FORGIVABLE SINNERS
By Laura-chan
Summary: What if Anakin never had dreams of Padmé dying? Would he have fallen in the Sith's grasp? In this AU of RotS Anakin and Padmé, while trying to end the war, struggle to keep secret their relationship, even with their two children, Luke and Leia.
Time: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. AU
Rating: R or M
Pairing: Anakin/Padmé, my favorite.
Warnings: This story is rated R/M for a reason; in future chapters there will be strong scenes.
Also, don't mind too much my mistakes, please - I'm Italian and English is not my first language.
AN: I know I said I wouldn't update for a week, but I wanted to post this chapter before going to Paris (I'll leave this evening)… so, enjoy this extremely long chapter (by my standards)!
CHAPTER 4
Anakin Skywalker sighed, frustrated.
As he leaned against the speeder, he cursed silently his master: they'd been for a week on Yavin two and they had found nothing about General Grievous.
He moved his gaze toward Obi-wan, who had been trying for half an hour to fix the change gear of his speeder: said person, hearing him sigh, turned his head and stared at him, a frown on his bearded face.
"Anakin, if you're so bored, you could help, me, you know?" he said ironically. "After all, YOU are the one who is good at these things."
The younger Jedi rolled his eyes to the sky, like asking someone up there to end this torture, and went to the other speeder: after busying himself with some gears for a few minutes, he pulled his now dirty hands out of the engine and said flatly.
"Done."
"Already?" Obi-wan asked, taken aback. Then, he glared murderously at his former padawan.
"Why didn't you help me before?"
"Because you were too funny to watch, Master."
"You're really going to be my end."
Both laughed, the mood lighter than it was before.
Anakin watched around, noting not for the first time how Yavin two resembled Naboo: they both were very green and full of trees and lakes, even if while Naboo was joyous, Yavin was misterious. He liked this: Naboo and Yavin were so completely different from Tatooine, that it was not difficult to forget his childhood in places like those.
"Anakin?"
He shook himself out of his reveries and mounted on his speeder.
"And now, Master?"
Obi-wan sighed: "I think we better go to Yavin four: you were right, Grievous is not around here."
The other Jedi grinned in triumph.
"See, I told you: you should listen to me, Master."
"Now, now." Obi-wan shook a finger at him "Don't get cocky, kid."
"Kid?" Anakin stared at him with his mouth wide open: Obi-wan hadn't called him a kid since…well, since he was 12! And now, being 23, he didn't appreciated being called 'kid'.
"Well, for me, you ARE a kid, you know?" smirked Obi-wan
'Checkmate.' Anakin thought, mumbling something incomprehensible to his master.
Obi-wan laughed. "Come on, Anakin: let's go to the spaceport. We still have a mission."
Jobal Naberrie smiled happily when she saw her two daughters sitting on a blanket in the garden behind the house with her granddaughters: it had been Padmé's idea to go on a picnic, to get re-acquainted with her sister and get to know better her nieces.
A mother couldn't be more glad to see her family united and happy.
Jobal had been relieved to see her younger daughter come back home safe and had inwardly thanked Queen Jamillia who had convinced her to do it.
She couldn't help but notice the large belly Padmé now showed: she saw how Padmé caressed her stomach and how her eyes softened when talking about her pregnancy or about children.
Jobal's hands fisted: who could have done this to her daughter?
She had tried asking Padmé, but she wouldn't say anything, only smile and telling her not to worry.
"Don't worry, mum." She had said softly. "Nothing is wrong. I love these children and…"
Padmé had never ended that statement.
Did she mean she loved also the man who had got her pregnant?
The woman shook her head, sighing: she, better than anyone, knew how stubborn her daughter could be.
But, as she watched her played with her nieces, she had never see her look so peaceful and happy. If this pregnancy were something bad and unwanted, then she wouldn't look so calm.
Jobal didn't know what do to: she wanted to force Padmé to tell her who the father was and why had he abandoned her. Because she was sure he had left her daughter, leaving her to raise two children alone... otherwise he would be there, asking Padmé's hand in marriage.
A cough made her turn: she saw a figure standing in the kitchen.
"Zak!" she exclaimed, a grin across her face.
"Hello, Aunt." A handsome dark-haired man chuckled.
"It's been a long time since I've last seen you." Jobal embraced him tightly.
Zak Lumennie had been a friend of the Naberrie family since Padmé was a toddler and he a 5-years old young boy full of life. When they were little, they were inseparable.
After, Padmé became Queen and Senator, while Zak went to the Military Academy, where he was currently working.
"At the Academy they gave me a week of permit…I've heard from my mother that Padmé was back and I wanted to see her." Zak smirked charmingly, but was confused when Jobal just smiled weakly.
"She's in the garden with Sola and the children…see?" the woman said, pointing to a window.
The grin on Zak's face disappeared when he saw Padmé bulging stomach.
"What…? Aunt, is she…?" he was almost afraid to ask.
"Yes, she's pregnant." Jobal confirmed.
"But… I didn't know she got married…"
"Because she isn't." Jobal answered calmly.
Now Zak was really confused, switching his eyes from Padmé, to Jobal, then to Padmé again.
"She's not…?"
"About 4 months ago, when she was still at Coruscant, she contacted us and told us, Ruwee and me, that we were going to become grandparents again." She shook her head and mumbled.
"She still hadn't let us know who the father is."
It was a bit too much for poor Zak.
"You don't even know who the father is?" he exclaimed.
"She wouldn't tell us." Jobal looked at him "What can we do? I can't force her to tell me if she doesn't want."
Zak tried to be united with the older woman, but inside he was devastated: he had loved Padmè since always… and now she was pregnant with a child that wasn't his. He wanted to hide in a corner and cry, but his pride wouldn't allow it.
When his mother had told him that Padmé was back on Naboo, he hadn't lost time to ask a permit to go and see her: he had finally gathered enough courage to ask her father if he could marry her and now all his hopes had vanished.
He felt hollow inside.
Meanwhile, Jobal was sobbing, her face hidden in her hands.
"It's not suitable for a woman like Padmé to have a child out of wedlock… if someone could ask her hand and take the child as his own… oh, that would be wonderful!"
After a moment, Zak smiled.
So, there was still a way to make Padmé his.
Anakin smirked victoriously.
Finally, after another week of meticulous researches, they had found him.
Like Anakin had predicted, Grievous had found Yavin four to be the perfect place to stay hidden, while waiting for orders: he had gathered a powerful and numerous army of droids and was training them to be great killer machines.
Currently, Anakin and Obi-wan were watching from a mountain far from the camp the movements of the army and of Grievous, who was walking back and forth in front of lines of droids with blasters in their arms.
"This is worrisome." Obi-wan murmured, passing the binoculars to Anakin. "If an army so well equipped were to attack Coruscant, we'll be in great danger: the Jedi won't be enough, and the clones are spread all over the galaxy."
"We have to inform immediately the Council." Stated Anakin, putting down the binoculars.
They moved back to their camp and connected with the Council: not all the Jedi Masters were there, but Mace Windu, Shaak Ti and Yoda listened attentively to what the two Jedi had to say.
"If things are like that…" began Shaak Ti "…then we need to destroy them as soon as possible: before they are ready to attack."
"Dangerous the situation is, now." Confirmed Yoda. "Cautious, we have to be."
The other Masters nodded. Mace Windu turned his head to the hologram in the centre of the Council Room.
"Obi-wan, Anakin, continue monitoring their actions: we need to know more."
"It will be done." Obi-wan nodded.
"May the Force be with you." Said Mace Windu, closing the communication.
They stayed for a moment in complete silence, both meditating what to do next.
"Master, I think we need to get closer."
"Closer?" asked Obi-wan, not understanding.
"Yes. It's dangerous, but it's the only way we have to get to know who really is behind this: who is the Dark Sith Lord. We have to get in the fortress."
The fortress Anakin was talking about was an enormous yellowish building in which Grievous sometimes entered; every time he got out of it, he would bark orders.
Obi-wan thought it over for a few minutes, while his friend was waiting anxiously the verdict.
"We'll have to really careful." In the end the older jedi admitted. "But I agree that is the only way we have to get to know more."
Jedi know of ways to become invisible, if they want to. In fact, none of the droids noticed two dark shadows moving behind them, hoods and mantles concealing their looks.
Anakin and Obi-wan moved in a never ending and puzzling labyrinth of passages and halls, some empty, some full of battle droids: finally, they arrived in a circular balcony, with a hole to the centre that allowed to see below.
Peaking from the balcony, they found themselves over a huge round room with a seat in the centre.
It was there that they found General Grievous.
"My Lord." He was saying, bowing lightly his head to an hologram before him.
"Ah, my loyal friend. What news?" answered the cloaked figure in front of him, in an elderly voice.
"Very good, Lord Sidious. We are finally ready to attack: our army is efficient e totally operative."
The lord of the Sith smirked. "Perfect. The Senate is almost completely in my hands, apart from those idealistic like Amidala and Organa." He spat the names like they were foul things and Anakin recoiled at the disgust that was directed to his wife. "And the Jedi Council do no suspect anything: they all will be killed."
"But Master… you said you wanted another apprentice after the death of Count Dooku."
"Ah, yes… There are always two Sith. Well, I have one in mind: the young Skywalker."
Anakin wasn't able to suppress a gasp as he felt his master's hand on his forearm; but Darth Sidious continued.
"He is powerful and full of rage, which will take him to the Dark Side. And he has a weakness: his wife."
The young Jedi couldn't breath: his hands were clammy, cold sweat beading his forehead, his mouth opening and widening without a sound.
'How can he possibly know? How?' he repeated in his headlike a mantra.
He could feel Obi-wan's eyes glare at him.
"Wait for the signal, Lord Grievous: only then, you'll attack."
And with that, Darth Sidious vanished.
The two Jedi did too.
"Wife!" roared Obi-wan, when they returned back at their camp. "You are married to Padmé!"
"How do you know it's Padmé?" the young Jedi asked defensively.
"You have loved her since you were ten and she fourteen." Obi-wan scoffed.
There was a minute of silence.
"How long have you been married?"
"Since the beginning of the Clone Wars." Anakin admitted weakly.
"But that was three years ago!" exclaimed Obi-wan, eyes wide open. "You've been married to her for so long!
"Yes: and I'm not ashamed of it."
"How did you manage to keep this from the Council…" Obi-wan muttered, caressing his bearded chin. Then, he sighed.
"Anakin, do you know why the Council has talked about Padmé's pregnancy in the last reunion we went to?"
The other Jedi shrugged.
"No, I've never wondered about it."
"Well, they wanted to see your reaction."
"What?" Anakin asked, concerned.
"Anakin, it's impossible not to notice how you look at each other when you are together: especially for a Jedi. So the Council wanted to see what you feel for her, without asking you directly. But I have trained you well, " Obi-wan said that proudly "and you masked your emotions, so they couldn't understand if what you feel for her is simply friendship, or something more."
The young Jedi was not so optimistic: damn, if the Council had discovered him…! He covered his eyes with his hands, sighing and using the Force to take deep breaths to calm himself.
Obi-wan saw the turmoil in his friend, but said nothing. After a few minutes he finally said:
"I will tell nothing to the Council about this: not even that the Sith Lord wants you as his apprentice. After all, I don't think you'll follow that way, right?"
"I have no intention of becoming a Sith." Stated Anakin with a fierce look.
"But we need to tell the Jedi that Sidious is a strong presence in the Senate and he's ready to attack us." The older man had a pensive look on his face. "I wonder who could he be."
"We have to inform also the Chancellor!" exclaimed Anakin as a sudden thought hit him, fear for his friend and trusted mentor filling him.
Obi-wan glared at him. "No. The Council will inform him, if it's necessary. Personally, I don't think it's a good idea: even if you consider him your friend, you have to remember that Palpatine is a politician, like I've told you millions of times before. Don't trust him so easily, Anakin."
Said man grimaced. "I don't really understand what you have against him."
"Maybe one day, you'll know." Obi-wan sighed.
Padmé felt there was something wrong as she entered the dining room: her family was beaming, looking at her like she had been suddenly elected Chancellor, while Zak kept his shining eyes fixed on her, making her uncomfortable.
But as she arched a brow and started to question her mother, Ruwee waved a hand and said.
"C'mon Padmé, the food is getting cold."
Now she knew there was something wrong: in all her almost-28 years of life she had never seen her father worried about the food getting cold.
But she ignored the prickling feeling at the base of her neck and began eating the delicious meal Jobal had prepared.
Lunch was a silent affair, for no one had interesting things to share with the others.
After they finished eating, Sola and her family excused themselves and so did her parents with stupid excuses like 'I have to control the engine of the speeder.' 'Oh, my! It's time to call my friend Jayne!'.
'Did they take me for a stupid?' Padmé thought.
It was clear they wanted to leave Zak and her alone.
Now, they were the only two occupants of the room, and his burning gaze made her want to squirm in her chair: but her Senator's pride stopped her from doing it.
Slowly, Zak stood up and moved directly in front of her; then, he kneeled on one knee and took out a box from his jacket: Padmé watched in horror as he opened it to reveal a beautiful and intricate ring.
"Padmé," he began, "we've know each other since forever and I never stopped thinking about you: the thought of you is the only thing that keeps me going on with my life. But now, I felt it's time to tell you my deepest secret: I love you, Padmé, I really love you."
Zak took a breath, his voice slightly trembling from the feelings inside him.
"Padmé, will you marry me?"
(to be continued)
Review Responses:
Fanfiction(dot)net
You are all so sweet, you make me feel warm inside! I'm happy you like so much my story.
SkyBlueSW (you'll see, you'll see :laugh: ), Silvain Star anime fan, LeoLover4eva, Dragonsdaughter1, InsaneJediGirl (thanx for the info), Riderazzo, meandmysharpie, Mei fa-chan, zafr0, Daisy, FelsGoddess, HayDeN + PaDme 4EvA, AJedistuckintheMatrix, IvoryCoral, aj, MoAngel, Noxavis.
Vivilp182: no, Jamillia doesn't know that Padmé is with Anakin… maybe later:smile:
Anakin-Padme: you're so funny! Yes, the ost is absolutely amazing, you HAVE to buy it! The music is beautiful, I love it. I love Hayden with long hair -drool-, especially when, after the nightmare he has about Padmé, he is bare-chested… -drool-
Dtaylor: yes, I'm Italian and live in Italy, and English is -I guess you can call it like that - my second language.
Tiamat Warcraft: I'm glad you find this story different from the others and I'm also amazed you find the plot fast-paced because, honestly, I was thinking it was a bit slow… but I trust your judgement. I know I'm not great at writing, but I'm doing my best and I hope I'll be better when I'll finish this story. Thanks again for leaving a review.
Adultfanfiction(dot)net
An affectionate thanks to:
Jeannie, Cammie.
AN: I'm so evil… I'll let you suffer till I get back from Paris. C'mon, it wont be too long. :laugh darkly:Today I bought the book of 'The Revenge of the Sith'… I can't wait to read it!
Ok, that's it for now! Keep reviewing!
Reviews always make me happy!