The Secrets We Keep

Author: LVB

Summary: Back briefly in Coruscant during the Clone Wars, Anakin notices his wife is acting strangely. What is Padmè hiding?

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to GL and LucasFilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

A/N: I've been getting a few reviews about the short chapters. All I can say is sorry! I didn't realise how short they were or whatever. I just like being to the point and I don't like to have chapters with kind of two parts to them. I'll try for next time! Hope you enjoy this chapters, and once again THANK YOU for all the tremendous reviews I've been getting. You'll be rewarded with more long fics from me in time to come :)


Ch 5: Realisations

Padme had walked out of the office in a daze.

Pregnant.

Senator Amidala was pregnant.

The doctor had assured her of his secrecy, and for that she was thankful. He had asked no questions and probably had no idea who the father was. She was definitely relieved.

She unconsciously stroked her stomach. The results the doctor had given her to take home told her she was just about a month along. That meant that this had happened the last time that Anakin visited her.

The conception of our child.

It was then that the fact sunk in. She was going to have a baby. She and Anakin were going to have a baby! A smile spread across her face as she absentmindedly began to walk back towards her apartment.

The shock quickly faded into happiness. She had always dreamt of having a family of her own. With the child, their family would now be complete. The Skywalkers!

As she reached the door to her apartment, she thought about her husband sitting inside. He would still be worried sick. She couldn't wait to tell him the news. And at that moment, a thought dawned on her. How would Anakin react to this news? Although they had been married, the topic of children had never come to pass.

Anakin was a Jedi Knight. As sworn to her duties as she was, Padme knew it was always acceptable for a politician to leave and raise a family. But a Jedi? Romantic attachment was forbidden – let alone having children!

She had been living a lie for two years, hiding her relationship with Anakin. But for a family of her own - the chance to be normal. She would walk right up to the Chancellor himself and inform him of her name change for that chance. But it wasn't just her in this marriage – she had to think about what Anakin wanted.

And Anakin was a Jedi. He couldn't possibly have children.

He couldn't possibly want children.

And in that moment of happiness, sadness and despair managed to take hold of Padme Skywalker.

I can't keep this baby.

The thought terrified her but as she heard Anakin's footsteps come to the door, she had to push those thoughts out of her mind.

Anakin can't know of this.

She shoved half of the results the doctor had given her into the folds of her gown just as her husband opened the door.