Note 1: Thank you for all the review/alerts/favorites that I have received, you guys are truly awesome and I know each and every one of you.

Note 2: This takes place during ROTS, right after Anakin and Obi-Wan return from rescuing Chancellor Palpatine from General Grievous.

Note 3: Star Wars and its affiliates do not belong to me, only the contents of this Verse.

Note 4: Thank you to my betas; TACAitsH and Young at guys are the ones who read and re-read these chapters over and over until they are right. Unless you're a writer or a beta, you will not understand how time-consuming and difficult this process really is. You guys are amazing.

Chosen: Restoration

Chapter 10: A Blessing

By WrittinInStone

When Anakin Skywalker finally woke from his exhausted slumber, the first thing he looked for was his wife. He frowned when he looked around his room and did not see her. Where was she? She should be fretting, fussing, and dotting over him at this very moment; he wanted to be coddled and he wanted it now.

He looked down at his body: IVs ran from his arm to machines stationed near his bed. He carefully began removing the IVs from his arm; it was probably not the smartest thing to do, but he was already tired of being restrained to the medical cot. He had always been an energetic and active person; being confined to bed was like…well, it was like hell.

"Anakin?"

He looked in the direction of the voice and there stood Obi-Wan.

"Master." Anakin responded, relief coloring his voice. Now that was a good friend; someone who sat near his bedside and watched over him. It was unfortunate that the thought of cuddling with Obi-Wan made his empty stomach dry heave. But no such nausea surfaced at the thought of cuddling with Padmé, so, once again, where was she?

"Obi-Wan," Anakin asked casually, "Do you know where the Senator is?" The young Knight immediately castigated himself for his formality. But he was desperate and starting to get a little worried. This was not like Padmé at all. Even if she'd had to pose as nothing more than a friend, normally she would have been by his side.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't be worried." Obi-Wan said, interrupting his thoughts. "She just found out that she's pregnant, so she's probably contacting the father of the children or getting in touch with her family. You should check her room, she might be there."

The older man hesitated before finally admitting. "Anakin, be careful what you say…I don't think she knows that she's carrying twins. When you see her, please tell her, but be…sensitive about it."

"Wait," Anakin stopped everything and turned to look at his master. "You told her? And you didn't tell her there's two instead of one?"

Miserably, Obi-Wan began to scratch his head. "I didn't have the chance! You should have seen her when I told her. She looked dazed and she wouldn't come back when I called her."

"She looked dazed?" Anakin repeated.

"Yes." Obi-Wan began to rub his beard ruefully, "She just walked off like she stopped hearing everything. I did speak to the medical droid after she left. Doc said that it's normal and that she's probably just walking off the shock."

"You're both probably right." Anakin said, giving his master a smile. "I think I'm going to go to my room and lay down before the doc hooks me back up to those torture machines."

Obi-Wan sighed, "Those torture machines, as you call them, help to give you energy."

"Yes, yes, I know." Anakin said with a wave of hand.

"Maybe I should accompany you to your room, Anakin." Obi-Wan offered.

"I'm not a little kid anymore, Obi-Wan." The young Knight said, rolling his eyes. "I can make it to my room by myself."

The older man studied him for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I will contact the Jedi Council; I need to give them an update on everything that's been happening. You get some rest. Oh, and Anakin—" Obi-Wan said, making Anakin pause. "No strenuous, laborious or otherwise taxing activity."

"Come on, Obi-Wan." Anakin said, flashing Obi-Wan a smile. "It's me! You have nothing to worry about."

As Obi-Wan watched his young friend walk away, he prayed to the Force to give him strength because Anakin's words scared him to death.

#*#*#*#*#

Anakin let out a huge sigh as he checked what had to be the thirtieth room. He tried not to feel guilty for lying to Obi-Wan, but he had to search for his wife. It was unlikely that Padmé was talking to her family; they would be sure to inquire about the identity of the baby's father. Padmé would not want that sort of stress so early on in the pregnancy, so she would not open herself to it. And of course, she could not be talking to the father of her children because he was the father.

As he continued his search, he couldn't help but feel annoyance at the predicament that he was in. He did not like the fact that it was Obi-Wan, and not him, that had told Padmé about the pregnancy. This was a momentous occasion for the Skywalker family and Obi-Wan had given Padmé something that was Anakin's to give. He knew that he should shake it off, but he couldn't help but think that something so important should have come from his mouth. Now his wife was surely roaming the halls of the ship in a daze and with her crazy pregnancy symptoms, she could be doing anything. If he had been with her, that would not have happened.

Anakin knew that it was irrational to blame Obi-Wan; there was no way his Master could have known. But still…

Anakin shook his head to clear his mind of the thought. Obi-Wan hadn't known and that was the end of it.

Or was it? A small insidious voice said in the back of his mind. Obi-Wan doesn't know who the father is and he's always been close to Padmé. What if he sees this as an opportunity to be more to Padmé than just a friend…just as you did on Naboo?

With pure force of will, Anakin pushed the evil, divisive thoughts from his mind. They disturbed him greatly. Obi-Wan had always been a friend to Padmé, nothing more. And Padmé would never betray him…not for anyone.

Anakin paused and closed his eyes, battling his emotions. Where was all this poison coming from? Suddenly his eyes snapped back open as he remembered a conversation with a person whose sentiments were similar to the thoughts now creeping into his head.

It had been a cool day on Coruscant and one of the rare times that he and Obi-Wan had been called back from the Outer Rim for an important meeting. He had been frustrated that day for one simple reason: his inability to see Padmé. Unaware that he was arriving, she had gone to visit her family on Naboo the very day that he arrived on Coruscant.

In his aggravation, he had gone to the one person who knew everything, the one person who he'd thought he could talk to about anything: Chancellor Palpatine. He could still remember their conversation now…

"Anakin, my boy. You look glum today. Is something the matter?" Palpatine sat at his desk in the Senate building, looking at Anakin as he angrily paced the floor.

"Yes." Anakin answered, pausing to turn to the Chancellor. "Everything is the matter. I finally get summoned back to Coruscant after months on a mission and now that I'm home, the one person that I need to see isn't here."

Although Anakin knew that Palpatine knew who the 'person' was, something in him refused to say her name aloud.

"Hm…" Palpatine said, placing his hands under his chin, "You told me, when you first arrived, that you made a stop before coming here, right?"

"Yes, Master Kenobi and I stopped at a station to refuel our ships." Anakin said shaking his head. "I told him that we could make it home without it, but he insisted. He said that it was better to be safe than sorry."

"I see." The Chancellor said with a nod, "Sage advice, Master Kenobi gives. But maybe… No!" Palpatine said, shaking his head, interrupting his own words,"That's probably not the case." He said quietly, as though talking to himself.

"Maybe, what" Anakin asked, nearing the desk.

"I don't know, but…maybe there was another reason that Master Kenobi wanted you to stop at the space station? Something other than refueling the ships?"

And just like that, the seed had been planted. Anakin knew that Obi-Wan did not know about his relationship with Padmé, but Palpatine's words still made him suspicious. He began to see accusation and censure in everything that Obi-Wan said, no matter how genial. Furious, he had remained cold to Obi-Wan during the rest of the time they spent on Coruscant as well as the week following the departure. Things between him and Obi-Wan finally went back to normal when he was able to talk to Padmé, a whole two weeks after they left Coruscant.

Now, as Anakin thought back on the incident, he could see how easily Palpatine had manipulated him. All the Chancellor had done was drop a casually worded implication and Anakin had taken it and ran with it.

The thought made Anakin feel ill. After seeing how Palpatine had goaded him on the Invisible Hand, it was sickening to think that he had been controlled so easily, that he had been so ready to listen to whatever Palpatine said.

That will never happen again, Anakin thought stonily to himself. And Obi-Wan was doing his job as a friend to Padmé. He did not know and he would not have told her if he knew that we were together. My master has done nothing to warrant such suspicions. He doesn't deserve that.

Anakin nodded, knowing that his conclusions were right, yet, the Jedi Knight still felt unsettled. In his mind he knew that Obi-Wan was a good person, he knew that Padmé would not betray him, then why was he still uneasy? Why did the mere thought of Obi-Wan being anywhere near Padmé set Anakin off?

Maybe Palptine planted more than just suspicion in my mind, Anakin thought, suddenly angry. Something is wrong here; I can feel it. I should not be thinking this way, and yet I cannot seem to stop. It's like there's something whispering in my ear; like the Dark Side is near. I must speak with Master Yoda; I must find out what is wrong with me.

I will do that as soon as possible, Anakin thought, but for now, I must find Padmé. Doing so is my first priority.

Anakin paused as he suddenly had an epiphany. "Maybe she's in the kitchen," he thought aloud. "Trying to get some grapefruit."

He began to make his way to the kitchen. No matter what Obi-Wan said, he sensed that there was something wrong with Padmé and he would not stop until he found her.

#*#*#*#*#

Padmé walked, hunched over, as she moved quickly down the hallway. She knew Anakin well enough to know that by now, he was searching for her. But she didn't want to be found and the reason for this was simple, she was afraid.

Yesterday, she had been so happy about the pregnancy. But now, in the light of a new day, fear threatened to overtake her. She wanted her baby; she wanted it so badly. But life would change because of the child and it would be a major change, she could feel it.

The prospect of carrying life was both exciting and scary. She was carrying a human being inside of her! A small person…she couldn't get over it. To a lot of people, being pregnant was normal, but to Padmé? It was a miracle.

She unconsciously began to rub her belly. When she realized that she was doing it, she stopped. If she started rubbing her belly in public, then the media would have a field day. This was one impulse that she would have to limit to more private venues.

Padmé sighed. She couldn't help but wonder how Anakin had taken the news. She was sure that he knew; Obi-Wan had probably told Anakin before he told her.

With that thought, Padmé finally acknowledged the real problem; Anakin. Anakin was the true reason that she was afraid. She wanted her child and was even willing to deal with the inevitable media fallout…but what would she do if Anakin simply did not want to be a father?

I would be devastated, Padmé thought solemnly, utterly devastated. So here she was, skulking through the halls and ducking her husband like she was a teenager instead of facing him like the adult that she was.

Where is my backbone? She thought, reprimanding herself. I'm stronger than this! But then again, She thought sadly, Anakin has always been my weakness. Look at what I've done to be with him. I've risked everything to be with him; my career, his career, my family, my reputation, my very life. So, what am I going to do if he rejects our baby?

Padmé stopped where she was and turned so that her back was against the wall. She slid until she was sitting on the floor. Sweet Force, she said, her eyes filling with tears, what am I going to do if Anakin doesn't want us?

She closed her eyes and as she did, she thought of all the things that she and Anakin had been through.

She remembered their time on Naboo, their time on Tatooine afterward. She remembered the stolen moments and the way he made her feel. She remembered the passion that they shared, the love that she felt radiating from him whenever he looked at her. She remembered the tender way that he called her 'wife' when they were in the privacy of their home. She remembered the way his arms felt around her.

And as she remembered all of those things, her heart grew light. "Padmé," she softly said aloud to herself, "You are an idiot. He loves you. He shows it to you every time he looks at you, every time he touches you. He's going to be happy about this baby, I just know it.

She smiled, happy with what she had concluded. "It must be pregnancy jitters." She said aloud as she stood up. "And now that I've stopped being crazy, I should find my husband," She started walking again, a small bounce in her step.

Then suddenly, she paused in mid-step. Finally, in a shaky voice she said, "Or maybe I'll just continue to avoid him." And with that, she turned and fled, hoping to find a place where Anakin could not find her.

#*#*#*#*#

Anakin spotted her as she rounded the corner. Their eyes met at exactly the right moment, if they hadn't, he might not have seen her at all.

As soon as Padmé saw, him her eyes widened. The next moment, she was running, flying through the halls of the ship.

Gritting his teeth, Anakin chased after her.

"Padmé!" He called, "Stop!"

"Padmé!" He repeated as he continued to run behind her, "Stop, now!"

He couldn't believe how fast she was running. He was a Jedi Knight! She should not be outrunning him!

He tensed as he focused on his target and began picking up speed. His teeth clenched as he was forced to dodge the clones and droids milling in the halls. It was like playing dodge-the-ball in the Jedi Temple as a child.

I was the best at that game, Anakin thought grimly, seconds before almost crashing into a droid.

"Sorry," Anakin called back as he continued to follow Padmé. They were coming up on a fork, splitting the hallway into two directions. Upon coming to the fork, Padmé hesitated and then went to the right.

The slight hesitation gave Anakin the opportunity he needed to gain on her.

When Padmé turned around and saw how close Anakin was, she panicked. She immediately ran to the nearest door, quickly opening it and then attempted to close it. Close on her heels, Anakin picked up speed, determined to get in before the door shut. Seconds later, he slipped into the room just as the door closed with a 'thud'.

The force of his run carried him past Padmé and into a couch stationed next to a window. He hit the couch facedown with a solid thump. When Anakin attempted to rise, his found that his arms would not hold him.

I think it would be better for me to stay here, Anakin thought faintly. I'm so tired. Just a month ago I would have caught her moments after seeing her. Now, I'm out of breath. Force, I hate this sickness.

Using all of his strength, he lifted himself off the couch and turned to see Padmé standing in the middle of the room with tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, Force." She whispered, seeing her husband's weakness. "I forgot that you were sick…oh, how could I forget?"

Anakin frowned, uneasy at the obvious distress on her face. "It's okay, Padmé. Will you please just tell me what's wrong? Why did you run from me? What's this about?"

She turned away from him, refusing to speak. "Just tell me what you're thinking, okay?" She finally burst out. "I want to know now! Just get it over with and tell me you don't want us!"

Anakin stilled as he felt ice creep up his spine. "Explain your statement, please." He said carefully.

"I…I…" She didn't know why this was so difficult to verbalize. He already knew she was pregnant, so why couldn't she say it?

Because verbalizing it will make it that much more real, she thought to herself. Padmé cleared her throat. She was strong, she could do this. And he would want her, he would…

"I'm pregnant." She said quietly. "I don't know how it happened, but…I'm pregnant. Do…do you want us?"

Anakin thought that he knew what true anger was. When he slaughtered the Sand People for murdering his mom, when he had ended Count Dooku, he had been angrier then he had ever been in his life.

But now his wife stood in front of him asking him if he wanted her? Anakin Skywalker thought that he was going to explode.

"Padmé," He said conversationally, "I know that I'm not the smartest guy in the Galaxy. But I know that you are not implying that I would not want either you or our children."

Padmé zeroed in on one word. "Children?" She repeated.

"Yes," Anakin said, jaw tight, "We're having twins."

"Twins!" Padmé said, glowing, "We're having twins…" She beamed at him as she began to rub her stomach. "Now I can really say me, myself and I when referring to myself!" She said laughing.

Anakin did not laugh. Padmé's smile fell and her laugh faded at the look on her husband's face.

"Do you really think so little of me, Padmé?" Anakin asked softly. "I thought I had proven myself over and over again to you. Do you really think that I would not want our children…or you?"

Padmé's stomach clenched at the deep look of hurt on her husband's face.

"Anakin," She began. "It's…not what you think."

"It's not?" He inquired, looking at her with pain in his eyes, "Then what is it? Please, explain it to me. I want to know."

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. "I'm sorry, Anakin." She whispered. "I don't know what I was thinking, I mean, I do! I just…I knew you would love them, love us…but…I…I don't know…."

Anakin said nothing as he stood and started toward the door. ""Yesterday, was a shock, I admit that. But…I was happy, too." He paused before continuing, "It was the happiest day of my life."

Silence fell "Our babies are a blessing, Padmé. I really do believe that." Without a backward glance at her, he opened the door and left.

Padmé stood in the room, knowing that she had made a terrible mistake.

"I hurt him badly, my loves. I don't think I've ever seen him look like that before." She whispered to her babies. She looked up at the door as though staring at it would make her husband materialize.

"Dear Force, what have I done?" And as Padmé stood and watched the door that her husband had walked out of, she did not notice the tears that fell down her face.

End of Chapter 10: If you loved it, review it.

Twilight's Rain Ch. Counselor: Padmé asks Obi-Wan for advice.

((***If you simply LOVED this, please check out my other story: Soul's Scars. But no, seriously, check it out. It's awesome and totally unlike anything you have ever read.))