IN DREAMS

Chapter Three

"Padme…"

She looked up and saw him gazing at her. He reached out to stroke her hair and she immediately threw her arms around him.

"Anakin…" she cried softly into his neck. "They don't know what happened to you. No one will tell me anything. Where are you?"

He drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her to comfort her. "Don't worry…I'm alright. Don't worry about me…you need to take care of yourself."

She pulled out of his arms slightly and looked up at him. Then, unable to control herself, she pulled him into a passionate kiss that took him by surprise at first. He kissed her back fervently…

Padme shot up in bed and shook her head furiously. Another dream. It seemed that she dreamed of him every night. She wouldn't have minded if the dreams weren't so disturbing. The dreams were like they were having a real conversation, like Anakin was somehow communicating with her through her dreams. The last few days had been agony and all she wanted to do was rest. But he wouldn't let her. He was haunting her, she was sure of it. She knew it was only a matter of time until her hopes were shattered.

She laid back down wearily and somehow, sleep came.

Several hours later, Padme awoke again, but this time, she bolted straight for the refresher. She crouched over the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach into it. When her body ceased convulsing, she looked up to meet Sabe's worried eyes.

"Sabe…"

"Milady? Is everything alright?"

Padme looked down for a moment as reality sunk in. Was that why Anakin had told her to take care of herself?

"Sabe, I think I'm pregnant."

Sabe nodded quickly in understanding. Within minutes, they left to take Padme to the doctor.

Obi-Wan entered the Council conference room, leaning heavily on a cane. He still wasn't completely healed but he had to do this for Anakin.

The Council quickly fell into a hush as Obi-Wan took his place. He took a deep breath and began to relay the story. He gave the Council every detail, from the moment of attack, until he awoke in the hospital.

"Anakin has yet to be found. He was been declared missing in action. However, it is difficult to believe that he has survived if he was never recovered from the rubble."

"And the other bases where checked for him?"

"Yes, I did. He has yet to be recovered."

The Council members seemed to shake their heads in unison. The loss of Anakin Skywalker was a huge tragedy. Each Council member knew that this tragedy would also deeply affect the outcome of the Clone Wars. With nothing left to say, Obi-Wan was dismissed.

He turned a corner and ran directly into Senator Amidala.

"Senator, please excuse me."

Padme hadn't noticed the man that had run into her. She barely noticed anything anymore. It wasn't until she heard the man's voice that she looked up into the eyes of the man that she had been searching for.

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Senator?"

She took a deep breath, knowing that she had almost blown her cover with Master Windu, and she wasn't about to give herself away now.

"I heard that you were back. Are you alright?"

Obi-Wan smiled good-naturedly and lightly tapped his leg. "Just a few injuries. Nothing serious."

"That's good to hear. And your padawan? Is he well?"

Obi-Wan swallowed and sadly shook his head. "Senator, I know that you and Anakin were good friends. Sit down and I'll tell you everything."

Padme's hand flew to her throat as she sat down next to Ob-Wan. Just by the tone of his voice, she could tell that what he was about to tell her was not good.

"Senator…"

"Please, Obi-Wan, call me Padme."

Obi-Wan smiled briefly before continuing. "Padme, Anakin and I were on a mission on Dant, we were almost immediately outnumbered and surrounded. I was shot in the leg and luckily, Republic star-fighters knocked some of the Separatists down. Anakin got me into shelter, and before we knew it, the roof collapsed over our heads."

Padme gasped, it was exactly had she had seen it. She must have been seeing it as it happened to her husband. She quickly turned her attention back to Obi-Wan before he could notice her unusual reaction.

"I woke up in a hospital several days later. Anakin was no where to be found."

"You mean…?"

"He's missing in action, Padme. I've been told that if he's still under the rubble, there's no way he could have lasted more than 48 hours."

"So you're saying he's dead then?"

"I don't want to, but…I don't see how he could have survived."

Padme nodded sadly, desperately trying to suppress the tears that threatened to fall.

"Give my regards to the Council. I'm truly sorry for your loss, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded and softly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You know, Padme, you cared for him too. It's alright to cry for him."

She laughed softly in spite of herself and looked up at him with tears shining in her eyes.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan."

He nodded to her and watched her hurry off. She had taken the news better than he thought she would. Maybe he had been wrong, and Anakin's feelings for her were not reciprocated. He sighed and headed towards his chambers. He had his own grief to deal with.

Padme had to stop herself from running into her chambers. As soon as she was behind closed doors, she collapsed on the floor. She curled up into a tiny ball and let herself release the emotions she had been suppressing for the last few days. Her shoulders heaved with the pain she felt and tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Slowly, her hands rested on her abdomen and she began to cry even harder.

Author's Note: Does anyone want me to continue? I definitely have plans for this story, but I haven't gotten a lot of reviews so far. Let me know if you want me to keep going with this or not. Thanks.