It was the middle of the ship's night before Anakin's nightmare began. Qui-Gon, as had become his custom, appeared in the middle and Anakin found an odd dissociation in the dream, with his dream body on a rampage but his mind speaking to Master Jinn. He really appreciated it. His tremors weren't as violent now, though it would've been hard to prove.

Kenobi paused the holocron recording he was viewing. The furniture rattled in place. He looked up. "Anakin." His voice was gentle. "It's okay my friend. You are safe. You are not hurting anyone, not right now. We won't allow that." He went into the room. His hand gently laid on Anakin's shoulder. He didn't wake, but restlessly tossed back and forth. Obi-Wan grabbed a cold cloth and gently ran it over his sweating face. Anakin's nightmare eased and he quieted. The disturbance in the force faded slightly. "That's it. Calm."

Anakin's anger at himself faded slightly in the dream. Qui-Gon calmly spoke to him, encouraging him to focus on controlling his hatred, which was directed largely at himself. In the dream, Anakin forced himself to ignore his body and focus on his spirit. He imagined himself doing the relaxation exercises. Slowly, he let out a deep, breath. It wasn't easy. He felt an odd division inside, part of him raging and the other part calm. Suddenly with an unexpected jolt, he was outside the armored shell. For the first time, he saw Darth Vader from the outside. He was standing next to Qui-Gon, watching the carnage. He felt sick and anger at himself rose inside, as if the armor was a black hole drawing him in.

"Focus! Calm!"

Anakin focused on calming again and the pull faded. It was a back and forth battle. He'd get out, watch Vader, start to be drawn back in. Then he'd remember to focus and come back out. It was grueling.

The scene shifted and he was in Mustafar. If the other nightmare was bad, this one was worse. He was trying to kill Obi-Wan. He wanted to run from this fight. Not have Qui-Gon witness him try to kill his former padawan, even though he already knew. But Qui-Gon kept calling advice, keeping his gaze locked on Anakin. Anakin fought desperately to obey, but it was hard, so hard, when he tried to kill Obi-Wan. To his horror, he succeeded in the flip over his friend, his sword cut through his friend as it had not in reality. But his own momentum and the slippery shale slid him right into the burning lava. At that point he nearly lost it. Panic and remembered pain made him thrash.

Outwardly the furniture started to bounce around. Kenobi quickly wetted the cloth and kept using the force to sooth him, wiping the sweat away with cold water. "Time to wake, Anakin."

In the dream, the burning was suddenly put out with a splash of cold water from nowhere, and even though he'd been killed, his master was standing over him with a bucket in hand...

Finally it faded away and Anakin woke up. His eyes widened and he found Obi-Wan right beside him, sitting and watching him. The older Jedi gave him a gentle smile. "How are you feeling?" Anakin blinked away tears, staring at the ceiling. He was wet as if Obi-Wan really had dumped a bucket of water on him. "Did I wreck anything?"

"No. Shook things a bit, but no wreckage. I think you did quite well."

"I hate to think what your idea of what doing badly must be then. I dreamed…." He hesitated. "It's not just a dream though is it? It's memories, altered sometimes, but based on memories. And Qui-Gon is helping me through them." Surprise made him rise to his elbows looking around. "He's…he's…"

"Teaching you to be a Jedi even when you sleep."

Anakin's mouth opened. But no words came. He just shook his head, nodded, and stared at him. "You've been helping too. Calming me from the outside."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I cannot do it for you always. Nor can he. But you are relearning to do it. And you won't always need our help. You just need patience."

"Not my strong suit. And I don't know if relearning is the right word. That implies I knew how to start with. I don't recall dream training at the temple."

"Neither is letting go." Obi-Wan said dryly. "And we'll have to consider adding that training."

"I need my family."

"Need is the problem. Loving is one thing. Possessing another. You saved Luke by accepting his refusal to turn to the dark. He had a right to the decision, as do Padmé and Leia and everyone else. You cannot make them responsible for your morality."

"Is that what I'm doing?"

"You know on some level you are, by needing them to hold back the darkness from consuming you again."

"Need isn't normally a choice. I don't choose to need food or water or air but I still need it."

"You must learn to accept your love for them as they are, as enough, rather than their presence or their actions. Luke didn't base his love for you on any actions he'd witnessed, did he?"

Anakin shook his head slowly.

"If you attach to your ideals, and you do have good ideals, I've seen them, they will not fail you. Those ideals build a future for your family as well as other's families. And your family does not thank you if you abandon them to save them. Not when they have already sacrificed so much for them."

Anakin paced in his cell, sensing Luke's presence and surprised neither he, Padmé or Ahsoka had shown up yet. Obi-Wan had already been called in. They'd been interrupted in a light exercise session in the gym. There was excitement, nervousness and doubt filling the air and he sensed it involved him. Finally, the high command called for him.

Anakin stared at the data Luke and Ahsoka had brought back thoughtfully. "You want me to go after it?" He was having trouble fathoming the request, or demand, whichever it was.

"We've analyzed the data every which way." Rieekan stated firmly. "We don't see any other way to get it. Obviously you wouldn't be going alone."

Anakin glanced up at Luke, who looked hopeful and Obi-Wan, who looked concerned. Ahsoka looked interested but cautiously optimistic.

The classified intel on bio weapons and cloning experiments the Emperor had left with him was locked up on Vjun and no-one else had access to those vaults. They could get into the fortress but it took a force user to get inside. Luke wouldn't know how, Ahsoka didn't either. Obi-Wan might but he didn't know the whereabouts of all the force traps or the doors. Even for a jedi they were difficult to find, hidden as they were on this dark side world. Practically speaking Anakin was the logical choice. Except for the fact that a being a former sith and going into a place so strong in the dark side was like an alcoholic or spice user going into a bar.

"Okay." Anakin said very slowly. "Who exactly is coming?"

Leia folded her arms angrily. "I'm coming. I'm not letting him out of my sight."

Bail Organa shook his head. "Too dangerous."

"I'm not a child, or a pampered little princess. I've been on plenty of missions and I'm going on this one!"

Han was leaning on a wall behind them, one hand on blaster. "If you go, I go."

"I assume that means Chewbacca goes as well." Rieekan observed dryly.

Padmé glanced at Anakin at Han's tone, her eyes smiling. She had her hand covering her mouth to hide the faint smile. They both heard the fierce protectiveness for Leia driving him.

Bail sputtered in frustration. "Leia, even if … I mean …"

"I'll be fine."

"I'm coming. I want to know about these force user only doors." Luke said firmly.

"Me too." Ahsoka chimed in.

Artoo suddenly rocked and chirped firmly, rolling to Anakin's side. Obviously, he planned to come. Probably that was Padme's idea, but it was a good one. Artoo would have the virtue of not having that oppressive weight of the dark side pressing down. Droids didn't sense the force. Of course, Han and Chewbacca wouldn't either, but they were more likely to want to just shoot him if it began affecting him.

Finally Obi-Wan said in no uncertain terms. "I'm coming."

Rieekan looked doubtful. "Are you sure? I thought you were ready to give up the action." He flicked a glance to Anakin.

Anakin glanced down, knowing Obi-Wan distrusted the idea of him going to Vjun alone. It hurt but it was a practical truth that Vjun was a dangerous place for him. Nonetheless, he let out a faint, warm smile. Obi-Wan and Anakin had once been a formidable team. Maybe they could be again, no matter how old, battle scarred and worn they looked.