One Last Encounter
AUTHOR: Abigail
SUMMARY: There was only one way that Anakin and Padme could have stayed together…Twists the plot from RotS.
CHAPTER 7: Curiosity
RATING: M
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything that was created by George Lucas.
NOTE: Whew. Finals suck. Here's what I've managed to squeeze in lately. This one is dedicated to my friend who just saw Star Wars (any of them) for the first time. (the poor dear…). Anyhoo, I hope these chapters aren't boring or going by too slowly. I just love detail so just let me now if I need to speed it up a bit.
Anakin awoke with a start. His eyes clumsily searched the room. He must have had a nightmare…I remembered that I was trying to run. I was trying so hard but my legs wouldn't move. Then I heard her screaming. Screaming my name. She was in pain. Someone had hurt her. Me. But it was too late. I couldn't reach her and it was all my fault…
Anakin rubbed his eyes and stood up, trying to get acquainted with his feeling of sleepiness. He was in a hospital room, clearly identifiable by the white walls, sterile smell, and mechanical droid sitting properly in the corner. "I'm glad you're awake, Jedi Skywalker. Do you need anything?" the droid asked, as it slowly stood up and bowed in respect. Anakin was still slightly confused.
"Yes, you can tell me what I am doing here. I'm afraid I've slept too long…" Anakin spoke quietly. The droid smiled and drifted over to Anakin.
"Why, you arrived with Senator Amidala, who gave birth. You passed out during the ordeal and the doctor thought it was best that he give you a sleeping agent and allow-" The droid was quickly cut off by Anakin's sudden motion. Anakin exited the room, leaving the dumbfounded droid behind. His robes swept behind him as he spun around in the hall, trying to get a sense of what room Padme could be in. His mind was racing, trying to put together every possible scenario of what could have occurred while he was sleeping. What he did know for sure was that he needed to find Padme right now. Whatever may meet him when he walked through that door.
Then he saw her. At the end of the hall. He ran, as fast as he could to her. And this time his legs were moving. He slowed as he reached the door and he slowly pressed his hand against the door to activate it. It opened, revealing what Anakin had not expected. Padme lay on the bed, her arms gently by her side. Her closed eyes and eyelashes cast tiny little shadows against her skin. Padme's hair was brushed now, and tumbled down her shoulders. She was no longer trapped by her previous attire but adorned a soft white nightgown that made her pale skin seem somewhat healthier.
Anakin was scared by this image of Padme, looking so peaceful and at rest. He wished that he could leave it like this, freezeher like a pictureand pretend that nothing had happened. But he knew that sooner or later he would have to face his fear of reaching out and touching her hand, whether it may be warm with aliveness, or cold with…
Anakin backed towards the door, was again catching the attention of a meddlesome droid that sat in a chair besides Padme's resting figure. "Please leave…" Anakin said firmly, looking down at his feet. The droid stood up and began to question this, but Anakin saw this coming. "Please leave now," Anakin repeated, the anger in him rising. He needed to find this out for himself and the droid would only be an unwanted distraction. The droid wordlessly left the room and shut the door behind him.
A slight gasp escaped Anakin's mouth as he dropped his head into his hands. What have I done? All along, he had been stupid enough to believe that he would be able to save Padme. That he would be able to protect her. That he would be able to save her. And what has he done now? Hurt her, caused her pain, and…who knows what else. He had become everything that the Jedi order was against. Selfishness, Greed, Lust, Anger, Hate…he was all of these things and he despised himself for it. He was also scared, something that never would have characterized the emotions of his previous self.
But something forced him to lift his head up and walk towards Padme. He stopped when he reached the side of the bed. Her face looked so tranquil, like she was sweetly dreaming about her precious lake country, or something happy. Anakin did know that she was not thinking about him. He could only imagine what terrible nightmare he must bring to her mind, no matter how much she had tried to persuade him earlier that she fully supported him and his drift to the dark side.
His hand carefully reached out towards her face. His hand hovered above her cheek. Fear of the unknown had totally controlled Anakin by now that he almost took his hand away. But something propelled him forward, and he lightly placed his hand upon her cheek. Her warm cheek. Her skin that was warm and alive with life. His hand stayed there, absorbing her softness and warmth. Anakin's gaze softened and he slowly sat down in the chair next to the bed, never once removing his hand from its stationary place on her face. Anakin was sure that his worst fears were wrong, that what he had agonizingly anticipated wasn't true.
But Anakin knew that most things in life could appear to good to be true. He lowered his head to her ear, and softly whispered her name. "Padme…" She didn't move. Anakin tried again, more firmly this time. "Padme." She lightly stirred. Her eyelashes shifted and a sigh escaped her lips. Anakin's hand began to tremble as he watched Padme slowly open her eyes. Her thick lashes fluttered and her fingers curled. She softly inhaled Anakin's presence, and then exhaled loudly. Padme continued to shift around as she consciously woke up, but Anakin's hand continued to cover her cheek.
He then pressed her head towards his, averting her gaze to his loving one. Her blue eyes sparkled with that fresh feeling of rest. The two continued to stare at one another. So many feelings and emotions were flowing between the two of them but nothing needed to be said. Words weren't enough at a time like this, because it was words that had betrayed their love before.They both realized that the reality of it all was that they were staring into each others eyes, and through their eyes only could they see the depths of their souls.
Anakin's hand moved from her cheek down to her hand and he squeezed it gently. Padme lightly laughed as she brought her hand up to her still swollen stomach. "Luke and Leia," she whispered, rubbing her stomach lightly. "I think that we should call them Luke and Leia." Padme looked up at Anakin, hoping that he agreed with her. Anakin smiled and said, "I like that."
The two remained silent, staring at each other and holding hands. Neither of them noticed that Obi-Wan Kenobi inconspicuously stood watching this gesture outside the room window. He quickly turned around and left the hospital wing, making his way to the hangar where his ship waited for him. Obi-Wan knew that things had been left unsettled, but that both Padme and Anakin need time to adjust to the shift in their lives. Perhaps it would give them time to think and reconsider the path that had chosen to follow. Perhaps.
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Anakin quickly stood up when the Doctor entered the room. Behind him, a droid pushed a long a chamber with many tubes and wires attached. Cooing sounds came from this contraption and Anakin could see the blankets inside the glass tube slightly shifting and moving. The Doctor went to the side of Padme's bed and checked multiple monitors before he began to talk. "We believe that you are ready to go home, Senator Amidala. Be sure that you continue to stay in bed and rest. The Nurse will give you further instructions on how to handle the stress your body has undergone and such." The droid's tin-like voice began to annoy Anakin, who was anxious to hold his newborn son and daughter.
The Doctor's feet produced a metallic clang as he walked back towards the chamber, lifting up the lid. His hands reached inside and pulled out a swaddled baby girl. The droid turned to Anakin and handed him the baby. "Leia…" Anakin cooed as he gently took her into his arms. For the first time, Anakin looked into his daughter's eyes. Beautiful blue eyes stared back at him, exactly like her mother's. Tiny sprouts of brown hair covered her tiny head. Anakin smiled as he reached his hand up to touch her smooth skin. But once he did so, Leia's face contorted and she began to cry. Anakin was alarmed as he tried to comfort her, feeling awkward holding something so small and fragile.
The droid rushed to the rescue, taking Leia from Anakin's arms. Leia quickly calmed down, gazing up at the droid's reflective face. Anakin turned to Padme who gave him a sympathetic smile. Anakin tried to return the gesture but couldn't. Padme didn't know what it felt like. His own daughter cringed and cried at his touch. Anakin shuffled back to the corner of the room as the droid handed Leia to Padme. The two instantly connected; Leia's tiny fingers reaching up to grab at Padme's lips and nose. Padme smiled and cooed her name, running her hands over Leia's smooth skin.
Anakin was hurt as he watched mother and daughter bond. Anger began to stir inside of him as he thought about how lucky Padme was to be able to connect with her own daughter. He was on the verge of leaving the room when the Doctor came up to him. "Would you like to see Luke, Jedi Skywalker?" the droid asked, cautiously. Anakin hesitated, contemplating whether or not if this was a good idea. Nonetheless, he followed to the doctor to the chamber where the droid brought out a baby wrapped up in a soft blue blanket.
Anakin took his son into his hands, cradling him close. He was very wary of his actions as he held the tiny baby. Anakin was sure that any second the baby would begin to cry and fear his father just as his sister did. But Anakin pulled the blanket down, revealing Luke's face. Soft brown orbs stared back at him. Anakin was surprised that Luke was not as fidgety as Leia was. The baby remained motionless, still staring at Anakin. Then, slowly, Luke's tiny fingers reached up towards Anakin's face, lightly touching his skin.
Anakin remained fixated on his son's every action. Padme also noticed this and ignored Leia's movements for a moment as she watched her husband interact with his son. The two stared at each other curiously, realizing that there was something common between them. What that commonality was, they didn't know. But Anakin certainly felt something familiar about Luke. It was almost as if he could sense the force around him. He knew that it was common for children as young as a year old to already be with the force, but a newborn baby? Anakin was still intrigued by his son's reaction to him and felt his heart warm with joy.
Anakin turned and walked towards Padme, leaving behind the Doctor who felt it best to leave the two alone at that moment until they saw it fit to leave the hospital. Anakin sat back down in the chair besides Padme and showed off his son, whom Padme instantly noticed was a spitting image of his father. Padme smiled at Anakin's affectionate responses and caressed his cheek. Her touch made him turn his head, looking into her eyes skeptically. She caught his gaze, and stared at him. She saw it again, lurking in his eyes. He noticed and quickly stood up from his seat.
"We should get back home, Padme" he said, tucking Luke's blanket tightly around his small frame. "You are right," she mumbled, giving her hand to Anakin as he helped her get up from the bed. The assistant droid returned with a wheelchair and helped Padme sit down in it. Anakin took Leia into his arms, struggling to carry his two children as Leia began to cry. Anakin ignored this though and smiled at his son who remained to look up at his father with curiosity and wonder. Anakin and Padme left the hospital and returned to their home in Coruscant.
