"I believe our focus should be finding as many… unaffiliated people as possible," Roganda began, carefully considering her words as she spoke, "and that's going to be quite a task."
"How long do we have?" Anakin asked her, folding his arms tightly over his chest. "Did your husband give you a date?"
"No," the other woman shook her head sadly, "but I know it must be soon. He and the others are very eager to move forward and the destruction of the major cities is the first step. That's why I came here to warn people, I believe its why Sheev came all the way into the city himself. He knows there isn't much time."
"Wait," Rush's frown deepened as he looked between Padme and Anakin, "you never did reveal exactly what my father said. Did he offer terms? A deal of some kind…?"
Padme felt the eyes of the room fall upon her and Anakin and forced herself to hold her gaze high. Nobody here needed to know what Palpatine's deal included. Kit finding out he and everyone else could have been left behind wasn't going to help them now. No, let the old man's deal be forgotten.
But, just as she opened her mouth, Anakin spoke instead.
"He offered terms which were unacceptable to us," he said easily, "it was a deal Padme and I weren't going to take."
"He offered you terms?" Rush narrowed his eyes, "not just her?"
"Why on earth would your father appeal only to Padme?" Mon rolled her eyes, "Regardless of how things may have… advanced within the Empire hotel, Anakin has been the known leader of the Imperial clan for as long as it has been around. Appealing to him is a logical decision."
Kit took a step forward, coming to stand between Padme and Anakin and stared Palpatine's son down. "Why do you look so surprised, man?"
"I'm not surprised," Rush spoke coolly, "merely curious. My father is a master manipulator – he knows how to appeal to everyone in a room. I thought he might have offered separate deals to better his chances. That's all."
This was enough to satisfy Kit. He tipped a small nod to the former banker across the table but his body remained stiff and tense beside Padme.
"Rush is correct," Roganda hummed in agreement, "Sheev knows people – it comes from all the years of sales beneath his belt. He can understand how to appeal to someone's desires effortlessly… I always enjoyed that before but now I see…" she trailed off, shaking her head and looked pained for the first time since they found her in the Empire's basement. Despite her choice of husband, Padme couldn't help but admire this woman greatly. She was who she was and had made choices that the young woman herself would never, but she had been somewhere far away and safe. Her marriage had guaranteed an almost dangerless life and yet Roganda had dove head-first into the fray to try and save the lives of people she didn't know. There weren't many people alive who would have done the same in her situation.
"It hardly matters what he offered us anyway," Padme said, "unless it involved stopping the bombs or getting every single person in this city to safety, we were never going to take any deal of his." Her eyes met Anakin's and he nodded a subtle, thank you, and it took everything in the young woman's power not to smile. "Now, we need to focus on what we're going to do."
"I say divide the city up into separate but equal territories and send out search parties to find as many people as we can," Obi-wan said, "it's the only way to draw people out."
"I agree," Anakin nodded, "We need parties out every hour of the day if we're going to pull this off… I don't think we're going to be able to keep this hidden from Palpatine if he'd got people watching. So I saw we give full effort, shouting, making signs and opening doors to find people, it's more likely that strays hiding further out will hear about it then."
"Yes," Bail nodded, "but one amendment, if you'll allow. I think we should take separate search parties to the three city islands and work our way back. It will be dangerous but if we work out shifts patterns for each island, I believe our efforts will be successful."
"So what do you think? Anakin leaned on the table again, "Ten groups? Two here and two each for Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten?"
"One for day searches and the other for night?" Padme asked and the two men nodded, "Do we have enough people for this?" It was easy to forget sometimes just how vast New York was. Covering all this terrain was going to be almost impossible – it would need to be a non-stop effort until the moment they were ready to leave the city if they wanted to have a chance.
"Separately, it would be impossible," Obi-wan began to stroke his beard thoughtfully, "but if we have a combined mix of Rebels and Imperials together, then it could work. What about the Hamptons and the areas around there?"
"We could try to get a message to Rex and Ahsoka?" Kit shrugged, "Seems like the only way we're going to be able to reach the people there."
"That's a good idea," Padme nodded, "and they have cars to get through the distance between houses faster."
"Outside by the door there's a stand with old tourist maps, could you grab one?" Anakin asked Kit who nodded and took off right away, "We need to pin down who's going where and how long we can give them. My people know the city like the back of our hands but we're running against the clock here."
As he talked, Padme couldn't help but smile at him. How far he'd come since they'd run into each other in that convenience store. They were both such different people now. She knew Anakin had worked hard to be the man standing here today, willingly strategising with Rebels to save the lives of people he wouldn't have cared about before. Her heart felt happy and full of pride when she looked at him planning with Bail and Obi-wan.
Her gaze moved across the table to Rush and found him scowling bitterly at the table as Kit returned and spread out the map so everyone could see the areas they needed to cover. He looked so deeply unhappy all of a sudden. Whatever dark cloud had come over him, it had to be about more than the petty spat they had earlier. Something was wrong. Padme made a mental note to try and spare a moment to talk to him before the searches began.
The next few hours were made up of strategic planning, drafting Imperials and Rebels into search parties and assigning them a territory to scour. Surprisingly, all the heated emotions from before died beneath the absolute urgency of their situation. Anakin and Obi-wan worked well together, agreeing effortlessly with one another as they paired their people together. For the first time, Padme could imagine how they might have known each other before, how they could ever have been friends and partners. Knowing she had even one part in their feud began to pain her.
The meeting was utterly exhausting and it left Padme feeling drained to the bone by the time she, Anakin, Obi-wan, Bail and Mon shook hands and called the plan done. The first parties would be packing their belongings and leaving tonight with strict instructions to get in, get the job done and get the hell out again. They planned for three days of searching before leaving the city for good.
By the time they all shuffled out of the meeting room, all Padme wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep for a week to recover but she caught Anakin's arm in the lobby and stifled a yawn instead. "I know there's a lot to do, but I need to talk to Dorme and Sabe before we leave. Something was up before and I promised I'd find them when we finished. Do you mind?"
He nodded, not hesitating a moment even though he probably wanted to rush off and begin preparations at home. "I'll wait. Kit and the others can go ahead without us."
"Thank you," Padme smiled, "I won't take too long, okay?"
Anakin waved her off and moved to send Kit, Rush and Roganda back to the Empire without them as she made her way upstairs and through the all too familiar halls of the hotel until she came to the Sabe's room. She walked in after a short rap against the door and found the blonde twin perched on the seat they had stolen from the lobby and Dorme sprawled across the bed. The sisters looked up when Padme entered the room and her heart broke to see the redness and swelling beneath Sabe's eyes – whatever was wrong, she had been crying about it for a while.
"Hey," she said softly, closing the door behind her, "sorry that ran so long, there was a lot to talk about."
"Is there anything we should know about?" Dorme sat up straight suddenly, both twins' eyes boring into hers. If she weren't so exhausted, Padme would have sat down and explained everything to her friends but she didn't have all day, Anakin was still waiting for her downstairs and there was so much to get done back home.
"There is," she nodded, settling down on the edge of the bed, "but I'll let Obi-wan, Mon and Bail catch you up when I'm gone. We're all leaving the city, though. The Imperials and Rebels. We're all getting out together."
"What?" Sabe looked aghast, "Why would we leave the city?"
"It's…" Padme searched for the right words but couldn't find them, "It's complicated. I'll let the others explain it all, okay? I'm more interested in you guys and what's going on? Is everything okay?" The sisters exchanged a knowing look as Sabe's face crumpled once more and Padme got up and off the bed to throw her arms around her friend. "What's happened? What is it?"
"I'm going to die," Sabe wailed, throwing her face into her hands, "it's going to kill me!"
"You're not going to die," Dorme came to her sister and stroked her hair, "if Padme can go through what she did and be alright, then why can't you? There's a hospital, remember? They can help you!"
"Help with what?" Padme's mind spun in a thousand directions at once. What could Sabe be so afraid of that needed hospital treatment? She looked well enough to her, no visible wounds or life-threatening injuries that she could see. "Are you sick?"
"You could say that," the blonde twin whimpered.
"She's pregnant," Dorme sighed, holding her sister closely. "We only found out last night… she's been inconsolable ever since."
"Pregnant…" Padme spluttered the word and felt the shock paint her face. Her eyes flicked down to her friend's flat stomach as the news echoed over and over again in her mind. Sabe was pregnant. Pregnant. She was going to have a baby… She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry and ungiving. She had no words to offer as a strange pang of sympathy and envy and understanding hurt her heart. "Wow – I… I don't even…"
"I know," the blonde laughed weakly, "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
"But – but who's the father?" She thought of the men who lived in the Empire but there was no one she could imagine Sabe falling in love with here. Bail was too gentle and she could barely stand Rush. Sure, there were men that Padme didn't really know in the hotel but she couldn't picture a face that had stood out or a name her friend had ever mentioned before!
"Brace yourself," Dorme sighed, easing herself more comfortably onto the arm of the chair. "I almost fell over when she told me."
"Who is it?" She felt herself begin to frown.
The blonde twin gave a long, heaving sigh and shook her head, staring distantly toward the doorway instead of meeting Padme's eye. "It's… Look, I've had this thing with Obi-wan for a while now and – "
"Obi-wan?!" Padme gasped before she could stop herself. The Rebel leader hadn't even occurred to her as a possibility! He was still so in love with the wife who had been killed by beasts years ago, she didn't think he would be able to move on. "But – how is that possible? I haven't ever seen you together!"
"We kept it discreet," Sabe wiped her eyes with the green knit of her sleeve, "It wasn't anything like… we're not together. He still loves his wife and I... well I like him but it's not anything more than sex." The admission came with a gentle shrug, "Part of me hoped it would change but it is what it is. I don't know how I'm going to tell him."
"I don't know, I just can't see it," Dorme began to snigger, her long, raven hair twisted up into a comfortable bun atop her head. Padme missed her hair being long enough to do that sometimes. "Obi-wan is great, believe me. He's kind and giving but I just can't see him getting down and – "
"This is hardly the time," Padme glared at her friend and began stroking Sabe's soft, yellow hair. "Obviously, I don't know what you and Obi-wan have," the thought of the Rebel leader still pained Padme after today's revelations but she liked to think she did know him regardless. He was a good man – a human man and everyone made mistakes. She knew she would forgive him, there were far too many dangers and risks in this world to hold grudges for long, but knowing he'd only become her friend to antagonise Anakin hurt. "But I do know that he'll protect you with his life regardless of the baby. You must mean something to him if you two kept seeing each other."
"That hardly matters now, does it?" Sabe sighed, "I don't know what I'm going to do, Padme. This could kill me! And if it doesn't, the beasts might kill it… What if I can't protect it?"
She was right, carrying a child could easily be the last thing Sabe ever did. When she got big and slower than usual, it wouldn't be difficult for a beast to hunt her. If she survived the pregnancy, protecting a screaming infant would be exceedingly difficult. The situation was layered and messy and it reminded Padme of the relief of not being able to have children brought her. It dulled the great ache that it brought also.
Just a little.
"I don't have any answers for you," she shook her head, "but I do have a question. Forget about everything else right now, okay? Forget Obi-wan and the dangers and the beasts. How do you feel about this baby? Do you want it?"
She remembered Sola calling her to tell her about being pregnant with Ryoo so many years ago, much welcome and anticipated news. Her sister had been trying with her husband for a baby for a very long time before Ryoo came along. There had been crying and screaming and general excitement from both Naberrie sisters for over an hour. Padme had loved shopping for little gifts and clothing for the baby, she'd babysat as often as she could just to be around her niece and that hadn't changed when Pooja came along. She'd loved being "auntie Padme". Her heart wept to remember that moment now.
"I…" Sabe fell into silence as she and Dorme listened with rapt attention, "I mean, I like the thought of it… and if things were different, y'know, back to the way they used to be I would be excited about it, I think. I always wanted kids eventually."
"Hey…" Dorme turned her sister's face to her own, "you can still be happy about it now if you want to be. I'm sure Obi-wan will step up and help you, he's a good guy. And like I said, look at Padme here! You saw how hurt she got - we didn't think there was any coming back but here she is! If she can get through all of that then I know you can push out a baby. We'll find a hospital or someone who knows what they're doing to help if this is what you want, Sabe."
"I… you really think I'll be okay? That I can keep the baby safe?" Sabe looked between them tearily and Padme nodded enthusiastically. Sabe was tough and strong, if anyone would be able to do this and thrive, it was her.
"I do," she said, "and yes, it's going to be difficult but we'll help you. We're getting out of the city and we'll find somewhere safe to live peacefully. It's perfect timing for a baby... If that's what you want?"
The other woman's eyes filled with tears again and she nodded, choking on silent words as her lips trembled around words her throat couldn't release. "I – I… Yes. I want it. I really want it."
"Then you're going to live," Padme took Sabe's shaking hand into her own and watched as Dorme did the same with the other hand, "your baby is going to live."
"We'll going to take such good care of you," Dorme kissed her sister's knuckles sweetly, "You don't have a thing to worry about, I promise!"
"Thank you," Sabe laughed breathlessly, "I can't believe this is happening… I'm going to have a baby… I'm having a baby!"
"I'm going to be the world's best auntie ever!" Dome laughed and the three women pulled each other into a tight embrace. For one wonderful, beautiful moment, Padme felt nothing but true joy and love.
Before returning downstairs to meet Anakin, Padme quickly returned to her old bedroom and packed her meagre belongings up.
Painful as it was to accept, this visit was likely her final moments in the Coruscant, her first home in the new world. Whilst this place hadn't come to mean as much to her as the suite in the Empire, she loved it for all it had been to her. Saftey. Community. Home.
Tracing her fingers along the slightly crumbling wall of the room as she made her way to the door, Padme smiled sadly. She was going to miss this little room greatly, but something better awaited outside of the city, she knew it. This had been a place Obi-wan had welcomed her into, his space to share. The Empire was Anakin's. Now, she was going to find her own home.
Before leaving, Padme carefully folded up Rex's photo and tucked it safely into her pocket. She knew how much it would mean to him to have it back. Her guardianship over the memento was a burden the young woman was all too happy to carry. She couldn't wait to see his face when he saw it again.
As she made her way back into the lobby, Obi-wan stopped her by taking her arm and pulling her off to the side. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Padme saw Anakin and Bail speaking quietly on one of the hotel's old sofas. It was a strange but happy sight, something she'd never thought possible before today.
"I wanted a moment with you alone," the auburn-haired man said quietly, his eyes full of shame and regret, "Padme, I am truly sorry for everything. I know that our friendship began on the wrong footing due to my inability to see past my resentment of Anakin but I want you to know that you are very dear to me."
"I do know that," she nodded, "and I know that you saved my life that day, regardless of why you did it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." Despite her hurt, Padme loved him. Obi-wan was a brother to her and had been for a long time which only made everything far more painful. "But you lied to me. Repeatedly. You made me think Anakin was going to hurt me when you knew that was never the truth, you knew he loved me."
"I knew that he was obsessed with you," he muttered. "How could I have known what could grow between you? I was trying to keep you safe."
"Would knowing have changed anything?" She asked and watched how the Rebel leader seemed to shrink before her eyes.
"No," he shook his head honestly, "it wouldn't have. I felt protective of you and I can see it went too far… I should have been honest with you and allowed you to make your own decision. I'm truly sorry, Padme."
You're going to make a wonderful father, she thought to herself. Obi-wan was naturally protective of those he loved, she could already tell he was going to adore Sabe's baby with his whole heart.
"I love you, Obi-wan," she smiled at him, "and I forgive you." They were getting out of the city and finding a fresh start, Padme didn't want to carry any regret and anger with her. She breathed in and then released it all out in one calming exhale. "You're family to me and family forgives family."
The Rebel leader and Padme shared a tight, relieved hug and murmured quiet goodbyes to each other. The next time they saw each other would be the day they left the city. Knowing this brought a strange tension over the young woman's shoulders. She never did like change.
They wished each other well and Padme left the Coruscant with Anakin one last time.
"Is everything alright with your friends?" Anakin asked as they leisurely made their way through Rebel territories toward the Imperial borders. "You were up there a long time."
She glanced over her shoulder as a scuttling noise caught both Imperial leaders' attention only to find an abandoned plastic bottle riding the slight wind in a loud, ratting dance along the sidewalk. A moment later, a pale yellow beast trotted out of an alleyway ahead, contently unaware of their presence and the quick bullet Anakin shot in its direction. It fell lifelessly with a squirt of green blood splatting against the brick behind it.
"Oh, it's just Sabe," Padme shook her head, tightening her hold on her gun, "she had some news she wasn't sure how to feel about." It wasn't exactly her place to tell anyone about the baby and yet she was itching to talk about it with someone other than the twins. Sabe wouldn't mind too much, would she? It wasn't like Anakin was likely to go running to Obi-wan... "She's pregnant."
Just saying the words felt foreign and strange. Part of her mind still couldn't accept that Sabe was having a baby, a real little baby of her own. It was difficult to imagine her fun-loving friend as someone's mother. Dorme as a rule-breaking, cool aunt, that was much easier to imagine.
"Woah," Anakin's eyebrows shot up high on his forehead, "that's – uh, wow. Is this good news or bad?"
"Bad at first but I think after talking it out with Dorme and me, she's pretty happy," she said as they passed an old, abandoned dog park. "You'll never guess who the father is, though!"
"Don't tell me it's Bail," he groaned with a roll of his eyes, "I just about died of boredom sitting in there with him… I mean, I can see why you like him but that's time I'm never getting back."
"Hey!" Padme glared at him with a laugh, "Bail is wonderful! But it's not him."
"We going through every Rebel before you tell me, Naberrie?" He chuckled.
"I was building the tension," she rolled her eyes, "You're not very good at guessing games, are you?"
"I'm losing interest here…"
"Okay, okay!" She reached out to grasp his sleeve, stopping their slow journey through the empty streets for a moment because she had to see his face when she told him the truth. "It's Obi-wan. He and Sabe are having a baby."
Anakin looked at her with narrowed eyes, waiting for Padme's laughter or for her to tell him she was kidding and to name the real father but she only nodded slowly, feeling a wide, insanely amused grin spread across her mouth before she could control herself. "No… You're kidding me?"
"I'm not!" She sniggered, "Sabe likes him – they've had this friends with benefits thing going on for a long time, apparently. I guess they made a mistake or something and now she's pregnant."
"Shit," Anakin whistled lowly, "old man Kenobi is going to be a dad… That's quite a picture. How's he handling it?"
Honestly, Padme couldn't imagine that either. Obi-wan was a steady and calm influence in their lives, he was always kind and generous and she had no doubts that he would be a wonderful father to Sabe's child but she just couldn't see it! It felt so odd to even try to imagine the three of them as a little family. For Sabe and the baby's sake, she hoped they could work something out between them.
"That's the thing," she said as they began to walk again and she shifted the two plastic bags of her things further up her arms for comfort, "she hasn't told him yet. She only took the tests the other day. Her mind is still reeling… having a baby is a really dangerous thing."
"Yeah…" he sighed, "it's not going to be easy to keep a child safe from beasts, I don't envy them. I hope there's another hospital out there that can take care of her and the kid the way the Southhampton did for you and Rex."
"I'm sure there is… I mean there has to be, right?" Padme turned her head to look up at him. Anakin's eyes were already on her. "There must be other people out there who've made some kind of a life the way we did here."
"I hope so," something playful began to creep into his voice, "Man, Kenobi is going to have a heart attack when he finds out… I wish I could be there to see his face when she tells him!"
"You're terrible," Padme laughed and swatted his arm through his heavy black coat, though secretly she felt the same way. "I wonder how he's going to take it?" A dangerous thought came into her head, something fate-tempting and all too intriguing to not ask however much it toed the line of inappropriateness between them. "How would you feel?"
Anakin looked at her with a small frown creasing between his brows. "What do you mean?"
"Well…" she gathered her nerve, "how would you feel if I came to you and told you I was pregnant?"
Maybe this was a cruel game to play but Padme desperately wanted to hear his answer, even just to settle some deep, unspoken question that had always lingered in her mind. She spent so long worrying about pregnancy and being careful to avoid putting them in that position and it made her curious. If she were in Sabe's position, it would be terrifying and confusing, but Padme knew no matter the state of their relationship, Anakin would do anything to keep her safe. But would he have even wanted a child if things were different?
Not that it's a possibility, something bitter whispered in her mind.
"Honestly?" Anakin stopped walking again and reached up to scratch at the back of his neck, the cute little movement Padme knew meant that he was nervous. Fondness swelled in her heart despite the rather heavy subject of their conversation and she almost smiled. "I would probably faint," he laughed, "like, I'd be right there unconscious on the sidewalk."
She couldn't help but laugh with him, imaging the infamously cruel and calculating Imperial leader collapsing lifelessly at the thought of impending fatherhood until her smile slowly began to fall. "How would you feel about it though?" Padme's voice faltered as the humour faded from his expression. Why was she pushing this? Asking these questions was like picking at the stitches of a fresh wound, irritating and inflaming things further, but she needed to know.
"I, uh…" Anakin searched for the right words for a moment, casting his hesitant gaze downwards to his boots, "I don't know. When the world went to hell, I wasn't the kind of guy looking to start a family any time soon. That kind of stuff wasn't on my radar. There were beasts and fighting and finding you to think about. Starting a family felt like something people used to do back when things were different – it always seemed cruel to bring a kid into this mess… and that's coming from me." He gave a heavy shrug as his eyes shyly worked their way back up to Padme's. "But finding out about our kid?" A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips, "I think that would be the happiest moment of my life."
Before she could stop herself, a veil of tears descended over her and her heavy heart began to fragment and shatter faster than Padme could claw together its pieces to hold them in place. "I'm sorry," she turned away before he could see her fall apart, wiping furiously at her eyes regardless of the slight weight of the plastic bags cutting into her skin. "This wasn't fair of me… I shouldn't have…"
"Padme? What's wrong?" She felt his palm on her shoulder, "What's going on?"
Padme wiped another tear away and shook her head. She knew she should wave him off and hurry back to the Empire before they were cornered by more beasts but her heart just couldn't stop bleeding agony. Nobody knew what the doctor had told her and these feelings were so confusing and heartbreaking and she was so tired of holding everything together all alone. She was exhausted by it. "I can't have a baby," she turned back to Anakin though he was a blurry mess of a black coat and golden hair behind the curtain of tears in her eyes. "The doctors..." forming the words felt impossible. Her bottom lip trembled frantically. "They, well, they took out my womb in the hospital – it was the only way to keep me alive and I know that but - "
"Padme…"
"No, I'm being silly, I know I am…" She wiped her eyes again. Anakin was the most focused on survival person she knew. He knew how dangerous having a baby was – if you weren't careful, it would kill you. Maybe what she needed was him to tell her to snap the hell out of this and focus on their real problems. The doctors had done her a favour and she didn't need to worry about it anymore, she just had to accept that.
"I didn't know that you," he cleared his throat, "I mean, I didn't think that was something you even wanted…"
"It wasn't," her throat tightened as she shook her head, "except that, I think deep down I think it was and now I'll never have it."
She watched as he opened his mouth and then closed it again, whatever words he thought about saying dying in the air between them. Then, Anakin wrapped his arms around her, holding Padme so close to his body for the first time since their reunion at the hospital. She pressed her cheek to his chest, grasped at his sweater and fell apart, releasing everything she'd been holding in for so long.
Padme cried for the babies she would never have. For Aphra. For Anakin. For everyone who's lives were in danger from the bombing to come. She cried every morsel of grief and stress she felt until there was nothing left to give and still he held her safe and secure through it all, slowly stroking his fingers through her hair until she was ready to stand on her own again. She hadn't expected to feel so light after letting everything out and even though her heart was still sad, Padme felt free of the heavy emotional weight she'd been carrying since waking up at the hospital.
With the catharsis, however, came a pang of awkwardness as she lifted her reddened eyes to meet Anakin's concerned gaze. "Feel better?" He offered a small, friendly smile which instantly set the young woman at ease. Or at least, a little more at ease.
"I do," Padme nodded, wiping away any residual wetness on her cheek, "thank you, Anakin… I think I just needed to vent it all out."
They weren't together anymore, he didn't have to hear her out on these things or help soothe her heartache. Most people wouldn't be so understanding in his position but he was. He held her and listened and helped her get it all out – was this friendship? Or maybe their first true step toward it? Whatever it was, Padme was grateful.
"I'm here for you, Naberrie," he affectionately tapped her under the chin with his thumb and forefinger, "… I, uh… if you want to talk about it that is. Or anything. I'm here."
"Thank you," Padme felt herself smiling wider than she should be, even as her heart pined so deeply for him that it felt overwhelming, she gave a small nod and steeled herself to pull away. She'd made her decision for both of them and now she had to live with it. "We should probably get back."
The intimate spell around them shattered peacefully into a thousand tiny fragments and Anakin accepted it with a small, reluctant nod as he put a little distance between them, fully respecting her decisions at last. "Yeah," he said quietly, "let's go."
After the second day of searching, Padme returned to the Empire with Kit, Anakin, Dooku and forty strays. The Empire was filling fast and it delighted her – these people were going to survive because they'd gone out and found them! They'd worked together and outsmarted Palpatine. They were going to get out and there was nothing he could do about it.
The strays were quiet and distant, clutching what few things they had and eyeing everyone suspiciously and who could blame them? Padme knew how it was to face the horrors of this world all alone. She knew how territorial and unwelcoming the Imperials had been to those outside their walls… she still had nightmares about the man tied to a streetlight. It had taken a lot of convincing to get some people to come along.
As everyone filed into the hotel, following Kit toward the staircase to find rooms, she remembered reading once that this hotel had over four-hundred rooms on offer, so there was plenty to spare. She would happily cram every single room full of people if it meant getting them out of the city successfully. Padme practically floated through the lobby, high on their plan's success as Maul and the night shift made their way outside to meet up with their Rebel counterparts.
She spotted Rush sitting alone by the window, scanning something on a long, thin rectangular piece of paper. He read and then re-read the words with a smile spreading slowly across his lips. Curious, Padme made her way to her friend just as he rolled the paper into a small cylinder and pocketed it. "Hey," she smiled tightly, things had been a little awkward between them since their disagreement the other day. Between searches, she hadn't had the time to talk to him properly and smooth things over yet. "What are you reading?"
"Oh, nothing," he shook his head, "just a scrap of paper I found earlier. Turns out it was one of those lost connection pieces from an old newspaper." Rush smiled and patted the seat beside him which Padme eased down onto stiffly. "About the other day," he cleared his throat, "I'm sorry for what I said, Padme, truly. You know I care about you a great deal and only wish you the best."
"I know that," she felt herself begin to loosen up a little, "but you can't keep saying things like that about Anakin… I know what he's done, I do, but look at this," she threw her hand up to gesture at the strays walking up the stairs, "he's helping save these people's lives, Rush! He's protecting you from your father. It might be difficult to look past everything that's happened and I understand that, but Anakin is a good person."
"I think it's in our best interest to agree to disagree," Rush muttered bitterly, glaring at the hotel stairway as people disappeared onto the higher levels, "I just… I have to be honest for a moment, if you'll indulge me?"
Padme met his eye and felt her stomach begin to sink, she didn't want to have this fight again. It was exhausting! Besides, there were far more important things to think about now. Still, she gave a shallow nod and braced herself.
"Tell me, if someone could… I don't know, wave a magic wand and there were no beasts anymore, no running or fighting or danger, if you could have a normal life in a nice house with a loving, providing husband and a family all of your own, would you want that?" Rush's curious gaze bore into Padme's as he spoke, eagerly awaiting her answer.
Strange as the question
was, she let it simmer for a moment in her mind. People liked to play these little games and imagine how things might be from time to time, after all. What was the harm in indulging with him?
She let herself imagine it, a world magically without beasts where everyone was safe and could lead a long, peaceful life... It was wonderful. Who wouldn't want it? Besides someone like Anakin who found his purpose within the bleakness of constant danger this world brought. Save for the more traditional providing husband aspect of Rush's question - Padme never was like Sola in that respect - a safe life full of love and happiness was all she'd ever wanted.
"Of course," she nodded, "isn't that what everyone wants? A normal life?"
"What if…" Rush's breath stuttered nervously, "what if someone could give you that?"
"With this magic wand of yours?" She laughed, shaking her head. "You're about to be very popular."
"Perhaps," he smiled uneasily, "I truly only desire your happiness, Padme and I honestly don't think you've been happy in a very long time…" His hand came upon hers suddenly, "I know that I would be the luckiest man in the world if I could make you happy."
"Rush…" She sighed, trying to take her hand back but he held her tighter, pleading silently to make her stay, "We've talked about this."
"But you don't know what I can give you!" He urged, "When we get out of this city, there is so much awaiting us that you can't even imagine… we could make a life together, you and I. There's a reason you came to me that night, you know there's something between us."
This time, Padme retracted her hand so forcefully that he had no choice but to release her. No one in the lobby seemed to have noticed the quiet disagreement between them, thankfully. Dooku and Anakin were talking quietly in the corner, Kit was still upstairs housing the strays and Roganda was nowhere to be found. The other Imperials hadn't noticed a thing. She glared furiously at him. How many times had she told him no? How many more would it take for him to finally listen.
"Enough of this!" She hissed, "I came to you because I was drunk and sad and needed a distraction, okay? I already told you, I wish it hadn't happened. If I could go back, I would make sure it never happened. It was a mistake! There's nothing between us and there never will be."
"What spell does Skywalker have over you?" Rush scowled hatefully toward Anakin's back, "All I've ever wanted to do was love and appreciate you – if you would only let me. I know we could be happy."
"It's not about Anakin," Padme wanted to tear out of her hair. She wanted to scream. Why wasn't he listening to her? "He has nothing to do with this! I don't love you, Rush. I don't. And it doesn't matter if I was with Anakin or even a beast, when I tell you no, you need to accept it!"
"You really think he'll give you peace?" Rush spat angrily, his voice rising in his temper. "All he knows is chaos."
"Oh my god," she stood up, throwing her hands over her face as frustration threatened to spill over into rage in her chest, "You're not even listening to me, are you? This isn't about him!"
"I know what you need and I'm going to give it to you," Rush began to stand, "You'll see – "
"What's going on here?" Anakin walked leisurely toward then, his narrowed eyes focused daringly at Clovis, as if looking for a reason to fight. "Are you alright?" His words were hushed and low, for Padme's ears alone when he was close enough.
"I'm fine," Padme nodded, "I was just leaving to get some sleep before the search party in the morning."
"I hope you're enjoying this," Rush seethed at Anakin suddenly, "this pretence of power you have here… it's not forever, believe me."
Years of fighting and running and surviving had given the Imperial leader speed unlike anyone else Padme had ever known. She blinked and then Anakin had Rush pinned back against the wall by his throat, gripping the tender flesh in this strong hand as if the effort was nothing. Anger festered between them but neither moved, silently daring the other to strike first and spark the flame.
"You're a snake who takes advantage of people, like father like son, I suppose." Anakin growled, "What are you up to?"
Rush's face began to grow red beneath the squeeze of Anakin's palm around his throat but Padme couldn't move. She gaped uselessly, her mouth open and wordless as Imperials began to crowd around to watch their leader in action. "I… wait…" she sputtered.
"If children… follow in the…paths of their parents," Rush choked, "then I wouldn't… want to meet the devil who made you!"
Oh no.
"Anakin – " Padme darted forward but it was already too late. The Imperial leader's fist collided with Rush's face so hard the sickening crunch resounded through the lobby despite the excited murmurs of people enjoying the show. "Hey! Stop – Ani, stop!" She tugged him several steps backwards as Clovis howled in pain, cupping his nose. Blood seeped between his fingers in a thick rush that dribbled to the floor.
For one blinding, horrifyingly silent moment, all Padme could see was the pool of blood spilling from Aphra's head in the basement.
And then the noise dragged her back to the present as Rush stumbled to his feet, his hands and chin soaked in blood. Padme expected him to scowl or shout or threaten Anakin in retaliation, she readied herself as the murmurs around them grew and grew into jeers and calling for a fight. People preparing to run from a bomb were never going to act favourably to the son of the man sending them. But then, Rush let his hand fall away from his face and smiled.
Joyless and apathetic, his smile was wet and bloody. "This was a big mistake. Huge."
And then, he stormed out of the building and into the streets of New York furious and unarmed. Dread sunk deeply into Padme's stomach as he vanished out of view from the hotel's window. If Palpatine had eyes on them, it wouldn't be long at all before he knew his son had left the building alone…
"Find him!" She heard herself croak, "Go after him and bring him back!"
Imperials bolted out of the door, taking after Rush at Padme's command. She heard yells of his name as they rounded the same corner he had mere moments ago. He couldn't have gotten far – they were going to find him before it was too late, they had to! If Palpatine's men got to Rush before the Imperials, there would be no reason to hold back the bombs any longer!
"They'll find him," Anakin nodded to himself, "and if they don't, I'll go out there and drag him back myself."
Something unpleasant began to twist knots inside her stomach, something dark and bitter that whispered it was already too late.
Rush was gone.