Padme sat on the floor of the cell with Obi-Wan's head still in her lap. She'd long ago lost all feeling in her legs, but she didn't want to move. She put her hands on both sides of his face. Please, Obi-Wan! Wake up! Please! I need to talk to you before we reach the Emperor! She was willing him to respond, trying to reach his mind.

She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair. She lightly massaged his temples. Please, wake up! I need you!

At that moment, she thought she saw his eyes twitch. It happened so fast, she wondered if it was her imagination. But then she saw his nose twitch and his mouth! He was waking up! A groan escaped his mouth.

"Obi-Wan...It's Padme, Obi." She tightened her grip on him.

Obi-Wan struggled to open his eyes. As he did, the light in the room assaulted them. He squeezed them shut again. He slowly tried to open them again. He blinked, trying to get his vision to clear. When he could finally focus, he was looking up into very familiar brown eyes.

The sight of her brought him to immediate alertness. He tried to sit up, only to feel her hand on his chest, holding him down.

"Please, take it slow. You've been drugged."

"Padme?" He croaked out. His mouth felt like cotton. He again tried to sit up, going slowly this time. His vision swirled a little bit in dizziness. He closed his eyes again and breathed deeply, trying to reach out to the Force. He couldn't. Must be the drug.

He slowly opened his eyes again and turned towards her. Her beautiful eyes were a deep pool of concern, love and regret. Tears were beginning to form in them.

"Obi!" She moved over to him and hugged him fiercely. "I'm so sorry! It's my fault!" She cried into his shoulder. He hugged her back, just as fiercely.

"You're sorry for what?" He rubbed her back in a soothing motion.

She pulled away to look into his eyes. He gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"I'm the reason you're here! I walked right into a trap! I thought you had been captured. I turned myself in, as they said to, in order to prevent them from killing you - only to find out that you hadn't been captured after all! Once they had me, they knew you'd come for me! I was such a fool, but now you have to pay the price!"

"Padme, no! You were willing to come out of hiding and turn yourself into the Empire, knowing that you would meet up with HIM and chancing that you may never see your daughter again – all of that for ME? After all you've been through, you are still the bravest, strongest and most loving woman I've ever known! You are anything but a fool, my dear Padme!" He hugged her again. The relief of being together again washed over them. Both let the tears flow. They held each other tight, drawing strength from each other.

After both had quieted, Obi-Wan finally let her go. He cautiously got up and started looking around. "I take it we're on a ship and that we're being taken to the Emperor." It was a statement more than a question.

Padme nodded her head. "HE's on board."

He jerked his head around in surprise. "If he's on board, why am I still alive?"

Padme sighed as she tried to get up onto her still wobbly legs. Obi-Wan helped her up. She winced as the pins-and-needles sensation told her the circulation was coming back. "I believe Vader has been ordered by the Emperor to bring you to him alive. I know Vader would kill you if he could."

Obi-Wan gave a sardonic laugh. "Yes, he made that pretty clear the last time we met." His eyes belied the pain he still felt over the betrayal of his padawan.

Padme's eyes mirrored the pain of betrayal. She reached for his hand and squeezed.

As if on cue, they heard a door open and footsteps coming down the hall. Obi-Wan could hear the chilling mechanical breathing…