A/N: I came up with this idea and it wouldn't leave me alone. Yes, I'm going to write two stories at once. I blame the quarantine for my overactive mind. (I hope everyone is safe!) Please be patient with this story. It's going to be a long one but I promise you if you stick with it until the end it's going to be thrilling! I know how it ends but you'll just have to enjoy the journey. *Evil laugh*
Starts after Anakin (Darth Vader) had just raided the Jedi Temple in ROTS.
Once again, Dave Filoni is the true chosen one. All the respect to the creator, George Lucas!
Chapter 1
On Coruscant
BOOM!
The steaming teacup on the table shook and trembled under the force of the explosion spilling its warm contents, the hot vapors filling the air in protest. Rarely did anything disturb the quiet sanctuary of the Senate Apartment Complex. The area usually well protected from the seedier parts of Coruscant. This was more than a shock to the residents.
Disturbing her solitude, Padmé rose quickly at the sound of the explosion, years of getting caught in dangerous situations honed her instincts, as she watched her cup rumble on the table. Standing in a guarded position, her suspicions furthered when she heard the alarms screaming outside, and the screech of the Coruscant guards speeding by. In that same moment, she quickly rushed out to her balcony to investigate. Clutching the guardrail, frightened by the sight in front of her, she gasped loudly as her eyes widen. Shock crossed her face as she watched the Jedi temple bathed in swirls of dark, ominous black smoke that encapsulated and rose from it. Wishing her eyesight was better, she squinted to focus better and even though the temple was far in the distance, clearly, there was something desperately wrong.
An attack at the Jedi Temple? Is that even possible? Who would dare do such a thing? She pondered loudly to herself.
Her mind quickly pieced things together as panic set in rapidly with the implications, desperately recalling where her Anakin would be that day. Was he there? Dark dread rose up as she hugged herself tightly attempting to console herself as she whispered a Nubian prayer for his safety. Her feet cemented in place with her pregnancy instincts heeding her to stay put as she stood there, watching, not knowing what was going on, and fearing the worse.
C3PO came out of Senator Amidala's bedroom clearly frustrated. He had to do all the work around here. The cleaning droids were so sloppy! They missed spots. Details! It's all about the details! He scuttled over to the terrace, mumbling to himself. Maybe today he'll discuss hiring new cleaner droids with Miss Amidala. He looked up out into the distance. He saw a familiar ETA-2 Jedi interceptor heading this way.
"Oh! It's Master Ani! He must be stopping by for a visit. I must let Senator Amidala know at once!"
Out on her balcony, Padmé clenched tightly to the railing, stared at the Jedi Temple hoping that it was just her imagination that caused the sight before her. Hoping it was something other than the reality in front of her. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't even hear the familiar metal clinking of her protocol droid as he entered the balcony.
"Senator Amidala. A Jedi starfighter is heading towards your terrace. I think…"
He never got to finish his sentence, Padmé flew past him in a blur and left him there talking to himself.
Padmé hurried. It has to be her Anakin. If it was, then that means he was safe. He was still alive.
She found her Jedi Knight stepping out of his fighter and leaping onto the terrace. She didn't register her feet underneath her as she closed the distance between them. She gave him a furiously tight hug.
"Ani, what's going on? I saw the smoke at the Jedi Temple?" Her voice strained with concern.
Something was wrong. She was surprised by his demeanor. He was strangely calm. This was Anakin, a man full of emotions all the time. Since he's been back to Coruscant he's been absolutely moody but not now. Shouldn't he be a little rattled? Does he know about the Jedi Temple? Surely he must know what's going on. He didn't seem like himself.
He brushed off her concerns, "Are you and the baby ok?"
Stuttering in surprise. Why wasn't he more concerned about the Temple? Padmé responded. "Yes, we're fine. Nothing is happening here. All of the commotion is over at the Jedi Temple. Anakin, are you going to tell me what's going on? Were you there?"
Anakin broke their embrace. He seemed annoyed at her persistence, "There's been a situation. The Jedi tried to assassinate Chancellor Palpatine."
Her jaw dropped, "What?!"
Anakin continued ignoring her appalled response, "I was there." He started defensively. "I saw Master Windu attempt to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor before I intervened."
Padmé couldn't believe what she was hearing. Intervene. What does he mean intervene? "Anakin…" She started to question before he cut her off.
He reached out and held her hands in his cybernetic hand and flesh hand, squeezing them gently. "I know it's hard to believe but the Jedi tried to overthrow the Senate." He furrowed his brows. "I will not betray the Republic! My loyalties are to the Chancellor and to the Senate….and with you." Anakin concluded. There was no fear, no regret, or conflict in his voice. He had chosen his side.
Padmé's mind spun so fast she had to squeeze her eyes shut to process it. Did Anakin just give up on the Jedi? Worse. Turned on the Jedi? Was this all for the Republic? She doubted this was the case as he had mentioned Palpatine. He stated he did this for her sake but only after professing his allegiance to Palpatine. The dread built in her stomach at the implications.
She asked softly, afraid of the answer, "Were you there? Were you at the Jedi Temple just now?"
He looked away from her and her heart sank. That's all she needed to confirm her fears, "And Obi Wan?"
Anakin looked in the direction of the burning Jedi Temple. Sacred ground being cleansed in blackened smoke consuming the light that once shone from it.
"I don't know. If he remained loyal to the Republic then maybe his life will be spared." His voice void of any emotion.
Spared? Her brain was breaking. She must be dreaming! This can't be real. She wished she would just wake up. Obi Wan was his best friend and a brother. How can he be so callous about Obi Wan's life? What's happening to her Anakin?
He seemed to ignore the looks she was throwing at him. "Wait for me here, my love. The Chancellor has sent me on a mission to Mustafar. The Separatists are hiding there. We can finally end this war!" He said excitedly. "Things will be different when I return. It'll be better. I promise."
He leaned in for a kiss and gave her hands a squeeze before turning to leave except-
She didn't let go.
He turned around and looked down at their hands. She was still holding onto to his flesh hand, his still human hand, with a death grip.
Padmé didn't even feel the kiss he gave her. Her thoughts whirling in her head. A promise that things would be different. It was supposed to be a hopeful promise, but it wasn't. It stirred a deep, dark dread inside of her. Anakin once told her that she was Force sensitive and if things were different, maybe she would have been trained to be a Jedi. He tried to teach her, but she didn't really care for it except for the Jedi mind blocking and mental connection she could make with Anakin through the Force. Was it that? Was it her Senatorial side coming out? This doesn't sound like a democracy…it was a dictatorship under the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The Senate had been trying to reduce his power but now things have become far worse. Would the Jedi really overthrow the Senate? Or did they know that Chancellor Palpatine was that corrupt? Or maybe it was her instincts heightened in her pregnancy? As their child grew in her, this 6th sense was getting stronger and louder in her mind.
"I think this is a bad idea." Padmé finally admitted.
He looked at her incredulously, "A bad idea? How could this be a bad idea?"
"Anakin, can't you see? Something doesn't add up. Something's not right." Padmé frown.
"You must be tired, Padmé. This pregnancy is getting to you. Just…go rest. I promise I'll be back soon." He tried to reassure her but still she squeezed his hand and gave him that look he hated, that defiant look she had when she wouldn't back down until she got her way.
"Ani, just…wait. Just stay here for a little bit until we can figure this out." Padmé tried to negotiate to buy herself time. Her inner voice kept nagging her.
Don't let him go.
"STAY?! What are you asking of me? I can END this war! Right now!" Anakin's voice rising. He couldn't believe what this woman was doing.
"Is this the right choice? Is this what it comes down to? Anakin, is this the only way?" Padmé tried to get him to stop for a moment and think.
Don't let him go.
Anakin growled. "The Chancellor has ordered me to go to Mustafar. Are you telling me to disobey a direct order?" Anakin narrowed his eyes at his foolhardy wife.
Padmé stumbled on her words as she knew she was running out of time.
Don't let him go.
"Well….Well, I'm ordering you to stay!" She winced as the words spilled out her mouth. She knew her husband would not take those words well.
"Are you asking me to choose between the Chancellor and you?" Anakin gritted his teeth.
Finding her voice again. "Yes! Anakin! I am. You once told me I was the only thing that mattered to you. That I was the most important thing to you. Is that still true? Or does the Chancellor mean more to you now?" Her voice quivering as she spoke.
Don't let him go.
Anakin was stupefied. "Don't you see? I'm doing this for you! It's always been about you. The Chancellor knows about us, Padmé. He promised to keep you and our child safe. Why are you making this so difficult?" He had enough and yanked his hand away from hers as he turned to climb into his starfighter.
She was horrified by his confession. "Because Anakin! You have to trust me. If you love me you have to trust me!" She wallowed. Her voice straining as tears fell freely from her eyes.
Don't let him go!
She marched up to him holding Anakin's face with both her hands pressing herself impossibly close to him. "You told me before just say the word and I will leave all this behind for you. Remember? I'm holding you to that now. Let's leave..now! Leave everyone and everything behind. It'll just be us…and our child. We'll be a family just like you always wanted." Her sight blurred as tears took over her vision.
He pressed his forehead against hers as her pleas were getting to him, he rubbed her shoulders. She owned his heart and his soul. She was his true Master that he could never deny. "And if you die in childbirth? Because we did this…I'll never forgive myself."
She kissed him. Deep, hard trying to show him how much she loved him. To remember what their love means. He returned the kiss holding her waist tight in his arms and lifting her up to her toes as they kissed. She ran her fingers in his hair in the way that always drove him crazy.
When they finally pulled away, breathlessly, Padmé whispered against his lips. "I can't explain it, Ani. I just know we have to do this. That…if we do this. Everything will be ok. Do you trust me?" She searched his eyes.
His heart melted peering into her big, brown silky eyes puffy and glistening with tears. He loved the intelligence behind them and the vulnerability his strong, formidable Senator wife held when she looked at him. A side of her only he was allowed to see and only him. Her lip quivered. He wanted to quell the sorrow on her lips and in her heart. He wanted to…just do whatever he needed to do to make her pain go away and to see her smile once again. How could he say no?
"If this is what you want, my love…" He finally conceded as he gently let her down back on the ground. "Let me just take care of something really quick." As he stroked a stray hair from her face.
"No!" She panicked. "No, we leave right now. Right this instant!" Her instincts kicked in again screaming at her not to let him leave her sight. If she did, she'll lose him forever.
He managed a furrowed brow, "Have I ever told you how stubborn you are?" He was tired of fighting with her. The adrenaline he had pumping through him from the events earlier today was finally wearing off. He felt his muscles protest and trembled encouraging him to relent so he could rest.
She pulled away and grabbed his flesh hand with both of her hands, tugging him with her. Anakin relented letting her guide him as he watched her pout at him with those large, doe-eyes.
Damn it, woman! Why do you affect me so much!
Anakin was never a rational creature. He lead by his instincts, his emotions, his heart. And she was the love of his life, the strength of his soul but also a paralyzing weakness. She had a spell over him that no one else had. Could ask of him things that no one else dared. She knew this and never wield this absolute power over him until now. He was helpless to resist.
She pulled him into the bedroom and went to get her luggage. She watched as he sat at the edge of the bed and bent forward with his hands covering his face. She wanted to go over and comfort him like she would have normally done but her instincts were yelling at her again.
Hurry! Go! GO!
She was still crying. She couldn't stop. Her breath was haggard. What do I bring? Only the essentials. She only had time for the essentials. She went to the secret safe hidden in her vast closet filled with elaborate senatorial gowns. She pushed past them, pulling out the fake wall behind them and punched in the security code to the safe. It opened and revealed Republic credits she had stored away. She had been slowly saving over the years. For what she didn't know. She grabbed them and threw them into her bag.
Something valuable. Jewelry. She grabbed the most expensive pieces of jewelry she had. Elaborate, intricate items covered in precious gems that she dawned for special ceremonies and affairs as required of the Senators.
Clothes. Simple. She only needed simple garments. Not the heavy, large senator gowns she had been using to hide her pregnancy. She needed something practical. Where they're going, it didn't matter if she was pregnant or not. She needs clothes to move in.
One more thing. She was frantically trying to think. Something irreplaceable. Her eyes widen. She ran to her nightstand and opened the drawer. There laid a small rectangular wooden box. Simple without any embellishments. She opened the box to check the contents. Inside was the japor snippet Anakin had given to her when he was just 9 years old. She smiled at the memory. Also in there was Anakin's padawan's braid. He was so proud when he told her that he was made a Jedi Knight. He gave her the braid for safe keeping. She put the two items back into the box and moved to put them into her luggage but eyed the holorecorder on her nightstand. She bit her lip debating. She decided to grab it. Cleared her throat and wiping the tears from her eyes she turned it on.
Captain Typho had a quizzical look on his face as he answered, "Senator Amidala? How can I help you?"
She tried to call on that calm, collected Senator voice she was known for. "Captain Typho, I'll be needing my cruiser. I need to make an immediate departure for Naboo." She lied.
Captain Typho was use to her spontaneous requests. He didn't like it. It usually ended with her getting into trouble too. "Of course, my lady. Shall I inform Dormé to accompany us?"
Padmé added quickly, "No, that won't be necessary. You…don't have to bother her. It'll be a quick trip." She lied again.
Captain Typho liked this plan less and less. "As you wish, my lady. I will see you down at the landing platform." His image disappeared from the holorecorder. She let out a deep, pained breath.
Grabbing her luggage, only one bag carrying just the necessities which was so unlike her, she stopped over by Anakin who was still in the same position. He was physically there but his mind was far away. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder and he shook himself out of whatever trance he was in. She was hoping to get an idea of what he was thinking, but his face was a blank slate as he looked up at her. He reached for her luggage. "Ready to go?" His voice was flat and removed. She nodded and followed him. He didn't make eye contact with her again. They grabbed C3PO and R2D2 and made their way out of her apartment. Never to return.
A/N: Mustafar is a very dark and evil place. It has a locus of the dark side of the Force, the location of Vader's future castle, and where Darth Vader builds his Sith lightsaber. There's so much evil there that if Anakin was there, it'd be much harder to pull him back from the dark side. So how did you like it? Just wait for the next part…it's even more juicy!