A/N: Hey all! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and been following this. We hope you're enjoying reading it as much as we enjoy writing it! And now, onto chapter ten. Bring your tissues...

Chapter 10

The trip to Polis Massa had been relatively short time-wise, but had felt like an eternity for Anakin. Padmé had been unconscious for the entire time. She was lying across Anakin, who had been wild with concern and grief. He had refused to let go of his wife, whose body still shook with contractions. Anakin hadn't felt fear like this before.

Obi-Wan had assured him that they would return for Leia. They had to concentrate on getting Padmé back to safety so she could deliver their child. Suddenly, he felt the ship launch into its landing cycle.

Obi-Wan emerged from the bridge. "Master Yoda and Master Windu are waiting for us. The medical droids are ready for her,"

He looked sadly into Anakin's teary eyes. This wasn't going to be easy.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE IS GONE!" Palpatine demanded.

"Just that," the officer said.

Palpatine clinched his fist as the young officer began to choke. "Was it Jedi Knights?" he asked with a sneer in his voice.

The officer managed to nod yes before passing out due to lack of oxygen. Palpatine stepped over him on his way out of the room.

All the way down the hall he was fuming with anger. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were fast become thorns in his side.

Anakin had carried Padmé into the medical facility. His tears had stopped but remained dried on his face. He looked terrible. Padmé's face was ashen white and she had just started to regain consciousness. Yoda and Mace had taken their positions outside the ward, looking through the glass window. They were amazed at the change in young Skywalker. He had held such anger not long ago. Now, they could feel his pain and sorrow echoing through the Force.

Padmé was placed in the birthing bed. Obi-Wan and Anakin took their places on either side of her, holding her hands.

"You'll be alright now, angel. Please, just hold on," Anakin whispered to his wife, whose eyes had fluttered open. She turned to him and her eyes lit up.

"Anakin…you came for me," she croaked, her voice seizing up. "He has Leia, Ani. Please, save her. Please, don't let him take her away. Please, Ani!" She was becoming hysterical. Anakin locked eyes with Obi-Wan.

"She is fully dilated. On the next contraction, tell her she must push." The cold hard, voice of the med droid interrupted. Obi-Wan nodded, taking it upon himself to be the voice of reason. He owed them both that much.

"Padmé, it is time. On the next contraction, you have to push. You've done it once already today, after this, it will all be over. I promise you," She nodded, trying to brace herself for the pain. Anakin squeezed her hand in support. He had missed the birth of their daughter. He was going to treasure every moment he was here, witnessing the birth of their second child.

"Push!" Obi-Wan instructed her. Her face clenched in pain and her screams made Anakin's eyes go wild. She looked exactly like she had in his dreams. The realisation made a shiver go up his spine. No. So much had changed already…she had already given birth. She was going to be alright.

Padmé's body lurched momentarily. She let out one final cry and fell back onto the bed. The sound of a baby's cry filled the room. Anakin couldn't help but smile. Obi-Wan looked at his former apprentice and couldn't help but smile either. There were tears rolling down his face now.

"It's a boy." The droid announced.

Anakin stood and quickly made his way over to the droid. Wrapped in a blue blanket, the droid handed the boy over to Anakin. Obi-Wan went to stand next to his former padawan. He put his hand on his shoulder. "Congratulations, Anakin. You are now a father."

At this moment, even the overwhelming sadness of Leia's capture couldn't tarnish this moment. Anakin was a father. He would do anything to protect his children. And he would rescue Leia.

"Luke…" Padmé moaned from her bed. Then suddenly, Padmé's heart-rate datapad began to beep.

The droid moved Anakin out of the way forcefully. Feeling his own heart start to beat rapidly, Anakin handed over his newborn son to Obi-Wan. He raced back over to Padmé.

This can't be happening, he thought to himself. No, this wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to save her!

"We are losing her." She droid simply stated, without emotion.

He looked into the tired eyes of his wife. His angel. "Padmé, please. Hold on. You can't die," he begged her, the tears blurring his vision. "I can't live without you. Obi-Wan and I will save Leia. Then we'll take Luke and we'll go to the lake country on Naboo. Just like you wanted to. Please, Padmé. YOU CAN'T DIE!"

She turned herself to look directly into his eyes. With what little strength she had left, she raised her arm and gently stroked his face, wiping away his tears. "I knew there was still good in you, Ani. I felt it. Save her, please. I love you. Tell Luke and Leia that I love…"

The heart-rate datapad stopped. It then went into a long, monotonous beep. She was gone.

Anakin froze for a moment, still disbelieving. Her hand was still against his face. She was gone. He couldn't save her. He had failed her. She was gone.

He felt the Force pulsate around him. It was then the grief and the anger began to control him. The room began to shake as Anakin let his grief and his anger run into the Force. He barely heard Obi-Wan shouting his name.

"PADMÉ!"

It was then that little Luke opened his mouth and began to scream again. Anakin froze and the room stopped shaking. Padmé had gone. But turning to the Dark Side hadn't help save her. His anger was useless. It would do nothing to bring her back.

Anakin quickly ran to Obi-Wan and took hold of his son. She was gone. But he still had his son. And he still needed to save his daughter…

A tiny child's cry echoed in the dark, vast room.

That cry caused an evil smile to spread across the pasty white face of the man that held the tiny female child. He knew exactly why this child was crying.

Her mother had died.

And her daughter had felt it.

"Soon your father and brother will die as well."