Secrets and Suspicion (Book 1)

Big News

Padmé had just gotten back from running a few "errands" and only got back with one bag from the grocery store.

"Hey," Anakin said to Padmé when she walked in, distracted by working on the engine of his starfighter.

"Hi," she said, slowly approaching him. "Why is that here?" She hated when he brought parts and other things home. She'd much rather him work on whatever he had to work on at the temple or the Jedi Cruiser or something. "Anakin! Put an old sheet under that! The floor is going to get grease and oil all over it!" she exclaimed when she saw that he had the oily engine sitting on the floor.

"It's not going to-" he stopped when he saw her glaring at him. "Fine! I'll go get a sheet," he said in defeat. He walked to their room to go get one. When he walked out of the room, he was carrying a good sheet that they still used on their bed.

"Anakin! An old sheet!" she said, before he could walk back into the living room.

He threw his head back, frustrated, and walked back in the bedroom to find an old sheet.

Padmé sighed and shook her head. He finally came back with an old sheet.
"That's better," she said.

Anakin scowled and put the sheet under the engine. Padmé laughed to herself about his frustration.

"What? What are you laughing about?" He asked, still angry about the whole thing.

"Nothing."

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she laughed.

He went over to her and stared at her. "Tell me."

"Just you," she said. She reached up on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek.

"What about me?" he asked sternly.

"You. You're handsome when you're angry. You're handsome when you laugh, when you're happy. You're handsome when you're determined, when you're upset, you're handsome all of the time."

He was back over working on the engine, and he gave her a side-look. He grinned and looked back at the engine.

"Anakin, I have something to tell you."

He looked at her in a suspicious way. "What?" He asked cautiously.

"Come here," she said.

"Okay," he said. He had no idea what to expect.

When he reached her, she laced her fingers around his. "Ani," she said. "Something wonderful has happened. We're going to have a baby. I'm pregnant."

Anakin's jaw didn't actually drop, but he was that shocked. He put a hand on his hip and ran the other down the back of his hair. "Wait, what did you say?"

"You heard me," she smiled. "I'm pregnant."

"I... I can't believe it. That's great," he said, still extremely awestruck. He hugged Padmé tight and kissed the top of her head. She hugged him, too. They stood there for a while, talking about it.

"Padmé, I hate to say it, but the Order can't find out about this," Anakin said after a while, in a hard voice. "If they find out... I'll get kicked out! And so will you, out of the senatorial business. That can't happen."

"Anakin, this secret cannot stay a secret for much longer. We won't be able to keep it anymore. And with the Force, well..." Her voice trailed off.

"I know," he sat down on the couch with his head in his hands.

"Well, look at the bright side. We're having a baby."

"Yeah." He picked his head up. He looked at Padmé and smiled, placing his hand around her back, and pulling her into an embrace.

"I love you. And the baby," Padmé said, placing a hand on her very flat stomach, considering she was in the very early stages of pregnancy.

"I love you too," Anakin said. He looked out the window, at the busy Coruscaunt traffic outside. "It feels different not being at the Temple or on a mission."

"I understand. This is one of the few times you're not doing anything active. And one of your few breaks," Padmé said.

"Yeah. It just feels like I should be out there doing something."

They sat there for a bit longer before Anakin got up.

"I'm going to go lie down. My stomach is really painful right now," Anakin said.

"Okay," Padmé said in return. "Tell me if you need anything." She waited a minute, wincing in pain. "Actually... I think I'll do the same."

Anakin nodded and headed to the bedroom. How am I going to do this? he thought. Raise a kid? This secret will not be able to be contained for much longer.