Chapter Text
"Whether he dies or I do, this ends today."
Obi-Wan is here with every intent of finishing it, steeling himself past any of the feelings to the contrary he's buried. All of this needs to end, and it won't happen until one of them is dead. He knows what he has to do, no matter how he feels about it.
Feeling how dark Anakin feels, remembering what he was doing on Mapuzo, how he was pursuing the ship of civilians escaping Jabi'im in an effort to get to Obi-Wan, and what that Inquisitor was saying – which reminds him all over again of that day when everything fell apart – it's hard to see this Sith as the boy he'd raised, and that makes it easier.
Obi-Wan stands ready and waiting as Vader gets off his ship, moving towards him. He remembers their last meeting far too clearly, and he won't let him get the upper hand this time. This time, he's ready. (Is he?)
"Did you ever consider... buying me?" Vader intones, coming to a stop a distance away.
...
...
"What?"
"From the Emperor. He would not sell me willingly, but he –" Vader starts replying.
Buy him? Sell him? What?! "What? What are you talking about?"
The only response is the sound of Vader's cycling respirator. What is he saying? Is he seriously trying to imply – "You're... his slave?"
That... that doesn't even make any sense. The last he knew, Anakin was Sidious' apprentice. It's not like Vader would ever willingly go along with the Sith trying to enslave him. Why would Sidious do that anyway when he already had Anakin on his side?
Something like anger flares around the Sith; Obi-Wan can only feel it so clearly because how strongly the Force reacts to him, even now. Especially that darkness. "You know that."
What? How is he supposed to know that? Is this even real or is he just... trying to completely throw Obi-Wan off guard? Because that is working. He highly doubts Anakin would ever make this up, but... "How?" he asks finally, "How could he...?"
"When the Jedi were declared traitors, all their property transferred to the Emperor," Vader states as though that's supposed to answer anything at all.
Is there some reason he's trying to remind Obi-Wan even more of that day than he already is? "...How is that relevant?" What does it even have to do with anything?
The feeling of coldness around Vader intensifies. "You know what I was, Master."
What jars him first is the title. He hasn't heard it from Anakin in... so many years. It's coming from a completely different voice now, but the Sith doesn't say the word mockingly. It's much the same tone Anakin often said it in, even now that Vader sounds angry.
But what does he mean 'what he was'? Obi-Wan was expecting Vader to attack him, the same way he did on Mapuzo, but instead he's getting... this.
And he has no idea what Anakin is even talking about. He's... Is he seriously saying that he's Sidious' slave? Obi-Wan doesn't really know what to think or feel about that. He doesn't even see how that's possible. And Anakin's answer doesn't make any sense. Like what does that have to do with it?
And why, why is he asking Obi-Wan to buy him?! What?!
"What are you talking about?" he asks, again. Because he frankly has no idea how else to respond. He doesn't like how his resolve to fight Vader is fading in the face of this, all of his doubts and questions surging up again.
Vader's hand clenches in what seems to be growing anger, for some reason. It reminds Obi-Wan disturbingly of how he was practically radiating it on Mapuzo. "He told me my ownership transferred to him."
What?!
Every inch of his mind promptly screeches to a halt, as it occurs to him just what Vader is saying. He's – he – what?! "The Jedi didn't – you weren't – You didn't belong to the Jedi!" he finishes, incredulously.
Seriously, is Vader just trying to throw him totally off-guard and screw with his head? "Why must you be like way?" he seems to almost blurt, though there's obvious frustration in his voice. and maybe a touch of something else Obi-Wan can't quite interpret.
Be like what? What... he is so confused. "I am unsure if you genuinely believe what you are saying, or if you are coming up with... a poor distraction."
Something about his posture shifts, and some of the coldness swirling around him fades a little. "This is why I searched for you," Vader replies, "As long as Sidious has my controller, I cannot disobey him."
His controller.
Wait –
Force, why did Obi-Wan never think of it before? They never did the operation to remove it after Anakin came to the Temple, so his slave chip had stayed inside of him. He was free anyway, so it didn't really matter. But did Sidious get the controller to it somehow? Obi-Wan has no idea how that could have happened – or when it happened, even – but it seems that is what Vader is saying.
"Your controller?" Obi-Wan asks, slowly, with mounting horror. "Anakin..."
He has no idea how to react to this. Anakin is a slave again, to the Sith. That doesn't change any of what happened, though, does it? Sidious couldn't have gotten the controller until afterwards anyway, and even if he had gotten it before, he couldn't have actually done anything to Anakin when he was still a Jedi. But...
"Did you ever consider buying me?"
Vader spent all these years looking for Obi-Wan to... free him? Is that what he's saying? That hardly explains his attitude on Mapuzo though, which was anything but this. It's so confusing, and he doesn't know how to respond to it.
He thought everything Vader was doing was about revenge. But this – this is anything but what he expected. He wants his help, if he's actually being genuine, that is.
Obi-Wan doesn't know how to respond to that, but any hope of drawing his lightsaber on Vader and getting the inevitable fight over with is gone now. He needs some serious answers here.
Maybe starting with why Vader was insisting the Jedi owned him. Unless he's lying.
"Why are you..." Vader starts to ask.
"Why do you keep repeating you belonged to the Jedi?" Obi-Wan demands. It's appalling to even voice out loud again, and he has no idea how Vader can keep talking about being bought and sold so casually.
"Master Qui-Gon won me from Watto in a bet," the Sith explains.
What?!
Obi-Wan knew that much already, but he freed him. How could Anakin not know that? Of course, he knew that.
... Right?
Because suddenly, thinking back to everything that Vader's been saying, he's starting to wonder. But that's impossible. Anakin was always – it's not possible.
"Anakin, you – didn't he tell you, you were free?"
"I was not," he objects.
No, this isn't – it's not possible. Anakin always knew that. He did. So, why is Vader acting like he never did? Or has Sidious been messing with his head or something?
But the way he's saying it with such certainty –
No, it's not possible. Anakin could never have thought that he was Obi-Wan's slave. "You were free. How could you not have known that?"
"Did the Council never tell you?" Vader inquires, and he seems almost confused himself. "They left my chip in. They turned the... enhanced pain on high in punishment. I am not complaining. I understand – they were not happy with me among their ranks."
All attempts at forming a coherent reply, even a coherent thought, freeze in his mind for a moment.
Enhanced pain...
Obi-Wan knows what Vader is talking about. All slave controller chips on Tatooine have that ability. He learned far more than he cared to about it in the past ten years that he was on Tatooine. Never, never in his life would he have guessed that Anakin...
But that doesn't make any sense because Anakin never acted like that.
... Did he?
Suddenly, Obi-Wan can't help remembering all those times – especially right after coming to the Temple – that Anakin had reacted a little unnecessarily dramatically to injuries, to the point Obi-Wan had finally just decide that he clearly had a very low pain tolerance. He'd gotten sick very easily, and that's something Obi-Wan's noticed on a number of the slaves here on Tatooine, when they're being... punished like that.
Oh Force. He's not lying, is he? He truly, genuinely believes that – that the Jedi would do something like that. He thinks of the way Anakin would occasionally look at him with a lingering resentment, and now, that makes so much sense.
He saw Obi-Wan as his... slave master. Force, he is going to be sick.
But that's – that – His mind scrambles through all the actually positive moments they had together, and he doesn't understand. How could Anakin have thought that for years, and he never knew the difference?! How could Anakin have been being literally tortured for years, and Obi-Wan never realized?!
And he never said a word, because –
"I am not complaining."
Of course, he didn't. What slave would?
"Anakin, I –" He doesn't even know what to say. What can he say?! His padawan thought he was his slave for all the time they knew each other, and Obi-Wan didn't even know. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea." It sounds lame and pointless to his own ears, but he has no idea what to say. In a different time and a different life, he might have pulled Anakin into his arms and never let go but he... this is Vader, and nothing will change what he did. That doesn't stop him from slowly, very slowly, moving forwards.
Obi-Wan doesn't know how he expected Vader to respond, but he isn't really surprised when he hesitates, before changing the topic completely. (What can they even say about this? It's so ingrained into Vader's mind, Obi-Wan isn't sure if Vader believes that he didn't know.) "Will you take me? I can – assist you. I will be loyal."
That question leaves him even more floored than anything Vader could have said in response to his apology. He has his own thoughts about the 'I will be loyal' claim, but now is not the time to mention that. It's far from the most important part of this anyway.
Vader... wants to go with him. Apparently. (And will he stop talking about himself like he's expecting Obi-Wan to own him?! He hasn't felt this sick since... well, never.)
Obi-Wan has no idea how to respond. To any of this. He could hardly take Vader with him, could he? Where would he go? It's not like he can take a Sith to help him protect Luke from the Sith.
But he can't say no either. He can't. All these years he thought he failed Anakin, and it turns out he was right in a million more ways than he knew possible. Trying to begin thinking clearly past his raging emotions is impossible.
He can't just refuse. He's not going to leave Anakin as Sidious' slave. It won't change what he's done – and he'll have to take a moment to think about all of that later – but he can't just leave him here. He won't. (Not this time.)
Where he'll take Vader from here, he'll just... figure out on the fly. Just take this one step at a time.
"I will not leave you with Sidious," Obi-Wan says firmly, finally stopping in front of the cyborg. He towers over him a ridiculous amount, and it's a lot easier to compare when Obi-Wan's not frantically trying to avoid getting his head cut off.
Seeing the lights on Vader's chest up close makes something twist inside of him, just wondering what their purpose is. The entire suit is... not just for intimidation purposes, he knows. The respirator itself is a telltale sign of how badly injured he was on Mustafar, and Obi-Wan really doesn't know the full extent of the damage.
He looks up, into the red-tinted lenses, the closest he can get to looking his former padawan in the eye. His face is nothing but an expressionless mask now, but he's radiating distinctly less darkness now, more... something he can't name and doesn't try to.
"Where's your controller?" he asks, finally.
"Sidious has it. I do not know where."
He expected as much. "Then we'll have to take you somewhere we can... remove the chip." Although where, he isn't sure. A medical facility somewhere he can trust won't reveal that he's a Jedi or that he has Vader with him. (Technically, stolen Imperial property, and the very thought makes him sick.) The only place he knows of for sure is Alderaan, and...
"Sidious can track me," Vader objects, "I cannot leave here until it is out, or he will..." Detonate it. The rest goes unspoken.
"I suppose we cannot leave in an Imperial ship either, so we'll have to take mine. There are not really... medical supplies for an operation like that there." Which... complicates things.
"You need only a blade," Vader replies.
Obi-Wan gives him a half skeptical, half horrified look. "You want me to cut it out while you're conscious?" They had to do worse, during the war, but only in critical situations. And it's not like this chip is right on the surface either. At least he doubts it.
"It is of no consequence."
Okay... This is actually so Anakin he doesn't even know how to respond to it. But he doesn't like the idea one bit, even if they don't really have a choice. Especially not if... "What you said about... enhanced pain," Obi-Wan begins, awkwardly, "Is that – is that still on?" He should know that much, at least, even if they have to go through with the operation regardless. He still can't believe that Anakin had that on for thirteen years. In truth, he doesn't want to think about it. He doesn't have the time right now anyway, and that's probably for the best. All the implications haven't caught up with him yet. He doesn't know what he'll do when it does.
Vader's respirator cycles a couple times before he responds. "I do not know."
He doesn't know? What does that mean? How can he not know if he's in constant pain – or does that mean he would be regardless? Suddenly, he really, really doesn't want to know what Vader's condition is.
"Okay," he says slowly, after a pause, taking a deep breath to control his spiraling feelings, "We should go. I'm sure I can find something that will work."
He turns, heading for his ship, and he hears Vader following. It's frankly unsettling to be turning his back on him like this, even if he knows – presumably – that the Sith wouldn't attack him. It's still strange to be doing anything with him. It feels almost surreal.
Obi-Wan has no idea how he even should be handling the situation, but there's hardly anything else he can do. Vader is still a Sith, and none of these revelations change what he's done, but he's... also a slave asking for his help, and he's Anakin. And...
He needs to focus. He can deal with all his emotions on this later. For now, time for that surgery he is most assuredly not comfortable with doing. "It should be by your spine, right?"
"Yes."
Just as he expected. But it will mean he's going to see whatever Anakin's condition is now. He should. He ought to know what he did to him, but he's still not ready for that. "How much of... this can you take off? I will need to..."
"Most of it. If the conditions are right."
If the conditions are 'right'? He does not want to know what that means. He failed Anakin in so many ways, more ways than should even be possible, and he doesn't know where to begin dealing with that. It's easier not to. It feels like he's going to fall apart completely if he even begins thinking about everything that went wrong, and he can't afford that right now. So, for now, he'll just not. At least he'll try to. "Then we'll keep it minimal. But I don't know how much that will mean. Can you take your mask off?" At the very least, he assumes they'll have to start there. He doesn't know, though.
"Yes." Vader sits on the edge of a cot in one of the rooms, and it's jarring to have him suddenly below eye level.
"Then that's... probably where we need to begin." He approaches Vader, unable to help how uncomfortable he feels. This is... invasive, really, and he doesn't think Anakin is nearly in a condition to properly consent to it. They don't really have a choice, but that doesn't make it any better. If they'd been with each other through this time, it wouldn't be nearly this bad – they've had to take care of each other frequently throughout their life, but now... it's been so long.
The mask is surprisingly heavy as he lifts it off, and he has to wonder how Vader is able to fight so well with that much weight. Slowly, he sets the mask aside, turning to look Anakin in the face for the first time in a decade.
Obi-Wan has no idea what he was expecting to see, but it wasn't this. His skin is pale, and so badly scarred he can hardly even have a visible expression on his face. His facial structure is obviously like Anakin's, but that's the only resemblance he still bears to him. Beyond that, he's... unrecognizable.
Yellow eyes meet Obi-Wan's for the briefest moment before Vader averts his gaze, looking at some unidentifiable point lower than his head. Slaves are like that, he remembers, as something tightens painfully in his chest.
He feels sick as he looks him over. This – this happened because Obi-Wan left him there, because he gave into the urge to hurt him. And he did, and he'll never forgive himself for causing this. He... he thought it would be fast. He had no idea Anakin would, somehow, come out of that alive. "Anakin. I – I'm sorry. For all of it."
He doesn't answer, and Obi-Wan didn't really expect him to. It does nothing to relieve the gaping void in his heart. There's so much more he wants to say, but nothing would be sufficient, and he doesn't know where to start, or frankly, what to say.
Instead, he moves on to taking off the next part of Vader's armor. Only, the more he sees, the worse he feels. What of him even is human anymore? There are implants all over his chest and back, and the rest of his skin looks no better than his face.
Vader moves little, except when he needs to. He's holding far too still, too tense. Almost like he's scared. He's obviously extremely uncomfortable with it.
As if that's a surprise.
"Where is it?" Obi-Wan asks him, ignoring the tremor in his voice. He's only holding together through sheer willpower, and because he knows Anakin needs him to. If he falls apart now, he won't ever stop, and they will have no way to get off-planet.
"Here." Anakin shifts, gesturing to the area of his spine.
He breathes in, steadily. "Alright." Time for that... operation. An operation that he knows is going to hurt, and it bothers him how unconcerned Anakin seems to be by it. Unless that's just a front. Maybe it is, but that's almost worse.
In this moment, Obi-Wan misses, agonizingly, how things used to be. He just... wants his padawan, his brother, his child back. The child who – who apparently always thought he was Obi-Wan's slave. It makes him sick, and it almost makes him want to cry, but he doesn't have time for either right now. Anakin needs him to be stable. Somehow.
He's hit with the urge to pull him into his arms again, and... what's stopping him? He reaches forwards slowly – slow enough that Anakin will see it coming; he's tense enough already without Obi-Wan accidentally making it worse – and lays a hand on his shoulder. Anakin doesn't pull away. He seems more confused than anything, and Obi-Wan takes it as his cue to keep moving and leans closer.
He slips an arm around his shoulders, pulling Anakin against him. It feels... awkward now, with all that came between them, but he finds he doesn't care. He's missed this too much.
He senses Anakin's surprise and confusion and... a long list of other things that he doesn't understand. Anakin shifts slightly, his head resting against Obi-Wan's chest. He doesn't relax, but he doesn't seem uncomfortable either, unless he's hiding it. Obi-Wan doesn't think he is though. A morbid part of his mind wonders when the last time Anakin was touched was. He doesn't really want to know, considering everything he's been able to tell from how Sidious treats him so far. He is in constant pain. This... abomination of a life support suit was designed to be as uncomfortable and painful as possible.
It hurts so much to have this again, after all this time, and to see what happened to Anakin. He's been in constant agony since Mustafar. For ten years, and – and that doesn't count the time he was before then, which Obi-Wan was completely oblivious to. He finds himself instinctively tightening his grip when the tears start coming.
"Master?" Anakin asks, sounding confused, and Obi-Wan could nearly flinch at the title. He doesn't think he'll ever look at that word the same way again. "Why... are you doing this?"
He seems genuinely confused on why Obi-Wan would want to help him. He supposes he can't entirely blame him for that, not with what he's spent his entire life believing. "Don't call me that," he orders, "I know what that word means to you. I should never have left you with Sidious before, and I won't again. You are free, Anakin."
He gets the distinct feeling Anakin doesn't believe him, but he doesn't argue. Anakin's been uncharacteristically compliant this entire time, and he would really like to know what Sidious has done to him. Anakin in the past always had a stubborn streak to him, at least after they first got to know each other. (Or was it after he finally realized where the rules where? That Obi-Wan wasn't going to... beat him? He doesn't want to think about it.)
Speaking of Sidious, they do need to be getting to that operation, even if Obi-Wan doesn't want to let go of Anakin yet. It's been so long, and this feels... already so small and inconsequential compared to everything Anakin's been through all this time. And it's the first time he's touched him in ten years. Ten years he spent doing nothing but longing to have him back, even if he often felt guilty about that. "We should get started," he says instead, pulling back. Anakin still isn't looking at him, and he ignores the pang of... something it makes him feel.
It's almost worse how he immediately moves into the position expected of him and just waits, completely motionless. Like he's so resigned to everything, that he sees no point fighting. That spark of life he always had is... gone. Obi-Wan tries hard not to focus on that right now.
Removing the device is complicated, but Obi-Wan has had to do worse during the war when they had limited resources.
He finally gets it out, though, and it's hard to believe that this has been literally torturing Anakin for years. He's never wanted to destroy something so badly in that moment. But if anyone did, that would be for Anakin to do first.
"What should I do with this?" he asks.
Anakin hesitates for a moment. "Leave it on the other ship. If Sidious sets it off, he will destroy that as well."
Obi-Wan nods. "I'll take it there, and I can... help you put your armor back on when I get back."
"I can do it," he objects, quietly.
He can? Well, he supposes it's probably a rather uncomfortable situation for Anakin to be in, so if that's what he really wants...
Obi-Wan leaves it at that, leaving the ship and heading for the waiting Imperial one. It hits him then, how if Anakin wanted to betray him now, he could. He doesn't think he would do that, but... Well, they both have a lot of trust issues to sort out.
Anakin seems to genuinely believe his status is still that of a slave, though, and for a moment, Obi-Wan is very tempted to just destroy the device anyway, but that would tip Sidious off that something is wrong. He leaves it on the floor of the other ship, then starts back for the one he came in.
This is never how he could have fathomed this meeting would go. He never dreamed that one day he might have Anakin back – he's still a Sith, and Obi-Wan doesn't know how he will handle everything about that, but he's trying to take it one step at a time – or that he might be leaving this place with him.
Especially not after Mapuzo. He's been trying to avoid thinking about the incident at all. Anakin may be acting completely submissive now, but sometimes, standing next to him – and very briefly remembering that – is more than a little unsettling. He could easily hurt or kill Obi-Wan if he wanted too. Even with his injuries, he still radiates a level of power that no one can match.
And speaking of that, why didn't Anakin just tell him about all of this then, instead of attacking him?
It doesn't make sense.
"Now you will suffer, Obi-Wan."
He was vibrating with fury then, completely the opposite of his attitude now. And for wanting Obi-Wan to buy him – he's feels sicker every time he thinks about it – that's a very strange approach, to say the least.
Anakin is back in the armor again when Obi-Wan reaches the hold, including the helmet which he very much does not need, seeing that it seems to serve little purpose except intimidation and torture (to him). At this point, he's probably more comfortable in it though, and that only makes Obi-Wan feel worse. (Apparently that's possible.)
"How are you feeling?" he asks.
The respirator cycles a couple times. "I am functional."
Why did he ever expect to get a clearer answer? This is Anakin.
"Why didn't you tell me about this on Mapuzo?" Obi-Wan asks. It's frankly unsettling to even let himself think about it when Vader is towering over him.
He doesn't know how he expected Anakin to react, but it isn't like this.
He twitches sharply, and it takes Obi-Wan a moment to realize that probably would have been a very visible flinch if not for the weight of his armor. "I – apologize, Master," he nearly trips over the word, as though he isn't sure if he should use the title but is equally unsure what else to call him. The vocoder may alter his voice a lot, but Obi-Wan is certain there's a note of desperation there. "Sidious knows. Always. I had to do it, to prove all I wanted was... revenge. I am sorry."
Why is he so scared?
Or is it because he sees Obi-Wan as his owner now, and expects violent retaliation for what happened there?
Something clenches in him. Of course, it's what Anakin would assume, in this mental state. (It's good to know he does regret what he did there, though.) Obi-Wan looks up, at the general area where Anakin's eyes are. "I won't hurt you," he promises, "I meant it when I said you were free. I didn't take you from Sidious because of..." He can't bear to finish that sentence. "– because of what you're thinking."
For a long pause, there's no reply. "Then why?" He sounds doubtful, wary.
Because he's Anakin. Because Obi-Wan failed him in more ways than should even be possible. Because he still loves him now, even if he shouldn't. "It's complicated," he answers, because he doesn't know if he can begin to start explaining. He can hardly understand it himself. How can he explain how deeply he loves Anakin, when he really, truly shouldn't?
"We need to leave," Obi-Wan says instead, changing the topic. And that leads to the question of where he's going to take him. Alderaan is really the only option. Anakin needs proper medical treatment, and they need somewhere they can actually stay for an extended period of time, where he can recover, physically and otherwise. (And Obi-Wan needs to return Lola.)
It will mean taking him right to where Leia is, but... Should he tell Anakin about them? At this point, he does not trust him at all, but it's Sidious the twins were always in danger from, and Anakin's not with him anymore. It's something Obi-Wan will have to consider later. Maybe he can discuss it with Bail since there's no one else he could.
Hopefully, Luke will be alright on Tatooine while he's gone.
Anakin offers no comment, not to even ask where they're going – or does he think that's not his... place? – so Obi-Wan goes to the cockpit alone, taking off and making the jump to hyperspace.
In truth, Obi-Wan really has no idea where to go from here. None of this changes that Anakin is still a Sith and has done terrible things. But he's also a Sith who badly needs help, and who... How much of a say has he truly had in what he's done? He spent this whole time believing that he didn't have a choice.
They need to talk, and he doesn't know where to begin. Nor does he know how to go about convincing him that he is not, in fact, his slave. Maybe only time and pointedly treating him otherwise will show that. (Whatever that means. He never treated Anakin like that in the first place. And if he's being so submissive now, constantly waiting for orders as though he almost has no mind of his own. How is Obi-Wan supposed to handle that?)
Obi-Wan looks up at the sound of the respirator in the doorway. Anakin is standing there, almost awkwardly. "What is that?" he asks, eyeing Lola.
Riiight. "It's a... gift." He has to wonder when Leia had the time to slip that into his robes without him even noticing. To be fair, he was pretty distracted. The move had reminded him so much of Anakin, though.
Who is now standing right behind him. He misses how things used to be with him so much, but... he doesn't know if Anakin even could say the same, with how much miscommunication their relationship had apparently been full of. "A gift," he repeats.
"Yes. We'll start with returning it."
"Where... are we going?" Anakin asks, hesitantly.
"Alderaan." He doesn't want to give details, but what could it hurt? "To ensure the princess has been returned home safely."
"What of her was so important?" he inquires. "More important than those many others you could have helped?"
He considers how to answer that for a moment. He can't give too much away. "Her father asked me. I have been... occupied elsewhere."
"After you return the droid, what do you... want from me?"
Obi-Wan resists the urge to sigh because he has no idea how to handle this mentality. He already told him he doesn't "want" anything from him. It's not something he can just fix in a simple conversation, though. "I told before I don't 'want' anything from you, but you can stay with me, if that is what you want," he replies. He doesn't think Anakin will even know what that means, at this point, though. Besides, Obi-Wan needs to keep an eye on him, and he could never imagine them going separate ways even if he didn't need to. "After this, I don't know. I never imagined you would be with me after this."
"I did," he replies, almost softly. Distantly. "I have been searching for you for years."
"Why did you want me?" he asks. "I am hardly the only person who would... free you if you asked."
Anakin is looking at him, almost as if oblivious to his surroundings, the same way he used to when he was younger. It's almost unsettling to have that mask turned towards him. It was made to be intimidating. "You were a good master."
After today, he never wants to hear that word again. He thinks that means more than what Anakin is saying, though. He wanted Obi-Wan because of who he was, not just to free him. Because he... what?
Did he miss Obi-Wan as much as Obi-Wan missed him?
It's... he's hardly even sure what to think about that. Long after it was too late, he'd occasionally wondered why Anakin would ever Fall, and he supposes to a point he has his answer now. All these years he saw the Jedi as nothing more than slavers. But at the same time, he never seemed that resentful of them, unless Obi-Wan was oblivious to that, too.
But he still can't fully wrap his mind around how Anakin could have done what he did at the Temple, even to the younglings.
"Where were you when he was killing my friends?"
But... he's too horrified about all of this to be angry right now, even if he hasn't let it go. He'll have to deal with it later. All of this at once is far too much.
"When everything happened, you couldn't have... told someone? Warned us what Sidious was going to do?" he asks, finally.
The respirator cycles a couple times. "That was not my place."
"It was that... simple?" He tries to keep his tone un-accusing. In truth, he knows he can't even begin to understand what Anakin's mental state must be right now. Especially considering that he still seems pretty convinced that he's a slave and yet has no desire to leave, even if he technically could, now that his chip is out.
"The Jedi committed treason. Sidious gave the order, and I saw no other choice. He promised me..."
Obi-Wan frowns. "What?"
The feeling of coldness is back, as the Dark Side swirls around him. "That he would save my family."
...What?
"What do you mean?" What would Padme need to be saved from? Assuming he's talking about her, because he never considered the Jedi his family, and Obi-Wan can't blame him for that, even if he doesn't know how he'll ever wrap his mind around how apparently so much of their relationship had been... fake.
Anakin hesitates again. "I had a vision," he answers at last.
A vision. That's it. It's that simple – all this time, Obi-Wan had wondered what could have led to the destruction of everything he knew, and it was something this simple? "A vision of what?"
"Her dying. In childbirth," he replies. The emotions in his voice are completely cut out by the vocoder, but Obi-Wan can still hear the pain.
A vision of Padme dying... just like he'd seen of his mother. Of course, he would have been afraid – in the end, it did happen, because she had died right after giving birth – and Obi-Wan can't even fault him for not coming to the Jedi for help. With how scared he was of being punished, why would he ever risk the Jedi finding out about his marriage?
It makes a disturbing amount of sense that he might go to Palpatine. He Fell in the hopes of saving Padme and possibly his children, who... he's probably also thought were dead for years. Given that and Mustafar, is it any wonder that Anakin is so dark?
Should he tell him about the twins?
The better question is how couldn't he? Even now, it seems family is as important to Anakin as ever – or he wouldn't have been chasing Obi-Wan everywhere.
But at the same time, it's not without risk. Sidious cannot find out about them, but Anakin knowing would, hopefully, not lead to that, and Obi-Wan doubts Anakin would hurt them.
Obi-Wan was going to talk to Bail about it first, but maybe he should tell him now. It was never Anakin they were hiding the twins from, anyway. He has no idea how he'll react – for all he knows he could be very upset that he was never told before – but given his mental state, it's not very likely.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan begins, and he can only hope this isn't a mistake, "Your children didn't die."
For a moment, Anakin stills completely, even in the Force. "What?" he asks, faintly – or it probably would have been if the vocoder didn't magnify his voice.
"Padme had twins. She survived long enough to give birth."
"But... I killed her," he objects. He mostly sounds confused, though Obi-Wan doesn't miss the underlying note of pain.
"What? Why would you think that?" On second thought, maybe he can see why since he last saw after he choked her, and she went unconscious. Seeing that was what made it easier for Obi-Wan to attack Anakin, but he wonders now... if he'd tried talking to him, what if he'd found out about all this back then? So much of this could probably have been avoided.
"Sidious told me," he replies. He still seems to be in more than a little shock over the news.
Why would Sidious tell him that? On second thought... "How would he even know that?"
"He always knows. He knows everything."
That explains nothing, but making Anakin believe that for years is... beyond horrifying.
"He was lying." Obi-Wan shakes his head, a steadily growing anger filling him, "If you had killed her, she could never have survived long enough to give birth. She didn't start dying until afterwards."
He doesn't reply, but maybe he's in too much shock.
Now for the rest... He may as just tell him. Maybe it's risky, but – Why is it risky, really? It's not as if Anakin would hurt them. It's not as if he'd tell Sidious about them. He spent the last ten years trying to get away from him. And if Sidious gets ahold of him again, and tried to get such information out of him, well... that could happen to anyone who knows the twins' identities.
"That's where I was all these years," Obi-Wan explains, "Your son, Luke, is on Tatooine –"
Anakin stiffens. "Is he –" The implication in his words is clear.
"No," he cuts him off forcefully before he can finish the question. What?! Does Anakin think he'd enslave his child?! To be fair... Anakin doesn't have much a reason to trust him, but – Force, he didn't think he could feel sicker about all of this than he already did. Everything he ever thought he knew has been completely turned upside down, and he doesn't know how they should go from here. "He's with your step family. I was watching over him. Your daughter was... adopted by the Organas."
He goes completely still again, head turning to the droid perched on the control panel, probably immediately making the connection.
"I... should thank you," Anakin says, after a long pause, "For protecting my children. For – everything you have done for me."
The reaction catches him slightly off-guard, but he doesn't know why. Anakin was always like this. (Except being far more submissive now, and Obi-Wan would very much like to know what Sidious has done to him.) He hasn't changed nearly as much as Obi-Wan thought. "I shouldn't have... What happened on Mustafar. I should have known something was wrong years ago."
"I know you were... only doing your duty."
Which should have been first and foremost to see that Anakin understood what it meant to be free, to truly leave his past behind so he could become a proper Jedi. Obi-Wan was lost in Qui-Gon's death then, so at that point, it wasn't surprising, but he knew Anakin for years. Looking back, he can see all the signs now. "My duty was to teach you to be a Jedi, and..." He apparently didn't.
"I am not your failure, Obi-Wan," he says, quietly, "Anakin is gone. I am what remains."
Obi-Wan gives him a dubious look. "Then who are you?"
"Vader," comes the simple reply.
Where is this coming from suddenly? "That's just your Sith name."
"No, I destroyed Anakin."
Is he trying to imply that he's someone different because he's Fallen? In a different lifetime, maybe if Anakin had said that first, Obi-Wan may have accepted it. It would have been an easy way of dealing with the guilt crushing him. To just pretend that this was all on Vader, and that Anakin was already truly lost when they fought on Mustafar. But he sees none of that now. "Vader" may be a Sith, but he's also a lost and broken person, not long out of childhood, who has been through far too much.
"Seeing that that's the name Sidious gave you, I can't imagine you wanting to go by it," he tells him, flatly. (Maybe that was a little petty, but he can never forget having to watch Anakin kneeling to that Sith.) "If you really aren't Anakin anymore, then why would you want to find me?"
"I knew you would... be a better master than Sidious. You were the last living member of the Jedi Council, and... there is nothing you could do to me that you have not already done."
Obi-Wan nearly winces. The worst part is that it's true. What he already has done to Anakin, there's little anyone could do that's worse. He wishes they could move past this, just reform something between them, but it's not that simple. "We both have changed," he replies, "But that doesn't mean you can't be Anakin anymore."
He senses his anger instantly, another glaring reminder that this is still a Sith. "If you desire," he responds, "But I do not know how."
Obi-Wan sighs quietly. He should have expected Anakin would immediately take that as an order, something he can't refuse. And while he definitely wants Anakin to go back to being how he once was... doing it like this won't work. Especially not if Obi-Wan wants them to build up some sort of trust again – something that's severely lacking on both sides. He doesn't know if he can ever trust Anakin again after what happened, but right now at least, he thinks he's willing to try. "Don't do it just because I'm asking you," he says, moving to stand in front of the Sith, "I don't know much about the Dark Side, but I know anger, pain, and hatred fuel it. Do you really want to feel like this for the rest of your life?"
A long pause of silence greets him. "I deserve it," he states, finally.
What? Okay, clearly his mental state is a little worse than Obi-Wan thought, and he's hardly sure where to begin dealing with it. All he knows is Anakin has been through far too much. "You do not. You deserve better than this, and I want to help you."
"Why?"
He reaches forwards slowly, touching his arm, at a point high enough that he'll actually feel it. He used to touch Anakin frequently, but it's... different now. Anakin has been gone for ten years, and for as much as he's craved to have him back, it will take a long time to sink in. He doesn't know how much the Sith will appreciate it. "All those years you were looking for me, I thought you were dead. But I never stopped wishing you could be with me again." It's the most he even knows how to put into words.
Anakin moves forwards suddenly, pulling him into a hug about as well as he can, given their very different heights. His grip is tight and fierce, especially seeing that his arms are metal. Obi-Wan returns it immediately, though he can't imagine Anakin can feel much of it through this armor anyway. He obviously wants it, though.
In truth, he doesn't think he'll ever understand how they can still mean so much to each other, after everything both of them have done, and maybe it's wrong – it probably is – but he can't find it in himself to care right now. He's wanted Anakin back for years, and now he has him, even if nothing will be the same again.
Also, Anakin's new height is ridiculous. Obi-Wan's head only reaches to his shoulders now. This is not okay.
"My children, can I see them?" Anakin asks, when they pull apart.
"Of course. They're your family, like... I thought I was." He's never voiced that out loud before, that he considers him family – technically he did on Mustafar – but he undeniably does.
"I know I should not have seen you as more than a master –" Obi-Wan can only hope he's referring to Jedi master this time he uses the word, "But I... did."
He knew that, of course, even Anakin never really openly indicated it. Anakin always had a sense of blind dedication to people he cared about that he gave nothing else. It was part of what had made Obi-Wan so angry and confused that day everything fell apart, because he didn't understand. And frankly, he'd been too furious to try. "I know," he replies, giving him a true smile, "And we'll be reaching Alderaan before long."
And then Anakin can start reuniting with the rest of his family.
Although, Obi-Wan will have a lot of explaining to do.