Only In My Heart: Chapter Seven
Flashback
"Padmé?" The look upon the face of Anakin looked confused and bewildered as his eyes looked downwards at Padmé. He had thought she was upon the command ship, supervising the battle. Why was she here with him?
"What are you doing here?" Padmé's face was serious and almost angry as she looked at Anakin bitterly. Her voice was accusing and it was almost hating towards Anakin as he looked at her, confusion written all over his face.
"I'm investigating the base as I was ordered to…" His eyes remained on Padmé; her appearance towards him still had not changed towards Anakin as she looked at him accusingly.
"I want the truth Anakin."
"Yes Anakin, the truth." Out of the shadows to the left of Anakin yet another familiar face exited. He walked over to Padmé's side with arms crossed, an accusing look upon his face as well. Anakin blinked twice, trying to erase the image before him, but it would not go away.
"Obi-wan?" Anakin's voice was full of shock as he looked downwards to his old master, before he had chosen Padmé over the Jedi. But why was he here? A thousand questions raced through Anakin's mind, but before any could be asked Obi-wan continued.
"Don't sound so surprised Anakin, you knew some day we would stop being so naïve and find out what you were up to. We want the truth. Now." Obi- wan's voice took the formal and demanding tone it normally did when speaking towards Anakin, and even if Anakin hadn't heard it in months it still got to him the same way it always did.
"What truth? I don't even know what you are talking about…"
"We know what you have been doing Anakin," Padmé this time, her voice still accusing as she looked upwards to him, her eyes brown with anger.
"What have I been doing? I was only investigating the base like I was ordered to do…"
Walking around to the back of Anakin, as if to stop him from escaping, Obi-wan continued, "What have you been doing? What have you not been doing Anakin? Now that's a simple question, and the answer is following the orders of the Republic!" Staring at Anakin with hardened vision, Obi-wan stood behind Anakin now, arms still crossed as his eyes bored into the back of Anakin's head.
Looking to Padmé for support of any kind, only to find none, Anakin tried to get a grip on the situation. What was going on? He had done nothing and now they think… He's a spy? But it didn't make any sense! He held his head for a moment before speaking, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Like hell you don't." Obi-wan spoke still as Padmé glared at Anakin hatefully. "You've been doing this for months haven't you Anakin? Working for the enemy to bring down the Republic? We know everything about what you have been doing Anakin. Everything. There is no trying to act like you don't know what we're talking about because we know very well you do. You know exactly what we're talking about."
"No I don't!" Anakin yelled now, whirling around to face Obi-wan head on. He felt his anger rising now, how dare this man tell him what he has been doing when he hasn't. "I've done nothing!"
"Anakin. We know everything. We've seen the proof, and you can't carry this on for any longer." Anakin turned his head to see Padmé continue to look at him accusingly, hate still in her eyes are she glared at Anakin.
Teeth clenched hatefully, Anakin turned to face Obi-wan once more. "What did you tell her? She knows I've done nothing. This is just your twisted idea of revenge isn't it Kenobi! Isn't it!" Anakin's voice steadily rose as he spoke, starting to yell now. "I've given up on you Kenobi! Get over it and get on with you're useless life with the Jedi and leave us alone!"
"Us? You think there's an 'us' still?" Padmé once again spoke, causing Anakin to turn his head. His eyes were coated in fear now as he looked at Padmé, trying to grasp what she had just said.
"What?" Anakin's voice was quiet now, barely a whisper as he tried to comprehend what Padmé had just said to him. "What?"
"You heard me. For you and me, there is no longer an 'us'. We're finished."
Anakin could feel tears well up in his eyes as he looked at Padmé. His throat seemed to close up as he tried to speak, but no words could be forced out. His eyes looked into her face, hoping that this was nothing more then a cruel sick joke they were playing upon him, but there was no hint of anything from Padmé's eyes.
"If there even is an 'us', Anakin, it would be myself and Obi-wan." Padmé smiled slightly, it was a happy smile but it was poison to Anakin's heart as he heard the words she spoke to him, but could not comprehend them. Padmé strode over softly to Obi-wan's side grabbing his arm softly and leaning her head lovingly upon his arm. "He's shown me more then you could ever show me Anakin. And now, all we need you to do is tell us the truth about what you've been doing."
Bitter tears started to flow from Anakin's eyes as he watched Padmé affectionately hold Obi-wan's arm. Throat still closed from allowing any words still escape, Anakin tried to say something…anything. Nothing was making sense anymore, and he knew this could never be a joke of any kind. He wiped the tears from his eyes desperately trying to remove them from existence, but they just continued to come as he looked upon the pair.
"Stop crying like a child Anakin. Just tell us what you've done and we'll be happy." Obi-wan's voice still sounded as if he was lecturing a child, lecturing Anakin as a child again.
"No." The word was but a whisper as Anakin's fists clenched tightly, ready to murder everything and anyone around him as his anger rose to an almost unreachable level. His teeth clenched tightly, staring now at only Obi-wan as he tried to erase what Padmé had said to him from his mind. It was all Obi-wan's fault and he would be damned if he thought Anakin would tell him anything, even things he did not do.
"No?" Obi-wan continued, questioning Anakin with his accented voice. Anakin had not really noticed that accent before, but he loathed it now almost as much as the one who spoke with the accent. "But surely you should have learned by now that we know everything Anakin. There is nothing more for you to hide. In a few minutes, guards should be breaking through that door and be ready to kill you on our command. And it would be easier for me to not let them kill you if you were to tell us."
Anakin concentrated for a moment, blocking out everything he had heard for only a second to sense if there really were guards coming…and there were. Anakin swore under his breath as he looked back towards Obi-wan, swearing again as he remembered what was happening. "You'll never kill me Kenobi."
"But I already have Anakin." Obi-wan seemed to smile at this, "You might as well be dead to me Anakin because either way this goes, I'll never see you again."
Anakin was having it hard to grasp reality now. He almost swayed on his feet as he tried to comprehend what was happening. The guards were getting closer and there was nothing Anakin could say to stop himself from being killed. His arms swung down to his sides lifelessly as he continued to stare at Obi-wan and Padmé. It was over; it was all over.
But as he arm swung it hit the cold metal of his blaster that was hung upon his side. And Anakin's closed eyes shot open. Grabbing the blaster by his side he looked fiercely at Obi-wan as he rose off the ground, towering over the Jedi. "You're right Obi-wan. I will never see you again." And with a malicious smile he shot the Jedi, and at such a close range he fell backwards, sliding into the chair Anakin had been sitting in earlier.
"Obi-wan! No!" Padmé ran quickly to his side, grabbing his hand in some attempt to save him that way. But Anakin would not allow him to be saved.
"I'm sorry Padmé. I'll always love you." And with those final words the blaster pointed at Padmé was fired, forcing her body to fall on top of Obi-wan's chest.
Anakin closed his eyes as tears started to run down his face. He had just killed the only person he had still loved in the world. But the sounds of footsteps nearing the door made his eyes shoot open once more. He looked towards the door frantically before running in the opposite direction. He would not allow himself to be killed.
Malicious smile crossed the hooded face as an evil cackle escaped the figure's mouth. Watching that Skywalker child had been amusing, but there was purpose to all of it as he recollected to himself.
"They worked better that I had expected them to." Deep voice spoke from behind the hooded figure as he stood before a window, looking down at the chamber Anakin had just been in.
"I had always expected them to do that well, my apprentice." The voice of the elder hooded man spoke out almost spitefully towards the man standing behind the darkened figure, but he did not turn from his view. "And now, I must go attend to Skywalker."
Cloaked figure started to march towards the door, pausing before the exit code was entered. "Oh yes. Darth Tyranus, your services are no longer required." A fragile old hand waved itself in the air, causing the form of Darth Tyranus to fall lifelessly to the ground. "There can only be two, my old apprentice, and there is another now that will suit my needs better."
"Commander. There are bodies in here." White helmeted reinforcement looked towards the commander as he stood before the fallen pair in the chamber room.
Weathered old Jedi walked towards the fallen pair, crouching beside them to look at them curiously. "Changelings. Both killed by blaster shots." He rose to his feet, "We'll clean them up later, we need to find," he swallowed carefully, "Anakin."
"Rodger that." The white suited clone started to run through the building as the others had done, looking for the ex-Jedi Anakin Skywalker as the rest of the troops were doing. They would not take long to find him if all went well. Obi-wan closed his eyes carefully as he recollected on the situation. He had told Padmé he would find Anakin for her, but there was something wrong. He could feel it in the air through the Force. He knew that something had happened here that had changed everything, but what had was a mystery to him. Anakin would not be found, that much could be sure, but the Force had been wrong before. So Obi-wan started into a run, deeper into the expanse of the Separatist base.
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: *GASP!* Another chapter up! And so soon too! You people should be proud of me... All this cruelty takes effort! Ok, the next chapter will be one last flashback and then we'll get back to the present time for some more angst and drama. Ah the joys of angst... Well, remember to review!
Flashback
"Padmé?" The look upon the face of Anakin looked confused and bewildered as his eyes looked downwards at Padmé. He had thought she was upon the command ship, supervising the battle. Why was she here with him?
"What are you doing here?" Padmé's face was serious and almost angry as she looked at Anakin bitterly. Her voice was accusing and it was almost hating towards Anakin as he looked at her, confusion written all over his face.
"I'm investigating the base as I was ordered to…" His eyes remained on Padmé; her appearance towards him still had not changed towards Anakin as she looked at him accusingly.
"I want the truth Anakin."
"Yes Anakin, the truth." Out of the shadows to the left of Anakin yet another familiar face exited. He walked over to Padmé's side with arms crossed, an accusing look upon his face as well. Anakin blinked twice, trying to erase the image before him, but it would not go away.
"Obi-wan?" Anakin's voice was full of shock as he looked downwards to his old master, before he had chosen Padmé over the Jedi. But why was he here? A thousand questions raced through Anakin's mind, but before any could be asked Obi-wan continued.
"Don't sound so surprised Anakin, you knew some day we would stop being so naïve and find out what you were up to. We want the truth. Now." Obi- wan's voice took the formal and demanding tone it normally did when speaking towards Anakin, and even if Anakin hadn't heard it in months it still got to him the same way it always did.
"What truth? I don't even know what you are talking about…"
"We know what you have been doing Anakin," Padmé this time, her voice still accusing as she looked upwards to him, her eyes brown with anger.
"What have I been doing? I was only investigating the base like I was ordered to do…"
Walking around to the back of Anakin, as if to stop him from escaping, Obi-wan continued, "What have you been doing? What have you not been doing Anakin? Now that's a simple question, and the answer is following the orders of the Republic!" Staring at Anakin with hardened vision, Obi-wan stood behind Anakin now, arms still crossed as his eyes bored into the back of Anakin's head.
Looking to Padmé for support of any kind, only to find none, Anakin tried to get a grip on the situation. What was going on? He had done nothing and now they think… He's a spy? But it didn't make any sense! He held his head for a moment before speaking, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Like hell you don't." Obi-wan spoke still as Padmé glared at Anakin hatefully. "You've been doing this for months haven't you Anakin? Working for the enemy to bring down the Republic? We know everything about what you have been doing Anakin. Everything. There is no trying to act like you don't know what we're talking about because we know very well you do. You know exactly what we're talking about."
"No I don't!" Anakin yelled now, whirling around to face Obi-wan head on. He felt his anger rising now, how dare this man tell him what he has been doing when he hasn't. "I've done nothing!"
"Anakin. We know everything. We've seen the proof, and you can't carry this on for any longer." Anakin turned his head to see Padmé continue to look at him accusingly, hate still in her eyes are she glared at Anakin.
Teeth clenched hatefully, Anakin turned to face Obi-wan once more. "What did you tell her? She knows I've done nothing. This is just your twisted idea of revenge isn't it Kenobi! Isn't it!" Anakin's voice steadily rose as he spoke, starting to yell now. "I've given up on you Kenobi! Get over it and get on with you're useless life with the Jedi and leave us alone!"
"Us? You think there's an 'us' still?" Padmé once again spoke, causing Anakin to turn his head. His eyes were coated in fear now as he looked at Padmé, trying to grasp what she had just said.
"What?" Anakin's voice was quiet now, barely a whisper as he tried to comprehend what Padmé had just said to him. "What?"
"You heard me. For you and me, there is no longer an 'us'. We're finished."
Anakin could feel tears well up in his eyes as he looked at Padmé. His throat seemed to close up as he tried to speak, but no words could be forced out. His eyes looked into her face, hoping that this was nothing more then a cruel sick joke they were playing upon him, but there was no hint of anything from Padmé's eyes.
"If there even is an 'us', Anakin, it would be myself and Obi-wan." Padmé smiled slightly, it was a happy smile but it was poison to Anakin's heart as he heard the words she spoke to him, but could not comprehend them. Padmé strode over softly to Obi-wan's side grabbing his arm softly and leaning her head lovingly upon his arm. "He's shown me more then you could ever show me Anakin. And now, all we need you to do is tell us the truth about what you've been doing."
Bitter tears started to flow from Anakin's eyes as he watched Padmé affectionately hold Obi-wan's arm. Throat still closed from allowing any words still escape, Anakin tried to say something…anything. Nothing was making sense anymore, and he knew this could never be a joke of any kind. He wiped the tears from his eyes desperately trying to remove them from existence, but they just continued to come as he looked upon the pair.
"Stop crying like a child Anakin. Just tell us what you've done and we'll be happy." Obi-wan's voice still sounded as if he was lecturing a child, lecturing Anakin as a child again.
"No." The word was but a whisper as Anakin's fists clenched tightly, ready to murder everything and anyone around him as his anger rose to an almost unreachable level. His teeth clenched tightly, staring now at only Obi-wan as he tried to erase what Padmé had said to him from his mind. It was all Obi-wan's fault and he would be damned if he thought Anakin would tell him anything, even things he did not do.
"No?" Obi-wan continued, questioning Anakin with his accented voice. Anakin had not really noticed that accent before, but he loathed it now almost as much as the one who spoke with the accent. "But surely you should have learned by now that we know everything Anakin. There is nothing more for you to hide. In a few minutes, guards should be breaking through that door and be ready to kill you on our command. And it would be easier for me to not let them kill you if you were to tell us."
Anakin concentrated for a moment, blocking out everything he had heard for only a second to sense if there really were guards coming…and there were. Anakin swore under his breath as he looked back towards Obi-wan, swearing again as he remembered what was happening. "You'll never kill me Kenobi."
"But I already have Anakin." Obi-wan seemed to smile at this, "You might as well be dead to me Anakin because either way this goes, I'll never see you again."
Anakin was having it hard to grasp reality now. He almost swayed on his feet as he tried to comprehend what was happening. The guards were getting closer and there was nothing Anakin could say to stop himself from being killed. His arms swung down to his sides lifelessly as he continued to stare at Obi-wan and Padmé. It was over; it was all over.
But as he arm swung it hit the cold metal of his blaster that was hung upon his side. And Anakin's closed eyes shot open. Grabbing the blaster by his side he looked fiercely at Obi-wan as he rose off the ground, towering over the Jedi. "You're right Obi-wan. I will never see you again." And with a malicious smile he shot the Jedi, and at such a close range he fell backwards, sliding into the chair Anakin had been sitting in earlier.
"Obi-wan! No!" Padmé ran quickly to his side, grabbing his hand in some attempt to save him that way. But Anakin would not allow him to be saved.
"I'm sorry Padmé. I'll always love you." And with those final words the blaster pointed at Padmé was fired, forcing her body to fall on top of Obi-wan's chest.
Anakin closed his eyes as tears started to run down his face. He had just killed the only person he had still loved in the world. But the sounds of footsteps nearing the door made his eyes shoot open once more. He looked towards the door frantically before running in the opposite direction. He would not allow himself to be killed.
Malicious smile crossed the hooded face as an evil cackle escaped the figure's mouth. Watching that Skywalker child had been amusing, but there was purpose to all of it as he recollected to himself.
"They worked better that I had expected them to." Deep voice spoke from behind the hooded figure as he stood before a window, looking down at the chamber Anakin had just been in.
"I had always expected them to do that well, my apprentice." The voice of the elder hooded man spoke out almost spitefully towards the man standing behind the darkened figure, but he did not turn from his view. "And now, I must go attend to Skywalker."
Cloaked figure started to march towards the door, pausing before the exit code was entered. "Oh yes. Darth Tyranus, your services are no longer required." A fragile old hand waved itself in the air, causing the form of Darth Tyranus to fall lifelessly to the ground. "There can only be two, my old apprentice, and there is another now that will suit my needs better."
"Commander. There are bodies in here." White helmeted reinforcement looked towards the commander as he stood before the fallen pair in the chamber room.
Weathered old Jedi walked towards the fallen pair, crouching beside them to look at them curiously. "Changelings. Both killed by blaster shots." He rose to his feet, "We'll clean them up later, we need to find," he swallowed carefully, "Anakin."
"Rodger that." The white suited clone started to run through the building as the others had done, looking for the ex-Jedi Anakin Skywalker as the rest of the troops were doing. They would not take long to find him if all went well. Obi-wan closed his eyes carefully as he recollected on the situation. He had told Padmé he would find Anakin for her, but there was something wrong. He could feel it in the air through the Force. He knew that something had happened here that had changed everything, but what had was a mystery to him. Anakin would not be found, that much could be sure, but the Force had been wrong before. So Obi-wan started into a run, deeper into the expanse of the Separatist base.
Author's Notes: *GASP!* Another chapter up! And so soon too! You people should be proud of me... All this cruelty takes effort! Ok, the next chapter will be one last flashback and then we'll get back to the present time for some more angst and drama. Ah the joys of angst... Well, remember to review!