PART 35

Obi-Wan meditated as he sat by Padme's side, he never left the room, afraid of losing her, afraid that she was still in danger, the bounty hunter had not been caught, he got away, the guards saw an escape pod fly into the sky shortly after the confrontation. He felt he could not leave her, not even for a second.

Bail came into the room, breaking his meditation, "Excuse me Obi-Wan, but I'd like to talk to you for a second outside."

"Yes?" Obi-Wan asked as they walked out into the Palace hallway.

"Padme's condition has not changed, she's still in a coma, if you want to go back to Dagobah to get your children, we will protect Padme, we will have guards outside her door at all times."

Obi-Wan pondered the offer for a moment, no doubt Sola was missing her mother and father, but he still felt it was too dangerous to bring them to Alderaan.

"I think they are safer on Dagobah Bail, I need a few more days with her, I can't risk the bounty hunter finding out about them."

"I understand, if you need anything let me know."

"Actually, there is something you can do, but I'll need you and your wife's permission first."

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Obi-Wan sat at holding her hand, speaking to Padme softly, "Padme, there is someone here to see you, it's your daughter, Leia."

The young girl approached Padme's bed slowly, she wasn't scared, but she was very nervous, she didn't know this lady and didn't know why she was hurt.

Her father and mother told her that when she came into their life it was a blessing, a blessing they owed to one woman, her real mother.

She didn't understand, she had a mother and father, how could this woman be her real mother? But when she got closer and looked down at her, she understood. Feelings started flowing through her, feelings of love, of sadness, she did know this woman, but she didn't know how.

"Go ahead and say Hello honey" Bail said as Leia stood looking down at Padme.

"Hello, I'm Leia, I'm sorry you were hurt, I hope you get better soon."

Suddenly Padme fluttered her eyelids, she opened them slowly, she turned her head and looked at Leia. Tears started forming in her eyes as she smiled at her.

"I know you" Leia said, "but I've never seen you before, who are you?"

"Someone who loves you" Padme said through her tears.

"You are very pretty."

"Thank you" Padme said as she reached up and touched her face.

Leia took her hand and held it by her side; she could feel the kindness in her, it made her sad seeing her cry.

Obi-Wan watched in silence as Leia interacted with her mother, he knew that Leia had sensed Padme's feelings through the force, he could feel it as well.

"I'm so glad I got to see you, take care of your mother and father, they love you" Padme said.

"I will, I promise, goodbye."

She let go of Padme's hand as her father took her other hand and led her away, she looked back at Padme and smiled.

Once they left the room Obi-Wan went over to Padme's bed, she was still crying softly.

"She remembers me" she said to him as he took her hand in his.

"She remembers feelings, images, but not our life on Tatooine, after all, she didn't remember me."

"Or Luke"

"No, but she will know, in time."

"Obi-Wan, when will it ever stop?"

"I don't know Padme, all I know is, they are our last hope to destroying the Empire."

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"You have failed, she is still alive I can feel it" the Emperor said to the bounty hunter kneeling before him.

"Yes, I couldn't get a direct hit."

"You won't be failing me again" he said as he used force lightening to kill him.

'I want her destroyed' he said to himself as his anger flowed through him, he had wanted her gone for a long time.

'I'll just have to be patient, look how long I've waited to destroy the Jedi, her time will come as well.'