Chapter Three

Anakin sprinted anxiously to his wife, silently praying that she was alright because blaster fire could still be heard from her direction. To his relief, he could see her crouched under a chair, protectively covering her stomach. He took a deep breath and ignited his light saber.

Suddenly, the assassin stopped firing and ran from the room. Without skipping a beat, Anakin quickly followed the assassin, intent on making him pay for trying to harm Padme. As soon as Anakin entered the hallway, it seemed as if the assassin had disappeared into thin air. There was no trace or sign of him anywhere and Anakin dejectedly deactivated his light saber. Besides, Padme had to be his first priority. Once his anger wore off, his only thought was to get to her and make sure she was alright.

He re-entered the now crowded room. There were so many faces that he barely recognized, and he thought he saw Palpatine faintly off in the distance somewhere, but at the moment, that wasn't what was important. He waded through the fog of people searching for only one face and trying desperately to maintain a calm composure. The only image going through his mind was of her face in the dream he had had. There was pain and she was crying out for him. His heart beat and his pace quickened at that thought. No…she was safe, she was safe. The assassin had disappeared.

Relief crept upon him the second her face came into view. He tried his best to remain calm and stopped his feet from running to her because in the back of mind, he knew he couldn't give them away.

Instead of sprinting to where she sat, he walked slowly over to her and bent down to see her face more clearly. She seemed alright physically. There was no blood visible or tears in her dress. She seemed to be ok.

"Are you alright, milady? That was quite a scare."

Padme lifted her head and sighed deeply at the very welcome sight of him. "Yes. I'm fine. Everything is fine."

Anakin's eyes closed briefly in relief and he squeezed her hand before releasing it quickly. "Perhaps I should escort you back to your apartment."

The sparkle in her eyes that he loved so much returned and she smiled softly. "I think that would be wonderful. I always feel safe around you."

Anakin grinned before helping her stand and alerted a few around them he would be taking the Senator safely back to her apartment. Before he could do anything else, his gaze hardened the moment his eyes locked with the man he hated more than anything. Bail Organa strode up to them carefully, but could not hide the smug smile on his face.

"Well, that certainly was a close one, wasn't it?"

Padme smiled icily while Anakin flung daggers with his eyes. Padme sensed the obvious tension between the two men and quickly decided to end it before either of them made a scene.

"Jedi Skywalker…I thought you were going to escort me to my apartment?"

Bail's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Yes, I'm sure with all the excitement around here you're both very…well…excited."

Anakin took a step forward, nostrils and anger flaring. Padme quickly took him by the arm and led him around Bail but not before Anakin could growl his reply: "She could have been killed you cold-hearted bastard."

With that, Anakin turned back, his attention returned to the safety of Padme and their unborn child.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine sat down in his office. He rested his head in his hands in deep thought. He began to nod his head in self-satisfaction at the action he had taken that day. He had been trying to get rid of Senator Amidala for over two years because she never failed to cause him trouble. It seemed that every movement or bill he tried to pass, she always found some way to counter him and persuade other Senators to share her view. She had certainly caused him well over her fair share of headaches which was precisely why he had decided to get rid of her. But now…she was an asset to him. Anakin was attached to her. Palpatine had always known that Anakin had feelings for her; he had just underestimated how strong those feelings were. Yes…he had stroked Anakin's mind with the force and found his answer. Wife. Senator Amidala was really Padme Naberrie Skywalker.

Yes…the Senator was going to be very useful in persuading Anakin to join him. The seeds had already been planted that day. Anakin had practically handed himself to him on a platter by telling him about the dream. It was going to be so easy. And he was going to enjoy every second of it.

Palpatine's calculations were boldly interrupted by none other than Bail Organa. Bail quickly closed the door behind him and sat down across from Palpatine.

"Did anyone see you, Senator?"

Bail shook his head.

"Good. Now tell me everything you've discovered…"

Anakin rubbed Padme's shoulders comfortingly but couldn't stop her from shaking. He quickly led her to a chair and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I thought it was over, Anakin. I thought the attempts had stopped. I didn't think that…"

"Sshhh….it's ok. I'm here. You don't have anything to be afraid of. I'd never let anything ever happen to you or the baby."

Padme nodded and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "I know…it's just that...I never thought it would happen again. I was so scared that something would happen to the baby and we'd never get to see him or her. I…" She couldn't finish and threw herself back into his arms and let him hold her while she sobbed.

Anakin caressed her hair soothingly in an attempt to appear like the calm protector, but inwardly, he was seething and scared out of his mind at the same time. Someone had dared to try to hurt her. Someone had scared her so badly that she was in his arms sobbing uncontrollably. That person was going to pay. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her.

As he held her, his thoughts drifted back to a certain conversation shortly before he had gotten the scare of his life.

"There is a power, a very strong power that can be used to prevent death."

"Is it possible to learn this power?"

"Not from a Jedi."

Anakin swallowed nervously. He knew he was treading on dangerous territory. If he went down that path, there was no going back. He knew no Jedi would help him. And what he would have to do would be against everything he had ever been taught. But for Padme, for their child, he was willing to do whatever it took to keep them safe and alive.

He couldn't let her die. Not when she was the only thing that mattered. The only one who really understood him. Not when she was carrying his child. Not when he loved her more than anything.

No…whatever the Chancellor knew about this power, he was going to find out and he was going to use it to save Padme.

Padme awoke several hours later, grateful that her headache had subsided in her sleep. She immediately surveyed the room, searching for only one person, but he wasn't there. She needed him now more than she had ever needed anyone. That day she had thought she would surely die and take her unborn child with her. She had never been so scared in her entire life. Her child had been in real danger that day. It was a feeling she had never experienced before and definitely didn't like it. Yes, her maternal instincts were in high gear but being scared for the life of one's child is the worst feeling a mother can feel. She wouldn't have cared if she died if it meant her child could live.

And Anakin…he had been just as scared as she had been. It was a look that she rarely saw from the fearless warrior. The terror in his eyes was unmistakable. She knew he had been trying to stay calm for both her and the unknowing people in the room but she could see the conflict within him. And then Bail had shown up. She had thought Anakin would tear him limb for limb right in front of everyone. She knew she shouldn't have told him what Bail said to her. It would only fuel the hatred he hid so horribly.

She sighed. He was definitely not in their bedroom. She went further into the apartment and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally found him sitting in a chair. Then as she saw the look that etched his face, her brow furrowed in worry. What was wrong now? Something was truly troubling him and she knew it wasn't just everything with Bail. There was something he wasn't telling her and she hated that he felt he couldn't be completely honest with her. She knew that he was just trying to protect her in his own way, but if it involved her, she deserved to know.

"Anakin? Are you alright?"

His eyes shot open and took in the sight of her. Even in her rumpled clothes, she still took his breath away. A soft smile played on his lips and he rose to take her in his arms.

"I'm fine, angel."

"No...I know something's wrong. I know there's something you're keeping from me. Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."

Anakin sighed and gazed into the soulful brown eyes he loved so much. Perhaps it was only a matter of time until she found out anyways. Maybe it would even make her more cautious since she would be aware of the threat to her life. Not like she hadn't already figured that out that day but any precaution was still necessary.

"I don't know how to tell you this."

"Then just tell me. I can handle it, Anakin."

He smiled faintly. "I know you can. You're the strongest person I know, Padme. I just want you to know I'm not telling you this to scare you."

She nodded, prompting him to continue.

"I had a nightmare last night. It was so horrible. All I saw was your face. You were in so much pain, you were crying out to me…Padme, you were dying. And there was nothing I could do about. I could only watch."

Tears began to fall down his face and she gently wiped them from his eyes. He took her hand and loving kissed it before returning it to his face.

"Anakin, it was only a dream."

"You remember the dream I had about my mother before she died?"

"Yes, but you forget that she was already suffering. She was already dying, Anakin. I'm not. I'm perfectly fine. We're perfectly fine. It was just a dream. Not all dreams come true."

He nodded slowly, marveling at the way she handled his revelation and realizing the truth in her statements. What she said certainly made sense. It could be just a dream. But he wasn't going to take that chance.

Without saying a word, he pulled her in his arms and held her as tightly as he could. Nothing was going to take her away from him. She was his. Forever. And nothing was going to change that.