Wartorn

Chapter 22 - Framed

Author's Note: And the truth comes out. ;-;

~ Amina Gila

Anakin had no idea what happened to Luke when he showed up at their appointed meeting spot in the Underworld to see no one, but he'd... assumed police droids must've been close. But it only made him more afraid of what could happen to him out there, because if they failed to meet up once, he doubted Luke would risk trying to call him again.

But Luke is here now, in the middle of a burning warehouse of nanodroids and Anakin has no idea how he got here, but it looks beyond incriminating. He gestures for the clones to wait – not that any of the 501st would be inclined to shoot at him – stepping forwards. "What happened?" he asks, urgently.

It would be pointless to ask if he's alright, when his face is bruised, and his clothes are a mess, an obvious indication of a fight.

"The Dark Sider led me here," Luke replies breathlessly, "They could still be close."

"Search the perimeter," Anakin orders, "And warn the police the suspect might still be in the area."

"Yes, sir," Rex calls, taking off.

Luke practically teleports into his arms a moment later, clinging to him tightly. Anakin holds him, taking a few moments to just breathe. Having Luke away from him, under these circumstances, was terrifying. Someone is trying to frame him, and Anakin doesn't know who or why. What would anyone have to gain from it?

Sometimes, he really wishes his son could stay somewhere safe so that Anakin wouldn't have to worry about him constantly.

"I saw that Dark Sider. That's why I couldn't stay," Luke tells him.

"We'll catch them," Anakin promises, "But right now we... need to deal with these charges." He really doesn't want to have to take Luke back to face that, knowing they're going to immediately arrest him again, but there's nothing else he can do without getting him in more trouble.

Luke looks slightly nervous now. "What'll happen now?"

"I don't know," Anakin confesses, "The evidence, no matter how forged it is, looks pretty incriminating. Padme is... she'll try to help, and so will I, but until we have the person who's really behind this, I don't know how much success we'll have in getting the charges dropped." And that's what he's afraid of most of all. If Luke is convicted... he'll be executed, and that is not something he can let happen, even if it means leaving the Republic.

He senses Luke's obvious fear, and he – he wishes there was more he could do. They have to find who did this, no matter what it takes. "I got this from them," Luke says, stepping away to pick up a lightsaber thrown on the floor nearby. "I don't know who's it is, but..."

Anakin takes it, studying the design. His flare of hope instantly dies to disbelief, anger, and betrayal at once as he realizes who he's almost certain this belongs to.

"Who's is it?" Luke asks, frowning.

"We'll have to take it to the Archives to identify," he replies, almost faintly. He can't believe this without tangible proof. "Many lightsabers can look... similar." So he can only hope that he's wrong.

***

Luke hates prison cells more than he ever thought possible right now, and he's beginning to wonder who ever decided that's where they should stick criminals. Unless the point is to drive them insane... assuming they weren't already.

Which he is not, thank you very much.

He can't even say how relieved he is when Padme finally arrives. She pulls him into her arms the moment she sees him, and Luke melts into her embrace, clinging to her. "I'm sorry for taking so long," his mother says, holding him tightly. "There were some questions about me defending you, considering our relationship."