CHAPTER THREE

EXILE

HYPERSPACE JUST OFF OF TATOOINE

"Obi-Wan are you sure?" Padme asked as she was feeding Leia.

"My name is Ben." Obi-Wan said. "It's safer that way. If the name Ben Kenobi gets out there – than it will be as an distant cousin of mine. We'll be quite safe on Tatooine. We'll have Owen and Beau. You can live with them – or I'll build you three a home."

"What about you?" Padme frowned.

"I'll live out in the desert. I'll keep an eye on you three." Ben shrugged.

"No." Padme frowned darkly. Leia whimpered against her breast. "I'm not going to allow you to abandon us, Ben. You are the one whom fought for me to remain alive." Leia's mouth squeezed down hard on her tender breast. Tears prickled her eyes as she looked down her one week daughter. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset baby girl."

Luke opened his eyes and looked at his mother and sister. He didn't make a sound – not yet at least. He wanted to make sure that his mother and sister were actually all right. If either one of them truly were troubled than he would make sure to protect them. Well, he would get that safe man over there to protect them for him. At least until he got older that is. Yeah; as soon as he could hold up his own head than he was golden to protect his mommy, and sister.

"I'm not abandoning you. I promise you, Padme, I'll always be around." Ben sighed. "It's just not proper for me to live in the same house as you guys. I mean I'm not even family."

Leia broke away from her mother's breast as loud wails came out of her mouth. Milk oozed out of her mouth, and onto Padme's grown. Luke joined his sister in the wailing. Padme moved Leia onto her chest, so her sweet precious daughter could feel her heart beat. She watched as Obi-Wan got up quickly, and went to pick up Luke. He stood swaying side by side with her son against his chest; where his heart was.

Luke calmed down as he felt the protectiveness of the man whom arms he was in. He allowed the essence of the man to into him, and calmed him down. Although his sister was still screaming her head off. But, she was safe with their mother.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry that I had frightened you. I didn't mean too." Padme looked down at her crying daughter's face. It was filled with fear, and anger. "I'm sorry that I tensed up and ruined your meal." Leia's right eye brow rose. You are my daughter. She couldn't help the smirk that came to her lips. Leaning down she kissed Leia's warm forehead.

Ben silently took in the picture in front of him. Mother and child in the repulse chair. "I can get used to this." He murmured to himself. He felt Luke lean closer into him. He looked down into the starting upturned blue eyes of Anakin's son. I promise to protect you, and Leia better than I ever did on protecting your father. I won't drop the light saber with you two.

Leia finally settled back down; she went back to sucking her mother's right breast. She content now that the milk was sweet once more. She sighed as if bemused with how annoying her mother could be. Padme raised her right eye brow over at Ben.

"Okay so discussing serious things while you fed the children is the worst thing we can do. Lesson learned." Ben sighed in mock annoyance. "Sheesh; I'm new to being around infants here."

"You much to learn Obi-Wan Kenobi. Living with us will give you plenty of experience." Padme said in a knowing voice.

Ben sighed in defeat. "End of discussion." He was secretly pleased that Padme wanted him to live in the same dwelling with her.

TATOOINE PLANET

LARS HOMESTEAD

Owen looked over at his wife. "Something bad has happened to Anakin."

Beau looked startled into her husband's eyes. "He's dead." She breathed in a quick force.

Owen shook his head, "No, Anakin is very much alive. He has just turned to the dark side – and is lost to us now."

"I'm sorry." Beau softly said.

"Even through Anakin was just my step brother – and one; that I had only met back when he was sixteen years old. We barley got to know one and another; since he decided he wanted more family in his life." Owen sighed.

"At least he's still alive. So, there is still hope that he'll return to the light." Beau smiled softly hopefully. She wasn't going to give up hope on her slightly younger step-brother-in-law. He was her family, and he needed her prayers.

Owen sighed. "I just pray that Anakin doesn't return to Tatooine." He palmed the table. "At least not while he's in the darkness. It would hurt his mother's memory too much to have her beloved son back clouded in darkness."

"He has no cause to return." Cliegg replied in a harsh voice. "He would never dear visit Shmi's grave when's no longer the innocent boy that she loved." He thought of the journal that she had left behind for her son. He was going to keep it for much longer than he originally had thought. Perhaps; he should have given it to the boy that one time Anakin had come back for a visit. Perhaps; that would have helped prevent Anakin from going to the dark side. I'm so sorry Shmi. I failed you. But; I was so grief stricken due to your death; that I selfishly wanted to keep whatever truly was yours. I even wanted to keep your son with me. But; I knew he had duties as a Jedi.

"It feels like a part of Anakin is going to return." Owen sighed.

"We must prepare." Cliegg nodded his head. Turning to his daughter-in-law, "I feel we are going to need more food for dinner tonight. Also we are going to need to find two beds for our guests."

Beau nodded, and got up to get started. Owen stood up, "I'll help you with the rooms. You know I'm not much of a cook." She turned around and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "I love you Owen, but you are right," she has a playful smirk on her lips, "you aren't much of a cook. But you do know how to make up a bed."

Owen grinned, "Shmi made sure that I leaned how to make a bed. She tried to teach me to cook – but my hands aren't made that way." He frowned. "I miss her. Ever so much."

Beau pulled away after several mournful quiet moments.

REAL SPACE JUST ABOVE TATOOTINE

"Looks like we are here." Ben sighed from his seat behind the controls of the ship. "Welcome home everyone." He looked at the planet where he had first met Anakin Skywalker. The planet that he was returning with his wife; and children.

Padme stared at the planet herself. She tried to blink back the tears over the loss of the bright eyed that was Anakin Skywalker when she first set eyes on him. The twins started to softly cry from their spots beside her. She looked down and realized that granted she had temporary lost her Ani; she still had the good of him; in Luke, and Leia.

"Mommy didn't mean to upset you darlings." She cooed as she tended to her children.

Sighing Ben turned back to the front; so he could land the ship without crashing. As they entered the planet he saw that he was going to land just where Naboo ship had landed on their first visit to Tatooine. Sighing he knew he was defeated because the damn ship wanted to land. "I'm sorry Padme." He gently said.

Padme turned and looked herself. Tears sparkled in her eyes. "It's where I truly got to know you Obi-Wan. Nothing is going to change that for me. I'm glad we are landing here." She looked into his sparkling eyes. "It was here that I truly knew that I could trust you to protect me for the rest of my life."

"Always and forever. Even in death." Obi-Wan swore.

Padme reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, just as the ship prepared itself for landing on the sand. "That's my oath too you Obi-Wan." They turned to face the front as Ben had to handle the landing. After all the ship could fly on it's own; put it could only crash land without a being behind the controls.

END CHAPTER THREE