AN: Alright. Some lines in here are snatched right out of Revenge of the Sith and I want to acknowledge that so I can't be accused of plagiarizing. Anyway, this was a good chapter. I enjoyed writing it. Tell me what you think.

Read, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter Eight

Darth Plagueis

Padmé didn't let the fact that she had just given birth keep her down long. After only a day of rest at home she was back on her feet working in the Senate. It was all she could do to keep her mind from wondering off and worrying about her babies, babies that had come into the world too soon not only from her womb, but before the end of this war. So Padmé would use this time to work in conjunction with Palpatine and end the war.

Before she knew it, three and a half weeks had flown by and they were all the more closer to ending the war. There were rumors that General Grievous and the Separatists were hiding in the Utapau System and Padmé almost couldn't contain her glee as she waited in her apartment for confirmation from the chancellor's office.

"You've been busy lately," Anakin said when she came into the apartment. He had been there for a while, waiting on her.

"I know," Padmé said tiredly.

Anakin was silent for a moment before he said, "I went to see the twins today."

"You go to see them quite often," Padmé pointed out.

"Well they need one parent, since you seem to be too busy," Anakin snapped and Padmé rounded on him, shocked. She had never heard so much hostility aimed at her in her husband's tone.

"What?" she asked.

"You heard me," Anakin said not bothering to try controlling his anger. "You haven't gone to see them once in two weeks Padmé."

Padmé wanted to argue with him and tell him he was wrong. But he wasn't and so she was silent.

"Why?" Anakin demanded. He didn't say it, but the accusation was in his tone. She knew what he wanted to say.

"Don't you even think that I don't love my babies, because I do!"

"You have one hell of a way of showing it," Anakin said rolling his eyes.

"You don't get it. That's the reason I can't bring myself to go see them," Padmé said to her husband and in turn he looked at her in confusion.

Padmé didn't know how to explain that the reason she hadn't gone to see her babies was that she couldn't bear to see them fighting for their lives, so unstable, not knowing if they would get through to the next day. And Leia… She was so little, like she would break if she just touched her. Sure the doctors assured her they were getting stronger every day, but there was always the slim chance that something could happen. It wasn't one hundred percent. She didn't want to get her hopes up. If something happened to Luke and Leia she would be heartbroken and her mind was rationalizing that maybe she didn't need to get attached yet even though she knew she already was. Maybe…

Padmé looked down at her feet and said nothing, but it appeared that Anakin somehow understood and he pulled her to him. Padmé needed his comfort, needed him to understand how she was feeling and so she held him tight. They didn't say anything for a long time, but Anakin eventually broke the silence.

"I've been thinking," he said to her. "I want to leave Coruscant."

"Me too," Padmé said absently. "One day…"

"No. I mean I want to leave now. Let's leave everything behind right now and raise Luke and Leia somewhere no one will find us," Anakin said to her and pulled away to look her in the eyes. "We can get the medical center to move the twins to another medical facility in Theed and when they're better we can go to the Lake Country."

Padmé was shocked to say the least. What brought this on?

"Anakin… Wait. The Jedi. The Senate…"

"I don't care about the Jedi. I'll leave the Jedi and you can talk to the queen personally when we get to Naboo," Anakin insisted.

"We can't just leave," Padmé said just as insistent. "We're so close to ending this war, and we're both important public figures. Think of what will happen if we both leave. The galaxy will feel like they have no hope, like we've abandoned them!"

"Then let them feel that way!" Anakin exclaimed. "We've done our part, served this galaxy faithfully. I think we at least deserve to live out the rest of our lives in peace to raise our children."

"That would be selfish of us. Besides, how could we truly live in peace if the Republic falls to pieces because of this war? Then what? We ignore it?"

Anakin only clenched his jaw in response and pulled away from her as he began to pace. Padmé went and grabbed his arm, determined to get through to him.

"Anakin. It's people like you, me, and Palpatine that's keeping this galaxy from caving in on itself! We can't just go."

Anakin seemed to relent, but Padmé knew there was something else.

"What suddenly brought this on?" she asked. "Why do you want to leave all of a sudden?"

Anakin didn't say anything and then finally he turned to look at her, his eyes shining with emotion, an emotion Padmé couldn't quite read.

"I just worry for you is all," he admitted. "I don't want you to lose yourself."

"Anakin," Padmé said as his first night back on Coruscant came back to her. "Is this about that dream you've been having?"

"Promise me."

"Promise you what?" Padmé asked carefully.

"As soon as this war is over, as soon as Grievous is dead, we'll leave all this behind."

Padmé opened her mouth to say okay, but found herself hesitating for some reason. She didn't know why. A few weeks ago she would have jumped at the chance. In fact, if Anakin had asked her they'd be on their way to Naboo by now.

"Ani-."

"Promise me," Anakin said to her almost sounding desperate and that's what convinced her.

"I promise," Padmé finally replied.

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Anakin stared at Luke and Leia in silent wonder as they looked at him. After nearly a month, he couldn't get over how perfect they were. They missed their mother, he mused, as he looked at them while touching their presence in the force. He understood Padmé's dilemma to a degree, but she didn't understand how in tune to the force her children were. They're presence called out to her. He sighed as he looked at them. He had offered to take her away from Coruscant, but she had refused and while it seemed to be like her, something about the way she said it was just wrong…

"Do you want to hold them?"

Anakin turned to the nurse who had come up behind him. She was holding two bottles in her hand and smiling at him. He was pretty sure the nurses and volunteers in the nursery knew by now that he was more than just the friend of the twin's mother, but they never said anything.

"Hold them?"

The nurse nodded as she went over to the beds. "They've gotten stronger in the last few weeks and they're stable now. The doctor told me to tell you the next time you were here," she said as she picked up Luke and before he could say no, she placed him in his left arm and adjusted his grip so that he was supporting the child properly.

Anakin couldn't even begin to describe how it felt to be holding his son for the first time. He had only imagined it, but now it was real. The problem was Padmé wasn't with him. She was supposed to be here holding them, a silly smile on her face as she looked at them.

"Since you're holding him," the nurse said. "You can feed him too."

"Feed him?" Anakin asked.

"It's easy," she said and gave him the bottle. "Just stick it in his mouth… make sure the nipple is all the way in his mouth."

Anakin was hesitant. The nipple of the bottle looked so big.

"He won't choke on it, will he?"

The nurse grinned and guided Anakin's hand to put the nipple in Luke's mouth. Instinctively Luke began to suck on it and opened his eyes to look at Anakin.

"See? It's not that hard," the nurse said to him. "When you're done you can feed Leia. She always eats after Luke is done."

The nurse started to walk away and Anakin panicked. He could lead troops into battle and face Sith Lords without blinking an eye, but the thought of being left alone to take care of his son frightened him.

"Wait? What do I do afterwards?"

"Just put him on your chest and pat him on his back until he burps and then put him back down and feed the other one. Don't be nervous. You have to learn sometime. Call us if you need help," she said and walked away.

Anakin had no choice but manage at that point. So when Luke was done he positioned the baby on his chest and gently patted him on the back. He had never been so conscious of the strength in his right arm as he was then. A laugh came from behind him.

"Oh wow! The holo-media would pay me a fortune to see this."

Anakin had sensed Ahsoka long before she had said anything and scowled at her declaration, but otherwise said nothing.

"I figured I'd find you here," Ahsoka said to him. "You've been spending an awful lot of time here."

"Sorry," Anakin said to her with a twinge of guilt at the fact that he may have been neglecting his padawan lately.

"I understand," she said shrugging. "Where's Senator Amidala?"

Anakin had to resist the urge to growl at little. He might have understood his wife's reluctance but that didn't make it any less frustrating. Her children needed her now, no matter what their fate was in the end.

"You mind holding him for me," Anakin asked instead.

Ahsoka glanced at Luke skeptically and then looked up at Anakin. "I think I'll pass…"

Anakin smirked at her but didn't push it as he laid Luke back in his bed and then gently picked up Leia, trying to apply as little grip as he had to with his right hand before settling her in his left arm.

"What did you come out here for anyway?"

Ahsoka blinked and turned her gaze from Luke.

"Oh yeah," she said. "Obi-wan was looking for you. He told me to tell you that Palpatine was trying to get in contact with you earlier and that instead he wants you to come to the opera house later this evening. He has something to tell you."

"I'll go over when I'm done here," Anakin said as he continued to feed Leia.

Ahsoka stood next to him in silence for a while and Anakin knew well enough when she did that, she wanted to say something. Something was on her mind. He had too many other things on his to ask so he waited on her to say something.

"Master," she finally said. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?" Anakin said still caught up in his thoughts.

"You've been… quiet lately."

"Quiet?"

"You know," Ahsoka said trying to find the words for it. "Very contemplative, more conflicted, moody in a way… Master Obi-wan has noticed it too and we're concerned. Are you okay?"

He wasn't, but Anakin wasn't going to tell anyone else that, not right now anyway. Besides, his concerns about Padmé weren't a big deal. She was probably just stressed and suffering from some kind of post-partum depression or something.

"Everything's fine Ahsoka."

"It's Padmé isn't it?" Ahsoka asked bluntly.

"What makes you say that?"

"She's not here. It's bothering you."

"My problems aren't anything for you to be worried about Ahsoka," Anakin replied as he put Leia down.

Ahsoka looked skeptical but finally sighed as she started to leave. Then she stopped and turned back around.

"You know I'm not going to pretend I understand whatever it is that's between you and Senator Amidala because to be honest I don't. And I think I'll just be giving myself a headache if I try to comprehend it at all. But if you need someone to listen, I'm willing," she said with a timid smile before adding, "I'm sure Master Obi-wan would be too if you gave him the chance."

Anakin smiled back. "Thank you."

Seeming satisfied with herself, Ahsoka left and Anakin stared at the twins for a moment before shaking his head and collecting himself as best he could. He was worrying over nothing. Padmé would get over whatever she was going through. She never let anything stop her for long. He nodded and briefly touched his children's presence with the force. They responded positively, force presence brightening in delight. Anakin grinned before leaving to head to the opera house.

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"You really didn't have to take me along chancellor," Padmé said as they waited for the show to start.

"Nonsense Padmé. You deserve some time to enjoy yourself, take your mind off other more things for once," Palpatine said to her.

Padmé sighed. To Palpatine, who had known about her pregnancy before, it had been painfully obvious that she wasn't pregnant anymore. She hadn't tried to hide it, so when he asked she admitted she had her babies early and they were in the hospital. Palpatine had only let out a soft 'ah', realizing that's why she had thrown herself into her work the last few weeks and then offered that she accompany him to the opera house that evening. She had stubbornly refused, but he had insisted.

"Do you see these types of shows often?" Padmé asked.

"Yes… I find that they're a good way to unwind and relax. The problems of the galaxy can weigh down on me sometimes," Palpatine admitted.

"I find that they weigh on me more when I know I can be doing more to help solve them," Padmé admitted as the show started.

"Padmé, one day you'll realize that you can't solve all the problems of the galaxy. The best you can do is make them better," Palpatine said. "Even in a democracy you can't satisfy everyone. You can only let them be heard and sometimes being heard isn't enough and we still end up with rebellion. It doesn't matter whether the power is shared or one person has it all. Someone is always going to feel oppressed. One day you will come to accept that truth as I have."

Padmé began to reply until someone else entered the box saying, "You wanted to see me chan-. Padmé… What are you doing here?"

Padmé couldn't help but notice the sharp tone.

"The chancellor invited me," she said simply.

"I thought you had work to do," Anakin said, anger creeping into his tone.

"I did," Padmé said as she glanced at Palpatine and then back at him. Anakin got the point and turned back to the chancellor.

"Your Excellency," Anakin said finally.

"Yes Anakin," Palpatine said urging Anakin over. "I have good news. Our Clone Intelligence Units had discovered the location of General Grievous. He is hiding in the Utapau system."

"At last," Anakin said relieved. "We'll be able to capture that monster and end this war."

Palpatine nodded. "I would worry about the collective wisdom of the Council if they didn't select you for this assignment. You are the best choice by far… but, they can't always be trusted to do the right thing," he said sending a meaningful look to Padmé.

Padmé clenched the side of her chair some. She wasn't exactly sure about the Jedi. But as she thought about it, they were structured something like their broken Republic. A body that was supposed to represent the masses and make decisions based on the will of the masses. Only nine times out of ten it wasn't the right thing, if they were representing the masses at all.

"They try," Anakin replied.

Palpatine paused and then said. "Sit down."

Anakin glanced at Padmé and then hesitantly sat on the other side of Palpatine who then said to his aides, "Leave us."

"I suppose you both know I'm not able to rely on the Jedi Council," Palpatine said to them.

"Of course you can," Padmé suddenly said. "Sure we may question some of their ways and decisions, but they've only done the best they can to fight this war, even though they aren't meant to be soldiers."

"Have they really done the best they can?" Palpatine asked. "Have they really done what needs to be done? Their passiveness has only driven us into a deeper hole by waiting until it's too late to effectively crush rebellion and chaos… just like the senate was willing to see Naboo fall and even dozens of other systems because they weren't important enough or the situation wasn't bad enough."

Padmé noticed Anakin clench his fist.

"I'm not saying I agree with the Jedi on everything they do, but they're peace keepers. They hold off fighting until necessary because that's what their code mandates," Anakin replied. "Padmé said it. They aren't soldiers. They don't operate like them."

"But people like you don't seem to have that problem… Anakin, if they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will," Palpatine said grimly.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You must sense what I've come to suspect. The Jedi Council wants control of the Republic. They're planning to betray me. They're using this war to turn the people against the government," Palpatine said to Anakin but also to Padmé.

"I don't think…"

"Anakin, search your feelings," Palpatine said and then looked at Padmé. "You do, don't you."

Padmé felt Anakin's eyes on her, just waiting on what she had to say on the matter. She should have found it weird how Palpatine was putting the blame on the Jedi and a few months ago she would have found it a ridiculous notion and said that Palpatine was being paranoid, that it was time for him to step out his office. But now that she understood his reasoning, it seemed plausible.

"I have to admit," she said. "It would make sense. They wouldn't make Anakin a master, even when you requested it. They don't trust you…"

"Or the Senate or the Republic, or democracy for that matter," Palpatine added obviously waiting for Anakin to answer.

Anakin visibly hesitated before saying carefully, "I have to admit… I'm not as sure about certain things as I was before."

Padmé noticed that he didn't say he was uncertain of the Jedi, just that he was uncertain of something. Palpatine seemed to take it as meaning the Jedi. But Padmé knew him better than Palpatine. Anakin wasn't telling her something.

"They asked you to do something that made you feel dishonest, didn't they?" Palpatine said and when Anakin didn't answer he added, "They asked you to spy on me didn't they?"

Anakin didn't say a word much to Padmé's surprise. He should have been denying it. Why wasn't he denying it?

"Is this true?" Padmé asked sitting up a little to look at Anakin.

"I… I don't know what to say."

"Remember back to your early teachings Anakin. All those who gain power are afraid to lose it, even the Jedi."

"The Jedi use their powers for good," Anakin said firmly.

"Good is a point of view Anakin. And the Jedi point of view is not the only valid one. The Dark Lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be…"

"Evil?" Padmé gave.

"From a Jedi's point of view," Palpatine said.

"They are evil," Anakin said seeming to become more tense by the second, like he was holding back anger.

"The Sith and the Jedi are almost similar in every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the force which is why they are more powerful."

"The Sith rely on their passion for strength. They think inwards, only about themselves," Anakin replied.

"And the Jedi don't?"

"The Jedi are selfless. They only care about others."

"Or so you've been trained to believe. Why is it, then, that they have asked you to do something you feel is wrong?" Palpatine asked.

Padmé had heard a lot about the Sith and the Jedi being that she was married to a Jedi and she was more privy to information than others. But she hadn't heard it like this before. Regardless of the fact that the Jedi probably shouldn't have asked Anakin to spy, it didn't mean they were no better than the Sith. How could Palpatine defend them when they were at war with the Sith, who had sided with the Separatist and were trying to destroy their Republic? Then again, the Sith wouldn't have been able to take advantage of it if the Senate had only handled the situation properly to begin with.

"I'm not sure it's wrong," Anakin finally replied.

Padmé looked at him. "Of course it is. How would you feel if the Jedi didn't trust you?" she asked. "How do you feel?"

Anakin was silent and Padmé nodded. He knew exactly how it felt. He had come home many a days telling her how the Jedi Council didn't trust him.

"Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the wise?"

"No," both Anakin and Padmé replied. Padmé noticed Anakin seemed antsy, like he wanted nothing more than anything to leave and not come back.

"I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a dark lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise that he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life," Palpatine explained and Padmé frowned. She didn't believe in playing god, not like that anyway. It sounded unnatural to manipulate things to create life.

"He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the once he cared about from dying."

Padmé froze and then turned slowly to look at Palpatine.

"He could keep people from dying?" Padmé asked ignoring the look Anakin shot her.

"The dark side is a pathway to many abilities some consider unnatural…"

Maybe creating life like that was unnatural, but Padmé didn't think saving a life that was already in existence was. The people on Maya, her babies…

"What happened to him?"

"He became so powerful, the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power which eventually he did. He taught his apprentice everything he knew. Then his apprentice killed him in his sleep," Palpatine said with a small smile. "Plagueis never saw it coming. It's ironic that he could save others from death, but not himself."

Padmé didn't care what happened to Plagueis, but she did care that it was a possibility her babies could die if the Republic lost this war, but not just them. There were other people who were dying because of it. If someone could learn this power and save people who didn't deserve to die from dying…

"Is it possible for anyone to learn this power?" she asked.

"Not from a Jedi," Palpatine replied as continued to watch the show.

Anakin abruptly stood up and left without a word. Padmé watched him leave in alarm and then turned to Palpatine.

"Excuse me. I have to go," she said and without waiting for him to reply followed after her husband.

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AN: I thought it was very reasonable that Padmé would be so scared for her babies that she would stop visiting so she wouldn't get attached in case something happened. Fear is a powerful thing. But I'll let you all decide.

In other news, I looked at some old writing pads I had of a story that I started when I was twelve, rewrote, edited, edited again, and is now editing for what will be the final time and man… I've really improved. I was a bad writer! A really bad one! I put that to say that it took years of practice to learn to write the way I write now. Practice and patience and to any aspiring writer whether on this site or elsewhere, stick with it, constantly look for advice and never think you know everything and always take critique and look into it whether good or bad. Don't be insulted. It'll hurt sometimes. But it's up to you whether to take it or ignore it. Regardless accept that you can't please everyone and some people are always going to find something wrong. Anywho, gotta go.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!