Anakin POV

We decided to leave immediately so that we could go ahead and get to Zoist quickly. I promised Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan that I would meet them at the Naval Intelligence Headquarters at 1800. I checked my chronometer and saw it was now 1600, which meant I had less than two hours with Padme. I rushed to my speeder and punched it to my apartment. On the way, I got my comlink out and signaled Rex.

"Rex here."

"Hey man, we got a mission. We have a lead on Palpatine. It may be guarded and we might need air support."

"When do we leave general?"

"Tonight. 1800. Naval Intelligence Headquarters. 501st and 212th need to be locked and loaded."

"Right sir. Lee and I will get on it."

"Thanks. Skywalker out." I cut the signal and then signaled Ahsoka.

"Tano."

"We got an assignment. You need to be at the Naval Intelligence Headquarters at 1800."

"Okay. What is the assignment?"

"We are tracing a lead on Palpatine."

"We found him? Where is he?"

"We think he might be on Ziost."

"Okay."

"If he is there, this is going to be dangerous. Everyone will have to have their head on straight. Anything could happen."

"I'm ready."

"I know. I will see you soon. Skywalker out."

Dodging traffic, my mind was reeling to figure out how to break the news to Padme. It was just last week when we had our fight about me tracking Palpatine, and now I was leaving her when she was pregnant to chase down a lead. She was right this did feel like Mustafar all over again.

When I landed, I saw Padme was on the balcony waiting for me. As I got out of my ship, I noticed she had on a sky blue dress, with her hair down in ringlets. I ran to embrace her, and I kissed her slowly. When I inhaled her perfume, I felt like I was drinking strong wine. All I wanted to do was stay here and spend the night with her, but I knew I couldn't.

"Anakin, something happened today."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. One of the babies was kicking all day. I think it's the boy. He is a fighter, like you."

"It could have been the girl. I have seen you pick arguments in the senate that are hardly civil."

"Hey, those arguments are in search for peace."

"One of those aggressive negotiations, huh?" I asked winking. I glanced at the chronometer on my comlink, it was 16:34. I needed to leave by 17:30 to be to the Temple on time. I shook my head. I only had an hour with my wife?!

"What's wrong?" asked Padme.

I looked around and realized that I must have started pacing out on the veranda.

"I have to leave in an hour, and I don't know when I am going to be back," I said, watching her face.

"What is the mission?" she asked.

Hesitating, I tried to think of a good lie. I could say something like we found Palpatine's supporters and we are going to capture them, but I doubted that she would believe that. I knew that the mission would be on the HoloNet tomorrow, and she would call me furious. Might as well get it over with, I reasoned.

"We found Palpatine, we think."

"And they are sending you?" she said in disbelief.

"And Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka."

She turned away and into the veranda. I followed her waiting for her to yell or scream or cry or something, but she just stood there in front of the fountain like a statue.

"You going to tell me not to go?" I finally asked after a minute.

"We both know you will do what you want anyway," she replied in a soft voice.

"That's not true. I will listen to you Padme. But you have to understand how much of a threat Palpatine is and how much of an asset I can be to the Jedi ,if they will let me," I said.

"Oh Anakin," she yelled turning around. "You are working so hard to prove you are no longer Darth Vader, you have yet to be Anakin Skywalker again. How long will this mission take? What are you going to do if you don't find him? What are you going to do if you do find him? All I am asking is that you stay with me and help me raise the kids. We lost our family once. I don't want to loose it again!"

"You died!" I yelled. She flinched at my volume. I took a deep breath trying to drop my heart rate. Once I was calm, I tried again. "Padme, when I woke up from Mustafar, he told me that I got so enraged I killed you and the twins. I had to live thirty years knowing I lost everything, and it was because of my own fault! He lied to me, and he was lying to me since I was nine years old. Don't you see? He groomed me into his apprentice. It wasn't until I saw Luke laying on the ground being electrocuted that I saw through the lies that I was told as a child. I need to do this!"

"Anakin, the way you get when you are Vader. What he made you do. I can't watch that."

"What makes you think I'll turn?"

"He can twist anything. You hate him so much, and you should. But he can use that. Last time he used me."

I pulled her into a hug. "I know. But I believe that we are safer with him in chains then him running free, and I think I am who needs to take him down."

"Just be safe," she whispered.

I put my hand on her cheek and kissed her. "I will be back before you know it," I promised. Then I got into my starfighter and took off.