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Chapter Text

"Will I ever see you again?"

"What does your heart tell you?"

"I think so... Yes, I guess."

"Then we will see each other again. Now be brave, and don't look back, don't look back."

Those last moments Shmi had with her son have haunted her ceaselessly since the moment she watched him leave with the Jedi, to a better life. It's only been days, and every time she comes home at night, everywhere she looks, she's expecting to see Anakin there, but he's gone.

Gone to a better life, to something she could never have, and no matter how much it hurts every second, how much it feels like the only light her life ever had was just ripped away, she'll always be happy for him, glad that he's gone to something better. No matter how many nights all she can do is stare up at the empty ceiling of their hut, unable to stop – and not even trying to – the tears that come.

She misses him so much. She hardly remembers her own parents anymore, with how long ago she lost them. Anakin coming was... entirely unexpected and she'll never understand how it happened, but he was a gift that she treasured every moment she had him. Even if every second she remembers him is an agony in and of itself. But it's still the only happy time of her life that she truly has to remember.

But he's free, and that's what matters most. And maybe one day, he really will come back to free them.

Even if way in her heart, Shmi silently doubts that day is actually going to come. She gave up hoping for freedom years ago. It doesn't feel like something that ever could happen, not realistically. She knows how life is, the hardest side of it, and how likely it truly is that anyone escapes from this.

Anakin said they would see each other again and she knows his instincts are special, something that she can trust to happen. But still, their goodbye felt final. It was a certain feeling of finality, just like when she watched her father sold years ago, knowing there was a chance they could see each other again logically, but in her heart, she knew it was over.

It's the same way she feels now, even if she thinks they'll see each other again, just once. She doesn't really know what that will mean, though.

It's long dark now, another night entirely alone in their hut that Shmi goes to sit in Anakin's now empty room, and just... stay there for a while. Soaking in whatever is left of him. Half his mess he left behind and she hasn't touched it. Doesn't want to. She wants to keep all of it, even if that won't be realistic forever.

All she wants is to be with Anakin, and it's with that yearning in mind that she starts to doze off, even while sitting up. She's always exhausted, and this time it's to the point that she's only half aware of the slight shift in energy around her, the way the air is growing steadily more staticky before something surges around her.

Shmi jolts fully awake, halfway to her feet as the world around her is suddenly being re-written. It all happens so fast that she hardly has time to register it while it's happening, but suddenly, instead of being in Anakin's room on Tatooine, she's... standing somewhere else entirely?

She's seen inside of ships in space before, like when they were taken to Tatooine, and she's on one right now. She's standing on the bridge of a ship, and it must be enormous, because the ceiling towers far over her, and on either side of the bridge she's standing on, it drops down to a level below, where people are working at various controls.

Large viewports cover the wall in front of her, revealing the gaping emptiness of the space beyond.

Well, mostly emptiness because she can see other ships flying around far beyond, and asteroids far in the distance.

But the person who catches her attention most of all is the black, armored figure with a long cape standing at the front of the bridge. He turns sharply to face her, the mask expressionless but she doesn't need to see his face to be able to tell that he's staring at her, frozen.

It's not like she has any more of an idea what just happened. Her first thought would be that she's dreaming, but whatever kind of ship this is, isn't something she's ever seen before. She couldn't be imagining it so vividly.

This is real, and she has absolutely no idea how she got here. But Anakin's appearance in her life made even less sense than this, so she's maybe not quite as taken aback as she should be.

Except that she still has a bomb inside of her and if Watto realizes she's missing, that could be very bad. Seeing people explode and die in front of her is commonplace, but that doesn't mean she's no longer sensitive to it, that she doesn't care. That doesn't mean she didn't constantly fear that it could happen to Anakin one day, or to her and that she'd leave him entirely alone. Though, she shouldn't be able to be way out of range in the first place, so...

First off, she needs to figure out where she is, no matter how uncomfortable she's feeling at approaching any of these people. It must be the... Republic military? Or something.

People she doubts she can trust and is very wary about getting any form of attention from but considering that everyone on board is gaping at her in total confusion like she just appeared from thin air, that... is presumably what just happened, and they'll probably have no more of an idea what's going on than she does.

"Where is this?" Shmi asks, looking around, her voice feeling much too loud in the mostly quiet room of frozen people.

Most everyone's gazes dart between her and the armored figure, which she takes to mean he must be in control.

His respirator cycles several times, almost long enough that she thinks she isn't going to get an answer before he takes a step towards her. "You are on board the Executor," he replies, voice strangely mechanical.

That... is quite the name, and it only makes her more wary about what kind of people these are. "Are you... Republic?" Shmi guesses.

Why is everyone staring at her like she just sprouted horns?

He pauses again. "No. We will... speak elsewhere." The helmet turns to look at their audience. "Return to your stations," he orders, and everyone scrambles to get back to work, though they throw a few more curious glances in her direction as she follows the armored figure out the doors at the far end of the bridge.

The hallway is grey and lifeless, with no signs of life. They're alone out here. Though being around only one person is far more comfortable than stuck in an entire room of people who aren't slaves like her. (Especially men.)

"How are you here?" the cyborg asks, something confused and shocked in his voice at once, even if the tone is hard to interpret through the vocoder.

Does he know her? That could be either good or very bad, depending on who he is. "I don't know," Shmi replies, "I was – I just appeared here. I can't explain what happened."

"The Republic exists no longer," he answers, finally, "It has been over twenty years since it fell."

Shmi's blood runs cold. "What?" she asks, faintly. That doesn't make any sense.

"You are... from the past. You should not be here."

What?! For a panicked second, she had wondered that, but still none of this makes sense. How is the Republic gone? Not that she knows much about it, but as far as she's known, it's existed for almost a thousand years. Not that that's her top concern right now, because if she suddenly got transported over twenty years into the future, that means –

Force.

Anakin.

Where is he? What's been happening to him? What's – "Do you know me?" she asks, momentarily staving off on the most important questions.

He's quiet for an almost agonizingly long pause. "Once."

So he did know her. She can't think of who he could be – any slave she once met, or even... But somehow, her first thought isn't really that he's a slaver. "Who are you?"

"Vader."

The name draws up blanks. "I don't remember," she admits. He probably wasn't a cyborg when she knew him. It was also over twenty years ago. Wait. If she's in the future, has she even met him from the time she's from? How does that even work?

Vader twitches slightly, saying nothing.

"I don't understand how this happened. I wasn't... doing anything when it did." She has to get back to the past, to find Anakin. How will he ever see heragain if she isn't there?

"The disturbance in the Force was great," Vader replies, "I have seen nothing like this before."

The Force.

That means – Her hope flares, instantly. "Are you a Jedi?"

"No." The reply is curt, and it feels like it's carrying a million layers of... something she can't make sense of.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," she begins, uncertain how to approach this because you can't just ask people for things, most of the time. Not without them expecting something in return. At least not unless they're also slaves, and she doesn't know these people at all, even if something about Vader feels familiar in a way she can't place. "Could you have someone bring me to the Jedi on Coruscant when you have time? They might have an answer to what happened."

Or so she can hope, but either way, Anakin should be there. And he'd be over thirty by now. Moments ago, he was just a little child. She can't even imagine it. It hurts in some cutting way she can't even describe, to miss so many years of his life even if she expected it, but at least she might have the chance to see him again.

Vader pauses again. "The Jedi are gone," he replies, "They betrayed the Republic, and most were destroyed, before the Empire formed."

... What?

That doesn't make sense. How could the Jedi be gone? And what does that mean for Anakin? These people must be part of the Empire, whatever helped destroy the Jedi. What happened to her son?!

He can't be – No, she refuses to believe that he's gone. He can't be. She can't accept that. She can't. If anyone could survive whatever happened, her Ani could. But she can't even – she can't bring herself to ask what happened to him. Vader might not even know.

But this leaves her floundering entirely, with no idea what to do now. Someone's told her what to do her entire life. There was never a question of what to do next. It always revolved around what her master wanted and Anakin, and she... doesn't have either right now.

"So long as you remain here, you will have a room and whatever you require," Vader says, almost as though reading her unasked questions. If he has the Force, maybe he can.

"I don't mean to trouble you –"

"It is no trouble. There is nowhere else safer for you," he replies, with a surprising amount of firmness. She doesn't know what to make of that.

"... Thank you," Shmi offers, scrambling for something to say. That attitude is strange and confusing. She doesn't know what to make of it.

"I will have a room prepared for your stay immediately. You may move wherever you desire on the ship. I will not allow anyone to trouble you."

... This is getting even stranger with each passing moment. But she really does want that private room right now. She needs a moment – more like many moments – to process everything that just happened.

***

Vader has never been so confused in his life. He can't stop reaching out with the Force, touching Shmi's presence to make sure that she's really real and somehow, she is. Somehow, Anakin's mother was transported here from the past, and he has no idea what to think of that.

For years now, he's grieved her loss. It was then he swore that he would never be too weak again. That he promised himself whatever it took, he would be enough to save people and he – he still failed, and he destroyed so much, and he –

What would she think of him now if she knew who he was? He's not her Anakin though, not truly. Anakin died years ago. The shadow that Vader is now is everything his mother would have disapproved of, and he can't even – he can't imagine facing whatever he would if she knew who he was.

Even if he can't truly imagine his mother ever... turning against him. Not her, even if everyone else he ever knew did. That doesn't stop the all-out, overwhelming shame that's drowning him as he sits alone in his meditation pod, struggling to gain some semblance of control over his raging emotions.

Except, he doesn't even have time for that, before Piett comes to inform him that Sidious is calling.

Whatever happens, he cannot allow Sidious to hear any word of this, any more than he can let his master know what he's pursuing Luke for. He should be on the Falcon, the ship they're chasing right now.

First, he finds out he has a son, and then his mother is brought back from the past, from the dead. He doesn't know what to even make of that, except that it's awakening a long-dead hope inside of him that – that he may not have to spend the rest of his life entirely alone. (Provided Luke or Shmi even want to look at him, once they know what he is. It's not as if he would deserve any less. He betrayed everything Shmi taught him, too.)

Banishing those thoughts from mind as much as he can, Vader heads to the room where Sidious' hologram is already waiting.

"There is a great disturbance in the Force," Sidious rasps, once Vader is kneeling in front of him.

He doesn't mean Shmi – No, it's probably Luke he means. Not that that's much better. "I have felt it," he acknowledges, obediently.

"We have a new enemy. The young rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."

How does Sidious know that? He shouldn't – Vader never let that information slip to anyone. "How is that possible?" He wants to know that for multiple reasons because it shouldn't be possible.

If Sidious knows what he's thinking, it's as impossible to tell as ever. "Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You know it to be true. He could destroy us."

Vader already knows what Sidious is going to demand next, and he can't – he can't hurt him, no matter if he's their enemy. He's still Vader's child. "He is just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him."

"The Force is strong with him. The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi."

It's a risk, but he has to ask, to play this just right. "If he could be turned, he would become a powerful ally."

"Yes," Sidious muses, but Vader doesn't feel any true relief at the agreement. There's always so much more to his master's words, and he doesn't know how much he's seeing, this time. "He would be a great asset. Can it be done?"

"He will join us or die, my master," Vader promises, unwilling to let his mind drift past any falseness in those words. (Though death would be better, than leaving Luke in Sidious' hands if he won't Fall.)

"Very well," Sidious agrees, studying him for a long pause, "And there has been another, more recent disturbance as though the fabric of the Force itself was torn apart."

He knows? Vader tries to tamp down on his instant surge of fear. Probably, all trained Force sensitives across the galaxy felt a disturbance that massive. "I have sensed it," he acknowledges.

"It is centered close to you. Have you discovered what caused this?"

"No, my master," he answers, carefully. It's true to a point. He has no idea what brought Shmi here.

"Discover it. And find the boy," Sidious orders, before the hologram flickers off, leaving Vader feeling even more unsettled than he was before.

If he can get to Luke, maybe –

If Sidious is genuinely afraid Luke can overthrow him, that must mean there's a genuine chance that he can. That maybe this is the chance Vader never realized he was waiting for, because he gave up hope for any freedom from Sidious long ago. (After Jabi'im and Malachor.)

And with his mother here too, perhaps this truly is what he's been waiting for. Perhaps it's even a sign from the Force that it's the right time to make a move.

Maybe he could even appoint his mother as Empress in Sidious' stead. She may know nothing of politics, but she would be the kind of leader the galaxy needs. Her and Luke both, and Vader can... enforce their will, as he always has with his master.

But first, he needs to find Luke.

And he's becoming steadily less impressed with the men's hopeless incompetence in tracking a ship, especially when they lose all traces of it entirely.

He might've lashed out once when Captain Needa comes to tell him the report in person, that they just lost Luke entirely, but something holds him back.

He can't shake that overwhelming, smothering guilt and shame that have been keeping him just as heavily in the Dark Side as he has been this entire time, but the thought of harming anyone – no matter how deserving – when Shmi is right on board stops him cold.

He... can't, and so he drops it, despite his growing frustration and desperation – and the wild panic at the knowledge that if he isn't fast enough, he might lose Luke and who knows what Sidious will do to Luke if he gets to him first. Not to mention that this is Vader's only chance at anything other than his master – and grimly settles back to wait for any further reports from the bounty hunters he called in.

***

Even some hours later, Shmi is still in shock over what happened. Though way inside, she can't help wondering if she ever would have seen Anakin again anyway, even if not for the time travel. Maybe this is the only chance she'd have at seeing him again – not that she has any idea where to start looking. Perhaps she should bring up the topic with Vader, as afraid as she is about hearing the answer.

Leaving her surprisingly nice quarters – she's never had any space this big before – she tries to make her way through the ship halls back to the bridge. Yes, she's been given permission to move freely but it's still making her increasingly uncomfortable because she doesn't really know how far that invitation extends. She doesn't want to push it and outwear her strange welcome. If she didn't want answers so much, she'd be tempted to just wait in her room entirely until Vader came by again.

Assuming he would. She doesn't really know if her presence here is a burden to him, something he doesn't really want, even if he was being very cordial about it. It's not like she has anything to offer him if she isn't – if she's free here. Is she? He certainly hasn't implied otherwise, but it's something she can't truly fathom.

Though there's something oddly familiar about him that she can't place.

Several people pause in halls to shoot glances at her, but one of them in particular catches her attention. He's an officer based on his uniform, and the way he's looking at her is distinctly unsettling.

There's something calculating, assessing, that she's seen on slavers before. He says nothing to her, though, so she picks up the pace, moving more quickly through the halls, though she's beginning to feel more and more lost.

Until she runs right into one of the people she remembers seeing previously on the bridge.

"May I assist you in any way, ma'am?" he asks, almost awkwardly.

"I don't mean to trouble you," she assures, "Is... Vader available?"

His expression twitches slightly. She can practically see the million questions spinning around his head, probably wondering who she is and what's with her and Vader. She's wondering that, too. "I will let him know you're asking for him."

Shmi opts to return to her room to wait after that, because it's far more comfortable to stay there than wander around the ship, risking getting in people's way. Hopefully, Vader won't be annoyed at her calling him out here, though she... doesn't really think so. It's an instinctive thing to expect anyway when she doesn't know if she's dealing with another slave or not.

It's not long before he shows up though, lingering in the doorway almost as though he's also uncomfortable. "You asked for me?" he inquires.

She's heard people address him as 'Lord' but he doesn't talk to her as though he's in control of something. Or of her. It doesn't make sense, unless...

"If it's not a problem," she begins.

"It is not," he answers, with a strange amount of fierceness, "If you ever desire my presence or... something from me, ask."

... She definitely doesn't need to worry about him being one of those freeborns. That level of generosity borders on something more like servitude, and... She'd wonder if he was a slave if everyone on the ship didn't seem to be under him. "When you told me about what happened to the Jedi earlier, do you know what happened to... Anakin Skywalker?" She practically holds her breath, waiting.

Vader twitches again. "He is... lost," the cyborg answers, haltingly, "But his son lives."

What?!

Anakin had a child?!

But he's gone, dead. Unless Vader has wrong information. The wave of grief is sharp and cutting, nearly overwhelming, even if a part of her still stubbornly disbelieves it. Years ago, she spoke to one of the... elders on Nal Hutta, after Anakin's birth, questioning how it could've happened. She was told Anakin could stay with her and help the slaves or he could leave and help the galaxy – and he left, and she can't believe he's gone unless he's already fulfilled his dreams. And it's far too young for him to be dead. (Or maybe, this is just her desperately clinging to a hope she already knows will be shattered.)

Focusing on the rest of what Vader said instead is easier. "He had a son?"

"Yes. Luke Skywalker. I am searching for him now."

"Why? Where is he?" She has a grandchild, and that – Maybe she can at least find him. Force, she can't imagine her little Ani being a father already.

"A rebellion is ripping apart all peace and order in the galaxy. He has been... misled into joining it, but I will find him."

That explains why they seemed to be pursuing ships when they first appeared. But fighting her grandson? That – she has no idea what he's like, but he must have a lot of Anakin in him, and would he fight against the Empire needlessly? After Tatooine, she's not overly fond of that term even if Jabba didn't really have a real government. She... doesn't really know what to make of this, so she'll refrain from judging the situation at all until she has more information. "What do you want with him?"

"I will convince him to join us and teach him the Dark Side. Together, he and I will be strong enough to overthrow the Emperor, and you and Luke may rule the galaxy alongside each other in his stead."

Wait, wait – What?! Vader's asking her to rule the galaxy. He's not joking, either. She can't even believe the direction this conversation is taking. And why would he want to have her and Luke in charge, if he could just take that power himself? Something isn't adding up here because it clearly means he doesn't want that position? Which is odd if he's trying to overthrow the Emperor in the first place.

"You don't want to... rule?" she asks because she certainly doesn't. She wouldn't even know what that would entail.

"No. I have... no experience in that regard. I will enforce order for you, as I have for the Emperor." He sounds hopeful, desperate even, despite the otherwise tonelessness of his voice.

And suddenly she has the very distinct feeling that he is a slave. Like some of the majordomos on Tatooine who are nearly always slaves, too. That they have people under their command doesn't make them any less slaves. Often, they tend to be the most broken of all and suddenly the way he's been acting towards her makes so much sense.

Except for the part where he seems to want her to be in charge of him.

"I don't have any experience in that regard," she says, opting to address that point first. "Does Luke?"

"I... do not know but I find it unlikely," he replies, "But you can learn."

He's definitely desperate for some reason. "Why do you want to overthrow the Emperor?" Maybe she's right about her speculation that the Empire isn't so good, if it has such a strong rebellion against it.

"He is... harming the galaxy, instead of bringing order as he promised."

Something about the tone feels far more personal than just that, but it pretty much confirms Shmi's suspicions. "Why do you want Luke, in particular, to help you?"

Vader hesitates. "The Emperor fears his power. He would not, if Luke did not have the potential to defeat him."

"You work closely under the Emperor?"

Another pause. "Yes."

She considers an actually sensitive way to ask what she's wondering. Likely, he won't want to confirm it, anyway. "You're not happy under him," she states, more than asks. That much is obvious.

Vader shifts, hesitantly momentarily. "He is... often harsh."

Just like she suspected. "If you need my help to free yourself, you will have it," she promises, softly, "If I could speak to Luke –" She's sure he would agree, too.

He twitches again. "I am not a slave," he objects.

He doesn't sound like he believes his own words. Shmi doesn't believe him, either.

But she knows that he needs her help, whoever exactly he is, and she's going to give it. And maybe along the way, she can find her grandson, and... hope to confirm that Anakin is actually still alive. Even if she knows she shouldn't cling to such futile hope, but often, all they've ever had is hope. Maybe she gave up on hoping for herself, but she never stopped hoping for something better for Anakin.

"I'll still help you," she replies,

Vader doesn't reply. He doesn't seem sure how to.

But she's glad she finally has some direction on what to do next. She'll worry about after – and the whole thing about being made Empress, which is admittedly terrifying – later, when it becomes a problem. It's more than enough already that she's never been free before and she's still trying to figure out what that means and how to handle it.

Chapter Text

The conversation with Shmi is still ringing in Vader's mind as he lands on Bespin, only to uncover the very illegal operation being conducted there.

Normally he would deal with this the way he always does – it's not truly any different than the things he did as a Jedi, in this instance.

But he –

He can't shake the tiny whisper in his mind of what have you become? The – everything he's done, no matter the reason, is haunting him ceaselessly now, from the moment he first saw Shmi on board that ship. This isn't what she wanted for him, what he left her to become, and he – He's never loathed himself quite as much as he does now.

It's just even harder to use it to fuel himself right now, but that automatically makes him even more afraid of what will happen if Sidious realizes that he's not being as competent as he ought to be. Whether or not he wants to do what he is has always been immaterial. Even as a Jedi. He has to do what's demanded of him, whether he likes it or not. He and Sidious have a conversation any time he makes a mistake, and it's enough for him to never forget.

Even thinking about betraying his master – which he is – floods him with overwhelming fear, the thing that's fueled him the strongest all these years. He's even more afraid of something going wrong now because of what it could mean for Shmi and Luke.

All he can do now on Bespin is... what he always has, no matter how much the shame is smothering him. Especially when Shmi is lurking nearby, watching.

Though Lando Calrissian immediately scrambles to make a deal with the Empire in the hopes that it will keep them out of his operation. The Falcon is coming in to land for whatever reason, and it's the perfect trap to catch them in. This is a deal that Vader will respect, so long as Lando holds up his end, which he... genuinely doubts will remain true. And so long as Sidious doesn't demand Vader do something differently.

Boba approaches him – it was because of him they tracked the Falcon'strajectory in the first place – asking for permission to take Solo to the Hutts for some other bounty.

Solo probably has little information on the Rebellion, and turning him over to Boba would be –

But seeing his mother again, he can't stop thinking about those days they were together. He was a slave then, but he also with the one person he knew would never leave him. Not back then, at least. He doesn't know what she'd think of him now. And he can't... just turn someone over to the Hutts, knowing what they'll probably do, though it's not like the criminal's fate with the Empire will be much better. But it's different for the Hutts. What they're doing is still injustice, no matter if Solo is a criminal himself.

"We will discuss this later, once matters here are... settled," Vader tells him.

Boba isn't overly happy, but he returns to waiting, as does Vader.

Until he senses as much as sees Shmi quietly approaching from behind him.

"Do you have time?" she asks, after a moment where they just... look at each other.

"Yes." He could never say no to that, to anything she asked him.

"I don't know where you... grew up," Shmi begins. She seems almost uncomfortable sometimes around him, and he has no idea how to feel about that. It just makes him feel sick and hate himself more than he already does. "But on Tatooine, we... have a legend."

Vader stills entirely; somehow, he knows what she's about to say, even before she says it.

"It's a legend of a... sun dragon." His breath would've frozen in his throat if he were capable of controlling his own breathing. It's not as if he could have forgotten that legend, the one his mother told to him so frequently before he went to sleep at night. That legend that guided so much of what he did, until – until he became what he is now, and everything of Anakin's life is buried under fire and ash.

"The sun dragon is a beast that lives inside a star, guarding everything it treasures. Nothing could hurt it. Not fire, not flame. It survived through the most impossible circumstances, even life in the core of a star. Because the sun-dragon had the biggest heart in the galaxy, a burning furnace powerful enough to protect everything and everyone it loved."

Once he had believed that unquestionably, that he could at least try to be strong enough. That he could –

But he's nothing like who he once was, then. It feels like a lifetime of another, but hearing those familiar words cuts to his core more sharply than anything even could.

The last time he remembers actually crying was Jabi'im – he wanted to after Malachor, but that had hurt too much to even... anything – but he can't stop the tears burning his eyes now. Doesn't even bother to try, though the respirator will forcibly regulate his breathing again in minutes, anyway.

He wants it all to stop, wants to be free of this, wants to –

The Dark Side might give him power that he never had as Anakin, but at least Anakin had an excuse of a family. He has nothing, no one left to protect.

Except now Shmi. And Luke. But...

It catches him entirely off-guard when she reaches forwards, fingers almost uncertainly touching his arm. Almost as though she can sense how he's feeling. And she's... offering him comfort much like she would have unquestioningly years ago, and it only makes not crying even harder.

"Why do you tell me this?" he inquires – the vocoder makes his voice sound far more stable than it is.

"So that whatever happens from here, you can find the strength to fight back," she replies, a hint of sadness in her dark eyes, "I understand how easy it is to... break, especially when you have nothing left. I understand how... doing as the Emperor instructs can be the only way out, but that doesn't mean you can't be more than what he's been trying to make you into."

It's – she's telling it to him as a remainder, a way to help him resist Sidious, and maybe for the first time, it doesn't feel quite so hopeless anymore. He's been daring to hope that he'll be able to break away from his master, but it was more of an overwhelming desperate obsession, a way to make sure Sidious doesn't kill the boy before they have a chance to... anything, really. But – but this...

He has no idea why Shmi would believe anything good about him, but maybe if she does, maybe there's still... something good he's capable of doing, even if it's hard to imagine. Obi-Wan didn't believe there was anything left of him to save, and he doesn't understand how his former master could be wrong, but Shmi is – It was so often memories of her that Anakin turned to, when he... needed support, and if she's saying this, he – He doesn't even know what to think, anymore.

"Thank you," he tells her, though not even that can begin to express how he's feeling about any of it.

She nods, gaze darting away from him briefly, to the surrounding halls. "What's happening here?"

"Some of Luke's rebel... friends have shown up. With their capture, he will be lured out here, as well." He can't shake the uncomfortable feeling at telling her that, but she asked. He can't not tell her.

He doesn't think she's very happy by it, either. "How would he know to come here?"

"He will sense it, in the Force." Eventually, at least.

"Would you be willing to let me talk to them?" Shmi inquires, "There might be a less... hostile way we can handle this."

Vader blinks, the request taking him entirely by surprise. He didn't expect her to offer to help. He was planning to do everything for her. "I do not believe they would be willing to negotiate."

"But there might be a chance. If they're Luke's friends, then they must be here for a reason. He must trust them. If they knew my identity, perhaps I could try to arrange something."

She's... not wrong about Luke's friends, even if Vader's still wary. "Telling them could be a greater risk of the Emperor hearing of it, but you may speak with them if you desire."

She seems relieved, and if this is going to make her any less disappointed in what he is – though, she hasn't shown any disgust or disappointment, and he doesn't know what to think of that – he's more than willing to let her.

He doesn't think anything will go wrong from this, particularly, but something isn't right. Vader just can't quite place what it is. But something's...

Wrong.

***

Clearly, all of Shmi's assumptions of what Vader is like were fairly accurate, from how he reacted to the sun dragon story. She... didn't quite expect it to upset him so much, which makes her wonder if it's something he's heard before.

It was something she truly believed about Anakin once – seeing the strength in his heart was hardly difficult – and that's part of why she can't imagine that he's just gone. But right now, all she can do is try to find his son.

The area the rebels are being held in isn't the most pleasant looking, but it's not actually a prison cell, either.

Vader escorts her to one of the rooms first, though he lets her go in alone.

The girl inside – Princess Leia Organa, Vader had told her – can't be much over twenty, with dark hair and eyes that strikes Shmi as almost eerily familiar. As though she's looking at younger reflection of herself. Even some of her facial features have similarities. And there's something about how she feels...Shmi doesn't really know what to think of it.

Leia straightens when she enters, something steeling in her gaze.

Why does that fierce stubbornness, childish with her age, remind Shmi so much of Anakin for a moment? And of what she envisioned him being like when he was older?

"What do you want?" she demands, though her gaze darts to Shmi's casual attire. It probably looks glaringly out of place here.

"I'm not here to question you," she says, keeping her tone soothing. She's never done anything like this before and doesn't really have any idea what she's doing, but she's not acting officially. This is for Anakin. And for her grandson. And Vader. "I'm not here on behalf of the Empire, at all."

Leia wavers, for just a moment. "Then how are you here? Did Lando send you?"

"No. It's more... complicated than that. I'm here because of Luke."

Surprise flashes through her eyes, quickly mingled with worry. "What about him? I don't know where he is if that's what you're hoping to find out."

"Let me explain," Shmi requests, "I wouldn't expect you to tell me where he is, even if you did know. But I'm his... relative, and I would like to find him. I believe this is something he would like to know."

"Relative?" Leia repeats, almost disbelieving, "He told me all his relatives were dead."

"I'm his grandmother. He has reason to think I'm dead."

Something shifts a little in the girl's expression, softening the slightest bit, even if she's still obviously wary. "How did you end up here, then? Did the Empire... pick you up somewhere?"

Does she know that Shmi is – used to be? – a slave? It almost seems like she might, from the slight change in her tone. Leia and Luke must be close, then. "Yes," Shmi allows, "But I don't believe it's what you're thinking."

"You're not... enslaved, then?" Leia asks, uncertainly.

"Not – No." She's going to have to be blunt about it, or Leia will never trust her, even if she's afraid this could ruin all attempts at finding Luke, if she's not careful about it. "But I'm not working for the Empire, either. There's someone high up in Imperial ranks who's offering a chance at eliminating the Emperor now. But Luke is the only Jedi who can help." She doesn't like the thought of him being in danger like that, but it's already apparent that this isn't something Vader can do alone, or he already would have. And if the Emperor is already trying to kill Luke regardless, then –

"And you trust this Imperial?" Leia asks, something assessing in her gaze.

Shmi can't tell if she believes her. "Yes." Even if she has no idea why.

"Saying that I believe you, I still don't know where Luke is. And I think before I even entertain trying to contact him, I deserve a more detailed explanation on this plan, because it sounds... lousy right now, no offense. Who is this Imperial?"

She takes a deep breath. "Vader."

Leia blinks, just staring at her. "Vader? You trust that he is intending to overthrow the Emperor? You trust what he wants with your... grandson?"

She doesn't even know why she knows this so firmly, but she does. She looks up to hold Leia's gaze, despite how uneasy that gesture still makes her. Looking people in the eye is a sign of defiance, and she's long ago learned to avoid those. "Yes, I do. He is... not what he might appear he is if you're actually looking. He is... far more trapped here than I ever have been. He doesn't want to be here."

Some of the steel fades a little from the girl's gaze. Why does she look and act so familiar? "I've wondered," she admits, "I thought I could... see that on him sometimes."

"He won't be able to leave, unless someone... helps him," Shmi says. "Luke may be able to. Perhaps, even you could."

"I... don't know. Can I have some time to think about it?" Leia asks.

"Yes, of course," she agrees.

"And can you let me speak with my friends?"

"I will... ask him." She doesn't think Vader will refuse, though.

Shmi turns to go, but Leia's voice stops her. "I don't know what your... relationship with Vader is," she says, "And I don't know if you already know this, but if you're working closely with him and planning to bring Luke here, I think you at least ought to know this."

She doesn't know why that suddenly makes her uneasy. "What?"

"Luke told me once that Vader... killed his father. I don't know anything about why or what happened. I don't know if he was your son or son-in-law, and I'm not trying to change your mind on your alliance, but if you don't know, I think it's your right to."

Shmi freezes.

He – they – did – what –

Vader killed Anakin?! But that – that's – Wouldn't he have told her if that was true? She'd specifically asked about Anakin, and he – He hadn't really given any specifics, actually.

But that doesn't... She feels too frozen to truly process the implications. And if there's confirmation of that, does it mean her Ani really is dead? Is he –

She needs answers. She has to know. Has to –

It doesn't change that Vader is still a slave, that he still needs her help.

But she doesn't even –

She feels like she can scarcely breathe suddenly, from the denial and grief and questions that are suddenly choking her. She doesn't have the mind to say anything else to Leia before backing out of the room.

***

Vader doesn't know what's happening in the room, but he senses Shmi's sudden sharp flare of emotion, of grief and confusion, and he doesn't have a good feeling about it.

"Are you well?" he asks when she steps out.

She shakes her head, looking almost breathless, expression tight. He waits, awkwardly giving her a few moments to collect herself.

"What happened to Anakin?" she asks finally, faintly. "Was it you who..."

Vader still completely. He – that –

He didn't want her to know anything about this, but he can't tell her yes, even if it's true. She won't understand what he means, and when he can feel her grief... well, it probably won't be much less if she knows who he was once. Anakin was good, or tried to be, Vader is nothing like that. But – He has no idea how to tell her that.

"I... destroyed the person Anakin used to be. He is... gone." (Is he, though? Shmi told him he can be better, was trying to encourage him of that, and...)

Shmi stares at him for a long pause, confusion fading to shock and realization. "Ani?" she asks, faintly.

When was the last time someone called him that name?

"Yes," he replies, quietly.

"You – you're alive," she breathes, and he has no idea why that's the first thing she cares about – yes, he does, because this is Shmi, not... those of family from later – but it floods him with guilt for not assuring her of this already.

He's not fully expecting her to abruptly step forwards, wrapping her arms around him, but he catches her, holding her tightly. He wishes he could actually feel it, wishes he was still small enough for her to hold him the way she used to so long ago.

"Ani," she murmurs again, voice sounding suspiciously strangled, "You're here."

"I am not – what you believed I would become. I failed you," he replies, the image of her bleeding body in his arms forever engrained in his mind.

"Anakin, you didn't fail me. You never could," she answers, firmly.

But he can't even begin to accept that promise. "I did. You do not know what happened. I promised I would return to free you, and I – I failed. I came too late, and I could not save you in time."

It doesn't make him feel any better that all he sees is in her eyes is a strange sense of acceptance. "I sent you away so you would be free, Anakin," she tells him, "If you weren't able to make it back, you know I would never fault you for that. You cannot stop change any more than you can stop the sun from setting, and if it was my... time, there would not be anything you could do. I have no doubt that you did the best you could have."

Vader's hand lingers on her shoulder, trying not to grip too tightly, but he's struck with the overwhelming fear of how easily he could lose her again. "But I was still too late," he protests, "I promised I would never fail to... protect anyone again, but I did. I destroyed everything. I –" am a monster,he doesn't finish. And now, he almost wants to cry again.

She touches his arm, and he can vaguely remember the feel of her gentle touch from another lifetime, even if he can't feel it now. "What happened?" she asks, "After I sent you away? Where I was from, you just left. I thought you would be safe. What happened?" Now he can feel her own pain and guilt – as though she would have something to feel guilty for. She always did what she thought was best for him.

He doesn't even know how to begin answering that. He lived almost his entire life without her, after all.

"Qui-Gon was lost on... Naboo," Vader replies, thinking back to that moment so long ago, "And I was trained by his... apprentice instead. He and the Council believed I was too dangerous to be trained, but in the end they... agreed."

He doesn't want to linger on the topic of Obi-Wan, on the – Everything between them. He can never forget Mustafar, or Jabi'im, though not any more than he can forget the moment he cut him down on the Death Star, forever.

"Why would they have ever said that?" Shmi demands, a hint of indignation in her tone. "You were a child then, Anakin."

"Perhaps they knew what I would become, I do not know."

"Stop... judging yourself," she says, but it's somehow gentle, "It does not help. Your guilt does not define who you are. And I know you're not... free."

He doesn't argue the point – there isn't really a reason because she won't accept it. "I... did not fit in at the Temple," he goes, after a pause, "The... Chancellor took interest in me, and I... trusted him. I did not realize until later that he was a Sith. He is my... master now."

"They had you meeting with the Chancellor when you were a child?" she repeats.

"Yes. It was... useful to them, and he was the only one who... desired to be around me. I would have been upset had they refused."

There's so much more he could say, about Obi-Wan, about Padme, even about his boys, and Ahsoka – Shmi would have adored Ahsoka. But she's gone now. He doesn't know where Ahsoka is. All he knows is that she survived Malachor.

But what matters most is how things came to this point. "I had an... apprentice," he goes on, finally, "She was accused of treason during the war that broke out after your death, and... nearly executed. The Council had her thrown out of the Order without truly investigating the case, because the Senate asked them to. I could not... believe in them after that."

He pauses a moment, before continuing when she doesn't speak. "It was less than a year later when Palpatine told me that the Jedi were going to commit treason and forcibly take control of the Republic. I was also having visions of... Luke's mother's death. Padme. You... met her."

"Yes," Shmi confirms, faintly.

"It was against what the Jedi taught for me to be close to her, but we... were." Or at least, he was. He still doesn't know how much he ever meant to her. She brought Obi-Wan to kill him, after all, after everything that he did for her. "I feared that she would die in childbirth, along with the child. I... expected it to be a girl. Chose a name for one. Padme believed it would be a boy. In the end, she was right." He still remembers how happy he had been back then. And even if Luke wasn't the child he was expecting, that doesn't mean he isn't his child, doesn't mean he doesn't care for him fiercely already, though he doesn't even know him yet.

Shmi's expression twitches slightly, at that. "But you weren't there when Luke was born?"

"No." He'll get to that later. Not... yet.

"What name did you chose for... the girl?"

Why is she asking? "Leia. Based off the... legends."

Shock flickers across her face, for some reason.

"What is it?" he inquires.

"It's something I should... confirm first," she replies, almost faintly, "Go on."

"Palpatine promised to save them. I... believed him, and then the Jedi did turn against him, and attempted to take control. I had to choose between them and standing with my... family and the Republic. I... became a Sith. I did not realize what Palpatine was until it was too late." Truthfully, Palpatine and Sidious don't even feel the same.

"I... understand why you Fell," she says, softly, "I never imagined it would be so hard for you, after you left. I thought the Jedi would take care of you."

His bitterness over – all of that are warring with him just as much as his own anger at himself. He doesn't even know what to say to her. Of course, she would be... understanding about it, but –

"This... suit," she begins, after a long pause, "Can you take it off, or –"

"No. I cannot. It... is what keeps me alive."

Horror flashes across her face. "It's for life support? What happened?"

"I destroyed the Jedi, as Sidious ordered," he replies, numbly, "The one who trained me as a Jedi – Obi-Wan – came after me. He nearly killed me. Sidious found me, put me in... this."

She just looks like she's feeling increasingly sick. "And that's why he demands your loyalty so much."

"Yes."

She breaths out a long breath, fingers trailing lightly along the metal of his arm. "But didn't this Obi-Wan raise you? How could he have... done this to you?"

"I do not know, but I... deserve no less for what I have done."

"No, you don't," she retaliates, fiercely, despite how sick she seems to be feeling right now, "I don't know what the Sith or the Jedi were teaching you, but I know you always had the kindest heart when you were young, Anakin. You've been alone for years. No one has the strength to forever withstand what their masters want of them. Not when they're alone. And I know your heart is still in there as much as it ever has been, no matter what's happened. I know you can still find it, Anakin. You might have made mistakes, yes, but that doesn't mean all of it is on you, that you can't be better. And whatever happens, I will stay with you. And I'm sure Luke will say the same when we find him."

Vader has no idea what to say in the fierceness of her belief in him, belief that he himself doesn't even share. The most he can do is tug her into a tight embrace again, taking whatever comfort he truly can from it and hoping that she's right.

That there really is a chance that he can finally be away from Sidious. Because he can't keep serving his master like this, not for the things he wants Vader to keep doing. Not anymore.

Chapter Text

Shmi has no idea what to think of anything that Vader – Anakin – told her. Force, Vader is Anakin. It's no wonder there were moments that he seemed so familiar, so...

But it had seemed so impossible for him to be her Ani, with how dark and broken he seemed, that the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. That childish spark of constant energy is nearly invisible in him now.

He is so close to broken, even if she can still see the traces of that fire and determination that he always used to have when he was young. And she has absolutely no idea what happened to him.

From what he said, the Jedi obviously weren't good to him at all, and she doesn't know what to think about that. She sent him there to be safe, cared for. She looked up to the Jedi, never had a reason to think they wouldn't take care of him, at least better than Watto did.

And she has no idea how much of his present mentality came from Sidious versus whatever it was like for him as a Jedi, but it couldn't have been good there if the person who raised him was willing to – to nearly kill him. She can understand this Obi-Wan's anger, if Anakin destroyed the entire Order, but that doesn't mean dealing with it like this. Not if he was his caretaker.

But regardless of the reasons, it's not something Shmi can begin to excuse. Her Ani is on life-support because of someone, and it makes her more than a little angry. He's her child, and she'd still do anything at all to protect him, no matter what it took, if she had to. And that someone would hurt him like this, and that Sidious is still hurting him –

It was something she had to grow accustomed to Tatooine, no matter how much it upset her. It was a constant part of life – she couldn't protect him from everything, even if she tried her best. But the chances of finding freedom seem far greater out here. Even if it seems so unreal, for them both to be free together, it's something she's going to try to achieve if it's truly possible. For Anakin.

Though the other thing that bothers her is that... her little Ani was willing to... kill people like that. Back on Tatooine, he would never hurt anyone. He always wanted to help people.

That wasn't something that changed until after he left Tatooine. Until after he became a Jedi, clearly if he turned on them before he'd really been a Sith long. Which means... They must've been using him as a weapon, just as much as Sidious is now.

That doesn't mean Shmi is any less grateful to Qui-Gon for freeing Anakin, especially knowing how easily Jabba could've come into possession of him after he won that race, but it doesn't seem like where Anakin ended up is any better. It's destroying him. And this is a situation she has to get him out of, no matter what it takes.

But to start with, she needs to address the other question that she desperately needs the answer to.

About Leia.

That Vader was going to name his daughter Leia is almost too convenient to be real, and Shmi goes back to talk to her as soon as she's able to recollect herself. She's in the same room as her other friends now and seems... slightly less wary than before.

"We haven't reached a decision yet," the girl says, arms crossed.

Now that Shmi's actually looking, Leia really does bear a strong resemblance to fourteen-year-old Padme. It's hard to imagine her as being Anakin's... wife. To be fair, it's still hard to imagine that he's not a little boy anymore. He's probably as old as, if not older than, she is now.

"I wasn't here to ask about that," she replies, quietly.

"Then what?"

"It's something... personal," Shmi answers, shifting uncomfortably. She doesn't really know how to approach the topic, especially if there's a chance she's wrong. But she can't not either. If Leia is who she thinks, they and Anakin have the right to know. "You were... adopted, right? I... apologize if that is a sensitive subject." Because she's pretty sure Leia's family is dead.

The girl's expression tightens, a little. "Yes. What does that matter to you?"

The only way to get anywhere will be if she's direct about it. "It may be mere coincidence, but I... question if you are related to Luke."

Leia blinks, looking entirely caught off-guard. But there's also something thoughtful in her gaze. "Why would you think that?"

"I haven't been in communication with my family here for a long time, but I... think my son may also have had a daughter named Leia. The same age as Luke."

Her expression twitches a little, eyes widening the slightest bit. "I felt a connection to him, the moment I first met him," Leia admits, after a long pause, "I don't know who my birth parents were, but... Ben Kenobi knew them. He also knew Luke."

Her heart rate picks up just a little at the words.

She doesn't recognize the name, but she's almost certain of this now. Leia might be her granddaughter. And if she is, they need to know, though Shmi has no idea why they wouldn't know it themselves. "I don't know if there's a way to confirm this –"

"I don't really think this is the place to talk about this," Leia objects, "You know, you can leave with us. We can find a way out of here, and then..."

"I... can't," Shmi replies, "Vader still needs help, and I... spoke to him about what you said about my son. It was not him who did it." She doesn't know if she should tell Leia yet who he is. Not unless they have a confirmation.

"And you believe him?"

"Yes."

"Why do you trust him so much?"

"He is in the same place... I am. If we don't trust each other, help each other, there is no one who will."

Leia looks away for a moment. "Alright. But I still don't think this is the place to discuss my identity. There's hardly the facility here to do that, regardless, and if it were true, it's not something I want the Empire knowing."

"The Empire doesn't need to know anything," Shmi assures, because it's definitely not word she wants to spread either. "I'll see if it's something I can arrange discreetly or not, if you're alright with that."

Leia huffs out a breath, but Shmi thinks her own curiosity, probably over if Luke is her real brother and if she has a living grandmother finally wins out. "Fine. I really don't think now is the time, but as long as we can do it without anyone finding out."

Shmi hopes the same thing, and she doesn't really know how genetic testing anything work, but there has to be some way they can confirm this. In the end, she finally has to briefly – without details – explain to Anakin what she wants. She doesn't want him to get his hopes yet, though she knows he has a million questions even if he doesn't press for details about her strange... inquiries.

The only way for them to actually get a testable blood sample involves using an Imperial medical droid, since Lando unsurprisingly doesn't have any such resources here. They can erase the memory when the test is over, though, so it's better than nothing.

When she gets back with the medical droid, Leia and her friends are in a living area at the facility, under watch, though it's better than the cell level. She doesn't really like seeing the security measures, but she can understand it if they're rebels. It's not like she knows all the history of the galactic conflict, after all.

"You're sure no one will find out about this?" Leia asks, a hint of apprehensiveness in her voice, though she approaches the droid without hesitation.

"We can erase the memory," Shmi assures, when the medical droid steps forwards to take the blood sample.

Leia's friends are waiting in an adjoining room for the conversation, on Leia's request. Shmi's entire attention is on the droid. She's about to find out if she's right, and she's good at being patient because she's always had to be, but the anxiety and hopefulness building inside of her are nearly overwhelming as she waits for an answer.

Finally, the droid turns to them. "Blood sample analysis complete. Results indicate the biological parents are Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala."

There's a frozen moment of absolute silence as the words sink in.

Leia is her granddaughter, Anakin's child. Luke's twin.

"I never knew any of my grandparents," Leia says faintly, first to find her voice.

"Leia," Shmi breaths, a sudden surge of emotion choking her. She can see so much of Anakin in the girl, and this is her granddaughter. She takes a step closer to her, hesitating a moment because Leia's freeborn and not like her but in the end she's still family so she reaches up to touch her shoulder.

A half-pained, half-elated smile slowly spreads across the girl's face, and Shmi's only half-expecting it when she sudden has an armful of Leia. She catches her, holding her tightly. Leia's small compared to Anakin, shorter than even Shmi is.

"Grandmother," Leia murmurs, half-sounding like she's trying out the word.

"I didn't expect to have grandchildren," she says, softly. Not ones she expected to know, anyway. Even when she was back in her own time, she didn't truly expect she and Anakin could stay with each other forever. She never wanted to think about it, just focusing on one day to the next, treasuring every moment she had with Anakin while it lasted. She definitely never let her mind wander to the notion of knowing the children he would have someday.

"This is... hard to believe," she comments, slowly pulling back, "I heard about my... biological parents in my studies when I was young. I never imagined it was them."

"There's something you need to know," Shmi begins. It's probably enough shocks for the day for Leia already – considering that she has a brother and grandmother she never knew she had – but they have to talk about this now.

She frowns. "What?"

"Your and Luke's father isn't dead."

Leia stills entirely. "What do you mean?"

"I understand that this might not be easy for you," she starts, because she doesn't really know how deep running the feelings are between the Empire and the Rebellion. But if Leia still has any biological family, Shmi doesn't know how that couldn't be more important to her than anything else. It's the only thing they truly have, at the end of the day. "And this isn't word that can spread, but he is... Vader."

Leia's just staring at her, as though entirely speechless. She probably is. She blinks a few times before taking a step back, a myriad of indescribable emotions flashing across her face. "That's why you know him so well," she says finally, voice surprisingly level but she's probably scrambling for something to say in the first place, "You're – you're his mother."

"Yes," Shmi agrees, sadly, "And that's why he wants Luke. And... you once I tell him of your identity."

Leia blinks again, looking away for a moment. "I – I don't –"

"What?" she prompts, gently.

"Why is he with the Empire?"

"He is the Emperor's slave," she replies, bluntly, "He can't leave no matter how much he wants to. We're the only ones who can help him."

She nods, looking a little breathless. "Yeah. I'll – Okay. You can tell him and – Maybe I can talk to him in person about this agreement."

Probably, she just needs a few moments to process the full enormity of this. "I will," Shmi replies, lightly squeezing the girl's shoulder, before she moves for the door. She wants to spend time with her, to actually get to know her, but first, she has to explain this to Anakin.

***

Something is still wrong, and whatever's causing the disturbance is growing stronger.

Vader can't place what it is, and if he weren't so distracted right now, he'd probably give more thought to it. But somehow, Shmi confirmed that – that Leia is his daughter. Luke's twin. He has two children, not just one. Leia.

But he has absolutely no idea how to feel about the fact that it's the same Princess Leia who he's hurt, who he – everything that he knows she's been through, because of the Empire. He hurt her. And he... rather doubts she's going to be happy to hear the news – not that he knows Luke will be, either.

But she asked to discuss this deal with him in person, and she already knows the news, so... But that doesn't mean he's quite looking forward to the conversation, as desperate as he is to... something. (To have someone care about him again. To not be so alone.)

Vader steps into the living quarters are that they're being kept in, pausing for a moment when his gaze lands on... Threepio? Pieces of him anyway. It looks too familiar to be another droid, and the Wookie is presently hovering over it, growling to himself as he works on putting it back together.

Leia stands first though, stepping towards him, immediately drawing all his attention. "You have reached a decision?" Vader asks. He doesn't know how to begin approaching the other topic they should discuss, and from the way Leia's looking at him, she doesn't either, even if it's clearly taking up all her attention.

"Yes," she agrees, "But do you have a plan for how we're going to deal with the Emperor?"

"I intended to train Luke in the Dark Side, so he would be powerful enough. But you are... of similar strength. If you were both trained in the Dark Side, together you would be... unstoppable."

Leia hesitates a moment, clearly considering. "You're offering to train me?" she repeats, finally.

"Yes. If... you desire. But I see no other way for us to be able to stop him." With Leia there, they would have far more of a chance, though how they'll go about actually dealing with him, he's not fully certain yet.

Before she has the chance to answer, Vader's comm suddenly beeps. It's not an ideal place to answer, but no one would call him if it wasn't something important. Even if he really doesn't want to take the time to answer it right now. He retreats a few paces to the door, answering the call.

"Lord Vader, an unidentified craft is approaching the city."

Rebels.

He knows it immediately, without needing further verification. He doesn't sense Luke, though, which fills him with a small flood of disappointment.

"Allow them to enter. Watch from a distance," he instructs.

Leia's eyes narrow. "If someone's here for us, their safety is in this agreement, too."

"Yes," he agrees, "So long as they do not attack before a deal is negotiated." Because if they do start killing stormtroopers, they're going to be hurt too. "But the knowledge of this deal cannot spread beyond those in this room. The leaders of the Rebellion cannot be trusted. The Emperor has informants everywhere."

Another prickle of unease runs through the Force. Something's wrong. And it feels more severe than just a rebel attack.

"Fine," Leia confirms, "If you let us out, we'll go out on the Falcon. I can find another way to contact you. No one has to get hurt on either side." (He can see much of Padme in her, and... some of Anakin, too. What he remembers being like, so long ago. This is always what he imagined his daughter would be like, from the moment Padme first told him she was pregnant.)

The floor suddenly trembles, violently. Vader feels the lives disappearing into the Force, a clear indication that something blew up. "You are out of time," he realizes, "I will instruct my troops to make your escape... easier." He moves for the door, gesturing for them to follow.

Leia lingers just a moment, as though to make sure he's serious, but she steps into the hall after him, Solo and the Wookie following.

"Be cautious," he tells her, as they start off down the hall, something tightening in him. He doesn't know when he'll see her again, or if she even intends to recontact him. He could be about to lose his only chance of getting to either of his children for the indefinite future, even if he's fairly certain Leia intends to keep her promise.

The girl pauses at the words, looking back. "Good luck," she replies, before she runs.

Vader stills entirely at the words. She –

Maybe she finds him more tolerable than he expected, after all. Maybe.

And then, the Force screams with warning. And the danger isn't coming from whatever happened in this explosion – probably a rebel diversion tactic – it's centered around Shmi.

***

It's been over a day since they landed on Bespin, and Shmi is presently staying in a room on planet. She wants to talk to Leia again, to get to know her, but she knows the girl needs some moments to process the news. She... was in shock over the news that Vader was her father.

Anakin genuinely seemed to take it worse. She didn't need the Force to feel his seeming guilt, and... Did he hurt her somehow on a past mission? She's part of the Rebellion after all, and it could happen easily if neither of them realized who the other was.

Shmi frankly doesn't want to think about it. Can't imagine her little Ani hurting anyone. He was only four when he climbed a sand dune to scare away a group of banthas so they wouldn't be shot. He could barely make it, but he didn't want to see them hurt. She can't imagine how that could be any different now. What have the Sith and Jedi done to him?

She needs to see how Anakin is doing, though, because... she doesn't know his conversation with Leia went. She's considering going to find him when suddenly she hears a distant explosion.

... What was that?

She can't imagine Leia is attacking the stormtroopers, so either it's Lando's people or more rebels showed up, or –

She doesn't need to be worried about Anakin's safety – he's now far more capable of protecting both of them than she is of protecting him from danger – but that doesn't stop her worry. She could go out there, though she'd probably just get in the way and interrupt his focus, which... wouldn't be good.

Shmi doesn't get a moment longer to consider it, though, because the door to her room abruptly snaps open. Someone dressed as a rebel is standing in the doorway, but there's something –

"Do you need something?" she asks, wariness snaking down her spine, even though she's only half sure why. He's probably here to rescue the others, so –

The man draws his blaster in a swift move, firing at her.

It's only through sheer instinct of knowing how to escape people – she'd had to be good at that, especially when she was younger back on Nal Hutta – that she dodges out of the way.

But – What?!

She's not even dressed as Imperial. Shmi rolls behind the couch in the room, but she can already hear him stalking closer to her. There's a lamp in the corner that she can reach behind the couch to defend herself with maybe, but the thought of damaging anything sends a sharp stab of unease through her.

No one's going to be beat her for doing the slightest thing wrong here, but damaging any property still feels like –

But there's no time to think about that, so she snatches it up, throwing it at the person and dodging behind the couch again before he can fire. She hears a crash at the lamp hits the floor – it must've missed him. And now, there's nothing else do she can except –

The sound of a respirator fills the room, a second before she hears a strangled choking sound.

Anakin's here.

The relief that floods is almost insane, though her heart is still pounding wildly. He's not the one who's supposed to have to protect her, though he would've, once he got older. It's still hard to remember he's not nine anymore.

Shmi cautiously looks out from behind the couch, still half-expecting to be shot at – only to see Anakin throwing the person into the wall, with the Force.

"Who are you?" he demands, stalking closer.

The man looks up at him, something defiant in his gaze before he bites down on a – something.

It's happens too fast for Shmi to catch, but electricity crackles through his head,and he slumps over, motionless.

What?

He just... killed himself.

Anakin lingers for only a moment before turning to her, a hand finding her shoulder. "Are you well?"

She doesn't need the Force to feel his overwhelming fear, how afraid he is of losing her again. She can't imagine how... hard it must've been on him when she died in the past. And somehow, seeing him now makes letting go of the past she was in easier, because apparently, she never would have been reunited with her Anakin had she stayed anyway. At least here, they can be together again. "Yes, don't worry, Ani," she assures.

"He was here for you, Mom." It's... jarring to hear that word in Vader's tone. It's the first time he's outright called her that. "He was no rebel, or he would not have been after you. The method he used to end is life was... common for Imperials."

The Empire.

Somehow, she's not surprised, even if it sends a chill through her. No one's outright tried to kill her, before. Well, it's come close, but it was never personal. Just that she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The threat of being hurt or killed constantly hung over her, her entire life, but no one's ever been after her because of who she is.

But she's far more afraid of what something happening to her would do to Anakin, than anything else. "The Emperor?" she guesses. After what he's done to her son, she knows why he would want her dead, so she had no chance of helping him. He wants Anakin broken, and it's sickening to see how much it's worked. With her return, that's changing, and she doesn't doubt he'd do anything to stop that.

"I do not know how he could have word, but... there is a chance."

"I've seen people watching me sometimes, up on your cruiser. I don't know who, but you said he has people everywhere."

"Yes," Vader agrees, solemnly, "I will look into it, when the... battle here is finished. I have allowed the rebels to escape, so it appears believable. I must ensure Leia makes it off, safely."

A plan Shmi only half follows, but she doesn't doubt that he knows what he's doing. And of course, his daughter's safety is his top concern. "I'll come with you," she offers, immediately.

If someone else is after her, it would be easier if she was near Anakin, for both their sakes.

They catch up with the fleeing rebels right near one of the landing platforms on Bespin.

Or rather, they approach right behind that bounty hunter – Boba Fett – who has Leia and her friends pinned down so they can't make it out the door.

Vader flicks a hand, throwing the bounty hunter into the wall, hard enough to momentarily stun him, before he even saw who was coming.

"Here," he says, approaching Leia and holding out a comm.

She stills a moment, looking at warily. "That –"

"Is not traceable by the Empire, but you may verify it yourself on the way. We require a secure way to communicate."

She huffs out a breath, taking it from him. "Fine. I'll call you... later." Her gaze darts between Vader and Shmi for a long moment, before she runs after Han and Chewbacca, for the waiting Falcon.

It hurts to watch her go, never knowing when she's going to see her again. Shmi wishes she could have the chance to talk to her again, and hopefully to meet Luke soon, but right now, it's Anakin who needs her help, and that's where she's going to stay.

Chapter Text

Sidious calls only hours after the rebels safely escape Bespin, demanding an update. Vader is hard-pressed to keep his mask fully in place, knowing how likely it is that Sidious was the one who ordered Shmi's near assassination. He was going to have his mother killed again, and for that alone, Vader is going to end him.

But he can't let himself think about that in Sidious' presence, no matter how angry he is.

He's certain his master is suspicious, though he doesn't outright say it. Sidious has always been prepared for everything, so that's hardly a surprise. He probably sees far more than he's saying. It... scares Vader as much as it's making him angry right now.

They need to start with a proper disguise for Shmi. The simplest way is having her wear officer clothing, to somewhat hide her appearance and most won't risk stopping to even look twice at her.

The attire is strange on her, but well... at least she'll be alive.

Vader's mind keeps jumping back to Mustafar now, wondering what happened to Padme – considering she apparently lived long enough to have twins.

"Are you alright?" Shmi inquires, lingering near him.

"I do not understand how – how Padme could have survived," he replies, haltingly. He doesn't want Shmi to know anything more about Mustafar, even if he already knows she wouldn't... judge him for it. That almost makes it worse.

"What happened to her?"

"Sidious told me that I – that she died on Mustafar."

"He is a master. We can't trust his word for it. Is there a way we could look into it further?"

Is there? It's a risk really, because Vader doesn't know if Sidious will hear wind of it and demand answers, but... "There is."

It's something he really wants to take the time to look into – there's no critical battle calling away his attention, so maybe it's worth a try.

Shmi insists on coming, so Vader brings her, along with an Imperial forensics droid, and they go to Coruscant. He really hopes that bringing her there isn't a mistake.

It's been so long since he last walked through these specific familiar halls of 500 Republica, heading to Padme's apartment. It was a lifetime ago when he thought he could have a family beyond the Order. (When he thought he could have a family at all.) When the only family he could have beyond the Order after Shmi's death was Padme, and now... the reverse is true. He still doesn't know why Padme turned on him, and that stinging betrayal can never truly fade when he remembers her, as much as he misses the times she was here.

A statue of her seals off the door to Padme's old apartment. It's been closed since her death, and somehow, that only drives the sharp pain in his heart deeper.

The only way to get inside is breaking the statute, which he... does, though it could attract attention he doesn't want. He'll have to be out of here fast.

Stepping into the apartment is almost like stepping into the past, remembering the day he reunited with Padme. The last days he was a padawan, and the... years afterwards.

The war.

Ahsoka. Rex.

(Obi-Wan.)

Shmi shifts closer, her mere presence offering comfort he could get from nowhere else, but it's still nearly gutting to be standing in here. Because of how closed-off it's been, he can still feel the lingering traces of Padme's Force presence on the walls, almost as though she were just here. He can feel traces of his own formerly light Force presence. He hasn't been here since that night he told her to wait, before leaving for Mustafar.

And – no, there's no time to get lost in memories right now.

"This is where you... lived?" Shmi asks, breaking the oppressive silence.

"I came here to visit her. I... lived at the Temple. Our marriage was concealed."

The forensics droid immediately begins investigating, looking through the last security recordings, but the last bit of the recording is missing, which means... someone was here later. Someone had something to hide.

That's when the droid spots something else. A scout transmitter, and it's presently transmitting to an unknown location.

They have a lead.

"Perhaps you should... remain behind," Vader says, turning to Shmi. He doesn't want her anywhere out of his sight, but he has no idea what he's about to walk into, either.

"I could wait on your ship," she proposes.

"Very well," he agrees, even if he's still reluctant.

***

The signal leads him to Vendaxa. He's not expecting to walk right into the middle of a battle, but he's not really surprised, either. It's a good thing he left Shmi at the ship.

But then, a far too familiar figure, though years older than when he last saw her, steps into view, and Vader freezes entirely.

"Padme?"

She looks almost exactly like her, and that's all Vader can think of the moment he sees her, no matter how little sense that makes.

"What did you call me?" she demands, faintly.

The voice is nearly identical, too. The slight difference could be a change throughout time, or a warp in Vader's own memories. But –

That's not even possible, is it? She was dead. Their bond was broken, but he never felt it break. He was never awake for that.

"Yes," the forensics droid pipes up next to him, "The similarity is astonishing. She is the same age Senator Amidala would be if she were still alive."

"Who are you?" the woman demands.

"Why, this is Darth Vader, the Emperor's –"

The woman's expression shifts to a burning fury in barely a second, and she draws a blaster, firing at him.

Vader reacts purely on instinct, raising a hand to deflect the shots aside. He rips away her blaster next, throwing it across the room.

Why? Why would she do that, the first time seeing him in twenty years? But she tried to kill him before, and he – he doesn't want to think about, wants to believe that she would've eventually understood and stood with the Empire, but she's the one who brought Obi-Wan to kill him. To – to do what he did to him, even if he can't believe she knew how far it would go.

But – but there's something about the woman that doesn't feel quite right in the Force, and as much as it feels like he's staring at a ghost of Padme, it also feels like he's just looking at her shadow. He doesn't know this is her. "Who are you?" Vader demands.

"You said it yourself. I am Padme Amidala," she shoots back, glowering at him.

All he wants to do is lash out, years of buried feelings of grief and anger and betrayal choking him, but then he thinks of Shmi, of – of her reminder that he can be better. Be more than he has been. He doesn't fully know that he believes it himself, but she does, and he doesn't want to disappoint her. Wants her to have a reason to be proud of him. It's not the serving way it always is with his masters. It's different.

Which is the very moment the Force flares in warning, and a monstrous creature of some kind surges at him out of the nearby water, quite literally.

Taking it down is easy enough, but the distraction gives the woman a chance to run.

She doesn't get far, though, before Vader catches up. She's trying to make it through a gateway, but he catches her with the Force, pulling her back.

"Who are you?" he demands again, maybe a little desperately, "Tell me. Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," she shoots back.

It reminds him of a lifetime ago in the arena, before he and Padme had –

"I'm angry." He can see the fury burning in her eyes, mingled with a long-standing grief that's never healed, and then he wonders why he didn't see it before.

"I see it now. Padme is dead, but you wear her face. You are the queen's shadow." Sabe, he remembers her clearly now, though he hardly knew her. "Years ago on Coruscant, you broke into Padme's quarters. You wanted to find out what happened to her. What did you learn?" Maybe, he's still on the right track, after all. Maybe.

"What kind of game is this?" Sabe demands, sharply, "Padme fell and the Emperor ascended. He killed her, didn't he?"

She doesn't know then.

But she still does claim to have a lead on how to find out more. She claims to have taken the recordings that were missing and tried to access them but was never able to decrypt. Something about that doesn't sound quite right, but Vader doesn't question it right now. He doesn't have the time for that – he just wants answers.

Answers which he apparently can only get by going to Naboo.

And he is... not ready to go back there, not with all the memories it holds. Memories of his lifetime as Anakin, but with Shmi here again, and the desperate hope that maybe he'll have a chance to get to know his children – even if everyone in his old life is gone – it makes the thought a little easier to handle.

But just a little. Still, if it's the only way he can get answers, he'll go.

***

Seeing Naboo again is nearly enough to take his breath away from the overwhelming grief, not that he can control his breathing anymore is where he last saw Qui-Gon, where he had so many memories of Padme. Even where Ahsoka and Rex were once, on a mission during the war. And all of those are – people who aren't coming back. They're gone, and it never stops hurting.

But he needs to focus on the task at hand, and... the Force is indicating something's not right. "Stay with the ship," he requests of Shmi, out of eyeshot of Sabe and the other troops he brought with him.

She nods, worry burning in her eyes. "Be careful, Ani."

Things descend into chaos the moment Vader reaches the Lake House, because Captain Typho and Tonra attack him, thinking he came there to fight him. They insist the recording is hidden elsewhere, somewhere in Gungan city, and it's giving him the feeling that there's more going on than they're saying. He can feel their distrust – rightfully – but there's... Something's not right.

He doesn't want to leave Shmi with the ship so far away from him, but there's nothing else he can do, so he goes with them in an underwater speeder.

The others talk to each in the background, and Vader doesn't pay it much mind, at least not until Sabe mentions Shmi.

Because apparently, Padme sent her and Tonra to Tatooine to rescue her?

He doesn't know what to think of that – Padme never mentioned it to him, probably because she failed. (At least she tried. He didn't. But he has the chance to protect her again, and he won't fail this time.)

They get to the place in Gungan city, where more people are waiting, and the forensics droid cracks into the recording.

But it's nothing about Padme.

It's a group of her handmaids, and security guards. "Tonight, we call ourselves Amidalans and together we pledge to find whoever murdered our queen and kill them," Sabe is saying.

They were the ones in this recording. They didn't bring it here because they were trying to figure out what happened to Padme. They did this to lure him out here.

"Explain yourselves," Vader demands, turning to them.

Sabe's eyes narrow. "The last we heard, Padme was going to Mustafar, along with her protector, Anakin Skywalker. Later, we heard it was your domain. Did you kill them?"

Did he kill her? He still doesn't know, but he doesn't have reason to think otherwise. He isn't going to begin explaining that he doesn't know what happened there. Or that he – he did destroy Anakin, and yet... "Yes."

All of them open fire on him, instantly. Vader draws his lightsaber, deflecting the shots away in a constant flurry of motion.

He doesn't want to kill them, but they're making that nearly impossible when they're coming at him in all directions. He lashes out with the Force finally, throwing them away from him. They're on their feet almost instantly, though, but not before the Force surges in warning.

Vader spins around, right as something hits the top of the city. He looks up sharply to see an enormous sea creature trying to break in.

Everything explodes into chaos then, as they keep shooting at Vader while he tries to fight off the creature.

They're trying to kill him for Padme, and maybe he deserves as much, but he's not going to let himself die here. Shmi and Leia and Luke are out there, and he has to protect them.

***

Shmi resists the urge to pace, only out of the sheer instinct of trying to keep herself as invisible as possible, the way she always has. The way she taught Anakin to be when he was little.

Anakin still hasn't come back yet, and she doesn't like how long it's taking. He was going somewhere underwater, and... She just doesn't like it. The water beyond the shuttle is growing increasingly turbulent suddenly also, which is only making her more anxious. Large bodies of water aren't something she knows how to handle. Never had to deal with it before – she's pretty much always lived in deserts and cities.

A wave of water suddenly rises out of the ocean behind them, but it's not splashing back down. It takes Shmi only a moment to realize that it's – it's not water.

It's an enormous sea creature. It reminds her just a little of the Krayt dragons on Tatooine – not that it looks anything like it, but the situation is almost entirely the same as the time she saw one of those come too close to where she was, and the sea monster is coming straight for them.

Where's Anakin?! Is he alright?!

The stormtroopers present start shooting at the creature as they try to fly away, but it's much faster, and it grabs ahold of the ship before they can get any further away.

What is she supposed to do now?! She can hear the metal of the ship straining, and it's going to be crushed. The ship is probably too high to jump, but it's probably worth it –

Somewhere outside the ship, she hears the sound of a lightsaber activating suddenly, before the ship goes spiraling. The pilot hastily regains control, and she scrambles for the ramp the moment the ship touches the ground.

Anakin is finishing off the sea creature when she makes it outside, and the forensics droid is quick to congratulate him on being the first known person to successfully kill one. She doesn't pay attention to the rest of its rambling, barely resisting the urge to run over to Anakin – she can't because she has to keep up to the act of being an officer right now. She still approaches him though, making sure she's far enough out of eyeshot of the others before she speaks. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but we must move quickly. An... attack is coming."

What?! "What's going on?" she demands, "I thought the people you were here with were allies?"

"They are not. They... seek to destroy me. Perhaps rightfully." The last two words come out quietly, and she doesn't need to the Force to feel his... shame.

And she has no idea why. She can see what a low opinion he has of himself now, unsurprisingly, but she thought it was starting to get maybe a little better. Until right now. "What happened? I thought these people were... related to your wife?"

"She was queen, and later Senator. They served her. They... blame me for her death and seek vengeance."

Wait, Padme became a Queen? And she had people serving her? That is – It's not at all the impression of her status that Shmi got on Tatooine, though she seemed like a nice child. "Why would they blame you for that?"

Anakin is quiet for a much too long pause. "I... hurt her. Sidious told me I killed her, but I do not know how the children could have survived, were that true. But perhaps it is. I do not know."

He – what?! Being forced to hurt people for his master is one thing, but she can't imagine Anakin ever hurting someone he considered family for any reason. There can be times, where it – it happens if the master is forcing them, but that's not what he's saying. Unless there was a lot more about Padme that Shmi didn't know. Maybe – No, she wasn't a slaver, but she didn't hurt him, did she? But she must've though, if things ever went nearly this far. "What happened?" she asks, "When you two – married, was that what you wanted, or was it –" She has to know that much, if something like that happened to her son.

"It was not what you are... assuming," he quickly interjects, and she nearly breathes a sigh of relief, "I served as her protector, her bodyguard. I... desired it, but she did not at first. When everything fell, she... brought Obi-Wan to kill me. I was... angry, and I was not thinking when I hurt her."

That.

Actually doesn't make Shmi feel better, after all.

Because it sounds very much like what she's seen happen with freeborns in relationships with slaves, the way the slaves so frequently still have to respect them. Still serve them. There are cases where that isn't true, but – That's not exactly what it sounds like here. And if Padme tried to have her son killed, then – But still, Shmi's been questioning for a time if Padme was dead at all, for the children to have survived. If Anakin did something to kill her, it should've hurt the babies even more, but it didn't. And that... Maybe, this was another lie by Sidious, just to control him.

"I don't know what happened," she answers, finally. There's so much she could say, but there isn't time to get into it right now. "But I don't know how you could have killed her if she was alive long enough to give birth. Is there a way to reason with those loyal to her?"

"I find it... unlikely. They will be here soon, and they will think you Imperial and will not hesitate to harm you, too."

That's probably true, but she... wants a chance, at least if it's possible, if these people don't like the Empire. She's not going to let them get anywhere near her son if she can help it, but she doesn't want him to have to hurt anyone else, either. He's been forced to do that long enough, and there has to be another way. "If they they're this determined to avenge her death, maybe they could help us with the Emperor?" Shmi suggests.

Anakin hesitates. "Perhaps," he agrees, slowly, "If it were possible to convince them. Padme always resisted what my master wanted. We... would need a location for battle that her supporters would not want to destroy..." He almost trails off at the end, helmet slowly turning to the city that lays beyond.

"Do you know somewhere?" Shmi asks.

"... Yes."

"Then let's go," she encourages, and they head back for the ship.

"Do you want me to handle the conversation?" she asks him. This isn't something she has any idea how to do and she's more afraid that she's going to ruin it than anything else, but she knows the entire situation is very difficult for Anakin, and she doesn't know how easy talking to these people would be for him.

Anakin seems... slightly surprised. "If you... desire," he replies, though he seems almost relived. Perhaps in part because it's been so long since he truly had someone to lean on, who would take care of him, who wasn't another master.

The ship drops them off somewhere in the city of Theed, but from the large statute right outside the building behind them, Shmi figures out where it must be immediately. A tomb. The tomb of... Anakin's former wife.

They're close enough to it that she doubts anyone would fight here, especially not since they're so close to civilians. Hopefully.

Anakin turns sharply, right before Shmi hears sudden movement. Five women step out of the shadows, all of whom bear some resemblance to Padme from what Shmi remembers, and all of them are holding electrostaffs. "You will not desecrate her grave," hisses Sabe, stepping in front.

The forensics droid starts rambling in the background, identifying the others are as Eirtae, Rabe, Sache, and Dorme. Not names Shmi recognizes, but Anakin seems to.

"We are here to... talk to you," Shmi replies. Speaking to freeborns that way, with any level of strength is... not something she's good at doing. It never has good consequences, but this is for Anakin, and she'll stand up for him if she has to.

"Talk?" repeats Sabe, incredulous. "He murdered our sister, our queen. There's nothing we need to talk about."

"How do you know?" she counters, with as much firmness as she can manage.

Anakin twitches.

"She was last seen on Mustafar with her bodyguard, Anakin Skywalker. Then later, we heard Mustafar was Vader's domain, and he confirmed it was him who killed them both," Sabe shoots back, sharply.

Well, that... complicates things, just a little if Anakin already confirmed it, but...

She doesn't know how much Anakin wants her to say, but... The only way for this to work is to tell them some of the truth. "I... understand the pain you feel," she replies, because she does. Still remembers when she lost her parents, so long ago. "But hurting others because of the pain you were caused will not help. It will not bring your sister back. How many will you hurt, senselessly, in this desire for vengeance? How many people's lives will you destroy, as you do this?"

Sabe's eyes narrow. "We want justice. We don't intend to hurt anyone but the person responsible for her death. And that's quite the speech coming from an Imperial officer."

"Do not speak to her that way," Anakin interjects, fiercely.

Sabe promptly turns her glower to him instead.

"The Emperor desired Padme's... death for a long time. He was involved with the Federation," Anakin goes on.

Shmi doesn't know what he's referring to, but the others obviously do, from the glances they exchange with each other.

"If there's someone you want to stop, it's him. He has taken the free will of so many, enslaved them. Especially many of those under his command." She won't mention Anakin, but she thinks it should be apparent enough. "There are so many you could truly help by stopping him, and if your... sister fought to make sure an Empire like this wouldn't rise, then you would honor her memory most by stopping the Emperor."

The woman exchange glances. "You're from the Empire. You're with Vader. Why are you offering this?" Sabe demands.

"The Emperor is destroying the galaxy," Anakin cuts in.

"And you're helping him do it," Sabe retorts, "If you believe that, if you actually cared, then you could stop it."

Shmi feels a sharp knot of fury flaring up inside of her, at the words. And they cut straight to core, to the sheer helplessness she so often feels, has felt in the past she struggled to take care of Anakin. She would've done anything for him, but so many times, she could do nothing. Absolutely nothing. There were nights she couldn't even get him food, and – At least her master hadn't wanted her to hurt other people. She's always been a maid or a mechanic, but... if things had gone further, if –

She can't say she'd make different choices than he is if it meant protecting him. If she'd been broken enough to reach that point. She knows better than to pretend otherwise.

She knows how Anakin's in the place he is now. Knows that sheer helplessness she knows he feels, that so apparently so few people understand if they don't share the same, and – She's not going to cry no matter how surging her frustration is, but there's a very fleeting moment where she wants to. Because sometimes she doesn't understand why so few people even care, why they never try to understand or help, the way she always wanted to. The way Anakin always does.

"None of this is because of him. None of this is in his control," she retaliates, as sharply as she dares, "You should be well aware if you're fighting the Empire that not all who serve it do so out of choice. If you want justice for Padme, it's the Emperor you need to stop."

"Why should we trust you?" demands Rabe, "Vader will use that as an opportunity to kill us."

"If I had any desire to harm you, I could have done so already," he replies, bluntly.

Another reminder of how much he's changed, but it's a fair point.

"We're... willing to help you with the Emperor, if you're willing to give your support and leave him alone," Shmi says, firmly.

"We've already come this far," Dorme replies quietly, eyes narrowed.

She really just wants to scream in sheer frustration, if she's being honest. They aren't backing down and she knows why, but that doesn't – "Is revenge what your sister stood for or is justice? Because justice is freeing the galaxy from the Emperor." She doesn't like the thought of discussing killing anyone, but if this is the only way Anakin and so many others will be free...

"If there was a chance of us getting to the Emperor, we could have done that long ago," Sabe replies, finally.

"There could be if we work together. There might be a chance." Or at least Shmi desperately hopes so. There has to be, or she doesn't know what that will mean.

Sabe studies her, calculatingly. "If you wanted to help, why not go to the Rebellion?"

She doesn't trust these people at all, not with how they're acting. But this is a chance she'll have to take, and hope that if it goes nowhere, it'll just pass as rumors. Because it could be putting Anakin in serious danger and she's well aware of that. "There is a... plan in the works. If you keep fighting here, it will only destroy all chances entirely."

The woman exchange uncertain glances. "We'll think about it," Sabe concedes finally, even if she's still visibly wavering in the decision.

But it's still a temporary agreement, and it gives her a small hope that they might have more of a chance. They need all the allies they can get, because Shmi is under no delusion that just because Anakin, Leia, and Luke will be together, means none of them can get hurt, and she... can't let that happen.

***

"We must be cautious," Anakin tells Shmi, standing motionless in a cabin in the back of the shuttle. They got off Naboo right before the rest of the army showed up, leaving the Amidalans to hopefully ponder the offer and take it seriously.

Unease tightens inside of her. She knows how much they're risking – Sidious could do anything to Anakin, and she can't stop him. She's used to that knowledge, but that doesn't mean she doesn't hate it, every bit as much as she hated her sheer helplessness when it came to Anakin racing. And Sidious is worse than a typical master because he wants Anakin, not just his work.

"Do you sense something?" Shmi asks, anxiously. She didn't want him to have to kill so many more people, but that doesn't mean she wants to risk him either, and she's so scared that something's going to happen that neither of them can control. Because sometimes it... just feels like they're entirely on their own.

Or maybe, it's just that she's still upset over Sabe's words. As though there's something else either of them can do. If Anakin could just walk out, she would've taken him and ran the first day, but they can't. But she can't afford not to be strong when... he needs her. And this isn't a situation where she can send him to safety without her. She'd do it in a heartbeat if it were that simple, but it's not. Not this time.

"My master has been... unusually silent. I... imagine he has heard word of this and has intentions of his own," he replies.

A chill of fear snakes down her spine and she reaches out, lightly squeezing his upper arm where he can actually feel the pressure. (What does he look like now? She wants to see his face again, but they don't have time to talk about that right now, not when Anakin is almost constantly busy.)

"We'll find a way," she promises, quietly.

The helmet turns away for a moment. "If it at risk of your life..."

She doesn't know what to say to him – promising him freedom at her expense would only scare him worse now. "I'll stay with you, no matter what. We will be... better prepared together," she says, finally. Or so she can hope. He's not a child anymore – she can't protect him the way she used to. He's lived through far worse than she ever did, and it makes her sick to even think about.

Anakin's arms slip around her, and he unexpectedly pulls her into a tight hug, which she returns, even if he can't feel it. There's... truly nothing else either of them can offer the other right now. Not yet at least.

Chapter Text

Shmi's back in her quarters again, mostly just wondering what to do. Going over every possible thing she can think of to get them out sooner, but it all leads back to the fact that she doesn't know anything about the Force, and if Sidious can really reach Vader across the entire galaxy, then there's nothing more she can do.

Which is right when the comm she was given starts beeping.

The frequency isn't identified, but Shmi answers, cautiously.

And it's... Leia?

They agreed that Leia should have Shmi's comm number, because Vader's activities are far more likely to be monitored by Sidious, but she was starting to wonder if they would hear word from her grandchildren again. "Leia?" Shmi asks, smiling for a moment. She really wants to get to know her – wants Anakin to get to know her – but that won't happen until they're out of here.

"It took me a little while to track down Luke, but we... talked about it," Leia tells her.

Shmi feels about as hopeful as she is cautious. "I understand the... time it's taking to reach a decision. What did you decide?"

Leia hesitates, though only for a moment. "We're going to take up the offer. Luke and I can... at least come to discuss this in perron. Where should we come?"

The surge of sheer relief that floods Shmi is nearly overwhelming. "Mustafar. There's a private hangar. Call ahead when you're coming so you'll have permission to land." That's what Anakin told her to tell them. "I... should thank you. For doing this. I understand this might be difficult for you."

She shakes her head. "He's willing to help us and he... needs help. That's what matters. I would do this even if not for who both of you two are."

Shmi smiles, faintly. "You have a good heart, Leia. I know none of this is easy for you, either." But at least, she can be glad her grandchildren didn't have to grow up enslaved.

Leia returns the smile. "I've never known my grandparents before. Not even my adopted ones. I'd like to... get to know you, once this is over."

"As would I." But there's something else she needs to address, too. She can't imagine it's a concern because she doesn't know how Leia couldn't see Anakin as family, but – She'd rather address it before the girl shows up. "I don't know how you... feel towards Anakin, or what's happened between you two, but he does care about you."

Leia nods, something momentarily distant in her gaze. "I know. I – I used to want to know my biological parents, even if I don't – I already have parents."

"I understand," Shmi assures, as much as it hurts knowing Anakin never will have the chance to raise his children. "I don't want you to feel pressured to push something you're not comfortable with. But he doesn't have to be your parent to be... family."

"I know," she replies, quietly, "And I – I'm glad to... to still have blood relatives, whoever they are."

Relief washes through her, even if she expected it. Leia is still Anakin's daughter, no matter who raised her, and his... heart is something she's going to have at least part of, too.

Now, Shmi just needs to tell Anakin that his children are finally on the way.

***

Vader is waiting in the hangar of the Mustafar fortress when the shuttle carrying his children lands. He's been waiting for – agonizing over – this moment for so long, desperate to be with them, but he... has no idea what to expect, and he's almost afraid suddenly. Shmi will never leave him no matter what, and he can see that clearly again – doesn't know how to feel having someone back he can actually feel that way about – but that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt if the twins didn't... want him.

Ahsoka didn't. (Not that he blames her. She was a good Jedi, like she should be. Like he taught her to be.)

Leia is off the ramp first, approaching him. Though unlike before, her gaze lacks any hardness.

Luke is a few paces behind her. Vader's seen holos of him before, but it's still different seeing him in person for the first time. He... looks a mix of curious and wary at once.

"We agreed to your offer," Leia says, "But what do you... have in mind?"

"I must train you." It's the only way they'll be powerful enough; there's no one else left who can train them.

"In the Dark Side?" Luke clarifies, a note of wariness in his voice.

"It is the only way you will be strong enough." He's stronger than he used to be, except for hinderances from his injuries.

"You used to be a Jedi," Luke objects, staring at him, "That's not what you used to believe, back then."

In another lifetime. "Once, long ago, no, but I have seen its power." He doesn't want his children to have the same path as him, but he doesn't want them to die either. And he can't deny the Dark Side gives him a power he didn't have before, even if... more and more he finds himself thinking back to before. Wondering...

"Is there a way you can teach us without getting into the Force aspects too much?" Leia interrupts, "I'm sure there's a middle ground we can work with."

"Yes," he agrees, slowly, "You must be efficient with lightsabers, as well." Once, he would've been certain that training them in the Dark Side is what he had to do, the only way to keep them alive, but now he... doesn't know anymore. He feels lost without... orders. And this isn't really something he can ask Shmi about.

"Then why don't we start there?" Leia proposes, "I don't even know how to use the Force, but you can at least teach me the basics."

"Very well," he agrees, "I will show you to your rooms here."

The twins follow him as he leads them through the halls of the fortress.

Luke's head is swiveling in almost every direction, as he looks around curiously.

Leia is a little more reserved about it, but he can still sense her interest.

Vader can feel the boy glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, though he's always looking away before Vader meets his gaze, as though he doesn't really know what to say to him. It's... not really surprising. (He's disappointed in what Vader is, and that stings, no matter how much he deserves it. It would probably be worse if that weren't true. But Luke still isn't leaving him, and that's something.)

"We must begin your training as soon as you are settled," Vader tells them because they don't have time for anything else right now.

But he'll at least let them get a little used to their surroundings and meet their grandmother first.

***

Shmi waits in Anakin's private area of the fortress for the twins to come. She... wanted him to have the chance to meet them first before they got focused on her.

It's also the first time she's seen where Anakin is living now, and she doesn't really know what to think of it. The place is massive, but something about it just feels dark and depressing more than anything else. It doesn't feel like a much better place to live than it probably is for any of the majordomos on Tatooine who live in fancy palaces when it still changes nothing about their true status.

At least he has somewhere to stay, though.

Luke comes to find her, first. Shmi stills, emotion crashing through her as she looks at him. His eyes and hair look so much like Anakin's, though his facial features and height are definitely from his mother.

"Grandmother?" Luke asks, eyes widening, and she nods.

"How?" he asks, "Uncle Owen said you were dead."

Who's Owen? It's probably best not to let on that she doesn't know unless she just... explains that she's not from this time. She'll have to eventually. Besides, there isn't a reason to hide it, not from family. "This may sound as outlandish as the legends I'm sure your uncle told you as a child, but from your time, I was gone. I'm from the past. I cannot explain what happened, but I am from back from when your father was still a child, and then I suddenly found myself here."

Luke gapes at her. "You're saying you... time traveled?"

"Yes." She smiles, amused and warm at once. "I don't know how it happened." But she thinks it's better for all of them that she is here. She doesn't want to imagine a time where she didn't come to the future, and Anakin was left entirely alone until his children found him.

"When I was young, Uncle Owen always told me my father was a navigator on a spice freighter," Luke says, "Then I heard he was a Jedi Knight. I... always wanted to be like him. But he's... a Sith. I don't understand why no one ever told me, or how that... happened."

It's not what he expected, and he seems lost at the abrupt change in how he always saw Anakin. Shmi can understand that, but does it matter, so long as he's alive? "He hasn't been free for a long time," she replies, "He's..."

"He's a slave?" Luke realizes, eyes widening.

"Yes. But once Sidious is gone, he'll be free." She's still getting used to the meaning of that word. It probably won't truly sink in until Anakin is free too, because until then, they're both still... chained.

"I didn't realize. That's not what Ben told me."

"Who's Ben?"

"Ben Kenobi? He was the one who started training me as a Jedi."

Kenobi. The same name as the person who raised Anakin. Who hurt Anakin. "He was training you?" Shmi asks, fear sparking through her. She never asked what happened to him, but she thought he was out of the picture in some way or other. Never really gave it much thought.

"Was," Luke agrees, suddenly looking more subdued, "It was Vader who... killed him. I don't understand why. Ben said they were friends."

Friends.

Yes.

She's heard that kind of claim before. "I don't know much about him, but I know his relationship with Anakin had enough conflict that they... fought. Ben has hurt him before." Left him in a life support suit, actually. She hasn't even had the time to begin addressing that. She has no idea what condition Anakin is even living in. She needs to ask as soon as she has the chance.

She didn't realize that it was him who killed Obi-Wan either, but it doesn't leave any doubt in her mind that their relationship wasn't any better than his with Padme.

Force.

Why did Anakin end up with a family like that? She sent him away so that he would be safe, not to end up in a place almost worse than he might have had if he stayed on Tatooine. She can't guarantee that because she doesn't know if Jabba would've taken him after he won the race, but still. It's too late for regrets, though. There's no going back.

Luke just seems overwhelmed, which she can understand. Only days ago, he worshipped Anakin as a hero, who he also thought was dead.

"Talk to him," she requests, "He's been searching everywhere for you. You mean everything to him."

"I will," Luke agrees, "If he was who Anakin used to be, I can't believe none of that is left in him."

"Whether or not he lets go of this... Dark Side, he still is Anakin. He always has been." Just because he's been broken doesn't mean he's not himself, doesn't mean he's not her son and wouldn't still matter to her even if he chose to use this... side of the Force that she doesn't understand anything about.

They leave it at that, for now. It's time for her to let the twins interact with Anakin for the first time.

***

Vader's still considering how precisely to go about training the twins in the first place if they're going to be resistant to learning anything outside of the Jedi way, when Leia shows up in the training room where Vader is waiting.

"Luke's coming," she says, "Soon, at least."

"Have you learned anything of the Force?" he inquires.

"No. Luke told me a bit about it, but I've never learned to use it before. Not like he has."

"You will have to learn. That may be more crucial than weapon training. My master uses the Force and his words to fight, most of all."

Leia nods, something thoughtful in her gaze. "What makes the Dark Side stronger?"

"It is... passion. The Jedi teach calm, and it leads to... complacency and weakens them."

"Does that mean dark emotions or any?"

"The Jedi objected to any emotion. The Sith way is to use fear... anger... hate."

"And there's no other way to do it? I can't believe using dark emotions to fuel yourself is a good thing, and if the Jedi way really leads to complacency, then maybe they weren't weaker, it's just that they were limiting themselves."

She's... not exactly wrong. He can't stay a Sith the way he has been, but he has to be strong enough if he's going to protect them.

The words of the sun dragon whisper through his mind again, of how he already is strong enough. He doesn't know that he can believe that, not yet.

The door to the training room opens abruptly, Luke stepping inside. Something about him seems more settled than it did earlier.

"Are you... ready?" Vader inquires.

The boy looks up, meeting his gaze. "Yes... Father."

Hearing the acknowledgement of their relationship warms something inside of him, further taking the edge off the loneliness that's been tearing him apart for so long.

***

The training session doesn't last long. It's only been a matter of hours when Vader suddenly senses something off. It happens so suddenly it takes him entirely by surprise.

Sidious.

He's here. He must've just come out of hyperspace above Mustafar.

Right here, right now, only hours after Vader started training the twins. When they're still weeks to months away from being ready.

And Sidious wouldn't have any reason to come here unless he knew.

Not that Vader didn't expect that, but it's different when it's actually happening. He's coming, and they'll have to face him now. And Vader will never be ready for that, not remembering the countless times he's hurt him, or –

He knows very well that at least one of them might not make it out alive.

And this is the first time he can truly say he might want to live, since Mustafar. But still, if anyone dies here, he's not going to let it be anyone but him. He's not letting anything happen to his mother or children. Never again. That doesn't that overwhelming panic, fear of who will be hurt, of – of expecting what Sidious is going to do to him. To all of them.

"What's wrong?" Leia's voice breaks through his spiraling thoughts. She's hovering next to him, frowning.

"Sidious is here. We are out of time. Tell your grandmother that he is here and to go somewhere... safe. I will face him first. When you enter, he will... not be expecting it." Or at least, Vader can hope.

He doesn't wait to hear their objections, moving for the exit. The shuttle is flying in, and Vader waits, fear growing with each passing moment.

He has no idea how to approach this, so he finally settles last minute on what's easiest – kneeling as soon as Sidious descends the ramp, flanked by Red Guards. "What is thy bidding, my master?"

There's a long, almost agonizing pause of silence. "Don't play games with me, Vader." A blast of lightning crackles from Sidious' fingers, and Vader barely activates his lightsaber in time to block it. It's crackling up his arms anyway, into his armor, but he struggles against it, shakily dragging himself to his feet.

The lightning lets up abruptly, only for his lightsaber to be ripped away from him with the Force. A pressure wraps around his neck, lifting him off the floor. "How does it feel, Lord Vader?" Sidious mocks, "To be so weak? To know such fear?"

The words filter in from a mile away, as he struggles and fails to breathe. Sidious is going to kill him. Or he won't and make Vader wish he had. There's no way out, nothing he can do –

"I could ask you the same," a familiar voice calls, and he hears two lightsabers activating.

The pressure on his neck drops just as suddenly, and he's sent flying. He lands on the ground, smothering a cry at the angle he lands at, to see Luke and Leia standing in the doorway, Luke with his former blue lightsaber and Leia with his present red one – Vader has no idea where she picked it up from.

Vader forces himself up, heart hammering, as Luke and Leia go for the guards who are activating electrostaffs.

Vader lashes out before Sidious can interfere, flinging him across the room. The attack was unexpected enough that the Sith isn't able to counter it in time, but he's on his feet instantly, unleashing another blast of lightning at Vader.

He's never done this before, but he remembers Leia's words about strength in the Force, Shmi's words about how he can be more, and he gathers the Force in a shield in front of him, the same way he does when he blocks lightsabers by hand. The lightning slams into his Force shield, and he catches it, deflecting it away far more easily than he'd be able to if he was trying to use his lightsaber.

The twins take down the guards, then charge Sidious. Vader calls the guard's electrostaffs to his hands, instantly moving to join them.

He loses all track of time as he fights, focusing on nothing but ending Sidious before he can hurt anyone else. They aren't gaining any ground, but they aren't really losing either. It's not enough, though. Sidious could be calling in reinforcements, for –

That very moment, he hears the drone of engines and looks up to see several ships approaching. They open fire all at once, on... Sidious? The Sith Master turns away with a snarl, trying to deflect the blasts.

Another ship lands, Amidalan fighters scrambling off and start shooting at the Sith Master. He can barely avoid all the shooting without Vader or the twins stabbing him when he isn't looking.

Sidious finally Force-jumps across the hangar, electrocuting Luke and Leia before they can spin to face him. They're thrown across the hangar, into the Amidalan fighters, right before Sidious lifts Vader in a Force-choke again.

He tries to lash out, to break the Sith Master's grip, but it's not enough. It's not working, and he can hardly focus on anything right now, anyway.

No. No. This can't be – He's not going to die here, like this right now, and –

"You were the Chosen One, were you not?" Sidious asks, mockingly, standing momentarily behind a ship out of the line of fire from the Amidalans, "Destined to bring balance to the Force. But who chooses the Chosen One and why would they not choose another? You are tool Lord Vader which can be discarded when it no longer functions."

He can hardly breathe, but still enough to register the words, their meaning cutting deeply into his heart. He knows he's nothing but Sidious' tool, but that doesn't stop how much it hurts and the burning betrayal that he means nothing to him. It's not as if anyone ever has chosen him.

A blaster shot rings out suddenly, and Sidious stumbles, his arm smoking.

Vader lands unceremoniously on the ground on his knees, blinding panic overtaking him when Sidious turns to face... Shmi, who's holding the blaster.

"I chose him," she replies. There's no steel there, just the quiet way she always talks, but it doesn't need to be, to carry the meaning. "And so did the... Force. He's not yours. He never was."

Sidious raises his hands towards her, and Vader lunges forwards, in an overwhelming moment of desperation, running a lightsaber through his back.

For a moment, there's nothing, but then Sidious' body falls to the floor.

It's over.

Sidious is gone.

He's free.

And he knows – he can accept, or at least try to, that – that what happened to him was wrong. That it may not change the things he did, but loathing himself ceaselessly for it is only making everything worse. It's not what Shmi wants of him, and she believes in him.

He is the sun dragon, and he is free.

And Anakin lets go.

***

Shmi stares at Sidious' motionless form, half-expecting for to him to still be alive, but he's not moving. He's gone. The Emperor is gone. That means... Anakin is free. They're free.

She's never hurt someone like that before, but seeing how he was treating Anakin, she can't feel any regret about that. Or that the Sith is dead. He was a slaver, and he's tortured her son for years. It makes her sick to even think about, to hear the way he was talking to him.

Finally, she looks up, gaze falling on the Amidalans gathered on the platform.

They came. She called them the moment she heard Sidious was coming, in the hopes it would help, and it... worked.

Luke and Leia are still down – Sidious must've hit them hard. She's about to go them when Sabe glances between them and the others, suddenly moving forwards abruptly, activating an electrstaff and swinging for the control panel on Anakin's chest.

What?!

It hits him, electricity crackling through the control panel on his chest plate, and it must be how injured he already is from Sidious that he actually stumbles back from it, nearly falling, before he Force-shoves her away.

The other Amidalans raise their blasters at the same moment, opening fire.

He reacts purely on instinct, barely managing to deflect the shots away in time.

What?! What are they –

"What are you doing?" Shmi demands, desperately.

"He's still the one who killed our queen," Sabe replies.

Force.

Why didn't she see it coming? She didn't think she could trust them, but she never expected they would actually go this far. That they would still try to kill him, once this is over.

Anakin rips their blasters away with the Force, throwing most of them across the hangar – he's trying not to hurt them, but they're not stopping. They mean to kill him, and they won't stop until they do. Sabe and the other women draw their electrostaffs, starting forwards.

There's only one thing Shmi can think of in that moment of desperation, mixed with bitterness and anger because why are they doing this, why won't they understand. "It was never him who hurt Anakin. He is Anakin, who once served Padme like you said."

They all freeze. "What?" Sabe repeats, "How's that possible?"

"I Fell," Anakin speaks for her, "I do not know if any of my actions had hand in her death, but I regret what happened to her, every day."

"How would you not know?" Eirtae demands, "Did you hurt her?"

"Yes."

Their expressions darken. "Then it doesn't matter who you are," Rabe throws back.

Shmi practically teleports across the room, planting herself between Anakin and the others, as dangerous as it is. Her heart is pounding, desperation clawing at her – Anakin is injured, and he needs to be treated, not dealing with more people who are about to kill him. "She tried to kill him," Shmi replies.

"What?" Sabe demands, aghast, "Padme would never do that."

"I don't know the details, but more happened here than you understand. And I'm not going to let you hurt my son."

Sabe, still in front, freezes, staring at her. "... Shmi Skywalker?"

What? "... You knew me?"

"Not in person, no. But I saw a holo of you once, long ago. I thought you were familiar," Sabe replies, frowning, "But you were... dead. How –"

"That's not what... matters," she replies, as uncomfortable as the situation is making her. She doesn't like having this much attention on her. It never means good things. "This fight has destroyed enough lives. You don't need to take another and lose so many more of your own while doing it." And if they try, she's not getting out of their way.

Sabe deflates after a few moments, looking to the others. "We... should leave."

They don't seem very happy with the request, but after some murmurings and unhappy glances, they start retreating back to their ships.

She still doesn't dare feel relieved, not until they're flying out. If these people were Padme's family, she'd consider them family too if not for how they were treating Anakin. She can understand their anger, but she can't understand why Anakin only matters to them because he served Padme. Is that really what they were like? She doesn't know, doesn't really have a way of knowing, but what matters most now is that... Anakin actually has a chance at living again, for perhaps the first time.

The ships are just flying out when Luke and Leia slowly sit up together, groaning quietly. Shmi hurries to their sides instantly, Anakin close behind her.

"Are you... okay? What happened?" Leia asks, standing up unsteadily, and offering a hand to Luke to pull him up, too.

"We won, but you need to treat your injuries. There are supplies here for that, right?" Shmi asks, looking between the three of them. She's not surprised Anakin is still standing, despite being hurt – she still remembers when he broke both his legs during a pod race but was smiling about it – but that doesn't make her any less afraid for him.

"Yes," Anakin agrees, "We will... attend to that."

***

Ever since coming to the future, Shmi's never gone into Anakin's room before. He never refused, but she never asked either. Still, sometimes she got the feeling he... didn't want her to.

But after seeing briefly into his so-called room which has nothing but a bacta tank in it, she knows why. He doesn't even have a proper room – when he rests, it's always in the bacta tank, so he can heal from his injuries. He –

It makes her feel sick to even think about, but it's the reality her Ani has been living under for so long. And she doesn't even know how much of his injuries are... fixable.

He's done recovering from the injuries from this fight, when she finally asks what she's been wanting to for a long time now. "Can I... see you?" she requests. It's been so long since she last saw his face. Seeing his expressionless mask isn't the same.

Anakin stills. "If... you desire," he replies, finally.

"We will have to... go elsewhere to do it," he says. He seems hesitant, though she isn't fully sure why – except she can't imagine he looks very good and maybe wants to spare her the horror of it, but this is her son. She ought to know what he looks like now.

She follows him to another room, empty except for a spherical device in the center.

"It is my... meditation pod," Anakin explains, still almost uncomfortable as they approach it. It's small and definitely not for two people, but she can still duck inside, and wait as a mechanism lowers to disconnect the helmet from his head.

She knew it had respiratory function and that he... couldn't freely take it off like a regular helmet, but that doesn't mean she was prepared for what she does see.

His skin is a sickly pale, an awful scar running across the top of his head and another more minor one on his face. And his skin... does not look, almost as though recovering from severe burns – she's seen that before.

It's the first time she's seen his face since she came here, and maybe truly the first time it's sinking in that Anakin is in his forties. He's not nine anymore, and he's... lived a far worse life than even she did.

"Ani," she murmurs, trying to keep the horror off her face but she doesn't know how well she manages it. It's all she can do not to cry, actually, because she was supposed to take care of him. She sent him away to be safe, not to be – reduced to a state like this.

His blue eyes meet her, and... at least those are the same, even if they bear a weight she never once saw when he was little. "It's alright, Mom," he says, quietly – and it's Anakin's voice. It sounds weak, but exactly like how she imagined he would sound when he grew up, not distorted by the vocoder. "This isn't... your fault."

"I sent you away to be safe."

"I know. This is where the Force deemed for me to end up, and we're... together. That is what matters."

He shouldn't be the one comforting her. "Yes," she agrees, quietly, "Because you are the sun dragon."

The smile that twists his lips is almost sad, but it still melts her heart entirely. She reaches forwards carefully, lightly laying her hands on either side of his face – it's the only place she can even touch him anymore.

A strangled sound escapes his lips, and he leans into the touch, almost desperately. When was the last time someone did touch him?

"I'm here," she promises softly, "And neither of us are going anywhere this time. Your children won't leave you, either." They have a long way to go in getting to know each other, but Shmi still believes it firmly.

"Yes," Anakin agrees, quietly, "And there is... someone else we may be able to find, who you... could meet. Ahsoka. My padawan."

His apprentice, so she must be something of a sister, or maybe even a daughter to him. "Of course," Shmi agrees, softly, "I'd like to meet her."

They're finally free together, and she... is still trying to process that. She has no idea what it means to be free. Trying to figure out a life without orders sounds more terrifying than anything else, but she'll find a way to do it, for Anakin.

Shmi doesn't understand what brought her to the future or why, but she's... grateful, or she never would have had the chance to be with her son again, and most of all, he would've had to live through this without anyone to help him. They're both free now for the first time, and even if they're both equally lost as to what that means, they can figure it out together.

Chapter Text

It's been so long since Vader – Anakin – was last touched, it's nearly overwhelming. Sidious has touched him fleetingly, but never like this.

Anakin twists sideways, half curled up in Shmi's lap, or at least about as much as he can be when he's practically twice her size. She's leaning against the head of the bed, with him resting his head against her chest, her arms firmly wrapped around him.

She and the twins insisted that he look into getting treated, and he's presently in the best medical bay there is on Coruscant where they're looking into treating his injuries.

The details are... frankly confusing him more than anything else. He doesn't know how to – to control any of that. He hasn't for years. It's been so long since his body has felt like his own. He's so used to the sickening feeling of what did you do to me this isn't my body this isn't me that he always feels after Sidious directs his surgeries. He never expected that he'd have control of himself again someday. He just feels... lost.

Not that he cares to think about any of that right now.

He's in a pressured room where he can breathe freely with his helmet off, and... the pieces of his armor and life support suit that cover his chest and back are presently off too, even if it can only be temporary right now.

He feels Shmi's hand lightly resting on the scarred skin of his back, in between the implants that he knows cover it, and it – it's more than he could ever thought he'd get again.

"You should rest," Shmi tells him, her hand lightly rubbing his back.

He opens his eyes, wanting to look up at her but deciding against it, because he doesn't want to stop feeling her touch, or even the softness of the fabric against his skin. "I – I want to feel it while you are here," Anakin objects.

She sighs softly, her hand coming up to press against his cheek. He twists his head enough to press a kiss to the palm of her hand. He forgot how much he missed her, somehow. He was so used to her being gone, to forgetting what it was like to feel cared for by her, to feel like a child again – and not in a way he minds.

"I'll always be here," she promises.

He presses a little closer. "You were gone so long. Sometimes, I do not know if – if that will change." He doesn't think it will, but he can't help being terrified of it. He lost her once. He can't handle that again. "And I have not been touched in a long time." He doesn't mind explaining it to her. Doesn't have a reason to. She's the one person he knows he can trust inexplicably to take care of him. That's the only thing that's ever mattered to her, and he –

(He wished that was true about Obi-Wan, no matter how... selfish that might be. He can... accept why it wasn't. Obi-Wan never had a family himself. Even if that doesn't change how much it hurts.)

"All these years, you... never have been?" she asks. He can feel her flare of horror in the Force.

He almost feels bad for telling her about it, at all. He can feel that horror constantly, and he – he doesn't like it when she has to feel like that because of him. "Sidious did sometimes, but it was not – It was brief."

"Just to hurt you," she says. He can feel the anger and mostly just how sick she's feeling.

"Not only," he admits, "It was to remind me I was his." The touch had always felt possessive and sometimes he thought there was affection there, but at the end of the day, Sidious wanted him as his perfect weapon. Nothing more. No matter how much it still hurts sometimes, even if he accepted it long ago. Doesn't make it easy to forget entirely what they had for years when he was Palpatine.

"I still can't believe the Jedi gave you to him. I thought they would take care of you," she says.

He doesn't want to think about it. Actually, about anything other than how he's snuggled in her arms right now. "They were... victims, as well. I will not deny that."

"Maybe, but that doesn't change how they treated you." She leans down, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

He could argue the point, but his mother won't accept anything else, and he – It helps, so he's not going to argue it. He hasn't felt this accepted and wanted – taken care of – in so long. It's not something he even knows how to handle, but he craves it desperately.

"Did Luke tell you that he's been considering returning to... wherever his Jedi Master was, to see him again?"

Anakin tilts his head back enough to look up at her, at that. "No, he did not."

He can't say he's surprised about that. His return to the Light is new and he doesn't know how stable it is – even if he's afraid of doing anything that could unbalance himself again. He's just clinging to the tendrils of Light and he doesn't want to start slipping again. But he can't blame Luke for not trusting him with that, even if it stings.

"I will not go unless you're alright with it, but this is... Yoda, who you said led the Order. I'd like to speak with him."

She wants to talk to Yoda?

Oh, he can only imagine why.

But he really, really doesn't want her to go. He can't forcibly keep her here just because he wants someone to hold him like he's a little child, though. She deserves to be with his children, too. His children don't have anyone left either, other than him and Shmi. And each other, of course. They need to be taken care of far more than he does. "Of course you can go. I will be fine."

She squeezes him a little tighter. "Tell me whenever you're actually comfortable with me going, little one. Don't just say that you are."

Of course she could tell that. She always can, somehow.

He smiles, faintly. "I – I do mean it. Luke needs you too. So does Leia."

"She promised to stay here with you while we're gone. It will only be for a couple days, at most."

He nods. "I know." But for now, he's perfectly content with staying right where he is.

***

Shmi still feels a little bad about leaving when Anakin's in the middle of his medical treatments, but Luke is insistent on wanting to go see this "Yoda" now, and Shmi frankly doesn't want to miss the chance to speak with him. It was him who she gave Anakin over to, trusting that he would take care of him, and that went about as badly as it could.

She doesn't think she'll ever get out of her head what Anakin looks like under all that armor. She's seen his upper back and chest, and both are covered in implants, and she feels sick seeing it even if she tries not to show it so it doesn't make him uncomfortable.

She leaves with Luke not long later.

For some reason, she was expecting to land on a planet with some kind of fancy building or at least a rebel base, not the middle of a swamp with no sign of life anywhere.

She can't deny being a little nervous now that she's here, though, because she doesn't... know what this person is going to be like.

And at the end of the day, he's a master.

Luke even calls him master.

And it doesn't mean the same thing he did on Tatooine, but the concept definitely is the same. She doesn't know how to handle meeting people like that, especially when she's so angry at them.

"A visitor, you have brought," a deep voice says, and she looks up sharply with a start, only to realize she actually needs to be looking down, to see a tiny green being who can't be over two feet tall.

"Master Yoda," Luke greets. He seems pleased to see him. "This is my grandmother, Shmi Skywalker."

The tiny green being's head looks past him, to her. Somehow, this just isn't what she expected him to look like. He doesn't look like someone who would hurt people, but she knows better than to be deceived by that. And she knows it wasn't all intentional, but...

"Passed on, you already did," Yoda objects, studying her.

"The... Force brought me here from the past. I can't explain what happened," she replies.

"Hmm," he murmurs, thumping his stick on the ground, "Yes, surrounds you, a disturbance in the Force does."

"Is it permanent?" she asks. She doesn't trust him, but he knows about the Force and she has to know that. She – she misses her little Ani, but she would never have seen him again anyway. If she goes back to the past, she'll never see this one again and he – he needs her desperately.

"Say for certain, I cannot, but brought you here for a reason, the Force did it. Return you to your time, far less likely it is," the Jedi Master replies.

She didn't realize how afraid she was of that, until she hears the reassurance. It's beyond relieving to know that being in the future is going to be stable.

"Why come here, have you?" he inquires.

"It's about my son," she replies, "Anakin."

"Sense a disturbance in the Force surrounding him, I did," he answers, expression thoughtful and maybe troubled.

"He turned back to the Light," Luke speaks up.

"Possible, that should not have been, but the Chosen One he was. Always done the impossible, he has, but still in great danger from the Dark Side, he could be," Yoda murmurs.

His entire Order was destroyed. It's... understandable that he's like this, but that doesn't stop the anger that tightens in her chest.

"When I sent Anakin to you, I didn't realize what it was I was sending him to," she starts, even if she keeps her voice level, no matter how much she might want to yell. She just... can't do that. Too braced for a retaliation from her past masters to feel capable of acting angry around anyone.

"Mmm, came late, he did. Difficult to learn the ways of the Jedi, it was for him."

She rather feels like he's completely missing her point.

"I thought you would take care of him. Not – not destroy him. He was never violent as a child. He was taught to be as a Jedi. I don't understand how that could have changed. That is not what I... believed the Jedi were."

She can't deny bracing herself for an instantly violent reaction because that's always how free people react to her saying things they don't like. That's why she long since learned not to, but this is for Anakin. And she has to know that the surviving Jedi who made Anakin into this aren't going to try to come back and hurt him.

Yoda just looks... sad, though. Which isn't exactly what she expected.

"Mistakes, we made," Yoda agrees, "Allowed him near the Sith, we did. Seen it, we should have. Corrupted him, the Sith did."

That still isn't her point. The fact that he's just as much a slave to the Sith as he was to Watto (and to the Jedi) doesn't mean he was corrupted. "I thought he would be free, but he... never was. I thought he would have a family, not be left constantly isolated and alone."

"Have families, Jedi do not. Attachment, possession, this causes. Led him to Fell, this did."

"He Fell because he didn't have anyone there for him," she replies flatly, and of that she has no doubt. He didn't Fall because of love. That's absolutely ridiculous.

Shmi senses a flicker of... something she doesn't understand, but then a shimmering blue figure appears right next to Yoda?

She startles sharply, blinking, but the figure doesn't disappear. "Who are you?" she asks, warily.

Is he a ghost? There's legends of such things on Tatooine, but she's never actually seen one before and definitely not one so visible.

"I am... Obi-Wan Kenobi."

She goes rigid instantly.

This – this is the person who hurt her son, left him in the condition he's in now. He's also apparently the person who raised him.

"You're the one who – who hurt Anakin?" she demands, about as heatedly as she would actually dare to, still far from comfortable with raising her voice.

The anger that rises up in her chest is tight and burning, even if she won't show it outwardly. Maybe, she's also a little afraid to, if this is the person who – who hurt Anakin that awfully even though he raised him. What – what would he do to someone he didn't care about at all? Even if he is a ghost now? It's unnerving that he's still able to appear at all.

"I did," he acknowledges, expression surprisingly solemn, "I thought he was lost, at the time. I will not deny that I... made mistakes."

As if that makes it any better? "He told me you raised him. How could anything he did be enough for you to hurt him?" There's nothing in the galaxy more important to her than Anakin, and she can't understand how anyone else who raised him as their own child could feel any differently. Even if they weren't his biological parent.

At least he actually has the decency to look guilty. "As far as I knew, he had killed the entire Jedi Order, thousands of people, for no reason."

"That gives you a reason to be angry, not a reason to – to torture him." There is literally nothing else she can call Anakin's condition and she doesn't know what could've happened to lead to that point. She'd rather not imagine it, either.

"I know." He sighs. "By the teachings of the Jedi, once someone has embraced the Dark Side to that extent, there is no... return."

The conversation is genuinely just upsetting her even further, even if he's at least not stubbornly insisting that everything he did was right – which was genuinely what she expected.

"Why does that matter?" Shmi asks, bluntly, "How is how he uses the Force more important than him? Why does he have to be the way you want him to be, for you to care about him?" Maybe it's insensitive, but she doesn't care. This is the person she would respect for caring for Anakin, if he hadn't done what he did.

He seems a little taken aback by the accusation.

"Mistakes, we have all made," Yoda interjects. It annoys her unreasonably that he's standing up for Obi-Wan, even if that's probably not fair considering that she knows they were both hurt in whatever happened. Though she frankly doesn't care because she's too angry at them. They ruined Anakin's life, and they just – Well, yes, they did face consequences for it, but it doesn't feel like they felt it half as much as Anakin did for their mistakes.

"Anakin spoke about you sometimes," Obi-Wan says, after a long pause. There's something pained in his gaze. "I must say that my... deepest regret is that I was never able to give him what he needed as a Jedi. I... was not the master he needed."

She sighs, feeling suddenly worn. "Maybe the problem you had was that you were trying to be his master, instead of raising him." She didn't give up Anakin to the Jedi so he could have another master – even if it wasn't one who officially owned him.

"Jedi don't have parents," Obi-Wan objects, "But I am... aware that is how he saw me."

"What he needed was evidently never something the Jedi could have given him," she replies, "Had I known, I would never have sent him there." She was so afraid of what fate he would face on Tatooine, but she can't help wondering now if that would have been better. It's not as if he was ever free even after leaving. Though the conditions he lived in physically were somewhat better. Until he was put in a life support suit, anyway.

Obi-Wan looks not stung exactly, but close enough. "What would you say he did need?" he asks, finally.

"What any child does," she replies, "Someone who would put him first, care for them as their own child. Someone who does not constantly put ideals above him. Someone who would not teach him that having emotions and caring for others is wrong. I taught him to help others on Tatooine. He did it without question. He wanted to do it perhaps more than I did. If he had any... selfishness as a Jedi, that was something he learned there because he had no one to take care of him so he had to do it himself."

But really, Anakin Fell to save his family – to save everyone but himself. There's nothing "selfish" about that. She can't say she's proud of the things he's done, but she's genuinely proud that he was... willing to go that far, because that's always what he does, no matter how much it costs him. He always tries to help. He wouldn't be Anakin if he didn't.

"If he had been allowed to care and have others care for him, it wouldn't have been a problem. I can respect that you have your own ideals, but – they are not more important than my Ani's life."

Maybe that's disrespectful to their beliefs, but it's the flat-out truth and she doesn't care if she's offended them. It's something they ought to know. Even if she's instantly bracing herself for being yelled at or some other relations, because that's just how people get.

They both seem a bit too taken aback to respond, though.

"And I'm not letting any of you hurt him again." She means it, whatever it takes – even if she doesn't say it with half the fire she actually feels about that.

Yoda and the ghost exchange glances.

"No intention to harm him, we have," Yoda responds. "How we proceed from here, his choice it is."

"It was never his choice," she can't help saying bitterly.

"The most I can tell you is that if I could... redo all of what I did, I would," Obi-Wan says, "But I will... talk to him."

She bristles instantly at the mere suggestion. Stay away from him, you've already hurt him enough she wants to snarl, but she doesn't know that that's actually fair.

Anakin still cares about him. She doesn't need the Force to be able to see it. She doesn't doubt that they were once close in their own right, and what they want to do from here is their choice – mostly Anakin's.

"If that's what he wants," she replies.

Not as if Obi-Wan was asking her, or she'd have a lot more to say about that. Just nothing she's really comfortable saying. But she thinks she's sufficiently made her point.

***

Anakin misses Shmi's presence desperately already, even if she's only been gone for about a day and won't be gone much longer than that. He's just not comfortable letting her out of his... range of being able to sense her, not after what happened before. But she'll be fine. He's certain of that this time.

Leia hasn't been here half as much as he was hoping – she's busy dealing with the Empire. They're officially taken control of the Empire in the aftermath of the Emperor's death, but there's other Imperial forces squabbling for control, and there's a high risk of everything descending into chaos unless they're able to stabilize the government. Working out a deal between the Empire and the Rebellion that doesn't erupt into further chaos is complicated.

It's something he ought to be present in, but no one was keen on letting him wait to treat his injuries any longer.

He's not really expecting it, even if he can't say he's surprised either, when he senses a familiar Force presence lingering in the room before Obi-Wan materializes in front of him.

He looks... the way he did when Anakin cut him down on the Death Star, and he quickly shies away from the memory.

"Anakin."

He hasn't heard Obi-Wan call him that name since – since Jabi'im, actually. But with this level of warmth, not since he left for Utapau.

A lifetime ago.

Last time he saw him, it was through a smothering wave of guilt and anger, and most of all, emptiness. Now it's different. The shame and guilt he feels instinctively are expected. And he's – maybe wary, too, but it's not like the last time he faced him. He's Light now. Not a Sith. Trying not to be, at least. "Obi-Wan." There's so much he ought to say, but he doesn't know where to begin. "I... I have failed you. Taken from you, from the galaxy, from the Jedi. And there's something I never told you."

"Those choices aren't the sum of who we are," Obi-Wan replies, studying him.

He's missed that look, the lingering affection in it, just as much as he can never forget the feel of the flames crawling across his skin. "When my mother was – was gone, I swore I would be powerful enough to save people. And instead, I did the opposite. I spread pain and fire to anyone in my path."

And then his mother came back and changed everything. He doesn't want to think about where he would be now, where everyone would be, if she hadn't.

Obi-Wan moves closer to him. When a hand touches his shoulder – he's still partly out of his armor at the moment – it feels physical. Anakin freezes at the touch, hardly sure how to react to it. He feels unreasonably vulnerable here, not fully in his armor. But he –

He let go of the Dark Side.

Obi-Wan won't hurt him again.

(Probably. That doesn't stop the instinctive fear.)

"Anakin, one person alone cannot burn down a galaxy. Or a Republic," he replies, "You do not bear the guilt of the galaxy. Only for your own choices."

He doesn't know what he expected him to say. Just not that. Any of it. "But I made those choices," Anakin objects, "To kneel to the Dark Side. To fight you." (Technically, it was always Obi-Wan who pulled the lightsaber on him first, but it still feels like it was his fault – after everything he had done.)

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan acknowledges, "But I must say that there was much that led you to making those choices. It wasn't something that came out of nowhere."

He has no idea what to say to that. This isn't – It's nothing like he's been towards him all these years. "I –"

"I made mistakes too, Anakin. Mistakes that led to what you did, and... I regret not trying to reach out to you sooner."

What's he supposed to say to that? Emotion is strangling him suddenly. Obi-Wan left him twice. He'd apologized once before only to leave him all over again. It means something to know that he regrets it, even if Anakin's still afraid because of what happened last time. But – but it's not as if he really has the right to be, does he? It would have been hard for Obi-Wan to reach him in that state, especially when he himself was so lost in his fear of him. (But to be fair, he hadn't shattered completely until Obi-Wan had walked out on him a second time, even when he was this close to begging him not to. Even if it probably wouldn't have ended well for Obi-Wan if he hadn't left.)

"Well, I probably would not have listened to you," he mutters, because he doesn't know what else to say.

Obi-Wan laughs.

Can't remember the last time he heard that either.

"You chose to bring balance. What you did in the past is the past. What matters is what you do from here."

Anakin reaches up, hand resting on Obi-Wan's blue-glowing hand on his shoulder.

Tries not to think about how this was the arm he lost on Mustafar.

This... is never a conversation he imagined he'd have with him, but he's glad that he's here.

***

Anakin seems in surprisingly better spirits when Shmi gets back from Dagobah. "Did something happen?" she inquires.

"Not much." he pauses. "I... talked to Obi-Wan."

She stills. Of course, he did. And that definitely sounds like "much". "How... was it?"

Anakin glances down, something like longing on his face. "Better than in years."

"You're... alright with being around him?" she asks, because she needs to know. Needs to tell him that it's fine if he isn't. She still doesn't understand how Obi-Wan's ghost is so physically lingering around in the first place.

"I don't know. I – I miss him. Not everything we used to have was bad. He wants me back. I – I want that."

Then she'll let it go with that. She can't imagine ever trusting Obi-Wan with Anakin, but she'll let Anakin make this choice, if it's really what he wants to do.

It's not long later that Leia comes into the room. "There's someone here to see you," she informs, looking surprisingly cheerful. And maybe a bit mischievous.

"Who is it?" Anakin inquires.

"Come and see," she chirps, before disappearing out the door.

Shmi can't deny her curiosity, especially when she sees the way Anakin's helmet turns slowly, in a way she's certain means he just recognized whoever this is in the Force.

A tall, female Togruta is waiting when they enter the room, and there's a girl in Mandalorian armor standing behind her, helmet under her arm.

"Snips?" Anakin asks, freezing.

"Anakin," she replies, a smile breaking across her face.

And then she just knows this is Ahsoka, without having to be told. The affection they're both radiating is too strong for it to be anyone else.

Shmi had almost expected some kind of tension, considering that this Ahsoka is a Jedi, but she doesn't see any of that. If there was any, it's clearly something both of them are moving past.

"You look old," Anakin tells her, dryly.

Ahsoka laughs. "That happens."

Anakin crosses the room in a few swift steps, pulling Ahsoka into a hug. She throws her arms around his neck, hugging him back. "I heard from Leia that you... were back. And the word is spreading everywhere."

"You know Leia?" Anakin queries, surprised.

"Through the Rebellion. Not personally," Ahsoka replies, stepping back, scanning the room. Her gaze lingers on Shmi for a moment, before she glances back at the Mandalorian. "I think it's time for some introductions?"

"Yes," Anakin agrees.

"Meet my padawan, Sabine Wren," Ahsoka says cheerfully.

"Hey," the Mandalorian girl says, gaze mostly neutral as she studies him.

Anakin's helmet slowly turns towards her. "I... remember you."

"I could tell you the same," Sabine replies.

Shmi doesn't really understand the lingering tension, or maybe it's more of an uncomfortableness on both their parts. Clearly, they've had past interactions.

"Why don't we finish the introductions?" Ahsoka finally cuts in.

Anakin turns away at that, back to her. "Ahsoka, this is my... mother."

"I'm Shmi," Shmi tells her, as Ahsoka's eyes widen in surprise.

"I thought you were dead?"

"She is here from the past. I cannot explain how it happened," Anakin explains.

"From the past?" Ahsoka repeats, dubiously, "Are you serious, Skyguy?"

Shmi can't help smiling at the ridiculousness of the nickname. "I don't understand it either," she assures.

"I... I always wondered what you were like," the Togruta admits, approaching her, "Anakin only mentioned you several times during the war, but..."

That was after she was dead. Of course he never spoke of it much – especially in an Order where he apparently wasn't supposed to care if he lost people. "Anakin told me a little about you," Shmi replies, "That you were his padawan during the war until you... left the Order because of the Council."

"Yeah," she agrees, expression shadowing a bit, "It wasn't a decision I wanted to make, but I..."

"She never wanted to fight in a war," Anakin interjects for her. Shmi can entirely understand that. She wishes Anakin hadn't had to spend the past decades fighting in wars either.

Ahsoka and Sabine both intend to stay for a while longer, which gives Shmi a moment alone with Ahsoka not long later. Anakin and Sabine are in the next room having an animated discussion about explosives and art that Shmi does not follow in the slightest, but she's glad they're talking to each other. A grand-padawan is obviously not the same as a grandchild, but it obviously means a lot to Anakin to be getting to know Sabine.

"I haven't seen Anakin this happy in a long time," Shmi comments, to Ahsoka.

"Is he?" the Togruta asks, something wistful and pained on her face, "When did he come back to the Light Side? What happened? I don't really know anything about why he Fell. All I know is... some of the things he's done as Vader."

At least she's not flat out rejecting him. "All he needed was someone to help him," Shmi replies, "Someone who would... stay with him, no matter what. That's all I did. He was as much a slave to Sidious as he was on Tatooine. He had no way to free himself, not alone."

She looks almost guilty for a moment. "I confronted him once. We... fought," she confesses, looking away, "He wanted me to join him, and at first I refused. I... didn't want to Fall. Even if I didn't want to leave him again, either."

She's not really surprised to hear that, even if it hurts to know that someone else left Anakin. Someone who she can see was the center of his world, literally. At least it was his younger sister/daughter, not parent,and the circumstances with her weren't anything like they were with Obi-Wan. "I think that... staying with him now will be enough, if that's what you want to do."

"It is," Ahsoka agrees. "I've missed him."

Shmi nods, relief flaring through her.

It seems like Anakin's family is slowly putting itself back together now, and she hopes that will be enough to help him as he tries to learn what it means to live, for truly the first time.