Sorry for the wait! I hope it's worth it!
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Padme sat at the table looking at the holopics from the previous night. She pushed a wet lock of hair behind her ear as she leaned in. Padme smiled dreamily as she flipped through them one by one. She felt the need to pinch herself. Could this really be real? Could she really be this happy? She sighed happily as she studied her handsome husband, smiling beautifully for the camera.
Hearing Obi-Wan come out of the fresher, Padme turned to grace him with her smile. "The pictures from last night turned out really well. Come look at them."
Obi-Wan leaned over her as she flipped through the entire set. "They did turn out nice. But with you in them, how could they not?" He kissed her and went into the kitchen to finish preparing lunch.
"I already know which one I want to display." She flipped to it as Obi-Wan turned around to see.
"You picked my favorite." Obi-Wan smiled at her as he got their plates.
Padme picked up the holodisk and set it on a small table in the living area. She stood back, studying its projection. Obi-Wan is standing behind her, arms wrapped around her. His chin is resting on top of her head and he's smiling his high-wattage smile. She has her arms on top of his and is smiling happily. Yes, this picture says it all.
They sat down at the table to eat their lunch. Obi-Wan glanced at Padme. "Do you know what you'd like to do today?"
Padme looked at Obi-Wan with a serious expression on her face. "Yes, I know exactly what I want to do today."
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Padme tried to find a comfortable position amidst the rocks. She had her holocam in one hand and was trying to balance with the other. She felt Obi-Wan come up behind her. "Here, lean up against me."
Padme did and sighed. "Ah, that's perfect." She put the holocam up to her eyes, zooming in on the moisture farm.
"You do realize that we could be here a while." Padme turned to see Obi-Wan's ironic smile.
Padme kissed him. "Yes, but I should be fine. You make a very comfortable cushion."
"Glad to be of service," Obi-Wan said dryly.
Padme's heart was pounding wildly. She had never thought that this would ever be possible. She was antsy with excitement.
Obi-Wan snaked his arms around Padme's waist. "I'm glad you'll at least be able to see him again."
"Oh, me too, Obi. I can't believe it's been four whole years…"
"This…this won't be even more painful for you, will it? I mean, being this close, seeing him, but not being able to talk to him or touch him?" Obi-Wan leaned in beside Padme with concern etched in his eyes.
Padme squeezed one of his hands. "No. I truly see this as a gift. I thought I'd never see Luke again. To be able to see him will help ease the heartache of losing him."
"You really are amazing, Padme." Obi-Wan kissed her before leaning back against the rock.
Padme started gazing through her holocam's viewfinder again. The moisture farm looked like a very…uninteresting place to grow up. The area was completely lifeless. There didn't look to be anything for a child to do. In other words, it hadn't changed at all since she was here last.
As the hours passed, the two took turns watching through the viewfinder of the holocam. Padme started her new turn, holding the camera steadily. Suddenly, she saw a blur of movement. She gasped and leaned forward. A little towheaded boy had run out the door of the home and was running around outside. Padme started clicking pictures as quickly as her finger could hit the button. A woman came running out of the house and grabbed the boy into her arms. She then quickly took him back inside.
"It was him, Obi! It was Luke!" Padme pulled the holodisk out of the camera and with shaking fingers, started reviewing the pictures. Obi-Wan leaned in. The images started to flicker as Padme's hand continued to shake. Wordlessly, Obi-Wan took the disk out of her hand and slowly clicked through the pictures.
Padme's hands went up to her mouth and tears began to well in her eyes as she saw picture after picture of her son. "He's beautiful," she whispered.
"Yes, he is." When all the pictures were viewed, Obi-Wan stood up and slipped the holodisk into his pocket. He put out a hand to help Padme up. She took it, still shaking with emotion. Obi-Wan pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair. He finally pulled away from her and put his finger under her chin. "Let's go home."
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A few days later, Padme came out of the kitchen with a tall glass of lemonade. She handed it to her sweaty, filthy husband. Obi-Wan was working on extending the living area of the hut. The back wall was gone and he had just finished laying the foundation of the extended part of the room. Dust covered everything.
"Oh, thank you." Obi-Wan drank the entire glass down quickly and handed it back to her. He immediately started back to work. He was on his hands and knees measuring and cutting supports for the new walls.
Padme reemerged from the kitchen and paused. She leaned up against the counter as she watched Obi-Wan work. She smiled wickedly as her eyes drank him in. His shirt was off and she could see the play of every muscle in his back as he cut. Her eyes roved over his strong arms.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan stopped what he was doing and sighed. "Padme, your thoughts are really starting to distract me." His voice was full of amusement.
Padme's wicked smile got even larger. "Sorry." Obi-Wan continued his work. Padme continued her surveillance for a few more minutes. She then slowly crept up behind her husband, getting down on her knees. She wrapped her arms him and started kissing his neck and his shoulders.
Obi-Wan started to laugh. "You are incorrigible!"
Padme leaned over his shoulder and displayed her wicked smile again. "I know."
"Okay, I know when I'm defeated." Obi-Wan got up and offered her his hand. He pulled her up and started leading her down the hall.
"Why, where ever are we going?" Padme asked as innocently as she could.
Obi-Wan stopped in front of the fresher. "I'm in the mood for a shower." Obi-Wan displayed his most rakish smile. "Care to join me?"
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Padme awoke with a start. Obi-Wan was twitching and moaning beside her. A sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. He groaned, "No! No, please!" Tears slid down his cheeks.
Padme shook him. "Obi! Wake up!" Obi-Wan shook his head from side to side. "Obi, please wake up!" She shook him hard.
Obi-Wan finally came awake and sat upright, breathing hard.
"Obi, you're okay. You were having a nightmare."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, it was real! I saw the destruction of the Temple. I saw everything that happened as if I was there! Oh, Padme, I saw the little crechlings and initiates inside!" He put his face in his hands. "They were slaughtered! Little babies and children. I heard their screams! I can STILL hear their screams!" His whole body shook as he broke down into sobs.
Padme pulled him into her arms. "Oh, Baby, no. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She held him close, rocking him, stroking his hair.
Obi-Wan looked up at her suddenly, anguish on his tear-streaked face. "Why? Why would he kill the children?"
Padme's heart grew cold as she realized who HE was. He PERSONALLY killed little babies? She didn't know why that came as such a surprise to her. He had personally killed many, many others. Tears now slid down her face. "I don't know, Baby. I don't know. But that's how evil works. There's no explaining it, no understanding it." She continued holding him until he calmed down.
Obi-Wan threw himself onto his back when the tears finally stopped. "I remember a lot of those kids, even the babies." Padme lay down beside him, propping herself up so she could look at him. She put her other hand on his chest. He intertwined his fingers with hers. "I enjoyed going into the creche and visiting the little babies. Those little ones were always such a wonder to me. They were so tiny, so innocent." Obi-Wan sighed heavily. "Now they're all gone."
Padme's heart ached, not just for those little ones lost, but for her husband. "You will see them again. All of them."
Obi-Wan looked at her. "I know. I know. I wish that knowledge helped to ease the sense of waste."
Padme moved her hand to his face. She pushed his sweat-soaked hair off his forehead. She moved her hand down to stroke his cheek. She then nestled down, head resting on his shoulder. Oh, what she wouldn't give to ease her husband's pain!
Obi-Wan spoke softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Padme."
