Anakin watched him sit in his throne. Palpatine looked at him very calmly… unnervingly calmly. Anakin could have sworn he sensed panic and anger from him earlier… was that a front? Was Palpatine merely manipulating him as he had been for decades?

Anakin balled his fists and let his anger course through but then a tiny voice reminded him that Palpatine probably wanted that. Angry at himself and the situation, Anakin stood there just watching Palpatine.

"Welcome, Lord Vader," Palpatine said in a silky tone.

There were two reasons why Palpatine would speak with such a tone in his voice. The first reason was that he was infuriated over something and let the venom leak into his words. The second reason was that everything was going just as he had planned and in that case there is an intense pleasure behind his words.

In this case, Anakin detected nothing negative or aggressive in his tone. He was pleased about something. Something was going his way.

Anakin had a sick feeling that with his arrival to duel with Palpatine was part of the reason.

"You seem rather worried about something," Palpatine voiced. Anakin cursed his foolishness and automatically raised his mental barriers. "Is the Jedi uprising bothering you? You've killed every last one of them before."

Hearing about his murders from Palpatine only infuriated him all the worse. Anakin immediately grabbed his lightsaber, but he did not activate it.

"You should know better than to think that I would join you once again, Master," Anakin spat disdainfully.

"Ah, but you are unaware that you are already under my control once again," Palpatine's tone went even silkier.

Feeling violated, Anakin took a slight step back.

Palpatine stood up from his throne, looking thoroughly content. He knew he had Anakin, and the thought disturbed Anakin all the more. He came here to kill Palpatine, not get tempted by him once again into being an idiot and following his lead.

"Don't try anything, Palpatine," Anakin warned. "I'm not going to fall for it again."

Palpatine laughed mirthlessly. "You still do not see that I already control you. No matter how hard you try, you are already mine."

Of course, Anakin thought. Palpatine was using Dun Möch, or intimidation to get to him that was all. Anakin wouldn't have that. He immediately activated his lightsaber, feeling comfortable as he gripped his old weapon, something he hadn't done in over twenty years.

"You're not fooling me, Palpatine," Anakin said with a new confidence in his tone.

Palpatine remained still, but Anakin didn't give him the chance to make any more devious plots.

Anakin charged forward, taking the offensive. He wasn't going to be fooled by Palpatine's supposed helplessness; he knew that conniving little emperor had something up his sleeve.

His assumption was correct. The moment he got into range, Palpatine tried to release Force lightning, but Anakin quickly blocked it with his lightsaber. He couldn't quite direct it back though.

The lightning lasted for about a minute and then the red blade hissed to life in Palpatine's hand, and the two Sith Lords charged forward into battle.


"You're not coming with us," Han said firmly. "We're going into a battle not a playground, kid."

"I want to help," the girl argued.

Han sighed. Aaliza had shown up just five minutes ago and they were still arguing about whether she could go or not. Chewbacca and Han were both against it but she wouldn't give up, and they didn't have time to drag her back to the Falcon themselves.

"Fine," he growled. "But you have to listen to everything we tell you, is that clear?"

Aaliza nodded. Chewbacca grumbled, saying that he didn't like the idea.

"I don't either but she won't give up," Han pointed out as they led her out of the Works towards the Jedi Temple.

When they reached the Temple they expected some sort of battle but what they found was the leftovers from the battlefield. There were corpses of stormtroopers everywhere. In the main entranceway, Han could see Jedi moving about gathering the wounded. Chewbacca led the way up the stairs as they rushed into the Temple. Han immediately found Luke.

"Kid, what happened? What did we miss?"

"Well I think it's pretty obvious that a battle took place," Luke motioned towards the carnage.

"You sound a little worried," Han noted. "What's wrong?"

"It's my father," Luke said.

"What has Vader done this time?"

"He's fighting Palpatine right now."

Han's jaw dropped. "He's fighting his precious emperor?"

"Han, he hates Palpatine's guts," Luke leaned against the wall, anxiety in his body language. "He's trying to get revenge and kill Palpatine."

"So he can take the throne," Han finished.

"No," Luke replied, sounding confused. "Why would he do that? He's not interested in the throne, just revenge."

"Well, that's funny," Han leaned against the wall beside Luke. "Because if you really think about it, Vader's next in line for the throne if Palpatine dies."

Luke thought about it for a moment before shaking it off. "That's not the point. The point is that he's fighting him and he could get himself killed."

"Well then why are you standing around?"

Luke blinked and then laughed. "Good point, Han."

With that comment, Luke stood up straight and then began to rush down the stairs with Han following close behind. Off in the distance, Padmé and Leia noticed and began to run after them with Chewbacca and Aaliza in tow.


Obi-Wan ran as hard as he could. The Imperial Palace was beginning to loom ever closer, but it didn't seem close enough. He could already sense that Anakin and Palpatine were fighting ferociously. He could practically hear their blades clashing.

Behind him, Mace and Rahm looked up at the palace, also sensing the disturbance. Yoda, who was leading the group, increased his speed almost tenfold, forcing the other Masters to do the same so they could keep up.

What seemed an eternity later, they finally began to arrive in the area and were immediately bogged down by stormtroopers and auto turrets. However, with the four Masters working together in perfect harmony, it didn't take them long to defeat their opponents.

As they ran inside and began heading towards the throne room on the top floor, they continuously had to cut down more Imperials. Obi-Wan began tiring slightly when they were halfway up, but he called upon the Force to help him. He couldn't afford to lose any time, not with Anakin's life on the line.

Hang in there, Anakin.


Palpatine was ferocious as a lightsaber dueler, but he wasn't as in shape as Anakin, who would gain the upper hand before being blasted into a wall by a massive Force push or a dose of Force lightning.

By the time he had been thrown against the wall for the fifth time, blood began trickling down his neck and he started getting really irritated. Kicking his feet off the wall to get some more speed and momentum, Anakin charged towards Palpatine and they once again engaged in the deadly dance.

Anakin thrust once, twice, three times around Palpatine to divert his blade and open up his defenses, but Palpatine was no fool and managed to block them without wasting too much energy. It was rather like Soresu, actually. How did one break Soresu?

Anakin nearly cracked a smile. Obi-Wan was a master of Soresu, and Anakin had defeated him. All he had to do was tire his opponent. Soresu kept the defenses very close to the body, so if Anakin could make Palpatine move his blade just far enough, it would be perfect.

He had this thought so clearly in his mind that he barely had time to register another burst of Force lightning heading his way.

Cursing, Anakin deflected it this time and managed to throw some back at Palpatine, who quickly ceased the attack, leaving him temporarily open. Anakin immediately charged forward but jumped over Palpatine instead of attacking as planned. The moment he landed he sent a back-handed gripped stab but Palpatine blocked it, leaving Anakin temporarily open to attack; Anakin, however, quickly compensated by using the Force to push Palpatine off to a safe distance. Anakin regained his footing and then faced Palpatine once again, not leaving any time to wait as he rushed forward. He brought his blade in an upward arch before sending it down towards Palpatine at a mind numbing speed. When Palpatine blocked the blow, the energy following it nearly sent the emperor to his knees, allowing for Anakin to at least get a good kick on his chin.

Palpatine smashed against the wall as Anakin repeatedly used the Force to send waves against him, weakening him. After taunting him this way, Palpatine seemed to get pretty angry and finally hit Anakin directly with some Force lightning. Anakin crumbled to the ground in pain and Palpatine would not stop. It seemed as if this would go on for an eternity, but Anakin finally managed to focus his strength and use the Force to deflect the blast, sending Palpatine flying. This gave Anakin time to shake off the muscle spasms and stand up once again, grabbing his lightsaber and tightening his grip.

Anakin didn't give Palpatine any time to recover. Using the Force to increase his speed, he ran across the room and began attacking once again. As Anakin's attacks grew more furious, so did Palpatine's parries. Anakin feigned to the left in an attempt to deter the emperor and then twirled to Palpatine's right before aiming a slash to his spine. Palpatine dodged it and counterattacked, but Anakin quickly blocked the red blade.

It was clear now that Palpatine was beginning to tire ever so slightly. Anakin was too. Both Sith Lords could sense it. This battle had to end.

Grabbing all of his strength and reserves, Anakin released it all in one last assault. He didn't think he'd ever attacked more ferociously, sent more thrusts, or blocked more swings in any lightsaber duel, even Mustafar.

Mustafar

Remembering that lightsaber duel was all Anakin needed to get his rage up once again… Palpatine was the one who brought that down upon him. If it weren't for the emperor, Anakin would never have been bothered about the dark side. He would've lived his life as a Jedi alongside Obi-Wan. He would've been able to raise his two children. He would've been there for Padmé.

Hatred that he hadn't experienced since his duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar began to make its way out into his dueling. He had felt hatred towards Palpatine for years, but it had always been a low dull sort of hatred that had eaten away at his very being. The hatred he had experienced while dueling Obi-Wan was like fire. Now that fire was back, as if he were on the lava bank of Mustafar again, except this time it was directed at the man who had ruined his life, the man who had ruined the entire galaxy.

Thrust, parry, strike, feign, block… the duel continued for an impossible amount of time. Even with his hatred, he began to tire. A voice told him that using the dark side against Palpatine was foolish, but what could he do? He hadn't accessed the light for twenty-four years.

Remembering how Luke had never given up on him, he surmised that maybe it wasn't too late to start trying once again.

Anakin began to center himself as he dueled. He began to calm the hatred and tried to reach out towards something from the light. What could make him do so? What memory could spur him into fighting as a Jedi? He hadn't had a good memory in decades…

And then he remembered.

"Ani, I'm pregnant,"

Those words had terrified him and yet filled him with joy. He had realized that with children his secret marriage wouldn't stay secret for long, but then he had decided that he didn't care. He had been excited and happy to be a father, even if it had only lasted for a few days.

Love. Love was part of the light.

Anakin was suddenly bombarded by memories of Padmé, his mother, and Obi-Wan.

"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you, but I could not save you."

Anakin suddenly wanted to be dueling alongside with Obi-Wan but he knew it was too late for that. Once he had entered this duel with Palpatine he had known that.

And now he would end it.

Giving into the will of the Force, Anakin finally made a blow on Palpatine just as the latter was about to strike back. Anakin swung his lightsaber horizontally, right across Palpatine's neck.

An odd feeling erupted in his gut as he watched Palpatine's decapitated body fall. When he looked down, he realized that the feeling was a wound. Palpatine's red lightsaber was still activated in his gut, piercing all the way through.


Almost there… almost there…

Obi-Wan panted as he finally reached the top. The sound of blaster fire rang in his eardrums. Yoda led the three Jedi Masters into the corridor to reveal Dooku cutting down the last of what seemed to be a huge resistance of Imperials trying to protect Palpatine. Apparently Dooku had been doing this for quite some time.

"I see you took your time to arrive," Dooku grumbled. Something about him seemed different.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt a fire in his gut. He couldn't explain it until he belatedly realized that it came from the bond between him and Anakin that he had thought was long gone.

"Anakin!" he breathed as he ran ahead past the other Jedi, bursting into the throne room. What he saw made him remain rooted to the spot.

The scene played in slow motion. He saw Anakin's lightsaber finishing its swing as Palpatine's now decapitated body fell to the ground. Just before the last moment came, Palpatine thrust his red blade into Anakin's gut, although the boy didn't react to it until a millisecond later, and Obi-Wan almost two consecutive seconds after that.

"NO!"

Anakin collapsed to the ground as the blade deactivated. Obi-Wan, blind with panic, rushed over towards the boy and fell to his knees beside him. The other Jedi ran into the room.

Obi-Wan cradled Anakin's body in his arms, tears leaking out freely. "Force, no…"

Obi-Wan held Anakin close and closed his eyes from the horror of the truth. He begged the Force, asking for some mercy and compassion. He had finally gotten Anakin back and yet the Force deemed it time to tear them apart once more. It was almost as painful as having the realization that his former Padawan had turned to the dark side.

Even though that previous incident had been more traumatic, the conglomeration of all the tragedies Obi-Wan had to endure of the years made this one unbearable.

The only sound in the room was Obi-Wan's sobs. The other four inhabitants were silent.


Yeah, I know, a cliffie and a BAD one at that. But please review, and I might update quickly!!!!!!!!!!! :-)