Hiiiii guys! Look, look! Another chapter! Yes I'm happy about it too haha. Thank you for all of the reviews. Yet again, I'm sorry that I kill you guys whenever I don't update for a long time. I'm trying, I promise.

By the way, I have another story I'm doing (just me, my co-writer isn't involved in this new one either) I update it late at night usually so it hasn't really seen many views. Maybe you guys could check it out? It'd mean a lot :) It's Dawn of a New Life.

Anyway, here's the next chapter: Enjoy!

(In Between)

"Luke?"

The single word rang through the room, full of tentative questions. Is it you? Am I just hoping for too much? If I start talking about what happened will you understand what I'm talking about?

Have you come back?

Anakin and Luke both held each other's eyes for several beats of silence as Leia tensely slid in behind her brother. Padme looked questioningly between her husband and son, lost as to what was going on.

Luke gave a weak smile. "Yes, it's me."

Anakin felt the breath leave him as his son echoed the words spoken when Anakin had discovered that Luke was still alive nearly twenty-three years ago. It wasn't the Luke that Anakin had lovingly raised for years that had spoken: this was the young man that had saved them all.

Anakin crossed the room swiftly, pulling his son into a tight hug. "It's you…it's really you…I thought I'd never see you again," Anakin said, his voice choked up.

Luke was returning his father's tight hug. "You kept your promise," Luke murmured into his father's shoulder.

Anakin pulled away. "Of course I did! Why wouldn't I?"

Luke grinned. "I never said I doubted you, I'm just glad that everything turned out alright…though I must say, it's…strange having both hands," Luke said with a slight chuckle.

Anakin smiled, his hands still on Luke's shoulders. "So, is this permanent, is it just you in there…what's going on right now?" Anakin asked, voicing the question they were all thinking.

Luke sighed a little. "Definitely temporary. And I think we're pretty much in control right now. It will probably be much different whenever things actually happen."

"So you know what's going on?" Anakin asked curiously.

Luke nodded. "Our Obi-Wan told us that the timelines were going to merge. There won't be two separate universes anymore soon."

"They're merging?" Anakin asked, worry in his tone. "That…could actually be a big problem," he said with a frown.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked curiously. Anakin shook his head slowly.

"The only people that know about…what happened…are the council member's that were on the council at the time, this family and, recently, Galen Marek, a friend of yours."

"Galen?" Leia asked in shock, startling everyone. They had all been focused on the conversation between Anakin and Luke, and she had made a point of blending into the background.

"You two know him in your time too?" Anakin asked, unable to help but feel a little surprised.

"I did, Luke didn't. You—"

"Leia!" Luke said sharply, cutting her off. Leia's jaw snapped shut and Anakin raised his eyebrows at the sudden anger he felt from his daughter.

Uneasy thoughts started to creep their way into Anakin's mind as he thought of the nightmare Leia had just last night.

You've hurt her, tortured her, why would she love you? She probably hates you. And if the timeline's are going to merge, then your daughter's going to see everything that you did as Vader. If this Leia can't forgive you and hates you, then after this merge your daughter probably won't want anything to do with you.

"Perhaps we should talk somewhere else," Luke said, discomfort vibrating in his tone.

Anakin hesitated but nodded. He was now all too aware of the glare of contempt he was receiving from his daughter. Slowly, he followed Luke out of the room, hurt when he saw Leia shrink away from him as he passed by.

The two went out to stand on the veranda and Luke crossed his arms over his chest, looking out over the city as he walked in front of the fountain. "I'm sorry about her," he murmured. "She's finding this whole thing…rather stressful."

"She hates me, doesn't she?" Anakin asked bluntly, looking over at Luke.

Luke sighed, shaking his head. "I wish I could say she didn't but…forgiveness has never been something that came easy to Leia."

"What did I…what did Vader do to her?" Anakin asked, correcting himself ahead of time so he wouldn't get the 'you are not Vader' speech from his son.

Luke hesitated. "I really don't think…"

"Luke, I want to know. If she hates me then I deserve to know why."

Luke sighed. "I don't know…all of the specifics," he murmured. Anakin could tell Luke did not want to be having this conversation with him, but Anakin was right, he needed to know why his daughter hated him.

"Well then just tell me what you know," Anakin said sitting down. He hadn't imagined a reunion with this Luke to be so grim, but they apparently had things they needed to talk about.

Luke sighed. "Vader held her prisoner on the Death Star and tortured her for information on the Rebels, as well as forced her to watch the destruction of Alderaan. He tortured Han to draw me into a trap, and froze Han in carbonite before handing him over to Jabba the Hutt. She also tends to blame Vader for much of the suffering of the Galaxy and still hasn't gotten over what Vader did to me either. "

Luke stared at the fountain instead of at Anakin, lost in thought as he subconsciously fingered the hand that he had lost in his time but would be whole again when the timelines merged.

Anakin had gone rigid as Luke had described some of the things that he—no, Vader, he corrected himself a little angrily—had done to Leia. He stared unseeing at the fountain as well, processing this information as an ache slowly grew in his chest. Leia didn't see any difference between Anakin and the Sith that he could have become: she blamed him for everything that had happened to her, even though it wasn't him at all. The thought caused the pain to spike, and he suddenly found it a little hard to breathe. How was he going to make her see differently? How was he going to help her see that he wasn't Vader?

Anakin started as he felt Luke's hand on his shoulder. When had Luke moved? "I've tried talking to her a few times. She's started to relent a little. I'm sure…given a little more time…she'll be able to put the past behind her. She just needs a little longer."

Anakin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I hope you're right Luke…"

Luke shook his head. "So, This me's made friends with Galen Marek, huh?"

Anakin glanced up at Luke. "Yes, the entire family is a friend of ours. You two grew up together basically, and you see each other all the time at the Jedi Temple. His parents are both respected Jedi…who was he in your time?"

Luke sighed. "Galen Marek, from the stories I've heard, was apprenticed by Vader when he was very, very young, and he grew up as a Sith codenamed Starkiller. Vader betrayed him and nearly killed him, and he ended up founding the rebellion and becoming a Jedi. He even rescued Leia once. Though...he died saving the Rebellion leaders…"

Anakin nodded. Galen had told him roughly the same thing when he had described his dream, though Luke was able to shed some light on the details. Anakin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I haven't had any dreams yet…do you know why?"

Luke shrugged. "Maybe the Force is paying you a mercy and you won't get Vader's memories?" Anakin snorted and Luke smiled a little. "Yeah, I suppose that's not very likely. Maybe, since you've died in our timeline, it's taking you a while to get your memories."

Anakin shook his head. "No, that's not it either. Galen's already getting memories, and he died long before Vader in your timeline."

Luke shrugged. "Perhaps everyone's different then."

Anakin nodded. "Perhaps…" He sighed and stood up, pulling Luke into yet another hug. "I can't begin to tell you how great it is to see you again Luke…"

"It's great to see you too Father…"

Padme and Leia stood awkwardly in the room for a few moments before Padme finally spoke up. "I have the feeling I'm not the only one who finds this all rather strange. They seem perfectly fine with it but…I'm still trying to understand how all of this is working."

Leia nodded hesitantly. "Same."

"So…" Padme started. "You're the Leia from the other timeline?"

Leia smiled a little. "Yes, that's me."

Padme gave her a warm smile. "It's nice to finally meet you in person. Luke told us so much about you."

Leia nodded shyly. "Yes, Luke has told me some things as well…so you're our mother?"

Padme smiled. "Yes…that's me. Padme Naberrie Amidala Skywalker."

Leia was shocked. "Padme Amidala? As in the former Queen of Naboo and Senator of Naboo?"

Padme laughed. "The very same."

Leia moved closer. "I-I've studied your career since I was a little girl, you're one of my biggest heroes, I've tried to pattern my own political career after your own! And now to find out…this is amazing!"

Padme blushed and giggled a little. "Well I'm glad that I still played an important role in your life despite how things turned out in your timeline." Padme took a seat on the bed, gesturing to the space beside her. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? I'm sure this is a conversation you've waited for a long time to have."

Leia nodded eagerly, taking a seat beside her mother. "O-of course but…I don't know where to start."

Padme smiled at her, and Leia couldn't help but feel awe starting to settle over her. She was actually sitting her with Padme Amidala, her mother. It was so surreal. "Well, your brother told me that you grew up with the Organas. They're really good friends of mine. Why don't you start there?"

Padme smiled at her, launching into a very detailed story of her life with the Organas under the Galactic Empire. As she went on and on, she couldn't help but feel like she could stay here with her mother for a lifetime.

Luke and his father had paused in their conversation for a few moments, and now Luke was staring out the window, thinking. "I feel like something really big is going on here…what's happening?" he asked, turning to look at his father.

It was strange seeing Anakin as he would have been in his time if he had never been Vader. Signs of his age were starting to appear, but he seemed just as energetic and youthful as ever, thankfully. The years had been kind to him.

Anakin nodded. "Yes…the council can sense a…darkness stirring in the Galaxy, and its source is found somewhere on Korriban. You, Galen, and myself are all going to Korriban tomorrow to investigate what the cause of it is."

Luke frowned, watching his father closely for a moment. "There's more, isn't there…"

Anakin nodded. "When I've felt the presence, it feels…familiar. But I don't know where I've felt it before…"

Luke frowned. "I wish I could tell you something…but I'm just as in the dark about this as you..."

Anakin sighed. "Everyone can sense the danger in this mission…something bad is going to happen…I just wish I knew what…"

Luke frowned. "I hope we don't come back to find ourselves in the middle of a mess…"

Anakin nodded. "I'll do what I can to make sure that you don't…" He shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a moment.

Luke sat down next to him. "What else is there?"

"I…I had a dream…" Anakin mumbled.

Luke grimaced. "Why do I not like the sound of that?"

Anakin shook his head. "Don't worry, I won't do anything rash because of it. I learned my lesson long ago."

Luke nodded. "Well then…what was in the dream?"

Anakin shifted uncomfortably once again. "There was darkness all around, and there was a Sith…but…the Sith was…one of you two. I don't know which," Anakin said gravely.

Luke felt ice run through him. That wasn't good. Not at all. "I hope that doesn't have anything to do with Leia's anger issues…I've tried to talk to her so many times, but all I've succeeded in doing is making her angrier."

Anakin grimaced, shaking his head. "I really hope it wasn't her…but I couldn't bear it to be you either…"

Luke shook his head. "If I can do anything about it, you won't lose either of us to the Dark Side, I promise Father."

"Thank you Luke."

Luke felt another tug at his gut, not as obvious as when he and his sister and been yanked into this time, but enough that it gave him a warning. He stood up from his seat on the couch. "We're about to go back."

Anakin stood with him, obviously upset. "Already?"

Luke nodded, swiftly making his way back to the room, Leia in tow. "Yes, I'm sure," he told him grimly. He walked into the bedroom to find his mother and sister deep in conversation, large smiles on both of their faces. Leia looked up to see Luke, though her face darkened a little when she saw Anakin.

"We're about to go," Luke told her.

"Alright," Leia said reluctantly, standing up slowly from the bed. Padme grabbed Leia's wrist lightly.

"Leia…" she said softly. When she had Leia's attention, she continued. "He's not who you think he is."

Luke frowned, confused. What were they talking about? He looked to his father to see if he had any clue, but Anakin seemed just as lost as he was. Shaking his head, he put the thought aside. "Leia," he repeated.

Leia nodded, walking to her brother's side.

"I don't know if our other versions are going to remember this or not. They'll probably be confused," Luke told them as he took Leia's hand.

Anakin nodded. "Don't worry, we can handle it. They're both well aware that there's another version of themselves…"

Luke nodded. "Alright. I wish we could stay longer, I really do…Father, please be careful when you go on this mission, all right?"

"I will Luke, don't worry; I'll make sure nothing bad happens while we're gone," Anakin reassured him.

Luke sighed. "I guess…we'll see you again…either when the merge happens or if we have another overlap."

Anakin smiled, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Luke opened his mouth to say more, but he felt the tug in his gut again, and his mouth snapped shut. He felt his father's hand slide off of his shoulder, and the world spun once more before the two of them were swept up in the Force once again.

When they finally felt solid ground beneath them once again, they were right back in Leia's room with Luke kneeling in front of Leia. There stared at each other for a moment before Luke spoke once again.

"Well that was fun."

(Alternate Timeline)

Anakin watched his children closely as their Force Signatures went back to normal. Luke stumbled a little and Anakin grasped his son's shoulders to steady him. Slowly, Luke came to himself, blinking rapidly as he looked around to see where he was.

"Wh-what happened? What am I doing in here?"

Leia was having a similar predicament next to them, though she had managed to stay on her feet. "Father, what's going on?" she asked wearily, hiding her deeper feeling of fear that Anakin could still sense despite his daughter's efforts to hide it.

Anakin sighed. "It's…a little difficult to explain."

Luke straightened himself. "I'm sure we have time for an explanation."

Anakin watched him for a moment. "You don't have any memory whatsoever of what happened? Not even a shadow of a memory?"

Luke shook his head, but his eyes glazed over for a moment, as did Leia's. Anakin steeled himself to keep from freaking out as he watched the twins carefully.

"I…I don't have a memory of what just happened…but…there's all these memories I have that aren't my own. Or at least, not…not from this time…" Luke's eyes focused on reality again. "Father, what just happened?"

Leia's face was pale as she slowly came out of her own vision. "Father…" she said slowly.

Anakin sighed, putting a hand on both of his children's shoulders. "Come on, we'll go talk on the veranda…"