The Decision that Changed Everything

The Nightmare

Darkness and shadows faded in between bursts of light. He could see her face, she was screaming. Agony contorted her face into an ugly, heartbreaking sight. His beautiful wife being torn apart from the inside. And he felt that it was all his fault.

She gripped Anakin's good arm in her hand, her nails digging into his skin as she wailed, her eyes squeezed shut. Her head whipped back as she let out the loudest scream tonight.

"Anakin!"

"It's okay, Padmé, I'm right here. Hold on, everything will be okay."

She screamed again, her voice piercing through his soul, and his chest began to ache. He couldn't bear to watch her suffer. Her grip tightened, and sharp pain raced through him.

Suddenly, it was all gone. He bolted upwards, sitting straight up in the bed. The silk sheets flew off of his upper body, and the cold air made him shiver. Unconsciously, Anakin reached out for her. Warm skin let him know that she was still there, that she never died in childbirth. He let out a breath of relief, and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. His beautiful wife.

Cold air shocked Anakin as he moved away from the warm bed. He couldn't sleep anyway. He grabbed a soft silk robe from the hanger, and slid it on.

The living area of her house was always lit, even in the middle of the night. Tiny lanterns gleamed on the walls, and small lights glittered in the canopy. Her balcony beckoned with its cool night air. He stood with perfect posture, his hands behind his back. For a moment, he sook peace, and closed his eyes.

He sensed her presence before she said anything.

"Ani? Are you alright?" She shivered, clutching her robe to herself, her arms folded across her chest.

"I'm fine, Padmé. You should go back and get some rest."

"How long is it going to take for us to be honest with each other," she asked incredulously.

His heart sank. He didn't want to tell her what he dreamt. But she was his wife.

"I had a bad dream," He said, his shoulders slouched. He felt ashamed that he worried so much.

"About?"

"Death, people I love dying. Like the ones I used to have about my mother. Except, this time, it was about you."

She looked at him, her eyes pleading for a straight answer.

"You die in childbirth," Anakin forced out.

She stared back at him, trembling. Fear gripped her entire body. "And the baby?"

"I don't know," he choked. She drew him close to her, taking him in her arms. He rested his head on hers, clutching her close. It took him a moment to collect himself. "Don't worry," he said. "It was only a dream." On the inside he knew that it was not just a dream, that last time this happened he lost his mother forever. He couldn't let it happen again. And he wouldn't allow it to happen, ever.

***

When Padmé awoke, Anakin was gone. For a moment, she was filled with frustration. She always told him to wake her, but he never did. She pulled the covers of her bed off of herself and moved to the closet to get dressed. Her new extra weight was an obstacle when picking clothing, and concealing the father was even harder.

Speaking of the baby, her thoughts now turned to the darker. What about his dream? Last time, it came true right in front of him. Could it happen again? Was Padmé going to die? She contemplated the possibilities while sliding into a satin gown and tying on her adornments of forest green and cool silver.

What about the baby? Would the baby survive? Or would they both die? Anakin hadn't answered her, and it was all that was on her mind. Dormé, her handmaiden came in to help her, tying and clipping adornments, adjusting dress, choosing shoes, and doing her hair while Padmé stroked her belly with her fingers. She could feel the baby, kicking, reminding her that it was still alive. That was all the strength she needed as she moved forward with her day. She had a senate meeting anyway.

***

Evening came, and Anakin was summoned to talk privately with the chancellor. At the moment, Palpatine was in the largest theater in the city, watching the acrobatics show, so Anakin decided to meet him there. The building was a hubbub of life and color, with bright reds and greens in intricate designs, each telling a different story. Large red carpets were laid out on the deck of the building, and they led all the way up the stone staircases and into the building. Anakin took a deep breath and plunged into the crowd. He was hit by a wall of noise, but somehow he was able to quiet his mind and find the right booth.

Sitting with the chancellor were his friends, his bodyguards and his speaker, all of them peacefully watching the show. Gracefully, Anakin drifted over to them and got down on one knee next to Palpatine's chair.

"Ah," Palpatine said, "Anakin. I've been expecting you." With a complete change of tone he turned to his bodyguard. "Leave us," he said in a deep, dark voice, before he turned to Anakin again. "I understand you need a bit of help."

"Yes, well..." He drifted off. "I've been having these dreams. Like the ones I told you about, the ones I used to get about my mother."

"Yes," he replied. "And you have been getting them again?"

Anakin nodded.

"And who is the subject this time?"

"Someone very close to me."

Palpatine sighed. "Have you ever heard the legend of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"

Anakin shook his head.

"It's not a tale the Jedi would tell you," Palpatine responded. "A long time ago, there was a very powerful Sith Lord. He was so powerful, in fact, that he could influence the midichlorians to create life! He was so wise, that he could even stop the people he loved from dying." He said the last word as a child would sing a song.

Anakin was completely captivated by this story. He hung on every word coming from Palpatine's mouth.

"He was so powerful, there was no one who could defeat him. And he took this knowledge and passed it down to his apprentice, and taught him everything he knew. But his apprentice was treacherous and murdered him while he slept. It's ironic, isn't it? He could stop those he cared about from dying, but in the end he couldn't save himself."

Anakin's eyes darkened. "Is there a way to learn this power?"

Palpatine scoffed. "Not from a Jedi."

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Story Thanks to Emmaisdafawesomeboss