IMPORTANT A/N: I am in the process of rewriting this book, but everything this chapter and onward is the original, non-rewritten parts of my story, therefore THERE WILL BE SOME PLOT INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS AND THE REST OF THE BOOK. I update each chapter every so often, but feel free to keep reading on if you'd like! Just be aware of the differences, for I've been making a lot of tweaks to the overall plot! :)

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"Are you family?" The doctor asked again, looking annoyed.

      Anakin most likely would have strangled the man if his wife wasn't holding his arm warningly, silently glaring at him to calm down.

     "No, we're not family, but we are very close friends. You have to let us in." Anakin hissed.

     The doctor sighed, not taking Anakin's threat to heart. "Knight Skywalker, as much as I would love to, Mr. Starkiller is in critical condition. Visitors are simply not allowed."

      "Make an exception." Anakin snapped.

      Padmé grasped her husband tightly again and sighed at his angry red face. "Doctor, could you at least tell us how he's doing?"

     The man sighed. "Not well, I'm afraid. Whatever he was injected with is very lethal. Until we can identify it completely and create an antidote...it may end up being fatal."

     "Fatal!?" Anakin cried, snarling again.

     "Anakin, please." Padmé pleaded.

     It was still late at night and the Senator know they would most likely be here until the wakes of morning if not longer.

     "We're doing all we can-"

     "Well do it better! He's dying and you don't even care! We should be hunting down the one that did this!" Anakin cried.

      "Knight Skywalker, that's a decision for the Council to make-"

      "I'm on the Council!" Anakin screamed again, getting glances from around the room.

      Padmé sighed.

      "Doctor?" A female voice came from behind the doctor.

      Anakin recognized her as the nurse who had treated Luke for his electric shock. He brightened in hope. "I want her to treat Luke." He snapped.

      The girl blinked in surprise and then smiled. "It's alright Knight Skywalker, I am already treating Mr. Starkiller. I have to say, I didn't expect to have him under my wing again. Don't worry, we'll do all we can."

     Anakin nodded, still feeling weak in the knees and wishing he could just go in and reassure himself that Luke was indeed still alive.

     "Doctor, can't we let them in for a minute? It can't hurt." She told the doctor.

     He scowled at her. "You know the rules, Kirei."

     "It'll be fine. I've treated Starkiller before, Knight Skywalker won't be a bother. And neither will Senator Amidala." She said, blinking wide green eyes and twirling her pixie-cut brown hair.

     Anakin almost laughed at her methods.

      The doctor groaned. "Be quick about it, Healer Barizaan."

     She smiled and then gestured Anakin and Padmé in.

     When they reached Luke's room, they both paled at his eerily still figure on the cot.

      The healer girl, Kirei, sighed. "I'll leave you guys alone. Just don't touch the equipment. And five minutes max."

     "Thank you." Anakin and Padmé said in unison.

     When the door closed, Padmé choked on a sob. "How could we let this happen, Anakin?"

     Anakin rubbed her back and held back his own tears. He poked at his mental bond with the boy only to be again met with ominous silence. 

     He sighed, rubbing a hand through his dark blonde hair.

     The door slid open then, startling them both, only to see Kireri standing with Obi-Wan. "I got him in too." She winked before closing the door.

     Obi-Wan blinked after the girl. "She's a little eccentric for a Jedi."

     Anakin rolled his eyes. "Remind you of someone?"

     Obi-Wan sighed with a faint smile at Anakin's attempt for light humor until his studying, gray-blue irises landed on Luke.

     He swallowed with a sigh, moving to the boy's bedside.

     "How is he?" Obi-Wan asked.

     "Not well." Anakin said tightly.

     "They said it could be fatal." Padmé said.

     Obi-Wan glanced up, noticing the two were holding hands, yet neither seemed to care that Obi-Wan could see it.

     He would have pointed it out except for the fact that they were all here for Luke and nothing as trivial as the Jedi Code's rules mattered at the moment.

      Anakin reached a shaking hand toward Luke and wiped a sweat-soaked strand of blonde hair across the boy's face.

    He didn't even shift, his eyelids growing dark and his veins seemingly more visible as he grew paler. The vital monitor was beeping slowly and precariously, taunting the three conscious people in the room.

     "You still have to go to Utapau tomorrow morning." Anakin blurted.

     Obi-Wan looked up and sighed. "You know I have to, Anakin. I certainly don't want to after what's happened. I want just as much as you to find out who did this, but we are in the middle of a war."

     Anakin growled frustratedly. "Who would even target him? No one even knows who he is! Force, we barely know him!"

      Anakin moved from Luke's bedside and smashed his head against the wall, a muffled sob escaping him.

     Padmé walked towards him, reassuring him and again not caring about their marriage being revealed.

     Even though Obi-Wan already suspected. 

     There was a long silence and Anakin knew five minutes had already passed and that Kirei had probably bought them more time.

      The Chancellor's tale about Darth Plagueis being able to save people from death crossed his mind once again.

     'Is it possible to learn this power?'

     'Not from a Jedi...'

     "We should be going Anakin. Luke will be safe here. Staying here and worrying will do nothing to help him." Obi-Wan said after what felt like an eternity. 

     Padmé sighed as Anakin didn't move. "I agree with him, Ani."

     Anakin closed his eyes tightly, wincing as a tear slid down his cheek. He blinked and wiped his eyes, not speaking in case his voice betrayed him.

     He simply nodded, following his wife and former mentor out the door. He gave one last glance at Luke before closing the door, hoping the boy would come through.

     "Visit whenever you want." Kirei said on their way out.

     Obi-Wan smiled at her. "You're very keen to breaking the rules, young one."

     She smirked. "I just think I'm too nice. No worries, I'll watch over Starkiller."

     The three nodded at her and left the Temple medbay, heading back to their respected places of rest.

     When the door closed, Kirei groaned and broke the fake smile she had plastered on her face. Slipping a small needle out of her sleeve and making sure no one was watching, she stalked back to Luke's room.

     His vital monitor was still out of control, his body trying to fight the poison she had injected in him.

     "Sorry sweetheart." She purred, tracing a finger down his temple. She smiled for real this time when Skywalker shivered. His first response...which meant he was fighting it. "Oh no...we can't have that dear."

     She rolled his sleeve up and slid the needle in none too gently. A moan escaped the boy and he drove deeper into oblivion as the extra poison began travel through him.

      His vitals slowed and she waited for his death....but it didn't happen. She swore.

     "Stubborn, huh?" She questioned. "We'll fix that soon dear."

     She poisoned a bit of his IV, and made sure the oxygen going to him was lowered. All delicate planning of course. No need to get caught. 

     The doctor came in then, not even startling the spy as she made it look like she was tucking Skywalker further in.

     The doctor sighed. "Come Kirei, we need to begin testing samples for antidotes."

     She smiled innocently. "Of course."

     The doctor glanced up at Luke's vitals and swore. "What is he injected with? He's dying even faster than before."

     Kirei shrugged. "No idea. I just hope he makes it. I'm rather fond of my frequent patient."

     The doctor sighed. "Come on, Kirei. We have work to do."

     He turned and walked out the door and Kirei was tempted to find her blaster and shoot the doctor herself. But Sidious had instructed her carefully and she was not about to be disloyal.

      With another feral smile at Luke, she stalked out of the room.

•••

     "Please don't go Master." Anakin pleaded, looking at Obi-Wan with desperation.

     Obi-Wan sighed. "And to think you originally were mad at me because you wanted to go."

     Anakin scowled. "You know why I have changed my mind. I will not leave Luke here on his own."

     "Anakin, I'm sure I'll be back soon. I'm convinced this is nothing but a wild bantha chase. For all we know Grievous isn't even on Utapau." Obi-Wan said.

     Anakin sighed. "I guess."

     Obi-Wan smiled. "Do not worry Anakin. I'll come back."

     "It's not that...I...I've just disappointed you, Master. I have not been very appreciative of your training...I have been arrogant...and now Luke..." Anakin trailed off, tears threatening to fall. "I apologize. I have just been so frustrated with the Council and now this loose bounty hunter after Luke...I just...your friendship means everything to me."

     Obi-Wan smiled, glad to see his Anakin and not the angry one he had seemed to be lately. "You are strong and wise, Anakin, and I am very proud of you. I have trained you since you were a small boy. I have taught you everything I know. You have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be, and you have saved my life more times than I can remember. But be patient, Anakin. Luke will soon be healed, for I have faith in the healers, and the Council will realize the both of you deserve the rank of Jedi Master."

     Anakin looked at his feet, still tense and worried.

     Obi-Wan began to walk away before he turned around with a smile. "Don't worry. I have enough clones with me to take three systems the size of Utapau. I think I'll be able to handle the situation."

     Anakin smirked. "Well there's always a first time."

     Obi-Wan laughed and then bid farewell to Anakin, sighing as he walked down the ramp. Luke was on his mind, the strange Jedi boy in more danger than any of them could have predicted.

     "Sir." Commander Cody snapped to attention as Obi-Wan neared him. "Fortunately most of the cities are concentrated on this small continent here...on the far side."

     "I'll keep them distracted until you get there. Just don't take too long." Obi-Wan said.

     "Come on boss, when have I ever let you down?" Cody asked.

      Obi-Wan chuckled. "Cato Nemoidia...for starters."

     "That was Anakn who was late I believe." Cody said with a smirk.

     Obi-Wan smiled, despite the turmoil in his mind. "Very well. The burden is on me not to destroy all the droids before you get there."

     "I'm counting on you." Cody said, setting the ship's coordinates for Utapau and glad he could share a laugh with his General in the hard times.

•••

     Kirei had let him in again, more hesitantly this time since she had stated that Luke's condition had deteriorated.

     Anakin had been practically devastated at the news but was still grateful to the healer girl for letting him in.

     He sat by Luke's bedside for what felt like eternity. He felt guilty for having left Padmé alone for the day, but she understood why.

     Anakin grasped Luke's right hand, which was dangling off the side of the bed. He sighed and inspected it, running his fingers over it.

     Something was different about it.

     With furrowed brows, Anakin studied the boy's hand in curiosity and then jerked back when he managed to find a panel opening under the skin where gears were turning inside.

     Anakin glanced at his own right arm, his glove concealing the metal robotics underneath. But how did Luke's prosthetic look real!? That was probably still years beyond current medical technology and if it was invented already, Anakin obviously would have gotten one himself.

     He stared at Luke's pale and disturbingly peaceful face.

      "What are you hiding?" Anakin whispered, still puzzled by the boy no matter how much he trusted him.

     Slowly, he closed the panel on Luke's hands, sliding the synthetic skin back over it.

     Anakin again wondered how the boy had lost it and continued to study Luke. His vital signs were low, but he was still stubbornly holding on.

     The healers were still looking for an antidote as the poison coursed through Luke, gradually killing him.

     Anakin took a deep breath as his vision began to fuzz. He blinked, knowing the lack of sleep he had gotten the previous night was taking its toll.

     While worrying about Luke, Obi-Wan, and Padmé, Anakin drifted into a not-quite-so-peaceful sleep.

•••

    Padmé called out in pain. Obi-Wan was near her, speaking soft words of encouragement as the woman continued to scream.  

     "Save your energy." Obi-Wan muttered.

     The image was still fuzzed and faded, barely visible through the haze of darkness surrounding it.

     Padmé's next cry seemed to echo around the darkness, heart-wrenching and painful as Anakin's angel begun to melt away. "I can't!"

     Obi-Wan begun to look desperate. "Don't give up, Padmé. Don't give up..."

     A baby's cry begun in unison with its mother's and the nightmare faded out with nothing but screams.

     Anakin desperately tried to wake up, but his body wouldn't let him, being its own personal sedative.

     The baby's scream dissolved into a grown man's scream, a scream that was disturbingly familiar. Then Luke faded into his vision, shaking and twitching on the floor much like he had been when he had been poisoned.  

     Anakin wanted to look away, but he wasn't allowed to. He couldn't even close his eyes. He was forced to watch the never-ending torture of Luke Starkiller.

     Electricity ran through the boy's tiny frame, relentless as his life force began to give out.     

     Anakin was vaguely aware of two figures standing over Luke, one issuing the agony and the other watching in motionless silence.

      Anakin wanted desperately to move forward and help Luke, but he somehow felt as if this was not a vision of the future, but Luke's past. therefore, making him unable to prevent anything.

     Luke had passed out from electric shock and was even wearing the same clothes as he had been when he first appeared on the Invisible Hand.

     But who was the one electrocuting him? Obviously a Sith Lord, but who? Anakin had never seen this one before.

     However, out of nowhere, the one in the overbearing and slightly ominous black leather life support suit moved forward and picked up the one torturing Luke.

     Anakin wanted to cheer, but instead did nothing but stare in shocked awe at the man in the suit. The torturer fell down a long reactor, a blue light releasing as he died.

     The life suited one fell to his knees, his respirator choking from the leftover lightning that had gone into his suit, most likely malfunctioning it.

     Anakin watched in brief wonder and horror as Luke crawled toward the man in the suit. He pulled him back from the railing, cradling his much larger form in his tiny lap.

     "Father..." Luke whispered, tears brimming his eyes. "Please..."

      "Luke...you must...get...off station...Rebels..." The life supported man, Luke's father apparently, wheezed.

      Luke shook his head hastily, standing on weak knees and struggling the get the obviously heavier man to his feet. "No...we're both getting off."

     The life supported man fell over a few times, making Luke's legs buckle under the weight. He groaned under the pressure but ignored his father's pleas to save himself and leave him there.

      They limped slowly and agonizingly out of the throne room, the lift door closing behind them and leaving Anakin's dream form alone.

      Anakin briefly remembered Luke mentioning going to attend a funeral for his father and winced, now knowing that the boy would fail to save the life supported man.

     Suddenly, his dream shifted again and he felt like he was falling. He saw Luke's face briefly, calling for him desperately before he jerked awake, the medcenter coming to focus rather violently.

      Luke was still breathing shallowly before him, dying.

     Anakin swallowed thickly, running a hand through his hair nervously. He stood shakily, staring down at Luke's pale and still form.

     With another squeeze to Luke's lifeless hand, Anakin walked out of the room, nodding to Kirei before numbly finding his speeder and heading to Padmé's apartment.

      He drove normally, a sign something was definitely wrong, and entered the apartment to find Padmé hastily going over several datapads.

     She glanced up at him surprise and then saw how tense he was. Rising slowly with her hand to her belly bulge, Padmé moved towards her husband.

     "Ani?" She whispered.

     "Just hold me." He whispered back.

     Padmé complied instantly and hugged him tightly. Anakin lavished in her beauty, warmth, and kindness. He sighed, nestling in her brown curls and rubbing her stomach lovingly.

      "I won't lose you or Luke, Padmé." Anakin whispered.

     Padmé sighed in concern. "Is that what's bothering you? I'm not going to die in childbirth, Ani. I promise you. And Luke will pull through, I feel confident in that."

     "No, I promise you! I am becoming so powerful with my new knowledge of the Force, I will be able to keep you and Luke from dying." Anakin said, pulling back with a firm but uncertain look in his eyes.

     Padmé stared at him, worry radiating from her chocolate eyes. "You don't need more power, Anakin. I believe you can protect me and even Luke against anything, just as you are."

     Anakin sighed. "I...I think you're right. I just don't want to lose either of you."

     "You won't." Padmé said with a light smile, kissing him firmly and allowing him to lose himself in his problems for the moment, engulfed in her loving embrace.

      For now, it was simply Anakin and Padmé. The universe was void and no longer existed.

     And that was good.

•••

A/N

OMG, we finally know the name of the spy! What what!

Lol, I decided she needed a name.

So introducing a random OC I made for the sake of this book : Kirei (K-EYE-REE) Barizaan (BAR-IS-AHN)!

May the Force be with You,

- lucky_ducky_123