AN: To paraphrase Adam Savage, I reject George Lucas' reality and substitute my own. In reality, this story was written in 2003-2004 and thus the events of "Revenge of the Sith" were unknown to me. This story originally appeared in print form in Remote Control (Issue 22, 2004).

Obi-Wan Kenobi shook the sand off of his robes just outside of the entrance to his humble dwelling. He had been down to Anchorhead gathering supplies and luckily had just returned in the nick of time. A fierce sandstorm was brewing from the East and in a few moments, being outside would be dangerous indeed. He opened the door and picked up the bundle he had placed near his feet, only to nearly drop it again in shock.

"You should not be here," he hissed when he regained his speech, staring at the petite figure in front of him.

"What ever happened to 'good day, my lady'?" the woman asked with a slight smile.

"Politeness goes out the window when it comes to the danger you could be in. What if someone followed you? Or, for that matter, do you have any idea what kind of danger a woman alone out here at night faces? How did you get here?"

"I'm glad to see you too, Obi-Wan."

Kenobi sighed deeply. "You know I am always happy to see you, Padme, but you know the risks you run in coming here. Why are you here?"

"I need to see him. Please Obi-Wan, I see Leia from afar everyday. I just want to see Luke, see how he's grown. It's been six years."

"You know how dangerous that is. We had an agreement, Padme. Besides, Owen doesn't even let me see the boy. Do you think he would let you?"

"You're different. Owen blames the Jedi for what happened to Anakin. Owen would let me see Luke."

"Owen thinks you are dead, Padme, as does the rest of the galaxy. What if someone recognized you?"

"On Tatooine? Obi-Wan, you know better than that."

"Yes, on Tatooine, or along your journey from Alderaan. How did you get here anyway?"

"I journeyed to Ordi Minor with a group of delegates to a conference. I used my cover identity as a retainer in the Organas' court. From there, I slipped away and rented a small craft and piloted myself here. I landed where the ship is easily concealed by a dune. No one saw me, Obi-Wan, no one who would recognize me as Padme Amidala at any rate."

"Perhaps, but it was still very dangerous, my lady." Obi-Wan threw in the title by way of comfort for Padme. He knew how difficult things were for the woman in front of him.

"You don't have to call me that any more, Obi-Wan. I'm not even Padme any more." She sighed heavily, taking a seat at Kenobi's small table.

The Jedi sat across from her, taking one of her small hands in his. Gently, he said, "I know. I wish things had turned out differently for you."

She smiled ruefully. "I sometimes wish I had listened to myself when I told Anakin things would not work out."

"You loved Anakin. And I truly believe that he loved you. You disobeyed the Jedi

Order, but sometimes I believe the Force has other things in mind for us."

The former Senator looked up at him in surprise. "You have never said that before. I always believed that you were disapproving even though you helped me."

"I did disapprove." Kenobi waved his arm toward his humble dwelling. "Forced solitude gives you plenty of time to think. And I think the Jedi were wrong in so many things. But it is too late. Maybe if . . .." He let his thought drift away; after all, what was the point?

"There is always the future, Master Obi-Wan. Some day perhaps, the Jedi will overcome once more. And they will find a different way."

"You truly amaze an old man, Padme - optimism in the face of all that has befallen you."

"Not optimism, Obi-Wan- faith. Faith in the Jedi, faith in good, faith in you and Master Yoda. Faith in my children. And perhaps even faith in Anakin."

"After all that has happened, you still have faith in Anakin."

"I love him," Padme said simply. "And I know somewhere inside of him there is that little boy I met so many years ago. Or the man who he grew up to be, the man who loves me. I may never live to see that part of him again, but I have to believe it's still there."

Obi-Wan dropped Padme's hand and covered his face with both of his hands. "I am so sorry, Padme. I caused this. I did this to you. Anakin was right to blame me."

Padme ran around the table to kneel by his side. "No! Anakin loved you like a father. You tried your best to train him. But Anakin had to follow his own path. Your only mistake may have been in loving him - like mine was."

"I wish I had done better."

"There was nothing you could have done. You tried. I do not blame you. How could I? Even though I felt your disapproval, you never once voiced it. You gave up everything for my children and me. Some day, Obi-Wan, maybe in this life, maybe in the next, we will have our Anakin back."

"You would have made a fine Jedi, Padme."

Padme only smiled and squeezed his arm.

"It is too dangerous tonight, but in the morning, I will take you to Anchorhead and perhaps we can get a look at young Luke."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan."

"Aunt Beru, I'm bored." The small boy whined as he waited in line beside his aunt at a market stall.

"Luke, you begged me to let you come into town with me today. Please, don't let me regret it."

"But I don't wanna stand in line." He pulled on her hand. "I want to look at the speeders."

Beru sighed. Luke had an unquenchable interest in all things relating to flight from speeders to swoop bikes. Unfortunately she also knew that this interest was going to lead to more and more problems keeping Luke safe as he grew. But how did you explain that to a six year old?

Finally, she relented. "You may go over to the lot and look at the speeders, but I do not want you to move until I return, alright? And do not talk to any strangers."

"Yes, Aunt Beru." Luke skipped happily off to the speeder lot. Beru shook her head. Owen would not be pleased. She would have to make sure she swore Luke to silence on their return to the household. It would be difficult; Luke had a tendency to talk on and on when he got excited.

Luke leaned against the fence beside the speeder lot, looking excitedly around. He saw the latest model near the front of the lot. It was so big and shiny and wonderful. He crept closer and closer to it, wanting just to touch it. He stood in front of it, eyes closed, imagining he was taking a wonderful ride in it. Before he knew it, he had climbed into the cockpit, looking at the controls.

"Wait here, Anja," Obi-Wan said, using Padme's new name, which was derived from the Alderaanian word for "angel." He showed her to a seat in a small sidewalk café. "I'll see if anyone knows if the Larses are in town today."

"Yes, Ben." She smirked at the name Kenobi now used. She ordered a drink and looked around her at the small but bustling village, the main trading place for the region's moisture farmers. Such a long way from the lush meadows and lakes of Naboo.

Luke reached out to touch one of the controls, a high-pitched noise causing him to cover his ears.

"You there!" He heard a voice yelling over the din and a hand reached into the cockpit to turn off the alarm. Luke looked up into the angry face of the lot's owner.

"Get out of here, you little scamp, before I call the guards!"

Luke wasted no time jumping out of the cockpit and scampering away. He didn't stop running until he was out of sight of the speeder lot. But what to do now? Aunt Beru had told him not to move. But he had to. Maybe if he found her. He looked around and frowned at the unfamiliar street. His aunt and uncle never let him out of their sight when they came to Anchorhead and he wasn't familiar with the layout of the village. He couldn't remember which side of the lot he had come in on and now he couldn't even see that. He hated to walk back in the direction of the speeder lot, but maybe if he ran past the angry man wouldn't see him.

He walked quickly back in the direction of the speeder lot, but he was too busy running past the lot to realize that he had gone in the wrong direction. He was in a shopping street but not the right one.