THE SKYWALKERS: book one

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Free

"Anakin!" Padmé cried, which made Anakin's heart race even faster than a pod at Mos Espa. All he could see was her face as the light left her eyes...

"Okay, Padmé, I need you to push on the count of three, okay?"

Padmé nodded and squeezed Anakin's hand even tighter, which made Anakin wince, but compared to what his wife was going through, he knew it was nothing.

"One...two..."

Anakin looked over to make sure Obi-Wan was still there, which he was. Obi-Wan gave him a nod of encouragement, and Anakin took a deep breath to brace himself. Trust in the Force. Trust in the Force.

"Three!"

Padmé screamed as she pushed, then she paused to take a breath. She seemed to be struggling to breathe, and she was so sweaty... Trust in the Force.

"Again," commanded Beru.

As Padmé pushed some more, Anakin noticed Obi-Wan lean in closer and place a caring hand on Anakin's shoulder. If anything, he was grateful to have him there.

"I see the head!" Beru announced excitedly. "One more push, Padmé. You're doing so well."

Padmé let out one last scream as she gave the hardest push yet, and then the cries of a baby could be heard. Anakin let out a deep sigh of relief. She'd done it. It was over, and everything seemed to be okay.

"It's a boy," Beru said with a smile, holding the baby out for Anakin and Padmé to see.

Anakin couldn't help but grin, even though the baby was bloody and dirty. That was his son. He was a father. He could've never guessed how elated it would make him feel.

"Luke," Padmé breathlessly said the name she and Anakin had briefly discussed not long ago.

Beru wrapped little Luke in one of the blankets and handed him to Anakin. Luke was so warm and so loud, Anakin thought as he bent over slightly to show him to Padmé.

"Oh, Luke," she beamed. "You're so handsome." Then her smile turned to a frown, and she clenched her teeth.

"Padmé?" Anakin pulled Luke away and handed him to Obi-Wan before turning back to his wife. This was it, wasn't it? This was where everything was going to go wrong. "Padmé?"

She groaned in response, so Anakin turned to Beru. "What's going on?"

Beru felt around Padmé's stomach, then gasped. "Oh my."

"What? What is it?" Anakin demanded.

"There's another baby," Beru was already getting prepared. "Padmé, you're going to have to push again, okay?"

Anakin wanted to scream like Padmé had been, but he tried to stay calm as he allowed Padmé to grip his hand once more.

"Alright, push!"

Padmé didn't scream nearly as much, maybe because she realized it didn't do much to help. She barely paused for a breath before pushing again.

"Almost there!"

Padmé gave one final push, and another baby was crying.

"It's a girl," Beru grabbed another blanket after cleaning the baby off.

"Leia," Padmé panted, and she lifted her arms, ready to receive her baby.

Anakin took the little bundle from Beru's arms and smiled down at his daughter. She was just as precious as her brother—a little princess. He passed her to Padmé just as Obi-Wan came back over with Luke. He'd wiped Luke off, so Anakin could see his soft, smooth skin.