Anakin bolted up in his bed. His whole body shook and sweat poured down his face. A new nightmare from the Force; Padme dieing during child birth. How cruel could the Force be? He had received the most wonderful news this morning, he was going to be a father, and now he finds out his wife was going to die during the birth of their child.
Glancing over at his beloved he felt another surge of panic. There was no way he could live without her, she was everything to him. He had promised her and himself on the day they were secretly married, that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. But now he felt weak, he had went through this before with the death of his mother, unable to do anything. Not this time.
Grabbing his robe he walked out of the bedroom to get some fresh air. Arriving in the sitting room with a balcony overlooking all of Coruscant he walked to rail and leaned into it. Even at night all of Coruscant was active, ships flying on their way to Force knows what and the people on the ground below drunker than Anakin considered necessary.
A breeze ripped through his hair and he closed his eyes enjoying the cool wind hitting his sweaty body. This was a peaceful moment, something he hadn't received in quite a while. The war had helped him in the eyes of the Jedi, but it had made him a different man. He had grown far beyond his years, understanding the cost of victory and the heartache of defeat. What made it even worse was the enemy they faced held no men that were dieing, it was only machines. While the Republic lost good soldiers the Seperatist only lost scrap metal.
That's why Anakin always tried so hard, he couldn't stand the idea of losing all his men to those walking scrap heaps. Every one of the men under his command was important to him. They trusted him and he in turn trusted them. The rest of the Council didn't agree with his attachment to the Clones yet it was that attachment and freedom that he granted them that made them one of the best in the Republic.
Suddenly a strong tug from the Force brought Anakin out of his musings. Directly to his right was a portal and the Force seemed to be prodding him to go towards it. Tentatively reaching out with his mechanical hand Anakin saw his hand disappear and quickly yanked it back. The Force was practically screaming at him now and deciding to trust in the will of the Force he walked through.
Anakin felt like he had been sucked into the vacuum of space. It was cold and as far as he could tell there was no oxygen. But as quickly as it had happened it stopped and he fell face first onto a cold floor. He could sense quite a few people were in there and not to mention he could hear the clicking of weapons.
Two stood out though. One felt so much like his Force signature that if he didn't know any better he would think it was him. There was a difference though, whereas Anakins was almost like a raging storm waiting to be unleashed the others was like a beacon of light, radiating good. The other was more close to Anakins own, it was more violent but he could hardly sense it, almost like they had never been trained.
Standing up and dusting himself off he was met by a small group of people, a few who had their weapons trained on him. None of the people looked very aggressive, instead they just looked beaten down, like they'd been oppressed for years. Anakin could hear gasps in the crowd, apparently his reputation from the war had made him quite recognizable.
"The Hero with no fear," a dark haired man said. He was dressed in a white shirt and a blue vest over and blue pants with a blaster strapped to his hip. Even when he was shock he had a cocky look about him. If Anakin were to guess he would say the man was a smuggler.
Anakin had to snort when he heard, 'hero with no fear', that was the biggest lie. He feared for almost everything, much to the chagrin of the Jedi council. He feared for the lives of the men serving under him. The Jedi council (even if they didn't always trust Anakin). His master who was like a brother to him. Most important of all was Padme, the light in his almost entirely dark world. Without Padme, or heck even Obi-Wan, Anakin shuddered to think what he'd do without them.
"Just call me Anakin, sir." He said nodding towards the smuggler.
"Well f- Anakin, how exactly did you end up here?" Someone asked, sitting next to the smuggler.
Anakins heart almost stopped in his chest, he had almost thought he was looking in a mirror. The boy had his eyes... his blue eyes. The hair was almost exactly the same color too. The only problem was the kid was about half a foot shorter. Then reaching out with the Force he was again met with another startling discovery, this boy was the one with the immense Force power. Could he possibly be his son?
" I was woken from a nightmare and I fell through a portal. That's about all I know right now," he answered.
"Well kid this is great news! If he's here he might as well help us with the battle right? He was one of the most well known Generals in the Clone wars." The smuggler said patting the blue eyed kid on the back.
Anakin chuckled, why he was made so popular puzzled him, he only did his job. The rest of the council did theirs too yet he was singled out. Then again, Obi-Wan was made quite well known too, but perhaps it was cause he was constantly with Anakin.
"Han, we don't even know if we can trust him," a woman sitting to the blue eyed kids right said.
Again in less than two minutes Anakins heart almost stopped. The woman was a spitting image of Padme. The warm brown eyes, the beautiful long brown hair, and the kind face that he always associated with Padme. She even spoke like Padme, almost like she was trained to do so. Without even thinking he searched her Force presence and wasn't even surprised to find she was the one with the signature that almost matched his.
These two had to be his kids, there was no doubt it now. But if they were his kids... then where was he... and Padme. His heart started picking up speed, there was no way that vision could come true, he would've made sure of it.
Han and the woman were arguing when he snapped out of his stupor.
"...you don't know what he's done in the war before." Han was saying.
Before the woman could reply Anakin cut in, "Does anyone know a Padme Naberie or Amidala?"
"He doesn't know does he?" Someone in the crowd asked.
"Don't know what?" He hoped he was wrong but he could feel the tears already ready to spill over.
"The Republic is gone boy, and Padme died the day the Empire was founded." A familiar voice said walking into the room.
The dam broke and tears flooded down Anakins cheeks. It didn't so much matter to him that the Republic was gone, but that his Angel was gone. The dreams had come true, there truly was nothing he could do to stop the death of his wife. His knees went week and he fell to the floor, unable to take all this news right now.
"C'mon young Skywalker, perhaps we should go somewhere more private." The familiar voice said, pulling Anakin to his feet. "You three come, you should be there for this too."
Anakin wiped his eyes, he was a full grown man, these people didn't deserve to see him like this. As he was prodded out the door by the mysterious man behind him, the men and woman assembled in the room saluted him on his way out the door. He didn't deserve that, he had done nothing for these people, even to the point where the Republic no longer existed.
He was herded into an empty room, with a long table, that one might have a family dinner at. The others came in after him, Han was there along with the two he suspected were his children. After all the others another man joined them in the room. He was older with longer white hair and a beard. His eyes were a milky white color, and he couldn't focus on anything, almost like he was blind. He seemed slightly familiar but from where he had no idea.
"You don't look a day older than the last time I saw you Skywalker," the older man said half a grin on his face.
"I'm sorry sir, I can't exactly place you at the moment," Anakin said, disgusted by how hoarse his voice sounded.
The man chuckled, "No I suppose you wouldn't, we didn't exactly hit if off. You came to aid me and my militia on Felucia towards the end of the war. You were quite impressive I'll give you that. I could see why your master held you in such high regard."
Anakin vaguely remembered a Jedi master who didn't trust the clones. The rest of the council was very open in their dislike in the man, so they kept him away for most of the war. Suddenly the mans name popped into his head. He chuckled a bit, him and the General had argued quite a bit during that mission.
"Master Kota, it's good to see you again."
"Good finally figured it out, I have to say, your troops almost convinced me to get a battalion of my own. It's a good thing I didn't, or I wouldn't be here right now."
Anakin crossed his eyebrows, "What do you mean you wouldn't be here now?"
"Well boy, the chancellor, had made orders that only he could enact inside the clones. Said order was order sixty six. Which caused the clones to turn on their Jedi leaders."
"Did you say, the Chancellor had passed this order?"
"Yes boy, the Chancellor was the dark lord of the Sith all of you sought during the war."
This couldn't be true, Palpatine was a good man, he couldn't be the Sith. The man had always been like a father to him, and always telling Anakin what he wanted to hear.
"No...no...no, he couldn't have."
"What?" Kota asked.
"Is that why I'm not here? Did he turn me into a monster?"
Anakin didn't want to hear the answer, he already felt it in his gut.
"I believe so Anakin. I've never heard what exactly happened but I know you play a key role in it."
Tears fell again, for Padme and for my his stupidity. That must have been how he tried to save her, by turning to the dark side. Palpatine must have offered him something he couldn't have refused; a way to save his wife. But if that was true, then, was the dream even real? The tears stopped almost immediately and Anakins blood began to boil.
Surging through him was the hate for this man, he had manipulated him, maybe all of us just so he could get him on his side. He had destroyed so many innocent lives and Anakin had fallen right into his trap.
The others could sense Anakins surge in the Force and it scared them. Anakin looked at each of them in turn until he settled on the two that resembled him and his beloved so much.
"Am I your father?" He asked bluntly.
The young man looked at Anakin and smiled, something that warmed him right to the core. "Yes, Anakin, I am your son Luke."
The mini Padme looked at me with loathing, "I've heard stories of who my father was and I believe you are that man. I am Leia."
Anakin smiled, those were the names Padme and he had discussed before they fell asleep that night. Who would have thought he was going to have twins, let alone any children at all. The two in front of him were the best of what he and Padme were and he believed without a doubt that they were going to be better people than either of them could ever be.
"I'm Han Solo, and I'm not your son. Though that would be pretty awesome." The smuggler Han said smiling.
Anakin chuckled, "I'm sure you would be a wonderful child to have Han."
Walking forward Anakin gripped Lukes shoulder and tried to do the same with Leia but she pushed his hand away. He had to admit, it did hurt but he couldn't blame her, he was the same way.
"I'm so sorry for what I've done to you. I know this doesn't justify what I've done and honestly I don't even know if this is what happened. I loved your mother very much and the day I found out she was pregnant with you I had a prophetic dream from the Force telling me she was going to die in childbirth." He told them looking them in the eye.
"It was just a dream, doesn't mean it has to come true," Leia said still glaring at Anakin.
Tears formed again and flowed down his cheek slowly, "I wish Leia, believe me, I wish it was only just a dream." Sighing he took the plunge and told them what happened to his mother. "When I was nineteen I began having dreams of your grandmother, my mother. She was in pain and appeared to be being tortured. I felt her pain and it pained me but i made the mistake of believing it was just a dream. Eventually I made my way to Tattoine to find she had been kidnapped by the Sand People. I found her later that day in one of their huts almost dead. She had held out long enough to see me one more time. She died in my arms."
Luke and Leia both just stared at Anakin, both shocked and saddened by the story their father had just told them. They could tell the anguish he was under and not to discount the war that was going on during all that too. Han felt like he was invading on something private, he didn't need to be here for this. Kota just looked on in sadness, he had always known Anakin carried an immense sadness within him, but he had always thought he was a good man. Never in a million years would he have guessed Anakin would fall the way he had.
The tears were freely falling down Anakins face now, he hated relieving that day. The pain of losing his mother was always overbearing but so was the guilt for slaughtering that village of Sand People. He knew it was wrong but it had felt so right and brought him momentary satisfaction. That is until it was over and he realized what he had done. He had hated himself and he felt so ashamed at how easily he had tossed his masters teachings aside. Then there was Padme, when he had told her he thought he was going to drive her away.
"So you thought our mom was going to die because you had another vision?" Luke asked, sadness weighing his voice down.
"Yes son, I had made a promise after I buried my mother that next time I would be strong enough to save the ones I love from dieing. But I don't think this particular dream is from the Force. I think Palpatine had manipulated the Force somehow and sent me that dream. There would only ever be one reason I would even consider to go to the dark side and that would be to save your mother."
"That's why the order forbid having attachments," Kota said from his seat, he'd been quiet lately.
"Why do you think Palpatine sent you that dream?" Han asked, he knew the man was evil he just didn't know why he'd plague this good man the way he had.
Anakin wiped the tears from his eyes and began thinking like a general, "I was one of the strongest in the order and I believe Palpatine sought the power that I possessed. He had always been kind to me, offering kind words and telling me to follow my heart and that it was ok to abandon the Jedi code for what I felt was right. He was slowly turning me against the Jedi and honestly the way the Jedi were acting wasn't helping much either."
"Right you are Anakin," a voice said so suddenly from beside Anakin that it caused everyone to jump.
Standing next to Anakin was a glowing blue spirit of an older man with wild white hair and beard to match. He wore the standard tan robes of a Jedi and he had familiar feel about him.
"Master Obi-Wan," Luke said bowing.
Anakin just stared at the older version of his best friend and promptly busted out laughing. Obi-Wan frowned at Anakin clearly not pleased with whatever it was Anakin found funny about him.
"What's so funny Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, using the voice he used when he scolded his padawan.
"You didn't age too well Master. Especially your hair," Anakin replied reaching up and trying to push his masters hair flat only to have his hand go right through him. "Should've just went bald master it would've suited you better."
"I'll have you know Anakin I quite like my hair the way it is. Secondly you should've seen your hair on some of those missions when you'd wake up. You looked like you stuck your hand in a light socket."
"Whoa Master, we both know I still looked better than you even when that did happen. And lets not forget what your hair looked like when you woke up too."
"Fine, moot point then."
"Well that was interesting," Leia muttered, still not entirely ready to forgive her father.
Luke was shining with happiness, he had never seen Ben this happy. He had remembered him telling him that he and his father were good friends and now it was on display.
"It's good to see you again Kota,"Obi-Wan said slightly incling his head. "Luke, Leia I'm sorry we never got properly introduced, and of course it's good to see you again Han."
"But yes back to what you were saying Anakin. The order was corrupt towards the end due to the war, which is what Palpatine wanted all along."
"I wasn't around much and I even I could see the order being corrupted." Kota added.
"To top it all off the order never really trusted me much. No matter what I did they would find a fault in my actions and scold me for it."
"I am sorry for that Anakin, but you must know I was always there supporting you, no matter what."
"I know master, even when you think I wasn't I always knew you had my back."
"Back on track, I believe that Palpatine had somehow promised me a way to save my wife and the only way was if I join him on the dark side. I don't know if this is fully true as I haven't lived it yet but somehow the Force is telling me that it's right."
"So you think you turned because you thought you were going to protect our mother?" Leia asked, wanting to believe that he was a good intentioned man but Vader clouded her thoughts of the man.
"Not just her but you as well. You don't know this but if I trusted you or loved you, there was nothing I wouldn't put myself through to ensure your safety, even at the cost of my own."
"That about sums him up," both Obi-Wan and Kota said at the same time.
That finally broke Leia and she rushed forward and embraced her father, tears in her eyes. She was surprised to feel the muscles underneath his robes. When he overcame his shock and wrapped his strong arms around her she had never felt safer. Scooting over to the side she opened her arms up for Luke to join them, so they could enjoy a family hug. Once Luke joined everything felt right with the world. Though that was soon ended as he remembered where his beloved wife was.
"I promise the two of you right now, I will not fall to the dark side and I will be the father the two of you deserve." Anakin whispered to his children.
Suddenly just like back at Padmes apartment he felt the Force telling him it was time to go. He wasn't ready, he found that he enjoyed having a family and kids that looked up to him (literally and figuratively).
"It's time Anakin," Obi-Wan somberly said behind him.
Anakin sighed, "I love both of you."
"I love you too father," Leia said and found that it lifter her spirits considerably to finally be able to say it to her real father.
"Love you too dad," Luke said not wanting him to leave, though he too was happy to say it to his father.
Anakin pulled away and looked at his kids, a giant grin plastered on his face. Leaning in he kissed them both on the forehead and ruffled their hair.
Pointing at Han, "You you're a good man but you better stay away from my daughter."
Han held up his hands in a what are you talking about gesture.
"Don't think I don't know what it looks like when two people are in love my friend."
Then Anakin laughed extending his hand to Han, "I'm kidding, even though you don't need it, I give you permission to date my daughter."
Han too smiled and shook the man he idolized as a childs hand, "Thank you General Skywalker, you don't know how much that means to me."
"Kota," Anakin said inclining his head in his direction.
"You're a good man Skywalker, I hope you succeed." Kota answered with a smile.
"Master," Anakin finally said turning to his bestfriend. He was concerned to see the sadness that lingered in his masters eyes. Even the smile he wore was somber, Anakin shuddered to think what he had done to his friend with his actions.
"Do you want to know?" Obi-Wan asked through their Force bond.
"Yes master," Anakin answered in a heartbeat.
A series of images came flooding into his mind. He saw himself through a holo recording attacking the members of the Jedi Temple and then kneeling at the feet of Palpatine whose face was disfigured and terrifying to look at.
Then he saw himself on a volcanic planet, it must have been Mustafar. He was yelling at Padme, his actions were nothing like his own, he would never talk to her that way. Then he raised his hand and choked the woman he was trying to save. That was the worst part and then him and his master fought. They clashed sabers as he'd never done before. Every strike was meant to kill, his style had become more aggressive and powerful than Anakin could have ever imagined. Obi-Wan just let Anakin attack till he got reckless and finally made a fatal mistake. He cut Anakins limbs and let him burn, unable to strike down his brother. Then the kicker was that years later Anakin got his revenge and killed his old master.
All this flashed through Anakins mind in a second and it overwhelmed his, causing him again to drop to his knees. He had killed Padme, he had tried to kill Obi-Wan. He had become a monster and all for what? It was for nothing if he killed Padme, the woman he had been doing this for.
"I'm so sorry master, I never deserved you as a friend or a mentor. I- I don't even know... how I could do this to you, or... Padme." For the hundredth time that day tears streaked down the young knights face, unable to comprehend the atrocities he'd committed to his closest friends.
"Anakin, make up for it by not following Palpatine and make the future better for all. You know you're still my best friend Anakin, you're still the crazy little boy I raised. Vader is a completely different man than the good one that you are. I never once hated you Anakin." Obi-Wan told his friend.
"Like I said, I never deserved you as a friend or mentor. You should hate me."
"That's not my way Anakin, just know I'm proud of you no matter what you do."
The Force called him stronger than ever and he knew his time was officially up. Getting to his feet he looked at everyone in the room and offered a small smile. His family was here, he even considered Kota part of it as well, he was here helping his family.
"I just want all of you to know I love you, all of you,"
The last thing he saw was the smiling faces of his children as he fell through the portal.
Arriving back in Padmes apartment Anakin felt lonely. He had just left his children behind, never knowing if he would see them again.
No, he thought, he would see them again.
"Anakin, are you alright?" Padme called walking out on the balcony in her blue nightgown.
Anakin smiled, "Everythings alright love."
He wrapped his arms around her and just held her, relieved she was there with him.
So for now this is a oneshot type of story however if you guys want me to write more of it I would be willing to just tell me in the reviews. Lets say 10-15 reviews and I'll work on the next chapter for this story. Thanks for reading and May the 4th be with you!