Chapter 43 - There is Still Good in Him

As evening settles into the horizon of Coruscant, the quiet calm of night is overshadowed by the frantic bustling of horror-struck people. I'm no exception to the hustling, rushing about the flat in search of supplies. Typho watches me scramble, his eyes tired and sad. I bark orders at Dormé, who rushes from room to room grabbing the things I need.

Once I've packed, Dormé takes my things out to the landing pad where my ship is parked. Typho walks with me, his eyes fixed on me in concern.

"M'Lady, you haven't told us where you are going," he complains.

"I'm heading to the Mustafar system," I tell him, not bothering to hide it.

"What possible issue could you have there?"

"My husband is there."

He shakes his head. He always suspected, but he never accused us.

"M'Lady," he says, "it isn't safe for you to go there. Especially not with that baby-"

"I'm going, Typho, and you can't stop me."

We step out onto the landing platform, and I march across the large concrete pad to my ship.

"Let me go with you, m'Lady," Typho pleads.

I shake my head. "There's no danger, the fighting's over." I know Anakin will protect me, even if I am attacked. Besides, I can hold my own with a blaster. "And this is personal."

"As you wish, m'Lady," Typho sighs, "but I strongly disagree."

"I'll be all right, Captain. This is something I must do myself." He looks unconvinced, almost on the verge of tears. "Besides," I sigh, "3PO will look after me."

The droid, who is already waiting for me on the ship, sighs. "Oh, dear."

I follow him up to the cockpit, and buckle myself in. 3PO takes the controls and takes off, and I watch as the cityscape disappears beneath us.

"Do you know," the droid muses, "I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this flying business."

I sigh, leaning back in my chair, and place my hands on my stomach. Closing my eyes, I focus on the beings inside of me, the steady beating of their hearts and the calm silence of their presence. They're soothing, like a small heater bringing warmth into the cold chaos that's taken over. I smile, enjoying a small moment of peace.

oOo

When the ship nears the volcanic planet of Mustafar, my heart begins to beat all too fast for my own health. I'm afraid, terrified of what may be waiting for me when I step out of this ship. Could what Obi Wan told me be true? Could Anakin really be a Sith? Could he really have killed all those Jedi? I breathe deeply, choosing to calm my own nerves, and focus on my own mission. I have to convince him to come away with me. To help me raise our children, to live far away from the senate, from the empire, and the rebellions sure to follow the end of the war.

As the loading bay doors lower, my legs begin to tremble, and I wonder if I can really do this. Stepping down the ramp, I focus on each clunk as my boots make contact with the thick durasteel door. As I make it to the platform, I'm overtaken by a feeling of joy as my eyes meet with his sky blue ones. He stands, watching me disembark, with a tortured expression on his face. He smiles, only slightly, as he begins running to meet me, and as he approaches, reaches his arms out to embrace me. As his arms circle my body, a catch rises in my throat and my eyes flood with hot tears.

"I saw your ship," Anakin gasps, holding me tight. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was so worried about you," I sob, knitting my fingers into the fabric of his shirt. "Obi wan told me terrible things."

Suddenly, he pushes me away. "What things?"

I shake my head. "He said you've turned to the dark side. That you..." I stop, unable to force the words out. His eyes peer through mine, petrifying me. He lifts his eyebrows, condescendingly, and I finish my sentence. "Killed younglings," I croak.

His eyes grow dark and his expression turns sour. "Obi Wan is trying to turn you against me."

"He cares about us," I protest.

"Us?"

I shake my head, balling my hands and sighing. "He knows," I say. "He wants to help you."

Anakin shakes his head, turning away and letting out a moan-like groan.

"Anakin, all I want is your love," I plead.

"Love won't save you, Padmé," he says. "Only my new powers can do that."

"At what cost," I stammer. "You're a good person, don't do this."

"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother," he screams. "I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of. And I'm doing it for you, to protect you." His eyes are full of hope, a misplaced reverence for something I cannot follow.

"Come away with me," I plead. "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."

"Don't you see? We don't have to run away anymore." He takes my hands and smiles, a glimmer in his eye. "I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the chancellor. I-" He pauses, taking an extra breath before he finishes. "I can overthrow him," he says, unsettlingly dark. "And together, you and I can rule the galaxy, make things the way we want them to be."

I step back, my heart dropping into my feet, and shiver. A chill runs through me, and I'm suddenly very cold.

"I don't believe what I'm hearing. Obi Wan was right. You've changed."

"I don't wanna hear any more about Obi Wan," he pouts. "The Jedi turned against me."

Suddenly, his expression becomes very dark, and his lips curl into a sour scowl. His eyes seem to flicker with a golden heat, and he grips my hand just a little too tight. "Don't you turn against me," he spits, his fingernails digging into my skin.

The tears which threatened to burst forth pour down my face now, and I struggle to breathe. I rip my hand away. "I don't know you anymore," I choke. "Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow."

"Because of Obi Wan?"

"Because of what you've done. What you plan to do." I shake my head, the world spinning around me now. "Stop. Stop now. Come back. I love you-"

His eyes, once locked on mine, suddenly flicker away, and his eyes turn golden yellow with rage.

"Liar!"

I turn around, and my eyes fall on the last person I want to see, Obi Wan Kenobi.

Suddenly I'm all too aware of everything. He followed me, stowed away on my ship, so he could confront Anakin, and kill him. Anakin thinks I'm cheating on him with Obi Wan, and now his suspicions have been confirmed.

"No," I scream, reaching out to stop Anakin from getting any closer to Obi Wan.

"You're with him," he snarls. "You brought him here to kill me!"

"No-"

Suddenly, I'm lifted off the ground, and my vision becomes dark and spotty. The feeling of a hand clenched around my neck sends chills through my body, and lack of oxygen makes my head spin.

I can't die. Not here, not now. Not with the twins still inside me.

"Let her go, Anakin," Obi Wan orders, extending a hand to stop him.

"Anakin-" I force out, struggling to breathe.

"Let her go!" Obi Wan leaps forward, his lightsaber at the ready.

The world grows very dark, and suddenly everything stops spinning. I feel my body hit the ground, and then I feel nothing at all. The blackness takes over, and I'm peaceful, for a time.

Suddenly my ears fill with screams, not mine, but more masculine screams. They sound painfully familiar, and chill me to my core. I know he's suffering, just as much as I am.

Anakin, I'm here, I'm alive. Know that.

His screams continue, the screams of a man drowning in pain and regret. His angry and pleading cries pierce me into my heart, and I can hardly stand to hear them.

I love you, I want you to know that. I'll go on living to save you, I promise him.

Suddenly, I'm awake, or at least, I think I am. Obi Wan hovers over me, his eyes filled with tears and his mouth trembling with fear. He feels shame, I can see it in his eyes. Has he killed Anakin? Is my love dead?

"Obi Wan, is Anakin all right," I ask, or at least I think I do. It doesn't matter, since I don't stay awake long enough to to hear the answer. When I finally wake up enough to be present, it's impossible not to scream.

I'm splayed out on a delivery table, my body convulsing with painful contractions that feel as if a small beast is trying to force its way out of me. A scream rips out of my throat and tears trail down the sides of my face, over my temples, and into my hair.

Surrounding me are many medical droids, with calming voices and reassurances to breathe. I can't do this, not alone.

"I- I can't," I stammer, between screams.

One of the medical droids rushes out of the room, and returns with Obi Wan on his arm. The disheveled Jedi takes my hand and smiles.

The medical droid tells me to push, and I let out a blood curdling scream as the head of my child forces its way out of me.

"Eeseetah, oydoh," the delivery droid says, quietly and soothingly.

Obi wan takes the small child from the droid, and hands the baby to me. "It's a boy," he says.

"Luke," I sigh, holding the tiny life in my arms. "Oh Luke."

"ooh ba, ooh ba," the droid soothes again, and I push once more. "Eeseetah, oydah," she says, handing Obi Wan the child again.

"Its a girl," he says.

"Leia," I call her.

My vision begins to blur, and I feel like I don't have much time left. But I know, I know Anakin is still in there.

"Obi wan," I whisper, unable to raise my voice any louder, "There's good in him. I know. I know there's still..."

Suddenly I'm overcome by a feeling of peace, the silence that deafens all, and yet fills me with hope and serenity. My eyes grow dark, and I let out a sigh. My last breath lingers on my lips, passing to the children in my arms.

For what it was worth, I lived a life of adventure, found true love, and became a mother of two. Perhaps my spirit will live on. This may be the end for me, but it is not the end for the Galaxy. I have a new hope for this universe, they lay here, in my arms.

Author's note-

DIS IS DA END. WE DONE. WE GOOD. WE LOVE YOU ALL BUT WE DONE. THANKS FOR READING. YOURE ALL MY FAVOURITE CHAPS.

Sincerely,

Kitty Greene