Chapter 5

Star Wars and all its characters are not mine. They belong to George Lucas. His, not mine. Don't sue me.

He could see Anakin in the distance. His friend was screaming and on his knees, flames engulfing him. Burning him. Hurting him. "Master!" he cried out in agony.

"I'm coming, Anakin!" Obi-Wan called back. He ran as fast as he could towards his friend…but he never seemed to get any closer. Darkness surrounded him and pulled him back. He fought it, but Anakin was getting farther and farther away. He became submerged in the darkness. His former apprentice's eyes grew hateful and as yellow and hot as the fire that was burning him. Anakin stood, still staring at Obi-Wan in hate. "MASTER!" he screamed.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan sat straight up in his bed, instantly regretting it as sharp pain went through his sides. Groaning, he let himself fall back against the bed. Just a nightmare…it's not real. It's not real.

A hand lightly touched his hand and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked at the figure beside him, glowing in the moon light. "Obi-Wan? Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine Padmé."

"Are you sure? It sounded really bad..."

"How would you know?"

Padmé smiled sympathetically. "Anakin used to have night mares all the time. Usually about his mother, or me, or you. I can tell when they are really bad. I have experience."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Well I'm perfectly fine now, so…you can go back to bed."

But the Senator sat in a chair instead. She really is quite stubborn, Obi-Wan thought to himself. "I couldn't sleep either. I'm so worried about Anakin."

"We all are," Obi-Wan reminded her. He shifted uncomfortably. "I despise lying here in this blasted bed." He carefully swung his legs over the side.

"What do you think you are doing?" Padmé asked him sternly, as if she were another of the bothersome nurses that always seemed to hover over him.

"I'm getting up."

"But you can't-I mean you shouldn't…what if someone catches you?"

"What if someone catches you out of your room?"

Padmé pursed her lips together, then got up and helped him. "Thank you," he said.

"You can't stand sitting still can you?" Padmé asked him.

"I can't stand being useless and doing nothing all day long."

Padmé shook her head at him. "You and Anakin are so much alike. But please-" She stopped, and her eyes widened. She touched her stomach.

"Padmé? Are you-"

"They're coming…" she gasped. Obi-Wan hurriedly called for a nurse, then helped a stumbling Padmé back into her room and onto her bed.

Myra, along with five other doctors and nurses, came running down the hall. She glared at Obi-Wan as she walked past him. The team began helping Padmé to deliver her children and Myra firmly took Obi-Wan's arm and led him to a chair and sat him down.

"Stay," she told him sternly as if he were a disobedient Gungan blarth.

"But I-"

"Stay," she commanded again. So once again, Obi-Wan sat useless while others busily tended to Padmé, who was screaming and crying at the pain of childbirth.

Anakin should be here, Obi-Wan thought. His wife needs him…his children are being born.

"Obi-Wan…" Padmé gasped from her bed. "Obi-Wan…"

Obi-Wan heaved himself out of his chair and walked quickly to Padmé side, smiling triumphantly at the still glaring Myra as he walked past her.

For hours Obi-Wan faithfully stood beside Padmé, squeezing her hand and encouraging her, but all the while feeling guilty about it. Anakin is the father…this is what he should be doing… But Padmé needed him. He would be there for her, even if Anakin wasn't.

At last, Padmé's children were brought into the world. Luke and Leia were cleaned and handed to their mother, one at a time.

"Obi-Wan…" Padmé whispered. "Thank you…thank you for everything…you did for me, and for Anakin."

Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat at the deathly look in her eyes, the fading light of her soul. "Padmé, your children need you…Anakin needs you…" She can't die…she can't…

She will not die, a gentle voice told him. She would have if you had not saved the person that is her life.

Anakin…but they will never be the same.

I'm afraid not…but their love is still alive. And so she shall live.

"All right, Mister." Myra's frustrated voice broke off Obi-Wan's connection with his Master. "Back to your room. Try to sleep this time." And with that, Myra dragged him back to his room, forced him back in his bed, and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it, sighing. "Negotiator, eh? More like the King of Stubbornness."

I'm SO sorry that the last couple chapters have been so short guys...but you know how the end of the school year goes with finals... The next ones will be longer I promise.

Reviews are wanted! I hope you are liking it so far...