Chapter 5

Padme sat in her apartment, thinking over the plans for Anakin's rescue. Now all they had to do was find him. After Padme's outburst of her and Anakin's secret marriage six hours before, she, Obi-Wan and the Jedi Council had deliberated, discussed and planned for over four hours. Padme wanted to go with the Jedi that were going after her husband: Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, and Ki-Adi-Mundai along with a huge squadron of cloned soldiers. Now, Padme had to painfully wait because she was not allowed to go. She sat at the table in the small kitchen of her apartment, staring off into space, a stack of papers flooding the surface of the wooden table.

But as much as the plan to bring Anakin back to her was occupying her thoughts, something else equally urgent tugged at her mind.

"M'lady," Dorme said as she walked in. Padme blinked and sucked in a huge breath.

"Dorme, you startled me," she said quietly. "What can I do for you?" Dorme stood just in the doorway to the kitchen.

"The Jedi Council has located Anakin's Force signature," the handmaiden said. "They wanted me to let you know that there are several battles going on as we speak, and they can't go in as quickly as they'd hoped." Padme straightened her back.

"How long until they can mobilize?" she ground out. Dorme sighed.

"A few more days." The Senator hung her head and cursed hard under her breath. Damn this war she thought.

"Thank you, Dorme," she said without looking up. She heard Dorme grace her with a response, and the handmaiden turned to go. "Wait, Dorme," Padme said quickly, stopping Dorme in her tracks. "I need to talk with someone about this." Dorme took that as her cue to sit down across from Padme at the table.

"What's the matter, M'lady?" she asked quietly. Padme took a deep breath, and one tear trickled down her cheek. She wiped at it with her hand, and upon seeing the moisture, she cried. All the frustration, despair and fear came flowing out of the senator. Dorme quickly flew out of her chair and was comforting her friend immediately.

"I can't stand this any more, Dorme!" Padme confessed through the showering of tears. She pulled out of her handmaiden's embrace and stared straight ahead, streaks lining her cheeks. "I don't know whether he's dead or alive. I don't know if he's in pain. I just don't know, Dorme." Dorme walked to the counter and brought back a tissue, handing it to Padme. She took it and wiped her face and sniffled a little.

"Everything will be alright, Padme," Dorme assured her softly. "The Jedi know what they're doing. They'll get him back."

"But what if they're too late?" Padme spat hysterically. Realizing that she had lashed out at her friend, Padme looked down at the tabletop. "What if Anakin never gets to see his child?" she whispered. She heard Dorme gasp and she sat down again.

"What, M'lady?" Padme looked up.

"I'm pregnant. My cycle was late, so I took a test, and I was pregnant." A smile spread across Dorme's face and a small one tugged at the corners of Padme's mouth. But the smile quickly disappeared and she fought the oncoming tears. "And now I don't even know if Anakin will get to see our baby."

"He will, Padme. I know that I don't know him as well as you do, but I do know that he is a strong man, and he's determined. But most of all he loves you," Dorme said. She leaned forward and took Padme's hand, lending her friend strength. "And all those qualities combined force be to believe that he will fight to come back to you."

Padme nodded and wiped furiously at her eyes. "When do Obi-Wan and Master Windu leave?" she asked.

"They will not be able to go in for a while. They'll have to deal with the droid armies first and foremost."

"Damn," Padme swore. "And they're sure they can't mobilize more quickly?"

"They're going as fast as they can under the circumstances, and believe me, they don't like it any more than you do, M'lady."

Padme straightened. "Okay, fine," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, Dorme, I am going to bury myself into my work." Dorme nodded and got up to leave. Then she turned back around as she walked to the doorway, and saw Padme shifting through papers.

"Padme," she said softly. The Senator looked up and saw a small, sad smile on her handmaiden's face. "Congratulations." Padme smiled in thanks and Dorme left her to her work.