59 Star Wars Fan-fiction 2 - Never Gone

Plot: AU. Complete! Chp 32 up! The Jedi refuse to train Anakin. He returns to Tatooine in hopes of freeing his mother. But he and Padme keep in touch. Ten years later, Anakin sets out to reunite with the woman he loves. AnakinPadme. AU fic, Anakin is not a Jedi

Pairing: Ani-Padme, Han-Leia

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It all belongs to George. I also don't own the song "Never Gone" by BSB.

AN: Here's a brand new story. Enjoy and please let me know what you think! This is an AU fic that starts out at Obi-Wan's knighting at the end of episode I. Master Yoda forbids Obi-Wan to train Anakin and despite his promise to his master and he agrees. Therefore Anakin does not become a Jedi and he is free to love Padme. This will be kind of a fun, romantic, and sexy story. But it will have the action, adventure and conflict as well. This story also has nothing to do with the A Matter of Trust/A Matter of Hope storyline. So enjoy!

Never Gone

Chapter 1: Never Gone

The things we did, the things we said

Keep coming back to me and make me smile again

You showed me how to face the truth

Everything that's good in me I owe to you

Though the distance that's between us

Now may seem to be too far

It will never separate us

Deep inside I know you are

Never gone, never far

In my heart is where you are

Always close, everyday

Every step along the way

Even though for now we've got to say goodbye

I know you will be forever in my life

Never gone

"Trial enough your battle with the Sith was. Confer on you, the rank of Jedi Knight the council does," Yoda said, as he severed Obi-Wan's padawan braid.

"Thank you master. What of the boy? I promised master Qui-Gon that I would train him," Obi-Wan said.

"Hmm...train the boy, you will not," Yoda said.

"But master, I promised," Obi-Wan protested.

"Just became a knight yourself. Ready for a padawan you think you are already?" Yoda asked. Obi-Wan lowered his head. He knew Master Yoda was right, he was not ready. Especially not for a boy as exceptionally gifted in the Force as Anakin. Perhaps, this would be for the best.

"I'm sorry master," Obi-Wan silently apologized.

"You're right master. He did destroy the control ship and save Naboo, so I will allow him to accompany me back to Naboo for the celebration. Then, I will either let him stay or see that he returns to his mother on Tatooine. The queen is very fond of him, I'm sure she will see to his safety," Obi-Wan said. Yoda nodded satisfactorily.

"But you promised that I would become a Jedi," Anakin said sadly.

"I know Anakin and I'm sorry, but it's just not meant to be. You'll be returning to Naboo for the celebration. Then Queen Amidala says you can stay on Naboo or return to your mother. Perhaps someday, you'll be able to free her," Obi-Wan suggested. Anakin bowed his head sadly. Obi-Wan ruffled his hair and left him with his thoughts.

"Ani, can I come in?" Padme's voice said through his door.

"Sure," Anakin replied.

"I'm sorry Ani, I know you must be disappointed. But I want you to know that you can stay on Naboo if you want," Padme said. She had come dressed in the simple attire of a handmaiden, rather than as the queen.

"Why do you care about me? The Jedi don't," Anakin replied sadly.

"Ani, I will always care about you. You're very special to me," Padme replied, as she brushed the blonde locks from his eyes.

"I want to stay on Naboo...but I can't leave my mom a slave. I have to go back and free her. When I do, I could come back, couldn't I?" he asked. She smiled.

"Of course. Here, I want you to have this," Padme said, as she handed him a small datapad.

"What's this?" Anakin asked.

"It's a data messenger. We can write to each other all the time with it," Padme said. Anakin's eyes widened.

"Really!" he asked.

"Sure," she replied.

Anakin returned to Naboo with Padme for the celebration for victory during the battle of Naboo. Shortly after that, Anakin shared a tearful goodbye with Padme before he would leave aboard a small Nubian cruiser that Padme had given to him.

"I'll miss you everyday," Anakin said.

"I'll miss you too Ani, but I know we'll meet again. You're never gone Ani, because in my heart is where you are," Padme replied. Anakin smiled, as the Force showed him a glimpse of his future. A future in which included Padme. He smiled.

"I know. Goodbye Padme," Anakin said.

"Goodbye Ani," she replied, as he boarded the ship and left Naboo. Padme was suddenly very sad, as was Anakin. But something told them both that they would meet again someday...

10 years later...

Anakin Skywalker looked proudly at the Nubian cruiser that he had just finished fixing. The desert was hard on machines such as it and Anakin had his work cut out for him after not having used the ship in so long. After returning to Tatooine ten years ago, Anakin worked fixing things here and there for anyone who would pay him so he could raise the money to free his mother. He raced pods for Watto, winning more than a few races over the years. Five years ago, his mother had fallen in love with a farmer that came into Watto's's shop one day. When Anakin heard that the farmer wanted to free his mother and marry her, he had put his money with the man's and they freed her. That was the day he and his mother left Mos Espa for the Lars moisture farm. He got along well with his step father and his step brother, who was about three years older than him. Anakin spent his time learning the ways of the moisture farm from Cliegg and Owen, but Shmi knew that it was not the kind of work that interested Anakin. He spent a lot of his time repairing the machinery around the farm, which was saving the Lars family a lot of money. But not a day went by the Anakin did not think of Padme. He received data letters from her as often as she could send them. Padme was now the Senator of Naboo and very busy. But she never forgot to write to Anakin when she could and he wrote back in earnest. Shmi knew that Anakin longed to go to her, but would never do so unless she told him it was okay. Shmi Skywalker Lars sighed. It was time let her little Ani go...for good this time. She walked into the garage, only to see her son polishing his silver ship.

"Hey mom," Anakin greeted.

"Hello Ani," she replied, as she kissed his grease covered cheek.

"She looks pretty good, huh?" Anakin asked.

"That she does. Anakin, I want to talk to you about something," Shmi said.

"Sure," Anakin said, as he sat down next to her.

"Ani, I want you to know that I don't expect you to stay here forever. I know that you love me and I'm grateful that you would stay here just to make me happy. But you need to make yourself happy and I know that the only way you'll be truly happy is if you're with her," Shmi said.

"Am I that obvious?" Anakin asked. Shmi laughed.

"You're my son, I know these things. And I know that you're in love with her," Shmi said.

"I haven't seen her in ten years mom," Anakin replied.

"Yes, but you talk to her all the time. I think it's high time you went to see her and that you finally told her how you feel," Shmi replied.

"But what if she doesn't feel the same mom? Why would a beautiful Senator and former queen want a desert rat and former slave," Anakin said pessimistically.

"Anakin Skywalker, you are no desert rat. You're very handsome and perhaps you should ask yourself another question. What if she does feel the same?" Shmi reasoned with him. He gave her a crooked smile and nodded.

"Besides, I want to have some grandchildren someday while I'm young enough to enjoy them. And goodness knows, if I wait on Owen to get around to proposing to Beru, I will be too old," Shmi joked. Anakin blushed.

"Mom, I haven't even told her how I feel yet and you have us having kids already," Anakin complained. Shmi patted his cheek playfully.

"Come on, you have packing to do," Shmi said, as she dragged her son into the house.

Senator Padme Amidala packed her things in her travel case, furiously. By the chancellor's orders, she was being sent home because of the assassination attempts on her life. And the worst part was, she was being put under Jedi protection. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was just master Kenobi, for he was decent to talk to and had a sense of humor. But the Jedi Knight they had assignedherput evenMace Windu to shame. Jedi Knight Sev Urkin stood in her doorway, arms crossed stoically. He was a middle aged man with black hair and a muddled complexion. And he seemed to wear a permanent frown. She sighed and picked up her data messenger and smiled, thinking of Anakin. In his last document to her, he was fixing up his ship, hoping to come see her. She wanted nothing more, for she could really use a friend right now.

"Senator, we must be leaving the capital soon," the stoic Jedi told her. She suppressed a glare at him, wondering how anyone could sound so monotone.

"I'm almost ready master Jedi," she replied, as she closed her case and motioned for Artoo to follow her. Not long after that, they departed on a public transport for Naboo. Her Jedi companion remained stoic and silent for the most part. So much so, that she found Artoo to be better company and she wasn't carrying his translator.

"Safe journey Ani," Shmi said, as she kissed his cheek. He hugged his mother, followed by Cliegg, Owen and Beru.

"We'll come visit soon," Anakin said.

"You better, the rest of us want to meet this girl that we've heard so much about," Cliegg told him. Anakin smiled and nodded, before getting on his ship. Mom was sending Threepio with him, though he had no idea why. Threepio was currently complaining about how he had never flown and Anakin was sure it was going to be the same thing the whole flight.

"Strap in Threepio, we're taking off," Anakin told him.

"Oh my. I simply don't see why we have to go anywhere master Ani. Space travel simply sounds dreadful and dangerous," Threepio complained.

"I'm going to find the woman of my dreams. That's why we're leaving," Anakin replied. Threepio wasn't exactly sure what he met, so he was silent for a moment. Silent at least until Anakin powered up the thrusters and blasted out of the atmosphere. Anakin rolled his eyes at his droid's incessant chatter. At least it wouldn't be a quiet flight...