The Birth of Two, the Death of One
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a Star wars fanfic. I don't know how Padmé died (or if she died) or how the twins were born. All I know is what is given in 5 movies (none of which I've seen recently), what my friend M. Skywalker has told me, and what was in one Jedi Apprentice book. Please don't flame me! I plead ignorance! *However, if anyone would like to enlighten me on this subject, please do (nicely).
Obi-Wan watched Anakin pace up and down the room while he leaned comfortably against the wall. It wasn't really pacing; he was practicing fighting with himself again - maybe replaying his battle with Count Dooku. He was still bitter about the loss of half his arm, and he was always coming up with something he could have done to prevent it.
There was a noise inside and Anni stopped and stared at the door. Obi-Wan casually turned his head and glanced at the door.
"Be patient, Anakin," he said. Anni started to pace again.
Padmé shouted in pain, and Anakin rushed to the door. Before Obi-Wan could stop him, he had flung the door open and rushed to her side.
Obi-Wan stood in the doorway. "Anakin, I believe the nurse told us to wait outside."
"You can," Anni snapped. "I'm staying with her."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said more forcefully this time. Anakin turned and stromed out of the room. This time he took out his lightsaber.
He swung it around carelessly, and it slashed a table leg. The table leg fell off and the rest of the table tumbled to the floor.
Anni didn't even stop to look. He kept on swinging until he was about to destroy a chair.
"That's enough, Anni," Obi-Wan said, extending his arm and calling Anni's lightsaber to his hand. "You cannot let your anger get the best of you."
"So I'm just supposed to wait out here while she dies in there?"
Obi-Wan sighed. He knew Anakin was right, but there was nothing either of them could do about it. Besides, he was still slightly angry at Anni and Padmé's secret love affair which had led to this whole situation.
"See, she is dying," Anni said fiercely. "That's why you won't say anything." He called his lightsaber back to his own hand again, but to Obi-Wan's surprise, he turned it off and hung it back on his belt. "You can't stop me from going in there."
"No, I cannot. But I would hope that you would have enough discipline to stop yourself."
Anakin looked at his Master, then opened the door and went inside. Obi-Wan sighed deeply. Why should he have even believed Anni would make the right decision? He was starting to doubt his own decision, making his promise to Qui-Gon that he would train the arrogant little devil. If he had known it was going to be this hard….
…he would have accepted anyway, he told himself. Even though Qui-Gon had not been his Master anymore, he felt obligated to follow orders. And though he resented Anakin for getting to be a Padawan so easily when he had spent thirteen years in the Jedi Temple training, he couldn't break his promise. And he couldn't tell anyone his real feelings.
He could hear voices coming from inside Padmé's room. He hoped Anakin wasn't causing a problem by being there. He decided to enter and find out.
Anakin was kneeling on the floor next to Padmé's bed, holding her hand. She was drained; she had been going through this for eighteen hours and she was weakening by the minute. Anakin was right; she would not come out of this alive.
Obi-Wan would be sorry to see her go. She was a strong, just Queen, and an even kinder person. But he wouldn't be as sorry as Anakin.
Padmé winced, her face contorted with pain and she squeezed Anni's hand with all the strength she had left.
"It's okay," Anni said softly.
The color left her face and she relaxed on to the pillows. Her life was almost extinguished.
There was a cry and a baby was born, a boy. Already, Obi-Wan could feel the power of the force in him.
Padmé had no strength left, but there was another baby to be born. Ben could sense Anni feeding strength into her body through the Force, but he didn't try to stop it. For once, he agreed with Anakin's use of his skills and his training.
There was a final push and another cry. The daughter was born.
Anakin stood up, and put his face close to Padmé's ear. "Don't go," he pleaded in a whisper.
Padmé only looked at him, then she kissed his cheek and closed her eyes for the final time.
Anakin looked at her face, her hand still wrapped in his. "No!" he shouted. "No, you can't do this to me!"
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said softly, in what he thought was a comforting tone.
"Leave me alone!" shouted Anakin. His voice cracked and Obi-Wan saw a lone tear travel down his cheek.
Without even stopping to see his two newborn children, Anakin leaped over the bed and ran out of the room, out of the palace, and out of their lives.
And that was the last time Obi-Wan ever saw Anakin Skywalker.
*What happens to the babies after that is up to you. Hope my story isn't too inaccurate!*