Anakin sat – now the number of nights he had not slept were uncountable. Even the force could not him alert much longer. He felt the dark side subside away from him. Could he not reach it, or did he not want to anymore?

So he fell asleep on the chair. He have had rest for five or six hours when -

"Anakin…"

"Padme!"

Anakin jumped. He had not felt relief life this since… well – things were normal only last week. But it seemed like a lifetime.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"Am I all right?" Anakin replied. The relied struggled to make a smile on his way. But it ebbed soon away.

"I thought…" He said weakly.

"I was tired, that's all." Padme said. "And with that, I was given painkillers."

"But you're how many months due?" Anakin asked. "I had no idea. I should never have let you fight."

"Well, you couldn't have stopped me even if you tried."

"Anakin…" She now said seriously. "I know what you must have been thinking.

All the war, sweet excitement that had temporarily swept and released Anakin from his inner torment was terminated. He was back where he was. That painful, desperate position.

"What I'm thinking? I turned to Palpatine just for nothing? Is that what you think, Padme?

"You were there. I had the same visions for my mother's death. And I was too late to stop that. Do you think this is all a joke? Don't you dare make me think that way!"

Padme did not say anything. "As I said, Anakin. It was different, then. I am here, right with you."

"Yes! You did tell me that!

"You also told me that will leave! Here I am risking my whole life for you – I turned away from my life – and you will abandon me?"

The room looked darker than ever – reflecting the passion and energy of Anakin. Some tables and chairs rattled from his anger. Anakin stood up from the chair – and heat radiated from his eyes that were now greyish-yellow once again.

"I'll never stop loving you, Anakin."

Anakin did not express his rage into a full outburst this time. He knew of the consequences of the last time he lost it… he hurt his wife.

"But this isn't you, Anakin."

"Lately, I don't know what is me."

"Anakin, sit down again." She held his hand. "I'm a senator and I often deal with numbers and statistics. This sounds unlike me as you've never heard it.

"For one, I don't know much of the force, but I won't take anything at face value. Palpatine, a man I trust for a long time betrayed me, my people and the galaxy. He has some power?

"And. I know one thing. My life has been meaningful. I've done my best for my people. I was the youngest elected queen, and I've written more resolutions in the senate for the sake of peace than any other politician. Maybe not Mon Mothma.

"And I fell in love with you, a handsome and powerful Jedi with whom I'm going to have a beautiful baby.

"I'd rather die with you by my side – you being the person I love than to die without the Anakin, I know…

"And you don't know about the baby. You've been so obsessively fixated with me that you haven't paused to think of him."

"Or her." Said Anakin.

"I'm not going to lecture you on what did was wrong," Padme said. "You've committed acts of monstrous evil. But you have a chance to turn back, and if not be a loving husband, but a loving father.

Anakin's face was still hard. But it now dawned on him. I'm selfish. I just want Padme to live, just for me.

"I've already given up everything for you. There's no turning back." He said.

"There is… there is something ahead of us. Our child."

"But…"

"We can only wait till the baby is born."

When? Thought Anakin. Can it be all right!

"Now you must see what you want to do, Anakin."