To See the Light Again

This is just a little number between parts of Star Wars Episode II, after Anakin and Obi-Wan are defeated in battle, and before the, ahem, nuptials, at the end. These are the moments in between. It also entails what happens AFTER.

Inspired by HBO's finally showing SWII, I don't own or even know George Lucas, so spare me the sap.

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Part I

It had been a long night.
Anakin Skywalker glanced up and spied the light of ships streaming overhead. He lowered his gaze and saw the Geonosian world, tattered and bruised in the single day of pummeling from the clone army the Jedi had managed to get there in time.
At his side, Padmé stirred. Just feeling the brush of her fingers to his side sent a surge of electricity through him, almost overwhelming the numb, bone-chilled feeling he had, especailly when he stared at his right arm. Or what was left of it. His entire limb was rendered useless. Luckily, the nerves had been severed, so he felt no immediate pain. Just discomfort. And annoyance.
Knowing his Master was nearby, he gently reached over with his left hand and slipped it over hers. Her stirring ceased as she awoke, sitting up near him, her own eyes glazed over. He knew the thoughts of the day before would seem like a nightmare to her.
It had been a nightmare for both of them.
Slowly, she turned to him, as though she needed to see his face to believe he was still there, still alive. "Ani," she whispered, her face sad. Glancing around to see who was watching, she gently lifted her hand and let it slide down the side of his face, tracing the contours, her eyes loving.
The roar of a ship landing behind them broke them from the reverie. They both rose, each supporting the other as they turned to face the ship, slowly landing, carrying what was left of the Jedi. Obi-Wan appeared from nowhere to greet them, Yoda close behind, hobbling on his short staff. As the Jedi quickly boarded, it took Anakin an extra moment to finally get onto the ship. With his useless right arm, it was almost frustrating to force himself onto any circumstance when both limbs would be needed.
But he had to learn to accept his circumstances. As a Jedi, he had been reminded of that every time.
He sat, making room on the seat for the Naboo Senator, who gently sat next to him. She squirmed a bit in her seat, knowing the deep cuts in her back were pressing against cold metal, sending sparks of hot pain to her brain. But she sat still, trying to focus her mind on what would happen next. She had no idea.
She had thought she was going to die.
She turned, slowly, to face Anakin. "What happens now?" she asked him, her voice soft amidst the tired conversation.
"We go back to Coruscant," Anakin replied, his voice just as soft and gentle. "We get patched up. And then..." his voice died. She understood then that he was as unaware of the future as she.
Obi-Wan sat directly across from his Padawan, his eyes focusing on his apprentice's gentle manner toward the Senator. He could read the terror and uncertainty in the younger woman's eyes, but had no idea what it meant. As he turned his gaze toward Anakin, the younger man raised his gaze to meet his. The unspoken words were clear.
His Padawan was scared.
They all were.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and forced his thoughts to happier times. All of the sarcasm, the strength and the wisdom he possessed seemed to melt away, all into a terrible nightmare.
The ship lifted from the Geonosian atmosphere and rose up, away from the hell that had been unleashed on them.
Anakin stared down, toward the thousands of drones pressing their way further, attacking the drones. He shuddered, never realizing just how close to death he was.
Yet as the ship rose farther, four smaller clone ships quickly surrounded it, ready to escort the transport away from hostile lands. Anakin rested his head back on the edge of his seat and closed his eyes.
Padmé sat next to him, watching as both Anakin and his Jedi Master slept, the events of the past day overwhelming them both. She watched Anakin as he slept, wondering just what it was that Jedi dreamt about. During a softer moment on her home on Naboo, he had shared his nightmares about his mother. She wondered now if he was dreaming the same horrifying dream. Or if his nightmares were now centered around her.
For a moment, her mind wandered. She found herself thinking about Shmi Skywalker. After the Tusken raiders had taken Shmi, Anakin had gone off to rescue her. He had, but not before she had died in his arms. He had then gone furious, completely obliterating the entire Tusken camp. Men. Women. And children. For his mother.
What could he have done had Padmé died at the arena? Anakin had a dark side, Padmé couldn't deny that. She had witnessed it. Along with his words of hate.
What was it that he had said? That a Jedi could never learn to hate? And yet he seemed perfectly capable of it. He had killed many to avenge his mother's tragic death. What would he do if it was she, or Obi-Wan, or any of the other people Anakin loved, were in trouble?
How far would he go?
Her thoughts drifted off into nothing as she settled into a dream.
In her mind, she was a day behind, sitting in a chariot, trying to face her own thoughts as the blood rushed into her head. Dooku had just sentenced her to death. Her, a radical Senator. As she was shoved up next to him, just one thought entered her head. The conversation spilled out into her mind.
"I'm not afraid to die."
She wasn't. After facing down the Trade Federation after they had taken control of her own homeworld, she had no reservations about facing down Dooku and whatever he had for her to face. She had her pride, her dignity. Dooku and that horrid Viceroy should know better.
"I love you."
Those words had been spoken from her heart, from her soul. Ten years after he had disappeared from her life, she had spent day after day with him, sensing him, feeling him. And now, just as they were about to die, she had to tell him the truth.
It was as though she had cleared her conscious mind.
The look in his eyes had shattered the illusion.
He didn't have to say the words. She already knew.
He wasn't the only one who could read minds.

Anakin's dream was darker. Inside, he and Obi-Wan were creeping through a cave. Both had their lightsabers drawn as their footsteps slowed with each darkening step.
Out of the darkness, a voice appeared. "Let me go."
Anakin leapt out of the darkness first as a blue plume of light exploded, sharp white blasts of pain overwhelming him as his body was flung aside.
Through the foggy daze he had been lured in, Obi-Wan leapt into battle. As Anakin came to, he saw Obi-Wan fighting the stranger in darkness when Obi-Wan was injured and cast aside.
Before he could go in for the kill, Anakin leapt out with a cry. As the two lightsabers met, Anakin raised his gaze to his attacker's and gasped, pulling away.
Obi-Wan stared at him, slowly lifting his lightsaber until it stood from navel to nose. "Why do I have the feeling you are going to be the death of me?"
Anakin could feel it surging inside him. The rage, the hate, the energy consumed him. He glanced up, fire inside his eyes as he raised the lightsaber.
Just as soon as the energy came, it disappeared. Anakin gasped and lowered the lightsaber, taking a step back. "I can't. You've been like a father to me."
As the Obi-Wan in front of him faded, he could hear his parting message. "Someday, you will think differently."
Anakin was panting now, shaking his head in disbelief as he gazed down and saw both hands. In tact.
He lifted his right hand and squeezed his fingers, enjoying the sensation. As he uncurled his fist, his gaze went to Obi-Wan to his left, on the ground.
He bent down to help his Master, but as he touched the older man, he disappeared, leaving nothing but a cloak behind.
Anakin woke with a start, a sharp gasp crying from his mouth. As he glanced around, he could feel his heart racing. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down, but he knew it would be much, much longer than that.