One year later.

For one of the highest-ranking Senators serving in the Senate, Padme's apartment was worryingly easy to sneak into. Anakin made a mental note to discuss this with her sooner than later. Sure, he was granted the right to come and go whenever he pleased so long as he wasn't seen, but what if it were someone else attempting to find their way inside 500 Republica to cause her some harm? Padme had made many enemies throughout her career and some might try something to silence her. If he couldn't give her some Imperial guards of her own to keep her safe, then Anakin would be having a word with Captain Typho shortly, even if she would laugh at his supposed overprotectiveness.

Anakin crept through the silent apartment, it was early, none of Padme's staff had arrived for the day yet, so being caught uninvited in the Senator's apartment was, for once, not a worry on his mind. He made his way to his beloved's bedroom and allowed the door to slide shut behind him. They spent most of their nights together either here or in his private wing of the palace but he had early dealings this morning with his men and she had a Senate session. Their schedules simply did not mesh until later tonight. It was frustrating, but it happened from time to time.

Hiding a relationship from the galaxy was a far more complicated affair than Anakin had initially realised. However, it couldn't be much longer, his father was hanging on by his teeth! The old man couldn't have much fight left in him and then Vader would be Emperor and he and Padme could finally stop hiding their love. He could see it so clearly in his mind, the very moment he learned his father had finally died he would propose. Then they could begin their life together at last.

It couldn't be much longer.

Padme was asleep in her bed, shielded from the growing weather-controlled morning light by thick, blue velvet curtains which maintained the perfect darkness of the room. He saw the perfect messiness of her the bushy curls she never wore outside of her home spread like a dark halo across the pillow and a fond smile stretched across the Prince's lips. Force, she was truly perfect. His own angel. His one true love.

She sighed in her sleep as he gently eased himself down onto the bed, his side of the bed after kicking off his boots. This little stop would undoubtedly make him late, he had meetings and drills to go over with Rex and Cody before they decided on how to deal with the growing Rebel skirmish on Crait. The traitors' whispers against them were growing into actions all too quickly. His father's disappearance had made the Skywalkers appear weak and easily toppled and part of Anakin was grateful for their assumptions. It would make it far easier to defeat these unprepared, inexperienced traitors once and for all.

Nobody would question Vader's rule when the time came. He would see to it personally.

Padme sighed again as he kissed her shoulder softly, tugging down the blankets so he could feel her body against his own, even just for a few minutes. Even before the day had begun, the light, sweetly floral scent of her perfume fragranced her soft skin and Anakin inhaled deeply. Nothing could ever compare. "Morning, Angel," he murmured, kissing her cheek as she moaned and began to yawn awake.

"Mmm," Padme stretched, rolling over to peer up at him blearily, "Ani? What are you doing here? I thought you had early meetings?"

He smiled fondly, bending at the neck to steal her lips for a soft, morning kiss, but evidently, his love had other ideas. She cupped his head, tugging him down to her and licked through the seal of his mouth. Anakin laughed into the kiss, shifting himself closer, and sinking into the mattress to enjoy himself a little more comfortably. This was his paradise, mornings like these, waking up with her in his arms every single day… The sooner his father gave in, the better! How much longer could they be expected to wait? He swore the old man knew what he was depriving him of and held on out of spite.

Force, how easy it would be to lose himself to her. To let the heat he already felt pooling in his stomach fill his blood and allow the whole morning to slip away under the warmth of the blankets with her. Unfortunately, Vader needed him to handle the situation on Crait before things got any worse out there so Anakin reluctantly broke off the kiss even as Padme whined in protest adorably.

"To answer your question," he chuckled, "I was flying right by and I couldn't resist coming inside to see you, just for a minute or two." He was too afraid to check the chrono, it would likely tell him he should be arriving at the military base at this very moment and urge him out of bed. It could wait just a little longer. "We haven't been alone together in two days. I couldn't not see you."

"How sweet," she smiled brightly, "I've missed you too, Ani. I wish it didn't have to be this way, hiding and pretending we mean nothing to each other." He grimaced as she spoke without meaning to. In the year they had been together, Anakin had explained in depth the situation with his father and Ameeda's determined enforcement of the laws which prevented he and Vader from marrying or breaking the law. She had been horrified by the situation and immediately threw herself into finding a loophole to free them which he had anticipated, of course. Unfortunately, his father had been as brilliant as he was cruel. There was simply no getting around it. They were forced to wait.

This had partially been what he was afraid of before they were together. It killed Anakin to know he was holding Padme back. He knew how much her mother pressured her toward settling down and worse, he knew how badly she desired it too. It wasn't difficult to sense the small pangs of envy she felt whenever her sister and her husband came up in their conversations, celebrating the anniversaries and milestones they should be beginning. If it were his choice, they would have been married by now, it was why he'd hired a specialised and exceedingly private team of lawyers to find any flaws within his father's laws which might free him.

That was how he had known Padme would find none, despite her efforts.

Of course, the idea of elopement had occurred to Anakin more than once, but hiding a relationship was struggle enough, he wasn't sure either he or Padme had it within them to hide a marriage. No, when he promised himself to her, when they became husband and wife, he wanted the entire galaxy to know about it.

So, they were trapped in this purgatory of waiting.

"I know," he said quietly. Seeking to change the subject before his brooding sent him spiralling into a foul mood before the day even began, Anakin brushed a kiss to her forehead. "Aren't you meeting with King Thule today?" He knew how important her weekly gatherings with the Nubian royalty were. He had overheard one once, while waiting in her office to ravish her when it ended. They discussed, at agonising length, every issue the planet faced within the Empire, banking clan issues and subjects the King and Queen wished her to address within the Senate on their behalf.

"Mmm, unfortunately so. He's going to be unhappy I couldn't push the legislation regarding lower import taxes for core worlds through last week. His useless advisors will take the opportunity to question the strength of my influence as they always do." She heaved a long, tired sigh, "Some people believe I've been serving as Senator for too long. Not the public, but people who have the King's ear. The previous four Senators served for only three consecutive years each and I've been in office a lot longer than that."

Idiots, he wished to curse them but didn't wish to risk drawing his beloved's ire toward him. How could these people not see what they had? Someone who worked so diligently, who gave everything she had to the needs of Naboo and its people. She was one of the rare politicians who truly wished to see improvement within the galaxy, didn't they see how rare that was? Years of her exhaustive work which had benefitted Naboo and its people in untold ways! King Thule was inept, Vader always said so.

Instead of all that, Anakin stroked her face, swallowing down his angered thoughts. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. Uselessness wasn't a feeling he dealt with very well so the Prince struggled to find the right words to comfort her. "If they don't see the gift they have in your service, then they're nerf herders, all of them."

Somehow, this tore a small laugh from his love and she sniffled, lightly, leaning into Anakin's touch affectionately. "You always know what to say to make me feel better," Padme smiled, "I just don't know what to do…"

"You attend that meeting with your head held high," he tightened his grasp on her beautiful face slightly and looked at her as if she were one of his men on the field seeking advice. "You're the best damn Senator in that place, it's unquestionable. If things get dicey, dare them to find someone who can do half as much as you in twice the time." Lifting her chin to kiss her lightly, Anakin smiled, "Worst comes to worst, I'll have Vader lock them all up once he's Emperor."

Mercifully, this pulled another laugh from her sweet lips and Padme turned her head to kiss Anakin's palm. "I love you, Anakin Skywalker."

Those three wonderful, amazing words he would never tire of hearing from her lips. Even now, a year on, those words sent the Prince flying! The most thrilling rush of excitement raced through his every nerve whenever Padme thought to remind him of her feelings. How could it not when he had somehow tricked the most gorgeous, kindest, intelligent angel into loving him of all people?

"My heart is yours," he smiled.

"Forever?" She asked childishly, so obviously seeking praise Anakin was all too eager to give. From time to time, she asked this of him, a vocal confirmation of his commitment beneath the weak guise of flirtation and it amused him as much as it wounded him. Of course, Padme worried. A year of intense love which they kept hidden from almost everybody they knew and he had given her nothing but mere declarations of his complete devotion to her alone. He wished there was more he could offer with every damned bone in his body but all Anakin could do was wait. Wait for the spiteful old bastard who'd created him to die at last.

So, whenever Padme asked it of him, he sought to remind her exactly who his heart belonged to. "Forever and beyond, beloved." He murmured, "I belong to you alone." Sometimes, force help him, Anakin wished she would ask him to walk away from the palace for her. If he relinquished any and all claim to the throne and his place within the military, they could be together openly. He would no longer be Prince Anakin of House Skywalker, but merely Anakin, the man who loved her. He knew she had thought about it before, he had even found the legalities of royal succession on her datapad once.

If she asked it of him, would he turn his back on it all? What was done could not be undone, this was not something Vader would fix once he wore the crown. It was a life-altering decision he could not return from if he changed his mind. Anakin would lose his place, his standing, not that he cared for that, but also his command of his men and he would not be there to help his brother rule as he had always sworn to do.

But what would he gain? His love, his angel… A life they could properly share together. They had talked to exhaustion about finding a house of their own one day in Naboo. If Anakin walked away from his birthright, he could make that happen for her. They could begin their lives, get married and live in peace! She wouldn't be forced to resign from her career for them to be together. They would be happy, Anakin knew that. They would be so happy and it wouldn't take however long his father was willing to hold out for. Whatever he chose, Anakin felt as if he would be disappointing someone he loved, his brother or the woman he loved How was he ever supposed to choose between them?

Why can't the old man just die already? He thought bitterly. Why can't I have them both?

Shaking himself out of his brooding thoughts once more, Anakin forced himself to smile softly. "I have to get going," he sighed, "Everyone is waiting for me at the base." Rex would currently be attempting to calm Cody through a seething rage at his tardiness, but the Prince couldn't bring himself to care, stopping by to see Padme and easing her worries had been worth whatever headache awaited him later.

"Yes," she yawned sleepily, "The Senate is gathering today, I should get up and prepare before Dorme, Sabe and Mote get here."

Anakin swung his legs over the edge of the bed and began tugging on his boots once more, "Let's do something tonight." Two days of no alone time was itching at his skin. Seeing her in the Senate, knowing she was so close but beyond his reach had been excruciating to endure. It can't be much longer, he thought the mantra to himself, the old man can't hold on much longer. "Anything you want," he continued, "I can come here or you can come to me, we can get dinner, watch a holo-vid if you like?" Even if it would be one of those ridiculous stories full of singing Padme seemed to adore so much, he would just be glad to be with her. To touch her openly, unafraid of gossiping eyes catching the act, to kiss her and make love to her until neither of their bodies could take any more.

"Yes," Padme's arms slid over Anakin's shoulders from behind and he felt her hot lips descend on his neck, creating nearly irresistible sparks of excitement flying through his skin. "Come here when you're free, it's easier," each word came with a peppered kiss and he felt his eyes begin to drift shut. Force damn it, she was a tease. If only his duties today weren't so important… "Are you sure you have to leave right now?" Her lips slid over his ear, making the Prince shudder as desire pooled low, stiffening his cock all too temptingly.

"Angel," he laughed, "stop. I'd stay if I could but, force, I don't even want to know how late I am. I can't allow the situation on Crait to grow further out of control, I'm sorry." He turned his face to glance at her sidelong, smiling at the adorable, disappointed little pout which had claimed her lips. "I'll make it up to you tonight, I promise."

"Well then," her lips brushed a parting kiss against his cheek softly, "I will be expecting great things tonight."

Chucking, Anakin let her arms slide off his shoulders before reluctantly standing to his feet. The rustling of the sheets behind him meant Padme wasn't far behind. When he turned to wish her a good day, the Prince's stomach jolted in horror. Padme had slipped out of bed, meaning to get up but all the colour had fled her face. Her already pale skin blanched something beyond white as sweat began to bead on her forehead. "Hey – hey, Padme what's the matter?" He rushed to her, falling on one knee and taking her clammy hand into his own. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she lifted a shaking hand to her forehead, eyes clenched shut tightly, "my head just spun a little, that's all."

It wasn't easy to hold back a wave of near-overwhelming panic at the sight of her. Anakin, to his dismay, knew all too well exactly what horrors sickness could inflict upon someone, rotting their bodies from the inside out until they were nothing more than a husk of who they had once been. He imagined what Padme might look like, bedridden with thick tubes inserted into her hands, down her throat and machines pumping air into her unwilling lungs… Force, it was enough to make him feel ill. His heart began to hammer inside his chest, the panic beginning to leak beyond the shabby door he had thrown up inside himself to keep it at bay.

"Are…" he swallowed dryly, "are you sure? I think you should see a medic, Angel, you don't look well." Rubbing his thumb over her wrist, Anakin tried to suck in one full breath and failed. It had come on so quickly – what if it had been building within her for weeks? Months? What if this was something they simply caught too late and –

"No," Padme shook her head with an airy laugh, peeling her eyes open and petting his hair affectionately, "don't worry so much, Ani. I'm fine. It's close to my time of the month, I always feel a little woozy for the first few days. It's nothing, I promise."

"Oh," Anakin blinked, "right – I – right." He cleared his throat awkwardly, pulling a short laugh from her mouth. "Is there, um, is there any meds you need or something I can do?" Granted, he was no expert on such matters but after a year, he knew a little something about making her comfortable for that dreaded week. "I can bring dinner tonight if you like, from the finest diner in all of Coruscant?"

"Dex's?" She laughed, "That sounds perfect!" The first time Anakin had snuck her all the way down to Dex's Diner, he hadn't had high hopes for Padme's enjoyment. She was a woman of refined tastes, someone who had eaten in some of the fanciest, most expensive restaurants the galaxy had to offer but she had fit right in – hidden in his friend's more private section of the diner, of course. They had laughed endlessly over her intense enjoyment of the casual food, moaning around every forkful and swearing to never eat elsewhere ever again. If it were possible, he would have fallen even further in love with her that night. "I wish it was tonight already," she sighed.

"So do I, my love," he kissed her hand, "but just for me, see a med-droid at least, it would make me feel better knowing you were being tended to properly. Please?"

"Alright," Padme nodded, "so long as you feel better. You are the one suffering, after all." She rolled her eyes with a little peel of laughter and Anakin joined her, unable to resist feeding into the absolute contentment he sensed within her. Force, he would never tire of this. He had made her feel so comfortable, so happy and loved – what more could a man ask for?

"Well, I'm glad you have a good read on the situation. You should lay down until your handmaidens arrive to help you, or at least until this passes. Do you need anything?" Forget the base and how late he was, they could wait all day if it meant he knew Padme was alright. "I can stay if you need me to?"

"No, no," she shook her head, waving Anakin's hovering hands away, though she did climb back between the sheets, settling down with a small sigh. "I think I might sleep a little longer… just until the girls get here."

"Good call," he leant over her to kiss her warm forehead gently, "Comm me if you need anything, Padme. Anything." She hmmed softly but already sleep was reclaiming her. Anakin watched her eyes drift shut so peacefully that part of him felt envious at the ease of it. These days he slept far better than he ever had, especially on the nights he held her in his arms, but it still did not come to him as easily as it did for her. Must be nice, he laughed within his mind. "Sleep well, my love," he murmured and made his way out of the bedroom.

It was long past time to get his day started.

Scrolling through her datapad, Padme huffed uncomfortably as she awaited the med-droid to return with her blood tests. It would likely tell her these feelings were normal – which they were for her – and simply a part of her monthly cycle like any woman. It had always been this way for her, the first day or two of its arrival were merciless but she was a grown woman, she knew how to take care of herself. To make matters worse, the only available appointment the medcenter had been so last minute clashed with the Senate's session and she had been forced to send Dorme in her place.

But the Senator wasn't upset, well, not too upset, her sweet Ani was only trying to take care of her by requesting she make this visit. She saw how stricken he had been by her sudden wooziness. The panic in his beautiful eyes had been enough to convince her to skip the Senate this one time. He may hold no love for his father in his heart, but Emperor Sidious' sickness obviously affected him greatly even if he would not admit it. If it would make him feel better to know she was perfectly healthy, then she could trust Dorme to handle her affairs for a little while.

That didn't mean she wasn't antsy imagining what exactly she was missing, however.

When Dorme, Mote and Sabe had arrived and woken her once more, the nausea had thankfully worn off and Padme had felt far more prepared to get on with her day. But it had been powerful this morning. Usually, the feeling was never quite as potent but perhaps that merely meant she had an unfortunate few days ahead of her once her bleeding began.

As she waited for the droid's return, the Senator settled back on the bench with a long sigh and allowed her mind to wander. It was still difficult to believe it had been a year since that night in the Hedsard estate… all the memories she and Anakin had made, all the nights spent together, loving each other felt like mere months, it had been the most wonderful whirlwind. A year… it wasn't a long time to spend with the person she loved, but still, and though she tried to ignore it, every day the once small ache in the pit of her stomach which desired more grew larger and larger.

Padme loved Anakin more than she had ever believed to be possible and that love had grown and shifted as they got truly gotten to know one another throughout their relationship. She knew almost everything about him, his quirks, likes, dislikes and his secret little hobby of building model ships. She loved him. She wanted, without a doubt, to spend the rest of her life with him and Anakin felt the same way, he had told her as much many times.

But they were stuck. Unlike everybody else in the galaxy, they had no control over their own relationship due to the laws his father put in place to keep absolute control of his sons. If either Anakin or Vader married before the Emperor passed away, they lost their place in the line of succession and royal household forever. How could a father do such a thing to his own children? Why would he want to?

She caught herself often daydreaming of herself as Anakin's wife. Of the life they could build together being Mr and Mrs Skywalker, although the reality of a marriage would be far more complex than her imaginings. Theirs would be a royal wedding, the first in decades since the Emperor had married Anakin's mother. It would be a grand, public affair which made her stomach churn uncomfortably. Not to mention, they would not simply be Mr and Mrs Skywalker, Padme would lose her title of Senator and gain that of Princess… it was all so very surreal.

They would likely have to live in the Imperial palace with Vader since Anakin was very set on helping his brother rule and of course, he had his duties within the military to carry out. But they had already talked about finding a house on Naboo together, a quiet and beautiful place all of their own and Padme ached for it. She knew Anakin was bound to the law, forced to wait for his father to die before they could begin their life together properly but impatience tugged at her. It was so cruel.

Sometimes, in the quieter moments they spent together, it felt as if they were husband and wife already. Anakin often brought her flowers. They enjoyed cooking together, sharing wine as they watched a holo-vid cuddled on the sofa, sitting in quiet contentment with each other as they worked on their own respective datapads and reading necessary reports while enjoying the other's presence. She had always been under the impression that men despised the very idea of settling down unless they were forced to. She remembered Sola threatening to leave Darred if he did not propose within a month after years together, but Anakin seemed to adore the snippets of domestic life they shared.

He loved to tease her about her enjoyment of romantic stories and seemed to relish in helping her with simple household tasks such as items on shelves she could not reach or fixing things around her apartment or even just changing the bulbs of her lights whenever it was necessary. Such little things but her beloved seemed to thrive in domestic tranquillity. Anakin was always more at peace when they were alone in his wing of the palace or her apartment, although she had noticed more and more of his possessions gathering in her home and it absolutely thrilled her. Seeing his clothes hanging amongst her own always brightened her day no matter what had happened. They were not living together yet but they were subtly working their way toward it and the knowledge overjoyed the Senator.

It was a step in the right direction. Progress.

She couldn't wait for the day they did not have to hide any longer. Padme would happily lay in Anakin's arms every single night, listening to his heart, playing with his fingers and soothing him to sleep as best she could. How much farther away could that be? How much longer could they be expected to wait?

He had been busy these past few days, distracted in planning whatever mission Vader had requested of him on Crait to stop the growing Rebel Alliance encampment there. Padme had heard whispers in the Senate from those who opposed the Empire and its rule. They were good people who wished to see a better galaxy, she could understand that. Perhaps if she did not know the Princes as well as she did and the truth of their lives, she might have been one of the people plotting against them to reinstall democracy into the galaxy. She wished she could tell those people to wait just a little longer and allow Vader to ascend

, he would prove them all wrong.

Vader was a good man whose reign would only heal the wounds his father delivered onto the galaxy; the Rebels just needed to see that for themselves. She had gotten to know the dark-haired Skywalker brother, perhaps not well, but they were comfortable enough around one another now. He had shared his plans for the Empire with her in painstaking detail over many dinners while Anakin tuned them out in boredom. It had all been wonderful and absolutely thrilling to weigh her opinions and watch the Prince actually consider her opinions.

Vader's galaxy was going to be amazing and Padme couldn't wait to see the progress he was going to make.

A moment later, the med-droid whirled back into the room and typed something into the hovering monitor in the corner. "I have run your blood tests and have the results, Miss Naberrie." It came closer, its yellow bulbed eyes boring into Padme's as it set its curved hands onto the bench beside her. "Your results have been conclusive. Congratulations, you are pregnant."

A/N: Welcome to the second arc of this story... there is SO much drama to come in the next chapters. To the people who have been waiting for some Vaderdala... enjoy.