Blaze: another short author's note
Tigerstar: ah bleh
Blaze: here is chapter XLV and I hope you like it
Chapter XLV
Anakin piloted the ship toward Fury's speeder, his eyes were narrowed and his hand was on the still ignited lightsaber. He glanced over his shoulder at Qui-Gon who was sitting beside Luke. Qui-Gon locked eyes with him before turning his gaze back to the boy. "How is he?" Anakin asked softly.
"He's still recovering, he has broken bones in the ribs and a concussion," Qui-Gon reported.
Anakin nodded before glancing at Fury who was flying his topless speeder a few meters in front of him and Anakin glowered angrily. He deactivated his lightsaber before clipping it to his belt and flying closer to the speeder.
"Qui-Gon, take the wheel," Anakin said.
Qui-Gon nodded before leaping into the front seat and grabbing the wheel from Anakin as the younger man stood up. "What are you do…?" he began.
"Watch over Luke, Qui-Gon," Anakin said softly. "And if I don't return, please take care of him." Before Qui-Gon could reply, Anakin leapt out of the speeder, falling several stories and crashing into Fury's topless speeder.
Qui-Gon watched him fall before piloting his ship around to keep an eye on Anakin. Was he this much trouble when he was Obi-Wan's apprentice? He thought.
He was even more reckless, Obi-Wan's voice sounded and Qui-Gon smiled slightly before looking at Luke's unconscious form.
Anakin wants me to watch over Luke if something should happen to him, Qui-Gon thought.
Anakin will survive, you have to believe he will, Obi-Wan said silently and Qui-Gon sighed, knowing his former apprentice was correct. He flew after Anakin and Fury as the speeder chase went onwards.
~*~
Meanwhile, Anakin ignited his lightsaber with a snap-hiss before swinging it at Fury who leapt up and, switching his speeder onto autopilot, he leapt at Anakin and their blades intersected, sizzling as they came into contact with one another.
"You will not win this match, Skywalker," Fury hissed.
"If I do not survive, I'm taking you with me," Anakin shouted back before swinging his lightsaber quickly at Fury and the two blades intersected before Anakin swung his blade swiftly at Fury who leapt backwards to avoid the lightsaber and found himself teetering on the hood of the speeder. The speeder tipped and Anakin and Fury were nearly thrown off, Anakin dropped to grab a hold of the ship to keep himself from falling off and Fury took advantage.
He swung his lightsaber swiftly at Anakin and, before he could block it, Fury thrust his blade. It sank deep into Anakin's shoulder and he cried out in pain. Fury snarled before swinging his lightsaber swiftly at Anakin and knocking the ruby blade out of Anakin's right hand.
Anakin glared at Fury, his left hand resting on the wound on his shoulder. Fury glared at him. "And now you will die," he shouted before raising his lightsaber for the deathblow.
"Not before you," Anakin shouted before grabbing Fury's arm and flipping him off of the speeder. Fury grabbed Anakin's hand and wrenched him over as well and the two of them began plummeting toward the ground.
Anakin hit Fury with the hilt of Fury's lightsaber and Fury hissed in pain but let go of Anakin's hand and both of them started falling more rapidly toward the ground. A speeder suddenly appeared out of nowhere and Anakin found himself floating into the passenger seat of the speeder.
Qui-Gon gave him an exhausted smile and Anakin gazed at him for a long moment before he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.
~*~
As soon as Anakin fell unconscious, Qui-Gon gazed at him before glancing at Luke and gazing over the side of the speeder. He spotted a shape hit the ground hard and winced slightly when he realized it was Fury.
Sighing, Qui-Gon flew the ship toward Anakin's castle and as he did so, he called Leia's comlink. "Leia?" he called
"What is it, master?" Leia asked.
"Meet me at Anakin's castle, Anakin and Luke are seriously injured and they need medical attention," Qui-Gon said.
"Very well, master," Leia said before disconnecting the transmission and Qui-Gon put the comlink away before flying toward Anakin's castle with as much speed as possible.
By the time he reached Anakin's castle, he spotted a TIE fighter as well as an Alliance Shuttle parked in the landing bay of Anakin's castle. The Millennium Falcon was parked nearby, as it could not fit inside the hangar bay.
Qui-Gon landed the speeder before glancing at Anakin as the younger Jedi knight slowly stirred. Anakin still looked weak and he winced as he moved his shoulder before he glanced at Luke. "He hasn't woken up yet?" he asked quietly.
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Can you walk?" he asked.
Anakin nodded before slowly climbing out of the speeder. Almost as soon as he placed his feet on the ground, he nearly collapsed. Qui-Gon reached out a hand before steadying him and Anakin glanced up at him, gratefully.
"Will you see to Luke?" he whispered.
Qui-Gon nodded before turning around to check on Luke as Anakin leaned against the speeder, breathing heavily, his hand resting on his shoulder. Qui-Gon gently picked up Luke's body before placing a hand on the boy's throat and feeling his faint heartbeat. "He needs medical attention," he whispered.
"As do you," Padmé said, walking over to join Anakin as the Jedi slowly pushed himself off of the speeder.
"See to Luke first," Anakin whispered.
Mara walked forward before glancing at Anakin. "What happened in the palace?" she asked, gesturing toward the ruins of the palace that lay a few miles away.
Anakin didn't reply right away. "Do you want the whole truth or part of the truth, Jade?" he asked.
Mara narrowed her eyes. "What happened to the Emperor?" she demanded.
Anakin smiled slightly. "Why are you so worried about him, Jade?" he asked.
Mara glanced down. "No reason," she said a bit too quickly and Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes, sensing that Mara wasn't telling the complete truth. Apparently, Anakin knew this and his next words took Qui-Gon by surprise.
"You do not have to worry about the Emperor, Hand, the Empire is crumbling and the Emperor is dead," Anakin said.
Mara started, her green eyes shooting wide with shock and Anakin chuckled weakly. "Yes, I knew all along that you were the Emperor's Hand, Jade, from the moment you became my mechanic and my medic on the Executor," he said.
Mara narrowed her eyes. "Why did you kill my master?" she demanded.
Anakin widened his eyes innocently. "Why do you assume it was me?" he said and Qui-Gon resisted the urge to sigh and roll his eyes when he noticed the sarcastic and amused tone in his voice. "Besides, Jade, he's been lying to you this entire time, just as he has been lying to me."
"You're lying!" Mara shouted.
Anakin sighed and Qui-Gon suddenly sensed the Force presence inside of Mara. Mara's strong in the Force, Qui-Gon commented silently and he could tell by the expression on Anakin's face that he knew this as well.
"You are strong in the Force, Mara, the Emperor has been keeping you from reaching your full potential," Anakin whispered and Padmé glanced sharply at her husband and Qui-Gon suddenly sensed the weakness in Anakin just before he slowly toppled to the ground.
Padmé caught her husband, her eyes wide with fear and she glanced at Han. "Help me," she said.
"Why should I? I don't trust 'im," Han protested.
"Oh for crying out loud," Mara snapped angrily before walking quickly forward and taking Anakin's right arm while Padmé took his left arm.
"Let's get him and Luke some medical attention," Qui-Gon said before leading the way into Anakin's castle with Padmé, Mara, Anakin, Leia, and Ahsoka just behind him.
~*~
Anakin stirred slightly before finding himself gazing up at a white ceiling. He shifted slightly before slowly sitting up. A hand came onto his chest and pushed him gently down and he glanced at Padmé as his wife gently smiled at him. "How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.
"Been better, how long was I out?" Anakin asked.
"A few hours, Mara and your medic, Kiera, healed most of your wounds though you had to spend an hour in a bacta tank," said Padmé.
Anakin nodded before gazing around. "Where's Luke? And everyone else?" he asked.
"Leia's reporting to the Alliance leaders and Han's with her, they want to talk to you in a bit. Lando, Chewbacca and Ahsoka have gone back to help guide the rest of the Alliance here, and Luke's still unconscious," Padmé replied, gesturing toward where Anakin spotted his son lying on the medical bed.
"I thought I was more injured than him," he said, gazing at his son with worry in his eyes.
"Luke suffered a severe concussion to the head, several broken ribs, a broken leg and his arms are broken as well, it will be a while before he wakes up…if he wakes up at all," Mara Jade's voice sounded and Anakin glanced sharply at the former Emperor's Hand.
"What do you mean 'if he wakes up at all'?" he demanded.
Mara sighed. "The concussion was extremely severe," she said. "How did this happen?"
Anakin sighed. "One of the beams in the throne room fell while we were trying to escape and it hit Luke hard," he replied.
Mara nodded though Anakin could tell the former Emperor's Hand was still trying to understand what had happened to the Emperor. "I still can't believe he lied to me this entire time," she whispered.
"Did you tell her what happened?" Anakin asked, looking at his wife.
"Padmé and I did," a new voice sounded and Anakin glanced up as Qui-Gon walked into the infirmary.
"I figured they would know Palpatine better," Mara said.
"Anakin knew Palpatine better than any of us," Padmé said. "He spent more time with him when he had been Supreme Chancellor of the Republic."
"Yes but none of us could see his treachery until it was too late," Anakin murmured. "Least of all me."
Padmé smiled. "Palpatine's dead now, Anakin, and I'm sure everything is going to take a turn for the better," she said.
Mara had left while Padmé was speaking and Anakin glanced quizzically at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon shrugged. "She hasn't accepted it yet, give her time, she'll accept it sooner or later," he replied.
Anakin smiled. "Yes, it will take time, it did for me," he said.
Qui-Gon smiled slightly before glancing at Luke's unconscious body and Anakin followed his gaze, his brow furrowed with worry as he remembered Mara's words 'if he wakes up at all."
Anakin sat up before slowly climbing out of the bed in spite of Padmé and Qui-Gon's insistence that he stay in bed. He stumbled over to Luke's body before taking a seat beside him and gazing at him with worry glittering in his eyes.
"Please wake up, Luke, please," he whispered, gently pushing Luke's hair out of his face and continuing to gaze at him. Padmé joined him before putting her arms around her husband's waist.
"He'll be all right, Ani," she whispered.
Anakin gazed at his wife. "I hope so," he replied before turning his gaze back to his son.
~*~
Luke stirred slightly; everything within him ached though he knew he was conscious, if only slightly. The last thing he remembered was the beam of stone falling down from the throne room but after that, everything was a blur and Luke didn't remember anything.
He opened his eyes slightly and instantly blinded himself momentarily as fluorescent lights streamed into them. He blinked his eyes several times before turning his head slightly, the movement agitated the bruised bones in his body and he bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain.
He glanced over his shoulder and spotted his father sleeping beside him; Anakin's head was resting on the headrest of the chair and his eyes were closed. Luke smiled slightly at his father before turning his head again and the door slide open. Leia and Han walked inside, their hands were intersected and they were smiling slightly.
"Hey kid," Han greeted him.
Luke smiled and his father stirred beside him before blinking open his eyes and turning to gaze at him; Luke saw relief in his blue eyes. "Good to see you awake, Luke," he said softly.
Luke smiled. "Thanks," he said before looking at Leia and she spot a gleam of sadness in her eyes. "What's the matter, Leia?" he asked his sister.
Leia sighed before glancing at Han who gently kissed her forehead, Luke saw Anakin scowl out of the corner of his eye. "He's going to find out sooner or later, Leia, and I think it would be best if he heard it from you," Han said.
"What happened?" Luke asked. "Did you win the battle over Coruscant?"
Leia sighed again. "Yes, we won," she said.
"That's great."
"But…I'm really sorry, Luke, but Wes Janson is dead," Leia said softly.
Sadness filled Luke's eyes as he thought about Wes, when he was commander of Rogue Squadron, and before then, he, Wes and Wedge became good friends with each other and Luke was going to miss him. "Thanks for telling me Leia," he said softly.
Leia smiled slightly. "We have some happier news to tell you," she said.
"Oh?" Luke raised an eyebrow slightly though it pained him slightly and he struggled to sit up, Anakin reached out an arm before steadying Luke and he leaned back against the bedrest.
Leia smiled. "Yes," she replied. "Han asked me to marry him and I said yes."
Luke noticed his father scowl at this but he smiled. "Congratulations," he said to Han and Leia. "You two are made for each other…when you aren't fighting all the time."
Leia laughed. "Also, Qui-Gon has been teaching me the ways of the Force," she said.
"That's great," Luke said smiling and he felt pride come off of Anakin in thick waves that nearly bowled him over. "Looks like I won't be the only Jedi in the new line of Jedi Knights."
Anakin laughed. "No, you will not," he said.
Luke smiled. "You know," he said. "If I'm going to do this, you know restore the Jedi, I think I'm going to change some of the rules that were in the old Order, once I figure out what orders those were."
"Such as no attachments?"
"Yes, that is the first one I'm banning."
Anakin smiled before putting an arm around Luke's shoulder as the door slide open and Qui-Gon, Padmé, Kyp and Ahsoka walked into the infirmary. "You know, Luke," Anakin said softly. "You will not be in this alone."
Luke smiled at his father before glancing at his sister, his future brother in-law, Ahsoka, Qui-Gon, Kyp, his mother and the many other members of the Alliance, including Lando, Chewbacca, and Wedge, whom he had become friends with since he was forced off of Tatooine all those years ago.
"Yes, I know I am not alone," he said softly.
Anakin smiled. "You know, you promised me a race, once you're out of here, I challenge you to a race," he said.
Luke laughed. "You're on, old man, prepare to lose," he said.
Anakin chuckled. "You prepare to lose," he retorted.
Luke laughed before gazing at his family that surrounded him. He may have lost his aunt and uncle when the Imperial Stormtroopers had killed them back on Tatooine but he gained a family nonetheless. He had his father with him as well as his mother and his sister as well as his future brother in-law.
The Empire was crumbling around them and Luke knew that so long as he was with his family, he knew he would be able to do anything. He smiled at his father and Anakin smiled back at him. Peace is coming, Luke thought. And soon, the Empire will fall and the Republic, as well as the Jedi, will arise again.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: I liked this, the next chapter is the epilogue and it takes place three months later
Darth: why three months?
Blaze: cause I wanted to do that
Darth: oh okay, what about Mara?
Blaze: you'll see in the next chapter
Darth: oh okay
Tigerstar: that was a very good chapter, poor Wes
Blaze: yeah and well, I guess I decided to cut out the sad part
Tigerstar: good
Blaze: I should put it next
Tigerstar: NO! (Dives over a cliff into the lava pit on the volcanic planet of Mustafar)
Blaze: (glances over the edge) I was just kidding
Tigerstar's Ghost: oh now you tell me
Blaze: pretty much, please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can
