A/N: This is my take on what would happen if Anakin never turned to the dark side, as requested by ElviraWhovianPadawan128. No copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialogue is the same as in ROTS, because I chronicle the key events leading up to Anakin's turn.

Thanks so much for reading!

Chapter 1: The Sith Lord

"For your own good, stay out of this affair. I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgment." Mace Windu meant business. Even someone unskilled in the Force could sense Anakin's inner turmoil. Conflicting emotions swirled around his body like a whirlwind. He and the council had been tracking the hidden Sith Lord's whereabouts for years. Now they had him.

"I must go, Master." Anakin was afraid, but wanted to be there when Mace arrested Palpatine. He knew the chancellor better than any Jedi. He was more powerful than any Jedi. Anakin knew he should be there. He knew Palpatine wouldn't go down without a fight. At the same time, Anakin wondered if he wanted Palpatine to go down at all.

"No. If what you told me is true, you will have gained my trust. But for now, remain here." Mace's words did not allow room for argument.

"Yes, Master," replied Anakin, seething with disgust. So Master Windu doesn't already trust me? he thought. He has to see the Sith Lord for himself first? This thought angered Anakin to the core. All of these years of dutiful service to the Order and Master Windu still questioned his loyalty.

"Wait for us in the Council Chamber until we return." With that, Mace was off.

"Yes, Master," whispered Anakin. He stomped back into the Temple, to his assigned post.

Giving Anakin time alone to think was the worst thing Mace could have done. First, Anakin thought about Mace's remarks. They continued to infuriate him. The Council had made him spy on the chancellor, violating the ethics of the Jedi Code. Then, they wouldn't even let him participate in his arrest. Anakin's thoughts drifted to Padmé. Intoxicating Padmé. Sweet Padmé. Bold Padmé. Padmé the Senator, Padmé the wife, Padmé the mother. Throughout his entire life, Anakin's visions had never failed to materialize. He could not let Padmé die. Not now, not ever. Could Chancellor Palpatine really save his wife from dying? Did anyone have that power?

Anakin concentrated on remembering all his dealings with the Chancellor. His first words to nine-year-old Anakin had been, "We will watch your career with great interest," after the young boy had destroyed the Trade Federation's Naboo blockade base. Through the years, Palpatine had complemented him endlessly and developed a strong rapport with him. Anakin never questioned the Chancellor's authenticity but instead readily accepted the praise. It was more praise than Obi-Wan ever bestowed on him. He deserved it.

Anakin's mind raced to his recent encounter with the Chancellor Palpatine. The conversation had begun simply to alert the leader that Obi-Wan had made contact with General Grievous. Instead, Palpatine had talked of the dark side of the Force. The esteemed leader has revealed his affiliation with the Sith Order! Palpatine was the Sith Lord, who had been living and working under the Jedi's noses for years. Anakin had had the chance to kill him, but refused. He liked to think he refused because it wasn't the Jedi way to kill anyone, other than in self-defense. Palpatine had not threatened him. Deep down, Anakin knew that he did not spare Palpatine's life because he wanted to obey the Jedi Code. He needed Palpatine if Padmé were to have any chance of survival. So, he had turned him into the Council, knowing that they would not kill a man without a trial.

Obi-Wan Kenobi felt a disturbance in the Force. He could still feel a powerful connection to Anakin Skywalker, though they were no longer Master and Apprentice. He knew Anakin was struggling. Right now the Jedi Master was on the planet Utapau. He was hanging over the edge of the cliff. Within a split second, General Grievous would throw him over the edge, using some ruthless tactic Obi-Wan couldn't fathom. Anakin's desperation propelled Obi-Wan to focus. He summoned the Force around him, allowing its strength to enter his bones. He summoned Grievous' nearby blaster and it flew into his hand. Without a second thought he blasted the mechanical Separatist's beating heart. Grievous was gone.

There was no time to waste. Obi-Wan headed to a clone starship and immediately took off. From the air, he contacted He contacted the Jedi temple to let them know Grievous had been destroyed. Then, he commanded his troops to continue their fighting. He was somewhat confident that the skilled clones could hold their own now that Grievous was out of the picture.

Obi-Wan always saw through his obligations until the end, but this time was different. He had to get to Anakin.

"Anakin, are you there?" he barked into his comlink. His voice radiated distress. No answer.

He knew the young Jedi was in trouble. This trouble was the deep and personal kind that only someone who had known Anakin for fourteen years could sense. With all the pressure put on him in the past few months, Obi-Wan worried he might be too late. Since worry wasn't doing him any good, he focused on summoning the Force to keep him calm.

As he grew closer to reaching the Deep Core of the galaxy, Obi-Wan tried to make contact with Mace Windu, one of the few Council Members still on Coruscant. He did not pick up.

Anakin jogged down the halls of the Galactic Senate building, until he came to Chancellor Palpatine's office. Master Windu and the Council Members had taken too long. Anakin knew something had gone awry. He burst through the doors and gasped in horror. Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin lay slain on the floor. He ran towards the sounds of a fight coming from the next room. There, Master Windu was pointing his violet lightsaber at the Chancellor, who had no weapon.

"You are under arrest, My Lord," Mace Windu said.

Anakin hurried over. For the first time in his life, he couldn't move. He couldn't even raise his lightsaber.

Palpatine turned toward him. "Anakin! I told you it would come to this. I was right. The Jedi are taking over."

Mace Windu gritted his teeth. "You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over . . . you have lost . . . "

But the Chancellor wasn't finished yet. "No! No! You will die!" He raised his arms. Electric blue currents sprang from his hands. Mace Windu tried to deflect them with his lightsaber.

The two men accused each other of being a traitor. They yelled and countered each other, and appealed to Anakin for help. Anakin didn't know what to believe. Master Windu hadn't trusted him. Palpatine had been loyal.

"I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him!" cried the Chancellor weakly. Anakin jolted awake at Palpatine's words.

A thought came to him. If Palpatine was lying about his identity as a Sith, was he also lying about saving Padmé? Just to get me to join the Sith Order?