Disclaimer: see first post

Anakin left Padme and Leia in their apartment. Palpatine wanted to see him right away. Anakin quickly drove his speeder to the private landing dock near the Chancellor's quarters. He ran past the Chancellor's guards and into Palpatine's main room.

"Anakin," Palpatine greeted with a grin as he rose from his seat behind his desk.

"Chancellor," he responded formally.

"Anakin, what is it?" Palpatine asked without preamble.

Anakin sighed. He knew he couldn't hide his feelings from the Chancellor. He told the Chancellor everything.

"I am terribly sorry, Anakin. Losing a child is very difficult and trumatic. I assume Senator Amidala will not be returning any time soon?"

"Padme has resigned. She sent her resignition to the Queen this morning before we arrived," Anakin explained, "I must know who did this."

"Have the ship moved to Dock AA42. I will have my personel investigators look into it," Palpatine told him, "It will be done in total secrecy."

"Thank you, sir. Speed would be most appriciated. Once the Jedi Council discover that I have returned, which I'm sure Obi-Wan told them right away, I don't know what will happen to me," Anakin responded.

"Move it there now. I will contact my investigators and tell them you are coming," Palpatine said, dismissing him.

Anakin nodded and left. He wanted to get home soon to make sure Leia and Padme were alright. Padme was surprised when she answered the door and saw Yoda standing there, "Master Yoda! Please, come in."

Yoda followed her inside, "Heard I did of the loss of you son. Grateful I am that you and the girl are well."

Padme nodded, wondering what exactly Yoda wanted.

"Worried for Skywalker, I am. Tell me please if he becomes unwell," Yoda told her. He walked over to the bassinet sitting near one of the windows. Leia was asleep inside.

"Strong in the Force, this one is. Very powerful Jedi will she make, like her father," he commented, then turned to face her, "On her first birthday allow us to take a train her, you should."

Padme pressed her lips in a thin line. She had been afraid of this, "I will have to discuss it with Anakin, of course."

"Keep her safe, it will."

"Keep her safe? How? The Jedi die all the time in service!" Padme snapped. She couldn't help it.

"If found she is by a dark force, she could be twisted into something evil," Yoda responded calmly.

"Like Anakin," Padme muttered, "you don't want her to be as hard to train as Anakin."

Yoda did not agree or disagree. He touched the child's forehead and left.

Padme walked over to her daughter. She didn't know what to do. "Has the ship arrived?" a low grave voice asked over a comm.

"Yes, sir," an officer responded.

"Good. Plant it quickly."

"Yes, milord."

Anakin walked up the ramp of the ship long after Palpatine's crew had left. He had watched them check the outside of the ship. Anakin was impatiant. He walked quickly to where the bomb had detonated. Anakin paused at the doorway. His son had died in here. His son had entered the galaxy and left it all in one room. Anakin wiped away tears that sprang up in his eyes. He had to clear his head to find out who did this.

Anakin walked over to a mangled cabinet. It was right next to where the twins had laid. He carefully moved the twisted metal out of the way. He used his mechanical hand and reached inside.

Anakin felt around. He closed his eyes and became one with the ship, like he did when he was in his starfighter or when he had raced Pods back on Tatoonie. There. Anakin found the foreign presence. Anakin pulled his hand out, pulling a silver medal with him.

Anakin turned it over in his hand. He had seen these before. He had one. It had been damaged from the blast, but Anakin knew what it was.

It was a medal for recognition of being a Jedi with the military.

Rage flowed through Anakin's veins. The medals were given out by military. The medals were to be worn when fighting with the clones. It was something the Jedi Council didn't agree with, but allowed. The clones would collect the medal from any dead Jedi and return it to the Council. Anakin had thought it was silly when he recieved his, but he wore it anyways.

Anakin studied it closely. It was too far gone to tell whose it was. Anakin couldn't believe it. Why were the Jedi trying to kill he and his family? They had succeeded in Luke's death and they will pay.

Oh they will pay. Padme held Leia while looking out the window. Anakin had been gone all day and most of the night. Padme was worried. She knew what the grief over his mother had caused him to do. She couldn't imagine what would happen with Luke's death.

Leia whimpered. She was very attuned to her mother's feelings. Padme suspected it was due to the Force.

"It's alright, my darling," Padme told the infant. She shifted Leia in her arms.

The front door opened. Anakin stormed inside. He threw off his cloak, having slight difficulty. He angrily threw off his boots and stormed past Padme and Leia.

"Anakin?" Padme said quietly.

Anakin ignored her. He went into the 'fresher. Padme put Leia in her crib, who then, on feeling her father's rage, burst into tears. Padme tried to calm her down.

"Shh, Leia. It's okay."

Anakin exited, a little calmer. He walked over to where Padme was standing. He reached inside and picked up his daughter, "Shh, it's okay, little one. Daddy's got you. Nothing will hurt you."

Padme was touched and surprised at this. Not even ten minutes ago, Anakin was furious. Now he was calm as he held their daughter. Leia yawned and fell asleep a few minutes later. Anakin gently placed her back inside her crib.

Padme wasn't sure if she should asked Anakin about earlier or not. She didn't want him to hide things from her, but she didn't want to pry into his grief.

Anakin hugged her tightly. He knew she wanted to know why he was so upset, but how do you explain that the ones you were loyal to for most of you life killed your son? How do you tell a mother that people she trusted had murdered her baby boy?

He couldn't so he just held her, praying he was wrong.

"Anakin must come back to the Temple," Mace insisted.

"I don't think that would be wise. He and his wife have suffered a terrible loss," Obi-Wan disagreed. The Jedi Council was in session. Obi-Wan had just told the Council what Anakin had done to him.

"We let him go against the Jedi Code by having a family and this is how it turns out!" Mace pointed out, "He is dangerous! I say we should keep him in the Temple and work with him."

"He won't do it. He feels threatened by the Jedi, I can sense it," Obi-Wan responded.

"Mmmm, yes, grave fear I sense in him," Yoda stated, "Speak with him, I will."

"Could we keep him here with Padme and Leia? Padme and the girl are in danger. We would also be protecting them," Obi-Wan offered. He wanted to try everything possible to keep his friend in the light.

"We have already made so many special concessions for him. What if he isn't the Chosen One? We could be wrong," Ki-Adi-Mundi commented.

"If wrong, we are, in grave danger are we," Yoda commented.

Several of the council members looked alarmed. What did Yoda see? "The Jedi tried to kill my family!" Anakin told Palpatine once he entered the Chancellor's office.

"Who?" Palpatine asked, taking the medal from Anakin.

"Someone with access to Padme's ship. It could be anyone. This is far too destroyed for me to see who," Anakin told him, pacing around the room, continuing his rant.

Palpatine let him rant. He ran the medal under a scanner, "Look, Anakin. The signal is weak, but maybe you can find out who did this."

Anakin's eyes grew round in shock, "I know that signal anywhere. It's Obi-Wan."

"Move to the Jedi Temple?" Padme frowned at Obi-Wan, "but why?"

"Something is happening to Anakin, Padme. He needs to work with the Masters there and we need to keep an eye on him. He won't go without you," Obi-Wan explained, "Plus, you and Leia are still in danger until whoever planted that bomb is discovered. You both will be safest there."

Padme nodded, "Have you talked to Anakin about this?"

"Not yet. I was hoping he would be here."

"Oh. He is checking out the ship. He should be home soon," Padme informed him, "you are more than welcome to wait here."

Obi-Wan nodded, "Thank you."

"YOU!" Anakin growled as he entered he and Padme's apartment. He saw Obi-Wan standing there, next to his wife, holding Leia.

"Anakin?" Padme rushed over to him, "what's going on?"

"Put her down, Kenobi! I won't have you kill her too!" Anakin threatened.

"Kill her?" Obi-Wan was confused. He put Leia back in her crib.

"Anakin, what is going on?" Padme asked, worried.

"Why don't you ask him?" Anakin spat out.

"What is going on?" Obi-Wan asked. He tried to get a reading of Anakin through the Force. He was alarmed at the rush of hatred directed towards him.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan came to help us. The Jedi want to protect us in the Temple," Padme explained.

"They are liars! They want us dead! Obi-Wan killed Luke!" Anakin screamed in pure rage.

"What? Anakin, where did you get that idea?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Anakin, he is your friend! He only wants to help us!"

"LIAR! You don't know what he's done. Stay out of this!" Anakin roared.

Padme's eyes widened, "No, Anakin..."

"I SAID STAY OUT OF THIS!" Anakin pushed her back.

"Leave her alone!" Obi-Wan snapped. He rushed to help Padme stand up but Anakin began to choke him, "You killed my son. I will kill you." Palpatine began to laugh as he watched Anakin through the hidden cameras in the apartment. Anakin was turning. He was falling faster and faster. Not much more until he was completely gone.

"Kill him. Squeeze him tighter!" Palpatine cheered on. Everything was going as planned. "Anakin! NO! What are you doing?" Padme ran over to him, "Stop! Stop before it's too late!"

"Silence! Do you not see he has been lying to you! He planted the bomb! He killed our son!" Anakin snapped. Obi-Wan was almost dead.

"Anakin! No, please, stop. Don't kill him! He cares about us!"

Thoughts raced through Anakin's head at lightning speed. Rumors, lies, betrayals flew in and out of his thoughts. Obi-Wan seeing Padme. Obi-Wan wanted to help Padme. Obi-Wan comforting Padme after Luke was bured. Padme trying to help Obi-Wan...

"YOU WERE WITH HIM!" Anakin roared. He dropped his hold on Obi-Wan. He turned to Padme, "YOU BETRAYED ME FOR HIM!"

"No!" Padme shook her head in denial, "Never! I love you, Anakin! Only you!"

"YOU LIE!" he screamed. He put his hands around her neck and began to squeeze.

The doors burst open. Yoda and Mace Windu appeared. Yoda and Mace pulled Anakin away from Padme. Ki-Adi-Mundi showed up behind them and helped Mace hold Anakin as Yoda used the Force to put Anakin in a coma.

Padme fell forward, tears pouring out of her eyes. She could not believe what had just happened. Sobs shook her body. In the distance, she could hear Leia's screams. She could hear Yoda picked up the child and calm her down. Padme was vaguely award of two arms pulling her up and helping her to the couch.

"Are you alright?" Mace Windu asked.

Padme nodded numbly. Anakin had barely begun to squeeze when they had intervened. She saw Obi-Wan laying on the floor, "Is he-?"

"Recover, he will," Yoda told her, "come, we must hurry."

Padme nodded. She rose from the couch and went to her room. She threw a few things in a bag for her and Leia, then carrying her daughter, followed the Jedi out of the room. Palpatine slammed his hand on the desk, "NO! Blasted Jedi! He was so close!"

His plans had been foiled. If only the Jedi had not shown up. Kenobi would be dead, as would Padme. Anakin would be so filled with guilt, Palpatine would be able to convince him it was all Obi-Wan's fault and turn him.

No matter, he would have Anakin, no matter what.

Padme sat in front of a window in the quarters the Jedi had given her inside the Temple. Leia was asleep in her arms. Anakin had been taken away by the Jedi, Padme didn't know where. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda had gone with him. Master Windu was staying at the Temple.

Padme was afraid. She didn't know what she was going to do. She couldn't stay in the Temple forever. She knew she would have to give Leia to the Jedi. She wanted her daughter to use her gift. Padme only hoped that she would be allowed to see her daughter.

The Jedi had moved all of Padme's things into the Temple. She was allowed to leave her quarters, just not the Temple. Padme just wanted to go home. She wished she could go back to Naboo. She wished that Luke was alive and Anakin was well. They could be a family, not this disaster.

Padme was worried about her husband. She didn't know what she would say to him when she saw him again. She couldn't believe he tried to kill her. Her Anakin would never do that to her. Something was inside of him, something dark and evil that was slowly killing the man she loved. Anakin wasn't capable of that kind of evil. He was too caring.

"Oh Leia, what's wrong with your father?" Padme said aloud. The infant was still asleep. Padme moved to put her to bed.

Padme glanced out the window one last time thinking, Ani, where ever you are, come back to me. Fight it and come home. Palpatine grinned as one of his spies left his office. The Jedi were taking Anakin off of Corescant. They were taking him to the swamp planet of Dagobah in hopes of redeeming him. Palpatine had found out that Master Yoda and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had taken him. Padme and the child were in the Temple. Palpatine knew he had to kill them. He would deal with them later. He had to fetch his soon-to-be new apprentice before it was too late.

"Captain Ren," he called into the comm, "ready my ship." Anakin Skywalker frowned deeply. He was on the planet Dagobah. He had been sedated since what had happened in he and Padme's apartment.

Anakin hated Dagobah. It was muggy, muddy, and insects where everywhere. He was sitting on a rotted log near the ship.

He hated himself. He could not believe he had tried to kill Padme. Obi-Wan had deserved it. Anakin still wanted to kill him, but he couldn't do it here. He wasn't strong enough to kill Yoda, too. He would have to find a way to leave this place with just Obi-Wan and kill him. After that, he would find Padme and set things right. He would take her to Naboo so she would be safe while he found a way to deal with the Jedi.

He knew the Jedi had her now. He had to get to her before she was forced to believe anymore of their murderous lies.

He must pretend, for now. He must be good little Anakin until he got off this rock. Then, he would kill those who killed his son and hurt his Padme.

"Anakin, the evening meal is ready," Obi-Wan called.

"Coming, Master."