19 BBY: Coruscant

Anakin Skywalker- no, Darth Vader- had reached an intersection while piloting the speeder. In one direction lay the Jedi Temple. The dragon that was burning inside his heart reared its ugly head as he observed the temple's stately silhouette in the Coruscant skyline. Destroy them. It whispered to him. It is your Destiny. Vader's hands twitched on the controls, about to turn in that direction, but his gaze caught on another building. 500 Replica lay in the other direction. Padme and their child. You can save them, the dragon taunted. Rid the galaxy of the treacherous Jedi and you will be strong enough.

Soon, Vader told it. He reached out for Padme in the force. She was not force sensitive, but he was so powerful that he could still feel her presence, faintly. He also sensed the presence of the baby growing inside her, much brighter than its mother, but blurred and undefined at the edges. He sensed that Padme felt overwhelming worry for her husband, a stronger emotion than she had an explanation for. Vader briefly entertained the idea that carrying a force-sensitive child made her more perceptive to the force, and the conflict in it. Vader steered the speeder towards his wife- his life- not able to stand being the source of her distress. Yes, after he had assuaged her fears he would execute his master's orders. The Jedi could keep, as they did not suspect any sort of imminent attack; they could be allowed to live for a few more minutes while Vader carried out his personal business.

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Padme hurried towards her husband as he parked the speeder on the landing pad as quickly as she could at such a late stage in pregnancy. One glance at his face told her something was very wrong.

"Ani, what's happened? You look troubled," She fretted.

He took her face in his strong hands, running his gaze over her form, hungrily making sure she was safe. His touch was gentle, but she felt an inexplicable spike of danger in her gut as his hands brushed her neck.

"I've found a way to save you, Padme"

Padme was about to tell him again that he need not worry about his nightmares, that she was in perfect health. But his demeanor didn't make sense. He said he had found a way to save her… She knew Ani well, and had seen what his face looked like when he was satisfied he had solved a problem. No, the storm behind his eyes, which were tinted strangely yellow in the Coruscant twilight, spoke of a much different emotion.

"Then why are you so upset?" She pressed. Anakin hesitated but answered her.

"The Chancellor and I have discovered that the Council is plotting to overthrow him, and take his power for themselves"

Padme gasped. It didn't fit with her perception of the Jedi Council at all. She trusted Obi Wan and Yoda. Surely they wouldn't…

"I can barely believe it…" she replied, "What are you going to do?"

Something shifted in her husband's expression.

"The Chancellor has ordered me to go to the Temple and… arrest the Jedi. To lock down the Temple"

She felt her baby stir inside her, and she suddenly knew that when he said "arrest" he meant "kill" and that "lock down" meant "raze". The flash of danger she had felt a moment ago surged again, and she found herself stepping back from Anakin, shaking her head. She took a deep breath. She was determined to let reason guide her.

"What evidence do you have of this plot?" She asked, as levelly as she could manage.

"Master Windu and three other masters went to his office to arrest him. At saber point. They said he was the Sith Lord they've been looking for"

"Is he?"

Anakin hesitated, a scowl twisting his handsome features, and she knew she was right.

"He's a sith, yes, but he isn't using his powers for evil. He knows a way to save you, Padme. He promised to teach me, and after the Jedi are gone, we can live together with our baby, as a family." Anakin forced all this out of his mouth hurriedly, as if he was barely aware of what he was saying.

Padme continued backing away from him. Horrible truth washed over her. Anakin was drawing on the dark side again, she was sure of it. He had the same look in his eyes as when he had confessed to her about the slaughter of the Tusken village. This time, he would slaughter Jedi- his own people. She thought she might throw up.

"You're going to kill them all, aren't you?" She accused. Her throat ached with the effort of holding back approaching tears.

"Anakin, even if the Chancellor is right about the council, surely many of the Jedi are innocent and loyal to the Republic." She reasoned.

Anakin didn't say anything for a moment. He just stared at her.

"Padme, this is the only way I can keep you safe! Come with me to Naboo once I have done as my Master has asked." He sounded frustrated at her unwillingness to believe him, but did not outright deny that he intended to kill the Jedi.

"I know you don't agree with the Chancellor, but once I've learned how to save you, I can overthrow him! You and I can make things the way we want them to be!" He was becoming increasingly irate.

"Anakin, you're going down a path I will not follow!" Padme exclaimed, tears now noticeably choking her voice.

"I didn't ask for you to do such horrible things for me, and I never would! If you destroy the lives of innocent Jedi, I will not be your wife anymore! And I would never let my child live with you, a… a murderer!"

Anakin reeled at her harsh words. Then his glare turned even more ominous. Padme realized his eyes did not look yellow by a trick of the light, but were yellow. The baby kicked and stirred inside her, and she frowned and put her hand almost absently to the spot, still concentrating on the unfamiliar man before her. She rubbed her belly small circles to soothe the child. Anakin's gaze, something in it loosening as if he had sensed something from the baby that she could not, snapped to her stomach. He quickly began to stride towards her reaching out to touch her.

"Padme, are you oka-"

She again felt danger spike through her. She would not let him lay his hands on her, not in the state he was in now. As soon as he got close enough, she punched him in the face.