Chapter 37

Padmé stared at her husband, his pronouncement rendering her momentarily speechless. "Twins?" she said at last. "I'm carrying twins??"

Vader nodded.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Vader nodded again, his eyes returning to her midriff. "Yes," he assured her. "Absolutely sure." He smiled again. "I can't believe we're going to be parents," he said.

"I don't understand," she said. "I was taking precautions…how could this have happened?" she asked.

"Ask my mother that question some time," he replied.

Padmé nodded. "Yes, I'd forgotten about that," she said. "Are you…okay with this, then?" she asked.

Vader looked back up at her. "Okay? I'm ecstatic!" he told her, pulling her into his embrace. "This is the happiest moment of my life," he added.

Padmé closed her eyes, relieved and elated at once. And yet, ever present at the back of her mind was the fear that had been there since her encounter with Palpatine. "Ani, what if Palpatine finds out about them?" she asked. "In my nightmare he knew."

Vader pulled back and looked at her. "I can hide them, Padmé," he assured her. "He won't learn of their existence, I swear it."

Padmé nodded, believing that he would do everything he could to protect their children. "Now will you reconsider your course of action?" she asked, taking his face in her hands. "Now that we have twins on the way?"

Vader looked down for a moment, torn between what he wanted to do and what he needed to do. Clearly his family had to come first. It would be unthinkable to leave Padmé alone to raise two children, especially since the Jedi would no doubt be very interested in the twins.

"I won't promise anything," he told her, standing up once more, "except to promise to do my best to keep my anger under control. That's the best I can do."

Padmé looked up at him and took his hand. "I know how difficult this is for you," she said. "But please, for the sake of these tiny little ones, please don't do anything rash."

Vader nodded. "I will try," he told her. "Perhaps you ought to make contact with your parents and tell them my idea. If I don't want to arouse Palpatine's suspicions I need to get back to the capital right away."

"I know," she said, standing up with him. "I'll contact them right away."

"And I'll contact the Jedi," he told her. "I won't leave until someone is here to protect you."

"Good," she said. "That makes me feel better."

Vader took his wife by the shoulders. "This will all be over soon, Senator," he told her. "And then we can start our life without worrying about him interfering any more."

"I can't wait for that day," she told him. "Especially now," she added with a smile, rubbing over her flat abdomen.

Vader nodded. "Yes, especially now," he agreed. "Come on, let's go contact your family."

Jedi Temple – Coruscant

Obi-Wan Kenobi was just getting ready to start his day when his personal comm sounded. He sat down at the computer in his small quarters and activated it, surprised to see Vader's face appear.

"Good morning Obi-Wan," Vader said. "I hope I didn't wake you up," he added.

"Not at all," he replied. "What can I do for you?"

"I need your help, Obi-Wan," Vader responded. "I need you to come here, to Naboo."

Obi-Wan was surprised by this and listened as Vader related the situation to him. He listened in silence, his own distrust of Palpatine increasing as he heard of the cold-bloodedness with which he threatened Padmé.

"I need you to protect Padmé," Vader concluded. "If we are to keep Palpatine from suspecting the truth, I must get back to the capital as soon as possible."

Obi-Wan nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "You realize of course I will have to clear this with the Council," he said. "But since half of them aren't here, it shouldn't be too difficult to get their approval," he added wryly.

Vader smiled, remembering once more why he liked Kenobi so much. "So you'll come?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Expect me within twenty-four hours," he said. "Is that soon enough?"

"Yes," Vader replied. "Absolutely. Thank you, Obi-Wan."

"Well, I do owe you," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Twice by my reckoning," Vader replied with a smile.

"Ah yes, of course," Obi-Wan replied. "So you can definitely count on me being there."

Vader nodded. "Good," he replied. "I'll be expecting you tomorrow."

"I'll be there," he said.

Naboo

Padmé's family, including Sola and her family, arrived at the Lake Retreat before evening. Vader watched her interact with her family, the closeness between them clear to see. He wondered if she would share her news with them now that he had confirmed her suspicions about being pregnant. Vader thought of his own mother, and how excited she would be to become a grandmother. He wished there was some way he could convince Shmi to come to stay with he and Padmé; but she was devoted to her husband and it wasn't likely that he wanted to leave Tatooine and his farm there.

Dinner was a loud and enjoyable occasion, the small nieces of Padmé taking center stage. They were far too young to be told about the danger that their family was in, and merely thought that they were having a special holiday at the lake with their dear aunt and her new husband, Uncle Ani. Vader was enchanted by the young girls, and it made the prospect of becoming a father himself even more exciting to him. He and Padmé had decided not to tell her family about the pregnancy since it was still so early; but Vader had to wonder if she would be able to keep it a secret from her mother who seemed to know her so very well. She's going to be a wonderful mother, he reflected as he watched Padmé interact with her nieces. She's had a great role model. Vader frowned as he realized that he hadn't been so fortunate. He'd never had a father, and was raised from a young age by a malicious monster. What kind of a father will I be?

"When do you except the Jedi to arrive?"

Vader had to focus on the conversation that was going on around him and looked at his brother-in-law who had asked the question. "Obi-Wan told me he'd be here within twenty-four hours," he replied. "So I expect he'll be here by morning."

"Is the situation really so serious that we need the protection of the Jedi?" Sola asked quietly, keeping an eye on her daughters.

"I'm afraid so," Vader replied. "The chancellor is a ruthless, maniacal monster," he told them. "He's capable of anything. Believe me, I know."

"So you're going to make him believe that you and Padmé are separated?" Jobal asked.

"Yes, it's imperative that he believes that," Vader told her. "It may not fool him for long, but I don't expect him to be around for much longer. Either the Jedi or I will deal with him before long, and then we can all breathe a lot easier."

Ruwee nodded. "And what are your plans, then?" he asked Vader. "Do you plan to join the Jedi?"

Vader looked at his wife, who was listening intently for his response. "I don't know what the future holds," he admitted. "I don't know if the Jedi would even consider taking me as one of their own after I've spent the past fifteen years in apprenticeship to a Sith Lord."

"But after what you've done, after the way you've lead them to the Sith Lord they've been looking for, surely they would," Padmé spoke up.

Vader shrugged. "Maybe," he replied. "I'm not so sure, Angel. Maybe I'll take up farming on Tatooine," he added with a smile.

Padmé shook her head. "You'd make a terrible farmer," she told him with a smile. "You even said so yourself, remember?"

"I remember," Vader replied, recalling very vividly their first night as lovers at the Lars homestead.

"Well whatever you decide, you know you'll have your family's support," Jobal said at this point. "I hope you realize that we're your family now, Vader."

Vader looked at his mother-in-law. "I'm honored that you consider me part of your family," he told her. "But there's just one thing I'd like to ask of you," he added.

Jobal's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh? What is that?"

"Please don't call me by that name any more," Vader said. "I've decided to abandon my Sith name from now on. Please call me by my real name, Anakin Skywalker."

Jobal smiled, and looked at her daughter whose face bore the happiness she felt at hearing this. "I think we can all manage to remember that," she told her son-in-law.

Later that night…

Anakin watched from bed as Padmé sat brushing out her long hair. He had come to realize that this was a ritual with her, as much a part of her bed time routine as brushing her teeth and washing her face. He found it soothing to watch her, loving the way her brown curls fell over her shoulders. He had woken up more than once surrounded by the glorious mane of tresses, their scent intoxicating him. Everything about her intoxicates me, he thought with a smile as she set the brush down at last.

"I was surprised to hear you ask my mother to call you Anakin," she told him as she walked over to the bed. "Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless."

"I got thinking about the twins," he told her as she climbed into the bed beside him. "I don't want them carrying the name that Palpatine gave me. I want them to have my real name, the name my mother gave me."

Padmé nodded. "I couldn't agree more," she told him, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

Anakin smiled. "You have a great family," he remarked.

Padmé smiled. "I think so too," she replied. "I can only imagine how excited my mother will be when I tell her about the twins," she added.

"No doubt," he agreed. "Mine will be too," he added. "Her first grandchildren."

"Yes, she'll be thrilled," Padmé replied. "I wish we could convince her to move to Coruscant somehow," she added. "Tatooine is so very far."

"I know," Anakin replied. "I've been thinking the same thing." He stretched his arms over his head with a yawn. "You're going to be a wonderful mother, Padmé," he told her, as she snuggled into his arms. "I was watching you with your sister's kids. You're a natural."

Padmé smiled. "I've always loved children," she told him. "But being a parent is a lot different than being an aunt," she pointed out.

"True," he replied. "Still, you've had experience with kids. I've had none. And as far as role models go…" he stopped as his insecurities got the better of him. "I hope I can be a good father," he told her.

Padmé could see how anxious he was. "You will be," she told him, reaching up to stroke his face softly. "I have every faith in you."

Anakin captured her hand and kissed it. "Thanks," he said. "That means a lot to me, Angel."

Padmé simply relaxed in his arms for a moment. "I hope the Jedi have finished with their investigation by now," she said.

"Obi-Wan didn't mention anything, so I'm assuming they haven't," Anakin replied.

"I'm so glad you and he have become friends," she told him.

"He's a good man," Anakin agreed. "I can see why you placed your trust in him." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You know, he's really the first friend I've ever had," he told her, "unless you count the boys I ran with when I was a child."

Padmé smiled. "Well I hope you consider me your friend," she replied.

Anakin looked down at her. "Well, I suppose," he replied. "Though the feelings I have for you aren't exactly…platonic," he told her with a smile.

Padmé laughed. "No, I noticed that," she replied as he began to nuzzle her neck. "Ani, you do remember that my parents are in the room across the hall," she told him.

"So?"

"So we can't …" she stopped as his hands moved down to her nightie. "We can't do this," she said, not sounding terribly convincing.

"Why not?" he asked. "We did it in my mother's house," he reminded her.

"Yes, but she wasn't asleep in the room across the hall," she countered.

Anakin looked at her with a smile. "You're afraid you won't be able to be quiet, is that it?" he teased.

"I can so be quiet," she countered.

"Then what's the problem?" he asked, moving to nuzzle her neck again.

Padmé laughed, realizing that it was pointless to try and reason with him when he was in this frame of mind.