Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes from the Revenge of the Sith film belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Alright everyone, I know it's been forever since the last update, but, I've been crazy busy...I just can't catch a break!

Anyway, keep your eyes peeled, anyone who's read Careless Preparation will recognize part of this chapter...

Without further adieu...

Obi-Wan peers down at figure in red racing through the busy street from the rooftop across from the Coruscant Medical Center.

"They've been in there for over an hour." Ahsoka comments impatiently. "Exactly what are you planning on doing when the come out?" She wonders.

"Rescuing Padmé," Obi-Wan replies absently, as he turns, making for the rooftop access door. He frowns as he enters the stairwell.

"Have you considered the fact that he might not let you take her?"

Obi-Wan only nods.

"And do you have a plan? Just in case?" She presses.

Obi-Wan holds up a hand. "Let's just cross that bridge when we get to it, alright?" He says as they step back outside onto the sidewalk. His mouth drops open in horror, and he races across the busy street, nearly being struck by cars multiple times as he screams:

"Padmé!"

***SoS***

Anakin grips Padmé's hand warmly as the two of them sit in the exam office. The physician has gone out to fill out some paperwork for Padmé's initial workup, leaving the young couple alone for the moment.

Padmé's small hand, engulfed in Anakin's larger one, is trembling.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asks. "You're trembling."

"I...I'll be okay. I'm just worried; that's all." Padmé responds quietly, leaning her head onto Anakin's shoulder.

Anakin presses a tender kiss onto the top of her head, luxuriating in the intoxicating scent of her brunette tresses.

"I don't want my kids to grow up in a world where they can't decide for themselves-a world where every important choice is made for them...Part of growing up is making mistakes, learning from them. Doing stupid things just because, living in the moment, even if it's only for a little while." Padmé's voice breaks. "Oh, Anakin...What are we going to do?"

Anakin's face twists, almost as if he doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. And then he smiles. "We're not going to worry about any of that right now. Alright? This is a happiest moment of my life."

Relieved, Padmé leans up to kiss his jaw at the same instant that the physician, Bariss walks back into the room.

She blushes for a brief moment and then regains her composure. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt."

Anakin smiles warmly, and gestures for her to speak. "No harm, no foul. Please, continue."

The doctor smiles. "Well, so far everything looks good. I'd like to see you back in a month just as a precaution. Feel free to come back anytime if you have any questions."

Padmé nods, and shakes Bariss' hand. "I will. The baby comes first." She says.

"Babies." Bariss corrects. "You're having twins.

Padmé smiles again. "That's wonderful!"

"Indeed." Bariss replies

After a short exchange of pleasantries, Anakin and Padmé excuse themselves.

Padmé smiles, leaning against Anakin as they walk down the hallway. "You know, we really should start thinking about names for our children." She points out.

Anakin nods. "What do you think of the name Florence?"

Padmé's eyebrows raise. "Florence?" She repeats, testing the name on her tongue. After a moment, she shakes her head. "Too old-fashioned." She pauses for a moment. "How about Ariel?" She wonders.

Anakin frowns. "Too common. We need something with zest, something with style, something sophisticated...like Fantasia."

Padmé giggles "That might be a little too...unique." She says.

"What about...Leia?" He suggests.

Padmé thinks about it for a minute. "I like it, it's a beautiful name. It's sophisticated, but it doesn't scream 'look at me I'm special'." She agrees.

Anakin grins. "Yeah, Fantasia was pretty bad." He admits.

"What about our son? He needs a name too, you know." Padmé teases. "I like Donovan. What do you think?"

"Honestly?" Anakin asks.

Padmé nods.

"I think it sounds like trouble. A kid with that kind of name is bound to get into kinds of trouble." He jests, grinning.

"You're making fun of me," Padmé realizes, chuckling.

"Oh no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator." Anakin replies innocently. The Vader in his system warns him of danger and all traces of humor are gone from his face in an eyeblink. "Wait." He says, holding up a hand as he reaches for his sword.

At the far end of the hallway, a man in red robes rounds the corner.

"Anakin Skywalker, his Eminence, Emperor Palpatine, requests you presence immediately." He says.

"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else." Anakin responds, keeping his head down as he draws closer.

The man's hand flashes out to grab Anakin's arm as he passes.

"Let go." Anakin growls.

The man's grip tightens. "I'm afraid I really must insist."

"You have ten seconds to let go of my arm or you'll lose yours."

The man grunts, releases Anakin, and seizes Padmé by the throat.

Anakin's blood boils and Vader surges through his veins in a white-hot burn of rage. His voice is eerily calm; the menace in his tone can stop an army cold.

"Release her. Immediately." Anakin snarls, the cold, sharp point of his sword finds the mans throat; the self-control it takes to keep from killing him on the spot is astonishing. His lips peel back from his teeth and he blows out a long sigh. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your contemptable lapse in judgment is due to simple stupidity. I will not make the same mistake twice."

"Fine," The man says and shoves Padmé into Anakin.

Time slows down as the two of them go sprawling to the floor

Anakin sees the muzzle of a gun appear from inside the man's robes.

Padmé reaches out, eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

And then it speeds up again:

The Red Guard screams as he bullets backward into the flimsy drywall, bursting through it in a cloud of white dust and bits of plaster, in the same instant that his gun fires.

Anakin's eyes are burning a sulfuric yellow, the familiar red hate-smoke curdles at the base of his spine as he leaps though the hole after the man, with a barely recognizable "Stay here," tossed over his shoulder at Padmé.

Anakin lands solidly on his feet on the other side of the hole, peering though the haze of white.

Watch yourself.

Anakin throws his blade up in a block, the Guard's sword sparked off of the parry with a screech of metal-on-metal. He shoves the blade aside venomously, following up with a vicious kick that saw the man stumbling back.

The two trade a vicious flurry of blows, lunging, parrying, until Anakin's thundering overhand cleaves downward through the Guard's skull. The spray of gore doesn't even faze him, his anger at last subsiding. Blowing out a long breath, he steps back through the massive hole in the wall to find Padmé limply sprawled on the floor, blood pooling on under her right shoulder. He wipes his face on his sleeve and places two fingers on the side of her neck.

He almost gasps with relief when he finds that her pulse is still strong and healthy. Anakin briefly examines the wound on her shoulder, just as comforted by the fact that the injury is superficial-the bullet has only grazed Padmé; her body simply cannot handle the dual burden of being pregnant while also unleashing the full fury of her budding abilities.

Anakin strokes Padmé's hair. "Can you hear me sweetheart?"

Padmé stirs.

Before she can respond, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka come barreling though the hospital entrance.

Obi-Wan's face is ashen. "Anakin...what have you done?"

Anakin's gaze snaps up. "Obi-Wan. This isn't what it looks like." He says.

But his reptilian yellow eyes are enough truth for Obi-Wan. "Save it. I don't have the patience, nor the will to listen to any of your lies. Now, move away from her." He commands.

Anakin shakes his head sadly, rising to his feet and drawing his sword once more. "I can't do that."

"Move. Now." Obi-Wan orders, fighting to keep his rapidly rising ire in check.

Anakin plants his feet. "You will not take her from me!" He roars defiantly.

"Your anger and your lust for power have already done that...You have allowed this...Dark Lord to twist your mind until now...Until now you have become the very thing your swore you would never be. I will do what I must."

Anakin smirks as the Vader starts flowing again, infusing his body with superhuman strength. He knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Obi-Wan cannot hope to defeat him.

And so, it is with complete confidence that he utters his own challenge:

"You will try."

And then Obi-Wan lunges, his silver blade screaming for Anakin's heart.

Like it? Hate it? Review and let me know!

May the Force be with you,

~Ink