"So how's your training going, Luke?" Padmé asked him as they cleared up the table after the dinner.

Luke smiled a little. "Very well, actually. Anakin's been gone quite a bit recently so I haven't had that much progress in my Djem So lightsaber form, though I've definitely made bounds in my other forms."

"That's good, I'm glad to hear that."

Padmé was definitely starting to show; the fact that she'd kept her pregnancy secret thus far impressed him. It seemed to Luke she had an endless number of outfits to hide her condition.

Anakin came back into the room at that moment, having left to take a call from Obi-Wan. The Council was going to meet tomorrow to discuss the war, and that was when he was going to give the Council the information he'd received from Sidious.

"It's getting late. Perhaps it's time for you to turn in, don't you think, Luke? I believe Windu wanted to meet you early in the morning for your training with him. You're going to need your rest," Anakin told Luke.

Luke shook his head, chuckling a little under his breath. "Yeah, I suppose you're right; training sessions with Master Windu can be brutal. And I am rather tired..."

Anakin almost smiled. "Yes, well, go on and get some sleep; we'll see you in the morning."

Luke stood straight, turning to leave the room. "Don't have too much fun without me," he joked.

"Goodnight, Luke," Anakin said.

"Yes, goodnight," Padmé chimed.

"Night," Luke said, drifting off to the spare room he'd been allowed to occupy since he'd first arrived. He pulled back the covers of the bed, throwing his shirt over the back of a chair. The shades on the window were left open, letting Luke have a perfect view of Coruscant. Wandering over to the window, Luke looked out over the city lights, taking it in with a small smile on his face. At least he'd still gotten some enjoyment out of everything that had happened today.

Sighing, Luke turned from the window and crawled into bed. Hopefully he'd be able to get some rest tonight.

*****************************************************************************

The Hunter was stationed on a building not far from 500 Republica. He'd set up his choice sniper rifle already, poison darts loaded as he searched the building through his scope. He had the picture next to him so he could double check that he'd found his target, and he'd already found what floor the Senator was located. Now he just had to find this Jedi...

A smile flashed across The Hunter's face as he finally spotted the blonde man, standing alone at the window in one of the bedrooms. The smile vanished as he went back to taking note of where his target was, searching the other rooms he had a visual on for the other two that were supposed to be in the apartment.

He spotted the Senator and what he guessed was the Jedi his employer had demanded remain unharmed crossing the living room, slipping into another room on the opposite side of the apartment. The Hunter allowed himself another sinister smile; that would make this job so much easier.

Returning his aim to the lone figure lying in bed, The Hunter immediately settled into the technique he'd been informed of to shield his presence from the Force Sensitive Jedi. He focused on strong yet non-violent feelings, simply to decrease any suspicions, and began thinking of the new toys he would buy with the lovely pay he would get for this job. Anything but the mission he was currently executing had to be on his mind.

Now he just needed to wait patiently for the inhabitants to fall asleep. He felt slightly sorry for the Jedi on the receiving end of the poison darts he was using tonight.

At least until he thought of the reward he'd get for this job again.

Not too long after said thought crossed his mind, The Hunter pulled the trigger.

********************************************************************************

"Luke."

Luke looked up to find himself in the world of white, startled to see Qui-Gon. "Qui-Gon; you're back."

Qui-Gon didn't have his usual lighthearted nature about him. "Yes, though not under pleasant circumstances. The Force is...clouded right now, yet there's an undercurrent of danger. I fear that your life might be at risk."

Luke frowned. "It's pretty obvious that it is; Sidious knows I'm onto him and now sees me as a threat. Of course my life is in danger."

Qui-Gon gave just a short chuckle at Luke's nonchalance tone before he sobered. "Yes, but this threat is...different from that one. Everything is too clouded to be sure, but..."

"You want me to be careful anyway?" Luke guessed.

Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes, that would be nice. I don't think the Force would allow you to die if it wants you to change your father's fate, but effort on your part to stay alive is required."

Luke snickered. "Well, yes, obviously. I can't do what the Force wants me to if I have suicidal tendencies."

Qui-Gon smiled at the joke. "Yes, well, be careful. I'd hate for you to..."

Qui-Gon's voice trailed off, and both of them sensed the disturbance in the Force at the same time. Luke only sensed a slight twinge, though whatever Qui-Gon felt must have been most definitely stronger by the look on the old Jedi Master's face.

"Luke, wake up!" he said sharply and with such force Luke's eyes flew open as he dropped back to reality.

A splint second later he could only register the agonizing pain that consumed his entire being.

********************************************************************************

A shout of agony woke Anakin from his dreams, and instinctively he flew out of bed, looking around for the source.

"Stay here!" he told the newly woken Padmé in a firm tone. He knew that voice—the one that was currently screaming—and dread filled Anakin when Luke's shouts of agony didn't cease. The Force was pulsing all around Anakin in urgency as he flew across the apartment and burst into Luke's room.

"Luke!" he exclaimed, rushing to the man's side. Luke was withering in agony, eyes squeezed shut as his cries continued ceaselessly. When Anakin reached out to put his hand on Luke's shoulder, something fell out of Luke's clenching and unclenching fist, catching Anakin's attention. Anakin snatched whatever it was up off of the bed, wondering if Luke even realized that he'd dropped it, let alone if he'd known he'd had it.

Anakin's blood went cold as he took in the poison dart in his palm, his head whipping around as he saw the hole in the window the dart had punched through. Half of him wanted to find and pursue the shooter, but everything else—including the Force—was screaming at Anakin to help Luke and that pursuing the assassin could wait for later.

Dart still in hand, Anakin scooped Luke's withering form up into his arms, sprinting out of the room. As he did something struck the wall, barely missing his head. The assassin was apparently still in the perfect position to shoot.

Padmé was in the living room, but upon seeing Luke her face paled and she rushed out to the speeder Luke and Anakin had arrived home in earlier, starting it up as Anakin laid the now delirious Luke in the back seat. Great, hallucinations were a side effect; this trip would be interesting.

"Padmé, stay in the bedroom; you'll be safe in there," Anakin ordered firmly.

Considering the situation, she didn't argue with him, and Anakin promptly took off for the Temple. The healers there would have the capabilities to save Luke; it was what Anakin was holding onto for hope right now.

"Father, help me!" Luke cried out in the back seat, still withering. Anakin grimaced, his suspicions of Luke hallucinating confirmed.

Hold on Luke, I'm going to get you help. You'll be fine; you're going to be all right.

***********************************************************************************

The Hunter cursed when his dart missed the second Jedi. He'd instantly reloaded with a paralyzing dart after hitting his target, just to keep the other Jedi or perhaps the senator from getting his target treatment. However, somehow, The Hunter had missed—and he never missed. Of course on the one night he needed to make a clean and certain kill, he'd missed. Swiftly, The Hunter stood and packed up his gear; he needed to get off of Coruscant as fast as possible. If the Jedi received medical attention in time and they somehow managed to save him, The Hunter would be dead. His Sith employer had promised him a slow and agonizing death if he failed; he couldn't afford such a failure.

Perhaps if he got close enough he could finish the Jedi off with a simple blaster shot.

That thought caused The Hunter to change direction and double his speed. He had to finish this job. He quickly got into his speeder, taking off in pursuit of the two Jedi.

*******************************************************************************

Anakin found himself rather furious when blaster fire buzzed over his head.

Another speeder pulled up beside his, and Anakin made a point of memorizing as much as he could of the driver. Obviously this was the assassin coming to finish his job before Luke could get medical attention; Anakin would actually have been surprised if the assassin hadn't made another attempt.

The assassin took aim, and Anakin had to swerve rather wildly to keep Luke from being hit by the blaster fire. Cursing under his breath, Anakin risked getting too close to the other speeder in an effort to ram the assassin off track. He was partially successful, causing the assassin to scramble to regain control of his speeder as Anakin sped further ahead. Still, the assassin kept chase, continuing his efforts to finish Luke off.

Speaking of Luke...

Anakin glanced back at the man, alarmed to see his convulsions were becoming weaker, and Anakin could sense his pain had only grown worse. If this assassin wasn't successful in finishing Luke off himself his efforts to were going to slow them down, possibly costing Luke his life. Yet again, Anakin felt his fury rise dangerously.

The assassin had lined back up with them, but this time Anakin was ready. He latched onto the Force and felt the power rush through him as he grabbed the assassin's speeder. It took a lot of concentration on Anakin's part, but he reached out further with the Force, pushing the speeder enough to cause the assassin to veer off course once again, except much more effectively this time. Anakin was tempted to pursue the assassin and make him pay for what he had done, but the dying Luke in the back seat demanded all of Anakin's attention.

Through their Bond, Anakin could feel all of Luke's panicked and agonized feelings, and it made him wince. There was so much it was overwhelming...

The Temple was within range, and Anakin pushed the speeder harder to reach it in time. Luke's Force Signature was practically as low as it had been in the rubble back on Tythe, and fast waning. Landing, Anakin leaped out of the speeder, scooping up the weakly convulsing Jedi who had stopped his cries of pain, having become thoroughly overwhelmed by the poison. He held the offending dart tightly but carefully in his hand, his breathing quick as he made a beeline for the medical wing.

It seemed the Jedi had sensed that something was seriously wrong, because a group of healers met him halfway to the medical wing.

"He's been poisoned; someone tried to assassinate him. I have the dart right here," he told them before they could even ask what had happened. One of them motioned to take Luke out of Anakin's arms, but Anakin refused, continuing to carry Luke as he plowed forward towards the wing. One of the healers was inspecting the dart as they all rushed forward, and her eyes grew wide.

"I know what this is..." she said quietly. She looked at Luke sympathetically and with great concern, which only made Anakin's fear increase. "We must hurry, he has very little time."

As she continued to explain Luke's situation to the other healers, Anakin focused on a familiar Force Signature that was rapidly approaching them. Obi-Wan came into view, his face paling as he took in Luke's weakly twitching form in Anakin's arms.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice dripping with concern.

"An assassin; someone wants him dead," Anakin said grimly. "Though I can't think of anyone who would; no one really knows him."

"This is very troubling." Obi-Wan glanced at the healers. "Is he going to make it?"

"Not if we don't hurry," the woman who had recognized the poison said.

A heavy, dreadful silence fell over the group, but Anakin felt no relief when they reached the medical wing. Luke was too far gone for Anakin to feel any relief. The minute Luke was out of Anakin's arms and on the bed, the healers took him away, and Anakin and Obi-Wan followed after them at a brisk, tense pace. Of course the healers wouldn't let them in the room while they treated Luke, so Anakin clasped his hands tightly behind his back and watched with a sharp eye, fearing the outcome.

Obi-Wan glanced at him. "Did you happen to get a look at his attacker?"

Anakin's expression darkened, a burning hatred slowly rising within him. "Yes, I did. He will pay for what he's done," Anakin said vehemently.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, and Anakin reluctantly reigned his emotions back in, though he kept his scowl. "Sorry, Master."

"Try not to let your emotions get the best of you, Anakin. I'd hate for you to go and do something rash," Obi-Wan said quietly. Apparently his master was well aware of what Anakin was thinking. However, Anakin didn't say anything; he was too focused on his thoughts.

There was no way he would let this assassin get away with this. The man would die for what he'd done.

Though for now, Anakin thought with a steadying breath, I just want Luke to live.