Cooling fans whirred gently above the open plan layout of the star destroyer apartment. It was meticulously clean, with glossy white furniture and a shiny floor that reflected the white lights embedded in the ceiling. It had a spacious kitchen with brand new modern appliances, several lounge sofas and a large table where a plate of food sat, barely touched by the apartment's new inhabitant. There was a fresher and a bedroom adjoining the living space, so clean in fact it looked as if it had never been used. It smelt of cleaning chemicals and artificial air freshener.
Padmé sat on the edge of the neatly made bed, staring listlessly out the window before her at the distant stars. Distantly the hum of the ship's engines soothed her and she almost felt sleepy, yet she knew the second she tried to sleep nightmares would claim her. And now she had no Obi-Wan to keep them at bay. Thinking of him felt like a crater in her heart. Wearily she rubbed her hands on her temples.
The events of the last day were a blur. It felt utterly surreal that she was here, sitting on a bed in Darth Vader's star destroyer. Still, she had seen no sign of Luke and Leia. It could've all been a trick for all she knew. Maybe they weren't even here.
When Vader had stood above her husband's body, she had believed in her heart that it was all over. It felt like a lucid dream, not something that had really happened. But it had, and now she was here, a prisoner of the man she once loved. In all the time she had lived since the fall of the Jedi temple and the events on Mustafar, she never been truly alone. Her family were never too far away, but now…
Padmé covered her eyes with her hands and tried to breathe in and out in a calm rhythm, but it was difficult when her pregnancy gave her shortness of breath. She pictured Obi-Wan with his arms around her, guiding her to focus on the here and now. Stay strong.
But even focusing on the here and now was an ordeal - she was here on Vader's ship and any minute now he could walk through the door.
Feeling useless and powerless she got up and wandered about the apartment, restless with worry and nerves. She couldn't deny she was terrified of all that was to come. Padmé paced, then sat on the bed again, then went and sat on one of the sofas and turned on the Holo. Vacantly, she watched some propaganda filled news reports before turning it off with disgust. Then she went into the glistening white kitchen and looked through the cupboards, purely to keep her mind busy. But of course, there was barely anything to look at, just a few basic utensils and plates. Walking again, she went in to the fresher and looked at herself in the large mirror behind the sink, her fingers tapping on the basin's edge.
Had she always looked this haggard? The last time she'd been almost nine months pregnant she had been glowing with health and feminine beauty. But now, she looked stressed and exhausted with a grey tinge to her complexion. Padmé inspected the bags under her eyes with a resigned sigh. The loose curls that usually framed her face were in disarray after the events of the last day, but she had no brush or products to sort them out. She couldn't even take a shower as she had no clean clothes with her. All her belongings were with Obi-Wan.
Taking the opportunity, she splashed some water on her face and tried to smooth down her wayward hair as best she could, wishing she had her handmaidens talent for taming it. Getting frustrated she yanked it out of its ponytail and let it flow freely down her back. It was a little crazy looking, but she felt a little crazy right now. Feeling more in control of her situation a fraction, Padmé tried to focus her mind on all the blessings that she had right now, despite the circumstances.
Obi-Wan was alive. Albeit injured. And he was probably going to take some time to recover. She tried not to hear the crack his ribs had made. Luke and Leia were also alive. Vader had even said so himself that he would not harm his own flesh and blood, as her husband had predicted.
This alone was enough to rekindle her resolve. Perhaps she could be useful to the rebellion being this close to Vader. Maybe she would be able to have an influence on him, though on second thought she doubted he would want to be anywhere near her now that she had 'betrayed' him for Obi-Wan. This was almost laughable, as if she was to blame for the dissolution of their relationship. He must be deluded as well as evil, she thought bitterly.
Padmé placed a hand on her stomach and looked at her large baby bump in the mirror. Her and Obi-Wan's love had resulted in this precious child. He or she were a physical manifestation of hope for the future. It felt like only yesterday she had found out she was carrying his child. Her mind drifted back to the happy memory…
Padmé held the pregnancy test device in her hand, shaking. Was it true? Was it really true? She covered her mouth with her hand as her heart raced with joy and nerves and excitement. It was the third test she had taken, just to be sure. But each one presented the same result: pregnant.
She washed her hands and hid the device away in a cupboard in their fresher. Leaning against the sink she put two hands on her stomach, unable to believe she had Obi-Wan's child inside her. How would she tell him? They had been trying to conceive for a few months, and the moment had arrived quicker than she had expected. How would he react to the news? Her heart beat strongly against her chest. She could hear Luke and Leia playing in the living room through the fresher door. How would they take it, having a new baby brother or sister around?
Grinning from ear to ear and still shaking slightly with the gravity of the news, Padmé left the room and ruffled Luke's hair as she headed into her and Obi-Wan's bedroom. Some storage boxes under the bed had the twin's baby clothes stowed away. Checking there was no one behind her, Padmé rooted around in the box until she found what she was looking for - a pair of tiny new-born knitted socks they had bought for the twins when they had first arrived in Namusa.
Going back into the kitchen, she put the tiny socks on the table and went into the garden. Obi-Wan was sowing seeds in their vegetable patch in anticipation for spring. It was a cold afternoon, and her breath smoked as she called and beckoned him into the warmth of their cottage. Muddy and curious he followed her inside and shut the door behind him, gardening trowel still in hand.
"What is it my dear?" he said expectantly.
"Take a look at what's on the table," she said, unable to keep the beaming smile off her face.
Obi-Wan walked over and placed his trowel down. He picked up the tiny socks, his face changing slowly from curiosity to shock to joy.
"A baby?" he exclaimed, his smile bigger and brighter than she'd ever seen it. "You're pregnant?"
She nodded, unable to speak as she was whipped up into his arms and they shared a teary kiss. He held her close then looked down at her face, wiping the joyful tears from her eyes. They grinned at each other, the emotions too deep for words to convey.
The twins had stopped playing and were now at the table too, looking at the knitted socks with suspicion.
"A baby?" Leia asked, glancing at Luke.
Padmé turned and got down on their eye level, taking their small hands in hers. Obi-Wan placed a warm hand on her shoulder as she spoke to them. "Luke, Leia, in eight months' time you will have a new baby brother or sister to play with."
"A baby brother or sister?" Luke repeated, sounding in awe.
"Yes, he or she is very excited to meet the both of you, though it will be a while yet before they arrive," she tucked a loose strand of Leia's chestnut hair behind her ear, taking in the beautiful shape of her daughter's face. "Me and your father will need lots of help getting things ready for the new baby. Do you think you can help us?"
"Yes!" they agreed in unison, getting excited.
"Time to start building that extension," Obi-Wan joked and she laughed, they were definitely going to need more room now.
"Can we pick toys for the baby's room?" Leia asked, eyes shining.
"Of course," she smiled, "you can help me make them some new clothes too."
Her twins were beaming and rushed forward to hug her, excited to be involved. She looked up at Obi-Wan and felt almost delirious with happiness. A new baby, what could be more joyous?...
The memory faded and left Padmé feeling hollow. Who knew if they would ever get their happy life back now. She missed Obi-Wan so much it felt like a physical pain. She looked down at her rounded belly and placed a tender hand there.
Please don't come yet little one. Please don't… she asked him or her, tenderly stroking her bump, as if that would comfort the child. Only a few more weeks and her nine months would be up. She didn't know if her new child would be safe here, or what evil the Emperor could ask Vader to do to them. Involuntarily she remembered the burning Jedi temple, the thought of Anakin killing younglings…
Some noise from outside brought her back to the surface before she could become lost in such dark and terrifying thoughts that it made her want to retch. She did not want to go back to that dark place, ever. Heading back into the suite, she jumped as the door slid open. Several shiny etiquette droids entered, granted access from the stormtroopers that guarded her quarters. One was carrying a tray of food and a jug, the other what looked like a stack of clothes and shoes and the last one some towels. The first golden droid set down two plates of steaming hot food on the table and poured two drinks. Curiously she wondered, why two? Was Vader coming to eat with her? Was it for the twins? She did not allow herself to hope.
The droid carrying the clothing went to the bed close to her and she watched warily, placing a protective hand over her belly.
"Good afternoon ma'am," it greeted her with a well-spoken voice. "I am FN-84. We have been instructed to deliver hot food and clothing, and to make sure the children are comfortable with their stay onboard Lord Vader's imperial class star destroyer-"
"Children!" she gasped, interrupting the babble common to etiquette droids.
"Yes, correct ma'am. Here are the clean clothes I have been instructed to deliver. We hope we do not cause you inconvenience as we go about our duties," it said, laying down several sets of clothing on the bed.
Padmé noticed that some of them were imperial cadet uniforms but was too happy to care, she couldn't keep the smile off her face. Her children were coming! They would be in her arms again! Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she almost laughed out loud. The relief was immeasurable.
The other droid went in to the bathroom with the stack of white fluffy towels. Padmé followed it, placing a hand on the small of her back as her stomach was getting heavier and heavier. She peered round the corner to see it neatly storing the towels away on a shelf. The silver droid turned and greeted her with a wave of its hand.
"If you would kindly press the red button next to the washing facilities, hot water will be at your immediate disposal. To increase the temperature please rotate the dial to the right. For colder water, please rotate to the left-"
"Yes thank you, I know how a bath works," she interrupted for a second time with a smile.
The droid looked offended, moving its head and arms in the confused manner she remembered C3PO doing and she almost laughed. Again, a wave of joy came over her at the thought of her babies being back with her after all they'd been through. They needed her and she needed them. Padmé went back into the bedroom and then through into the open plan living space. The food, which she recognised was nerf-steak with vegetables, was still steaming. The droids wouldn't bring hot food unless their arrival was imminent, surely?
The three etiquette droids said their farewells and politely exited the room, leaving her alone again with only the hum of the ceiling fans and the ship's engine to be heard. She stood in the centre of the room and stared at the door the droids had exited through, wishing time could go faster. To occupy herself, Padmé inspected the clothes the droid had dropped off. There were some baggy utility outfits in light colours as well as two imperial cadet uniforms, which she had half a mind to put into the trash shoot in the kitchen. However, she was terrified to put a foot wrong for the sake of her unborn baby and Obi-Wan, so she laid the uniforms back onto the bed. Vader had promised not to kill him, but the promise felt fragile and hollow, as if one small reason could change his mind.
Then, she heard some noise from outside. With her pulse hammering in her veins, she turned to face the door as it slid open. The guards moved aside and there was the dark towering figure of Darth Vader, and before him, two filthy children, just a little higher than his waist for he was so tall.
"Mom!"
Within seconds they were in her embrace, hugging her with a desperate fierceness that matched her own. She kissed their heads and wrapped her arms around them, thanking the Force that they were together at last. Darth Vader, who had kept his promise, still stood in the doorway, watching only for a moment before he turned and disappeared, the door sliding shut after him.