Chapter Eighteen

Later, Padme and Ashlee were at the apartment. Ashlee's husband and a few more Jedi were going to meet them on Tattooine tomorrow.

Anakin, Mace, Obi-wan, and Yoda were on one of the Star Destroyers. Padme looked at the viewscreen in the living room. Most of the news channels reported that the Emperor and Vader were dead and most of the other Imperials had surrendered to the Jedi.

"I just talked to Master Yoda," Ashlee said as she came into the living room. She had been using the holograph transmitter in Padme's bedroom. "He said that everything is going well."

"Alright." Padme turned the viewscreen off. "I should probably go contact my parents now. I have to tell them everything."

"I'll stay here and guard the front door," Ashlee told her. It was possible that the man who had been sent to attack her wouldn't bother her now that he didn't have to work for the Emperor, but Anakin still wanted her to be careful.

"Thank you."

Padme told her parents the truth about what had happened when she and her friend were arrested on Imperial Center last year, her relationship with her master, and about Vader going back to the Jedi.

"That was why Mace left suddenly when he was staying with you. My master was in my ship when we went to the landing area," she said.

"Why didn't he tell us what happened?" Jobal asked.

"He promised me that he wouldn't," Padme replied. "He knew I didn't want to be involved with the Empire, and he knew Vader was worried about that."

She looked at the entrance of the room as Anakin walked inside. She told her parents that she would come to Naboo after the meeting on Tattooine, then closed the connection.

"Two of the other Jedi are on the Executor now," said Anakin. "I'm going to stay here with you."

She hugged him and rested her head on his chest. "Will you go to my parents' house with me?"

"Yes," he answered. He kissed her mouth. He didn't seem to be upset about going to Tattooine, even though they were having the meeting at Mace's house, which wasn't far from where his stepbrother lived. Yesterday he said that he wanted to talk to Owen.

"I love you," she said. She remembered when she told Vader that she was glad to see him after he found her on Naboo. She had meant it, but she was happy that he had returned to the Jedi. He had quickly allowed Mace and Obi-wan to help him when they came to the apartment the other day.

"I love you, too."

The holograph transmitter beeped. Anakin turned it on and Obi-wan's image appeared.

"The man who attacked Padme is at a Rebel base," he told them. "He said that he is the one who stole her ship. He apologized for what he did and is glad to be free from the Emperor."

Padme felt relieved. "Thank you. We will contact you when we arrive on Tattooine."

After Obi-wan's image faded, Anakin slid his arms around her.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

She hugged him again. "Yes."

Mace and Ashlee went with them to Mace's house on Tattooine. Only Ashlee's husband and five or six Jedi were there. The others were with Obi-wan and Yoda at the Imperial base on Coruscant.

Ashlee had told the other Jedi about Padme. Padme recognized most of the ones that she hadn't met, since Vader had given her information on them and sent her to find or spy on them before.

They discussed which Imperial bases they were going to and contacted a few of the Rebel leaders. Then everyone left. Ashlee hugged Padme before she and her husband went to their ship. They would be at the Rebel base on Dantooine. Padme thanked her and asked both of them to come to the wedding, then went to Mace and Anakin.

"After we talk to your parents, I want to come back here and see Owen and Beru," Anakin told her after they spoke to Mace. They were going to the Imperial base on Naboo, to see if most of the former Imperial officers were gone.

"Alright," she said. She wanted to meet them.

They returned to their ship and left.

- The End -