The first thing Anakin felt upon coming to was a severe headache, one that made him grimace in great agony. Blinking his eyes several times in the vain hope that the pain would recede, Anakin began to recall what had happened prior to the pain echoing in his head.

He had come home to see his wife, and then he had seen him! Clovis! That disgusting filthy traitor of a man had been about to lay his hands all over Padmé!

In that moment Anakin had snapped! He remembered charging across the room, lightsaber ignited, before extinguishing the weapon and…

The sounds… the sounds of bones breaking as Anakin had hit Clovis, over and over again. Anakin remembered them now… and he remembered just how good they had sounded. How good it was to see Clovis beaten to a pulp!

And then he had been knocked out! Someone had hit him over the head… but who?

Anakin had one theory, but he really hoped it wasn't true.

Groaning, Anakin began to push himself up, realizing that he had been left where he had fallen. Around him were pieces of what looked like an ornate vase, clearly the item used to hit him over the head.

Usually Anakin wouldn't have been so bothered by a destroyed vase… but upon closer inspection, he realized something else!

That vase had been a gift, from Anakin to Padmé, to celebrate their marriage. It had been a Naboo creation, one that represented Padmé's home and people.

And now it lay smashed around him, a weapon used against him!

"Are you ok?" A voice asked suddenly, soft and gentle, yet reserved and cautious. Despite that, Anakin recognized the voice immediately.

Padmé.

"Yeah… I think so. Head hurts like hell."

"You deserved it Anakin. You'll get no apology from me."

Padmé's retort was cold and hard, something he rarely ever heard from his wife, and something that he had never heard directed at him before.

Pushing his body up, mindful of the shards of vase around him, Anakin rose to his knees, turning to face Padmé, who sat on the nearby couch, a tired look upon her face, her aura emitting a feeling of deep sadness and despair.

"And I make no apology for what I did either Padmé." Anakin chose to reply, his worst thoughts of Padmé being the one to hit him over the head being confirmed by her previous words. Never did he think that his own wife would assault him in such a way, but if she was going to act like he deserved it, then Anakin would be the same for Clovis.

"Anakin! You nearly killed Clovis! The med-droids said that the injuries you gave him were life threatening! He might not pull through."

"Good."

SMACK

Anakin barely had time to react as Padmé launched across the room to him, her hand colliding with his cheek in the process, knocking him back onto the floor. Anger built inside of him at how Padmé was treating him. Couldn't she see how dangerous Clovis was!?

"ANAKIN! YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND BEATING PEOPLE WITHIN AN INCH OF THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO KISS ME! YOU PUT CLOVIS INTO A COMA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! HE MIGHT NEVER WAKE UP, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS 'GOOD'?!"

The ferocity of Padmé's words hurt far more than the vase over the head or the hand to the cheek ever could. She had never shouted at him like this before. In fact, he couldn't remember a single time she had ever shouted like this in all the years he had known her. Even when she was in the Senate facing hundreds of other Senators she didn't shout. She kept cool and calm and collected, serene in a way.

But now she was angry, and if she had been Force sensitive he would place money on her eyes burning a bright gold.

As it stood however, the light brown of her now angry eyes was even scarier than the gold of a Sith's.

"Maybe I did go a bit overboard Padmé, but he still deserved it for laying a hand on you in such a way. You're my wife and I was just trying to protect you."

"Protect me by beating someone nearly to death?! Anakin… I should have you arrested for this!"

"I know Padmé, I know! I just snapped when I saw him trying to kiss you!"

Padmé's anger did not recede, though she did retreat from being in his face, moving over to stand in front of a window instead, giving Anakin room to push himself back up off the floor again.

The Senator from Naboo did not answer for a few moments, clearly trying to calm herself down from her outburst. From where he was now sat amongst the shards of the broken vase, Anakin could see that she was trembling. He desperately wanted to go over and comfort his wife, to hold her and make sure she was okay. He knew however that right now that wasn't the right choice. He'd only make it worse.

"Padmé? Are you ok?" Anakin asked with trepidation, praying that she was. The last thing he ever wanted to do was upset Padmé. He'd have done anything for her.

"Answer me this Anakin. What if, hypothetically, it had been Obi-Wan who had tried to kiss me, or kriff, even Ahsoka? Would you have beaten them into a coma as well? Or is all of this just you acting on some petulant jealousy you've built up regarding Clovis?"

Images flashed in Anakin's mind of Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, cowering in a corner from him, faces' covered in their own blood… all caused by him! Bile rose up inside of him in an instant at the mere thought of harming either of them! He wanted to be sick. The idea of him hurting either of his closest friends hurt far more than the image of them kissing his wife! If anything ever happened to either of them he'd never forgive himself, much less so if he was the cause of it all.

"I, no! I'd never hurt them Padmé, just as I'd never hurt you! You three are the most important people in the world to me! I'd do anything for you!"

"Including nearly beating a man to death over some petty jealousy!" Padmé's response was fast, her voice very nearly rising to shouting levels once again.

"I messed up Padmé, I know. I'm really sorry. Just give me a chance to…!"

"No, Anakin! You'll get no chance this time! You can't just attack someone because they did something you didn't like! I get that you had a bad upbringing. Kriff I saw it in person! But you of all people should strive to become a better man than those that kept you and your mother in shackles! At this rate you'll become no better than the Hutts!"

"Now hang on a minute Padmé… that's…."

"Get out!"

Two simple words. That's all they were. Two words, and Anakin felt everything around him shatter. Hatred built up inside of him, not of Padmé, but of himself. What had he done?

"Padmé?"

"I said get out! I don't want to see your face anymore tonight. Hell, I don't know if I ever want to see it again. Get out, and don't come back!"

"Padmé, please!"

"GET OUT!"

Anakin barely had time to move to the side to avoid his own lightsaber. Padmé had clearly picked it up at some point, and promptly decided to throw it at him in her anger.

Ignoring the lightsaber as it flew past him and collided with the door, Anakin kept his eyes on Padmé, watching as she began to move off to their bedroom, her entire body shaking, tears pouring out of her eyes.

The despair and sickness Anakin felt only got worse. At that moment in time, he wouldn't have cared if someone had killed him, because right now he felt like he had nothing left to live for.

Sighing to himself, whilst struggling to keep himself from falling apart, Anakin turned around and headed for the door out of the apartment, picking up his lightsaber in the process.

A few seconds later Anakin found himself in the hall outside of Padmé's apartment, the turbolift before him. Knowing he had little other option at this point, Anakin moved towards the turbolift, entering into it and pressing the descent button.

He knew where he was not welcome, and he wouldn't force his way back in. Padmé just needed some time… he hoped.

Time seemed to pass by quickly for Anakin after that. One moment he found himself in the turbolift, the next he stood at the base of the steps leading up into the Jedi Temple.

Images flashed in his head of when he had stood atop those steps, watching as his Padawan had disappeared over the horizon, leaving him alone. He had been so angry that day, and still was honestly. How dare the Council and the Senate even so much as think that Ahsoka could have been guilty! She could have died that day! A sixteen year old, sentenced to death, all while the Council sat around and did nothing!

Still, at least he had found the true culprit, and at least Ahsoka was still alive.

However, that did little to quell his anger at the Council, and at the Republic. He had once told Padmé that he didn't think democracy worked. Back then Padmé had convinced him that the Republic was a force for good in the galaxy. Now however… now he was again beginning to doubt the so-called benefits of the Republic. They were willing to execute a sixteen year old! What sort of 'Republic' did that!

Clenching his fist in anger, Anakin turned away from the Temple steps, storming back towards the speeder he had used to get from Padmé's to the Temple. He couldn't stay at the Temple tonight either, not with the mood he was in. No doubt Obi-Wan had already heard of what had transpired with Clovis and was waiting to give him an earful. His former master was already in a bad mood after failing to capture any of the escaped Separatist leaders, and if Anakin knew him well enough the news of Anakin very nearly killing Clovis would tip Obi-Wan over the edge.

Sliding back into the driver's seat of the speeder, Anakin considered his options. He could go find Rex and the boys down at 79's and spend the night getting wasted with them. The 501st would welcome him with open arms and not judge him for his actions. Right now that was something he sorely needed.

But he also needed to talk to someone who would understand.

Anakin didn't want to bother the Chancellor this late at night, so that left him with only one option. There was no guarantee that she was even home from her own mission yet, but it wouldn't hurt to go see.

It would at least keep him preoccupied for now.

The halls of 500 Republica in the middle of the night were practically desolate. During his slow steady walk through the halls Anakin only encountered one other person, a half tipsy Rodian woman who had stumbled over her own feet before being caught by Anakin, who had righted her before moving on.

'At least I can still do some good. Clovis deserved it though.' Anakin's mind whispered, making him feel both better and worse at the same time. He really wished that wouldn't happen. Why was it that every time he did something good, he would end up doing something else to ruin it!

Pushing aside the darker thoughts, Anakin continued to move through the halls of the building until he finally found himself face to face with the door of Ahsoka's apartment.

Reaching out into the Force to try and see if she was in or awake, Anakin found nothing, but that didn't mean that she wasn't in. Ahsoka had become more adept at blocking her Force signature in recent months, something he was very proud of. If she could block her signature from people who she had a bond with, that meant she could block it from people who would seek to harm her, like Dooku. The safer she was from him the better.

Reaching a hand forward, Anakin tapped on the door several times, waiting to see if he got a response.

Unfortunately, he did not. There was no sound of movement inside, nor did a signature in the Force suddenly appear to greet him as it had done in the past.

Instead, there was nothing but him, the closed door, and the empty hallway.

And nothing but his mind to occupy him as he turned around, back leant against the door as he slid down to sit on the floor, knees tucked up beneath his chin.

He couldn't go to Padmé. He couldn't go to the Temple or Obi-Wan. He didn't want to bother Rex and ruin his night off.

And Ahsoka wasn't back yet. From what he could see he had nowhere else to go. For now, the hallway would do. He deserved such discomfort for what he'd done to Clovis after all.

Night had fallen over his estate on Serenno, and yet Count Dooku was still not asleep. Once more he found himself embroiled in paperwork, one of the many things he had always despised in life.

Still, it was an unfortunate necessity when it came to being the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, not to mention being a Sith Lord.

Still, at least this paperwork was something that he had taken an interest in himself. Dooku had always enjoyed researching things when he was younger, and despite his age, he still did so now.

Studying specific members of the Jedi Order however was not what he was used to studying, even if it was important to his Master's long term plan.

Sighing to himself Dooku reached across his desk to pick up his lukewarm cup of caf, taking a small sip of it before returning to the data file displayed on the holopad before him.

The profile of a tall Dowutin woman was displayed upon the screen, with notes made by both Dooku and his Master scattered throughout, highlighting key facts and information regarding the individual the file was about. Dooku honestly didn't think much of this individual from what he had read so far, but it was his Master's command to research all possible opportunities, and Dooku did as his Master commanded.

Reaching a wrinkled hand forward, Dooku swiped left on his holopad, changing the page of the file he was reading, finding himself greeted with a block of text instead, more notes made by his Master.

Sighing again, Dooku began to read… only to be interrupted by a persistent beeping sound, one that heralded a call from Darth Sidious.

Placing the holopad down on his desk, Dooku slowly pushed his chair back, rising from the seat before connecting the holo transmission and falling to one knee in a sign of respect.

"My Master."

"Lord Tyranus. I trust you have found the most recent data file of interest. A promising candidate for our plans, would you not agree?"

Dooku knew that Sidious did not really want his opinion on the matter, and was only asking to keep up a charade of trust in his apprentice. The only answer Dooku could truly give was the one Sidious wanted, whether he agreed or not.

"Indeed, my Master. She shows great potential for your plans."

"Our plans my friend. There are two Sith at one time after all. Do you feel threatened by this new development, Lord Tyranus?"

"No Master. I remain at your side loyally, but vastly more powerful than any I've seen in these data files thus far."

"And it will remain that way my friend. Should they become as equally powerful as us, they stand a chance at destroying those who created them, and we cannot abide that!"

"I agree, my Master."

Sidious seemed to make a sound of acceptance from deep within his throat, his golden eyes burning bright underneath his hooded visage as he studied Dooku, watching for any sign of distrust between them. Dooku knew first hand that Sidious was a master at deception, and thus it would be suicidal for anyone, even a Sith Lord, to try and deceive a deceiver!

"I am sending you another file Lord Tyranus, one I have been working on for some time in a rather… personal manner. For a while I was unsure of her utility for our plans, but now I am certain of her usefulness. She will lead our new initiative whether she knows it or not!"

Dooku felt his eyes widen in surprise as understanding came to him. He was aware of the … 'special project' that his Master had been 'personally guiding' for the past few months. To begin with Dooku hadn't wanted to believe his master, and had thought the plan foolhardy. He had even said as much to his Master's face during a trip to Coruscant, only to receive a bout of Force lightning in response.

But now… clearly something had changed. Sidious seemed so sure of his plan in a way that almost made Dooku want to believe him, even if he didn't fully trust the choice his Master had made. It could very well be his undoing if he wasn't careful!

Still, who was Dooku but a lowly apprentice to a Dark Lord of the Sith who had managed to fool the entire galaxy and Jedi Order? It wasn't his place to question. It was his place to carry out his master's wishes.

"Very well my Master. I will analyze the data file immediately."

"See that you do Lord Tyranus."

And with that, the hologram of Sidious faded away, leaving Dooku alone in his throne room once again.

Pushing himself up, he moved back towards his chair, returning to the position he had been in earlier, picking up the holopad in the process just in time to see a new data file appear on screen containing the details of the individual Dooku needed to study.

Sighing to himself once again, Dooku reached over to his cup of caf, only to find that it had gone cold.

Resisting the urge to scream in rage, Dooku returned the cup to his desk before reaching across to activate his transmitter. He needed another cup of caf if he was going to survive the night.

Author's thoughts

Well... you have all been asking for it for a while, so here it is. Your first real look at what a certain kind and benevolent politician has planned for a certain Togruta. I doubt it comes as much of a surprise to some of you, as people have already speculated at Palpy's overarching plan, but I wanted to give you all a taste anyways. That said, there is still time for the plan to fall apart. I wonder if anyone will try to undermine good old Palpy somehow? XD

In other news... just how sorry do you all feel for Anakin then... and be honest... and can say 'not at all', because I certainly don't. I figured it was about time someone gave Anakin a 'Reason you Suck' speech and called out his hostile and aggressive tendencies. Honestly I'm surprised Padmé never did it in canon really, so I figured I'd have her do it here.
On a side note, the original concept for this story actually had Anakin and Padmé split up for good at this point, but I have since changed it as it makes more sense for them to be together for the overall direction of the story. That's not to say that forgiveness will be easy. Anakin went a bit too far this time around. Still, at least Clovis gets to live right? We all like Clovis after all. XD

So yeah, not exactly a long chapter, but an important one nonetheless. There is more Dooku and Sidious stuff to come as well so hopefully you'll be looking forward to that. We are over the halfway point of this story now. Only two more big story arcs to deal with before we hit 'Revenge of the Sith' territory.

As usual, thanks to my beta reader 'ArrinSynders' for all his hard work.

Next time round Anakin wakes up somewhere that isn't the floor, and Count Dooku speaks with one of his 'most trusted' advisors.

As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:

Dream Plane: Yes, despite their normal villainous roles, the Temple Guard and Thrawn were quite caring and understanding of Ahsoka's plight. It is a good thing she's got people round her to keep her stable and point her in the right direction. People like Anakin, the Temple Guard, Thrawn, and of course Palpatine. What could go wrong for her? XD
I'm glad you liked the humour with the scene change. That was fun to write, especially after the seriousness that both preceded it and then followed it. Padmé did indeed step in this time... which shows how badass she really is.
Hope you like this chapter too.

Mysterious Guest One: Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you are enjoying the characters. I love writing them! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

TragicFiction: I have updated. :)

Dressyone22: You'd be correct... but this is Anakin Skywalker we are talking about. The guy that murdered a bunch of Sandpeople, including the children! He's hardly a nice guy no matter how you look at him. A shame that he never really gets punished for it until the whole Vader stuff happens. Guess that's his comeuppance in a way. XD

TrashCanBoi: Really? Wow! Thank you so much. I'm glad you are enjoying these stories, even if my uploads are sporadic at best. I have great fun writing them and seeing what people think of the various plot twists and stuff.
I'll keep it up as long as I can. There is plenty more to come, as well as some pretty big moments for certain characters, and one or two plot twists that will hopefully blow people's minds.
Thanks again for the kind words. I really appreciate them. XD

1saaa: Glad I was able to post on a good day for you. Hopefully I've been able to do the same again.
I'm pleased you liked the chapter despite it being shorter. These next few chapters are shorter, but necessary. Hope you enjoy them all.
Your predictions and speculation are always great fun to read, but I am in a way glad you've not got a solid answer yet. I do like keeping people guessing. Hopefully this chapter helps and confuses at the same time though. XD