Author's Note: Please comment on these new chapters because your comments give me motivation to keep the chapters coming! Thank you and enjoy.
Rest
Chapter 10
Evening fell on Coruscant. It was the night before Anakin was to leave to Utapau.
Padme and he had spent the day keeping each other as close company as possible. They planned for the day to forget their commitments to the galaxy and focused entirely on each other, giddy in love and heartened with the promise of their future together.
"Anakin, what will we name him? I have such a hard time thinking of names…" she started.
"Well right now we can just name it 'The Bantha' because that's what it's making you look like." Padme's mouth dropped open and she gave him a playful hit to the shoulder.
"Ani, I'm serious!"
"Well Padme, her name will be Leia," he stated as a matter of fact.
"Leia… Lei-ah…" she tried it out. "It's a beautiful name, Anakin. How did you come up with it?"
"There's… there's this small white flower that grows on Tatooine. More like a weed, really… but my mother… She loved them. Every time I found one as a child I'd pick it and bring it to her, and she'd… she'd give me a kiss on the cheek and say thank you for the leia," his voice faded.
She really did like the name, even more so now that she knew its origins… Padme looked up at him. "It's beautiful, Anakin. Of course we'll name her that." She held his hand tightly. "For our son… I was thinking, Palo."
Anakin's eyes widened, and Padme began to laugh. "You're teasing me!" he smiled.
Padme continued laughing, "Of course I am." He kissed her despite the gibe. She thought for a moment, "I am not sure what you'll think, but I've always liked the name Luke. It means 'bringer of light' on Naboo. Thought it could be suiting…"
"Luke… it's perfect," he declared. "Leia or Luke. Luke or Leia, I love you, whichever you'll be," he spoke to her belly.
Padme played with his shaggy blonde hair as he hugged around her middle. For once in the past eight months, she felt a moment of peace.
They tried to stay awake until the very last moment Anakin had to leave. In the early hours of the morning, Anakin's commlink alarm went off to rouse him from his nap next to her.
"Padme, Padme. Wake up, I have to leave." He said as he kissed her cheek and gathered her close in his arms.
Padme woke from her light sleep. She turned around and clutched him to her. Anakin felt the wet of tears on his face.
"Padme, it's going to be okay. I love you, I love you, I love you," he breathed. He held her face in his hands and blinked back his own tears once he saw hers.
His lips met hers in a slow, melancholy, but passionate kiss, and then he kissed a trail down to her belly. "I love you too, little one. I'll meet you soon."
Padme sat up in the bed and fought tears, as he stood up and began dressing to leave. She begged, "Anakin, be safe, please. I don't know what I'd do – we'd do – without you."
He gave her a sad smile. His voice wasn't as confident as hoped when he teased, "But Padme, I'm the Hero with No Fear, remember? That makes me nearly invincible."
"Nearly," she wept.
He laughed, despite their tears, "I'll be fine, Padme. You worry about you and the baby and travelling safely to Naboo, alright?" He was nearly done preparing to leave.
"I will if you stay safe. Deal?" she went to him.
"Deal."
They sealed their agreement with a kiss.
Anakin, realizing it was time for him to leave, began to tear up again. His voice was hoarse as he said, "This never gets easier leaving you, you know?"
"Hah." She murmured, as she held him close and kissed him again. "I love you so much," she cried with desperation.
"I love you so much, too." He kissed her one last time, with his flesh hand tenderly caressing her middle.
They walked out to the landing station, hand in hand. Another final goodbye and kiss, and he stepped into his speeder and left in the direction of the Jedi Temple.
