PATH OF THE CHOSEN.
Anakin was taken by Darth Maul while he was on Tatooine (Qui-gon and Obi-wan also killed Darth Maul together so Qui-gon is alive in this story.) When he hears about the bounty hunter sent to kill Padme, Anakin escapes determined to save her.
Another jump forward, but then we all know how Anakin and Padme - And Qui-gon - would have been caught on Geonosis, this will pick up with a dark scene between Anakin and Dooku before trio join Obi-wan in the arena. Warning for torture ahead.
CHAPTER NINE.
Anakin gritted his teeth, biting his lip to keep from crying out as the whip lashed his back again, and again, and again, and again, and again; each strike intensified the fiery pain, he balled his hands into fists and kept his jaw clenched tight, refusing to give Dooku the pleasure of hearing him scream.
He had learned to accept this treatment, it was nothing new; the pain was nothing he hadn't bore before and it was nothing he couldn't bear now, he would not give in.
"This is your last chance," Dooku's voice was cold, "you will join me, or die."
panting, Anakin closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, crying out again as the whip cracked against his back. "You better hop I die," his voice was calm somehow, despite the agony of the torture, "because I will never join you." Twisting his head around to look at the'd Sith Lord, Anakin looked him straight in the eye. "I will kill you," not because he was angry, not because he wanted revenge; but because it was the right thing to do.
Dooku snorted and brought the whip crashing down...
x
Padme and Qui-gon gasped in horror as Anakin was dragged out to the tunnel that lead to the Execution Arena, he had been taken by Dooku more than an hour ago - although it wasn't Dooku who brought him back now - The pair of Geonosians shoved him onto the cart with Padme, he fell to his knees and gasped raggedly; his eyes squeezed tightly shut against the pain.
Padme knelt and helped him to his feet, "Anakin. Are you alright?"
Breathing heavily, Anakin opened his eyes and nodded. "I'll be fine," his voice shook slightly, from pain and shock, but he was not afraid; he had learned to deal with physical pain long ago.
Standing in a cart beside padme and Anakin's, Qui-gon looked horrifed, "I'm sorry Ani."
Shakin his head, Anakin winced. "I'ts not your fault," he looked at Qui-gon and took a deep breath, "I'll be alright."
Before he could answer, Qui-gon's cart jerked forward and trundled out into the arena. Anakin looked at Padme, "don't be afraid," he would never let anything happen to her.
Padme shook her head, "I'm not afraid." Not for herself anyway, she was only afraid for him; after what he had been through, how could he be alright? "We'll be alright," they had to be, she had to believe that they could survive this. "I love you Anakin."
Anakin blinked, "You love me...?" He couldn't believe what he had heard, he had hoped, dreamed, that she felt the same way he did; but she had never said it, until now. "You're not just saying that because we're about to die are you?"
Padme shook her head, "I do not believe that we will die, but if we do, I want you to know that I truly, deeply love you.." She leaned towards Anakin, their lips met in a passionate, inimate kiss; niether one noticed when the cart moved forward, into the blinding sunlight.
x
Obi-wan groaned when Qui-gon was brought out, this was not what he'd hoped his old master would do; he needed to protecting...
His eyes went wide as he saw them, only a few seconds after Qui-gon; Padme and Anakin leaned into each other, oblivious to the crowd around them. The kiss only ended when the cart stopped and they were forced off, Obi-wan looked at Qui-gon sternly. "I was beggining to wonder if you'd got my message," they didn't have time to focus on Padme and Anakin's relationship now.
Qui-gon raised his eyebrows as he was pulled to the post beside Obi-wan, "we retransmitted your message, just as you requested."
"And then we came to save you," Anakin told him as he was chained to the pole between Qui-gon and Padme.
Obi-wan snorted, "good job." then he frowned, noticing the way Anakin stood far too straight, his taut facial expression, tight berathing; exactly the way he had looked when_ "Are you alright?"
Anakin closed his eyes, "I'm fine." His back seared with pain, but it was nothing new; he would not let Dooku ruin everything he had achieved.
Padme growled furiously, "Dooku beat him."
Her voice was livid with rage, her eyes snapping with fury. Anakin blinked, completely shocked; she was angry because he was hurt, no one had ever cared before, he smiled at her and shook his head. "I will be alright Padme," he was used to this; he was not used to people caring when he was hurt, it touched him deeply and he loved Padme for that.
He was greatful to both her and Qui-gon, without them, he would never have learned to trust again. He wouldn't know what it was to be happy, to have a purpose; he wouldn't have known what it was like to love. He owed so much to them both, but he owed Padme more; ir not for her, he never would have had the strength or courage to find his freedom.
Ok, Ok. I know I didn't actually 'rescue' Obi-wan, but everytime I tried to continue, I screwed up and made the arena fight scene and Jedi rescue seem childish - and it's not like we don't all know what happened.- The next Chapter will be the Epilogue - story will continue with Part Two and will not be written as a new story, but will just carry on in this story through the ROTS timeline. Next up, Council's Decision - Dooku vs Anakin+Obi-wan duel, dreamed/remembered by Anakin+Obi-wan and... Padme+Anakin's Wedding! YAY!
Ideas For Changes In ROTS Timeline.
_ Anakin doesn't kill Dooku - Qui-gon talks him out of it?
_ Dooku killed by bounty hunter hired by Palpatine?
_ ANAKIN DOESN'T TURN TO THE DARKSIDE! This is a definate, non-negotiable event, as it wa my whole reason for a rewrite and keeping Qui-gon alive!
_ Palpatine escapes, returns as the 'Big Bad' in a sequel?
Please review, I want feedback.