Before I began, thanks to Mrs.JennKenobi for the review. I really appreciate it!

On to the story,

6

Padme was finally at home. It was dark with no light at all and was still as a grave. She was used to it, however. Anakin had more than once left her in order to accomplish missions in the wars.

And it was without reason. And that was why the Jedi Council believed this was the best decision for him, after his wife had told them about his treason: The Jedi Council needed Anakin; he was clearly the best Jedi they ever had. The war was not over yet; they needed him to help them end it. Before Padme ran out of the room, Yoda told her –and the rest of the Jedi- to keep what she had revealed as a secret. No one must tell Anakin how close he was to the Dark Side. But another action definitely must be taken: Any mission involving Anakin must be limited. He must be constrained. It was the only way to pull him away from the Dark Side and keep him safe with the Jedi Order at the same time.

The Jedi Council was far from knowing that it was exactly one of the reasons why Anakin would turn away from them.

Padme was sent home by the Jedi Council without knowing exactly how to feel. She didn't know why she consented to their decision in the first place. She didn't know why she wished to meet the Jedi Council. She didn't know why she came to Obi Wan.

The name brought her thoughts to her and his last conversation. A vivid image of her mocking him (that he only wanted to touch her hand when he already learned she was pregnant) came back to her. She felt ashamed of have saying it.

But she had a reason to say it.

---

It was during her undercover as a handmaiden, when they landed in Tatooine. The planet was deemed to her fascinating. She told the captain to inform Qui Gon that the Princess wished her trusted handmaiden to explore the planet on her behalf. At the time they came to him, he was conversing with his Padawan. When Obi Wan knew her intention, he quickly asked his Master to let him join the group. Turned out, he felt he needed to watch closely on this particular handmaiden.

"I don't trust her," he said to Qui Gon, "she hides something."

His Force was not lying to him. She did hide something, but at that moment, Obi Wan's Force was quite far from guessing what she concealed.

Together, they could only watch when Ani tried with all his might to win the race. And also, when another racer, one called Sebulba, Ani's enemy for a lifetime, intentionally hit him and almost sent him to death. He survived, and won the race, nevertheless. But Padme was in state of ultimate shock when she saw Ani's racer crashed against the rocks. As the result, she unconsciously placed her claws into the arm of a man beside her, none other than Obi Wan. If he was in pain, he was very clever in disguising it. He merely looked intensely at Padme's direction and waited for her to come to her senses. She did come to her senses –and embarrassed- at length and quickly let go of her grasp.

But he never held her hand. He never did.

---

If that sounded too childish and foolish as a reason for Padme to scold at the Jedi, another incident happened could probably change that thought.

---

She was a queen then and it was during her journey back to Naboo with the two Jedi. The Master was to accompany his Padawan before he trusted him completely for his first task of protecting the Queen of Naboo. The Queen was quiet during the journey, and for Obi Wan, it was unusual, because she wasn't exactly the subtle type. When he, while sitting beside her, kindly asked her what was the matter, she answered slowly,

"It's… Nothing,

"It's the whole – queen thing. I don't think – I - can do this."

She was uncertain if Obi Wan wanted to hear her complaining, but she needed someone to talk to so much, she had to let it all out.

"Everyone thinks I can – because I'm my father's daughter, but – my passion is not politics. I – don't think I can be – a good queen – for my people,

"I don't know - why - my father entrusts me this - heavy task."

When she had finished at long last –because it felt like forever for her to have to utter the sentences- she waited for Obi Wan's words and advices. She had been longing for him to free her from her sadness.

After some consideration, he started, "Well, you shouldn't think that way. I'm sure you'll be a great leader. You don't think you can, because you can't see yourself. But everyone else sees you and they believe in you."

It was quite funny, actually, because Padme didn't feel much better. But she thought, if Obi Wan couldn't help me, who could? So, smiling thankfully, she reached for his hand, squeezed it, and said to him, "Thank you."

But he never held her hand back, because all of a sudden, he seemed very much anxious and abruptly stood up and left her on her own.

It wasn't for long when eventually their ship landed comfortably at Naboo. The door was opened and Anakin had waited for her outside. But before she could go, she had to make something clear first.

"Master Kenobi," she called, "do you think I'm beautiful?"

It was obvious that he had never been asked a question such as this. His mouth was opened and closed for some times. His eyes were wandering as he searched for the correct answer. And he bit his lip before he could reply, "Yes."

It was the good answer, just as good as his advice before. But Padme just realized that the good answer was not always the right one.

She followed Anakin out of the ship. But before its door was closed, she glanced back at Obi Wan to cry, "Goodbye!"

---

The sound of a key turned inside its hole and the door opened and closed startled her and stopped her from contemplating much further. Anakin! He has come home! A will inside of her ordered her to run to her bed and slipped her swollen body under the blanket. She turned aside, pretending to fall asleep.

So scared was she of her husband now.

She heard closely to Anakin coming into the bedroom behind her, dressed down, and then laid himself beside her. Perhaps it was the rapid beating of her heart. Perhaps The Force inside Anakin was the one who told him. She didn't know which. She merely knew that, all of a sudden, Anakin had felt her pretence and quietly spoke to her, "I didn't see you this morning."

His words erected a feeling of guilt in Padme's heart. This morning, her husband had just returned from his dangerous mission. Yet, when he arrived, she didn't come to welcome her own husband home. She should be ashamed of herself.

"I'm sorry," she said, and she meant what she said.

"I saw you with Obi Wan," he continued, ignoring her apologetic words.

She didn't reply. It never occurred to her that Anakin might have seen her meeting Obi Wan that morning.

"I can still feel his presence around you."

She moved her hand down to her belly. It must be this child he was sensing. She held it tightly under her fingers. And it struck her suddenly: his husband was utterly clueless that he was to be a father. Should she tell him?

Yes, she should. After all, he was the baby's father.

"Anakin?"

She turned around as she called his name. She could finally saw him. He was lying there, his eyes opened blankly, staring at the ceiling with the blue light of the night striking at it. When she named him, he stopped looking at it to turn his face and fix his eyes upon hers.

"Yes?"

All she could see was his eyes.

She knew then what to say, "Good night."