Padme pressed her fingers to the cool, rose colored glass, a frown of uncertainty played over her face. Somewhere across the sea of speeders, was her husband. Yet it felt like he was closer, watching and waiting with her. She closed her eyes, the last rays of Coruscant's setting sun filtered in through her window and danced across her face. The secrets that he kept, the things he wouldn't say, she could almost feel his unease.
"Anakin," she whispered to herself, "why won't you let me in." He felt so close, and yet so far away in her mind.
Then she felt something, her eyes flew open and her hand flew away from the crystal pane.
"Anakin!" she breathed.
Her legs felt like jello, and she nearly collapsed under the weight of herself and the child she carried within her, as she walked, breathing heavily, towards the door. There was something wrong; she could sense it, and she had to go find Ani before anything happened.
"3PO I have to go to the Temple," she called out, making her way across the chamber as quickly as she could. The Droid did not answer immediately, and irritated by his sudden absence she called out once again, "3-PO!"
She turned her head a bit ajar, just to look for the droid. In that moment two things happened; Padme slipped; her head snapped back around as her trembling fingers groped for something to hold on to. She felt her breath leave her as she hit the cold marble floor. Then, her water broke.
Anakin had thought long and hard on his decision to tell the counsel Darth Sidious' identity, and now, he found, he regretted it. He wasn't sure why, after all, he had saved the Republic and put an end to years of fighting; he may have even earned the rank of Master, yet… a confused, sickening feeling flooded hours soul. If he were to lose Padme, lose the baby- was it worth it.
He could feel her, somehow. She was waiting for him, waiting for him in their home. If he didn't do this, he could lose her. And if he did- he shuddered; how did the repercussions compare?
He pressed a hand to the glass encasing the council chamber, and he could feel her.
"Padme," he said aloud. A deluge of passion overtook him and the next thing he knew he was in the Senate Building, pushing his way through narrow halls, unsure of what he would do when he reached the Chancellor's chamber. He was almost there, he was at the door, one step more and he would be inside.
He had his hand on the doorknob.
And then he didn't.
A sharp pang, like something pulling at his heart, had stopped him in his tracks.
"Padme,"
The night flew by like a blur.
Medical droids and doctors flew in and out of the waiting room, too busy to notice the Jedi knight who sat crying in the corner. In the midst of something he couldn't control, he felt so small.
Everything had happened so fast; General Grievous' death, the Chancellor's confession, Mace Windu's decision, the rush to a hospital, the possibility that the love of his life could die that night, and leave him, the sole reminder of their union, it all hit him like a ton of bricks.
Quite suddenly, everything grew still. It had been quiet before, but the bustle had seemed to fill the silence. Now it had all stopped; there were no worry-worn doctors streaming in and out of the doors, and Anakin began to panic.
"Excuse me," a short twilek nurse who had apparently seen his care-worn expression, towered above his slouching figure, "Are you the—"
"No!" he answered her quickly. Then, looking up and seeing her surprised expression at his reaction, his face softened and he continued, "Just a friend."
The nurse nodded, though she still wore a look of concern, and began to walk away through the doors.
Unthinkingly, Ani jumped to his feet and caught the door before it could close behind her.
"Sir?" her puzzled tone met his ears, yet it could not discourage his naturally headstrong nature.
"Please," the desperate whisper escaped his lips, though it shone more vividly in his eyes, "Please can I see her?"
He was unsure whether it had been force persuasion, or perhaps the patheticness with which he pleaded, but whatever it had been, it worked. The nurse sighed and gestured for him to follow her.
With every moment he was being led through the maze of corridors he could feel the disturbance in the air growing, and the strain on his own mind as well. They stopped outside of the soundproof chamber doors of the birthing chamber and Anakin became hyperaware of his own heavy breaths.
The nurse frowned for a moment, as if regretting her decision to bring him here. He felt as though every emotion he'd been harboring for the past two hours was about to make him burst.
"Is she—" he began.
The nurse interrupted, "wait here a moment," she said, hastily slipping into the chamber.
A minute passed, more like an eternity. Several times Anakin contemplated slashing through with his lightsaber.
Then, just as he was beginning to fear the worst, the doors parted, and he heard through them, a high-pitched wail- no, two! And then he felt their presences,
"Twins!" he gasped, without thinking he rushed past the nurse and straight to the bedside,
"Padme!" he exclaimed, his voice an overwhelming mixture of joy and concern. He glanced behind him at the nurse who was still recovering from his undignified shove.
He cleared his throat, "I mean," he began, trying to regain his composure, "Senator Amidala, are you alright?"
A gentle hand squeezed his own, and guided it down to her cheek, "Leave us," came her soft weak voice.
The nurse nodded, her eyes shifted between the Jedi knight and the senator suspiciously before she hesitantly backed out of the birthing chamber.
"Padme," Anakin stroked his thumb across her cheek. She clutched his hand tightly in her weak, yet firm little grasp.
"See Ani," she said softly, lifting one of the bundles, swaddled in her arms, "Sometimes bad dreams are just bad dreams."
Anakin let out a laugh, and just like that, everything came out. Everything he'd been holding back, the secrets he'd only ever trusted himself to keep, the fears that kept him awake in the night; all of it gone.
"What are we gonna name them?" he laughed, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Well it's a boy and a girl, so we're definitely naming one after obi wan!" she chuckled weakly before growing serious, "I wish we could tell him, he's been so kind to us…"
Anakin brushed a stray hair out of her face, "You look tired," he said.
"I should be!" she laughed, gesturing to the newborns.
Anakin smiled, a soft, bittersweet smile, "We'll go to Naboo, we'll figure it out, together," he squeezed her delicate hand in his large rough one, "All in good time, Padme."
He glanced down to find that her eyelids had drifted shut. Even as she slept, he could feel her calming presence surrounding him. Leaning over he saw that it had the same effect on the two wrinkly bundles who were alert, yet calm in her arms.
"Hello," he reached out a mechanical finger, unsure of what to expect, and felt two uncoordinated hands grasp it tightly. A wide smile spread across his face. These tiny, squirmy little humans were a blessing, to himself and to the world, though it didn't know it yet. No matter what the consequences were he would take care of them.
"I'm going to look out for you," he said to them, "and your mother," and though the responses were wiggles and coos, he almost felt like they could hear him.
Outside the room the nurse watched as the door slid open, and a very dazed looking Jedi stepped out.
"The senator is asleep," he said, "see that her children are tended to." And with that he turned on his heel and disappeared down the corridor.