A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for the follows and favs! You all are amazing! VioletErin.26: I'm glad you're enjoying so far. Yes, the twins are kicking. After all, at this point Padme is what, eight months pregnant? Anyway… I too hate Palpatine. HOW DARE HE HURT MY SWEET LITTLE ANI? Besides anything he did in the prequels, the way he treated "Vader" was horrible, and the poor baby was just completely destroyed and without hope at that point (A couple of examples: "It is too late for me Luke." Or "It is useless to resist." I am paraphrasing.) Poor little Ani spent twenty years getting repeatedly manipulated, lied to, and treated as Palpatine's pet, to be ignored when not being used or kicked. I wanted to give him a hug. YOU WILL NOT GET HIM AGAIN YOU AGED FROG OF DEATH! Sorryyy, that rant was not supposed to happen… Fafic: Wow! That is some high praise! So glad you like it so far, and I promise I will keep updating. Your English is absolutely fine. Thank you so much for your review! Michael: Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy you're enjoying it thus far. Keep reading…

I do not own Star Wars or its characters.


Chapter 4


The next day Anakin met with the counsel, informing them of Grievous's location. He did not inform them of the Chancellor's request that he be put in charge of the mission, nor did he inform them of the other particulars of his conversation with Palpatine. Until he was certain of who could be trusted, he had decided to keep any information he collected as private as possible.

It was decided that Obi-Wan should go, a decision Anakin heartily agreed with, while at the same time making a note to ask his friend about accompanying him. This would be a dangerous mission, and the idea of sending only one Jedi seemed foolish in his opinion.


After the meeting, Anakin and Obi-Wan went down to the spaceport together. This assignment was high priority, and Obi-Wan was consequently to depart as soon as possible for the Outer Rim. Currently they were riding in a transport on their way there. Anakin was looking down, thinking of his conversation with Palpatine and the possibility of a way to save Padme.

Obi-Wan studied him, his brow creasing in a vague sort of concern, "You're awfully quiet today."

The younger man looked up, "Hm?"

"Anakin, you haven't spoken two words in succession since we left the temple, and now you're staring at the floorboard as if you wish to murder it. What's going on?"

Anakin paused, "What do you know about visions?"

"What do you mean?"

Anakin turned to look out the window, then back at his friend, "I think this pregnancy's going to kill her."

Silence reigned. Obi-wan didn't need to ask which "her" he was referring to, "Why?"

"I had a dream about it."

"You dreamed that she died?"

He nodded.

Obi-Wan paused, unsure what to say. "Anakin, you must be very careful with dreams. It is dangerous to put too much stock in them."

"Master Yoda has dreams. I don't see anyone doubting him."

"Yes… but he has much more experience."

"It was just like the ones I had before my mother died. I can't lose her, Obi-Wan. I can't. That pain I felt- it nearly destroyed me and… I don't know if I can survive it again. If I lose her… I don't know what I'll become."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak but was cut off, "I have to save her, I don't care what it takes."

His former padawan seemed so small and vulnerable in that moment, and Obi-Wan felt extremely sorry for him. It wasn't often that Anakin exposed himself like this. He tried again, "Ani, dreams, even for those who have dreamt prophesy, do not always have meaning. And even those that do should not necessarily be used as a guide."

"What do you mean?"

Obi-Wan paused, leaning forward, "Here. How about an example. Let us say I had a dream that I would be murdered by some man. To avoid this prophesy, I uproot myself, traveling to a remote planet on the Outer Rim, to all knowledge uninhabited. Do you follow me so far?"

Anakin nodded.

He sighed, "All right. Now, let us say that I live there for a long time, until one day I am walking along and I encounter a man, one who has, unknown to anyone else, been living on this planet for his entire life, never leaving it. We fight, and he kills me. Do you see? The dream was self-fulfilling. I never would have met that man had I not gone to the planet. My dream came true, but only because I listened to its warning and acted accordingly. Do you understand, Anakin?"

The other looked ready to argue, "Yes, but-"

"Dreams and visions are often traps. Even such great Jedi as Master Yoda must be very careful when interpreting their meaning."

Anakin seemed impatient, "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to just..." He motioned with his arm, "Sit here and do nothing? Ignore my dreams and risk losing her like I did my mother?" He shook his head, "No. I won't."

"Listen to me, Anakin. I am not proposing that we ignore them. My advice is that we plan against danger without taking any rash action."

"What if we wait until it's too late?"

Obi-Wan stared into his friend's eyes. He looked frightened and desperate, a combination Obi-Wan had long since learned was extremely dangerous in this individual. He tried to have a soothing tone, "We won't. We still have time. Nothing bad will happen to her, I promise."

Anakin looked back out the window, muttering something that sounded rather like "I guess."


The remainder of the ride passed without incident, and they now were walking down the hallway toward the landing platform.

Anakin spoke, "You're gonna need me on this one, Master."

"Oh I agree. However it may turn out just to be a wild bantha chase."

Anakin touched his arm, turning Obi-Wan back toward him, "No. I mean it. I have a bad feeling about this. I really do think you're going to need me."

Obi-Wan stared at him, then spoke, "All right, you can come… under one condition."

"Name it."

"Speak to the counsel before we go." Anakin looked away and Obi-Wan continued to speak, "How far along is she, Ani?" He paused as his friend looked at the ground in guilty silence, "That's what I thought. It will take some time and several meetings to obtain a judgement on this. We need to get things moving. The longer you put this off, the less time we have. I am sorry, I really am, but you should have come to me sooner with this. As it is there is no time to lose."

Anakin paused, "I'm sorry, Master. I've disappointed you. I haven't been very appreciative of your training. I've been arrogant, and I apologize. I've just been so frustrated with the counsel."

"Anakin, I have already told you, there will be no judgement from me on this matter. Indeed, I am immensely proud of you. You have grown strong and wise over the years we have known each other. I have trained you since you were a small boy. I have taught you everything I know, and you have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be."

Anakin looked down, smiling in a shy sort of pride at his friend's complements.

Obi-Wan continued, "But be patient, Anakin. You must accept the counsel's judgement. I know it isn't in your nature, but I feel it may greatly help if you were polite on this occasion."

"Of course."

They stared at each other for a few moments, before Obi-Wan started down the ramp, "Well, come along." Anakin walked after him and the other Jedi continued, "We can contact the counsel from the ship. We will need to obtain their consent for you to accompany me regardless, and we can discuss your problem at the same time."

Anakin forced down a rising ache of fear and nervousness in his throat, "Would the counsel even be in session?" He was grasping at straws, still hesitant and clinging to the last vestiges of the sweet comfort of secrecy.

"I believe so. As I remember there were some other issues pertaining to the war that arose as we left, and I heard someone discussing an extra session."

Anakin followed his friend into the ship, feeling rather like he was going to his execution.