Chapter One: Naboo

She couldn't bear the lake retreat. Even the idea of it made her want to cry. Images of their marriage, of Anakin's nervous look as she'd drawn him to her bed for the first time. Anakin's joy at swimming in the lake with her in those two precious days that they'd had after their wedding. Then later, living there with Luke as a family.

If the Jedi were to be believed, her daughter would never know that family unit. Anakin wouldn't take her into the lake and teach her how to swim while Luke desperately tried to match his father in everything. She could see that image; Anakin's smiling, laughing face as he brought a baby close to his lips to kiss her cheek and then lifted her out of the water, his hands sure and steady. Later, roughhousing with Luke and probably throwing the child across the water as Luke screamed with glee.

No. Not the lake retreat.

And living at her parents, even for a week had been more than she could handle. Everyone crept around, as if they thought that might upset her.

Losing her husband had upset her. Losing that father of her children upset her. She couldn't give a kriffin' damn what anyone did at the moment.

She'd rented out an apartment overlooking the river in Theed. It was about a three-minute walk to her parents' house and Luke sometimes wandered back and forth with Threepio when she insisted that she needed a lie down. More often than not, her son would sneak back in and cuddle up to her as she cried. And, at night, when he woke up from fitful dreams and stared longingly up at the sky, she held him while he shook so hard she thought he might break apart.

She ignored her Queen. And the chancellor. And the Jedi. And any attempts to have her discuss her sudden resignation from the senate.

She didn't really know what she did all day now. Only that grief made her struggle to rise from her bed. That food tasted like ash and she ate it only because her daughter needed her to eat. And Luke needed to see her eat so that he would so the same. Days and nights became an unfathomable blur.

She grew bigger. Luke went with her to the health check-ups, standing like her own personal guard when in fact Gregar Typho was stood outside doing that exact same job.

She'd told him to go so many times. He nodded, agreed with every point she made and still was there the next time she opened the door.

He rarely came in.

Apart from today.

"There's a visitor at your parents," Gregar said, standing at the shielded doors and watching Luke as he sat outside. Her son had his knees up tight to his chest and stared out while Threepio moved animatedly as if he were talking. "A Jedi."

"Unless Obi-Wan Kenobi is at their house, I don't care. My wishes stand," Padme said, folding her arms over the top of the bump as she stared out.

"He says his name is Eekar Oki."

The name meant little to her. Reluctantly she looked over at Gregor and sighed. "What does he want?"

"The gungan, Jar-Jar Binks? He sent a distress message."

Yes, she'd heard it. Something about concerns for Boss Leonie stirring up trouble against the humans. "I cannot go," she said reluctantly. "Under water, the pressure…" she trailed off.

"He knows. He would, however, like to talk to you."

The selfish mourning wife within her said no. The mother said yes. If there truly was a chance that Boss Leonie was debating making an alliance with the separatists, then Naboo could become a warzone and her children would grow up in that.

She nodded once and pretended that she didn't hear him suck in a surprised breath.

"I'll…tell him to come here?"

"Tell him to be brief," Padme corrected.

"And…I assume that you are planning something for tomorrow?"

Tomorrow? Blankly, she turned to look at Gregar. "Why would I be?"

Gregar's gaze flickered back to Luke. "It will be his ninth birthing day."

What? No, that wasn't right! Annoyed, she picked up a datatpad and then stared at the date with disbelief. "No," she said slowly. "He'd have said-"

And Anakin had promised to be back for it. They were going to go to the fields on Naboo and Anakin was going to let Luke fly before they had a picnic. And a party for his friends on Coruscant so that Anakin could see how funny Luke was as he trailed around after Wondi.

It wasn't meant to be like this. This was…this was wrong. So wrong. Unfair and cruel and-

Her daughter shifted again and Padme drew in a long breath, trying to calm herself. "No-one said."

"He promised to be back for it," Gregar said very softly. "I didn't…I wasn't sure you wanted to deal with it."

She didn't. Part of her. But Luke had experienced so few birthing days when people had cared about him, that she couldn't let him experience another one.

Part of her suddenly hated Anakin for leaving and not keeping his word. Stupid, but she felt it all the same. "I will talk to the Jedi," she said stiffly. She really should talk to her parents too, to discuss Luke, but one thing at a time.

As he slipped away, she deactivates the shield and stepped out into the garden. It wasn't as big as her parents, but there was a tree and room for Luke to run around if he chose. More often though, he seemed to come out and sit quietly and part her suspected that he searched for his father more often than not.

It was a bit of a struggle to ease herself to sit down next to him, but she did it and was pleased when her son leaned into her a little. Together, they sat quietly and she stroked his hair.

"What do you want to do tomorrow for your birthing day?"

Luke flinched a little and shook his head.

"We should do something," she urged, but again Luke shook his head. His eyes were bright and for a second she thought he would cry. But her son had been getting better at fighting those back and simply squared his jaw a little in a way that gave him a similar expression to Anakin.

He was going to struggle tomorrow, she thought with a sigh.

"Senator Amidala?" a hesitant voice asked.

When she turned, a Mon Calamari stood in the doorway, as if hesitant about whether he was allowed outside. In the dimness of the kitchen, Gregar sat, arms folded and clearly not leaving, not getting to involved.

"I am no longer a senator," she said as Luke peered around her to stare at the Jedi. "You wished to talk about Jar-Jar's message and the gungans?"

The Jedi nodded. "That is… part of the reason."

"Part of?" she echoed. "What is the other part then?"

The Jedi's eyes fell on Luke for a moment. "Protection," he said honestly.

"And they sent you?" she asked, a little derisive. "I've never heard of you and-"

"You were being knighted," Luke said quietly. "The day before Dad left."

Padme glanced between her son and the Jedi. For a moment she wanted to continue the verbal attack, but Luke seemed to be happy enough to see the Mon Calamari. Perhaps he had been sent on purpose as a fresh new face that was less likely to annoy her.

Or they genuinely didn't care but wanted it to appear they were doing the right thing.

Cynic, she thought as she gestured the Jedi over. "What do you need to know about the gungans?"

Eekar seemed to hesitate a little. "I…" Stars, he was so young she thought with some annoyance at the Jedi. "Anything," he said eventually. "Everything. If you would agree to a holo-"

She shook her head. "To send the holo of a former senator is…it looks like we do not care."

"No-one else is willing to go down there," Eekar said apologetically. "And you cannot, my lady. No-one is arguing that. But Boss Leonie appears to be firing them all up with-"

"Boss Leonie was always reasoned and measured," Padme corrected. "The separatists must have something on him or be feeding him a lie."

Eekar nodded. "Perhaps…may I ask some more questions and go down tomorrow? If you tell me the best way to proceed and perhaps we do accept that the holo, while not idea might be the best way forward-"

Padme nodded and it was suddenly a mercy to have something else to talk about rather than Anakin. Even if she was talking to a Jedi.

Xxx

Thankfully, Luke (of all people) kept the evening from being uncomfortable. She'd thought that he might be angry or frustrated with any Jedi knights that came to visit, but instead he seemed fascinated about the gungans and asked a thousand questions of herself and Gregar which helped Eekar out no end. And he asked Eekar about how the cultures between his home world and the gungans were different and seemed more than happy to listen to the young knight's replies. Luke even groaned in protest when she told him it was time to go to bed, something he hadn't done in a while.

They all said their goodnights and she was hopeful for the first hour that it would be a change for her and Luke. But she heard the muffled sobs not long after and closed her eyes. Then stood, leaving her room and passing Eekar in the hall who stood looking torn and uncomfortable.

"Is he all right?" he asked.

"The council have declared his father is dead," she snapped at him. "None of us are all right."

With that, she slammed the door in his face and went to Luke, gathering her son up as best she could.

Her boy was upset. So terribly upset he was almost struggling to breathe with it and she hated that she couldn't fix it for him, that there was no way of helping him with this wound other than to wait for the hurt to fade a little. Even then, there would always be says where it sprung up and drowned them both in it.

How could Anakin have left them?

But maybe…maybe he would come back. He had in Luke's future. Maybe they just need to hold on and that was worse in a way. Not knowing and feeling like trying to move on might be giving up and she couldn't to either.

They fell asleep on Luke's bed. He was curled around her stomach, almost as if guarding his little sister and she stroked his hair, marvelling at how little he still looked. Nine years old, she thought as she looked out the window.

How could a nine-year-old have coped with so much in such a short life time?

She drifted and dozed, which was a familiar sleeping pattern since Anakin had…since the ship had been attacked.

xxx

It was the noise of a blaster fire and repulsors that woke her.

Luke was already sitting up, scrambling for the window as she stood, slower and with more horror than her son. Someone was pounding on the door and, when she opened it, Eekar and Gregar stood on the otherside, dressed for bed, but armed.

"We need to move, my lady," Eekar said gently, his lightsabre not active, but in his hand.

Luke scampered back over from the window, eyes wide, but he didn't seem afraid. Padme looked down at him and then nodded, reaching for the cupboard before she drew out her blaster. "Where are we going to?"

"A ship to get us out of here," Gregar said.

What? "This is my home-planet. Your home-planet and-"

"You are heavily pregnant and the boy is a boy," Gregar corrected. "And like it or not, my lady, you are a very tempting hostage for the separatists."

But if they left without fighting… she stood still, paralysed by the indecision weighing her down. "My parents-"

"The troops won't know or care who they are. They will if you go to them," Gregar said firmly. "Padme. Luke needs to leave here. Now."

Luke? She blinked between them.

"Count Dooku is on his way," Eekar said, glancing down at Luke. "He, as far as we know, has no real apprentice."

The implication made her want to shoot him. Pulling her son close, she nodded and strode towards the small flight of stairs. Eekar danced ahead of them a little so that he went down first. She tightened her grip on Luke's pyjamas, her mind suddenly racing.

Luke was sensitive to the force. What if her daughter was too? And the sith wanted apprentices. Suddenly an entire galaxy of threats opened up before her in a way that she had never imagined.

Maybe she should take them to the council.

The second she thought it, Padme dismissed it. Anakin would never have allowed it and Luke was not going to be a Jedi. He didn't want to use the force, had no interest in it beyond what Yoda did with him in order to allow his mind to heal from all that tampering.

She had to keep them safe. Both of them.

The streets were alive with motion and noise. The fighting wasn't so heavy where they were, but the droids were marching through and the gungans marched with them. Palace guards were running to defend the civilians, but it was clear that everything was coming as a surprise to them.

They were defenceless.

And she knew, suddenly, that the next time she stepped foot on her home-world, it wouldn't be the same. Couldn't be when the gungans fought the human Nubians. Tears blurred her vision as the idea sunk in.

Naboo. Her Naboo, was being destroyed.

And then there was no time to mourn. A droid spotted their party and fired. Eekar ignited his blade and rebounded the blasts back at the droids as Gregar shot to give them cover. Grabbing Luke's hand, she headed with him up the hill and towards the palace docks.

The fighting was heavier the closer they got to the palace. She ducked down into an alleyway with her son and tried to think. The old tunnels leading up to the palace had been blocked after her reign, a move she had not agreed with, but the argument had been that too many knew about it. Going via the river would be almost impossible with her pregnancy at this stage.

Something nagged at her as she looked around. Almost as if something or someone should be there, but wasn't.

"Is there another way to get access to a ship?" Eekar asked as he ducked into the quiet street, turning off the blade so as to avoid attracting attention.

"One of us will have to go via the river," Gregar said slowly. "I'll do it."

"Captain," Padme protested. "It's dangerous. You-"

But he nodded and smiled and left all the same. The child within her shifted again and Padme leaned heavily against the wall.

"Mom?"

"I'm fine," she said, absently stroking Luke's hair. "How did this happen?" she demanded of Eekar.

The Mon Calamari shook his head. "There was meant to be more time," he said, sounding baffled. "Why would they have moved this up. Why…" he drifted off and glanced back at Luke.

Her heart dropped and sheer terror engulfed her. "They want him, don't they?"

Eekar looked between her and Luke and then turned his attention back to the main streets. "The council thought…they thought the sith would wait until he was older. That I could stop any opportunistic attempts for now. But this…" he shook his head.

Padme pulled Luke as close as she could and then bent as far as was possible in her condition. "If we get separated-"

"Mom," he whined at her, looking annoyed at even the suggestion.

"If," she repeated. "Then go to Master Yoda. Do you hear? Not Coruscant, not the council or the chancellor. Go to Master Yoda."

Luke's gaze dipped down to her belly and he actually looked like he might spoil for a fight.

"Promise me," she hissed at him, grabbing his chin. "I will not have a future where you are trained to kill Jedi. Especially not when you will have a sister and not when your father might come back."

The message must have gotten through because her son blinked at her and then nodded wide eyed.

"Say the wor-"

A hail of fire suddenly lit up the alleyway they were stood in. Eekar jumped into action, but a few got through and she pushed her son down so that they huddled together against the walls. And, as she went, she felt something in her shift.

It was something big and small and her body knew it wasn't what was meant to happen exactly. Gasping, she froze in terror, hand on her stomach and the child within it, wishing and praying that nothing had gone wrong.

"We need to move," Eekar said firmly as the last droid fell.

She could feel Luke's gaze on her as he scrambled away, but kept close and crouching as if waiting to pounce in case she needed help. And, as she reached to get to her feet, something almost twisted in her and she could feel fluid.

No.

Eekar froze. The three of them stayed absolutely still, as if that might make a difference, but then a wave of pain made her want to clench and push and no. This couldn't happen now.

"Human births take some time, correct?" Eekar checked.

"Nubian births are quick," she snapped, trying to remember what the manual she'd read said about breathing. She hadn't bothered to read it since Ani…

"It's too early," she whispered, scared. This couldn't be happening. This was…what if this was Luke's future? What if it were coming true?

"Move further down," Eekar said after a moment. "The other side, is it a dead end?"

She nodded. "Easy to get over the walls there if you go through the houses-"

"Can you aim and fire?"

She nodded because what other choice was there? It hurt getting to her feet and she wasn't sure how she managed to make her way down the alley. Luke held her hand, hovered close and stayed absolutely silent.

Mercifully, Eekar spread out his cloak as she sat down so that she was protected slightly from the floor and she winced at the sight of Luke only in his pyjamas during a fire fight and what was starting to look like a mild night.

"Your sister," she said to him, "has terrible timing. We are going to remind her of this for the rest of her life."

Instead of looking reassured, Luke looked worried. "But she-"

Padme pulled him to her, kissing his forehead. "If I tell you to run, you need to run."

She felt him shake his head into her, felt the tears that coated her shoulder and hissed as the next contraction hit. And her son, her wonderful clever, brave son, reached for her hand and held on for dear life as she battled with the contraction.

xxx

It didn't take long. Within an hour, she could feel the baby shifting with more purpose as the urge to push grew stronger. She felt, as best she could to check that she was dilated enough and then glanced between her son and the jedi knight protecting them.

Dear force, she was going to have to scar her son for life.

They were trying to draw Eekar out. The narrow alleyway was wide enough for him to move with ease and keep their fire back and away but he was tiring, she could see it. And it wouldn't take long for the droids to find the other route in and then she wasn't sure what they would do.

She fired when she could. In between contractions, she shot through to help Eekar out.

Then broken glass rang out above them.

This was it.

She'd failed her children. They would all die in some alleyway and Luke might be taken and twisted and it was all her fault and where was Anakin? A wave of pain hit and she lost focus to fire, doubling over and feeling something strange happen within her because it felt like her body was no longer hers to command anymore but rather was at the mercy of this greater force that she could do nothing against.

Then something outside of her body happened. Like a pulse wave or when Anakin accelerated too fast and she could almost feel the atmosphere for a moment.

When she opened her eyes, Luke was stood, one hand still in hers and the other stretched out into a fist. His stance was firm and confident.

It was only when he opened his fist that she realised that the three droids that had been advancing on them from the windows and roof tops above were now scrap metal. Sparks flew from them as their remaining parts fell to the alleyway, released from Luke's grp.

She didn't know what to make of it. Too much was going on at the moment and she couldn't cope or think or react how she was meant to.

Her son turned slightly and turned his hand so that the back of it faced the droids Eekar was fighting. Then, he made a harsh move and the droids sailed backwards, out of the alleyway and out of her vision.

Luke reached out a hand again, dropping hers and Eekar's lightsabre flew to his hand as he stepped over her and strode towards the entrance of the alley.

He wasn't walking right. Her son bounded and leapt or dragged his heels when the word 'cleaning' was used. This was a determined march of someone who was unafraid and ready for battle.

"See to her," Luke ordered and her heart stopped because that wasn't her son. That wasn't a tone Luke was capable of using. And her eight-year-old son didn't know how to spin a lightsabre in his hand or gesture with a careless wave that sent the next unit slamming against the wall.

Eekar was staring in horror.

"Now," Luke snarled and he turned to face them properly, his eyes amber and Padme couldn't…that wasn't…the Jedi and Anakin had said it was Anakin's future self that was trapped within their son and amber eyes and she knew what that meant and-

"Focus," Eekar demanded, kneeling back down. "One thing at a time."

"Luke-"

"Nothing will happen to the boy," Luke said and when would Anakin call their son 'the boy' unless he was teasing Luke?

A fresh pain hit, like ripples on the lakes of Naboo and she screamed out. Showers of sparks erupted as droids crumpled and were ripped apart by the lightsabre that flashed around her son. Eekar muttered something to himself and his hands were pushing her legs apart and something was huge inside and the pressure made her bear down.

"Good," Eekar said. His eyes glanced over at what she assumed was Luke and he seemed torn between awe and disgust. "Push with the next contraction, pause a second."

Pause?

"You'd read up on this," she whispered.

"Master Yoda insisted." Eekar glanced up. "We knew the other child's birthing day could mean an early arrival."

Why was that…

Twins.

The child that had died. Master Yoda had suspected…

She looked over at Luke. He stood far away from the droids, the lightsabre used only to deflect bolts from herself and him. His hand reaching out to crush any that he could.

"Anakin."

His shoulders stiffened, but he didn't acknowledge her.

"Anakin," she shouted louder. "Was it a girl?"

The pressure suddenly increased and all the droids coming over blasted off their feet and into the walls. Nubian soldiers were now on the streets, firing and helping.

"Anakin," she screamed.

"Yes," he said, and his voice was like nothing she had ever heard from him before.

"Leia," she said firmly.

When he looked back at her, his eyes were blue. For a second, they stared at each other and then the amber faded in again and he turned back to the fresh wave of droids.

Leia.

The next push caused a cry to echo out and some of the pain to ease. Eekar was nodding and muttering something, but she couldn't really hear him.

Live.

Push.

Leia.

Luke.

Live.

She opened her eyes and steeled herself, suddenly determined.

The next push had the baby out and into Eekar's arms. The relief was almost euphoric but she reached out all the same, failing to care about anything but the baby girl in the Jedi's arms.

She was perfect. Tiny and helpless and covered in fluids that Padme didn't really want to think about, but she was there and alive. Her tiny fists flailed angrily, as if she were ready to step into the fight too and Padme laughed and cried because wasn't that Anakin all over?

Pressing her lips to the newborn's hair, Padme drew her close and then winced when Eekar pushed her legs open again because there was more to come and fix and she barely paid any attention to it.

Leia.

Padme looked up and over at the figure of her son. In his future, he would have been born too (first? Last? Which should have been the oldest?) and he wouldn't have stood over her like this.

Anakin wouldn't have been there in some strange way.

Amber eyes flashed in her vision and she bit back a sob. The battle didn't seem to be stopping, but it did seem to be moving as the army tried to push the droids back from the city.

"Can you move?" Eekar asked gently.

She'd have to. Sore and exhausted, she struggled to get to her feet, unwilling to hand Leia over. Her daughter who was so small (and should she be that small?) wailed in her arms and this was so far from ideal or what they'd planned.

Luke stood at the entrance and, beyond him, Gregar was coming close with a land speeder.

"I have a ship," he said, as he drew up close. "Not far. I can…" he trailed off and looked first at Luke and then at Leia. Then he looked at Padme in disbelief as he climbed out. "Why are his-"

Whatever Gregar had been about to say died when Luke suddenly staggered, his breathing quick and short. Eekar pulled the lightsabre to him quickly and deactivated it as Luke's body jolted and spasmed before he stumbled to the ground.

Gregar just about managed to catch him.

"Later," Padme said as she headed for the speeder. "We need to leave. Now."

Xxx

The streets of Naboo were littered with the dead and droid parts. In her memory, she'd never seen an attack like this on the planet.

"The river's blocked," Gregar told her as she kept one hand on Luke and the other cradling Leia. "The gungans have taken it."

This shouldn't have happened. It was all she could think as she stared out at the devastation. The Nubian army was pushing the droids back, but she wondered how long they'd hold up and how long it would take for a republic clone army to arrive.

Her son didn't stir as they flew up to the palace, passing soldiers and running clones that had been stationed close. Leia was asleep, as if exhausted with everything that had happened, and Padme didn't blame her.

It seemed to surreal that the person in her stomach was suddenly a human being on her own. That Padme could touch her and she could be stolen from her arms and that was terrifying.

How could she keep hold of both her children now? She needed Anakin.

He had to come back.

Had to.

Xxx

The palace was in full alert. No-one paid much attention to them other than to check Padme and Gregor by sight and then promptly ignore them when they saw the children.

She was in shock. She knew that. Her breathing was loud in her ears and she wouldn't move. Wouldn't let go of Leia or move away from Luke.

Sith.

A sith.

She'd died in child birth. Anakin had been declared dead. What if he'd come back to the galaxy, found his way back from the accident only to discover that she and their children had died? If Luke and Leia had been hidden from the sith threat as the Jedi order had been wiped out then Anakin would have come back to nothing and turned.

When had he found out that their children had lived? He'd known enough to confirm to her that Leia had been the name of the twin that had died. That the force had worked again to ensure that her children were both in this timeline. If he'd been too late for Leia and too late to protect Luke…

It was immaterial. It wouldn't happen this time around. She wouldn't let it.

As they flew, she found herself staring at the back of Eekar's head.

A jedi knew that a sith lord was in her son's head. Apparently making himself known only when Luke was in danger which she found she was absolutely fine with given the state of things. Would the jedi view Luke as a threat?

Would they view Anakin as a threat?

Would they try to take Luke or Leia? Her heart fluttered at the idea that one day her family might end up on the opposite sides of a battle.

Run.

It wasn't dignified or noble. It wasn't want Senator Amidala would do. But Senator Amidala had died with Anakin's mission. She wasn't his wife anymore.

She was Luke and Leia's mother.

They drew up close to a ship and she eyed up the row of them. The cruisers were being ignored in favour of the smaller ships that made up the royal fleet. Gregor jumped out and went to take Luke. Instead, she handed him Leia.

She could see the surprise on his face, but he said nothing. His face simply creased in confusion as she turned to Eekar who was checking Luke's vitals.

"I'm sorry," she said gently.

He realised what she was about to do. As she cracked the blaster down on his face, she could see the moment when he realised and opened his mouth to protest. She probably shouldn't have been able to do it, but he was exhausted and half close to collapse anyway.

He collapsed back into the speeder, unconscious and Padme let lose a breath of relief.

He'd be safe in the palace. They'd evacuate a Jedi.

She reached out for Leia and grabbed Gregor's hand. "I will not let the Jedi or the Sith have my children," she said firmly. "If that's a problem then for the sake of all that we have been through together, turn your back and walk away."

Gregar actually rolled his eyes at her. "How would you get Luke on board without me?" he muttered as he slipped Leia into her arms.

"Gregar-"

"I heard," he snapped. "And I agree. Pick a ship, my lady."

There was no point spending an age trying to find a ship that couldn't be traced. They were about to go into orbit in a battlefield and all she needed was a reliable hyperdrive and strong shields. She could bargain and trade after that.

She went for the royal cruiser. It was their ship, they knew what they were dealing with if something went wrong.

Gregar brought Luke up and took him to the cabin. He took Leia too and she swallowed back the urge to beg him not to take her baby from her sight.

"I put her in a drawer," he said taking the pilot seat and starting up the systems.

"A drawer?" she asked, panicked.

"Open and on the floor. We need to keep the gravity on at all times." Gregar flicked the controls and they started to lift up into the air. "Shields on at full capacity."

She started to programme the hyperdrive before she realised she had no idea where she could go.

The answer came before she really thought about it.