CHAPTER 4
Author's note: I don't own the song in this chapter. The song is from the musical Peter Pan and the writers are whom it belongs to. Thank you guys for all your reviews, and because the chapters are short in places I'm going to be updating two chapters at a time. I'm so glad you guys like this story. Well, on with it!
"Senator Amidala?" Mace Windu asked. Obi-Wan nodded. How do you think she could possibly help Anakin at this stage?""I agree," Adi Gallia added. "She is a politician, not a psychologist." Obi-Wan sighed.
"She is the only good thing he thinks about," he said. "In both encounters with him, the only happy thought in his mind, even when he was sleeping, was her."
The only good thing for him, she was I think, hmm?" Yoda said, a statement, not a question.
"Towards the end," his Master confirmed. The Jedi Council members looked at each other, taking it all in. Obi-Wan broke the silence.
"Masters," he said. "Anakin must see her! We have not been able to successfully reach him."
"Then how do we know that Senator Amidala will have any more success than we have had?" Mace questioned.
"Because Padmé was the only one ever to bring him happiness!" Obi-Wan begged. "She married him, bore his children, and he knows, deep down where Anakin lies in sleep, that she will never leave him." Each Council member looked at the others with looks of understanding and hopefulness. Obi-Wan continued. "Padmé is the only one who can do this. She is the only one who can reach him." Yoda nodded, as did Mace Windu. "We must do this."
"Shh Luke, mommy's here," Padmé soothed as she put Leia back down in her crib and picked a wailing Luke up into her arms. Leia, full and content went back into a peaceful sleep as her younger brother begged for his lunch. Padmé sat back down onto her bed, put Luke's face to her breast and smiled as his cries faded and he began feeding. Padmé began softly to hum to Luke to help him sleep.
Once upon a time and long agoI heard someone singing soft and low.
Now when day is done and night is near
I recall this song I used to hear:
"My child, my very own,
Don't be afraid, you're not alone.
Sleep until the dawn
For all is well."
Long ago this song was sung to me
Now it's just a distant melody.
Somewhere from the past I used to know
Once upon a time and long ago.
As she finished singing, Padmé saw that her son was done nursing and had fallen asleep at her breast. Padmé readjusted her shirt and put little Luke to bed. She then walked out onto her balcony that over-looked the lake country. She looked down and saw the balcony where she and Anakin had first kissed for the first time and where they were married. She had loved him so fiercely, even now that he was gone.
A soft knock came at the door to her room and Padmé cocked her head. "Come in!" she called. She still did not turn as she heard the door creak open.
"Padmé," she heard Dormé call. Dormé was the only one who stayed with her through it all, and she was Padmé's most trusted friend.
"Yes, Dormé?" she asked. "What are you still doing up at this hour?" Dormé did not answer.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi is here to see you," her friend called back, and Padmé heard the Jedi enter. Obi-Wan Kenobi? What could he possibly want? Padmé turned reluctantly to receive her guest.
He hadn't changed. His hair was the same, albeit a little grayer, but his stance never wagered despite his age. Obi-Wan Kenobi truly was a noble and majestic man, the noble and majestic man who helped lead her Anakin to his death.
"Master Kenobi," she greeted him, advancing on him. He bowed.
"Senator Amidala." He straightened and she stood feet away from him.
"Come to further destroy my life?" she spat. Obi-Wan took a deep breath as she moved to the small sitting area of her room, barely brushing past him. Obi-Wan sighed. Had he truly thought this would have been easy? No. He knew he would have been kidding himself had he wanted to walk into the Senator's home and expect her to be happy to see him. It was a complete impossibility. He had to grab her attention somehow, or Anakin would loose her forever.
"Padmé," he said. "We found him."
Padme stopped. Her heart stopped, but her mind races as quickly as a frightened deer.
"Who?" she asked, a stupid question.
"You know who Padmé," Obi-Wan confirmed for her. Padmé's eyes fell to the floor before she turned and stared at him defiantly.
"What do you mean 'you found him'?" Padmé said cautiously. Obi-Wan took a step nearer.
"I've seen Anakin, Padmé."
Padmé staggered backward slightly. Anakin, alive? She hadn't wanted to get her hopes up.
"How is he?" she asked. Obi-Wan sighed.
"You had better sit down."
"So, he actually did turn to the Dark Side," Padmé confirmed for herself. Obi-Wan nodded.
"Palpatine formed a mental bond with Anakin, but now Palpatine is dead," Obi-Wan continued. He paused and glanced up at Padmé meaningfully. "Without that link, his mind is lost. The old Anakin is not there." Padmé gasped.
"So you're saying that Anakin might as well be dead?" she asked.
"Not completely Padmé," Obi-Wan said, leaning forward. "There is still hope."
"How so?" Padmé spat. "You said that without that link, Anakin is no longer there."
"The way the doctors have explained it to me is that his consciousness is in a type of coma. He recognizes people when he sees them, but he can't remember who they are."
Padmé nodded. "So you're saying that he can still be reached?" Obi-Wan nodded.
"He remembers you Padmé." Padmé blinked. "You're the only one he knows without seeing you. He also knows that you're the only one who would never abandon him." Obi-Wan sat on the edge of his seat, reached over and took Padmé's hands in his. "You are our last hope, Padmé," he begged. "He needs you."