A few days after the trial, Gabby was at home with Padme. Gabby was in her room, coloring a picture on the back of a letter she was going to send to Boba. She promised him they'd keep in touch as much as possible. So, when Boba was taken to jail, Gabby sent him a drawing, and then he wrote a letter back, and she wrote letters too, with a little help from a couple characters from her books teaching her how to write.

Gabby finished with her letter and put it in an envelope to send to Boba.

"Gabby, could you come down here, please?" Padme called from downstairs.

That was weird, Gabby thought. Usually, Padme sent Threepio to fetch Gabby.

"Coming, Mommy." Gabby answered. Then, she got out of her seat and headed downstairs to the living room.

When Gabby got to the living room, she saw Anakin there with Padme, and she ran over and hugged his leg. Anakin patted her head in response.

"Gabby, we need to talk." Anakin said.

That sparked a bit of fear in Gabby; she had not heard those last four words a lot, but she heard them enough to know that it usually meant something serious was going to happen, and it usually wasn't good.

Seeing as Gabby seemed worried, Anakin and Padme had their daughter sit between them on the couch.

"Am I in trouble?" Gabby asked.

"No, Sweetie." Padme said. "Your father and I actually were talking about making a change... a change to our family."

"What kind of change?"

"Well, Gabby. You know how we told you that when babies are born, they come from their mother's tummy, like you did?" Anakin inquired.

Gabby nodded, then had an idea. "Is Mommy pregnant?"

Anakin chuckled and shook his head. "No, not this time."

"We were actually thinking about... adopting a child" said Padme.

"What does that mean?" Gabby asked, confused.

"'Adoption means people adopt a kid who came from other parents, to put it simply."

But Gabby was confused again.

"You see, Princess." Anakin said. "Some kids are orphans. That means they don't have parents or families to take care of them for different reasons, like Boba. So, these kids have to be in foster care or live in an orphanage. Foster care is when people take in children who aren't related to them and take care of them until they have a forever home. Sometimes living relatives of the child are found, their parents come back for them, or they get adopted by one of their foster families. And an orphanage or residential home is where kids without families live until someone who wants a child to love and care for comes and takes them home. And when people adopt children, they become a family."

"Like my old friends Dance Step and Twinkle Toes." Carousella said, coming down as she overheard the conversation. "They're biologically related, like you and your parents. But, their birth parents passed away years ago, and then later they were adopted by a couple of ponies who wanted foals to love and care for. Their adoptive parents were already Round n Round's biological parents, so she became their sister after her parents adopted them. So, even though they're not all related, they're still a family."

"That's right," smiled Padme.

"Okay, but what made you decide to adopt a kid now?" Gabby asked.

Anakin and Padme explained that after the trial, they felt bad that Boba was left all alone with nobody to love and take care of him, and they saw how much Gabby cared about him too. So, they asked Memoria's mom, Queen Sophia, for help, since she was a lawyer who specialized in social services before she was queen of Lefintiscia.

As it turned out, both of Jango Fett's parents and his only sister were all dead, he had no known relatives, and he was never married either, so Boba had literally no family he could move in with after being released from jail. And because he was ten, the probability of him being adopted was not very high.

Gabby's parents explained to her that most kids at Boba's age in foster care didn't have as good a chance of being adopted as little kids did. Therefore, the couple thought long and hard about it, but before making their final decision, they wanted to consult their biological daughter on the matter.

"Gabby..." Anakin began. "How would you feel about having a big brother?"

Even though Gabby sensed what her parents had been talking about, she froze at the revelation. She thought about it, and it sounded like it might be fun having a sibling; she had wanted one for a while after all. But, now she was worried about how everything would change.

Anakin could sense Gabby was worried about how things would change. So, he and Padme reassured her that even though things would change, some things would stay the same. Her parents would still be her parents; Gabby would still be their first child; and even though Gabby would be sharing her parents' attention, they would still love her and take care of her the same. Then, Gabby started to feel more open to the idea, and she became excited that she was going to have a brother. She was finally getting the sibling she wished for; just not in the way she had in mind.

Two weeks later, Boba sat in a dormitory at a Bespin orphanage. His few belongings had already been sent and placed in a backpack that sat before him, as the child protection agents told him he was getting adopted, which shocked the boy. He didn't expect to get adopted at all, much less so soon after being released from jail and placed into the orphanage.

Boba sat and waited; he was getting antsy.

Suddenly, the door opened, and in came professionally-dressed Twilek lady.

"Boba," The woman said. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," said Boba, picking up his backpack.

Boba was shocked by this revelation. He took the social worker's hand as she escorted him to the waiting area, where Boba was even more shocked to see none other than Gabby and her parents. He could hardly believe this; his new family was a senator and two Jedi.

"Boba, meet your new parents," said the social worker. "Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padme Amidala."

Boba felt a little awkward at first when he walked up to the Skywalkers; one of his adoptive parents had been one he'd nearly gotten killed, and he wasn't sure how that would affect the way he was treated. But, when he saw Anakin offer a gentle smile, it comforted him a little.

Padme slowly put a comforting hand on Boba's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Boba. We'll take good care of you." Padme said with a sweet smile. "I promise."

"We just need you both to sign the final papers, and you'll be free to take your son home," said the social worker.

While Anakin and Padme went to finalize the adoption, Boba sat with Gabby to talk to her.

"Did you convince your parents?" Boba asked.

"No, I didn't ask them to do this. They told me once before that they weren't ready to have more kids yet." Gabby answered. "But, I guess now they are."

Shortly thereafter, the final papers were signed, and the Skywalkers were officially Boba's family and legal guardians.

Anakin carried Gabby and Boba held his new mother's hand as they walked to their transport.

"You're going to love your new home... son." Anakin smiled.

Boba was brought to the Skywalkers' apartment, where Gabby helped set up Boba's room that was originally one of the guest rooms. He just had a few things: some pictures of his biological father, a couple of toys, and some clothes. Padme promised Boba they would get him some more clothing soon, as he had already started outgrowing some of the clothes he had, and that once he settled in he could decorate his room any way he wanted. But, before letting Boba settle in his room, Padme and Anakin wanted to make one thing very clear...

"Since you live here now..." said Anakin. "You need to understand that there are rules here, and you'll be expected to follow them just like any member of the family. Rule number one: No messing around with the droids, including Threepio, no matter how annoying he gets."

"Don't worry, you get used to Threepio." Gabby added. "And he's not that bad."

"Rule number two: everyone here is responsible for his or her own actions." Padme began. "So, respect, honesty, and responsibility are expected here. That means being on your best behavior."

"And, rule number three..." continued Anakin. "No running in the apartment. Think you can do all that, Boba?"

Boba nodded and said, "I can do that."

"Good. Now, I'll show you to your room so you can settle in before I head to the Temple." Anakin said. "Just know that when I take Gabby to the Temple, you'll be coming too from now on."

It just didn't seem fair to take one kid and not the other. But, Boba wasn't so sure bringing him to the Jedi Temple was such a good idea. But, Anakin explained to him that some Jedi were going to need a little convincing that he was changing. Anakin, of course, notified the Council that he was adopting a child, but he hadn't yet told them it was Boba.

Padme and Anakin each took one of Boba's hands and walked him to his new room and gave him a bit of a tour of the apartment on the way. His room was close to Gabby's, and when they got inside, Boba looked around at it. It looked pretty simple. There was a bed with some silk blankets, a table with a lamp, and an empty bookshelf.

"It doesn't like much now..." said Anakin.

"But once you're settled in, we'll decorate your room any way you like. The sky's the limit." Padme said.

Anakin knelt a little closer to Boba's level.

"We also know it's probably scary right now being in a strange new place with strange people, but with some time and patience, I think you'll grow to really feel like part of the family." Anakin said. "You're a Skywalker now, and we look out for each other. So, be a good boy, okay?"

"Okay..." Boba said, unsure of what to call his 'new father.'

Boba wasn't sure how well he could keep his behavior in check; he was still pretty furious at Mace, and wasn't emotionally ready to forgive him just yet. So, when his parents left him to settle in alone, he lay on his bed and stared up at the ceiling in deep thought. He reached into his bag and pulled out a picture of him with his birth father on the day he was born.

Anakin soon reported to the Jedi Council again, and they questioned Anakin how the adoption went.

"He seems nervous, of course." Anakin shrugged. "But overall, I think he's gonna be okay, with a little time, patience, and bonding with his new family."

"Will we have the chance to meet your adopted child, Skywalker?" Master Fisto asked.

"Maybe. But, he'll need time to settle in with Padme for now. Let's just say he has mixed feelings about the Jedi right now."

"And what exactly do you mean by 'mixed feelings'?" Mace said.

Anakin was hesitant.

"Well... you might've actually first met my son." Anakin said hesitantly. "But... not exactly under the friendliest circumstances."

"That could be anytime." Mace said. "We are in a war."

"What did you say your adopted son's name was?" Master Mundi asked.

Anakin muttered Boba's name.

"What was that?" Mace asked.

"Boba." Anakin said.

"What?!" said many Council members.

"Skywalker, are you crazy?!" Mace said, standing up. "He is a dangerous boy, whose youth masks the threat he holds. Are you forgetting he tried to kill me and you?"

"I know. I haven't forgotten, but I'm not holding a grudge." Anakin said. "He regrets his actions, and he was under the influence of Aurra Sing as well as emotionally traumatized. And what you just said about Boba, you said the same thing about me when I was his age, and look at me now. Having a family helped me grow up a lot. And rest assured, my wife and I didn't make this decision lightly. For one thing, Boba needs help to see that the Jedi aren't what he's been led to believe they are after watching Mace kill his father."

"Anakin does make some good points." Obi-Wan said. "And he and Senator Amidala have raised a good girl so far."

"Exactly. Boba just needs people to love and care for him, and Padme and I believe he really wants to pursue a better path. And the best way to help him do that is giving a little love and support not just from his family, but I'm hoping other Jedi will be willing to give him a chance. If my daughter loves and cares about him... how bad can he really be?"

The council looked at each other for a while.

"If I bring him to the Temple, I promise to make sure he behaves himself." Anakin said. "He'll be my responsibility. As both a Jedi and his new father, I intend on caring for him as my own as I do with Gabby."

After Anakin left for the Temple, Gabby went to visit her new brother in his room as he was settling in.

"How ya feeling, Boba?" Gabby asked, walking in.

"I'm feeling okay, I guess." Boba said, looking at his picture.

"Is... is that you and your dad?" Gabby asked, looking at the picture.

"Yeah. When I was a baby."

"Aww. You're so cute."

Boba just sighed.

"You still miss him, huh?"

"Uh-huh."

Gabby could see tears forming in Boba's eyes as he thought of his father, so she wrapped her arms around him and reassured him that she was there for him for whatever he needed.

"Don't worry, Boba. It'll get better. Your daddy wouldn't want you to be sad. I may have never met him, but any good daddy would want his kids to be strong and happy no matter what."

"Gabby... your dad? What's he like?"

"Our dad, Boba. As for your question... where do I even begin? Since before you came around, he's been the best daddy ever. He plays with me, reads me stories, he gives some of the best hugs, and whenever I get hurt, he always kisses it and makes it better. He's taught me most of everything I know about surviving, and how the best teacher is experience. Oh, and he cooks a really good bantha stew."

"I guess he must be a great dad if you're the way you are now, and the way you act around him."

"Yeah. Daddy is amazing. There's lots of things to love about him, and sometimes he's funny. Like... whenever he eats cake, or any dessert..." she snickered, "he always gets more on his face than in his mouth."

Gabby burst out laughing as she thought about it and so did Boba.

"Seriously?" Boba said, unable to believe it.

"Daddy also snorts when he laughs too hard, like me. He's just full of surprises. And I just know you'll love Mommy too."

"What's it like having a mom?"

"It's amazing, especially when you have a mommy like mine. There's so much to love about her. She's beautiful, she's caring, and gives some of the warmest hugs you'll ever feel. She sings to me when I feel scared, sad, or I can't sleep. And she does just about everything Daddy does and more. She's pretty easy to talk to, especially when she brushes my hair."

Boba looked down a bit as he thought to how he grew up on Kamino, and how exciting and extravagant Gabby's life was compared to his.

"Wow. Your life is even better than I thought. It's so... so perfect."

"Perfect? I wouldn't say that."

"Why not? You have two parents who love you. When one leaves, the other is there to take care of you, and when both are gone, you have a family friend you call an aunt or an uncle to do it. My dad loved me, but he started leaving me at home a lot more when I was five."

"Still. Our parents are great, but even they have some flaws. Mostly being overprotective sometimes. But, they mean well. Just wait a few days and you'll see that you can learn to love having a bigger family. And you'll grow to love my parents as yours, and they'll grow to love you as if we were all related"

Later, Carousella fetched the children to bring them downstairs for dinner.

Boba felt a little strange sitting at the table with two other people, especially with more girls than he was used to seeing, as well as a purple alicorn eating a bowl of salad and oats. Boba had not been around a lot of females in his lifetime, so all this was very new to him. But, that didn't stop the boy from eagerly gobbling up his food, even the vegetables. He was so glad to be eating real food again, and it tasted even more amazing since it was being given to him without a fight.

"Geez, at the rate he's eating, he could probably finish my entire trough if you filled it with people food." Carousella commented.

"Slow down, Boba." Padme said. "You don't wanna give yourself a tummy ache."

"Sorry..." Boba said. He paused, unsure of what to call his new mother.

"What's the matter, Sweetie?" Padme asked.

"Nothing." Boba said. "Can I be excused?"

Boba left the table and went up to his room to be alone. Gabby looked concerned as she watched her brother leave.

Gabby looked at her mother and said, "Mommy? Why isn't Boba happy?"

Padme sighed.

"He probably just needs more time to get used to his new home. Remember, Gabby, Boba didn't grow up with all the same things you did. And since he's older than you, it's probably going to take him a little longer to adapt to his new surroundings."

Gabby looked down sadly. She wanted her new brother to feel welcome, and she didn't want him to feel like he wasn't a real member of the family just because he was adopted.

Gabby thought for a moment and remembered something she left in her own room. So, when it was bedtime, Gabby got out a small, wrapped box from under her bed and brought it to Boba's room.

"Hi, big brother." Gabby said.

Boba was sitting on his bed, already in his pajamas, but he seemed down. He gave a flat hello.

"Are you settling in okay?"

"I guess." Boba shrugged.

"Boba... I know you're still scared of staying in a whole new place. But you're not going through it alone. A couple of Carousella's friends are adopted, and it was scary for them when they first moved in with their family too."

Boba looked a little surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. They told me about it a couple of weeks ago. After the trial, my parents told me about what adoption means, and how it can be scary for most kids who are old enough to remember being adopted." Gabby explained. "I'm lucky to have a birth family who loves me and takes care of me, but it made me sad to learn that there are a lot of other kids who aren't so lucky and lose those loving families they might have had."

Gabby presented the box to Boba.

"Daddy and I made you a welcome present. I hope it'll help you feel more at home."

Boba felt surprised to receive a gift. He untied the ribbon and opened the box to find a stuffed lion with a blue ribbon tied around its neck.

"It looks just like my old lion." Boba smiled.

"I know it isn't the same toy, but I know how much Fuzzy meant to you. And I thought he'd help you feel more at home."

Boba gave a big smile and hugged his new little sister in gratitude.

Padme came into the room and was happy to see the kids were already bonding so well. She told Gabby it was time to get to bed and sent her to her room while she tucked Boba into his new bed.

Boba lay down in bed and cuddled his lion as Padme made sure he was snuggled up comfortably under the blankets. Padme smiled and kissed his cheek. Boba felt a bit surprised; he had not received a lot of kisses either, especially not from a motherly figure. He didn't know why, but there just seemed to be something special about a mother's kisses that made them feel so wonderful.

"Goodnight, Boba." Padme said, pulling the blanket over her new son.

"Goodnight, Mom." Boba said suddenly. He felt a little embarrassed at first, as well as surprised. That was something he never thought he'd say, but he felt relieved when Padme smiled at him.

Boba lay down comfortably in his bed, snuggled up with Fuzzy, and he closed his eyes, drifting into his first peaceful sleep in a long time.

A few days later, Anakin returned in time to bring his kids to the Temple. It didn't seem fair to take one child and not the other. Therefore, with some convincing to the Council that he, Gabby, and Carousella would keep an eye on the boy, Boba was allowed to enter the Temple as long as he behaved himself. And the boy started nervously carrying his lion around.

When the time came for the kids to stay at the Temple, Boba was sharing quarters with Anakin, as a possible method to help the two guys bond with each other better, as well as test how they handled living together. However, Boba was unsure of what to do. He wasn't even sure how to feel. What would his father think of a Jedi being his new adoptive father?

Anakin, on the other hand, was also unsure of what to do; he had only ever raised and looked after little kids and his teenage padawan, and most of those kids he watched were girls. He might've been young enough to be Boba's older brother, but still.

Raising a young boy might not be as easy as he thought, and this particular boy was not much older than Anakin had been when he was separated from his mother.

Seeing as both of them only ever had one parent and lost them tragically, Anakin hoped he could help Boba accept him as family; he knew how it felt to be rejected and fearful of being alone, and to grow up not getting out much or seeing much of the good parts of the Galaxy.

"So... you feeling okay today, Boba?" Anakin asked.

"I guess." Boba shrugged.

Anakin wasn't sure of what to do next. Again, this was the first time he was actually looking after a young boy, as well as adopting a child. For the boy's sake, Anakin wanted to make it work.

"I was thinking maybe we'd, well... talk. You know, get to know each other better?"

Boba was silent, probably unsure of what to say. Anakin sighed, choosing his words carefully.

"Okay, look. I know we didn't exactly meet under the best of circumstances and had a bit of a rocky start. But, we've all made mistakes at some point, and I'm hoping we can start over and take the time to bond." Anakin felt a little more confident when Boba looked at him. "I'm not trying to replace your father or anything, and I don't expect you to address me as Dad right away either. But, I do understand where you're coming from with losing a parent."

"When Gabby and I were lost, she told me something like that happened to you. Did it really?"

It made Anakin look sad to think about that moment, but he figured he might as well share it with someone who served as proof he wasn't alone.

"It's true. About a year ago, my mother was kidnapped and tortured by Tusken Raiders on Tatooine, where I grew up as a slave until I was about your age. One day, I started having nightmares of my mother dying, and I tried to rescue her... but I was too late. She died in my arms, and I got so mad, I just... I lost it, and I went and murdered every Tusken in the village, and I mean all of them. My anger got the best of me, and I didn't realize until it was too late. I thought I'd feel better after getting revenge on them, but... it only made me feel worse. It wasn't until I saw Padme again and she let me hold Gabby for the first time in a while that I got the emotional support I needed. I swore right then and there I wasn't going to fail my family again. And the best way to do that was to give my daughter a better life than I had."

Boba was in complete shock. Until Padme adopted him, Boba had no idea what it was like to have a mother, but now that he did and had lost his father, he couldn't imagine how he might feel if he had been successful at killing Mace, or how horrible it would be to lose any of his new adoptive family too.

The young boy could clearly see the pain and sadness on Anakin's face as he remembered losing the only family he had before Padme and Gabby. Boba put his hand on his new father's, realizing they had more in common than he imagined.

Anakin felt a bit surprised when he felt the smaller hand on his own. Boba must have picked up that act of kindness from Gabby. It made Anakin smile to see that he and his newly adopted son were finally starting to bond a little bit.

Later, Gabby showed Boba her favorite thing to play on in the Temple: the swing on her apple tree. Today, she was mostly excited because today she would finally get to introduce Boba to her friends. Gabby was shocked to learn that Boba had never played on an actual playground before, nor had he done a lot of things that would've allowed him to just be a kid. Therefore, she made it her job to introduce him to those things.

"I can't believe you've never once played on a swing." Gabby said as Carousella gave the boy a gentle push on the swing as he sat on it. She let him figure out the rest and happily watched as he got the hang of it.

"Hey, this thing is awesome!" Boba cheered as he made the swing go higher.

Later Boba was brought to one of the clear areas where some of the younglings were playing. But, the young boy did not approach any of them and just clutched Fuzzy tighter. He was afraid that no one would like him, or no one would be his friend; and he was also worried that he might mess up or the other kids would laugh at him.

Gabby got concerned when she saw Boba wasn't approaching anyone or trying to talk to anyone. It appeared he was shy and unsure of what to do or say, especially when she saw him cuddling Fuzzy the same way Gabby cuddled Teddy whenever she felt sad or lonely. Gabby wanted to help him, but she wasn't sure how to help him in this situation.

Gabby's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the comm on her bracelet suddenly started beeping.

"Uh oh. The Jedi Council is calling for me." Gabby said. She pressed the comm to answer it. "I'll be right there." However, Gabby was surprised to hear that she was being ordered to bring Boba along, and Boba got nervous too.

The kids met with their father and his padawan as they were briefed about a new mission. However, they were notified that this was a mission within the Temple: keeping Boba out of trouble, as Master Windu mostly was very distrustful of the boy at the moment, which the Skywalkers, especially Boba, fully expected.

"Boba won't cause any problems," said Gabby, taking her brother's hand. "He just needs help getting used to things around here, and making friends."

Boba looked down, trying to avoid eye contact with the other Jedi, especially Mace.

As expected, Mace was especially resistant to believing Boba wouldn't cause trouble, even with how shy the boy was behaving at the moment. Boba wouldn't speak. For one thing, he felt embarrassed (and ashamed of his previous actions), and he didn't know what he could say. He couldn't even determine what he would say to the other kids, or if he would be able to find any friends other than his new sister and her horse. He was very nearly on the verge of crying as Mace went about the possible disasters that could come from having Jango Fett's son in the Temple. That was when something magical happened. As Boba's heart beat, a magical trail of sparkles made its way to Planet Mythiria.