FIC: In A Different Light (1/1) (Vader/Obi Wan)
Title: In A Different Light (1/1)
Author: Ande
Fandom: Star Wars
Time period: A New Hope
Character(s)/Pairing: Vader/Obi Wan
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own no one depicted in this fic, I just borrow them from time to time.
Notes: Unbetaed.
Summary: Missing scene from A New Hope, takes place before their final confrontation.
He knew his master was alive still. He would've felt Obi Wan's death just as surely as he would feel his own. Out of sight, out of mind, he thought, but now it was different. His master was here, now, on this battle station, and he knew he must kill him.
The problem was, he didn't want to kill him. What he wanted to do was wrap him in his arms and never let him go. Kiss him with all the passion that's built up inside of him. Run away and be together, like they always should have been but never really could be.
Not that Obi Wan would even consider such a thing, not now anyway, but it had been such a long time. Maybe he could turn back, maybe there was still good-
“Hello, Anakin.”
The voice was calm, almost lazy, as if they'd just seen each other yesterday. It caused Vader to jump and turn so quickly that he almost lost his balance, the Force off-kilter for the briefest of moments. “Anakin is dead.” His voice was metallic, his breathing forced. “He died on Mustafar.”
Though Vader knew Obi Wan couldn't hear the waiver in his voice, the older man knew it was there due to the current in the Force. Mentioning it would do nothing but cause an altercation, and right now, in this moment, the last thing he wanted to do was cause an altercation; there would be enough time for that later, he thought.
“I would've felt it if he died.” He stared at the cold black mask worn by the younger man. “I've yet to feel it, so you must be mistaken.
Vader seethed inside. Not at Obi Wan's words, but at the genuine emotion behind them. How dare he care. He was was the cause of Anakin's death, after all. “I should kill you.”
“Oh, you will soon enough.” Obi Wan strode into the room and flopped down on the couch as if he owned it. “But now, here, I want to see you.”
Before he could stop himself, Vader hit the panel on the wall beside him, causing the oxygen level to raise high enough for him to breathe without the respirator, his hands raising to remove his helmet. He paused before doing so, however, afraid that the man he once loved would be revolted by what he saw.
Damn that, Vader thought, it was he who made him look this way, he could look it in the face and deal with the consequences and guilt.
Finally.
Without further hesitation, black gloves pulled the shining dark metal free from his face and head. He stood there, waiting, his breath caught in his throat.
Obi Wan instantly regretted the demand, guilt washing over him and filling the Force so completely that it was almost tangible. He forced himself to look upon the face of his one time lover, every scar etched into his memory now as if he'd seen them every day for the last 19 years. The man before him was almost unrecognizable, save for the piercing blue eyes. Eyes that Obi Wan thought he'd never see again.
Finally, it became too much for him, and he lowered his gaze, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Oh, Anakin. I'm so sorry.” He wanted to say more, but he didn't know what more he could say.
The moment the words flew out of his master's mouth, Vader- no, Anakin- dropped to his knees in front of him, his own guilt flowing through the Force to mingle with the older man's. “No, Master. It is I who am sorry.” He pulled Obi Wan down to the floor and into a tight, nearly suffocating embrace. “I should've known you'd never conspire against me.”
Obi Wan clung for dear life, almost quite literally. Though his apprentice was mostly metal and machinery now, he could feel the warmth of his body through the Force, and the parts of flesh that still existed felt as hot as Mustafar itself. Before he could say anything, Vader continued.
“It was always you, Master, though I used Padme as a front, even to myself. I killed her because I thought she'd touched you. I killed her and almost you because if I couldn't have you, no one could.”
Obi Wan's head snapped up in shock. “Anakin, you didn't kill her.” He offered no more, and he kept the rest of the information about how she died locked tightly in his mind. Even now, caught up in all of this emotion, he could not let Vader know about Luke and Leia. “She died, yes, but you did not kill her.”
“No, Master.” Vader shook his head, coughing slightly before he could continue. “Master Sidious told me the truth, that I killed her in anger.” Heartbreak and guilt flooded the Force again, so thick it almost caused Obi Wan to pass out. It took him a moment before he could respond.
“Anakin, he lied to you, to lure you further into the darkness.” He twisted his head to look the younger man directly in the eyes. “I promise you, she was alive when we left Mustafar.”
Why would he lie? Anakin thought to himself, though he knew Obi Wan could hear his thoughts through their Force bond.
“I already told you,” Obi Wan said aloud. He let Anakin process this information, and he honestly had no idea how much time had passed before he felt relief flow through the Force. He was glad the younger man believed him.
Then as suddenly as it came, it went, regret and bitterness taking its place. “I did those things to you, said those things, and all this time he was lying to me? It was all for nothing? Padme still died and I've become this... this monster for nothing?”
“Only you can make that determination, Padawan.”
Vader reflected for a time, and Obi Wan let him. The hope that filled Obi Wan was unmistakeable.
It must be corrected.
“Master, I'm sorry- at least for this moment- for what I've become, but there's no turning back, you have to know that.”
Obi Wan remained calm, as if he knew this would be the outcome. He sighed then, and pulled back from the embrace. As much as he didn't want to, he knew there would be no other way for this to end than what he'd already had a vision of.
“I do know that, and that means you must kill me.”
“You've had the vision, too, then.” There was no anguish, only a hint of sadness that permeated the Force.
“I have,” Obi Wan sighed and stood. “Which means we're only delaying the inevitable.” He stood and stepped away from Vader now, his demeanor returning to the calm collectiveness that he wore so well. “You must do what you must do, and so must I.”
Vader stood then, reaching for and replacing his helmet. He metallic breathing filled the room, and a shiver ran up Obi Wan's spine. He'd truly lost his love.
“Go, Master. Do what you must.”
“I accept what you've become, but I will never call you Vader.”
“I wouldn't expect you to.”
They stood there in silence, time standing still. Finally, it was Vader who spoke for the last time. “I love you, Master. Nothing has or will change that.”
Obi Wan smiled softly, his voice dropping almost to a drawl. “And I you, Padawan.” He turned to leave then, then paused at the doorway. “Make a good show of it, will you?”
“As you wish, Master.”
And with that, he left, leaving Vader to fume at the situation properly so he could do what must be done when the time came.
THE END
Author: Ande
Fandom: Star Wars
Time period: A New Hope
Character(s)/Pairing: Vader/Obi Wan
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own no one depicted in this fic, I just borrow them from time to time.
Notes: Unbetaed.
Summary: Missing scene from A New Hope, takes place before their final confrontation.
He knew his master was alive still. He would've felt Obi Wan's death just as surely as he would feel his own. Out of sight, out of mind, he thought, but now it was different. His master was here, now, on this battle station, and he knew he must kill him.
The problem was, he didn't want to kill him. What he wanted to do was wrap him in his arms and never let him go. Kiss him with all the passion that's built up inside of him. Run away and be together, like they always should have been but never really could be.
Not that Obi Wan would even consider such a thing, not now anyway, but it had been such a long time. Maybe he could turn back, maybe there was still good-
“Hello, Anakin.”
The voice was calm, almost lazy, as if they'd just seen each other yesterday. It caused Vader to jump and turn so quickly that he almost lost his balance, the Force off-kilter for the briefest of moments. “Anakin is dead.” His voice was metallic, his breathing forced. “He died on Mustafar.”
Though Vader knew Obi Wan couldn't hear the waiver in his voice, the older man knew it was there due to the current in the Force. Mentioning it would do nothing but cause an altercation, and right now, in this moment, the last thing he wanted to do was cause an altercation; there would be enough time for that later, he thought.
“I would've felt it if he died.” He stared at the cold black mask worn by the younger man. “I've yet to feel it, so you must be mistaken.
Vader seethed inside. Not at Obi Wan's words, but at the genuine emotion behind them. How dare he care. He was was the cause of Anakin's death, after all. “I should kill you.”
“Oh, you will soon enough.” Obi Wan strode into the room and flopped down on the couch as if he owned it. “But now, here, I want to see you.”
Before he could stop himself, Vader hit the panel on the wall beside him, causing the oxygen level to raise high enough for him to breathe without the respirator, his hands raising to remove his helmet. He paused before doing so, however, afraid that the man he once loved would be revolted by what he saw.
Damn that, Vader thought, it was he who made him look this way, he could look it in the face and deal with the consequences and guilt.
Finally.
Without further hesitation, black gloves pulled the shining dark metal free from his face and head. He stood there, waiting, his breath caught in his throat.
Obi Wan instantly regretted the demand, guilt washing over him and filling the Force so completely that it was almost tangible. He forced himself to look upon the face of his one time lover, every scar etched into his memory now as if he'd seen them every day for the last 19 years. The man before him was almost unrecognizable, save for the piercing blue eyes. Eyes that Obi Wan thought he'd never see again.
Finally, it became too much for him, and he lowered his gaze, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Oh, Anakin. I'm so sorry.” He wanted to say more, but he didn't know what more he could say.
The moment the words flew out of his master's mouth, Vader- no, Anakin- dropped to his knees in front of him, his own guilt flowing through the Force to mingle with the older man's. “No, Master. It is I who am sorry.” He pulled Obi Wan down to the floor and into a tight, nearly suffocating embrace. “I should've known you'd never conspire against me.”
Obi Wan clung for dear life, almost quite literally. Though his apprentice was mostly metal and machinery now, he could feel the warmth of his body through the Force, and the parts of flesh that still existed felt as hot as Mustafar itself. Before he could say anything, Vader continued.
“It was always you, Master, though I used Padme as a front, even to myself. I killed her because I thought she'd touched you. I killed her and almost you because if I couldn't have you, no one could.”
Obi Wan's head snapped up in shock. “Anakin, you didn't kill her.” He offered no more, and he kept the rest of the information about how she died locked tightly in his mind. Even now, caught up in all of this emotion, he could not let Vader know about Luke and Leia. “She died, yes, but you did not kill her.”
“No, Master.” Vader shook his head, coughing slightly before he could continue. “Master Sidious told me the truth, that I killed her in anger.” Heartbreak and guilt flooded the Force again, so thick it almost caused Obi Wan to pass out. It took him a moment before he could respond.
“Anakin, he lied to you, to lure you further into the darkness.” He twisted his head to look the younger man directly in the eyes. “I promise you, she was alive when we left Mustafar.”
Why would he lie? Anakin thought to himself, though he knew Obi Wan could hear his thoughts through their Force bond.
“I already told you,” Obi Wan said aloud. He let Anakin process this information, and he honestly had no idea how much time had passed before he felt relief flow through the Force. He was glad the younger man believed him.
Then as suddenly as it came, it went, regret and bitterness taking its place. “I did those things to you, said those things, and all this time he was lying to me? It was all for nothing? Padme still died and I've become this... this monster for nothing?”
“Only you can make that determination, Padawan.”
Vader reflected for a time, and Obi Wan let him. The hope that filled Obi Wan was unmistakeable.
It must be corrected.
“Master, I'm sorry- at least for this moment- for what I've become, but there's no turning back, you have to know that.”
Obi Wan remained calm, as if he knew this would be the outcome. He sighed then, and pulled back from the embrace. As much as he didn't want to, he knew there would be no other way for this to end than what he'd already had a vision of.
“I do know that, and that means you must kill me.”
“You've had the vision, too, then.” There was no anguish, only a hint of sadness that permeated the Force.
“I have,” Obi Wan sighed and stood. “Which means we're only delaying the inevitable.” He stood and stepped away from Vader now, his demeanor returning to the calm collectiveness that he wore so well. “You must do what you must do, and so must I.”
Vader stood then, reaching for and replacing his helmet. He metallic breathing filled the room, and a shiver ran up Obi Wan's spine. He'd truly lost his love.
“Go, Master. Do what you must.”
“I accept what you've become, but I will never call you Vader.”
“I wouldn't expect you to.”
They stood there in silence, time standing still. Finally, it was Vader who spoke for the last time. “I love you, Master. Nothing has or will change that.”
Obi Wan smiled softly, his voice dropping almost to a drawl. “And I you, Padawan.” He turned to leave then, then paused at the doorway. “Make a good show of it, will you?”
“As you wish, Master.”
And with that, he left, leaving Vader to fume at the situation properly so he could do what must be done when the time came.
THE END