Disclaimer: Not mine

Part of this chapter comes from my one shot, I Hate You

Edited

Chapter 2

He lay on the embankment, stunned by his former Master's actions. He hadn't thought the man had it in him. How had he lost, he was the Chosen One, Obi-Wan was no match for him. He groaned in pain and used his prosthetic hand to try and pull himself up, further from the lava. He couldn't do it though and felt himself slipping closer to the burning river. He looked up and glared at the Jedi above him, disgusted by the look in his eyes.

"You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would, destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness," Obi-Wan yelled at him, even as he called Anakin's lightsaber to his hand.

"I hate you!" Vader snarled in return, eyes Sith yellow.

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly, a single tear falling. "You were my brother, my son, Anakin. I loved you. I would have helped you if you had come to me."

Vader saw the tear and sneered at the weakness but a small part of him felt shocked by the show of emotion and vulnerability. He grasped at the sand and tried to pull himself up again. That small part wanted to call out to Obi-Wan, plead for help but he pushed it down. The Jedi were evil, the enemy. But Obi-Wan….

"Anakin," Obi-Wan whispered, watching his Padawan, his brother, fight not to fall into the river. He hesitated, torn on walking away, pulling him up or killing him.

"Why?" Vader snarled and Obi-Wan frowned but slowly moved down the slope.

"Why what Anakin?"

"You turned her against me, betrayed the Chancellor," he snarled, trying to hide the fact he was barely holding on.

Obi-Wan couldn't watch anymore and moved to his side, putting his hands under Anakin's armpits he lifted, pulling him further up the embankment despite the way Anakin tensed. "I did nothing but tell Padme what I saw in the Temple security feeds. How could you think she would ever accept the killing of Younglings Anakin? Please, think, come back to us Anakin. Padme and your child need you. Let go of your hate," he pleaded, was there still a chance?

Padme… Vader's eyes closed as he pictured his beautiful wife, her stomach rounded with their child. Why had she turned against him? Didn't she understand it was all for her and the baby? "Padme," he gasped, trying to reach past the pain for her presence.

"Yes Anakin, Padme needs you. Please." Was it working, could Anakin come back?

Vader opened his eyes and stared up at the man holding him, into blue-grey eyes, and saw a myriad of emotions in them. Obi-Wan had always been the perfect Jedi, never going against the Code or making attachments, and yet looking at him now it was different. He groaned in pain and then Obi-Wan's hand was on his head and the pain faded some, and he knew the Jedi had dulled the pain. But why? He had caused it in the first place. He was so confused, nothing made sense.

"W…. why?" He demanded.

"Because no matter what you will always be my family Anakin. I didn't want any of this. I never wanted to fight you but the Sith cannot gain control. How can any Order based on anger and killing bring peace Anakin? It can't. Sidious will kill anyone who stands in his way. Come with me and we can stop him."

Kill Sidious? But he was his friend, his Master…but Obi-Wan… they both looked skyward as they felt the approach of a dark presence.

"I have to go, make your choice Anakin. Come with me, be with your wife and child. Or stay and serve evil, be a killer."

Vader looked from the descending shuttle back to Obi-Wan, torn and then Obi-Wan was on his feet, deflecting blaster fire. His choice had been made for him; he knew that Obi-Wan would never make it out if he tried to take him with him. Obi-Wan was Padme and their baby's only hope. He cried out in pain even as he rolled over and got to his knees. 'Forgive me Master'.

He gathered the Force and then sent it out at Obi-Wan, shoving him backwards even as he snarled at him. He saw the look of pain on his old Master's face and then Obi-Wan dashed away, heading for Padme's ship and Vader collapsed. He had no choice now. He was rolled over gently and found himself looking up at two clones even as he struggled to remain conscious.

"He's still alive. Get a medical capsule, immediately," one of the troopers yelled, and he finally let go even as he saw Sidious approaching just before the world went black.

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Obi-Wan stood, watching through the clear wall as the droids worked on Padme. He prayed he had gotten her to help in time. He felt Yoda and Bail join him but they remained silent even as one of the droids approached.

"Medically, she is completely healthy. For reasons we can't explain, we are losing her," it explained, and Obi-Wan froze, no.

"She's dying?" Bail asked in alarm.

"We don't know why. She has lost the will to live. We need to operate quickly if we are to save the baby."

"Save it, we must, our last hope," Yoda ordered, and the droid moved to the others.

Obi-Wan followed it inside and moved to stand beside the bed, taking her hand. "Don't give up, Padme."

Padme squeezed his hand weakly before gasping and whimpering in pain, despite the medication she had been given. The droids worked fast and methodically to bring her baby into the world

"It's a boy," one announced after a while, holding the baby up as the others worked to try and keep her alive.

"Luke…" she breathed as the child was wrapped in a blanket by the droid which then handed him to Obi-Wan who leant down to show her the tiny face with wispy blonde hair. She struggled to touch the baby on the forehead, needing to touch him just once.

"Padme he needs you ,hang on," Obi-Wan begged as he rocked the silent baby, didn't babies usually cry? Unfocused blue eyes stared at Padme and she gasped.

"I can't…"

"Save your energy," he urged, trying to give her what little he had spare.

"Obi-Wan…there…is good in him. I know there is ... still…" She clutched her japor snippet, gasping, and then she went still, hand slipping from the necklace as her eyes closed and little Luke finally began to cry.

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"It's a girl." The medic called, quickly wrapping the baby and handing her to the Queen who showed her to Sabè.

"Le…ia…" she gasped, a hand reaching weakly to her baby and Breha helped her touch the baby's face.

"Sabè please, who is her Father?"

"Secret…never tell…" Sabè was fighting to remain conscious as the medics worked to stabilise her. "Obi…" Her hand dropped and she went still.

Breha stepped back in shock, cradling the baby. Obi…Wan? General Kenobi? She looked down at the baby who already had her mother's dark hair. "You are to never speak of any of this," she commanded before leaving, the child needed to be looked after and she could not bear to see her friend like that any longer.

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He woke with a scream of agony, lashing out with his prosthetic hand as he struggled against restraints.

"Calm Lord Vader, allow the medical droids to work," Sidious called, and Vader blinked, everything was blurry.

He cried out in pain again, struggling to lift his head and see what was happening. He knew he'd lost his legs and remaining arm, but having his arm replaced hadn't hurt anywhere near so much. He smelt burning flesh, heard the crackle of electricity, but he couldn't concentrate.

He thrashed against the restraints, unable to help it as the pain increased. He stared up in a daze as a mask lowered over his face and air hissed, what was happening? But he gasped in the clean air and finally he could see even if everything was tinted red by the mask. Then the table he was on began to tilt upright.

"Lord Vader, can you hear me?"

"Yes, My Master," he answered slowly, hearing how deep and mechanical the mask made him sound. Why was he wearing it? What had happened? He looked around the room but he didn't recognise it. "Where is Padme? Is she safe, is she all right?" he asked, there was something he should remember.

Sidious moved closer to him and he focused on the Chancellor, no Emperor. "I'm afraid she died... it seems in your anger, you killed her."

He groaned in pained disbelief even as everything in the room began to rattle. "I couldn't have! She was alive! I felt her! She was alive! It's impossible! No!" He screamed and the droids were slowly crushed. He didn't see the satisfied smirk on Sidious' face.

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"Pregnant, she must still appear. Hidden, safe, the child must be kept," Yoda told them and Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.

"We must take him somewhere the Sith will not sense his presence."

"To Tatooine. To his family, send him," Yoda commanded.

"I will take the child and watch over him," he swore, it was all he could do now, he had lost everything. "Master Yoda, do you think Anakin's son will be able to defeat Darth Sidious?"

"Strong the Force runs, in the Skywalker line. Hope, we can. Done, it is. Until the time is right, disappear we will," Yoda ordered, and Bail left the room to begin preparing for the two Jedi to leave, Obi-Wan at least would need extra supplies.

"Captain Antilles," Bail called, Padme's droids behind him.

"Yes, Your Highness." The man turned to face him.

"I'm placing these droids in your care. Treat them well, clean them up. Have the Protocol Droid's mind wiped."

"Oh, no." Threepio moaned in horror.

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Vader looked around the room that was temporarily his before moving to the window to look out over the city. The Jedi Temple still burned in the distance. He moved to a chair and sat awkwardly. Something was wrong, it didn't make sense. He closed his eyes and focused on remembering the duel…. he'd fallen and then…

Obi-Wan had pulled him up from the edge, had spared his life. He'd begged him to come back, to go with him and…he'd almost done it. If Sidious hadn't arrived, if the troopers hadn't begun firing, he would have done it, he would have been weak and betrayed his new Master. He would also most likely be dead, his injuries from the battle had been worse than he'd thought, his lungs scared form breathing in the super-hot toxic air.

Padme… Obi-Wan had made it sound like she and the baby still lived and maybe they had then. Had she survived only to die alone later? His wife, his beautiful Padme was gone and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.

"Forgive me," he whispered, and then stood and went to see what had happened while he was indisposed.

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Darth Vader stood in the shadows, watching the procession as it made its way towards the tomb. Padme…it was true, she was dead, her body still swollen with child. Even in death she was beautiful.

His hands balled into fists; it was Obi-Wan's fault for turning her against him. Yes…the next time they met, Kenobi would die for this. He had let him escape so the man could protect her and the baby and he had failed. For that he would die.

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Obi-Wan rode towards the moisture farm on an Eopie, dismounting carefully so as not to wake Luke. Thankfully, he was a very quiet child, rarely crying or fussing much which had made the journey a lot easier. He carefully removed the child from the sling and walked towards the curious young woman who was approaching from the homes. He smiled sadly at her and held out the child. "Anakin's son, you're the only family he has left."

Beru carefully took the baby and smiled down at him. "What is his name?"

"Luke Skywalker."

She nodded and went to join her husband, showing him their nephew. Obi-Wan slipped away silently, already missing the baby. He would find a place close by to watch over them.

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Bail walked towards his wife and paused as he saw the bundle in her arms.

"Come husband, meet our daughter." She smiled sadly and he joined her on the bench, pulling back the blanket to reveal a dark haired baby. "Leia Organa, this is your Father."

"Sabè?" He asked, and she shook her head. Bail sighed, two children orphaned and how many others dead? They would raise Leia as their own, they'd always wanted a little girl.

TBC….