Note 1: Thank you for all the review/alerts/favorites that I have received, you guys are truly awesome and I know each and every one of you.

Note 2: This takes place during ROTS, right after Anakin and Obi-Wan return from rescuing Chancellor Palpatine from General Grievous.

Note 3: Star Wars and its affiliates do not belong to me, only the contents of this Verse.

Note 4: Thank you to my betas; TACAitsH and Young at guys are the ones who read and re-read these chapters over and over until they are right. Unless you're a writer or a beta, you will not understand how time-consuming and difficult this process really is. You guys are amazing.

Chosen: Restoration

Chapter 11: Counselor

By WrittinInStone

Padmé Amidala-Skywalker blinked as the books in front of her came back into focus. For the past week, she, Anakin and Obi-Wan had been pouring over everything that they could find on the makers of Twilight's Rain, the Yangau. They had searched endless databases and endless archives for ancient books, ancient scrolls, ancient manuscripts…ancient, ancient, ancient crap!

Padmé didn't care about any of that! She knew that she should; her husband's recovery depended on it. But how could she focus on finding him a cure when he wouldn't even speak to her? Ever since their fight, a week ago, he had been coldly civil to her while they were in public, but had refused to seek her out in private or allow her to seek him.

It was the first time Anakin had ever treated her this way, and it hurt all the more because she knew that she deserved it. That was why she was so ashamed, she had been wrong, so wrong, and she had hurt him so badly… She still could not forget the look on his face when she accused him. He had been so devastated, so disappointed in her…

Padmé took a deep breath, fighting back the tears coming to her eyes. She missed him so much that she ached. This was the first real fight that they had ever had, and she couldn't imagine one being worse than this.

Padmé was desperate to reconcile with him, but she didn't know how. She needed help and she needed it now. She needed someone to talk to, but who? She couldn't call her parents, her sister; they would want an explanation, they would want to know who the man was, what was going on; they would want to know too much.

Maybe she could talk to someone who already knew… Maybe she could talk to Obi-Wan.

Padmé bit her lip. It would be risky, talking to Obi-Wan without revealing Anakin's identity, but she didn't have any choice. She was drowning; she needed her husband and if Obi-Wan could help her, even a little bit, then going to him was her only real option and well worth the risk.

#*#*#*#*#

Anakin Skywalker touched the side of his temple lightly, as he tried to focus on what his Master was saying. Obi-Wan sat in front of him, chatting about the latest news from the Jedi Council; the older man was so focused on what he was saying that he didn't seem to notice that Anakin wasn't listening to his report.

They were in Obi-Wan's room, where Obi-Wan and Anakin sat on separate couches, facing one another. The Jedi Master had called Anakin early in the morning for a meeting with the Jedi Council. After they briefed the Council on all that had occurred, the Jedi Masters ordered them to find out information about the ship and the Yangua. They had also been ordered to report back any information, especially intelligence regarding General Grievous and this…Lord Sidious.

Anakin knew that Obi-Wan had spoken at length with the Council before he had joined the meeting, and he had to admit that he was curious as to what they had talked about that he could not be privy to. But he pushed it aside; if it had been important, Obi-Wan would have told him. Besides, he knew that Obi-Wan had not spoken to them about Padmé because he had promised not to, so the Knight let it go.

Anakin blinked as he tried to focus. It had been a week since his fight with Padmé, and since that time, they hadn't talked, hadn't spent any time alone, hadn't touched… He knew he should do something to reconcile with his wife, but every time he thought about what she had said to him, the anger in her eyes when she spoke to him…his fury raised its head like a coiled serpent.

He couldn't go to her; he just could not. It was too raw, the pain still too new. He did not know what to do. He still loved his wife, adored her. But for the first time since he met her, he began to doubt his involvement with Padmé; how could their relationship work if she didn't trust him?

Suddenly, Anakin couldn't stand it anymore. He needed to think; he needed some time alone to clear his head.

"Obi-Wan," He said finally, interrupting his Master, "I know that what you're saying is important, but I…I just need to rest. I'm tired."

Obi-Wan frowned, seeing that Anakin was indeed distressed. But it seemed more like stress than fatigue.

"Very well, Anakin." Obi-Wan said, frown still in place. "You do look tired. I will brief you later."

"Thank you, Master." Anakin said, giving Obi-Wan a reassuring smile, "But before I go, I find that nature calls, can I please use your bathing room? I don't think I can make it to my room."

Obi-Wan nodded, a slight smile on his face.

Anakin stood up and slowly made his way to the bathing room. Upon getting there, he didn't use the lavatory, but he went to the sink and began to splash water on his face. He turned off the faucet and looked into the mirror. He looked like a mess.

I miss Padmé, he thought, finally acknowledging his misery. She's not just my wife, she's my best friend. I miss her so much.

He quickly looked up, curious as he heard a bell, announcing that someone was at Obi-Wan's door.

Now who could that be? Anakin wondered, there's not anyone on this ship who would need Obi-Wan in his private quarters. Anakin stopped as a cold chill went up his spine. The only person who would come to talk to Obi-Wan in his private quarters was Padmé.

Anakin teeth clenched as his heart felt sick. It was Padmé; Padmé was at the door of Obi-Wan's private chambers. Why was she here? Was she…?

Anakin shied away from the thought. There had to be a good reason why she was coming here, to his Master's room so early in the morning. Padmé would not cheat on him; she would not.

The Knight took a deep breath and went to the bathing room door, opening it slightly to peer outside. He knew that because of the way that the bathing room was positioned in the room, neither Obi-Wan nor Padmé would be able to see him. Squinting slightly, he watched as Obi-Wan opened the door and Padmé rushed inside.

Anakin closed his eyes, feeling as though his world had crashed around him. How could Padmé do this to him? How? He loved her, loved her more than any being that lived. Why would she betray him this way?

And as Anakin opened his eyes, a darkness and a fury came over him, distinguishing the light in his soul. As he started to walk out to confront the pair, he stopped as he heard Padmé began to speak; she sounded like she was crying.

"Obi-Wan," Padmé said, her sadness radiating off her voice, "May I please speak with you? It's about…the father of my babies."

Anakin paused in the doorway, his heart beating loudly. Maybe he had jumped to conclusions too quickly…maybe…maybe Padmé hadn't betrayed him. He leaned closer to the bathing room door, opening the door wider as Obi-Wan greeted her. He saw Obi-Wan's eyes dart in his direction, stating that now was not a good time to talk. But Padmé stopped him and continued to speak.

"Obi-Wan, I know now is not a good time, but I really need to talk to you." She looked at the Jedi Master with wide, pleading eyes. Obi-Wan tried to speak, but Padmé continued.

"A week ago, me and my…friend had a fight, a terrible fight, and I don't know what to do. I need to talk to someone. Please."

She looked so distressed, that Obi-Wan became concerned. She was pregnant; this type of anxiety wasn't good for her or the babies.

"Well, tell me what happened." Obi-Wan said finally, hoping that Anakin would have the good sense to stay hidden.

"I…" Padmé turned from him as she made her confession, "I accused him of not wanting me or the babies. He was…he was really mad, really angry..." She turned back to look at him. "He was devastated Obi-Wan, I've never seen him look like that before, never."

Obi-Wan frowned. That didn't sound like something Padmé would do, and he could see why her…friend would be upset about something like that.

"Why did you say that? Did you mean it?" He asked her, leading her to the couch so that she could sit down.

"No!" She exclaimed, jumping back up. "I didn't. It's just that…" Stopping, she shook her head. She took a deep breath and then said what was on her heart, "I love him, Obi-Wan."

She turned away from Obi-Wan. She turned and walked to the window, placing both of her hands flat on its surface. She closed her eyes and put her forehead on the glass. She could see her breathe fan out on the glass and then disappear.

"I love him so much that it hurts. I love him so much, that when I found out about the children, I immediately thought of him; of what he would say, if he would be happy. This pregnancy is so unexpected, so…inconvenient for the both of us." Padmé paused, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"I was so scared, Obi-Wan! Force, I was so afraid!" She turned to Obi-Wan, anger and sorrow pouring from her voice in waves. "I love him so much that I even thought of…" She paused, unwilling to tell Obi-Wan of her folly, but knowing that she had to tell someone. "For a split second, I considered just…getting rid of them." She whispered her secret, shame clouding her voice.

"I love him so much that I was willing to kill my own babies to keep his love." She closed her eyes, shaking her head, unwilling to see the condemnation on Obi-Wan's face. "Then I became so angry with myself! I could not believe that I would even consider doing anything so heinous, so foul! So, when I talked to him, I was angry, confused, fearful. I was full of so many negative emotions that when I opened my mouth, I messed up, Obi-Wan, I messed everything up so badly. Now, he won't even talk to me and I can't get angry with him because it's my fault."

"So you see?" She said softly, tears beginning to leak from her tightly closed eyes, "I don't know what to do."

"You care about this man?" Obi-Wan asked quietly. He had been taken aback when Padmé had launched into her story, but now, seeing her tear-streaked face and her sorrow, but also seeing the obvious love she had for her friend, he could not help but envy the unknown man that had stolen Padmé's heart.

"More than anything," She said, opening her eyes. "More than my own life. He is everything, Obi-Wan. Everything."

"Then, tell him what you told me," Obi-Wan said, giving her a wry smile. "If he loves you like you love him, then he will understand and he will forgive you."

"You think so?" She said biting her lip, looking at him hopefully.

"Yes." Obi-Wan said, mustering up a smile. "Anyone can tell by looking at you that you love him. If he can't tell, he doesn't deserve you."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," She said, smiling through her tears, "But it's I that don't deserve him. But, okay!" Padmé stood up, determination in her eyes.

"I'm going to go and talk to my husb—, friend…" She said quickly, darting an eye at Obi-Wan, hoping he had not caught her slip, "And I'm going to make him forgive me!"

"I think you'll do fine, Padmé." Obi-Wan said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Go and make things right with your husband."

"Yes. I'll do just that!" She said, so excited that she didn't catch his wording. "I'll do it now. Thank you, Obi-Wan. Thank you so much." She said softly. She got up and quickly left the room. Silence followed her exit.

Nothing was said as Anakin came out of the bathing room, his gaze resting on the door through which Padmé had disappeared.

Obi-Wan sat there for a long time before saying finally, "Anakin, you should go after your wife."

The silence that followed was loud….tense….full of shock and apprehension.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin began, resignation in his voice.

"Don't say anything," The Jedi Master said quietly, "Just go after her. The three of us will talk later."

A mixture of emotions crossed the young man's face before, without another word, he left the room.

Obi-Wan sighed into the stillness of the room.

"Oh Force," He whispered, "What have they done?" He put his head in his hands as he bowed in distress.

End of Chapter 11: If you loved it, review it.

Chapter 12: Confessions of a Contrite Jedi: Anakin tells Obi-Wan everything.

A/N: I want to personally thank Hp187 for her support and words of encouragement. We had a brilliant discussion that really boosted my spirits. Thank you! You. Are. Awesome.

((***If you simply LOVED this, please check out my other story: Soul's Scars.))