All You Mean To Me
By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker
Chapter Five
Padmé lazily kicked off her shoes as she dipped her feet into the edge of the water. Yavin IV was not just famous for its ancient monuments and temples, but for its gorgeous an delicious sceneries. She enjoyed lazing about there, dipping her feet into the water off of one of the old docks that Jedi Padawans had once built when the Jedi once were stationed out on this planet.
Smiling to herself, she felt a slight kick in her stomach. Rubbing it lightly, she hummed quietly to herself, as though she were quieting the entities within her. With her smile still spread out across her face and her feet still lazily gracing the water, she leaned back across the dock resting her tired form.
"Are you two alright in there this morning?"
As though to respond to their mother, Padmé felt two quick kicks, one from each of the twins.
A tear silently dawned upon her cheek. The two were listening as her husband used to do those long and lonely nights on Tatooine during the storms of in the early days of the marriage sitting tight on Naboo waiting the time when they could announce their marriage.
Things had changed since then and she knew they would never – could never be the same. For some time she had felt she had no one who would listen to her for the young souls inside of her womb had not developed very much. Even Obi-Wan, Mace or even Master Yoda knew how to listen to her as Anakin has listened to her. Now the twins were there and she was never alone.
But how much longer would this last? One month, two months? Time etched its way into her mind. She has not yet been confronted about it but she knew what the Jedi were planning, the separation of the twins and their mother. It would be for the best, she knew, but it pained her just the same.
Would it really be the graciousness of the force to separate her from her children? She didn't know. All that she knew was that they had to survive, they were the only hope of the galaxy and somehow she knew that one day they would rescue them from the hellish pits of a depressed mind that clenched a tight and binding fist around the galaxy.
Hearing the footsteps behind her, she turned calmly to see the face of Obi-Wan that was looking down at Padmé. Not quite sure what he was doing there with her she beckoned for him to sit down.
Obi-Wan pulled off his boots and socks and took a seat next to Padmé and dipped his feet into the cool water.
"I remember Qui-Gon once took me here for long periods of meditation and a peaceful atmosphere for training. I built one of my lightsabers here when mine was broken in a sparring session against Qui-Gon. Force, it's been a long time since I've been here."
"I've never been here before." She stated simply. After a few moments of silence she continued. "I guess that's because this place is a sacred place having been used for many civilizations in the past as their holy place, not just an ancient Jedi training ground. I was even told once that an ancient Sith Lord died here in an ancient dark temple."
"Exar Kun," Obi-Wan stated calmly.
"Exar Kun?"
"That was the Sith's name." Obi-Wan answered. "And according to old Jedi documents of the four millennia ago in which he lived the Jedi went to Yavin IV to capture Exar Kun who was actually a fallen Jedi Padawan. But Kun, knowing that he could not live through the attacks summoned his dark energies of the Sith and sealed his consciousness into the walls of a dark temple here on Yavin IV. His followers, the Massassi warriors, built that temple. He was one of the greatest and most dangerous Sith's of all time, before the days of a Sith named Darth Bane who restricted the Sith rules, Kun turned many Jedi Padawans against their masters. Legend has it that his disembodied spirit still lies inside one of those temples where his body rested."
"How did the Jedi know this?"
"They found his temple and his body. Somehow he was dead but they saw no reason why he should have died. But an evil feeling was gained from that place. They no longer have the records of where this temple was."
"Are you sure it still exists?"
"No clue. It has been four millennia since the days of Kun."
"Do you think his spirit still wonders this land?"
"I don't know. But I know I have not sensed anything yet dear Padmé so I do not think you have anything to fear."
The two sat in silence for a long time after this moment. Padmé didn't really let her mind wonder to an ancient fallen Jedi, for her thoughts were already captivated upon the most recent fallen Jedi. Somehow she could tell that Obi-Wan, who had not looked at her the whole time he had been with her on the dock, had not been thinking of Exar Kun either.
"You came to talk to me about Vader, didn't you?"
Obi-Wan didn't look at Padmé when he responded. "Yes,"
"You've come to talk about the separation, haven't you?"
"Yes,"
"I know what you're going to say it's for the best. It'll be safer for if Vader ever finds any one of he wont necessarily fined the others. I know its for the best Obi-Wan but I'm not sure if I can…"
"Do it? I know Padmé. But I am agreeing with Adi, Mace and Yoda on this one. The separation must take place."
Padmé nodded her head solemnly.
"I understand. But tell me Obi-Wan where shall the twins go?"
"Right now I'm not quite so sure. If Vader didn't know of the twin's or at least one of the twin's existence than I would send one of them to Tatooine. I know Vader wants nothing to do with Tatooine. But once he thinks the children have been born he shall surely go to Tatooine in search of the only child he thinks he has. I have considered Alderaan but I know Vader surely knows of our ties to Alderaan."
"Than what are we supposed to do?"
"Patience Padmé. We have come up with an idea. What is I take one of the children and find a far out outpost, possibly on Iego or even a planet like Xavier…"
"Xavier is full of crooks and thieves!"
"I know but at least it isn't under Republican Control Padmé."
"That deals with one of them, what about the other?"
Obi-Wan sat thinking for quite some time and then finally spoke.
"Yoda, Mace, Adi and I shall be separating once the twins are born and we have decided where they are going. Yoda knows where he shall be departing to, a quiet, and force filled jungle planet called Dagobah. Mace has considered Endor. Adi is not sure yet where she is going to go but has almost decided to travel different planets. We have news of a weapon development on Geonosis, which has become a large outpost for Palpatine's new clone troopers who he now calls Storm Troopers. She can lie undetected there for months and then travel to other planets, even suggest Coruscant. Adi has no problem lying undetected, she is good at that."
"I know she is. I do not doubt it. But what about me?"
"You, Padmé, are a whole other issue." Obi-Wan stated. "I wished to come to you now so you can think about it. We can give you know guidance of where to go; you must decide that within you heart. Where your home shall be is where your heart shall let it be, we cannot take you to a place or tell you tog o to a place where your heart tells you not to be." Obi-Wan stated solemnly.
"What are you saying?"
"You must decide this on your own. We must know by the time the twins are born. But until then we do not want an answer. Think about it Padmé, it could be one of the biggest decisions you ever make."
"And the children?"
"Again Padmé you must decide. You are their mother. We cannot choose for you. Only you have the power to speak to them, to find out their needs and wants. Now I must go meditate, I feel a need to meditate over the current situation, I have not been able to do that in quite a while."
"Thank you Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan smiled and placed a hand on Padmé's womb, prodding the children with the force. Smiling he knew then the truth of them.
"They are the last hope of the galaxy. Have a good day Padmé." He said and put on his boots, walking away.
Vader's face was pulled into a tight grimace as he lifted Bail Organa up into the air by his neck. Squeezing tightly, he enjoyed watching Bail fight back against Vader's force, as Vader knew he was squirming for breath.
"Not Organa you can see my power. Now tell me, where is my wife?"
Bail managed to rasp out a few words. "Please…I don't know where she is!"
Vader grew angry at the endless response from Organa. Using very little of his strength he threw Organa effortlessly into the wall at the far end of the courtroom. Organa's body crumpled limply into a ball, as it seems Organa's body was failing him.
Then Vader stalked towards him. Once again lifting him, this time by the collar of his shirt, he peered into Organa's eyes that slowly opened.
"I have threatened your life, the lives of your people and still you do not tell me where she is. I shall ask once more. Where is she?"
Organa stared in agony into the eyes of his tormentor. Truly he did not know where she was or even whether she was still with Obi-Wan or not. All that he knew was that she had left Alderaan months ago.
"I don't know…" he rasped out, shutting his eyes tightly in fear.
Vader dropped him painfully to the ground. Watching him pull himself up onto his knees, he clenched his hands together painfully staring up at Vader while he rambled off words for mercy. Vader raised his hand to strike him and Organa pulled his hands in front of his face, shutting his eyes tightly.
It seemed like an eternity Vader stood, hand raised to strike and Organa kneeling there, cowering and trying to be strong, hands covering his face.
Vader dropped his hand and stared down at the pitiful man before him. He was a powerful political man, strong and brave, but in the hands of Vader he was nothing. If just goes to show you the power of the dark side.
Vader walked distastefully past the man, brushing him on his way out of the courtroom. Bail's eyes cautiously opened to see no Vader before him and he turned about painfully to see Vader depart, his black cape waving behind him to continue his search.
Five Weeks Later
Padmé lay back painfully on her bed within an old Jedi Temple on Yavin IV. She rested her head amongst the pillows as trails of cool sweat pooled down her forehead and cheeks.
Through all the pain she had in her body, through all the relief she had that it was over, she couldn't do anything but listen to the wailing of two tiny babes being cleaned diligently by Adi Gallia.
She opened her eyes weakly to see Adi walk towards her bedside, the two wailing bundles wrapped tightly in her arms. She smiled at Padmé speaking to her calmly and asking something about Padmé wanting to hold the babies.
Padmé really didn't hear her. She just opened up her arms eagerly. Adi smiled and put the two babies in their mother's arms. Immediately the wailing stopped as Padmé murmured quietly to the two babies words of comfort and caring.
Adi watched Padmé hold the two young children in her arms. Padmé was smiling brightly and although Adi knew that much sweat pealed down her face, she could have sworn that, although she could be mistaken for it could have been sweat, that Padmé was crying.
Padmé finally tore her eyes off of the young babies. Looking up at the only other person in the room besides her and her babies, she smiled even brighter if possible at Adi.
"Thank you," she said meekly.
"Your welcome," she replied cheerily back as Obi-Wan knocked timidly at the door. Adi looked at him and then spoke. "You may enter, Master Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan walked in with as much composure as he could muster after not having slept in forty-eight hours. Yoda and Mace walked in gracefully behind the tired Jedi Knight, both having been able to sleep during the two days of Padmé's labor.
"Hey Padmé," Obi-Wan said softly walking to her bedside.
"Hey Obi," she said softly her head resting in the pillows as the two babies, a girl and a boy, nestled into her chest.
Yoda smiled lightly at Padmé. He knew how close she had become to Obi-Wan and although he usually disliked Jedi behind known strictly by their first names he was proud of Obi-Wan for his friendship with the dearest Padmé, mother of the newest hopes of the galaxy.
"Do you want to hold them?" Padmé asked looking in between the Jedi.
Mace politely refused while Yoda and Obi-Wan took a child a piece. Obi-Wan held the little girl within his arms and prodded the young girl with the force lightly, seeing how force gifted she was. Yoda did the same with the little boy, his eyes shut tightly closed, in a state near meditation in deep and complete thought. Finally he opened his eyes, staring at the little boy who was staring up at Yoda in wonderment.
"Yes, true what I thought is, the boy must be trained."
Obi-Wan nodded his head sagely. "The girl as well although I can feel that the boy is more gifted."
"Like his father he is." Yoda completed staring deeply into the captivating blue eyes of the boy.
Adi looked towards Padmé and smiled.
"Do you have a name for them?"
"The girl," Padmé stated taking the young girl from Obi-Wan who had been handing her over, "is Leia. The boy," she took the little boy in her other arm and cradled them both close, "it Luke."
"Luke and Leia. I like your choices lady Skywalker." Mace stated.
"Anakin once told me that if he had a child the boy would be named Luke and the girl would be named Leia. Although I hope that Anakin never confront his children, if he ever does, I want the Anakin Skywalker that I love, although deeply hidden beneath the folds of evil, to know that on the day they were born I still loved him and that I will always love him."
Obi-Wan smiled lightly although tears began to slowly well in his eyes. He stalked over closer to Padmé. Kneeling beside her bed he looked over at the twins than at her, deeply in the eyes.
"I promise you Padmé that I shall not rest until I know Anakin is back with us, whether I die or whether I do not."
End of Chapter Five
That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Ok so I've added the twins' birth in there. Sorry I'm skipping time a lot right now but those five weeks aren't important. But please remember to keep in mind the seven months that passed between chapter three and chapter four.
Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.
May the force be with you,
Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker