The Long Road Back

Chapter Fourteen: Next move? We Spring It

~~~~~~~~~~

Obi-Wan came around the corner with his lightsaber brandished.

Anakin waited, watching the older man stumble to a stop before the point of attack. Obi-Wan's free hand flipped back the hood on his brown robe. There was shock in Obi-Wan's eyes. Anakin found it strange to have to really look down at Obi-Wan now. He really towered over him.

"Darth Vader."

He watched his former friend take note of his clothes -- all in a quick second --, mild confusion replacing the shock. Were the clothes part of the confusion? Personally, Anakin liked the purple-navy. He thought it looked nice on him; just right against skin that hadn't seen enough real sunlight in years. "Obi-Wan." Anakin lowered his blade.

"Why are you not in the suit?"

Logical for a first question he supposed, since the last time Obi-Wan would have seen Vader on anything, Vader had been wearing that suit. "I'm off the clock. Today was supposed to be my day off, but you know how that goes. Always on the move." He smiled.

Obi-Wan's lips parted. "Anakin," he whispered, the name a question. "I haven't seen your hair that short since --" He stopped himself, shaking his head.

"Since the lice incident on Koonly moon," Anakin finished for him. "I still say that wasn't my fault."

Obi-Wan looked around as though expecting attack, which Anakin allowed he had the perfect reason to think. "Who are you?"

"That is a truly interesting question. It's one I've been asking myself for months. The answer is not as simple as it should be." He deactivated his blade. "We should talk."

"With you, there has always been a great chasm between what you should do and what you do do."

"I'm well aware of that, thank-you, Obi-Wan. Have you more words of wisdom for me like you always did?"

"Not that you ever listened."

"I did try."

"That is what you always said." He kept taking tiny glances about them, his lightsaber ready for the fight Anakin didn't plan to get into at the moment. "Are you going to fight me again?"

"Not right now, no."

Obi-Wan's frown deepened, but then his features smoothed out once more. "Sith tricks. I'm ready for you."

Anakin leaned against the wall. "Fine. Stay ready while we talk." He knew they were evenly matched if they did wind up fighting. Anakin was still powerful and if he allowed himself to tap into the dark side as he'd done constantly as Vader, he would beat Obi-Wan hands down. He didn't plan on tapping into it. He didn't need to. There could be a harmonious end to this if he looked for it.

I've grown up, came the sudden thought. When did that happen?

"Talk? I find that hard to believe. You've never been inclined to talk when you could be acting."

He sighed, nodding. "You're right."

"Of course...what?" Obi-Wan straightened from his fighting stance. He appeared more confused than ever, but never once let down his guard. "What did you say?"

"You're right. I always acted first and thought second. One reason I got myself into so much trouble. Doc and I've been over this." They'd covered that to ad nauseam, in fact. A part of his therapy was to examine past actions.

"You're trying to lull me. Playing at being a negotiator. I've seen what you call negotiating. Vader doesn't use words."

"I'm not Vader."

"Oh really?"

"Well, in a manner of speaking I am, but he's separate. I'm Anakin." He pointed to himself.

Obi-Wan took a few steps back. "I'm hallucinating, aren't I? Some kind of scentless nerve gas pumped into the corridor."

"No, really. It's a long story, Obi-Wan, but trust me. Right now, I'm Anakin. I'm the man who was your Padawan, who was once called the Chosen One. I'm ascendant and I plan on staying that way. The dark side is seductive, I do admit that, but I will remain Anakin. The dark side cost me everything and as long as I remember the price of it I can resist the lure. I know how to cope now. I've learned the tools I need."

"Why should I trust you? You tried to kill me."

"And you me, so we're even on that." He couldn't blame Obi-Wan for not trusting him. He wouldn't trust himself either were he Obi-Wan.

"Are we?" Obi-Wan advanced, circling so that he was on Anakin's left instead of his right. "Are we truly even? I want my wife back."

Anakin straightened, trying to make sense of what Obi-Wan had just said. Wife? A joke surely. Obi-Wan was always the model Jedi. He wouldn't have a wife. It just couldn't happen. Having a wife went against the code unless one had a special dispensation for it. With the Jedi gone, there could be no such thing issued. "Wife?" But if he did.... Palpatine's summons, coupled with Obi-Wan's presence, began to really make sense. This wasn't a rebel matter, was it? He'd assumed Dormé was an important rebel leader. Just because she was pregnant didn't mean she couldn't lead.

Pregnant. Oh no. Obi-Wan was married and his wife was pregnant. He began to pace the hallway, puzzling it all out. Palpatine had ordered Obi-Wan found and so he had been, but not by Vader. Palpatine wanted Obi-Wan all of a sudden. Why was he desperate to have Obi-Wan?

Vader pushed, tried to speak, his voice a mere whisper compared to what it had been. Haven't you guessed by now? Are you that dim? This is the end for us, Anakin. He's found his new apprentice. Palpatine doesn't need us. Remember Maul? Dooku?

No, he returned, feeling Vader's rage rising inside him. It won't happen. Obi-Wan will never turn. He would not allow himself to become twisted.

He has a pregnant wife. Look at his face. He loves her. Tell me, Anakin, what it was that you did for love and the safety of your wife? Then look at him and tell me he would not do what he could to save his. His love has already twisted him. He follows your path. He's becoming...me.

"I know you've been looking for me," Obi-Wan said. "You found me, so there was no need to take Dormé. You had no reason at all to take my wife. You could have waited for me to return and taken me. There was no need for a trap. I've always known we'd face each other again. My wife is not a part of this, not part of what is between you and me. Let her go. She is no threat." He again settled into a fighting stance. "I can even understand taking Padmé. Are you happy now, Vader? You have us both."

I can even understand taking Padmé. Vader repeated the words in Anakin's mind. You have us both.

Blood rushed, pulsed in Anakin's ears. His thighs trembled, belly clenched. "Padmé." He sagged against the wall, feeling more than a little sick. "You're lying. Padmé is dead. She's been dead for fouralmost five years now. She... He told me. I saw her funeral, her grave--"

Obi-Wan stared at him, gradually relaxing. "You don't know? You never guessed the truth." There was such sadness on his face. "You really didn't know she survived."

Anakin choked and laughed at the same time, the sound hysterical to his mind. Her presence wasn't his imagination? Then he took it a step further, remembering all those times he'd thought he felt her. Nausea rolled inside him and he was very glad he hadn't had a meal in hours, or he would have tossed it up right onto the floor. He'd really felt her. All this time he'd really felt Padmé. His wife was alive. "No," he moaned, for if she was alive then he'd erred greatly in the past months. He'd turned to another woman, betrayed Padmé as he'd once wondered if he'd been betrayed.

Vader hurried to speak. Two betrayers in one place. We can finish it all. Palpatine and the two who turned against us in the very beginning. Forget everything else. Finish it!

"She's alive," Anakin whispered half in question.

"Yes. She is alive and perfectly healthy unless your Sith master has changed that."

Tears clouded his vision and a peculiar lurching sensation settled in his stomach, joining the nausea. "I thought I'd killed her. He told me... but I'd thought before you and I...she was alive. I'd sensed that. I thought he was lying, hoped he was.... I saw her funeral."

"Staged for the benefit of all. You choked her...Anakin. You did not kill her and to this day she claims to forgive you."

He raised his head, heard Vader curse rather inventively at that. Padmé forgave him? After everything he'd done, she forgave him?

Anakin swallowed hard and pushed himself up from the wall. He knew what they had to do. He drew himself up tall, still more than a little vertiginous over how much taller he was than Obi-Wan. He'd always been tall, but those original legs Palpatine had ordered for him had changed his height by several inches, making him a towering fearsome presence over most beings. When he'd upgraded he'd kept the added height. "I propose a truce, Obi-Wan. I'll help you rescue Dormé and...Padmé." His tongue tripped over her name.

"And what do you want from me?"

"A small amount of assistance in disposing of the Emperor."

Suspicion glinted in Obi-Wan's intent and solemn gaze. "What is to prevent you from seizing power once he's gone, Darth."

Anakin cringed inwardly at the misuse of the Sith title. Or, far accurately, Vader cringed in annoyance.

He's an idiot, Anakin. We can take him. Let me choke him and we'll tell our Master it was an honorable fight to Kenobi's death. Then, we'll dispose of Palpatine and rule ourselves. We can even have Padmé again, if Obi-Wan's claim of her having forgiven us is true. Think of it. We haven't lost a thing after all. She forgave you and if she can forgive that expression of our anger at her, she'll forgive us the woman as well. We thought she was dead, so how could she not? And this: if she survived, then what of our baby? The baby, the child, may be alive also, somewhere close to her if she was on Tatooine. We can have everything back the way it was.

Closing his eyes for a split second, he took a deep breath, trying to ignore Vader's siren words. It was so very tempting, but the past was the past. There was no going back and everything had changed. Anakin didn't even let himself imagine the future Vader whispered at him. "Darth is a title, Obi-Wan, like 'master' or 'senator'."

"I know," his former friend interjected with a needling smirk, though he suspected Obi-Wan of stretching the truth on the subject.

"Besides, I wouldn't answer to 'Darth' or 'Vader' right now to anyone besides Palpatine. I'm off the clock and when I'm off the clock, I'm Anakin Skywalker." He folded his arms and waited for a reply.

Obi-Wan's mouth opened and closed several times and he finally shook his head. "You have gone fully round the bend. That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard of. A Sith who is only such during set working hours? Absurd."

"Maybe," he acknowledged, "but that's how it is. The two are separate. I will help you rescue the ladies and I will destroy the Emperor today, with or without your help, though I admit it would be easier with your help. Palpatine is a wily old thing, but he's been too concerned with the running of the galaxy lately. He doesn't practice like he once did. He's become lazy, complacent and more arrogant than ever. In hindsight, I should have let Mace Windu kill him. There will be chaos from it, I know. The galaxy is far from stable, yet I believe there's enough of the senate left to perhaps...." Anakin shook his head. They didn't have any more time to hash this out. They needed to act. "We're wasting time. What's your decision, Obi-Wan? Do we trust each other or not?"

Anakin waited for the answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Time was running out, Obi-Wan knew that. The man before him -- Vader, Anakin, or whatever he was calling himself -- needn't point it out. He was at an impasse. Did he trust him? Did he not? Which road did he take now?

The force will guide me, he thought.

The man felt like Anakin and not him at the same time. There was no anger beneath Anakin's surface, only a determination. What to do, what to do?

A leap of faith.

Obi-Wan deactivated his blade and saw Anakin visibly relax, a boyish grin upon his features. "WellAnakin. What is your plan? I assume you have one worked out already?"

"Of a sort. I know you can't fully trust me, Obi-Wan. I accept that. Palpatine called me here for a reason and since I find you here as well, I believe we're to duel once more. My aim is to rid the galaxy of him. Let's give him the fight he wants."

With the calm of a man used to outlining plans and having them followed to the letter, Anakin laid his idea before Obi-Wan. It was a good plan, solid and entertaining for Palpatine as long as he didn't realize what was really happening until it was too late. "Interesting. How long have you been considering his demise?"

"Long enough."

Obi-Wan nodded. "If you attempt to take his place as Emperor, I will kill you."

"I know." Anakin sighed. "And if I attempt it, then you should, for that means Vader has returned and this time, he would not let me have any semblance of consciousness. It would be kindest to execute us in that instance." The grin returned. "But that won't happen, because Vader isn't here right now."

"Don't be cocky," Obi-Wan told him and together, they moved down the corridor. Never once did Obi-Wan ease up his vigilance on Anakin. He vowed to be ready no matter what occurred.

~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin was on his way and Kenobi burst into the room as Palpatine finally used the force to rip away the veil the second woman wore.

"You will return my wife," Kenobi said, with the calm cool Palaptine remembered. "Let Dormé go. She is not a part of this."

Palpatine stared at Kenobi and the pregnant woman. His wife? With a sinking sensation in his stomach, he realized just what the woman was to Kenobi and the difference between Kenobi and Anakin in regards to it. Kenobi's emotions were not as chaotic as Anakin's had been. He would not react the same way to her eventual death. The woman was not a true weapon against him.

What was it with Jedi and Naboo females? He heaved a disgusted sigh. First Anakin and the 'Padmé affair' and now Kenobi and the...what was her name? Oh yes, Dormé. The 'Dormé affair'. Another Jedi with a pregnant wife. For crying out loud. An honest, hard-working Sith couldn't groom a future apprentice without tripping over fertile Naboo women. Really. What was in the water on that planet anyway?

He relaxed in his chair, not in the least worried at the weapon Kenobi held. Anakin would be here soon and those two would have it out. His gaze strayed to the second woman. Small, petite and dead years earlier. Padmé. Of all the complications to appear. Although, now that he thought about it, her death had been awfully convenient. Padmé had never been so compliant in her life. He should have known she'd survived. He should have insisted on seeing her body himself.

A sudden extension of that thought made him shake his head.

If she survived, then did the baby as well? It couldn't be any other way, could it? Somewhere in the galaxy was the Chosen One's offspring. Palpatine imagine fate was mocking him now.

Mock, mock, mock.

Anakin came through the door. He was dressed in civilian clothes that seemed strangely familiar. The color nagged at him, something he should remember.... No matter. Anakin had a steely expression on his face and the familiar Vader feel to him. There was a roil of emotion below the surface of him, Palpatine felt it clearly.

"Vader, you're here. Come. We have a...situation." He looked again at Padmé. "Padmé Amidala. I believe you know my apprentice Vader by his previous name. Anakin. Your husband."

He'd expected shock or some sort of response. Irritatingly, the woman only directed a bland stare his way. He turned his attention back to the men. Anakin scratched his cheek with his forefinger while Obi-Wan rubbed his nose and flipped his hair back from his forehead.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin said, walking calmly towards his old Master.

"Vader."

They both settled into a fighting stance and Palpatine smiled. It was about time. Get this show on the road already. Out with the old, in with the new.

Still, something about the scene bothered him.

~~~~~~~~~~

The shock of seeing him here, in his official capacity, grieved Padmé. Would he really kill Obi-Wan? Beside her, Dormé dropped onto her knees with a groan. She couldn't take her eyes from the two men fighting. There was an air of boredom between the two, as though they were rehearsing for a real fight and not fighting in reality.

She had to do something, but what?

There was no convenient weapon in her line of sight, nothing she could use....

Palpatine's attention was on the fight, not on her and Dormé. She was young still and he was an old man. Padmé wasn't about to sit and wait for death to truly take her. Not this time. This time she was going to claw her way down into that cold embrace.

She moved without giving herself time to second guess the action and found that her hands gripped his throat quite nicely before she was suddenly on the floor, pain arcing through her body.

"Foolish woman."

~~~~~~~~~~

Palpatine was not ready for Padmé's action. He had not thought she'd leap at him bare handed. Her grip on his throat made him furious. Upstart woman! Why couldn't she have died when she was supposed to? He used the force to throw her from him and raised his hands, pleasure coursing through him when she screamed and thrashed in agony from the energy he directed her way. Feel my power over you, he thought and somewhere in the midst of his actions, he realized what he'd been forgetting.

His dream. It was no daydream at all, but rather a genuine prophetic vision. But he couldn't remember how it had ended. Or had it ended at all? He recalled Anakin and Obi-Wan slashing at each other and Kenobi's leap, but thennothing.

Wake up, Vader, he thought. Crawl out of Anakin like you did before. Ride his anger and try to take back your place. Strike at me and let Kenobi kill you.

Yet while he felt emotion from Anakin, it wasn't like it once had been. An unaccustomed anxiety gripped him. Kenobi wasn't what he'd expected and now that the man was here, Palpatine wasn't certain how to reach him; make him act out. He'd had it all worked out in his head, but somewhere along the way, the players of this drama had quite following his script for them. No one was doing what he expected. Curse it all!

Strike at someone, Anakin! Do it already! Make Kenobi kill you or kill him and be done with it! I don't care which!

What finally transpired could not have surprised him more.

~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin saw Padmé move out of the corner of his eye; saw Palpatine toss her away. He twirled....

And saw himself in the window. His recurring dream came tumbling back. Fighting Obi-Wan, Palpatine using Sith lightning on Padmé, and the robed figure kneeling, helpless and angry. Not a dream. A vision.

In that split second, he knew he could live without Padmé. He didn't fear losing her at all. The revelation startled him. Had he truly come to grips with her death? Only she wasn't dead, so it didn't count, so he could face losing her now. Right?

He blinked, attention returning to Palpatine. The older man cackled as he plied Padmé with the lightning. Did he expect Anakin's attention to remain there? Did he expect Anakin to react with anger running free, thus allowing Obi-Wan to kill him?

Yes. That was what Palpatine expected to happen. But he didn't know everything. He didn't know the new Anakin, the one who learned from his mistakes.

Inside his mind, Vader raged, clawed to be free. Strike, Anakin! Use me, I beg you! Use our anger to focus--

The words were oily, Anakin ignoring them. He and Obi-Wan continued their fight, movements so fluid they would appear choreographed to any witnessing. Indeed, they were choreographed by long years practicing together. They were still in tune. Step, twirl, jump, turn. He was different than he'd been though. He compiled everything Vader knew about techniques to make this fight look hard and furious, feeling as though he was almost outside of time and while it was not a new sensation, it was new to his reborn self. Since rising from Vader, Anakin had not experienced such a moment. Until now.

In all honesty, he feltbalanced. For the first time in his life, he felt evenly spaced inside himself and not pulled in fifty differing directions. It was a good feeling.

Obi-Wan held his own.

"Death will come," Obi-Wan said and Anakin suddenly knew what was different about him. He was a man in love, fighting for those he loved, yet he did not let that love overtake him. He knew his duty and he did it, would continue to do it, even if it took all from him.

"Then it comes. I don't fear the end. I embrace it, whatever it may be. I must do this."

Closer and closer to Palpatine. Obi-Wan frowned, tossing his lightsaber into the air and leaping back.

Anakin caught it and with his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers in hand, advanced upon Palpatine, who whirled, forgetting Padmé.

"You're no match for me boy. You may have been the Chosen One once, but no more. You're nothing and always will be. Come on then, if you're so eager to die."

They fought, blades meeting again and again. Anakin kept advancing, his cybernetic arms and legs tireless. Against Palpatine's frail and fully human body, he was superior in strength. How long until Palpatine turned the lightning on to him and the circuits that gave him strength were destroyed, leaving him helpless?

As per their agreement, Obi-Wan sent objects flying towards Palpatine. Such a chance Obi-Wan was taking. If Anakin were truly Vader right now.... His focus tightened, here and now and not upon the past, the future or Padmé. This was between him and Palpatine. "You made me a monster."

"You came willingly enough," Palpatine panted. Was it honest exertion or was he trying to lull Anakin into thinking the fight was nearly finished? He sensed Palpatine's overconfidence and wondered if the man's arrogance had become such that he would overtip his hand thinking he still had full control of the situation.

He redoubled his efforts, expecting any second to feel the pain of circuits dying from a massive electrical surge. "No more. This ends here."

I will sacrifice myself to end the Sith for good, he thought. As long as I can take Palpatine with me.

Then Palaptine was on the ground, one hand cut off. "No, no." His voice was guttural, filled with malice and Anakin tumbled back in time to the moment in Palaptine's office, with Mace Windu poised to strike. "It'll never be over. You are Vader. There is no going back. Accept it. Face it. Let your anger for that fill you." He raised his hand.

In a second the lightning would come. Anakin knew that. Why had Palpatine waited? Why had he not let loose the very thing he'd known would destroy Anakin's body? Had he, at the last, decided to keep Anakin after all? Did he still expect Vader to emerge, reborn once more? "Not this time." With a flick of his wrists, as he'd once done with Dooku, he parted Palaptine's head from his body. In his mind came a howl from Vader.

For a long moment, he stood with his head bowed, a bit awed at being alive, then deactivated both lightsabers, tossing Obi-Wan's back to him.

"That's eleven, Obi-Wan."

After a brief pause, his former master raised a brow. "I beg to differ, Anakin. That would be Ten. Cato Neimoidia still doesn't count. It'll never count, so quite trying to slip it in to the number." Obi-Wan knelt by Padmé and touched his hand to her forehead, then quickly turned to Dormé

"Okay, ten." He never really counted Cato Neimoidia anyway. Anakin smiled. It felt good to have some friendly banter once more, even if it was somewhat stiff and awkward.

Padmé began to stir and Dormé.... His eyes widened. She was very still, her hands on her lower belly and lips pursed as she panted. Was he seeing things, or was the floor beneath her wet?

"Ben," she gasped out. "It's time."

Ben?

"Now?" Obi-Wan crouched beside her.

She nodded.

"Right now?"

"Yes." She made a strangled noise.

Padmé pushed herself onto her hands and knees, then up to a sitting position. Her gaze met his, steady and calm. Anakin flushed and looked away. Alive. She was alive.

"You're sure?" Obi-Wan put a hand on Dormé's stomach.

She shot an incredulous stare his direction. "No, I think it's indigestion," was her sarcastic reply.

The thought amused Anakin. If she'd eaten the food here, it was a possibility.

"She needs a doctor," Padmé said, moving closer.

The sound of her voice made him tremble. Four years since he'd heard her. "We'll find her one." Turning, he went to a terminal, stepping almost casually over Palpatine's headless body in the process, and called up a list of doctors. None, he saw, were qualified to deliver a baby -- at least in his opinion. After his recent past, it'd be best if this birth went without a single hitch.

If he'd felt scrutinized before descending to the dark side and letting Vader loose, he knew he was going to feel even more so after this ascent back into the light.