AN-Just to let you guys know, again, I'm looking for a beta for my ficts. So if anyone is interested please PM me!

Disclaimer-I haven't done one of these in a while but I own nothing of Star Wars! I just like playing in the sandbox.

"Nonsense, like I said it's always a pleasure to have you, Anakin. One more thing before you leave….."

"Yes?"

"Remember what you promised."

"Pardon?" What did he mean?

"You said that you would do what was necessary for the betterment of the republic. Now this is difficult for you, but please-"

"Tell you the on-goings of the council. I know my duty to the Republic."

"Good. I'm sorry to put you in such a position, but it is for the best."

"Don't worry. I won't fail." Not this time.

Temptations

"Palpatine wishes for me to do the exact thing that you have requested of me," Anakin's smooth baritone echoed out to the council chambers.

Murmurs of distress and uncertainty followed soon after, the news that he had given them a disconcerting one.

"What for, exactly?" Yoda chimed.

"Just as you suspect that he will be the downfall of the republic, he thinks the jedi will do just the same."

Eyes narrowed across the room at the figure in black, calmly reporting his claims to the jedi council. The Korun Master voiced his suspicions, "So you are playing double spy then, Knight Skywalker. How would we know you are not playing double spy on us instead of the chancellor?"

A steady glare met the Korun master head on as Anakin stiffened in his seat and spoke almost menacingly, "I have no allegiance to that man, nor will I ever have ever again as I once did." In a burst of iron self-control, Anakin stopped himself from blurting that the council should be thankful that he had volunteered to spy on Sidious. For all they knew, he could have easily denied their request and have taken things into his own hands instead of relying on others.

"Knight Skywalker," Shaak-Ti called out gently, "we are not trying to accuse you of anything. However, we do find it strange that you seem so…..distressed when you talk about the chancellor. The one whom you called a good friend at one time. We," she gestured to the council members, "are just confused as to why you now carrying such a dislike for the man you were once close to. That does garner some suspicion."

Obi-Wan straightened in his seat and was about to speak up for his friend, but Anakin beat him to it, "Let's just say he has wrong me before, and I won't make the same mistake of trusting him again." The former sith saw several faces about to question him but held his hand to halt the oncoming questions that were to follow. "What he has wronged me of is a private matter I wish not to discuss here nor any time outside this room. Please respect my wishes and leave it at that."

Again the faces looked unsure, Mace Windu being one of them opened his mouth to speak, but Yoda intoned, "Respect you decision we will. Other matter we must discuss."

Mace Windu looked disgruntled, but complied with the grand Jedi Master's request.

Obi-Wan relaxed once more in his seat as Anakin calmly observed the figures surrounding him. He was glad that that was out of the way. He knew the council member were getting concerned and even suspicious of why he would so willingly spy on what they deemed a beloved friends and family member of his, but like he said, it was a private matter that he wished not to discuss. And now that he firmly claimed that topic off limits, they could get somewhere. They didn't necessarily need to trust each other, just cooperate enough to see results.

"What was your response to this, Anakin," Obi-Wan asked, though he already knew the answer. This was more for show than anything. Once the two of them established a link towards Palpatine being the sith, they could work more with the council on actually using their forces to stop the clones from decimating the jedi. Something Obi-Wan fervently hoped would work.

"That I would do what was necessary for the good of the republic," smirked Anakin. It wasn't a lie, but the answer he'd given was not biased towards the sith. He wasn't lying when he said he would spy, but his answer was rather ambiguous in the grand scheme of things.

Obi-Wan even smiled a little when he heard that remark. It was a clever statement. One that held the truth, but could be used to lie. Clever indeed.

"When are the two of you to meet again?" Asked Plo Koon.

"Tonight."

Her husband was distracted. Padme could tell by the absentmindedness of his movements and how he would hum his agreements instead of outright answering her. While this annoyed her, with what limited time they could spend together, this also concerned her greatly. Now that Anakin had become part of the council and Sidious' schemes at the same time, Padme didn't know what kind of stress her husband was under.

"Ani?"

"Hmm?"

"What's on your mind? You're distracted."

"Mmm."

"Honey," she place a small hand on his cheek to gain his attention. "What's wrong?"

Anakin blinked, "nothing's wrong. I was just thinking." Padme gave him a disbelieving look and he assured her, "really I'm fine. I promise you I just…"

"Tell me."

"It's really nothing we need to discuss now-"

"Anakin."

With a deep sigh, he relented, "When this is over I want to come out."

"Come out?" Padme was puzzled. What did he mean by that?

"I want to universe to know of our relationship. Of the love we have for one another. I don't want to be in the dark anymore. I want our children to have both parents."

"They do have both parents-"

"That's not what I meant. You know if we continue to keep our relationship a secret the twins are going to suffer. We would never be able to be a family together. We would always need to be in the shadows. And the twins would grow up in the universe that thinks they have no father. I don't want that. I never had a father, and I don't want the twins to grow up thinking their second in my thoughts. I just won't do it."

Padme softened at his words. It was true that if they kept their relationship a secret that these things were bound to happen. But that would change so much for them…..

"But how about the jedi? I know you're not the warmest towards them right now, but they aren't as bad as what you thought of in the past right?"

"My family will always be first." He then turned deathly serious, "will yours be?"

The opulent theatre gleamed the brightest of blues, golds and greens with grandeur and splendor. Sidious's little outing apparently consisted of a little show while they quietly conversed and ate.

But Anakin's mind was not on the magnificent play that was being performed. Nor were his thoughts on the mouth-watering food and crisp and clean wine he downed far more than he probably should have. His mind was not even on the sith sitting next to him smiling and applauding moments on the stage when a particularly excellent part was performed.

No, his mind laid with his wife at home where his question still was left unanswered. He thought by now, given his horrible past and their struggles that she would answer his question with an affirmative yes that their family would always be first on her mind. But she was strangely silent as her eyes pleaded for him to understand.

She stated that yes, of course he family was first on her mind. But she couldn't give up her career which she loved and lived for. The senate, her career, they were her life and goals, surely he could understand that giving them up would be difficult.

Anakin didn't.

He couldn't see how she couldn't answer right away.

Wasn't her family important to her? The two lives that grew right this moment in her womb? She was their mother, and yet she was contemplating her career over their family? Her children?

That was just unacceptable.

And now here he was silently fuming at his wife's lack of response. He felt betrayed. Hurt. Neglected.

Padme's lack of choice spoke clearly to him. He was not as important to her as she was to him. For he would always be competing with her career. The bane in their relationship.

Sidious applauded yet another excellent act by excellent performers of the theatre. It was a truly wonderful night. But the silently sulking figure next to him told of another story. Anakin at the moment was the epitome of a silent menacing figure cloaked in black. Sidious didn't think the young man realized that he glared at anyone in particular who so much as greeted the boy.

Sidious smiled grimly. It was time to make his move.

"Anakin," the older man called genially towards the younger man.

Anakin turned irritated eyes towards the sith master.

"You seem preoccupied this evening. Is everything alright?"

Immediately Anakin's mood darkened further. Those were the same words that started the whole argument with his wife in the first place. And now even Sidious could pick up on his ire. He responded quickly, "sorry, I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"With the council?"

"…..somewhat."

"Oh," was the curious response of the sith master.

"The jedi have been growing more discontent by what you are doing with the Republic. They want to put you out of power soon…..by any means necessary." The first statement was true. They really did want Sidious out of power. However, they wouldn't go so far as to say any means necessary. But that didn't mean that Anakin wasn't on board with that line of thought.

A deep harrowing frown graced the elder man's face at this bit of news. "This is dire news. Any means necessary? What does that mean exactly?"

"This….concerns me as well." The more unsettled the sith master was, the faster his plans would be enacted and revealed. At least that was the hope of Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Anakin continued to brood as Sidious mulled over this bit of news.

On one hand it might be better to wait things out and see what the jedi have planned, but on the other, gaining Anakin's support at his unease of the Jedi was too good of a chance to pass up. With his decision make up, Sidious acted.

"Anakin, something else seems to be bothering you as well. You can tell me. It's always good to let your troubles out to someone who is willing to listen…..Is it about Padme?"

Anakin's head whipped so fast to face the sith as his eyes hardened unintentionally.

So it was…..good, good.

"So you have met with her. Is everything alright?"

"…..yes."

The elder man didn't seem convinced.

"We are just in a little…..disagreement at the moment. Nothing to be concerned of."

"….I see."

The two settled into a silence as they both turned their attention towards the performance below. It was Sidious who spoke first. "It is these time where I grow to fear for the republic and the senate. This are so chaotic and allegiances are stretched. Most of all….I fear losing the ones I hold dear….the ones I love." Sidious turned to look at Anakin. The former sith held the Sith master's gaze.

"We all fear losing those we love. That's what makes them important in our lives."

"Yes, but it's always been on my mind. Even before the war started." Silence settled over briefly for a moment before Sidious spoke once more, "Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the wise?"

Anakin stiffened as his blood ran cold. He remember this time clearly as it was yesterday in the past. The time where Sidious thought to manipulate him into turning to the dark side. "No."

"I thought not. It's no story the Jedi would tell you. It's a sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a dark lord of the sith, so powerful and so wise that he could use the force to influence the midichlorians to make…..life." The Sith lord slowly turned to look at the younger man. Anakin knew this story well. It was a story he lamented the truth of when he finally learned of the reality of his actions. He reined in his feelings to control the shudder he felt. "He had such a knowledge of the dark side he could even keep the ones he cared about from….dying."

Anakin suddenly froze. He felt his blood begin to boil as a sudden realization came to him.

All these talk. The things that Sidious appeared to always know before anyone ever did. The hurt and struggles that plagued Anakin constantly. Especially in these last few months when he was in the past. The constant questioning on Padme's health.

Sidious knew.

Sidious knew he had been having nightmares and visions of Padme's death. Death by his own hands. Which could only mean one thing.

Sidious was the one to plant these dreams in his head to turn fantasy into reality.

Sidious started all this. Not just the clone wars or the downfall of the republic, but led the path wholeheartedly to Anakin's demise.

Fury like never felt before engulfed the former sith as flashes of death and revenge passed through his mind in quick succession.

How dare he! How could Sidious do such a thing. Anakin knew that this man was capable of such evil, but to single handedly ruin his whole life by a simple plant of a terrifying dream. It was always him that was targeted. When he was a slave, then as an apprentice. Now as a young man and a jedi knight. He had no solace and peace of mind. No, his thoughts were always plagued by the horrid thoughts of what might be...which somehow always came to pass. If only he were gone, then none of these things would have happened.

This man, no that was too good of a term for him. This monster needed to die. A long and painful death just deserving for such a vile being.

Anakin's hand clenched and unclenched at the thoughts, his whole countenance shaken by such a revelation.

Kill. KILL! Anakin's mind screamed at him.

All the while Sidious looked on with concern, but in his mind confusion and glee intertwined. The sith master knew not the cause of such a reaction, but it was a good reaction nonetheless. The hatred flowing off the boy was intoxicating. Though, at the same time, puzzling. Such a speech of the arts of life and death should not garner such a response. It was…curious.

I'll end him now. Once and for all! Screamed Anakin's mind.

But just as he was about to turn to the sith master, his vision was blinded and his body momentarily immobilized.

Confusion etched the former sith's body, but soon he realized what, or whom had stopped him.

"Anakin. You mustn't. Not now. Not this way." Qui-Gon's soothing tenor echoed in his head.

"But what he's done….all he's done-"Anakin screamed in his mind.

"This isn't the way. Search your feelings. As much as you hate the thought, you know this is not the way it ends."

"..."

"Too much is at stake. Do not let one moment of weakness become all your undoing. Think of the others in this."

Flashes of Obi-Wan and Padme flashed through his head. And briefly, ever so briefly, an image of a young boy and girl appeared in his mind's eyes. A boy and girl who looked so much like himself and Padme as children.

"Were they-"

"Yes, do it for them. Reign in your emotions. This is not the way. You are better than this."

As the last words were said, Anakin was freed from his invisible hold as he righted himself and let out a shaky breath.

Sidious waited patiently as the former sith collected himself. Curious for such events to have taken hold. The sith master gave the young man a few more moments to right himself before questioning, "Anakin, are you quite alright?"

Breath still shaky, he answered, "I-I am fine. I just….realized something."

"…and that is?" Sidious asked willing the boy to answer him.

"…..I'm sorry. I can't say."

Annoyance filled the sith master, but he shrugged it off with a causal, "of course. I don't want to intrude. But you did seem very…..emotional."

"Just dark thoughts that I wish not to dwell on."

Sidious nodded as if understanding.

This was going to be difficult, but Anakin knew it must be done. He had to continue the charade similar to the past. "What you said about saving people from dying. Is that true?"

"The dark side of the force in the pathway to many abilities. Some which are considered to be unnatural."

"What happened to him? Darth Plagueis?"

"He became so powerful, the only thing he was afraid of was…losing his power. Which, was eventually what he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew. Then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic….he could save other from death….but not himself."

Bile wanted to rise from what he was about to ask of this monster. "Is-is it possible to learn of this power?"

Do it for the children was the mantra flowing through Anakin's head.

The sith master turned ever so slowly towards the young man. "Not from a Jedi."

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