Star Wars: The Hero's Descent

Epilogue

Padmé Amidala awoke to the most beautiful sight in the galaxy. Possibly even the universe.

The swathes of green fields of the Naboo Lake County, the supernovas and gas clouds of space could not compete, could not even touch the beauty that was Anakin Skywalker, alive, smiling and a little teary, and holding two bundles in his arms.

'Anakin,' Padmé said softly, reaching with one hand to touch him, any part of him, just to make sure he was real.

'Hey,' he replied, just as quietly. 'There are two little people just itching to meet you.'

Padmé sucked in a breath and tried to sit up, but Anakin was on his feet in an instant, somehow managing to not jostle the babies and stop her from moving at the same time. 'Let me-' He eased her back again with his body and deposited one of the tiny bundles on her chest for her to cradle. With his free hand, he reached somewhere out of Padmé's field of vision and returned with a large white pillow. 'Here,' he said and between the two of them they managed to get her sitting a little more upright, propped up by comfortable pillows. Once she was settled, the other bundle was deposited into her arms and two tiny sleeping faces met her gaze.

'Twins,' she said quietly, unable to speak above a whisper in the quiet for fear of waking them.

'A boy and a girl.'

'Luke and Leia.' Padmé smiled so broadly her face hurt. Ever since Anakin had found out she was pregnant, in those snatches of peace they could grab in a time of war, they had argued over whether it was a boy or a girl. Padmé had claimed maternal instinct, insisting it was a boy. Anakin had claimed the side of the Force, stating just as insistently that it was a girl. 'We were both right.'

Anakin chuckled and scooted his chair closer until the arm was pressed tightly to the end of the bed and he could lean over, resting his head against hers and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Padmé's mood had sobered a little at her thoughts, inevitably driven back to the war.

'When do you have to leave?' she asked. 'Shouldn't you be out tracking down Sidious?'

Anakin pressed a fierce kiss to her hair. 'Sidious won't hurt you or our family ever again. I promise.'

Padmé tore her gaze away from Luke and Leia to look up at her husband. 'What happened?'

Anakin took a deep breath and told her everything.

Obi-Wan and Yoda had been in conference for several hours when they finally felt the time was right to talk to Anakin. By that time, Anakin and Padmé had fallen into a tired but comfortable silence. Obi-Wan could see them through the window in the door as he approached with the news. When he'd left his former padawan, Anakin had been sitting in the chair by the bed, whispering softly to his children. Now, both father and children had migrated, and the entire family was squished onto the hospital bed, Anakin's large and lanky frame cradling all three of them protectively and his flesh hand absently stroked the Senator's hair.

Obi-Wan hated to disturb them. Yoda either couldn't see through the door or he didn't share Obi-Wan's sentiment. The old grandmaster knocked and strode right in.

'Skywalker,' he announced gravely. 'Talk we must.'

Anakin nodded mutely and extricated himself from his family with a little less than his usual grace. Obi-Wan noticed that on the side of his head that had been rested on the pillow behind Padmé, his hair stuck up at odd angles and found it amusing.

'Are you okay?' Padmé asked Anakin quietly. Anakin just nodded.

Obi-Wan gestured to the door. 'Why don't we talk outside?'