Anakin woke up to the sound of one of the twins crying.

It was the middle of the night, one week since the twins had been born and ten days since Luke had died.

Anakin sighed as Padmé stirred. "Go back to bed, Angel, I've got it. Get your sleep," Anakin told her quietly, kissing her forehead before he rolled out of the bed.

"Thank you, Anakin," he heard her say tiredly.

Anakin smiled slightly as he left the room, heading for the room that Padmé and he had set up for the twins. Anakin knew by the cry which twin was awake and, by the sound of it, rather grumpy. Anakin chuckled softly to himself as he quietly slipped into the bedroom, padding over to the crib.

He picked up the squirming child, holding them tenderly in his arms and careful not to wake the twin that had managed, somehow, to stay asleep.

"Shh Luke...it's all right...it's all right," Anakin whispered soothingly to the squirming baby, rocking Luke gently in his arms as he sent soothing waves of comfort towards him through the Force. "Shh..."

Luke's wailing eventually started to taper off before ending, and the infant looked up at him with eyes identical to his own. Anakin felt a tug at his heart yet again as he looked at his son, slowly pacing the room as he continued to try and put the child back to sleep.

As Anakin continued his repetitive soothing process, Luke's eyes slowly drooped shut, though Anakin knew better. He continued the calming pace until enough time had passed that the infant would have fallen into a deep sleep. Only then did he carefully make his way back to the crib.

Softly, so as not to wake him and have to repeat the process, Anakin leaned down and kissed the tiny forehead before he set Luke down in the crib, taking a moment to tenderly brush a thumb across Leia's cheek before he backed out of the room. He waited outside the door a few extra moments, just to be sure neither of the little ones woke up again before he started back to the bedroom.

On his way there—in the living room/veranda, in fact—Anakin felt as if he was being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he tensed, freezing in place. He heard the slightest movement behind him and he spun around sharply, tensed and ready to go on the defensive as his hand dropped to where he usually kept his lightsaber, only to discover it wasn't there and was still on the nightstand in the bedroom.

In an instant, all of that melted away, and Anakin stumbled backwards in shock.

"Before you ask...yes, I'm real."

Anakin, still in shock, stared at the man that was stepping out of the shadows. The man limped, walking sluggishly as if he had sustained a horrible injury he was still recovering from. His blonde hair was untidy, but not necessarily a complete mess. As the man's features came into range of the light, his piercing blue eyes fixed Anakin in a gaze Anakin had been sure he wouldn't see again for a long time.

"Luke," Anakin whispered.

The young man gave a weak smile. "Yes, it's me."

There were a few heartbeats of silence between them before Anakin suddenly rushed across the room, embracing Luke in a tight hug.

"Careful, Anakin, I'm not fully recovered—careful!" Luke cried out, trying to keep his voice quiet to avoid waking anyone accidentally. Anakin eased up on the tightness of the hug but did not pull away, tears of relief and joy streaming down his cheeks.

"I-I thought you were dead! You died! You died in my arms! How are you alive?" Anakin exclaimed, all of his words coming out in a rush as he pulled back to look at Luke, grasping the young man's shoulders in a way that probably gave away the fact Anakin was trying to make sure all of this wasn't a dream and that Luke was, in fact, standing before him.

Luke looked battered, worn, sickly, and weak, yet somehow he managed to stand in front of Anakin. There was a hole in the black shirt he'd worn when he'd arrived in this time and when Sidious had stabbed him, right over his chest, confirming what had happened. However, there was a white shirt under that black one that hid the true damage of his injury, which should have been fatal.

"There's no way possible that you survived that, that...what happened. How are you still here?" Anakin stuttered out before Luke could even begin to answer his first slew of questions.

Luke sighed. "It's not impossible. I know of someone that survived being stabbed through the chest with a lightsaber. Starkiller or Galen Marek, but that name doesn't mean anything to you. There's that, and I'm sure sheer will of the Force had something to do with it as well."

Anakin searched his son's face carefully. "It's—it's been ten days, Luke; where have you been? I've thought you were dead this entire time!"

Luke shook his head. "From what I understand I was put under stasis, and then I don't know what happened in-between, but I do know that I was treated at the Temple. Obi-Wan said that they hadn't told you I'd survived—"

"Obi-Wan knew you were alive?" Anakin asked, surprise and anger leaking into his tone.

Luke shook his head. "You weren't told because no one knew if I was going to live or not, and they didn't want to get your hopes up in case I still died. And they didn't even tell Obi-Wan about me till the night before Padmé went into labor, from what I understand."

"Padmé! Oh, Luke, she was so heartbroken when I told her what happened; you'll have to see her, she'll be so happy to know that you're alive! Not right now, though, she's getting some much needed sleep right now, but I'm sure in the morning—"

"I'm leaving, Father."

Anakin paused, staring at him in shock. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

Luke sighed, his eyes cast down. "I can't stay here: I have to go back...to my timeline."

Anakin stood there for a moment, processing what Luke had said. "But...I just now found out you're alive. I just found out you survived...you can't leave now."

Luke shook his head. "I want to stay, trust me, I do. I want to be here with you and Mother, but I am needed back home. Han and Leia and the reorganizing Republic and Jedi Order need me. And also...Anakin, the healers did all they can, but I'm not going to make it if I stay here much longer. I need better treatment. Future technology. It's the only way I'm going to pull through. It's time for me to go."

"Can't you stay a little longer? At least until morning?" Anakin pled. "I just got you back, and Padmé will want to see you," he said weakly.

Luke shook his head. "I won't make it that long. I need to leave as soon as possible. I came to say goodbye, Anakin. Besides, if I see Mother I may find myself unable to leave, which I need to. I'm sorry, Father, but I can't."

Anakin collapsed into the chair that was situated behind him, running a hand through his hair as he thought hard about what Luke had said. "So...this is really it, then? You're leaving...and you won't come back."

Luke shook his head as he sat down next to Anakin. "You have to stop thinking about it this way. Anakin: you have your family whole and in one piece. You have everything this time. Your kids are going to need their father. Who knows what's ahead for you? Stop thinking that you're losing me, because really, you're not. Technically, I'm a few days old and in the crib in the other room with my sister. You haven't lost me, Anakin, all right?"

"All right, Luke...all right," Anakin finally sighed, his tone of voice admitting defeat.

Luke put a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Everything's going to be better now, Anakin. You'll see."

Anakin chuckled sourly. "Yes, well...after all of the confusion and such clears up from everything that's happened. There are still issues that need resolving; for example, a new Chancellor. There's so much fighting over the subject it's not likely to go anywhere."

Luke smiled, if only slightly. "I'm sure that things will work out."

Anakin sighed. "I hope so."

Luke looked away, seemingly distracted by something as he stood. "It's time for me to go."

Anakin stood up with him. "Already?"

Luke nodded. "I'm working in a short timeframe here."

With a small, slight sigh, Luke turned to Anakin. "I've had quite a time here, Father—it's not something I'll ever forget. I know you'll make a great father, because I'm proud of you myself. I'm not ashamed in the least to call you my father. I couldn't hope for a better parent."

Anakin nodded, not trusting his voice as he pulled Luke in close for another hug, tears pricking at his eyes and spilling over. "And I couldn't have hoped for a better son. I'm proud of you, Luke. Of everything you've done."

Luke smiled, Anakin could feel it on his shoulder. The two stayed like that for a moment, savoring the last hug, before Luke gingerly pulled himself away. "Goodbye, Father."

"Goodbye, Luke," Anakin replied.

Luke reluctantly pulled his gaze from Anakin, making his way over to the landing pad with his slight limp. Instead of taking off in a ship, though, Luke sat down on the ground, taking a meditational position. Anakin watched him the entire time before he felt the massive flux in the Force he'd felt the day that Luke had arrived.

In the next moment, there was a blinding flash of white, and Anakin was forced to look away when his eyes burned at the sight. As quickly as it had come, the light was gone, and when Anakin looked, so was Luke.

His heart ached, but it was not as bad as it had been the past ten days. Luke had lived. He hadn't died. Besides, his son from another timeline was right: he had his entire family together. He needed to appreciate what he did have—he couldn't dwell on what he had lost in the process.

With a sigh, Anakin quietly returned to his and Padmé's bedroom. Padmé was sound asleep as he laid down beside her, kissing her forehead gently before he shifted close to her, letting himself drift off into a peaceful sleep.

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

Luke found himself once again swept up in the Force, though now that he knew what was happening he wasn't so panicked by the strange sensations that he experienced during the short trip back to his time. His landing wasn't any better, though.

Luke slammed into the hard, familiar floor of the Jedi Temple, the breath knocked right out of him. The impact also jarred his injured body to the point that his chest flared up, and he moaned, clutching at the spot where Sidious' blade had pierced him. The wound hurt much more than he had allowed himself to let on.

The first thing Luke heard was a very, very welcome voice.

"...just appeared! Yes, I'm being serious, Leia, forget the search party, he's right here. Luke!"

Luke felt Han grab his shoulders and he gave a small moan as Han unknowingly agitated the wound, causing him more pain.

Han took in a sharp breath when he saw the hole in Luke's shirt, and apparently put the pieces together—or at least enough pieces to act. Being much more careful, Han helped Luke sit up, re-contacting Leia on his comlink at the same time. "Actually Leia...we're going to need to get Luke some immediate medical attention."

"Why, what happened? What's wrong with him?" Leia's voice came from over the comlink.

Han stared at Luke's chest as Luke did his best to take steady, relaxed breaths. "That's what I intend to find out," he said, cutting the connection.

Before Han could speak, Luke spoke up. "How long was I gone?"

"Five minutes. Do you mind telling me what just happened, Kid? You're gone five minutes but you look like you've been gone far longer and you're wounded. What happened?"

Luke laughed weakly, looking up at Han. "Oh, you won't believe me when I tell you, but I'm telling both you and Leia anyway." He groaned as his chest hurt him again, and Han let Luke lean on him for support as Han carefully picked up Luke. "Though right now...that medical attention will be very nice. And much appreciated."

Han chuckled slightly, though there was an edge to it. "All right, Kid. But after everything we've gone through, I doubt it's anything we can't take."

Luke smiled. "Yeah, well, I'll hold you to that."

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

The End.

At least...

Until the Sequel: The Past Meets the Future! ;)

(Coming sooner then you think, hahaha. So keep your eyes peeled!)