title let the monster rise
author patientalien on Livejournal
rating R
summary One last confrontation between master and apprentice during Order 66
warnings Character death
He should have been firmer with her. As it was, his hurried "Do not return to the Temple" message was enough to make her do the exact opposite. He knew most of the Jedi, most of his friends, would not survive this night. He knew many of them, including Obi-Wan, would die by his blade. He just wanted to give her a fighting chance - if Obi-Wan wouldn't help him, Ahsoka still might. She was disillusioned too, he knew, and if she stayed away, he'd be able to find her and they could be Master and Apprentice again, and she could be a part of his family with Padme, and the baby. But if she ignored his warning, he knew she wouldn't survive. He should have been firmer.
"Anakin?" No 'Sky Guy' now, just a hesitant hitch in her voice as he stood over the body of a Padawan not too much older than she'd been when she'd been his. "What..."
Anakin lowered his head. "Didn't I tell you not to come?" he asked, back still towards her, voice low. When she didn't answer, he repeated, "Didn't I?", not turning around, not raising his head, his black gloved hand tight around his still-lit 'saber, humming in the gloom.
"Did you do this?" Ahsoka breathed, and he could tell she was motioning to the dead bodies, their friends and agemates. Tru Veld, taking his last rasping breath, Cin Drallig, his lightsaber mastery no match for the Chosen One - for Darth Vader - for the Sith'ari.
"Go, Ahsoka." If he didn't turn around, if he didn't see her, he could pretend she'd never been here. She wouldn't have to be a part of this. If she just followed orders for once and left, he wouldn't have to order the 501st to fire on her, wouldn't have to raise his own blade against her.
He heard a rustling, the metallic ping of her removing her lightsaber from its place on her belt. "How could you?" she asked softly. "
Anakin let out a long breath. "Please go. You will remain safe if you leave right now." He closed his eyes, willing her to, for once, just obey.
"You're trying to *protect* me?" she spat. "Turn around and *face* me, traitor!" Such anger in her, Anakin thought numbly. She would have been a glorious Sith. He turned, not raising his lightsaber, and looked at her from under his hood.
She must have seen his eyes, because she gasped slightly, and took a very small step backward, but the momentary shock at the true face of her (former) Master passed quickly, replaced by a horrified fury.
"You - you *monster*!" she hissed, but still did not strike him, still did not launch herself towards him with all of her fury. Her new master, it seemed, had been teaching her restraint - something she had not been able to learn under his tutelage.
Anakin - Vader - shook his head. "This is not something I would expect a youngling to understand," he said, knowing it would cut at her, knowing it would provoke her into action. He needed to provoke her, he needed to end this.
She bared her teeth, a predatory warning. If she'd had fur, it would have been bristled. "You are scum," she growled. "You are selfish and horrible and *evil*. *What* could be *so* important that you..." Her nostrils flared and her hand tightened on her lightsaber, raising it up to a ready stance. Not ignited, not yet. She was still waiting for something.
"Now, now, Snips," Anakin rumbled, "is that any way to talk to your master?"
"You are *not* my master!" she exclaimed, trembling now. "My master... *my* master was a good man! Anakin - " her voice hitched. "I *loved* you!"
Anakin breathed deep her rage. "Your emotions are, as usual, misplaced." He willed her to strike, stared her down, and watched as her instincts kicked in. Her saber flared and she flung herself at him.
He blocked her easily, as he expected he would, but her brokenhearted fury made her powerful. It wasn't the easy fight he'd thought it would be. She flew at him again and again and although she truly was not any match for him in the end, he still found himself impressed with her fortitude.
Blaster bolts flurried around them as the clones brought their own assault to them. She struck at his arm, grazing his robe, and her mouth opened in disbelief, a crimson circle expanding on her chest. "Skyguy..." she gasped, and fell.
Behind her stood Captain Rex, rifle hoisted, barrel still smoking from the kill shot. "We done here, Sir?" he asked.
Darth Vader looked down at his dead apprentice, nudging her body with his booted foot, allowing himself a moment of regret - but just barely a moment. "We're done here," he said, and moved on to the Council Chambers.