"Just Images and Feelings'

Anakin stood from the lifeless corpse that was the woman he loved, and turned away from the gruesome reminder of his failures. He took a step forward but was forced to pause as a new wave of anguish burned through him. Remembering his Master's council, he took a deep breath and channeled that hurt into rage. He felt the black power of it warm his core until it burned almost painfully. Finally ready, he walked from the room and out of the palace, down to the hangar bay where his ship was waiting. He didn't even spare a glance behind at the shining mansion as he boarded his ship and took off away from the one planet where he had been truly happy.

Obi-Wan saw the young man leave but had been hidden behind a stand of bushes. He waited until his former padawan's ship was out of sight before he stood wearily. He was unsure of how to continue as the pain of the day's events coursed through him. He remembered each event vividly. He'd rushed from the room to inspect some phantom feeling as she packed to leave. He'd run down the halls, searching the rooms for the person who could cause such a terribly strong wave of recognition. He'd gotten almost to the hangar bay when he'd felt the presence he'd recognized as Anakin. Only moments later, he'd felt a stab of pain run through his middle. He'd looked down, expecting a hideous wound, but saw nothing. Only then had he realized that it was not his own pain he was feeling. A moment after this revelation, the presence that was Padme, winked out of existence. He'd fallen to his knees under the sorrow he'd felt upon losing her. This sorrow was only accentuated by the anguish that rushed into his conscious from his padawan. He'd struggled to gain some composure, fighting the urge to run to her. He'd known that he could not confront his padawan here. So, he'd proceeded out onto the landing field, where he'd hidden, waiting for his padawan to leave.

Now, he walked as quickly as his shaking limbs would allow, back to the room where he'd left Padme. He walked into it, smelling ozone from lightsabers. He took only a step inside before he saw the mown down corpse of the former Count Dooku. He felt no remorse upon seeing it. He'd never liked the man. A few steps more brought him in front of Padme's lifeless form. He could see the obvious lightsaber wound that scythed through her midsection. He fell to his knees beside her, pulling her body into his arms, and for the first time in a long time, Obi-Wan wept. Wept for the galaxy, which would never be the same without her, for his padawan, who could not have loved a better woman, for the children, who would never see their true mother, and for himself, for he would miss her more than anything.

The shrill cry that sounded behind him reminded him that he was not alone in Varykino, but he didn't even raise his head to acknowledge the new presence in the room. She ran to him and the shadow of the woman he was holding. His eyes were closed tightly against the light, his head bowed in despair, tears of pain rushing down his face. He felt the feather-light touch of a soft hand on his arm and only then did he look up............into Padme's face. Her hair was long and slightly wavy, her eyes the same golden brown, and it was these that begged silently for an answer to the madness in the room

"She was murdered, Dorme. By Count Dooku. I wasn't there to save her. I left the room thinking there was danger elsewhere, WHEN THE REAL DANGER WAS RIGHT HERE!!!" His voice cracked as the anger and rage broke the words he was trying to form.

His entire body was left trembling from the outburst, and he rocked back and forth under the onslaught of his own emotion. Once again, she took gentle hold of his arm and brought him back to his surroundings. She gently pried his fingers from Padme and turned his face to look at her.

"Padme does not blame you, Obi-Wan. She knew things like this could happen, would happen. She was strong, is strong. Do not hurt yourself by blaming yourself for something you could do nothing to help," she said, her voice containing a strength that she knew both of them needed. Just as suddenly, though, all semblances of that strength drained from her eyes as a look of horror sprang to them. "The child!! Obi-Wan, what happened to the child??!?!?" she asked him, her voice begging him for some good news.

He took a deep breath and stood from the body and turned to her, "She's fine. She was born before any of this happened. She's in the ship as we speak. I was going to take Padme and the baby to Alderaan, where I though they'd be safe. But now.....," he trailed off.

"Now, you will take me with you to Alderaan and we'll take it from there." He looked up at her and saw that there was no room for argument, so he nodded.

The swirling lines of hyperspace colored the view from the cockpit of the sleek Nubian ship Obi-Wan was piloting. He and Dorme had not spoken much after the jump to lightspeed. The silence was not uncomfortable, though, but full of memories and a realization that the past was gone. A quiet but insistent crying sounded from the back of the ship, followed by Artoo's plaintive beeping. Dorme rose silently and walked over to where the baby lay, flailing it's arms and crying. She leaned over the makeshift crib and cooed comfortingly to the baby before picking her up and gently rocking her. She carried the baby back to the cock-pit, holding a bottle of formula for her. She sat back down in her seat and hummed to the baby, smiling at her.

Obi-Wan could only look down at the pair in silent wonderment. This woman certainly seemed to know what she was doing. The baby was already falling asleep in her arms. Dorme lifted the bottle from the baby's lips, as the baby was already asleep, and set it down next to her. She gently leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"What is her name?" she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping child.

"She doesn't have one, yet. Padme didn't get to name her." His voice broke at the end and he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Dorme just calmly nodded, understanding his pain and said, "Well, then, we will have to name her, then. Won't we?" She said, smiling down at the beautiful sleeping child. "What do you think, Obi-Wan? Naming her is as much your responsibility as it is mine."

He thought for a moment, then said, "Well, I don't know. Never thought I'd have to name a child. Hmmm.......well, I think her name should start with an 'L'." he said.

"Why?" Dorme asked, confused.

Obi-Wan mentally chided himself for the obvious blunder. His first thought was that the baby should have a name that started with the same letter as her twin brother's, but, of course, Dorme didn't know about Luke. He had to think of something quick. "Uh.....I don't know. I just like names that start with L," he finished lamely, mentally slapping himself in the forehead.

Dorme only smiled at this and said, "Well, a name that starts with L. Lydia? Lauria?"

Obi-Wan only shook his head in disagreement. "How about........Leia?" he asked, with a shrug.

Dorme thought about this for a moment and then nodded in quiet satisfaction. "Yes, Leia. That is a beautiful name, for a beautiful baby. Leia. I like it." She smiled for a moment longer then suddenly became quite serious. "What are we going to do when we get to Alderaan?" she asked, a slight twinge of worry betraying her nervousness.

"We're meeting an old friend to figure out what we're going to do with the ba.......Leia. The plan was originally just to drop Padme and Leia off here with him, but...........things have changed," he answered.

Once again, silence reigned supreme between them as the lines of hyperspace colored the main viewport. Obi-Wan had gone into a Jedi trance to try and rid himself of the anxiety and stress of the day and its upcoming events. Dorme merely sat peacefully, holding Leia who still slept. The beeping alarm that signaled the need to drop out of lightspeed startled each of them out of their silent reverie. Obi-Wan nodded over at Dorme who stood and walked to the back of the ship as he reached for the lever that would stop their hyperspace journey. Once confident that Dorme was secure in the back, he pulled back on it, reverting to real space. Immediately, security ships orbiting the peaceful planet sent him a message asking for landing clearance. He was prepared for this, and was let through the safety grid, following a landing beacon to the planet.

Dorme returned from aft, holding Leia who was now wrapped up in a blanket. She sat down in the co-pilot's seat just as the ship landed with a slight bump. Obi-Wan proceeded through the landing procedures swiftly and then stood, stretching slightly. Dorme stood after him, and waited as he walked toward the now-descending landing ramp. She picked up the bags that she'd placed next to the ramp and carried them in such a way that the baby would look like just another bundle. The wait for the landing ramp to fully descend was interminable, but she stood, a solid foundation in a rough time.

Obi-Wan took the first steps down the ramp, then looked back at the woman who had not, as of yet, moved. He nodded slowly, and she moved forward to meet him. They walked down the ramp together, each with slight trepidation. At the bottom of the ramp, a few paces away, was the Alderaanian senator, Bail Organa. His smile was warm, but tinged with the pain of sadness. He extended a hand to Obi-Wan, who nodded at the questioning look in the senator's eyes. No words were spoken, but the strength that had seemed apparent in the man diminished visibly as he realized the truth of Padme's death. He turned to Dorme, who stood mutely next to the pair, and took her hand, not shaking it, just holding it. A strength and understanding seemed to pass between the two of them as they shared this non-moving handshake.

He spoke after a long pause, "I brought a transport. We can talk freely at my apartments." He then gestured to the waiting speeder, and took the bags that Dorme was holding and placing them in the rear of the speeder, where Obi-Wan climbed in, as there was only room for two in the front of the speeder.

The trip through the Alderaanian cityscape was uneventful and quick. None of the passengers spoke, words were not necessary. They shared the immense weight of grief and responsibility. Fortunately, though, the speeder pulled up in front of a beautiful building, so their thoughts were interrupted. Bail got out of the speeder, moved around to the side to help Dorme out, and then pulled the bags from the back of the speeder and led the way into the house. If he noticed that Dorme had not once put down the small bundle she was holding, he didn't say anything. The small procession followed him into the lift that would take them all to his apartments. Even then, no one spoke. Words seemed even more oppressive then the complete silence. At the entrance to the senator's apartments, the entire group paused, as if sensing how momentous the events, that would soon take place inside, would be. But, the door opened, and Bail led the way inside.

After they were all seated and comfortable, Bail spoke, "So, this is Padme's child?" he questioned, gesturing to the sleeping bundle in Dorme's arms.

Dorme tried to stifle her shock, taking a deep breath and slowly nodding. "Yes, she was born shortly before Padme was killed." She slowly unwrapped the blanket from around the baby, so that Bail could see her.

"She is beautiful, like Padme," he said, coughing slightly at the end so as to hide the break in his voice. He reached out and gently stroked the baby's head, smiling as he did so. His face took on a sudden serious quality, and he looked up, "What is to become of her?" he asked, no small amount of concern in his voice.

It was Obi-Wan who spoke first, "To tell you the truth, Bail, I don't know. I had hoped to leave her here with Padme, but," he paused, "things have changed. I don't know what to do now. She has no one."

"No!"

Both men turned to the small woman, who had stood up while they were talking. The look on her face was vehement and defiant. Until she had shouted, neither of them had even asked her what she wanted for the child. So, she told them.

"No," she said again, more quietly, "she has me. I can't leave her now. She is as much a part of me as Padme was. I protected Padme when she was alive, so it is my duty to protect her daughter." Her countenance had lost its vehemence to take on a softer, but no less determined expression. "Whatever happens, I have to stay with her."

The two men looked at her and back at each other, neither speaking. There was really no room left for argument. It was Obi-Wan who broke the silence. "Where will you go?" he asked.

A look of exasperation crossed her face. She'd already said that she didn't know. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that the senator had beaten her to it.

"She'll stay here of course." he answered, and laughed slightly as the two stared at him in surprise. He raised his hands palm upward, as if in surrender. "Let me explain," he said, plaintively. "Padme was a courageous person. What she did in the Senate? Amazing. I have nothing but respect for her. How could I honor her memory if I sent her only child off without even knowing what would become of her? And you," he pointed at Dorme, "I know that Padme loved you like a sister. How could I turn away any member of Padme's family? Especially one who loves and wants to care for her daughter. No, you will stay here, and you will be safe."

Dorme walked over to him, after he'd finished, and then sat down next to him. Before he could even utter a word, her arms were around him, and she was sobbing. Muffled "thank yous" were murmured softly against him, as he hesitantly put his arms around her. He looked over at Obi-Wan, who nodded and stood and turned to the door. He stopped at a feather-light touch on his shoulder. He turned to see Dorme's liquid, brown eyes staring into his blue-gray ones. He smiled, a small smile at her and leaned down to kiss Leia on the forehead. She still slept, innocent as an angel, and it was this innocence that sent a spiral of fear spinning down his spine. But, when he looked back into the eyes of the woman who was so like Padme in every way, he realized that she would be fine.

He nodded again to Dorme, but she didn't nod in return. She leaned in and gently kissed his cheek, then pulled back and smiled at him again. Only then, did he turn and exit the room. He could feel the peace and love emanating from the newly-formed family. And in this moment of recognition, he knew that if anything could save Leia from the horrors of the galaxy, it was that bond of love.