Rise from the Dark

~12~

Anakin

It's been almost a year and they told me four months. Luke and Leia are nine now and must be nearing 10. I'm so angry I've missed another year of their life and I was told I'd only be missing four months.
I guess the Jedi order don't understand what it means to be in love and have children so they don't know how much I've been suffering.
I sit in the corner of my cell, next to where Obi-Wan had given me a photo of my family to tape to the wall when I hear the door open. Windu stares at me and then steps to one side, gesturing for me to exit the cell. I rise to me feet and bow to him, and then gently rip the picture from the grey wall.
As I walk past Windu he sharply shoots his arm out to grab mine.
"I still don't trust you Skywalker, do anything ever again and it's straight to death penalty."
"I understand master." I try to sound as sincere as possible but I'm so elated. I'm finally going home.

Padmé

It's five o'clock when I see a ship lower on the landing platform. It doesn't doesn't take me long to work out who it is.
   I run, the cold winter breeze hitting my cheeks as I step outside, and straight into his arms. I take him off guard when I forcefully press his lips to mine. Cupping my hand around the back of his head, I lean on his shoulder and whisper,
   "I love you." In his ear.
   "you love me?"
   "I truly...deeply...love you,"
   "I love you you Padmé...so much," and our lips are together again.
    We head inside the house, Luke and Leia were absent as they wanted to visit a friends. He sprawls across the couch and sinks into the comfort of the cushions beneath him.
   "I can't begin to imagine what you've been through," I say, handing him a warm drink.
   "To be honest I thought it would be worse. I just stayed in a cell for almost a year, that's not too and on the scale of what it could have been."
   "I'm sure it was still pretty tough Anakin," I lean and kiss him on the forehead and then perch by his feet at the end of the sofa.
   "I had something that helped me get through." He smirks at me and reaches inside his robes.
   "And what was that?" I ask. He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper.
   "This." He turns the paper around and I see a photo of the children and I in Naboo. "I just had to know that but he end of it I would be reunited with my family. "Where are my angels anyway?"
   "They're at a friends, they'll be home soon."
   Sure enough Luke and Leia are home within 20 minutes. As they walk across the platform I tell Anakin to hide as a surprise.
   I greet them as I normally would and then Anakin jumps out from behind the couch and they run into his arms.
   "Daddy! Oh daddy I missed you!" Leia chants.
   "Did you miss us dad?" Luke asks, burying into Anakin.
   "I missed you so much Lukey, and you Leia,"
   "And mummy," Leia adds matter-of-factly.
   "Yes, especially mummy."
   We spend the rest of the afternoon laughing and Luke and Leia informing Anakin all about what's it's like to be 9. All the yellow of the Sith has left his eyes and the crystal blue orbs that I love have returned. We eat dinner all together and it's so lovely to be reunited. But it makes me think...how many times do we have to reunite before we stay that way?