Work Text:
They were back in their apartment. Anakin rolled over in bed, the sheets tangling up between his legs. He still felt a little shocked that Chancellor Palpatine had tried to sway him to the Dark Side. What he didn’t know was that he loved Padme too much to be parted from her in any way now that he had her by his side. He wouldn’t go down any path that she didn’t approve of, even if it meant that she wouldn’t survive childbirth. He wouldn’t maim her memory of him if his initial plan of getting new powers didn’t succeed.
The very second that Palpatine had told Anakin of the fate of Darth Plagueis, Anakin felt it in his stomach. The instinct that he was getting played, manipulated into trouble. It was a feeling he knew well from his childhood, practiced and learned. He immediately went and told the Jedi Council, seeing that he now understood the gravity of the situation and why they were skeptical of his new position.
It didn’t make their rejection of his power sting less, but at least it wasn’t for no reason
The Jedi went and took care of Palpatine, ambushing him in his office. Anakin stayed back, wanting to ensure that Padme knew of the developments. Anakin wasn’t entirely sure that the Jedi were using the Jedi Way to deal with the perpetrator, just killing him, but Palpatine was secretly killing more, so he wasn’t really in a place to judge.
Anakin rolled over to the other side, where Padme was peacefully sleeping. God, she looked absolutely beautiful in the moonlight that streamed in through the gaps in their curtains. It just caught on her eyelashes and hair and cast shadows that somehow made her look so ethereal.
Anakin reflected back to when they first met.
“Are you an angel?” He had asked her. Padme had denied his question, ducking her head shyly. She was the prettiest thing he had ever seen and that interaction sparked his feelings for her. He had been too young then, but he could wait.
And boy, was he glad he did because she was still as angelic as that day.
Anakin reached out, tucking a lock of curly hair behind Padme’s ear. Her eyebrows furrowed softly, like she sensed the disturbance.
What is she dreaming about? Anakin wondered. Hopefully nothing too bad.
In her sleep, Padme reached out and took hold of Anakin’s hand, holding it gently. Her face smoothed back out and her breathing slowed again.
Anakin watched her, waiting for sleep to overcome him.
Eventually, it found him and he drifted off into his own slumber. He was greeted by a dream of Padme giving birth. It was nearly identical to the vision he had of her dying. Her face was contorted into an expression of agony, tears streaming down her face, her mouth open in a cry.
A wave of sadness washed over Anakin. She was still going to die having their kid. He felt the anticipatory grief in his chest, building, as he helplessly watched his dream continue.
Continue?
His nightmare hadn’t continued the last time he had it. It had ended when Padme’s life had been snuffed out.
Obi-wan stepped into the frame of Anakin’s dream, holding a screaming baby. He offered it to Padme, who carefully took it in her arms. “A beautiful baby girl, Padme.”
Padme laughed a wet laugh and wiped her face. “Oh, wow.”
The robot that delivered the baby girl interrupted the moment. “There are two children total.”
It held up the second baby, and Padme’s eyes widened. “Two?”
“A boy.”
Obi-wan accepted the baby and offered it to someone out of the frame of the dream. “Anakin? You should hold him.”
Dream-Anakin grasped the baby gently, holding it to his chest.
“Padme, what should we name them?” He asked, his voice full of fondness.
She opened her mouth to say something, smiling, but Akakin woke up, cutting the dream short.
He blinked up at the ceiling, chasing the sleep from his eyes. Was that a vision? God, he hoped it was. He would do almost anything to ensure that was their future.
If it was, Padme was going to live! They were going to have a kid! No, they were going to have two kids! Twins! This newfound excitement thrummed throughout his body, giving him hope for the future that he had been unsure of previously.
Yeah, it was going to be hard to raise multiple kids while also being diplomatic figures, but he was confident that they could work it out. They could give their children the childhoods that he never had, free and alive. Fun and exciting. Together and loving.
He looked over at Padme for the second time that night. Did she know that they’d be okay? She had seemed so sure when she reassured him that everything would be alright.
“Padme,” Anakin whispered. “Hey, Padme.”
Padme awoke with a deep breath inwards, fluttering her eyelashes open to blearily look at Anakin. “What is it, Ani?”
Anakin smiled softly at her. “I had a dream. A vision.”
“A good one?”
“Yes,” he responded. “It was very good.”
“Ani, what happened?”
Anakin just shook his head, his smile widening as he remembered his dream. “I can’t tell you. I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
Padme smiled back, not questioning it. “Okay.”
She reached out her hand and carded her fingers through Anakin’s hair. She brought him closer to her in bed. “Y’know, I’m really excited for our family.”
Anakin just smiled against her, letting himself be held. “Me too, Padme. You don’t even know how much I mean that.”
“I think I have an idea.”
She went silent again and her breathing quieted as she fell asleep, leaving Anakin to his thoughts once again.
He just laid in her arms, her warmth encompassing him, reminding him of the home that they were building. God, what if he had gone with the Jedi to intercept Palpatine. What if he had followed Palpatine’s instructions? What if he had gone to the Dark Side, down the path that Palpatine tried to guide him down?
He would’ve been a Sith! He would have been one of the enemies that the Jedi preached against. He could’ve been separated from Padme, away and out of the picture of his kids' lives. He might not even be in his bed with Padme, loving and appreciating her. With hope for their future.
He couldn’t imagine being without Padme, now that he had spent so much time with her. He had gone so long without her and then he had her. Who knows what would have happened if they were separated again?
It sure is great that it didn’t go down like that, Anakin thought to himself. He wrapped his arms around Padme, returning her love.
He drifted to sleep alongside her, feeling grateful and full of his love for Padme.
-----
A handful of years later, Padme and Anakin were sitting in the home in Naboo. They watched as their kids played on the floor, squealing with delight as they discovered toys to play with. The dream Anakin had came true and they had been excited to introduce their twins into the world.
Anakin and Padme held each other close, watching them toddle around.
Being a senator and a Jedi were proving to be difficult with children to care for, but no more difficult than unrooting a Sith Lord and defeating him or leading an entire country.
They had it in the bag as far as anyone was concerned, with eternal patience and love for their kids.