The trio were in a small room of the inn. There was only one bed, while Ahsoka and Padme sat on two chairs near the window. The view was mundane. Just a single, littered dirty street. They could see several stalls where coarse meat of a variety of local species were- hopefully the sentience and self-awareness of these creatures were minimal. The Jedi had no time for such ethical quarrels, however. They never had.

Ahsoka had asked Padme how she was feeling. "My world is falling apart."

"It can still be saved." Ahsoka answered, still hopeful.

"I don't know. I've never been in this position before. I have been a queen and senator. I've seen my planet invaded, my people starving... But nothing like this.

"I love him. I always will." Padme said.

"He's the father…" Ahsoka said, finally asking this.

Padme half-smiled and looked away. "Yes. I knew it was problematic from the start. But it is my only future now."

Ahsoka did not ask whether Padme thought she would die in childbirth.

But after 8 hours, Anakin did awake.

"Padme…"

"Anakin… Rest more if you need to."

"No, I am fine." He got up and sat up. He pinned his grey eyes straight at his wife.

"Padme, please listen to me. I need to save you." He had decided to be only gentle and loving.

"Anakin… I am not going to die in childbirth. Your visions are not true." Padme replied, quickly, trying to burst open his unfounded mania and psychosis that had lead them all. To this point.

"Padme, I am sorry for hitting you. I won't do it again. But you have to listen to me.

"Palpatine has the power to save you. He won't harm you."

"Anakin, How can you… trust him? He has destroyed democracy, and declared himself Emperor!" Padme countered him.

"Maybe it is necessary." Anakin said. "The war was going too far. We needed order. I ended the war. I destroyed the separatist leadership. I have brought peace to the Republic."

"Anakin… this isn't peace. You have brutally murdered diplomats..."

"Padme, Nute Gunray was the one who invaded Naboo and was behind all those attempts on your life! It was good that he is dead! Good that I killed him." Anakin lost a bit of control but he paced himself. "Padme, please listen to me."

He turned to Ahsoka. "You had visions of Padme too. She would have died if you didn't save her."

"I didn't go to Palpatine, Anakin. Yoda guided me on this." Ahsoka said.

"Yoda told me to ignore my visions. To rejoice at the passing of people I love. He wasn't so helpful with me." Anakin said, very bitterly.

"He was wrong…" Ahsoka placated him; but she did agree with... Anakin.

"But that doesn't mean…" She stopped herself. But Anakin was too preoccupied to listen to her lost sentence.

"Anakin; you said, before you fell asleep that you wanted to go to Obi-Wan after this."

Anakin looked at her. "I don't remember what I said. But Padme." He decided to penetrate and provoke a bit here. "I lost my mother to my visions."

"That was different, Anakin. You had not seen her in ten years and were too late... I'm right here. Right in front of you."

Anakin's face eased a bit. Strangely enough they could now see the tension and anxiety of the past week etched upon it. The smooth clean shaven face of a handsome twenty-three year old Jedi knight looked pale and colourless. He sat looking around for several moments.

"I can't take a chance, Padme. Please."

"There's no need to worry, Anakin…"

"There is. I will not lose you." Anakin replied, thrusting upon them his gaping vulnerability.

Padme thought.

She finally felt the time was ready to forego her appeasement and actually internalise. What Anakin had been saying for so long. That she might die giving birth to their child... never living to see him grow... or her dreams of helping the galaxy... But did that really matter with everything that was happening right now? Her husband turning into someone completely else... the future she wished for being tarnished anyway.

She decided to be curt, even a little harsh.

"Anakin, I don't set much store by your vision. But if it has to happen... it will... If I have to go… I will... Our child may... will survive… And it's not worth any of your actions. I can't stay with you if you go down this path."

Anakin lay or sat cold and hard and full of rage.. Everything, I have already done, I have done for you. The Jedi deserved to end. And I have the power to save you. Why don't you understand? You can't turn away from me.

But he decided he would not lose control with his wife and he found the dark side too far from him then to reach out and imbibe. What do I do? Nothing he could do would help him convince his wife.

"Anakin…" Ahsoka interjected, feeling she had to. "You still need to rest more…"

"I don't… I'm fine…" He said weakly – but he couldn't hold on much longer… He looked into their eyes… and then his own closed once more.