Title: What Comes of It
Author: Dolly
Rating: R
Pairing: Anakin-Vader/Obi-Wan
Genre: Drama, Action
Timeframe: post RotS era AU. Anakin is 27.
Summary: The Sith and the Jedi have never been able to coexist – so what are the possible outcomes when they meet?
Spoilers: minor for AotC and RotS
Warnings: Contains slash, mature themes, and non-consensual sex (rape). Nothing graphic though.
Notes/Series: takes place about eight years after my story "A Simple Change" (which was set just after AotC) though you do not have to have read it for this to make sense as the two stories have completely different plots. But if you see little things that you don't quite "get" in this story, its probably because you haven't read the one that comes before it. So go read it! ;) There are also relatively major events that have happened between stories that will be revealed gradually, and only as necessary, since they are pretty easy to figure out and are more background than anything else.
Background: I wasn't planning on stating this explicitly, but to avoid confusion I'll make some of this clear now anyway, even though it will be revealed in time as the story progresses. Anakin and Padme were married, as in canon, but broke up before Anakin turned. Padme never had Luke and Leia. Obi-Wan and Anakin did battle on Mustafar, much like they did in canon, but Anakin didn't get burned by the lava. As for the specifics, you'll just have to pick them up as you read the story - it will be there!
I have NO BETA! I'm the only person who has read this story as of posting it, so I apologize in advance for any errors or weirdness! And yes, Padmé is in the story (gasp!), but don't let her scare you off; she is a minor character only. ;)
Chapter 1
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"I do believe that's my line," Obi-Wan said teasingly to Padmé as she walked with him to the Rebel Base's hanger.
She looked at him reproachfully. "You feel it too, then," she stated, looking him in the eye as they approached the small starfighter that he would be taking.
"Perhaps," he conceded. "But we really have no choice. I'm the only one who can do this."
"I know," Padmé said regretfully. In the almost five years since he had joined the fledgling Rebellion against the Empire, Obi-Wan had become a valued and trusted member. They were small in number, but growing continually. Still, Padmé knew that Mon Mothma was reluctant to send Obi-Wan, their only Jedi, on such a dangerous mission. His ability to use the Force made him invaluable to them, but at the same time it hindered his ability to go on missions since the Emperor and Vader could sense him. Yet here she was, seeing him off on a mission; and a very risky one at that.
"Just be careful, Obi-Wan. And promise me you'll come back," she said fiercely, giving him a quick hug before he got into his ship.
"Always, my friend." Giving her one last, reassuring smile, he closed the hatch and powered up his ship to launch. Padmé stood in the hanger for a long moment, looking after Obi-Wan's small starfighter.
His lack of assurances that he would be back had not escaped her notice. Despondently, Padmé slowly turned and left the hanger, somehow doubting that she would ever see her dear friend again.
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Today was not a good day.
"Lord Vader?"
Inexplicably, he had been feeling tense and on edge lately, and what he really needed was a nice, violent insurrection to put down. Or, for that matter, anything that would let him get in a few good kills. And his current mission most certainly did not fit this description.
"My Lord?" the voice came again, somewhat hesitant this time.
"Yes, Lieutenant?" he answered menacingly, turning to glower at the younger officer.
Seeing the look on his commanding officer's face, the man shrank back slightly. "A message, my Lord," he said as he motioned towards the com unit.
Only slightly curious, Vader accessed the message, and anticipation welled up within him as he read through its contents. The dull mission that Palpatine had sent him on could wait; this was what he needed to rid himself of his nervous energy.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," he said curtly, in a rare show of good temper. "Lay in a course to intercept the Trinity."
"Yes, my Lord," he answered promptly, and then hurried off.
Vader sat back in his chair, incredibly pleased by this new turn of events. A Jedi. They had caught a Jedi, and one rescuing children nonetheless. Surely this Jedi had known the risk, foolish as their kind tended to be. Unfortunately, the Jedi had succeeded in preventing the scheduled executions, but Vader felt that the loss was more than worth it. It had been more than two years since a Jedi had been captured, and he knew that there were very few that remained.
The question was, which remaining Jedi had been caught? Whoever it was, if they had eluded the Empire for so long then they would surely prove to be entertaining. And he had no doubt that they would be a pleasure to kill, as well.
Perhaps today wasn't such a bad day after all.
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"Get up, you."
A boot kicked him in the ribs, and Obi-Wan suppressed a groan as he pulled himself off the cold floor of the containment cell. His head ached from the blows that it had received, and his movement was impeded by heavy cuffs on both his wrists and ankles. He observed, with some amusement, the eight Storm Troopers that waited outside of his cell to escort him to . . . wherever he was being taken. He wasn't entirely certain, but he suspected that he was about to have a most unpleasant reunion with his former partner. Reaching out unobtrusively with the Force, he could sense Anakin's familiar presence, even tainted by darkness as it was.
"Let's go." A tinny voice shook Obi-Wan out of his thoughts, and he moved swiftly to avoid another kick. The Storm Troopers marched him down the ship's corridors in silence, save for the clanking of their armor, and a pair of them stepped into a small shuttle with him. He stood, swaying, through the short ride, and stumbled briefly as they docked with lurch.
He was escorted down the ramp, and Obi-Wan couldn't suppress a small twinge of anxiety as a familiar figure came into view. Obi-Wan recognized the tall, well-built young man that greeted him as Anakin Skywalker; or rather, the person who had once been Anakin Skywalker. Taking in the hard, dark expression that marred the handsome features, Obi-Wan felt a pang of sorrow.
Anakin, however, looked positively delighted to see him, but not in the way that Obi-Wan would have liked.
"What a pleasant surprise. It's been far too long," he addressed Obi-Wan with a dangerous smile.
"Vader." Obi-Wan acknowledged him with a nod. Though he couldn't help but think of him as Anakin still, intellectually he knew that the Sith before him was not the partner and friend that he had known. But, even now, Obi-Wan couldn't fully bring himself to wish that he had had the inner strength to kill his former apprentice after their last, fateful battle on Mustafar. Still, the Jedi in him regretted that he had held back and saved this monster that stood before him.
Anakin moved in closer then, and seemed to look over every inch of his weary, battered body with an inscrutable expression on his face. Obi-Wan resisted the urge to squirm, instead bringing his gaze up to meet the taller man's.
A look very much like a smirk crossed Anakin's face. "Bring him to my quarters," he ordered. "But first," he said distastefully, "Clean him up." Without another word, the young Sith turned and strode out of the hanger, his long black cape billowing behind him.
Clean him up? What in the galaxy was Anakin up to? Obi-Wan had been hoping for a fairly quick execution, but it seemed that Anakin had a different idea.
The bad feeling he'd had still hadn't gone away, and he had the sinking feeling that his demise would not be nearly as swift as he would have liked.
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Thanks for reading!