It's The Missus Padme POV
WC: 968
I was back at my desk looking at the docket for the senate committee for a treaty between Naboo and the Trade Federation. It was the first real treaty in fifty years, and it had to be right. I was going through the final draft when Shmi came through the door, and it looked like she had been crying.
"What's wrong?" I said, standing.
"Nothing. I went to see Anakin, and we talked for a long time. I just missed him so much," she said, crying softly.
"Oh, Shmi," I said. I went and hugged her. "He is here now, safe, and you can see him whenever you want."
"Have you seen him yet?"
"No. Um, I don't want to overwhelm him," I lied. She nodded. She started to clean up my desk, and put things away. I sighed. I guess I was done for the day.
"You should go see him, Padme. He needs you. He has spent the last thirty years of his life without you and look what it has done to him. I think they tortured him. There is only so much that Obi-Wan, Ashoka, and I can do for him. He needs his wife."
I thought about that. Obi-Wan told me that Palpatine would torture and try to kill Anakin to make him a stronger sith. He pretty much suggested that there was no way for Anakin to go back to the light side of the Force without my forgiveness. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "Are you ready to go home?" I asked.
Shmi nodded.
I called Typho and told him we were ready, and soon he had a shuttle waiting for us. We rode in silence on our way home and I could see the medical center when we drove by. It was like half my body jumped out of its skin and fly to Anakin. I wanted to touch him, hold him, and tell him thank you for being a father and protecting Luke. We would be the same as if we were first in love on Naboo, when he was my guardian angel, and we were young and reckless and would kiss me without warning. But the other half of my body rebelled and the image of him calling me a liar and beginning to choke me came to my mind. I remembered in my dreams being scared of the monster had Palpatine made my husband. The villain that killed younglings and sold his soul to the dark side for power. Who was in the medical center recovering, the angel or the monster? We got to our apartment, and Typho let Shmi out.
"Are you coming M'lady?" asked Typho.
"Actually, I think I should go to the medical center to check on my husband," I said with a sheepish smile.
Shmi grinned, "I have dinner ready when your done," she said.
I got back into the speeder and Typho took us towards the hospital. I reached for Anakin's necklace that I wear under my dress and pulled it out so that it would show. I ran my fingers over the grooves that a skilled nine year old carved with just me in mind. He did it for me Padme, not Queen Amidala.
Typho pulled up to the hospital, and let me out of the speeder.
"Are you alright ma'am?" He asked. "Your trembling."
"Huh. Oh, yes I am fine. It is just the first time I am seeing him in twenty-three years." My hands immediately went to my hair and started fussing with strays. "I wish I had time to get my hair done," I added softly.
Typho laughed. "You look beautiful ma'am. Just a little advice okay? Make sure he is worthy of you?"
"I will," I said, and he speeds off into Corosaunts traffic. I went into the hospital. When I got to the receptionist's desk I asked for Anakin Skywalker.
"Yes he is in room 134. Just down the hall."'
I walked down the hall staring at the room numbers. Just when I felt lost, I heard laughing that sounds strangely close to Ashoka Tano's. I follow it to a room that has the numbers "1 3 4" etched into the door. When I pushed for the door to open, I see Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon standing on both sides of a hospital bed. The Clone Trooper Rex is sitting on a chair at the foot of the bed and Ashoka Tano is sitting on another chair leaning up against him. But, I can't see the bed.
"Uh oh, it's the missus," said Rex.
I walked along the bed and stood at the foot, then slowly I looked at my husband.
"What's wrong with him?" I asked.
"He got badly injured on Mustafar in our battle," said Obi-Wan, "and instead of letting him recover, Palpatine just wanted him to function. So he has been getting worse for the last thirty years. He may be here for a while."
"You told me he was okay!" I said glaring at him.
"He had to stop me without killing me, Padme. It's okay," Anakin said soothingly to me. He reached his hand up and I grabbed it.
"Does it hurt?" I asked.
"No, the nurses gave me some pain medicine. I'm fine."
Suddenly Ashoka cleared her throat. "Lets go get some dinner," she said standing up.
"Huh?" asked Rex. Then Ashoka hit him on the back of his head. "Right dinner. Let's go."
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon followed them out wordlessly.
"You have a good family, Ani," I said.
"Yeah, there alright," Anakin said with a smile.
"Well it took you thirty years, but you came back to me," I said.
Anakin turned and looked at me with his blue eyes. "Always," he said. Then we shared our secret kiss.