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

CH. 7

"REUNION"

Suddenly, everything became clear to him…

Darkness was replaced by light.

Yellow turned back to its natural blue -- Skywalker still existed.

What have I done to you? Please don't go, Padme, he silently pleaded. I didn't mean to…forgive me. I can't lose you like this. You can't leave me like this!

He was left in a daze as he felt the presence of Darth Vader fade away. The reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks…he had considered killing Padme. How could he have ever thought such a thing? How could he ever…

It wasn't me -- it was Vader! I would never do anything to harm her!

He stared down at her as fresh tears burned in his eyes.

No, I will not hide behind excuses. I know what I have done.

Turning to the door, he called out to a nearby clone trooper. "You! Deliver a message for me. Contact my delegates and instruct them to arrange an emergency meeting with the Senate. Do it now."

"Right away, sir."

Anakin awoke in a cold sweat. His eyes fluttered open, but quickly snapped back shut when a blinding pain shot through his temple.

Bad idea, he told himself. Where am I?

Slowly cracking his eyes open a second time, he glanced around and found himself in somewhat familiar surroundings. From what he could see he was in some kind of an infirmary – one quite similar to the one he had taken Padme to after…

Now is not the time to dwell on that. I need to find out what happened and where I am.

He groggily sat up from the bed he lay in and warily inspected the room.

I must be back on Coruscant.

He noticed that the white walls of the cramped room he was in held a striking resemblance to the medical facilities he had been a resident of on more than one occasion during his time there. As far as he could tell, that was where he was.

Once his swimming head finally began to clear, memories of Obi-Wan and General Grievous flooded his mind.

I suppose I must have escaped. And what of Obi-Wan – is he still alive?

Then he remembered the last time he had seen his old Master. They had been in the hangar of Grievous' ship when they were attacked by a group of droidekas.

"Destroyers," he muttered to himself as he tossed the sheets to the bed aside and lowered his feet to the floor. The metallic ground was cold against his bare skin, but he ignored the shiver it sent through his body and hurriedly started for the nearest exit.

"You mustn't be up so soon, Knight Skywalker, you need your rest."

"Huh?" he whipped around just in time to spot a medical droid drift into the room.

"Your body requires more time to recover from its injuries," it ranted on, stopping mere inches in front of him. "They must be properly tended to if you wish to recuperate in a timely fashion."

"Don't worry, I'm a fast healer," he retorted with an aggravated expression. "Where are my robes?"

The droid hovered across the room to a small table and gestured towards a neatly folded tunic that had been set out on it. "You were not expected to regain consciousness for quite some time. However, these were left for you incase of an early awakening."

"Thanks."

Anakin ignored the droid as it continued to speak of various precautions and protocols he would be wise to follow -- staying in its position directly behind him while he hastily dressed himself.

"How long have I been here?" he interrupted the bantering droid, slipping into the last of the traditional Jedi robes that had been laid out. "What day is it?"

"You have been in our facilities for nearly two standard days now," it instantly responded. "You spent most of your stay isolated in a restoration chamber."

"You mean a bacta tank?" he questioned.

"Why, yes."

Moving away from the inseparable droid, he resumed his previous course and once again made his way towards the doors that led out of the room. Just as they slid open he stopped in the doorway, not bothering to turn around when he spoke. "And what of Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"Master Kenobi suffered only minor injuries that have already been treated," the droid answered. "He sustained several bruised and cracked ribs, but nothing life threatening."

Anakin remained where he was for a moment before stepping out into the hall.

"Knight Skywalker…"

"What?"

"May I ask where you are going?"

"Away from Coruscant," was his simple reply.

Without another word, he disappeared down the long hallway.

Padme Amidala strode down the hall, sipping from a mug of steaming tea while thoughts of her husband ran through her mind. She hoped the refreshment would give her the extra boost she desperately needed to stay awake. The Senator of Naboo had finally been coaxed into leaving his bedside to replenish herself – having not eaten much in the last several hours. She had to admit she did feel better physically, but emotionally she still felt drained. She knew that feeling would not dissipate anytime soon.

Besides being deprived of food, she had not slept in what seemed like days and she found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. She quickly took another drink from the mug and continued on her way.

She was both anxious and reluctant to return to Anakin's room. She couldn't help but fear what or whom he would be when he did come to – Jedi or Sith, Anakin or Vader. A feeling of despair formed in the pit of her stomach as she thought of the latter. She knew it was possible that her Ani could be back, but Obi-Wan had informed her of his hostile behavior during their last encounter and she couldn't just ignore his warning…but that didn't stop her from praying that he had indeed returned to her.

When the doors to the infirmary slid open, Padme was greeted by the same medical droid that had previously been watching over her wounded husband.

"Miss Padme, welcome back."

She opened her mouth to speak, but something else caught her attention before she could reply. "Anakin!"

His bed was empty.

"Where is Knight Skywalker?" she frantically asked, eyes darting around the room and finding no trace of him.

"Jedi Knight Skywalker just left," the droid answered.

"Where did he go?"

"He didn't give any details, but he was very adamant about getting 'away from Coruscant', I believe were his exact words."

Padme's mug dropped to the ground, shattering and spilling hot tea on the silver floor.

"Oh dear," she could faintly hear the droid as she turned and raced down the narrow hallway towards the facilities hangar. She knew if he wanted to leave he would need transportation -- and if he was in fact wanting to depart quickly he would waste no time in acquiring whatever he desired. It only made sense he would commandeer something from the closest supply of ships.

She reached her destination within a matter of mere minutes. Quickly searching the seemingly unoccupied hangar, it only took her a moment to spot a lone figure walking towards a vacant starfighter. Her heart fluttered when she saw him…

"Anakin!" the shout escaped her lips before she could give it a second thought.

The figure instantly spun around to face the source of the call. A mixture of shock and disbelief covered his face once he saw her standing the short distance that separated them, watching him with an expression that matched his own. "Padme?"

The Senator felt an overwhelming sensation at the sight of his crystal blue eyes. Love, longing, understanding…but most of all; hope.

He appeared to be almost concerned for her. "Padme, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she retorted, miraculously keeping her voice from cracking when she spoke. "Were you just going to go? Just going to leave without saying anything?"

"What do you want me to say?" the bitterness in his tone stung her.

"Anything," she said as tears welled up in her chocolate eyes. She knew she would not be able to hold them back for long. "Ani, I want to talk to you. I won't let you give up so easily."

His hardened features visibly softened and he diverted his sorrowful orbs from her own compassionate gaze before speaking again. "It is too late for repentance, Padme…I have failed you. I have failed all of you."

"How can you say that?" she questioned, slowly moving across the hangar towards him. "You saved Obi-Wan! You gave up the Empire and restored peace to the Republic!"

Anakin took a step away from his wife as she approached, surprising her enough to stop her in her place. "Anakin, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Just stay back," he warned her.

"Why? Ani, I'm not afraid…"

"You should be," he said as he moved back another step. "You're not safe as long as I'm here."

"What do you mean? Let me help you, Anakin," Padme pleaded, silent tears now streaking down her cheeks. "You don't have to do this alone."

"You don't understand!" he exclaimed. "I was going to kill you! All of you! Just like I killed Master Windu!"

Padme shook her head in denial. "No. Obi-Wan told me himself – Palpatine killed Master Windu, not you."

"Is that what Qui-Gon told him?" Anakin asked in disgust. "That I am innocent? If I hadn't interfered, Palpatine would have been at Master Windu's mercy. I might not have taken his life with the blade of my lightsaber, but I did murder him."

"You can't – "

"Don't you see, Padme? I told myself I was doing everything for you -- anything I could do to stop my visions from coming true -- but in the end I was willing to let you die. I was even willing to do it myself! To end the life of the very person I was trying to protect just so I could hold onto my power!"

Padme's lips quivered and her hands trembled as she watched tears of pure pain fall from the eyes of the man she loved. "I let the dark side consume me…it still does."

"Then why did you give up the Empire?" she defiantly questioned, refusing to accept his logic and reasoning.

"For you," was his blunt response. "When I finally understood what I was doing…when I was actually going to hurt you…it wasn't until I saw you on the ground that I realized I might lose you. I could never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Ani, I – "

"I have to go," he cut her off before she could finish, painstakingly tearing his attention away from her and turning to leave. "I'm sorry."

Padme moved to follow him -- barely managing to contain the sobs that threatened to escape her -- but a set of doors suddenly flew open and distracted her before she was able to reach him. She was stunned to see a group of enemy soldiers enter the hangar.

"Battle droids!"