Disclaimer: I am so incredibly sick of writing that I don't own Star Wars!
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The next morning, a familiar drama took place in the Jedi Council chamber. Although Obi-wan thought perhaps the term 'drama' was a bit misleading, since what was going on was hardly dramatic.
They were waiting for Anakin – again.
"What's his excuse this time?" said Saesee Tiin.
"Has he forgotten, do you think, Obi-wan?" inquired Stass Allie.
"I don't think so," replied Obi-wan. "I reminded him of it yesterday at lunch time. He shouldn't have forgotten so quickly."
Obi-wan couldn't tell if Mace Windu looked more amused or resigned.
"Unfortunately, as we all know, Anakin has a history of doing things that he shouldn't," said the Korun Jedi Master, his tone one of mild exasperation.
"Then I will comm him and remind him of our meeting. Why don't you start the meeting, and I will join you once I have determined where he is? I did tell him yesterday that he ought to rest; perhaps he took my advice a little overboard. If you'll excuse me for a moment…"
Obi-wan went out into the hall and dialed Anakin's comm frequency. No answer. He sighed and found a room with a holotransceiver and contacted the one in Anakin's apartment. He waited several minutes before a blue hologram of Anakin appeared over the projector plate. He frowned: either Anakin had forgotten about the Council meeting or he had overslept; the young Jedi was wearing only his undershorts. Despite the fuzziness of the holoimage, Obi-wan could see that Anakin's eyes were still half-closed.
"Wake up, Anakin!" he commanded. "It is morning. Does that set off any alarms?"
Anakin stared dully for a moment, then closed his eyes and slowly, almost imperceptibly shook his head.
"How about the Council meeting? Anakin, I reminded you yesterday!"
Anakin's eyes snapped open again, but immediately fell to their half-lidded position. "Uhhh. Stars, Master, I'm sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can." He suddenly rushed out of view of the holoprojector.
"Wait! Anakin! You can't show up like that! Put some clothes on first!" teased Obi-wan, certain that Anakin could still hear him.
He was completely surprised when, just as he was about to turn the holotransceiver off, Padmé suddenly appeared above the projection plate. Her face was taut, and she looked annoyed. "Obi-wan, Anakin won't be coming in today; he's sick with that flu the rest of us all had. He threw up this morning and he's got a fever; I'm not letting him out of this apartment today, and maybe not even out of the bedroom."
Obi-wan felt sorry for the both of them. It couldn't be easy for Padmé, who was still recovering herself, to care for the rambunctious twins and her sick husband. He knew what a pain Anakin could be when he was sick.
In that moment, Obi-wan had an idea. He smiled; in a way, it was like something that Anakin might do.
"Oh, that's too bad," he said aloud. "I'll be right over."
Obi-wan quickly switched off the holotransceiver and hurried back to the Council chamber. "Anakin is ill," he informed them. "He won't be able to come today."
"His family seems to be having a rather hard time it," observed Ki-Adi-Mundi.
"Yes," said Obi-wan. "I would like to request permission to go to their apartment and offer my assistance."
There was silence for a moment. Then Yoda spoke: "With young Skywalker and his family, your thoughts will be. Send the rest of you also, we may as well."
"Thank you, Masters." Obi-wan turned and left the Council chamber and went to the hangar bay, from which he quickly flew his way to the Skywalker home. Arriving on their landing pad, he hopped out of his speeder and went to the door. His knocks were answered by Padmé, who stood firmly in the doorway, blocking his entrance.
"Have you Jedi no understanding?' she asked indignantly. "I told you: Anakin is sick. He's been puking his guts out all morning! He's not going to the Temple or anywhere else today! Is that clear?"
Obi-wan was taken aback. "Oh, no, Milady! I'm not here to try to take him to the Temple! I just want to help! I've cared for Anakin enough times to know that he can be difficult when he's not feeling well, and I thought that you, being barely well yourself, might like some assistance. So, I'm at your service. If you need someone to take care of the children while you tend to Anakin, I can do that. Or if you want some time with the children, then I will watch over Anakin. Or if you need to rest yourself, I can care for all of them for a while. I can even run to the store if there's something you run out of that you need."
Padmé broke into a smile. "Well, in that case, I accept your offer, even though you showed up uninvited!"
Obi-wan smiled and followed her into the main room of the house. It was dimly lit, and toys were strewn across the floor. Little blue-eyed, blond-headed Luke was running back and forth across the room, peeking into corners and under chairs, completely oblivious to the high-pitched giggles that were coming from behind the sofa. He went to a closet and slammed the door open, yelling "Foun' you!" then standing still in surprise when his sister did not appear. He began pulling cloaks down from hooks and stumbling over pairs of shoes in his search for his twin.
"Shhh! Luke! Leia, wherever you are! Daddy doesn't feel good and is trying to sleep!" Padmé whispered.
Luke turned around, a huge smile on his face, and nodded. He ran out of the closet, flung himself down in front of a cabinet, and began pulling out stacks of holodisks. Once the cabinet was completely empty, the little boy stuck his head inside and called loudly, "Leeeeiiaaa! Where aaaarre you?"
"I'm over here!" she squealed from behind the couch. Luke pounded across the floor and clambered over the top of the couch. "I foun' you! I foun' you!" he shouted.
Leia's shriek resonated off the walls.
"I said quiet!" said Padmé a little more forcefully this time. She turned to Obi-wan with an exasperated sigh. "I can't get them to be quiet! Anakin's sick enough right now that he actually wants to sleep, but that will change soon. I want him to be able to sleep now, while he still will!"
Obi-wan looked around. "Where would you like me to start?"
"Could I ask you to try to keep the kids out of trouble so I can go sit with Anakin?"
"Of course!"
Padmé called the twins. "You guys know Master Kenobi. He's going to keep an eye on you so I can go take care of Daddy. You be good and don't make a lot of noise, okay?"
The younglings nodded solemnly, their eyes wide. Padmé retreated into the master bedroom, and Obi-wan was left with the children.
"How are you today?" he asked them. "Fine," said Luke. "We gots ta be quiet because Daddy's sick!" he practically shouted.
Obi-wan smiled. "Yes, you're right. But being quiet is like this," he whispered.
"Okay," the little boy whispered back, before taking off to play.
"Yeah, Daddy's sick," said Leia, her brown eyes wide. "Mommy says he throwed up. I throwed up four days ago. Luke did, too. And Mommy. Maybe it's like we take turns. And now it's Daddy's turn. Except I don't want my turn to come again."
Obi-wan had to smile at the child's logic. "Don't worry, I don't think you'll have another turn for a little while now."
She grinned, shaking her golden-brown hair. Initially, it had been blonde like Luke's, but it grew darker with every passing day and would someday be the same rich, silky brown that her mother's was.
"Ooohhh! Look at!" she shouted, then remembered she was supposed to be quiet. "Mester Kenobi, can I tell you something?"
"What?"
The little girl tugged his sleeve until he knelt down so she could whisper in his ear. "Look at Lukie!" she said in the loudest whisper Obi-wan had ever heard. He turned around; there stood Luke, his short legs thrust into Anakin's boots, which came almost up to the little boy's hips. His head was completely hidden by the hood of Anakin's cloak, the rest of which trailed on the floor behind the ahild like the train of a brown wedding dress.
"Why are you wearing your daddy's clothes, Luke?" asked Obi-wan.
The boy was solemn. "Mommy said Daddy gots ta stay in bed, so I'll be Daddy until he's all better."
Obi-wan chuckled. "Do you know what your Daddy does for his job?"
"He's a Jedi an' he takes care of us."
"That's right! But you are his most important job. Did you know that?"
Both twins nodded, grinning hugely. "Daddy loves us," they both said in unison.
Obi-wan laughed again. "Yes, he does love you very much."
"Will Daddy be better soon? 'Cause his clothes is too big for Lukie!"
Luke's brow furrowed and his lower lip stuck out.
"Oh, Luke, it's all right, she didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Yes, I think Daddy will be better soon, especially if you are quiet and let him sleep. Luke, I think he would hardly recognize you all dressed up in his clothes like that! Why don't you put them back in the closet where they belong, and then I will tell you both a story?"
Luke's face brightened. "Okay," he agreed happily. "I like stories. And this thing is kinda hot. I guess I'll just wait and be Daddy when I grow up."
