CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

NEW MISSION, NEW JOB, NEW HOME

A couple of weeks passed, and Han and Leia were getting very close. Anakin always managed to spy on them, telling Padmé that he just wanted to make sure they were alright. Padmé answered him to just let them be, so he had to pretend he walked away until Padmé didn't notice he was still in the room, watching over Leia and Han. Leia noticed her father watching her when she was hanging out with Han, and she was going to do something about it.

One morning, she walked towards her parents bedroom. She opened the door but nobody was there.

"Dad?", she called.

"I'm in the closet, honey. Come in!", he yelled from inside the closet. Leia walked towards the couch and sat down. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Anakin's bag was on top of the bed.

"Hey, dad?". Anakin walked out of the closet carrying some of his extra Jedi robes and cloaks. "Do you have a mission?", she asked a little sad.

"Yes, it's a very important one. Is your mother back from the senate meeting?", he asked.

"No, not yet. Are you leaving right away?". Anakin dropped the clothes on the bag and sighed.

"Yes, Leia. I have to leave as soon as possible. I hope Padmé comes back soon, so that I can tell her...". Leia stood up in a jump.

"You mean she doesn't know?", she asked in disbelief. Anakin shook his head. "Then I'll call her so that she comes back earlier. I hate to be the messenger between you two every time you have to leave to attend your personal affairs".

"No, don't call her. This was a very important meeting, your mother may be nominated for supreme chancellor, and she can't refuse this time, they had ask her too many times. If she accepts, things will get a little more difficult here...", he said in a sad tone. Leia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry, daddy. Everything will be alright", she said trying to comfort him. Anakin smiled at her daughter. She was just like her mother, the same heigth, same hair, same look.

"Thank you, honey. Tell me, how can I help you. You didn't get a chance to tell me what you wanted to ask me".

"Well, I came to ask you to stop spying Han and me. I'm not stupid, you know...", she said smiling. Her smile widened when she saw Anakin blushing. "Daddy, it's alright, I know you worry about me, but there are limits. Please stop cheking if I'm doing alright with Han". Anakin sighed.

"Fine!, I'll stop spying you two. Now tell me: do you like him?". This time, Leia blushed.

"Um, we are just friends. Of course I like him, he's very nice and funny. He's a great friend". She looked at her shoes, but Anakin raised her head with his hand.

"But you wish that you were more than that, do you?", he asked in a sweet tone. Leia nodded a little sad. Anakin hugged her and kissed her head. "Don't worry, you are young and beautiful, and smart, and funny. You'll be able to get any guy you want, believe me. Besides, I'm a man, and I can tell when somebody is attracted to a woman. You should know all the times I got jealous when a guy saw your mother with 'unfriendly' eyes". Leia laughed.

"Believe me, I know. She's always complaining about that". Anakin laughed along with his daughter. They stoped when they heard somebody clearing it's throat.

"What's so funny that I should know about?", Padmé said smiling from the door frame.

"Oh! Uh... nothing, really. Bye dad, have a safe trip", Leia said as she kissed her father goodbye. She left the room with a very confused Padmé behind.

"What trip?", Padmé asked curious. Anakin sighed.

"I have a very important mission, there appears to be some new Sith order in the moons of Hiliers. Me and some 20 other Jedi must go there and do some investigations".

"Sounds like a long mission...", Padmé added. Anakin nodded, very sad.

"Yes, at least four months". Padmé's eyes widened.

"Four months! Ani, that's too long!", she argued.

"Yes, but remember my other missions, sometimes they were longer than that. The last one I had lasted for a year, remember? The one in Caie?". Padmé sighed. She walked towards Anakin and hugged him.

"Yes, I remember. It's just that it was so long ago, I was getting used to have you at home, since there was peace on the galaxy and all..." Anakin nodded.

"Yes, I know. But things will start to get a little rough with this new order", he pointed.

"I'm aware of that. As a matter of fact, I knew that you'd have to go in your missions again, we discussed that in the meeting. It seems that there are not only Sith orders in the galaxy, there are also rebel aliances. Things will get rough indeed...", padmé said in a tired and concerned tone.

"Really?". Padmé nodded. "Where you nominated to sipreme chancellor?", Anakin asked, praying that she wasn't. Padmé released him and walked towards the window. Anakin knew that thi were not good news.

"Yes, and I accepted. I had no other choice, it was me or some other rebel leader that was nominated by half the senate. If I didn't accepted, all the things that we have work so hard for would be destroyed", she explained.

Anakin walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you have to live in Courasant?", he whispered. Padmé nodded. "Then, what will we do about the kids?", he asked.

"Well, Luke already lives in Courasant, so that's settled. Leia could go to the politics academy she always wanted to go, I'll take Shmi with me, I shouldn't explain why...", they both laughed. "And Kobby... I guess that he'll have to stay here, with my parents..."

"Wait a minute, why can't you take Kobby with you?", Anakin asked confused.

"Because he's too young, and he's always braking things, and running around. I wouldn't have time to be with him or to control him", she explained. Anakin released her and his expresion torn angry.

"Oh, I see. But you can take Shmi, right? You act as if she was your favorite!"

"Anakin! How can you say that? I love all my children the same way!", she answered upset.

"Then why can't you take Kobby with you?", he asked again.

"I already told you, I will not have time to be with him, nor take care of him".

"But Padmé, our children will be apart from each other, at least let Leia stay here and be with Kobby", Anakin suggested.

"No way, she's too young to take care of Kobby...", she said shaking her head.

"Then Sabé will stay here with both of them", Anakin said.

"Impossible, I'm taking Sabé with me".

"Why? Oh, I remeber, you can't get dressed by yourself...", he saids in a sarcastic tone. This made Padmé even more upset.

"Anakin! You know that I'm not taking her with me for that, she's my decoy. Now that I'm new supreme chancellor, there are going to be many assasination attemps against my life!". She took a couple of deep breaths and continued. "Kobby is staying with my parents, and that's final", she finished.

"Alright, alright, whatever you say, m'lady. It's good to know which your priorities are. I have to go now. Goodbye". Anakin grabbed his bag and left the room, ready to go on his new mission.