She could still remember the day that she gave up her lightsabers as if it happened yesterday.

There she was, standing on the graveyard, preparing herself for what she was about to do. As she dug the hole where she planned to bury them, she remembered the conversation that she had with Anakin about them.

"Don't forget your second blade, Ahsoka," Anakin had told her.

"I'll try, master," she had responded, though she could not hold back her eagerness. She was secretly thrilled to start practicing, and as soon as possible.

"You're doing great. It takes time to learn how to wield two lightsabers," he smiled warmly, as if confident that she would have no trouble doing so.

Ahsoka squeezed her eyes shut as she quietly placed the hilts of her sabers in the ground, allowing the snow to cover them slowly.

To a Jedi, a lightsaber represented their life. To bury one's lightsaber would not only signify burying oneself, but also the Master before them.

The Master who had given her these very blades.

Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and paid her respects. It was time to leave. Turning to face the graves of her brothers, the clones who fought alongside with her, she bowed her head before straightening back up and starting to walk away.

Master Skywalker, if by any chance you ever find this...I'm sorry. It's not that I didn't care for them. I just can't leave behind any traces.

Vader motioned at Reva, indicating that it was her chance to leave.

"That is all. I have no further need of you."

Reva frowned, obviously having assumed that he required her presence for something. She opened her mouth to retort something, but Vader beat her to it.

"Leave," he snarled again, standing straight at his fullest height. Reva immediately turned around and left.

Now it was just the two of them. Ahsoka tried to breathe quieter, not wanting him to notice how her heart rate had suddenly sped up. As he turned towards her, she felt adrenaline race through her veins. I'm trapped here with him, she thought to herself. He started walking towards her and she looked down, pretending to take interest in something on the ground.

The best way I can protect you, is by teaching you how to protect yourself.

Ahsoka winced, squeezing her eyes shut.

Anakin had spent years teaching how to protect herself against Dark Users. In her time, she had taken on Sith Lords such as General Grievous and Darth Maul. With his teachings, she had prepared herself for any encounter, no matter how experienced or powerful.

But she had never thought she would have to prepare herself against her own Master.

Vader approached faster, closing in the gap between them. She shuddered slightly as he finally faced her, turning her head away from him. He seemed to take notice, and bent down slightly so they were eye-to-eye.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked sardonically. "Why do you refuse to look at me?"

Ahsoka bit her lip. "I'm not really fond of the new mask. I don't suppose you could remove it?"

"Hm. I am afraid it does not come off."

Ahsoka sighed. "No, I suppose it doesn't, huh?" She stared at the helmet, trying to figure out where his eyes and mouth roughly were, but averted her eyes. She hated to think of her brother trapped inside, slowly becoming an emotionless cyborg made of durasteel and obsidian. She did not know what was worse; knowing that deep down, Anakin was trapped somewhere underneath there, or the knowledge that her beloved friend no longer existed. He was now a walking shell of his former self, a reanimated corpse with none of the compassion and charm of his former incarnation.

"Why are you looking away? You didn't use to be afraid of me."

"You didn't use to be cruel."

Vader paused.

"Am I really so cruel, if I have decided to let you live?"

"You killed my brother."

"He was in my way."

Ahsoka gritted her teeth. "Are you going to kill me too?"

"It depends. What was your role in all of this?"

"In what?"

Vader opened his hand and held it out towards her. Confused, Ahsoka blinked at him, at a loss for words. When he brought it closer, she peered at it and saw what he was holding. It looked like a simple necklace, crudely carved out of some sort of ivory wood. The craftsmanship was not bad, although it somewhat of a childish touch to it.

"What...is that?"

"It is a good luck charm," Vader replied simply. "Carved from japor, a wood native to the desert planet of Tatooine."

Ahsoka squinted at it, puzzled. "What does it mean?"

"Whoever wears this must be a loved one of Amidala."

Ahsoka shuddered, hearing him speak Padme's name. "How would you know that?" she asked, confused.

"Because I am the one who gave it to her myself," Vader replied, sneering and closing his hand again.

Ahsoka winced, trying to ignore the way her eyes were watering. She had potentially anticipated hearing him speak her name, but she was not prepared for the coldness and distance in his voice when he talked about her. It hurt to hear.

"I see," she said quietly. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"I found this on the girl. The one you brought into my headquarters without my permission."

"Sorry. I didn't realize I had to ask."

"You should have known better."

Vader stared at her, watching her carefully. Ahsoka swallowed, unsure what she was supposed to do to convince him to not kill her.

I mean, I've already tried to kill him. I don't see why he wouldn't want to get back at me for it.

Anakin wouldn't have cared. He had already forgiven her for that one time she became possessed and fought him. But then again, this wasn't Anakin she was speaking to anymore. This was someone else.

"So, why was she carrying it?" Ahsoka asked, deciding to humor him.

Vader sneered. "You really have no idea?"

"No."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, I'm sorry I'm not as quick on the uptake ever since you chained me up and left me to rot here in this dungeon," Ahsoka spat.

Vader glared at her, and for the first time she met his gaze, challenging him back.

"So, you had no idea that this child was the daughter of Padme Amidala?"

Ahsoka froze, feeling her heart almost stop in her chest.

"What?" she whispered, her voice suddenly hoarse.

No.

There's no way.

Leia is...?

Vader sneered. "I wondered if you were part of this conspiracy or not. It seemed all too good to be true. I have been suspecting foul play."

She should have been paying attention, analyzing his every word to determine how to talk her way out of the situation and ways to escape. But instead, her head was racing with a million thoughts, none of them coherent.

Padme...Padme had a child? How did she give birth?

LEIA is Padme and Anakin's child?

How did she end up here? Did Bail Organa knows this?

Is Padme still alive? Where is she?

No. I would have known.

Or would I?

Her face darkened.

Oh my god, I am going to KILL Bail Organa.

"I can see on your face that this is news to you as well."

"Like hell it is," Ahsoka snapped. "How long have you known?"

"Only since yesterday. But Kenobi has known since she was born. He says that he was there when it happened."

"Kriff," Ahsoka hissed.

Vader did not seem particularly bothered by her swearing. He just watched her silently.

"I told Organa that I didn't wany any more secrets between the two of us," Ahsoka muttered, forgetting herself. For a moment, she was caught up in the past, talking to Anakin. "Kriffin' hell...I didn't realize she was pregnant," she said guiltily.

The reaction on Vader's face told her that, as far as he knew, Padme was definitely dead. If there was even the smallest chance she was still alive, he would not be here, talking to her. She bowed her head, closing her eyes.

If only I'd known...

If I had stayed, would she have stood a chance?

If I stayed, Anakin, would you have...?

Vader began to pace around the cell leisurely, though never straying more than a few feet away from her. She watched him warily, keeping an eye on his movements.

"It is a relief to know that you were not involved," he spoke monotonously, his tone unreadable. "However, since you have made an attempt on my life and hold dangerous information, I cannot let you go."

Ahsoka blinked, then narrowed her eyes.

"So, your plan is to keep me prisoner here forever?" she asked bitterly.

"Keeping you prisoner here would still be a generous show of mercy, considering your betrayal. However..."

Vader turned, facing her again.

"I believe your potential would be wasted, rotting away in this dungeon as you call it. I have greater plans for you."

Ahsoka moved back, forgetting that she was already up against a wall. She flinched as Vader came closer, but he did not grab her or choke her.

"Obi-Wan has turned us against each other, but as I have said before, we need not be adversaries. You can be something more than just my prisoner."

Ahsoka looked up at him, feeling her face grow hot.

"Obi-Wan had nothing to do with this," she said.

"On the contrary," Vader sneered. "He has convinced you that it was my intention to harm you."

"You tried to kill me."

"I considered it briefly," Vader replied calmly. "I was acting in self-defense."

"Right," Ahsoka almost wanted to roll her eyes. She wished she could throw off the chains and hit him in the face with them.

"I understand your skepticism. I myself felt the same way. However, I see now that you were blinded by Bail Organa and Kenobi's deception. It is a minor, but excusable error. One that I am sure we can move past."

Ahsoka frowned. She didn't like how he made it seem as if she was some clueless victim being manipulated by Bail Organa and Obi-Wan.

But then again, isn't he right? A voice whispered to her. He's the one who tricked you into coming here, all the while hiding her real parentage from you.

Ahsoka froze. She did feel somewhat played and used. First, there was the fact he had never told her that Obi-Wan had survived. If Obi-Wan helped Padme give birth to Leia, that meant he must have told Bail Organa who her true father was. Which means he probably knew that Anakin Skywalker and Vader were the same person.

So, they both knew all along.

Vader watched her carefully, growing more and more interested as her face started to show the conflicting inner turmoil behind it.

But why all this secrecy? Why couldn't Obi-Wan and Bail Organa just tell her the truth?

All the pain and tears that this information could have saved her. All the years of desperate, frantic, guilt-ridden loneliness that could have been avoided. How many times had she cried herself to sleep, mourning Master Kenobi and Anakin's deaths? How many nights had she spent, fending off various attackers all by herself, struggling to think of a reason to live until she finally met Kaeden and created a semblance of a home with her?

She felt herself grow angrier, become upset with even Master Kenobi, wanting to yell at him and demand answers. She had wanted to support him, to help him. She had been so afraid that, upon meeting her, he would be angry with her. But now, she was the one feeling angry at him. Why hadn't he told her the truth about Leia?

"You knew that, and yet you never thought to tell me he was still alive? That he survived Order 66?"

"I tried to reach out to him multiple times, to rouse his sense of duty, but he would always refuse me and tell me that his duty was to the boy."

"The boy?"

"Leia's brother, Luke. My other child, who lives on Tatooine with his uncle Owen at the moisture farm."

She blinked, snapping out of it.

The boy.

Luke!

Vader doesn't know about him yet...

Fortunately, Vader had not decided to attempt using the Second Sight on her. Before he could catch on, she quickly collected her face and resumed what she hoped was a concentrated expression.

"You see," Vader said, "They are nothing but liars, whose only resort is to weave excuses for themselves. You and I have no need for lies between the two of us. There is nothing to conceal."

"What about the death of Anakin Skywalker?" she snapped angrily.

"It is as you said. I killed him," Vader replied.

Ahsoka closed her eyes, letting a tear escape as she silently mourned her Master.

"Kill me then," she whispered. "Let me be buried with him."

"No."

Ahsoka reluctantly reopened her eyes, staring at him. The faceless mask stared back, devoid of any sympathy or emotion. She shivered.

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I want you to join me."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "No," she said automatically.

"Such stubbornness. You should never have been a Jedi. It is no wonder that you were stripped of your title."

Ahsoka winced. "I thought you said you always hated me," she said bitterly. "Or did you change your mind?"

"Hatred means nothing when measuring talent."

"So that's what this is all about, huh," Ahsoka glared.

"I know that you are still a highly capable Jedi. Were it not for your injury, and the weakness of your emotions, you might have succeeded in your attempt to kill me." Ahsoka grimaced. "But you cannot accomplish anything with those flimsy pieces of junk that the Rebels call lightsabers."

"They worked fine for me, thank you."

"So you say," Vader sneered, "And how did that work out for you, in the end?"

Ahsoka bit her lip, feeling deja vu.

Vader reached into his robes, and pulled out something. Ahsoka glanced over, then felt a chill run down her body. Her eyes immediately grew hot and began to water.

It can't be, she thought to herself.

"You..." She opened her moth, then found herself stammering. "You...you...how...?"

"As you can imagine, I was rather offended to discover that you haphazardly abandoned the gift that I spent so many hours fixing for you."

Her heart thudded, and she felt an ache forming in her chest. "I..." she said weakly, but she still could not muster a full sentence.

Her old lightsaber.

He had found it for her, and had kept it for her all this time.

"I recall giving you two," Vader sneered. "What happened to its twin?"

Ahsoka swallowed. "I...buried both of them together," she admitted. "Someone must have stolen it."

The two of them fell back into silence.

Vader said nothing, just held out the weapon that she had buried at the gravesite of the clones. Ahsoka squeezed her eyes closed again and this time, she could not control the stream of tears that came pouring down her cheeks.

Oh, how she wanted to grab it from him and hug it to her chest like a lost friend! She could feel the kyber crystal of her old blade calling out to her, begging for its Master to take it back, begging for her to wield it once more. But their Paths had diverged a long time ago; she had chosen a different Way, and now she was no longer worthy of it. Her hands itched, wanting to reach out and touch it, but she could not bring herself to.

Weeping, she shook her head and looked away.

"Join me, Ahsoka. I know that we were once close as family, we can fight alongside each other again."

Ahsoka continued to shake her head, too overwhelmed to speak.

"Forget about Obi-Wan, and forget about the Rebellion. I am powerful now, Ahsoka, and I can finally protect you from the dangers of the resistance. I can give you any position you wish; Inquisitor, Lord, Master. We have always been destined to meet again, and I know that you do not wish to fight me, for you cannot win. Not against your own kin. So join me, and we can seize the power of the Empire. No one will stand against us. Together, we will be an unstoppable Force that makes our enemies tremble and bow their heads from fear."

Ahsoka stared with tears in her eyes at the unrecognizable monster that her brother had become, watching as he spoke like a madman drunk on the temptations of the Dark Side. How badly she wanted to shake him and tell him to stop, to demand that he bring back Anakin and let her speak to him.

But Anakin was dead, had been dead for more than ten years. Whatever was speaking her was just a parasite, using the dead body of her brother to manipulate her.

At least, it made it easier if she just thought of him that way.

"Please, Ahsoka. Listen to me."

"I'm sorry, Anakin."

Vader stopped moving.

"You know I can't do that," she said quietly. "Not even for you."

Vader snarled, and Ahsoka knew then that she had finally broken his patience.

"So be it," he hissed.

He turned around and stomped a few steps away. Ahsoka watched his back quietly. Although she could only see the top of his helmet and his cloak, she could read his emotions clear as day.

"What are you going to do with Leia?" she asked cautiously. "Now that you know she is your daughter?"

Vader whirled back around.

"I will make her my successor," he sneered. "First, I will train her until she becomes strong in the Force. Then together, we shall seize control and rule the Galaxy. And when I come into my full power, I will exact revenge upon all those who stood against me."

Ahsoka shook her head disapprovingly.

"What about what Leia wants?"

Vader glowered at her. "What greater honor is there other than being my heir?" he demanded, furious. "I have accepted her as mine. Is that not enough?"

"But she doesn't belong to you," Ahsoka said gently. "You're not her family. Bail Organa is."

"No, I am!" Vader screamed, and Ahsoka felt her chains shake slightly. She winced, then took another breath to collect herself.

"Anakin, you can't just force her to accept you as her father."

Vader snarled and reached out. She felt a familiar squeezing pressure at her neck and coughed, feeling her chest constrict.

"I will do exactly as I please," he growled, "And no one...not even you, little sister...can stop me."

With that, he squeezed his other hand and Ahsoka watched as her beloved lightsaber was ground to pieces, crushed right before her very eyes.

She let out an involuntary cry, watching as the pieces of metal and kyber crystal fell to the floor. Irritated, Vader whirled back around and stomped out, leaving her by herself.

Ahsoka sobbed, unable to use her chained hands to wipe up her tears. What hurt wasn't the fact that he had destroyed her last true lightsaber, the weapon that had gotten her through so many scrapes during the Clone Wars.

No, what hurt was the fact that in doing so, it felt like she was the one he was destroying.

Finally alone, she allowed herself to weep aloud.

I hate Vader more and more each time I speak with him, she thought to herself. But talking to him is the only way I can see Anakin again.

I wish you would come back already.