Spoilers: Still no new spoilers.

Disclaimer: I still don't own it. *sniffs sadly*

A/N: As always, I hope you enjoy this, and please let me know what you think!

Slipping Into Darkness

Chapter 19

Anakin awoke to find that the now all-too-familiar walls of the healing ward were bathed in the soft golden light of the last rays of the sun, giving the room an almost surreal appearance. He shifted his gaze, and as he had suspected, found Padmé sitting in the chair next to him, asleep.

The sight of her made him smile. Padmé had remained with him for the last ten days, using his quarters in the Temple to lay down or eat when she needed to, but otherwise, staying by his side. Even when his lung had healed to the point that he no longer needed the respirator, Padmé refused to leave. She had even turned her senatorial duties over to Jar Jar, insisting that it was time she start doing so anyway, due to her pregnancy.

With that last thought, Anakin's smile brightened further. He hadn't yet told Padmé about what the Force had shown him, that they were going to have a son and a daughter. He had often thought of doing so, especially once they had moved him to a private room, but he wanted to wait for just the right moment.

Until that moment came, he was simply content to watch her as she sat next to him, her face wonderfully serene in the embrace of sleep. The soft glow from the fading light outside fell upon her features, making her seem all the more angelic and beautiful. Her silky brown locks took on a golden sheen as they fell around her shoulders, highlighting the slight blush of her cheeks. She was incredible… Anakin lost track of time as he gazed at her, marveling once more in the fact that, of all the people in the galaxy, she had chosen him to be her husband. He felt completely unworthy of her, and knew he would always feel that way.

Finally, as the last rays of the sun faded behind the buildings, Anakin's awareness shifted. It was getting late, and as much as he hated to wake her, Padmé needed to eat something and retire for the night.

"Padmé," he said softly, using the Force to lightly brush her cheek.

She stirred at the gentle touch, then slowly opened her eyes to look at her husband.

"Good morning," she said with a small, teasing smile.

"Evening actually," Anakin said, smiling back. "It's getting late, Padmé."

She glanced at the window and the rapidly descending twilight, then turned back to him once more. "I'll stay for a few more minutes."

He was about to object, as he had done every evening over the past week, but she quickly silenced him by placing a soft finger tip on his lips.

"A few more minutes," she insisted gently, effectively ending any argument Anakin might have made.

Instead of speaking, he responded by taking her hand in his and kissing it in the true manner of a gentleman. She smiled again, and Anakin smiled back at her. For a long moment their eyes met, and Anakin found himself lost.

"I couldn't imagine my life without you," he said softly, not realizing that he had spoken aloud.

He was caught off-guard when his wife answered. "You'll never have to be without me, Ani. Love binds us forever, and nothing can separate us, not even death."

He knew that she had meant her words to be reassuring, but he couldn't conceal the look of pain that crossed his face. Even now that the future had changed, simply knowing that he could have hurt her caused him agony.

Not wishing to place any further burdens on Padmé, Anakin quickly adopted a mask of Jedi calm. However, his wife knew him all too well, and she had seen his expression, no matter how brief it was.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

Anakin didn't answer. He had known that he would have to tell her what he had seen eventually, but he couldn't stop the dread that rose in him.

"Anakin," she pressed gently, "what's wrong?"

At the concern in her voice, Anakin closed his eyes and turned away from her, no longer able to face what he had nearly done. Almost instantly, he sensed a wave of understanding sweep through his wife. Her soft hands reached out to touch his cheeks as she carefully drew him back to face her.

"Was that what happened in your vision, Anakin? Did you lose me?"

He remained silent for a long moment, looking down, trying to find the words to answer her. What if, once she had seen into the darkest depths of his heart, she could no longer bear to be with him? What if, after everything, he still found himself without her? But, despite his fears, he knew that he had no right to keep this from her.

So, he looked up and forced his gaze to meet hers. "Yes, Padmé," he said in a voice he hardly recognized as his own, "I lost you."

She glanced down for a brief moment, allowing the statement to settle between them. Then, she looked up to face him once again.

"What happened?"

"In my vision," Anakin began, his voice rough, "I…I dreamed that you were going to die in child birth. Palpatine…Palpatine told me that there was a way for me to save you…and I believed him."

He fell silent, not wanting to tell her what came next. He couldn't help but recall Sidious' words as they had fought: And your wife…would she still love you if she knew the truth? I doubt it. She would despise you. Anakin forced that thought away. He had to tell her everything. He owed her that and so much more.

"I…joined him," he said finally. Those three words were the hardest he had ever spoken. They seem to scald his throat as they tumbled from his lips.

He looked up to find Padmé's eyes filled with a mix of emotion. He saw pain and sorrow, uncertainty and surprise, and perhaps, even a flicker of fear. The anguish he felt at her expression was far greater than any other agony he had suffered. And yet, there was still more that he needed to say.

"I did what he ordered," he continued, his voice growing more raw with every word, "I led an attack on the Temple. And then he sent me to wipe out the Separatists. But first, I went to see you. I told you where I was going, and asked you to wait for me, but…you didn't." He took another ragged breath as he felt the burn of hot tears forming in his eyes.

"You came after me. You asked me to run away with you, to leave everything behind. But I wouldn't listen. And then…somehow, Obi-Wan had hidden aboard your transport, and when I saw him…I…I thought that you had betrayed me, and I…"

Anakin couldn't bring himself to speak those last words, to admit out loud to her that he had taken her life and the lives of their children on the fiery shores of Mustafar. Instead, he simply turned his gaze to hers, expressing with his eyes and heart what his voice was unable to.

He saw sudden understanding flicker in her eyes, then felt her shock shudder through the Force. She didn't speak. Instead, she sat there, paralyzed with emotion, her eyes shinning brightly with unshed tears.

The silence weighed heavily upon Anakin as he waited to hear her voice laced with disgust and betrayal. He couldn't help but imagine watching her turn from him and storm from the room, vowing to never return. He knew that when she left, she would forever take his heart with her. He would have to go on living; he could not allow despair to claim him as that was of the Dark Side. But, picturing a future without her was unbearable.

Yet, rather than a scream of rage or accusation, it was a soft call which broke the silence.

"Ani," Padmé said finally, her voice unsteady, "What you saw…" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to compose herself, then continued. "What you saw didn't happen. It was a vision. I could never blame you for that."

"But it was a vision of the future, Padmé," Anakin answered, unable to believe that she could forgive him when he could never forgive himself. "I was going to…"

"But you didn't! It was a future that you prevented," she responded quickly.

She stood and took his flesh and blood hand in hers. "Anakin, you stopped Palpatine, and by doing so, you saved the Republic and the Jedi. And you saved me." She smiled down at him, and Anakin felt hope rise within him.

"I love you, Anakin," she said simply, "and nothing can change that." Then she reached down and kissed him.

He felt acceptance and love flow through her, and the world seemed to fade away around them as the kiss deepened. Anakin would not have cared if the entire Jedi Council was standing in the room with them, for at that moment, all that mattered was his wife. To him, her beauty only seemed to have grown. She could forgive him, could still love him, even after all he had done, and he finally felt as though his heart were whole again.

"I love you, Padmé," he whispered as she pulled back from the embrace, "always."

She smiled again, and her radiance took his breath away. As he gazed upon his angel, Anakin realized that this was the perfect moment, and he gently pulled his wife closer again.

"Padmé," he said softly, "There is something else I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"When I was fighting Palpatine, I had another vision of the future, a wonderful future." He couldn't help the sparkle that lit his eyes. "Padmé," he said again, "we're having twins."

His smiled gently, watching as his wife just stood there, stunned.

"Twins?" she repeated.

He nodded and grinned at her. "Yes, twins. A boy and a girl."

For a moment, his wife was speechless. Then a brilliant smile formed on her lips and a wave of pure joy swept through her.

"Twins?" she asked again.

He smiled back at her, and in an instant he found her arms around him. His wife laughed, a beautiful bell-like sound that filled the room, and he felt tears of joy falling from her cheeks.

"Oh, Ani!" she said happily. "Twins!"

They laughed and celebrated together, grateful for such joy after so much sorrow. Finally, as the room in the healing ward grew dark, Padmé reluctantly pulled away from her husband.

"I suppose that I should go. Poor Threepio is probably worried sick about me."

Anakin laughed and nodded, "I am sure he is," he answered, thinking of the nervous droid.

Still, Padmé made no move to leave. Instead, she returned to her husband and their lips met once more. Anakin brought his arms around her, and as he did so, he felt something: the distinct sensation of two small feet kicking firmly against his palm.

TBC

A/N: The next part will be up on Monday.

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