Author's Note: This chapter is long, long, long. But I pushed myself to edit it as quick as possible. This is it! The bombshell everyone's been waiting for concerning Anakin and Padme's future is dropped. Her true feelings for him are finally revealed, and his reaction? Read below! This has got to be my favorite chapter of the entire episode, and you'll see why as you read. Anguish, rage, and vengeance ensure.

Chapter 81 responses:

Arsenal: No, but you're on the right track with the kidnapping idea.

G-Anakin 13: Here ya go!

Miss Naye: Hey what's up? It's good to hear from you again. And yes, he does keep the twins as Padme doesn't want them.

The Lure of the Dark Side: Chronicle 1-The Turning of an Era

Episode V: Revenge of the Sith

Chapter 36: The Breaking of Hearts

When Padme reentered consciousness, she noticed two things: it was morning and she'd been moved into homeyier room in comparison to one she was in last night. The décor was white and there were balloons and flowers all about it; the window curtains were flung open wide and luminous sunshine was pouring in.

Glancing to her right showed that the door to the room was now opening. A moment later, her visitor was revealed to be her father. He smiled when he saw she was awake.

"Padme my dear, you're awake. How are you, child?"

Padme sighed deeply. She was still a little sore, and hurt a lot down below, but as she used the dark side to soothe her pain, she was beginning to feel "somewhat better."

"Good." He came over to place a hand on her shoulder. She smiled faintly up at him. "You've been through a great ordeal Vader tells me."

She weakly nodded and since she didn't feel like continuing their conversation in speech due tiredness, she continued the conversation via thought.

"When did you get here?"

"Late last night to be precise," he responded aloud. "I felt the twins being born in the Force. All Force beings probably did. Both are strong, though Luke is a bit more than Leila. As soon as I felt them, I canceled all meetings for today and tomorrow and came here to see them."

Padme nodded feebly again and drifted back to sleep.

The next two days were spent with Padme at the hospital dosing on and off throughout the days. On the third day, however, she was fully awake most of the time and feeling much better. The emperor left on the second day as planned, meanwhile, Anakin and the Grievous twins were staying at the Theed Royal Palace – about a mile from the hospital – to be near her. Because of Padme's positive condition on the third day, it was decided that she could go home on the next. She could not wait. She was very much looking forward to getting out of her pathetic hospital room, which got old fast, and the hospital in general with its abhorrent food and doltish nurses, constantly asking her if she wanted to hold her babies. Blah. For the sake of Anakin, however, she complied, but the few times he wasn't around, which sadly wasn't often, she refused.

Padme also noticed with some satisfaction, and a hint of amusement, that Anakin began distancing himself a lot from Arica during her stay at the hospital; refusing to talk or so much as look at her. It was obvious Arica was hurt by this, even if she tried to brush it off with anger or irritated glares. Out of entertainment for herself, Padme tried offering the girl sarcastic comfort a few times, only Arica would always dismiss it with curses, snarling that she didn't need her sympathy.

As scheduled, Padme was released from Theed Capital Hospital on the forth day since the twins arrival by way of private shuttle. It took a little while to get settled, but once she had somewhat, she went to the babies' room to quiet down the "noise-making twins who refused to shut up." Anakin approached her therein, where he was having little to no success in doing this, and she took over, simply using the Force to make Luke fall into slumber, yet making it look like she was simply rocking him to sleep.

Anakin looked moderately disappointed. "I guess he needed a mother's touch. But after all, who could blame him?"

Anakin had made it a point to be nothing short of kind to Padme during her hospital stay and now after, despite their martial problems. Padme simply followed suit. She wanted to make it out to him that she'd changed upon becoming a mother; that way the bombshell would be even more shocking when she terminated their marriage. She wasn't sure on a time of this happening event, it could be done whenever now. This was something she decided to simply play by ear, just to the right moment.

His mood seemed to change after the small laugh she'd gave following his words, but she paid no notice; lowering baby Luke into his crib and picking up the equally small Leila to repeat the sleep lure used on her brother.

Abruptly, but not unexpectedly, Anakin announced that he was going to speak with Arica about their infatuated relationship and bring an end to it. The reason this didn't surprise Padme too much is because with the way things were going between them now, he probably assumed their marriage would be shortly returning to normal. They would continue living out their lives together, raising their children. Instead of saving him the trouble, she figured to go ahead and make him think that's what was going on. Let Arica get her heartbroken, but his would soon follow, and then he would be miserable and hurting all alone.

"Okay," she said in response to his proclamation, keeping up a steady rock of Leila, and sweetly adding, "Just don't be to harsh with her. Arica's a nice girl you know."

He smiled. "It's good that you remember that, and I know. I won't be." He leaned in to kiss her; she returned it. "I'll be back soon."

She hummed a reply and he exited the room for Arica, dreading the worse. He found her in the first floor living room with Antellica, watching the newly replaced Imperial Broadcast Network, the replacement news channel to the HoloNet under direct control of the emperor himself and Intelligence staff.

Ignoring the screen, Anakin turned his attention to Arica, but couldn't help focus his eyes on Antellica in particular at her current state. Curled up in a ball on the sofa, she was clutching a pillow to her stomach while Arica gently patted her head in what Anakin guessed to be comfort. Antellica's face showed that she was in pain.

Since neither of the girls seemed to notice his presence, he cleared his throat. Arica jumped, but Antellica merely looked up with a faint smile. He returned it and began to approach her, for a minute completely forgetting about Arica, who now was glaring at him.

"Are you all right, Antellica?" he asked crouching down in front of her.

"Are you all right, Antellica?" Arica mocked in a high pitched voice. "Does it look like she's all right?! Honestly, some people can be so stupid."

Anakin's eyes flashed at the insult, but decided not to give into her little game. It was obvious she was doing this simply because of her anger towards him. Well, he wasn't interested in playing childish games so merely ignored her and turned back to Antellica. He repeated his question. "Are you all right, Antellica? Do you not feel well?"

Arica gave a cough, but otherwise remained silent and was ignored.

"I'm sick," Antellica said so softly he had to ask her to repeat herself.

"What are you deaf?!" Arica snapped. "She said she's sick!"

Anakin sharply turned to her annoyance. "I don't believe I was talking to you, Arica."

"I don't believe I was talking to you, Arica," she mocked back.

His eyes flashed again, but he quickly turned his attention back to Antellica at signs of further distress. Tears were now softly falling from her eyes, urging Anakin to reach up a hand to lightly stroke her hair.

"Why are you sick, Antellica?" he asked softly. "Did you eat something that didn't agree with you or is it that certain time of the month that all females go through?"

Antellica sniffed a few times before answering. "I don't know why I'm sick. I've had a stomach ache for the past few days now."

"And it's not cramps," Arica added.

Anakin turned to her, prepared to mocked again when he spoke. "What are you, Antellica's mouth piece?" And as expected: "What are you, Antellica's mouth piece?"

Anakin rolled his eyes and looked back to Antellica. "Would you like me to search within you with the Force to see what the problem is?"

"No, no. That won't be necessary," she softly replied. "But thank you anyway."

"No problem." He rose from the floor. "And I hope you feel better."

Turning back to Antellica's angered twin with a glare, he said, "If you're done mocking me Arica, I'd like to have a word with you."

He than left the room, not even looking to see if she was following. He knew she was though. He felt her doing so. Anakin's angry stalk led him to the backyard gardens not far from the beach shore.

Reversing his position from deeper into its center, he halted to see Arica standing across from him with an emotionless expression. But he wasn't fooled. He could see the evident amount of hurt in her eyes, though she tried hide it, and it made his heart ache.

Arica swallowed slowly and whispered, "You wanted to talk to me."

He sighed. "Yes. Yes Arica I did." Why was it that every time he was alone with her he just completely lost it? One minute he was angry with her, the next he felt like he was in love with her.

Arica was still standing before him, nervously waiting for him to continue.

He sighed again. "Oh Arica." Cupping her face in his hands, he tenderly gave her kiss.

Arica was taken by great surprise. This was most definitely not what she was expecting from him. Nonetheless, she kissed him back all the same.

When they broke apart, Anakin took a deep breath and proceeded to, as he knew he would, break her heart. "Arica, we-we can't be friends anymore."

"What? No!" Arica's cry was filled with anguish and the hurt in her eyes became even more pronounced. "Why?!"

He sighed yet again. "Listen Arica, it's not that I don't like you. I do. It's just that whenever I'm around you...I can't help thinking about our time together."

Closing his eyes in grief, he reopened them to continue. "Look Arica, I'm married. And I'm a father now too. We can't continue this if there's a chance I can reconcile my marriage. This needs to end; we need to end. And the only way that can happen is if we dissocialize ourselves from each other. I'm sorry Arica, but this is the only way."

In spite of her eyes growing slightly teary, Arica managed to hold up some momentum in the situation. "Wow," she breathed, "it must've taken a lot for you to say that."

"More than you know Arica," he said sincerely. "I truly am sorry."

"I'm sorry too." But her voice sounded anything but sorry. "I'm sorry I let myself fall in love with you. I'm sorry for everything we've done together. I'm sorry I ever even met you."

"Arica, don't say that." Anakin wasn't liking the way this conversation was going, and made to hold her, but she pulled away.

"If you don't want to be my friend anymore then fine. I understand perfectly." She was screaming with rage to cover her hurt. "Go run back to that lying bitch Padme and we'll see just how long that lasts until you too get your heart broken."

"Arica-"

But he'd already lost her. No longer caring about the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, she let them fall and ran away from the only man she'd ever loved. He called after her, but she just kept going; running into the house, up to her room and proceeding to pack the few things she'd brought with her when she moved back into the Amidala Lake Estate four months ago. Now it seemed that she was leaving again. She'd go off and live somewhere by herself. Maybe on Naboo, maybe not. But make no mistake, it would be somewhere far away from Anakin and his family.

Arica was mildly surprised when Padme unexpectedly entered her room halfway into packing, (the door was open) but chose to ignore her.

Padme looked around the room, and than inquisitively at Arica. She'd seen her, from the living room where she'd been talking to the still-sick Antellica, run into the house crying and was nearly floored at the sight. The equally vicious and murderous Arica Grievous shredding tears? It was shockingly impossible, and yet happening. She must've taken the breakup really hard to stoop that low, Padme mused. Leaving behind the equivalently shocked, but concerned Antellica, Padme rushed to investigate. In the girl's former/current room it was to find her gathering up a few possessions and purposely ignoring her. She didn't seem to be crying anymore, but then Padme really couldn't see her face since her head was bowed towards the floor and as such, her long mane of black was keeping it from view.

"What are you doing?" Padme asked after a moment of simply observing her collect clothes from her wood-carved dresser.

Arica ignored her.

She tried again. "Why are you packing your things?"

Silence.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Still Arica didn't respond.

Padme smirked. "No. I don't think you're going anywhere because if memory holds correctly, I thought I told you you weren't free of me until you turned eighteen. Besides, it's not like you have anywhere else to go."

Again, Arica said nothing.

"Why did you leave anyway?" Padme abruptly asked. That got Arica to stop a moment. "What was your real reason besides feeling hurt and rejected because, I know there was another."

In the continued silence, Padme seated herself on the edge of Arica's bed, next to the three bags she was stuffing things in and next to her standing form. Padme fixed her gaze up at her, awaiting a response. While Arica did spare her a glance, she remained silent as she continued her packing.

"You do love him, don't you?"

Silence.

"More than a friend, I mean."

More silence.

"That's one of the reasons you left, isn't it?" Padme asked in a tone that teetered to sneering. "You don't like the fact that Anakin and I are married, do you?"

For a while Arica continued to say nothing and even ventured towards the double windowed doors that led outside to the room's balcony. Padme followed, and knowing that she wouldn't go away until she got an answer, Arica finally decided to speak.

"No," she said at length, her back to the woman she hated most in the galaxy. "No I don't. But for other reasons."

Abruptly turning, she faced Padme with a glare. "You don't love him. You know you don't. You can't stand him. You said so yourself."

"And?" Padme's expression was unmoved, and that's what set Arica off the most. "You disgust me!" she roared. "And I hate you! You are going to end up breaking his heart! He loves you and how do you think he's going to react when he finds out you don't love him?!"

Padme merely gave an unconcerned shrug.

Arica looked triumphant. "Aha! You see! You're a cruel, wicked bitch Padme! Anakin is-"

"Vader you mean," Padme sharply cut across, but Arica spoke over her.

"-a nice person and he doesn't deserve this! You are you going to hurt him and you don't even care!"

"Why should I?!" Padme screamed back. "It's not like this whole making Vader believe a lie thing was my idea! It wasn't! So if you want to scream and holler at someone I suggest you do it to Sidious! It was his idea! As you very well know!"

But Arica wasn't looking at Padme. She'd gone deathly pale and was clutching a hand over her mouth with wide eyes at something behind Padme.

Padme, irritated that the girl's attention was no longer on her, whipped around to see what was so fascinating. She should've guessed beforehand. There standing in the doorway of Arica's room was Anakin himself.

Unknown to the females, he'd been standing there a good minute or so. He'd come running in the house after Arica to apologize for what he'd said when he began to hear raised voices coming from her room. Curious, he went up to investigate. And this is what he found: The revelation that Padme, his beloved wife, did not love or care for him, and that Sidious and Arica, surprisingly, were in on it. He felt various emotions at that moment – confusion, hurt, anger, and shock. And he made no move to hide them from showing on his face.

Padme turned back to glare at Arica, who was on the verge of tears once more. "Nice job Arica!" she barked. "Just brilliant!"

Ignoring Padme, Arica raced to her bed, collected her bags and made to run past Anakin out the room; only he caught her by the her arm, just before she could.

"Arica wait! Where are you going?!"

Arica, however, roughly jerked her arm out of his grasp and continued on pass him, running down the stairs and out of the front door.

Reverting his gaze from the closed door that had just slammed behind Arica, Anakin turned back to look at his wife, to find her glaring coldly at him, her eyes full of hatred. And though he almost more then slightly recoiled by this death glare, he was still confused by the situation and wanted some answers. It hurt to do so, but he kept his face impassive. "What was that all about?" he asked simply.

For a moment, she simply stared at him. Eventually though, the glare disappeared and in its place came a twisted sneer. "Perhaps you should take a seat, Lord Vader," Padme said in an almost jeering tone of voice.

"No. I think I'm fine standing," he answered coolly.

She shrugged. "Very well."

The sneer still intact, she let another brief pause go by before doing what she'd so yearned for the past three years now: break his heart. "Now I can be a nice person when I want to be. And I can be a horrid, cruel person when I want to be. I'm a very good actress you see. But of course I'd have to be, wouldn't I? To fool not only the Jedi, but also the entire New Galactic Republic for all these years. And it would seem-"

Despite himself, Anakin began to grow impatient and sharply cut across her little speech. "What does this have to do with your father?" Padme's eyes flashed at being cut off, but he didn't care. "Or us for that matter?" he continued. "You said something about this being Sidious' idea. What's that supposed to mean?"

Leveling him with a gaze of the utmost haughtiness, she told him. Everything. The reason she was born, her purpose in life, all of that. By the time she was finished, Anakin was a cross between deeply hurt and intensely angry, though he was more hurt out of the two.

A short period of silence took place before he finally found his voice to speak. "But, Padme-you-you mean the only reason you married me was because Sidious ordered you to? To bring about my turning to the dark side?" This question was asked in horrid disbelief.

Padme offered him a smirk. "That's right Vader."

He was still in denial to believe this. "But-but I love you."

Padme rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's not like the feeling's mutual, or ever has been for that matter."

"What?!" Anakin was in pure shock now. "You don't or ever have loved me?"

"No."

"What?!"

Despite his better judgment, silent tears were beginning to form in his eyes. And as sick as it sounded, Padme seemed to take pleasure out of his state of aghast heartbreak.

"But-but why?" he asked after a moment. "I'm a nice person."

"Why? Why?!" she repeated disgustedly. "Have I not made myself clear enough? I HATE YOU!" she screamed. "It was an act! All of it! And as for those filthy children of yours, I want them, and you, out of this house by tomorrow morning or else I will throw the stuff in the street!"

Anakin was beyond shocked now; he was floored. "But-but-where am I supposed to go?!"

"I missed the part where that's my problem," was her cold reply.

"Padme!" Anakin was now openly crying. "Padme, please! You don't mean these things. Please tell me you don't mean these things, and that this is all some horrible dream or mean joke."

"Sorry Darth," Baynetta sneered, "but this is reality. Get used to it!"

Her work complete, she made to exit the room – there was much to be done – but Anakin jumped in front of her, blocking her means of departure.

"Padme, even if you didn't love me at first," he cried out, "I would've thought you have grown to love me in our time together!"

"Did you now?" Baynetta jeered. "Well guess again pretty boy, because I didn't."

She made past him again, but as before he blocked her path.

"Padme please," he cried, "if you want me out than fine, but don't kick out your own children too."

"I have no children!" she screamed. "Those dirty brats don't belong to me! They are the product of an arrogant bastard alone."

Anakin was terribly wounded by this last insult. "Padme, it's getting cold out. It's nearly winter. They could catch a cold!"

"I don't care!" she yelled in his face. "I hope they die! I never wanted them to begin with. I was going to abort them but no, Sidious said, 'Keep them Padme. With me as their grandfather and the Chosen One as their father they will be strong.'" Baynetta gave a cough of disgust. "Now get out of my way!"

"Padme! Please!" He was beyond desperate now. "I did all this for you. Turning to the dark side, wiping out the Jedi Order, killing the Separatists leaders, all this was done for you! Don't you see that?! I did this all to protect you, Padme!"

"I don't need your damn protection!" she screamed. "I don't need anyone's damn protection. I can protect my own self, dammit! Now get out of my way now!"

"Padme stop this. I love you. Please stop doing this to me. You don't know how much I'm hurting inside to hear you say all these wicked things to me!"

"Get Out Of My Way Now Or I Will Use Force!" Baynetta boomed.

This pronouncement seemed to snap something inside of Anakin. The deep wounds of hurt completely forgotten, they were replaced by new emotions – anger, lividness, and pure rage. His tears and begging came to a halt and his eyes flashed as he hissed in a deadly voice, "You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me!"

Baynetta made to Force push him out of the way, but Anakin foresaw this and countered the attack, knocking her off her feet and into the nearby dresser standing against the wall behind her.

Getting up with a roar, Baynetta made to strike him with Force lightning, but again he foresaw this attack and used his gloved mechanical hand as a shield to direct the lightning back at her. Screaming in fury at this, she jumped out of the way before the lightning could strike her.

Anakin, meanwhile, was sneering with evil laughter. "You are so weak Baynetta," he hissed arrogantly as he made an approach to her. "Do you honestly think that you, a silly politician girl, who just happens to be Darth Sidious' daughter, can take me, Lord Darth Vader, the most powerful Force being to ever be in existence, down with force?!" He gave an evil cackle of laughter. "I would like to see you try Baynetta, I really would."

His face was now mere inches from her own. Baynetta glared at him a moment before than successfully striking him to the floor with Force lightning. He howled and yelled in angered agony.

Just as soon as she started the lightning, she stopped it and backflipped over his battered form, intending to land in the hallway and go downstairs.

In mid flip, however, Baynetta's throat suddenly tightened and she couldn't breathe. She was flipped back around headfirst and now dangling in the air beyond the hall and banister so if Vader suddenly let go, she'd fall through the air to the hard wooden floor below on the first floor.

Vader picked himself up off the floor and glared over at his wife. She was still being Force-choked in air.

"The Jedi turned against me," he snarled. "And I will not have you do the same."

"Anakin, what are you doing?!" the voice of Antellica suddenly asked.

Baynetta briefly stopped clawing at her throat to look down and see Antellica standing below her, looking up in confusion. Vader ignored her as he intensified the choke on his wife. He wouldn't kill her. No, but he'd cause her a lot of pain.

As Antellica finally realized what was going on, she ran up the stairs yelling for Vader to let Padme go. Again he ignored her. He was glaring a twisted smile at Baynetta, who continued to claw at her throat while desperately trying to think of a way to stop this hold on her before it was too late.

"You have a choice Padme," Vader said. "Take back those things you said, or you shall die."

Antellica, however, reached Vader just then and pushed him to the floor as she roared, "I said let her go!"

The choking on Baynetta instantly ceased, as did the levitating. She began to fall rapidly through the air. But before she could crash land on the floor, she stopped herself with a slight tap into the Force and landed gracefully on her feet.

Vader, meanwhile, had gotten up and slapped Antellica to the floor with a curse. He than ran down the stairs and outside the house with a slam of the front door.

He was angry yes, livid even, but also deeply hurt and wounded. Here he'd thought he'd spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved only to find out she didn't love him in return, and never did. He'd done so much for her, worried about her, cherished her. During the Clone Wars she was all that had kept him going, and now it all came to this. What made his heart ache the most was that she didn't even want their children.

Overcome with emotion, he collapsed onto the grassy garden floor and wept.

After Arica fled the house with her belongings, she'd decided to stay briefly on the property to eavesdrop on Anakin and Baynetta's breakup with the Force. Her heart ached for him as she felt the emotional pain he was going through in the Force. So much, that she set aside her own heartbreak for the sake of his. Placing her bags on the edge of the Amidala property, she headed back onto it to find, and perhaps, comfort him. She sensed that he was outside the house, and knew that he could probably be found in their favorite hangout, the estate's garden. Her assumption proved correct as she found him there, legs crossed under the shade of a small tree, weeping with grief.

"Anakin," she called softly upon approach.

He looked up, tears running freely down his face, though he hastily made to wipe them away at the sight of her. "Arica. You're still here?"

"Because of you." She sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I know I shouldn't have but," Her discomfort was seen in her posture as she shifted her weight from side to side, "I kinda eavesdropped on what happened and...oh Anakin, I'm so sorry."

She wrapped her arms around him fully and gently stroked his hair. At first, he seemed somewhat constrained in her embrace, hiding all of the emotion he felt in a mask of stone. But at her intensified pull of him into her arms, and urgings of him to let it all out, he abruptly fell into her embrace fully, and cried into her shoulder. She hugged him even tighter at this and gently laid small kisses on his brow.

When they broke apart some time later, Arica used her hand to wipe away some of his tears. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah I'm alright." But at her raised eyebrow, he sighed. "Or at least I will be." He brought himself to small softly. "Thank you Arica. For being here for me."

"No problem." She returned the smile. "That's what friends are for, right?" A stricken look crossed her face upon realizing what she'd said and back tracked. "But then, I forgot we're not friends anymore."

Anakin, however, was quick to set her straight. "Arica, no. I'm so sorry I hurt you. It was never my intention. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. But now I see it wasn't. Will you ever forgive me? I know it's not right of me to ask but..."

"Shh." She held a finger to his lips. "Of course I forgive you. I couldn't hold a grudge against you even if I tried."

Anakin smiled and hugged her. "Thank you Arica. That means a lot to me." Unexpectedly, he moved his face closer to hers and looked deep into her eyes. "You mean a lot to me."

Knowing his intention, Arica pulled away just as unexpectedly as he came closer. "Anakin no." She was somewhat startled by his behavior. "I'm your friend from now on."

"But Arica," he continued to come closer, "it doesn't matter if we do anything now. I'm finally free. Isn't this what you always wanted?"

"Of course it is," she answered honestly. "More than anything. But it takes time to heal wounds. And you need time to heal. I need time to heal. Plus, you're a father now." She stopped to smile. "We can't just rush into this. We'll regret it later."

Anakin sighed at the truth of her words. "You're right Arica. I'm sorry." He than flashed her a playful grin. "But since when did you get so wise?"

Her smile also playful, she gave him a swat across the face. "Hey!" He began to wrestle with her on the grass floor, both laughing happily. But eventually it had to end. Anakin had to retrieve his and the twins' things from the house and Arica wished to leave.

"Where will you be if I wish to find you?" he asked before she did so.

"Use the Force Anakin," she gave him a peek on the cheek goodbye, "and you'll find me."

And with a wink, she was gone.

He watched her go with a smile, but soon turned his attention back to the house and sighed.

Time to face the music.

Miserably, he picked himself up off the ground and headed back inside, dreading the worst. But upon entrance he discovered that Padme and Antellica were no longer in the building. This brought a sigh of relief that was soon forgotten at the sound of loud screams coming from the twins' room. Immediately, he made for it at a run. If she'd done any type of harm to his children before she left, he'd kill her. But inside, he didn't find anyone hurt, yet received quite a shock.

While he'd been outside with Arica, Padme, with the help of a slightly hesitant Antellica, stripped the baby room of all its decorations and everything else it contained: cradles, cribs, toys, etc. Luke and Leila were now seated in the center of the room, on the floor, alone and crying in obvious confusion as to what was going on.

"Oh my little babies!" Anakin rushed to comfort them. Kneeling down in front of the two, he hugged them both to him tightly. "It's alright."

The twins continued to cry a little while longer, but after being held for some time and receiving the gentle waves of comfort that their father was sending them via the Force, they calmed down and looked up at their consoler with bright, wide eyes.

Anakin smiled down at his children and lightly tickled them on their necks with his fingers. They both giggled and gave squeals of delight, but Anakin sensed that they didn't just want attention. They were also hungry.

He looked thoughtfully around the bare room. Nothing was inside, not even a small jar of baby food. Cursing silently, he carried Luke and Leila down to the kitchen, hoping to find some food there. Alas, no baby food or formula was found there either. Disappointedly, he looked back at the expectant twins, who'd been propped up on the counter.

"Agee," Luke babbled.

Despite the situation, Anakin laughed. "I guess by 'agee' you mean you're hungry. And I know you are, I just can't find anything here for you two to eat."

He looked in the fridge, but still found nothing. He sighed in frustration and was about to close the door when suddenly he spotted a jar of applesauce. Giving it a peculiar gaze, he took the jar off its fridge shelf and glanced over at the twins.

"Lana!" Leila jabbered, clapping her little hands together and giggling. Luke also giggled and Anakin couldn't help but laugh again.

"Well it's not technically baby food but it'll have to do."

Placing the jar between the twins, who continued to giggle and clap, he took three small bowls and spoons out one of the two kitchen china cabinets. With them under a shoulder, he picked up Luke and Leila, who were busying themselves with touching the jar of applesauce in interest, and carried them into the dining room. He cursed again as soon as he entered however. Padme had also gotten rid of the twin's high chairs.

Sighing, he took the kids into the living room and sat them on the room's largest sofa; the china ware on the table in front of it. Kneeling down before them, he beamed with pride at their little faces. "Now, I'll be right back my little ones. I'm just going to get the applesauce, but I promise I will be back. I won't abandon you like that accursed mother of yours."

They both simply giggled again and he gave them gentle pats on the head before heading for the kitchen. In the midst of retrieving the applesauce, however, he heard the crying screams of Luke and Leila begin again. Hurriedly grabbing the jar, he ran back into the living room. The twins were exactly where he'd left them, only tears were falling from their eyes and screams admitting from their little mouths. Anakin quickly placed the applesauce onto the table next to the bowls and picked his children up into his arms.

"There, there little ones," he cooed. "There's no reason to cry. Daddy's right here. Just as I always will be."

Luke and Leila gradually calmed down to silence, enabling Anakin to place them back into their spots on the sofa. Afterwards, he filled the three bowls with applesauce and fed the twins first before eating his own.

This was followed by a spell of tiredness from the twins and Anakin giving them a simple sleep suggestion with the Force. They were out within seconds and he covered them with the blanket Antellica had been using earlier. He simply gazed down at them a moment before leaving the room and going back upstairs to begin packing his things. Oddly, he found a note from Padme sitting on his dresser:

Dear Vader,

As I'm sure your uneducated mind has already figured out, myself and Antellica have gone out for the day. I'm filing for divorce and am going to do a few other things. By the time I return tonight at 2100, I expect you and those smelly children of yours, along with all your stuff – I already took the liberty of getting rid of the brats' things, as I'm sure you've noticed – to be out of my elegant mansion or else.

And believe me, you don't want to know what 'else' means.

Padme – Empress Amidala to you dog.

Anakin angrily ripped the note to shreds, and, in pure rage, glared over at the room's clock that now read 1537.

I have time. A both wicked and devious plan was forming in Anakin's mind. She wants my stuff out of her 'elegant' mansion. Fine. But not until I leave behind a mark so treacherous that it will take forever to forget.

For the next half-hour, Anakin proceeded to trash the entirety of the Amidala Lake Estate, with the small exception of Antellica's room that is. He held no bad feelings towards her and also left a note for her under her bed pillow saying as much; his hopes for her to feel better, and that if she ever wished to find him, simply stretch out with her feelings. An apology for earlier was also included.

It was 1607 when Anakin left the house with his few belongings, mainly just clothes and such; the advantage of being a former Jedi was that he held no real possessions. The twins were still asleep. He carried them in his arms, and his things over his shoulder in a trash bag. His first decision on his own was considering where he should go. It was than that he thought of Arica. He searched for her Force signature and found it in Theed's Holiday Lakes Hotel and Resort. With this thought in mind, he made for the dock of Miabi's island, about ¼ mile south of the Amidala Lake Estate. Fairs from Lake Country islands to the mainlands cost 25 credits a boat. Anakin, however, chose to do the cruel thing by using a Sith mind trick on the dockhand to get a free boat, despite the fact of having the required credits to pay for it.

Arriving in Theed about fifteen minutes later, he took a shuttle downtown. Being the husband, if so soon to be ex-husband, of the Galactic Empire's Empress had it's advantages to say the least. Padme was extremely wealthy, and as such, so was Anakin. His soon to be ex-wife had a large bank account at the National Bank of Naboo, and even though it was a single account, Padme had given him the account number if ever he wanted to make a withdrawal. She'd done this not long after they'd married. Anakin, at the time, had quickly waved this off saying, "What would I buy with the money? I'm a Jedi."

However, a Jedi he was no longer, and at long last he finally decided to put Padme's money to good use. Making a brief stop along the way at a department store, to buy a double-stroller for the twins, Anakin went to the bank in question and cleaned out Padme's entire account by putting all of its assets – over 300 billion credits – into a newly opened account in his name. Anakin knew Padme had an even larger account on Coruscant, so she shouldn't miss the money here too much. Perhaps be a bit pissed off at first but hey, that's life.

Taking approximately a half-million out the bank with him, he left to purchase a sleek, silver Naboo star cruiser. He'd thought about selling one of Padme's, but soon thought against it. Sidious was his master, and Padme's father. He'd probably tell Anakin to return it to her if he did steal one, so really, what was the point?

Next, he returned to the same department store from earlier to purchase some more things for the twins – clothes, toys, food. And since they were still asleep, he left them aboard his star cruiser, which he took to naming, Vengeance.

Finally, he went to the Holiday Lakes. Although the lovely resort was downtown, it was more on the edge of it; on a large piece of land not far from the ocean that overlapped around from the Lake Country. At the resort, he purchased a spacious 5-bedroom suite on the twenty-fifth floor; room #2503. And then asked the sales representative who sold him the suite which room Arica Grievous was staying in.

"Are you a family member?" the thirty-something male asked.

Anakin smirked. "She's my sister-in-law, though that may soon change as my wife's divorcing me."

Upon being informed that she was on the penthouse level, – the fiftieth floor – Anakin thanked the salesman and moved his new purchases and old belongings into his new home. By the time he was done, the twins had awaken so he fed and played with them for awhile. Later, he ordered room service and had dinner. At the end of all this, 2100 was close at hand and Anakin smirked at the thought of how Padme would react to her trashed home. With this in mind, he took the giggling Luke and Leila with him to see Arica.

I know that babies probably don't babble at four-days old, but work with me here. They have Anakin as a father and Sidious as a grandfather. Plus, they're Force-sensitive. Force-sensitive beings always mature faster then normal beings. (I don't remember where I read that but...)
So...what did you think? Do tell! Please! I'm very excited about what you guys' reactions are to this. Only five more chapters to go!