Author's Note: Oh wow, thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews. You
guys are the best! Keep them coming! This chapter is very short but there
is nothing else to add to it; I think it stands on it's own. It's a very
special chapter and very dear to me, as I hope it will be to all of you.
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It had been a week since they'd arrived on the planet of Shekila. Obi-Wan had managed to build a quaint shelter using his lightsaber and his hands as his only tools. The shelter had three wooden walls and a nice thatched roof. He'd used a good deal of wood from the trees in the forest and large leaves for the roofing. Obi-Wan and Padmé spent their nights there, and they fit comfortably inside. They'd decided not to use the ship for shelter to keep its energy reserves intact. On occasion, they would head to the ship for supplies, but they remained in their forest shelter, which was conveniently located near a small stream, with a spring not far off. Padmé was thoroughly enjoying this experience of living off the land. To her, it was like a welcome homecoming, having been raised a farm girl on the hills of Naboo. Obi-Wan was just pleased to see Padmé so calm and content.
The sun had just risen and it's rays shone through the dense canopy overhead. Padmé was still asleep, snuggled against Obi-Wan's bare chest, her arm draped over his stomach. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she struggled to her feet, throwing off the clothing they had used for covers that night.
Padmé's hand flew to her mouth and she ran toward the stream. Obi-Wan was instantly awake as well. Having felt his love leave so abruptly and so connected with her as he was, he also felt the sudden illness that overcame her. He was up just as fast as she had been and he made for the stream quickly.
When he had reached her, she was crouched on the edge of the bank, coughing. Obi-Wan crouched down beside her and placed his hand gently on her back and brought his other hand around to sweep her hair out of her eyes. He watched her with such soulful caring in his sea green eyes. He knew as well as she did what this meant.
He helped her get to her feet, and she was still wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him, supporting her as they slowly walked back toward the shelter.
"Obi-Wan," she whispered, glancing up at him.
"I know darling," he interrupted her. He turned his head and placed a tender kiss on her temple. A thin layer of sweat framed her face from the ordeal and she seemed paler than usual.
When they arrived at the shelter he helped her sit down on the soft bed of cloth and leaves. He took a seat next to her and again wiped some hair from her eyes. She looked at him now with a question in her eyes. She reached up and took his large hand in hers.
"I'm happy my love," he said gently as if reading the question. And he smiled tenderly, the glint in his eye one of pride, the pride of a father.
Padmé smiled back weakly. But then, she was struck by a sudden thought and her unease became evident. Her hand went to her stomach and she moved it absently in soft circles. She went pale again and her eyes were dark with concern. "What if," she whispered.
Obi-Wan became grave as well, his expression matching her own. He nodded slightly and finished with a desperate tone to his usually calm voice, "what if it's Anakin's? I suppose it is possible."
Padmé got to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her. He wrapped his own arms around her waist.
"You're the true father of my child, no matter what the fact," she whispered into his ear and planted a kiss on his cheek, moving then to kiss his lips.
He returned the kiss and moved his head back to regard her with a smile and a small nod. "I will take care of you both. I will never let any harm come to either you, or my child."
He moved his own hand to her stomach now and kissed her lips again. A thin veil of tears threatened the Jedi master. A child. Even if it were not biologically his, he would always love it as if it was. And the woman he loved was having this child. He would have a family. He would be a father. All things he never thought he'd be.
Padmé smiled and the tears streaked down her face now. "I'm going to be a mother," she said softly, choking on a sob. Her hand again went to her stomach, and moved to intertwine its fingers with Obi-Wans.
He nodded and glanced down at her stomach, the expression on his face tender and joyful. He did not want to think just now what this could mean for them. He did not want to think what would happen if Anakin found out he may or may not have offspring. He did not even want to consider the complications that could arise from this. For now, he would let the sheer joy of the moment wash over them. The worrying would come later. They were going to be parents after all. And every parent must face challenges. Only, their challenges would be unlike anyone else's.
~*~To Be Continued~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a week since they'd arrived on the planet of Shekila. Obi-Wan had managed to build a quaint shelter using his lightsaber and his hands as his only tools. The shelter had three wooden walls and a nice thatched roof. He'd used a good deal of wood from the trees in the forest and large leaves for the roofing. Obi-Wan and Padmé spent their nights there, and they fit comfortably inside. They'd decided not to use the ship for shelter to keep its energy reserves intact. On occasion, they would head to the ship for supplies, but they remained in their forest shelter, which was conveniently located near a small stream, with a spring not far off. Padmé was thoroughly enjoying this experience of living off the land. To her, it was like a welcome homecoming, having been raised a farm girl on the hills of Naboo. Obi-Wan was just pleased to see Padmé so calm and content.
The sun had just risen and it's rays shone through the dense canopy overhead. Padmé was still asleep, snuggled against Obi-Wan's bare chest, her arm draped over his stomach. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she struggled to her feet, throwing off the clothing they had used for covers that night.
Padmé's hand flew to her mouth and she ran toward the stream. Obi-Wan was instantly awake as well. Having felt his love leave so abruptly and so connected with her as he was, he also felt the sudden illness that overcame her. He was up just as fast as she had been and he made for the stream quickly.
When he had reached her, she was crouched on the edge of the bank, coughing. Obi-Wan crouched down beside her and placed his hand gently on her back and brought his other hand around to sweep her hair out of her eyes. He watched her with such soulful caring in his sea green eyes. He knew as well as she did what this meant.
He helped her get to her feet, and she was still wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him, supporting her as they slowly walked back toward the shelter.
"Obi-Wan," she whispered, glancing up at him.
"I know darling," he interrupted her. He turned his head and placed a tender kiss on her temple. A thin layer of sweat framed her face from the ordeal and she seemed paler than usual.
When they arrived at the shelter he helped her sit down on the soft bed of cloth and leaves. He took a seat next to her and again wiped some hair from her eyes. She looked at him now with a question in her eyes. She reached up and took his large hand in hers.
"I'm happy my love," he said gently as if reading the question. And he smiled tenderly, the glint in his eye one of pride, the pride of a father.
Padmé smiled back weakly. But then, she was struck by a sudden thought and her unease became evident. Her hand went to her stomach and she moved it absently in soft circles. She went pale again and her eyes were dark with concern. "What if," she whispered.
Obi-Wan became grave as well, his expression matching her own. He nodded slightly and finished with a desperate tone to his usually calm voice, "what if it's Anakin's? I suppose it is possible."
Padmé got to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her. He wrapped his own arms around her waist.
"You're the true father of my child, no matter what the fact," she whispered into his ear and planted a kiss on his cheek, moving then to kiss his lips.
He returned the kiss and moved his head back to regard her with a smile and a small nod. "I will take care of you both. I will never let any harm come to either you, or my child."
He moved his own hand to her stomach now and kissed her lips again. A thin veil of tears threatened the Jedi master. A child. Even if it were not biologically his, he would always love it as if it was. And the woman he loved was having this child. He would have a family. He would be a father. All things he never thought he'd be.
Padmé smiled and the tears streaked down her face now. "I'm going to be a mother," she said softly, choking on a sob. Her hand again went to her stomach, and moved to intertwine its fingers with Obi-Wans.
He nodded and glanced down at her stomach, the expression on his face tender and joyful. He did not want to think just now what this could mean for them. He did not want to think what would happen if Anakin found out he may or may not have offspring. He did not even want to consider the complications that could arise from this. For now, he would let the sheer joy of the moment wash over them. The worrying would come later. They were going to be parents after all. And every parent must face challenges. Only, their challenges would be unlike anyone else's.
~*~To Be Continued~*~
