PART 17
For the past two weeks Padme had been visiting Owen and Beru at their house in the outskirts of Mos Esly. Not only that, but she was also having holocom messages with Bail Organa on Alderran without Obi-Wan knowing. She was making plans for her children's future, a future without her.
She knew they couldn't stay together, not with the twins growing so fast and become more aware of each other. When she crossed over and became one with the force she knew that if she came back sacrifices would have to be made. She could have either given up her children and never bond with them, or bond with them and give them up later. She wasn't ready to leave yet, she needed more time she knew it would be hard, but she had Obi-Wan to help her through it.
Now though it seemed almost unbearable to give them up. Bail had offered to take Leia, he and his wife were planning on adopting a girl; he assured her Leia would grow up in a loving home. Padme knew Leia would be okay, she was strong, just like she was, the problem was Luke.
She wanted a better life for her son than one on Tattooine, she hated Tattooine and how corrupt the planet was. But she really had no choice, she thought of still keeping Luke and giving up Leia, but she knew she couldn't give up one and not the other. And there was always the fear that Anakin would find her, and if he finds her, he finds Luke and she couldn't risk that. She had to separate the twins from herself and each other.
So after thinking long and hard about it, she decided Luke should stay with Owen and Beru, she couldn't take him to her family on Naboo, too much danger and she had no other close friends on the senate she felt she could trust with something so important, not even Mon Motha. She knew Owen and Beru were good people and would give Luke the best life they could.
It's just not the kind of life she wanted for her son. She knew he wouldn't live the life of slave like his father did, but he wouldn't have much opportunity either. Padme's only comfort was that someday Luke would get off Tattooine and live a better life. She just hoped she would be around to see it. She wished most of all the Empire would fall, and she could be reunited with her children.
When she finally got around to telling Beru and Owen the real reason of her visits, Owen's reaction surprised her most of all.
"So, you want us to raise him so he will be safe from his father?"
"Yes" Padme said looking at him straight in the eye.
"And you are married to his former Master now?
"I am."
"What kind of man is he? What kind of woman are you? How do we know you aren't just trying to get rid of your son and start a new family with your new husband?"
Even though Padme was hurt, she continued in a calm manner, "Owen, I know how the situation looks, but believe me, I'm doing this because I love my son, so much, I can't risk his father ever finding him. I know you are good people, I know you can care for Luke as if he was yours. There's no one else I'd trust my son with."
"Well, you do understand the position you are putting me and my wife in, you come here out of the blue saying you wanted to get to know Anakin's family better, then you blindside us with saying you want us to raise his son. Besides, I checked you out, you are labeled a traitor to the republic, I could turn you in and get a good amount of money for that."
"You didn't do it before and I don't believe you plan to turn me in now."
"We will take him, but he will not know anything of the Jedi or his father. And I think it would be best if you and your husband keep your distance as well."
The words he said hurt her more than she could bear, but she knew it was the best thing for Luke. She made arrangements to have Obi-Wan bring Luke to them in two weeks.
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To Padme's relief, Threepio had kept quiet about her visits to Owen and Beru and her conversations with Bail. She was able to tell Obi-Wan for herself what she had done.
He didn't take it very well.
"We don't have to separate them we can work this out together."
"No, you know we can't, I'm sure Master Yoda would tell you himself that the twins must separated. They are six months old now; they are more active and more aware of each other. You said so yourself the force is strong in both of them. They can't stay together, and one cannot stay with us and not the other, I couldn't bear it, and we can't risk them ever being found by the Emperor."
"They won't be found, I'll protect them, I won't let them find you Padme."
"You are not all powerful Obi-Wan; you know you can't stop the Emperor. And I don't want to raise my children hiding and moving from place to place, I want them to grow up in a stable environment."
"I won't let you do this." He realized he sounded like the very thing he swore never to be, a controlling husband.
"I know you've come to love them, but you have to let go, isn't that what you've been trained to do all your life? Letting go of emotion, letting things you love pass out of your life?"
"It's not about me Padme, it's you, I worry you won't be able to handle this. It breaks my heart to give up Luke and Leia, but you are right, they can't stay together. I just knew how hard it would be for you and I was willing to risk them to stay together for you."
"I know what I have to do Obi-Wan; I knew I had to do this ever since the day I gave birth to them on Endor."
"What do you mean?"
"I died that day, I was one with the force, I learned of my fate and how it was the Chancellor who killed me, But because darkness was used, and the twins were the only hope for the galaxy, I was given a choice to come back, the darkness killed me, but the light could bring me back, but if I made the choice to come back, my life after would be a hard one to live. I wasn't ready to leave yet, I had to come back and be with my children, I know I made the right choice. It was hard at the beginning, with my depression and all, but I was depressed because I knew I wouldn't have the life I wanted to have with them. But I tried to be strong, you helped me get out of my depression, you've always been my rock Obi-Wan, I don't know what I'd do without you."
He walked over to her and embraced her, he knew something had happened that day on Endor but now it finally made sense.
So for the next two weeks they spent as much time as they could with the twins. Obi-Wan ended up quitting his job working for Alex, when they went to say goodbye they told the family that they had saved up enough money and were moving. They totally understood, with Tattooine not being the nicest planet to live on and Obi-Wan was able to leave the farm without any hard feelings. Saying goodbye was hard on Padme, Anna had become a good friend and she felt terrible for lying about the real reason they were leaving. The goodbye was definitely bittersweet; Alex and Anna thought that the family was moving on to a better life, when the truth was a family was going to be broken apart.
Padme had never spent so much time with Obi-Wan and the twins before; he always worked most of the day so having him there all day was a nice change. Most of her time was spent holding and playing with twins. She couldn't stop holding them, she couldn't let go. The babies sensed their mother's grief, and would often cry along with her.
When the day finally came that Obi-Wan had to take Luke to the Lars's Padme could not get out of bed. She had slept with Luke by her side the entire night and couldn't bring herself to get out of the bed and watch him go out the door. She stayed in bed with Leia holding her tightly.
When Obi-Wan arrived at dusk with Luke, he handed him over to Beru. Obi-Wan saw the joy in her eyes of becoming a mother. He also handed over a holographic message; Padme had made it for him for when he got older. He told Owen it was Padme's wish that one day Luke know who is mother is.
Obi-Wan left with a sad feeling in his heart, not only was he giving up boy he'd come to love as his own son, but he knew Owen would never show the message to Luke. He sensed Owen's hostility towards him and Padme.
When he got back he found Padme lying in bed with Leia, holding her as she slept, tears coming down her face, the tears hadn't stop flowing since the day started. He turned to leave, he felt she wanted this moment to be with Leia as long as she could, but he heard Padme calling for him.
He came to the side of the bed and took her hand and kissed it. She motioned for him to come into the bed; he came over and laid with them until Padme fell asleep. He then got up and left the room to send a message to Bail for the senator's ship was going to land on Tattooine to take Leia.
When it was time to go, Padme was able to get out of bed and hold her daughter till word came that Bail had landed. When it did, she was able to watch Obi-Wan take her daughter out the door and out of her life.
When Obi-Wan arrived at Bail's ship, he felt more at ease knowing that the senator would show Leia the holographic message made for her and that Bail would tell Leia about her real mother. He felt good seeing the joy in Bail's eyes as he met his new daughter.
"Where is Padme?" he asked as he held Leia.
"She wanted to stay behind, she thought it be easier this way. She knows Leia is in good hands with your family."
"Please tell her that her daughter will always be loved with us."
"I will, thanks Bail."
"Obi-Wan" Bail called as he was walking off the ship.
"Yes?"
"Take good care of Padme."
"I will, always" and Obi-Wan turned and walked out of Leia's life with a heavy heart but knew her life would be a good one.
When he got back to the apartment Padme was sitting in a chair weeping uncontrollably. He wished more than anything he could take her pain away. He went over to her and knelt beside her.
"He's gone; she is safely on her way to Alderran."
He helped her stand up and held her close and her tears continued to flow. She finally looked up at him and said, "How am I supposed to go on with my life, without them in it?"
"By being strong for them, by continuing to give your love no matter how far away you are from them. They will know that you love them Padme, they'll know."
"I couldn't bear to say goodbye."
"I know" and tears started to flow down Obi-Wan's face as well, he let down his calm, Jedi exterior and cried holding Padme for what seemed like forever.