Obi-Wan Kenobi watched the night activity of the city of Theed silently as he thought over the darkness that had enveloped the galaxy. If anyone were to be blamed for the spreading of the darkness, he had come to believe, it was him. For he had the chance to stop that horrific event from happening. He had the chance to make things different.
He sighed as he knew it was no use thinking about 'what ifs' when it was already too late to do anything. What was done was done, and no one could change it. Even if he had been able to do something, it would have probably end up the same. As the Jedi Order had come to believe, it was the Will of the Force. There was nothing he could have done, or so he tried to believe.
"Jedi Kenobi?" A female voice asked softly. Obi-Wan turned to the source of the voice, the former Queen of Naboo's handmaiden, Sabé. Though the handmaiden was smiling, he knew that she was sad and afraid. Sad that all this had to happen and afraid that the person who had betrayed them all would come for the one he had hurt the most.
"Yes, Sabé?" He answered, studying the way the handmaiden held herself. Fatigue was obvious in her stance. She had been with the former Queen since the early morning, when she had gone into labor. Though Obi-Wan was there for the birth of the twins, he had left when Sabé told him that the former Queen needed rest.
"Padmé wishes to see you," She informed him. "She had told me that it was of importance."
The Jedi nodded, understanding why it was of importance. "All right. I'll be there in a moment." He told her. Sabé gave a half bow, as she was accustomed to do if the presence of a Jedi, turned, and left him alone to his thoughts.
Padmé, he knew, wanted to discuss how they were to handle the situation. The fact that the twins were both her's and Anakin's was a dangerous situation. If Palpatine knew of them...
Shaking his head, dismissing those thoughts, the Jedi Knight made his way to Padmé's chambers. He wouldn't allow Palpatine to discover the twins. It would destroy all hope for peace and the end of Palpatine's new Empire if they were discovered.
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Obi-Wan opened the door slowly and entered the room just as slowly. He did not want to distrub the peaceful atmosphere of the room. Both children, he sensed, were asleep at the moment. Only their mother was awake. Awake and wainting for him to make his way to her side.
Once he had reached her side, the former Queen gave the Jedi a sad smile before looking down at the sleeping children in her arms. Obi-Wan couldn't return the smile, for he still felt it was his fault that the woman before him was now without a husband. Pushing the feeling of guilt aside, he looked at the children in her arms. Watching as the one in her left arm wake, the feeling of guilt hit him harder as the thought that these children would have no father.
Taking a seat in a chair beside the bed, Obi-Wan closed his eyes, trying to find calm and banish the feeling of guilt. But even with the use of the Force, he could not be rid of the sadness he felt from Padmé's presence, which enforced the feeling of guilt. Opening his eyes again, he saw Padmé's gaze on him.
"Obi-Wan--" The young woman stopped herself as she watched the Jedi stand and turn his back to her. Padmé knew how much Obi-Wan blamed himself for Anakin's downfall. She also knew that it had not been his fault. What had happened to Anakin was Anakin's choice, no one elses. It had been Anakin's decision and no others.
After another moment of silence passed, Obi-Wan spoke. "We must separate them." He said, softly. Those words had no effect on the young woman, as she smiled sadly down at her young son, who was awake.
"I know," She answered, looking over to her daughter, who was still asleep in her arms. Even though the statement had no effect, the thought of giving her children away made Padmé's heart ache. "Why'd this have to happen, Obi-Wan?"
The Jed didn't answer, wondering what he should answer. The Will of the Force never revealed it's intentions until it was time. There was no way of knowing why things had turned out this way. After a moment, Obi-Wan decided to tell her the truth.
"I don't know." He said, again softly. There was nothing else to add to that comment, nothing else to say, instead he turned to face Padmé again. The tears that had been forming in her eyes now flowed down her cheeks in twin rivers. Again the sense of failure hit Obi-Wan and again he began to wonder if there was anything he could have done.
He turned his eyes away from her face. He had the chance to bring Anakin back, he had the chance to make everything right. But the chance he had had gone when Anakin fell. Fell and climbed back out of the molten pit, an evil man. A man who had fallen to the Dark Side, and had became Palpatine's servant. A servant who had helped in destroying the Jedi Order and helped in bringing the Empire.
Again Obi-Wan looked to Padmé, but then his gaze fell on the boy she held . The blue eyes of the boy stared up at the Jedi in return. The curiosity and wonderment that came from the child did not go unnoticed by the Jedi. The boy was special, as was the girl--who slept quietly as her brother was wide awake.
The twins were strong in the Force, but since they were to go untrained for most of their lives, their awareness of the Force will become buried. That was to keep them safe from their father.
No, not their father, Obi-Wan thought, watching the boy as he began to sleep again. Their father is gone.
"Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked, her eyes now moist, but her tears no longer flowing. Obi-Wan then nodded, as if he had just decided on an answer of an unasked question.
"I will take the boy, Padmé. I know a place for him, safe from anyone that would harm him." The Jedi said. Padmé nodded, looking to the sleeping boy.
"And his sister?" She asked quietly, looking up to him. Obi-Wan paused for a moment before answering.
"Take her with you to Alderaan. Bail Organa should be able to take care of her." He said, turning away from her again. Padmé looked back down at her children again.
"Where will you take him?" She asked. Obi-Wan sighed, leaning his head slightly back, closed his eyes.
"I won't lie to you, but I believe that if...he were to find you he would try to find them as well. Especially the boy." He answered softly, Though he didn't see it, he knew that Padmé's forced back tears began to flow once again once he had finished.
"I...I under-understand." Padmé said, her voice strained as she tried to control her emotions. Obi-Wan then turned towards her, a grim look overtaking his features.
"We'll have to separate them soon, before they can form a Force bond." He told her. Padmé closed her eyes and nodded, her tears still flowing. The Jedi reached out and took the boy, who began to awake again. Padmé opened her eyes again, her eyes glistening with a new flood of tears stinging at them.
"Please no, Obi-Wan." She whispered, holding the girl closer to her. Obi-Wan's face softened as he looked at the brokenhearted woman.
"I'm sorry." He said, just as softly as he took one last look at her before turning away. He began to walk, stealing himself for the sobs he knew he would hear. They didn't come.
"Luke," Padmé's voice called after him. Obi-Wan paused, listening, but did not turn back to her. "His name is Luke."
He nodded slowly, but still did not face her. "And the girl?" He asked.
"Leia." She answered, her voice soft and no longer strained. Again Obi-Wan nodded.
"So they shall be known." He whispered loud enough for Padmé to hear. After a moment of silence, the Jedi began to walk, exiting the room and entering the long halls. As the distance between Padmé and Obi-Wan grew, the young Luke began to cry, no longer able to feel his mother and sister through the Force. Obi-Wan calmed his confused and frightened mind through the Force, and left the young Luke to cry as the child could sense that his sister was crying as well through what small of a Force bond had been created between the two...
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There's the fic. It seems to me that there could be more to this fic, but I want your opinion about it. Tell me in your review before you leave. Thanks. ~KoD