They were on their way to Polis Massa. Obi-Wan and Rex were in the cockpit.

Anakin was sitting on the surgery bed, his legs hanging over the edge. He was looking at the control chip that had been implanted in him. It was suspended in a jar. He looked intrigued.

Ahsoka warned him, "Hey, careful with that."

Anakin replied nonchalantly, "When am I not careful?"

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow. Anakin smirked before returning to look at the jar.

Anakin suddenly felt his adrenaline waning. He tried to remember what exactly had happened in the past week. Anakin set the jar down slowly and rubbed his head, grimacing. His memories…they were all over the place.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ahsoka asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I…I almost killed you," Anakin said, his eyes widening.

Ahsoka looked at him reassuringly. "But you didn't."

"But I almost did…" Anakin looked horrified, glancing at Ahsoka's bandaged leg. "How could you…?"

"I knew you wouldn't." Ahsoka replied firmly. "You couldn't." She corrected herself. "Plus, I had Rex looking out for me."

Anakin stayed silent, lost in thought.

He looked healthier now, but Ahsoka couldn't get the image of him in the medbay on the Venator out of her head. He'd looked so…pale. Sickly.

Ahsoka suddenly quietly asked, "Are you okay?"

Anakin turned to look at her and gave a weak smile and nodded. "Just tired is all."

Ahsoka stayed silent for a moment. "Before you were captured, you did something…" She hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since. "I should have died."

Anakin thought for a moment, before remembering. "I…I can't really explain it." He paused. "It was the same energy that I felt on Mortis."

Ahsoka thought for a moment. That he had used to revive her. How was that possible? Then again, bringing both the Daughter and the Son to heel shouldn't have been possible either.

It must have weakened him. He shouldn't have… Ahsoka thought.

"I'd do it again, Ahsoka." Anakin said, as if reading her thoughts.

Ahsoka nodded.

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Ahsoka suddenly remembered something. "Oh, by the way, I think you'll be needing this," she held out his lightsaber.

Anakin's eyes widened and he gave a big smile, graciously accepting it. "You found it," he said, amazed.

"Blue suits you much better," Ahsoka replied.

After a pause, she added, "Now, we're even." She smirked. Anakin grinned.

When they arrived on Polis Massa, they were greeted by Senator Bail Organa.

"Master Kenobi, I'm glad to see that you are alright. And I see that you have brought friends," he smiled, before raising an eyebrow at Rex.

"He's with us," Obi-Wan reassured him. Senator Organa nodded.

They saw Master Yoda approaching them.

"Skywalker. Tano. Found them, you have, Master Kenobi," Yoda smiled for the first time in a long while and nodded at Obi-Wan.

"Actually, Master, they found me," Obi-Wan corrected.

"Strong with the Force, you two have become," nodding at the two former Jedi. They both nodded in gratitude.

Yoda's expression returned to a serious one. "Right about the Jedi, you were. Arrogant, the Jedi were, in the war. Join the conflict, swiftly we did. Fear, anger, hate. Consumed by the dark side, the Jedi were. Consumed by fear, I was, though see it, I did not," Yoda said grimly.

There was a silence, as they wordlessly mourned for the fallen Jedi.

Obi-Wan finally said, "We must find a way to stop Sidious."

"Failed, I have to defeat him. Not strong enough, I was," Yoda said grimly. Perhaps in his prime. But his age had taken its toll.

His gaze shifted to Anakin again. "Skywalker, matured, you have. Very strong with the Force, you are."

He paused before continuing, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "A new hope, we have. Defeat Sidious, you can. Defeat him, you will."

They all nodded, looking at Anakin. Ahsoka stared at him. Monikers aside, he looked like the Chosen One. He was practically radiating light.

Sure, he had his typical brand of confidence. But now, after all they've been through, there was more. The embodiment of trust, of compassion, of forgiveness.

Ahsoka chuckled to herself. Maybe there was still just a touch of recklessness.

Sidious scolded himself. Skywalker's apprentice lived. How could he not have sensed it? The Dark Side had…failed him.

Not long ago, his connection to Vader had disappeared. And Skywalker had returned. And for the first time in as long as he could remember, the Sith Lord was afraid.

Skywalker was far more powerful than even Sidious could have hoped.

His fear of death had taken over. He had stationed every clone trooper on guard outside the Chancellor's Suite. He had stationed every Red Guard he had inside the same room as him.

He had planned to announce the creation of the Empire once Vader returned, but his plans were quickly falling apart.

He didn't know how long it had been since Vader left. A few days? A week? A month?

He suddenly heard thuds at the door, as the clone troopers groaned and fell to the ground unconscious. The Red Guard went on high alert. The Sith Lord's heart sank.

Anakin Skywalker opened the door. Every Red Guard was thrown back against the wall, knocking them unconscious. Skywalker didn't even lift a hand.

Sidious growled, "You." He ignited his red lightsaber.

Anakin wordlessly ignited his lightsaber in response.

Sidious's eyes widened. There wasn't a trace of rage or fear in Skywalker's face. Just determination. But there was something else… Pity?

Sidious was livid. No one pitied him. He hissed in anger. "You. Will. Die!"

He lunged at Skywalker, using his relentlessly aggressive Juyo attack to press the offensive. His attacks were lightning fast. Yet Skywalker dodged and parried with infuriating ease.

Skywalker soon pushed him back with a Force push. Sidious flew backwards.

Getting up, Sidious growled and smiled menacingly. He extended his hands, channeling his pure unrepentant hatred into the Force Lightning at Skywalker.

Skywalker took a defensive stance and absorbed the Force Lightning. He barely broke a sweat Sidious's face changed to one of disbelief. No effect.

Sidious's blood was boiling.

"Ahhhh!" He lunged at Skywalker again, consumed by rage. By fear.

Anakin made a single swing with his lightsaber.

It happened before the Sith Lord could even register. The fatal slash across his chest. He collapsed to the ground.

Anakin had struck him down. But it hadn't been out of anger. And that made it so much worse.

The Sith breathed his final breath.

A/N: There will be an Epilogue. Stay tuned….