Summery:
Darth Vader thought he had learned the price of power
He was so wrong.
AU set six months before ANH
'Force speak '
*Thoughts*
Disclaimer : Don't own it or make money for this. I write for fun.
Chapter 3 - Paying in full:
Vader's POV:
I didn't even need to try and sleep for the vision to take me. As soon as I managed to sit down, I was knocked unconscious. And found myself in Luke's cell. Sidious stood to one side with his skull-like face twisted in some grotesque version of ecstasy. He took no notice of me. Nor did Luke, who was flat on the floor, shaking and crying. I felt rage exploding in my head and lunged forward, toward my son. Yet he pulled back from me, as if I was harming him further.
"You sense the darkness don't you, boy," my 'master' sneered softly. "Ready to take you at any time. You will become my apprentice. If not, then your father will suffer." "No, I won't! I will become a Jedi, even if it kills me!" Luke manged to stagger to his feet with that proclamation, only to be knocked back down by Sith lightening. "Back in your place boy!" Sidious snarled. "Nothing can save you now. You wish to be a Jedi, then learn the price!" Price? I'd paid the blasted price every night of the last 20 years for selling my soul. What had it gotten me?
The only thing I had left of my beloved was this unknown boy in front of me, refusing to break because he would not commit patricide. I had damned myself, but to include him? Giving himself up for a virtual stranger, someone he'd obviously dreamed about all his life? The Light Side shone from him and made the Emperor furious. It blinded me, and I realized then that was why I couldn't even approach my son. The Darkness in me hurt him.
Renounce the Sith, Chosen One. You can only help your son if you reject the Dark Side. For your anger can only harm him.
Something in me broke then. I could not, would not let Luke sacrifice himself for me. Thinking back on it, I realized that Sidious had made some fatal errors, the biggest was to try and turn my son the way he had. For if he had left Luke alone, I would have found out about him in time. Time enough to have let myself fall back under the drug of power that fear and pain brought me when I embraced the Dark Side. And to try and turn Luke myself.
But Sidious hadn't waited. And now I no longer wanted anything to do with the Dark. Not if it drove away my son. The change was almost instantly obvious. Sidious pulled back as if he'd been struck as I swept in front of him. His eyes squinted as if looking at Tatoonie's twin suns at noon. Then he screeched in terror and fled. I barely noticed for Luke seemed to be able to see me now and was sobbing with relief.
Anakin's POV:
"Father, you came," he whispered as I knelt down next to him. "Shh, it's alright Luke. The emperor's bold move will be his undoing now." With a little bit of surprise, I managed to gather my son into my arms. Luke was on the verge of hysterics, and I knew it would do him no good and possibly grave harm. "Luke, please try and calm down. I know you're in a lot of pain, I can feel it. But your body won't be able to handle it if you break down. I cannot lose you now."
Luke seemed to shudder and then went limp against me. "How did you find me, father?" What to tell him? Would he understand that I wasn't really even there, especially since by some miracle of the Force I was holding him? "You called me, young one. I felt myself drawn here the other night, though I don't think you remember it," I told him bluntly. The only way I felt we could both handle this crisis was if I was brutally honest. Both with my son and myself.
That startled Luke, I could feel it. He manged to pull his head up and really look at me for the first time. "Father, are you really even here? You look like me, only older. I thought you'd become Darth Vader? Or am I dreaming? Because if I am, I don't want to wake up." I tighten my grip on my son, trying to let go of the terror felt at his words. "Don't give up Luke. Please don't give up. I'm here and I'm not here. And yes I was Darth Vader, and still appear that way."
My son was tensing up, he must have felt the fear I was feeling. I reached for the Force, the Light, to calm myself. As I managed some sense of calm, Luke also calmed down. "I remember, I couldn't see you but I could feel you there last night. And you were asking me who I was," my son said, wonderingly. "But you're here holding me? And you chased away the Emperor?"
How in Force's name could I explain this? When I wasn't even certain myself of what was going on? The only thing that I did know was that I had heard a voice in my head and listen to it. Twice before I had ignored it and the consequence had been dire the first time and deadly the second time. I had thought it was my conscious speaking to me. But now I recognized it as it spoke again. Well done Anakin, well done. I sense your confusion though and understand. And I am here to help you and your son.
"Master Qui-Gon!" Sure enough it was Master Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi knight that had found me on that barren sandpit. And as I had found out later had made Kenobi promise to train me with his dying breath. Luke looked up at me and then over at Master Qui-Gon and shook his head. "I must be dreaming now, "I heard my son mutter. "He's glowing!" Because I have become one with the Force and returned, youngling. A favor granted to me thru the devotion I had in life to the Living Force and the true tenants of the Jedi. And as an aid to those in these dark times.
You have many questions, young Luke. As does your father. But time is short for the emperor will get over his fright soon enough, unfortunately Qui-Gon then looked at me, You will need help, Chosen. And my former padawan is trying to do something utterly foolish and counter-productive. "My master? He's still alive, and must have gotten that tape for Beru," I said, more of a statement then a question. Indeed. And now he's trying to get to Coruscant to find your son whom he's been watching over since he was born. If you are ever going to get Luke away from the emperor, you must join together for the effort.
Any other time, I would have been furious that Kenobi of all people had hidden Luke away from me. Now? I was grateful that he had managed till Luke was nearly grown. My master had truly gone beyond the call to watch over Luke on that dust-ball. Master Qui-Gon then addressed Luke. You must try and hold on young Luke. Your father's spirit is here because of you. If he had not rejected the Dark Side, you would have died. For your light is a danger to Sidious and he hates it. It is your light that called to your father. And you have something else to hold out for.
I felt Master Qui-Gon pause. "Master? What..," I trailed off as I now felt it even though Luke couldn't. "Twins, separated at birth. Padme and I were both right!" Good, Anakin. Leia is safe for the moment with Bail Organa, though she is feeling her brother's pain. But only lightly and she is shielded for now. Luke would not been able to keep that secret from Sidious much longer, though he was unaware of the connection. His pain would have breached her shields eventually and then the emperor would have had them both.
I shuddered at the thought. The only two things left in the universe to live for, at the non-existent mercy of the emperor? My precious son was already in enough danger, and then to have to protect his sister from the emperor as well? For I knew Leia, if only slightly and knew now that her temper was my own. "I will find Obi-wan, Master Qui-Gon. But there must be something I can do to stop Sidious, until we can get here.
Indeed there is, Chosen. You've taken the first step. As long as you hold to the light, you can use it to confound the Dark Side and keep Sidious away from Luke. The light that you both project together is strong enough that the emperor cannot stand it right now. But you will have little time. For now you must use your training to send Luke into trance so he can begin to heal. At those words from Master Qui-Gon, Luke started to shiver.
"I don't want you to leave, father. I'm frightened." I nodded and said, "I am too, Luke. But I can hear and feel you now. The emperor cannot block that. And if he returns, then call me. I WILL come, no matter what. Master Qui-Gon is right, you cannot take much more of this." Luke seemed to fight this at first then sighed. "Alright, promise?" he asked "I promise you, my son. Do you trust me?" Luke smiled slightly, and said in all innocence, "There is no one I would trust more, father." Even as he said this his body relaxed and his eyes closed. In moments he was asleep.
