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Chapter Text

Once, there was a prince of light who lived in a land of darkness. His mother, the Empress of the Dark, loved him dearly, but let the shadows consume her until her heart was stone. She raised him to be calculating and cutthroat, but the prince’s warmth and kindness wouldn’t be snuffed out. 

The Empress’s apprentices, Hunger and Pain, took pride in torturing the prince. Pain, who was in charge of training him, painted his body black and blue with bruises. Hunger was craftier with his torture, using words and small actions to hurt the prince. 

Still, the prince refused to dim his light. 

Why? 

Because he’d watched his beautiful, kind mother become twisted by a darkness he didn’t understand, and was afraid that it would happen to him. But then, something happened. 

What?

He snuck away from his homeworld and saw what the Empress and her apprentices had done to the people of the galaxy. He knew that the light he carried in him was a privilege so few had under his mother’s rule, so he made a choice. 

What did he do?

He decided to overthrow the empire. It took years, but he implemented the perfect plan. He tricked the apprentices into betraying his mother and exiling her, then using all the tricks they’d taught him, he made sure that Hunger and Pain would never hurt another soul again.

And what about his mom?

Her past caught up with her. The prince mourned her, but eventually he realized that it was by her actions, not his, that she had died. And so, the galaxy was free, for a time. 

What happened to the prince? Did he live happily ever after?

###

Ben opened his eyes and sighed. Just another dream. Another flash of terrible memory he wished he could forget. He could handle memories of carnage, war, and death, but the memories of love and loss felt like a new death every time. 

He forced down a sob that crawled up his throat. One would think it would get easier, living with all that he’d done, but all it did was hurt more than he could possibly imagine. 

Huffing, he forced himself out of bed. He wasn’t in his bed on his ship. He glanced over at the closet, where a wide-brimmed brown hat hung next to a long coat and gun holster. 

So, he was on Coruscant. Good to know. 

There was a tiny knock on his door. “You can come in, Todo. I’m awake and decent.”

The door slid open, and Todo hovered in carrying a breakfast tray. “Good morning, Ben. Bane said you would be feeling poorly this morning, so I made you this.”

It was toast and slightly overcooked eggs, but Ben was thankful all the same. “You didn’t have to do that, Todo, but it’s greatly appreciated.”

The little droid preened at the kindness and attention. “It was nothing.”

There was a small glass of juice on the tray that Ben began to sip on. His mouth was dry and tasted like sand. “Where did Cad find me?”

“I believe it was somewhere in the lower levels,” he replied. 

Ben hummed. Sounded about right. “Did he say what happened?”

Todo shook his head. “He was very angry when he brought you in last night.”

Great, he had to deal with an angry Cad now.

Ben took a few bites of the terrible eggs and finished the toast. Thanking Todo, he stepped out of the bedroom. Cad was sitting in the living area, glaring at the wall. 

“Had a bounty in the lower levels last night,” he growled. “Ended up in a spice den. Guess what I found?”

He opened his mouth to make a snarky retort, but quickly stopped himself. This wasn’t the time, and Cad was not in the mood. 

“It was some overdosed addict laying in his own vomit with spice up his nose and a death stick between his fingers.” Finally, Cad turned his attention to Ben, and he could feel the fury rolling off of him. “You. Were. Dead.”

“Cad…”

“No. Ya see, I know all about this,” he motioned to all of Ben, “but even knowing, I’d rather kill you myself than find your body overdosed in a spice den. I had to drag your ass out of there and sneak you back up here. Todo had to clean you up.”

“I’m sorry…”

“ No. ” His voice was stern as he rose to his feet. “What we have, I don’t have with no one else. Do you understand? Rest of the galaxy can burn, but it’s you and me against them.”

Ben’s heart plummeted into his stomach. He’d known Cad for a few years, but he’d never known how important he was to the bounty hunter. He’d always just assumed that he was an oddity, an interest, and nothing more.

“I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t think…”

“Quit this shit,” he growled, holding up a death stick. “Or you really will be alone.”

Chapter Text

10 years later…

The Clone Wars raged on. Jedi fought, clones died, and citizens across the galaxy found themselves either losing everything or adapting to this new lifestyle. 

Bounty hunters and criminals found new ways to make money, running weapons or hunting down military officials for extra cash. 

Ben didn’t do work for the likes of the GAR or Dooku, but that didn’t mean that there was no money to be made in the war. 

“Kenobi!” Hondo held out his arms joyfully as Ben strode into his catina, a crate hovering behind him. “See?” he shouted to the rest of his crew. “Hondo told you– Kenobi always delivers!”

Ben tilted his head to the side. “Unfortunately, you have a reputation too, Hondo. Payment before prize.” 

Hondo feigned falling back, hand over his chest. “You wound me, Kenobi. Have I not always been an honorable pirate to you?” 

“Pirate? Yes. Honorable? Less often than you think.” He raised an eyebrow knowingly. 

The old pirate laughed and threw an arm over Ben’s shoulder. “I miss seeing you, Kenobi. I’ll get your credits. Xan!” he shouted to one of the other pirates. “Get Kenobi’s money!” 

“Yes, well, I’ve been busy. You aren’t the only one interested in rare artifacts this war has dug up.”

“Ah, but I am your best customer,” Hondo replied, grinning from ear to ear. Ben couldn’t help but smile back. Hondo had been a good friend to him for decades, despite his nasty habit of betraying anyone and everyone if it meant earning a profit. Luckily, that was yet to be a problem between them.

“How is your man?” Hondo asked, motioning to the man behind the bar. Two drinks were poured, but Ben knew better than to drink anything Hondo offered. 

“Cad’s been away doing…whatever the kark it is that Cad does. We have a rule about not asking too many questions.”

Hondo nodded. “His business puts him around Jedi. Everyone knows how you feel about them.” He paused, as though waiting for more elaboration, but Ben didn’t offer any, so he continued. “If you are interested, I have a Sith and two Jedi locked away right now. I’d be willing to give a friend such as you a tremendous discount for any of them. I know you market yourself as an infamous Sith Hunter.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “ You managed to capture a Sith and two Jedi?”

“Don’t underestimated me, my friend. Count Dooku crashed nearby–he was easy enough to subdue. The Jedi, on the other hand, are a high general and his friend.” He frowned in thought. “What were their names again…” 

Xan approached with a pouch of credits about that time. Hondo snatched it from him. “How dare you make our esteemed guest wait so long! Do you know who this is?” 

Ben shook his head as he took the money. “Good luck on your ransom scam, Hondo. Try not to die when one or all of them inevitably escape.”

Hondo threw back his head and laughed. Pocketing his money, Ben turned to the door. Halfway there, he paused. 

“Which two Jedi, just out of curiosity?”

Hondo grinned. “Ah, I knew you’d be interested. Qui-Gon Jinn and his little friend. What was his name…?”

“Anakin Skywalker?”

Hondo’s face lit up. “That’s it!”

Ben sighed, pulling credits from his bag. “Here,” he said, tossing them to Hondo. “Send in your least competent pirate so they can escape.”

Hondo laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “Kenobi, this is why you’re my favorite. I’ll see to it.”

Ben nodded and strolled out of the pirate’s den, trusting in Qui-Gon’s ability to get out of situations in one piece.

###

“So, you’re back planet side?”

Cad closed the apartment door behind him and chuckled. “You, too. Rarity.”

Ben looked up from the tablet he was reading on. “I’ve actually been back for a bit. I heard you’re doing a job for a Sith Lord, though.”

Cad whistled low and approached him. “Careful—that sounds awful close to you asking about what I get up to.”

He leaned down to kiss his husband. When he pulled away, Ben smiled. “Of course not—unless you’d like to help me take him out.”

Cad laughed. “Not after how much he’s payin’ me. Sorry, kitten.”

Ben faux pouted. “I guess I’ll just have to track him and Dooku down and purge the galaxy of the Sith all by myself.”

“Guess so. Wouldn’t be bothered if you added Jedi to that list.”

Ben snorted. “As much as I hate the Jedi, they do serve a purpose. The Sith on the other hand only seek to destroy the galaxy and cause suffering.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Bane kissed him again before striding off towards the fresher. “I’ve heard the speech.”

Ben grinned and continued scrolling through his spliced separatist information regarding Sith artifacts. Dooku had been interested in holocrons recently, meaning more and more Sith temples were being discovered. 

Suddenly, a ding arrived on his pad. One from a familiar number. 

He sighed. Usually they avoided one another, but it seemed the Force was desperate for a reunion. The message he received was clear—meet at Dex’s.

He didn’t bother letting Cad know where he was going as he grabbed his coat and slipped out of the apartment. 

###

Ben took his regular booth in the corner, facing the door, and ordered his usual from Flo. 

Then, he waited.

Fifteen minutes later, a hooded man walked in. He glanced around and, when he spotted Ben, headed for his table.

He removed the hood before sitting.

“Qui-Gon,” Ben greeted.

“Ben. Pleased to see you again. I take it the breakout from Hondo’s was you.”

Ben smirked. “Clearly. Hondo isn’t accidentally that careless. There’s a reason he’s as successful as he is.”

Qui-Gon Jinn nodded. “I have a proposition to run past you.”

“A business one, I hope. I’m a married man, Jinn.”

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. “Dooku is searching for a planet on the edge of Wild space. It’s believed to be the site of an ancient Sith temple. A dangerous one.”

“Malachor V?” A hole opened in the pit of his stomach. It’d been so long since he’d even thought of the planet. 

Qui-Gon nodded again. “You’ve heard of it? I’m no expert on…that era.”

“Unfortunately, I am the expert.” Ben sighed. “No one should look for that place. It’s a wasteland of death and darkness. There’s nothing there.”

“Well, Dooku believes there is,” Qui-Gon said. “And he’s usually not mistaken.”

Ben hummed, but didn’t reply. He tapped his fingers on the table. “I cleared it out a long time ago,” he finally said. “ All that’s left are some old ruins and junk. Nothing to concern yourself with if he finds it.”

Qui-Gon seemed to accept that answer. He settled back in the booth as Flo arrived with Ben’s food. 

Ben dug into his nerf burger. If there was one thing Ben loved about Coruscant, it was the food . The people were complacent and the government was weak. The politicians were petty and paid no mind to the people they served. The Jedi were far from their glory days. But the food was delicious . 

Qui-Gon watched with a content smile. “How long have we been friends?”

Ben paused mid bite. “A blink of an eye.”

“Twenty years,” Qui-Gon corrected.

“Same difference to me.” 

Qui-Gin smiled warmly. “What I’m trying to tell you is that in those years I’ve seen you at your lowest and your highest, and I haven’t seen you look so happy. I’m happy for you, my friend.”

Ben snorted. He wouldn’t be happy if he knew who he was happy with. But he kept that information to himself. “I appreciate it, Qui-Gon.”

He took another bite into his burger. Qui-Gon’s eyes burned into him until finally he sighed. “What?”

“The war. You could be a help in it.”

Ben groaned. He knew it was coming and yet. “I’m not helping the GAR or the Separatists in the war. I’m staying neutral, as I have for every war.”

“Not every war.”

Ben narrowed his eyes. Fury was building in his gut. “Don’t push me, Jinn.”

Qui-Gon held his hands up in surrender. “Apologies. It wasn’t my intention to push. I am merely seeking a quick end to this war. You heard that my former padawan was promoted to knight, and with that comes command of his own legion of clones?”

Ben acted uninterested. “I didn’t. You must be very proud of him.”

“I am. He’s also been assigned a padawan of his own. Ahsoka Tano.”

Ben raised an eyebrow, picturing the reckless young man who had followed Qui-Gon all these years with a padawan of his own.

“I’m sure he’ll be an excellent master. You’ve done well with him.”

“As well as I could,” Qui-Gon agreed. “But there are things I couldn’t teach him about himself. Things a parent would.”

“Jedi don’t have parents,” Ben reminded him. “You told me that.”

Qui-Gon nodded. “Yes, well, Anakin is no ordinary Jedi. His origins are beyond even my understanding of the Living Force.”

“Are you saying he’s too much for you, Jinn?”

“No,” he replied quickly. “Just that his abilities are like nothing any Jedi has seen. If the council knew—”

“They won’t.” Ben narrowed his eyes. “You haven’t said anything to them and broken our understanding, have you?”

Qui-Gon hung his head. “No. But—”

“No buts,” Ben interrupted. “The council—and most importantly, Anakin— must never know the truth. Not about him…and not about me.”

Qui-Gon cleared his throat. “I’m not suggesting we tell Anakin, but I am trying to warn you…”

The door to the diner opened and a young man with long light brown hair stepped inside, flanked by a young Togruta girl. Seeing Ben and Qui-Gon, they approached the table.

Ben narrowed his eyes at Qui-Gon, who smiled back like he hadn’t just ambushed Ben.

“Master,” Anakin greeted, sliding into the booth beside Qui-Gon. The girl—Ben assumed Ahsoka Tano—pulled up a chair and sat at the end of the table, eyeing Ben suspiciously. 

“Padawan. This is my friend, Ben.” Qui-Gon motioned to Ben, who remained glaring at him.

“Charmed.” He pushed his food away. “I need to leave.”

He moved to stand, but Qui-Gon held out a hand. “We need your help.”

Anakin snorted. “ This is the historian you were telling us about? He looks more like a bounty hunter.”

Ben looked down at his outfit—a red duster, black clothes, and weapons stashed all over him—and couldn’t disagree. “Goes with the territory, I’m afraid,” Ben explained. “And I’m not a historian. It’s more of a hobby.”

He sat back in his seat, and Qui-Gon smiled smugly. 

“Knowing Sith history is a hobby ?” Ahsoka asked, leaning in closer. 

“It is when you’re a Sith Hunter,” he replied. “Know your enemy.”

“You haven’t been very busy in the last couple hundred years then, considering they were thought to be dead before Dooku,” Anakin pointed out.

Ben shrugged. “Acolytes and Sith assassins are fun to hunt as well, and there have been plenty of those.”

Ahsoka looked impressed, but Anakin just scoffed. “Sure. You could take someone like Ventress down.”

“Better than any of you, apparently,” he snapped back. “Anyway, I’m not sure what you need my help with. As I’ve told Qui-Gon, there’s nothing on Malachor V.”

“Our intelligence says Dooku thinks there’s a weapon in the ruins of the old palace,” Qui-Gon explained. 

“And I’m telling you, there’s not.” Ben crossed his arms. “I cleaned the palace out years ago.”

“You’re a thief!” Anakin exclaimed. 

“Peace, Ani,” Qui-Gon said, holding out a hand to his former padawan. “We only need you to lead us to Malachor V. We will handle the rest while we’re there.”

Ben scoffed. “You can’t handle Malachor V. It’s a planet of darkness and death. You think you know what you can handle, but it will test you. It’s booby-trapped to hell and back, and unless you’ve been there, you don’t know what to expect.”

Qui-Gon smiled. “It’s a good thing someone who’s been there is going with us then.”

Ben scowled at his friend, who was smirking back. 

The son of a—

Ben’s eyes darted to Anakin and back to Qui-Gon, and he knew that Qui-Gon had won.

“Fine,” he said. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Chapter Text

Once there was a prince of light. Except there was no longer a kingdom for the prince. The Empress was dead. Her apprentices were dead or imprisoned, he didn’t care which. And he was alone.

The prince of light didn’t trust the Jedi, and the Sith were still creating havoc across the galaxy. 

So, he picked up his sword and did the only thing he could do—he used his training to restore balance to the galaxy.

###

Ben shot awake. Taking a deep breath, he remembered where he was. 

He was on a venator. The Resolute . 

Qui-Gon brought him onboard to help find Malachor V.

He grabbed his comm and called Cad. It rang a few times before he finally picked up.

“What d’you want?” Cad grumbled. He had been asleep too, it seemed. 

“Nothing,” he said a bit too quickly. The sleepiness dropped from Cad’s expression, and he sat up. 

“Sounds like nothin’. Wanna talk about it?”

There was nothing he wanted more, but how to open up to Cad about this without telling him everything? Sighing, Ben shook his head.

“Just…a bad dream.”

Cad hummed like he didn’t believe him, but he also didn’t push. Ben relaxed into his cot.

“Tell me a story,” he asked, knowing Cad wouldn’t say no. 

The duros rolled his eyes, but settled into his bed. “I ever tell ya about the time Fett an’ I did a job for the Hutts?”

He had, but Ben shook his head. 

Cad began to recite the tale, and Ben felt his eyes getting heavier, until he’d fallen into a dreamless sleep. 

When he woke again, it was hours later, and someone was outside his door. When he answered, it was Qui-Gon. 

“We’ll be there within the hour,” he announced, stepping into Ben’s room. “We need you to debrief the landing team. It would be helpful if you came with us.”

Ben sighed. “I swore when I left that I’d never step back on the surface again. You do realize why?”

“Of course not,” Qui-Gon answered. “You never discuss your past beyond the basics.”

He sat on the edge of the bed. Of course Qui-Gon didn’t understand. “The last time I was here, I was different. I was weak. Too weak to stop terrible people from doing terrible things.”

Qui-Gon sat beside him. “Ben, I didn’t know you then, but I find it hard to believe you were weak. I know for a fact that you almost single-handedly took down a Sith empire.”

“You don’t know what I did,” Ben snapped, calming quickly. “I’m sorry. Being this close to…well, it makes me nervous.”

“You have something you didn’t have last time you were here,” Qui-Gon said. “You have me, and Anakin. Even if we’ll be the ones planetside. No one is asking you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

Qui-Gon could never understand, but it meant something that he was trying. Ben groaned internally at what he was about to say.

“Would you like for me to come with you to the planet’s surface? I know more about it than you.”

Qui-Gon smiled widely and patted Ben on the shoulder. “Of course. I’ll see you on the bridge.”

With that, he stood and left, and Ben wondered if he had just been manipulated by the Jedi.

###

Anakin was awoken by a chrono alarm. There was a groan beside him, and it was quickly shut off. 

“Time to get up?” he asked, rolling onto his side. 

His lover faced him. “Unfortunately.”

Anakin smiled at his captain and pecked him on the lips. Rex’s lips twitched up into a grin. 

“Good morning, mesh’la.” 

“Good morning.” 

Anakin reached up and brushed his fingers against Rex’s cheek. “We have to go to a Sith planet.”

“I know,” Rex answered.

“How angry would it make you if I ordered you to stay here with Ahsoka?”

“ Very ,” Rex replied, moving so he was hovering over Anakin. “Who will watch your back if not me?”

“Master Qui-Gon will be there.”

“No offense to the general,” Rex said, “but he’s an old man, and Dooku’s former apprentice. He’s a magnet for trouble.”

Anakin raised an eyebrow. “And I’m not?”

“No,” Rex replied with a shit eating grin. “You’re just trouble.”

Anakin laughed, and Rex kissed him again. When he pulled back again, Anakin looked back at him with a solemn expression.

“That man working with us—Ben—he says that the planet is dangerous. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” Rex promised. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” 

He kissed the tip of Anakin’s nose, and the Jedi made a face. Grinning, Rex pushed himself off the bed.

Anakin groaned and followed. Both slid on their armor, pausing every so often to help the other with a latch. 

Anakin thought about his relationship with Rex. It started on Geonosis, after losing his hand. Rex had been the trooper to escort him to the med bay. He’d sat with Anakin the whole time, making sure he didn’t pass out from shock and distracting him when they attached the robotic hand to his stump.

The kind smile that Rex had given him, the stories he’d told about his brothers—Anakin hadn’t felt so warm in years.

When Qui-Gon and Senator Amidala arrived to check on him, both were laughing and in good spirits, despite losing so much that day.

Rex always made Anakin feel better. 

He had such a dry sense of humor that melded well with Anakin’s sarcasm, and, above all, he was a good man. A better man than Anakin ever felt he would be.

They walked to the bridge together, not quite hand in hand, but close enough to it. The 501st were the only ones who knew about Rex and him, and they wanted it to stay that way. 

Rex feared decommissioning if they were found out.

Anakin feared what he would become if anyone even considered taking Rex away from him.

They stepped on the bridge with an air of professionalism. 

Qui-Gon was already there with his friend, Ben.

Ben was…an oddity. Something about the Force around him screamed WRONG , and yet, there was a pull to him in Anakin’s gut. 

He approached the pair. “You found it?”

“Never lost it,” Ben replied. “It’s just not exactly a place I’m keen to return to. Once you see the surface, you will understand why.”

Ben reached into a satchel he had thrown over his shoulder and pulled out stones. “I want you to think of the memory that gives you the strongest pull to the light side. It cannot be a memory of passion or one of desire. It must be something pure.”

He looked at Anakin like he saw right through him, like he knew Anakin was thinking about Rex. 

Ben handed him and Qui-Gon each one of the stones. “Imagine that memory infusing into this stone. When you feel a pull from the dark side—which you will—touch the stone and remember that memory.”

Anakin ran his fingers over the stone and thought hard. A memory that connected him to the light…

He remembered the story his mother told him when he was young, about a prince who fought against a dark Empress and won. For some reason, it was the happiest memory he had with her, lying in bed and cuddling in beside her. The two of them against the world.

He stored that memory into the rock. 

Ben nodded. “Excellent job. Your men shouldn’t need one, since they aren’t force sensitive, but you should give one to your padawan, just in case the worst happens and she must come down to the surface.”

Fury burned in his stomach. “I won’t let that happen.”

“Calm yourself, padawan,” Qui-Gon insisted. “Ben meant no offense, only precaution.”

Anakin didn’t like Ben. There was something…off about him, beyond the wrongness he felt in the Force. 

“Fine.” 

He took a rock for Ahsoka. 

Qui-Gon smiled privately.

Chapter Text

Malachor V was just as horrible as Ben remembered. It was a dark wasteland of ruins and the skeletal remains of a dark civilization that ate itself alive.

He knew all about it. He’d been there.

Four thousand years ago, when he was little more than a child, prepared to do whatever it took to make things right. 

He breathed the dust filled air deeply, remembering what it was like before its destruction.

The grand palace. The parties the empress and her apprentices would throw, full of sadistic Sith prepared to torture or kill whatever innocent was brought in for the entertainment.

He remembered his only attendance at one such party.

The way the force mage had stared at him as he did nothing to stop her execution. 

You will live on and see death and creation and death again. All you know will fall, and still you will live on. 

“Ben?”

He snapped out of his thoughts. Qui-Gon stared at him with concern. Everyone else had moved further ahead, towards the ruins of the palace. 

Ben blew out a low breath. “I’m fine.”

“Are you?” The concern pouring off the Jedi was a stark contrast to the choking regret and guilt he felt standing on Malachor V. 

“I’m fine,” he repeated. 

The palace was nothing and everything like he remembered. The high ceilings were gone, as were the portraits of Sith Lords and tapestries of massacres. 

He stopped in the middle of the great hall. Everyone else stopped with him.

“What’s wrong?” Anakin demanded, looking around antsily. 

“This is too easy,” he said. “We made it all the way in here and there have been no signs of the booby traps I know are in here.”

Qui-Gon stepped up beside him. “What does that mean?”

Ben thought about it. The only way the booby trap wouldn’t work is if someone had disabled it or set it off. Meaning…

“Someone else is here.”

Qui-Gon and Anakin’s hands went to their lightsabers. The clone captain drew his blaster and motioned for his small squad to do the same. 

A bald Nightsister jumped from the open ceiling, two sabers drawn. Ben reached into his belt and drew two handles. When he pushed a button on them, a hook sword emerged from each one. 

“Ventress,” Anakin snarled. 

“Skywalker…and Jinn. Back in one piece from our last encounter?”

Qui-Gon didn’t reply. Instead, he took his stance. 

Ventress’s eyes went to Ben. “And look, fresh meat. I can’t wait to see your blood on the floor.”

“Funny,” Ben said, “I was going to say the same for you, my dear.”

The clones open fired, but Ventress easily avoided their blasts. She waved her hand, and Rex and his squad were thrown back. 

Qui-Gon and Anakin leapt into action. They clashed sabers with Ventress, who blocked both of them with ease. 

They began their battle, and Ben watched closely. 

You can always find someone’s weakness by watching. Their actions betray them.

What about your weaknesses?

That’s something you never tell.

He noticed Ventress favoring her left, the side she kept Anakin on. Anakin was stronger, so she kept him on her dominant side. 

She only saw two true threats. Ben focused on the energy around him, bending the perception of him so attention would slip off him like water. 

This wasn’t a fight for him. It was a hunt. He put his swords away and drew his vibroblade. 

If he were anyone else, Ventress would’ve sensed him coming. But he wasn’t just anyone.

He waited for an opening, one that came when Anakin managed to push her away and Qui-Gon knocked her back with a swing of his saber. 

She was right in front of him. 

He buried his dagger in the back of her neck. 

Unfortunately, as she spasmed, she tried to fight back, and she brought  her right lightsaber over her shoulder to stab down into his chest. 

She fell to the ground, and Ben fell beside her.

Anakin ran to Ben’s side. He pulled him into his lap.

“Ben, you’re going to be okay.”

Ben nodded. “I know.”

“Good,” Anakin said. “Keep that thought. Rex, call for Kix!”

“Anakin,” Ben tried again, “I’m fine. Just let me die.”

Anakin shook his head. “You’re not gonna die.”

Qui-Gon laid a hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “Padawan, let him be.”

“No!” Anakin snarled. “We brought him here, even though he didn’t want to come. I’m not letting him die here!”

Ben stared up at the young Jedi and held onto the image of him as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to pass.

###

You will live on and see death and creation and death again. All you know will fall, and still you will live on. 

Until you end the evil of the Sith, you will die and die again, but never know rest. 

So die…and be reborn.

###

He jerked awake with a deep gasp of breath. 

Anakin screamed and dropped him. Qui-Gon just rolled his eyes. 

“Are you alright, Ben?” Qui-Gon asked as though he hadn’t just watched Ben jerk back to life. Of course, it wasn’t his first time seeing it.

Anakin, on the other hand…

“You were dead!” he shouted. “You died—I felt the Force leave you! How…?”

The Force energy. Ben turned to Ventress, who was still twitching. Good, not quite gone yet. He sat up and dragged himself close enough to lay a hand on her forehead.

Then, he focused on the Force. It pulled out of her like blood from a wound and poured into him. He blew out a breath as the energy settled in him.

Anakin stared in amazement. “What are you?”

Qui-Gon patted his shoulder. “Padawan, meet the only living Sithspawn left in existence. They have the ability to drain and manipulate the Force of other living beings. Ben uses it to kill Sith.”

“Among other things,” Ben corrected. 

Anakin stared at him. “What happens to the energy you drain?”

Ben shrugged. “Stays dormant until I need it.”

“Wizard.”

Rex, who had just woken up, ran to Anakin’s side. Ben noticed the soft touch the captain gave his general as he checked him over and made sure he was fine. 

Huh. 

“We need to move,” he said, standing up. “If you want to search the palace for this weapon Dooku wants, we need to get it done before sunset.”

Anakin looked up at the dark sky. “Is it not sunset now?”

Ben shook his head. “No. The Sith spirits come out at night.”

That got them moving. 

Ben stayed ahead, disabling booby traps or, in some cases, setting them off and springing back to life. Each time, everyone watched him in awe, like he was some messiah instead of a cursed Sithspawn.

“So,” Anakin finally said, “the death thing isn’t part of being a Sithspawn, right? Or else you wouldn’t be the last one.”

“Nope.” Ben finished disarming the latest trap. “That’s being cursed by a force mage nearly 4,000 years ago. Or maybe it’s over 4,000 years now. I lose track of time.”

“Wow.” 

Ben looked up, and Anakin was watching him with amazement. 

“So like, when you said you came here and cleaned it out, you meant back then.”

Ben nodded. Anakin grinned.

“If this was a Sith Empire, and you’re a Sith Hunter, you must have been the one to kill them.”

Ben nodded again, standing from his kneeling position.

“I was a slave and I always dreamed about overthrowing people who hurt others, like the Hutts,” Anakin explained. “The Jedi don’t exactly encourage that—we’re about keeping the peace and doing what the senate wants.”

“The Jedi are…complicated,” Ben said, walking toward the next trap. “In my day, we were at war, and because of this, they often were more ruthless.” He paused, replaying what Anakin just told him in his head. “Wait, you were a slave?”

Anakin nodded. “My mom and I, on Tatooine. I hated it. I mean, we were treated better than some, but…”

“Slavery is slavery,” Ben replied, knowingly. “I’m sorry you live with those memories.”

“It’s okay,” Anakin replied. “I do miss my mom sometimes, though. I’m not allowed to have contact with her, so I haven’t seen her since I left Tatooine.”

Ben hummed, but didn’t reply. He started to disarm the trap.

“Have you ever been?”

“Where?” Ben asked.

“Tatooine,” Anakin answered. “It’s not much—just a dust ball. Sand everywhere, slavers. But it was home.”

“And now the Jedi are your home,” Ben said. “I’ve found that home is a people more so than a place. I was never at home where I grew up, but I found it with my husband.”

“You’re married?” 

Ben laughed and finished disarming the device, brushing the dirt from his pants. “Does it shock you, Anakin, that I don’t wish to be alone in my immortality?”

Anakin opened his mouth, then closed it, before saying. “What about losing him? What if he dies, and you’re left alone again?”

Ben smiled. He touched Anakin’s shoulder kindly. “Death isn’t the worst thing, Anakin. We lose people, but we always have the good times with them. I fear losing him before then, by my mistake or his. But we can’t dwell. That is poison even I can suffer.”

With that, he walked for the next room, the rest of the group on his heels.

Chapter Text

“If there was a weapon left behind,” Ben announced, “it would be located in the Sith Catacombs beneath our feet. That’s where the Sith Triumvirate hid their secrets. Even I haven’t been down there since their deaths.”

“What’s the Sith Triumvirate?” Rex asked, stopping beside Anakin. Anakin barely resisted reaching out to grab his lover’s hand. 

Ben looked to Qui-Gon, who gave him an approving nod.

“Three Sith Lords once lived in this palace,” Ben explained. “Darth Traya, Darth Sion, and Darth Nihilus. They were vicious, sadistic. Darker and more evil than Dooku could ever dream of being. They were torturers, planet eaters, betrayers.”

“What happened to them?” Anakin asked almost against his will. A chill crept up his spine, and he suddenly felt like there were eyes on him.

Ben clenched his fists. “They died,” he snarled. 

He left it at that and walked into the throne room of the palace. There were three huge thrones, and off to the side, a smaller broken throne.

Anakin frowned. Ben said there were only three…

He didn’t ask. Ben seemed done with questions. 

He stopped by the middle throne and pushed it to the left. It slid out of the way, revealing a stairwell underneath. 

“How do you know about this?” Rex asked.

Ben didn’t answer, instead choosing to descend the stairs. Qui-Gon ignited his saber and followed. Anakin and Rex shared a look.

“Stay here and guard the entrance,” Rex ordered his men, before following the general and hunter. Anakin sighed and descended the stairs himself.

The catacombs were what one would expect hearing the word “catacombs”. 

There were small alcoves up and down the walls, even stacked on each other with dried up, mummified corpses in each one. 

Rex stepped closer to Anakin.

“What is all this?” he whispered, but his voice carried.

“Those who tried to overthrow the Triumvirate,” Ben explained. “Some were Jedi, some were Sith. None succeeded.”

“Until you,” Anakin said.

Ben didn’t seem very overjoyed by the notion, despite having destroyed a terrifying Sith empire that did this to their enemies. “Yes, until me.”

They continued on. Anakin wondered what had killed the Sith’s enemies. Some executioner? It seemed below emperors to slay their own enemies. 

He thought about the fourth chair, and decided he was probably better off not knowing.

Ben paused and looked at one particular body before continuing on wordlessly. 

Anakin glanced at it himself as he passed, though he didn’t notice anything significant about it. 

Once they came to the end of the hall, Qui-Gon held up a hand. “Do you hear something?”

Anakin’s ears perked. There was a cracking sound behind them, like something brittle snapping.

Ben drew his hook swords again and spun around. “Get behind me!”

Anakin grabbed Rex by the arm and obeyed. The corpses were wrenching themselves away from the walls, their dusty bones creaking and breaking.

Ben ran down the hall at them, swinging his swords. One caught around the neck of a corpse and snapped it off. Another went straight through a body. He kicked, knocking three of them down into a pile of dust. 

Anakin, Rex, and Qui-Gon drew their weapons and charged in to help. The corpses weren’t difficult to stop, but there were many . 

It seemed whenever Anakin took one down, another three took its place. 

“We need to retreat!” Qui-Gon said. Anakin agreed—they weren’t all immortal, after all. 

“I’ll cover our escape!” Ben called. “Head down the right tunnel.”

Anakin pushed Rex that way first, then headed behind him. Qui-Gon stayed on his heels. 

Finally, the sound of fighting stopped and Ben came running behind them. “As long as there’s no living thing in the hall, they go back dormant,” he explained. “We’ll have to find another way out.”

###

Rex didn’t trust Ben. He didn’t like the way he kept eyeing Anakin, and he didn’t like the way he kept secrets.

But he was a soldier, and would only give his opinion when asked. And no one asked him whether going to a Sith planet was a good idea or trusting something called a “Sithspawn” was smart, so he kept it to himself. 

They ended up in a large, domed room covered in tapestries. There were shelves lining the walls, covered in books and pyramid shaped things. 

In the center of the room was a stone table.

Ben strolled to the shelves and touched one of the pyramids. “I can’t believe she kept these,” he whispered.

“What are these?” Rex asked.

“Sith Holocrons,” General Jinn answered. “Though I suspect these don’t have any information pertinent to the Sith in them.” 

Ben, who was still staring at them, shook his head. “No. They’re just..sentimental to Darth Traya. This was her sanctum.”

Jinn nodded. “We should still take them with us. Dooku may discover a way to weaponize them.”

“I doubt it.” Ben picked one up and activated it. The holocron opened and a hologram appeared above it.

It was a little boy.

He was running around with a training saber, laughing.

“Mom!” he shouted, turning to someone off camera. “Did you see me?”

He quickly deactivated the holocron. “It’s only her memories of her son. Nothing important.”

He placed the holocron back on the shelf. 

Rex frowned. “How did you know that?”

“Because I was there,” Ben answered. “I’m not sure what image you have constructed of me, but I promise I wasn’t able to destroy the Sith Triumvirate by being an outsider. I…worked in the palace. Cleaned up their messes. Much like the GAR and Jedi do for the Republic.”

Rex growled, but Anakin laid a hand on his arm. “That’s not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair,” Ben replied. “I’ve learned that the hard way. As I said, there isn’t any weapon here. Only memories.”

He looked back at the holocrons before moving on. 

###

Ben had been right. There was nothing valuable left in the palace. 

Dooku’s intelligence was wrong. And he lost an assassin for it. 

The trip had been a waste. 

Qui-Gon watched Ben interact with Anakin, and realized he was wrong. As they arrived on the Resolute, no casualties but no bounty to show for the trip, other than the death of Asajj Ventress, he watched Anakin put a hand on Ben’s shoulder. Watched Ben smile at Ahsoka greeting Anakin with gusto. 

Once they were alone, he turned to his friend and grinned. “I want you to be in Anakin’s life.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “I thought I was bad for him? Isn’t that what you told me all those years ago?”

Qui-Gon nodded. “Back then, it was true. Now, however…I’m noticing things. Abilities he shouldn’t have. Connections to the force that no human should possess. I think…I think he may be like you.”

Ben frowned. “You think Anakin is a Sithspawn?”

“I believe,” Qui-Gon said, “he takes after you more than you suspect. You are, after all, his birth father.”

Ben’s head whipped around, making sure no one was listening in on their conversation. “You can’t just say that!” he hissed through his teeth. “No one can know the truth—especially not Anakin.”

“And no one will find out,” Qui-Gon replied. “But I believe you should tell him, before more unanswered questions happen upon him.”

Ben didn’t have a response to that. 

Chapter Text

It was months later when Ben was called into the fight again. 

This time, it was by a charming duros who knew exactly which of Ben’s buttons to push for help.

“I jus’ need a distraction,” he said, kissing his husband’s neck. They stood in their apartment, together again for the first time in weeks. 

Ben tilted his head a bit more. “Mmm, and why do you need a distraction at the senate?”

“Askin’ about my business?”

“Bringing me into your business?” Ben glanced over at him knowingly and Cad sighed.

“Fine.” He rested his chin on Ben’s shoulder. “I’m recruitin’ some bounty hunters to hold the senate hostage so we can release Ziro the Hutt.”

Ben pressed a kiss to his husband’s cheek. “Now was that so hard? What’s the plan without my distraction?”

“Depending on Aurra Sing.”

Ben flinched at the thought. He wouldn’t trust her as far as he could throw her. “And what kind of distraction were you thinking?”

Cad dragged his hand down Ben’s chest. “I was thinkin’ getting’ me in without a lot of noise, then makin’ a ruckus at the front door.”

Ben hummed. “Sounds like it would draw Jedi. You know my feelings about dealing with them.”

“But you love me enough to do it anyway?”

Ben sighed. “I guess I do.” 

He turned in his husband’s arms and kissed him deeply. “Wouldn’t suppose you know the inner workin’s of the Senate, would ya?”

“Fraid not, my love,” he replied, pecking a kiss on his husband’s lips. “You’ll have to do that yourself.”

Cad faked a groan and fell back onto the sofa, dragging Ben down with him. Ben laughed and kissed his husband again, this time letting his hands dip into his coat.

###

Turns out, the plan was much more involved than he’d anticipated. 

He led the group of bounty hunters to an underground tunnel system that had been there for the last 3,000 years. No one knew about it except the builders, and it just so happened that Ben had dated one of those. 

The tunnels were an ancient sewer system that led into the current system, and if the path still held true, would lead the group straight into the heart of the Senate.

“No muss, no fuss,” Ben said as he explained the path. He held up a holomap of the tunnels from his private collection. “No attention until you need it. And more importantly, no Jedi.” 

Cad kissed him on the cheek, making the other bounty hunters groan. “You’re a doll,” he said, taking the map, and Ben blushed at the attention.

He actually enjoyed doing the wrong thing sometimes. Maybe it was the thousand year morality argument, or maybe he just got bored, but the idea of helping his husband hold senators hostage? Kind of hot. 

“I’ll provide a distraction at the entrance to keep the guard away,” he continued. “They shouldn’t be too hard to handle. Fett wasn’t.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Cad agreed. 

The other hunters began to head towards the entrance to the tunnels, and Cad hung back for a minute. 

“I love you,” he whispered, low enough the others didn’t hear.

Ben smiled. “I love you too. Don’t die on me.”

“Never,” he replied, tipping his hat and heading towards the tunnels.

A bad feeling settled in Ben’s stomach, like there was something he wasn’t considering that would mess all of this up.

###

“I really love him, Padme,” Anakin groaned, spinning in her chair and throwing his head back. “I would leave the Order and marry him if I could.”

“But you can’t because he’s a clone and the Sentient Rights Act hasn’t passed in the senate,” Padme finished for him, still not looking up from her work. “I’m trying to pass it, but there are a million other bills and bits of legislation I have to focus on besides that, Ani.”

Anakin sighed, stopping the chair. “What if we eloped?”

Padme finally looked up. “Would Rex desert, even for love?”

Anakin groaned again. “No. He’s too damn loyal.”

“There you go.”

“It’s so frustrating to love someone and not be able to be with them.” He stood from Padme’s chair. “Did I tell you about Ben?”

“The man who can’t die that you went to Malachor V with? You mentioned him.”

Anakin looked out the window. “He’s married, Padme. He’s going to live forever, outlive all of us, and he still chose to get married.”

“That’s brave,” Padme agreed. “What does this have to do with you and Rex?”

“If Ben can be with the one he loves, despite it all, why can’t I? I want so much more, and I know I shouldn’t…”

Padme sat her pad down and approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Have you spoken to Qui-Gon about this? You know that he of all people will understand.”

Honestly, he knew he should. But something in his gut told him to hold onto the secret. A whisper in his brain that sounded a lot like the Chancellor. 

He hung his head with a sigh. 

Padme touched his arm. “I need to go to the senate floor. Bail and I have been working on this new bill…”

“I understand,” Anakin said. “Really. I’ll see myself out.” He smiled at her, but it was a little stiff at the edges. 

“How long have we been friends?” she asked.

Anakin thought about it. “Best friends? Since I was your protection detail from Jango Fett. Friends? Since you put your arm around me on my first space flight and made me feel like everything was going to be okay.”

Padme smiled. “Then, as your best friend, my advice is to talk to Rex about how you’re feeling, at least. He loves you.”

The knot that was in his stomach unfurled a bit. 

Padme left after that, and Anakin did feel better. Maybe things would be okay. 

That’s when the power went out.

###

Ben approached the front door of the Senate building. The Coruscant guards stood at the entrance, watching for strange characters. 

He tried to make himself seem less strange—at least for now. He scanned the crowd and noticed a lobbyist heading inside, and he smiled.

Perfect.

He rushed to the man’s side. “Excuse me!” he nearly ran straight into the man, almost bowling him to the ground. “I am so sorry. I thought I knew you.”

He brushed off the man’s robes, and the man just sneered. 

“Apologies again,” he said hurrying away. He walked into the entrance, allowing himself to be searched—he wasn’t carrying any weapons, after all.

He made it through the security check, only for an alarm to go off behind him. The lobbyist was stopped at the entrance, and the guards were pulling thermal detonators out of his pockets.

“I swear—I don’t know where those came from!” the man insisted.

Ben bit back a smile and hurried along, pulling a tiny remote from his pocket. He pushed a button and the detonators armed.

“Boom,” he whispered. They were small explosives, but would be enough of a distraction that no one was coming to save the senators anytime soon.

###

The explosion at the entrance was Cad’s cue. The senators were already gathered, so it took nothing to step from the shadows with a blaster and aim it.

It took even less to shoot a fleeing senator in the back. 

If he were less professional, he’d consider robbing them. But instead, he waved his blaster around.

“Don’t worry your pretty heads,” he announced. “‘s long as the Chancellor delivers, you’ll all be passin’ bills in no time.”

Speaking of which…it was time to call and make his demands.

###

Anakin knew something was up when he heard the explosion, but Bane was ballsy to hold senators captive the way he was. 

He slipped out from his hiding place. He could easily take on the four hunters, but with Padme and the others, there was a danger of them being used as hostages. 

What would Qui-Gon do?

He thought about it and sighed. 

He would call for help. And that’s what Anakin should do. 

He crept down one of the halls towards the communications room. Once there, he could send an SOS to the Jedi temple. 

“Anakin?”

He spun. Ben was standing in the hall, a trooper blaster in his hand.

Anakin frowned, staring at the blasted. Ben followed his gaze. 

“A clone dropped it during the explosion,” he explained. “What are you doing here?”

Wait—this was perfect! Ben was Qui-Gon’s friend. He’d help him take down the bounty hunters. 

“I was visiting a friend, and she and some other senators were taken hostage,” he said. 

“I…see.” 

“You can help me save them!”

Ben’s mouth pulled into a thin line. “Anakin…why do you think I’m here?”

That…was a great question. There were no Sith that he knew about, or Sith artifacts. “I…I don’t know.”

Ben sighed and raised his blaster. “Think about what you said to me when we first met.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. “You’re with them?” he was about to shout, when a stun bolt struck him, and he fell unconscious to the floor.

Chapter Text

Anakin woke in Padme’s arms.

“…find it kinda sexy you took down Skywalker on your own,” Bane was saying. He turned his head to see the bounty hunter with his arm around Ben’s waist. “He’s a real pain in the ass.”2

He had a husband. Husband.

“You’re married to Cad Bane?” he groaned, sitting up. “That’s so messed up.”

“Watch it, Skywalker,” the duros hissed, pointing his blaster at Anakin.

Ben pushed it down. “He’s no danger. He’s not armed and still recovering from being stunned.”

That’s when he noticed his lightsaber clipped to Ben’s belt. He cursed himself for being so stupid.

“I thought you were one of the good guys,” he said. “I mean, you kill Sith!”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Yes, I kill Sith and occasionally assist Qui-Gon. I’m also married to a bounty hunter and occasionally help him when asked. I’m allowed to be complicated.”

His eyes darted around, but he didn’t see a way out. Not without his lightsaber, or some help. 

“We were gonna blow you all to kingdom come,” Bane announced. “But fortunately for you, my lovely companion talked me outta it. Said it’d be too messy.”

Ben rolled his eyes, but still smiled at the duros. 

“So,” Bane continued, “here’s the deal—when they deliver Ziro to us, you stay here ‘n count to 600. By then, we’ll be safe and gone, and you’ll have your skins.” 

“I still say we should kill them,” Sing said. 

Ben glared in her direction. “Good thing no one asked you then.” 

She sneered at Ben, but didn’t reply. 

“The chancellor has probably already signaled the Jedi something is wrong,” Ben said. “I’ll stay and cover the senators—that’ll be the priority—while you escape with Ziro.”

Bane didn’t seem to like the idea. “Can you take that many Jedi?”

Ben shrugged. “I think I know who they’ll send, and if they do, I’ll be fine. If not—well, Jedi aren’t that different from Sith.”

Anakin remembered what Ben did to Ventress and couldn’t help but picture one of the other Jedi—Aayla, Mace, even Qui-Gon—getting the same treatment.

Bane’s comm beeped. “Time to go,” he said. He gave Ben one more kiss before heading for the door, Aurra Sing and the others following.

Ben stayed, as he said, blaster still in hand. “I’m not going to kill the Jedi,” he assured Anakin. “Just so you know. The real question, Anakin, is this—how are you doing?”

The question threw Anakin off. “What?”

“Do you think Qui-Gon introduced us by chance?” he asked. “He asked me to check up on you. So, how are you? How are your force abilities progressing?”

“Is he joking?” Anakin heard one of the senators whisper. 

Anakin frowned. “They’re…fine? I mean, there was Mortis.”

It was Ben’s turn to frown. “Mortis?”

“Weird force place with weird force people,” he explained vaguely. “Anyway, that was weird and they were very focused on me, but other than that…”

Very focused. Especially the Son. 

“You are touched by the dark side,” he’d whispered. “You are born for the dark. You just don’t know it yet.”

Ben nodded. “I see. Okay.”

He lowered his weapon. “You can leave now, since I seem to be the only one who actually counted to 600. I would leave before Sing gets her way and actually blows the building.”

The senators took his advice and ran for the door, leaving only Anakin, Padme, and Bail Organa.

Ben took the lightsaber and handed it back to Anakin. “I suggest you take your saber and leave with the senators. We’ll be in touch.”

Anakin took the saber and, without warning, ignited it. Sighing, Ben pulled out a metal sphere and threw it to the floor. Smoke began to pour from its sides, filling the room. 

Anakin covered his mouth and held out a hand to clear the smoke, but by the time he could see in front of him, Ben was gone.

###

Ben ended up in his old apartment in the lower levels, the one he’d owned since the neighborhood was built.

He slipped inside and sighed, remembering his loneliness in the apartment. He never lived here full time—it would’ve sparked too many questions—but it’s where he kept his most prized artifacts.

All of the Sith holocrons and artifacts he could find on Malachor V were stashed in this apartment, as well as his memories of his son.

Of Anakin.

His name wasn’t Skywalker when he lived with Ben—that was something Qui-Gon had made up. No, he was just Anakin, and Ben was just Ben. 

Anakin’s toy droid sat on a shelf by the door, next to a holo of the two of them, when Anakin was about two. It was the only holo of Ben.

He dragged his fingers along the lines of Anakin’s face sadly before turning back to his holocrons. 

“Never love anyone more than yourself,” Darth Traya used to tell him. “The more you love, the less power you hold for yourself.”

He always thought that was a sad way to live, and still did. But sometimes he wondered how different things would be if he had listened.

“A Sithspawn’s reason for being is to bond with a Sith, and together, you become more powerful than you can possibly imagine,” she said. “That is your purpose.”

He sneered at the thought. Many tried over the years, but he refused to let them in. Even Traya. 

Ben picked up one of the holocrons. It was cool to touch, but pulsed in his hands. It was one that was never to be opened. He sat it on the table by his chair and took a seat next to it. Then, he sat there, basking in the silence of solitude. 

###

“I can’t believe he’s married to Bane!” Anakin repeated for the fifth time. 

Qui-Gon and Ahsoka just watched as he paced back and forth through the healing halls, waiting for Master Che to come in and do his check up. 

He turned to Qui-Gon. “Did you know?” 

“No,” Qui-Gon answered honestly. “But it doesn’t shock me. Bane is hardly the shadiest character I’ve known Ben to cavort with. He used to be friends with Jango Fett.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. “What?!”

Qui-Gon nodded. “How do you think I tracked the man down, Ani? You’re taking this a bit personally.”

Anakin gaped at his master. “Wha—I am not! Ahsoka, am I taking this personally?”

The togruta nodded. “A bit. I mean, we knew he was a criminal. You even called him a thief when we met. Why are you taking this so badly? It’s not like we really know him.”

Qui-Gon knew the answer. Anakin felt a connection to Ben. One he couldn’t explain that made the situation feel like a betrayal. Qui-Gon knew that, had any other Jedi been there, the situation would’ve turned out very differently for them.

Ben had no love for Jedi. He didn’t know why, but it felt personal, and he had no problem killing them when they became a problem for him.

Qui-Gon considered himself lucky that Ben never thought of him that way. 

“I think, Padawan,” he spoke up, “that you need some rest. Perhaps some meditation.”

“What I need ,” Anakin practically shouted, “is to arrest Ben for holding the Senate hostage and then find out where Cad Bane went with Ziro the Hutt!”

“Master Vos and Aayla are already searching for Bane,” Ahsoka said. “And honestly, master, do you think you’ll be able to arrest an immortal Sithspawn? You told me what he did to Ventress—what’s to stop him from doing that to you?”

Qui-Gon resisted the urge to argue against the idea. It was better if Anakin had some kind of healthy fear of Ben. “Your padawan is correct,” he said instead. “I suggest you let it go. Ben is who he is. You just accept that, just as I have.”

 Anakin looked like he wanted to say more, but Master Che chose that moment to enter and herd him away to be checked out. 

Qui-Gon sighed. This was getting messy. He wondered if it was a good idea to introduce them, but pushed away the concern.

It was the right thing. Especially with what happened on Mortis.

“Your apprentice is more than he appears,” the Father told him. “His powers will only grow, until he has surpassed even his father.”

He remembered his vision from the cave. It was Ben from all those years ago, smiling sadly. “Is he safe? Are you protecting him, Qui-Gon, or are you protecting yourself?” 

He worried about Anakin’s growing abilities. How was he to know what abilities come from being the child of a Sithspawn and what comes from being the Chosen one? 

Qui-Gon hung his head. He needed to meditate on it. Perhaps the Force would hold the answers.

Chapter Text

Darth Traya wasn’t always an evil Sith Lord. There was a time when she was a great Jedi Master, one who trained the best Jedi to ever live.

Before he fell to the Sith Empire.

Then, she was betrayed by her order, banished, and would become the Betrayer.

But before all of that, she was a Jedi sent on a secret mission to rid the Sith of a secret power.

She hadn’t known what that power was at the time, and none of the other ash faced Jedi would tell her. It wasn’t until she stepped onto the surface of Stewjon that she knew what atrocity they were being asked to commit. 

The bombs rained from the sky. 

Lightsabers slashed.

She ran and hid, knowing she didn’t want to take part in what was happening, even if she did nothing to stop it.

A cry echoed from a hut behind her. 

She approached slowly, stepping over the bodies in her path. When she opened the door, there was a baby in a crib. A shock of red hair sat on its head, and blue eyes stared up at her.

The second their eyes met, he stole her heart.

“Obi-Wan,” she whispered. “One with my heart.”

She scooped the baby up and put him to sleep with the Force before tucking him away in her robes. 

It was her first true betrayal.

###

Anakin stared at the ceiling of his and Rex’s room on the Resolute. 

Rex was okay. That was the important thing after their last Umbara. 

His captain was curled up in bed beside him, sleeping away the days of battle and betrayal. Anakin didn’t have that luxury. No, instead he was thinking about what happened to Krell.

He’d sensed something wrong his third day away from the 501st and rushed back, only to find Krell battling Rex and some of the other troopers.

“Rex!” he yelled, drawing his saber and leaping into the fight. He didn’t have to know the reason Rex was fighting a Jedi. He trusted that his captain knew what he was doing.

The fight carried them outside, and Rex followed into Umbara’s dark landscape. 

Finally, Anakin got the upper hand and slashed down, cutting both of Krell’s sabers in half. 

Krell panted. “A Jedi wouldn’t kill an unarmed man, no matter who he serves.”

Anakin shook his head. “You’re no man. You’re scum.” 

He stabbed Krell through the heart. 

Something in his gut told him to grab him by the throat as he fell, and suddenly, Anakin felt a rush of Force energy.

Krell’s force energy. 

He dropped the man the second it hit him what had happened. 

Was he a Sithspawn, like Ben? Was that why Qui-Gon was so concerned with them meeting? Did he think that Ben could help him?

Did he want Ben’s help after what happened at the Senate? 

How did Qui-Gon even KNOW? 

There were too many questions, and the only one who knew about any of it was Rex.

Rex, who held him until he fell asleep.

Rex, the person who he could always depend on.

He rolled over to look at his lover and gently ran a finger down his cheek. Rex made a face, but showed no sign of waking up.

Anakin pressed a kiss to his forehead before forcing his eyes to close and join Rex in sleep.

###

Ben didn’t hear from Cad for a few weeks, which was normal after a job. Both were laying low, waiting for the Republic to stop caring that some bounty hunters got the best of them.

When he finally stepped back into the upper levels , there were new topics of conversation: the Duchess Satine’s trip from Mandalore, the assassination of a Separatist senator, and a battle on an underwater planet.

He wondered how much Anakin had been involved in.

A message on his emergency comm told him he was about to find out.

“Ben,” Qui-Gon said. “I believe we may be in hot water. The zygerrians stole a colony and enslaved its people. Anakin, Ahsoka, and I, along with Captain Rex, plan to infiltrate the planet, but we need an introduction with the Queen. I know how you feel about slavers, but I need you.”

Ben sighed. How did this man survive as much of this war as he had without him? 

Unfortunately, he had a history with the Queen, and it wasn’t a pleasant one. He made it to the coordinates Qui-Gon sent as quickly as he could.

When he stepped out of his ship, Anakin was waiting with arms crossed over his chest. “No Bane today?”

Ben rolled his eyes. “I haven’t heard from my husband in weeks, not that it’s anyone’s business. We aren’t connected at the hip, and typically don’t get involved in one another’s affairs.”

Anakin opened his mouth like he was going to say something else, but Qui-Gon and Ahsoka entered the hangar about that time. 

“Ben!” Qui-Gon greeted. He patted his friend on the shoulder and smiled. “Glad you could make it.”

“If it was anyone else asking…” Ben let the sentence hang. Ben made it no secret that he hated slavers with a passion. 

They led him to the bridge of the ship, where the admiral and Captain Rex were waiting. Ben noticed the way Anakin smiled and relaxed when he saw the captain.

“What’s the plan?” Ben asked, crossing his arms. 

Qui-Gon outlined their idea—he and Rex go undercover to find the colonists, while Ahsoka and Anakin go in to meet the Queen in disguise, as slave and master.

Ben shook his head. “No. I’m not allowing you to use a young girl as a slave, no matter how capable she is.”

“I can handle myself!” Ahsoka argued, but Ben waved her off.

“It isn’t about ‘handling’. It’s about how slaves are treated and the advantages that can be taken. No, someone else should play the part of the slave.”

“You?” Anakin suggested with a raised eyebrow, but Ben shook his head.

“No, Miraj knows no slaver can chain me. Many have tried, and none have survived.”

He noted the tenseness in Anakin’s shoulders and remembered what he told him about his memories of slavery.

He resisted the urge to reach out a hand to his son.

“No,” he continued, “I believe it should be Rex. Qui-Gon is too old to pass as a worthwhile slave. No offense.”

The Jedi shook his head. “None taken.”

“…and there are enough clones in the galaxy, no one would question one ending up in the hands of a slaver.”

“No.”

Ben had expected it, but still sighed. “Anakin…”

“I said no,” he repeated. “Rex isn’t going in as a slave.”

“You were willing to send your padawan,” Ben argued.

“Yes,” he agreed, “because I can protect her. If they take Rex away, I can’t protect him!”

Ben shook his head. Anakin’s reasoning made no sense, but he was obviously a man in love, too focused on coveting his love to see reason.

“What do you suggest then?”

###

“This is a terrible idea,” Ben said for the tenth time. He was leading Anakin and Ahsoka through the palace with all the presence of someone who had power and wasn’t afraid to use it. 

It was a presence Anakin often tried to portray, but seemed to fail at. 

Ahsoka pulled on the chain that was connected to Anakin’s wrists. “Sorry, Master,” she whispered.

The guards led them into a grand hall, where a gorgeous zygerrian woman was sitting on a throne. 

The Queen. 

She was draped in jewels and regality seemed to roll off of her. In fact, had Ben not been in the room, he would say she emanated more power than anyone he’d ever met. 

But Ben looked at her like she was a bug on a wooden chair. In fact, the way he stood gave off more power and kingship than she ever could, and that was while dressed in his ratty coat. 

“Miraj,” he said, like it was beneath him to even address her. 

“Ben,” she cooed. “I thought you said I’d never see you again, that my beliefs disgusted you.” 

She was smiling as she spoke.

“And I intended to honor that,” he replied, “but unfortunately a friend of mine asked me to make an introduction.”

She hummed, her eyes darting between Ahsoka and Anakin. “And where is this…friend?”

“He couldn’t be here personally,” Ben lied. “So he sent his apprentice. This is…Kreia.”

The name rolled off his tongue as though he said it all the time. It also wasn’t the name they’d discussed.

Too late now. 

Ahsoka smiled stiffly and stepped forward. “Greetings, my queen.” 

She bowed low, the dress they put on her weighing her down slightly. Anakin resisted the urge to laugh at her exaggerated bow.

“My master has sent me with this slave as a gift to you, my queen.” She pulled on the chain, dragging Anakin forward.

Anakin lowered his eyes from the queen, pretending to be beaten.

“A gorgeous specimen,” she said. “Really, Ben. I thought you were against slavery. Yet here you are, friends with a slaver.”

“I use the word friend lightly,” he snapped back. “As you know, I don’t have ‘friends’. I have people who owe me favors and people I owe favors to.”

She leaned forward. “And I wonder which this is. You must have dinner with Mr, Ben, along with your…friend and the slave. See how well-behaved he is before I accept him. It’s so much work to break in a new one, after all.”

Ben clenched his fists, but nodded.

Chapter Text

Anakin was forced to kneel at Ben’s feet for the dinner instead of Ahsoka’s. Miraj smirked at the power play between him and her, but Ben said nothing.

In fact, he didn’t even look at Anakin the entire time they ate. 

“Really, Ben,” she said, allowing a slave to daintily wipe her mouth, “I don’t understand why you look so down on me. I don’t see you treating the Hutts like this.”

“You don’t know my relationship with the Hutts,” he shot back.

She raised an eyebrow. “I know that husband of yours does work for them. You don’t seem to be bothered too much by it, but the second I acquire a few measly slaves, you show up at my door.”

Ahsoka widened her eyes, but Miraj held up a hand. “Of course I know Ben is here because of that. I’m not a foolish queen who believes that people show up to merely bask in my presence. He’s here for the colonists of Kiros. He believes he can intimidate me into releasing them. As though he is not sitting in the heart of my empire only by my whim.”

“A colony is not a few slaves,” he snarled. “And this is no empire. I’ve seen empires that spanned entire galaxies and were built on the backs of thousands. And I brought one down by myself. The question is do you think you can intimidate me into backing down?”

For just a split second, her ears dipped in fear, though her face betrayed nothing.

“You don’t scare me, Ben. You haven’t brought down the Hutts, and you won’t bring me down.”

“I’ve never tried to bring down the Hutts,” he replied. “The Hutts actually serve a purpose in the galaxy. You, on the other hand…”

A spike of anger shot through Anakin at the words, but he bit his tongue. He couldn’t reveal too much.

Miraj smiled. “See that Ben and…Kreia have lodgings for the night. The slave will stay in Ben’s room.”

Her smile turned sharp, but Ben’s expression remained unchanged.

###

Ahsoka was put in the room next door to theirs. The room was lavish—almost to a tacky degree—and it was obvious Miraj was trying to impress Ben.

“What went down between you and this queen?” Anakin asked the second the door closed behind them.

Ben didn’t answer. Instead he removed his coat and sat in a chair that was situated in front of a fireplace.

“Fine,” Anakin said,”wanna explain what she said about the Hutts? That you put up with what they do?”

“I don’t ’put up’ with the Hutts,” Ben said. “All I said is that they’re a necessary evil. Without them, a power vacuum would open in the Outer Rim, and something worse might settle in.”

“What’s worse than the Hutts?”

Ben groaned. “So much. And for your information, I hate the Hutts more than you could possibly imagine. If I could wipe them out tomorrow without the Outer Rim falling to hell, I would.”

Anakin scoffed. “The people in the Outer Rim would celebrate. Apparently, the Hutts haven’t done enough if you think—”

“They took my son from me.”

Anakin stopped talking. He stared at Ben in shock. “You…you have a son?”

“Had,” he corrected. “I lost him long ago because of the Hutts. He was powerful in the Force, and they found out. They sent bounty hunters after us. He’s lost to me.”

A hundred emotions pass through Anakin. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.”

Ben crossed his arms over his chest, like it would protect him from Anakin’s hurt expression. “I fell apart afterward. Was mixed up with drugs—they can’t kill me, after all. Not permanently. Nothing had meaning. Then, I met Cad. We became friends, and he helped me get clean. It’s been ten years now, and I’m sober. We got married not long after. I owe him everything.”

Anakin softened. “I didn’t realize…”

“It’s one of the reasons I love Cad so much,” Ben said. “He’s been there for me through everything. He doesn’t care what I’ve done. He loves me, and he takes care of me.”

Anakin thought about Rex, about what he would do for Anakin. He was willing to leave the GAR, but Anakin wasn’t willing to leave the Jedi order—not yet, not with a war. 

“Don’t compare your relationship with your captain to mine, Anakin.”

How did Ben know—? 

“The expression on your face,” he explained. “You have the same one when you look at him. You love him, but you’re young. You still have a lot to experience and learn—both of you. Don’t feel as though your relationship should be anything like mine.”

“I don’t know what…”

“Of course you don’t,” Ben sighed. “You’re a Jedi. Jedi can’t have attachments, even if they make you happy. I never wanted—”

He shut his mouth quickly and looked away. 

His son. He didn’t want his son to be a Jedi.

Anakin hung his head. He’d overstepped. “I really am sorry about your son. I hope you find him again someday.”

“As do I,” Ben whispered, turning back to the Jedi. “And for your information, Miraj tried to ally with me once. I told her exactly how I feel about slave empires. That’s all.”

“Ally with you?”

Ben shrugged. “I attract those with dark hearts, apparently.”

“And Qui-Gon.”

A small smile pulled at Ben’s lips. “Yes, and Qui-Gon.”

That was the end of their conversation for the night.

###

They were awoken the next morning—Anakin on the bed and Ben still in the chair, to the doors slamming open.

Guards entered, dragging Ahsoka behind them.

“The queen demands your presence.”

They were all three dragged to the throne room, where Rex was kneeling at the foot of the throne. 

Ben tried not to look relieved that Qui-Gon wasn’t with him.

Anakin didn’t seem to even notice. 

“Rex!” He ran at his captain, but the guards stopped him.

“I found this one,” the queen said, “poking his nose where it didn’t belong. I was going to suggest you had something to do with it, but I suppose your friend confirmed my suspicions.”

Anakin growled, but Ben put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back to his side. “I don’t know what you’re hoping to accomplish with this display, Miraj. As I said before, I am merely here for an introduction. What happens beyond that has nothing to do with me.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I did this?” She snapped her fingers, and one of the guards next to Rex drew his sword and pressed it to Rex’s throat. 

Ben tightened his grip on Anakin and forced himself to remain stoic. 

Miraj laughed. “Ben, you are cold.” She waved her hand and the guard put the sword away. “Take the clone to Kedavo. If he wants to see the slaves so badly, let him. We’ll auction off the girl and the man. As for Ben…” She smirked. “Well, I’ve always wanted to see you in chains at my feet.”

“I’m warning you right now, Miraj,” Ben said, allowing power to flow through his body. “Let the colonists go. End this dream of a slave empire. And you’ll walk away with your life.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “I don’t fear you anymore. You have no power here. This is MY kingdom. And you will—”

Ben had enough. Without so much as a twitch, he channeled the force energy he had stored. A bit from Ventress, a bit from some other nameless assassin he’d killed. To the others, it would seem like he was moving at force speed, but really, time slowed around him.

First, he took out the guards around him, Anakin, and Ahsoka. 

Child’s play.

Then, he moved on to the guard by Rex. He noticed a flashing comm hidden in the belt of the guard holding him and found familiar eyes under the helmet.

Qui-Gon. 

There was a small smirk on the Jedi master’s lips. Qui-Gon had found a way to signal the GAR where the colonists were, and made them aware of the danger.

Clever Jedi.

Ben moved onto Miraj. He grabbed her and forced her off the throne and onto the floor. Then, he removed the shackles on Rex’s wrists and placed them on hers. 

No muss, no fuss. 

He sat on the throne and time resumed.

Everyone in the room took a deep breath, the air returning to their lungs after being frozen for so long. 

“And that,” Ben said, crossing his legs, “is why you should always fear me, Miraj.”

She turned to him, and there was true fear and worry in her eyes. 

“You’re lucky I’m allowing you to go to the Republic,” Ben said. “After this stunt, I wouldn’t lose sleep killing you and all of your leaders and putting your heads on spikes as a warning.”

“I’m not opposed,” Anakin said.

“Padawan,” Qui-Gon chimed, removing his helmet. He checked his comm. “Master Plo is on his way to free the colonists.”

“Good,” Ben said. He was ready to leave slavers behind for a while. 

###

Anakin looked at Ben in awe. He’d seen force speed, but never the way Ben had used it. 

Once the colonists were saved and the Separatist leadership was either dead or captured, Anakin approached Ben. 

“How did you do that?”

Ben turned away from the conversation he was having with Qui-Gon and gave Anakin a secretive smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I wasn’t even here.”

He gave Anakin a nod and strolled away, probably to steal a ship so he could leave undetected.

Anakin frowned. He wanted answers, not cryptic responses. He spotted Rex being looked after by Kix and walked over to him. “Everything ship shape?”

Kix nodded. “He’s a bit banged up, but I think he’ll be fine. Our captain’s been through much worse and come out on the other side with nothing but a bad attitude.”

Rex pushed Kix playfully, and the medic grinned. “He’s all yours, general,” Kix said, packing his supplies and moving away. 

When they were alone, Anakin reached out and took Rex by the hand. “I was scared for you.”

“I’m scared for you,” Rex replied. “Get any answers from the Sith Hunter?”

Anakin shook his head. “Cryptic as always. I’m starting to wonder if I need to get answers somewhere else.”

Rex frowned. “Where?”

“I don’t know.” Anakin had already checked the Jedi archives, but all mention of Sithspawn was locked away. “I know there has to be someone who knows more, though.”

###

Ben ended up stopping by his old apartment on Coruscant again.  Seeing Anakin again had made him nostalgic. 

He needed to see her. 

He slowly approached the one holocron he would never open. The one that held an evil more powerful than any other.

He touched the cold surface. “Hello, mother.” 

Chapter Text

“Obi-Wan.”

He sat his book down and turned to the door. “Mother. Is there something you need?”

“I was told you were slacking in your training with Sion.”

The pains that littered his body said otherwise. He pulled at his sleeves to cover his new wounds and scarred over slashes. “I’m doing my best. I promise.”

She floated over to him, then ran her fingers through his long, red hair. “Oh, tooka, your best is not enough. You are still coursing with light.”

She didn’t know that Sion tried to bond him. That Nihilus had tried. That he was coursing with light because it was the only thing still holding him together.

If he turned to the dark, he feared what he would become.

“Yes, mother.”

###

When he walked into the door of his and Cad’s apartment, Ben was instantly pinned against the wall by a familiar blue duros. 

Cad kissed him deeply, dragging his hand down Ben’s sides and dipping into his coat. 

Ben pulled back with a grin. “To what do I owe this surprise greeting?”

“Can’ I jus love my husband?” Cad asked, burying his face in Ben’s throat.

Ben groaned. “You can, but you always have ulterior motives.”

He sucked a mark onto Ben’s skin. “I’ll tell ya later. Jus let me enjoy this now.”

He pushed Ben’s coat off and started working on removing his shirt. Ben’s hands fell to Cad’s belt and started to unfasten it.

They ended up in their bed, Ben on his back while Cad fucked into him like it was their last time. Ben kissed his husband deeply, grabbing at his shoulders and head as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge.

Finally, they both came, falling onto the bed in a flurry of pants and giggles. 

“So,” Ben said, still gasping for breath, “what was this all about?” 

Cad rolled over so he was straddling Ben’s waist. “I need another favor.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Okay…what?”

###

The anonymous tip went straight to Qui-Gon. It was suspicious, but not unheard of, that a concerned citizen or rival hunter would contact the Jedi directly to turn someone in, but it was the first time the information had been for Cad Bane.

Anakin volunteered to lead the arrest. He was still bitter over the senate incident. 

The suspicious thing? 

Bane was caught without his hat. He was just sitting in a midlevel bar, drinking when they caught him. Anakin almost didn’t recognize him.

He snarled and kicked up a fuss, but let himself be taken away. He hadn’t even been armed. 

If it wasn’t such a win, Anakin would have questioned every second of it. 

###

Anakin had been thinking a lot about his mother recently. About the story she told, that he was born without a father.

He thought about the last time he’d seen her, when Qui-Gon took him away from Tatooine. He could barely remember her face, just that she’d been kind and loving. 

He remembered her bedtime story, the one he sometimes told to Ahsoka when they were in the middle of a particularly rough mission.

Once, there was a prince of light who lived in a land of darkness. His mother, the Empress of the Dark, loved him dearly, but let the shadows consume her until her heart was stone. She raised him to be calculating and cutthroat, but the prince’s warmth and kindness wouldn’t be snuffed out. 

No matter what horrors she, Hunger, or Pain inflicted on him, he refused to dim his light. 

Then, something happened. 

He overthrew the empire. He tricked the apprentices into betraying his mother and exiling her, then using all the tricks they’d taught him, he made sure that Hunger and Pain would never hurt another soul again.

With the three of them dead, the galaxy was free.

Rex and the others would listen sometimes, wrapped in the story of a great evil destroyed by love and light. 

Qui-Gon only heard him tell it once, and warned him to never tell another soul the story. He didn’t know why, and had made Ahsoka promise the same. 

After his next mission, he swore to himself that he’d take some time off and go to Tatooine. He wanted to see his mother again, to ask her about his new abilities. To ask about Ben.

Was it possible…?

No. He shook the thought away before it even fully formed. His mother would have a logical answer for the changes, and if she didn’t, he’d find Ben and ask.

His comm rang, and he remembered that the council had asked to meet with him. He ran through the temple towards the council chambers, curious over the secrecy surrounding the mission.

###

“Ben!” 

Ben looked up from his meal to see Anakin strolling into Dex’s, Qui-Gon right behind him.

Ben gave a little nod. “Hello, Anakin, Qui-Gon. To what do I owe this unexpected meeting?”

Anakin slid into the booth happily, and Qui-Gon sat beside him.

“Just checking up on you,” Anakin said. “Y’know, after we arrested Bane…I was kind of worried about you.”

Ben resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He never should have told Anakin about his relationship with Cad. “I appreciate your concern, but I assure you I’m fine. It’s not the first time Cad’s been arrested and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

“Don’t mind us hoping it is the last,” Qui-Gon chimed in, and Ben bit back a laugh.

If only they knew.

He motioned for Flo, who brought Anakin and Qui-Gon their usual orders. The three of them ate and talked, Ben sharing some of his adventures, Anakin and Qui-Gon sharing some of theirs. 

For a moment, Ben felt like a father, hearing about his son’s life. Like he was really a part of it. 

It was late when they left the diner, wishing Dex a good night. Qui-Gon walked a bit ahead, giving Ben an encouraging smile.

Ben really looked at Anakin. He’d grown into a wonderful young man. One that any father would be proud of. “I hope you know what an extraordinary young man you are,” he finally said. 

Anakin looked confused, but smiled back. “Thank you. Qui-Gon did his best to raise me, as did my mother.”

Something settled in Ben’s stomach. “Yes…your mother.” He stopped walking, and Anakin did the same. “There’s something I need to tell you, Anakin. And you might not forgive me for it, but I believe it’s time you knew.”

Anakin frowned, hanging on Ben’s words, until his eyes caught something over Ben’s shoulder. 

“Ben, get down!” He pushed Ben to the ground as a blaster bolt rang out. 

“I’ve got the sniper!” He heard Qui-Gon yell, but he was more concerned with the man lying on top of him.

“I’m fine, Anakin,” he said, pushing back against the weight against his back. “I can’t die anyway, remem—”

He stopped cold. Anakin rolled off of him limply and plopped to the ground. There was a bloody hole in the front of his chest. 

“Anakin?” He shook his son’s lifeless body. “Anakin, please. I’m not ready yet, please!” He shook him again, but Anakin made no move. 

When Qui-Gon returned empty-handed, it was to Ben crying over his son’s body.

Anakin Skywalker was dead.

Chapter Text

The celebration was for 25 Galactic Standard years of the Sith Triumvirate. 

Obi-Wan didn’t want to go, he never did, but this time his mother forced him. There was to be an execution of a force mage. 

The mage was no older than eighteen. Apparently, her whole family had been killed in front of her before she was brought in.

Obi-Wan’s stomach twisted.

He sat on his throne, listening to the speech his mother gave to those in attendance, dreading the moment it was over and her attention would go to him.

“Tooka,” she said, “it’s time.”

Shaking, he rose from his seat and approached the chained young woman. He felt just as scared as she looked. 

When she met his eyes, it was like something passed between them. She reached out and snatched Obi-Wan’s wrist. 

“You are the worst of them all,” she said. “You who hold your goodness and light and do nothing but hide. I curse you—You will live on and see death and creation and death again. All you know will fall, and still you will live on. Until you end the evil of the Sith, you will die and die again, but never know rest.”

Obi-Wan snatched his arm away, but the damage was done.

He ran the girl through with his lightsaber and drained her, as was expected of him, but he swore to himself it was the last time he did so for the Sith. 

Next time he used his powers, it would be against the Triumvirate.

###

 He always knew he was going to outlive Anakin. He didn’t think it would be so soon.

Ben wasn't even invited to the funeral, despite Qui-Gon’s efforts to have him snuck inside.

The council would be there, and it was too risky to be that close to them. So he sat in his nearly empty apartment and cried, Todo being the only source of comfort he had. 

“I’m sorry you are sad, Ben,” he said. “I will make your favorite tea. Bane will be back soon, and he will know what to say.”

He wouldn’t, but the robot’s kindness meant a lot to Ben. “Thank you, Todo. I don’t know what Cad and I would do without you.”

“Try telling him that.”

Ben laughed through tears. 

###

Qui-Gon couldn’t believe he’d lost another padawan, and something as common as senseless street violence.

He arrested the culprit: a bounty hunter by the name of Rako Hardeen. He was hired by some unknown benefactor to kill the Hero Without Fear. 

For a moment, Qui-Gon considered handing him to Ben instead of sending him to prison.

Qui-Gon felt for Ben worst of all. To watch his son die such a meaningless death…

But no. Hardeen belonged in prison for what he did. Qui-Gon was no vigilante, and Ben didn’t deserve to look at his son’s killer even once.

The council called him into their chambers the next day, an air of secrecy surrounding the summons.

When he stepped inside, Ahsoka was also there.

“Come in, Qui-Gon,” Mace beckoned. “There’s something important we have to tell you—both of you.”

###

Anakin hated prison. He knew he wasn’t going to like it, but actually being there? Zero out of ten.

He hadn’t wanted to fake his death and go undercover as Rako Hardeen at all. His only condition to the council had been that Ahsoka and Qui-Gon knew the truth. He wanted to add Rex to the list, but that would’ve been showing his hand too much. He’d grovel to Rex once the mission was over. 

And boy, was that taking more patience than any mission he’d ever been on.

First, he had to shmooze Moralo Eval, the scum who wanted to kidnap the chancellor. Then, Cad Bane of all people was there and almost like he knew it was Anakin under all of the nanites that rearranged his face, he immediately hated him and got him kicked out of the plan to escape.

Finally, Boba Fett jumped him, and that was the last straw for Anakin.

He grabbed the fifteen year old by the back of the neck and threw him into his large friend. 

Maybe he used the force a bit, but the kid deserved it.

He caught up with Bane and Eval escaping and joined in on their trek through the air vents.

When they finally came out to fresh air, he was more shocked than he should’ve been to see Ben standing next to a speeder, Bane’s hat and coat in his hands.

“Hey, kitten,” Bane greeted, sauntering up to the Sith Hunter and pulling him into a deep kiss. 

Anakin resisted the urge to barf. Barely. 

When they pulled back, Ben plopped the hat on Bane’s head. “Hey, yourself.”

“As…romantic as this all is,” Eval said, “we need to get going.”

“I second that,” Anakin agreed.

Ben turned his eyes to him, and they narrowed. For a moment, he wondered if Ben recognized him somehow. But then, he noticed the clenched fists.

“Rako Hardeen,” he said. “You got Skywalker’s blood on my favorite coat.”

Anakin shrugged. “What—you want me to pay your dry cleaning?”

Ben didn’t reply. Instead, he whispered something in Bane’s ear. Bane frowned.

“You sure?” he said. “You’re smart enough to know who I’m workin’ for.”

Ben shrugged. “It’ll be worth it this time.”

Bane looked him over for a second. “Fine. Get in.”

Ben kissed him on the cheek and climbed into the speeder. Eval and Anakin just stared at Bane. Anakin always assumed that…well, he didn’t know what he assumed about their relationship, but it wasn’t this.

Bane climbed in behind him, leaving Anakin to get in the back seat with Eval.

They only drove far enough to hope on a ship that Ben had stashed for them and take it off planet. 

None of the other men spoke to him the entire time. 

###

Ben relaxed in the cockpit next to Cad. Cad laid a hand on his knee.

“You sure you wanna go wit us?” he asked. “You know I’m working for Dooku.”

Ben smiled. Of course he was. His son’s killer was with him, and he was going to wait for the right moment to slit his throat. 

“Of course,” he replied. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Chapter Text

Cad Bane threw open the door to the small hut. He drew his blaster.

“Chase is over,” he growled. “Been fun, but now I got a bounty to deliver.”

He looked around. The house was trashed already. 

Bane crept for the hallway, pausing at each door with his raised weapon. Inside the rooms was the same state. Finally, he came to the last one. The door was already open.

The man he’d been tracking for months, the one who smirked and challenged him and got away every time, was sitting curled up on the floor. This room was the only one untouched—a child’s bedroom.

He lowered the gun. “Where’s the kid.”

The man didn’t have to answer. He already knew. 

“Gone. Just gone.”

The man rose to his feet and, on shaky legs, walked over to Bane. In the light, he could see tear tracks on his cheeks.

He grabbed the blaster still in Bane’s hand and pressed it to his forehead. “Please do it.”

Bane looked at him…really looked. The man was beautiful, for a humanoid. Like one of the angels freighters went on about. 

He lowered the blaster again. “I ain’t in the business of blastin’ people while they’re down. Unless I’m gettin’ paid for it.”

The man laughed, his voice raw but the sound somewhat joyful.

Bane grabbed his chin between two fingers. “There’s my sly kitten I’ve been chasing around the galaxy.”

A smile stretched across the man’s lips. “I’m not yours.”

“You are,” Bane argued. “And I’m yours.”

The man shook his head. “You don’t even know me. You don’t even know my name.”

“Then tell me everything,” Bane said. “And let me get rid of those tears.”

###

Qui-Gon couldn’t contact Ben. That worried him. When he tried his comm, it went unanswered.

“Qui-Gon,” Mace said. “Is something wrong?” 

He realized he was panicking in front of the council. It was unlike him, but he couldn’t help it. His friend was going to kill his padawan because he thought his son was dead. 

Qui-gon blew out a slow breath. “I have something to tell the council. It’s difficult because it’s not my secret to tell, but I fear that keeping it will cause Anakin’s death.”

Mace’s eyes widened, and Yoda leaned forward. “Tell us, you must.”

###

Ben never left the cockpit, but Bane strolled down to meet this ‘Rako Hardeen’ Ben hated for some reason.

He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “You ever met my husband?”

Hardeen looked up from what he was doing—tinkering with some loose parts he found around the ship—and sneered. “I ain’t looking to steal your man, Bane.”

“Never said you were,” Bane replied. “Just wanna know why he’s so fixated on you.”

Hardeen scoffed. “Probably because I killed that Jedi in front of him. Must have left an impression.”

That wouldn’t do it. Ben saw a lot of death, and Skywalker wasn’t his pet Jedi. That was Jinn—the Jedi Bane usually avoided. Then again, there was their interaction at the senate.

He hummed in agreement. “Guess so. We’re almost there. Let Eval know.”

He strode back out towards the cockpit, thinking about Skywalker. When he stopped in the doorway, it hit him.

“Seein’ Skywalker dead reminded you of your son, didn’t it.” It wasn’t a question, and Ben didn’t turn around to answer.

Instead, he stayed focused on the control. “How’d you figure that out?”

Bane shrugged. “Yer kid’s the only thing that gets you worked up like this. I remember when we met, how bloodthirsty you’d get when someone crossed ya. Yer son would’ve been Skywalker’s age, if he’d lived, wouldn’t he?”

Ben hung his head and nodded. 

Bane suddenly understood. “How ‘bout this,” he said, approaching the pilot’s chair and putting his arms around his husband, “how ‘bout we wait until after all the details get knocked out for Dooku, then you and I kill Hardeen together?”

Ben glanced back at him with wide eyes. “Really?”

Bane kissed his husband deeply. “No one hurts my kitten.”

They fell silent for a moment.

“Were you ever going to take him?” Ben asked. “Back then, I mean. Would you have taken my son?”

Bane thought about it for a minute. “The first time I met you? Without hesitation. After I met you? I really just wanted to see you again. The angel who bested me and got away. Nah,” he answered honestly. “I never was gonna take yer kid. Not after layin’ eyes on ya.”

Ben blushed and kissed his husband again.

###

Dooku was there to greet them when they stepped off the ship.

“Cad Bane,” he greeted. He turned his attention to Ben. “This must be your secret lover I’ve heard about. It’s a pleasure.”

“Nothing quite so dramatic. I’m his husband,” Ben said. He pretended to be charmed by the count. 

He turned his attention to Hardeen. “And this is the infamous Rako Hardeen. I heard you killed my grandpadawan. Congratulations, he was a skilled opponent.”

“Not skilled enough,” Hardeen grunted. “Even Jedi can’t avoid a well placed sniper blast.”

Dooku raised an eyebrow. “Indeed.”

Eval explained the Box to the group of bounty hunters he gathered. Ben sat out of the test, since he had no intention of joining the mission. He had his own, after all.

He watched Hardeen pass every test with flying colors, moving the group through with the least amount of casualties. That’s really when Ben realized the truth.

Hardeen was Force sensitive. That’s how he was able to get the drop on Anakin. Ben clenched his fists. That made it easier, somehow. He could kill him and drain him.

Something dark settled in his stomach that hadn’t been there in years. He could drain Hardeen, and maybe use his abilities to bring Anakin back. 

###

Anakin navigated the Box using all the lessons he’d learned from Qui-Gon. Maybe it was risky, but he refused to actually die with someone else’s face. 

Then came the test of aim, and Eval drained the battery on his blaster. 

The floor underneath him dropped, but a cord snagged him out of the air, stopping his fall.

“If you’re gonna kill ‘im,” Bane snarled, “do it like a man!”

The fire below went out and Bane dropped Anakin to the floor. Eval came out to fight Anakin, one on one. 

Taking the man down was easy, until Dooku told him to finish him off. He hesitated—he was a Jedi, after all, and Eval was an unarmed man. Then again, if he didn’t kill him, Dooku would suspect him.

What would Qui-Gon do?

What would Rex do?

…what would Ben do?

He snapped Eval’s neck. The guilt settled in his stomach, but he knew that he did what he had to for the mission.

Dooku seemed pleased. They were all taken to Naboo, where he explained the plan. The entire time, Anakin felt Ben’s eyes on him, watching him like a predator would watch some helpless, unsuspecting animal. 

Once they were done, Bane wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Hardeen, I’d like a word with ya about your part in the plan.”

The Force was screaming a warning, but Anakin ignored it. He could handle Bane.

“Sure.” He let himself be led into a room away from the other bounty hunters. “We don’t have a lot of time to get into place.”

The door slid closed behind them. “You’re not goin’ anywhere, Hardeen.”

A light flickered on, and Ben was already in the room, glaring at Hardeen, a knife in his hand.

SHIT. 

“Ben, wait—“ but the cry fell on deaf ears. Ben lunged at him, Bane holding him in place. 

Anakin lashed out with the Force, throwing both of them back. Bane hit the wall hard, but Ben was able to stop himself, grinning from ear to ear. 

“I knew it,” he growled. “You’re Force sensitive. That’ll make this better.”

Anakin was genuinely scared. Ben had been killing Force sensitives for millennia. He thought Rako Hardeen was just some scum who happen to be born lucky. 

Ben lunged at him again and slashed his knife. Anakin blocked the blow with his arm and punched Ben in the nose. It didn’t even slow him down.

Ben dropped the knife and grabbed it with his other hand. He pressed the knife to Anakin’s throat.

“This is for Anakin,” he whispered, and Anakin knew what he had to do.

“Ben, wait,” he said quickly. “I am Anakin. I faked my death for the council and am wearing nanites. It’s me!”

Ben froze. He looked over Rako Hardeen’s face. “Prove it.”

Anakin swallowed hard. “You told me not to compare my relationship with Rex to yours and Bane’s. You told me about your son and the Hutts.”

Ben lowered his knife. He stumbled backward.

“Anakin…”

Bane snarled from the floor. “Skywalker.”

“I’m here to stop the kidnapping of the Chancellor.”

Bane stumbled to his feet, blaster drawn, but Ben quickly threw himself between them. “Cad, no!”

“Move, Ben,” he said. “I’m puttin’ this Jedi down permanently.”

“Anakin, go,” Ben told him. “I’ll handle Cad.”

“Handle me?” Bane said, hand tightening on the blaster.

Anakin looked between them. He didn’t like Bane, but he trusted that Ben could take care of him. He left the room in a hurry, knowing he had to stop the kidnapping before it was too late.

He ran out of the room.

Chapter Text

Bonds were formed from understanding.

Traya knew this, which is why she tried to understand everything about her son. His powers, his personality, his likes and dislikes.

Nothing helped. Each time she tried to bond, she was forced from his mind like an interloper.

It wasn’t Obi-Wan’s fault. She continued to tell herself that. Obi-Wan knew how important them forming a bond was. It could mean the difference between keeping power or losing it.

She’d seen Sithspawn bonded with Sith before and the power the pair could wield. 

And she wanted it.

###

Bane turned to follow. 

Ben jumped between him and the door and grabbed at the blaster. 

“Let’s just go,” Ben begged. “If the Jedi are trying to stop this, it isn’t worth it. You don’t need the money anyway.”

“I’m puttin’ Skywalker down fer this,” Bane growled. “With or without you.”

“No!” 

Ben swung at him, but Bane avoided it. “Why’re you protectin’ Skywalker?”

Ben didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled on the blaster to take it from his husband. Bane used the momentum to pull him against his chest and wrap his arms around him.

“Let me put ‘im down!” he growled.

“No.” 

Bane frowned. “Then tell me why.”

Ben moved to flip Bane over his shoulder, but the Duros saw it coming. He wrapped his arm tighter around Ben and dragged him to the floor, pinning him down. Ben instinctively drew his blade and pressed the cold metal to his husband’s throat and Bane pointed his blaster at Ben’s head. 

“I can’t tell you,” Ben gritted out, his eyes watery. Bane didn’t let it distract him. 

“Why. Not.”

“Because,” Ben slowly lowered his blade, “you’ll hate me even more.” 

Ben turned his head away from Bane and he was positive he’d never seen Ben look so helpless and raw. “Anakin…” he whispered. “Anakin is my son. The one I had to give up. I erased his memories of me and gave him to Qui-Gon Jinn to train.”

Bane flinched back, nearly dropping his gun. “You said yer kid died.”

Ben shook his head. “I said he was gone, and he is. He doesn’t know about me. I made him believe that he grew up with a mother, that Qui-Gon saved him. He doesn’t even know to look for me.” 

“Ya did what?”

Ben exhaled slowly. “It’s a trick I learned a long time ago, manipulating memories. Adding new ones.”

Bane thought back on their meeting, how enthralled he always was with Ben. The way he was just willing to give up a hunt because of a pair of pretty blue eyes.

Bane rose to his feet slowly and put his gun away. “Y’ever do it to me?” 

Ben sat up, shaking his head frantically. “No. Never.”

Bane let out a broken laugh. “How can I trust that? Ya been lying to me the whole time we’ve known one another. Ya wanna throw away a job cuz of a jedi that's yer dead kid!” 

“I didn’t say he was dead! I said he was gone!” 

“You know damn well what you implied!” he snarled. “You say ya hate the Sith and the Jedi, but at the end of the day, you’re just like ‘em. Pickin’ and choosin’ truths, manipulatin’ all’a us ‘little people’.”

Tears continued to roll down Ben’s cheeks. “Cad, it’s not like that.” 

“THEN WHAT IS IT LIKE?!” Ben flinched at his scream, and Bane realized it was the first time he’d ever raised his voice at him. He let out a shuddered breath and took a step back. “I’m walkin’ out that door,” he whispered. “And if I ever see ya again, I’ll pump ya full of slugs. I don’t care if ya can’t die.”

“Cad please—”

But the Duros was already out the door, running away before any Jedi could catch up with him. And all Ben could do was watch. 

###

Cad’s things were out of their apartment when he returned to Coruscant. Even Todo was gone.

Ben had lost a lot in his long life. His species, his family, his heart, but somehow, losing Cad hurt worse than any of that. Losing Anakin had been terrible, but at least he knew where he was and that everything would be okay, in the end. 

Seeing Cad walk out, though, felt like the seams of his life were splitting.

The Jedi arrested those responsible for the attempted kidnapping of the Chancellor. Ben was kept out of it, yet again. He watched sadly as Anakin went to Qui-Gon, accepting a fatherly hand on the shoulder with a joyful smile. How badly he wanted that to be him. 

Ben turned away and hurried off, ready to find his next adventure away from the Jedi and the war. 

He stole a small ship and drifted in space for a few weeks. He did a job or two for Hondo, did some recon on an artifact he’d been trying to find, but besides that, he just drifted. 

The buzz from his emergency comm finally drew him from his sulking. For all he said about leaving the Jedi alone, he owed Qui-Gon Jinn too much to ignore him. 

He answered with a sigh. “Yes?” 

“Ben,” came Qui-Gon’s reply, “I need your help.”

“Is Anakin okay?” Panic settled in his stomach, but Qui-Gon waved it away. 

“He’s fine. This isn’t about him. It’s about an old enemy of mine.” 

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Okay…”

“He was the apprentice to a Sith Lord twelve years ago. We fought and he fell into a pit. I had believed that he died.”

“I’m assuming that, since you’re calling me, you were wrong.” 

“It appears so,” Qui-Gon agreed. “He’s threatening innocents unless I face him, but I’m not as young as I once was. I need a Sith Hunter’s help stopping him.” 

He sat back with a sigh. It had been so long since he’d fought an actual Sith—over a thousand years. 

“I’ll meet you there.”

###

The village he landed in was on fire. There were no signs of life, but Ben knew that didn’t mean anything. 

The Sith was here. 

He closed his eyes and breathed. It was easy for him to feel the energies of Dark Siders. It made him an effective Sith Hunter. He could sense the light of Qui-Gon, making his way through the other side of the village from his own ship. 

There were two other Force signatures near him. One in front, and another coming up from behind. 

Ben smirked and drew his hook swords. 

He crept through the village, shielding himself from both sight and detection. That was an easy trick for a Sith spawn. 

Once he was behind Qui-Gon, he saw his target—a large yellow Dathomiri zabrak. 

Knocking the man unconscious was easy. Killing him would’ve been easier, but something about the zabrak stayed his hand. A reluctance in him that hurt Ben. 

He dragged the man out of the way and hid. Qui-Gon was facing another zabrak—a bright red one with robotic legs. 

He was monologuing to Qui-Gon, probably stalling until his friend came out. Ben decided it was his time to come forward. 

He stepped out from where the yellow zabrak had been hiding. The red one’s eyes went to him, and a thousand emotions passed through them at once—anger, fear, confusion—before finally settling on hate.

“Sorry if you were expecting someone else,” Ben announced. “Your friend’s having a bit of a lie down.”

The zabrak drew a red lightsaber and snarled. “You will both die!”

“Heard that before,” Ben replied.

The zabrak leapt down, slashing at Qui-Gon first. Qui-Gon blocked the strike, leaving room for Ben to swipe at the zabrak’s robotic legs.

His sword hooked on one, but the zabrak pushed him away with the Force. He broke his stance with Qui-Gon and slashed at his waist. Qui-Gon jumped back.

Recovering, Ben ran at them and tackled the zabrak to the ground. The zabrak stabbed him through the heart, but it gave Qui-Gon enough time to reevaluate his plan. He wasn’t as young as he’d been the last time he’d fought this man, after all.

Ben blacked out as his body shut down, only to shoot awake again minutes later. 

The zabrak had Qui-Gon on the ground, his saber raised to strike him down. Ben ran to his side and tackled the zabrak. 

Pulling his knife, he pressed it to the zabrak’s throat. He stared up at Ben in shock, watching the wound on his chest heal before his eyes.

Ben snarled at the zabrak. Their eyes met, and suddenly, it was like everything made sense. All of the anger he felt was justified, and all the pain meant something. He lowered the knife, but the zabrak made no move to fight him anymore. 

A groan behind him drew his attention. Qui-Gon was pushing himself up, cradling his arm.

Probably broken.

Ben climbed off the zabrak and rushed to him. “Crazy old man,” he said under his breath with no shortage of fondness. He helped Qui-Gon to his feet.

There was a shuffle from the direction of the zabrak, and when Ben turned back, he was running in the other direction.

###

Once they were back at Qui-Gon’s ship, the Jedi put a hand on his shoulder.

“How are you doing, Ben? I know that Anakin’s secret mission affected you more than you’re saying. Had I known—””

“It’s fine, Qui-Gon,” Ben said. “I know you would’ve told me if you’d known. I’m…fine.”

Qui-Gon nodded. “Anakin told me about you and Bane. Everything there okay?”

Ben swallowed hard. Tears threatened to form. “No, actually. He left me.”

He didn’t dare look at Qui-Gon’s faux sympathy. 

“But I’m okay,” Ben assured him. “Really, I’ve been through worse, and I’ll survive. It’s what I’m good at.”

Qui-Gon didn’t seem convinced, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t his business, and Ben was just fine. 

Chapter Text

Anakin knocked on Rex’s door. He didn’t often stay in his own quarters, but had been ever since Anakin’s ‘death’. 

Anakin glanced around to make sure no one was around and lifted the flowers in his hand a little higher.

The door slid open to a stone faced Rex. “There something you need, general?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Anakin cleared his throat. “I’m…I’m so sorry. I was under orders from the Jedi Council, but I never should’ve kept you out of the loop.”

“You were dead,” Rex hissed. “You died and I wasn’t even allowed to go to the funeral. No one would tell me what was happening. Just told me to stand by for instructions, like I didn’t matter.”

“Of course you matter,” Anakin argued. “You’re the most important person to me. I’d die for you.”

“Can we not talk about you dying?” Rex asked. Sighing, he grabbed Anakin by the arm and pulled him into his room. The door slid shut.

“I love you,” he said. “But I’m never going to be considered human enough to be included in your life. Not really.”

Anakin nodded. What they needed was a way to show that Rex was human. 

“Do you understand?”

“I do,” Anakin agreed. “We should get married.”

Rex’s startled, his eyes wide. “Whaa—that’s not what I meant!”

“Think about it,” Anakin said. “If we go before the senate and Jedi Council showing we’re in love and got married, they have to acknowledge not only our relationship, but also that you are a human seperate from the GAR.”

“Yes,” Rex agreed, “but you’ll be removed from the order for having attachments and it’ll start a whole mess with the senate. They own us.”

Anakin shook his head. “No one owns you.”

“You’re not that naive,” Rex said, reaching up to cup his cheek. “We were made for the Republic. We serve the Republic.”

They fell into silence, and Rex took the flowers. 

###

Maul was supposed to be meeting with Black Sun. 

He and Savage had found themselves in the company of Mandalorians after their last battle with Jinn. 

Jinn’s interesting friend had not been there this time.

They’d decided to start a criminal empire, one they could lead from the shadows that would help put Death Watch in charge of Mandalore. At least that’s what they’d led Pre Vizsla into believing their goals were. 

By the time they found out differently, it would be too late. 

He had arrived early to Ord Mantell to get the lay of the land and make sure there were no surprises. He’d come alone—Mandalorians wouldn’t intimidate thugs like these. No, he needed something else.

A pull to his gut told him what he needed was in a cantina off the beaten path. He followed the Force. 

When he stepped inside, his eyes immediately locked on a familiar figure.

Qui-Gon Jinn’s interesting friend. 

A drink sat in front of him, untouched. He was staring into it like it had the answers to his life. His spark shone, but his eyes were dim. 

Maul took the stool beside him. The man’s eyes stayed on the drink.

“If you’re planning to use me to get to Qui-Gon, you’ll probably want a different plan,” the man grumbled. He sounded tired. “No one would come for me.” 

Somehow, Maul felt the man’s pain. He knew the man was at his lowest, his loneliest, his most pained. It suffocated him, and he was questioning if the answer to that was at the bottom of his glass.

“That’s not why I am here.” 

The man huffed. “I’m not even worth kidnapping. How the mighty have fallen.” The man sighed. “The last time I was like this, I fell off the speeder. I started taking spice, deathsticks, drinking, anything to make me forget.”

He picked up the glass and swirled the liquid inside. “Cad was the reason I stopped, the reason I’ve been sober for nearly fourteen years. That’s a drop in the bucket for me, but I’ve been told it’s quite the accomplishment.” 

Maul didn’t know why he cared, but he nodded along. “Cad is…?”

“My bounty hunter husband,” the man replied quickly, before flinching. “My bounty hunter ex-husband, sorry. It’s a recent development.”

He sat back in his seat, still staring at the green liquid. “He was right to walk out. We promised to never lie and I didn’t tell him that…” He laughed humorlessly, shaking his head like the entire situation was ridiculous. “I didn’t tell him that Anakin Skywalker is my son.” 

He knew he should leave the man. This wasn’t his business, and it didn’t help him with his goals. That pull in his gut kept him in place, however, and he realized quickly it was the same thing he’d felt in their first fight, when their eyes met. 

The Force was pulling them together. 

The man raised the glass to his lips, but Maul reached out quickly to grab his wrist. “I believe there are better ways for you to forget your woes tonight.” 

The man raised his eyebrow. “Is that so?” His eyes sparkled with curiosity. 

“I am creating my own criminal syndicate, but I need help getting Black Sun onboard. Since my brother is off on another task…” 

The corner of his lips curled up into a smile. “Would it piss off the Sith?”

“And the Jedi,” Maul said. “And possibly even your ‘bounty hunter ex-husband’.” 

Maul could sense how alluring the idea was for him. The man bit his bottom lip and reached a hand out to him. 

“Name’s Ben.”

Maul accepted it with a victorious smirk.

###

A thousand years ago, before he started going soft, Ben destroyed an entire branch of the Hutt family just because he could. 

They’d begged for mercy, offered him anything he wanted in return for their lives, even promised to change their ways. He laughed in their faces and murdered them all.

Maul reminded him a bit of himself back then. The glee he took when threatening Black Sun was almost identical to Ben’s that day. 

Ben strode silently around the room while Maul stood at the end of the criminals’ long table, giving a speech about uniting the entire criminal underworld under him. Those seated didn’t even pay attention to Ben. 

“And why,” the leader said, leaning back in his chair, “would we give you such power? What do we get in return?”

Ben noticed the man’s hand go to a blaster under the table. 

Maul chuckled darkly. “You would get to live.”

The leader laughed, not even noticing the vibroblade at his throat until Ben slid it across his skin. 

Everyone else jumped back in fear. 

Maul grinned ferociously. “Anyone else?” 

Their eyes met across the table, and Ben’s stomach leapt. 

###

Neither of them meant for it to happen. Ben could feel that much. 

Well, honestly, he was feeling a lot right now as Maul’s hands burned across his skin. He dragged his nails down the zabrek’s back, refusing to break away from their searing kiss as Maul pinned him against the door to his ship. 

It shouldn’t be this good—why was it so good? Just a brush of their bare skin felt like a toe-curling orgasm. What was going on? 

He groaned as Maul tore down Ben’s pants, hiked a leg around his waist, and took him.

There was passion and anger and desire behind each thrust that Ben felt seeping into him. He panted into Maul’s ear, begging for more, begging for anything. 

Maul didn’t seem any less affected. He was hyper focused, touching every inch of Ben he could as he fucked him. 

Once they were finished, Ben found himself questioning if he’d ever had it as good as right then. And with a Sith, of all people.

He closed his eyes and slipped into a deep sleep.

###

“Again.”

He practiced his kata, each perfect step hitting the correct mark, his double saber striking down the bolts he was meant to. 

He didn’t do it well enough.

Lightning struck him from behind. “You are weak. Pain will give you strength.”

Now, he was home—home in the Sith palace.

“I don’t want to destroy a planet…” he said. He quaked at the very idea.

He was the golden prince, but he still feared the shadow that lurked at his back.

“Don’t be so weak, Obi-Wan,” a familiar voice whispered in his ear. “You are more than them. If you don’t destroy them, we will destroy you.”

###

Ben jolted from the floor. Beside him, Maul did the same. They’d shared memories. Memories of their abusers, of those who forced them to be what they were.

Slowly, Ben reached out and touched Maul’s face. “You understand. That’s what this is. We…we’re bonded.”

“You were hurt by the Sith,” Maul said. “Now you kill them.”

Ben smiled. “So were you. I destroyed my master. I can help you destroy yours.”

Maul frowned. “What are you?”

Ben leaned in and pressed his lips to Maul’s. “I’m a 4,000 year old immortal Sithspawn.”

He saw the moment the idea became real to him. “I don’t need Mandalore or the Shadow Collective.”

Ben shook his head in agreement. “Not anymore.”

Chapter Text

About a week after proposing to Rex and getting shot down, Anakin was summoned to the council chambers. 

At first, he thought somehow they’d found out about him and Rex, but then he saw Qui-Gon standing by one of the windows, watching the Coruscant skyline morosely. 

“Masters.” Anakin bowed low. “You summoned me.”

“Yes,” Mace said. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, Knight Skywalker. I assure you that what we’re about to tell you is of the utmost importance.”

Mace and Yoda shared a look. “The Council has only recently become aware of what we are about to tell you. Please keep in mind that, were it not for desperate times, we would allow the Force to decide when you found out all of this.”

Anakin frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Better, it would perhaps be,” Yoda said, “if told by your master, you were.”

They all turned to Qui-Gon, who looked like he would rather jump out the window. Still, he took a deep breath and turned to Anakin. 

“Over twenty years ago, I answered a distress call from a settlement on a small planet on the edge of the mid-rim. Farmers being attacked by a group of bounty hunters every night, nothing unusual.”

He lowered his eyes.

“While I was securing the village, I noticed there was one house on the outskirts that was untouched by the damage. I knew that whatever the bandits wanted was in that house. And I was right.

“I was attacked the second I was past the fence. There were Force traps everywhere, dark traps that held me and kept me from fighting back. That’s the day I met Ben.”

Anakin frowned, not knowing where this was going. 

“Ben has no love for the Jedi, you know this, but for some reason he didn’t kill me outright. Maybe it was because of the baby in his arms, maybe it was because of the Force, I’ll probably never know.”

Baby…“I knew that Ben had a son,” Anakin said. “You knew him?”

Qui-Gon nodded. “Ben was afraid I would take him, but I assured him I wouldn’t. Jedi aren’t baby-snatchers, after all. The child was who the bounty hunters had been hired to take. Ben and I made a deal—to protect the village, he faked his and the child’s death and ran to another planet.

“We kept in contact, over the years,” Qui-Gon continued. “I visited him and his son, watched the child grow. Then, came the blockade at Naboo.”

The mission that brought Anakin and Qui-Gon together.

“There’s a reason we stopped at Tatooine.”

“I always thought it was because you needed to fix your ship,” Anakin said.

Qui-Gon sighed. “That was part of it, but we chose Tatooine because I knew Ben was there. I thought…I thought he would be able to help. I went alone, and when I arrived at Ben’s home, I could tell something was wrong.

“Ben was frantic.” Qui-Gon shook his head. “The Hutts found out about his force sensitive son and were after him. For the first time, I offered the Jedi as an option. Ben was furious with me and demanded that I leave. Then, the worst happened.”

“His son was taken,” Anakin realized.

Qui-Gon nodded. “While in the market, Aurra Sing took Ben by surprise and shot him dead, just long enough to take his son and run. Had I not been there looking for a hyperdrive, she would’ve made it to the Hutts and the child would have been a slave.”

Anakin frowned. This wasn’t sounding like the story he heard from Ben. “But Ben’s child was taken. He told me that his son was stolen from him.”

“He was,” Qui-Gon assured. “By me.” 

Anakin’s breath caught in his throat. Qui-Gon was responsible for Ben’s child being taken away. He took a step back from his master.

“How could you do that?” he demanded. “Ben is your friend! Do you know what taking his child did to him?”

Qui-Gon nodded. “I do. But I did what I had to, and at the time, Ben agreed. I offered to take him again, and Ben, realizing how close he’d come to losing his son to a fate worse than death, accepted.”

Anakin wracked his memory, trying to remember another child being there the day he was saved. Had Qui-Gon hidden him? Had he smuggled some poor child on the ship and then into the temple? 

“What happened to the son?” he asked. “What did you do to him?”

“I took him to the temple, where he was taken care of, trained, and above all, loved.”

“Does Ben know he’s here?” Anakin asked. “Has he seen him?”

“He watched him from afar,” Qui-Gon confirmed. “But he’s spent time with him recently.”

“Anakin…” Mace spoke up.

He looked around the room, and everyone was watching him. He swallowed hard.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Anakin…” Mace repeated, but Anakin shook his head. 

“No. No, tell me why.” 

“You know why, Anakin,” Qui-Gon whispered, suddenly staring out the window to avoid his former padawan’s eyes. 

Ben…was his father. No, that didn’t make sense. He couldn’t be.

“No, I don’t have a father,” Anakin said. “My mother said that I was born without a father. And I would remember Ben.”

Qui-Gon shook his head. “I don’t completely understand how Ben’s abilities work, but I know that Ben changed your memories. He created a loving Tatooine mother, an explanation for why you’re so amazing, and then put that story in you. Think, Anakin—your childhood bedtime story.”

“The golden prince and the dark empress?”

“The Sith Triumvirate,” Qui-Gon explained. “Ben told you his story as a fairy tale. How would a slave from Tatooine know about a four thousand year old Sith Empire?”

It was too much to take in, but there was nowhere for Anakin to escape it. 

To escape the truth.

“From what I understand,” Qui-Gon explained, “Ben wanted a child, something good and loving that he could bring into the world. So, he used all of the Force energy he drained from the Sith for thousands of years and used it to create you. The Chosen One.”

He was created by Ben. Ben was his father. A four thousand year old Sithspawn was his father.

“You were never going to tell me this.”  Anakin knew it for a fact. “Why are you telling me it now?”

“Need you, your father does,” Yoda finally spoke up. 

“We’ve been tracking Maul,” Mace explained. “And we recently caught this on camera.”

A holo appeared in the center of the room. It was Maul, cutting through a crime syndicate and Ben right beside him.

Anakin frowned. “But Ben hates the Sith.”

“We believe he and Ben found common ground—hatred for the Sith and Jedi,” Mace continued. “Qui-Gon believes this is a lack of judgment for Ben and not a change in behavior. We want you to go save him from himself before we have to find a way to take him out ourselves.”

Anakin found himself nodding before even thinking. He needed to talk to Ben, anyway. “Ahsoka, Rex, and I will find him. Alone.” He shot a look at his former master before storming from the council chambers. 

Qui-Gon didn’t try to follow.

###

Ben kissed Maul deeply, wrapping his arms around his naked torso as they came down.

“This…” he panted, “is the most…fun I’ve had…in decades. Why did I stop doing this?”

“Having children will do that,” Maul said, a smirk on his lips. “Give up on your dreams of destroying criminal syndicates and Sith Lords…”

Ben pushed at his shoulder.

Maul fell back, pulling Ben with him so he straddled his robotic hips.

“Whoever made these things,” Ben said, patting the metal, “A plus.”

“I appreciate that,” Maul replied. “Perhaps I should thank Jinn for cutting me in half.”

Ben laughed. Being with Maul felt like being high. He wasn’t sure if it was the bond or what, but something just felt complete. 

He still missed Cad—still loved Cad—but Cad didn’t want him anymore and Maul did. Maul, who understood him without having to hear all of his horrors. 

Because he’d lived through his own. 

“We must go soon,” Maul said, breaking through his thoughts. “Savage is expecting us with Death Watch. I can’t wait to see you cut through them as well.”

Ben leaned down and kissed him. “Fine. Let me use the fresher while you get ready to take off.”

He climbed off the bed, only for the Force to drag him back down again. Ben glared back at Maul, who looked back innocently. 

Ben stood up again and walked to the fresher to take a sonic.

###

The Hutts were worried, and when the Hutts were worried, Cad Bane listened. Especially because the Hutts talked with credits.

Maul.

They’d sent out a holo of a red zabrak marked dead or alive. The zabrak wielded a lightsaber, which meant Bane was the hunter they hired personally. 

He loaded his slug shooter. If there was something Ben taught him, it was that slug shooters were the way to go when fighting a Jedi or Sith. 

He thought about his angel. He wondered what Ben was up to, if he’d turned back to drugs and drinking without Bane there to give him something to stay sober for. He wondered if he missed him too.

Then he shook it off. He left Ben, and there was a reason. He lied. How could he ever trust him again? 

He could’ve used his help with this, though. Sith were his thing, not Bane’s. 

He entered the hangar he’d been tipped off that the zabrak’s ship was docked. Maul was moving around the outside, yelling at a pit droid to hurry up. 

He stopped when he noticed Bane. 

Bane drew his slug shooter. “Hutts say yer bad for business,” he said, pointing it at the zabrak. “They sent me ta take you out.”

Maul chuckled darkly, drawing his lightsaber. “More skilled than you have tried, bounty hunter.” 

“We’ll see.”

He thought he’d faced enough force users to know exactly what to expect from this job. But a voice from inside the ship made him freeze. 

“Maul?” Ben stepped down the ramp, half dressed and covered in bites and scratches that told an entire story of why he was there. “What are you doing? I thought we were in a hurr—”

He stopped when his eyes landed on Bane. His eyes widened. “Cad? What in Sith Hells are you doing here?”

Maul scowled at his name. So, Ben had talked about him. Probably not nice things, but enough for the Sith to know this was personal now.

Maul bared his sharp teeth. Bane readied himself for a fight. Ben looked between them both, eyes wide with the realization of what was about to happen. 

“Don’t you dare!” he shouted, though Bane wasn’t sure which of them he was shouting at. He ignored his husband, firing his weapon at the Sith. Maul dove out of the way of the slug, too smart to try and block it with his saber, and sliced at Bane’s feet. 

Bane jumped away, looking back at Ben long enough to see him disappear back into the ship. He continued his fight with the Sith, using his flamethrower to get him to back off long enough that he could fire his cord. It wrapped around the Sith, forcing him to drop his saber. 

He pulled, dragging the zabrek down and aiming his gun again. 

A hook sword pulled the barrel back as he fired, making him shoot into the air. 

“STOP!” Ben shouted. He was in a billowing white shirt now, wielding his weapons. Up close, Bane could see that one of his eyes was tinged gold, and he frowned. What had happened since he’d last seen Ben?

He headbutt Ben, knocking him back enough to turn his gun on him instead and fire. The second he pulled the trigger, his heart fell into his stomach.

It didn’t matter that he knew he couldn’t kill Ben, even if he’d wanted to. Out of all the times he’d watched Ben die only to jerk back to life, he’d never been the one to actually put him down. 

Ben collapsed, weapons falling from his hands and eyes staring into nothing. 

A scream drew his attention back to his prey, only to have the zabrek break through the cord and tackle him to the ground. 

###

He hadn’t expected Cad to actually shoot him. It felt like an unspoken rule—“I know that I can’t die permanently, but you aren’t allowed to be the one to kill me EVER”—had been broken, and now…now he was PISSED. 

Ben jolted awake with a gasp. The slug that had been in his forehead—HIS FOREHEAD—fell to the ground. He grabbed his weapons tightly and rose to his feet, fury boiling in his stomach. 

Maul and Cad didn’t even have weapons anymore. They were brawling on the ground, getting in bites and cheap shots that were unworthy of a former Sith apprentice and a highly trained bounty hunter. 

Ben sometimes used the Force—of course he did. It’s how he changed Anakin’s memories, how he was able to sneak around so effectively, and many other things that made his life as an immortal outlaw easier. But it’d been a long time since he’d tapped into the Dark Side—four-thousand years, in fact. But he had enough anger, enough pain, enough love that had turned to borderline hate, that it was all that came out of him. 

Ben held out a hand, and the sky started to darken. The winds around them began to pick up. Ben didn’t consider himself particularly powerful all those years ago, but now? 

Lightning cracked across the sky. Cad and Maul continued fighting, oblivious to what was happening.

Ben pointed the winds their way, and the two were thrown backward. Finally, their attention was back on Ben. There was amazement in Maul’s expression, and fear in Cad’s. 

Cad knew, of course. He knew every dirty secret about Ben’s ‘childhood’, every horrible thing he’d ever done. What was worse, he knew that he’d triggered this in Ben. 

The duros climbed to his feet, shouting something. Maybe it was Ben’s name or some expletive. It didn’t matter, because all Ben could hear was the blood rushing in his ears, the wind whipping around, the lightning striking the ground. 

Cad was pushed back, the wind pinning him to the ground. Maul was paying attention to the space behind Ben, eyes narrowed and fists clenched. He didn’t understand and didn’t care. There was so much turmoil bleeding through that he couldn’t stop himself. 

Was all of it even his? He felt fury at Darth Sidious that he knew didn’t belong to him. There was a deep hatred for Qui-Gon. Was this Maul’s? What was happening? 

“Ben!” A new voice shouted. He hadn’t noticed anyone else approaching or noticed any ships nearby, but suddenly, Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex were helping move Cad and Maul away from him, while a hand grabbed his. 

“Ben!” He now recognized the voice. But why was Anakin here? He was supposed to be far away from him. “Ben! Please stop!”

Anakin…he couldn’t hurt Anakin. But how to stop all of this?

“Dad…stop.”

That word—the Dark Side bled away. Maul passed out in Rex’s arms. Ben collapsed, too weak to stand any longer. Anakin caught him, and his golden son was the last thing he saw before he blacked out. 

Chapter Text

It had been six days since Ben and Maul passed out. They were in the Halls of Healing in the Jedi Temple at Yoda’s personal request, but no one could explain it. 

“It’s been several thousand years since Sithspawn roamed the galaxy,” Healer Che explained. “At least, that’s what we thought. I don’t know much about them or what could be causing the pair of them to shut down. I don’t even know why, after all these centuries, Ben bonded to Maul instead of any other Sith he encountered.”

That was a very good question. One that Anakin wanted an answer to as well. Mostly, though, he wanted Ben awake. He wanted to cry, yell, scream, hug him. Ben couldn’t die without giving him an explanation for why he’d abandoned him to Qui-Gon and changed his memories. 

Anakin sat at his side, holding his hand. “C’mon, Ben,” he whispered. “I got through to you before. How can I get through to you now?”

He was disappointed by the lack of an answer, but not surprised. The only person who had enough knowledge to save Ben was Ben himself, and he was in no shape to give them the answers they needed.

Or maybe…He was desperate. He knew he was, but what choice did he have? What was the worst that could happen—he wasted his time there trying to help as opposed to wasting his time here doing nothing?

He leapt to his feet, pausing only long enough to squeeze Ben’s hand one more time before running for the only place he could think would have the solution.

###

Cad Bane was sitting in a cell, exactly where Rex and Ahsoka had dropped him. Anakin approached quietly, watching the bounty hunter with suspicion. He was pacing the cell, anxiety pouring off of him like fog. It was so contrary to what Anakin knew about the duros—he was typically calm, cool-headed even when caught. Now, it was like he was itching for something. 

Anakin stopped in front of the cell, making Bane pause. “Where’s Ben?” he demanded. “What’s happenin’ to him?” 

Anakin blew out a slow breath. He needed to keep his emotions in line, at least for the time being. “Neither Ben nor Maul have woken up since your little confrontation. I think they’re dying.”

Tension seized Bane’s body before the hunter could cover it with an apathetic scoff. “Ben can’t die. It’s impossible.” 

Anakin shook his head. “Not this time. It’s like something is draining the Force energy out of him. Every now and then, he’ll start seizing and Maul will be fine, then it switches. It’s like they’re connected, but the healers don’t understand how or why. He crashed twice and had to be revived.”

Cad tensed again. “He didn’t come back on ‘is own?”

“No.”

He clenched his fists, and without his signature hat, Anakin could see the distress in his face. “Whaddya want from me?”

“I need to know where he keeps his Sith artifacts,” Anakin answered. “He’s the only one who would have the information we need to save him.”

Bane hissed through his teeth, clearly debating on whether to trust Anakin. He decided to play his trump card. “If you tell me, I’ll let you out.”

Bane narrowed his eyes, but leaned back against the wall. “There’s an old apartment in the lower levels. It’s where he used to live. Booby-trapped to hell’n back. His oldest shit—anything’a might have something’ bout ‘im—that’s where it’ll be.”

“Thank you,” Anakin said. He glanced around before triggering the door. The ray shield fell.

“What the fuck, Skywalker?” Bane hissed. “The guards—”

“—are my men and know what I’m doing,” Anakin replied. 

Bane growled. “But do YOU know what yer doin’?”

“I’m letting you out so you can lead me to Ben’s apartment,” Anakin said. “And you aren’t going to run off on me because you know it’s the only way we can save Ben.”

Bane snarled, but made no move to run. Instead, he followed Anakin out the door.

###

The pair made their way into the lower levels of Coruscant, hoods pulled low to keep anyone from recognizing them. Bane was wearing a borrowed set of Jedi robes to avoid detection out of the temple. 

When they arrived at the apartment, Bane held up a hand. He typed in a code—one that Anakin recognized as his birthday.

It occurred to him that Ben being his father made Bane his stepfather. He shuddered at the thought.

The door slid open and they walked inside. Bane held out a hand to stop him from moving any further.

He headed for a panel in the wall and typed in another number. The lights went on.

Around the room were Sith Holocrons, artifacts, and even books. 

In one corner, he saw a holo. He stared at it in wonder. “That’s me,” Anakin said. “Me and Ben.”

Bane nodded. “He was always torn up ‘bout what happened to ya. Said you were the one good thing he’d done.”

Anakin didn’t know how he felt about that. Ben had done amazing things, and he was just Anakin. 

“Look around,” Anakin told Bane. “There had to be something here that can help him.”

They searched every book, checked every artifact, even opened a few holocrons, but there was nothing about Sithspawn. 

Anakin punched the wall. “There’s nothing here! There has to be someone who knows how to save him.”

I can. 

The voice was small, but he definitely heard it. He turned. There was one holocron they hadn’t looked at yet, one that sat by itself on a shelf. 

Anakin approached it slowly. “Was that you?”

Yes. I can save your ‘Ben’. But you must take me to him.

He touched the holocron. It was cold. “This is it,” he said. “This is going to help us fix Ben.”

“We can’t take it,” Bane said. “Ben was clear bout tis place. These’re dangerous.”

“Wouldn’t take the great Cad Bane to be someone who jumps at shadows,” Anakin said. “Besides, I’ll bring it back. What’s the worst it could do?”

“If ya ask Ben,” Bane replied, “ a lot. But I done my part.”

Anakin slipped the holocron into his robes. “You can go. I won’t go after you.”

Bane nodded and took the leave, pausing once at the door. “He loves ya, ya know. Ev’ry day he thought bout you.” 

Then, Bane was in the wind.

###

There was no one in the Healing Halls when Anakin returned. Ben and Maul were both unconscious on their cots. 

“I hope this works,” Anakin whispered to himself. 

It will. Just lay your hands on your father’s chest.

He glanced at where the holocron sat in his robe. “How did you know—?”

I’ve been with your father for many years. I know you have inherited his abilities. Lay your hand on his chest and focus the energy you took from Pong Krell.

Anakin startled. “How did you know about—?”

Because YOU know. Now, do as I say.

Anakin followed the holocron’s directions. He laid his hands on Ben’s chest and focused. In his mind's eye, he saw a little light and followed it. The light went through his body, to his hands, and into Ben.

“Ben,” he whispered, “wake up.”

Behind him, Maul shot up in bed, but he was only focused on his father. 

Suddenly, Ben’s eyes blinked open. “Anakin?”

“Ben?” He threw his arms around Ben’s neck and pulled him into a tight hug. Neither of them paid attention to Maul sneaking out of the room, both too focused on one another. 

###

The council wasn’t happy. Bane was gone. Maul was gone. All they had was Ben, who was being obstinate.

“What are Maul’s plans?” Windu asked. “Is he planning to side with Dooku?”

Ben shrugged. “We didn’t really discuss plans. We were a little busy most of the time we were together.”

Anakin, who stood at Qui-Gon’s side, blanched. 

Ben bit back a laugh. “As for siding with Dooku, I’m positive he’d rather cut his own legs off again then side with a Sith. The Sith took everything from him—his childhood, his life, his legs—I believe he merely wishes to be left alone on his own throne, separate from this war.”

Mandalore. That’s what Maul talked about constantly, but Ben refused to rat him out.

“And before you ask about Cad,” he continued, “we haven’t spoken since I saved Anakin from him, unless you count the spat that led me to being held prisoner here.”

“A prisoner, you are not,” Yoda said. “Concerned, we are.”

“There hasn’t been a Sithspawn in nearly 4,000 years,” Mace explained. “They were wiped out during the time of the Sith Triumvirate.”

“By the Jedi,” Ben interjected. “I’m aware. I was told the story many times, of how Darth Traya rescued me from the wreckage of my homeworld, betraying the Jedi as she did so.”

“I’m not proud of what those Jedi did,” Mace said, “but it doesn’t change the fact that your very existence is a danger to the Order and the Republic.”

Ben threw his head back and laughed. “I have been around since the Mandalorian War. I have brought no wrath nor ruin upon the Jedi.”

“That was before you bonded with a Sith.”

Ben’s blood ran cold. That was true. He could see how such an act would terrify the Jedi. 

“That was an accident,” he said. “And Maul, as you know, ran. I doubt I will ever see him or Cad again.”

“What do you want, hmmm?” Yoda asked.

Ben sighed and looked over at Anakin. “I want to know my son, to teach him what it is to be a Sithspawn and how to protect himself. I gave my son up once to the Jedi and I don’t want to lose him again. “

Anakin smiled at his father. 

“How can we trust you?” Mace asked. “You’ve more or less admitted to hating the Jedi. You’ve aligned yourself with a Sith. Why shouldn’t we lock you away?”

“Because I trust him.” Qui-Gon stepped forward. “I have known Ben for many years, and not once has he ever tried to bring harm to the Jedi. Binding with the Sith was a moment of weakness he wasn’t even aware of. Given the chance, Ben chooses to do right by the galaxy, no matter his distaste for the Jedi or Republic.”

Ben noticed that he elected to keep out any assistance he’d given Cad with his jobs over the years, and was much appreciative.

“And if you don’t trust my judgment,” Qui-Gon continued, “perhaps the Jedi order has fallen further than I thought.”

“Enough dramatics, Qui-Gon,” Mace commanded. “We trust you, but you must see how difficult it is for us to trust him.”

“I don’t ask you to trust me,” Ben said. “I don’t need you to trust me. But I am not some relic to be locked away. I am a living being, and I refuse to be imprisoned anymore.”

“If I may make a suggestion,” Qui-Gon spoke up again, “why not have check ins? I meet with Ben with Anakin, we check the bond, and report our findings to the council. Then, if anything seems off, you’ll know, and I’m sure Ben will be receptive to being checked out by Healer Che, considering he knows nothing of bonds either.”

Ben crossed his arms. It was a fair deal where both sides got what they wanted, but it didn’t mean he had to like getting policed. 

The only positive was that Windu seemed to hate it more than Ben.

“I can agree to that,” Ben said, refusing to be the difficult one.

Mace looked like he was sucking on a meliroon. “Fine.”

Anakin smiled wide and ran to his father’s side. Ben couldn’t even be mad—the joy on Anakin’s face was infectious.

Besides, what could go wrong with the Jedi council knowing about him? 

###

“A Sithspawn you say?”

Sidious’s informant on the Jedi council, Coleman Kcaj, nodded. “I heard it with my own ears, Chancellor. Can you believe it? They were supposed to be extinct.”

Sidious hummed. “Anything else of importance?”

Kjac thought hard. “Only that…yes, Skywalker! Jinn told us. Skywalker is his son! Another Sithspawn!”

“Two?” Sidious considered this. An immortal Sithspawn and his son. That could prove useful—especially with the younger unbonded. 

But young Skywalker was difficult to get at. His master made sure of that. 

The father, though…he could be the perfect bait.

Chapter Text

The check-ins would have been more annoying if they hadn’t just been an excuse to give Ben and Anakin time together.

“So you’ve really been around this whole time?” Anakin asked.

Ben nodded. They were sitting around the top of Mount Umate. “It’s why I moved back to Coruscant. I wasn’t in the best place after you left, but I always wanted what was best for you.”

“And if you hadn’t given me up,” Anakin said, “I would’ve probably ended up with the Hutts.”

“Most likely,” Qui-Gon said from beside them.

Ben sighed. He’d forgotten Qui-Gon was there. “Yes, but I still shouldn’t have changed your memories.”

“Why did you?” 

Ben leaned back with a frown. “Well…at first it was so you wouldn’t come after me. You were a tenacious child, and I knew if you had somewhere to go back to, you would. So I planted memories of you being a slave, of Qui-Gon winning you, so that you would think there was no going back.”

Anakin nodded. “And afterward?”

“I was ashamed of what I’d become in my grief,” Ben said honestly. “I became an addict. And you were just so happy with Qui-Gon. I couldn’t take that away by telling you the truth.”

“We could’ve been happy,” Anakin said. “Even with me training to be a Jedi, we could’ve had this.”

Ben smiled at the thought. “I didn’t know that. I may be old, but I’m not all knowing. For all I knew, once you found out, you’d want nothing to do with me. I’m glad I was wrong.”

He put a hand on Anakin’s shoulder, and Anakin rested his head on it. They sat there like that in silence for about an hour, until Qui-Gon announced it was time for them to head back. 

Qui-Gon led Anakin away, and Ben watched with a pang in his heart. He knew he would see Anakin again—many times, hopefully—but that never made watching him leave any easier. It was like a part of his soul was walking away. 

Ben paused as he turned to leave in the other direction. He felt eyes on him, like he was being hunted.

He brushed it off. Who would dare hunt a Sith Hunter?

###

Anakin hadn’t seen Rex since they brought Ben back to Coruscant. Even then, they hadn’t really spoken since Rex turned down his proposal. 

The other men noticed the clear distance between them, and it was starting to bring morale down. 

“Please talk to him,” Jesse begged.

“He’s driving us crazy!” Fives agreed.

“I’ve never had latrine duty so many times. All I did was ask where you were…” Echo said. 

Anakin felt like he was losing his mind. He missed Rex, but he also wanted to give him space. But he also wanted to be as close as he could possibly be to him at all times. It was frustrating.

Finally, the men had enough. Anakin knew it was them, because what were the odds that the lift would shut down right after he climbed in after Rex? 

He sighed. Rex hung his head. “I’m assuming this is the men’s way of say we need to talk,” Rex said. 

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

They both stared at one another. Anakin blinked. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who should be sorry.”

“Why am I sorry?” Rex asked like Anakin was insane. “I turned you down, made everything awkward. I hurt you–why wouldn’t I be sorry?”

Anakin shook his head. “No, don’t think that. You have nothing to feel sorry for.” He stepped forward and took Rex’s head in his hands. “You were right. I wasn’t thinking about your feelings and I was imagining a fantasy where we weren’t under the control of the Republic and the Jedi. Maybe we can’t officially get married, but I love you too much not to ask. You are the most important person in my life.”

A tear dropped down Rex’s cheek. “I love you, too. And I would marry you in an instant if I could.” He frowned thoughtfully. “There may actually be a way…”

Anakin furrowed his brow as Rex removed the vambrace of his armor. He held out his hand. “Give me yours.”

Anakin obeyed, giving Rex his vambrace while Rex put his in Anakin’s hand. “Prime was Mandalorian,” he explained. “And I used to read up about the culture, just in case I ever got to go. When mandalorians get married, they exchange armor pieces and vows, and then they’re married in the eyes of the Manda, which is like the Force.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. “So, what vows do we have to say?”

"Repeat after me,” Rex said. “Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde"

“Mhi solus tome,” Anakin repeated. “Mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde"

He slid the vambrace on his arm, and Rex did the same. Then, they kissed, lovingly and deeply, knowing that no matter what happened, they would be together forever. 

###

Ben still stayed in his apartment that he’d shared with Cad. Deep down, he was hoping that Cad would come home, or maybe that Maul would track him down. He didn’t particularly care which. He was finding that his feelings for the pair were twisted into one another, making him unable to see a life without one or both of them in it. 

Then, of course, there were the check-ins. He loved spending time with Anakin, but having Qui-Gon check his force signature and question him on whether he’d had any contact with Maul, physical or metaphysical, was starting to get old. 

They had about four before Anakin was shipped off on some mission that he wasn’t allowed to know about, so now it was just Qui-Gon dropping by unannounced. And as much as he cared for Qui-Gon, he was beginning to want some space. 

A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts, and he sighed. Qui-Gon, again. This was the third visit in a week. At this point, he was wondering if maybe Qui-Gon was doing wellness checks for his own sake instead of the council. 

He opened the door.

No one was there. 

Ben frowned. He thought he’d heard knocking. A crackling behind him drew his attention, and he drew his knife. He quickly spun around and threw it. It cut through the creature behind him with ease, splitting the bug in half.

A kouhun. 

Someone was trying to kill him. 

He shut the door behind him and ran for his closet, dialing his comm to Qui-Gon as he went. “Someone’s after me,” he said the second Qui-Gon appeared. “They sent a kouhun into my apartment.”

Qui-Gon instantly perked. “Meet me at the fountain near the temple,” he commanded. “I’m about to leave for another mission. You can stowaway until you’re away from Coruscant.”

Ben nodded, grabbing his weapons from the closet. 

He cut through alleyways to get to the temple without being seen, but he still felt eyes on him. Maybe he was being hunted. He thought about Cad at first, but even he wasn’t so dramatic as to reduce himself to stalking his ex-husband. Or send venomous worms after him to prove a point. 

Finally, he made it to the temple. He stepped out of the alley closest to the fountain and spotted Qui-Gon.

The jedi turned and met his eyes. They widened, but it was too late for Ben. 

Something stabbed him in the neck, and he was pulled back into the alley. He watched helplessly as Qui-Gon ran after him, his limbs getting heavier.

Once Qui-Gon made it into the alley, though, lightsaber drawn, a stun bot hit him in the back, knocking him to the ground. 

Aurra Sing smirked. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.” Ben’s eyes drooped, and he was barely aware of himself being lifted onto a trandoshan’s shoulder while another walked forward and did the same to Qui-Gon. 

###

When Ben woke up, his head was swimming. The lights were, thankfully, dim in the room he was in. He tried to sit up, but leather straps across his chest and arms stopped him. He was strapped to some kind of table. When he looked to his right, he saw Qui-Gon in a similar state on his own table. 

“Qui-Gon,” he whispered. “Qui-Gon, wake up!”

The Jedi’s head rolled to the side, but he showed no sign of waking.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” a voice said from across the room. “A Sithspawn in the flesh. And an old one, if my information is correct.”

Something sour settled in Ben’s stomach. “And let me guess—your information is never wrong?”

“Never.” 

His table tilted so Ben was sitting up. A dark, hooded figure stood in front of him. A Sith Lord. 

Ben snarled. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”

The man lowered his hood to reveal a familiar face. Not one he’d met personally, but one he’d seen on enough holos. “Chancellor Palpatine. I should have guessed. The way you sought power, gained it so quickly. Everything from the invasion of Naboo to the war has turned in your favor.”

He gave Ben an oily grin.  “Very clever. Though I would expect nothing less from someone as ancient and powerful as you. Tell me, which Sith did you serve?”

“I serve no one ,” Ben hissed, jerking against the leather straps.

Palpatine laughed. “Sithspawn can’t help but seek out darkness. It is in their nature. Why do you think you were so drawn to my former apprentice?”

“His hatred of you .”

“Yes,” Palpatine agreed. “Hatred. And Cad Bane? You were drawn to his greed for you.”

Ben swallowed hard. Was that true?

Palpatine stepped forward and pinched his chin between his fingers, similar to how Cad would. It rolled Ben’s stomach. 

“It really is too bad you bonded,” Palpatine continued. “We would’ve made quite the team together.”

“It disgusts me that you think that.”

Palpatine laughed again. “Don’t be like that. I saw the holos of you and Maul. You enjoy carnage as much as any Sith, but more than that, you hate the Jedi.”

“And let me guess,” Ben said, “you plan to purge them. I’ve lived through that. It never works.”

“It will, with your precious Anakin at my side and bonded with me.”

Ben’s eyes widened in shock. “No. You stay away from my son.”

Palpatine released his face. “You don’t even know what you’re capable of when bonded, do you? My master always believed that there were still Sithspawn out in the galaxy, so he taught me all about them, straight from the files of Darth Revan himself.” 

“He was no expert,” Ben said. 

“True,” Palpatine replied, “but his master was. And she taught him everything she knew. And he kept records to be passed down and protected.”

And her records Palpatine would NEVER get. 

“When bonded,” Palpatine went on, “a Sithspawn’s power is amplified, and their will becomes their Sith Master’s.”

Ben frowned. “I’m not under Maul’s control.”

“No,” he agreed, “because of your stubbornness. It’s why you and Maul nearly died. It took the power of another Sithspawn to heal the bond because you won’t let it complete. You refuse to be tied down and used your power against him. It’s admirable.” 

Ben sneered. “Thank you.”

“But your son does not have that will. He craves subjugation. He wants to be told what to do, even if he doesn’t know it.”

“If you touch him…” Ben let the threat hang, but Palpatine seemed unaffected. 

“You don’t scare me, ‘Ben’. You are alone and abandoned. No one is coming for you except who I want to come–your precious son.” He strolled over to Qui-Gon. “The Jedi wasn’t supposed to be part of this, but I suppose I can have my fun with you both while I wait. After all, you can’t die, and as for him…well, if he does, let’s just say it will be no real loss.” 

He reached into his robes and drew out a knife as long as Ben’s forearm. “Now,” he said, “who shall go first?”

Chapter Text

Ben knew pain. He’d been trained by Darth Sion since he was a child. But he’d never had to face unspeakable pain while cursed. It was different when you knew they could push you to death and still have more for you.

Palpatine was a politician, but it was clear he had some scientific background. He was way too interested in cutting into Ben.

The worst part, though? He wouldn’t SHUT UP.

“How does it feel, knowing you failed to protect your son?” he asked. 

Ben gritted his teeth as Palpatine continued to slice him open. “I…haven’t failed…yet.”

“Oh, but you have,” Palpatine replied. “He will come to save you, but in doing so, he will sign his own fate. Perhaps you should’ve stayed away.”

With that, he reached into Ben’s chest and pulled out his heart. Ben spasmed, the world grew dark, and then, he died.

When he woke again, his chest hurt from where the heart had regrown and his skin had sewn itself back together. 

Palpatine was standing by Qui-Gon now, who was finally waking.

“Ben…” he whispered. “Ben…Ben!”

He jolted awake, only to be stopped by leather straps.

His eyes widened. “Chancellor Palpatine,” he said. “Of course.”

“Don’t act like you knew he was a Sith Lord,” Ben said. 

“I could’ve made an educated guess.”

“No, you couldn’t.”

“Enough!” Palpatine yelled. He shot force lightning from his fingers, striking them both. Ben and Qui-Gon twitched and spasmed before finally stopping when Palpatine tore his hands away. 

###

Anakin woke up in Rex’s arms to the sound of his comm beeping. 

He forced himself up and answered. It was Master Windu.

“Anakin,” he said, “have you heard from your master? Qui-Gon was supposed to leave for a campaign days ago, but no one has seen or heard from him.”

Panic settled in Anakin’s stomach. “No. Cody hasn’t heard from him? What about Ben?”

Windu flinched. “Master Plo dropped by his apartment to check, but he was missing too. His things were packed however, so we’re unsure if their disappearances are linked or if Ben simply ran.”

Anakin shook his head. “No, Ben wouldn’t do that. Not without saying something to me.”

“I’m sorry, Anakin,” Windu said softly. “I know this is hard for you. I shouldn’t have called. If you do hear from either of them, however, let the council know.”

Anakin gave a quick nod and hung up. Then, he stood and started to pull on his clothes.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A groggy voice behind him asked. 

He turned to see Rex watching him through half-lidded eyes. 

“Qui-Gon and Ben are in trouble,” he said. “I have to find them.”

Rex sat up. “How do you plan to do that? Do you know who took them? Do you know if they’re even still on Coruscant?”

Anakin thought about what Rex was saying. He was right—Anakin didn’t know how to find them, didn’t even know where to start. 

He only had one solution. 

He hurried over to the chest where he kept his armor and robes. He dug to the bottom and pulled out Ben’s holocron.

Rex stood up quickly. “What’s that?”

“It’s a holocron I took from Ben,” he said. “It helped me heal him. Maybe it can show me how to find him.”

I can. But you must open the holocron.

Anakin frowned. “I don’t know if I can. I would have to use the dark side to open it.”

You’re a Sithspawn. The holocron will respond to you.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Rex said, “but whatever it’s saying, I don’t think you should listen. I don’t trust things that think without a brain.”

Anakin raised a hand and the holocron levitated. It was the only way. He focused on the power within, and the triangular sides began to open. A bright light filled the room.

Then, it was gone, along with the holocron. In its place was an older woman with long white hair, tied off into individual braids. 

Rex screamed and pulled his blanket higher. 

Ignoring him, the woman smiled when she saw Anakin. “I am Kreia. I will help you find Ben, but first we must find Maul. He is the key to it.”

She turned towards the door. “I will let the two of you get ready.”

The door slid open and she stepped outside, leaving the pair of them in shock.

###

The last person Bane expected to hear from again was Aurra Sing. 

She always had a thing for Bane, though he couldn’t stand her past a one night stand when he was just starting in the business.

She also didn’t care for Ben, even before Bane got with him. He’d always assumed it was because she didn’t like someone being more interesting than her in the criminal underworld.

Now, he knew it was because she’d tried to take Skywalker from him and he stopped her from getting the bounty of a lifetime. 

She sat across from him in the booth at the rundown Ord Mantell cantina she’d asked to meet at. 

“So, I heard you may be in the market for a new partner,” she said, propping her feet on the table.

Bane leaned back and rolled his eyes. “What makes ya say dat?”

He was kind of hoping that, after this fallout with Maul, maybe Ben would find his way back to him. Aurra Sing didn’t have to know that, though.

She laughed. “You didn’t hear about the bounty on your boy? Well, I guess you wouldn’t. You’ve been laying low the last month.”

Bane gritted his teeth, but pretended that it didn’t bother him. “He’s smart. He can avoid a bounty.”

“Not as well as you think. It was easy, actually.” Sing put her feet down and leaned over the table. “It was dead or alive, and I managed to catch him and that no good Jedi of his.”

“Who set the bounty?”

Sing chuckled. “Jealous I got there first, Bane? I heard he ran off with another man. I would’ve thought you would be the first to hunt his ass down.”

Bane drew his blaster and pointed it at her. No one around them batted an eye. Sing’s eyes widened slightly.

“I said, ‘who set the bounty’.” He cocked the gun. “Don’t make me damage that ugly mug of yours, Sing. Who did you give Ben to?”

“I dropped him off on a ship on Coruscant. The coordinates were in the computer already, but I could tell it wasn’t leaving the atmosphere. He’s somewhere on Coruscant still.”

Bane snarled, but lowered the blaster and stood up from the booth.

“We could’ve been so good together,” Sing said as he stormed off. He ignored her.

Chapter Text

The last person that he expected to hear from was Cad Bane. 

Their last encounter, after all, hadn’t been the best, but he supposed that they’d left on positive enough terms.

Anakin answered his comm with excitement. “Ben? Oh, it’s you. How’d you get my comm?”

“Don’ ask questions you don’ want the answer to,” Bane answered. “I heard Ben’s missin’.”

“The Jedi think he’s on the run, but Ben wouldn’t just leave.”

“Nah, Aurra Sing took ‘im. He’s somewhere on Coruscant with his pet Jedi. I gotta bad feelin’ about it.”

Anakin stared at Bane in shock. “How do you know?”

“She told me,” he grunted. “Thought it would put her in my good graces. Instead it nearly got her a blaster bolt between the eyes.”

Anakin could relate. “We…might have a lead on where to find Ben, but we don’t know where he would be.”

Bane’s eyes narrowed. “Who would be.” 

It wasn’t a question, like he knew exactly who they were discussing. 

“Maul is the only one who can find Ben,” Anakin said quickly. “Can you find him?”

Bane sighed and rolled his eyes. “I might’a heard about two zabraks workin’ with Death Watch on Mandalore.”

That was the best lead they had, and it was a solid one. “Okay, we’ll meet you there.”

“No, Skywalker–” but Anakin had already hung up.

Kreia stood to his left, eyeing the comm with distaste. “Cad Bane. A lowly bounty hunter.”

“He’s…not too bad,” Anakin lied. He couldn’t stand Bane, but Ben loved him, and that was good enough for him. Obviously there was something there worth the trouble. 

Rex came into the room in full kit. He looked nervously at Kreia before saluting Anakin. “Ship’s ready to depart and we’re ready to take off.”

Anakin followed him into the hall and frowned. “Who’s we?”

Rex stayed silent. When they came to the ship, Ahsoka was leaning against the ramp. “You’re stuck with me, Skyguy. Remember?”

###

Maul should’ve beheaded Pre Vizsla weeks ago. The man was an irritant, a worm playing at being a king. Instead, he allowed the man to parade around and pretend he was in charge when everyone knew the truth. 

He held no power beyond the Darksaber, and that would change very soon. 

He was itching to challenge Vizsla, but he knew that he had to be patient. The time would come to take power. He’d hoped Ben would be by his side when it happened, and maybe he would have been, had Maul not run once they woke up. 

To be honest, he was scared. He’d never experienced the level of power that had poured off of Ben and himself that day. It intrigued him, but it also terrified him. What else could they do, if they came together?

Maul was draped across the throne while Vizsla paced. Savage stood to the side, the ever loyal apprentice.

Gar Saxon came into the room and bowed. “Sir.”

Maul and Pre both straightened. “Yes?” Vizsla commanded.

“There’s a Jedi ship coming into orbit. They’re requesting…they’re requesting to speak with Lord Maul, sir.” 

The Mandalorians turned to Maul, who stared back without any betrayal of his confusion. He grabbed his lightsaber from his belt. It was probably Jinn. “I’ll deal with this. Come, apprentice.” 

Savage followed. “Brother,” he whispered, “it’s too soon for the Jedi to appear. We haven’t even taken Mandalore.”

Maul held up a hand to silence him. “It is a Jedi. We can deal with them easily.”

“But why are they here?”

The door to the hangar that the Jedi ship landed in opened. Maul froze in place when he saw Anakin Skywalker, his clone captain, his padawan, and Cad Bane standing at the end of the ramp. 

“Ben’s been taken, probably by your master,” Skywalker said. “We need your help to find him.”

Bane raised his blaster. “And we ain’t askin.”

###

Anakin wasn’t sure how he felt about how Kreia watched him.

It didn’t feel vicious, just curious. But the intensity of it made him aware of every second of her attention.

“How’d you end up in that holocron?” Anakin asked when they were alone. Maul and Bane were in the cockpit, and Ahsoka and Rex were training.

Kreia smiled. “My son. In his eyes, I believe he thought he was imprisoning me, but really he was saving my life.”

“Why would your own son imprison you?” Anakin asked.

Kreia pursed her lips in thought. “I believe he wanted to go out on his own, and he couldn’t do that with me there. But we lived in dangerous times, and he wanted to make sure I was safe. I am his mother, after all.”

Anakin nodded. “And how did Ben get you?”

“He constructed the holocron,” she explained. “As you know, ‘Ben’ is quite the collector of rare and odd items, and knows more about holocrons than most.”

That made sense. There was a pull to Anakin’s gut, like he’d known this woman his whole life. It was almost like his bond with Ben.

“How did you know about me being Ben’s son?”

Kreia reached out and brushed a hair behind Anakin’s ear. “I watched you for many years as your father raised you. You and he may not have realized it, but I was always there in your lives, and I was always watching you.”

There was that pull again. Her tone should’ve freaked him out, but instead, he was calmed. 

“It was always the three of us,” she continued. “Even if Ben didn’t know it.”

###

Ben already knew he had a higher pain tolerance than Qui-Gon, but the amount of times the Jedi passed out was ridiculous. He wasn’t that old of a man. What, he couldn’t handle some force lightning?

Ben was literally getting his organs pulled out and regrown, and he was staying awake! 

Well, except when he died. But that didn’t count. 

Maybe he was getting delirious, comparing his torture etiquette to Qui-Gon’s. 

A slap across his face pulled him back into the present.

“Stay with me, spawn,” Sidious hissed. “We’re still chatting, you and I.”

“Are we?” Ben asked. “It’s feeling awfully one sided to me. You asking questions, me not answering, you removing something from me, me dying. It’s getting redundant, isn’t it?”

“Oh no. I’ve learned quite a lot from you,” Sidious said. “I believe that you may even hold the key to my greatest triumph—immortality.”

“I can’t make you like me,” Ben replied. “I was cursed by a force mage. They were wiped out millennia ago or became Nightsisters. They hold no memory of the old ways.”

“But the magic still lies inside of you.” Sidious’s wrinkled lips pulled back into a greasy smile. “And I will find a way to drain it.” 

Ben shook his head. “I tried that a long time ago. There is no cure, no way to remove the magic. The only way for my curse to end is to be rid of the Sith.”

Sidious leaned over Ben, so his lips brushed against his ear. “I’m sure we can find a way together.”

Ben shivered and leaned away. Sidious had one thing over any of the Sith Triumvirate–he was creepy as all Sith hells. 

###

Maul knew exactly where Ben was. When the second they broke through the atmosphere, he took control of the ship and began flying them towards The Works. 

“My master’s hidden lair…” he whispered, once he realized where the pull in his gut was leading them. “This is where he used to train me. Of course…he wanted me to find it. He planned all of this.”

An almost clawed hand laid on his shoulder. “He wasn’t expecting me, my dear,” Kreia said, and Maul wanted to burn her touch from his skin. 

LiMerge Building was abandoned, or so it always seemed. But there were tunnels beneath it that Sidious used, and rooms throughout that were used for his various plots. 

Maul pulled into the entrance he would use as a child and landed the ship. 

“He knows we’re here,” Maul announced. “This has all been a trap. Be prepared to spring it.” 

He turned to see Skywalker, Tano, Bane, and the clone captain checking their weapons and armor. Good. They would need all the preparations they could get.

###

He pulled out a syringe from his pocket. “Let’s try something different.”

Sidious stabbed the syringe into Ben’s neck. The liquid spread through him, burning at his veins and muscles. He closed his eyes for a moment and suddenly, it was over. He jerked awake with a gasp. 

Sidious was gone. There were three tunnels in front of them, and one had voices echoing out of it. 

Ben prepared himself for whatever horror Sidious had planned for him…only to relax when he saw a familiar face round the corner of the far left tunnel. 

“I think this is the right way…” Anakin said. When he stepped out of the tunnel, his eyes met Ben’s. 

“Ben!” Anakin rushed to his side, quickly working on his bindings. Ahsoka and Rex went to work on Qui-Gon’s.

“Anakin…” Ben gasped. “How did you find me?”

“We had help.” He moved to the side slightly to reveal Maul eyeing him nervously— understandable, given their last meeting—Cad watching their flank, and…

“Oh kark.” 

Anakin didn’t seem to understand his alarm. A smile appeared on his lips. “Ben, this is Kreia. She helped us find you.”

The second Ben was free, he leapt to his feet and pushed Anakin behind him. He grabbed the Jedi’s lightsaber from his belt and ignited it in Kreia’s direction. 

Maul matched his energy, jumping away from the woman and drawing his own saber. 

Kreia didn’t react. Of course she didn’t. She could kill them all without trying. 

“Dear one,” she said. “It’s been so long. You have a child of your own…”

“Don’t even look at him,” Ben snarled. 

“Ben…” Anakin said, “what’s happening?”

Ahsoka and Rex finally had Qui-Gon free and were holding him up. Maul stayed in place, waiting for Obi-Wan’s next move.

“You’ve grown so well, tooka . Four thousand years has done you well. Look at the loyalty you’ve inspired…” 

“Careful, mother ,” he snarled. 

Anakin inhaled sharply. “Mother?” 

Cad turned to aim his guns at the back of Kreia’s head. “ This is the Sith empress?”

“Don’t let her appearance fool you,” Ben explained. “The only reason any of us are still alive is because she’s allowing it. However dangerous you believe Palpatine is, she’s much worse.” 

“Now, that’s uncalled for. I like to think I raised you better than making accusations like that.” Her tone was offended, but the smile on her face said she was enjoying that Ben was thrown off his rhythm.

He refused to let her get into his head. 

“Enough of this,” Qui-Gon said, his voice still weak from torture. “Palpatine is a Sith Lord. We need to stop him now.” 

“There’re two paths,” Cad pointed out. “Which did he use?” 

Ben’s eyes went to his ex, and he shook his head. “I don’t know. I was out of it and Qui-Gon was unconscious.” 

Cad met his eyes and something passed between them. Neither would apologize for what happened—neither were sorry for what they did—but Ben knew that they were both sorry for how it ended. 

Anakin stepped out from behind him. “We should split up. Half of us go in each direction and comm the other half when we find him.” 

“Wonderful idea,” Kreia said. She took a step towards Anakin, and Ben saw red. He intercepted her before she even got close. 

“Anakin, go with Qui-Gon, Ahsoka, and Cad,” he said. “Rex, Maul and I will go with Kreia.” 

Maul nodded, but Cad narrowed his eyes at the sith and darksider. He walked over to Ben and leaned in close. 

“I don’t like this,” he said. “She knows how to get in your head and he’s actually in your head.”

“Cad, I’m no longer your concern,” he reminded him. “I don’t need to run my decisions past you. I’m not letting Kreia near anyone I care about, and Maul’s the only one who can help me take her down if she tries something.” 

Cad growled in the back of his throat, and Ben laid a hand on his. “I need you to protect Anakin. It’s the only way I can not be with him. Do you understand?” 

Cad looked back at Anakin with a sneer before turning back to Ben. “Doesn’t mean I like him.”

“I know.”

“Also don’t mean I forgive you.”

“You don’t have to. But you do need to trust me, at least until this is resolved.”

He grunted, which Ben took as a yes. He wanted to lean forward and give his once husband a kiss for luck, but that wasn’t them anymore. Maybe it never would be again.

Instead, he nodded. “Please, be careful.” 

Cad didn’t respond, just walked over to Anakin’s side. 

Obi-Wan forced his eyes away from his son and his ex, turning back to Kreia. 

“If you try anything, I will kill you,” he threatened.

Her smile didn’t fade. “You’ll certainly try.”

Chapter Text

Maul wasn’t sure about ‘Kreia’. He was uncomfortable when he first met her on Mandalore and knew that she couldn’t be trusted. Now, feeling Ben’s distrust and fear, he wanted to kill her himself. 

This was the one who had abused him—Ben’s Sidious. 

She walked to Maul’s left, watching Ben, who was leading their way. Skywalker’s clone captain held the rear. 

“You’re my son’s bond,” she said, glancing over at him. “Many have tried, but you are the one who was successful.”

Maul wasn’t sure what that meant, but he didn’t reply. Ben, who was pretending to ignore her, tensed slightly. 

“Are you surprised?” she continued. “He grew up in a Sith Empire and was the last Sithspawn. Some believed that having a bond gave you great power.”

“It doesn’t.” He hadn’t meant to reply, but he couldn’t help it.

Kreia’s smirk grew. “Oh?” 

“Leave him alone, Mother.” He didn’t need to see Ben’s face to know he was scowling. “Whatever you’re planning, stop. Once we get rid of Palpatine, you’re next.”

“That’s not very nice. I’m your mother, dear. Your savior.”

“My boogeyman. My trauma. My nightmare.” 

His anger bled out, and Maul clenched his fists. He was prepared to kill her the second Ben decided she was no longer needed. 

Her attention turned back to him. “And yours is this ‘Palpatine’, is it? I see why you were able to bond with ‘Ben’.”

“ Mother. ” 

“I mean nothing by it, Obi-Wan. When did you start taking everything so personally?”

“Obi-Wan? I thought your name was Ben,” the clone said, reminding everyone he was there. 

“I changed it,” Ben replied. “It’s less suspicious and doesn’t carry the weight Obi-Wan does.”

“Obi-Wan is a fine name,” Kreia scolded. “In the language of Stewjon, it means ‘one of heart’.”

“It’s the name you gave me when you stole me from my home,” he spat, still looking straight ahead. “Ben is the name I gave myself once I was free.”

Maul watched as her face twisted into a scowl. Ben wasn’t the victim she’d created anymore, and she didn’t like it. He tightened his grip on his saber staff.

Kreia noticed. “Oh, I like you. Much better than that duros.”

Now Ben was fuming. 

Kreia raised an eyebrow. “Honestly, my dear, you have been slumming these past years. Married to a bounty hunter? One who is neither exceptionally powerful nor ambitious or brilliant.”

Quicker than Maul could react, Ben rounded on her and grabbed her by the throat. He forced Kreia against the wall of the tunnel.

“Cad is one of the best men I’ve ever known,” he snarled. His eyes began glowing red. “He may be a bounty hunter, but he helped put me back together again and again. If you say one more remark about him, I’ll kill you now.”

He released her and stormed off. Maul’s stomach sank a bit—he knew Ben’s feelings for his ex-husband hadn’t just disappeared, but to hear them come out so rawly still hurt. Still, he continued on by Ben’s side. 

Kreia’s smile never faded, except now it felt like she was staring through him, reading each of his emotions. He did what he was taught to do—bottled them and pushed them down again.

Don’t do that, Ben’s voice whispered in his head. Your emotions are beautiful, just like you. 

Maul wondered if there was a world where he ended up at Ben’s side forever, perhaps ruling a planet or hunting Sith together. 

Kreia was right about one thing: Bane and him were a disaster waiting to happen. Everyone could see it, even them, but they still continued heading for each other.

Kreia’s attention went to the clone now. “And you…you are a Mandalorian.”

“A clone,” he corrected, looking straight ahead like even having her attention on him made him uncomfortable.

“A Mandalorian clone is still a Mandalorian. You are in a romantic relationship with my grandson, are you not? That’s why you wear his vambrace.”

“Mother!” Ben rounded on her and grabbed her by the shoulder. “Stop torturing them. You’re walking with me.”

###

Ben never thought he’d see his mother again—had never wanted to see her again.

It’s true that a part of him loved her, but that was the way of many abuse victims. Their abusers fostered feelings of love in their victims that weren't returned, took advantage, and caused nothing but heartache and pain. 

There was a reason he hadn’t been able to kill her all those years ago.

“You’re thinking very loudly.”

Her voice was low enough that only Ben could hear her, but he could feel Maul’s intense, hateful glare behind them. 

It calmed him.

“Thinking about what to do with you once we find Palpatine,” he answered. “Thinking about how to stop Palpatine from bonding with my son.”

“I wouldn’t worry about dear Anakin,” Kreia said. “I would never let anything happen to my grandchild, after all.”

That didn’t sit well with him. He clenched his fists. “You will stay away from my son. I don’t know what you told him to get him to free you, but the manipulations end now.”

“Agreed,” she said. “Though I assure you, I’ve only ever told him the truth…unlike you.”

He didn’t know what Kreia was planning, but something told him that it was bad. Whatever plan Ben came up with, she was always twelve steps ahead, with check in sight. 

###

Ben still couldn’t believe that it’d worked. 

When separated, Sion and Nihilus were nothing–just over confident monsters who showed him exactly how to defeat them. Nihilus was the easiest. He depended on his lightsaber fighting over his abilities when it came to Ben, since he feared the day Ben might make a meal out of him . 

But Ben was trained too well, by people who believed he was too broken to ever truly betray them. 

Nihilus was the first to die. Lightsaber through the heart. His first Sith kill. 

Sion was harder. He was immortal, after all, like Ben. Or was supposed to be. 

Nothing could survive without the Force though, and he devoured Sion just like he had Nihilus. 

Kreia had left long before he started picking off her apprentices. He’d convinced them to betray her so elegantly, and she’d escaped without a scratch. 

Ben spent the next twenty years tracking her down. He knew he couldn’t kill her–no, he wasn’t ready for that–but he could trap her. He perfected the trap, luring her in with the promise of reunion and rekindling. 

For once, she hadn’t seen the blow coming until the trap snapped shut around her, and she was trapped in her holocron, where only Ben or another Sithspawn could release her. 

He’d never expected it to actually happen. 

###

Anakin wished he was with Rex and Ben and Kreia. There was so much he didn’t know about himself that he could learn, and he didn’t like the idea of Rex being alone with them. 

Well, not alone. Maul was there too, which was kind of worse. 

He stopped. “I’m going back.”

Ahsoka and Qui-Gon stopped in front of him, and Bane glared from his left. 

“No yer not,” he said. “Yer doin’ what Ben said and stayin’ away from the Sith witch.”

“I don’t have to listen to you,” Anakin snarked back. He looked at Ahsoka and Qui-Gon. “You both feel it as well as I do, don’t you? He didn’t go this way. He took the other tunnel.”

Qui-Gon and Ahsoka shared a look. 

“I can help them!” Anakin argued. “I will. I’m going.”

He turned and ran back down the tunnel. The sound of boots followed, and when he looked back, Bane was chasing him. 

“What are you doing?”

“Told yer dad I wasn’t lettin’ nuthin’ happen to ya,” Bane replied. “Don’t need him holding a broken promise over me for the rest of my life.” 

He followed a tug in his gut through the tunnels, back to the chamber they started in, and back through the other tunnel that Ben had gone down. 

###

The tunnel opened into a hangar. There was a ship inside with droids preparing for take off, but no sign of Palpatine. 

“He’s here,” Maul said. “I can feel him.”

Ben agreed. There was a heaviness in the room that could only be from a powerful Sith Lord. 

Rex handed him one of his blasters. “Just in case.”

“Thank you.” He smiled at his son in law and accepted it. 

Not that a blaster would be much helpful, but it was better than nothing. 

Running from the tunnel behind them drew their attention. Anakin came barreling in, Cad on his heels.

“Anakin!” Ben demanded. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a feeling Palpatine came this way,” he explained. “I came to help. Bane came because he didn’t want you mad at him.”

Cad growled, but said nothing.

“Perfect,” a crackly voice echoed through the room. “My new weapon has arrived.”

Anakin drew his saber. 

Palpatine stepped out of the nearby shadows. “A charming gathering to bear witness to my ascension.”

Kreia stepped back from the group as Palpatine approached. Rex pushed Anakin behind him. Maul drew his saber. Cad raised his slug thrower. 

Palpatine chuckled. “I’ll give you one chance–lower your weapons and hand over young Skywalker, and perhaps I will let you all live. You may even prove to be helpful in my new Empire.”

Ben was getting VERY tired of these Sith Lords believing they had a right to his son. He fired his blaster and Sidious quickly drew his saber and blocked the bolt. 

Cad started to fire, and Sidious leapt out of the way. Maul joined the fight then, running at his former master and swinging his saber. 

Anakin looked like he wanted to help, but Rex held him back. 

“Rex,” Ben yelled, “get Anakin out of here!” 

“No, I want to help!” Anakin argued. 

Sidious’s eyes went to Anakin. He shot force lightning at Maul, knocking him back onto the floor. Then, he force pushed Cad back into a wall, knocking the slug thrower from the bounty hunters hands. 

He launched himself across the room. 

Ben moved to stop him, but arms wrapped around him from behind and there was a stab of pain in his back. 

“Sorry, tooka,” Kreia whispered in his ear. “But you must not interfere.” 

She dropped him to the floor. Ben watched helplessly as Sidious landed in front of Rex and Anakin. 

Rex tried his best–truly, he did. He fired on the Sith over and over, but Sidious blocked the bolts easily. The Sith raised a hand and Rex was pulled forward…right into Sidious’s lightsaber.

The cry that left Anakin was heartbreaking. Rex was dropped to the ground like he was nothing, and Sidious stepped over his body to stride towards Anakin. 

Anakin, who had a dark cloud of Force energy gathering around him. Ben had only seen the like when he lost control, but that had only been because of the bond. And Anakin wasn’t…

Ben looked up at his mother in shock. “How did you…”  

“I had nearly a decade to start,” she said, the power pouring off of her. “It only took one moment alone to complete the bond.”

Kreia bonded with Anakin. The one thing Ben had fought against his entire life, and now his son was suffering it. 

“No…”

Anakin held out a hand and Sidious was suddenly grabbing at his throat. Anakin approached with his saber drawn and stabbed the man through the heart, a dark shadow over him. 

Then, he began to feast on the force energy.

Kreia stepped over Ben. He tried to grab her leg to stop her, but he was losing too much blood, dying too quickly but not fast enough to recover. 

Maul was sitting up, holding his side. 

Cad was groaning, but sat up to see what was going down. 

“You can save him,” Kreia said, stepping closer to Anakin, who threw Palpatine to the ground. She held out a hand to him. 

“No…” Ben moaned, but Anakin wasn’t listening. 

“Together,” she said, “we can create a world where he is safe. Where all of them are safe.”

Anakin took the hand. Around them, the Force rippled. Reality began to bend. Ben didn’t know what Kreia was doing, but it wasn’t good. 

Maul looked around, clearly able to see it too. He reached over and grabbed Cad by the shoulder. Cad’s eyes widened as he was suddenly able to see what Kreia and Anakin were doing. 

“Stop, please…Anakin…” Ben begged, but Anakin couldn’t hear him anymore. All he could hear was Darth Traya. 

The world bent to their will. Reality was rewritten. And suddenly, for Ben, everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Maul opened his eyes. He’d been meditating all morning, focusing on the darkness within him and the dark power that resided under his skin. The power that Ben had given him. 

He sat in what was once the Jedi Temple, in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Now, it was the palace of the Sith Emperor. 

Maul rose to his feet. There wasn’t much he could do. His freedom was on a short rope. The only person who was more of a prisoner than he was…well, the Sith Mother liked to keep him locked up tight, just in case. He enjoyed causing trouble, after all. 

Maul practiced his forms the way Sidious had taught him. He swam in one of the fountains. Eventually, he returned to his room, casting a sorrowful look at the door that led to the room next door. 

He remembered how they got here. The moment Darth Traya touched Anakin and their powers meshed. Ben bled out on the floor, but there was little for Maul to do except weather the storm that was pouring from their bond. 

That bond…was that how Bane had felt when Ben lost control? The fear from the absolute power rushing off of his body and into the air? 

He hated feeling so powerless as he’d been when the building around him began to change. When he closed his eyes, only to open them and find himself dressed in all gold instead of black, kneeling before a throne that Anakin Skywalker sat on with Traya behind him. 

Ben, now healed and dressed in gold himself, had screamed and rushed the throne, but all it took was a raised hand from Traya and he was suddenly unconscious at his son’s feet. That was the last time Maul had seen Ben, though he’d practically shared a room with him since. 

He touched the door between their rooms and sighed. He wanted to make Traya pay for Ben, the way Ben had helped him, but he couldn’t take down a Sith Empress on his own and Ben…well, Ben was in no condition to do so. 

###

Anakin strode into his room with a skip in his step. It’d been a long day of ruling the galaxy, but now he was in his apartments with the person he loved more than anything.

Rex smiled as Anakin approached and stood from his spot in the window. “Anakin…or should I say ‘Emperor’?” 

Anakin took his husband in his arms and kissed him deeply. “Always Anakin for you, my love.”

Rex’s smile grew. “How was your day?”

“Stressful, but manageable. I never thought leading an empire would involve putting out so many fires. Rebellions, warlords, rival Sith Lords…”

“You love it,” Rex said, pressing another kiss to his lips. “It keeps you busy.”

“True,” Anakin agreed. “And what have you been up to?” 

“Drills, prepping the army in case of attack, making sure my emperor is safe.” 

Anakin chuckled. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They rested their foreheads together. For a second, everything was perfect, except…

He squirmed, and Rex pulled away. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…” Anakin frowned. “I just feel like something’s wrong. Someone…”

Now, Rex was frowning. “Don’t worry yourself, Anakin. You’ve been working yourself too hard. Rest, now.”

The words settled Anakin’s doubts, and he settled back into his husband’s arms.

###

A hand covered Maul’s mouth. How had someone snuck up on him in his sleep like this? Who would be so bold, so stupid, to think they could outmatch him?

His eyes opened and he saw the barrel end of a blaster pointed in his face. He growled.

“Don’ get so worked up, dick,” a gravely voice said. “Jus’ didn’ wanna get skewered ‘fore you realized this was a jailbreak.”

He focused on the face behind the blaster. He relaxed, barely. 

Bane. 

The hand was removed and Maul shot up. The bounty hunter was sitting on the side of his bed. His clothes were the same that he’d worn at the LiMerge Building, only they were rattier and dirtier. He looked rough. 

“What happened to you?” he found himself asking. “Why are you here?”

Bane scoffed. “Don’ know why I remember, ‘cept you had yer hand on me when the Sith bitch and Skywalker made the world…well, whatever the hell this is. Was trapped in a penal colony ‘til three months ago. Only jus’ was able to break out, steal a ship, and sneak in here. I heard about the ‘Sith Mother’s’ special charge. Thought it was Ben. Where’s he?” 

Three months? How long had they been trapped in this phantasmagoria of Kreia’s? He tried to focus, but time was slipping from his mind. “I don’t…why don’t I know how much time has passed?”

“‘Cuz you got Kreia in your mind,” Bane explained, putting away his blaster. “Everyone else is like that, too.”

“But I remember because of my bond to Ben,” Maul said. “Why would she still be able to work on my mind?”

Bane smirked. “Cuz you ain’t like me and Ben. We’re stubborn, hardheaded, and don’t like bein’ told what to do.”

Bane stood and straightened his coat. “Now, where’s Ben?”

Maul looked to the door that connected their rooms. “He’s in there, but I haven’t seen him since the beginning.”

Bane’s smirk melted to a frown. “You’ve been beside him with a door between your rooms, and you haven’t gone in to check?”

“No, I…” Maul paused. He wasn’t sure what his excuse was, except… “I can’t.”

“Whaddya mean ‘can’t’?’

Maul shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s as though part of Traya’s conditioning isn’t allowing anyone to speak to him or see him.”

Bane narrowed his eyes. “Which means he’s dangerous to her. Ben might be our only shot at gettin’ outta this hellhole.”

He stepped away from the bed and headed straight for the door. Maul’s immediate urge was to stop him, but he forced the instinct down. That was the spell talking. They needed Ben. If Darth Traya thought Ben was a threat, they needed him now more than ever. 

Bane opened the door, and Maul leapt off the bed to hurry after him as he stepped into the neighboring room. 

His eyes widened. Bane grit his teeth and curled up his fist.

The room was empty. There was no bed, no furniture of any kind. There wasn’t even a window. It was just a room of nothing, and Ben was nowhere to be found. 

“Son of a BITCH!” Bane yelled, turning and punching the wall behind him. Maul couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Why? Why would the sith bitch want you to think he was in here?”

Maul frowned. He didn’t know much about Traya, but he knew about his own master and the sick games he liked to play. He sighed. “In case we did exactly what we’re doing right now. She wants to know if someone is breaking out of her spell by coming inside. It’s the only reason someone would come after Ben.”

Bane looked around the room. “Don’t see any sign of cameras. Think that if you keep it quiet like, she won’t know?”

“Perhaps,” Maul replied. “But I’m sure she’s sensed that someone has broken her rules, meaning we’ve lost the element of surprise.”

###

Kreia ran her fingers down her son’s cheek. His eyes fluttered at the touch, but he remained asleep. 

“Shhhh, tooka,” she whispered. “You’ll awaken in a week, when all of this is permanent. Then, you can have your bond and son.”

She adjusted his blanket, and it reminded her of when he was small. She remembered what it was like, raising Obi-Wan in secret, hiding him from the Jedi the first few years of his life. Then, Revan Fell, and all of her actions were put under a microscope. It wasn’t long before her first betrayal was discovered, and the Jedi tried to take her son from her. 

Obi-Wan didn’t believe it, but she loved him dearly. She only wanted a world where he was safe, and that meant making sure he was strong and powerful. Making sure she was strong and powerful.

She knew Sion and Nihilus were only means to an end, that they would try and betray her eventually. Despite it all, she was proud of the way her son manipulated their desires, manipulated their strengths and turned it against them. That he convinced them to turn on her so he wouldn’t have to do the same to his mother.

That was his only weakness. His heart. Her little golden prince. 

He loved deeply and was unshakably loyal to those he cared about. Fortunately for her, she was one of those he loved, even if he didn’t want to believe it. 

That’s why he couldn’t kill her. It’s why, despite his grandstanding, he wouldn’t be able to do it now.

She kissed his forehead. All she wanted was an empire to protect her family with. 

Something lit up in the Force, and she jerked back. 

The room had been entered. It couldn’t have been Maul–his conditioning was almost perfect, thanks to his former master. It hadn’t taken much to get through his head and put a DO NOT ENTER order in him.

She sneered. The bounty hunter. 

She’d known he was out there somewhere, that Maul had accidentally protected him from the reconditioning the rest of the galaxy had received. She’d sent her best spies and hunters after him, but he was too slick and clever for that. She was almost impressed. But he would not keep her son away from her. 

She rose from the bedside and turned away. Taking the tunnels that led into the chamber, she moved through the catacombs, up the stairs, and back through the secret passage beneath the throne room. 

Her guards stood waiting. 

“Search the palace. Find the duros Cad Bane and bring him to me. I will kill him myself.”