Epilogue
Author's Note: Enjoy the final part of this ROTS AU fix-it of sorts! :) Thank you all so much for reading, favoriting, following, and/or reviewing this story! ! ! :D
~ Amina Gila
After a thorough examination by healers, the Council let Anakin walk free and he still doesn't understand it; not that he's complaining, of course, because he doesn't want to be a prisoner, but it still seems like he should have to pay some sort of recompense. It's not his fault, Obi-Wan – and Ahsoka too – have told him repeatedly. He's not to blame for what Sidious did, but he still feels like he is. Maybe that will change in time. Maybe not.
Obi-Wan recommended – more like insisted – that he see a mind healer, so Anakin will at least try going to one. He doubts it can help, because he isn't some broken tool or machine that can be fixed. He's – it's like he's irreparably damaged; he doesn't have to like it. He's just being practical. It's been a day since he got his memories back, and he's finally cleared to leave the Temple. The first place he plans to go is to Padme's apartment.
He has to leave the Order. It's unavoidable. Too many Jedi are aware of what he did, and even if the Council has deemed him... safe, that doesn't mean everyone shares that opinion. He knows there are some Jedi who are upset at him, and they may well try to seek vengeance in the future. Besides, he no longer feels comfortable here in the Temple after he shed so much blood in these halls. More than that, the war is over. He owes it to Padme to leave. Maybe they can move to Naboo together and start a life there together. It's what they both had wanted, and there's no time like the present.
What really shocks Anakin is when Obi-Wan approaches him, telling him that he knows of their marriage. He had been the one to break the news to Padme after Anakin was presumed dead. He comms her again now to let her know that Anakin is still alive and that he'll be coming to see her. "– I didn't tell him anything," Obi-Wan finishes before disconnecting the call, which seems like an odd thing to say.
Anakin gives him a suspicious look, because his former master is clearly aware of something which he is not. Obi-Wan gives him a half-smile. "It's nothing bad, Anakin, I promise," he assures him, "And your wife should be the one to talk to you."
"Is she okay?" Anakin demands, his worry instantly skyrocketing, despite Obi-Wan's reassuring words. He wants to ask more, but he knows Obi-Wan won't answer anything. He already said he wouldn't, after all.
"Yes, she's fine," Obi-Wan promises. "She's happy that you're alive, but I don't think she'll really believe it until she sees you. Go. Spend some time with her. You can comm me and Ahsoka later this evening if you want."
Anakin nods, biding him a goodbye before leaving the Temple as fast as he can. He nearly breaks every traffic law in existence as he speeds to Padme's apartment. She's waiting outside, obviously for him, and he runs to her the moment he sees her, pulling her into his arms and hugging her fiercely. He could have lost this, lost her, without even realizing that he was missing something. If not for Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, he might never have regained his memories, or most of them at least. He doesn't think he's forgotten anything important, but if he had, it's not like he would realize it anyways. Probably, that is.
"Ani," Padme breathes, arms winding around him as she clings to him. She reaches up, pulling his head down and kissing him desperately. When she pulls back slightly, Anakin sees tears glistening in her eyes. "I thought you were dead," she whispers, voice breaking. "I thought –" She cuts herself off, unable to finish the sentence, blinking away tears. She's trembling, he notices, and he can sense that there's something other than his near death weighing on her mind. In the Force, she feels... brighter than normal. Strange. Or maybe it's just him.
"Ani... something wonderful has happened," she continues softly, the pain and grief in her eyes now diminished somewhat by happiness and love. "I'm – I'm pregnant."
Anakin stares at her, knowing instinctively that this is what Obi-Wan was talking about. His former master knew, must have found out when he went to break the news to Padme. His initial reaction of happiness to the sudden, unexpected news is marred only by fear. He doesn't – he's not – how can he be about to become a father? It doesn't seem real. He's not ready. He needs time to sort out his own mind, to try and settle himself after how thoroughly his world was torn apart. But at the same time, he's happy that he doesn't need to worry about the Jedi anymore. He doesn't, because he's leaving, and they can't stop him.
"That's – that's wonderful," Anakin replies, pressing their foreheads together as he stares into her eyes. "This is the happiest moment of my life." And he means it. He means it because he's going to become a father. He'll have a child to cherish and love and raise. He'll have someone who will look at him with the same unadulterated affection and adoration that he feels towards his own former master.
Padme beams. "I want to have our baby on Naboo," she says, resting her head on Anakin's shoulder. "I'll have to leave the Senate too. I can't be a Senator and a mother at once and besides... I want a break from all of this, and the war is finally over."
"I'm leaving the Order," Anakin blurts out. "I always wanted to, you know, but... there was the war. It's over, and I don't belong there anymore. I belong here. With you. With our child." He tugs her gently towards the door, and they enter her apartment, sinking down onto the couch together. He still feels so overwhelmed by this unexpected news, but it's not bad either. Quite the opposite. It's just – he's not ready, but then again, he probably never would be. Is this how Obi-Wan felt when getting a Padawan so soon after his own master's death?
"We should invite Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to Naboo," he blurts out randomly. "I think they would like it there." He wants to invite the 501st Legion there too. His boys deserve it, but he's afraid. He's terrified to go see them again, to see the way they look at him after he led them – a mind-controlled slave army – on the Temple like that. The hatred he feels for himself surges up, and he buries his face against Padme, breathing shallowly to try and chase it away. It'll probably never fully go away.
"We should," Padme agrees. "Can you leave the planet? I can get some leave time in the Senate, and we can go next week. I can explain to the Queen in person."
Anakin hums against her neck. "Sounds good," he agrees, thoughts of his family – including his unborn child – chasing the dark thoughts from his mind.
**w**
Padme goes into labor three weeks later, and when she does, Anakin is at her side. He stays with her the whole time, sending a continuous stream of updates – and panicked messages; mainly panicked messages. What? He's never been with a woman in labor before, but his mother was, and he's heard stories about how strenuous and even deadly childbirth can be. This isn't Tatooine, and Padme is getting the best medical care, but he's still a bit... apprehensive. Just a bit – to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka who are waiting outside.
After Anakin left the Order, Ahsoka officially moved in, and Padme even insisted on getting official documents to have Ahsoka put in their custody. Basically, they adopted her. She'd been thrilled, and her excitement about becoming an aunt – or big sister, depending on your point of view – was contagious. They're all planning to live on Naboo now, at the house Padme's family owns in Lake Country.
Obi-Wan even confessed to wanting to leave the Order as well, or at least to take a long, long break, because he – like everyone – is worn out from the war. He told Anakin that he has a few things to wrap up first, but in a month, he should be able to come stay with them on Naboo. Which is nice because it means one more babysitter for the child. No, for the children. Once Padme had gone into labor, the attending med droid had informed them that she's carrying twins. She had instructed her own personal med droid not to tell her, so she hadn't known all this time.
Twins. Oh Force. He thought he'd struggle with one child. How is he supposed to handle two?
Padme had laughed at him when he freaked out, teasing him that, for how scared he looked, he could have been the one going into labor. That resulted in some back-and-forth bickering which had thankfully distracted him from his anxiety.
Some hours later, Luke and Leia Skywalker are born.
Anakin is cradling Luke in his arms with Padme holding Leia when Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are ushered into the room. Ahsoka practically squeals when she sees the babies. "Can I hold him?" she asks instantly, expression showing exactly how enamored she is by the baby she's only seen for two seconds. "He's so small! Are babies normally this tiny?"
"Yes," Padme assures her as Anakin reluctantly deposits his son in Ahsoka's arms. Luke blinks up at her, blue eyes full of curiosity. "Babies are normally this small when they're born, and twins are especially so."
"They're perfect, Anakin," Obi-Wan murmurs with a smile. "Congratulations to both of you."
Padme gives him a tired, but radiant smile in return as she shifts Leia, who is squirming around, obviously sensing the new, unfamiliar Force presences in the room. At least Anakin's assuming that's the reason, and he wouldn't be surprised either, because he can already tell how strong the twins are with the Force. He will make sure that they're trained, but not as a Jedi. He wants them to grow up with their family. He can train them himself, and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka would be more than willing to help. Already, he can see a bond – not a Force one; not yet – forming between Luke and Ahsoka, the latter cooing and making strange faces at the baby in her arms to see him react.
It's adorable.
This is everything Anakin has wanted. He has his family now, together, and for the first time in his life, it feels as if everything will be okay. The pain, the stress, the guilt... they all melt away for the moment. They'll be back, but right here, right now, Anakin thinks that he'll be okay.
(He is, after many, many months of intensive mind healing. His family pushed him to go, encouraged him not to give up, even when it seemed to be making everything worse. He persevered, and it gave him an entirely new outlook on the galaxy. He's better, healthier than he ever was before. And if, when the twins are nearly in their teens, the Jedi Council approaches him – and technically, Obi-Wan, too – with the request to rejoin the Order and become a Council member to help the Order continue to adjust to the many, many changes which transpired after the Clone Wars ended, well, he'll accept if that's what his family wants. They will always put each other's wellbeing first because they love each other.)
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