A/N: More dialogue used from Revenge of the Sith. I don't own, so you don't sue. Also....have the tissues handy because you're really gonna need them for this chapter. *sobs*

Padmé exits the speeder and makes a break right for her bedroom. She collapses onto the bed and starts to cry. The tears roll down her cheeks and sobs rack her body as the realization of everything that has happened comes to life. Placing her hands on her baby bump, she sobs quietly, mourning the loss of everything that she's once known. Or at least, it looks to be the loss of everything that she's once known.

There's still hope for Anakin.

Sabé enters the room and sits down on the bed next to Padmé. Padmé looks at her and can tell that her close friend is holding back tears of her own. She's not crying because she's trying to support Padmé.

"My Lady...." she says after a moment, "I'm so sorry." She reaches over and gently removes the hairpiece from Padmé's hair. Sabé struggles to make eye contact with Padmé as Padmé cries.

"I just can't believe that it's come to this," she says through her tears. She starts to sit up and dry her eyes. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Sabé," she apologizes.

"No," Sabé replies, "This is going to be very hard for all of us. No one that works for you wanted this to happen."

"It just.....every single Senator saw it coming and yet it's just like we didn't know what to do. We were powerless to stop it," Padmé reminisces, "I have no idea what to do next but I really don't think the Jedi tried to rebel. You heard Zaja earlier."

"I did," Sabé agrees, "And I agree with you but even she doesn't understand the full scope of the situation, Padmé."

"I know," Padmé says, "I just wish we could find someone who does. I'm afraid of what could have happened to Anakin. Palpatine has Anakin following his lead very closely and I don't like that. I have hope that Anakin can walk away from him and restore democracy and peace to the galaxy. But I'm afraid of what achieving that hope could cost him."

"I don't know what to tell you about that, Padmé. You can't help wanting the best for someone you love," she states. Padmé nods her head in agreement.

"I'm waiting for him to come home and then we'll figure out whatever happens next," Padmé explains, "May I have my robe to change back into while I wait for him?"

"Of course. I'll have Dormé come help with your hair," Sabé says. She walks out of the room and reenters a minute later with Dormé at her side and the outfit Padmé wanted.

"Thank you," Padmé says, taking the outfit into the fresher. She slips on the lavender under dress before reentering the bedroom. Sabé helps slip the robe-like piece on over it since Padmé is more upset now than she was earlier and doesn't really want to do that herself.

"Here, My Lady. We can put your hair back in the design it was in earlier," Dormé says. She takes out Padmé's bun and slowly starts to brush it out. "I'm so sorry about what's happened with the Senate. Are you planning on staying in office?"

"It's the only way I think we're going to be able to make a difference at this point," Padmé informs her, "If I leave the Senate, Naboo has no voice in the Empire." She shudders at the word. Dormé starts to put Padmé's hair in the various rings and hair pieces. She finishes it with a flourish.

"There you are, My Lady. Now you just rest well until Anakin...." Dormé starts to instruct but Ellé bursts in.

"My Lady! There's someone here to see you. 3P0 is greeting him," Ellé informs Padmé, "I'm so sorry to interrupt."

"What?" Padmé asks, "Who is it? Where are they?" She moves to her nightstand and quickly pulls out the japor snippet, slipping it over her outfit. She hasn't given up on Anakin yet and she'll wear this to remind herself of him.

"It's Master Kenobi and he's out on the veranda," Ellé informs her. Padmé hurries through her apartment, down the stairs and out to the veranda to see 3P0 talking with Obi-Wan wearing a hood. Obi-Wan removes his hood when he sees her and the two embrace. 3P0 leaves the room to give them privacy.

They pull apart and Padmé smiles sadly at him.

"It's so good to see you alive, Obi-Wan," she says, "I was worried. Zaja was hurt and I didn't know what had happened to you."

"Zaja found Master Yoda and I at the Temple. She is safe and on the mend," Obi-Wan says, "But this is far from over. There is a Sith Lord who now rules the galaxy."

"A Sith Lord? You don't mean...." she starts.

"The very agents of the Dark Side," Obi-Wan says, "The Republic and the Jedi Order are no more."

"The Senate is still intact," Padmé says, "Maybe there's something the remaining Jedi and those of us that were a part of the Delegation can do...."

"No....this Sith Lord is much too powerful to be stopped by diplomacy and democracy. He wishes to rule in the ruthless manner that the Sith do," Obi-Wan says, "It will take more power than any Jedi alive has to stop him except for Anakin. Speaking of him, when was the last time you saw him?"

"Yesterday," she says nonchalantly, trying to appear as though she isn't worried. The fact that Obi-Wan is asking her makes her worried that something is very wrong. She walks down the steps to the couches.

"Do you know where he is now?" Obi-Wan asks her.

"No," she answers as she walks closer to the landing pad, not daring to meet Obi-Wan's gaze. She's afraid that if she does, she'll crack and tell him absolutely everything. She doesn't know what she should and shouldn't tell him because she still doesn't fully understand this tragedy of a situation.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan pleads as he follows her, "I need your help." He keeps following her, "He's in grave danger."

"From the Sith?" she asks, whirling around to face him with a heartbroken expression on her face.

"From himself," he replies with an equally upset expression on his face, his gaze never leaving hers. His gaze saddens as he reaches a hand out to her arm. "Padmé," he says seriously, "Anakin has turned to the Dark Side." Padmé feels as though she's been splashed by a glass of cold water. Anakin would never do something like that! Sure she and Anakin had their bumps and bruises but he would never turn to the Dark Side because of a life circumstance. He is too strong and too brave for that. There is so much good in him.

"You're wrong," Padmé protests, her expression saddening, "How could you even say that?"  Obi-Wan lets go of her shoulder and walks away. Padmé watches him as he walks away from her and keeps talking, his voice sad as he continues.

"I have seen a security hologram of him...." he explains and then stops, his tone heavy as he explains. Padmé watches him with worry, waiting for him to tell her the terrible things that her husband has done. "Killing younglings," he finishes.

"Not Anakin," Padmé protests, knowing the good that is in her husband. All he wants to do is be a strong Jedi. She knows he was on the path to becoming a Jedi Master and being a much more respected member of the Order. "He couldn't," she cries out softly. Obi-Wan turns around to face her, his own expression just as sad as hers. Why would he do this? They had been so happy together. He couldn't have done it. There's no way.

"He was deceived by a lie. We all were," Obi-Wan explains, "It appears that the Chancellor is behind everything, including the war." He steps closer to Padmé again as he talks and Padmé lets this sink in. "Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for," he continues explaining, "After the death of Count Dooku, Anakin became his new apprentice." Padmé blanches at the news. She turns away from him with her mouth hanging open. She starts walking away, blinking back tears of shock. Everything begins to fall into place and make sense in her mind. It all easily points back to Palpatine and everything that he's been up to. She really wishes it hadn't. Everyone has been deceived by the lie, including her husband.

Anakin couldn't have really chosen to take that path, could he? There is still some chance that this could all be a big mistake and he's just been deceived and is choosing to run away from the lies, right? He's just having some trouble getting out.

Some of his more erratic behaviors make sense and it breaks Padmé's heart at the conclusion that they are pointing to.

"I don't believe you," she says firmly. She sits down on one of the couches before breathing out in pain at a kick from her baby, "I can't." She breathes heavily at the realization. "I believe you about the Chancellor. He's been up to something, but not about Anakin. He wouldn't do something like this!" Obi-Wan sits down next to her, his eyes not leaving her as he sits next to her.

"Padmé," he says seriously, "I must find him." Padmé looks at him with sadness in her eyes, such a deep sadness. She can't tell him. There could still be good in Anakin and if she can just bring him back, then all will be saved. He'll come back and they can all restore peace to the galaxy together, right? But if she sends Obi-Wan to him, she knows exactly what will have to happen.

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" she asks him darkly. Her expression is one of shock and despair. Obi-Wan looks at her very seriously and doesn't answer for a moment.

"He has become a very great threat," he states and Padmé shakes her head. She looks away from him in worry, shocked that Obi-Wan is considering killing his dear apprentice. He has always been such a good friend to them both. How could he suggest this? She glances at him briefly.

"I can't," she declines. She takes a deep breath as she looks away from Obi-Wan. She looks down at her japor snippet, bending her head to see it. She breathes heavily at the realization of everything coming together. She knows that deep down, she has a feeling Obi-Wan is right, but she loves Anakin enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But she has to go talk to him herself before she comes to any sort of conclusion. Obi-Wan gets up and starts to walk away. He walks to the landing pad before turning around to face Padmé. She looks up to see a pain in his eyes that she has never seen before.

"Anakin is the father, isn't he?" Obi-Wan asks and Padmé just looks down at her baby bump, realizing that it was noticeable in this robe. "I'm so sorry," Obi-Wan replies as he walks away. She bows her head in sadness as he leaves. Sabé enters as soon as she hears Obi-Wan leave. She just sits down next to Padmé as soon as she notices the emotion on her lady's face. Padmé looks up at her and sighs sadly.

"Obi-Wan just told me terrible things and I have to go discover the truth," Padmé says, "Please tell Captain Typho to have my ship prepared at the spaceport. I'm leaving as soon as possible."

"I think you know what I'm going to say but I also know that you seem too set on discovering the truth to wait," Sabé comments, "I'm not going to stand in your way."

"Thank you," Padmé says, "I'm going to see if Dormé can help me get into my traveling clothes."

"Please call for me if you need me," Sabé offers, "I'll find a ship and come help you with anything." She walks away

"I will. I promise," Padmé reassures her as she goes to find Dormé. She finds her near her closet and makes her request. Dormé reaches into Padmé's wardrobe and pulls out the outfit.

"Here you are, Milady," she announces. She carries them into the bedroom for Padmé and Padmé slips into the fresher to change into them. The beige outfit fits comfortably as she exits the fresher. Dormé holds all of the accessories in her hands. She straps the brooch that rests right above Padmé's baby bump and the sleeves that go with the outfit. Once those are in place, Padmé slips into the boots and sits down on the bed. Dormé takes out her hair and starts to brush it.

"My Lady, I really don't think that you leaving Coruscant as pregnant as you currently are is a good idea," Dormé worries.

"I'll be careful and I'll come right back," Padmé explains, "I just have to set something right with someone."

"Couldn't you do that at a time when you're not expecting a baby?" Dormé asks.

"This really can't wait," Padmé reasons, "The sooner I figure this out the better."

"Well, I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for," Dormé tries to encourage. She tucks Padmé's hair into some kind of long elaborate braid that she usually does with this outfit. She ties it off with a pretty hair tie and Padmé hurries out to Captain Typho who is waiting by her speeder.

"3P0," Padmé calls out when she notices the droid tidying up the living room.

"Yes?" the golden protocol droid asks.

"I need your assistance in flying my skiff," Padmé instructs him.

"Oh! Of course, My Lady," 3P0 says, pleased to finally be of use to someone. Sabé hurries over to Padmé and the two embrace.

"Be safe," Sabé says as she hugs her.

"I will," Padmé promises as Captain Typho helps her into the speeder.

The speeder ride feels as though it takes forever. The sun sets behind the Coruscant towers and Padmé watches the traffic whiz by. She hopes that someday she and Anakin will be able to come back here and show their child Coruscant. She has a feeling that it could be a long time before that happens. The traffic races by and once again she just wishes she could be an ordinary person. She and her husband would have no problem running away from the Empire and sharing in the lives of their family together.

She just hopes that she can convince Anakin to come back to the Light. Then together they can run away from the Emperor and raise their child just like they always wanted. This is the perfect ticket out for them to do this. All he has to do is turn back to the Light fully.

The area surrounding the spaceport is bright with signs and active with the citizens of Coruscant. Captain Typho lands the speeder next to the hangar where Padmé's skiff is. He helps Padmé out of the speeder and she starts to walk towards it. Captain Typho and C-3P0 follow her.

"Milady, let me come with you," Captain Typho begs her. Padmé, fully believing that Anakin would never hurt her, replies,

"There's no danger. The fighting's over and this is personal."

"As you wish, Milady," Captain Typho acknowledges, "But I strongly disagree."

"I'll be alright, Captain," Padmé reassures him as they come to stand at the ramp of her ship, "This is something I must do myself. Besides, 3P0 will look after me." Padmé turns and starts walking up the ramp with confident strides.

"Oh dear," 3P0 mutters as he follows her into the ship. The two of them walk into the cockpit and Padmé gets the ship up and running with the press of a button. From there, she gets it ready to fly. Her mind whirls with hopes that Anakin could accompany her back on this ship when they leave Mustafar.

"Do you know that I'm beginning to get the hang of this flying business," 3P0 says pleasantly but Padmé ignores him in hopes for Anakin, hopes that things could be the same as they were. She wants their love to be what it used to be once again.

She just feels so tired, tired from the events of the day and a half. Everything has felt so heavy and exhausting. Everything has been falling to pieces around her and yet, she wants to keep trying and hoping for the best.

Padmé lifts the skiff off the ground and into the Coruscant traffic.

"3P0, please plot a course to Mustafar and use the navicomputer to calculate the most efficient hyperspace jump to get there," she instructs. 3P0 begins to do just that and Padmé watches as the stars become lanes of bright light whizzing by the cockpit windows. With each passing second, she knows the truth about her husband will be revealed.

"My Lady, wouldn't it be best for you to get some rest?" 3P0 asks her and Padmé shakes her head.

"No, I want to know the minute we arrive. I need to talk to Anakin as soon as we get to Mustafar," she informs him. Looking down at her baby bump, she gazes out the window, hoping against hope that everything isn't true, that it's just all a bad dream and that Anakin will be waiting for her as the same man he was when he returned from rescuing the Chancellor.

Now the Emperor.

Padmé gives a shudder at that.

A couple hours later, the Naboo skiff pulls into the Mustafar system and Padmé sighs at the sight of it. It is such a desolate place with volcanoes reaching up out of the ground trying to take her ship whole, just like all of her fears of failure. Spotting a landing pad, Padmé steers the skiff onto it. She can see Anakin through the ship's sensors and her hopes resurface again. She equips the landing cycle and presses several buttons to deploy the landing gear.

Fear overcomes her at the thought of what could be outside of the ship.

Her hand comes to rest near her forehead as she looks out at the desolate place. This looks like a place where Anakin would want to hide if everything Obi-Wan had said came true actually happened. She massages her forehead as she looks down, her expression saddening at the thought of how much she had lost and how much more she could lose.

She inhales and then lets out a sad shaky sigh as she looks at the blinking lights flashing back at her on the dashboard of her ship. She looks out the window of the cockpit and can see a shadowy figure stalking around on the platform beyond.

She's hoping that everything Obi-Wan said isn't true but she has a feeling that Obi-Wan would never tell her any lies and Anakin's behavior would make more sense in this context. She sees him running towards her ship and she quickly lowers the ramp so she can go out and see him.

She fights back tears at the prospect of any of this being true and wishes that it was all a terrible nightmare that she could wake up from someday. Swiveling around in her seat, she stands up and races down the ramp to Anakin. She quickly runs into his arms and they embrace but something feels off about him. The hug and the affection feels almost cold and like an afterthought rather than something at the forefront of his mind.

"I saw your ship," Anakin informs her. She keeps hugging, then they pull apart. "What're you doing out here?"

"I was so worried about you," Padmé explains, keeping a hand on his arm, "Obi-Wan," she breathes out nervously, "told me terrible things." She shakes her head as she says this, her breath coming out very shakily. Her hand rubs Anakin's upper arm as she talks to him.

"What things?" Anakin asks darkly and Padmé is afraid. How could he be snapping like this? She just wants to talk.

"He said..." she gasps out, trying to fight back the tears and all of the emotions that come with just the thought of these things happening, "you turned to the Dark Side, that you killed Younglings." Anakin avoids her gaze and bows his head low as she says this. She's gasping and trying so hard to hold onto these hopes but just even these suggestions upset her and she knows Obi-Wan wouldn't lie to her, not when she knows that he cares for Anakin as a brother would another brother. Anakin meets her gaze again and says gently,

"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me." His voice fades off into an eerie whisper at the end

"He cares about us," Padmé reasons.

"Us?" Anakin asks darkly.

"He knows," Padmé explains as she clutches at his arm again, nodding her head. She takes a deep breath, trying to clear her head of all of the emotions swirling through her. Something is definitely wrong with Anakin. "He wants to help you," she explains, trying to get him to understand that there's a way to come back to the Light. Anakin smiles darkly at her before looking down.

"Anakin, all I want is your love," she begs, searching his eyes for any trace of the man she once loved.

"Love won't save you, Padmé," Anakin says, his eyes searching hers, trying to get her to see his point of view, "Only my new powers can do that."

"At what cost?" she asks, pleading with him, "You're a good person. Don't do this." She doesn't really want to lose him to the Dark Side forever. Obi-Wan just wants to help them and they can run away together. They can all be safe from the Emperor and bring him down together. Why won't Anakin listen to her? And why is he so concerned about these new powers? What has Palpatine done to him? Anakin doesn't break eye contact with her.

"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother," he promises, "I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of. And I'm doing it for you. To protect you."

Padmé's heart breaks at that statement. He's not doing it because he loves her. He wants the power to be able to save her and now he just wants more and more power. The true reason that he followed Palpatine in the first place has gotten lost. The attraction of power overwhelms his desire to save Padmé out of love. It's all for the power and not for the love at all.

She just wants things to be the way they were so if they can run away from all this, it could be that way again. She just has to show him that they can still have the life they've always wanted. 

"Come away with me," she begs as she runs her hands down the sides of his head, cupping his cheeks as she does, "Help me raise our child." She keeps running her hands down his face as she pleads with him, "Leave everything else behind while we still can."

"Don't you see?" Anakin asks her softly, a smile spreads on his face, "We don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic."

Padmé's brow furrows at that statement. She wouldn't call the current situation on Coruscant or anywhere in the rest of the Republic peaceful. It's going towards a state of turmoil and no one has any idea of what's going on.

"I am more powerful than the Chancellor," Anakin continues, "I...I can overthrow him." Padmé backs away from him disgusted. That isn't a path to peace. That's a path to a dictatorship, the very thing that kills any kind of democracy. She loves him the way he was. Why can't he understand that? The powers don't matter to her but the love does and all Anakin wants is the power. Why is that all that he wants? It breaks her heart. Her brow furrows at what she's hearing.

"And together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be," Anakin tells her, a smile on his face. Something about his smile is dark and power-hungry. Padmé starts backing away towards her ship. She shakes her head crestfallen. Obi-Wan was right the entire time about everything. She doesn't understand how the man that she fell in love with and married has become this monster. He let Palpatine twist him so much and all he sees is power. All he wants is power. The love that they once shared is no longer good enough for him and may never be good enough again. This is truly the end of their relationship and Padmé can't believe it.

"I don't believe what I'm hearing," Padmé states as she shakes her head in disbelief. She takes several shuddering deep breaths to try and calm herself. "Obi-Wan was right. You've changed," she finally decides. 

Anakin looks away from her angrily before turning back to her with a dark expression.

"I don't wanna hear any more about Obi-Wan," he states. Padmé tries so hard to hold back her tears. How could Anakin do this to them? All she wanted was his love and the assurance that he would be there for her. Now he's pursuing power and tossing her and the baby to the wayside if they don't agree with him. "The Jedi turned against me," Anakin snarls, "Don't you turn against me." He stares at her darkly.

Padmé is on the verge of tears and just keeps shaking her head. The lava around them makes everything feel so hot and uncomfortable, so much like this conversation she's having to have with her husband. Her breaths shakily come and go from her body.

"I don't know you anymore," Padmé starts to sob, "Anakin....you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow." She starts to cry at everything that has happened and will happen all because of what Anakin has done. He plans to rule the galaxy as one of the Sith which Padmé knows isn't a good thing, and he's killed so many just to have his way, something that is not a part of the peace and democracy Padmé longs for. That's oppressing the people instead of helping them. 

Anakin suddenly looks up to the ramp of Padmé's ship instead of comforting her. "Because of Obi-Wan," he states with an air of jealousy. Padmé doesn't need Obi-Wan's words to know the truth anymore and the truth hurts more than she ever thought it would.

"Because of what you've done and what you plan to do," she explains as she cries. Anakin doesn't even look at her but looks darkly at the ramp to her ship. "Stop!" Padmé cries out, "Stop now! Come back!" She takes a deep heaving breath, "I love you!" But Anakin isn't looking at her, just at the ramp of her ship. She tries to get him to look at her but he won't. Until he does....with so much hatred in his eyes Padmé's heart breaks more than she ever thought it could.

"LIAR!" Anakin screams at her. Padmé gasps and turns around to look at the ramp of the ship to see Obi-Wan standing at the top. She hadn't known he was there! He hadn't been onboard when she had left Coruscant. It just had been her and 3P0. Obi-Wan starts to walk down the ramp.

"No!" Padmé cries out as she looks in between the ramp and Anakin. Her breaths come out in gasps.

"You're with him!" Anakin accuses, "You brought him here to kill me!

And then he does the unthinkable.

He raises his hand to Force choke her.

"No!" Padmé gasps as she feels herself start to choke. Her baby starts to kick as if protesting the lack of air. Padmé holds her neck to try to release the hold and she can feel icy cold fingers crushing her trachea little by little. "No!" she keeps trying to gasp out.

"Let her go, Anakin!" she hears Obi-Wan call out in the distance. She squeaks as she tries to breathe and he doesn't relent.

"Anakin!" she begs, shaking her head and trying to get him to let her go. She can feel herself fading fast.

"Let.....her.....go," she hears Obi-Wan demand as he steps down onto the landing pad with the fighting couple.

Padmé gasps as she feels the icy cold fingers suddenly let go. She drops down to the ground and her world goes black as her head bounces against the landing pad.

A/N: *a huge waterfall of tears pours down my face because this is just too much for me to bear*

Ooof....I almost cried writing this.

It was hard.

Sorry, there wasn't any added Obi-Wan lines (or I think there were a couple but it wasn't anything like the last Obi-Wan scene). This scene just felt dramatic enough on it's own. Same with the Anakin scene. There was just too much already going and I really didn't feel like I could add to it.

Still....this scene is absolutely heartbreaking to read and write.

I hope you enjoyed it regardless. Thanks for voting, commenting or doing whatever it is you do.

I'mma go write something happy.

-Aisling