Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap...

Padme wasn't often given to nervous habits. At the moment she was so distracted that she didn't even notice her own hand tapping the sterile surface of the exam table until the nurse that just left the room paused to lift an eyebrow at her. With coloring cheeks, the former Senator put her hands behind her back and slid off the table to change back into her normal clothes as the door slid shut. The exam gown was short and skimpy and only added to Padme's nerves. I shouldn't have waited so long, she reflected.

Despite Anakin's concerns, she had put off seeing a medic after the worst of the symptoms had disappeared. Nearly two months had passed since, and in that time her digestive system began rebelling on her. She was plagued with heartburn and gas. Just in the last week she noticed that certain pieces of clothing were tighter than they used to be.

It was all so odd. Padme had not changed her eating habits or activity levels, and yet she had gained weight...and it wasn't just some middle-aged padding, either. Rather than being soft and flabby, her stomach was hard.

Padme hadn't often worried about her weight before. As a teenager and young woman, she led an active enough life that she stayed slim until her pregnancy. Afterward, chasing after Force-sensitive toddlers was more than enough to burn off the remaining 'baby fat', and she hardly ever stepped on a scale. She was too busy to obsess over things like that. As long as she was healthy, she was happy.

What worried Padme this time was that the firm bulge in her lower abdomen might be some sort of growth that indicated a serious problem. The sudden departure of the medic hadn't helped matters, either. It meant she would be left in suspense.

Please don't be anything serious, she prayed to the unknown. All but the worst diseases were curable, but such a thing might send poor Anakin over the edge again. He worried so when she was unwell. It wouldn't help the children, either. Leia had been growing more and more withdrawn since passing the Initiate Trials. Hearing her mother was ill would do her no good.

She had just secured the last hook-and-loop closure on her dress when her medic reentered the room, datapad in hand.

Dr. Giri shook her head and sighed. "Oh. Padme. I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but I had a call."

Padme shrugged. "It's all right. I understand."

Dr. Giri nodded, pausing to consult her datapad. "Thank you. Won't you sit down? I'd like to discuss the results of your scan. I have to tell you, I wish you'd come in sooner."

Here it comes. Padme sat down in the chair and took a deep breath, gripping the armrests. "Don't gloss anything over. Just tell me."

Surprisingly, the medic chuckled. "It's all right. I won't leave you in suspense. First of all, you are perfectly healthy. There is nothing wrong with you..."

:=v=: :=v=: :=v=:

Anakin greeted the return of his son and former master from their excursion to Ilum with enthusiasm and relief; not only for his sake, but for Leia's. As her mood was worse when her brother was away, it was easy to think that having him around would make her feel better.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Though the boy had only been on three short missions in the last two months, his return was greeted by Leia with only momentary happiness. It never took long for her smiles to fade into jealous frowns. This last mission had been the worst. Luke had returned with his own lightsaber. Leia nearly turned green with envy and immediately agreed to go home that weekend. Her interactions with her parents were only halfhearted, and Anakin had heard the girl crying herself to sleep. Any attempts to ask her about it resulted in steady denials.

Despite all this, even Anakin couldn't have predicted what would happen only a week after Luke had built his lightsaber.

For weeks the boy had seen the change in his twin and it worried him. They hardly ever spoke anymore. One afternoon when he had a rare moment of free time, Luke finally decided to seek her out and ask what was going on.

It was easy enough. Leia's favorite place in the Temple was the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and Luke could sense his sisters' presence well before entering the bright room. She sat quietly on the edge of one of the planters, apparently trying to meditate. Any calm she felt began to fade the moment she sensed her brother. That alone was enough to make Luke pause midstride and frown. Wasn't she happy to see him?

"I know you're there. You don't have to hide," grumbled Leia with her eyes still closed.

"I'm not hiding," said Luke, stepping closer. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"What about?" Leia sighed.

"Well, what's wrong?" Luke wanted to know.

Leia turned away and scoffed. "Why would anything be wrong?"

Luke shrugged. "Well, it's just that you've been acting really strange ever since the Trials." When Leia frowned at him, the boy continued. "You're sad and angry all the time, and I hardly ever see you anymore."

Leia bristled. "That's not my fault. You're gone half the time!"

Luke pursed his lips. "Well, even when I am here, we almost never talk. Are you mad at me, or something?"

The girl sadly shook her head.

"Well, why, then?" When Leia didn't answer, Luke sat next to her with a sigh. "Something is wrong, Leia. I know it is. I can feel it. You...there's something different about you," he faltered.

"You're the one that's different," blurted Leia. "Before those dumb Trials, you were just Luke. Now you're an apprentice to Father's best friend and you act like a nerfherder around him. You're always tiptoeing around like you're afraid, but when you talk about him, you practically worship him."

"I do not! And you're the one who's been acting like a nerfherder. You used to be my best friend, and now you're moping around like nothing matters anymore. Come on. I know you're upset about not being chosen as an apprentice-"

"You don't know anything," glared the girl.

Luke lifted his brows. "I know you're falling behind in your classes-"

Leia jumped to her feet in alarm. "Who told you that?"

Luke shrugged. "I heard Dad telling Mom. I only brought it up because I'm worried. So are Mom and Dad, and Master Kenobi. It's like you've just given up on being a Jedi."

Leia clenched her fists for a moment. Sadness soon overtook her. "Well, why bother? I'm never going to be one at this rate!"

Luke sighed and reached for her shoulder. "Sure you will. I understand-"

Leia wrenched away and began stepping backwards. "No, you don't! Out of everyone that passed the Trials, I'm the only one who wasn't chosen. You were...by Master Kenobi, of all people! And now you're off exploring the galaxy, being Mr. Perfect. You'll never understand!"

Luke took a step back himself, startled at this new side of Leia. "You don't have to get nasty. You know I'm not perfect. Stop being so jealous all the time."

"Jealous?"

"You know why no one chose you? 'Cause you used the Dark Side, that's why. You just need to grow up a little more."

It was the wrong thing to say. For a moment there was nothing but horror on Leia's face. Then there was only anger. Her face reddened and she began to fight back coming tears. While Luke's tone had been more from a wish to help than to hurt, it sounded to Leia like a case of superiority. Luke thinks he's better than me. I'll show him! Her arms trembled in rage, and at once she remembered the hilt she had smuggled from the sparring room in order to get in some more practice. Angrily she ignited the blade. "Say that again," she dared.

Luke's eyes widened in confusion and shock. "Hey...wait a minute, where'd you get that? You know you're not supposed to take the practice sabers out of the sparring room."

Leia's only answer was to glare. "You think you're better than me? Prove it. Right now!"

Luke showed his palms and backpedaled, alarmed at the turn this conversation had taken. "I don't! Leia, put that down. I don't want to fight you-" And he ducked to avoid a slash at his head. "Hey! I'm your brother, remember?"

Leia's eyes were clouding with tears, but still she advanced. "You're not going to beat me again. Ever!"

Frightened and hurt, Luke's hand to his new hilt, wondering what a real lightsaber would do to a training saber. "Leia, stop. You're scaring me. Now put that away."

"Don't tell me what to do!" And she brought the saber high for another swing.

Forced to defend himself, Luke finally drew his own blade and brought it up to meet Leia's. To his relief they met and crackled. At least the blades could parry each other. The next few slashes were blocked in turn, but Luke found no pleasure in keeping the upper hand. He was bewildered and saddened by this drastic change in behavior. A chill seemed to periodically sweep by them as the Dark Side rose and fell. Luke's worst fear was that he would actually strike his sister and seriously hurt her, so he was careful in his counterattacks. "Leia," he panted after a while, "stop! I don't want to hurt you!"

Leia just kept attacking like a wild thing, letting out all of the anger and jealousy that had been building in the last few weeks. Thrice she found openings and singed Luke's forearms. Unfortunately it didn't look as if she would stop until she had knocked the saber from her brother's hands.

Luke winced as Leia's blade nicked his cheek and momentarily lashed out for revenge. He whipped his blade around and just barely tapped her shin. As soon as he felt her pain, he regretted it.

Leia yelped and hopped away, but the pain only spurred her anger further. She growled and swung about at a furious pace. She hardly even saw her brother anymore. Now she saw an enemy. Even the presence of the Jedi Master who had suddenly entered the room went unnoticed until her weapon was torn from her hands and flew away, deactivated. The same thing happened to Luke's. The startled twins wheeled to see Obi-Wan catch the hilts in his hand.

"Enough!" he shouted, as close to anger as either twin had ever seen him. Obi-Wan marched with a quick and firm stride until he was standing between the children. "What in blazes do you two think you are doing? Are you trying to kill each other?"

Luke and Leia both shrank back in turn. Luke hung his head in shame while Leia stumbled backward with a bewildered expression. As her anger faded, pain and embarrassment took over.

Severe green eyes looked down upon the two as Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "Well? Is at least one of you going to answer?"

Luke's face burned. "I'm sorry, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan turned to his apprentice. "Luke, what happened? Why were you fighting your sister?"

"I..." Luke glanced at Leia, who seemed just as disoriented as she had after wounding Derrik. "Leia was trying to fight me. But she didn't mean it!"

"Perhaps Leia might answer that for herself. Leia?" Obi-Wan lifted his brows at the girl.

Leia blinked and found she couldn't look at the Jedi Master. Tears filled her eyes that had nothing to do with the wound on her leg. I've done it again. Why? Why did I do that?

Obi-Wan was disturbed as he took Leia by the shoulder to turn her back towards him. "Leia, look at me. What happened?"

The girl had only to glance at Obi-Wan to see the disappointment in his eyes...and the fear. Luke is right. He is afraid of me. Leia squeezed her eyes shut, letting the tears fall and tensing as if expecting a blow.

Luke took a step forward. "It was my fault, Master Kenobi. I said something that upset her and-"

Obi-Wan showed his palm to the boy. "Luke...while I expect part of the fault lies with each of you, I want to hear what Leia has to say. Leia?" The girl said nothing as further tears slid down her cheeks. The Master sensed fear and remorse, but it was little comfort. The chill of the Dark Side lingered. Leia had touched it again. Why? Obi-Wan decided to quiet his tone and redirect his question. "Leia, where did you get this training lightsaber?"

"From the Sparring Room," mumbled Leia through her tears.

"So I guessed," said the Master, relieved to at least have some sort of response. "Why did you take it?"

"P-practice," sniffled Leia, hastily wiping her eyes, but still not looking up.

"I needn't remind you that sparring is not allowed outside and unsupervised. My question is why you were fighting with your brother."

This question was greeted with more tears. Leia couldn't admit to a member of the Council that she had been angry again...that she had again touched the Dark Side. It would spell the end of her Jedi career. So she turned away and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry, Master Kenobi," blurted Luke again. "Leia's hurt. It was my fault."

Obi-Wan glanced again at the numerous small nicks that the children had dealt each other. Leia's did seem to be deeper than Luke's, and she seemed to be limping. Clearly Leia wasn't going to say any more on the matter. The presence of Anakin, who had just barely touched down on return from his last mission, decided things. She is always more open with her father than anyone else. Perhaps he can find out what happened. Of course knowing Anakin, the young father already knew his children were in some sort of distress and would not rest until he had spoken with them. The Master finally nodded. "All right. If no one is going to give a clearer explanation, then I think the best course of action would be to separate you two until you have clearer heads. Luke, go to your quarters. Leia, come with me and have that leg looked at."

Luke wanted to protest, but couldn't argue with his master now. He could only follow miserably behind as Leia limped along. Her pain stabbed him like a hot lance, and he couldn't help but turn to her. "Leia...I'm sorry."

Leia didn't even look up.

A/N: Sorry this is taking so long to finish! My brain is still divided between wondering about Episode 8, looking for work, and my own innumerable storylines for original fiction. I *will* finish this...someday...