Chapter Text
Anakin knew he should have been happy to see his wife’s ship landing outside (and of course he was happy, there was no denying that), but he couldn’t help being filled with a sense of bitterness; he had told her to stay at home and wait for him. It wasn’t safe for her here, especially at this point in the aggressive negotiations. What if more Seppies showed up? He had killed the most important ones, but there were hundreds of separatist leaders who would be outraged to hear of the Republic’s victory. And what if there was an accident with the lava? This much heat couldn’t be good for Padmé or the child.
He made his way down to the landing platform as fast as he could, barely slowing as he stepped over the bodies he had left on the floor. Padmé was already coming down the ramp of her ship, running to greet him. Anakin reached out his hands, embracing her, relieved that she was safe.
“I saw your ship,” Anakin said, not wanting to let go. He never wanted to let go, not now that they were safe. Not now they could stop hiding. “What are you doing out here?”
Padmé stepped backwards, looking up at him, her eyes glistening in the red glow of the lava. “I was so worried about you.” She started to slowly shake her head in disbelief. “Obi-Wan told me terrible things.”
“What things?” Anakin said, anger creeping into his voice now. Had Obi-Wan been part of the Jedi rebellion? What poison had he been filling Padmé’s head with? He didn’t want to believe that Obi-Wan was a traitor, but he had been on the council. He would have known. He had faked his own death once, and the council hadn’t thought to tell Anakin. Obi-Wan hadn’t thought to tell Anakin. He would’ve kept him in the dark about this as well.
Tears were now rolling down Padmé’s face. “He said you’ve turned to the dark side. That you… killed younglings!” She gasped, resting her forehead against his. So Obi-Wan was part of the plot as well. The younglings had been unfortunate, but they were still Jedi. They may not have been a threat at that moment, but in five years’ time? In ten years’ time? They could have the potential to destroy their new empire. And he had NOT fallen to the dark side. He knew he was using techniques the Council would have disapproved of, but he knew what he was doing. He was determined not to let the darkness consume him; he was in complete control. He was above such things as light and darkness.
“Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me.”
“He cares about us!”
Obi-Wan knew? “Us?” Anakin asked. He had been so careful hiding his relationship. Had Padmé told him about them?
“He knows.” Padmé confirmed, letting go of Anakin. “He wants to help you.” Anakin smirked slightly at this, unable to believe that she could be this naïve. “Anakin, all I want is your love.” she said, searching his eyes for any sign he was still Anakin.
“Love won’t save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that.” He knew what was coming. He had seen it in his visions, every night having to watch his love die. Why couldn’t she understand that?
“But at what cost? You’re a good person, don’t do this!”
He knew what was coming. He had seen it in his visions, every night having to watch his love die. Why couldn’t she understand that? “I won’t lose you the way I lost my mother. I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of. And I’m doing it for you. To protect you.”
Padmé was crying; Anakin could barely remember the last time she had cried. She held his head in her hands, her voice shaky. “Come away with me. Help me raise our child, leave everything else behind while we still can!”
“Don’t you see? We don’t have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the chancellor. I- I can overthrow him! And together, you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want to be.”
Padmé took a step away from him, shaking her head in denial. “I don’t believe what I’m hearing. Obi-Wan was right, you’ve changed.”
Turning his head away for a second, Anakin was filled with anger. Obi-Wan had been his friend! How could he turn on him like this? “I don’t want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me, don’t you turn against me!”
“I don’t know you anymore. Anakin, you’re breaking my heart! You’re going down a path I can’t follow.”
“Because of Obi-Wan?” Anakin asked, his voice carefully showing no hint of his bitterness towards Obi-Wan or the fear he felt at the thought of not having Padmé by his side.
“Because of what you’ve done! What you plan to do! Stop, stop now! Come back!” Behind her, Obi-Wan emerged from the depths of her ship, standing at the top of the ramp. So she had chosen her side. “I love you!”
“LIAR!” He screamed, unable to comprehend his wife’s betrayal.
Padmé spun around to see what had caused his outburst, then frantically looked between the two, searching for any sign of reconciliation between them. “No!”
“You’re with him.” Anakin continued, striding towards her as Obi-Wan approached. “You brought him here to kill me.” He reached out to her with the force, choking her.
“No.” Padmé said as she grasped at her throat, trying to fight off the hand that wasn’t there.
“Let her go, Anakin.” Obi-Wan interjected, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. “Let her go.”
Realising what he was doing, Anakin unclenched his fist, letting Padmé drop to the floor, feeling a wave of fear wash over him. Had he hurt her? Had he hurt their child? Turning to Obi-Wan, he yelled, “You turned her against me!”
“You have done that yourself.” Obi-Wan said, glancing down worriedly at his friend lying on the floor.
Anakin began pacing up and down. “You will not take her from me!” Obi-Wan couldn’t tell if it had been a trick of the light, but he could have sworn Anakin’s eyes had flashed yellow.
Obi-Wan let his cloak drop from his shoulders. “Anakin, I am not the one who just tried to kill Padmé. I am not the one who committed genocide.” His voice started to break. “And I am not the one who murdered innocent children!”
Anakin continued pacing. “The Jedi were going to overthrow the Republic! I learned of it from the chancellor himself! Unlike you, I am loyal. Where the Jedi didn’t trust me, Chancellor Palpatine does! I did this because I care about Padmé.”
“You did this because you care about power, Anakin. If you really cared about Padmé she wouldn’t be lying on the ground unconscious.” Anakin could offer no response. “Do you love Padmé?”
How could he ask that? “Of course I do! I’ve never stopped thinking about her from the day we met.” Obi-Wan was now crouched beside her, checking her pulse. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“I’m going to take her into the ship so she can get medical attention, okay? Then we can discuss this.” Not waiting for a reply, Obi-Wan scooped up Padmé and carried her to her ship, silently hoping Anakin wouldn’t stab him in the back. He laid her down on the bed and powered up the medical droid. “Take care of her.” he instructed C-3PO as he left to return to Anakin.
“I’ve been having visions.” Anakin said, his back turned to Obi-Wan. “Of Padmé dying. The chancellor told me he was trained in the dark side and knows how to save her.”
Obi-Wan shook his head, aghast at Anakin’s naïvety. “The Jedi can save her. Healing isn’t a dark side skill.”
“But the Jedi couldn’t know we were married! You couldn’t know we were married!” Anakin spun around, his eyes red from tears and ash.
“They didn’t have to know! And for what it’s worth, I doubt they’d have cared, Anakin. The whole point of the ‘no attachments’ rule was to stop things like this happening! And I am disappointed that you thought you couldn’t talk to me about this. I’ve suspected it for years, I’ve been certain of it for months! You haven’t been very subtle, kissing in public. In fact, I’ve been trying to help stop the council from finding out, by distracting them. Calling emergency meetings, faking injuries.” He gave a sad smile. “I even ended up complimenting Master Windu on his hair once so he wouldn’t turn around and see you two.” He could have sworn Anakin had smiled slightly at that. “But you never trusted me enough to tell me. Why?”
Anakin didn’t know why. Had he been scared? Did he think Obi-Wan would abandon him if he knew the truth? “I think… I wanted to. I know I wanted to. But you’re a perfect Jedi. You’re on the council. At first I didn’t want to worry you, get you involved. I was scared you wouldn’t understand. Then I realised you would understand, because of Satine. And I was going to tell you. But then after Satine died it didn’t feel fair to bring it up.”
“But you told Palpatine.”
“I didn’t tell him! He just knew and offered to help me save her. I couldn’t refuse, not after the visions of my mother came true.”
Obi-Wan couldn’t believe this. “Anakin! Palpatine. Is. A. Sith. Lord. He’s manipulating you. Why can’t you see it?”
Anakin took out his lightsaber, igniting it. “He’s not manipulating me!” He growled, charging forwards, lightsaber raised over his head.
Obi-Wan pulled out his own lightsaber just in time to block Anakin’s, deflecting it and moving backwards. “Anakin. I won’t fight you. You’re better than this. I know the Order had its flaws-” Anakin swung at him again, their lightsabers crashing. “But this is out of hand. Thousands of Jedi, killed by their own troops. Why were you so adamant that a Sith Lord should stand trial, that he should be allowed to live, and not the Jedi who fought by your side all this time?” Another swing, another block. “Do you really think they deserved to die?!”
“OF COURSE I DON’T!” Anakin screamed, bringing his lightsaber down towards Obi-Wan, who made no effort to block it this time. The lightsaber stopped, inches from Obi-Wan’s neck. “I don’t know what I think anymore.” He fell to his knees, his lightsaber deactivating and clattering to the floor. “I don’t know.”