"What?!"

Ahsoka's heartbeat tripled as she listened to Sergate's words. She had finally gone to Sergate with her fears of the Voodoo Man affecting her child – hoping he would say she was being paranoid. Hoping that he would say that it was not possible; that her baby would be fine.

She had never been so wrong.

He had completely agreed with her. "Venar is inside of you, but wants a way to kill you and get out at the same time. He would probably try escaping through the life of your baby. But remember, Ahsoka…the only reason you're alive is because he's inside of you. If he leaves and lives in your child…"

"…I'll die." She whispered the words. Why? Why did this have to happen now? To her?

"There is one way to prevent it," Sergate said slowly. "Though, I'm not sure how you'd feel about it."

Ahsoka bit her lip, and nodded. Was there hope for her after all?

-

Anakin Skywalker strode past the med-bay door, looking for his Padawan. It wasn't long until he heard her voice, and was about to enter, when something made him stop. A sudden feeling in his heart made him stop outside the doorway, and listen.

"What did you say?!" Ahsoka cried from inside.

"The only way to keep you alive after giving birth is to kill the child once it is born." It was Sergate's voice.

Anakin almost choked on his own breath. Had he just heard right? Was his love and that crazy wizard discussing KILLING their child? Behind his back?! He pressed his ear against the door to hear better.

"It's your choice. Are you willing to kill your first-born baby?" Sergate added.

Anakin heard her hesitate. 'Please, please don't say yes,' he thought silently in his head. He now understood the dangers Ahsoka was in – but he couldn't believe she was considering doing this behind his back. He heard Ahsoka take a deep breath, then speak.

"Maybe…"

He couldn't hear anymore. He bolted from the door, and ran down the hall. He didn't care where he was going – all he could think about was that same word over and over.

Maybe.

She wanted to kill the baby. She wanted to kill THEIR baby. Their small child, as soon as he was born. He felt like he was being torn. He wanted this child. He wanted it SO bad. But giving birth to it could kill Ahsoka. The love of his life.

Finally, he stopped running when he realized he was in the garden. The skylights were open, letting in the soft rain which showered the plants and made it feel like it was outdoors in the forest, instead of inside in the city. He crumbled to the ground under a large statue, letting the rain glide over him, and cried as if his heart would break.

-

It was hours later when he finally returned to his dorm room, soaking wet, hurt, angry, and confused. He was surprised to find Ahsoka there, sitting on the couch, reading from her data-pad. She looked up, and gasped, nearly dropping the pad when she saw him.

"Anakin, what happened?!" She ran over to him, and immediately stripped him of his heavy, wet cloak. She grabbed his arm and dragged him into the bedroom. As he took off his soaked clothing, she tossed him a clean tunic, and a thick robe.

Once he had changed, they sat down on the sofa, she frowning in his face. "You could've gotten sick staying wet like that," she stated firmly. "What were you doing in the rain?"

He looked down. He longed to blurt out his feelings, to tell her that he had heard everything…but didn't. He couldn't, because he knew she was in just as much pain. So he took a deep breath. "I was walking around the gardens, and the skylights were open," he said slowly. He bit his lip. "How's everything with you?"

"Besides fearing you'd get pneumonia, nothing," she said casually. She suddenly leaned against him, and closed her eyes. He was surprised when she started to tear up and sniffle. "No…Anakin, I can't lie to you. I'm not alright. Anakin, there's something you don't know."

He was pretty sure he DID know, but didn't say anything. He just nodded, so she continued. "I talked to Sergate earlier. He said…" She broke into sobs. "H-He said that Venar could kill me if I give birth to the baby! He said…said that t-the only w-w-way to save me is if we k-kill it! Oh, Anakin!" She clung to him, her small body shaking.

He held her, and rubbed her back. "Shhh…Snips, everything is going to be okay." His own voice sounded strange, hoarse, probably because he was trying to hold back his own tears. "We'll get through this."

"Anakin, I don't want to kill my baby, but I don't want to die."

He leaned down, and pushed her away so she could look into his face. "Ahsoka, I don't want neither you or the baby to die either." He only let one tear escape his watch. "I promise, everything will work out."

"D-Do you think we should…I mean, it's our first child…it's an innocent baby…" She shook her head. "Anakin, I don't want to kill it!"

He pulled her back into his arms, and kissed her montrals. "I know, Ahsoka. I know." He was whispering by now. "I don't want to kill our child either. But Ahsoka…I-I can't lose you either."

There was silence after that, except for the sounds of her sobs, his heavy breathing, and the rain pitter-pattering against the windows of their dorm. Finally, she took a deep breath, and sat up straight, wiping her eyes. "If the baby does live, he'll be possessed forever. Or if it's a girl, she'll be possessed until she has her own child. Then…" She looked up at him. "I can't do that to our baby."

He nodded. He understood. "Then…then you believe it's better if we…" He couldn't even say the word now.

She quietly nodded, and wrapped her hands around her abdomen. "I'm sorry, baby," she whispered tearfully. "We'll have months together at least." She sighed. "Sergate says we need to kill it once it's born." She groaned, and laid down on his lap, letting him caress her cheeks and lekku. "I don't know what I'd do without you to help me through this, Anakin."

He didn't answer. She thought he was a hero – brave and strong. What she didn't know was that moments before he had melted down in an emotional break-down. He leaned down and kissed her.

After several minutes like that, Ahsoka tried getting the subject off her mind. "What about Padme?"

Anakin sighed. "I-I'm going to talk to her today. There's…something…we need to talk about."

She looked up at him, concerned. "Are you going to be okay alone?" she asked anxiously.

He chuckled lightly. "Yes, sweetie."

Ahsoka frowned. "I just thought of something," she said quietly. "How am I going to keep hiding my pregnancy?"

"I don't know." He closed his eyes, thinking.

For about fifteen minutes, they thought hard. They had to hide her pregnancy, or their careers would be shattered, and the only life they knew taken away.

"Ahsoka, I guess I have an idea," he said, still deep in thought.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I told the council you're sick, right? I could tell them you need to stay at a medical-bay on Kiros. Then nobody would noticed that you're pregnant," he said.
"But we would lie again," she said.
"Or do you want to tell them the truth?" he said with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course not," she said.

Both sighed.
"Good. You go and pack. I tell the council," he said.
"She nodded and went from the living room over to her room. His view followed her. He sighed and walked out of the quarters.

He had actually no idea how he should tell that the council. He will lie in front of them. Right in their faces. Obi Wan was there, too. That wouldn't help. He hated to lie to him, but he have to.

He walked through the corridors until he arrived at the council-room. He rang and the door opened.
He walked in and stopped in the middle of the room.

"Master Skywalker, what's the reason for you're coming?" asked Master Plo.
"I told you already that Ahsoka is sick. It's getting worse. I had talked to Master Shaak Ti. She meant Ahsoka should go to a doctor on Kiros. They can help her there better," he said.
"That's right. The doctors on Kiros have more ways against something like this," said Shaak Ti.

The council members looked at each other.
"For how long?" asked Master Windu.
"We don't know. We can tell you that, after the doctor has look over her," Anakin said.

Again silence. Anakin hoped they will believe him.
"It is accepted," Windu said.
Anakin sighed inside and bowed. He left the room and sighed heavily as the door behind him closed.

He walked back to their quarters. As he entered the room he saw Ahsoka sitting on the couch eating a salad. She looked up at him as he sat down beside her.
"And, did they accept?" she asked.
"Yes they did. But they want to know how long you're there. I told them, we don't know yet. If I had told them exactly how long...they wouldn't have believe me than," he said.

She nodded and continued eating. Soon she was ready and put the bowl away.
"Finished with packing?" he asked.
"Yes. There isn't much to put in," she said with a short smile.

He kissed her with passion. She kissed back and laid her arms around his neck. They pulled lips apart and they stood up. Ahsoka took a tunic, which she actually wear when nobody should see she is wearing lightsabers. But this time she used so that nobody see that she's pregnant.

She took the case and walked with Anakin to the shuttle. Anakin sat down on the pilot-chair and Ahsoka beside him. Anakin started the engine and flew out of the temple.
"We arrive in two hours." he said as he flew into hyperspace.
"Oh, man. Why did this take so long?" Ahsoka said annoyed.
"I don't know, snips. They have updated all the shuttles, but it seemed this one not."
"Great," she said and stood up. She walked in the back part and searched for something in her case.
"Forget something?" he said.
"Fortunately not," she said slightly grimly.

That showed Anakin he should better not asked further. He turned the chair to her. She noticed that as she sensed that he was stared at her.
"Something you wanna say?" she asked.
"No. I just lost in my mind," he said fast.
,Of course you did," she said, smiling.

He smiled as well as she returned with a data-pad in her hand.
"What do you look for?" he asked.
"I said yesterday that Terry and I are searching for this anti-venom," she said.
"Oh yeah, but isn't that dangerous?" he asked.
"No. Not for us. A few Togrutas have another new part in their DNA. So we are immune. As we found that out we tried to heal the others with it," she said.
"Wow, that's really useful. I like that you both try to help," he said with a smile.
"The only thing we can do," she said and looked up at him with a short smile.

Anakin looked at the Hyperspace-clock. He was surprised as their stand the hyper- jump will end in a few minutes. They had talked further about that Virus.
"Get ready to land," he said.

Ahsoka put the data-pad back in the case and returned. The hyperspace ended and Anakin flew to the apartment, which he had from the Governor. He landed beside the small house which was nearly the sea.

He turned off the engines and opened the door to the loading ramp. Ahsoka took her case and walked out. Her view fall at the house.
"It looks amazing!" she said. "How did you get that?"
"The Governor owned us one for helping him out of the slavery," Anakin said.

Both walked in. Ahsoka couldn't tell often enough how great this house was.
"Unfortunately, I have to go back," he said.
Ahsoka turned immediately to him.
"I thought you would stay here," she said slightly sad.
"I will, but first I have to talk with the council about that," he said.
"Right..." answered Ahsoka and looked slightly to the ground.

He lifted her face with a hand on her cheek up and kissed her.
"I love you," he said after she had pulled away.
"I love you, too," she said.
They embraced each other once more and then Anakin left.
Ahsoka looked after the shuttle, as it flew away. She sighed and walked back into the house.

-

Anakin arrived back on Coruscant. He sighed, 'cause he know he had to talk to Padmè. He wasn't really in the mood to do that, but he have to. He had to forget her.

He took a speeder and drove with it to Padmè's apartment. He stand a longer time in front of her door. He thought about if he should really do that. She could betray him and talk about that to the council. But he also know she wouldn't do that. He hoped that.

He found his courage and rang.
"I'm coming!" said a voice from inside.

Anakin swallowed as the door opened and Padmè looked up at him.
„Oh, what brings you here?" she said, annoyed.
Anakin took a deep breath before he spoke.
"I want a divorce."