Come Undone

Chapter 24

After what seemed like hours, Padmé's tears and sobs at last settled into only a few dry hitches. She once again pulled away from Obi-wan and moved to sit down into a rocking chair that had been placed discreetly into one corner of the little room. She began to rock slowly back and forth, staring blankly into the distance tears drying on her cheeks. At last, even the hitching sounds stopped and the only noise in the room was the soft thump as the back of the chair hit the wall.

At long last, Obi-wan broke the silence, a little concerned. "Padmé," he said quietly, unsure of what else to say.

Padmé smiled vacuously, still staring off into the distance as she rocked.

"Ani made this," she said softly. "I don't know how on Coruscant he hid it from me, or where he acquired the wood...'Midnight requisitions' he called it... made it right after he found out that he was going to be a father..."

"Padmé... Padmé..." Obi-wan started again, growing more concerned as she seemed to drift farther and farther away. He knelt down next to her, stopping the rocker with one hand and touching her cheek with the other. "Don't do this to yourself. Please..."

Her smile fell away but she stubbornly remained distant.

"No, Ani..." she whispered. "Not my Ani..."

"Damn it Padmé! Enough! You're stronger than this! Snap out of it!" he bristled. "Don't fall into these delusions of martyrdom, it doesn't become you!"

"Yes..." she said slowly. "It doesn't..."

Obi-wan knew he hadn't brought her back completely yet and he gently took her face into his hands, trying to make her look directly at his own.

"Padmé," he said, more firmly this time, but she refused to acknowledge his presence. Suddenly, a new sound permeated the air. One of the twins had decided that their mother had been away long enough and began to cry fussily. As if on cue, the other baby joined in, creating an almost harmonious, if not especially pleasing cadence.

This reverie seemed to reach Padmé when nothing else had. She looked around, almost as if she were coming out of a dream.

"Luke? Leia?" she cried suddenly. "Obi-wan, where are my children?"

"They're safe Padmé," said Obi-wan rising up from the floor. "Stay here, I'll get them for you."

She noticed the flashing light at long last and pushed the playback button. Obi-wan brought in the babies and handed Leia to Padmé, holding Luke in his own arms. As the message started, he felt a familiar sense of dread. Anakin stood before them in holo-form, almost as if he were waiting. Moments passed mutely by until Padmé suddenly broke the silence.

"We always wait with especially privet messages," she explained quietly. "Just in case someone was listening, it gave us a chance to either hold the message or excuse ourselves..."

"H'chu apenkee Beloved..." the image said at last.

Obi-wan looked confused but Padmé nodded, her understanding apparent.

"Huttese," she smiled wryly. "Just in case someone intercepted it..."

The message was short, and Obi-wan heard his own name mentioned once or twice, but he did not ask Padmé for a translation until it was finished. It ended with "Jee lovae uba, Padmé..." and a phantom kiss before the image faded out.

"You're meeting him..." she said quietly. "When?"

"Padmé," Obi-wan said slowly. "I know what you're thinking and I absolutely forbid it!"

"You're FORBIDING ME to see my husband? How DARE you!" As if sensing her mother's discomfort, Leia began to squirm.

"Padmé, it's too dangerous..."

"Anakin, My HUSBAND would never do anything to hurt me Obi-wan!" Padmé glowered at him, trying not to shout as she gently placed Leia into her cradle. She held her arms out for Luke and she kissed him lightly on the forehead before laying him down next to his sister.

"Master Kenobi," she said icily. "If you don't mind, I have had a long day. There are rumors that the Chancellor is about to declare Martial Law, at least here on Coruscant and what little involvement I have in the Senate... well there's that and the fact that my children need to eat...I am sure you understand... Sabé will show you out... Good Day, Master Kenobi..."

"What did he tell you Padmé?" asked Obi-wan quietly.

Padmé turned away, gazing out of the window. "He said he loved me, he misses me. Well, it's really none of your business now is it, Master Kenobi? For all intent and purposes, it doesn't matter either way; you seem to have joined the ranks in condemning him already."

        "Perhaps I have my concerns," Obi-wan conceded, "but I am meeting with him in two days on Hesperidium. Fair is fair, Padmé, what did he tell you? I can't help you if you aren't honest with me. Either of you."

Padmé hesitated, and Obi-wan just stood by quietly, waiting for her to decide.

"Alright," she said at last. "You are the only person he says I can trust within the Jedi right now, and even then, I should be careful."

"I'm flattered," said Obi-wan dryly, "but please continue."

"We have a place, a 'hide a way' if you will, here on Coruscant," Padmé said hesitantly. "Before we… when it was still just us… and still a secret... we would meet there, when we could. I am to take Luke, he still must not know about our daughter..."

Obi-wan paled. "And then...?"

Padmé smiled, "I'm sure Obi-wan that I do not know... but I know that if for what ever reason I am not there..." she trailed off, allowing Obi-wan to come to his own conclusions.

("I promise you...") Anakin's last words echoed in his head, and Obi-wan closed his eyes, again cursing Anakin in his heart.

"So Obi-wan," she said quietly. "Take me to my husband. Please."

He considered this for a moment and sighed heavily. ("...ANY, setbacks whatsoever...")

"A counter proposal," he said at last, and Padmé looked at him, eyes narrowing.

"What?"

"It is only a short journey to the station," he said quietly. "You would be gone less than a few hours; you've spent longer periods of time at the Senate..."

"NO!" Padmé said suddenly, realizing what he meant. "That is unacceptable... I will not leave my children..."

"That is the only way Padmé. It's not Anakin I'm thinking of here Padmé!" Obi-wan grew angry. "You yourself said that the system was on the verge of Martial Law, do you think that's because Palpatine enjoys the power? Perhaps that is indeed the case, but for now... think... see reason. You can talk to him, see for yourself then come home and decide what you want to do. I will respect your decision then Padmé, what ever you want to do, I will support you entirely."

"And the Council?" she asked. "What of them? They seem to have no love for my husband... they won't like this."

Obi-wan offered an unconvincing smile. "Anakin isn't the only one who doesn't always play by the rules. Master Qui-gon... he taught me a few things."

Padmé considered all of this and at last, nodded her consent. "Dormé will be here by tomorrow... I know she'd be willing to play the part of 'Senator Amidala' at least one more time... I need to prepare some other things Master Obi-wan, but it can be done..." she started stroking Leia's head tenderly. "Your daddy will be so happy little one, a son to train, a daughter to spoil... what more can he ask for?"

Obi-wan grimaced, unseen behind her back... What indeed? He bid Padmé goodnight and told her that he would have Sabé see him out. Padmé absently excused him, humming quietly to her children, lost in her own thoughts of Anakin.

He would take her, however reluctantly, with him as promised but with a heart full of misgiving. The sensible thing to do would be to report this whole mess to the council and let them deal with it. Padmé would be furious and unforgiving but still...

(...ANY setbacks whatsoever...)

"Damn you Anakin Skywalker..." he whispered again "Damn you..."

Ani's Huttese "H'chu apenkee beloved" literally translated is "Greetings beloved" and of course "Jee lovae uba" is a combination of 'real' Huttese and what yours truly figured what the closest thing would be, as the Hutts have no word for Love... *grin*

DB