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Anakin Skywalker, the great Jedi was home on leave for a few days, and he spent it with the most important person to him; his wife. Padme was 6 months pregnant and so excited about the birth of her twins. Both were spending time at her apartment, but Padme was going back and forth to Naboo to set up their home for the twins. It was a lot of work. She was glad to be back on Coruscant, Anakin would be there to help. She was able to keep her pregnancy hidden, her senator duties were being handled remotely and the only people she trusted to know about her pregnancy was her parents. Not even her sister knew. Her parents were not thrilled about her marriage situation but they were over the moon about the birth of her twins. They couldn't wait to have more grandchildren.
Anakin was changing. Padme wanted to believe it was just from the war, but she wasn't sure. The couple had barely seen one another these past few weeks and when they did, Anakin seemed like he had many things on his mind. He did snap at her a few times, something he hadn't really done before. He seemed quick to get angry. Padme tried to let it go. This pregnancy brought the couple closer than ever but Anakin was definitely different. He had told her things he hadn't shared with anyone in his life, but she felt him almost slipping away. He was afraid of becoming a father that was for sure, but she couldn't figure out why he had been distant lately, but also overly protective. Anakin on the other hand was having horrible nightmares about losing not only Padme but the twins in childbirth. He couldn't explain this to her but this is what happened before his mother died. He wouldn't let it happen to her. Anakin was also frustrated with the Jedi order, the war, and everything in between. He felt a lot of pressure. He wanted to succeed as a father but had no example of one. He was stressed out.
The couple spent their days off enjoying one another. Anakin was terrified of fatherhood but he was present for Padme. He went to a few doctor's appointments and even saw his twins on an ultrasound. He already loved them. He would be the best father, even if he didn't know how to be one.
It was late evening and the couple just finished their dinner, Padme was reading while Anakin had a drink, staring out into the endless flow of traffic on Coruscant What's on your mind?" Padme asked. She saw how stressed he was, she knew he was scared of becoming a dad, and she knew their was something he wasn't telling her. She couldn't figure out what.
"I'm not the Jedi I should be." He stated, blankly. He wasn't. He was one of the most powerful Jedis in the galaxy, probably the strongest, yet he didn't feel for-filled with his life. He wanted more. He wanted all the power. He felt guilt and shame over it too.
"What do you mean? Your Anakin Skywalker. One of the greatest Jedis that's ever lived." She said, smiling at him. She placed her hands on her belly, rubbing it slowly. Padme didnt understand his internal struggle. Anakin poured himself another drink and sat next to Padme. He began rubbing her belly as well, entranced by her new body.
"I want more, and I know I shouldn't...I am strong with the force, I have one of the best masters, Obi-Wan has taught me so much. And I have the most beautiful women in all of the galaxy...my angel." He said looking her dead in the eyes. "But I want more."
Padme didn't know what to say.
"I don't need you to say anything, just listen." He said, reading her mind. This angered Padme, but she kept listening.
"I was a slave as a child, I feel sometimes a slave to the order now. I don't want to do all this fighting all the time, especially when I question whether we should still even be in this war or not." Anakin poured himself another drink. He had to get this out, tonight. He needed someone to listen.
"I am afraid Padme..." Anakin let one tear slip from his eye. He moved in close to her and held her. She didn't know what to say..
"Ani, what are you afraid of?" She grabbed his face and searched for an answer.
"I'm afraid of losing you. I've had dreams... the same kind I had about my mother. And they came true for her. I have these dreams almost every night. Im so worried that something will happen to you...and in my dreams the twins don't make it... "with that he let his head sink. He cried. "I can't lose you."
Padme listened to him. She held him. She tried to reassure him nothing would happen to her. Her pregnancy was normal. She was healthy. Seeing the best doctors on Naboo and C. Of course something can always go wrong during the delivery, but that was very rare nowadays. "Your dreams are nerves Anakin, this is going to be a huge change in our lives...this is completely normal." Padme was holding Anakins hands tight, she needed him to know she was here for him. He shook his head. There wouldn't be a way to explain this to her, he would just have to protect her and do everything in his power to make sure his dreams do not become reality. He would die without her.
The next morning after Anakin left, Padme heard a knock on the door. She quickly put on a robe to try to cover her belly, but that was impossible now, she opened the door to see Master Obi-Wan, his eyes going instantly to her pregnant stomach. He quickly looked back up at the senator and tried to avoid the awkwardness.
"May I come in, Senator?" He asked politely.
"Yes, Obi-Wan and please call me Padme, we've known each other too long for formalities." Padme lead Obi-Wan to the living area, offered him so tea and they sat down together. She tried desperately to cover her stomach, but she was carrying twins. This wasn't going to happen.
"So.."she said to him, wondering why he was here. She wanted this visit over with. 'Why is he here?' She pondered.
"Padme, I don't know if you have seen Anakin lately..." he started to say. Obi-Wan could feel that Anakin had been there.. and he was starting to question Padme and Anakins relationship.
"He stops by from time to time to check on me." That was all the information he was getting from her. She had to protect her husband. She shifted uncontrollably, the twins were moving in her stomach and forced her to stand with the amount they were moving around. Obi-Wan watched her. "Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yes Obi-Wan, as you can probably see, I am pregnant. I have been staying on Naboo, but had to come here for senatorial business. What is wrong with Anakin? What's going on?" She asked, trying to ignore the elephant in the room.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "Padme, I've noticed Anakin becoming angry more often, he seems stressed out. His mind isn't focused on what he needs to be focused on. He is distant and will not confide in me. I thought maybe you had some inside knowledge.. I know you two are close." He looked at her. Padme sat back down next to him. How was she going to answer this. "I've noticed it too.."she finally said. "But I think he is just tired of fighting, Obi-Wan. He wants to be on the council, he wants to be recognized for his efforts." That was some truth. She couldn't tell him the full truth though.
"Padme, I am going to need a no-bullshit answer from you." Padmes eyes jumped opened with surprise, she had never heard Obi-Wan speak like this. "Is he the father?"
Filled with shame and guilt, Padme just looked down to the floor. She tried so hard to keep her game face on but didn't even have the words to answer him. "He..." she began.
"Padme, I can sense his presence here. Please, I need to know. I want to help Anakin, and I feel like he is slipping away." Obi-Wan didn't want to scare Padme, but he needed the truth. Padme sat there, unable to throw her husband under the bus. "I am sorry Padme. I do not want to pressure you. I just want to help Anakin." With that Obi-Wan stood up. He turned before he left, looked at Padme, "if I do not see you before the birth, I wish you the best of luck Padme. Speedy and healthy delivery." And with that he left.
Padme sat there on her couch unable to move. Something had to be terribly wrong with Anakin in order for him to have Obi-Wan so worried. She didn't reveal their secret but she knew Obi-Wan already suspected Anakin was the father. She sat back on the couch and threw her feet up for some relief. Her mind wandered. Did she say the right things? Should she have told him the truth? She was really worried about Anakin. She laid there going over every word of their conversation in her head and drifted off...
When Anakin arrived to Padmes apartment, he found he asleep on the couch. Something she never did. She looked so peaceful. He felt a familiar presence and realized Obi-Wan had been there. This angered him. 'Why the fuck was he here?' He wondered.
Anakin sat next to Padme on the couch and she opened her eyes slowly. "Ani?" She asked, still half asleep.
"Its me, my love. Get up let's get you to bed." He tried helping her up. She sat up as fast as she could, "no no I got it." She shook her head, trying to shake the fog of sleep.
"Ani..." she became but he cut her off "Why was Obi-Wan here?" He asked, blood boiling under his skin. He didn't understand why he was so mad, but he was.
Padme heard his anger in his voice and it woke her up. "Ani, he is worried about you." She said clearly. She was trying to calm him down.
"Worried? Does he know?" He asked, pointing to her belly.
"I told him I was pregnant, I cannot hide this anymore." She said opening up her robe to her huge belly. "He doesn't know your the father. I told him you stop by from time to time to check up on me. He said he was worried about you, how you seemed stressed out lately." She was honest with him.
"I don't like him here...sticking his nose in my business. I can never get away from the Jedi.." he said, sounding frustrated. Out of no where he slammed his fist down onto a table. This startled Padme. "Anakin why would you do that?" She quickly asked and almost instinctively backed away from him. "I don't like another man hanging around my wife's apartment. I don't like him coming to you for information about me." He was pacing now, angry, almost like he was someone else. Padme didn't understand. "Ani, he cares about you, he didn't mean any harm coming here." She walked up to him and tried to calm him but he threw her hands away.
"Anakin?!" Padme was getting upset. "What's wrong no with you?" She looked at him..waiting for an answer.
"Never let him in here again." He fired back at her. Anakin was overly possessive of Padme. He had always been like that but it was getting worse lately. He trusted her, but his own insecurities got to him.
"Ani.." she followed him into the kitchen where she found him picking up plates and smashing them.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?!" She screamed and ran up to him trying to stop him, he pushed her away and she slid on a broken piece of glass and fell to the floor. Tears were now running from her eyes as she tried to get up. 'What the fuck?!' Was all she kept thinking to herself. Anakin snapped out of his angry tantrum and tried picking her up from the floor. As he put his arms on her, she looked up at him, "get out." She said. She wasn't asking. "Get the fuck out!!!" She screamed as she lifted herself up. Anakin took a step back, looking at her struggle to stand. What had he done? "Padme.." he tried and she didn't even let him start his sentence.. "you need to leave, now!" And he did.
Padme looked back on this moment and many moments like this throughout their marriage and had come to the realization that these were red flags she ignored. He became domestically violent towards her, while she was pregnant. She hated him for this. He put her through it while she was carrying the twins and she didn't know what to do. Memories like this and the day Anakin beat her to unconsciousness had changed her. The thought of him doing these things to her set her into a panic. She struggled to work through this since the years of his death. How could the man she loved so much do this to her? He would have these crazy intense moments and then be the loving man she married again. It was always up and down, especially towards the end...
"Padme, it's me." It was him. At first Padme thought she was dreaming..Anakin died years ago. But here he was.. standing in front of her and their children. The twins stood next to Padme, wondering who this man was. She didn't know what to do. Fear filled her heart...she knew what he was capable of. She instantly remembered that he had killed children, the same ages as Luke and Leia. She remembered him turning to the dark side, right before he tried to kill her. Where had he been for all these years? Padme had the children wrapped tightly on each side and she slowly started to back away from Vader. The children felt her fear and gripped their mother tighter. A flood of memories came back to her. The good ones, their marriage, trips they took, hiding their true identities and trying to live a normal life... and then the bad ones...Anakin hurting her, abusing her while she was pregnant..turning to the dark side. She had worked on forgiveness for years but she was still fearful of him. The memories didn't leave. She felt confusion. How could this even be real? Anakin is dead..
"Padme..." Vader stood there, watching his wife and children back away from him. Here was the love of his life and their precious children, alive. Why had he been lied to all this time? A million thoughts ran through his head and he wanted to approach this situation carefully. He studied his children for a moment, tears filling his eyes. Leia looked so much like him, and Luke so much like his mother. These were his babies, and he missed out on so much of their young lives. He wanted to run up to them, know everything about them, hold them...but he knew they were afraid of him as well.
"I was told you passed away." She took a big gulp, she did not want the children around for this...
"I did not die Padme, I am sorry you were told that." He stated. He tried taking a step closer to his family and they moved back. He took his hood off completely and stared directly at Padme. She could see clearly it was Anakin, he had been scarred greatly but it was him. His once blue eyes now yellow and void of a soul. He was bigger than she remembered, stronger, and he had his hair cut short. 'How could this be, he's dead.' She thought to herself. So many emotions ran through her. Tears began running down her face and she knew she needed to compose herself for her children.
"Luke, Leia, grab the rest of your beach toys and head up to the car, I will be right there." Padme told the kids, but Luke wasn't falling for it. "Mommy no, don't leave us." He was afraid.
"I am just going to finish up my chat with this gentleman and I'll be right there. I promise." She held Luke's face with her hands, "now go."
The children did as they were told..and when Padme saw the car door shut, and two little heads looking out at her, she began to approach Vader. In her mind she started putting the pieces together..
Padme approached Anakin, looking at him directly in the eyes. She searched his face and found some emotion. His eyes were filled with tears. Vader was enamored by her beauty. She hadn't aged a day since the last time he saw her. Her hair was different but that was ok with him. She walked right up to him. Looked him up and down. Yes this was her husband, this was Anakins body but this wasn't the man she married. This Anakin is soulless, a murderer, a man who beats his wife while she was pregnant. A man who kills children. Destroys planets and the people who dare cross him. This Anakin wasn't Anakin at all. He may still physically be the man she married but he was in no way shape or form her husband. He was now a dangerous, reckless, ruthless killer. Killing for the empire. For the emperor. He was just a slave again, just to someone else.
"Anakin, if that's still even your name. The last time I saw you, you abandoned your family for the dark side. You physically assaulted me and I had to have my children early, I almost died giving birth to them...!!! Her anger, held back for a long time, came out. "I've kept us hidden under the fear of the emperor finding our children.. when I should have been afraid of you as well! Do you have any clue as to what you have done? People are suffering. Your only family has suffered. Why? Why did you do this? Why did you throw your family away? What power was worth us? Why!?!" Years of built up anger and frustration came out of Padme. She screamed and began to cry. "You have no right to us. No right to be in your children's life. You are a monster, and I hate you!" She made sure he heard the last part. Padme stood there, waiting for his response, fearful of his next move. He didn't say a word. He stood there, motionless, tears in his eyes, but they never fell onto his face.
Padme regained her composure. She wore a sundress and had her blonde hair tied in a bun. She smoothed out her dress and said, "Whoever you are, I respectfully ask that you leave us alone. We've been fine without you and will continue to be. Please leave Naboo, and leave us." She wasn't asking him, she was telling him.
Vader had no words. She was right about a lot of stuff, but in his mind, he did this all for her. Yes he wanted the power and control but he mostly wanted his wife to survive his nightmares. He wanted them to rule the galaxy together, as a team, and he certainly wanted to raise his children. He completely failed her and he knew it. Rage and anger was burning inside him, he wanted to lash out and scream and hit her, but he wouldn't. He had spent too many years regretting assaulting her and although he was a ruthless killer, physically hurting Padme and their unborn children ate him alive. He refrained from lashing out.. "Padme please just.." he tried getting the words out, but she refused. "No," she said, now openly crying, "you must leave us. If you think for one minute you will ever be the man I married, you are wrong. My children will not grow up in the empire. LEAVE US!" She screamed. This scared the children and the power in her voice put a knot in Vaders stomach.
"You know as well as I do, Senator, that I have every right to my children, they are mine. What makes you think I will let you just walk away with them?" He was ice cold. He stepped closer to Padme, getting right in her face. He could see that being nice to her wasn't going to work and he would have to be his true evil self. "Pack your belongings. I will ready my ship." He stated.
"No." it was all she said. She turned and walked to her waiting car. She turned back once she reached her transport and gave him a look of hate and disgust. She knew this wasn't going to be the end, and she hated herself for coming back to Naboo. Luke and Leia sat waiting for there mother, waiting to ask a million questions, questions she didn't want to answer. She sat in the car and turned back to face her children.
"Who was that mommy? Is he a monster?" Leia asked, she was frightened but stronger than Luke. She looked into their eyes. Her children were her life, everything she had done these past few years had been for them. She was beating herself up for being so selfish wanting to return to Naboo. Her stomach turned with fear and dread. 'He's alive and he knows we are alive. Why did Obi-Wan tell me he was dead? Did he know?' Thoughts raced through her mind. "Mommy?" Luke finally said, breaking her out of her thoughts. Padme started the car and began to drive. "When we get back to the house, we are going to pack our things and leave." She said. Her kids didn't understand and Padme didn't know how to tell their small minds they would have to be on the run again.
"Luke, Leia, I will explain things to you, as soon as we are off Naboo. I promise." They drove in silence the rest of the ride home. How was Padme going to explain to her 6 year old children that their father was not only alive but he was also responsible for the state of the galaxy. He was a murderer and an evil man. She decided she wasn't. She would tell them he was part of the empire and they would have to hide out for a while. She wanted to keep the memory of Anakin, the good Jedi, alive for her children. She would have to cover this up. She needed to contact ObI-Wan as soon as possible and escape Naboo quickly. When they arrived to their home, Padme packed their bags fast, and was ready to leave on the next transport. The children were upset about leaving this beautiful planet, their new school and friends.. but this was normal life for them. Padme sent a distress signal to Obi-Wan and in that message the words, "he's alive." She sent this message as urgent and hoped he would receive it soon. She let him know she was leaving Naboo and would contact him soon.
With three small bags and two children in tow, Padme, Luke, and Leia on foot began their journey to the public transport. They walked through the woods and paths alone, and on approach to the city, Padme saw an army of storm troopers blocking her. Panic followed. A tall dark figure walked out in front of the troopers and stopped them. The children instinctively hid behind their mother as the figure approached them, "senator, as I have told you before, you will not be taking my children from me again." Vader did not reveal his face. In a panic Padme turned and started walking away quickly with her kids. Instantly she was stopped, and Vader was in front of her face again. Leia started crying and Luke spoke up, "leave my mommy alone!" Vader looked down at his son, he removed his hood, and bent down to his sons level. Padme stood there, motionless.
Vader on his knees looked at both children, the perfect combination of him and Padme. "Luke, Leia, I am your father.."
"Don't listen to him!" Padme held her children's hands tight. She once again tried to walk past him with the children. "Padme, you will not take my children from me. I am their father."
She finally broke, "their father died before they were even born!! You are no father. You murdered children. You are a monster. Let us leave!" The twins began to cry. This brought Padme back to reality. "Anakin..whoever you are, please I am begging you, leave us be. Let us go." She was pleading with him at this point.
Vader didn't flinch until he saw his children's eyes, stained red from crying. He stood up, "I lost my family once, I will not lose them again. The ship is waiting, you are not leaving." He reached for Padmes hand. "If you do not wish to come, you don't have to. But I am taking my children with me." He knew she would never leave them.
Padme turned and saw all the storm troopers, security everywhere, this Anakin was powerful. He had total control over their situation. How could she escape. Her children were still crying and petrified of this man, she felt no other choice but to go with him. She hated herself for putting them in this situation. How could she allow this to happen? There was no escape. Anakin was going to take her children with or without her.
Vader watched her run the options in her head. He felt her confusion. He felt that she really didn't know he was alive. He knew she had no idea who he was now. "It's time Padme. Luke, Leia, my ship has a room for each of you."
He reached out his hand to Padme once more, and shaking, she took his. He was kidnapping his family and she was allowing it. This was not the man she fell in love with and married. The touch of his hand sent shivers up her spine and she let out a soft cry. Luke and Leia, confused and scared followed their mother and this man that claimed he was their father. The boarded the ship...and a totally different life began.