Title is from "Northern Downpour" by Panic! at the Disco.
"Come away with me," Padmé says, and Vader - Anakin - agrees.
They go aboard Padmé's ship and tell C-3PO and R2-D2 to plot a course to someplace safe. Padmé suggests Naboo, but it's Palpatine's home world as well as her own, so they don't dare to risk it.
"Tatooine?" Padmé asks. "The Chancellor knows how much you hate it there." They don't dare use Palpatine's name, as if it can summon him to the ship if spoken aloud.
"But it's still where I was born, and I have family there," Anakin counters. "I would go if I was desperate enough, and the Chancellor knows that. He'll look for us there."
"Alderaan, then?" Padmé suggests. Bail most likely won't be there, but Breha will, and Padmé knows Alderaan will never turn them over to the newly-formed Empire.
"It's a Core world," Anakin disagrees. "And the Chancellor doesn't trust Senator Organa."
"Well, where do we go, then?" Padmé asks, clearly frustrated.
"Polis Massa," a soft voice suggests, and Anakin's lightsaber is at Obi-Wan's throat before anyone can react.
"Anakin!" Padmé shrieks, but neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan move an inch.
"Did you bring him here?" Anakin asks harshly. His irises are just barely lined with gold.
"I snuck on board," Obi-Wan says in a gentle, nonthreatening voice. "Padmé didn't know I was here."
"Why did you sneak on board?" Anakin growls. "Was it to kill me?"
"If you were indeed the creature who slaughtered younglings in the Temple footage, then yes," Obi-Wan replies honestly. "Are you that creature, Anakin?"
Anakin's lightsaber trembles slightly. Obi-Wan barely seems to breathe. Padmé watches with horror, wondering if she should jump in but afraid she'll make it all worse.
Then Anakin's lightsaber drops and he breathes in a stuttering gasp, his eyes no longer glinting gold. "Palpatine made me," he whispers. "I would never- Obi-Wan, you have to believe me-"
"I do believe you," Obi-Wan replies, pulling Anakin against his chest. "I believe you, Anakin, it's alright."
"I'm sorry," Anakin sobs, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"I know," Obi-Wan whispers, running his fingers through Anakin's hair. Padmé has never seen him this unguarded. "It's alright, Anakin." Anakin lets out a harsh sob, burying his face into Obi-Wan's neck. "You know, this was much easier when you were still shorter than me," Obi-Wan remarks.
Anakin's laugh is watery but real. "And when was that, Master?" he asks. "Ten years ago?"
"Impertinent little beast," Obi-Wan scolds, but there's no anger in his voice.
Anakin stays in his arms for a moment longer, then he pulls away. "So, um." He looks at Padmé, then back at Obi-Wan. "Why Polis Massa?"
"Bail Organa and Master Yoda are there," Obi-Wan explains.
Padmé stares at him in shock. "Bail and Yoda?" she asks. "Why?"
"Bail remained true to the Jedi, and Yoda managed to survive when his troops attacked him." Obi-Wan speaks the words bitterly. Cody would have turned on him, and it's never been a secret that the two of them are close friends. "I was sent after Anakin, and Yoda went to fight Palpatine. Bail went as his getaway. We were all supposed to regroup on Polis Massa."
"Yoda can't kill the Chancellor on his own," Anakin states, shaking his head. "He's too powerful. If we want to defeat him, we all need to work together."
"All?" Obi-Wan repeats. "You'll help us?"
"It's the least I can do," Anakin replies. "Artoo, set a course for Polis Massa." Artoo burbles out a string of beeps and does as he's told.
"Obi-Wan?" Padmé asks quietly. "Do you know if there are medical facilities on Polis Massa?"
"I'm afraid I don't," Obi-Wan replies. "Why, is something wrong?"
"Are you hurt?" Anakin cries.
Padmé looks down. Both men follow her gaze to the trickle of water that's running down her leg. "No," she says calmly, "but my water just broke."
There is a medical facility on Polis Massa, thankfully. Obi-Wan watches through the window as Padmé screams through labor and Anakin desperately tries to calm her down. Master Yoda wanted to discuss things with Anakin immediately - a discussion that Obi-Wan has the feeling will not go well at all - but Anakin's irises flared bright gold at the thought of leaving Padmé's side and Obi-Wan managed to talk Yoda down from killing Anakin on the spot. Yoda is watching Padmé give birth as well, his lightsaber in his lap. Obi-Wan knows he could draw it in an instant.
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin calls. "Padmé wants you."
Obi-Wan looks at Yoda, then over at Bail, who's watching as well. "Go to her," Bail tells Obi-Wan quietly, and Obi-Wan does.
Padmé grips Obi-Wan's hand tightly when he offers it to her. "There are two babies," she gasps. "I'm having twins."
"Didn't you know that?" Obi-Wan asks, blinking in confusion. "I could feel two Force signatures inside you. I assumed you knew."
"We didn't," Anakin replies. "So we were wondering if you could hold the first baby when it's born so I can stay here with Padmé."
Obi-Wan looks at Anakin in shock, then turns to Padmé. "You… You cannot mean that."
"Who else would we trust with our child?" Padmé asks, then she gasps in pain. If Obi-Wan could take that pain from her, he would, but all he can do is use the Force to ease her labor a bit. It's not as much as he wants to do, but at least it's something.
"I- Of course," Obi-Wan says, nodding. "Of course."
"I think it's coming," Padmé gasps, arching her back as she cries out again. The droid murmurs something to her, and then suddenly there's a baby boy and the droid passes it to Obi-Wan and oh, it's like nothing he's ever felt before.
"It's a boy," he says in dazed awe.
"Luke," Padmé whispers, looking up at Anakin, who nods.
"Our little Luke."
Obi-Wan's tunic is filthy and it's probably completely unhygienic for him to cradle a newborn, but he wouldn't give him up for all the stars in the sky. "Hello, Luke," he whispers to the baby. The child has big blue eyes, looking around the room before staring up at Obi-Wan. The Force sings.
Padmé screams as she gives birth to the second baby, a girl. Anakin gathers her up in his arms. "Leia," he says quietly.
"Leia," Padmé agrees. Both twins are equally bright in the Force. While Luke is quiet, Leia begins to scream almost immediately.
Anakin looks at her in horror. "What did I do?" he demands.
"Nothing," Padmé assures him quickly. "Infants do that. Can I see them?"
Obi-Wan brings Luke over to Padmé immediately. She traces her fingers along his cheek. "Sweet Luke," she whispers. "And sweet Leia," she adds, doing the same thing to her daughter when Anakin brings her over.
"The babies must be examined," the droid informs them. "We must be sure that they are in perfect health. The mother needs to be examined as well."
"And we should talk with Master Yoda," Obi-Wan tells Anakin quietly.
"Do you think there's any way that can go well?" Anakin asks petulantly.
"Regardless, it must be done," Obi-Wan replies firmly. Two bassinets come out of nowhere and Obi-Wan lays Luke in one of them. Anakin sets Leia down in the other, then gives Padmé a lingering kiss before following Obi-Wan out of the room.
"Bright in the Force, your children are," Yoda tells Anakin. There's more to the comment than meets the eye, but Obi-Wan is suddenly too exhausted to decipher it. He's not quite sure when he last slept, and the adrenaline that's been keeping him upright for hours is beginning to dissipate. He's pretty sure that he's not going to manage consciousness for much longer, but he also knows that he can't leave Anakin and Yoda to have this discussion themselves. He has his doubts as to whether or not both of them will come out of it alive if he does.
"I'll stay with Padmé," Bail tells Anakin.
Anakin looks at Bail for a long moment. Obi-Wan suddenly hopes that Anakin takes HoloNet news with a hefty grain of salt. The HoloNet has been convinced that Padmé and Bail are sleeping together for years. Then again, there are niches that are equally convinced Obi-Wan is sleeping with Anakin, so hopefully Anakin knows better than to trust the tabloids.
"Thank you," Anakin finally says. His eyes are still blue. Obi-Wan breathes a quiet sigh of relief.
Yoda leads Anakin and Obi-Wan to another room. "Fell to the Dark Side, you did," Yoda says to Anakin.
"I did," Anakin admits.
"But Fallen now, you do not seem to be," Yoda adds.
"It was Padmé," Obi-Wan remarks. "She managed to bring Anakin back to the light."
The look Yoda gives Obi-Wan is utterly unimpressed. "Through the Senator, it was, that young Skywalker Fell."
"Excuse me?" Anakin asks, his voice cold. There's a hint of gold around his pupils.
"Master Yoda, it was Palpatine that made Anakin Fall, not Padmé," Obi-Wan protests. "If things were different, he would have found another way to do it. It was not Anakin's attachment to Padmé that caused this."
"Forbidden, attachment is," Yoda replies stubbornly. "Not the Jedi way, marriage is."
"There is no Jedi way!" Anakin snaps. "Not anymore. There are no Jedi. The three of us are the last remnants of the Jedi Order. The Jedi have all been slaughtered."
"Whose fault, that is?" Yoda asks softly. Anakin flinches.
"This is getting us nowhere," Obi-Wan interrupts. "We ought to be focusing on how to defeat Palpatine. Master Yoda, what happened when you two fought?"
"Powerful in the Dark Side of the Force, Palpatine is," Yoda admits. "Defeat him, I could not."
"We need to surprise him," Anakin declares. "I can defeat him. I have a plan."
"Goodness," Obi-Wan murmurs. "We're doomed."
Anakin ignores Obi-Wan's comment. "Do you think you could pretend to be on the edge of Falling?" he asks instead.
"What?" Obi-Wan asks, shocked.
"If I bring you before the Chancellor, I need a reason that you're alive. I can tell him that the destruction of the Order drove you nearly to madness and that you seem close to Falling. He may demand that I execute you anyway, but it'll be a reason for me to bring you before him."
Obi-Wan managed a hoarse laugh. "Anakin, I have felt as if I am on the edge of Falling for years. It will not be a difficult act to perform."
"You have?" Anakin asks, derailed. "But- But you're a perfect Jedi!"
"Far from perfect, Master Kenobi is," Yoda mutters.
"I nearly Fell after Qui-Gon's death," Obi-Wan admits. "I can pretend well enough that I am on that edge again."
"Okay." Anakin is beginning to look excited. "So we return to Coruscant. We need to pick up my ship from Mustafar."
"Your ship will not hold two," Obi-Wan counters.
"Then we can pick up one of the Separatist ships from Mustafar," Anakin replies, shrugging. "We'll return to Coruscant. Once we get into the Chancellor's office, he'll be distracted by you and I'll have the chance to kill him."
"Fit in to your plan, do I?" Yoda asks.
"No, you don't," Anakin replies sharply. "Obi-Wan and I are doing this ourselves. You can stay here."
"What will we do after Palpatine is dead?" Obi-Wan asks. "I imagine things will quickly grow political."
"That's up to the politicians to decide," Anakin dismisses. "You told the Chancellor that Sith Lords were our specialty, remember?"
Obi-Wan nods, a wicked grin spreading on his face. "Well, we are the only two Sith-killers alive," he remarks. "We ought to be able to take down one more between the two of us."
"Let's go," Anakin says, eyes sparkling with excitement, and Obi-Wan feels a mental nudge on their training bond. He doesn't dare open himself up entirely yet, but the feeling manages to somewhat soothe the gaping hole where the lights of thousands of Jedi used to be. The pain is still there, but Obi-Wan will learn to live with it.
Assuming, that is, he manages to live through Anakin's insane plan.
When the Separatist ship lands in front of the Senate Building on Coruscant, Anakin nearly throws Obi-Wan down the steps. His hands bound, Obi-Wan only barely manages to catch himself before he falls. Anakin keeps his head lowered so his blue irises are out of sight. "Come on," he snarls to Obi-Wan, who stumbles along with him, glaring at Anakin with all the hatred he can muster. No one dares bother them until they reach the antechamber for the Supreme Chancellor's office.
"Darth Vader," Mas Amedda states. "The Emperor has been awaiting you."
"I've found us a new toy," Anakin says, cruelty clear in his words. Obi-Wan dares a glance up at his eyes and finds that they're ringed with gold. "Will you let us in?"
Amedda looks at Anakin for a long moment. Anakin's hand lingers over his lightsaber. "Very well," Amedda states, stepping aside. "The Emperor will see you."
Anakin shoves Obi-Wan forward into the room when the doors open. Palpatine's chair is facing the window. Obi-Wan is almost bowled over by the lingering echoes of pain in the room. This is where many Jedi died. For a split second, he can feel the agony that haunted Mace Windu as he died.
"Darth Vader," Palpatine croaks, turning. His face is hideously ravaged. "Why have you brought this Jedi before me?"
"I believe he can be turned to our side, my master," Anakin replies. "He's half mad already."
Obi-Wan summons up every scrap of hatred he can and directs it towards Palpatine. The temperature seems to increase a few degrees with the heat of it. Palpatine laughs. "Have you truly fallen so far, Master Kenobi?"
"I will never follow you," Obi-Wan snarls. "I hate you."
"What was the irritating little phrase that Master Yoda used to say?" Palpatine asks. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." With a horrible smile on his wrinkled face, Palpatine stands, walking around the desk. "And you will suffer, Master Kenobi, I promise you that."
Palpatine lifts a hand and Obi-Wan screams as lightning strikes him over and over, lifting him into the air and throwing him across the room. Anakin almost takes a step forward to defend him, but Obi-Wan yanks open the training bond. Don't you dare! he snaps. Stick to the plan. Anakin's eyes widen slightly, but he doesn't move.
"There are always two Sith," Palpatine tells Anakin. "We do not need him."
"Dooku had an apprentice," Anakin counters. "Why can't I have one?"
Palpatine snarls. "You will not have Kenobi as your apprentice. Will you dispose of him or shall I?" Anakin doesn't move. "So be it," Palpatine says, igniting his lightsaber and stalking towards Obi-Wan.
"Wait," Anakin says, right before Palpatine reaches Obi-Wan. "Let me do it."
Palpatine steps back, and Anakin ignites his lightsaber. "Kill him, Darth Vader," Palpatine commands. Anakin looks at Obi-Wan for half a second, then he cuts off Palpatine's head.
For a long moment, nothing happens. Obi-Wan stares up at Anakin with wide eyes. Anakin offers Obi-Wan a hand and helps him to his feet, undoing the trick cuffs around his wrists.
Then the doors open and what seems to be a whole battalion of clones swarms in the room, firing at them. Anakin passes Obi-Wan his lightsaber without either of them having to say a word, and the two of them fall into their normal battle positions. Obi-Wan hates killing the clones, but he knows he has no choice. At least the clones aren't ones Obi-Wan knows. He has no idea what he would do if he were faced with fighting Cody or Rex.
"Stand down!" Anakin yells desperately. To Obi-Wan's surprise, the troops stop immediately.
"What orders do you have for us, Lord Vader?" the clone in charge asks.
Obi-Wan can see Anakin swallow hard. "All troops will report to Coruscant as soon as possible," he declares. "I hereby revoke Order 66. The Jedi are no longer to be hunted."
"Sir, yes, sir!" the commander declares. "What of the death of the Emperor?"
"The Emperor was a traitor and conspiring with the Separatists," Anakin states. "I have executed him as befits a traitor to the Rep- to the Empire."
"Acknowledged, sir," the commander replies. "What of the remaining Separatist troops?"
"The Separatist leaders have been dealt with," Anakin replies. "The Senate will decide what to do about the rest of them."
"Yes, sir," the commander states.
"You may go," Anakin adds, and the troops all march out of the room, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan alone with Palpatine's beheaded corpse.
"Why did they listen to you?" Obi-Wan asks. "And what's Order 66?"
Anakin sighs. "Order 66 was the order that turned the clones against the Jedi. They had a chip implanted in their brains, back when they were still on Kamino. They had no choice but to follow the order when Palpatine gave it. And I guess he told them that I was his second in command, so they listened to me after his death. I think that's Order 4."
"We should remove those chips," Obi-Wan says darkly.
Anakin nods. "And with the order revoked, maybe any other Jedi survivors will feel able to return to the Temple."
Obi-Wan didn't feel particularly hopeful that there were any other survivors, but he didn't say a word. "What is the Senate going to do now?" he asked instead. "Someone will need to fill this power vacuum."
"I don't know if it'll be possible to go back to a Republic right away," Anakin replies. "I don't even know if we should. The Republic has been falling apart for years."
"It's better than a corrupt Empire," Obi-Wan counters.
"If we have the right person in charge of the Empire," Anakin begins, "then maybe they could start turning it back into a Republic. But a new Republic. A better one than the old one."
"This is a matter for the Senate to decide, not us," Obi-Wan cautions. "The Jedi are separate from the government."
"There is no Jedi Order anymore," Anakin counters. "Why shouldn't we interfere in the government if we have an idea of how things should be? We're part of the Republic. Why shouldn't we have a say in how it's run?"
"We should tell Yoda and Padmé and Bail what happened," Obi-Wan says. "They can return to Coruscant now that Palpatine is dead."
"You're right," Anakin says, nodding. "Are you alright? You're still shaking a little."
Obi-Wan looks down at his hands, which are trembling slightly. "How is that you've been hit with Force lightning multiple times and you haven't been crippled by it?" he demands. "I don't think I've ever felt anything quite so horrible."
Anakin shrugs. "I think Palpatine's was more powerful than Dooku's. It felt more powerful, anyway."
"It would make sense that the master is more powerful than the student," Obi-Wan replies. He closes his eyes and opens himself up to the Force. It fills him with a gentle warmth, healing the lingering damage from the Force lightning. When he opens his eyes again, his hands are still.
"I'll send word back to Polis Massa," Obi-Wan states. "You can go deal with your soldiers."
"This isn't over," Anakin warns darkly. "I'm sure Palpatine has some more tricks up his sleeve, even now."
"And we'll deal with that when it happens," Obi-Wan replies. "For now, deal with the clones, and I'll tell the others they can come back to Coruscant."
For a moment, Anakin doesn't move. Obi-Wan wishes he knew what was going on his head. Finally, he nods. "Alright. Use the secure comm only. We don't want anyone listening in."
"I will," Obi-Wan replies. "Do be careful, Anakin."
"You know me, Master," Anakin replies, a cheeky grin on his face. "I'm always careful."
"And that's exactly what I'm afraid of," Obi-Wan mutters. He hears Anakin's cheerful laugh behind him as he leaves the room.
When Padmé's ship lands at the Senate Apartment Complex, both Obi-Wan and Anakin are waiting to greet it. Bail and Padmé step off the ship, Padmé cradling a child in each arm. Anakin swoops forward and gathers Padmé and the children up into his arms immediately.
Obi-Wan steps over to Bail, letting the two of them have their moment. "Where is Master Yoda?" he asks.
"He said he had somewhere else to go," Bail replies. "I offered to let him use my ship, but he insisted on using his own. He said he would meet us on Coruscant in a week or so."
"Did he say where he was going?" Obi-Wan asks.
Bail shakes his head. "Not a word. Do you have any idea where he might go?"
"None at all," Obi-Wan murmurs.
Padmé giggles across the landing pad, kissing Anakin as the babies sleep against her chest. "You should go home to your wife," Obi-Wan remarks, seeing Bail watching the two of them.
"I've talked with Breha," Bail replies. "She understands that I have to put my duty to the Republic first."
"There is no Republic anymore, Bail," Obi-Wan warns.
"There will be again," Bail replies. "Padmé and I spoke about it on the trip here. We have a great many ideas on how to reform the Republic and keep anything like this from ever happening again."
"And you will stay on Coruscant until that happens?" Obi-Wan asks.
Bail laughs. "Stars, no. I'll help get things started, and then I'll return to Alderaan as soon as possible. Breha has suggested that she come here, but there's turmoil on Alderaan as well, and the people can't spare their queen."
"No one could accuse either of you of a lack of dedication," Obi-Wan murmurs.
"And what of you, Master Kenobi?" Bail asks. "Yoda did make some mentions of wanting to restore the Jedi Order. Will you join him?"
"The Jedi Order requires as many reforms as the Republic, if not more," Obi-Wan replies. "But I'm not certain that Yoda and I see eye to eye on this matter."
"This would be the best time to reform it, would it not?" Bail asks.
"If Yoda allows it," Obi-Wan replies. "He has lived for nearly a millennium. I do not know that he will be open to reform now."
"You could create your own Order," Bail offers.
Obi-Wan blinks. "I suppose I could," he replies, a bit shocked by the very idea.
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin calls from the other side of the landing pad. "Come here. We have something to ask you."
"Duty calls," Obi-Wan sighs.
Bail's eyes twinkle. "I can see your reluctance to go to them," he teases. Obi-Wan rolls his eyes. "I'm going to sleep for as long as I can," Bail adds. "I'll see you in the morning, Obi-Wan."
"Thank you, Bail," Obi-Wan replies. Bail pulls Obi-Wan into a tight hug for a moment, then he releases him and steps back, going inside and to his own quarters. Obi-Wan crosses the landing platform to Anakin and Padmé.
"Obi-Wan, we were wondering if you could stay with us tonight," Padmé offers when Obi-Wan reaches them. "Unless there's somewhere else you'd rather stay."
"I-" Obi-Wan cuts off the painful truth, that he has no where else to stay. He has his quarters in the Jedi temple, but he can't imagine going to them. The entire Temple is raw with pain and death, and Obi-Wan doesn't know that he'll ever be strong enough to return.
"Stay with us," Anakin urges. "It's not like you have anywhere else to go."
"Anakin!" Padmé protests, elbowing Anakin in the side.
"Won't you two want your privacy?" Obi-Wan asks carefully.
"We want to be with you," Anakin replies with raw honesty, and Anakin would no doubt disagree, but Obi-Wan's never been very good at saying no to him.
"If you insist," Obi-Wan replies. The sparkle in Padmé's eyes makes him certain that she knows that he wants to stay with them, even if he'll never admit it.
"And you can help with the kids if they wake up in the middle of the night," Anakin adds, grinning wickedly.
"Assuming they're able to wake me," Obi-Wan replies. "I feel as if I could sleep through anything at the moment."
"The children will no doubt take that as a challenge," Padmé replies.
"May I hold them?" Obi-Wan asks, the words escaping his mouth before he can stop them. Padmé just smiles, though, and Anakin grins widely.
"Of course you may," Padmé replies, offering Luke to Obi-Wan, then Leia.
Holding one baby is foreign enough. Holding two requires a moment of shifting before Obi-Wan can get the children into a position that feels secure enough. Anakin hovers at his elbow, but Obi-Wan doesn't feel any worry coming through their bond. Padmé smiles at Obi-Wan.
"They're perfect," Obi-Wan whispers, looking at the children in his arms. Luke twists slightly and snuggles into his chest, and Leia's sleepy eyes open for a second before she goes back to sleep. Obi-Wan had never understood the appeal of having children, but if he could hold Luke and Leia forever, he would.
"You may not think that when they both start screaming," Padmé replies tiredly. "Shall we go inside? I'd like to sleep for the next year."
"I agree," Anakin replies, gently lifting Luke from Obi-Wan's arms. Obi-Wan cradles Leia against his chest as they enter the building, going to Padmé's rooms.
"I sent my handmaidens back to Naboo before I went to Mustafar," Padmé says as they enter an empty apartment. "Dormé will return in a week, and the others will return after that. Until then, we have the apartment to ourselves."
"Is there a spare room I may use?" Obi-Wan asks. If not, he's perfectly fine with using the couch. With how tired he is, any horizontal surface looks wonderfully comfortable. He'd settle for the floor if he had to.
"Sleep in my bed with me and Anakin," Padmé offers. Obi-Wan freezes.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Anakin adds quickly. "But Padmé and I think we'd sleep better if we were all together."
"I-" Obi-Wan's throat is suddenly very dry. Somehow, he'd never noticed until now that Anakin had gone off and grown up. And grown handsome, a sly voice remarks in his head. Obi-Wan shushes it.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Padmé assures him. "It's just an offer."
Obi-Wan has always felt some level of attraction towards Padmé. As a padawan, when she'd been the Queen of Naboo, the attraction had almost scared him. Obi-Wan had always been sure to push it aside and ignore it as much as he could. He'd seen Padmé a few times in the ten years that followed, but never for very long. And then, when he and Anakin were assigned to protect Padmé three years ago - was it really only three years? - he'd pushed his attraction aside yet again to do his duty. When he'd noticed Anakin's feelings for Padmé, he had turned a blind eye as much as he could and forbidden himself to ever think of Padmé that way again, vowing not to betray his friend like that.
But the offer that Anakin and Padmé were giving him was enough to tempt even the best of Jedi, and Obi-Wan was far from the best.
"I would rather sleep alone," Obi-Wan replies carefully. "I don't know how deeply I'll be able to sleep, and I don't want to disturb either of you."
Anakin's face falls slightly. Padmé is more able to keep her emotions from her face, but Obi-Wan can feel a flicker of disappointment from her as well. "Of course," she says simply. "There's an empty room right next to mine. Dormé normally uses it, but she wouldn't mind if you borrowed it."
"Thank you," Obi-Wan replies. "And what of the children?"
"I have a bassinet in my room," Padmé replies. "I arranged for one to be brought in on my way here. We can put the children in there."
"Come on," Anakin says, jerking his head towards Padmé's room. Obi-Wan follows him, still cradling Leia. The bassinet is in the room, just as Padmé said it would be. Obi-Wan lies Leia down in it.
"Here," Anakin offers, tossing Obi-Wan a change of clothes. "I keep some clothes here," he adds, answering Obi-Wan's unspoken question.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan replies, looking down at the clothes. They smell of Anakin, but also of Padmé's perfume. Obi-Wan supposes that comes from staying in Padmé's rooms for so long.
"Are you sure you don't want to sleep in here with us?" Anakin asks.
Obi-Wan shakes his head, his fists clenching the clothes in his hands. "No, thank you. I'll go to sleep now, if you don't mind."
"We'll see you in the morning, Obi-Wan," Padmé replies, pulling Obi-Wan into an embrace and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Anakin hugs him the second she pulls away. Obi-Wan stares at the two of them in a daze for a moment, then he turns and most definitely doesn't flee the room.
He'll be able to control his feelings better after he sleeps. Perhaps these newfound emotions just come from his exhaustion and will be gone when he wakes.
And perhaps Obi-Wan will wake up to find that everything that has happened since he killed Grievous has been a dream. The two options seem to be about equally likely.
