STAR WARS: An Old Hope Returns.
SUMMARY: Anakin never turned; he is Palpatine's prisoner, Darth Vader is his clone, and Padme didn't die. (How will things turn out now?)
PROLOGUE.
Anakin stared at the Chancellor in horror as the truth dawned on him, "You're a Sith Lord!" He couldn't believe it, his closest friend; was really his enemy.
"Are you going to kill me?"
Anakin stared at Palpatine, his lightsaber ignited, "I would certainly like to."
Smiling the Chancellor nodded, "I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."
Anakin raised his lightsaber to Palpatine's throat, after a tense moment he relaxed, and turned off his lightsaber.
His breath shaking he lifted his head, "I am going to turn you over to the Jedi Council." Anakin turned away, heading for the door. "I will quickly discover the truth of all this."
"Unfortunately I cannot allow that," the lightning struck him from behind, enveloping him in instant agony. Crumpling to the ground, Anakin screamed as his body burned with pain. "I will not permit you to ruin my plans," the chancellor's voice was harsh and cruel, filled with anger and hate.
As the pain intensified, Anakin howled; every fibre of his body seared with agony, above him he heard Palpatine's evil laughter a moment before he sunk into a void of black.
He groaned slowly opening his eyes as he lay on the cold floor, for half a second he was confused, not understanding where he was or what had happened; then he remembered, he stiffened, his heart hammering loud in his chest.
The Chancellor was a Sith Lord.
"Ah, Anakin, you're awake." Palpatine's voice brought his head up, he stared at him in horror; then his eyes widened as he focused on the person standing beside the Chancellor…
It was him. Or at least a clone of him, Swallowing Anakin gaped at Palpatine. "What have you done?"
Chuckling Palpatine shrugged, "I had hoped that you would join me, but as I watched your progress I had doubts."
"So you cloned me to fulfil your plans," Anakin scowled at him, "it won't work." Breathing hard he sat up, "he may look like me, but the Jedi Masters will know the truth."
"I think not," grinning Palpatine nodded at the Anakin-clone, "it is time, Lord Vader."
"Yes, my Master." The cloned Jedi looked down at Anakin and sneered, "It will be my pleasure."
Anakin watched in horror as he disappeared, looking back at Palpatine he licked his lips. "What are you going to do with me?"
Palpatine's face split into a wide, evil smile. "You are going to be my prisoner Anakin." Blots of lightning shot from his fingers, "you will learn what true suffering is."
SW
..."You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would, destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness."
Obi-wan picked up Anakin's lightsaber and began to walk away. He stopped and looked back.
He glared at him through hate filled eyes, "I hate you!"
"You were my brother, Anakin." Obi-wan's voice broke. "I loved you."
Trapped inside the small cell, Anakin clenched his fist; unable to block the images from his mind. Because they were essentially 'the same person' he shared a bond with the clone, he saw and felt everything he did.
Closing his eyes Anakin sobbed, everything was ruined; the republic, the Jedi Order... He choked at the memory of the terrified younglings, everything was lost to darkness.
And he was a captive, held prisoner by the 'man' responsible for all the chaos and destruction.
SWSWSW
"...Medically, she is completely healthy. For reasons we can't explain, we are losing her."
Obi-wan stared at the medical droid in shock, "She's dying?"
"We don't know why." The medical droid replied, "She has lost the will to live. We need to operate quickly if we are to save the babies."
It was Bail Organa's turn to gape in shock, "Babies?"
" She's carrying twins."
SW
Obi-wan wa in the operating room with Padme. He gently took her hand. "Don't give up, Padme."
Padme winced in pain.
The medical droid moved into view holding the baby. "It's a boy."
Obi-wan gently took the baby, holding it out to Padme.
Padme stared at the baby, offering up a faint smile. "Luke . . ." She struggled to touch the baby on the forehead.
A few minutes later her second baby was born, the medical droid appeared again, "it's a girl."
Padme managed a small smile, ". . . Leia."
"They need you Padme," Obi-wan smiled gently, "you need to be strong for them."
Shaking her head Padme sighed, "I can't..." She couldn't live without Anakin, couldn't bare going on when he was gone.
"You can't just give up," Obi-wan placed Luke in her arms, "Look at them Padme." He lifted Leia into his arms and knelt beside the bed, "look at them." He shook his head and sighed, "They've already lost their father, don't make them loose their mother too."
Padme stared at her babies; she loved them so much; they were perfect, beautiful. Luke's eyes opened and he stared back at her, his eyes a perfect replica of his father's. Her eyes went wide, and she let out a small gasp of wonder. And, as she stared into her son's eyes, she felt stronger; as though he was giving her strength, willing her to live with just one look.
She turned her head to look at Leia, the little girl slept in Obi-wan's arms; her fuzzy brown hair was already dry.
Yes. She would live, she would live for them; they needed her, and she needed them.