CHAPTER SEVEN

LAUGHS AND WORRIES

A month had passed, and Anakin was quite an expert in changing daipers. This made Padmé a little jealous, because it was harder for her. She didn't know how to use the Force so she couldn't make her children still. Anakin could, and she complained saying that he was 'controlling their children, not letting them have their freedom'. That was just a load of crap, she wished she could make them fall asleep like Anakin could, just waving his hand in front of their eyes. But it had it's good side. Whenever Anakin noticed Padmé was tired, he would put the children to sleep to give her some rest. He was a very caring husband and father.

One night, Anakin and Padmé were in bed cuddled. They were talking about the twins and Anakin's well disserved vacation. Suddenly, something complicated things a little.

"Anakin, how long will you be away once this vacation is over? I mean, if they gave you a whole year, they will want to waste no time once you are back on your missions". Padmé was worried about this issue. Anakin had thought about it too, but didn't talked about it with her.

"Don't think about that now, Padmé. I'm here now, so please let's don't talk about it, just enjoy our time together", he pleaded.

"Ani, I'm enjoying our time together, but I can't help to think about how long you'll be gone once this is over. Think about it: normally, you were away at least a month, and that was when we were lucky, but sometimes it was three months, like the last time". Anakin sighed. Padmé rested her chin on his chest and looked at him. "Ani, please don't ask me not to think about it, because I can't do that".

Anakin was going to say something when one of the babies started to cry. Then the other baby joined the crying. Padmé sighed and rolled away from Anakin. She was pushing the covers when Anakin grabbed her arm.

"I'll go, you need to rest". He got up and walked to the babies room. Padmé smiled at her husband. Seconds later, he appeared with the twins in his arms and smiling at them. Padmé pulled the sheets away and Anakin carefully left the twins in the middle of the bed, just between him and Padmé. The twins calmed down inmdiatly as they felt their mother's scent.

"How did you do that?", Anakin asked.

"Well, I might not know any Jedi tricks, but I do know the mother's tricks", she joked. "They recognize my scent, that calms them down, they feel safe. That's why sometimes I leave a nightgown on their cribs", she explained. Anakin nodded and then leaned on his elbow a little confused.

"How come they don't recognize my scent?". Anakin was really curious about all the baby things he needed to know.

"Oh, they recognize your scent alright, they just don't like it. You smell like an old sock".

"Oh, you. . . you. . . ". Anakin was trying to find the right name to call her but didn't seem to find any that would fit.

"What, stinky? You do too much lightsaber training and forget to wash your clothes when you are away. You always forget to take soap with you on your missions. May the Force have mercy with your roommates. . . ", she continued teasing him. She loved to make fun of him, because he got so frustrated. This time, as many others, he turned around and looked at the wall, talking through his teeth while Padmé laughed at him.

"You are so annoying. Why do you always pick it on me? I asked you a question and you make fun of me", Anakin complained. This made the situation even more amusing for Padmé.

"Oh… come on, stinky. You know I love you". She tickled him on the ribs but he pushed her hand away. "Oh, we are sensitive tonight, aren't we? Maybe we should go someplace else to talk about this with more calm, Ani, what do you think?", she asked in a very seductive tone. Anakin turned his head and looked up.

"What are you talking about? We can't leave them alone, they'll start crying again", he spitted out. Padmé loved when he was like this.

"Well, maybe I should leave my nightgown here…", she suggested. Anakin turned around and looked at her. Padmé nodded. "So what do you say, stinky?"

"Whatever you want fat, -old maid". Padmé's smile disapeared.

"Hey! Don't call me fat, you know I hate that!!" That was her weak spot. After having the twins, she was obsessed with getting rid of what was left of her pregnant belly. She was on a really healthy diet and making lots of exercises, and her belly was almost gone, it didn't showed at all. but for Padmé, there was still a long way to go.

"Oh, who's sensitive now, hu? Fatso…", Anakin teased. Revenge was sweet.

"Do you really think I'm fat, Ani? Because if you do, please tell me so. I don't want to look fat to you". Anakin really didn't care about this, he thought she looked beautiful anyway, but he needed to make the most of the situation. So he sat up, looked at her for a while, closed his eyes and then looked at her again, with a smirk.

"You as fat as a hutt", he said in a very serious tone. Padmé's jaw fell in amazement.

"Sure, you're a man, it's so easy for you! You didn't have to carry TWINS for nine months and a half. Yes, nine months and a half, because they were delayed. Sure, you went on your missions, filled with adventures and dangers, while I was stuck home without moving, working here, not able to go to the senate. Apparently, I was too fat to fly. So here you come now, and you are as thin as always, always so perfect, mister hot Jedi, while I have this belly that hangs like a bag every time I stand up!".

She was breathing hard and they looked at each other's eyes for a while. After a minute they started to laugh so hard their stomachs hurt. They even woke up the twins, but with a quick wave of Anakin's hand, they fell back asleep. They continue laughing until Anakin fell off the bed. Padmé looked at him and laughed even harder than she was. Anakin was on the floor holding his stomach laughing with his eyes closed tight. He managed to get to Padmé's side of the bed and kneeled next to her. He reached out for her hand and shook it.

"Hello, I'm mister hot Jedi", Anakin said trying to be serious. Padmé followed the game.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mister hot Jedi. I'm Padmé the Hutt. I would bow to you, but I'm afraid I would slap my face with my baggy stomach". She tried to say this without laughing, but Anakin's chuckles were contagious, so she joined him. Anakin shushed her and pointed to the twins. Padmé noticed this and grabbed his hand. They walked to the balcony and closed the window so that their laughs wouldn't wake up the twins, and continue laughing at each other's new nicknames. They finally calmed down and locked in a tight embrace.

"If we laugh like this I'll loose my belly in no time. You'll have to find me a new nickname", Padmé said giggling. Anakin chuckled and kissed her shoulder.

"So, while we are on this new nicknames thing. . . you think I'm hot?", Anakin asked half kidding half serious. Padmé rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Only when you are quiet".

"Oh, thank you very much", he said a little offended. Padmé laughed and kissed him. Anakin pushed her away and looked to the garden.

"What is it?", she asked a little worried. Anakin shushed her and walked her to the window. They went inside and Anakin went to his shelf to get his lightsaber.

"Take the twins to your closet and lock yourself in that big drawer you have. Don't get out until I come back". Padmé carried both twins and walked to Anakin afraid of what would happen next.

"Anakin, please don't leave us", she pleaded. Anakin touched the twins heads and then looked at Padmé.

"I must, I have to protect you, you three are my family. Please Padmé, do as I say, I'm begging you". Padmé sighed and looked down. She nodded and Anakin kissed the twins and then his wife. He rushed to the window as Padmé locked herself and the twins in her closet. Anakin didn't leave until he saw his family safe. He opened the window and walked to the balcony's rail.

Anakin blocked a blaster shot that suddenly came to him from the bushes in the garden. He jumped to where the blaster shot had come from and faced a hooded attacker. He quickly slashed the attacker in half. He died inmediatly. Anakin removed the attacker's hood and his eyes almost fell off from his head.

It was Jilk, one of senator Palpatine's most trustable servants. He couldn't understand what was going on. Why Jilk went to his home and tried to attack his family?