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ANAKIN'S REDEMPTION

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A quick explanation for a couple of members who seem to have misunderstood the last chapter - Padme has lost her mind after the incident on Mustafar and the 25 years of running and hiding. After being attacked by her husband, almost dying, having her babies taken from her and being forced to hide, she cracked up. She is not the same fearless, fiesty woman she was in her twenties, she is now a 50 year old shell of a woman who has lived in terror for two decades, and was suddenly confronted with the source of that terror which is why her reaction. If you think that's out of character - remember that this supposedly brave woman who fought Nexu also DIED because she just gave up and lost the will to live! She ain't that strong! Basically in this story, even though she survived, she still went on without the will to live, and it has destroyed her. She's gone crackers. Loopy. Curr-raaay--zay! So no, she ain't the Nexu fighting wonderwoman that she was in AOTC! (But...she wasn't in ROTS either! She just brushed her hair a lot then dropped dead...)

To everyone reading and leaving nice comments: Thanks for your positive words!

VFsnake: have you considered a career in standup? You're hilaaarious!

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Chapter Twelve - Realisations

Leia stormed out onto the street, muttering every swear word she knew. She was out for blood.

Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks, taken aback by the sight before her.

Anakin was standing by the street, hunched over crying uncontrollably. The tears poured from his eyes and he was visibly shaking. Luke was holding on to him, trying to comfort him. "It's okay Father," he was saying. "Once we explain it to her she'll understand. You shouldn't have just come in unannounced. Of course you scared her. But we'll explain, it'll be okay."
"Oh Luke…she was so afraid! So afraid, of me!" sobbed Anakin.

"Well you can't exactly blame her, Anakin," spoke up Leia. Luke and Anakin looked up to see her standing before them with a stern expression, arms folded.

"I'm sorry Leia," spluttered Anakin. "I'm so sorry! I didn't listen to you. I just wanted to see her, I was only going to look at her…it's been so long and I've believed she was dead all these years. I didn't mean to just walk in like that…I just heard her voice…she said my name….and I had to speak to her…and…" He couldn't finish from crying so hard.

Leia stared at him. "You…you really did… love her, didn't you?"

Anakin nodded, choking on his tears. "She was everything to me…she was the reason I turned to the dark side! I thought she was dying...Palpatine tricked me – he told me that by using the dark side it was possible to prevent death! He fooled me…once he had me I couldn't get away! I turned on Padme, on Obi-Wan, on everything I knew and loved, and destroyed it all! Once I realized, it was too late...everything was gone, I had nothing left and no choice but to stay with Palpatine...I thought she was dead all this time…if I had known about her, and you two…maybe things would have been different! I would have had a reason to turn back! She was alive all this time! Hiding…" Anakin choked on the words. "Hiding from me! Separated from her children! I loved her since I was nine years old, and look what I did to her! How can I go on like this? How?"

"Father you mustn't speak like that!" Luke admonished him. "After everything you have achieved, you can't give up now."
"What do I have to go on for?" said Anakin desperately. "Padme hates me…my daughter hates me! How can I face all the people I've hurt, the lives I've destroyed?"

"You have much to atone for," said Leia reproachfully. "You have work ahead of you. But leave Padme to me. I will talk to her. She listens to me. Meanwhile, I want you to leave this planet and do as I instructed. And in future, you'll do as I say." She pointed her finger at him firmly. Anakin sniffed and nodded.

"Yes Leia. Thankyou Leia," he snuffled, turning and walking away, supported by Luke.

Leia stared after him in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. This was the big powerful Darth Vader she, and the entire galaxy, had once feared? The father she had despised and been ashamed of most of her life? Crying and following her orders like a child who'd just been punished! He really was just a man. She shook her head. Maybe...just maybe he wasn't the monster she thought he was. Maybe.

---

"Oh Luke, what have I done?" sobbed Anakin, breaking down again once they were aboard the shuttle. "I just wanted to see her and now I've made things worse! I should have let you and Leia explain things to her before I shocked her like that! I just couldn't hold myself back, I love her so much!"
"Don't worry Father. Leia will work things out. She can be very persuasive."

"But Leia hates me!" protested Anakin.

"I think she's coming around," said Luke, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "I think you really shocked her by crying in front of her. She finally saw you as a person..."
"I don't know Luke. I don't think Leia will ever change her mind. She's too much like me, stubborn and unforgiving."
"You came back from the dark side didn't you? Don't worry, things will work out. I don't know if you can ever be with Mother again, but I'm sure you can reach some kind of peace with her…and Leia."
"Oh I hope so Luke. I hope so. Oh I'm sorry Luke, I ruined your meeting with your mother. I'm sure you want to get back to her." Anakin wiped his eyes.
"I would like to get to know her, but I need to know you're going to be alright. Were you hurt?"
"No." Anakin shook his head. "The blast just grazed me. But…I don't understand, why couldn't I use the Force? It was just…gone."

"Leia says Mother keeps some kind of animal…ysalamiri she called them. They block the Force, or something."
"I think I've heard of them. Palpatine once mentioned them. He was looking for them once, to use against the Jedi."
"I'd never heard of them. But whatever they are, they work. I was blind without the force."

"Why did she have them?" Anakin didn't look at Luke, already knowing the answer. Luke put a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you sure you'll be okay here, while I go back?"
"Yes," said Anakin. "I will do what Leia said and fly back to Coruscant. I'll meet you there later."
"Okay, goodbye Father."

---

"Mother, are you alright?" asked Leia, rushing to her mother's side. Padme was shaking in her chair being comforted by Dorme.
"Oh Leia, thank goodness you're alright! Where's Luke? Oh no, he's got Luke!" Padme shrieked hysterically.
"It's ok, it's ok," soothed Leia. "Luke is fine. We're all fine."
"Luke...Luke...he's got Luke," she continued chanting.
"He's fine, really he's fine," said Leia.
"Oh Leia," sobbed Padme. "How did he find us? How, how, how?"
Leia sighed. "He followed Luke and me. He knew he couldn't come with us, but he didn't listen. As usual. That man..."

Padme stopped crying and stared at her daughter. "What do you mean he didn't listen? You...know him?"

Leia ground her teeth. "Yes. Luke seems to believe he has turned back from the dark side of the Force. Personally, I'm not so convinced. He – he did save my life the other day. And he did seem to genuinely care for you back there. But...I don't know Mother...I don't trust him at all. What do you think?"
Padme sat trembling. "I…don't know either Leia. He was once a wonderful man. But the last time I saw him…he wasn't Anakin anymore. He was something else…something evil. He tried…oh god, he tried to k-k-ki -" Padme choked on her words, unable to finish.
"I know Mother." Dark tears started to well in Leia's eyes. "I know what he did. I can't forgive him for that. He has hurt us so much. I had to grow up without you. And my brother. Now he expects us to just forget. Well I can't do that. I won't do that!" A tear escaped and rolled down Leia's cheek.
"I can't either," whimpered Padme. "I can't forget how he looked that day on Mustafar. I can't forget the look on his face when he choked me. He almost killed me…and you, and Luke too! He can't just come back."

"He is a good man."

Padme and Leia looked up to see Luke in the doorway.
"Luke, you don't understand," sighed Leia.
"Why not?" countered Luke. "He hurt me too. He cut off my hand, hurt my friends, took my family away. But I choose to forgive him, and to have my father, than to spend my life in anger and unforgiveness."

"You didn't see, Luke. You didn't see!" whispered Padme, looking up at him with big eyes. "You didn't see him…what he did"

"But Mother I -"

"I can't forget."