Chapter 29: Family Vacation

Anakin smiled as he watched the twins play in the gardens. Padmé was seated on the ground with one of her gorgeous gowns flowing around her. It had been so long since he saw his wife dressed so elegantly, even though to him she could wear the rags on Tatooine and she would still look gorgeous to him. Her hair pinned up in a half-bun while the rest of her hair hung down around her waist.

The twins were running around, giggling like crazy. They never saw so many living things. Leia just adored the flowers and Anakin would just laugh as he watched his daughter bury her head into the plants.

Luke however was fascinated with the water fountain. The boy was on his knees on the ledge of the fountain, staring intently at the water. "Luke…" Anakin started when the boy fell head first into the water. Running over, he lifted his son up and the boy was laughing.

"Is he alright?" Padmé asked as she stood up with wide eyes, concern written all over her face.

"He's alright, look at him," Anakin replied as he gestured to the giggling two-year-old.

Leia just stared at her brother, her arms crossed over her chest. "Mama said not to pway dere!" she exclaimed. Luke flushed a little, making Anakin just grin.

"Come on son, let's get you changed," he told Luke, leading him inside.

After Luke was changed into fresh clothes, Anakin saw the weird look on his son's face. "What's that look for?" he asked.

"Weiawd clothes," Luke replied.

Anakin smiled a little. "That's because these clothes aren't made of that tough material to keep you protected from the suns," Anakin replied.

"Wots of wataw," Luke told him, "and cowd."

"Yep, we don't have to rush to preserve water like we do at home," Anakin replied.

Luke just stared at his father curiously. "I wike it heaw," he commented.

"You do huh? Wait until you see Naboo, one day you'll see the most beautiful planet in the galaxy," Anakin replied.

"When?" Luke asked.

Anakin smiled softly as he pushed the hair from his son's eyes. "One day Luke, one day," he replied as he lifted him up and they left the room.

Later on, Anakin and Padmé were having a picnic in one of the beautiful grasslands. "I can't remember the last time we did this," he commented.

"How about our honeymoon on Naboo?" Padmé asked smiling.

"Ah yes," he replied as he lied back on the grass.

Padmé smiled as she moved so she was sitting above him. "And then two months after that I found out I was pregnant," she added, making him smile.

"Seems like such a long time ago almost," he answered as he pushed a curl over her shoulder.

"It does," she agreed with a sigh.

Lying down, she rested her head on his chest, moving her thumb in circles over his abs. "I wish we could go back to Naboo, even if it was just for a little while," she said quietly.

"I know, I miss Naboo too," he answered softly.

"Is there a way we can go back? I mean just for a little while?" she asked, hope evident in her voice.

"I don't know Padmé, it's too dangerous. I'm sure the Emperor has spies just waiting for you to return," he replied.

Padmé sighed sadly. "I just miss my family. You know they haven't even seen Luke and Leia," she pointed out.

"I know you do, but I'm sure the Emperor is having them monitored waiting for you to go to them," he relied.

"Don't you think he would have your mother monitored as well?" Padmé asked.

Anakin put his arm behind his head. "I know he did," he replied.

"Did?" she asked.

"Yes, the problem was though the Emperor had no idea where to start on trying to find what happened to my mother. I went to Watto's shop years ago after she married Cliegg and destroyed any sort of record that she was a slave," he replied.

Padmé stared at him surprised. "You destroyed all of her slave records?" she asked.

"Hers and mine, it's like we were both given a clean slate in life," he replied.

Padmé then saw his eyes glaze over. "Ani, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I also saw something in her records that I haven't been able to talk to my mother about," he replied.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

Anakin looked at her. "It said in her records that my mom gave birth to two babies, two Padmé, me and a daughter," he replied. Her eyes widened at what he was saying.

"Are you saying you have a sister out there?" she asked.

"Yes, somewhere. I don't know where, it just said she gave birth to two babies, but no record of the second baby," he replied.

He sat up. "In fact, why didn't Bastila tell me either? Shouldn't she have felt both of our births that day?" he asked.

"Ani, maybe you should ask Bastila that when we go home," she replied.

Sighing, he stared up at the sky. "For now, please relax," she told him softly.

"Yeah, I'll relax," he answered quietly.

Padmé sighed as he rubbed her back gently. "I don't think I ever saw the twins so relaxed, so happy before," she commented trying to divert his attention.

"Yeah they are happy here," he agreed.

Smiling, she nuzzled his chest. Anakin kissed her forehead with a smile while he started moving his hand over her side. "Ani don't," she told him, smiling a little bigger.

"Why not?" he asked.

"That tickles you know that," she replied, hitting his chest.

"Oh…right," he murmured, stilling his hand.

They were lying completely still for awhile, but then Anakin started tickling side. "No stop!" she exclaimed, laughing, trying to move away, but he just moved with her. "Ani stop!" she exclaimed laughing when she was lying on the ground and he was still tickling her. She was able to move out from under him with a laugh, trying her best to run from him without tripping.

"Gotcha!" he announced as he grabbed her around the waist, swinging her around.

Padmé laughed when they were both back on the ground and she hit his chest. They were both just having the greatest time before he grabbed her, pulled her to him and they rolled three times across the ground laughing like children. When they stopped, Padmé was above him, straddling his sides staring down at him. Anakin smiled up at her, caressing her cheek lovingly. "You're so beautiful," he murmured. Smiling, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Anakin gladly kissed her back, resting his hand on the back of her neck.

Pulling back, they got up off the ground. "I think we have a couple of children waiting for us at home," she commented after a few minutes.

"Are you wanting to end up romantic afternoon early?" he asked, pulling her close again.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked.

"Immensely," he replied.

Padmé wrapped her arms around his neck with a smile. "Are you sure you're not an angel?" he asked smiling, resting his forehead against hers. Smiling, she kept her eyes closed as she let out a sigh. "I am grateful that the Order rejected me, because I don't think I could stand the thought of having to live a life without you," he added.

"You'll never have to wonder," she replied, smiling at him.

Smiling back at her, he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. She kissed him back, smiling into their kiss as he lifted her up off the ground and swung her around in circles.

Later on back at the palace, Padmé was walking down the hall with Luke on her hip. Luke was just talking to her in his toddler babble. Smiling, she kissed her son's forehead. She couldn't believe how much her children had grown. It seemed like yesterday she was holding her children in her arms as newborns, now they were walking and talking. Looking over, she saw her husband in the gardens playing with Leia.

She missed it when they were babies, suddenly she felt the yearning for another child begin to set in. She smiled when she saw her husband sitting in front of Leia, making a flower float over to the two-year-old who was beaming with joy.

Anakin smiled as Leia plucked the flower from the air and took a sniff of it. "You are just as pretty as mama," he commented. Taking the flower from her, he placed it into her hair.

"Daddy, awe oo going away?" Leia asked.

He furrowed his brow, but then let out a sigh. "You were listening by mama and daddy's room again weren't you?" he asked. The little girl flushed and lowered her eyes to the ground. "You're getting some of my bad habits Princess," he commented as he lifted her up and had her sit in his lap.

"Awe oo daddy?" she asked, looking up at him.

Sighing, he stroked his daughter's hair softly. "Leia, daddy has a job to do. He has to save other little boys and girls so they don't get separated from their mommies and daddies," he explained softly.

"Why awe people meanies?" Leia asked.

Anakin kissed her forehead softly. "The innocent mind of a child," he thought. Looking at his daughter, he hugged her closer. "I don't know Princess. People can just be meanies," he replied.

"Maybe dey don't gots mommies and daddies," she suggested, making him chuckle lightly.

"Maybe," he replied, kissing her forehead again.

"I don't wants oo to go," Leia insisted, burying her head into his chest, "no go daddy, no."

Hearing those words broke his heart. "Oh Leia…" he whispered, hugging her tight. The toddler kept repeating for him not to go and with each word broke his heart a little more.

Later that night, Padmé was going into the bedroom to find her husband reading to the twins. Luke and Leia were listening to the story intently, but their eyes were beginning to droop. After another two minutes, they were fast asleep with their heads on him. Smiling, Anakin set the data pad aside before he carefully tucked the twins into bed. He pulled the blankets up to their chins and kissed their foreheads lovingly. Letting out a sigh, he turned around to find his wife standing there.

Smiling softly, she walked into the room and kissed her children goodnight. Anakin moved his hand over his wife's back before they left the room. "When we go back to Tatooine, I have to talk to my mother," he told he as he held her hand.

"About your sister," she murmured softly.

"Yes, I have to know what my mother knows about her," he answered.

"Ani, what if it's too painful for her to talk about? It would be like asking me about one of our children if one of them was taken away," Padmé pointed out.

Sighing sadly, he kissed the back of her hand. "Maybe, if she could tell me all she knew about her, maybe I could find her and bring her home," he answered. Instead of stating the obvious complications his mission had, Padmé hugged him with a sigh.

"You're the greatest man I have ever known Ani, the greatest man," she whispered.

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head. "Come on, let's get some rest. We have such a busy schedule tomorrow with the twins," she commented with a smile. Anakin grinned as he held her hand and they went back to their room.

Author's Note: sorry for the delay, I have been having some computer difficulties. As of right now my laptop is being repaired. Hope you liked the new chapter and the new twists I added hehe. Thank you everyone for your patience *smiles*.

Arwennicole