"Anakin...I had no idea...I'm sorry..." Obi-Wan said quietly.

It had been two days since Sidious and Luke had died. Obi-Wan had left Anakin alone upon Anakin's request until Anakin felt he was ready for visitors. Though his sorrow was still heavy and the pain was still all too real, he had felt he needed to see his close friend. At first the conversation had been awkward, but Obi-Wan had finally managed to ask his question about Anakin's mother's death. With all of the fresh loss, it had been a rough subject to broach, though somehow Anakin had managed to get out the full story to his former Master.

The two sat in silence for several moments following Obi-Wan's statement. "It's...all right, Obi-Wan, it's not your fault."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Yes, well, I was the one who told you to dismiss your dreams about your mother. If I would have let you act on them the entire mess could have been avoided," Obi-Wan said with a mournful tone.

Anakin sighed. "It can't be changed, Obi-Wan: it happened, and that's the end of it."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You're right, Anakin, it's just...I wish you would have told me sooner...there's so much I wish you would have told me sooner."

"I know, Master, I just believed it was necessary for me to keep these things to myself...I kept telling myself I would tell someone when I was ready, but I never was."

Obi-Wan sighed, obviously tired of the grim conversation. "The healers said that you should be well enough soon to get up and move around. It will be good for you to get out of this room."

Anakin nodded, his eyes drifting back to his wall for a moment. "Yes...I would like that."

Obi-Wan was silent for a few moments longer before Anakin heard him clear his throat, his gaze coming back to rest on his friend. "The...rest of the Order has found out about your marriage and Padmé's current condition."

Anakin frowned deeply, an exhausted worry etched in his face. "They're going to kick me out of the Order, aren't they? The Council?"

Obi-Wan sat back. "I think they would like to...but I feel the Force has other plans."

Anakin felt a jolt of shock go through him. "I would have thought they would kick me out whether the Force wills otherwise or not."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "No one dares argue with Master Yoda on the matter again."

Anakin sat back slowly. "All right then...I guess that's one less thing to worry about..."

"We're also moving back to Coruscant soon—tomorrow if we're lucky," Obi-Wan said, standing with a sigh.

Yoda had gone to Coruscant after he had escaped the attack at Kashyyyk and had been discussing with the Senate calling off the clones. The Senate—in chaos after everything with Sidious—was still trying to regain order, though had managed to restrain the clones by electing a temporary chancellor that had called off Order 66. It was possible there was going to be a complete re-election for all the senatorial positions, seeing as Sidious had a number of senators in his pocket before his demise.

"According to Windu, the Temple is a little damaged, but it should be easy to repair," Obi-Wan continued, stopping Anakin's thought process.

Anakin sighed. "That's good news; at least it wasn't completely destroyed."

Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I have to go now. I'll see you later, Anakin, all right?"

Anakin nodded. "Of course," he said softly.

***********************************************************************

The next day, as Anakin was in the process of getting ready to head back to Coruscant with Obi-Wan, one of the Jedi Padawans came running up to him, a holoprojector in his hands. "M-master Skywalker: this is for you—it's urgent!"

Anakin took the device from the Padawan with a frown, Obi-Wan coming to stand beside him. As Anakin established a connection, one of Padmé's handmaidens appeared.

"Master Skywalker—you must come at once. Padmé has gone into labor," the woman said in a rushed tone.

"What?" Anakin asked, shocked.

The woman nodded. "She's on her way to a medical facility right now. Do you think you'll be able to make it in time?"

Anakin was already rushing into the ship as she spoke, Obi-Wan hot on his heels. "I will; I'm not going to miss this! I'm on my way," he replied quickly before he ended the connection.

"Well, this day just became interesting," Obi-Wan commented.

Anakin gave a nervous laugh, hastily starting the ship before he shot out of the hanger. Obi-Wan seemed tenser than normal as Anakin maneuvered the ship.

"If there's ever a day where we die in a crash thanks to your flying, Anakin, that day is today," he said, his voice revealing the strain Anakin's flying was having on his frayed nerves.

"You didn't have to come in this ship, Master," Anakin said, hardly paying him much attention.

"Well I was already coming."

Anakin gave a soft chuckle. "Yes, well, don't complain about my flying right now, Obi-Wan, in case you didn't notice I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Duly noted," Obi-Wan said as Anakin jumped into hyperspace.

Having talked about this day many times with his wife, Anakin knew exactly which medical facility Padmé would be in, making a beeline for the building on Coruscant and landing as quickly as he had taken off. He was flying out of the ship before Obi-Wan could even get unstrapped. At least Obi-Wan seemed to know better than to tell Anakin to slow down.

Anakin didn't bother to ask any healers or medical droids where Padmé was. Instead, he swiftly located her Force Signature and followed it through the halls until he reached the room she was in. To his mild surprise, Yoda and Bail Organa were already there, watching from the hall through the glass floor-to-ceiling window. Breathless, Anakin stopped before he crashed into them. "Am I too late?" he asked them, hearing Obi-Wan approaching from behind him.

Bail shook his head. "You're just in time. We've already told the droids you're the father, so they will let you in without a fuss."

Anakin inclined his head to show he acknowledged what Bail said before he pressed forward toward the door. "Excuse me," he mumbled, bursting into the room.

Padmé's eyes found him almost immediately from her spot on the medical bed. "Oh, Anakin! You made it, you made it," she said, her voice strained and weary.

Some of the droids moved out of the way so Anakin could come to stand beside her bed, and he tenderly took her hand in his own, smiling down at her. "Of course I made it. Why wouldn't I?"

She laughed weakly and smiled at him. "We're going to have the twins Anakin...we're parents," she said with hushed excitement.

Anakin's eyes prickled with tears at her words. "Yes, we are."

Padmé looked out the window where the small group of spectators were before she turned her attention back to Anakin. "Where's Luke?" she asked curiously.

Anakin felt a sharp stab at his heart and his eyes burned. She still didn't know? "I-I...I'll tell you later," Anakin said quietly.

Padmé noticed her husband's tone, but was distracted as a contraction hit. Anakin tensed, holding her hand tight in return.

It wasn't long before the medical droid was handing Anakin a small baby boy, wrapped securely in a blanket. Anakin stared down at the small child, tears slipping from his eyes as he held the boy as gently as he could.

"Luke..." he whispered quietly. He shifted in his seat so Padmé could see baby Luke as well, and she smiled.

"Our Luke...our little baby Luke..." she said quietly before the contractions came again.

The next bundle the droid handed directly to Padmé, seeing as Anakin was still staring at Luke in wonder, a wave of emotions crashing inside of him.

"Ani...Ani look," Padmé whispered softly.

Anakin tore his eyes from the little Luke for a second as he turned his gaze to his precious daughter.

He smiled at the baby girl. "Little Leia."

Padmé did her best to get situated, and Anakin helped her sit up with one of his arms. "Oh, Anakin...they're so beautiful," Padmé told him lovingly.

"Yes...they are, aren't they?"

The baby Luke squirmed in Anakin's arms, but did not cry, staring up at his father in pure innocence. Anakin gently pulled the blanket out of Luke's face. "I won't let anything bad happen to you Luke...not this time...not again," Anakin whispered to the small baby boy.

"I just wish Luke could have made it," Padmé said quietly, oblivious to her future son's demise.

Anakin felt that tug at his heart again, but didn't have it in him to tell her what had happened to Luke yet. Another time...but not right now. Now was the time to be happy.

*************************************************************************

Padmé was resting in the bed, the twins were tucked away, and Anakin currently found himself standing with Yoda and Obi-Wan out in the hall.

"Congratulations, Anakin," Obi-Wan said.

"Thank you, Master," Anakin said quietly with a slight bow of his head.

"Troubled, you look. Something on your mind, is there, Skywalker?" Yoda inquired.

Anakin nodded. "Yes, Master, I was just thinking about something...I was wondering if when the twins were old enough, if they could be trained as Jedi."

Yoda nodded. "Take you up on your offer, we will. Trained, the twins must be. All in time," Yoda assured him.

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "Would you be willing to take one of them on as a Padawan? I know that's not really my choice, but I know that they would turn out as wonderful Jedi under your direction," Anakin said, his voice sounding almost timid.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Maybe I'll consider training Leia."

Yoda nodded, looking to Anakin. "Your son, you could train, hmm Skywalker? Teach him a great deal, you could."

"Of course, Master."

"Leave you, I will. Time with your family, you must spend," Yoda said before he hobbled away. Anakin turned to Obi-Wan.

"Do you want to see them?" he asked his old friend.

"Of course," Obi-Wan said, quietly following Anakin into the room and over to the twin's crib. Both were fast asleep, curled up beside each other. Obi-Wan smiled down at them. "Leia looks just like her mother."

Anakin smiled as well, gazing down at the pair. "Yes, she does, doesn't she?"

Obi-Wan put a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "They're in good hands, Anakin. You have nothing to worry about: you'll make a fine father."

Anakin hung his head. "I just wish Luke was alive to see..." His voice was quiet and trembled before he trailed off.

Obi-Wan looked away, and Anakin was astounded to see a look flicker in his eyes along the lines of guilt. Before he could inquire, though, Obi-Wan changed the topic.

"So, you've decided to curse me with training Skywalkers all my life, have you?" he asked teasingly.

Anakin smiled. "I can't help it; you're a good teacher."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Thank you, Anakin. Compliments from you are always appreciated."

"Windu's going to throw a fit when he hears about all of the rules I'm breaking, besides the ones he already knows about."

Obi-Wan laughed quietly. "He already is. Though Yoda won't have it. I think you've caused a change in the Jedi Order, Anakin. The rule on attachments and such might just end up being changed."

"They might as well, that way there's no special treatment going on."

Obi-Wan smiled at him. "Good night, Anakin. I need my rest, as do you."

"Good night, Master."

As Obi-Wan left, Anakin returned his gaze to the sleeping twins once again. He cherished seeing them sleeping so peacefully, undisturbed and carefree.

"I won't let anything happen to either of you. You're going to have a proper childhood this time," Anakin said quietly to the sleeping children, reaching down to trace a loving finger down the two children's cheeks.

Luke stirred, but he did not wake, and Anakin gave him a small smile before he went over to his chair by Padmé's bed. Propping his chin on his hand, he watched her sleep as well for a few moments.

Everything had worked out. He had his family, and he got to keep his standing in the Jedi Order.

But was the price worth it? Anakin found himself thinking. He shoved the thought away with a frown, not wanting to think about that right now. It wouldn't do him good to dwell on what he couldn't change, especially with a topic that weighed him down so much. Luke's sacrifice hadn't been in vain—Anakin would make sure of that.

Squeezing his eyes shut and counting to dispel the unpleasant, fresh memory and stop tears from coming, Anakin rested his head back in the chair. Obi-Wan was right. Right now, he needed to sleep.

********************************************************************

Obi-Wan and Yoda stood outside of a patient room in the farthest corner of the Temple's medical wing, talking in low, hushed tones. Obi-Wan was obviously upset.

"He should know, Master, Anakin has every right to know!"

Yoda shook his head. "No. Tell him yet, we cannot. Unsure of how this will all turn out, we are."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "He needs to know, Master."

Yoda held up a hand. "When certain we are, tell him, we will. Wish to put your old Padawan through that pain again, do you?"

Obi-Wan hung his head in shame, chastised. "No, Master."

"Then wait, we shall, to tell Skywalker. Until we can be sure, know, he must not. Save him more pain, it will, if the worst happens still."

Obi-Wan turned his gaze to the first place he could, still feeling guilty for keeping such a secret from Anakin as he stared into the room beside them. Hopefully, when Anakin found out the truth, he would not hate Obi-Wan for keeping it from him. Hopefully...Anakin could understand why.