THE DEPARTED

Chapter Twelve

Padme's eyes widened in shock as she continued to stare back at Anakin's frighteningly calm expression. What did he think he was doing? They had agreed not to tell anyone their secret…but her stunned eyes shifted to Obi-Wan's gaze and it was painfully obvious. Somehow, he had already known. She sighed and nodded wearily toward Anakin.

"You're right, Anakin."

Their eyes locked again for several moments and Anakin nodded in recognition. Not only was this a story Padme needed to tell, but he also needed to hear from her what had happened to their children and who had taken them.

He gave her a reassuring smile and stepped a little closer to her as she began to speak.

"Anakin is the father of my children, Obi-Wan, even though, I think you already knew that."

Obi-Wan managed a quick grin before nodded somberly. "I had always suspected as much. Anakin has never been able to hide his true feelings from me. The bond of padawan and master is nearly impossible to sever, even when the padawan becomes a master. Besides, I would have been an idiot not to notice the way you two looked at each other."

A brief moment of silence passed between the three and then the children were remembered.

"Padme, what happened to them? Who took them?" Anakin asked worriedly as he moved even closer and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

The memory of that horrible night came flooding back to her and she covered her face with her hands. "Anakin…it was Sabe. She took them."

Obi-Wan leaned forward. "You're absolutely sure of this?"

Padme nodded hurriedly. "Yes. I saw her in the twins' room. I had a terrible feeling that something was wrong and I ran to their room and…there she was…smiling at me…she's always been jealous of me, everything she's done has been out of jealousy and spite. She told me she had been in love with Anakin for a few years before we were sent to protect her. I knew she was in love with you, Anakin…so I told her to leave you alone or you would be expelled from the Order. When she heard me telling you I was pregnant, she saw that as her opportunity to get you expelled so she could be with you."

Obi-Wan sat back down in his chair and ran a hand wearily through his hair. "But she wasn't counting on the fact that you would take the responsibility."

Padme nodded sadly and her gaze flew to Anakin's as he covered his mouth in remorse.

"Padme….I…I spoke to her about a month ago…I told her I could never be with her…"

"I know, Anakin…"

"No…this is all my fault. If only I had known everything she had done, I never would have spoken to her the way I did…why couldn't I sense it in her…why couldn't I see how evil she is?"

Padme quickly closed the distance between them and embraced him tightly. "You couldn't have known. I didn't even know she was capable of all this until the night she took our babies. No one sensed it…if anyone could have, it should have been me. I've known her all my life…but I didn't sense her horrible intentions underneath her actions. Do you know why she helped get to Coruscant and to the Jedi? Because I was her biggest rival to be the next queen. She did it to get rid of me, not to help me. I can't believe that she did all of this because of me…because she hates me."

Anakin shook his head and drew her closer to him. " No…I see now that there was nothing either of us could have done to stop her. You couldn't help the fact that I loved you and not her. I couldn't help that either. I still can't."

Padme's eyes widened and leaned closer to him. He had never said anything like that before. She had always known what she had never allowed him to say…but he just had and her heart soared at the sound of it. She closed her eyes and felt nothing but their love and the safety only he could give her. As he held her in his strong arms, she was more assured now than ever that they would find their children. She knew Anakin wouldn't rest until their children were back safely in her arms.

Her eyes flew open as Obi-Wan awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need to figure out a plan of action and you still haven't answered my question, Padme. Why are we heading to Alderaan?"

"Sabe has a family retreat there. There aren't many people who know about it, but my mother and Sabe's mother were good friends at one point, and she shared that knowledge with me. I don't think Sabe is aware that I know of her 'secret' retreat. And if she's thinks she's going to raise the children anywhere, it's going to be there, hidden, where she believes no one can find them."

Obi-Wan nodded and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I realize this may not be the best time to bring this up, but, I think you both need to consider carefully what you're going to do once we've found the children."

Anakin's eyes narrowed towards Obi-Wan. "You're going to tell the Council everything, aren't you?"

"No…no, Anakin. That's not what I meant. What I was trying to say is that…you have a decision to make Anakin."

Recognition appeared in Anakin's eyes and he nodded in understanding. Obi-Wan noticed this immediately and nodded back with a stern, yet sympathetic expression.

"We won't arrive at Alderaan for a few more hours. I suggest you two take this time to decide what you're going to do because once the children are found, you'll have run out of time."

After a few moments of silence, Obi-Wan took his leave and gave Anakin and Padme some time alone.

Anakin watched Obi-Wan leave, his thoughts drifting from the decision he would have to make to fear for the children he had never met. His attention focused on Padme again when he heard a sob escape her lips. He immediately gathered her in his embrace and held her tightly, marveling at the feeling of holding her in his arms again and remembering the time when the only thing he wanted to do was hold her close. But he had greater desires now…the desire to find his children, the desire to have Padme with him, and the desire to have the family he hadn't been allowed to have.

"Padme…he's right. We have to decide what we want to do."

She looked at him hesitantly and slowly, hopelessness began to creep into her eyes.

"There's nothing to decide. The Council doesn't need to know the specific reasons Sabe kidnapped our children and I really don't believe Obi-Wan will tell them either. If you come forward now, then everything that we've worked for will have been for nothing. If you're expelled now, then what was the point of us being apart these last few years?"

Anakin sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Padme…I don't want to argue with you. But why can't we be together? For once in our lives, why can't we be happy? We've been given a second chance, Padme. Why don't you want to take it?"

She hesitated to answer him and she refused to meet his gaze. How was she supposed to answer that? She knew it was her own pride and relentless conviction that was keeping her from the one thing that would truly make her happy in life. But that couldn't happen…just like it couldn't happen two years before.

"Anakin…"

"Is it because you don't love me anymore? Is that it, Padme?"

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and she stepped closer to him. "No, no, Anakin. It's not like that at all. It's just that…I don't know. It's still not right for us to be together. It never was. You know that Anakin."

He shook his head. "No…you're wrong, Padme. It's always been right. I know that because I feel it running through me just as strongly as I feel the Force. When I hold you, when I touch you, when I kiss you…it's right…it's the only thing in my life that makes sense…it's the only thing in my life that's real."

"Don't say that, Anakin. You have a good life. You're respected and powerful. You're a Jedi Knight, Anakin. It's what you've always wanted and you've got that."

He took her hand and closed the distance between them. "You're my life, Padme. You and our children are my life. Why can't you see that? Why can't you see that that's all I want?"

Before Padme had a chance to reply, Obi-Wan knocked softly on the door before entering.

"I'm sorry to interrupt…but we're approaching Alderaan."

Anakin nodded softly and moved away from Padme to take the controls. Obi-Wan took the co-pilot's seat, leaving Padme to nervously contemplate the rescue that was about to take place and although she tried not to focus on the conversation she had just had, Anakin's voice kept running through her head.