I'd like to apologize for taking so long to update. School has started up for me again and I had a bit more on my plate than I was expecting from the first few days.

I'd also like to thank all of you for responding so positively towards this story and leaving me so many great reviews. I was not expecting such a response from people.

Chapter 14

For Bail their first day on Raxus had proven itself to be tedious and rather uneventful. He sat in on the negotiations and discovered that the team sent by Palpatine to negotiate the official surrender of the Separatists was doing little more than leading the peace talks in circles. Without the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi to guide the talks in the right direction his fellow Senators looked woefully unprepared. He knew the talks were taking longer than planned, and the unexpected attack on Anakin Skywalker had slowed the proceedings down even more.

For Padmé the day had proven to be rather stressful. She had refused to leave Anakin's room the night before and had slept in an uncomfortable chair just so she could be close to him. She had been so terrified after she had felt something happen to him that even watching his injured form floating in the bacta tank had helped calm her and eventually the quite beeps of the medical equipment had lulled her to sleep. He had been moved from the bacta tank early that morning and she had refused to leave the room as the medical team did a final evaluation before settling him into a bed. She had been granted one unexpected moment where Anakin's eyes had opened and found hers over the shoulders of the healers, and despite the slightly dazed look in his eyes she recognized the love she saw shining in them. Master Ni've had finally had to order her out of the room so that she could place Anakin into a healing trance. After that she had been escorted to her quarters so that she could prepare to join Bail in the negotiations.

It was late evening when the negotiations had finally been called to a halt for the day, their only progress having been made by Bail and Padmé working their magic to sell the idea of putting their respective armies to work in various fields of law enforcement all over the Republic once peace was completely restored. After that agreement had been reached the members of both sides were growing tired of how tedious the proceedings were and a recess had been called. Padmé and Bail ate their evening meal with the other members of the Republic committee but Bail knew it was only a matter of time before she slipped away to see Anakin again. Her chance came shortly after the group finished eating and as they made their way to Zo Howler's quarters to have a night cap.

Obi-Wan was standing outside of Anakin's room when she arrived, a rather pensive expression on his face as he looked in on his Padawan. His recovery was happening faster than even the healers could have planned for and it was becoming apparent that the healing trance was more of a final touch than a necessary step. Master Ni've had treated Anakin before and she was well aware of his remarkable connection to the Force but even she was stunned by Anakin's rapid recovery.

"How is he?" Padmé asked.

"He is showing remarkable speed in his recovery. Most Jedi would require at least a full day in a healing trance to recover from the trauma he has experienced and yet he could be taken out of his trance now and the healers would be confident in the belief that what little is left to heal could do so in a matter of hours."

"How is he able to heal himself so quickly? Even for a Jedi this seems almost miraculous."

"I cannot answer that because even I do not know what is going on with him."

Padmé frowned and looked in on Anakin, he looked surprisingly peaceful and many of the dark bruises that had discolored his torso that morning were already fading. "This healing trance that he's in, it has nothing to do with his ability to recover so quickly?"

"There is little doubt that it is helping but he was well on his way to a proper recovery after he was removed from the bacta tank," Obi-Wan said as he glanced down at the woman beside him, pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place. "His recovery was amplified as soon as you arrived on Raxus."

"What?"

"His vital signs showed vast improvements within moments of your arrival. It's almost as though your mere presence is helping to speed up his recovery, which is not entirely unheard of."

Padmé swallowed hard and looked up at the Jedi Master. "What are you trying to say?"

"It would appear that Anakin is drawing from your presence. I don't know how exactly but it is obvious to me now that your presence here is helping him recover so quickly."

"So my presence is a good thing for him?"

"I'm beginning to suspect that having you close is a very good thing for him. In fact, I would like to request that you spend as much time with him as you can spare."

"Of course," Padmé agreed quite eagerly and Obi-Wan gave cocked an eyebrow in such a way that she was so flustered that she had to look away.

"Go to him," Obi-Wan requested. "Having you close last night is what helped him get to this point and having you with him now can only be beneficial to his complete recovery."

Padmé nodded and quietly entered the room. As the door hissed shut behind her she became acutely aware of how quite the room was, the only sound that disturbed the perfect silence was the sound of his deep even breaths. She pulled the chair she had slept in closer to his bed and gently clasped his hand in hers as she sat down beside him.

She leaned in closer to him, kissing his cheek before whispering into his ear, "I'm here Ani, I'm not going anywhere." His fingers tightened around hers in response and she smiled.

The night was closer to dawn on Coruscant when Assaj put her plan into action. A robe fashioned similarly enough to what the Jedi wore was easy to come by if one looked in the right places on the Republic Capital and she felt confident in her plan as she pulled the hood over her face and made her way into the detention center where the former leaders of the Separatists were being held. Her only hindrance came in the form of a half asleep guard wanting to see her ID but it was easy to trick him with the cloak and a flash of her lightsaber on her belt. Once inside she let the Force guide her through the many levels of the facility until she found where the leaders were being kept.

She manipulated the Force around the block of cells to trick the cameras before she entered the first cell. The Neimoidians were quick kills, both of them cowering in fear as she raised her blades to kill them. Passel Argente, Shu Mai, and Tikkes went quickly and quietly. Poggle the Lesser tried to cry out but she used the force to silence him, breaking his neck with relative ease. Wat Tambor proved to be the most difficult but even he was no match for her skill.

When they were all dead she made her way to the cell where Dooku was being kept. The old man was sleeping, oblivious to what was about to happen to him. She smiled and her eyes flashed golden as she stepped into his cell.

He woke with a start at the snap hiss of a lightsaber and found that he was not all that surprised to see his former apprentice standing over him, her pale face illuminated by the red of her twin blades. "Ventress," he hissed as he sat up. "I knew this day would come. I just did not suspect it to happen so soon."

"Quiet old man," she growled. "Your Master found me and he has deemed that you are no longer worthy of the title of Sith Lord."

"And he has taken you in place, I see."

"I have already done what you could not."

"And what is that?"

"Hinder Skywalker."

"What did you do?"

"I dropped a building on him," she said, smiling gleefully at the memory of watching Skywalker trying to save his men. "Unfortunately he still lives but I will take his life before mine is over."

"Arrogance will not help you. The boy is the Chosen One."

"Do not tell me what to do, my old Master," she hissed. "I was successful where you were not and now your life is mine to end."

"Then do it."

"With pleasure," she said, holding both of her blades crossed at his neck and a swift move she cleanly severed his head from his body.

Ventress smiled, pleased with herself as she replaced her lightsabers on her belt and pulled her hood back into place. Her mess was about to become the Jedi's.

Padmé had just drifted off to sleep, her head resting on the pillow next to his where she had been whispering to him for most of the night, when the door opened and a strong hand firmly shook her awake. Groggy eyes focused on Obi-Wan standing over her, a strained expression on his face.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"The Separatist leaders have been murdered in their cells. We need to get off this planet before their Senate is made aware of this crime," Obi-Wan said. "I was told that it appears as though a lightsaber is the murder weapon."

"What? A Jedi killed them."

"I don't think so."

"Do you think it was whoever did this to Anakin?" she asked, motioning to where Anakin still lay motionless in the bed.

"Perhaps," he said. "Whatever the circumstances we have a shuttle waiting to get us off of this planet as quickly as possible. I need you to gather your belongings and meet us in the hangar in thirty minutes."

"What about Anakin?"

"Master Ni've is on her way to help move him."

"All right," she said, nodding her head in understanding. She spared Obi-Wan a sideways glance before she pressed her lips to Anakin's forehead, whispering her promise to see him soon before she took her leave.

The evacuation went as smoothly as it could have and within an hour of learning what had happened on Coruscant they had left Raxus.

Lord Sidious was waiting for her in the same location as he had the morning before and Ventress instantly dropped to her knees before him, bowing her head in reverence. She could sense how pleased he was with the success of her mission and that filled her with a sense of pride beyond anything she had ever known.

"It is done," he said

"It is my Lord," she said, risking a glance up at him to see his lips twisted in a smile beneath the hood of his robe.

"Excellent," he hissed. "You have done well Ventress."

"What would you have me do now?"

"Do you pledge yourself to my teachings?"

"Of course Master."

"Then you will learn the ways of the Sith," he said. "Now rise, Darth Sestra." She gracefully got to her feet and followed him as he began walking further into the shadows. "Your mission here is complete. You will return to Raxus and take over the leadership of the Separatists and declare war on the Republic. They will turn on the Republic and refuse their peace treaty when they discover that a Jedi killed their leaders."

"I will not fail you Master."

"Where Dooku failed you will succeed. I have foreseen it," he said. "Now go."

"Yes Master."

Anakin's eyes opened and the two people sitting in the cramped room on the medical frigate were not surprised to see them open. What did surprise them was the fact that his eyes sought out Obi-Wan's before Padmé's.

"Something has happened," Anakin whispered hoarsely.

"I felt it too," Obi-Wan replied.