Shadows of our Past

XXXIII

Anakin's POV

She looked exactly as I remembered her, dark brown hair that almost looked black tied back in a bun. She looked like she had fewer wrinkles on her face though and I assumed it was because she was freed from being a slave, I was happy that she got married and was freed from slavery but I only wished it could've happened earlier. 

She moved forward and placed a hand on my cheek, her soft brown eyes were so familiar but somehow it felt like I barely knew them. 

"Is it really you?" she whispered.

I nodded, unable to speak. Tears were filling both of our eyes and she let out a sob before tackling me in a tight hug, I immediately hugged her back and let out a shaky sigh, I closed my eyes and hugged her tighter. I couldn't believe that this was real, I was actually dead but reunited with my mother that I hadn't seen properly since I was 10. The only memory I could really remember of her was when she died in my arms at the Tusken camp when I was 19, I wished I could remember something else but it seemed to be the only thing that stuck in my mind when I thought of her. 

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"It wasn't your fault, okay? Don't you dare blame yourself for another second," she soothed.

We pulled away and she smiled sadly and placed her hand on my cheek again.

"I can't believe it's you," she whispered, "You're so grown up,"

"I've missed you."

"You have no idea how proud I am of you," she sniffled. 

She pulled me into another tight hug and I buried my face into her shoulder, taking in the familiarity of a safe place. Those horrid years in slavery were never safe but those nights when I'd hear screaming and arguing with loud bangs and blasts going off, my mum would always be there smoothing my hair down and distracting me with some sort of story. It reminded me of a safe feeling that I hadn't felt since I had left all those years ago to become a Jedi. A Jedi's life was never safe. I kept fighting every day just trying to survive in battle and defeat the dark side, but I knew everyone has to go out at some point. I never expected it to be this early but they'd be fine, wouldn't they? I thought of Padme and our unborn children. That was one of the things I would go back for, I had left them all alone and our children would have to grow up without me and Padme would be on her own. She was a strong woman, very stubborn and independent, I knew she could do it on her own even though it was going to be hard. 

"Come with me," she said, "I've got to show you something."'

I followed her through the rocky ground and avoided stepped on the glowing lightsaber crystals that were stuck in between the sharp black rocks. 

We came to a large clear pathway were there was just nothing, it was eeirly quiet and through the force I could sense that something else was here, something just out of sight that I couldn't see. 

I opened my mouth to say something but my mother turned around and placed a finger over her lips telling me to be quiet. I closed my mouth and followed her as we walked towards the edge of the wide pathway. My mother stopped in front of it and reached her hand out with her eyes closed. Moments later a large circular portal appeared (like one showed in photo at the top) with a crack. I jumped and instinctly reached for my lightsaber before quickly noting that it wasn't harmful. 

"What is this?" I asked looking at the water like surface of the clear -purple tinged portal.

"This is how we keep track on what's happening in the universe, it's how I've been watching over you all this time," she explained stepping to the side a bit, "Think of someone you want to see, picture them clear in your mind and then touch it."

I looked at her hesitantly and she nodded encouragingly, I stepped in front of the portal and the first person that came to my mind was Padme but quickly changed to Obi-wan and Ahsoka. They would still be fighting and I wanted to see if they were okay. I pictured Obi-wan's face clearly in my mind, it was the face that I grew up with and I knew every detail. I slowly reached out my hand and touched the cool water like surface of the portal. It rippled and an image slowly appeared in the center spanning outwards. 

I saw the scenes in front of me, millions of battle droids firing at the remaining Jedi and storm troopers. I saw Obi-wan's bright light blue lightsaber right next to the two green ones that belonged to Ahsoka, but Obi-wan was also holding a familiar dark blue blade and one I looked at the hilt of the blade it didn't take a genius to figure out it was mine. Superdroids were joining the battle with the electrostaffs and the Jedi had began to fight them as they let the Storm Troopers take care of the type 1 battle droids that were quiet easy to get rid of but since there were so many it was so hard. As soon as you kill one of them four more would reappear in their spot and I could tell the Jedi were beginning to loose hope. 

I could see some of the Jedi Masters amongst the battle, teeth gritted, sweat dripping off them but determination plastered on their faces. I looked back to Ahsoka who was trying not to let her emotions get the best of her and she was trying her hardest to keep up with Obi-wan. Even though she wasn't cutting down any droids she was trying her best to redirect the shots back towards them and she was just trying to survive which was the best thing she could do right now. As much as I missed her and wanted to be down there with her and get her to safety or the encourage and protect her, I didn't want to see her up here. She was too young and she was a determined and strong Jedi, they needed her for the future. 

The image faded away and I sighed as the portal melted away, my mum placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"They'll be okay, you wouldn't have died for nothing. I promise you," she reassured me.

"Skywalker!" 

I spun around and saw Qui-Gon Jin standing there with a small smile on his face.

"Come with me, I need to show you something," he said.

I said a goodbye to my mother and told her I would see her later as I followed Qui-Gon out of the pathway area and towards a place where the black rocks were bigger and the crystals were dotted almost everywhere. 

This couldn't get any more mysterious.

A/N: Surpise! I'm going to try and post another chapter tomorrow and a few on the weekend! I'm found my writing flow again and thank you for everyone reading! I really love the comments and you guys keep me motivated to write. As I haven't written anything in this story in a while I apologise if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes or plot holes I might've forgotten or missed. Thank you so much and new chapter will be out soon!