PART TWO:
She stares out the window into the dark Coruscant night unconsciously rubbing her swelling stomach where life grows.
Somewhere out there her Jedi is fighting the powers of evil. Somewhere out there also is her husband. Life changes so much, war is ragging and has now come to the atmosphere of the Capital Planet.
Obi-Wan still haunts her mind, still plagues her dreams. Three years ago, he walked away from her. In that time she married for spite and now carried a child. In that time she watched him from the sidelines, never daring to enter his world, as he achieved the rank of Master and a place on the Jedi High Council and watched him carefully turn the tides of the War as he climbed the ranks to General in the Republic Army. In that time, her love never ceased to be, but rather it strengthened, it magnified—it nearly consumed. She stood on the brink always watching, she stood on the sideline of her own life, just waiting for truth, just waiting to dance.
Oh, her husband is a good man, one of the best. He fights for justice and peace, he loves her with undying love and in her own way she loves him too…But she still holds back, still sits out the last dance of every party still holding out for her Jedi. It was wrong to marry…to marry and not give all of her self but it came to a point where she had to change, had to move on with her life…to move beyond Obi-Wan and she did that by marrying. Trying to convince her self that he was replaced.
He wasn't. And never would be. She just now received word that a ship would be returning from the battle to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, it would arrive just after dawn. Grabbing a wrap, she heads from her building making haste to the Senate where surely the hero's would make an appearance.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master and Republic Army General…man without a feeling heart. Time has a funny way of either healing wounds and making memories fade…or as in his case making wounds deepen and memories clarify.
The transport bus is empty except from him and Anakin and the air is heavy. He looks to the man across from him and wonders what the future holds. The future that should be bright and hopeful for this young Jedi Knight is rather bleak and unsure. Each fight they return from and each one they enter, Obi-Wan wonders if the blond haired man is truly the galaxy's savior as the prophecies had suggested. Oh his ability is undeniable, his natural talent unmatched but something is flicking inside of him that has Obi-Wan wondering if someone who seemingly needs to be saved can save a galaxy.
Padmé…his Queen, his senator…his unreachable goal, he sees her dark head among the crowd on the Senate platform landing pad and his heart lurches. Three years…three years he watched from very, very, far away. Three years and his heart hadn't mended, his love hasn't dissipated. He doubts it ever will.
Part of him went numb, died, when he walked away from her and hasn't risen yet. How could one woman penetrate so deep that one can't breathe without feeling the ache of loss? How can a relationship be forged so solid, and so true without years of time? How can a love blossom and consume without nary a kiss, a soft word or declaration of such?
How could a man promise to save all for a woman he can never have…how can he promise her something he knows he can never give her? How could a man ask her to wait for that thing she can never have? How can a man love a woman so deep and so hard he would hand over his life just to have a second of her passion, her words and her affection? How can a man watch this woman, her every action for over three years, yet never speak a word to her, never offer a touch, never even alert her to his presence and still be sane?
The bus lands and Obi-Wan steps out, Anakin following. The crowd fills in around them and Padmé stands back slightly, face pale and eyes holding their own as his meets hers.
"You stay Anakin…I don't do well with politics…you do…" he mumbles turning around to address his once student.
"All right Master…" Anakin hesitates wondering about the sudden change in Obi-Wan.
"Senator Organa…" a voice breaks through the murmur as a ship on the other side lands.
From the ship comes Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, he just arriving from a stint on the front line.
The crowd that has formed becomes confused, not sure who to pounce upon first. Returning heroes who just rescued the Chancellor or the returning hero from the front lines?
Obi-Wan looks to Bail Organa and dips his head in acknowledgement, Bail returns the gesture. The crowd parts, half closer to the Hero with out Fear and the Negotiator, and the remaining closer to the Senator…Padmé now standing in the center.
Padmé takes a step forward heart beating wilding, looking neither to her left or to her right.
Bail takes the few steps from his ship and moves to meet her. Obi-Wan watches from the door way of the transport, not breathing at all.
"You're back," Padmé smiles feeling slightly faint, she feels her Jedi's eyes burning into her back.
"Indeed Padmé Organa, my darling wife, I am home!" Bail sweeps his wife into his arms kissing her heartily.
Obi-Wan glares and then turns to walk further into the transport, giving the captain the go ahead to take off. He stood by watching her dance her life dance, he watched her take dips and turns around life's bumps and unexpected turns ready to catch her if she fell, ready to offer his hand if ever she found herself alone, like she had that night so many years ago. But now in this dance he couldn't be her partner, couldn't hardly be her friend, another took his place…took his place and offered her his name, something Obi-Wan could never hope to do.
Tossing and turning trying to sleep Obi-Wan can't help put picture his Queen in the arms of one of his best friends. She married him a year after Obi-Wan told her goodbye. She waited…she waited a year. It made him both glad, for at least she didn't cast him off as nothing in a week…but it also made him angry because she only waited a year.
Did she love him as he loved her? He thought she felt the love as he did; he thought that what transpired between them was something that flowed between them both. He thought that it was something that could never be cast aside. He evidently was wrong because to the side it seems he and his love was tossed.
It is wrong to feel this was, he supposes since after all he told her goodbye first. He made the choice to walk away; he made the choice between her and the Order. But why then if she was over him couldn't he get over her?
"Senator Organa…it is not safe for you to be traveling, you are due any day now!" a senator aide reprimands as Padmé prepares to board her Naboo cruiser.
"Caitlyn, I appreciate your concern but Bail has gone to find Anakin…he may need my help, I am going."
"But…" the aide's words are cut off as the Senator and her astromechdroid R2-D2 board the ship, the ramp closing behind them.
Her heart pounds as she assumes the controls of the ship, somewhere Obi-Wan was searching out Anakin…not her husband. She needed to get to Mustafar to stop Anakin before Obi-Wan got there…she needed to save Obi-Wan from the evil she knew was starting to consume her once dear friend.
When Obi-Wan came to her home and stiffly asked if she knew where Anakin was she denied him. Why she couldn't fully name. Perhaps it was spite because of the way he came in and said "Mrs. Organa" with such cold, hatred and looked upon her with neutral arctic eyes. She hadn't expected him to come to her with the open passion as he once had, but she had expected him at least to come to her with the semblance of courtesy. But more then that, she denied him because deep down she knew that Anakin was evil and was terrified that he would hurt her beloved Jedi. Because after all she still loved Obi-Wan.
So now, she heads to confront the enemy because love makes you stupid. She lands the ship assuring herself that if anyone can convince Anakin he is heading down a dark path, it's her. She is sure that if anyone can go and confront him and not be hurt by him it's her. Because after all Anakin had told her time and time again he loved her.
Tucked away in a small hidden alcove Obi-Wan ponders his fate. It the matter of seemingly hours life as it was ceased. The Jedi were slaughtered, and by his own padawan, clone troopers turned on their allies, the Sith Lord Sidious was revealed to be Chancellor Palpatine, the man under their noses the entire time. Life turned upside down and backwards, life stopped. His once padawan was on this planet's surface becoming a Dark Lord for the Sith…what had happened to the laughing little boy on Tatoonine? What happened to hope? What happened to salvation?
Up at the front of the ship his love prepares to exit. Why did she come here? Why did she refuse to tell him the location yet go there herself? Why? He hid on her ship because he wanted to find Anakin and now he waits to follow, he waits so he can watch because he wants to know why, why she came here. He wants to know because after all…he still loves her.
"Anakin! Please! Think about what you are doing! I am your friend, I would do anything for you…but I can't help you if you continue on this path!" she pleads.
"Anything Padmé? You couldn't love me! That is what I needed, what I wanted, and you couldn't give that to me could you? I can rule the galaxy now…I can save the galaxy now…I have the power now! I don't need you…but I still want you, you know…"
She swallows hard, her head feeling dizzy, "I don't love you like that Anakin…I am married…I am going to have a baby!" she whispers.
"But you don't love him either do you?" Anakin states with a mocking laugh, "No, you don't love dear Bail Organa, you never have…you forget I have eyes Mrs. Organa…I saw the way you looked at my Master and I saw the way you didn't look at your husband …don't look so innocent Padmé."
"I…I don't…"
"Don't deny it…Why do you think I hate Obi-Wan so? He turned you against me and he had your love…" he spits wickedly.
"That isn't true…please Anakin…stop this evil…this hatred…" she pleads.
"If you aren't with me, you are against me!" and without another word he lifts his hand toward her, hand slowly closing as the Force flows through him and into her closing off her air.
She gasps and feels her windpipe constrict, her hands trying to pull the invisible hold away.
"Let her go Anakin!" a deep powerful voice demands.
Anakin doesn't blink, doesn't flinch.
"Let her go!" Obi-Wan growls hands on his hips even while his heart pounds.
Anakin sneers, releasing his hold, Padmé falling to the ground.
"So Obi-Wan…it comes to this."
"I will do what I must Anakin, you have to be stopped…" Obi-Wan resists the urge to scoop his Queen into his arms and carry her to safety. Instead, he settles for an assurance of her pulse and moves to put to right the evil standing before him.
"Padmé…can you hear me? Darling…can you hear me?" Obi-Wan whispers framing her face with his hands.
The table she lays on is cold and lights dance in front of her eyelids. She wants to open her eyes, she wants to say that she can hear her Jedi's sweet, soft voice but everything in her hurts.
"Stay with me, do you hear me I said stay with me!"
If he would promise always talk to her in that voice, to always touch her like he is now she would stay and never leave, she would conquer the world to have his touch she would hand him her soul to have him whisper her name.
"I…I…hear music…" she coughs hoarsely, throat sore and scratchy. It was true somewhere in her fuzzy uncontrollable thoughts she heard a song being played. A song she knew yet couldn't name.
"Shh, now…just rest…I'm taking you home."
Home. Home is where you are, she wanted to tell him. She also wanted to tell him that he was a man of contradictions. First he was yelling at her to tell him if she could hear him and then he is telling her to shh, when she does talk.
How do I tell her? How do I tell her that her husband is dead? Obi-Wan stands outside the hospital room with Master Yoda looking in at the fading Padmé Organa.
"Needs you she does," Master Yoda comments bowing his head.
"How do I tell her Master?"
"Not now…wait you must. Fist, take care of her, you must…her and the baby."
"Yes Master."
Walking into the delivery room, he feels his heart stop. So pale, so alone…so vulnerable.
"How is she?"
"Better now…her heartbeat strengthened when you came in…strange. It is almost time."
"Obi-Wan…please…Obi-Wan…" Padmé calls softly.
He rushes his last few steps to her side and takes her hand while wiping away her tears with his thumb, "I am here…right here. It's okay now…it's all going to be okay."
"I…I…" she squeezes her eyes shut as pain brings numbness to her mind.
"It's time…" the doctor says.
She cries out in pain and Obi-Wan feels his knees cripple. He squeezes her hand and soon it's all over.
"A baby girl," the doctor announces handing a pink bundle to Obi-Wan.
"What to name her?" Obi-Wan asks hoarsely tears in his eyes.
"Adele…after my mother…" she whispers as the she sees her daughter for the first time.
"You did beautifully…oh Padmé…" Obi-Wan looks down into her face kissing her forehead.
"Anakin was right about one thing…I never stopped loving you…I never stopped waiting…"
6 months later…
She watches the sun plays along the sand and wonders, wonders about how life changes and rearranges to accommodate all the surprises, joys and sorrows it deals. She wonders how she changed to become the woman she is today.
She sits alone and listens to a song playing in the distance. Hope is taking root where there could have been devastation. The war has been over for a month. The danger not completely gone for there is a new threat rising, a foe who was once a friend. But there is hope because she finally put to the rest the past and all the hurt.
Her daughter grows with each day and keeps the memory of her father alive with her. Padmé knows she never should have married Bail, but she was as good a wife as she could be, she loved him though never as much as he deserved. She made peace with that and found no better honor to his memory then the beautiful smile of their daughter.
"Save the last dance for me?" a soft voice tickled her ears.
"Haven't I always?" she turns to see her Jedi approach from behind.
"You have…even when I haven't deserved it. You saved your dance for me…you saved me…" Obi-Wan's eyes darken and he almost forgets to breathe.
"Time and circumstance has had us playing in parts we were never ready for, had us dancing with obstacles we never imagined. But always, I knew…I knew from the moment you whispered to on that Naboo dance floor, that it would be you who would dance the last dance with me… I knew that you were my home…I always knew…"
"As I knew it too…come dance this last dance with me before you become my wife…because after tomorrow you will not just save the last dance for me…but every dance."
"That I will…that I will…."
THE END
AN: Well there it is whattya think? Kind of a cheesy premise I know, but the silly thought wouldn't let me be till I wrote it LOL And I know the marriage thing to Organa really came from left field but I just couldn't let her marry Anakin, I just always thought that was just wrong…besides I thought it gave it something a bit less ordinary. I hope you enjoyed and thank you all so much for your kind reviews, they do mean so much!
Thanks to:
sassy-satine, zan189, Aiska Kenobi, Mu-san, ally127, Caitiri, QueenMeep
you guys are awesome :-)
--RaeAnne