Rising From Ashes

Chapter 14 - By My Side

Padme Amidala

"There's... something I need to tell you," Anakin says, slightly awkwardly. "Her name is Rey."

"What is it?" I ask softly. I can't let myself be overwhelmed with what it means for Anakin to be back now, not yet. Not when he's so unstable himself right now. I don't know what to think about the fact that he was fighting against the Rebellion, fighting for the Empire. That's against everything I ever worked for, and he helped destroy it.

Even if it wasn't willingly.

Even if he didn't realize the full extent of what was happening, like so many who have been fooled into believing in the Empire.

"I wasn't sure how you'd think about this," he says, not meeting my gaze, "I didn't even know about her until everything that just happened. She's... my clone, Padme. She's my child."

For a moment, I can only look at him, stunned. I always wanted more children, but this is different. This... isn't that. It's not mine, and I don't know what to think about that. Somehow, I don't think it was even his choice, and that makes it worse.

"I... don't know if you want to take her, but..."

"Of course," I answer automatically, "She's your child. We have to."

"I'm sorry," Anakin says awkwardly, "I... I don't want to ask this of you."

"You didn't know," I remind, taking his hands. I noticed it before, but I don't think it sunk in until right now when I feel the warmth of his once mechanical hand in mine. "What happened? Your arm..."

His expression closes off instantly. "Plagueis," Anakin answers, blinking a few times. "He... regrew it."

What?! "He can do that?"

"Apparently, yes."

"Why did you stay with him?" I want to know. I don't understand any of this. I don't know the full extent of what the Sith did to him and Aniya, and I don't really want to. At the same time, it feels like I should. Like I ought to, deserve to.

"Where could we have gone?" Anakin inquires, "We didn't know where to go. Even if we did, the Sith would have found us again, anyway."

That includes Sidious, who's currently here. Sidious, who destroyed everything I worked for. "Does that include Sidious?"

Anakin sighs. "It's – complicated. I'm his apprentice. I can't just walk out on that."

I know that the twin's past has made them... submissive in ways I can't really understand. Sabe told me a little about the people she encountered on Tatooine and what it can cause. "I understand," I assure gently. I think that's what he needs right now. "We can talk about this... later."

"Yeah," Anakin agrees, "Later."

Probably never.

I pull him into a hug, reveling in the feeling of being here again. Anakin has been gone for so long, and it's been... hard. It is, in some ways, less stressful to not be in the Senate, but at the same time, it feels like I ought to be doing more for the galaxy than I am. I'm beyond grateful that Anakin finally found his way back, but there's no way to make up for the time we spent without one another.

For a few moments, we just hold each other. It's been a long time, and neither of us knows how to talk to each other anymore. I don't know how to distract him.

"How has it been?" Anakin inquires, "I can't imagine it would've been easy to..."

"We survived," I assure, pulling back enough to look at him, but neither of us let go of each other. "That's more than what many families in the galaxy can say right now."