PART 12

Padme and Obi-Wan quickly settled into their new life on Tattooine. Obi-Wan knew he had to change his name to help hide his identity so Padme helped him come up with a new name, Ben.

It was weird at first being called Ben, but Obi-Wan soon got used to it. When asked about his personal life Obi-Wan told his boss and neighbors that he was married to a woman named Padme and that they had twins. He never revealed too much just that they wanted to start a new life far away from the old republic. As with living on Endor, everyone seemed to buy it. Contrary to what Obi-Wan thought life as a farmer was going to be, he really quite enjoyed it, he found it to be a very simple and peaceful life. And when he came home he loved spending the evenings with Luke and Leia and of course, being with Padme.

But life for Padme was not as satisfying. She was used to life on Corescant and not being in the house all day. Though she loved being a mother she hated being trapped inside four walls all day long. Obi-Wan never wanted her to go into town without him for fear of being recognized, and the solitude was really starting to get to her. She quickly became depressed.

Obi-Wan never noticed anything at first because when he came home in the evenings Padme was always seemed so glad to see him; she listened attentively during dinner when Obi-Wan would talk of his work day. And she would tell him about her day as well, never sounding depressed at all. But a few weeks later he did start to notice a change in her manner.

She started being less attentive with Luke and Leia, at night it often was Obi-Wan who cared for them while she slept through their cries. He even had a hard time waking her up if they needed nursed. She was also being very distant from him physically as well. At night she would just give him a quick goodnight kiss, in the mornings she quit giving him a goodbye kiss. When he tried to get intimate with her, she would brush him off saying she was too tired. Even though Obi-Wan was hurt he was not one to push her into doing anything she didn't want to do. But when he came home one day to a screaming Luke and Leia while Padme was sleeping, he knew something needed to be done.

"You have got to get out of this mood you are in; you are neglecting your own children."

"How dare you accuse me of not taking care of Luke and Leia, I'm their mother."

"For the past three weeks I have been getting up with them every night, I have to force you to get out of bed to feed them. And today I come home to find you asleep while they are crying for you."

"Look I was really tired, I'm sure they weren't crying that long." Padme knew Obi-Wan wasn't going to buy her excuse, but she figured she'd try anyway.

"I could hear them all the way across the street! When I walked in I saw Threepio trying to calm them down. We're lucky none of the neighbors came to door wondering what was wrong." Obi-Wan never felt so angry at Padme ever, this was not the person he once knew.

"Obi-Wan please stop yelling at me, I can't take it anymore. I sit around here all day doing nothing while the twins sleep! They only wake up to be fed, then they are back to sleep again. You get to go out and be around people, you get to be out in the sun, I'm cooped up in here with no one to talk to. I can't stand it anymore." She then walked away from him and into the bedroom. He followed in there while the twins were in the living room with the droids.

"Padme, I'm sorry you are so lonely, I know you don't get to go out much, but I feel its best for your own safety." He wanted to reach out to her, but felt it was best if he kept his distance.

She started to cry softly, he immediately went over to her and she fell into his arms sobbing.

"I want to be a better mother, but it's become so hard to get out of bed sometimes, I feel like all I want to do is sleep."

Obi-Wan didn't know much about post-partum depression, but he figured this was probably what Padme was experiencing. He wished he knew how to help her.

"Padme, I'll talk to my boss, he and his wife have small children, perhaps you could bring the twins over sometime, that way you can get out of the house and have someone to talk to. His wife seems very kind and friendly. Do you think that might help?"

"I think so; at least will help me take my mind off of missing you all day."

"I'm sorry, I wish I didn't have to work so much, but it's good pay." Obi-Wan wondered if he should cut down his work hours.

"No, I understand, it's me that's being selfish; I know you are doing all this for me and the twins."

"I'll do whatever I can to help you" he then hugged her; she then tilted her head up for a kiss.

"I would be so lost without you" and then started kissing him again.

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Padme was killed by the dark side of force, and it was the light that brought her back, that and the help of Yoda and Qui-Gon. Right before her death Yoda had been communicating with Qui-Gon through the force, learning about Qui-Gon's immortality. Qui-Gon had informed Yoda of Padme's destined death by the Sith. Yoda then meditated on what he learned and when he felt Padme become one with the force, he saw what then took place.

Qui-Gon telling Padme she had a chance to be with Obi-Wan and her children, but that a sacrifice would have to take place, she agreed. She was then brought back from the force and awoke in the hospital room completely healthy.

In return for the sacrifice she would make, Obi-Wan would get to experience true happiness.