/N: This is part of the "Happy Family" AU I have! If you haven't read the others, that's alright, they're all written to be able to stand on their own. But feel free to check the other stories out. For those who do follow this AU series, don't worry, there'll be other entries that lead up to this moment in the future. I don't post these in chronological order after all, so if you have any future stories in this universe you'd like to see, feel free to suggest them.
"Ani, stop pacing…" He's being dramatic; it's really not that bad. He's been staring at the chrono for almost the entire time she's been gone, stressing himself beyond what is really necessary. Honestly, he's never like this with the boys, but the moment one of their girls steps out on a date – or even merely with one of their male companions – he becomes frustrated, pent up, hand constantly twitching near the lightsaber clipped to his belt. If it weren't so utterly adorable, Padme would reprimand him for his double standards where their children are concerned.
"He was supposed to have her back ten standard minutes ago…" Comes his growled response and the corners of her lip quirk upwards without her permission. He really has no need to worry! They're teenagers, what's the harm if they're a little late getting back? If it gets past thirty standard minutes, then yes, there's cause for some concern but until then he's worrying over nothing. As usual when it comes to his girls. To say Anakin can be… Over protective… Well, that could be something of an understatement. He's close to all their children, as he should be, they were constantly swinging on his arms and badgering him for stories as young children, now they're growing up, he struggling to comprehend they aren't those same wide eyed, giggling babies anymore. It's an adjustment for them both, but it's one she's coping with far better than her husband.
"Why are you so worried? Let them have a little fun. Come, sit down." She gestures to the seat opposite her but the invitation falls on deaf ears. Across the room, she hears a snigger and struggles not to roll her eyes. Of course Luke finds all this just hilarious… And he probably knows exactly where his twin is, the bond those two share is unlike anything she's ever known. It's something of the Force Anakin says, so she doesn't even attempt to understand. "Isn't there anywhere you need to be this evening?" She glares at her first boy over her shoulder and is met only with a wide, amused grin in response. He is his father's boy indeed.
"Don't worry, Obi-Wan isn't expecting me for a while yet." Wonderful… If there's something she can count on it is Luke lighting this situation aflame for his own amusement… It's a wonder Jon and Brynden aren't here to play in the madness with their brother, the three of them are usually joint at the hip in such endeavours. She's spent years watching them getting rough and rowdy with their father as young boys, now she's treated to them attempting to send him into insanity. "Hey dad, aren't Leia and I the same age you were when you and mom got married?"
Anakin's head turns so quickly that for a moment she worries he must have snapped it. Luke! She has to take a moment to pray to Naboo's Goddesses for strength not to throw the nearest vase at her son's head and instead focuses her attention to her now frantic husband. She shall deal with Luke later… Or perhaps she'll just set Leia on him and let nature take its course.
"By the Force… What if they've run off to get married?!" Anakin's eyes widen in his panic, and Padme suddenly feels far older than she truly is for a moment. How is she supposed to defuse this? "I swear if that scoundrel elopes with my daughter he'll meet the wrong side of my lightsaber-" Slumping back in her seat, she hears Luke's terrible attempt to keep his laughter at bay and closes her eyes… Ruling a planet at fourteen years old was not as difficult as this. It is times like these where she gains a whole new respect for her own mother. He rants for a few moments, describing in great detail exactly what fate awaits Han Solo if he dares exchange marriage vows with their daughter and the audacity of all this is almost too much to bear.
"Anakin stop it!" He does so immediately, even pausing his pacing, "Han is a nice boy, he's a little rough around the edges, yes, but you just have to trust Leia's judgement with this… Gods know, I'm sure my father would have had something to say about us but look how everything turned out." He sighs and leans back against the wall and she can only take this as progress. "Besides, I think he really likes her, temper and all… This is a good thing Ani."
"She could do better." He grumbles childishly, and this time she does not resist the temptation to roll her eyes. He's always had such a soft spot for their girls, Leia, Kenna and Margaery have had him wrapped around their little fingers from the moment they came into this world and that hasn't changed as they've grown. Padme loves how close he is to their daughters but sometimes… He must let them go. They aren't children anymore. "He's scruffy and cocky."
"Since when have you had a problem with cockiness my love?" His response comes as a roll of his eyes and Luke choses now to rise out of his chair, stretch and cross the room toward the kitchen… Like father like son, always eating. A trait that seems to have passed onto all the Skywalker boys unfortunately… "You have no reason to dislike him; he's been nothing but courteous to us all."
"His best friend is a Wookie! That doesn't give me much faith Angel."
"Your best friend is a droid!" Shaking her head, she has to fight back a sigh. Honestly the hypocrisy of him sometimes. A Wookie is far more understandable a companion than a droid, despite how much she loves Artoo, he cannot judge the boy for that. She won't have it. When Luke hears what she says, it comes at the unfortunate moment he fills his mouth with the horrid blue milk they all seem to love, and as a result ends up spit and spilt all across the counter as he chokes on his laugh. "Luke that's disgusting, clean it up."
"Sorry." He splutters, turning to grab the nearest cloth. They're just fortunate Threepio isn't in the room, he'd fry a circuit.
"Artoo is… He's different…" Anakin tries weakly and Padme raises an eyebrow though he avoids her gaze, knowing he has been caught out.
"Really? Well I would certainly love to hear all the reasons that's true…" She waits; though he remains silent, and narrows his eyes as he finally looks at her. It lasts a moment before he turns away to check the chrono once again… Yes, she will admit that it's wrong to stay out past the curfew she and her father set but Leia's always been a little more rebellious than her siblings and Padme respects that. Still, much longer and perhaps she'll have to set Anakin on Han after all.
"It's been twenty standard minutes now, which at least gives me the right to talk to him." It would not take a particularly smart person to understand such an exchange would include very little actual talking. Or at least, talking that didn't include Anakin spouting threats. Yes, that's exactly what would happen… And then Leia would likely explode. It was bad enough this morning when she stormed into the room, furious at everyone and everything, calling her brothers "moon jockeys" and smacking Jon on the back of the head for pointing out an unfortunate red lump on her chin.
If there is one thing their first girl has inherited from her father, it is his anger. And something about that frightens Padme to her core.
"You will do no such thing. Now please, sit down and relax Ani." He does neither, instead beginning to pace once more. This isn't going to end until Leia steps foot inside this apartment and he can attempt to pull as many details about her night as he possibly can from her. Which, knowing their daughter, will amount to nothing at all. Perhaps, after a day or two, when she's ready, she may slowly step into her office and skirt around the subject until Padme brings it up. This is just how Leia is, and she wouldn't change her for the Galaxy.
"What if he has married her?" He begins this again, hands clasped behind his back as he walks backwards and forwards, stressing himself out for no good reason. "How will he look after her? Support her? A good husband should support his wife!" He cannot be serious…? Can he hear the words leaving his lips?
"You're a Jedi; you have neither credits nor possessions… You don't support me." Her reasoning earns her nothing more than a quick glare. Leia has not run off to marry Han Solo; he is worrying over nothing – less than nothing! Just wait until Obi-Wan hears about this… He'll have a field day with all the teasing this grants him. Not only for Anakin, but Leia too. As if she has not spoken and torn through his arguments at all, he continues on with his tirade.
"What does he even do? I've never heard him mention a job, have you? Luke, what has he said about employment?" Luke shrugs, not bothering to look up from the HoloPad in his hands even for a moment and she bets he has no idea what his father just asked.
"He has his ship… He's a Captain." She explains, though whatever job Solo has surely isn't that important to Anakin, he's never cared about such things in the past… Then again, he once tracked down a friend of Kenna's entire family history when Brynden mentioned the boy's father had been a Separatist. That was a… Grim evening. Perhaps she should sneak out to comm Leia and warn her not to bring the boy inside tonight… In the grand scheme of things, returning home late is not too great of a sin, but this shall take quite some time to be forgotten about where Anakin is concerned.
"Captain of what exactly?" While this is a valid question, she will not humour him… She'll simply ask the boy himself next time they see him, and let him explain it… Unlike her husband who'll most likely demand answers from their daughter the moment she returns to the apartment. There really is no need for a full-fledged interrogation… Gods, if he attempts to use one of his mind tricks on the boy she'll smack him upside the head!
"Of his ship, that's all that matters, right? You've known Captains before; they've always been honourable have they not?" Why should this Han be any different from say, Rex? Because he has feelings for their daughter? That's ridiculous. He is ridiculous. Anakin doesn't answer her and instead glances at the chrono once again. Everything is silent for several minutes and she watches him, all tense and frustrated, wound tight and ready to pounce the moment the pair arrive… Clearly he's expecting an epic tale of forbidden love and a secret wedding – an excuse to ignite his lightsaber – when all they're going to get is an excuse about Coruscant's busy air traffic.
Luke comes to sit beside her, still tapping away at the Holopad, when a slow smirk makes its way across his face, and it tells Padme everything she needs to know. She's home. She should tell Anakin and free him of some of the worry he's straining himself beneath, but why not give her rebellious child and the Solo boy another few moments to enjoy their peace? Besides, he'll know she's home soon enough anyway. Perhaps this may even give Han the time he needs to escape before he has the fury of a Jedi licking at his heels… Alas, Luke has other ideas for how his sister's night should end.
"You know dad, two things." Finally he tears his gaze away from the Holopad to look at his father, the long ago perfected smirk perfectly in place, "One, Leia just got back." Anakin shifts, ready to move out onto the private landing deck no doubt to spoil the little lovebird's goodbyes, but pauses waiting for whatever Luke has to say next. "And two, to answer your question, Han is a smuggler with several bounties on his head. Jon actually found this bounty hunter yesterday who's looking for him and apparently there are quite a lot of credits at stake…"
Oh no.
"What?" Anakin's roar fills the apartment so loudly even the glass quakes. Han Solo had better have perfected the art of running for his life already, because Gods know he should do it now.