Vader

Lydia stretched her arm out across the bed, only to have it met with cool sheets. She opened her eyes to find herself alone in the large bed. 'Did I dream last night?' She wondered as she laid her hand across her eyes. 'Was it even real?'

She rose quickly, donning her robe on before walking softly down the hallway. She paused in the arched entryway to the common room to see Ben seated in the middle of the floor. He sat so still, she had to watch closely to see his chest rise and fall with each intake of his breath.

'He's still here.' She smiled to herself as she leaned against the arched entryway, wrapping her arms around her waist.

Quietly, as to not disturb him, she tiptoed past him into the kitchen. After setting the caff to brew, she settled in front of him on the floor. She smiled as the corners of his mouth turned upward in a smile.

"Good morning, my darling." He whispered.

#

Vader floated in the healing waters of the bacta tank. As the bacta covered his head, he slipped into unconsciousness. He felt his pain ebb away as the bacta took hold.

Anakin huddled in the darkness, hoping that the Dark One didn't hear him. "Padme, what have I done?" He whispered.

He wept.

In his hands, he cupped a blue butterfly. He pulled it closer to him, keeping it safe from the Dark One.

He felt so alone. Lost and adrift. He opened his hands to let the faint blue light from the butterfly illuminated his features. The butterfly slowly opened and closed its wings as Anakin's eyes slowly drifted shut.

He dreamed of Padme.

They were laying amongst the wildflowers in the Lake country on Naboo. The sun kissed her skin as she smiled up at him. He turned to face her and placed his hand on her swollen belly protectively.

"I miss you, Anakin." She said, as her hand reached out and cupped his cheek. "Come home to me."

"I miss you too, Padme," he said sorrowfully. "I don't think I'll ever be able to come home again."

Padme turned her face towards his. "Perhaps, Obi Wan could help us? He loves you," she whispered. "If he knew about the baby, he would want to help. I know he would."

"No, I can't bother him with this, Padme. I can figure this out on my own." Anakin picked one of the wildflowers and handed it to her. The flower wilted as her fingers closed around it.

Anakin saw the storm clouds rolling above them. "It's not safe here, my love. We need to leave." He looked down at her, but she was gone.

"Padme?" He rose, turning in circles, looking for her… but she was nowhere to be found. "Padme?!"

A dark voice crept into his mind. "She's gone. You killed her. Remember?"

"No. She can't be… I would never do anything to hurt her!"

The wildflowers had vanished. The green grass had been replaced with black volcanic sand. The dark voice laughed mockingly at him. The laughter echoed in his head.

"Obi Wan?"

"He's gone, too. He abandoned you. Just like Ahsoka. Then, he tried to kill you and left you here to die." The dark voice said.

'Ahsoka, why did you leave me when I needed you?' he thought.

"No, they wouldn't abandon me like that! They were my family!"

Anakin fell to his knees in the black sand. He looked around him, searching desperately for his friend… his mentor… his brother.

"No, he would never do that! You lie!"

"Look around you, boy. See the truth in my words." The dark voice mocked him.

"No." Anakin sank his hands into the black sands. He hung his head, sobbing.

Anakin woke suddenly, surrounded by a darkness black as night.

He opened his hands to look at the glowing blue butterfly nestled there.

The technician waited nervously as Lord Vader was pulled up out of the bacta tank. He had Vader's armor ready and waiting for the Dark Lord nearby. He trembled as he remembered the last technician who had been selected to assist Lord Vader never returned back from the lab. It was whispered among the other laboratory techs that Lord Vader killed the woman when she fumbled nervously while helping him don on his armor. He drew in a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions. Although, his fingers trembled as they hovered over the control panel.

Lord Vader opened his eyes slowly, trying to focus on his surroundings. His eyes lit on the suit. His anger grew as he realized it was time to put on the wretched armor. He wanted to speak, but without his vocalizer, his voice was weak and soft. Like Anakin, he thought. The datapad on the lab table beside the bacta tank began to tremble.

"M-m-y apologies, m-m-my Lord. I will hurry." The technician stammered as he maneuvered Lord Vader over the suit and activated the controls that began to encase the Dark Lord into the black armored suit.

"Leave me." Vader commanded as soon as the helmet closed over his head and snapped into place.

The technician left the room in a hurry, forgetting his datapad in his rush to flee Lord Vader's dark presence.

Vader paid no attention to the pathetic creature as he grabbed up his lightsaber and clipped it onto his belt. He stomped from the room, his cape flourishing behind him as he walked.

'This suit is an abomination,' he thought as his heavy footsteps thudded down the corridor toward the Emperor's office. 'It needs to be replaced.' He hated how the prosthetics dug painfully into his flesh.

He knelt in supplication before the Emperor.

"Rise, Lord Vader." The Emperor commanded.

Vader forced himself to rise steadily, refusing to show his weaknesses in front of his Master, Darth Sidious. "What is your bidding, my Master?"

The Emperor pressed a button on the console built into his desk. A door slid open with a quiet swoosh. "You may enter."

Vader watched curiously to see who was about to join them. His hand twitched, wanting to feel the security of his blade in his hand. The mask hid his surprise as a former Jedi Temple Guard entered the room, and knelt before them.

"My Lords." His voice was deep and steady. He bowed his ashen white head as his hands rested on the floor.

"You may rise, First Brother." The Emperor darkly intoned. "Lord Vader. I have appointed you as head of the Inquisitorius. I have been assembling a team of fallen Jedi who will assist you in your hunt for the remaining Jedi."

Vader nodded to the Emperor. "Thank you, my master."

"Good. You will begin training them immediately. First Brother, you have been promoted to Grand Inquisitor. Pray you do not fail me." The Emperor dismissed them both with a wave of his hand.

"Come, Grand Inquisitor. There is much to be done." Vader said after he bowed to the Emperor.

'Finally, it is time to find Kenobi, and have my revenge. He will pay for what he did to me.' Vader thought as he turned, his cape whirling behind him.

The Grand Inquisitor bowed to the Emperor before following the Dark Lord.

#

Obi Wan woke with a start. He felt a cold chill go down his spine. He shook his head, trying to shake off the remains of the dream.

Lydia stirred beside him, "Ben? What's wrong?" She said sleepily. She reached out across the bed to find him. Her fingers brushed his arm. "Your skin is like ice, my love."

She sat up and scooted over towards him, wrapping her arm over his waist. She slid her hand up his chest while she rested her cheek against his smooth back.

Obi Wan welcomed the warmth from her embrace. He ran a shaky hand over his face. "It's alright, my darling. It was only a dream. Go back to sleep."

"Jedi don't have dreams, Ben." She murmured into his back.

'Damn those blasted books of hers,' he thought as he wrapped his hand around hers.

She felt him sigh heavily.

"Ben, it's alright. You can tell me when you're ready." She whispered.

He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of her palm. "You are too good to me, my darling. Go back to sleep, now."

He relaxed as he felt her breath deepening as she drifted off back to sleep. Once he was sure she had fallen back into a deep slumber, he slid out from under her arm, taking utmost care as to not wake her again. He dressed in darkness, as he had time and time before. He glanced down at her sleeping form. Quietly, he left the room and padded silently down the hallway.

Aya greeted him with a soft whinny as he approached. "Shush, Aya. We must be quiet." He mounted himself astride the animal and grabbed the reins. The moons overhead lit his path as he headed out into the desert towards the Lars homestead.

#

Obi Wan placed another piece of wood on the fire. He held his hands in front of the flames warming them. He still felt unsettled after having the dream about Vader, and Anakin's fear of the one he called the dark one. After making sure all was safe at the Lars homestead, and that little Luke was alright, Obi Wan reflected on what the dream meant.

He had seen that Vader was dependent upon a suit, and that Vader hated everything it represented. While he wasn't able to see the suit, he knew it encased Vader fully. He had felt Vader's disdain for the suit, and his vulnerability while out of it. He knew Anakin would have despised that as well.

He would have to discuss the dream at length with Qui Gon. Especially the blue butterfly Anakin was sheltering. Both Qui Gon and Padme have said that there was good in him still. Perhaps they are right.

As he glanced toward the homestead below, and the small boy who slept peacefully inside, he thought, 'perhaps there is still hope to save Anakin. Perhaps, the boy will be the one who will be able to break through Vader's walls to free my brother. Or the girl, who went with the Organa's.'

The fire snapped, drawing his attention back to the present. And, to the other part of the dream.

Vader was leading a team hunting for him. For the remaining Jedi. He hoped the remaining Jedi received his message that he sent from the Temple, urging them to go underground. To remain hidden. To stay safe.

He put the fire out and began the ride back to Lydia's homestead. If he hurried, hopefully he would make it back before she awoke. In these past few weeks since his revelation to her that he was a Jedi, she hadn't pressured him for any other information. Rather, she had been patient with him, allowing him to tell her what he felt was safe for her to know. He smiled fondly she came to mind. After talking with Qui Gon about her, he felt as if his mind had been put at ease regarding his involvement with her.

He smelt fresh caff brewing as he walked into the homestead. He smiled when he realized that she was already awake, and waiting for him.

"Is everything safe on the horizon, my love?" She asked as he entered the kitchen.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. "Yes, all is well today, my darling."