505FORGIVABLE SINNERS
By Laura-chan
Summary: What if Anakin never had dreams of Padmé dying? Would he have fallen in the Sith's grasp? In this AU of RoS Anakin and Padmé, while trying to end the war, struggle to keep secret their relationship, even with their two children, Luke and Leia.
Time: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. AU
Rating: R or M
Pairing: Anakin/Padmé, my favorite.
Warnings: This story is rated R/M for a reason; in future chapters there will be strong scenes.
Also, don't mind too much my mistakes, please - I'm Italian and English is not my first language.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything apart from the plot: characters, places and background situations come from the great mind of George Lucas.
AN: Sorry it took so long. In the end, I got ill (a food intoxication) and spent three days feeling like I had a hammer in my stomach, persistently beating me from the inside. Then, I went on a vacation in Hungary and Slovenia. Now I'm quite busy with my homeworks (school starts the 13th).
CHAPTER 12
The dark shadow was with his back to the door, his gaze lost before the sea of buildings and palaces that formed the city-planet of Coruscant, visible thanks to the window : all was going as he planned… all but a little detail.
He turned his stormy eyes to the comlink on the desk: Katae'eb had failed to report twice in the afternoon, and that meant he'd been captured.
He cursed him and all his fellow bounty hunters: useful, but absolutely not trustful.
So, Senator Amidala was still alive…that woman meant trouble for his plans: she had to be taken care of… and he could have her husband.
He chuckled darkly: with Anakin Skywalker at his side, he will be unstoppable! All those stupid Jedi will all be destroyed, all of them.
And he will control the galaxy.
Anakin Skywalker in that moment was in the cockpit of the Nubian silver ship, controling the radars and consulting with the pilots.
"We'll be at Coruscant in five standard hours, Master Jedi." One of them said to him.
"No ships near us?"
"No, only our starfighters."
Anakin nodded, than turned to exit from the cockpit. "I'm going to check on the Senator."
As he knocked on Padmé's cabin door, he could help but take a deep breath, still shaked by the assassinatin attempt to his wife's life: and his mind was once again full of doubts.
Dormé was the one who opened the door and let him enter: he took a good look around the room, immediately seeing Padmé surrounded by her handmaidens, whom were all cooing at the two babies in her arms.
"Oh, milady, they're simply too cute!"
"I'm sure little Leia will grow to be beautiful like her mother."
"Look at his blue eyes!"
The young Senator just smiled, a bit embarassed at all the compliments, a wide grin appearing on her face as she saw him.
"Master Skywalker." She nodded.
"Senator." He anwered like-wise. "We'll be at Coruscant in five hours: in the meanwhile, I would like to discuss with you about the security measures Captain Typho and I are taking to ensure your safety." His azure eyes glanced at the other women in the room. "Alone, if it possible."
The handmaidens looked offended that he would suspect them, but Padmé waved off their protests. "It's just for my security."
Quickly, Dormé, Sabé, Motée and Eartée left the room, leaving Anakin and Padmé alone.
"Oh, how I wish to stay alone with him, if only for a minute." Motée whispered slyly, throwing a look to the young Jedi's butt as she closed the door.
"He's a Jedi, you know that: you can't have a relationship with him." Dormé shrugged. "And even if you could, I don't think it would be possible." She grinned lopsidely.
"Oh, yes: he only has eyes for her." Eartée giggled.
"But… the babies." Sabé interrupted with a frown, "Could they be his?"
An uncomfortable silence settled between the women, the implications of what Sabé had suggested clear to all of them. Finally, Dormé shook her head.
"How could we know? But I don't think the Senator would be that stupid to have a relationship with a Jedi and also got pregnant with his children." She didn't sound very convinced.
"Love make us all stupid and blind." Sabé said wisely, as a picture of a young Jedi she had met years before flashed through her mind.
"Love?" Eartée was wide-eyed. "Who talked about love?"
Sabé watched her impatiently. "Haven't you seen it? How her eyes lit up when she sees him? Or how her features soften when she's talking to him? Or, again, how she goes all dreamy-eyed when we're talking about him?" the handmaiden arched an eyebrow. "She's quite in love with him: and I won't be surprised if we find out he's in love with her too."
Dormé nodded, her face worried and anxious. "You can feel it, when you're in the same room with them. But this is dangerous! For both our lady and Master Skywalker."
"I will not talk." Sabé said resulutely.
"Neither I." Motée replied indignately.
"None of us will talk." Dormé said firmly. "We're all loyal to our lady."
And with that not-so-silent agreement, they walked to their cabins.
Padmé knew she could get lost into his touch: and she was rapidly forgetting herself while Anakin passionately and desperately kissed her, tongues entwining, as he clutched her to him possessively, almost afraid that if he loosened a bit his hold, she would fade away.
When they broke apart, breathing heavily, he hugged her, his chin over the crown of her hair; sighing deeply, he inhaled the sweet scent that was only hers.
"I was afraid I was going to lose you..." Anakin whispered, refusing to let her see the tears in the corners of his eyes.
"You'll never lose me, Anakin." She smiled. "I'm too tough to disappear like that."
Regardless of what he was feeling, the young Jedi couldn't bite back a laugh.
"Yes, I know. But I wish you wouldn't have to suffer like that."
"Ani, attacks to my life had been a constant thing since I was elected Queen: you should remember what happened just after the elections." Padmé taunted.
When Luke started fussing inside the crib he was sleeping with his sister in, Anakin stood up, taking the baby in his arms and rocking him gently. Padmé watched with a slight smile the interaction between father and son.
"He is calmer with you, you know. You two have formed a special bond."
"It sure comes useful when he wakes up during the night." Grinned Anakin, remembering Luke's cries the night before. "But Leia prefers her mummy."
"I guess."
"Did they let you sleep last night?"
"In the morning." She answered wearily. "You didn't come to bed."
"I know: I had to talk with Captain Typho about the travel."
The couple watched for a few minutes Luke playing with his father's fingers, as the little baby tried to catch the black-gloved hand. Anakin laughed heartily, feeling really at ease for the first time in a long while.
When Luke got sleepy, the young Jedi put him back into the crib, sitting then next to his wife, admiring deeply moved the scene before him.
"I will protect my family." He said softly, "I'll protect you and the children."
"I don't doubt it."
A light touch to his chin chased away the fears that had dwelled deep into him since the attack. Almost.
Anakin sighed and then stood up, a hand over his face. "Padmé...what if I can't protect you?"
"Ani, what do you mean?"
"What if I'm not strong enough?" he looked at his hands, one human, the other mechanical and covered by a glove. "I can't lose you, Padmé. It'd destroy me."
The Senator watched him worriedly: she had never seen her husband so troubled. She rose too, encircling his waist with her arms, leaning her head against his warm, broad back.
"Anakin, do you remember what happened after you proposed to me, three years ago?"
"How could I forget? I was so scared you were going to regret accepting to marry me."
"I told you that it would be difficult, to hid our relationship to others: I was having serious doubts, Ani." She whispered softly.
((Flashback))
"Are you sure this isn't going to destroy us? Keeping our love a secret?"
"Padmé, I know it won't be simple... but I can't live without you: I can't live knowing you're not mine." The Jedi Padawan breathed deeply into the parfumed hair of the woman in his arms.
"But if the Council finds out... you'll be expelled: are you ready for that?" Padmé lowered her head, weeping silently. "Aren't we really doing a mistake?"
"How could it be a mistake?" exclaimed Anakin, tightening his hold on her shoulders. "Why should it be a mistake celebrating our love? We love each other, we shouldn't be ashamed of it!" He had an irate look on his face.
"And this because the Order isn't able to move on from a ancient and out-of-date set of rules!" he muttered under his breath.
Anakin then turned her in his arms, so they could look at each other. "How can love bring to the Dark Side?" he asked hoarsely. "Love is powerful, yes, maybe the most powerful emotion of all... but it's positive: I want to be a Jedi, not only because I love being it," he admitted, "...but also to become strong enough to protect you."
He cupped her face, winching at the sight of his new metal hand, and looked straight into Padmé's eyes.
"I don't want anything to happen to you: I don't want to lose you like I lost my mother. And you're not getting away Padmé." Anakin hugged her fiercely. "Not now, not ever."
The young Senator wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him to her. "I don't want to lose you, too. Oh, Anakin!" she sighed. "Now the Republic is in war and, oh, the Jedi are going to command the clones troops. You're going to leave me..." she trailed off, but he knew what she meant.
"I'm not going to die, Padmé: not now that I have found you." He kissed her gently on the lips, and felt the salty taste of her tears. "Don't cry, Angel."
"Do you promise?"
He smiled.
"I promise I won't die."
"I won't see you very much, will I?"
"With the war going on, yes, we will not see each other often."
"I'll miss you, Ani."
"I'll miss you too, love."
The young Jedi Padawan wiped away her tears, grinning back at her when she smiled shyly.
"I'll be strong." She said.
"You are strong: not many would have faced Dooku or all of those droids." He hugged her once again and then joked. "So...how come you still haven't started planning the wedding?"
And he grinned when he heard her carefree laughter.
((End Flashback))
"Do you regret our marriage?" asked Anakin quietly.
"No!" exclaimed incensed Padmé, "I would never regret it! I love you, Ani, I really do. It's just that I hate not being able to tell the world that you're mine."
"I hate it too. That's why I want to leave the Order."
His wife sat silent for a few minutes, a disappointed look on her face.
"We've already talked about it, Anakin." She eventually said in a quiet voice.
"We'll wait." he nodded.
They enjoyed the moment in silence.
"Good morning, my friend... you seem tired."
Anakin glared at his former Master, who seemed to be enjoying his exhausted face.
"I'd be delighted to see you with two restless babies. Man, I spent three hours trying to calm down Leia."
Obi-wan chuckled, amused. "Ah, the joy of being a father!"
The look his friend threw him made him laugh, the first true laugh since a long time; and Anakin couldn't hid a small smirk.
"Laugh it up: Padmé was thinking about asking you to baby-sit Luke and Leia." Obi-wan stared at him horrified.
"I'm a Jedi, not a baby-sitter!"
And the two burst in laughs together.
"Good job with the bounty hunter, by the way." Smiled Obi-wan, "Master Windu was thinking about interrogating him himself... I wouldn't want to be interrogated by Mace for nothing in the galaxy."
Anakin passed tiredly a hand over his closed eyes, as he thought about his report before the Council, happened just a few minutes before.
"Are you going home?" asked Obi-wan, alluding to the apartment near the Temple that had been assigned to his former apprentice when he had entered the Council as a Master.
"No, I'm going to talk to the Chancellor: I have an appointment in twenty minutes."
Even if his friend tried to hid it, Anakin noticed the worried look on Obi-wan's face.
"Watch out, Anakin. I've told you countless times that I don't trust Palpatine, and I'll tell you again. Don't let your friendship with him cloud your judgement."
Before the younger man could open his mouth to protest, he pleaded. "Please, remember what Padmé and I told you."
Reluctantly, and still not convinced, Anakin nodded.
"Anakin! My friend!"
"Your Excellency." The young Jedi bowed respectfully.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine smiled gently as he stood up from his chair to greet the younger man: he put a wrinkled hand on the Jedi's shoulder.
"It's good to see a friendly face in these difficult times."
Anakin frowned, "I'm not sure I understand what are you saying, Your Excellency: the war is over."
Palpatine shook his head and invited him to sit down on one of the couches in the office.
"My friend, things aren't as simple as they seem: the Senate is weak and still corrupted and the politicians do nothing but argue. And the Jedi..." his eyes hardened. "Son, I need you to make me a favor in honour of our friendship."
"If it is in my power..." Anakin trailed off, utterly puzzled.
Palpatine sighed dramatically, "I need you to be my eyes and ears in the Jedi Council."
To say that Anakin was shocked would be an understatement.
"W-What? What?" he stuttered.
"Chancellor... you're asking me to... spy on the Council for you?" It was a misunderstanding, wasn't it?
"Exactly, my friend."
"But...but..." he didn't know what to say, "...Your Excellency, it's treason... I can't do it."
"Please, Anakin, you must understand..." Palpatine pleaded. "I fear for my life."
"What do you mean, Chancellor?" A serious look took place of the surprised one on the Jedi's face.
"The Jedi Council has too much power... and who has power is afraid to lose it. You will certainly know that the Order is against me accepting more powers from the Senate." Palpatine shook his head. "I'm doing it only for my safety and for the Republic's sake. I love the Republic." He said in a passionate voice. "I spent all my life fighting for the democracy and now the Jedi are not going to destroy it. With the Senate as inconclusive as it is now, I need more powers to chase away the corruption that wears it out." He sighed "But the Council doesn't want this: with the Senate weak, they can rule better and more easily."
"You must be kidding, Excellency!" exclaimed Anakin with wide eyes. "The Council is not like this! We just want to bring peace and justice in the galaxy!"
"This is what they tell you, my young friend." Palpatine said gravely. "Lies, all lies! They started the war, weakening the Republic so it would do nothing against them."
Anakin watched atounished the old man ranting about the Jedi's faults, not wanting to believe what this man - the wise Chancellor of the Republic, a mentor-like friend - was saying.
"I beg your pardon, Chancellor, but you must be ill... it's not possible you're really convinced that the Order would willingly start a civil war that killed many of our men!"
"Anakin, search your feelings." Palpatine said, watching him in the eyes and grasping both his shoulders. "You know the Council doesn't trust me: but also it doesn't trust you."
"They would have never made me a Master if they didn't trust me." The young Jedi snapped back, shaken by those words. "I proved myself trustworth, and they couldn't refuse me the rank of Master after I killed Dooku." 'Not that I'm proud of it.' He thought sadly.
The other man shook his head. "Yes, but they held you back so long, for too long! You said it yourself, remember? When you used to come to me for advice, lamenting the fact that Obi-wan wouldn't allow you to take the trials? And I always gave you my help: how do you pay me back?."
Anakin painfully closed his eyes as he recognized the words for what they really were: emotional blackmail.
"I promise that if someone is conspiring against you, I'll tell you, Your Excellency." With that he bowed and asked to be excused.
"Soon, he will be mine." The shadow chuckled darkly. "Everything is going as planned."
"Milord." A feminine voice came from the darkness near him.
"Yes, Jade?"
A good-looking, middle-age woman came to stand before him, kneeling in submission: in her arms she held a small bundle.
"I've found her."
"Let me see."
Liv Jade moved the blanket of the bundle and a baby's face showed: the little girl was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the two figures that were watching her attentively.
"Good, good, my apprentice: you will take care of her. What's her name?"
"Mara, my master. I will honour you, teaching her all that you've taught me: she will be a perfect assassin."
"Good." White teeth showed when the shadow grinned menacingly: he put a wrinkled hand on the baby's forehead, who started to fuss a bit, almost like she was feeling the evil presence.
"Mara Jade. This will be your name." He tasted it on his tongue: another soul was in his possession.
"Yes... Mara Jade."
(to be continued)
AN: So... do you forgive me for the lateness of this chapter? (puppy dog eyes)
Just remember that I have a life too...
Review Responses:
I will never be able to express all my gratitude for your reviews! Thank you!
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I'm very grateful for your reviews. But please, remember that I'm a girl with her own life: I appreciate the fact that you love my story so much that you want to read it asap... but to write a chapter it takes time.
I WILL finish this story, so you don't have to worry about that.
I may be a bit slow, but I'll always update.
Thank you for your support!