The Unseen

Chapter 34 - Reunion

As he'd expected, Anakin has to remain while Bail gives a speech, talking about the reforms he intends to make now that he's officially the Emperor. With Anakin having handed the reins over to Bail while he's still alive, there's no need for an official ceremony like the one Anakin had intended to have. The Senate convenes for a recess, so Anakin and Bail head to Anakin's residence to await everyone's return.

"Ahsoka, what's the status?" Anakin asks, opening the comm channel to her as they wait on the landing platform.

"Obi-Wan made an announcement about the Death Star's imminent destruction," she reports, "And a number of Imperials fled before it occurred. We're currently picking up their pods with the Executor." Anakin had asked Piett to remain in the vicinity until the destruction was complete, so he could either offer reinforcements, or pick up the survivors in the aftermath.

"That is good to hear," Anakin replies. "There were a few... complications here, but I dealt with them. Bail is the new Emperor." He supposes that they might not see the revelation of his identity in such a way as a complication, but he does. Despite what Obi-Wan might say, Anakin has never quite learned the way with words that he has, making it harder for him to lead people on the way Obi-Wan does. Or the way Sidious did. Politics really is not his arena, and Anakin is grateful to finally be out of it.

"The Ghost has already made the jump to hyperspace though," Ahsoka tells him after a pause. "It should be arriving anytime."

"Good. Come back as soon as you're done out there, Snips." He smirks slightly on using her old nickname for her. It's not one he uses frequently anymore, maybe because it's a reminder of the times gone by. But those times were good as much as they were bad, so perhaps he should begin changing that. He knows that she'll like it.

"As you wish, Skyguy," she chirps, and he can almost see her smiling as he cuts the connection.

Ahsoka's right. They don't have to wait long, as it turns out. Only minutes pass before a large freighter touches down. The ramp lowers, and the twins appear at the top of it, looking down at their new, unfamiliar surroundings. A wave of relief crashes over Anakin when he sees them safe and sound with his own eyes. He had known, of course, that Obi-Wan would protect them, but that knowledge is very different than seeing them alive and unharmed.

"Father!" cries Luke, his voice betraying his joy.

"Daddy!" exclaims Leia, eyes widening with delight.

Without another word, the twins race down the ramp towards him and Bail, and Anakin drops onto one knee to catch whichever of them, or both of them, leaps at him first. He's not exactly surprised when Leia throws herself at Bail – she hasn't seen him in over a year, after all, and she's missed him greatly – and he would mind far more if it wasn't for the fact that he now has an armful of Luke, who seems quite intent on sticking them together forever, especially from the way that he's clinging to him, arms entwined around his neck, head resting on his shoulder, and legs wrapped around his waist.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asks him quietly, as Obi-Wan comes down the ramp, followed by the clones – Rex, Cody, and Echo – all of whom seem relatively unharmed.

Luke nods, and Anakin senses the fear he'd felt through their bond. A pang of guilt shoots through him because it's his fault that the twins were kidnapped. He's lucky that Tarkin didn't simply have them killed after Sidious' death, though using them as a bargaining chip was highly effective. Still, Anakin can only be grateful that they weren't hurt. It would have been easy to keep them alive without keeping them healthy.

Anakin stands, still holding Luke in his arms, silently acknowledging that he doesn't want to let him go either. These past few days have been the longest he's been separated from them since they were reunited, and it's been so hard. "I missed you," he murmurs to his son as he nods to Obi-Wan and the clones. "How was the trip?" he asks them.