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ANAKIN'S REDEMPTION

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I put the comments at the end of the story this time so it won't get in the way for people who just wanna read!

This is only a short chappie, and it's all dialogue, so some of you are gonna be peeved! But more to come soon, I promise!

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Chapter Thirteen - Close to the Edge

Anakin banged his head repeatedly against the wall inside his shuttle. Idiot! he cursed himself. What have you DONE? He felt the rage growing within him and punched the control panel, denting it slightly. Several lightpanels shattered as his rage intensified out into the Force.

You IMBECILE Anakin! You've ruined EVERYTHING!

Tools and other items flew around the cockpit as he hurled them around. It felt good…comfortable…right…to feel the power coursing through his veins again.

NO ANAKIN! He caught himself before the rage took hold. I will not go back.
Anakin closed his eyes, breathed deeply and centered himself in the force.

"You had me worried for a moment there."

Anakin opened his eyes to find his former Master's spirit in front of him.
"Obi-Wan," he breathed. "I'm sorry – that was…that was a – momentary setback."
"This is a dangerous time for you," said Obi-Wan. "I fear that Padme's reappearance in your life will push you in the wrong direction."
"No she won't, I just wasn't ready –" Anakin started to object.

"A bad influence on you, she is."

Anakin's eyes widened. "Yoda!"

Yoda's shimmering form appeared. "Returned from the dark side you have. Possible, I thought it was not. Seeing you again brings warm feelings to my heart."

"Thankyou, Master Yoda," nodded Anakin, bowing on one knee before him. "Thankyou for coming. I would have understood if you did not want to speak with me."

"A terrible decision, you made. Terrible things you have done."

Anakin nodded sadly. "I know Master. I apologize."

"Fooled were you. Seduced, by the dark side of the Force."

"Yes Master Yoda…I didn't realize what I was doing. I thought I was saving Padme. I didn't fully understand the power of the dark side. I thought I could use it and turn back when I was finished…"

"But consume you, it did! Yes, yes, taken lightly, the dark side must not be."

"I know that now, Master," said Anakin humbly. "For more than twenty years I have tried to fight against it, to come back. But it was too strong. If not for my son…" His voice trailed off.

"A good boy, he is. A true Jedi. Saw the good in you, that we did not."

"You didn't know to look for it," said Anakin graciously. "Luke was not taught as we were. His heart and mind were open. He also wanted to see the good, to find his lost father. I will never be able to thank him enough."

"Yourself, must you also credit. A heavy burden for Luke, to carry his father's salvation on his shoulders."

Anakin nodded slowly. "It's easier to hold Luke up as the hero than it is to look at myself," he admitted sheepishly. "I know I was the one who defeated Palpatine in the end. But it was me who helped him get to where he was in the first place. I can't pat myself on the back too much for finally stopping him - twenty five years too late."

"It is never too late." Obi-Wan shook his head. "As I have said to you before, we all made mistakes."

"Many flaws in the Jedi Order were there. Too confident were we. Too stuck in our old ways. Mmm, many things we could have done differently, were there."

"Like what, Master Yoda?" Anakin frowned.

"Listened to you, I should have, when spoke of your nightmares you did. Understood, we should have, that different from other Jedi were you. Isolated, you were, and easy prey."

"You were manipulated and used as a pawn by the Emperor," Obi-Wan added. "But you found the strength to overcome that, and you deserve to be commended for it."

"Thankyou." Anakin bowed his head towards Obi-Wan.

"Strong in the Force, you are. A return from the dark side, I have not heard of before. Proud you must be, of all you have done. But beware -" warned Yoda. "The dark side is not conquered yet. Vulnerable are you. Precarious, is your stance in the light. Be mindful of your feelings, or fall again you will."

"I understand," said Anakin. "I will try…"

"No! There is no try! Make the same mistake again, you cannot!"

"I won't," said Anakin emphatically. "I will do all I can to resist the dark side. It will be different this time. I am older and wiser, I have learned from my mistakes. There is no Palpatine to influence me. And I have Luke and Leia…."

"Luke and Leia – strengths they are. But weaknesses can they also become! Remember, you must, what I told you. 'Train yourself to let go of all that you fear to lose...' especially Padme. A powerful hold over you, she has. Dangerous, that is."

"You must let her go," put in Obi-Wan.

"But I love her!"

"Your love for Luke – powerful it is. A bright light in your life. Your love for Leia – patient, unconditional. But your love for Padme – controlling, it is. Dominating."

"No…no…it was, but I've changed…"

"It is not a healthy love, Anakin. You know that, you said it yourself. You want to own her, possess her. If you want to continue your progress on the light side, you must stay away from Padme," advised Obi-Wan. "I don't want to see you fall again!"

"Yes, yes, to Obi-Wan you listen!"

"But Obi-Wan, I'm different now...I understand now!"

"You are still compulsive and irrational around her. Look at what just happened when you were faced with her again!"

"Undid all your progress, did you," said Yoda gravely.

"No...no I didn't...it was a temporary set back..."

"You can't afford even the slightest temptation to the dark side Anakin!"

Anakin put his head in his hands. "I can't…I just can't give up on her."

Obi-Wan and Yoda exchanged glances.

"That is why you will fail."

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Hi guys!

SSG Michael B Jackson: I 100 percent agree with you, I HATE what Lucas did to Padme's character in ROTS. She was a pathetic pregnant hairbrushing nitwit that sent feminism back about 50 years. The deleted scenes were great, they actually showed Padme still had some guts, but they were cut out! And yeah, killing her off was just plain lame. It was lame, hard to believe, and a crappy way to kill off a strong character. Nobody dies of a broken heart for crying out loud. AND it makes Leia a big fat lying psycho in ROTJ when she remembers her dead mother. Grrrr George! Anyway, I still think even the strongest mind can be broken and Padme certainly went through enough to qualify for a nervous breakdown. Being strangled by her husband, then waking up from a coma to find her beloved children missing would be enough to send anyone quackers. Then hiding for 2 decades...she became a paranoid mess. You'll have to wait and see if she comes out of it or not...! ;)

Jedi Knight 13 left this great comment in my reviews: "The problem is Leia is so much like Anakin. She may be politically savvy, but on an emotional level she hit the off switch a long time ago and leaving her emotionally stunted like her father." Damn, that's a good observation! I'm gonna have to check out your fanfic if your comments are that good! I think you're right, they are very similar on an emotional level. Leia is kind and compassionate in her heart, but she covers it all up by being bossy and full of attitude. Anakin is the same except he covers his vulnerability with bravado and overconfidence. And they both have a temper that gets them into trouble. 'Off-switch'...I love it!

Sith Knight - Galen: Hi and welcome to the story! Yup, I agree with everything you said about Mace, that's how I see it too. As far as him being unarmed - I think the rule was more if you believed someone to be unarmed, and as far as Mace knew at that point he was. Palps was also pretending to be weak. Mace probably did the right thing by trying to kill him, but the wrong thing as far as Jedi are concerned because by breaking a fundamental rule, he confirmed Anakin's feeling that the Jedi were wrong!

Christine Phantom: Hmmm...I never said she stopped loving him. ;) But I don't want to give any story away so you'll have to read on to see if she still does or not!

Jedi Master Arie Skywalker: Maybe Leia cracked just a little...only a little mind you!

VFSnake: You've really got it in for poor Leia, haven't you? Killing her off would totally ruin the ending...so NO! Maybe I'll write a spin off series where Leia dies in every episode ala Kenny from South Park!

Padmeonpaper: I already read your story, see my name is the last review!

Thanks to everyone for reading!