Chapter Two
Later that evening
Anakin probed the minds of all those sleeping in the three year-olds' dormitory. None remained awake, so he took his chance to slip in, cautious to remain unnoticed.
He swiftly moved along the beds, subtly planting the thought to move into a deeper sleep into the minds of all but two of the toddlers.
Finally he reached the beds of his twins, side-by-side near the end. He smiled down fondly at each of them, relaxed under their blankets and so perfect in their slumber.
"Luke, Leia, wake up," he softly whispered, giving them a gentle nudge with the force to move them from their dreams.
Leia woke up first.
"Daddy?" she asked sleepily.
"Hi princess," he murmured, sitting down on the side of her bed.
She sat up and leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Luke chose that moment to stir too and Anakin carried Leia over to his small bed, bringing them both in close.
"How are you guys doing? Alright?" he asked them quietly.
"I saw you today! But I didn't call out or anything!" Luke told him proudly as he bounced in his lap.
"Did you? Where?" Anakin grinned.
"In the hall near the archives," Luke remembered.
"Ahhh, I was down having a play with R2. You are so good for not calling out, I'm so proud of you."
Anakin held them close and lay out on Luke's bed, one twin curling into each of his sides.
"I miss mummy," Leia told him softly.
"Me too," Luke sorrowfully chimed in.
Anakin gave them a quick squeeze and ruffled their hair.
"She misses you too. Especially now that all her little Skywalkers are here."
"If we play with Lané, do we have to pretend she's not our sister?" Luke asked seriously.
Anakin laughed loudly then remembered where he was and toned it down, reinforcing the suggestions of sleep he'd washed over the rest of the dormitory.
"No you don't have to pretend. They know she's your sister."
"But they don't know you're our daddy," Leia remembered seriously.
"That's right. Now I had better go before someone catches me in here."
Anakin tucked Luke back in, then carried Leia back over to her bed and tucked her in as well.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear and kissed her forehead.
"I love you too daddy," she grinned, putting her arms around his neck and giving him a squeeze.
He stood up and moved back to Luke's small bed.
"I love you too," he whispered to his only son.
"I miss you. I want to go home," Luke told him not so quietly.
Anakin paused, not having a response. Duty before self was Padmé's policy. And it tore him up inside, debating whether to keep their children at home with her and far away from the Jedi, but deny them the life that he loved and the frustration which was sure to come with such high force ability if they were left untrained.
"I know you do," was finally the best reply Anakin could come up with.
"Okay, good night. I'll see you soon."
They both nodded seriously.
"Sleep," he softly ordered and waved his hand gently.
He stood watching them until both their eyelids had closed and they'd returned to their state of slumber before creeping towards the door. He had enough time to sneak upstairs and give Lané a quick kiss and still slip back to his own quarters without being noticed. Covering himself to return home to Padmé was probably going to prove too risky, he'd best remain in the temple tonight.
He was just reaching his hand for the door panel when a voice from near the floor quietly asked
"Are you married to her Anakin? Or have you just sired all of her children?"
Anakin stopped and winced. Internally he blasted himself for not searching deeper for Kenobi's hidden presence. Still, he had to deal with the situation as best he could.
"Master," he greeted, bowing slightly.
"They are yours are they not?"
Obi-wan came into the light and gestured towards where the twins lay. He'd obviously overheard the entire conversation. Before Anakin could reply his ex-master had continued.
"And Lané too, one would suppose."
Anakin had no answer. Nothing sprang to mind. All the times he'd rehearsed getting caught and not one of the solutions he'd come up with entered his mind.
Finally "I love her," quietly fell from his lips.
"Yes I know you do."
Anakin led them out into the corridor, allowing the door to close behind them so the children would be disturbed no longer.
"What are you going to do with me?" Anakin inquired.
Obi-Wan was slightly taken aback. He'd obviously been preparing for Anakin to break into a rage, accuse him of spying and disloyalty. Normal Anakin short-fuse behaviour. But Anakin's mind was far too busy covering all scenarios for the future to divert energy into anger.
"We have an appointment with the council," Obi-Wan told him firmly.
He started walking towards the council chambers.
"Now?" Anakin asked in disbelief.
There was a long pause as Anakin remained by the sleeping chamber of the children. He thought to himself for a moment, then dropped his shoulders and let the force flow through him, clearing his mind. A list of his goals started forming in his head and he moved slowly to catch up to his former master
"Why do you think I am their father?" Anakin asked evenly.
"With Luke and Leia I was suspicious for a while, but it faded with time. This afternoon I was walking past the crèche and saw you with Lané."
"Oh," Anakin murmured dejectedly. "We could have just been playing. The senator and I are good friends you know, I spend a lot of time in the presence of her children – they know me! I just thought she'd like to see a familiar face!" he perked up defensively.
"Stop it Anakin. I went to check midichlorian counts on Luke and Leia and Lané. And they're all the same. Way too high, and identical to yours. We were not aware Jedi traits could be passed on genetically, but it would seem you have disproved that theory."
"That could be anything," Anakin defended.
"I just heard you tell those twins you loved them. And they both called you daddy, then remembered they have to pretend you aren't."
Damn! Anakin's mind lost all will to deny it. There was too much evidence now. Best to make the most of it.