Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay, but a certain term paper has come up and has greatly hindered my writing! Thankfully, my boyfriend has kept me motivated and helped me edit it so here it is! The new chapter!!! As always please review! I am short on time tonight so I will add shout outs in my next chapter! Thank you all for your reviews and for staying with me and reading this story!

Chapter Ten:

Fire and Water

Several months later...

Obi-Wan hesitated as he stood outside of Padme's apartment, yet again. It was usually a joy to pay her a visit, but today was totally different. There would be no joy any longer. How was he supposed to tell her that her husband was a murderer – that he slaughtered innocent children? It broke his heart just to see it on the security camera. Who knows what it would do to Padme. It hurt him even more to think that he would have to ask her to tell him where Anakin is. It would kill her to know what his intention was once he found Anakin.

With a heavy heart, Obi-Wan finally knocked at Padme's door.

"Hello Obi-Wan," Padme said giving a half hearted smile. "Come in."

Obi-Wan followed her silently as they walked together into her living room. After a few moments of thoughts kept to themselves, Obi-Wan asked, "So when was the last time you saw Anakin?"

"Yesterday."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"He left."

"Has Anakin told you anything yet?" Obi-Wan asked looking at Padme's face. She seemed tired. He could see that she hadn't been sleeping well and it looked like she had been crying recently.

"He told me that the Jedi had turned against Chancellor Palpatine and attempted to kill him. He said that he has stayed loyal to the Republic and that he was planning to restore peace and end the war," Padme said fighting off tears.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "He is filling you with half truths and not telling you some things… Padme… Anakin has turned to the dark side. I have seen it myself. He killed younglings…"

"Are you sure? How can you say that! Anakin may be out of line sometimes but he would never murder innocent children! I refuse to believe it! I can't believe it!"

"Padme he was deceived by a lie, we all were. Palpatine has twisted his mind. He is not the way he was, the way he should be."

"Then he needs our help! Is that why you want to know where he is? You do want to help him right?" Padme asked desperately.

"Padme, you must understand… Anakin has become a very great threat…"Obi-Wan said sadly.

"You're going to kill him aren't you? How could you even think of doing that? No matter what he's done I'm sure he doesn't deserve to be killed!! Don't you care about him anymore?"

"It isn't about what I want anymore… I was told to destroy the Sith and that is what Anakin has become. Palpatine has twisted his mind! He is destroying everything! The Jedi are dying… as far as we have heard, Yoda and I are the only ones who are left," Obi-Wan said sighing as he turned away from Padme.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, but I still don't believe that Anakin should be killed. I will go to him and see if what you say is true. Maybe I can help him," Padme offered.

"Don't you understand that as of today all of the things that we care about are dead? I heard what happened in the Senate; there is an empire instead of a democracy in place now. I don't want you to go alone to see Anakin. He is very dangerous right now and he could hurt you…" Obi-Wan said looking at her very seriously. "Anakin and Palpatine are ensnaring and destroying all the good things left in this world. I don't want you to be next. Let me come with for protection, I beg of you," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"Not if you are planning to kill him… This is my problem. He joined the Sith because of me… He had nightmares that I would die in childbirth. He told me once that he had discovered a way to save me. I don't know what to do… but seeing him like this is breaking my heart," Padme said sobbing.

"If he is hurting you and pulling you in with promises of power and eternity don't believe it. If it comes down to staying with Anakin, or dying it is best that you live, if you need a reason for living think of your baby. Now is the time. You must choose to break away from Anakin and be saved or fall into the darkness with him!" Obi-Wan said hugging Padme then turning to depart.

"I will still give him one more chance to come back to the way he was," Padme stated.

"I know you will. And for all of us, I hope he takes it," Obi-Wan paused for a moment before asking, "I presume that Anakin is the father?" When no answer came he said, "I am so sorry." And with that he left.

For Padme, the flight seemed to be endless. She just couldn't get to Anakin fast enough. Visions of far off memories that she had made with Anakin flooded into her mind. Meeting him for the first time… seeing him as a small boy… the small, dark chamber above the battle arena on Genosis where they confessed their love for each other… their marriage… It was all so beautiful and sweet to have been real. It was heartbreaking and terrifying to think that the same person could become such an evil and cruel person. Although she knew that Obi-Wan would not have lied to her, she just could not grasp the thought of Anakin killing young children!

As if in response to her comment, the little ones inside of her began to shift restlessly and one gave her a small, sharp kick against her stomach. Padme placed her hand on her belly where the kick had just occurred to try to comfort both the babies, and her own self.

No. The Anakin I love would never kill children… Obi-Wan must have been mistaken that's all. I will go to him and he will be fine. Then we can run away from the new empire and start our family. Maybe even Obi-Wan can come with...

Suddenly a new memory appeared in her mind. It was Anakin inside his Uncle's home on Tatooine after his mother died.

I killed them. I killed them all. They're all dead… and not just the men, but the women… and children too. They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them.

Is that what he had said? How could he be so upset to do something as horrifying as that? Was this the true Anakin, or was the real Anakin the one promising her happiness and eternal love on Naboo at their wedding? How could someone be both kind and loving, and merciless and cruel?

He was deceived by a lie, we all were. Obi-Wan's voice echoed in her head.

Perhaps that was all it was. Anakin believed the lie that she was going to die in childbirth and that Palpatine could somehow save her. He wasn't trying to be cruel, but rather being passionate for her. Maybe all he truly wanted was to protect her. If that were the case however, she would have preferred him to stand by her and not go about fighting and killing. Yet doing so may just be part of Anakin's nature. It wasn't unusual for him to let his passion drive him. In truth it was that fiery passion in him that attracted her in the first place. And just like fire, he consumed her entirely and warmed her whenever he was around. But it was when Anakin started to leave that she felt lost. The fire he had that kept her so attached and consumed would suddenly leave or become extinguished, leaving her lost, and even confused. He was part of her soul and no matter what he did she knew that it would be far from easy to go about living without him. It was true that there was the one night when he left that she had desired another, but what had drove her into Obi-Wan's arms wasn't passion, although, perhaps a little of it was caused by the heat of the moment, but mostly because she craved the comfort that she had been missing. She did have some desire for physical comfort, but it was mostly the emotional and mental comfort that she was craving, which was appeased simply by knowing that Obi-Wan had been beside her when she slept. It was Obi-Wan's love that had comfort, security, and stability, yet she wasn't exactly ready to trade that in for her love for Anakin. Her love for Obi-Wan was a drastically different kind. She would always know to go to him for comfort. It was he who soothed her and calmed her. It was only he who could cool her down, like water, for he was constant and ever flowing and steady. She needed the water to stay composed and to survive, yet was ever consumed by the fire. It wasn't that she loved the fire any more than she loved the water, for they were two totally different things to even draw a comparison. Obi-Wan and Anakin's love for her were as opposite and unrelated as two relationships would be. She needed Anakin's fire and warm passion just as equally as she needed Obi-Wan's cool wisdom and gentle touches. Where the conflict arrived was that she had already attached herself to Anakin, and now had very little to give to Obi-Wan. It was hard to balance the feelings that she had for both of them, and she was now starting to realize that it may be impossible, that one would have to dominate and destroy the other. Either the fire would consume and evaporate the water, or the water would extinguish the fire.

"Miss Padme! You are rather quiet this evening. Is there something troubling you?" Threepio announced, breaking Padme's silent thoughts.

"No, nothing is the matter," Padme said as she silently added to herself Yes, everything is fine except for the fact that my life is falling apart all around me!

"Well I don't see how you can stay silent for so long! I suppose it can be a good thing, but I find it as a whole, rather boring and slightly unnerving. It could be perhaps due to that fact that I am a protocol droid and programmed to speak several hundred different languages and that I am well adjusted to be constantly speaking or translating…" Threepio babbled on.

After what seemed like hours of listening to the golden droid gab endlessly, the Mustafar system finally came into view and the ship started it's decent to the rocky surface of the fiery planet.

Not a moment too soon. Padme added relieved as Threepio suddenly fell silent.

Padme gazed out at the molten rock and lava as she reviewed all that she had planned to say to Anakin. This was her last chance to save him and she could not fail. If she did fail to save him, she knew it could cost him his life. Padme ran her hand over her forehead in attempt to cast away the doubtful thoughts that were quickly flooding her mind.

Suddenly a hooded figure emerged from one of the buildings began running toward the ship. She said a silent prayer for luck as she as she stood and departed her ship to greet her husband.

"Padme", Anakin sighed embracing her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I was worried about you," Padme responded.

"Worried about me?" Anakin laughed. "Padme, you shouldn't worry, everything is alright now. I have ended the war and restored peace and security to our new empire."

"Our empire? Anakin what are you talking about?" Padme asked. "Anakin, listen. Obi-Wan has told me about what happened at the Temple. He says that you helped kill the Jedi and that you murdered younglings!"

"Don't listen to him! He is lying to you to turn you against me! Don't believe him. He is a traitor to the Emperor and to the New Empire!" Anakin spat angrily.

"Obi-Wan isn't a liar Anakin! He wants to help us. He knows about us."

"Liar! He plans to kill me!"

"Ani calm down," Padme said soothingly. "I came to help you. Come away from all of this, run away with me and leave all of this behind. We could go somewhere safe and raise our child," Padme pleaded desperately.

"Don't you understand Padme? We don't have to run anymore. We can make our own empire after I over throw the Emperor and make things the way we want them to be. I am strong enough now. I have become far greater and more powerful than any Jedi or Sith!" Anakin said triumphantly, pulling Padme close.

"This is what you always wanted isn't it? I knew that you spoke long ago of being a great and powerful Jedi, but I never thought that it would lead you to this! You are going down a path I can't follow! You are destroying everything!! Obi-Wan was right, you have changed! I feel like I don't know you anymore. You're breaking my heart!"

"I don't want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan," Anakin snapped, pushing Padme away.

"Anakin, I offer you this final choice because I want to help you! Come with me and leave all of this behind or stay here in this 'New Empire' of yours alone!! I won't be part of this! Leave with me or I must leave you! I offer you this final choice because I care still. I believe there is good in you still. I love you!"

"LIAR!" Anakin shouted as he saw Obi-Wan walk out of this ship. "You brought him here to kill me! Your excuse for coming here is foolish. Why would we ever plan to flee? I created this empire for you!" Anakin shouted as he began walking towards Padme menacingly.

"Leave her alone Anakin!" Obi-Wan commanded from the bottom of the ramp of Padme's ship.

"You! You turned her against me," Anakin hissed.

"No, Anakin. You have done that yourself!!" Obi-Wan was about to say, but Padme's voice resonated the words before he could.

"I am NOT being foolish! The only thing foolish that I may have done was marry you! I loved you the way you were Anakin, but I can see now that in committing myself to you, I helped in creating your destruction! I am so sorry Anakin, but I am leaving you!!" Padme shouted as she boldly walked up to Anakin and placed the little trinket he made for her in his hands. As tears ran down her cheeks, she whispered, "I'm so sorry but it may be the only way we can save each other."

Anakin's eyes grew a sickly yellow color as he crushed his fist around the small piece. Anger took the words away from him before he hissed. "No Padme, I am sorry for you. You have just made the biggest mistake of your life!"

Padme was about to respond, when she felt the muscles in her neck constrict, and she began to suffocate.

Obi-Wan, who had been watching Anakin and Padme silently, now saw the horrifying scene before him and strode forward. He couldn't help but notice how similar this was to his nightmare.

"Let her go Anakin!" Obi-Wan firmly commanded, but his words had no effect. "Let- her- go!" Obi-Wan emphasized, this time making Anakin release Padme.

"Why did you do it Obi-Wan? Why did you make her leave me? Was it because you loved her? You did have the affair I dreamed about with her didn't you? Were you jealous of our love? I wouldn't doubt that. You have always been jealous of my abilities."

"Or maybe, Anakin, I cared enough for her as a friend to advise her not to be deceived by the deranged man that was once her husband!" Obi-Wan shouted. "You must realize that she doesn't love you anymore!"

"It is you who is deranged for believing the lies of the Jedi! What is it that you plan to do here Obi-Wan, now that you have turned Padme against me?" Anakin said turning away.

Obi-Wan knelt down next to Padme when Anakin turned his back to him and felt her forehead. Using the Force, he could sense that her health wasn't critical, or so he thought. He still had time to do what he came for. Obi-Wan stood and sighed as he drew his lightsaber from his belt. "I will do what I must."

"You will try," Anakin said as he ignited his lightsaber also, and leaped into the air backwards, attempting to catch his former master off guard.

And thus began the battle of fire and water.

Padme opened her eyes wondering where she was and how she got there. Her head swam as she searched her memories for answers. Her lungs felt as if they were on fire and there was a throbbing pain in her neck. All too vividly, she recalled the memory of Anakin choking her. Suddenly another pain surged through her. She gave out a short cry of pain as her body underwent a painful contraction. The babies were coming soon. And she was alone.

It wasn't long that Padme waited, drifting in and out of consciousness, before she felt a soft hand on her forehead. She began to relax instantly as she allowed the waves of the Force to soothe her.

"Obi-Wan… is Anakin still alive?" Padme asked knowing that he would never be alright.

"No. Anakin Skywalker as we knew him is gone. The new person taking over his body, who calls himself Darth Vader, however is still alive, but I'm not sure how long even he has left to live," Obi-Wan muttered, his words and eyes filled with pain.

"I know this may not be the best time but-", another contraction coursed through her, cutting her off as another cry of pain escaped her. "Obi-Wan the children are coming."

"Children?" Obi-Wan asked surprised.

"I am carrying twins. I had planned to surprise Anakin but I guess that…" Padme could not finish. It hurt too much to know that Anakin would not be with her or see his children.

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly, and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Hang on Padme" he said as he hastily made his way to the pilot's chair. He was determined to get Padme help, and he would let nothing stand in his way.

"Medically, she is completely healthy. For reasons we cannot explain, we are losing her."

"She's dying?" Obi-Wan asked shocked. How could she be dying? She was so strong willed. When he checked on her on Mustafar, she seemed ok… what had he done wrong?

"We don't know why. She has lost the will to live. We must operate quickly if we are to save the babies," the med droid reported.

"Babies?" Bail Organa questioned.

"She's carrying twins."

"You say she is healthy medically? How can she be dying? She would not just give up! Please let me see her," Obi-Wan asked.

The droid had no objections, so he rushed in the room to Padme's side.

"Obi-Wan" Padme said grasping his hand firmly.

"Padme don't give in you must live," Obi-Wan said strongly. "Your children need you." Obi-Wan paused for a moment before adding, "I need you…"

"I'm trying but…" Padme started to drift off… "the babies are coming very soon now and I don't know if I have the strength to…"

"You do Padme! I know you can do it. What else is wrong Padme? Did Anakin hurt you somewhere?" Obi-Wan paused then remembered Anakin using the Force to choke her, crushing her throat. Obi-Wan touched her neck gingerly. Padme cried out in severe pain.

"Padme I think he snapped a bone in your neck! Can we get a med droid over here quickly?!? She needs help!" Obi-Wan announced desperately.

"No-" Padme gasped for air. "No time for that now" Padme said gasping for more air as she fought against the pain of the contractions coming more quickly and painfully. "I need the droids to help me deliver the children NOW," Padme stressed desperately.

"Alright, Padme. I don't plan on leaving your side though," Obi-Wan said squeezing her hand.

Several minutes later, Obi-Wan found himself holding one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. This little boy in his arms looked so small and precious, so blissfully unaware of all the hurt and evil there was in life.

"It's a boy," Obi-Wan announced kneeling slightly to present the baby to its mother.

"Luke" she stated as she placed her finger around his small hand.

Suddenly she gave another cry of pain as she pushed again, bringing Luke's sister into the world.

"It's a girl," Obi-Wan said, receiving the other small bundle.

"Leia" Padme said weakly. She was running out of strength and getting tired of fighting off the indivertible. She could feel death surround her. All she had to do was close her eyes…

"Padme don't you dare give in!" Obi-Wan said, putting the twins in a crib next to the door.

The med droids had looked into Obi-Wan's medical diagnosis. They were now planning to begin a very dangerous, yet necessary operation.

"Obi-Wan?" Padme cried as she could feel a droid inject some sort of narcotic into her. Once again she felt alone and her vision was getting darker.

Obi-Wan was there and he held her hand gently. "I'm here Padme, and I don't plan on leaving you."

Padme smiled and relaxed entirely. The world may end and she may die, but Obi-Wan Kenobi would always be there with her. And with that comforting thought, she let the waves of soothing feelings Obi-Wan was sending to her take over. She abandoned all other thoughts and her world went black.