Revised 10/29/14

The emergency horns blaring, Luke and Tess helped Darth Vader stumble forward in the direction of the escape pods. The stormtroopers that were missing when Tess was making her way to the Emperor's chamber were here now, all racing to get off the space station.

With Tess' short stature and Luke's weakness from the Force lightening, they had quite a difficult time helping the Emperor's former apprentice along. Regardless, he saved their lives. Neither of them even considered leaving him behind.

Tess had twisted her knee when the Emperor threw her into the wall, and as much as she powered through it, one wrong step sent her stumbling to the cold floor. Vader and Luke came with her. Tess held her throbbing knee as Luke caught his breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked his sister. Tess nodded and attempted to stand again. Luke grimaced, watching her try her best. He looked around for a moment, then stood up and dragged his father to a ship with a lowered ramp. The limp figure that was once Darth Vader collapsed exhaustedly on the ramp, his breathing getting more and more labored by the second. Luke pulled his father to a seated position and Tess scooted her way to his side.

"I can do it…" she assured him strongly. "I just need a minute."

"Luke…" Vader said. Tess watched Luke's face light up just a little, hearing his father say his name. "Help me take…this mask off…"

Tess exchanged glances with Luke.

"But you'll die," Luke reminded him.

"Nothing…" Vader heaved. "Can stop that now. Just for once…let me…look on you with my own eyes." He turned in Tess' general direction. "Both of you."

Tess felt tears well up, but she pushed them back. Luke slowly pulled off Darth Vader's helmet, then the mask, exposing the face of a man. He was not strong looking, or different. His face was scarred and burned and pale from the battle that put him in the very suit that he was known for. Still, under the mask, he was just a man. A man with the exact same blue eyes as Luke. A man named Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin looked up at Luke with a love Tess never could have imagined that Vader would possess. Then he looked at Tess, then back at Luke, then back at Tess again. Luke put a comforting hand on his father's shoulder.

"I couldn't kill her again…" Anakin choked. "You look…just like her…" He smiled at her as much as he could. Tess felt a tear slip down her cheek. "Like your mother." He turned to his son. "And you…like me at your age. But good, like your mother. You both have the good…that I never had."

"Father, if there wasn't good in you," Luke assured Anakin. "We wouldn't be here right now."

Anakin smiled just slightly, as if to say thank you but still not believe it.

"Now…go, my son…" Anakin ordered. "Leave me."

"No, you're coming with me!" Luke told him. Tess nodded.

"You'll be alright," she assured him. "Just come with us. For Luke, and for Leia. She has to see this side of you—or she'll never understand."

"I'll not leave you here, I've got to save you!" Luke added.

"You saved our lives," Tess chimed in. "Now we're going to save yours."

"You already…have…" Anakin managed to tell them. He turned to Tess. "Tess…you are not him. I can see through your heart…your intentions. He might have been your father, but there is no part of him in you." He smiled gently. "All I see…is Padme. The woman I loved…" He reached a glove hand to the side of her face. "Thank you…for letting me see her one last time."

Tess stumbled into fits of sobs, bringing her hands to meet his.

"I wish I could have known her."

Anakin looked at Luke next.

"Luke…you were right. You were right about me," he promised his son. His breathing grew shallower. "Tell your sister…you were right…"

Anakin Skywalker smiled softly at his son. Slowly, his eyes began to close. His head fell back against Luke's supporting hand that guided him onto his back.

"Father…?" Luke called out, as if Anakin was miles away. "I won't leave you!"

Anakin Skywalker's body was now completely limp, and the labored breathing had faded out into no breathing at all.

"Luke…he's gone," Tess sniffled, taking his hand and leaning against him a little.

His eyes still stuck on his father, Luke wrapped one arm around Tess. A few tears fell down his cheeks. Eventually he allowed himself to wrap his other arm around his sister, crying softly.

Tess' face was pressed up against Luke's chest and her eyes blinking through tears when she took one last look at Anakin Skywalker, only to see the he was gone. The suit was there, but his body was now one with the Force.