Disclaimer: I own nothing.

After breakfast I made my way over to the speeder parking space where Anakin often parked after he got back from Padme's.

I was dying to talk with him. I knew he was terribly troubled, but I was insanely curious about Padme's pregnancy. I hoped Anakin wouldn't mind chatting. Of course, I could usually get just about anything out of him.

Sure enough, a speeder's cockpit opened in the far corner of the hangar, and I ran over as fast as I could.

"Good morning, Skyguy!"

Man, he looked tired. Not to mention grumpy. Then again, he hadn't exactly had a good night's rest. And, of course, he was probably sore from yesterday, too.

"Hey, Snips," he said, his voice sounding grave and tense, "Ahsoka, I need to talk to you. In private."

"Oky-day." I said, putting an arm around his shoulders, which is hard to do, because he has tall, broad shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" he asked politely. I was his padawan, after all, he was concerned about me, even if I was only the second girl in his life, not the first.

"Oh, incredible. One word: sore. My legs are, well, they are well. They kill."

We made our way over to a quiet balcony.

After making sure that we were alone, he turned, a nervous expression on his face.

OH boy, I know what this is about.

"So, buddy, what's bothering you?" I asked in a comforting tone.

Anakin paused, then leaned forward.

"Ahsoka, I'm being, uh, I mean, I'm feeling…" he ran a hand through his tangled hair, a habitual gesture of anxiety.

Feeling pregnant? I thought. I had the embarrassing urge to crack up at my own lame mental joke.

"…confused. Something big has happened and I'm, well…"

"You are well?" I pulled his hand away from his hair.

"Shut up. I'm afraid." He heaved a great sigh, defeated. The Hero With No Fear, indeed. Poor thing.

He seemed to think I was about to tease him on this particular point, but I stilled my mind and gazed knowingly into his eyes. He relaxed, seeing that he had my somber attention. He seemed to read my mind as we locked eyes, and he whispered,

"Do you know?'

Leaning close out of instinct and putting my hands on his shoulders, I whispered back,

"Do you want me to know?" I could hardly keep the excitement out of my voice. A catalyst had appeared in the Force. It rocked me with intensity. Somehow I knew that this was the event that would start- and end- a great many things.

I was slightly distressed about Anakin's fatherhood, and I nearly wanted to faint or scream. But no, now I was silent. This was the chosen one. This was my master. And despite the anxiety, I wasn't angry.

I was on the verge of exploding with unimaginable joy.

Anakin read my expression like a datapad.

"I'm guessing you know. I can see it in your eyes. Well, I can trust you. Out of all the Jedi, you are the only one who understands me now." For the first time, a relieved smile grew on his face. I thought it would expand into that gleeful expression of pure happiness from his youth, but he had long since lost that. After Jabiim, Obi-Wan said. Maybe after Geonosis.

I felt a warm glow from his comment, though it saddened me. Oh, I loved him. Too much for my own peace of mind, I knew. But I wouldn't lie to myself. I had to take in my feelings, analyze them, and make the best wise use of my psyche. This wise use was to be his confidante, his trusted padawan and advisor, his safety cable. I feared that he would snap away from the light side of the Force without me sometimes. And I prayed that fate would forbid that.

"So, are you going to tell me?" I leaned forward, ready to hear him break the news.

"Ahsoka, do you really know? Or are you just guessing?" he was beginning to look distressed again.

"Look, Ani, I know. I could see you and Padme behind a pillar in the Senate building yesterday. I didn't eavesdrop for long, but…by the way, do you hide there often?"

Anakin frowned, and I giggled sheepishly. "Just sayin', you know…"

"Go on. It's okay."

"Well…" stupidly, I put it in just about the rudest terms I could, "You got her pregnant."

Anakin blushed brighter than I think I've ever seen.

"Oh, Snips! Why did you have to say it that way! I knew you would say that! There are better ways to put it, you know."

"Sorry. I couldn't help it. Hey, it's the truth! She is with child. She's going to have a kid. You're going to be a father. Look, I get it."

The joy exploded.

I leaped up from the stone bench and threw my arms around Anakin.

"It's so wonderful!" I squealed, "I know there is more on your mind than this, but please, let me just be excited for a few minutes! EEEEEEEE!" I spun in a circle, then began spouting off questions.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? Is Padme weirdly fat? Is her belly-button an outie? Sorry, that was an awkward question. What are you going to name the kid? I've always like the name Bob, as you well know…"

"Woa. Wait a minute," Anakin stared at me like I'd grown tentacles (more of them), "You need to calm down. Chill. Well, first of all, I don't really like the name Bob."

"What in the universe, Ani? Doesn't Bob Skywalker sound heroic to you?"

Anakin just rolled his eyes. It pleased me to see him smiling.