Baby Hope gave a howl and waved a tiny fist in the air. She had just awakened from a long nap and it was past feeding time. Padme set down the datacard she'd been reading and started to get up, but Anakin spoke, "I'll get her. You were up most of the night. It's my turn."

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Ani. I am a little tired."

Anakin got up from his chair and let his fingers brush lightly against her cheek as he passed. Then he reached into the crib and lifted his infant daughter with infinite tenderness. Cradling her against his chest and softly humming an old lullaby his own mother had once sung to him, he walked over to the shelf and took down a nutrient pack.

"There now, my little angel. How's that? Can't let my pretty girl go hungry, can we?"

From his chair near the doorway, Luke observed the cozy little scene with a smile that slowly faded as he watched his father and baby sister. He always felt a thrill of delight at the sight of his parents. They were so beautiful together. And finally, they could all live together as a family. Of course, Leia and Han weren't here. They lived on Coruscant, but they all talked via the communicator several times a week, and they visited as often as possible. Most of the time Luke was happier than he'd ever been before.

But since the birth of little Hope four months ago, he occasionally felt a bitter pang. It wasn't that he didn't love his new sister. He did. She was the living, breathing symbol that their family had survived all the trials and horrors of the past.

And she was adorable. Whenever he held her and looked into her wideset blue eyes and felt her small fingers curl around his own, his heart constricted with love. How could anyone be so tiny, so perfect, so innocent and vulnerable? He felt torn between wanting to see her grow up and get to know her as a person, and wanting her to stay this way forever.

Yet, every now and then, he felt an almost overpowering sorrow tinged with jealousy. He didn't like to admit that, but there it was.

Hope would grow up with two loving parents. She would have her mother to nurture and guide her into adulthood. She would have a father to tickle her and read her stories and give her reekback rides.

A father who would never torture her with interrogation droids, or cut off her hand, and offer her to the worst evil the galaxy had ever known.

Hope would have the life he had always dreamed of, but had been denied.

Luke's eyes filled with tears as he watched his father play with Hope's wispy light brown curls. He realized he needed to get out of there before his parents became aware of his turmoil. It was a wonder Anakin hadn't already picked up on it. And Padme, though she wasn't Force-sensitive, had a mother's intuition regarding her children. Quickly he slipped out the doorway and down the hall to his room.

He wasn't quite quick enough, though. Anakin turned just in time to see his son leave. He sensed Luke's hurt and handed Hope over to Padme. "Sorry to renege on you, angel, but I think I need to check on Luke. I'll get up with her tonight, okay?"

Padme nodded as she took their infant daughter and cuddled her close. "Okay, Ani. Go to Luke if he needs you."

He found Luke standing on the balcony outside his room, staring unseeingly across the lake. As he stepped close, he could see tears on Luke's cheeks. "What's wrong, son?"

Luke only shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Laying his hand on Luke's shoulder, Anakin said quietly, "Do you really think I can walk away and leave you like this? Talk to me, Luke. Please let me help."

Luke bowed his head. "I can't." He hesitated, then whispered. "I'm too ashamed to talk about it."

That left Anakin speechless, for one of the very few times in his life. When he recovered, he said incredulously, "You're ashamed to tell me something? Luke, come on. Nothing you could say or do would even begin to compare to what I've done."

Finally Luke sighed and gave in. "I'm sad. And jealous."

Anakin waited for him to go on, but Luke fell silent. After a while, Anakin prodded. "What are you sad and jealous about?"

"That Hope will have you and Mother. That you and Mother will have her baby pictures, and you'll see her start school, and you'll have years of happy memories with her that you don't have with Leia and me." Luke stopped as he realized the fear that lay hidden deep in his heart. Once again his voice dropped to a whisper.

"You'll love her more."

Anakin shook his head and gathered Luke into his arms. "No, son. That isn't true. I love Hope with all my heart, but I love you and Leia just as much. And so does your mother. You don't ever have to worry about that."

A deep shudder gripped Luke and suddenly he was sobbing on Anakin's shoulder. His father held him close and said gently, "My heart breaks every time I feed Hope, or push her in the baby swing, or rock her to sleep, because I can't stop wondering what it would have been like to do that for you and Leia. I would give anything if I could undo the past and be there to see the two of you grow up."

When the sobs finally diminished, Anakin held Luke at arm's length and dried his son's tears. He had never considered himself empathetic, but as he gazed into Luke's clear blue eyes, he found the perfect words.

"I love you, Luke. Just as much as I love your sisters. I love you all equally. And no matter how old you are, you'll always be my children. Leia and Hope are my beautiful little girls, and you are my precious little boy."

Once again, father and son embraced.

Carrying a sleeping Hope in her arms, Padme came to join them. Concerned about Luke, she had come searching for her husband and son, and had seen them on the balcony through Luke's open door. Ani rarely bothered to shut a door behind him.

She had started to go to them earlier, but Ani seemed to be doing fine on his own, and she'd thought maybe they needed the moment alone.

Now she came to stand beside them. Luke reached over to caress Hope's cheek. "I do love her," he said a little anxiously, as if afraid they might not believe him.

Anakin kept one arm around Luke and wrapped the other around his wife. "Of course you do, son. I know that. We're a family."