Rejected

Anakin Skywalker was a broken man, she had broken him, in a way that even his body on Mustafar hadn't. She loved him, he could feel it, but there was something off about him. And who was Cos? ' Just leave me alone' Padme had said. But he wouldn't, he couldn't leave Naboo, even if it meant his death. He found himself in Valykino, in the Lake House. This had been their home and he wouldn't leave unless he was forced.

"Don't let our love force you out of the Order," she had said as she opened herself to him, as she hugged and kissed him assuring herself that he was safe, that he had returned to her.

"Force me out of the Order?" Anakin had laughed. "Is that a pun?" They had snuck away Anakin carrying her at Jedi speed back to their apartment. "I am the luckiest man in the universe. Our love is something we should shout out, not keep confined to the shadows."

"Anakin, I won't force you to give up your dreams."

"You aren't forcing me, Padme. I give them to you willingly. As Anakin remembered, so did Padme: the memories flowed through their bond, however damaged it may be. He had always conducted most of his business here when on leave from the Army and the Jedi, he would do what he could to end the war, though if the Emperor was alive, it wouldn't be easy. He found a bottle of Corellian Ale and in a rare moment he drunk from the bottle. He had never been much of a drinker had never needed. Right now, though, he wanted his connection to the Force to dull. He settled himself in a room that Padme had discussed turning into a nursery.

"Dad?" he heard a voice coming from somewhere although he couldn't place it. He had killed her. He had killed Anakin Skywalker and he had killed their unborn child, hadn't he?

"Anakin...Father?" he heard a second voice. A female voice. Luke and Leia, he thought hazily as he brought the bottle up to his lips again.

"Leia, help me carry him."

"I still can't believe we found him. Is the Emperor really here?"

"Can you not feel it?" Luke asked his sister.

"I don't know what I feel, but how can he fight in this condition."

"He can't."

"Of course I can...Am the Chosen One," he slurred.

"Chosen What?" Leia questioned. Luke shot her a 'He's drunk' look.

"Can't die til bring Balance to the Force. Stupid Emperor, die already," Anakin slurred. "Don't deserve to live. Doesn't want me around," he slurred again. Leia made a grab for the bottle of ale but for a drunk he was surprisingly swift.

"Luke?" Leia asked and Luke used the Force to send the Ale away. Then, Luke pulled his father's towering height over him.

"Where we were going to put the baby." Anakin slurred looking at the room. "Padme idea." Leia looked around, from Anakin back to the room overlooking the gardens. She felt sorry for him. He really had wanted to be a father, and they were grown. She placed a hand on his arm, and assisted her brother in carrying him to the bedroom.

"Do you think he drunk before we were born?"

"I doubt it, Leia," her brother said as they left their father to sleep. "He had nightmares about our mother dying. He hadn't slept or ate for days maybe weeks before, you know what state of mind that creates," Luke said to her. "And when he did sleep, it was too late. He was under the Emperor's command and power. Everything he knew had been destroyed."

"By him," Leia whispered.

"But gone, still. He thought he had killed us and Mother. Obi-Wan was the enemy, who else was there in his life?"

Leia didn't answer. She was going to forgive him, although it didn't excuse what he had done, she could understand it better. Luke and Leia fell asleep discussing Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan. Luke felt something in the Force and went to a window, what he saw was Rex, Ahsoka and Padme. They had come to help...and in the distance was Han and Lando. They were all here to help the Skywalkers'. Luke settled back in and was asleep before he knew it. The Skywalker family was under one roof.

Anakin Skywalker woke up with a splitting headache and placed his head in his hands, as he wondered if he should try a healer technique or if he deserved it.

"Here, Anakin, this will help," he heard and felt the presence of his former padawan.

"Thanks, Snips," he replied. He still had her padawan braid. He had recovered it from his old room at the Temple after his raid on it, and kept it safe. The guilt over Ahsoka had never really left him. "Ahsoka, I should have left the Order with you," he told her.

"Why didn't you? I know the Order disappointed you."

"I was going to," he replied, sipping on the tea she had handed him. "I wanted the Chancellor's opinion and his support. I had to know I was doing the right thing. The War was still going on, and I didn't know who I was if I wasn't a Jedi," Anakin shrugged. "And then they kidnapped Padme. Once she was safe, I discussed leaving with Master Obi-Wan," Anakin trailed off, "There was the whole 'destiny' thing and then Obi-Wan and I were sent to the Outer Rim Sieges until Palpatine was kidnapped and then things spun out of control. The Jedi failed you, Snips. I failed you."

"No, Anakin, even when the Jedi failed me you never did."

"You know that I can't give up the Dark Side. It's something I haven't been able to tell anyone. I'm the only one that can handle it, can control it, as is my destiny."

"I know, Master."

"Do you want me to break our bond?" he asked her.

"No," she shook her head. "Even though your presence, it has been comforting to know that you are alive. I did what I could, without our bond, I couldn't have reached you at all."

Anakin should have realized her comforting presence during some of the heard times in his life. "Padme doesn't want me around," Anakin lamented.

"You don't feel it. Something is off with her. You protected me over the years, although I could have done without the dreams of fighting Master Obi-Wan."

"I could have done without the reality of it," Anakin stated and Ahsoka nodded.

"I know what he did," she said, speaking of the Emperor. "It was cruel what he did." Anakin just nodded, clenching and unclenching his still mechanical hand.

"The dreams were no picnic. I know why you did what you did. If I had known I would have returned." Anakin nodded, it would have taken awhile for his memories to reach her.

"He was so cruel to you," she added again. "When he found you, he wanted you to suffer."

"I know," he replied, squeezing her hand with his human one. "So you and Rex...Congratulations, young one."

"Sometimes I saw you...I felt your presence, but you would leave before I could work out a plan to come see you."

"I know," Anakin replied again.

"Come on, I'll fix you breakfast," Ahsoka offered. Anakin released her hand, and stood up. He looked in and smiled at how Luke and Leia had fallen asleep. Both stretched on the couch, both in the same position. They must have slept like that in their mother's womb. Anakin reached out for blankets and put one around Luke taking in the shades and colors of his hair and skin, to be able to see without the red haze of the mask was rare. He ruffled his son's hair affectionatly. Luke reminded him of his old Jedi Master more than anyone else. He then turned to his daughter. Leia, he pressed his lips to his forehead, even though he wasn't used to affections. "I hope one day you will forgive all the harm I have caused you."

"I do," she whispered, looking up at him. "I forgive you, Father." Tears filled Anakin's eyes, as she hugged him. Awkwardly, Anakin returned her hug.

"Leia," he whispered. "You don't know what I've done. I will never be able to set right the wrong I have done." Leia pulled back and watched as the tears that had filled his eyes spilled forth. "All I've brought is a legacy of pain."

Ahsoka came in with breakfast for her former master. Anakin wiped his eyes and Ahsoka pretended not to notice.

"Father," Leia replied. "You can't stay here, you must make the Empire stand down."

Anakin nodded. "Alright. To my palace. Leia, stay here. Stay with your brother, and protect Padme Tano," he ordered. He wasn't quite sure why her eyes narrowed except it reminded him of her mother. "Keep watch over your mother, she's with a guy named Cos. I fear for her." Anakin ate quickly and showered in the fresher and gathered Ahsoka and Rex so that he could head off. He looked back at his children.

"It's never easy, Skyguy."

"Let's get a move on, General."

"Master Kenobi was right, you are always on the move," Ahsoka replied. Anakin nodded as he headed to his TIE fighter.

"Let's go, team."