It had taken only hours after learning of Grievous's location for the council meeting to come together. Padmé had called them for an emergency, and no matter what the time, they were to come. While Palpatine's warnings remained on her mind, she tried to ignore them, instead focusing exclusively on the positives. They had to be fake, she just needed to remind herself of that.
"Knight Naberrie." As Mace addressed her, the title one she normally wore with pride now leaving her filled with a bitterness she quickly swallowed. She had to really find time to meditate. Lack of sleep and everything else was pushing her to have difficulty processing her emotions already and this was not helping. "You said the Chancellor had information for us?"
"Yes Master Windu." She nodded. "Some of the Chancellor's spies have found General Grievous's location. He is currently in the Utapau system."
There was silence for a moment, before Yoda spoke up. "Though found the general may be. Cautious we must remain, a trap this could be."
It was possible that General Grievous being found might have been a purposeful move on the cyborg's part, but Padmé found that unlikely. Why reveal himself now? It may have been a few weeks since his loss on the Invisible Hand, but that meant little in regards to the Separatist fleet rebuilding. Reports on the front had indicated that the Separatists forces were finally running out. Before she could bring it up to the council, however, the conversation had already changed.
"Even if that is the case, we cannot ignore that he's there." Obi-Wan put his hand to his chin, thinking for a moment. "It just means that we will have to send somebody cautious."
"Did the Chancellor have anybody in mind when he requested the mission?" Mace's question caught her off guard. The tensions between Palpatine and the Jedi Council were high, so it felt odd that he would ask now. Perhaps it was an olive branch, or an attempt to get a feel for who the Palpatine trusted.
Still, Padmé swallowed and shook her head. "I'm afraid not. He mentioned he would have liked to have asked me, but I think as we've all agreed…" Her voice trailed off. "Well, I'm not in the best condition to be fighting any more intense battles like the one against Grievous until the baby's been delivered."
"Correct you are." Yoda frowned. "Somebody wise we must consider. Master Kenobi, we shall send."
A spike of fear flooded Padmé. She remembered a while back that Obi-Wan had been selected to fight against Grievous, but she hadn't thought they'd actually send him. She needed him. He'd been the only one who'd been able to even vaguely get her into a meditative state and he was helping her with the visions. "Master Yoda, surely there must be somebody better for the job?"
"Are you implying that your master isn't good enough, Knight Naberrie?" Mace asked, an eyebrow raised.
Padmé shook her head. "No, nothing like that at all. I just…"
How could she admit to needing him without coming off as too attached, or revealing just how much things had gone awry to people who she barely trusted herself. "Obi-Wan and I are a team. I don't like the idea of him going out without his partner."
There was a moment of consideration among the council as they thought over Padmé's argument. "Agree we do that you and Master Kenobi work best together. Needed to be together, however, you are not." With Yoda's words, it seemed as though the decision was decided. "Of the Jedi we can spare, the only one who can take on Grievous alone, Obi-Wan is."
The look Obi-Wan gave her implied a conversation he would want to have later, and she definitely wanted to talk to him as well. She could wait a few more minutes to have it. "Your point's been made. I concede."
And with Padmé's reluctant consent given one by one the rest of the council agreed to the same choice. Obi-Wan was the best choice, he would be the one to go to Utapau to confront General Grievous.
"Very well, I accept this mission." There was a hint of reluctance in Obi-Wan's voice that made Padmé feel slightly better, as though he didn't want to leave her either.
"If that is all, then I'll call this council meeting to a close." Mace stood up. "May the Force be with you." And with that, he left, causing the Jedi still here to leave and those calling from other planets to close communications for now.
Obi-Wan's mission was set.
Padmé could only hope it would go okay.
It had taken Obi-Wan a few hours to get himself together, and so it had taken a few hours before he could find the time to talk to his former Padawan. He'd checked in with Ahsoka one final time before going to Utapau (and she'd given him rather concerning news about the battle against Maul and his thoughts on Padmé) and had a few other things to take care of, but now here he was, time to face her as she sat on a bench near the hanger room, looking positively miserable.
If he was honest, seeing her so defeated was terrifying, but she'd had so much to risk losing. He sat down on the bench next to her. "I apologize for keeping you waiting so long." Padmé bolted up immediately, her eyes wide and startled.
"Master. I…" She looked like she'd wanted to give him a reassuring smile, but instead almost seemed like she didn't have the energy. She just looked so drained and tired that it came out as a half smile instead. "Please...don't go to Utapau. They can find somebody else. Anybody else."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "It has to be me, the council decided."
"What if you don't come back?" Padmé asked, and Obi-Wan hesitated for a moment before deciding to allow his Padawan to continue. "I'm scared. I'm scared of everything and I don't know what I'd do if I lose him, lose them." It was, perhaps, the closest Padmé would ever get to acknowledging to him just how close she and Anakin really were. "I keep thinking I would do anything to keep them safe, no matter what it took and I...Obi-Wan I'm scared of what I'll do to keep my child from being hurt, to keep my...to keep Anakin alive."
Perhaps, if he were braver, he might have told Padmé of Ahsoka's warning, given her time to process that Maul thinks she's somehow significant and that perhaps, she should get off planet and run away from all of this until her children were born and she'd found some form of safety with Anakin. He also knew that Padmé's sense of duty would never let her perform those very self-serving actions, and there was a risk that even this knowledge could push Padmé over the edge she was so precariously on and into a place that would destroy her. "No matter what, you would never go too far. It's not in your nature. You're a Jedi, Padmé, you must remember that."
"I shouldn't be." Normally, he would protest, but in this case, Obi-Wan was inclined to agree. Had Padmé not been a Jedi, this could have been a happy occasion for her, and there would be less threat to her children and lover. Then again, had she not been a Jedi, then Anakin would have been, and perhaps the only thing different was which half of the couple he would be comforting. "I broke the code, I've killed so many, and I…" Her voice fell quiet. Whatever she was about to say had been lost to her thoughts.
"Come now Padmé, you aren't perfect, but none of us are." He stood up, and offered her a hand, which she reluctantly took as she stood. "Padmé, you are a wonderful Jedi, and I could not be more proud of who you have become, but if you decide that after the child comes you would rather be a mother, I would be just as proud."
Padmé pulled him in for another hug, almost as though she couldn't believe that he would be. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."
"Is there something else?" Despite the fact that for a moment she seemed infinitely more calm, he could still sense an unfamiliar tenseness in the Force surrounding her.
"I wish you didn't have to go." The honest answer surprised him. "I'd feel better having anybody else I could trust here with me to help keep them safe."
"Padmé, your child and Anakin will be fine. I doubt I'll be on Utapau for long, it's probably a false alarm anyways." It was a lie, but one he felt might be the only thing to keep Padmé calm. "If I return after the baby is born, I expect to meet my next Padawan, and if I arrive before, then I'll do everything I can to help you solve the mystery of this nightmare. We will not let your dreams come to pass." With Grievous out of the way, perhaps Sidious would finally need to emerge from the shadows, the final enemy they would have. With the Sith gone, there would be no more threats to Anakin's life, nobody looking to kidnap Force sensitive children, and Padmé could live her happy life she so desired. "I would expect you to have a little faith, we've fought worse together before."
Padmé stayed silent for a short amount of time, but when she did finally speak, she gave him a genuine smile. "I know." Though Obi-Wan was unsure which instance she was thinking of at that moment, it wasn't hard to come up with anything the four of them had been through together.
"Sir." Behind the two Jedi was Cody. It seemed as though the time for conversation had passed. "Are you ready to leave?"
"I will be in a moment." With that, the clone nodded and left, leaving the two of them alone. "No matter what happens Padmé, know that I will never stop looking out for you and Anakin, and I will never stop being proud of the fine young woman you have become."
Padmé smiled, and nodded. "I know."
Obi-Wan turned away and started towards the hanger, but stopped as he heard his Padawan call his name. "May the Force be with you."
Obi-Wan smiled. "And with you, my friend."
As he left the Coruscanti atmosphere only a short while later, Obi-Wan couldn't ignore the feeling he had that their conversation was a final goodbye.
"I understand your reservations completely, Senator. And I assure you the appointment of governors will in no way interfere with the duties of the Senate." Though the Chancellor's words said he was listening to Anakin's and the rest of the Delegation's fears, it felt unlikely that Palpatine actually was given how dismissive his tone was, and how readily he dismissed the rest of their concerns ranging from his interference with the Jedi to his long overdue stay in power.
Anakin shook his head. "But you won't stop changing things, or taking away our power, or putting your nose in where it doesn't belong." He could feel the reproachful glares for the other senators present, but they had invited him. Anybody who knew Anakin knew he wouldn't back down from a confrontation if he felt one was truly warranted.
"I want this terrible conflict to end, just as much as you do. When it does, I expect an immediate return to democracy." Anakin didn't need any of his skills in the Force to know that at best, that that was stretching the truth. Or maybe it was just his distrust of the man coloring his judgement. Regardless, the promise rang false.
"So you're going to end this war then? Because the way I see it, you're the only one who's benefited from–"
"Senator Skywalker." Anakin closed his mouth at Bail's reproach. Insulting Palpatine wouldn't get him anywhere, except maybe thrown out of the office. (Although at least that point seemed unlikely, Padmé was the guard serving on duty at the moment if her position behind Palpatine's desk was anything to go by.) "I apologize, Chancellor. What Anakin means to say is he wishes to ask if you wish to pursue a diplomatic solution to the end of this war."
"You must trust me to do the right thing. That is why I am here."
It was a dismissal if Anakin had ever heard one, and for a moment, he saw red. "You can't really think–"
"I said I'll do what is right. That should be enough for your committee." The disdain in Palpatine's voice was clear as day. He didn't care what the delegation thought. He didn't care about right or wrong, or democracy, or any of it. All he cared about was his power.
Yes despite all that, in all of it, it wasn't the Chancellor's blatantly careless attitude that had Anakin bothered. He'd expected that, and it was why he'd been pushing for the start of their own rebellion from an unjust government.
What bothered him more than anything else was his wife. He remembered back in the early days of their marriage when he and Padmé had intense political debates on the finer points of their views. While in most cases they agreed, her sharp mine and strong sense oftentimes helped Anakin along and shaped some of his stronger arguments to take to the Senate. In a situation like this, he knew her, he knew she'd speak up. She'd be with him, defending democracy to Palpatine and demanding for more reproach.
Yet instead, it almost felt like she was disconnected from the situation. Like she didn't care about the political debate going on around her, or worse, that she agreed with Palpatine's handling of everything, or didn't see what was wrong with his handling of their concerns, at least.
As he stared at her behind Palpatine, with her dull, brown eyes looking back, Anakin couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing against him.
It was clear Anakin didn't have any more patience for Palpatine, as in that moment, he stood up from his chair, giving a glare at Palpatine. "On behalf of the Delegation of 2000, I would like to thank you for your kriffing time." The use of the curse made it clear, even to those who may not have known him, that Anakin was done respecting the Chancellor.
Though Padmé couldn't say she was surprised by his actions, she was bothered by them. Almost as though just by doing so it felt like the two of them were on opposite sides. She didn't react, instead just standing still, observing and guarding the Chancellor.
Palpatine smiled. "I thank you, Senator, for bringing this to my attention." It was a clear dismissal, and yet while the rest of the senators started to leave, Anakin hesitated for a moment, looking at her, and she found herself averting her gaze. She felt as though she had betrayed his trust somehow, and his look made her feel uncomfortable.
"General Naberrie, would you mind coming with me for a moment?" She winced at his cold tone and as a false contraction hit her body (something she'd ignored for now, she'd been feeling them since Obi-Wan had left but it was definitely too early for the baby to be coming now.) Even down to the name, he knew it would get under her skin.
Padmé turned to Palpatine, who nodded. "I believe you should be resting, my dear. I've probably kept you here for far too long given your condition."
"Good night then, Chancellor." She followed Anakin out, attempting to feel anything off of him than the anger and embarrassment from his meeting with the Chancellor.
When they were out of earshot of the Chancellor's office, Anakin finally turned to face her. "Why the hell were you standing with Palpatine?"
There was an anger in his tone, like he couldn't believe what he'd seen. "Excuse me?"
"You have to know that what he's saying and how he's acting are wrong." Anakin crossed his arms. He was definitely upset. "You're smarter than this, you know he was dismissing me because he didn't care about my concerns. You're the one who taught me to look for things like that."
"He wasn't dismissing you, and your concerns are unreasonable. The Chancellor already said he plans on returning power to the Senate as soon as the war is over, his word should be enough." She didn't like where this was going. She also didn't want to fight.
"He could've fooled me then." Anakin shook his head, and it was clear he was trying to avoid making a scene by keeping his voice down. "He's acting like a dictator and if we don't do something about it, who knows what the galaxy will be like."
"Anakin, please." Padmé frowned. "I'm tired and don't want to do this, especially not here." She didn't, not now. Right now, all she wanted to do was lay down and try to catch any amount of rest before the visions returned, and have those false contractions stop.
"No, we're having this conversation." Anakin wasn't having it, and she winced as his voice got slightly louder. "What's gotten into you. I know things are bad right now, but when did you just give up on fighting for everything you believe in. The Padmé I know never would have let Palpatine do what he did back there, and definitely not to me."
"What you're fighting for is treason!" She finally snapped. "You want me to go in there and stand up against the Republic when that's what I've been fighting for this entire war?"
"I want you to stand up for what's right! You were never afraid to before!" She winced at how angry he was. She didn't want to have this conversation. She really didn't because she no longer knew just what was right. Everything was confusing, everything and everyone were wrong, everything was–
Padmé's thoughts froze as she felt something change within her, and had the very terrifying realization of just what it meant. Anakin must have sensed it too, because he stopped yelling. "Padmé?"
"We really need to have this conversation another time, Ani. We need to get to a hospital."
Anakin gave her a confused stare, still clearly thrown off. "What?"
"My water just broke. The baby is coming."
It had been several hours since their fight in the Senate building, and while Anakin hadn't wanted to let it go, it didn't matter. Right now, none of it mattered. Democracy, the Chancellor, the Delegation, it was all unimportant when compared to the sound of his wife crying in pain. Despite how late at night it was (early morning now?) he hadn't bothered to get any sleep. He needed to be there for Padmé, for anything she might need. "You're doing great Angel, just a little bit more." He continued to try to speak calming reassurances, even if he was anything but calm. This was too early. They should have had more time.
"The dilation is finished. She is ready to deliver." The med droid got Anakin's attention, and he could have almost sighed in relief. "Miss Naberrie, you're going to need to push now."
It was clear she was exhausted and in more pain than she possibly ever had, but she pushed. Anakin would have looked, but right now his attention was on Padmé and only her. He needed to make sure she was alright. After only a few short moments, the droid called out, "It's a boy!"
Anakin walked over, in order to hold his son in his arms with a look of wonder. He was wrinkly, and red and puffy and absolutely perfect. He handed the baby to Padmé, who looked at him with such a tender look as she whispered. "Hi Luke."
His heart swelled with joy, though it only lasted for a moment before she let out another pained groan. "Is everything alright?"
"Of course. Miss Naberrie is simply getting ready to push out the other." For a moment, Anakin and Padmé looked at each other, startled at those words. Other?
That second was interrupted of course, by another round of pain, and Padmé began pushing once more, and it wasn't long before the second child was in the arms of the droid. "A girl!"
A boy and a girl, they were both right.
Anakin grabbed the girl as well and cradled her in his arms. She was so small, and he lowered himself down so she could be level with her mother as well, who gave her the exact same look as well. "Leia, meet your mommy."
Padmé laughed slightly, and his anger and disappointment was forgotten as he simply lived in the moment. "Twins."
"Twins." Anakin confirmed, something that was almost unfathomable to imagine, if he was honest.
There was so much to worry about in the coming days, but in that moment, none of them mattered.
All that mattered to Anakin was this small room, and the four people in it.