Chapter 28
"Anakin!" Padmé said, "you startled me!"
"I'm sorry," Anakin said. "I didn't mean to. Are the kids asleep?"
Padmé nodded. "Yes," she said. "I just put them down."
Anakin was disappointed to have missed seeing his children, but wasn't surprised that they were already in bed, it was late after all.
"Have you eaten?" Padmé asked, walking towards the kitchen. "I can warm up some dinner for you."
"Never mind that," Anakin said, taking her hand. She turned and looked at him. "Come and sit down. I want to talk to you."
Padmé walked over to the sofa with him and sat down. She looked up at him expectantly.
"I...I felt badly about this morning," he said, taking a knee before her. "I have no right to question your feelings."
Padmé smiled, and took his face in her hands. "I didn't think that you were doing that," she said.
Anakin put his arms around her. "I've been a jerk," he said. "You are completely justified in being doubtful about me," he said. "After my fall, after what I did...I can't blame you for being unsure about me. I'm unsure myself. I just want you to know that without you, without the kids...I'm nothing. I'm only complete when you're with me, Padmé."
Padmé's eyes filled with tears, as they did so easily these days. "Ani," she said, stroking his face softly. "Let's go to bed," she said. "I want you to make love to me."
Anakin smiled. He stood up and held his hand out to her. Padmé put her hand in his and stood up. Anakin pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.
"I love you too," she said. Padmé took his hand and lead him into their bedroom.
The next morning
Padmé woke up the next morning, with Anakin's arms wrapped around her. She smiled as she watched him sleep. He's so troubled, she thought. Will he ever be free of the past? A wave of nausea hit her and Padmé hurried out of the bed and ran to the bathroom. Anakin awoke just as the door to the bathroom slid shut. He frowned, realizing what was wrong, wishing there was something he could do to alleviate how she was feeling. He hadn't been with her when she'd gone through this rough, early stage of pregnancy. He couldn't imagine how she had managed it alone, dealing with the stress of his absence, doing her best to keep their marriage a secret. And then she'd given birth without him, not knowing if he were alive or dead...not this time, he vowed, getting out of bed. This time it will be different; this time I will be there for her every stop of the way... Sensing that the twins were awake, Anakin pulled on his sleep pants and left the bedroom.
Luke and Leia met their father in the living room, and giggled as he scooped them both up into a big hug.
"I missed you guys," he said, kissing them both.
"Where were you, Daddy?" Luke asked as he set the twins down.
"I didn't get home until after you were asleep," Anakin said.
Luke and Leia looked at each other as though in silent communication. "We want to go home, Daddy," Leia said, speaking for her twin. "We miss our home."
Anakin frowned. "Home? Isn't this your home?" he asked.
"They mean Naboo," Padmé said as she joined them. "They mean the house on Naboo."
Anakin looked at her. "They want to go to Naboo?" He said.
Padmé nodded. "I was afraid they'd start asking to go there," she said. "It's not surprising that they would, Ani. It's the only home they've ever known."
Anakin sighed. He could hardly blame three year olds for missing their home, their beds and their toys. Despite the fact that he'd brought many thing form the Naboo house before they'd left Naboo's orbit, the cottage would always be their home. "No I guess not," he said. "But they'll just have to get over it."
Padmé frowned. "Get over it?" she said. "They are little more than babies, Anakin," she said. "They're not going to understand why they can't go home."
Anakin ran his hands through his spiky hair in frustration. "What then, Padmé?" he asked. "Should I just abandon my dream to free the slaves?" he asked. Padmé wasn't sure if the question was rhetorical or not.
"No one is asking you to do that," Padmé said. "But the children's feelings need to be considered in this as well. Maybe I can take them there for a little while."
Anakin didn't like the sound of that at all. But he also knew that two cranky toddlers would be very stressful for Padmé to deal with. And that was the last thing she needed right now.
"How long is a little while?" Anakin asked.
"I don't know," she said. "A few weeks. It's not like we can come down to Tatooine anyway. The mining will take weeks to complete. Luke and Leia need to get fresh air, they need some place to run around and play. They can't do that here, Anakin. They've been good about being here, but the novelty has wore off . It's time for a change of scenery. I don't like the idea of being apart any more than you do, but we will have two very unhappy children if they don't get a break."
Anakin nodded. "I know," he said. "I just hate the thought of being away from all of you, even for a little while."
"You have the cruiser now," Padmé pointed out. "You can come and see us whenever you want. I think you will need a break every now and then too."
"You're right," he said, not relishing the thought of dealing with Watto and the Hutts without the support of his family. "Very well," he said. "I'll tell Obi-Wan to take the ship to Naboo."
Later
"I'll come and visit as soon as I can," Anakin told his wife as they stood in the shuttle bay with their children.
"Good," Padmé said, fighting not to cry. "I'll contact you when we arrive."
Anakin nodded. "Take care of yourself, please," he said, hugging her close. "I'll miss you so much."
Padmé hugged him back. "I'll miss you too," she said. "Please be careful, Ani. Promise me you'll be careful when you deal with the Hutts."
"You know it," he said, trying to lighten the mood. He turned to the children and bent to hug them. "You two be good for your mom, okay?" he said.
Luke and Leia nodded simultaneously. Anakin stood up and looked at his wife. He didn't want to tell her how afraid he was to be parted from her. He didn't want her to know that he was terrified that being apart from her would halt his progress away from the darkness. He knew she could not handle that knowledge and so he kept it to himself, vowing that the darkness would not win again. "I love you," he told her, taking her face in his hands.
Padmé smiled. "I love you too," she said. "See you soon," she said.
Anakin nodded. "Yes, very soon," he said. He kissed her once more and then left her and the children to board a shuttle. He turned around and waved once more, and then boarded the shuttle and prepared to return to Tatooine.
Naboo - later that night
Padmé sat in the kitchen with a cup of tea. The house was quiet, for Luke and Leia had finally gone to sleep. They'd been very excited about going home, ad had run around reacquainting themselves with their home. Padmé was happy to be home, but she missed Anakin. Did I make the right decision coming back here? Is he going to be okay without us? Her musings were interrupted by the sound of the computer on the other side of the room. It was just then that she remembered that she had promised Anakin she would contact her with they'd reached Naboo. She headed over to the computer and turned the screen on, sitting down in front of the computer. Anakin's face appeared, and she could tell that he was upset.
"Hi Ani," she said. "I'm so sorry I forgot to contact you," she said. "The kids were so busy since we got home that I completely lost track of time."
"It's okay, Padmé," he said. "I'm just glad you're there safe and sound."
She smiled. "I miss you already," she said. "How was your day?"
Anakin shrugged. "It was fine," he said. "Watto is meeting up with Jabba the Hutt right now, so hopefully he'll have some good news when he comes back."
"I hate the idea of you tangling with that gangster," she said. "Please be careful."
"You know will," he said. "Jabba is the one who should be worried, not me, Padmé," he said.
Padmé didn't know what to sat to that, and said nothing. "Well it's late here," she said. "I need to get to bed."
"Okay, goodnight, Angel," he said. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said. She blew him a kiss. "See you soon."
Anakin smiled, and then closed down the transmission. He sat for a few minutes, the silence of the small house closing in around him. And then he stood up and decided it was time to find out how Watto had made out with Jabba the Hutt.
