Chapter 2

"Knows what?" Padme asked without looking up.

"About me not being his mother."

That grabbed Padme's attention. "Has he said anything?"

"Not directly, Padme, he's only four. He's been asking a lot about his father. I don't know anything about the man. He notices little things. The other day he asked me why he doesn't have blonde hair like Leigh-Ann and I, or green eyes. I didn't know what to tell him. I just told him he looked like his father more than me."

"Well you didn't lie." Padme mumbled. She spoke louder, "I know but remember with you he has a family."

"I guess so. With us moving here, he's going to figure it out."

"I know." Padme looked back down at his sleeping form. "But do you really think he's old enough to understand what happened?"

"I don't know, May. I'm worried that he's not going to want to be with me anymore."

"He's only four, Kaliee. Where's he going to go?"

"I'm just tired of lying to him. I think he should know the truth, maybe not all of it yet, but some of it."

"That's your decision, not mine."

"I know. I'm going to bed maybe a good night's rest will help."

Padme stood up and laid Kayden down on the sofa. "You're probably right. Good night, Kaliee."

"Night Padme."

"What's dat building? Kayden asked in wide-eyed wonder.

Padme smiled at his curiosity. "That's the Senate building, where I work."

He looked out the window of the of the closed cockpit speeder. "What's down dere?"

"That's the lower levels of Coruscant. There are lots of clubs and shops and diners."

"What are clubs, Aunt Padme?" He asked innocently.

Padme looked at Kaliee for help. She wore a large smile on her face. She leaned in toward her ear. "Hey, I answered where Leigh-Ann came from, you can handle clubs."

Padme thought of a simple way to describe a club without telling him all the details. "It's a place where you acne meet up with your friends and dance."

"Oh cool. I like to dance. Do you think we could go to one?"

Kaliee lost her self-control and burst out laughing. She was trying to picture her little Kayden in a club.

Padme shot Kaliee a look. "Well I don't go to clubs. I usually just invite my friends to my apartment."

"Oh." He sat silently looking out the window when they passed be a tall building. "What's dat place?"

Padme looked to where he was pointing. She looked back at Kaliee and then returned her attention to Kayden. "That's the Jedi Temple."

"Wow! Jedi live there?"

"Yes, and train there too."

"Do you know any Jedi, Aunt Padme?"

Damn. I knew he was going to ask that! "Yes, a few." She was the epitome of calm, on the outside.

"Really? Do you tink maybe you could indroduce me to dem?"

"I don't know, Kayden. Jedi are very busy. My friends may not even be planet side."

"But couldn't you call and see?" Kaliee asked.

"Padme shot her an 'I'm going to kill you look'. "I guess."

"It'd be cool to tell my new friends I mets a Jedi once." Kayden said looking up at her.

Damn pouting face. "Okay, I'll call when we get home."

"Yippee." He squealed excitedly. He continued he questions for the rest of the ride to the Coruscanti Indoor Gardens and back to the apartment.

Kayden followed Padme around the apartment. He wanted to make sure she was really going to call her Jedi friend. He also didn't want to bother his mother while she was getting Leigh-Ann ready for bed.

Padme loved the little boy with all her heart and soul but he was starting to get on her nerves. So she sat down and dialed the temple's transmission code.

A kind, smiling face appeared in a hologram figure. "Hello Senator Amidala. Who may I direct you to?"

"The Skywalker apartment, please?"

"Just one moment." Her face disappeared and then came back. "We have a Kenobi slash Skywalker listed. Masters and Padawans usually share quarters. Are you looking for Padawan Skywalker?"

"Yes, please. That'll be fine." Padme waited as the signal connected. She let it buzz six times before she was about to cut the transmission.

But suddenly a very sleepy and almost aggravated face appeared. One clearly woken from a deep sleep. The face however softened. It surprised Padme, even though it shouldn't have.

"Obi-, I mean, Master Kenobi, I didn't wake you did I?" She knew she had by the familiar look on his face but decided to act as if she hadn't noticed.

"No, no Senator, it's alright." He perked up and wondered why she called. "Is everything okay Pa-, Senator?"

"Oh yes, I was just wondering if Padawan Sky-,"she stopped because there was a jumping sound to her left. She addressed the jumping child. "What's wrong Kayden?"

"I can't see!" He said jumping faster and holding his hands out to her.

Padme rolled her eyes and picked him up to set him in her lap. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan. What was I saying?" She didn't even realize she had addressed him informally.

He did though. "Um, something about Anakin, I think?"

"Oh, yes, is he there by chance?"

"I'm afraid not." Obi-wan kept looking at the child in Padme's lap. He knew he hadn't spoken to her in some time but no that long.

"I'm sorry!" She said realizing that she had not introduced them. "Kayden this is a friend of mine, Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi." She hugged Kayden to her. "Knight Kenobi, this is my best friend's son, Kayden. He's moving here to Coruscant with his mom and sister."

He knew she was lying, but what about? There were too many things she could've said in those three sentences that could've been lies. "It's nice to meet you too, Madder Ken, Ken…"

"Just call me Ben, okay?"

"Okay, Madder Ben!"

Obi-wan smiled at the little boy's excitement. "I'll have Anakin call you when he returns from class, Padme."

"Thank you, Amidala –out."

Kayden wiggled down and ran into the other room. He didn't notice his mother standing behind him.

Padme got out of her chair and was met with the grinning face of her best friend. "What?" She asked innocently.

"So, a first name basis with a Jedi, hmm?"

"I've know him for a long time, Kay."

"I know. I remember the tales of one Jedi Padawan Kenobi that dropped odd a balcony and to your rescue." Kaliee said all dreamily.

"Kaliee, I was seventeen, okay. That was a long time ago. I've hardly spoken to him since he left Naboo. I talk to Anakin more."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean you don't want to talk to him." Kaliee put her arm over Padme's shoulder. "I know you too well, May."