It was mid-November. Anakin was in Pasadena when his iPhone rung.

Anakin, my water broke, I am being transported to UCLA Health BirthPlace Santa Monica. If you can, please come.*

He dropped everything and headed Santa Monica. Padmé's parents were already there. Anakin was nervous, even though everything had been fine until then, but you never know. He was supposed to go to the delivery room becausehe promised her to be there. He was disinfected and given a blue coat, which was the rule.

It took a long time, Padmé was tormented and so was Anakin. He had no pain, except in the hand that Padmé squeezed by each contraction, but he was suffering. After eight long hours, the boy was born. His name should be Luke, that's what Padmé wanted to name her son. A little later came the girl. Anakin chose the name for her, she should be called Leia. The parents were happy that everything went without complications and were looking forward to having the babies home, after a few days, of course.

The grandparents were also happy to see the family growing. Grand-Mère Thule Naberrie was particularly thrilled to have experienced becoming a great-grandmother for the third time, as she said, at the age of only seventy-nine.

In the weeks after Padmé and the babies came home, they had many visitors. The families and all the friends wanted to see their double happiness. There was no need to mention the presents, luckily, they had enough space for.

Times were difficult, the first few weeks and months. Sleep was scarce.

Despite all, Anakin managed to finish his dissertation and get it printed.

They spent Thanksgiving alone with their babies, and they enjoyed it so much that they thought they would always celebrate it that way...but unfortunately ... Thanksgiving is a celebration for the whole family, and they both had one.

They also spent Christmas alone and that was the last to celebrate that way for the little family. Next year we will celebrate with the extended Naberrie family or with the smaller Skywalker-Lars family. By then his angel will also be called Skywalker, Anakin thought.

Anakin's thesis defence was scheduled for March, he had time to prepare. Ben Kenobi himself was excited to see how his first doctoral student would present himself. He knew that Anakin had many distractions in the last few months, but knew Anakin well and was confident Anakin wouldn't embarrass himself. A summa cum laude could be considered.

The big day came on March 28th. Everyone seemed nervous and excited except Anakin. He was calm and collected...outwardly. Inside...there was a tornado raging. He was prepared, but you never know who might come up with the idea of asking a question he couldn't answer... phew, he thought... it'll be okay. He didn't know the two reviewers, but he did know the professors and his doctoral supervisor. Anyway.

It was a rigorosum, actually the most difficult form of defending a dissertation. In contrast to disputations or colloquiums, rigorosum usually examines other subjects in addition to the topic of the dissertation.

That wasn't a problem for Anakin. He hadn't forgotten what he ever learned. Everyone was more than satisfied. He passed summa cum laude…which he would learn later.

Padmé left the twins with their mother and waited for Anakin in the entrance of the building. Of course, the defence of the dissertation is not a public event.

When she saw him coming down the stairs, she ran to him. He hugged her and was glad it was over.

"It's done, Angel. Now all I have to do is publish my dissertation, and then I'll get my doctorate certificate, by UCLA commencement in June."

"I'm looking forward to seeing and calling you, Dr. Skywalker."

"No, you should call me Ani."

"Like your mother?"

"Yeah, just you and my Mom. That's how I feel loved."

"I love you, Ani. Come on, we have to tell our twins that their daddy will be getting his doctorate soon...then they'll call you Dr. Daddy. We'll go pick up the kids, and then we'll celebrate, the four of us."

"Our little family…but financially…"

"I have money…..we have money, Anakin, and it will be more than enough until you find a job, without any problems. We'll talk about it when we're home. Come on."

As soon as he put his arm around her waist, he heard voices behind him, someone was coming down the stairs. They were the experts, professors and his doctoral supervisor, i.e. all the commission members. They stopped.

"Hello Padmé." Ben greeted.

"The fiancée was waiting impatiently… aren't you the well-known lawyer at Naberrie law firm?" asked a professor.

"I am a Naberrie."

"So young and already so successful and well-known. My brother-in-law is at the prosecutor's office, there is a rumor, they would like to have you there."

"That would be far too much politics for me. The distribution of state power is a good idea on which democracy rests, but in practice the legislative, judicial and executive branches have long been merged and there can be no talk of separate sovereign territories. Judiciary maintains only the appearance of its independence."

Anakin still had his arm around her waist, but tilted his head and looked straight into her face, surprised.

"If you look at it that way, how would you explain your success?"

"I have never had a case with a political touch in court. Only then would it become clear how independent the judiciary is and whether I would then achieve an acquittal for my client or not. I stick with my little scammers and murderers, their crimes don't matter, I'm good at defending them and that's how I can show my successes...either I want negative headlines, like... how miserably a Naberrie can fail...by Julian Assange or defend Edward Snowden. Well, I don't think they would get a star lawyer, at most, if at all, a forty-thousand-dollar public defender."

"A pretty sharp tightrope walks, Miss Naberrie."

"I love adrenaline."

"Then we wish you a nice day with your fiancé, goodbye."

"Goodbye." The group left.

"What was that, Angel? You're a rebel."

"If he hadn't mentioned the prosecutor's office...it's like a red rag to me."

"I'm afraid that wasn't particularly wise."

"That wasn't a public opinion, he can only tell the story."

"It still wasn't smart."

"Yes, Ani, but don't go on about this failure of mine."

"I still love you and I will visit you in prison every day and bring you something to eat and take care of the children...and we have to get married quickly, I don't have custody of them..."

"Very nice, I love you too."

Anakin called his mother to tell her he was done and feeling good. Then they went to their parents' house to pick up the twins.

"When is the celebration, Anakin?" Jobal had to know.

"Once the dissertation is published, and I have received the doctoral certificate, it can take a while."

"Then we'll wait until we can congratulate, but still, we're happy."

Padmé and Anakin said goodbye, took their twins and went down to the garage.

"What do you think, Padmé, if we take a short, or rather long, trip to Grand-Mère? I think she deserves to hear from me personally."

"Absolutely right, let's go, she'll be happy."

It took a while for them to get there, even though it wasn't rush-hour yet. Each carried a child in the baby car seat. Padmé had a new car now that offered more space for the children. It was an SUV-BMW again.

The grandmother opened the door and didn't seem surprised.

"I knew you were coming…" Padmé and Anakin looked at each other, ".. I put a tracking device on the car….it was a joke."

...and then they all burst out laughing too, even Luke and Leia.

"So, I'm finished now, I have a good feeling, it would be nice if it came out summa cum laude. The dissertation still has to be published, and then I will receive the doctoral certificate... and only then I will officially be Dr. Skywalker."

"We have known each other for a long time Anakin, actually since your first year at the University of California Los Angeles and your time as a doctoral student. You have always been like a grandson to me that I never had. I'm glad you've come this far, and I'm sure you'll quickly find a good job where you'll be very successful. I hope to see you married, that was always God's will, I just helped that out a little."

"Thank you Grand-Mère..." he called her that since Luke and Leia were born, "…we're getting married right after I get the job."

"He's going to apply to NASA in Pasadena, Grand-Mère."

"They need a genius like you, Anakin...for their Mars robots."

"I hope to get a job there, that would be great."

" Grand-Mère, we can't stay, Luke and Leia have to go to bed."

"I understand, but come back soon."

"I promise."

On the way home, the twins fell asleep. They skipped bathing, tomorrow morning will be good too.

"I'm hungry. We eat and go to bed."

"A little early, don't you think?"

"Then we have more time for…."

"Anakin ! You wanted to talk as far as I can remember..."

"When I see you dressed like that, I forget what I wanted to talk about."

"…about work…maybe…"

"Oh yes, the work... I didn't mean the one at NASA, I mean before I get a job as engineer, I'll work at Watto, during the week."

"No, Anakin. We have money, it will be enough until you get a job, you don't have to roll around on the dirty floor with this creep."

"But this dirty work kept me alive all this time, and it didn't bother you. Besides, I want to do something, OK. then not every day…if you will."

"The time would be better spent with Luke and Leia. When you start working, you will hardly see them."

"Just one day or two with Watto, that would calm my conscience. I don't want to take advantage of you."

"There can be no question of that, we stand for each other, I am your wife, with or without a marriage certificate. You said that yourself, but OK. , two days at Watto."

"Thanks."

"For what."

"For your understanding, let me show you how grateful I can be." He winked.

"Should we shower…first?"

Best regards from Germany