So the last chapter was obviously 27, not 7. FF's editing function doesn't work presently and I can't change it. Oops.

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Chapter 28 – Sore Eyes

If the walls of the Imperial City detention center could talk, what strange things they'd say.

In the span of just a few months, they'd seen terror turn into family reunions. They'd seen Darth Vader's wrath subdued.

And they were about to witness an event that was a combination of the two. Sort of.

Obi-Wan sat slouched in his cell, trying to remember if Anakin had ever actually said he'd thought of him like a father. Had he imagined it? Had his memories mutated?

Unbeknownst to him, Anakin was wondering the same thing as he approached the building. Had he ever told Obi-Wan how he felt?

Both of them mentally shrugged. It didn't really matter. That sentiment, once verbalized or not, was long obsolete anyway. This reunion of theirs was ill-fated regardless of what was said five years ago. Moreover, It was ill-fated because of what was said five years ago.

Obi-Wan braced for impact. So did Anakin.

But neither knew the other feared exactly what he did.

Anakin knew the look he'd find on his old master's face. Proud, unblinking and unyielding, even in capture. It masked his anxiety quite well. He'd always been good at sublimating his fear.

But that didn't mean it wasn't still there, just under the surface.

Anakin's turmoil hid even better under his suit. But, having ordered the guards to deactivate the security cameras, he intended to level the playing field soon.

In the meantime, Obi-Wan stared at what he thought was Darth Vader, trying to guess the first words that would come from that respirator…

…You old fool! I always knew I'd get my vengeance on you.

…Your skills have weakened in exile. You're no match for me now.

…How does it feel to know you've failed everyone you ever cared about?

...You shall meet the same end as all the others – all the ones you couldn't protect!

They were all plausible, yet Obi-Wan realized they were all extensions of his own insecurity. He feared his powers had weakened over the years. Failure sank into his bones, immobilizing his limbs and suffocating his spirit. Padmé and the twins… the Lars… the Jedi order… the entire universe… he really had failed them all. And Vader would hardly be Vader if he didn't gloat over it.

What he heard instead didn't register. Anakin had to repeat himself three times.

"Are you well?"

Obi-Wan was sure he was dreaming. Or hallucinating.

"I've been better," he said slowly, like a mental patient.

"I know. But excluding present circumstances, you've been well? On Naboo the past five years?"

This was entirely too bizarre. But I may as well answer the question… "No, I haven't. That's the funny thing about exile. One is never considered 'well' while living in constant fear."

There's the start of the bite I was expecting… and deserve, Anakin acknowledged. "For what it's worth, you watched over Padmé and the twins well."

"Oh yes. Your capturing them proves that," Obi-Wan grunted.

"You couldn't be in two places at once. It was wild chance that it happened the way it did."

What the…? Darth Vader is both complimenting and consoling me?! I really am experiencing delusions…

Anakin saw Obi-Wan's face contort in utter confusion. "I'm not what you expected, am I?"

"No… surely not," Obi-Wan exhaled.

"Then we may as well get the shock over with all at once," offered Anakin, releasing the seal on his helmet.

One pair of blue eyes stared directly into another. The line between the two was sharper than the edge of a lightsaber.

"This isn't real…" Obi-Wan's words sounded slurred in his ears.

"I can assure you it is."

"But… you… how could you have… healed…"

"Without the help of a man named Uli Divini, I never would have," Anakin replied. "He restored my entire body."

Obi-Wan couldn't make himself blink. The face he never thought he'd see again was looking at him with benevolence he never thought possible again. He sniffed the air. Had the guards slipped a hallucinogenic agent into the ventilation system?

"And you wanted to show off before killing me?" Obi-Wan suspected. "The best revenge is living well, unless you're Darth Vader, right?"

Anakin kept his gaze level as he mulled over his response.

"I won't lie – I wanted to kill you. I've wanted it for five solid years. Every day, I visualized how it would happen. And up until last month, I fully intended to follow through with it when I found you again," his honesty seared Obi-Wan to the core.

"What made you change your mind?"

"In short, a man named Ainar Skywalker," Anakin said with fondness. "My father."

Obi-Wan was convinced he'd woken in an alternate universe. "Your…what?" he shook his head. "Anakin, you don't have a father!"

"That's what I thought too. That's what my mother told me, and she wasn't lying… at least, not from her point of view," Anakin's forehead crinkled, realizing how difficult it would be to explain. "You'll just have to take my word for it for now. I do have a father – and he's primarily responsible for my return to the light side of the Force."

Obi-Wan's head like it would float right off his body. "Well, I'm still waiting for you to stop shocking me. Any more earth-shattering announcements before my heart stops altogether?"

Anakin felt his cheeks flush despite himself. As a matter of fact, there is one more thing…

"Padmé's pregnant again."

Straight and to the point, his bluntness punched Obi-Wan right in the stomach. That was all the Jedi master could handle. Dropping his head into his hands, he focused on breathing in and out, seeing specks dance around the floor. This was far, far too much to take in, especially when it clashed so profoundly with what he'd expected.

"There's more," Anakin confessed. "She, Ainar, and the twins have all been captured by Prince Xizor. He's using them to ransom favors from me. I was on my way to seek you on Naboo when everything went terribly wrong –"

"Hold it!" Obi-Wan raised a palm forcefully. "You've got to slow down and answer some questions for me!"

"Fair enough."

"Let's start at the beginning, shall we? You claim to be restored in both body and soul, something which has never been done in the history of the Force! Do you have any proof of your conversion?"

"Just this," Anakin presented the same handful of crumpled lightsaber pieces as she'd shown Padmé. "My Sith lightsaber. Or what's left of it."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow but kept his response in check. "You wouldn't necessarily need that anyway, since you could use Force lightning now."

"I could, yes. I could have used it to dispatch the Lars. But I didn't."

"Oh? You just set fire to their homestead the old-fashioned way, then?"

"No… I mean, yes. I destroyed their farm, but only because they refused to cooperate –"

"See! Darth Vader's still alive and well!" crowed Obi-Wan.

Sighing, Anakin felt his temper growing short. "Don't jump to conclusions! I didn't kill them! I just made it look that way to appease Xizor. He sent me to get them to hand over their land to Jabba. Even when I told them it was to save Padmé and the twins' lives, they wouldn't budge!"

"I don't believe you."

"You will when you see they're both alive and well at my palace!"

"Alive, they may be, but well? I seriously doubt that."

"Well enough! I didn't harm a hair on their heads. They have food, water, and shelter. That's more than they'd have gotten under Jabba's care."

"Fine," Obi-Wan shook his head. "Assuming you have a father and have done the impossible by returning from the Dark Side, we'll move on to other matters. The new baby… is Padmé happy about it?"

It was his subtle way of asking if it had been consensual. Padmé would have never consented if she wasn't fully convinced Anakin had changed.

Anakin's eyes fell. "I wish I knew."

Obi-Wan frowned. "How can you not?"

"Because Xizor found out before either of us," a sour taste lined Anakin's mouth. "He smelled the change on her."

"Oh. That's…"

"Awkward? Unfortunate? Another complication among many?"

"All those things, yes," Obi-Wan conceded. "But congratulations nonetheless. That is, if congratulations are appropriate here?"

Anakin realized what he was fishing for. "They are. I didn't force anything on her, if that's what you're asking."

"Yes, thank you for the clarification."

"But that's not the end of your questions."

"Hardly," Obi-Wan leaned back, arms crossed. "How in the world did Xizor manage to kidnap your family?"

Anakin sighed. "You're not the first person to wonder that, including myself. It must have been a combination of things. I was preoccupied with finding you, afraid you'd never agree to help me. And my senses have been a little shaky since leaving my Sith powers behind – kind of like learning to ride a bike again."

Nodding slowly, Obi-Wan ingested this. "So you wanted my help before Xizor abducted them. Why did you originally want to seek me out?"

"It was Padmé's idea. She said I'd need someone with a functioning lightsaber on my side when I overthrow Palpatine."

Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide as moons. Everything else had been astonishing enough… but this?!

"You're serious!" he cried, seeing the cold determination on Anakin's face.

"Never have I been more so."

Obi-Wan coughed out an incredulous laugh. "Could you be any more full of surprises, Anakin? Force, I can't even believe I'm calling you that again! You waltz in here looking like you did five years ago, ask me if I've been well, and proceed to stun me with every twist of fate you possibly could! A father, a very amicable reunion with Padmé, and a vow to destroy the man who controlled you for half a decade! Honestly, how am I supposed to process all this?"

"With a few deep breaths – and a resolution to start over."

The request was made. The proposal had been laid at Obi-Wan's feet, a humble offering of good will and reconciliation. It was his to accept or reject. But as master and padawan locked eyes, both knew there was only one real option. There were five innocent lives at stake, and that was five too many for Obi-Wan to spurn in favor of pride.

He bore into Anakin's blue eyes, searching for the tiniest speck of yellow.

"The hatchet's buried?"

"It is for me."

Not a line of this conversation had gone according to Obi-Wan's predictions.

And reflecting back on it all, not a line rang insincere.

"Then it will be for me as well," he stood slowly.

Anakin dropped the force field without a word. Their embrace was far clumsier than it had been with Padmé, but it was no less healing. He was surprised to see a tear dangling on Obi-Wan's eyelid when he pulled away.

"I can't tell you how many times I prayed for this day," Obi-Wan's voice tightened. "I thought it could never happen. Thank you for proving me wrong."

"Thank you for letting me. I… I'm sorry, master," Anakin struggled to maintain eye contact.

Obi-Wan was quiet for a minute. "I know how hard it must be to call me that after Palpatine."

"He never deserved the title!"

"No, but be mindful of your anger toward him. Keep your hatred strongly in check," cautioned Obi-Wan. "We have quite the challenge ahead, and we mustn't lose focus for one second."

Anakin nodded grimly. "So you'll join me? Even with the odds stacked as they are?"

"Absolutely. Anakin, I've always been willing to help you. If you had come to me five years ago… well, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I could have talked to the council, tried to reason with them and get you a pardon."

The taut shame on Anakin's face told Obi-Wan it was all understood.

Obi-Wan gripped Anakin by his shoulder armor. "But that's all in the past. We'll work together now to make it right."

"Thank you. I need all the help I can get," Anakin ran black-gloved fingers through his hair. "Things are quite a mess, aren't they?"

"With you on the right side of the Force, they're not half as hopeless as they seem."

"I just wish my clarity of mind would return."

"It will – give it a little time. It's worth the wait. And in the meantime, I'll stay sharp for both of us," Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly. "Now, did you have anyone else in mind to recruit?"

"Bail Organa, possibly Mon Mothma. Padmé's friends are the only allies I've got left."

"You're forgetting Yoda."

"Is he still alive?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "Very much so! He's hiding out in the Dagobah system, making friends with all the frogs in the swamp."

"Dagobah… that's far. Do we have time to seek him out and bring him back?"

"Not all of us would have to go. We could send Bail or Mon by themselves."

"And lose their expertise for two days? I don't think so," Anakin started pacing. "We need a pilot whose intellect won't be needed…"

In the contemplative silence that followed, a distant clang of a door reached Anakin's ears. It meant nothing to Obi-Wan, but to his old apprentice, it was a beautiful sound.

"Han!" he cried triumphantly.

"Who?"

"A boy… a former pirate. He's not Imperial Academy material, but his piloting skills are top notch," Anakin smirked, recalling the circumstances that landed the boy in jail.

"Oh, him," Obi-Wan said unenthusiastically, remembering the boy's name. "He's the best you can think of?"

"Right now, yes. He has no allegiances to the Empire or the Jedi. He's a freelancer, which is exactly what we need. He can fly under the radar, no pun intended," Anakin headed down the corridor. "He must be out doing yard labor. I'll be right back."

Obi-Wan had a front row seat to the rather entertaining proceedings. An anxious-looking Han was being prodded down the hall, eyes darting everywhere as he tried to guess what was coming. To Obi-Wan, it was harmless justice for the boy's earlier attitude.

Han went from nervous to confused when they stopped in front of Obi-Wan's cell.

"I take it you two have met," Anakin nodded toward his master.

"Yeah," admitted Han.

"He's an old friend of mine, Han."

Han raised both eyebrows. "You have friends?"

"Amazingly, yes. He and I have a favor to ask of you. We'd pay you, of course."

This certainly sounded interesting. A paid favor for Darth Vader? Negotiated without death threats?

"I'm all ears."

"Are you familiar with the Dagobah system?"

"Sure."

"Would you be comfortable going there alone and then returning with a passenger?"

"It depends," Han said cautiously. "Who's the passenger?"

"Another old friend."

"Is this friend as full of himself as this one?" Han pointed at Obi-Wan.

Anakin wanted to laugh but realized that'd ruin his façade. "Not nearly as much!"

Han looked doubtful. "I dunno… I don't like those Jedi types. How much you plannin' on payin' me?"

"Two thousand credits."

"Two thousand?!" Han exclaimed. "That's what I'd get for a day of drivin' old ladies 'round on Corellia!"

"Would you rather I just clear your account instead?"

"Huh?"

"You owe me millions of credits for sparing your life, Solo! The way I see it, there are two ways you can pay me back: your life, or this mission. Take your pick."

Han glanced at Obi-Wan, then back at Anakin. "Well, since ya put it that way…"

"I thought you might see things reasonably," Anakin smirked under his helmet. "Now, urgency is critical. You will leave in two hours, once Obi-Wan has time to record a holo message for you to take."

Han nodded. "Lucky for you, my schedule's wide open!"

"After urgency, secrecy is also critical. Your passenger will be on the small side – small enough to fit in a cargo hold, if you catch my meaning."

"Got it, stash the runt at the first sign of an Imperial crew."

"Crudely put, yes. Not that I expect you to encounter any trouble, since you'll be taking an Imperial shuttle."

"Same kind I hijacked a coupla months ago?"

"The same."

"Perfect, I know all the secret compartments on those things!"

"Good for you," Anakin suppressed another laugh. "You will bring the passenger directly to my palace when you return. Don't make any detours or stops, understand?"

"Sure, no problem," Han shrugged. "This 'passenger' wouldn't be one of your kids, would it?"

That knocked Anakin off-balance. The candidness was as shocking as the knowledge itself. But then he remembered Han had shared prison space with the twins for one night.

"No, it's not. Why would I go to so much trouble to send someone else to get them?" Anakin crossed his arms. If only it were that easy… having Han pick them up for me. "Think before you ask stupid questions."

"Just curious, since I haven't seen 'em since two months ago. How are they doin'?"

Anakin felt Dark Side temptations stirring within. Temptations to wring Han's irksome larynx. "Only ask questions related to the mission, boy!"

"Okay, okay. So what's this mystery person look like?"

"Green with pointy ears," Obi-Wan chimed in.

"And with a very unique way of speaking," added Anakin. "Just scan the planet for sentient life. He should be the only being that registers."

"All right. So I scan the swamps, find the frog, play the message, an' he'll just get in the ship like we're best buddies?" Han sounded dubious.

"If he hears a persuasive enough message," offered Obi-Wan.

"Which we need to record now. So it's back in your cell for now," Anakin led the boy across the hall. "I'll come back for you in an hour or two. Be ready."

"Oh, I'm as ready as I'll ever be!" Han sang, flopping down onto the bench. "Can't wait to do business with ya!"

"Neither can I," Obi-Wan mumbled under his breath as he and Anakin headed for the exit. "Again I'll ask you, is he the best we can find?"

Anakin indulged in a quiet laugh. "Relax, old man. He'll get the job done. He may be a young scoundrel, but for the right incentive, he'll follow through."

"I hope you're right. We can't afford to place the weight of this mission in the wrong hands."

"Forget about Han for a while – you have a very persuasive message to record."

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"We need a pilot whose mental intellect won't be needed." Poor Han…

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