Padmé sat behind her desk, finishing up some last minute details that would allow her to take the rest of the day off so she could spend it with her husband. Every time she thought about him and his promise to love her until she couldn't take it a mischievous smile took over her face. Even though he had been partly joking, she knew the other part of his statement was quite serious.

"Good afternoon, Senator Amidala."

Her 'Senator Face' came back immediately when the Chancellor himself stepped into her office. What was he doing here? She made a move as to stand up, and she sighed inwardly in relief when the Chancellor lifted his hand to show her it wasn't necessary.

"Please, I'm only here for one moment," he smiled.

"Chancellor Palpatine. This is quite a surprise," she said politely. "We're so glad to have you back safe."

"Well, Skywalker and Kenobi are quite the heroes. Although - and you'll have to forgive me for saying this - Master Obi Wan wasn't as… impressive as I would've liked. I owe my life to Anakin," he said, testing her. He wanted to see if her expression changed at the mention of the young man, but Amidala was too experienced to fall for that.

"Yes, he's proven himself to be quite fearless, hasn't he?" she commented good-naturedly.

"Certainly," Palpatine agreed. "The reason for my visit is that I was recently briefed on what happened in the senate during my absence and I was quite shocked to find that you took some personal days."

"I did, yes," Padmé confirmed.

"You have every right to do that, it simply struck me as odd, since you never miss a day of work. Everything's well with your health, I hope?" Palpatine probed.

Padmé started to feel uneasy under his disguised interrogation. He had just been rescued from a dangerous enemy and now he was curious about her health? What was he really trying to do?

"As good as can be expected, Chancellor. Thank you for your concern," she said politely, her discomfort starting to become evident. Palpatine sensed this and moved a little closer to her desk, his voice losing its customary formality.

"I don't play favorites, but considering our personal history I was naturally concerned for you, Amidala," he confided. Padmé smiled softly and Palpatine noticed something. Her face was a little fuller. "I won't take any more of your time. I have a lot to catch up with."

"It was very kind of you to stop by. I'll see you soon," Padmé said.

"Of course," Palpatine smiled and walked out of her office, his smile broadening. He hadn't seen her on her feet yet, but since the moment he entered her office he sensed a strong presence in the Force.

And it didn't belong to her.

Padmé brushed her hair in the balcony under Anakin's loving gaze. All urgency gone, they took this time to simply be around each other, get used to being in each other's presence again. The baby kicked inside of her and she smiled to herself, marveled at the fact that her child could sense her contentedness.

"Tell me about when you found out," Anakin broke the silence from his spot against the wall, briefly following the brush as it sifted through the long strands of her hair, but his attention quickly returned to her face. He'd always been aware of her beauty, but there was something different about her face now. She was glowing.

"A few weeks after our days on Naboo I started feeling sick. I thought I was tired; I'd been flying back and forth a lot," she paused, pondering on that time. "Dormé suggested I took a test just in case. I didn't think I was pregnant; I was being very careful," she explained gently.

"Then how did this happen?" he asked with a broad smile, letting her know that he welcomed the surprising turn of events. Padmé shrugged with a smile of her own. Anakin looked down at his toes for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "The island," he said with certainty, tightening his robe around his chest. It was chilly and he didn't like Padmé being outside, but she'd mentioned the pregnancy made her feel hot all the time. He decided to ignore his freezing toes so she could stay outside longer and enjoy the breeze.

Padmé turned to him with a mischievous smile and saw him approaching her, his arms sliding around her waist. Her robe was silky and smooth against his skin, and he couldn't resist nuzzling his cheek against her shoulder. Her skin was so warm he could feel it through the soft material of her robe, which she had worn only to appease his worries. She smelled amazing, too.

He paused for a moment. What were they talking about? Oh, the island.

"I could feel the Force everywhere. And so did you," he whispered, kissing her face while his mechanical hand followed the swell of her belly. She smiled at his logic.

In a strange way, it made perfect sense that they had made a baby that afternoon. She had felt a surge of energy unlike anything she'd ever experienced exploding in her body. Yes, that was definitely the day they'd created their little one. They had been surrounded by life and they had conceived another.

Padmé sighed and leaned back on her husband's strong chest, her hands covering his. "Ani, I want to have our baby back on Naboo. I know where his room will be and everything," she whispered.

"His room?" Anakin questioned with a smile. Padmé giggled and Anakin laughed softly. "Okay, go on," he prompted, kissing her neck.

"I'll retire from the senate. I don't think I will work at all for a few years. And with the war…" she trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought. What were they going to do? He seemed to sense her mood and held her hand to his cheek, softly kissing her palm in an attempt to reassure her.

"If the war stretches for much longer I'll leave the order," he said.

"No, they need you," she immediately argued, turning to face him.

"Then I will find General Grievous myself and end this war," he pressed. Her eyes drifted to the skyline. Wasn't that exactly what they'd been trying to do all this time? The idea of her husband single-handedly ending the war seemed a bit ludicrous, but she didn't say anything. He rarely got the chance to play the part of the protective husband, so she let him have this one. "I don't care what it takes, I will be there for you and our child," he said softly. "I promise you, Padmé. We will make this work."

She sighed, wanting so desperately to believe him. But everything was working against them. The war, the forbidden nature of their union… She saw herself holding their little one on the veranda of the lake house, looking at the horizon, waiting… waiting for her husband to come to her.

"I hope you're right," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Our baby is a blessing, not a problem," he pointed. Padmé smiled and pulled him closer for a kiss. "Let's go to bed," he whispered. Padmé nodded and they made their way back into the bedroom hand in hand, the door closing behind them. An hour ago they were rushing to the bed with little care for their clothes, desperate to finish what they had started that morning. Now they had time.

He stood silently as she parted his cloak, pushing it off his shoulders and folding it with a wife's devotion to then set it on his chair.

"What's your plan?" he suddenly wanted to know, sitting on the edge of the bed when he realized he hadn't sat all day.

"I told you; I'm retiring from the senate," she reminded as she put her robe over his cloak, almost as if the garment was holding on to that of her husband's.

"And after that?" he asked with a curious smile. Padmé couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him in such a good mood so she decided to indulge him. She stood in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders, moving them up to rub his head.

"I'll stay in Varykino with the baby," she said, her eyes roaming over his face. "I figured he couldn't be tested if I had him in the privacy of our home." Her thumb ran down the scar on his eye, reminding them both of the costs of being a Jedi and how their child could share the same fate. Anakin's palm rested on her belly.

"I love how smart you are."

"I think we're going to stay there for a while. It'll be safer to be away from here," she whispered. Anakin knew what she wasn't saying. It would be harder for them to be together with her living in another planet. It broke his heart to think that he would have to be away from his child. He or she would be the only person in the galaxy linked to him by blood and he'd be forced to isolate himself. Then there was Padmé's side of things. She'd have to care for their child all by herself and be emotionally and physically drained at the same time.

Anakin gently took her hand and urged her to sit next to him. She rested her cheek on his shoulder as his chin moved to the top of her head. Their hands, one metallic and one flesh, played idly with each other on her lap.

"What if we're found out?" she asked softly, unable to help herself. Anakin took her chin in his flesh hand and looked deep into her eyes.

"I will always choose you, remember?" he reminded. Padmé smiled gratefully. Things were so much more complicated than making a simple choice, but she appreciated the reassurance her husband was giving her. They'd always have each other no matter what. "You've never looked this lovely, Padmé" he whispered, smiling when he caught the blush on her cheeks.

"It's only because I'm so happy," she smiled back. Anakin closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss her, determined to make her even happier.