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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Saga - PT Live and Let Die - 50 Titles Challenge - Anakin Skywalker AU - FINISHED NOV 6.

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Briannakin , Mar 1, 2016.

  1. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Title: Live and Let Die
    Author: Briannakin
    Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, other Jedi, Luke Skywalker, Leia Skywalker.
    Timeframe: During EP III
    Genre: Angst, family, Bri trying to be philosophical
    Categorization: AU off Episode III
    Notes: This is being written as part of the “Title Challenge” so, concrit via PM is encouraged. If you are hoping this will be a happy, cheery post-III AU, you are going to have a bad time.


    Prologue

    This wasn’t how his life was supposed to go.

    Anakin Skywalker wondered how he had gotten here. Here, being a sterile morgue deep underneath one of Coruscant’s finest medcentres. He was sitting on a hard stool next to a metallic table. The smell of cleaning chemicals hung in the air, masking the distinct smell of blood.

    He ran his fingers down her arm and gently cradled her hand in his.

    He wondered what point had his life veered off course to what it had supposed to have been, to what it was now.

    Her skin was so soft, so delicate. She was so cold. Her hair was slicked back with wetness and her body was covered in a white sheet.

    Deep down, Anakin knew the moment. The moment he had doomed his wife to death. He’d probably be hailed a hero for it. Yet the memory burned like ice in his lungs.

    “What is it, Skywalker? We are in a hurry. We have just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous. We are on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate.” Those had been Master Mace Windu’s words as Anakin had approached him. That had been a day ago in an hanger, just across this sector of the planet. Yet, to Anakin, it felt like that had been a lifetime ago.

    It was then that Anakin told the master that Chancellor Palpatine was a Sith Lord the Sith Lord, orchestrating the entire Clone Wars.

    “Master, the Chancellor is very powerful. You will need my help if you are going to arrest him,” Anakin had told Mace.

    “Very well,” Master Windu had simply said.

    The scene played out again and again in Anakin’s head. They had arrived at the Chancelor’s office. At first, only Mace and Palpatine exchanged words. Anakin had stayed on the fringes. Still unsure of where his alliances stood.

    “In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor.”

    “Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?”

    “The Senate will decide your fate.”

    “I am the Senate!”

    “Not yet!”

    It was then that all was revealed as a lightsaber came from Palpatine’s sleeve. The hilt was elegant, but the blade glowed red with fury. “It’s treason then.”

    The distinct sound of clashing lightsabers filled the air. Palpatine jumped and lunged at the Jedi.

    Master Agen Kolar was the first to die at the Sith’s blade. The Zabrak master duelist, with his slow, sweeping, calculated blue lightsaber died easily within the confined space of the Chancellor’s office. He was stabbed through the chest and had only begun to crumple forward when the Sith efficiently moved on with his massacre.

    Master Saesee Tiin was next. Palpatine took advantage of the shock in the Force and the momentum of the blade and sliced clean through the Iktotchi’s midsection. The hailed Jedi pilot fell in two.

    There was little time to comprehend what had happened before Master Kit Fisto, along with Master Windu tried to lead Palpatine into a more open area where they thought they would have a greater advantage. This proved to be futile as Palpatine’s short jabs turned into spinning arcs as he fought off the two Jedi.

    Anakin hadn’t joined in on the battle. Master Windu had showed the Jedi trusted him.

    Palpatine promised the impossible.

    The Jedi had grown corrupt; blind by their mighty moral superiority. The entire Clone Wars had shown this.

    But Palpatine was true evil.

    Master Fisto had been next to die. Fisto had been unable to predict that Palpatine had been willing to leave himself open to attack from the second Jedi so that he could strike the blow ending Fisto’s life.

    The battle between Master Jedi and Sith Lord now grew only more intense. Master Windu ran backwards, trying to fend Palpatine off as he searched for a strategy. Palpatine was too keen in his pursuit. The Sith pure determined strength voided all of the Jedi’s form. Finally, they reached an open area of the office suite, with a large viewport overlooking the night sky and populous city traffic.

    It was here that Master Windu was able to twist the elder Palpatine in such a way that Windu was able to put him on the defence. The two battled. Palpatine used his surroundings by leaping onto various pieces of furniture to lunge and jump at the Jedi.

    Master Windu also used the setting against his opponent by knocking out the viewport. Wind now added to the chaos, whipping at their robes, until the Jedi managed to disarm the Sith in a quick use of the Force that knocked the older man on his back.

    Palpatine was now seemingly defenceless at the wrong end of a purple lightsaber.

    Anakin had thought that he would have no decision; no part to act in this monumental battle. He had been wrong.

    Master Windu had claimed his victory prematurely. “You are under arrest, my Lord.”

Palatine pleaded with the only being who could save him. “Anakin! I told you it would come to this. I was right. The Jedi are taking over.” 
“You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over. You have lost.” 

“No! No! You have lost!” Palpatine raised his hands and crystal blue lightning bolts shot out of his fingertips. The arcs of electricity were blocked, ended by a purple blade. Palpatine grew out of breath. “He is a traitor, Anakin.”

    “He's the traitor. Stop him!” Windu gritted out.

    “Come to your senses boy, think of the ones you love.”

    Anakin chose that moment to act, not as a Jedi, but as a father. Palpatine was a Sith Lord. Anakin could never imagine bringing a child, his child into the galaxy where such a vile figure ruled.

    In a swift stroke, Anakin had ignited his lightsaber and beheaded the man who had promised him so much.

    It had taken only a moment for Anakin to realize that he had doomed his wife.

    When Anakin had returned to her apartment, news had already reached her regarding Palpatine’s true identity and assassination. Padmé had been distraught with the realization that she had trusted and had been advised by a Sith Lord for so much of her political career. She had also confided in him that she feared for the future of the Republic. Then senate had grown so corrupt that she had no idea of who to trust, let alone who to elect as the next chancellor. The war might have been over, but it did not feel like a victory.

    Anakin had held her close, his hands gliding down her purple nightgown, the material loose, slippery beneath his fingers. He had tried to calm her, assure her that things would be better with such a dark force banished even from the shadows. However, deep down, he worried. He had feared to let her go. Pushing darkness away, he had joked, “Now that I’m probably exiled from the Jedi order, maybe I can be a stay-at-home dad and you can rule the galaxy.”

    In the end, she had smiled up at him. “You are going to be the greatest dad. Please promise me, no matter what happens to me, take care of the baby.”

    “Padmé, please. I won’t lose you like I lost my mother.”

    “No, Anakin,” she had argued. “I do not give a damn what happens to me. But you were not yourself after you lost your mother. I don’t want to see that again. I don’t want our child to ever witness that.”

    “But I do give a damn what happens to you.”

    She had stood on her toes and kissed him gently on the lips. “I know, but please, when I die, if it’s tonight or fifty years from now. Let me go in peace. Let me go when it is my time. Let me go in your arms. Let me die, then live on.”

    “Padmé,” her name had come from his lips straggled.

    “Anakin-” Her words had been cut off as she gasped and clutched at her chest. Anakin had caught her as she had fell and had held her, assuring her that she would be okay as he commed for medics.

    They had gotten her to a medcentre, but by that time, she was suffering from contractions. Labor had come too quickly to be stopped. Anakin had held her as the doctors had simultaneously tried to save her and give life to his child - children.

    “Surprise,” Padmé’s word came out of her mouth in a rasp. Her face had been pale and slick with sweat. She then screamed and the first child came into the world. “Luke,” she had announced before gritting her teeth again and squeezing Anakin’s hand. The second child then cried. “Leia.”

    “I’m so sorry Anakin,” Padmé had murmured as she pushed the doctors away and pulled him closer. Anakin knew she was fading. He had killed Sith Lords, yet there was nothing he could have done.

    He had held her close in her final moments. “I promise, Padmé,” had been his last words to her.

    She had smiled as the light faded from her body and she had drew her last breath. The official cause of death had been a rare heart defect, that had gone undetected until the strains of labor.

    Anakin remembered holding her as he cried. Raged had welled in him, as it did at the memory. He clenched his cybernetic fist. Air got hot and hard to breathe. Maybe, if he had allowed Palpatine to live, Padmé would be with him now.

    He was then startled out of his memories by the sudden feeling of need.

    His children were awake and wanted their Daddy. That thought, the feeling that they needed him, made all feelings of anger wash away. He relaxed.

    “Luke and Leia are up,” he said, tears flowing down his face. He leaned forward to kiss Padmé’s blue lips. His hot tears dropped onto her face. “I have to go. I’m so sorry, my Angel. I am so sorry I had to let you die.”
     
  2. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Woo-hoo! First!

    You weren't kidding when you said that this was a chapter with a body count of five [face_laugh] Although three we already knew about, and the fourth one was... not entirely unforeseen since this is an AU. The fifth one though... that was painful.

    I'm very, very curious to see how this story will play out. Anakin is going to have to cope with an entirely different sort of guilt in this timeline, but also with raising his children alone. Thinking back to the snippet you posted in the challenge thread, the consequences for the Order are going to be... unexpected.

    Great start!
     
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Marvelous and riveting and touching all at the same time. =D= I knew just from the snippets that these challenge entry fics would be simply amazing! :cool:
     
  4. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Fantastic! (Ok, I went back and counted the bodies.)

    I love how Anakin is a more rational, mature person here who trusts and accepts rather than fears and reacts. Padme is, as always, brave and wise. Here begins the story that should have been!
     
  5. Glor

    Glor Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2015
    Opening with Anakin in the morgue, as opposed to the fight with Palpatine, was a good choice. I've always wanted to see Anakin as a father. I mean, actually raising his kids and stuff. Give me moar.

    EDIT: oh, I liked the title drop too!
     
  6. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    WOW I love this Anakin. No Darth Vader this time.
     
    AzureAngel2, Jedi_Perigrine and Glor like this.
  7. Sith-I-5

    Sith-I-5 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2002
    A beautiful and smoothly written story. I paused my own writing to glance at this, and was just drawn in.

    Very nice job, and a great twist. I thought you were retelling the ROTS scene from Anakin's point of view.

    Definitely caught me out.
     
    Jedi_Perigrine and Briannakin like this.
  8. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    I've only tried comment on this about 4 times, then I get distracted by something and forget that I didn't do it. 8-}

    I love this! It takes RotS and completely turns it on its head! Those were the defining moments and to have them change really changes a LOT!
    I also like how you 'fixed' Padme's heart issue. While broken heart syndrome is a real thing, it wasn't done well in the movie.

    That last paragraph... :_|

    Great start! I'm looking forward to more!
     
  9. mute90

    mute90 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Nice! I like how it wasn't just Mace Windu's decision-making that changed here. Anakin made the final decision on the fate of his children in this new world instead of just on Padme. It was a neat switch that does show his maturity. Then, you supported that side of this Anakin when he left Padme's body for his children in need. I can't wait to see where he goes from here as a widowed father.
     
  10. Irish_Jedi_Jade

    Irish_Jedi_Jade Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2007
    HOW DID I NOT READ THIS BEFORE NOW!!?!?!?!?!??! :eek:

    Dude. Dude. Dude. This is so good!!!!!! I am IN LOVE!!!!! Also, I know you will crush my heart, and I'm going to love every minute of it. I think that you did such a great job of making this so plausible. I mean, yeah. If Anakin had just thought of his children, had just thought of the fact that he loved them just as much as he loved Padme...oh heavens. So good. Also, I felt like this Anakin was The Clone Wars tv show Anakin (who I LOVED) and not Ep III Anakin (who I hated!). Ugh. I can't wait for more. Will you tag me when you update please? LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE [face_love]
     
  11. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Heh. I did say that didn't I :p And I meant for the 5th to be painful, so thank you ;)

    Thank you. I had evil fun with this prologue

    let the bodies hit the floor, let the bodies hit the floor

    Thank you. As much as I actually don't mind EP III, I also enjoy rational, sane Anakin.

    Thanks. I didn't want to start off with action since I kinda suck at it, so I am glad it worked. And I have always enjoyed Anakin as a father fics, so this is my spin on them, and there will be plenty of baby mush.

    Ah, the classic mod "wait, what was I doing?" syndrome :p

    Thanks (also, the broken heart thing in III just drives me crazy. My head-canon rarely contradicts the movies, but Padmé didn't just die from a broken heart).

    Thanks. I really wanted to show the butterfly effect in this AU situation. And I really didn't notice that support until you pointed it out. Huh. I guess I am a better writer than I thought.

    BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO BUSY DOING OTHER STUFF :p

    THANK YOU (and yes, I will). And thanks, I wanted this to be plausible. And yeah, I'm kinda going more of the Clone Wars for Anakin (I actually didn't mind Hayden Christensen, but Matt Lanter will be just as much Anakin for me because TCW was the prequels we deserved).
     
  12. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    A/N: Thank you aalllll so much for reading. This fic is finally finished so I am hoping to update more regularly as the challenge (and DRL) allows. Thank you to Irish_Jedi_Jade for the beta for this chapter. Tag list: Irish_Jedi_Jade



    Chapter 1
    


    Coruscant 



    Wearily, Anakin used his feet to continue operating the gliding chair. The piece of medcentre furniture had run out of power, however, Anakin dare not move to fix it or complain. He was in a private nursery room. The lights were dimmed, making the yellow walls softy glow. The room was mostly empty with the exception of the padded glider he was sitting in, two medical bassinets, a change-table, a small monitor and oxygen producer, which were set beside him. 



    In his arms were his children; small, helpless, yet perfection. Leia Amidala Skywalker, his daughter, was swathed in yellow blankets and sleeping, cradled in his left arm. She seemed not to mind his cybernetics. He had discarded his robe, gloves, over tunic and belt so she was lying on flesh and electronics. Her twin brother was in Anakin’s right arm. Luke Skywalker was wrapped in a soft green blanket, however, a tiny breathing mask had been placed over his nose and mouth. Luke had been born with fluid in his lungs. Nurses had assured Anakin that both twins would be healthy, but still he worried, not only for his children, but for himself. Could he raise them alone? Would he be able to give them all that they needed?



    Luke was awake. He looked up at his father with curious blue eyes. Anakin couldn’t help but smile. “Are you going to be a good boy and go to sleep?”

    Luke simply stretched within his cocoon of blankets, then relaxed, eyes still wide.

    “Nope,” Anakin chuckled. “Looks like you are wide awake.” He leaned down and kissed Luke’s forehead. Anakin could have sat in the chair with his twins forever, forgetting the war, the Jedi, and the galaxy. 

His reality then hit him, as it often did after moments when he seemed to forget it.

    Padmé was dead.



    Tears threatened to fall. His fist clenched.

    

Suddenly, Leia cried out, causing Luke to do the same and Anakin was ripped from his feelings of anger. He let out a breath and pushed the thoughts from his mind. Padmé would have never wanted that for Luke or Leia. Or him.

    He looked down to the two scrunched, red faces and began to cry as well. Both squirmed under their blankets. He couldn’t do this. He had no idea what he was doing.



    “Oh you two,” he sighed as he moved Leia so he was now holding both twins in one arm. He tended to them with his free hand, stroking their chests with his fingers. He was so afraid of breaking them. His hands seemed to dwarf their bodies. All he ever did was destroy things. He was no healer. 



    However, whatever he was doing seemed to soothe them. Leia fell back to sleep and Luke followed shortly. They seemed to feed off his feelings. As he calmed down, they did as well. Without thinking about it, he leaned down to kiss both children on their foreheads. Anakin could feel their mother’s peaceful, yet determined, spirit within them, and he vowed to do whatever he could to ensure she lived on through them.

    Feeling a sense of purpose, Anakin began drifting off into a light sleep.



    * * *

    “They will let you know when they are finished,” the nurse, an older, petite, pale pink Twi’lek assure him as she taught Anakin how to feed his children. Luke was in his arms, contently sucking on a bottle. The boy was strong, or at least hungry. The nurse was feeding Leia.

    “Then I burp them again?” he asked.



    “Yes,” she said, swaying Leia as she greedily drank from the bottle. “Feeling overwhelmed?”

    

“A bit,” Anakin admitted. 



    “You’ll figure it out,” she said, confidently. 



    After both children finished, they were both burped and set back into Anakin’s arms. Both babies, their bellies full, seemed floppy and all too eager to fall back to sleep. He wondered how long their synchronized sleeping would last. He was determined to rest while he could so he could give them all the attention they needed.



    The nurse left and he was just about to close his eyes again, when he felt a very familiar presence. Part of him was relieved. His former master was his friend, but Obi-Wan Kenobi was also a Jedi - something he didn’t want to face right now.

    Anakin watched as Obi-Wan appeared in the doorway and the clear door slid open. Their eyes met and Anakin wondered who needed sleep more. His former master looked pale - well, paler than normal - and strained. He was wearing his usual tan and brown Jedi robes. His auburn hair and beard looked as they were groomed quickly with his hands. 



    “Anakin, I just returned from Utapau,” he said, his voice quiet. “I heard everything from Mace. You have the deepest gratitude from me and the entire Jedi Order for killing Palpatine. You brought balance to the Force.” He then bowed. His proper tone then turned soft. “And I heard about Padmé. I am so sorry Anakin.”

    Anakin looked away. “You have no idea what I sacrificed. Palpatine had told me he possessed the power to save Padmé. I killed her when I killed him.”

    “She was your wife.” It wasn’t a question.

    

“And these are my children.”

Anakin was then surprised by what he heard next.

    “They are absolutely adorable.”



    He looked up in shock. “You’re not disappointed in me, Master?”



    “Not in the slightest. You destroyed the Sith. You fulfilled the prophesy. You are the Chosen One. I couldn’t be prouder that I trained you.”



    “I don’t want to hear about any damned Jedi prophesy right now.”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “Is there anything you need - for yourself or for your children?”



    “Padmé’s parents have already been contacted. They are paying for her body to be transported back to Naboo and have paid for the twins and I to return as well. If you could get my things from the Jedi temple, that would really help me out. I just need clothes, mostly.”

    “Of course.”

    There was a tense silence that was growing uneasy. Finally, Leia cried out and Anakin immediately tried to calm her before she woke her brother, but it was too late. Luke didn’t cry, but peered around with large eyes.

    Obi-Wan stepped closer. “Please, let me help.”

    Tired, Anakin accepted, handing Luke to the man Anakin considered a father. He then got up, allowing Obi-Wan to sit down in his place. Anakin paced the small room, bouncing Leia in his arms, which she seemed to enjoy.



    “Will this little guy be okay?” Obi-Wan asked, gently rocking Luke and placing his hand over him. 



    “Luke had some fluid in his lungs. They are just making sure it is completely gone before we leave for Naboo.”

    Obi-Wan nodded. “Hello there, Luke. And what is your twin’s name?”

    

“Leia,” Anakin answered. “This little princess is Leia Skywalker.”



    There was more silence. “You will make a great father. I am sorry they came at such a loss.”

    Anakin didn’t reply. He then began snickering. Tears of sadness also ran down his face. He was so very sleep deprived.

    

“What?” Obi-Wan sounded confused. “Are you okay?”

    “I’m only going to be a great father because I had a great father figure in my master. I guess that makes you kinda like their grandfather.”



    The older man gave his former pupil an unamused look, yet his words were kind and soft. “I think, I would like that.” He then stared fondly down at Luke. “The Jedi order isn’t what it was at the start of the war. Now, with the Sith destroyed, perhaps change is overdue.”

    “These guys are my priority now, so forgive me if I am not exactly concerned with the future of the Jedi.” Anakin’s words were cold. “I won’t be returning to the Order.”



    “I understand, Anakin.” Obi-Wan then scrunched his face. “Good stars, what is that smell?”



    Anakin chuckled again. “I gave you Luke for a reason. I’m pretty sure he has gas.”



    * * *



    After his master had left, Anakin placed his two children in a single bassinet. Luke and Leia were asleep again and he hoped if he placed them next to each other, touching, that they would remain asleep. They did. Their faces were so serene. Leia’s head gently tilted so she was touching Luke.

    Anakin felt tears running down his face. He was so happy that he had these two in his life, but his thoughts returned to Padmé. She would have wanted to meet them; to be their mother. She would have been a wonderful mother. He missed her, however, her words constantly flowed through him: “Let me die, then live on.” He would do that because he had promised her that. Still, he missed her and he let himself miss her. He would never let go of the love he held for her in his heart. Or the guilt. It was his fault she was dead.

    

He knew he should get some rest while the twins were asleep, but watching them gave his thoughts tranquility, like everything was going to be okay. 



    * * *

    

Obi-Wan returned two days later, the morning when Anakin set to leave for Naboo. Luke was now off the oxygen mask and Anakin, although further sleep deprived, was getting the hang of taking care of them. He was currently reclined in the glider chair, his legs up. He was feeding Luke, who was lying in Anakin’s lap, while Leia was on his chest, also contently sucking on a bottle.

    “What is all that?” Anakin quirked an eyebrow, looking over Leia’s head. Obi-Wan was heaving in three large bags into the medcentre room.



    “Well, first off, there’s a change of clothes for you,” Obi-Wan said, looking pointedly at Anakin.

He looked down at his under tunic. It was black, so it was clearly stained with formula milk and baby vomit.

    He gave Obi-Wan a sardonic smile. “You try dealing with ‘Up’ and ‘Chuck’ here. I think I am going to change their names.”



    “Well, that is why I packed a bunch of your clothes, and bought a ton of receiving blankets for ‘Up’ and ‘Chuck’ as you call them. Maybe they will have better aim than their father. I also got them plenty of clothes, diapers, some toys…”



    “Obi-Wan,” Anakin interrupted him. “Why are you encouraging me to forget what you have taught me? You of all people warned me of attachment.” He set the two bottles down on a side table, lifted Luke so that he was beside his sister, began to burp them both.

    Obi-Wan heaved a sigh. “Because the Jedi are crumbling. We were keepers of the peace, we were never supposed to fight in a war orchestrated by Sith. The council was so blind. I was blind. And now, many of the knights have seen you as the only one who they can follow.”



    “I don’t want to be hero, not anymore,” Anakin gritted out. He had nearly killed Master Windu and joined Palpatine. Padmé would have been so ashamed of him. “No one should follow me.”

    “Like it or not, you have started a quiet revolution. Jedi are quietly leaving the order, and it has been only three days since the war has ended.” The Clone War had ended with the death of Count Dooku, General Grievous, and Palpatine. Separatists had surrendered and a new chancellor was being elected.

    “Perhaps this is what the Prophesy of the Chosen One foretold. A Jedi will come to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. No one eve said the Jedi Order would survive.”



    Obi-Wan stared, but not in outrage, more in wonder. “The prophecy foretold anarchy?” 



    “But not in the disorderly sense. Merely a lack of governance? Absolute freedom? I’m not sure. I was never one for mystics. I destroyed the Sith, but how can that be balance? Without the darkness, how can there be light?” Anakin sighed with a shrug. “I’m beginning to sound like Yoda now.” He shook his head. “I must get ready for our flight to Naboo.”
     
  13. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Great range of emotions =D=and candid conversations about the future and what balance represents. [face_thinking] I can totally understand Anakin's disillusionment and wanting to cut all ties. Obi-Wan's warmth and caring are evident as is the adorbsness of Leia & Luke. :D
     
    AzureAngel2 likes this.
  14. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Thanks so much. I think you can really see Anakin's disillusionment in the Jedi near the end of the Clone Wars cartoon and it is something I really wanted to touch on here.

    Chapter 2
    Naboo



    She looked so beautiful.

    She looked as though she was merely sleeping, but she was in a casket, her hair, decorated with flowers, framing her pale face. The dark blue dress her sister had chosen made it seem as though she was floating on water. She was serene in her sleep. But it was not slumber. It was her death.

    A small smile graced Anakin’s lips—intertwined in her fingers was the japor snippet he had given her a lifetime ago. He was transported back to that memory. He had been such an eager little boy and she had been so patient and kind.



    He knew he had no one to blame for her death but himself, but he knew she wouldn’t want that. His pain at her loss was punishment.

    Jobal Naberrie appeared in the garden. Anakin looked up. An older woman, she wore her age with grace. His mother-in-law was holding a crying Luke. The week-old child was dressed in a simple black gown and wrapped loosely in a dark blue blanket. Today should have been his and his sister’s naming ceremony, a Tatooine ritual. Instead, he was attending his mother’s funeral.


    Dark green surrounded them, lighted by the faintest of light coming from the sky and small lights in the dark leaves. Dusk hung in the air, almost as if time and the sun had stopped to grieve with him.

    

Jobal didn’t have to say anything. Anakin knew it was time to begin the funeral procession through the city of Theed. He reached down and pulled on a dark blue sling - one of the many things that Obi-Wan had bought him - and put it around his shoulders, securing it around his back. It covered his standard black Jedi robes. He had nothing else formal enough for the occasion.



    Anakin took Luke from Jobal and placed him in the sling. The child seemed to calm as his head rested against his father’s chest.

    

“Where’s Leia?” Anakin broke his silence he had been keeping for the evening.



    “Rewee is just changing her.”

    Padmé’s parents had been kind and welcoming to him. He had met Jobal and Rewee Naberrie, along with their other daughter, Sola, before the Clone wars, when he had been Padmé’s protector. Now, they had given him a place to stay. They had been more than helpful with the twins, glad that their daughter lived on in two perfect infants, but they had also given Anakin his privacy.

    

Rewee came out with Leia. His face was worn, sadden by the death of his daughter. Still, he tried to bounce his crying granddaughter. Leia too was dressed in a black gown too big for her, and wrapped in a dark purple blanket. Rewee knew to hand the crying baby to her father.

    

Anakin secured Leia in the sling next to her brother and calmly tended to them, trying to get them to suck on pacifiers, all to no avail. Sola entered the garden with her husband, Darred, and two daughters just as Padme’s casket was hitched to two equus - tall, large, grey animals that led the funeral procession.

    The walk, through the main streets of Theed, was quiet, with the exception of Luke and Leia’s wails. Anakin could do little to console them. He was crying too. Millions of citizens, each with a single flame held in a white cup, lit their long path. He saw so many faces. Few he recognized. Friends of Padmé’s in the senate had come to pay their respects, like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, who had just been elected Chancellor. Faces of Padmé’s former loyal handmaidens scattered the crowds. Seeing them was like seeing a ghost. Anakin had to look away when he saw Sabé. It was much too painful too see a woman who looked exactly like Padmé.



    Anakin caught a glimpse of a young Torgruta, a dark hood drawn over her head. Ashoka Tano gave him a gentle nod, but held him off with a slight gesture of her hand. They would reunite at a better time. 

The water in the Farahn harbour was as still as glass as they passed it on the way deep into the city. Up a hill, they entered the royal cemetery. Padmé would not be cremated. Her ashes would not be scattered. She would be entombed as a Queen, which she would become once again in her death.

    

The procession stopped in front of a small stone mausoleum, erected in white-washed stones and stained celari-crystalline. Anakin gave Luke and Leia to Jobal. This only made the still crying twins wail louder, but Anakin knew there was no way he could console them. And, he had to do this, before he lost the strength.

    

Carefully, he, Rewee, Sola and Darred lifted Padmé’s stiff body using a white linen sheet that had been tucked under her. Together, followed by Jobal with the twins and Sola’s daughters, only they entered the tomb. There, Padmé’s final bed awaited her.

    She was placed in the sarcophagus. They all then took turns placing their hands on her and saying their final goodbyes.

    Anakin was last. He gently brushed his left hand against her skin. She was as cold as the stone and the night that surrounded them. How could he say goodbye to the woman that he loved?

    The woman that he had failed.

    He would have done anything for her. He would have died in her place. He was the most powerful Jedi, he had destroyed the Sith, yet he was helpless to bring her back.Suddenly, a calm washed over him, as though she was with him, her hands wrapped around his torso. He didn’t realize it in his grief, but the babies had stopped crying. Then he heard her words. He knew it wasn’t just his mind. They were to comforting to be from his own head.



    “Anakin.” The words from beyond the realm were quiet, as if she spoke on the still air. “Our children. They need you. You may feel hurt and sad, you have my permission, but please, no anger. You love me, I know. I love you. We will be together again. I will be at peace with you. But Luke and Leia need to know your love before then. Live, and let me die, because I love you and you love me.”

Anakin let out a heaving breath and unclenched his cybernetic hand. He then covered Padmé’s body in the white shroud. He needed to physically say goodbye to her. He hoped the rest would follow. 

He turned around and Jobal knew to hand him Luke and Leia. He put them back in their sling and held them tightly. He then left the mausoleum, gasping for air he was unaware he had been choking on.

    

Padmé was at peace. But he was not.

    * * *

    Anakin tried to relax. He was in the Naberrie’s guest house, above their speeder park. It was a small apartment, but Anakin was glad to have the privacy. He was lying in a lounger in front of a large window. The full moon hung high in the sky. The moon was large, lighting up his surroundings. 

Luke and Leia were on his chest. Luke was asleep in his footie pyjamas that were printed to look like a flight suit. But Leia was awake, sucking on a green pacifier that was actually Luke’s. Anakin gently rubbed her back. She was in a pair of pyjamas coloured in splotches of random pastels.

    

“It hurts, my little Leia. I really miss your mom,” he sighed. He had no idea what he was doing talking to a newborn, but it made him feel better. It was something Padmé would have done. “I bet you do too. I’m sorry. But I’m here. Yeah, Daddy is here.”

    Something panged in Anakin’s chest. He had never had a father, not until Obi-Wan had started to train him. In that moment, he suddenly missed Obi-Wan. 



    Anakin had left Obi-Wan on Coruscant in a mess. Anakin didn’t care about the Jedi, but he did care about his friend. A friend, who, even though his life had been crumbling, Obi-Wan was a master in a crumbling Jedi Order, had taken the time to make sure Anakin’s children had more than enough clothes and other staples. 



    Anakin wanted to do right by Padmé’s memory. He knew that included giving all his love to their children, but maybe it also included doing right by the galaxy. But how was he supposed to fix the Jedi order and be a father?



    “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Leia,” he cooed to his daughter. “It’s just all so unclear.” He paused. “No. The war was unclear, misted over by the presence of the Dark Side. Now, it is all open. We are all free. For the first time, baby girl, Daddy feels free. I can do what I want, but don’t you worry. I will make sure I will be what you deserve.”

    * * *



    Ashoka showed up two mornings later. Jobal had let her in. The Togruta was just about an adult now, even though it had only been few months since she had chosen to leave the Jedi order. She showed up in black leggings and a blue tunic dress. She did not look like a Jedi.

    Anakin did his best to embrace her with a fussing Luke in his arms, causing her to laugh. “Wow, Skyguy, what a career change.”

He laughed too and somehow it didn’t feel hollow, but then he remembered and his laugh hurt.

    “Please, sit,” he said, welcoming her in to a slightly disheveled apartment. He hadn’t had time to tidy up the blankets everywhere. 



    She sat on a couch and peered into the basinet set in front of it. Leia was squirming inside. “May I hold her?”

    “Go ahead. She’ll probably love it.” Anakin sat next next to his former padawan.

    Ashoka picked up Leia in her light orange dress and held her. “They’re beautiful, Master. I’m sorry about Senator Amidala. I think I know how much she meant to you.”

    “Thank you,” he replied, quietly. He suddenly became very invested in finding a pacifier for Luke. Anakin would not cry in front of Ahsoka. He found one and popped it in Luke’s mouth, much to the child’s approval. “How have you been doing?”



    “Well,” she replied. “It wasn’t easy, but I carried on with the war effort. I didn’t know what else to do. Senator Mon Mothma hired me as an assistant. It has kept me busy, but I’m not sure if it’s my path. Though I’m sure that is a common question these days with so many leaving the Order.”

    “Yeah, I guess that’s kinda my fault, isn’t it?” He sighed. “Destroying the Sith perhaps destroyed the Jedi."

    “What are you going to do about it?”

    “Nothing.”



    “What?” Ahsoka asked, her tone causing Leia to stir.

    “The prophesy said I would destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. I destroyed the Sith and it cost me my wife. I don’t know what the universe wants me to do next. Perhaps nothing and I am darn fine with that.” Anakin was very matter-of-fact with is answer. “You were one of the first victims of the council’s blindness. They were too busy serving the Republic to see the truth in the Force.”

    

“I know,” she replied, softly. “Though it may be hard to imagine a galaxy without Jedi. Is that really balance?”

    Their conversation was put on hold when Luke’s pacifier fell from his mouth, causing him to screech.
     
  15. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    =D= Exquisite and poignant details. Ahsoka is a great confidante: candid and also she knows Anakin's disillusionment. [face_thinking] She also is trying to find a niche/purpose. @};-
     
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  16. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    I missed an update! :oops:I'm sorry!

    This is becoming a really interesting introspective piece, where Anakin suddenly finds his entire life upended. He's the one who has been out adventuring, doing the Hero thing, never staying long in one place as he fulfills his war-time Jedi responsibilities. Now his responsibilities are so much more personal. The life he took for granted is gone and this one has taken over.

    I like how the people from his past - Obi-wan, Ashoka, Padme's family -- are still there, still helping him out. I don't think in his overwhelming loss and abrupt acceptance of this new role that he quite realizes how important that is. He's happy they are there but their kindness to him is a sign that there is a future for him, although he doesn't see how that could be right now.

    This was particularly sweet:



    The behind-the-scenes view of Padme's funeral was impressive. Her funeral procession and the mausoleum reminds me a little of Princess Diana's funeral.
     
  17. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Everything divapilot said ^^^

    I like how you are making this story not only about Anakin being a dad, but also about how important elements of the future of the Galaxy hang in the balance of his decisions. There are so many implications to this AU twist than his own personal life -- he may simply choose to leave the Jedi Order, but this will have immense consequences for someone like Obi-Wan, not only on a private level but on an existential one as well. And given how narrow-minded the PT Jedi Council could to be, I smell tensions coming his way, whether he likes it or not.
     
  18. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Caught up and loving this Anakin caring for his children and with his best friends still there
     
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  19. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Thanks. I think the idea of disillusionment and trying to find a purpose were two of my big themes when writing this.

    Thanks. I really wanted to explore what would practically happen to Anakin if the Clone Wars ended and he was no longer a Hero.

    And I don't remember Princess Diana's funeral (I was four), but oddly enough, I do remember the day she died .

    Thanks.

    And ohhhh yesss! There are consequences and very large implications inbound!

    Thank you
     
  20. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    AN: I can't remember when I'm supposed to update next (I think it's Sept 30) but just to be safe, I'm throwing y'all another chapter!

    Chapter 3

    Coruscant

    Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed, running his hands through his hair. It had been three weeks since the war ended and his nightmare had begun. Today alone he had processed around one hundred formal requests, from Knights and Padawans, to leave the Jedi order. The total now numbered nearly 2000 Jedi who had either formally submitted their resignation, or indicated they were contemplating. Another estimated 2000 Jedi had yet to return from the Outer-rim sieges and many other assignments. If the rumours were true, many out there had slipped into hiding.

    The Jedi were crumbling and the reasons was simple. It was not because the foretold Chosen One had destroyed the Sith, but instead from the lack of faith in the Jedi Council. Many Jedi had only fought the war because they had been told to. The Jedi were keepers of the peace. None of them had been warriors. There were those that saw Anakin, the Chosen One, as the age of a new Jedi - a Jedi who could form attachments, and love, but also not let those emotions lead him to darkness.

    And then there were those who had remained who saw the mass exodus from the Jedi Order as treason.

    There were murmurs of civil war between Jedi.

    How far had the Jedi fallen?

    Obi-Wan got up from the desk in the Jedi Archives and stretched his legs for a moment. His surroundings felt empty. Those academic Jedi who could fight had long been shipped off to distant worlds.

    The last Sith Lord was dead, but his last victory was, without a doubt, the turning of the Jedi Order into a war machine.

    With a sigh, Obi-Wan gathered his things and made his way through the hallowed yet hollow halls of the Jedi Temple. He was one of the last to arrive and take his seat in the council chambers. He looked around at the Masters of the Jedi High Council who remained. Master Agen Kolar’s, Master Saesee Tiin’s, and Master Kit Fisto’s seats remained vacant. As did Anakin’s. The sight of his seat, although he had yet to be made a Master, made Obi-Wan hurt. Maybe Anakin had been right. Perhaps this is the balance the prophesy foretold. One third of the Jedi High council was gone.”

    “Left the order, 1993 Jedi have,” Yoda said sadly.

    “Another thousand have stated some sort of formal intention to leave,” Ki-Adi-Mundi sighed, the Cerean looking whiter than normal.

    “And two thousand have gone missing, not responding to orders to journey back to Coruscant,” Mace Windu sighed.

    Obi-Wan covered his mouth. That was more than the numbers just a few days ago.

    Master Stass Allie spoke the words every master was thinking. “That is half the Jedi Order. Those that have stayed are confused… angry. We must decide the next course of action before rash decisions are made.”

    “What are you suggesting?” Mace asked.

    The normally quite Aayla Secura answered. “An open dialogue. Many years ago, the Jedi High council would hold open meetings. Perhaps we can encourage those who have left to return and explain their feelings.”

    Many masters murmured and nodded in agreement.

    “We need to ask Anakin back,” Obi-Wan said. He got a few hard glances. No one would say it, but most of the masters felt betrayed that Anakin had a secret wife, and now two children. His attachment, and his power, made them uneasy, though he had yet to be formally banished from the Order. “Like it or not, he is still a member of this council, and the Chosen One. Many of the Jedi will want to know what he has to say.”

    “Ask him to join, you will. What will come out of this, very uncertain am I,” Yoda replied with a cautious nod.

    * * *

    Naboo

    Anakin lied on floor on his side. He was watching over Luke and Leia, who were both wide awake, lying on a soft blanket, staring up at their hovering mobile. The toy floated hanging soft toys and lights, much to the babies’ amusements.

    He could hardly believe it had been a month since these two had come into his life. He allowed himself a smile as Luke’s eyes intently followed a toy ship floating around. Luke now had wispy blond hair and the brightest of blue eyes. Leia, meanwhile, was growing into the image of her mother, with thick brunette hair and dark brown eyes.

    Anakin allowed his eyes to drift close, trying not to fall asleep, even though single-parenthood was draining him of all energy. Neither of the twins were anywhere close to sleeping through the night. Taking care of them was a 25-hour job. Still Anakin wondered what he should do with his life. Jobal and Rewee had offered for him to stay with the twins as long as he needed. Padmé had left him with a considerable amount of credits, plus he did have his wages for being a Jedi. Anakin was not strapped for credits. He wondered if he should get his own place, here on Naboo, and simply raise Luke and Leia. There was no shame in that. However, leading a sedentary life just did not sit well with Anakin.

    Ashoka had gone back to work for Senator Mon Mothma, her work crucial as the Republic tried to reform itself, but she had made it clear that it was only temporary.

    Anakin opened his eyes when he felt a familiar presence. He smiled down at the twins, suddenly even more aware. “I think Papa Obi is here!”

    “Don’t call me that,” Obi-Wan groaned, entering the suite. He was carrying with him two large bags. “Rewee let me in to the estate and told me to let myself in.”

    Anakin looked up at his master. “Oh really?” Anakin then turned to Leia and cleaned a small splotch of spit-up on her purple dress. “Papa Obi looks old, doesn’t he?”

    “I brought some more clothes for Luke and Leia, some more toys too.” Obi-Wan then observed the living room he was standing room. Plush toys and blankets were littered everywhere. “Though by the looks of it, they don’t need them.”

    “Jobal and Rewee have spoiled them,” Anakin explained, finally sitting up and gathering his children. He stood up and sat back down on the couch. “And it appears that you have too.”

    Obi-Wan sat as well. “Well, I just was feeling guilty about not coming to Padmé’s funeral. I should have been here for you, and them, and for her.”

    “Ashoka even came,” Anakin mentioned, though he would have preferred a new topic.

    “Do you have her contact?”

    “I do now. Why?”

    Obi-Wan let out a breath. “Because the Jedi Order is holding a general meeting. You have no doubt seen the news.”

    “Yes,” Anakin said, his voice full of contempt. “Anarchy.”

    “Is this what you wanted?”

    “No, but I can’t say the council didn’t have it coming.”

    “The general meeting is the future of the Jedi Order. I want you there, with Ahsoka. I want the twins there.”

    “Why?” Anakin asked, holding both Luke and Leia a bit closer.

    Obi-Wan presented his hands open, palms up. “Because I want the Jedi council to see what destroyed the Sith. I want them to see that you were able to love, but also let go. I want to have that to. Now let me hold one of my so-called grand-babies.”

    Anakin was shocked by what he had heard. “You want children?” He handed Luke to Obi-Wan as Leia had drifted off to sleep.

    “Well, if they are in the future for me, then yes,” Obi-Wan said as he took Luke. “I love you as a brother, Anakin, perhaps maybe even as a son. But I did almost leave the Jedi Order long before you came into my life.”

    “Was it a girl?” Anakin deadpanned.

    “Yes, and had she asked, I would have left the order. But, she died in the war.” Obi-Wan shook his head and Anakin felt shame rolling off his master. Not for what he had just confessed, but for something long passed; an opportunity long gone, never to return.

    “It was the duchess,” Anakin said, knowingly. “I wasn’t that daft.”

    Obi-Wan got back onto the subject at hand. “I don’t know what the future of the Jedi Order holds. But I want you to be a part of the decision.”

    Anakin rubbed his forehead with his free hand. “I worry that the Jedi Council still does not trust me. I worry that they will try to take the twins away from me. Both Luke and Leia are strong in the Force. But I don’t know if I could take that.”

    “No one is going to take these two away from you. I will personally see to it.”

    “I’m still not sure. I started this. The council might not like what I have to say.”

    “They never do.”

    Anakin rolled his eyes but Obi-Wan continued.

    “But you voice might be the one they need to here.” He then paused. “Why don’t you sleep on it?”

    Anakin gave the older man a dubious look. “I have month-old twins. I don’t get to sleep, period.”

    Obi-Wan chuckled. “Then, why don’t I take these two so you can?”

    “Fine,” Anakin grumbled, passing Leia over, “But only because I want sleep.” He then got up.

    “Where are you going?”

    “To bed!” Anakin exclaimed.

    “It’s mid-afternoon.”

    Anakin gave him a flat stare. “And I haven’t slept in a month.”

    “I thought you were going to give me instructions on how to look after them.”

    Anakin saw panic in his master’s eyes, but he had nothing but sympathy for the man holding his children. He had felt that panic and so much more just a month ago. “Relax. Just let me have a sanisteam. They will sleep till then, and then I will come out and help you feed them dinner. I’m actually looking forward to having some adult company,” he said with a smirk.

    * * *

    Obi-Wan looked down at Luke and Leia in wonder. Anakin had gone to bed shortly after eating dinner and teaching Obi-Wan a few things regarding the twins. Obi-Wan was now lying on one of the spare beds in the guest suite. The twins were at his side, sleeping boxed in by pillows so they could not possibly fall off the bed.

    Obi-Wan wondered what would be in the future for this bright little girl and her beautiful twin brother. Would they be Jedi? Would they be like their mother and go into politics? Or would their paths hold something else?

    Obi-Wan knew one thing: they would be loved.
     
  21. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    :D :D Very plausible outcomes and sensible decision to hold a general meeting and candid discussion. Love the talk between Anakin and Obi-Wan. :)
     
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  22. Jedi_Perigrine

    Jedi_Perigrine Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 22, 2008
    What a lovely story well written and with tons of feelz. I really like the way you're approaching the whole galaxy after the end of the Clone Wars, too. This is a galaxy that's ripe for some amazing stories, like yours! Great job, please let me know when you post the next chapter, if you would. :)
     
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  23. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Thanks! In my universe, people are sensible.

    Thank you, I shall do so.
     
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  24. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    AHHHH. I really suck at updating this, but now I think I'm allowed to post the rest of this, so there should be updates for the next 2-3 weeks.

    Tag List: Irish_Jedi_Jade Jedi_Perigrine

    Chapter 4

    Naboo

    “You failed them Anakin.” The voice was Palpatine’s.

    Anakin saw himself holding his mother, her face bloodied and disfigured. He felt her body go limp.

    He saw himself slaughter Tusken RaIders.

    He saw himself holding Padmé. She gasped for each breath until she simply ceased.

    “You failed as a son, as a Jedi and as a husband.”

    “No, Anakin.” Anakin somehow recognized Qui-Gon’s voice. “Failure is only something you can choose. But death is natural.”

    * * *

    Anakin woke suddenly from the dream, feeling despaired. He let the feelings of darkness ebb away from himself before going to check on Luke and Leia. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and got up. The first beams of morning sun burst through the cracks between the fine window dressings. Despite the dreams, Anakin felt rested.

    Silently, he made his way to where Obi-Wan was seemingly getting a few moments of rest, lying on top of the other guest bed in the room down the hallway. The older man snored. Luke and Leia were at Obi-Wan’s side, swaddled in blankets, but awake. Cautiously, Anakin picked up his children and brought them out to the sunshine on the veranda.

    Yes, he had failed his mother, he had failed as a Jedi, and he had failed Padmé. But giving into the darkness and anger still within him would only prove himself more of a failure. That would mean he failed as a father, and that just would not do. He would not choose that.

    He looked down at Luke and Leia fondly. They deserved more, and Anakin had a feeling they were going to achieve the greatness. All he had to do was love them with all the light he had and not give into the darkness still within him. He promised Padmé that much.

    Finally, he figured out the nature of the balance of the Force.

    He wasn’t at peace, but he felt it, and he made sure his children felt it. He knew what he had to do for them.

    * * *

    Coruscant

    Anakin was sitting in his seat with the rest of the Jedi High Council. They were in a line in the grand Jedi hall. The tall ceilings were topped with viewports, flooding the room with natural sunlight. Before them in rows were the other Masters of the Jedi Order, numbering around one hundred. The rest of the approximately four-hundred in attendance were Jedi Knights. About half had already renounced the Jedi Order. Thousands of other Jedi were watching remotely from other areas of the Jedi Temple and other planets across the galaxy.

    The assembly had yet to start, most Jedi were quietly murmuring to their neighbours, but Ahsoka was sitting beside Anakin, holding both Leia and Luke. They were crying.

    “Here,” Anakin said, turning to her. “Let me hold them.”

    “Are you sure?” Ahsoka asked. She had been a great help to him since he had landed on Coruscant yesterday, even letting them stay in her apartment, but, in a room of strangers, the twins simply wanted their father.

    “Yeah.” He didn’t care if eyes were on him as Ahsoka settled Luke and Leia in his arms. He didn’t care if he was so openly defying the other masters - none of whom, except for Obi-Wan, had spoken to him since his arrival. He only cared that both his children settled. They were silent as soon as Ahsoka gave them their pacifiers. “That’s, better, isn’t it?” he cooed with a smile.

    Shortly, Yoda stood, banging his glimersick against the smooth stone floor, creating a sharp, cracking sound. All fell silent; attentive. Beings of dozens of races had their eyes on the small green Jedi Master.

    “Unites us all, much does. Divides us, too much. An open forum, this is. Speak your minds, please do. Feel the Council failed, many do.”

    There were murmurs of decent.

    A leader among those who had the Jedi Order seemed to emerge in Ahsoka, who stood. “My apologies, Master Yoda. I hold no ill-will to the Jedi Order, but I have been gone long enough to be brave enough to speak my mind. Many have contacted me to speak on behalf of them. The younger generations and ranks of Jedi were never consulted if we wanted to fight this war for the Republic when diplomacy failed. Which, I think hits at a deeper wound. None of us, save for my master, were ever asked if we wanted to become Jedi. We were all taken from our family, and for what reason? To save us from forming attachment?” Ahsoka looked pointed pointedly at her former master. “As if love was a bad thing. The Jedi Council failed, and it didn’t fail just me.”

    Much to everyone’s shock, Obi-Wan was the next to speak. “Then council nearly failed us all. I trained Jedi Skywalker against the Council’s wishes. I am not taking credit for Anakin’s ability to fulfill the prophesy of the chosen one, but the events of the past few years may have turned out much differently if I had staunchly listened to those on the council at that time.”

    A Zabrak Jedi Knight then stood up. His skin and horns matched the dark brown of his robes. Anakin believed his name to be Jafur, a few years older than himself. “These are the mistakes of a few, perhaps blinded by a Sith powers. Is this a reason to betray the entire Jedi order?” Jafur apparently spoke for all those who wished for the Jedi to remain as it was.

    “Perhaps so if so many of us have expressed our right and freedom to leave.” This came from a young human female with dark skin and hair. She did not stand. “Many would perhaps consider returning if changes were made.”

    Master Ki-Adi-Mundi raised a hand. “Mistakes have been made. We must acknowledge this. Those who feel that they can no longer be a Jedi are allowed to leave. But would you suggest allowing attachment?”

    “Upheaved, the Order would be,” Yoda commented. “To allow wives? Children? Would only bring fear, jealousy, greed.”

    “Why?” the defiant woman spoke. “The dark side has been destroyed.”

    It was now that Anakin chose to spoke. He was shaking his head. “The dark side has not been destroyed. Merely the masters of it - those who had no potential for the light. The potential for darkness is now within all of us. I brought balance to the Force, and now, I think I know what that means. I created a balance between the light and the darkness. I feel anger and darkness within all of you, but also the potential for light and love.”

    “What are you suggesting, young Skywalker?” Windu asked. “That we do not reform the Jedi order? I would have thought you would have been the last to suggest that.”

    “The Jedi Order absolutely needs reforming. The Order’s resistance to change, its attachment to its ways is unnatural.” Anakin instantly felt better getting that fact in the open. “The Order tries to portray itself as the light, but it isn’t. It nearly turns a blind eye to the darkness within us all. Jedi should not be forced to chose the light as the only option they know of, they need to chose it of their own free will.”

    “And how do we propose we do this?” Obi-Wan asked, leaning forward in curiosity.

    We don’t do anything. This generation of Jedi has failed. All of us have failed as Jedi. We blindly followed our blind leaders who blindly followed a Sith Lord. Our slaughter would have been swift and just. We destroyed the Jedi. Perhaps it isn’t up to us to rebuild.” Anakin looked down, fondly, at Leia and Luke. They were both asleep; at peace. “I think the future of the Jedi Order is up to the future.”

    “But what do we do? What is the Republic to do?” Jafur asked.

    Anakin looked to his other masters. Obi-Wan was the one to speak. “The Jedi were guardians of peace. We never served the Republic. Perhaps a peacekeeping corps can be established with civilians to replace the Jedi’s function in the Republic. However, to join, or not to join, will be up to each individual Jedi, but you will do so as ordinary citizens. You may choose to abandon the Jedi way entirely, to have normal jobs and children. Or to dedicate yourself to the Force, learn higher ways of being. But the doctrine of this broken order dies here.”

    Anakin felt the peace settle… for the most part. Most were happy with the solution. The Jedi would live again, but not under the conditions it fell under.

    * * *

    “Master Kenobi!” Ahsoka shouted as the general meeting ended, and the Jedi Order ceased to exist in a wholly unmonumental way. Former Jedi were filing out alone or in small groups. Feeling of bewilderment was thick, but there was no fear. The Jedi Order had been allowed to die, and there was peace in that.

    Both Anakin and Obi-Wan turned around, each holding a baby. “Master Kenobi is no more. I am merely Obi-Wan.”

    “Obi-Wan.” The name felt uncomfortable in her mouth. “This peacekeeping group you were mentioning; would it be something for me?” she asked.

    “I still have to work out the details with Chancellor Organa. I honestly just got the idea in the past few days when it really looked like the Jedi Order was going to end. But you,” Obi-Wan turned to Anakin. “Both of you, actually, would be great assets. I’m hoping I can get many of the clones on board too. It would be a nice transition for many of them.”

    “Of course,” Ahsoka said, clearly eager.

    “And you?” Obi-Wan asked Anakin.

    “It’s sounds great,” he said with a sigh. “But I’ve got these two to look after,” he said, gesturing to Luke and Leia. “How they managed to sleep this long, I’m not sure, but I’ll be paying for it tonight,” that came out as a light chuckle.

    “Why don’t you stay on Coruscant for awhile?” Obi-Wan asked. “I love these guys,” he said as he gently brushed Leia’s hair. “You can help me, but not be committed to anything full-time.”

    “Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Anakin said, shaking his head.
     
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  25. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Awesome update! I like how you have created an alternative option for the Jedi order. It must be tremendously hard to rethink the way things have been done for generations, but if you consider how insidiously the evil took root - well, it had a lot of already overgrown vines to cling to. The blind adherence to tradition because that's how we've always done it makes it easier to slither in and destroy everything. These Jedi were wise to realize that a major change is the only way to heal what remains.



    Plus the babies are adorable and Anakin is a wonderful father.
     
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