Chapter 2 – Answers
Author's Note: Uh... a minor character death warning probably applies. Also, sorry about it. It seemed most realistic given... well, everything. I can't explain here or it'll be a spoiler, but you have questions, feel free to ask, and I'll explain our reasoning. :)
~ Amina Gila
The ship finally exits out of hyperspace, and they land the shuttle near the medical center. Anakin opts for carrying Padme off the shuttle, into the medical center. Bail Organa is sitting right outside, surprise flashing across his face when he sees Anakin.
Droids come to take Padme on a stretcher immediately, and Anakin is about to ask if they can come too when he hears the familiar thumping of a gimer stick on the ground.
Relief instantly washes through Anakin as he sees Yoda there, because so long as he's here, he'll know what to do, right? He still can't wrap his head around how the Jedi are gone, but if Yoda's here, that makes things a little better. Except for some reason, he does not look happy.
"Obi-Wan," Yoda greets, "Good to see you here safe, it is, but brought him with you, you should not have." It takes Anakin a moment to realize that Yoda's talking about... him? What? "Killed him, you should have."
Before it can even fully register what Yoda said, Obi-Wan's lightsaber is out, pointing down at him. "What are you talking about?" he demands.
"Stopped, the Sith must be," Yoda replies. ...what? Anakin doesn't think he's been this confused (and hurt) literally ever.
"Anakin's not a Sith!" Obi-Wan exclaims incredulously.
"Changed in both of you, something has," the Grandmaster observes.
"We both appear to be experiencing a case of memory loss," Obi-Wan answers, "I don't remember what's going on, beyond what Artoo told us."
"Mm, disturbing this is," murmurs Yoda, "Need your lightsaber you do not, Obi-Wan." Looking suddenly abashed, Obi-Wan deactivates it, clipping it back to his belt. "Speak with you in private, I would like."
All of this is moving way too quickly, and Anakin didn't think the day could get more confusing but apparently it can. What does Yoda mean –?! He has to be misunderstanding something, because none of this makes any sense. And... he finds himself automatically looking to Obi-Wan for some sort of reassurance that... that Yoda can't possibly be implying what he thinks he was about the future.
His master reaches over, briefly resting a hand on his shoulder and he would have leaned into the touch instantly if Yoda hadn't been staring at him almost accusingly. It hurts, because... he doesn't understand! He's not a Sith. He would never Fall. Why...? This doesn't make any sense! (And why would Yoda have sent Obi-Wan to kill him?! Is that what he's saying? That's – no it, can't be. He has to be misunderstanding something.)
"Check up on the Queen," Obi-Wan instructs gently, "I'll figure out what's going on."
Yoda looks unhappy about that for whatever reason, but he doesn't argue as Anakin slips from the room without another word.
**w**
Obi-Wan is... If the Force wasn't telling him otherwise, he wouldn't even believe that this actually is Yoda, because he isn't making an ounce of sense right now. And what in the name of the Force does he think he means by saying that he wanted Obi-Wan to kill Anakin, his own padawan? For what? In truth he doesn't think it matters what Anakin did; he couldn't even dream of such a thing. Obviously, he is clearly missing something very huge here, and he isn't entirely sure Yoda is stable at the moment, because this doesn't make any sense.
He watches Anakin go, before following Yoda into a more private room, settling across from the Grandmaster, waiting warily for him to speak.
"Remember what, do you, hmm?" Yoda asks.
"Last, I remember is from when Anakin was fifteen. I don't know what year it is, even."
"Seven years since then, it has been," Yoda replies.
Wait, seven years? And that means, Anakin is – no, there is no way his padawan is already twenty-two. But that does explain why he isn't a padawan anymore. (It also doesn't make it any better that he's in a relationship with someone.)
"What happened?" Obi-Wan asks, "I don't... Artoo said there was a war?"
"Mm, yes, a war between the Republic and the growing Separatist movement. Lasted for three years, it did," Yoda replies.
Three years. They fought in a war for three years, and he doesn't remember any of it.
"The Republic doesn't have an army," Obi-Wan objects, as the implications start to sink in, "Were the Jedi their army?" And what were they fighting against, even?
"Used droids, the Separatists did," Yoda answers his unspoken question, "And discovered we did, a clone army manufactured for the Republic. But now, appears it does, that a plot of the Sith, this was."
A clone army. A droid army. Wait, a manufactured army... Okayyyyyy. "What do you mean?" Obi-Wan frowns.
"The Sith behind everything, Palpatine is. Ordered the clones to turn on the Jedi, he did. Destroyed, they were," Yoda replies, ears drooping. Obi-Wan would almost think he was lying, but he's never seen the Grandmaster so... distressed.
"How could Palpatine be a Sith?" he demands, finally, "The Jedi... how did no one sense it?"
That doesn't make any sense at all. And he abruptly remembers how he's been recently sending Anakin to see the Chancellor. He was sending his padawan right to a Sith lord?!
"Clouded by the Dark Side, everything was," Yoda replies, which answers everything and nothing, but this is all too mind-blowing for Obi-Wan to understand all the implications of. It makes sense, in a horrible, twisted way, how the Sith's plan would have worked out. Though he still can't believe the Jedi were literally leading a war for three years. That's not... It's not their role. Yes they fight in conflicts sometimes, but it's always to resolve them. Not lead an army.
"What's this about Anakin?" he asks, finally.
"Jointed the Sith, he did," Yoda replies gravely.
What?! "No, Anakin would never do that," Obi-Wan denies instantly. That much, he's certain of. His padawan might be an adult now, but when he thinks about him, all he can see is the little boy he remembers.
"Twisted by the Dark Side, he was," Yoda insists, "The boy you trained, gone he was. Consumed by Darth Vader."
Yoda's words don't make any sense, or maybe he's in complete denial of them. There's no way Anakin would Fall. He wouldn't. He might have serious issues with controlling himself, but he wouldn't betray the Jedi like that.
"Why? Why would he?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Twisted his mind, the Sith did," Yoda answers.
Right. The Sith who is Palpatine, who Anakin has been going to see the past few years. Who's probably been brainwashing him this entire time, and why did Obi-Wan never notice the difference? He doesn't want to believe this, doesn't want to accept that this could happen. There's no way that the boy he raised could ever do that. He wouldn't. But Yoda isn't lying... He has no idea how to handle this.
"Led the march on the Temple with the clones, he did," Yoda responds, "Destroyed many Jedi, he did."
No, this... it can't be what happened. They have to be missing something here because Anakin wouldn't turn on them for no reason. Palpatine was obviously manipulating him for years, but... It doesn't make any sense.
"What now?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Sent you to stop him, I did," Yoda replies, "Only two of us, there are. Tried and failed to kill Sidious, I did."
Yoda tried and failed to kill Sidious? The Sith... won? This is too much for him to handle, especially the part about Anakin. He still can't even accept the Jedi really are dead in the first place. All of this seems so... unbelievable.
"He isn't Fallen now, though," Obi-Wan argues, finally, "He doesn't even remember it and might never."
"For the best that would be," Yoda replies, "But dangerous that he is here, this is. If remember, he does, tell Sidious about everything, he will."
"He won't," Obi-Wan argues, "I'll talk to him. He – He won't." He can't imagine what could ever make Anakin Fall, but there has to be something they can do about it. There has to be.
"Let your attachment to him blind you, do not," Yoda warns, "Very dangerous, he is. Not the boy you trained, he is."
Yoda has always been right about everything, but this... He can't accept it, especially when he remembers absolutely nothing about it. No, there has to be something else going on here. "I'll be careful," Obi-Wan promises finally, "I should go talk to him."
"Watch him closely, you must," the Grandmaster cautions again, "Safe for him to be here, it is not."
The words grate on him, but he keeps his protests to himself. He doesn't know what happened; Yoda does. That doesn't mean he's willing to accept it, though. This is all way too much. He needs to have that talk with Anakin.
**w**
Moving almost robotically, Anakin goes to find Padme, asking for an update from the droids. Her condition is rapidly deteriorating, and they say that they will have to operate quickly if they're going to save the babies.
The babies who are apparently his children, though he remembers absolutely nothing about any of this. He and Bail both express their agreement, though, so the droids get to work.
Anakin watches for a short time, his mind whirling furiously, a million miles away. He doesn't understand. None of this makes sense, and... then he remembers those feelings he was getting about Obi-Wan and the Jedi from this future, and there's a deranged part of him that almost hopes he doesn't remember, that he could hide in this past as though it would somehow change whatever happened in the future.
He doesn't understand any of this and none of it makes sense. To avoid getting in the droid's way as they work – it doesn't feel like he even belongs here, really because he doesn't remember anything about Padme beyond when he first met her – he moves, settling in a corner, crossing his arms over his knees and resting his head on them. It jars him again how his hand is metal, but he hardly even cares about that right now.
"Sent you to kill him, I did."
Yoda wants him dead. And he sent Obi-Wan – This doesn't make any sense at all, and he's torn between crying and outright screaming.
He doesn't know how long he's been sitting here when there's a sudden noise in the doorway. Obi-Wan steps into the room, approaching him. Anakin can't tell much from his expression but he seems mostly uncertain and confused, though his expression is mostly closed off which is... never a good sign.
"I don't understand this," Anakin says miserably.
"I don't either." He doesn't sound angry, actually there's little tone at all, so it's hard to say if that's better or worse. He moves closer, settling down next to him.
"What... happened?" Anakin asks.
"Yoda says that you Fell. That you joined the Sith and... helped the clones when they attacked the Temple."
Clones? He doesn't know or much care what that part is supposed to mean, because what – "What?" Anakin blurts, "But – that doesn't – I wouldn't do that!" He would never do that. He wouldn't! He finds himself suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to cry, not as if that would fix or change anything. None of this makes any sense, and the very thought is sickening. If he turned on the Jedi, no wonder Yoda was saying something about killing him, but... He doesn't understand!
He's... slightly caught off guard when Obi-Wan suddenly reaches forwards, gently cupping his cheek. He looks away, unable to meet his eyes. "I don't believe you would either," Obi-Wan replies, "That's what I don't understand."
It doesn't help really, but the words are still a small measure of comfort. That at least someone is about as lost and confused about the situation as he is.
"I wouldn't," he whispers again, helplessly – pointlessly really, because apparently he did and doesn't even remember a thing about it.
"There's obviously a lot more to this than we know," his master sighs, "And... you should know that the Sith is Palpatine."
Anakin jolts back. "What?!" Because apparently things can still get stranger –
"He is. I don't know how," Obi-Wan answers, shaking his head, "I don't see how no one could have sensed it, but I know you were seeing him and..."
Anakin shifts instantly uncomfortable. He doesn't really want to talk about this. He knows his master doesn't always seem the happiest about his meetings with the Chancellor. But the Chancellor asked for it and there's no real reason to refuse, especially not when they see the potential relationship as useful for the Order. "How could he be a Sith?" he protests. That almost makes less sense than Anakin himself being one. He doesn't know the Chancellor well, all things considered, but he's a mentor figure in so many ways. He's always been completely supportive of Anakin – even or especially when Obi-Wan is not. He doesn't understand. Any of this.
"I don't know," his master replies.
Anakin stares down at the floor. "What happens now?"
"Until we start to remember things, we'll... I don't know. I'll have to talk to Master Yoda about it."
"I don't understand," he whispers again, tears abruptly burning his eyes.
"We'll figure it out," his master promises reassuringly. Anakin twists around, wrapping his arms around him, burying his head against his shoulder. He knows it's not the Jedi way, but he hardly cares right now.
After a moment, his master slips an arm around him, holding him.
"'m sorry," he whispers.
"For what?"
"I don't know. I – I betrayed everything you taught me,"
"We don't know what happened," he reminds him, voice surprisingly gentle, "Until then, we can do little."
They don't have much longer, before they hear word from the medical droid that Padme is apparently partly conscious again, and she's about to give birth. Anakin tries to shove his raging emotions aside, which is a little easier than he was expecting because for some reason, his worry about Padme suddenly skyrockets. Though he couldn't say for certain why he's so worried about her, he just is. (They were... apparently in a relationship so maybe that's somewhat related. Though he thinks there's something more going on, but he has no idea what.)
He hurries into the room, over to the side of her bed.
"Anakin," she breathes, giving him a faint smile, from her half-conscious state, and reaches over, taking his hand again. He returns it with a small squeeze of his own, even though it's awkward because it still feels like he doesn't know her, and it's odder than she doesn't know that either. She assumes he remembers. But she could obviously use the comfort right now, so he's willing to put up with it, even if he can feel Obi-Wan's eyes on him again. What?! It's not his fault that he did this! Well, okay it is, but he doesn't remember so he can hardly speak sensibly about it.
Some minutes drag by before the first of the babies is born. Anakin immediately moves over, taking the tiny baby from the medical droid.
It's a boy, with the tiniest bit of blonde hair on his head, and he opens his bright blue eyes staring up at him. This is... his child. Apparently. And even if he has no idea how this happened and can hardly believe it's real, he can't deny the surge of protectiveness and adoration that rushes through him as he holds the child in his arms. His child.
This is insane. He feels like he's fifteen, even if he's apparently not. (Not that that's entirely unheard of on Tatooine.)
"He looks like you," Obi-Wan observes.
He nods, stepping closer to Padme, gently passing her the baby. She's the only one who remembers this, after all. She has more of a right to hold the boy than Anakin does.
"Luke," Padme whispers, holding him for a moment before letting Anakin take him back.
The conversation is interrupted when the cry of a second baby fills the room. Wait – twins? He passes Luke to Obi-Wan, going to take the second baby from the droid. It's a girl, with dark hair and brown eyes. She looks so much like Padme already. He can only imagine that she's going to be just like her.
He passes her to Padme, who holds her close for a moment. "Leia," she murmurs.
Luke and Leia. The names fit.
Did her and Anakin discuss them together?
He still can't believe this. It doesn't even feel real. How can the two babies be his?
"Medically she is completely healthy," the medical droid speaks up suddenly, "But for some reason, we're losing her."
"What? Why?" Anakin asks, a sudden icy fear pooling inside of him. Padme can't die! She can't. Why would she, even?
"We don't know," the droid repeats, unhelpfully.
"Padme?" Anakin asks, anxiously, moving back to her side.
She lets out a quiet groan, breathing labored, and he can practically feel her steadily growing weaker. No, this can't be happening. The panic that's filling him, the fear of losing her, is far more extreme than even if she'd been just his friend but even that would have been bad. He's obviously still able to pick up on some of the emotions in the life he lived that he doesn't remember. (Which makes him wonder yet again what he was feeling about the Jedi and Obi-Wan.)
"Don't give up," he encourages desperately, "You can still hang on." He doesn't even know why she's dying, but this can't be happening.
He was supposed to stop this, he was supposed to have –
Have what? Where did that thought even come from?
Both the babies start crying, and he thinks they can probably sense what's happening to their mother. They're strong in the Force, he can tell, though he hasn't paid it much attention.
Tears sting his eyes, even as he struggles to hold them back.
Padme opens her eyes again, for the briefest moment. "I knew... there... was... still..." she trails off, slipping into unconsciousness, and he can feel her Force signature steadily growing weaker and weaker.
"Padme!" Anakin calls again, frantically, but she doesn't respond. He reaches out, nudging her with the Force, but all he feels instead is when her Force presence rips free from her body entirely, and their bond, even if it wasn't that strong, wrenches apart.
He stumbles a step back, staring at Padme's motionless form. She's dead. She's gone, just like that, the first friend he ever made after leaving Tatooine – the only one, really – and now she – who apparently became so much more – is dead. It hurts far more than words could ever say.
For several long moments, nothing but silence fills the room. He can be grateful, at least, that the medical droid is polite enough to give them several moments before it speaks up again, declaring that it needs to do some checkup on the twins to make sure that they're healthy and such, especially given the circumstances of their birth.
Anakin couldn't agree more with that.
The twins who... will never get to know their mother, will never be able to remember her for the kind, caring, courageous person that she was, because she's dead, and all they have left for a parent now is him. And he doesn't even remember a thing about them, so he'll definitely make quite the father. The very thought in and of itself is terrifying. There's too much going on in such a short time, and he wishes he'd have a few moments to process it before everything falls apart further.
Though he doesn't think there's much more that could fall apart at this point.
Obi-Wan finally moves forwards, resting a hand on his arm. "We need to determine our next move."
Right. because they're in hiding from a Sith Empire, because the Jedi are dead, because Anakin killed them, and –
"Yes," he agrees, drawing in a shaky breath.
"I can go speak with Yoda and Bail about it alone," Obi-Wan offers, and Anakin nods gratefully. He needs a moment, and after earlier, he can't imagine being near the Grandmaster right now.
**w**
"Pregnant, she must still appear," Yoda declares firmly, "Hidden, safe, the children must be kept."
"We must take them somewhere the Sith will not sense their presences," Obi-Wan asserts. He might not remember much of what's going on, but he knows that much. "Anakin and I could watch over them."
Yoda immediately frowns. "Eventually regain his memories, Skywalker likely will. Safe around him, the children are not."
Obi-Wan barely controls his rising surge of frustration. None of this makes any sense, but he isn't going to start treating Anakin like some dangerous Sith. It doesn't even make sense for that to have happened, even if he knows Yoda is telling the truth. "If they are really his... children..." Seriously, Anakin is hardly more than a little boy. How can he have children already?! " – he will do everything he can to protect them. And... if something goes wrong, I'll be there with him."
Yoda still doesn't look happy. "Corrupt the children, he could, or reveal their presence to the Sith master."
"I won't let him," Obi-Wan replies, resisting the urge to snap at him simply because of how disrespectful that would be.
"Be careful you must be, Obi-Wan," Yoda murmurs, "Clouded, your judgment is. The boy you raised he no longer is."
So Yoda keeps repeating, but he has a very hard time believing such a thing. "I understand, Master."
"Take them, you may," Yoda decides, finally, "But be wary of him, you must be. Trust him, do not."
"Where should we go?" Obi-Wan settles for asking because he has no interest in arguing with Yoda about this again.
"Somewhere the Sith will not look for them. To Tatooine," Yoda decides, "For now, until the time is right, disappear, we shall."
So it's settled, then. They're going into hiding, and he doesn't even know when he'll see another Jedi again, other than Anakin. How can this be the future? What could even have happened that led to this point? He doesn't understand, and he wishes he could remember already. But regardless he knows one thing: he isn't going to let Anakin Fall.
**w**
Anakin still can't believe that Padme is dead, but... it feels like he failed her even though he doesn't understand why. He probably did, though, whatever happened in all the time he lost his memories. For now, he needs to focus on taking care of Luke and Leia. Whatever is going to happen to them now... His children. He still can't believe it.
Anakin is sitting next to the sleeping children when Obi-Wan comes to find him again. "What's going on?" he queries.
"Yoda believes we have to go into hiding until the time is right," Obi-Wan answers, grimly.
"We aren't going to fight?" Anakin asks, almost incredulously.
"Master Yoda already lost, and..." Obi-Wan pauses for a moment. "He believes it would be dangerous to take you around the Sith Master right now."
Anakin flinches, looking away. Yes, of course. He should've considered that part of things. "I wouldn't join him," Anakin objects, quietly. Probably. He doesn't know, because apparently, he did, and – He still can't believe that the Sith is the one person he'd been starting to see as a second, almost more supportive, mentor figure.
"Even so, I don't believe you're ready to fight a Sith," Obi-Wan replies.
Almost off their own accord, his eyes drift down his metal arm. More than likely, he lost this in a lightsaber battle. He doesn't remember anything more than when he was fifteen, anyway, so he knows less than he already used to. No, he probably isn't ready.
"We're going to Tatooine," Obi-Wan declares, and for a moment Anakin just stares at him.
"Tatooine?" he echoes, incredulously, then a surge of excitement promptly hits him, "Really? Why?"
He doesn't know why past his initial excitement at the thought that he could see his mother again, he's suddenly hit with a strange, almost staggering, wave of grief. But he thinks it might have something to do with his mother. The thought is... Suddenly his excitement starts to fade, because those feelings could mean anything, and... No, he doesn't want to think about that right now.
"It's one of the easier places to disappear for now. We're taking the children with us."
Of course. But that means... "I hope you're ready for a lot babysitting duty, Master." He does know how to take care of babies, at least to a point, though he's never had to do it for an extended period of time. Not that they're going to have a whole lot else to do. Although he'd very much prefer not to drag his practically newborn children to a dangerous place like that, but Obi-Wan is right. It's a good place to hide.
"I assure you you'll be doing far more than me. You're their father after all."
"It sounds strange when you say that."
"I assure you I find it no less disturbing. We should get moving."
**w**
Anakin doesn't have much time to think about anything else as they quickly prepare what little they have, and Bail gives them a small ship to take to Tatooine. It's also not until then that he has the time to think about everything again.
Exhaustion is nagging at him, but he doesn't want to sleep yet.
"Threepio, how are you here?" he asks.
"You gave me to Mistress Padme," the droid replies. "In exchange for you getting Artoo."
"But how did I get you? You were on Tatooine."
"I left with you, after your mother... passed away."
Passed away –
His blood runs cold at the words, every inch of his mind screaming in denial of it, even if at the same time, he... almost had started to wonder, because of the grief he already felt when thinking about her.
No, it's not possible. It can't be. His mother can't be –
"How?" he whispers, shakily. This is all too much to handle, in such a short time. First the Jedi are gone, then he hears that he Fell, then Padme dies, and then this?! Tears burn his eyes, and he barely manages to hold them back.
"I'm afraid I don't really know what happened," Threepio says, "But she was taken by Tusken Raiders and you returned with her body."
Tuskens?! They killed her?
He doesn't know how to handle this. He – yes, he left Tatooine knowing he might not see her again for many years, if ever, but her final words never left him.
"Then we will see each other again."
He'd always believed that – it had been the only thing that kept him moving at the Temple, despite how much he missed her constantly. But he never will. Or he did, but he doesn't remember it, so it's not the same. She's dead, gone, murdered and –
A wave of tears hits him again, and he can't hold them back anymore. He doesn't understand this. Why –
"Oh dear," frets Threepio uselessly in the background.
He knows it's not the Jedi way to be mourning his mother and Padme like this, but he can't help it, and frankly, he doesn't even care right now. It's all too much, and it hurts far more than he can handle. And all the Jedi are dead, and apparently, that's because of him and –
He starts ever so lightly when Obi-Wan suddenly approaches, taking a seat next to him, reaching over and laying a hand on his shoulder. It's unexpected, especially after how oddly affectionate he was being earlier, but Anakin craves it more than anything right now.
He twists around, wrapping his arms tightly around him, burying his face against his shoulder for the second time in the past couple hours. He's – he's the only person Anakin even has left now. (Other than his children but that hardly counts.) His master runs a comforting hand down his back, but otherwise remains silent, for which he's grateful. He's hardly capable of carrying on a conversation right now anyway.
He gets himself back under control to a point eventually, before they finally pull apart. He doesn't feel any better, really, but he's too exhausted to think about anything right now.
"I don't believe I will ever get used to your new height," his master comments dryly, and Anakin cracks a half smile.
"I don't know how to get used to any of this."
"You should rest," Obi-Wan advises.
Anakin couldn't agree more.
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