Breaking Destiny's Bonds

Chapter 1: Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Star Wars. I am simply borrowing them for the time being.

A/N: Well, I stuck my toe into the waters of Star Wars fan fiction with my one shot "Duality of a Single Man" and I got some positive feedback on that. So I figured I'd try writing a more in depth story. This is how Star Wars would have gone had Anakin been using common sense and had realized the error of his ways before it was too late.

A/N: I've never actually seen "Revenge of the Sith." but I've seen a few scenes online and I've pieced together events from reading Wikipedia. So, don't kill me if I got something wrong. Please be kind, I'm still new to this. I hope you enjoy this first chapter.

Anakin Skywalker stared in shock at the Chancellor. Sudden realization had come to him upon witnessing Mace Windu's death. He stared in horror at the man he had been attempting to defend. This man would not care whether Padmé lived or died. Did he really hold the key to Anakin's wife's survival? Anakin was beginning to doubt that.

Palpatine approached the young Jedi. In his mind, he had Anakin right where he wanted him. He was about to speak when Anakin beat him to it. "You used me," he said softly.

"Indeed I did," Palpatine shamelessly confessed. "Now, join me," he smiled, knowing he had Anakin in the palm of his hand.

"No one can stop death," Anakin's common sense had come back to him full force. He was such a fool for trusting this man. There had to be another way to save Padmé, he couldn't just turn his back on everything. Padmé would never forgive him if he saved her by joining forces with this evil man.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber "I'm gonna finish what Mace started," he stated.

Palpatine laughed and the next thing he knew, Anakin had been flung against the wall of the Chancellor's office. A burst of Force lightening ripped through his body. "Foolish boy," Palpatine sneered "Join me if you value your own survival. In a matter of hours, the Jedi will no longer exist."

Anakin sat up, staring daggers at the man who had once been like a father to him. He stood and prepared to face Palpatine but felt himself thrown backwards again. While Anakin lay there, Palpatine moved around the room. Anakin wasn't aware of what the Chancellor was doing but the next thing he knew, he felt the deaths of many Jedi through the Force.

Anakin realized that he was not powerful enough to defeat Darth Sidious on his own. He managed to struggle to his feet once more and made his escape from the Chancellor's office.

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His plan was simple, go to the Jedi Temple, round up any help he could find and return to face Palpatine with an army of Jedi behind him. He ran as fast as his legs, and the Force would allow him.

He reached the temple only to find it surrounded by Clone Troopers. Anakin gasped as the echoes of an overwhelming barrage of blaster fire reached his ears. He activated his lightsaber and attempted to fight his way into the temple.

He managed to make his way inside only to see that the floor was already littered with the bodies of slain younglings. Around him, the massacre continued. He brought his blade up to block a well aimed shot just in time to keep from joining the bodies at his feet.

Anakin spotted a small group of children huddled against a wall. They were still alive, though the oldest of them, a girl whose name Anakin couldn't quite remember, had been hit in the shoulder with a blaster bolt.

Anakin rushed over to the children and took up a defensive position in front of them "Follow me," he said confidently "I'm gonna get you out of here." The four children followed him closely and without question as he managed to lead them out of the temple.

When they were a safe distance away, Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and turned to the children. He knelt and lifted the girl with the blaster wound into his arms "What are your names?" he asked of them.

"Lya Quee," the girl in his arms murmured.

"Raile Eros," one of the small boys stated.

"Quix Covell," the other small boy said softly.

"Jenica Zem-Ette," the other little girl answered.

"We have to get you someplace safe," Anakin told them as in the distance, he could see smoke rising from the temple.

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Padmé was surprised when Anakin showed up, with a child in his arms and three other children following close behind him. She was even more surprised when he spoke "We have to leave Coruscant, now."

"What? Why?" Padmé asked, her hand unconsciously coming to rest on her swollen belly. She could sense the desperation in her husband's voice "What is it?" she asked even as the group headed towards her ship.

Anakin did not want to worry her. He did not want to tell her that upon seeking medical attention for Lya, he had been accosted by a squadron of clones and that he and the band of surviving younglings had barely survived. He couldn't tell her that even now, they were being chased. Sidious had ordered that Anakin, Padmé and anyone found aiding them were to be executed.

But he did not wish to worry her so he remained silent as R2-D2 settled himself into position to aid Anakin in the piloting of the ship and 3PO aided Padmé in tending to Lya's wound as best they could.

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"Find them, we must," Yoda stated as he and Obi-Wan watched the holographic replay of the massacre. Yoda's small green hand pointed to Anakin, nobly leading the four surviving younglings away from the carnage.

Obi-Wan nodded "I think I know where to start looking," he informed the Jedi Grand Master.

But when he and Yoda managed to reach Padmé's residence, having more than a few close calls with clones along the way. They found that no one was there. Yoda told Obi-Wan to attempt to locate them. Yoda stated that he had unfinished business to attend to but would not elaborate..

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"We'll be safe here," Anakin told the group as he navigated the ship through the Polis Massa asteroid field, searching for the medical facility.

"Good," Padmé appeared behind him. Polis Massa had not been their first choice. They had first attempted to flee to Naboo only to find that Palpatine was one step ahead of them. They had barely managed to jump to hyperspace just before being destroyed by the ships that had been lying in wait for them.

Anakin turned to her "How's Lya?" he inquired, reaching up and taking his wife's hand in his.

"3PO and I did the best we could," Padmé told him "But she needs to be in a proper medical facility.

"She will be," Anakin told her just as he got his docking instructions from Polis Massa.

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"Will Lya be okay?" Jenica asked as soon as she saw Anakin emerge from the room.

Anakin smiled and took a seat beside Jenica "The doctors say that she's gonna be just fine," he told her "She just needs to rest for a little while."

Padmé came over to Anakin "Obi-Wan is here," she informed him "He says he's been looking for you."

"I should go speak with him," Anakin stood "Could you watch over them for me?" he asked as he took his wife's hand and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

Padmé smiled as he pulled away "Of course," she assured him before sitting down beside Jenica and the boys.

Anakin gave her another lingering kiss before heading off to meet up with his former master.

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Obi-Wan could not help giving Anakin a hug as soon as he saw him "Thank the Force you are here," he breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was just about to say the same thing," Anakin said. He grew serious "How many have fallen?" he asked.

"Too many to count," Obi-Wan said sorrowfully "The group of younglings you saved from the temple, you, me, and Master Yoda seem to be all that is left of the Order."

"Any word from Ahsoka?" was the next question from Anakin's mouth. He did not want to believe that his former padawan had fallen. He had felt many Jedi deaths through the Force but not hers.

"Nothing," Obi-Wan told him.

The two Jedi fell into silence. It was not until nearly a full five minutes later that Anakin spoke "It was Palpatine."

"I know," Obi-Wan replied.

"He manipulated me," Anakin continued "I've had visions, of Padmé, dying," he admitted. Anakin took a deep breath "He told me he knew the secret to stopping death. I believed him," he let his head drop "I almost joined him Master. I almost turned to the Dark Side."

Obi-Wan looked upon the young man whom he thought of as a brother. He took a step closer to his former padawan "But you did not," he said as way of assurance.

"No," Anakin nodded "I did not turn. Padmé would never forgive me if I chose to turn my back on the light to save her." He looked down at his feet for a moment "The Sith don't hold the secret to stop death, do they."

"No," Obi-Wan replied "I do not believe anyone does."

Anakin looked up to the ceiling "I thought as much," he murmured. He knew that there was no way that he could save Padmé. Just like his mother, she would die. But their child would still need someone.

At that moment, Quix came running up to them "The Senator told me to come find you," the small boy said breathlessly.

Anakin turned and knelt before the small boy "What's wrong?" he asked, trying not to appear to the boy as desperate and afraid, though that was how he felt.

"She told me to tell you," the boy paused and tilted his head as if trying to remember something. Anakin had to remember to remain patient. "She wanted me to tell you that… her… water's broken," Quix said hesitantly.

A/N: I usually write chapters that are a bit longer but I felt this was a good place to stop it. Please, let me know what you think.