WHO LIVES, WHO DIES, WHO TELLS YOUR STORY
By: michi-mercer
What did I do wrong?
On the planet Mustafar, Obi-Wan thought deeply.
He was on the planet Utapau, chasing after General Grievous. He cornered him, took him down, killed him... but that wasn't the reason for his coming to the hellish planet.
No... he had come for an enemy...
For a traitor...
For a Sith...
For Anakin...
He had betrayed the Order! He became a Sith! The very thing he swore to destroy, and he was a fool for thinking that this day wouldn't come.
And now... he was holding two blasters and he was handing one to his now sworn enemy.
"Take it." He growled.
Anakin-no-Vader, took the blaster and stepped away.
"I hope this is what you want..." Vader said limply, his unshed tears shining under the red light of the lava river.
"This is what awaits you. My old apprentice..." Obi-Wan spat.
Nodding, they both turned around and took a few moments for themselves.
Deep breaths... Deep breaths... You can end this now. Obi-Wan stared at the blaster he was holding, it was funny how he always said that blasters were clumsy; but right now, it didn't matter. It was a matter of life and death, honour and disgrace, victory and defeat.
Inside his mind, the jedi slowly counted down to ten, and thought hard.
One...
I watched Anakin examine the terrain, I wish I could tell you what was happening inside his brain. This man is poisoned with lust for power, I will not stand idly by and cower.
Two...
I looked at the terrain as well, watched the lava flow as I prepared for battle. The red light that shone, reminding me of what horrible deeds this man-no monster, had done.
Three...
Vader drew first position, as I saw. He was looking at the world like a man on a mission. He is monster with a marksman's ability, but I had to make my choice so I turned around without hesitation.
Four...
It was my time to walk towards my position, looking at my enemy with a feeling of anger. Anger... a Jedi shouldn't feel this particular emotion, but I shrugged it off and held my ground.
Five...
He examined his blaster with curiosity, I watched as he methodically fiddled with the trigger.
Six...
Anakin... all the times we shared, wasted. I remembered when I saw Padmé unconcious on the ground, Anakin's eyes wide as he stared at his wife.
He had assaulted her, and I assumed it happened before I arrived. I carried her to her ship and I ordered her droids to watch and stay by her side. Then I decided to take two of her blasters and fight.
Seven...
Confession time. Here's what I got, I was jealous of how Anakin had stolen the spotlight from me in Qui-Gon's life.
I had never thought I'd kill a human being with a blaster, I'm a terrible shot; that time with Grievous I used the force to land the shot.
Eight...
I turned my attention towards Vader, he was quiet and still. But I knew he was plotting something. Maybe I was too blind to see it, maybe I was too ignorant; but I knew something bad was about to happen when I watched him enter the Temple.
I saw him enter the Council Chamber full of younglings. It went static for a while, but when it cleared all of the younglings were sprawled out on the floor... DEAD.
I was ordered by Master Yoda to hunt Vader down and bring him to justice.
I am going to finish my mission. And I only had that thought before the slaughter...
Nine...
Look him in the eye, aim no higher... Summon all the courage I required and the count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9...
Number 10! Paces Fire!
Obi-Wan aimed his blaster and fired.
To Anakin, the time stopped as he stared at Obi-Wan.
I imagine death so much, it feels... more like a memory. Is this where it ends me? On my feet... My brother firing his weapon, several feet ahead of me?
I don't know what he was thinking about when he handed me the blaster, then I realized that he came here on a mission like myself.
Back on Coruscant, as I was about to accept my fate as a sith... the Force had shown me things...
Horrible things that I, myself will do.
Didn't like it, wish to hell I could forget it.
So I re-wrote my destiny. I killed Palpatine... I killed Sidious, but not before I deceived him.
I knew what was about to happen, so I let him talk and I pretended to submit to him as his apprentice.
As Darth Vader...
He ordered me to slaughter the Jedi, assigned the 501st as my backup. After I made sure that he was finished, I killed him right where he stood.
I arrived at the temple and I managed to save the younglings by making them look like I killed them.
Once I knew that the clones had left, I instructed the survivors to hide underground: in the Temple's old dungeons and left to go to Mustafar, to arrest the remaining Separatist leaders.
As I locked them down, I heard the rumbling of an incoming ship. I looked up and saw Padmé's ship, so I immediately raced towards the landing bay.
She told me things that I didn't do... things that Obi-Wan told her. She passed out from the heat, smoke, stress, and sadness. I could only watch as Obi-wan carried her away.
Obi-Wan... my first friend my enemy... Maybe the last face I'll ever see?
I catch a glimpse from the other side... my fallen comrades leads our troops on the other side, my mother is in the other side... Qui-Gon is watching from the other side; teach me how to say goodbye...
What do I do? What do I do? I see the shot coming... do I run? Or fire my gun? Or do I let it be? Is dying like a beat without melody?
What if dying here's my legacy?
Legacy... what is a legacy? It's planting trees on a garden you never get to see. I recorded a message for my family, Padme will surely see. But even all what has happened, they let me make a difference. To create a place where orphaned and outcasts can make a difference and rise up.
Time's up...
Time's up...
Time's up...
Padmé...
My Angel, take your time...
I'll see you on the other side.
Smiling bitterly, Anakin raised his blaster.
Raise a glass to freedom...
He aims his blaster at the sky.
"Wait!"
I shot him right between his ribs... Obi-Wan whispered to himself.
Anakin slumped to the ground, a gaping hole found on his chest. Bleeding badly as his breaths became labored.
The Jedi staggered towards him, but he stopped halfway. Obi-Wan heard somebody wail behind him, a voice whispered that he better hide. He saw Padmé run towards Anakin, tears streaming down her pale face.
He slowly trudged towards them and stood quietly.
"Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this? Who did this? Obi-Wan, do you know?!" She wailed, eyes locked on Obi-Wan's.
When Padme heard Anakin groan, she turned her attention towards him.
"Ani..." Padmé sobbed. "Ani, you're going to be okay..." and placed her small hands over his wound, applying slight pressure on it.
Moaning in pain, Anakin stared at his wife with glossy eyes and curled his lips into a sad smile.
"You don't... look... too good." He rasped, reaching his hand and caressing her cheek. "Don't cry... Angel..."
"How can I not!' Padmé shouted. "You're... You're..." but she stopped, wiping away tears.
"Oh... Padmé..." Anakin breathed. "I can't stop this... not you... not Obi-Wan." And he closed his eyes for a minute, his face scrunching up in pain. Anakin turned his head to one side, looking at Obi-Wan as he knelt down on his side. He tried to speak, but he burst out coughing instead. Panicking both Padmé and Obi-Wan tried to help him. Padmé pulled his against her lap, while Obi-Wan replaced her hands with his own.
Moaning in relief, Anakin shut opened his eyes wearily. Blood was starting to trickle out of his mouth and Padmé wiped it away.
Smiling, Anakin reached his hand towards Padme's and kissed it gently.
"The only thing... that... I will regret, is... not se-seeing you... a-and... our children..."
"Children?" Padme and Obi-Wan said in chorus, "What do you-" but she was cut off, when Anakin placed his trembling hand on her bulging stomach.
"Children... Padme..." Anakin breathed.
"Anakin... I'm so sorry." Obi-Wan cried, wiping away his tears with his sleeve. "I should have known... that you wouldn't give in... should have known." Obi-Wan stuttered, choking on the words.
Shaking his head, Anakin tried to push himself upright; but was stopped by Padme.
"It's not your fault... none of us wants this as the outcome. But... if the galaxy... will be safe, for all, for our children... then... I would gladly die..." He whispered.
If Padme thought her heart broke when she heard the false news of his actions, this time... it shattered to a million pieces.
"No... no, no, no!" Padme cried, sobbing loudly; an act she would not have done so often. "Please, Ani! I need you! Our children needs you! Please... please... don't go..."
"But I'm not afraid... I know who I married, just seeing you smile; that would be enough..." Anakin whispered to her softly. "Padme... I'm so sorry for forgetting what I meant to you. We played the piano and you would put your hands on mine..."
"Across the Stars..." she whispered, "You'd change the melody every time." Anakin nodded in response, "I would always change the light... I would always change... the light." Then he turned his head sideways to look at Obi-Wan
"Obi-Wan... take care of them..." and he smiled at him.
"No, Anakin! You're going to do that yourself. You'll see your children, you'll get to see them grow up and you and Padme will grow old together... So please... hold on. I'm sorry for believing what I saw, I'm sorry..." he sobbed.
"I already forgave you... you are my brother... thank you- for raising me all these years... thank you for everything..." Anakin told Obi-Wan.
"Padme? I want you to know... there is nobody in this entire galaxy that I have loved more than you. You're my Angel... my strength. Be strong... I-I may not be there... for you... or our... chil...dren, but I... will always be there... I love you more than my life, tell our children... daddy loves them with all of his heart and that I'm sorry... if daddy won't be there for them ." He spoke softly, letting his tears flow. Padme nodded and leaned down to kiss him, Anakin gave in and returned the kiss. They kissed slowly and passionately, tears falling down their cheeks; and when Padme pulled away, Anakin smiled sweetly.
As each second passed... both Padme and Obi-Wan remained by his side. Keeping him company... keeping him close. It was a minute later, when he looked at them sadly... closed his eyes, sighed once and closed his eyes... one last time.
It was at that moment, the strong life force of Anakin Skywalker disappeared. The remaining Jedi felt as if a huge part of their life was taken away, the non-Force users felt it too.
The moment where he took his last breath, Padme pulled his limp body in a tight embrace, screaming out her pain and cried.
As for Obi-Wan, he sat there numbly. Looking at his hands as he let the tears fall down down.
I'm sorry... He whispered to himself. I'm sorry…
It was a quiet place... there was a beautiful tree, and it provided shade; the hill was covered in soft grass and it overlooked the magnificent waterfalls of Naboo.
She was there with him, a sad smile etched on her beautiful face. The wind blew against her chestnut hair softly, and she sighed deeply. Her once round stomach was all but deflated, the living beings having been delivered.
She placed her hand on top of the marble and whispered softly.
"Good morning, Ani..." she started, "I've been well. The twins are becoming a handful though, but nothing this Senator can't handle." She told him.
Her soft gaze turned to the simple, yet elegant view from on top of the hill. "It's quiet here, isn't it? Just like the place we wanted to raise our babies in." And then turned back to the marble gravestone, looking at it with tears in her eyes.
"I put myself back in the narrative, I stopped wasting time on tears- I'll live another fifty years... but it's not enough. I interviewed every person who fought by your side, I tried to make sense why you wanted to fight so badly. You really do fight like you're running out of time." The young Nubian Senator choked back a sob and suppressed it with a smile.
"I pass bills in the Senate to demolish slavery, buying their freedoms and giving them new lives. You could've done so much more if you only had time and when my time is up, have I done enough? Will they tell our story?" She told him, "Oh! Can I tell you what I'm proudest of?"
"Our children... every day I see you in them, they will grow up to be the best they can be. They are your legacy, they will tell your story." She was crying now, "Ani, guess what? The Council decided to honor your legacy, they wanted your forgiveness but I guess it's already too late... They wanted to grant you the rank of Master, and for that I am offended. They want to give you everything you deserve, when you're gone?! They didn't even give you the respect every living being in this galaxy deserves and now they want to give it you when you're dead. But looking back at it now, I realized that... you do deserve those little things. I just want to say... wherever you are, I hope you're with your mother and I hope you're happy. I'll be back, I should get back to the twins."
She stood up, smoothing out her dress as she wiped the tears away.
Engraved on the smooth marble stone, it said:
Anakin Skywalker
Cherished son,
Caring friend,
Lost father
As she turned to leave, she felt a warm familiar presence envelop her in a hug.
"I love you, with all my heart..." A voice whispered to her.
And for her, that was enough proof. She smiled sweetly, knowing that he was with her.
"Oh, I can't wait to see you again..." she spoke softly, "It's only a matter of time..." From the corner of her eye, she might have seen him standing there. But, she let it be... after all, it was only a matter of time before they were reunited once more.
Until then, she'll vow to be the best that she can be; to protect his legacy and the galaxy he gave his life for. To raise their children to the best of her abilities and to share her memories of him with them.
As Padme walked away from the peaceful and serene hill, a blue figure appeared; sitting below the tree. The wind was blowing against his hair and he calmly watched the young mother walk away.
He sighed deeply, propping himself against the tree and closed his eyes. The young man would sit there for hours, humming his mother's lullaby until she came back and he was always happy to see her... always felt at peace with her.
"I'll wait for you my Angel... every day, every night... waiting. I'll wait for you to return and I'll watch over you and our children, till you and our children's dying day. I'll be here... waiting for you..."
Who lives, Who dies, Who Tells Your Story...
THE END