Consequences

Chapter 24 - Homecoming

The sound of distant explosions suddenly rings out. The Death Star is under fire. The Rebel Fleet must've gotten through the shield. But that means we really need to get out of here soon. Before we get blown away to space dust. I shudder at the thought. Besides, Anakin's suit is completely fried, and if he's going to live, we need to get it taken care of soon. A surge of determination floods me. We need to move.

With Luke and I on either side of him, we begin making our way towards an Imperial shuttle. Imperial soldiers run about in the background, also frantic to get off the Death Star before it blows up. I've carried Anakin before when things went dreadfully wrong, but he's wearing armor which makes him far heavier, and neither of us are in a state to be doing this anyway.

As we near the shuttle, Luke and I practically collapse from exhaustion. We set him on the floor right next to the entrance as explosions grow louder, shaking the ground.

"Luke, Ahsoka, help me take this mask off," Vader – or rather Anakin – requests.

"But you'll die," Luke protests. I can already feel his force presence slowly fading. No. No. He can't die! He can't!

"Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes." Tears blur my vision. Yes, I know he's right, but I somehow am struggling to remain in denial. This... it's something I can't just accept so easily. But still, I can feel his force presence slowly fading away. I've seen many people die before, but not... not my brother. I need him. He can't leave. How will I get home without him? Or will I be trapped here forever? Over the past half year, I've lost all my friends, all the Jedi, everyone except Anakin. And I need him. I need him. And my brother's dying right in front of me, and I can't stop it.

Struggling not to have a completely meltdown right then and there, I help Luke as he takes the mask off. My breath catches as I finally lay eyes on my brother again. I know it's been decades, but he looks so... old. His face is scarred badly to the point of being almost unrecognizable, but his eyes... his eyes are the same blue I remember.

"Now... go. Leave me," he whispers, his voice hardly audible.

"No," I protest desperately, unable to stop the tears from falling anymore, "You're coming with us." I refuse to leave him here. Not if the space station will be blown to dust in moments. I won't leave him ever again. I rest my hand on his shoulder, my grip slowly tightening on the armor as if it'll prevent him from dying.

"I can't leave you here. I've got to save you," Luke insists, practically crying as well.

"You already have. You were right about me." He's using the last of his strength now, and I can tell his next words will be his last. "Luke, tell your sister... you were right."

"Father, I won't leave you."

"Anakin, I won't leave you. Not this time." And I won't. Ever, ever again. Come what may, I'll never leave my brother's side.

And then, his presence fades all the way out as his body sinks back against the floor again, lifeless. He's... he's gone. Just like that. My brother, the person the galaxy worshiped during the entire time period of the Clone Wars, the Chosen One is dead.

This... this is worse than anything I've ever experienced. It feels like someone's stabbing me through the heart over and over again. It's tearing a hole within me, one I know will never be filled because the person I cared about most in the universe is dead. I would have gladly gone through everything again if it meant he were still here. And this... this is all because I didn't pay enough attention to his emotions.

Anakin, my master, my brother, who taught me everything I know, who risked himself to save me countless times, is dead. The only person I thought would always be there. The only person who ever was always there. And how he's just gone, and when someone's dead, you can't bring them back.