AN: I had fun tweaking this part and switching it around. For those of you who might not know, Obi-wan visiting Padmé is in the script of the movie and was actually part of the reason Anakin thought she betrayed him as Palpatine put in his head the thought that she might be cheating on him with Obi-wan, but it never made the movie cut and was only referenced in the next scene. It makes the part where he choked her make more sense. Sure he was engulfed in the dark side, but I don't think he would have flipped on her like that if Palpatine hadn't placed that doubt in his mind. Or maybe it would have… I don't know. But I like the scene and thought it would make be good for the

Read, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter Nine

Distrust

Anakin was aware that Padmé had followed him, but he didn't slow his pace as he headed out the opera house. He was too angry at himself to care. Why hadn't he seen it before? Had he been so blind that he hadn't noticed it?

"Anakin!" Padmé said as she caught up to him and apparently not caring if someone saw them managed to get in front of him and held his arms, worry shining in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

He got straight to the point. "I don't trust Palpatine."

"What?" Padmé said surprised. "Why? He's your friend."

"I know he is… I thought he was," Anakin said looking down.

"What are you talking about?" Padmé said. "You're not telling me something. Did the Jedi tell you something about him? What?"

"This has nothing to do with the Jedi," Anakin said firmly.

"Then what?" Padmé said forcing him to look at her. "Anakin!"

Anakin closed his eyes. He had to tell her about the dream. She had to know it was her he saw.

"You were talking about me weren't you?" Padmé asked suddenly. "When you said you weren't certain about some things anymore."

"I-." Anakin stopped. He couldn't tell her that.

"You were weren't you? Are you saying you don't trust me anymore," Padmé said taking a step back with tears in her eyes.

"Of course I trust you Padmé. I love you. But I don't trust Palpatine. I think… I think the Jedi might be right," Anakin admitted. "And after tonight, I think maybe the Sith Lord is controlling him."

"That's ridiculous," Padmé said and almost laughed. "The Jedi would have sensed it.

"The dark side clouds everything Padmé. We can't be sure. I can't be sure."

"So now I'm a suspect too because the Jedi tell you not to trust Palpatine or anyone close to him? How could you even think that? What have they told you?" Padmé demanded.

"Nothing," Anakin said trying to reassure her, wondering why she was so hostile.

"How do I know that? They told you to spy on Palpatine."

"And I'm glad. Palpatine's up to something, Padmé, and he's using you to help him get what he wants because he knows you're popular in the public eye. You were his biggest opposition."

"My eyes have just been opened since then. I'm taking advantage of Palpatine's position to end this war and restore freedom and peace," Padmé insisted.

"By sacrificing your ideals and doing things his way?"

Padmé didn't answer him and instead said quietly, "Palpatine's not what he appears to be."

"There's something we agree on," Anakin snapped. "And how would he know the story of a Sith Lord? That's not something that's common knowledge."

"Only because the Jedi keep it secret. Don't you think it's a little suspicious at all Anakin?" Padmé asked. "That they won't make you a master, that they still don't trust you?"

Anakin was shocked speechless. Was she really implying that she believed Palpatine when he said the Jedi were plotting against him and the Republic? Sure the council was uptight, believed in strictly adhering to the code, and he had thought more than a few times in his youth that they were prudes, but plotting against someone was against their nature. They were too stuck on their high pedestal to do that. Besides, Obi-wan would have told him, just like he told him that he didn't agree with spying on the chancellor… Obi-wan. Anakin sighed. He'd deal with his own uncertainty later. His uncertainty had nothing to do with this. His problems could wait. Padmé came first. She always came first.

"Obi-wan trusts me. That's good enough. In fact he was against the council spying on the chancellor. If they were plotting against him, I doubt he'd agree and he'd have told me."

Padmé scoffed. "Obi-wan. They call him the 'Negotiator' Anakin. He knows how to play his cards. If he weren't a Jedi, he'd be a politician as known as I am by now."

"You're a politician too you know," Anakin pointed out and he saw the hurt flash across her face at the implication that maybe it was her he shouldn't trust.

And then it occurred to him how reversed their usual roles were. Usually she ended up defending the Jedi when he was wary of them. She was the one who would force him to put everything in perspective about them. Padmé was the one who usually defended Obi-wan when he came home ranting about being held back. This wasn't right.

Why… when, Anakin thought to himself before quietly asking Padmé, "Since when have you been against the Jedi?"

Padmé looked at Anakin with a firm expression, tears falling down her cheek as she said, "Since they turned my husband against me."

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Padmé led Obi-wan to the living room to sit down when he came to see her unexpectedly the next day. She had to remember to be cordial to him as she was very wary of the Jedi lately. She didn't understand why Anakin was suddenly doubtful of her intentions, or her beliefs. And though at first she didn't want to believe it, she was forced to come to terms with the fact that Palpatine might be right about the Jedi. But she pushed them out her mind. Surely she could trust Obi-wan. She had known him as long as she had known Anakin. She had just been making a point when the night before.

"Has Anakin been to see you?" he asked.

"Several times," Padmé said to him wondering what had prompted such a question. "I was so happy to hear he was accepted on the Jedi Council."

Obi-wan smiled. "I know. He deserves it. He is strong willed, very opinionated, but truly gifted."

Padmé nodded in agreement sensing something amiss that had to do with Anakin. Obi-wan's tone seemed to let on that he was worried about him.

"You're not just here to say hello," she pointed out. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"You should be a Jedi Padmé."

"You're not very good at hiding your feelings," Padmé pointed out.

"It's Anakin." Padmé had assumed as much. "He's… I don't really know how to say it. Moody and detached would be one way to put it. He's been put in a difficult position as the Chancellor's representative but I think it's more than that. I was hoping he may have talked to you."

Padmé put on her best mask on indifference and said, "Why would he talk to me about his work?"

Obi-wan looked at her and with that one look Padmé knew he was onto her and Anakin. But she couldn't discern whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Neither of you is very good at hiding your feelings either," he finally said.

"Don't give me that look," Padmé said sighing.

"I know how he feels about you?"

Padmé gave Obi-wan a level stare. Anakin wouldn't have told the Jedi without letting her know would he? As far as she was concerned, she rather them not know. She didn't want them to know about her babies, her strongly force sensitive babies.

"What did he say?" she ground out obviously surprising Obi-wan with her tone.

"Nothing," Obi-wan said warily. "He didn't have to."

Padmé stood up and went to the balcony, hoping the view and the wind would calm her.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know you both too well. I can see you two are in love. Padmé, I'm worried about him," he said and waited for an answer from Padmé. When she stayed silent, he continued. "I fear your relationship has confused him."

Padmé wasn't quite sure what it was brewing within her, but she felt angry at Obi-wan's words. He was part of the council that was making him feel confused, that was making him doubt her. If Anakin was confused about his relationship with her, the blame fell on the Jedi and their rules, the rules Anakin would never be able to live up to and at the same time achieve the goal of becoming the respected Jedi he desired.

"I'll tell you this," Padmé said to Obi-wan as she looked at him coolly. "He doesn't like the way the council is forcing him to choose between his personal life and the Jedi. If he's confused about his relationships, it's because he fears he can't live up to the expectations of the Jedi and keep his relationships with others outside the Jedi at the same time."

It was suppose to come out as a simple, innocent observation. But it came out more biting than Padmé intended it to. It couldn't be helped though. It was the truth and there was no way to sugarcoat it.

She took a deep breath and said, "If you'll please excuse me. Sabé will show you out."

Padmé left without another word and soon afterward Sabé came to show Obi-wan out. But before he could leave, Sabé stopped him.

"Wait Master Kenobi," she said and her eyes darted to where her mistress had gone as Obi-wan turned to look at her. "I think maybe you should go talk to Master Skywalker."

"Padron?" Obi-wan said to her.

"Milady has not been herself lately," Sabé admitted. "I am worried about her and so is Master Skywalker. I think if you go to him, he'll tell you. I'm not sure, but I believe he and my mistress had a disagreement."

Obi-wan sighed. "Believe me Sabé. I'd like to, but I rarely know where to find Anakin nowadays."

"I can tell you where he is. At least, that's where he goes if he's not at the temple or with my mistress."

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To say the least, Anakin was shocked when he sensed Obi-wan's presence. His force senses had to be wrong, but sure enough, in walked Obi-wan into the NICU. Anakin didn't bother trying to come up with an excuse. Obi-wan's demeanor said he knew and so Anakin only stayed where he was sitting holding the twins in front of him, a lot more comfortable holding them than he had a few days ago.

"Obi-wan," he stated.

"Sabé told me you might be here."

"You were at Padmé's apartment?"

"I was concerned, but Sabé thought it better that I come talk to you. It seems both of you are more worried about Padmé," he said.

Anakin was silent as he began to sooth Luke who started to fuss a little.

"I wonder if Padmé has anything to do with why you're so quiet lately. You're certainly not yourself. You've been oddly contemplative," Obi-wan pointed out.

Anakin could help the sour laugh that came out his mouth as he said, "You mean you have nothing to say about all this?"

Obi-wan smiled. "About you and Padmé or…" his gaze fell on the twin children.

"Luke and Leia," Anakin gave. "They're four weeks old now. Padmé hasn't seen them in nearly three."

Obi-wan wasn't quite sure what to say and Anakin turned to him, conflict clear in his eyes.

"She's been different Obi-wan. I'm afraid of what she's becoming more and more now and it kills me," Anakin admitted. "I'm afraid that this war, all this politics and plotting… I think it's taken its toll on her. I tried to take her away from all of it, but she refuses to with the galaxy in the shape it's in. She's afraid of the kind of galaxy the twins will have to grow up in. I'm not certain of anything anymore except that I love her and I don't like seeing her like this. I feel like the only light in my life is gone. It's so dark Obi-wan. I don't know what's happening."

There were no words Obi-wan could find to respond to an admission like that. Anakin sounded so vulnerable, so tired. It wasn't anything like the strong, sometimes arrogant, Jedi he knew.

"I wish there was something I could do to help," Obi-wan finally said putting a hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"Just make sure you defeat Grievous and end this war," Anakin replied. "I'm leaving the Jedi and I'm taking Padmé and the twins somewhere no one will find us."

"Anakin you don't have to do that."

"You don't understand," Anakin said firmly. "It's taking everything in me not to take them and run right now. The force is urging me, but I can't do that if Padmé's not willing. Nothing's going to stop me after this war is over… When I leave I'd like it if you finished Ahsoka's training for me."

Obi-wan opened and closed his mouth several times before finally relenting.

"Of course," he said.

"I'm sorry if I've disappointed you," Anakin said as Obi-wan turned to leave. "I've haven't been very appreciative of your training. I've been arrogant and I apologize. Things have just been hectic lately. I know I'm leaving, but your friendship means everything to me. I'll never forget it."

"Anakin," Obi-wan said. "None of this changes my opinion about you. You're strong and wise and I'm very proud of you. I have trained you since you were a small boy and I've taught you everything I know. You've become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be and you have saved my life more times than I can remember. Believe me. You haven't disappointed me."

Anakin smirked before saying. "I still think you're going to need me on this one."

"I think you're needed more here," Obi-wan said in reference to the twins. "Don't worry. I have enough clones with me to take three systems the size of Utapau. I think I'll be able to handle the situation… even without your help."

"Well, there's always a first," Anakin pointed out with a laugh.

Obi-wan shook his head, but smiled nonetheless.

"Obi-wan, may the force be with you."

"Good-bye, old friend. May the Force be with you."

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Anakin finally made his way back home after having not gone back at all the day before. He found Padmé looking out at the city on the balcony. He came up behind her and slipped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

"Padmé," he muttered.

Padmé sighed and turned around into his embrace.

"Oh Ani," she said. "I'm sorry. I was out of line. I shouldn't have-."

"No," Anakin said shaking his head. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I trust that you know what you're doing. I've just been so worried about you and I know you're stressed."

"We both said things we didn't mean Anakin."

Padmé laid her head on his chest and looked out at the city Anakin leaned his chin on her head and followed her gaze.

"Obi-wan told me he dropped by earlier," Anakin stated.

"He did," Padmé said simply, but her tone said she hadn't been happy about it. "He said he's worried about you."

"He is. He's worried about both of us."

"Did you tell him about us?"

"Not really. We just talked and I think he kind of figured it out, especially when he saw me with Luke and Leia," Anakin said and didn't have time to react as Padmé suddenly pulled away from him, alarm present in her force signature.

"He saw the twins," she asked, eyes alight with worry. "What did he say?"

Anakin smiled and rubbed her arms. "Relax Padmé. I don't think he's not going to tell anyone."

Padmé broke out of his embrace and headed toward the bedroom. "He's on the council Anakin. He's duty bound by your code to report this."

Anakin followed her, unsure why she seemed so distrustful of the Jedi lately. Sure he had his own issues with them, but Padmé?

"Well he's gone now. He won't have a chance to tell them until he gets back. And it won't matter if he kills Grievous. If we get the news that Obi-wan killed him, we'll be long gone by the time he gets back."

Padmé didn't say anything as she looked at him and then said, "Do you think there's some merit to Palpatine's story?"

Anakin frowned. "The one about Darth Plagueis?"

"I mean the part about being able to stop people from dying," Padmé said to him. "Think of all the good that could be done with that kind of power. No one else would have to die in vain because of this pointless war."

Anakin frowned. "Are you still worried about the twins?"

"No… I mean… It's not just them. Anakin, when you were gone I went somewhere and saw people dying that didn't have to die, suffering because of this pointless war. I wanted so badly to end their suffering but the Senate wouldn't allow it," Padmé said to him. "All this mindless fighting and what have we to gain from it? The losses outweigh the gains."

"It's tempting. I'll admit to that. But in the Jedi temple, we were taught early on that we can't save everyone, especially if they don't want to be saved."

Padmé smiled at him. "You're one to talk Mr. Hero with no Fear."

"Hey, even I know when something's a hopeless cause," Anakin said trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably as he laughed.

When Anakin was done laughing he became serious again and said, "The twins are fine. They're doing really well. The nurses even let me hold them now… And they'd like to see their mother. They miss you."

"Then we'll both go to see them tomorrow," Padmé said as pecked Anakin on the lips.

"You're ready?"

"I shouldn't have let my fear stop me from going to see them to begin with. I just can't imagine my life without them," Padmé explained. "Anakin?"

"Yes angel?"

"Thank you… Thank you for understanding and sticking by me these last few weeks even though I've been a bit…"

"Insufferable?"

"Yeah," Padmé said and then realized what he said. "Anakin!"

Anakin couldn't help it. He laughed at the indignant look on Padmé's face and soon Padmé joined him. He kissed her once more and then again. The air felt lighter and the ominous feelings he had been having left his mind.

"I love you," he whispered to her.

"I love you too."

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AN: It was fun to write a moody Padmé. I enjoyed it very much, especially the part at the end with she and Anakin. It was all very wonderful. I've got five more chapters to go and boy are they packed with a lot of stuff. Okay. That's it.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!