Chapter 4: Special Delivery
"Oh my lady, are you alright?" asks C-3PO.
"I'm fine, Threepio. I'm just a little tired. Please let me know when Anakin arrives." Padme says, then she goes into the bedroom to turn in for the night. It was a relatively quiet night in the Skywalker house and Padme was tired; she didn't really feel like staying up to wait for Anakin. She knew he was coming, her heart told her. But her back and lower abdomen told her otherwise. The baby had stopped kicking; it was replaced with a back pain.
After changing into her nightgown, Padme laid down to bed. It was strange how empty it felt without Anakin by her side now. After about 10 minutes, Padme's pain felt stronger. She got out of bed, and as she did she felt a warm liquid trickle down her leg. Padme knew what it was, and she was frightened.
On no, where's Anakin when you need him, she thought. Suddenly she felt the first contraction. Padme gasped and grabbed the nightstand; the lamp went down with a crash and shattered to pieces. But Padme didn't care. Now was not the time; she was in labor and she needed Anakin. She wanted to call out his name but she knew he wouldn't hear her. Padme felt completely helpless.
Padme heard footsteps shuffling to the bedroom. It may be Anakin, she thought. But a voice said, "My lady, are you alright? I heard a crash." But it was only Threepio.
His body shone dimly as it reflected the little light that came through the blinds.
She tried to get up, but she was in pain so she fell to the floor.
"Where's…Anakin?" she asked through her deep breathing; her medical droids had told her what to do if she were to go into labor in an "unexpected" place.
"Master Anakin still hasn't reported in. I believe he's still at the Temple or stuck in traffic. You know how awful traffic is here." Threepio says, he was standing next to Padme. She was clutching her stomach and breathing abnormally now.
"Threepio…Go get…him. The baby's coming…He needs to be…here"
Padme was in no condition for casual small talk.
Threepio went back into the main room.
He looked out on the veranda to see a Jedi star fighter, with the Jedi pilot walking toward the room.
"Master Anakin!" yells Threepio, he comes rushing to Anakin's side as fast as his mechanical joints would allow him.
"Threepio, what are you doing out here? Where's…?" says Anakin.
"It's Mistress Padme! She's in the bedroom. She needs you, the baby's coming!"
"Now! Oh no" mutters Anakin, he then rushes off to the bedroom, almost knocking Threepio off the veranda.
Beep Beep Bop Bep the familiar beep of a familiar friend.
'Oh Artoo, hush. It wouldn't be the first time I fell off something." Threepio says. Speaking of the time R2-D2 pushed him off the platform at Geonosis.
"Since they're busy and it seems you have no one to stay with you, I think I'd be gracious enough to stay," says Threepio.
Whi Beep beeps Artoo, as of saying, "Oh brother."
Anakin almost tripped over his own feet as he ran through the apartment, up the small set of stairs to the bedroom. When he got to the door he heard Padme's voice.
"Anakin!" she called out.
Anakin opens the door and ran in. He saw her on the floor clutching her stomach, crying in pain.
"Padme!" he called and ran to her side. Finally Padme had gotten the answer she had called for, he would protect her. Anakin sat down beside her and put his hand on Padme's face to wipe away her mix of sweat and tears.
"Honey, I'm here. You're safe." Anakin says quietly as he held his lovely wife in his arms.
"Ani, the baby's…the baby's coming." Padme whispers.
"Right, um. I have no way to get you to the med center. My speeder won't hold us both. I'll have to call an air taxi."
Padme squeezes Anakin's hand tightly.
"Oh, another contraction." She says, squeezing it harder.
"Shhhh, it's alright...I'm here...You can do this." Anakin says calmly. Honestly he had no idea what to do now.
"Artoo Detoo you still have much to learn about humans. Mistress Padme is in labor, which means she's going to have her baby," explains Threepio. It was impossible to teach Artoo anything, he though.
Beep boo beep bop whirs Artoo.
"Why do I have to be the one to tell you where babies come from?"
Beep bop whirs Artoo.
"Well, I have learned that-." Suddenly Threepio was interrupted by the sound of a speeder. It was parking behind Anakin's.
"I wonder who that could be?" says Threepio, looking toward the cockpit of the parked speeder. Its driver was getting out.
It was…
"Master Kenobi!" exclaims Threepio. He was surprised to see the Jedi Master here, and at this time of night.
"I'm sorry to come so late but I must speak with Anakin." Obi-Wan says.
Threepio didn't know what to do. Should he tell Obi-Wan what Anakin was really doing? That he was in the bedroom, and Padme was in labor. The Jedi weren't supposed to know any of it. But he felt he couldn't lie to the Jedi Master.
He was so confused…