Listen to Empire Strikes Back: Luke's Nocturnal Visitor for this chapter

Nighttime

2 months

A piercing cry filled the air. Not again. Anakin thought, rolling onto his back. He groaned. "Padme," he said.

"Hmmm?" Padme said sleepily, turning to face her husband.

"Somebody's crying again." Anakin said.

"It's your turn. I got up earlier." Padme slurred, her voice still heavy with sleep.

"Well. . . don't you have to feed 'em again?" he asked, not really wanting to go tend to a screaming child.

"I fed them an hour ago." Padme replied. She turned onto her side and pulled the blankets over her head. Anakin groaned and slid out of bed. He threw on a robe and headed across the hall. He opened the door to the nursery. The shrieking grew louder. He walked to the crib where the crying was coming from. Leia. Why was it always Leia? he thought. It always took forever for her to quiet down.

"Shhh." Anakin soothed as he picked up the screaming child. Leia wailed louder, causing Luke to wake up and join in. "Ohhhh." Anakin groaned. He settled Leia on his hip and picked up Luke from the other crib. He placed Luke on his other hip and bounced up and down. Leia screamed louder. How does she scream this loud? My eardrums are gonna be blasted. He bounced harder. Nothing resulted. He crossed the hallway into the master bedroom. "Padme, help me."

"Anakin, why'd you bring them in here?" Padme sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"I need help." he replied.

"Who was crying first?" Padme queried.

"Leia."

"Of course."

"Why won't she stop crying?" Anakin asked.

"Ever think she might need to be changed?" Padme inquired doubtfully.

"Oh. Will you do it?" Anakin asked.

"No. Give me Luke." Padme said. Anakin reluctantly handed the still crying Luke to Padme, then walked out of the bedroom with Leia still on his hip, giving an audible sigh. Padme rolled her eyes and laid back down and cuddled Luke to her chest. "Shhh, shhh." she soothed. Luke quieted, and closed his eyes. His loud wails turned to snuffling snores. Padme pulled the blankets around them just as Anakin returned with a much quieter Leia.

"Padme? What do I do now?" he asked. Padme pretended to be asleep. Let him figure it out himself. she thought. "I guess I have to put her back to sleep." Anakin said uncertainly. He noticed Luke snuggled with Padme. He tried to take him, but Padme tucked her arm protectively around the sleeping baby. "Oh well. Luke can stay." Anakin went back to the twins' room and attempted to put Leia into her crib. She clung to his robe with tiny fists and began to wail again. "Guess you're sleeping with Mom too, kid." Anakin crossed the hall for the umpteenth time. He threw off his robe and crawled into bed, cradling Leia. "Padme?"

"Hmm?"

"She won't quit crying."

"I noticed."

"Well, what do we do?"

"You are going to lay down and snuggle with her."

"Will that make her shut up?"

"Hey!"

"What?" Anakin asked indignantly.

"That wasn't nice." Padme said. "Now, Ani, please be quiet. You too, Leia." Padme scolded gently. "It's-" she glanced at the chrono on the nightstand, "two in the morning. Try to get some sleep."

"What about Leia?" he asked. Leia's loud wails had subsided to quiet whimpers, but Anakin didn't know if or when she would start up again.

"I said snuggle her." Padme said.

"But-"

"Snuggle her!" Padme said firmly before pulling the blankets over her and Luke's heads.

"Guess we're done with this conversation." Anakin muttered under his breath. "Well, here goes nothing." He laid down and pulled the still whimpering Leia to his broad chest. She quieted. Peace at last. He thought to himself.

...

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