The Right Choice

A Choice Made

Anakin launches himself forward quickly. He keeps his eyes locked on Master Windu, he cannot bear to look at Palpatine. He reaches out with the Force and wraps it around the Jedi stopping his fall. His stomach flips at the sounds the Sith makes with his lightsaber piercing his middle.

Why could it not have just been silent? He has had enough to haunt his nightmares without the dying sounds of what could have been his only chance to save Padmé. He carefully drops Master Windu to the floor. He is groaning but defiantly alive.

Anakin falls to the floor, weightless. He does not even feel the impact. Numbness spreads throughout his body. He looks over to Palpatine, unwillingly, as if his body has a life of its own.

Even distorted by the Force, his features are so familiar. A face he had come to trust for many years, one who he could share so much to. 'Oh Force'. The man who always believed in him, was there for him when so many others were not. The closest thing to a Farther he had ever possibly had. His face was seemingly frozen in shock with his death. He did not expect Anakin to side with the Jedi. 'Oh Force. He trusted me. And I-'

He crawls closer to the body slowly, tripping over himself. He did not want to, but he could not help it, he could not control the impulse. He reached for his Lightsaber, gasped in an old withered hand. Where it had been held in shock.

Palpatine's hands fall heavily to the floor. The right briefly brushing against Anakin's thigh. His throat closes up and the beginnings of tears burn at his eyes. That sensation, the feeling of a comforting hand resting on his thigh – The feel of a supportive hand on his shoulder. 'What have I done?".

He turns away, no longer able to look at the man dead before him. Moving slowly to stand, he grips his lightsaber tight. Everything feels as if he is trapped in sand. Every movement he makes feels too slow, too clumsy. It makes him want to scream. But he cannot, it seems that same sand is in his throat, chocking him. His tears begin to fall, seemingly getting faster and faster.

Anger fills his chest, making him feel sick. He hurls his lightsaber across the room. He does not want it, not anymore. And never again.

The anger quickly leaves him and he is on the floor again. He feels like a puppet with his strings cut loose, freefalling. "What have I done?" he whispers brokenly to himself.

Suddenly white is all he can see. All his muscles pull tight and pain overtakes him. He is sure he can feel the spit in his mouth boiling, scolding and blistering his mouth. He cannot even scream, his mouth gasping in agony.

When the onslaught stops, his body weakly falls to the floor. He barely hears the approach of the other over the sharp ringing of his ears. Dark well-polished boots fall into his half-lidded gaze. The boot wedges itself under his cheek and lifts his face to looking at his attacker.

Venomous yellow eyes look down on him mockingly. Palpatine begins to laugh, a horrid weak sound... as if was choking on his own fluids. "You have made the wrong move, Jedi" he spits mockingly. "Now you really have sealed your wife's fate. There will be nobody to save her, I'm afraid. No one who can or will. She will die" Palpatine crouches down next to Anakin slowly, an almost pitying look on his face. "She will die and it will be all your fault. You have failed her, Anakin." Palpatine's face contorts into a grin. "Now, now. Don't cry. You wouldn't want to add disgrace to your failure would you?".

The Sith stands up tall once again "Oh, how far the Jedi have fallen to have looked to you as their 'Chosen One'. It's a shame really, I had hoped for more from you. You had wanted more of yourself too. You were never amounted to any more than a trophy, a game. You were more at one point, but it went wrong. Like a spoiled meal. A real disappointment."

Anakin slowly tries to curl his convulsing body in on itself. Wonting to shutout the words that seemed to stroke his fears. To block out the world and just disappear like everything he loves will... has.

Palpatine look's at Anakin's lightsaber in his hands. "I suppose you are not all a lost cause. There is no doubt that your connection to the Force is strong. However without discipline, that isn't worth much. No. You need work, to be brought back into shape." Palpatine ignites Anakin's lightsaber and directs it at him. "I am not without mercy, my boy. Join me, as my disciple and I will show you how to save Padmé's life. I will show you the power of the Dark Side, just give your allegiance to me"

"Sky-wak-r" croaks from behind Anakin. He does not turn his head, but he listens. "He can't save her-"

Palpatine snarls at Windu darkly, then with a quick turn, looks at Anakin caringly "Don't listen to him, Anakin."

Windu groans in pain as he tried to push himself up. "Listen to Obi-wan. He trusts you... He always ha-"

"He lies, Anakin. They never trusted you. They fear how powerful you'd become. They have held you back. It is because of the Jedi that you couldn't save your mother"

Windu closes his eyes and hits the ground lightly. "The Dark Side is selfish, Anakin. It only ever takes. He cannot saver her" he moans quietly.

"What!" Anakin exclaims. Shock and anger fills him. He wants to turn over and find out what Windu means. He wants to get up and make Palpatine tell him why he had not said anything about this. Why nobody seemed to tell him about this. Why he was always the last to know. Why no one seemed to trust him. Why the council did not trust him.

"Yes, good, Anakin" Palpatine draws out. "I feel your anger. It makes you strong... gives you power. The power you need to save Padmé. The Jedi lie, you can't trust them. They never trusted you. Trust has to go both ways"

Anakin pushes himself up, his body shacking slightly from the lightning. He looks to the bodies of the Jedi in the Chancellor's office. He reaches out to the Force, calling one of their fallen Lightsabers to him.

Anakin turns to Windu, dimly aware of Palpatine laughing behind him. //Windu turns to him and looks him directly in the eyes, honesty written all over his face "If what you have told me it true, you will have gained my trust"// Palpatine was right, trust went both ways. And right now, he does not think he can trust Palpatine. Not after all that has happened here. But, he trusts his Master. His Master trusts the council. And, it seems, Windu trusts him. So, he will choose to put his trust in the Jedi. And in the Light Side of the Force. For Padmé.

Anakin turns quickly onto Palpatine, stopping his laughter. The Sith having only just put up his lightsaber in time. Anakin leans forward putting all his weight onto the saberlock, using his greater size and strength to his advantage.

Palpatine feints out of the lock and puts some distance between himself and Anakin. "They never trusted you, my boy. What makes you think they would help you save Padmé? I am the only chance she has."

Anakin stalks forward with firm grip on the lightsaber. Determination stealing his steps. "The Force is my ally. And a powerful ally it is" he quotas Master Yoda at Palpatine. "I don't need or want the darkness you offer, Sith" Palpatine growls as he jumps at him, lightsaber swinging.

It was decided. They fought back and forth around the chambers. Braking furniture and slashing walls. The pace was fast and desperate as they traded blows and blocks. It was to the death it seemed, and nether were willing to loose. It was this determination that fuels them to push on that bit further, to swing their blade that bit faster. There was no room for missed steps, any mistake could be fatal.

But mistakes are inevitable, and eventually one of them gives. A foot slipping an inch too far on an ornate rug on the floor. A quick move utilising the opponent's overbalance, and a lightsaber goes flying across the room.

Anakin hits the floor with a thud, weaponless. He moves onto his knees carefully.

Palpatine looms over him darkly "This is the last chance, boy. Join me or die" Anakin looks up at him from where he kneels on the floor, defiance etched into this face. The Sith growls lowly "So be it" Palpatine swings his killing blow.

At the last moment Anakin's hand grabs the Palpatine's lightsaber – His lightsaber, he notes in the back of his mind. The Sith Lord snarls at him. Anakin smiles back and with the superior strength of his prosthetic hand he twists outwards. He dimly hears the sounds of the Sith's wrist braking over his pained cry.

As the Sith falls backwards in shock, letting go of the lightsaber. Anakin moves forward quickly, beheading him with his reprocessed lightsaber. Anakin looks down at his body, unfeeling.

He drops his lightsaber to the floor and rushes over to Windu. "Master?" he calls quietly. He carefully pulls the Jedi Master into his lap carefully. "Master Windu, I- ... I'm sorry. I-"

Windu looks up at him, a small half smile on his face. "You did well, Skywal-ker." He says quietly, eyes closing again.

Anakin can feel the tremors cursing through the Master's body, the damage of the Lightning or the shock of losing a limb, he is unsure. He reaches into the Master's pocket for his commlink, asking the Force not to let another die because of him.

Anakin pulls the commlink and was about to signal the Jedi Temple when he notices the light signalling missed transmissions. "Strange. I didn't hear anything" Anakin thinks, "But there were more important things". Anakin pulls himself back on track and signals the Temple.

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Notes: I had trouble with the fight scene. I even considered not having a fight scene. But, Palpatine would not just die. So, I did my best. However I seemed to put off the fight scene with a whole lot of angst. :I

This IS meant to be a happy story... well, I want it to be. I am trying to make it one.

I was rather happy to have included Yoda's saying of "For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is"

I also considered splitting this chapter in two... but I think I have stretched the 'Palpatine confrontation' long enough. Especially considering this is all meant to be happening rather quickly. well, kind of...
This chapter is really long. O.o I am rather impressed. Fun fact. Chapter 3 (This Chapter) is only 88 words less then the first two chapters combined. So to this point, Chapter 3 is roughly 50% of the story going on the word count. I think that is some what amazing (Even if this is early in the story).
This is now (at this point of time) my largest story yet with 3533 words. It may not seem like much, but I am proud.