Peace

ii.

Padmé sat beside Zera on the bed, her presence warm and comforting. "Are you excited?" she asked softly. Zera looked up at her, already understanding the question. She nodded and gave a small smile.

"It makes you happy, so it makes me happy too," Zera said, her voice cheerful, but there was a shadow behind her eyes-one that Padmé noticed immediately.

"What's wrong, Zera?" Padmé asked, gently stroking the girl's hair, sensing something deeper troubling her.

Zera hesitated, her small body tensing. She let out a soft sigh, unsure whether to speak. Padmé didn't press her, waiting patiently, knowing Zera would open up when she was ready.

After a moment, the girl spoke, her eyes drifting to Padmé's growing belly. "When everything changes... are you gonna forget about me?"

Padmé's heart clenched at the question. She could never forget Zera-she loved her as if she were her own child. The thought of Zera feeling that way pained her deeply.

Instead of words, Padmé offered a tender smile and pulled Zera into a tight embrace. The silence between them said more than words ever could. In that hug, Zera found her answer-Padmé's love for her was unwavering, no matter how much their world might change.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Anakin jolted upright in bed, gasping for breath, eyes wide as he stared blindly into the surrounding darkness. The echoes of a nightmare clung to him, vivid and relentless.

Her voice rang in his head, desperate and broken. How she had screamed for him, how she had begged-how her strength had failed her on that table, until all she could do was whisper, "Anakin, I'm sorry. I love you. I love you..."

The words pounded through his skull, drowning out everything else. He couldn't hear the stillness of the room, only the furious pounding of his heart. His hand gripped at the unfamiliar sensation of sweat-soaked sheets twisted around his waist. Slowly, reality began to settle, and he remembered where he was.

He turned slightly, and there she was. Padmé. She lay on her side beside him, her hair cascading in soft waves over her pillow, her lips curved in a faint, peaceful smile. The steady rise and fall of her chest soothed him, a fragile reassurance that she was alive-that she was still with him.

But even that comfort wasn't enough. Anakin turned away, burying his face in his hands. He was shaking. She was safe now, here, but the terror of losing her-of failing her-still clung to him like a shadow that wouldn't fade.

In the silence, the soft hum of the electro-drivers in his mechanical hand was the only sound he could hear. Quietly, he untangled himself from the sheets and rose from the bed, walking to the window.

The nightscape of Coruscant stretched before him, a galaxy of lights twinkling from the towers that soared into the sky. It was a view he had seen countless times before, yet now, it felt different. The city was beautiful, yes-but beneath its brilliance, Anakin could see the scars. The cracks. The darkness that lay hidden beneath the surface.

Coruscant, like him, was damaged. Broken by battle, tainted by shadows that ran too deep to be healed. And standing there, staring into the endless lights, he couldn't help but wonder if anything could ever truly be whole again.

Anakin remained lost in the nightscape until a soft noise behind him broke the silence. He turned and saw Zera standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes, still drowsy from sleep.

"Zee, why are you up?" he asked gently, his voice low so as not to wake Padmé.

"Thirsty," was all the young girl mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

Anakin nodded, expecting her to get a drink and return to bed, but instead, Zera shuffled toward him, stopping at his side. Her small hand reached out, resting on top of his. She looked up at him with wide, concerned eyes. Though she was too young to fully understand what troubled him, her intuition was strong-she sensed his unease.

Anakin glanced down at her, her presence tugging at something deep within him. Forcing a smile, he squeezed her hand gently. "I'm okay," he murmured, though the words felt thin and hollow.

Zera didn't move, her hand still resting on his. Her silent presence spoke louder than words-she knew something wasn't right, and she wasn't going to leave him alone in it.

She moved so quietly that she could have been a breeze, but Anakin had sensed her presence long before she reached him. Padmé gently placed a hand on Zera's shoulder, her voice soft as she spoke to the young girl.

"Hey, Zera, why don't you head back to bed? I'll come check on you in a few minutes."

Zera nodded, her reluctance clear, but she knew better than to argue with Padmé. Casting one last glance at Anakin, she padded back to her room. Once the girl was gone, Padmé stepped beside him at the railing, resting her hand lightly on his back as she gazed out over the city. Coruscant had become her second home, but tonight, its glittering skyline did nothing to ease the heaviness she sensed in him.

She stood with him in silence, waiting patiently for him to speak. Finally, she asked gently, "What's bothering you?"

Anakin looked at her, sighing softly before attempting a smile. "Nothing," he said, his hand reaching for the japor snippet she wore around her neck. His fingers brushed the small token, and his voice softened. "I remember when I gave this to you."

Padmé met his eyes, her expression serious. "How long is it going to take for us to trust each other?" she asked quietly.

He looked away, the weight of her question sinking in. After a long pause, he finally answered. "It was a dream," he said.

She nodded slowly, knowing the gravity of his dreams all too well. "Bad?"

"Like the ones I used to have about my mother," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze. "Just before she died."

Padmé's heart ached at his words, but she remained still, waiting for him to continue.

"And?" she pressed gently.

Anakin turned to her, his face etched with pain. "It was about you."

He stood up abruptly, stepping away from the railing. "It was only a dream," he said, but the fear in his voice betrayed him. He turned back to face her, his eyes filled with desperation. "You die in childbirth."

Padmé instinctively moved her hands to her growing belly. "And the baby?" she asked, her voice quiet.

Anakin shook his head, his expression tortured. "I don't know."

She took a step toward him, her voice steady, though fear had begun to creep into her heart. "It was only a dream, Anakin."

"I won't let this one become real," he said firmly, his voice tinged with both fear and determination. "I won't lose you."

"This baby will change everything," she said softly, her gaze distant. "I doubt the Queen will allow me to keep serving in the Senate, and if the Council finds out you're the father, they'll expel you."

Anakin raised a hand, silencing her gently. "I know," he sighed. "I know."

After a moment, Padmé asked, "Do you think Obi-Wan could help us?"

Anakin's expression hardened. "We don't need his help," he said, his voice firm. Then, softening, he smiled down at her. "Our baby is a blessing."

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. She rested her head against his chest, but even as they held each other, the weight of their uncertain future loomed over them, unspoken but ever-present.