Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

AN: Here's chapter 50! The time has arrived and the twins are coming! Thanks for all the great reviews. Enjoy and let me know what you think! J

Foundations of Hope

Chapter 50: The Birth of the Twins

Padme recovered from the last contraction and Anakin put a cool cloth to her forehead. She looked into his worried eyes.

"I'm fine Ani. The last wasn't so bad," Padme told him, as Tahl entered with Dr. Johnson.

"Well, I guess it's time to bring these little ones into the world. How far apart are the contractions?" Kayla asked.

"About seven minutes apart right now," Beru replied, as she continued to set up for the arrival of the twins. Breha had gladly taken Mara and was in the living area with Bail, waiting for the arrival of the twins. Sola, Darred, Quinlan, and Jobal were all waiting with them as well. Kayla checked Padme's vitals and then positioned her for birth.

"It looks like you're dilating quickly. These babies are in a hurry to get here. The next set of contractions will be closer together. And once your water breaks, it will be time to start pushing," Kayla said. Besides, Beru and Anakin, Tahl and Ruwee had also stayed, anxiously waiting to meet their grandchildren. Another contraction hit Padme and this time, it was much more painful than the last. She squeezed Anakin's hand, as she screamed in pain.

"Oh Ani…it hurts…" Padme whimpered, as the contraction slowly subsided. He put a cool cloth to her forehead again and kissed her hair.

"I know angel. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

"Ohhhh!!!!" Padme cried out again, as another contraction assaulted her.

"Okay, breathe Padme!" Kayla instructed, as she examined Padme.

"Breathe sweetie," Tahl soothed her, as both she and Anakin sent calming waves to her through the Force.

"Your water broke on the last one, honey, so on the next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can. These little ones are in a hurry to get here," Kayla said. Anakin sensed the next contraction coming and he clutched her hand. Padme cried out, as the next contraction hit and she pushed.

"Push Padme!" Kayla called.

~*~

Ruwee and Beru exited the bedroom, as Padme's cries could be heard.

"Is she all right?" Breha asked.

"Yes, she's giving birth now, so Kayla asked us to step out. Tahl stayed to help clean the babies, but she could use a hand. I thought you might like to go," Beru said. Breha was touched that Beru was giving up her opportunity to be there when they were born.

"I'm Padme's mother. I should go," Jobal interrupted.

"Having you in the room would only upset Padme," Ruwee replied.

"Don't try and keep me from my daughter," Jobal snapped, preparing to argue with her estranged husband.

"Padme asked for Breha," Beru stated, ending the argument. Breha gently placed Mara in her mother's arms.

"She's absolutely beautiful," Breha said. Beru smiled.

"Thank you," Beru replied, as Breha hurried into the bedroom.

~*~

Vader sat in his darkened chamber, deep in meditation. He was lost in the Force's powerful vibrations. And he knew what the source of the power was, though he would have never dreamed that the birth of his grandchild would cause such a powerful disturbance in the Force, though he knew he shouldn't be surprised. The very reason he recognized the ripple in the Force was because it felt much like it had when Anakin had been born. A ghostly cackle pierced his concentration and his yellow-green eyes snapped open.

"Well, I see you found the path to immortality, my old Master. Are you enjoying eternal damnation?" Vader taunted, as Palpatine's ghost stood before him.

"Oh, don't worry my old apprentice. No hard feelings. The apprentice always turns on his Master eventually. Such is the way of the Sith. Your own apprentice is already plotting against you too. Female Sith are even more treacherous. Do be careful," Palpatine goaded.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Vader asked sarcastically. Palpatine chuckled.

"Always witty you were. A trait I see in your son as well. You made a grave error in letting him live. He is far too powerful and if he will not serve the dark side, then you must destroy him before he does the same to you. But even more foolishly, you let his little wife live. Now she gives birth to the child of the Chosen One," Palpatine said.

"If my son will not turn, then my grandchild will," Vader stated.

"Then you plan to take the child for you own," Palpatine inquired.

"When I find them, Anakin will have one last chance to take his rightful place at my side. If he refuses, then he and his lovely wife will perish. And the child and its power will be mine," Vader stated.

"An ambitious plan. Are you sure you can defeat one as powerful as your son, the fabled Chosen One?" Palpatine taunted. Vader smirked.

"Well, I'm sure I'll fair better than you did, my old, foolish Master. After all, I don't rely too heavily on my abilities with Force lightning," Vader taunted. Palpatine snarled.

"Your arrogance will bring you to your demise, my old apprentice and I'll see you in Sith hell!" Palpatine snarled, as he faded away

"Enjoy these few fleeting moments of peace, my son, for I will find you again. And this time, you will not escape me," Vader stated.

~*~

Padme screamed in pain, as she pushed as hard as she could and then fell back against the pillow, as the contraction subsided.

"You're doing beautifully sweetheart. The first baby's head is crowning. On the next contraction, you're going to push really hard," Kayla instructed.

"I…I don't think I can. I'm so tired," she whimpered.

"I know you are, but you can do this honey. I know you can," Tahl told her.

"She's right angel…I'm right here," Anakin told her, as the next contraction hit. Padme screamed and squeezed Anakin's hand, as she pushed.

"Harder Padme!" Kayla called.

"I…can't!" Padme cried, as she pushed.

"We have a head! Another big push and one of them will be here!" Kayla called. Anakin could feel his wife's daunting exhaustion. He reached deeply into the Force and lent her some of his own strength through their bond. Padme immediately felt the burst of energy.

"Ani…" she called, as she gazed up at her husband.

"You can do this Padme," he assured her. She clutched his hand and pushed with all her might, before falling back against the pillows. A cry pierced the air, as Dr. Johnson cradled a wriggling infant.

"It's a beautiful baby boy," Kayla announced, as the new parents stared at their child with wonder. Anakin watched the doctor hand his son to his mother to be cleaned.

"He's a gorgeous," Padme sobbed, as she looked up at her husband, as a few tears slipped down his cheeks.

"I love you," Padme said.

"I love you too," he replied, as he clutched her hand, sensing her oncoming contraction.

"This other little one isn't watching anytime. The head is crowning. Just a few more big pushes and it will be over honey," Kayla assured. Padme screamed, as she pushed hard.

"There's the head! One more big push and it's all over!" Kayla urged. Padme whimpered, as she panted air into her lungs.

"You can do this angel," Anakin said, as he mopped her sweaty forehead with a cool cloth. Padme took a deep breath and screamed in agony, as she gave a final push, before falling back against the pillows. Another cry rang out, as Kayla held the wriggling infant. She smiled.

"It's a precious baby girl," Kayla said, as he handed her to Breha to be cleaned up.

"You were amazing angel," Anakin told her, as he dropped a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I don't think I could have done it without you by my side," she replied. He smiled, as he leaned in and kissed her deeply.

"Would you like to hold your son, Padme?" Tahl asked, as she presented a tiny bundle wrapped snugly in a blue blanket.

"Please…" Padme said, as Tahl placed the wriggling bundle in her arms.

"Hello my little Prince," Padme said, as she choked back a sob. Anakin couldn't take his eyes off the infant. With a little uncertainty, he reached out to the baby through the Force and was surprised to feel his son respond by reaching out to him as well.

"Oh Ani…he looks just like you," Padme gushed, as she gingerly kissed his tiny head.

"Anakin, would you like to hold your daughter?" Breha asked. He nodded eagerly, as Breha placed the wriggling pink bundle in his arms. Anakin was stunned to speechlessness, as he held the tiny angel in his arms for the first time. He reached out through the Force and felt her respond to him as well. His son may have looked like him, but his daughter was like a miniature copy of her mother.

"Ani…are you okay?" Padme asked. He nodded.

"She looks just like you. She's so beautiful…they both are," he replied. Padme smiled and nodded.

"We made pretty babies," she said. He smiled, as he sat beside her with their daughter.

"We'll give you two a little time to discuss names, before we send people in to see them," Tahl said, as she, Breha, and Kayla left quietly.

"Well, I suppose they do need names," Padme said. Anakin gazed down at his tiny daughter and a name popped into his head.

"Leia…" he uttered.

"What?" Padme asked.

"Oh…it's just a name I remember from my childhood," he replied.

"Leia…it's beautiful. What does it mean?" Padme asked.

"Well, you know how I used to talk about the stories the space pirates would tell me about the Angels on the Moons of Iago, right?" he asked. She nodded.

"Well, some of them talked a lot about an Angel named Leia. I guess she was supposedly the Queen of the Angels and her name meant light of the Angels," Anakin replied.

"It's beautiful. I love it," Padme said.

"Really?" he asked. She nodded.

"I think Leia is the perfect name for her. Leia Skywalker," Padme said. He smiled.

"I think so too. Now we just need the perfect name for our son," he replied.

"Did you want to name him?" Padme asked.

"I named our daughter. You can name our son, because I'm sure I'll love whatever you choose," Anakin said. She looked at him slyly.

"Except that," he objected.

"You can't name him Anakin. I want him to be his own person," he added. Padme was silent, as she thought for a moment. And suddenly, something her grandmother had once said to her came to her.

"Nanda del salma luka," Padme recited.

"What does that mean?" Anakin asked.

"Never lose hope in ancient Nabooan. My Grandmother would always say that to me and my father. I think we should call him Luke," Padme suggested.

"Hope. That's the perfect name," he replied, as he kissed her tenderly.

"Luke and Leia Skywalker," he stated.

"I'm sorry, I know we just left, but we're really excited to see them," Tahl said, as she poked her head in. Padme giggled.

"It's okay. Everyone can come in, because we just named them," Padme called, as their family members filed in.

"You named them already?" Tahl asked. Anakin smiled.

"The right names just kind of came to us all the sudden," he explained. Padme nodded.

"We looked at them and we just knew," Padme added.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense," Quinlan said anxiously.

"Well, we named our little Prince, Luke," Padme announced.

"Nanda del salma luka. Never lose hope. Very appropriate, pixie. Your Grandmother would be very proud," Ruwee said, as he kissed her forehead

"Would you like to hold him, Daddy?" Padme asked. He smiled.

"I'd love to," he replied, as he gently cradled his grandson. Jobal looked on with jealousy, as Padme did not invite her to hold one of them. Sola peered over her father's shoulder.

"Wow…he looks just like you Anakin," Sola gushed.

"Yeah and this little one looks exactly like her Mommy. What are you going to call her, other than beautiful?" Quinlan asked. Anakin grinned.

"This is Leia," he announced.

"Leia…Queen of the Angels," Quinlan stated.

"You know that story?" Anakin asked in surprise.

"Kid, you don't have to be a space pirate to be privy to all the good stories, especially when it comes to the mystical tales of the Moons of Iago. Very appropriate name," Quinlan replied.

"Thanks. Would you like to hold her, Grandpa Quin?" he asked. He looked surprised.

"Me? But I'm not her real Grandfather," he replied.

"You are as far as I'm concerned. You've been more of a father to me than anyone. I don't want them to know about him. Not if I can help it. As far as Padme and I are concerned, you and Ruwee are their Grandfather's," Anakin said. Quinlan accepted the tiny bundle in his arms and stared down at the baby in awe. Tahl smiled and stood beside him, as she kissed his cheek.

"The same goes for you, Bail and Breha. You may not be blood, but Luke and Leia will know you as Aunt and Uncle, as much as they will Sola, Darred, Beru, and Ben," Padme added. Anakin looked at Beru.

"And they will know their Uncle Ben, just as that little one will know her Dad. I will go after him as soon as I can. I promise," Anakin told her.

"I know you will," she replied.

"I hate to cut this visit short, but our new mother needs to feed these little ones and then she needs her rest," Kayla announced.

"Okay. We'll be back later," Tahl said, as Leia started to whimper.

"Yep, I think she's getting hungry," Quinlan said, as he gently placed her in Padme's arms.

"They're beautiful," he told her.

"Thanks," Padme replied, with a soft smile.

"I'll be back later. You get some sleep," Ruwee said, as he kissed her forehead again and gave Luke to Anakin. The others slowly filed out as well, leaving the new parents alone. Leia's crying became more insistent, as Luke continued to look around at his surroundings.

"Well sweet girl, let's give this a try," Padme said, as Anakin helped her shrug the sleeve of her hospital gown off. She put Leia to her breast and the baby immediately began to eat.

"Looks like she knows exactly what to do," Anakin said, with a smile. Once Leia finished eating, they switched and Padme instructed Anakin on how to burp Leia, while she fed Luke. It wasn't long before both their little angels were asleep. Anakin put them both in the bassinet beside Padme's bed.

"I'd say we did pretty well for our first feeding," Padme said.

"I had no idea what I was doing, but you were like a natural. You knew exactly what to do," Anakin replied.

"Not really. I'm brand new at this too, but we'll learn together. I do know, however, that while they're sleeping, we should be sleeping," Padme replied.

"You're right," he said, as he covered her with a blanket.

"Get some rest angel. I'll be right here," he said, as he sat in the recliner. It wasn't long before they were both asleep…