Chapter 4 – The Comfort of Friends

A/N: Hi everyone, thanks so much for your follows, faves, and reviews. I do thrive on your feedback, so keep it up. Thanks for bearing with a few chapters of talking. I promise, this story is not finished with being an action story, so stay tuned.

Obi-Wan wasn't surprised to see Anakin and Padme together. He wasn't surprised to see them holding hands. Any passerby could see the chemistry between them, and the infatuation reflected in their eyes. But Padmé's condition startled him. He glanced at Siri, who slightly knew about the relationship between the Jedi and Senator. Her features displayed the same stupefied reaction. Obi-Wan couldn't speak. But he had to. No one else was.

"Anakin, Senator Amidala, is everything alright?" asked Obi-Wan. Anakin eyed his master with a scathing but embarrassed look, as if to say, Did you really just ask that question?

"What I mean to say is, are you hurt?" The Jedi Master amended his words. Anakin had just endured some powerful charges of energy directed to him by Palpatine. He conveniently avoided bringing up the bantha in the room.

Padmé was always one to talk her way out of a tricky spot. She seemed to swallow whatever embarrassment she harbored and replied, "We're both fine, Obi-Wan. I thought it would be best to be examined by a Jedi Healer."

"Ah." Obi-Wan said. "Anakin, can I talk to you outside?"

The younger man looked hesitant, but Padmé gave his hand an encouraging squeeze and an affirming gaze. Anakin stood up, exaggerating his effort with a sigh, like he shouldn't have to explain himself.

Siri sat down next to Padmé. "We can wait for a healer together," she said gently. Finally, she speaks, Obi-Wan thought.

The hallway of the Jedi temple was hardly a place to make a scene. In fact, the Jedi were not beings to make scenes. Obi-Wan reminded himself of this. Anakin didn't need to be provoked right now.

Anakin was angry at Obi-Wan for finding out his secret early. Sure, he hadn't planned on when to tell him about Padmé's pregnancy, or if he would ever tell him, but it certainly wasn't now. Not when the dreams were ripe in his mind. Dreams of agony, dreams of death, dreams of suffering. But Anakin decided right then not to lash out at his former Master. Obi-Wan hadn't caused the dreams. He would have to get through this conversation with as few words as possible. He was ready to take the scolding, ready to be reprimanded on the strictest terms, by the one Jedi he knew always followed the Code.

"Congratulations." Anakin was roused from his thoughts. Had he heard Obi-Wan correctly? He looked at his friend quizzically.

"That's right, Anakin," Obi-Wan continued. "Fatherhood is a miraculous reason to celebrate. But I can't help but notice you are not too happy about the situation."

Stunned was an understatement for Anakin's current feeling. No scolding? For once, Obi-Wan had said the right thing. An inviting remark, that made Anakin feel at home talking to him. Had his teacher really changed so much, changed into a being with emotions? Had Anakin been too jealous to notice this change?

"Not happy? Obi-Wan, I've always wanted to be a father, the father that I never had. But you know of my visions, how they always come to pass. I have had visions of Padmé's…death." Anakin began to pour out his feelings and relay the story of Palpatine's deception to Obi-Wan, his secret marriage, and his greatest fear. Once it was all out in the open, Anakin hesitated. It was the first time he had spilled his guts to Obi-Wan. Yet it was also the first time that Obi-Wan seemed to understand. No longer master and apprentice, Obi-Wan treated him as a man.

Anakin hesitated when he was finished, and then said, "I will raise this child. I am ready to be expelled from the Jedi Order."

Anakin has truly grown up, Obi-Wan marveled. Could it be that he was too close to see this change from boy to man during the Clone Wars? Or, not close enough? Had he been too busy trying to be a father that he had forgotten to be a friend?

Obi-Wan remembered a time when he wasn't sure he would ever become a Jedi Knight. Qui-Gon had been reluctant to take him as a Padawan. Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan had been sent to the agri-corps to be a farmer. It was the lowest and most boring work a young Jedi hopeful could think of. Eventually he realized that being a good person was more important than Knighthood. When he let go of what he wanted most, he found peace.

This reminded him of Anakin's current situation. His not-so-young apprentice was able to let go of what he worked his whole life for, a true sign of maturity.

"After their suspicions about the Chancellor were fulfilled, I have begun to trust the Jedi again. I do not want to leave, but I am ready to assume responsibility for my actions." Anakin said firmly.

It broke Obi-Wan's heart to see Anakin have to make this choice. A feeling from his past began to resurface; a whisper that told him the Code was unfair. He silently vowed to help his brother not have to make this choice.

"I will keep your secret until we figure out how best to deal with this situation." Obi-Wan placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Now, we best check on Padmé, shall we?"

A small smile crept its way across Anakin's face. They both walked inside, and found the room where Padmé was being examined.

"I'll leave you two alone," Obi-Wan said as he shut the door. He strode away to find Siri's room and get some bacta for his own wounds.

When Padmé and Anakin were alone, they looked at each other. "What happened?" they said in unison. "You first," Anakin insisted. "I can't wait another minute."

Padmé hesitated. Sitting on the examination table, swinging her feet, she looked younger than twenty-eight. "The good news is, the pregnancy is going well. I am fine, Anakin, you can rest easy."

Anakin saw something else in her eyes that told him it wasn't fine. "Then what is it?"

"How would you feel about two children?" Padmé asked.

Her comment was so funny, that Anakin had to stifle a laugh. "Two? Don't you think you should deliver this one safely first?"

"It's twins, Ani."

Anakin stared blankly in front of him. Then, the gravity of what his wife said hit him like a ton of bricks. He enveloped her in his arms and buried his face in her back. She felt cold and afraid.

Suddenly, a red light began to flash in the room: an emergency alert. His comlink buzzed, and Yoda's voice flickered to life. He was back. "Report to the Temple at once, you must," Yoda said. Anakin looked at Padmé. He did not want to leave her, but his duty as a Jedi was not finished. He was ready for one last mission.

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