Thank you to all who said that theyenjoyed the story so far! I wanted to finish this story soon, but I'm suffering though a case of writers block. However, I havestrapped myself down infront of my computer, determined to add more chapters to this story. I hope you enjoy and you can be as brutally honest about this story as you like, so long as it's constructive and not insulting.

Oh, andlike sooooo many people here, I too don't own these characters nor do I look to profit from George Lucases creative mind...

There were whispers among the rebels about a rising hero among them. He suddenly showed up out of nowhere, helping rebel alliances defeat the forces of the Emperor. He was the best fighter anyone had ever seen. Many suspected that it was Vader gone rogue, for no one else had the piloting capabilities of the Sith Lord. Yet the only name he would give was Skywalker. His fighter ship was small, resembling an Eta 2 Actis Interceptor's used by the Emperor's forces, yet Skywalker maneuvered the ship far quicker than the best stormtroopers ever could. He would offer the Alliance key information on infiltrating and destroying the Emperor's forces, granting the Alliance an upper hand over the Emperor. Time and time again he was asked to supply more information about himself, to explain his purpose in helping out the Alliance, but silence had always been his reply.

Naboo….

Master Yoda had poured over the scriptures of the prophecy. Again, it spoke about a warrior strong in the force, The Chosen One that would one day bring balance to the Force. Master Yoda was certain that after many years the prophecy had become more of a myth; a tale to tell younglings when it came time to be tucked into bed. Yet for the past month, those younglings (secretly trained to be Jedi), had woken up and whispered of a "Hero Without Fear."

"He rises from the darkness," the younglings whispered in their dreams. "He will set us free."

Degobah…

The marches of the desolate and wild planet concealed the lone being racing through its harsh lands. The jungle was wild and untamed, much like the sole inhabitant of the planet. Much of the life forms of the planet were simple minded creatures, animals in nature. For Anakin Skywalker, formally Darth Vader, the planet was the only place where he could seek refuge from his demons. It is said that once the Dark path of the Force is followed, there is no turning back into the light, but for Skywalker, the opposite seemed to be true. He was fighting to break himself free from those demons that always lived inside him. The constant anger he carried, the hate for everything around him, was difficult to let go.

When Skywalker became the Emperors apprentice, he was no more than a boy who only knew loneliness, loss and sorrow. There was no other way to live. Even when he continued on as the Emperors apprentice, there was really no affection there, except for the praise the Emperor gave Anakin on his powers. The Emperor wanted to wipe out Skywalker's former life. There was no looking back, he had insisted. He even gave him a new name. He had almost forgotten the name he was born with, had almost forgotten the few moments of joy he had had as a child, that is until he met Padme. Seeing her close up, letting her essence overwhelm him made him feel as though he could break out of the present prison he had made for himself. She had called him a lackey… a mere servant to a man bent on absolute power. Anakin had never really seen himself as such, but knew that Padme was right. He was a mere pawn to the Emperor. He had only known destruction and death. He felt nothing for those who begged for their life. They were mere insects, weaker beings that weren't strong enough to survive, much less live.

Yet, through out his life of being the Emperors assassin, he had seen compassion reign in those beings he considered weaker. He had seen them fight, spring up in hope, even as he wiped away their reason to live, still they clung to hope. They were stronger than he supposed and even admired the gumption they had of dying rather than give into the Emperors demands. The truth was, Anakin was sick of death, the constant battle for power. It never ended. He continued to serve the Emperor because he didn't think that he had any other choice. What more was there?

Yet looking into Padme's eyes, knowing that there could be more, made him feel things he's never felt before. Since the first moment he'd seen her on the holonet, he hadn't stopped thinking about her. His dreams began to be more vivid and he somehow knew that he couldn't continue as the Emperor's assassin and have Padme for his own. The Emperor would not allow such treachery. He would sooner choke the life out of Padme with his bare hands and revel in Anakin's loss. That was the way of it. To continue to be in the service of the Emperor was to accept things as they were.

"No more," Anakin breathed… stopping for a breath. Sweat beaded down his forehead. No matter how fast he ran how much he trained and put his body through grueling drills, still he could not shake the image of Padme from his mind. If he closed his eyes, he could still breathe in her fragrance, could still taste her sweet kisses on his mouth.

Waking up next to Padme that morning, he knew that he had to get away. He didn't know how to handle the chaotic emotions she produced within him. Planning how to capture her all those months, he really hadn't figured what to do with her beyond possessing her. He knew that turning her into the Emperor after what transpired between them was out of the question. He would never surrender her to the Dark Lord, but he couldn't stay with her either and endanger her with his presence. And yet, Anakin didn't count on his need for her to increase every day he was apart from her. Her absence overwhelmed him. Every breath felt as if a part of his soul was leaving his body for want of her. He told himself that what he felt was crazy. He'd felt pain before, but never this kind of self inflicted torture that he couldn't shake.

Stopping next to a large tree, he leaned against it and tried to slow down the beating of his heart. He finally said out loud what he had been denying himself all this time, "I can't live without her," he panted. "By the Sith, I can't loose her."

In his solitude on Degobah he learned to let go of himself and surrender unto the Force. That was something that the Dark Lord never taught him how to do. He only knew how to manipulate the energy around him, bend it to his will. Yet he discovered that if he gave himself up to that energy, the demons hissing in his mind ceased. He learned to see himself in a new light. By surrendering into the Force he had essentially freed himself from the darkness clasped about his heart and soul. In freeing himself he also felt his feelings for Padme stir more strongly within him. She gave him strength and for her he was determined to bring about the destruction of the Emperor so that she could be safe. He had started by offering his services to the Alliance. He used the name he was born with, the name no one else knew him by save the Emperor. He hadn't even told Padme what his last name was, but he reveled in the memory of her calling him by his given name while in the throes of passion. He would close his eyes and remember those moments. His very skin tingling as his memory flooded with images of Padme moving in unison beneath him, her arms holding onto him as her eyes bore into his, calling out his name.

Anakin let out a breath. He needed to end the torture. He needed to end what he set into motion. Only then could he have Padme. Only then was there a chance of her forgiving him and perhaps even finding redemption with the rest of the Galaxy.

The Outer Rim…

The Emperor swiveled in his chair angrily. "Why hasn't anyone found Lord Vader!"

"He has eluded us my lord," one of the clone generals calmly replied. "He may be dead."

The Emperor laughed. "You don't know Vader! He can survive anything! He must be found and brought to me!"

General Cody briefly glanced at his clone brothers, waiting for the Emperor to give him further instructions.

"He was the only one who would have exposed our weaknesses to our enemies," the Emperor continued. "I sensed his betrayal, his growing independence."

"Sir," General Cody said, "What are your orders?"

"Go to Naboo," the Emperor ordered. "Vaders betrayal can be traced there."
"There were reports of his death at the hands of the rebels," one of his advisers said.

"Bah!" the Emperor exclaimed with a wave of his hand. "I can still sense him. Lord Vader still lives, but not for long. The Force has revealed many a disturbing things about Lord Vader. You must bring him to me General Cody. Go to Naboo. Find Commander Amidala. Bring her to me and Vader will soon follow."

The Emperors commanders and advisers around the room looked at each other. None dared question the Emperor's motives. General Cody simply nodded, showing no emotions in his weathered face. He nodded to his brothers. All bowed before the Emperor and filed out of the room.

The Emperor dismissed those around him, swiveling back in his chair, facing the darkness of the galaxy through the windows of his office. "You will pay, Lord Vader for your treachery," he vowed, almost gleefully. "I've finally discovered what you long hid from me old friend. I warned you about love. It's the path of the weak, the vulnerable. Soon we will find how weak you truly are when I crush Commander Amidala right in front of your eyes."

A strange calm settled upon Degobah as a lone figure walked its dark marshes towards a sleek small ship. The figure stopped, sensing a change within the environment around him. A breeze caught him unaware as he turned in the direction from where it came. He cocked his head to one side, noticing something that wasn't there before. Looking around him, the figure sensed something different about this particular spot. Something caught his eye just beyond a small clearing in the forest. He clasped his light saber close to him. There was something there, inside that cave that pulsed with dark energy. He closed his eyes briefly and let himself connect to the Force. Somehow he knew that he could only leave Degobah behind only if he ventured into the cave. He recognized the darkness pulsing inside that cave because it echoed the darkness that had lived inside him for so long. For the first time in his life, he purposely let go of his light saber. He chose not to take it with him into the cave, realizing that he alone must face the darkness with only the force to guide him and nothing else. Feeling slightly apprehensive, he walked toward the darkness, letting the cave swallow him whole.