Palpatine sat as calmly as he could, his plans still raging and Luke Skywalker's blindingly bright Force presence still mocking his every move. He listened to a delegation that a few Senators from the Republic Senate had requested, which included Senators Padmé Amidala, Nee Alavar, Fang Zar, Maledee, and Sweitt Concorkill. Anakin was also present, standing to one side of the Chancellor.

The Sith Lord could sense the impatience radiating from the boy as he itched to run to medbay where Luke was to be released soon.

Sighing with as least frustration as he could muster, Palpatine continued to address the Senators, figuring he could use their presence to his advantage.

"I understand your reservations completely, Senator, and I assure you the appointment of Governors will in no way compete with the duties of the Senate." Palpatine said.

"May I take it then, that there will be no further amendments to the Constitution?" Padmé asked.

Palpatine scowled at the woman, sensing the same bright Force presence that was currently in the medbay, sitting inside her. Hmm...the whole concept of time traveling through the Force was still interesting to the Sith.

Oh but how he urged to kill her right there. It would rid him of her annoying presence in the Senate and her equally annoying son, so desperate to stop the plan that had obviously succeeded the first time around. He smiled at the thought that he had actually won...or would win. All this work would finally pay off.

"I want this terrible conflict to end as much as you do, My Lady, and when it does I guarantee an immediate return to democracy..."

"You are pursuing a diplomatic solution to the war, then." Padmé pressed further.

A ghostly Force grip snaked around her neck but did not tighten. The Senator didn't even know how close to death she actually was.

"You must trust me to do the right things, Senator. That is why I am here." He said tightly.

"But surely..." Fang Zar interrupted.

The Chancellor turned on the other Senator.

"I have said I will do what is right, that should be enough for your . . . committee." He snapped, catching everyone's attention.

Padmé quickly resolved Palpatine's anger with a dismissal. "On behalf of the 'delegation of two thousand,' I thank you, Chancellor."

Palpatine sighed, leaning into his chair. "I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Senator."

He caught Amidala flashing a frustrated look towards her husband right before exiting.

It was a few standard minutes before Palpatine finally spoke to Anakin. "Their sincerity is to be admired, although I sense there is more to their request than they are telling us."

Anakin blinked, his thoughts obviously elsewhere. "What do you mean?"

"They are not to be trusted." Palpatine said simply.

"Surely Senator Amidala can be trusted . . ." Anakin said defensively.

"These are unstable times for the Republic, Anakin. Some see instability as an opportunity. Senator Amidala is hiding something. I can see it in her eyes."

Anakin was very quiet. Then, "I'm sure you're mistaken."

"I'm surprised your Jedi insights are not more sensitive to such things." Palpatine said.

"I simply don't sense betrayal in Senator Amidala." Anakin said firmly, wanting the conversation to end.

Palpatine studied Anakin and gave him a skeptical look. "Yes, you do, but you don't seem to want to admit it. There is much conflict in you, Anakin."

'I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate.'

A sudden voice echoed through Anakin's head and he stiffened, knowing it to be Luke.

Luke? he sent.

It took a second before, Anakin? What's wrong?

You...you didn't say anything?

Luke's mental voice paused, confusion radiating across their bond. Um...was I supposed to?

Anakin sighed. No, no...it was nothing. Are you feeling alright?

Anakin felt Luke's concern, but be boy still continued. Yeah I'm alright. They...uh...they found my nurse dead...suicide they say...but that's off topic. They're letting me out in about an hour. You could stop by if you want.

Anakin blinked at Luke's casual mention of his nurse being dead. A Jedi committing suicide was definitely strange...and suspicious...

     Anakin?

Um, yes. When I finish with the Chancellor, I'll be there immediately.

Luke fell silent for a few moments when his father said he was with Palpatine, resisting the urge to feel out for the Sith's presence, knowing well the man could be eavesdropping with his impressive shielding work. With that in mind, he ended the conversation as quick as he could, knowing his mind was still weak from his ordeals from the past week. Great. See you soon.

Anakin pulled back as soon as Luke did, startled to see Palpatine glancing at him with a rather confused expression.

Blushing in embarrassment, Anakin looked down at his feet.  "Forgive me Chancellor. I was communicating with a fellow Jedi."

"Yes, that mind thing you do. It was Knight Starkiller, was it not?" Palpatine asked.

Anakin nodded, not bothering to ask how the man knew who he was talking to.

"Is he feeling any better?" Palpatine asked, not concerned in the least.

Anakin sighed. "He's much better. He's getting released today."

"Good..." Palpatine trailed off, lacing his fingers and staring at the piles of work on his desk.

There was a long, tense silence before Palpatine smiled faintly. "You would like to visit him, wouldn't you?"

"If it's alright with you of course Chancellor." Anakin said.

Palpatine sighed. "You may go. And make sure you get the information on Master Kenobi's confrontation with General Grievous if you can."

Anakin nodded. "Of course. Thank you." He had almost forgotten about Obi-Wan's mission and the fact that the man had commed him several times and he had forgotten to comm back.

Leaving the room, he quickly moved towards his speeder outside the Senate building and towards the Jedi Temple.

When he finally reached the medbay, he walked in to see Luke being helped across the hall by the doctor, his legs shaking as he tried to walk properly.

Anakin smiled and moved forward quickly, helping the doctor with Luke even though the boy was perfectly light enough for one person to help him stand upright.

Luke smiled weakly up at Anakin. "I didn't expect you for at least a while."

Anakin shrugged. "Well you know me...impatient." Anakin paused, studying Luke's pale demeanor. "So what's the matter? Why so weak?"

Luke sighed with a faint chuckle. "Yeah well the medicine's a little draining, not to mention the fact that I died and came back, so...I kind of fell out of bed as soon as I got up. The doctor has been helping me get used to walking again."

The doctor sighed at Luke's words, looking a little distraught. "Yes, but it should wear off overnight. Another night's sleep, out of the medbay this time, and he should be back to his normal self. With daily meds just in case any symptoms of the poison returns."

"Is that possible?" Anakin asked, concerned.

"It may be, considering how much stress he puts himself under. But nothing fatal, I assure you. He's out of that boat," The doctor said.

Anakin sighed in relief. "Well I'll make sure he gets the rest."

"Hey, I don't need a babysitter. I'll rest if I'm supposed to. I have no desire to be in that much pain ever again," Luke said with a light groan.

"Of course you will," Anakin said with a skeptical look. "And doctor...I heard about the nurse, Kirei. I'm so sorry. She was your apprentice was she not?"

The doctor whitened but nodded. "Yes...but there was always something off about the girl..." he shook his head, "Thank you for your condolences Knight Skywalker. I have faith that Kirei is one with the Force and at peace."

Anakin felt guilt suddenly radiating from Luke and glanced at him in confusion. However, the boy's face showed no emotions, making Anakin worry.

"We'll be heading off then." Anakin said after a small awkward silence, biting his lip.

"Of course. Any problems, don't hesitate to comm." the doctor said shakily, walking away in a half-daze.

Luke sighed and allowed Anakin to help him towards his speeder after they signed out of the Temple medbay.

They took off a bit violently at first, but Anakin quickly changed to driving cautiously for Luke's sake. The boy said nothing about it, only a thankful smile revealing his gratefulness.

"Padmé should be home about now. She had a long day in the Senate so she may be tired. I've begged her to ease up because of the pregnancy but she won't have it..." Anakin started with conversation, noticing quickly however that Luke's attention was on the Coruscanti traffic.

Anakin cleared his throat, watching as Luke glanced up and then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Distracted."

"It's alright, just wanted to make sure you weren't relapsing or something." Anakin paused, wondering what had had Luke so deep in thought. Something about him...the way he crinkled his nose, the blue of his eyes, his delicate yet built frame... "

     Oh...that reminds me, I have to comm Obi-Wan. He kept comming me earlier, a bit annoyingly if I'm being honest. He should of contacted the Council first for anything major, so it can't be that important, most likely information just for me." Anakin rambled.

"Well hand me your comm, you're driving. I'll contact him for you." Luke suggested.

Anakin roller his eyes teasingly, "What are you my father?" Luke stilled just as Anakin grappled with the device on his belt and tossed it to the boy, not noticing his reaction.

Luke caught the comm with surprising deftness for someone just leaving the medbay and he chuckled awkwardly, just ignoring Anakin's comment for the time being. He quickly put in the frequency Anakin told him as they continued to move through traffic, curious himself about what Obi-Wan needed to say.

The comm remained silent for a moment, waiting for the called participant to answer. After a few moments, Obi-Wan's holographic figure appeared, not realizing it was Luke who was holding the comm as he started talking.

"Anakin, it's about time you commed me back, I've been trying to contact you. Something important has come up that you need to-" his eyes landed on Luke, who was smirking lightly. "...know." Obi-Wan finished lamely.

"Hello Obi-Wan." Anakin called from the drivers side. Luke turned the commlink so the Jedi Master could see his father and he tried not to laugh as the older man blushed.

"Yes, hello Anakin. I see Luke's alright now." Obi-Wan said.

Luke smiled. "I see you're alright as well. Did you accomplish your goal with Grievous?"

Obi-Wan hesitated briefly, looking at Luke as if he had two heads. "Um...yes, he's dead."

"Dead!? Were you planning on notifying the Council? Or anyone for that matter?" Anakin exclaimed, surprised.

Obi-Wan blinked and then groaned. "I...I forgot. Something else came up I figured was slightly more important."

"Oh really? And what's that?" Anakin asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Luke quickly remembered the stuff he saw while he had been unconscious and recalled Grievous telling Obi-Wan who Luke truly was. Paling, Luke took control of the conversation.

"Well you should contact the Council first, don't you think?" Luke said.

Obi-Wan looked up at him, narrowing his eyes.

"No, I think now is the perfect time. What about you Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin shrugged. "If it's that important I guess it can't really wait, can it?"

"Good. Now that that's settled, Grievous told me some very interesting information right before I blasted him and he exploded." Obi-Wan began, watching as Luke slowly lost more and more color in his face.

Anakin interrupted immediately. "He exploded!? Wizard!"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, Anakin. I guess it was...wizard."

Anakin blushed in embarrassment at his outburst, turning his gaze back to the traffic.

"Anyways...the information he passed to me concerned-"

Obi-Wan was cut off as Luke wheeled back his arm and flung Anakin's commlink out the side of the speeder, the device tumbling through the air and shattering on the Coruscanti pavement.

Anakin stared with his mouth open, looking at Luke in utter confusion. He had not been expecting the flying metal device past his nose and his foot slammed on the speeder's brake, jerking both him and Luke forward against their restraining belts.

Luke groaned at the sudden pressure against his chest, clutching the sides of his seat.

Anakin imagined his former Master blinking in surprise as his commlink message turned to static out of nowhere and then a wave of frustration came across their bond.

"Luke, what the kriff!?"Anakin exclaimed, not even realizing that he had stopped in the middle of traffic, the horns of several speeders going right through his ears as he stared directly at Luke.

The boy had gone completely red in embarrassment, fiddling with his clothes and allowing his blonde locks to fall in his face.

"Sorry...my arm kind of...spasmed." Luke mumbled.

"Your arm kind of spasmed!?" Anakin asked sarcastically, not believing it one bit.

A rather loud and obnoxious horn blared from behind them and Anakin swore, finally registering the noises.

He pressed the gas lightly and turned towards Padmé's apartment, which was thankfully close from where they had stopped.

When they landed, Luke barely even get to protest as Anakin grabbed him by the waist and flung him over his shoulder.

"Wha-Hey!" Luke exclaimed in surprise.

Anakin ignored him and walked inside, plopping Luke down on the couch. Padmé was in the kitchen, stirring something that smelled delicious while staring a datapad.

She glanced up as Anakin and Luke entered and brightened as she saw Luke.

"Oh thank goodness." She smiled and put her stuff down, making her way towards her boys with her hand on her stomach.

Luke smiled and accepted the hug she offered. Anakin accepted it as well, kissing Padmé lightly on her forehead as he did so.

Anakin then sighed and looked at Luke. "Now you want to give me the real reason why you threw my commlink out the window?" Anakin asked.

Padmé blinked. "He what?"

"He threw my comm out the window. While I was talking with Obi-Wan." Anakin said.

Luke bowed his head low, thinking rather amusedly that this was the first time his parents were scolding him for something reckless he did, which is what Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had done to him as a boy.

Now it was proper. In a way.

"You didn't want him to tell me whatever he was going to tell me. Any reason why?" Anakin asked, his hands on his hips and his foot tapping.

"No..." Luke mumbled.

"Luke dear, you can tell us anything." Padmé tried, smiling brightly.

Luke sighed. "It's...it's hard to explain."

Padmé and Anakin shared a look before sighing.

"We'll discuss it later. For now, I need a new commlink." Anakin grumbled.

Luke bit his lip, worried he had made his parents mad. However, Padmé led Anakin towards the kitchen for a calming cup of tea before walking towards Luke and sitting down next to him.

"He's just worried about you dear, that's all. Randomly throwing a commlink out of the window isn't necessarily normal behavior." Padmé said with a smile.

Luke sighed. "Yeah..."

Padmé rubbed her stomach, getting another kick. She wondered why her child always got rambunctious whenever Luke was around. "Luke...are you sure you don't need to talk to us?"

Luke shook his head. "I assure you, it's nothing."

Padmé nodded, not really believing the boy but cooperating with his stubbornness all the same. "All right. But you know Anakin's going to drag you into getting him a new commlink."

Luke smiled lightly.

Padmé ruffled his blonde hair affectionately and stood up slowly, going back towards her husband.

They both watched Luke cautiously, worried about letting him sleep in the room he had been shot in before. However, before either of the couple could suggest he sleep with them again, he began to nod off, fully clothed, on the couch he was sitting on.

Anakin took a deep breath, worrying the edge of his glove that hid his prosthetic arm.

"I assure that whatever he's hiding has a good reason to be hidden, Ani." Padmé said softly, not wanting to wake the boy.

"I know..." Anakin trailed off. "But why would Obi-Wan be so frantic to tell me if it wasn't important?"

Padmé closed her eyes in thought. "I don't know dear..."

Anakin stood up from his chair, stretching and moving towards their shared bedroom. "I'm going to get some rest. I wouldn't be surprised if Obi-Wan contacted the Council after he lost connection with me. Therefore a meeting tomorrow."

Padmé nodded, grabbing a blanket and covering Luke before following Anakin into the bedroom.

They changed into their sleep clothes and shared a long passionate kiss, as if something was hinting at both of their minds that this may be one of the last calm moments they got for a long while.

They both pulled away hesitantly and confusedly, wondering at the dark thought in both of their heads.

Then the couple got into bed, letting sleep claim away their worries.

•••

Luke was beginning to wonder if nightmares were a unpreventable Skywalker trait.

He found himself standing amongst smoke and fire and he coughed, trying to see through the ash and cinders in the air.

Two bright blue blades stuck out amongst the darkened sky, striking each other relentlessly.

The figures wielding the blades however, were unrecognizable. Luke moved forward, his feet kicking at hot coals and gravel.

The deadly dance continued for what seemed like forever, the fight more like a survival of the fittest than an actual test of power.

When the figures landed on floating debris in the lava, Luke thought they were goners. However, the two figures, who Luke deemed as obviously Jedi, jumped around at unimaginable heights, landing on different pieces of debris every time.

When they both reached him, one of the figures jumped to Luke's exact position. Luke stumbled back but then remembered that he was only here in spirit.

The person who had landed in front of him was wearing torn and tattered tan Jedi robes, his ginger hair darkened with ash and his gray-blue eyes darkened with sadness.

"Obi-Wan?" Luke asked in shock.

The man looked beat...stumbling, his hands shaking, and his whole balance unsteady.

Worried, Luke turned his gaze towards the other man, who was still in the lava, standing on a large piece of debris.

Smoke gathered around him like moth to a flame and he was almost unrecognizable.

Except for his two golden eyes, peering murderously at Obi-Wan with pure malicious intent in their very depths.

Luke moved closer, dreading what he knew was coming.

The dark Jedi robes appeared through the smoke, along with the short, dark blonde hair, the scar on the right eye, the prosthetic right arm, and the oh-so familiar lightsaber Luke had carried all the way until he had lost it and his own hand on Bespin. The lightsaber he had used as his beacon of light to represent his Jedi father. The lightsaber that, unbeknownst to him, had murdered thousands in cold blood...and he had used it with pride.

His heart stopped beating and his blood slowed, churning inside him and making him shiver with the ever lasting chill of the dark side.

"Father..." Luke released helplessly, the word more like an exhale.

"It's over Anakin! I have the high ground!" Obi-Wan called desperately, his voice hoarse as he practically begged his former apprentice to stop.

"You underestimate my power!" Anakin snarled with fury. And that was when Luke realized...this wasn't Anakin.

It was Vader.

"Don't try it." Obi-Wan begged, knowing he would have to do what was right, but only if Anakin provoked him. He didn't want to kill his former apprentice...Luke knew that much.

Now he knew why Ben had told him that Vader had betrayed and murdered his father...because he had. But it was Obi-Wan who had delivered the final blow...the last strand of family Anakin had had before he was finally lost forever...

Luke stumbled back, trying to close his eyes and back away from the scene as the inevitable happened.

He screamed at the exact same time as his father did, his legs bending to jump over Obi-Wan as the Jedi Master's lightsaber cut through all his limbs, minus his prosthetic one.

Anakin-no Vader-tumbled down the embankment and rolled down near the edge of the lava. With an inhuman scream, Vader struggled to pull himself up with his remaining mechanical hand. The metal fingers grasped desperately at the gravel and black sand, and Luke noticed with horror that his thin black glove had been burned off completely.

Horror, agony, pain, betrayal, fear.

All these emotions raged through Luke Skywalker as he came to a horrifying conclusion.

This was what happened to his father that forced him to be forever locked in that Force-forsaken suit.

"You were the Chosen One!" Obi-Wan screamed, startling Luke from his hyperventilating and his hysterical tears that were evaporating off his face from the unbearable heat. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness!"

Still shaking, Obi-Wan picked up Vader's discarded lightsaber and pocketed it.

'He kept it all those years...' Luke thought with a dry heave of nausea.

Obi-Wan silently strode away, leaking silent tears, before something made him turn around. Luke blossomed with brief hope, thinking maybe he would save his father...but Vader ended any chance of that help with his scream or rage.

"I hate you!"

Luke shuddered at how much it sounded like Vader with his respirator.

Obi-Wan just choked on a sob, his face coated with ash. "You were my brother Anakin...I loved you."

The lava caught up to Vader and lit the bottom of his leg stumps, making the man scream. The fire coursed through his body and Luke was forced to remain rooted in unspeakable horror as his father burned alive.

The Skywalkers-father and son-echoed each other's screams. One with pure agony and hatred, and the other with horror and absolute denial.

And Luke sat upright on the couch with a gasp, his screams unable to reach him as he simply curled up and trembled.

•••

A/N

You have no idea how hard it was to write this chapter...

*crawls into a corner to die*

Anyways, new chapter, yay!

Sorry for the feels...I make myself cry sometimes...😭

May the Force be with You,

- lucky_ducky_123