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A/N: I started this story and I really don't know if I'll finish it. I like the way it is now, but I have no direction in which I'm going to work. If you have any ideas, feel free to message me.
Summary: Written in the point of view of Padmé, hidden for six years, so goes to Tatooine to meet her son. How will thing end up?
For the past six years, I haven't had a home. Insane to say, but truly, I always felt at home when Anakin was with me, and since he hasn't been with me, I do not have a home. Living with my parents was fine for a year, until I got back onto my feet, and then I went to Dantooine, a place where I have a small apartment, room for one, me, and that is about it—it is no home.
I don't know what compelled me to come here today. This planet was a desolate place full of endless deserts that I couldn't bare to see. Maybe that was why I came—I couldn't stand the thought of someone I loved, the love wasn't mutual, growing up here. Anakin had, and he constantly told me for the four years we were together how much he hated this planet.
Kicking some sand beneath my feet with my boot, I looked around at the mud buildings that this place called a 'city', and frowned. Why would I have chosen my son to live here, to start his life here? The wind picked up, and the hot bluster of sand stung my skin. I wrapped my black shall around me, and tightened the hat that protected the inhabitants from recognizing my identity.
Looking around from a friendly looking human, I tapped one seemingly nice person on the shoulder, making him twirl around. Talking to people became a bad habit now days, especially with the entire universe assuming I was dead.
"Excuse me," I said kindly, my voice low, the same one I used for my first term as Queen many years ago, "Can you tell me where the moisture farms are?" I handed him a cheap datapad I had purchased at the transport station, pointing out the exact farm I needed to go.
"Ah, lady," the man said, "This is Tosche Station. The moisture farms are a far ways' from here. It's an eopie ride I get there—you would never make it on foot."
Pausing to think this over, I nodded slowly, tucking the datapad under my arm. "Fair enough," I murmured, intending for him to hear that but the comment more for my pleasure than his, "Where can I get one?"
He looked me up and down, snickered and said, "You'll need someone to help you."
I sneered, unimpressed with his comment, "I'm tougher than I look," I pulled out some Imperial credits from my pocket, and showed the currency to him, "Look, I need to get to the Lars' estate before sunset."
He sighed and pointed to an eopie near the south side of a mud building. I faintly smiled, and then shook the man's hand, secretly giving him 10 Imperial credits as I hurried away. Immediately I realized I had no idea how to ride such a creature, and my excitement disappeared fast. Staring at the animal, I recognized it from when Anakin had pod races when I was fourteen, and I remembered what a foul animal it was. I frowned. Wishing I could suddenly use the force I get myself onto the eopie, I put my feet in the loops and thrusted myself on.
The double sunset on Tatooine was amazing, and I didn't give it enough credit the first time, and second time I was here. Approaching the Lars homestead, I watched as the twin suns sunk under the horizon, and the moons appeared as an after show, almost. The sunset on Curoscant was always amazing, but, of course, the light on the city planet was artificial, made by mirrors. But, this—this was the real deal. I smiled, happy that my son had been enjoying this for the past six years he had been alive.
I stopped my eopie far away from the homestead, behind the vaporators. Tying him to the smallest machine, I couldn't take my eyes off a certain small figure, sitting on the edge of the crater that opened to the actual home.
He was so small, even for his age. As I got closer to him, I began to notice that his blonde hair was quite like the nine-year old Anakin that I had met before he was a Jedi, before he was my husband, before he was a dark lord. Not facing his front, I couldn't make out his features just yet, but I hoped I would soon.
My feet wandered to the stairs leading downstairs, but I didn't take them. I was too mesmerized by the boy—
He was my son.
The actually blood relation just dawned on me. I was staring at my son, the boy I gave birth to first, from the back and a chill ran up my spine. I had never felt such excitement mixed with fear before, and I didn't like it. Maybe if Anakin was here…
The sun had not fully set, for the flash of light after the two suns became out of reach was not yet happening. Much to my surprise, the boy turned around, and gave me a puzzled look.
"Hi," I squeaked. I couldn't find my voice, all of a sudden, and I was unexpectedly nervous around him.
His soft blonde hair, bleached from the desert sun, swayed as he cocked his head. He scooted away from me, frightened by the stranger, "Hi," he said back, still staring me down. His voice quivered as he moved further away from me.
"Oh, please don't be afraid…"
I didn't want to scare him. I didn't want to be the scary stranger that intruded on his home life, the person who came to the middle of the desert to kidnap him. No, I wouldn't let that happen. My brow trembled when I realized he stopped moving away from me. It was obvious he could feel my—kindness? He didn't say anything, so I gulped, and then said, "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"
He looked from me to the sunset, "Aunt Beru lets me watch the sunset before bedtime," I decided that his voice was the sweetest voice I had ever heard. I smiled. He turned back to him, and cocked his head again, "Why are you smiling?"
Another shiver went up my spine and down again. "Oh, nothing," I said. I found it odd that he was speaking to me. Shouldn't he be running away? I was a stranger to him, after all.
"Why are you here?" Came the very question I was wondering.
"Visiting an old friend," I said with a smile, answering him. It was the truth, from a certain point of view. I wanted to sit down next to him, and talk forever. I wanted to ask him what he was learning, what he liked, and what he wanted to be when he grew up. I'd ask him what his favorite colours were, and who was his best friend. But I couldn't. I couldn't sit next to him, and I couldn't tell him I was his mother, and he couldn't call me Mommy. It would be too dangerous…
He looked back onto the sunset. This gave me time to examine his features, and I noticed his face, his bone structure, was almost exactly like Anakin's had been, and his hair—and his eyes, crystal blue. But he had my mouth. "Yeah, but I don't think you're a stranger," he said proudly, "Haven't I met you befor-ah?"
His childish accent, his unknowing of the word 'before' made me chuckle. "I don't think so," she answered, "Maybe once, maybe we walked past each other in Mos Eisley before. But I've never talked to you." I forced myself I not call him by the name I gave him. I didn't sit next to him, for I knew that Owen or Beru would call him inside any moment.
The brilliant flash of light indicated that the sun was fully set, and he brushed the sand off his little hands, not bothering to brush it off his tunic as any six-year-old little boy would. Right on queue, Beru's voice was heard from down below, "Luke! Bedtime!"
He smiled as if he knew this process before, and said, "Wait, who are you?"
I couldn't answer, "No one," again I found it hard not to say his name, "Goodnight."
He waved, and I walked away.
Next chapter: Padmé confronts Obi-Wan.