Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars and am making no money

A/N: This is a sequel to choices. It is not a continuation because I like the way choices stands and am content with the way it ends. However my own interest, and that of some my reviewers, was in seeing how things played out. This story, though, like Choices has already changed completely from the initial concept. It is going its own direction no matter what I planned. I hope you enjoy.

This takes place immediately after Choices.

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Feeling Obi-wan's body go limp as he exhaled a long, slow, deep breath Anakin felt the sorrow almost overwhelming his new found peace. He needed Obi-wan to help him maintain his balance. No, he could almost hear his master's response: Obi-wan's presence would just make it easier. "Don't leave me," he pleaded. Emptiness filled him and his tears started flowing when he realized Obi-wan had not inhaled. "No!" Frantically he reached into the force, searching for his master's signature, his always glowing presence-and almost fell over in shock.

"Let us take him, Anakin," Master Jocasta Nu stepped forward, sorrow in her soft voice as she knelt down to run a hand along Obi-wan's jaw.

"No." Anakin clutched his master closer. "He is still alive."

The Mon Calmari healer, Bant, knelt down on Anakin's other side, watching her childhood friend sadly.

Anakin shook his head violently. "His Force signature has not faded."

Eyes widening in hopeful disbelief Bant laid a hand on Obi-wan's forehead before closing her eyes to reach into the force. After a moment she rose, re-energized. "Anakin, move him to the couch, Jocasta, your robe. We have to keep him warm. Sandor," she spoke to the third Jedi. "Bring me my bag."

"Bant?" Jocasta Nu asked in a voice that did not dare to hope as she hurriedly stripped off her cloak and handed it to the healer.

Gently pushing Anakin away Bant covered Obi-wan with the cloak, digging through her medical equipment. "He is in a healing trance, but it is not like one I have ever seen before." She turned her full attention back to the Jedi Master.

As she worked Anakin backed up against the wall, pulling Padme to his side. His mind had gone completely blank as he watched the healer use unfamiliar equipment on his best freind. He knew there were things he had to deal with, but for now he was content to just be with his love and feel his master in his mind. He did not know how long he stood this way, feeling this way. Content, he could not recall ever feeling this way before. It was nice. He wanted to keep feeling this way.

'You wills,' Obi-wan's weak voice was barely a whisper in his mind. 'You have at last taken the first step to true mastery.'

Anakin rushed to his master's side, only to have Bant hold up a hand, but watching Obi-wan. "Do not try to move yet." She placed a gentle hand on his chest. "You should not be awake yet. I do not even know how you survived."

"Will of the Force it was." All eyes turned to see Yoda standing in the doorway, leaning heavily on his gimer stick. His eyes scandd the room, stopping for a moment on Palpatine. "Leave this place we should."

Padme nodded, stepping forward. "We need to have the investigation started. Absolutely everything has to be above board. Then I should go and speak to Bail. I do not even know how to begin putting things back together.

Slowly shifting to a sitting position Obi-wan replied, "one step at a time." He sagged back against the cushions, giving Bant's hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. His eyes moved to Yoda's. "How many did we lose?"

"Too many," Yoda replied sadly. "Final count we have not." He switched his gaze to Anakin. "To the temple you will return. Rest you will, then talk we must." He did not wait for Anakin to reply before turning back to Obi-wan.

The Jedi Master had risen to his feet. "I will accompany Padme." His gaze held the senior master's. "If the Jedi are to regain their strenght we are going to have to grow and adapt."

Thoughtfully Yoda nodded. "Sensed this I have." Sharp eyes examined the Jedi Master, who was swaying slightly.

Obi-wan took a long, slow breath before straightening fully. "I am fine." At Yoda's slight, reluctant nod of acceptance he turned to Padme. "Ready?"

Dragging her gaze away from Anakin, who was watching his feet, determinedly avoiding her gaze. Everyone's gaze for that matter. As much as she wanted to Padme knew she could not go to Anakin, and this time not for fear of giving their secret away. The Republic, to which she had pledged her life, needed her. A part of her that had been long asleep, only to begin awakening in Bail Organa's office had now full awoken. Yes, she was Anakin's wife, and that meant the universe to her, but she was more than that. She was Senator Padme Amidala. Allowing herself to slip into senator mode she inclined her head slightly to Obi-wan. Her gaze moved to Yoda. "There is a special session of the senate first thing tomorrow if you wish to attend."

Yoda nodded once in assent. "Attend I will." He turned his gaze to Obi-wan and more past between them than just a look. "Meet tomorrow evening the council will. Decide then what is to be done."

Obi-wan moved to Anakin's side, gently laying a hand on his tense shoulder. "Try to get some rest. Tomorrow we will tell the council everything. I promise you will not be alone." Aware of the guilt still flooding off his former padawan Obi-wan squeezed the shoulder he still held. "Remember your center, I will be with you before the council starts." He caught the scared young man's eyes. "Trust me." He reached into the reawakened training bond.

With a slight inclination of his head Anakin allowed his master in. Closing his eyes he followed Obi-wan's lead to find his center in the force. He could still feel the dark emotions swirling inside him, begging to be let out, but for the first time in his life he knew he could overcome them. When Obi-wan stepped back he held himself still with only the greatest of efforts. He desperately wanted to go to Padme, but knew on a deep, instinctive level that if he did so he would lose himself in his emotions again. That way led back to the Dark side, to pain and despair untold. He would not, could not, walk that path again. To do so would destory him and all those he loved. 'Master?'

'Relax and trust in the force. I am only a thought away.'

Head still bowed he turned and followed Yoda out of the room. The other Jedi followed him silently, although Bant watched Obi-wan suspiciously until she had exited the room completely.

Anakin had not even looked at her. With effort Padme pushed her sorrow to the back of her mind. She had other things she needed to worry about. "We should go."

Resting a hand on the table beside him Obi-wan closed his eyes, visibly collecting himself as his breathing grew shallow. "In-a-moment."

Worry filling her Padme rushed to the Jedi Master's side, hesitantly reaching out to help support him. She could kick herself for her thoughtlessness. Obi-wan had nearly died only a few hours earlier. It was just he always came across as so strong and self-sufficient that it had not even occurred to her to offer him any help "You should be with the healers."

"No." Opening his eyes after another moment he smiled slightly. "I will be okay in a moment. I am just tired." He turned to the side, so he could face Padme directly. "Anakin did not intend to ignore you. He is very lost at the moment. I am hoping the peace of the meditation gardens will help him find calm."

Padme turned to lean her back against the table, unable to meet Obi-wan's eyes. "I am probably the last person he needs to be around. Right now he needs to be a Jedi, being with me takes away from that. I would rather be apart from him and know he is at peace then have him with me and see him turn to the Dark." A shudder went through her and her hand instinctively moved protectively over her stomach. "This was too close. I never thought-"

Obi-wan laid his hand over hers, stilling her subconscious movements. "They are Anakin's."

It was not a question, but Padme nodded anyway.

"How far?" The Jedi Master was not looking at her. His breathing had evened out as he released his exhaustion to the force as it supported and stregthened him.

Swallowing hard Padme turned to face him. "We are married, since right after Geonosis."

After a few silent moments Obi-wan straightened, dropping his hand from her stomach. "We should go." At the door he stopped. "I will help you both in any way I can." When he glanced back at her there was a trace of sadness in his eyes that was quickly concealed.

"I know." Padme rested a hand on his arm, wishing she could take away the hurt their deception had caused. "Thank you."

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Bail Organa stared in shocked disbelief at the holographic images as he listened to the recording. "I knew he was power hungry, but I never guessed-" he trailed off, glancing over at the other two occupants of the office.

"All these years," Garm Bel Iblis whispered. "And none of us guessed."

Mon Mothma leaned closer. "What do we do now? I do not think we have even begun to guess what all he did."

"You are going to have to move carefully." All three turned to see Padme and Obi-wan standing in the doorway. "Too far and fast one way and you will have absolute chaose," the Jedi Master continued. "But if you press to hard in the other direction you are just going to end up with another dictator."

Bail, eyes wide with shock, could not take his stunned gaze off Obi-wan, or prevent his joyous smile. "It is good to see you well, General Kenobi. Please have a seat."

With his customary gentle smile Obi-wan accepted the invitation. "It is good to be here."

Padme sat down next to him on the loveseat, oppoiste Bail and Mon Mothma whil Garm leaned against the desk. "Have you found anything?"

Alderaan's prince consort sagged back on the couch. "Too much. The audio tape makes it sound like the Jedi did try to assassinate him. It was very believable. Luckily the holocam contradicts this. He took the Jedi unaware with his lightsaber, while acting like he had been attacked" He looked at Obi-wan for a moment before his eyes skittered away. "If I did not have faith in the integrity of the Jedi, well-" she shifted uncomfortably.

Eyes still watching the senator Obi-wan leaned back. "That was his ultimate goal: to dicredit and destroy the Jedi, making himself emperor in the process. What is more frighteing is how very close he came to succeeding." He nodded at the holo-crystal still in Bail's hand. "If that had been played in the senate-" he did not have to finish.

Moving away from the desk Garm moved behind Bail. "Smart enough to leave the Republic in chaos." He nodded respectfully to Obi-wan. "It is probably a good thing you could not take him alive. I doubt we would have been able to win. He controlled everything."

Padme leaned forward. "The question is what do we do now? How do we move back to a democracy. If we just cancel the executive orders at once we will have uncontrollable chaos."

"First we need a new chancellor."

"Maybe not," Garm was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "He has Padme down as an emergency replacement."

"Me?" For a moment Padme felt shock shoot throught her. "Why would he pick me?" But she knew. Anakin. She exchanged a quick, knowing glance with Obi-wan. It would impress Anakin, or put her in a position to be influenced by her husband. "I never wanted to be chancellor," she objected.

"Which makes you perfect," Obi-wan said. "You want to give the power back to the senate as fast as possible, without destroying what is left of the Republic."

Accepting her duty Padme reluctantly nodded once. "I am going to need time. And we need to find a way to dampen the corruption."

"You can't keep the emergency powers," Bail reminded her. "The war is over."

Obi-wan spoke up before Padme could reply. "Technically it is not. General Grevious may be dead, but the Seperatist leaders are still out there, as are the droid armies."

Smiling in disbelief Garm shook his head at the Jedi. "You should be a politician. No one would see you coming."

Padme had to bite back a laugh and stifle the urge to glance at Obi-wan. She could just imagine how horrifed that made the Jedi. After a moment her thoughts stopped as an idea hit her. She glanced at the man sitting next to her, Garm's words replaying in her mind. 'Nobody would see you coming.' That could work in their favor.

Her thoughts were cut off as senate securiety knocked and entered the office, requesting permission to start investigating the Chancellor's death. Garm straightened. "I will go with you."

Obi-wan's com-unit beeped. "Excuse me a moment." He rose and walked to the far side of the room, conversing quietly.

Once Padme was sure he was out of casual hearing range, she knew he could hear any conversation in the room if he tried, she leaned closer to Bail and Mon Mothma. "What do you think of co-chancellors?"

Both stared at her in amazement. "Co-chancellors?" Mon Mothma repeated.

Padme nodded, pulling her gaze from the Jedi to her fellow senators. "To share the burden of responsibility, at least for the next few years, until the Republic is stabilized. Someone the Republic would trust."

After a moment Bail glanced over his shoulder. Obi-wan was paying no outward attention, engaged in his own conversation. But the senator did not doubt he was completely aware of his surroundings. "The Jedi have lost much of their moral superiority during this war."

"They have also willingly given more of themselves during this war than any others. Other than the home defense forces when their individual plantes are attacked, the clones and Jedi have carried the war." Mon Mothma said thoughtfully, she could not help thinking about the holo they had just seen. "I think we have forgotten, or ignored, the high cost this war has placed on the Jedi."

For a moment all three politicians were silent until Bail spoke again. "Reality and public, or senate for that matter, opinion are not often one and the same. Not to mention the Jedi have always stayed out of the political arena Unbiased mediators has always been their position."

"That is what I am counting on," Padme said. "The holo-net has made him and Skywalker," only with the greatest of efforts did she avoid stumbling over her husband's name, "into heroes the entire galaxy looks up to. Master Kenobi is known for his cool head and ability to talk himself out of difficult situations."

Thoughtfully Mon Mothma sat up straigher. Her mind was moving through possibilities and ramifications at a speed only a life-long politician could handle. "This could work." Her questioning gaze moved to Bail.

After a long moment the Alderaanian senator nodded. "He is probably the only Jedi that would work. Now, how do we convince the senate? And Master Kenobi?" He had the distinct feeling the Jedi would be the harder of the two to convince.

Padme found her first real smile in she could not remember how long. "We do not give him the chance to decline. As for the senate, it is simply a manner of catching them in the right mood."

Bail stiffened, eyeing Padme closely. "Senator Amidala, that sounds like-"

"Like Chancellor Palpatine," the Naboo senator finished. "Despite what he was you have to admit he was the most adept political mover I have ever seen. Single-handedly he almost brought down the Republic and the Jedi. If I-we-do not project a strong presence I will accomplish nothing." Her gaze moved back to Obi-wan. "That is why I want a co-chancellor, a Jedi co-chancellor. Someone I can trust completely when I do not trust myself."

Mon Mothma and Bail Organa watched her sympathetically, but neither could say anything. They both knew the temptaions the young senator would face.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely And absolute power was what Padme Amidala would have to hold, at least in the beginning. And then she would have to willingly give it up. All three knew that some of the worst tyrants in history had started out as good, idealistic people, who knew they were right and demanded everyone acknowledge that their vision was right, ignoring the fact that all people were different and the answers for one were not necessarily the answers for others."

"We will help in any way we can," Mon Mothma at last reassured her. "Now let us discuss how to pull this off."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

His mind mercifully blank Anakin trailed silently after Yoda as they exited the air taxi at the Jedi temple. At the moment he felt nothing but a vague sense of relief that Yoada had not asked him for more details. While it felt nice to be free of the anger and overwhelming emotions, something told him that he should be concerned about his complete lack of feelings. But that just seemed like too much effort.

The sight at the formerly shielded doors almost tore his apathy from him. Dead clone troopers littered the doorway, which had been blasted open. Just inside the door lay two newly knighted Jedi: Anakin remembered taking classes with them. "How many?" He whispered, wanting desperately to escape back to thaat place of nothingness.

Yoda stood just outside the door, reaching out with his senses while the other three masters flanked him, Bant and Jocast Nu keeping a sharp llok out behind them. "Unknown. But live many do. Past the danger is. Come."

At the door Anakin paused. For the first time since he was nine years old he doubted his right to be here. Not whether or not he wished to be here, but simply if he had the right to. Only with the strongest of efforts could he push the new doubts away. He had always known he was not completely trusted, but had never seen that as his fault in any way. He was a more powerful Jedi than-

'Choose, choose the path you must.'

What should have been, had almost been, Obi-wan's dying words stopped his internal rant before the emotions could take him over again.

"Focus, Young Skywalker. Know what the temple holds we do not."

The last of Anakin's apathy fled, his senses coming alert. This was a battle situation and he slid easily, naturally into full Jedi alertness. This was what he had been born to do, been born to be. He would not allow himself to forget again.