A/N: This is the second-last chapter! Yes, I know - sad. I don't want it to end either. Please review me! I don't mind how many months after I've posted this, I still will love the reviews. I like to know that my story is being read.
In other news...STAR WARS IS OUT TODAY! I'm very excited. I'm sure most of you will be seeing it very soon!
Enjoy this chapter, and review!

Chapter Seventeen: Balance

Anakin, Tsena and Obi-Wan sprinted along corridors, rushing to Palpatine's office. The door was only a few metres ahead – they could already feel the menace radiating from the room.

Suddenly, Anakin stopped. The others turned to him in confusion.

"What is it, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, almost impatiently.

Anakin stared at him vacantly. "I can't do this," he whispered, his eyes flicking to Tsena. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

"You can," she assured him firmly. "You can."

"But what if I'm not the Chosen One? What if I turn again?" The look on Anakin's face was one of panic and fear.

"Anakin, there is no possible way that you are not the Chosen One. When we have more time, I will explain how I know, but for now just understand that I know you can do this, and I will do everything I can to help you," Tsena said to him. "And I swear to you that Master Obi-Wan and I will not let you turn back to the Dark side. We will keep you with us, I promise." She looked to Obi-Wan for support.

"I will make sure that you will never know that path again," he added. He understood his Padawan's fears – he himself was feeling a little afraid. He knew that Anakin was afraid that he would give in to the seduction of the Dark side again and let Tsena down – he needed all the encouragement he could give.

Obi-Wan held Anakin's gaze. "Anakin, let go of your fear and anger. You know where they lead, and you can't afford to enter that room carrying that burden."

Anakin felt a flash of resentment at his Master for those words, but he knew he was right – his anger at the Council and fear of not being with Tsena were what led him to the Dark side in the first place. He took a deep breath and let go of all his fear, anger and resentment. Tsena was with him, Obi-Wan was on his side – there was nothing to be angry about.

He placed his hand on his lightsaber hilt. "The two of you need to stay back and follow at a distance. My only advantage over Sidious is the element of surprise," he instructed. The two Jedi nodded, and he ran through the door.

Mace Windu stood over Sidious with his purple blade extended, ready to deliver the final blow. He looked up when Anakin burst in. A few other Jedi stood around the room, Jovarii among them. Some others lay unconscious on the floor. There had been many Jedi surrounding the building to prevent an escape – every single one held their lightsabers.

Anakin set up his mental shields to keep the Sith lord from sensing his return to the Jedi. He ignited his lightsaber, his eyes not leaving the scene before him.

Kill the Jedi, finish them off! he heard Sidious order in his mind.

He walked forward grimly, and brought his lightsaber down onto Mace Windu's blade.

Jovarii and the other Jedi made for the young man, but Tsena and Obi-Wan burst in.

"No!" cried Tsena, and Obi-Wan waved his lightsaber in a signal for the Jedi to stop.

What are you doing? Jovarii silently asked her Padawan and Obi-Wan.

Tsena just shook her head slightly, keeping her eyes on Sidious, who, thankfully, was watching Anakin spar with Mace.

Anakin could hear Sidious' voice in his head, giving him deadly instructions for the duel. He pretended to follow them, but put little strength or precision behind them. The Dark side was almost overwhelming – Sidious continued to silently scream at him, trying to feed his anger. But every time Anakin felt himself giving in, he looked at Tsena and he became calm.

Mace saw the peaceful expression on his face, and realised that he had not turned to the Dark side – no Sith could fight without burning with rage and hatred, and Anakin showed none of those emotions.

They fought their way behind the desk, only a metre separating Mace Windu and Darth Sidious. Anakin flipped over the Jedi Master's head and landed between the two. He lifted his lightsaber for the final strike – but just at the last moment, he reversed his blade and struck out behind him, piercing the Sith lord in the heart.

There was an explosion of blue light, and everyone in the room was knocked to the floor. Anakin was flung across the room, and he hit a wall. Tsena jumped to her feet and ran to him. His strength was spent and he was dazed.

"It's over," he managed to say. "There is balance."

Tsena nodded, her eyes bright with tears of relief. "Yes," she said, smiling. "You did it. You saved us all."

He smiled briefly, but the effort of his emotional and physical battles overwhelmed him, and he lost consciousness.

Anakin blearily opened his eyes. He was lying in a bed in the medcentre. He felt a light pressure on his hand and turned to see Tsena sitting by the bed, holding his hand. She smiled and smoothed his hair from his forehead.

"Hello," she said quietly.

"Hello," he replied. He grinned faintly. "I seem to be here quite often."

She chuckled. "You and I both, Anakin."

They were silent for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company, deep in thought. After a while, Anakin spoke again.

"Did I really kill –"

"Yes," Tsena confirmed. She smiled. "You did it. You fulfilled the prophecy, and now the Force is balanced because of you." She gently stroked his cheek. "I knew you could do it."

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "Thank you," he said simply.

She cocked her head to one side. "For what?"

"For forgiving me. For giving me a second chance. For believing in me. I don't deserve someone like you."

She looked down for a second, then she lifted her head and smiled at him. "Anakin, I've believed in you since the day I met you. And as for forgiving you – well, I know that even though what you did was terrible, you did it because you thought it would keep us together. My whole destiny was to love you and be with you. I'll always love you."

He knit his eyebrows together, perplexed. She smiled.

"I never told you what my parents told me, did I?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. What did they say?"

"There's a Teranian prophecy about a child with blue and gold eyes. The prophecy said that this child – me – would die to save the person they love, see the future of that person, and then come back to life to change that fate, and that in turn would change the fate of the galaxy."

Anakin blinked, slowly digesting the information.

"When I died, I saw you become a Sith," Tsena continued. "I saw people suffering. I knew I had to save them, save you – and I came back. So I knew that you would fulfil your own destiny because mine was to love you and help you do so. Does that make sense?"

He nodded and pulled himself up to a sitting position.

"I love you so much that even death couldn't keep me away from you," she said, shifting closer. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her forehead on his. He held her close and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Tsena. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

Obi-Wan stood quietly at the door of the medcentre, watching Anakin and Tsena talk together. He felt Jovarii walk up behind him.

"Did you know about them?" he asked her, gesturing to the couple inside.

Jovarii smirked. "I had my suspicions. I didn't know it was that serious, though." She paused. "I wonder if, now that the Council knows, they will be allowed to stay together."

"Well, they will not be expelled from the Order after all they have done. But I doubt they will be allowed to stay together. The Jedi are still the Jedi."

"Oh, come now, Kenobi. The entire Order is celebrating the fulfilment of the prophecy! Surely the high spirits will allow for something else to be celebrated," Jovarii said, nodding at the Padawans inside.

Obi-Wan just raised an eyebrow.

"Besides," Jovarii added, grinning widely. "You could put in a good word for them – from what I hear, it won't be long before you are on the Council."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Nothing has been confirmed, Jovarii. The Council are simply considering."

"Say what you like, Kenobi – you'll be on the Council."

He glanced at Anakin and Tsena. "I wonder if I will, given that I have broken the Code."

She stared at him. He means…me. He means us. "Obi-Wan –"

He held up a hand. "I'm not blaming you, Jovarii. We may be Jedi, but we are human. We are susceptible to feelings."

She gave him a lopsided smile. "No matter what the Council decides in regards to you and relationships, I'll always love you, Obi-Wan," she said softly, displaying her gentle, vulnerable side that Obi-Wan had seen only a few times before. She had never admitted her feelings out loud before, and the fact that she did made him smile. He loved every facet of her personality, from her teasing to her seriousness to her soft side.

He looked deep into her grey eyes, losing himself in the complexities of this woman who challenged, supported and cared about him for half of his life – and he knew would continue to do so for many years to come.

"I will love you too," he said, and he took her hand.