A/N: Yes, I have returned from the dead! Sorry I took so long with this part, I needed to wait for the DVD for research purposes. I only got for christmas, so yeah. Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and here's the next part!
Part 2: Falling
On and on this war was raging, and it seemed like the Separatists were gaining more ground against the republic every day. Not to mention that the Separatists were growing bolder with every passing week. Three, two years ago, they would never have dared a strike into the Core regions. During those times, they had nibbled at the edge of Republic, in the Outer Rim. But, with the emergence of the monstrous Bio-droid leader of the droid armies, General Grievous, their confidence was manifesting it's self with the daring locations of their attacks. The latest location of one of these attacks 'took the Ryshcate', as Corellians would say, in regards to complete confidence on the part of the Separatists. Or complete insanity, which many sentient beings across the galaxy believed.
Coruscant. As the war had pushed from the Outer Rim into the Mid Rim, many families had fled to the capital. They had thought that the war would not hurt them here, Dooku and his bio-droid General wouldn't strike here... right?
That thinking had suddenly been shattered. They were above Coruscant, the blasts of turbo-lasers, ion cannons and explosions lit up the sky in a display that could have been classified as beautiful if not for what if represented.
War. Death. Pain. Confusion. Disruption.
The mere thought of the Separatists attacking Coruscant had been enough to strike daggers of fear into many hearts. And there were so many rumours circling the holochannels... of victories in the Separatists favour, of fallen Jedi, of horrific civilian deaths...
To say that family members of those on Coruscant were worried would have been the biggest understatement of the galaxy.
It had been early morning when the news of the attack came on to the Holonet in Naboo, and the Naberrie family had been on edge ever since. Then the news came though that it had only been a hit and run attack... or rather, a hit, kidnap and run attack. On a politician.
Both Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie's faces went a few shades paler than they're already pasty-looking skin. Their elder daughter squeezed her own two daughter in a tight hug while her husband placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
The moment they had heard the report, they had tried to banish it from their minds, but their worry and a touch of morbid curiosity caused them to turn it back on,. They hadn't moved since. Three hours ago. Even lunch had been forgotten.
A slight crackle from the holoset pre-warned of a fresh update in the attack. When the reporter's voice first started, it seemed shaky with a mix of awe, relief and disbelief that it had worked out okay.
"We are now able to report that the politician who General Grievous kidnapped from the Senate building was in fact, the Supreme Chancellor himself. He was taken aboard General Grievous' ship and the General attempted to take him from the system and hold him as a hostage." Suddenly, the awe in the reporter's voice rose a few levels as he talked about the events that had unfolded. "Grievous was foiled in his attempt by two Jedi, General Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker." Skywalker and Kenobi. Enough said. The two who many saw as the 'dream team' of the Jedi. "Skywalker fought Count Dooku as well, and we can happily announce that Dooku did not survive the encounter."
Sharp gasps of breath were drawn in at this news, Dooku was dead? Dooku had been the head of the Separatist Confederacy, with him gone... the end of the war was within sight. The reporter continued.
"Skywalker and Kenobi also confronted Grievous on the ship, but as always, he ran and hid. Kenobi, Skywalker, and the Chancellor then made a controlled crash landing on the surface of Coruscant. They all seem in good health." Through out the story, the young reporter hadn't shaken the obvious awe for the Jedi out of his voice. And you couldn't really blame him
In the Naberrie household, laughter born of anxious relief rang throughout the family room where they had all been sitting. Padmé was safe.
Seven-year-old Pooja scrambled off of her mothers lap exclaiming, "See, mommy, I told you Aunty Padmé would be fine!" Sola just smiled wearily at her youngest daughter.
The level of noise slowly rose again in the household, but the two youngest members of the family kept their attention on the holoset, which was now showing the group of Senators welcoming the Chancellor back as well as thanking Anakin Skywalker, who was also there. In the background the adults chattered.
"I'll bet that Padmé worried stiff, and not just for herself." Sola commented. Darred rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Can't you lay off your conspiracy theories for a while?"
"No. And even if their not together, they are certainly friends," Sola stressed the word to emphasise the fact that she thought they were something more than that. "So she'd still be worried about him."
Jobal's puzzled expression suddenly cleared as she realised what her daughter meant. "You're talking about Padmé and Anakin? Sola nodded happily.
Ruwee raised his eyebrows, "You two are still determined to prove that theory right, aren't you?"
"Yes, they answered simultaneously.
"Then why don't you two share your reasons fore thinking this?" Darred asked, with his father-in-law nodding agreement from behind him.
Mother and daughter exchanged glances before Sola started. "Well, first of all, when Padmé brought Anakin home those couple of times just before and after the Battle of Geonosis. There was obviously a deep attraction between them," Sola reminded them.
"And," Jobal continued, "something had definitely changed between them before that second visit. Padmé was acting different."
"Well I can't compare how they were acting the first time to the second because I wasn't here the first time," Darred piped up.
"Just keep listening then, husband," Sola told him mock sternly.
Jobal kept going. "And more recently, in calls to Padmé, both Sola and I've noticed a few things lying around that certainly aren't hers."
"Like..." Ruwee encouraged.
Sola smirked. "Like a Jedi robe, what I swear was a padawan braid, Jedi things."
Her father frowned, "but a robe hanging around there doesn't mean anything, the Jedi might still be keeping an eye on Padmé-" he argued.
"The padawan braid though? Jedi tend to keep them to themselves, or give them to people they care about. And that braid matched Anakin's hair colour."
Ruwee offered no argument this time.
A younger voice then joined the discussion, "And the second time they came here, I caught them kissing." Ryoo said quietly as she headed towards the kitchen for a drink. Suddenly aware of every eye on her, Ryoo shrugged. "They swore me to secrecy," she explained before making he escape.
Jobal was the first to recover. "Well, that's certainly proof." She murmured.
Ruwee was in a state of disbelief. His little girl was involved with a Jedi, he couldn't deny it anymore. Looking over at Darred, he muttered, "Somehow, I think we just lost that round," Darred nodded. But although their wives had won the argument, both Ruwee and Darred took some comfort in the fact that Ryoo's 'proof' had shocked them too.
Later that night, while Ruwee and Darred were playing with Ryoo and Pooja, Jobal and Sola chattered while drying the remaining dishes from dinner. Mother and daughter had run through many different topics before they reached Padmé and Anakin.
"Do you think we should have told them that we think they're married? Or what we've come to suspect in the last couple of months?" Sola asked her mother.
Jobal didn't answer for a long time. "No, " she sighed., "You know what your father's like, he'd blow into full overprotective mode if the thought that Padmé had gotten married without him knowing." Sola chuckled at that, remembering what he had put Darred though when he had learned that he and Sola were engaged. "And as for the other thing..." Jobal trailed off.
"We don't know for sure, and I don't want to say anything until we do know," she said eventually. Sola nodded.
"Fair enough, but if it is what we think, she won't be able to hide it for too much longer."
"True," the older woman said as she placed a stack of dried dishes in the in cupboard.
"But," Sola pointed out, "If she's pregnant, I reckon she's just about reached the point where she can't hide it much longer. Look at the dresses she's wearing, all heavy and concealing, and she has definitely put on weight."
"We just have to trust her, Sola. Trust that she'll take care of her self, and tell us what's going on."
The pair finished up the dishes and headed out, not knowing that lightyears away, the sister and daughter they were talking about had, only hours earlier, just revealed her pregnancy for the first time to her husband.
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