❝ you don't get to pin this on me. ❞

―

CARINA CLENCHED her fists tightly, struggling to contain her emotions while she paced the rather large cell she was in.

The mother took a sharp breath, her entire body trembling in fear for her twins. There was nothing she could do. Any move that she thought of in her head ended with someone getting hurt.

Carina let out a frustrated groan, raking her hands through her chestnut locks as she felt her sons presence grow closer and closer, and she hated it.

She should've trusted her mind, she should've listened and gotten them away from before it was too late. Yet she always seemed to make the same mistakes, no matter how many times she went through it.

Carina felt herself grow more and more worried for the group of friends that had been taken to a different cell. One of them was going to have to fall, she knew that.

The door clicked open and the mother tensed up instinctively as heavy breathing purged the room. A muscle tensed in Carina's jaw as Vader spoke, "Skywalker will arrive soon."

Algora's patience was running out, like a stretched thread that was about to snap. Carina raised her head slightly, but she made no move to respond to the Sith Lord.

Darth's expression faltered behind his mask, he could feel strong emotions coming from his wife, none very pleasant ones.

"There is no need to be hostile."

Carina couldn't believe her ears, an incredulous scoff slipped past her lips as she slowly turned to face the male, "How moronic do you have to be to even think about saying that to me? No need to be hostile? Has your last brain cell finally taken its leave?"

Vader blinked, watching his wife's every move as her eyes shone with fury, "The last twenty years of my life have been absolute utter hell because of you. You who took everything from me, from the people I loved to my own freedom. You have the nerve to stand there and tell me there is no need to be hostile?"

The Sith stilled, breathing heavily as her words sunk in, as if leaving a mark from how they stung. Darth clenched a fist, exhaling loudly, "I will return once I have Luke."

Carina allowed panic to rack through her as the male before her walked out. The mother went to the cell door that was locked, her fist slamming upon it as her pent up anger was beginning to get the best of her.

Algora rubbed her eyes a bit too harshly, a knot forming in her throat as her mind flew through countless scenarios about how this would end. None particularly pleasant.

Carina felt rage bubbling up inside of her, her hands beginning to tremble with the need to take it out on something. The brunette turned her head slightly, a sudden presence plaguing her mind.

Luke had landed.

Carina stumbled back slightly as sorrow and agony crashed over her. Algora placed a hand on her chest as she breathed softly, those emotions— they were from Leia. Carina's eyes flashed with rage, her jaw clenching before the door on her cell began to rattle violently, a moment passing just as it flew off its hinges.

Carina lifted her gaze just as four stormtroopers piled in from the sudden commotion. The brunette looked unbothered as the soldiers raised their blasters, all aiming at her heart.

The mother looked at each trooper, "You either get out of my way, or I don't hold back."

The stormtroopers didn't budge from their position. Carina licked her tainted lips, "Alright." The brunette narrowed her eyes slightly, causing their weapons to go flying from their grasps. Algora caught one that went straight at her, immediately pressing the trigger to shoot all four down in one movement.

Their bodies dropped to the ground with a thud. The brunette kept the blaster since her saber had been taken from her. Carina stepped around before checking the hall for any troopers, the mother mentally scoffed, they had only put four soldiers to guard her? What an insult.

Carina carefully treaded down the corridor as quietly as she could before backing herself into the wall as two stormtroopers passed right in front of her.

Algora felt a pulling sensation tug in her mind and she quickly turned, going the opposite way she saw the soldiers walk in.

She glanced behind her before turning her head to see three troopers strolling right towards her. The mother shot her hand out, forcefully choking two of them before blasting the other in the chest.

Carina moved her wrist slightly, sending the soldiers flying to the wall with a loud clash. The two troopers slid down the wall, it being evident that they'd gone unconscious.

The brunette tightened her grip on the weapon before continuing to hurry down the hall as a worried sensation whirled through her mind.

Carina was about to pass a doorway before her body abruptly stopped on its own. Algora turned to gaze down the corridor, Luke.

The mother stepped through the frame, immediately glancing back to see it shut closed behind her. Carina blinked, "Just great." she quietly grumbled to herself before stepping onto an unknown platform. Before she could take any further step the floor rumbled, suddenly moving upwards.

Carina grit her teeth together before appearing in another room, blue and red lights being the only source of light in it. Lightsabers clashing caught the mothers attention.

Algora moved quickly, her eyes landing on the platform a few feet ahead of her. There they were, Vader and Luke engaged in a fight.

Vader went to slash his saber against young Skywalker's when suddenly both weapons suddenly froze, refraining but doing any other movement. Luke gazed at his weapon with pure confusion before turning to see Carina with her hand slightly extended before her.

The brunette kept her eyes on her son, "Luke, get out of here." Darth Vader didn't even get the chance to make a move before he was shoved with great force to the other side of the room.

Luke blinked while Carina rushed towards him, breathing heavily as she took his wrist in her hand, "Leave, now. I'll handle Vader."

The blonde shook his head, "No, I'm not leaving you either."

Carina really wished her children hadn't inherited her stubbornness, "Luke, I am not asking— I am telling you. Vader means to turn you over to Palpatine." Luke tightened his grip on the saber that once belonged to his father, "We can take him."

"I am not willing to risk you falling into the empire's hands."

Vader rotated his wrist before looking at his weapon that flew back into his grasp. The Sith Lord intently watched his wife and son, furrowing his brows slightly as a conflictive feeling shot through him.

Carina held a pleading glint in her eyes, "Please, please Luke, find Leia and go."

"Not without you."

Vader lowered his hand slightly before Palpatine's voice rang through his head, "Do not disappoint me."

Darth blinked before straightening up once again, the male laid his eyes on Carina before igniting his saber, catching the duo's attention.

Carina instinctively pulled Luke behind her as she watched Vader's every move.

"Skywalker's destiny lies with me, Carina."

The mother clenched her jaw rather tightly, "The hell it does." Algora stood uneasily before catching a glimpse of the Sith's utility belt, and of course her lightsaber was attached to it. Carina pursed her lips, focusing on the object before successfully slipping it out from its place.

The brunette opened the palm of her hand, smiling slightly as it landed right into her grasp. Luke stepped into her side as the two ignited each of their weapons, blue with yellow.

Carina sighed softly, she knew Luke wasn't going to be leaving.

The hydraulic elevator suddenly opened behind the mother and son without a sound made. Carina sensed something incredibly off as Vader slowly moved towards them, Luke walking backwards in response.

Carina twirled her saber before Luke suddenly yelled out. The mother glanced back to see Skywalker had fallen into the trap that had been laid out for him.

"Luke!" Carina turned, slashing her saber down on Darth, the red and yellow clashing together. Vader used his free hand to flip the lever mentally.

The brunette jutted her elbow up, hitting the Sith in the face before gashing his arm. Vader stumbled backwards, his heavy pants echoing through the room.

Carina glanced back before looking at the hanging wires above, pure relief flushed through her from seeing Luke holding onto one of them tightly.

Darth raised a brow as he also noticed the blonde, "Impressive." Carina went to move when she was abruptly flung back into the wall several feet behind her. The brunette groaned as pain rippled through her back.

Luke worriedly glanced at the woman before Vader began speaking to him, "Carina has taught you well. You have controlled your fear, now release your anger." It was clear the Sith was attempting to goad his son.

"Only your hatred can destroy me."

Luke ignited his saber quickly before slicing down in the older male who was quick to defend himself with his own weapon. Luke leapt into the air, doing a somersault over Darth Vader before going to strike him once again.

Darth was quick to defend himself before realizing he was at the ledge, an inch from tipping over the edge. Vader blocked another hit from his sons sword, making him lose his balance before falling into the outer rim of the pipes.

Luke gazed down into the area the Sith had fallen in, he clipped his saber into his utility belt before jumping into the pit.

Carina rolled her shoulders back before groaning slightly as she pulled herself off the floor. A muscle tensed in her jaw, her hand reaching out as she used the force to pull her saber back into her grasp. She rushed to the side she had seen her son jump down in, looking over the edge before blinking.

Carina glanced behind her, licking her lips before sighing heavily. The mother hopped down, landing on the ground below with a thud. She peered over to her side to see an opened and lit corridor, Carina pulled her brows together slightly before heading into it.

The mother stepped into the reactor control room, her eyes immediately went to the broken window and scattered machinery pieces sprawled on the floor. Carina looked to her side, a feeling her pulling her towards the hallway.

Carina treaded down the steps before going out onto the gantry, her eyes quickly caught sight of Darth Vader standing over her son who seemed to be in pain, cradling his wrist in defeat.

"If you only knew the power of the dark side.  Obi-Wan and Carina never told you what happened to your father."

Carina's eyes widened in utter fear as she began running.

"They told me enough. It was you who killed him." Luke seethed in pure anger while Vader raised his head slightly, "No. I am your father."

Luke's lips parted in complete shock, his expression going distraught from what he had been told, "No, no. That's not true. That's impossible."

Carina ignited her weapon, striking down on her husband who was quick to turn to defend her sudden attack.

"Leave Luke out of this."

Vader gazed intently into the woman's shining eyes, "He needed to know the truth." Carina grit her teeth, shaking her head, "His father is dead, he died the day you became Darth Vader."

Luke stared into nothing, breathing as he thought of everything he knew. Young Skywalker could feel the truth in the Sith Lord's words, it wasn't a lie, he knew it wasn't.

Carina pushed the male back, spinning her weapon before kicking her leg out to hit him in the chest. Vader staggered backwards, almost losing his balance as Carina gazed over at her eldest twin, "Luke, go. Trust your feelings and go."

Luke slowly lifted his eyes to linger on the woman, the woman who was supposedly Vader's wife. Vader's wife.

Carina turned just in time to defend herself against Darth's sudden strike against her. The mother grunted slightly as she pushed against Vader's strength while speaking to her son, "Luke, please."

Carina shoved the man harshly, extending her hand to use the force to send him flying back many feet. Algora glanced back at the blonde who held hesitance, "I'm not leaving you."

Carina narrowed her eyes at him before shifting her attention over to the vast space below them. The brunette looked back at her child, "Don't worry about me, call out to Leia. They need you more than they need me."

Luke parted his lips to protest before he was suddenly pushed off the pole he was latched onto, falling far below as wind blew.

Carina watched her sons fading figure before turning to see Vader standing before her, "You turned yourself in for him."

"You wouldn't know how it feels to have that instinct to protect your child. I do."

The male clenched his jaw slightly, Carina always knew how to hurt him with words. "It doesn't have to be this way."

Carina scoffed slightly, "Don't forget it became this way because of your own actions. I never wished for any of this, I just wanted to raise my child." The woman continued reminding herself to say child instead of children, refusing to let the empire know of a second Skywalker.

Darth Vader exhaled rather loudly, slipping his weapon back into his utility belt before gazing into his wife's expressive eyes.

Carina blinked slowly, feeling herself become drowsy as her eyesight faded to black, her body giving out as she slipped into oblivion.

―

AUTHORS NOTE,
im sorry for the late updates ive just been having slight writers block and im trying to plan out the act that comes next.