|| Anakin's POV ||
"Ruwee..." Anakin tried to sound friendly, tried not to act like the terrible sith he had been when they had last spoken.
Ruwee paled at the sound of his voice. Like the anger that he felt moments ago had been sucked out and replaced by fear of the monster before him.
Anakin felt himself start to break, but ignored it.
Jobal was standing behind her husband, like he would be able to protect her from the wrath of Darth Vader.
Anakin tried to shut out the thought from his head but to no avail.
He could choke them to death in seconds and probably would have had he still been Darth-
He shook his head.
Trying again he turned to his parents in law...
"I wanted to say that I'm-"
Ruwee cut in... "Dont."
His fear turned back into hatred.
He shut his mouth. He was very much the man in power here, he knew that. He knew that he could kill them will a motion of his hand.
But so did they, they were scared of him. Everyone was. That was the problem, even Padme, who now stood next to him grabbing his arm.
"Ani." She whispered, her eyes darting between him and her father. She was a strong woman, never shy to state her opinion. Even to him while he was..
He didn't think about that dark part of him that had controlled him for 6 months... that had done so many horrible things.
That part of him was the reason why Ruwee now stared at him in hatred.
He cleared his throat. "I know the last time you saw m-"
Ruwee held up his hands. "Dont," he said again.
A small part of Anakin recoiled, this man had no authority, who was he to-
Anakin shut that voice out. instead he placed his hand ontop of Padmes. She was trembling. It was her father and her husband afterall who were-
Her fathers gruff voice filled the air.
"Obiwan filled me in before i- we came here. Told me you were the one who called us to take..." his gaze went to Luke and Leia, his furious expression softening before it returned to Anakin.
Jobal stepped infront of her husband, a gentle woman, just like Anakins mother, that was why he had always liked her.
"We will take them." She smiled at Padme, with a motherly love, but her gaze didn't mean Anakins. Infact it made an effort to avoid it.
She walked to the crib and took his children... he wanted to reach out to stop her, stop them.. he didn't know if he could-
He shook his head, this was dangerous for them. They were in a rebel base, it was best if they were with their Grandparents.
Jobal gave Padme another smile before she left. She seemed to have no words to say. Ruwee did though, "weather you have come back from the darkside or not, you came into our home as Darth Vader, you were Darth Vader infront of my grandchildren. I will not forget that, and I don't think she will either."
He motioned to Padme before leaving the room, the door slamming behind him. Anakin stared at the door for a while, he was numb. He refused to let anything Padme's father had said stick.. he didn't think he would be able to handle it.
Just like he wasn't sure he was able to handle not seeing Luke and Leia for a while, them not being here-
he took a shaky breath and meant to squeeze Padme's hand- but it wasn't there.
She sat on the bed her head in her hands. He eased down next to her, not quite sure if she wanted to be touched or....
"Padme." Her name was a breath on his lips, he barely dared say it, she looked up at him her face streaked with tears.
He swallowed, then swallowed again, but the lump in his throat- it was still there. He had caused this. All this, everything, the pain the suffering.. it was on him.
He made to move closer to her, to wrap an arm around her but she shook her head and moved away.
She might as well have stabbed him through the heart.
"i just.." her voice broke. "Ani..."
he moved closer to her again, letting her see the devstation in his expression, slowly he put his arm around her and stroked her hair.
"I know." His own voice was broken.
They sat like that for a while, before he took a deep breath and announced.
"Im going to do something about this. I will go infront of the council and convince them to let me help. I wont let us be away from Luke and Leia long."
He stood up content with what he was going to do, although he hated it. Padme's throat bobbed.
"Anakin what-"
He didn't let her finish. "Get them all, the whole rebel leaders group or whoever makes the descisions here. Make them all meet tomorrow at the same room Obiwan took me to yesterday. We're setting this in action."
She didn't look convinced but stood up as well, heading with him towards the door.
"Where are you going." Her voice was no longer the broken thing it had been before. She was in this moment at least, no longer a mother missing her children, or a wife marreid to... well him..
Anakin stopped his thoughts from going there, he always did. He couldn't handle it.
He gave her a fake smile "To drink with Obiwan."
He didn't stick around to he hear her reply. Him and Obiwan hadn't disscussed a time or place. But despite his.... hat- dislike for his former master. He knew him well.
Obiwan would be waiting all night at the closest bar. And Anakin would meet him there, convince him to back him up. So that he could have a chance with the rebels, so he and Padme could hold Luke and Leia again soon.
But first, he had to do the hardest part. Forgive Obiwan. He wasn't sure he could do it.
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"That was quick", his former master ordered them both blue milk and at Anakins raised brow he replied, "We're gonna be here a while."
Anakin wanted to say something... anything snarky and cruel in return, but Padme crying in her hands on their bed flashed in his mind.
He had caused that, had made her cry multiple times because of his choice, and now that choice lead her to be a mother missing her children. Screw the reprocussions for him, he would do anything to get that look off her face, even... try to be civil with... this man. Obiwan.
They sat in a private booth, neither man saying anything. Anakin drank his blue milk and stared unforgivingly.
Finally Obiwan spoke.
"Satine."
Anakin almost spit his milk out. What?
He hadn't heard that Womans name in a while.. infact Obiwan had banned anyone and everyone from saying it in his presence.
He remembered her, especially her personality, so much like Padme's although he hoped they would never be friends..
He guessed that his wish came true. He remembered how she was around Obiwan, how Obiwan was not soo.... Obiwan around her.
He had teased Obiwan, especially when they were protecting her, both of them having a deep understanding of the situation.
She cared for him, Obiwan cared for her and Anakin knew that neither would balk to tell eachother as much, that Obiwan would not leave the order for her.. back then, unless she asked. And that she would never ask, would never sacfrice her throne to start a life with him.
That had been true, until her final breath. Anakin hadn't been there, maybe if he had... he could have saved the one person that could have made Obiwan leave the Jedi Order. But he hadn't.
He had, however, been there for Obiwans return. Where he had acted the same, same old Obiwan, announcing her death to the council.
They had been close then, had had a deeper bond then brothers. Anakin had known, known to follow Obiwan to his chambers because.
He had seen the slight difference in Obiwans behavior when she had been around. No one else had, no one else knew Obiwan well enough to.
But Anakin had, so he had been there for his friend... his brother when he had broken down in private. And then made him swore never to utter her name infront of him, to never even think of her in correlation to him and not to mention this, or think about the fact that he had broken down.
And Anakin had, for the sake of Obiwan. It had been then he had considered telling his brother about his marriage to Padme... but it had never happened.
And now... Anakin looked at his former master, former friend... former brother. Uttering her name.. must have taken a lot. But he had done it.
Why?
He now knew why. To prove what they had once been.
But could he forgive him? Let go of his anger? After all that Obiwan had done?
Anakin chose not to reply.
Obiwan seemed to note this, he even seemed a little happy about it. His gaze seemed to say, just listen... while he spoke.
"You...." Anakin had never seen Obiwan like this.. not even when he had betrayed him.
"You knew her. You met her.. before." Obiwan took a deep breath and reached to drink something stronger that he ordered for himself.
Anakin kept quite. The simple mention of Satines name had caught him off guard.. had made him realise. But he knew that was what Obiwan had intened. And that made the Vader in him mad.
"Before..." Obiwan was struggling.. and Anakin.
He took a deep breath.
"Obiwan."
His fromer master froze.
"Why are we here?"
He needed to change the subject maybe for Obiwans sake as much as his own.
His former friend seemed releved, like he himself regretted the Satine bomb, the mention of her name.
"Anakin, I'm not looking for us to be master and apprentice again, or brothers or even friends."
Anakin sipped his drink, Obiwan and his speeches he thought bitterly. Still he listened, let himself consider.. in the back of his mind Satines face flashed and so did Obiwans broken one.
He had never told Anakin how she had died.
"What do you want then?"
Obiwan put his hands down infront of him and smiled, a n Obiwan smile.
"I want the same as you. I want the empire to be destroyed and currently? I want the rebels to accept you as a member who is willing to fight. It is our only chance."
this was it, they needed Obiwan, Padme on his side... was not as powerful as Obiwan as well. She was his wife and they had kids. Obiwan owed him nothing.
He wanted, this. Needed this from the rebels. And Obiwan could give it to him. he was offering.. this is what they needed.
But deep down inside of him, vader sneered at the mention of his former master. Vader hated him.
Obiwan must have sensed it. "I'm not asking for you to forgive me or a mended relationship. I know your not turning back to the dark Anakin. Despite previous beliefs.. thats enough for me to back you up infront of the rest of the rebel leaders."
Anakin didn't say anything, Obiwan just kept talking.
"We just need to work togther, be civil..."
He didn't know if he could do that.. could he- Satines face flashed again, so did Obiwans streaked with tears.
Anakin breathed. "Fine ok."
Obiwan seemed to release a breath.
"Very good." he stroked his beard.
"Order something good we will be here a while, we are all meeting tommorrow we need to plan."
Anakin nodded heading to the bar.
His blood still boiled everytime Obiwan spoke.. but less. Maybe... he could stand the man. he definetly would while they planned.
He owed padme as much..
As he walked back to their booth he saw himself and Obiwan in his quateres as his master broke down over the one woman Anakin knew he would always love.
He felt Vaders hate start to chip off. If only a little.
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Obiwan stood up. It was late. They both knew what they would say to plead their case to the council tomorrow.
Obiwan would side with him, his former master knew they needed him if they wanted any chance of beating Palpatine... and Anakin knew that if he had any chance of the slightest self redemption this was it.
And now Obiwan was leaving... and Anakin felt... conflicted.
Before he could change his mind.. before the little of Vader still in him could twist his confusion to hatred he said.
"Obiwan..." his former master turned half standing up.
He nodded at Anakin to keep going.
It was late.. he should let him go.. they had planned for hours. He should be infuriated- but...
Satine.
He took a shaky breath.
"Sit down."
Obiwan obeyed, keeping his mouth shut as if he was scared he would mess everything up.
Anakin had never been good at this kind of thing even when Obiwan had broken down that one time about Satine.. he had been there- but they hadn't talked and-
They weren't even aquatintces anymore, he should hate him for all he had done. He did hate him the Vader part of him roared.
Anakin blocked it out. He wasn't ready to become friends or mutuals again. But he owed Obiwan this... if only for the 13 years they had spend together until 6 months ago.
He took a deep breath.
"You said her name... why?"
He wouldn't pain his master and actually utter it. Although the Vader in him wanted to, cursed him for not thinking about using it when Obiwan had been so cruel earlier. When he had been testing Anakin's anger and-
Obiwan wasn't looking at him or anything his gaze was far away.
"I've lost everything." He muttered, he blinked and met Anakin's gaze.
"She..." he took a deep breath. "She was the start."
Anakin could feel himself start to sympathise with Obiwan and he hated it but-
Obiwan kept talking... "then I lost.. you. The Jedi Order.. my home.. my freedom."
He had taken that all from him. All of it expect Satine. Obiwan knew that too.
Part of Anakin reveled that he had taken so much from his master but..
Obiwans gaze was hard on Anakin's. It was his turn to say something.
"I didn't take her away." He whispered.. like a child trying to defend himself.
Obiwan blinked in suprised before saying. "I know that. You took everything else Anakin. And yet I'm here and I want to."
Obiwan stopped and shook his head. His former master had never acted like this.. so unhinged.
Despite Vader who Anakin had now put to slumber he asked. Needed to know.
"You want to what."
"Nothing."
"Obiwan."
He shook his head and then picked up an empty glass.
He backtracked, changing the subject. "You didn't take Satine. I wanted you to remember..."
He didn't have to say the rest, because Anakin had remembered. And... he didn't know how to feel.
Standing up he muttered. "I'll see you tomorrow."
And then he left. Nothing. He had gotten nothing out of that.
Despite Obiwans voice echoing in his head "you didn't take Satine."
No.. but he had taken everything else, from Obiwan, from so many people.
He might as well have killed Staine, it wouldn't have made a difference...
Anakin paused. Or it would have. He turned to the empty hallway behind him.
Turned as he realised the message his former brother had communicated.
Obiwan could forgive him for the rest. Because he hadn't been the one to kill Satine. Because other than that.. Obiwan could forgive him.
And he hadn't been the one so..
Anakin turned back towards the way of his room. Shutting out the revelation.
It didn't matter. He didn't like the man anymore anyways. He was just using him to get into the rebels allegiances.
The Vader deep inside of him seemed to stir.
Anakin tried to block him out as he entered a dark room.
Of course Padme was asleep. Anakin smiled at the thought of curling up next to his wife.
But as he fell onto the bed he discovered it was empty.
She hadn't come back. Hadn't wanted to spend the night with him...
Anakin fell asleep with cracks forming on the last parts of his heart that weren't broken.
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A/N
Listen I'm so sorry for not updating. I needed a break. And tbh I kind of forgot where this story was going so I made this chapter to get it moving...
I have big plans for the rebel leader meeting.. I don't know what I called it in previous chapters can someone remind me? Every time I reread this story or my previous one I get to invested! I need to write not read.
Anyways I'm back. Sorry my writing isn't as good as it has been in previous chapters. But bare with me I'm just getting use to writing here again.
AGAIN IM SORRY FOR THE BREAK! But I'm really excited about next chapter! I think you guys will be too.. you will never guess who shows up and causes... well you'll see.
Thank you so much to all the people who have been super invested in this story and the first one.
We've reached over 30K views on that story. That's insane thank you.
Stay tuned because the next chapter will be released soon!
My break is a officially over. Thank you for waiting!!
And as always, please comment... your opinions and thoughts are always welcome! Plus I have loads of fun reading the comments.
Ok... see you guys REAL soon!<3