Summary: A snippet from an upcoming story that I've been working on.

Keep an eye out for "Turnaround" in the next few weeks! Another multi-chapter work that I've been working on and am quite excited to share with you all!

Anguish

"I know what you have been planning." Sidious hissed, standing up at last to tower over him. Vader tried to push himself backwards and lightning sparked in his Masters fingertips before all encompassing pain overcame him once again. "You think that you can usurp me? You worm - you are nothing. You mean nothing and you always have! "

More flickers.

Images.

The dreams that he had done all within his power to keep secret for almost four years; a recent one, of his killing Palpatine, with Luke at his side. An old dream, of ruling the Empire with Padme and his son. Of the future he had wanted and the one that had burned into ashes the same way that Anakin had that day on the lava banks of Mustafar. His dreams of Luke, standing by his side, a different future but the one that may still be possible, without Padme, but still worth living for.

The pain ended and he was gasping, trembling, shaking on the ground and Sidious was moving closer, spitting words that Vader couldn't quite hear yet -

Everything was spinning and his eyes were blurry and it hurt to breathe.

" - think that that wretch would rule the Empire with you?" His Master was sneering at him and there was so much anger on his face and in his eyes. "That he might care? Who would care about you after all you've done? You're weak and pathetic and you are mine!"

Lighting crackled again and he was screaming and the sound was tortured even to his ears. Alarms were blaring - systems in his suit failing and sparking out and all the while, Sidious was still hissing his threats, forcing Vader to hear all of them even when he shouldn't be able to.

"…kill - your son and I will force you to watch… you miserable -"

His son.

Luke.

He wasn't supposed to die. Not him.

The lightning stopped once again but he was still in agony, trying to ride out the aftershocks, barely able to see anything at all. All he knew was that his Master was close - he pushed himself backwards, trying in vain to put distance between them, not proud or strong or able to endure - just brought down to the very base instinct of the man he had once been, trying to survive. It hurt to breathe and it dawned on him that he wasn't getting enough air.

But… Luke.

If he was put down now, then there was no hope for Luke.

Vader had killed everyone that had dared threaten his son over the last few years; it didn't matter who or where or when. He had taken care of the problem, ensuring that Luke would survive for a little while longer, until they could join forces together. His master was always the threat that he had feared the most but as long as Sidious had viewed Luke as someone who would be useful … then he was, at the very least, a delayed threat. A future one. Killing him outright… it hadn't ever come to that point.

Until now.

…did he even dare?

Lightning crackled and sound came as though from a great distance as pain tore him apart once again, contorting what was left of his ruined body in a painful and gruesome way as lightning ripped through him. Burning, burning, burning -

If you die now, so will Luke. The Force whispered, echoing loudly over the sounds of his own pain and anguish.

Shmi. Padme. Luke.

The bastard had promised him his family's survival. He had lied. About everything - had used him and manipulated him and now he wanted to kill his son, strip him of the very last thing that had any meaning to him at all.

Luke was the only thing he was living for now.

A/N Thanks for reading!