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Catch My Fall...

Chapter I

Anakin Skywalker stood out over a large balcony, which overlooked an enormous lava pool, which flowed freely beneath his feet. The intense heat causing him to sweat unpleasantly. To Anakin, the entire planet of Mustafar seemed to be one giant volcano. However, were not focused on the unbearably hot temperatures on the volcanic planet, but rather what he had done over the last 24 hours. Images raced into his mind; He could see himself lopping off Jedi Master Mace Windu's arm and saving his new master - Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who was none other than Republic Chancellor Palpatine himself. Anakin felt tremendously guilty for betraying Master Windu. His death cry still ringing fresh in his ears. It was wrong yes... But, another... darker part of him said it was the only way... The only way to save her... An image of a beautiful brunette, with deep chocolate eyes raced into his mind. "Don't let me die Anakin..." She said.

"I promise I won't let you die Padmé... I won't!" Anakin said outloud to himself. His robotic hand clenching into a fist as memories of being with his dying mother ran over in his mind. Anakin felt he had failed her... But, he wouldn't fail Padmé. Even if it meant selling his soul to Darth Sidious... Which he had done hours earlier.

Sidious had promised a way to save Padmé if Anakin chose to become his apprentice. The Sith Lord knew it was an offer the young Jedi couldn't refuse, and he didn't. Anakin Skywalker had surrendered to his own terror... Am I becoming the very evil I've fought so hard against? Anakin thought to himself. Then he recalled what Darth Sidious had said to him in the opera house a few days earlier: "Good is a point of view Anakin. The Jedi point of view isn't the only valid one. The dark lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be-"

"Evil..." Anakin said, cutting in and finishing Sidious' sentence. It was true; the entire universe was one giant interpretation, open to every one's perception of viewing. And in Anakin's eyes, the Jedi were the villains, and the Sith were the heroes. But Anakin was having doubts, had he made the right choice? He shook his head at the thought. Of course you have! You'll become more powerful than Lord Sidious, save Padmé and rule the galaxy with her side-by-side. And you can shape things into what you want. You'll be supreme emperor! At long lost your chains of slavery will be shattered! All your life you've taken orders! From the Hutt's, Watto, then your Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and now Darth Sidious. When will you enslavement end? The dark voice asked in Anakin's mind. Anakin pondered this. It was true, in a sense he had been a slave his entire life, never knowing true freedom. He felt he could kill two birds with one stone by joining the Sith.

Lord Sidious will teach me the ways of the dark side, I'll save Padmé and our baby... Then when he least suspects it, I'll kill Emperor Sidious! And then I will be emperor! Emperor Vader... And Empress Amidala! Thought Anakin, smirking evilly as he answered the voice in his head. Yes... You will.. A cunning strategy.. Lord Vader... The dark, evil voice replied in Anakin's mind. It was the persona of Darth Vader speaking to him. Which was slowly overtaking Anakin Skywalker, poisoning his soul and corrupting him into an instrument of evil.

Anakin was beginning to lose all sense of reality, and was becoming a madman, if not one already. He knew if he was to become the most powerful Sith Lord in the galaxy he would have to shed everything he once was, once and for all. Including his identity... Anakin held that thought as he heard the sound of a spacecraft entering Mustafar's corrosive atmosphere. It couldn't be! Anakin thought as he looked up at the landing spacecraft, it appeared to be Padmé's private starship. Anakin quickly navigated across the winding balcony and over to the landing platform. His heart jumping into his throat as he saw his Padmé walking down the boarding ramp.

A very pregnant Padmé looked over at her husband with worried eyes as he ran over to her. "Padmé!" He called out her name with glee as he embraced her.

"I saw your ship.. What are you doing here?" He asked her, for a beautiful angel like Padmé didn't belong anywhere near such a place like this. Padmé clung onto her husband as if she would die if she let go. She looked up at him with her deep chocolate eyes. Anakin gently caressed her cheek with his good hand and smiled in an attempt to reassure her things would be all right.

"I was so worried about you..." She said as her eyes studied his face. Padmé had to admit. He looked terrible. His face was glistening with sweat, and his hair was almost soaking wet from all the sweat and heat. He looked tired, and his eyes... His eyes troubled her the most, they were still baby blue, but they had lost their sparkle, which she had adored. She swallowed hard, bracing herself for his reaction after what she was about to say: "Anakin... Obi-Wan told me terrible things... He said that you... you killed..." Padmé stared at her husband right in the eyes, and her voice become barely above a whisper; "... Younglings..." She managed to choke out, hoping against all odds Obi-Wan was wrong. She studied his reaction carefully.

Padmé could feel his hands which moments ago were lovingly embracing her, were clenching down hard around her. She bit her lip, and trembled slightly as she saw his gentle expression turn into one of anger.

"Obi-Wan was with you?" He accused, spitting out his former master's name as if it were a curse. "What were you doing with him? I don't know what he's told you, but don't listen to him! He's poisoning your mind and trying to turn you against me Padmé! The Jedi have betrayed the Republic! Palpatine and I are trying to preserve it!" Anakin said in anger. But, as quickly as his anger was aroused, it faded away as he rested his good hand on her swelling stomach. He gently caressed it lovingly.

"Now... How's our baby doing?" He asked her gently. Padmé couldn't believe what she had just heard. The Jedi betraying the Republic! That can't be possible! Obi-Wan told me Palpatine was the Sith Lord the Jedi were searching for... And now he's seized control of the Republic... Oh Ani... What has he done to you. Padmé thought, placing her tiny hand over his which rested on her stomach.

"The baby's fine... But... How can you say that about the Jedi Anakin? You're a Jedi... A wonderful Jedi... Obi-Wan says Palpatine is in fact, the Sith Lord," Padmé said, answering her husband, and probing deeper. Hoping her Anakin would come back to her.. She prayed silently.

"I've become more powerful than any Jedi dreamed of! And I've done it for you! I did it to protect you!" Anakin continued, shouting at his wife in anger.

Padmé's bottom lip began to tremble, her husband was turning into some madman, and she was witnessing Anakin's newly founded ugliness up close and personal, and it frightened her. Her maternal instincts were telling her he might hurt the baby, and she should run. But she wouldn't, she couldn't. This man was her husband, and she would be damned to see him become some monster... All for the sake of her.

"Anakin..." She said gently, "Ani... I don't want your power, or your protection. I just want your love.. Don't you see..?"

Anakin could sense her apprehension, but he wouldn't lose her.. He couldn't... He would die without her. He took Padmé's face in his hands and locked eyes with her. Sweat horribly dripping down his face and neck. He glared down menacingly at his wife. That kind tenderness in his eyes which Padmé adored was now completely absent. Only to be replaced by anger and hatred. And for the first time in their marriage, Padmé felt fear from her husband.

"Love won't save you! Only my new powers can do that! I won't lose you the way I lost my mother! We don't have to hide anymore! I, Darth Vader have brought peace to the Republic! I have become more powerful than the Chancellor! I can overthrow him, and together you and I will ascend to the throne. We'll rule the galaxy as husband and wife! With our children as heirs we'll have nothing to worry about! Don't you see... We can reshape things into the way we want them to be!" Said Anakin, as he released his wife's face and ran his hands over her shoulders. An evil smile playing across his mouth.

Darth Vader...? Padmé thought as she shook her head and backed away from her husband, who only gave her a look of puzzlement. What have you done with my Anakin... She thought to herself, and for a moment, she thought she could hear the sound of her heart shattering.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing..." She said is disbelief. "I don't know you anymore Anakin... Obi-Wan was right.."

Anakin shook his fist in the air violently and screamed at Padmé, "I don't want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan! The Jedi have turned against me! The Republic has turned against me! Don't you turn against me Padmé! So help me.." He said lifting Padmé into the air with the force. She shrieked in terror and looked down at her husband. His deep blue eyes now gone, replaced by traditional Sith yellow. At that instant Padmé knew this creature, this person before her was not her husband, he only wore his face.

"Anakin! Please don't!" Padmé pleaded in her sweet voice, making a last desperate attempt to reach her husband. I know he's still in there, he has to be! Please! She thought silently as he suspended her in the air and looked up at her now not as his wife, but as an enemy of his.

"What have you been up to? I know there's something you're hiding from me Padmé!" Vader spat accusingly.

"No Anakin! I haven't done anything! Please Ani... I'm your wife! I'm carrying your child! I love you!" Padmé desperately pleaded. Vader seemed to consider this for a moment, until he saw his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi descend from the boarding ramp of Padmé's starship. Vader's bottom lip trembled and he looked up at Padmé in sheer rage. "LIAR!" He screamed at her.

"Release her Anakin!" He commanded. An expression of rage and hate displayed across Vader's features that would rival that from the Devil himself. So this is what's she's been up to! She brought Obi-Wan here to destroy me! I should have known! He thought looking back up at his wife, an expression of pure fear displayed across her gentle features.

Padmé was just as shocked as her husband was. She had no idea Obi-Wan had stowed away on her ship. "So this is what you've been up to all along, huh Padmé? You've brought him here to destroy me, haven't you? Were you fucking him whenever my back was turned? Is the baby even my child?" Vader screamed as he started clenching his fists in rage.

"No Anakin! I swear-" But Padmé could no longer speak, she felt a strong presence clamp down on her throat and close off her airways. It was no doubt her husband, or rather Darth Vader force choking her. She wrapped her hands around her throat in a futile attempt to relieve some of the pressure so she could breathe. "The... Baby..." Padmé said as she struggled to breathe. Padmé could feel the life draining out of her, and her unborn baby. "A.. An... Anakin..." She barely managed to say as the choking intensified.

"Anakin... is dead! You killed him!" Vader yelled, maintaining his force choke hold on Padmé. She would pay... Oh yes she will... Vader thought evilly as he watched the life fade from his wife.

"Let her go, now Anakin!" Obi-Wan demanded. When he didn't comply Obi-Wan reached out with force and flung Vader against the back wall in front of where he was standing. Vader lost his concentration and Padmé fell to the ground. Obi-Wan rushed up to her now unconscious form and felt for a pulse. Padmé registered a very weak one. Obi-Wan looked up to see his former Padawan get up, the look on his face was enough to turn to stone even the most fearless, and heartless of warriors.

"You bastard! You turned her against me!" Vader said hoarsely.

"You did that yourself! My God Anakin! What's happened to you? Has Palpatine twisted your mind that much? You've let him corrupt your mind until now you've become the very evil we're fighting to destroy!"

"Don't you dare lecture me Obi-Wan! I see through the lies of the Jedi! I do not fear the dark side as you do! I have brought peace and security to my new empire!"

Obi-Wan didn't know if he should be stunned, shocked, horrified, or disgusted at what Anakin was saying. I should have seen the signs sooner... Obi-Wan regretfully thought. "Your new empire? Anakin... my allegiance is to the Republic," Obi-Wan stated matter-of-factly.

Darth Vader threw off his cloak and reached for his lightsaber. "You'll pay for betraying me Obi-Wan.." Vader stated coldly igniting his lightsaber. Obi-Wan noted his former Padawan's blade was still glowed Jedi blue. Obi-Wan sighed and removed his cloak and grabbed his lightsaber and switched it on. A glowing blue arch blade extending out as he took on a battle stance. Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, hero of the Galactic Republic was now a casualty of war. Slain by Darth Vader, servant of Darth Sidious and the Galactic Empire. Obi-Wan accepted this hard fact as their two blue lightsabers clashed together... Brother against brother. Only one thing mattered to Obi-Wan now; Protecting his former Padawan's wife, Padmé Amidala, and her unborn child. He owed Anakin that much...