A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter! I'll respond to those along with any on this chapter tomorrow. I wanted to get this chapter up quickly before I fall back into the hole of college assessments. Enjoy!

For several long hours, Anakin sat in his quarters, alone, under the pretence of much-needed meditation. It wasn't far from a lie. He did need to meditate, but that wasn't what he did. When he'd come, still hot from his fight with Padme, he tore off his thick cloak, rid himself of the Jedi boots on his feet and roughly peeled away his robes and tabard, letting the clothing fall to the floor in a disastrous heap. He had planned to meditate, to find the focus he'd lost in the past few days, and to do that, he needed to be comfortable, and he was at his most comfortable in a state of undress. The itching weight of his robes was a distraction, one he didn't need when his mind was already so torn. But no matter how long he tried, there was no hope of losing himself within the Force tonight. Something distracted him, whether it was footsteps in the hallway outside his quarters, his racing thoughts or the shiver of cold air in the room.

It was hopeless.

He never liked it here, the too small bed left his limbs sore and stiff every morning, and the lack of allowed possessions left the room sparse and bare. It fell short of home. It wasn't his home; it was another branch of his deception. Since marrying Padme, he'd hardly been here. Or at least, he rarely slept here anymore. Anakin did what he could to sprinkle parts of himself into the tiny chamber, from the desk he'd… Borrowed from the Senate building four years ago, to the scattered piles of droid pieces from attempted remodelling's or reworking's, to the flimsi pinned up onto the wall with carefully drawn sketches of those who took his inspiration. The Jedi's eyes were drawn to them now, black lines and precise smudges came together to form lifelike copies of his wife and son, together, alone, there were so many it was difficult to count. When he missed them, out on the field, it was soothing to recreate their faces from memory and trace the lines with his fingers… For a moment his heart ached for them, though they were a mere five or so minutes from the Temple.

He could go there, to Padme's apartment and slip beneath the sheets with her, whispering words of apology into her hair and sleep until the sun rose. But that would mean facing her. It would mean facing Luke. He would go to them soon, but not tonight. Still, selfishly, he longed for them both, to surround himself with their light so much that no darkness could touch him again.

He couldn't go… But perhaps… The comm which laid abandoned on the desk called to him suddenly and Anakin raised a hand and brought it to him without much concentration. If he couldn't be there with her, he could speak to her. That was, if Padme was willing. Who knows how she felt toward him after that evening? Was she angry that he left? Well, he was angry too… But not so much anymore. They could talk about secrets and deception another time, but not now. Softly, he ran his fingers across the comm and felt the corners of his lips twitch… Such a small, beloved piece of technology. It was a private line, untraceable. Not Jedi standard. But it was a gift, given to him years ago now, after Luke's birth when he was forced to leave his wife and new-born son behind to fight all over again. It'd torn his heart into pieces then, the thought of leaving them behind with nothing but the memory of Luke's bright blue eyes and Padme's kiss. So the gift, a means of communication with those he wasn't supposed to speak to, was a saviour, and at times, his reminder to live.

He needed that reminder now.

She answered only a few moments after he reached out, as if she'd been waiting, and guilt seared through his chest. "Ani?" Her voice was thick with tiredness, confirming his suspicion. She had been waiting for him. And he'd disappointed her. Again. Just how had he kept her up, waiting, hoping he would make contact? "It's so late… Where are you?"

He swung his legs off the side of the bed and rested his elbows on his thighs. Where was he? He hadn't even left the Temple. It took everything in his power to swallow down the guilt he felt and run the cold durasteel fingers of his cybernetic arm through his hair. What he was about to do… How could he? After being so furious with her for whatever she kept from him, he was now on the cusp of lying to her. To her, his wife of all beings. What kind of a man was he? "Padme…" He breathed her name, but for once it brought him no solace. "I – I won't make it back to you tonight… I have to be here."

Silence. Padme said nothing for several agonising moments, an entire forever passed before she spoke and for one of those moments, Anakin wondered if sleep had claimed her while he spoke. Unfortunately, he was wrong, because, at last, she answered. "Oh." Oh. Oh. What did 'oh' mean? He asked the question but knew to his bones exactly what it meant. He realised, miserably, that she didn't believe him. "I see. Well, I'll miss you." Why was she doing this? She knew he lied but played along anyway… He'd never heard her sound so… Tired and defeated and Anakin truly loathed himself in this moment more than he ever had. His eyes burned with the desire to weep, and he held his composure like a pile of sand cupped in his hands… It was slipping away faster than he could ever hope to control.

"I'll miss you too. All three of you." And then, to regain some control of himself, he added, "I'm quickly growing accustomed to the baby kicking at my ribs all night." And he heard her laugh, tiredly, or perhaps even tearily?

"How do you think I feel?" They both fell into blissful, joint, albeit quiet, laughter together and for that one, blessed moment; Anakin could pretend that everything was alright. "You know, Ani, I decided on a name for her tonight." Padme ended their laughter, and the revelation drew an amused frown across the Jedi's face. "I'd hoped to tell you tonight when you came back." She picked the baby's name? Tonight? He wished he could see her now, to run his fingers across her stomach where their baby grew because truthfully, shamefully, naming her hadn't even occurred to him. How could he have forgotten something so, so, important? His child, his baby girl, he'd barely thought of her at all these past few days.

"Don't I get a say in such things?"

"We had an agreement." The musical tinkle of her laugh danced around the room, "You named Luke, now it's my turn." Yes, he had promised that, hadn't he? He remembered it now… It was one lazy afternoon together in their bed in Varykino, watching their baby sleep beside them with hushed whispers about 'the next one'. Well, he had faith in Padme's choice; he was sure whatever choice she made would suit the little angel inside her.

"Well then, tell me!" He laughed quietly as excited elation spread throughout his body, every inch of his skin tingled with anticipation to hear Padme's choice. They could call their little girl by name now, and not before time, too. Luke had his name almost as soon as they knew he was a boy… No matter, he couldn't wait to relive long nights laid awake simply talking to the baby, saying her name and dipping into her tiny little Force signature... He'd done it so often with Luke that, when at last he'd laid eyes on the squirming boy, Anakin felt like he'd already known him a lifetime… Soon it would be the same with their girl. His darling daughter, the little Skywalker Princess… If only he could meet her now…He could hardly stand to wait.

"I'm afraid; you're going to have to wait until she's born. I want it to be a surprise." Came her response, and strangely, Anakin felt no disappointment at her words. Only his excitement growing tenfold. Perhaps even a hundredfold. It was something to anticipate, a moment to covet in his imagination, to –

Padme's screams rang in his ears suddenly.

Her face, pale and exhausted flashed before his eyes as the pain cut through her beyond what she could withstand, behind her, the baby's cries grew louder and louder and Anakin almost dropped the comm to the floor with a startled gasp. No! Not now… Not again… He couldn't see that again, not ever. Why was this happening again? He wasn't even asleep!

It's a vision. It had to be.

Padme was going to die, and if he did nothing to save her, it would be his fault.

He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't… He couldn't live without her. Her very breath was his purpose, his lifeblood, his will to live. He wouldn't lose her, he wouldn't let her die. Not when he could find the power to save her, he was strong enough to do it. He was the most powerful Jedi alive! Even – even death would bow to his will if he commanded that she live. It had to! If she died, the Galaxy would lose its light, its music and life. The stars would burn out one by one until only blackness reigned. Without Padme, there was nothing… Nothing but pain, and loss and he wouldn't let that happen. He'd sooner tear the Galaxy apart piece by piece than know one day without her taking breath.

"Ani?" Her sweet voice pulled him back, drawing him away from the brink and toward her warmth once more. She was alive, she was still alive and he would see to it that she stayed that way. There must be a way… There had to be. "Is something wrong?"

"I – I'm fine." Or at least, he would be, when he saved her.

"Alright… You will come home tomorrow, won't you?"

Carefully, he switched the comm into his cybernetic hand and rubbed his tired eyes with his flesh fingers, fighting back a sigh. "Yes, I'll be there. I promise." Through the line, he heard her yawn and felt his own exhaustion grow in response. It was late… Far past time they were both asleep. Though, he feared that sleep wasn't for him tonight. It hadn't been his friend of late. "You're tired, Padme. Get some rest." He wished she hadn't bothered to wait for him; she deserved all the peace she could get now. She needed her strength.

Anakin could practically hear the smile in her voice as she spoke, "I would… But I'm currently being treated to the wonderful sound of your son snoring beside me. He had a bad dream earlier… Came in here hoping to find you but…" She trailed off, and his heart clenched tightly. Luke had a nightmare? And he'd come looking for him for comfort… Suddenly, the Jedi threw himself off of the bed and roughly yanked at his boots to pull them onto his feet. What was he thinking? He should be there, with them! He couldn't just hide himself away here because of a fight, because he was afraid to face her…

Because he was afraid to face Padme.

It was nearly impossible to look her in the eye while he heard her cries of pain night after night, while he watched her beg him to make it stop but was utterly powerless to… He couldn't stand to look his son in the eye knowing that if he was too weak to save her, Luke would lose his mother just as Anakin would lose his wife… He belonged there with them, but he couldn't be there. Not now.

He took a long, shuddering breath, to compose himself, and realised he was trembling. Weak. He was a weak man.

The arm of durasteel came up to rest on the cold door and he leant his forehead against it. "I – I'll be there tomorrow."

"Alright… Sleep well, my love."

"You too. Kiss Luke for me."

"I love you, Anakin."

He murmured those precious words in return and meant every syllable before ending the contact.


His eyes snapped open with a start, and his lungs gasped in a greedy breath of air before Anakin could truly register his surroundings… All around him was thick blackness, it was so dark that he could not even see his own hand when he brought it up, hear his eyes. Even when he held it so close that his breath fanned against his palm. Where was he? What was this? He reached, instinctively, for his lightsaber, but found an empty space where it usually hung from his belt. What…? His chest heaved in anticipation, but for what, he did not know. Something was happening…

Suddenly, from above, from below, from both left and right, came a voice, agonisingly familiar and yet Anakin knew he'd never heard it before. "Here, Skywalker stands." It boomed. "Son of the Force, son of two, or perhaps even three…"

His body whirled around, tense and desperate to find the source of the words. "Who are you?!" He demanded, and his voice echoed for a moment. But there was no answer. Silence fell over the darkness once more, seconds past, and then minutes before the deafening entity spoke again.

"Master of one, you were. Master of none, you are."

What was that supposed to mean? Ahsoka? What did she have to do with any of this? He hadn't seen her in years –before Luke was born. She could be anywhere in the Galaxy by now. He walked further into the blackness ahead, to follow the voice, but nothing changed. He came closer to nothing no matter how far he stepped. Where in the Galaxy was he? Every inch of his skin prickled with cold fear. Without his lightsaber, he felt exposed, threatened… Defenceless.

"Heed these warnings, if you are wise." It came again, making Anakin start. "If not, the darkness shall rise." He frowned and spun, futilely. There was nothing. "Two you shall be. First one, and then another, and then one once more."

"Who are you?!" He cried as loudly as he could and did not wait for the words to echo this time, "What does this mean?" Two he would be…? It made no sense! What was he supposed to learn from this? The voice returned again, but it held no answers, only more riddles.

"A mother floats along the lake of death. Her path, you have already set. A boy lost in the flames you shall find. The infant, so near, so far, but never on your mind." A mother? His mind raced to make any sense of the riddles the voice spoke but he had no idea what to make of the words. Whose mother did it speak of? His own? But Shmi was already dead… He – he didn't set her path, did he? It was the Sand people – it was them, not Anakin! But that wasn't all it said…

"What are you talking about?!" He roared, frustration getting the better of him. A boy lost in flames? He didn't understand… What about the infant? The baby! It had to mean the baby. It was close to her delivery, but that didn't work with everything else it said. There had to be a meaning… Why else would this being say all of this?

"Three battles you will fight. One in flight, for protection. One in the clouds for realisation. And one where the stars bear witness. For betrayal, and love." Anakin shook his head, running two hands through his hair with an irritated growl. How was he to understand anything if it just kept speaking? "A lonely pyre is set alight, but only eyes of blue truly mourn for you." Before he had a chance to think upon those words, a bright burst of blinding white light bleed into the room as a loud, creak caught his attention. Just ahead, a door he hadn't seen, just as black as the darkness slowly crept open and the light grew brighter still so that he was forced to glance away sharply.

It was too bright… But Anakin would happily take the white over the black, at least within the light; he would be able to see what was around him. The Jedi took off, running as quickly as his legs would carry him toward the door, and it grew closer and closer until he was within reach and then, a voice returned. Not the riddler's voice, but another. A strange, foul, breathing drowned out the silence and gave Anakin pause. It was not human, the breathing… It was almost like… Like a Droid's, if they could breathe. And carried extremely damaged lungs. The breathing came from within the light, he realised. In and out, in and out, it breathed and breathed and Anakin grew more unsettled every time. No… He stepped backwards. Whatever was in there was not for him. He didn't want to see it. But the floor shifted beneath his feet, like a carpet being tugged, and he turned to run in the opposite direction. However, he found himself dragged along, no matter how quickly he ran, toward the door. As he reached it, the breathing stopped, and his ears were filled instead by a piercing cry.

A child's cry.

He was thrown inside the door, and the moment he passed the threshold, it slammed shut, trapping him inside. Every inch of Anakin trembled in fear… He didn't belong here; he didn't want to be here. His fear kept him facing the door, almost frozen to the spot. Once he turned, he felt that, quite literally, there would be no turning back. He wasn't ready… He didn't want this… It felt wrong. He waited several minutes, in the hope that, at the very least, his breath would settle into something calmer, more controlled. But it did not. A small whimper drew his gaze, at last, over his shoulder, eyes wide and as close to terrified as he'd ever been.

Luke!

Huddled against the opposite wall was Luke, and Anakin's body swung around to see the boy better. What was he doing here? But, as he turned, something shifted. Horrifically. His son sat in the middle of a puddle of dark, crimson blood, the sight unmistakable. It pulled a strangled cry of panic from the father's lips. The blood had stained the boy's clothes beyond compare, and if he squinted, it seemed to seep from his right arm where he held it close to his chest. What happened?! Who did this?!

"Luke!" Anakin called, but almost fell backwards in shock as the voice that left his lips was not his own. Cold air began to blast from below them, from beneath the floor somehow as his shaking son slowly looked up to peer at him, revealing a gruesome, angry red bruise around his eye. Something terrible had happened and Anakin's knees quaked beneath his weight. No! Not Luke… Not his beloved, precious Luke… He'd take any torture in the Galaxy if it meant his son would never so much as slice his finger on a piece of flimsi again.

He reached out to the boy with his flesh hand, but his breath caught in his throat to find it, too, wrapped in a thick black glove, but Anakin wasted no time thinking about it beyond the momentary shock. "Luke!" He cried out again, and just like before, the voice was not his own. It was a deep, mechanical sound that he did not recognise. "Luke, it's alright… Come here. It's me. I'm right here… Your father is right here." At his words, Luke's eyes widened, shocked and – and afraid? His big blue eyes filled with unmistakable dread and he screamed.

Anakin threw himself upward on the bed with a cry, cold yet his body was slick with sweat and his chest rose and fell rapidly with heavy pants. It was a dream… Another dream… The small chamber was dark, but the pale moonlight illuminated everything just enough to see without the aid of a light. It was just a dream. It was only a dream… It wasn't real… It was just another dream…

But deep down, he knew without question, that it was no dream.

It was a warning.


"Now that the war may be over in a matter of days, we must ask ourselves, what happens next?" Padme spoke confidently, despite the pain in her back that begged her repositioning… Her bed sounded like the perfect cure, but alas, there were things to attend to. This was what she disliked about pregnancy. The uncomfortable final weeks were the worst part, alongside the change in her body and sudden lack of stamina and the extra weight could be a rather large pain in the backside… Truthfully, she just didn't enjoy pregnancy. The beautiful gift inside her was more than worth all the troubles, of course, but the old desire she once had for a large family felt rather… Muted now. Perhaps just the two children would be enough. Subtly, she tried to shift, just slightly, but the movement only added to the pain. Well, nothing could be done now… This was a very important meeting, she had to focus.

No one dared answer her question for several moments. That was, until Bail sat forward to place his caff onto the table. "The very moment the war ends, Palpatine must remove his governors."

"Surely," she shook her head, "there's no need to make him do such a thing. As I said before, Senator, the Senate voted him the emergency powers only for the duration of the war. Now that the emergency is over –"

"You are right," Chi Eekway cut her off, "And yet, only Palpatine has the power to decide when the emergency truly ends. The moment the Senate voted in his favour, we made ourselves powerless." Beside her, Mon hummed in frustrated agreement, as her slim fingers picked at the pristine white sleeve of her gown.

"I have heard much whispering of late. There are some within the Senate who would like to return things to how they once were. Many Senators and many more people are ready and willing to do what must be done to restore order. Even fight, if need me."

Those were dangerous words. Suddenly, Padme was grateful that she'd dismissed her staff for the day and sent Threepio to recharge. "Mon, these are precarious times. These whispered threats you have overheard could easily send us into another war!" Three little thumps pulsed against the carefully hidden swell of her stomach and served as a powerful reminder of just what she fought for, of why this had to be done. As long as peace was once more secured, she could carry fewer regrets when she…

She could not think about that right now. Nor could she lay a hand where her child kicked despite how badly she wanted to. Later, she promised herself, there would be time enough for that later. When Luke came home from his schooling and Anakin returned to them as himself, not as the stranger he'd come to feel like these past few days. Then everything would be alright.

"Another war is the very last thing any of us want." Bail sent Mon a strange look, almost like the glares she'd given to Luke more than once in the heat of a reprimand. Odd. But it worked, the redheaded Senator shrunk back into her seat without another word. "A political solution is the best for us all, not more violence." He continued.

Padme sighed quietly, shaking her head. This was getting them nowhere. But perhaps, what they'd done… The petition stored carefully in the document reader, could. That at least had the potential to bring about change, to make Palpatine open his eyes to the reality of people's opinions about his leadership. "With the signatures of two thousand Senators," she began hopefully, but Mon spoke up once more.

"We have much less than we would need to subvert the majority in his favour as he plans to further amend the constitution." They were all quietened by that truth… Democracy favoured the vote of the majority, and the worst enemy of democracy had the majority. What beautiful irony. The tip of Padme's tongue flicked out to wet her dry lips and with another thump against her stomach, she found the courage to speak.

"Even still, I am willing to present this petition to Palpatine. While not the majority, two thousand beings pledging their support to us is nothing to be ignored. But, I…" Now the dangerous words lingered on her own tongue and she faltered slightly. "I think – I believe we should reach out to the Jedi." They could help their cause immeasurably. If the Jedi too supported this petition, Palpatine would have to leave the constitution how it was, and… And it would mean she no longer had to lie to Anakin. He knew she was hiding something and had told her as much the other day in their spat. Perhaps that was why he hadn't wished to come home last night… His lie stung, but realising her own actions of late had helped to create the distance between them ached. This was the time they were supposed to be at their closest… Just how it was when she'd been this close to delivering Luke… Back then, in Naboo, there was no reality to haunt them. Nothing to come between them as they welcomed their precious baby boy into the world.

She yearned for it to be the same now, to experience that bliss again, but there was so much in the way of it this time. If – if Anakin's dreams were to be believed… And the birth of her daughter would indeed be her death, then Padme wanted to die on Naboo, with Anakin by her side and Luke not far – but far enough not to see – with her baby in her arms. She wanted so much to know her family were close by, together and ready to not only give her their goodbyes but to rally around her husband and children too. She wanted to look at the balcony where her first kiss with Anakin took place, where they'd pledged their lives to one another forever, one last time, to see Luke play in the sand, to hear her sister's laugh and her mother's bedtime stories for Luke, Ryoo and Pooja, to see her father embrace Anakin and Darred… She wanted to go home.

But sometimes, you don't get what you want. Emdee said just this morning that she had only a week at most before the baby would come… A week. There wasn't nearly enough time for all she needed to do – she had to make some change, some progress with peace being returned to the Galaxy for the sake of her children, and that couldn't be ignored for selfish reasons no matter how she wished it could. The harsh truth of the matter was, Padme would never return to Naboo alive. She knew that now. There would be no goodbyes, at least on her part… She would not be granted final days with her whole family together. This war had already taken so much from them, and now… Now it had taken that too. A week was a frighteningly short time when one had so much to do… But what she feared there would be no time for the most, was peace between her and Anakin. To not resolve all issues between them before… Before she… It would break her heart eternally… And she dreaded to imagine what it would do to him.

Luke was still young… Young enough to live past his grief… The sad truth was, it was likely her memory would be a faint one in his mind… When he grew older, he may forget her embraces, the feel of her kiss on his cheek and the sound of her lullabies would fade from his memory. His mind would be filled with far more days without her than with. And her sweet girl… The thought nearly drew a sob from the Senator. Her baby girl would never remember her at all. That was why she had to stand up to Palpatine, to leave a lasting legacy of peace for her children… If they could only remember her by that, at least, then Padme could go to her death easier.

"Padme?" Mon's voice broke her away from her thoughts to see her fellow Senators all looking at her, and she flushed… This was not the time for such thoughts.

"I'm sorry… What were you saying?"

Bana Breemu frowned, "We were saying, involving the Jedi would be very risky."

"Yes, we have no idea where the Jedi stand in all this. For all we know, their might favour Palpatine's ways." Mon spoke and a few others murmured agreements.

One of them certainly does, she thought bitterly. "I'm sure they're no happier with any of this than we are!"

Chi Eekway spoke next. "And how would you know of the Jedi's feelings, Senator Amidala?"

Padme felt herself flush again, but rose her chin with a confidence she far from felt. ""I have friends among the Jedi, good friends. People I trust wholeheartedly."

There was silence for a moment before Senator Giddean Danu spoke up. "Senator Amidala is correct. The Jedi are the moral authority of this Galaxy… If they stood with us and declared their support as we openly opposed the Chancellor, then many would look more favourably upon our arguments than they would otherwise."

Breemu sighed heavily and shook her head, "But the Jedi are not as… Popular as they once were. Only a few have retained their celebrity status throughout this war, and even fewer are still beloved by the public." Yes, and her Ani was one of them. But there would be no talking him around to their side, his loyalty to those he loved could at times become his strongest fault. But she had to try… If her fate was approaching as quickly as it seemed, then she had to speak with him, to make everything right… To end her lies. She simply could not spend her final days lying to her husband. It was unthinkable. What would he think of her when she was gone, unable to defend what she'd done?

"Then, let me involve just one Jedi." Padme began. "There is someone among their ranks who I know I can trust entirely, someone who longs for peace and security just as much as you or I…" She trailed off in horrified silence when the face of the Jedi she spoke was not her husband's.

She thought of Obi-Wan when she spoke those words.

But – but she wanted to tell Anakin, to work with him… To spend these last days working toward diplomacy with her love, so that there would be no more dishonesty between them. All of this – it was for Anakin, to involve him… Because she hated to lie to him, despised keeping secrets from him and yet, when she thought of trust, it was not her love her mind brought to her. It was his mentor, one of her oldest friends and for one sickening moment, she was forced to consider… Did she trust her husband?

And the heart-wrenching answer, was no. She once did… She knew that. There was a time where she trusted him implicitly, in all things, without hesitation but now… What had this war done to them?

Senator Fang Zar was next to speak, pulling the gaze of her burning eyes to the ageing man, "We don't need to reach out to the Jedi, Senator. Let the Chancellor have his majority… When you present our petition to him, his eyes shall be opened to the growing opposition, and then, change will follow."

"Perhaps… But what we must ask ourselves, is this coming change for the better?" Padme had no answer for Danu's question. She said nothing and faced no one. Her energy was spent on fighting back the sting of the tears that had assaulted her eyes upon her realisation and what she supposed was the death of her pretence. The trust she once held in her husband had been gone for a long time, she just could not see it until now. Was it her fault for opposing the Chancellor when she knew he looked up to the man? Or his, for blindly allowing friendship to dictate his loyalty… For perhaps, becoming more loyal to the Chancellor than to her.

For her part in all of this, in the struggles they faced now, in the growing tension between them, the space and mistrust… She was sorry.

I'm sorry, Anakin. I'm so, so sorry.