The Empty Grave
Part 1: A New Journey
Chapter 5

Looking at her he could only smile at the phantom. She was still beautiful, the very perfection she was in life. He would have worshiped the vision as a miracle if it wasn't for the being behind the mask. He didn't have to look at this thing to know that it was not only of the Dark Side, it was the Dark Side made life. Power beyond all imagining from the greatest evil he had ever witnessed. 'What is the matter Ani? Don't you recognise me?'

'I do. Both for what you are and what you clam to be. Both know I am not "Ani" so be gone and leave me to my fate.'

'You don't know. I pity you Anakin. Yes it is true I am not the Padme you knew but part of me is, a big part. The part that remembers you when we first met, you called me an angel and when you told me you loved me and at the end when you crushed the life from my body.'

'You are also darkness. She had no darkness in her soul that her light did not vanquish. She was an angel and now you wrap whatever small threads that are left of her around you? Why? To talk to me? To comfort me. Or is it you wish me to finish what I started?'

The ghost stood and walked around him. 'I thought you were a lot smarter than this Anakin. I only want the best for you. You can sense my power so you know there are no limits to what I can do. This is your reward.' She moved to stand in front of him now dressed in a flowing white robe that hung to her in all the right places.

He simply could not stop himself from laughing at it. 'You will bring her back to me? Back to a rotting corpse in a life support suit? I have heard the promise of evil before and it cost me her and myself. Why would I listen to lies again?' Injecting all the scorn he could into his voice he continued taunting the spectre; 'Further more why would you present yourself like this, my injuries are more than complete in that area. Leave me be and play with another young fool. This one has woke up.'

It's power flashed with anger and frustration and the phantom changed, becoming Padme just before he had killed her. 'I had such high hopes for you Anakin. Now I'm afraid that they're over as are you. Goodbye dear Ani I will see you on the other side.' He watched in horror as it re-enacted the moment of her death incredibly slowly.

Buffy woke up when she heard a sound from the basement. Grumbling at the time she picked up her bedside broadsword and got up. Quietly moving down the stairs she saw her front door open and three shadows slide in. Cursing and promising to herself to actually lock the front door next time she called down to them; 'It's polite to knock first you know.' jumping over the banister rail she attacked them.

Feeling the intruders the former Jedi glanced at his chains. As much as he wanted to he could not help the small warrior. From his vantage point he reached out with his feelings, sensing the battle. She fought better than any one of them but they had both surprise and numbers. The young woman seamed to know this and tried to move the fight away from the confined hall way but that would prove futile. Already more were coming and very soon now they would kill her.

For all his crimes and all his sins he still had the abilities of a Jedi knight. With those abilities came the responsibility to use them for the protection of the weak and the innocent. Struggling against some mighty doubt within him the once and future Jedi spoke in hushed tones. 'With this oath I do tread the one true path of the Jedi. Let no innocent suffer or tyrant rule and let my blade light up the darkest corners of the night.' With a sharp twist he snapped the manacles around he wrists and ran to the stairs, his mind already reaching for his lightsabre.

Buffy was pounded back and she was now trapped in the living room, her sword was lost in one of the dead whoever's. 'All right who's next.' As they advanced a new person slid in behind them. 'I should have guessed! What now going to have your storm troupers kill me?'

The mob turned to Vader and took a step back, Buffy had just enough time to be confused before the black clad figure moved through them. He cut through anyone in his way and Buffy understood just how good a swordsman the former Jedi was. Each blow from his glowing weapon flowed from the previous one, no action was wasted and nothing wasn't calculated. Vader stopped next to her, the lightsaber pointed to the floor at her feet. Spinning on his heal he was suddenly facing the robed guys who were spreading backward. 'I have rejected your master. Leave or die, chose now.'

Buffy stepped around the sabre and picked up one of the discarded weapons; 'You heard him, now get out before we throw you out.' The small army picked up the dead bodies and fled. 'That was fun, what do you mean you rejected their master?'

He switched his lightsabre off and gave it to her; 'Some form of phantom wished me to join with it but I could tell it was pure darkness.'

'Wonderful. Looks like I might have a new big bad already. Well can't be much worse than you.'

'I would doubt that.' he walked towards the kitchen.

'Where are you going?'

'Back to the place you put me.' he actually sounded confused.

Buffy grabbed his arm. 'Why? It worked so well wouldn't you say. By the way; how did you get out of those manacles?'

'I broke them.'

'See. No point in locking you in the basement if you can just brake out whenever. You're not going to try and escape are you.'

'There is nowhere for me in this world or any other.'

'Wow that was so over dramatic, but with the whole black on black look overkill never was a problem with you was it. Take the couch, that is if you'll fit.' She pointed to the far too small sofa.

'Where should I take it?'

She laughed and was very surprised as he stared to laugh with her. 'I mean sleep there instead.'

'I don't sleep. However I do meditate.'

'There's good enough then. I'll see you in the morning.'

Dawn woke up late in the morning. Walking past Buffy's room she saw her sister sleeping peacefully and almost grinned. Silently walking down stairs she almost ran strait back up. Slumped in the middle of the sofa lay Vader, sound asleep.

After burning most of her breakfast and settling for cereal she went back into the living room and watch him sleep. It didn't take her long to notice that he had simply fallen asleep while he was sitting there. Finishing her bowl Dawn decided to wake him, whatever he was doing there it would be better to get him back downstairs before Buffy came down.

'Hey Vader wake up.' shaking him violently she succeeded in knocking him to his side 'Come on! wake up! If Buffy gets down and sees you here she'll be pissed' he was too heavy to lift so she decided to drag him.

Rolling him off the couch as quietly as she could Dawn squeaked when, upon landing, the top half of his helmet came off. Moving as fast as she could the girl scrambled over him and picked it up. Quickly kneeling over him she frowned, the mask covered his face and the very top of his head but she could still see the back of his head. Short, dark brown, hairs were growing there.

Curious, Dawn knelt there looking at the back of Darth Vader's head. 'He was supposed to be bald and burnt wasn't he?' Reasoning that a few seconds of real air won't kill him she decided to see his face. Hands trembling she put down the dome and then, ever so gently pulled the mask off. His face was covered in scars, deep and still red, two black bags under his eyes had faded to an off grey and most shocking of all was the several days worth of hair and beard growth.

Waking up was just the first unrecognisable event that day for Vader. Fighting sleep and the blinding blue light he made it to his feet, only getting himself caught in his cape once. He was having difficulty breathing but before he could check on his suits integrity he smelt something. Following his long dead physical senses he found himself in another room where the little girl was moments away from burning some food. 'You're burning it.'

'Oh… sorry I didn't mean to. Here sit.' She half dragged him into a wooden seat and put the food in front of him. 'You want something to drink.'

Vader had long since given up food and liquid, the damage to his body was great and what ever he needed the Force could provide. 'I'm sorry but I can't eat though my mask.' He explained, not wanting to hurt the girls feelings or go into detail.

'I know that. I'm not stupid.' She said indigently. He smiled at her. 'That's why I took it off.'

'What?' he couldn't survive without his mask, it's constant supply of bacta vapours and high oxygen content were the only things that kept him alive. Anything more than seconds without and what was left of his body would shut down. Killed by innocence and ignorance was a fitting way for a Sith Lord to die. 'You have killed me girl.' Vader gasped as he looked around for where ever she had put the vital equipment.

'I don't think so, actually I think I've helped you live.' She put a plate of cooked meat in front of him and a small glass of something yellow/orange.

Deep inside his suit Vader felt his stomach twist in knots at the smell of real food and what could only be fresh fruit juice. 'There are things in my suit that I need to survive.'

'You've done well for like ten minutes, another five won't kill you and not eating will. Now eat.' She pointed like a little noble lady ordering her servant to perform a task without question. With a trembling hand Vader reached for the drink, years of dreaming for something as simple as water as a child and then a wish for anything to prove he was still human and now this precious child was simply giving him fresh fruit. He didn't notice the tears as he sipped the tangy drink.

'Thank you.'

'Your welcome. Now you'd better eat up quickly, never know when the nasty air will kill you.'

End Chapter 5