Chapter 8: Padmé's Nightmare
As the ship entered hyperspace, Padmé decided to attempt to take another nap. They were planning to meet with the Gungans and the Nubian resistance immediately upon landing and she needed to be ready in case anything went wrong.
She climbed onto the bed and closed her eyes. This time, she didn't see her children. She saw something that terrified her.
She was on a ship, heading for a volcanic planet. Mustafar, she remembered. What could be she looking for here, she wondered as she landed the ship. She saw Anakin approach her ship and ran to him.
"I saw your ship," Anakin said, worriedly. "What are you doing out here?"
"I was so worried about you," she confessed. "Obi-Wan told me terrible things."
"What things?" Anakin demanded.
"He said you turned to the Dark Side, that you killed Younglings," she said, not believing her love would do such a thing.
"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me," Anakin replied.
"He cares about us," she replied.
"Us?" Anakin was skeptical.
"He knows," the older version of Padmé admitted. "He wants to help you. Anakin, all I want is your love."
"Love won't save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that," Anakin responded.
"At what cost?" She asked. "You're a good person. Don't do this."
"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother," Anakin responded. "I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I'm doing it for you, to protect you."
"Come away with me," she begged. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."
"Don't you see? We don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic," Anakin said. "I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be."
"I don't believe what I'm hearing," the older version of Padmé backed away from her husband. "Obi-Wan was right. You've changed."
"I don't want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan," Anakin said firmly. "The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me."
"I don't know you anymore," tears streamed down both versions of Padmé's face as the older version continued. "Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow."
"Because of Obi-Wan?" Anakin accused.
"Because of what you've done, what you plan to do," she replied. "Stop. Stop now. Come back. I love you."
Obi-Wan appeared at the top of the boarding ramp of her ship. "LIAR!" Anakin roared.
Padmé whirled and was surprised to see the Jedi Master there. Hadn't she left him on Coruscant? He had to have snuck onto her ship without her knowledge, but how and more importantly, when? She'd had Captain Typho inspect the ship mere minutes before she boarded.
"No!" She cried out, tears falling even faster.
"You were with him," Anakin accused. "You brought him here to kill me."
No," she repeated. "Please, I love you," she mouthed.
"Let her go, Anakin," Obi-Wan ordered.
"Anakin," she mouthed desperately.
"Let. Her. Go." Obi-Wan said, sterner than before.
Anakin released her and Padmé collapsed to the ground unconscious. "You turned her against me," Anakin accused.
"You have done that yourself," Obi-Wan replied.
"You will not take her from me," Anakin snarled.
"Your anger and your lust for power have already done that," Obi-Wan replied. "You have allowed this dark lord to twist your mind until now, until now you have become the very thing that you swore to destroy."
"Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan," Anakin said. "I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do no fear the Dark Side as you. I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new Empire."
"Your new Empire?" Obi-Wan was skeptical.
"Don't make me kill you," Anakin replied.
"Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy!" Obi-Wan shot back.
"If you're not with me, than you're my enemy," Anakin replied.
"Only a Sith deals in absolutes," Obi-Wan said evenly. "I will do what I must." He drew his lightsaber.
"You will try," Anakin replied, drawing his own lightsaber and lunging onto the attack.
The battle continued for several minutes and the younger version of Padmé anxiously followed the two fighting Jedi on a parallel path, going along rocky outcropping she'd spotted near the building and hurrying toward the lava flow on the right. The only good thing about these dreams was that no one could see her there, unless she wanted them to. One was her love and the other her friend, but right now something was very wrong.
"I have failed you, Anakin, I have failed you," Obi-Wan said.
"I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over," Anakin replied.
"Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil," Obi-Wan replied.
"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil," Anakin responded.
"Well, then you are lost!" Obi-Wan replied as Padmé gasped. How could he give up on Anakin so… She froze, remembering Obi-Wan very first words regarding Anakin, before he even met the boy. Obi-Wan had called Anakin 'a pathetic life-form.' And in that moment, Padmé realized in sickening horror, a part of Obi-Wan, had never stopped seeing Anakin in that way.
"This is the end for you, my Master," Anakin said coldly.
"It's over, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I have the high ground."
"You underestimate my power," Anakin replied.
"Don't try it," Obi-Wan begged.
Anakin leapt and Obi-Wan swung quickly, slicing off both of Anakin's legs and his remaining arm. "You were the Chosen One! It was said that you destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force! Not leave it in Darkness!" Obi-Wan accused.
Padmé fought the urge to run to the wounded Anakin. "I hate you!" Anakin screamed up at the Jedi Master as he struggled to climb toward him.
"You were my brother, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied. "I loved you."
The lava caught the tip of Anakin's pants and he began to burn alive, screaming in agony. As she watched, tears streamed down Padmé's face.
Padmé jerked into a sitting position, a high-pitched scream of terror ripping from her lungs. Tears streamed down her face as the rest of passengers ran into her room. She scanned each of their faces, searching for one—Anakin, but spotted Obi-Wan first. "You!" She lunged at Obi-Wan, managing a quick punch to his jaw, before the others could react. "You killed Anakin!"
Master Qui-Gon stepped in and, pulled Anakin forward, hoping she'd stop attacking his Padawan when she saw the nine-year-old, said, "Padmé, calm down, Ani's right here."
She quickly pulled him into a tight hug and continued glaring at Obi-Wan. One image kept flashing through her mind—Obi-Wan coldly slicing her Ani's arm and legs off and leaving him to burn and lying to her and claiming that he was alright.
Obi-Wan staggered back at the sight of the image and disappeared. "Master, how could I do that to Anakin?" He asked Master Qui-Gon who quickly followed his shaking Padawan.
"What do you mean, my young Padawan?" Master Qui-Gon asked.
"I hurt Anakin," Obi-Wan began. "No, worse, I sliced off his remaining human arm and both legs and let him burn and told him that I loved him but I still left him burning and I didn't help him and he became a horrid black monster that was forced to live in a life support suit because of me."
"Obi-Wan, Padmé showed you a possible future," Master Qui-Gon stated. "Remember, my young apprentice, the future is always in motion."
"So I can avoid that fate?" Obi-Wan asked hopefully.
"Yes, but I get the feeling that Padmé may be reluctant to accept your help, if you are not truly sincere," Master Qui-Gon replied.
Anakin reached up and wiped at Padmé's tears. "I'm OK, Padmé," he said.
"Ani, promise me that no matter what happens to me, you'll stay in the Light," she begged desperately.
He nodded and said, "I promise."
"Padmé and Anakin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" Eirtaé began.
"Eirtaé!" Padmé shrieked, glaring at the other handmaiden.
"Will you two be alright?" 'Queen Amidala' asked.
Padmé nodded silently as did Anakin. With that confirmation, everyone else, except for Anakin, left Padmé alone. Something told him that she needed him and he would do what he could to help her.
Anakin hugged her again and said, "Everything's gonna be alright, Padmé."
She nodded, shakily, not trusting her voice quite yet. "I'm right here, ok?" He said, gently taking her hand and holding it.
She yawned and mumbled, "Gonna take 'nother nap."
He nodded and said, "I'll stay and chase away any night terrors."
"Night terrors?" Padmé asked.
"Things that scare you," Anakin explained.
"Oh, bad dreams?" She realized.
He nodded. "We just call them night terrors on Tattooine, I don't know why though," he replied.
She smiled gratefully and said, "Thanks. G'night, Ani."
"Sleep well, Angel," he responded.
Another smile spread rapidly across her face and she soon drifted off, this time, silently reminding herself to think about the twins.
