Anakin's eyes opened slowly and the first thing he realized was he was no longer wearing the accursed armor that had been his prison for so many years; for the first time in year he was free of that armor, free to be able to breathe without the assistance of a machine. He slowly made a fist with his left hand; then his right and a small smile formed on his face.
Then it hit him, not only was he not in the armor that had kept him alive all those years but he was no longer on the unfinished death star where he had saved his Son from his Master. "Where am I?" the fallen Jedi asked himself.
"You have become one with the force." A familiar voice from behind him said.
"Master Qui-Gon." Anakin said as he turned to face his old teacher, "But... How can this be? I turned against the Jedi."
"In your final moments you chose Luke over Palpatine." Qui-Gon said, "And in doing so you have become one with the force, now we will train you how to appear to the living."
"That is... possible?"
Qui-Gon nodded, "There is much for you to learn Anakin."
"Impatient he is, difficult to teach he was."
Anakin looked up, "Master Yoda."
"Young Skywalker, good to see you it is."
"Master Yoda... What have I done?"
"Lost you were, found your way again you did."
Anakin nodded, "I am... sorry Master Yoda."
"Forgiven you are, always you were."
"I-I was?"
"Anakin Skywalker died the day he killed Mace Windu." Qui-Gon explained, "And Darth Vader was born."
"But I am Darth Vader."
"You wouldn't be here if you were still Vader."
Anakin pondered these words and nodded, "Thank you master..."
Qui-Gon simply nodded "There is one more person that wishes to see you."
Anakin felt a chill go down his spine, he knew exactly it was who he needed to see... "Obi-Wan," he whispered. The man he had cut down as Darth Vader, the man who had once been like his brother. The man he had screamed hatred at as he burned on Mustafar. "I can't..."
"You are a Jedi." The man who had rescued him from slavery on Tattoine said firmly. "There is no emotion, there is only peace."
Anakin smiled bitterly, that was one thing he'd never been able to master... And it had driven him to commit unspeakable acts. "Very well Master."
The man's stern face eased into a smile, "I think you can call me Qui-Gon now."
"Very well... Qui-Gon."
Before Qui-Gon could say anything a very familiar voice spoke up from behind him "Anakin Skywalker."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Skywalker replied slowly, trying to keep his guilt and fear down.
A slow smile formed on his former master's face, "It is good to see you."
The young former Jedi Knight sighed in relief, "It's good to see you too..." Obi-Wan looked just as he had on the Death Star during that fateful battle with Vader. "You've gotten older my friend."
"And you look just like you did all those years ago on Mustafar…" Anakin glanced down at himself, sure enough he looked just like he had at the end of the Clone Wars except his robotic hand had been replaced with his actual hand. "I told you you'd be the death of me Anakin." his friend added teasingly.
"Yes I guess you did... I'm sorry."
"I forgave you long ago Anakin, it was not you that did those things. It was Vader."
"But I am Vader... I chose to do those things, I am guilty.."
"You must forgive yourself then."
"I... killed Padme trying to save her."
"You must forgive yourself." Obi-Wan urged gently, "That is the best way to move on."
The young man wasn't sure if he was ready to move on, or if he would ever really forgive himself for what he had done... But his friend and mentor was adamant he needed to try and so he would try after all; everyone needed forgiveness once and awhile.
Note: I know I said I was gonna work on other things, but I got reinspired to write this after reading Mix It Up's Star Wars fic, so here ya go my first attempt at a Star Wars fic. Yes I know it probably won't be popular that I had him look like he did in episode 3 but it makes sense in my mind, other than that I hope you enjoy this fic! Please read and review!
