AU: We are getting down to the final couple chapters. I just want to thank you all again. I suck at writing clearly, but I enjoy doing this and am just happy people are actually reading the things I write.
Padme had to keep reminding herself, it was okay and that even thought this wasn't part of the plan, Anakin would figure something out. He always did.
She looked over at Luke and noticed he seemed calmed. She knew she was right that before they were separated Anakin told Luke something. Times like this she wished she was gifted with the force, she hated not knowing what was going on.
She looked ahead as the man lead them farther and farther into the palace. She noticed he was taking them right to the former Jedi Counsel room. She figured it was going to look nothing like it did the last time she was here. The room used to be surrounded by windows, which made the small area full of life and warmth.
As the doors opened and she stepped in, she was right. The room was now dark and black. The warmth was now replaced with a coldness. There was nothing welcoming about this room anymore.
"Ah, young Skywalker and his mother. I must say I was expecting you, but not this soon. I'm disappointment. I figured you would take more time to plan a better more thought out attack. Maybe you should have stayed a little longer at your former appartment with your daughter and that scoundrel." Palpatine said to them. "You can leave us now." He indicated to the man that brought them in.
Anakin was right. He knew we were here, just as they planned. Clearly his arrogance hasn't changed much over the years.
"When should I expect my former apprentice to be arriving? Surely, he wouldn't allow both of you to arrive here without him" Palatine said.
"Your confidence truly is your downfall, you must know Anakin is no longer that weak man who fell for your tricks before, nor is he your even weaker apprentice." Padme said.
Palpatine laughed. "Such faith you have in your husband, but still he is no match for me."
"Even if we fail to destroy, you must see the rest of the galaxy is finally seeing through your lies. It won't be long, until they attack. Even you can't stand up against an entire galaxy, not with the destruction of your second Death Star." She smirked and watched as he glared at her.
"I'm going to make sur you don't make it out of her alive this time, but I want Vader to see the light leave your eyes. I want him to feel the pain he has felt for years, but this time you won't be coming back." Palpatine said as he walked closer to him.
She tried hiding her fear, not giving him the satisfaction of that.
She noticed a lightsaber ignite in front of her face, but instead of it being red it was green. She looked over and noticed Luke uncuffed himself and ignited his lightsaber. She smirked at the shocked looked on Palatine's face.
"You will not harm her." Luke said.
"You are as foolish as your father." Palatine said.
"I guess it runs in the family." Luke shrugged.
Palatine lifted his hand and called his lightsaber to him, before striking down at Luke.
She stepped back as Luke blocked the attack. She uncuffed her cuffs and noticed Palpatine's guards started to make their way over to Luke. She looked around hating herself for not bring a weapon, but she wasn't going to let them harm Luke. She ran to both the guards swinging her leg low to the guard, causing them both to fall. Quickly she grabbed one of their force pikes off the ground and hit the one guard in the head knocking him out.
She noticed the other one stand up. He swung at her, but she ducked missing the attack. She looked over and saw Luke and Palpatine where still fighting. She also saw Imperial Troopers were making there way in.
She hoped Anakin was on his way, cause they didn't stand a chance at this rate.
Anakin ran down the hallways, grateful he didn't run into anyone. He sensed he was running out of time. He could feel the danger Padme and Luke were in.
He hide behind a pillar just as a group of Imperial Troopers ran down the hall towards the Throne room.
Great. He knew where they were going. He ran behind them, hoping they were going to be his way in.
The moment he ran into the room, the Imperial Troopers started to shoot. He looked over as Luke was fighting the Emperor. He was impressed he managed to keep up with his attacks. He looked over an saw Padme holding a force pike also managing to keep with the Imerpial guards and troops attacking her.
He ran over to help her blocking as many blasters as he could. He watched as one of the Imperial Troopers shot at her hitting her left hand causing her to drop the force pike. She kicked the guard in front of her and grabbed a stray blaster on the ground.
He ran to the Trooper who shot her and struck him with his lightsaber. He looked over and saw Padme shielding herself be hide the throne shooting at the remaining Troopers. He ran over to make sure she was okay.
"Happy to see you could join us." Padme greeted him with and he could see the pain on her face even thought she was fighting through it.
"You know I've never one to miss a good fight." Anakin said turning around to strike a Trooper coming up behind Padme.
"I can handle them. Go help our son." Padme said.
Anakin hesitated not wanting to leave her. He looked and saw there where only a few Troopers left and she would be able to handle it. They both knew their son needed the help. Luke was powerful, but Palpatine was far more powerful.
As he ran over to Luke and Palpine he watched as Palpatine managed to disarm Luke. Before he could give the final blow, Vader ran between them blocking the attack with his lightsaber.
"Oh good. The apprentice has returned. Have you grown tired of the family life yet? Ready to have your spot back by my side?" Palpatine smirked.
"You time as come to end, my Master. This is something I should have done a long time ago." Anakin growled.
Palpatine laughed. "You honestly think you are a match for me? You are no match. You are nothing, but a weak little slave boy."
He knew all the right things to say to trigger Anakin. He gripped his lightsaber tighter before sending attack after attack at the vile man.
"Good. Good. Use our anger and you will soon be my apprentice again soon enough." Palpatine laughed.
Anakin could feel the dark side creeping in and he could fill the power. He had to calm down, he couldn't turn down that pathway again. Palpatine knew how easily tempted he was.
"I told you we would do this together." Luke said joining his father's side. Anakin could feel the love coming from Luke. He just need to focus on that.
"Good, this way you can watch with your own eyes as your son dies." Palpatine said sending force lighting at Luke, but Luke quickly blocked it.
"You seem to underestimate him. He isn't weak like his father. He is strong and powerful. He is everything the Jedi should have been, before you came around." Anakin said.
"Then is seems he will die like them as well." Palpatine said flipping over both of them and quickly attacking.
Anakin and Luke both turned around and started to attack, but Palpatine managed to block every move. Anakin was growing frustrated. He wanted to end this.
Palatine lifted his hand sending a force push towards Luke sending him towards the wall, where he slide down and slowly fell to the grown. He watched as Padme ran over to him.
"Padme." He said hoping she knew what he was implying. He watched her look up and he knew she knew.
He was done putting his family in harms way. This battle was between them two. He had to be the one to finish this. It was his destiny, or at least it was at one point in time.
He slowly circled Palpatine as Padme helped Luke up and quickly left. He watched her look back at him one more time. He just hoped this wasn't going to be the last time he her perfect face.
"It's over. You will not longer control my life." Anakin said.
"When I'm done with you, maybe your son will truly see the power of the dark side. If not him, then maybe you daughter." He smirked.
Anakin thought back to both his children, so pure and hopefully. They would stop at nothing to save the ones they love, just like he once was. The difference thought, they had some of Padme in them, who was the most kind-hearted person he has ever met. She was the light that always seemed to bring him back and his kids had that in them. He knew no matter what happened in the next couple moments, they would never fail like he did. They would never turn like he did.
"You are wrong about them." Anakin said feeling the light side of the force in him, stronger than he has felt in years.
"Faith in them in your failure." Palpatine said before lunging at him.
Anakin quickly blocked the attack and attacked back. They went back and forth like this. They were each strong in there own way and each knew the others move before it was laid out. He knew he had to think of something or this was going to happen. He knew what he had to do. He was going to take a trick from his old master. His true master.
He left his left side exposed and Palpatine saw his opportunity and took it. Anakin felt the pain and knew he only had once chance. Slowly he fell to the ground and looked up at his former master.
"There was so much potential in you. It truly is a pity it had to end this way." Palpatine said.
Anakin tried chuckling, but it mainly came out in a cough. "Arrogance truly is fault of the dark side."
Palpatine lifted his lightsaber, but before he could give the finally blow. Anakin used the force and sent his lightsaber went right through Palpatine's heart, or where is heart should be. Palpatine looked down not believing what just happened, but Anakin wasn't done yet. He lifted his hand and force pushed Palpatine backwards. He watched as he broke thought the glass and fell out.
He felt the cold wind from the evening sky running through his hair. He slowly stood up and walked over finding Palpatine hanging on for dear life.
"I guess it's over now. I have the high ground." He slowly smirked thinking of Obi-wan.
"Vader! Anakin! You can't let me die like this. I was a father figure to you. The only father you ever had." Palpatine begged as Anakin watched him struggle.
"You never cared about me, you only wanted my strength and power." Anakin said, thinking back to when he thought of Palpatine as that fatherly figure he always craved.
"You foolish, stupid-" He started to yelled before Anakin had enough and force pushed him the rest of the way down.
He heard his screams and watched him fall until he no longer could. He held his side and slowly backed up ,before hitting some piece of furniture and falling. He was feeling dizzy.
He heard someone running in and figured it was a guard or an Imperial Troopers ready to kill him. He has managed to dodge death one too many times. It seems now it is his time.
He looked up and saw the face of an angel staring down at him. He smiled as the angel called out his name. Ani! Ani! He hoped his family would forgive him. He knew they would be better off without him. Padme would be the mother she was born to be, sadly too late, but it was better than nothing. Luke would be sad, he knew that, but it time I will be noting but a thought. Leia will just be grateful to have me out of her life.
He thought back on his life from being a slave to finally being free of all the masters in his life. He thought back to the small slave boy flying his pod racer to help some strangers in need to saying goodbye to his mother promising to return. He thought back to being a young man meeting and marrying Padme before having to leave to fight the clones wars along side his brother, Obi-wan. He then thought back to betraying everyone he loved and living in a suit sad and alone torturing his kids without even knowing it only to be saved by his son. He pictured Padme' s smile, Luke's kindess, Leia's witty replys, and Obi-wan finally forgiving him. He thought back on everything, but he longer could keep his eyes open. It was his time.