Disclaimer: All characters and events from ROTJ belong to George Lucas, not me.
Italics mean flashbacks/ thoughts.
Are You an Angel?
Prologue
During the end of Return of the Jedi
The Death Star was crumbling all around them and Luke Skywalker was racing against the clock to get off this facility. On his own, it would have been no problem at all, but he was not alone, he was caring the weight of his wounded father, Anakin Skywalker, or better known to most of the galaxy as Darth Vader.
Around him, the former employees of the Death Star were racing onto ships and driving off before the complex exploded, taking all of them with it. There was one just up ahead that Luke had planned to use as an escape. He tripped and did not want to waste more time so he continued to drag his father across the tiled floor.
Needing a rest, he set Anakin down at the foot of their getaway ship's ramp.
Anakin's breathing, which had for many years been done for him by mechanisms that had been hardwired to his chest substituting for the lack of lungs, was no longer steady and constant as it had been.. Now it was erratic and short, he knew he would not survive much longer.
Catching his breath, Luke heard his father say in his deep, vocabulator voice, "Luke…help me…take this mask off."
He was confused. "But you'll die."
"Nothing can stop that now," he replied. "Just for once…let me…look on you with my own eyes." Ever since his fight with Obi-Wan all those years ago, the optical sensors in his mask had been replacements for his own, scorched eyes. But, for once he wanted to look upon the face of his son the way he should have from the start.
Almost hesitantly, Luke began to remove the mask and looked at his father's true face.
Over the years, Anakin's face had healed somewhat. The boils and burns had almost vanished and his face had only a few deep scars on his left cheek, the others were barely visible. His sandy blond hair had never grown back, and some of his scalp was permanently burned off. His skin had gone pale due to the lack of sunlight received from behind the mask, but the one feature that stayed the same was his eyes. The same vibrant blue eyes, full of wonder and the need to do better. But there was something else in them too. Love, and…pride, but sadness and a hint of regret as well.
Anakin tried to smile. It was not something he was used to, for Darth Vader seldom had the need to grin, never mind smile. He was not used to it.
"Now, go my son. Leave me," he said with great difficulty. Without his vocabulator, each word proved to be painful as it passed through his burned away lips, tongue and throat.
But Luke shook his head. He had not come all this way to just leave him here. "No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here; I've got to save you."
He could see it all now. He'd return home and save Anakin. They'd live together, happily as they were meant to. He'd introduce Leia to him, and Han, Chewbacca, R2 and C-3PO too.
But it seemed as though Anakin was not looking forward to a life like that. He looked complete as he was. "You already have Luke. You were right."
He didn't understand. What was he right about?
Seeing his confusion, Anakin continued, "You were right about me." Now Luke understood: "Your thoughts betray you Father, I feel the good in you."
But Anakin hadn't finished, "Tell your sister…you were right…" He knew he would never live to see his daughter, so he left that message with Luke.
"Father, I won't leave you."
But it didn't matter anymore. Now, he was complete. He was no longer the infamous Darth Vader, the republic he'd given his life to protect was now safe at last, and the Sith were no more. Leaning back, Anakin closed his eyes for the last time and allowed the Force to take him.
