I apologize for such a long wait, dear readers. Talk about a writer's block! Hopefully you all haven't given up and me and completely decided to never read this fanfic again, because I went back through the ENTIRE THING and fixed some inconsistencies, like the fact that Anakin kills Darth Sidious in chapter one, but then in other chapters it is referenced that Mace Windu had killed the Sith Lord. All of those inconsistencies have been fixed . . . I think. If I missed one, please let me know so I can fix it as well.

Everything was ready. The silver Naboo transport ship gleamed in the suns of Coruscant as it sat on the landing deck. Things were packed away and stowed on board the transport ship, the twins were sleeping in their mother's arms as she rested on board, and Anakin was preparing the last of the systems updates to the onboard computer in the piloting room.

As he stood over the motherboard, flipping switches and pressing buttons that instantly lit up, Obi-Wan came into the small pilot area, sitting in the passenger seat with a slight groan.

"Oh dear, I'm getting old. Do I feel a misplaced spring in the back of this chair?" he moved around uncomfortably before scooting to the edge of the chair and looking at Anakin, whose hands were moving quickly around the 'board.

Anakin didn't look up as he finished the programming, lights flashing across his face. "Perhaps, master. This ship is a slightly older model."

"Well that's for certain. This is not comfortable to sit in at all."

Anakin chuckled, finally looking at his former master. "Well, you don't have to sit there, you know."

Obi-Wan's moustache twitched as he smiled. "Of course I do. I'm your co-pilot, after all. I can't exactly be sitting in the back near the engine, can I?"

"You could . . ." said Anakin, grinning, and Obi-Wan just shook his head ruefully.

The onboard comm light came on and Padme's voice came through the comm system. "Ani, love, could you come help me put the twins down before we take off?"

Anakin pressed the button, a gentle smile on his face. "Of course, be there in a minute." He made his way out of the pilot room and down into the belly of the ship where Padme and the twins were staying in a large room typically used for storage.

The door hissed open and Anakin stepped in the room to see Padme patiently sitting on the cot that jutted out from the wall. He walked over to her and kissed the top of her head before leaning over to take his son out of Padme's arms.

"Hello, Luke," he said warmly, giving the baby boy a kiss on the tiny brown curl that grew from his head.

Padme walked over to where a bassinet hung out from the wall and laid Leia in it, kissing her baby girl's face before standing up and stretching.

"They don't weigh much, but they sure do feel like it after a while," she said with a gentle mother's smile on her face, gazing at Leia's peaceful face. Anakin smiled and kissed her cheek before laying Luke in his bassinet next to Leia's. Then he turned and gathered his wife into his arms, slowly swaying back and forth as he held her. She relaxed against him, breathing into his robes.

"I can't believe we're finally going to be free to live as a family," sighed Padme, giving Anakin a squeeze. He smiled into her hair, stroking it.

"Me too."

Obi-Wan's voice came over the comm system, "Anakin, I think we should get going. The Jedi Council will want a report within the week and I need to be able to take this ship to Geonosis."

Anakin leaned over and pressed the button on the wall, "All right, Master, all right." He kissed Padme softly on the lips and then smiled at her. "Well, this is it. Time to leave our lives behind on Coruscant. Are you ready to raise our children on Naboo?"

Padme laughed for joy. "Finally!" She hugged him close once more. "Finally."

. . .

Sunrider flipped backwards, landing in a crouch on the smooth marble of the training room, as Kiran Quin's blue blade barely missed her neck.

"Are you taking this seriously?" asked Kiran, lowering his blade. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, giving his dark-black hair a bluish hue. "That was a dangerous move! I could've taken your head!"

She gave him a sly smile. "Ah, but you didn't." She raised her green blade up again, teasing him. "Come on, I didn't even get singed."

Kiran sighed, brushing his hair from his eyes. "Well, all right."

Zandra ran at him, and at the last minute, instead of lunging at him with her blade, she spun around him. He turned fluidly, following her well, and their blades clashed together with the crackle of electromagnetic static.

They pushed against each other, the blades hissing and crackling in protest.

"You know, in real battle, we wouldn't be holding against our enemy like this. All it takes is a split-second for them to swing 'round and take off a limb," said Kiran as he looked at her through the brightness of the crossed blades.

"But you're not my enemy," laughed Zandra, dancing back.

"Sunrider!" came Master Secura's voice, as the blue Twi'lek stood in the doorway. She looked disapprovingly at Kiran before looking to her Padawan. "You're finished sparring with Young Quin for the day. Come."

The hiss of retracting lightsaber blades was doubled as both of the young Jedi's-to-be deactivated their powerful blades. Sunrider hooked hers to her belt, and with an apologetic backwards glance to Quin, ran towards her master.

In the hallway, Secura grabbed Sunrider by the arm and half-dragged her to their small room, punching in the security code so the door slid open smoothly. Once inside their alcove, door securely shut and locked, Aayla fixed her Padawan with a warning look.

"I do not want you sparring or training with that young man, Sunrider. Do you understand?"

Zandra's face twisted into disbelief. "Are you joking, Master? Why? What's wrong?"

Secura tried to keep her annoyance in check. "Are you questioning my judgment, Padawan? I said I don't want you interacting with him. There is a very inappropriate amount of playing going on between the two of you, and I will not stand for it. It is not the way of a Jedi."

"Playing? What—We don't play, Master. We fight, we train, we spar, but we don't play. I know that my interactions are only to be professional and I—"

"And yet you spend a lot of time with him!" accused Aayla, looking her Padawan square in the eye. "Do you think I don't keep my eye on you? I've seen you together, doing nothing more than idly sitting in the Library or in the Room of a Thousand Waterfalls talking together about things that aren't for Jedi to think or talk about?"

Zandra Sunrider blushed, ducking her head. "Our conversations have been purely intellectual, Master."

"Well, you are finished having them, do you understand me?" said Secura, placing her hand gently on Sunrider's shoulder.

Sunrider looked up at her Master sadly, but nodded. "I understand, Master. I'll do as you wish."

. . .

The hologram on the desk bowed low to the Sith Lord. "My Master, I have found a weakness in the Jedi Temple."

The Dark Zabrak let an evil smile creep over his black and red features as he stared at the static of the blue hologram. "Excellent. And what of Jedi Master Skywalker? Will he be easy to locate and destroy once we overcome the other members of the Council?"

The hologram grew silent, not daring to look up at the Dark Lord.

"He . . . is gone, my Master," said Darth Jadus nervously.

Darth Scion slammed his black and red hand on the desk, making the holoprojector jump, sending the hologram sputtering into static for a moment.

"You had better find him, my apprentice," hissed Darth Scion, glaring at the hologram. "Or I may have to lose my temper."

"I understand, my Master. I will find Jedi Skywalker and destroy him."

"You had better!" shouted the Zabrak Sith, pointing menacingly at the hologram. "Unless we destroy all the Jedi, our plan will fail!"

. . .

"We've docked, Padme. I'll come down in a minute to help you with the twins," said Anakin into the comm system. Obi-Wan grasped his arm, looking at his face intently.

"Please don't move your family until you hear word from me, Anakin," said Obi-Wan earnestly, his eyes searching Anakin's face. Anakin nodded and gave his old master a small smile.

"Of course, Master. We'll stay on Naboo. Besides," he chuckled, pressing a few buttons and flicking a couple switches before standing up to stretch, "I don't think Padme will ever want to leave this place. It's certainly one of the most beautiful places in the galaxy."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "That it is, my young friend. You're very lucky. I almost envy you, you know. I have to go to Geonosis, and that isn't a very pretty planet, to be sure."

Anakin gave his friend a wry smile. "Yes, but who volunteered to go there and see what information he could dig up, eh?"

"Yes yes," smiled Obi-Wan, winking at Anakin. "I know what you're getting at, and I do agree with you."

Anakin took Obi-Wan's hand and shook it, patting his old master on the shoulder. "I'll see you again, Obi-Wan. Thank you, for helping us."

Obi-Wan stood and hugged his once-Padawan. "You deserve happiness, my friend. I look upon you as my brother, and know I'll always be there for you if you need me."

Anakin gave Obi-Wan a slight squeeze. "Thank you."

"Now, uh," stammered Obi-Wan with a smile, letting Anakin go. "You'd better unload quickly and get your little family settled."

. . .

Padme looked around the large living room and smiled. Elegant paintings hung on the walls, and a very ornate rug sat comfortably in the middle of the room, covering the stone marble and giving it a warm look. Plush armchairs and couches were placed at intervals throughout the room. Anakin whistled as he walked through the doorway, cradling Luke in his left arm.

"Wow. This is quite a place, Padme."

She smiled at him, her eyes bright with joy. "Do you like it? They give retired politicians housing free the rest of their lives on Naboo. Makes it very convenient for us, doesn't it?"

He winked at her. "Well I don't don't like it."

She laughed. "That's good enough for me."

Leia stirred in Padme's arms and gave a tiny whimper. Padme smiled down at her daughter and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I'm so glad that we're all together, all safe." She looked up at Anakin, who was using the Force to bring in their suitcases. "It's almost as if this is too good to be true."

Anakin let the things rest on the marble floor and smiled at her. "Don't say that. We're home free. We don't have anyone to answer to anymore, not the Senate, not the Jedi Council, not anyone."

Padme sat in an armchair with Leia, stroking her daughter's hair absentmindedly as she thought. Anakin walked up to her, brushing a strand of curly hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. The rest of it was pulled back in a loose pony tail. Anakin kissed her forehead.

"Why don't we set up the twins' room first and lie them down. Then we can stand out on the balcony and stare out at the lake, like the first time we kissed," Anakin said gently.

Padme looked up, into his blue eyes and smiled. "I would love that."

Anakin smiled like a little boy who had gotten a new set of power converters. "Then let's go!" he said eagerly, helping her up, and they walked together through the house to find which room they would use for Luke and Leia.

. . .