Chapter 3

Han followed Anakin up the flight of carpeted stairs. His short legs struggling to keep up with the long-legged strides of the Jedi Knight.

Solo glanced around in curious wonder at all the different, richly dressed humanoids and aliens strolling both down past them and up with them. He stared at a particularly beautiful red Twi'Lek in a very low-cut white gown, she smiled kindly at the little boy's stare and Han nearly tripped up.

Anakin chuckled and caught his foster son at the last moment, holding the boy's hand tightly again. He'd spent time with the small trainees at the crèche, but interaction with Han was a very different sensation.

Knowing that the boy was under both his and Padmé's guardianship was both completely unnerving and wonderful. Anakin was beginning to feel like a father.

"C'mon Han, if you keep staring at every pretty or unusual person you see, we'll be late," Anakin pointed out. Han nodded meekly and looked forward obediently.

Han knew that things were much different from twenty-four hours or less ago. Yesterday he had been just another dirty little kid on the streets, now he was clean and dressed neatly in black pants and a high-necked cream tunic, with shining, tanned coloured shin-high boots and a black vest.

And now, even though Han was still small enough to disappear into a crowd if he really wanted, people like that nice-looking Twi'Lek lady smiled at him, instead of ignoring him.

Also, Han had discovered that being with either Padmé or with Anakin collected a lot of attention. Padmé was the Senator of Naboo and their former queen, and he had seen posters of Anakin on the side of buildings!

It was exciting, and a new feeling of shyness was coming into Han's previously open and curious demeanour. The world he knew had been completely replaced by a new, confusing world that was entirely different.

They walked quickly along the hall to where two guards –dressed in fantastic blue armour that Han couldn't help but stare at briefly– stood sentry outside, there was strange horn-blowing music and chanting coming from the arena. The guards nodded in recognition of Anakin and they were allowed to pass into the opera box.

"Wait here a moment," Anakin whispered when they entered.

Han stood obediently just a few feet from the door-way, as Skywalker strode over and knelt beside a huge chair.

"You wanted to see me, Chancellor?" Anakin queered the figure in the chair.

The young Solo watched as a snow white haired head lent towards his foster father, but was distracted again when he saw the huge blue, horned alien sitting beside where the Chancellor was sitting.

However, Han still heard the strange voice from the white haired man, that for some reason gave him a nasty, cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Ah yes, Anakin come closer, I have some good news, the CIU have discovered the location of General Grievous. He is hiding in the Utapau system."

Han narrowed his eyes, suddenly wanting to back out of the room as fast as he could and run somehow back into his Mom's arms, or even anywhere far from this place. Don't be stupid, don't be stupid, he chastised himself mentally.

It's just your imagination. Anakin said the Chancellor was a good man.

"Good, at last we can capture that monster and bring this war to an end," Anakin felt the feelings of reluctance coming from Han, he was curious about what was wrong, but thought it best to distract the boy.

"Oh, your grace, I brought Senator Amidala's adopted son with me, Han Solo."

Palpatine peered around the back of his chair and smiled at the wary boy behind them, "How nice. Come forward, young man," he motioned to Han.

With a cautious expression, Han walked over to Palpatine slowly and bowed his head quickly, lifting his eyes to stare up at the old man as confidently as he could.

Even though the boy wanted to run.

"Good-evening Chancellor Palpatine," Han greeted shakily. Palpatine smiled even wider and made the boy lower his eyes despite himself.

"Good-evening young, Han Solo, I must say, you have excellent manners, your new mother must be very proud," the Chancellor's voice was kindly. "She must bring you to visit the Senate one day. Perhaps you would like to be a Senator yourself when you are grown?"

Han bit his lip and looked up at Palpatine reluctantly again, "Not really, sir. I'd like to be a fighter pilot," he admitted politely, keeping his hands folded against his shirt tightly.

The Chancellor nodded, "Well then, I see you've made good friends with Jedi Skywalker here. Anakin is without a doubt the most talented pilot I've ever seen, and mostly likely the galaxy has ever. You could be so fortunate to have him as a mentor."

Palpatine smiled that sickening smile again, and Anakin rested a hand on Han's shoulder.

"Well, Anakin and I will only be talking of war matters, Han. My aide can take you to the refreshment stalls for something to eat. I will see that they bring you back when we are done."

Palpatine motioned to a tall woman humanoid, with glowing blue eyes, dressed in a stiff robe. "You, take Senator Amidala's son to a stall and get him whatever he would like," he looked over the horned aid. "You wait outside the box."

Han looked uncertainly up at Anakin, who nodded encouragingly.

"It's alright, Han, Sly-Moore won't hurt you," Anakin assured the boy, who gave him a funny look, before sighing reluctantly.

"Okay, Anakin. Can I grab anything for you?" Han asked, his foster father shook his head and the boy shrugged. "All right, do you go first or do I?" He asked, looking up at Sly-Moore, the being motioned to him and Solo nodded.

Walking ahead of the alien aide, Han glanced past her quickly to look at Anakin worriedly again, the feeling of cold, darkness flooding him.

I don't care if everyone says that guy is good. I don't like being around him one bit.

Holding a bag of candies in his left hand, Han beamed up at Anakin when his foster-father came out of the opera-box. Sly-Moore brushed past the serious Jedi, who took the boy's free hand distractedly, and began walking down the hall without a word of greeting.

A stony expression, both dangerous and thoughtful, was rampant over Skywalker's tanned face.
"What's wrong?" Han demanded fearfully.

Did Palpatine do or say something horrible to Anakin?

Anakin looked down curiously at Han's panicky expression, his hazel eyes were full of worry, "Nothing, just a lot on my mind. Can I have some of those?" Anakin pointed to the bag of sweets.

Han nodded and offered him the bag, Anakin took a handful of the brightly coloured candies and placed some in his mouth.

"Your Mom will be wondering where we are, and we still have to pick up that dessert."

Han almost sighed in relief. If that was all that was on Anakin's mind then nothing was really wrong.
Anakin crunched the candies between his teeth and looked away from Han.

The Jedi Knight couldn't let the boy know that he had been having nightmares about Padmé dying in childbirth, it would break Han's heart, and Anakin vowed to make sure it never happened.

He would find some way to save his wife.

-:-:-:-

The cream coloured room was sparsely decorated, and a long, white table was laid out with various empty dishes in front of him.

Anakin could hear a strange, heavy breathing sound from all around him. He looked around carefully. There was a masked figure that was seated at the head of the table, making that horrible breathing noise.

Where am I?

There was a door at the other end of the table, it suddenly whooshed up and Anakin got to his feet as three humans and a wookiee stood in the doorway. The wookiee growled in shock and Anakin looked wildly over at the humans.

There was a brown-haired young woman and two men. One of the men had dark skin and was dressed richly.

The other man had lighter skin and scruffy brown hair. He had the woman by the hand and placed her behind him protectively, taking out his blaster to aim at him...
At him? No, he was aiming at the black clad, masked man and managed to fire a couple of shots, which the masked man merely batted away.

Anakin felt some strange, unusual sensation through the Force, as the blaster of the brown-haired man suddenly flew into the monster's hand.

The look of horror on the group's faces as they gazed at the dark, masked man made Skywalker cautious.

"We would be honoured if you would join us," the beast rumbled, walking over to them. Anakin followed, and watched as the dark skinned man shook his head at the brown haired man and his lovely companion.

"They arrived just before you did. I'm sorry."

Anakin curiously stared at the betrayed look on the other man's face. Why did that look seem so familiar?

"I'm sorry too," the man's low voice spat, taking the young woman's hand.

The Monster eyed them both as the door shut, marching over to the group, he lifted up the woman's chin he stared into her brown eyes, the pretty young woman looked a lot like Padmé. "Princess Organa, you are looking lovelier than ever," he commented.

Organa?

The princess pulled herself away from him and lent against her human companion, the masked man glared down at the brown haired man clandestinely, as if envying the young man's healthy, good-looking features.

"And Captain Solo."

Anakin reeled back on his heels, staring in shock at the grimace on the man who was ever so slightly shorter then he was, perhaps even the same height.

Yes, he was at least thirty this man, but the eyes had never changed. This was Han, grown up.

With Bail Organa's daughter?

This black clothed monster, who is he?

"Anakin, help me..."

"Padmé?" Anakin questioned the disembodied voice. Suddenly the room spun, and it turned into the dream he'd had the night before. But there was another face, someone clutching Padmé's sweating hand.

"Don't give up Padmé," the kindly voice of Obi-Wan begged, his bearded face looking so kindly at her.

It then changed to Padmé in that stark white gown, breathing heavily, "I can't, I can't..."

Skywalker sat up in bed, reeling and gasping from lack of air. What was the dream? Padmé ... again dying from childbirth, but with Obi-Wan beside her…a black monster...?

Anakin rubbed his eyes tiredly, getting out of the bed. It was nearly dawn and he had to address the council, it was better if he could prepare in advance, rather than going back to his nightmares.

-:-:-:-

Padmé smiled at bearded Jedi exiting the turbolift door-way, offering her hand to him. "Obi-Wan, it is good to see you," she greeted her old friend brightly. Despite the earliness of the morning, the Senator had long been wide awake and dressed for the Senate.

The red haired Jedi Master smiled and shook the perfectly white hand, looking kindly down at Padmé, who was dressed in a long, A-line green velvet gown with a huge hood pulled over her loose brown curls.

"Senator Amidala. Only you could look as lovely as you do this early in the day," Kenobi complimented. Secretly wondering about this latest fashion of eclectic clothing that the young woman had taken to wearing.

Padmé laughed, waving a finger at Obi-Wan, "Always the charmer. But how many times do I have to ask you to call me Padmé? Please sit down. Have you eaten?" She inquired, motioning toward the lounge.

Obi-Wan nodded and followed the velvet robed, petite woman down the few stairs into the sunken lounge area.

"Yes, I have. I was actually hoping to meet your adopted son," the Jedi Master mentioned, "Senator Organa said he was an interesting boy," Kenobi rested his arms on his knees as they sat down beside each other.

Padmé nodded, her eyes bright, "That's an understatement. Han's awake and should be finishing up his breakfast in the dining room. Elle, would you fetch Han?" She asked her handmaiden, who bowed her head as she headed for the dining room.

Obi-Wan looked over at the young woman, his clear blue eyes assessing her, "Padmé, has Anakin been to see you at all?"

The Senator looked taken back at the question, clenching her hands together in her lap, "Yes, several times. He and Han get along very well, and I was so pleased to hear of his acceptance on the Jedi Council," Padmé said smoothly.

Kenobi smiled proudly. "Anakin deserves it. He is impatient, strong willed, very opinionated, but truly gifted in the ways of the Force."

Padmé raised her eyebrows perceptively, "You didn't come here just to say hello and meet my son, did you?" She invoked. "Something is wrong."

Obi-Wan raised his own fair eyebrows, "Padmé, you're as insightful as always." He shifted slightly to the side. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Anakin has been quite moody and aloof. I understand that being the Chancellor's representative must be difficult, but I feel there is something else." He looked serious.

"Has he spoken to you at all?"

Senator Amidala shook her head, "Why would he talk to me about his work?" She feigned innocence, which –she realised at the last minute– wouldn't hold up well with a Jedi.

As predicted, Obi-Wan stared her down with his clear blue gaze. "I know how he feels about you Padmé. Neither of you are good at hiding your feelings." He revealed quietly.

The Senator furrowed her brow in confusion. "What did he say...?" She began, when out of the corner of her eye she saw Elle approaching with Han, still dressed in his sleeping clothes and his hair awry.

"Oh, Han, come here. I'd like you to meet someone," Padmé, (much relieved,) changed the subject.

Kenobi looked kindly at the small boy, who looked upon him just as curiously, walking over and sitting beside his foster mother, who put an arm around the boy. "Han Solo-Naberrie, I'd like you to meet Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was Anakin's Master before he became a Jedi Knight, and is also a General." She introduced.

Obi-Wan offered his hand and the boy took it, shaking it with a grin, "It's nice to meet you, Han," he felt the boy's wry Force signature and detected minimal Force abilities, but it was enough to make him only slightly less stronger then Padmé.

Solo cocked his head to the side, as he regarded the red-haired Jedi Master.

"Anakin told me about you. He said you were the best Jedi Knight in the galaxy, and like his older brother," Han informed him in his precocious way. Obi-Wan nodded and the boy eyed the Jedi Master carefully. "I like your beard," he finally said, after a moment.

Kenobi smirked, So this is what Bail had been so amused by. But there was something curious about Han that he couldn't quite place his finger on. It was a strange sensation of meeting someone he wasn't destined to meet for many years.

"Well, thank you, Han, it was very nice to meet you, and I hope to do so again. You can go back to your morning meal now, if you like."

Solo looked over at his mother, and Padmé nodded reluctantly, the boy got up and walked back over to the handmaiden. Obi-Wan eyes followed the boy, "He's a bright young man. You must be proud."

Padmé allowed herself a half-smile, "I am. He reminds me of Anakin so much sometimes, Han was enslaved and used by a criminal to steal before I fostered him," she mentioned offhandedly. "His parents were killed before the Clone Wars even began." She got to her feet and walked nervously towards the balcony.

"Padmé, about Anakin," Obi-Wan soft voice stopped her, he caught up to the green clad woman on the balcony and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know you both too well, and I can see you are in love."

Padmé's frightened brown eyes locked with the Jedi Master's steady blue gaze and Obi-Wan sighed.

"I am worried about him. And you as well. I think something in your relationship has confused Anakin, worried him, since he's changed greatly since we returned. Is there anything you–" Obi-Wan started.

Padmé shook her head, gazing out at the morning skyline as she interrupted, "No." She swallowed hard. "No."

The Jedi Master sighed and looked down at his hands, "Then I'll take my leave," Obi-Wan started to walk away from the woman, who bowed her head, so that he couldn't see the worried tears in her eyes.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan's began again, " I hope I didn't upset you. I do understand what you're going though. I have been in love before, and although I lost her, I will never forget how it felt...how it still feels..."

The Senator glanced briefly over her shoulder in surprise at the honest face of the red haired Jedi Master, but turned back away, not ready to confide anything to Obi-Wan as of yet.

"I'm not telling the Council about any of this." Obi-Wan continued softly. "I've raised Anakin since he was nine, and I've known you since you were a girl. I care about you both."
Padmé shook her head, "Thank-you, Obi-Wan." She said bluntly, hasty thoughts of panic flooding her mind as she absently rested her hand on her stomach.

"Please, do what you can to help him," Kenobi sighed as he walked back into the apartment, moving towards the turbolift when he came face to face with a fully dressed Han Solo, who was staring at him firmly from where he had been waiting nearby.

"Young Han?"

The boy scratched the back of his head, "Master Kenobi, can I ask you something?" He asked, Obi-Wan nodded and Han's hazel eyes lowered.

"I went to the opera house with Anakin yesterday and I met the Chancellor." Han looked back up at the Jedi Master. "I...would have said something to Anakin, but he looks up to Palpatine, so..." he trailed off.

Obi-Wan pursed his lips and knelt down, putting a hand on Han's shoulder, "What would you have told him? Did you feel something?" He inquired kindly, maybe the boy did have some sort of latent Force strong energy, (if, only mild and not enough to train as a Jedi.)

Han fiddled with the wide brown clasp on his cloak. He'd been dressed up to match with his Mother's outfit today, for the Senators were visiting her for a meeting soon.

The boy was dressed in a dark purple shirt, with cream coloured pants, and shining black, ankle boots, with, (as far as Han was concerned the only part he liked of the clothing,) a velvet green cape with the Naboo symbol, embellished in purple throughout.

"Well, I felt cold and I wanted to go hide. I didn't want to have him look at me," Han stammered out, Kenobi rubbed his mouth. "And Anakin said he was a good man, and I trust Anakin...but, I felt...cold."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes, "Han, can you promise me something?" He watched the boy nod. "Don't tell anyone about this conversation. I promise you, if there is something amiss with the Chancellor, the Jedi will stop him. Okay?"

Han nodded firmly, "Okay. My Mom's handmaiden told me all about Jedi, and I know you'll do everything you can," he smiled and Kenobi grinned down at Han, getting to his feet.

"You are very wise for your years, Han. Take good care of your mother," Obi-Wan patted his shoulder and headed for the turbolift, turning back to look at the boy. "Han, tell me, does Anakin come over here to visit a lot?"

Han nodded and Kenobi lowered his eyes.

"Yes, I thought so. I'm going to meet up with Anakin today, before I have to go track down a very evil being. Make sure you tell Anakin of your feelings of Palpatine if he comes over again, but only him.

"Don't tell your mother, please," Obi-Wan solicited.

The boy looked down at his feet with another nod, and the Jedi Master pressed the turbolift panel and entered the turbolift, "Good-bye, Han."

As the turbolift made its way down, Obi-Wan rubbed his eyes.

That feeling of a disruption of the Force when he'd met Han Solo was only another chapter of all this trouble. Padmé's rising perception in the Force could only mean that the bond between her and Anakin was growing stronger.

Or something else entirely.

The Jedi Master's eyes suddenly widened. "No, it couldn't," he shook his head. "No. They wouldn't be that reckless, no," Obi-Wan tried to assure himself, as the doubt began to set in.

Thank you for reading. The next chapter will be up soon.