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Anakin swept his wife in a hug and spun her, kissing her hard.
“Oh, Anakin!”
“I’ve missed you, Padmé.”
He held her gently, unwilling to let her go.
“There were whispers that you’d been killed.”
“I’m alright,” Anakin smiled, full of love at his wife’s worry. “Feels like we’ve been apart for a lifetime. It might have been if the Chancellor hadn’t got kidnapped. I don’t think they ever would have brought us back from the Outer Rim sieges.”
Anakin pushed forward for another kiss.
“Wait, not here.”
“Yes, here,” he said insistently, “I’m tired of all this deception. I don’t care if they know we’re married.”
“Anakin, do–ngh,” Padmé bit her lip with a pained expression.
“Are you alright? You’re trembling.” He held her by the shoulders looking her over seeing the obvious distress she was in. “What’s going on?”
“Contractions,” she gasped.
“W-what?”
“I was going to--I practiced what I was going to--Ani, something wonderful has happened,” she said taking a big breath. “I’m pregnant. And the baby is coming now .”
“What. What?” Anakin didn’t have time to go through all the different levels of how kriffed they both were. He held her hands tightly. “Baby, you’re having a baby. We’re having a baby–right now?”
“Right now,” Padmé winced in confirmation. “I wanted to tell you earlier, but there was no way to get you a message and–nnnnnahhh–and they’re early. What do we do?”
Anakin had no idea what to do. There were politicians all around them. His wife in pain. He had just killed Dooku and wasn’t sure if it was actually–good and–
“Call Obi-Wan,” Padmé finally said.
“What?”
“Call Obi-Wan, you told me he’s delivered babies before.”
“In the forest moon of somewhere—that was a harrowing story not a suggested birthing method.”
“Traffic is blocked. There’s no way to get to a ho–ho–hospital. Please Ani.”
“I…”
Pregnant wife. Admit to Obi-Wan that he broke his vow years ago. Baby. There was a baby. A baby was coming. His baby.
And honestly, he wanted Obi-Wan. He hadn’t lied, he was tired of the secrecy. And if he was delivering a baby, Obi-Wan would have less time to lecture him Anakin thought to himself deliriously.
He could go to the Chancellor, he would understand–but–well the Chancellor was a little busy being fussed by everyone.
“Ani!”
“I just, he doesn’t know I don’t–”
“Of course he knows, Anakin! He’s your best friend. He loves you! Call him!”
He wrapped his wife in his arms and pulled out his comm.
“Master. Master, you’re not at the Temple yet, right?”
“Almost, it’s a short trip, why? The politicians too much for you after all?” Obi-Wan teased, and Anakin suddenly wanted to burst into tears. Sometimes he forgot what a comfort Obi-Wan Kenobi was. Anakin saved him ten times over (Cato Nemoida did count), and yet just the sound of Obi-Wan’s voice could settle him. Make him believe everything would be okay.
“I--help us Obi-Wan, you're our only hope.”
–
“My water just broke.”
“No it didn’t!” Anakin was known as the Hero with No Fear. He had fear. He had lots of fear. He had been having nightmares. Something about Padmé. What if they were about this pregnancy? What would he–
“I think she would probably know better than you, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said dryly. They were in the transport Obi-Wan had just dropped him off from. The Politicians were left wondering, Anakin making quick excuses about some sort of thing only he could do. The Chancellor tried to grab his arm and coax him into a private conversation, but Anakin was too panicked to allow it. He practically ran off back to where he had hidden Padmé. He had never been happier to see one of those slow-moving senatorial transports.
“Right, yes, right,” Anakin said unable to focus. Unable to do anything. This had never happened to him. Somehow it had happened to Obi-Wan five times that he was basically a qualified midwife. He certainly acted like one as he positioned Padmé on the floor putting his cloak under her and saying soothing words.
“Do you need water? Do I need to get water?” Anakin asked.
“You need to calm down, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said firmly.
“How can I calm down? Do you know how dangerous childbirth is without droids? Do you know how many people I heard about dying because their master wouldn’t–”
Obi-Wan stood and took Anakin’s hand. Gazed into his eyes.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” Anakin answered immediately, staring into Obi-Wan’s clear eyes.
“Then trust I won’t fail either of you,” Obi-Wan squeezed his hand and then pulled him over to Padmé’s side. He transferred Anakin’s hand to hers.
“This is what you can do,” Obi-Wan said gently.
Padmé’s grip on his hand was tight. He saw then beyond the pain how afraid she was. She had been alone with this for so long. She heard rumours he might be dead. And he could have. There had been close calls, as much as he hated to admit it. What if she had been left on her own–? And all he could think of was his own fear.
She had needed him. And now he was here and he wasn't here for her.
He kissed her hand. “I’m here, Padmé," he apologised.
Tears rolled down her cheek, “I love you. I’m so glad you’re with me.”
He made soothing noises.
“You too, Obi-Wan,” Padmé said. “There’s no one I would trust more–I–I’m sorry we didn’t–”
“You didn’t have to say anything,” Obi-Wan reassured. “I … understood the need for secrecy, and I was on the Council. It gave me plausible deniability.”
“You actually knew?” Anakin asked.
“That you’ve been in love with the Senator since you were nine? Oh no, not at all.”
“Since you were nine?” Padmé smiled through the contractions.
“Love at first sight, I knew the moment I saw you I was going to marry you–oh.”
“That IS new,” Obi-Wan stroked his mustache to hide a bit of his surprise.
“The baby isn’t but the marriage is?” Padmé asked. She took a deep steady breath. The contractions had ended for now it seemed.
“The vows contradict each other,” Obi-Wan said. He patted Padmé’s leg as he shuffled things around. As it turned out he did need water, but he sent R2 for it.
“Obi-Wan, I–”
Obi-Wan only sighed sadly, but it wasn’t the look Anakin had always expected when the truth came out. He had expected disappointment, or maybe even anger or betrayal. There wasn’t a scenario Anakin ever thought he might understand the broken vow. The Chancellor had always reminded him how the Jedi point of view was different than everyone else's.
But Obi-Wan looked… guilty.
“It was at the beginning of the war,” because Anakin had to explain. “Dooku had taken my arm, and seeing Padmé again, being with each other. I couldn’t… I didn’t want to lose her… I was… I was scared to lose her, and I didn’t tell you because… because deep down I was scared to lose you too.”
“The truth is, I didn’t want to let you go either,” Obi-Wan admitted. "I had my suspicions. And I was sure you were at least intimate with each other... but I... I didn't want to make you choose."
Padmé snorted. “You say we were obvious. You two are just as baaaahhhhhh KRIFF!”
“Padmé?” Anakin asked in alarm. He had never heard his wife curse in front of him.
“Contractions are back. Breath. You need to breathe, Padmé,” Obi-Wan said, his focus back to being entirely on her.
R2 beeped and entered with a bunch of hot water and towels. Anakin didn’t bother asking where and how. R2 had his ways. Obi-Wan took them without comment.
“I assure you, Senator, your husband and I have not been having an illicit affair.” Perhaps it was to break the tension, or to distract her from her pain.
“That’s-a-shame,” Padmé said unable to stop herself from quipping, letting herself be distracted by banter. “It-ngh–I was always hoping–mmmmm-we might share–”
“She’s delirious,” Anakin said.
At the same time Obi-Wan laughed.
“There’s still time for that, dear.”
“Wait–what–?”
It was a very eventful day for Anakin.
The baby came out red and crying. Obi-Wan held the little one for a second.
“It’s a boy.”
“Luke,” Padmé whispered.
Obi-Wan passed the little boy to Anakin in alarm. Padmé started screaming again.
“What’s happening?” Anakin demanded anxiously rocking the baby.
“It’s twins!” Obi-Wan announced.
“No, it’s not!” Anakin blurted.
“Saying it doesn’t make it true!” Obi-Wan yelled.
“NGHHHHHHHH!” Padmé screamed.
“It’s a girl!”
“It’s a girl,” Anakin repeated breathlessly, hoping there wouldn’t be a third popping out.
“Leia,” Padmé said finally relaxing back against the wall.
They all stared at one another silently, until Padmé started to laugh, utter exhaustion all over her face. Anakin joined her.
“Twins,” Anakin said. “Twins.”
Twins and Padmé was alive and Obi-Wan knew, and–
Anakin kissed his wife in delight, baby Luke pressed gently between them, and then, for the hell of it, he kissed Obi-Wan. Why not. He saved the Chancellor, his wife gave birth, there was talk of a threesome, he had been winning all day.
Obi-Wan kissed him back, and then, for the hell of it, Obi-Wan leaned over and kissed Padmé, baby Leia between them making cooing sounds.
“I’m so tired,” Padmé said softly, but she reached out to check over the babies. Counting fingers and toes, touching their little button noses.
The love Anakin was feeling in that moment was overwhelming. He would do anything to protect them. He would–
“I… I can’t be a Jedi anymore,” Anakin said. Finally admitted. He had to give up one of them. That had always been the choice. From the moment he placed the ring on Padmé’s finger. He had to choose.
And he would give his family anything. It was only selfishness that had stopped him before, but the babies made him see clearly.
He looked to Obi-Wan.
“I’m proud of you,” Obi-Wan said sincerely.
“What? But I–you’re not disappointed? I… Qui-Gon–”
Obi-Wan shook his head. “Not choosing, holding on to the Jedi… to me was an attachment all its own, and we did need you. The war was uncertain and you are one of our best. We folded to things, did many things antithetical to the Jedi for the sake of the Republic… but now with Dooku gone, perhaps we can move forward again… you only have my blessing, Anakin. I’m proud of you, no matter where you go, who you become, just because you are leaving the Order, does not mean… I hope it doesn’t mean you think you’ve lost me.”
Anakin was overwhelmed.
“Kiss!” Padmé said from the floor.
“You, my darling, need a nap,” Obi-Wan said fondly leaning down over the senator who had the babies protectively at her sides.
“Oh please,” Padmé said. “It’s all I want right now.”
–
The day that Luke and Leia Skywalker were born was eventful. Their father had returned a hero. Their other father had delivered them in the back of a senatorial transport. Their mother did indeed have a nap having had twins in the back of a senatorial transport.
That night, Anakin had a nightmare. His wife, dying in childbirth, Obi-Wan pleading with her to hold on.
He woke up between Obi-Wan and Padmé, the babies both safe. Everyone exhausted. All they could do was cuddle once they had finally gotten to the privacy of Padmé’s apartments.
Obi-Wan and Padmé were both safe. With him.
The babies already born.
Something was wrong.
He kissed his wife’s forehead and tentatively kissed Obi-Wan’s as well and carefully got up.
Something wasn't right. And whatever it was he wouldn't let it touch his family.