162One week after the wish completion…
Back and forth, back and forth, she walked, wringing her hands and biting her bottom lip.
Padme paced outside of the Jedi Council chambers, heart hammering in her chest as she waited, desperate for Anakin and Obi-Wan to finish giving their report. She'd spent the whole week since Luke and Leia's vanishing before her very eyes working to convince the Senate that the war, the Separatists, literally everything , was the mastermind of the Sith and not an indication of the failure of democracy.
Even if, personally, she felt there were problems within the Republic that allowed the Sith's rise in the first place.
Still, not going there. Not yet.
But mostly, that week was filled with her just trying to get her husband released. Bail, Mothma and her other friends in the Senate currently did the heavy lifting on the democracy side of things.
After all, she'd already watched her children disappear. She needed to work to save the future they'd given them this time around. She didn't intend to waste it.
It had been difficult, which was putting it mildly, but the evidence Anakin had downloaded from the Chancellor's console ultimately convinced the Senate that Anakin and Obi-Wan had indeed acted in the best interests of saving the galaxy from a demented psychotic madman. The recorded conversations with key Separatist leaders where he'd given away vital secrets and directed some of the worst, most heinous acts committed in the war had been damning enough. Even with that stupid hood up, his voice was recognizable enough.
But the Death Star plans had been what solidified the truly horrifying scope of Palpatine's dastardly plans and finally convinced the Senate to release Obi-Wan and Anakin that afternoon.
She hadn't even had a chance to see Anakin alone. He'd immediately been summoned to the Jedi Council to answer their specific questions.
And, she knew in her heart, finally reveal the truth about their relationship at last.
It took hours. It didn't feel like that. But, it took literally hours. The sun was still out over the vast cityscape when she'd reached the upper levels of the Temple, and it was well past dark when the Council doors finally opened.
Anakin stood there. Alone. Their gazes locked. And from the clouded, dark look in his eyes and the defeated sag of his shoulders, she knew.
It was as they'd always feared.
They'd expelled him.
And even though they'd always known the consequences they'd face if they were ever caught, she was surprised by the unsurpassed rage that shot through her so quickly, she started shaking. Her expression must have changed, or maybe he'd felt the change within her, because Anakin's eyes widened, and he barely had time to say her name before she'd stormed past him directly into the Council chamber.
Obi-Wan was still arguing forcefully with the rest of the Council, standing before them as he furiously worked to defend his former Padawan. But the moment she entered, all eyes fell on her in utter surprise, and Obi-Wan whirled in shock to watch her approach.
" How dare you?!" She demanded. She wasn't yelling, per se, but it was rare, very rare, that she used this tone, even in the Senate.
"Senator," Mace began, holding up a hand to stop her.
Her eyes flashed like molten fire. She didn't give a damn what any of these ungrateful bastards had to say.
They were wrong!
"After everything he has done for you, everything he has sacrificed , everything he has selflessly given, this is how you repay him?!" She felt Anakin's hand on her arm, trying to stop her, but she ripped it out of his grasp. "No! I will not be silenced!"
Anakin backed up a step, eyes blown wide, mouth agape in shock, as he took in this furious virago that was his normally sweet placid wife.
"He led the clones honorably," She'd whirled back on the Council. "He's foiled countless Separatist plots, protected innumerable innocent civilians, led some of the most important battles in this entire kriffing war, and - destroyed the most evil Sith Lord this galaxy has seen in a thousand years! - and now that he's fulfilled your precious 'Chosen One' prophecy, you're turning him away and unceremoniously kicking him out because of me?! How dare you!"
"There are rules, Senator-" Mace tried again.
"Damn your fucking rules!" Now she was yelling. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan had stepped away from her, staring at her like she was a wild gundark set loose in the Temple. "If I wasn't in the picture, you'd be offering him a seat in your ridiculous little club!"
"Learn to let go, Skywalker needed to learn. This, he failed to do." Yoda replied grimly. "To have attachments, he was not to have. Understood this, he did, and still he chose not only to marry you, but to do so in secret. Living a lie, he has been."
Normally she had great respect for the Grand Master. She still did, sort of. But tonight… "You're wrong! All of you on this Council. All of us make mistakes. I'm not saying there shouldn't be consequences! But to just kick him out is equally wrong!"
"For almost nine hundred years have I lived. Reasons there are, for those rules…"
"But you are not a god, Yoda! You don't get to take someone from his mother, treat him like someone to be mistrusted, all the while also placing an enormous burden on his young shoulders, then once he does what you should have done and yet failed to take care of, kick him out and act like you did the right thing! He saved the entire kriffing galaxy!"
"Only because he summoned his future children to help him out. Children you, Senator, are currently carrying in your womb." Mace pointed out dryly.
So, he'd told them about Luke and Leia. "Then you now know the future we avoided."
" Possibly."
She shook her head in disgust. "All of you are disgusting, and every last one of you presently seated on those plush chairs in this room have now lost my respect! You don't deserve Anakin Skywalker in this pathetic Order you cherish! And I swear, Masters, when my children are born, there is no way in all of the Corellian hells that you will take them from their parents and put them through the same bullshit you did to their father! I will see to that!"
Now, the Council members looked disturbed. It only made her angrier. What? Had they already begun deciding her children's future?! Not happening!
"Senator, let's not be too hasty…" Mace began.
"Oh, like you weren't hasty in expelling Anakin? After all he's done for you as the much touted poster boy of the Order?! Trust me when I say that this Order has stolen its last baby from their parents to be raised as emotionally barren, unfeeling, soulless automatons under your pathetic 'Code'! And I will see to that personally! " She shook her head in revulsion. "Fuck you! Fuck all of you! Come, Anakin! We're leaving!"
Then she whirled, head held regally high, finally storming out of the room, an astounded Anakin hot on her heels.
"What...Padme… What was that?" He breathed, disbelievingly.
"Just a dose of the truth, Love." She growled. She was still pissed as hell, though with each step they took from the Council Chambers, it evaporated into exhaustion and utter grief for her husband. "I'm so sorry, Ani."
He took her hand, stopping her and turning her around to face him. There was still sadness in his eyes, but gone was that shadow. He simply stared at her like he was seeing her for the first time.
"I think," he breathed, reaching up to cup her cheek. This time he didn't care one iota that they were in the middle of the Jedi Temple where everyone could see them. They had no reason to hide any longer. "I think I'm going to like living this new life with you much more."
And though she still had half a mind to go back into the Council Chambers to give those sanctimonious so called masters further pieces of her mind, she smiled, her brown eyes now twinkling mischievously. "You know what I want to do?"
"What?"
"This."
And right in front of multiple passing padawans, Jedi Knights, and even Obi-Wan, who'd just turned the corner to go after them, Padme wrapped her arms around Anakin Skywalker's neck and kissed him.
Two months after wish completion…
Anakin was pouring over the building schematics of various potential shops to purchase. Now that he wasn't a Jedi, he needed a job. A real one. Because he didn't have any formal education, he couldn't easily slip into jobs that normally would have befitted the husband of a well-known galactic senator. Not honestly, at least. Oh, he'd received plenty of offers, of course, but they were simply offered out of hopes that the Hero of the Republic, as he was now called by the holomedia, would come work for them.
But, he was tired of being a tool in someone else's agenda, just to be used for selfish gain. So, he politely declined each and every offer.
It was a weird transition, going from renowned Jedi to celebrity 'private citizen' (he used that term loosely and with great amusement) but easier than he thought it would be. No longer did he do things like meditate out of necessity to keep up appearances. He did things because they felt right to do, or because it brought him clarity within the Force.
And use of the Force was something the Jedi couldn't strip from him, like they'd done with his job and his lightsaber (Although, his wife had called in quite a few favors and quietly acquired all the parts for him to make himself a new one...One which the Jedi couldn't take away from him).
Honestly, once loosed from the prohibitions and constraints of the Order, he'd never felt more connected to the Force. It was incredibly refreshing, actually.
Now that the media sensation was beginning to die out around him, he'd moved on to looking for a real job. And, he decided, the best place for him would be owning his own repair shop. Rex , Echo, Charts and several other members of the 501st had even volunteered to help him, and they'd all spent the last month raising funds for the down payment. Granted, his wife could easily afford the down payment from her private wealth, but he stubbornly insisted on doing this all himself, and they were very proud of the fact that they'd done just that.
Now to just choose the perfect location…
His thoughts were stopped short by the sense of a very anxious Padme quickly approaching the apartment.
Not good.
He felt his own sense of panic escalate the closer she got to their door. He had just put away the schematics when the door opened and in walked his now visibly pregnant wife, with an expression on her face that matched her emotions.
"What's wrong?" He asked, standing to go to her. Though they'd been diligent in going to doctor appointments and he'd even reprogramed a medical droid for her and everything was going normally, he couldn't help but still worry. He'd saved the future from the Empire and reign of Palpatine, but he still lay awake at night worrying about Padme's future. So her distress only made him want to pull out the medical droid to make sure for the millionth time that she and the babies were okay.
Her gaze flickered to him, then she pushed past him towards the balcony. "The Senate."
He frowned, following her. "Considering that's where you work, I assumed it had to do with that."
To be honest, it was a miracle she still was a Senator. The Queen had been very angry with the scandal their romance had incurred, but the media, and therefore the people of the galaxy, viewed their forbidden union as a ray of healing and hope...not to mention a deliciously naughty tidbit for all the gossip publications to gush and swoon over. If a dashingly handsome and courageously daring Jedi and well respected Senator could beat the odds and be together, then surely the Republic could come together and heal.
Because the war was over. Thanks to Anakin and Obi-Wan.
True, Dooku had escaped, and from what Obi-Wan had told him, they were still hunting him, but the vast majority of the Separatist planets had returned to the Republic shortly after it was revealed the entire galaxy had played into the hands of a madman and his apprentice.
But all that only meant Padme was busier than ever. As much as he worried for her health, he was glad one of them had managed to keep their dream job. Might as well be his wife. The galaxy needed more politicians of her caliber, in his personal opinion, biased though he unabashedly was.
She sat down heavily on the couch, staring out across the cityscape as the sun set. He joined her, frowning when he found her rubbing her stomach absently. Protectively.
"What happened?" He repeated softly, taking one of her hands in his own, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. Though Padme hadn't been as worried for her own health as he was, watching her adult children disappear before her eyes with an unknown future ahead of them had been difficult for her to deal with. It had triggered a strong maternal instinct within her, and there were many nights she woke up in tears from reliving it, and he'd held her close, gently rubbing her back, offering her his strength as comfort as she'd cried numerous times.
He didn't blame her. To watch their children go through that and be helpless to do anything about it...he completely understood that.
"They decided the fate of democracy." She finally said, and from the tightness in her voice, he knew it wouldn't be a good answer.
"And?" He rubbed circles into the back of her hand, waiting for her to confirm what he already suspected.
She shook her head sadly, dejectedly, and finally turned to him. "And the narrow majority believe it's what got us into this mess in the first place."
Just as they'd feared.
"That's so stupid," he scowled. "Don't they realize they're playing right into Palpatine's hands, even in death?!"
"Bail made that very same argument. It didn't matter. They believe it was the failings of our democratic system that allowed Palpatine to gain power in the first place. They believe that we can't just replace the Chancellor with a new one. What if the Chancellor elected is just as two faced and corrupt? What if he's another Sith in hiding?"
"So, what does that mean, then?"
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath through her nose, and quietly said the words he dreaded to hear. "It means they wish to form an Empire anyway."
He felt like he'd been punched in the gut.
Yes. They'd known this was a possibility, and yet, to hear it was actually happening at the express will of so many in the Senate…It was hard to stomach.
"Everything we did," he breathed, "Was it for nothing?" Then he paused, realizing the implications of this could still mean Luke and Leia's future came to pass…
His wife read his mind. Padme's grip on his hand suddenly tightened. "I'm not going to die, Anakin."
"But-"
"If you want, you can get the medical droid to prove it. Again." She gave him a wry, tired smile, then continued. "I won't die, you won't fall, and even now...even now, we can prevent the rest of that future from happening. Despite the present situation and how bleak it looks."
"How?"
Her expression tightened, but there was determination there, too. "There will be an initial vote." He opened his mouth to point out the duplicity of that, and she raised her other hand to stop him. "I'm aware." His mouth snapped shut. "We prepared for this potentiality. I...I thought Bail would run, or maybe Senator Mothma, but…" she trailed off.
"What?" he asked anxiously when she didn't continue. " What , Padme?"
She met his eyes. "They want me to run, Anakin."
His heart sank into his stomach. He was afraid she was going to say that. And, he was no less surprised at her next words either. If he was honest, he'd expect nothing less from his wife.
"And...I think I'm going to do it."
Four months after wish completion…
"I suppose congratulations are in order" Obi-Wan said when Anakin let him in early in the morning after the big Senate vote.
They were at his newly purchased shop, and he was in the middle of remodeling it so that it would suit his needs when it finally opened to the public. Already, he had some projects to work on, just to get the customer base started so that he'd have a stronger opening when the time was right. Obi-Wan had been helping him when he could spare the time, and Anakin always welcomed his best friend's assistance when it was offered.
It allowed him time, after all, to catch up with him.
"You don't have anything to congratulate me over." Anakin said wryly, as he handed Obi-Wan a tool, and they began working. "I didn't do anything."
"No, but I'm sure Padme being married to the Hero of the Republic helped her likability with the people." Obi-Wan pointed out matter of factly.
"I don't control what the media makes a big deal out of." Truthfully, he'd tried to stay as far away from the election nonsense as possible beyond his support of his wife. But most of that happened behind closed doors.
"You were there when they announced her victory last night."
"Sure I was. She's my wife, after all. I'm supposed to support her."
"Even with the Republic becoming an Empire?"
Anakin stopped what he was doing and sighed, turning to look at his friend with a frown. "I don't like it anymore than you do, Obi-Wan. Neither does Padme."
"She didn't have to run."
"No, but the person she was running against was Rute Gunnay. There would definitely be a true Empire under him." He wrinkled his nose in distaste. Though Nute Gunray had answered for his war crimes by being sentenced to death, the fact that Rute Gunnay had managed to avoid any serious consequences for his part in Palpatine's schemes, wrangled hold of the Trade Federation, and had tried to become Emperor… that alone was enough to feel a little better about the whole Empire situation. With Padme at the helm, that is.
"And you think her plan will work?" Obi-Wan asked skeptically. He too had stopped what he was working on to face his younger friend. "Do you really think she can maintain the appearance of being Empress while slowly convincing the Senate to take back more and more power?"
"If anyone can, it's Padme." It was true. His wife's political acumen and savviness were nearly unmatched in the galaxy. And yet, if she died in childbirth…
Well. Already things had seriously changed from Luke and Leia's original timeline. The uncertainty over the future was normal, but it still made him nervous. Even with all her tests coming back normal, even with the Force providing nothing but reassurance that things would be alright...he was still on edge.
"It's a dangerous game, to be sure. If those who voted for an Empire feel their Empress isn't taking it seriously…" Obi-Wan trailed off his statement, a worried look on his face.
"I know, I know." Anakin heaved a sigh, then shook his head.
Obi-Wan must have sensed the stress in him, because he sighed as well, then placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Well. She's got one thing going for her that's sure to keep her safe."
"What's that?"
"She has you for her husband." He smiled. "If you can save the galaxy multiple times over and overthrow the Sith, I'm sure Padme's the safest woman in the entire galaxy."
And though Anakin couldn't save her from a natural death in childbirth...he couldn't help but feel reassured anyway at his friend's confidence in him.
"So, what am I supposed to call you anyway? You're not an Emperor." Obi-Wan smirked.
He made a face. "Thank the Force for that . No, I'm just plain old Anakin Skywalker, thanks."
"Not Consort?" Obi-Wan teased.
"I mean, technically , I guess I am, but no. Just no. " Anakin's lips twisted, and he rolled his eyes before shaking his head good naturedly.
Obi-Wan laughed as they returned to their work.
Six months after the wish fulfillment…
This was it.
Don't panic! Don't panic! Don't panic! He kept telling himself.
It wasn't working.
In a few short hours, he'd know just how much they'd managed to change the future.
Padme's water broke that morning while he was fixing her breakfast - and failing spectacularly at it. Even two months into being the galactic Empress, their home life had changed very little. Thank the Force. She'd refused to take the expensive high rise mansion the Senate had offered her, and they'd decided to keep their penthouse apartment at 500 Republica. For now. They'd likely need to move once the twins were up and crawling, given that their balcony had zero railings or ways to keep toddlers from tumbling off the side, but for now, their apartment would do.
Yet the look in her eyes when her water had broke, spilling out across the kitchen floor, soaking her nightgown and robe and plastering the fabric to her legs…
Excitement, fear, anticipation, pain.
He knew he'd never forget it.
After assisting her to their bedroom and then helping her change into clean, dry clothing before throwing her soiled and ruined sleepwear away down the garbage chute, Anakin left the med droid with her. He moved expeditiously through the routine Padme had forced him to practice repeatedly, grabbing her overnight bag, getting a speeder that was built for comfort and safety over speed called to the landing pad, then helping her into the back seat.
Cursing under his breath, it took everything in him not to shove out the pilot droid and fly them himself to the med center like the entire galaxy depended on it. In a way, it technically still could , but he reeled in his fears and frustration and did exactly as they'd discussed. He got into the back seat with her, holding her in his arms, braced with her back to his chest, as they leisurely made their way over.
"There's plenty of time, Ani," Padme assured him between her measured deep breathing when she felt how tense he was getting. "And please, stay calm. The twins can tell you're freaking out, and as a result, they're kicking me like a rampaging rancor."
He placed a hand over her significantly protruding stomach and felt them squirming quite agitatedly under his hand. The physical evidence she was right, and rather uncomfortable because of it. Cursing himself for adding to his wife's discomfort unintentionally, he reached out and, as he'd learned to do multiple times over the last six months, connected with the twins through the Force. Instantly, he felt their fear and confusion over what was happening, and he grimaced.
Oh yeah. She was right. But the idea that, by the end of all this, he could lose her anyway and be left alone to parent two highly Force sensitive babies…
It was difficult to breathe.
" Ani ." Padme said again in exasperation, and he met her fierce gaze. "I am not going anywhere. But if you don't calm down and help reassure these babies, there might be trouble anyway."
He forced himself to take deep, calming breaths, willing the serenity that came from the Light Side of the Force to wash over him. As scared as he was, he didn't want to make it harder on Padme or the twins. Maybe that's what had caused her to die in the first place.
"Alright." He promised. "Alright."
Everything's alright, Little Ones. Be calm now, He projected to the twins. He had no idea if they understood him, but he made sure to infuse the words with as much calmness and reassurance as he possibly could through the Force.
He almost worried it wouldn't work, but sure enough, he felt them settle under his hand, and Padme breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank the Maker!" She gushed on a sigh.
"No. Thank the Force, Angel."
"Yeah. That, too."
It was all a pack of cinematic lies.
He was sure of it.
He'd seen holovids where women gave birth. They were quick and easy, and the women in them looked like they were in pain, but ultimately, it seemed manageable, all without a hair out of place. And not messy at all.
But this…By the Force, this was something else.
"Are you sure it's not time yet, Angel?" It was a constant battle to stay calm. Already, Padme was utterly exhausted, coated in sweat, hair falling out of the messy bun she'd thrown it up in, with strands sticking to her face. With each contraction, her face contorted in agony, as she bared her gritted teeth, and now, an entire ten hours after they'd reached the med center, she couldn't help but release a continuous stream of pained noises - interspersed with a few choice expletives for good measure - that ripped his soul to shreds.
He hated to see his beloved wife in pain, but this was beyond anything he'd ever imagined!
"No," She leaned her head on his shoulder, completely exhausted. Every five minutes, he reached out through the Force to make sure it was alright, but all he got back was a terrible sense of pain and an overwhelming and impossible desire to sleep to regain energy. He wasn't adept in Force healing. He didn't know if this was normal. All he could rely on was the word of a doctor who likely knew nothing about Force sensitive babies anyway. Did that change anything about the birthing process? He had no kriffing clue, and the uncertainty gnawed at him, and the fact that she was dead in Luke and Leia's original future made him on edge despite all the calming exercises he'd tried. "The contractions aren't close enough yet. Soon, though."
"Should I get the doctor…?"
"I'll let you know when, Ani."
"But how-?"
"Because this is something women have been doing since the beginning of time. It's an instinct, Love. Trust me." She managed a small smile. "Besides. I'm pretty sure the doctor hates you by now."
She wasn't wrong. He'd bothered the doctor to make sure everything was normal so often, he could feel the man's trepidation every time Anakin found him. "He should be here the whole time…" He practically whined, his expression awash in concern.
"For ten straight hours?!" She laughed, the sound weaker and more strained than he'd ever heard it, "Ani. Really. Get real. I'm not the only woman here in labor, you know."
He opened his mouth to press further, when the door opened on the other side of the privacy curtain shielding them from view, and a nurse walked in and peered around the curtain at them. "Sir?" She motioned for Anakin to follow her. "You have a visitor."
His brows furrowed, not sure who'd be visiting here and now. He knew Padme's parents were on their way, but they wouldn't be there until the next morning. The babies were coming early, after all. But when he reached out to probe the presences outside the room that had taken up all of his attention over the last day, he recognized two incredibly bright Force signatures outside.
And still, he was reluctant to leave Padme's side even for a moment.
"You have time, Ani." Padme reassured him again, rubbing a tired hand gently over his forearm. "Go, take a deep breath, and then come back. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
In other words, he was panicking again, and she was hoping he'd use this chance to step out of the room and calm down. He pressed a tender kiss to her sweaty forehead, then reluctantly left the room; though, he didn't leave it fully in his mind. Padme's light in the Force was ever constant, and her feelings were as closely tied to him as his own.
He wouldn't miss anything.
Obi-Wan stood in the hallway, along with a stout blue Twi'lek Jedi he was all too familiar with.
Vokara Che. The Jedi Healer who had treated him, Obi-Wan, and even Padme after the battle of Geonosis.
"Obi-Wan," Anakin greeted in surprise, then he nodded respectfully to Vokara. "Master Che."
Obi-Wan approached him, and before Anakin could react, he embraced him. Strong, reassuring light flooded them both. Even after leaving the Order, their bond had only strengthened.
"I could feel your anxiety all the way from the Temple. You also weren't answering your comm." He pulled away and motioned to the healer. "Then I heard the Empress was in labor, so I...ah...Managed to convince Vokara here to come help."
Anakin frowned, still stunned and frozen to the floor. "You got the Council to agree to that?"
To his knowledge, most of the Council still hadn't let his breaking of the Code go, and according to Obi-Wan, some were still quite upset by the blistering verbal attack his wife had given them. Plus, there was the whole Empire thing, and Padme becoming Empress…
"I do not need their permission to help someone in need." Vokara replied hotly, stepping forward. "Master Kenobi has expressed your concerns for your wife's safety based on your...wish," the tone said she didn't fully believe that he'd summoned his adult children from the future, but she continued on anyway. "I am here to make sure you do not lose your wife, and the galaxy does not lose its Empress."
"But...but I thought…?"
Again, Vokara interrupted with a snort. "I did not become a healer to only help those I agreed with politically. Besides. From what I hear, our Empress is rather reluctant about her role anyway."
It was true, but…
"Will you let me assist her, Skywalker?"
Anakin's gaze flashed to Obi-Wan's, and he silently nodded to the Healer. They could trust her. He'd deal with the fallout from the Council later. And he had to admit, having a Jedi as skilled in the healing arts as Vokara was helping Padme…
"Alright, I'll need to let my wife know, but..." He paused. "Thank you, Master." He choked up in gratitude, tears filling his eyes. He'd always been fond of Vokara.
"Thank me when this is done with and your wife and children are all safe."
His ears were ringing.
And he had a pounding headache by this point.
Force! The screaming would forever haunt his dreams. He was sure of it.
He'd fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the Clone Wars. He'd watched sentients die truly horrible deaths. He'd learned to take it in stride, and keep moving forward. But this… this was a whole other level of pain and determination. Like nothing he'd ever witnessed before. Truly, what women were capable of was beyond incredible...and his wife had earned his deepest respect another thousand fold, to be sure.
"Push, Your Majesty." Vokara ordered calmly. Padme gripped his hand so tightly, he thought his bones would crack, her fingernails digging into his skin to the point he thought he'd start bleeding. Her back arched forward, and her eyes were tightly closed, her teeth gritting together as she reared up, pushing again with all her strength. And screamed. Right in his throbbing ear.
It absolutely sounded like she was dying.
Her pain bled into the Force. He winced, certain Obi-Wan could feel it too from where he was waiting outside in the hallway. But there was no sense of her spirit leaving him-just determination to see her children. Again.
He felt so utterly useless, so helpless. His wife was waging a monumental battle the likes he couldn't have imagined, and only Vokara was truly able to help her through it. He was simply reduced to encouraging her verbally and emotionally. Oh, and letting her crush his hand and rupture his eardrums. "I believe in you, Angel." He breathed, repeatedly. "You're doing great, My Love."
More pushing. More screaming. More crushing of his hand. And then, with one last mighty heave and a grunted wail that was more battle cry than anything…Soft cries suddenly filled the room, followed by a blinding bright presence he instantly recognized as Luke's.
Their son, their firstborn was here.
Again!
"Congratulations!" A beaming nurse said, and moments later she was holding the tiny, pinkish-red, squalling form of their son for them to see. Vokara had gone right back to Padme, who'd taken the moment to slump back against the pillows in part relief, part exhaustion. "It's a boy!"
He stared at his son in loving awe. The boy who, just months before, had shown up as a grown man out of thin air on Dagobah missing a hand, accusing him of being a Sith and destroying all of their lives. And now, here he was as a newborn infant, so impossibly tiny and bright and innocent that he was afraid to touch him. Hesitantly, he reached out through that bond that had developed rapidly since then, and feelings and impressions came flooding back at him from his son.
He was cold.
He'd never felt the presence of the person holding him. And didn't like it.
Where was his sister?!
"Luke," Padme breathed softly, love radiating in her voice.
Luke heard her voice, turned his head toward it, letting out a little mewl in recognition, and the feeling of familiarity and desire for the woman who'd carried him all those many months pulsed between them.
Anakin stood to reach for his son…
And suddenly, Padme's cries of pain had him right back at her side while the nurse carried Luke away to be cleaned up, much to his son's vocalized distaste.
"We're not out of this yet." Vokara reminded him, speaking loudly over Luke's lusty wails of displeasure. "Your daughter definitely wants to be born. Now."
Great. She's got the notorious Skywalker impatience, like me. But I guess I already knew that.
"Is everything still o-?"
"Skywalker, I have told you for the last time, she is fine . Now, be quiet and let me work."
Ok. Shutting up.
Padme once again had hold of his now very sore, not to mention rather bruised, flesh hand, and she was gripping it like a lifeline as she listened to Vokara's instructions and began pushing again.
This time it took longer. At least, that's what it felt like. Yet, Vokara remained calm and steadfast, giving Padme strict instructions to follow, which she did. He didn't know how she did it the first time, and here he was worried she'd falter the second time and maybe that's how she died…
But Vokara ordered, "Push with everything you have, Your Majesty. Come on! One more big push!"
And Padme's eyes flashed, she gritted her teeth, and with a terrifying scream that Anakin would later describe as breaking the sound barrier, she leaned forward and pushed…
And an incredibly loud wailing filled the room, drowning out everything else entirely, along with an equally bright presence that practically demanded attention.
Leia had arrived.
Even as an infant, she was just as insistent, her father noted with a mixture of amusement and trepidation.
Where's my brother?!
Who is this holding me?!
I don't like it out here!
Came the very distinct impressions through their bond. She was cold, and just as confused as Luke, but it was her twin she wanted. Now.
And she wanted the entire med center to hear about it.
His poor eardrums. He was beginning to wonder if he might end up deaf after this.
"Double congratulations are in order!" Vokara said with a rare smile, holding up Leia for them to see. "And yes, Anakin, Empress Amidala is just fine."
Padme was slumped back against the pillows, staring at their screaming daughter with love and adoration. "She's so beautiful," she breathed.
And she was. She was just as beautiful now as she would be in the future, with a head full of dark curls, so like her mother's. She and Luke, who was now being carried back to him warmly wrapped in a blanket, were both perfect. Rather loud , yes, but still perfect. Before he could utter a word, the nurse placed his son in his arms, and instantly the boy calmed, settling into him contentedly, sensing his familiarity.
And Leia...Leia was being handed to their mother, who finally, after everything that had happened, held her daughter in her arms…
Everything was alright.
That thought struck him. Here he was, with his wife- who was alive!- and they were holding their precious twins, whose presences shone so brightly in the Force, he was convinced they outshone the stars.
They were all alive. And together. He couldn't be any happier or prouder than he was in this moment.
"See, Ani?" Padme breathed softly, finally looking away from Leia to meet his eyes. Tears of joy fell down her face, and she smiled. And even sweaty and exhausted, she was more beautiful to him than ever before, and he felt like his heart would burst with love for her and their children. "I told you. Everything's alright."
Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe it wasn't childbirth that had killed her in the twins' previous timeline. He'd never know. But it didn't really matter anymore-she was alive, and their twins were finally here to stay…
He looked down at Leia, who'd calmed instantly once she was safe and secure in her mother's arms. He looked down at Luke, who snuggled as close as he could to his chest, savoring his warmth.
And he wept.
All of the anxiety. All of the fear and the uncertainty. The long hours of waiting… all of that seemed like nothing compared to this joy. This light and innocence and love that was his family.
Yes, the future was still uncertain. And it was more than a little odd to hold the tiny versions of the full grown adults they'd met only months before. But everything they'd worked for, everything they would continue to work for, all of it was worth it just for this moment, and for the many more Skywalker family moments that were to come.
Luke. Leia.
Her precious babies were finally here!
At long last!
Despite the utter exhaustion she felt, she refused to let either of them go more than necessary. If she wasn't holding Leia, she was cradling Luke. They were so tiny, and so very different from their adult counterparts, but also so similar at the same time. Even in the short time she'd known them, she could see the gentleness in her son, so like herself, the calm demeanor even when he was upset about getting washed. Leia, on the other hand, was an absolute ball of fire, and when she was upset about anything, she let everyone know it. So much like her father. That thought amused Padme to no end.
But one thing was quite clear to each parent immediately...both twins became incredibly fussy when they were separated. For any reason. They didn't like it. Not one bit.
And on that particular issue, they vied for the title of Loudest Skywalker.
She recalled the last time she'd seen them, standing in the room in the royal palace that had once been Leia's on Alderaan. She remembered the fear on Leia's face, remembered the way she'd looked to her brother for help, just as he'd looked to her for help back on Anakin's battle cruiser. In both instances, the other twin stepped up in the way their sibling needed: Leia in guarding and protecting her brother while he recovered, and Luke in reassuring his sister that they'd be together , wherever they ended up.
She'd been helpless to help them in both cases. Oh, how that had hurt! But now... Now, she could hold them freely, and they were hers to keep . As long as she breathed, they'd never be separated, and they'd know nothing but the purest love and most devoted nurturing they deserved - this time from both their parents.
The Empire had still risen, yes. But the Sith were now gone or on the run, and the Death Star would never be built, and as long as she was Empress, she would ensure the majority of power remained with the Senate. But she'd work for the rest of her life, if need be, to convince the Senate and the galaxy, to trust in true Democracy again so that her children could finally experience the freedom that came with it.
But for now...she'd simply hold them close, and quietly marvel at the miracle their adult children had given them by empowering their parents to make this all possible.
After the twins birth…
Empress Padme Amidala Skywalker was true to her word. She reigned as Empress for twenty years, and focused all her efforts on using her power for the good of the galaxy. She used most of her authority to disband the cartels (especially the Hutts) and redistribute power among just, elected leaders for each of the affected planetary systems. She ended the practice of slavery across the galaxy and created rehabilitation programs for those freed. Many of these efforts were led personally by her husband, Anakin Skywalker, and occasionally Obi-Wan Kenobi when he had the available time to help. But for the most part, she left most decisions up to the Senate, and only interfered when it was demanded of her.
One of the Senate's first acts after the birth of the twins was to separate the Jedi and the government. For far too long had the Jedi been involved in the affairs of the government, inviting unnecessary conflict into the everyday lives of the citizens of the galaxy with their ongoing war with the Sith. The bill, per protocol, was signed into law by the Empress, which further drove a wedge between her and the Jedi Council. With the exception of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had wholeheartedly approved of the legislation, much to the dismay of Master Yoda and Mace Windu. The Council attempted to get Anakin to interfere on their behalf, but he flatly refused, clearly stating his desire to focus on his wife and newborn children.
Throughout the early years of the Empire, the Jedi continued to try to petition for power back. Each time, the Senate and the Empress denied it. Further conflict continued between the Skywalkers and the Jedi when the Council attempted to convince them that the twins needed to be trained as Jedi. True to their word, both Anakin and the Empress refused, and eventually, they dropped the matter altogether after Obi-Wan managed to convince the Council they'd never change their minds.
But the twins were far from untrained. They learned the ways of the Force directly from their very proud father and their affectionately named "Uncle Ben," who visited frequently, as well as their father's former padawan, Ahsoka Tano, or 'Aunt Soka,' who also visited the Skywalkers a lot.
Because their mother was Empress, the little "Royal Jedi," as the media liked to call them, were constantly in the news. Though this didn't please their parents, who tried to shield their children's privacy as much as possible, it did show families across the galaxy that there were other methods to help their Force Sensitive children. As a result, many families began refusing the Jedi's demands at training their children, unless their children were expressly allowed to stay with them and be raised to embrace both their feelings and attachments, citing the Royal Jedi and their parents as their example and reason why, with the direct encouragement of the Empress herself.
As much as this distressed most of the Council, it was cheered by many of the Jedi and almost all of the padawans, and it forced the Council to begin to adapt or face extinction from their own unwillingness to change. And, as the Jedi began to change, so did the perceptions (slowly) of the Council. There were still those such as Mace and Yoda who clung to the Old Ways in their hearts, but the vast majority accepted the changes readily, and even attempted to bring Anakin Skywalker back into their ranks, this time as a Master.
But though Anakin was willing to assist in worthy causes across the galaxy, including occasionally the Jedi, he never rejoined the Order, citing his duty first and foremost to his family. When he wasn't assisting his wife's humanitarian efforts, or the Jedi, or even with his children, he happily worked in his shop on Coruscant - as well as a second shop he opened on Naboo, fixing and enhancing speeders. As his children grew older, it was common to see Luke there with him, eagerly learning and working alongside him. Rex and the other clones who'd gone to work for their general doted on the boy, and Luke frequently referred to them as his Big Brothers.
Leia, naturally, took more after her mother, who consistently reminded her that they needed to work to bring back democracy. As she grew older, Leia assisted her mother in her humanitarian efforts, and at age sixteen officially became a Senator, representing Naboo, just as her mother had done before her. She and the Empress teamed up and twenty years into the reign of the Empire, they finally managed to overturn the Imperial reign through a vote in the Senate.
Once things were properly transitioned over, with Bail Organa taking the reigns as the new Supreme Chancellor, the Skywalker family officially retired to Naboo, but continued dividing their time between Theed, Varykino, and their stately penthouse apartment on Coruscant. Though Leia continued to lead in the Senate, and Luke eventually joined the ranks of the newly reformed Jedi, they frequently were found with their parents at the lake house on Varykino as well.
Luke and Leia never recovered their old memories. At least, if they did, they didn't tell their parents. Though Padme did wonder a bit when Leia suddenly brought home a scruffy-looking smuggler by the name of Han Solo.
Throughout the years, the Media constantly hounded Anakin and Obi-Wan for an interview about what had happened that night in the Chancellor's office. Though they usually referred them back to the official statement given to the press at the time, Anakin once added, "I didn't do anything except physically take down the despot. I was doing my job. That doesn't make me a hero. The real heroes of this story are my children. Without them , everything would have been different."
And though the media wrote it off as simply a sentimental father who'd wanted to protect his wife and unborn children, they didn't know just how literally Anakin had meant it.
Because it was true. Unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy, their collective fates were determined not only by Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, and Empress Padme Amidala Skywalker, and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, but by that of two barely trained Force Sensitives brought here from the future, and their love for their families.
All at the fulfillment of just one wish.
This is my very first completed multi-chapter Star Wars fic! It's a weird, but good feeling at the same time, so though this has been written for a while I wanted to make sure it felt right.
While it is technically a happy ending, it isn't exactly...well, 100% happy? Luke and Leia's fate was the hardest to decide. No matter what I chose, it would have been a somewhat sad ending for them. Send them back to their timeline? Well that would suck knowing your family is happy in another timeline. Bring them back 21 years in time and thrust them into a new life? THERAPY. SO MUCH THERAPY, and I don't think Leia ever could have recovered completely. So...I decided this one, where they live as new people. Which is happy for them, but sad for us who know and love their old selves, too.
So...how did you like it?
Love,
LadyVader23