Chapter Twenty-Nine

It was with great trepidation that Anakin entered the room where Padmé had been moved to. When he saw her, he felt a fresh surge of rage, her face an all too vivid reminder of the brutality she had endured.

"Is she going to be alright?" he asked in a low voice. "Are the twins unharmed?"

"Yes, she'll be fine," the physician told him. "I know she looks pretty rough, but the damage is external only. The twins are stable at this point, as no internal injuries were incurred."

"At this point?" Anakin asked, growing alarmed. "What does that mean?"

"Well, your wife has undergone a tremendous trauma," the doctor explained. "Under such circumstances, a miscarriage can occur."

"No," Anakin whispered, feeling as though a knife had been shoved into his heart. "Not that, not the babies."

"It isn't a certainty, so don't despair," the doctor assured him. "I just wanted you to know that it was a possibility. Your wife is young, and healthy; I'm optimistic that she is strong enough to keep them both."

"Thank the Force," Anakin sighed. He walked over to the bed. "When can I take her home?"

"I want her here over night," the doctor replied. "She is quite dehydrated, and I'd like to keep her for observation."

"Very well," Anakin replied, disappointed, and yet wanting the best for his wife. "May I stay here with her? I don't want her to wake up alone."

The physician smiled. "I can make the arrangements at once," he said, and then turned to leave.

"Thank you," Anakin replied, looking back at Padmé. He took her hand, the sight of her beautiful face so swollen and bruised bringing a lump to his throat. He brought her hand up to his face and laid it against his cheek as the tears fell upon it. "Hold on, Angel," he said softly. "Hold on Luke, Leia..."

Anakin was awoken a few hours later by the tortured thoughts of his wife, projected into his mind. He sat up in the chair he had fallen asleep in and rushed to her side, seeing at once that she was in the midst of a nightmare.

"Padmé, wake up," he said, taking her hands. "Wake up!"

Padmé's eyes opened and she looked around the room with an expression of terror and confusion. Finally her eyes lit on his, and she relaxed, ever so slightly. "Ani," she breathed.

Anakin nodded his head, determined to be strong for her. "I'm here," he told her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh Ani," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. "Ani, it was terrible! I was so afraid they would kill me, I was so afraid for the babies!" she wept as her hand moved over her abdomen.

"They are fine," he told her, resting his hand on top her hers. "They will be just fine, I swear to you. They are so strong Padmé, I can feel it already."

"Can you?" she asked hopefully.

Anakin nodded. "Yes," he told her, running his hand over her abdomen. "They are like their mother," he added with a smile.

Padmé smiled. "Thank you for staying with me," she said, lifting her hand to his face and stroking it softly.

"There's no where I'd rather be," he told her. "No where else I belong more than here with you and our babies, Padmé. You're safe now, Padmé; Palpatine is dead, and will never harm you again."

"He did this to me, didn't he?" she asked.

Anakin frowned. "Yes, he did," he replied. "But never again, Angel. He will never harm you or our babies again."

Padmé's eyes welled up again. "Take me home, Anakin," she said softly. "I want to go home."

Anakin nodded. "We'll go in the morning, I promise."

As promised, the next morning Padmé left the medical facility with her husband. She was surprised that it was the large cruiser that Anakin had waiting for them rather than the speeder.

"Why did you bring the big ship?" she asked as Anakin helped her on board.

"I just want you to be as comfortable as possible," he told her with a smile. "I intend to pamper you and spoil you rotten, just so you know."

Padmé smiled. "You don't need to do that, Ani," she said, linking her arm through his. "I'm fine, really."

"It's my prerogative to do so," he replied. "And I won't take no for an answer. Now come, I have a surprise for you."

Shortly after taking off, it became apparent to Padmé that they were leaving the planet. She looked over at Anakin. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Anakin smiled. "If I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" he replied.

"Okay, okay," she said. "I won't ask any more questions."

"I'll believe that when I see it," he teased her with a smile.

Padmé laughed. It felt good to laugh after the harrowing experience she'd been through. She was doing her best not to think about what had happened, but every so often the memories of it would jump to mind. She knew that in time they would fade into the recesses of her mind; but for now, the experience was still too fresh for that to happen.

After leaving the planet surface, Anakin made the calculations for the jump to hyperspace, aware that his wife was watching his every movement. "I think you ought to go back and rest," he told her. "The doctor wanted you to get plenty of bed rest, remember."

Padmé nodded, getting the impression that he was trying to get rid of her. "If you insist," she said.

"I do," he said. "Let's get you settled in before I make the jump to hyperspace," he said, standing up and holding a hand out to her. Padmé put her hand in his and stood up, walking with him to the back of the ship to the cabin where they had made love for the first time.

"Now rest," he told her. "I will wake you up when we arrive."

"When we arrive where?"

Anakin smiled. "Nice try. Now rest."

Padmé sat down on the bed as Anakin left her. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was very tired, and the thought of a nap appealed to her tremendously. Giving in to her fatigue, and her husband's' insistence, she lay down on her side, and, soon enough, was fast asleep.

"Bail Organa has been named interim Chancellor," Mace Windu informed the Jedi Council. "As you can imagine, the senators were quite shocked to learn of the death of Palpatine."

"They ought to be grateful he's dead," Obi-Wan spoke up. "If he'd been allowed to carry through with his plans, it would only have been a matter of time before he dissolved the Senate."

Yoda nodded. "Yes, power he craved," he stated solemnly. "To Skywalker a great debt we owe."

"He is the Chosen One, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan averred. "I have no doubt of it now."

"Much anger there still is in him," Yoda replied. "Deny this you cannot, Obi-Wan."

"No, none of us can deny that," Obi-Wan conceded. "But consider where he is coming from, Master Yoda. He is not the same man he was three months ago. His marriage to Senator Amidala has transformed him."

"I say we offer to make him a padawan," Windu said. "To help him learn to control the darkness within him."

"Anakin would never agree to that," Kenobi stated confidently. "He is more powerful than any of us here present, Master Windu. Would you agree to becoming an apprentice were you in his position?"

Windu shook his head. "No, not likely," he conceded. "So what do you suggest, Kenobi? The young man's power is remarkable; and if he has children on the way, think of the potential they will possess."

"Perhaps, a special exception we must make for the Chosen One," Yoda said at last. "A Jedi Knight he cannot be, not yet; but not a padawan either. I suggest we meditate on this," he said. "Find a place for him, we will."

"An excellent idea, Master Yoda," Ki-Adi Mundi said. "Meditate we shall."

Padmé woke up several hours later as the ship was making its reversion from hyperspace. She felt a wave of nausea, and got out of bed, making her way at once to the fresher.

"Angel? You alright?"

"No," she called through the door. "Just the usual."

"Okay," Anakin replied, disconcerted that she was suffering from so much nausea. Still, the nurse had informed him at the hospital that it was a good sign, for it meant that the hormones in her body were doing what they were supposed to be doing. Still, that was not much comfort when she was suffering so much.

"You okay?" he asked as she emerged from the fresher.

She nodded, though her face still looked white.

"I have something that will make you feel better," he said, taking her hand. "Come with me."

Padmé allowed him to lead her out of the sleeping area and through the ship to where the ramp had already been lowered. They walked down the ramp and when they'd reached the bottom, Padmé gasped in shock and surprise.

"I hope you like it," he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "This is our new home."

Padmé could not reply for a moment, for she was too moved for words. Before her was a beautiful stone house, quite large enough for children, but not near the size of the monstrosity they had lived in on Coruscant. But it wasn't the house that grabbed her attention; it was the location. In the distance, the sound of a water fall could be heard, and, peeking through the trees that formed the home's backdrop, was a beautiful, placid lake.

"Recognize it?" Anakin asked.

Padmé looked over her shoulder at him. "We're on Naboo, aren't we?" she asked.

Anakin nodded. "And do you know what lake that is?"

"It's not….Varykino?" she asked, hardly daring to hope.

Anakin smiled. "Yes," he said. "It is. Our very own piece of it, right in our own backyard."

"Oh, Ani," she whispered, the tears filling her eyes. "This is…I…you…" she turned and simply threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered, holding him tightly.

Anakin wrapped his arms around her gently, kissing the top of her head. "I never did give you your devotion gift," he said. "This is it. I hope you like it."

Padmé looked up at him. "I love it," she said softly. "I love you."

Anakin smiled. "I love you too, Angel. Welcome home. Shall we look inside?"

Padmé nodded, and took the hand he offered. Together they proceeded into the house, where they were met in the foyer by a familiar face.

"Master Ani, Miss Padmé!" See Threepio exclaimed. "It is so good to see you again!"
"Hello Threepio," Padmé said with a smile. "How did you get here?"

"He came with me."

Padmé turned to see Shmi in the foyer. She smiled. "Shmi!" she exclaimed, coming over to her. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Shmi embraced her daughter-in-law, doing her best not to be shocked by the bruises on her face. Anakin had contacted her the previous night and had told her all about what had happened. Shmi had been horrified to hear of Padmé's ordeal, but relieved that Obi-Wan had managed to arrive in time before the unthinkable happened.

"It is wonderful to see you both again," Shmi said as she hugged her son next. "I've missed you both so much."

"We've missed you too, Mom," Anakin said, embracing his mother tightly. "Thanks for getting here so soon," he told her.

"Well, I wanted to be a part of Padmé's surprise," she replied, looking at Padmé. "Were you surprised?"
Padmé nodded. "Yes, very," she replied with a smile. She looked at Anakin. "It's a wonderful, perfect surprise. Having you here makes it perfect, Shmi."

Shmi smiled. "I'm happy to be here," she said. "And should you want me around to help out with the twins, I'd be more than happy to do that too."

"We'd like that very much," Anakin said, putting his arm around Padmé. "We'll need someone to show us how to change diapers," he added with a smile.

"Excuse me, Master Ani," Threepio said, entering the room again. "I took the liberty of bringing you and Miss Padmé's belongings inside," he reported. "And while I was on board the ship, a message was coming through for you. It seemed quite urgent."

Anakin frowned. "Who was it from?"
"I believe it was the Jedi Council, sir," the droid replied as he proceeded to carry the bags he held upstairs.

"I suppose I ought to go and see what they have to say," Anakin said. "Why don't you show Padmé the rest of the house?" he suggested to his mother. "I'll be right back."

Shmi nodded. "I'd be happy to," she replied. "Come along, dear," she said, taking Padmé by the hand.

Anakin left the house and returned to the cruiser, heading for the cockpit. He sat down and activated the message that had been received. In an instant, the holographic image of Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared.

Hello Anakin, I am contacting you on behalf of the Jedi Council. The Council is very grateful for what you did, and very impressed with your abilities. They would like very much to meet with you as soon as possible.

The image faded, leaving a very surprised Anakin sitting alone in the cruiser. That's where you're wrong, Chancellor. He is the Chosen One. Mace Windu's words still shocked him, and, truth be told, had occupied his thoughts quite a bit. If the Council wanted to see him now, was this the reason? Did they have some sort of expectations of him now? What was it they wanted of him? I suppose there's only one way to find out, he reasoned, but if they want to talk to me, then they need to come to me, I'm not leaving my wife, not after everything she's been through, not now.

Anakin activated the comm., contacting the Jedi Council. He sat back in the pilot's chair, his arms folded over his chest as he waited for the message to connect. Soon he came face to face with Mace Windu.

Skywalker, good to see you, the Jedi Master began. You received our message.

Anakin nodded, realizing that though he was speaking to Windu, he was, in fact, addressing the entire council. "I did," he replied. "But I won't leave my wife right now, surely you can understand that."

Windu nodded. Is she alright?

"She needs rest," Anakin replied, "but I expect she'll be just fine."

Good, that's good to hear, Windu replied. You must be wondering why we want to see you.

"Yes," Anakin replied. "I must admit that I am."

The Council has a proposition for you, Windu explained. And we would like to talk to you about it as soon as possible.

"I would like that as well," Anakin replied. "However, if you want to talk to me, you'll need to come here, Masters. I won't leave my wife in her current state."

Where are you now, Anakin? Obi-Wan's voice was heard.

"We're on Naboo," Anakin replied. "I purchased a home for us here. You are welcome to come here if you wish."

The Jedi Masters looked around at one another, as though in silent communication.

Very well, Windu said at last. A delegation from the Council shall come to your home the day after tomorrow. Until then, Skywalker.

"Until then," Anakin replied. He ended the transmission and then returned to the house to rejoin is wife and mother, more curious than ever about what the Jedi had in mind.