AN: This it is, finally the end of the story. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Thanks to Jaira for her help focusing the story and Mousche for all her help throughout the fic. Also, thanks to all of you my readers and reviewers for your support! I have been playing around with some other stories, but I don't know if anything will come of them. I just want to flat out say however, there will notbe a sequel to this story, it is over now. Thanks again for reading!

Chapter 11

"Do you not want her, Anakin? You may take her. I have much to offer you."

"What?" Anakin blurted. His mind was reeling.

"You're transparent, my young friend."

"I don't know what you mean, Chancellor."

"Oh, Anakin. See what the Jedi have done to you? You are docile, meek. With the dark side, you can control her. You can keep her like this always."

"That would be evil!"

"There is no good or evil, only power. And those too weak to seek it."

"But..."

"Anakin, you have been gifted with great power in this life. You are more powerful then any man I've ever met. With the dark side as your ally, you will be unstoppable."

It was at that moment, that Padmé was able to break free from the trance that held her stationary. Perhaps Palpatine's concentration slipped when Anakin arrived. "Don't do this Anakin! You're a good person!"

"Foolish girl," Palpatine said. He sneered at her, raised his hands and white hot pain shot through her body.

Padmé vaguely heard someone shouting her name and the world became clearer. She realized she was on the floor.

"You see the power of the dark side? It is supreme over death. And life. It is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be…unnatural. "

Padmé could see Anakin was conflicted. She would not allow this monster to win. She needed to break the spell, "Anakin, don't do it." She was very weak. "He is lying. He just... wants a slave."

She could see from the rage on his face that Palpatine was growing more and more furious with her. Anakin could apparently as well, because he stepped directly between them.

Palpatine scowled at Anakin, "Move out of the way. She is far too much trouble to keep around. I am sure we can find one like her or any woman you want, once you become my apprentice."

"Your apprentice?"

"Yes Anakin, there is so much potential in you. You will be something great as a Sith. Let me teach you."

"No... Anakin." Padmé gasped as Palpatine lunged around Anakin and sank more lightning into her. Anakin ignited his blade and deflected some, but the damage was done and Padmé was spasming on the floor, smoke lifting off her body. She was barely conscious, but stubbornly held onto awareness.

"Anakin," Palpatine said angrily. "I tire of this. She is not worthy of you. You must let her go."

"Let her go?" Anakin mumbled. "You sound like the Jedi. Or a poor imitation of one." Anakin moved his blade into what Padmé assumed was a dueling stance, because the Sith's entire demeanor changed, the friendly veneer dropped.

Palpatine snarled and a lightsaber appeared in his hand. "I had such high hopes for you, Jedi. Now it is time for you to die."

Padmé could not follow the movements well. Her eyes were blurry and she felt as if her strength was leaving her. Anakin was giving up a lot of ground, Palpatine was moving so fast. She closed her eyes and hoped for a miracle. Almost as soon as she had the thought she heard Anakin shout as the Sith's lightsaber pierced his chest.

"So this is the vaunted chosen one? Pathetic. To think I wanted you to share in my immortal Sith dynasty."

A sudden bang interrupted Palpatine's gloating and Padmé turned to see Masters Gallia and Yoda enter the office; they assesed the situation for a moment and then ran to join the fray. She vaguely wondered how many people had ever seen Master Yoda run, at least in recent years. Palpatine began laughing.

"You are no match for me. I am a Master of the Force, the dark side makes me invulnerable." The Sith seemed barely able to control his maniacal laughter.

"Blind, you are. 800 years old I am, and claim to be a Master of the Force I do not. Use the Force as a tool, you do. Weak, that makes you."

Palpatine's laughter died and he turned a glare on the tiny master. "Weak? I'll show you weak."

With that, Palpatine jumped horizontally at superhuman speed. His blade met Yoda's vibrant green and Adi's red was also out. They fought for a few moments, blades clashing but none of the combatants seemed to be able to get the upper hand.

Soon the duel left the office and Padmé slowly began to regain her senses and pull herself across the ground to Anakin.

"I'm sorry for everything" Anakin said weakly.

"There's nothing... to apologize for. You did all... you could."

They laid there, side by side, both weak. Neither said anything but their silence was comfortable. Anakin closed his eyes and his breathing slowed. She hoped he wasn't dying.

After another few moments the duel re-entered the Office, but Master Gallia was missing. Yoda and Palpatine kept fighting when suddenly Palpatine jumped back five or ten meters. That put Anakin and her between the combatants.

"You can't kill me, my little green friend. You must know that."

"The darkness, a Jedi does not abide. If lose, I do, fight you the Jedi will."

"You will lose, you will all lose! My power is too great! Look, there lies your Chosen One, a heap at my feet. If he can not stand, what hope do your Jedi have?" Palpatine sneered.

"Hope there always is."

Palpatine laughed and said, "No, there is no hope for your kind." He raised his hands and bathed Anakin and Padme in lightning.

Several things happened in the next seconds, Master Yoda launched himself at Palpatine, but the little master was too far away to stop the electricity. At the same time that Yoda jumped, Anakin seemed to wake and launched his lightsaber at the Sith Lord, lighting it in midflight.

It impacted the Sith's throat and he fell to the ground in a heap.

A great burst of energy appeared from where Palpatine had fallen, causing the long, curved transparasteel window to break into small pieces, it moved the Chancellor's massive desk several meters. It also flung both Anakin and Padmé hard into the nearby wall.

The blow knocked the air from her lungs and she collapsed to the ground. As the life drained from her body, she saw Anakin. They made eye contact and she smiled slightly at him. She wondered what could have been if things were done differently. She brushed those thoughts away and thought of the future. Her last fleeting thoughts were for the Republic.

From the Holonews:

We interrupt your regularly scheduled holocast for this breaking news update.

This is just coming in... I can't believe it. Are we sure this is accurate?

I... There has been a terrorist attack at the Senate Rotunda, initial reports indicate that it may have been a Separatist strike team of some sort. We do not know the details or how they breached the Senate's security, but the results are catastrophic.

This day the Republic has lost much, the... I'm sorry, this is quite difficult.

The attack occurred in the Chancellor's office. It claimed the life of our beloved Chancellor Palpatine as well as Senator Amidala of Naboo. Initial reports indicate that the two were meeting to discuss the possibility of a peace summit. At least one Jedi was also slain in the attack, early rumors point to the possible death of the Hero With No Fear, Anakin Skywalker.

The Galaxy will mourn this loss of life in the coming days, but sources in Senate Security say the fallout from the disaster could have been much worse if not stopped when it was.

This is a dark day, but we must have faith that the Republic can and will persevere.

The war still rages in the Outer Rim, but nothing will ever be the same.

The End