Title: Lessons in Love
Author: Ticklesivory
Summary: The kids are grown and the house is empty. Padmé is discovering her life is suddenly full of changes, which would be okay if she weren't so alone. Then she meets someone special whom she believes might be able to fill that void.
Author's Note: I'm pretty clear on the definitions of Alternative Universe and Alternate Reality. This story would probably fall right in the middle of both. I've removed the Force, the Jedi and the Sith, and there is no trilogy history. We're still in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, but our favorite characters are just regular people with regular problems, trying to live regular lives.
Warnings: None, really. I'm going to keep this one pretty clean. Probably PG-13. (T)
The Galactic City Transport Station was crowded as usual and the heat of the summer made being there almost unbearable. Most beings used the free mode of travel to make their way to the space port, where they would board a ship destined to another planet. Others took advantage of the system to travel to a specific workplace, or perhaps to venture out shopping. Galactic City was the central hub of the galaxy and highly populated. If anything exciting happened in the galaxy, it happened here. The sky traffic was heavy, the street traffic was heavy, and Padmé Amidala found it exhilarating.
She hadn't always felt that way. Her home planet of Naboo was quite the opposite. Its main city of Theed was quaint and pastoral, peaceful and subdued. When she thought of home, the word 'dull' often came to mind. Ever since she was a girl, living in Galactic City had always been her goal. To get here, she had studied politics, earning her degree at Theed University. Her parents had tried to convince her to stay and serve in Theed, but her mind was set on bigger things. At the age of twenty-four, she had managed to secure a position in Galactic City, representing her sector as their senator. She had achieved her dream; only now coming to realize the pain her mother must've felt when she had left Naboo.
Padmé's only daughter, Leia, was also leaving her home planet. And not just the planet, but the entire system. Due to her exemplary scores in political science and her long history of volunteer work, she had been offered a full academic scholarship to Aldera City University on Alderaan. She would be hundreds of parsecs away from home, and that knowledge nearly broke Padmé's heart.
She wiped away yet another tear from her face quickly before her daughter noticed it. Leia was going to first say goodbye to her father, who had wisely positioned himself further down the platform. Although they were occasionally forced to communicate for the children's sake, when they were in public, they typically did not associate with one another. It had been her decision and it was a good one; especially when he chose to dress like a rock star and hang around women half his age.
"What's this one's name?"
Her best friend, Dormé had stepped up to her side after leaving to buy something to quench their thirst. She offered Padmé a drink of it.
"That one would be Chermira," Padmé answered, passing the bottle of water back. "You know her. She works at the shop."
"I don't remember her figure being that…sensual." Dormé pointed out something Padmé had already noticed. She kept telling herself she wasn't jealous. Nothing that Chermira possessed was anything Padmé wanted. Besides, she was in her forties now and her priorities had changed.
"It's amazing what winning a few races will buy," she told her friend. Although, their communication was somewhat limited, whenever she did speak with Anakin, he'd always make a point to let her know how well he was doing in the racing circuit, how many credits he was winning, and how many ships he owned.
He even ran his own business nowadays: Skywalker Station located in Galactic City, where he built ships for racing, as well as trained the pilots who would fly them. Anakin's obsession had unfortunately been passed onto their son, Luke – Leia's twin. It was a great relief to Padmé when Luke chose the path of the military instead of competition.
Padmé actually was thankful to Anakin for one thing: During their ten-year marriage, he had been absent enough that the children had been under her influence and not his. Padmé had used that opportunity to convince her daughter to be herself and study hard, and her son to use his abilities for something worthwhile.
Finally, Leia had managed to slip away from her father and was walking towards them. Regrettably, she was not coming alone. Padmé hid her disappointment and smiled at her beautiful daughter anyway. How had she grown up so quickly?
Dormé received the first hug goodbye and returned it with sincerity. "Take care of yourself, Punk, and don't forget to comm your mom. She's going to miss you something awful."
"I will," Leia assured the woman whom she had come to consider part of her family.
Her daughter's attention finally turned to her, and Padmé held onto the young woman fiercely, feeling her eyes beginning to spill over again.
"Mom," Leia softly spoke, holding on just as tightly, "try not to worry. I'll be back during fall break, and that's not far off."
"I know," Padmé sniffled, and withdrew to study her daughter's face. "If you need anything…"
"…contact the Organas. You've told me this like a thousand times already. I'll be fine." The young college student smiled as the first warning bell rang.
"You'd better hurry," her mother prompted.
Leia grabbed her shoulder bag, kissed her father's cheek once more and hugged his girlfriend. She then hugged Dormé, kissed her mother, and was on her way.
"I love you!" Padmé shouted before she had walked too far off.
The young woman boarded the transport, but turned in the doorway to wave. "Love you too!" she yelled back.
And then she was gone.