A/N: This is a complete and utter AU after the events of Empire Strikes Back. The story starts off three weeks after the confrontation between Vader and Luke on Bespin. Once Luke is healed, and in a slightly better head space, he decides he can't hold off getting confirmation. He goes straight to Dagobah to get answers from Yoda and, hopefully, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

This is my first fanfic ever, despite the almost four years I've spent on FanFic . net reading other writers' works. I apologize if any of the characters are OOC.

Hope you enjoy the first chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Any characters and dialogue from the movies do not belong to me.

Luke Skywalker faced Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, an accusing glint in his eyes.

"Is Darth Vader my father?"

There was silence for a moment. Yoda and Obi-Wan exchanged glances. Yoda looked calm and collected, as he usually did. Obi-Wan looked reluctant yet resigned.

"Your father, he is," Yoda confirmed.

Luke rounded on Obi-Wan. "You told me Darth Vader betrayed and murdered my father!"

"Your father was seduced by the Dark side. When he turned, Vader consumed him, and the good man who was Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist." Obi-Wan came closer to Luke, almost pleading with him. "So what I said was true. From a certain point of view."

Luke stared at him incredulously. "'From a certain point of view?' Obi-Wan, all this time I thought I was confronting my father's murderer. Instead, I could have killed my own father!"

"I am sorry, Luke, but we thought it was best you didn't know."

"You mean you thought I couldn't handle it."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Considering you all but threw yourself from that gantry, I would say we were right to keep this from you."

"Well, my only other option was to go with him! I panicked, alright? I wasn't being suicidal."

"Glad, we are," Yoda suddenly interposed, "go with him, you did not."

"Yoda's right, Luke. Going with him would have been a terrible decision. However, your reckless actions almost cost you your life." Luke opened his mouth to protest, but Obi-Wan held up a hand. "I understand your options were limited, and indeed falling was your only other option, but in the future you must be more careful. You may not survive the next confrontation with Vader if you continue to act as you have been."

"What do you mean my next confrontation with Vader? Obi-Wan, I can't kill my own father!"

"Luke, it's the only way."

Luke shuddered and took an involuntary step back. Those were an exact echo of his father's words on Bespin.

"He said that." At Obi-Wan and Yoda's questioning looks, he elaborated. "Vader, my father. He told me that, too. He said joining him was the only way."

Obi-Wan looked startled. "Luke―"

"I won't kill him." Luke gazed intensely at both Jedi masters, lifting his chin in defiance and determination. "And I won't join him in the Dark side either. There is another way. There has to be."

As if on cue, there was a sudden tremor in the Force. The intensity of it caused Yoda to gasp and bring a hand to his head; Obi-Wan's ghostly form flickered; and Luke swayed and fell to the ground on his knees. Luke's vision wavered and everything went black.

When he opened his eyes scenes were shifting by him at a rapid pace.

He was in a small, cluttered shop. Scraps of metal and mechanics parts surrounded him. There was a counter at the front of the shop, and a small blond haired boy sat on top of it, swinging his legs. The boy appeared to be talking to a beautiful teenage girl.

"Are you an angel?" the boy asked, gazing at the girl in awe.

The scene seemed to change slightly―almost like it was fast forwarding. Luke was still in the shop, watching the boy and girl interact.

"You're a slave?" the girl asked.

The boy straightened, something fierce entering his eyes. "I'm a person and my name is Anakin."

Luke gasped, his eyes widening in shock. Anakin? Was this...was this his father? He was a slave? He couldn't reconcile this small, innocent looking boy with the menacing black machine he had become.

X

Images flashed by again.

He saw an older man with long graying hair and a beard, who introduced himself as Qui-gon Jinn. There was a lightsaber attached to his belt, so Luke assumed he was a Jedi. He bartered for his father's freedom.

Luke saw his father win a podrace.

He saw his father standing in front of a kind, weather beaten woman.

"Will I ever see you again?" his father asked, sounding incredibly small and scared.

"What does your heart tell you?" she asked, gripping his shoulders gently.

"I hope so. Yes. I guess."

"Then we will see each other again." The woman, Luke suspected she was his father's mother, smiled sadly. Something about the smile caused a sadness and foreboding to wash over Luke.

"I will come back and free you, Mom," the young Anakin said solemnly. "I promise."

X

Luke found himself in a ship. On the ground in front of him, Qui-gon Jinn panted. A younger man and Anakin knelt next to him. Luke realized, with a jolt, the man was a much younger Obi-Wan.

"Anakin Skywalker," Qui-gon said, "meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Anakin and Obi-Wan smiled at each other.

"Pleased to meet you," his father said.

X

Luke was suddenly standing in a circular room with people sitting in chairs. He recognized Yoda in one of them. Anakin was standing in the middle of them all.

"Fear is the path to the Dark side," Yoda was saying. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

X

He was in some kind of reactor room. Obi-Wan was cradling Qui-gon Jinn.

"Obi-Wan," the older man rasped. "Promise me you will train the boy."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan choked, emotion clouding his voice.

Qui-gon weakly stroked Obi-Wan's cheek once. "He...is the Chosen one. He...will bring balance. Train him."

X

Images, once again, blended together. Luke wondered what he would see next.

A/N: It's not much, but I'm hoping it's enough to get a few people interested. I plan to post the next chapter in a few days. Feel free to review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome. I had trouble figuring out what to include from The Phantom Menace and how to break scenes up.

See you next time!
-LRR