Padme and Leia broke their embrace. Vanee approached the family, and addressed Padme.
"Your rooms have been prepared. Stay as long as you like," he told her. "When you leave, please remember that you will always be welcomed here."
"Thank you," Padme said to him.
"I must finish the final details. For the rest of my days, I will faithfully guard this castle, fighting Lord Vader's foes and..." He smiled, making eye contact with each person in the room. "Protecting his family." He bowed his head and left the room.
"Sweetheart, what is he talking about?" Leia asked her daughter. Han, Luke and Chewbacca wanted to know as well. Padme took a deep breath. She needed to tell them the truth.
"He is making preparations for Grandfather's funeral," she softly whispered. Chewy moaned in sympathy. Leia embraced her daughter tightly, and Han and Luke surrounded the two women. No words were exchanged for a few moments.
"He wants to say his final goodbyes," Padme finally said, breaking the silence.
"Oh Maker!" Leia cried, her heart full of sorrow. Chewy squeezed her hand, and left the room.
"Mom, he wants to speak to you and Han first," Padme continued. Han's face had a look of shock on it. He had not been in Vader's presence since the time he was frozen in carbonite. He turned to Leia and said,
"I think he would be honored if we go and talk to him, together." Leia managed a weak smile, before grabbing Han's hand and letting him lead the way towards her dying father. Padme enjoyed seeing them holding hands.
"They still love each other," Luke said to her.
"I know," she replied with a small smile. It was the only joy she felt at that moment. Her uncle embraced her.
"My brave, beautiful niece," he whispered in her ear.
"I'm not brave, I'm scared!" Padme confessed. "I just met him, and now, I am going to lose him!"
"No one is ever really gone. You will not lose him, if you keep him in your memories, and in your heart." Luke knew she would see Anikin again, just not in the flesh. His father had told him to keep it a secret from Padme, just in case it didn't happen.
"You made two miracles happen, Padme. You killed the evil in Darth Vader, and brought back the good in Anikin Skywalker."
She pulled away from her uncle, and replied with conviction,
"I was just finishing what you started." Luke kissed his niece on the forehead, and embraced her again.
"Luke, he wants to speak with you," Leia said to her brother. Her face, though tear streaked, looked peaceful.
"Come, let's check on Chewy," Han told Leia, before they exited the room.
"Go, Luke," Padme said to the Jedi Master. He squeezed her hand, and went to talk to his father.
As the two male Skywalkers were talking, Padme smiled. She had heard the entire conversation between her parents and her grandfather. Leia and Vader finally forgave each other. Her broken family, the one she did not even know about a day ago, was being healed before her eyes.
After a few minutes, she saw everyone come into the room. Vanee and the Stormtroopers approached the chamber, with the gurney.
"No!" Padme cried, the tears streaking down her face. Leia held her, and Luke came over to them.
"Padme, he wants to say goodbye to you in his armor," he explained to her. She solemnly nodded her head.
"I need to do this alone," she told her family. Padme was afraid they would say no, but to her amazement, they all agreed. She left them, and walked over to where Vader laid on the gurney. Vanee and the Stormtroopers stepped aside, to give grandfather and granddaughter their privacy.
"I am so sorry, Padme," Vader spoke to Padme's mind. "You deserved better. I wanted to tell you with your parents and your uncle, but that doctor..."
"It's okay, Vader.." she began to reply back.
"That name means nothing to me anymore. Call me Anikin."
"Oh Anikin!" Padme moaned, desperately trying not to break down.
To her surprise, Anikin raised his hand to her cheek, and stroked it gently. Just like he did last night. She met his gaze, and though she couldn't see his face, she knew he was smiling.
"I love you, Padme," Anikin said out loud, using what little force strength he had. She knew what she wanted to do. Padme carefully detached the top half of his helmet, so that she could see his face. Anikin's blue eyes danced. Finally, he was able to see Padme with his own eyes.
"I love you too, Grandfather," she replied, as her hand caressed his scarred cheek. He smiled and said,
"May the Force be with you, Padme," Anikin softly whispered, before closing his eyes and taking his final breath.
Padme threw her head on his chest and wept. Her family came and surrounded her.
" I know he's at peace. But it hurts so much!" the young woman said, finally pulling herself away from her grandfather's body.
"I know," Leia whispered, as she embraced her daughter.
"I guess I would make a horrible Jedi," Padme said to Luke. He replied,
"But you are a wonderful daughter, granddaughter and niece." She nodded her head. The family left the room in mourning.
Anikin Skywalkers' remains were cremated the next day, as per Jedi tradition. As the flames consumed his body, Padme felt the flames of her heart also burn. Gone was the little girl that had been afraid. Now she stood as a young woman, ready to walk into her destiny. What that was, she was not sure. She knew it would have something to do with Force Healing. When she was trying to get medical help for Anikin, she had touched her leg, the one the doctor shot at. The wound and the pain had been instantaneously healed.
After the cremation, the family sat around the dining table. Vanee had brought Anikin's personal items from the Star Destroyer. They were upstairs in Padme's bedroom. Her family was talking to each other. She was picking at her food.
"No!" Padme screamed at the top of her voice. Her parents and Chewy were concerned. Luke's face went pale. They both felt the pain in the Force.
"I need to leave," Luke managed to say, rising from his chair.
"Luke, no! You just got here!" Leia argued with him. Her daughter raised a hand to silence her.
"I felt it too, Luke. Go. May the Force be with you," Padme urged him. Luke quickly said his goodbyes and left the castle.
"Why did he leave?" Han asked. Chewbacca grunted, most likely asking the same question.
"Something horrible happened at the Jedi Temple. One of his students turned to the Dark side. The student killed everyone there."
"There must be something we can do to help him," Leia exclaimed, now worried about her brother's safety.
"We will help him, but not now," Padme explained. "He needs to go and mourn for his students. When the time comes, he will ask us for help."
"Padme is right," Han added. He asked his daughter how she knew about the attack at the Jedi Temple. She sighed sadly over what happened, and proclaimed,
"Because the Force is strong in my family. My grandfather had it, my mother has it..." She paused and gave a smile to Leia. Turning towards the door, she said,
"My uncle has it. I have that power, too." Padme closed her eyes, and began to meditate on the next chapter of her life.