Skywalker House

Varykino Island

The Lake Country

Naboo

5 years later

1 p.m., local time

Winter Skywalker shut the door of her elder son's room and walked into the living room of her home. She sat on her favorite blue couch, then allowed her body to fall sideways even as she groaned dramatically.

"Hard day, huh?" a voice said from the entry room door.

Winter rolled to her feet instantly, then rushed forward to hug Leia Organa Solo, "Leia! Oh Leia, I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!"

"I got in a little early," Leia replied with a fervent hug of her own, "I've got meetings tomorrow with the Jedi Council in Theed but I wanted a day to catch up here. And rest."

"Sit down, sit down," Winter said with delight. "Luke is off doing something ... "

"He's at the hospital," Leia said with a smile as she sat down on a very comfortable recliner. With a touch of the Force, she raised the footrest. "We had a quick talk telepathically and he'll get here when he can. He's teaching an advanced class in Force healing."

C-3PO walked into the room from the kitchen and lifted his mechanical arms in astonishment, "Mistress Leia! How delightful to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, 3PO," she responded warmly. "Are the children keeping you busy?"

"Oh my, yes, Mistress Leia!" the golden plated droid responded. "Just this morning, young Master Aiken poured an entire container of engine lubricant onto the workshop floor. Then Master Owen rolled around in it! I've spent the last hours cleaning the children and then the floor! I am so thankful that both boys are taking naps now before they get into anything else."

"I'm thankful too," Winter replied with a chuckle. "I adore the children to the ends of Naboo, but they are more or less crazy whenever they are awake. I'm thankful that Aiken still takes naps. Pooja tells me that her three year old gave them up a few months ago. I. Would. Die. Thank you so much, C-3PO. I could never manage the children without you."

"It is my honor to serve you, Mistress Winter," the droid said with a quick bow. "May I serve refreshments? Perhaps the chocolate blue milk you both like so much?"

"Yes, please!" Winter replied with a smile.

"Water for me, Threepio," Leia chimed in. "And some fungus crackers if you have them."

The droid marched away and Winter sat up to stare at her friend in amazement, "No chocolate milk, Leia? You love that stuff."

Leia pursed her lips and blushed slightly, "It doesn't agree with me right now ..."

Winter stared at her, at first in confusion, then with dawning awareness.

"Really, Leia! Really?"

"Yes!" Leia cried out, leaping to her feet, "Yes, Winter. I'm pregnant!"

Her sister-in-law also rose to her feet and quickly threw her arms around her petite friend. She knew that Leia's three year long season of infertility had been a great struggle for both Leia and Han. This was wonderful news!

"How far along are you, Leia?" she demanded. "And how are you feeling?"

"10 weeks, and lousy," the princess replied with a twinkle in her eyes, even as she sat down on the chair again with a sigh. "I am so tired and nauseous."

"You need to scale back on your Jedi responsibilities," Winter said worriedly. "Making a baby is hard work."

Leia leaned back and smiled slyly, "Yes, it is, and making two babies is even more work."

Winter shrieked, though softly enough so that there was no chance of waking up her own precious terrors, "Twins! Oh Leia, how wonderful!"

/-

Meeting Room #5

Emperor Vader's Palace

Imperial City

Coruscant (formerly, Imperial Center)

Evening, local time

"As you wish, your Highness," Mon Mothma said with a courteous inclination of her head. Anakin nodded back and thankfully retreated from the room to leave Mothma and her cohorts to discuss the latest anti-slavery initiative. Much had been done and the intragalactic slave trade had largely been stamped out, but there were still regions where slaves had yet to be freed. Anakin, with the full agreement of his children and allies, had made emancipation of the slaves his highest priority in the coming year of his reign.

The elder Skywalker hurried into an elevator and waited impatiently for it to rise to the roof of his palace. He was just in time. The nondescript light freighter Star of Shili was just settling down as he stepped out of the lift. He strode over as the ramp lowered, and a minute later Ahsoka Tano walked down with Commander Rex behind her.

"Snips!" Anakin said happily.

"Skyguy!" the tall Togruta responded, gently punching her former master in the shoulder. "Can't wait to get out of here, huh?"

Anakin grinned, even as he relished the reality that he could smile with ease. His skin was 90% healed now thanks to Luke's Force healing combined with appropriate traditional medication. As an added bonus, he could now go out in public with his face unmasked without having small children run and scream in terror.

"Yes, I am eager to leave for Naboo as soon as possible," he stated. "But I am also delighted to see you both. Commander Rex, how are you?"

This was more than a courteous question. He was most eager to hear whether ...

"I am very well, General," Rex responded courteously. "Your son and Doctor Sert worked intensely with me for more than 20 hours of treatment, and together have successfully halted and healed many of the health issues associated with the cloning process. In many ways, I feel like a new man. Since my health is so much improved, many clones are gathering even now in our special wing in the hospital near Varykino for treatment."

"That is truly excellent news, Commander," Anakin said with a sigh of relief. The vast majority of the clone troopers had died in battle, or from health issues due to accelerated aging. Those remaining had been carefully tracked down in the last few years, their chips removed, their well-being finally made a priority of Anakin's administration. But it appeared that Luke and Doctor Sert had successfully broken the final barrier. Rex and his living brothers now had hope of a reasonable life span.

"And since Rex now has a good chance of living a few more decades," Ahsoka stated in an uncanny echo of his own thoughts, "I've told him it's time for us to get married!"

Anakin blinked and then grinned affectionately, "You told him?"

Ahsoka wrapped a loving arm around her longtime companion and friend and nodded firmly, "Yes."

"With your permission, your Highness," Rex said gravely.

"Or without your permission," Ahsoka chimed in snidely.

Anakin chuckled and nodded, "You have my blessing, both of you."

"But you had best take good care of my former padawan, Rex," Vader added darkly.

"Take care of me?" Tano demanded indignantly. "You do realize I'm older than he is, and more experienced."

Anakin stared at her fondly, then turned his gaze on his Clone Wars colleague, "Then you are blessed indeed, Commander Rex. I know well the joy of being married to an older and wiser woman."

/-

Chewbacca's home

Built in a Wroshyr Tree

Kashyyyk

2 hours after midnight local time

The night had been full of joy, celebration, and more than enough Corellian brandy. But now the flames in the fireplace had died down, the extended clan members had left, leaving only Chewbacca and close relatives. And Han Solo.

The Corellian ex-pirate, son-in-law to the Emperor, husband of Leia Organa Solo, one of the Heroes of the Liberation of Kashyyyk, leaned sideways to wrap a slightly drunk arm around his loyal copilot.

"Thanks a lot, buddy," he semi-slurred. "This Paternity Ceremony means a lot. I'm so excited and thrilled, but I'm also kinda nervous."

Chewbacca commented at some length in Shyrriwook, with his nephews and uncles adding encouraging growls.

Han nodded and his eyes closed, "Yeah. Being a father just seems like such a big deal, especially of probably Force sensitive twins. But you're right. Leia's great. I have you, and Luke, and Winter and ... Rogue Squadron ... and the Naberries ... and ..."

He yawned hugely and leaned against his furry companion.

And fell asleep.

/-

Medbay #6

Varykino Hospital

5 p.m.

"Please head home, Luke," Doctor Lenz Sert said with a smile. "I know your sister is waiting for you."

Luke nodded and smiled, "Thanks, I will take off, but at midnight I'll check on the clone troopers who underwent advanced treatment today, Ok? So don't come back in."

Sert frowned, "Are you certain? I'd be glad to ..."

"No," Luke said firmly. "You've got an infant daughter at home plus a 3 year old son, and I know the havoc generated by both. Winter tells me that Pooja is exhausted from the late night feedings and she needs your help tonight."

"Very well," Lenz replied with a smile. "Thank you. Though Rayna and Alica are helping a great deal with Theo, thankfully. They've been a wonderful addition to our family and I think they are happy, even though neither Pooja nor I is Force Sensitive."

Luke patted Sert on the arm and smiled reassuringly, "Leia and I both know from experience that having loving family is the most important blessing for a child, regardless of whether the parents are Force sensitives. Thank you again for adopting the girls. We can and are taking care of the Force training, but you're doing the heavy lifting of providing a safe and nurturing home for those two former Hands-in-training."

Sert smiled, thinking of his rambunctious family of four children. "It is a privilege."

/-

Jedi Training Center

Near Varykino

"All right, dinner time!" Aralina Silk said with a smile, shooing the children and teens out of the room and toward the dining hall. The older teenagers gathered up their particular small charges and guided them out into the corridor, where the enticing smell of bantha patties lured most of the young ones, and the damp smell of Klatooine paddy frogs attracted the lone Huttling in residence.

Silk, a former Emperor's Hand herself, had been on the run from Darth Vader and the Empire for a full year after Vader had ascended to the Throne. She had then been captured by the Emperor's Jedi daughter, imprisoned, treated for injuries, mind healed by the Emperor's son, and recruited by Master Yoda himself.

And she couldn't be more grateful for what her life had become.

"How are you, Master Yoda?" Aralina asked with some concern, turning to face the ancient Jedi, who was seated on a padded stool on the floor.

"Tired, I am," the old elf stated wearily. "Exhausted, even. Most energetic, the young ones are."

Silk smiled even as she stepped forward to lift the Jedi Master onto her shoulder, "Princess Leia sent a message just this morning that she will be eschewing off-planet missions for the foreseeable future, so perhaps she'll be able to assist in teaching?"

"Perhaps," Yoda agreed, finding his favorite gimer stick in this pocket and beginning to gnaw on it happily. "Only two more days with this group of young ones anyway, then away they go home and another week we have before next group arrives."

Aralina nodded gravely, "Yes, and while I know that periodic 6 week sessions with Force sensitive children was not the norm in the days of the Jedi Order, I believe the children are doing well. Having a loving family, whether biological or adoptive, is a gift for these children and teens. I have no doubt they aren't learning as quickly as the Jedi younglings in the Temple did, but it's not like we're asking them to face a Sith Lord with almost no training ... I do hope they are also more stable emotionally."

"Old days have passed, new days have come," Yoda replied thoughtfully. "Much unknown about the future of the Jedi. But thankful, I am, for all that has been achieved."

/-

The Star of Shili

Coruscanti space

Anakin Skywalker did his last pre-flight checks as he prepared to enter hyperspace. He could barely wait to join his son and daughter, and their spouses and children, to relish the incredible joy of family after more than 20 years of complex and anguished separation.

He glanced briefly at Coruscant, steadily receding behind his ship. Ahsoka and Rex were entirely capable of administrating the Empire in his stead, and Piett and Mon Mothma had forged a surprisingly firm alliance along with other loyal leaders of both the Empire and the former Rebel Alliance.

He could safely take a vacation.

Anakin stretched out with the Force and punched the hyperspace drive. Through the viewscreen, the stars blended into the familiar lines of hyperspace.

Next stop, Naboo.

Author Note: And that's it! Thank you for all of those loyally following and reviewing this fic. Thank you, dear precious husband, for your faithful editing and fun additions. Happy New Year!