Author: DarkSaber
Title: You're Still the One
Rating: K+
Author's Note: I do not own the characters that are mentioned in my story. They belong to the creator of the Star Wars universe George Lucas.
Paring: Anakin and Padme
Description: Takes place after ROTS (Revenge of the Sith). Padme survived giving birth to the twins Luke and Leia. Anakin believes Padme is dead, but his heart tells him that she is alive. Flashbacks occur and go. Anakin Skywalker did not get put in the Darth Vader suit.
Chapter One
Padme Amidala Skywalker was starring outside her bedroom window, looking out into the evening sky. She glanced over at her bed and remembered that her husband was not there beside her. She still could not believe what he had done and every time she thought about it made her heart break. She remembered when Obi-Wan came over and told her the news about Anakin Skywalker turning to the dark side.
[A month before: Conversation with Obi-Wan Kenobi in Padme's Senate Apartment Complex]
Padme heard the alarm go off in her apartment. Instinctively she reached for her blaster pistol she kept hidden by her bedside when Anakin was not home to keep her safe, but then the noise stopped at once. She checked the readouts and saw that C-3PO had shut off the alarm. She knew C-3PO would never let in an intruder, but he did not always have the best judgment when it came to people or things for that matter. Quickly, Padme grabbed a robe and pulled it on and went downstairs.
Padme heard voices as she came down. C-3PO was talking to Obi-Wan Kenobi. She hurried down the stairs and she said, "Oh, Obi-Wan, thank goodness you are alive."
"The Republic has fallen, Padme," Obi-Wan replied in a grave voice. "The Jedi Order's no more."
"I know," Padme replied sadly. "It's hard to believe." She took a deep breath. "But the Senate is still intact. There's some hope."
"No, Padme," Obi-Wan said. "It's over. The Sith now rule the galaxy as they did before the birth of the Republic."
Padme looked at Obi-Wan startled. "The Sith?" Palpatine was in control of the Republ—of the Empire. Obi-Wan did not mean that Palpatine was a Sith Lord, or at least Padme hoped Obi-Wan was not accusing him of being a Sith Lord.
"I'm looking for Anakin," he said. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Yesterday," Padme replied as he mind began spinning out of control. Anakin had told her just last night that his loyalties lay with the Republic, and with the Chancellor…but if Palpatine was a Sith and the Republic no longer existed, what did that mean? And if there really had been a Jedi plot-No she could not believe that, but still she could not tell Obi-Wan too much until she fully understood what was going on.
"Do you know where he is now?" Obi-Wan asked.
Padme could not look him in the face. "No."
"Padme," Obi-Wan said softly. "I need your help. He is in grave danger."
"From the Sith?" Padme asked. Anakin was a Jedi for heaven's sake if the Sith were somehow behind everything that had happened, it made sense that he was in danger. Obi-Wan shook his head and her heart went as cold as ice before she heard his words.
"From himself," he said softly. "Padme, Anakin has turned to the dark side."
"You're wrong!" she cried. "How can you even say that?"
"I have seen a security hologram of him killing…younglings."
"Not Anakin!" she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "He couldn't."
Padme knew he had once before when he murdered the Sand People who had killed his mother. He was angry then. He lost control. He just would not do something like that.
"He was deceived by a lie," Obi-Wan said. "We all were. It appears the Chancellor is behind everything, including the war. Palpatine is the Sith Lord we have been looking for. After the death of Count Dooku, Anakin became his new apprentice."
Padme turned away and said, "I don't believe you. I can't." She sat down on her couch.
Obi-Wan sat down beside her and said, "Padme…I must find him."
Padme looked at Obi-Wan and said in a half accusing, half begging him to deny it, "You're going to kill him, aren't you?"
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and said, "He has become a very grave threat."
Padme shook her head and said, "I can't."
Obi-Wan got up and Padme looked down and noticed her robe twisted around so he could see the outline of her pregnancy. "Anakin is the father, isn't he?"
Padme did not answer and Obi-Wan knew and he shook his head. "I'm so sorry." He pulled his hood up and walked toward the veranda.
Padme watched him go and she felt torn in to. If he was right maybe she should call him back and tell him where Anakin went. But she could not betray Anakin. Padme stared at the Japor necklace and knew she had to confront Anakin and have him explain to her what was going on.
She made contact with Captain Typho. "Prepare my interstellar skiff," she said as she went to her bedroom to change her clothes.
Obi-Wan followed Padme and watched.
Judging from Captain Typho's tone, he was not very pleased with the Senator at the moment. "My Lady…let me come with you."
"There's no danger, Captain. The fighting's over and this is personal," she said.
"As you wish, My Lady," he said. "But I strongly disagree."
"I'll be all right, Captain," she said. "This is something I must do myself and besides C-3PO will look after me."
"Oh, dear," C-3PO said.
Obi-Wan leaped onboard Padme's ship and found himself a hiding place inside the cargo hold of her ship.
[**Flashback***Padme Arriving on Mustafar to Confront Anakin]
Mustafar glowed like burning ember that never stopped burning once it was lit as Padme's skiff neared the surface. There were rivers of hot molded lave and layers of molten rock. Crevices leaked fire from the heart of the planet and smoke rose from cracks and vents of the darkened surface.
Anakin saw Padme's ship approaching and he figured to greet her out there for she would not like the mess he had made inside with the Trade Federation.
Padme saw Anakin running eagerly toward the landing platform. She unstrapped herself and ran out to meet him. He embraced her and reassured her. His arms made her feel safe.
"It's all right," he said. "You're safe. What are you doing out here?"
"I was so worried about you," Padme said. "Obi-Wan told me terrible things."
"What things?" he asked.
"He said you've turned to the dark side," she said. "That you killed younglings."
Anakin sighed and said, "Obi-Wan's trying to turn you against me."
"He cares about us," she said.
"Us?" Anakin repeated.
"He knows," she said. "He wants to help you."
Anakin smiled and Padme said, "Anakin, all I want is your love."
"Love won't save you Padme," Anakin said. "Only my new powers can do that."
"At what cost?" she asked. "You're a good person. Don't do this."
"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother," he said. "I'm becoming more powerful that any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I'm doing it for you: to protect you."
"Come away with me," Padme begged. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."
"Don't you see?" Anakin leaned forward eagerly. "We don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I'm more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him and together you and I can rule the galaxy. We can make things the way we want them to be."
Padme backed away and shook her head. "I don't believe what I'm hearing. Obi-Wan was right. You have changed."
"I don't want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan." Anakin's temper got the better of him. Padme's fear showed on her face because he made no effort to control himself. "The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me."
Padme shook her head and started to cry. "I don't know you anymore," she said. Couldn't he feel her heart breaking? "Anakin…You're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow."
Desperately Padme reached out for the connection she they had through the Force, for that moment when she had known him completely even though they had not been together. She found a faint thread of what they shared, thinner than a piece of ice. It still joined her with a familiar trace…goodness? Sensing that, Padme felt a stirring rise of hope.
"Because of Obi-Wan?" he asked.
"Because of what you've done," she said. "And what you plan to do. Stop. Stop now. Come back! I love you."
For a moment, when Padme thought she had succeed, but Anakin's expression changed. "Liar!"
Anakin was starting at something behind her and she turned around and saw Obi-Wan standing in the doorway of her skiff.
"No!" she said, knowing this new Anakin would not listen to her now.
"You're with him!" he said. "You've brought him here to kill me."
"No," she said as Anakin lifted his hand and curled his fingers into a fist. Padme felt herself unable to breathe and she felt her hands claw at her throat.
"Let her go, Anakin!" Obi-Wan said.
As Anakin continued to Force-choke her, Padme did manage to say, "Anakin."
"Let her go," Obi-Wan said slowly.
Finally when Anakin did let her go, Padme gasped for breath as she collapsed to the ground and passed out.
Anakin glared at Obi-Wan and said, "You've turned her against me!"
"You have done that yourself," Obi-Wan told him.
Anakin took off his cloak and said, "You will not take her from me!"
"Your anger and lust for power have already done that," Obi-Wan said as he took off his cloak. "You have allowed this dark lord to twist your mind until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy."
"Don't lecture me Obi-Wan," Anakin said. "I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the dark side as you do. I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire."
"Your new Empire?" Obi-Wan repeated in disbelief.
Anakin took a deep breath and said, "Don't make me kill you."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "My allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy!"
"If you're not with me," Anakin said. "Then you're my enemy."
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes," Obi-Wan said. "Now I will do what I must." He ignited his lightsaber.
"You will try," Anakin said as he pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it as he back flipped into the air and they started dueling.
As Obi-Wan and Anakin dueled, Obi-Wan thought, I can't kill him even if I had the nerve to do so.
Just as Anakin's saber clashed into Obi-Wan's, Anakin thought, I can't kill my former Master. He is the one who agreed to train me. He promised Qui-Gon he would train me. He kept his promise. He even pointed out to Master Yoda that he would train me even without the approval of the Council because I am the Chosen One.
Anakin took off running to the bridge where his ship was parked and he climbed onboard.
Obi-Wan heard a ship take-off and to his surprise it was Anakin's.
Quickly Obi-Wan went over to Padme's ship and that's when C-3PO said, "Master Kenobi. We have Miss Padme onboard. We should leave this dreadful place."
Obi-Wan agreed with C-3PO and patted his shoulder and they all loaded onboard the ship.
Obi-Wan went to check on Padme and he stroked her face.
Padme stirred for a moment and asked, "Obi-Wan. Is Anakin all right?" Then she passed out again.
[Padme at Polis Massa Medical Center]
Padme was lying in the medical center with her son and daughter. She started to breathe heavily. Obi-Wan held her hand and said, "Don't give up, Padme. Your children need you."
"It is a boy or a girl?" she asked.
When she asked the medical droid beeped and Obi-Wan said, "It's a boy."
"Luke," she said.
Then the droid beeped and Obi-Wan said, "And a girl."
"Leia," she said. "Let me hold them both."
Obi-Wan handed her children to her and she cried with happiness and sadness. Obi-Wan hugged her and said, "You need to hide."
"I want to go back home," she said.
"Without Anakin knowing if you are dead or alive that would be the first place he would look for you," Obi-Wan said.
"I am willing to take that chance, Obi-Wan," Padme said. "I need a life of my own and so do my children."
"I will speak to Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said as he left the room.
"It is possible for her to live there," Yoda said. "She is taking a risk."
"I understand Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said. "I am just worried that something will happen."
"We must respect her wishes," Yoda said. "However if you wish you may keep an eye on her while escorting her back there."
"Of course," Obi-Wan said.
[End of flashback for Padme]
Anakin entered Darth Sidious's chamber. "My Lord may I ask you something?" he asked.
"Of course my young apprentice," Darth Sidious replied.
"Is Padme dead?"
Darth Sidious took a deep breath and said, "It seems in your anger you killed her."
Anakin stopped in his tracks and said, "I couldn't have killed her. SHE WAS ALIVE! I FELT IT!"
Anakin began to throw things in random directions and Darth Sidious smiled.
While Anakin was in pain, Padme was on her way home.
Padme went to check on the twins and found they were sound asleep. She sat in their room and she smiled as she lightly kissed there forehead. They were the only thing that could at least put a smile on her face. They helped her remember the good times she had with Anakin if it was not much. She kept a crack in the door and she went to her room and laid down on her side of the bed.
She felt like she was alone and every day she could feel herself dying a little bit because her love was not by her side. He meant the world to her. She decided to go for a walk.
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