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(y/n)'s POV
It was the next morning. I hadn't seen my Master since he left my room early last night. I didn't expect him to come back after everything we talked about. I felt like we both had things we needed to work through before looking into each others eyes again.

I sat in the training room alone with my own thoughts, I had come here initially to distract myself and work past some of the anger I still held over him being the Anakin Skywalker. But I ironically got distracted over my thoughts of that and therefore had little to no interest in practicing anything.

It was difficult to wrap my head around it. He said he didn't want me to see him differently now that I know, but how can I not? Though not in the way that he might think. Initially, I was shocked and pissed off—and still a bit pissed—but now I feel like I see him for who he really is.

Now, more than ever, I am convinced that him and I were always meant to find each other.

I know that sounds cringey, but ever since I was little I had dreams of a faceless Anakin, seeing him as some kind of beacon of hope that there was a way out of the life I was living. If it could happen to him, it could happen to me, is what I would think. So it's poetic to me that he really became the one to give me hope and save me.

The galaxy is a funny thing.

The doors to the room opened. I turned my head to look over my shoulder at him coming inside with his mask already off, "You don't have to stand." He held his hand out and spoke softly when he noticed me about to get up. He made sure the doors closed behind him before he sat across from me. Our eyes locked, "What do you want to know?"

My breath hitched in my throat, "What?"

He tilted his head with an annoyed glare in his gaze, "Ask me whatever you want, now and only now will be your opportunity to ask me anything."

I sat up and straightened my back from my previous slouch. I took a minute to think, I didn't want my questions to be so simple I'd get vague answers. I want stories, I want to feel like I'm being read a book, "How did you go from being Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader?"

He took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly, "Betrayal. True betrayal. It can really damage a person and their outlook on life. Especially when you're betrayed by the one person you thought you could trust with the world." He fidgeted with his fingers nervously and for the first time since knowing him, he looked sad, "A light you once saw in your life turns dark, and it's the shittiest thing when it was your only light."

Flashback in Anakin's POV

(There will be some moments that you see words in "quotations" and they won't be written in italics, that signifies Vader currently narrating the story from the present time.)

I stepped into Obi-Wans room, my hands shaking as my thoughts raced a mile a minute, "Master," I whispered, tears streamed down my cheeks.

He turned in his chair and faced me. He furrowed his brows, looking me over with confusion and concern, "Anakin, is everything alright?"

I slowly shook my head, "I defied your orders and went to Tatooine to see my Mother."

He stood from his chairs, his eyes widening, "You did what?"

"You can save your lecture. Shes dead, I was too late."

He took a step closer to me, the frustration in his eyes dissipating into remorse, "Anakin, I'm so—"

I in turn, took a step back, "Don't," I wanted to sound stern, angry, but I was too devastated. My voice shook as I struggled to speak and even breathe, "She died in my arms, she was alive the whole time I was having those nightmares. She could have lived if I had been there sooner, but you," I glared at him, "You kept me away."

He sighed heavily and slowly, "Anakin, I'm so sorry about your Mother, but it wasn't on my orders you couldn't leave, it was the council. They feared that your strong attachment to her could be a problem."

Being a Jedi was something I always wanted, I looked up to them when I was just a boy but now I regret ever leaving. I'd suffer being a slave if it meant my Mother got to live.

I shook my head, tears continuing to fall, "I just wanted to make sure she was okay, that's it. I wasn't asking for a lot."

Obi-Wan remained sympathetic. Despite my anger towards him during the situation, I knew he cared about me, I knew in his own way he loved me. That's what brought me here of all places, I felt like he was the only person that would actually bring me comfort right now, "We can talk about it more together, but let's get you out of the clothes." He was referring to my clothing that was covered in blood.

I nodded as I removed my Jedi robe, revealing more blood covering my tunic that soaked through the robe.

"All of that was from your Mother?" He asked.

I avoided his eyes, he'd be angry when I tell him, but I know he is someone I can trust, "No... I—I did something. Something really bad Obi-wan."

"What did you do?"

I sniffled, my voice cracking, "The sand people, the ones who tortured her for as long as they did. It belongs to them," I revealed, "I didn't mean to, I was just so—"

"Just the ones who hurt her?" Suddenly I felt like I was being interrogated, the tone of his voice said it. He didn't sound sympathetic anymore.

"But for some reason that didn't stop me from being honest because even though I knew he'd be upset and disappointed, I still trusted him more than anyone."

"All of them. Every man, woman, and child." I said and he was silent. I looked up, slowly meeting his gaze. I couldn't read him, "I didn't mean to do it. I was so hurt and I just lost control. I regret it Obi-Wan, I swear if I could take it back then I would." I pleaded for him to believe that. I really meant it, I never wanted to hurt anyone, that's not the kind of person I considered myself to be, "I didn't realize what I did until it was done. I even buried them." I held out my hands to show the dirt and blisters I earned from the long night.

"The regret sunk so deep I spent the entire night giving them graves. Just the women and the children, they didn't deserve what I had done."

He nodded, "Okay, just wait here while I get you clothes from your room. We'll talk about this when I get back. Don't worry Anakin, it's all going to be okay." He assured me with a pat on my shoulder before he left the room.

"He was gone for much longer than I thought it would take. He didn't come back for another twenty minutes, possibly more, and he wasn't alone. Obi-Wan entered the room with Master Windu and Master Yoda behind him, along with half a dozen clones. Before I even realized what was happening, I had force restraints placed on me and I was being dragged away. I remember yelling at my mentor, begging him not to let this happen."

Tears now pouring from my eyes, I was tossed into a cell meant to keep rogue and dangerous Jedi contained. I hit my head on the floor and everything around me had blurred for a few minutes.

"As much as the council might like to think, I wasn't a threat to them in this moment. I was a son, heartbroken by the loss of his Mom. I had made a mistake but I don't believe I was a monster, yet."

"Let me out!" I banged on the glass, "Please I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt anyone!"

"I pleaded for days, then weeks until I have up when I realized no one was actually listening. I had some visitors, but not many. Not even my wife had shown up, I figured word got to her of what I did and she didn't want anything to do with me either."

"I didn't understand the purpose of keeping me there, I'm not sure what they thought they'd accomplish. But they thought I was valuable, someone meant to fulfill some prophecy, that's why I was trying to be fixed instead of tossed away like a lost cause."

I sung quietly to myself as I tapped on the wall. I can't explain it, but the consistent noise kept me feeling mildly sane. It was distracting and comforting at the same time. Like when a baby is being rocked to sleep or when one uses white noise to relax.

"You have a lovely voice Anakin," I paused my taps and looked towards my visitor.

"Chancellor Palpatine, to what do I owe this pleasure." I didn't stand to greet him or show any form of emotion whatsoever. I was exhausted and drained, I didn't care to fight anymore. It hasn't done me any good thus far.

He smiled softly, "I wanted to check on you, see how you're doing."

"No changes since the last time you've been here," Which was a few days ago, I think.

He knelt down so our eyes could meet on the same level, "You would be out of here if your word choices were a little smarter and if you were more enthusiastic."

"Elaborate." I wanted to laugh. What exactly do I have to be enthusiastic about?

"Tell them what they want to hear. No more screaming, crying, profanity; simply speak to them as you are speaking to me now. Calm, collective, emotionless." He shrugged before glancing down both ends of the hallway, likely checking for anyone listening, "Once they believe they have you exactly as they want you—"

"An obedient, emotionless robot that will bend to their every will?" I rolled my eyes. Which is basically every Jedi on Coruscant at this point. I had thought that maybe there was some room for real emotions. I thought Obi-Wan cared for me, loved me, but I was an idiot for thinking so.

His smile widened significantly, it was almost unsettling, "Precisely. That's all they're waiting for, a soldier to get back in line. So I say, get in it."

"Then what," I finally laughed, "Work like a slave to them? No. I want them all to burn for this. I'm no friend to them anymore. They all betrayed me in the worst possible ways, I want nothing to do with the order."

"Who said you'd be joining the order again? I was simply telling you how you get out, what you do when you get out is entirely up to you. But know, you have the Chancellor on your side."

For the first time in weeks, I smiled, "How would you feel if I told you I wanted them all dead?" I was half-joking. Of course I wanted them dead for locking me up and treating me like a rabid animal, but that doesn't mean I have any plans to do it. I just want to leave and never see any of them again.

"You have a right to feel that way my boy. They didn't give you a better life like they promised. They betrayed you, lied to you, killed your mother, killed the love your wife once had for you. They preach peace but have been nothing but cruel to you."

I felt my eyes slowly start to water, "I just want to leave and never see them again."

"He was taking what I would consider harmless anger I had towards them and tending to it like a garden. He said so much, did so much to cause my rage and hate to grow significantly to the point to where just looking at any of their faces made me want to scream."

"Such kindness," He shook his head and clicked his tongue, "Kindness is not what they deserve. These Jedi and this whole republic are just as corrupt as the separatists. Something far better should take its place, more orderly. With you standing front and center."

I was intrigued, confused but interested, "Something tells me we're no longer speaking hypothetical Chancellor."

"Get out of this place. Play nice, tell them what they want to hear. Then come to me, there is much to discuss about your future." He stood, his eyes remaining locked with mine, "You have potential, let us explore it."

(Y/n)'s POV Back to present time
"He manipulated you, he took you when you were at your lowest and filled your head with so much hate."

My Master shrugged, "Yes and no. I knew what was happening the whole time, I just simply allowed it. I listened to his insane plans of destroying the order and building an Empire with him as the Emporer and me as his little sidekick." He grimaced, "Until one day I realized that I wanted it, I didn't want to be second to anyone anymore. So I played him and the Jedi like a fucking fiddle. Then once the Empire was built I slit his throat while he slept and kept it all for myself. It's funny that so many blame him for who I have become, but all he did was show me how to use the anger that was already inside of me, planted by the Jedi themselves. If they had just let me see my Mother when I initially asked, this galaxy would be very different today."

"I thought you said you didn't want to hurt anyone though? When you were locked in the cell you said you didn't consider yourself a monster, you just wanted to leave and have peace. What changed?" I asked, locked into this story with so much intrigue that todays life seems boring in comparison.

"I came to realize that I was the only one who wanted peace. They were never going to let me leave; it was either freedom, back to that cage, or live a lie my whole life surrounded by traitors. I chose my own freedom for once. Plus the way they all treated me when I got out was like throwing gasoline onto a flame. They hated me, and so I continued to hate them, all of them with every fiber of my being."

I reached forward and placed my hand on top of his and he stiffened for a moment before relaxing, "Im sorry all of that happened to you, you didn't deserve it.

He chuckled softly, "Im not sorry, I'm glad it happened, because now look at me. I'm the Emperor of an entire galaxy, I'm happier than I have ever been, and I have you."

My heart nearly leapt into my throat and I had to swallow it down, "I'm glad I have you too."

He leaned closer to me, his eyes shining under the light. They were still amber, but not as prominent, "Now I finally do have someone I trust and care about, who feels the same way in return." His breath fanned my face and I felt my heart beating hard and fast. The smile he held slowly faltered before he brushed a strand of hair out of my face, "Have I ever told you just how pretty you are? I enjoy just looking at you which is not something I can say about anyone else."

Now it was as if my heart stopped. What was happening?

Just then, Rex barged into the training room looking frazzled, "Sir, it's Obi-Wan," He was out of breath, an alarm then began to sound and it was ear-piercing, "He's gone."

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