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Disclaimer: I don't own anything Star Wars.

There's an explanation of how the calendar works in my 'Flame of Hope - Everyone' story if you're curious.

This story is co-written with MaybeImARebel

Important A/N: This is an extremely A.U. story. So there is some background info you need to keep in mind going into this.

1. Anakin Skywalker thought he loved Padme, but she was in love with Obi-Wan. And Obi-Wan was in love with Satine. Tension abounded, to put it bluntly. (Flashbacks may happen.)

2. Anakin thinks Obi-Wan was betraying him with Padme due to the above, even though she only saw Anakin as a good friend and younger brother. He was much too young for her, of course.

3. Anakin fell because of a long series of betrayals by Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Padme, and the Council. The only one who seemed to be on his side was Palpatine. Sigh.

4. During the final battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan, Padme tries to interfere and Anakin accidentally kills her. There's no coming back from that in his mind, so his role as Darth Vader is cemented.

5. Instead of trying to jump over Obi-Wan and getting sliced to bits, Vader simply jumps in front of him and the battle continues. At some point, they end up back by the ship. Obi-Wan manages to Force push Anakin back and unbalance him long enough to scoop up the body of Padme and he jumps on the ramp, telling Artoo to get them out of there.

6. Anakin fell in some lava, scarring the right side of his face further and some of his right leg and side. His mechanical hand was fine. None of this was enough to hide who he'd been by any stretch of the imagination, so he wore a mask that disguised his voice and hid his identity from all who used to know him as Anakin Skywalker. The lights and such on his armour were a ruse as well. Add some lifts in his boots and voila; you have one Darth Vader who came from nowhere.

Bring Back the Light

Prologue:

D365/13 BBY, Coruscant, Vader's meditation chamber in what used to be the Jedi Temple.

"We must not let the Empire turn us into cowards. We have to stand up for what we believe in!" cried a female voice. "The people of Lothal have the right to live their lives in peace. Don't let them destroy your hope!"

"Mommy! NOOOO!"

"Ezra!"

"Your parents are dead, Apprentice. Use the pain to make you stronger."

"I hate you!"

"Good. Use that as well."

"Come, my young Apprentice. Show me how you have been practicing while I was gone,"

"Yes, Master."

"Ahhhh!"

"You lost focus, Apprentice. You must learn to concentrate or you will get a matching scar on the other side."

"I apologize, Master. It won't happen again."

Darth Vader opened his eyes and something that might be called a smile, if you gave it the benefit of the doubt, crossed his scarred face. At last, he'd finally found the one who could help him defeat his Master. Darth Vader stood and strode out of his chamber. His Apprentice was on Lothal. And he had the perfect excuse for tearing him from his family. Not that he needed one, really. But this just seemed so fitting.

D1/12 BBY, Empire Day, Capital City, Lothal

The Imperial transport skidded to a stop in front of the Bridger house and stormtroopers marched out, forming two rows for the terrifying man in black. Darth Vader stalked up to the locked front door and opened it with a flick of his fingers. The trooper closest to the door just barely managed to stifle his gasp. The last guy who'd gawked at the towering caped man had found himself quite dead. Vader smirked to himself as he felt the terror from the troopers behind him. Good. They should be afraid.

He strode into the house and glanced around at what at first appeared to be an empty living room. Not a sound came from the house, but he wasn't fooled. He could feel their presence below his feet. Vader waved his hand and the covering for the hidden cellar rose and settled softly off to the side. Now the voices from below could be heard. And they were definitely speaking about the illegal anti-Empire broadcasts that had been traced to this location, talking about the day's planned broadcast from the sound of things.

Vader nodded towards the ladder in the floor and the first four troopers jogged over and slid down the ladder bringing cries of fear and dismay from below.

"Move. Up the ladder," the Captain of the squad said. One by one the Rebels appeared on the main level to be met by Darth Vader and many blasters pointed at them.

Vader sneered at the first man up the ladder. "Governor Azadi. How disappointing. It seems we will have to find a new Governor for this planet." Ryder stared back at Darth Vader and said nothing as he was handcuffed and led out the door.

The next person was a cowering yellow Rodian. Vader hardly even bothered to look at him as he was led away.

The third person up the ladder was Ephraim Bridger. Vader looked the other man over assessingly and dismissed him as insignificant, just another rebel too cowardly to do anything but speak against those who didn't match his idea of a perfect world. Vader only respected those who fought with more than words. He hated politicians with a passion.

"How dare you break into my home?!" Ephraim said as he was forced into cuffs.

"How dare you think you could speak against my Emperor and get away with it?" Vader replied coolly.

"We dare because it's what is right!" Mira Bridger said as she climbed the ladder. "Your Emperor has ruined our planet! You steal people's farms! You cut down all the trees! The sky hasn't been smoke free for over a year! How can we not speak out against him!?" She struggled as two troopers forced her into handcuffs as well.

Somewhere inside him, Vader agreed with her, but he couldn't afford to think it. Instead he grabbed her throat with the Force. And when her husband tried to protest, he choked him as well. "You are both Rebel scum." He dropped his hold on them and they fell to their knees, gasping. Good. That would shut them up.

"Mommy!" At the same time, the Captain appeared from the hole, carrying a furiously squirming young boy.

Vader nodded at the troopers holding the elder Bridgers. "Take them away."

The troopers dragged the still gasping couple out of the house, but Mira somehow fought her way out of her captor's grip and ran back towards her son. He reached for her, but the Captain held on to him out of sheer determination.

Vader grabbed the woman with the Force and lifted her off the ground. "Behave, boy, or your mother will die right now in front of you."

The boy stared at his mother with wide blue eyes as she struggled in Vader's Force grip, once again gasping for air. "Mommy! NOOOO!" As he screamed, every single thing in the house not weighed down started to float and the house shook in its foundation. A little voice inside of Vader laughed gleefully. He'd definitely found his Apprentice.

Somehow, Ephraim Bridger came running back in. "Ezra!"

Vader decided he'd had enough of this gong show. With a swipe of his arm, he sent Ephraim flying back through the doorway, knocking him out. He tossed the wife after him. She cried once then fell silent.

Vader turned his attention to the sobbing dark blue haired boy. He waved a hand in front of his little face. "Sleep." The boy instantly went silent and limp in the Captain's arms and all of the furniture fell back to the floor with a crash. Vader walked the step and took the boy from the Captain. They were the last people in the house. Vader gazed at the white helmet through his own black one. "You will erase all Imperial records of the boy's existence."

"I will erase all records of the boy's existence," he repeated.

Vader nodded to himself and carried the dark blue haired boy out of the house.

D1/10 BBY, Empire Day, Jhothal, Lothal

Kanan watched Hera eat as unobtrusively as possible as he sat across from her at their table in Old Jho's. She was just so beautiful, but never acted like she was aware of it. Kanan was hopelessly in love with her, but she seemed pretty determined to keep their relationship purely professional. But after half a year of travelling the galaxy with her, he thought he just might be winning her over. She'd actually agreed to take a day off from running missions and gone out with him for a nice dinner. Alright, it was still a noisy, crowded bar, but whatever. It was a start. They were eating. Together. Out. Kanan was calling this a date whether she liked it or not. But... maybe not out loud. He didn't feel that lucky. Yet.

Hera glanced at Kanan once again, and fought off the blush that wanted to take over her face. He was just so handsome. And the way he kept looking at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention was really messing with her self control. His gorgeous teal eyes seemed to worship her every move and all she wanted to do was pounce on him and kiss him senseless. Hera forced herself to concentrate on the nerf steak in front of her. She couldn't afford to fall for her crew mate. It would be horribly irresponsible of her. She glanced at him again, not able to help herself. But he was just so... available. And strong. And funny. And handsome. Or did she say that already? Oh, and one more thing. He was a Jedi. Hera'd always had a soft spot for the Jedi, thinking them the coolest people in the Galaxy. And then the Empire had wiped them out. Or so everyone thought. But there was one sitting right across from her. Well, okay. He didn't think of himself as a Jedi anymore, but that didn't change her opinion of him. He still meditated like a Jedi. He could use the Force like a Jedi. To her, that made him a Jedi. And oh, Stars, did she want him. But she couldn't have him.

Right?

Her self debate was interrupted as the atmosphere in the cantina changed and the radio that had been playing in the background became everyone's focus.

"Turn it up, Jho!" someone yelled.

The large room went silent as everyone listened to the broadcast.

"Are you going to let the Empire ruin your livelihoods? Turn your children into ruthless soldiers? Is this really what you want? We must not let the Empire turn us into cowards. We have to stand up for what we believe in!" cried a female voice. "The people of Lothal have the right to live their lives in peace. Don't let them destroy your hope!"

The room cheered as the speech ended and the radio D.J. spoke. "We play this in remembrance of our first Rebel leaders, Governor Azadi and Mira and Ephraim Bridger. It was a sad day when they were caught by the Empire, but the Rebellion lives on in our hearts, even if we can't do anything to change what is happening to our world. Remember, people of Lothal. Don't let their efforts be completely wasted. And now, I'm off. Before the Empire finds me as well." The D.J. chuckled and music played again.

The noise in the bar returned to normal as people talked about what they'd heard. Kanan and Hera looked at each other with raised brows. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hera asked Kanan.

A slow smile spread across Kanan's face. "If you're thinking that we should try and find these Bridgers and the old Governor, then yes. I'm thinking what you're thinking."

Hera grinned at Kanan. "I'll contact Fulcrum. See if someone can slice into the Imperial records and find out where they're being held. We can always use more rebels on our side."

Kanan nodded. "And we'll get to break into another prison. I know that's your favourite mission to run," he teased.

"Hey!" she protested. "It's not my fault Fulcrum and I had to break you out of prison last month. The intel was bad."

Kanan just smirked and ate another bite of his excellent nerf steak.