Chapter 24: Family

"Buffy, there's our house!" Padme cried suddenly as Buffy followed Padme's gaze and smiled. She and Buffy started off immediately for the door, Dawn on their heals.

Anakin hung back for a moment as he studied the house.

"What?" Padme asked Anakin from some distance ahead, when she noticed that he was not following. "Don't tell me you're shy!"

"No, but I-" Anakin started to answer, but he was interrupted by the squeals of two teenage girls, running out from the yard toward Padme and Buffy.

"Aunt Padme! Aunt Buffy!"

Padme and Buffy's smiles went wide as they rushed ahead. Both of them pulling the 12 year old girls into a group hug. "Ryoo! Pooja!" Padme and Buffy cried.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Padme said as she kissed them both.

Then Buffy had her chance and kissed them both. "Wow you two have grown since I saw you last," Buffy said. She was sure that in the ten years since she had seen Sola's children that Sola and Padme had told her daughters about Buffy and even shown them pictures of her.

"This is Anakin and Dawn. Dawn, Anakin, this is Ryoo and Pooja!" Padme said.

Dawn smiled, "It is nice to meet you both."

"Artoo!" Ryoo and Pooja shouted in unison. They broke away from Padme and Buffy to greet the droid.

Buffy looked back towards the house to see a woman, Sola, standing in the. Padme walked to Sola and hugged her. She then led her back towards Anakin, Buffy and Dawn.

"Mom and Dad will be so happy to see you," Sola said to Padme. "It's been a difficult few weeks." She then turned to Buffy with a look of surprise on her face. "Buffy?"

Buffy smiled and nodded. "Hi, Sola. Long time no see."

Sola smiled and hugged Buffy. "Where you been keeping yourself, sis?"

Buffy shrugged. "With the Jedi. This is the first chance I've been able to come home." She then motioned to Dawn and Anakin. "This is Anakin Skywalker and Dawn Summers."

Dawn looked at Buffy with confusion at the mention of their old family name. But the confusion didn't last long.

Sola looked at Dawn and smiled. "Your sister?"

Buffy smiled at Dawn. "Yep that's my kid sister."

"Hey!" Dawn said at being referred to as a kid.

Sola pulled a startled Dawn into an embrace, "It's nice to finally meet you." She released Dawn and then turned to Padme and Buffy. "Mom's making dinner. As usual, your timing is perfect." She started toward the house.

The next introductions were a bit more uncomfortable for Dawn and Anakin, but only for a moment, as Padme showed Dawn and Anakin to hers, Sola's and Buffy's father – Ruwee. Padme introduced their mother Jobal next.

Buffy smiled and hugged her adopted parents, "It is good to see you again Mom, Dad."

Ruwee nodded and looked at Dawn, "So you are my daughter's sister. She told us about you during her stay with our family. I am happy that the two of you found each other."

"Thank you, Mister Nabarrie," Dawn said. "I was happy to have found Buffy as well."

Buffy walked into the living room looking at the pictures on the wall. Buffy noticed some were of her and smiled sadly as Padme walked up beside her.

Padme smiled. "I was already a Queen when dad brought you home. Still that was fun times wasn't it? I miss it you know, I've missed you," she said as a tear fell from her eye.

Buffy nodded as she pulled Padme in to an embrace, "I've missed you, too. The hardest thing I ever did was during that night of the attack. I was supposed to be protecting you." Dawn walked up beside the two women. "I told myself I needed to go with Anakin that I couldn't let my attachment to you get in the way. That I had to go find out who the attacker was so I could protect you better. I lied to myself that night. The entire time I was thinking of nothing but you, and hoping that you were safe. Leaving you in Dawn's care was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Padme I don't know if I can do this, I don't know if I'm cut out to be a Jedi."

Dawn sighed and pulled them into a group hug before they separated. "Buffy you're wrong. You want to know how I know you are cut out to be a Jedi. You think of others before yourself. It's why you were ready to sacrifice yourself so that I would live. I've known since day one you would be a Jedi. I don't know how I know, I just do. I've always known that you are the future of the Jedi."

Buffy blinked back tears and looked at Dawn and smiled.

Padme turned to Dawn and smiled before turning back to Buffy, "Buffy you know what Dawn likes to eat. Would you help mom in making her something special for dinner?"

Dawn blinked in shock at the offer. "That's not necessary, Padme."

Buffy smiled and hugged Dawn. "No objections. I want to do this for you Dawn." She then turned and walked into the kitchen to help Sola and Jobal fix dinner.

Sola looked at Buffy. "So Buffy you're a Jedi now?"

"Recently passed my trials," Buffy said.

Jobal hugged her adopted daughter, "That's good to hear, dear. I assume they assigned you to protect your sister?" Buffy nodded. "That's good I don't think there's anyone more suited for the job. Out of all of Padme's handmaidens when she was Queen you were favored."

"I know, though I think that is in part because I was her sister," Buffy said.

Jobal smiled. "You might be right there."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Dawn, Anakin, Padme, and Ruwee sat at the dinner table, comfortably quiet and listening to the bustle in the next room, which included the clanking of stoneware plates and mugs, and Sola repeatedly saying, "Too much, Mom." And every time she said that, Ruwee and Padme smiled knowingly.

"I doubt they've been starving all the way from Coruscant," Sola said as she exited the kitchen, carrying a bowl full of food.

Buffy followed Sola out carrying another large bowl.

"Enough to feed the town?" Padme asked Sola quietly as Sola sister put her bowl on the table.

"You know Mom," Buffy said.

"No one has ever left this house hungry," Sola added.

"Well, one person did once," Padme corrected. "But Mom chased him down and dragged him back in."

"To feed him or cook him?" Anakin retorted, and the other five stared at him for just a moment before catching on and bursting out in laughter.

Buffy laughed as she set down her bowl. She then turned and hugged Dawn. "I hope you're hungry for some spaghetti, Dawn. It might taste different since we don't have any beef for the meatballs. Had to substitute what the Naboo have for meat. And I had to improvise on the sauce. But I think you will like it."

Dawn smiled, "Thank you Buffy." Dawn scooped some of the spaghetti on to her plate and took a bite. "This is good, Buffy. Better than what we had on Earth, even."

"They arrived just in time for dinner," Jobal said. "I know what that means." She set the plate down near Anakin and put her hand on his and Dawn's shoulders. "I hope you're hungry, Dawn, Anakin."

"A little." Anakin said as he and Dawn gave her a warm smile.

"He's being polite, Mom," Padme said. "We're starving."

Jobal grinned widely and nodded, offering superior glances at Sola, Buffy and Ruwee, who just laughed again.

"If you're starving, then you came to the right place at the right time," Ruwee said, looking at Anakin as he finished. "Eat up, son!"

Jobal, Buffy and Sola took their seats and began passing the food bowls all around.

"Honey, it's so good to see you safe. We were so worried." Jobal said.

Buffy noticed the intense, disapproving glare that Padme answered with. Ruwee, obviously trying to dispel the tension before it could really begin, put his hand on Jobal's arm and quietly said, "Dear-"

"I know, I know!" Jobal said. "But I had to say it. Now it's done."

Sola cleared her throat. "Well, this is exciting. Do you know, Anakin, you're the first boyfriend my sister ever brought home?"

Buffy laughed at Sola, "Boyfriend! He's not her boyfriend, dear sister. Dawn, Anakin and I are Jedi. We were assigned to protect Padme."

"Three bodyguards?" Jobal asked with great concern. "Oh, Padme, they didn't tell us it was that serious!"

Padme's sighed. "It's not, Mom…"

"Padme is kind of in denial," Buffy interrupted as Padme glared at her. "I don't wish to worry you, mom and dad. But there have been two attempts on Padme's life. That's why all three of us were assigned to protect her."

"Honey, when are you going to settle down?" Jobal went on. "Haven't you had enough of that life? I certainly have!"

"Mom, I'm not in any danger," Padme insisted.

"Is she?" Ruwee asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid she is," Anakin said.

"But not much," Padme added quickly. She looked between Buffy and Anakin as if to say you will both pay for this later.

Buffy sighed. "The Senate thought it prudent to give her some time away, and under the protection of the Jedi. Anakin's master is currently investigating the situation. And we believe the matter will be resolved quickly."

Ruwee and Jobal, seemed to relax.

Buffy excused herself and got up leaving the dining room. Dawn was not far behind her. "Buffy?"

Buffy turned and faced Dawn, "I'm not sure I can do this, Dawn. She's my sister, just like you are. Every time I think of the assassination attempts I get angry with myself. If I hadn't joined the Jedi I could have protected her better. I wouldn't have worried about my attachments getting in the way. You know when I was just the Slayer it was much easier. It was my attachments that saved my life. The night I drowned in the Master's Lair. I was saved because of my attachments. Because Xander was my friend, he and Angel followed me. If Xander hadn't been my friend I would likely have died that night. Now that I am a Jedi I have to forsake those attachments, and I fear it could be the death of me."

Dawn hugged her sister, "Let me tell you a story of a little girl, no older than 14 at the time. You see she had an amazing sister who would do anything for those she loved. But the little girl was scared, so she promised to live because she was scared of dying. Buffy you're not scared of dying, well you probably are you just don't let that stop you. You do what you think is right, regardless of the consequences. You see you have always been a Jedi, long before you knew what a Jedi was. You don't have to forsake your attachments; in fact you should be embracing them. Just don't let them rule you, like they are right now."

Buffy thought for a moment over what Dawn just said and then nodded, "Your right."

"Sometimes I wish I'd traveled more," Ruwee admitted as Dawn led Buffy back into the dining room. "But I must say, I'm happy here."

Buffy smiled. "You traveled enough for me, Dad."

Ruwee smiled and nodded. "I guess I did. If I hadn't been with that group that freed you. You wouldn't be here today. Though that was the only time in recent years I've left Naboo."

"Padme tells me you teach at the university." Anakin said.

"Yes, and before that I was a builder," Ruwee answered with a nod. "I also worked for the Refugee Relief Movement, when I was very young."

"You seem quite interested in public service," Anakin remarked.

"Naboo is generous," Ruwee explained. "The planet itself, I mean. We have all that we want, all that we could want. Food is plentiful, the climate is comfortable, the surroundings are-"

"Beautiful," Anakin put in.

"Quite so," said Ruwee. "We are a very fortunate people, and we know it. That good fortune should not be taken for granted, and so we try to share and try to help. It is our way of saying that we welcome the friendship of those less fortunate, that we do not think ourselves entitled to that which we have, but rather, that we feel blessed beyond what we deserve. And so we share, and so we work, and in doing so, we become something larger than ourselves, and more fulfilled than one can become from idly enjoying good fortune!"

"It is the same with the Jedi, I suppose," Anakin said. "We have been given great gifts, and we train hard to make the most of those. And then we use our given powers to try to help the galaxy, to try to make everything a little bit better."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy, Padme, Sola, and Jobal worked together to clear the dishes and the remaining food.

"Why haven't you told us about him?" Sola asked with a sly grin.

"What's there to talk about?" Padme replied. "He's just a boy."

"A boy?" Sola repeated with a laugh. "Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Sola! Stop it!"

"It's obvious he has feelings for you," Sola went on. "Are you saying, little baby sister, that you haven't noticed?"

Buffy smiled, she had missed this … the sibling rivalry between the three of them. When Buffy had joined the family she had become the middle sister. She had been the one to always settle the disputes.

"I'm not your baby sister, Sola," Padme said flatly, her tone turning to true consternation. "Anakin and I are friends. Our relationship is strictly professional."

Sola grinned again.

"Mom, would you tell her to stop it?" Padme burst out in embarrassed frustration.

Buffy sighed, "Sola do you always have to rile Padme up?"

Sola laughed. "Well, maybe you haven't noticed the way he looks at you. I think you're afraid to."

"Cut it out!" Padme said.

Jobal stepped between the two and gave Sola a stern look. Then she turned back to Padme. "Sola's just concerned, dear," she said.

"Oh, Mom, you're impossible," Padme said with a sigh of surrender. "What I'm doing is important."

"You've done your service, Padme," Jobal answered. "It's time you had a life of your own. You're missing so much! And no offense Buffy but so are you. I'm thrilled that you became a Jedi. But don't you ever think about settling down?"

Padme offered her mother an appeasing smile,

Buffy let out a sigh. "Mom, I haven't much thought about it. Would I like to settle down and have a child? Maybe. It's rare that Jedi are allowed to marry and start a family. It's generally reserved as a special reward. Right now I would have to leave the Jedi Order if I wanted to settle down. And at this moment I'm not sure I do."

Jobal looked at her middle daughter and then nodded. She knew in her heart what Buffy would want. And that the maternal instincts would take time to kick in. Hopefully it would not be too late.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Now tell me, son, how serious is this thing?" Ruwee asked bluntly as he, Dawn and Anakin neared the door that would take them back into the house. "How much danger is my daughter really in?"

Anakin didn't hesitate. "There have been two attempts on her life. Chances are, there'll be more. But Buffy and I weren't lying to you and we weren't trying to minimize anything. My Master is tracking down the assassins. I'm sure he'll find out who they are and take care of them. This situation won't last long."

"I don't want anything to happen to her," Ruwee said.

"I don't either," Anakin assured him.

Dawn nodded. "Buffy cares for Padme as she does for you, your wife and Sola, sir."

Ruwee looked to Dawn. "You can call me Ruwee or if you prefer and are okay with, Dad. You are Buffy's sister which makes you by extension my daughter as well."

Dawn looked to Anakin who nodded indicating it was her decision. "I don't know if I could do Dad just yet, Ruwee. Anyways as I was saying Buffy, and by extension myself and Anakin, won't let any harm come to Padme. I give you my word."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Padme stared at her older sister as Buffy stood watching. At last, Sola broke down and asked, "What?"

"Why do you keep saying such things about me and Anakin?" Padme asked.

"Because it's obvious," Sola replied. "You see it-you can't deny it to yourself."

Padme sighed and sat down on the bed.

"I thought Jedi weren't supposed to think such things," Sola remarked.

"We're not. Not sure about Anakin but Dawn and I aren't the typical Jedi either." Buffy said.

Sola looked to Buffy and nodded, reading the undercurrent of what Buffy said. While Buffy hadn't come out and said it, she had admitted that she and Dawn loved each other despite the Jedi's rules to the contrary.

"But Anakin does." Sola's words brought Padme's gaze up to meet hers. "You know I'm right." Padme shook her head helplessly. "You think more like a Jedi than he does. And you shouldn't."

"What do you mean?" Padme said.

"You're so tied up in your responsibilities that you don't give any weight to your desires," Sola explained. "Even with your own feelings toward Anakin."

Padme sighed. "You don't know how I feel about Anakin."

"You probably don't either," Sola said. "Because you won't allow yourself to even think about it. Being a Senator and being a girlfriend aren't mutually exclusive, you know."

"My work is important!"

Buffy listened quietly to her sisters argue over Padme's feelings. She knew Sola was right that Padme did indeed love Anakin. That Padme had loved him since she had met him 10 years before. Buffy wasn't sure if Anakin felt the same way. And even if he did she knew he could not act on it or he would be expelled from the Jedi Order.

"Who said it wasn't?" Sola asked. "It's funny, Padme, because you act as if you're prohibited, and you're not, while Anakin acts as if he's under no such prohibitions, and he is!"

"You're way ahead of everything here," Padme said. "Anakin and I have only been together for a few days-before that, I hadn't seen him in a decade!"

Sola shrugged. "I don't know any of the details, and you're right, I don't know how you feel-about any of this. But I know how he feels, and so do you." Padme didn't disagree. "It frightens you. "What are you afraid of, Sis? Are you afraid of Anakin's feelings and the responsibilities that he cannot dismiss? Or are you afraid of your own feelings?" She lifted Padme's chin, so that they were looking at each other directly. "I don't know how you feel. But I suspect that it's something new to you. Something scary, but something wonderful."

Padme said nothing, but she knew that disagreement would not be honest.