Chapter Five

Anakin shifted his head on the extremely uncomfortable bed in the Temple. It had been a long time since he had spent a night there and he hoped he wouldn't have to do it again any time soon. Staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to his wife and their argument. He wasn't even sure if it counted as an argument because he wasn't sure if they had even argued. Padme had just exploded at him and he didn't even know what he had said that was so horrible. He had his duties and he had to carry them out no what the surrounding circumstances. Padme's mood swings…her emotions always in high gear…he didn't stand a chance around her.

He sighed and rolled onto his side. Reaching out with the Force, he found Padme's still soothing presence and winced when he realized she was crying. And it was all his fault. He realized that she had her duties too and she had to carry them out as well. When they first married, they had both understood the importance of their careers and she had never once asked him to leave the Order even for a second. He sighed…what a jerk he was…he knew that first thing the next morning, he was going to find her and beg her to forgive him for being so insensitive.

His thoughts drifted back to what Padme had asked him to do. Stay away from Palpatine…he had no idea where that was coming from. Palpatine was a friend, someone he felt he could confide in, and now, someone that could help him save Padme's life. And even if he wanted to, he couldn't end his assignment with Palpatine until the Council allowed it. Besides, he had thought that Padme had considered Palpatine a friend as well. Maybe it was just her hormones talking, maybe she was just overreacting on a feeling she had. Yes…that was it. Nothing to worry about.

The next morning, Anakin quickly dressed and hurried out of the Temple before anyone could notice him. Before he knew it, he was on the doorstep of his wife's apartment. He knocked and hoped for the best.

Sabe flung open the door and sighed in relief at the sight of Anakin. "It's good you're here. She didn't sleep at all last night."

Anakin nodded quickly and immediately entered the apartment, his eyes searching for her familiar form. When he didn't see her in the sitting room, his worry escalated and he quickly entered their bedroom. He found her sitting on their bed, her back facing him and he could see her shoulders trembling.

"Padme…"

She turned and he bit his lip at the sight of fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. He quickly sat next to her on the bed and gathered her in his arms.

"It's ok now. Let's forget about." He whispered soothingly into her ear.

She shook her head and turned to look at him. "No, I was wrong to snap at you like that. And I was wrong to kick you out."

"And I was wrong to ask you to take a vacation. I know you can't leave now and I respect that. I just want you and our child to be safe, ok?"

She nodded and hugged him tightly. "I know. Everything you do is to protect me. Even though you shouldn't have done it, I know you were doing what you thought was best. You always do."

He smiled and kissed her deeply. "I forgive you if you forgive me."

She smiled brightly and kissed him again. "Deal."

Her face fell when she remembered one very important detail. "Anakin, I know you can't completely stay away from him, but I really believe that you should be careful around Palpatine."

Anakin looked at her with a perplexed expression and this prodded her to continue.

"I know we haven't really talked about it before but there's something about Palpatine that rubs me the wrong way. He makes me feel uneasy whenever I'm in a room with him. He just has this look on his face like he's constantly plotting something bad, like he's calculating his next move. I don't like it, Anakin. And now that you're spending so much time with him, that really worries me. I just don't want you to be corrupted by him somehow. Please, just promise me you'll be careful."

He sighed and nodded his head in agreement. "I'll do the best I can. I just don't understand, I thought you considered him a friend."

"I did, but lately, he seems very strange, like he's hiding something. I don't know what it is and I'm not sure I want you to be the one to find out."

He nodded again and hugged her tightly to him. "I promise I'll be careful. Just promise me you will be too, ok?"

She smiled softly and kissed him lightly before replying: "I will."

He smiled back at her, feeling much better about everything. But there was still one thing that he knew he couldn't let go of. There was still something that needed to be done to make sure that she was going to be completely safe.

"Padme, I have to leave now. I have to go with the Chancellor to some meeting that he wants me to attend with him. It's going to be long and boring and I'd much rather be here with you but…"

She smiled. "I know, I know. Just remember what you promised me. And if you don't come straight home when you're done…"

He chuckled and kissed her hand. "I know what you'll do to me if you don't…hey!"

She swatted him lightly and crossed her arms across her chest in mock anger. "Just go."

He laughed one more time before closing the door behind him, leaving Padme to wonder what would happen once the laughter subsided.

Anakin walked briskly up to the Chancellor's office, mentally preparing himself for the boredom he would be subjected to. He was about to knock but stopped when he heard voices from the Chancellor's office. That was interesting…he had thought that he was supposed to arrive for everyone else. He checked the time, no…he wasn't late. Padme's words about the Chancellor echoed in his head and he knew he needed to investigate this further.

Before he could even enter the room, the door opened, revealing Senator Bail Organa. Anakin's hands clenched in anger at the sight of the man he hated more than anything. Bail just smiled, somewhat nervously, and walked away a little too quickly.

Anakin narrowed his eyes as he watched his wife's ex-fiancé retreating form. Something wasn't right. He definitely didn't like even being within ten feet of Organa, but seeing him come out of the Chancellor's office like that…was more than suspicious. He turned at a friendly, familiar voice that called to him from within the office.

"Anakin? What are you doing out there? Come in, come in."

Anakin obliged the Chancellor and took a seat across from him after the Chancellor gestured for him to do so. His eyes shifted uncomfortably from object in the room to the next, for he didn't know how to act around the Chancellor after Padme's words of caution.

"What's troubling you, Anakin? You seemed very shaken to see Senator Organa just now. Is everything alright?"

Anakin nodded unconvincingly and Palpatine knew to pry further. "But something is going on. I'm a friend, Anakin. You know that you can trust me with whatever is going on."

This time, Anakin's agreement was more than obvious. Throwing Padme's caution out the window, Anakin felt that deep down, the Chancellor, Palpatine, truly was a good friend.

"It's Organa, if you didn't already guess that. It has a lot to do with Senator Amidala actually."

Palpatine leaned forward in his seat, more than intrigued by this new development. "Yes, I know you and Senator Amidala became good friends after the attacks on her life two years ago. I'm sure your dislike for Senator Organa roots back to the days when he used to be betrothed to Senator Amidala."

Anakin nodded furiously, ready to unleash his frustrations. "That's not even the half of it. Pad-Senator Amidala told me later that he said horrible things to her. He called her a whore, told her that if she did anything to stop the wedding, he would make her pay. I just want to…"

Palpatine frowned in concern. "You're very angry about this, aren't you? You know, I agree with the way you feel. Senator Organa had no right to treat her that way. I've been suspicious of him ever since those rumors started about him being corrupt and betraying the Senate. There's no evidence for this, of course, but hearing this now makes me even more sure that he's corrupt. Something needs to be done, we just need more evidence."

Anakin moved to stand by the window, his thoughts occupied by more than Organa.

"There's something else bothering me."

"Yes?"

"It's Padme. I'm beginning to think that the dream I had is all too real. The assassination attempt recently was proof of that. I need to learn this power you spoke of. I need to learn how to keep Padme from dying."

Palpatine nodded with a knowing smile and stood to join Anakin by the window. "I will teach you what you wish to know. We will speak again after this meeting is over."

Anakin nodded and they took their place as the meeting was about to begin neither noticing Obi-Wan's worried, yet somber face.