The Chance Of Change

{Chapt. 2}

Lightsabers clashed as blasters were shot.

Screams echoed through the halls of the Temple.

Then blood. So much blood.

Wreckage was strewn all over the crimson stained floor.

Dead bodies everywhere. Not even the younglings were spared from this fate.

The once majestic Jedi Temple ablaze with flames.

The Jedi Order now destroyed in one night.
_____

About two hours after the couple had fallen asleep, Anakin bolted up from his spot on the couch drenched in sweat.

He had seen it all clear as day. Every painful detail. It was all too real.

Padmè began to wake beside her shaken husband. She sat upright when she saw her love awake and with fear in his eyes.

She started rubbing his arm lovingly.

"Ani, are you alright? Was it another dream?" She asked, hoping to find out why Anakin was so panicked.

"Yes. But this one wasn't like the others I've been having. It was so real Padmè. The death. So much death." Anakin told her, his face now frozen with grief.

"What was it Ani? What happened?" She questioned, now looking into his deep blue eyes that still were visible because of the light shining through the slits in the curtains.

Anakin gazed back down at his wife. He realized he needed to stop hiding what he felt from her.

"Padmè. I saw the Temple in ruins." He stated bluntly.

Padmè sat silently, too stunned to say anything.

"I'm not sure if it was real or if my mind is playing tricks on me. I don't know what to think anymore." Anakin continued as he shifted his line of vision from Padmè to the nearby window.

Padmè soon found her voice. "Ani, what if this was real? Do you know if it already happened or will happen?"

"I don't know, Mè. I'm just so confused." He said with a sigh.

Padmè took his hands in hers and kissed his knuckles. "Anakin, I believe that the Force will make this all clear in time. We just need to wait for a little while. And we will always have each other. I'm not leaving you. Not now, not ever."

Anakin smiled sadly and kissed the top of Padmè's head. "Nor I you, Mè. And I won't lose you. I'll keep you from that fate Padmè, I swear it."

Anakin wrapped his arms around his wife and placed his chin gently on the top of her head. Padmè snuggled into his warm body.

"We'll deal with those things as they come." She told him with a yawn.

Soon, both lovers were asleep once again in each other's arms.
<><><>

The two awoke the next morning to a knock on the front door.

They stared at each other in fear for a split second before Anakin quickly found a hiding spot.

Padmè straightened out her dress as she mentally kicked herself for falling asleep on the couch in the previous day's clothing.

She stood up straight as possible and put on her best 'Senatorial Face' as her husband had put it. Then she made her way to the door, where whoever was on the other side still continued to knock loudly and without relent.

She took a deep breath in and finally opened the door, that revealed a troubled Obi Wan.

She held in her fear and surprise at the sight of their close friend.

"I wonder what must've happened to upset Obi Wan so much." Pondered Padmè as she smiled at the Jedi Master. Then she remembered Anakin's dream. "I hope it hasn't already happened yet. Please let it to not of happened yet."

Padmè quickly pulled her thoughts together as she greeted Obi Wan with a polite hello.

Obi Wan and Padmè shared a quick, friendly hug before Padmè lead him over to the sofa where she and Anakin had been only moments ago.

She prayed that Anakin was hiding his force presence from his Master.

She let her friend get his bearings before breaking the unnerving silence hanging in the room.

"What's bothering you, Master Kenobi?" She said finally, making her voice and posture as professional ad possible, as to mask her inner nervousness.

Noting the tinge of fear in her voice, Obi Wan proceeded to answer. "I'm terribly sorry Padmè for barging at such an early hour, but I already looked everywhere where Anakin would be."

Padmè's stomach dropped and her heart came to an abrupt hault as Obi Wan finished speaking.

She tried to hide it as best she could when she replied.

"I have not seen General Skywalker lately. I believe we last spoke two days ago. But may I ask why you came to my apartment to look for the General?"

"Padmè, I am aware you and Anakin are close. He is closer to you than many. I was simply hoping he would be here. I need to speak with him immediately." Stated Obi Wan, the look of fear and guilt written on his face.

Padmè dropped her shields slightly, now a little more concerned about what had happened to Obi Wan.

"Obi Wan, surely something has happened to make you so anxious to talk with Anakin. Please, tell me." She asked, hoping it wasn't as Anakin foresaw.

Obi Wan looked away from Padmè for a moment, his emotions still not fully recovered from what had happened last night.

Padmè sensed Obi Wan's inner turmoil, and rested a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Obi Wan, whatever it is that's bothering you, you can tell me. I'm here for you." Padmè said gently.

Obi Wan still did not turn to face her, but he had begun to speak.

"The Clones turned against the Jedi. Someone activated something called order sixty-six. An order to kill all Jedi. We traced the call back to the Sith Lord we've been looking for." Obi Wan turned around and looked directly at Padmè. "Palpatine was that Sith Lord."

A loud Bang! suddenly came from down the hall at Obi Wan's last statement.

Padmè's face went white. "Anakin..."

Obi Wan was already up and on his way to see what it was that had made that loud noise.

Padmè was too frozen with panic to move or stop Obi Wan from going further into the apartment.

Obi Wan had his hand on his saber as he entered the bedroom.

The last thing he expected to see was Anakin Skywalker laying on a broken caff table.