Chapter 52
Anakin was sullen for most of the trip to his in-laws' house, and Padmé wasn't sure if she ought to be amused or annoyed by his mood. He'd always been a jealous man, and that had often been a source of tension between them. She remembered vividly an incident during the Clone Wars when Anakin had seen her on the holonet with her brother in law, and had gone crazy thinking she was with another man. He'd found a way to get back to Coruscant to confront her, only to realize that the man she'd been with was, in fact, her sister's husband. He'd been very contrite, and the makeup sex was off the charts that night...
"Ani, stop pouting," she said.
"I'm not pouting."
"You are, and there's nothing to pout about. Palo means nothing to me, surely you know that," she said.
Anakin glanced at her. She was right, and he was being foolish. He relaxed a little, and smiled. "I know," he said. "Guess I just hate the thought that ...he was your first love."
"I never said I loved him," Padmé said. "And I didn't. It was a crush, Anakin. I was a child. You are my first love, my only love."
Anakin's smile grew and he picked up her hand and kissed it tenderly. "I know," he said. "I still say he's an arse, though," he added.
Luke and Leia were playing in the backyard with their grandfather when Anakin and Padmé arrived. Anakin decided to relieve his father-in-law, who was only too happy to go inside for a cold drink and a rest.
"Everything went very well," Padmé informed her parents as they sat down at the kitchen table. "Both of the twins are in the 85th percentile," she said. "Can you believe that?"
"Why is that so hard to believe?" Jobal commented. "Look at the size of their father," she added, looking out the window to watch Anakin chasing Luke and Leia around. She smiled. "He really is a good father," she said.
Padmé smiled. "He is," she said.
"Hard to believe he's the same man that he was a year ago," Ruwee said.
Padmé nodded. "I know," she said. She frowned. "The Jedi order wants him to join them," she said.
"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Jobal asked.
"Yes it is," Padmé said. "The trouble is, Anakin doesn't know if he can. He feels unworthy after...well, after everything that happened."
"Understandable," Ruwee said. "But perhaps it's time to put the past in the past," he added. "I don't know much about the Jedi, but if they have asked Anakin to join them, then they must find him worthy."
"That's what I told him," Padmé said. She sighed. "The decision is his, though. We're going back to the capital tomorrow. I'm sure they'll be looking for an answer when we do. I really have no idea what he'll say." And neither does he, she reflected.
After lunch, Padmé and Anakin prepared the kids to take them home. Padmé bade a tearful goodbye to her parents.
"We're keeping the cottage," Padmé told them. "So we can come back whenever we want. And we'll come back often, I promise. And please come and see us on Coruscant. We have a guest room in our new house, and we'd love to have you stay with us."
Jobal smiled. "We'd be happy to," she said. She and Ruwee gave all four of the children a hug goodbye, trying to hold back their tears as they did so.
"All the best, Anakin," Ruwee said as he shook his son-in-law's hand. "I understand you have a rather important decision to make."
"I do," Anakin said. "Quite frankly I don't know what to do. I suppose I'll have to figure it out soon, though."
Ruwee nodded. "I'm sure you'll do the right thing," he said.
"Thank you sir," he said. "I hope so."
Ruwee smiled. "Anakin, let's lose the sir, okay?" he said. "Call me Ruwee, or Dad if you prefer. We're family, after all."
Anakin smiled. "I've never called anyone Dad," he said. "I've never had a father."
"Well you do now," Ruwee said.
Ruwee's words surprised and moved Anakin, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. "Thank you, Dad," he finally said.
Padmé, who had witnessed the exchange, gave her father a big hug. "Thank you, Daddy," she said into his ear. "I love you."
The rest of the day was spent packing as the Skywalker family prepared for their move to Coruscant. Anakin and Padmé took turns working with See Threepio while the other watched the children. By nightfall, the numerous boxes and suitcases were on board the ship, ready to be relocated.
"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted," Anakin said as he and Padmé walked into their bedroom.
"So am I," Padmé agreed. "Big day tomorrow," she said as she started to get ready for bed.
Anakin nodded. "I still don't know what I'm going to tell the Jedi," he admitted to his wife.
Padmé wasn't surprised. "You'll know what to say when the time comes," she said as she went into the bathroom.
"How can you be so sure?" Anakin called to her as he got undressed.
"Because I know you," she called back.
Anakin pulled on a pair of sleep pants and the joined her. "I'm not sure what that means," he said.
Padmé smiled. "You're an intelligent man," she said. "And you've never been one who has trouble making decisions. You'll do the right thing, Ani."
Anakin frowned. He'd had tremendous trouble making the decision to turn to the dark side. He'd agonized over it. And in the end, he'd made the worst decision of his life. How did Padmé have faith that he'd make the right one now?
Later, as they lay in bed together, Anakin was awake for a long time. He'd done his best to weigh the pros and the cons, to try and foresee the future. But the future was always in motion, and difficult to see. All Anakin could see was a long life with Padmé and their four children, happiness and joy spent with them. Did he need to be a Jedi given all that the Maker had already blessed him with? On the other hand, didn't he owe them a debt? He'd all but destroyed the Order, slaughtered his brethren like animals without compunction. Didn't he owe it to them now to help rebuild the Order? With these thoughts tearing through his mind, Anakin finally fell into a restive sleep.
The next day
Anakin and Padmé stood on the stone path facing the house. The children were already on board, with the droids minding them, allowing Padmé to say one last goodbye to her beloved cottage.
"You know, I was standing right here when I first realized that you were alive," Anakin said. "I'll never forget that moment. And then you ran to me..." he stopped as the emotions of that moment filled him. "It was in that moment that Darth Vader started to die," he said. He turned to Padmé. "You saved me, Padmé," he said, taking her face in his hands. "You gave me back my soul."
Padmé's eyes welled up. "Ani," she said, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I remember that moment well. It was the moment I found the love of my life again."
Anakin said nothing, but bent and kissed her, saying everything that needed to be said in his kiss. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "Time to start our new adventure."
And with that, they turned their back on the cottage and walked to the landing platform.
It was almost evening when Anakin landed the ship on the property near the new house. Padmé had spent a great deal of time online purchasing furniture and house wares, linens and groceries, and having all of it delivered and set up in the house. With four small children, both she and Anakin wanted a place that was turnkey, and they were hoping that was what they'd find when they opened the front door.
"Well? What do you think?" Anakin asked when they reached the front door. "Will we have work to do?"
"I certainly hope not," Padmé said. "I gave very specific instructions, not to mention plenty of money."
Anakin smiled. "Let's see," he said. He punched in the security code and then opened the front door. Luke and Leia ran past him, nearly knocking him over in their excitement. Anakin and Padmé, each holding a baby, stepped into the front hall and had a look around.
"Wow," Anakin said. The house was exactly as Padmé had wanted, with furniture in every room, linens on every bed, and a full pantry and refrigerator.
"Looks like they did a good job," Anakin said as they walked around, checking out each room as Threepio struggled with the luggage.
Padmé nodded. "Definitely," she said.
"Mommy can we go swimming?" Leia asked.
Padmé was about to explain that it wasn't the best time, when Anakin intervened.
"You go ahead," Anakin said. "I'll look after the babies."
"Are you sure?" Padmé asked.
"Of course," Anakin said. "They've eaten. We'll just hang out."
Padmé smiled. "Okay, thanks Ani." She turned to Luke and Leia. "Let's go find your bathing suits."
Anakin took Ami from her mother's arms and walked up the stairs with the two babies in his arms. First he changed the diapers of both babies, and then he lay them on the large bed in the master suite. He knew they were safe in the middle of the bed, for they had just started to roll over onto their tummies. He went into the nursery next to the master bedroom and found a toy that their grandparents had purchased for them before they'd left Naboo. It was a play set that had toys suspended from a bar that the babies could lie under. Ami and Ani loved it.
"Look what I have," Anakin said as he returned to the babies. He placed the toy over them and then lay beside them to watch them interact with the toys. The babies eyes widened with delight as they batted at the toys and kicked their legs with excitement. Anakin simply watched them, the joy of watching his children a simple but powerful one. He'd tried to connect to each of the babies through the Force, but their young minds were still too immature. And yet, even at this young age, he sensed that they were both Force sensitive. No doubt they too would need to be trained in the not so distant future. Anakin frowned, wondering for the first time if his children ought to be the deciding factor in his decision to return to the Order. He did not like the idea of Luke and Leia being at the Temple without him, and he was certain Padmé felt the same way. Luke and Leia were not even four years old yet, and very dependent on their parents. Unlike other Jedi children, they'd spent their whole lives with their parents, although primarily their mother until Anakin had been redeemed. He owed the Jedi, he felt sure of that: but he owed his children more. He owed them everything. And that helped him make up his mind.
"Okay children, I think it's time to come out now," Padmé said as she got out of the pool. "Time for Mommy to make supper. Uncle Obi and Aunt Helen are coming soon, remember?"
Mention of their favourite uncle was enough to get the twins out of the water. Padmé wrapped them each in a towel, and they handed upstairs to get dressed.
"Threepio please help Luke and Leia find some clothes," Padmé said as she met the droid at the top of the stairs.
As Luke and Leia followed the droid into their room, Padmé went into the nursery to see how Anakin was making out. She smiled when she saw him sitting in the rocker, a sleeping baby on each shoulder. He looked up at her and smiled.
"Nice swim?" he asked.
Padmé nodded. "The water is very warm," she said. "You'll love it."
Anakin smiled. "That's good," he said.
Padmé walked over and picked up Amidala and put her in her crib, as Anakin did the same with his young namesake.
"Obi-Wan and Helen will be over soon," she told him. "I'd better get dinner started."
"Maybe we should have waited until tomorrow to have them over," he said as they left the nursery. "You're tired."
She smiled. "I'm fine," she said. "Can you make sure Luke and Leia are dressed? I asked Threepio to help them find clothes, but you know how he is."
Anakin nodded. "I do indeed," he said. "I'll be down to help you in a few minutes."
"Thanks Ani," she said, and headed downstairs.
