Chapter 5 – Padme

Author's Note: Yes, there's a lot of Anidala fluff in this chapter... and a revelation. Oh. And Plans. ;)

To Guest: I'll be updating every Wednesday for a few weeks yet. :)

~ Amina Gila

Padme comes out to meet him – them, rather – as soon as they climb out of the speeder. Perhaps she had seen Anakin's arrival, or perhaps Threepio had been watching, it doesn't really matter. "Anakin," she breathes, relief flowing into the Force when she sees him. "I heard the news, and I was so worried about you, about everyone." She ushers them both inside, casting a curious look at Reva who is pressed against Anakin's side again.

The girl might not normally be shy, but she has been through a lot, and she's rightfully traumatized. It'll probably be… difficult for her to leave him until she settles down a little, but unfortunately, that's not time that they have. Anakin hasn't told her of his plans for killing Sidious yet, because he needs to ascertain her safety first. There's no use stressing her unnecessarily.

Once they're inside the familiar living room, Anakin feels himself relaxing as his exhaustion begins to catch up to him again. He forcefully keeps it at bay, because he's used to going for extended periods of time with little to no sleep. He'll be fine for several more days before crashing. But now that he's here, he notices something… strange. An anomaly. He probes outwards with the Force, stilling when he feels an unfamiliar Force presence.

Padme.

She's pregnant.

A myriad of feelings rush through him, jealousy and resentment being at the top of the list. It's wrong for him to feel that way because they never agreed not to take other lovers. But – but she's pregnant.

That's not nothing. It's not something that Anakin can ignore. He only slept with her once, and that only happened because things got… so out of hand. He wants to demand answers from her, but he can't do that in front of Reva. He can't afford to get upset or lose control, so matter how angry and hurt he might be feeling.

"What happened? What did you hear?" Anakin asks, forcing himself not to think about the unborn child in Padme's womb, forcing himself not to wonder how this will change everything, how it will change their plans for the future, for their future.

"There was a broadcast from the Chancellor's office yesterday evening," she explains, expression troubled. "Palpatine announced that the Jedi tried to assassinate him and said that the rebellion was being dealt with. He called for an emergency session of Senate this morning where he pushed for the formation of an Empire. There – the Republic is gone, Anakin. We're under the rule of an Empire with Palpatine himself as the Emperor."

"He's the Sith Master," Anakin tells her, feeling bitter and betrayed by the man he had once trusted so deeply. "Palpatine is Darth Sidious. He is the one who orchestrated the Clone Wars and arranged events so that they transpired as he willed it. The clones marched on the Temple last night, and they killed everyone. I – there were survivors. I enabled their escape, but most of the Jedi are now one with the Force."

He looks down at the child at his side. "This is Reva Sevander. As far as I know, she is the only youngling who made it. I rescued her, healed her. She needs somewhere safe to stay. She must hide. Can you help her, Padme?"

Padme blinks, dark brown eyes filled with a quiet sorrow at his words. "Of course," she answers immediately. "Of course, I will help you. I will help both of you."

Anakin shakes his head. "You need not worry about me. It is my responsibility to the Jedi Order to carry out the destruction of Darth Sidious."

She sucks in a sharp breath, and Reva's eyes widen at the revelation. "You intend to kill him."

"Or die trying," Anakin answers levelly. "I cannot allow him to live, not after what he has done, what he intends to do."

One hand goes to her stomach, and he can feel her distress in the Force as she's visibly torn. "I – Ani, I… There is something you need to know," she says. Though he can't read her mind, he can guess what it is that she plans to tell him. He wants to interrupt her, to stop her from speaking so he doesn't have to hear her words. More than anything, he fears that she is about to tell him that she is in love with another man now. And really, who wouldn't want to marry her? She's beautiful and intelligent. She is popular, too. There are so many people out there who are more worthy of her than Anakin Skywalker ever could be.

Why did he ever think that something between the two of them could ever work out or last?

"I'm pregnant," she blurts out in a rush, expression strained. "I – Anakin, it's yours."

The world screeches to a halt around him, and for a moment, Anakin doesn't think that he heard right. He couldn't possibly have heard right. All he can do is stare at her, trying to sense any deception in her. "What?" he manages to say.

She casts Reva an uncomfortable glance before looking at him again. "The child is yours," she repeats. "I know this is sudden and unexpected, and I would have told you earlier, but… I couldn't get ahold of you." There's something almost knowing in her eyes, and it makes him feel ashamed. "It's alright," she continues before he can say anything. "I understand. You were not ready for it, and this is not something you wanted so soon."

He hardly hers her words over the screaming of 'I'm going to be a father' in his head.

"Padme…" Words fail him, and he steps forwards, touching her shoulders, "I – I should not have stayed away from you. I should have checked on you when I returned to Coruscant, and I apologize for the distance. It was not right of me. Please do not think this is something I did not want. You, Angel, you know how badly I have wished for a family. This is all I have ever wanted. I am happy, elated that I will be a father, but the timing… could have been better." He huffs out a strained, half-mirthless laugh as he cradles her face, touching their foreheads together, mindful of the fact that Reva is right behind them.

He feels torn, uncertain what path he needs to take. Can he leave Padme, leave his child to go on what may well be a suicide mission? He – more than anything, he now wishes, suddenly and fiercely, that he could take Padme and Reva and flee with them to a remote planet where they can live without fear from the Empire and the Sith. They could all be safe there, happy.

But – but –

Sidious.

Sidious betrayed him. Palpatine betrayed him, manipulated him, and that is something that Anakin cannot forgive. He cannot walk away without settling his score with the Sith Master. Once Palpatine is dead at his feet, he can return to Padme, and they can go away together, free from their obligations to the galaxy.

Padme wraps her arms around his waist, and he can see the desire in her eyes. She's only holding back from kissing him because of Reva, and given the situation, Anakin can't say that he would mind any longer. He's waited for her for long enough and being with her will be a dream come true. It's all he wants now: a wife, a child, a family he can call his own.

"Come," Padme says at last, pulling back from him, "You need rest if you will go after Palpatine. You've been up all night, haven't you?"

"I am fine," Anakin answers instantly, shaking his head. "I do not need rest."

"It's the middle of the day," she counters. "If you go now, you may only support Palpatine's claims against the Jedi."

He wavers at that, knowing that she's right. "Very well," he concedes, "We can remain here if it is not a bother until this evening."

"You can't go," Reva says softly, sounding scared.

"I must, young one," he tells her, touching her shoulder. "I am stronger than the Sith. This is my destiny. I am the Chosen One. It is my duty to do this."

"I don't want you to go," she mumbles, miserably, looking down at the floor.

He doesn't fully want to go, either, but it is what it is, and he has never before shirked away from his duty. "I know." He guides her towards the guest bedroom in Padme's apartment. "I won't leave without telling you, Reva, I promise. You should get some rest though. I – I need to speak with Senator Amidala."

"Why? Because of the baby?" she asks. Children are so intuitive. They pay way more attention than people ever give them credit.

"Yes," he agrees dryly, "Because of the baby." He can tell that she has more questions, but she doesn't ask, and he waits until she's lying on the bed before pulling up the blanket and tucking her in. "Try to get some rest, alright? It has been a long night, and you need it."

"Okay." Reva's voice is quiet, but Anakin can still feel her anxiety in the Force, and her eyes follow him as he leaves the room.

Padme is in her bedroom down the hall, and Anakin goes there, flushing when he remembers the last time he was here. It was… a mistake, but he cannot bring himself to regret his unborn child which is now growing inside Padme. It's been many, many months since it happened, and from what he knows about childbirth, she should be giving birth in a month or so. It's so… soon.

She is standing in front of the window, staring out at the city, expression subdued and thoughtful, but her face lights up when she sees him, subtle but there, and it makes his heart flip in his chest. "What will we do?" Padme asks, and Anakin is drawn to her like a bug to a flame, pausing to put his bag down on the floor. He stops just short of touching her, because if he starts, he might never stop, and now is not the time.

"I do not know," he admits.

Padme twitches suddenly, one hand going to the swell of her stomach. "He's kicking," she murmurs, sounding a little awed. "You can feel it."

Anakin reaches out, touching her belly and feeling the movement within. The love he feels in this moment, for the child he has not yet met, is stronger than anything he has ever felt in his life. Is this what it is like to have a child, to love a child? Ahsoka was his, but she was also not, and she was as much a sister to him as a daughter. But this child, this child he will love from birth, and this child he will, hopefully, raise from birth as well.

"He?" he questions, looking at Padme. "It's a boy?"

"I don't know," she admits with a quiet laugh, and he can see and feel the love in her as well, both for him and for their child, "But it's motherly intuition."

For the first time since the galaxy spiraled into chaos around him, Anakin smiles, really smiles. "Is that so?" he teases. "Well, I think it will be a girl." The baby kicks against his hand, as if recognizing her absentee father. "With a kick that strong, it's definitely a girl. She will be a feisty one, I think."

Padme giggles, and Anakin wants to kiss her so badly that he aches with it.

"What will we name her?" he wants to know. "When will she be born?"

"Probably in a month or so," Padme answers, one hand still resting on their child, and the other she presses over his. "I thought of names, but I – I had hoped you might be there to choose."

Anakin thinks for a moment before smiling softly. "Leia. I – we should name her Leia."

"Does it mean something to you?" She is curious, her curiosity whispering into the Force, and Anakin meets her eyes, nodding.

"There is a… legend on Tatooine," he tells her haltingly, hesitantly. He has not thought about his past in a long time, though it has been burned into him, forever engraved into his heart and soul. "A long time ago, there was a young woman named Leia. She was beautiful, powerful, courageous, and she wanted freedom. She found freedom for herself, and she led many others to freedom as well. But Leia – she saw how many still remained enslaved, and she knew she could not choke the life out of all the masters, so she gave herself and her light to the stars, to light the pathway to freedom."

Padme's hand tightens on his, and he can see a faint shimmer of tears in her eyes when he finishes speaking. "That's – that's beautiful, Ani," she breathes. "Yes, yes, we will name her Leia if the baby is a girl. If it's a boy, how do you feel about the name Luke? In ancient Nubian, it means light. In mythology, it was the name of Shiraya's son. Lukyan. She is – she became the moon goddess. It's a fascinating story, and I'll tell you the whole thing if you want to hear it."

"Of course," Anakin answers, "I want to hear it when we have time." He reaches up with his gloved hand, stroking her cheek and brushing back her hair. "I have missed you."

"I missed you too," she replies, and before he can stop her, she's kissing him, desperate and demanding. He responds, wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer. They have to break apart for air, and Anakin holds her against him, breathing heavily and lowering his head to kiss along her neck.

This, this is so much better than anything with Aayla. There was an attraction between them, but they were just friends. Padme is… everything. She is everything to him, and he loves her so much that he could die from it.

"Wait," Padme manages to say, even though, in the Force, she feels pleased and desperate for more. "I think – I think we should wait."

Anakin lifts his head reluctantly even though he wants to continue. He doesn't want to stop, not now. "Must we?"

She's visibly conflicted. "I don't want to stop," she admits, "But you're tired, and you need rest, too, if you're really going to be going after Palpatine this evening."

His mood plummets at the reminder, and he realizes just how dangerous being around Padme is. He loves her, and she loves him, and maybe that's part of the problem, because when he touches her, the rest of the world ceases to matter if she's in his arms. But he is tired; the bone-deep exhaustion which crawled into every inch of him is still there, weighing him down.

Anakin doesn't resist as Padme pushes him back towards her bed. "Stay?" he asks, griping her waist gently, reaching out reflexively to touch her Force signature and probe out the baby's. He also checks on Reva, and she's sleeping, even if not restfully.

"If you keep your hands to yourself," Padme teases playfully, and he rolls onto his back while she curls up next to him.

"You didn't want me to keep my hands to myself last time," he drawls, smirking, and she blushes furiously, swatting his arm, mumbling something under his breath that he can't hear.

He huffs out an amused breath, closing his eyes and trying to get his mind and body to settle down to find a semblance of rest. But there are too many thoughts crowding in, and when Padme slips an arm around his waist, that's even more distracting, especially when he remembers… last time they were here.

But with a superhuman effort, he wills those thoughts and feelings aside, letting the knowledge of what transpired last night subdue him. He has a very important mission ahead of him, and he needs to be at his best if he is to succeed.

While Anakin doesn't fully doze off, he still finds much rest there with Padme at his side.

Hours later, they get up, and Threepio gets food for all three of them – Reva is there, too – but none of them eat much, not given everything which has transpired. And as the sun begins to sink towards the horizon, Anakin knows that the time has come.

"It's time," Anakin says distantly, turning away from the window to look at Padme.

Reva is on the couch, having a one-sided conversation with Artoo, and Anakin doesn't think she hears him. At least, he thought that for all of one second until she looks at him, dark brown eyes filled with emotion. She scrambles off the couch and to his side, throwing her arms around him, her small body trembling. "Don't go," she practically begs. "Please don't go."

"I will be alright, Reva," he assures her, trying to pry her off him so he can meet her eyes. She doesn't let go, and he gives up, wrapping an arm around her as best he can. "I am stronger than he is." He doesn't know that for sure, but he does know that the Force is with him, and with the Force as his ally, he will be unbeatable.

"No," she whines, clinging even tighter, "No, please. Stay." She reaches for him in the Force, and Anakin lets her, even as he can sense the weak Force bond snapping into place between them. It would be easy to let it die – it's so weak – but Anakin won't push this traumatized child away from him, not when she's so desperate for comfort and support.

Padme steps forwards. "Reva, I promise I'll keep you safe. Anakin needs to do this, but he'll be back as soon as it's all over."

She shakes her head again, pressing her face more firmly into his chest. "I don't want to lose you," she chokes out.

Anakin inhales deeply, feeling that sentiment resonate with the deepest parts of him. "You won't," he promises, putting every ounce of conviction that he has into the words. "You won't, Reva. I will come back for you." He holds her in a tight embrace, freely offering her comfort as she struggles with her feelings.

And then, only then, does her grip slacken enough for Anakin to step back from her and slip off his cloak, extending it to her as a sort of peace offering. "Keep it," he says to her. "I will return. Padme will watch over you until I come back."

Reva accepts it, holding the cloth against her and watching him with scared eyes as he steps back. Padme rushes forwards suddenly, catching him by surprise when she presses a brief, desperate kiss to his lips. "Come back, Ani. We need you."

"I promise," he says to all three of them, feeling emotion choke him. "I promise." He turns, heading towards his speeder, tears momentarily blurring his eyes. Anakin knows how easily he could die when confronting Sidious, because the Sith Master must truly be powerful to have orchestrated all of this, to have manipulated him for so long. But he does not fear death; he only fears leaving his loved ones behind. Despite his best efforts, a few tears escape as he slides into the pilot's seat and fires up the engines, flying towards the Senate building without looking back.

He has a Sith Master to murder.

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