Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Hey there everyone, sorry about the delay but real life can be a pain in the you know what. Thank you all so much for your reviews and here is Chapter 3 as promised! Don't worry, some action will be coming soon! For now though, more fluff!

Much later that same night, Anakin walked out of the Council room with Obi-Wan scowling fiercely. "I can not believe how long they kept us," he practically growled.

Normally, Obi-Wan would have protested saying that it was the job of the Council, but this time, he was forced to agree, despite the fact that he was on the Council himself. "You know," he said. "I'm beginning to understand why Qui-Gon never wanted to be on the Council. It should not have taken them that long to debrief us! Not when we gave them reports every chance we were able to!"

"Politics," Anakin muttered darkly. "I swear that I will never understand politics, be it within the Jedi or the Senate."

"Well then it's a very good thing that you have Padme and myself to help you out," Obi-Wan said teasingly. Anakin knew very well that he hated politics just as much as he. After all, who else would have passed that trait down to Anakin other than himself? Nobody and that's the way Obi-Wan liked it. What had ever possessed him to take a seat on the Council anyway?

"What did posses you to take a seat on the Council anyway Master?" Anakin asked as they walked towards where his speeder was, unknowingly echoing his Master's thoughts.

Obi-Wan smiled wryly. "I was just wondering that myself my friend. The only explanation I can come up with is that I suffered a serious lack of judgment at the moment, although, this could work in your favor," he mused suddenly.

"What are you talking about Master?" Anakin asked puzzled.

"Ani, I'm on the Council and if you and Padme are to be discovered, I can speak for you. There is still hope yet my young friend," he said cheerfully.

"If you say so Obi-Wan," Anakin said clearly doubtful. While he loved being a Jedi dearly, he loved his Master and his wife far more. If his and Padme's marriage was discovered he didn't want Obi-Wan to pay the price for his actions.

"Don't be so pessimistic Anakin, your thoughts betray you," Obi-Wan said playfully yet seriously. "It is a risk I am willing to take Ani. You and Padme mean far more to me than my career as a Jedi. Now, enough of these maudlin thoughts. You have a long night ahead of you and I recommend that'd you better get going."

"True, very true," Anakin said grinning widely. "I do have a long and enjoyable night ahead of me. I'll see you later Master!" he called out as he climbed into the speeder and flew away far faster than should have been allowed.

Obi-Wan shook his head as he watched Anakin fly away. "He'll never change" he scoffed while smiling. He wouldn't have it any other way.

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By the time Anakin had reached Padme's apartment, he could barely contain his excitement. At long last he would spend his anniversary with his wife for the first time in their three years marriage. This would be a night to remember for all time, he was certain of it.

It seemed that Padme had been thinking along the same lines as he for when Anakin got back to her apartment the table was set for a romantic dinner for two which was to be followed by...dessert.

"I've been waiting for you Master Skywalker," Padme said from somewhere behind Anakin. "Didn't your Master ever tell you that it isn't polite to keep a lady waiting?"

Anakin went to turn around by soft warm arms encircled him, keeping him where he was. "Why of course he did milady, however, the ever wise Council took a very long time in debriefing us," he said playing the part.

Padme laughed behind him and hugged him tighter. "All right Ani, you're forgiven so you can turn around now."

Anakin turned around and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. Padme was wearing a beautiful gown made of purple satin with pearls hanging down on her arms. What was even more breathtaking than that, however, was the now very noticeful bulge of her stomach that held their child. "You, you are so beautiful," he whispered.

"Oh Ani, always the sweetheart. I feel like a waddling duck between the heavy dresses and our child," Padme said shaking her head.

"Padme," Anakin said putting one hand on her face and the other on her stomach. "You are so beautiful. You are carrying our child and that is one of the most beautiful sights in the galaxy that I have ever seen."

Padme flushed a deep red and kissed Anakin's hand. "You may the Hero Without Fear to the rest of the galaxy but to me, you are the sweetest man to have ever been born. Now let's eat before dinner gets cold," she said sitting down and staring hungrily at all the delicious looking food.

Anakin laughed as he sat down across from his wife. "You know, that's usually my line. I've never seen you this hungry before," he said as Padme started to shovel food down at an alarming rate.

"True, but then again, I am eating for two now so what do you expect?" she said still shoveling down the food.

Anakin smiled at the thought. "I didn't think of that. I'm still getting used to the whole idea of being a father in two short months!"

"I guess I do have the advantage over you in that respect," Padme said grinning. "I've had seven lonely months to adjust to the fact that I'm going to be a mother. Don't worry though, you'll get used to it very shortly!"

"I certainly hope so," Anakin said getting up and kissing Padme gently. "Hello there little one," he said with one hand on her stomach. "I know I haven't been around these past few months but I'm your daddy and your mother and I can't wait for you to get here."

"Oh!" Padme said when the baby kicked in response.

"Are you all right? Perhaps you had better lay down," Anakin said worriedly.

Padme laughed and stood up. "Oh Ani, it's nothing to worry about. The baby just kicked me is all. He's been doing that for months now. Here, feel," she said putting his hand back on her stomach.

Anakin's face lit up with an earth shattering smile as he felt his baby kick for the first time. "Oh Padme, this is incredible! How do you know that it's a boy though?"

Padme smirked. "Motherly intuition, that's how. There are certain aspects in life that males, no matter how Force sensitive, can understand."

"Oh I don't know about that Padme. Something tells me that was my little princess kicking. It's a girl, I'm sure of it," Anakin said with a grin.

"Humph, well I guess we'll just have to wait and see now won't we?" Padme smiled. "There are only two more months to go after all and then our son our daughter will make their appearance into the world."

"Yes, she will," Anakin said.

Together, he and Padme broke out into hysterical laughter. "Come on, I can think of better ways to spend our anniversary than debating our babies gender," Padme said with a sultry smile.

"Whatever you say milady," Anakin said allowing Padme willingly to drag him into their bedroom. That was the last thing said for quite some time as husband and wife made up for lost time.

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It was in the early hours of the morning that Anakin woke up by his comm unit beeping like mad. Normally he would have been very irritated by someone paging him during his time with Padme, but not right now. The beeping had woken him from a nightmare that had only just begun and he was rather relieved that it hadn't finished.

Carefully moving out of bed so as not to disturb Padme, he groggily walked out into the hallway. "Skywalker here," he said trying to sound as awake as possible, not an easy feat at four o'clock in the morning.

"Anakin, I am so sorry to disturb you but the Council is requesting our presence right away," Obi-Wan said from over the comm.

"What? Right now?" Anakin said allowing some of his sleepiness to show through know that he knew who he was talking to.

"Yes, right now," Obi-Wan said with a scowl that Anakin could hear if not see. Once upon a time Anakin would have taken that to mean that Obi-Wan was annoyed with him but now he knew better. He knew that Obi-Wan was just annoyed at the Council for waking them at this hour and requesting a meeting shortly after having been debriefed.

"Wonderful, just wonderful," Anakin muttered. "Give me a few minutes and I'll meet your outside of our quarters."

"Good. Kenobi out," Obi-Wan said.

"Ani? What's going on?" Padme said sleepily as she walked over to him.

"I'm not sure yet Angel but the Council wants me and Obi-Wan in their presence right now," Anakin said.

"Perhaps I should get dressed as well," Padme said with a frown. "If the Council is calling you at this time of night it's bound to be important."

"No Angel, you should go back to sleep. If it truly is something of the utmost importance I promise that I'll call and wake you," Anakin said.

Padme frowned but she saw the logic in Anakin's argument. "Very well, but you had better keep to your word Master Jedi," she threatened.

"A Jedi always keeps his word Senator," he teased her as he quickly got dressed.

"Hurry back," Padme said before kissing him soundly.

"I'll try but Force only knows what's going on. I'll keep in touch Angel. I love you!" Anakin said as he hurried from the apartment.

Padme sighed as she looked around the once again empty apartment save for herself. "I love you too Ani, just be careful," she whispered to thin air. She didn't quite understand why but she had very bad feeling about this sudden Council meeting and what it would mean for not only her and Anakin but for the rest of the galaxy as well.

TBC