Months pass and time seems to heal the fresh wounds. Luke has learned how to control his new hand. Already, it's like he's never lost it. Leia starts to accept what happened to Alderaan, the pain no longer causing physical reactions. She deals with it in her own healthy ways, speaking with others about what she misses. And together, the twins help show Obi-Wan that they do not harbor any hate with him about their father. In fact, they help him begin to forgive himself.

But one thing makes this peace uneasy.

No one has heard about Vader since his and Luke's fight.

Obi-Wan smiles from the sideline, watching the green and blue lightsabers dazzle with each spin and twirl. Leia swipes at Luke's feet with her foot, hoping to trip him like when they were younger. Learning from his past mistakes, he jumps over her foot and lands perfectly balanced. "That move no longer tricks him." Obi-Wan chuckles.

"Maybe not. But it works on everyone else I meet." She counters with a smirk. Luke flips over her, landing behind her. He swings for her waist, performing the move Obi-Wan humbly recounters as his signature strike at killing Darth Maul the first time.

But Leia blocks it. She too knows the story. "Good thing I taught you how to defend yourself from behind." Obi-Wan laughs, watching Luke frown in disappointment. Their lightsabers continue to crackle with each swing.

"Sometimes I wish you hadn't." Luke jokes. They seem evenly matched now. They know each other's moves inside and out. Just when the tide starts to shift in Leia's favor, the door to the training room opens.

"Ben," Padmé calls out. All of them turn and look. Luke and Leia turn off their lightsabers and follow him towards the exit. Whatever is happening must be important. She never asks for his presence in person, especially when they're training. "There's something I want to show you." She says, waving him close to her.

"What is it?" He asks, walking beside her down the hallway. He slips his hands into his robes, his attention on her.

"You'll see." She smiles. The twins share a glance, basically reading each other's minds as they follow the adults into a secluded area. They're in the small garden. The plants are just starting to bloom, their buds beginning to open. The scent reminds them of when they were younger, spending their summers on Alderaan.

Above them, a green and white bird soars.

Weird. Luke and Leia have never seen that species around here before.

At first, they think they are the only people in the garden. Everything is quiet, aside for a gentle breeze that rustles the leaves. The bubbling pond  in the center of the garden adds to the noise. Luke is about to ask why they are here when they turn the corner and see someone. They're wearing a cloak, hiding anything about them.

Hearing the group approach, the stranger turns.

It's a Togurta woman. Her skin is orange with white markings and blue stripes. She gasps as her eyes land on them. Her eyes are wide, blinking rapidly as she takes them in. She is surprised at their appearance as well.

Obi-Wan freezes in his tracks. He grabs onto Padmé's sleeve for support. "Ahsoka?" He chokes.

"Obi-Wan!" She cheers with a smile wide on her face. Luke and Leia watch as the two of them rush to meet each other. They embrace in a hug so tight that it almost hurts to look at. Through the Force, they can feel the waves of bittersweetness. Whoever she is, she must have meant something great to Obi-Wan.

They stay in each other's arms for so long that it feels like time has stopped. To Obi-Wan, this feels like a dream. For just over two decades, he's believed that everyone he knew had been killed. Now, he's been granted the chance to be with someone from his past. Someone he cared deeply for. "All this time, you were alive?" Obi-Wan asks, his voice hoarse.

"I tried to reach you." She cries into his shoulder. She thought she would never see him again. She believed that he was truly gone. "I meditated constantly, trying to feel for someone I knew. There was nothing. Everyone was dead, even you. I couldn't feel you. I felt so alone."

They pull apart and share a laugh. "But here you are. You are alive. I never thought I'd see you again." She smiles, wiping underneath her eyes with the back of her hands. He grins back her, also wiping away his tears. His familiar waves through the Force remind her of a time long forgotten. Back when she was just a padawan learning underneath two of the best Jedi in the Order.

Both of them know that they look like a mess, but they don't care. Finally, they have each other again. They are together at last. "I think of what I would have said if I knew that would be the last time a lot. You are so grown up from then. I almost didn't recognize you." He chuckles.

"You've changed too." Ahsoka smiles as she touches his gray hair. Just his presence is enough to make her feel confident again. She remembers all that he did in the Clones Wars. His bravery and wisdom helped her survive for this long. "Master Obi-Wan, I've missed you. Very much."

Obi-Wan nods, agreeing. He softly awes as he remembers the others in the room. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and turns. "Ahsoka, I want you to meet these two trouble makers." He begins. Leia and Luke playfully roll their eyes and step forward. "This is Luke and Leia. They are Anakin and Padmé's."

Ahsoka grins at Padmé. She had suspicions that her master and Padmé had a thing. She didn't know that it went this far, but she's thankful. They are a piece of their father that she's so desperately missed. "Skyguy." She says, pointing to Luke. "And Skygirl." She says to Leia.

"Luke, Leia, this is Ahsoka. She was your father's padawan. The three of us had many grand adventures together. I'm happy that the two of you have the privilege of getting to meet her." Obi-Wan says, gently pushing Ahsoka closer to them. He is eager for them to meet someone he has talked about. All of his stories have seemed like fairytales and now here's a chance to show them that she is real. Ahsoka isn't someone he made up to prove that their father was a good man. She was trained by the once kind Anakin Skywalker and has not fallen to the dark side.

"It's so nice to meet the two of you," Ahsoka says. She stumbles, unsure of what to do. She wants to embrace them in a hug but she doesn't know how they'll react. They don't know her. She didn't even know they existed until now. She begins to hold out her hand to them, but that seems too formal. After all, Anakin was her master and Padmé was one of her closest friends. 

Sensing her hesitation, Luke opens his arms wide. He will show her that they are excited to meet her. "We've heard much about you." He says as he pulls her to him. She relaxes in his arms, glad that they've welcomed her so easily. 

"Have you now?" She asks as she parts from him and goes to Leia.

"Yes. Obi-Wan has told us many stories about you saving our father from his crazy ideas." Leia says, gently patting Ahsoka's back before letting her go. "You kept our father in line plenty of times out on the battlefield."

Ahsoka sends Obi-Wan a playful glare. "Obi-Wan exaggerates. He was the one who kept us in line."

He blows air out his nose, shaking his head. "Anakin never listened to me. You were the one to get through to him most of the time." 

The two of them begin to bicker, giving each other credit that they deserve but won't accept. They start walk side by side out of the garden, Obi-Wan bragging about the twins and asking Ahsoka all about her adventures without him. It's surprising to all of them that she can even get a word in. This is the most they've seen Obi-Wan ramble. Usually, he is a quiet listener, but today he seems like a different person. He can't seem to keep his mouth shut. He wants to know everything.

Padmé and the twins peacefully trail behind them. They watch them converse with happiness. It has been a long time since they've seen Obi-Wan this energic to anyone. It's nice to see him so giddy. It's been a long time since he and Padmé have seen an old face. To have Ahsoka back in their lives brings back bittersweet memories.

Leia taps her mother's shoulder, getting her attention. "How did you find Ahsoka?" She asks.

Padmé slows so that they're out of the long-lost pals' earshots. She tips her head over her shoulder between Luke and Leia. "Ahsoka has been apart of the rebellion since the beginning."

"Then why are we reuniting her with Obi-Wan now?" Luke asks. Why did they keep them apart? It's clear that they should have been together earlier. Ahsoka talked about how alone she felt and Luke knows that Obi-Wan dealt with sorrow in knowing he survived Order 66. Why did they make the two of them suffer for so long not knowing the other was alive?

"There are a lot of branches in this rebellion. There are specifics that I don't know but other leaders might. There are some things that I know that many others don't. This is in case one of us is captured that we are still able to save information." Padmé softly explains. She stops, turning around to fully face them. "When Bail passed, I took over the information he was in charge of. In his files, I found that Ahsoka survived and was helping us from the start."

"So Bail kept them apart?" Leia asks. She pauses, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. It seems out of character for him to keep two Jedi apart. He knew both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were alive and where each of them were in the galaxy. "What did we have to gain by keeping them separated? Surely Bail knew how much they meant to each other?"

Padmé shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure why Bail kept them apart. Maybe he thought that it was keeping us safe. If Ahsoka was to be captured, they could use her to find Obi-Wan, which would ultimately lead to the discovery of you two and me." 

"So it was out of protection that Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had to be separated?" Luke asks, a pained look on his face. He has never liked the idea of others suffering for his sake. "The protection of us?"

Padmé takes a deep breath. "That's my best guess, but we'll never know."

Luke peeks around his mother, looking at the two of them. They haven't even noticed that the pack of Skywalkers stopped following them. They're both trapped in their own world, talking about everything that comes to mind. Luke looks back at his mother, smiling softly. "Well, I'm glad they're together now. It's good that they've been reconnected, even if it's late timing."

Leia nods. "Yeah. I've never seen Obi-Wan like this. It's right to put them together again."

Padmé smiles, looking at them. She touches the rebellion symbol sewed over her heart. "I think so too."

xxx

"Oh, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan says, grabbing onto her robes. "You must see how far Luke and Leia have come on their training. The way they handle their lightsabers would make a dewback faint. They are naturals."

"Well, they had one of the best teachers." She smiles at him.

He waves her off. "It has nothing to do with me. They're amazing all on their own. Really, you should see." He insists. He looks over the twins, gesturing to them. "Go on, show Ahsoka what you can do."

Luke laughs, grabbing his from his waist. "Alright. But only because you talk so highly of us."

Ahsoka awes, watching the green light come to life. "I had the same color when I was a padawan."

Leia turns hers on, the blue blade catching their attention. "What color do you have now?" 

Their minds start to race with ideas. It can't be green. Otherwise, Ahsoka would have said so. Leia wants it to be blue, like hers and her father's. But there are so many options that it could be. Obi-Wan told them that Temple Guards used to have yellow ones. Master Windu carried a violet lightsaber, which Luke wishes he could have seen with his own eyes. 

Ahsoka grabs the two from her hips. Leia's eyes bulge from her head. Two lightsabers? Does Ahsoka use two in battle? Suddenly, she only wants to watch Ahsoka fight. Leia doesn't care about showing off her skills. She wants to see how Ahsoka makes her lightsabers work. Is she as good with her left hand as her right? Maybe one is a backup in case she loses the other in a battle. Obi-Wan has always told them to be prepared for anything in a fight.

The white blades buzz on and even Obi-Wan is starstruck. "White blades?" He asks, admiring them. He reaches out, gently touching the handles.

"It surprises everyone I meet." She grins. She hands one off to the old master, letting him ponder over them. 

Though Luke is shocked at her colors, he can't help noticing how confused Obi-Wan looks. He knows a lot about the Jedi and lightsabers. He has admitted plenty of times to them that he doesn't know everything, but Luke thinks that he should at least know about white kyber crystals. "What do they mean?" He asks, curiosity filling him.

Obi-Wan lets out a long sigh, a gentle frown resting on his face. "There was a prophecy about someone using white blades." He begins. He returns the lightsaber to Ahsoka and closes his eyes. He tugs on his beard, deep in thought. "I can't recall it anymore."

"A prophecy?" Ahsoka asks.

"Yes. Master Qui-Gon used to send me to the Archives to read prophecies when I was his padawan. I used to hate them. I wanted to be out flying."

"You? Flying?" Ahsoka teases.

He cracks a smile. "At one time, yes." He says as he opens his eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest. Ahsoka tries to hold back a laugh at him. Though he has changed, his mannerisms are still very much her Master Obi-Wan. "Reading those prophecies are what helped us discover Anakin. If only I could recall what was said about your white blades. Then we could know if it was meant about you."

"Prophecies don't always come true," Ahsoka says, a hint of sadness in her voice. All of them look down, the weight of her words resting on them. No one needs to say who she is referring to.

Wanting to clear the air, Obi-Wan gives his head a slight shake. "I'll see if I can remember it when I meditate later. The twins should show you what they know. And if they feel up to it, maybe you can spar with them. Show them a real fight since I've grown too old." He smiles.

The twins share a smirk then go to their respective sides. They give a bow, showing that they will not enter with anger or hate. They enter as siblings and will leave as siblings. Just as soon as they finish their greeting, Leia leaps forward to get the first hit.

Ahsoka can sense the pride coming from Obi-Wan. Throughout the fight, he whispers to her about each of the twins' fighting styles. He explains moves they had a difficult time learning and ones that came naturally to them.

As he talks, she watches them move with such grace and precision that it reminds her of her master and grandmaster. Luke's style is much more similar to Obi-Wan's, which somewhat surprises her. Upon first meeting them, she assumed he would be the one to turn out like Anakin. Instead, Leia has shown his mannerisms. She fights with power and emotion so like Anakin that they could be mistaken in a field of battle.

"I hate to dampen the mood, but I see that Leia is very much like Anakin." Ahsoka begins. She turns whispering to Obi-Wan over the sounds of the crackling lightsabers. "Does it worry you? Are you concerned about the emotion she puts in?"

Obi-Wan furrows his eyebrows, processing his response. "At first, I was. I watched her closely, looking for any signs of the dark side in her. I watched both of them with that worry in mind." He says, his eyes glancing at the two in the background before meeting Ahsoka again. "But upon seeing her in battle, I know that it's okay. She is much like Anakin, but she does not have his dark traits. Her use of emotion in battles is safe."

Ahsoka nods. She is glad that she was not overthinking what she saw. It's nice to know that Obi-Wan was worried at one point. He has taken his duty seriously, watching over the twins for anything that could be traced to the dark side. Even something as small as how you fight can show early signs of a falling. 

The twins are panting, their lightsabers loudly popping as they try to power each other out. Luke presses his lightsaber down on Leia's, hoping she will surrender. Instead, Obi-Wan interrupts them. "Very good." He quietly nods. They turn their attention to him, stepping away from each other. He begins to falter, swaying side to side. 

Ahsoka reaches out to touch him. "Master, are you okay?" She asks. His eyes flutter and he falls into her arms. "Master, can you hear me?" She asks her worry sending shockwaves through the Force. He is pale and trembling in her arms.

"I just need to rest." He mumbles, his grip tight on her robes.

"Luke, come help me get him the medical bay. Leia, go tell your mother to meet us there." Ahsoka commands. The twins straighten up and immediately carry out her wishes. Leia darts out of the room as Luke rushes to Ahsoka's side. They way they fall into orders is impressive to Ahsoka.

"Obi-Wan?" Luke asks as he takes one of Obi-Wan's arms and slings it over his shoulders. Ahsoka takes his other arm and puts it over her shoulders. He is stuck between the two of them, his body weight equaled out so that he feels light. 

"I just need rest." He repeats, his head hanging.

"Let's walk him to the medical bay. He'll be okay." Ahsoka says, starting to move forward.

"But--"

"Trust me. Trust in the Force. He'll be fine." She declares. Luke knows that's the end of the conversation. He wants to say that trusting in the Force sounds a lot easier than it actually is. He's worried that something is terribly wrong with Obi-Wan. He is afraid of the worst that could come out of this.

Quickly, the medical team works to get the old master onto a bed. They begin treating him, giving him an IV, and checking his vitals. Leia and Padmé arrive soon after, their fear crashing against Luke and Ahsoka like a large wave. 

Obi-Wan's eyes flutter open and he gives them a weak smile. "There's no need for you worry. I'm alright."

"Obi-Wan, you are in a hospital bed. I am worried." Padmé bluntly says, reaching out to grab his hand.

"Oh, I'm alright. These things tend to happen when you get old."

"You aren't that old."

"No, but it feels like it." He says. Everyone holds their breaths, unsure what to say. He has a point. The man has lived through a lot of things no one else could imagine. He gulps, gesturing to the twins to come to his side. Quietly, they sit beside him. "I want you two to go and work some more on your defenses. They looked a little sloppy today."

"Right now?" Luke asks, confused.

"Right now." He nods. They rise, following his instructions. They hesitate in the doorway, looking back at him. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Just go train." He assures, waving them away.

Once they leave the room, he motions for Ahsoka. She bends down close to him, noticing how sick he looks. He is paler than earlier, but he seems a lot more calm. His hands are no longer trembling and his breathing is normal. The heart rate on the monitor beeps out steadily. Based on these signs, she knows that she should not worry, but she does. "Ahsoka, there's something I need you to do."

"Of course, Master."

He lets go of Padmé and grabs her hands. His hands are cold, but she doesn't tell him that. "You need to take the twins to Dagobah. There, you will find Master Yoda. He will determine if the twins are ready for what is to come."

Have the drugs finally kicked in? Master Yoda is alive and on Dagobah? None of it makes any sense to her. And he is going to be the one to determine if the Skywalker twins are ready for what is to come? She saw how Master Yoda treated the last Skywalker. Also, she doesn't even know what Obi-Wan means by his final sentence. What is to come?  What does that mean?

"I know you have a lot of questions, but trust in the Force and everything will be okay."

Though she said it to Luke not even a half-hour ago, she doesn't want to believe it. Obi-Wan has to be high off of his meds right now. She is not taking them to Dagobah. She is not going to see Master Yoda, even if he is alive. After all that he did, she's not sure she wants the two of them to ever meet him.

"Okay." She nods. Obi-Wan smiles, closing his eyes. She gives his hands a gentle pat then leaves his side. Padmé assures her that she'll stay at his side until he falls asleep. 

xxx

Leia sneaks into Luke's room. She goes to his chest and begins digging. It has to be here. She tosses out his treasured belongings, placing them off to the side so she can find what she is looking for. He hasn't used it in years, but she knows that he hasn't gotten rid of it.

Finally, it twinkles at the bottom. 

She grabs it and holds it in her hands.

She tells herself that it is just as much hers as it is Luke's. She has a right to take it.

She turns it on, the blue blade humming to life and lighting up the room.

When they were first learning how to use lightsabers, they shared their father's and Obi-Wan's. Once they got their own, Leia let Luke keep their father's. She knew that he always felt a bit different than the other boys their age because he grew up without a father. This lightsaber was like a way for Luke to connect with him even though he was not in their life anymore.

A few years ago, Luke decided to only use his own. He didn't want to lose the Skywalker lightsaber. It was an irreplaceable treasure to them. Now, it will come into good use. She wants to learn how to wield it.

Carefully, she places all of his things back into the chest. She quietly sneaks out of his room, hiding the lightsaber in the sleeves of her dress. She politely nods at everyone she meets until she enters the training room.

 Ahsoka and Luke are dueling. Luke is learning how to block two lightsabers at once. Their attention is grabbed when she comes to their side. She holds out both of the lightsabers, looking up at Ahsoka. "I want to learn how to use them."

Ahsoka arches one of her eyebrows. "You want to learn Jar'Kai?"

Leia nods her head. "Yes. Can you teach me?" She asks. What a silly question. Of course, Ahsoka can teach her. "Will you teach me?" She flusters, correcting herself.

Ahsoka looks down. "That's your father's." She softly says, taking it from her hands. She studies it, memories flooding her mind. Countless times, this lightsaber saved her life.

Luke tenses, anger radiating off of him. He glares at his sister. She went through his things to find that. It was buried under all of his belongings to keep it safe from anyone who dared to take it from him. "You took that from me."

"It is just as much mine as it is yours." She fires back, tightening her fists. She had thought that Luke would understand. He is her father too. Just because she let him keep it for all of these years doesn't mean that she doesn't want it too. She wants to carry a part of his memory with her.

"No. I don't want it to be stolen or broken. You can't use it." Luke argues as he locks his jaw. He knows that he sounds childish, but he doesn't care. She doesn't know what it means to him. That is the last piece he has from his father. Obi-Wan trusted him to use it and keep it safe. 

Leia is about to shout back at him, but Ahsoka raises her hand up. Both of them freeze, watching her. "I know you're worried, Luke." She begins, looking at him. It's almost startling how much of her old master she can see in his face. "But Leia won't break it. I will teach her how to use them."

Leia feels Luke's hesitation. Though he hides it well, she knows her brother like the back of her hand. She knows that he is worried about the safety of the last thing of their father. She can feel his fear of her injuring herself and him losing both her and Obi-Wan. Though he is angry about her going through his things and taking it without permission, he is mostly worried about her safety while using two lightsabers. They have only been trained to use one and that it is their life. How can she possibly learn how to use two now?

"I can do this, Luke." She says, getting his attention. His blue eyes look to the ground as he frowns. He hates it when she is able to creep her way into his feelings and acknowledge them out loud. He feels that it makes him look weakminded.

"Let's start at the beginning," Ahsoka says, handing the lightsaber back to Leia. "I want to see how you handle holding a lightsaber in your non-dominant hand. If you can't do that, then there's no need to go through the full training of Jar'Kai."

Leia takes her father's lightsaber and twirls it in her left hand, doing complicated spins that most trained Jedi couldn't do without practice. "When Luke lost his hand, Obi-Wan begin training both of us how to use our non-dominant hand. It was to help Luke gain control of his new hand and good practice for me. He said that he was worried that one day, we'll be in battle and we'll lose a hand and be unable to fight with as much strength and confidence as we normally do. He wants us to be as prepared as possible for what might come."

"Then you already have half of the battle done." Ahsoka smiles, thinking about how far Obi-Wan has thought ahead. He was always much more organized than Anakin, planning out backup plans when they were in deadly battles. To train both of them to use their non-dominant hand as well as their dominant was clever planning.

Ahsoka turns on both of her lightsabers. "I'll show you the steps." She says. Leia grins turning on her lightsaber. Already, wielding both of them feels right. To have her father's and hers in her hands feels natural. 

Ahsoka looks to Luke. "Don't think I've forgotten you. Go fetch Obi-Wan's lightsaber. I'm sure he won't mind. I want to teach you too. The more styles you know, the better." She says. Luke nods, rushing off to get the lightsaber. 

Leia smiles at Ahsoka once Luke leaves the room. "He doesn't look excited, but he is. He has always liked using Obi-Wan's lightsaber and he likes learning new tricks. I promise he's just sulking because I thought of it first." 

Ahsoka lets out a soft laugh. "I can't believe I'm teaching you two Jar'Kai. Skyguy would kill me if he ever found out. He didn't think it was as superior as the styles he and Obi-Wan used." 

xxx

The hologram brightens, the blue light expanding in the dark room. He falls to his knees, bowing his head. "Master." He breathes, acknowledging his presence.

"Lord Vader." Darth Sidious growls. Vader lifts his head, looking up at the disgusting creature in front of him. This thing's wrinkled face and hunched body almost make him scowl in disgust. Of course, he can't express this feeling. There is a problem with the mask blocking his face. And second, if his master ever found out how he truly felt, there's no telling what sort of punishment he would receive. "Have you discovered anything about our special padawan? Has he helped you to discover the man who betrayed you on Mustafar?"

Vader locks his jaw, his heart filling with anger at the thought of Kenobi. "No, my master. My men are currently on it. I believe they have discovered some information that will lead us to both Kenobi and Amidala."

A sick sort of smile grows on the old man's face. "That's good news. Soon, you will have your revenge on the ones that hurt you. You can destroy the man who attempted to kill you and the woman who claimed to love you."

"Yes. I have been waiting a long time for this moment." 

Darth Sidious's smile drops for a second. "And if you find anything about Kenobi's padawan, tell me immediately. I sense that he could be turned to our side. Yet again, Kenobi has trained us another suitable apprentice to the dark side. Sith lords do seem to be his specialty. "

"Yes, my master."

"Soon, the padawan will reveal himself to us." Darth Sidious darkly chuckles before the hologram hums off. Vader is left in silence and darkness. Sidious plans to turn the padawan to the dark side? That wasn't what they originally discussed. They wanted to end him, sensing that he had a much bigger role in the galaxy than Kenobi had any idea.

Vader tightens his fists. No. He won't tell Darth Sidious about him, at least not yet. After everything that has happened to him, Darth Sidious doesn't deserve to know about this. What he has uncovered belongs to him only.

How could he have been so blind? All of it is so painfully obvious. He should have known the first moment he laid eyes on the boy. He should have seen how familiar his face was. Vader stares at the holodisk, trying to bring the pieces together. 

How had he missed the second heartbeat when he held his hands on Padmé's stomach?

~~~~~~~~~

Please excuse any grammar mistakes for the time being! I had a bunch of family things come up this week so I only had about two days to write and proofread this chapter. I'll be checking over this chapter again over the weekend to hopefully find all of the flaws I might have missed. Thanks!