"This is gospel, for the fallen ones. Locked away in permanent slumber."

- Panic At The Disco This Is Gospel

Narrator's POV

Obi-Wan Kenobi crouched beside Desmond, that same reassuring hand set on his shoulder as he watched the boy cry, hanging his head between his legs, his fingers locked around his head. "I let you all down," he cried. "I failed you. I'm - so, sorry."

Anakin remained standing with Mace, watching his Master's saddened look in his pale blue eyes as he watched the boy cry. Anakin didn't even feel the need to comfort Desmond; as much as he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He almost... knew this was going to happen, and didn't feel bad about it. Desmond had the same fate as Anakin; attempting to help her, and failing. She was impossible to negotiate with.

"Don't feel negatively towards yourself for this situation. She is difficult to talk to, we understand that now," Obi-Wan lulls as Anakin exhales tightly, knowing they didn't trust him to talk to her the first time.

Anakin at last decides, maybe he needs to hear my voice. "Desmond," Anakin says softly, as softly as he could manage, "I... I know she's... gone. I know. And, it hurts, but - we have to accept that now. I'm sorry."

Feeling on the verge of tears, he crouched beside Desmond, locking eyes with Obi-Wan as if he were saying thank you for at last realizing Kyla was gone. Obi-Wan nods discreetly, and Anakin returns, leaning towards Desmond he crouched next to.

"She was my everything," he cried, "The only person I could always talk to. She was the only person I ever had growing up as a slave. She... was my best friend," he choked out, bursting into a sob. "Now she's gone."

Anakin swallowed. "I had a bond with her too," he suddenly says, oddly not feeling as though he should compare himself to this boy as he had been doing since they met.

Desmond looks up, looking life-drained and pale. Weak. "She was great, that Kyla. I don't know how this could've happened. She had such a... promising future. She let it go to waste."

Anakin looks down, overwhelmed by the pain he was experiencing at Desmond's words. He looks up again, and sighs. "She did. I..." he purses his upper lip and glances at his boots again, "I miss her."

Desmond stares ahead and nods painfully. He looked broken, shattered... "Yeah," he weakly says, his voice cracking in between impending sobs that threatened to take over, "I miss her too."

"This is a horrible experience, for the both of you," Mace suddenly comments, "But I think it's best we get out of here as soon as manageable." Of course, Anakin thinks, He has no empathy. There is always a catch.

"I agree," sighs Obi-Wan, rising to his feet, brushing his tunic off. "Anakin, Desmond, I understand how difficult this situation must be for you two - for me, as well, but staying on her cruiser certainly isn't a good idea."

Anakin rises to eye level with Obi-Wan and his feelings take over, leading him to snap at Obi-Wan, "You do not understand this situation, Master."

"Oh really?" chuckles Obi-Wan, and Anakin unclenches his tight fists. "I witnessed my Master die right before my own young eyes, Anakin. He was my father figure, everything I had ever hoped to become. You cannot imagine that kind of situation, Anakin, and I would prefer we not discuss that right now," he says gloomily, turning away from Anakin.

How could I forget Qui-Gon? Anakin thinks strangely, hoping he didn't insult his Master. "I'm sorry, Master. Forgive me, I didn't mean to insult you."

"No worries, Anakin," Obi-Wan assures, "You are hurt and confused. I don't blame you for trying to turn the situation upon somebody else."

Mace exhales, probably thinking everyone else in the hallway had forgotten his presence. "All right, I really believe we should return to Coruscant now. Inform the Council of the failed negotiation."

Obi-Wan nods and turns around to Anakin, who crosses his arms. "Yeah. Yeah, we should get back..." He looks over his shoulder barely at the still-crying Desmond, an image of a boy who had just lost everything.

An image of a boy who just lost everything.

Anakin had to blink instantly to relieve his mind of the dreadful image, himself holding his limp mother in his arms. Everything was so familiar... Back then, he was the boy who had lost everything. Granted, he still had Padmé, Obi-Wan...

But Desmond had truly lost everything. From his parents, to even his home, and now the only person he can truly say he ever loved. Anakin winced in minor pain from trying to emplace himself into the boy's situation - it was far too painful for him to think of enduring.

Anakin shook his head and extended a hand to Desmond, who reluctantly accepted it. Anakin heaves him up to his feet, and Desmond, now embarrassed of the scene he caused, brushes himself off and stands straight. "Uh, yeah, we should... go. I think that would be smart."

All the Jedi look at Desmond, but their looks are suddenly broken at the sound of metal banging and dozens of shuffling feet. Clones, thinks Anakin, she has so many of them here.

"Come on," Mace hesitantly says as all three Jedi ignite their lightsabers - the radiant purple and blue colors shock Desmond into being mesmerized, but he follows their lead. They know Desmond has no defense - and the Clones wouldn't take to their presences too lightly. They were lucky to had gotten inside the hangar without trouble in the first place... but now they had to get out.

And it wasn't going to be easy.

Desmond felt it was exciting, pretending to be on a "Jedi mission" with the three men as they lead him down the corridor, getting closer to the sound of Clones.

They came to a turn in the hallway, breaking off into the hangar. Mace directed the four of them to stand against the wall. Obi-Wan peered around the corner, and immediately shoots his head back behind the wall, shrilly whispering, "There's many of them, all in the hangar."

"What should we do?" whispers Desmond in return.

"They're standing guard," informs Obi-Wan, "And they aren't going to let us leave without a fight."

"I can't defend myself," Desmond whispers, suddenly worried.

Obi-Wan exhales as gently as able to be unheard. "You have to stay here."

Desmond begins to shake his head in objection, but Obi-Wan continues. "We'll retrieve you when it's safe."

Anakin, Mace and Obi-Wan dart out into the open hangar, and Desmond's heart sinks in anticipation. They're Jedi, he thinks, They're trained for stuff like this. They'll all be fine.

The sounds of dozens of blasters and the brisk hum of the lightsabers rings through his ears as he awaits behind the metal wall, only listening to the action. The Clones seemed alarmed by the Jedi's entrance, but the Jedi seemed outnumbered.

He pokes his head around the corner, and lets his breath go when he sees all the Jedi are still standing, and the number of Clones is gradually decreasing. The three Jedi all stand in a back-to-back formation in the center of the huge hangar, defending one another as the Clones surround them, blasters shooting green lasers from every direction.

Desmond wanted to help. He wanted to go out there and give a name for himself. He wanted to protect them, to help them, to prove himself as better than the weak, emotional slave boy.

Suddenly, Desmond watches Mace deflect a laser from a nearby Clone, the Clone's back to Desmond. The blaster leaves the fallen Clone's armored hand and skids across the floor with a shriek - landing at Desmond's feet.

He stares at the blaster wide-eyed, but doesn't act immediately. Do I pick it up? It can't be too hard to use... it's like a gun, right?

He reaches his arm out swiftly and pulls the blaster behind the metal wall, where he would be unseen fiddling with it. Easy, he thinks as he brushes his hands over the contraption, I should go out there and help.

Desmond remembered Obi-Wan's words, "You have to stay here."

But then he remembered how badly he yearned to help. How badly he wanted to prove his worth.

So, he adjusted his posture, and darted out in the open.

"Desmond!" Anakin shouts furiously as he deflects a laser. "What are you doing?"

"Helping," Desmond yells back, shooting and missing at a Clone.

He shoots again, and catches a Clone on his left arm. The Clone is unharmed, but angered. "Desmond," shouts Obi-Wan, "Watch out! You don't know what you're - "

The sharp, quick burst of a laser leaves the Clone's blaster, striking Desmond directly in his heart. His lifeless body falls to the ground, collapsing on the metal floor harshly, the sound ringing in the Jedi's ears as they stare wide-eyed. Out of pure anger, Anakin grows more intense with his defense mechanisms, and begins killing multiple Clones as efficiently as he can. Obi-Wan doesn't try to stop him - he is in awe, both him and Mace, continuing to deflect Clone's lasers.

Anakin manages to break free from the Clones' paths and runs to Desmond's aid, collapsing onto his knees, resting the boy's head on his left one. "Desmond," he breaths frantically, "It's okay. It's okay - we're gonna get you out of here, buddy, I promise - "

The boy hacks a cough, his life weakening. He looks up at Anakin, his blue eyes pleading for some hope as he whispers, "Save... Kyla."

"No, no no no, come on, Desmond, come on!" Screams Anakin, lifting the boy's head higher onto his knee. "Hang in there, please, Desmond, please." Anakin searches the boy's closing eyes for any last chance... he finds none.

Desmond repeats, as his head falls limp to the side, "Save Kyla." Then he is gone.

"NO!" Yells Anakin, his voice echoing through the hangar. "No..."

Just when everything seemed over, out of the darkness, a hooded Demetrious appears, her yellow eyes scanning the disaster-struck hangar and stopping at Desmond's lifeless body in Anakin's arms.

Anakin feels her presence and shoots up, gently setting Desmond on the ground and stepping back, giving Demetrious room.

At her entrance, all the Clones immediately come to a halt, and the three Jedi stop as well. It's silent until her bottom lip begins to quiver and her eyes flicker between the bright shade of yellow and the fading blue. She searches the room again, scanning over every still-alive body. Then she finds the Clone, something in herself telling her this one is the one that killed her brother.

She breathes heavily and quickly, fighting off tears. "HOW COULD YOU?" She yells, nearing the Clone. "Do you not know who this is!?" She shrieks, her voice hateful and brash.

The Clone stutters, "I... No, I - " but his voice stops and breaks into a choke as she stands feet from him, her arm extended, her hand Force-choking the Clone. He drops his blaster and his hands claw at his neck as his feet are lifted from the ground. The three Jedi watch in horror as she releases her grasp on his neck, the Clone's body dropping to the ground, similar to the way Desmond's did.

The Clone coughs, but this tells Demetrious he is still alive. She walks to him, her boots clanking angrily against the metal floor. She ignites her red saber, and doesn't hesitate to slash it across the Clone's neck.

At this instant, she shuts her lightsaber away and darts to Desmond's aid, lifting his head in the way Anakin did only minutes before.

"Desmond..." she choked, breaking into a loud sob as she delicately places his lifeless head onto her knee, "No, please... Desmond..." She began shaking her head rapidly, unable to process what was happening. "Wake up," she cried. "WAKE UP!"

She shook him by his shoulders frantically, but with no response, she gave up, collapsing upon him once again. Her sobs continued, her face reddening, her mouth gaping open but without sound. She brushes his choppy brown hair back with her thumb and whispers, "I'm so sorry. This... this is all my fault. I never meant for this to happen, Des, I... I'm a monster. And now you're dead because of me," She cries. "You're dead because of... me."

Anakin watches from afar, tears rolling down his cheeks as his eyes blankly watched the haunting scene before him. Obi-Wan and Mace watch from a distance, and Anakin can almost see Obi-Wan begin to subtly cry, the scene most likely reminding him of Qui-Gon's death.

Kyla hangs her head, pressing her cheek to Desmond's cold face. "I'm so sorry," she squeaked, not even paying attention to Anakin, Obi-Wan or Mace's presence in the hangar, watching her break down.

Anakin bites his lip to keep from breaking out into a louder sob, much like when his mother died. He couldn't stand to see history repeat itself so much.

The three Jedi continued to watch silently, the Sith Lord sitting in a heap on the floor, sobbing over her brother's lifeless body as the hangar was drained of all life. The once joyful, clueless boy lay lifeless in the twisted Sith Lord's arms as her tears fell onto his face, her sobs muffled under her black Sith robes. Anakin felt his knees weaken, and he collapsed upon them. Unafraid to show his emotions any longer, he sobbed.

The scene was heartbreaking, devastating, something everyone in the room would forever attempt to forget, and fail. Her brother's death not only hurt Anakin, Obi-Wan and even the emotionless Mace Windu... it ruined Demetrious.

It broke her.

A/N: I'M SORRY... I had to. He was a sweet character, Desmond, but he had to go... hopefully you begin to see how his death molds Kyla's character. And, hopefully... that should be one of the only deaths... along with Master Klavis, but he wasn't too important.

New chapters coming soon, and I'm about to update Forbidden - for those of you who are reading that as well.

Stay tuned, and I hope you don't hate me for this! Hey, who knows, maybe his death was really worth it after all...

- Claudia