Just so everyone knows, I DID finish my entry on time, but I just now had time to post it (life has been crazy busy lately... sorry). The word count was: 2,480. Enjoy!

Having Adaara in his arms again made Kanan feel as if the world was complete. It made him forget that his world was falling apart.

"Kanan..." Adaara's hands on him tightened as tears threatened to spill over her eyes. His chest clenched to see her so vulnerable. It was rare anytime she ever showed so much emotion in front of others. The room was filled with what few tributes were left living.

His eyes shifted to Aevo, watching them beside the Twi'lek girl from the corner of the room.

The Sith also kept his eyes on them, making Kanan's hands shift into fists.

Seeing his harsh gaze, Adaara shook her head. "D—Don't worry about him, Kanan."

Kanan nodded, glancing at Jenaara. "You alright?" he asked her.

Silently, she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kanan kept his arms protectively over Adaara, ensuring she was unharmed. Her eyes closed as she leaned against him, sleeping while she could. Aside from being tired, she appeared to be unharmed, but he can sense her emotions were unstable... and something darker lurking beneath the surface. Something that she tried to hide from him. Instead of letting on that he knew, he trained his eyes on the door.

It flew open with dozens of Stormtroopers. They began rounding up the rebels. One a time, each of the rebels was taken out the door, along with their companion.

The waiting nearly drove Kanan insane. Images of the attack on the Jedi Temple filled his mind in the same moment their screams echoed in his ears. As if she noticed the slight tremor in his hand, Adaara clutched his fingers tightly. It was her beside him that kept him from focusing on the images, bringing his mind into the present rather than the past.

His eyes met Jenaara's, unable to help remembering how she had helped him. His heart raced at the sudden knowledge that he wanted to deny: he cared for her deeply. Everyone I care about dies. Adaara is the only one alive. His eyes shifted to Aevo before he roughly pulled them away. For reasons he couldn't explain, allowing himself to care about one other person made him that much more terrified that they both would die. Losing Jenaara... or... or... Kanan rested his gaze on his wife, soaking in her beauty both inside and out. Gently rubbing her lekku with his left hand, he kept his right firmly in her hand.

Closing his eyes, he called to the Force, using it to drive away the fear. Yet no matter how desperately he tried, the fear stayed, like a drum in the back of his mind, pounding and pounding and pounding, wearing him away a little at a time.

What... What is this? Why can't I get rid of this fear? The Stormtroopers that entered into the room next headed toward them. They grabbed Adaara and shoved her in front of him, dragging him behind her. As exhausted and pain-riddled as his body was, he allowed them to drag him along the winding hallways and into an elevator.

The obstacle course had left him utterly drained, so he and Jenaara had fallen asleep after Aevo's reveal that he was actually Sev. When he had woken up, they were in the previous room with the other rebels. Now, his muscles screamed in protest and his wounds throbbed as they traveled down the passage.

At the end of the hallway, they tore Adaara away from him, yanking her to the right. "Kanan! Kanan!" She screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Kanan's stomach twisted. If you separate now, you will never see her again... a voice whispered in his mind. He couldn't explain where it came from, but he struggled against the hands holding him back, to no avail. His injuries and exhaustion were no match against the Stormtroopers health and strength. "Stay strong, Adaara! I love you!" The last words he said to her barely escaped before she was dragged out of his sight.

Kanan sagged and allowed them to lead him to the elevator and on inside. Adaara's voice calling out to him replayed in his mind as the elevator rose higher. It was only as the elevator doors slid open with a hiss, when Kanan's entire body collapsed to the floor beneath the sheer power radiating in the room, that Kanan realized where he was:

Darth Vader's Star Destroyer.

On his knees, Kanan looked up, peering into the void that was Darth Vader's mask, the... the creature Kanan had feared for so long.

To Vader's right, swiveling around in a chair, was a being he had hoped never to encounter. The being was the source of Kanan's fear, the reason why it was plaguing him so.

Emperor Palpatine.

Before it had been revealed that he was Lord Sidious, Kanan had stood in Palpatine's presence many times and yet never had been clued in that the man knew the Dark Side. Now, as if Sidious willed it, the Dark Side pulsated away from him, twisting Kanan's stomach enough to make him want to throw up.

"Young Kanan... I've been waiting for you." Sidious' voice was raspy, giving Kanan the chills.

"What do you want from me?" Kanan intended for his voice to come out strong. Instead, it was weak and hoarse.

"I want you... to become my apprentice," Sidious drawled.

Kanan shuddered as the Dark Side swirled around him, tangible, sending shivers across his spine. It slithered toward him, oozing into his mind, prodding his thoughts. Give in... Learn to use the Dark Side of the Force. You can be more powerful than you could possibly imagine. Strong enough to keep Adaara safe... Strong enough to never... be weak... again!

Kanan realized Sidious said the last part out loud, standing from his throne. His robes rustled as he stalked toward Kanan until the Dark Lord towered above him.

Kanan looked up, meeting the gold, crazed eyes of the Sith. "I—I..."

"Give in to your anger! I can feel it; you couldn't save your Jedi friends...! The entire Order is dead! Adaara was taken away from you and violated because you were too weak to save her!" Sidious snarled, spittle spraying from his mouth.

Kanan winced, feeling the full weight of the Dark Side all around him. He couldn't breathe, forcing air in and out of his lungs painfully so. "I... I wanted to save them. I... I tried to save them." His eyes shifted involuntarily to Darth Vader, who stood watching them silently, save for the harsh mechanical breathing of his suit. The night the Temple was attacked flashed in Kanan's mind.

He saw himself, lightsaber in hand, as Anakin Skywalker stalked toward him. "Anakin? The clones are attacking everyone... What's going on?"

In answer, Anakin shouted and leapt toward him, flicking his saber faster than Kanan's eyes could keep up.

Kanan's hands rested on his mechanical legs. Like Vader, his body was almost entirely mechanical. The only human part of him left was his right hand outside of a few organs inside him and his face. He stared at that hand, human... Looking up, he stared at Vader's mask, trying to imagine a broken Anakin Skywalker inside.

"Do you want the power to keep your loved ones safe?" Vader questioned.

Kanan furrowed his eyebrows. Did he? He had no answers. Ever since the Jedi Order had been destroyed, Kanan had regretted so much. I didn't have the power to save them. If I had... things might have turned out differently. He looked out the floor-to-ceiling length windows looking across the galaxy. The blackness of space was dotted with stars, twinkling brightly. They were silent observers to Kanan's world crashing down around him. "I... I want the power. If I... I had been strong enough, maybe... maybe things would have turned out differently..." Kanan's voice was a whisper, just a breath. For a second, he didn't think Sidious heard him.

Sidious laughed, clasping his own hands together. "Good... Good...!" He placed his wrinkled, pale hands on Kanan's shoulders, clenching them tightly.

Kanan trembled, his breathing heavy, sweat beading along his brow. The doors behind him opened with a hiss, but he didn't look. At least, not until Sidious pulled his hands away from Kanan's shoulders.

To his left, two Stormtroopers held Aevo in between them. He was beaten, blood pooling on the floor beneath him. "Sev..." Kanan whispered. Anger flared in his chest.

Kanan desperately tried to keep up with Anakin's attacks. The Jedi Knight was far too fast for him, flurrying all around him. Anakin slashed Kanan's leg, making him buckle to the ground.

In the doorway, two younglings used their lightsabers to block the shots of the Clone Troopers.

With a vicious cry, Anakin back-flipped backwards, slicing his saber across their heads. Their heads rolled across the floor at Kanan's feet.

In his mind, Kanan tried to imagine Sev hiding, watching the younglings try to fight bravely and failing because they were too young. Anger shifted inside him, mixing with rage.

"Do you want your revenge, Kanan?" Sidious whispered.

Slowly, as if from a distance, not realizing what he was doing, Kanan nodded. "Yes..."

His hands clasped around an object, rectangular. When Kanan looked, Sidious' hands closed Kanan's around a lightsaber.

Kanan stood to his feet, igniting it.

"K—Kanan..." Aevo's eyes widened as Kanan stalked toward him, much like Sidious had to Kanan only a few moments ago. "Wha... what are you doing?"

The lightsaber shined bright crimson as Kanan held it in front of him. He aimed it at Aevo's neck. Aevo's fear wafted toward him and he grimaced. "That fear you're feeling now, Aevo? Every one of the Jedi felt that. The younglings felt that as they were being slaughtered and you... you did nothing!"

Aevo started to protest. "Kanan, I—"

Kanan sliced the lightsaber across Aevo's head on pure instinct. As Aevo's head rolled across the ground, his blank, lifeless eyes stared up at him and he backed up, breathing heavy. Wh... What did... what did I do? He felt his own body as if from a distance, like he was an outside observer and not himself.

Slowly, he turned to face Sidious, throwing the lightsaber to the ground. Fighting them would be impossible and getting himself killed wouldn't help Adaara. "I want you to teach me the Dark Side of the Force." I want to learn it so that I can kill them. So that I can protect Adaara from them. So I can save her.

Sidious smiled. "Kneel before me, my young apprentice."

Kanan hesitated.

"You will save your wife. If you pledge your loyalty to me and learn the ways of the Dark Side... no harm will come to Adaara. She will live happy and healthy, having everything her heart desires," Sidious said. "You will be strong enough to have your true revenge."

Kanan's eyes flicked to Darth Vader. His mind thought of Kaladin, and what he had done to Adaara and hatred thudded in his chest in time with his beating heart. Nodding, Kanan collapsed to his knees in front of Sidious, closing his eyes. All the things he had been taught, been raised in, vanished. He let go of himself, of everything except his love for Adaara. That love flickered deep inside him like a tiny flame, the last bit of light inside him. The Dark Side clouded his mind, wrapping around him, entrapping him.

Kanan gave his heart and soul, surrendering himself entirely to Lord Sidious. "I will learn the Dark Side... my... m—my Master." His voice shook as his body trembled as Sidious placed a hand on his head. The weight of the Dark Side fell upon him, chaining his soul, tethering it to Sidious.

"Kanan, no!" Adaara's voice screaming at him yanked Kanan's eyes open. As if she shattered the chains of the Dark Side herself, Sidious' tug on him vanished.

"A... Adaara..." Kanan's eyes shifted to Aevo's dead body and the guilt of what he had just done crushed him.

Sidious glared at her. "You insolent fool!" With that, he threw his hands out and shot lighting toward her.

She had no lightsaber, nothing to defend herself with. Her body looked exhausted and it appeared as if she had been beaten. Unable to dodge, the lightning slammed against her, throwing her to the floor.

Sidious cackled loudly, keeping the lightning shooting against her.

Adaara's screams of agony reached into Kanan and he called the lightsaber to his hands. He stood and ignited it all in one movement, slicing it toward Sidious' chest.

Vader was there with his own lightsaber, blocking him in time. "Still think you can beat me, boy?" Vader hissed, shoving Kanan back with the Force.

Kanan's body fell against the floor. He tried calling to the Force, but Adaara's screams distracted him. I... I was so close to the Dark Side... Kanan shuddered, swallowing deeply. If it hadn't been for her...

Adaara cried out, whimpering. "K—Kanan..."

Kanan opened his eyes. He couldn't get to Sidious, not with Vader there. Anything he did, Vader could easily counter. There was only one thing that he could do.

With a loud shout, Kanan leapt toward Adaara. He had to place his hands up to keep from crushing her, so he lost the lightsaber.

Sidious' lightning slammed into his chest. Pain exploded in his body, coursing through his veins. Kanan heard himself screaming from a distance, heard Adaara crying and begging him to move.

Sidious growled and stopped the lightning. "You foolish boy! You could have had everything!"

Kanan shook his head, grabbing Adaara's hand weakly in his own. "I—already... have... ev—everything..." He panted, feeling the electricity shutting down his mechanical limbs. Only his right hand felt Adaara's, clutching it as much as he could. "I... will not... join... you..."

Sidious glared at him and snarled. "So be it!" With that, he threw out his hands and lightning slammed against Kanan again.

His body writhed in agony as the electricity rained upon him. His body burned as it was riddled with lightning, shutting down his mechanical lungs. His heart stuttered and raced as the electricity began overwhelming it.

When it stopped, Kanan's eyes closed as he lay on the floor.

"Kanan?" Adaara's voice forced his eyes opened as he stared up at her. She knelt over him, her hands gently caressing his face.

"I'm... here..."

"Stay with me, Kanan! St...ay... w...wi...th...m..ee.... p—l...e...st...a...L...ov...ve... y..."

I love you, Adaara, Kanan wanted to say, but his voice wouldn't work. Pain stopped it. Pain, pain, pain. His whole body felt cold and numb, as his consciousness slowly began to fade and disappear.

Kanan's harsh breathing stopped as the mechanical lung refused to work.

Thump-Thump... Thump-Thump...

Thump-Thump... Thump...

Thump-Thump...

Thump...

His heart slowed and finally, it stilled.