Chapter Ten

Thank the Force, Padmé only suffered from morning sickness for a couple of months. However, the mood swings continued to plague her. I led her through peace mantras and meditations, but those only seemed to frustrate her more. Most of the time, I felt it was best to just leave her alone.

It was during a moment I felt it wise to take a walk when I spied a tall being approaching from the north. He was smart enough to stay next to the cliffs just in case of dragon attack, so it had to be a local. In other words, someone who knew about the dunes and its perils.

I removed the nocs from my utility belt and looked through them, smiling when I recognized the beard that had once more grown wild. Padmé would most likely do something about that.

"Qui!" I shouted when he drew closer. His smile of greeting was friendly, though I could also detect some concern along his brow.

"Come inside and get out of the heat. We've got fresh water and some leftover stew if you'd like."

"Thank you," my old Master said before ducking through the doorway of our home.

"Master Jinn! What a pleasant surprise. Take a seat."

Padmé scurried about, removing a pile of rags she had just washed and folded off one of the two chairs we owned and quickly handed Qui-Gon the cleanest drinking glass on Tatooine. She filled it with sparkling clear water. The generator I had purchased to run the moisture evaporator had cost a small fortune, but it worked consistently and efficiently.

"Thank you," he said before gulping down half the glass. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this heat no matter how long I stay here."

"It's good to see you again, but you wouldn't have traveled this way without a reason," I told him. Might as well get to the point. I was curious since I hadn't expected to see him for quite some time.

"Your assumption is correct, Obi-Wan. Mrs. Kenobi, please sit."

Padmé did as requested and worriedly took my hand.

"Word has reached Mos Eisley that many Jedi have been taken into custody and administered the MK66 serum. Our numbers are diminishing quickly."

"How many?" I asked. "Do you know?"

"Not an exact number," he replied. "Though, surely, you've felt their power drain from the Force."

I hated to admit that I'd been focused on other matters lately – the growth of our child mainly. At night, I lay in my bed next to Padmé and tried to sync my heart beat with his. I tried to contact him within our bond and through the Force. I spoke to him mentally as well as verbally. His birth and caring for my wife – these were the centers of my universe. I was ashamed to admit I had taken my focus off what was happening elsewhere.

"I have no excuse," I quietly explained, "but the fate of the Jedi aren't necessarily my priority right now."

"I understand. You're about six months along?" Qui-Gon asked.

Padmé proudly caressed her swollen belly. "Just. Obi-Wan is hoping for a boy."

"And what do you think?" my old Master pried.

"I haven't decided yet," she answered. "Although she's a fighter. Just when I start to fall asleep, she starts kicking me, and sometimes it's powerful enough to keep me awake."

"Definitely a girl," Qui-Gon replied just before standing.

I wanted to argue with him. Why a girl? There was no way of knowing for sure, but something else was on his mind. I could tell by the look on his face and the awkward stance he had taken.

Padmé apparently also noticed and was on her feet. She walked around the table to stand before him and gazed up into his face with some scrutiny. "You're leaving Tatooine, aren't you?"

"Once again, you astound me with her insights. Yes," he nodded in my direction. "I can no longer sit here while my comrades are being hunted down and tortured in an attempt to eradicate the fears of a greedy population we have done nothing to but help!"

I hadn't seen Qui-Gon so worked up over something in a long time. Not since Tahl's death. For a few seconds he closed his eyes to regain control of his emotions and grinned when he reopened them.

"My apologies. I'm going to search for Master Yoda, although I'm uncertain what will happen. If I do locate some Jedi, we'll need a place to hide and it's not going to be here."

His mouth curled up into a smirk. We understood exactly what he was hinting about. Tatooine was safe from the Chancellor but it wasn't an easy life.

"If we do manage to gather in a single place, I'll try and send word to you of where that is."

"Thank you, Qui-Gon," I told him sincerely. "And may the Force be with you."

With another nod of his head, he left as quickly as he'd come.

"One can always appreciate guests like that," Padmé quipped as she removed the used glass from the table. "They never overstay their welcome."

I was struggling to disguise my desire to go with him. I couldn't imagine the suffering of those who'd been captured. Torture was a good word for it. The agony of losing touch with the Force was beyond description. I'd had a taste of it as a Padawan when I'd been a prisoner once and I never want to experience that feeling again.

"You wish you could go with him," Padmé told me as she cleaned.

I hadn't meant for my thoughts to have leaked out. "I'm sorry," I said.

"It's okay. I understand. I wouldn't mind helping myself. The situation is very disturbing. I know. While you find the Jedi, I'll return to Coruscant and slip into the Chancellor's office and blast him right between the eyes."

I chuckled softly. It wasn't like Padmé to condone such violent acts. This pregnancy was certainly bringing out some uncharacteristic ideas.

"Sounds like a plan," I teased while I put away the clean rags. "We'll meet up on Dantooine."

"Dantooine? Why did you say Dantooine?" she asked with a perplexed expression.

I stopped and shrugged. "I don't know," I honestly told her.

"The Force?"

"Maybe," I said, although I wasn't sure. Perhaps I'd dreamt it. Or Padmé may have. It was difficult sometimes to separate her dreams from mine. But Dantooine was heaven compared to this sand heap. It had trees and water and a temperate climate, and it was far removed from the Core. The Chancellor had no interest in it.

"One thing's for certain," I continued, closing the space between us. "Until the baby is born, we're not taking any chances. In other words, we're staying put. I'm not going to risk anything happening to you or…"

"Her," Padmé finished for me.

I smiled at her persistence and offered her a quick kiss. "Her," I agreed for the time being.

"I meant to ask you something," she shyly said, changing the topic somewhat, although I already knew what she was going to ask. It had been a fairly consistent worry that had been seeping into the bond.

"I'll head into town this week to look into a birthing assistant," I promised. "I have very little experience, actually, and I wasn't planning on doing this all on my own."

A small grin appeared and I felt a ripple of her relief wash over me. "It's not that I don't trust you, but if something goes wrong..."

I silenced her with an embrace as well as some reassurance through our connection. "Everything's going to fine. You'll see. Stop worrying. It isn't good for Leia."

Her eyes searched out mine again although this time she looked surprised. "I've been that obvious? Is that name okay with you? I've always liked the sound of it."

I repeated it over in my mind a few times. "It is," I confirmed with a kiss. "I like the way it sounds: Leia Kenobi."