Balance

Chapter 1: End of the War

Padmè Amidala had been anxiously waiting for Anakin to return from the Jedi Temple. She had sensed his turmoil and pain, and had been horribly worried about him. This baby she was carrying... it gave her more awareness to the Force. She could sense how people felt, especially Anakin. But instead of Anakin stopping by, it was Ahsoka. Ahsoka! Padmè hadn't seen Ahsoka since her trial, and the last she had heard about her, was the fact that she had walked away from the Jedi Order. From Anakin... Padmè wasn't the type of person to hold it against Ahsoka, but she had seen first hand just how much Ahsoka's departure had affected Anakin.

Ahsoka slowly walked up to her. "Senator Amidala..." she whispered hoarsely. Padmè could tell she had been crying. Why had she been crying? What had happened? Was it somehow connected to the pain that she had felt from Anakin? "Please, Ahsoka, no formalities," Padmè told her gently. "What are you doing here?" She asked Ahsoka. "What happened?"

"Anakin found out that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Master Windu and others were sent to kill him. Master Windu succeeded in doing so, but the rest were killed, one of them being Master Fisto," Ahsoka sighed. Kit Fisto had been one of the Jedi that she had been semi close to. They had been on multiple missions together. "Anakin is with the Council right now. They're deciding what to do now, and how to reveal to the public that the Chancellor has been killed."

Padmè stepped back, raw shock displayed on her face. "The Chancellor..." she gasped. "His ideas commonly clashed with mine, but I would have never thought that he..." Padmè paused. "Is Anakin alright? I can't imagine how troubled he is." Ahsoka slowly nodded. "He will be. At least the Chancellor is out of the picture now. Who knows what would have happened if Master Windu had not succeeded. The Jedi Order could have been destroyed. The Republic could have been..."

Padmè shook her head, still not over the fact that Palpatine was Darth Sidious. "I was one of the Senators who was the closest to him. I can't believe I never put the two and two together," she blinked her eyes, trying to banish any guilt that she felt. It was over, that is all that mattered.

Ahsoka stepped closer to her, her face holding comfort. "You mustn't blame yourself, Padmè. I think Anakin's doing that enough for the both of you." Padmè gave her a look. "Are you sure that he's alright, Ahsoka?" Padmè asked. Ahsoka nodded again. "He is, I guess. He's just a little bit shocked at the moment. Like the rest of us." Padmè nodded at Ahsoka's words, deciding not to worry about Anakin at that moment. Perhaps she would later when she actually saw him.

Ahsoka decided to change the subject. "I can't believe that you and Anakin have been married since the start of the Clone Wars," Ahsoka said. "And you're pregnant now... I'm so happy for the both of you."

Padmè smiled. "Thank you, Ahsoka," she said. "And it has been hard for the both of us, having to hide our love for each other and all, but at least we won't have to anymore now that the war is over."

"Anakin invited me to come to Naboo with you and him," Ahsoka said. "That is if you want me to go with you two too," she whispered.

Padmè smiled. "Of course you can come, Ahsoka! You're like family to me. It would be cruel of me to refuse you," she said.

Ahsoka sighed. "Even after I left Anakin?"

Padmè closed her eyes for a open before opening them again. "You did what you had to do, Ahsoka. You saw the flaws in the Jedi Order, and I don't blame you for not wanting to stay there after everything that you went through," Padmè said.

Ahsoka frowned. "Yes, but the Jedi Order was my life. It was the only life I had ever known... until now. And this life isn't too much better," she sighed. "I just wish things could go back to the way they were before the hanger bombing."