Saga Time Regained....AU/Drama

Title: Time Regained
Author: Kelia
Timeframe: Varied
Characters: All of the prequel characters
Genre: Drama/AU
Author Notes: This is my response to the
50 Titles in search of a story Challenge. My title is “Time Regained”. Please note, I have not read the book nor am I familiar with the storyline for it – this is just my version based solely on the title.




Chapter 1

Mustafar

An exhausted Obi-Wan paused, turning slowing to gaze at his critically injured former padwan writhing in pain inches from the scorching sea of lava. “Anakin….” he gasped. “What happened to you? I…I loved you.”

“I hate you!” Anakin screamed, the fist of his left hand desperately clutching the crumbled ashes surrounding him.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by a loud rumble. Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to buckle.

“Master!” Anakin screamed, reaching one hand to Obi-Wan as the ground beneath him began to open. “Help me!”

Before Obi-Wan could react, he was pitched forward towards the same gaping hole swallowing Anakin. He tried using the Force to stop his momentum but his speed seemed to increase and before he could react, he was plunged into total darkness..


Obi-Wan

Peace.

Comfort.

Calmness.

“Obi-Wan.”

Oib-Wan felt himself drift into consciousness. He sat up, blinking rapidly as he took in his surroundings. His vision seemed blurred but he could tell he was on a Jedi transport, the force signatures of his fellow Jedi surrounding him. “Wha….where am I?”

“Obi-Wan.”

He turned, gasping in shock at the sight of a bluish glowing Qui-Gon Jin.

“Master!” He wanted to leap up and embrace him but his body would not move.

“You are asleep,” Qui-Gon explained. “And my time is limited. There is much I need to say and you must remain silent and listen.”

“But I….I’ve missed you,” Obi-Wan breathed. “There’s so much I want to say.”

“I know padawan-mine,” Qui-Gon replied. “I’ve missed you too and we will have time for catching up later. For now, you need to listen.”

Obi-Wan nodded, pushing his confusion away.

“You are being given a very rare and special opportunity to alter history,” Qui-Gon began. “The Force is sending you back in time -,”

“So I don’t repeat my mistakes with Anakin,” Obi-Wan sighed, his shoulders slumping.

“No,” Qui-Gon’s voice was surprisingly gentle. “You did nothing wrong, Obi-Wan. Anakin’s choices are his own.”

“Then why?”

Qui-Gon was silent for a moment. “Because of the unforeseen influences Anakin was exposed to.”

“Palpatine.” A flash of anger surged through Obi-Wan.

“Amoung others,” Qui-Gon agreed.

“Others?”

Qui-Gon nodded. “The Order was wrong to treat Anakin as any other Jedi,” he began. “They didn’t do it because they didn’t know any better, they did it because no one, not even Yoda, accepted he was the Chosen One,” he paused, shaking his head sadly. “They thought it was possible but they were not convinced. Yoda only agreed to allow you to train him because of how strong Anakin was in the Force and he truly believed Anakin would benefit from the training.”

“It probably didn’t help that the other initiatives didn’t accept him,” Obi-Wan added.

“No.” Qui-Gon replied. “And that opened up the door for Anakin to be receptive to Palpatine’s manipulations.”

“So I’m being sent back to destroy Palpatine?” Obi-Wan’s voice was hopeful.

“No,” Qui-Gon answered. “That would not save Anakin.”

“How could it not?” Obi-Wan challenged. “Everything that happened is Palpatine’s fault! Do you know he ordered Anakin…..,” tears began to fall down Obi-Wans cheeks. “the younglings….’

“I know,” Qui-Gon said sadly. “And while Palpatine played in big role in Anakin’s turn, he was not the sole reason Anakin rejected the light,” he paused, cocking his head. “I must go soon, Obi-Wan.”

“But…but what am I to do if not kill Palpatine?”

“You are being sent back for Anakin,” Qui-Gon explained. “You must focus on what is best for Anakin, even if it means going against the Council.”

“At least I’m used to that, being your padwan,” Obi-Wan quipped.

“Indeed,” Qui-Gon chuckled. “And one last thing,”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened as Qui-Gon’s image began to fade.

“You will remember none of this, padawan-mine. You must trust your instincts. They will lead you where you need to go.”

“Qui-Gon wait!” Obi-Wan jerked awake, his heart pounding.

“Master Obi-Wan, sir?” a small hand touched his shoulder.

Obi-Wan turned to find ten year old Anakin Skywalker gazing at him with concern. “Are you okay? Should I get Master Yoda?

“No,” Obi-Wan managed a tiny smile. “I…I’m alright. I had…a dream….,” he shook his head trying to remember. “I think.”

“It’s okay.” Anakin patted his arm. “I miss Qui-Gon too.” He laid his head on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Maybe it will help you feel better if you tell me a story about him.”

Obi-Wan shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He felt different somehow. Qui-Gon only became one with the Force a few days ago and yet he felt a strange kind of peace as if he’d managed come to terms with his shocking loss. How could that be?

He glanced down at the top of Anakin’s blond head. “I’d love to tell you a story,” he said.

· * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anakin

Blackness

Confusion

Fear

“Anakin.”

Anakin moaned, fighting consciousness.

“Wake up, Anakin, you must wake up.”

Anakin muttered a few curses as his eyes opened against his will. “What!” he spat, his breath leaving him as he recognized the lounge area of a Jedi transport. “What the – ,”

“Anakin.”

He turned, his eyes buldging at the sight of a blusih Qui-Gon Jinn standing before him. “Qu….Qu…Qui-Gon?”

“You remember me,” Qui-Gon smirked. “Good. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to remind you how I saved you from a life of slavery and you thanked me by turning to the dark side.”

Anakin’s cheeks stung with the rebuke. “You don’t understand –,”

Qui-Gon held up one hand. “I do, Anakin. I’ve been watching over you since I became one with the Force. I know everything that has happened to you, how you’ve felt, how you’ve struggled and how you gave in to your fear and anger.”

“I…it….I had no choice,” Anakin tried to explain. “I couldn’t risk losing Padmé!”

Qui-Gon arched a single eyebrow. “And how is Padmé?”

“She…she will be fine once I get to her.”

“Really,” Qui-Gon waved one hand in front of Anakin’s eyes.

Anakin sucked in his breath at the image of Padmé smiling weakly at Obi-Wan. “Obi-Wan,”she gasped, fighting to form her next words. “There is good in him….still….this I….know.” She exhaled loudly as the life left her body.

“NNNNNOOOOOOO!” Anakin screamed reaching toward the fading image. “Padmé!”

“Why did you bring me here?” He yelled. “I could have saved her!”

“I did not bring you here, Anakin,” Qui-Gon replied calmly. “And you could not have saved her. You were in need of saving yourself.”

Fury built in Anakin as he remembered his severed legs.

“Look at me, Anakin,” Qui-Gon ordered. “I don’t have much time and there is much you need to hear.”

“I don’t want to,” Anakin snapped. “I did everything for Padmé. I am nothing without her.”

“That’s where you are wrong,” Qui-Gon pointed out. “Padmé was not the driving force behind your choices, she is only your excuse.”

Anakin glared at him.

“We are not here to rehash your past or place the blame. None of that is relevant now,” Qui-Gon began sternly. “I am here to tell you, you are being given a very rare and special opportunity to alter history,” he paused, feeling hope leap through Anakin. “The Force is sending you back in time.”

“To make things right,” Anakin nodded.

“No!” Qui-Gon snapped. “You do not have the power to make anything right. You are only responsible for the choices you make.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Anakin,” Qui-Gon sighed. “The Order failed you in your training and Palpatine took full advantage of that failure to manipulate and twist your mind and thoughts to the point where you became his puppet.”

Anakin opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by Qui-Gon’s stern look.

“You were whether you want to admit it or not,” he replied. “The Force has decided to send you back and give you the opportunity to make your own choices of your own will.”

Anakin frowned. “You mean I won’t…..Palpatine won’t be there?”

“He will,” Qui-Gon admitted. “But there are other factors in play that will.....,” he paused for a moment. “at the very least limit the impact Palpatine will have on your life. Then you, Anakin,” he leaned forward, “Will have the freedom of choice with a clear mind.”

Anakin bit his lip. ‘This could be a good thing,’ he thought. ‘I will be able to save Padme now.’

“One more thing,” Qui-Gon interrupted as his image began to fade. “You will remember nothing of this nor of how your life turns out. You will only have them memories that lead up to your present life when you awaken. You must trust your instincts, Anakin. Even if they go against the Council’s wishes.”

“Qui-Gon wait!” Anakin jerked into consciousness, his heart pounding.

“Anakin?” a gentle hand touched his shoulder. “Are you alright?”
Anakin turned to find a concerned Obi-Wan gazing at him. “Did you have another bad dream?”
Anakin blinked, shaking his head. He felt strange…..different somehow. “I….think….I….dreamt….something.” He glanced around the lounge area of the Jedi transport. “Where are we?”

“Hyperspace,” Obi-Wan replied dryly. “We just finished negotiating the border dispute on Ansion,” he searched Anakin’s clear blue eyes. “And the Council has agreed to allow us to visit your mother on Tatooine to make sure she is all right.”

“Of course,” Anakin replied shaking his head as the memories coming back to him.

“I’m just glad you didn’t have another nightmare about her,” Obi-Wan continued. “And once we make sure she is okay, I’m sure they will leave you once and for all.

Anakin nodded. He felt….off . Something was different but he couldn’t put his finger on what. The nightmares about his mother that had plagued him the last three nights were fresh in his mind but he felt a strange sense of peace where fear once resided. He knew, somehow, whatever he found on Tatooine, with Obi-Wan’s help, they would handle it.



TBC

 

W00t! First Fifty Titles fic, and I'm the first to review

I love how you interpreted the title, and I love even more that, in your opening chapter, we get to see virtually the same scene, one involving Obi-Wan and one involving Anakin. And it's very interesting how each one clings to the core belief he held at the moment when Anakin "died" in the lava -- Obi-Wan convinced that the ultimate goal is to kill Palpatine, Anakin that it is to save Padmé -- until Qui-Gon shows them otherwise. And of course, Qui-Gon being Qui-Gon, he would see the shortcomings of the Jedi Council and the role of personal choices over the evil of the Sith.

I can't wait to see where you take this story from here!


PS: To insert a link, select the word where you want to insert it and click on the link button (6th from right on the bottom line of the toolbar) or use this code without the spaces: [ url=paste link here]Title[ /url]

PPS: When you have a moment, can you please make a quick post with your story, current post count and current word count in the 50 Titles thread? I won't be indexing the fics until next month and I don't want to forget listing yours

 

KELIA !!!!!!!! I adore simply wuv time travel fixes! Reboots, as in. Yeah last time they did that with Trek, it was a slam, slam dunk! So I'll be following this avidly! Love the second chances Obi-wan and Anakin have gotten!

 

Oh. Wow. What a title - the beginning of the story is very fitting. I enjoyed how both Obi-Wan and Anakin were both sent back, but different distances. And Qui-Gon's involvement is very interesting - to him, it isn't about killing Palpatine or saving Padmé, it's about Anakin's and Obi-Wan's decisions. I can't wait to see where this goes.

 

Good start. I haven't really read many Back In Time fics, but a common trend seems to be the characters retaining their past experiences when they go back. I'm glad you've decided to go a different route in this regard.

 

I have such a love for time travel/time rewind fics. There's just something so satisfying about them. And this is off to a fantastic start!

“You remember me,” Qui-Gon smirked. “Good. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to remind you how I saved you from a life of slavery and you thanked me by turning to the dark side.”
Ah ha ha... I love snarky Qui-Gon!


I really liked that both Anakin and Obi-wan got to see Qui-Gon, even if they won't really understand why.

I'm looking forward to more!

Would you mind tagging me when you update?

 

I sure love this and like to see where you are taking Anakin and Obi-Wan

 

Interesting start. I love that you didn't have them remember. That's a twist on the normal back-in-time stories. And checking up on Shmi! That's my favorite part.