Dooku looked up at Palpatine as his master blasted him with lightning for failing to find Skywalker. He held his tongue back not willing to give into the searing pain ripping through his body. Palpatine was angry about being misled, Anakin most likely knew everything by now.

"Will you fail me again, my apprentice?" Palpatine questioned in a sickening calm tone causing Dooku to lower his head in shame.

"No my master, I will find him and leave no stone unturned," Dooku promised as Palpatine gave a satisfied smile. He just wanted to be away from this torture he would promise anything.

"You have doubts, my apprentice?" Palpatine questioned as Dooku raised his head gritting his teeth. He raised his hands as lightning crackled at the man's fingertips.

"No I don't," Dooku answered in firm tone. "I will find him."

"Yes you will or you will die for your failure, am I clear my apprentice?" Palpatine questioned with a cold smile.

"Crystal clear, my master."

Anakin walked into the living area as Luke sat down on the couch. He was happy to see Luke moving about a little, a couple of days ago he didn't have enough strength to get out of bed. "Luke? How are you feeling?"

"Still hurting, my strength is slowly starting to come back," Luke answered honestly as Anakin nodded in agreement. "Thank you for helping me."

"My pleasure," Anakin answered with a grateful smile as he sat down in a chair across from the couch. "Bail has asked me to bring Palpatine in alive to bring him up on charges of treason. How do you feel about that?"

Luke took in a deep breath and slowly released it and shook his head. "Palpatine is too dangerous to let him live long enough to bring him up on charges of treason. He needs to die."

"I didn't promise a live delivery, if push comes to shove, Bail would understand," Anakin explained with a frown. "He's still not letting me live down the Senator Merrik incident."

"Senator Merrik incident?" Luke questioned in curiosity as Anakin released a frustrated sigh.

"He was about to blow up the ship with everyone on it while in hyperspace," Anakin explained with a frown. "I killed him with my lightsaber. He was threatening to kill Duchess Satine and was holding her hostage at point-blank."

"Wasn't there a better way to handle it?" Luke questioned in curiosity as Anakin bit on his lower lip.

"You're beginning to sound like Obi-Wan," Anakin muttered under his breath. "Grand Master Skywalker?"

"I did have to restore the Jedi Order, that Vader and Palpatine destroyed. I didn't have much of a choice," Luke pointed out with a worried expression as Anakin released a frustrated sigh. "Don't worry, father. Just don't give into Palpatine's lies."

"All right," Anakin agreed with a slight smile. He hoped he could resist whatever Palpatine plans to tell him. He wondered if Palpatine used his fears of losing Padme to his leverage? "I have to let go of my fears of losing your mother, or I fear Palpatine will use that against me."

"I always wondered what he said to you to get him you to join him," Luke muttered under his breath. "Suddenly it makes sense."

Anakin gave a sad shake of his head. He had to be cautious around the man from now on. He hoped he could avoid that fate, he wanted to be there to hold the twins the day they're born. The thought of meeting his children as babies warmed his heart making him excited. He couldn't wait.

Padme walked into her office as Leia looked up with a frown. She wondered how Luke was fairing under Anakin's care. Due to Luke's injuries, she suspected that Anakin might take a few more days before reemerging. Ben was lounging about in the corner like Anakin always did when he was bored. Not everyone was cut out to be a politician. She watched as Ben levitated the ball up in the air causing her to smile. "You remind me of Anakin."

Ben looked up with a sheepish smile as he lowered the ball back down. "I'm guessing Anakin levitated this when he got bored in your office?"

"He does," Padme answered honestly with a slight smile. "Very perceptive."

"He gets that from his mother," Leia explained with a frown. "Mara was the Emperor's hand and a trained assassin under Palpatine's guidance. She's very good at infiltrating facilities."

"When you say the Emperor's hand, you mean Palpatine don't you?" Padme questioned with a shocked expression.

"He uses Anakin to help bring down the Jedi and rise his Empire," Leia explained with a serious expression. "It never crossed my mind that father is a victim in all of this until now. I thought he did it willingly, but how did Palpatine get Anakin to get him to join?"

"I wish I had that answer," Padme answered honestly. "So I can better prepare Anakin for what's to come. I love Anakin, and I would do anything to keep him safe. Even if that means I leave the life of a senator. I want us to be a happy family."

"Is it too late to stop Palpatine? To prevent all of this from happening?" Leia voiced the question that was plaguing Padme's mind.

"I don't know," Padme answered honestly. "I wish I knew how, but if it's destined…" She paused for a second causing Leia to frown. "Maybe Anakin is meant to fall to get close to Palpatine to stop him. Telling him everything may make him kill Palpatine first chance he gets."

Leia nodded in silent agreement as Ben chewed on his lower lip. Padme wasn't sure how this would play out, considering they knew too much of their future. She wondered how Anakin planned to deal with Palpatine. Talking with Luke, she hoped the two would come to some form of agreement in how to deal with Palpatine directly. She suspected Palpatine would not live to be brought up on charges of high treason. She hoped Anakin did things by the book so he wasn't brought up on charges of high treason himself.

Dooku sat back on the bed as his body sorely ached from the attack. He was getting too old for this and Palpatine torturing him made him wonder if he was on the right side.

Palpatine was more relentless than usual this time. He suspected the fact that Skywalker was with his son, everything was about to fall apart on Palpatine and he suspected the man was scared.

He needed to get into contact with Anakin and offer the man his services. He highly doubted Anakin would trust him and Ventress would kill him the first chance she got. No, it was time to leave the war front. Getting away from Palpatine was going to be no easy task.

Palpatine stood in front of the large window looking out over the city. Deep down he was slowly becoming afraid, if Anakin really had Luke then Anakin must know everything by now. He would be coming for his head, he was almost positive of it. All Anakin really wanted deep down was a family of his own and knowing what he had to do to protect his family, scared Palpatine.

He never felt this scared before and it's possible after he tormented Dooku the man may decide to betray him. A grievous error on his part, he sensed the dark side was slowly starting to slip away from him. Palpatine turned in the direction of his secretary. "Any news on where General Skywalker has gone?"

"No your excellency, no one seems to know where Skywalker has gone. The Jedi Council has sent out a search party," the secretary answered with a frown. "Are you all right, sir?"

"I'm fine," Palpatine lied. "Please return to your post."

"Yes, your excellency."

Obi-Wan glanced at Ahsoka as they watched the Separatists army make the jump into lightspeed without warning causing him to frown. Maybe Palpatine realized that Anakin was not with the fleet. He hoped that meant Anakin had Luke and had gone into hiding until they came up with a plan dealing with Palpatine directly. "I hope Anakin had enough time."

"Me too," Ahsoka answered with a frown. "Hopefully he has Sky Guy Junior," she smirked causing Obi-Wan to shake his head sadly. "I have a feeling Anakin does and that's why Palpatine called the fleet back."

"Ahsoka, we have to deal with him one way or another. We need to deal with him," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath as Ahsoka nodded in agreement. He just hoped it wasn't too late to act. "Captain, set your coordinates for Coruscant."

"Yes General."

Padme stood up and opened the door as she looked up at Count Dooku causing her to take a step back in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help, Senator Skywalker now is it?" Dooku questioned causing fear to rush through Padme.

"How did you know?" Padme questioned as Ben walked to the door and withdrew his lightsaber. "What do you want?"

"Oh please, you and Anakin were sloppy around each other. It's obvious something more then mere friendship is going on between you too. Plus I had your son in my custody recently, remember?"

"Right, I wasn't sure if the relationship part came up in the conversation or not," Padme stepped aside allowing Dooku to enter. "What did you need my help with?"

"I need to get into contact with that Jedi you call a husband of yours," Dooku answered with a frown. "Palpatine needs to be stopped."

"What has changed your mind?" Ben questioned beating Padme to the punch as Dooku looked at the young man gauging him.

"And who might you be, young one?" Dooku questioned in curiosity.

"Our grandson," Padme answered with a frown. "Luke's son. Why do you want to help us now? Did something happen to change your mind?"

Dooku gave a short nod as Padme studied him causing her to frown. His muscles appeared to be twitching randomly, his face was pale and he looked like he was on the verge of collapse.

"You look like someone hit you with a good dose of Force lightning," Ben spoke up with a frown as Dooku's shoulders fell. "Palpatine did a number on you, didn't he?"

"Would you like to sit down?" Padme questioned as she came to the same conclusion as Dooku nodded. He slowly walked to the chair and gingerly sat down. Definitely in pain. "Ben, would you mind making us some tea? And bring out the special tea biscuits."

"Sure Padme," Ben answered with a slight smile as he disappeared into the kitchen as Padme turned her attention to Dooku.

Apparently, Palpatine knew no bounds on who he wanted to torment, she suspected that Grievous was being kept alive with the armor he wore. She walked to the couch and sat down while watching Dooku with a worried expression. "What do you need help with?" She questioned as Ben brought out the tea and biscuits. Dooku gave a smile in appreciation as Ben set down the tray.

As Dooku explained how Palpatine tormented him in not being able to locate Anakin, she felt her heart sink. He wanted Anakin's help but she had no way of reaching him until he decided to come out of hiding.

Leia stepped aside as Ventress entered her parents home. She held up her hand as Ventress watched her with a curious expression. "Before you go further, there's something you need to know."

"And what do I possibly need to know? Besides Anakin not coming out of hiding yet," Ventress pointed out with a slight frown.

"Dooku has switched sides after Palpatine punished him, he can barely move," Leia explained with a frown. "And he's here getting treatment from one of the Jedi medics for extreme Force lightning."

"So Palpatine decided to chase off his most loyal apprentice, did he?" Ventress questioned with a suspicious expression as Ben walked to the front door. "Ben, how did Dooku seem to you earlier?"

"Besides being in pain? He had all the classic signs of someone being tormented with Force lightning," Ben answered honestly. "That much was clear before asking him."

"And what does he want to do?" Ventress questioned with a curious expression.

"He wants to help Anakin stop Palpatine," Ben answered honestly with a frown. "I still have trouble believing him but we were hoping you could talk with him and find out if he's lying or not."

"He already has a suspicion I have been working with Anakin," Ventress commented with a frown. "And what would be my excuse for coming here now?"

"You really don't trust him, do you?" Ben questioned.

"He attempted to kill me a few years ago stating I was no longer his apprentice. I've had it in for him ever since," Ventress explained.

"So he told us," Padme commented as she walked up from behind Leia and Ben. "Ventress, thank you for coming. I suspect Ben and Leia has already given you the rundown?" She questioned as Ventress nodded in agreement. "Do you think you could talk to Dooku and see if he's telling the truth? Only if you're okay with talking to him? That also means he will know you were working with Anakin."

"My curiosity is peaked, I will talk with him as soon as the medic clears him," Ventress promised with a smile.

"Thank you," Leia gave a smile in return as Ventress walked to the couch and sat down prepared to wait on word of Dooku's current condition.

Thanks for reading and the review :)