"She was my mother."
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*Anakin's POV*

I landed on a clear patch of sand in the middle of nowhere. Which wasn't that hard to find, the whole planet is covered and sand and there are tons of patches in the middle of nowhere.

I jumped out of the ship, the sand flew up into my boot making me feel uncomfortable.

I hate sand! 

I really really hate sand!

It was mid-day so the three suns that Tatooine orbits are perfectly aligned making the already scorching planet even more unbearable.

The hot sand burned me through my boots and the rays of the sun clouded my eyesight resulted in me needing to use my hands to make a shadow. 

I looked out at the miles and miles and miles of sand.

Rough and coarse sand that gets in everywhere. 

More dread fills me at the sight. I hate sand! But I didn't have a choice, this is the only planet that any of us could think of to hideout.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Ashoka walk over to me. Her eyes were glued to the ground and she kicked up bunches of sand with her boots. The millions of particles flew down hitting her arms which I knew from experience really stings. She hissed in pain and rubbed her sore arm.

  "I can not believe you used to live here." She said.

I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet.

"I didn't exactly have a choice." I mumbled.

My first memory of this planet besides my mother is of her, a bunch of other slaves and I chained together in a cart on our way to Gardula the Hutts home where we would be made to do grueling labor.

Even today I can still feel the heat radiating from my sunburned skin, the chefs the hard rusting chains made against my ankles and neck with each shake of the cart. My mother holding me tight against her chest. The other slaves crying and after a while, I think I did too. One of the slaves who was sitting next to me was sobbing while repeating the frightening words-

"We are all going to die."

But my mother held me tight in her arms and I felt a bit better. Honestly, if it wasn't for her helping me throughout years of torment I would be a very very broken man.

Or even dead.

"I love......I love."

"Are you having a stroke or something?" Ashoka asked hitting my arm with her elbow.

" No, just having a flashback." I cocked my head dismissively.

" I love..... I love."

"We need to set up a camp." Obi-wan said.

The council nodded in agreement.

"Great we are going to sleep on the sand." Ashoka groaned.

" Would you prefer to go back to the temple and sleep on ash or get killed and sleep forever?" I bluntly stated. 

"Wow, that was really morbid." She said.

" Well yes, Ashoka I suppose we will have to sleep on the sand." Obi-wan said.

" We can't stay here raiders come in the night. They could steal our ship or sell us to whoever needs new slaves." 

" This planet just gets better and better." Ashoka sarcastically mumbled.

"Where do you suggest we stay?" Obi-wan asked me.

Everyone turned to look at me, all waiting for their answer.

I sighed and shook my head, my mind rattling for an answer to give. 

I looked out at my surroundings.

One thing about the desert is that it constantly changes so it is very easy to get lost out here.

Which sucks because I don't know where I am right now. So I don't know where the safe areas are. Where I should and shouldn't camp. 

So I just need to go to a familiar place.

Home.

" We need to go to Mos Espa." I said.

" We can't go into a town. Someone could recognise us and then we are screwed." Ashoka said.

" We won't go into town. We will go to my step-father's house outside the town."

"Will he let us stay?" Obi-wan asked.

"We will see." I shrugged.

We all got back onto the ship and I immediately set course for the Lars's house.

I did my best to keep the ship as far out of sight as I could and I can only pray that it was enough.

It didn't take us long to reach the Lars home.

I gazed out at the house from inside the ship. It looks deserted.

I felt out with the force and it confirmed my theory. The house was empty.

"It looks cozy." Ashoka grinned.

" This planet isn't known for its luxurious houses." I scoffed. 

Memories of my old home in Mos Espa flashed past my eyes.

As soon as I stepped out from the ship my eyes were immediately drawn to my mother's grave.

The cold, slate stone was covered in sand most probably from a sandstorm that had recently passed.

" We need a few supplies. Mainly fuel of we ever want to keep going." Ashoka said.

" Anakin where can we get some?" Obi-wan asked.

But I could barely hear him. It was like he was hundreds and hundreds of miles away and the only thing I could see the only thing I was focused on was the grave. 

"Master!" Ahsoka called out.

I knelt in front of the grave and used gloved hand to brush the sand off.

"I love.....I love."

" I love you Ani."

" Love you too mommy."

Anger, sadness, and guilt washed over me like a tsunami.

I watched as one of my tears dropped onto the hot sand below. The heat immediately sucked the water up.

Water just like happiness doesn't last long on this planet. Greed and cruelty like the hot rays of the sun suck the happiness up. 

"Who is this?" Ashoka asked looking down at the grave.

I sniffed up my snot and wiped away my tears.

" Her name was Shmi Skywalker. She was my mother." I sniffled.