Chapter 13

It was very late when Anakin and Padmé arrived back at the estate. Dormé had put the twins to bed, and the house was quiet. Both Anakin and Padmé were emotionally spent and said very little on the way home. But the silence wasn`t fraught with the tension that had been the hallmark of their relationship since they had come back into each other`s lives. Padmé didn't object when Anakin walked her up to her room.

"Goodnight Padmé," Anakin said. "Thank you for your kind words earlier," he said. "It meant a lot that you supported me."

"You're welcome," she said. "I want you to know something, Anakin," she said. "I forgive you."

Anakin smiled, and moved closer to her. He took her by the hands and gently kissed them. "You don't know this means to me," he said.

"I think I do," she said, his touch making her weak in the knees. "Goodnight, Anakin."

"Goodnight Padmé," he said, releasing her hands. She entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Anakin stood for a moment, his heart racing. He smiled, and then went on to his own room.

The next morning

"And we can have cupcakes, and pizza, and ice cream," Leia said as she sat at the dining room table with her brother and parents. They were planning the party that Anakin had promised over breakfast. The twins were planning, while Padmé and Anakin listened in amusement.

"That sounds wonderful," Padmé said. "Is this your birthday party we're planning? Or just a party party?"

"A party party," Luke said with a smile. "Daddy said we could have it. Right Daddy?"

"Of course," Anakin said. "We'll plan something really special for your birthday," he said. "This will be the first one that we'll all be together."

"That's right," Padmé said. "Imagine that," she added. She looked at Anakin, knowing that he was as ambivalent about that particular day as she was. While it was the day of their precious children's birth, it was also the day that Darth Vader was born.

"Well I need to get going," Anakin said, standing up. "Busy day ahead." He kissed the top of Luke's head. "Be a good boy," he said. He kissed Leia next. "Be a good girl." He came to Padmé, and, after a moment of deliberation, he kissed her on the cheek. "Have a good day," he said.

Padmé was surprised by his gesture, but didn't object to it. "You too," she said.

Luke and Leia waved goodbye to their father, and then continued with their plans.

Anakin headed into the city, where he was looking forward to a productive day. The first thing he planned to do was start building on a new lightsaber. The workshop had been updated with new equipment, and fully stocked with crystals. As he flew towards the temple he pondered what colour the new crystal should be. He had always had blue, except for the years when he was a Sith. But now blue seemed inappropriate. Blue was associated with protection, consciousness and intellect, whereas green was said to portray peace and harmony. Green, he thought to himself as he entered the hangar at the temple. Green is the colour it will be.

"Good morning Obi-Wan," said Anakin as he met him in the foyer.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan said. "I think last night was a success, don't you?" he asked as they walked along.

"Yes it was," Anakin said. "It's exciting to think that we'll have padawans coming soon," he said.

"It will be good to have younglings here again," Obi-Wan said. "Can we expect to see Luke and Leia here?"

"That's still in negotiation," Anakin said. "I think once they turn five Padmé will be more open minded to it," he said. "Their birthday is only a few weeks away."

"Indeed," Obi-Wan said, growing pensive at the thought of that day. "An eventual day, to be sure."

Anakin nodded. "Yes, you could say that." He stopped to admire the newly renovated workshop "Today is the day, Obi-Wan," he said.

"I must say it's about time," he said. "You know, I still have your old weapon," he said.

Anakin frowned. "Destroy it," he said. "I never want to see it again."

Obi-Wan wasn't surprised by Anakin's vehemence. The weapon certainly had a wicked past.

"Consider it done," he said. "Perhaps we could get in some practice at some point. If you're up to it, that is."

"I think I'm ready," Anakin said. "But the red blade is all I have now until this one is finished."

"Perhaps we should use practice blades," Obi-Wan suggested.

"Even better," Anakin said. "I'll meet you in the gym in two hours."

"See you then," Obi-Wan said, and went on his way.

Anakin worked on the housing of his new lightsaber for the next two hours, taking his time, enjoying the process. How many does this make now? He wondered as he put the tools away. Too many to count…

"Are you ready?" Anakin asked as he found Obi-Wan limbering up in the gymnasium.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Yes," he said. He stopped stretching and looked at Anakin. "You know Anakin, this is the first time we've sparred since…"

"Since Mustafar," Anakin said. "I know, I thought of that too."

"If you're not ready for this, Anakin…"

"No, I'm ready," he said, taking off his cloak. "It's time. Unless you're afraid I'm going to beat you."

Obi-Wan smiled. "That thought had not even entered my mind," he said. "Let's go."

Nira had spent her day with Yoda, meditating. It had been arduous, but she felt better for it.

"Master Yoda, I wanted to ask you about Master Skywalker," Nira said as they took a light meal today.

Yoda looked up at her expectantly.

"Are you still sure about him?" she asked. "Regarding offspring, I mean."

"Anakin needs to have more children," Yoda said. "You and he, a good match you would make. Powerful children you will have."

"Yes, there's no doubt of that," she said. "It's just that he seems to be more than a little interested in Senator Amidala."

"Feelings for her, he still has," Yoda said. "But ended their marriage is. Time for Anakin to move on, it is."

Nira nodded. "I couldn't agree more, Master Yoda."

Gymnasium

"Looks like you're not as young as you used to be," Anakin said as Obi-Wan sat down on one of the benches along the sides of the room.

Obi-Wan chucked. "It happens to the best of us," he said.

Anakin laughed. "I'm going to hit the showers," he said.

"I'll be there shortly," Obi-Wan said. "Just want to, catch my breath," he said.

Anakin laughed again as he left the room and headed into the showers area. He disrobed and stepped into the shower stall. The sensation of the water on his skin was soothing and refreshing. He closed his eyes and let the water run over his hair. All of a sudden, he became very aware of the presence of someone else in the fresher. He frowned, and turned off the water. "Obi-Wan?" he asked.

There was no reply. He pushed the curtain back and was shocked to see Nira standing there looking at him.

"Nira what the hell are you doing here?" Anakin asked.

"I think you know," she said, looking at his naked body appraisingly. "I've made my feelings pretty clear."

"And so have I," Anakin said. "I'm in love with my wife, Nira. You know that."

"She's not your wife," Nira said, stepping closer to him. "And she doesn't want you anymore. I do."

"Stop," Anakin said, stepping back to put some distance between them. "This behaviour of yours is hardly worthy of a Jedi! Have some dignity!"

"My behaviour is above question," she said. "I'm thinking about the future of the Order. You should be too. Think of the children we could have together," she said. "They would be so powerful, so strong with the Force…"

"We will not have children together," he said. "You need to get that through your mind, Nira. There's no future between us. Do you understand?"

Nira frowned, starting to see that Anakin was serious. "You're making a huge mistake," she said. "Master Yoda has already sanctioned this union. You can't say no to him. You owe him. You owe the order."

Anakin frowned. "You're right," he said. "I do owe the order, there's no doubt of it. But I will not be coerced into siring children with someone that I don't love."

Nira said nothing else, but turned and left him then, slamming the door to the fresher behind her.

Anakin got dressed and left the fresher, angry and upset. You've gone too far this time, Master Yoda, he thought and headed off to find the diminutive Jedi Master.

"Master Yoda," Anakin said, finding Yoda in the council chamber. "I need to talk to you."

Yoda looked up at him, seeing how upset he was. "Something troubles you, Anakin?"

"You could say so," Anakin said. "I was just accosted in the shower by Nira. She seems to think that she and I are having children together. Do you know anything about this?"

"The future of the order, children are," Yoda said. "The Chosen One you are," he went on. "More children you must have."

"Perhaps I will," Anakin said. "Someday, but not with her. Not ever, no matter what. I love Padmé, Master Yoda. Do you understand that? I will always love her."

"Divorced you are," Yoda said. "No more children you will have with her."

Anakin frowned. "Well that's between her and I," he said.

He left then, not wanting to say something he might regret.

Skywalker Estate

"See Aunt Sola? I can print my whole name! Leia Amidala Skywalker."
"That's wonderful, Leia!" Sola said with a smile. "You have lovely printing, just like your mommy did at your age."

"See my drawing, Aunt Sola?" Luke asked, shoving his sister aside to get in front of the computer screen.

"It's very good, Luke," said Sola. "I like how you drew the stripes. Very nice detail."

Luke was pleased, but Leia was not, having been pushed out of the limelight by her twin.

"Okay, let Mommy talk now," Padmé said. "You two go and start putting your pencils away. It's almost dinner time."

Luke and Leia did their mother's bidding and Padmé sat down in front of the computer screen.

"They're growing up so fast," Sola said.

"They are," Padmé agreed. "They'll be five in a few weeks. I hope you'll be able to come for their party."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Sola said with a smile. "Looks like their home schooling is going well," she said.

"For now," Padmé said. "I think I'll have to let Anakin take them to the Jedi temple soon. Their abilities are really beyond me."

"I'm sure," Sola said. "So …how is Anakin?" she asked. "You two getting along?"

Padmé couldn't help but smile. "Very well," she said. "Far better than I'd expected."

Sola smiled. "That's wonderful," she said. "I guess he's a new man in every sense of the word."

"You could say that," Padmé said.

Sola watched her sister's face for a moment. "You still love him, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I love him," Padmé said. "He's the father of my children, Sola. I'll always have feelings for him."

Sola nodded. "So? What does that mean?"

"I beg your pardon?" Padmé asked.

"I mean, is there a future with him?" she asked. "It would make sense, given the fact that you have children with him."

"I suppose," Padmé said. "But if Master Yoda has his way, I won't be the only woman who does."

"What do you mean?" Sola asked. "Is Anakin involved with someone?"

"No he isn't," Padmé said. "But the Jedi Council expect him to have more children, to help rebuild the order. And Yoda has selected a woman named Nira as his potential mate."

"Are you serious?" Sola asked. "They can't just expect him to breed baby Jedi for them! That's ludicrous!"

"I know it is," Padmé said. "Anakin is not happy about the pressure they're exerting on him, but he feels like he has to do whatever he can to atone for the past, and he's reluctant to say no to the other Jedi. And this woman," Padmé went on, "she's very forward. She was grilling me the other night about Anakin," she said.

"What a tart," Sola said. "Do you think Anakin could be interested in her?"

"I don't know," Padmé said. "She's very beautiful," she said. "And very aggressive."

Sola considered this. "You need to stake your claim, Padmé," she said. "If you really want a future with Anakin again, you need to make sure this woman doesn't get her hooks into him."

Padmé frowned. "I don't know what I want," she said. "I'm not angry anymore," she said. "And I've told Anakin that I forgive him."

"So what's the problem?" Sola asked.

"I'm not sure," she said.

Sola frowned. "Padmé, you have a second chance for a life with a man that you love," she said. "Are you really going to let it slip through your fingers?"

"Daddy!" Luke cried as Anakin came through the door. He picked up Luke and gave him a hug.

Padmé turned and waved to him, and could see at once that he was upset. "I need to go," Padmé said. "Talk to you soon. Love you," she said.

"Love you too," Sola said. "And think about what I said."

"I will," Padmé said.

"Daddy look what I made!" Luke said, running over to pick his picture up from the table.

"And me, look at what I did," Leia said, grabbing her paper with her name on it.

"Wow, amazing," Anakin said, taking the two pieces of work from his children. "You've been working hard," he said, giving them a smile. He looked up at Padmé, his eyes troubled. "Can we talk?" he said.

"Of course," she said. "Luke, Leia, time to get washed up for dinner," she said. "Mommy and Daddy will be right down."

The twins left with Dormé, leaving Anakin and Padmé alone. Anakin closed the door and turned to Padmé. "You won't believe what happened to me today," he said.

"What happened?" she asked, sitting down, seeing how upset he was.

"Nira, that's what happened," he said.

Padmé frowned. "What did she do?"

Anakin paced up and down the room, clearly agitated. "She came into the shower room while I was in there, naked," he said. "She was waiting for me when I got out of the shower."

Padmé's eyes widened in shock. "What?" she asked. "Please tell me you're not serious!"

"I'm deadly serious," Anakin said. "She was waiting for me."

"I can't believe the gall of that woman," Padmé said. "What kind of a woman is she? That's hardly fitting behaviour for someone who has aspirations of becoming a Jedi."

"I questioned her behaviour too," he said. "That's when she told me that she was acting in the best interests of the Jedi," he said. "That our children would be the future of the Order," he said. "That Yoda had sanctioned it, and I owed it to the Order to go along with it."

"I can't believe this," she said. "I hope you told her what you thought of her…suggestion."

"I did," Anakin said. "And then I told Yoda what I thought of it."

Padmé smiled. "I'm sure you did," she said.

Anakin stopped pacing and looked at her. "Why are you smiling?" he asked.

Padmé shrugged, and walked over to him. "I guess I'm just happy that you've rejected the notion," she said.

Anakin regarded her closely. "Did you really think I'd go along with it?"

"No, not really," she said.

"I see," he said. "And why is that?" He asked.

"I like to think I know you pretty well," she said. "I know you're not a man who likes to be told what to do."

Anakin smiled. "You do know me well," he said.

Padmé nodded. "I'm sorry she upset you that way," she said. "I hope she leaves you alone from now on."

"We'll see," he said. "She's nothing if not persistent."

"Come along," she said, taking his hand. "Time for dinner."

Anakin let her lead him out of the room and together they went downstairs to join their children.

Later that night…

Padmé had difficulty sleeping that night, her mind full of the conversation she'd had with Sola. Padmé, you have a second chance for a life with a man that you love…are you really going to let it slip through your fingers? Was that what she was doing? Was she risking losing Anakin forever? Did she even want Anakin? Could she really trust him again? These thought tore at her mind as she finally fell asleep.

What do you mean, you're marrying Nira?

It's true, Padmé. I can't wait forever. I need a woman in my life…I need the companionship of a wife…

You don't love her, Anakin. You love me, you told me so.

Yes, I love you. I will never love Nira, but she wants me Padmé. You don't.

But I do want you, Anakin…I love you and I want you. Call off the wedding…I'm sorry if I've made you feel like I don't. I do love you, I love you with all my heart.

Padmé awoke with a start, her dream shaking her from sleep. Is that how I really feel? She asked, running her hands through her tousled hair. Am I being a fool not to recognize it?