Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.

CH. 5

"MASTER AND APPRENTICE"

Senator Amidala couldn't believe what she was seeing. The Jedi Temple was burning. The fowl stench of the fire filled her nose while the dark smoke from the towering structure lingered in the air around her, stinging her eyes. How can this be? Who is responsible for this horrible crime? she asked herself. I hope Anakin isn't there. I hope he's safe.

The former Queen of Naboo hesitantly resumed walking towards the building across the street from where she stood. It was where Obi-Wan had gone. Honestly, she was amazed she had managed to trail a skilled Jedi Knight this far without being detected. She could only assume he was so distracted and preoccupied that he was paying little attention to his surroundings and didn't notice her presence. She figured under different circumstances she probably would have been discovered much sooner, but she was thankful that she hadn't been found out yet during this particular venture.

Looking off in the distance at the Temple one last time, Padme stepped through the doors and entered the building. She wasn't sure what this place was -- a business of some sort she guessed. She had no clue what Obi-Wan would be doing here. Well, he can't very well go to the Temple right now.
She felt a great deal of despair at the thought of the Jedi Order being erased. She didn't always agree with their beliefs and philosophies on life, but they were good people. They were keepers of peace. She only wished there were more people like them in the galaxy…more people like her Ani.

The last conversation she had shared with Obi-Wan prior to their trip to Coruscant crept into her mind. Obi-Wan had told her he was going after Anakin to stop him. She couldn't believe he had lost faith in her husband so easily. After all they had been through together he should trust him more. She refused to believe the stories he had told her and it hurt her to her very core to hear the man that was like a father to Anakin say such aweful things about him.

Just then the hiss of doors opening caught her attention.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him step out of the lift. It was him! The man she loved unconditionally and would continue to love until the day she died…but there was something different about him. His face was full of anger as he stormed towards her. His eyes were cast down at the floor and he was almost to her when he finally looked up.

His expression immediately softened when he saw her. "Padme?"

"Anakin!" she couldn't help it. She ran forward, flung herself into his arms and held him tightly against her, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "Anakin, I was so worried about you!"

"Padme, what are you doing here?" he asked as he returned the hug.

Anakin Skywalker felt a wonderful sensation when he held Padme in his arms. His rage suddenly dissipated and her warmth soothed him, calming his nerves and bringing him a kind of serenity he had not felt in a long time.

"I followed Obi-Wan," she answered. "I had to see you!"

Anakin abruptly broke their embrace, startling his wife as he held her shoulder at arms length. "Obi-Wan?"

It was at this time that she realized his hand was missing. "Ani, your hand!"

"I'm fine, Padme. It's just my cybernetic replacement."

Anakin gently moved his remaining hand under Padme's chin and lifted her face to meet his – taking her gaze away from his injured arm.

"He's looking for you," she whispered in a trembling voice. "What's going on, Ani, they are saying things about you! They told me you are doing terrible things and…"

She trailed off as tears freely streamed down her cheeks. "Tell me it isn't true! Tell me and I'll believe you!"

"Padme, you have to understand what has happened," Anakin said, taking her hand in his own and tenderly caressing the top of it with his thumb. "A lot has changed since the last time I saw you."

"I don't understand."

"The Jedi have betrayed me," he explained as he stared deep into her chocolate eyes. "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me. I am helping Chancellor Palpatine restore balance to the systems and eliminate those that are causing all the turbulence within the Republic. There has been enough bloodshed, Padme, I'm going to stop it."

"What?" Padme gasped. "What are you talking about? Obi-Wan is our friend, he would never do that to us!"

"He's trying to trick you," Anakin replied. "The entire Order has been manipulating the Republic for generations. Their reign has to end to ensure the future is free of greed and oppression."

"No! You are talking about killing thousands of people," she exclaimed, recoiling in fear and disbelief. "Palpatine has created an empire! How can there be balance under a dictatorship?"

Anakin moved forward to touch her. His face fell when she took a step back to keep a distance between them. "You're afraid of me."

"I just want you to come back with me," Padme pleaded. "We can leave everything behind! I just want to be with you – nothing else matters…"

"I have to – "

Anakin was interrupted as Padme quickly moved forward and took his hand in both of hers. "You don't have to do anything, Ani. You can't justify killing thousands of people."

"You sound just like them," he growled, pulling his hand away from her grasp. "Don't you turn against me too."

"Anakin!"

They both turned when they heard a voice call out from behind them. A stunned Obi-Wan Kenobi stood just outside the same lift Anakin had been on. "Padme?"

"Leave us alone!" Anakin shouted.

"Padme, are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked, skeptically watching his old apprentice.

"Of course I am, Obi-Wan," was Padme's sharp response. "Please go!"

Obi-Wan slowly began moving towards the couple. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Senator."

Vader glared at his former Master as he cautiously approached them. I should have finished him off when I had the chance, he told himself. He has always caused problems for me. Now he is trying to steal Padme from me!

Using the Force to call his lightsaber to his hand, Darth Vader's weapon was ignited the second it reached his awaiting palm.

"What are you doing?" Padme was clearly taken aback by his threatening movement.

Obi-Wan stood in a defensive position, suddenly fully aware that he had lost his own lightsaber when he was hurled over the edge of the building during his previous encounter with Anakin. "Stay back, Padme."

"She has nothing to fear from me," Vader remarked. "You are the one who should be afraid."

"Stop this!" Padme cried out.

Her outburst grabbed Vader's attention and he turned around to face her. Obi-Wan took the opportunity to use the Force to strike against him and knocked him back towards a wall.

Padme watched in horror as he hit the wall and smashed through it. "Anakin!"

She started to run to the hole he had made in the cement, but was stopped by a strong hand that wrapped around her wrist.

"Come on, we have to go," Obi-Wan said as he pulled her after him.

"Let me go, Obi-Wan!" Padme defiantly ordered, resisting his hold on her. "I can't just leave him alone like this!"

Obi-Wan literally had to drag her through the doors and out to the street. "There is no time to argue!"

Vader began to stir and let out a painful groan. He opened his eyes and it took a moment for them to focus – his blurred vision accompanied by a throbbing headache. What happened? he asked himself. Where am I? What's going on?

He was disoriented as he pushed himself up from the ground with his one hand and climbed to his feet, dust and small pieces of cement falling from his hair and cloak in the process. Then he remembered…

Obi-Wan.

He stared at the gaping hole he had created in the wall and his blood began to boil. He clenched his fist and allowed the anger to fill him, the dark side growing stronger within the depths of his soul.

She turned against me too, he thought. She is supposed to love me! No, she loved Anakin…he is gone. What was left of him died when she turned her back on him, just as the Jedi did. I am Vader – now and forever.

Darth Sidious stood on the landing platform while he waited for his new apprentice to arrive. It wasn't long before he spotted his ship descending from high above in the sky. He grinned at the memory of Vader's confirmation regarding the Jedi Temple. It had been destroyed. They had discussed it only an hour earlier and he knew that with the Jedi out of the way his goal would be that much easier to accomplish. He had chosen well when he decided to take Anakin Skywalker as his apprentice.

He approached the ship after it landed and Darth Vader greeted his Master with a respectful bow of his head once he stepped out onto the platform.

"Welcome back, Lord Vader," Sidious was the first to speak. "I trust your trip was comfortable?"

"Yes, my Master." Vader replied.

Sidious studied the face of his young apprentice and smiled. Vader was fuming. Good, he thought to himself. His rage will only strengthen him. Yes, I chose well with this one…

"Is something troubling you, Lord Vader?" Sidious asked.

"Padme left me," was Vader's blunt answer. "Obi-Wan turned her against me."

Sidious faked compassion as he shook his head in understanding. "The Jedi are not to be trusted. In time we will resolve these matters and the Jedi problem will be taken care of indefinitely."

Turning his attention to Vader's missing limb, Sidious used the Force to snatch the lightsaber from the belt of his apprentice. "I see Kenobi was victorious this time."

Vader glared at his Master. "He will not be so lucky the next time we meet."

"I would surely hope not," Sidious said as he handed the weapon back to its owner. "It is customary for a Sith Lord to construct his own lightsaber, but I felt it would be acceptable to make an exception just this once. I knew you would need it…you have been rather busy as of late. And after all, tradition isn't everything."

"Yes, Master."

"Come," Sidious ordered, turning to leave. "We have much to do and a short amount of time to do it in. We will need to replace your hand and get you back to your duties as soon as possible."

"Of course, Master," Vader replied. "Oh, and Master, one more thing…"

"Yes?"

Sidious turned back around to face Vader just as he plunged his crimson lightsaber into his chest. His eyes flew open in shock and his lips quivered, his mind failing to form any coherent thoughts as the life drained out of him. He attempted to speak, but to no avail.

"If I no longer need to save Padme, I no longer need your help."

Vader switched his lightsaber off and watched Darth Sidious drop to his knees before crumbling to the ground in a lifeless heap.