A/N: Finally we see what is wrong with Anakin. Hahahahahahaha. I am evil. Well not much happens in this chapter, but we'll see about the next chapter.
Well this is chapter twenty one. I must say that I have never got a fic to last this long. Lets see how long I can make the story. It now has been two moths since I started this story! Woo hoo!. I've also started a yahoo group for the story, you can find the link in my profile. And don't miss the stolen moments fic that goes along with the universe of this story. It's just short little dribbles from the years in between the movies and the stories. They might contain spoilers, but I don't care.
When Obi-Wan and Anakin returned to the temple on Coruscant, Master Yoda was at the hanger to greet them. Obi-Wan could tell that he was just as troubled about what was happening to Anakin as he was. For most of the flight home, Anakin had stayed silent. It was obvious to Obi-Wan that whatever was happening to him, Anakin was most afraid of himself and what he is capable of.
"Troubling news this is," Yoda said looking pointedly at Anakin as they walked through the temple. "Send you away from Sidious' influence, give you time to reflect and collect yourself I did! Was it for nothing?"
"I'm sorry Master," Anakin said not looking the grand master in the eyes.
Master Yoda humphed. "From Master Kenobi's description of what happened, you seemed to loose control, yet you know nothing of what you did," he said. "Most troubling."
"What do you suggest we do to help, Master? I refuse to give up on Anakin. I know that whatever is taking control is not him," Obi-Wan said.
"Minga Durron has just returned from her work on Alderaan. Experience in all healing fields she is, including Psychology. Agreed to see Skywalker, she has," Yoda told them.
At that Anakin snapped to attention. "I'm not crazy! I don't need a psychiatrist!" he protested.
Master Yoda slammed his gimer stick onto the marble floor. "Up for discussion, this matter is not! Very serious this is! If determined not to let come to past that which you have seen, then you will follow my orders!" he said stubbornly.
"Yes Master," Anakin said humbly.
"You will see Minga Durron right away. Figure out what is happening we must or the sith will take over," Master Yoda said gravely.
"Master, you don't think that the sith are trying to take over Anakin, do you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"After his abilities, Lord Sidious is. Stop him we must before he destroys Skywalker," Master Yoda told him.
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin fearfully. He can't lose Anakin that way! He just can't. Judging from Anakin's body language and their recant trip to Tatooine, Obi-Wan realized that Anakin knew. Anakin also knew the identity of Darth Sidious. Did Master Yoda know as well? Obi-Wan caught Master Yoda's eyes and he knew that Anakin had confided in Master Yoda. "What can I do to help?" he asked.
"Stay with Skywalker you will. Next time this happens be there you must," Master Yoda said and then added in a whisper. "Understand that Senator Amidala has a spare bedroom in her apartment I do," he said so that only Obi-Wan and Anakin could hear.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said glancing at Anakin who hadn't said anything. Finally they reached the medical bay and met up Minga Durron.
Anakin looked up as he sensed Minga studying him. He knew that she would know nothing of when he had last seen her. He also knew that he could trust Minga, after all, she had been most kind to him when he had first arrived at the temple to start his training and later became his friend. When the other jedi stared and whispered about him or stayed away, Minga had often brought Anakin into the medical bay to teach him about healing. She was the only jedi padawan to befriend him. Whatever he told Minga, he knew that he could trust her to keep it to her self.
"It's nice to see you again Anakin," Minga said. "How is the arm?" she asked.
"I still have full usage. I keep up with the physical therapy regularly. I barely even feel the phantom pain anymore," Anakin told her.
Minga smiled. "I'm glad. I'm sure that you would like to talk about what is happening alone," she said and looked pointedly At Obi-Wan and Master Yoda.
"We wont be far, Anakin," Obi-Wan said resting a hand on Anakin's shoulder. Anakin met his eyes but didn't say a word as as the two jedi masters left.
Once they were alone Minga spoke up. "How are you feeling Anakin?" she asked him.
"I'm not crazy Minga," Anakin told her flatly.
"No one thinks that you are crazy Anakin. I'm alarmed at this new change in you but one thing I know that you're not is crazy. Now talk to me. I know that I've been gone for the past two years, but I'm still your friend. So right now we'll just talk as what we are to each other, friends," Minga told him. "What's going on?" she asked.
Anakin didn't look at her, instead he fingered the Alderaanian statuette she had displayed. "I don't know if I can explain it where I don't sound crazy," he told her.
"Try me," she told him.
Anakin sighed and slumped down in a chair. "I honestly don't know what's wrong with me. I'm doing everything I can to stop it from happening, but then something will happen that makes me question if it's inevitable," he told her.
"What happens to make you question yourself?" she asked him. She sat down opposite of him and took his hands in hers.
"That's the thing, I don't know. All I know is that it started when my mother died. I'll black out and when I come to I'm shown evidence that I did something terrible. I'll get a warning every now and then when I'll have one of those black outs though," Anakin told her.
"What kind of warning do you get?" she asked him.
"Headaches, massive ones. I try to use to force to ebb them away, but that only makes them grow stronger," he told her.
Minga nodded. "It didn't start until your mother died? Tell me about that. I understand that it was only two years ago that she died," she said.
Anakin shook his head and stood up. He looked out through a window looking down into the streets. "You know about how I can see things in my sleep, right?" he said.
Minga nodded. "Yes. I've even given you something for a dreamless sleep every once in a while because of it," she said.
"I dreamed of my mother. She was suffering, I could feel her pain. It was disturbing. I told Obi-Wan about them and asked him if I could see if she was alright. But the council wouldn't let me. They insisted that they were just dreams and that I should stay focused on my training. I reluctantly agreed because I knew that my mother gave me strict orders to listen to them and to not look back when she sent me away. But the dreams didn't go away. Finally when I was assigned to escort Senator Amidala back to Naboo due to attempts on her life. She heard me muttering in my sleep and asked me about it. It was on her assistance that I finally went back to Tatooine to check on my mother. When I got there I found out that Watto had soled her to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars who freed her and married her. But when I arrived on the Lars homestead she wasn't there. She had been kidnapped by a tribe of tuskan raiders a month before. They had tried to convince me that they had done everything that they could to get her back but by that time there was no hope that she was still alive. I refused to accept it. So I went searching for her. I found the camp that she was being held prisoner in that night. But I was too late. She was barely alive when I had gotten to her. I held her in my arms as she died. After that I don't remember," Anakin told her.
Minga walked up to him and placed her hand on his arms. "I'm sorry Anakin. I know that it must have been painful," she told him.
Anakin nodded. "You have no idea, Minga. I don't imagine anyone here at the temple would even begin to understand how painful it was," he said.
"What is the first thing you remember after your mother died?" Minga asked him.
Again Anakin turned away from her and crossed his arms. "I think I killed them, no slaughtered them. Every last one of them. Not just the men, but the women and the children. The evidence was all there. I still had my lightsaber ignited in my hand and everywhere I looked as I turned around in the camp, I saw their mutilated and dead bodies," he told her.
"That doesn't sound like you Anakin. I don't believe that you are capable of that," Minga told him.
Anakin looked at her when she said that. "How do you know?!" he yelled and turned away from her again. "I don't even know what I'm capable of anymore," he told her.
Minga grabbed his arm and forced him to face her. "Obi-Wan seems to think that something more sinister is behind this. Let me help you. There's a way to figure out what exactly is happening, but for me to be sure we need to recover those moments out of your subconscious," she told him.
"What are you talking about Minga?" he asked her.
"I'm talking about hypnosis. I learned about it during my study on Byss some years ago. The medicine men would use it to help people recover from amnesia. It's very useful in bringing back lost memories. Do you think that you could handle that?" Minga told him.
"Would it help you get to the bottom of what ever is happening to me?" Anakin asked her.
"It might," Minga said. "Would you trust me enough to use it on you?" she asked.
"I want to know why this is happening to me," he told her.
"Alright. When would you like to start?" she asked.
"I want to get to the bottom of this, yesterday," Anakin told her.
Minga nodded. "Why don't you lay down then," she said indicating the examining table on the other side of the room.
Anakin nodded and walked over to the examining table. He sat down on the examining table before laying down. Minga came over with a syringe filled with a sort of clear liquid in it and Anakin stiffened, Vader's memories of torturing Leia with the mind probe surfaced through his mind.
Minga noticed this. "We don't have to do this Anakin," she told him.
"No. I trust you," he said forcing his body to relax as he pushed Vader's memories from his mind.
Minga nodded as she pushed his sleeve up exposing his muscled arm. Without a moments hesitation she injected the liquid into his system. Moments later Anakin's mind relaxed. While he was very aware of everything around him, he knew that he would have no control over what he would say next. Whatever Minga asked him, his mind would answer her and he was unable to keep these things from her.
"How do you feel Anakin?" Minga asked.
"Scared," Anakin numbly told her.
"What are you afraid of Anakin?" Minga asked gently.
"The dark side of the force," Anakin said still in that numb tone of voice.
Minga sat down in the seat next to the examining table. "Is it Darth Sidious? Is his use of the dark side that frightens you?" she asked.
"No. I don't fear Sidious. I plan to kill him as soon as I can. He's not the one who I fear the most," Anakin told her.
Minga nodded. "Who from the dark side scares you?" she asked.
"Darth Vader," he told her.
Minga was confused. Wasn't Darth Sidious' apprentice was Darth Tyranus, formally Jedi Knight Dooku? Who was Darth Vader? "Who is Darth Vader, Anakin?" she asked him. She wasn't expecting his next answer.
"I am," Anakin told her.
Minga stood up in shock. No! Anakin wasn't a sith lord. He couldn't. It didn't make sense. But then something clicked in her memory. She had learned about this a long time ago when she started studying psychology. It was unheard of for centuries. But with everything else that was presented. The times that he couldn't remember, he had used the dark side of the force. Could it be possible? She needed to get more information out of him to be sure.
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To say that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was worried would be an understatement. No. He was afraid. Afraid of what was happening to Anakin. So he stood outside of the medical bay with Master Yoda, waiting for Minga Durron to tell them what she had found out. Sometime after Anakin began talking to Minga, Master Windu had joined them, clearly also worried over Anakin. Obi-Wan wasn't sure how much Mace knew about Anakin's situation so he had kept quiet for the moment. Finally after three long agonizing hours Minga came out to greet them and the look on her face told him that it wasn't good.
"Found out what is happening to young Skywalker, have you?" Master Yoda asked.
Minga nodded. "I think maybe you all should sit down," she told them. Neither jedi sat down and she sighed. "I'm afraid that Anakin is suffering from the beginnings of D.I.D. Dissociative Identity Disorder. It hasn't been seen for a long time, but I am positive that this is the case. Mostly what triggers D.I.D is witnessing a traumatic event. Shmi Skywalker's brutal death being the event that has brought this upon him," she told them.
"And this other identity that has developed inside young Skywalker, who is he?" Master Yoda asked gravely.
"This other identity calls himself Darth Vader," Minga told them gravely.
Obi-Wan suddenly felt as though the air had been ripped from his lungs at that one sentence. "A...a sith lord." he said suddenly not feeling too good.
Mace turned to Master Yoda sharply. "I don't like this, Skywalker is now a danger to us all," he said.
"Only a danger he is if this sith lord takes over his body. Help him conquer this we must," Master Yoda said thumping his gimer stick.
"Minga, what do you suggest we do to help Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Well I suggest that he gets therapy regularly which means that he comes to see me once every week that he's on Coruscant. I don't suggest missions that will take him away for months on end. The less stress he has, the better. Also I proscribed some medication for him to take each time he has a slight headache to help him regain control. There are about three different medications that he must take now and it's up to you Obi-Wan to make sure he takes it. Also I'll give you a datapad with information on D.I.D," Minga told them.
"How did he take the news?" Obi-Wan quickly asked her.
"He's asking for you and Master Yoda," Minga told him.
"Skywalker's fear coming true in his mind it is," Master Yoda said gravely.
"I will inform the rest of the council about this. We must decide on how we are going to prevent this Darth Vader from taking over Skywalker," Mace said bowing to the others before walking away from the medical bay.
"Master Yoda, did Anakin see this Darth Vader in a vision?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Saw the future Skywalker has if Darth Vader had come to exist," Master Yoda said gravely.
"Exactly how much did Anakin see?" Minga asked concerned.
"Told me in confidence Skywalker has," Master Yoda said strictly before walking into the room where Anakin was slumped in a chair. Obi-Wan and Minga followed him into the room.
Anakin sensed their entrance but didn't look up. His worst fear is staring him in the face. Darth Vader now exists. He is a part of him. It was a reality he had hoped to avoid. How exactly was he supposed to stop Vader's destruction now? "What should I do now Master?" he asked looking strictly at both Master Yoda and Obi-Wan.
"Minga, could we have a moment?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Certainly," Minga said exiting the room.
"Take extra steps to make sure that this Darth Vader does not come out we should," Master Yoda said.
"How do you suppose that we do that?" Anakin asked.
"Mediate on this I will," Master Yoda said and then added, "Mediation I suggest to you as well young Skywalker." he then left leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin alone.
"Tell me about what you have seen in this vision of yours, Anakin," Obi-Wan said gently.
"It wasn't a vision, Obi-Wan," Anakin told him meeting his eyes.
"Okay then. What was it then?" Obi-Wan asked skeptically.
"I somehow took a trip into the future," Anakin told him bluntly.
If it were possible Obi-Wan's eyes popped out of their sockets at that statement but he soon recovered. "Anakin, this is no time for jokes," he said flatly.
"I'm not joking Master. I really was in the future," Anakin told him sincerely.
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin skeptically. He truly believed that he had been in the future. Well he was just going to humor him at the moment. "Okay, say I believe you on this, What exactly happened in the future?" he asked.
Anakin took a deep breath and told him. He told him everything. From Order sixty six and the formation of the empire and his meting his children and the rebellion. He told him about it all. Including his act of the unthinkable on Vader to which Obi-Wan grew pasty white at.
Sometime in the middle of the tale Obi-Wan had sat down and now that it was over he was taking it all in. He looked at Anakin's serious face and he knew that he was telling the truth. Of force! "How long do we have until this empire is formed and we're eliminated?" he asked.
"A year and eleven months," Anakin told him simply and stood up. "I refuse to let these events happen. I have to stop it, but I don't know how. Palpatine has been planning this for years! How do I put an end to years worth of planing in such a short time?!"
"You don't have to do it alone, Anakin. Chancellor Palpatine is threatening all of the jedi, this is our fight as much as yours," Obi-Wan told him.
"No. You cannot help me, Obi-Wan. You'll die if you do, I cannot allow that to happen," Anakin told him.
There was no way that Obi-Wan was going to let Anakin do this alone, but he didn't pres the issue. "What about Padme? How much does she get to know?" he asked.
"She knows that the Chancellor is the sith lord we've been looking for, but other than that, she knows nothing," Anakin told him. "I should get back to her and let her know that I'm home."
"She'll be at the senate right now, Anakin," Obi-Wan told him.
"I know. I just need to be alone for now," Anakin told him heading for the door.
"Anakin, don't do anything foolish. I'll meet you at Senator Amidala's soon. I believe that I'll be needed by the council for now," Obi-Wan said. He knew that Anakin needed time to adjust to his new situation and he understood. He'd feel the same way if he were in the same spot.
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Anakin stepped out off of the turbo lift and walked into the apartment. It was empty save for him Threepio and Artoo. Artoo had left him in the living room to get charged up leaving Anakin alone. He walked through the apartment out to the veranda. He sat down on the couch with his shoulders slumped and hung his head over his clasped hands. Oh what a mess he was in. He could use Luke's wisdom or Leia's guidance right now. Both of them would know what to say at this moment. But he couldn't picture telling either of them that a sith lord lived inside of him. He couldn't bare to see the look of horror on their faces. Somehow he had to keep the monster at bay. But was Vader's surfacing inevitable? Was the future destined to happen despite everything? Was his family supposed to fall apart because of him? If only he had ignored the orders rules when he could save his mother, maybe this wouldn't have happened. What could his mother say to this? She had believed that he was meant for greatness. That he was meant to help the galaxy. Then why was it falling apart with nothing he could do to stop it?
"Oh Master Ani! You're back. I hope your trip was safe," Threepio said.
"Yeah, it was fine, Threepio," Anakin said not looking up at the droid. It was anything but fine.
"Can I get you anything?" Threepio asked.
"No, I'm fine. Now go away and make yourself busy," Anakin said.
"I barely understand humans sometimes," Threepio muttered as he left the veranda.
Anakin sighed and laid back on the couch. He laid there on his back with the hood of his cloak covering his face. Suddenly he felt tired and he fell asleep like that.
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Padme came home after a long day of debating in the senate. Something felt different. "Threepio!" she called as she walked into the living room. She took off her cloak and placed it over the back of the couch and looked out the window. Coruscant was the same. She turned back to the living room just as Threepio came in.
"Oh Mis Padme! Is there anything I can do for you?" Threepio asked.
"Yes, could you fix something for dinner," she said giving a polite order.
"Right away miss. Would you like to be served out on the veranda?" Threepio said.
Padme looked at the droid confused for a moment. "No. Why would you ask that?" she asked.
"Oh, it's just that Master Ani has been out on the veranda for three hours. I just assumed that you would like to join him," Threepio said.
"Ani's home!" Padme said eyes lighting up.
"Why yes Miss. He arrived about three hours ago. He's been out on the veranda ever since," Threepio said.
Without another word, Padme left the living room and went strait to the veranda where she found Anakin laying on the couch with his face covered by the hood of his cloak. She sat down on the edge of the couch and lifted the hood from his face to find him fast asleep. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. She held her hand on the base of his jaw as she kissed him. Slowly she felt a response as a hand tangled itself in her hair. Padme leaned away to find Anakin's blue eyes staring at her.
"That's some way to wake up," he said smiling for the first time that day.
"How was your trip?" Padme asked.
"It was interesting," was all that Anakin would say.
Padme looked at him skeptically. "There's something you are not telling me," she said.
Anakin sat up and looked her in the eye. "Something happened," he told her. He was going to have to tell her eventually about Vader, the sooner the better.
"Miss Padme, Master Ani! There is an Obi-Wan Kenobi here to see you," Threepio said coming out onto the veranda interrupting the two.
"E chu ta!" Anakin cursed earning a stern look from Padme.
"Anakin, that isn't necessary," Padme said and stood up. "I wonder why Obi-Wan is here at this time," she said.
"He's staying with us for the time being. Master Yoda wants him to keep an eye on me," Anakin told her and stood up.
"Does this have to do with your trip to Tatooine?" Padme asked him.
"Sort of," Anakin said standing up. "I'm going to talk to him." and he left the veranda leaving Padme to watch him confusedly before she too left the veranda and went into the living room where Anakin and Obi-Wan were.
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"You didn't tell her?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin surprised. At least that that's how Padme interpreted it.
"Tell me what?" she asked making both jedi turn to face her. Anakin's hand quickly ran through his slightly longer hair as Obi-Wan folded his arms.
"You better tell her Anakin, it's not wise to keep something this big from her," Obi-Wan said.
"I know I know, I just..." Anakin said.
Padme crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Well, I'm listening," she said.
"Dinner is served. I assume that Master Kenobi is staying as well," Threepio said interrupting them.
Anakin looked apologetically at both Padme and Obi-Wan. "I think we should eat, I don't want to fix Threepio when he short circuits," he said.
"Short circuit? Master Ani, why would you say such dreadful thing?" Threepio said.
Padme looked between the two jedi before turning to Threepio. "We'll be right there Threepio," she said. When Threepio left Padme turned back to the two jedi. "Apparently you two know more than I do and if isn't jedi business, then I expect for you to tell me soon," she told them sternly. "Now I'm going to get changed. Anakin, you can help Obi-Wan get settled," she turned and went into her bedroom leaving the two jedi alone.
As she left Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. "I know that I should tell her and what Vader could do to her is foremost on my mind, but I don't want her worrying over me any more than she already does," he said.
"You can't keep this from her Anakin. She needs to know," Obi-Wan told him.
"And I will, just not now, not tonight. I need some time to sort this out myself," Anakin said.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Alright, have it your way. You have one week to sort through this Anakin and then to tell your wife. But if you do anything foolish, I reserve the right to tell her if I feel that it was important that she know at that time," he said.
Anakin nodded, he knew there was no arguing with Obi-Wan on this. "I'll show you where you'll be sleeping," he said and led Obi-Wan in the opposite direction as where Padme had gone. This part of the apartment was meant for the handmaidens, but Padme had dismissed her handmaidens, all but Dorme so there was a room for Obi-Wan.
"I hope this is to your liking," Anakin said noting some of the feminine holos on the walls.
"Oh yes, I particularly like the holo of the baby in a flower pot. Whoever decided that that was art must have been mad," Obi-Wan said sarcastically.
Anakin grinned. "Well, who can ever tell with some females," he said.
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"Are you going to tell me what it is you're hiding?" Padme asked Anakin as they got ready for bed. She stood at the window brushing her hair for the night.
"Can we just forget about that for now?" Anakin asked wrapping his arms around her from behind. He then began to nibble on her secret spot on her neck right to the back and below her right ear.
"Anakin, we can't, not with Obi-Wan here," Padme protested, but Anakin knew that it was only half heartidly.
"I don't care. I just got back from Tatooine today and I spent close to a month there. Too long for us to be apart," he told her. He proceeded in his work on her spot. He could feel her weakening.
"Anakin," she said trying to be stern but failing miserably.
"Yes?" he asked letting his breath tingle on her neck.
Padme had given in, and she knew that he had won. He always did. "Take me to bed," she said breathlessly.
"As you wish Milady," he said guiding her to the bed.
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Anakin lay on his back in bed fully awake. He thought hard about his new situation. He had been up for hours doing nothing but thinking about it. His mind had come to a conclusion. He could keep Vader bottled up inside. He had to. He was the chosen one, he had the strength to do so. But now his train of thought went back to how he was going to get Darth Sidious. Palpatine seemed to trust him. Anakin wasn't sure if it was an act or not. But either way he had to use it to his advantage. If he was going to prove to everyone that Palpatine was a sith lord, he needed evidence. It was risky, but he had to do it. No one else could do it. He knew exactly what he was going to do now. He just hoped that he wouldn't raise Sidious' suspicions as he did it.