Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. It belongs to George Lucas's imagination; I'm just here to play.

Please Note: I am not very knowledgeable about the exact details of the SW world. That being the case, I will be rearranging some bits and pieces and adding some of my own flares. So please no flames about this story not following cannon exactly.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

The Sith have won. The Jedi Order has been extinguished along with the Republic- the title Galactic Empire now reigning supreme. A new Emperor has also found himself on the throne: Lord Vader. Low rumbling and expanding chaos fills the galaxy, and the future of this brave new world is very unclear- even to its leader. Talk of the Order reawakening has swirled around the Empire, but every word has been extinguished before it can become a reality. Civil unrest is abundant, and threats of war have surfaced; but the fear of the Emperor holds these threats to simply words. For now, the galaxy is at an uneasy peace…

Let It Burn, Chapter 1

"Again," Anakin instructed coldly to his son. Luke tried to hold in the whimper he knew was swelling in his throat. Breathing in shakily, the fifteen year old closed his eyes and held out his hand once more. He could feel the electricity pulsing through his veins and the pounding that kept a steady beat in his hand; but still, no outcome was there. Luke's hand began to shake as he tried with all his might to conjure all the hatred within him and form that energy into the power of the chokehold, but he could not feel the fire of success. Opening his eyes, he saw that the poor soldier ordered to play dummy was not gasping for air. Luke let his arm sink once more to his side with the weight of defeat. He could feel his father's icy glare looming over him, and he tried to shake it. Luke knew his father was not well acquainted with failure, and his son's inability to perform the trademark Sith power was no exception.

"I- I can't, Father," Luke mumbled shakily, as he turned to face the hardened Lord Vader.

"'Can't' belongs nowhere in your vocabulary," Anakin replied stiffly, his face showing no emotion. There was no frown, not a streak of disappointment; just vacancy.

"I have tried hard, Father. I have not given up yet. But this," he looked down to his hand, flexing it, "is not something I am capable of." Luke shook his head, his heart dying slowly. He wanted no more than to make his father smile; make him proud. But Luke was wired differently. Animosity and hatred did not easily flow through him. He was not tempted by the seduction of darkness. He had tried for years to rewire himself to fit what he believed his father wanted from him, but he had always fallen short.

"Apparently not," Anakin drawled in return, his blue eyes flashing with a sudden bleakness. "I expected more from you- and you should expect much more for yourself. Quitting now causes weak habits to form. If you wish to be weak, you are on the right path." Lord Vader turned on his heel and began to walk out of the Training Room, when he was stopped by his son.

"Wait! I will do this." Luke wasn't sure what exactly had possessed him to frantically call out to his father, but there was no way to take the words back now. He turned to face the again terrified soldier, and closed his eyes, holding out his hand. This time, instead of thinking of the hate, his mother came to mind.

"You're a brave little boy," Padme` told her son as she brushed the sandy brown hair from his blue eyes. "You are just like your father before-" she stopped and sighed. "Know that I love you very much and that if you ever find yourself alone, I'm always right here." She put a soft finger to her son's heart.

Luke opened his eyes in a flash, tears streaming down his face. Much to his shock and dismay, the soldier was clutching his throat and turning dangerously red. Luke's eyes slowly moved over to stare at his hand. The dark Force was emitting from his hand as easily as the light, and he was shaken.

"Marvelous, my son," Anakin told his child with a smile. Though the smile was jaded with years of pain and hate and Vader's muscles were not accustomed to doing anything but a smirk or sneer, the sheer reaction from him was enough for Luke. The son dropped his hand with a sense of dignity and allowed the soldier to catch his breath. He wished he could go over and apologize; thank him for being such an obedient warrior. But the consequences were worse than death. Luke finally found himself in his father's good graces, and he was not about to ruin his dream, even if it meant for a moment he had to be inconsiderate. Luke observed as Anakin sent the shuddering soldier away with a harsh, quick flick of the hand. It still amazed the boy how his father's mere presence was enough to shock fear into even the bravest of men.

"What caused the sudden change?" Anakin's pleasant voice was odd to his son's ears. There was no hovering discontent; no heart-shattering blame, anger, or disappointment. All that swayed with Anakin's voice was the blitheness of pride and love. Luke took his father's sudden kindness as a permit to the truth.

"Well, it wasn't the darkness," Luke began softly, hoping that Vader's disposition would not have a sudden explosion. "I thought of – I thought of my mother." Luke dropped his father's gaze, the bland white floor suddenly appearing like a masterpiece.

"Cursing the darkness only delays the dream," Anakin returned just as softly. He longed to hug his son; tell him that everything was alright. The Anakin Skywalker that moaned deep within him rumbled and cried for a voice, but the dead Palpatine's grasp over Vader was still winning the battle. His well trained features displayed no emotion, but inside he was screaming. It had been too long since the mention of his beloved wife had reached his ears. He still remembered the fateful night perfectly: Padme`'s deep brown hair braided in the most elegant simplicity; the tan outfit accentuating her dark features and sun kissed skin like a painting. The Tatooine moon that shone brightly on his wife after three long years had given him a pang of bitter bliss that surged through him unlike any electricity the Force could ever provide. The last thing Anakin Skywalker ever saw before falling from grace was the face of an angel.

"What do you mean, Father?" Luke's voice was timid. He had no intention of angering his father, but he thought it was about time the two had a relationship beyond the oppressor and the fearful.

"There is nothing that is pure, Luke; even the Force," Anakin paused, "especially the Force. In darkness there can be dreams and in the light there can be nightmares. To look at the Light and Dark sides as two separate things is to allow naivety to overtake you."

Luke nodded in return, trying to sift through all of his father's words for some truth; something, anything that would shed light on who his father truly was. Though he had lived with the man all of his life, Luke still knew little. He wanted so much to understand his father and his past, but there was no one there to tell him.

"My Lord," a guard said from his place behind the threshold, "General Vaison is in the War Room." The man gave a small bow and quickly vanished from view. Anakin returned his attention to Luke. Closing the distance between them, he grasped his son's shoulder lightly then continued off past him. Luke shivered as Vader's dark cloak brushed over his arm, and his fingers tingled. The teenager found himself alone, yet he could not move. Curiosity was swarming around him, suffocating any sanity that was roaming in his mind. There must be someone he could speak with- someone with answers. Luke's brain traveled over every nook and cranny of the palace, until he landed on the secluded prison of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Luke," Obi-Wan greeted in surprise as the young Skywalker entered the cell. White walls surrounded the two of them, and Luke could feel the Force being choked out of him. Luke felt dizzy as he sat down on the floor next to his father's former master. It had been almost six months since the last time he had seen Kenobi, yet the man had not changed at all. Luke's body seemed heavy; as he participated in a sin he knew his father would burn him for if he ever discovered his son's whereabouts. As the younger man looked at Obi-Wan, he felt a swell of warm sickness come over his stomach- it all seemed too tragic.

"Master Kenobi," Luke said bowing his head subtly.

"My dear boy, call me Obi-Wan. I lost the title of 'Master' the moment I entered this cell. And an heir to an empire has no need to bow to a poor prisoner." Obi-Wan gave a small smile, and Luke couldn't help but give a little gesture in return. "I sense you came to talk to me about something specific?"

"Ma- Obi-Wan, I want to know about my father." As the former master stared at the teenager, it was quite easy for him to picture the boy as Anakin. Not only in looks, but in their determination; their curiosity that cannot be cured; and their willingness to do whatever it takes to find the truth. Obi-Wan sighed- the boy truly was his father's son.

"I should have expected this question," Obi-Wan replied with melancholy.

"I must know. I am at an age where I am becoming my own man. Before I can define myself though, I must know the man who has raised me. Please, Master Kenobi. I know the topic is not one you wish to speak of, but the truth cannot die with you." Luke gave Obi-Wan an expectant look.

"You have a right to know the story, and I have an obligation to tell it. But, for the story to actually help you in your journey, you must first understand your father overall." Obi-Wan gave a small nod, trying to push the crying emotions of pains past away from his current thoughts.

"Alright," Luke returned, trying to keep the blandness out of his voice. He didn't know if it was out of fear, but he waited in intensity for Kenobi to reveal his father's full and true personality.

"Anakin is a complicated man. His past is scattered with events that have shaped who he has become. Being a slave set free, Anakin always felt he had to prove something- he had to justify why he was unchained. That belief system carried over into everything he ever did. Your father had an instinctual desire to please; whether it was me, the Jedi Council, or even himself. Every day I wonder what would have been if Anakin had not chosen the path of a Jedi. He was a vibrant man. Full of passion, determination… but he also possessed the trait every human has; the trait of conflict: whether to please others or yourself; if you choose a path of selfishness or selflessness. The Jedi are trained to let this trait go. In the earliest of teachings, the padawan is taught that the Jedi are selfless and the Sith are selfish. Your father though, however hard he tried, could not fully apply that concept to himself. He wanted the pleasure of both; like most humans do."

"But that one issue could not have caused him to become a tyrant," Luke said as Obi-Wan paused for breath.

"No, it certainly did not. But Luke, being bitter towards your father will not change anything. Acceptance is the first key to understanding anything. Though the issue and reasons may seem black and white, there is always gray. Nothing is pure."

"That is exactly what my father told me earlier today," Luke said with astounded eyes. It had taken him until this moment to realize just how much of an affect Obi-Wan Kenobi had over his father.

"Anakin is very smart," Kenobi replied simply. He had tried for many years to hate Lord Vader, but his heart would not allow him to. Anakin had been his brother; his son; his best friend. A man woven that deeply into the soul cannot easily be stripped from it. He still saw the flashes of good in Anakin; the streaks of joy, and the pulses of love. There was a hope for Anakin and his future that lied somewhere between father and son. Luke had the power to affect his father greatly.

"If he was so smart, then why would he defy all that he's ever known for something he had been told time and again was evil?" Luke wanted to accept him; just as he wished to be accepted by his father, but there was some untraceable barrier keeping him from doing so.

"Darkness has always been in Anakin. It is not his fault, but it is what his environment provided for him as a child. I know this is ludicrous to you, but it is the truth. I knew Anakin before the darkness was dominant. At one bright time in the past, I was his confidant and he came to me for everything. I remember nights we would stay up past protocol just to sit and talk. He would tell me every thought that weaved through his mind, and I would try my best to ease the tense and confused strands. But then, your father fell in love with your mother, and he shut me out." Obi-Wan's heart burned and he felt himself on the verge of tears- a point he hadn't found himself in for many years. Running a hand through his hair, Luke noticed the strands of gray that were slowly making a home on Kenobi's head.

"I wish I knew him then," Luke whispered. "There are moments when I think that he will hug me; ruffle my hair like my mother used to do. I can see there is a part of him that wants to be a kind and caring father, but it always gets extinguished before it can become a physical reality. I miss my father, and I haven't even truly met him. How is that possible?" Luke shook his head in desperation.

"Those are your feelings, my dear boy. As much as we try to change them, we very rarely succeed. I wish I could say that your relationship with Anakin will change, but I cannot promise you such things. What I can tell you though, is do not give up on him."

"I promise I won't," Luke vowed sincerely, "but can I know the story of the day of my birth? I've accumulated all I can from my father."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Your father was sent to Tatooine, his home planet, by Darth Sidious. I and your mother followed him there hoping to change his mind and bring him back to us. Anakin being the stubborn man he is would not listen, and any hope of having him returned to your mother and I was lost. It kills me every time my mind wanders to this, but I had to engage your father in battle." Luke's eyes widened as Kenobi recalled the events of that fateful night. "The fight was well balanced, and it was in that moment that I realized that the Light and Dark Forces were equal. Well, the battle raged on and I finally fell to him. To this day, I do not know what made me lay down my lightsaber, but that is how the story goes. Anakin held his saber to me, but could not finish the deed. He rather took me as prisoner. Dragging me back to the ship with him, your mother had gone into labor. Momentarily animosity was put aside, and at the nearest hospital you and Leia were born. Your father and mother agreed that debates over who would receive custody would be a tiring waste, Padme` took Leia and your father took you. And if my dates are still intact, the annual visit from your sister is coming up next week."

"Yes," Luke said shakily, "it is." He was numb. No feeling could penetrate his wall of ache. It pained Luke to even imagine a world where his father and mother were married; where he and Leia saw each other more than once a year, and a world where his father expressed his love for his son. "I wish my father had never been a Jedi," Luke mumbled.

"I wish that to be too. But as reality stands, it is only a dream. But even though the past cannot be changed, the future is still being written. Never forget that, Luke Skywalker." Obi-Wan gave a smile to the younger boy, and Luke returned a weak twitch of the lips.

"Thank you, Master Kenobi."

"Please, do not wait months before you see me again." Kenobi clasped Luke's shoulder. Luke's mind flashed to earlier when his father had done a similar gesture, and he felt his body shiver.

"My father, though," Luke replied uneasily.

"If Anakin would have wanted to keep you away from me, he would not allow you such easy access to my cell. Again why I say the gray in life is far more important than the black or white. The gray is the reason why Anakin taught you both the Light and Dark sides of the Force. Why he allows you down into my solitary confinement."

"Obi-Wan, why does Anakin keep you here? In the palace?" Luke raised an eyebrow.

"He said so I could see my failures every waking moment. This palace and empire was built off my collapse with Anakin, and he does not want either of us to forget. But, if you ask me, I think he likes the comfort of knowing someone in these lonely halls understands who he truly is. But then again, that is only an old man's wishful thinking." Kenobi's eyes were glistening with sadness as he stared at the younger Skywalker. He prayed that Luke would bring out the good in Anakin, and that Anakin would bring out the pent up strength and passion hiding deep within Luke.

"Again, I thank you Master Kenobi." Luke bowed his head and the rose from his seat on the floor to exit the cell.

"Until next time, my dear boy," Obi-Wan said with a certain warmth as Luke left the cell.

Alright, so I'm not sure if I am going to continue this. It depends on what kind of feedback I receive. But, I do continue, I will reveal more parts of the plot. But, the main focus will be on the relationship between Anakin and Luke, and also theirs with Padme` and Leia. Also, please feel free to tell me if something is really off with my depiction of the Star Wars world.

Be good and review!