Anakin looked up to see Obi-Wan standing there staring at him with his arms crossed. "Anakin, don't do this."

"Obi-Wan, come here," he gestured with exaggerated movements. "You have to help me! Padme, she died in childbirth just like I dreamed, just like I dreamed about my mother and she died. I promised her she would not die but she did! We have to make her alive again!"

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly. "Anakin, I am so sorry. I was very fond of Padme, she was a wonderful person, but she is gone. The chancellor lied to you. There is no power to bring her back. Her body is damaged, she was unable to survive. Please let go of her. She would not want this." He said, meaning the scene before him.

"But, but Obi-Wan, if we go into the archives, if we meditate together, there will be a way to save her, there has to be..."

"Anakin there is no such power. You must be realistic about this."

"NO! I cannot lose her! I cannot live without her! I cannot live with the guilt I suffer..."

"Is that it, Anakin, is it more your guilt than anything?"

"It is my guilt, but it also my love. It is also that," he panted, losing his breath, " this beautful, intelligent woman deserves to live on and grace our galaxy for the full term of her normal life expectancy. She cannot be taken from me, from us, not now!"

'Anakin don't you see, had she been meant to live a long life, she would have, she may have even died some other way. Anakin, this is..."

Anakin's head turned sharply and he stared with fuming eyes. "Do not tell me this was the will of the force!"

"But it was, Anakin. It was her time, it would have happened even if you did not know her."

"How can you say that? It was because of me, because she was pregnant by me, because of my love for her."

"Anakin, do not do this to yourself. Come, let me help you." Obi-Wan advanced across the room, but Anakin held up his flesh hand.

"Come no closer. Leave us alone."

Not wanting a confrontation, Obi-Wan backed off, and walked sadly away. Anakin lay his head on Padme's and cried.

While the security droids tried searching the area surrounding the med center, when Padme's family was informed, they knew just where to look. Mrs. Nabierrie came to the temple, and asked to see Anakin. Obi-Wan escorted her to the place where Anakin sat in his despair. As of yet, no other Jedi were informed of the recent activities. That would come soon, as this was now the day the week was up, and the meeting was to take place to decide what to do about Anakin. For now, it was just Obi-Wan and Mrs. Nabierre who confronted Anakin. Obi-Wan turned and left her alone with him, though he stood guard outside the door in case things became worse, considering Anakin's state of mind.She was very upset to witness the scene before her, but moved by his passion and love for her daughter.

"I see you have done all you could for my Padme."

"I have not. She is still dead. I am sorry." He lowered his head.

"Anakin, she loved you, and I know she knows you have done all you could. She wants you to let her go to sleep now, she needs to rest."

"I cannot."

"We will take care of her now for you. I have arranged for her to be taken to a mortuary where she will be prepared for her final resting place."

"No, you cannot put her in the ground. You cannot burn her up. She is staying with me."

"I wish she could stay with us too, but she cannot. She has to go on now, and we must go on without her. The babies will need all your strength now, please, do not allow them to lose both parents."

"If she cannot stay I shall go with her."

"No, Anakin, you must stay here. It is your destiny."

"I am tired of hearing about my destiny! Why did destiny not call someone else? I cannot endure this, I haven't the strength." He began to cry again.

Mrs. Nabierrie stepped closer to Anakin, sat down beside him, and put her arm around him. "May I please take Padme with me now, she needs to go to bed. She needs to rest now. Do not keep her here, there is no more you can do. She is no longer here, her spirit is in the force. Her body will began to deteriorate soon, surely you do not want that."

"I can't..."

"Anakin, I have made arragements. She will be dressed beautifully, we will have a service honoring a former queen and senator, and your wife..."

"I should never have loved her!"

"Don't say such things, Anakin. Your love made her happy. She would have loved to have stayed and had many long years with you" broken sobs but it was not to be. We cannot change this."

"You sound like Master Yoda."

"Perhaps your master "Yoda" is right. Anakin, please let me take her away now. It is not good to see her this way. Give her some dignity.."

"I want to give her her LIFE!"

"I know, but no one can...please, respect her mortal remains...let me put her to rest..."

"You will not take her from me!"

"Anakin, I am sorry. I do not want this any more than you, but the time has come to let go." Mrs. Nabierrie cried, and Anakin cried too. She cradled him in her arms as she motioned for waiting morturary droids to take Padme's body away. Anakin turned around just in time to see this, and make a jolt toward her, though he was calmed by her mother's loving arms. "Just blow her kiss goodnight, Anakin..."

He did, with a shaky hand, and the two of them sat crying and consoling for the longest time. She stayed with him until he feel asleep in her arms, and she gently laid him down on the floor and walked away. She had much to do. The funeral must be prepared, the babies must be cared for. Anakin was incapable of doing these things, so her family must.

Anakin was awoken by a loud call. "Skywalker, the time has come." It was Master Windu. "You must face the council now."

Obi-Wan interceded on his behalf. "Considering the circumstances, could not this be delayed?"

"The council said one week, and one week it is today. He will meet us in the main chamber within minutes." Windu said sternly, then turned and walked away.

"Has he never loved anyone? Is this why, is this what love does to a man?" Anakin cried softly, looking at the ground, thinking of how low he had fallen.

"I understand how you feel, Anakin. I am sorry this cannot be postponed." He helped his former padawan to his feet, and led him arm in arm toward the council meeting. Standing in the center of the floor, looking disheveled from crying and lack of sleep and showing, Anakin Skywalker faced the council.

"Today we will announce our descision." Mundi spoke first.

"We have discussed this long and hard, and given every single aspect the utmost consideration." Windu added.

"Decide for us, sometimes the force does." Master Yoda said.

"What do you mean by this?" Anakin asked, his eyes scanning those of all others on the council for an answer. "Surely you are not telling me you believe that my wife died because this is the decision the force made about our relationship? That it should end with her death? That my forbidden love for her killed her?"

Yoda did not answer. Anakin glared all around the room, his breath heavy with rage. "So, you do? Or, did you kill her, did one of you do it?" He lunged toward the council. Obi-Wan held him back.

"Don't do this, Anakin, it will not go well for you."

"Obi-Wan, you don't believe this, do you?"

Obi-Wan looked up at the council, then back at Anakin. "No, I do not. I believe it was just as her mother said. She was a small woman, the babies were large. Her uterus ruptured and she bled to death. It could have happened to anyone, Anakin, it wasn't your fault! It wasn't the council's fault, either."

The council stared at Obi-Wan and he stared back. "Surely you do not believe it was the will of the force that Senator Amidala should die because of Anakin's disobedience to the code? Do you really believe this? Look at what you are doing to him!"

Anakin's face was twisted in rage. He could hardly control his breath or focus his eyes. He began to scream. "I KILLED HER! I hate myself, and I hate YOU, I hate YOU for this! No, YOU killed her! I should never have allowed myself to be tricked by Master Windu. The Chancellor told me he could save her. I was led to betray him, and now my wife is dead!" he yelled at the council.

Obi-Wan was upset. "Anakin, no..."

"Enough, young Skywalker!" Windu ordered gruffly.

"Skywalker, you will sit down and respect this council!" Mundi said calmly.

"No, no I will not! I should run this council, I was chosen! You don't believe I was chosen, yet you believe my wife was chosen to die? I cannot accept this." He wanted to reach for his lightsaber, but he knew that he was outnumbered. He wanted to shout and say all he was feeling, but knew they would not listen. He turned and walked away, amid cries for him to remain.

"Leave him alone." Obi-Wan begged, raising a hand to the council. "He has been through quite a tragedy. This is something you may not understand considering you have not felt the attachment he has. You must give him time."

"We will not pursue him, but he is YOUR responsibility, Kenobi."

"I will do what I can."