Chapter 1

Anakin could hear mumbled voices as he rushed into Chancellor Palpatine's office. He had to help the chancellor if he was going to save his wife and child. He's the only hope of saving Padme', Anakin thought. If Master Windu kills the chancellor, I'll lose her forever.

When Anakin finally arrived at Palpatine's office, he found Master Windu standing over the dead body of Chancellor Palpatine. He stood at the entry to the office, with a shocked look on his face.

"NO!" Anakin screamed. "You killed her! She means everything to me, and you killed her!" Mace stared at him with a confused look on his face after this odd outburst from Anakin. Realizing what he had just said, Anakin dropped to his knees in tears. He was done for. When the council found out that he and Padme' were married, and expecting a child, they would expel him from the order, or worse. He just made it onto the council, and now he was going to lose it all. And Obi-Wan, what was he going to think? He'd be so disappointed.

Mace looked at Anakin with a slightly knowing look on his face. There was only one person he could have been talking about. The senator from Naboo. But what did 'you killed her' have to do with Senator Amidala? Mace walked over to Anakin and bent down so they were face to face.

"What do you mean, "I killed her?' Anakin?" Mace was staring eye to eye with him, but it was as if he was staring into a black hole. When Anakin finally snapped out of the trance he was in, he was startled by Master Windu. He hated moments like this. Master Windu never trusted him, always doubted him. Of all the people to tell about Padme', he was the last person who should have found out.

There was nothing he could do about it now. As Master Windu stared into Anakin's eyes, he came to realize that there was more going on between the two of them than either had let on. Much more.

"Anakin, who is she? Are you talking about Senator Amidala?" Knowing that he couldn't get away with lying to him, Anakin nodded his head. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks as he sat with his back to the desk. He still couldn't believe that he had told Master Windu. He wondered what was going to happen to him, and Padme', what was going to happen to her? He was so terrified of losing her.

In what seemed to be a moment of compassion, Mace sat down across from Anakin, as if to console him. But instead, an interrogation followed.

"What makes you think I killed her?" He asked. Anakin just stared at him in silence, not wanting to tell him anything, but realizing that he would have to confess all, right then and there. There was no way out of it, especially with Master Windu.

"There's something you're not telling me about the senator. I need to know why you're so upset." Anakin finally let his emotions take full control of him, and he sprang up and started pacing the room. I can't do it. I can't betray her. He thought. I could…no! That would only have worse consequences. I could say that he was killed by the Chancellor, and that I killed the Chancellor. No I'd never get away with it.

Mace intently watched him pace the room until he stood at the opening where the window once was. He could sense something in Anakin, the same emotions that Anakin had when he slaughtered the sandpeople back on Tatooine. He knew that Anakin would rather kill him than tell him what was going on. He carefully approached Anakin.

"Anakin, your lightsaber please," he demanded. Anakin, pausing for a moment, finally handed it over and turned to Mace with an ashamed look on his face. Master Windu knew what he was thinking. "Now, young Skywalker, you will take a seat and explain yourself."

Anakin took a seat as Master Windu had commanded. Mace sat down across from him and glared at him, waiting for Anakin to start talking. Anakin glanced at him for a moment, then moved his eyes to the table in front of him. He started dissecting the various patterns in the wood while he gathered his thoughts. He took a deep breath and finally spoke

"Senator Amidala," he started. "Padmé, is my wife. We're married, and she's pregnant." Mace's eyes widened as Anakin revealed this to him. He knew that the two were close, but it never crossed his mind that they were married.

"I had a vision of her dying in childbirth. It was the same type of vision I had of my mother. And look what happened to her." By this time, Anakin was in tears again. "The Chancellor said there was a way to save her. I know he's evil, but I needed him!" Anakin screamed. "He was the only way to save her, and now she's going to die! And it's all your fault!"

Anakin was furious by now. What right does he have! He shouldn't have killed him. The more Anakin thought about it, the angrier he got. Mace could feel his anger and backed away. He always thought that the boy was dangerous, and now he was right. Anakin needed to be subdued, or he might do something that could get him killed. But how? The Jedi that had come with him to arrest the Chancellor had been killed, and there was no way of getting any help.

Anakin's anger started to subside. "I can't live without her. She's everything to me," Anakin finally said. Mace almost felt sorry for the boy. He knew that Anakin had problems with letting go of attachment, due to his age when he entered the order. He also knew that this meant the end of Anakin's Jedi years. He would be expelled from the order. But he's supposed to be the Chosen One. Anakin was supposed to bring balance to the Force. But hadn't that already happened, when he himself killed the Sith Lord that they had been searching for?

His fate would be decided later. For now, the Jedi had worse problems on their hands, like tracking down the rest of the Separatists, ending the war, and putting the Galactic Senate back in order.

"Your fate will be decided later. But for now, we need to concentrate on ending this war, and we need your help." Mace was not content with needing Anakin, for anything. If it were up to him, he'd be expelled immediately.

Fortunately for Anakin, it wasn't up to Mace. He knew that there were consequences for his actions, and he was prepared to face them, but not now. He needed to make sure Padmé was safe.

"Anakin, let's go. We have work to do." Mace was standing at the entrance to the office waiting for Anakin to follow him. Anakin finally joined Mace at the door. As they left the chancellor's Senatorial suite, Anakin looked in dismay at the bodies of the fallen Jedi, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tin, and Kit Fisto. It was finally sinking in that Palpatine was evil, and that Mace had done the right thing. But he still couldn't help thinking about what was going to happen to Padmé.