Revenge

Disclaimer: It belongs to Lucas.. And, as I'm finished with it, for the moment.. I reluctantly hand it back to him.
Notes: Well.. i accidently posted this chapter before I wrote the beginning (and most of the end) notes... I have very mixed feelings about this chapter.. Not in the direction it goes (I've had this planned out for a while), but in the way it's written. Mostly, I'm just relieved to have finished something this long. Yay for me. ^_^ Anyway.. I hope ya'll enjoy the final chapter of Revenge. Let me know what you think.


Epilogue

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Obi-Wan's POV
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Sith. It hurts. I tried to open my eyes but the severe white of the sterile room was just a bit more than I could take. So instead, I eased back into the comforting darkness, jumping only slightly at the sudden voice to my left.

"Eight days, you have been unconscious. That you would never awake, we were fearful."

"Who said that?" I willed my eyes open just a crack, squinting at the unwelcome brightness of the room. Master Yoda frowned at me as I sent him a lopsided grin.

"Pity.." he said, with an obviously false scowl. "Improved with your health, your sense of humor has not."

"You said I was out for eight days, Master Yoda?" I pulled myself up into a sitting position, just to have a madly beeping droid glide over and force me back down, stabbing me with an array of accurately aimed needles. I didn't know what I was given.. but the discomfort of the glaring light was fading, leaving me feeling well-enough, except for a heavy drowsiness. Most likely drug-induced. Or perhaps the exhaustion was my own doing.

"Hmm.." the wizened Jedi nodded, closing his eyes slowly, to hide a look of concern. "Throughout the temple, a great disturbance was felt. As other affected Jedi were taken to the medical ward, discovered you were."

None of this was making a lot of sense.

"Others were hurt?" I looked around. There were a few empty cots, and more droids. But I appeared to be the only patient.

"A good few. Sudden dizziness, or fainting, they experienced. The lights failed. Shut down, every droid was." I could only imagine the chaos and disarray.

"And the disturbance did all of this?" he nodded once.

"What about the others? Are they alright, now?" a chill travelled up my spine, as one of the droids straightened the sheets of an immaculate cot. Had there been fatalities?

"They were well, by the next day. The only other to be seriously hurt was Padawan Kenge. At the time, being treated for the niartese flu, she was. Four days ago, she awoke, and was released." Apparently, I had been the last to come to.

"Why was she affected more than the others?" Perhaps it was because she was sick.

"The disturbance, we have concluded, was centered around you. Within a hundred feet, Kenge was the only other living being. " I could only blink, dumbly.

"You're saying I caused the disturbance?" ...Wouldn't that be something you'd remember?

"No. Near you, it was. Or so we believe." Near me. Ah, right.. Still not clicking. Although it would explain why I had been unconscious the longest. None of this added up, unless...

Recollection, of what had happened that night, hit me with the impact of a blaster. Him.. Luke- no, Anakin.... Anakin! I glanced quickly at Yoda. His interest was currently on a droid across the room. Or so it would seem. I strengthened my shields, anyway.

He'd confronted me in the hallway.. or I'd confronted him.. and.. Brief flashes of the fight came to my mind.. and his claim. His declaration of who he was.. He'd taunted me, and I'd attacked again... I'd given in to my more.. carnal urges with him.

I felt my cheeks flush from my shame, and fought the urge to bring my hands up and hide the evidence. Ana- He'd- ... 'We'- In the hallway, for Force sake! And with such reckless abandon.. What's wrong with me? Fortunately, eight days seems to have been sufficient in that I'm not feeling any residual soreness.

Everything had been so fast and angry.. I could recall, perfectly, every second after we'd slowed. It had hurt. Broken my heart, so that every moment, the pain was akin to losing Qui-Gon again. For a long time, I'd held him.. And I knew- Saw into the confusing and shaded memories of his past. Connected to his mind in a way that is impossible, without years of sharing a bond. He was Anakin.

As soon as that occurred to me, my concerns shifted from the man in my arms to the child in my charge. He would be wondering where I was, and I had the sudden fierce urge to protect him.. Perhaps from 'himself'.. in a manner of speaking. I'd dressed and was leaving when I felt it... the pain through the bond I didn't want with this man. It was only a pale reflection of what he was feeling, and yet it hurt so badly.

What had happened? ..He called my name, and I'd tried to keep walking. I knew if I went back it would only make leaving, again, impossible. So I'd continued.. and then... And then what? There was horrible pain. Nothing like I'd ever felt. It was as if the Force, itself, had turned on me.. was trying to destroy me from the inside. And I'd blacked out. I struggled to recall more, but there was nothing. Only darkness until I'd awoken here.

There was no doubt that Yoda was studying me when I turned back to him. I almost felt shame for having guarded my thoughts against him. To my relief he didn't attempt to guilt me on this.

"Master... Only myself and this padawan were within one hundred feet of the disturbance? You're sure there was no one else?" The look he gave me was penetrating. It was all I could do to keep from writhing under the weight of his silent inquiry.

"Another person, there was?"

"I do not know, Master. I was merely curious." It surprised me how easily the lie came that time. And how poorly conceived a falsehood, it was. I'm sure I was taught lying was one of the first steps towards the dark side... But I can hardly bring myself to care. I just want to return to my room, and lock myself in for all eternity.

"About confiding in me, I wish you would change your mind. But I know you will not. Destroy you, someday, this secrecy may." he let out a low sound, that could have been a sigh.. Or a grunt, as he stood up, slowly.

"Free to go, you are. But first.." and the sadness in his face was gradually replaced by a very welcome expression of amusement. "..A visitor, you have."

He stumped out of the room, and a moment later Anakin was perched at the edge of my bed with a bewildered expression on his face. I managed a tired smile.

"Don't worry, padawan. I assure you, I'll live." He grinned then, climbing onto the bed to sit, heavily on my feet. Somewhere a droid began beeping frantically, but Anakin didn't seem inclined to move, any time soon.

"Oh, I knew you would be alright.." The relief flooding between our bond, refuted that statement, however.

"Did you?" My tone is teasing.. but not mocking.

"Well.. no. I was very worried, sir." I swallowed hard at his suddenly tearful voice. Jedi were discouraged from becoming too attached to anything, object or person. I would have to teach him that, before his emotions controlled his actions. It had been a painful lesson for me.. And one that came far too late. I wouldn't wish for him to have to experience that. Yet, I understand his concern. Anakin has much to lose by my death.

For a moment I couldn't think of what to say to consolidate him. A tear slid down his cheek, dripping onto his tunic, and he wiped the trail away angrily.. only to have it replaced by more.

"It's alright, Anakin. I'll be fine, I promise." But he only started sniffling, as well. Oh, I really can't handle this at the moment. As though my own troubles weren't catastrophic enough.

"Anakin.. calm down. Look at me." slowly he did.

"Remember what I taught you about meditating, on Naboo? Finding your center, and allowing yourself peace.. I need you to try that, now. I'm right here. I'll help you." he nodded, wiping his eyes and nose on the sleeve of his tunic.. Yet another thing I would have to discourage. A second later, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

I sent waves of reassurance, and calming influence to him, until his breathing slowed. Using this moment of quiet, I concentrated on my own tormented thoughts. The person before me was so young. Only nine years of age. What similarities could be found between my padawan, and.. the man he grows to be.

I'd never got a good look at this.. older Anakin, in decent lighting. But I'm fairly sure his hair was darker. And he had that prosthetic arm. I winced, staring at my apprentice's limb. Would he really lose it? A paternal sort of protectiveness came over me. He wouldn't lose his arm, if there was any way I could prevent it.

Anakin opened his eyes, and smiled at me. I grinned back at the almost roguish look.

"Better?"

"Yes, master Obi-Wan." How could this child possibly become a Sith? It really doesn't seem possible..

"Well then.. Let's return to our quarters.. You can tell me all about what happened while I was asleep." I pushed the blankets off of me, relieved to find that I was dressed, except for my boots. They were lying beside the bed. As I slipped into them, a growing sense of dismay overtook me. Anakin couldn't be destined to become a sith. He was the chosen one. His destiny is a set path to better the world. There's no way he could stray from it. Unless..

It had to have been my doing... Anakin's fall from grace. I stole a glance at the rapidly chattering boy. He was happily oblivious to the fact that I wasn't paying attention to his words.

Perhaps, all of this has happened so that I can avoid making mistakes with Anakin. I've got to be firm with him. Much firmer than I'd originally planned. And, certainly, I need to keep a reasonable distance from him. It's hard to imagine that there could ever be anything remotely threatening about this child. Especially from a romantic point of view. But children grow up.. I simply must ensure that he does so without an interest in me, beyond professional camaraderie.

I will have to be a master, first. And a friend, second. Despite how wrong it may seem to me. No one will ever discover what I saw... Anakin will become the chosen one. He has to. Steeling myself, inwardly, for all the work I had set before me, (years of work, in fact) I turned my attention back to Anakin.

"-said he was getting better. But, he was really upset because I'm three years younger, and I'm the best in the class. Oh! And a jedi was actually killed, in the temple! The other children say a Sith did it, but Master T- Tuh-see says that's nonsen-"

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Anakin's POV
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Oh Force, the pain... If this means I'm alive, then let death find me swiftly. I can't feel my arm.. or my legs.. All I want to do is scream, in a desperate attempt to alleviate this agony, but I feel as though even the slightest movement would send me into crushing blackness.

Just as it did the first time I came to. Right away, I'd known where I was. Mustafar. Back where it all started.. or all ended, depending on which way I look at it. The Force was thrumming through me, tearing at me from the inside out, again. And before the whispered "Obi-Wan" had left my mouth, I'd passed out from the pain.

Now that I'm awake again, everything is coming back to me. Mace.. the younglings, the lightsaber battle.. Padme.. Our unborn child. It all seems like it happened so long ago. As if days really 'had' passed.. Had they? But smoke is still rising from my charred flesh.. It hasn't been days since the fire.. since he- He took my life. And I'd simply been dreaming.. Perhaps, there was damage from the flames that caused my mind to produce these delusional fantasies. It 'HAD' to have been a dream. No matter how realistic, it simply could not have happened... But it had been realistic.. Too much so.

My fevered mind won't stop replaying it all in random flashes. I'm trying to keep my eyes open. Stare around me at black rocks, or flowing lava. But the pain and the pictures won't stop. Won't allow my distraction. I can see my chest rising, as I wheeze, gasping in hot, sulfurous air. Before my eyes is Obi-Wan.. walking away, while I'm calling out to him. Some part of me knows that these are nothing.. memories, at best. And yet I hear the rusty whir of my false hand twitching, struggling to reach for him. "Come back..." the words, barely heard, are incoherent. My entire neck.. my throat is too ravished by fire. I may never speak again. I just want to die, now. Alone as I've made myself. And submerge into black nothingness, forever.

As Obi-Wan slowly fades away, I'm beginning to recognize the face of another. This one is far more unwelcome, upon the eyes.. If not, also, on every other sense. Sidious. What's more, is that this is no illusion, or memory. The foul creature is actually here. He's kneeling over me, staring.. Sending healing energy, through the Force, that manages to disgust me, even with all the pain I'm in. If I had two arms I would strangle the life from his deformed body.

Obi-Wan left me. For that I hate him. Sidious found me.. For that I hate him.. and yet I owe him my life. I should reconsider revenge. This time, everyone will suffer for my pains. But that will have to come later, because there are droids tugging me onto a stretcher.. and everything is fading fast to darkness, again.

The end.

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I'd started this as a random way to have RotS Anakin have sex with TPM Obi-Wan... I think it turned into a way for Anakin and Obi-Wan to say goodbye, properly. Well.. until they meet up as Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader.

By that, I mean so they could have several sessions of freaky sex. And it wasn't really a proper goodbye, was it? Ah well. The road of love is bumpy.

Thank you so much! To everyone who's reviewed, or even read this. Knowing that I finished a story that people actually liked is.. it's just a pretty awesome feeling. So, again.. Thank you.