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Obi-Wan has lived a long life, learning to rely on certain constants. Constants like Commander Cody returning his lightsaber whenever he lost it during the war. Constants like Yoda speaking in his backward riddles.
Constants like Anakin’s severe hatred of sand.
It is this hatred of sand that he has relied on for so many years because Vader would never dare to think to look in the sand. Sand is what kept Luke and himself safe for so long.
He knows that his time is coming to an end. He is an old man now. He took Luke to the Death Star to rescue Leia because he knew he had to help save Anakin and Padme’s daughter. It was time the two of them met anyway. They just need to make it out alive.
He only needs to stall Vader long enough to keep them safe. He has lived a long life and is prepared to die. Vader will surely kill him after years of resentment and hatred fueled him and took over Anakin’s mind.
The sound of Vader’s mechanical breathing alert him of his limited time. He sees Luke and Leia alongside their parents’ droids and smiles. Luke’s face, full of hope reminds him of just how young the boy is, and how it would be unfair to go the way of Qui Gon and die before finishing a padawan’s training. It isn’t right. He remembers how broken Qui Gon’s death left him. He won’t do that to Luke.
This last-second realization leaves him with only one option. His ever trusty last resort.
Vader is now in front of him, and he readies himself to fight. “You are a foolish old man and you have come to die. There will be no escape, Kenobi.” the mechanical voice threatens. He can barely feel the true Anakin underneath this new Vader, but part of his light was still there, albeit slightly dimmed. But even the small part would be enough. Or so he hopes.
Vader activates his lightsaber, poised to fight. “You underestimate me old friend,” Obi-Wan replies before reaching for a small container hidden in his robes.
“You will die.” Vader hisses at him.
“Maybe,” Obi-Wan smirks back at his former apprentice before throwing a large handful of sand at Vader. The sith lord roars in rage as sand gets stuck in his mechanical joints. To be fair, Anakin was correct in his statement that it gets everywhere.
He can feel when Anakin breaks through the dark mask of Vader. “Obi-Wan! What the kriff are you doing throwing sand at me?!?” his brother screeches. Because it is his brother, he is truly Anakin Skywalker once again. “I HATE sand! It is coarse and rough and it gets everywhere! How could you!”
“My apologies, but I had to, Anakin, it was the only way. You can take the sand from the boy and the boy from the sand, but you cannot make him forget.”
“It will take forever to get the sand out of my joints. You know, the ones to my mechanical limbs? Because you cut mine off!” Anakin snarks at him, still complaining.
He reaches out to Anakin in the force and can feel the light of Anakin Skywalker again. There is still darkness inside him, but it seems that the sand has brought his brother back to him. He has another chance to save his brother from the darkness inside him, and he refuses to fail him again.
He smiles a genuine smile for the first time in years. “Oh stop whining Anakin. I have the tools to remove the sand from your joints back on the ship that brought me here. Come with me, my old friend, and I can help you.” He can see the good that once again was ruling Anakin, feels their bond rekindle in the force, and feels his trust in Anakin restored.
“Why should I? How do I know you won’t throw more sand at me?” his padawan grumbles. Oh, how he has missed him.
“I have failed you once again, my padawan. I apologize for what I have done to you, and for letting you fall. I have missed you terribly. Let me help you.” He will not leave Anakin here.
He can feel the regret and pain through their force bond. “I’m a monster, Obi-Wan. Do you really think you can help me? After what I’ve done?” Oh, how he wishes he could look into the eyes of his padawan and tell him that everything would be ok. Memories of that little boy he first met on Tatooine flash through his head. As if he needs another reminder of just how much pain Anakin has gone through.
“I am as much to blame for your acts as Vader as you are. If I had just noticed sooner, or not abandoned you, perhaps we could have avoided this whole mess. I love you Anakin. You are my brother and I have always been soft on you, you know that. We can discuss this later, but for now, would you please come with me? Let me help you.”
Anakin nods his head in the way that he used to do whenever he didn’t trust his words. “Lead the way, old man.”
He fake gasps in hurt. “How dare you. My own padawan. I’m gutted.”
He leads his friend over to Solo’s ship but stops Anakin before he enters. “Wait here, I have to explain a few things.” Anakin nods. “I will not leave you behind again, my dear friend. Do not worry.”
He boards the ship and finds Luke and Leia waiting near the entrance, wide-eyed with worry. Han, Chewbacca, and the droids must be in the cockpit then.
“General Kenobi,” Leia greets. “I’m pleased to meet you. Is Vader defeated? Is he gone?”
“Vader is gone, but not in the way you think.” He answers. He is met with two identical stares of confusion.
“Before I show you, I need to explain something to you all,” he starts. “Darth Vader is my former student, and he was corrupted by the dark side, it took over his mind, which caused him to fall and become the sith lord he was today. However, I could still sense the light in him, hidden and suppressed by the darkness. I managed to reach that light, and caused it to manage to suppress the darkness instead.”
Still met with blank stares, he tries again.
“My former student was very strong in the light. He was corrupted by darkness, and that darkness trapped his light deep inside him, suppressing it. I managed to make his light return and trap the darkness instead. Currently, he is keeping the darkness trapped inside him and has come back to the light. He is good again, and no longer Darth Vader.”
“What do you mean by that? How can Vader be gone?”
“I can show you. Please do not shoot him on sight, and let him explain.” He warns. It would do no good to shoot at Anakin before the man has time to explain himself “Anakin, you can come in now,” he calls outside.
“What-” Luke says, but cuts himself off when Anakin stiffly walks on board. The sand must really be sticking in his joints then.
“Ben! Why is he here? I thought you got rid of Vader!” Luke shouts.
“Who’s Ben?” Anakin asks him. Same old Anakin.
Leia has two blasters pointed at him, but Anakin hardly blinks. “Hello. Um, so I guess I owe you an explanation?”
“Ben?”
“Please hear him out.” he pleads. “If you won’t trust him, trust me.”
“Thank you, Obi-Wan!” Anakin says. “Now where do I start. My name is Anakin, I used to be a Jedi Knight, but I was tricked by Emperor Palpatine and was corrupted by the dark side after seeing visions of my wife dying. The darkness took me over and I lost all control, I became the sith lord known as Darth Vader, an apprentice to Emperor Palpatine who is Darth Sidious. The darkness kept me trapped and I was unable to do anything. Until Obi-Wan here, my former master decided to throw sand at me. I hate sand. It is coarse and rough and it gets on everything.”
“So you’re saying that everything is all good as if you didn’t try to destroy an entire planet?” Leia hisses, outraged.
Anakin dips his head in shame. “I’m not saying that. You have every right to hate me, and I know it makes no difference to you, but I’m very sorry. Without the darkness clouding my mind, I realize that my actions were wrong, and I recognize that I am to blame for them. I know I did and tried to do incredibly terrible things, but I wish to be better, to try and fix at least part of the damage I have done to the galaxy.”
“You better be sorry,” Leia said but holsters her blaster and steps away. “I’m not dealing with this, I’m going to find my quarters. Luke, you can make the final call.”
“Uh, okay?” Luke asks, confused. “As long as this isn’t just a plot to kill all of us, you can stay if you want. Ben trusts you for some reason, and I trust Ben. I’m going to go tell Han, Chewbacca, and the droids what’s happening. Welcome onboard I guess.”
“Who is Ben?” Anakin tries to whisper to him.
He chuckles fondly. “I am.”
“No, you’re Obi-Wan,”
“I went by the name of Ben while I was in hiding.”
“Ah, sorry.”
Obi-Wan motions for Anakin to follow him, and he leads him to the cockpit because force forbid Anakin ever be in a ship without either being able to fly it or watch the pilot.
The door slides open to reveal Luke finishing his explanation to Han and Chewbacca, while the droids stand nearby.
“Artoo?” Anakin asks in surprise. Ah yes, he forgot to mention that part. “Artoo! It’s you, It’s really you. Do you remember me, buddy?” Anakin’s joy was clear in his voice and through the force.
R2D2 beeps in surprise and then happiness as he quickly speeds over to crash repeatedly into Anakin’s shins.
“Hey, buddy. It’s been a while.” Anakin says as he pets the droid on the dome of his head.
“Artoo, be careful! That is Darth Vader. Oh my, oh dear, oh no. We are doomed!”
“Relax ‘3PO.” Anakin laughs before stepping over to hug the golden droid.
“Master Ani?” C-3PO asks him. Anakin nods. “Oh, it is you! How I have missed you.”
“I missed you too C-3PO. It’s been a while. Sorry for being gone.”
Obi-Wan observes his former padawan interacting with his old droids and feels his happiness through their restrengthening force bond. He smiles at his family slowly being reunited once again.
Later, after he had helped Anakin get all the sand out of Anakin’s circuitry and joints, everyone on board the Millennium Falcon sits down to have a full and complete talk, with every question being answered, except for a few important ones that should have been asked much earlier.
“So what are all your names?” Anakin asks during a lull in their conversation.
“Han Solo, the best smuggler in the galaxy, and the fuzzball guy next to me is Chewbacca.”
“Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“I did. And again, I am really sorry, Leia. Your father is a friend of mine and was a very close friend of my wife’s. I wasn’t thinking straight.” Leia huffs.
“You’re lucky that my planet wasn’t actually destroyed. I’m going back to my quarters.” Leia says as she leaves their group.
“That I am,” Anakin responds. “And you are?” Anakin asks turning to Luke. Obi-Wan’s eyes widen.
“He is-” Obi-Wan tries saying.
“I’m Luke, Luke Skywalker.”
“I’m sorry, say your last name again?!?” Anakin screeches as he stands up abruptly.
“...Skywalker?” Luke says in confusion.
“What the FUCK, Obi-Wan!” Anakin shouts at him. He should have expected this. It was Anakin after all.
“Remain calm, Anakin. Stay with us.” He says calmly. “I neglected to mention his name for obvious reasons.”
“Does. He. Know?” Anakin grits out, attempting to calm himself. This amount of restraint is good to see from the man.
“He does not, I never thought it was the right time to tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Luke questions innocently.
“Um…” Obi-Wan says as Anakin takes calming breaths next to him.
“Anakin, Anakin Skywalker,” Anakin starts.
“Yeah? that’s my father. You killed him.” Luke accuses, still slightly confused.
“No I didn’t.”
“What do you mean?” Luke asks
“Luke, I am your father.” Anakin reveals, always one for dramatics.
“NOOOOOOOO!” Luke says equally dramatically. Skywalkers are one and the same.
“It is the truth,” Anakin says. “That is my name, and you are my son.” Then he turns to Obi-Wan. “Why did you hide the existence of my own child from me?”
“Children, and you know exactly why.” Obi-Wan replies. Might as well get everything out.
“Children?!?-” “I have a sibling?!?-” Luke and Anakin screech at the same time.
“How would I not know about having multiple children? That doesn’t make sense. Padme was only pregnant once.”
“Luke has a twin. A sister, in fact.” Obi-Wan explains. “To keep them both safe, I took Luke with me to Tatooine to live with Owen and Beru Lars. The other was left in the care of Padme’s closest friend, Bail Organa. Luke, your sister, and Anakin your daughter, is currently on this ship.”
“Wait! Leia?” Luke and Anakin both ask as if Bail Organa has another daughter that is currently on board.
“Yes.” he replies calmly.
Anakin and Luke look at each other before simultaneously launching from their seats and sprinting through the ship to find Leia. Skywalkers, always in a rush.
Obi-Wan smiles at the antics of his family. Because that is what they are, family. Anakin is his brother, making Luke his nephew and Leia his niece. As much as Anakin hates sand, it sure did make his life all the much better.
------LATER------
“Oh, Anakin, by the way, Ahsoka and Rex are still alive.”
“THEY WHAT!?!”
.........
