Chapter 65:
Sideous grows an evil smile. He shoots out his electricity once more. Luke screams out in terrible pain. Vader stares at his son being tortured. 'Protect him. Annie. Protect him.' Mara's voice circles his mind. Vader looks to Mara's body and then at Luke, then to the Emperor. 'Protect him.'
Vader decides what he is to do. He grabs Sideous and throws him over the ledge, being shocked as well. All this strength, let down right now. Sideous falls into oblivion and the true evil is destroyed. Vader starts to drop. Vader's breath now strange. Luke gets up and stares sadly at his mother. Then, he rushes to his father. Luke helps him up. "Come on, we have to get out of here," Luke says.
"Get Mara. I won't leave her," Vader says.
"But I can't carry both of you," Luke pants.
"I will carry her, just help me walk."
Luke follows his direction and he helps his father stand and then helps him get Mara. Vader tries to be as gentle as he can as he puts Mara over his shoulder. Vader puts his free arm around Luke's shoulder and they start to walk out. They go through the halls and go to a landing hangar. Luke struggles and he falls, Vader getting to his knees and holding Mara in place. He gently lies Mara down and Luke takes her. He takes Mara to the entrance of a ship and then comes back for Vader. Luke drags Anakin to the same entrance. Vader lies by his Mara. Vader is hardly alive at this point. Luke pulls Vader up to look at him.
"Luke, help me take this mask off," Vader directs.
"But you'll die," Luke argues.
"That is unavoidable at this point. Besides, I'll be with Mara. But let me look at you with my own eyes," Vader replies. Luke's emotions tell him immediately to follow his orders. Luke starts to take off the top of Vader's black mask. He then takes off the part that covers Vader's face. The old Anakin that Mara remembered is gone, only a burnt face with the same blue eyes remains. Luke looks to the man with a spark of sentiment. This is the true face of his father. The man that has been hidden all this time.
Anakin smiles as he looks to his son. He glances over to Mara, then back at Luke to hold back the sadness. He will be with her soon, that is for sure. "Now, go, my son," Anakin chokes out.
"No, you come with me," Luke persists. "I won't leave you here, I've come to save you."
"You already have," Anakin replies. "You were right. Mara was as well. You two were right about me. Tell your sister that you were right. Mara never gave up, did she?"
Luke shakes his head. This brings a smile to Anakin's face. "Father," Luke says. Anakin can die in peace and happiness, for he will be with Mara again. He starts to close his eyes and fall back. "I won't leave you." Anakin takes his last breath and Mara's head rolls to Anakin's shoulder. Luke lets him go gently and he stares at the man and woman that are his parents. The two strongest people he's ever known. Mara going everyday with what she had experienced in her long life, and Vader going everyday fighting to have Mara at his side again. "I won't leave you both," Luke sighs.
He gets up and drags Vader inside. He then drags Mara to Vader's side. He decides he will have them connected and he entwines their fingers together. He smiles at the loving couple and walks to the controls. He shuts the door and starts to lift off. This place will be destroyed at any moment now. He has to go back to Endor. Give his parents a proper Jedi funeral.
Luke zooms out just in time. The Death Star is destroyed right behind him. Luke flies back to the Endor base. He glances back at Mara and Anakin. He then keeps going to Endor.
After a long while, a large celebration is held for the end of the war. Luke lies Mara next to Vader, surrounded by sticks. He lights a torch and lets the sticks around his parents on fire. He stares at his mother. It looks like she's sleeping. She looks almost... happy. The strongest and most kindest woman he's ever encountered. His father, hidden behind a mask for so long, but always yearning for the one person he pushed everything aside for. The flames dance around Mara's face, slowly finding a way to her. Her fingers entwined with Anakin's.
Fireworks are set off in the sky, making the end of war even more glorious. Luke finds his way back to the celebration. Music playing, laughter, cheers, tears. Leia spots Luke and goes to him.
"Wait, where's Mara?" Leia asks.
"She sacrificed herself," Luke says.
"Why?"
"To save her husband, my father," Luke replies. Leia looks shocked at this. She was around her real mother all this time. "She did it out of love. I assure you, she was happy." Leia lets Luke go to Han. Leia knows that Mara had a history, but not that kind of history. Luke moves on to other people, then he looks away from the celebration.
Two ghosts appear. One is Ben, the other is Yoda. Two more appear. There, a man holding Mara. It is Anakin, his father. Mara has a large smile on her face as she is so close to her Annie. She looks to Luke and grins. Anakin kisses her hair and she acts like a bashful teenage girl.
Leia comes from behind Luke and looks to the ghosts. Mara sees her daughter, happy and well. Luke looks away and Mara looks up to Anakin. He pecks her forehead and she lies her head on his chest as he looks at her lovingly.
Anakin and Mara are reunited, as they always wished they could be. Forever.
The End.
