Prologue
Chapter 1
–
I can't afford to watch you walk away
These games you play, are bringing me down
If you could see, all of this sorrow in me
I've got to believe you'd stick around
If I'd known then what I know now
If I'd known then what I know now my love
–
"She's asking about him." Obi-Wan spoke once he joined Yoda in the waiting room. His face scratched up, his Jedi robes hanging off him, and he had a perpetually tired look in his eyes.
"Tell her, you must." Yoda commanded. Observing Obi-Wan, Yoda could see he was riddled with guilt. "Tell her!"
"I can't." Obi-Wan said with a gloomy sigh. "It'll destroy her."
"About to change, her life is." Yoda reminded Obi-Wan of the responsibility Padme will now have to keep her children safe and hidden from the Emperor. "Be prepared, she must."
–
Obi-Wan entered the maternity unit in the hospital, heading straight for Padme's room. Her body seemed frail as she lied there in bed, trying to get some rest. Her skin was pale, and her hair disheveled. Her eyes soon fluttered open once he joined her at her bedside.
"Did Anakin come?" She asked, her voice groggy.
Obi-Wan looked down at her weakly.
"...I'm sorry." He uttered, his face pained with grief. He lowered his head. "He – he didn't make it."
"What?" She gasped, her voice barely audible. For a second her heart stopped, as she pulled herself to sit upright.
Padme began to panic, feeling her stomach twist.
"I," Obi-Wan quavered. "I had no choice."
Her hand flew to her chest, sniveling – trying to control her inhalations.
"Yes you did!" she bawled, trembling as the tears came rolling down her cheeks. "You did have a choice. You always have a choice!"
"He was too far gone." Obi-Wan reasoned, hopelessly. His words sounded like a plea, with a fragile cadence in his voice.
"No – no, I–" Padme shook her head, refusing to accept it. "I could have brought him back." She insisted with a frantic cry.
Obi-Wan shook his head, apologetically. "Padme–"
He tried to reach for her in an effort to console her but she whacked his hand away.
"Don't touch me." She spat nervously, shuddering.
Obi-Wan helplessly tried to reconcile with her, bending down to her level, taking her hand in his.
"No!" She wailed. "No! Get out."
His eyes began to well up with tears as he stood before her.
"Get out!" She barked.
He sheepishly left the room, and she burst into tears.
–
Obi-Wan, Yoda and Bail continued to check in each day since the birth of the twins. The medical droid informed them of Padme's condition, diagnosing her with depression. The babies were being cared for by nurses in a separate unit.
Saddened by the news, the three of them were at a loss for words – not knowing what to do, other than getting these babies out of here and as far away from Palpatine as possible.
