The day Padmé discovered she was pregnant was both her happiest and most worrying ever.

She had not realized, until the moment the pregnancy test turned positive, how much she had desired to became a mother.

Her heart swelled with happiness and the desire to shout it aloud, but she quickly suppressed it, as her thoughts turned to Anakin.

Her husband was far away from Coruscant, fighting in the Outer Rim. Personal communications were all but impossible without passing through the military channels, something that could not be done without a very good reason.

Padmé's joy was dampened by her worry about Anakin's reaction to the news, when she would finally be able to tell him. Also she would need to disguise her condition for the time being, for nobody knew she was married and her pregnancy, if known, would to raise many questions of curiosity in the Senate and the press.

What would she and Anakin do? Would she have to resign from the Senate to move back to Naboo and raise there her child? Or would she trust her son to her family and have him raised by her mother and sister? No, she could not bear that thought. They would have to find another solution. But which one?

-----

Padmé was almost happy when Chancellor Palpatine was kidnapped by General Grievous and all the Jedi and the Sith able to leave their posts were recalled to Coruscant.

Anakin was among them, and so was Obi-Wan. Together they managed to board Grievous' ship and rescue Palpatine. Count Dooku was killed in the action, while Grievous had been able to escape.

Padmé was among the crowd of politicians, Jedi and Sith gathered near the Senate building when the shuttle carrying the Chancellor and his rescuers arrived.

Anakin jumped down and walked at Palpatine's side, waving and flashing bright smiles to the journalists kept at bay by the Senate guards, while Obi-Wan followed them, his face solemn and clearly worried.

Padmé had not the time to wonder about it, for she rushed to hide behind a large pillar, waiting for her husband to get away from the crowd and join her.

"Oh, Anakin! Thank goodness, you're back," Padmé exclaimed as they embraced and kissed.

"I missed you, Padme. I've missed you so," he murmured, his eyes roaming her face.

"There were whispers . . . that you'd been killed. I've been living with unbearable dread."

"I am back, I am all right. It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime. And it might have been ... If the Chancellor hadn't been kidnapped I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim sieges."

Anakin started to give her another kiss, but Padmé stepped back, suddenly conscious of the nearby journalists. "Wait, not here . . ."

Her husband embraced her again, "Yes, here! I am tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."

"Anakin, don't say things like that. You're important to the Republic, to ending this war. I love you more than anything, but I won't let you give up your life as a Jedi for me . . ."

Anakin bent his head, wanting to silence her with a kiss, then he raised it again, concern in his eyes. "Are you all right? You're trembling. What's going on?"

"I'm just excited to see you," Padmé answered, not wanting to tell him of the pregnancy in such a public place.

"That's not it. I sense more-- what is it?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"You're frightened." His expression hardened, "Tell me what's going on!"

Suddenly all the tension Padmé had accumulated in the previous months exploded, and she started crying. "You've been gone five months . . . it's been very hard for me. I've never

felt so alone. There's -"

"Is there someone else?" Anakin asked, grabbing her by a wrist.

"What!" Padmé started at him for a moment, confused about his question. The she realized what he had meant and felt rage stir inside her. What kind of woman did he think she was? "No! Why do you think that? Your jealousy upsets me so much, Anakin. I do nothing to betray you, yet you still don't trust me. Nothing has changed."

Anakin had at least the decency to look contrived. "I am afraid of losing you, Padme, that's all."

"You won't lose me, Anakin. You must stop being so afraid," Padmé whispered, caressing his cheek.

"It's just that I've never seen you like this . . ."

Padmé came to a decision: if she did not tell him the truth, he would kept on mulling over it and come to wrong conclusions.

"Something wonderful has happened… I am . . . Ani, I am pregnant," she spilled out in a rush.

Anakin was stunned, his throat swallowing several times, before he took her in his arms.

"That's . . . that's wonderful," he said softly.

"What are we going to do?" Padmé voiced the question that had been tormenting her in the past months.

"We're not going to worry about anything right now, all right? This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life."

Anakin pulled her against him, and Padmé lowered her head on his chest, letting his heartbeat soothe her. She was about to let go of all her concerns, and truly believe they would find the perfect solution, when her eyes posed on Obi-Wan.

He was standing a few feet away, half-covered by a pillar, unmoving, his arms folded in the sleeves of his dark grey robe. He looked like the picture of the perfect Sith serenity, but for his face and his eyes.

He had seen everything: their embraces, their kisses—and the swollen belly she had tried so hard to conceal beneath her voluminous gowns.

There was no mistaking his expression. The Sith Master was worried, terribly so, it was enough to make her shiver and forget all the positive thoughts she had just entertained.