𝗙𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦 | anakin skywalker

✰ 78: drizzle

"What do we do now?" asked Akya.

Anakin paused for a moment, thinking. He glanced around the room as Akya waited for an answer. He stared at Obi-Wan for a moment, slouched against the cracked window, blood dripping from his temple. He turned around to see Ahsoka out cold on the ground, one of her arms bent in a direction it definitely shouldn't be.

"We need to get them to a medic," he said.

"We're in no condition to carry them."

"Rex," said Anakin.  "Get Obi-Wan's earpiece."  Akya nodded, and walked over to where her master laid, taking the small device off of his ear and holding it to her own.

"Rex," she said, pressing the button to speak.  She hoped they were on the right channel. That their earpiece still had power.  That Rex and the others were still alive.  A thousand things could go wrong at this very moment— and yet, Akya thought, couldn't a thousand things go wrong at any moment? Why was now so different.

"Rex," she repeated, a little louder.

Finally, a voice answered back, along with an overwhelming background noise of blaster fire. "I hear you," said the clone captain. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she said, looking at Anakin to ensure him that Rex had answered.  "Banged up, but we're alive."

"All of you?"

"All of us," she assured.

"And the Emperor?"

"Dead," she said.  "We need a pickup.  Anakin and I are badly hurt, and Ahsoka and Master Kenobi are unconscious."

"Understood," said Rex.  "We're on our way."  Akya heard a final, "Come on, boys!" before the noise cut out.

"Were they okay?" asked Anakin.

"I heard blaster fire," she said. "They're very occupied. But they're coming."

Anakin nodded, then looked down at his knee. It wasn't bleeding, but the cut was deep. "Let me see," said Akya. She moved closer to him and examined it carefully, moving the fabric of his pants to reveal the cauterized wound. It was bad, but with some treatment, he'd be back on his feet soon.

"Can you walk?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I can't hold you, so don't try it."

Anakin chuckled a little.  "Let me see your arm," he said. When she lifted her arm and let him see, he inhaled sharply at the deepness of the injury on her forearm. It hurt her when he touched it, even slightly. She could barely feel her fingers.

Anakin traced circles on her palm, lightly. "Anything?" he asked. Akya shook her head.

"It's okay," he said. "It's not so bad."

Akya raised her brows. "It looks pretty bad to me. Feels pretty bad, too."

"Okay, I guess it's bad," he admitted. "But it's fixable."

"I hope so," she said. "I need two hands to hold a baby."

"We're both down an arm," he said, looking down at his mechanical hand.  A finger twitched, but it didn't move, and one of the wires sparked a little.  Akya's eyes widened for a moment.  Anakin sighed, then took Akya's un-injured hand into his left one. He smiled weakly at her as she simply stared down at their hands, thoughts overwhelming her.

How could they get through all of this?

Not just the fall of the Jedi.  Not just being injured or losing some feeling in a limb or two.  But being parents in such a faulted galaxy.  Having a baby, and raising that child all the while rebuilding the Jedi Order and the Republic.  Would the Empire continue under new rule?  Who would take charge? And how would she and Anakin be able to raise a child, not even fully repaired themselves?  They had too many faults to ever be allowed to raise any child.

The door to the office slammed open, Rex and the Bad Batch coming through, helmets in their hands.  Omega hadn't accompanied them to the Senate Building, as she's never even been of Kamino before they called them to Tatooine, let alone been in a large-scale fight.  She'd stayed on the ship with the droids, though she hadn't wanted to.  While the Batch split in two teams and took on Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, Rex rushed toward Anakin and Ahsoka, pausing mid-step when he saw the lifeless Sith Lord a few feet away from them.

"He's really—?" He turned to the two Jedi.

Akya nodded.  "Dead," she said.

"Who—"

"I did," said Akya.

"What do we do with him?"

"I'm going to bury him," said Anakin simply.  Rex and Akya's heads turned quickly to face him. 

"What?" said Akya. "Why?"

"I think I have to," he said.  "I won't be giving him a proper ceremony or anything.  But we can't leave him here."

Akya didn't understand. But Anakin had been close with Palpatine for nearly all his life, and though through the past weeks he'd grown to hate him with a passion, it didn't change the fact that he'd known him for so long. Closure was important to anyone. And they couldn't just leave him.

"Tech," Anakin called, to one of the clones over by Ahsoka.  He had just finished scanning her, and his head turned to face the someone who had called his name.

"Yes, sir?" he said, walking over.

Anakin rolled up his pant leg, revealing the wide gash near his knee. "Is it possible for you to patch me up quickly? I have to go."

"I do not have all my supplies here," he said. "I can do it the old fashioned way, but it won't last."

"I'll be back," said Anakin. "It needs to be quick." Tech nodded. "You go," he told his wife.  "Go back to the ship. Get everyone taken care of properly. I'll meet you there. I promise."

"I'll stay with you," she offered.

"No," said Anakin. "This is something I have to do alone."

Akya took a breath, but did not protest or push. He sounded sure, and she trusted him.  "Okay," she said, putting a hand on his hand as Tech began sewing him up.  Anakin did not flinch, and he did not watch. He just stared at his wife's hand on his. Flesh on flesh.

"Will you be okay?" she asked him.

"I'll be fine," he said simply, still not looking in her eyes. But she didn't need him to.

a.n.:

two chapters today. sorry again for my forgetfulness.

don't forget to vote.

love you ♡ 

molly