George Lucas owns everything Star Wars. Please don't sue me!
Chapter II
"Don't make me destroy you Master!" Vader growled as he attacked Obi-Wan with his lightsaber. Obi-Wan parried the blow and struck back at Vader, who in turn blocked his attack. As the two continued to fight, a small earthquake shook the ground beneath them, and they almost lost balance before recovering, and continuing their fight.
Can I really kill him? Obi-Wan thought to himself as he unleashed an attack with his lightsaber against Darth Vader. Who dodged nimbly and ran out from the inner complex, bodies lay strewn about, including that of now former Trade Federation and Separatist leader Viceroy Nute Gunray. No doubt slain by his former Padawan.
Obi-Wan darted after Vader and remembered it was up to him to protect Padmé and her child from any harm Darth Vader might inflict upon them. It was this resolve, which kept him going in the fight against Anakin Skywalker, now turned Darth Vader. Had the circumstances been different, he didn't know weather or not he could bring himself to fight him. He considered Anakin his blood brother, and he loved him so.
Obi-Wan nearly tripped over himself as another earthquake shook the ground; this one was more violent than the lost. Obi-Wan could now sense a disturbance in the force. It would seem one of the nearby volcano's was about to erupt. No matter how evil Anakin had become, he still had to warn him, and try to talk some sense into him.
"Anakin, I sense one of the volcanoes may erupt soon. Perhaps we-"
"All the more reason for you to surrender!" Vader growled as he swung around to strike at Obi-Wan, the two locked their lightsaber together as their powerful energy blades clashed against one another. Obi-Wan was having more difficulty fending off Vader's continued strikes. Obi-Wan was playing defense for the majority of the fight thus far, and was beginning to tire out, Vader to his astonishment however, seemed to gain strength with each passing blow.
"You're no match for the dark side!" Vader hissed as he continued to attack Obi-Wan, who managed to block all of them.
"I've heard that before Anakin, but I never thought I'd hear it from you," Obi-Wan said, now going on the offense. Obi-Wan had successfully pushed Anakin back into a corner. Undeterred Vader performed a back flip and hurled himself onto a small platform that hovered above the main river of lava.
There was another earthquake, this one more violent than the previous others. All of a sudden a giant geyser of lava erupted from a nearby volcano. Ash and brimstone flew into the air as the two fell, and lost their balance and fell down. Obi-Wan looked over to see the river of lava rising at an alarming rate. He didn't give much time before the tide would eventually overtake them both. If there were to be a chance for survival, for any of them, including Padmé, the two would have to end their fight.
Obi-Wan stood up and de-activated his lightsaber. Obi-Wan knew it was foolish, but he needed to convince Anakin he wasn't a threat to him if the two were going to get out of there with their lives. "Anakin listen to me! In a few minutes we're going to be overtaken by the tide of lava. We have to get out of here! Please Anakin... For your sake, and Padmé's," Obi-Wan pleaded to his former Padawan, hoping there was some trace of Anakin Skywalker left inside that dark empty shell of Darth Vader..
"Padmé's betrayed me!" Vader hissed, looking over at the rising flow of magma, which threatened to overtake them in a couple of minutes.
"Padmé loves you Anakin! As do I.. You're my brother Anakin, please stop this nonsense and come back to us!" Obi-Wan pleaded, trying to reach Anakin somehow through Darth Vader.
A hundred thoughts came rushing through Vader's mind at that instant. "It's a trick! He's lying! She's betrayed you! Kill him!" ..."No! Stop Anakin, look what you're doing! How could you do that to your Angel? She loves you!" ..."Run! Far away from here, and don't look back!"
Suddenly another earthquake rocked the ground violently; Vader stumbled and knocked his head against a wall. He instantly dropped like bricks on Jupiter, forehead bleeding slightly as he hit the ground. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan said running over to him.
Inside the senate hall, Emperor Palpatine, or Darth Sidious as he was known by his Sith name, stood inside one of the senate pods, where minutes earlier he was dueling against Jedi Master Yoda. He had to admit, the little green spud put up a hell of a fight. However, during their fight, Yoda was knocked to the bottom level of the Senate house, unable to reach Darth Sidious and continue the duel, he retreated into the complex.
Several clone troopers entered the upper Senate house and marched over to Emperor Palpatine's pod. "My Lord, there's no sign of Master Yoda anywhere in the complex," the trooper commander said, addressing the Emperor. Lord Sidious scoffed and turned to meet the commander, his hood drawn up to carefully conceal his deformed face.
"Then he is not dead. He is hiding someplace... Commander, double your search!" Sidious commanded, folding his arms in his cloak and turning away from the soldiers.
"Yes, sir!" The commander said, saluting and addressing his troopers to fall in.
A scowl formed over Darth Sidious' face. He could feel a tremor in the force, and it wasn't Master Yoda. It was something else - his new apprentice, Darth Vader. He could sense great anguish emanating from his apprentice. That and his force signature had diminished slightly, meaning he had to have been injured somehow. Not wasting time, Sidious punched a comm. button on his senate pod.
"Commander Kagi, prepare my shuttle for immediate takeoff... I sense Lord Vader is in danger."
Obi-Wan carrying his former Padawan as best he could over to Padmé's starship. Anakin had suffered a concussion and was unconscious, but he sensed he would be all right.
Brimstone was now crashing down all around them; the entire complex around them seemed to be going up in flames. Obi-Wan could see Padmé's starship now. Just a little further, he thought, picking up the pace. But, where was Padmé? She was gone. Obi-Wan paused for a second and looked around, trying to find Padmé's presence in the force. He found her; she was back inside the safety of her ship. Obi-Wan sighed with relief as he carried the wounded body of Anakin Skywalker onboard. He set Anakin down on a nearby couch. Soon afterwards C-3PO and R2-D2 came over to him.
"Oh Master Kenobi! Thank goodness you're all right! See Artoo? I told you he would be all right." The protocol droid said with relief. R2 simply whistled and beeped back at him. 3PO turned and noticed the wounded Anakin lying down on the couch.
"Oh dear, is Master Ani all right?" He asked concernedly.
"Yes, I believe so. Where's Padmé?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I carried Miss Padmé back to this ship after you and Master Ani departed. Artoo says she'll be all right," 3PO said assuringly. Artoo beeped and booped in confirmation to what 3PO said.
This was good enough for Obi-Wan. He turned and sat down in one of the pilot's chairs, and powered up the ship's thrusters. "We're getting out of here," Obi-Wan said.
"Oh thank heavens! All this volcanic activity is melting my circuits," 3PO said turning back around and walking out of sight with R2, who beeped at his statement.
Once Obi-Wan had piloted Padmé's ship out of Mustafar's burning atmosphere, he charted a course for a nearby inconspicuous asteroid station called "Polis Massa." There, he could get Padmé and Anakin some much-needed medical attention. Obi-Wan switched the ship over to automatic pilot and got up. "Threepio," Obi-Wan called out. The golden protocol droid came into sight and walked over to him. "Yes, Master Kenobi?"
"Where's Padmé?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Oh, Miss Padmé's lying down on the rest bed in back. She's still unconscious at the moment however."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Thank you Threepio, that will be all," he said, dismissing the protocol droid, and walking over to Anakin. "How could you do this Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked the unconscious Darth Vader. Obi-Wan grabbed a supply box and took out some rope. Reluctantly he restrained his friend to the couch where he lay. It was for everyone's own safety. Obi-Wan never thought he'd ever see the day where he would have to do this to Anakin.
Obi-Wan tried telling himself Anakin was a casualty of war. But he just couldn't let it go. He was a Jedi, and shouldn't have attachments. However Obi-Wan loved Anakin like a brother, a son. He had known Anakin for better part of 13 years. He had watched him grow. Grow from a little mischievous boy, into a raging adolescent, into a fine upstanding man, who now had surrendered to his own terror.
"What happened to you?" Obi-Wan asked softly, cleaning and dressing the wound on Vader's forehead. I should never have gone to Utapau to slay General Grievous... You needed me, and I didn't listen.. I'm sorry Master Qui-Gon... I've failed you... Obi-Wan silently thought, closing his eyes as a single tear streamed down his cheek.
"No, you haven't my Padawan," a familiar voice echoed in the back of Obi-Wan's mind. It was no doubt his former deceased Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. "Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan said, completely taken aback.
"Anakin made these choices by himself. But don't give up hope on him. Love turned him to the dark side, and love will bring him back." SaidQui-Gon's essence.
"I don't understand Master.."
"You will in time my former Padawan... Now go to Padmé. She's awake now, and could use some company. I will watch over Anakin."
Obi-Wan nodded, and stood up. Had Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit really communicated to him through the force? But why not earlier, why now? Thought Obi-Wan as he walked over to the ship's bedroom. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he saw Padmé sit up from her bed.
"Obi-Wan?" She said weakly as he walked over to her. Obi-Wan sat down on the bed and smiled softly at Padmé. He knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Anakin's all right. He's with me on the ship... But I'm afraid he's not himself anymore..." Obi-Wan regretfully said, his smile now gone.
Padmé's eyes began to water up as she clutched the talisman around her neck, which Anakin had made for her when he was ten-years-old. "Obi-Wan... What's happened to my Ani?" She said, covering her face and sobbing. Obi-Wan placed his arms around Padmé comfortingly. "Don't worry Padmé... We'll bring him back into the light," he said patting her on the back gently.
"Is... Is it true... Did he really kill..." Padmé choked, she couldn't bring herself to say it. "... Younglings?" She finally managed to choke out.
Obi-Wan didn't want to answer, he couldn't. But Padmé had a right to know. A tear fell down Obi-Wan's cheek. "... Yes" Obi-Wan said, without emoting.
At that moment Padmé burst into uncontrolled sobbing. As a Jedi, Obi-Wan could feel all her pain... Her anguish... And her love for Anakin rippling through the force. Obi-Wan couldn't bear to see Padmé like this. He wanted to backhand his former Padawan right across the face and tell him to come to his senses.
"My Anakin didn't do those things... He couldn't... He called himself 'Darth Vader' to me back there," Padmé said, reaching for a tissue.
"Darth is commonly a title associated with Sith Lords. Palpatine must have given him the name 'Vader' when he joined him." Said Obi-Wan.
"Oh, Obi-Wan... It's all my fault! I'm the reason he fell to the dark side.." Padmé said, sniffling, her eyes red from all the crying she had done. Obi-Wan gently took her by the shoulders.
"No... Don't ever say that Padmé. Anakin made this choice himself. You had nothing to do with it. He just became lost, and misguided. Anakin is a human being, and human beings have the ability to change. I know inside Vader, Anakin still exists. We just need to reach him somehow."
"He has so much anger and hatred inside him now.. How Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked desperately.
"With your love. You see Padmé, anger, and hatred. Those emotions have a reason behind them. We all have our own reasons for hating, and being angry. But love.. That emotion doesn't require a reason, or rationality, it just happens. No one can control it. And that is what makes love so powerful. Don't underestimate the power of the heart," Obi-Wan said sternly.
Padmé placed a hand on her very pregnant stomach, she could feel the baby kicking inside. Padmé knew Obi-Wan was right. The love Padmé and Anakin shared between them had created this miracle of life. No amount of anger, or hate could ever create something so powerful.
"Thank you Obi-Wan..." Padmé said softly, caressing Anakin's pendant she wore around her neck. Obi-Wan smiled and nodded.
All of a sudden the two could hear Anakin screaming in the other room. His scream was filled with pain and anguish. 3PO came clattering into the bedroom. "Master Kenobi, Miss Padmé, I'm afraid its Master Ani, he-", but before 3PO could finish, Obi-Wan and Padmé were gone in a flash. "Oh, dear.." The protocol droid said, watching them leave.
Obi-Wan and Padmé ran over to Anakin. He was struggling to break free from the rope which bound him to the couch. He was trashing about violently and screaming in rage.
"Anakin?" Obi-Wan called out. Anakin turned to face his former master.
"My name, is Lord Vader now!" He spat coldly, still trying to break free. At this moment, Padmé walked over to him.
"Ani... I know you're still in there." She said in her gentle voice. At that moment, Vader stopped struggling. His Sith yellow eyes locking with his wife's chocolate ones .
"I can forgive you Padmé, I know Obi-Wan has poisoned your thoughts. I want us to be a family together... Untie me please..."
Padmé shook her head, "I can't do that Ani... Not yet... Not until you come back to us,"
"But, I'm already here," Vader stated matter-of-factly.
"No... You're not my husband..." She said, deep pain echoing through her voice.
Before anyone in the room had a chance to say anything Padmé suddenly clutched onto her stomach and gasped. Her water broke, and she knew this was it. Padmé backed against a wall and groaned in pain. "The baby's coming!" She simply said, falling to the floor as a contraction hit her. Obi-Wan rushed over to Padmé and held her up in a fireman's hold, and laid her down on the couch across from Vader. "I'll be right back Padmé, I'm going to see how far we are from Polis Massa," said, Obi-Wan as he dashed into the cockpit. According to the computer they weren't that far, it would only take about ten more minutes to reach Polis Massa and land the ship.
Vader began to panic, he tried to break free so he could be with his wife, but he couldn't. "Untie me, right now!" Vader commanded. But, Obi-Wan ignored him as he piloted the ship.
"Anakin! Oh, help me!" Padmé cried out desperately. "I don't know how long this baby's going to wait!"
Obi-Wan turned his face back around to meet Padmé's. "Don't worry, we're less than ten minutes away now. I'll see if I can push the engines a little more," Obi-Wan said, turning his face around and tapping various control panels.
Vader desperately wanted to be with his wife, nothing else mattered at this moment. Not the empire, not Darth Sidious, or Obi-Wan. Just his wife, and their child. Vader watched his wife writhe, and scream in pain as the contractions hit her. He felt so utterly helpless right now. He let out a cry of anguish as he continued to attempt to break free.
"Padmé hold on! Please hold on, don't die on me... You've got to hold on!" Vader, or rather Anakin Skywalker was saying at the moment. His Sith yellow eyes vanishing, and returning to their natural baby blue color.
At that moment Anakin's dream came rushing back to him... Padmé crying out in terrible pain, she was having birth complications, and despite the doctors' best efforts, they couldn't save her.
I won't let you die Padmé! I won't! Anakin thought to himself, as he could do nothing but stand by and watch his wife writhing, and moaning in agony. The contractions were getting closer together now, Padmé new she had to deliver soon. "The baby's not going to wait any longer!" Padmé cried out.
Anakin gulped, praying his worse fears wouldn't come true...