To Hopeless4Life and Laura-chan: You'll just have to see what happens with the pregnancy - but it's all planned out already, and with this chapter, there's a bit more about it! ;-) As always, thank you to everyone who leaves a comment. I'm glad that you are enjoying the story!

6

As he promised Padmé, Anakin stayed at the Temple for the next week. He made no attempt to leave, spending his time in meditation or exercises with various Masters. There were two people he missed most: Padmé, and though he was hesitant to admit it, Obi-Wan.

For the moment, he stood across from Barriss Offee. Her lightsaber was still out, humming and casting a bright green glow on the room. Only seconds before, Anakin had turned his off. She smiled at him, and the green blade dissipated.

"Very well fought," she commented.

"Thanks," Anakin said humbly. "You did well yourself. Well enough that it was a draw."

"A draw." She raised her eyebrows at him. "So that's how you call it?"

There was a slight tease to her tone, and Anakin flushed. Barriss was a Jedi of few words, but when she spoke they were well placed.

"I've seen you fight better. Much better. What's eating at you?" Barriss continued as she clipped her lightsaber to her belt. Concern showed through her voice.

"How are you doing?" Anakin turned the question on her. "I wasn't the one to loose a Master a few weeks ago."

Barriss sighed, looking down at the ground. "Yes, but you also lost a friend. Everyone knew that you and Master Halcyon understood something about the other better than any other Jedi."

Anakin nodded, wishing he could tell Barriss what exactly made him and Nejaa Halcyon able to be friends. He knew though, that as soon as he told her she would go straight to the Council. Despite being a friend, she felt that rules plaid a higher order for a reason.

"We've all been losing too many people close to us," Anakin commented. He glanced out the window, towards the direction of Padmé's apartment. He prayed he would never have to loose her.

"And we have to let them go. That's all we can do."

"Is it?" Anakin looked at her, daring to challenge the dogma of the Jedi.

"You know we have to. Forming attachments places them above others. Jedi are not supposed to have more concern for other beings at the expense of others. The Jedi are to be selfless, by forming attachments we loose that selflessness. We commit ourselves to one other being, submersing ourselves in passion."

She finished and Anakin could not believe how much her words sounded exactly like the ones that Obi-Wan told him so long ago, after he had returned from trying to rescue his mother. The answer came as a surprise to him, usually Barriss had reasoning of her own, relying on her own beliefs rather than merely reciting verbatim the Jedi Code.

All your life you've been told you're the Chosen One…the Cuncil doesn't let you just be who you are… I can tell you I would have left the Order a long time ago…

Palpatine's words came back to him in a rush. Anakin glanced at Barriss, wondering if she ever had any doubts about her role, her identity as a Jedi.

"Did you ever think about…just going away?" he asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you ever just get so flustered with everything that you just decided to leave? Take off and go away to some faraway planet, where you could just be the Jedi you want to be, without having to deal with all the mess of the Council?"

Barriss studied him for a second, forming her response. "Honestly…no, I never have. This is where I belong. The things that I do as a Jedi are what I am supposed to do in my life. Call it destiny, call it the will of the Force, but whatever it is, I serve it. I do what I am bidden to do. Why?"

Anakin shook his head.

"You're still frustrated with the Council, aren't you?"

The look Anakin gave her was enough of an answer for her.

"I wish I could help you…I don't know what to tell you, Anakin. But I know that you can't leave."

"Why not?"

"Because…you're…you're…the Chosen One. Where will the Jedi be, if you leave?"

Anakin shifted on his feet. "You're the Chosen One" was the best thing she could come up with at a time like this?

Before him, she crossed her arms. Her eyes were narrow, studying him. "Anakin…what's going on?"

In response he shook his head, staring down at the floor and closing his eyes after a second. "Nothing," was his stoic answer.

Knowing this was a lie, she stood her ground patiently. "You're in trouble, Anakin. I can tell. What have you gotten yourself into? What is it?"

Slowly, he turned to look at her. "I don't know. I wish I knew. It's all just a garbled mess. I'm pulled in a thousand directions. Everyone expects me to save them, save the Jedi, save the Republic. I just want a day to go by where someone doesn't expect me to save something."

"No one's expecting you to do anything."

Anakin glared at her then said, "If that's so then why did you just call me the Chosen One?"

Barriss faltered, realizing her mistake. "I didn't mean–."

"I used to tell people that I wasn't a slave – that I'm a person. Well, here it is: I'm not the Chosen One. I'm just Anakin Skywalker."

Finally, the words he longed to say to every Jedi, every person in the Temple that ever referred to him solely as the Chosen One came out.

"Anakin…if you are the Chosen One, then you are the Chosen One. The only thing we have to go off is some old prophecy. No one really understands what it means. It might not even be you. The only thing you can do is be yourself, and if you are the Chosen One, then you will fulfill the prophecy."

Those words made him think. However, she wasn't done.

"Remember when you won the Boonta Eve? I wasn't there…but I've heard the stories. I know you gave a lot of hope to people that day – it was all over the Holonet that a human boy won the race.

"That's what you are to the Jedi…it's not that people expect something out of you, but believing in something such as the Chosen One, that you might be it, gives them faith that things will be set right again. And where would we be without hope for the future?"

The words tossed around Anakin's mind. Barriss had a point, and a very good one at that.

"I thought Jedi were not supposed to have hope – that it was an emotion that led to passion," Anakin said, a slight, devious smile on his face.

"And you're back to being difficult," Barriss replied, rolling her eyes.

"According to the Council, I'm never anything but."

Barriss gave him a warning look.

"I don't know…" Anakin trailed off. "Sometimes I just want to get out of here for awhile…just to have a few moments' peace. Somewhere…quiet and beautiful."

With that, he turned to leave the practice room. Barriss remained in her spot, trying to figure out what Anakin just told her. As the door was closing, he turned back to her, saying, "And thanks for the practice."

Out in the corridor, Anakin paused, not sure of where to go. Then an idea came to him…he had not been out there in a few days. Thinking of it put a smile on his face.

Halfway to the first turbolift, he started to feel odd. His head felt light, and his stomach was slightly queasy. He sniffed the air.

Smoke.

Black. Thick. Acrid.

Anakin whirled around, looking for the source.

There, at the end of the hallway, flames danced up the walls. Anakin blinked, trying to make the image go away. In response, the smoke only made his eyes burn. The flames crept closer to him, and he stepped back. As he did so, they came closer and closer, threatening to incinerate the hem of his robes.

Trying not to panic, Anakin gathered his robes around him, so that they did not trail on the floor. The heat was beginning to become unbearable. He had to alert the Masters –

No.

This was just another vision. He knew it. The Temple was not burning down. The Temple could not burn down. Whether he was around or not, the Jedi would never let that happen. They just couldn't.

Anakin took another step back as something began to take shape in the smoke. On top of the acidic smoke burning his lungs, the stench of death reached his nostrils. He knew that if he looked down he would see the bodies of fallen Jedi around him.

Standing at the end of the corridor was a cloaked figure, completely encased in black. A hood, or mask, perhaps, covered its face. Raising a hand, it pointed at Anakin. Flames danced around it – no, over it – but it seemed not to mind.

A strangled laugh came from the figure, and Anakin backed away again. However, the vision did not get further away from him.

It got closer.

"Anakin…" the figure spoke. Anakin stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice. It was then that he noticed the person at the figure's feet.

Obi-Wan.

The Master was simply lying there, and Anakin needed no second glance to know that he was dead.

Anakin swallowed; his panic barely under control.

"Your destiny…Anakin Skywalker…"

There was something about that voice…

"You cannot run away from your destiny…"

Darth Sidious – no, Palpatine – no, HIMSELF –

Anakin let out a bloodcurdling scream and fell to the floor in slow motion. Even before he hit the ground, he was no longer conscious.

"Anakin?" a male voice asked him.

Fighting to gain his senses, Anakin tried to open his eyes.

"Anakin?" a second voice asked.

He opened his eyes, struggling to see in the soft light of a Coruscant sunset.

"Anakin?" a third voice asked him. That voice made him turn abruptly, his vision clearing instantly.

Standing around him were the three people closest to him. Obi-Wan, Barriss, and…Padmé. They were all crowded around his small bed, in a scene that at any other time would have been hilarious. Padmé's large dress took up almost the whole side of the bed where she stood. She smiled at him gently, but said nothing.

"What happened? Where…?" Anakin croaked, his throat parched.

"You collapsed in the hallway after our practice duel," Barriss informed him. "You let out such a scream that half the Temple came running. It sounded like you were being ripped into pieces."

As Anakin watched, Padmé sent her a slight glare as the mention of his likeness and 'being ripped to pieces' were used in the same sentence. However, she quickly regained control of her feelings and said nothing. Obi-Wan didn't notice the glance. Closing his eyes, Anakin sank back into the pillow.

"Well, I've got some kind of record here…this is the second time in a month I've passed out."

Padmé couldn't help herself any more, and so she reached down and gave his hand a tiny, but reassuring squeeze. Ever so slightly, not wanting Obi-Wan to notice, he returned it. Obi-Wan did catch the gesture but he said nothing.

"What happened, Anakin? Did you have a vision?" Obi-Wan asked gently.

Mentally, Anakin formulated some sarcastic retort, but thought better of it. He only nodded in return, not expanding on the idea. How could he explain it when he couldn't even stand to remember it?

And there was something else, something vitally important that he realized just before he passed out – what was it, he couldn't remember…

"Why are you all here?" he managed to ask.

"Barriss heard your scream and came to see what happened to you. Right away she alerted me. And as for Padmé…she just showed up, demanding to know if you were alright."

"I'm no worse than I've been before," Anakin said. He rolled onto his side then sat up. "I just – blast–"

He put his arm out to steady himself. Closing his eyes again, he sank into the Force. Using it to steady himself, Anakin got up and walked past all three of them, out of the medical wing of the Temple. In the next room, a medical droid tried to convince Anakin to stay, to no avail.

None of them said anything, only exchanging glances.

Finally, Padmé turned to leave after him, but caught a glance from Obi-Wan. She knew he was surprised at her actions, that she was taking such a risk with her condition around all the Jedi. However, she did not change her course. Instead, she looked steadily back at him, challenging him to stop her. When he didn't, she went on her way.

Reaching out to her daughter, Padmé brought up the Force as much as she could. Trusting her intuition, she headed off in the direction where she believed Anakin's quarters to be. Fortunately she did not get lost, though she did get quite a few curious glances from some Jedi that she passed. She shot them all harsh looks, daring them to say anything.

After just a few minutes, she reached what she believed to be Anakin's room. Gently, she knocked. When there was no reply, she reached out to the control panel. Her hand hovering over it, she suddenly knew what his passcode was. Sure enough, the door opened for her.

"Anakin?" she called out softly. In the room, she could see he was on his sleeping cot, facing the wall. With a groan, he rolled over.

"What…?"

"It's me."

"Padmé?" He opened his eyes, surprised. "What are you still doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright." She stepped into the room, the large dress rustling about her feet.

Anakin eyed the large gown skeptically.

"That dress is even bigger than the last one you were wearing," he commented.

She let out a small laugh, not replying to his words. "Are you alright?" She sat down next to him.

"You shouldn't be here."

Padmé gave him a reproachful look. He was in one of his difficult moods. "I'm here so there's nothing you can do about it."

"What about us?"

"Since when did you start worrying about it?"

"Since you started showing up at the Temple."

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Is that a crime that you have to arrest me for?"

In her voice, Anakin could read the pain from his indifference.

"I'm sorry, Padmé…" Without further thought, he leaned over and pulled her close. "I'll be alright. How'd you know something happened to me?"

She shrugged. "I just had a feeling."

"A feeling, huh?"

She nodded.

Anakin looked at her, thinking hard. "Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a Jedi?"

"I'm sure," she told him with a smile. In her mind she thought how only three members of their family were supposed to be Jedi – Anakin and the twins.

"What?" Anakin asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

"You were thinking something about only a few of us being Jedi."

The look on her face showed that she clearly thought he was insane. "I think you had a harder fall than you're letting on."

Anakin sighed. He leaned forward, putting his head in his hands.

I would have left the Order a long time ago…

"I should be going," Padmé told him softly, gently rubbing his back. She started to stand up.

"I'm going with you."

"What?"

"I have to get out of here. I can't stand it anymore. I just have to get away for awhile…just a little bit."

"Anakin…what's going on?"

He did not answer her, though. Instead, he made sure his lightsaber was clipped to his belt and pulled his hood over his head. Now, more than ever, did the Chancellor's words make sense. At the doorway he stepped aside so she could pass by him.

As she went by, he muttered, "I just need to be away from here for awhile. I need to be with you."

His words made her falter, and she smiled at him.

"Follow me." He turned down the opposite way of the corridor, leading her out through another part of the Temple.

Within a few minutes, they were outside the Temple and standing in front of Padmé's speeder. She looked to him in surprise. "How'd…?"

He smiled at her. "Should I fly, or will you?"

"You can, if you want."

Anakin's smile broke into a wide grin. He hopped into the speeder, and after she was safely inside, he started the engine and took off. After a few detours, all of them quite unnecessary, they arrived at Padmé's apartment.

As they entered her place, Anakin could not help but notice that she seemed slightly annoyed with him. She brushed past him in a huff, one of her hands carefully placed on her stomach. When she walked past him, Anakin did a double take.

She was larger – fatter. There was no way that the dress, large as it was, could account for the sudden increase in the size of her stomach.

Is she pregnant! Anakin thought to himself. Instantly he shrugged the thought off, she would tell him something as important as that. There was no way that Padmé would keep a secret like that from him. After all, she loved him…

It had to be the dress. It just had to be. That or his eyes were playing tricks on him, the past couple months proved his increasing tendency to have visions and see things that were not reality. Shoving the thought out of his mind, Anakin made his way into the apartment after Padmé.

Standing in the middle of the main sitting room, he looked around nervously. Nothing seemed out of place; the only notable thing was that R2-D2 rested by the doorway, the newest addition to the apartment. Something put him on edge, something about being here, though. Focusing on the Force, Anakin could almost sense someone else here.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Anakin forced himself to stop thinking such things. The whole point of him coming here was to get away from his troubles for just a minute, not to add more of them.

"Are you alright?" Padmé asked, coming up behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder, giving him a slight squeeze.

"Yeah," nodded Anakin, "yeah." The words came out quietly, almost barely audible.

Padmé smiled at him, and Anakin could not help but smile back at her. She was so beautiful. Looking at her face did wonders for his heart.

"I think I'll be okay. I just need to be with you for awhile."

"Alright. As long as you're happy. That's all I care about."

Anakin said nothing in return; instead he gently engulfed her in a hug. He held her close for a few seconds, willing everything away.

"I missed you so much," he breathed.

"We've only been apart for a week!"

"No…it's been forever. Every minute without you is forever. I just want to stay here with you, like this, forever. I don't want anything to change – ever."

"Surely you don't mean that," said Padmé, pulling away from him. She rested her hands on his hips as she looked up at him. "You can't keep things from changing, Annie."

"What?" Anakin's eyebrows furrowed.

"Huh?"

"'Annie.' You just called me Annie."

And said something to the exact word that my mother told me.

"Oh." Her face adopted a thoughtful look. "I guess I did, didn't I? I haven't done that in a long time."

"Nope. Not since…we first met, back on Tatooine."

"Should I not call you that?"

A sad look passed over Anakin's face. He was unsure about how he felt about her calling him 'Annie', since that was the nickname his mother used with him. Somehow, someone else calling him by it tarnished his memory of her. By using the nickname she gave him, it made her usage of it seem less special. Anakin wanted to keep the few things that were specific to his mother that way – it was the last attachment he had to her.

His eventual response, "Whatever you want, love," was really no answer at all. Padmé faked a halfhearted smile. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest.

After a moment, he tilted her head up and gave her a kiss. Speaking softly, he muttered to her, "See, things are so nice now why should we ever change them?"

As he watched, something passed through her eyes.

She's hiding something. I know it. Reaching out with the Force, trying to get some guidance, everything felt normal in the apartment.

Almost.

There was someone else here.

Ever so faintly in the background, like a lurking ghost, Anakin could sense the presence of someone else. Padmé was not the only who spent most of her time here. This other person practically lived here with her. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out who the person was.

"Anakin…are you alright?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"What?" It was her turn to be caught unawares.

"There's…" Anakin trailed off, stepping away from her. He crossed his arms across his chest, glancing around her apartment suspiciously. Once more he tried to get a reading from the Force of who was spending so much time with Padmé, but there was no answer. It was as if he was trying to track down a phantom, but even phantoms could be discovered.

Sighing, Anakin struggled to fight down his rising frustration. This was Padmé. She loved him. She promised him that she did. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Not sure of what else to do, not wanting to return to her arms, he sat down on the couch and leaned forward, putting his head in his hands.

When Padmé came and sat next to him, he did not move. Hesitantly, she reached out and put an arm around him. Again she asked, "Anakin I know something's wrong. Don't shut me out. I only want to help you."

He looked at her, and she started when her eyes met his. His eyes…they were red and puffy. They looked so raw that it was almost painful. Sharply she inhaled, drawing away from him a little.

"There's someone else here. They've been here. They spend a lot of time here," he said flatly. He tried to keep the accusation down in his voice, but he could tell his words stung her.

"Anakin – I – I have no idea what you're talking about! The only people here are me and R2!" Padmé stammered.

At those words, sensing that it might be in trouble, R2 rolled away from his spot by the door and into Padmé's bedroom.

The stuttering in her response told him all he needed to know. Instantly he felt his body tense, the well of anger getting a firmer grip on him. Just by watching her, he knew that he would not get more of an explanation from her. One of the things that irked him about her was that she could be very stubborn when she chose to be.

"Never mind," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Just never mind."

"Never mind? Anakin, what in the world do you expect me to do? You come back here with me, smiling, and within two minutes you're angry! Don't think I can't tell!"

He looked down at his hands, not knowing what to say. He didn't need the Force to feel the anger coming from her. She was right about one thing: coming here was starting to feel more and more like a mistake.

Suddenly, she leaned up next to him and put her head on his should, one arm around his waist.

"Don't." Anakin moved away from her. "Just don't. Let me be."

"Fine. If that's how you're going to be," she snarled, getting off the couch.

"Shouldn't I be telling you that?" he shot back at her. As soon as he said the words he regretted them, not knowing what he even meant.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're hiding something from me! And I'm getting sick of it!"

Anakin stood up, facing her.

In the back of his mind, something recognized the ridiculousness of this scene, how their roles were reversed. However, right now he could only feel the frustration running through him. For the moment, he did not care that most of it was because of the Jedi, not because of anything that Padmé had done. He stepped over to Padmé, realizing for the first time how much he towered over her. She wavered before him ever so slightly before adopting her stoic pose.

"The only who has been hiding anything is you," Padmé said so steadily that it made Anakin stop. She went on:

"Obi-Wan has come here, asking me things about you. I have to make excuses for you, and he just wants to help you! You won't talk to anyone else, and you won't hardly talk to me anymore!"

Padmé's voice broke as she said the last part, sounding almost like she was on the verge of tears. Anakin took a deep breath to steady himself. The sound of her voice cracking so almost made his heart split, but he forced himself to maintain his composure.

Perhaps, at that moment, he might have had a change of heart. He might have forgotten his irritation with her, he might have said to her that he was sorry, so sorry, and tell her everything. But the words that she said next ruined any chance of that.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Anakin. Things are changing, and I'm worried about you. If you don't do something, I will go to Obi-Wan."

Those words hit Anakin so hard that he stepped back. He felt as though he had been trampled by a bantha running at full speed. The wind was knocked out of his lungs. She would go to Obi-Wan – tell him everything – how dare she –

Looking at her, Anakin could no longer see the woman he loved. All he could make of her was that she was now against him. Somehow, in the past few months, the past few days even, she stopped being on his side. He hadn't even noticed it happening. Panicked, he searched the past few weeks for some clue, but there was nothing to be found. The only conclusion that he could reach was that she never had been on his side.

"You wouldn't dare," Anakin hissed.

"Don't think I wouldn't do something for your own good!"

"And what would you know about that!"

"A lot more than you seem to!" she yelled at him.

The anger rolled off her in waves, hitting Anakin full force. Unable to control himself anymore, her anger boosted his, red rising in his vision.

"Deceitful woman!" Anakin scowled under his breath. "I should have known better than to trust you!"

Padmé stared at him, not saying anything. Blinded by his anger, Anakin could not make out her feelings or intentions any more.

"Don't you dare make this about me, Anakin Skywalker! This is about you!"

"Oh? And how is that?" he pointed his finger accusatorily at her.

"This has to do with your anger, and you know it! You lost control of yourself, and you're so afraid of what the Jedi will say that you can't talk to them anymore!"

"I can't talk to you either! I know you want to go back to Naboo – I know you want to do it so you can get rid of me and go be with this other person – this – this – whoever he is!" Anakin bellowed.

"You've known all along that I plan to go back to Naboo. Don't even try to pretend that you didn't know."

Padmé gave him such a glare that if looks could kill, Anakin would have been dead before his Jedi senses could warn him of danger.

Furious, but not knowing what to say, Anakin paced the room for a couple steps. In the back of his mind, he knew she was right. He knew from the night he met her at the Temple that she wanted to go back to her people. Right now, though, he would not listen to reason. The darkness inside him goaded him on, urging him to give into his anger – to use it –

With only one thing on his mind, the need to destroy this threat, he stepped over to Padmé.

"Don't you dare leave me." The words came out thickly, dripping with menace.

"I'll do what I have to do. I'm willing to hurt you Anakin, for your own good. I don't want to, but I will," Padmé stood up to him.

"Only because you don't support me. You never have." Anakin stopped, taking a second to look at her.

She lied. She never loved you. If she did, she never would have done this to you. You never should have trusted her, the dark voice whispered in the back of his mind.

"You – never – loved – me," he said so harshly that the words came out one by one. He found himself reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder, as he did so often. Only this time, he started to squeeze. "You lied to me. You have been all along."

His grip on her shoulder increased. Padmé's jaw clenched, determined to not let him see her pain.

"Anakin…I…don't…" she gasped, taking hold of his arm and trying to pull his hand off her shoulder. He only increased his grip. Pain shot through her shoulder. She felt the baby, the one she drew her strength from, kick.

"Yes…I know why Jedi do not love…because love leaves you with nothing. I never had anything from you – I never will. You gave me nothing. You never will." Anakin spoke with such clarity that he spooked even himself. "You left me…all alone."

He continued to hold his gaze on her. Feeling a last surge of anger, he gave her shoulder one final hard squeeze.

Padmé winced, her eyes watering as she fought to stay in control of herself.

Anakin felt something snap inside him. This was all wrong. He was doing it again – his anger was controlling him. And now, he had let it hurt the person he cared about most. This was more dangerous than any Sith Lord. He was the only one who was a danger to Padmé. He saw Padmé in a new light, as if she were the one that could ruin him. Instantly he knew he had to leave.

But there was nowhere for him to go.

She was right. He was all alone.

Everything crashing down around him, Anakin suddenly took his hand off her, and without a word he left the apartment. Riding the turbolift back to the exit level, thoughts went through his head so fast he could not keep track of them.

One thing he was positive about.

This was the doing of the Jedi.

The Jedi knew about his feelings for Padmé, they had managed to sabotage him. They simply could not tell him to stay away from her, but they had to find the way to do the most damage to their relationship.

The Jedi used their greatest weapon: they turned the two lovers on each other. And Anakin would be damned if he would let them get away with it.

To be continued...