Thank you so much for all of your reviews, follows and faves! I just spent the whole day smiling like an idiot. It took me so many years to get the courage to do this. I'm so happy you like it!
He and Ahsoka caught Bane and Morallo Eval at the last possible moment, mere meters from their ship. They didn't put up much of a fight. As Ahsoka confiscated their weapons and Anakin cuffed their hands, fear was obvious in their eyes. They had seen what he was capable of.
The ship turned out to be mostly undamaged despite the crash. They locked the bounty hunters in the cargo compartment and prepared to take off. As Anakin sat down in the pilot's seat, his comlink started ringing.
It was Master Windu. Talking about some kind of a plan, in a very urgent voice. Something about going undercover. About faking death.
Words couldn't describe Anakin's horror as the pieces slowly started fitting together. How fast the Council found the murderer on Coruscant, in the cantina. How they never really said how they found him. The blaster that was inexplicably set to stun. The unexpected speed and skill with which the enemy fought. The way he looked at him with horror and fear, shaking his head, trying to say something, as Anakin killed him.
No. No, no, no… it was impossible.
The comlink fell out of his numb fingers and clattered to the floor. His ears were ringing. The whole situation felt surreal, like a bad dream. Ahsoka was staring at him, her eyes wide. He dimly remembered telling her to stay and guard the prisoners, in a voice that didn't sound like his own. He remembered stumbling out of the ship and running back to that place.
No, it couldn't be true. It was impossible. Please, he begged the Force. Please…
Soon, he arrived at that place again. The man he had killed was lying on the ground, eyes half-open, staring at nothing.
Out of some desperate, impossible hope, Anakin knelt down and gently pressed two trembling fingers against his neck. But it was no use. He was gone. His body was already cold.
No. This was impossible. It couldn't be. Obi-Wan had died days ago. Anakin was there, he had seen it with his own eyes. He was the one who held his still body in his trembling arms, quietly pleading for him to wake up. He was the one who gently picked him up and carried him to the waiting ambulance, desperately trying to blink back tears but failing.
This was all a horrible misunderstanding, it had to be. That man… he didn't look or sound anything like his Master. His mannerisms were different, too. No disguise could be that perfect.
Anakin could prove it. He knew Obi-Wan had a scar on his arm, from the same battle where Anakin lost his right hand. He could prove Master Windu was wrong, right now.
His hands were shaking even more now. It took him several attempts to remove the man's left glove and roll up his sleeve.
A wordless, horrible scream escaped from his throat. It didn't even sound human, such was the pain and horror in it.
Master Windu was right. It was true. It was all true.
"I'm sorry…" Anakin whispered. One of his trembling hands reached out and gently touched his Obi-Wan's pale face.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" he whispered, over and over. But it was too late now. It couldn't change what he's done. Nothing could. He could only kneel on the cold rocky ground, cradling his Master's still body in his arms, as hot tears rolled down his face and his sobs echoed across the desolate land.
This is not the end! There are two different ways this story could continue in my mind, and this is where they diverge.
There will be 3 more chapters coming; 2 for the original ending, and 1 for the alternate ending. There will be more angst and guilt… but forgiveness, too. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can since this one was very short.
R&R!