A/N: Happy belated May the 4th! I meant to have this uploaded the day before, but I lost track of time. Shit happens.

Anyway, I decided to rewatch Revenge of the Sith, and I came to see Anakin Skywalker in a different light. Like, how the whole time he's doing all this crap for Palpatine, he's at war with himself. He knows what he's doing is wrong, as evident by him crying on Mustafar, but he keeps telling himself it's all to save Padme. So, here's a nice little oneshot that tries to get in his head.

Anakin Skywalker stared out through the dark lenses of his protective helmet, as the medical bed was raised to place him upright, almost in a standing position. His severed arms and legs, now outfitted with black leather over cybernetic limbs, were securely cuffed to the sides, in order to keep himself still during the prior operation. As the bed finished being raised, he thought back to the previous day, when he had finally fallen over the edge.

Anakin sat in his council seat, overlooking the rest of the chamber. He was constantly opening and closing his cybernetic hand, but the reason was unknown to him. Perhaps it was in anger, or maybe frustration. Or maybe he was restless, waiting for Jedi masters Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saessee Tiin to return. After revealing to them that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith lord they had been searching for over thirteen years, Windu decided they would arrest him immediately. Anakin wanted to go with them, but Mace refused. Even now, Skywalker replayed their last words spoken to each other, before leaving.

Wait in the council chambers until we return.

Anakin had hesitated, watching Windu leave, before muttering, Yes master.

Skywalker kept telling himself, again and again, that he wanted to be there to help them arrest Palpatine, but he was lying to himself. No, the real reason he wanted to be there was to keep the Jedi from killing the chancellor. Killing his one chance to save his wife Padme. He could even hear Palpatine's voice in his head, confirming his fears.

You do know, don't you. If the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost.

Anakin stared at the ground, wishing his eyes could bore a hole through the floor. He closed his eyes, shaking his head, and stood up, slowly walking over to the window. There, beyond all the speeders, the towers, and the Senate building, was an apartment. His apartment, that he shared with Padme. He could sense her now, staring out their window, her hair in curls, as she wore a dark golden dress with the wooden Japor snippet around her neck.

Skywalker felt the war inside him. The Sith were selfish, evil, but Palpatine was offering him a way to save the one he loves. He had premonitions of Padme, screaming, dying, but he couldn't reach her. When he had gone to Master Yoda, what did he say? That he shouldn't mourn her, or miss her when she passes. The Jedi refused to help him. Palpatine didn't. And now, the Jedi were going to take away his one shot of saving her.

He felt a tear trickle down his cheek, as he turned to leave the council chamber. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't.

Anakin sank to his knees, looking out the destroyed window of the Chancellor's office. Moments ago, he had pleaded with Windu, ready to kill Palpatine, to spare his life. At first, he tried reasoning that it wasn't the Jedi way, striking down an unarmed individual, but Mace scoffed, reminding him how he had killed Count Dooku in order to rescue the Chancellor weeks ago. Skywalker had then suggested to put him on trial, and Windu responded that Palpatine already had control of the courts. In a final bid, Anakin exclaimed that he needed the Chancellor to live, albeit not revealing why, but Mace seemed to ignore him, preparing to cut off Palpatine's head. As an act of desperation, the young Jedi had ignited his own lightsaber, a brilliant blue color, in an attempt to stop the violet blade. It had worked too well, as instead, he ended up severing Windu's hand at the wrist. Almost instantly after, Palpatine let loose a torrent of lightning from his fingertips, electrocuting the disarmed Jedi master and throwing him out the window, where he plunged to his death.

Anakin breathed heavily, still on his knees, as he felt the demon inside him growing stronger.

"What have I done?"

His vision was becoming hazy, causing him to blink several times, as Palpatine slowly stood up, looking down at him with nightmarish yellow eyes. Eyes that were sunken, and accompanied by a Hellish face, wrinkled and pale, with wispy white hair on top.

"You're fulfilling your destiny, Anakin." Palpatine smiled. "Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the force."

Anakin looked up at the man he called a friend, and slowly nodded. It was time to call him something else.

"I will do whatever you ask." Anakin promised, panting from exhaustion. Palpatine's lips curled into a smile, as Skywalker felt the air around them begin to grow colder.

"Good."

"Just help me save Padme's life." Anakin pleaded in desperation, ignoring the chill going up his spine. "I can't… I can't live without her."

Palpatine continued to grin, as the room grew even colder, and Skywalker could hear a faint vibration in the air.

"To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret." Palpatine murmured, in a deep, demonic tone. Anakin stared pleadingly, willing to do whatever it took to keep Padme alive.

"I pledge myself… to your teachings."

"Yes… goooood." Palpatine smiled, closing his eyes. "The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith, you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth… Vader."

Anakin continued staring up at Palpatine, absently nodding at his new title. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't. And if this is what it took… so be it.

"Yes, Master."

Palpatine opened his eyes, opening his mouth to reveal yellowed teeth.

"Rise."

Anakin entered the Jedi council chamber, his hood over his face, lightsaber in hand. Before leaving the Chancellor's office, Palpatine had instructed him to go to the Jedi temple and eradicate everyone there. Master, apprentices, padawans, rank did not matter. His new master explained that after Windu's death, they would surely come for them, and he agreed. The council's next move would be against the Senate, and they had to be stopped.

As he strode into the chamber, a dozen small heads poked out from behind the council's seats, with a little blonde haired boy walking up to him. He had instructed the clone troopers to wait for him; he would deal with these ones himself.

"Master Skywalker, there's too many of them." the youngling cried out. "What are we going to do?"

Anakin hesitated, wondering for a moment, what was he doing? Killing Jedi younglings? But then, his demon whispered in his ear, reminding him what his master had told him before leaving.

Every single Jedi, including your friend, Obi Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic.

Anakin looked up, through the chamber's windows, past the speeders and buildings, to gaze at the apartment he and Padme shared. He could still sense her, staring at the Jedi temple in the distance, weeping from the sight. But the moment was gone as quick as it had come, and he glared back down at the youngling, reminding himself this was all to keep her alive. He wouldn't lose her. He won't.

Without a second thought, Anakin ignited his saber, illuminating the chamber in a dark blue tint, as the boy stepped back in horror.

He stood on the balcony of the Mustafar stronghold, overlooking the fiery landscape. The air was hot, with rivers of lava pouring across banks of black sand, as the smell of sulfur invaded his nostrils. Anakin folded his arms, feeling his hood flapping against the scorching wind, as he awaited for her arrival.

It had only been an hour, maybe two, when he had slaughtered the last of the Separatist leaders inside. He could still hear their pleas of mercy, before cutting them down. He could feel the demon within him growing stronger, so much so it was beginning to cloud his vision, making it hard for him to think straight. He remembered, many nights ago, when he and Padme professed their love for each other. She asked him a simple question that night.

So love has blinded you?

Only now, he realized his answer. Yes, love has blinded him, to the point where he was willing to do anything to save her.

What was he doing? First the younglings, and now the Separatists? Was any of this worth it?

Yes. A deep, booming voice echoed in his mind. Anakin paused, realizing that the voice wasn't his own, nor was it Palpatine's like before. No, whatever spoke sounded even more demonic than his Master.

It is all to save her.

Anakin felt a tear run down his cheek, just like before. He was too far gone, he realized that now, but there was no going back. He was in too deep to stop. He couldn't stop, not when he so close to saving her.

I won't lose you. Not like I lost my mother. Anakin thought to himself. Closing his eyes. Instead of silence, like he had expected, that deep voice of the demon had spoken in reply.

You won't.

"You were the chosen one!"

Anakin glared up at his former friend and master, Obi Wan, as he feebly tried crawling up the mound of black sand. While reporting to Palpatine that the Sepratist leaders had been dealt with, he had noticed that Padme's Naboo starcruiser had entered Mustafar's atmosphere. Realizing that he never told her he'd been on this planet, he rushed outside, fearing the worst. His concern was confirmed, that Obi Wan told her everything: how he had joined Palpatine, and had killed younglings. The entire time, Anakin tried explaining to her why he did it. Couldn't she see? He was doing this for her, to protect her!

But as he glanced up at the cruiser, seeing Obi Wan standing at the top of the landing ramp, everything became clear. Padme had turned against him, and brought Kenobi to Mustafar to kill him. She tried to claim that she didn't know, but he knew the truth, and using the Force, had choked her into silence. Obi Wan had attempted to manipulate him, claiming that the Chancellor was evil, but Anakin saw through his and the Jedi's lies. With no other choice, he and Kenobi had engaged in a long and brutal duel across the landscape of Mustafar, culminating in his former master cutting off his arms and legs that were made of flesh, though leaving the cybernetic hand attached.

"It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them!" Obi Wan continued to shout, breaking Anakin out of his thoughts. As he stared up at Kenobi, he could just barely see tears streaming down his old master's face.

"You were supposed to bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!" Kenobi cried out in anguish. Anakin moaned in pain, still weakly trying to grab a fistful of sand, as Obi Wan walked over to his discarded lightsaber and picked it up. He walked up the hill, pausing to look back at Skywalker. Anakin felt tears of his own trickle down, as he poured all his pain, all his anger, into his next words.

"I HATE YOU!"

He continued staring up at Obi Wan, panting heavily. Kenobi undoubtedly thought that he was directing his words to him, but that wasn't it. He wasn't speaking to his old master at all. He wasn't even uttering those words towards the demon that had latched onto him, that was desperately clawing its way to the surface.

No, when he said those words, he was talking about himself. Anakin hated himself, for what he had done. To the younglings… to Padme, and now, to himself. And now, he couldn't take any of it back.

Obi Wan sadly shook his head, as he looked down at his former pupil.

"You were my brother, Anakin." Kenobi told him, as fresh tears spilled out. "I loved you."

Skywalker felt himself catch on fire, and he let loose a new scream of agony. Obi Wan looked away, walking off back to the starcruiser, while Anakin felt his entire body get cooked by the flames. As he burned, his demon screamed with him, while he fought to hear himself in his mind.

I won't lose you. I can't lose you. I can't.

Eventually, his master found him, pawing at the black sand. By now, the flames had died, but his body was horribly scarred… or what was left of it at least. As his master walked towards him, flanked by clone troopers in red trimmed armor, Anakin's vision blurred, and he passed out on the sand.

He woke up on a medical bed, being poked and prodded by several different droids. He felt metal limbs attached to his severed knees, but could not move them. Where they were, he didn't know, as the chamber, was cold, dark. Palpatine wasn't with her, and neither was Padme. No, Padme… where was she?

Anakin screamed, waving his cybernetic hand around, in a desperate attempt to move. Where was she? He can't lose her. He can't!

But his struggling proved useless, as the droids administered a sedative, before attaching a limb to his other arm, and placing both limbs in cuffs. All he could do was wait, as the droids outfitted him in black leather, before a dark mask descended from above. The lens activated, casting a crimson glow, as it was placed over Skywalker's burned face, while a black helmet sealed him shut with a hiss. He could feel his heart beating, as he took a deep inhale, then exhale. Behind his mask, Anakin's eyes widened, hearing his breathing, though it wasn't his own.

It was the demon's.

"Lord Vader… can you hear me?"

Anakin snapped out of his thoughts, looking straight ahead and addressing his master.

"Yes, Master."

Skywalker paused, realizing the voice was that of the demon's. The same one that spoke to him on Mustafar. After a few seconds of hesitation, Anakin slowly turned his head to stare at Palpatine's hooded face.

"Where is Padme?"

That was the question that kept nagging him, pounding at the base of his skull. He won't lose her. He had to know, and he had to know now.

"Is she safe? Is she… alright?" Anakin asked, hearing the demon's voice crack at the last word. Palpatine simply stared at his pupil, leaving his mouth ajar. Was he staring at him in pity? Sadness? Or was it something else?

"It seems, in your anger… you killed her." Palpatine finally murmured.

"I?" Anakin asked in disbelief. But how? What did he-

You choked her. Skywalker told himself.

"But she was alive!" Anakin stammered. "I felt it!"

Anakin felt his anger boil over, as the droids around them exploded. The walls creaked and groaned, crumbling in on themselves, and the entire chamber rumbled. Anakin balled his hands into fists, straining against the cuffs binding them to the bed, until-

The first cuff snapped away, followed by the second. Anakin stumbled forward, still getting used to his new legs, as the chamber continued to shake from his rage. He made an animalistic growl, throwing his head back, and screamed.

"Noooooo!"

Anakin sank to his knees, crying behind his mask, but felt no tears wet his face. Most likely, his tear ducts had been damaged beyond repair, either on Mustafar, or during the surgery here. But that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was Padme, and she was gone.

He couldn't believe it. The love of his life was extinguished. He betrayed his friends, sold his soul to the Devil, committed unspeakable acts of horror in her name… and it was all for nothing. He failed. He lost her. Just like his mother.

Anakin stayed kneeling for what felt like an eternity, wishing he could die. Once he realized that wasn't possible, he slowly stood up, and with it, came a realization.

He was no longer Anakin. Anakin Skywalker was dead, his soul cast down into the deepest pit of Hell. In its place was a demon, clad in black.

His name was Vader.

A/N: After rewatching episode 3, I came to view Anakin and Vader as two separate beings. I also drew parallels between Anakin turning to the dark side with the original story of Faust. Hence referring to Vader as a demon.

Anyway, hope everyone had a great May the 4th. Remember, the Force will be with you... always.