Author's Notes:
Hello again everyone! I know this chapter came a bit longer than the others. I promise I will TRY to post a new one at least once a week, but you know real life has this tendency to be rude and get in the way.
Legionary Prime- You're going to owe a lot of people $5. ;)
Okay so I really need to clarify something before starting:
**NO Mace does not know that Palpatine is Sidious. Anakin never went to him, this story is AU and very very very vaguely follows the RotS plot line. So no Mace should not be dead.**
Hope you enjoy!
I'd walk through hell for you, let it burn right through my shoes
These soles are useless without you
Through hell for you, let the torturing ensue;
My soul is useless without you...
A Walk Through Hell- Say Anything
The Council had opened the door to the loud banging, and were shocked to see a distressed Ahsoka Tano come running in.
"You can't expell him, you can't!" She ran to the center of the room, almost knocking over Obi-Wan. "Please reconsider. I need Master Skywalker. I don't want another Master."
"Ahsoka, calm yourself." Master Windu ordered.
Obi-Wan looked at the other Council members and then down at the Padawan at his side. "You saw him?" he asked.
"Yes! Him, Senator Amidala, and the Younglings." She said the last part with spite. "They are leaving the Temple."
Everyone in the chamber looked at Master Yoda, "Get him, you must."
The old Master closed his eyes for a moment before waving his hand, and Ahsoka went running out the doors.
Ahsoka ran down the stone corridors of the Temple. They felt longer than they ever had before. She felt a building pressure in her chest, she needed to find him. She finally reached the vast landing port, still not feeling his Force presence, but she looked anyway.
After asking anyone she saw if they'd seen Master Skywalker and the Senator, she determined that she was too late. He had left already. She hung her head, her smile leaving her face as she started to trudged back to the High Council Chamber. Disappointment washed over her, he could be on his way anywhere right now, and the thought of him leaving the planet and never returning left her with an empty feeling. She knew it was wrong to have these feelings about her Master, these attachments she felt. But she couldn't help it, Master Skywalker was always so loving and caring with her, treated her like she was part of his family. Ahsoka Tano had never had a family, she was left as an orphan on the streets of Shili where Master Koon had found her. Here at the Temple she always felt safe, with her Master she felt at home.
As she walked through the landing port she noticed a lone Jedi Cruiser and smiled knowing exactly what she had to do.
Anakin landed the speeder on the landing port of their apartment in 500 Republica. It looked just the way he remembered it. He helped Padmè out of the speeder and picked up Luke, walking through the open veranda. He turned to look out at the vast city in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he watched all the speeders whiz by the large buildings. He remembered the first time he had seen Coruscant when he was nine, the overwhelming and thrilling experience of the great city. He let his mind wander back to that time, and all the "what if's" resurfaced in his mind. What if he had lost the Pod Race? What if he had lost the Clone Wars? What if he lost control?
"Master Ani! Miss Padmè!" Threepio excitedly entered the veranda with Artoo in tow, who was buzzing and beeping in excitement.
"Threepio!" Padmè said, hugging the droid. Anakin smiled as she patted Artoo on the head, "Of course I missed you too, Artoo."
Artoo whizzed and moved closer to Anakin, bumping his leg, "Hey there Artoo."
Artoo beeped, and Threepio muttered in frustration at the Droid,"Of course I noticed the Younglings! I was just about to ask about it. Miss Padmè, Master Ani, are the Younglings staying?"
"Of course they are! This is Luke and Leia - they are Ani and I's children." Padmè laughed, taking seat on the couch.
"Threepio, Artoo, who are talking to?" Dormè appeared on the veranda; she didn't even wait for them to answer before she was across the room and hugging Padmè.
Dormè was a beautiful young girl, one of Padmè's many hand maidens who was personally selected to pose as Padmè in emergencies. To someone who didn't know the girls well enough, one would have thought they were twins.
"Oh Padmè! I'm so glad you're safe. I heard whispers among the Senate but I knew they weren't true, they couldn't be. Oh, isn't she gorgeous?" Dormè admired baby Leia, "She looks just like you."
"Thank you Dormè." Padmè said, looking at Anakin.
"Oh!" Dormè jumped up and bowed, "It is an honor Jedi Skywalker."
She couldn't even make it all the way through the sentence before she started to giggle.
Anakin laughed, "Hello to you too, Dormè."
Dormè then realized the other bundle in Anakin's arms, "Twins! Oh my, I was not expecting that. I'm afraid that the room only has one crib!"
"Room?" Anakin questioned.
"Yes, room." Padmè replied, "I set up a lovely room for our baby while I was pregnant. Little did I know I was getting double!"
"She was nesting." Dormè said, "Come on, let me get these little angels settled in and I'll have Threepio start on dinner. I'm sure you two are exhausted."
Padmè and Dormè turned and went into the apartment as Anakin lingered a second sensing that something was coming.
Anakin saw the Jedi cruiser and recognized the Force presence as the small black craft landed on the platform. Padmè heard the noise and came back out.
"Obi-Wan?" she questioned, seeing the Jedi cruiser.
Anakin shook his head in response. As the hatch started to open he walked towards the craft, "Ahsoka, what are you doing here?"
The Togruta Padawan popped her head out of the cruiser and smiled, "Master Skywalker!" She climbed down and bowed to him. "Senator Amidala." She bowed her head to Padmè.
Anakin waved her off, "No need for that Ahsoka. You know I'm no longer a part of the Order. What are you doing here? And how did you get a cruiser?"
"The Council wants to speak with you." She felt his reluctance. "Please Master, come back with me. Trust me. And as for the cruiser, well I learned from the best." She winked at him.
"I've already met with the Council and they've said their peace."
"No, Master please. Just trust me on this."
"I know what this is about! They want my saber. They'll have to pry it from my dead hands." Anakin held the weapon in his hand. "Go back to the Temple, Ahsoka. I can't believe they sent you for this; do they think so little of me?"
"No! Master you aren't listening!" Ahsoka was getting fed up with her strong minded Master.
Padmè stepped forward and put her hand on her husbands shoulder, "Maybe you should listen to her, love. You used to always say that you'd trust her with your life. What makes this any different?"
Padmè smiled as Ahsoka's already red cheeks turned even darker.
Anakin turned and held Padmè's head in his hands, he looked into her eyes and she smiled at him. "Are you sure?"
Padmè nodded her head and turned her face, kissing his palm. Anakin leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. After a few moments he released her and put his forehead against hers, "I'll be right back. Stay inside and take care of the babies. Take no visitors; I don't care what they say. I love you."
"I love you. And remember Ani, just stay calm and listen to reason."
Anakin smiled at her and walked off with Ahsoka to the waiting cruiser. He noticed her going for the pilot seat. "Yeah right Snips, get in the passenger seat."
Ahsoka sighed and they took off to the Temple. Anakin couldn't help but feel worried about Padmè, they had just returned to the planet and he was not eager to leave her and their young children alone. Something in the present Force didn't sit right with him, but both Ahsoka and Padmè were adamant about him going back to the Temple. With a final look back at his home, he took off across the busy city.
"I don't know about this." Master Mace Windu pressed his fingers to his temples, "Are we sure this is the right thing to do?"
"It is what we must do." Master Yoda as his eyes closed as if in mediation, "Restore faith in Young Skywalker, we must."
"But to have a Sith Lord among-"
"He is not a Sith Lord." Obi-Wan could feel his irritation building. Obi-Wan was usually a very calm and understanding Jedi, but right now he was not pleased with the rest of the Council's reactions. More importantly he was not please with Master Windu who was leading the resistance against Anakin. Obi-Wan felt around the Force and knew this was the path they needed to take, he just needed to convince the others of this as well.
"He is Lord Vader!" Windu protested.
"I assure you he is not. Vader is nothing more than a personal demon he needs to fight. I believe Anakin is suffering from a personality disorder set in by his dreams and the great amount of stress he deals with. He just needs help, and it must be us who gives it to him. If we don't, I fear what will happen." Obi-Wan knew he needed a bigger bargaining chip, "And I know we all felt those babies Force presences. I believe they may be equal to Anakin's. So if Anakin truly does turn to the Dark Side and takes them with him, the Jedi are through."
"How do we know this isn't all an act?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.
"You weren't there, you didn't see what it did to him. Trust me on this, I would never be suggesting this if I didn't think it was right. How many of you can say you faced the Dark Side in you and over powered it? I know I can't. What more does Anakin need to do to prove himself worthy? He's beyond proven himself."
"He has broken every rule in the Code."
"Perhaps the Code, we must alter?" Yoda said opening his eye and rubbing his chin. He looked around at all the shocked faces.
"They're talking about me." Anakin said, as he and Ahsoka sat waiting outside the Council chamber doors.
Ahsoka nodded her head, the Padawan was lost in thought. "Master Skywalker, is what Senator Amidala said true?" Anakin cocked his head to the side, conveying his confusion. "About you trusting me with your life."
Anakin smiled, "Ah yes, that. Of course it's true. I remember when you became my Padawan. They thought giving me someone to train would calm my 'rebillious spirit'." He laughed, "Everyone else got to pick their Padawans, and they assigned you to me. I was so angry, when I got home I told Padmè that they had given me a little girl to babysit. Padmè, of course, saw reason and told me I was over reacting, and that they were not punishing me."
Ahsoka smiled at her Master.
"Ahsoka, training you was one of the most rewarding things I ever did as a Jedi. I watched you go from a fumbling little girl to a strong and deadly woman. I am so proud of you. You have led troops to victory, went up against General Grevious alone, battled Ventress, defeated death. You are strong and I not only trust you with my life, but I would trust you with my family."
Ahsoka smiled and hugged him, "Oh Master! You have-" she was interrupted by the Council chamber doors opening.
"Ready?" She asked him, walking towards the door.
"Come on Snips." He said, walking into the chamber.
He looked around at all of the Masters sitting in the circle before walking to the center and bowing his head. "What service may I be of you, Jedi Masters?"
"Raise your head, Master Skywalker." Obi-Wan said, standing from his seat.
After dinner and feeding the twins, Padmè took a much needed salt bath and changed into a simple red night gown with gold trimming. She loved her custom made clothing, but it was nice to just relax.
After her soak she went into the twins room to find them both awake and Threepio watching over them.
"Thank you Threepio." Padmè said approaching the crib the twins would need to temporarily share, "You can go now, I have it from here."
"Of course Miss Padmè, it is an honor to watch them." Threepio said, walking from the room.
Padmè sighed, picking Luke up and resting him on her shoulder; his first reaction was to grab onto her hair.
"No no, Luke." She pulled his hand from her hair and smiled. Leia started to stir, not wanting to be left out. Padmè reached in to pick her up but found it was difficult with Luke already in her arms.
"Don't tell Daddy, but I sure wish I could use the Force to lift you right about now!" She laughed to her self and grabbed the swaddler off the dresser, placing Luke inside, and was able to lean in and grab Leia. Sitting down, she held both babies in her arms and slowly sang them a lullaby from her childhood. Padmè had felt at ease sitting there rocking her children. She was afraid at first that she would have no motherly instincts or that she would terrible with them and they would hate her. But right now with her two babies cuddled into her arms she couldn't be happier. She was almost certain the babies were already using the Force but she almost didn't want to think about it. If she thought Anakin was a rebellious child, she had a feeling she was in for double. She closed her eyes and relaxed into her soothing pace.
"Padmè!" Dormè rushed in through the door. "I just received a transmission from the kitchen - the Chancellor is on his way to see you!"
Padmè sat straight up, her eyes widened and her heart started to accelerate. "No! I need to get out of here. Tell him I'm not home - I'll go through the veranda and fly out." With Dormè's help she stood and started for the veranda door.
"Not trying to skip out on me, are you Senator?" Palpatine sneered, standing across the veranda from her. Palpatine was dressed in his black Chancellor robes, his hair looking whiter than Padmè had seen it. She noticed his face was aging more and more each time she saw him and his nose, which always reminded her of a bird's beak was held high. The Chancellor looked as if he'd seen better days and Padmè could only imagine this was because of her and Anakin. He smiled his fake toothy smile, "Look at these cute little babies. Are they yours, Senator?"
Padmè felt he heart in her throat and couldn't say anything. She opened and closed her mouth a few times but nothing came out. She was terrified. She knew the Chancellor knew of her and Anakin. She was trying to see a way out of this without being killed or captured. When she saw no way, she started to call Anakin through their bond.
"Yes Chancellor. They are my children." Dormè said, stepping out onto the veranda.
Padmè turned to see Dormè wearing one of her elaborate cloaks. "Dormè, please bring the children inside. I wouldn't want them to catch anything.
"Yes m'lady." Padmè replied, bowing a bit and returning inside. Dormè had provided her with the perfect distraction to get out. Once out of sight she took off down the hall to the front door and into the elevator She held her babies to her chest as the elevator descended. An overwhelming feeling of grief washed over her as she thought of Dormè; if the Chancellor found out she was an imposter, he wouldn't think twice but to kill her. The tears were already rolling down her face as the elevator doors opened and she ran barefoot outside across the building steps. She knew that to any passerby she must have looked like a nut running barefoot in her pajamas with two babies crying in her arms.
She ran to the taxi craft dock and bounced on her heels as the craft door lifted up. She climbed inside, "The Jedi Temple, please. Hurry!"
Anakin's head shot up at the word 'Master' and he looked around the room wide eyed as all the Masters stood. He glanced at Obi-Wan, who was nodding his head.
"Me? A Master?" Anakin felt two small arms snake around him, and he looked down to see Ahsoka giving him a hug. He smiled and patted her on the head. "I don't understand Masters, how can I be granted this right? I've broken every Code imaginable."
Master Windu grunted and Obi-Wan shot him a warning look, but it was Master Yoda who spoke, "Change the Code, we will. Your help we need Master Skywalker."
"We will be reevaluating the Code, making adjustments that we can all agree on to adapt to the ever changing needs of the Force. There is one more thing the Council will ask of you Anakin." Obi-Wan closed his eyes, "We ask you and Padmè recount what happened on and before Mustafar."
He opened his eyes and looked at Anakin, easing himself with the Force, "We want to create a Holocron for the Archives. It will be sealed away in the deepest archives where only a few with the highest authority will ever be able to see it."
"I will do it." Anakin bowed his head again, "If it will help the Jedi, then I will."
Anakin knelt before the Council as they all lighted their sabers in the traditional Master ceremony. He had waited for this moment his entire life. But before it could even start, he was knocked back by a disturbance in the Force.
"Padmè!" He stood up, shocking everyone. "Padmè needs me!" All of her emotions at once were overwhelming him.
The Council looked on in confusion as Anakin fled from the room. After a few moments Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ran after him, followed by the rest of the Council.
Using the Force, Anakin ran through the Temple, down to the receiving dock where he sensed his family's Force presences. He pushed past several Jedi and ran through a Youngling's training class before he made his way down to the receiving dock, just as Padmè's taxi craft landed. He helped her out, pulling her and the babies into his arms.
"Padmè, what happened?" He frantically asked trying to search her as she sobbed into his chest. She didn't respond and he felt that her breaths were rigid and forced. He reached into his belt and pulled out her inhaler. He placed it in her mouth and aided her in using the device, stroking her hair as her breathing started to stabilize. Anakin needed to control his emotions, it upset him that she had to live like this because of what he did. She needed to have an inhaler because of the emergency surgery she underwent after childbirth as a result of his Force choke. They both always kept one of her inhalers on them just incase, and since she appeared to be night gown he doubted she had hers. "There we go. Now what happened angel?"
Padmè turned to see the Jedi Council and Ahsoka looking on. She turned back to Anakin, "The Chancellor, he came for me and the babies." She was still trembling, "He has Dormè."
Anakin kissed her forehead then reached out into the Force, opening his connection with the Chancellor. "I don't know if he knows she's an imposter yet. But he's furious the babies are gone. He's trying to hurt me for my betrayal." He paused and turned to the waiting Council and Ahsoka, "There's something I need to tell you all about the Chancellor."
Thank you for reading! Hope you all enjoyed, please leave any feedback/comments!
Till next time,
PadmeNSkywalker xx