DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

Anakin had followed Obi Wan, Ferus, Ahsoka and the Emperor without even knowing he was doing it. His eyes were yet to leave the metal circle still clutched in his hands. The small group had wound through the hallways of the ship before stopping at the last door. Ferus waved his hand at it and it slid across before they lead Palpatine into the room beyond. The room was used for storage with boxes lining the wall and a single chair directly opposite the door that Obi Wan had put there earlier.

Once inside, Obi Wan stopped in the doorway while Ahsoka pulled a special set of stun cuffs off her belt. Ferus forced Palpatine onto the chair as Ahsoka attached the cuffs to his wrists, threading the chain through the back of the chair, locking them behind him. An involuntary gasp escaped him as the cuffs worked their magic, immediately blocking him off from the Force.

Anakin dropped the collar and was across the room, reacting to Palpatine's pain before anyone could blink. Using the Force, Anakin shoved Ferus against the far wall before turning to Ahsoka. He grabbed her and threw her to the ground, his mechanical arm wrapped around her throat. Ahsoka gasped, her hands flying up to grab at Anakin's hand. She struggled to draw in air as he tightened his hold, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Do it Pet."

The Emperor's command was like a whip to Anakin's consciousness. He blinked as the fog began to clear. His hand had instinctively tightened and now Ahsoka was trying to use the Force to push him away. Her efforts weren't as strong as they could be as her hold consciousness was starting to fade.

"You are... free Master," Ahsoka choked out.

She held his gaze even as the black spots stared appearing in her vision. For a moment she couldn't see any emotion in his eyes but then something flickered. Ahsoka gave him a tiny forgiving smile as the last of her air ran out.

Suddenly Ahsoka found herself on the ground, coughing as she choked in air. Anakin was on the ground in front of her, staring at his hands. Seeing the despair in his eyes, the horror of what he'd almost done, Ahsoka forced herself to her knees and shuffled over to her old Master. She grabbed onto his hands and squeezed them.

"I'm okay," she whispered in a hoarse voice.

Anakin pulled his hands from hers, clenching his fists on his knees.

"I want to see Padme," he murmured.

Ahsoka glanced up to Obi Wan. The older man, whose hand was resting on his lightsaber, nodded his understanding and left the room.

Padme sat beside Leia as she slept. She couldn't take her eyes off her little girl, afraid that when she looked away she would be gone again. Leia was frowning in her sleep, her delicate features scrunched up as though she was in pain. It was heartbreaking to see her baby girl tossing and turning, trapped in a nightmare Padme knew nothing about. She reached out and grasped Leia's hand and squeezed gently.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. You've been so brave. Mummy and Daddy are very proud of you."

A sob broke away from her. She kissed Leia's hand before brushing her dark hair out of her face.

"I love you Leia," Padme whispered.

"Padme?"

She turned to see Obi Wan in the doorway. He looked exhausted but some of the tension from the past few months had lifted from his shoulders.

"Anakin has asked to see you," he said.

A thrill ran through her body and she stood up quickly. Padme released Leia's hand but placed a quick kiss on her forehead before following Obi Wan into the hallway.

"How is he?" she asked tentatively.

Obi Wan glanced down at her. He studied her in silence for a moment, his eyes assessing her.

"Don't Ben." Padme stopped, grabbing onto Obi Wan's arm to stop him too. "Please, just tell me the truth."

Obi Wan nodded slowly. "He's not the same man who was taken from you months ago."

Tears gathered in Padme's eyes but she refused to let them fall. Blinking them away, she started walking again.

"I know that. I meant will he be okay?"

Obi Wan sighed as he walked beside her. "Only time will tell."

They walked in silence. The ship had two main corridors that ran parallel to each other, one with eight bedrooms running its length, the other with various living and storage areas. The storage room they were holding the Emperor in was at the very end of the second of the two corridors so by the time it came into view, Padme had worked herself up quite a bit. Her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her loose shirt and she was biting the inside of her cheek.

Just outside the storage room, Obi Wan stopped her and turned her to look at him. He lifted her chin so he knew she was listening.

"Padme, you need to be strong for Anakin. He's only a shadow of his old self and he will need your help to get back," he told her in a hushed voice.

Those tears were back but Padme brushed them away before nodding. She didn't reply, only turned on her heels, her hand resting on her stomach. The little one growing inside her gave a little kick, as though he or she was urging her through the door. The ghost of a smile lit Padme's face. The little one was definitely their father's child. She passed Obi Wan and entered the room, her eyes instantly finding Anakin.

Once again he was on his knees, his head bowed. Padme walked straight over to him and dropped to her knees in front of him. She ignored Ahsoka beside her and Palpatine behind Anakin. Her eyes were fixed on her husband, her attention focused solely on him. He looked exhausted, hollow – like someone had reached inside him and pulled out anything that made him Anakin. His cheeks were sunken and his skin had an almost sickly pallor to it. His hands shook slightly as she reached out to take his hands.

"Ani?"

He gently squeezed her hands. He still hadn't met her eyes but it was an acknowledgement at least. She tightened her hold, pulling his hands towards her. Without thinking, Padme placed Anakin's hands on her stomach and held them there.

For a moment everything was silent. Anakin was frozen and nobody else in the room moved, awaiting his reaction.

"Can we talk in private?"

His words were softly spoken but they echoed through the room. Without a word, Padme stood and pulled Anakin up with her. She refused to look anywhere but at him, afraid that the tenuous connection they were rekindling would snap. Hand in hand they left the room, Padme watching Anakin. He even moved differently now. He walked just behind her, his steps cautious and measured, a slight hesitation before he put the next foot in front.

Halfway down the corridor they turned into an empty storage room. The room was smaller than the one currently housing the Emperor but this one was completely empty. Padme waited for Anakin to close the door before turning to face him. He had dropped to his knees, his hands resting loosely on them.

A sob escaped her as she dropped down in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his tense shoulders and cried into his shirt.

"Ani, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I took so long to find you and Leia. I'm sorry for not being able to save you the way you saved me."

Every emotion from the past few months was rushing through her, raging hormones only amplifying her guilt, anguish and pent-up fear. Padme clung to her husband's shirt, needing to feel his warmth and closeness. He was rigid in her grip and the possibility that he might be too far gone almost overwhelmed her. Fresh tears and great shuddering sobs now wracked her body.

Having been without the comfort of a gentle touch for nearly a year, Anakin had frozen in shock and surprise when Padme had flung herself at him. Despite it being Padme, his out of practice muscles couldn't seem to understand what was needed of them. He couldn't understand what she was mumbling into his shoulder so he just knelt there, useless again. He could feel her tears dampening his shirt but it wasn't until her whole body started shuddering against his that he reacted. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her tiny body and pulled her onto his lap.

Padme lifted her head and their eyes met. Her tears made her brown eyes glisten and the guilt and fear Anakin saw in them nearly ripped him apart. A sudden fierce protective urge surged through him, stronger than anything the Emperor had made him feel. Without thinking, he grabbed Padme's up-tilted chin and pressed his lips down on hers.

Her tears mixed in with her taste but Anakin could have cared less. Emotions and feelings he'd thought he'd never experience again were assailing him, almost overwhelming him. When Padme moaned into his mouth and pushed herself closer, Anakin vowed there was nothing in the world that would separate them again. His hands grasped the back of her neck and pulled her closer still, needing to remember everything he could about his wife. It had been too long.

When their lips finally parted, Anakin leant his forehead against Padme's. She was breathing just as quickly as him, her breath like little kisses on his cheek. He ran his flesh hand through Padme's hair and kissed her quickly.

"I love you Padme," he whispered.

He felt her smile as she kissed him. "I'm sorry."

Anakin hushed her with another kiss. Ah Force, how I've missed this.

"You have nothing to apologise for. You never gave up on me," he said.

Padme pulled back, her eyes searching his face. "But it took..."

Anakin shook his head and spoke over her. "No, don't do that to yourself. What matters now is that we're together and now we can focus on rescuing Luke. He's the one still paying for my mistake."

Padme frowned. "So you can martyr yourself but I can't? This whole debacle was just a series of bad happenstances. It was no more your fault than it was my own."

Anakin bowed his head. He wasn't going to argue with her but he knew she was wrong. If he hadn't opened himself to the Force that day, Palpatine would never have found him or his family and none of this would have happened.

Padme ran her hand gently down his cheek before cupping his chin. She kissed him lightly. Apparently sensing his doubt, Padme changed tacts.

"Now is not the time for this," she said decisively. "We're going to find somewhere safe to stay while we continue to search for Luke. You and Leia need time to heal and with Palpatine here we now have a distinct advantage. We should have Luke back before this little one arrives."

The ghost of a smile surfaced on Anakin's face as he glanced down at Padme's belly. He rested a hand on it, reaching out tentatively with the Force. The presence that he met was incredibly strong.

A real smile touched Anakin's lips when the little one kicked, nudging Anakin with the Force as though saying hello.

"Thank you Padme," he whispered. He leant down and kissed her stomach. "Thank you for everything."