Disclaimer: Some dialogue taken directly from 'The Phantom Menace' (film and novelization). We don't own, just borrowed it!

Authors' Note: We are so sorry that this has taken so long to write! Our muses flew away often. Plus university has started again for LVB and the same goes for KD next week. So enjoy this chapter and we promise no more month long waits for chapters! Oh and check out our new stories! LVB is working on the sequel to 'Meet the Skywalkers' that is titled 'Father of the Bride'. And KD is working on a Harry Potter and Star Wars crossover titled 'Forged Alliances'. Happy reading!

Ch 12

He remembered their first meeting clearly, like it happened only yesterday. It had been thirteen years ago, but he could still remember the way his heart leapt when she walked into Watto's shop all that time ago.

From the moment he ran into the shop and caught sight of her, he was smitten. He was only nine years old, but that didn't matter. For a moment, he simply looked at her. She looked intrigued- interested in what she was seeing.

"Are you an angel?" he asked, gauging her surprised reaction.

"What?"

He rattled off some explanation about the Moons of Iego, but his eyes never left hers. Then, three words struck him.

"You're a slave!"

"I'm a person! My name is Anakin".

More moments passed. And then, suddenly, he was struck with a feeling…a vision. It was all too brief, but he was certain about what he saw. It was a wedding. There was a white dress, beaded and intricate. It was Padmé.

He smiled. He was going to marry her someday.

He snapped back into reality. That was a time long ago. It would do no good to dwell on the past. If only he would be able to retreat into his memories and escape the hard truth of the present. She was now gone. But she had left him a beautiful gift and he was going to do anything in his power to protect them.

Jobal had wasted no time in escorting Anakin back to Naberrie family home. Anakin didn't blame her. For so long Padmé's life had been woven in secrecy so tightly, that her beloved family did not even know the true meaning behind her death. They all deserved to know. Palpatine had taken too much already…he wouldn't take away the truth from her death any longer.

The whole family had gathered at the centre table, except for Ryoo and Pooja. He was terrified about how they'd react. It was essentially his fault Padmé had died. If he hadn't lost control and touched the Dark Side, none of this would have happened. He could never forgive himself, but would they cast their blame upon him too?

"We want to know the truth Anakin." Jobal bluntly stated; gazing at Anakin's torn up face.

"And all of it. We want to know everything," stressed Sola from her seat next to her husband, Darred.

Anakin sighed. He would tell as much that was necessary. "You have to know that what Padmé did was because she was protecting herself and Naboo from scandal; from embarrassment."

He took a deep breath. "About three years ago, at the start of the Clone Wars, Padmé and I were married, by the same Holy Man that was at her funeral" he mused.

"We both kept it a secret, for all those years. We rarely saw each other, I was always away fighting in the war." He said sadly.

"So you left my daughter to be a worried wife at home, all on her own? She was a powerful woman, Anakin!" Ruwee bellowed. "She could have married a wealthy King and you decided to selfishly claim her for yourself knowing very well how it would destroy her!"

Anakin had no defence and chose to continue his story. "When I arrived back on Coruscant not long ago, I discovered she was pregnant."

There was an odd hush.

"I knew it was you," Sola murmured softly. "As soon as I saw my sister's pregnant body, I knew it was you." Tears began to fall once again on Sola's face. Darred squeezed her hand in silent support.

"How did she die?" asked Ruwee, his voice somewhat calmer.

Anakin ran his hand through his hair. This wasn't his favourite part of the story. "She followed me to Mustafar" he began, purposely omitting any other information.

"While I had a…confrontation with my Master, she was taken. Her captor wanted her alive long enough only to give birth to what we now know was twins. He set in motion her premature labour. She gave birth to a baby girl."

The news that Padmé had indeed given birth shocked the Naberries. "By the time we found her, the captor had taken the baby. In order to save Padmé's life and the life of the second baby, we escaped. On Polis Massa Padmé gave birth to a baby boy. But then things took a turn for the worse. Padmé died while giving birth the second time, the complications were too much for her body to handle. I'm sorry." He said, as he lowered his head.

Without a word, Jobal stood up and hugged her son-in-law. "You have lost just as much as we have, son" she said, her voice breaking. Anakin gripped her hand with his flesh arm.

"Obi-Wan and I will find and rescue Leia. I promise you. But it is important that nobody ever finds out that Padmé wasn't still pregnant when she died. I have to protect our son."

He dug in his Jedi robes and pulled out a small holo-device. It opened up and in a flash a hologram of a tiny baby filled the screen.

"I'd like you to meet your grandson, Luke."

When Jobal saw the holo, tears weld up in her eyes. Anakin handed the holo to her. "Here, keep it. I will send more when I can."

Jobal took the holo and smiled softly. No words were needed.

Anakin stood up, pulled his Jedi robes tightly around him. "I must be going. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but I will be in touch somehow."

With that he left.

As he walked about from the Naberries house, he knew that he had done what Padmé would had wanted. And now he was going to concentrate on raising Luke and in finding Leia.