Okay, yes, I promise I'm still alive! I've had some major events going on in my life that have sadly put my stories on the back burner until now, so I'm sorry I've left you guys hanging for so long. Hopefully this will help cheer you up. :)
Padmé crested the hill near the lake retreat on Naboo and was surprised to see a herd of shaaks grazing barely a few steps away from her. She had been chasing Anakin; where was he?
Suddenly, she saw Anakin clambering on top of a shaak and shooting a silly smile in her direction as the shaak began to buck in protest. The whole image was so ridiculous Padmé couldn't help but laugh. Anakin wiggled back and forth, flinging his arms out into the air to attempt some semblance of balance as he unceremoniously rode the shaak, but he couldn't stay on its back for long; one final buck sent Anakin flying and the shaak ran right over him.
Startled, Padmé rushed from her spot to reach Anakin; those shaaks were heavy creatures, so he could be seriously injured. She certainly hoped he wasn't; she was no healer, and there wouldn't be help for a long while considering how remote the location was.
Padmé's dread grew as she neared Anakin, who had attempted to sit up and then collapsed. She called out his name and then finally reached him, turning him over to see if he was even conscious, only to see his face attempt to look serious before he started laughing hysterically.
Relieved and irritated at the same time, Padmé smacked him on the shoulder, which only encouraged him all the more. Anakin pushed her off and the two engaged in a wrestling match. She quickly won the first wresting match, leaving Anakin indignant enough to shove her down another hill as they laughed and played. He won that round, but Padmé was slightly irritated that he had pushed her in the first place, so she grabbed her dress to raise it a little from the ground in order to chase the Padawan around the entire island, running between the shaaks and startling them until the two found themselves running amongst the herd.
"Take my hand!" Anakin called out, a wide smile on his face despite the fact that they could get trampled.
Padmé reached and grabbed his outstretched right hand, enjoying the warmth it gave her. He pulled her towards him and led her through the herd, weaving in and out of shaaks, leaving Padmé screaming but enjoying herself nonetheless. She seemed immortal in those moments. She was incapable of falling and being trampled as long as Anakin held her hand, leading her confidently through the stampede.
Adrenaline rushed through Padmé as Anakin yanked her right in front of a small shaak and the two yelled out in pure thrill as they found themselves on top of a steep hill. The wind blew with them harshly, and Anakin leapt into the air, making Padmé do so as well. The fierce wind lifted them off the ground slightly longer than was normal, leaving Padmé feeling weightless and then the ground suddenly made itself known to her ankles and knees again, but the adrenaline and Anakin's glowing face covered up the pain.
Anakin whooped in excitement and then began to slow their insanely fast pace down the hill. He closed his eyes and the herd began to calm itself, slowing as well. Anakin and Padmé stumbled to a halt as the herd began to trot to different spots, and all of them were panting. Exhausted, Anakin and Padmé both fell to the soft ground, letting the grass cushion them as the cooling evening air scraped their lungs. Padmé felt her heart beating harshly against her chest and the blood rushing through her body. She closed her eyes, trying to slow her gasps enough to a normal rate once more. Anakin didn't seem to be bothered by the discomfort the adrenaline was causing; instead, he continued to pant far longer than Padmé as if he was trying to cling onto as much of the adrenaline as possible, to the point where she began to wonder if he was okay.
Anakin laughed as his breathing finally began to level out. "That was fun!"
His blunt summary of what had happened just struck Padmé somehow and she began laughing so hard tears of mirth streamed down her face.
Her cheeks were moist, just as they had been in the memory; she hadn't even noticed when that had happened. The tears trailed slowly down her face, but their cause was far from mirthful.
Padmé stared at the blue and white kaleidoscope of hyperspace. The memory of her and Anakin's time on Naboo just before the Clone War made her heart ache. It seemed impossible that those events took place eight years ago… to Padmé it had only been three years.
Shaking her head, Padmé marveled at how much chaos had seeped into the galaxy in the five years she had been comatose. However, the chaos that she was concerned with pertained only to her and her family; she felt selfish for thinking that way, but at the same time it hurt too much to try and comprehend just how horrible a state everything was in.
Anakin's laughter from the memory rang in her mind and she felt sick. This was just so messed up. All of it.
More tears streamed down her face. They had just gotten Anakin back; he was starting to repent, he was starting to understand that what he had done as Darth Vader was wrong.
He was becoming Anakin again. And then she had lost him. Again.
Why had Obi-Wan agreed to that?!
Anger coursed through Padmé. Part of her saw the logic in the idea; Anakin was a magnet for Palpatine, and he was in no state to be fighting the Sith Lord just yet. However, sticking him with Palpatine while being amnesiac wasn't going to help either; Palpatine could indoctrinate him all over again, right? Padmé supposed that's why Ryatsi went with Anakin; to ensure that that didn't happen.
She still thought it was insane. Anakin always had insane ideas.
The hyperdrive disengaged and the kaleidoscope vanished, fading into the black void that seemed to reflect Padmé's aching heart so well. However, her pain quickly dissipated into excitement and worry as Alderaan approached; she was finally going to see her daughter.
The prospect made her stomach churn. Leia was five years old; she was very young, but she was old enough to be attached to Bail and Breha. How was Padmé going to get her off of Alderaan, and how was she going to explain that she was her mother?
Padmé groaned. Was there anything going on that wasn't terrifying or depressing?
The ship shuddered as it landed, snapping Padmé out of her musings. Well it was now or never. Blowing out a breath, Padmé disembarked and wandered through the spaceport. It was in the capital city, Aldera, and she could see the palace in the distance.
This wasn't going to be easy.
As she made her way towards the palace, Padmé pondered how she was going to explain the situation. She walked calmly at first, displaying how well she could control her emotions in a tight situation, but as she thought more on how Anakin could remember at any moment, she began to jog and eventually run to the palace.
Upon reaching the entrance, Padmé's first obstacle was the large gate that protected the perimeter. She hastily waved to get a guard's attention and told him she needed to see Bail Organa, and it was urgent; she knew Bail was on Alderaan right now, so he would be the one she could speak to. The guard seemed skeptical, so Padmé said it was a matter of security.
"Just tell him Cordé from Naboo needs to speak to him, and it's urgent," she explained hastily.
The guard ordered her to remain and left, no doubt to speak to a superior rather than give the message to Bail. Padmé looked for spots where the cameras were watching her and quickly darted into the shadows. She wasn't a Jedi, but she was skilled enough to evade a camera and climb a wall, though the latter prospect was quite difficult in her mourning dress – not for the first time, Padmé was regretting the fact that she hadn't had a chance to change clothes; that Ria Dance seemed so long ago now…
Padmé figured she had about two minutes before the guard realized she had disappeared. She ran through the gardens outside of the palace and, very luckily, caught sight of Bail on a low-lying balcony overlooking the city.
"Down here," Padmé hissed to get his attention. Bail jumped and looked right at her, his mouth opening in surprise.
"Come here," Padmé said, and Bail immediately vanished from view.
A minute later he reappeared around the corner, jogging towards her. He seemed surprised, but he was gathering his face into a political façade depicting bemusement but cordiality at the same time. He paused upon reaching Padmé and then looked her over.
"…That's an interesting outfit, Cordé," Bail commented with mild amusement.
Padmé's concern for her daughter's safety tossed aside any sense of casual conversation or banter. Instead, she just desperately and pleadingly said, "Bail,"
Bail immediately understood that something was very wrong, and he placed his hand on her shoulder just as security arrived. He waved the guard off before he could say anything and simply told Padmé, "Come inside."
Bail gave the signal to the men that Padmé was all right, and the guards left, disgruntled, as Padmé hastily entered the palace. The two went to a private area of the palace where there weren't many attendants in the vicinity.
Before Padmé could say anything, Bail asked, "What's the matter? What happened? Where did you disappear off to on Nihoma? You just vanished during the dragon attack—we thought you might have been killed!"
"Where's Leia?" Padmé demanded, ignoring Bail's concern for her own well being. "She isn't safe here anymore."
Bail's face paled. "What are you talking about?"
"She isn't safe, Bail; Anakin knows where she is."
"Darth Vader knows?" Bail jumped.
Padmé violently shook her head, growing angry. "No, not Darth Vader. Anakin. Anakin knows…" Tears welled in her eyes once more, and Padmé suddenly couldn't stop herself from saying, "Oh, Bail, he was coming back to me! He was returning to the light… he was really trying to come back, and then this happened…"
"Padmé, what is going on?"
"Anakin was trying to turn back to the light once more, but Palpatine's captured him. He found out about the twins and where they are before he was captured." Padmé said hastily; the faster she could get to Leia, the better.
If possible, Bail went paler. "And you think he'll tell Palpatine?"
"No," Padmé immediately defended her husband. "He'd never tell him… but Obi-Wan said that Palpatine can read Anakin's mind like an open book."
Bail was silent, processing the information, but Padmé's worry made her impatient. "Bail, she has to leave now. I don't know when things will get worse, and I'm not risking her safety—"
"I know, I know," Bail hastily held up his hands. "Just… give me a moment. I have to explain this to Leia. Wait here."
Bail departed, leaving Padmé to pace the hallway impatiently. Her stomach churned once more, and she could feel a cold sweat accumulating. She didn't know what was worse; having her daughter forced to leave her only sense of comfort and safety because she was in danger or having to be the one to explain it to her.
Padmé moaned. How was she going to explain this?!
She didn't know how much time had passed, but the sound of a door opening made her jump. Padmé whirled to the entrance and her breath caught.
Bail was walking in guiding a small girl by the hand. The girl bore Padmé's resemblance to a startling level, but there were traces of Anakin in her as well. She had her father's high cheekbones and strong jaw. While her eyes were obviously inherited from Padmé, her gaze itself was distinctly Anakin's; they held the same fire, the same sparkle. Right now Leia's eyes were directed at Bail, but when the two stopped in front of Padmé, Leia looked at Padmé for the first time.
The two stared at each other in silence, and Padmé felt her knees go weak. Nevertheless, she shook the feeling off and walked towards Leia, albeit slowly.
"Hello Leia," she said to her daughter with a smile.
"Of course the results are inconclusive," Ryatsi sighed. "Don't you think I ran tests of my own? The only thing these tests tell us is that his DNA has somehow been rejuvenated by five years… and that doesn't even begin to explain how he suddenly grew back three limbs in the process."
Dr. Navirtsy glared at the data pad in his hand before shaking his head. "The emperor wants an explanation, not an excuse."
"That's your problem, isn't it?" Ryatsi spat, still disgusted by the sight of the doctor.
"It's your problem as well, Dr. Tunbaoth," Navirtsy replied. "I'll have to run more tests on Lord Vader."
"Remember how well that went last time?" Ryatsi reminded the man.
As Navirtsy thought up a decent argument in reply, Ryatsi considered her situation. They were one day from Imperial Center; one day from being sealed in the prison that was the Imperial Palace. She had no idea what she was going to do or how she would keep Anakin safe from Palpatine. Perhaps letting Navirtsy run more tests would be a good idea; if Anakin panicked again and knocked the power out once more, she might be able to get him off the ship. But no, that was just suicide; Palpatine himself was on board the ship, and while Ryatsi didn't know much about the Force, she knew enough to realize Palpatine would sense their escape attempt. For now she would just have to be the helpful doctor who would look after Anakin.
Anakin himself hadn't improved much since they had left Taris. He mostly stuck extremely close to Ryatsi and, thankfully, Palpatine hadn't been interested enough to come talk to him. Ryatsi supposed the emperor was waiting for Anakin to get some sense back in his head.
Blast it, Obi-Wan, you'd better get us out of here, Ryatsi thought irritably. She didn't know whose idea it was to wipe Anakin's memory, but she was cursing the both of them anyway, and she was cursing whoever created the universe for making her the one to run into them.
She supposed her best bet right now was to make Anakin as dependent on her as possible; if he trusted her only he would listen when she told him to get the heck out of there whenever the opportunity arose… if the opportunity ever arose.
"It doesn't matter if he panics again," Dr. Navirtsy finally said. "I can't give a report this vague to the emperor."
Ryatsi shook her head. "No matter what test you run the results will be the same. I ran every test in the book on the blood sample I took from him. Science can't explain this one."
"Then what can?" Navirtsy snapped, growing anxious.
"I don't know," Ryatsi muttered.
Navirtsy sighed heavily. "Where is Lord Vader, anyway?"
"Why in the blazes would I tell you?"
Raising a hand to calm her, Navirtsy said, "Relax; I have no intention of doing anything behind your back. That man would probably kill me if I tried. I'm just curious as to where he is."
"He's resting. That's all you need to know." Ryatsi answered. She didn't want this nut job anywhere near Anakin.
Dr. Navirtsy sighed again and tossed the data pad onto the nearest table. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he told Ryatsi, "You should know they'll probably try to separate you from Vader when you reach Imperial Center."
Ryatsi's blood ran cold. "How do you know?"
"I don't," Navirtsy replied. "I'm just guessing. It would make the most sense; you're dead weight and the emperor doesn't trust you. If you can't get any better test results than I they have no use for you."
"Vader only listens to me," Ryatsi pointed out.
"True," Navirtsy agreed. "But that doesn't mean they won't try to break him of that habit."
"Palpatine said I could be Vader's physician until he can speak and interact normally once more." Ryatsi said loudly, her emotions beginning to overpower her.
"Then that's probably the case," Dr. Navirtsy shrugged. Then he looked at her intensely. "But what happens after that?"
"I'll figure it out," Ryatsi snapped, exiting the medical wing. As she stormed through the hallways her emotions ran amok in her mind, bringing all sorts of horrifying images and scenarios. What if they did take Anakin away? They would indoctrinate him again for sure; Palpatine would have complete control over him. Ryatsi recalled how innocent and vulnerable Anakin had been when he first lost his memories and her stomach churned. She couldn't let the emperor take advantage of him in such a state.
However, though Anakin had lost his memories once more, it seemed different this time. He didn't seem as trusting or innocent. He watched everyone as he had before, but instead of innocent curiosity there was coldness to his gaze, as if he were examining possible threats rather than strangers. His silence wasn't laced with confusion and inquisitiveness but dread and mistrust. The only person he let near him was Ryatsi, particularly after the affair over Taris. Ryatsi was almost certain that though his memories were stored away for the time being, his gut instincts remained as they were as if his memories were whispering a warning to him. Nevertheless, Ryatsi didn't know if this was supposed to be reassuring or worrying.
Ryatsi reached her temporary quarters and she opened the door. Anakin was asleep on her cot, his face not holding its usual peacefulness when Little One slept. It didn't even hold the quiet cold serenity that, though a façade, was the look he displayed while asleep after he remembered. Now Anakin's brow was furrowed, and he tossed restlessly in bed as if having a nightmare. Ryatsi placed a hand on his shoulder and sat beside the cot, which seemed to calm him a little. His brow remained furrowed, though, and Ryatsi felt dread fill her. She didn't know if it was hers or Anakin's spilling into her, but all she could hear as she watched him was what Navirtsy had said:
"What happens after that?"
"So you see, you're just going on a vacation for a while, okay Leia?" Bail smiled reassuringly at the five-year-old as he knelt beside her.
Padmé watched Leia's expression as she grew anxious. "But Daddy—"
"No buts, sweetheart," Bail interrupted. "Remember what I said?"
Leia sighed and mumbled, "It's princess duties."
"Exactly," Bail nodded. "Whether a princess likes it or not, she must help her people. And right now you can help your people by going on vacation with…"
Bail paused, looking at Padmé uncertainly. He had been explaining the situation to Leia in a manner the girl could understand, but he had never specifically stated who Padmé was; only that she would be taking Leia with her.
"Padmé," she supplied. "But just call me Miss Cordé for now."
"Why?" Leia asked, just as inquisitive as her father.
"It's a secret game," Padmé answered. "You see, nobody's supposed to know my name's Padmé. Can you play along?"
Leia nodded, still looking unsure.
"It will be all right, dear," Bail piped in, brushing a finger against Leia's cheek reassuringly. Padmé's heart ached watching him. Though he was her dear friend, watching him treat Leia as his own instead of Padmé or Anakin doing so hurt more than she could ever express. Bail nudged Leia towards Padmé, his face showing grief and worry for just a moment when Leia wasn't looking. Padmé looked Bail in the eye and the two nodded at each other.
"Where will you go?" Bail asked Padmé.
"Tatooine," Padmé immediately answered. Bail said nothing, knowing her reason. Instead, he gave one last look to Leia, who was watching him quietly.
"Goodbye, dear," he whispered.
Leia waved but did not smile. She seemed to know something was wrong. Padmé reached down and took Leia by the hand. "Come on, Leia. Let's go."
The two turned and walked away, but Leia looked back and watched Bail the whole time they remained in the hallway. When they turned the corner to a hangar Bail had suggested, Leia eventually turned her gaze to Padmé. It was amazing how the gaze of a five-year-old could make one nervous, particularly a trained and skilled politician such as Padmé, but somehow Leia's silent stare was unbearable. Nevertheless, Padmé continued to walk and refused to stare at her daughter lest she fall apart.
A ship that Bail had ordered be prepped was humming on the hangar deck. The pilot nodded his head. "She's all yours, ma'am,"
Padmé thanked the pilot and boarded the ship, still holding Leia's hand. She could still feel Leia's eyes boring into her, so she closed the ramp and went straight to the cockpit rather than speak to the five-year-old. What was wrong with her? Leia was five; the girl deserved to be talked to and comforted… but Padmé just couldn't do it. She couldn't bear to look at Leia's intense stare before they were in hyperspace. If she looked she would lose control of her emotions, and she couldn't do that.
Despite her raging emotions, Padmé managed to say, "Strap yourself in, sweetheart,"
She heard Leia sit in the copilot's seat and buckle herself in clumsily. Padmé hazarded a quick glance to make sure Leia was strapped properly. Leia sat there in the tangle of straps staring straight ahead, curiosity and a strange sadness glimmering in her eyes. Returning her focus to the controls, Padmé gunned the engine and guided the ship off the hangar deck and out of the atmosphere. As she plotted the coordinates for Tatooine, Leia finally spoke.
"What's Tatooine?" she asked.
"It's a planet in the Outer Rim," Padmé answered. "It's not too far, actually; there's a great big gap of planets between us and Tatooine, so we'll get there in just over a day."
"Is it pretty there?"
Padmé chuckled. "It's a bunch of sand. Have you ever been to the beach?"
Leia finally seemed to be relaxing a little and she nodded vigorously in excitement. "It's a beach?"
"Well, it's got sand like a beach," Padmé said. "There's not much water, though. It's very hot there."
"Oh," Leia commented, sounding a little crestfallen. "I like water…"
"I love water," Padmé noted as she finally put the ship into hyperspace. She drew in a deep breath, gathering her strength, and then swiveled her seat to face Leia fully.
Leia noticed the motion and looked Padmé in the eyes. She could have said anything in that moment, and she opened her mouth to speak. Padmé expected to hear some sort of question about why they were leaving or why Padmé was the one to take her anywhere, but instead, Leia asked, "Can I unbuckle now? I have to go to the refresher."
Padmé laughed lightly and untangled her daughter from the seat. "Yes, dear; go on,"
Leia hopped off the seat happily and then ran down the hall. Padmé took the time to reestablish control over her emotions. Her daughter obviously knew something was wrong, but at least she wasn't sobbing for Bail or Breha; in fact, Padmé was thankful she hadn't run into Breha at all. She knew Bail and Leia had gone to see Breha briefly before they returned to Padmé, but at least it hadn't been in front of her. She had nothing against Breha, but if Padmé heard Leia addressing another woman as her mother, she knew her heart would have broken.
Leia returned quickly, looking happier. She then asked, "Why doesn't anybody know your name's Padmé?"
If there was one thing about being a politician it was that most questions directed at a person were laced with many different meanings and were couched in cordiality. However, Leia's blunt inquiries reminded Padmé strikingly of Anakin… not to mention they were just on par for a child her age. Padmé recalled her nieces' habit of asking the most awkward questions at the worst of times without the slightest concern for tact or manners.
"Well, first tell me what you know about your mommy and daddy," Padmé countered.
"Mommy and Daddy rule Alderaan and Daddy's the senator," Leia answered diligently with a proud smile. Then her smile drooped. "And I'm a princess,"
"Because you're their daughter, right?" Padmé asked casually, but internally her heart was pounding with anticipation at the girl's answer.
"I'm adopted," Leia mumbled. Then she seemed to recall something Bail must have told her and she stomped her foot and puffed her chest out proudly. "But that doesn't change anything!"
Padmé chuckled at her daughter's enthusiasm. However, Leia's pained expression when she first admitted her adoption tore at Padmé. Leia knew she was adopted and it obviously hurt her to not know her parents… but what was Padmé going to say?
"So you're adopted… when did you find that out?"
Leia looked at her feet and mumbled her response. "I just knew…"
"And you told your daddy?"
Leia nodded meekly.
Padmé felt her nerves tingle as she then asked, "Do you want to know who your real parents are?"
Leia looked up at Padmé in confusion. Hopefulness and curiosity sparkled in her eyes, but she also seemed worried. "But my daddy said…"
"I'm not saying your daddy doesn't love you," Padmé immediately said. "I'm just wondering if you want to know who your real parents are."
"You know who they are?" Leia stared in awe.
Padmé gave a calm, reassuring smile though she felt no such feelings at that moment. "Yes, I do,"
Leia seemed excited, but then she grew sad, muttering, "Daddy says they're dead…"
Padmé chose her words carefully. "Your daddy may not be right about that."
Silence hung heavily in the air as Padmé gauged her daughter's reaction. Leia seemed excited and anxious to know who her parents were. She stood with her eyes wide, and any semblance of that strange calmness from before was completely gone. However, she seemed to hesitate. Her whole life she knew Bail and Breha Organa as her parents, and Padmé was sure it felt strange to Leia that someone else would step in with the titles of mommy and daddy. Leia almost seemed scared to give someone else the titles, and so she remained silent.
Not wanting to thrust it all upon her at once, Padmé told Leia to sit down and then sat across from her. "I'm going to tell you a story, okay?"
Leia nodded with rapt attention.
"A long time ago there was a man and a woman who met and fell in love," she began, but Leia immediately interrupted.
"And they lived happily ever after!" she shouted with a smile.
Padmé laughed, but it held no mirth. Oh how she wished that were true. Leia didn't notice the change in attitude, though, and Padmé quickly resumed the story. "Well, they got married, but something happened. A bad battle between two governments broke out. Has your daddy told you about the Clone War?"
Leia nodded, completely engrossed in the story. "Yes, he's told me about it. He said it was really bad and lots of people died in it. He also said it's what made the Republic go away and the Empire come."
"Yes, it is," Padmé encouraged. "That war happened just when the man and the woman got married, and the man had to fight in it."
"Oh no!" Leia interjected. "Was he bad?"
"No, sweetheart. You'll understand better when you're older, but sometimes we have to fight for what we believe in. Surely your daddy's said that."
Leia seemed to ponder the comment. "Daddy says we have to stand up for what we believe… but he says killing is bad, and he says wars kill people."
"Wars most certainly kill people," Padmé agreed. "But they're fought for reasons. Take the Empire and the Rebels for example: the Empire is bad, right?"
Leia nodded with conviction. "They're very bad!"
"What about the Rebels?"
Leia paused. "They're… daddy says they're good."
"Exactly," Padmé nodded. "Yet they're fighting a war; that's because the Empire's bad and more people will get hurt if the Rebels don't fight. The Clone War was just like that; the Separatists…"
Here Padmé paused. Trying to explain something as complicated as the Clone War to a five-year-old was difficult. The war between the Empire and the Rebels was a little more black and white, something a child could understand; the Empire was a cruel and abusive government that needed to be taken down. In other words, it was exactly how Leia had put it earlier: the Empire was bad and the Rebels were good. But how did one explain the Clone War? The war was started because the Republic was growing corrupt and negligent to its own people, but the Separatists were the ones who started the conflict instead of trying to solve the problem. Neither side was all bad nor was neither side all good. Padmé supposed she would have to simplify it as much as possible.
"The Separatists were led by a bad person," she explained. "And the Republic was full of good people. The Separatists started the war, and the Republic had to fight back so they couldn't let the bad guy win. The man was fighting for the Republic. Understand?"
Leia nodded, and Padmé continued her story. "So the war started, and the man was always away. He fought in many battles, and his wife was a senator who was trying to stop the Separatists too. During the war, the woman found out she was going to have a baby."
Leia gasped in excitement. "Was it a girl?"
"You'll see." Padmé said tantalizingly, grabbing the girl's attention all the more. "When the woman found this out, though, her husband was still fighting and she couldn't tell him. Finally, the husband came home—"
"Yay!" Leia interjected.
"And the woman was able to tell him about the baby. The man was happy he was going to have a baby, and the woman was happy too. However, someone worse than all the other bad men in the war did something horrible—he took the husband away from his wife. This bad man was named Palpatine. When the war ended, the wife and husband were separated from each other because of Palpatine, and the woman got hurt and gave birth without her husband being there."
At this point Leia was too engrossed in the story to even comment at the awful turn of events. She only stared at Padmé in horror and waited for her to continue.
"The woman gave birth to twins – a baby boy and a baby girl. The boy she named Luke, and the girl… was named Leia."
"That's my name!" Leia gasped.
"Yes, it is," Padmé nodded, looking at Leia intently.
Leia seemed to ponder the issue for a moment. "She has my name?"
"She's you," Padmé explained.
"She's me?" Leia exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "But what happened to my mommy and daddy? And—and—Palpatine did it? Palpatine kept my parents away from me?"
"Hang on; I'll finish the story," Padmé replied. Leia stared at her desperately, begging with her eyes for Padmé to quickly continue and explain more. "After you and your brother—"
"I have a brother?" Leia interrupted. "I have—where—but—"
"Just wait a moment more, sweetheart," Padmé calmed her daughter. "After you and your brother were born, your mother's injuries made her fall into a deep sleep. Your adopted father, Bail, was there when you were born. He was a dear friend of your mother, and he wanted to take care of you because your mother couldn't wake up."
"But what about my brother?" Leia asked hurriedly.
"He went with your father's family," Padmé answered simply. She wasn't going to explain anything more on that matter; she wasn't going to confuse her daughter by saying Anakin had become bad and then suddenly turned good before possibly turning quasi bad once more. She also wasn't going to say Palpatine was after Leia because she didn't want to scare her. Instead, she continued with the story. "Anyway, your mother continued to sleep and your father was a prisoner to Palpatine. However, just recently, your mother has woken up."
"She's awake?" Leia's eyes widened immensely. "Where is she?"
Padmé supposed this would be the moment to tell her. She wasn't sure if it was the right way to do so, but to torment Leia with the information any longer would be cruel. She crouched in front of her daughter so she could look at her face to face. "She's right in front of you."
Leia gazed at Padmé blankly for a moment as the realization came over her. Then she looked startled and confused, backing away from Padmé. Tears glistened in her eyes, and she shook her head. "But daddy said my parents are dead…"
"I was in a deep sleep, Leia," Padmé explained urgently and desperately. She had to understand. "I couldn't come for you… I'm so sorry… but I'm awake now, Leia. I'm here."
Padmé suspected Leia might burst into tears and call for Bail or Breha. Instead, she took a small timid step towards Padmé.
"You're… you're my mommy?" she asked with a quivering voice.
Padmé felt herself choking up, so she just smiled and nodded intently. She felt a strange warmth envelope her, and Leia's odd behavior suddenly seemed to make sense.
She was Force sensitive.
Before Padmé could muster any coherent sentence, Leia finally did burst into tears. Instead of running away, however, she just barely reached her arms up towards Padmé, and Padmé needed no further indication; she immediately swept her daughter into her arms and held her tightly, listening to the girl sob as she cried silently into her daughter's hair.
"I'm here, Leia," she whispered. "I'm here,"
He watched her sleep. She had fallen asleep sometime while he had been napping, and he found her sitting beside the cot when he awoke. She looked so tired though she was sleeping deeply. Lines seemed etched onto her face and there were dark circles around her eyes. He felt her nervousness and terror, and it made his stomach churn just looking at her, yet he couldn't avert his gaze. She was the only thing in his world that he knew, and he was not letting go of that.
He sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know who he was. He didn't even know or understand the noises the woman made when she was with him. She seemed frustrated and sad that he didn't understand, and he wished with all his might that he could help, but something held him back. He seemed to dread the day when he could understand her. Maybe it was because of the glimpse he got from that horrible man.
A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the man. When the person in the white coat had stuck a needle in him (he at least knew what that was, and he hated it), he had panicked and pushed everything and everyone away. He ran anywhere he could to get away until he ran into that frightening old man. The man had stared at him and made those same strange noises the others made, but it made sense in his mind. He felt cold as if he had been frozen, and he could immediately tell the old man was angry at him. The sense of the man's anger had been enough to startle him into compliance, and he had quickly left the room, hiding in the nearest corner he could find until he could pull himself together. While he had been in the room with the old man, however, he had felt more dread than he could ever explain, and he saw images that made no sense. He saw himself making those same strange noises as the others, and he was with the old man… but the woman wasn't there. He didn't like that part… it wasn't as if the woman just happened to be missing… no, he knew that she wasn't there for a reason, and it was that reason that he didn't like.
No, he wasn't going to let that man near him again. He wasn't going to leave the woman again. But now all he could hear was the man's voice, and he occasionally felt ice cold as if he were staring at the man again. It was as if the man was reaching inside of him, and it terrified him. He looked at the woman once more and felt safe again, sighing. Hugging himself, he slid down the wall to sit on the floor and just stared at her in a silent vigil.
An image of a man he had never seen before flashed in his mind. The man had a reddish blonde moustache and beard to match his well groomed hair, and his blue-grey eyes were far more calming than even watching the blonde woman. However, there was a different woman with this man; she was a brunette, and her brown eyes held strength, grace, and kindness. He didn't know why, but the image of those two made him feel at peace and miserable at the same time, and tears began to stream down his face. He let out a small sob and wished the image would go away, and when it did, he felt emptier than before.
If it's worth your while, please leave a review. If you guys could do me a favor, tell me how you think Leia turned out; I don't think I'm very good at creating child characters, so I need all the help and advice I can get. :)