Light Up The Dark

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Chapter 10: Return of a Jedi, a Son, and a Daughter

Anakin exited his ship, the heat of Tatooine bringing many memories to mine, most of them bad. He glanced over at his stepbrother's homestead. I won't bother them. Surely they wouldn't mind my visiting my mother's grave? Honestly, he would understand if Owen appeared with a blaster and shot him between the eyes. However, no angry people appeared, so Anakin made his way to kneel beside Shmi's grave. "Hello, Mom. I know I haven't been here in a while, and, to be honest, I don't deserve to be here now." He began to softly cry. "You'd be so ashamed of me and disappointed in me. Forgive me for dishonoring you." He couldn't say any more; he was overcome with sobs.

Behind him, two people watched from the doorway of the house, a woman and a young boy. The boy turned to the woman, opening his mouth, but she laid a finger over her lips.

Finally, Anakin pulled himself together enough to rise and turn to face the house. He approached it, saying, "Hello, Beru."

She nodded. "Hello, Anakin."

The boy looked up at her. "Who-"

She cut him off. "Go to your room and play, Luke."

"But-"

"Go."

He sighed and went.

The two stood in awkward silence before Anakin sensed people approaching. He turned slightly to see his stepbrother glaring at a very familiar-looking man. Anakin's breath caught. "Obi-Wan," he breathed. He bit his lip, hesitating slightly before rushing forward, calling the other's name.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "Anakin?" he asked, watching his former padawan rush toward him.

"Oh, Master." Anakin came to a stop, just looking at Obi-Wan. "Oh, Master, forgive me. I-I made so many mistakes. I betrayed you. I tried to kill you. I murdered almost the entire Jedi Order. I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but-"

"Anakin, take a breath." Obi-Wan placed his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "Of course I forgive you, Anakin. You're my brother. I love you." He pulled him into his arms.

Anakin began to cry (again; he was getting tired of being so emotional). "I thought you loved me. As in past tense."

"I never stopped loving you, Anakin. And while we're on the subject of apologies, forgive me."

"You? You didn't do anything wrong! I'm the one who messed up and ruined the galaxy for everyone else."

"I didn't teach you enough."

"I didn't want to learn."

"I didn't help your mother when you were having your nightmares."

"You were trying to get me to let go of my attachments, which you had been raised to think was the best way to live."

"I left you on Mustafar."

"If you had pulled me up, I would have kept trying to kill you."

"Still, I left you hanging off a bridge, dangling over a sea of lava. Oh, Anakin. If you had fallen…" His grip tightened.

"But I didn't. And, anyway, you had to get Padmé and Leia to safety. Safety, at that point, meant away from me."

Obi-Wan gasped. "You know about Leia?"

"Yes. Actually, she's the reason I came back to the light."

Finally, the two separated, each staring the other's face. "I've missed you so much," Anakin admitted.

"And I you." Obi-Wan bit his lip. "Anakin, there's something you need to know," he said, guiding him toward the homestead, to within earshot of Owen and Beru.

"What's that?"

Obi-Wan met Owen and Beru's eyes, trying to make them realize what he was doing. Beru's eyes widened, but she swallowed hard and nodded. Obi-Wan then continued, "Well, Leia isn't an only child."

Anakin's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? I think I'd know if I'd had another child since…"

"No, Anakin, Leia has a twin brother."

"What?"

"Yes, Anakin."

He remembered the little boy. He met Beru's eyes. "Luke?"

She nodded. "Luke is your son, Anakin."

Owen sighed and nodded. "He is."

Anakin sighed. "Would-would you tell him after I'm gone that I love him?"

"You're not taking him with you? He is your son."

"I don't deserve a son."

Another voice joined the conversation as its owner wriggled out from behind his aunt. "But what if I deserve my father?"

Anakin knelt, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Luke…you don't know what kind of man I've become."

"I don't need to know! You're my daddy; that's enough for me. I'm going with you."

"Son…"

"No. No arguments. I'm going. Let me pack." He turned and looked at Obi-Wan. "Don't let him leave." The boy went back inside.

Everyone was quiet until Obi-Wan said, "Well, like father, like son, I suppose."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Anakin asked.

"You know precisely what I mean."

He sighed. "I suppose."

Luke bounded out of the house. He paused in front of his aunt and uncle. "Thank you so much for taking good care of me. You…" he hesitated. "you know why I have to go, don't you?"

Beru smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes, Luke, we understand. But we will miss you." She gently pulled him into her arms. "I love you."

"And I love you." He turned to his uncle. "Goodbye, Uncle Owen. I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, surprising Luke. The boy quickly hugged him before going to his father. "Ready, Daddy?"

He smiled. "I suppose so, Luke. Obi-Wan, are you coming?"

He laughed. "Of course." He and Luke entered the ship, but Anakin stopped, turning to his stepbrother and his wife. "Thank you both for taking care of Luke."

"It was our pleasure, Anakin. Now, go," Beru said.

Anakin nodded and entered the ship. He sat in the pilot's chair, with Obi-Wan in the copilot's seat and Luke on Obi-Wan's lap. "Let's go," Obi-Wan said.

"Where are we going?" Anakin asked as the ship left the ground.

"I assumed to the Temple to restart the Order."

Anakin slowly nodded. "Yes. Yes, let's do that." He plugged in the coordinates. "Luke, have you ever flown?"

"No, Daddy, but I've always wanted to."

Anakin reached over and lifted his son onto his own lap. "Pull that lever all the way back."

Luke gripped it and tugged it toward him. The blue streaks of hyperspace appeared.

*L*U*D*

Soon after the group had arrived on Coruscant, they were greeted by a very angry young lady. She stormed up to Anakin and slapped his arm. "Ow! Leia, what did you do that for?"

"Why did you leave me behind, Daddy?" she growled.

He gasped. "I didn't think Bail would tell you."

"He didn't. I've known for months." She folded her arms across her chest.

"What? Why didn't you say anything, then?" he asked, astonished.

"I thought there was a good reason for Father to tell me to never let you see the holo of you and Mama that he gave me; I didn't know that it was just because you were my daddy!"

"Leia, princess, you know that you'd be better off with Bail and Breha."

"I know nothing of the sort!"

"You deserve to have two parents who…who don't have to worry about possibly hurting you."

"You'd never hurt me! And I deserve to have my daddy!"

"That's exactly what I said when he wanted to leave me behind on Tatooine!" Luke exclaimed.

"Who are you?" Leia asked curiously.

"I'm your twin brother!" he declared happily.

She gasped, her eyes widening. "I have a twin brother?"

"Yes, Leia, you do." Obi-Wan said, chuckling.

"Who are you, then?"

"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"As in the Negotiator from the Clone Wars?"

He laughed. "The same."

"Wow…Father and Mother told me about you."

"Wait, we have a mother?" Luke asked.

"Not her! Father and Mother are my adoptive parents; Daddy and Mama are my birth parents."

Luke nodded. "Oh. I see."

"Anyway, Daddy, I'm not leaving you. I don't particularly care what you say." A determined glint entered her eyes.

He sighed. "Do you know how much you look like your mother when you look like that?"

"Does that mean I can stay?" she asked excitedly.

"I suppose, if you really want to."

"I do!" She ran to him and threw her arms around him. "So, what are you going to be doing now?"

"Obi-Wan and I will be restarting the Jedi Order."

She clapped her hands. "I want to help!"

"Good, because we need every Force-sensitive we can get," Obi-Wan declared.

The four then turned and entered the Temple side by side.