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The Naberrie kitchen had seen two massive dinners being made within just as many days, but the atmosphere for each was far different. Yesterday's dinner had been prepared with gusto and excitement, tears and joy, giggles about Padmé's favorite recipe and how much kemko bean juice they could squeeze into a dessert. Today it was little gestures of concern, glances into the living room, and tense silence.
Padmé sighed, mirroring her sister and mother as she looked into the den as well. Obi-Wan and Siri were there talking to her father, who looked like he was walking eggshells around them. Siri looked guilty, and Obi-Wan looked hesitant. Padmé stepped a little closer to catch what they were saying, and she found herself in the midst of an apology from Siri about the argument she'd apparently started after Cordé was cremated.
"We were all upset," Ruwee said softly. "It's forgiven already. It's okay."
Padmé felt her heart clench listening to her father speak so gently to them. It was a tone she hadn't heard since she was a youngling running to her parents' bedroom after having a nightmare.
Obi-Wan tipped his head. "I… it's good to see you, Dad. Forgive us for our behavior earlier; we were initially concerned that this was an Imperial set-up."
"A set-up?" Ruwee repeated. "What would make you think that?"
"It's why we left in the first place," Siri explained. "We were afraid the Empire would target you because of us. It's why I made that remark, why I acted like a murglak. And Al… Al's been under surveillance before by Intelligence, so it seemed like they had an agent here with you."
Padmé entered the den at that point. "Al and I checked Theed for an Imperial presence – there's a garrison stationed at the palace, but nothing more."
She stood strong, swallowing thickly as she watched Obi-Wan and Siri turn their attention to her. Siri's eyes seemed to soften a little, while Obi-Wan remained distant. Neither seemed to know what to say or do next, and it hurt to watch them standing there, lost. Padmé hadn't wanted it to be like this, but she didn't know what else to say or do to reassure them that she was fine and everything would be all right.
Eventually, Obi-Wan spoke up. "That's reassuring to hear. Nevertheless, we should consider Theed compromised. You can't stay here."
"Al and I already discussed it with the family," Padmé said. "We were thinking of taking them to the base."
"That's awfully risky," Obi-Wan immediately argued. "They'll be in the heart of danger there."
"Well we don't happen to know a lot of hiding places where they could go and still be safe," Padmé countered, wondering how Obi-Wan could sound so detached when she was teetering between screaming, crying, hugging him, and running to an empty room to get herself together. She thought she'd begun to sort out her emotions after confronting Vader face to face in the hallway, but outside in the garden a few hours ago she'd just started getting out of control. She hadn't seen Vader since, and a part of her worried that he'd run off like he'd originally intended, but she couldn't bring herself to look for him right now.
Obi-Wan sighed. "I suppose not. When… when are you planning to leave?"
"Probably tomorrow," Padmé answered, and some part of her was suddenly afraid; weren't Obi-Wan and Siri going to join them? The way he spoke… it almost seemed like he was heading elsewhere. She couldn't handle that, not now, not just as soon as she'd reunited with him.
Obi-Wan and Siri stood silently, apparently debating the matter. Eventually Padmé's father spoke up. "I suppose we'll have to put a plan together to depart without being conspicuous."
He was prompting them, but Obi-Wan only gave a noncommittal tip of the head, his eyes distant. Padmé turned to her father. "Dad, I think Mom and Sola might need some help in the kitchen."
Her father took the hint and sighed, nodding and leaving. Padmé rubbed her hands together slowly, trying to figure out what she should say, wondering if she should just let it all out or continue her father's venture in handling the matter delicately. Siri looked like she still had to remind herself that she wasn't staring at a ghost while Obi-Wan appeared both fragile and stone cold, like an ice sculpture of her brother ready to shatter if she said the wrong thing.
Eventually, her guilt came forth first. "I'm sorry."
Both Obi-Wan and Siri furrowed their brows in confusion.
"I… I'm sorry for putting you two through this," Padmé tried to explain, though she felt her eyes sting as soon as the words escaped her lips, and she started to choke up. She paused, biting her lip and looking at her feet, desperately fighting the emotions that were whirling inside of her.
"You're sorry?" Siri repeated. "What the blazes do you have to be sorry about? You didn't ask to get shot. You didn't ask to get kidnapped and held hostage. We're the ones who should be sorry."
Now it was Padmé's turn to be confused. "Why?"
"We're strong in the Force, and we're training to become Jedi. We should have sensed you." Siri said, and suddenly her own eyes shone with unshed tears, her cheeks flushed with frustration.
Padmé gaped at her friend. They felt guilty? What—that was ridiculous! "You have nothing to be sorry for – there was no way you could've known I was alive."
"We gave up on you while the Salkendens, who didn't even know you, continued the investigation." Siri shook her head. "I don't know what I'm expecting – maybe we couldn't sense you, but that's not the point. The point is that we gave up."
"You had no leads, nothing to work with, no inkling that something was amiss," Padmé tried to reassure her. "You shouldn't be sorry for anything."
"Neither should you," Obi-Wan suddenly piped in quietly.
Padmé blanched a little at the unexpected remark. It was something she already knew intellectually, but emotionally hadn't accepted yet. Hearing it from Obi-Wan brought the tears back to her eyes, and she bit her lip in an attempt to fight the feeling. "I… I know."
The three stood in silence before Obi-Wan sighed heavily, taking a small step away as if he needed the air. "I know the family can't stay here. But there are other places they could hide that wouldn't involve them in the war."
Padmé felt her world spin as her brother abruptly changed the subject. "I… they… it's the safest place we know."
Siri looked between Padmé and Obi-Wan, her own tears quickly vanishing, and she took a deep breath, seeming to center herself.
"We were originally planning to go the lake retreat since no one would be there in the winter," Obi-Wan noted. "Though at this point we've probably already attracted too much attention."
Padmé stood there awkwardly, debating what she should say while steadily starting to panic at the thought that the Imperials somehow found out where they were.
Siri, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and turned away, pinching her husband's arm. Obi-Wan jumped and exchanged a meaningful look with her, and she walked into the kitchen. Obi-Wan sighed again.
Padmé shifted, wanting desperately to be candid with her brother but afraid to do so due to his behavior.
"Do you… do you want to take a walk through the garden?" Obi-Wan asked, not quite making eye contact with her.
Padmé watched him hesitantly, but she didn't want the conversation to end at this point, so she said, "Of course."
Obi-Wan nodded and headed towards the yard, and she followed his lead. Going outside again, Padmé dedicated some time to looking for Vader, but he was nowhere to be seen. Her stomach churned slightly.
"He's out front," Obi-Wan said, startling her. When she stared at him, he glanced in her direction. "You're looking for him, aren't you?"
"I…" she tried to start saying, unsettled by his ability to just know these things – he'd always had a sixth sense and knew how to read his sister well, but he'd never been this… stoic? Detached? His Jedi training had changed him so much. She shook her head. "Obi, I—I don't know what to do. I know it's not my fault, but I… you're just acting… you do believe me, right? You know it's me, right?"
Her brother's gaze drifted to the ground, and he clasped his hands behind his back. "I know it's you."
"Then what's wrong? How can I help you?" she asked desperately.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, biting his lip. He stood silently as Padmé watched him worriedly, feeling tears finally start to escape and slide down her cheeks.
"When I thought you had died… I… I knew it was partly my fault. I had seen the warning signs and had done nothing with them. And then Siri had decided we had to part ways with the rest of the family without even telling me." Obi-Wan said softly and hesitantly, his eyes still closed. "So then it was just me and Siri… me and Siri in a galaxy without you, without any other family, without stability, without any sense of familiarity. We had each other, but it was the two of us in a sea of chaos, thrust into a new life and a new way of thinking with a child on the way. The Jedi offered serenity, security, stability. Siri wanted to go on a crusade, and I… I just wanted a foundation again."
Here he faced her, and she couldn't say anything, her throat choked up as he stared at her with such a deep sorrow she didn't even know how to describe it. He continued, "Please, Padmé… I'm… I… I know it's you. But I… I can't."
Padmé felt her heart clench. "Can't what?"
He shook his head, taking a shaky breath. "I can't. Not now. I just can't."
His words hurt her more than she realized, and she let out a sob before covering her mouth in surprise. Obi-Wan practically fled at that point, looking horrified with himself.
Only two other occupants in the house noticed the occurrence, though neither had been in the yard. However, Siri was unable to get away from her in-laws, who were partly trying to reassure her and partly interrogating her about Obi-Wan and Vader. The other had been attempting to leave the compound entirely, but the sensation of Obi-Wan's pain had pierced through the fog in his mind.
Obi-Wan went straight to his bedroom since no one was in the vicinity, sitting on his bed and putting a trembling hand over his eyes. He couldn't do this. He tried to control his emotions, to not fall apart every time he saw his sister, but he couldn't hold out much longer. He wanted nothing more than to hold his sister and never, ever let go, but a small part of him was screaming that he couldn't lose control because then Anakin would lose control, and-even more horrifically-that as amazing as her appearance was, it made things so much worse.
And blast it all, he felt sick with himself for that.
"What happened?"
Obi-Wan jumped, startled. He knew who it was before he even glanced in the direction of the doorway. "Anakin! How are you feeling?"
Anakin narrowed his eyes slightly, letting his eyebrows drop heavily, indicating that Obi-Wan couldn't just change the subject like that. The Jedi sighed wearily; apparently this was going to be another interrogation session, though at least this time it wasn't about explaining such common sensations in life that were nearly impossible to explain.
Then again, this scenario was also nearly impossible to verbalize properly.
"This… wasn't what I was expecting when we landed on Naboo," he remarked mildly with a morose smile.
Anakin's heavy brow lightened, but it then crinkled in slight bemusement, his eyes returning to their usual size. He stood there for a few seconds, looking a little pale but overall seeming relatively calm, before repeating his question. "What happened?"
"Don't worry about it, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his smile turning reassuring. The young man had enough matters to worry about – it was one of the main reasons Obi-Wan himself was trying to remain at peace; he knew if he truly acknowledged Padmé's presence, if he held his sister and let his emotions flow freely it would spill right into Anakin, and that was the last thing anyone needed.
"I'm not worried," Anakin immediately replied. "What happened?"
"Anakin—"
"What happened?" the young man hissed, finally seeming to losing his patience.
Obi-Wan's smile deteriorated as his ability to maintain the façade quickly faded. He felt so blasted tired, even after the nap, and it had nothing to do with all the walking they'd done. "Why do you want to know?"
Anakin paused, suddenly looking uncertain before growing slightly alarmed. He closed his eyes, appearing somewhat paler than before, and shook his head. Obi-Wan watched him worriedly and guiltily – he knew this question would confuse the boy, but he didn't have the energy to really prompt him. Instead, he let himself focus on this conversation rather than anything going on outside the room.
Eventually, Anakin opened his eyes, one of his cheeks pulled in a little as if he were biting it. "Because."
Obi-Wan chuckled. He'd already figured he wouldn't get a straight answer out of the young man considering the question had to do with emotion. So he simply pushed the matter aside. "I'm fine."
"You're lying."
What little amusement he had at the situation vanished, leaving him tired again. "What do you want me to say?"
Anakin stared at him for an instant, looking confused as if the question were ridiculous. "The truth."
Obi-Wan's gaze grew unfocused. Should he admit it? Perhaps. He and Siri had repeatedly told Anakin to discuss his own emotions; it would be hypocritical of him to not do so now. Still… he was trying to protect Anakin. He sighed, relenting somewhat, revealing a little. "I don't know what to do. She… she's alive and… and all I can do is think how this complicates things. All I can do is worry. And all I'm doing is hurting her."
He felt his throat tighten and he cleared it, fighting desperately to stay in control. He really wished he knew more about mental barriers between bonds; Anakin could easily seal himself off from Obi-Wan, but the opposite scenario was not as simple. Also, Obi-Wan would much rather be discussing this with Siri, who had emotional stability and could probably shed some light on his predicament or likely even relate to it, whereas Anakin… Obi-Wan sighed yet again.
"I'm the one who shot her." Anakin remarked, still sounding confused.
Well. At least he wasn't panicking about it anymore. Obi-Wan supposed that was a step in the right direction; one of the reasons Obi-Wan and Siri had been avoiding everyone so much earlier—apart from simply trying to get their bearings in this insanity—was because Anakin couldn't hold himself together around Padmé.
Eventually, he said, "You can hurt someone emotionally, Anakin, you know that."
Anakin looked away, the Force churning uncomfortably, though he still seemed more confused and contemplative than upset. Obi-Wan took the moment to regain his own composure, and as he calmed, he saw Anakin's own even tempered façade start to fade as whatever he was considering started to bother him. It likely had to do with how he'd hurt Padmé both physically and emotionally, and Obi-Wan withheld another sigh. This was exactly why he didn't want nor need to discuss this with the boy.
Gently, he tried to snap him out of his musings. "Anakin."
"I'm fine." He automatically said, locking eyes with Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan watched him knowingly.
Anakin shook his head. "So you hurt her."
Obi-Wan's chest immediately tightened, his brow furrowing, his beard moving as he locked his jaw. He struggled to maintain his calm. Just hearing the words alone, even without an accusatory bite to them, made him shake from head to foot. He didn't want to hurt his sister – he would never want that. If only they hadn't been trying to avoid the Alliance for Anakin's sake, if only there wasn't this ridiculous amount of baggage between the whole group of them, if only the Rebels weren't out to kill Anakin, if only Anakin would just cooperate and help them defeat the Empire… Obi-Wan had never wanted to leave the war; he'd joined to help, even if he didn't prefer fighting. But… this was just too complicated. He could handle this on a regular basis if it weren't for the bombshell that his baby sister was still alive.
The Force suddenly nudged him harshly, interrupting his thoughts, but he didn't have time to dodge the hard fist that slammed into his jaw, knocking him off the bed entirely. Obi-Wan gasped, his face throbbing, his heart racing, and he instinctively reached for his lightsaber before stopping himself and looking at his attacker.
Anakin was practically glowering at him. "You're supposed to be more alert than that."
"What the blazes was that for?" Obi-Wan snapped, rubbing his face, his cheeks flushed with annoyance. This wasn't a blasted training assignment, this came out of nowhere.
"Focus." Anakin instructed him. "You can't convey anything if you let your emotions overwhelm you."
Obi-Wan barked a harsh laugh at this, making Anakin jump. As if Obi-Wan Kenobi of all people didn't understand that before the Jedi Code ever entered his life.
"I'm well aware of that fact," he eventually said, his tone darkened by frustration. "I'm trying to focus. Having my not-as-dead-as-I-thought sister around doesn't exactly help."
He couldn't help lament again that this conversation would be far easier (and likely calmer) with Siri. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, releasing his annoyance; Anakin was beyond frustrating sometimes, but the young man hardly knew better considering his upbringing. Obi-Wan just hoped someday that he could help his behavior, that he would understand… but some small part of him was fairly certain Anakin would never truly heal from all the wounds of his past.
Then again, that had little to do with his current predicament, so he pushed that away as well. He had to focus on remaining calm, on conveying to his sister that he was ecstatic she was alive but he couldn't openly admit it because the second he did he would fall apart. And if he fell apart… Anakin would fall apart. And that was the last thing anyone needed.
"Stop thinking about complications." Anakin remarked, interrupting his musings. "Padmé wants to rejoin the Rebels, and you two were originally Rebels. There's nothing contradictory in that."
Obi-Wan stared at him, baffled for a moment. Anakin wanted nothing to do with the Alliance. What was he…?
What was he thinking?
"Anakin, if you think for one second that we are abandoning you, I myself just might knock some sense into you before Siri gets a chance." Obi-Wan said quite firmly, feeling both hurt and angry that Anakin would even consider that a possibility after everything they'd done.
Anakin stared at Obi-Wan, the Force freezing around him.
"We're not leaving you." Obi-Wan reiterated. "You don't abandon family – that goes for Padmé and you both. That's why it's complicated."
Anakin's eyes glazed over for a moment before he shook his head in a vaguely exaggerated fashion, almost throwing himself off balance. "I'm not going back to the Rebels."
Obi-Wan's exhaustion came back with the return of the original dilemma. "I… I'm not entirely sure how many other options we have. We have to protect the rest of the family, and Padmé and Al will want to rejoin the Alliance."
Suddenly Anakin's confusion, hurt, fear, and uncertainty were gone. Suddenly the Force grew searing hot, making Obi-Wan flinch, and Anakin yelled, "Do you actually care or not? They killed Master!"
Obi-Wan steeled himself. He knew this particular confrontation was inevitable after hearing Anakin admit he wanted to kill the Alliance back on Ferrasco. He wasn't entirely sure he was emotionally prepared for this nonsense considering everything else, but he wouldn't let the man stew on it any longer. "Destroying them won't bring him back."
"Why are you defending them? You wanted to get away from them!" Anakin demanded. "The Jedi hurt you!"
"I don't want to rejoin the Alliance, Anakin," Obi-Wan insisted, catching Anakin off guard. Or rather, I know we're not ready to right now. "However, we are in the minority, and given the circumstances, I'm not very keen on separating again."
Anakin's anger dissipated, leaving him unsteady on his feet and paler than ever. Obi-Wan immediately stood and held him steady by the arms, grabbing onto his own resolve as he focused solely on helping the boy, ignoring his own raging emotions. "We will sort this out. Neither the Rebels nor the Jedi will hurt you, I promise you that."
Anakin looked like he was going to say something profound, but all he did was cough. His entire body convulsed with the act, his muscles strongly contracting, and Obi-Wan suddenly felt dread as he knew what was coming next. He took a hasty step away, and Anakin stumbled backwards. Obi-Wan reached out in the Force to help catch the boy, suddenly guilty that he'd reflexively let go, but instead he accidently pulled Anakin towards him with more gusto than either man had expected. Anakin landed on Obi-Wan in a heap, gasping in pain, and then proceeded to vomit.
Obi-Wan coughed back his own gag and shoved the young man off. "Thank you for that, Anakin."
Despite having just gotten ill (likely due to his concussion), Anakin stared at him in utter bewilderment (honestly, also likely due to his concussion… or simply the fact that he knew nothing of sarcasm). Obi-Wan sighed heavily, pointedly ignoring the smell and stain on himself and the floor. "Come on… let's just clean up."
Meanwhile, on the other end of the house, Padmé had returned to the kitchen with even heavier steps than before, and the others immediately took notice.
"Is it Vader? We can get rid of him if you want," her mother said.
Siri bristled but didn't comment on the remark as her father asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's… it's not Vader," Padmé sighed, glancing at her friend to see if something in her eyes or posture would reveal what was wrong with Obi-Wan.
Siri seemed to immediately understand. "Padmé, you know Obi-Wan is beyond thrilled you're alive, right? You know we both are, right?"
"Is he?" she questioned, feeling the tears return.
Sola and her mother both looked between the two women in mild horror. "Of course Obi-Wan's happy! He's just in shock."
"He's passed the shock," Siri remarked, leaning against a counter. "He just… things are… different now than they were when you disappeared."
"I'm not family anymore? Is that it?" Padmé suddenly snapped, crying silently. She knew her words were irrational and unnecessarily accusatory, but she couldn't help it, not after everything she'd been through, not after wanting to see her brother so desperately.
Something in her friend's bearing changed, and Siri stood straighter. Despite looking more menacing, Padmé wasn't upset by it – Siri being irritated was far more familiar than Siri being hesitant and distant. "You of all people should understand how Anakin complicates everything."
Padmé blinked. "Anakin?"
Siri crossed her arms. "Yes. Anakin. Anakin Skywalker. That's his real name, though I'm still not entirely sure he accepts it as that. In either case, you more than anyone should know how screwed up he is; we've only recently figured it out, and Obi-Wan is worried about how this situation will affect him and our… original goal for him."
Padmé stared at her sister-in-law, trying to digest everything. Vader had an actual name? He'd claimed Vader was his name, and Darth was a title. Did that mean… did Obi-Wan and Siri learn even more about Vader than Padmé had? And what was their original goal for him?
Siri suddenly pulled Padmé into another bone crushing hug, making her gasp. "Padmé, I can't even describe how happy I am to see you, and I know Obi-Wan can't either because we both understand he's terrible at actually talking about his emotions. We love you. Please – our reactions earlier—and Obi-Wan's reaction now—have nothing to do with being upset with you or not wanting you or anything retarded like that, so get that stupidity out of your thick skull now."
Padmé would have retorted if she had any air in her lungs. Blast when had Siri gotten this strong?!
"You've been through hell and back. I get it. But so have we. And you have to get that too. Let's not rehash Varykino all over again – we've seen a different side to Anakin, just as you have, so you have to realize how completely messed up this is. But I'm getting over it – we'll convince Anakin to come with us to the rendezvous point. Obi-Wan will reach that point too. He just worries more – he always has, and I'm fairly certain he always will. So please, Padmé, please – know we love you. And stop being emotional."
Padmé finally got enough breath in her lungs to gasp and swat her friend away. "Stop being emotional?"
Siri smirked. "Well, I am a Jedi now, so I have to instruct the ignorant on our high and mighty ways."
Padmé wasn't sure if it was her sister-in-law's expression, her sarcasm, or her words from earlier, but she suddenly let out a laugh. Then another, and another, and before she knew it she was laughing hysterically like she'd lost her mind whilst simultaneously crying. She probably looked like she'd lost her mind, but no one seemed alarmed by the reaction, and instead her family collected her in a hug that wasn't nearly as painful and filled her with warmth.
As Padmé's parents and sister held her, Siri exited the kitchen and sought out her husband, blowing out a breath. At least she was finally getting her head on straight, but now everyone else's reactions were getting on her nerves. She understood Obi-Wan's concern, Anakin's panic, Padmé's pain and confusion, and the family's worry and paranoia, but mixing all of those things together was going to give her a migraine. She shook her head, making her way to her husband's room where he would likely be, only to find him coming out of the refresher in a towel.
"Freshening up?" she surmised as she followed him to his quarters.
"Yes, well, Anakin decided we should do so before dinner." Obi-Wan replied dully as the bedroom door slid open in front of them, his emotions well under control at this point. Thank the gods for small favors.
Siri's gaze went to the bed to see Anakin sitting in the middle drying his hair, dressed in some of Obi-Wan's old clothes, his foot propped on a pillow. Seeing how the tan colored tunic hung so loosely on him, Siri suddenly realized how much weight the boy had lost since his capture, or perhaps even before that.
Closing the door behind her, Siri looked the two men over. Obi-Wan was finally at ease, and Anakin seemed calmer too, though he flinched on occasion when some movement gave him rib or head pain. She supposed it had been long enough for matters to finally settle in their minds; at least that was how she felt.
She turned to her husband. "Dinner's almost ready."
Anakin paused from his action, apparently debating something – likely how dinner would go and whether he should even attend.
"Have you seen Al?" Obi-Wan asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Siri shook her head. "No, actually – Sola said he mentioned he was going to do one more patrol and check on the Beauty, but he would be back for dinner."
Obi-Wan nodded in acknowledgement, running a hand through his wet hair. Then he glanced at Anakin before making eye contact with his wife. How's the family dealing with having him around?
Siri half shrugged. From what she could tell they were rightfully and expectedly very uneasy with the arrangement, but no one was panicking yet. She wasn't sure how dinner would go, though.
Anakin seemed to notice their scrutiny, watching them both carefully, but he didn't emote at all, and the Force was silent and still. His mental shield was up.
"This isn't a warzone, you know," Siri remarked. "You can be open with us."
"I have been," he noted, his voice tinted with confusion as if it were obvious.
"Like when you avoided the subject earlier after I asked if you needed to talk?" Siri prompted, crossing her arms.
Anakin looked away.
Siri gave up on the venture for now simply because she also had to worry about a million other matters. Facing Obi-Wan, who had dressed himself during the exchange, she said, "You should go to the kitchen and help set everything up."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, I suppose there's no avoiding it at this point."
"You going to be okay?" she asked.
Obi-Wan smiled tiredly. "I'll be fine. We have much to discuss anyway. Let's go."
Before the couple left the room entirely, Obi-Wan paused in the doorway, looking at Anakin, saying in a commanding tone, "Don't leave the house."
Anakin straightened at the order and tipped his head automatically. Siri watched it with slight sadness, knowing this was no doubt a reaction that was ingrained into him, but that was all the consideration she could give; Padmé was a slowly recovering disaster, her in-laws were still petrified for them, and Obi-Wan was barely holding it together. She couldn't quite control Anakin, but she knew Obi-Wan was capable, so all she had to do was keep her husband sane in this mess. She herself had started to come to terms with everything, and was beyond happy that Padmé was alive, even if she, like Obi-Wan, knew the consequences weren't all good.
Still, it wasn't like she'd wanted to abandon the Alliance in the first place. She'd happily return to Ghanu'jivo so long as she knew Anakin wouldn't be hurt. There just wasn't much guarantee of that…
Shaking her head, she pushed the matter aside. Experience, reason, and training had taught her that worrying about it at the present moment would do no one any good, particularly with a possibly contentious dinner coming up very soon. She debated if they should just save a plate for Anakin and take it to him afterwards; it might be the best idea. Nevertheless, the family would have to deal with him eventually if they were going to evacuate together.
Would they all go to one of the rendezvous points, Salkende or Ghanu'jivo, or would they find an alternative? Anakin could offer places for the family to hide while Padmé, Al, Obi-Wan, Siri, and he returned to the Rebel base. It would probably be safer. That would be a matter for discussion at the dinner table, alongside what the blazes had been happening with the different groups of the family.
Well at least she sorted out the main issue with Padmé – seeing her best friend and husband avoid each other and make assumptions was more frustrating than any other stress she was handling at the moment. Hopefully that would resolve itself soon.
Dinner was certainly going to be interesting.
"The best time for us to do it is at night, but it has to be soon – I'm not comfortable leaving the Beauty to linger in an Imperial hangar for too long."
Padmé's brother-in-law, Darred, nodded in acknowledgement, his unfocused gaze drifting to his daughter, Ryoo. Al glanced between the two and then peeked into the kitchen, where he could see Obi-Wan and Siri helping the family finish cooking.
It was still such a relief to see that they were fine – Al had been more worried than he would admit to anyone (he was certain if he'd been honest with Padmé and her family about his concerns they would have had a panic attack); while Al had seen Vader save the Jedi pair firsthand, the man still made him uneasy. After all, Darth Vader was unstable – he could think Obi-Wan and Siri were the best thing ever one minute and then flip on them the next for all Al knew.
In either case, they were here and they were well, and they had a lot to plan. The Naberrie family was no longer safe, and everyone had to return to the Alliance rendezvous on Ghanu'jivo since Salkende was compromised. They would have to discuss the entire matter at the dinner table.
Al heard shuffling to his left, and he turned to see Darth Vader standing in the shadows of the hallway, his glittering sharp eyes focused on the kitchen. Al felt his skin crawl a little; seeing the Imperial walking around freely still made him uneasy, despite everything, and he wasn't sure he would ever get used to it. Their return to the Alliance would certainly be interesting. At least Vader seemed pretty easygoing right now… apart from nearly destroying everything in the foyer when he first had seen Padmé.
Vader apparently noticed Al's surveillance, and his eyes met the smuggler's. Al clenched his jaw, knowing better than to shudder when an enemy (quasi enemy? Kind of crazy ally?) was sizing him up. Still, though he was tense, he wasn't making any threatening gestures, and Vader seemed appeased by that. Besides, whether Al liked it or not, the Imperial had saved his own hide a couple of times; he couldn't show too much animosity.
Still, Vader looked like nothing Al had ever seen before – every time he'd encountered the Sith Lord had been after Palpatine's death, when the man had been completely off balance; now he looked like the infamous Darth Vader that the galaxy knew to be heartless and emotionless. Al wasn't sure what had caused this return to normalcy, but he didn't like it.
"Uh-oh!" little Ryoo gasped from her seated position on the living room floor by a small table. She pointed into the kitchen and then looked at Vader specifically. "Grown-ups look mad; something bad gonna happen!"
"They're not mad, sweetheart," Darred corrected gently, though he too seemed to notice her statement was directed at Vader. "They're just…" Here, he glanced at Vader before looking at his daughter once more. "Worried."
"We all are," Al muttered before smiling reassuringly at Darred. "But we'll work everything out."
Ryoo stood and rushed over to her father for a quick and tight hug. Darred knelt to engulf her in his arms, and Al smiled a little, taking a step away from the scene. Vader, however, only watched it with vague interest before returning his attention to the kitchen.
After the hug, Ryoo scampered over to the hallway and stopped directly in front of the Sith Lord, examining Vader very thoroughly from his feet all the way up to his forehead. Her eyes widened as her mouth hung open, and the Imperial noticed her scrutiny, staring at her blankly. Darred and Al both shifted uneasily.
"You big for a baby." Ryoo stated thoughtfully.
Vader blinked.
Ryoo took this single action as an obvious indulgence to delve into her logic. "Uncle Obi carry you like Mama and Dada carry me and they call me baby girl, but you so big!"
"Ryoo, leave him alone," Darred advised his daughter carefully. Al, on the other hand, was starting to garner amusement from the exchange.
Ryoo crossed her arms. "No! I want a playmate!"
Her behavior seemed to confuse Vader even more than it bothered Darred. The Imperial's forehead creased slightly as his brow furrowed, and he glanced questioningly at Darred.
"He's not a playmate," Darred insisted.
"But he baby boy like I'm baby girl!"
"No, Ryoo, he is not a baby boy."
"He not baby boy? Uncle Obi carry him! He Uncle Obi and Aunt Siri baby boy! But he so big!"
Al finally barked out a laugh and then sucked the air back in, glancing at Vader nervously. The Sith Lord only stared at him calmly, and then he took a step away from everyone, nearly dissolving into the shadows.
Ryoo saw his retreat and rushed over to him despite her father's protests, grabbing his hand. Vader inhaled sharply, pulling his hand from hers, and Al grabbed his blaster in a heartbeat, but the Imperial didn't hurt the little girl. Instead, Ryoo grabbed his hand yet again, he pulled away yet again, and then she huffed. "Hold hands!"
Before either Vader or Ryoo could resolve this issue, Darred seemed to realize something. "Wait… Ryoo, how did you see Uncle Obi-Wan carrying him? I told you to stay out of the foyer!"
Ryoo gasped and dashed back into the living room, grabbing a giant piece of paper she had been drawing on and hiding under it. Darred sighed in exasperation while Al fought back another laugh. Vader, on the other hand, looked completely bewildered.
Hesitantly, the Sith Lord glanced between Darred and Al as if wondering if they would speak, and then he said to the girl, "…He can still see you."
Ryoo giggled and ran back to the hallway, finally clutching her tiny fingers around the man's trousers and yanking harshly at his leg. "Play with me!"
Vader looked at Darred, somehow even more confused than before.
"Let's make a picture!" Ryoo shouted gleefully, somehow not disheartened by the Sith Lord's immovability. She ran back into the living room and fell to her knees in front of the stout table where all her drawing supplies were. "Let's draw the palace!"
Despite not seeming to take any interest in her, Vader straightened at her last statement. "If you're good at mapping areas, make a blueprint of the city. We could use it to plan the most effective route to the ship."
Ryoo stared at him blankly. Al heard a whimper escape his own throat in a desperate attempt to not laugh hysterically. Darred appeared to be under the impression that Vader was somehow joking, but by now Al knew the man wasn't – he actually expected this three-year-old to make a blueprint simply based on the fact that she'd claimed she could draw.
Vader seemed to realize he'd spoken in words she didn't yet understand. He sighed in what appeared to be exasperation. "Draw Theed."
In an instant the little girl's face glowed with excitement. "Okay!"
Ryoo went to her task with gusto, and Vader gave her a moment before walking towards her. Darred's mouth finally did slip open in astonishment as he concluded what Al already knew, and the smuggler coughed harshly to hide another snort. The best part, however, was when Vader knelt beside Ryoo to look at her handiwork and his face immediately warped into an expression that could only mean what the hell is this nonsense?
"That's… not to scale at all," he eventually said. Pointing to something, he asked, "What is that?"
Ryoo flamboyantly flung her arm as she pointed with as much energy as possible at different places on her mighty blueprint. "This home, this is Grandma and Grandpa house, and this is palace, and this where I gonna go to school, and these are flowers, and tha's a shaak, and those are statues, and tha's clouds!"
Vader's gaze shot between the picture and the girl. Then he looked at Darred. "You need to refine her skills."
"I think she's pretty creative, actually," Al snickered.
Vader pursed his lips and then looked sharply at Ryoo. "Learn realism and scale, as well as proper grammar. Your house isn't bigger than the rest of the city, flowers don't grow on statues, shaaks aren't freely wandering the streets, and the sun doesn't have a smiley face."
Al finally lost his composure altogether.
Lord Vader perished in the assault.
Such a simple sentence. Six small words in a single statement. And yet they held such power behind them. They changed galaxies, destroyed plans, and created new ages.
They eliminated enemies as threats.
Cipher 8 pushed report away from her. She took in the sight around her. Her office. Her office. Here she was in Keeper's office, and it was finally hers. Gloating was typically of little importance or use, and arrogance led to one's downfall, but in this moment of solitude, she allowed herself a smile of victory. After all her years of service and sacrifice, she finally had something of true value to show for it.
But it was only a moment. She had more work to do, more threats to follow, more threads to pull so everything fell in place as planned. Darth Vader was absolutely alive, and he had behaved as expected, but he was also now unaccounted for. Tarkin had lost his key ally but was still a loose turbolaser ready to turn on her with what little he had left.
Cipher 8 grabbed a different report, skimming through its contents. With Rheagon's family dead, his tactics were failing and his forces falling apart; consequently, Eriadu had been retaken, and Tarkin had summoned his wife. She would be arriving within the next twenty-four hours. It was likely for damage control purposes. She would allow it. She already had plans in motion, anyway.
Now all she had to do was find Vader. He was no longer Tarkin's greatest asset, but he was still an unknown factor – his allegiance was unclear now. He might have taken the bait and vie for the throne, or he might vanish into nothingness, remaining hidden with his precious Jedi pair, which in itself would give rise to a threat in the distant future. She had her agents everywhere. She would soon learn the truth. And then she would manipulate it to her advantage.
It was the beauty of Intelligence, the beauty of everything she'd done in her life. No one saw Intelligence, and no one realized it was more powerful than any other institution in the Empire.
It didn't matter who sat on the throne. Cipher 8 was the true ruler of the galaxy now, and she would ensure it stayed that way.
Dinner was going surprisingly better than expected. Anakin had decided to remain elsewhere in the house, and not having him at the table eased the Naberrie family's minds. Obi-Wan spent most of his time expertly dodging eye contact with Padmé unless requesting or answering something neutral. He smiled kindly when he could, and Siri spent most of her time and energy trying to distract everyone's attention away from him anyway.
After the family updated everyone on the status of affairs on Naboo, which was fairly mundane in comparison to everyone else's lives lately, the eventual discussion of evacuation came up.
"I was telling Darred that the best time to leave is when it's dark," Al explained. "So either tonight, early tomorrow morning, or tomorrow night."
Siri bit her lip. "We shouldn't risk staying another day... but is there any reason to drop everyone off at a military base?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "If we go to Salkende there are plenty of locations that won't be affiliated with the Alliance. If Ferrasco weren't occupied by a fleet at the moment, I would suggest we go there."
The Force tightened, and Al and Padmé suddenly looked uncomfortable. Siri glanced between the two of them, filled with dread. "What is it?"
Padmé looked too pained to speak. Al sighed heavily, explaining, "They… the Empire bombed them to dust. The warlord and her husband are dead, Fjesky's been obliterated… I don't know how many got out."
Siri bit her lip. Terrific. Another world ruined by the Empire. Despite the complications it would bring, she was very grateful to be returning to the fight. It was time to end this war. Heaven willing, Anakin would be stable enough to help… though she doubted it. She sighed. She didn't know how they would handle this. She just knew they had to.
Of course, if they were going to Ghanu'jivo, that meant they would be in the heart of Jedi territory. Anakin... was not going to take this well.
"What about Éothen?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I don't... I don't know," Padmé shook her head. "He's alive... he said he was going to meet us at Ghanu'jivo."
Éothen. Éothen. Oh gods. Siri had totally forgotten about that complication. "Is the engagement still on?"
Padmé said nothing. Siri bit back a groan.
"No matter what happens, we're staying together," Ruwee suddenly said firmly. "This family has been through enough. We're not separating again."
"You want to take Ryoo into a warzone?" Siri asked incredulously.
"Where else is there to go?" Darred rebutted worriedly. "Is there a safe haven where we can hide?"
Obi-Wan and Siri exchanged looks. They didn't know of any, but surely Anakin could figure something out. The question was if they would have time for that.
Before anyone could offer any other input, Ryoo, who had heard her name and decided it was time to enter the conversation, excitedly said, "I drew Theed with playmate!"
Sola eyed her daughter confusedly. "Who's your playmate, sweetie?"
"He Uncle Obi and Aunt Siri baby!"
Everyone stared at the little three-year-old in bewilderment before it clicked.
Siri laughed until her sides hurt. Obi-Wan coughed harshly, covering most of his face with a hand. Sola, alongside Ruwee and Jobal, looked horrified while Padmé was caught between amusement and astonishment. Al just chuckled to himself while Darred had a mixed expression of bemusement and amusement.
"Ryoo, that man is dangerous!" Sola scolded her before looking at Darred. "You let him near our daughter?"
"He didn't hurt her," Darred immediately said. "I tried to keep her away initially, but he didn't seem to care, and then next thing I knew he was giving her lessons on cartography. Sola, he's..."
Here Darred paused, unsure how to describe him. Siri volunteered for him. "He's completely clueless when it comes to sentient interaction. If you give him a mission objective or put him on a battlefield he'll slaughter anyone who gets in his way, he'll outsmart any tactician, but if you put him in a house he's emotionally on par with an infant." She let the words sink in before snickering, "Honestly, I think Ryoo described it pretty aptly."
Obi-Wan coughed yet again.
"But—but he's Darth Vader, he shot Padmé—"
"Yes." Obi-Wan interrupted. "Yes, he did shoot Padmé. He shot her under orders. And he nearly killed himself from the guilt. I'm not saying he's harmless—never assume that. I'm saying he's not a monster."
Padmé stared at him in wonder, astonished at the words he'd just spoken. Siri had to say, "Yes, we... rescind our earlier stated opinions about him. We get it, Padmé. We... we get it more than you realize."
"He loved Palpatine." Padmé said. "That's why he obeyed him."
Oh gods. If only you really knew. Siri debated saying anything, glancing at her husband, but both Jedi decided it was better left unsaid for now - perhaps they would tell Padmé in private, but the rest of the family didn't need to hear it. It was Vader's closest kept secret, and they wouldn't suddenly start babbling about it to everyone just to make a point.
Even if it truly drove that point home.
"Yes," Obi-Wan eventually acknowledged. "That was why he shot you."
"I still don't understand how he could love the emperor." Jobal said with disgust.
"The same way any youngling loves whoever raises him," Obi-Wan said, apparently willing to throw hints out in the open without saying anything explicit. "He was raised by the man."
"He was raised by Tarkin," Padmé corrected him.
Siri and Obi-Wan sat up a little straighter. This was news. "Tarkin?"
"He didn't tell you about the governor?" Padmé questioned, surprised.
"We knew he had to have some sort of relatively close relationship to him," Obi-Wan reasoned. "Based on his attitude towards the man, his reaction to his rise to power... but we don't know much else."
"Tarkin was basically his warden. Palpatine trained him, but Tarkin raised him."
Siri looked at Obi-Wan as some sort of dawning comprehension crossed his face. What was he realizing that she was missing? Blast, they would have to talk about this after dinner.
Neither Siri nor Obi-Wan commented on Padmé's revelation, and the family eventually let the topic drop. After Sola and Darred, having returned their attention to Ryoo, temporarily convinced their daughter that Anakin wasn't a new best buddy, the conversation changed to Jedi training. The family was very curious about the matter, including Padmé, and Obi-Wan and Siri were more than happy to oblige. Ryoo occasionally piped in to explain every moment of her dining experience (she was especially excited when she ate the baked nuna, exclaiming that it tasted delicious each time she took a bite), and the meal passed amiably.
When dessert came, Obi-Wan and Siri excused themselves, claiming to be exhausted. They snuck into the kitchen where the dinner had been taken and grabbed a large plateful before heading to Obi-Wan's room.
"What was that all about concerning Tarkin?" Siri immediately whispered.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin was devastated when he found out Tarkin had become emperor regent, and I could never figure out why... but I think it's starting to make sense now. Palpatine was Anakin's world, but if he cared for Tarkin as well, he would expect Tarkin to maintain the same order he did. In other words, Anakin expected Tarkin to think the universe began and ended with Palpatine. If Tarkin seized power, then Anakin could view it as a betrayal."
"Oh great," Siri muttered. "Any other emotional bombshells this evening?"
Obi-Wan huffed out a breath mixed with tired amusement. "Hopefully not."
As they walked down the hall in silence for a few seconds, Siri looked her husband over. She noted, "So you took a nice warm shower but no shave, eh?"
Obi-Wan glanced at his wife and smiled with a small shrug. "I've grown fond of the beard."
Siri chuckled. "I'll like it better when it's grown out some more. It's too coarse right now."
She stroked her husband's cheek, and he cheerfully swatted her away. The two entered the room to find Anakin sitting at the edge of the bed watching them enter.
"I heard you had fun with Ryoo," Siri noted with a smile, adamant on avoiding any topics pertaining to Palpatine or Tarkin. She wanted a nice stress-free end to the day at this point.
Anakin stared at her, not catching the prompt, waiting for an elaboration, but she didn't bother giving him one. Instead, she said, "We brought you dinner."
Anakin blinked.
"Yes, Anakin, it's obvious," Obi-Wan sighed in exasperation. "I've told you people like to state the obvious."
Siri rolled her eyes. "Get on the bed fully before I pick you up again."
Anakin's expression soured and he shuffled so he was leaning against the pillow and his legs were stretched out in front of him. Obi-Wan propped a pillow under his ankle and helped him sit up some more to ease the pressure off his ribs. Then the two Jedi plopped themselves on the bed as well, facing him and offering the plate.
Anakin ate quietly, and the pause brought Obi-Wan and Siri's cheerful moods down, though they didn't grow somber, either. The room was filled with a peaceful, content silence as Obi-Wan and Siri took the moment to just relax.
After a few minutes, Anakin finished his meal and then glanced at the two, then the bed, then them again.
"What is it?" Siri questioned.
Anakin swallowed and then shrugged. "Padmé said you all would jump on the bed, but I just can't see you doing something so nonsensical…"
Siri and Obi-Wan both stared at him in bewilderment and dawning amusement when Anakin compounded the issue by amending, "Actually, I can see you doing it, Siri. Just not Obi-Wan."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Siri raised an eyebrow, only partly annoyed as a familiar presence hummed in the back of her mind.
Obi-Wan smiled. "Well you are correct, Anakin; I would never do something so undignified."
"Except he did, on multiple occasions." A different voice said.
Obi-Wan and Siri whirled to the doorway to see Padmé standing in the entrance with a tray that carried four bowls. She looked somewhat hesitant, but also not willing to leave. Anakin stiffened but said nothing, and Siri almost sighed as she felt some tension enter the room.
Punching Obi-Wan playfully, she backed Padmé's claim. "You wouldn't believe the stories I heard about Obi-Wan's undignified childhood."
Obi-Wan relaxed a little and changed the subject. "What are you carrying?"
Padmé took a deep breath and then looked at Anakin specifically with a small smile. "Dessert."
With that said, she entered the room, closing the door behind her, and sat on the bed between Obi-Wan and Siri, right by Anakin's feet. Carefully, Padmé handed a bowl to each person.
Siri glanced at the food and then felt a warm smile cross her face. "Chocolate ice cream?"
"You can't go wrong with it." Padmé noted, her face soft but her eyes keen, watching for something. Knowing her, she was probably watching for Anakin's reaction; apparently she'd learned of this secret weakness of his as well.
Siri also glanced at Anakin to see how he was handling having Padmé around only to find him fully engaged in eating his dessert. She rolled her eyes, though her smile didn't fade.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said sincerely, finally looking his sister in the eye.
Padmé's face softened, tears glistening in her eyes as she smiled with trembling lips. The Force filled with love and pain, which twisted between the siblings, and a shiver of anxiety radiated from Anakin as he watched the exchange with some degree of uneasiness.
"I… I know you went through a lot…" Padmé tried to say, though her voice quivered. "But I… I hope it's not too much to ask for my brother back. For my friend back. For…"
She looked at Anakin, who was practically trying to disappear into the pillows for all the effort he was putting into squishing himself against the backboard. She paused, taking in the sight, and then choked out a laugh. Then she shook her head.
"You have your friend," Siri insisted gently, putting her hand on Padmé's shoulder.
"And your brother," Obi-Wan added with a soft smile.
Padmé's smile and tears returned, spilling onto her cheeks as she threw herself at Obi-Wan, who grunted and caught her. Siri watched happily, relieved they were finally breaking through to each other. Obi-Wan trembled a little at the touch, and he bit his lip, but he held it together when he locked eyes with Siri, who nodded.
The hug seemed to last forever, but Siri could imagine it wasn't long enough for Padmé. Nevertheless, Obi-Wan's composure could only handle so much, and he eventually let his sister go. Padmé smiled fully now, her face a mess of emotions but her presence in the Force radiant, but then she looked at Anakin.
Anakin stared back at her.
Padmé took a deep breath. "Anakin..."
Anakin immediately bristled. "Vader."
Obi-Wan and Siri both stared at the man in bewilderment. The Force was tight, heat simmering under an icy surface.
Padmé looked taken aback. "Siri said your real name was Anakin Skywalker."
"My name is Darth Vader."
Siri and Obi-Wan exchanged glances. Where was this coming from?
Padmé looked confused as well, but she just shook her head. "I'm… I'm sorry."
The tightness eased out of Anakin's muscles, and he sighed.
Padmé looked at him mutely for a second, retracing her steps. "I… I just want to be with all of you again. Like it was before any of this nonsense. Like it was back on Naboo… no politics, no plotting, no war."
Anakin's expression grew completely baffled. "But… that was all on Naboo."
Before he could elaborate, he shuffled even farther away from the trio, growing agitated. "What is wrong with you? I shot you, you acknowledged it, got angry, then you cried, then you hugged me, then you hit me, and now you want me to just be with you and pretend things are peaceful like you claim they were on Naboo even though they were never peaceful in the first place because I was assigned to get information on you and ensure your execution when it was finished and—"
"Anakin," Obi-Wan cut in exasperatedly. "Padmé is saying she's willing to let you back in her life after everything you've done. Do you accept that?"
Anakin swallowed. Then he nodded.
"Great. Shut up and be happy." Siri said, grabbing everyone and dragging them into a group hug. Tomorrow they would return to the Rebel Alliance. They needed to end today with unity – the adversity they would be facing very soon required it.
The Force eventually settled into some semblance of contentment, though uneasiness still rippled between Anakin and Padmé, but at least for the moment, it wasn't overwhelming. Anakin didn't bother returning the hug, but he at least remained patient for a minute or so before wiggling out of their grasp, wincing the entire way.
Obi-Wan hastily got off the bed, gathering the dishes, fighting with himself. Siri stood as well, placing a hand on her husband's arm to calm him. He took a deep breath, and the couple smiled at Padmé. "Tomorrow will be long. You should get some sleep."
"I think you all are the ones who have a lot of sleep to catch up on." Padmé noted. "But Al said the trip to Ghanu'jivo would be pretty lengthy, so you'll have more opportunity to sleep then as well."
"How encouraging," Obi-Wan quipped. "In either case, you'd better pack your things now."
Padmé sighed and nodded, and Obi-Wan and Siri went to the kitchen to wash the dishes they'd used, leaving Padmé and Anakin alone.
Anakin. Vader. Which was it? Padmé sighed. Siri and Obi-Wan addressed him in that manner and he didn't complain, but when she did... and... why would he ask what was wrong with her when he himself was acting so fickle? She supposed he was feeling similarly to her to some degree or another - she had been fairly unstable in her interactions with him; it was only fair she allowed him the same sort of reaction. But now that they were alone and despite finally seeming to make amends with Obi-Wan and Siri, despite admitting that she wouldn't mind having Vader back in her life, she... this was going too fast. He still scared her and called to her, he still made her flinch away and yearn to come close, he still...
Padmé took a deep breath, sizing Vader up. He was watching her carefully, having returned to his previous position of leaning against the pillows and pressing himself against the backboard. His face was neutral.
"I'm sorry for hitting you earlier today," she said first. "This hasn't been easy for me."
Vader continued to gaze at her silently.
"Won't you... at least say something?" Padmé finally desperately asked. She wasn't sure why she was asking for acknowledgement, particularly since his first words to her upon reuniting were I'm sorry about a million times over. What was she trying to say? What was she trying to get him to say? How could she fix this? Did she still want to?
"Do you still love me?"
Padmé felt her jaw go slack. Shavit... that escalated quickly. Blast, she wasn't ready to talk about this! "I... Vader..."
What could she say? He needed to hear an answer, she knew that much, but... she felt... blast it, she didn't know how she felt! How could she after everything that had happened?
He couldn't help shooting her. He couldn't. And Palpatine was gone now. So... what was her answer, blast it?!
"Yes."
She gasped in spite of herself. The word had sprung from her mouth before she could consider it, but it was unmistakably true. Frighteningly true. She stood abruptly, terrified and giddy all at once. This wasn't the right time. This wasn't the right place. This just wasn't right.
But she still loved him.
But he'd shot her.
But that was Palpatine's doing. He couldn't help it.
Her gut burned. Her heart rate rose.
Vader sized her up just as she had before, his face having softened for an instant before it turned analytical. His eyes were hard, his body still as stone. Eventually he sighed heavily. "Go pack."
"Vader—"
"It's understandable. Pack."
"U-understandable?"
Vader shifted, dragging himself out of the bed to the other side of the room before shuffling towards her, though his eyes were on the doorway. Apparently he'd ended the conversation in his mind. Padmé shook her head. They couldn't end it like this. "Vader, please—"
He locked eyes with her, his gaze cold for a moment before it seemed to thaw somewhat. "I... understand. I understand. I... just go."
His brow started to furrow, his eyes widening, his cheeks flushed. Somehow her admission of love had upset him, or perhaps her hesitancy or fear or something. She didn't know, she didn't know!
Before Padmé could say anything else, Vader exited the room. She followed him into the hall to watch him enter the single guest room the house provided. With a heavy heart, Padmé started to head to her own room, still wondering what had gone wrong and whether she could even fix it when she saw Obi-Wan. And she broke. She just broke right there.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened upon seeing his sister break down. He walked towards her hesitantly, suddenly seeming to remember his aversion to dealing with people in an overly emotional state. Padmé supposed that was because he didn't know the cause of her tears, but at this rate she could care less. She just wanted her brother, she wanted some sort of damn semblance of comfort.
"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked softly.
"I don't know what to do with him," Padmé hiccuped. "I just don't..."
Obi-Wan's features softened as he understood the cause. "Padmé... it will take time. For both of you."
She shuddered, trying to get a hold of herself. "I know. It just..."
Shaking her head, Padmé turned and went to her room. It wasn't impossible. She knew that. She had faith in Vader. But she couldn't deal with it tonight. She just coulnd't. They'd just reunited that morning. Vader shouldn't have asked that question at all, she should have never opened her mouth, it was just too soon.
Tiredly, Padmé began to pack her things. The entire Naberrie family did similar, and everyone settled into a quiet night. Tomorrow held uncertainty, but also hope, and everyone slipped into an uneasy slumber.
Phew, that took a while! And sorry to not end it on some cheery note, but things are complicated, so it is what it is. Blame the characters! They wouldn't let me end it with a cute hug.
Anyway, since it's likely there might be another long wait, here's a sneak peek! The next chapter is called Many Meetings, and it features the return of Lady Tarkin, traveling to Ghanu'jivo, and very important encounters.
If you ever get bored in the interim, feel free to send any of the characters a PM, some of them love to chat and others are bewildered by the whole concept. Thanks for your patience! :)