Summary: Five years after Mustafar, Darth Vader is but a shadow of the powerful Sith Lord he should be. To the point where the emperor must use the apprentice bond to force Vader to act. But why?
Chalk it up to two undaunted women who will not let even death stop them from saving the soul of the man they both loved.
Based on StarWarrior72's "The strength to do for his child"
Force-Speech
^Flashback^
*Thoughts*
Disclaimer - I neither own copyright nor receive money for anything. I write to improve my ability and for enjoyment.
We all need something to fight for:
Chapter 13: Differences in view.
"Since when do you come on your own Master, when I'm not even meditating?" Obi-wan growled at the Force-Shade of his former master. They had reached the Lars homestead and Qui-gon had simply faded back into view with his arms folded. I merely wished to speak with you, Obi-wan. You've come along far enough that you need not meditate to see me. Qui-gon said neutrally. "Or is it that you were trying to stop me from what I should have done at Mustafar!" Obi-wan spat in anger. "Why of all people should 'Vader' have such a second chance? He's betrayed all of us!" Indeed he has from your point of view, my former padawan. Yet consider this. How could he betray a trust that was never given to him?" Obi-wan snarled at that. "He betrayed my trust in him!" He turned away from Qui-gon even as he said that, for he could not look his former master in the eye. Qui-gon simply shook his head in astonishment and disappointment. "Your trust in him? Even you know better than that. And what of the trust of the innocent victim in all of this. Or do you truly blame Padme for his fall?" Obi-wan whipped back around, his eyes wide with indignation. "She wasn't willing to take me to him! Of course she had a hand in his fall. I was a fool to trust her not to be as corrupt as the rest of the politicians. She was probably plotting with him to overthrow the Sith as soon as he revealed himself and then rule at his side! Qui-gon stared in shock at Obi-wan, and then let his arms down with a sigh. Ah, my former padawan, didn't I warn you never make a Senator angry? Especially one that was once a monarch of her system. Qui-gon shook his head and turned to look over his shoulder. I suppose that someone else's point of view is necessary. Still it shouldn't have to come to this.
Before Obi-wan could respond he found himself thrown back in time, into memories not his own.
^Flashback^
Anakin staring off into infinity, even as his master's body was lowered into the bowels of the temple for its immolation. Gut-wrenching fury was written all over his face along with devastating grief. Only the hood of his cloak prevented the other members of the memorial party from seeing the vicious expression. Yet there were two among the mourners that didn't need to see his face. Padme manages to keep her eyes on her husband even as Ashoka comes to stand by his side. Later, the three of them would remove themselves to Padme's apartment for privacy. In the hopes that by allowing Anakin to grieve as he needed to, that he would be able to continue. Only to find that later on it was all a deception to safe-guard the Chancellor. From that moment on Anakin begins to realize that if his master does not trust him, how can he do the same?
^Flashback^
Anakin pleading with the Council not to send Ashoka on her last solo mission before her trials. He had tried to trust Obi-wan again and confess of his vision of her capture and torture for the information that she held about the Nexus route. And once again his master had betrayed him to the Council. He listened to their harsh words that Ashoka was no longer his padawan, though since she was so close to knighthood she would not receive a new master. And that he was to refrain from seeing her until after her mission was complete. The carnage he left in the training grounds afterwards was truly frightening to see. For Ashoka would never come back to him, this he knew.
^Flashback^
Anakin standing over Dooku, lightsabers crossed at the count's neck. "Good, Anakin Good," the voice of Palpatine. "Kill him. Kill him now." Anakin looking uncertain. "I shouldn't." Palpatine's voice filling with the Dark Side, turning it into a snarling mockery of the smooth senatorial tone. "DO IT!" Anakin obeying, cutting down the defenseless Sith with a savage expression on his face. The sabers retracting and Anakin looking at what he had done with revulsion and horror. Turning to Palpatine to hear his praise as he frees the Chancellor. "You did well Anakin. He was too dangerous to be kept alive."
^Flashback^
Anakin and Padme in the shadow of a pillar speaking together. "Ani, I'm pregnant." The look of shock then joy on Anakin's face "Tha..That's wonderful!" Padme's anxious reply. "What are we going to do?" Anakin smiling gently at his wife. "We're not going to worry about anything right now. This is a happy moment, the happiest of my life!"
^Flashback^
The swirling vortex of a vision is seen with only Padme's face in view, contorted in agony. "Anakin help me!" Then a horrifying scream rings out as Anakin bolts upright, panting. He leaves the bed and moves out to the fountains to collect his thoughts. Padme joins him and asks what is wrong. He tries to distract her but she will not be denied. He tells her of his vision and that she will die in childbirth. She tries to comfort him and he shakes it off, declaring that he will not let this one become reality. They speak further, Padme voicing her concerns about his expulsion and her disgrace, although it is his future she is worried about. Then she asks if his former master can help them. Anakin stiffens ever so slightly, remembering all the times that Obi-wan merely dismissed his concerns or outright betrayed him. Not this time, not with Padme's life and the life of his unborn child at stake. "We don't need Obi-wan's help. Our baby is a blessing."
^Flashback^
He is on fire, burning both physically and mentally. He had listened to Padme declare her love again for him, pleading with him to turn away and come with her, before it was too late. For a moment, he wavers, on the brink of the dark void that would be his destruction. He contemplates leaving it all, not completely driven to take the power of the Dark Side. For she does not approve, as he knew she wouldn't. And her approval, her faith in him is all that has mattered. But even as he is about to turn back to her and agree, he senses the presence of Obi-wan on her ship. She has betrayed him! Of all people, his own wife has betrayed him. The Dark Side rushes in to claim him once again and then things blur until he is lying on the bottom of the lava bank, scrambling desperately with only one hand left, screaming "I HATE YOU!" at the man who had been his mentor and supposed best friend. But was that ever true? Even in his agony he reaches up to his brother mentally crying for help as the Dark Side recedes for a moment. Only to be mentally slapped in the face when Obi-wan turns away, snapping the Master-Padawan bond…or so he thinks. But such a bond as they had is not broken that easily. Though it is in tatters, there is still a thread left. Again the Dark Side claims him as he gives into his fury, knowing that it will be the only thing to sustain him now..
^Flashback^
Anakin strapped to a table, his face still uncovered although the rest of him is incased in the terrifying black armor of Vader. His head still shows the horrible burns he had received on Mustafar. They have been left untreated, marking him with a patch-work of blackened and angry red skin. His bloodshot blue eyes widened as the mask comes down to cover his face, painfully so. The hiss of air as the resperator takes over his breathing. Then the table tilts up to a vertical position. Off in the shadows, a cloaked figure waits to speak with the Sith lord. "Lord Vader, can you hear me?" it asks in a cracked hideous voice. "Yes my master," the bass vocoder booms. The newly-minted Vader turns his head back and forth , searching. "Where is Padme? Is she safe? Is she alright?" Vader questions, revealing what he was looking for. Sidious seems to hesitate for only a second. "It seems in your angry, you killed her." Shock and horror go thru the black figure. "I couldn't have! I felt her!" Vader howls, as he struggles free of his bonds. Droids fold in on themselves and glass breaks as the Sith lord's power reaches a crescendo. But it is not fury that Vader feels. It is wholesale grief. Even as he falls to his knees screaming "NO!" something breaks. What countless people have tried to do to him over his lifetime, this single devastating fact is enough to succeed were everything else has fail. Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, is now a broken spirit, seemingly never to rise up and fight again.
^End Flashback^
Obi-wan dropped to his knees in utter horror and grief. "What have I done? WHAT HAVE I DONE?" His scream of agony echoed over the desert night like the cry of a damned soul.