice remarked.

Luke looked up to see Dooku jump down and join them. "Well, isn't he just a spittin' image of the old guy."

Anakin did not find that funny at all. While Luke just laughed, he swatted Dooku at the back of the head.

"What do you mean old?"

Dooku faked surprise. "You're old. You lived to be fourty-something. I didn't even live that long."

Skywalker shrugged and nodded to Luke. "That's true. He got himself killed first."

Then Luke laughed while Dooku attempted to tackle them.

Mara walked over and stuck her hand out to Anakin calmly. "Mara Jade, Master Skywalker."

The small smile on Anakin's face vanished. "I know who you are, Mara Jade," he told her. "We've met before."

Luke's eyes widened slightly and he tried to speak up, but Mara beat him to it.

"No sir," she told him. "I have never met Anakin Skywalker, just Vader."

She waited for him to shake her hand, but he didn't. He simply bowed his head and continued towards Obi-Wan. Mara exchanged glances with Luke who shrugged.

Dooku patted her shoulder and she glared at him. "It's alright, Jade. If he doesn't touch you, consider it a blessing."

Luke laughed.

Obi-Wan and Anakin nodded to each other in greeting. It was evident to Obi-Wan that his former padawan really had no interest in being touched. He'd only hugged Luke because he had to. This concerned Obi-Wan because he had more news to give him.

"Anakin," he said. "Let us speak in private."

Anakin nodded and the two stepped away from the hanger.

"There is something you must know," Obi-Wan began.

"Isn't there always?"

He ignored the remark. "Anakin, Padme is alive."

Anakin froze mid-stride. His blue eyes remained fixed on the point at which he had been looking at before the statement, but he wasn't really looking at it. His gaze was distant.

"She came back," Obi-Wan told him, calmly. He laid a hand on Anakin's arm. "With us."

Anakin closed his eyes. "An angel returned with a pack of wolves," he muttered.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened slightly.

"What do you mean?"

But he didn't answer. Anakin pulled away and started towards the Jedi temple.

"Anakin," Dooku called from behind. "What's the mission?"

"Operation: mind your own business," Anakin snapped.

Dooku smiled and nudged a concerned Luke. "Good to have him back, huh?"