WHAT IS REAL

VI

Sabe just held her and listened as she talked about what happened. After all was told to her she knew what to do. "Padme, we need to get you off this planet. You need to go into hiding."

"Why? I have nothing to live for anymore. I should have remained in there and died."

"No there is still hope. Hope that you may one day find your children again."

Change they did; because Padme woke up in the morgue. She opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by white. WHY? She twitched her fingers and realized it was a sheet. She ripped the sheet off her face feeling very scared. Then she looked around at where she was and she screamed. A dead body was on either side of her, and it was very dark. Only a small light on the far wall cast enough light for her to be able to see. No one was in the room and being there all alone made her very scared. She got off the table; her legs were very weak. She made her way slowly across the room and out the door. The hallway was empty. She leaned against the wall and slid down into a crouched position. She needed to rest and to get away. What should I do? I am nothing anymore. Everyone thinks I am dead else I would not be here. Being dead would not be such a bad thing. She just lay there not moving, and not caring.

Someone did care though. One very special very devoted friend. She had been there all her life. She was a best friend back in Legislative Youth Program. She had become her handmaid when Padme became queen; she had been chosen because she looked extraordinarily like Padme. Sabe.

She came to the morgue because she could not believe her friend; her queen was dead. She had to see for herself. She came alone for she could not face it with people standing there watching her. She had disguised herself as a doctor so she could get into the place with out question. She came down the hall and stopped to see someone slumped into a ball outside the door of the morgue. She stopped and gasped as she turned the person so she could see the face. "Padme!"

Padme opened her eyes and saw Sabe leaning over her and she grabbed her into a strangling hug. Tear ran streaming down her face. Heart wrenching life draining tears. Tears for her fear. Tears for her sorrow. Tears for her children (she had no idea where they were). Most importantly, the awful empty tears for Anakin. Her heart felt as if it was bleeding right through her chest.

"Why should I care? I am sure Obi Wan took good care of them. They don't need me."

"Listen to yourself Padme. You act like you have given up. I have known you all my life. You have never backed down from anything."

"I have no Anakin."

"So that makes it right to just give up on your children. They were not just Anakin's they were yours."

"They were mine weren't they? I don't know, Sabe. I am not ready to hunt right now. Anakin would surely try to find me if he knew I was alive."

"You leave that to me. I am going to find you transport off this planet and to somewhere he would not think to look. Here lets first get you out of this hallway."