THE DEPARTED

Chapter Four

Anakin ran as fast as his feet could carry him until his eyes found what he was looking for. He cried out in horror when he saw Padme's body slumped against the wall and the body of a bounty hunter lying a few feet away from her. He was immediately at her side and gathered her up into him arms, tears running down his cheeks. He felt her neck for a pulse, and thankfully found a weak but present one.

"Oh gods…please be alright, Padme. You can't do this to me…please…I…"

He hugged her tightly to his chest one more time and then quickly stood with Padme still in his arms to carry her to the nearest form of help. Taking a quick glance around the room for Sabe, he found her crouched behind a nearby bush.

"Come on, Sabe. We have to help Padme. Where's the medic in this place?"

Sabe stood up slowly, as if in a daze, and began walking in the direction Anakin desperately needed to go to.

"This way, Anakin. My doctor's over here."

Anakin started running with Padme in his arms, hoping that they would make it in time. When Sabe couldn't keep up with him, he kept on, now knowing where he needed to go.

Once Anakin found it, he quickly explained to the doctor what had happened, who promptly had him lay Padme onto a bed and despite Anakin's protests, quickly forced him out of the room.

Sighing in defeat, Anakin ran his hand nervously through his hair and resigned himself to a nearby chair, not giving Sabe as much as a glance. He rested his head in his hands and began to pray that she would be alright. She had to be because he wouldn't be able to go on if she didn't. He knew he would give his own life to save her…and now, she was fighting for her life and there was nothing he could do except pray.

Finally, the doctor emerged from the room, prompting Anakin to jump to his feet.

"You can come inside now."

Anakin quickly followed the doctor into the room and was immediately at Padme's side.

"She's suffered two blaster wounds, but thankfully, neither was fatal. However, she'll be unconscious for awhile."

"When will she wake up?" Anakin said softly and brushed a hand down the side of her face.

"It's hard to say. She's been through a traumatic experience so this is her body's way of reacting, but she's healthy, and I think it's safe to say she'll wake when she's ready to."

Anakin nodded and thanked the doctor, who had decided to give them some time alone. He looked down at Padme and his eyes began to water. She looked peaceful, like she was in a deep sleep, but that still didn't change what had happened to her. He would never forgive himself for this…if only he had offered to walk Sabe back instead of just letting Padme do it… if only they had walked Sabe back together, this wouldn't have happened. It was his fault.

Anakin bent down closer to Padme's face and after a moment's hesitation, placed a tender kiss on her forehead. As he leaned back, he realized what it was that he felt for Padme. It was love. He loved her and it had always been there.

He bit his lip and leaned back down to her again to lay a hand gently on her cheek. This time, he wasn't fighting his feelings; he was letting them sweep him away. For once in his life, he knew what it felt like to be complete. There had always been a part of him that was missing but for these few precious seconds, he was whole. He loved her and it was as simple and as complicated as that.

He took her hand and squeezed it gently, trying to will her to open her eyes for him. He sighed when he found his efforts were in vain and resigned himself to simply sitting with her, still holding her hand. She had to wake up. She had to get better. He knew he wouldn't be able to survive without her in his life, even if it could only be in friendship, he needed her to always be there…and he needed to love her, even if he could never tell her.

Anakin's head snapped up when he felt another presence in the room and narrowed his eyes as his gaze fell on Sabe. He watched her suspiciously as she tentatively stepped closer to Padme's bed and sat on the edge.

"What happened, Sabe?"

She looked up at him, then looked back down at Padme as she spoke. "She was walking me back to my room when an attacker jumped at us out of no where. He started shooting at us and she pushed me into the bushes. She somehow deflected most of his shots back at him, but I knew a few of them hit her too. They both fell to the ground and that's when you came."

She swallowed and looked back at him sadly before continuing. "You know we haven't really been getting along, but that doesn't mean I wanted that to happen to her."

He nodded and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "I know, Sabe. I think she's going to be alright, though. At least that's what the doctor says, anyway."

She smiled softly then rose from the bed. "I'm glad to hear that. I should probably leave now. I don't think I'm needed here anyways."

"No, Sabe…you can stay. I'm sure Padme would want you to be here."

She shook her head quickly. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, can I at least walk you back?"

"No, she needs someone to stay with her. I'll have one of the guards do it."

He nodded and watched her leave, then turned his attention back to Padme, placing another tender kiss on her forehead.

"Master Kenobi, what exactly are you suggesting?"

"Only that I believe Anakin is confused by his feelings. I don't think he would do anything to act on those feelings but I do think that Anakin would be better serving somewhere else."

The Council members looked at one another in apprehension. It was rare that Jedi had to be pulled from a mission and reassigned and even rarer that it was done under these circumstances. Each member had always been wary of Anakin, some had voiced this opinion, while others had not, but the doubt in him was still there. They could feel Anakin's confusion in the Force and each one knew that perhaps it was better to be safe than sorry.

"I believe you may be right about this, Master Kenobi. It's in Anakin's best interest if he is reassigned." Master Windu said, speaking for the rest of the Council.

Obi-Wan nodded gratefully. "Thank you for your understanding with this situation. As soon as he returns to the Temple, I will speak with him and all this will be straightened out."

The Council members nodded their approval, signaling the end of the meeting. Before Obi-Wan had a chance to leave, he felt a tap on the back of his leg. He turned only to Yoda's concerned green face.

"Have a moment, do you?"

"Yes, of course, Master Yoda."

They waited until the room had cleared and then Yoda motioned for Obi-Wan to take the seat next to him.

Yoda closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on the issue at hand and then opened once again to meet Obi-Wan's gaze.

"More about this conversation with your padawan, you must tell me."

"There's nothing more to tell. I've already told the Council everything that was said."

Yoda rapped his wooden cane on the floor. "No. Something else, there is. Feel it, I do. Hiding something, Skywalker is."

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed in confusion. Anakin never kept secrets from him because he could always feel what Anakin was thinking. His intuition had never been wrong before…but yet something told him that Yoda was right. There was something else; some piece of the puzzle that was Anakin was missing.

"I believe you're right, Master Yoda. It has to have something to do with Senator Amidala. Do you think…could he have gotten her pregnant? That could explain his questions, even if he did deny it."

"Correct, that is not. Much confusion in Skywalker, I sense. Something deeper and more dangerous, this is."

"What?"

Yoda closed his eyes again and reached out within the Force. "Clouded, the Force is. Difficult to tell. Give up, we must not."

Obi-Wan nodded as he watched Yoda leave. He stared out the window and sighed deeply. What was Anakin hiding from him? What was it that he felt he couldn't even tell his own Master? Whatever it was…he knew that it was just as Yoda had said. It was deep and dangerous, possibly more than he could even begin to imagine.