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The Shuttle landed safely in the hangar and its backdoor opened slowly. Anakin had to squint against the sudden light, before he and Ahsoka stepped out.
One of the senators he had seen in the Holo for the mission was greeting him and his Padawan. What was his name? He had seen him before somewhere… Maybe he had given a speech in a Senate when he was there? Or he had rescued him?
But feeling the sudden joy in his padawan, he recognized the young Senator finally. It was the one young man Ahsoka was so obviously affected to, Lux Bonteri. Of course, he had met him on Onderon. "Welcome, General. Commander." He slightly nodded with a smile in Ahsoka's direction, and Anakin couldn't help to notice that Ahsoka blushed slightly. "I'm Senator Bonteri from Onderon. Welcome on board of the Dove. If you'd follow me, please."
Anakin and Ahsoka walked next to Lux through the corridors of the Dove. Taking his role as their welcome party quite seriously, Lux continued to tell the two Jedi more about the ship and their mission: "The Dove was specially designed for such missions, this is why there's nearly no military backup on board and the few clones stationed here will stay on board when we reach Mikun. The Hyperspace…"
With a smile Anakin noticed that Ahsoka was absorbing every single one of Lux' words. There was no doubt she was attached to Bonteri. By watching her, Anakin began to wonder how strong her feelings for him were. Was it a teen crush or… Never mind. He wondered if he should talk with Ahsoka about this. If Obi-Wan hadn't always been with him on the times he had spoken to her on Onderon, he would have already taken her for a serious talk. Even though he was breaking the code as well, she was maybe too young to understand which responsibilities she would have in a secret relationship, how this would effect her as Jedi.
Should he tell her about him and Padmé? Would she understand?
But why shouldn't she, apparently she did the same with Bonteri at the moment…
On the other hand, they had no relationship with each other. Duty comes first… for Ahsoka, it would always come first. He had taught her so…
How could he teach her things he did not himself?
He really had enough worries already. It was most likely better to keep the situation as it was in the moment, not to tell Ahsoka. At least for now, he had other things to do: "Excuse me, young Senator, but could you please tell us where to find Master Kenobi and the other Senators?" Actually he was only interested in Padmé's location, but asking only for her would have been quite suspicious, and at the moment, they still kept their relationship a secret.
"I believe they are all in their quarters, Master Kenobi in any event. You see, we do a lot of preparations still and try to stay in contact with other senators. Senator Chuchi might be in the library, this is where I've seen her last, but I haven't seen Senator Amidala or Trakien for the whole day since breakfast. I was ordered to bring you to your quarters first, so you could get used to the ship, before everybody would welcome you in the conference room."
"How did you get assigned to this mission, Lux?" Ahsoka, of course.
"Well, after Onderon became part of the Republic again, we were allowed to have a seat in the senate again. I took the place of my mother, and represent Onderon now, like I told you, Ahsoka. And when Senator Amidala…"
Anakin didn't hear anything more, because in this second he was ripped off the senator's and his padawan's side. In the next moment, he found himself in an overwhelming kiss that took away all his thoughts and senses. Her smell, her arms around him, her lips, her touch… He moaned in passion. "Padmé."
She shortly detached herself from her husband's strong body, gasping. "Anakin." She threw herself on his arms again and they continued kissing each other.
His lips wandered from hers slowly down her neck… It was so good to have her back, to feel her warmth beside him… The beating of their hearts beside each other, in the same speed…
"You're back, Ani."
"Yes, Padmé." Back, finally back… After a few moments of silent kissing he continued. "I wanted to talk to you, you know, after Ahsoka's trial. But the Jedi council… they send me on a few missions. I had no chance to come back… I am sorry, my love. So sorry."
"I know, Ani. I know…" For a few more moments she couldn't resist her delight and joy of Anakin being back, but then she stopped kissing and took a step away from him. "Ani, we have to be careful." She leeched on his shirt. "If somebody around here sees us…"
For the first time Anakin actually noticed where Padmé had dragged him. They were standing in a dark lumber-room, apparently full of books. "Nobody's going to find us in this broom closet, Padmé. And even if, I don't care. I don't care if it's still a secret, they can find out…"
Padmé put her finger on his lips. "Don't say something like this, Ani. What would happen to us? To Ahsoka?"
She was right. There were only a few reasons while Anakin was staying in the order; Ahsoka was one of them at the moment, as well as the war and his duty to the Republic. Obi-Wan had been one of them.
But there was a disturbance in Padmé he couldn't assign. A tear was crawling down her cheek. "Padmé, what is wrong? Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?"
Her sight flickered to his shoes and stayed there for a few moments. But then she looked up in his eyes again. To his surprise, she was smiling. "No, nothing is wrong. These are tears of joy. Ani, something wonderful has happened." She hesitated for a second, closing the slightest gap between them, and then looked up into his blue eyes. "Ani, I'm pregnant."
-/-/-
Surprised Ahsoka turned around. "Where is my master, Lux?"
The young senator followed her eyes down the empty corridor. "I don't know. Maybe he… visited Obi-Wan?" They looked at each other and knew from the others eyes they doubted this theory. Anakin had not seemed to have a lot of interest in his former master's location and situation, so why should he look for him?
Where was her Master? Ahsoka was slightly annoyed; this was so typical for Anakin, leaving her alone with Lux.
Lux. With sudden finality she realized now completely: They both were… alone.
They hadn't been alone since the funeral of his old girlfriend, Steela, and well, actually even hadn't been alone there. Anakin had been there, and Obi-Wan, and Steela's brother.
Caught in a very precarious position they looked at each other quite uncomfortable. Finally, Ahsoka managed to say something: "So… how do things on Onderon go?" This must have been the most stupid thing she could have possibly said. It would only bring back memories… Memories of Steela.
"Good, quite good…" He didn't seem to focus on the subject. "The economy goes up again; we have a huge plus in our earnings…" Silence again. With a Look on her arm he then asked. "This isn't still from Onderon, is it?" Oh yes, the shot she had got on Onderon, when she had tried to rescue Steela… Why did she keep coming back to this subject?
"No, it's a new injury."
"What happened?" Did he sound concerned?
"A sniper got me. On Himil, where we had our last mission."
"So… is it bad?"
Could she tell him? How bad it was? Or would this seem as if she wanted his attention? Ahsoka bit her lip. There was actually no point in lying to him. But she felt quite uncomfortable about telling him the truth…
When Lux recognized her hesitation, his eyes widened in horror: "Oh god, 'Soka, what happened exactly? Is it that bad?"
She began to tremble. "The sniper hit my shoulder joint, Lux; The Med-Bay… They had to replace it. I… I am crippled." The words came as she thought them, before she could even stop them.
Because it didn't matter what they all told her, what Anakin, Yularen, Fives, Panther, …Rex told her. Everybody who had visited her. That she would be fine, that her arm would work again, that Anakin had prosthesis as well.
It didn't matter because she felt so vulnerable since her wound. Because she felt weak. Like a child. Or more like a doll that you had just broken in the middle. Like a cripple.
"Ssshh, 'Soka." She hadn't realized she was caught in an embrace between her and Lux until his hand was starting to run over her back. His warmth filled her, his arms comforted her. She couldn't cry, not in front of him.
But this thought couldn't stop her tears from rolling over her cheeks. But at least, she wasn't alone anymore.
She sniffled slightly, while he gently wiped a tear off her face. He tried to smile at her. She felt him whispering gently into her ear. "I know… that probably everybody has told you this, Ahsoka: But you're not crippled." He detached himself from her slightly and lifted her chin up. Now his smile was complete. "It is not even possible to do this to you. You're the strongest Jedi I've ever seen, Ahsoka. You… over lived the Republic court, Ahsoka." He hesitated, as if he wanted to add something. "Don't… get destroyed by this wound now, okay?"
She nodded and wiped away her tears. "Okay, Lux."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
"Fine. I want my old laughing Ahsoka back as soon as possible, you understand me." She had to smile and sniff all at once, what sounded so ridiculous both teenagers burst into slight laughter. "See, that's the Ahsoka I want. See you at dinner, okay?" He hesitated, then he removed a last tear from her chin.
It was a tear of joy.
-/-/-
Anakin couldn't close his mouth.
Padmé? His Padmé? Pregnant from… well, him?
The thought was… He just couldn't believe it.
A child. Their Child.
They would have a family. Their own family.
"Ani? Is everything okay?"
Nothing was okay. He always wanted to have a family with Padmé. He already could see her, running and playing on Naboo's grasslands with their child. Sun shining on them, as they rolled over the green surface.
But it was war. There was his and her duty to the Republic. What would happen to their child? What was about the council? How long would their relationship be a secret? Would Padmé lose her job? Her efforts for peace would be destroyed?
"Please, say something."
Anakin swallowed, then said a little bit too slowly and not really happy: "That's wonderful, Padmé." He tried a smile and started playing with her hair.
She looked at him as if she knew what was going on within him, and he noticed that she must have had the same struggle when she had gotten aware of the situation. Her eyes were fixed on him. Was there a new tear? A tear of sadness? "What shall we do now?"
Anakin couldn't think of an answer. No way could they keep their relationship a secret for much longer…
But this was their child, wasn't it? A child of love.
He smiled at his wife, looking so desperately at him. "Let us not worry now, okay, my love? This is… our baby." He touched her belly and could feel how it had slightly become bigger. Through the Force, he made up his kid already. How had he missed it before? Had his joy about Padmé being back darkened his senses? He felt one more time at the place, where soon a boy or girl would grow. Then he kissed Padmé one more time tender, before they got caught in their passion again.
Nobody and nothing would come between them, never ever…
The Beeping of the comlink interrupted rudely their joy. "Mine or yours?" Anakin asked breathless.
"Yours."
"Okay, let's ignore it then."
"But, Ani…" He didn't give her the chance to speak, covering her mouth with his lips, pulling her even closer towards him. With determination, he pressed her against the doors of the room, and she wrapped her thighs around his hip.
Unfortunately, the other comlink started to set off as well.
"Mine this time", Padmé sighed.
"Ignore it as well." His lips continued running down her neck.
"I can't, Ani."
"Of course you can, just press the red off-switch. See, I show you."
He wanted to grab for her comlink, but she hold up her hands and screamed joyfully. Laughing they landed on the floor, Anakin under her. "It might be important, Ani. Just… Stay silent for a moment, okay?"
"I won't be."
"Silent, Chosen one, I have captured you."
"It wasn't fair, we fell."
She pressed her finger smiling on his lips, before she hit the speech button. "Here's Senator Amidala."
"Senator, you're late. Would you please meet us in the conference room?" In surprise Anakin looked at the comlink in his wife's hand. He would have recognized the voice of his old master anywhere. It was Obi-Wan.
"Euh… Sure, Master Kenobi." Padmé tried to give her hair some kind of order again. "I'll be right there. Sorry for my delay."
"And could you please look for Anakin as well?"
Anakin could barely bear down his giggling. Even Padmé had to smile, bad gave him a sign to stand silent under her. "Yes, Master Kenobi, I'll find him. Amidala out." As she shot off the comlink, she turned to her husband. "We have to go; this meeting is our all preparation for the peace conference." She gently kissed him, before getting up and making her clothes.
He under the other hand, stayed on the floor. "Only because Obi-Wan…"
"…I'm worried for Obi-Wan, Anakin."
Anakin froze in surprise, just as he was beginning to sit up. "Why? What is it with Obi-Wan? He only sounded a little bit of tired, have you kept him that occupied?" He wanted to make her laugh, but Padmé just stared back at him in disbelief. "What?"
"Don't you know what's going on within him since Ahsoka's trial?"
"Er…"
"Okay stop," The expression in her eyes… Was it sadness? "Do you know what happened before Ahsoka's trial?"
"Sorry, I shot the radio off while this time, it kept making me angry." He stood up and took his wife's hands. "You're cold."
"Ani", she didn't know how to say what bothered Obi-Wan so deeply. "The Duchess of Mandalore, Satine… is dead."
Hi, I had kind of fun writing this, I hope you had fun reading it!
And Anakin's reaction to Satine's death (by the way, he did not know about this before, I am not sure if everybody saw that in the previous chapters) and his back-encounter with Obi-Wan next Wednesday!
All favs, follows and especially reviews more than welcome, don't forget to write me about your opinion for a padawan!
