A/N: It's been a while and I apologize, but life hasn't been very easy on me. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this fic and its predecessor. I get some rude reviews now and then, but most of them are very kind. Shout out to , Romantic Lover1, ipwnidiots, demon31089, darkmagician751, and CsOUAT329.

Prepare yourselves. This chapter is going to be very emotional.

Chapter 26

Take Me Home

This was truly the last time he'd ever set foot on Tatooine. It was a lawless wasteland when he was a child and all these years later managed to become even worse.

He drifted in and out of awareness. It was something he did when he couldn't endure what he was experiencing. The sounds would become dull and distant around and his vision would blur and he'd fall into himself.

He looked at the Clone Trooper standing before him. "Have they found any survivors?"

"No. I'm sorry, sir."

He blinked his tears away. "I'm going to my mother's home. I want her to be buried somewhere safer, closer to me."

He paused. Every word felt heavy. He wished he could be silent. He wished he could be nothing at all.

"I would appreciate some help bringing her back to the ship."

"Of course. I'll send a few men out there for you."

"Thank you, Captain Rex."

Not long after he had reached the Lars homestead. He and a few clone troopers began to dig the dirt, gravel, and sand over Shmi's grave. The sun shone directly overhead, harsh and unforgiving. Anakin felt faint, but continued to dig. He didn't want to be on the planet any longer than he needed to be.

They struck something solid and Anakin knew they had found her coffin. They lifted her out of the ground and carried her towards the ship. Anakin took one last glance at the Dome of the homestead. He didn't know why. It wasn't like he had liked that home or lived in it. It wasn't like he was going to miss it.

Maybe it was because she loved it. Maybe it was because she would miss it. Maybe it was because that place was her. Modest and strong.

Maybe it was because he knew she had laughed in it. That she had smiled in it. That she had cooked in it. Hugged her family in it. Because she had loved in it.

He turned his face away and readied himself for their next destination.

Mos Espa looked almost unrecognizable. The stands were smashed to pieces, scattered on the ground. There were bodies everywhere. Anakin walked towards Watto's shop. His stand, like the others, was destroyed. Among the remnants lay Watto's small, bloated body. His wings crushed.

Anakin couldn't understand why he felt sadness for him. Sadness for the selfish, cruel creature that had mistreated his mother and himself. But he did.

He walked inside the shop. The memories flashed inside his mind. Working there. Meeting Padme there. Her sweet, kind face as he called her an angel. He remembered running into his mother's arms after a long day at work.

He found Watto's records. The old ones had not been digitally transferred, but instead written on cheap, old parchment. He sifted through them, looking for the name of a friend.

He found it, finally. Kitster Banai, written a bit sloppily. He had been freed a few years ago, but it didn't say where he lived. Anakin supposed it didn't matter. Kitster was probably dead, like everyone else.

He heard rustling and looked up, scanning the area for danger. He set the records down and looked around for whatever or whoever it was. In the corner of the room was the huddled figure of what looked like a man. He pointed a blaster in Anakin's face.

Anakin raised his hands. "I mean no harm."

"Then walk out of here and don't come back."

"I will."

Anakin felt a sense of familiarity with the man he couldn't pinpoint. He wasn't going to stay around long enough to figure out why, though.

He stepped back. The man stood up and took his hood off. His face reminded Anakin of a little boy he had once known, with dark brown eyes and skin the color of copper. But it couldn't be, could it?

"Kitster?" He asked hesitantly.

"How do you know my name?" The man asked suspiciously,

"It's me, Anakin."

Kitster looked skeptical for a moment and then he relaxed. "Is it really you?"

"Yes. I was looking for you."

Kitster smiled. "I can't believe it."

Anakin smiled back. He couldn't believe he was smiling. In a place that had caused him so much pain, that was causing him pain just a few moments ago.

"I've missed you. I thought you were dead."

"I'm fine. Not a scratch on me."

Anakin hugged him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm so glad you came back." Kitster replied.

"I'm heading back home now. Just here to get friends and family."

"Have you? I mean, found them?"

"No. My team thinks they're all…" He faded off sadly.

"Are you leaving? It's not safe here anymore."

Kitster laughed. "It never was."

"Well, we always found a way to get by."

"We did."

"You should come back with me to Coruscant. We had a lot of catching up to do."

"I've got some unfinished business and then I will."

Anakin smiled weakly. "I've gotta go."

Kitster nodded. "See you soon, buddy."

He walked out and followed the Clone Troopers back to the ship. As he stepped onto the ramp a few clone troopers ran towards him.

"Sir! We've found survivors!"

"Who?"

"Your family. A young woman, her husband, and his father."

"Where are they?" He asked, panicked.

"They'll be here momentarily."

"Did you find anyone else? Obi-Wan and Ahsoka?"

"No. And we can't stay here much longer. It's too dangerous."

Anakin cast his eyes down, disappointed and weary and sad. "I understand."

He felt wind on his face. The winds of a coming storm.

He closed his eyes and let it ruffle his hair and wash over his tired eyelids. He breathed out and tried to go to a place away from all the loss and heartbreak.

He heard his name being shouted. He opened his eyes and saw Beru's face, tired and grief stricken.

"Anakin!"

He felt his throat tighten and his eyes grow hot, but he blinked away his tears.

"Beru!" He ran down the starships ramp and drew her into his arms. His voice cracked.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

Beru started to weep. "Oh, Anakin. It was horrible."

"You're leaving this place, with me. You're never coming back here. Do you hear me?"

He could feel her nod in his robes. "I hear you."

Owen walked slowly behind. Anakin hugged him as well. "I've missed you, brother."

Owen was a very stoic man. He didn't often let his emotions pass his unfeeling exterior, but the word brother seemed to soften him a bit. He smiled weakly.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other."

"Too long." Anakin replied. He pulled away and smiled at Owen.

Cleigg was leaning on for two clonetroopers for support. He looked at Anakin, weary and sad. A man who was tired of living, who didn't have too much to live for. Defeated.

"Hello Cliegg." Anakin greeted him, his voice soft.

"Hello, son." Came the raspy reply.

Shmi's family walked up the ramp and Anakin turned around to follow them, his back to the unforgiving planet.

And then he heard a trooper's call his name,

"General Skywalker! We found them!"

Anakin felt pangs in his chest, pangs of fear, pangs of despair. He turned back around.

"Are they alive?"

"Barely. We've got heartbeats on all three of them, but they're very weak heartbeats. They need immediate medical attention. I don't know that they'll make it."

Anakin nodded. He didn't want to look weak. Not in front of his soldiers. He was a man. Not a boy. All the horrors he'd experienced the past year had made sure of that.
But he felt like a boy, confused and afraid. He hurt. He spent so much time trying to save others, but sometimes he wanted someone to help him, to rescue him. He was tired.

There were good moments and he was grateful for them. But there was so much pain. Over and over again. It seemed endless.

The seemingly lifeless bodies of Ahsoka, Siri, and Obi Wan came into view.

"Let's go." Anakin said.

He walked up the ramp and felt it close behind him. He felt frail, his face was numb and waves of nausea washed over him.

He kneeled beside his friends and shut his eyes tight, trying to stop the inevitable. It didn't matter. He sobbed. They wracked his body, the sobs.

He took Ahsoka's small hand in his and kissed it. Like he'd kiss Leia's little hands.

He didn't remember much else. It was too much and he blacked out, lying next the young girl, her hand still in his.