Truly happy at last

Anakin slowly raised his head. A moment ago he had been with Luke, his son. Now Luke was nowhere in sight, yet there was a figure slowly walking over to Anakin. In a moment he realized it was Obi-Wan Kenobi. His heart leaped with a sudden joy, then fell again with shame. He bowed his head, his long hair covering his face. It was then he realized that he wasn't in the confining prison of his suit, he had hair again, all his limbs were not robotic, and he was as young as he was just before he turned to the dark side, yet none of these things seemed to surprise him.

"Hello Anakin," Obi-Wan said softly. Anakin kept his head bowed, overcome with shame and grief. Obi-Wan gently placed a hand on his shoulder and, with tears in his eyes, whispered:

"Hello, brother."

With tears in his own eyes Anakin met Obi-Wan's soft gaze. His previous mentor smiled down on him kindly.

"We've all been waiting for you," Obi-Wan continued.

"How can you welcome me?" Anakin asked softly. "How can you call me brother, when I've been such a fool for so long?"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan answered, "everyone has been a fool at one point in time. And I can call you brother because I love you as a brother. I always have."

"Forgive me, Obi-Wan."

"You were forgiven long before you asked forgiveness. Now come."

Obi-Wan led Anakin a little ways until they came to a corner where they stopped.

"Everyone has forgiven you, Anakin," Obi-Wan said softly. "And we are all extremely happy to see you. You needn't feel shame or guilt for anything that happened in the past. Now you need only feel joy."

Rounding the corner so many familiar faces came into view that Anakin was so overwhelmed he could only stand there. Smiling and, to his complete bewilderment, applauding him, stood Qui-Gon Jinn, Master Yoda, and all the Jedi who ever protected the galaxy. Obi-Wan smiled, moved next to Qui-Gon, and also began to applaud Anakin.

With a cry of sheer joy Anakin ran and fell into the embrace of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. All the others crowded around them, clapping Anakin on the back and welcoming him.

"I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, that I was not the chosen one," Anakin said after things had quieted down.

"Anakin, have you been blind?" Qui-Gon asked gently.

"The chosen one you were," Yoda said softly.

"But," Anakin stuttered, confused, "I don't understand..."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan answered, smiling, "the chosen one would be the one to defeat the sith. Now who was it that defeated Emperor Palpatine?"

Anakin paused a moment in thought.

"But, I was just helping Luke," he said softly. "I wasn't even thinking about that."

"I knew from the beginning you were the chosen one," Qui-Gon said. "You just didn't prove it till now."

"Now, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, "there is someone else who wants to see you."

The crowd of Jedi parted like a curtain. There, standing back from it all, was Padme. They ran to each other. Anakin lifted her into his arms and spun her around. Her hair flowed out behind her, catching the rays of the sun. And at last, Anakin knew, he was truly happy.