Description: For years, I've found a disappointingly small number of dark Anakin fanfictions, and none with happy endings. As a result, this book will be exactly that- dark Anakin/Vader with redemption as well as a HEA ending.

Background: Anakin did not burn on Mustafar, nor get all his limbs amputated; instead, he sustained only a slash to the chest, disrupting his balance and causing him to plummet from the pipe and 30 feet down onto a metal slab. The fall resulted in a broken arm, as well as a head injury that knocked him unconscious, allowing Obi-Wan to leave and take care of Padme. Padme did not die in childbirth, and was taken by Obi-Wan into hiding. The rest is explained in this chapter.

Sorry for the slow beginning of this story- I promise it's necessary for the emphasis on the plot difference to avoid confusion and the character development of the story; I hate when Vader just changes just like that, it frustrates and doesn't make the least sense to me. Therefore, some emotional tension unfortunately needs to be built before chapters 3 when the drama begins.

I don't think you'll be disappointed :)

NOTE: Yes, I did take down The Parting of the Ways and Playing With Fire. I did not particularly like the writing, and felt it slowed down the story, so much so that it was scaring people off. I apologize for the changes, and will send the missing chapters to anyone who requests them.

The room was silent, except for the beeps and whistles of the medical droids as they hurried back and forward, working as fast as they could to save the still figure on the medical bed. The metal was cold and hard beneath Anakin. Except for the blinding bright light above him, the room was very dark.

Anakin did not move; did not make a sound. Every breath was painful, his body aching and stinging all over. All he could do was close his eyes, struggle to ignore the searing pain in his head and chest . . . and think of Padme. What had happened to her? Was she all right? Was she hurt? Had Obi-Wan gotten her safely off Mustafar? Where was she now?

He yearned desperately for her.

I truly, deeply love you. Before we die I want you to know.

Did she love him now?

"Lord Vader . . . can you hear me?"

Palpatine emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing yellow in the dim light. Anakin winced.

"Yes, Master."

He would not spend the rest of his Force forsaken life with this monster - he'd rid himself of him . . . go find Padme . . . Padme . . .

The words were hurried, rushed in their desperation. "Where is Padme? Is she safe? Is she all right?"

"It seems in your anger . . . you killed her."

Anakin's vision blurred red. Excruciating pain ripped through his chest, ripping from the inside out . . . ripping him, as his heart seemed to shudder and then stop . . . Yet it did not stop there, searing through his body, shredding every part that was untouched by the agony . . .

He lunged forward, gripping his sides as if he could hold himself together, keep himself from the tearing . . . Everything was breaking, shattering, bits of metal and glass digging itself into his tender skin, but he didn't care, he didn't care, nothing could hurt more than this . . .

"NO!"

His voice was ragged, strained, so weak - but he found he didn't care either. He just wanted an end to the pain, a release, the ability to not feel . . . but it was all around him, the air exploding with the force of his pain and suffering. The light reached for him but he shoved it away . . . it hurt . . . it was Padme's smile . . . the reminder of what he had done . . . he had killed her . . .

He fell to the cold ground. So this was truly the dark side. The darkness invited him in, offering security and strength and relief from the pain and he took it, he took it, grasping at it eagerly like a dying man reaching for medicine, the only balm capable of soothing his heart . . .

Anakin Skywalker did not resurface.


3 years later

"I have sensed the presence of escaped Jedi on Tatooine - it seems to have invoked a foolish courage in the people there, stirring up rebellion and resistance against the stationed troops . . . We cannot have that. Go, Lord Vader, put down the rebels and bring peace to the Empire."

An almost flinch at the name of the planet, mind barriers groaning in protest as memories and names and voices began to push at the blockades, struggling to be remembered- but then they was gone, the darkness sweeping over him and gaining dominance. "Yes, Master."

A pleased smile flickered across Sidious's grotesque features before the monitor flickered off, bathing the room once more in darkness. Darth Vader rose to his feet, yellow eyes glowing in anticipation of the slaughter to come. He stalked to the door of the communication center, the door banging open before him and officials scattering in the darkness of his presence. The Dark Side swirling comfortingly around him, cool and familiar, urging him to take down the evildoers, the traitors, quickly, bring peace once more . . .

"Lord Vader, sir?"

"What!" he snapped, his head jerking over to the owner of the voice in annoyance.

Admiral Ozzel backed down quickly. "Well, sir, I thought you should know that there are rioters in the streets of Coruscant, still protesting the disbandment of the Imperial Senate . . . " He wiped his forehead discreetly, knowing how this news was going to be taken. "What should we do, my Lord?"

"Admiral," Vader growled, rising to his full height and crossing his arms in displeasure. "Do I really need to tell you what to do? Or are you really so incompetent?"

"M-My Lord . . . "

"Kill them all."

"B-But sir, a direct assault on the people, surely this would result in a less than ideal-"

"Did I not make myself clear, Admiral?" he hissed, the only visible yellow of his eyes under the hood becoming dangerously bright. "Kill. Them. All. I will not have rebel sympathizers in my Empire getting away with treason. They deserve their fate."

Ozzel gulped. "Yes, sir."

"Now, get out of my way." Vader's tone was dark and threatening, leaving no confusion as to what would happen if Ozzel did not obey. The Admiral stepped quickly out of his way, hundreds of men stopping their work to salute as their Commanding officer passed. None stopped even a moment to question as Vader ordered the Executor to set course to Tatooine and readied a thousand men for invasion of the generally peaceful planet.

Mercy and kindness were not his way. None who had partaken in the rebellion would live.

They knew Lord Vader well enough to be sure of that fact.


"Leia!" Padme laughed, pulling the toddler towards her. "Stop bullying your brother; let him have some snacks, too!"

The little girl cheekily stuck her tongue out at her sibling. "Momma, I'm hun-wry. Luke eats two swowh!"

Luke took a handful of crackers, inspecting them thoughtfully before shoving them into his mouth. "Yummy." He smiled happily, pushing some towards Leia. "Is oday, Leia. You can 'ave some too."

Leia grudgingly accepted the peace treaty, taking some crackers and eating them more slowly now. Padme smiled to herself. Luke had learned well from Obi-Wan's steady temperament, already able to control his emotions for the most part, even as a toddler; Leia, on the other hand, was much too much like-

She pushed the thought away, ignoring the spike of pain in her chest and hardening her heart. For too long had she cried, agonized over him, what he had done and who he had become before his death. For too long had she heaped that burden upon her family and forced it to stay also with Obi-Wan. Who was he to still maintain a presence here, with the family he had abandoned for power? Who was he to ruin the lives of their innocent children, like he had done to so many others in the creation of his new Empire? No, she would do better than that for them. He would not do more damage than he had already done. Her children deserved better.

But she couldn't deny - watching Luke with his dark blond curls and bright blue eyes full of innocent love, and Leia with her stubbornness and sparkling eyes and temper, and both of them with a million other traits of his she couldn't even name - the familiar pang in her heart as she saw him among them, grabbing Leia and swinging her around playfully, or cuddling Luke and whispering stories to him, his voice warm and eyes glimmering with secret laughter.

When would he lose his hold his hold on her and the people she loved?

"Padme?"

Obi-Wan spoke quietly from behind her, as if afraid to startle her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She inadvertently flinched; then, seeing who it was, relaxed marginally, a warm smile spreading over her features. Their small settlement on Tatooine - a planet suggested by Obi-Wan, for its general disorder in or lack of government authority, organization, custom regulations, and need for identity, as well as its substantial number of stragglers, roaming Tuskens, and secluded people that easily detracted any possible attention from them - was the perfect place to hide from the Emperor during the Jedi Purges, allowing them to live there primarily unnoticed and offering a close refuge. While many others had been caught and captured fleeing to the Outer Rim, Obi-Wan's wise decision had enabled them to escape such a fate.

The benefits of his choice had extended even beyond that- Vader, for some unknown reason, had not traveled to Tatooine once since their arrival. Yet it was well known that the Emperor's second-in-command had almost systematically taken trips to countless other planets in their system, wiping out thousands of Empire deemed "traitors"; it was curious as to why he had never done the same to Tatooine.

She was grateful, of course, for their safety where so many others had not had their luck - or Obi-Wan, really - but it did get lonely, living so many miles from the nearest market, with virtually no outside contact, and with even Obi-Wan away for sometimes weeks at a time on missions or gathering up the remnants left of the Jedi survivors. Her work helping the alliance and raising Luke and Leia did keep her busy, but she often missed her old life, the constant mayhem in the Senate, and just people . . .

"Obi-Wan," she greeted affectionately, leaning in to hug the man who was now her closest friend and confidante. "How was your trip? The Emperor's henchman Vader was dispatched to exterminate a sensed Jedi presence not a day after you left- I was beginning to worry. Although," she smiled bitterly, "I doubt that slave would have been any match for you, not to mention with Yoda and the other survivors by your side."

Obi-Wan laughed lightly. "Oh, no doubt he would've given me a run for my credits."

Padme frowned. "I don't believe he is a man, Obi-Wan. No human could commit such vile and atrocious deeds. Vader must be a machine, or an animal."

"Ah, you're probably right, as always," he smiled, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Personally I hope he's a machine, as that would make a defeat more excusable than one by an animal."

Padme smirked, punching him playfully on the arm. "Don't joke, Obi-Wan, you won't be defeated. Besides, the kids love you too much to ever let you go."

Obi-Wan's next words were cut off by a joyful squeal, Leia barreling towards him in her excitement, having obviously just spotted him. "Bi-Wan, Bi-Wan, we missed you!" she screamed, launching herself into his arms. "How 'as the Jedi meeting, how 'as the Jedi meeting!"

He chuckled, fluffing her hair and pulling her up to his eye level. "Bi-Wan had a great time, Leia. He saw lots of old friends, people that he thought were lost."

"Did Master Yoda tell any good jokes?" Leia demanded, pulling at his beard.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at Padme, barely concealing the fit of laughter that came over him. He had never known anyone else to talk about the esteemed Jedi Master that way . . . except for, well . . .

The bright lights of Coruscant whizzed by him, the wind whistling loud enough to nearly break his concentration as he landed just barely in the outrageous yellow speeder below. Before he had even situated himself inside it was racing off, jerking him like a rag doll out of his seat and snapping his head back against the headrest as it darted past vehicles at an unnatural speed. He winced, half closing his eyes. This speed is necessary, he told himself, trying to unclench his tightened fingers gripping the armrest and find something to think about other than the suicidal speed they were going at."What took you so long?"

"Oh, you know, Master, I couldn't find a speeder I really liked, with an open cockpit . . . and with the right speed capabilities . . . and then you know I had to get a really gonzo color . . . " Anakin said sarcastically, his eyes darting back to Obi-Wan's in a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

He had to refrain from screaming at Anakin to cut the jokes and keep his eyes on the road. "If you spent as much time practicing your saber techniques as you did your wit, you'd rival Master Yoda as a swordsman."

"I thought I already did." Anakin arrogantly quirked an eyebrow, his lips twitching and eyes glittering playfully.

"Only in your mind, my very young apprentice."

"Bi-Wan? Bi-Wan?!"

Obi-Wan blinked his eyes rapidly, the impatient voice jolting him out of his reverie and bringing his awareness to the wetness forming in his eyes. He quickly avoided Padme's glance, knowing she knew exactly what had him so distracted- and desperate to avoid the topic if he could help it. No need to bring it up now, when her fitful dreams of anguished screaming had finally subsided to those of quiet tears and her incessant sadness to rare smiles. No, he would not subject Padme to that misery again.

So he smiled.

Anakin would lose his hold on them . . .

Someday.

Or so he prayed to the Force.

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