1 standard week after arrival

Padmé was doing her best. Getting up to feed the twins, washing herself, washing them, getting dressed, dressing them, it was proving to be too exhausting. Why was it so hard to do the simplest of tasks? She had been a queen and a senator. Hardship, grief and exhaustion were part of her working life. But somehow, no matter how hard she tried to be strong, she felt weaker than she had ever been in her life.

This morning Obi-Wan had already fixed a leaking pipe, had dusted and cleaned, made a simple porridge breakfast for her, and was out in the town getting supplies and job searching. All the while she'd felt useless and unhelpful, wallowing at home and barely able to even cook or lift a broom. She was so tired.

Today Leia was crying incessantly which had set Luke off and nothing she did would soothe them. Padmé's patience was wearing thin and eventually her nerves were too fraught to stay in the same room as her children. She had to step outside and cry her eyes out too. What kind of mother was she, that she could barely care for their basic needs let alone look after herself?

She sank to her knees in the overgrown meadow that stretched out in front of their home, berating herself for Leia's crying, for being so weak and for being a burden to Obi-Wan. She berated herself for the waterfall of emotions that erupted at the very thought of Anakin. Her throat was still hurting, still healing from the choking pressure on her larynx. The tears caused her throat to swell and burn, but she couldn't stop. She needed him to be here, to help raise their children. She wanted nothing more in the world than for her Ani to come back.

Her heart broke into a million pieces all over again when she reminded herself that could never be, that he was gone forever. The love of her life was gone. Nothing she could do would ever bring him back. In trying to save her, he had done such terrible things…he killed children….

Her chest heaved with a grief that could not be contained. Burying her face in the grass and the spring flowers, she cried until it felt like her soul had left her body. She'd been focusing all her energy on just trying to hold it together since they arrived. Years of experience helped her keep a outwardly emotionless facade, but now the babies wouldn't stop crying, and she was alone, and a bad mother, and Obi-Wan probably hated being here with her, and her husband was a murderer and a Sith, and he could come after the twins, and it was her fault for not noticing his inner darkness sooner, maybe she could've saved him…and now the empire would find them and…and ….

The tears were getting so violent and her throat was so swollen that she struggled to breathe in. Padmé buried her face in the grass and screamed out her pain, unable to stop despite her breathlessness. Her whole body convulsed with the awful power of grief. She felt like she was going to pass out, like her chest was going to explode from the sorrow.

Her anguished screaming did not stop when Obi-Wan grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her upright into his arms. Supplies packaged on the back of a second hand speeder bike didn't register in her head as he pressed her against his chest and held her securely whilst she shook and cried out in her absolute despair.

"Ssh, it's okay. I'm here. You're alright," Obi-Wan's calming voice spoke into her ear as he rubbed her back.

"Luke and Leia…" she sobbed, barely managing to get the words out, her throat burning. "C-Crying…."

"I'll be right back," he said, standing and quickly heading into the house.

Beside herself, Padmé barely registered that their howling had ceased. After a little while she was in his arms again as he sat down beside her.

"Anakin… I can't…" her face crumpled.

"Don't speak, it's alright. Let it out, I'm here."

She had never felt so vulnerable in all her life. Never in all her days of queenship or being a senator had she let this kind of waterfall break through her strong emotional walls. Despite all that was going through her mind, she felt a feeling of safety with him that calmed her. Obi-Wan was like a sturdy rock amidst this thunderous storm that her life had so suddenly become. Padmé clung to him until no more tears would come and she was utterly spent. Leaning against him, she felt the wet material of his robe against her cheek. She could hear his heartbeat through the material and listened whilst the waves in her heart slowly calmed.

Then, they simply sat together, watching the sun move lower towards the forest's tree tops. She felt completely drained, and allowed Obi-Wan to guide her back into the house. He set her on the sofa, checked over the twins in their new cot, and then brought the food supplies in. Since they'd arrived, he'd bought new bedding, stockpiles of food, toiletries, medicine, seeds, gardening tools, pots, pans, baby clothing and now a second-hand speeder which they could use to travel to town. Bail had been generous in helping them start from scratch, but it wouldn't last forever. She wondered if he managed to find any work in town, but she felt too numb to think clearly.

Her friend ran her a hot bath, gave her some medicinal tea for her throat, handed her some toiletries and ushered her inside, closing the door behind her. As Padmé sunk into the hot water, she let out a grateful sigh. He really was an angel. She did not deserve him.

ooooo

Obi-Wan made himself a cup of tea and picked up the twins from their cot. He was exhausted, and returning home to see Padmé in such distress and the twins howling had been agonising to say the least, especially with her throat injuries which he didn't want to worsen. He knew how strong Padmé was, and it broke his heart to see her in the depths of such misery. It felt like the Padmé he knew was gone now, and he wondered when, and if, that capable, playful and confident woman would return.

Reclining on a pillow, he gently lay Luke and Leia on his chest. They were so small, so fragile, at one week old both of them could easily lie on him side by side. His heart swelled at their little curious faces and a protective urge came over him. He still didn't know how he felt about attachments. Every passing day he had been growing more and more concerned about hiding their Force signatures. His old Master had not appeared yet, and he tried his best to remain detached from the twins and Padmé, lest something should happen, but it was proving difficult.

He failed with deterring Anakin from attachment, and look where that got the both of them. But did that mean he should abandon the code that he lived his life by? As a Padawan he and Qui-Gon had butted heads many a time over sticking to the code. Did it matter anymore, now that the Jedi and the council were gone?

Should he love these children, or remain firmly detached? Would that even be possible?

A strange feeling came over him as his mind drifted through these thoughts. The Force seemed to suddenly fluctuate around him and the children, swirling and shifting. A shimmering blue apparition of his former master appeared before his eyes, standing in the living room as if he lived here.

"Master Qui-Gon?!" Obi-Wan almost forgot about the twins lying on him as his eyes shot open in shock.

A warm smile spread across his master's face. "Hello Obi-Wan, my Padawan."

The rich tenure of his voice had not changed, and tears welled up in Obi-Wan's eyes. Yoda had been telling the truth. He had never known his real father, but Qui-Gon had always filled that void. Since he was thirteen, he'd been his Padawan, sharing that deep bond that only Jedi understood. He'd missed his old master more than he could say.

"You are afraid," he stated. "You seek your centre, you need balance."

Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon would already know what was going on, since he was a spirit, but he decided to fill him in anyway. His master had called him his Padawan and suddenly he did feel like a youth again, desperately needing a guiding hand from his father-figure.

"I am afraid master, of a great many things. But the most urgent is the twin's secrecy from Ana- from Darth Vader. I have a great deal to tell you master," he grimaced, remembering the HoloNet news he'd seen in town. The right hand of the Emperor's new name was sickening. He spent some time telling Qui-Gon all that had happened in the most condensed way he could and it was draining. It felt like the more he spoke about it, the more it would invite those demons into his new home.

"I will teach you how to cloak their presence. The twins have a great journey ahead of them," Qui-Gon said after he had finished. "I will guide you so that you may keep them safe. Meet me at dawn in a place where no one may see you utilising the power of the Force."

"Yes, master," Obi-Wan bowed his head, and when he looked up Qui-Gon had vanished. What would he say about Anakin? Surely, he was wrong about him being the chosen one after all that had happened.

ooooo

1 standard month after arriving

The twins were up crying every night on so many occasions that Padmé lost count. Even Obi-Wan's Force sleeping could only work so many times. She slept in the double bed with the twins close to her. They didn't like sleeping isolated from her at night time just yet. They needed feeding, cleaning, and they needed to be warm. They were almost four standard weeks old now and getting heavier every day, and louder too. She couldn't believe how children so small could be so loud, especially Leia. That girl had some lungs.

"I know, I know, come here," she lifted each twin up and with cushions placed them beneath her breasts under each arm so their heads just touched. Latching on, they began to suckle.

Sleep-deprived, she fought back drooping eyelids and tried to focus on her children's presence and the love she had for them. Sometimes it was all that kept her going, that gave her a reason to carry on. She had to get up out of bed, she had to look after them and raise them, it was her purpose now.

Very slowly but surely, she was starting to get a handle on being a mother, and it was not easy, especially in a remote place like this with no experienced family or friends to give help or advice. Her and Obi-Wan had to figure out everything on their own, mostly through trial and error and watching as many parenting shows as possible on the new HoloNet projector they'd bought. She wished that her mother and sister could be here to help out and to meet Luke and Leia, like a normal family. If normal could ever be possible now, she mused bitterly. But sadly, she had no idea where her family was, or if they were even safe. Every night she thought of them, far away across the stars. No doubt they thought she was dead after her fake state funeral on Naboo. If her heart wasn't already at its fullest capacity for grief, tears would have appeared at the thought. Someday, she would find them.

Whilst her children nursed, she tried to keep her thoughts grounded to the here and now, as Obi-Wan had advised her when her worries and grief began to overwhelm at the slightest trigger. He had been such a help to her, she didn't know what she would do without him. Caring for two new-borns whilst they were both grieving, and starting a new life from scratch in the outback of a foreign world was proving to be the most challenging thing they'd ever done in their lives, but it was starting to form them into a unstoppable team.

They were beginning to anticipate each other's needs, figure out a routine and live each day in tune with each other. Despite her inner turmoil which at best, was too much to bear, he was there to constantly pick her up. And when she saw the dark circles under his eyes, she was there to ground him, to make sure he ate, to remind him that she was always here for him. It was strange, how the trauma had brought them so close so quickly. His purpose now was to look after them and her, and her purpose now was to look after them and him. The days after their arrival had been so hard, but as each day dawned Padmé found herself striving to survive more than the day previous.

She was amazed to hear about Qui-Gon's Force ghost and relieved to hear that Obi-Wan had now mastered the art of Force concealment for the twins, so that the Sith could not detect them. They would be safe, and she could not be more grateful to him if she tried. There was a gentle knock at the door, and the man of her thoughts appeared in the darkness. She felt guilty that he had to sleep in the tiny second room. The bed was too small for him, and it didn't help that he slept lightly and woke at every sound the twins made, alert for danger. She wondered how he got any sleep at all.

"Are they alright?" he asked softly, the light of the two moons shining on him as he approached the bed.

"I think so, just hungry," Padmé looked down at them, but wasn't self-conscious about feeding them in front of Obi-Wan. She couldn't exactly be discreet about it when she had to feed them so many times a day.

He nodded and walked over to the window and gazed into the night. It was spring time on Bakura, and the nights had been getting shorter since their arrival. Obi-Wan had been helping her sleep the past few weeks so that she didn't harm the twins by thrashing out or screaming. He put her into a Force-induced sleep that allowed her to rest without the pain, and for the twins to be safe. It wasn't always like that though; the first few nights had been awful. Padmé had suffered from vivid nightmares of being Force choked, of having her children ripped away from her, of lava and lightning and yellow eyes.

"I think it's time we talk about our plans here, and what will happen to the twins," he said, rousing her from her bitter memories. He moved away from the window and sat at the end of her bed. "Qui-Gon has told me that they have a great destiny to fulfil."

Somewhere deep down, she knew all along that Luke and Leia had an important part to play in restoring peace to the galaxy, though she wished it could be someone else's children, not hers. They were barely a standard month old, and already there were plans to take them away from her. She looked down at her precious children who were oblivious to the turmoil that surrounded them.

"Can't they just be children for a little while before the burdens of the galaxy become theirs? They're barely a month old."

"They will grow quickly; we must be sure that they are prepared to face a dangerous world."

She knew he was right, of course. Padmé sighed in defeat. "So, what do you propose Obi-Wan?"

"As soon as they are able, I will train them in the ways of the Force. They must learn how to defend themselves should something happen. I predict that they will possess a high midi-chlorian count and they'll need guidance on how to control their abilities. It can be difficult for younglings to control. And… in some way, they are the last hope for the Jedi and bringing balance back to the light."

"You think that one day, they'll be able to defeat the Sith?" Padmé asked. "When not even you, Master Windu or Master Yoda could?"

If Obi-Wan was affected by her words he didn't show it. "I don't know. But I think one day they'll be able to lend their unique talents to the fight against the empire and help bring about peace somehow. It is a long way off and we don't know what the future holds. But I think this plan to train them when they're old enough is the first step in ensuring their safety, as well as preparing them for such a destiny."

Padmé mulled his words over. She didn't object to them being trained by Obi-Wan. They would be powerful Force wielders and she wanted them to be confident in defending themselves and protecting others.

Looking down at their small faces again, a wave of motherly protectiveness came over once more. She wanted to keep her children far away from any harm, especially when the harm could come from their own father. But she knew that wasn't realistic. They were Skywalkers, and no matter how much she tried to keep them safe and hidden, one day when they were adolescents they would want to leave and fight the empire.

She was used to duty coming before her own needs, and so Padmé didn't find it difficult to accept this inevitability. As a politician, her whole life had been dedicated to the republic and to fighting injustice. She couldn't exactly stop her own children from fighting for the same morals that she lived her life by.

What's more, she knew her old friends from the senate were now in danger from the empire. Bail Organa and Mon Mothma would need help in the years to come. It was good against evil, and she could not sit back and let the galaxy descend into darkness. Taking a deep breath and looking up into her friend's eyes in the dark room, she came to a conclusion.

Her and Obi-Wan would prepare them as much as they could for whatever important destiny they had. But for now, they were helpless infants and needed to be kept safe until they came of age and were able to understand the circumstance of their birth.

"I agree that you should train them in the ways of the Force. I also agree that one day, when they are ready, we should go out there and help our friends in the fight against the new empire. When they come of age, we can talk about the circumstance of their birth and who their father is. But for now, our goal is to keep them hidden and safe until they're old enough to handle such a heavy burden. I want them to have a carefree and happy childhood, without responsibilities and worry."

"Hidden and safe is how we shall keep them then," Obi-Wan smiled, satisfied with the outcome. "I have some good news for you too. I was meant to tell you when I got home from town, but I didn't get the chance. I managed to get an interview for a teaching position in the village school."

"A teacher?" Padmé's face lit up, and for a second, she felt like her old self. "You'll be perfect for that role. I'm sure you'll get it. I can't imagine anyone around here is going to have more experience or knowledge than you."

"Thank you Padmé and I hope so, we do need the money. It's a very small school as you can imagine. I believe it is only Galactic Basic and mathematics that I'll be teaching, and it will be a mixture of ages," he smiled, but she noticed a hint of sadness in his expression.

"It won't be the same you know," she said, picking up on his thoughts. "You are a great teacher, and you didn't fail with your last student. It was Palpatine's influence not yours that led to his downfall. These students are totally different. Even when you come to teach Luke and Leia, it won't be the same. You are going to be an amazing mentor, I know it. Those students will be very lucky to have you."

Obi-Wan smiled with a little more feeling. "Thank you. And I know, it's not the same, but it will be hard to shake that feeling at first."

"Yes, I imagine it will. We both have a lot to get used to," Padmé returned the smile, absently tracing her children's cheeks with her fingers, noticing how chubby they were getting day by day. "But we'll be alright. We'll survive whatever is thrown at us."

"That we will," he paused and looked away towards the window, gathering his thoughts before speaking again. "When talking to Qui-Gon, he said some unusual things. He told me that he still believes Anakin," Obi-Wan trod carefully around the name, "to be the Chosen One. But I don't see how that can be possible. I think that maybe the prophecy was wrong, that maybe…. it meant Luke or Leia. Maybe they will bring balance to the Force."

As he finished speaking, Luke began to fuss and Padmé didn't get time to think about his words or the implication of them. By the time the babes had drifted back to sleep, Padmé lay beside them and, as was the routine now, Obi-Wan cast his hand over her head to send her into a deep and restful sleep.