3

While Anakin and Obi-Wan travelled to Felucia, and then to Oba Diah to confront the Pyke Syndicate, Padmé did her best to continue on with her life. The weeks after Clovis's death had been challenging, for it was widely known how she had thrown her support behind him. She knew that people were talking about her, gossiping about her and her reputed relationship with Clovis.

Padmé had thought long and hard about sending the divorce documents to Anakin, but knew that she was making the right decision. The decision had been eating away at her for days, making her lose sleep, causing her appetite to all but disappear. There was something else that had happened: she'd missed her cycle. It was unlike her, and it made her worry that there was a reason for it. The thought that she might be pregnant filled her with anxiety; and yet, how was it possible? She and Anakin had always used birth control, for a child wasn't in their plans. And it wasn't like they had even spent a lot of time together in the past several weeks. But it only takes once… Deciding that she needed answers, Padmé made an appointment to see her doctor. She only hoped that her fears were unfounded.

Based on what the Jedi learned, the Council had come to the conclusion that Count Dooku had been the one responsible for the creation of the Clone army. Why the Republic's greatest enemy had created an army for them remained a paradox; and the Jedi had decided that it was no doubt the work of the elusive Dark Lord whose presence they had been sensing more and more recently. This did not sit well with Anakin, however, and he voiced that opinion to Obi-Wan one evening as they sat in the mess hall together.

"The Council keep insisting that there is a Sith Lord at work, but what are they doing to find him?" Anakin asked as he and Obi-Wan ate their meal.

"The Sith are very good at hiding, Anakin," Obi-Wan reminded him. "They will not reveal themselves readily."

"No, I get that," Anakin said. "But if we let him continue to plot against the Jedi, it's only a matter of time before he springs his plans. We need to make sure that doesn't happen."

Obi-Wan was about to reply when a man approached their table. He was not a Jedi, and that alone was reason to get the attention of both men.

"Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes, I'm Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said. "Can I help you?"

"This is for you," the man said, handing Anakin a data pad. He then turned and left.

Anakin activated the device, his heart sinking as he read its contents. It was a petition for divorce.

Obi-Wan watched him, sensing his emotions strongly. "What is it, Anakin?"

Anakin looked up at him quickly, trying hard to think of a believable excuse. "It's nothing," Anakin said, deactivating the device and putting it on the bench beside him.

"I don't believe you," Obi-Wan said. "Whatever is in that data pad, it has clearly upset you a great deal."

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, and then tossed the data pad on the table. "Have a look," he said. "It's not like it matters anymore." He stood up and left the mess, leaving his half eaten meal behind.

Obi-Wan picked up the data pad and activated it. "Good God," he muttered as he read the contents. He looked around briefly, making sure he wasn't being observed, before returning his attention to the data pad. They're married….Anakin and Padmé are married….what the devil were you thinking, Anakin? Obi-Wan decided that Anakin no doubt needed time alone to get himself together, and so he stayed in the mess hall, all the while wondering how he hadn't known his best friend was married.

The next afternoon

"Hello Padmé, it's good to see you," Dr. Ashworth said as she showed Padmé into her office. "What brings you by this afternoon?"

"I need you to do a pregnancy test," she said. "I'm nearly two weeks late, and I need to know."

Dr. Ashworth was rather surprised by Padmé's request, but was professional enough to not show it. "Very well," she said. "Let's go into the examination room and I'll take a blood sample. It'll take no time at all."

"Thank you Doctor."

Padmé followed the doctor into the adjoining room and sat down beside the examination table. She held out her hand to let Doctor Ashworth to take a sample of her blood from one of her fingertips.

"I'll be back directly," the doctor said, and left with the blood sample to perform the test.

Padmé sat alone, pressing the cotton swab to the tip of her finger. What if I'm pregnant? Do I tell Anakin? He will be expelled….there will be no way we can keep our relationship a secret…I can't live like this anymore….I won't subject a child to this…

"Well, you're pregnant, Padmé."

Padmé looked up, started by the sound of her voice. "I'm sorry? What did you say?"

"I said you're pregnant," the doctor said again. "I take it you weren't expecting this."

"Well, not really," Padmé said.

Doctor Ashworth nodded. "Well babies have a way of showing up when we least expect them," she said.

"I suppose so," Padmé said, too stunned to say anything else.

"I'll have my nurse put together a package or you on prenatal nutrition, and set up your next appointment," the doctor said.

"Thank you, Doctor Ashworth."

Jedi Temple - that evening

Obi-Wan had kept his distance from Anakin, knowing that his friend needed time to sort through what he was going through. But it had been a full rotation, and Obi-Wan felt that it was time to speak to him.

"Come in."

The door slid open and Anakin appeared.

"You look awful," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin smirked. "Thanks."

Obi-Wan walked in, looking around at the mess that was Anakin's quarters. "Have you slept at all?" he asked, picking up the dirty clothes that were here and there.

"A little," Anakin replied. "Stop doing that."

Obi-Wan turned to him. "Sorry, but don't you have a droid to clean up in here?"

"I did," Anakin said, indicating the droid that had been sliced in half sitting in one corner of the room.

"I see," Obi-Wan said. "I'm not here to lecture you, Anakin; I'm here as your friend, to see if you want to talk."

Anakin shook his head.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Oh, okay that's fine," he said. "In that case, we've been assigned to Anaxes," he said. "Perhaps getting back into the action will…help."

Anakin stood up. "I don't know that anything will, but it'll be good distraction, anyway."

"My thinking exactly."

It wasn't long before the Republican campaign on Anaxes began to take a turn for the worse. The Separatists captured the main production facility for the Republic's battle fleet, which could prove disastrous for the Republican cause. An alarming pattern had begun to emerge, for it seemed that the Separatists could anticipate the Republican tactics, rendering them ineffective. Thanks to Captain Rex, the Jedi realized that the Separatists' counterattack was so specific because they had learned his own personal strategy. Cody explained that if the Separatists had figured out how to counter Rex, who was one of the most talented officers they have, the Republic could suffer even more severe losses. He proposed that they lead a squad behind enemy lines to steal any intel the Separatists have from their Cyber Center.

Coruscant

As the battle on Anaxes raged on, the Senate monitored the progress. Padmé was among those senators who followed the situation closely, knowing that Anakin was involved in the conflict. She'd been suffering mightily with morning sickness, and was beginning to find it very difficult to keep up her duties as senator. She had begun to give her assistants and Jar Jar more assignments, all the while planning on taking an extended leave. Padmé knew that her pregnancy was not something she could hide for long; and the last thing she wanted was idle gossip about her and her personal life. On the day that she found out that she was carrying twins, Padmé knew that she could not put if off her chat with the Chancellor any longer.

Palpatine looked up and gave Padmé a smile when he saw her enter his office.

"Senator Amidala, what a delight to see you," Palpatine said, standing up.

"Thank you Chancellor," Padmé said. "I was hoping I could have a moment of your time."

"But of course," Palpatine said. He dismissed his assistant, and then took his seat. "How can I help you?"

"This isn't easy for me," Padmé began. "But it's time. I'm here to tell you that I will be taking an extended leave of absence from my duties, effective immediately."

Palpatine regarded her, carefully assuming a shocked expression, all the while examining her mind. Padmé Amidala was not an easy person to read; she was remarkably intelligent and disciplined. And yet, Palpatine sensed that there was something weighing heavily on her mind. He'd heard the gossip about her, and began to wonder if there was any truth to it.

"Of course," he said. "I won't pry, but I'd be lying if I said you wouldn't be missed, Padmé," he said earnestly.

Padmé smiled. "Thank you, your excellency. I really don't have a choice in the matter. I have some family issues that cannot be ignored."

"I understand, my dear," Palpatine said sympathetically. "You take the time you need."

"Thank you," Padmé said. "I appreciate your understanding."

She left him then, and Palpatine sat for a moment as he digested what he had just learned. He turned in his chair and watched the traffic that was zipping past his window.

En route to Coruscant

As Echo was cared for in the medical wing, Anakin headed to his quarters to get some much needed sleep. He had just kicked off of his boots when his comlink sounded, and a hologram of the chancellor appeared.

"Chancellor Palpatine," Anakin said, standing up.

"Hello my boy," Palpatine said. "How is the mission?"

Anakin found it extremely odd that the chancellor would contact him personally to ask about the mission, despite their friendship. "A success," he said. "We're on our way back to the capital now."

"Excellent," Palpatine said. "Anaxes is extremely important to the Republic," he said.

Anakin grew more puzzled as Palpatine continued to make small talk and made obvious comments. He was tired and wanted to get to sleep. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Not at all, I just wanted to see how things were going," Palpatine said. "And I know you and Senator Amidala have been good friends, and I wanted to let you know that I have every trust that…"

"What about Senator Amidala?" Anakin asked.

Palpatine was pleased at how easily Anakin had taken the bait. "Oh didn't you hear? She has left the capital. Extended personal leave, was how she described it."

"I had not heard," Anakin said. "I can't imagine why she'd leave. I know how dedicated she is to her career."

"You know me, Anakin, I'm not one who indulges in gossip," Palpatine said with a self-deprecating smile. "But I have heard one preposterous rumour going around about her which could explain her departure."

"What? What have you heard?" Anakin prodded.

"I don't believe it for a minute, mind you, but the talk is that she and Senator Clovis had an affair, and that she is now carrying his child," Palpatine said, relishing the rage he felt bubbling up within Anakin.

Anakin said nothing for a moment, for the Chancellor's words were so unexpected, so horrifying that he didn't know what to say. "That doesn't sound like her," he said finally. "I know her quite well, your excellency. I can say with confidence that she had no feelings for Clovis."

"Well, you'd know better than I, my boy," Palpatine said. "I'm sure you're tired, so I'll let you go."

Anakin nodded. "Thank you sir. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodnight my boy."

Anakin sat for a few moments as he considered the conversation he'd just had with the Chancellor. He could hardly believe it was true. But what if it was? Deciding he needed to talk to someone about this, he left his quarters and headed to Obi-Wan's.

"Anakin I was sleeping," Obi-Wan grumbled as Anakin walked into his quarters. "What is so important that it couldn't wait until morning?"

"I just heard from the Chancellor," Anakin said, sitting down on Obi-Wan's bed.

Obi-Wan frowned. "What did he want? And why was he contacting you personally?"

"Good questions," Anakin said. "He said he wanted to see how the mission was going," he said.

"And he contacted you directly to find out?"

Anakin shrugged. "Seemed weird to me too," he said. "But that's not why I wanted to talk to you. He told me something about Padmé, something I'm having trouble believing."

"What did he tell you?"

Anakin frowned. "He told me that she had taken an extended leave," he said. "For personal reasons."

"And?"

"And that there is a rumour going around that she had an affair with Clovis, and that she's now pregnant."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot upwards. "What? Don't tell me you actually believe me that rubbish."

"How do you know it's not true? What if it is true?" Anakin said, growing agitated.

"Think about it, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "Do you really think that Padmé is the type to have an affair? Because she would technically be cheating on you if this were true."

Anakin frowned. "I know."
"Padmé would never do that, you know that as well as I do," Obi-Wan said.

"Then that leave only one possibility," Anakin said. "She's pregnant with my child. Why else would she need to take a leave of absence?"

"If she were pregnant with your child she would tell you," Obi-Wan said. "Surely you realize that. Besides, there could be no truth to this …rumour at all. You know how they like to gossip in the senate. Makes things interesting."

"I suppose so," Anakin said. "Padmé would tell me if she was pregnant," he said, trying to convince himself. "It must be a lie."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I agree."

Anakin considered this. "Then…why did the chancellor feel the need to share this with me? Why would he contact me directly just to pass along that piece of flotsam?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "I don't know, but it bears consideration, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean perhaps the Chancellor knows about your relationship with Padmé, and is trying to elicit a reaction from you."

"But why? If he knows about Padmé and me, which is doubtful as I've never told him, surely he would know how telling me such a thing would upset and anger me. He's my friend, Obi-Wan, why would he want me to feel that way?"

Obi-Wan considered this for a moment. He had his own ideas about the subject, but wasn't sure that Anakin wanted to hear it. "A good question, Anakin," he said. "And it makes me wonder what the Chancellor's true interest in you is."

Anakin frowned. "His true interest? What are you implying?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'm not sure, but perhaps we ought to pay close attention to the Chancellor," he said. "His actions seem quite strange, don't you think? I mean, what did he hope to gain by telling you this nonsense about Padmé except to upset you?"

"I don't know. I …can't imagine."

"Tell me something, Anakin, has he ever said things to you before to upset you? To make you angry?"

Anakin thought for a moment. "He …he often tells me that my talents aren't appreciated by the Jedi," he said.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Anakin said. "He has also suggested that the Jedi Council is…jealous of me and my abilities."

A sense of uneasiness began to blossom inside Obi-Wan. "I see," he said. "I hope you don't believe him."

Anakin wasn't sure how to respond, for he in fact did believe that the Jedi were jealous. But how could he tell Obi-Wan? "I'm not sure what to believe," he replied noncommittally.

"Listen to me, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "I know you consider him a friend, but I cannot shake the feeling that there is a reason he is goading you this way. Promise me that you will be very mindful of his intentions."

"What are you saying? That he can't be trusted?"

"I'm afraid so," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin stood up, agitated. "He's been a friend and a mentor to me," he said. "How can you suggest that he's untrustworthy?"

"Because I sense that there is more to his interest in you than we know," Obi-Wan said. "I'm sorry if that upsets you, but I think you need to know."

Anakin frowned. "I'm going to bed," he said.

Obi-Wan stopped him as he made for the door. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then please consider what I've said," he said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Obi-Wan sat on the edge of his bed after Anakin had left, deeply troubled. He knew that it would be a long time before sleep would come to him this night.

Naboo

As she walked down the cobbled street that lead to her parents' home, Padmé couldn't stem the flood of memories that jumped to her mind. Although it had been less than 3 years since she'd been here, so much had happened in her life in that short span of time. The Clone War had begun, she had married, separated, and had found herself pregnant with twins. She was anxious about telling her parents of her current state: pregnant and alone. They had always seen Padmé as a responsible, level headed person. How would they react to learn that she had muddled up her life so thoroughly?

"Hello? Mom? Dad?" Padmé called as she entered the house. "Are you home?"

Jobal appeared, a look of surprise on her face when she saw Padmé. "Padmé! What a surprise!" she came over at once to hug her daughter. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

"What, and spoil the surprise?" she said with a smile.

Jobal wasn't fooled. "What's wrong?"

At this, Padmé's eyes filled with tears. "Oh Mom, I've made such a mess of things!"

Jobal hugged her again, wondering what could have happened to put her daughter in such a state. "Come and sit down and tell me what's going on," she said. "Come on."

Padmé followed her mother into the kitchen where thy sat down together. "Now," Jobal said as she poured Padmé a cup of tea, "tell me what has you so troubled."

Padmé took the cup from her mother as she formulated how to tell her all that had happened since she last saw her. "Do you remember the young Jedi who was with me when I came to visit you? His name was Anakin Skywalker."

"Yes, I remember," Jobal said. "What of him?"

"A few weeks after we left here, Anakin and I were married," Padmé said.

"Married? You're married? Why didn't you tell us?" Jobal cried.

Padmé sighed. "Because the Jedi are not permitted to marry," she said. "We married in secret, and had to keep our marriage a secret. But it was ill fated," she said sadly.

Jobal frowned. "What you do mean, Padmé?"
"I…..I couldn't live with the lies, the deceit," Padmé explained. "Anakin has been changed by the war, he's grown mistrustful of me, moody and unpredictable. I'm unhappy, Mom, and afraid. Sometimes I don't even know who he is anymore. I'm in the process of ending our marriage. It's breaking my heat to do it, for I love him; but I couldn't live that way anymore. And now…I'm pregnant Mom. I'm carrying Anakin's twins, and I can't allow them to live the kind of life I've been living, one built on lies. I won't put them through that."

Jobal sat back, stunned by her daughter's revelations. "I'm so sorry," she said at last. "How did Anakin take it?"

Padmé frowned. "Not well," she said. "But he hasn't contested it. He knows it would only draw attention to our relationship and that would be disastrous for him. The Jedi would expel him from the Order."

"But surely when they learn he has children they will realize that he has been in a relationship with you," Jobal pointed out.

"I haven't told Anakin about the pregnancy," Padmé said. "I…I don't plan to."

"But they are his children! You can't keep them from him forever, Padmé. It isn't right!"

"Mom, you don't understand," Padmé said. "I'm doing this for my babies. They deserve to have a normal life, a life where they won't have to hide or lie like I have."

"But Anakin should be told," Jobal insisted. "He deserves to have the right to choose between your family and the Jedi."

"I don't want him to have to make that choice," she insisted. "In time, perhaps, I'll tell him, when the war is over. I don't want to complicate his life right now. We weren't planning on having children and it's my fault that I'm pregnant. I won't make him pay for my forgetfulness."

Jobal could see that the decision to end her marriage was tearing her daughter apart, and so she let the matter drop. She knew Padmé well, well enough to know that keeping her children secret from their father would not sit well with her, and that, eventually, she would have no choice but to give in to the demands of her conscience.