1. I Would Love You Through the Bitter End
The blistering air of Mustafar was a suffocating wall that burned through his eyes and seared the walls of his lungs. Acrid smoke billowed against sweat-soaked skin and smoldering ash flooded his nostrils. But it was the crushing weight atop his heart that made breathing nearly impossible.
"Help me, master."
Anakin's pained rasp further buckled and collapsed something fragile inside of him.
I loved you.
It was a lie. Even now, with every youngling slaughtered, with every soldier turned traitor, with his whole world fallen apart, it was a lie.
Because Obi-Wan still loved him.
I'm sorry Master Yoda. I couldn't do it.
Obi-Wan stumbled down the bank of blackened volcanic sand, until he toppled to his knees and gently gathered what little remained of Anakin in his arms. He weighed next to nothing now, and the pain of it pierced his chest like white-hot shrapnel.
"Master," the word scraped past Anakin's cracked lips. "I'm sorry."
"No, Anakin," Obi-Wan said hoarsely, hooking Anakin's remaining cybernetic limb around his neck and lifting him up before his smoldering robes could erupt into flames. "It is I who is sorry. I have failed you."
The truth of it cut him wide open and bled him dry, leaving nothing behind but a festering wound.
This should've been the end. There was no going back. The Sith had won. Anakin had fallen and his betrayal had brought them to utter ruin.
But even knowing this, Obi-Wan stood with Anakin cradled in his arms and turned away from the seething flow of lava at his feet, heat blasting against his back as he climbed the obsidian embankment.
I love you.
The words pulsed through his raging heart. They crawled through his chest like broiling magma. They branded themselves into the very fabric of his soul.
I love you.
Obi-Wan hadn't only failed Anakin. He had failed himself. Because he'd let go of everyone else. He'd let go of Cerasi. He'd let go of Qui-Gon. He'd let go of Satine.
But he could not let go of Anakin.
I love you.
Obi-Wan swallowed back a sob, throat ragged and eyes burning.
"Master Kenobi!"
Threepio's panicked voice served to draw Obi-Wan out of his spiraling thoughts as they neared the starship on the landing deck.
"We have Miss Padmé onboard," the droid called as he shuffled down the ramp of the ship. "Oh, goodness! Is that Master Ani?!"
"Threepio, go," Obi-Wan said roughly and cleared his throat. "Return to Padmé. Watch over her until we've safely reached a medical facility."
"Yes, Master Kenobi," Threepio said, relieved to be given direction as he turned back around. "We must leave this dreadful place!"
Obi-Wan turned to Artoo as they boarded the ship and quietly instructed him, "Prime the engines and program the navi-computer to chart a course for Polis Massa."
The astromech droid beeped an affirmative and trundled in the direction of the cockpit.
Bypassing the main hold and the cabin Threepio had disappeared into, Obi-Wan entered a neighboring cabin and lowered Anakin onto the bunk. His yellow eyes stared through him, hazy and delirious with unbridled pain.
I love you.
"I'm sorry," is what Obi-Wan whispered brokenly instead. He pressed his forehead against Anakin's, wishing this was all a terrible nightmare.
And when he lifted his head, he touched a palm over Anakin's eyes, guiding them to close. "Sleep."
Too weak to disobey, Anakin quickly succumbed to the Force command.
Obi-Wan finally exited the cabin knowing there was little time to waste and rejoined Artoo, taking a seat in the pilot's chair.
He directed the sublight maneuvers to takeoff and quietly asked, "Will we be clear to make the jump to hyperspace?"
Artoo beeped another affirmative.
"No loose wire jokes. He's trying!"
The echo of Anakin's warm voice rose in his memory and cruelly punctured his heart; a gaping fissure that strained wider with every rise and fall of his chest.
"…Thank you, Artoo," Obi-Wan said hoarsely, as they cleared atmo. "You did good."
A/N: This is my first time ever publishing for Star Wars, so please be kind. Thanks for reading! :)