Count Dooku awoke and rolled his bedroll, Tynan was looking at him intently.
"Tynan."
"Count Dooku, my master wants to meet you."
"Yes I know. It will happen soon enough."
After everyone awoke and ate breakfast, the Jedi Masters had a meeting to wrap up the final details of the mission. Luke approached Padmé and crawled into her lap, "How are you feeling?"
"Better, Luke, don't worry about me; your father is just too damn overprotective."
"Yea, no kidding!" Mara exclaimed.
"Good morning, Mara."
"Morning, milady." Mara hugged her as well.
Tynan and Sully watched greedily taking in the scene, they never had affection, Aurra considered it to be a weakness. The last time Sully felt her mother's arms around her, was three years ago, when this terrible woman came into their village and murdered all the defenseless adults while the children were huddled in fear in the barn.
Padmé, Han Solo, Luke and Mara would stay to watch over Tynan and Sully. Count Dooku made an appearance to Aurra Sing, seemingly alone. She knelt before him, "Lord Tyranus, you escaped. I knew you would. Lord Sidious is dead, murdered by that conniving 'Chosen One'. Train me as a Sith and we will rule the galaxy."
"I cannot."
"Why not! We could rule together."
"I'm no longer a Sith Lord, Aurra."
"You lie!" Aurra pulled her lightsaber out and the blood red blade glowed as she activated it.
"Search your feelings Aurra, you will know I speak the truth, this planet has corrupted your mind. You must come back to the light."
"The Jedi are weak and need to be defeated."
Anakin stepped into the open meadow activating his lightsaber, "Oh we are not as weak as you like to think, Aurra."
"Chosen One, why am I not surprised! Maybe if I defeat you I won't need Count Dooku."
"Maybe, ready when you are, Aurra Sing."
With that open invitation, Aurra jumped to where Anakin was standing and she allowed all her hate, fury, and madness goes into her attack. Strange thing was that Anakin wasn't fighting back he was merely defending himself. He was observing her fighting style, it reminded him of fighting with Asajj Ventress, but less deadly, her movements against a Padawan would be devastating, but not against battle experience that Anakin had in what he deemed as aggressive negotiations.
"Fight me you coward."
"Calling me names will not help your cause. Let us help you Aurra."
"I don't believe any of your lies, Jedi scum, you people betrayed me and my master and you expect me to come back. I've enjoyed the hunt, murdering innocents invigorates me, makes me stronger. You Jedi are weak and foolish, you will fall, Skywalker."
"Not at this rate, Aurra." Anakin smiled
While Aurra was fighting with Anakin, the five children moved against Han Solo, Padmé, Mara, Luke, Tynan and Sully. The seven year olds were no match against them, but it broke Padmé's heart to have to stun them from a shot of her blaster as did Han Solo. The children awoke to find them in stun cuffs and they were being comforted by Padmé and Mara. They fed the deprived children warm soup and a juice, which they greedily accepted.
Aurra was getting tired and Anakin was not even breaking a sweat as he kept dodging her now clumsy attacks. She came at him with a desperate fury of lightsaber attacks and cried out when her lightsaber was pulled out of her hand and she fell to her knees. Anakin was briefly stunned by the Force lightning she threw at him. He blocked as it grew seemingly intense and then fizzled out all together. In her mania she ran from him and took a flying leap into the deadly river below.
"Aurra!" Anakin screamed as he tried to save her, but could only watch helplessly as she tumbled out of his reach. She hit a large jagged rock and died instantly before the raging river consumed her within its acidic depths.
Obi-Wan helped Anakin to his feet and he clung on to him as he shook, it reminded him of when he took Asajj Ventress' life while calling on his anger, the only difference here was that he didn't allow his anger to rule him. Obi-Wan comforted his old Padawan through their bond. Anakin felt strengthened by the words. Anakin, Count Dooku, and Padawan Whie went to the lower depths of the manor and deactivated the Sith holocrons and put them in a special pouch that would prevent their power from emanating through and affecting Jedi around them. Only the strongest Jedi Masters were even allowed to be within ten feet of the Sith holocrons of these were Mace Windu, Yoda, and Count Dooku before he gave up his status. The children surrounded Anakin as Obi-Wan commented, "What is it with you and children, my old padawan?"
"I don't know, honestly."
He crouched to the children and tears came to his eyes as he noticed the yellow / red tinge leave their eyes and he was looking at pairs of blue, brown, green and even a pair of hazel eyes looking at him. They surrounded him and he brought them into a large embrace. Soon the children knocked him down and started to tackle him, even Luke and Mara joined the fray. Obi-Wan, Saesee, Count Dooku, Han, and Padmé stood there laughing as he struggled to get to his feet, but it was useless. Even though Whie felt it was unbecoming of a senior padawan learner, jumped on top of Anakin holding him down as the other children found Anakin's numerous ticklish spots. Strong, deep laughter echoed in the chamber. Children soon found themselves being lifted and being held in mid-air as the Jedi Master stood to his feet. He lowered them and the children felt their own spots being tickled through the Force and they started laughing.
"If Master Mace Windu saw this he'd be very grumpy." Anakin laughed.
After they gathered up their things, the seven children were going to be taken from the planet as they had no adults to raise them. It was decided that the children would be sent to Agri-corps and into the medical field to study, which was fine by them, it would keep them calm and peaceful and they could learn more about the Force through these fields of expertise. Count Dooku agreed to go with them, if he was allowed to go free, and not have to spend the rest of his natural life in the prison cell. After much deliberation in the Jedi Council, it was decided that Count Dooku was no longer a threat to the Jedi and had proven himself worthy of freedom, though he would probably never gain the title of Jedi Master again. Count Dooku couldn't thank Anakin enough; it was his belief in him to return to the good side, which really carried him through.
"You are the 'Chosen One' for many reasons; I am very proud of you. Qui-Gon would be proud of you as well. I'm sure he would want you to have this." Count Dooku gave Anakin an odd colored rock it was black obsidian but when Anakin held it, the colors changed to a light green. He could feel the Force emanating from the stone.
Count Dooku merely expected a formal handshake and was quite surprised when he was hugged by Anakin.
"Take care of yourself, Count Dooku, you will be missed."
"Thank you."
Count Dooku was released and Anakin smiled his impish grin, which meant only trouble. Count Dooku removed the sign from his cape it read, "Count Dooku, ex-Sith Lord turns gardener. Look out!"
"Boy, you better watch yourself." Count Dooku laughed. He turned the sign over and all of the Council Members had signed it and gave their blessings. "Skywalkers are nothing but trouble."
Count Dooku boarded the transport along with the seven children. Each had already said their goodbyes to Anakin and Sully gave him a beautiful red rose.
"Thank you, Sully."
"Thank you, Master Anakin. Don't be a stranger, come see us."
Anakin took his family out to dinner at an exclusive restaurant afterwards Luke and Leia were staying in the Jedi Temple, Anakin and Padmé had some time alone. Mara and Han were working on the Falcon, cleaning her and restocking the pantry.
The next morning, Padmé awoke next to Anakin who was gently snoring, he was so angelic while he was sleeping, and she brushed one of his long locks out of his face and kissed his scar above his right eye. His bright blue eyes flickered open and Padmé sat back surprised. "Good morning, my Jedi protector."
"Good morning, angel." Anakin pulled her into his embrace, but then a somewhat familiar nausea feeling overwhelmed Padmé and she untangled herself and ran to the refresher. Anakin jumped from the bed and held Padmé's hair back as she continued to retch and vomit.
"Are you okay?" Anakin asked concerned.
Padmé glared at the Jedi Master and he stepped back as she stood on her feet and washed her mouth out with a cool glass of water.
"What's that look for, what did I do now?"
Padmé pushed him and stormed passed him, grabbing a pregnancy testing kit.
"You don't need that." Anakin pulled her into his arms and put his hand on her stomach. After a moment he felt the embryo, "Uh-oh." Anakin took a step back and caught Padmé's hand as she was about to slap him.
"Isn't two enough for you, Anakin Skywalker!" Padmé yelled though she was happy, he felt in the Force.
"I love you, Angel." Anakin smiled and it melted through Padmé's mock anger.
"Damn you, I love you too. Some kind of Jedi protector you are, taking advantage of me like this." Before Anakin could protest, Padmé wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.
Author's note:As always, none of the characters of the Star Wars universe belong to me. I decided that I needed to end this chapter on a happy note. I'm just about finished with this sequel; one or two more chapters and an epilogue will be following. However, I will be starting a third part to this story probably in the next week or two. Thanks again my constant readers. –DarthGladiator45