(2-15-16: Yay, more editing done! Of course the usual grammar, of course, and I cut out some things to add to the mystery, elaborated on some other details, etc. I plan on the heavy revising to be in book 2, honestly. But there's still work to be done in this one!)

Here you go guys, the next chapter! Oh, and I should tell you NOW, when I finish the story, I will say the end. So don't stop following because you THINK that it's over hehehehe . . . yeah, I have plans haha. Anyway, thank you for all of the reviews, I've loved reading all of them throughout this story. Don't forget to review whenever you finish a chapter, and Enjoy! (P.S. if there's a lot of typos don't judge it was almost four in the morning by the time I finished this chapter.)

Pain.

Oh Force, the pain!

Luke had thought the pain from losing his hand was bad, or the experience of Sidious killing him slowly with Sith Lightning, but no, this was far worse.

The familiar pain of lightning was there tenfold, and then suddenly there erupted a new pain he couldn't place an origin to because it was so all-consuming.

The agony was like dying in a brutal, unforgiving manner.

Sidious' laughter cackled distantly in the background, and Luke heard screams as the torment continued.

"Gah, no!" Luke cried out, lurching free of the nightmare and bolting up in bed. He panted, sweat glistening against his skin as he stared wildly around the room, eyes inspecting the dark corners and windows, senses stretched out to sense any possible danger or unwelcome Force Signature.

Nothing.

Luke threw off the covers, getting out of bed and running a hand through his matted hair. He still had the shadow of the pain he'd experienced from in the dream, and he struggled to get his breathing back under control. Luke went over to his bedroom window, staring out over Coruscant while he rubbed one of the many spots that burned.

What I wouldn't give to talk to Leia or Han right now...or my time's Ben, Luke couldn't help but think. He raised a shaking hand, watching it tremble for a few moments before he turned his attention elsewhere once again. He sat down on the floor, attempting to meditate and calm himself down before he even thought about going back to bed.

When he nearly fell asleep there on the floor, he got back up, hands steady once more as he pulled back the covers to get in bed.

Luke's last thought before he fell into a much more peaceful sleep wasn't a cheery one.

I feel sorry for anyone who suffers such a fate.

The next morning Luke was tired and uneasy, skittish even as Anakin and he made their way to see Obi-Wan off to Utapau.

Anakin glanced at him a few times. "What's wrong?"

Luke shook his head. "Bad dream last night."

"About..?"

He sighed. "I don't know really, there was just...a lot of pain."

Anakin put an arm around Luke's shoulders. "Don't worry about it; we'll be fine. Sidious won't get away; when we find him we'll stop him."

Luke smiled up at him. "I know."

Anakin nodded over to Obi-Wan, who wasn't that far away. "Come on, we should probably hurry: he's got to leave soon."

"Of course."

The two sped up their pace. "Obi-Wan!" Anakin called with a wave of his hand, reaching Obi-Wan just as the man was about to leave.

Obi-Wan smiled at the two of them. "So you two did decide to come and see me off. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever show up."

Anakin returned the smile. "Yeah, well, we were a little held up. Luke took extra-long to get ready this morning."

"Hey! I did not!" Luke protested.

Obi-Wan chuckled, and turning his attention back to Anakin as Anakin spoke once more.

"Are you feeling up to this? Going to face Grievous on your own?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan with true sincerity.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I would prefer to have you with me, Anakin, but you and Luke are needed here for Sidious."

"Still, I wish you didn't have to go alone."

"I will be fine, Anakin. Despite what you believe, I can actually handle myself. I was made a Jedi Master for a reason."

Anakin chuckled, though the wistful look didn't fade from his eyes. Luke took the chance to say his peace. "Good luck, Obi-Wan. Watch your back; I'd hate for you to get caught in any crosshairs."

Obi-Wan smiled at him. "I will Luke. You watch out for your father, all right? Don't let him get into too much trouble."

"I resent that statement," Anakin chuckled softly.

Luke rolled his eyes. "He'll be fine with me, Obi-Wan. With both of us working together, no one's going to be able to beat us. Sidious doesn't know what's coming for him."

"No, that he doesn't," Obi-Wan chuckled before he returned his gaze to Anakin. "Though seriously: don't do anything rash or foolish while I'm gone. And listen to your son; he's got your best interests at heart."

Anakin nodded. "I know, Obi-Wan. Things are going to be different this time, I promise."

Obi-Wan smiled at him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, you're my closest friend: I've known and trained you since you were a boy. I've taught you everything I know, and you have saved my life on countless occasions. You are strong and wise: and a far better Jedi than I could ever hope to be. I'm proud of you: I know you won't let me down. You'll do what's right, I know you will."

Luke caught the wave of emotion from his father, and could sense just how deep of a chord Obi-Wan's words had struck him. His words truly meant a lot to Anakin, who simply nodded, not trusting his voice for a few moments. "Thank you," he finally forced out, saying it quickly to try and avoid his voice breaking.

Obi-Wan turned to Luke next. "Luke, it's been a pleasure getting to know you, and no matter what happens I know that you'll keep your father here in line. You're a great man, much like your father, who I'm sure is proud of you. Take care, all right? I plan on seeing you again when I come back—both of you," Obi-Wan finally finished.

Luke nodded, now rather emotional himself. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

"C'mon, old man...we're saying goodbye, yes, but not those kinds of goodbyes," Anakin said, some emotion still in his voice. Luke had to agree with his father; the entire conversation felt too final to him with the way they were treating it. All of them would come back in one piece, he was sure of it.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, well...I just feel it's something I need to say before I go, just in case."

They all looked at the star destroyer waiting for Obi-Wan for a moment before Anakin spoke again. "You better get going," he said somewhat sadly.

Obi-Wan looked back at him with a smile that was somehow still bright and uplifting despite the dangers everyone was walking towards right now. "May the Force be with you; both of you."

"May the Force be with you too, Obi-Wan," Anakin said.

Luke nodded. "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan. Hurry back."

Obi-Wan gave them both one last smile before he turned and descended the ramp. Both Skywalkers watched until his ship was far from sight.

"When's the meeting with Palpatine?" Luke asked calmly, still staring off in the direction Obi-Wan had disappeared.

Anakin sighed. "Later this afternoon. Luke, are you sure you want to come? You don't have to."

"Actually, I do," Luke said slowly, turning and starting to walk down the hall, hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in the same all black that he had arrived in on Cato Neimoidia, and he'd had a solemn air about him all day. Anakin matched his stride to walk beside his son, studying the young man for a moment.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, Father."

Anakin sighed. "I can't wait until this blasted war is over with."

Luke smiled. "I almost don't want to go home. It feels right being here, but...I'm needed back home in my time. I can't stay much longer."

Anakin looked at him, shocked. "What do you mean?"

"I have the feeling that after all of this I'm going to be returned to my proper time. I want to stay here with you and Mother, I really do, but I don't belong. I need to go back when what I was sent here to do is finished."

A little part of Anakin cried out at his words. No! Luke couldn't leave! Anakin couldn't imagine not having his son around anymore, he was sure there'd be something missing if he left. Though at the same time, he knew that Luke was right. Luke couldn't stay, he didn't belong here. He needed to go back to his own time, to his friends and sister, to the New Republic and Jedi Order he was helping to rebuild.

"You'll be greatly missed when you do," Anakin said, hearing himself choke on his words.

Luke looked at him once more, smiling even as powerful emotions shimmered in his eyes. "You'll still have me. And this time you'll be able to be there as I grow up, to be a proper father."

Anakin was relieved to hear that he wasn't the only one choking up over the subject. Wordlessly, Anakin pulled Luke in for a tight, one armed hug. "I won't let you down, Son, I promise."

"I know you won't, Father; I believe in you."

The two walked in an emotional silence for a few moments before Luke spoke again, his tone even once more. "Should we squeeze in some more training before we head over to Palpatine's office?"

Anakin nodded, feeling the serious mood settle over them once more. He could sense an impending danger and knew that Sidious would show his face soon. The only question Anakin had right now was who the Sith would be.

"Come on, Father, we only have so long," Luke stated, shaking Anakin from his thoughts.

"I'm coming, I'm coming; patience, Luke!" Anakin laughed, slinging an arm around Luke's shoulders as they walked. "Are you going to want to work on your lightsaber form more or go back to those Force Abilities?"

"Actually, I'd like to put more focus on my Force Abilities right now, especially one that I apparently need to work on. I can tell you didn't see, but in my memory where I faced Sidious, I tried to use Tutaminis when Sidious shot his lightning at me, but I wasn't successful. He overpowered me before I could even make a real attempt. I had nowhere near enough practice."

"Energy absorption, I see. Do you want to practice it with me?" Anakin asked, slightly amused.

"Yes, I would. If we're going to fight him again I want to be ready just in case I do find myself without a lightsaber."

Anakin shifted uncomfortably at the thought of Luke without a weapon in the middle of their fight with Sidious, but brushed the unpleasant thought from his mind. "Well, I won't be shooting any lightning at you, but I can shoot other things at you," he said with a mischievous smile.

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, that will have to work for now. And thank you for showing me the lightsaber deflection yesterday. That will definitely come in handy."

"That's why I showed you."

"Yes, I know." Luke sighed and the two lapsed into silence a little longer, at least until they reached the training room.

"You know Luke...I don't know if you'll get this technique down before we confront Sidious. It's a difficult skill to develop."

"I know, but I already have a small amount of training and experience with it, so I'm better off than most. If I can practice it I'm going to practice it."

Anakin shook his head with a small smile at Luke's logic. "All right then, I can see I won't change your mind. I'll go easy on you for a while and just gradually increase on my efforts, how about that? That way we can see where your limits with Tutaminis are."

"What about you? What are your skills with Tutaminis?" Luke asked curiously.

Anakin chuckled. "Absorbing blaster bolts with your bare hands is a rather useful skill to have in this war," he said simply.

Luke smiled at his father. "Duly noted," he chuckled. "Come on, let's get to practicing."

Sidious paced in his office with an agitated growl, eyes flashing dangerously at nothing in particular as he stewed in his anger. He would have preferred to trick Anakin into joining him today, to seduce him successfully to the dark side; he was sure he would have been successful.

Had it not been for that child, Luke.

Sidious scowled darkly at the thought of the boy. He had done nothing but disrupt his plans since he got here, and recently, Luke had somehow erased the work on Anakin that Sidious had been laboring over for years. There was almost no darkness in his ideal apprentice right now, and it infuriated Sidious to no end. How had the child done it? How?

Sidious had to reign himself in. He couldn't afford to lose control, not right now, not when he was so close to success. Sidious took a seat at his desk, stewing in his anger and formulating several different ideas in his head. He had a few hours before Anakin would come for his meeting, and with the boy tagging along undoubtedly in an attempt to keep Sidious from trying anything.

Eventually he decided upon an idea he found to his liking, and he grinned sinisterly, slowly working out the kinks in the plan. Luke's presence would not hinder Sidious any longer. Rather, he would rapidly accelerate Sidious' plans. He chuckled darkly to himself.

There's more than one way to turn a man, boy.

Sidious had felt the bond that Luke and Anakin had developed, and no doubt it had gotten stronger. All Sidious had to do was apply the right pressure, and Anakin would play right into his hands.

Come along child: I am ready for you. Soon Anakin shall be mine, and you will be most assuredly dead.