Day 13: Traitor

Summary: A sequel to the previous chapter: Darth Vader (Luke) has finally caught up to his father after three years apart. He wants answers as to why Anakin left the Empire and their family.

"I won't fight you, Luke," Anakin said, tossing his saber to the side. It hit the stone floor of the cave and clattered away.

Darth Vader watched it roll away. His own red lightsaber was still lit and he looked down at it. What would he do, Anakin wondered. Would his son fight him?

"Don't call me that," Vader said far too softly.

"That is your name," Anakin said. "Your true name."

Vader, no Luke, took a shaky breath. He deactivated his lightsaber and looked up at his father with watery blue eyes. A sharp stab hit Anakin's heart. There was his boy, his little boy. He took a tentative step forward and opened his arms, but stopped. Would Luke even want-

But Luke did. He tossed his own lightsaber aside and dashed forward. He wrapped his arms around his father, and Anakin hugged him back. They both held each other tightly.

"Father," Luke murmured into Anakin's shoulder. "I missed you."

Anakin rubbed soothing circles on Luke's back and kissed the side of his head. "I did too, little one. I did too."

"Then why?" His voice cracked with sobs. "Why did you leave us? Why?"

Anakin squeezed his son tighter. What could he say that wouldn't make this worse? It wasn't because he didn't love his family as he loved them with everything he had . . . but . . . He could no longer turn a blind eye to the rest of the galaxy. He had done that for eighteen years before he finally took a good look at life outside the palace. And once he did, there was no going back. He couldn't ignore it. So he left. He left to make things better and hoped that in the end, rather selfishly, that somehow his family would still be intact.

"I had to," Anakin finally answered. "The Death Star . . . Luke, it should have never been built. I know what your mother has said about it, but . . . it wouldn't have brought peace."

Luke's shoulders shook with a deep sob. "I know," he said as he hands grabbed at Anakin's jacket.

"Come with me," Anakin whispered, almost afraid to say it any louder. Luke leaned back so he could look up at his father. His face was red and stained with tears. "Come with me," Anakin repeated as his flesh hand slid up into Luke's hair.

"I . . ." Luke looked away.

Anakin knew what he was asking. He hated to think that it was asking to tear their family further apart, and he personally didn't see it that way, but Luke did.

"You don't have to keep doing this," Anakin said. No, he pleaded. "You can do good, real good, in this galaxy."

"You mean overthrow mom?"

"I . . ."

What could he say to that? He had joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The goal was to bring down the Empire . . . which meant dethroning Padme . . .

"Oh please answer that one, father."

A chill ran down his back as both father and son turned and saw someone else standing in the cave.

"Leia," Anakin whispered.

She stood straight and tall wearing her sharp white Grand Inquisitor uniform. She walked forward with her jaw set and golden eyes narrowed. Her right hand hovered above her lightsaber.

"What are you doing Luke?" Leia hissed as she came to a stop in the middle of the cave. "You weren't falling for his lies were you?"

Anakin felt Luke tremble.

"They weren't lies," Anakin said as he slowly let go of Luke and stepped around him.

He didn't turn his gaze from Leia, but he did locate his lightsaber in the Force. He didn't want to summon it to him, but he would . . . Leia . . . Leia wasn't as soft hearted as her brother. She wouldn't be swayed by his words easily.

"They weren't? So you are trying to overthrow the Empire? Overthrow mother? Your wife?" Leia grew angier with each word.

"Leia . . ."

Her lightsaber jumped to her hand and ignited with a snap-hiss.

"Anakin Skywalker, you are a traitor to the Empire," Leia said between clenched teeth. "By the personal order of Empress Amidala, you are to be detained and brought before the throne. So stop whatever sweet words you have for me and start thinking of what you can say to beg forgiveness from the Empress."

"Leia," Luke said in a feeble attempt to stop what was about to happen, but Anakin knew. It had already started and there was no stopping it.

His own lightsaber jumped into his hand. He hadn't wanted to fight Luke, and he didn't want to fight Leia. He would disarm her and knock her out if he had to. He was going to save the galaxy and his family . . .

He underestimated his daughter and how deep her anger and hurt ran. How betrayed she felt. How much she grieved over the loss of her family. These strong emotions fueled her powers in the Dark Side . . .

Once Anakin had fallen, his legs cut off, Luke had tried to come to his father's help. But Leia had beaten him too by slicing off his arm. Now father and son were strapped to a medical hover table on route back to Imperial Center. He didn't know what Padme had in store for him, but he prayed to the Force for her to have mercy on their son.