Sorry for the hugely long delay! More is coming, I promise!
Chapter 5
He had gone to sleep knowing there was hope for both of them. As they lay together, she was soon to give birth to a new creature, and he would live to take care of them for the rest of their lives.
Then a second vision flashed before his eyes, one very different from the first, superficial one.
Palpatine was not who he seemed.
Then the poison took him.
The child, while simply being born, took Padmé as well.
And they left their baby behind, alone.
He'd told Obi-Wan to leave and so now he was gone.
Palpatine took the child since there was no one else, placing the delicate creature into the crook of his arm. Then he removed his ornate Senatorial hood, revealing an ugly, scarred, and contorted face, and hissed at the baby, who looked like a tiny light next to a huge pool of darkness. Amidst the baby's cries, Palpatine muttered words to it that were at first indistinguishable, then became clearer as he continued to speak.
"I killed the father with the Force. I killed the mother with the father; and you will be my new apprentice." The word apprentice echoed over and over again, louder in his ears until it was roaring…
Anakin cried out as though he'd been struck, starting up to find himself in bed. He'd been dreaming, and there was Padmé sleeping beside him, just as she had been before. Trembling, he laid a hand on her belly where the child slept also, knowing that he or she was safe there, too.
A dark presence seemed to be real in the room. Could it really have been Palpatine he'd seen in his dream, standing over their child? Palpatine, who had been his friend and Padmé's loyal supporter, ever since they'd known him? Who had now found the solution to save his very life?
He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, but it only hurt worse than ever. A little dizzily, he made his way out onto the balcony of their apartment and looked out over the cityscape, busy with lights and flashes as though it never would sleep. He closed his eyes and tried as hard as he could to pray, but it was as though it would not come.
"Please," he said in his mind, over and over again, "Please, what do I do?!"
All of a sudden, he felt a warmth come over him from the inside, so powerful he fell on his knees beside the balcony railing. It was as though the most powerful form of love had just invaded him, comforting him perfectly and causing every confusing thought to come to a standstill.
He almost heard the voice, "I am with you…"
And then his mind had an instant flashback to his conversation with Palpatine the day before.
He saw the man speaking to him as they headed down the turbolift, repeating the same phrase multiple times: "…the influence of Sith teachings could be brought new meaning…"
It repeated in Anakin's mind over and over, louder and louder, until suddenly it sunk in and he jumped to his feet, completely aghast. "Palpatine?!" he almost said out loud. Fear came over him as quickly as the wonderful sensation he'd just felt, snaking its icy fingers along his spine. He whirled around to make sure Padmé was still sleeping soundly. She was.
He knew he had to do something, crazy as it was. Running over to the power unit in the wall just outside their bedroom, he quickly unplugged R2-D2 and motioned to the little droid to follow him.
Artoo let out a soft whistle of confusion.
"It's all right, Artoo," he whispered to his friend. "We've got a little mission ahead of us."
