Thank you to the 11 people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the best. I have also decided to split this story into three parts covering the events of Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith. Part one is AotC, part two is CW and part three is RotS. Also, most of this chapter was taken directly from the book so I don't own the novelization of Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore.

Chapter 9

The tunnel Anakin and Padmé were in was dark and fittingly gloom and quiet, except for the occasional echo of cheering from the huge crowd gathered in the areana stands beyond. A single cart was in there into which Anakin and Padmé were unceremoniously thrown. They were then strapped in place against the framework facing each other.

Both of them jerked as the cart started into motion gliding along the dark tunnel.

"Don't be afraid," Anakin whispered.

Padmé smiled at him her eyes were genuinely calm. "I'm not afraid to die," she said softly. "I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."

Anakin frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Padmé leaned forward her eyes soft and her voice warm as she said, "I love you."

"Y…You love me?" Anakin echoed overwhelmed. "You love me! I thought we decided not to fall in love. That we would be forced to live a lie. That it would destroy us." That it would prevent me from becoming a Jedi Knight Obi-Wan and my mother can be proud of, he added silently. But, even as he thought those words, he realized that he was very glad that Padmé shared the same feelings for him that he did for her. A wash of contentment fell over him.

"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway," Padmé replied. "My love for you is a puzzle, Ani, for which I have no answers. I can't control it—and now I don't care. I truly, deeply, love you , and before we die, I want you to know." She leaned forward and Anakin met her halfway; their lips pressed against each others in a soft, gentle kiss. One that lingered and deepened; one that said everything they both realized they should have spoken to each other before.

However, the moment passed quickly and the cart jerked again as the driver's whip cracked into the air. The cart was jerked out of the tunnel into the blinding daylight rolling onto the floor of a great stadium filled with Geonosian spectators.

Obi-Wan watched as the cart was drifted forward although he was already sure of what had occurred within the tunnel. He could feel the love and contentment that Anakin was unknowingly projecting. He recalled Qui-Gon's words and he smiled inwardly as he realized he doubted he could have prevented Anakin and Padmé from falling in love even if he wanted to.

Now he could only hope Anakin would trust him enough to come to him with the secret.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin cried as he was pulled down from the cart, dragged over and chained to the post beside the Jedi Master.

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message," he replied. He didn't have to glance at Padmé to see she was already working her way toward freedom even as she was chained roughly to the post. Anakin winced but Obi-Wan remained calm noticing the wire Padmé had in her hand; he wondered briefly how he had not noticed that last time.

"I retransmitted your message just as you requested, Master," Anakin explained. "Then we decided to come and rescue you."

Obi-Wan flicked his glance to the chains above his head before rolling his eyes. "Good job," he said sarcastically. Anakin and Padmé's arms were being chained above their heads in a similar fashion. However, they were able to turn slightly although Obi-Wan really didn't want to watch the arrival of the signitaries.

"The felons before you have been convicted of espionage against the Sovereign System of Geonosis," announced a lackey. "Their sentence of death is to be carried out in this arena immediately."

Wild cheering sounded from the spectators.

Obi-Wan snorted. "Geonosians apparently like executions," he said.

Poggle the Lesser appeared before announcing the three creatures that would carry out the executions; a reek, a nexu and an acklay just like last time. Obi-Wan watched as a huge quadruped with massive shoulders, an elongated face and three deadly horns, a large feline creature with a fang filled mouth and a ridge of fur that stretched in a line from head to rump before ending in a whipping, felinoid tail, and a spider-like creature moving on four legs with huge elongated claws.

Obi-Wan snorted. "Geonosians and the things they consider fun," he said quietly with a shake of his head.

"What?" Anakin asked.

"Nothing. You ready for the fight?"

"The fight?" Anakin echoed skeptically looking up at his chained wrists then back at the three monsters which had been milling about and only now seemed to take note that lunch had been served.

"Don't you want to give the crowd its money's worth?" Obi-Wan asked with a faint smirk before he turned his gaze to the creatures eyeing the acklay. He had already decided on taking out that creature only because it was a more challenging fight and Obi-Wan, at the very least, knew what to do to defeat it.

The only thing he'll need is the one thing he didn't have of course; a lightsaber.

"You take the one on the right. I'll take the one on the left," he added.

"What about Padmé?"

Obi-Wan didn't even have to glance at Padmé to know she was already scaling the post to the top. "She seems to be on top of things," was all he said as he eyed the creature coming up in front of him. To his side, and to his amusement, Anakin glanced up sharply at Padmé with surprise in his eyes.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes before slowly reaching out with the Force for the calm serenity that always aided him. When the acklay reared up to attack, he took a flying leap to the side and the acklay's claws sliced through his chains. He rolled to his feet before diving forward to avoid one of the spiderlike legs and flipped backwards. Obi-Wan took a flying leap backwards to land on top of the post where he had been tied to. He leapt off, somersaulting in midair when the acklay rammed into the post and it fell to the ground. Obi-Wan landed in a crouch in front of the acklay before rolling to the side to avoid the leg that darted out to stab him as it screeched in fury.

It screeched at Obi-Wan before attempting to step on him again but he merely took another flying leap. This time, he landed on the Geonosian's mount, kicked him off as he grabbed the spear and flipped off the mount just in time to avoid getting stepped on when the acklay caught up with him. He did a flip and, while he was upside down, tossed the spear directly at the acklay. It lodged itself in the acklay's eye, causing it to screech in pain as it attempted to remove the spear.

Obi-Wan landed on his feet before gazing around for another spear and also observing the battle. He spotted Anakin attempting to stay on the reek and Padmé swinging her chain at the nexu that was attempting to drag her down from on top of the post. He winced when he saw the nexu sliced through Padmé's back before he returned his attention to his own problem as a disturbance warned him a split second before the acklay's leg would have slammed into him.

It wasn't too long before Obi-Wan spotted the nexu that was attacking Padmé get trampled by the reek. Padmé leapt onto the reek and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes before smiling when he saw Padmé give Anakin a quick kiss on the cheek. He rolled out of the way of the acklay's legs before somersaulting forward until he landed on the reek behind Padmé.

"You took your time, Anakin," he called to his apprentice.

Anakin glowered at him until he noticed the amused look Obi-Wan was tossing back at him and he allowed a small smile to cross his face. The smile faded as a group of droidekas rolled out from the side paddock and unfolded into battle position. Anakin pulled on the makeshift rein and the creature came to a halt.

Obi-Wan looked straight up at the balcony. Any second now, he thought. Almost as soon as he finished that thought, Mace Windu's purple lightsaber appeared before it was placed against Jango's neck.

Dooku turned to look at Mace. "Master Windu," he said with typical charm that was just loud enough for Obi-Wan to hear. "How pleasant of you to join us. You're just in time for the moment of truth. I would think these two boys of yours could use a little more training."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Dooku," Mace coolly replied also loud enough for Obi-Wan to hear. "This party's over." Mace then gave a quick salute with his glowing lightsaber before bringing the blade back in close to Jango.

Immediately, Obi-wan watched as hundreds of Jedi Knights ignited their lightsabers at the exact same time. He gazed around as more droids entered the arena from every ramp and in the stands. He watched as Jedi leaped and spun trying to close into tight defensive groups, their lightsabers deflecting the bolts wildly. Geonosians scrambled all about, some trying to attack the Jedi—and dying for their trouble—others just scrambling to get out of the way.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the battle droids caused the reek to panic and rear up sending Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé flying into the air. Two Jedi dashed forward before tossing two lightsabers into the air. Obi-Wan immediately called one to his hand before igniting the blade and he could see Anakin ignited the lightsaber in his hand. Padmé had picked up a discarded blaster and was already firing away at the battle droids that got too close to them.

As more battle droids entered the arena, Obi-Wan found himself separated from Anakin and Padmé. Wishing them the best, he sliced through one droid before Force pushing another one away. He spun and slashed, using skills he hadn't touched since the clone wars. He forgot to be mindful of his more advanced abilities in the thick of the fight. Slipping into Soresu almost immediately, he deflected blaster bolts back effortlessly while slicing through droids that got to close for comfort.

Obi-Wan spun and sliced through another droid before Force pushing a third one away. He and Mace were now fighting back to back and, behind them, Obi-Wan could see Anakin and Padmé also fighting back to back with each other. Obi-Wan and Mace were in the center of the arena deflecting blaster bolts back at droids taking several down and slashing through them, turning in unison as they went.

Unfortunately, it was clear the Jedi were outnumbered and the sheer numbers of droids as well as the three monsters crazily running around made it harder to deal with them. Obi-Wan decided to deal with one of the monsters; he spotted the acklay nearby and he leapt into the air before somersaulting over the droids and landing in the midst of the droids in front of the acklay. Deflecting their blaster bolts back into them, Obi-Wan ran at the acklay before leaping upward and over the creature.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Mace Windu's lightsaber flash rapidly before it took Jango's head off his shoulders. Then, the acklay blocked his line of sight and he flipped backwards before leaping into the air. Flipping in midair, he dived downward toward the half-blind acklay and slammed his lightsaber into its back. He stabbed it repeatedly before leaping off it again. The acklay was half-blind so Obi-Wan dashed around its blind side before slicing through one of the acklay's legs and then another. The acklay screeched in pain and Obi=Wan locked his lightsaber in the 'on' position before sending it flying at the acklay; using the Force, he guided it until it stabbed directly into the acklay's other eye. Calling the blade to his hand with the Force, Obi-Wan leapt at the blinded acklay before slicing through its other legs before it had a chance to react to the sound around it. The acklay crashed to the ground and Obi-Wan slammed the lightsaber into the acklay's head effectively killing it.

Leaping away from the acklay, lightsaber moving rapidly to block the blaster bolts that had been flying at him since he decided to take on the spiderlike monster, Obi-wan headed deeper into the battle. His lightsaber slashed through droids and to take out droids with deflected blaster bolts as he struggled to make his way through the crowd of droids.

The droids herded them into the center of the arena and Obi-Wan swallowed as he saw more Jedi fall to the ground. Out of over two hundred Jedi who had come to Geonosis, only half of them were still standing, almost the exact same number as last time. Obi-Wan moved deeper into the center of the arena before kneeling down beside one of the Jedi and checking his pulse as all movement suddenly stopped.

"Master Windu!" Dooku cried from the dignitary box and Obi-wan glanced up at him. "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the Archives of the Jedi. Now it is finished."

Obi-Wan gazed around at the rows and rows of enemies that were still poised to destroy them.

"Surrender and your lives will be spared," Dooku ordered.

"We will not become hostages for you to use as barter, Dooku," Mace said without the slightest hesitation.

Here, here, Obi-Wan thought lifting his lightsaber almost as if he was getting back in his ready stance but really showing his agreement with Mace's words.

"Then I'm sorry, old friend," Dooku said not sounding sorry at all. "You will have to be destroyed." He raised a hand and looked to his assembled army, prepared to give the signal.

Obi-Wan counted backwards from ten in his head and, just as he reached one, Padmé shouted, "Look!" before pointing with her blaster as a dozen gunships descended rapidly upon the arena screaming down in a dusty cloud about the Jedi, clone troopers rushing out their open sides as they touched down.

Obi-Wan watched as a hailstorm of laserfire blasted the new arrivals but the gunships had their shields up, covering the debarkation of their warriors. He also watched s Yoda appeared in the dropdoor of one of the gunships and offered a salute to Mace and the other Jedi.

"Jedi, move!" Mace cried and Obi-Wan immediately jogged over to where Anakin and Padmé were deflecting blaster bolts and firing on droids as they ran toward the gunship. Anakin leapt inside before reaching out to help Padmé inside and Obi-Wan took a flying leap into the gunship beside him.

"Nice timing," Anakin commented glancing at the clones as the gunship rose up before flying out of the arena.

"I agree," Obi-Wan replied.

"Master, there's something I'd like to tell you," Anakin said suddenly glancing at him.

Obi-Wan just gazed at him calmly. "What would that be?" he asked.

"I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For convincing the Jedi Council to send someone to Tatooine to check on my mother," Anakin replied softly as the gunship sped across the expanding battlefield outside the arena. The two of them, along with Padmé, were crouched in the open side of the gunship. "My nightmare really was a vision."

"I had thought as much, Anakin."

"And master…" Anakin began.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said patiently turning to look at his young Padawan, his brother in everything but blood, "whatever it is you have to say, do you suppose it can wait until after the battle?"

Anakin swallowed. "Yes master, sorry master," he said swiftly.

Obi-Wan stretched out a hand before patting Anakin on the shoulder. "I will listen to whatever it is you have to say once we are out of this mess," he promised before he turned his attention to the battlefield below.

He watched as the clone troopers rushed cross the battlefield on speeder bikes, weaving their way and firing all the while. "They're good," Obi-Wan remarked and Anakin nodded in agreement.

The gunship neared one of the huge Techno Union starships and opened fire. However, the laser cannons seemed to be having little effect. Obi-Wan knew of what to do but he decided to let Anakin make the call like last time.

"Aim right above the fuel cells," Anakin called to the gunner. With a slight adjustment, the gunner let fly his next burst. Huge explosions rocked the starship and it began to tilt ominously to the side. The gunship, and other s rushing in nearby, swerved aside as the great craft toppled.

"Good call," Obi-Wan congratulated his Padawan like last time.

A little while later, the gunship slowed and banked suddenly circling a droid gun emplacement, coming to fast around the back for the stationary system to swivel. A furious barrage destroyed the defensive position completely but it did manage a single shot the gunship's way, rocking the craft hard.

"Hold on," Obi-Wan cried grabbing the edge of the open drop door.

"Can't think of a better choice," Padmé said.

Obi-Wan smirked at her and she rolled her eyes in response.

"It's Dooku. Shoot him down!" Anakin cried.

"We're out of ordnance, sir," the clone captain replied.

"Follow him!" Anakin ordered.

"We're going to need some help," Padmé remarked as the ship banked fast and turned into a straight run after the fleeing count.

"No, there's no time," said Obi-Wan softly knowing what was coming next. "Anakin and I should be able to handle this." I hope.

He quickly thought about how to handle what was coming next; last time, he had insisted that the ship continue after Dooku and he was sure Anakin may have resented him a little for that. This time, however, he was determined to not make that same mistake twice. If the clone fell with Padmé when she fell then he would know the perfect solution to the problem that was coming up.

As the gunship began to close, the fighters flanking Dooku banked away suddenly, veering off left and right, turning to engage. The clone pilot of the gunship was up to the task, weaving his way through the fire but then another blast rocked the ship and, with the vehicle up on edge, Obi-Wan and Anakin had to hold on tight and scramble to stay in.

Like last time, Padmé wasn't so fortunately.

Padmé, as well as another clone trooper who was in the gunship with them, tumbled through the open door before crashing into the ground hard. Both of them lay very still before the clone trooper stirred.

"Put the ship down!" Anakin screamed gazing at Padmé's motionless form worriedly.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan said firmly placing his hands on Anakin's shoulder although he already knew that it was useless. "I cannot take Dooku alone. I need you."

"I don't care. Put the ship down!" Anakin cried pushing past him.

Obi-Wan thought quickly. "Anakin, I have an idea," he said suddenly before he glanced at the clone pilot. "Contact that clone that fell with Senator Amidala," he ordered.

"Right away sir," the clone said before he pulled his comlink to his hand and there was a moment of silence before the clone glanced up. "I have him, sir."

"Tell him to check on Senator Amidala immediately and put her on," Obi-Wan ordered.

"Yes sir." There was a moment of silence before the clone nodded to show he had done as Obi-Wan asked. Obi-Wan held out his hand and the clone placed the comlink in his hand. In turn, Obi-Wan turned around before placing it in the frantic Anakin's hands.

"Talk to her, Anakin," he said. "Speak to her and reassure yourself that she is all right."

Anakin, gazing at Obi-Wan with wide eyes, lifted the comlink to his lips. "Padmé! Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Anakin," Padmé's voice said. "But you need to focus on Dooku. I'll be all right. The clone I fell with is helping me. Once we get a transport, we'll be right behind you. Don't worry about me. I'm all right."

Anakin's relief nearly bowled Obi-Wan over as he whispered "I love you" into the comlink before handing it back to the clone after he disconnected the transmission. He glanced at Obi-Wan and he could see the fear in his eyes as if he had noticed that Obi-Wan very likely heard his whispered words.

Obi-Wan placed a hand on his brother's shoulder before saying, very softly, "I'm happy for you, Anakin," before turning his attention to the fleeing speeders. "Follow that speeder," he ordered as if nothing had happened. However, he could feel the surprise Anakin was feeling; it was as strong as the relief he had been feeling moments before.

The gunship followed the speeder zooming low. They found the speeder parked outside a large tower. The gunship skimmed to a stop, moving a bit lower, and Obi-Wan leapt out of it before glancing at Anakin who leapt out at his side. "Master, I…" he began.

"Whatever you're about to say, it's going to have to wait. If we can capture Dooku then we can end this war right now. We have to think about that right now," Obi-Wan urged his Padawan knowing full well Anakin was about to thank him for allowing him to contact Padmé and make sure she was all right.

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: The duel is going to be in the next chapter and I hope that you like it even if I am stealing a lot of the paragraphs from the novelization of the book. I will try my best to make it not seem as though you are watching the movie but, like what will be said in the next chapter, some things are meant to happen and cannot be changed no matter what Obi-Wan does to try to change it.

Darth: yup

Blaze: yup

Darth: the next chapter is the last chapter of this part, yes?

Blaze: yes

Anakin: what's gonna happen?

Blaze: I ain't saying this time

Obi-Wan: okay then

Vader: OBI-WAN!

Blaze: (rolls eyes) go blast Palpypie

Vader: OKAY! (takes Hevy's E-Web Repeater Blaster and chases after Palpypie)

Palpypie: (takes off running)

Blaze: (rolls eyes) please review and I will post chapter 10 as soon as I possibly can