Can You Love Me Again?

Chapter 32- Choose

Anakin remained stoic still, frozen in fear and solid as a statue. The only motion in the entire room was his trembling arms, making the lightsabers on either side of Sidious's throat buzz with anticipation.

If he swiped his blades across one another right now, would everyone die? Surely Obi-Wan and Ahsoka could protect themselves as well trained Jedi. Master and knight no less, and he'd be over there in the blink of an eye. But realizing once again that the odds were stacked cruelly against them, Anakin knew Luke and Padmé, both being unconscious, wouldn't be able to defend themselves.

'Sithspit' Anakin thought, his mind pounding against his skull trying to conjure up those miracles that he seemed to be showered in his whole life as a warrior. Nothing came, and the unbearable suspense dragged on.

Anakin glanced over at Leia. She still hadn't made any move to show her worried father she was alright. A s,all frown pulled the corners of her lips down, but nothing stirred for her... However on that note, Anakin experienced a stroke of luck.

He heard a faint moan. So soft and feeble it was nearly inaudible over the soft Humm of the blades, and pounding in his mind. Though he couldn't pick out words, he was elated to know Luke was awake, and while he dare not show it, it finally brought some light on the subject.

He reached out with his mind to feel his sons comforting force signiture, just in case the soft moan was imagined by his desperate brain. However, something was still quite off about the boy. Where there was usually ignorant, but pleasant hope, there was now pain, confusion and... knowledge? What in nine Hells had Luke seen during his trance? Anakin shook it off. He was probably just a little hazey. Going into another's mind, and tampering, weather it be putting thoughts in or ripping them out, it was an agonizing process. Luke would be no doubt in at least slight discomfort for a little while. But Anakin wasn't worried. They would talk it over after this mess was resolved.

Completely forgetting about the burning behind his eyes, Anakin turned his head slightly to get a glimpse of his son. Only a fast one, nothing to arise suspicion. He sent him a wide grin that he hoped told Luke that he was relieved to see his blue eyes open. The shocked look on his face however, Anakin missed as he glued his eyes back to the sith lord below him. A scowl, firmly in place.

'Father...no...' Luke blinked groggily. After finally pulling out of a horrible nightmare, the first thing the young Jedi saw was glowing yellow eyes with a smile. A conniving, sinister smile.

The physical pain from the dull throb of lightning inside his body was nothing compared to the agony that thrummed angrily in his mind. To meet that revolting yellow glow sickened him to his core.

If the golden glare of hate and revenge came from the emperor, who was currently kneeling bellow a much taller figure with two blades, one blue and one red resting centimeters from slicing flesh, maybe he'd just feel a twinge of distaste.

But that cold, heartless, bloodthirsty stare was not coming from the notorious emperor. It originated from none other than his father, the wielder of the two blades. Or should he call him Darth Vader now? Luke scowled, his blue eyes slit narrow as he watched the serial killer in disdain.

Before waking, he thought he could figure out a nice little lie for himself to believe. Saying that Darth Vader is not his father, and that Anakin Skywalker is of the pure light as the chosen one. But all the hope of turning a blind eye to the truth came crashing down around him, breaking like shattered glass around his feet. It was all here. The proof was directly in front of him holding the weapon of the dark and the weapon of the light. Darth Vader. The brief servant of the nefarious emperor, the slaughterer of hundreds in a single night, the man who harmed his mother that he claimed to adore so much, and his abandoner as an infant, and the man he learned to love enough to call 'dad,' Was a sith lord. A traitor to all he loved and ever knew. The traitor and murderer who was about to add fresh scarlet to his long list of sins, stood meters away from him, was his father.