Chapter 45

Anakin flies the Millennium Falcon through the blue beam of lightspeed. He can feel the darkness radiating through the Force, and for once, he is without his family to encounter that said darkness.

Despite Anakin having bitter feelings for Vader's deception, he still cannot bring it within himself to hate the man who he has learned is his future self. That man still raised him as if he is a son to him, giving him guidance in his hellish teenager years, and welcoming him to a new galaxy.

Given what he has seen in his former timeline, Anakin knows that the Jedi's treatment of Vader has been all and all but abusive. In the near future, the man knows that this ship would belong to a smuggler known as Han Solo, the man who Vader's daughter loved so much, and Anakin intends to seeing the favors he has done for his children in that timeline to be repaid.

Anakin's feelings are leading him somewhere, but he doesn't know where. He feels the Force calling to him.

Anakin lands on a mysterious planet before grabbing his lightsaber and beginning to walk down. He stares around his surroundings, and he feels shaken at the tremors of darkness vibrating through his sensations.

The darkness he sees on this planet is something that would fill him with sleepless nights, but the Force has been guiding him here. He doesn't know why.

Why does the Force appear to be devious in playing mind tricks with him?

Heavy breathing makes itself known, and it sounds so familiar. It hits so close to home of a time long passed but still resign perfectly with him. It feels almost natural given the lifestyle he had lived. Vader had taught him well, and even now he would use his other self... his father's training to his advantage.

"For some reason, I have been expecting you," Anakin says softly, turning to face a masked figure behind him.

He still loves him despite everything, and he can sense the same within the other. From within the dark twisted part of Vader, there is Anakin Skywalker still in there who still loves Obi-Wan Kenobi. While he would rather chop his head off sooner than rekindle that relationship, Vader isn't unable to entirely deny his feelings.

"Of course you have, Skywalker, you are after all yet another version of me," Darth Vader says, his heavy breathing sending a chill down Anakin's bones. "You failed your mother in another life. You failed your first mentor. You failed everyone who you ever cared about. I destroyed you once. I would do it again."

"Those failings are yours, Darth Vader, not mine," Anakin replies. "I am not the same man. You have to accept that things happened."

"Are you?" Vader taunts. "If I could cleanse your soul, I would be able to travel about in your body as a new vessel."

"You are just another version of me living in delusions. You failed her, and you have to live with that." Anakin replies, his anger towards his mentor nearly diminishing at knowing what he had gone through for decades. "Padmé of your time would be disgusted if she saw the thing you have become."

A deep, savage growl vibrates in the air, and Anakin can feel the blade of his other self coming down fiercely upon him, almost sending him back. "You are nothing but a toy for Sidious to use. You don't have to be like this. You could be something else."

"Padmé is gone. All I have fought for is dead." Vader responds, sounding strangely solemn. Even with that suit and mask, the Sith Lord is still a victim in many ways than one, something that Anakin can sympathize with him for. "Kenobi abandoned me and I killed him. All you cared about is dead by my hand."

"Wake up," Anakin snaps. "You would have nothing because of the dark side. There is still a chance for you."

Vader says nothing, only howls in fury and pushes back with the Force in a storm of power. Anakin feels himself being intimidated as Vader comes charging at him with speed that one wouldn't have suspected from such a Sith Lord who is nothing but a monster in a machine. He meets Vader's red blade in a shower of strikes, the two sabers moving so quickly that they are becoming merely one person had an outsider been looking on.

The Sith's strikes are powerful, stronger than any Anakin had ever felt, the wide, sweeping stabs savage and lethal, each slash meant to amputate a limb or decapitate his head, each blow meant to be with mortal injury. Indeed, Vader is stronger, his blows lashing with intent to kill, his lashes and assaults are like an animal coming down so strong that Anakin even finds himself staggering backward.

And yet, his powers with the Force are still sustaining themselves, his mental barriers high and impenetrable, unable to be shattered as he continues to fight. Sidious had trained his other self well after pulling him over to his traitorous fray. Vader undoubtedly could have taken over the galaxy in such short time if he wished.

Anakin pushes his blade up, only to have Vader swing up, the savage, heavy strike sending the younger man off balance, and instead of fighting to keep it, he allows himself to duck into a downward motion, skidding under Vader's feet and blade and parrying the swift stab as the crimson blade rushes toward him. Anakin stumbles yet again, opening up briefly enough for Vader to lunge forward, seconds from running him through.

Unlike the Vader of this timeline who could easily disarm him, this Vader is lost. He is fighting for something that he doesn't believe in, but has nothing else to fight for. He can feel the agony clinging onto the armored individual of himself, nothing sort of lost, anger, and rage, matching with his emotions.

Anakin rolls out of the way, as the Sith Lord comes to him, and with nothing to hit, the heavy, powerful strikes serve only to place the Sith Lord off balance with each miss, his weight thrown for nothing but shifting the Sith off his center. Anakin could have easily run him through, but he chooses not to, his hand poised upwards towards him, lightning cracking against him.

The Sith Lord hisses in his fury as his other self wound him with the Force Assault. Anakin, at last, chooses to attack, knowing that just dodging and avoiding would not work, his blade coming up and crackling against the crimson lightsaber. Vader's stabs are becoming harder and quicker and only serving to throw him more off-focus as he attempts to sustain the might with his much faster opponent.

When he roars in rage and stabs his blade down toward Skywalker, the slippery man leaps up into the air, almost nipping him onto the shoulder, before landing on the ground. The moment his feet hit the earth, Vader growls, and Anakin can sense that the Sith Lord loathes his agility and mobility, but it's not just that.

"I don't understand why you have to do this," Anakin says softly, his eyes lingering over the Sith Lord that could have been him. "We are strong in the Force that we are not meant to serve another. You don't deserve this despite your crimes. Turn back now, or you would be a slave forever."

With a roar of fury, Vader clutches his saber in both of his hands and dashes toward Skywalker with as much speed as he is able, but this time, Anakin extends his hand, ripping the helmet right off of Vader and showing his face to the empty world. Anakin is sickened by what he sees. How can someone so youthful and so innocent be corrupted by the dark side?

"You will die braver than most," his own voice coming from the mask sends a wave down his spine. Anakin has a promise to never become that thing.

Vader calls off of the dark side, and his blood-shed crimson eyes are glaring over at him. Anakin sees the lost man he is in those orbs. The Sith Lord is not like the other Sith of the past, and not even like Anakin Skywalker, for he is regretting every choice he has made. He is only maintaining his loyalty to Sidious because that is all that he has, and for that, Anakin has to be glad that he is not like that.

On another hand, Anakin wonders how could even one version of himself could become as fallen as he is right now. He can see the many horrors across the expression. He can see himself cutting down Obi-Wan Kenobi. He can see himself cutting down all the other people. He can see himself cutting off the hand of his own kin. Those grievances are what stood out the most to him.

Anakin thrust a hand forward towards the Sith Lord. Vader simply shrugs off the blow through his own Force Powers before chopping forward with both of his hands. Anakin counters each of the assaults, dodging an overhead cut, before sending a Force Push which causes the Sith Lord to fly back, striking at the monitor and catching him there.

The Sith Lord wheeze, his lightsaber poised downwards, as he deactivates his blade, and places his hand over his monitor. Anakin paces around him. He can see himself becoming that thing.

"Stand down. If I wanted it, you would be dead already."

"I-I would corrupt you, Young Skywalker," Vader hisses, his breathing fading more and more. "Your body would be mine. At last, I would have Padmé and be able to rule the galaxy in my vision."

To Vader's surprise, Anakin is upon him in a mere moment, swinging his lightsaber in an upwards arc to catch him off guard, the dark side fueling through him in a mad flurry. Vader barely has enough time to ignite his saber and counter the blow, before Anakin moves around him like flames and pushes his offensive. He attempts to get around the various cracks in his defense, aiming high and low, trying to bisect his limbs fluently. Vader's training allows him to deflect each blow and redirect it to keep himself safe.

Anakin leaps backward out of range of Vader's blade work and delivers a Force Push to his front. While it did not have the intended effect of launching him back, the effect of the Force Push did cause Vader to stagger slightly. The Force yells out a warning to Vader, to which he is caught in the arm by the purple blade.

The Sith Lord stares over the injured area before allowing the pain to fuel him. Anakin is using his saber to force Vader to move and parry quickly. However, despite his size, Vader is just as fast as the younger man, quickly forcing him onto the defensive. Vader is alternating his preferred fighting style, putting maximum impact behind each swing in an attempt to stun Anakin. Anakin continues to parry Vader's brutal strikes however until Vader too unleashes a Force Push upon Anakin, this one much more effective than the one that had hit him. Anakin is knocked backward, his legs skidding across the ground.

Vader simply stares at him before beginning to move, seeing that Anakin is slowly recovering. To his surprise he descends from a Force-enhanced jump, barreling down upon him from the roof. The two clashes sabers again, this time locking them together. Vader's pure strength with just one blade leaves Anakin little choice but to push back. Whatever augmentations Vader's suit offered is clearly in the benefit of his brute force strength.

Anakin pulls back out of the saber lock, forcing the Sith Lord back, who in turn performs a series of swings at him. He blocks three strikes, ducking under another and vaulting the next one along. Vader is shocked when one of Anakin's blows reaches past his defensive, nearly cleaving his leg off, before pulling back and allowing the Sith to collapse onto the ground.

This is the Apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Sith Apprentice of Darth Sidious, someone who has suffered so much, yet wasn't victimless for the crimes he did.

"Sky-Skywalker," the Sith Lord speaks, his voice sounding weaker and pathetic that Anakin feels bad for him, showing the man he truly is behind the armor and mask. "Don't make the same mistakes I have made. Don't allow others to control you. You could have anything you wanted; Padmé... She meant the world to me. I would have crushed the galaxy for her."

His final peace said, Vader collapses onto the ground, taking his last breath.

Anakin cannot help but have that feeling as if he just killed a part of himself.

Anakin feels the surroundings around him turning darker and colder than before.

"Congratulations, my boy."

Anakin peers around the corner. "When I find you..."

"Spare me the threats. I do wish to see you complete my ritual." The voice vibrates in the back of his head.

Anakin sees a throne from the corner, and someone is sitting on it. The figure chuckles, illuminating himself in the light, as if he is welcoming him into his place of power. He points his lightsaber toward the figure, trying to get a good look at him.

He looks... ancient.

Ancient as Grandmaster Yoda.

"My boy, you have questions..." The figure says.

And the power he feels matches the Grandmaster if not something more.

Anakin growls. "I wish to know where you came from."

"I was in a deep slumber until another Chosen One awaken from the depths of the Force, and thus, I too became awakened." The ancient Sith replies. "I have been whispering into the heads of others, but you... you can be my perfect protege."

"I'm done being everybody's pawn," Anakin snaps, his weapon aimed up towards his throat.

"How can you be done with being everybody's pawn when you are a pawn to your own emotions?" The voice mocks, his black ancient eyes glistening over the young man. "I can perhaps teach you true power like I did to my Acolytes long, long ago."

Anakin grit his teeth together. How can someone get under his skin so badly?

Vader begins setting the logs one after another, watching as the flame lit up, as the materials from behind him would soon be nothing but irrelevant. He removes his cloak and throws it there as well as the disregarded armor that he hasn't worn for quite some time. He can still see himself in the flames, can see his younger self's betrayed expression, him snapping at him, and their two blades crossing one another.

"You're a sad old man who is too busy feeling sorry for himself to be of any use. You want to keep running from your problems? You want to be a coward? Fine."

Words told to him by Anakin Skywalker, a conflicted soul because of him, because of his failings.

Vader can feel the Force screaming in protest. He closes his eyes, knowing that now he has nothing to fight for. His younger self has lost all the trust and confidence he once had in him, now viewing him as a threat. The Jedi would rather see him captured and killed. The Sith would rather see him join their volley.

He ignores the Force for once, not caring about listening to anything anymore. He'd rather cut himself off from the Force to start a new one. The Force has been guiding his life since the beginning, and he was never given a rightful choice.

Now he would be...

He isn't as strong as Luke. Luke is not a coward like him who ran into darkness because of his problems. He may have shamed his son of a past timeline, but he was weak. He would leave this galaxy before he would be able to do more damage which might wipe this very galaxy from existence.

Hesitating for a moment at the faces of Luke and Leia, staring at him with disappointment, Vader throws his lightsaber into the flames. A blue hand catches it before it could have been burned along with the others. An aspiration walks slowly through the flames, cloaked in Jedi robes, his beard aged, and skin aged with wrinkles.

Even so, Vader would never forget the form of his father figure, the very man who raised him as a surrogate for the mother that he had lost at a young age.

"A Force User's weapon deserves more respect."

"Obi-Wan," Vader says slowly, surprised at the presence of his mentor back when he was a Jedi and father figure for the majority of his life. Why had Obi-Wan never appeared to him before? How many times did he require his comfort...

"I missed you, son." Obi-Wan says, smiling so gently that Vader feels himself crumbling. How could he ever hate this man or want him dead for so long?

"You would be disappointed to know I have reclaimed my name." Vader replies, not wanting to see his judgment right now. He remembers when Obi-Wan saw the monster he became on Mustafar, the disdain at the thought of fighting his son figure, the disgust at the deeds he caused, but the determination in carrying out the order of killing him permitted by Yoda.

Obi-Wan's smile didn't fade. "In cover-up only, not spirit. Darth Vader is dead. Luke fought for you to get another chance, and you did. My son is alive. You are Anakin Skywalker in all but name. That doesn't mean you are monster."

Vader's tears go down his eyes as he turns around. "I killed you. On the first Death Star, I wanted you dead. One of the many irredeemable acts I have caused in the darkness that followed me." He growls, his head snapping from Obi-Wan. "You are just a memory."

"Your memory." Obi-Wan retorts, rendering Vader speechless. "Fight for what you believe in. You are still alive, and you are strong. I am of the past. You can't continue living in it."

"It's too late. My younger self... I caused untold amount of damage to him." Vader responds.

Obi-Wan replies. "Vader... you are a much better person than you once have been. You have reforged yourself. You don't need to dwell of a time long gone."

Obi-Wan offers his lightsaber to him.

Vader grabs it slowly before staring up at the old man. "I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. I have nothing to protect myself. The galaxy would know my destiny if something doesn't change soon."

"Yet that would not stop you. Go to your family, my son, tell them the truth." Obi-Wan replies, the blue aura around him beginning to disappear.

Vader, for a long time after that particular moment, didn't know if that was the Force wishing to grant him one last moment with his father in this lifetime as Obi-Wan should be one with the Force, or if that was a memory - a cruel trick being played on him.

The Force works in mysterious ways, and it probably saw it fit to have someone talk reason into him, before he went into exile.

Vader is done hiding in a physical realm. He would no longer hide from his family. He has a family now, and they consist of his mother, Obi-Wan of this time, Qui-Gon, and hopefully his younger self is not lost to them. Whoever knows his true identity, they could all go karked themselves.

Knowing what he has to do now, Vader keeps his weapon in his hand.

Hood still raised high, Vader walks back to the crew of passengers, those of his family now. He can see they all have taken the brunt of what Anakin did to them quite harshly, but they all still have faith in him.

"Vader," his mother says, looking at him with such hopeful optimism that he wonders how would she react after this.

Shmi was a kind and gentle woman. She worked hard, and tried to raise Anakin to be a good person. She would've been shocked and appalled by his actions, but at that early stage, like Padmé, she would have maintained a high level of hope for his self-redemption. Had she known of the Jedi Purge later and the murders of the children in the Academy, but by then he was committed, his allegiance had shifted and his transition to the Dark Side was written in stone, she would've certainly lost that hope and acknowledged that her son would never again be the man she had known and loved as a young boy.

She always wanted Anakin to be free and have a better life. If she saw the life that Vader was having, she would absolutely be devastated that he had found his way back into a form of slavery. She wanted Anakin to be a Jedi and dreamed of the good he would do. Knowing the thing he has become, it would disappoint her, but Vader finds himself feeling the courage to just tell her.

Vader can only grimace at the thought of her walking away from him. Seeing how much damage has been done to this timeline, the man wouldn't be able to blame any of them to walk away from him. Obi-Wan luckily did take to his advice and got his respirator removed, taking that risk, but the scars still linger in all ways.

"I have been lying to you all for so long," Vader says, at last placing his hand on his hood and removing it, showing his face to them. He eyes all of their expressions, namely keeping an eye on one of the most important women in the galaxy to him to see how she would react, and her eyes go wide.

No matter how long, a mother would always recognize her son. An old motto Vader heard of long ago.

"I once went by the name of Anakin Skywalker."

Obi-Wan's eyes go wide, and Qui-Gon frowns.

"I've come back nearly decades into the past to prevent a fate befalling the galaxy too horrifying and horrible."

"Anakin Skywalker...," Shmi says, her hand going to her thigh, almost tripping. "Anakin, what happened to you? How could you-"

No anger in her voice but pure confusion.

Vader closes his eyes and face them with more courage. "I have become the apprentice of the Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious, Plagueis's apprentice, who managed to kill him in the other timeline." Vader replies.

Shmi finds herself less surprised than she otherwise would have been. Yet, somehow, it explains that she always felt safe around Vader and there is a bond between them.

"But...how is that possible?"

"It's a long story," Vader replies. "The Force granted me a second chance to change things, and some things came for the better, while others came for the worse. There has been a disturbance in the Force from my very presence."

His statement didn't make sense to any of them. Time travel is an impossible subject that anyone should ever be able to do. Yet...

"That would explain a lot. Especially all the foreknowledge about certain things. Your wisdom and power." Qui-Gon says slowly, almost skeptically.

"Yes, it's how I knew about the consequences of allowing Darth Maul to live. It's how I was aware of how to free my mother from slavery so I could keep my younger self under control for a time."

Qui-Gon Jinn, for all his decades of living in the galaxy, never suspected this to be reality. The Force has been clouding the Jedi's judgment when Vader arrived, but yet now he senses no lie. Even if Vader became a Sith, he can see that he is no longer someone who stinks in the darkness.

"How old are you exactly?" Obi-Wan asks curiously, placing one hand on his beard.

"Forty six in mentality," he responds.

"Did I still impregnate your mother in another timeline?" Qui-Gon asks slowly.

"No," Vader responds, stiffening. "That was a setback I honestly did not seen coming from this timeline. The Force has been guiding for me to go through obstacles, some I have already fought, and others I would have to fight still in this time."

Shmi replies. "And why had you fallen to the dark side in the first place?"

Qui-Gon explained to her what Sith could do when drunk off their power.

Vader's blue eyes turns extremely solemn. She didn't have to be Force Sensitive to sense great pain and failure in him now.

"I wanted to save the one I cared about from death."

"Ah," Obi-Wan replies. "But wait. If you fallen to the dark side, how did you redeem yourself?"

"Because I had a son who was a better person and he managed to free me from the chains of the dark side," he replies solemnly, his eyes staring at the ground. "The Jedi died."

Qui-Gon couldn't believe his ears. The Jedi extinct? How can the Jedi die? He still cares about him even despite how they want him either captured or dead.

"You're not kidding, are you?"

"I'm afraid not. Six years from now, the rise of the Sith would come. The Republic will be transferred into an Empire, the Jedi will be exterminated, and the Sith shall rule the galaxy with an iron fist. Even without Sidious standing at the mantle, Darth Plagueis can still take over the Republic. The Jedi and the Republic are at their final hour even without the involvement of the Sith. It is the galaxy's destiny.

Qui-Gon opens his mouth to say something and then closes it, placing a hand on his beard.

"Palpatine was the Sith Lord?" Obi-Wan asks, a sudden lightbulb going off in his head. "Wait; that means that's how he disappeared. Palpatine was killed by his Master when he attempted to overthrow him."

"Yes. He was the one that hounded Darth Maul after the Jedi; I didn't suspect for him to be killed earlier on in this timeline. He is a master of the darkness; a creature who managed to fool the Jedi Order and the Republic as a whole. The war known as the Clone Wars has been his and Plagueis's doing- all of it. He managed to manipulate the Jedi Order through deceptions and half-truths but he struck as a lesson in the future's past that one man can decide the cards of the entire galaxy. All is taken to manipulation."

Qui-Gon has been in the presence of Senator Palpatine many times, and while he had been suspicious of the man's intentions, he never thought that such a kind face could be a source of corruption and unfathomable darkness.

"There's still one thing I don't understand. What happened to me, Qui-Gon, your mother, and all others such as the Queen of Naboo during the invasion of Naboo? Surely someone had to be able opposed Palpatine. Maybe things weren't that bad." Obi-Wan replies, taking in the news surprisingly well. Damn it, even in this timeline, Obi-Wan could still be that impassive man who hardly allow his emotions to cloud his judgment.

In Vader's new Order, he would be a great figure of balance. He can sense that Obi-Wan has no intentions of lashing out and defending the code, something that almost disturbs him. Obi-Wan could absolutely be a terrifying Sith who could convince people to stab themselves through their hearts with sweet words and rarely even touch the Force. To that point, he might have been the best Sith in history, maybe even considered a Sith'ari, his charisma and influence matching more than his power.

Padmé would have been another story altogether. She is a lighter version of Palpatine; her persuasion and borderline manipulation would have made her a threat more than possibly anyone. She is sympathetic but not as much as many so she might have been worse than Anakin and Obi-Wan ever would have been as Sith combined. She would have made speeches which made have brought about equality in the Empire rose underneath her.

Now is not the time to ponder about that. They have to find the location of Anakin and they can talk about the upcoming future.

"I convert to the dark side. I attacked the Jedi Temple and murdered everyone inside...even the younglings." Vader admits.

Shmi's eyes go wide, but the disappointment across her face is understandable. It is something that Vader thought of himself for a long time; it is disgusting how he killed all within the Jedi Temple.

"It can't be true," Shmi whispers, not wanting to believe her son of a future past could become a murderer. "Please tell me it's not true."

Vader wants to, but he knows he cannot continue deceiving them. "Sidious corrupted me, twisted my mind, and made me believe that I could save the love of my life with only the dark side. I believed wrongly that my wife would die if I didn't do something to save. Ironically, by doing so, I caused my vision to come true. She lost the will to live after my children was born."

Children? Shmi can't see Anakin as a parent at such a young age. Given he time traveled at the age of 46, he must have had children in his early 20ths.

"And no one tried to stop him?"

"There was no stopping the Emperor. Palpatine managed to manipulate the situation at every chance. He had been a trusted politician for decades before the invasion of Naboo, beginning a galactic wide conflict known as the Clone Wars. As the war dragged on, my disillusionment grew and they asked me to commit treason, suspecting something was up, but it was too late. It has been too late since the beginning of the war. Palpatine already won by the time of the invasion of Naboo. Only a small amount survived."

"A small amount?" Qui-Gon asks with horror, his mouth a gap. "But that's ten thousand Jedi. Surely there had to be someone like Master Windu or Yoda."

"I assisted Palpatine in cutting down Windu shortly before the fall of the Jedi Order. The Clone Army Palpatine established had always been indoctrinated since birth to follow the orders of the Republic so they executed the Jedi without hesitation. Among that small amount, only Yoda and Obi-Wan survived."

"But what about Anakin? Didn't everyone just give up on him? On you?" Obi-Wan asks, horrified.

"I didn't listen," Vader replies softly. It had been solely him, not Obi-Wan, who was to blame for what happened to Mustafar despite the many failings his father had. "I allowed my power to blind me and I choked my wife who tried to convince me. I then lashed out at you and would have killed you if you didn't defeat me."

Shmi flips round on Obi-Wan. "You... You killed him?"

Vader walks forward and plants a hand on his mother's shoulder, knowing that she would be overprotective.

"No, though he came close. We dueled on Mustafar, a planet entirely surrounded in volcanic lava and ash. I became arrogant and attempted an ill-advised move while Obi-Wan stood on higher ground...three of my limbs were sliced off…. the flames consumed what was left of my body…"

Shmi has tears going down her eyes at the agony that he must have faced. She can't believe the things Vader has faced in his lifetime. Vader is her son from another universe.

"You didn't die," she speaks, managing to keep her voice steady, despite her shaky chin.

"My rage and connection to the dark side kept me alive. I wanted revenge against Obi-Wan and the remaining Jedi. Sidious knew this as he reached me in time but the ash damaged my lungs so badly I needed to be kept in a cybernetic, black suit with a respirator in order to survive. By that time, my transformation into Darth Vader was complete."

A cold wind blows in from the west upon mention of that name. The sun above seems to turn crimson, as a black shade falls over Vader. Even in a past galaxy, the mere mention of that name still hovers in the air.

Vader, now completely illuminated in black and red, says, as if it doesn't affect him. "In the aftermath, my love died. Yoda and Obi-Wan went into seclusion. The Republic was no more and the Jedi became little more than a legend, a myth. My son was sent to live on Tatooine with his aunt and uncle on a moisture farm, unaware of his true lineage. My daughter was sent to live on Alderaan, also unaware of her true lineage."

"At least my former apprentice here was able to keep some peace," Qui-Gon says.

"Obi-Wan," Vader confirms, and he can see the horror across the face of the man at the thought of hurting his friend. "He watched over my son for nineteen years before the Rebellion against the Empire brought us into action. In this time, the Empire constructed a space station which my son later blew up. I killed Obi-Wan in the process, though I was left unsatisfied."

"And Yoda?"

"He was my son's second master. In actuality he encountered very minimum training compared to what a normal Jedi received at the Temple. He joined the fight against Sidious and our Empire, eventually encountering both of us."

"And it sounds to me like he won, though I do wonder how," Qui-Gon correctly deduces.

"He managed to keep on the fight until we first met on the planet known as Bespin. When he found out I was his father his primary obligation was to turn me from the darkness."

Vader didn't really enjoy talking about his older days. Torturing the Princess who he didn't know was his daughter, cutting down his father as he was blinded by hate, the screams of his son at the cruel revelation, and the torture of Sidious, all coming back.

He cannot ever live with himself knowing that he did it.

"Sidious attempted to convert him to the dark side after he bested me in combat. When he refused, he tried to kill my son instead. I managed to bring balance back to the galaxy."

Obi-Wan frowns. "But if you both brought balance, why did you come all the way back to this time? Things already happened. Why would the Force see it fit that you come back."

"While there was balance, I guess the Force seen it fit to condemn me to give me a second chance. Perhaps it wants me to create an Order of Balance. An Order of the Force. The Force has a will. It has a destiny for us all. It is the most dangerous weapon that anyone could possessed. Something can happen, and the entire galaxy can be changed because of such a thing. You each would have a choice to be the members of my balanced Order when this is all over."

Vader saw so much for his time. His family would span outwards. He saw Jaina Solo sustaining that balance and then his great-grandchildren afterward and so on. Many of his descendants honored the legacy of Luke Skywalker.

"I created a time paradox in a way. I already exists this time as Anakin Skywalker, but I decided to take my younger self under my wing. No one could understand him best than me."

"That is...a lot," Shmi admits, gripping the side of her forehead. "But there's still one more thing I have to ask you."

Vader is actually surprised that they are taking it well.

"A lot of what you claim happened differently, and I imagine I either remained behind on Tatooine or was brought by a slaver."

"True, my original timeline had many things happened differently without my involvement. Such being; the Naboo palace didn't explode and Naboo won the battle with less casualties. Another example is that Qui-Gon died by Darth Maul."

Obi-Wan knows that was a possibility, but he didn't know it went this deep. He had thought Vader was that powerful in the Force that he saw what was coming but it turned out the Force saved him from suffering the loss of his Master, something that is fortunate.

Shmi shakes her head. "This is giving me a serious headache."

"I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed. In the previous timeline, you ended up dying, killed by Tusken Raiders, and so I massacred them all in anger. I killed men, women, and children because I wanted them to suffer. I lost myself in my power not for the first time in my life."

Shmi didn't say anything for a long second and neither did anyone, her face going blank. Vader hopes that he didn't just kill his mother through a load of information that is being laid on her. He couldn't blame her for struggling to process this information, as these could be the simple ramblings of a madman who claimed her son's body.

Finally, after what seems like an hour, a lifetime even, she speaks.

"I will not leave you."

Vader finds himself stunned. One would have thought someone would have disassociated themselves with someone, even their child, for doing the deeds he has done. Surely, she wouldn't want someone to be around their child, knowing that he has a prior history in slaughtering children.

"We will defeat anyone who ever cross us and live as a happy family. There must still be a chance in Anakin, given you turned back. I won't lose confidence in you now - none of you."

"Anakin needed his family in another timeline," Vader replies, not losing hope in his younger self. "My son turned me back, and so I believe there is still a chance for me to turn him back. No matter of any timeline, one thing that always hold Anakin back, is his compassion. He has too much of his mother's heart in him. We would find him and help him."

Shmi is touched by those words, truly, and deeply.

Seeing the conversation coming to an end, they all nod before Qui-Gon and Shmi walk off, undoubtedly to find a ship. Obi-Wan stays behind, and Vader finds himself reaching out through the Force, wondering about his intentions. A small part of him feared Obi-Wan would attack after what happened to their relationship with Mustafar. To his surprise, Obi-Wan doesn't seem like he wants to start a confrontation.

"How can I hurt you?" Obi-Wan asks, and that is not a question Vader has thought coming.

"You thought you were making the right choice," Vader replies. "I was able to accept that what happened. None of us was right. Truthfully, we both made bad decisions in life."

"I could have killed my son. I was Anakin - your - father. I could have tried to understand instead of automatically accepting the erroneous Jedi assumption that dark siders and Sith are irredeemable. Instead of trying to make you because you were, I could have tried to understand. I didn't do that. Given how brief you explained this, I didn't even want to. I failed you."

"I am not your failure, Obi-Wan, you were not the one who murdered all those in the Jedi Temple. I did. Not even Sidious was wholly at fault. It was my choice to kill those, and no matter of how I lived in pain, it doesn't justify my actions. You are not the only one at fault. It's very hypocritical to assume otherwise." Vader replies, knowing that he is at his most vulnerable right now. "Look, you didn't make me kill the Younglings. You didn't make me kill the Jedi within the Temple. You didn't make me choke my wife. I still accepted the commands of a Sith, knowing deep down that they are wrong, and I did it for two decades."

"Still though," Obi-Wan replies, staring down, unable to believe that someone would so forgiving to the man that cut off his limbs and left him to burn alive. "Acceptance is a natural part of life, and especially of being a Jedi. True Jedi would learn to eventually accept what happened and move on. That is very different from forgiveness. It's accepting that you can't change the past and dwelling on it, obsessing over it changes absolutely nothing. It will only cause you more harm than good. I should have done something."

Vader smiles. "Perhaps you could rectify your mistake this time. There is still my younger self who needs his family. He needs to come back, and you could help me bring him back. My younger self cares about you - you are his brother this time, and you are bonded together. You would be a fool if you think otherwise."

Obi-Wan wraps his arms around the taller man, and Vader finds himself freezing. In his time under the Jedi, Anakin would always initiate a hug with a Master, but now it seems like there has been yet another ripple effect.

And one ripple effect Vader is willing to accept.

Anakin finds himself taking several steps back. He feels the urge to turn around and run, but he doesn't, wanting to know this figure's intentions. He is quite the brave soul who would never leave a battle behind no matter what and now is no different.

What he finds himself encountering is a young man and woman. The former has a red lightsaber ignited, two pairs of golden eyes, and brown hair. The female, like her companion, has brown hair and two golden orbs, but her hair is slicker and goes down to her waist, and she has two lightsabers ignited.

"Your children," the Sith chuckles, tasting in his amusement. "Come, boy, prove yourself, can you kill them?"

"I would not fight you!" Anakin shouts, ignoring the taunts from the ancient Sith behind him. "Please, don't do this."

"You are our father," Leia chuckles, a dark laugh that doesn't honestly suit her. "You are to blame for us turning out like this."

"I-I won't allowed you two to be monsters!" Anakin snaps.

"You are weak, father, and now you shall die." Luke replies.

It is Leia, not Luke, who charges forward first. Anakin points his weapon to the ground, waiting for his daughter's blade to meet his own. When it does, Anakin is shocked at the aggression within the Assault, but he doesn't allow himself to be pushed back forever, as he begins pushing the two blades back.

Luke takes that moment to charge forward, unleashing a blast of lightning that causes Anakin to refocus his blade against his son, sending him flying away at the blunt, allowing him to send rapid strikes and stabs toward his daughter. Leia, lacking any footing against him, is forced to dodge and sidestep, the two blades clashing against Anakin's lightsaber.

Luke charges forward towards Anakin, and his crimson blade locks with purple, just as Leia is sent backward by a fierce kick. Anakin can still fight them, but these are his future - his past - whatever - his children! He cannot see it within himself to bring further harm to his children!

Anakin leaps back, motioning for Luke and Leia to come forward with a stance into Makashi. Combined, they do, their blades clashing against his, causing his teeth to grind against one another and jaw to clench, but he doesn't allow their combined blade work to force him backward.

Luke is shocked and Leia is amused at the demonstration of power Anakin is showing. His lightsaber is switching between both every single second, and even as dark siders, they can still work in tandem. Their partnership is something that should always be commended; the thing is Anakin Skywalker is still as powerful as he was when he was Darth Vader.

Anakin jumps forward and lands behind them. Luke and Leia are cornering him, their blades still raised, the darkness spreading across their faces. Luke leaps while Leia dashes, and Anakin falls into the form of Soresu, deflecting both of their strikes with ease, before freezing both of them through the Force, and seizing their weapons over to his hands.

"Well done, now finish it." The Sith cackles behind.

Anakin almost crushes their windpipes had it not been for the cruel reminder that they were his children. There is still that bond.

"I love you both..."

Anakin looks down before deactivating his lightsaber.

"But this is not my time! I won't kill any of you."

The dark side of the Force amplifies, causing Anakin's surroundings to revert back to that dark fortress it was from earlier.

The dark side is still sitting on the throne.

"Show me your power," Anakin says coldly, his eyes burning crystal gold.

"Very well. Let me show the true power of the Force."

Red strands of lightning come crashing down onto the ground Anakin is standing on. He brings up a hand, expecting him to allow the red strands to course through his hand.

Damn it!

The assault penetrates through him, causing him to be slammed across the air. He could not believe that someone would have been able to defeat him in such a manner!

Crawling himself up onto his feet, Anakin steadies himself before glaring at the ancient Sith.

He dashes forward, rolling to the right then the left, before launching into the air. The Sith extends a hand towards Anakin, sending another red torrent of energy, and deflecting the power back at the ancient being, but his hands are tightening over the weapon. Anakin cannot believe someone so powerful and so wise in the Force was able to escape the attention of the Jedi and Sith for so long.

Vader was right; he needed to learn that he's not all-powerful.

He manages to land near the Throne. He ran his weapon through his chest, hoping that would be the end of it.

"You stupid fool."

The Sith merely removes his weapon from his chest, and the dark side swirls around him, healing the wound. Now irritated, he pushes him back.

Keeping hold of his weapon, Anakin takes rapid stabs and strikes, each of which is deflected by the Sith Lord. The dark sider, seeming to grow bored, explodes into motions, now pushing Anakin onto the defensive with his powers alone. Anakin, having suffered Vader's Force Assaults countless times which were just as intense, can block any and all of them.

The only difference is that these abilities are darker and therefore more ferocious. And the thing is that Vader has accomplished his full potential and is passed his prime, while it would take years for him to do the same.

Anakin levitates a bunch of rocks and boulders around him before flinging it at the ancient Sith. The Sith disintegrate them all without interest, them becoming mere ashes, before he flings a hand, and all of his senses target his throat.

"I will tolerate no other Master before me, and you would commit to me," the Sith says, grinning at his hands hacking away at his throat. "My apprentice."

Anakin growls. "Who are you?!"

"For now, Tor Valum would do..." The Sith replies. A dark laugh leaves his lips as he raises his hands, curled fingers flexing. "But soon, you will learn to call me Master."

Lightning burst forth from his hands and slams into Anakin, sending him to the ground screaming in horrific agony as blackness tear through his vision and his consciousness leave him...

Arthur's note: Vader finally told his family the truth. It was going to come sooner or later, and I couldn't miss that fluffy moment between Vader and Obi-Wan of this timeline. It is something that was desperately needed.

Tor Valum... I bet none of you saw that coming. He was a good concept yet was abandoned. As said before, Disney is just full of missed opportunities, so I decided to add him to this story and remove further predictability. Warning; his story would be different than that which had been established. Originally, this was going to be Abeloth but I decided to make a character not that known about coming into this fray.

Also, to clear up something, I would always have Obi-Wan with Siri. I don't like what Disney did to Obi-Wan's sexuality. I don't mind same-sex relationships but Obi-Wan never struck me as someone who is interested in men. Don't expect for that to ever be referenced! I'm sorry if that seems offensive.

May the Force be with you all always.