"Are you an Angel?" Anakin asked. He fought the urge to cover his mouth with his hand a second later. He also fought the blush. He wasn't supposed to say things like that anymore- but it had just come out! Honest! And Master wasn't even there to hear it so it would be okay.

The angel, girl, target turned towards him, surprise lighting her face. She smiled at him, and it made her face even more beautiful. Not that he was supposed to think about that. Target- not person. That made it easier. Sometimes.

"An angel?" she asked.

He wanted to explain but he probably wasn't supposed to. He was supposed to tell them he could help with their problem, once he figured out what it was. He could help- he was a good mechanic even if he hadn't had much time to fix things in the past two years.

"Never mind," he said, "It's silly."

Before she could say something that would make it worse, and before he had a chance to think of a response to whatever she said, he spoke again. "My name's Anakin." Anakin, not Vader, or apprentice, or boy, or failure, or weakling. My mom named me Anakin.

"Padme," she said.

It was a pretty name, almost as pretty as her. It was also the name of the Queen. She was one of the ones they were definitely supposed to kill. He wondered why a queen was dressed like that, then figured she was hiding. He wondered why they'd let her out here, even if there was a Jedi with her.

And the Gungan, who was currently chasing a droid around the inside of the shop. If he tapped it on the nose it would curl up again, but it was kind of funny to watch him struggle with it.

Anakin sensed it when Padme's Jedi tried to mind trick Watto. It didn't work. Wattto was weak, but not when it came to keeping money. Anakin remembered that much.

The Gungan kept knocking things over, which wasn't good for Watto but was also definitely no longer Anakin's problem. Didn't stop his fingers from twitching, trying to get him to pick the mess up. He pressed his hands against his sides, trying to stop them from trembling.

Of course, that let his fingers hit the lightsaber Master had given him. Master would distract and kill the Jedi, he was supposed to get the angel. Whoever finished first would get the Gungan. Then they'd go to the ship to take down the little Jedi and the rest of the people there. It was easier to take them when they were separate, especially since Anakin wasn't as big as even the little Jedi yet.

He didn't want to kill an angel. He didn't want to kill anyone, but what he wanted never really mattered.

Padme laughed, and he forgot his embarrassment for a moment. "You're a silly little boy," she said, and the embarrassment was back.

He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, trying to make his face stop burning. "Is the Jedi trying to buy what he wants using Republic credits?" he blurted out, hoping that'd distract her.

Her eyes narrowed instead, just slightly, but he could see it. He could tell that she was suspicious now. That wasn't good at all. How was he supposed to lead her into an ambush if she didn't trust him?

"I saw his lasersword." When Master had first found them he'd called them laserswords. He still did, sometimes, in his head. It was a small act of defiance- one that wouldn't get him punished even if it was found out. He needed some of those.

Padme's eyes softened again and Anakin marveled. How was she still alive? Being this trusting? She won't be alive soon, a voice inside him seemed to say, and he managed to keep his internal wince off of his face.

It was true though. He felt terrible. She seemed really nice. Still, between her and his mom he'd choose his mom. He'd made this choice before. It didn't really make it feel better.

"Is there something wrong with Republic credits?" she asked. He blinked, shocked out of his morbid thoughts, then he nodded.

"Watto won't take them. You need to find someone who'll exchange them out for Outer rim currency."

Padme seemed to be considering. Everything he'd said so far was true, which was key for him deceiving people. He couldn't actually lie to save his life. Master thought it was funny- sometimes.

"Do you know anyone who could do that?"

Actually- he did. Which meant it wouldn't be a lie. "Yes," he said, "Yes I do."

He hadn't expected it to be this easy at all. He was glad he hadn't decided to talk to the Jedi. Padme was much nicer.

…-…

Convincing the Jedi was surprisingly easy. Then he just had to start walking.

He was in front, Padme at his side. The Jedi and Gungan were directly behind him, and the droid trailed after them.

Master didn't want Anakin to be openly afraid, didn't want him to tremble or cower. Still, it seemed like Master could smell it sometimes, and he liked it. As long as the fear was only ever directed at him of course. Master was making him strong, so he'd never have to fear anything or anyone else ever again.

That meant Master really didn't like it when Anakin had his dreams. He'd gotten good at hiding them, but that didn't make them any less disturbing.

The last week they'd been worse. His mom had died, over and over again. Sometimes the chip blew. Sometimes Master slit her throat. Sometimes it took her a long time to die, trembling and gasping. The fear inside was clogging up everything so he could barely think. Maybe that's why he said too much to Padme. It hurt. Everything hurt.

Padme was looking at him- concerned. Her hand brushed against his and he fought the urge to flinch away from her. "Are you alright?" she asked, and he nodded jerkily, trying to smile at her.

They were close now- just one more corner and- Anakin tackled Padme to the ground as Master jumped towards the Jedi, his double bladed saber making his already scary face worse. The saber would probably have taken something important off Padme if he hadn't tackled her- not that it mattered. She'd be dead anyways- dead to save his Mom. Dead because he couldn't handle the thought of being totally alone. Weak, the voice inside whispered, and Anakin agreed.

Padme pushed him off, pulling him to his feet and further away from the fight. Her eyes were wide, she was trembling. It'd be over soon, all of it.

Anakin waited for Master to win- to look down and tell him that now was the time to kill the girl. The Gungan was curled up on the ground with his hands over his ears, he'd be easy to kill too.

But- the Jedi still wasn't dead yet. Master was better- Anakin could tell he was going to win- but the Jedi wasn't bad. If the little Jedi had been with him Master would probably be outmatched.

Threads of possibility seemed to snap out before Anakin for a moment. He could wait- Maul would kill the Jedi and he would kill the girl. Master would kill the Gungan, and Master would probably even smile at him for getting them here. He'd be rewarded. But he knew if he chose that Shmi would die.

He could help the Jedi instead. Master would die- he could get the transmitter and Master wouldn't be able to hurt Mom anymore. Anakin could turn off the transmitter- they could find someone to remove the chip. Both of their chips.

Anakin felt something heady and bright swell within him and it took him a moment to recognize that it was hope.

The lightsaber was easy to free- he'd designed the holder to be easy to get to. "Pretend to be dead," he whispered in Padme's ear and her eyes widened further as he ignited the blade and shoved her to the ground. He waited a moment, and she didn't get up. He ran forward towards the fight with the Jedi and master.

He jumped- flipping over the Jedi and Master's heads, landing just behind Master. Master didn't have time to turn before Anakin's blade slid into him, straight through his back and out the front. Anakin didn't deactivate his blade. Gravity pulled the rest of the Zabrak through the blade and Master fell to the ground in barely connected pieces. Anakin swallowed the bile that tried to rise- he'd seen worse deaths. He'd seen Master do far worse to other people.

Anakin shuffled forward, blade still activated and pointed threateningly at the Jedi. Anakin hadn't really thought very far ahead with his plan. The Jedi could definitely kill him now. Anakin knew he wasn't good enough to go against him and win.

But the Jedi was just… staring at him, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Anakin kept an eye on him as he riffled through Master's pockets. The transmitter was in his hand. Hope bloomed once more and Anakin allowed himself to bask in it for a long moment. Then he turned, and ran.