DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

Anakin held Padme for what felt like hours. She'd calmed down but her grip on his shirt hadn't loosened. Her head rested against his shoulder while he held her to him, his free hand still on Padme's pregnant belly. They had been silent for a while, content to just feel the other's heartbeat and warmth. Padme looked like she was sleeping, her eyes closed and face relaxed. Anakin had his cheek rested atop Padme's head, occasionally dropping a feather-light kiss in her hair.

Slowly Padme stirred, turning her lips up towards his for a quick kiss.

"We should probably go and check on Leia," she said.

Anakin nodded before helping her to her feet. He stood up, opening the door for her. She walked out of the room first, waiting for Anakin to follow. They clasped hands and started down the corridor towards the sleeping wing.

They had walked maybe half a dozen steps when Anakin's vision blurred. Confused, he tried to brush it off but after two more steps he was stumbling as dizziness overwhelmed him. Stumbling against the wall, inadvertently pulling Padme with him, Anakin grabbed his head as an all-too familiar stabbing pain gripped him. His brain felt like it was about to explode after being stabbed a million times with a lightsaber.

He cried out as the pain became agony and he squeezed his eyes closed. He ripped his hand from Padme's so he could cradle his head, moaning softly. Slowly, he slid down the wall, curling into a ball as his breathing started to hitch. Dimly he was aware of Padme's hysteria but he couldn't do anything, the agony was that crippling.

Padme couldn't understand what was happening. One minute they had been walking together, then next thing she knew Anakin was stumbling and pulling her off balance. She managed to right herself just as Anakin pulled away from her. Panic struck like lightning, fierce and fast.

"Anakin!" she cried out.

No sooner had the words left her lips than Obi Wan and Ahsoka burst out of Palpatine's temporary cell. Both had their lightsabers ready, prepared for a fight. When they spotted Padme hovering fretfully over Anakin's writhing body, the Jedi both extinguished their weapons and ran to them.

"What happened?" Obi Wan demanded.

Ahsoka dropped down to Anakin's level and gently placed her hand on his forehead, closing her eyes in concentration. Obi Wan stayed standing, placing a comforting hand on Padme's shoulder. When Padme didn't answer, her eyes still glued to her husband, Obi Wan spun her around so her back was to Anakin.

"Padme," he said in a firm tone. He waited until she met his gaze before continuing. "What happened?"

She was breathing erratically so he sent calming waves of the Force to her. When she was a little calmer, Padme swallowed and dropped her eyes.

"We were just going to check on Leia when he just cried out in pain and pulled away. I have no idea why," she said quickly.

Obi Wan released her and looked down at his two oldest friends. Suddenly Ahsoka's eyes flew open and she grabbed Anakin's upper arm. She began pulling him back towards the storage room at the end of the corridor. As she pulled, Obi Wan felt her reach into the Force for more strength. Ahsoka looked to him, determination in her eyes.

"Help me get him closer to the Emperor," she demanded.

Without hesitating, sensing her urgency, Obi Wan grabbed Anakin's other side and together the pair had Anakin back in the makeshift cell in no time. Anakin had gone limp in their arms so when they released him, he sunk onto the ground as though he had no bones left in his body.

Padme, who had followed the trio in, was holding her belly as the baby inside kicked. She didn't know whether the little one could feel her fear or if it was strong enough in the Force to pick up on the emotions that were running high from everyone. Either way, the baby was kicking up a fuss, making Padme feel nauseated. She struggled to calm herself, to tell herself that Anakin would be alright so that the baby would calm down too. She would have been lying if she told herself that she was only concerned about her husband at this stage. Stress was not good for pregnant women. She knew that well.

Ferus, who had stayed behind to keep an eye on Palpatine, watching in fascinated horror as Anakin crawled over to Palpatine. Anakin was gasping like a fish out of water when he finally reached the Emperor's feet. He knelt with his head pressed against the ground, his body quivering in fear.

"Forgive me Master," he kept repeating. "Forgive me."

Stupid! How could you be so stupid?

Anakin couldn't believe that he'd fallen for another of the Emperor's tricks. Of course the Sith wouldn't let him go just like that! How naive of him to think that Palpatine wouldn't have considered this possibility.

All the months of training and conditioning took over his body and without knowing how he got there, Anakin found himself at the Emperor's feet. The pain that had overwhelmed him only moments ago was gone and his head was pressed to the floor in a sign of submission, awaiting the newest horrible punishment. He had disobeyed the Emperor and that only led to pain and humiliation. Fear rocketed through his veins as he remembered past mistakes and their brutal punishments. Phantom pains possessed him, seizing muscles and causing his whole body to shake.

Palpatine only watched as Anakin knelt himself in front of him, a triumphant smile on his face. Ignoring the quivering man at his feet, Palpatine lifted his gaze to take in the three Jedi and ex-Senator. All of them were shocked by Anakin's behaviour, none of them having grasped how good of a job he'd done in such a short space of time. It was going to take more than a few stolen moments with his wife to even beginning mending the damage he'd wrought on the ex-Jedi's psyche.

"Doesn't it just kill you that you're not going to be enough to fix him?" he teased Padme.

The tiny woman in question just stood straighter and glared at him.

"Doesn't it just kill you that I will be enough? There are some things in this world that are stronger than torture and threats – things you would never understand."

Padme marched over to Anakin, determination in her eyes as she stared the Emperor down. She dropped down beside her husband and grabbed his shoulders. Gently but firmly she pulled him upright and turned his face to hers. Her eyes shone fierce with love and resolve.

"Anakin I need you to tell me what caused this." Her voice was unwavering and coaxing. It was the voice she used to use on the twins when they lied to her. "Let me help you."

It took a moment for Anakin to meet her eyes and when they did, Padme only just managed to cover her shock. His blue eyes were dull again, the same lifeless look they had held when they first encountered him back on the landing platform. Over the past couple of hours Anakin had been regaining the glow that lit him from within, the one that made his eyes sparkle like freshly polished sapphires. But now, they were back to square one with a near-catatonic Anakin and a smug Sith Lord.

"He's been chipped again Padme."

The words were cautiously spoken, as though Ahsoka didn't want to be the one to tell her. But it was clear that Anakin wouldn't be responding any time soon. Padme turned to Ahsoka for an explanation.

With a soft sigh, the Togrutan continued. "I could feel the chip when I reached out to him earlier in the corridor but it wasn't until I searched his memories that I realised what it actually was. It works in a similar way to a slave chip, like the one... well you know. I guess the Emperor," Ahsoka shot Palpatine a filthy look, "knew about Anakin's past and so knew how psychologically damaging it would be for him to go through that again."

Padme stood slowly, facing the Emperor unflinchingly.

"You are going to pay for everything you've done. I would have you killed for all you have put my family through but first I am going to get all the information out of you about my son. You will be wishing for death by the time the Resistance is finished with you."

Padme turned and stalked out of the room. Ahsoka dashed after her, leaving the men alone. Ferus stepped toward the Emperor threateningly, his hand reaching for his lightsaber. He stopped when he noticed Anakin facing him.

"Please don't," Anakin whispered. "I don't want to hurt you."

Ferus paused before nodding and stepping back. Anakin slumped down, hanging his head, his shoulders drooping in defeat.

Ahsoka caught up with Padme easily. She took Padme's hand in her own and turned her around.

"Padme, a slave chip is easy to disable. We'll fry it when we reach the base..."

Padme pulled her hand away. "Ahsoka, it's not just about the chip. Ani... He's had the hardest life and yet somehow he's pulled through everything relatively unscathed. But it seems like every time he pulls himself back together, the Force is already there ready to knock him back down. I don't know how to help him."

Ahsoka just smiled sadly. "He never put himself back together. You've always done it for him in the past. You'll figure it out."