DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. All are owned by George Lucas and created by him.

A/N: I realized I was misspelling Obi-Wan. I have fixed it now & in future chapters.

Chapter 4

"Go on." Anakin said with a sinking heart.

"There has been an accident, Anakin." Palpatine watched as Anakin sank down to his knees.

"What has happened, Chancellor?" He said this while looking up at the holocomm. The dread he was feeling was beginning to consume him. Had something happend to Padme? He would surely feel it. Wouldn't he?

"It seems General Grevious had escaped Master Kenobi's clutches on Utapau. He had escaped to Alderaan. There was a terrible ruckus at the ship port and Grevious hijacked a shuttle. Unfortunately, it was the very same shuttle I loaned to Amidala and herstaff for her journey to Naboo. Her journey back home to meet you."

Palpatine watched with sadistic glee as Anakin hung his head.

"Is Padme alright?" he asked with hope in his voice. His human hand was begining to shake.

"No, son. She is not. The shuttle was engaged just as it was leaving the Alderaan atmosphere. It was destoryed. No escape pods were launched. No survivors. I'm terribly sorry, son. I knew about your marriage. It is a terrible thing to lose a loved one."

Anakin was shaking his head. "No. This isn't true. I would have felt it. I can still feel her life force. She is not dead!"

"I understand your pain, Anakin. However, I assure you this information is correct. The ship's log showed all aboard and accounted for when Grevious commenced his hijacking. Maybe your powerful sense of the force is allowing you to feel her from beyond."

'This wouldn't do'. Palpatine thought.Why would he still feel her presence? Surely Organa would have reported by now if by some twist of fate Amidala wasn't aboard that ship. The holo news crews were everywhere on Alderaan. They were getting first hand accounts of the events that took place. Organa was the one who broke the news that it was Amidala's ship that Grevious hijacked. Unfortunately, since Grevious was also killed in the attack he had no way of confirming Amidala's death. But it had to be true. Grevious had never failed to follow orders as commanded.

"I need some time Chancellor." Anakin managed to get out. His shoulders began to quake.

"Yes son. Please contact me on this transmission code as soon as you are ready. And Anakin, there is another troubling fact to this whole event. But I will speak with you on that later."

Anakin didn't even hear the last part of the transmission. He was devastated.

As soon as the transmission blinked out, Anakin put his face in his hands. A low howling began to come from him. It sounded foreign to his own ears. A kind of sob was forming, but could not find it's way out of his chest. He felt like he couldn't breath. A gulp of air...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!...Nooooo!" he screamed finally. Looking up to the celing. His eyes open, but seeing nothing. The room shook with his explosion of anguish. The lake house staff ran for cover.

After a few minuites of gasping for air, he managed to rise and stumble back to the veranda. Tears were streaming down his face as he walked into the morning sunlight. This couldn't be true. His wife. His Padme. His Angel. It was inconceivable! Why had he not dreamed of this like he did with his mother? He could have saved her. Refused to let her return to Naboo or insist she accompany him. Damn the Jedi Council that made it necessary to keep everything a secret! Grevious wouldn't have gotten an opportunity to even come near her shuttle. Why had Obi-Wan let him escape? He should have been sent on this mission with him. HE wouldn't have failed as Obi-Wan had done! Angry thoughts and revenge were filling his head as quickly as the waves crashed in to the beach. Revenge. But revenge on who? Who was ultimately responsible? Revenge would not help Padme now. Anakin began to blame himself. His visions had failed him.

"I'm not going to get though this! I cannot accept this! WHY?" He screamed. What higher power deemed him unable to keep happiness in his life? "Is this the way of the force?" he yelled, to anyone listening. "Is this your way of punishing me for breaking the rules?"

What would he do without her?

Their child? The baby had died with her. Another sob of anguish escaped him. He fell to his knees again. He would never know his child. Why had this happened? Padme was everything to him. They were so happy. Looking foward to the next stage of their lives. Without her, he had no life.

Down on his knees, he stayed there. He face turned up to the heavens. Sobbing silently.

Finally he quieted, but did not rise.

The house staff didn't know what to do. No one on the staff was familiar with this mysterious man the Senator had attached herself to. The fact that his anguished sob shook the entire house had scared them. No one approached him. They only wondered with apprehension to hear what news had brought this formidable man this kind of despair.

Anxiously awaiting Anakin's next transmission, Palpatine was planning his next move. He needed to convince Anakin that the Jedi Council had become aware of his marriage to Padme and decided that her death, while unfortunate, would ultimately rein in their "Chosen One". He would make him believe that the Jedi needed to regain control of him. Make him faithful to the Jedi way of life. No attachments or love.

Palpatine had covered his tracks by sending a message the day before to the Council advising them of Amidala's stop at Alderaan. Only friendly information that they might want to be aware of "in case" they were tracking Grevious. He knew they would be. Since the message wasn't marked as urgent the Jedi may have not even seen it yet. Anakin wouldn't believe that. He was so distrustful of the Council right now that he would jump to the conclusion Palpatine was striving for. He would assume they were "killing two birds with one stone", so to speak.

In reality, a move like this would be unthinkable for the Jedi. But Palpatine was counting on Anakin's greif to cloud his judgement. He would believe every word his trusted friend Palpatine put into his head.

The fact that it was Kenobi who actually took out the shuttle was the icing on the cake. Mistake or not, Anakin would never forgive his beloved Master for killing Padme. That potential problem would work itself out wonderfully.

"Master Kenobi. Very good to see you back safe." Master Windu said as Obi-Wan arrived in the Council chambers before the morning session. "Have you heard the unfortunate news?"

"No Master. What news do you speak of?" Obi-Wan had just taken his seat. " I had turned of my holonet receiver shortly after my engagement with Grevious. The news reporters were droning on and on. I grew tired of it very quickly."

Master Windu was aware of the friendship that had sprouted with the Senator and Obi-Wan a few years ago at the beginning of the Clone Wars when he was assigned to protect her. Now he was responsible for her demise. How awful for him. He would take the news hard. He also imagined young Skywalker would as well. They had spent a lot of time with the Senator for those few months. She was a much loved and trusted senator by the whole Republic.

"Master Kenobi, I am very sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It seems that the shuttle that Grevious hijacked had a full crew and passengers aboard. We all assumed that was not the case when we gave you the order to take it out. We never would have put innocent lives in jeopardy."

"That's terrible Master. I feel horrible. I never intended to hurt anyone else. Just Grevious." Obi-Wan put his hand over his mouth. Deep in thought. Feeling remorse for those innocent lives he had mistakenly taken.

"I am aware of that, Master Kenobi. And I am sorry to tell you the news gets worse." Master Windu hesitated. "It has been brought to everyone's attention that the shuttle you took out was a senate shuttle and being used by Senator Amidala for her return to Naboo. She had stopped off at Alderaan for repairs."

Obi-Wan felt as he had been kicked in the chest. "Oh God Master! If I had only known." Obi-Wan was consumed with guilt and angony. He couldn't speak.

"None of us knew Obi-Wan. It was only an unfortunatesetof circumstances that put her in Grevious's path. Don't be so hard on yourself. Casualties of war are never easy to take. We were all fond of Senator Amidala." He walked over and put a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and gave it a little pat. "You are a good man Obi-Wan. And a great Jedi. Don't let this tear you up too much. You did your duty and accomplished your mission."

Oh Lord! Anakin! How would he take this news. He had never gotten over the infatuation he had with Padme a few years ago. There was a time that Obi-Wan even thought Anakin would risk expulsion by the Jedi Order to be with her. He must have seen the error of his thinking, because he hadn't noticed Anakin speaking of her as much these past couple of years. He must have realized his allegience was to the Jedi Order and pushed aside the attachment he was forming. But now, Obi-Wan was responsible for her death. Would their bond be strong enough to survive this? They were like brothers. Surely he would forgive him this mistake. He would seek out Anakin after the breifing this morning. Hopefully he hadn't heard the news yet. Anakin rarely listened to the holonet. He grew tired of hearing about himself all the time. Being the war heroes they were. Obi-Wan wanted to break the news to him and help him through the grief he would feel.

Suddenly a wave of anguish was felt throught the force. It was Anakin. Obi-Wan almost couldn't bear it. He looked up to see that Master Windu had felt it too.

"Something iswrong Obi-Wan. Young Skywalker is in pain. Terrible pain." Mace sat down next to Obi-Wan. Trying to clear his head and focus on the source of pain from Skywalker.

"I can feel it too. I am worried about him,Master. Where is he?" asked Obi-Wan. What could have caused this kind of force disruption from him?

"He has been sent on a personal mission for the Chancellor. On Naboo. Go check with Palpatine. See if he has the specific coordinates for Anakin. You have permission to leave at once."

"Thank you Master. I will go to him and help in anyway I can. I'll report with any news I can find." Obi-Wan wasted no time. He departed the Council chamber immediately.

Obi-Wan hoped that Anakin being on Naboo and Padme on her way there was only a coincidence. Surely they would not have kept in such close contact these past couple of years. He would have known. But if you add in the wave of grief he felt from Anakin... The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Was this anguish he felt formed from Anakin finding out about Padme's death? He surely hoped not. Anakin found all sorts of trouble to get into, he told himself. Surely there must be some other reason for this.

The Naboo sun was setting. The beautiful sunset went unnoticed by a lonely man still sitting motionless onthe veranda of a magnificent lake house. Anakin had been there since morning. A few hours ago he fell into a sort of restless meditation. He saw visions of death and agony. Not just those of his lost love and child, but future visions of destruction. He couldn't quite grasp the meaning of these visions or what they meant for his future. He needed guidance. He needed Obi-Wan.

Anakin finally managed the strength to rise. He would seek out Obi-Wan. He would pour out all his secrets and ask for his help. Obi-Wan would have the answers he seeked.

On his way in to the house he remembered he needed to let the Chancellor know what he was planning. He would understand. He searched for the locator beacon to get the transmission number. It was in the pocket of his tunic. He found the beacon, but also something else. The ring. The ring he had planned to give Padme tonight. He breathed in deeply, took the ring and put it on his little finger. It just barely fit. But he would never, never take it off.

He walked into the holocomm room and put in the code calling the Chancellor. His image sprang up at once.

"Anakin, I am relieved to hear from you again. I was concerned for your well being. How are you doing, son?"

Anakin sighed heavily. "I am not coping very well. With your permission Chancellor I want to seek out Obi-Wan. I am in need of guidance that only he can provide."

"Certainly Anakin. Go. Take care of yourself. But there is something you need to know before you search out Master Kenobi. I haven't had a chance to fill you in on the details of Kenobi's part in our sad turn of events...