Anakin finally manages to break into Padme's phone and calls Sabe. Apparently watching Echo hack into so many computers has paid off.
"Hey Padme what's-"
"It's Anakin," he interrupts
"Where's Padme? Is she okay?"
"We were at the park, Vader has her."
"And you didn't do anything?" Sabes voice is shrill.
"Of course not, I tried, but then the kids and my sister started calling for help and I had to go to them."
Sabe takes a deep breath.
"Ok tell me everything."
"Uh...yeah, I can't, it's under investigation now."
"The kids?"
"They're fine they're with me, that's why I called you."
"You want me to watch them while you go gallivanting around trying to find Padme?"
"Yep."
"Okay, I can't leave work until five. Bring them to Padme's house."
"See you then. And Sabe, we will find her, I promise."
Sabe hangs up without responding.
Anakin slips quietly out of the house and starts the car. A few minutes later he's in the parking lot of the abandoned store. Four men walk up and get in.
"You boys ready?"
"Yes sir!" Echo and Fives say grinning at each other.
"We're ready to move out… General."
Anakin sighs.
A few minutes later Ahsoka's head pops over the backseat.
"Where we headed Skyguy?"
Anakin slams on the breaks.
"Ahsoka!"
"You better keep driving Skyguy or you'll lose your lead."
"I'm calling Obi-Wan."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Really Snips, and why do you think that?"
"'Cause he'll be just as mad at you for going to look for Padme on your own, and probably tell you it's your fault I'm here anyway."
Anakin huffs.
Kix taps his knees. "Soo, Skyguy, where exactly are we headed?"
"Uhh, you remember that time I almost died?"
"Which one Sir?" Rex asks.
"Which one? What do ya mean which one?"
Anakin ignores her glares at Rex in the mirror and sighs. "The last one Rex."
"Vaguely," He deadpans.
"Uh huh. Anyways I may have broken out, stolen a bunch of data and returned to my cell."
"If you could do that why didn't you just escape?"
"You did see the place Fives, there's no way anyone could have pulled that off, not even me. Aaand, I wasn't exactly thinking straight."
"Do you ever?"
"What place?" Ahsoka asks
"The place-"
"Don't you dare echo, she's a fifteen year old kid."
"Oh, sorry."
"But-"
"No Ahsoka. If you're going to be here you have to listen to everything I say, exactly when I say. Do you understand?"
Ahsoka's eyes widen at his unusually stern voice, and she looks down. "Yes."
"Good. Echo did you bring your gear?"
"Got it right here."
Anakin digs into his pocket and pulls out a few small electronic chips and flash drive.
"They are heavily encrypted thought you might have better luck."
"I'll see what I can do."
"How come you need to bring all these guys, I thought this was a simple rescue mission?"
"Not even close Snips. You remember those guys you beat up?"
"Yeah…"
"They weren't just regular thugs. They were Separatists."
"But I thought the war was over."
"We all did, but the Separatists have never played by the rules," Rex responds turning to look at her.
"They're in this for the long haul, these past few months since the end of the war, General Skywalkers suspected that it wasn't the end, that they were planning something big."
"Like what?"
"We don't know, but we've all had encounters with potential operatives."
"What does Padme and this Vader guy have to do with it?"
Everyone goes silent.
Anakin finally speaks up. "Padme was often speaking out against the war, brokering for peace, and she's put a lot of sepies in prison."
"And Vader?"
"I'm pretty sure he's one of the inside guys and a pretty high up one too."
One of them?
"Oh yeah, says Rex, "We've caught lots of Separatist operatives in the government over the years. Just because the fighting is technically over doesn't mean they've disappeared."
"But how come nobody's doing anything about it?"
"We think there's someone in the government very high up, with their hands in everything, every time somebody's brought this up it's been shut down."
"Why not give proof?"
They men look at each other.
"There's not exactly solid evidence," Anakin hedges, "It's mostly just half put together theories and hunches."
"Sooo, this is illegal?"
"We've done nothing illegal so far."
"But your planning on it?"
"I can't tell you that Ahsoka."
She studies him then nods.
Anakin's hands finally find the ledge of the widow and he pulls himself up and taps on the glass.
Padme startles and he smiles at the shock on her face. She shoves the window open.
"Ani?"
"You ready to get out of here?"
Anakin climbs through, or tries to but his shoulders get stuck.
"This window is narrower than I thought," He grunts.
Padme stifles a giggle and yanks on his legs pulling him through. He's lands silently on his feet, grinning at her. Padme throws herself into his arms.
"You came," She whispers into his chest.
Anakin wraps his arms around her. "Of course I came, angel."
He kisses the top of her head. "Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine."
Anakin hesitates at her evasion, but he trusts her. "Is there a guard?"
Padme sighs. "Four, last I counted."
Anakin raises his eyebrows at her.
"After I made it out the last two times I'm pretty sure they doubled the guard."
Anakin grins at her. "You are amazing."
Padme smiles up at him then goes up to the door and knocks. Anakin steps behind it where he won't be seen
"Hey! Let me out, I need to uses the bathroom!"
The door creasks open and a guard steps in.
Anakin slams the door into him knocking him to the floor. Before the other guards can move he's jumping over the unconscious man and slamming his fist into a stomach and throwing the person into the other two. They all drop to the floor, unconscious.
Padme stares at him in shock. "Wow."
"I was in the military for a reason."
Anakin pulls out a roll of duct tape, and he and Padme quickly restrain and gag the unconscious guards, tieing them to the bed.
"Okay let's get moving, we have a schedule to keep."
He pulls a gun from his jacket. "Can you shoot?"
Padme takes the gun. "Yes. Let's get out of here."
Anakin takes her hand. "One more thing. Do you trust me?"
Padme stares into his eyes, more intense then she's ever seen. "Yes."
"Good, let's go." She follows him out the door, still gripping his hand.
Padme can't help but look around, they seem to be in some type of warehouse or… bunker?
He leads her down winding hallways and down a flight of creaking stairs, knocking out a few guards along the way.
Once they reach the bottom he heads towards the door.
"Ani, are we really walking right out the front door?"
"Not quite."
"Put your hands where we can see them and drop your weapons."
"Right on time," Anakin whispers into Padme's ear.
A group of men and women step out of the shadows, surrounding them. Every one of them pointing a weapon at Anakin and Padme.
Padme starts when she recognizes the uniforms. Separatists!
"Anakin..."
"What?"
"I love you. I thought since we're about to die you should know."
"I love you too Padme, and we're not about to die."
"We're surrounded by Separatists!"
Anakin grins. "Well they are my specialty."
Padme just stares at him like he's crazy.
"Quiet!"
Anakin and Padme stand back to back, holding their guns. Padme can feel Anakin slipping something cold and heavy into the pocket of her jacket.
Someone drags Padme away from Anakin, she struggles against them, but they don't budge.
"Anakin Skywalker, the hero with no fear," Darren says stepping into Anakin's face. "Though judging by the sound of your screams and pitiful whimpering during interrogation I doubt the titles true."
Anakin scowls. Traitor. "I didn't ask to be the Republic's poster boy," He growls.
Someone comes up behind him and wrenches his right arm behind him, he cries out. Darren points Anakin's gun at his forehead. Anakin glances towards Padme and gives an imperceptible nod.
Darren pulls the trigger.
And the gun clicks.
Anakin spins around, his arm coming off in the thugs hands.
"Wrong arm, idiot." He slams his fist into the mans nose.
Padme wrenches out of her captors grasp and grabs the small gun hidden in her pocket. The man cries out in pain when she shoots him in the leg. She brings the hilt of the gun into his head, and he collapses.
"Get them!" Darren orders.
"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen," Anakin says, his famous smirk on his face.
Darren looks around the room and every one of his men are unconscious on the ground.
Darren lunges for Padme and pulls the gun out of her grasp, putting it to her temple.
"Make another move Skywalker, and her brain splatters the floor."
Anakin freezes, and slowly raises his hand.
Darrens eyes widen when he feels a gun to his back. A man comes up to Anakin in full republic armor.
"Perimeter is clear Sir, and all hostiles have been incapacitated."
"I will shoot her!" Darren snarls and Padme stiffens.
"You shoot her, you meet the same fate," Anakin says.
"He means it Ani," Padme says.
"She's right, Ani. If I'm going to die, she dies with me."
The doors slam open and dozens of policemen storm the warehouse.
"Drop your weapons!"
Darren pulls the trigger but is jerked to the side. Two gunshots sound.
Padme cries out and Darren falls to his knees.
Rex is revealed standing, holding a gun pointed at where Darren had previously been standing. Rex holsters the gun.
"Padme!"
"Don't move!" Someone calls. "Put your hands up."
Rex, and Fives raise their hands slowly. Echo and Kix are brought out from the shadows, guns pointed at their backs.
Anakin rushes towards Padme but is restrained by a cop. He easily throws him off but two others replace him and tackle him to the ground.
Anakin is no longer thinking about Padme. All he is thinking is escape. He struggles, yelling a jumble of insults. Someone pulls out a taser
"No Sir, don't!" Rex calls.
Anakin convulses when the electricity shoots through his body.
Nononono. Dooku standing over him, electricity coursing through his body. Malicious laughter. Something sharp digging into his flesh.
"NO!" Anakin yells, throwing the people off him. Blindly throwing punches.
"You have to the count of three to stand down," A woman says over the chaos.
"General!" Rex yells.
Anakin doesn't respond, continuing to struggle and thrash at the police men holding him.
"Anakin!"
Anakin freezes looking at Rex, breathing heavily, small tremors running through his body.
"You're not there."
He doesn't move, staring at Padme who is curled on the floor clutching her side, quietly gasping.
Anakin can feel the heat radiating off the metal, he tries to shy away, it's starts to burn before it even tout he's his flesh.
First responders come in and gently place her in a gurney. Another group tending to Vader.
Anakin lets the police woman walk him towards the door.
Chains are clasped tightly around his wrists, swollen and raw from straining and pulling against them. He hears a snap and then something biting into his back. It burns and stings at the same time, sending tremors through his body.
He feels like he's underwater and only half there. Faces swim in his vision. A red haired man comes up to him and talks to him, asking questions he doesn't hear.
There are flashing lights everywhere. It's so Loud, but he can't decipher what the sounds are.
His head swims and he starts shaking.
His body is on fire. Everything is burning, aching. He feels a sharp pain on his torso, and feels blood dripping down. The hooded face of an elderly man swims in his vision, he's cackling, reveling in his pain.
When Ahsoka sees Padme being brought out on a gurney she opens the car door and hurry's in that direction.
"Ahsoka! You can't be here!" Obi-Wan takes her by the shoulders and steers her towards the car.
"We have to help them!"
"There is nothing we can do Ahsoka."
"But-"
"There are trained medics and an ambulance is on the way. Padme will be fine. Now will you tell me why the blazes Anakin though it was a good idea to bring you here!"
"It's not his fault," Ahsoka mumbles looking at her feet. "I snuck into the trunk, he didn't know I was in there until too late. He made me stay in the car the whole time."
"Did you?"
"Uh, he told me I had to call the police at a certain time, so that's what I did."
"Did you leave the car Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asks again, warning in his tone.
She sighs. "Yes."
Obi-Wan pinches the bridge of his nose, "What am I going to do with you?"
Ahsoka's eyes widen. "Please don't send me back," she begs. "I'm really sorry. I just-I wanted to help and if I hadn't they would have tripped an alarm! And the plan wouldn't have worked. They would have been caught and who knows-"
Obi-Wan moves for her to sit in the car and he slides into the back seat behind her.
"I'm not going to send you back, Ahsoka," he says gently.
"I wouldn't do that to you and Anakin would quite literally kill me if I did, besides, I think I've grown quite fond of you."
Ahsoka's sniffs and drags her arm across her eyes, then she throws herself into Obi-Wan's arms.
"Thank you," She whispers.
He starts but then he hugs her back, holding her until the ambulance arrives.
As soon as Obi-Wan sees officer Unduli leading Anakin out of the warehouse he lets go of Ahsoka and rushes over to him.
"Anakin! What were you thinking?"
Obi-Wan scowls at him when he doesn't respond. And then he notices the slack look on his face and the absent way his eyes are flicking around. Anakin is shaking.
Oh not good.
Obi-Wan gently touches him on the shoulder. It was the wrong move.
Kix looks around searching for General Skywalker. He did not like the general's symptoms after he was tased. Considering the electrical burns he has all over his body, he's surprised Anakin hasn't had a seizure before, though he's not sure the general would tell anyone if he did.
Kix finally spots him when he hears a man calling Anakin's name and heading over to where General Skywalker is being restrained by an officer. Kix curses when he sees Anakin yank away from the officer, a frenzied look in his eyes, pushing the people by him to the ground. He takes two steps and then falls to his knees, holding his hair in his fist.
"Hey," he says to the cop holding his arms behind him. "Do you have any medics?"
"No, the ambulance just left. Are you injured?"
"No but I think-" Kix swears. Anakin is now hyperventilating, if he doesn't stop soon he's going to pass out.
The officer looks in the direction where Kix's gaze is fixed on. The officer let go of one of his arms.
"I trust you won't run? He says, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a lopsided grin.
"Yes, of course, thank you sir."
Kix dashes over to Anakin, the officer behind him. He slows before he gets to his side.
Anakins face is becoming numb, his lips are tingling. He's aware that someone is next to him, saying something but he can't concentrate. Images flash through his mind. He feels like he's back in that room, burning metal being placed on his skin, electricity shooting through him, sharp objects carving into his body. It's all too much. Someone is talking to him, trying to ask him questions, but that makes it worse. He can't go back, he can't, he can't. Some part of his brain knows that he's okay, that he's safe but the panic has taken over and all he can do is try get in a breath of air. He can feel the electricity sparking through his body. He has to make it stop.
Kix asks the officer at Anakin's side to step away and leave him alone, she gets up and complies, standing next to the other officer. Kix kneels down and gently grabs Anakin's hand, releasing his grip on his hair. Anakin's hand moves to claw at the scars on his arm. Kix catches it and gently holds his wrist. Sorry General, you don't want to do that. Anakin's eyes are clenched shut.
"Nononnono lemme- lemme go."
Obi-Wan comes over and places a hand on Anakin's shoulder, warning him before he does so.
"Anakin, you're safe. It's alright."
Anakin tries to struggle out of Kixs grasp.
"NO! Lemme go lemme go." He's frantically shaking his head, trying to pull away from Kix.
"Anakin, we're here." Obi-Wan takes his hand and places it on the ground, touching his palm to the grass. "Where are you right now?"
Anakin digs into the dirt. "Ou-outside," He gasps.
"And who's with you?"
"Obi-Wan. Kix." Anakin's breathing begins to slow.
Kix stand up, stepping back. Anakin leans forward and drops his forehead onto Obi-Wan's shoulder. His breathing heavy but even.
"'M sorry," he says once he has caught his breath.
"It's alright."
"'M in trouble aren't I?"
"Oh yes, quite a bit of trouble, but we can deal with that later."
Anakin nods his head, his body sagging, the adrenaline and panic leaving him exhausted, only the dregs of anxiety and fear lingering.
Obi-Wan sighs. "Let's go."
"Wasn't I just in the middle of being arrested?" Anakin mumbles.
"Yes, Quin will take you to the station. I'll meet you there."
"M' not gonna run."
"Just a precaution."
"Yeah, yeah," Anakin says, stumbling to his feet.
Anakin flops into the backseat of Obi-Wans and Quins patrol car.
Ahsoka slips quietly into the seat next to him.
"Are you okay?"
"Mmhm," his eyes are closed, and his head is laid back against the seat. "Weren't you supposed to" stay in the car?
"You said I had to stay in the car, but you never said which one."
Anakin doesn't respond, he just rests his arm over her shoulders. Ahsoka snuggles closer, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Anakin?"
Anakin opens his eyes. "What Ahsoka?"
"Is Padme going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I think so, the bullet didn't hit anything that she couldn't survive."
"How do you know?"
Anakin pulls her closer and sighs. "I've seen a lot of people get shot, you learn pretty quickly what's survivable and what isn't. It's not fun and it hurts a lot, but she'll be okay."
"Good. I like her, she's nice...you two make a good team."
"Yeah, I like her too."
Anakin's eyes start to flutter closed and he rests his head on top of Ahsokas.
"Are you gonna marry her?"
"I'm tired Ahsoka."
Ahsoka falls silent and Quin gets in the car.
"I'm taking you kids to the station, Obi-Wans driving his car."
"Thanks Quin," Ahsoka whispers. The car starts and he pulls onto the road.
A small smile crosses Anakin's face.
One day.