Chapter 30

Laetitia froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her dad is dead?! No. no, he couldn't be. She had already lost master Ti, she wouldn't lose her dad too. She couldn't.

She used the Force to communicate with him. Dad? Are you there? Please say something! Dad?!

But she heard no reply. She lost all her strength and sat on the ground. She was never good at meditating but now it was her only chance at finding out. She was about to open herself in the Force but she suddenly felt something. Someone is hurt. Not physically. Emotionally. Someone is sad. But about what? Then it suddenly hit her. Mom.

Her mother must've heard the news about her father. Laetitia ran to 500 Republica to find her mother.

Other senators were standing outside the door.

"Captain Typho, is everything alright?"

Typho turned around and saw Laetitia standing in front of him.

"Your highness" He said bowing "Senator Amidala isn't feeling well."

Bail Organa stepped in "We were talking about the war but she dismissed us saying she was a bit tired."

"I think it was because of the news. Senator and knight Skywalker were close friends."

"Are the news true? Are knight Skywalker and master Kenobi really …?"

"Just because they're missing, doesn't mean they're dead." Laetitia said firmly. She didn't know if she was assuring the senators or herself.

"Excuse me, I need to go see my mother."

Inside the apartment, Padme was sitting in a sofa. She wasn't moving. She looked like she had been crying.

Laetitia came in but her mother didn't notice. She was too deep in her thoughts. She had wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"Mom."

As soon as Padme saw Laetitia, she wiped the tears off her face and went to hug her daughter.

"Hi, sweetie. How was the Temple?"

"Mom, he'll come back."

Padme was taken by her daughter. She was trying to show she wasn't a wreck but Leah saw right through her.

"Did you … sense him?"

Leah looked down. She didn't want to lie to her mother but she didn't want to worry her either.

"I couldn't talk to him but he's alive. I know it. I can feel it." She said smiling.

Padme looked at Leah. she didn't seem convinced but shook her head.

"Don't worry. I know dad. He won't die and leave us alone. Not when he has three things to come back for."

Padme smiled, appreciating her daughter's effort to comfort her but then she suddenly frowned.

"Three?"

"Yeah. You know, you, me and my little bro. It could be a sis. I don't know. Guess we'll have to wait and see."

Padme's jaw dropped. She hadn't told anyone about her pregnancy and yet, Laetitia knew.

"How did you … how did you know?"

Leah smiled but she never got to answer because 3PO came in.

"Mistress Padme, oh, mistress Letty, you are here as well. Would you like something to …"

"3PO! The point?" Leah said impatiently.

"Sometimes I do not understand human behavior." He muttered. "It appears that Master Ani has rescued the chancellor and is on Coruscant."

Padme and Leah both jumped out of their seats. Leah looked at her mother.

"What are you waiting for? Go!"

Anakin was talking with Bail Organa as they walked.

"But the fighting will continue until general Grievous is …" He stopped as he saw Padme hiding behind a column. His heart raced. He was breathless. He had missed his angel.

Organa was looking at him. Anakin realized he never finished his sentence.

"Spare parts."

Bail chuckled. "Well, I will do everything I can in the senate."

"Excuse me."

"Certainly."

Anakin didn't care if anyone was watching and just ran to hold his wife. He hugged her and swung her around. Padme wrapped her arms around him tightly, making sure he was real.

"Oh, Anakin."

"I've missed you, Padme."

"There were whispers, rumors, that you'd been killed."

"I'm alright. It feels like we've apart for a lifetime. And it might've been, if the chancellor hadn't been kidnapped. I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim sieges." He said as he moved closer to kiss her but Padme pushed back.

"Wait. Not here."

"Yes, here. I don't know how much longer I can go on. I have a family but I pretend I don't have one. Laetitia's my daughter but she can't call me 'dad' in front of people and they treat her like some sort of Sith trick. You're my wife but I don't get to love you in public. I'm tired. I am not ashamed to be Leah's father and your husband. I don't care if they find out about us."

"Anakin, don't say things like that." Padme said firmly but softly.

Anakin sighed and pulled her into a hug. Padme knew where he was coming from. She didn't like the situation either but Anakin's case was different than hers. Everyone knew that Padme was Laetitia's mother but they all thought Anakin was a nobody to either of them. Just a friend.

How am I supposed to tell him about the baby now? Padme thought. To tell him to go through the same thing twice? To deny another child? Even if he agreed, the Jedi council won't fall for the same trick twice.

Anakin realized Padme was shaking in his arms. He gently broke the hug and looked into his wife's eyes.

"Are you alright? You're trembling." He said softly. "What's going on?"

Padme took a deep breath. There was no escaping it now.

"Something wonderful had happened … Ani, I'm pregnant."

Anakin took a moment to process what he had just heard. He just stared at Padme as he felt joy consuming him. He was going to be father again?! Laetitia a sister? That's so great. All he could feel was happiness and excitement. So much so, that he didn't even think what would happen if the council found out.

He came out of his thoughts and realized he hadn't said anything since she told him.

"That's … uh … well, that's wonderful."

Padme smiled, shakily. That was all she needed to hear. As good as it was to see Anakin happy and okay with everything, there was still the problem regarding the council.

"What are we gonna do?"

Anakin smiled to reassure her "We're not gonna worry about anything right now, alright? This is a happy moment. A happiest moment of my life."

They both smiled and held each other, unaware of the storm ahead of them.

Done :)