Oh, Possibilities

By infinitykat

Part 6: Help Me If You Can

"A little bit of laughs,
A little of bit of pain,
I'm telling you my babe,
It's all in the game of love…" – Santana feat. Michelle Branch "Game of Love"

A/N: My holiday break just started today and I've got a lot of time on my hands now. I've only gotten a few reviews on the last chapter, I suppose everyone else is on holiday as well. I'll write this chapter and then on to revising my Harry Potter story, which you should read once it's done. Happy Holidays, everyone. And another dream sequence! Yay!

And to kitty: Hmm…I thought about the bun hair thing, but I think she won't have that hair for a little while. ;)

----- ---- --- -- -

Trust your instincts.

Mara kept repeating this advice to herself as she walked swiftly towards Anakin's apartment. Something inside her told Mara that this man, this Jedi, was something special. The feeling grew as she neared his home, and another feeling. Fear. Trying not to let it grow even deeper, she pressed the button for the door chime. The door slid open silently, and Skywalker was nowhere in sight.

Mara tugged anxiously at her black sleeves and peered around the apartment. She reached out with the Force and felt herself being pulled towards the balcony. She stepped cautiously outside and saw him, meditating again. His thin frame set against the orange glow of late afternoon in Coruscant made Mara's heart leap into her throat.

"Hello again," Anakin said without turning to regard her.

"Sorry to disturb you…again…" she said timidly, walking a bit closer. Anakin chuckled.

"Nah…it's okay," he replied. Mara reached the balustrade near where Anakin was standing, and leaned against it. She watched him for a while, the silence building up inside her.

"Are you always meditating?" she blurted, and he laughed, looking at her.

"No. It just helps me think. And you've caught me at a time when I really need to think. That's all," Anakin said, shrugging.

"You just seem so calm all the time…how do you do it?"

"Time. Training. I was actually quite a handful just three years ago. Time…time can really change a person." Mara silently nodded in agreement.

"Don't you ever feel like you need to…break free?" she asked quietly, her eyes flashing with a sudden intensity. Anakin frowned. He didn't know where she was going with this, but he didn't like it.

"I don't know. Not often," he decided, and looked back to the skyline. Mara slowly inched closer to him.

"We could break free together," she said very softly, for she was very close. She made a move towards Anakin and he took a step back.

"What? Mara, I…" Anakin stuttered, thoroughly confused. Mara suddenly stopped, her brow furrowed.

"Fine!" she snarled, and stomped off. Anakin ran a hand through his hair, utterly lost for words.

----- ---- --- -- -

She stood in the circular room, staring out at the beautiful cloud city. Padmé turned at the sound of a door opening, but no one exited or entered. She moved towards the door and looked out. No one was there. Slipping out of the room, Padmé followed the sound of a familiar humming noise. It brought her to a dark and dank chamber, where steam was rising out of a cavity in the center of the room. The sound was closer now.

She followed it until she was in a room where a struggle had taken place, there were slit tubes and papers littering the floor, and a large view point had been smashed open. The force of the wind tunnel beyond threaten to taken Padmé off her feet, but she held on to whatever she could as she strained to see what lay beyond the view point.

As she held on to a remaining window frame, her stomach flipped. Standing out on the walkway was the towering figure she had seen in countless dreams over the last few years. He had his back to her, but she knew him all too well to mistake him. Padmé clambered out onto the walkway and slowly approached the man.

She could hear someone shouting at him. "No! You killed my father!" Padmé let out a silent gasp when she saw the young, sandy blonde haired man clutching the spire in the center of the tunnel. His right hand was missing and he was extremely sweaty.

And for the first time since Padmé began having these dreams, the towering warrior spoke. His voice was deep and menacing, filled with hate. All the rest of the sound seemed to go quiet as he spoke.

"No, Luke," he said darkly, "I am your father."

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Anakin sat quietly in the mess hall, eating his dinner and trying to sort through Mara's motives. She had definitely tried to make a move on Anakin, and he was taken completely off-guard by it. He hadn't thought of anyone that way for twelve years. This made him think of Padmé, and the fact that he was still confused with what she said as well.

He looked up when a shadow fell over his table. It was Obi-Wan, followed closely by Mara.

"Anakin," he greeted, nodded. Anakin smiled.

"Obi-Wan. Please, sit down," Anakin said kindly, trying not to laugh as Obi-Wan did so, carefully setting down his plate and seating himself as if he was going to play a musical concert, throwing up the two flaps of his tunic that hung down over his back and then raising his hands momentarily before picking up his utensils.

Mara, on the contrary, drop her plate on the table with a clatter, then flopped into a chair and scooted it closer to the table, making loud scraping noises as she did. Obi-Wan stared at her incredulously, then shook his head.

"So, any luck so far?" he asked Anakin, poking at some meat.

"Not really. This is all very mysterious, if you ask me," Anakin replied, frowning slightly.

"Here, here. Oh- forgot a drink. Excuse me," Obi-Wan said, standing and going to the kitchen.

Anakin and Mara sat in silence for a few long moments, eating.

"I sorry," Mara said quietly, at length, "I shouldn't have done that." Anakin nodded. "The truth is," she continued, "I wanted to ask for your help."

"Sure," Anakin said, wondering what he could possibly help her with.

"I need help learning how to be more trustworthy. I really want to pass the Trials soon and Obi-Wan won't let me. So, will you help?" Mara looked to him hopefully. Anakin thought for a moment.

"Okay. But realize that it'll take time and patience, alright?" Mara nodded.

----- ---- --- -- -

Over the next few weeks, Mara would arrive at Anakin's apartment every evening, and he would teach her calming exercises for when she felt her anger rising. She began to forget about his rejection that one night, and became more comfortable. Mara felt that she was making real progress with Anakin, though, for he was extremely kind to her and she dreamt of him every night.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan took the responsibility of forming the plan of how to get into the mysterious structure they found in the industrial district.

Finally, Obi-Wan came to Anakin's apartment with the plan.

"I spoke with Master Yoda," Obi-Wan was saying, after seating himself, "And he approves. We go tomorrow."

Anakin nodded. "This is it," Anakin said with a smile, "The mystery of the Sith is about to become unraveled."

------ ---- --- -- -

As planned, Anakin and Obi-Wan set off to the industrial district in their Delta 7's, surveying the area for anything suspicious. Two other Jedi followed, at a distance. The Jedi kept communication at a bare minimum, in case of interference.

They set down their fighters on ground level, a little ways from the structure. Anakin popped his canopy and climbed out. He approached Obi-Wan, who had climbed out his own fighter. Artoo squealed from Anakin's fighter.

"Stay with the ships, Artoo," Anakin called. Artoo let out a wary "ooo", but stayed in the fighter.

"Let's go," Obi-Wan said, and they set off towards their destination. Very quietly, Artoo raised himself out of his compartment on Anakin's ship and floated gently down on his jets. He rolled silently after them.

Reaching out with the Force, Anakin kept a constant image of the surroundings with him as they walked cautiously towards the building. Nothing was going on until…

A large, disguised door slid open in front of them and there stood Count Dooku, wearing a grim smile, his unique red lightsaber ignited in his hand.

"So much for Plan A," Obi-Wan muttered.

…to be continued!

Post note: Ahh!! More plot!!! Review, like always.