Author's Note: This is an AU story idea that I have been playing around with for a few weeks. I am still determined to finish "Early Redemption", and still have plans for a sequel to it. But I am curious to know what people think of this idea.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars and seek no financial gain from this story. I'm just play in this sand box. :)

Chance for Atonement

Prologue

He felt like he was flying, floating really, towards a welcoming bright light from which he could only feel warmth and unconditional love. At first the light was blinding, but as his eyes adjusted and he continued to be lulled into the inviting feeling of love and compassion that was the light, he started to see faces of those he had loved and lost appear in front of him. His mother, Shmi Skywalker, was smiling at him with sparkling brown eyes and opening her arms to him. He flew right into his mother's arms and welcomed her embrace, tears flowing down both of their faces. "You made me so proud, Ani." His mother told him as she continued to hug him. "You sacrificed yourself to save your son."

When he pulled back from her embrace, he realized that his hands were as they were before Mustafar. He touched his face, and his skin was smooth and young like he had been before Darth Sideous tricked him into falling to the Dark Side. He looked down at himself, and he was no longer wearing the menacing black suit that he had died in as Darth Vader. Instead, he was also wearing the dark brown robes he had worn as a Jedi Knight. He was truly Anakin Skywalker once again.

Just as he was realizing this, he looked up to see his old mentor, friend and 'brother', Obi-Wan Kenobi, standing behind his mother as he had last seen him on the first Death Star. But instead of feeling disappointment and sadness from him, instead he felt love and happiness radiating from Obi-Wan's aura. "Anakin, I am so happy that you have returned to us. I have missed you old friend." Obi-Wan said as he could have sworn he saw a tear escape from Obi-Wan's eye as he stepped forward to give him brotherly hug, welcoming him to the afterlife. They stepped back from one another, releasing each other from their embrace.

"It feels good to be back too, Obi-Wan." Anakin replied as he felt a tear also escape his right eye. But then he became serious and looked away in shame as memories of the last 23 years from his life as Darth Vader started flooding into his mind. Putting both hands over his face and too ashamed to look Obi-Wan or his mother in the eye again he continued to speak."But...I don't deserve your forgiveness, Obi-Wan. I killed you on the Death Star. I betrayed and murdered the Jedi and assisted Palpatine in taking the galaxy into darkness. For all of the evil and darkness I helped him bring into the galaxy, there is no redemption from all that."

Obi-Wan and Shmi Skywalker just looked at him with continued compassion and unconditional love. "But you have brought goodness back to the galaxy as well by saving, Luke, when you killed Palpatine. You have brought the galaxy back to the light and hope to those who had lost all hope." Obi-Wan tried to assure him. "In the eyes of the Force, you have redeemed yourself by that one simple act of love for your son."

Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan and then his mother again with shock. "But that doesn't make up for all the pain and misery I caused the galaxy over the last 23 years. An-And now I will never have a chance to make amends."

"In the end, you did the right thing, Ani. You made amends in that one simple act of love, as Master Kenobi said." Shmi told her son with a loving smile.

Anakin looked at his mother with love radiating from his sparkling blue eyes and then they become steely. "But it just doesn't seem fair to those who suffered because of me that I should be here and considered redeemed from all my past transgressions. I want to do more, Mom."

"You have done enough, Ani. Let Luke and Leia do what you cannot. They will help make everything right again the galaxy." Shmi said as she stepped forward and pulled her son into another loving hug and kissed him on the cheek. She hesitated before speaking. "I have to go now, Ani. I believe there is something that Master Kenobi wishes to show you. But no need to worry. You will see me again."

"I love you, Mom." Anakin told her as they backed from their embrace.

Shmi smile at him while still holding both of his arms with her hands. "I love you too, son." She said as she released him. She then turned, walking off, and then turned to face him again to wave good-bye just before disappearing into the mist. Anakin just waved back at her but then continued to stare at the spot where she disappeared. A sudden feeling of sadness washed over him like he knew it would be a long time before he would see her again.

Obi-Wan walked over to him. "Your mother is right. You will see her again, Anakin." He told him as he put his right arm around Anakin's shoulders. "No need to worry."

Anakin weakly smiled over at Obi-Wan. "I know I will, Obi-Wan. I feel I will. But somehow I feel like it won't be for a long time again." Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he then looked at Obi-Wan with curiosity and then smirked as he turned to him, crossing his arms in front of him. "So what is it you want to show me, old man?"

Obi-Wan just chuckled. "You never change, do you, my young padawan? You always have to comment on how much older I am than you."

"You know me, Obi-Wan. I never miss a chance to tease you." Anakin replied with a smirk but then became serious and lowered his arms to his sides as he noticed Obi-Wan's contemplative expression. "But seriously, what is it that you would like to show me?"

Obi-Wan just smiled at him with his right arm still around his 'brother's' shoulders and led him into the mist. "You will see."

As they walked along together, the clouds started to dissipate until Anakin noticed they were walking in the middle of a great forest. Anakin looked around. "Where are we, Obi-Wan?" He asked just as they were met by Jedi Master Yoda coming out of the mist from their left.

"On the forest moon of Endor, we are." Yoda informed Anakin hearing the question as he looked up at him with a smile.

Anakin looked down at the wise old Jedi Master with respect and weakly smiled at him. "It's good to see you, Master Yoda." He said to him with a bow and then looked at him with sadness. "I have no words to express my sincere and deep apologies for what I have done to the Jedi Order and the galaxy."

Yoda put his right hand up to his chin, contemplating what Anakin had just said. "My forgiveness, you have, young Skywalker." He paused. "Actually, your forgiveness I must ask."

Anakin looked at him surprise. "My forgiveness? Why Master Yoda?"

"Wrong the Jedi Council was about a great many things. Prideful and stubborn we had become. Trust you we did not when shown you trust we should have. Also admit your attachment to Senator Amidala and your children brought peace to the galaxy it has. Wrong we were to not allow attachments. Had attachments been allowed, in secrecy your marriage would have not been and seeked our advice you would have instead of Palpatine." Yoda explained as he looked down with sadness.

Anakin looked down at Yoda with even more shock. This was the last thing he thought he would have ever hear from the wise old Jedi Master. "Master Yoda, I-I don't know what to say to that. Other than if you feel you need my forgiveness, you have it. It is the least I can do after all that I have done." Anakin then looked around still puzzled as to why they were on Endor. "Why are we here on Endor?"

Yoda just looked up at Anakin with a weak smile. "Brought you to see your son and daughter we did. To see what happiness to them you brought. Help you to move on it will."

Anakin became silent and remorseful as he looked at Yoda and then Obi-Wan. "Will they be able to see me?"

"Luke should be able to see you. All of us, in fact. He has been trained in the ways of the Force enough that he will sense us and be able to see us. I have appeared to him quite a few times now." Obi-Wan informed him. "I am unsure about Leia as she was never trained."

Anakin then looked down with shame and then back up at Obi-Wan. "How can I face them after all that I did to them? Perhaps I will just wait here and let you both go ahead."

"That is, of course, your choice, Anakin." Obi-Wan said as he and master Yoda started walking towards where there were glowing lights and music emanating from what appeared to be a celebration just through the trees ahead. "Although, Yoda and I would like to say good-bye to Luke. We are not sure when we will be able to make contact with him again."

Anakin just nodded as the two Jedi Masters walked away. He stared off into the forest feeling nothing but guilt and pain. I do not deserve all of this love and forgiveness, no matter what I may have done in my last moments of life. He thought to himself. How can I expect my children to forgive me? Will they even want to see me?

After a short time, though, Anakin thought better of it. If anything, he wanted to say good-bye to Luke in his own way and to let him know that he was going to be alright in the afterlife. If he has seen Obi-Wan and Yoda, then he will wonder why I also did not appear to him.

A few moments later, Anakin's ghostly figure appeared next to those of Obi-Wan and Yoda. Anakin looked up to see Luke smiling back at him and his two Jedi companions with love and respect. Leia then walked up behind Luke, not noticing what or who Luke was looking at, as she put her arms around him and smiled at him as she led him back to the party. All Anakin could do was stand there with a weak smile and bow. "I am very proud of you, Luke." Anakin said to his retreating back. "I am very proud of both of you."

A short time later, all three Jedi were gone, returning to the mist in which they came.

Chapter 1

Anakin awoke with a start, disoriented and looking around at his current surroundings. It's my quarters at the Jedi Temple. He realized with awe as he continued to look around at the dimly lit room. Was it all just a dream, a warning? He asked himself.

"It wasn't a dream." Anakin turned, startled, to look where the familiar voice of Obi-Wan was coming from and noticed his younger, ghostly spirit sitting in the chair next to his bed.

"Obi-Wan!" He said with shock as he startled himself when he realized that his voice was not mechanical but his natural voice instead. "Wh-What happened? What's going on?"

Obi-Wan's spirit rose from the chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he moved closer to the bed. Anakin was now sitting up, looking at his left hand realizing that it was also human and not mechanical. His right hand, he noticed, was still the gloved mechanical hand he got after fighting Count Dooku on Geonosis. "It is the will of the Force that you be given a second chance to atone for your past transgressions." Obi-Wan told him matter of fact.

Anakin spun around and looked down at himself as he put his feet on the floor. He was dressed in his old dark brown Jedi attire, right down to the brown boots and light saber fastened to his belt. He reached over and turned on the light next to his bed to see more clearly. Then looked up at Obi-Wan with shock. "What do you mean by that? Are you telling me that I am alive again?"

"That is exactly what I'm telling you, Anakin. Go look in the mirror. You are as you would have been at the age of 45 had you not turned to the Dark Side and we had never fought on Mustafar." Obi-Wan said with a small smile forming on his lips.

Anakin got up from the bed and went over to check his appearance in the full length mirror near the door, not believing what he saw looking back at him. He raised his natural left hand up to feel his face to touch it to be sure that what he was seeing was real. He still looked quite young for his 45 years with very few wrinkles and only a bit of white hair in his shoulder length blond hair starting near his temples. He spun around to look at Obi-Wan with hope in his eyes and happiness. "Th-This is amazing!" He finally said. "But why? Why am I being granted this second chance at life?"

Obi-Wan just smiled at him and started walking towards him, lowering his arms and clasping them in front of him. "You have been given this opportunity because you still carry so much guilt from all that you did as Darth Vader. While you still hold onto the guilt, you will never truly be able to join the light as we all believe you were meant to. By giving you this second chance at life, our hope is that you will be able to accomplish some of the things that you wished you could have done once you became Anakin Skywalker again. And, in turn, be able to leave some of the guilt you have behind you."

Anakin couldn't believe his ears and then a thought occurred to him. "Is this permanent, Obi-Wan, or is it only temporary?" He asked as he turned back to the mirror, touching his face again with continued shock, noting that the scar next to his right eye was still there but somewhat faded.

"You will be able to live out the rest of your natural life." Obi-Wan told him with a smile. "And...you will be able to help Luke re-establish the Jedi Order. That is why we are here at the Temple. Luke has already started to open up parts of the Jedi Temple again and is also starting to train his sister, Leia. It will only be a matter of time before they start finding more Force sensitives to train, and then they will need all the help they can get."

"

How long has it been...since I died, Obi-Wan? How much time has passed for them?" Anakin asked as he turned back to Obi-Wan with more hope in his blue eyes.

"It has only been six months. But they have come a long way in just that short time. They have started to put together a New Republic, including electing senators and representatives for each of the planets that have agreed to join them again. Although, things are still quite volatile. There are still many systems that are not quite sure if they trust the new government, and there are still even some still loyal to the Empire. So you will need to be careful, Anakin. These are still dangerous times." Obi-Wan informed him.

Anakin nodded. "Understood." He then smiled at his 'brother'. "Will I still see you sometimes, like how you sometimes appeared to Luke?"

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a warm smile. "Perhaps if there is a need. But I will always be there watching over you, Anakin, even if you can't see me."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. It will be nice to know you will be nearby somewhere." Anakin said as he stepped towards him, wanting to give him a brotherly hug but frustrated that he could not.

"No need to thank me, Anakin. Just make us all proud and help your family to build the Jedi Order again. That is all the gratitude we need." Obi-Wan told him.

"I will, Obi-Wan. I promise." Anakin said with a smile. "I'll miss you."

"As I will you, Anakin. You are like a brother to me." Obi-Wan replied.

"And you are like a brother to me as well, Obi-Wan." Anakin replied with a smile.

"Well, I must go and so should you. Luke is in the training room now waiting for Leia to arrive for her daily Jedi training lesson. You should be able to make contact with him there." Obi-Wan said with a smile and then he bowed. "May the Force be with you, Anakin."

"And also with you, Obi-Wan." Anakin replied and then Obi-Wan was gone.

Anakin just sighed, giving his old quarters a better look around. It still looked ransacked, dusty and full of cobwebs. In fact, now he even noticed that the mirror he had been looking into was partially cracked. I guess Luke hasn't gotten around to this part of the Temple yet. He thought to himself.

With another sigh, he opened his door, turning off the light as he stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind him. The hallway was just as dimly lit as his room had been. But he still immediately noticed the black scorch marks on the walls that he was sure were caused by the Clones' attack on the Temple all those years ago. At the sight of them, Anakin abruptly stopped with a heart wrenching reaction as he remembered how he had led the squadrons of Clones into the Temple and started killing his fellow Jedi, his family, betraying them by slaughtering any of them who came into his sight. The image of the young blond youngling who had stepped out looking for his help and protection, only to be slashed down by his own light saber was now haunting his vision. He wanted to be sick. He was now leaning up against the wall, trying to hold back the tears caused by the anguish he felt from all the horrid things he had done within these hollowed halls after his fall to the Dark Side.

I don't deserve their forgiveness. But they seem to think I am deserving of it anyway. I can't fail them this time. Anakin tried to tell himself as he stood back up and tried to regain his composure. I can't let Luke see me like this. He thought to himself as he wiped the tears from his eyes with the sleeve of his robe and then used both hands to brush the remaining dampness from his face. He then took a deep breath and pressed on down the hall.

As he moved closer to where he remembered the Temple's training facilities were, Anakin heard the distinct sound of a light saber and a training droid. His heart had skipped a beat as he realized he was soon going to be seeing Luke and maybe even Leia for the first time since his death six months ago. Will they accept me or will they reject me? Anakin asked himself with dread as he came closer to the large gymnasium.

He peeked inside the door, looking into the large room, noting how well maintained it looked compared to the rest of the Temple where he had just come from. Luke's back was to him. He was wearing all black as he had last seen him and a blindfold over his eyes as he was using his green light saber to deflect the shots that the hovering training droid was shooting at him at a very quick and advanced level. Anakin watched Luke with pride as he was able to block every shot or miss them by moving or flipping out of the way.

When he noticed that the training droid had shut down and Luke had extinguished his light saber, Anakin took a deep breath and stepped forward into the room. Here goes nothing. "Luke!" Anakin called out as Luke turned to see where the voice was coming from, taking off his blindfold as he did. Luke was looking at Anakin with surprise and puzzlement as Anakin came closer to him with his long cape brushing along the floor of the gym.

Anakin finally stopped when he was standing only a meter away from Luke. "Who are you? Are you a Jedi returning from being in exile?" Luke asked him as he noticed the light saber hanging from his belt.

"You could say that." Anakin replied with weak smile. "You don't recognize me, do you, Luke?"

Luke studied the middle-aged Jedi standing before him. He does seem very familiar. Luke thought to himself. "You do look familiar. Perhaps I saw your picture in some of the Jedi archives. How do you know my name?"

Anakin just gulped, staring at his son, trying to find his voice. How is he going to take this news? "Luke...this is going to come as quite a shock. I-I mean, I don't even know if I still believe how this is even possible myself." Anakin paused. "But I'm your father...Anakin Skywalker."

Luke looked at his father with shock apparent on his face as he had a moment of recognition from when he had seen a somewhat younger version of him on Endor six months ago. "I believe you...Father. But how? You were dead. I saw you. I burned your body on a funeral pyre."

Anakin shook his head. "I don't know for sure. It's even still a mystery to me, son. But anything is possible through the Force. It seems that it is the will of the Force that I be given a second chance to right some of the wrongs I committed while I was Darth Vader." Anakin told him. "Even in death, the weight of the guilt I still carry was too heavy for me to allow me to fully join the Light Side of the Force."

"How long do you have?" Luke asked him. "Is this only temporary?"

Anakin smiled at him. "I can live out the course of my natural life as I would have had I lived."

A tear started falling down Luke's right cheek as he quickly moved over to his father and embraced him. "I've dreamed of this happening. Bu-but I never let myself believe it could actually really happen."

"Me too, Luke. Me too." Anakin replied and he returned his son's embrace.

"Luke, I'm here!" Startled, Anakin and Luke backed out of their embrace, as they turned in the direction of the door of the gym. A few seconds later, they saw Leia appear in the doorway wearing white pants and tunic, brown boots, and a light saber hanging from her belt. Her hair was in two looped braids that met as a bun in the back of her head. Luke, wiped the tear from his cheek as she spotted them. "Oh, there you are!" Leia said with a smile and then looked puzzled as she saw the tall, handsome blond Jedi standing next to her brother, noting the emotion in both of their faces.

Anakin's expression soon turned to one of shock. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she closed the gap between them. My Force, she looks so much like her mother. Why didn't I see it before? Anakin thought to himself as he remembered and cursed himself for how he had tortured her on the Death Star for information. She's going to hate me.

"Who is this?" Leia asked with a smile and a look of curiosity as she approached them, looking from her brother to Anakin.

Luke took a deep breath. "Well, Leia, um..." He paused. "I'd like you to meet...Anakin Skywalker. Our father."