Hey, sorry about the confusion- I had loaded then deleted this chappie because it was for the wrong story lol. Here you go!

Chapter 19: Red Sunset

With a heavy black hood pulled over his face, Anakin slowly boarded the ship that was to take him off planet and far from Sidious' reach. Walking behind him was Obi-Wan who had obviously sensed his distress and patiently followed in his unhurried wake.

Just as if he'd experienced a premonition that revealed this to him, Anakin knew that he would never return to Coruscant.

Alive.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan called out gently, prodding the young Jedi in the back.

With a start, the Chosen One realized that he'd stopped before the ramp and was gazing out at the skyscrapers one last time- one last time Anakin would send out the beating of his heart to the woman who held it captive but was such a far distance away.

A tear slid down his face, but a comforting hand was placed upon his shoulder.

"Anakin, we must leave," Obi-Wan said a little more urgently.

"I have a feeling that what we are about to do shall forever change the fate of the Galaxy," Anakin whispered, his yes darting about as if red eyes were watching his every move.

"Will I ever see you again?" Anakin choked out. Though his bright blue eyes begged her to say 'Yes,' his swiftly beating heart already knew the truth.

No.

"Don't worry, my young friend- you shall see Coruscant again," Obi-Wan murmured, following Anakin's gaze to 500 Republica far out in the distance.

"Anni, what does your heart tell you?"

A quivering smile parted Anakin's lips but trembled as tears came to his eyes. "Yes… I shall come back."

I will not fail you

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Jedi Temple

"Of Skywalker's revelation, what think you?" Yoda asked, voicing the question that had been troubling his aged mind ever since he'd left the healer's ward an hour before.

"I don't know," Mace Windu replied slowly. "In times like these, what can we do? Skywalker's fate is as uncertain as that of the Jedi Order."

"Decided, his fate shall be, if survives Skywalker does."

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Palpatine's Office

"Are you certain?" Sidious hissed, his fiery eyes penetrating the young man who stood before him for any hint of deception.

Palo did not even blink under the pressure. "Skywalker was among those who boarded the cruiser this morning."

The darkness did not nod in understanding but just sat there in contemplation. "My plan worked as I had foreseen- when it will be too late, the Jedi shall discover that their hunt is in vain."

"Oh, yes," the young man laughed, the sound echoing wearily off the walls, "by time they find that your droid general is not on Utapau, they shall have much larger things to worry about.

Dressed in black, Palo was a different man from the one Padmé had called her friend- as a matter of fact, had she been there, the Senator would not have recognized him. His once charming features were cold and inhuman, Palo's formerly captivating eyes belong to a monster. In his hand was a mask, a mask of death which, once placed on his face, would aptly personify swift death.

Sidious' gaze flickered over to the open doorway. In it stood a young woman who was in her early twenties and was very beautiful with long brown hair and dark but penetrating eyes. When desired, she could be highly appealing and catch many an eye, but the current moment wasn't the time for that. Like the others in the room, deception was her art.

"Skywalker shall soon be dead," Sidious announced.

The woman's face turned into an overly-dramatic pout though her eyes remained unfeeling. "You promised…"

"That I did, my dear," the Sith cackled, rubbing his hands together in delight at the sickness of it all, "but you shall only have him after Palo has finished with him." His look became even more twisted as he saw the young artist move to speak. "And if you wish to have Senator Amidala, that can be arranged."

Something flashed in Palo's eyes- possession and a greed for revenge. "And what of their… spawn?"

"They are of no consequence to me," Sidious said flatly. "Kill them both."

Soon, the other two joined in the Sith Lords' celebration. "Soon shall be the day when Skywalker shall wish that he'd never been born."

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Padmé's Apartment

"Sister, are you alright?" Sola asked as she sat down on the couch next to Padmé and gave her a worried look. When her younger sister said nothing, she gently squeezed the shaking hand that had found its way into her own. "Is the baby alright?"

Padmé sighed. "She's being rather quiet today," the young woman whispered, resting a hand on her swollen stomach.

"Don't worry," Sola reassured her. "Palo should come back soon." By her tone, she seemed to highly doubt the likelihood of that.

"Something… something is about to happen," the younger woman whispered. Slowly, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Whatever it is going to be very bad…"

"Well, I'll be here with you," came the gentle reminder though Sola's eyes regarded her sister's pale face, "as I always shall be."

Opening her eyes, the Senator gave her confidant a weak smile. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty for all those years I've been away from home?"

"No- your home has always been where your loved ones are." Gently, she placed a hand on top of Padmé's stomach where the baby grew. "You now have a family of your own, but that doesn't mean that I don't need to come look after my baby sister every now and then."

This brought a smile to her face but she immediately sought to change the subject. "Where is Sabé?"

At this, Sola laughed and flashed Padmé a mischievous wink. "Oh, you know she's probably got that Jedi cornered somewhere."

Somewhere in Padmé's Apartment

"I know you probably get this a lot, but you have really beautiful eyes," Sabé said in adoration. Currently, she was squatting on the floor next to Ferus as he attempted to fix a wire in See-Threepio. Though this did not require her help (of which she did not offer any), her forehead was practically resting against his.

Ferus was getting increasingly peeved. "I don't," he said flatly, giving her a scathing look.

For the hundredth time, his admiring companion did not notice his annoyance. "Surely-"

"Back away, miss…"

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While the ship bearing the two Jedi Masters hurtled through space to Utapau, twilight slowly fell over Coruscant.

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While everyone bustled about setting courses and planning tactics, the Chosen One sat by himself in a secluded corner. Unblinking and motionless, he truly seemed the shell of the vibrant young man he'd been only the day before.

His silence did not go unnoticed. Confused droids paused to look at him before scurrying off. The crew and the man clone troopers also looked at him in worry before lowering their voices as they conversed.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was also worried about his former padawan's well-being. After thoughtfully stroking his beard in contemplation, he crossed the busy room to where Anakin sat.

The younger man didn't acknowledge his presence but remained so still that it made one question whether he even breathed.

When it became apparent that Anakin was going to need some coaxing into speaking, Obi-Wan haggardly sighed before slumping down into a chair facing the Jedi. As he did so, the Master flinched upon seeing Anakin's changed visage.

Though he did not look at Obi-Wan or even blink, Anakin broke the silence. "There was a red sunset on Coruscant," he whispered in a haunted voice, "innocent blood is about to be shed."

Silence.

This morbid comment seemed to have taken his friend away, for he momentarily stared at the troubled Jedi before saying, "Anakin…"

"It's not going to be my blood he's going to shed. Sidious is going to kill them," he said in a shaky voice. Obi-Wan noted how the younger man's glove hand gripped the table. "All of them… dead… Padmé… our children- because of his vendetta to me, their innocent lives will be taken.

"Please calm down-"

"That son-of-a-Sith is going to kill me family!" Anakin screamed all of the sudden. With a roar, he bolted into a standing position and, with a powerful use of the Force that worried even Obi-Wan, slammed the chair he'd just vacated into the wall. It's wooden frame gave out and became a pile of splinters on the cool metal floor.

The room became deadly silent.

"Be careful, Anakin, those emotions…" he trailed off as his friend became a brilliant shade of red.

Indeed, it seemed as if Anakin were about to explode before he sucked in his breath deeply. "You… cannot… understand," he said through gritted teeth.

Then, Obi-Wan's face became surprisingly calm as he stood up to face Anakin, his face mere inches from the other's. "Oh, I do understand this a whole lot more than you think I do-"

"Really?" the younger man spat bitterly. "Considering the fact that you are too-"

"I happen to have left a very… dear friend behind," he finished, embarrassment tinting his cheeks at this confession.

Perhaps he'd experienced a great deal of shock in the past day, but Anakin did not even blink at this comment which had cost his former master a great deal of effort. "Then, you must understand why we need to go back," he said hoarsely. "The Jedi do not- cannot- know what is about to happen to them."

"Our course is set for Utapau," Obi-Wan said falteringly as uncertainty spread across his face.

"How can you do this?" Tears began to openly flow down his torment-filled face.

By then, everyone else in the ship was staring at the scene.

"We have a mission."

"Our duty is to the Jedi Order- not to a mission that spells our end!"

"We shall do as we've been instructed!" Obi-Wan hollered over Anakin, miffed that he was acting so improperly out in public. He saw the irrational desperation that filled his friend's eyes and, sensing a dark presence from him, warned, "If you do not cooperate, I will have you sedated."

At this threat, Anakin's eyes went wide as he saw that he was ridiculously outnumbered. Slowly, his arm moved away from his lightsaber of which he'd been moving to get. Tears of dejection slid down the Jedi's face as he hung his head.

Caught in a horrible situation in which he had no idea what to do, Obi-Wan looked as if he were about to give the younger man a comforting hug but turned away.

"You will be the one she thinks of when she dies," Anakin whispered.

"What?" Behind him, Obi-Wan came to an abrupt halt.

He slowly turned around and fixed him with a mournful look. "I… know a whole lot more than I let on."

For a minute, the older man gaped at Anakin but appeared like he was going to say something, but a clone trooper whisked him off.

Alone.

"Sir, you are unwell," a concerned crewmember said, hurrying the Jedi to a chair.

Waving the man off, Anakin stumbled over to the large viewport. Before him was the Galaxy, its vastness and intricacy making him feel increasingly inferior.

They will turn on the Jedi and kill them all- crechelings, padawans, Knights, and even the Masters

A pathetic sob escaped Anakin as he saw his face reflected in the glass. Resting his forehead against the cool surface, he shielded his tears from those who watched.

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, Padmé sat on her couch fidgeting. After the ominous silence undid her, she laboriously stood up and began to pace. As always when she was unsettled, the Senator gazed at the distant Jedi Temple, its spires gleaming in the sunset.

You could save your Jedi friends and your family, Anakin

The tears burned his skin and rolled down the glass. At his side, Anakin's gloved hand clenched and unclenched as overwhelming emotions coursed through him.

Threepio walked up to Padmé, but she waved the fretting droid away, her eyes never leaving the Temple. The baby within her continued his or her ceaseless kicking, but she did not notice.

Anakin, my love, I miss you

Shakily, he stood up, his body suddenly becoming rigid.

I have to save them- it is my destiny

Looking about, the Jedi saw that everyone was distracted and, aside from the occasional glances that were sent his way, no one was paying any attention to him.

I am so sorry, Master, but you are wrong- my place is on Coruscant. Please, forgive me for what you cannot understand

Without looking back, Anakin strode towards the escape pod.

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