Ch. 5
The next morning, Padme and Anakin spent their days at work setting affairs in order so that they could take some time off and go back to Tatooine with the twins. Anakin easily obtained permission to leave to get a replacement part for his ship, and everyone understood that he would need Padme with him to make the difficult journey back to his first home. Padme could get out of work because, as the Chancellor in a time of relative peace, she was able to take her days off when she wanted them if no pressing matters arose in the Senate. She was to meet him later that night at the Temple, and the Skywalkers would leave for Tatooine.
At the temple, Anakin was preparing to teach his last class of the day- and to break it to the group of 15 to 17 year old Padawans that Master Kenobi would be taking over for him for the next few days. He sat in the classroom with his feet up on the table, forgetting as always that this was exactly what he had to tell the Padawans not to do. They looked up to him greatly; in fact with the younger Jedi Anakin was the most respected and envied Jedi because of his talent and importance- and the fact that he was rebellious enough to actually get the code changed. He was a legend already, even though he was not yet 30. But still, they knew that he was very laid back and personable. Obi Wan was stricter, so he knew that they would be in for some real learning for the next week. However, Obi Wan was popular himself, because he also was young for a Master and very friendly, so Anakin knew it would be all right.
Today, Anakin had Leia with him, because he wanted to introduce her to the class as his Padawan. They already knew Luke and Leia; the twins were famously precocious and mischievous around the temple- much like their father. As the Padawans began to file in, Leia was jumping from table to table, Anakin laughing and encouraging her.
"I don't think the other Masters would approve of that, Master Skywalker," joked one girl.
"Um," Anakin said, embarrassed, as he realized that his students were there. "Leia, get down, you shouldn't be doing that." Leia giggled as he lifted her down, and clung to his leg.
A boy and girl entered the room, the boy with his arm around her shoulders, and his other hand holding hers.
"Keep that outside of the temple," Anakin said, trying to be strict.
"But we live in the Temple, Master," said the boy.
"Oh, well um… out of the classroom," Anakin said.
"But Master, it was you who-"
"Ok, for the last time, I know what I did and I need not be reminded of it daily," Anakin said uncomfortably, and everyone laughed.
"Now, today we don't really have anything to do," Anakin said, and everyone cheered. It was by far their favorite class- he was supposed to be teaching them about flying (the only reason Anakin was allowed such an advanced level class in the first place), but he did most of his teaching the one time a week they would go up in the training starfighters together. And it seemed to work- his classes produced very successful pilots, though no one ever rivaled Anakin's own skills. He didn't really understand what he was supposed to be teaching them about flying inside of the classroom, so generally at least once or twice a week they would just talk, usually the Padawans asking him questions about the Clone Wars. Sometimes they could even cajole him into sparring with them. "For the next few days, maybe a week, Master Kenobi will be teaching you," Anakin said, and they all looked disappointed.
"Why?" Asked a boy.
"Because I'm going to Tatooine."
"On a mission?"
"No, personal reasons, as well as needing a replacement part for one of my ships," Anakin said, and everyone immediately gave him their attention, obviously having heard rumors about the previous days events.
"Master Skywalker? Is it true that you got shot at?"
"Who told you that?" Anakin said, now serious.
"I just heard-"
"And do you trust everything you hear, Padawan Talwin?"
"No Master," she answered, though they all still clearly believed the rumor.
"Anyway, Master Kenobi will be teaching you, and I have to warn you, he hates flying, so I don't know what you all will do next Wednesday… I'll try to be back by then."
"Daddy!" Leia said, tugging at his robes. "I want to jump on the tables again!"
"Oh," Anakin said, "And this, everyone, is Leia."
"We know that, Master," one audacious Padawan told him.
"There's no need for sarcasm," Anakin scolded. "I know you know her, but I wanted to tell you that just recently, Luke and Leia both became Padawans. I will be training Leia, and Master Kenobi will be training Luke."
"Congratulations, Leia!" Said one girl, as Leia, ever the drama queen, took the opportunity to take a bow in front of the class. Everyone laughed.
"Now, I do need you all to do some research for me to be due next week," Anakin said, and everyone groaned. "Hey, I have to give you some work or I wouldn't be allowed to teach, and then you would get another Master and that would not be fun, trust me, I had them all." He said, and they cheered up a bit. "The assignment is posted on the Holo Network of the Temple, check it there. Now, what do you want to do today?"
At that moment, Padme burst into the room, obviously unaware that she was interrupting a class. With a scream of "Mommy!" Leia ran to her, and Padme picked her up instinctively without even processing the fact that Leia was actually there. "Anakin!" Padme said, angrily. "I thought you said Luke would be with Obi Wan, for me to pick up, but Obi Wan said that Luke went to dinner with the Younglings an hour ago, and he hasn't seen him since." Finally, she looked, and saw all the Padawans watching them with amused faces. They loved it when they saw Master Skywalker and the Chancellor together, to see them act like any family with their little domestic problems and their obvious love for one another. Everyone in the galaxy thought it was funny to observe the personal life of the Chancellor of the Republic and the great Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker.
"Oh, um… hello, I'm sorry," Padme said to the class. "It's just that Master Skywalker has gotten himself in trouble, again." The whole class laughed- they really liked the Chancellor, she was so young to be so successful, and kind, as well as the only one who always had authority over Master Skywalker.
"I'm sorry," Anakin said to her. "I don't know what happened, I thought he would be with Obi Wan, it's not my fault."
"Well we'd better go and find him," she said, suddenly staring at the little girl in her arms. "And why is Leia with you?"
"Because, they should be with their Masters right now, Obi Wan is just being irresponsible."
"No daddy, right now is time for our dinner!" Leia piped in, charmingly.
"Oh…" Anakin said.
"Now who's being irresponsible," Padme asked, annoyed.
"Ok, well we were all going to eat together anyway, why don't you go get Luke, and then-"
"Anakin, I don't know my way around this temple, it took me half an hour to find you here!" Padme said, getting increasingly annoyed.
"Oh, well I'll come with you then. The Padawans can watch Leia for a while, and then we'll come get her."
"Yay!" Leia exclaimed, but Padme clearly wasn't pleased with this idea. Anakin walked over to comfort her.
"They're very responsible, don't worry. If she came, it would only make the process of finding Luke even harder." He put his arms on her shoulders, and she looked up at him, feeling reassured.
"All right," she said, and he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Yuck!" Leia exclaimed.
They laughed, and apologized to Leia as had become the custom.
"Keep a good eye on her," he told the class. "That can be your work for today."
They assured him they would, and he and Padme went on their way.
Leia now stood alone in front of the class, and though she was very young she was old enough to realize that somehow she seemed to be in a position of command.
"We're going to play a game!" She informed them. The boy and girl who had been scolded by Anakin were now cuddling with one another, and Leia approached them. "Don't do that, it's gross. Mommy and Daddy do that, and I tell them to stop, so I'm telling you too," Leia announced, and the whole room burst out laughing- the idea of Master Skywalker's love life, as well as the idea of Leia's outlook on it and the fact that she was scolding Padawans who were more than ten years older than her, was highly amusing.
"You won't think of it that way when you're older Leia," the girl told her.
"Why?"
"Because, it's nice," she said.
"How is it nice?"
"Because, if you like someone, you want to be close to them," she tried to explain to the soon to be five year old.
"Like why Master Kenobi goes out on dates?" Leia asked, and the whole class burst out laughing again- no one had really known this about Master Kenobi, and the information was welcome gossip. "But my daddy can't, because he's married to my mommy, he can only go out with her," Leia said, again jumping around on top of the tables. "Why is that?"
"Well, when you're married it means you love only that person, so you don't go out with other people," another Padawan told her.
"So you kiss those people that you love, like that, when you're married? And that's why mommy and daddy do it?" Leia asked, trying to understand but still finding it an unfavorable idea.
"Yes," answered one of the girls.
"And then you have babies!" Leia said, and everyone laughed again.
"Yes, if you want to, you have babies." Said another. They were all enjoying the little girl's outlook on life.
"Does kissing make you get babies?" Leia asked, still fixated on the subject from the previous days conversation. Everyone looked at each other, and laughed, unsure of what to say to her.
"Well, it can um… lead to how you get the babies," one girl said to her, and everyone tried to contain their laughter.
"Mommy is having a baby soon," Leia said, and the Padawans all looked at each other- Master Skywalker had not yet told them that he was expecting another baby. "In six months, I wanted to get it now, but she said we have to wait." Suddenly, they noticed that Leia was opening the door to leave, and got up to stop her. Soon, however, Leia Skywalker was running through the hallways of the Jedi Temple, several teenage Padawans in desperate pursuit.
Padme and Anakin walked toward the cafeteria, assuming that Luke would be in there with other young Jedi his age. As they passed under the archway, they saw Mace Windu with an angry look on his face.
"Padawan Skywalker!" He yelled.
"Yes," Anakin responded automatically, and the entire cafeteria turned to him, attempting to contain their laughter as he turned bright red at his mistake. Padme laughed, and he pushed her playfully in mock anger, though she just continued to laugh.
"The last time I checked, Anakin, we refer to you as Master Skywalker," Mace said to him, now laughing. "Actually, I was referring to your son…"
"I guess I'm just used to being the one making trouble," Anakin said, still embarrassed.
"I suppose now that you're here, you can take care of this," Mace said.
"What, exactly?"
"Take one more step into the cafeteria, and you'll see."
Anakin and Padme did so, eyeing each other nervously, considering the possibilities of what new mischief Luke could have gotten himself into.
"Oh no," Padme sighed, as they saw Luke covered in food, having started a food fight among the group of Younglings of which he had, until recently, been a member.
"Luke!" Anakin yelled, going over to grab him.
"Yes daddy?" Luke asked innocently, his eyes twinkling. Anakin said nothing, but simply grabbed Luke, and Padme looked at the boy sternly when he tried to give her his puppy-eyes that usually merited immediate forgiveness. Luke knew he was in trouble when his dad was angry- normally Anakin encouraged mischief.
"Luke, apologize to the Masters," Anakin said, as they passed the table that included Master Windu.
"Sorry Masters," Luke pouted, though his face showed pride in the mischief he had created. They couldn't help but be amused as they remembered another young Padawan who, though he had been somewhat older when they met him, had given them that same look so many times.
Just as Padme and Anakin were exiting the cafeteria, Leia came running in and bumped right into her mother, almost knocking her over. When she saw Luke, Leia burst out laughing.
"What did you do, Lukey? You're all dirty."
"Luke was very bad Leia, don't encourage him."
"You mean I'm the good one today?" Leia asked, truly excited.
Padme couldn't help it, she looked at Anakin, and the two began to laugh remorsefully. "When your children are surprised to be the 'good one,' you know something's wrong," she said, and she and Anakin just smiled at one another.
"Don't look at each other like that!" Leia said, her hands on her hips again. "That leads to kissing and that," she began confidently, ready to demonstrate her new knowledge, "leads to more babies, and I think that the one is going to be enough for now." She said, and Anakin dropped Luke, who giggled and ran away.
"Leia!" Padme said shocked. "How do you know that?"
Anakin stared at Leia, unable to believe that his four-year-old daughter was actually on the right track of the previous days discussion on where the baby was coming from. They hadn't told her, he knew, for he could sense that Padme was just as shocked as he was.
"Anakin," Padme said to him, worriedly, "she's too young to know that!"
"Well," Leia said, eyeing her parents rebelliously, "some people tell me things."
"Why does our four-year-old act like she's a teenager?" Padme asked, utterly lost as to what to say.
"Um," was all Anakin could muster. Suddenly, he realized where she had learned this. "Did my class tell you this Leia?" He asked, and she tried to avoid his gaze, staring up with a betraying smile. "I can't believe they would do that!" Anakin said. "Luke!" He yelled, and Luke knew better than to not come immediately to his father. "Let's go," Anakin said, as he took the twins out of the cafeteria.
"Are we going now to Tatooine?" Leia asked excitedly.
"Yes," Anakin replied simply, obviously still angry. Very soon, they encountered his class of Padawans, out of breath from chasing Leia.
"Oh good," one of them said. "You found her."
"Yes," Anakin said, and they all looked nervously at each other, sensing the Master's rare disappointment.
"We're sorry Master, she started running out the door before we even realized it."
Anakin sighed. "Oh, I suppose its ok, she is a handful… Oh by the way," he said, feigning nonchalance, "Which one of you taught my four year old about sex?"
All of the Padawans looked at each other nervously, and most of them turned to the girl who had said the most to Leia.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't actually teach her anything, she asked me if kissing is how you get babies, and I said it can lead to how you get them…" she said, and Anakin just stared at her.
"She's four!" he said. "Just say no!"
"Oh Anakin, it's all right," Padme said. "She doesn't understand it at all." Anakin couldn't help but be amused as well, and he forgave his class and said goodbye to them for the week.
"Goodbye Master Skywalker!" They all chimed in, and he rolled his eyes at them.
"Yes, be polite now," he teased them. "And never talk to my children about that again!" He said, as he and Padme walked away. They walked in silence for a while, as Padme tried to clean at least Luke's hands off, because she didn't want to touch them when they were that sticky.
"Daddy," Leia said, suddenly interrupting the silence. "What's sex?"
Padme immediately hit Anakin on the arm, staring at him. "Nice going," she said. "They hardly said anything to her, and you have to go and say that."
Anakin just froze, and neither of them said anything.
"What daddy, what is it?" Leia persisted.
"Um," Anakin said.
"Nothing Leia," Padme said.
"No it isn't nothing, it's something and you don't want me to know!" Leia said, pouting, her big brown eyes staring up at her mother. Padme couldn't stand to stare at them and lie, so she just looked at Anakin helplessly.
"Um, let's go clean Luke up and get going," Anakin said. "We have to leave now!"
"What is it?" Luke asked, now interested as well.
"Hey um… why don't you two see if you can beat us to the hangar?" Anakin suggested, and the twins, forgetting everything else momentarily, ran off.
"Anakin, I can't believe they're asking us this already, I thought we had at least a few more years, at least!" Padme said, distressed.
"They'll forget, I'm sure, don't worry Padme," he said, also slightly worried by the whole situation.
"And what if they don't?" Padme asked him.
"Well then…" Anakin said, and the mischievous twinkle that she loved came into his eye. "We tell them to ask Master Kenobi."
"Anakin…" Padme tried to be rational, but she couldn't help but laugh. It was actually a good idea, at least for them, and not only that, but the result would be extraordinarily amusing. She knew Obi Wan wouldn't say anything either, but the situation would be very funny. "Ok," she said, and Anakin suddenly wrapped her in his arms in a huge hug.
"I love you," he said sweetly, and she smiled at him and gave him a kiss. "Now, we'd better go find the twins, knowing them they've found the meditation room and have interrupted Master Yoda in the midst of deep mediation," Anakin joked, and began to run off just like the children had.
"Anakin, wait!" Padme said, but soon gave in and followed him. As they ran through the halls, laughing, the Jedi in their path simply watched in confusion and amusement as Master Skywalker and Chancellor Skywalker ran through the halls of the temple- especially because most had seen the twins run by moments before. The Skywalker family was always a mystery and no one really understood them- something random and humorous was always happening with them. But everyone loved them, for they were the embodiment of the peace and happiness that had reigned the galaxy since the very same family had helped in defeating the Sith nearly five years ago.