I Dreamed I Was Floating…


"I understand," Anakin said quietly. "More than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the Order."

"I know." He doesn't turn. Doesn't want to see the look on her face. But it doesn't keep him from hearing it in her voice.

His padawan is disappointed in him. Is sad for him. Because she does know. She knows him. Maybe more than Obi-Wan. Or even Padmé.

So observant. So strong. So brave.

Suddenly – he's floating. Practically bouncing after the young woman. She turns to him, the slightly angry retort already sighing across her lips. But he stops her. He's not going with her. Not if she doesn't want him to. But he will follow her lead.

The student has become the master.

He walks away from what he thought was all he wanted in life. Because it turned out, it wasn't.

As he raced to the Senate building, he could see suddenly so much clearer. All the little cracks and bumps that had been hidden behind Jedi cautions and chancellor soothings.

He realized how hard it must be for Padmé to still strive for anything in this environment. And he loved her all the more for it. A feeling he proved to her once he found her in the ornate halls – lifting her in the air and kissing her deeply, even as surrounding senators gaped and giggled.

She scolded him. Said he couldn't. It wouldn't work. He just laughed. He could. He had. They could.

"What about Obi-Wan?" she asked.

Obi-Wan. His master. His brother. His only regret…

He was sure Obi-Wan would understand… Of course he would…. And if not… Well, even with that thought, he was still floating.

But…Obi-Wan did understand. And made others understand. And then it was like a giant switch – everything changed.

The Jedi pulled back. Refused to fight any more. Aimed to be peacekeepers. Defensive only. And the troopers followed. They had just needed that little spark. The 501st were still resolutely loyal to their general. And the rest were happy to take the cue from their brothers.

The chancellor, of course, was flabbergasted. He never imagined the troopers would leave. Never imagined the Jedi would leave. That his Jedi would leave. After everything he'd done! All the planning! Ruined!

The order still fell. The would-be emperor still wanted revenge. But by that point, there were only a few Jedi still detached with troops, coming in for reassignment from long-off systems. The longer the others had to search for their programmed targets, the more they realized Fives had been right…

Palatine's plot was uncovered. His planned throne demolished before it was even built. The Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems bartered a treaty. And the galaxy knew peace.

Anakin knew peace.

He was with his friends and family. He could see their happy faces. Padmé was smiling as she ran after the kids. His children. Laughing and playing. A little boy – as sweet and caring as he was. A little girl – as fierce and strong as her mother. Obi-Wan was smiling, watching the happy chaos of his brother's life. Snips was smiling, thrilled for what her friends had achieved.

And Anakin was floating…


But as a chill hit sore and scarred skin, the smiles faded. As the water drained from the bacta tank, the chill spread.

Ahsoka was gone.

Obi-Wan was gone.

Padmé was gone.

His children…

As leather and metal and tech reformed the cocoon around him, Anakin Skywalker drifted off to the dark oblivion where dreams reside.

And Vader reawakened once more.