Treasured (Book 2)

Patience

Anakin sat at the table Saturday night, struggling to teach Luke to read.

"Luke, it's important to know how to read. When you're a Padawan, it's vital that you know how to read and write."

Luke whined. "I know! It's just so hard!"

"Let's restart." He pointed to the first word of the children's book. The twins already knew perfectly how to write, and both of them were still working on reading. They could read picture books, but Luke was the one who was having the most trouble with reading out of the two.

"Once," Luke read as Anakin pointed to each word, "there was a little Nexu that lived with his...his..."

"Parents," Anakin said.

"Parents near the la...lake."

"Good."

"He ran around the...me..."

"Meadows."

"Meedoes?"

"Mea-dow-s." Anakin sounded it out.

"Meadows. He ran around the meadows all day, every day. At bed time he -"

"When there's a comma, like the one after 'time', pause for a minute," Anakin told Luke.

"At bed time... his Mom and Dad would call him into the cave to sleep."

"Good, Luke."

Leia skipped to the table with her pajamas on. "I'm ready! All I have to do is have my teeth brushed."

"And you have to ask Mommy to take your hair down," Anakin pointed out. He turned to Luke. "Hey, you should get ready too. Good job reading tonight. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

"I know it's hard, but you'll get it in no time. Go get your pajamas on and then I'll brush your teeth."

"Okay." Luke slid down from his chair and walked to his room to get dressed.

Anakin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. It would take a while to teach him, but like he said himself, eventually Luke would get it.

He scooted his chair back and pushed it back in once he stood up. He walked to his bedroom and bumped into Padmé by accident.

"Sorry," Anakin said, picking up the fallen piles of clothes Padmé had been carrying.

"It's okay. How'd it go with Luke?"

"Ah, fine. He's doing pretty well."

"Good. So... I was thinking for tonight... a fire in the fireplace, just to relax on the couch."

Padmé had been wanting to just sit with Anakin and talk for a while, and he said they could do it tonight.

"Okay. I'll start it now."

He started to walk away, but Padmé clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" She stepped in front of him.

"Yeah. I'm just tired."

She looked at him and smiled. "I know. You've done a lot this week."

Anakin had been training the twins all week, on top of teaching them to read. He also had been working out every day, which he now did if he could.

He smiled a little back at her and walked out to start the fire.

"Daddy! Can you brush my teeth now?" Luke called from the bathroom.

Anakin ran his hands through his hair where he stood in the living room, holding his hands on the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm coming."

After he brushed Luke's teeth, tucked the twins in bed and started the fire, Anakin sat out in the living room on the couch. The fire was crackling in the fireplace. He laid his head on the back of the couch and he breathed out.

Padmé finally walked out, her white camisole and black leggings.

"Wow," Anakin said.

"What?"

"I'm just not used to you wearing such simple things."

Padmé smiled and turned back in the direction of the bedroom. "I know. Well, I'll change into my nightgown now..."

"No, I didn't say I didn't like it."

"Alright," Padmé said, walking back towards Anakin. She sat down next to him on the couch and curled up. Anakin slid his arm around her shoulders.

"So. Anything specific you wanted to talk about?"

Padmé shrugged. "Not really. Well, I wanted to say how much I enjoy watching you and Luke and Leia playing and spending time together. It's very sweet and priceless, for sure."

Anakin smiled.

"It's just so adorable. Their squeals, you laughing and your smile, how you all run around together... I love it."

"Yeah. Well, it's fun."

Padmé nodded. "I know. That's the good part. The three of you just enjoy it so much."

Anakin repositioned himself, now laying on his side, his back to the back of the couch. Padmé laid in front of him the same way, and he had his arm around her waist, positioned in front of her. It looked like he was holding it there to prevent her from falling.

"Can I come work out with you tomorrow?" Padmé asked. "I know it sounds silly, but..."

"No. It doesn't. Sure you can. Actually, other than when Ahsoka or Obi-Wan and I go in there, it gets pretty lonely. Most Jedi are so caught up in what they're doing. You know that the cross-fit center is open to you."

"Well...yes. I just wasn't 100% sure."

Padmé tilted her head back so she could see Anakin, and he looked upside-down to her. They smiled at each other.

Both of them pulled away, and Padmé pulled her chin back down again, looking at the fire. "There's a fire crackling in the fire in the fireplace, but I'm still cold. I don't get it," she said, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

Anakin reached behind him and pulled a soft blanket off of the back of the couch. He shook it out of it's folds with one hand as best as he could, and then laid it over top of the two of them. He kissed the back of her head, which was facing him, and slid his hand back around her waist.

"I didn't think the couch would be this comfortable," Padmé remarked, and Anakin smirked.

"You're actually right. It is."

They spent another two hours lying on the couch together, watching the fire crackle. The night went on, and they talked and talked. Padmé knew it was a good idea to ask Anakin to talk that night. She loved spending time with him, especially when she wouldn't let go.