Chapter 5

On her way back to the landing platform Ahsoka feels a surprising presence, looking up she sees none other than her master running towards her, only to crush her in a tight embrace.

"Ahsoka your alright, thank the Force."

"Of course I'm fine master, I was taught by the best after all."

"What were you thinking Snips? Barriss could have killed you, not to mention how much danger this stunt put Padme in."

Looking thoroughly chastised Ahsoka answers "I'm sorry master, but the Force was telling me Barriss was going to kill Padme if I waited for you."

"It's okay Ahsoka, Padme is safe and so are you, I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Lets just get back to the ship Skyguy, we should probably leave before the emperor shows up."

"Before we go Ahsoka, what happened to Barriss?"

Cringing at the thought of leaving her one time friend laying legless near a river of fire breathing in noxious ash, Ahsoka does not answer Anakin right away.

"Snips, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Anakin, I just don't want to talk about Barriss now."

"Okay Ahsoka, but we will have to talk about it eventually you know?"

"Yes master, I know."

Looking back to the river one more time, Ahsoka turns and follows her master back to Padme and the Silver Hwak.

Rushing up the boarding ramp of the Silver Hawk, Anakin and Ahsoka can't wait to get away from the molten ball of flames they were currently on. Making their way into the cockpit, Padme can be seen sitting in the pilots seat laying on the console not moving and looking sicker than a womp rat. Hurrying to his wife's side, a frantic Anakin takes her hand and is surprised by how warm it is to the touch.

"Padme! What's wrong Angel?"

Not receiving an immediate answer, Anakin looks to his Padawan. "Get us to Polis Massa Snips! It's where we are supposed to rendezvous with Bail and Obi Wan."

Helping Anakin get Padme out of the seat, Ahsoka is more worried than she has ever been, and after all that's happened this day the stress shows on her face. Seeing his padawan with bags under her eyes, Anakin realizes that despite his anxiousness, it may be a better idea to have Ahsoka take care of Padme, and fly the ship himself.

"On second thought Snips, I want you to take care of Padme in the med bay, I'll get us where we need to go."

"Yes master."

"Get some rest as well Ahsoka, it looks like your about to fall over."

"Alright Skyguy."

Worrying about both his wife and his padawan, Anakin starts the engines of his new ship and Exits the atmosphere leaving behind the ashy planet of sorrow, and recently created bad memories known as Mustafar.

Minuets Earlier

Coruscant Chancellor's Office

Sitting at his desk, Emperor Palpatine suddenly feels a disturbance in the Force, and calls to his royal guard.

"Get my ship ready commander, and have a medical capsule brought on board. I sense Darth Barriss is in need of assistance."

Mustafar

Seconds after the Silver Hawk departs via Hyperspace, a ship arrives in the atmosphere and descends into the depths of hell. Landing on the shores of the magma river, Palpatine and a contingent of clone troopers go in search of Barriss. Finding her laying in flames, Palpatine bends down to check her vitals and upon finding her alive, orders his guards to get the capsule.

"Bring the Medical Capsule immediately!"

"Yes Sir!"

Looking at Barriss with his beady yellow Sith eyes, Palpatine addresses his unconscious apprentice in a gravely old voice like the devil himself.

"You have failed again my apprentice, make sure it is the last time."

Returning from the ship, the clones begin to transfer Barriss, into the medical capsule on Palpatines orders.

"Be careful you fools! She must survive for what I have planned, I will not have my efforts be so wasted."

Polis Massa

Medical Facility

As the Silver Hawk descends to the hanger bay, Anakin can not stop thinking about Padme and his dream about her death in child birth. Landing fast but easy he jumps out of his seat and runs to the med bay to check on two of the three most important people in his life. He finds Ahsoka asleep in a chair with Padme laying in the bed next to her.

Shaking his padawan's shoulder "Ahsoka, wake up we're here."

Slowly coming back to the world of the living, Ahsoka replies. "Huh, master what's wrong."

"Nothing Snips, we just made it to Polis Massa. Now we need to get Padme some help."

"Alright, lets go."

Stretching her limbs, Ahsoka stands and starts helping her master get Padme off the ship without anymore issues.

"Ahsoka I need you to go ahead of us and get a doctor, tell them Padme is pregnant and sick."

"I'm on it!"

Running down the boarding ramp, Ahsoka is surprised to see Obi Wan and Bail Organa rushing her way.

"Ahsoka! Where are Anakin and Padme?"

"Their in the ship Master, we need a doctor to help Padme, she's very sick."

"Okay Ahsoka, go with Bail he will help you find a doctor that can help."

"What about you Obi Wan?"

"I'm going to help Anakin get Padme off the ship, now go."

"Alright!"

Running up the ramp Obi Wan is greeted with the sight of his former padawan struggling to carry his wife to the exit.

"Anakin!"

Looking up Anakin replies "Obi Wan, I'm glad your here I'm having trouble carrying Padme on my own, she keeps struggling in her sleep. I think something may be seriously wrong with her."

Helping his former padawan carry Padme, Obi Wan reassures him that everything will be fine.

"Don't worry Anakin, Padme will be fine. Ahsoka has gone with Bail to find a doctor."

"I..I don't know if she will be fine master, and it scares me."

"The unknown is nothing to be afraid of Anakin, always remember the Force is with us."

"But Obi Wan that is what I'm most worried about."

"What do you mean?

"Lets not talk about this now master, Padme needs to get help first."

"Your right of course, we'll speak of what makes you so restless at a later time. Come this way, the doctor should be around here somewhere?"

After walking a good distance from the hanger through a hall, Anakin and Obi Wan along with the sickly Padme make it to the medical portion of the facility, easily recognizable by the sterile universally used white walls. Ahsoka comes running out of a room at the end of the corridor and joins her fellow Jedi.

"Masters! the doctor is in the room down the hall."

Putting a forced smile on his face Anakin replies. "Of course he is Snips, that is after all the room you just came running out of."

"Ha ha Skyguy, very funny but Jokes on you, the doctor is a woman not a man."

"Alright stop bickering you two, lets get going."

Walking into the examination room, Anakin lays Padme on the bed and starts answering the doctors questions.

"What seems to be the issue?"

"She's burning up Doc!"

"Yes that I can see, but it can be a normal occurrence when a woman with child is introduced to major stress, of which that they should have avoided, what can you tell me about it?"

"She was taken a hostage to the fiery planet, Mustafar"

"Did she consume any ash?"

"I... I don't know."

"Well how long was she there for?"

"I don't know that either!" Pulling at his hair, Anakin is frantic realizing that he has no idea what's wrong with Padme, and knowing if it wasn't for him being married to her in the first place, then Palpatine and Barriss would've had no reason to use her to get at him.

Feeling a firm grip on his shoulder, Anakin can sense Obi Wan's sympathy at his plight.

"It'll be okay, Anakin, do not blame yourself for something out of your hands, Trust in the Force my friend, it will guide you in this time of need."

"But, Obi Wan, it's my fault she's like this in the first place! If I never married her she would be okay, not laying there looking sicker than a womp rat."

"Don't say that, Anakin, what's done is done, you must keep regrets in the past and one thing I can see clearly is that neither Pame nor you have any regrets about the choice you've made. No matter if you understand it or not, the two of your are together by the will of the Force and nothing can or will change that."

Shivering from his worries, Anakin looks to his wife and can only frown as the doctor continues to prod her trying to figure out what is wrong.

"I...I can't, Obi Wan, I..."

"Settle down Anakin, you must balance yourself with the Force, feel the calming waves of it's embrace and let go."

Steadying himself, Anakin does as he is told breathing heavily in an attempt to let go of his greatest fear.

"Is there anything you wish to talk about? If so I am always here for you, Anakin."

"Th...there is something that has been bothering me for days now, ever since Padme told me she was pregnant. I have been having a nightmare of her dying in child birth. Obi Wan, it is the same feeling I got when...well when my mother died."

Looking to the floor at his most horrendous memory, Anakin can sense his former master's apprehension at his sudden revelation.

"Anakin, are you sure?"

"Yes master, it feels exactly the same as it did three years ago."

"Well I don't know what to tell you Anakin, other than you must learn to let go of those you love the most."

"That's the same thing master Yoda told me. I...I just don't know if I can do that though, Obi Wan, if I were to loose Padme, Ahsoka, and you I don't know if I could continue on. Since my mother died, you three have been the most important people in my life."

"Fall into despair, a Jedi must not!"

With so much turmoil in his heart, Anakin was not able to even sense someone walking into the room. Turning to the familiar voice he is not surprised by whom he sees.

"Master Yoda!"

"Hmm! Say this Dream is similar do you?"

"Y..Yes master."

"Hmm, suspicious it is that feel the same you do, when years it has been since last this has happened. Hmm! The Dark Side I feel is behind this."

"You suspect Sidious, to be behind Anakin's dreams?"

"Hmm, suspect him you do not?"

"No I feel the same, it's just such an unbelievable notion that, Sidious, has been feeding Anakin's fears since before the Force forsaken war with the Separatist even began."

"Do you two truly believe that my nightmares have been influenced by Sidious, how can that be possible when I watched my mother die within my arms!"

"Oh Anakin, you never told me about that."

Crying from the emotional turmoil that has been building within him for days without sleep, Anakin is angered that the memory of his mother's death is resurfacing, without his wife awake to comfort him it is difficult to stand on his unsteady legs.

"Hmmm! Remorseful you are, reliving what you did after your mothers death are you?"

Shaking his head in denial, Anakin will not answer.

"Face it you must, or haunt you forever more it will!"

Looking between the Jedi Grand Master and his own former padawan, Obi Wan, is confused about the conversation but he can indeed sense the distress in Anakin's heart.

"What is master Yoda talking about, Anakin?"

"Hmm tell you he will when the time is right, Obi Wan, ask him when he is unready and loose him to darkness you will."

"But master yoda he ne-ow!"

Being smacked in the leg with master Yoda's walking stick was every Jedi's least favorite experience.

"Do as I say you will. Time, heal all wounds it does."

Feeling a small amount of dejection,Obi Wan, replies "Yes master, I understand."

"I...It's okay master, I think I need to tell him now."

"Hmmm, Sure you are?"

"Yes."

"Then give you space we should. Come padawan Tano, sense much turmoil in your heart I do, listen to your story I will."

Walking out the door, Yoda looks back and says. "Leave the good doctor to her duty you should, fine I sense your wife will be, Skywalker"