Just until...they're alright without me...
Padmé didn't know what exactly to expect when she rejoined the land of the living, she had left her family in such a critical state after all. However, the sight of Luke lying motionless in front of her, with the faint smell of smoke coming off his clothes, was enough to leave Padmé with the impression she had missed quite a lot. Practically crawling over to her son, Padmé ignored the sudden stiffness in her muscles and the consistent burning sensation in the back of her throat. He looked just as tense up close, with noticeable, but minor, spasms flashing across his face and exposed hand.
"Luke," Padmé whimpered softly as she gently lifted his head off of the hard floor and onto her lap. "I'm here, your mother is here."
The tension seemed to drain a little from his face, but he still didn't wake up. Biting back tears as she gently brushed away his sweat soaked bangs, Padmé took a deep breath before looking upward.
"Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn! You tell the Force to let my baby come back to me right now, or I swear I'll go there and get him myself!"
In all honesty, Padmé had been through too much to let screaming orders to a dead man while staring at the ceiling embarrass her. She just hoped it would work. A moment passed, and just before she could consider how exactly she could make good on her threat, Luke's eyes shot open. He quickly sat up, while taking in a big gasp of air, followed by several less desperate, but just as deep breaths. Sending a silent thank-you Qui-Gon's way, Padmé watched with a nervous smile as Luke's breathing began to calm down.
"Luke?" She asked tentatively, trying not to notice how he froze at her voice.
Slowly, he turned her way, his blue eyes wide open. Luke's mouth opened and closed a few times, as though he couldn't exactly decide on what to say. Instead, he choked out a teary smile as he pulled Padmé into a tight hug. She could hear him mumbling out an unnecessary apology, intermixed with a few sniffles, all while Padmé gently rubbed his back and assured him she was really there. She could have sat there forever, holding her son in her arms, but alas the galaxy is forever in motion, apparently pulled along by the Force...only to become the Force? Padmé still wasn't entirely sure of how it all worked, but there were more pressing matters to attend to.
Luke's grip tightened considerably when the station suddenly began to shake around them. When the tremor finally stopped, it was replaced by the echoes of a warning siren. Both looked towards the viewport, which revealed the now incoming Rebel Alliance ships successfully attacking the station. Excitement was etched on Luke's face as he turned back to Padmé.
"Leia and Han! The ground team must have deactivated the shield!"
Another tremor shook the floor, confirming Luke's assumption. And, as happy as Padmé was at the thought that this horrible weapon would be destroyed, she definitely didn't want to be ONBOARD when it happened! Though, the idea of Palpatine exploding in space was a different matter.
Oh, OH FORCE!
Padmé immediately threw herself in front of Luke as she rapidly scanned the room.
"Mother, it's alright. The Emperor is gone!"
Luke grabbed her shoulders and turned her back around to him. "Father stopped him."
"Your father?" Padmé asked nervously. As much as she didn't want to think about it, an intrusive memory of the last time Anakin took revenge for the death of a loved one...well it might have very well put him on the path to this future.
Luke nodded, oblivious to his mother's worries. "Yes, he did it to save my life."
As Luke gave an abridged version of what had transpired while she was away, Padmé felt her heart swell. He had done it, Anakin had come back to the light. Of course, this only made her feel more guilty as she realized neither her nor Luke had actually considered where Anakin was at the moment. Luckily, a quick look around showed he was over by the now glowing elevator shaft.
***
Just. Until. They're. Alright!
"Lift his legs higher, Mother, they're dragging!" Luke called out to Padmé through gritted teeth as he struggled to raise his father's body over his shoulder. She nodded as she fought to adjust her own hold. It honestly didn't help that Anakin dwarfed the two of them as though they were Ewoks, but the Skywalker family soldiered on towards the hanger. The tremors were intermittent, sparks and dust clouded the air, and all while the alarm continued to blare overhead. And, just to add to the chaos that Padmé called her life, the entire station was filled with people, PANICKING people! It kind of surprised Padmé a little, that out of all the officers and Storm Troopers that rushed past them in every direction, absolutely no one seemed to care that Darth Vader himself was being dragged along by the prisoners, nor did any bother to stop and help.
Selfish kriffing-
Padmé's thoughts were cut short as another tremor racked the station, sending many to the ground. It was a real fight to keep her footing while balancing her husband's stiff, metal body. Luke was clearly feeling the weight as well, but he was just as determined to save Anakin. However, as the shaking finally began to settle, it appeared Anakin had different plans.
"Leave me here."
Both Padmé and Luke were startled by the request, stopping in their tracks and staring at Anakin's mask.
"Just leave me here. I'm only slowing you two down."
"Don't say things like that!" Padmé motioned for Luke to continue forward, only for Anakin to protest once more.
"Father, please." Luke huffed as he spoke. "It's going to be alright. We're going to get a ship, and we're going to," another loud breath, "get you to a medic, and," yet another breath, "we're-"
"Son, stop."
Luke fell silent as he looked back at his father. He turned his gaze to Padmé, clearly unsure how to proceed, though she was at a loss as well. Anakin just looked so...broken, but that didn't mean he couldn't be fixed, right? After all, he's a good guy again, that had to count for something, right? Padmé let out a sigh, if she has learned anything from her career as a politician, it was that the universe wasn't fair on its own. And, if she's learned anything from this entire experience, it was that the Force had a plan for everyone, even if it involved tragedy.
"Padmé, please."
Padmé was brought back at the sound of her name. It was interesting to hear such an intentionally menacing voice seem to crack with emotion.
"Please, help me, take off this mask."
Luke immediately balked at the thought. "But if she does that, you'll die!"
"Nothing can stop that now." Anakin struggled to turn his head as they sat him onto the ground. "I just want to see my son with my own eyes."
The sounds of the exploding space station ebbed away as Padmé hesitated. She knew she couldn't deny such a request, her husband's last request. Tears filled her own eyes as she and Luke together began to remove the helmet.
"Wait."
They stalled at his voice, and Padmé wondered if he had suddenly changed his mind.
"Padmé, Angel. I...I don't want you to look, just-"
"Anakin, I love you. I have always loved you, and I always will love you." Padmé smiled through the tears. "After all, you are the father of our children."
"Children?" He asked, though a bit weaker than before.
"I have a sister," Luke chimed in as he took the final piece of the helmet off.
It was no wonder Anakin was worried about her seeing his face, he hardly resembled a person, much less the Jedi he once was. Bald and scarred, the only thing he still had were his blue eyes, the same ones that now starred awestruck up at his son.
"Tell your sister, you were right about me."
Luke nodded, while Anakin slowly began to slip away. Padmé held Anakin's remaining hand, before giving him a kiss goodbye. All the tension in Anakin's face seemed to melt away, as he mumbled out what sounded like "...it's so nice, to see you here..."
Choking back sobs, Padmé knew they couldn't linger. As she rose to her feet, she tried to get Luke to do the same.
"I don't want to leave him! He deserves a proper burial, Mother."
Luke was basically pleading and Padmé felt he had a point. Unfortunately, they were quickly losing time as more tremors could be felt underfoot. Taking in a very deep breath, Padmé helped Luke drag Anakin's body into the nearest empty ship. As Luke jetted them out of the hanger, they could see the attack more clearly. It was going incredibly well from what they saw, especially when only a few minutes later the entire station exploded in a massive fireball of charred debris. That certainly wasn't going to be fixed anytime soon. Their ship rocked slightly due to the shockwaves, but Luke managed to get them through the worst of it. As they neared the planet below, Padmé took the chair next to her son.
"I know how they do it, Jedi funerals, I mean." How exactly did she know that was what was on Luke's mind? Well, it was the same thing on her own. "I attended one for Obi-Wan's master, and I think I remember the steps.
Luke only nodded, "I'm sure it's what he wants."
"Me too."
***
As Anakin's body burned like Qui-Gon's had so many decades prior, Padmé couldn't help but notice how quiet their son was. He hadn't spoken the entire they prepared the funeral pyre, nor did he seem willing to break his silence now. It was hard of course, that no one else in the entire galaxy would actually mourn for Anakin aside from them. Much less, know how he saved not only them, but everyone at the cost of his own life. Because that's what Anakin had always been, deep down in his core, a selfless person who only ever wanted to help.
"Did you know, that he loved pod races?"
Luke looked away from the flames, and shook his head no.
"He was the only human who could participate. Of course, that's because of his use of the Force, but he didn't know that before I met him. I told you before, how we had needed the parts for our ship, well, a deal had been worked out that if Anakin won his next pod race then we would win the parts. He was so excited to race for us, though he had never actually finished one before. That didn't matter, as Obi-Wan's master, Master Qui-Gon Jinn, had complete faith that he would win." Padmé cleared her throat. "And, he was right. Anakin won not only the parts for our ship, but his own freedom through that race. Though, he hadn't know he was racing to end his own enslavement."
He was perfectly content just to help a group of strangers on their way, and then go back to life with his mother...
Luke looked back towards the fire. "I just don't understand. I was supposed to destroy him, like Yoda and Ben both told me I was, but," Luke's voice began to tense slightly, "I was RIGHT. There was still good in him, he was GOOD again, Mother!" He now faced Padmé tears streaming down his face. "So, why couldn't I save him?!"
Padmé wrapped her arms around Luke, listening with a heavy heart as he began to sob.
"Luke," she loosened her hold and grabbed his shoulders. "Look at me."
Luke did as she asked, though his breathing was still uneven.
"You DID save him. Just because he isn't standing here beside us, doesn't mean you failed. Obi-Wan and Yoda lost faith in Anakin, they thought they knew who he was, Palpatine thought he knew who he was, and guess what? They were all wrong, and it's only because of you that they were. You loved your father, and that love was what kept you sure that he was still a good person deep down."
"Yeah, but," Luke sighed. "You were there too, and you believed in him as well."
"Well yes, I didn't lose faith either," Padmé acknowledged. "However, Luke, he went against the Emperor just to save you, and I know that he wouldn't have done it for just anyone. After all, he wouldn't even defy Palpatine for me, let alone destroy him at the cost of his own life. Luke, you didn't just save him, you taught him to love again."
Luke drew in a breath, pondering his mother's words.
"Anakin is alright where he is," Padmé smiled. I should know!
The two watched as the flames began to die down, while overhead, rebel ships filled the night sky. Each one diving between shooting stars and fireworks. Music could be heard echoing in the distance, along with the unanimous cheers of a freed galaxy. It was a bit weird, to have such a joyous air wrapped around the melancholy of Anakin's funeral. Though, despite their loss, both Luke and Padmé knew this was still a happy time. It's not every day that an empire falls, and everyone deserves to celebrate the victory. Finally, as the last of the fires turned to embers, and all that remained were the melted and charred remnants of Darth Vader's prosthetics, Luke turned to his mother.
"I think, I'll be alright too."
Just until they're alright...
Padmé watched as Luke began cleaning up the evidence of the pyre. It wouldn't do for some uninformed Ewok or rebel to stumble upon the burial site of the empire's top enforcer, after all. He still held a somber look, but his mood had clearly shifted. It was obvious that he took Padmé's words to heart, and had accepted that he did indeed save his father's soul from the dark side. Yes, she truly believed that Luke would be alright.
...without me.
Padmé didn't exactly know what to expect when the Force decided to send her back to her own time. Admittedly, she didn't remember what it was like when she was sent to the future. However, something felt noticeably different inside of her. Like watching the gentle lapping of the waves on her favorite beach as the sun begins to set. The ocean would continue to move long after she had left, but she was ready to end her day, satisfied with the experience.
Luke seemed to notice this change in his mother, but to his credit, he didn't start to cry. Instead, he pulled her in for one last hug. Padmé held her boy tightly, taking in every last detail. They slowly unwrapped from each other, but they still held each other's hands. Luke spoke first.
"I'm really going to miss you, Mother. But, I guess you already know that." He held a somewhat sheepish grin.
Padmé had a small smile herself, "I'm so happy I got to meet you, Luke, and that I got to see the amazing man you are. Proud doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about you and your sister."
Luke nodded, "Well, I guess it's a good thing I found you back on Tatooine. I know it was probably 'the will of the Force', but thank you for being with me since then. I'm not going to say I wish it had been longer, because I know you have to go, but-"
"It will be longer," Padmé interrupted. "I promise you, I'll do everything in my power to stop Palpatine from becoming the Emperor. I won't let your father fall to the dark side, and Luke," she stared deeply into his eyes, "I promise you I will be the best mother to you and Leia I can possibly be."
As the world around her began to grow brighter, Padmé knew it was time. Luke slowly let go and backed away, but she could see his final wave goodbye.