Chapter Fourteen
Anakin and Padmé arrived at the private landing pad at his apartment a short time later. Both were exhausted by the long trip as well as the three sessions of vigorous love making.
Anakin keyed in the security code to the building and then again for the lift. The doors closed and the lift moved rapidly upward, taking them to the penthouse suite.
"Welcome home," Anakin said as the door opened. They stepped inside as the lights switched on. Padmé looked around, impressed by the large, luxurious apartment. Anakin took her hand and lead her inside.
"This is lovely," she said, looking around, deciding it was every bit as lavish as her own penthouse at 500 Republica.
"It serves its purpose," Anakin replied, removing her cloak for her. "It isn't exactly a home so much as a place to sleep." He turned to her. "But now that you are here, perhaps it will become a home at last."
"You want this to be our home?" she asked.
"For now," he said, looking at her with a smile. "At least until we need more room."
Padmé laughed. "I see," she said. "Well I don't imagine that will be for a while," she said, walking into the apartment to have a look around.
Anakin didn't say anything in reply and simply followed her, a smile on his face.
Jango Fett waited until the couple had disappeared before he left his vantage point. He had not expected to see Skywalker return to his home so soon, and he certainly hadn't expected him to have a woman with him. Not just any woman, Senator Amidala. No wonder he didn't kill her, Fett thought to himself with a smirk. He had seen the way Skywalker held Amidala's hand. It didn't take a genius to guess the reason she was still alive; obviously Skywalker had found a better use for the Senator. The Chancellor will be delighted to hear this, Fett thought as he climbed into his speeder. I guess he doesn't know his golden boy so well after all.
Anakin walked into the brightly lit room, muted sunlight streaming in through partially drawn curtains. A gentle breeze ruffled the frilled hem of the bright fabric, the sounds of birds could be heard through the open window. He approached the white bassinet in the center of the room, his heart catching in his throat when he beheld the tiny perfection of the infant who lie sleeping within it. Watching the child sleep filled him with a feeling of love and protectiveness that threatened to take his breath away. He brought one hand to the child, tracing one silken cheek with the tip of one finger. The baby stirred in her sleep, so Anakin removed his hand, lest he wake her. Tearing his eyes from her, he turned to leave the room when the sound of her crying stopped him. Turning back to her, he froze when he saw but an empty bassinet, filling him with a fear unlike any he'd ever known…
"Ani, wake up, you're having a bad dream."
Anakin's eyes snapped open. He was discombobulated for a moment, and then realized that, to his great relief, he'd been dreaming. He turned to Padmé, who was watching him with concern.
"You were shouting in your sleep," she said.
"What did I say?" he asked.
"It was a name," she told him. "A woman's name."
He could sense her unspoken question: who is she??
"What name?" he asked.
"Leia," Padmé replied at once. "Who is she, Anakin? Who is Leia?"
Anakin smiled, and pulled her close to him, amused by the jealousy she was trying so hard to hide. "She's our daughter," he said. "I was dreaming about our baby, Padmé."
Padmé's expression was a mixture of relief and surprise. "Really? Already?? We're not even married yet, Anakin. I didn't realize you wanted children so badly."
"Well, I didn't realize it either," he told her, running a hand up her bare arm. "But it seems Destiny has other plans."
"What do you mean?"
He smiled, taking her face in his hands. "It means you're pregnant, Padmé," he told her. "You're carrying my child."
Padmé stared at him, unable to respond for a moment. "How…why….I …How can you possibly know that??" she asked at last. "I was a virgin less than forty-eight hours ago!"
He nodded. "Yes, but you're not any more," he said with a smile.
Padmé blushed. "I know that," she replied. "But how can you possibly know such a thing?"
"The Force," he replied, looking at her flat abdomen. "I know you don't believe me, but it's true. You'll see."
Padmé wasn't sure what to believe. Even if she were, how could he know so soon? Even the best pregnancy kits on the market couldn't tell so soon. "I suppose so," she said.
"We need to get married as soon as possible," he said. "I don't want people gossiping about you."
Padmé smiled, touched by his protectiveness. "If you insist," she said. "What was your dream about? Why were you shouting her name?"
Anakin frowned, hoping fervently that this was not a portent of the future. "She was lost," he told her. "I was just looking at her, and when I turned away someone took her."
Padmé was disturbed by this, knowing the nature of Anakin's dreams and how they were sometimes portents of the future. "What do you think it means?" she asked, almost afraid to know.
"I don't know," he replied quietly. "I won't let anything happen to our child, Padmé, I promise you that."
Padmé smiled, his protectiveness warming her heart, even if she didn't believe there was a child yet to protect. "I know you won't," she assured him. "Have you thought any more about my suggestion?"
"You mean going to the Jedi Council?"
"Yes," Padmé replied.
"Yes, I have actually," he replied. "I don't think I have much of a choice, really. I only hope that they listen to me."
"They will," she assured him. "I'm sure of it. They would be foolish not to."
"They were foolish not to listen to Qui-Gon," he replied bitterly.
"Yes, and perhaps they know that now," she said. "Perhaps they realize he was right about you."
"Perhaps," he replied. "But before we engage the help of the Jedi, I must go to Palpatine."
Padmé frowned. "Why?? What purpose will that serve?"
"It will show him that I can't be pushed around any more," he said. "He is far too clever to be fooled, Padmé. We have to make him believe that I am still on his side, and that you are as well."
"He will never believe that, Anakin," Padmé retorted.
Anakin smiled. "Oh, but I think he will," he replied. "Listen."
Jango Fett was leaving the office of the Chancellor, having delivered the most startling information to his employer. Palpatine had taken the news somewhat better than Fett had expected. The Chancellor had ordered Fett to watch the two of them closely while he reconsidered his next move.
"Well well, Jango Fett."
Fett was startled from his musings and looked up to see Anakin Skywalker standing before him, Senator Amidala at his side.
"Skywalker," Fett said. "What are you doing here?"
Anakin smiled at how easily the mercenary's thoughts were read. "I might ask you the same thing," Anakin said, releasing Padmé's hand and approaching Fett slowly. "But I can see your mind. You were planning on killing me, weren't you? Or perhaps I should say you were planning on trying," he said, removing his lightsaber from his belt.
Fett moved to reach for his blaster, but his speed was not nearly enough to match Anakin's, and within seconds his head hit the floor, severed by Anakin's red blade.
Padmé was horrified at the lethalness of her beloved, but knew that what he did was necessary. Anakin picked up the masked severed head of Fett and turned back to her. "Let's go," he said. Padmé swallowed and followed him, realizing she wouldn't have to pretend to be frightened at this point.
Palpatine looked up from his desk, about to blast the intruder who dared enter his inner sanctum without an invitation. The words dried up in his mouth when he beheld Anakin standing before him, the severed head of Jango Fett in his hand.
Anakin tossed the head onto the desk of the Chancellor, causing the old man to jump to his feet, sending his chair tumbling to the floor behind him.
"What is this?" he demanded the fear evident in his voice despite his best efforts to hide it.
"This is your plan to have me killed gone awry," Anakin replied.
"What are you talking about?" Palpatine demanded. "Why would I have you killed, Anakin? You are like a son to me."
Anakin shook his head. "You are too much, really," he said, taking his lightsaber out. "What kind of a fool do you take me for?" he asked, pointing the tip of his crimson blade to the old man's throat. "I'm here to set a few things straight, Chancellor," he said, enjoying the fear he felt emanating from the old man. "For starters, I will kill you if you ever put a price on my head again. And you know I can do it- you of all people know just how easily I could do that. For another, I have decided not to kill the Senator. I mean to marry her just as soon as we can arrange it."
Palpatine looked at Padmé. "And does the Senator agree with your…decision?"
"He has given me little choice," Padmé replied, looking at Anakin with an expression of bitterness. "It was either marry him or be killed. I chose life."
"She is wise, wouldn't you say, Chancellor?" Anakin said, running a finger down her cheek. "I decided that, once I had her, I simply couldn't let her die. She is simply too fine to be wasted."
Padmé managed not to laugh at his theatrics, and simply gave him a withering look.
"Besides," Anakin continued, looking back at Palpatine. "As my wife she will be under our control," he said. "I promise you she will behave herself, Chancellor, won't you, Senator?"
Padmé made a show of swallowing hard and nodding.
"Good," Anakin replied. "So you see, my master, we both win."
Palpatine nodded. "So it seems," he replied. "Congratulations, my young apprentice. I was wrong to underestimate you."
"Yes, you were," Anakin replied. "I trust you won't do so again, my master. Now, if you will excuse us," he added, walking over to Padmé. "We have a wedding to plan."
Palpatine merely nodded, and watched the two of them leave. He couldn't help but be proud of his young apprentice for the way he had challenged him just now. He has learned well, he thought with a smile. At last you are truly a Sith. And what name shall I give you, now that you are?
"Vader," he said aloud. "Darth Vader. Well done, Lord Vader. You have done your master proud."