Hey all! Sorry I didn't post last week! I started CampNaNo, plus I needed some time to pull this story together and figure out where it's going.

And to Veritas: I suppose it could, but I wasn't trying to suggest that it did. Just a random name suggestion really.

Chapter 37

"Knock knock?"

Anakin looked towards the half-open doorway, smiling when he saw his sister standing there. "Come on in, Caish," he said. "We're just looking at this." The Jedi held up a small blue and pink pamphlet.

"Baby names?" Acacia asked, raising her eyebrows as she came over and sat on Padme's other side. "I guess that is kind of important now."

"Yes." Padme nodded, giving her husband a pretend glare. "And we can't agree on any of them."

"What else is new?"

Anakin gave his sister a playful slap upside the head. "We don't fight that much," he said, and she laughed.

"Well, my name's kinda taken, so I can't give out any suggestions." The girl's smile slipped into a frown. "And... I have something important to talk to you about."

All mirth disappeared from Anakin's face and he leaned forward, all business. "Yeah?"

"It's kind of a long story, but when Sola was by, we got to talking about the Order, and she was worried about Pooja because of something the Emperor announced earlier today." Acacia looked up slowly, first meeting her brother's eyes, then her sister-in-law's. "He said he wanted to start a school for children with 'exceptional abilities.'"

Anakin and Padme exchange looks, all playfulness obliterated, severe gravity in its place. "Force," Anakin muttered. "A Sith school."

"That is important." Padme glanced at her husband. "Especially for the Jedi."

Anakin nodded grimly. "Is he starting it anytime soon?"

Acacia shook her head. "From what Sola told me, these are his plans for the future. So it might not happen for a while. Still, I was thinking we should contact the Council."

Anakin opened his mouth to disagree, then closed it. As much as he would've liked to investigate this himself, he knew it was impossible. With Padme on bed rest and his children so soon to be born, he couldn't just leave.

So slowly, he nodded, agreeing with his sister. This once, he'd have to hand the controls over to the Council and hope they took care of things.

"But aren't the Jedi trying to stay secret?" Padme wondered, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yes," Anakin admitted. "But I'll make sure the line is secure. Besides, this is the sort of thing they'll thank me for telling them about." Plus, maybe they'll stop badgering me about not being on their side, he thought, ignoring the funny look Acacia threw in his direction. "I'll be right back." He kissed Padme's cheek, shot his sister a smile, then disappeared into the next room.

Padme turned to Acacia. "This may not be the best time, but I'm glad you two are getting along."

Acacia furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Please, Acacia. I've noticed you've been a bit... on edge with each other lately. Don't worry," she smiled. "I'm not going to pry. I'm just glad you two talked it out."

"Yeah." The girl nodded, staring at the bedcover. "Me, too."

"And I'm sorry if you've been feeling... neglected recently."

Acacia's eyes shot up to meet Padme's. "What- What do you mean?"

The woman smiled. "Acacia, I may not be the most Force-Sensitive person in the world, but I have been twelve before. Puberty's bad enough without tossing in all you've been through this past month. And I'm sorry - about all of it."

Acacia looked away, trying to hide the stupid tears that sprang to her eyes. Crushing them down, she turned back to her sister-in-law, forcing a smile. "Thanks. Too bad you didn't mention all that to Anakin."

"I thought about it. But it seemed like something you two should work out yourselves. Besides," She winked. "We both know Anakin doesn't like to be told what to do."

Acacia scoffed a short laugh. "If that's not the truth..." She shook her head. "Well, thanks for your concern."

"You're welcome. And Acacia?"

"Yeah?"

"We're sisters now. Have been for almost four years. Not having many older women in your life can't be easy, so I'm always here if you need to talk."

Acacia smiled. "Thank you."

"So what'd the Council say?" Acacia asked as her brother strode back into the room.

"Same as they always do. Thanks, and they'll talk about it." He frowned. "I hope Sidious isn't planning on moving too fast because it doesn't look like the Council is."

"Anakin," Padme scolded gently.

"It's true. You'd think they think we have all the time in the universe." Anakin shook his dark locks, fixing his glare on the bedside table to avoid his wife's chiding glances. To vent his annoyance, the Jedi lifted the baby name book with the Force and tossed it in the air a few times, flipping the poor paperback over and over, before dropping it unceremoniously to the bed. It fluttered closed with a sound like a sigh of relief.

"Show off," Acacia said.

He gave a half-smirk. "Maybe a little." Then he blinked, eyes widening slightly as if he'd just realized something, "Hey Caish, I was thinking-"

"Dangerous waters there, brother."

Padme winked. "Told you."

"Haha." Anakin rolled his eyes, then focused them back on Acacia. "You haven't done any training in a while, have you?"

"No." The girl frowned thoughtfully. "I guess not."

"Didn't think so. Well, this baby naming business isn't going anywhere, so how about we do a couple of drills in here?"

"In here?" Acacia raised her eyebrows. "Why in here?"

"I want Padme to see. We haven't been able to do any of her training since she's on bed rest."

"Padme's training?" His sister's eyes rounded, wide as the twin suns of Tatooine. "You mean...?"

Anakin nodded "We realized she was Force-Sensitive back on Coruscant." He and Padme told Acacia of the attack on the landing dock. "Didn't I mention it before?" he asked when they'd finished.

Acacia rolled her eyes. "Not that I recall."

"Oh. Well, now you know." Anakin stood, beckoning his sister around to the clear space between the door and the foot of the bed. "So let's start."

The brother and sister trained, following through several simple drills as Padme watched. After a productive hour and a half, Anakin declared them finished for the night, and Acacia grinned, high on feeling closer to the Force than she had in a long time. Amidst her connection, she could sense Anakin and Padme, their pleasure and pride, the waves of companionship and intimacy the three of them shared. Looking around at her brother, her sister-in-law, Acacia realized they truly were a family, and she felt the sweetness of it all wash over her in the soft, rippling swells of the Light Force.

If only the feeling could last.

"Waaaa! Wa-wa-awaaa!" Oh Force. Not this.

Not again.

He's surrounded by Dark, so thick, so black, so suffocating. The babies' screams echo all around, never stopping. Padme shrieks in pain. Acacia calls out for him. The burn mark on his chest throbs, almost too agonizing to concentrate on anything else.

But by now, he knows it's a dream. And by now, he knows to fight his way out.

Even though, by now, he knows there is no escape.

He is only a hopeless and helpless observer. Listening as his sister calls and cries, as his children scream...

As his wife dies.

Finally, he makes it through, slogs out, only to find his love's bloody corpse sprawled lifeless across their bed.

Weeping, he takes her in his arms, even though he knows it's too late, knows it's over, knows she's dead.

Knows he failed to save her yet again.

But this time when Anakin woke up, the screaming didn't stop. The wet feeling of blood on his fingers didn't disappear. And when the young Jedi turned over and looked at his wife, it was as if all the air had been sucked from the room, from the planet, from the entire Galaxy.

Because his dream was coming true.

Thanks for reading! Please review!