I wrote this right after I saw Revenge of the Sith...it just took me this long to be brave enough to post it...:D
I hope you enjoy!
Note: The first two lines are direct quotes from the novelization of Return of the Jedi.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own Star Wars or its characters...they belong to George Lucas and he is a very rich man...:D
"…Tell your sister…you were right," Anakin Skywalker said before closing his eyes and drew his final breath. A feeling of peace washed over him and he relaxed into a feeling that eluded him for so long.
Questions raced through his mind as he tried to relax. What now? Who am I now? What will happen to me?
'What a minute, I can think! How is this possible? Am I standing and breathing?'
For the first time in many years, Anakin listened to the eerie silence that surrounded him. He basked in it, remembering the sound of it. 'I had almost forgotten what silence sounded like.'
Even with his eyes still closed, he realized that there was light all around him. Stretching out with his senses as he has done countless times, he felt a presence there with him, realizing that he was not alone, that he has not been alone since before he closed his eyes. There was someone there with him, someone he knew; someone he did not know how to face.
The last twenty years of Anakin's life flashed quickly before his eyes. Suddenly he felt heavier then he had ever felt with the black metallic armor that was no longer there. All the deeds he had done; all the wrong, horrible choices that he had made. He finally saw the truth of what Palpatine actually was; what Anakin turned his back on his friends for, a man only after power. He felt the heavy burden, the burden that he had planted on his shoulders, press down, becoming heavier, but he refused to open his eyes.
Anakin knew who stood before him. He knew that at some point he would have to open his eyes and face the one person who believed in him the most; the one person who he disappointed the most. Anakin did not know if he could look him in the eye ever again.
"Open your eyes, Anakin," the person said, not leaving any room for argument, but he still refused. He squeezed his eyes tighter hoping that the person would leave him, let him bask in the sins that weighed heavily upon his shoulders.
Suddenly Anakin felt a ghost of a hand touch his face. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and quickly diverted his eyes from the man that stood before him.
"Look at me Anakin," he stated. Anakin knew he should, but he could not. He tried to speak but he could not form the words that he needed to say. Anakin blinked his eyes quickly to try and stop the escaping tears that had formed. Gulping, he thought about the last time he saw this person, what he did to him, what he did to the people around him.
'How can he or anyone welcome him, let alone forgive him for what he did?'
The man in front of him gently placed his hand under Anakin's chin, silencing his thoughts and raising his tear stained face to look him in the eye.
To his surprise there was no disappointment, nor resentment in the face looking back at him. There was only a slight smile and relief in the man's eyes.
"Obi-Wan…," Anakin said in disbelief.
"Welcome home Anakin," Obi-Wan stated as his smile grew and engulfed Anakin in a hug and held him close as he cried. "Welcome home."