Oct 2002
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 15
Anakin's anxiety simmered just below the surface as he looked at the faces of the two Jedi Masters. "It's been two weeks and I have received a new summons to the Chancellor's office. We have the notes, written in his own hand, isn't that enough to start an official investigation?"
"I'm sorry Anakin, but no amount of evidence against the Chancellor is going to help you."
"I don't understand, Master Windu."
Mace sighed. "The Chancellor has the senate firmly on his side, and the anti-Jedi sentiment has been growing for a long time. People fear us, though we are keepers of the Peace."
"They fear the unknown, Master, what they don't understand. Is he controlling them?"
Mace nodded, leaning forward and steepling his fingers together in front of him. "We believe so, and we don't know any way of solving the problem beyond eliminating him. Even together, we couldn't break, and keep broken, the link between him and the other senators. He's too powerful."
"Master Windu." Anakin cleared his throat and tried again, his mouth dry. He had to phrase this carefully. "Master Windu. Master Qui-Gon always called me the Chosen One. I didn't believe him, but I have excelled in every aspect of my training and overcome the obstacles. I have broken a few of the codes and, if I admit the truth, those codes would have led to my complete turning. Only my wife has saved me from darkness. I have heard it said that I have a higher midichlorien count than any Jedi, including Master Yoda. Would it also stand to reason, I would be more powerful, or have the potential to be more powerful?"
He dared not look up at his Masters. His words were insolent, full of hidden pride. Secretly he wanted them to confirm it, and yet, a part of him didn't want to know.
Mace's voice finally brought his head up. "Anakin, you have been powerful, more powerful than a lot of Jedi have a right to be. The Force is a part of you, more than any Jedi I have ever met. Obi-Wan has shown you have to reach out completely, to merge yourself with the Force so seamlessly, that you have access to powers only Masters ever reach. But I caution you. Accessing those powers without the control to use them may result in your death."
"If my death is necessary to ensure the prosperity and safety of my family and the Jedi, I will gladly give it."
"Surprise me, you do, Skywalker."
He turned to look at Master Yoda, feeling the assessing gaze clear through to his toes. He opened his mind to the small Master, allowing him to see the truth of his words.
"Seek death so eagerly, do you?"
"No, Master."
"Life, not Death, your objective is."
"I know, Master. But if it means my family, Luke, Leia and Padmé can go on living and prosper, I will gladly surrender my life in return for theirs."
"Know this, the Chancellor does. Use it against you, he will."
Anakin shrugged. "I know. This is why I must face him alone."
"Face him alone and turn you will. Foreseen it I have. Your strength, your family is."
Anakin's blood ran cold. "You foresaw my future?"
"Hard to see, your future is. But clear, some things are. Too alone are you. Alone, you will fail."
He turned Yoda's words over in his mind before bowing to the Masters. "Thank you, Master Yoda, Master Windu. If you will excuse me, I need to get some sleep before my meeting tomorrow." He turned on his heel and strode from the room, his mind examining what he'd been told. If he faced the Chancellor alone, he'd lose. He suspected as much. Shaking his head, he keyed the turbolift and sighed. He'd have to wait until Padmé was well enough to come with him. She, if no one else, would keep him from turning. Stepping into the lift, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He didn't know if he had the patience to wait for a month before facing Palpatine but he didn't have a choice.
Padmé was back in her healing trance when Anakin returned to her room. He sat next to her, fluffing her pillow, tucking the blanket up around her neck and gently shifting her into her most comfortable position. "I wish you were awake, Angel."
She was still as his breath feathered across her brow, followed by a gentle kiss. "I know I just talked to you, but that was before Master Yoda revealed his vision. Did you know that he's seen my falling? If I go to face Palpatine alone, he says I'll fail. He said I need you because you're my strength, my conviction." He smiled wryly, "Well, ok, he didn't say that exactly, but it was what he implied. You're the only one who can save me, Angel, but you need to be better and healed before we can go challenge him. The trances help; they accelerate your healing process because you're connected to Jedi healers, but what if you're not ready when Palpatine decides he's had enough of this game? What if tomorrow is the day he decides to show me the error of my ways and I can't stop him?"
He bowed his head, "What if he succeeds in taking me from you again? I'd rather die, Padmé, than become his servant. Life without you isn't worth living." He slid onto the bed with her, locking the door with a thought, and curled around her body protectively. "I love you, and I'll never let anyone or anything harm you again."
She lay still and silent in his arms, but he was content to leave it at that. Holding her close, even if she couldn't feel it, he drew strength from her body's nearness. Closing his eyes, he slept.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was in a meeting. Anakin paced back and forth across his waiting room, checking his chrono. It was noon, what could be taking so long? He wanted to get this over with and get back to his wife.
The doors opened and several Senators came walking out, talking amongst themselves about something serious. Anakin paid them no mind as he entered the office without asking. "You've gone over time, Chancellor. Or did you forget our appointment?"
"You are insolent, boy."
Anakin braced his feet on the carpet, his hands behind his back as he stared defiantly at the Sith Lord. "To you? Whenever possible. What do you want, sir?"
Palpatine was seated in his high-backed chair at his desk, but his eyes burned with cold fury. "You are in my territory, Skywalker."
Anakin looked around the dark office. It was just the two of them. He couldn't sense anyone else nearby either, but Palpatine could be blocking his abilities. "So it would seem, Chancellor. You requested I meet you here, why?"
"I ordered you here, and you came."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "There was no order, it was in my best interest to come or I would have sent you my regrets. What do you want?"
"You know what I want. Your children will turn if you do not. You have them hidden from me, but I will find them. Even now I have agents searching the systems, unknown and known, for the Skywalker twins. Every one of my agents is Force Sensitive and highly skilled in tracking Force Sensitives."
Anakin's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he fought against his anger, Palpatine's smile a malicious one. "I feel your anger, your hatred. You are powerful, Skywalker, as powerful as I perhaps. With training you could become the greatest Jedi of all."
Anakin took a deep breath, concentrating on the image of his wife in his mind, and slowly released it. He needed calm to face this monster. "You trained me once, Chancellor, and look what it got you. I disappeared and you couldn't find me. My children are safe from you; none of your agents will ever find them. I will never be your apprentice again. I am a Jedi Knight in my own right. I may have a lot to learn yet, but I refuse to do it in your shadow."
"I see you still need time to understand your position, Skywalker. You have one month. One month to reconsider my request." His eyes burned with an unnatural light, almost as if he were burning from within. "When a month's time is up I expect to see you on your knees at my feet, where you belong, begging me to teach you."
Anakin smiled, the exactly opposite reaction Palpatine was expecting. "Keep dreaming, Your Excellency, for that is all it is."
Palpatine's smile was an ugly thing. "I have foreseen it. You will kneel at my feet Skywalker, you can't escape your destiny."
"I make my own destiny. Leave my family alone or I will destroy you." Anakin turned his back on the Sith Lord and strode from the room, his back straight. He wouldn't be intimidated by that man, no matter the circumstances. Grimly, he made his way back to the Jedi Temple and the woman he loved. They'd been given a grace period and would have to plan carefully for the coming confrontation.
Obi-Wan was waiting for Anakin when he returned to the Temple. "I hear you had an unexpected visitor last night."
Anakin continued walking as Obi-Wan fell in step beside him. "I did."
"And you didn't think to wake me."
Anakin remained silent at the accusation. He deserved it; he hadn't given Obi-Wan a single thought. Well, maybe one, but he hadn't thought to wake the man.
"She's carrying my child and intends to use him-"
"Her."
"What?"
Anakin glanced at him. "Her. You're going to have a daughter."
Obi-Wan stopped, dragging the younger man with him. "How do you know? Did she tell you that?"
"No. I had a vision."
"How do you know it was my child?"
Anakin smiled faintly. "I know. She grows up with your hair color, tinted with gold. She has her mother's frame, her jade eyes, and her build. Not to mention the willful nature. I saw her holding a young man who looks remarkably like me." His smile was proud. "My son Luke. I got the impression of great sorrow, loss and conflict. Yet there was the impression of strength and understanding underneath. I can't explain it, Obi-Wan, but I know who they are."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because she's your daughter. She'll be extremely powerful in the Force."
"It's only a possibility, Anakin. Pearl could deliver a boy. The future is always in motion, you know that."
"Believe what you will Obi-Wan. My vision was clear, as if I was standing right there. Mark my words, Tasha will give you a daughter."
They were silent as they resumed walking. Obi-Wan broke it after a few minutes. "Did she really try to kill you?"
Anakin nodded as they neared the medical lab. "She would have succeeded if Padmé hadn't disabled her and drawn her attention."
"Padmé shot her?"
"She had to. Don't look at me like that, Tasha was going to cut me in two!"
"But she's pregnant with my child!"
"Pregnant or not she tried to kill me. She's a trained assassin, Obi-Wan, and a force to be reckoned with. She'll be fine. Padmé only shot her in the arm."
Obi-Wan visibly relaxed. "You should have stunned her."
"Stunning a pregnant woman in the early stages of her pregnancy is a sure way to cause her to lose the baby."
"I didn't know. Where is she now?"
"Search me. She ran off when I told her about my vision. She's very powerful, Obi-Wan."
"I know." He ran a hand through his hair uncharacteristically. "Look, I need to know what your meeting with the Chancellor was about. That's the real reason I'm here."
Anakin snorted. "Yeah, right. I swear you're sweet on Tasha."
"That's enough, Anakin."
"Don't get so defensive my friend, even a Jedi is allowed to enjoy a fling. Especially older Jedi."
"I will forget you said that, young one. Tell me, what happened with the Chancellor today?"
Anakin's eyes were twinkling mischievously but he let the matter drop, his demeanor becoming serious as he recounted his meeting with Palpatine.
Obi-Wan listened attentively as they stopped outside the Medical lab. He nodded thoughtfully. "We have a month's reprieve. I suggest we don't waste it."
"No kidding." Anakin chuckled, shaking his head. "I need to tell Padmé, she's probably sick with worry about me."
"That's what you think, Skywalker."
They spun, Anakin's dazzling smile in full force at the unexpected interruption. Her voice sounded much stronger, more normal, than it had for weeks. She was seated in a repulsor chair next to her door, eavesdropping shamelessly on their conversation.
"Don't give me that glare, Anakin," she scolded him as his smiled died to be replaced with a glare that promised a reprimand. "I'm under medical orders to sit outside my room and wait for my husband to escort me to the gardens."
He looked sheepish. "Sorry, Milady."
"Don't start. It's good to see you Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan bowed to her, his lips fighting a smile. "You're looking lovely today, Lady."
She laughed softly. "I have a name. Both of you know it, so please use it."
They grinned boyishly before Anakin moved to her chair and took control, maneuvering her down the halls towards the garden's inside entrance.
Obi-Wan took his leave at the garden doors. "Don't wear her out Skywalker, I'll find you later to discuss strategies."
Anakin mentally opened the doors before steering Padmé's chair into the gardens.
One of the few green spots on the planet, it was fully enclosed in its own environmental system. Trees that grew as tall as the roof, their silken leaves brushing the floor, lined the walls. Bushes of every size and shape formed an area that soothed the soul and encouraged meditation. A universal green-brown held a muted beauty, the fountain at the center of the gardens making it serene.
Anakin moved her chair to one of the benches beside the sparkling fountain. "I know it's not the lake country, but it's all I have to offer right now."
She smiled up at him as he transferred her to the bench. "It's lovely, Anakin. I wasn't expecting much. Maybe a rock garden, knowing how stubborn the Jedi are about order."
He chuckled. "Next time I'll take you to somewhere with a lake so you can swim. For now, we'll have to settle for the fountain."
She snuggled against him as he sat next to her, laying her head on his shoulder. "I can hardly wait. I heard what you said to Obi-Wan."
"About? We covered a couple of topics."
"About the Chancellor. Do we really have a month?"
"He said so," Anakin shook his head, "I highly doubt we'll have that long. I think it's more time so he can try to find the twins."
She sighed. "I miss them, Anakin."
He held her as she curled into his embrace. "Me too, Angel, me too."
"I wish they were here. If they were, I wouldn't be worrying about their safety."
"They're safe, I promise you that. Palpatine will never find them. Know who else I miss?"
She glanced up at him, content to be held. "Who?"
He smiled a charming half-smile. "You. How're you feeling today?"
"Better. The trances they put me in seem to help."
"You seem stronger this morning."
She smiled coquettishly at him, placing a hand on his thigh. "I feel stronger. The healers said I should be well enough by next week to be let out of the lab."
He looked hopeful. "Really?"
She nodded, her hand sliding higher and squeezing before he caught her hand and stilled it. She knew exactly the effect she had on him. "Did you talk to the technician?"
"No, why?"
"She said the trances have a beneficial side effect. I have one more examination before they let me out next week, however I will be completely recovered from having the twins, if you catch my meaning."
His eyes widened in surprise. He was still for a moment. "A week you said?"
She nodded, raising an eyebrow at the choked words. He was having trouble breathing, she could tell that much. "That's what the tech said."
He spun off the bench, out of her reach, before closing his eyes and searching for control. The half-smile slid across his lips again as he opened his eyes and turned to kneel in front of her. "A shade easier to bear than four or five months, Angel. You'd tempt a Master.
She laughed delightedly, circling his neck with her arm as he scooped her up and spun her around. "I was so worried about you after what the tech told me." He admitted it to her readily. She was going to be fine! "I thought I'd signed your death warrant."
She cupped his face in her hands, searching his clear blue eyes. She saw his relief, his love for her, and kissed him. "You'll never lose me, Anakin." She told him between kisses, her lips gentle on his. "I'll never leave you without a fight."
He kissed her gently, passionately, melding their hearts together again as she threaded her hands through his hair. He wanted her to touch him, he wanted to touch her, to love her again. Damn his passionate nature anyway, he wanted to draw hers out again like he had on their honeymoon.
The delicate clearing of a throat brought them back to reality, as Anakin was moving to sit, Padmé in his arms. They looked up, meeting the gaze of the technician who'd been in charge of Padmé's care from the beginning. She was smiling apologetically. "I hate to interrupt, but no matter how adorable the two of you look together, I have to collect my charge. It's time for her next treatment."
Padmé made a face. She wanted to stay where she was and enjoy her day with Anakin. He obeyed the technician, though, and carried her to her chair before steering it towards the entrance of the garden. She grumbled. "Fine. Next time I want to be in the meadow at our retreat, and I want it to be for the day."
He chuckled. "Next time we head to that meadow I hope to bring Luke and Leia."
The had tech disappeared when Anakin had started leaving the garden, leaving them to each other while they made their way back to the lab.
"Anakin?"
"Yes, love?"
"Do you intend to just wait until Palpatine cocks his finger and calls us to him?"
"Of course not. We have to plan first to make sure nothing goes wrong. And you need to be healed. I won't risk you, Angel."
"Anakin."
"Hmm?"
"Since when do you plan anything? Normally you just draw your lightsaber and cut down anything that stands in your way."
He tugged on a lock of her hair. "I have a family to consider. You're putting your life on the line with me."
"That's nothing new."
He chuckled. "True, but we now have two very good reasons to live through this. I want to see our children again."
She looked back over her should at him, smiling. "Likewise. I'd like to add to their number, if you have no objection."
He guided her chair into her room, shaking his head. "If we live through this, you can count on it."
Padmé grabbed the back of his head as he bent to pick her up and kissed him. "I expect you to keep that promise, Skywalker."
He settled her on the bunk, his half-smile in place. "If I don't, you can confine me to our bed for a week."
Grinning wickedly she lay back against the pillows. "Make it a month, and you're on."
He chuckled softly as he smoothed her hair, dropped a kiss on her forehead and retreated. "Sleep. Heal. When you're better we can discuss this it all you want."
She laughed as he moved towards the door. "You can run, Skywalker, but you can't hide!"
He looked back over his shoulder, his blue eyes smoldering with his inner desires as they met hers. His voice was low when he spoke. "I wouldn't want to."
The door closed behind him and Padmé lay back, exhausted. A satisfied smile crossed her face. Her husband was enamored with her; he loved her, cared for her. Could she ask for anything more?
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 15
Anakin's anxiety simmered just below the surface as he looked at the faces of the two Jedi Masters. "It's been two weeks and I have received a new summons to the Chancellor's office. We have the notes, written in his own hand, isn't that enough to start an official investigation?"
"I'm sorry Anakin, but no amount of evidence against the Chancellor is going to help you."
"I don't understand, Master Windu."
Mace sighed. "The Chancellor has the senate firmly on his side, and the anti-Jedi sentiment has been growing for a long time. People fear us, though we are keepers of the Peace."
"They fear the unknown, Master, what they don't understand. Is he controlling them?"
Mace nodded, leaning forward and steepling his fingers together in front of him. "We believe so, and we don't know any way of solving the problem beyond eliminating him. Even together, we couldn't break, and keep broken, the link between him and the other senators. He's too powerful."
"Master Windu." Anakin cleared his throat and tried again, his mouth dry. He had to phrase this carefully. "Master Windu. Master Qui-Gon always called me the Chosen One. I didn't believe him, but I have excelled in every aspect of my training and overcome the obstacles. I have broken a few of the codes and, if I admit the truth, those codes would have led to my complete turning. Only my wife has saved me from darkness. I have heard it said that I have a higher midichlorien count than any Jedi, including Master Yoda. Would it also stand to reason, I would be more powerful, or have the potential to be more powerful?"
He dared not look up at his Masters. His words were insolent, full of hidden pride. Secretly he wanted them to confirm it, and yet, a part of him didn't want to know.
Mace's voice finally brought his head up. "Anakin, you have been powerful, more powerful than a lot of Jedi have a right to be. The Force is a part of you, more than any Jedi I have ever met. Obi-Wan has shown you have to reach out completely, to merge yourself with the Force so seamlessly, that you have access to powers only Masters ever reach. But I caution you. Accessing those powers without the control to use them may result in your death."
"If my death is necessary to ensure the prosperity and safety of my family and the Jedi, I will gladly give it."
"Surprise me, you do, Skywalker."
He turned to look at Master Yoda, feeling the assessing gaze clear through to his toes. He opened his mind to the small Master, allowing him to see the truth of his words.
"Seek death so eagerly, do you?"
"No, Master."
"Life, not Death, your objective is."
"I know, Master. But if it means my family, Luke, Leia and Padmé can go on living and prosper, I will gladly surrender my life in return for theirs."
"Know this, the Chancellor does. Use it against you, he will."
Anakin shrugged. "I know. This is why I must face him alone."
"Face him alone and turn you will. Foreseen it I have. Your strength, your family is."
Anakin's blood ran cold. "You foresaw my future?"
"Hard to see, your future is. But clear, some things are. Too alone are you. Alone, you will fail."
He turned Yoda's words over in his mind before bowing to the Masters. "Thank you, Master Yoda, Master Windu. If you will excuse me, I need to get some sleep before my meeting tomorrow." He turned on his heel and strode from the room, his mind examining what he'd been told. If he faced the Chancellor alone, he'd lose. He suspected as much. Shaking his head, he keyed the turbolift and sighed. He'd have to wait until Padmé was well enough to come with him. She, if no one else, would keep him from turning. Stepping into the lift, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He didn't know if he had the patience to wait for a month before facing Palpatine but he didn't have a choice.
Padmé was back in her healing trance when Anakin returned to her room. He sat next to her, fluffing her pillow, tucking the blanket up around her neck and gently shifting her into her most comfortable position. "I wish you were awake, Angel."
She was still as his breath feathered across her brow, followed by a gentle kiss. "I know I just talked to you, but that was before Master Yoda revealed his vision. Did you know that he's seen my falling? If I go to face Palpatine alone, he says I'll fail. He said I need you because you're my strength, my conviction." He smiled wryly, "Well, ok, he didn't say that exactly, but it was what he implied. You're the only one who can save me, Angel, but you need to be better and healed before we can go challenge him. The trances help; they accelerate your healing process because you're connected to Jedi healers, but what if you're not ready when Palpatine decides he's had enough of this game? What if tomorrow is the day he decides to show me the error of my ways and I can't stop him?"
He bowed his head, "What if he succeeds in taking me from you again? I'd rather die, Padmé, than become his servant. Life without you isn't worth living." He slid onto the bed with her, locking the door with a thought, and curled around her body protectively. "I love you, and I'll never let anyone or anything harm you again."
She lay still and silent in his arms, but he was content to leave it at that. Holding her close, even if she couldn't feel it, he drew strength from her body's nearness. Closing his eyes, he slept.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was in a meeting. Anakin paced back and forth across his waiting room, checking his chrono. It was noon, what could be taking so long? He wanted to get this over with and get back to his wife.
The doors opened and several Senators came walking out, talking amongst themselves about something serious. Anakin paid them no mind as he entered the office without asking. "You've gone over time, Chancellor. Or did you forget our appointment?"
"You are insolent, boy."
Anakin braced his feet on the carpet, his hands behind his back as he stared defiantly at the Sith Lord. "To you? Whenever possible. What do you want, sir?"
Palpatine was seated in his high-backed chair at his desk, but his eyes burned with cold fury. "You are in my territory, Skywalker."
Anakin looked around the dark office. It was just the two of them. He couldn't sense anyone else nearby either, but Palpatine could be blocking his abilities. "So it would seem, Chancellor. You requested I meet you here, why?"
"I ordered you here, and you came."
Anakin raised an eyebrow. "There was no order, it was in my best interest to come or I would have sent you my regrets. What do you want?"
"You know what I want. Your children will turn if you do not. You have them hidden from me, but I will find them. Even now I have agents searching the systems, unknown and known, for the Skywalker twins. Every one of my agents is Force Sensitive and highly skilled in tracking Force Sensitives."
Anakin's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he fought against his anger, Palpatine's smile a malicious one. "I feel your anger, your hatred. You are powerful, Skywalker, as powerful as I perhaps. With training you could become the greatest Jedi of all."
Anakin took a deep breath, concentrating on the image of his wife in his mind, and slowly released it. He needed calm to face this monster. "You trained me once, Chancellor, and look what it got you. I disappeared and you couldn't find me. My children are safe from you; none of your agents will ever find them. I will never be your apprentice again. I am a Jedi Knight in my own right. I may have a lot to learn yet, but I refuse to do it in your shadow."
"I see you still need time to understand your position, Skywalker. You have one month. One month to reconsider my request." His eyes burned with an unnatural light, almost as if he were burning from within. "When a month's time is up I expect to see you on your knees at my feet, where you belong, begging me to teach you."
Anakin smiled, the exactly opposite reaction Palpatine was expecting. "Keep dreaming, Your Excellency, for that is all it is."
Palpatine's smile was an ugly thing. "I have foreseen it. You will kneel at my feet Skywalker, you can't escape your destiny."
"I make my own destiny. Leave my family alone or I will destroy you." Anakin turned his back on the Sith Lord and strode from the room, his back straight. He wouldn't be intimidated by that man, no matter the circumstances. Grimly, he made his way back to the Jedi Temple and the woman he loved. They'd been given a grace period and would have to plan carefully for the coming confrontation.
Obi-Wan was waiting for Anakin when he returned to the Temple. "I hear you had an unexpected visitor last night."
Anakin continued walking as Obi-Wan fell in step beside him. "I did."
"And you didn't think to wake me."
Anakin remained silent at the accusation. He deserved it; he hadn't given Obi-Wan a single thought. Well, maybe one, but he hadn't thought to wake the man.
"She's carrying my child and intends to use him-"
"Her."
"What?"
Anakin glanced at him. "Her. You're going to have a daughter."
Obi-Wan stopped, dragging the younger man with him. "How do you know? Did she tell you that?"
"No. I had a vision."
"How do you know it was my child?"
Anakin smiled faintly. "I know. She grows up with your hair color, tinted with gold. She has her mother's frame, her jade eyes, and her build. Not to mention the willful nature. I saw her holding a young man who looks remarkably like me." His smile was proud. "My son Luke. I got the impression of great sorrow, loss and conflict. Yet there was the impression of strength and understanding underneath. I can't explain it, Obi-Wan, but I know who they are."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because she's your daughter. She'll be extremely powerful in the Force."
"It's only a possibility, Anakin. Pearl could deliver a boy. The future is always in motion, you know that."
"Believe what you will Obi-Wan. My vision was clear, as if I was standing right there. Mark my words, Tasha will give you a daughter."
They were silent as they resumed walking. Obi-Wan broke it after a few minutes. "Did she really try to kill you?"
Anakin nodded as they neared the medical lab. "She would have succeeded if Padmé hadn't disabled her and drawn her attention."
"Padmé shot her?"
"She had to. Don't look at me like that, Tasha was going to cut me in two!"
"But she's pregnant with my child!"
"Pregnant or not she tried to kill me. She's a trained assassin, Obi-Wan, and a force to be reckoned with. She'll be fine. Padmé only shot her in the arm."
Obi-Wan visibly relaxed. "You should have stunned her."
"Stunning a pregnant woman in the early stages of her pregnancy is a sure way to cause her to lose the baby."
"I didn't know. Where is she now?"
"Search me. She ran off when I told her about my vision. She's very powerful, Obi-Wan."
"I know." He ran a hand through his hair uncharacteristically. "Look, I need to know what your meeting with the Chancellor was about. That's the real reason I'm here."
Anakin snorted. "Yeah, right. I swear you're sweet on Tasha."
"That's enough, Anakin."
"Don't get so defensive my friend, even a Jedi is allowed to enjoy a fling. Especially older Jedi."
"I will forget you said that, young one. Tell me, what happened with the Chancellor today?"
Anakin's eyes were twinkling mischievously but he let the matter drop, his demeanor becoming serious as he recounted his meeting with Palpatine.
Obi-Wan listened attentively as they stopped outside the Medical lab. He nodded thoughtfully. "We have a month's reprieve. I suggest we don't waste it."
"No kidding." Anakin chuckled, shaking his head. "I need to tell Padmé, she's probably sick with worry about me."
"That's what you think, Skywalker."
They spun, Anakin's dazzling smile in full force at the unexpected interruption. Her voice sounded much stronger, more normal, than it had for weeks. She was seated in a repulsor chair next to her door, eavesdropping shamelessly on their conversation.
"Don't give me that glare, Anakin," she scolded him as his smiled died to be replaced with a glare that promised a reprimand. "I'm under medical orders to sit outside my room and wait for my husband to escort me to the gardens."
He looked sheepish. "Sorry, Milady."
"Don't start. It's good to see you Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan bowed to her, his lips fighting a smile. "You're looking lovely today, Lady."
She laughed softly. "I have a name. Both of you know it, so please use it."
They grinned boyishly before Anakin moved to her chair and took control, maneuvering her down the halls towards the garden's inside entrance.
Obi-Wan took his leave at the garden doors. "Don't wear her out Skywalker, I'll find you later to discuss strategies."
Anakin mentally opened the doors before steering Padmé's chair into the gardens.
One of the few green spots on the planet, it was fully enclosed in its own environmental system. Trees that grew as tall as the roof, their silken leaves brushing the floor, lined the walls. Bushes of every size and shape formed an area that soothed the soul and encouraged meditation. A universal green-brown held a muted beauty, the fountain at the center of the gardens making it serene.
Anakin moved her chair to one of the benches beside the sparkling fountain. "I know it's not the lake country, but it's all I have to offer right now."
She smiled up at him as he transferred her to the bench. "It's lovely, Anakin. I wasn't expecting much. Maybe a rock garden, knowing how stubborn the Jedi are about order."
He chuckled. "Next time I'll take you to somewhere with a lake so you can swim. For now, we'll have to settle for the fountain."
She snuggled against him as he sat next to her, laying her head on his shoulder. "I can hardly wait. I heard what you said to Obi-Wan."
"About? We covered a couple of topics."
"About the Chancellor. Do we really have a month?"
"He said so," Anakin shook his head, "I highly doubt we'll have that long. I think it's more time so he can try to find the twins."
She sighed. "I miss them, Anakin."
He held her as she curled into his embrace. "Me too, Angel, me too."
"I wish they were here. If they were, I wouldn't be worrying about their safety."
"They're safe, I promise you that. Palpatine will never find them. Know who else I miss?"
She glanced up at him, content to be held. "Who?"
He smiled a charming half-smile. "You. How're you feeling today?"
"Better. The trances they put me in seem to help."
"You seem stronger this morning."
She smiled coquettishly at him, placing a hand on his thigh. "I feel stronger. The healers said I should be well enough by next week to be let out of the lab."
He looked hopeful. "Really?"
She nodded, her hand sliding higher and squeezing before he caught her hand and stilled it. She knew exactly the effect she had on him. "Did you talk to the technician?"
"No, why?"
"She said the trances have a beneficial side effect. I have one more examination before they let me out next week, however I will be completely recovered from having the twins, if you catch my meaning."
His eyes widened in surprise. He was still for a moment. "A week you said?"
She nodded, raising an eyebrow at the choked words. He was having trouble breathing, she could tell that much. "That's what the tech said."
He spun off the bench, out of her reach, before closing his eyes and searching for control. The half-smile slid across his lips again as he opened his eyes and turned to kneel in front of her. "A shade easier to bear than four or five months, Angel. You'd tempt a Master.
She laughed delightedly, circling his neck with her arm as he scooped her up and spun her around. "I was so worried about you after what the tech told me." He admitted it to her readily. She was going to be fine! "I thought I'd signed your death warrant."
She cupped his face in her hands, searching his clear blue eyes. She saw his relief, his love for her, and kissed him. "You'll never lose me, Anakin." She told him between kisses, her lips gentle on his. "I'll never leave you without a fight."
He kissed her gently, passionately, melding their hearts together again as she threaded her hands through his hair. He wanted her to touch him, he wanted to touch her, to love her again. Damn his passionate nature anyway, he wanted to draw hers out again like he had on their honeymoon.
The delicate clearing of a throat brought them back to reality, as Anakin was moving to sit, Padmé in his arms. They looked up, meeting the gaze of the technician who'd been in charge of Padmé's care from the beginning. She was smiling apologetically. "I hate to interrupt, but no matter how adorable the two of you look together, I have to collect my charge. It's time for her next treatment."
Padmé made a face. She wanted to stay where she was and enjoy her day with Anakin. He obeyed the technician, though, and carried her to her chair before steering it towards the entrance of the garden. She grumbled. "Fine. Next time I want to be in the meadow at our retreat, and I want it to be for the day."
He chuckled. "Next time we head to that meadow I hope to bring Luke and Leia."
The had tech disappeared when Anakin had started leaving the garden, leaving them to each other while they made their way back to the lab.
"Anakin?"
"Yes, love?"
"Do you intend to just wait until Palpatine cocks his finger and calls us to him?"
"Of course not. We have to plan first to make sure nothing goes wrong. And you need to be healed. I won't risk you, Angel."
"Anakin."
"Hmm?"
"Since when do you plan anything? Normally you just draw your lightsaber and cut down anything that stands in your way."
He tugged on a lock of her hair. "I have a family to consider. You're putting your life on the line with me."
"That's nothing new."
He chuckled. "True, but we now have two very good reasons to live through this. I want to see our children again."
She looked back over her should at him, smiling. "Likewise. I'd like to add to their number, if you have no objection."
He guided her chair into her room, shaking his head. "If we live through this, you can count on it."
Padmé grabbed the back of his head as he bent to pick her up and kissed him. "I expect you to keep that promise, Skywalker."
He settled her on the bunk, his half-smile in place. "If I don't, you can confine me to our bed for a week."
Grinning wickedly she lay back against the pillows. "Make it a month, and you're on."
He chuckled softly as he smoothed her hair, dropped a kiss on her forehead and retreated. "Sleep. Heal. When you're better we can discuss this it all you want."
She laughed as he moved towards the door. "You can run, Skywalker, but you can't hide!"
He looked back over his shoulder, his blue eyes smoldering with his inner desires as they met hers. His voice was low when he spoke. "I wouldn't want to."
The door closed behind him and Padmé lay back, exhausted. A satisfied smile crossed her face. Her husband was enamored with her; he loved her, cared for her. Could she ask for anything more?