The echoes of flames were etched in her mind. The licking, burning terror that consumed everything in their path, leaving nothing behind besides ashes. Fire was so destructive, it ripped away what something really was and left behind the broken pieces of what used to be. The skeleton of what was... now the ashes of something never to become.

She wondered how many died... she wondered how many burned to nothingness... how many would never be the same again...

Padmé gazed out of her apartment into the cool night. She watched, motionless, as the Jedi Temple was raised in smoke; the embers of the fire dying down in the ashes of what it used to be. Earlier, she watched the Temple collapses within itself. It buried thousands of years of history, of lives, in mere seconds. The young woman wondered how something that seemed to be so strong, so sturdy, could die so quickly. Tears fell freely now. Padmé didn't try to hide them anymore. She realized that emotion, tears, were not weakness. No, they were signs that in an inhumane world, you were still human. She needed so badly that confirmation. Confirmation that whatever she was fighting for still existed. Confirmation that she herself still existed.

Now, the Senator knew for sure that Palpatine- no Sidious, did not keep his promise. She knew that there was only one person capable of doing this act and succeeding. She didn't the tracker implanted into Anakin's lightsaber to find out that it was her husband that burned his very own home.

"How far is he lost?"

Padmé didn't want to live in a world where her husband was an evil Sith lord. She didn't want to live in a world where her child had to grow up around a cruel man. She didn't want a life like this... her dreams dead. Her very life, her very soul... dead. In that moment, the sparkle in Padmé Amidala's eyes fizzled into nothingness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smelled like soot, like the screams that arose from the ashes. But he didn't care, the deed was done... that is all that mattered. Deep inside, though he wouldn't admit it aloud, he hoped that no one was hurt. Or worse... shaking that thought off, Anakin Skywalker decided to focus on his thoughts on his lovely wife.

He came home to Padmé later that night. Anakin entered the apartment to find his wife on the veranda, arms crossed, gazing up into the night sky. A smile spread across his face at the scene. He found himself leaning up against the wall just staring at his angel.

"You're... so beautiful." Anakin murmured softly. Padmé tensed, startled at her husband's sudden presence. She turned to face him slowly, gently- like an angel. Her eyes were wet and darkened in the lights of the night.

"It-it's o-only bec-cause I'm s-so in l-l-love." Her voice was shaky, as if it could break at any moment. Anakin stared at Padmé in utter heartbreak and confusion.

"Padmé..." He started, but stopped himself, as she turned away to look back into the night. His eyes followed his wife's line of sight to what she was staring at in the distance. The smoke. The Jedi Temple was still burning late into the night, still throwing up orange embers into the atmosphere.

"Padmé..." Anakin whispered as guilt pressing down onto his heart. She faced him yet again, wearing the most horrific expression of anguish and suffering. Hot tears now streamed down the young woman's face and splattered like blood onto the ground. Anakin's face contorted into one of pain when he finally really looked at her. Padmé's eyes showed no emotion... nothing...

The realization finally hit him... he broke his angel.

Her heart was in pieces, shattered all over the floor. She was broken. Anakin thought he could fix anything that was broken, but now he wondered if this was the only thing that was broken beyond repair. He opened his mouth to say something but no sounds came out of his mouth.

Anakin now saw how much he was actually hurting her. Working with the Sith, it wasn't even giving him any satisfaction. He thought that he could save her... but what would be the point if he ended up losing her in the process? His eyes wondered back over to the Jedi Temple and the full effects of what he had done slammed him in the chest. In that instance, darkness fled from him. An guttural groan was released from Anakin's throat, emotion washing over him.

Padmé dropped to her knees, a large sob overtaking her, racking her body from the inside out. Her husband's eyes widened and he dropped to the ground beside her.

"Padmé!" He cried into her arms. "Padmé, I am so sorry!"

Her sobs quietly died down and when they did, she cupped his face into her shaky hands.

"Ani," She whispered with pain. "Please, please... stop."

"I will Padmé, I promise you I will. I am no longer a Sith. I love you, I can't- I can't lose you. And I won't lose you even before I can save you... I won't-"

A burning sensation across Anakin's cheek stopped him mid-sentence. It took him a second to realize that the burning sensation was actually caused by Padmé. Looking at her with shock, she rubbed her palm lightly.

"Why- why did you slap me!?" He asked, too bewildered to even be mad at his wife.

"Because you are an idiot!" Padmé screeched and stood up too quickly for a woman in her condition. However, she showed no signs of disorientation as she stalked into the living room.

"An idiot? I was doing all of this for you! I just want to keep you alive! Palpatine-"

Padmé yanked open a drawer, stopping Anakin in his tracks at the object she pulled out. She whirled around and held the Sith holocron of Darth Plagueis in her hand.

"Where- where did you get that?" Anakin inquired cautiously.

"He is lying." Padmé stated, ignoring her husband's question entirely. Anakin narrowed his eyes and his pupils darted between the holocron and Padmé.

"What?"

"He's lying, Anakin. Palpatine. Sidious. He can't save me." She pressed, her hand tightening around the holocron.

"What do you mean? Of course, he can save you." Anakin stated and Padmé shook her head.

"Ever heard of Darth Plagueis?" She asked and Anakin nodded. "Good, because this is his holocron. He never found the key to immortality, he failed."

"How do you know?" Anakin answered skeptically.

"Because Darth Plagueis was actually Hego Damask, one of the head muuns of the International Banking Clan. He helped fund my campaign for Queen and he mentored Palpatine into gaining higher rankings in politics. And if he would have gained some immortality power, he would still be here now. He died, Anakin."

"But it doesn't mean that Sidious didn't learn it."

Padmé scoffed. "Oh yes, and Sidious gained the power of immortality and still looks like an old man who hasn't aged one bit."

"Okay, okay, you have a point." Anakin said and held up his hands. "But even if he can't help me, I am still having the dreams. They will happen whether he tries to help me or not."

"Anakin, I listened to this holocron. All of it. And you know what is said about the Sith? That they can learn to use the midichlorians to influence the dreams or thoughts of people. It creates realistic, vision-like dreams and caused them to be distressed. Does that sound familiar at all?" She informed and Anakin sighed.

"But the ones about my mother-"

"Ani, that one came true. But, what if you are trying so hard to stop it that it occurs? It's a vision of what is yet to come, because you caused it by trying to stop the future. You can't. You can't change what the force already wills; you should know that better than anyone. And you told Palpatine about your dream with your mother and the- consequences. He could easily recreate a dream similar and then have you convinced that you are having a vision." Padmé blurted, cutting him off. She then sighed, looking down onto the ground as Anakin rubbed the nape of his neck.

"I can't take that chance, Padmé. I. Can't. Lose. You." His voice trembled, desperate.

"And I can't lose you to the dark side, Anakin. I would rather die than be saved by the dark side." She proclaimed, placing her hand on his arm lightly. Anakin averted his eyes and sharply inhaled.

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

Anakin pulled his wife close to him and placed his head in her masses of curls. Padmé returned the embrace, resting her head against his chest. They stood there, holding each other, fearing when they would have to let go. The problems of the galaxy washed away momentarily and just for one moment, there was peace.

"Ani," Padmé began, breaking the seconds or minutes or hours of silence, she didn't know which. "What are you going to do?"

He pulled back and stared at her, unsure of how to respond.

"I-I don't know." Anakin told her honestly. "I mean, I am not going back to Sidious, not after..." Padmé nodded understandingly.

"But, I can't go back to the Jedi. They wouldn't understand... and I would have to leave soon anyways. You and the baby are my first priority. And I know they wouldn't help me with my vision- or dream. I just don't know... being a Jedi was amazing but the code... I can't follow it." He closed his eyes and Padmé squeezed his hand firmly.

"I wish there was a way that you could be a continue being a Jedi but you were able to love..." She murmured airly.

"Yeah, me too but-" Anakin abruptly stopped and gazed at Padmé, his gears turning.

"But what?" The young woman asked, scrutinizing him with anticipation.

"I-I think I know someone who can help. I think I can be apart of the Jedi and still love. And... and I can save you! " He said. His eyes, for the first time in forever, actually sparkled.

"What? Who?" Padmé inquired and Anakin gave her his signature devilish grin.

"An old friend."

Yes, I sorta made a Frozen reference, deal with it.

Okay, questions that you guys are probably thinking.

1.) Why did Anakin accept Padmé's answer so fast? Didn't he remember Sidious and Plagueis created him?

Yes, but is that immortality? No, they just created life. What's the difference. Creating new life is not the same as sustaining existing life.

2.) Why didn't Sidious just command Order 66 and Anakin go on his rampage instead of just burning the temple?

First off, the war isn't over yet. So, he still kinda needs the Jedi to fight still. Plus, we all know so far that Anakin hasn't reached the breaking point where he is so dark and desperate that he would go on a murderous campaign. And, his thinking at the moment, is that destroying the Temple is more of a symbolic thing at the moment. Why? Cause he just destroyed a something that is powerful symbol. Plus, it is also a test to see how far Anakin will go just a little at a time to save Padmé. That good enough for ya?

3.) Wasn't Mas Amedda loyal to Sidious in ROTS?

This is an AU, things differ, but yes he was. I had to get rid of him somehow or the attendant and empire thing wouldn't make since. I am literally trying my hardest not to have any loose ends or unanswered questions in this.

Yes, and now another important announcement!

Next chapter shall be introducing a NEW CHARACTER! *confetti* Now, this is a pretty unknown character but I will explain more in the next chapter/part. I am gonna try and get a Soundcloud by next part (if my parents will let me, I had to beg for about a week for a Wattpad) so I can put my voice in so I can explain the character. I explain it better verbally than I do writing it because, well, it's a lot to write. So, we'll see how it goes.

DEDICATED TO jesusfreak202 for being like, my personal fangirl right now. It makes me super happy and I fangirl that she fangirls and screams and cries. :D

 Thanks!

PS: CALM DOWN! You think it's gonna get happy? Oh sweet, innocent little persons. *pats you on the head* No... no, no...