I.

The wedding was simple but beautiful. Leia looked radiant, of course, and Luke looked almost as happy. Anakin approved of all of it, except for one detail.

"There's no point in glaring at Han, you know," Obi-Wan said from behind him. "He can't see you."

"She deserves better," Anakin grumbled.

He didn't have to turn to know his master was raising an eyebrow. "I seem to remember a beautiful, accomplished young queen marrying a - "

"Oh, shut up."

"An impetuous idiot who didn't invite me to the wedding," Obi-Wan finished.

If Obi-Wan had forgiven him enough to leave his lists of faults there, perhaps he could extend Han a bit of grace.

Only a smidge, mind.

II.

Anakin had waited outside for fear Leia would see him. He didn't want to stress her. Not now, not when the last time a woman in his family had given birth had gone so badly wrong -

Luke slipped out of the medroom. Anakin relaxed as soon as he saw his son's wild grin.

It only widened when Luke's eyes met his, and Anakin's heart jumped a little.

"Congratulations," Luke whispered. "You've got a grandson."

III.

Anakin approved of the world Luke had chosen to train new Jedi on. It got a bit cold in winter, but it was better than the alternative.

For a dangerous few days, Luke had been considering a planet covered in sand.

IV.

The padd in Leia's hands crashed to the floor as she opened the door. "What are you doing?" she demanded, stalking forward.

Anakin looked up from where he'd been using the force to drag a blanket over the exhausted toddler on the floor. "Babysitting."

Leia snatched her son away from him. Ben didn't even stir. "What happened to the actual babysitter?"

Anakin nodded to the kitchen. "She's asleep too. Exams have hit her hard." Anakin started to fade. "By the way, if you have another kid, choose a better name. Obi-Wan's been insufferable.

Leia growled.

V.

Anakin watched somewhat proudly, somewhat sadly as Leia took charge of the Resistance. "I'd hoped she'd be safe."

"Consider her parents," Obi-Wan said dryly. "I don't think there was ever a possibility of that."

"Pot, kettle, Master. Pot, kettle."

VI.

Anakin watched somewhat proudly, somewhat smugly as Ben picked up a training saber for the first time. "A third generation Jedi. The first in centuries."

"Careful, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I'm a little worried about him."

Anakin smiled indulgently at the boy's wild strokes. "He'll be fine."

VII.

"I'm worried about Ben," Anakin told Luke. "He's been having trouble hearing me recently."

Luke frowned. "Ben - old Ben - mentioned that."

Normally Anakin would have snickered at the qualifier. Not today.

VIII.

Anakin stared at the burned out school. Other flickering ghosts wound through the ruins, kneeling by the dying younglings to comfort them. Anaking wondered if they'd done the same when the temple burned.

"Luke took out over half of the knights," Obi-Wan told him. The words couldn't hide the sickened look on his face. "And he should heal, given time." He paused. "If you want to see him - "

Anakin turned away bitterly. "I told you they should have named the boy after me."

IX.

Anakin read the medical report again and wished he could cry.

"He'll recover," Obi-Wan insisted. "If he's in a place strong in the force, he can heal entirely."

"So long as no assassins comes knocking."

"None came after me," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"No one knew where you - " Anakin broke off. "That could work. If you can convince him."

"Me?" he protested.

Anakin smiled mirthlessly. "You're the Negotiator. And I'll only upset him if I show up now."

X.

"Don't do it," Anakin begged Ben. If his voice could grow hoarse, it would have long ago given out, he'd said the words so much. "Ben, please, listen to me. I'm right here. Go home, just go home - "

He could feel the force shifting.

"Some lines even I never crossed, Ben, please - "

Han fell.

Padme's arm wrapped around Anakin's shoulders as he sobbed.

XI.

Leia threw things at him when he showed up.

Until he pulled Han through to talk to her. Then she started crying and throwing things at Han.

I.

Luke didn't defend himself when Rey showed up and started hurling accusations when he didn't jump at the chance to go home.

That night, Anakin did it for him.

"Severe force trauma, backlash from broken bonds since hasn't been seen since the Temple - worse, since he had multiple students - injuries to his legs that mean it took a year for him to even walk again, chronic pain that means it hurts just to move - "

Rey's mouth drifted open during his rant. She closed it with a snap. " . . . Who are you?" she finally asked.

"His father," Anakin said. "And if you hurt him, you'll wish you never left Jakku."

A/N: I love all these force ghosts stories I've been saying, and I love Rey. What frustrates me is the whole situation with Luke. Why would he run? Why would being a hermit strike him as the best solution? Some authors seem to share my frustrations, but unfortunately, they're taking it out on Luke.

I wanted to explore a (nearly certainly not canon) reason why he might have retreated: to heal. His reluctance to tell anyone, even Leia, could have stemmed from the fact that, hey, General. She's certain to have spies after her ALL THE TIME.

Anyway. There's one theory.