Return

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The newly-fired Sith apprentice walked the streets of downtown Coruscant, hooded and rejected.

"Want to buy some death sticks?" a jittery figure passing by asked. Anakin waved him away with several fingers and continued to trudge down the street in his long, black robes.

How could Sidious just give him up? He was his greatest asset. His apprentice.

What did I ever do to fail? Anakin thought. I simply asked about my family, and he kicks me out? After all, he said once I joined him I could rule with my family. Save Padmé.

I hate Sidious, Anakin thought. I hate him! He kicked down some cargo sitting on the cobblestone, yelling. Yet no one seemed to care. It's just like everyone else. No one cares. No one notices me.

The retired Vader had an idea. He decided to take a speeder to upper Coruscant and visit his family. If he got kicked out, he got kicked out. But he decided to at least try.

In a matter of minutes, Anakin was standing on the balcony of his old home. He stepped inside and dipped his head, lifting the hood of his robes off of his head.

A small figure came running out on it's chubby legs. It caught Anakin's eye. They both held each other's gaze for a moment, but the little boy with curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes opened his mouth and summoned his mother. "Mama! There's a stranger in our house!"

"Hold on, baby, I'm...wait, a stranger?!"

"Yes!"

The one and only Padmé Skywalker ran out of the bedroom and scanned her son. Another little figure had already came out from behind Padmé's legs and started to tug on the sleeve of Anakin's robes. He chuckled, very confused at the same time. Wait, two children?

Padmé's head snapped up at the sound of Anakin's laugh. Her eyes widened. "Anakin?!" She rushed forward, pulling the little girl away. "Stay away," she cried, stepping away from him.

"Padmé, I just wanted to see you again. Just for a moment," Anakin said softly.

"Well, you saw me. And you saw the children. Anakin, we've had twins. As you can see. Now, I kindly ask you to leave."

Anakin scanned his wife. She was growing evermore beautiful. Her hair still fell in thick curls down her back. Her figure was slim and petite. "Can I see them more closely?"

"No!" Padmé's lip quivered. She looked away and sighed. "Fine. You do have custody. I mean, they are yours."

The little girl rushed forward and reached up. "Hold me," she said. Anakin was surprised at her sudden attachment, and lifted her into his arms. He smiled at the resemblance between she and her mother.

"Leia..." Padmé said.

"Leia?" Anakin said softly. "That's a beautiful name."

"It's the one you said you loved," she said quickly, rubbing her arm. "And this is Luke." She gestured toward Luke, who was reaching out slowly to Anakin.

Anakin let Leia go, and she ran off to her mother again as he kneeled to Luke's height. They touched fingers lightly, and Anakin smiled.

He stood back up, gazing at his wife. "Padmé."

"Anakin, you need to leave."

"Angel," he said, stepping forward.

"An-Anakin, stop. Leave." She struggled to push him away as he closed in on her. That familiar scent of peppermint swirled around her. She found herself against a wall, her face in her husband's grasp. The children played at their feet. She sucked in a breath as his fingers brushed the small of her back. "No. I can't." She broke free of his grasp before his lips could meet hers.

"Why not, Angel?"

"You've done such terrible things! You've hurt me, Ani! You've killed younglings, followed through with Order 66...do you realize there are so few Jedi left?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry."

"It's going to take a whole lot more than an apology. Anakin...I'm asking for a divorce."