Chapter 28 - The End and The Beginning

Author's Note: There's an epilogue next week! :)

To Guest: Yeah, well, if you've ever read our fics before, you'd know we're not a fan of Anidala. Lol.

~ Amina Gila

Being back on Coruscant is hard. The Temple isn't smoking anymore, but every time he looks out the window he can see it on the skyline, and it's instantly accompanied with a sharp, aching pain, and the constant knowledge that everything he knew is gone forever.

He needs to talk to Palpatine again. Badly, but it's still a conversation he's dreading. He doesn't even know where to start. Anakin still cares about Palpatine, definitely, but it's... so complicated now. It's a mess, and he's a mess, and he doesn't know what to do about it.

All he can do is head to the Senate, though, even if every step to Palpatine's office is practically forced. He's almost hoping he'll be in a meeting, but he's not, and Anakin's let in immediately.

"Anakin," Palpatine greets as warmly as ever, standing. But he feels dark now. He's wearing Sithly robes, and his eyes are yellow. It's like he's seeing a new person entirely, even if he hasn't really changed. And how Palpatine is expecting him to react, Anakin can't fully tell.

"You're a Sith," he says bluntly, approaching. It's the safest way to start. He doesn't know how to begin addressing everything about Luke. Or the Jedi.

"I am," confirms Palpatine smoothly. "I always have been."

He feels sick. "I – I know," Anakin blurts out. He doesn't know what to do with the emotions strangling and drowning him. He's hurt and angry, and he... Palpatine did so much damage to the galaxy. He hurt Luke. He destroyed the Jedi. All of that, and Anakin never noticed. He didn't know anything was wrong for years. Anakin has known him practically his whole life. He should have suspected something at least, but no. There was nothing.

"Did you care about us?" He wants to know, and he hates himself for asking, because this is Palpatine who has done so much for him, but he can't believe it was real anymore.

He can't read the look on the now-Emperor's face. "I intended for you to be my apprentice," he replies, "Then I had a vision of your son. I intended to have you both at my side, as you are now. We can restore order to the galaxy together."

That's a Sith version of a yes, but it's – it isn't real. Palpatine is a Sith. None of what he did was real, and Anakin very badly just wants to curl up in a ball and cry. He hates the part of him that demands he react with violence, that he kill him before Palpatine can hurt anyone else. Anakin is still a Jedi, and it can never be any other way.

They're enemies.

Palpatine destroyed the Jedi, started the war, is responsible for countless deaths, and Anakin should hate him, should want to kill him, but he cares about him just as much, and he doesn't know what to do with it. Once, if he felt like this, he'd have gone to Palpatine himself, but now? He has no one. He can't even talk to Obi-Wan anymore.

"What did you do to the clones?" he demands instead, because that's something else he needs to know. Cody turned on Ahsoka, and something is wrong with them all. They don't do things they know are wrong.

The Emperor's face is too smooth for Anakin to read, and he loathes it, because he knows there's something being held from him. "I merely gave them the order to treat the Jedi as criminals," he replies, "They committed treason, and the clones carried it out."

"There's something more," Anakin argues, shaking his head. "I felt it when you called Rex. His mind just went blank. What did you do to him?" Probably, he should be afraid of talking to the Emperor like this, but he is furious. And this is an outlet for his grief, even if it's a dangerous one.

"I did nothing to him, Anakin," Palpatine insists, brushing him off. "Your fears are unwarranted. The clones will be fine. They are loyal to the Republic, and that loyalty, unlike the Jedi, has remained unchanged."

Stop lying to me, he wants to scream, but Anakin is used to having to hold that in, so he... doesn't. "I am a Jedi," Anakin offers instead, firmly, unmoved, "No matter what you've done."

"And I know you are loyal to the Republic, and to me, above all else," Palpatine maintains calmly, "You are not to be executed as the others. You didn't make the same choice. I know you desire to restore order to the galaxy, and we can do it together."

"Like you've done all this time?" Anakin is proud of himself for managing to keep his voice even, despite it being a shred louder than it should be.

"The war was inevitable, Anakin," the Emperor chides, as if he's a mere child, and it makes him want to scream. Obi-Wan talks to him like that, but it's different with him, because Obi-Wan is his master. Palpatine helped raise him, too, in a sense, but it's just... different. A week ago, he wouldn't have minded as much, because it felt familial. Not anymore though. It was fake, and – and Palpatine does care about him. That's what unnerves Anakin the most. He can feel it, and he cannot deny it. "I merely took advantage of the preexisting situation and manipulated it to avoid outright chaos."

"Avoid?" he repeats incredulously.

"The war would have been far worse if not for my involvement," he assures.

As if Anakin needed the reassurance.

He scrubs a hand over his face tiredly. He wants to sleep, but when he wakes, the Jedi won't be alive again, and Palpatine will still be a deranged Sith. "I understand," he admits grudgingly. What he needs to be asking is what to do from here. Without the Order, he feels... lost. There isn't really a place for any of them to go, and he needs to stay with the twins. He needs to keep them together. On Mortis, the Father told him that they would be fine if they stayed together, and that isn't something they were able to do. "But you – you hurt Luke."

"Did I?" he replies, not carelessly, but it feels that way. "I showed him the truth, Anakin, and you've seen it as well. The Jedi were traitors, and Luke was willing to do what needed to be done. What you were unable to do."

"I understand why he did it," Anakin replies dully, "But that – you're a Sith."

"That changes nothing of what we have always been, Anakin."

Yes, it does, because it means that Palpatine just wanted them for his own purposes. He didn't do anything for them because he cared. It was always about himself.

He's grateful that the Emperor doesn't try touching him at least, because he feels sick with himself enough already. "I understand your reservations," he soothes, "You have always been told that Sith are evil, and I cannot expect you to see anything else under such a short time frame."

This isn't helping, but Anakin frankly doubts anything will, short of time. "Luke could have been killed there."

"I had faith in him," the Emperor assures, as if that's supposed to help something, "And he did not disappoint. I offer you the same place you have always had with the Empire – a place as my right hand."

"I'll think about it," Anakin replies at last because he can't guarantee anything. He wants to leave. To walk out without looking back, but he still has a duty, and he can help the galaxy if he stays with the Empire. He might not be able to get his family to safety, but he can still help people. And then... there's the fact that Luke is Fallen, and Anakin needs to talk to his children before he decides anything.

"I could expect no less," Palpatine answers.

**w**

Sith aren't evil. Leia knows that. She has never thought so, either, but that makes her feel no better about how Palpatine is a Sith, and he turned her brother. It was alright until she learned he was Sidious, the one who masterminded the war from the start. How could he have done that? She trusted him. They all did.

And Leia simply cannot understand how he was able to just... throw that away as though it meant nothing. Did it mean something? Did any of them?

It doesn't help that she can't stop thinking about what the Senators were saying, about how it seemed like Palpatine was arranging things in the war for more power. She'd refused to believe them then, but after hearing that he's Sidious, she can't help wondering, for as sick as it makes her feel.

And she doesn't understand. He's the one who helped her so much, taught her about politics, and... She needs answers, even if she's not fully sure she wants the ones she'll be getting.

Hiding won't help, though, so she tries to brace herself for anything, heading to his office.

"I heard you were on Coruscant. I was hoping you'd find the time to come by," he tells her, as warmly as ever.

She wishes she could see that the same way. This hurts more than she could ever say. "Is it really true?" Leia demands, instead of answering, "That you were manipulating everything for power?"

"It was not for merely power, Leia," Palpatine replies. That he doesn't seem offended by the question makes her wonder morbidly how true that is. "I've taught you about politics since you were young. I know you've seen how the Republic is going. The galaxy was close to shattering entirely, and I did what had to be done to prevent it."

"What had to be done," Leia repeats. She knows he's not entirely wrong, but she can't help being angry right now. "You had all the Jedi killed. You –"

"They chose their fate," he interrupts, "I gave them a chance to surrender, and yet they refused. They were intending to betray the Republic. I imagine Luke told you about that."

Her shoulders slump, the rush of horror she still feels remembering what her brother said about that coming back. "I know, but... Are you alright from that?"

It almost feels wrong to be suddenly worried about that with what just happened, but he's still her grandfather.

"Yes," he assures.

"You didn't need to drag Luke into it," she says, finally. In the end, that's what has her most upset.

"The circumstances were... not ideal, but he did what needed to be done. I did not force him to go, Leia. He was willing to do what he had to."

"That's not the impression he gave me," she can't help muttering. "He Fell. Is that what you wanted?"

"My intentions were to give you a power far stronger than anyone else has ever known," he replies, which is basically a yes.

She already knew that, so she doesn't know why it hurts. "The Dark Side isn't a power I want," she retorts.

"You don't know of its strength," he points out, "It's not... evil the way the Jedi preach and have taught your father to believe."

She doesn't, to be fair, and she was only arguing yesterday how it's not illegal to be a Sith. Even if she doesn't have a high opinion of any of them, except... maybe her grandfather. She has no idea what to think of him anymore. "I haven't seen it cause anything but destruction."

"There is much in the galaxy to be destroyed," he replies, bluntly, "Such as the failing former Republic. But we are past that now, and it is time for a new era."

Debating about it is... pointless, really. Nothing can change what happened, and if the Empire were reverted to a Republic now, it probably would collapse. The galaxy is too unstable. "I'll do what I can to help," she concedes, finally.

"Of course you will, my dear," he replies, but Leia somehow thinks he looks... slightly relieved by that. Of course, he is. Even if... He still cares about them, even if he did spend time around them because he wanted something from them. Leia doesn't really know how to feel about that.

**w**

Now that they're back on Coruscant, Luke can't help how his gaze keeps jumping to the Temple, which is now nothing but a... monument of something entirely gone, after standing for thousands of years. That he destroyed.

All he can feel is the Dark Side, and despite talking to Anakin and Leia, he can't stop feeling the guilt strangling him. It's only fueling the Dark Side more, as is his anger that the Jedi were even willing to go as far as they were in the first place. Because they weren't innocent, even if he can't believe all of them deserved... that.

He can't avoid Palpatine forever either, for as much as he might want to right now, so he reluctantly goes to find him.

"Your mission to Mustafar was a great success," he greets, "The Separatist systems are now unified under the Empire, and order can finally be restored to the galaxy."

What happened did help some people, but it certainly doesn't feel like it right now. And being complemented about what he did is not helping right now. "I know," he replies shortly, sitting down. Not long ago, this is where it started, when he killed Luminara, when the Jedi tried to assassinate the Chancellor and... there was nothing Luke could've done to stop them, beyond what he did, but it still feels wrong.

"I understand you are upset," Palpatine begins, "This was... not what you were taught to believe in, but you must see the power the Dark Side has given you."

He has, but that's entirely beside the point, and it won't undo how much what he did hurt Anakin. "I do, but that doesn't – I still killed them." He doesn't expect Palpatine to understand it. He's been a Sith for a long time, and Luke only just embraced the Dark Side. He never meant to, either. It... wasn't something he wanted.

"You only did what had to be done," he says soothingly, as if that could possibly make him feel better right now.

"How is that any different than what the Jedi were becoming?" Luke throws back.

"The Jedi were becoming far worse than that. You know this, Luke. They were the ones who enslaved your father. They divided your family for yours. As Sith, you can be together."

He wants them to be Sith. Luke should've guessed already. He just can't shake the crushing sting that this might've been all he ever wanted with them. Was this the only reason he gave them attention for years? "Was this all you ever wanted?" he asks, bitterly, "For us to join you?"

"It may have started that way," he admits grudgingly, "But as time went on, that... changed."

He thinks it's true, not that he thinks he'd be capable of accepting anything else. He often spent more time with Palpatine than he did Padme, with how busy she was.

"It was not only about you becoming Sith," he continues, "And I already knew from the beginning that you, Anakin, and Leia would always be loyal to the Republic. But you will know true power if you fully embrace the Dark Side. You have already come this far. Now you only must learn to control it."

Palpatine is asking to train him. The way Anakin once did. It feels like betraying everything his father taught him even more than he already did.

At the same time, he doesn't know how he could ever let this go and unless he wants to start using the Force only minimally, he needs to learn to control it. He's just not sure about learning from the person who pushed him this far in the first place. How does he know what else he could end up doing, if...?

At the same time, what else is he supposed to do? There are no Jedi for him to serve alongside. They're... gone. Because of him.

"What does training as a Sith involve?" Luke asks, a little warily.

"I will teach you their ways," he replies, "And I assume you already intend to stay and help the Empire."

Luke nods, uncertainly.

"This will only give you more skill to do so. It will change little."

It sounds so simple, so innocent, but he doesn't know if he can believe that it's so simple. Which is when something else occurs to him. "You – you were the one who trained Maul, weren't you?" And he also had him killed.

"Yes. But I intended to end him, after he harmed your father."

"You mean, intended for me to end it," he says, a touch bitterly. Even if he's still glad that Maul is gone, it doesn't change what happened or how it was that that started all this in the first place.

"You desired revenge. I gave it to you," he replies, not carelessly but it still sounds that way.

"Not... like that."

"He had to be destroyed, for a new era to begin," he points out, "Remember that your anger and hate will fuel the Dark Side."

Right.

Because... that's what Sith do. It's what he'll do now.

But in the end, he can't believe that everything he's done has been for nothing. Anakin is free now. And... maybe they have a chance at something better for them, and the galaxy. He can hope. (Even if he's afraid he's just lying to himself.)

**w**

"I assume you've all talked to Palpatine," Padme says, looking between the three of them. Luke doesn't remember the last time they were all together like this.

Since he can't stay at the Temple anymore, Anakin's come to stay at her apartment in one of the guest bedrooms.

It makes him wonder, again, what it would have been like if Anakin had always lived here. But imagining his parents being like... normal parents now would be downright bizarre.

"We did," Anakin confirms, "He says he's doing it for the galaxy, but... Do you know what you want to do?" He looks at him and Leia.

Luke exchanges a glance with his twin. How is he supposed to tell his family this? "He – he offered to teach me the Dark Side," he begins, "He said I need to learn to control it, and he's... probably right. I agreed to it."

There's a long heartbeat of silence.

"Are you sure about this, Luke? After what he's already done?" Padme demands.

"I don't want to," he admits, a little miserably, "But he's not... wrong."

"Do you want to keep using the Dark Side?" Anakin asks, "Or do you... want to let go of it?"

There's nothing accusing about his tone, but he's still essentially turning on what Anakin was teaching him. "How could I let go of it?" he queries, instead. The Jedi say it's impossible and although Luke has no idea why that would be, he certainly has no idea how to let go. And now that he's given in how much his emotions are fueling him, there's a probably foolish part of him that isn't fully sure if he wants to.

"What keeps you holding onto it?" Leia asks, reaching out and squeezing his hand.

"Everything... negative," he offers, "But it is powerful. I – I think that would help us. So many were lost in the war because we were never strong enough to stop it." Like Aunt Dorme.

"If this is what you want to do, it is... your choice," Anakin says, "I'm only worried about it hurting you, Luke."

Luke looks away, pointlessly tracing patterns on the carpet with his eyes.

"Hey, if you ever want to drop out of Sith school, that's allowed, right?" Leia asks, "I get why you might want to learn to control it first."

"I... I think I'll start with that," he agrees, "I don't know anything about this, but the galaxy does need us."

"Yes," Padme concedes, clearly reluctant, "If this doesn't turn out like he's claiming it will, we have to be ready to take action, but right now, we don't need another war."

"No," Leia concurs quietly, "We don't. What about you, Father?"

"I will stay. There is much for us to do," Anakin replies, though he sounds subdued.

Luke can only hope Palpatine is telling the truth about his intentions.

**w**

Luke goes to find Anakin late that afternoon when his father is meditating in his room. There are things he ought to say, even if he has no idea where to start. He shifts uncertainly in the doorway, contemplating backing out again if only because he doesn't want to address this at all when Anakin looks up.

"Luke?" he asks, "You can come in if you want to."

Of course, he knew that. That was never really a question. He's just... making it slightly easier for him, and he's grateful for that. He crosses the room, settling cross-legged in front of him.

"I know this... isn't what you taught me," Luke begins, as Anakin waits silently for him to talk.

"No," he agrees, "But I know there are other ways to draw on the Force. When I first became a Jedi, I never understood why they hated the Sith for their beliefs."

"They are dangerous, though," he says, swallowing hard, "Every Sith has done things..." Very bad things, including himself. But he still doesn't feel like he can walk away from it, and he has no idea how to say that.

Anakin leans closer, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I used the Dark Side once too, Luke. After... my mother died, I killed every single slaver there. They... may have deserved it, but it wasn't the Jedi way."

Luke looks up at him, eyes widening. He... never knew that.

"It did give me power, but I know how easily that can blind you. Perhaps that will be different if you learn to control it, but if not, I will help you to find balance again."

He nods, hesitantly. "I just... want to know if this'll help. I don't want you to stop teaching me, but I –"

"It's alright," he assures.

Luke isn't sure that's true, but it's not like he wants to hear otherwise. He leans closer, wrapping his arms tightly around Anakin, who pulls him close – half into his lap, actually – and they... sit there together.

**w**

"You're certain about becoming a Sith?" Padme asks, pausing Luke before he can head to his room for the night.

No, he's not, but he doesn't feel like he can say no, even if no one else is happy about it. "I already explained earlier why," he defends.

"I know," she sighs, "But I'm... worried about you. I have been for a long time."

He blinks. "Why?"

"The war, being out there fighting, was changing you. I assumed it would be fine, but then this happened."

Did he really change that much? It's been years since a time he was carefree. "It started with Aunt Dorme," he replies, quietly, "I couldn't let something like that happen again."

"I understand that," she says, something distinctly sad flickering across her face at the mention, "I just don't know if this is the way to do it. I think you can see that Anakin has reservations about it, and he's the one who knows most about the Force."

"I talked to him about it already," Luke objects, even if he knows she has a point, "He said I could if I really wanted to."

"Which you can," Padme replies, "You're old enough that it's a choice I think you can take responsibility, but I know how much you care about Palpatine, and I'm concerned about him influencing you."

He can't deny the instant urge to argue, but after everything he's just done, that is somewhat true.

"I won't let it go that far again, Mother. Don't worry."

She doesn't look very convinced but doesn't argue the point. "If he wants you to do anything that you don't want to, tell us," Padme replies, firmly. "Emperor or no, Anakin and I are not going to let him hurt you."

Did they talk to each other about him? He can't help wondering with how much she keeps mentioning Anakin, something she didn't do often.

And the words only make him uncomfortable, but it's a fair concern. He wouldn't be happy if Leia were in this position instead. But then again, she's always been so light, always knowing what to do when he doesn't. "I don't believe he will again, but I... will tell you."

"Goodnight, then," Padme tells him.

He nods, lingering a moment longer before heading for his room. But he changes course midway and heads to Leia's room instead, because why not?

**w**

Leia's still awake when Luke slips into her bedroom, sitting down on the opposite side of her bed. "You're still awake?" he asks, in a whisper.

As if she could've fallen asleep already, when she has so much on her mind. "Yeah. Wanna stay?" They used to stay in each other's rooms all the time when they were younger, for no reason other than that they could.

"That's why I came in," he says, though he doesn't look in any hurry to lay down.

Leia sits up, studying him through the darkness. "Feeling any better?" Asking if he's okay would be stupid.

"A little." At least his eyes aren't yellow right now. They were briefly on Mustafar, and it was beyond unnerving to see that. It looked so wrong on him. Probably, it would look wrong on anyone if Leia saw their normal eye color.

"At least Father is with us now," Leia offers, finally. That's the one good thing that came of all this, even that doesn't make it any better how it happened. He lost so much, and she knows he's not alright with it at all. But nothing can fix that anymore, except the passage of time.

She supposes that after Mortis, she probably should've guessed things would go like this. They were warned what happened there would be symbolic on some level, but she never imagined it actually meant Luke would Fall.

"Yeah," he agrees, quietly.

They sit in silence for a long pause. "Have you thought about what you'll do once your term is over?" Luke asks.

"A little," she replies, "I just want to be with you, back home." For a moment, she thinks of what Kier was saying, but she doesn't think she's ready for that quite yet.

"Me too," he admits, "But I'll still be going on missions. It won't be like the war, though."

She is more than grateful for that. "You stayed with Father a lot during the war," Leia muses, "If we want to stay together for the night, maybe we could go in there." Mostly, because she thinks it probably helps him a lot, to at least have them right there.

Luke nods his agreement, and they slip from the room, going to Anakin's instead. He's sleeping when they enter, so Leia climbs into one side of the bed as quietly and carefully as she can.

Luke scoots in on the other side, but of course, it disturbs Anakin enough that he opens his eyes long enough to see them. Leia snuggles up against his side, head half-resting on his shoulder, as he wraps an arm around her, and Luke curls closer on his other side.

Leia reaches across Anakin to take Luke's hand, and she feels a certain sense of peace she hasn't in so long.

It will take her father and brother far longer to reach that point after everything that happened, but at least they're together.

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