Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or anything that has to do with it, George Lucas does (Darn it! Oh well but if he ever wants to sell it...)

Summary: AU One year after Attack of the Clones Anakin and his family are on the run from the Empire. As they try to hide on Naboo, problems begin from within as Qui-Gon's health begins to fail.

Warnings: Nothing for this chapter.

Author's Note: This was my first attempt at fanfiction that I started in 1999 and I have rewritten it several times in order for it to tie into the movies a bit better. I just tried to fix some of the spelling, grammar and typing mistakes but bear with me. My CP and dyslexia makes it hard to catch everything.

Prologue: On the run again

Anakin Skywalker was drawn out of a troubled meditation trance when he heard his wife scream his name. Padme! He cried through the Force as he stood and ran down the path he had taken that morning while pulling his Lightsaber from his belt as he sped up.

As the young man got closer to the two tents that he, his wife and two other Jedi had been calling home for only a week Anakin could make out several angry voices demanding to know where he was.

The Jedi Padawan stood frozen in horror as he watched three well-built alien bounty hunters held the younger of his two Jedi Masters against a large rock as another continuously hit him in the chest and abdomen. It broke his heart to watch Obi-Wan Kenobi live up to his own training and the love he possessed for the young man by not saying a word.

It took all of Skywalker's resolve not to jump out of the bushes he was using as a shield and give himself away as he heard Kenobi finally cry out in pain when the largest bounty hunter hit him in the lower back.

A previous injury to Obi-Wan's back only six months before made it almost impossible for the Jedi Knight to move fast enough to avoid the blow. Obi-Wan was healing, slowly, but being hit like that was going to make things much worse.

Seeing that they finally found a weak spot on their prisoner, the bounty hunters used it to their advantage by hitting the young knight in the back with no sympathy or interruptions, "Where is the Jedi brat!" The leader yelled as one of his subordinates hit the Obi-Wan again. The human yelled something back in a language that the alien wasn't able to understand and earned himself a blow across the face. "Speak so that we all can understand!"

What the bounty hunters didn't know was that Obi-Wan had sensed his Padawan was watching them and was telling the young man to escape into the outlining rainforest by using the native language of the man they both called their father.

Unwilling to leave the man who was his friend and the closest thing he had to a brother behind to die, Anakin pulled out the handcrafted dagger that his adoptive father presented it to him on his fifteenth birthday, snuck up behind the bounty hunters and used the beautiful but deadly weapon to swiftly end their lives.

The young Padawan did his best not to hurt Obi-Wan anymore as he swiftly caught the battered Jedi Knight as he started to collapse and gently lowered him to the ground. "Master Kenobi?" He asked as the other struggled to stay conscious. "Master Kenobi, please! Come on, stay with me!"

"Anakin." Kenobi said as his apprentice pulled up his tunic and gasped in shock at the mass of bruises that was already forming on his chest. "Go find your wife and our father."

"I can't leave you here Master Kenobi." The other shouted back before he striped one of the dead bounty hunters of his shirt and began to tear it into large strips. "I will not leave you here." Obi-Wan let out a faint moan as Skywalker pulled him up into a sitting position and forced him to lean against his own chest while wrapping the cloth strips around the contusions in order to provide any ribs that might be cracked or broken with a little padding and protection. "I don't know how well this will work Master but it has to be better then nothing."

"Thank you, Anakin." The knight replied before looking into the young man's ice blue eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine Master. They never touched me." The apprentice said softly before turning his head away and staring off into the rainforest. "We need to fine Master Jinn and Padme, do you think you can stand?"

Kenobi nodded and allowed Anakin to pull him up into a standing position. "Unfortunately there are six more bounty hunters that ran after them." He said before using the Force to call his discarded Lightsaber into his hand. "Apparently, Palpatine has offered quite a considerable reward for our return to Coruscant."

"So he can kill you, my wife and Master Jinn before using me to do his dirty work." Skywalker surmised as he put one arm around Obi-Wan's waist and used the other to suspend the injured man's arm over his shoulder. "Do you think you can walk?"

"I have no choice do I?" The other said with a pained smile as he and his Padawan began to walk in the direction that the others had taken.

"Not unless you want to be left behind and leave all the fun for me." Skywalker replied while doing his best to smile as he tried to keep the knight from thinking about the amount pain and effort it took just for him to breathe. "Like that last mission we were on."

"Very funny Ani." Kenobi said sarcastically before gasping in pain as he stepped over a tree root. "I have to stop for a minute."

"Are you all right Master?" The Padawan asked when he was able to take a good look at his younger mentor as he braced him against a large tree.

"I'll be fine Ani." Obi-Wan said before wincing a little as he took a deep breath before trying to stand on his own. "We need to hurry. Force knows what they'll do if they find your wife. Palpatine doesn't know she's pregnant."

Anakin groaned when the realization hit him, "And if he finds out..." he said as he thought out loud. "Oh Sith, Master, how could I've been such an idiot?"

"Anakin, look at me." Kenobi said softly as placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "You had no control over your actions in those last few months before the Temple fell. It was not your fault little brother, whether you choose to see that or not."

Clear blue eyes finally locked with blue-green, "You haven't called me that in months Obi-Wan." Skywalker said with a sad smile. "And in all honesty I still feel very unworthy of that title."

"Anakin, we've been through this. Father, Padme and I love you very much." Kenobi said giving his apprentice a warm smile. "And you'll always be my little brother, whether you're twenty or a hundred and twenty. Whether you like that or not either." Anakin gave the other a real smile for the first time in over a year as Obi-Wan pulled on his Padawan braid. "There's the Ani I know. Now come little one, we need to find our family before those bounty hunters do."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

A few yards ahead of Kenobi and Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn struggled to keep from becoming ill as he ran down a trail he had mapped out a few days earlier. He quickly spared a glance at the heavily pregnant young woman beside him to make sure his long strides weren't to hard for her to follow. The Jedi Master didn't need the Force to know that his young friend was frightened and secretly prayed her fear wouldn't send her into preterm labor.

It took a lot to frighten Padme Amidala Skywalker but having six well armed bounty hunters chasing her after spending almost seven months on the run already and not knowing if they had killed her husband and his brother was more then she could handle.

After a few more minutes Jinn had to call a halt for a minute, unable to keep his stomach from rebelling any longer. He pulled Padme into a secure thicket of trees where he dropped to his knees and vomited, "Lady help me." He pleaded in a language that his companion was unable to understand before becoming ill once more.

The young woman behind him watched in concern after she saw her friend heave the contents of his stomach and struggle for breath before she quietly crawled over and held his long light brown hair out of his face, "Qui-Gon are you all right?"

The older man pressed a hand to his abdomen and looked into her terrified dark brown eyes, "I'll be all right Padme. I'm sorry I scared you child." Jinn said slipping into her language while listening to what was going on outside their hiding place while taking slow deep breaths to help the pain that was piercing his back and stomach. "Those bounty hunters are coming this way, I want you to stay here and stay silent. No matter what you see, no matter what you hear don't come out until I come for you."

Padme swallowed and smiled nervously, "Please be careful Qui-Gon, I don't want to lose you too."

Qui-Gon smiled and squeezed her hand in reassurance, "It will be all right child, Ani and Obi-Wan got away." He said before handing her his thick Jedi cloak so that she could stay warm. "This will keep you warm and dry. It's also dark enough to use as camouflage in here. I'll be back, you rest and be ready to run." Jinn smiled once more and edged out of their hiding place while keeping his Lightsaber at the ready but not lit.

Padme pulled the Jedi Master's cloak around her before moving back into the shadows of the thicket and leaned back against one of the ancient trees as she followed her older friend's footsteps as he silently slipped away, drawing the bounty hunters away from her. The young woman wrapped her arms protectively around her swollen belly when one of her unborn twins moved, "It's all right little ones." She said softly as she massaged her ever-growing womb. "Daddy and the others will be all right." Uttering the last part for her sake as well for her twins. All she could do now was wait, pray and hope.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan were starting to have difficulty breathing by the time they ran into a large clearing not far from where Padme was hiding and tried to judge where the six remaining bounty hunters were. Skywalker dropped to a crouch and ran a finger along a boot print in the mud. He thanked the Force many times through out his life in the Jedi Order that Qui-Gon had the sense to teach him how to survive without the use of the Force if he needed to. Because as of right now all three Jedi were nowhere near full strength and they couldn't sense their attackers, "They went this way Obi-Wan." He informed Kenobi who was leaning against a tree trying to gather enough strength to continue running. "They were following our father and Padme until this point but it looks like they split up, three east and three west."

"Most likely to surround us." Acknowledged a voice off to the Padawan's left.

Both young men looked in that direction, recognizing the voice, "Father thank the Force you're all right." Kenobi said as Qui-Gon moved out of the greenery not far from where he left Padme.

Anakin looked for his wife behind the Jedi Master, "Where's Padme?" He asked worried.

"She's safe for the moment Ani." The older man explained before giving the young man a proud smile. He had heard Skywalker call him father for the first time in almost a year and he thanked the main deity of his native people that Anakin seemed to have gotten over that obstacle, which was one of many. "But we need to hurry. I'm afraid three of our friends are following me..."

"You mean are in front of you!" A rough alien voice called out as three heavily armed bounty hunters came out of the foliage and spread around the Jedi.

"It took us a long time to find you three." Said the one who seemed to be the leader of this particular group as his suburbanites stripped the three of their weapons and outer cloaks. "But the reward is more then worth it." The heavyset and tattooed human eyed his prisoners like a rancher inspecting his stock while trying to figure out what the emperor would want with such pitiful looking humans. To him, all three Jedi looked weak and in poor health. The younger one with ginger hair and blue-green eyes could barely stand, the eldest of the three was obviously extremely ill and the youngest one with a long thin braid that hung from just behind his right ear and ended just past his shoulder looked as if the weight of the universe was on his shoulders. "Where's the woman?"

"Somewhere you'll never find her!" Anakin snarled back as he and the Jedi Master and knight were tied to a tree.

Easy Anakin. Qui-Gon told him though their Master/Padawan bond. Don't give into your anger; it's what Palpatine wants. Keep to the light my son; I don't want to lose you again. He added slipping into his native language.

Anakin looked into the older man's tired gray eyes and almost wept when he suddenly sensed how much physical pain the Jedi Master was hiding. Yes Master. The Padawan replied while trying to keep his tears from falling. Please help me father.

Of course we will Ani. Obi-Wan told him while he and Jinn sent waves of love and encouragement through their bond. Come what may, we will always have each other.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

By nightfall the bounty hunters had regrouped and three were searching for Padme while the others stayed in the clearing guarding the Jedi, "I say we show them what happens when they kill one of us." Demanded the male Clawdite that had found the four bounty hunters that Anakin had killed earlier. "Four of my best men are lying in the dirt because of them."

"You know our orders!" Barked the human. "The Emperor wants them alive." He cast a cold hard look in Anakin's direction. "Especially the boy."

"May I ask just how much Palpatine is offering for our capture?" Qui-Gon asked, trying to shift his weight against the rope that had him held to the tree. "It must be quite a sum of Credits if ten bounty hunters, who normally would work in pairs or alone would join forces to capture us."

The bounty hunter narrowed his eyes, there was something about the Jedi Master that didn't sit right with him, "Which one are you?" He asked as he walked over and got right in Jinn's face.

"Qui-Gon Jinn." The Jedi Master said calmly, not letting the man intimidate him.

The bounty hunter's brown eyes went wide before he began laughing hysterically "Well look here boys." He said grabbing a handful of Jinn's long hair and pulled his head back exposing his throat. "We have a Nir'duinain in our presence." The bounty hunter let go of Qui-Gon's hair and pulled his arms out of the rope. "And not just any Nir'duinain mind you." He vaunted while pulling the Jedi Master's tunic off, revealing a large forest green tattoo of elaborate ancient knot work designs that ran down both his arms from his shoulders and became winged beasts at his wrists. "This is the son of a chieftain! A very powerful chieftain too." He turned back to Qui-Gon sneering. "Isn't that right barbarian?"

"I have nothing to hide." Jinn acknowledged calmly with a shrug. "I come from a proud people and because my people embrace a simple life without much technology doesn't make me a barbarian."

The bounty hunter chuckled as he retied Qui-Gon to the tree, "That's a matter of opinion Jinn." He said. "And to answer your earlier question; his Highness has offered a reward of 20,000 Credits to each of us if we bring you and the woman back alive."

"You're not going to find her, especially in the dark. I hid her too well." The Jedi told him.

"The work of your Jedi witchcraft?" The other demanded.

"No." Qui-Gon replied calmly. "It's something we barbarians like to call hunting skills."

"You are in no position to be mocking me Jinn!" The man yelled before backhanding the older man, causing his head to slam into the tree. "I don't want to hear any more talking over here." With that the bounty hunter stormed off to help build a fire for the night, ignoring the shocked looks on the faces of the other two prisoners.

Are you all right Father? Obi-Wan asked through the Force once they were left alone.

I'm fine Obi-Wan. The older man replied. But I'll probably have a major headache later.

How did he know who you are? Anakin asked.

Ah, his name Rickon. Qui-Gon said with a small smile. He had a run in with my father a few years ago and my guess is that he didn't quite like the result.

What was he doing on Nir'duin? Kenobi asked.

From what your Uncle Duncan told me, Rickon was in hiding from Republic authorities and was doing a fine job of it until he tried to steal from one of the farmers in our village. Jinn told them as the three bounty hunters that went looking for Padme came trudging back into the camp just as it started to rain.

"Well?" Rickon asked his second in command. "Did you find anything?"

"No." A short dark-skinned human said as he sat down on a fallen log. "That Jedi knows how to hide what he doesn't want found too well." He sneered while pointing at Qui-Gon. "At this rate I don't think we'll ever find her."

"Enough of this!" The Clawdite yelled as he started walking over to the prisoners while drawing his knife. "I say we ask him."

Rickon stepped in front of the bounty hunter before he could even take two steps toward the Jedi, "If you lay one hand on those three the Emperor will have your head." He said before taking a good look at the three in question. "Besides they already look like they're hardly strong enough to resist us any way. I want you and Oren to take first watch while the rest of us try and get some sleep, is that clear?"

"Yes sir." The two replied before Rickon walked back to the fire to bed down for the night.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

By the next morning the Jedi were soaking wet and freezing from the rainstorm that had passed over during the night. All three of them were susceptible to the cold more then they would have been if they were at their full strength and Qui-Gon was the most at risk even though he had yet to tell the two next to him.

Anakin glanced over at the smaller man next to him and noticed the other was starting to have trouble breathing, "Obi-Wan are you all right?" He asked.

Kenobi tried to give his little brother a reassuring smile before shaking his head to try and clear it, "My back is killing me." He replied before taking a deep breath and swallowing hard a few times. "Oh Lady, I'm going to be sick."

"Hey!" Skywalker shouted at the three bounty hunters that were left guarding them as the others went looking for Padme again. "Untie us! My Master is sick. You said yourself that Palpatine is paying you to keep us alive!"

Two of the bounty hunters looked toward Rickon, wondering what the human wanted them to do, "Do it." He commanded as he added another log to the fire before following his men. "But you three better not try anything."

The Clawdite guard pulled out his knife and severed the rope, which unfortunately was the only thing holding the injured man up, "Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon and Anakin cried at once as the younger Jedi started to collapse. Jinn was barely able to grab Kenobi before he hit the forest floor. "I've got you Obi-Wan." He said in Nir'duinain as the young man started retching. "It's all right.

Obi-Wan groaned and looked up into his father's eyes, "I'm sorry." He said in the same language.

"Shhh, don't worry." Anakin said as he gently rubbed the young knight's back as Kenobi tried to keep from throwing up again. "Try taking slow deep breaths."

We need to get him warmed up. Qui-Gon told the young Padawan as Kenobi started shivering, "Come here Obi-Wan." The Jedi Master said as he pulled his eldest son into his arms and held him close to transfer some of his own decreasing body heat. What did they do to him?

They beat him to try and get information out of him. Skywalker informed him. He didn't say a word.

Oh Obi-Wan. Jinn said sadly as he held his son tighter. I'm so sorry they did this to you.

I'm all right father. Obi-Wan replied casting a contented look towards Qui-Gon and Anakin as he tried to relax. I was thinking of more important things and at least I get a hug out of it.

That you do Obi-Wan, you too Ani. Qui-Gon said while giving Skywalker a smile before carefully watching the bounty hunters as they surrounded him and his children.

"Leave us alone." Anakin hissed as the one of the bounty hunters tried to make them stand so they could be retied to the tree. "We're not going anywhere. My master is sick and Jinn and I too tired to do anything against you." With that Skywalker sat down and moved closer to his father and older brother to try and stay warm.

The two bounty hunters looked at their leader, waiting for instruction, "Ah, let them be but you two keep a closer eye on them." Rickon said before walking back to the fire.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan whispered weakly as younger man squirmed closer to him and Qui-Gon "Let me rest a bit then you do what you do best."

"Yes Master." The Padawan replied with a slight bow of his head and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Just let me know when you and Master Jinn are ready."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

A little after two hours later Kenobi gently woke his sleeping apprentice, Anakin. He said through the Master/Padawan bond while gently nudging him in the shoulder. We're ready when you are.

Skywalker smiled and nodded before assuming a meditative position and focusing within the deepest parts of his mind. Making sure to shield both his masters and unborn twins as much possible, Anakin gathered as much of the Living Force as he could focus on the bounty hunters' minds and pushed. All six bounty hunters watched as their youngest prisoner's ocean-blue eyes became locked on theirs and before they could think of reacting the young man had rendered them all unconscious with a slight movement of his hand.

Obi-Wan caught Anakin as he fell back when came out of his trance absolutely exhausted, "Well done Ani." Kenobi said as Qui-Gon moved quickly to retrieve their cloaks, Lightsabers and his tunic. "Can you walk little one? We must move fast to find Padme and get out of here."

The Padawan nodded and moved to get to his feet but found that it made him sick just lifting his head, "That took more then I thought it would Obi-Wan, I can barely move." He admitted while trying again to get up.

"Just rest then Ani." Qui-Gon said as he came over with their belongings. "I'll go retrieve Padme and if you still feel too weak to stand when we return I'll carry you."

"Yes father." Anakin said as Jinn covered him with his cloak and Obi-Wan used his own to support his head.

"I'll be back." Qui-Gon said before moving into the vegetation opposite of where the bounty hunters were searching before.

While the older Jedi Master was gone Skywalker closed his eyes to rest as Kenobi watched the unmoving bounty hunters for any signs that they were waking. About five minutes later Anakin opened his eyes and looked up at Obi-Wan with a tired but genuine smile, "I think I can get up now."

"Good Ani, but Obi-Wan can't be lifting you." Jinn said as he came into the clearing with Padme behind him. The Padawan tried to reassure his wife with a warm smile when he saw the frightened look on her face as Qui-Gon came over to help him stand. "We need to get to the city as fast as possible and get off the planet."

Skywalker nodded and bit his lower lip as Jinn pulled him to his feet, "I'm fine." He said as the others eyed him with worried looks.

"We should go now." Kenobi said as he spared one last look at their unconscious captors.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Padme silently walked beside her husband as she and the Jedi started the three-hour walk to the nearest city after they quickly retrieved their sparse belongings from their former home. When they had been walking nonstop for nearly an hour, one of her twins told her that she needed to sit down, "Ani." She said, bringing the Padawan out of his thoughts. "I need to sit down for a few minutes."

Anakin shook his head, "We need to keep moving baby." He said looking over his shoulder. "I think those bounty hunters are starting to wake up." The young man stopped and picked her up into his arms. "But I can carry you." At first Padme was going to protest but when she saw the look in her husband's eyes, she just laid her head against his shoulder and held on for the ride. "Padme." Anakin said after a few minutes. "If something ever happens to me, promise me that you'll tell the twins about me. Don't tell them what happened before we left Coruscant until they're older but tell them about the good things I've done and how much you, my father, Obi-Wan and our brother mean to me. Tell them how much I love you all."

"Anakin, you're not going anywhere." Padme said, holding his face in her hands and not liking the turn of conversation. "You can tell them yourself."

Skywalker smiled sadly, "I hope so baby."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Padme fell asleep some time after her husband started carrying her and when she awoke the young woman shifted in Skywalker's arms causing the Padawan to look down, "Hey sleepyhead." He said giving her a smile as he and the others stopped just inside of a city's walls. "Feeling better?"

"Much better, thank you." She said returning the smile and looking around in the growing darkness. "Where are we my love?"

"We just entered the main city." Obi-Wan told her as Anakin put her down. "We'll be able to get a transport off of here and hopefully find somewhere safe enough for all of us to finally be able to rest."

"The question is where would be the safest place for us to go?" Qui-Gon asked his companions.

"Naboo?" Padme asked. "There are places there that very few know about."

"Is the Lake Country that secure?" Anakin asked as he helped his injured brother stay standing.

"There's a old abandoned cabin about two hours from my parents house, sometimes my family and I would have picnics there." The young woman explained. "It was the best place to go if you didn't want to be found. Only my family and I know how to get there."

"Naboo it is then." Jinn said looking at the other two Jedi for any indication of disagreement. "Agreed?" Everyone nodded in contentment with the idea. "Then I suggest find the right transport."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Padme waited in the dark alley between two large buildings while Anakin, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went looking for a transport to get them off the planet, "Hello my dear." A ruthless human male voice said from behind her as who or whatever it was spun her around and pinned her against the wall. It was Rickon. "I have one hell of a headache thanks to that Jedi slime you call a husband. He said before noticing her distended belly. "Well is isn't highness going to be pleased. You're carrying that Jedi's spawn!"

"Leave me alone!" The young woman screamed as she hit the bounty hunter in the groin and tried to get away. "ANAKIN!" She yelled as she got to the end of the alley and saw the three Jedi heading towards her. "ANAKIN!"

"PADME!" Skywalker yelled back when he saw someone grab his beloved from behind and drag her back into the alley.

The three Jedi immediately went into combat readiness as they rushed to the young woman's aid, weakened ability to use the Force or not the Jedi were skilled warriors, "RICKON!" Qui-Gon yelled as he and the others rounded the corner. "Let her go."

"Not a chance Jinn." The bounty hunter yelled as he pressed Padme close to his body, put a dagger to her throat and started to back down the alley using her as a human shield. "She's coming with me, the Emperor will be extremely pleased that the young brat there has sired a child."

"No." Obi-Wan said calmly while slowly taking a step toward the two. "You will drop all your weapons, let her go and back away slowly facing us the entire time." He said with a wave of his hand.

The bounty hunter laughed as Kenobi tried to use the Force to persuade him to let Padme go, "Nice try Jedi but I don't think that will work, your not strong enough." Obi-Wan frowned and sent Padme an apologetic look, who gave him a sad smile, "Now, are you going to come along or is this little lady going to be the only one to keep me company." Rickon asked as he planted a rough kiss on Padme's cheek. "You'd better hurry or we're going to miss our flight."

All three Jedi held up their hands and started to walk forward, obediently following Rickon through the alleyway, while trying to think of a way to get away from the bounty hunter and off the planet. Anakin was the strongest one of the three at the moment so whatever plan they came up with he would have to be the main executer. Rickon let go of Padme as they entered the busy streets of the city but kept his dagger close to her back to keep any of the other men from trying to get away.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Rickon led his prisoners onto a landing platform where the other bounty hunters were waiting patiently for their leader. Every one of them cast a lusting look at Padme and a murdering look at the others as the prisoners where lined up in front of the Starship to be disarmed and placed in restraints. Anakin was the first one to be readied for transport and as the bounty hunters were busying themselves with his wife and Jedi Masters the Padawan went to work.

Escaping had always been one of Skywalker's specialties, getting him in trouble many times with the Jedi Council but often saving his and his masters lives on dangerous missions. So while keeping a straight face and being very subtle about it he used the Force to pick the lock of the restraints, knowing he like his masters had only a limited amount of strength and had to plan this just right.

Anakin waited before two of the bounty hunters where leading him on board the Starship and they were out of sight before slipping his hands out of the restraints and knocking both of his captors off of him with well placed back handed punches. After making sure both bounty hunters weren't going anywhere, Skywalker carefully moved back to the main entrance of the ship, pulled out his dagger from where he kept it hidden in his right boot and positioned himself for the attack.

The Clawdite guard gave Padme a nasty look as he placed her in restraints; "I'm going to enjoy guarding you when we get into Hyperspace." He said, "The Emperor can have his fun with you when we get to Coruscant but I want to play first."

"You must be crazy if you think I would even think of letting you touch me." Padme said coolly as she looked him in the eye.

The Clawdite growled and slapped the young woman across the face, "I don't think you have a choice Milady."

"Oh, yes I do!" She boldly shot back. "You will never lay one slimy hand on me. And his Highness will never hurt my husband or his masters; this I promise you!"

The guard drew back his hand preparing to slap his prisoner again but instead let out a shocked cry as he felt something hit the back of his hand. His dark eyes went wide when he lowered his arm and found an elegantly crafted dagger through his hand, blade on one side hilt on the other and both parts covered in blood. Rickon turned just in time to see a Lightsaber go flying through the air, ignite in midair and land in the outstretched hand of Anakin Skywalker.

"One's loose!" Screamed the Second-in-command as the young Padawan ran down the landing platform and quickly cut his Jedi Masters and wife out of their restraints before using the Force to retrieve his dagger from the bounty hunter's hand.

"Well don't just stand there idiot!" Rickon shouted as the other Jedi armed themselves. "Shoot them!"

The other nodded franticly as the Jedi took out their captors one by one. One of his wild shots hit home and Anakin screamed in pain as the Blaster fire hit him squarely in the stomach, "ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Padme screamed. They all saw Skywalker go down from three different angles but only one of them could get to him.

Padme ran over to the fallen Padawan and pulled him into her arms, "Ani?" She whispered fearing her husband was already dead.

Skywalker coughed and opened his eyes, "Ami?" She nodded. "Ami, get out...of here." He said using her to pull himself up into a sitting position. "We need...to get you out...of here."

His wife nodded and dragged him to his feet, "Come on Ani." She encouraged as the two started for the safety the Starship.

"Hold it right there!" Someone ordered from behind them when they got to the other side of the ship. The young couple turned to face a battered Rickon, who had his Blaster aimed right at Padme's chest. "I'm so sorry it had to be this way."

Already knowing what the bounty hunter was going to do, Anakin took a deep breath and knocked Padme out of the way just as Rickon fired, taking the shot in the chest himself, "NO!" Padme screamed as she watched her husband fall to his knees, his face showing shock and pain before falling backwards and coughing as the air was knocked out of his lungs.

"NO!" The young woman cried before rushing to his side. "Ani no, please don't leave me like this."

The young Jedi looked up at her and smiled lovingly even though he could barely focus on her face, "It'll be okay Ami."

Rickon chuckled as he watched Padme pull her dying husband into her arms and started rocking him back and forth, "Now we end this." He said aiming his Blaster at the base of the young woman's skull.

Before he could pull the trigger his breath was knocked out of him when he felt a sharp pain in his chest when something hit his upper back before he fell forward, dead.

Padme's eyes shot up and saw a gold winged creature with emerald eyes sticking out of the bounty hunter's back, "Padme!" Two familiar voices cried bringing her out of her shock. "Padme are you all right?"

She blinked and focused on the men in front of her, "Masters please help Ani!" The young woman begged when she recognized them as Jinn and Kenobi.

"We will Padme." Obi-Wan was already working on the wounded Padawan. "Come with me." Qui-Gon said pulling her up. "You need to be looked at too."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Padme suddenly woke from a dreamless sleep when she heard someone cry out in pain. She looked around and found that she was lying on a foldout cot in the corner of a small room, "It's all right Padme." Jinn said as he moved out of the shadows to sit at her side. "We're safe."

"Ani?" She asked trying to sit up.

"He's alive although very weak." The Jedi informed her, mentioning for her to stay still. "Obi-Wan is doing all he can."

"Where are we?"

"On a transport heading for Naboo."