"It was foretold that you would be here. Our long-awaited meeting has come at last." A menacing cloaked figure she thought familiar thundered from across the Sith Temple.
"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to," her voice retorted with an icy glare.
"We need not be adversaries," he stated, retracting his blood-red saber. "The Emperor will show you mercy if you tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found."
"There are no Jedi," she spat. "You and your Inquisitors have seen to that!"
Turning to the blueberry-haired boy beside him, the figure mused darkly, "Perhaps this child will confess what you will not."
She knew. She knew now that this is the moment the Force had brought her to.
Vader's presence was not intimidating. It was... familiar.
She knew she had to confront him. She knew she had to bring out whoever was trapped beneath Vader's shroud of darkness... someone who she'd once held very close to her heart. "I was beginning to believe I knew who you were, behind that mask. But it's impossible. My master could never be as vile as you."
"Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him!"
Flinching, and sorrow flashing through her eyes, the dwindling hope she'd held onto that he could be saved crumbled. She was disappointed, yes. Grief-stricken? Absolutely. Her heart shattered, yet an intense, unextinguishable flame lit up in her serene eyes.
"Then I will avenge his death," she vowed. She would do whatever it took to get him back.
"Revenge is not the Jedi way," He taunted, as if baiting her to attack.
But she was patient and two could play at this game. "I am no Jedi," She hissed. The sorrow and disappointment these words once held was gone. Only determination remained as she prepared to fight for her life, but most importantly, for her long-lost brother.
***
The attacks and parries exchanged between them were on a level only they could achieve. The frequency and speed at which their blades connected were mesmerizing; their synchronized movements illustrated a complicated, fast-paced dance.
Neither relented; if even one tiny miscalculation was made, the consequences would be fatal. Both fought for a similar outcome: He was determined to end her, the last puzzle piece of his past once and for all. For her, she vowed to end the Sith Lord's tyrannic rule over him and rekindle the Light, the light that had been corrupted, but not fully extinguished.
As Vader continued to press his attack, he towered over his opponent, seeing her sorrow but resolve-filled blue eyes once more. Whatever was left of the fearless, fallen Jedi warrior mourned for her; those eyes no longer sparkled in curiosity and wonder, no longer innocent were they. She'd been mixed into a war far too young, far too early. She had been thrown into a war that wasn't hers to fight. She had seen too much and she had seen things that Padawans her age were not meant to be exposed to. Those once brilliant blue eyes no longer gleamed with excitement. Instead of hope shining in her eyes, all that shone were tears.
But the Sith Lord shoved him back down, regret morphing into rage. More than ever now, he was determined to her -- and continued pressing his attack. Soon, she began to falter and he saw an opportunity.
A scream echoed around the chamber, causing Vader to pause mid-swing and look around. She felt her name being whispered into her ear.
"Ahsoka," it whispered. "'Sokka, wake up."
She blinked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. "Anakin?"
"Yeah, Snips, it's me."
"Anakin." Ahsoka sobbed, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "I- I thought-"
"You thought what?" He rubbed her back reassuringly.
"I- I thought you were gone."
Anakin stiffened slightly, but continued to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Gone? What did she mean by gone?
"You... weren't you anymore. You had turned into this soulless monster. W-with a red lightsaber," she sniffled. "You weren't even human. You were half-man, half machine. A cyborg. And you t-tried to kill me."
"Snips, I would never," he breathed. "I would never become the monster you described me as, okay? Don't worry. I'll always be here, standing -- or fighting -- right by your side."
Ahsoka chuckled, despite her tears. Her mood turned sombre again, though.
"You know what was the scariest part in that dream?" she whispered softly, translucent tears glistening in her eyes. "I tried to be there for you Anakin. But you were long gone."
Again, he continued to reassure her, pressing a kiss between her montrals. "It will be okay, he whispered. Everything will be okay."
His Padawan sighed shakily. "Okay. I trust you. But," she suddenly thought aloud, patting the empty space on her bed beside her. "Can you...?"
Anakin smiled. "Of course."
With her arms wrapped around him, she soon fell asleep, reassured that everything would be alright.
***
HI I'M BACK! I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE FOR SO LONG, GOSH, BUT EW SCHOOL. CAN YOU BELIEVE I'M STILL GETTING ASSIGNMENTS DURING MY WEEK OFF? Grr. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that! :D Part angst, part fluff. I really enjoyed writing the fluff tbh, but my skills kind of died? Maybe? Was it good enough lol?
Anyways, new part coming soon! I'll try to have an actual schedule this time.
- Jazzy <3