Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I just created my own little AU sandbox to play in that has become known as the Forever Destined series, a universe where things did not go so horribly wrong for Anakin and Padme.

AN: Here's part 8! Thanks for all the great reviews! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Part 8/?

Theed. The Capital city of the Naboo. The city bustled with traffic and the normal sounds of city life, as the people carried on with their daily lives. A gust of strong wind blew past a little corner café and the quaint chimes hanging from the shingles clanged together. A waitress approached one of her tables and picked up a customer's cup, proceeding to refill it with hot caf. She happened to look up, as the breeze wafted through her hair. Her eyes suddenly became fixated on the sky and the cup fell from her hand, shattering on the ground.

"Hey!" the man cried out in annoyance, as he and his companion turned to see what had taken her attention. And they found it, as did the rest of the city. Speeder horns blared, as dozens of minor crashes occurred. People gawked at the sky in confusion, as the mysterious gray orb loomed in their planet's orbit. No one knew what it was, but it seemed obvious to everyone deduced that it was sinister. News of its appearance had likely already reached the palace and word would spread over the Holonet like wildfire.

Luke peeked around the corner and then ducked back into the crevice where he was hiding with his sisters.

"Man, this place is crawling with witch sisters and officers. Even if we do find where they have everyone else locked up or Mom, we're not going to get very far," Luke fretted.

"We need a diversion. If we can get to that lift, we can at least find Mom," Jenna said.

"Get us to that lift then," Leia said. She smirked.

"No problem," she replied, as she ignited her light saber and jumped out. Two of the officers stopped and stared blankly at her for a moment. They barely had time to cry out, before she cut them down.

"Get her!" one of the witches called.

"Not a chance," Jenna said, as she flipped over two of the male Dathomiri and cut down two females. Luke and Leia moved with her and came to a control panel. Luke opened it and found the lighting wire. He snapped it in half, killing the lights on that floor, leaving only minimal auxiliary power lighting the corridors.

"Nice big brother," Jenna said, as they cut down the rest of the people in their path. They reached the lift and looked at the controls.

"Here's the detention block," Leia pointed.

"We need to find Mom first," Luke replied.

"Look…engineering and operations are marked as these central levels," Jenna pointed to the set of distinct levels labeled in red.

"Authorized personnel only. Mom has to be one of those," Leia said. Luke nodded and pressed the button.

"Hang on Mom, we're coming," Luke said.

Rianna stormed into the control room and shoved her way through the officers that milled frantically about, as Roxanna followed her.

"What just happened up there?" she screamed, demanding to know about the chaos that has just occurred on one of the detention levels.

"We have surveillance feed before the lights were killed," one officer said nervously.

"Then play the footage, you moron!" she spat. He scrambled to the console and showed her the playback. The two witch sisters snarled.

"Skywalker's brats are loose," Roxanna hissed.

"And that's only three of them. That other boy and his little girlfriend are loose somewhere too," Rianna said.

"Draxun, get as many of your men as you can to that level and guard the rest of the prisoners. Roxanna and I will deal with these three," Rianna ordered.

"Since when do I take orders from you, witch?" the young Falleen prince spat. She was in his face faster than he could blink.

"If the other prisoners escape, Ysanne will be looking for someone to blame and I'll make sure it's you. Get moving, you green puss worm or I'll kill you without even touching you. My spells aren't just parlor tricks, you know. I've brought stronger men than you to their knees!" Rianna screamed.

"Fine, we'll do things your way for now. But don't think for a second that I'm scared of you, witch, because if they escape, I won't be the only one to endure the wrath of the Sith," Draxun spat, as he motioned to his men and they filed out.

"How do we find out where those other three brats went? They made it to the elevator," Roxanna stated. Rianna smirked.

"That's easy. They're doing what all good kids to," she said, pausing for a moment.

"They're going after Mommy," Rianna said, as she and her sister left.

Sifo-Dyas' Force spirit shimmered to life behind the still unnerved officer at the console and he smirked deviously, as his essence invaded the living host. The man's eyes suddenly went wide with fear and his body stiffened momentarily, before his eyes slowly changed to a Sithly yellow. Sifo-Dyas, now in possession of a new, easily malleable host, left without a word to the other officers and headed for the nearest life that would take him to his prize…

Jayden peaked out of the vent opening and saw that the corridor was clear. He took the cover off the opening and rolled out, until he was hanging right side up from the hatch. He dropped to his feet and then reached up for Natalie, as she put her legs through. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down gently. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, as feelings of love and unspoken passion passed between them in that instant.

"Come on, they should be in a cell just around the next corner," he said, as they hurried and rounded the corner. Natalie gasped, as they came to a stop. Prince Draxun and his Falleen soldiers stood in their way.

"Not so fast, lovers. You're going no further," Draxun spat. Jayden sunk into battle stance, guarding Natalie, as he saw the cell that was holding his grandfathers, Uncle, Queen Rayna, and the rest of her people.

"You're not going to stop me. Kendra and Boba Fett didn't stand in my way…and neither will you," Jayden growled. Draxun smirked evilly.

"That's what you think, brat," Draxun growled, as he produced a blaster. But it was no ordinary blaster and he fired twice. Two barbed, electrified spears were released and struck Jayden in the thigh and in his side. The voltage sent him writhing to the ground in agony, as Natalie screamed in terror. He fought and struggled to get control over the pain, but it was impossible, as he felt no relief from the electric attack.

"Jayden!" Natalie screamed and then cried out, as Draxun roughly pushed her down. She was going to crawl to Jayden, but she saw Dooku motion to her. She crawled to the cell and got to her feet.

"We'll help Jayden. We just need you to cut the power to the plasma bars," Dooku said. Natalie nodded and opened the panel.

"Cut the purple wire," he instructed. Natalie yanked it as hard as she could and the plasma bars disappeared. They escaped and put enough distance between themselves and the Ysalamir creatures. Their weapons, which had been confiscated by the Prince and his goons, were still with them. Three light sabers flew into the hands of Dooku, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan. A Sentry blaster flew into Riley's hand, thanks to Qui-Gon. Draxun was forced to cease his attack on Jayden, as the three seasoned Jedi and one former mercenary cut down Draxun's goons in a matter of seconds, leaving only Draxun and two of his bodyguards.

"Surrender if you don't wish to perish," Dooku warned.

"I am the Prince of the Falleen and I would never surrender to the likes of you, Jedi scum," he spat, as he aimed the blaster at them. But Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were too quick and descended upon him and his bodyguards, swiftly cutting them down and ending it. They had brought the young, foolish Prince's short reign to an anti-climatic end. He would not be remembered like his predecessor and he was gone before he could cause true harm to the rest of his people. There could now be hope for the survivors of Falleen to see the truth behind who and what Xizor really was.

Obi-Wan and Riley knelt down beside Jayden. Riley held his shoulders, as Obi-Wan prepared to pull the barbs out of the wounds they had created.

"This is going to hurt," Obi-Wan warned. Jayden nodded and Obi-Wan proceeded to pull both speared devices out as quickly as possible. He cried out a bit, just as they saw Ferus, Serra, Shane, Kimberly, and Sav round the corner.

"Well, it looks like we're too late," Ferus said, as they spied the dead Falleen.

"No, you're just in time," Qui-Gon said, as Kimberly knelt down beside her little brother.

"Oh Jay…" she fretted, as she got out her bacta patches from her bag.

"I'll be fine," he assured her and Natalie, who sat beside him, looking very worried. Kimberly quickly applied the bacta patches.

"That should ease the pain and keep them from getting infected until we can properly dress the wounds," Kimberly said.

"Thanks sis," Jayden said, as his Uncle helped him up.

"Where are Luke, Leia, and Jenna?" Kimberly asked.

"We think they went to find your Mother and I think the witch sisters are onto them," Obi-Wan said.

"I'm going after them and Padme then," Riley decided.

"Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and I will go after Anakin," Yan announced.

"I'm coming with you. Dad needs my help," Jayden said. Dooku looked at him, questioning whether that was a good idea or not.

"Please Grandfather. I need to do this…I need to help dad. He can't even feel Mom right now and I know it's affecting him in the battle," Jayden said. Yan nodded.

"All right, you'll come with us," Yan announced.

"What do you want us to do, Master?" Ferus asked.

"Go back to the docking bay and find a ship big enough for all of us," Yan said.

"Artoo is doing that as we speak," Ferus said.

"Good. Go get it ready and wait for us. I have a feeling things are going to go very bad very fast. Once they do, they'll send droids to try and destroy everything flyable in that docking bay. It will be up to you and Serra to keep them from destroying our means of escape," Yan said. Ferus nodded, knowing that they likely had the most important task.

"Jayden…" Natalie called, as he took her in his arms.

"Go with them Nat…I need to know that you're safe," he said. She nodded sadly, as he kissed her passionately.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," he replied. Shane took her hand and Kimberly put a hand on her shoulder.

"She'll be safe with us," Shane said. Jayden nodded.

"I know," he replied.

"We need to go," Qui-Gon said.

"May the Force be with you all," Serra said.

"And all of you," Yan replied, as they parted ways to tend to their separate missions.

Anakin's blade crashed against the crimson blade, belonging to the Sith. His mind still reeled from Palpatine's confessed resurrection. He killed these bastards, one after another, but they just seemed to keep coming back. There was a root to this problem that they likely were not seeing and he knew they needed to find it. The answer was likely in the diary of Sifo-Dyas or whoever had truly written it. But right now, he had to defeat the grandson of Palpatine, a young Sith who had been possessed by his own grandfather's evil spirit. And this time, he had to make sure Palpatine's evil spirit was vanquished from existence. It would be the only way to ensure he would never come back.

"You're slowing, Chosen One. Are you really so pathetic that you can't fight without your little bitch in the corner?" Palpatine goaded.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand how powerful and amazing my love for my wife is. You're incapable of love and that's why you'll be defeated," Anakin replied, as he pushed harder. He had to focus on his love for Padme, even though it was driving him insane not being able to feel her. Somehow he knew she was in pain though. Ysanne and her daughter were having her tortured and it was killing him that he couldn't go to her right now. But his kids wound find their Mother and save her. Adrenaline fueled Anakin's movements and the Sith cackled.

"Yes…there's that fire. Too bad it won't be enough to save you this time," Palpatine hissed, as he matched the Chosen One's attacks, blow for blow.

"You do realize that even if you defeat me, that you, your wife, your brats, and your family are never getting out of this alive. Ysanne is ensuring it," the Sith warned.

"Nothing is ever certain. I'll find a way to protect the people I love," Anakin assured him. Palpatine smirked evilly.

"We shall see," he hissed, as their battle continued at a feverish pace.

Padme , having passed out from the immense pain was dreaming. But then she realized that perhaps she was simply reliving memories of a life in the past, over a millennia ago, as Padmia became one with her again…

Padmia kissed her husband with hungry passion, as he finally returned to her once again. War was agony for both of them, but him more so than her. She ached for him when he as away, but she at least had the comforts of their home in the palace. He had none of that on the battlefield, was always in constant danger, and she was not there to comfort him. A few tears slipped down her cheeks, as their lips parted and they panted air into their starved lungs.

"I've missed you so Padmia," he whispered.

"And I you, my sweet protector," she whispered back, as she cuddled against his broad, muscled chest and reveled in the way his strong arms now held her tightly.

"You're trembling, my angel. Tell me what wrong," he pleaded. She shook her head.

"Nothing my love…not any longer. You have returned safely to me and that makes me the happiest woman alive," she replied.

"It's that evil snake again, isn't it? That demon will never leave you alone until I destroy him once and for all!" Anakyn said, as his eyes darted angrily around them, probing the Force for any sign of the evil that haunted his beloved. He was the most formidable Sith enemy he had ever encountered, far more powerful than Paladine was, for his Mother's sister, the dark side, had spat out her own son before he destroyed her. And this dark son was obsessed with his beautiful wife and wanted her for his own. But Anakyn would never let the evil steal her from him.

"It's all right now, love. You're home and he does not dare show himself in your presence," she replied.

"Then I'll not leave your side again. My soldiers and the guardians can fight his war without me," he said.

"They need you. They cannot win without you," she said.

"They will have to. You're the most important thing to me. If he were to ever take you from me, I would be lost," Anakyn told her, as he kissed her passionately.

"Let's not think about any of that right now. We're together again at last and we should retire together so we may have a proper reunion," she said. He smiled and swept her into his arms, causing her to yelp in surprise. He spotted the leather bound book in her hand, as she often went few places without it these days.

"Still writing in your diary?" he asked. She nodded.

"Of course. It's important that I make an account of the events of our times. It will be important for my diary to be passed onto our children and then to their children, and so on. I want them to know about us and everything you've done to defeat evil. It may something they may need someday to combat their own dilemmas. I believe they also should know about the amazing love we share and that true love really does exist," she replied. He smiled.

"Well, I'm all for exploring our amazing love, particularly in the physical form tonight," he said with a smirk. Padmia agreed and felt a shiver of excitement ripple through her body.

Padme jerked awake and to the world of pain that was currently her reality.

"Anakin…" she whimpered, as the Ysalamir creatures screeched angrily. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks again, as she realized that Anakin must still be fighting the Sith. Something was wrong, even though she was cut off from him, she could still feel that something wasn't right. They needed each other and they were being kept apart. She glared with watery brown eyes at the creatures that were creating the impenetrable Force bubble around her. She closed her eyes and cried again, feeling more helpless and alone that she had felt in over twenty years.

"MOM!" she heard voices call. Her head shot up and through bleary, tear filled eyes. Her children. Three of her sweet, beautiful children had found her and she cried in relief.

"Luke…" she cried weakly.

"Hang on Mom!" he called, as he pressed a button on the control panel to extend the bridge, but found that it had been purposely shorted out.

"Damn…all right, you two see if you can get the bridge to extend. I can get over there, but I'll need the bridge to get back with her," Luke said, as he closed his eyes and centered the Force around his feet. Once he was ready, he leapt into the air and sailed over the abyss where his feet landed soundly on the platform on the other side. He raised his hand and found that the Force was being repelled.

"Jenna…get rid of these creatures!" Luke called. Jenna raised her hand and snapped the cables that suspended the caged creatures. They fell to their deaths, but Force bubble disappeared. Padme's eyes snapped open, as she felt her connection with Anakin reestablish. Luke put his arm around his Mother's waist, before cutting the chains that suspended her. She fell limply into her son's arms and he gently lay her down on the platform.

"Mom…just hang on. We're going to get you out of here and we'll find Kimberly," Luke promised, as he observed the wounds on her wrists. He didn't like the idea of trying to move her with such serious cuts, for they already looked like they were getting infected. He removed his cloak and starting tearing strips off it. As gently as he could, he wrapped the cloth around her wrists and tied the makeshift bandages securely. Padme moaned in pain and Luke gently elevated her head.

"It's going to be okay, Mom," he assured her.

"Jenna…how are you coming with the bridge?" he called, as he watched his little sister work on the panel. She had taken a small fusing tool from her utility belt and was currently repairing the wires.

"I've almost got it!" Jenna called, as the door opened behind them. Leia ignited her light saber, as an officer walked through.

"Stop right there!" Leia called. The Officer simply smirked and drew a blaster. But his eyes surprised them. His eyes bled a sharp yellow and Leia instantly knew what was going on.

"Sifo-Dyas…" she uttered in disbelief.

"Very good, young one. Now stand down and I won't have to hurt either of you. I'm afraid your brother will not be so lucky!" Sifo-Dyas roared, as he used the Force to carry himself over the gap and toward Luke and Padme.

"Luke…it's Sifo-Dyas! He's stolen another body!" Leia cried, warning her twin. Luke stood in front of his Mother and ignited his light saber, as the Sith toppled him to the platform and they went rolling toward the edge.

"Luke…" Padme said weakly.

Sifo-Dyas pinned Luke down and wrapped his hands around the youth's neck. Luke gasped for air and bent his knees, so he could put his feet on the other man's stomach. And with a hard kick, he shoved Sifo-Dyas off, before climbing to his feet.

"I'll never let you take our Mom from us," Luke said, as he panted air into his lungs.

"You won't stop me…no one will stop me time! And ultimate power will be mine!" Sifo-Dyas ranted, as Luke saw the bridge extend behind him and his Grandpa Riley run across it. Suddenly, the man's eyes widened, as he whipped around and saw Riley kneel beside Padme. The former mercenary pulled out his Sentry blaster and flipped the switch, setting it to kill.

"NO!" he screamed in rage.

"Sorry, you body snatching bastard, but you're not getting your filthy claws on my little girl. And you may be a mighty Sith Lord, but that body you stole is very much human," Riley growled, as he fired five shots.

"NOOOOO!" Sifo-Dyas screamed in rage, as the human body he had possessed was blown apart into pieces, thanks to the close range and amazing magnified power of the Sentry weapon. The body parts fell into the abyss and Sifo-Dyas' angry disembodied spirit floated before them.

"You'll pay for that Zander! I will make you and these brats suffer! And Padme will be mine! Mark my words!" he screamed, as he disappeared.

"Daddy?" Padme asked weakly .

"It's okay sweetness, I've got you," Riley said, as he lifted her into his arms.

"We need to get her to Kimberly," Riley said. Luke nodded, as they crossed the bridge.

"Kimberly's in the docking bay," Leia said, as they made it to the lift.

"Good, but be prepared. We'll probably have company along the way," he said, as he looked at his daughter.

"Ani…" she whimpered and Riley looked worried.

"Don't worry, her connection with Dad isn't being blocked anymore. She'll be okay," Luke promised. Riley nodded.

"Just the same, I'll feel better when we get some bacta on these wounds," Riley said, livid that the Sith witch had done this to his little girl. Kendra was lucky Jayden had killed her, for Riley would have made it a much slower, more agonizing demise. The lift opened on the docking bay level, but they were stopped in their tracks by Rianna, Roxanna, their sisters, and their male subjects.

"If you think you're going to escape, then you are sadly mistaken," Rianna hissed.

Dooku and the others found their way to the bridge where Anakin battled the Sith. But they found Ysanne in their way.

"You will not interfere," she hissed, as they ignited their light sabers.

"You're not stopping me from helping my father!" Jayden cried, as he advanced on her.

"Jayden….no!" Yan cried, as Force lightning slammed into his great grandson and threw him into the wall. The three seasoned Jedi readied their weapons to combat the female Sith Lord. The battle was far from over…