Back to the Light

5.- True story

Anakin and Luke finally reached the Death Star.
Anakin breathed deeply to calm down. It didn't work. He felt- sensed- that something wasn't quite right. His eyes rolled to were Luke was. He looked nervous as well.
Then, they heard artificial breathing and footsteps.
"Luke Skywalker" a deep and dark voice said.
Luke's eyes observed his father.
"Father, I know you're not going to take me to the Emperor"
"So you have accepted the truth" Vader comented.
"I accepted you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father"
Anakin bounced. He felt his own eyes looking at him from inside the mask. Then, Darth Vader turned to Luke.
"And who's this?" He asked.
Anakin's face turned white for a moment. He knew Vader had recognized himself. Vader looked at him "so you didn't tell him? What are you waiting for? Tell him the truth, my friend"
Luke stared at Anakin.
"What is he talking about, Hayden?"
Vader laughed.
"Hayden?" He reppeated "Seriously?"
Anakin's azure eyes moved from Luke to Vader.
Luke shook his head and looked at Vader.
"Father, I know there's still good in you!"
Anakin felt Vader sigh.
"It's too late for me, son"

~¤~

The Emperor laughed when he saw who came out of the elevator.
"Lord Vader" he said. The other one bowed.
"I've brought my son."
Palpatine laughed.
"And I feel someone else. Am I right?"
Vader nodded. He grabbed Anakin's arm.
"You don't know what you're doing" he warned Vader. "This is wrong. You should have listened to Obi-Wan"
"You are naïve and foolish. You know nothing about the power of the dark side" Vader replied.
"I don't need to. I know everything I need to know. And you are the naïve and foolish! You've been more than twenty years believing his lies!" He shouted pointing at Palpatine.
Palpatine laughed.
"You say I'm a liar, uh? You aren't the saint here. You have a few secrets of your own.... like your marriage with Senator Amidala...Or... that your real name isn't Hayden."
Luke opened widely his eyes.
"What?"
"Oh, yes, my dear and young friend. He's been lying to you all this time..."
"I couldn't do anything else, Luke! I didn't tell you because of your own sake" Anakin explained.
Palpatine smirked.
"Tell him your real name, son. Tell him that your name is Anakin Skywalker and that you're his father"
Luke laughed.
"Please, don't be that stupid. He's a year younger than me. And my father is right there" He pointed at Vader.
The boy looked at Anakin trying to find support in his eyes, but Anakin looked down.
"Come on, Anakin. Tell him all the truth" Anakin looked at Palpatine with anger in his eyes. "Oh yes... I can feel your anger. It's a path to the dark side..."
Anakin breathed.
"No. It's not the Jedi way. I'm a Jedi. Not a Sith. And I'm not a common Jedi. I am the Chosen One."
Palpatine waved a hand and threw Anakin. He crashed into a wall and fell unconcious.
Then, he raised his other hand and lightnings started going out of his fingers. They filled Luke's body along with pain.
Vader looked to his son, his younger and fainted self and his master.
Anakin's eyes opened and he coughed. He tried to stand up but he couldn't.
"Please, Anakin" he said "You gotta save him! He's your son! He's the only thing you have left of Padmé! Padmé... yes! Palpatine told you you killed her along with her baby, right? That's not true! She died because she lost her will to live!"
Vader looked at him.
"What?"
"She lost her will to live because of your turning" Anakin explained.
Vader looked to Palpatine.
"You lied to me!" He shouted. And then he grabbed the Emperor and threw that horrid man into a tube.
But he got electrocuted.
Luke stood up.
"Father!"
Anakin also stood up and helped Luke carry his dying father.
"Boys, please... leave me... but before you go... let me look at you both with my own eyes" Vader pleaded.
Luke's eyes filled with tears.
"But Father... you'll die!"
"Nothing can stop that now" Vader sighed.
Luke nodded and helped his father to take his helmet off.
Azure eyes, just like Hayden's... Well, just like Anakin's were looking at him.
Vader smiled weakly.
"Now go my son. And you were right. Tell your sister you were right." Then he turned to Anakin "please take care of her, Anakin. Take care of Padmé. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Make her see how much you love her. Tell her I love her. Please"
Anakin nodded, with tears in his eyes.
"I will, I promise"
And Vader died.

~¤~

"So... you're my father?" Luke asked in the ship. They were going back to Endor.
Anakin nodded.
"I am. Luke, I'm sorry. I... wanted to tell you but I just couldn't. I think you understand why."
"Yes. And who's Padmé? She's my mother?"
Anakin smiled.
"Yes, she is. And your sister Leia's mother as well."
"Leia told me she remembered her. She said Mother was beautiful and kind... but sad."
Anakin sighed.
"That's my fault. I broke her heart. It all started because of a dream in wich she died at childbirth... I didn't want it to comd true of course and I knew I would do anything to change her fate. I guess Palpatine took advantage of my fear and used it."
"And how was she?" Luke wondered.
"She is the most beautiful person in the galaxy... almost like an angel. She is... well, Leia is just like her. Almost a replica of her mother."
Luke smiled.
"She is so beautiful, then"
Anakin laughed.
"Yeah, you're right"
Luke stared at his father.
"But Fa...Anakin, you gotta tell Leia about it as well. But it's going to be harder for her, though. She hates Vader."
Anakin passed a hand through his hair, worried.
"I'll try my best"