A/N- Thank you for the reviews and followers. This chapter will explain several items going on- namely-Padme'.
Chapter 37
Location: Outer Rims
Imperial Star Destroyer: Lord Skywalker's ship.
Day 1 Month 4 Year 23 BBY
The Blaring sound of a comm. Link awakens the master from his slumber. He wipes the sleep from his eyes as he reaches for him comm. His eyes stare at the comm. The number is unknown. He sits up knowing who the caller could be. He sighs and presses the button on the comm. The well-known voice of Obi-wan Kenobi calls over the comm. " Anakin, I'm sorry to awaken you."
Anakin situates himself on the side of his bed prior to answering, " It's fine Ben, What's going on?"
Obi-wan's voice is disheartening as he mutters, " I have some news about our patient."
Anakin's alertness doubles in that instant. He swallows hard as he whispers, " What sort of news?"
Obi-wan sighs and apologizes, " Anakin there hasn't been any change in the coma."
Anakin rubs his hair in agitation, the rebellion had the best doctor's in the galaxy and they couldn't figure out how to end the coma? He replies, " I understand, but you promised me that you wouldn't contact me unless it was important."
Obi-wan's breath is heard on the other end of the comm. His voice sounds like he's in pain as he explains, " You asked me six weeks ago to tell you to make a decision if there was no change after several weeks. Anakin-."
Anakin swallows again- this time his heart drops to his belly in that instant. He murmurs, " Is there anything the doctors can try-"
Obi-wan cuts him off and says firmly, " Anakin you need to make the decision or not to keep the patient in the stasis or not. It is most likely the patient won't recover. The doctors have very little hope."
Anakin fights back the rising fears as he questions, " Will a healing trance in the force-"
Obi-wan cuts him off again, firmly, " No, Anakin do you want to keep the patient in a vegetative state for the rest of her life?"
Anakin runs his hands through his hair again and whispers, " No. If there is nothing the doctors can do- then I-" He pauses and forces the words to leave hid mouth, " I give them permission to terminate life support for the patient."
Obi-wan's tone expresses his regret and he mutters, " I'm sorry Anakin. I wish there was more we can do."
Anakin fights back the tears as he mutters, " Don't contact me, unless you have something to discuss about the rebellion."
Obi-wan sighs into the comm and utters, " I will do as you ask."
The comm. Link's hissing sounds returns Anakin to this plane of existence. He falls to his knees in the floor- gasping as he slams the comm. Link in the floor.
It's my fault- I shouldn't have put her life in danger.
He had known the risks when he had given his wife the poison. The poison was only suppose to slow her heart rate and breathing so it was undetectable by most machines. He had seen this as a way out to fake her death and free her to work as her alter-go. He hadn't had much choice- either he allowed her to actually die by his hand or he let her go. He knew the risks- and knew the poison had a possible -side effect. It was a well-known fact that if administered, the may go into a coma for good and become a vegetative creature.
She had fallen into a coma and not woken up. Anakin had told Obi-wan that if there was no chance of saving her that after a few weeks had gone by he'd make a decision and live with it. Now he had and he regretted it. He shudders from the sobs as they rake his body. A part of him had died as he had let them take her life. He had nothing to fight for- to get back to... All he has left is the rebellion which Padme' would want him to save. She would want him to go on and be a hero for the galaxy- not a villain...
He stays in his kneeling position as he mourns his wife- mourns for the life they could've had...
Location: Dantooine
Rebels Base, Infirmary
Day 1 Month 4 Year 23 BBY
Sabe sobs as she is told by her husband of Anakin's decision. She argues through her tears, " He can't just give up on her!"
Obi-wan holds onto his wife as the medical droid beeps at him and takes his sister-law's vital signs. Her small frame shudders in his arms. He has to be strong with for his family now. She cries into his shoulder and begs, " Ben, please do a sweep of her body through the force see if she responds or if there are any chances- please."
Obi-wan pulls his arms away from his wife and caresses her cheek. Her tearful golden eyes plead with him. He replies softly, " Darling, you know I've scanned her for any changes. There hasn't been any."
She bites her rosy lips as tears slide down her cheeks. She whispers back, " Please try once more- if you do not find any changes then- then I'll allow the droids to stop life support."
Obi-wan nods in agreement. It may not bring her complete peace but she had to know he tried, even if there is no hope. Obi-wan draws away from his wife and turns to face Padme's lifeless body. His eyes search over her lifeless form.
She lies on her bare white cot with her hair laying in her face. She appears to be asleep. Her face is pale from not being in the sunlight in over a month. Her mouth is covered by a tube which keeps her breathing going and her blood pumping through her veins. He closes his eyes for the last time to search for any signs of changes in her consciousness.
He searches through the force from her head down to her toes. Her force signature hasn't changed nor her consciousness. He is about to halt his search, when he feels the alteration in her signature... It's brighter and appears new? The light is small and the force calls to him. He brushes past her normal consciousness and feels there is more than one signature? No- he feels three force signatures- Padme's, and two others- two other heart beats.
His eyes snap open and his eyes turn to his wife's sadden ones. She tilts her head as she awaits his report. He replies, " There is no change but something else we need to discuss."
Sabe's peers at him in confusion. Her arms are crossed as she asks, " What do we need to discuss?"
He whispers, " She's with child. She's carrying twins. I can feel their heartbeats."
Sabe's mouth drops open in shock. Her sister was with child?
She demands, " We can't take her off life support now. She wouldn't want her children to die with her."
Obi-wan presses his hands onto his wife's and he whispers, " We don't know if they'll even make it if she stays in the coma."
Sabe shakes her head and counters, " We have to try Ben. We owe it to her to try to save their lives. She would want to. Will you tell Anakin?"
Obi-wan shakes his head and mutters, " No, I know he should be told, but I can sense his grief. If he knows his children are at risk... He won't be able to think clearly and he'll risk his mission and trust of the Emperor to save them. He needs to think clearly."
Sabe disagrees, " If he finds out you lied to him-"
Obi-wan shushes her and mutters, " I will tell him when he has finished his mission."
Sabe sighs, " What do we go until then?"
Obi-wan's flat response is, " We wait and see what happens."
To Be Continued.