A/N: I've been working on this story for a long, long while now and I'm so glad to be able to share it at last! Many of you will be happy to hear that the next oneshot I'll be posting will be a post-AOTC smutty fluffy pile of goodness. Keep an eye out for that! :)

It all started a year ago.

One too hot summer night with every window in the house open to let in some air, and the drapes dancing across the bedroom from where they were trapped upon the curtain pole, Anakin's lips dusted sugar-sweet kisses across Padme's neck and he wrapped his arms around her flushed body. It was nothing out of the ordinary; Anakin was always affectionate with her and had been ever since they'd gotten together back in high school. Padme thought nothing of it and leant further into her husband's embrace with a content sigh as the movie they were supposed to be watching played on, neither giving it their full attention. "Padme…" Anakin's hot breath tickled against her ear, "Angel, I want a baby."

She froze. What? Blinking, Padme rolled over to meet Anakin's shy, hopeful gaze not quite believing that she'd heard him right. "A baby?!" That was crazy! Wasn't it…? It'd come from nowhere. Well, that wasn't entirely true. They'd had conversations about starting a family before, whispered half-baked talks about the future and what they wanted one day. But they hadn't spoken about having children for at least a year now. They've both been focused on their jobs, Anakin's piloting career was truly beginning to take off now after all his hard work and Padme's work in the political field was gruelling and demanded long hours of the day – and more often than not recently – her nights too. It wasn't the greatest timing… "Ani, where is this coming from?"

His face betrayed the nervousness he felt at bringing this desire up, and Padme wondered how long this had been on his mind. How long he'd been trying to work up the nerve to ask her. His large hand skimmed the subtle dip of her waist once or twice, pushing the thin cotton of her nightie up and down with the movement. "We've been married for six years… We have the house, good money… We love each other…" Padme felt herself smile and trailed her hand across his bare chest, feeling his warm skin beneath her fingertips. It all sounded so simple as if they checked all the boxes necessary to be ready. A house, a happy marriage, stable finances… But there was so much more to it than that. And yet… Padme's heart skipped a beat. Maybe they were ready. Having a family of her own is something she's always wanted, especially after little Ryoo and Pooja came along for Sola and Darred.

"But we're only twenty-four." She reasoned, making him bark out a small laugh. Age was nothing to Anakin, he was forever young. Padme had never been able to imagine him growing older, not even when she promised to do just that by his side six years ago. To Anakin, there was no such thing as too young – a point he'd made very clear upon proposing to her on his eighteenth birthday and marrying her mere months later much to the dismay of Padme's parents.

"And what? Do you want to wait until we're supposed to be old enough? Until we're in our mid-thirties? I don't see any point in that. Angel, we're ready…" His hand on her waist gripped her just a little tighter, eager and excited and Padme couldn't stop the giant grin that possessed her mouth. This was ridiculous. But she couldn't deny, not even for a second, that she wanted it too. A little person, something tiny and innocent, one-half of her and Anakin and borne out of their love… Padme wanted to be a mother. She wanted a baby – their baby.

Anakin could see it in her eyes, on her face, and his expression lit up with the purest joy that made her eyes water slightly. "I – yes!" She laughed, "Let's do it. Let's have a baby."

Things progressed so quickly after that. Anakin had cupped her face with both hands and kissed her breathless, and soon afterwards, all but tore her nightie from her body and kissed his way from her lips to her thighs. And all Padme could do was close her eyes and enjoy the sensations created by her husband. He knew her body almost better than she knew it herself, he knew exactly what he was doing between her legs, how she liked to be kissed and touched. His lips, tongue and teeth busied themselves wringing the sweetest pleasure from her body while his fingers slowly moved within her, stretching her body, deliciously preparing her for what came next.

"Ani…" She gasped, "Yes – oh, yes!"

Anakin's hands slid beneath her body, cupping her backside firmly in his hands and holding her in place, exactly where he needed her to be to pleasure her best. And oh it didn't take long for Padme to fall over the edge in a blissful, toe curling orgasm that tore his name from her lips over and over again until she was sated. And then they were moving, Anakin slipping out of his pyjama trousers letting his hard erection spring free while Padme turned over, lifting up, onto her hands and knees.

It wasn't the most romantic position, especially not under the circumstances, but she didn't care. When Anakin slid inside of her, it was so, so good. Besides, he had always loved taking her from behind, and though she was denied the sight of him, Padme found it extremely erotic. His fingers sunk into her hips, tight and sure, and pulled her backwards to meet each vigorous thrust of his hips. Each time their bodies collided, moans and groans and shameless grunts of pleasure fled their lips. Oh was she wet, extremely aroused and excited by the prospect of what they were doing, beyond the sex, it drove Padme to push back against him, grinding against his hips each time they collided.

Behind her, Anakin's breathing grew heavier, and his moans louder. Deep inside of her, she felt him begin to throb and twitch and knew it wouldn't last much longer, that he wouldn't last much longer. It was fast, but Padme didn't care. She moaned louder too, rocking back against him harder, and thrilled in the whine he made when she cried his name. She wasn't far behind him, but not quite there yet. She just needed a little more… Something extra to get her over the edge. Anakin could feel it too. He pulled her back faster, harder and one strong arm snaked around her lean hips to toy with her clit. It was exactly what she needed and she urged him on with small grunts of his name again.

Suddenly, they both came, reaching the blissful peak of pleasure together with loud cries. Anakin's body tightened behind her, pushing himself as deeply inside her as he could get and Padme felt eruption after eruption burst forth from his cock as she spasmed around him. The sensation only amplified her pleasure and she gasped her way through it. It was… Strange to feel him like this. They'd always been so careful with birth control and condoms since they first started sleeping together and not using either was definitely different.

That had been a year ago.

A year of constant, scheduled sex that revolved around Padme's ovulation and twelve sets of heartbreakingly negative pregnancy tests. The pain in his eyes every time she had to tell him it hadn't happened again killed her. It just wasn't fair. Conceiving wasn't supposed to be this complicated. It only took one night for Sola and Darred to get Ryoo, so why wasn't it happening for them? It was frustrating and it hurt and Padme feared that it was tearing them apart. Every time they had sex, she couldn't help but wonder now, was it because they even wanted each other, or just to conceive. Such worries were draining her desire and it was becoming more and more difficult for her to become fully aroused.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. In the beginning, they'd expected it to take a few months at the longest. They'd read every flyer, every old wives tale on the internet and followed them exactly but nothing worked. No certain position, no certain food or time or heat helped. She'd even tried laying upside down after sex! And a small, wiggling fear was beginning to seep into her mind and haunt her day and night. What if it was her? What if she couldn't give Anakin a baby? He would try to hide it for her sake, but Padme knew how such a thing would break his heart, because it would break hers too.

And such thoughts seemed to be on her husband's mind too, as one night over dinner, he cleared his throat, catching Padme's attention as his hand snuck across the table to cover hers. "Padme, I… I, um… I think we should see a doctor."

"A doctor?" She repeated needlessly, for there could only be one reason they needed to see a doctor. But maybe she just wanted to delay the inevitable, to pretend that everything was alright for just a few more seconds. Agreeing to see a doctor meant that they were admitting there was something wrong and she just wasn't ready to do that. Anakin had no such qualms however and merely frowned at her, not willing to explain what she already knew. "Anakin…" She shook her head and attempted to pull her hand away, but his grip only tightened, holding her to him.

"Angel, we both know that it should have happened by now. That something isn't –"

"Yes, I'm very aware that I'm not getting pregnant and that it's probably my fault we aren't parents already." She snapped and Anakin's face fell revealing the true extent of his devastation at the situation to see and it broke her heart. But as quickly as it happened, the emotion vanished, hardening into something else, a determination he forced upon himself for her sake.

"I don't believe that." He swallowed, "We're just doing something wrong. Not sleeping together at the right times or… Or often enough. It's not your fault, Angel." Whether or not he truly believed that, Padme wasn't sure. But just that he said it at all brought tears to her eyes as all of the disappointment and the guilt flooded her mind at once and Anakin all but leapt out of his seat and came around the table to gather her into his arms as she crumpled.

She sniffled against his chest and tried not to let herself cry. It would only make things worse for him if she cried. Anakin didn't need to know just how much she feared that this was down to her. He would only make it his mission to comfort her, placing even more pressure on his tired shoulders. Neither of them needed that. "One more chance," Padme looked up at him pleadingly. "One more. And then we can get help." She was pragmatic, and she knew that if there was something truly wrong that was preventing them from having a baby, one more month of trying wasn't going to do anything. But she had to have hope… Had to believe for just a little longer that it might be alright. That there was no need for medical intervention just yet. She just needed to believe that for now.

Anakin pulled her back against his chest, and Padme relaxed into his body, letting her eyes fall shut as she felt his chin rest upon her head. "Alright. One more."

Please please please…

She sat on the lid of the toilet, locked away in their bathroom while Anakin waited outside impatiently pacing the length of their bedroom. She could hear his footsteps through the door and placed her head in her palms with a long sigh. Suddenly Padme wished that she hadn't told him about her period being late… It'd had gotten his hopes up. Her hopes were up too, they were soaring through the sky despite the fear of disappointment. This was the first time her period hadn't come since they'd begun trying for a baby… That had to mean something. This could finally be it! They could be parents at last.

Since he agreed to wait one more month before seeking out a doctor, Anakin's libido had faltered more than slightly. She knew he hadn't been sleeping well either. It was like they'd switched places. Padme wanted it constantly… She was determined to make this the month that it finally happened. They were both completely and utterly drained, physically and emotionally. If she was pregnant, it might be nice to take a little time away from sex and relax for a while. They both needed it.

The little timer finally chimed, and Anakin's footsteps through the door paused. This was it. The moment of truth. Suddenly, as she looked toward the shelf above the sink where the small plastic stick awaited, Padme couldn't make herself reach for it. Her right hand came up to rest on her stomach gently. She couldn't handle another negative result, and neither could Anakin. They needed this to be positive. If she wasn't pregnant again it meant that they couldn't deny that there was something wrong any longer… That it was utterly out of their control.

After another minute or so, a gentle knock came at the door, a small rap against the wood that broke Padme free of her thoughts. "Angel, are you alright?" Came Anakin's voice and already hot tears sprung to her eyes. No, no she wasn't alright. She was terrified. She couldn't stand the thought of letting him down again after begging for another chance. Anakin deserved to so much better than this and it just wasn't fair that he was forced to suffer.

"I – I'm fine," Padme called back hoarsely. There was no more putting it off. They had to know. Her hands quickly swiped across her cheeks, ridding her skin of the few tears that escaped her eyes without permission. She stood up, sniffling and reached for the stick. The little screen faced downward, away from her hesitant gaze, allowing a final moment of possibility before Padme turned it around with a shaky breath.

Negative.

"Now that we've received your samples, Mr Skywalker and your test Mrs Skywalker, we'll begin testing them ourselves to find the cause of your conception troubles." The fertility doctor they'd been assigned to, Doctor Muni leaned back against his desk as he spoke them, patient and soft, as they sat in the comfortable seats opposite him. Padme suspected he'd said these same words to countless people before them and would say them to countless others afterwards. And yet he still seemed so kind… It almost made the invasive testing she'd endured and Anakin's humiliation at being forced to produce a sample worth it.

"And what happens after that?" Anakin asked, and Padme's stiff necked turned slightly to look at him. He was so eager, offering up everything the doctor needed to know without hesitating while Padme sat here silent and useless. She felt frozen. Numb. Almost lifeless. All she could do was keep her hand inside of Anakin's, blink and listen. It just felt so wrong to be here. Like they didn't belong here. There'd been some sort of mistake. But after offering Dr Mundi all of the information he'd requested about their sex life, her monthly cycles, their families, he seemed very certain that they should have come sooner.

"Well, we'll analyse the results and my assistant or I will give you a call and schedule a follow-up appointment where we'll discuss what we've found and how I believe we should proceed." Padme barely heard his answer, though Anakin nodded vigorously. The office walls were littered with certificates, diplomas and large childish drawings and she wondered if they came from children of his own, or children he'd helped people conceive. Maybe one day he'd have a picture on the wall drawn by her child? The thought made Padme's lip begin to tremble.

She just didn't understand! No one in their family had ever had any trouble conceiving children before. Anakin's mother found herself pregnant with him after her very first time! Her sister conceived within a month of coming off of her birth control both times she and Darred decided to have a baby. Her parents didn't even try for Padme or her sister! Why them? What had she and Anakin done to deserve this?

"I don't understand," Padme whispered, unable to force herself to look at either Anakin or the doctor. She couldn't look away from the childish purple scribble framed high on the wall. "I – I missed my period. I was so sure…" Anakin's warm fingers tightened around her cold ones supportively, but she didn't return the gesture.

While she didn't look at Doctor Mundi, Padme could hear the sympathy in his voice when he answered her. "Well, it's not uncommon for women in your position, Mrs Skywalker, to miss their periods for a month or two. Normally it's down to the stress of the situation. Though sometimes, more tragically, a placebo effect which can lead many to believe they are in fact pregnant." She blinked and then nodded, although the information hadn't truly sunk into her mind yet. "While we wait for the test results, I highly recommend that you stop trying to conceive. Instead spend some time together, go on dates and attempt to forget the stress. Easier said than done, I understand. But it will do you both a world of good, I promise you."

Anakin thanked the doctor as they made their way out of the office and into the uncomfortably sterile hallway. She still couldn't speak. Not even as the pair of them shook hands and her husband's arm came around her waist. It still didn't feel real. They walked through the hall in silence; the only sound that echoed around was the repetitive clicking of Padme's heels against the bright tile. Dread seeped through her entire body. She almost didn't want to hear whatever results Mundi might find. What if it was her who was the problem? What if Anakin resented her? Being a father was so important to him… What if it tore them apart one day?

"What if it's me?" The words tumbled out of her throat before Padme could stop them. The hallway of a fertility clinic was hardly the place to be discussing such things. But a strange relief came along with getting the words out, like a pressure being released from her head. "What if I can't give you a baby?"

Anakin paused, making Padme stop too. His face was stricken and sad and it broke her heart. "Padme…" He started, in that tone he used whenever he was about to comfort her. But she didn't want sweet words to make her feel better; she needed to hear the truth. How he really felt about this.

"No, Ani, don't." She shook her head. "Tell me the truth. What if it's me?"

He sighed, letting his heavy eyes fall shut for several long moments before he could find the strength to answer the difficult question. "I don't know… But it might be me. I could be the reason. How would you feel?"

"Relieved," Padme admitted quietly with a solemn shrug. "Sad. Lost… I don't know."

Anakin's lips brushed against her forehead and she leaned into the gentle touch, fighting back tears all over again. "It doesn't have to be like that." He whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. "If… If we – if we can't… There are other things we can do, y'know. Adoption, finding a surrogate… A – a sperm donor…" His throat tightened uncomfortably as he got to the last option and Padme's arms came up to rub soothingly along his arms. She hadn't thought about any of that. She'd been too wrapped up in what was happening now to imagine what else may lay ahead of them. But now that Anakin had listed off the options, she suddenly felt terribly limited.

Adoption wasn't an easy process, but Padme knew she would welcome a child into their home and their lives with open arms, as would Anakin. But the process of adoption could take years and she wasn't sure she was willing to wait that long. Finding a surrogate came with its own set of obstacles. She'd seen the horror stories. Women deciding to keep the baby, demanding money, changing their minds… She wasn't sure they could handle the heartache if something like that happened.

And finally, there was sperm donation. A child that was half of her and half of someone else, someone they'd never meet. There'd never be a link to the donor for the child and they could easily move on with their lives. But something inside of Padme, something less progressive than she liked shrivelled uncomfortably at ever carrying a baby not fathered by Anakin. She wanted to burst into tears and cry herself to sleep suddenly. None of this was right. All she wanted was a baby with her husband! Was that truly so much to ask?

Anakin's face mirrored her own, down to the shine of unshed tears and Padme shook her head hopelessly "Ani, what are we gonna do?"

For his part, Anakin forced a smile that almost felt real, and it did soothe the ache just a little. "We're not going to worry about anything right now. It's out of our hands until the results come back, so let's just get home, alright?"

"What's wrong, my love? You look so down lately – Padme too." Shmi asked, reaching across the table to cup Anakin's fingers with her own, squeezing gently and he was forced to swallow down a thick lump in his throat. They'd agreed to keep the trying for a baby thing to themselves until they had something real to share with their loved ones. And then they had decided to keep their struggles a secret because it was private and they didn't want to worry everyone. Or endure their well-meaning but unwanted advice.

But keeping it to himself was pure agony. Every month Padme wasn't pregnant was harder and harder and he had no idea what to do to make it any better for her. She was heartbroken – they both were. Anakin wanted to be a father, he always had. Once he and Padme had settled down, he couldn't help imagining having a little girl… A little girl just like her mother. Beautiful and stubborn. Or a little boy. Someone he could throw a ball with, take to baseball game as a treat… A little person made by him and Padme together, the best of them, someone they could love endlessly until they died. He wanted it so badly that it ached. The house had felt empty since the night they decided to start trying and it was only getting worse.

They should have had their baby by now. They should have brought the little one home and introduced them to the family. They should fought over nursery colours and strollers and names. They should be parents.

And the thought that… That one of them might be the reason why it wasn't happening… That scared Anakin to his core. If it was his fault they couldn't have a baby, he'd never forgive himself. If Padme was the reason… He'd never forgive the world. Padme was just as desperate to start their family, Anakin could see it when she was with their nieces, the pain in her beautiful eyes killed him because he felt it too, and he'd do anything to take that pain away.

"It's… It's nothing…" He lied, avoiding his mother's eye. Lying to her face felt wrong, despite the agreement. And he wanted to confide in her terribly. His mother always knew how to make things better, no matter the problem. There was nothing Shmi couldn't fix. That's how it'd always felt when he was a boy, when he wondered why he didn't have a dad like the other kids or when kids picked on him for having less than them or when he thought he wasn't good enough to be with Padme… His mom was his rock. And without confiding in her, Anakin felt lost.

"You don't have to tell me." She smiled tightly as Anakin found the courage to meet her eye again. "But don't lie to me, Ani. That's all I ask."

"I know." He muttered miserably and then shook his head. "Padme and I are trying for a baby." The admission fled his mouth before he could stop it and it felt so good to let out and once he had, Anakin couldn't make himself regret it. They needed some support with this, it was going on too long and hiding it was only making things worse.

"Well, that's wonderful news!" Shmi cried, her entire face lighting up in joy and excitement. But Anakin's crumpled as the stress and the grief all came down upon him at once at the sight. That was the face he was supposed to see after they announced that there was a baby on the way. That they were going to be parents. "Ani? Oh, Ani, what's the matter?" Shmi rose from her seat on the opposite side of the counter to embrace her son, and Anakin accepted her arms gladly.

When he was able to, Anakin pulled back and found his voice. "It's not happening, mom… We've been trying for over a year now and it's – it's not happening."

"Oh, sweetheart…" She sighed sadly. "Have you gone to see a doctor?"

He nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're waiting for the results coming back. But it's breaking Padme's heart. It's getting to us – getting between us. We're growing distant from each other… We only…" He coughed, stopping himself from speaking before he said something his mother really shouldn't hear. But Shmi nodded patiently, smiling knowingly. "We only… Y'know, when she's ovulating… Not just for us or because we want to. And I know she doesn't enjoy it. I don't think she has in months."

The words poured out until Anakin had nothing left to say and after a long, quiet moment to process everything, Shmi simply pulled him into another hug. "It's going to be alright." She cooed softly, "I promise. Whatever happens, you and Padme love each other and that's what matters. You'll find a way to pull through it together, just like you have everything else until now." Before, Anakin would have agreed wholeheartedly, without hesitation, but now… Now he wasn't sure he could believe those words anymore as badly as it hurt to admit. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try…

"Honey, I'm home!" Padme called out as she entered their house and kicked off her smart black heels, letting her sore feet enjoy the cool sensation of the flat ground again. The little phrase had started out as a bit of a joke between them after they'd moved in together, but had quickly stuck. The silence that greeted her meant that Anakin was already out. Odd, he was supposed to be home two hours ago… And he hadn't mentioned seeing Obi-wan or Rex tonight…

Sighing tiredly, Padme quickly worked to unbutton her coat and hang it up on the rounded stand of the bannister at the bottom of the stairs and dropped her purse onto the first step. She needed a glass of wine. A big glass. After the day she'd had hauled up in her office with Bail discussing legislative measures that Congress need to take, she was demented. She'd cut wine completely out of her diet while they'd been trying for a baby, but the doctor said they should stop trying… So Padme didn't hesitate before heading for the kitchen and reaching for an unopened bottle of Merlot her father had dropped off last week.

She thought about calling Anakin to find out where he was but decided against it. Wherever he was, she'd find out about it later. For now, she was going to enjoy the quiet and some alone time. Maybe she'd run a nice, hot, bath and get back to that book she'd been trying to read… And afterwards, settle down with a movie in bed… Perfect. Her body sagged in premature relaxation with just the mere thought of following such a plan through. Lifting her filled glass, Padme turned away from the kitchen and began the short walk up the carpeted stairs.

Inside the bedroom, something made her freeze. Laid out across the bed was her famously tight, black strapless dress, Anakin's favourite item of clothing she owned, with a small piece of paper on top. 'Wear this and meet me at Rizzo's at 9, Beautiful. We're going on a date,' it read.

And despite everything that was happening, Padme laughed. This was so spontaneous! And so Anakin… This was just what they needed, a night to themselves, at their favourite restaurant for no reason other than that they wanted to. They used to do things like this all the time, but life had just gotten in the way the past few years as it did for everyone. But especially them lately. And Padme couldn't deny that she'd missed him. Missed laughing with him. She missed being happy.

With that in mind, Padme carefully abandoned her wine and plans for a quiet evening and quickly hopped into the shower inside their ensuite bathroom. She washed her hair and took the time to straighten it for once, as usually she just let her natural curls be free since they were so thick that it took forever to dry. But she wanted to look nice tonight. After that, she dusted on a little light makeup and painted her lips a seductive crimson, Anakin's favourite colour on her. It'd been far too long since she'd dressed up for him… While Padme was a modern woman and fiercely believed a woman should find value in herself, and not merely what a man may think, she was also a woman in love. And there was something very enjoyable about doing little things like this.

Since Anakin's beloved car was absent from the driveway, a fact she only noticed now, Padme called for a cab rather than drive herself to the restaurant. The ride took a little over ten minutes with awkward small talk with the very polite driver before they pulled up right outside. She was so excited! And tingling with nervousness! It felt like their first date all over again and she loved it.

Once inside, a female waiter whose name badge read "Dorme" graciously took her coat and name, tapping it into an iPad before smiling widely and gesturing toward the almost endless tables behind them. "Ah! Yes, Mrs Skywalker! Your husband is already here. This way." Dorme led her through the romantically dim lit room toward the very back. Each table had its own thin silver candlestick to cast a private light and a tiny round vase of yellow flowers, furthering the amorous mood and she could hardly hold back her smile.

Padme spotted Anakin at the same time Dorme did, and though maybe it was a little rude, she rushed past the waitress to reach him. For his part, her husband didn't notice her approach until his head finally turned at the telltale clicking of her heels on the dark wooden flooring reached his ears. Upon looking at her, his jaw fell slightly slack and his eyes lit up with love and appreciation… Especially as they lingered on her breasts for a moment before reaching her eyes. Anakin always made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world with an effortless flow of affection and love and sometimes, just like now, she almost blushed.

"Hey, Angel…" He grinned; all but leaping to his feet as Dorme stepped backwards, clasping her hands behind her back professionally. "You look stunning." Aware of the other woman's eyes on them, Padme settled for brushing her lips against his cheek, rather than giving him the kiss she knew he wanted. But that could come later… When they were alone.

"Thank you." She whispered though her words weren't merely for the sweet compliment, which he understood with a quick, playful wink. After they'd eaten and shared a bottle of wine and laughed the night away, they paid for the bill, making sure to generously tip sweet Dorme who'd been so wonderful to them all evening. The night air was cool, but not uncomfortably so, and so they opted to walk a little before getting into the car. Anakin's arm came lovingly around Padme's shoulders and she leaned into the embrace with a tired hum.

"This was exactly what we needed, Ani…" She sighed contently and smiled when she felt his lips on her hair. "One night with no stresses, no worries… No baby talk…" It was perfect, Padme felt refreshed and despite the content sleepiness beginning to settle over her, more energised than she had in months. For the first time since they'd started trying for a baby, it felt like they were a couple again, just Anakin and Padme, two people in love… Not two machines simply going through the motions.

"We should do this more often, Angel. Just you and me."

Padme lifted her head to meet Anakin's eyes with a wide smile. Doing this more often was definitely something she was interested in. Their jobs kept them so busy… And though they always made sure to spend time together, it was nice to really make the effort and get out of the house. "I'd like that." Just when she thought he might kiss her, Anakin's attention was diverted to their far right, and Padme followed his gaze with a curious frown. "What? What is it?"

"Look!" Suddenly, his fingers encircled her wrist with a playful whoop of laughter and led her across the street, forcing Padme to wobble along behind him, trying not stumble in her heels. "Look at this!" She was half-dragged inside a small play park, past the jungle gym and swings and toward a small circular fountain that had clearly been turned off for the night. Why the little fountain had excited him, Padme didn't understand. So she just watched him walk around it with a big, excited smile cluelessly. "This is just what we need!" He declared suddenly.

"What is?" Padme asked, exasperated. "The fountain?"

Anakin laughed at her and reached deep into the inside pocket of his suit coat and pulled out his Italian leather wallet that she'd gotten him last Christmas and produced a handful of dimes and cents. "See inside?" He prompted, and she stepped forward to peer into the slightly murky water, squinting to see better in the darkness. "There's coins."

"So?"

At her lack of understanding, he only rolled his eyes affectionately, caught up in whatever crazy idea had struck him. This was her Ani… Free spirited, always ready for the next adventure, even if it was something as little as finding a fountain in the park… For whatever reason. "People obviously threw them in there and made a wish! We should too."

For a moment, all she could do was stare at him in utter disbelief. He wasn't serious… He'd dragged her all the way here to make a wish into the fountain? "Anakin…" She groaned, trying not to roll her eyes. This was silly – no, it was ridiculous. They weren't children anymore. Only kids believed in wishing wells.

"What? Nothing else has worked, so why not put a little belief out into the universe?" He sounded so sincere as if he truly believed there was a chance something like this could help them have a baby that Padme melted. Even if it was ridiculous, even if there was nothing to it at all… What was the harm in trying? Just for him. Besides, Anakin wasn't wrong, nothing else had worked. If this was the thing that helped, who was Padme to turn her nose up at it?

Gracing him with an exasperated smile, she circled the fountain until they were side by side and then carefully picked up a cent from Anakin's open palm and rolled it through her fingers. All their hopes and dreams placed onto a cent? It was just crazy enough to work… Or at least, it was crazy enough to sweep her into the moment and suspend her disbelief for a little while. Anakin reached for her free hand and Padme laced their fingers together, squeezing tightly.

She looked at him again, and met his sweet, encouraging smile with one of her own, closed her eyes and wished.

"Anakin, Padme, thank you for making the time to come down here today." Doctor Mundi greeted them as they settled down into the seats opposite his grand desk. This time, Padme wasn't stiff with fright but full to the brim of nervous energy. This was the time they'd been waiting for. They were about to find out the results and know what was stopping them from having a baby. Childishly, her mind returned to that perfect night three days ago when they'd wished into a fountain together and prayed that it'd helped, that some force of the universe had heard them. They'd gone home that night and made sweet, slow love to each other long into the night until neither could move afterwards, until he'd trembled in her arms as his body relaxed into sated bliss… Not once had Padme's mind thought about ovulations or cycles or which positions were best for conception… She only thought about Anakin and their love. It'd felt like being cleansed. It was the perfect night, the perfect time for their baby to be conceived. Padme would give anything to make it so.

"We're glad to be here." Padme smiled politely, "We weren't expecting to hear from you so soon."

Anakin squeezed her hand then and she cast her gaze toward him with a tight smile. It had to be good news. Why else would they have heard back so quickly? If there was a problem, it would have taken more time for the results to come back; to properly analyse things and get the answers. But Doctor Mundi's face fell into something akin to despair for a moment, and Padme's heart sank.

"Listen, I'm going to be frank with you. It's not good news." He spoke softly, looking straight toward them without hesitation as if he'd said those same words a thousand times before… Maybe he had. Padme's whole body became limp suddenly as his words registered in her mind. Not good news… Something was wrong. Something was so terribly wrong that it'd taken no time at all to find it. She couldn't find the strength to look at Anakin suddenly, as her eyes already began to sting. "Padme," Mundi continued, "Your cervix has what we call, an 'inhospitable environment'. What this means, is that if one of your eggs was fertilised, it would most likely attack and repel it, preventing the…" She didn't hear anything else he said, everything after those words became a blur of sound and the tightening of Anakin's hand in hers.

It was her fault…

She was the reason they couldn't have a baby. She was defective, useless… Her lip trembled and she felt her shoulders begin to shake as she tried to suppress the wail of grief that built up inside her throat. So, she couldn't be a mother and it was her own fault… They'd been trying all this time and… And it was for nothing. Their perfect night was for nothing. The wish did nothing. She couldn't breathe suddenly, the air felt thick and hot as it travelled into her lungs, choking her and for a moment, Padme thought she was going to collapse.

"So, what does this mean?" Anakin's tight voice pulled her back, forcing her mind back to the reality of the moment and finally, she was able to look at him. He wasn't facing her, but she could easily see the sheer devastation upon his face. Anakin was never very good at hiding his emotions. He was all heart and he felt things so much more than most people did. What must he feel like now? Did he blame her? Did he regret being with her, marrying her? He could have found someone who could actually give him what he wanted…

She couldn't tear her eyes away from him, not even as Doctor Mundi spoke again. "It means that while it's not one hundred percent impossible, it is highly unlikely that Padme will be able to conceive and carry a baby to term."

Padme watched the Adam's apple of Anakin's throat bob as he swallowed thickly, suppressing his emotions. "But it can happen? There is still a chance." It was highly unlikely… That meant it was almost impossible for her to give him a baby. Mundi was just sugarcoating it, making the pill easier for them to swallow. She felt a tear slide its way along the length of her cheek and saw Mundi look at her for a long moment at the same time.

"Frankly, you have a better chance of winning the lottery than conceiving. I'm very sorry."

Neither of them spoke the entire drive home. Anakin's hand squeezed her thigh as she pulled out of their parking space outside the clinic, but Padme had been too numb to so much as look at him. There was only silence. They didn't even bother turning on the radio to fill the void. Once they arrived home, Padme locked the car and followed Anakin inside, like a ghost and dropped her keys into the bowl by the door from sheer habit alone, without even thinking about it.

Once the door shut behind her, they stood in the hallway, both lingering, neither sure what to say or do. "One of us should start dinner…" Padme spoke distantly, staring off toward the corner of the room. "I left the chicken in the fridge to defrost last night and if we don't use it today, it'll go off."

From where he stood just a few feet away, Anakin scoffed, and when her eyes slowly worked their way to his, she saw they were full of unshed tears. He looked toward the ceiling and shook his head as if to rid himself of them without letting them spill. "Seriously, Padme? That's what you're thinking about right now?"

"What should I be thinking about?" She snapped, "That this is all my fault? That we can't have a baby because of me?"

He shook his head again, stepping closer, "Don't do that. Don't go blaming yourself for this. It's not your fault." But it was! It was her fault! It was her cervix that wouldn't allow her to conceive, which meant it was her body that stood in the way… It was undeniable, the blame for this lay solely on her shoulders.

"I can't give you what you want…" She whispered, vision blurring as his arms encircled her waist tightly, hauling her smaller body into his. "I'll probably never be able to… I'm so sorry, Anakin…" As the tears spilt onto her cheeks, Anakin pressed his forehead to hers, and she felt his own tears slip down, falling onto her skin and mingling with hers. Anakin deserved to be with someone who could give him the baby he wanted, someone who he could start a family with. He deserved better.

"What I want, is you, Angel!" He cupped her face in his hands and her own grasped his wrists. "I want us. And if we have to start our family another way, then we will. Alright? That's all that matters… You and me. Our love."

Padme nodded as best she should in his grasp, and leaned up to meet his brutal kiss when it came. Their lips mashed together violently, teeth clashing as passion borne of sorrow overtook them both. When they pulled apart, her eyes remained shut and she suspected his did too. They just stood there, silently, grieving together for all that they'd lost, for all that they'd never have. It felt like an eternity passed before either of them found the strength to move, but when they did, it was only to drag themselves upstairs to collapse into bed and wallow in their sorrow.

The annual Naberrie family barbeque came around faster than Padme wanted it to. She'd been avoiding their family since they'd received the news, unable to face telling anyone everything. The thought of everyone showering them in sympathy and asking questions made her squirm uncomfortably. Anakin offered to make an excuse, to find a reason to just stay home, but she'd refused. If she could make it to work, she could make it to a family dinner.

When they arrived, Shmi was already there and greeted them both with affectionate kisses to the cheek and tight hugs, something Padme returned gladly. She had always adored Anakin's mother and greatly enjoyed the time they spent together. Family small talk ensued, and it was truly lovely to get lost in the stories of Sola and Darred's efforts to open up a second branch of their wildly successful real estate business while Anakin was predictably drawn outside to where her father was working on the ridiculously elaborate grill he'd gotten himself. Anakin was dying to get one for himself in their own home. Sometimes Padme was convinced that he loved that thing more than her.

Everything felt normal here. Nothing had changed as far as anyone else knew, and it was so easy to be swept into that pretence. They would have to tell everyone the truth eventually, but for tonight, Padme just wanted to get back to how it used to be. They deserved that. She talked with her mother and Sola about work, and the latest scandal to erupt from the potential presidential candidate Sheev Palpatine's office and how Mon Mothma was the better candidate until her mom excused herself to help Ruwee outside. From where she stood, Padme could see right outside into the yard, where her husband was currently playing with their nieces on the trampoline and somehow, she found it in herself to smile. It seemed he was teaching them how to flip… Very dangerous. Bound to end in constant bouts of girlish voices screaming all night long, "Look Uncle Ani! Look!" But she knew Anakin would thrive on it. Those girls had him wrapped around their little fingers and had done since the very first time he'd held them in his arms as babies.

A hand on her shoulder suddenly snapped Padme from her thoughts and she turned to see Sola watching her with wide, concerned eyes. "Padme, what's the matter?" She asked, and it was more difficult than she had thought to pretend not to know what she meant.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Just lost in thought." Normally, she abhorred lying, and especially to those she loved. But by telling Sola everything now, she'd be ruining tonight for them both. Once Padme started talking about everything that'd happened recently, she wouldn't be able to stop or reign in her emotions when it was time to go outside and be with their family. That wasn't fair. This was supposed to be a happy occasion.

"Padme…" Sola groaned, "Why do you think you can lie to me? I've always been able to see right through you."

That was true, painfully so. "Just like all those times you caught me sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night." She laughed and even Sola smirked, proud of the memories of lording the secret of her and Anakin's midnight dates over her for years.

"Yes, exactly. Now come on, tell me what's wrong."

She looked back out of the window just in time to see Anakin throw little Pooja into the air and effortlessly catch her again, matching her squeal of excited delight with his own wonderful laughter. She hadn't heard him laugh like that for a long time… "Me." She whimpered, turning around to meet her sister's eye. "I'm what's wrong."

Sola's eyes narrowed in confusion and Padme smiled bitterly, lips thin and she felt so very tired all of a sudden. "You? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't give Anakin a baby." She confessed and watched her sister's eyes widen in surprised horror. "We've been trying since last year and nothing… So we went to see a doctor and well, let's just say we've started playing the lottery." Surprisingly, it felt so good to tell someone the truth, to let the words seep out of her mouth and into the air around her. It was freeing, like a bird being released from a cage of its own making.

"Oh, Padme…" Sola shook her head, "I'm so sorry!" Her sister's embrace was exactly what she'd been dreading about telling everyone the news, Padme was never one to enjoy being mollycoddled, but she sunk into the other woman's arms and wrapped her own around Sola too. She hadn't realised just how much she needed her sister until now and lingered in the hug for far longer than necessary, but neither of them were eager to pull apart.

When they managed to separate, Sola was teary eyed and Padme reached up to wipe the little droplet that had escaped away from her skin. "There are things you can do, you know." Sola began, but she only shook her head.

"We know. For a few days after we found out, we talked through them all for hours and decided on adoption." Sperm donation was impossible, as it would do nothing more than Anakin's could, and in truth, neither of them were wholly comfortable with the idea anyway. Finding a surrogate was a lengthy and trying process which could easily end with their hearts broken if the woman decided to keep the baby. The legalities of it were too fragile and not in their favour. It was a risk Anakin was willing to take, but not Padme. Which left adoption. Another lengthy process, but one that in the end would be the greatest reward imaginable.

"Well, that's fantastic! You two will give some child out there the most amazing home, Padme."

While Sola's words were intended to be encouraging and loving, they stung. They were salt thrown into the wound in Padme's heart all of this had created. "No. We tried to begin the process but… But they believe it's too soon after finding out I can't have a baby. They think we need more time to process and heal before diving headfirst into applications."

"What? That's ridiculous! If you want to give a child a home, then that should be all that matters!" Sola cried, voicing words much akin to ones said by Anakin himself at the time. As heartbreaking as it was, Padme understood the reasoning behind the decision. It had only been a few weeks since they received their results. Maybe they did need more time. She wasn't given an opportunity to respond, as their mother's loud call for dinner rang through the house from where she stood by the kitchen door, summoning everyone outside. The sisters exchanged smiles and promises to continue the conversation later, and headed out to join their family.

Padme spent the morning of her twenty-sixth birthday with her face in the toilet. Anakin was endlessly patient with her, holding back her hair, whispering sweet, comforting words in her ear and fetching her some water when it was over. It'd been like this for weeks now, and she was so ready for whatever bug she'd caught to leave her be. Every single morning started with her throwing up… And most nights ended the same way too, with brief flashes of nausea throughout the day. It was awful. Anakin had been encouraging her to visit a doctor since it started, but she'd just shrugged it off. It was just a little bug… One which was long overstaying its welcome.

"Ugh…" She groaned, leaning back against the cool bathroom wall sipping at her water to get rid of the horrid taste of vomit lingering in her mouth. "I'd hoped it would be better by today." This was supposed to be a happy day! Not one she spent ill. Anakin had been planning the day for weeks now, determined to make it special. But he didn't need to do that, so long as she had him, and their family and friends, she was happy. That, however, wasn't enough for Anakin. Nor would it be enough for Padme, when his birthday followed hers next month.

"I know, Angel." He sunk down next to her and stroked his fingers through her hair, the soothing feeling leading her to lean her head against his shoulder. "Do you feel better at all?"

"Not really." She admitted, snuggling closer to his warm body. "Maybe you were right about seeing a doctor…" His chuckle was quiet, so she felt it more than she heard it as his shoulders moved. If they could give her something to get rid of the light-headedness at least, Padme could gladly settle for that. She'd take anything they gave her, no matter how small.

"I'll go call and make you an appointment now." Slowly, he eased himself up onto his feet and offered his hands down to help her too, something she accepted with a faint smile. She watched him go, unabashedly admiring her husband's wonderful shirtless form as he stepped back into the bedroom in only a pair of loose shorts and bit her lip. Today would without a doubt be fantastic, but Padme couldn't wait to see what he was going to do with her tonight… They had certain birthday traditions to uphold after all…

Once he'd vanished downstairs to fetch his phone, Padme pulled open the mirrored medicine cabinet and sifted through the contents in hopes to find something to make her feel better enough to enjoy today but she froze when, at the very back, hidden behind her old, abandoned birth control pills that hadn't been renewed in just under two years, was an unused pregnancy test. She must have forgotten to throw it out after they'd given up trying… Gingerly, Padme picked up the little piece of plastic and slid her fingers along the smooth edges and the little blank screen. She'd spent so long staring at these things two years ago… It felt almost odd to hold one now.

But now that she was holding it, it occurred to her that her period was due four weeks ago and yet there'd been no sign of its appearance. But that didn't mean anything. It couldn't. It didn't happen often, but she did miss periods sometimes. Her teeth sunk down into her lip as an old surge of temptation swelled up inside Padme and she quickly pulled the door shut and locked it. This was ridiculous. It was going to be negative! She couldn't have a baby. And yet… Just one last time, she wanted to try, to pretend for a moment that there was a possibility. It was picking dangerously at the scab of the still healing wound. But she could brave the pain. She could.

Padme repeated the old system of taking the test, as she'd done so many times before, that even now, years later, it still felt like habit. But unlike before, this time she held onto the little stick as she waited, flushing the toilet and lowering the cover. Every other time she had done this, the timer felt like an age, each second crawling by at a torturously slow pace, but this time, it passed in a mere blink of her eye. Before she knew it, the little chime went off and she was turning the test around.

Anakin knocked on the bathroom door just as Padme stood up to unlock it. "Hey, are you alright in there?" He called out and a moment later, she swung the door open, white faced and wide eyed. "Angel, what's wrong?" His hand came up to stroke her face, eyes shining with concern, but all Padme could do was look down at the test in her trembling hand and force an unwilling breath into her body.

"I think I'm pregnant."

Beside her, Anakin's knee trembled and bounced as they awaited the doctor's return with the results of her blood test. It was so hard to keep her hopes low and manageable. It was a false positive. It had to be. They'd both agreed on that before they left. And yet… God, she didn't want it to be. Despite her best efforts, there was a thread of hope that grew stronger and stronger with every passing second, one that'd been working to connect the dots of her symptoms and create the outline of a baby. She was only torturing herself, and worse, she was torturing Anakin too. They'd just truly come to terms with their situation and had recently begun speaking about trying for adoption again. They were ready to move on with their lives now. And then this… This could set them back to those devastating days of negative tests and barely hidden disappointment.

"Just remember," Padme began, but Anakin interrupted, repeating the words she'd spoken at least twenty times since they'd gotten into the car.

"Don't get our hopes up, I know."

But that didn't stop his knee moving, a nervous tick of his he'd had for as long as she'd known him. When the doctor reappeared, entering the room with a thin paper file in her hand, they both sat straighter, their hands automatically finding each other in the space between their armrests. "Well, well, Mrs Skywalker…" She smiled kindly, "If I were you, I'd start playing the lottery. The blood tests results show that you are pregnant."

Padme couldn't breathe. She could barely make sense of what she was hearing! Pregnant. She was pregnant. It had happened for them, it really had… It didn't feel real. Like she was about to wake up from a cruel dream with tears on her cheeks. "I am?" She whispered and heard Anakin's breathless, amazed laughter beside her.

"You are."

"Oh my God…" Suddenly, delighted laughter of her own sprung from her lips as she looked at her husband and felt tears of sheer joy fill her eyes. They were having a baby! At last! They were going to be parents! Anakin shook his head and brought her knuckles to his lips for a long moment and the happiness in his eyes was truly the most beautiful sight Padme had ever seen.

"Angel, it's happening…" He grinned, and Padme leaned over to take his face in her hands and kiss him senseless. Unfortunately, they weren't alone, and the doctor cleared her throat politely, forcing the pair of them to pull away from one another reluctantly.

"However," she began, "I must warn you, this pregnancy is automatically being registered as high risk, Mrs Skywalker. I need you to understand that, and prepare yourselves."

Padme frowned, but Anakin spoke first. "High risk? What does that mean? What should we be prepared for?"

The woman hesitated for a moment, seemingly unwilling to ruin the joy they were sharing until at last, she gathered herself together. "Miscarriage. Women in your position, Padme, have a forty-percent higher chance of losing the foetus before the third trimester." Her words were ice water thrown against Padme's face. Forty percent? That was almost a fifty-fifty gamble for this baby's life! Her free hand automatically came to hover over her stomach protectively as she felt herself grow slightly pale.

"Is there something we can do? Anything?" Anakin pleaded.

The doctor smiled tightly, "No, unfortunately not. But you can give yourself your best chance by remaining healthy and cutting out certain foods and drinks not good for the baby." Padme and Anakin both nodded in instant agreement. "Have as little stress as possible. I understand that in your line of work, Padme, that's easier said than done, but you must try. Stress has been known to trigger premature labour, especially in cases like yours."

Anakin sent her a pleading look Padme didn't quite understand. Her job was stressful, to be overwhelmed was the very nature of working in politics! And with an election coming up just next year, stress was wholly unavoidable. What was she supposed to do? Turning back to the doctor, she grimaced. "Anything else?"

"Nothing too strenuous. No heavy lifting or intense exercise."

"I can do that." Padme nodded eagerly. She wasn't the biggest fan of working out anyway, unlike Anakin who spent half his time in the gym or running or attending his beloved boxing classes. The most she ever did were gentle jogs every now and again. That was easy to cut out.

The appointment went on and they were referred to a midwife who specialised in cases like Padme's, who could help guide them through this time together. There were also countless flyers on prenatal classes, yoga classes, and something called 'Your baby and you' classes. It was slightly overwhelming, but Anakin took each glossy, colourful piece of paper and enthusiastically thumbed through them all, like the excited student he never was. By the time they were back inside the car, she was more tired than when they'd woken up this morning. Something about visiting the doctor's office was always draining, but especially so today. There was so much information to process. One way or another, this baby was going to change their lives forever and despite how badly she wanted it; there was something deeply frightening about the prospect.

"Ani, I don't want to tell anyone about the baby. Not yet." She confessed quietly, softly trailing her fingertips across her stomach over the loose white t-shirt she'd thrown on in their haste to get ready. From beside her, where he had both hands placed on the wheel of the car, Anakin frowned, but she'd expected that.

"What? Why not? They'll be happy for us, Angel. They all know how much we tried for this."

"Yes, I know that." Padme sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That's exactly why I don't want to tell them. Not until we're on stable ground. I don't want to place that kind of pressure on us with this… Not yet." She reached across the car to lace her fingers through his as he fiddled with the gear stick. "Please, try to understand."

"I do." He sighed. "Alright. Fine. Just for now?"

"Just for now." She nodded.

Sola Naberrie climbed out of her car with a happy smile, pushing the door closed behind her again with a loud thud. By now Darred would have the girls fed, bathed and ready for bed, and through she would miss bedtime tonight, she'd be there in the morning to kiss them before breakfast. It was worth it to be here instead, outside her little sister's house, because what she saw was the sweetest sight. The Skywalkers were together, relaxing outside on their pretty veranda admiring the sunset. Or, more accurately, ignoring the sunset. Padme only had eyes for her husband who was bent over, leaning toward her body with both hands on the prominent swell of her stomach. Her hands were on his guiding him to feel where the baby was probably kicking and the bright joy upon both their faces made Sola's eyes sting. They deserved this. They deserved this happiness so much. She couldn't be happier for them.

When they'd announced the news of the newest addition to the Naberrie-Skywalker family, at five months into the pregnancy when Padme had begun to show so much that they couldn't hide it anymore, everyone had been overjoyed. Sola knew how much they'd tried to have a baby of their own with no success, and now after all the heartache, it was finally happening. Sola just couldn't wait to hold her little niece or nephew in her arms! Ryoo and Pooja were already planning for all of the games they could play, the movies they were going to watch and the snacks they could sneak from their grandmother's kitchen.

But that didn't mean everything had gone smoothly. Just a month ago, Sola had spent the better part of three hours on the phone to a teary Padme after the couple had a vicious argument which ended with poor Ani on the couch for the night. He'd made the mistake of demanding that she take a leave of absence at work until the baby was born… Just what he'd been thinking, Sola couldn't imagine. Asking Padme to not work was something in itself, but demanding? She wasn't surprised that it'd escalated the way it did. But despite it all, hadn't he won in the end? Padme had relented and taken an early maternity leave for the sake of the baby, something which Sola fully supported. That job was going to drive her to an early grave, they all swore it! No need to put the child at any more risk than they were in.

Regardless, the pair were as happy now as ever and Sola finally began the short walk along the driveway toward the house with a grin. "Can you two tear yourselves apart for five minutes, please? I don't want to lose my dinner."

The couple pulled apart and greeted the elder Naberrie sister with wide, welcoming smiles, though Anakin's hand remained contentedly resting on the swell of his wife's stomach. "Sola! What're you doing here?" Padme asked, beginning the labour of forcing herself to her feet. Sola remembered that. The backaches, the stretch marks, being unable to bend and tie her own shoelaces… It was amusing, seeing someone as fiercely independent as her baby sister having to seek the help of her husband just to stand up, something, Sola was sure, was driving her crazy.

"I was in the neighbourhood," she smiled, holding out her arms for her sister, "And I wanted to see you! You're getting so big!" Once their hug ended, and she exchanged sweet cheek kisses with her brother-in-law, Sola beamed, watching Padme's arms come around the ever growing bump proudly. She was huge now! Bigger than Sola had been this far along. Oh, she hoped the baby was chubby! Ryoo and Pooja had both been such beautiful chubby babies… "I can't believe you're seven months in already, it's gone by so quickly."

"We know." Anakin grinned, eyeing his wife happily, "Doctor Mundi won't let us forget it."

"He's just being cautious, Ani." Padme smiled and then gasped, reaching out to grab his wrist suddenly. "He's kicking again!" Both Skywalker's faces lit up with the sweeping rush of joy as Anakin let Padme guide his hand to feel the spot again, just like they had when she'd arrived. Sola's heart warmed by watching them. They deserved this. She could scarcely believe it was actually happening for them even now and it made her so happy to see the pair be rewarded for enduring all the heartache the past few years had brought. Happy tears welled in her eyes as Anakin emitted a breathless laugh and stepped back for Sola to take her place.

"He?" She asked quietly, hardly daring to breathe while they waited to feel the baby kick again. "I thought you wanted it to be a surprise?" Sola herself had found out about the girls at the earliest chance. She didn't like surprises. Nine long months without knowing what they were having would have driven her crazy.

"Oh, we are." Anakin drawled playfully, exchanging a mock-glares with Padme. "But Padme here thinks that she's a boy."

"She?" Sola laughed. Then, it happened. She felt it beneath her palm, a strong but subtle little thud against her flesh. A small greeting from her tiny niece or nephew. Immediately, proud tears swelled to life inside of her eyes, riding a sudden surge of pure love for the little creature that she felt. It was intense. Sola wasn't sure if she'd ever have the chance to be the fun aunt – to have another little member of the family to spoil, and yet here they were! It was beautiful.

"See?" Anakin chuckled, "With a kick that hard? Definitely a girl."

"I don't know why you won't let me help?" Padme sighed, both arms wrapped protectively around her ever larger stomach. She felt like a whale. Every day seemed to bring yet another new task she wasn't able to fulfil on her own, much to Anakin's secret glee she suspected. She was lucky he doted upon her. Meeting her every whim as quickly as possible, whether it was slipping on her comfortable shoes, or trudging downstairs to the kitchen at 3:00 AM to whip together the newest strange combination of foods Padme's subconscious had dreamed up. He was so good to her. But she was bored.

Without working, Padme's days were free and open, but without full mobility, her options were severely limited. Anakin couldn't always be in the house with her, he still had to work to support them, of course, so it meant that there wasn't very much she could do in this condition. Driving just wasn't possible anymore, she couldn't fit into the driver's seat of her car now, but getting on the bus was even worse and an experience Padme never wished to repeat. There was only so many times someone could visit their parents or sister in a week also, so, she'd taken to starting work on the little things for the nursery. Nothing too strenuous, just small things. Sliding the books they'd collected onto the short shelves, choosing which sweet toys to place out on the shelves, placing stuffed animals into the cradle… It was almost finished.

After much consideration, they'd decided to turn Padme's office into the nursery as it overlooked the garden with sliding glass doors which led out onto the pretty white veranda. The now baby proofed veranda. All of her things had been moved into the guest bedroom. It was the only choice; it was exactly what they needed for the baby. With flowing, sheer drapes and the new coat of pale yellow paint on the walls, it was perfect. Exactly what she'd imagined it would be. The cradle had arrived just last week, and had been painstakingly put together by Anakin, Darred and her father, a task which seemed so simple but took almost a full day and much cursing to complete. Padme suspected they'd dragged it out on purpose, enjoying the boys time together. Now all that was left was the rocking chair Sola was giving them to be placed in the left-hand side corner, the mobile to be hung and the picture frames to be nailed up, and it would be finished, ready for the baby's arrival just next month. Padme loved to sneak inside every now and again to simply revel in the colours, in the finality of her impending motherhood as the sun set beyond the drapes. She was having this baby… They weren't out of the woods quite yet, but their little family had grown so strong this far, she had nothing but faith that everything would be alright.

"You're doing enough," Anakin answered, pulling Padme from her thoughts. "Doctor Mundi said it himself; you need to rest up before the baby comes." He climbed down the small step-ladder with a content sigh and stretched out the muscles of his shoulders in a single rolling motion. "I need you to be strong, Angel. Both of you."

"The baby is fine, Ani." She laughed, reaching out to place her palms on his warm shoulders, "I, however, am bored. Please, I'm so bored. Let's do something tonight, anything…" Almost immediately, his eyes darkened as thoughts of exactly what anything might entail. Honestly, he was so predictable! Anakin was always ready for sex, even if she was as big as a house. Alas, Padme had been far from in the mood for months. Her breasts were large and full of milk for the baby; aching constantly and making her back sag with the extra weight of both them and the baby. Her nipples chafed constantly against everything, even the ugly maternity bras she'd begun wearing to get a little extra support. She was never comfortable, not at any moment of the day. Something always hurt no matter how she sat, or lay down. Just the thought of all the movement and the effort sent a wave of exhaustion tingling along the expectant mother's spine.

"Anything, huh?" He smirked, and Padme's hands slowly slipped lower, over his shoulders and downward, onto the hard muscle of his chest.

"Uh-uh. Not that." She laughed, giving him one half-hearted push away and retracted her arms. "No offence, baby, but I think I'd fall asleep on you." There would be time for physical intimacy again after the baby was here and she was more like herself again. When she had her body back and felt sexy around him again. Unfortunately, the time for that just wasn't right now.

Anakin huffed, blowing out his cheeks in the adorably childish way he'd never grown out of, and tried not to roll his eyes. He was frustrated; Padme knew that, but also endlessly understanding and patient with her. "Nobody can say you don't stroke my ego, Angel…"

She laughed, leaning up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his cheek for a fleeting moment. "Oh, don't worry Ani, your ego won't be the only thing I'll stroke once the baby is here. Now come on, I need you to entertain me."

"Alright…" The nurse smiled upon entering the room, dressed in bright pink patterned scrubs and matching comfortable crocs, she carried a purple clipboard in her left hand, which Padme assumed contained her medical details. "Your last scan before the baby comes, that's exciting! How do you feel?" She smiled as she tugged the small white stool between her legs and sat down as Padme used her free hand, the one not clasped in Anakin's firm grasp, to rub her belly.

"Tired." She confessed with a thin smile. Her entire body was constantly aching now, and a full night's rest was impossible… No laying position was ever comfortable enough to relax, it only took a few moments for something to begin to cramp and keep her awake. But more than that, the strain of carrying the baby was really taking it out of her, more so than ever before these past few weeks. The sooner the birth happened, the better. As much as Padme had loved being pregnant, loved feeling the little one kick against her palm, loved listening to his – not her, like Anakin swore, his – heartbeat at every scan, loved knowing that she was creating the beautiful product of her and Anakin's love… It was time for it to end and for the next chapter to begin. Padme wanted her body back. She wanted to not be breathless after three steps! She didn't want to look like a whale anymore…

The nurse laughed and reached for a long silver tube. "And what about you?" She asked Anakin, "Are you excited?"

He chuckled, gently grazing the pad of his thumb across Padme's knuckles. "Of course. I know how exhausted she is." His loving gaze met hers, and she offered him a small smile. "Besides, I can't wait to have the baby here already and be proved right." His sweet smile melted away, replaced by the wide, cocky grin that so often painted his face when he believed that he was right. But before too long, that smile would be wiped away when they had their little boy here. Padme was sure of it.

"Oh?" The nurse laughed, carefully pulling on a pair of blue rubber gloves over her hands. "You're still arguing about the sex?"

"There's no argument. He's a boy." Padme nodded as the other woman began to hike up her large maternity shirt and squirted the cold, clear substance across her stomach. Oh! She could never get used to just how freezing that stuff was! At least this was the last time… Despite her excitement to have the pregnancy finish so the baby was here, Padme out of nowhere began to feel terribly sad about the fact. This was their last scan. Suddenly, unwanted hormonal tears sprung to her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear them away. That was something she wasn't going to miss… Padme was not emotionally irrational. But just yesterday she'd been reduced a sobbing mess because Anakin dropped and smashed a mug during breakfast… She didn't even particularly like the stupid thing either.

"I think you're going to owe our daughter an apology, Angel, for calling her a boy for her whole existence." Anakin winked at the nurse, who'd stretched her arm out to the left to pull forward the monitor and wrapped her gloved fingers around the ultrasound handle.

"Well, we could find out right now?" She offered kindly, pressing the black curved device against Padme's flesh and immediately, both Skywalker's attentions were drawn to the screen. She couldn't quite believe it. This was their last look at the baby before they saw him for real! A flare of nervous excitement rushed through Padme as she waited for the black and white scan of her womb to appear on the monitor. They were so close to being parents at last!

"No, we want it to be a surprise." Padme smiled, tearing her eyes away from the screen and back to her husband who met her look with the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. She knew how excited he was for this… Just as much as she was, but somehow more in his own way. Anakin couldn't wait to give to this baby what he never had for himself. A real, loving father. And he was going to be so good at it, she knew it. This baby was so lucky to have him.

"That's sweet." The nurse smiled. And then, after another moment, a blessedly strong repetitive little thud began to play, booming through the small speakers and resounding through the bright room. There it was… Their baby's heartbeat! Tears filled Padme's eyes again as the outline of his little body filled the screen, one hand close to his mouth as if already sucking on his tiny thumb. Even from the grainy image, she could already tell he was beautiful… Perfect even. Suddenly, her arms ached to hold him close to her.

But then, something in the nurse's face changed. Padme noticed right away and squeezed Anakin's hand. The smile fell away and was replaced by a deep, worrying frown as she peered at the screen and every piece of joy she felt stilled, frozen by a wave of ice cold dread. Something was wrong. Something had to be wrong. The couple exchanged a quick, nervous glance before Anakin cleared his throat. Padme couldn't find the will to speak.

"What? Is – is something wrong?" He asked, snapping the nurse's attention back to them.

"I, um…" She breathed, placing the ultrasound handle back onto the tray, ending the connection with the speakers and cancelling out the sound of the baby's heartbeat. "Sit tight for a minute, alright? I just need to go find a midwife."

"Wait, what?" Padme cried, leaning up on her elbow. "Why?" Something had to be wrong – it had to be! Why else would she be acting like this? But she didn't answer, instead excusing herself again and slipping out of the room and into the long, sterile hallway. Oh god, something was wrong with her baby! Something was wrong and she hadn't even noticed! Anakin squeezed her hand again, tightly, almost to the point of pain.

"It might not be bad, Padme. She just might need some kind of…" But he trailed off, unable to even convince himself of what he was saying. His voice was thick and afraid and Padme felt her lip trembling.

"Of course there's something wrong! Anakin…" She sobbed. This was it… It was just like Doctor Mundi said; she had a better chance of losing the baby than other women. That had to be what it was. She was losing him! Oh god, oh god no, no, no! "He's dying isn't he?" She wept, reaching downward toward her stomach.

"No!" Anakin growled, leaning one knee on the side of the bed and cupping her cheeks in both hands, forcing Padme to meet his own terrified gaze. "No, that's not what's happening, Angel… It can't be. She was just kicking this morning… That has to mean something, right? Her heart was just beating fine! She can't be… I refuse to believe it. Everything's going to be fine. I know it is." Despite his desperate words, Padme's lip continued to tremble as her cheeks were wet with uncontrolled tears. She wanted to believe him… But she just couldn't. Something had to be wrong, why else would the nurse leave like that?

After a few, agonising minutes, the small woman returned with a taller, round woman with flaming red hair held back by a thin black plastic headband both falling quiet the moment they stepped inside. Padme had heard the muffled sound of them speaking outside the door for a few moments before they entered. "I apologise," the older woman said as she lowered herself down onto the nurse's stool by the end of the bed. "This must have given you quite the scare."

"Scare?" Padme cried.

"What the hell is going on?" Anakin demanded, and both women nodded toward each other, worsening Padme's fear. This was it. They were about to be delivered the bad news… She couldn't stand it. Things had been so perfect this whole time – it was cruel of the world to let them think that they could have this… To let things progress this well only to become so terrible at the end. Padme braced herself and held onto her husband's hands with a death grip.

"Mr and Mrs Skywalker, I'm going to have a listen to baby's heartbeat, okay? And then I'll be able to explain everything." She squirted more of the ice-cold substance onto Padme's stomach and carefully placed the device against her stomach again. Almost immediately the baby's heartbeat filled the room again and it sounded so strong… She just didn't understand… What could possibly be wrong?

"Well, I'll be damned…" The woman whistled, nodding toward the nurse, and Padme frowned, looking upwards at Anakin whose confused expression matched her own as he watched the doctor intently. "Alright." She returned the handle to its spot and rose to her feet. "Mr and Mrs Skywalker, it seems there has been some kind of a mix-up. I have positively no idea how no one has been able to spot this until now, but.."

"Well?" Anakin snapped, "What is it?"

"This has never happened before, not once in my entire twenty-five-year career… But well, Padme, you're carrying twins!"

"What?"

"Twins?"

She and Anakin's shocked responses flew from their mouths without thinking, without taking a moment to register the revelation. Twins… Twins… But that meant that… No… She almost laughed. That was impossible. They barely managed to conceive this one baby, never mind two of them. Besides, she would have known if there were two babies, she would have known! Not knowing was impossible. Surely, a doctor would have realised before now if it was true…

"Yes, twins." The woman smiled. "I realise this must be a big shock for you, but –"

"Wait," Padme leant up on her elbow again, "Wait, there has to be some kind of a mistake! We would have known if there were two of them… Right? I mean, wouldn't I have felt them?" Beside her, she heard Anakin's shaky exhale and let out a confused peal of laughter. This just wasn't possible. It wasn't.

"I don't know how to explain how this has happened, Mrs Skywalker. But you are carrying twins. I'm going to leave you two in the capable hands of my colleague here, and she's going to help you find the other little one in there. Congratulations!"

"Twins…" Anakin breathed, pacing the length of the nursery as Padme gingerly lowered herself down into the cushioned rocking chair with a tired sigh. Not looking at him, she instead gazed at the newest pair of ultrasound images of their two babies, even now not quite believing it. There really were two of them. Somehow, all this time, they had two babies growing strong and no one had noticed. It was unbelievable. If it hadn't happened to her, Padme would never for a moment have truly thought it was possible.

And yet, it was. After all this time, all the struggles and the heartache of wanting a baby so badly and accepting that they simply couldn't have one how they imagined, now they were about to be parents to two children. The thought pulled a bubble of laughter from her lips. They were going to have children. Two of them.

"Twins." She repeated. "Can you believe it?"

Anakin turned, wide eyed and ran a hand through his hair, musing his golden locks. "N-no… I mean – I – two of them. Are we ready for that? For two babies?"

Padme shook her head, reaching out for his hand which he took immediately, without hesitation, and she brought it down to the swell of her stomach, placing his palm flush against her skin through the thin shirt she wore. "Does it matter if we are? We've wanted this for so long, Anakin… Now it's happening. These are our children and they need us to get ready for them."

He breathed again, uneasily. But after a moment, his fingers moved across her stomach, and he dropped to his knees before her. "You're right… God, you're right… I – I'm just shocked…" His fingers danced across her stomach, and after a moment one small, barely there thud met his palm, drawing a breathless laugh from his lips. "Hey, baby…" He whispered quietly, not to Padme, but to the little ones. "Babies. You're going to be troublemakers, aren't you?" Padme's own lips curved up, into a happy smile as she watched him so lovingly speak to their babies and she laid her palm on his. "I can't believe you were hiding from us this entire time!" His palm shifted across her stomach, to the right, where the ultrasound had found the second baby. "You're going to turn me grey before I'm forty, I can tell."

Padme's free hand reached up to softly trace her fingers through his wavy locks while he leaned closer to her, brushing the gentlest kiss to her skin, for their babies. "They're so lucky to have you, Anakin." She whispered, drawing his gaze from her belly to her eyes. "You're going to be a wonderful father."

A bright, easy grin lit up his handsome face and he shook his head. "It's because I'm so in love with their mother."

Padme laughed, feeling teary all of a sudden and lowered her hand downward, from his hair to caress his soft, freshly shaven cheek. "You're a dork." Anakin laughed, turning his face to press his lips to her wrist for one lingering moment before his attention was stolen once more by the babies. Padme was more than fine with that. She sat back in the chair, attempting to relax her sore back and simply let Anakin have his moment with them.

"You know," he murmured to them quietly, "Your mom is trying to learn how to cook, just for you… Something I could never get her to do." She rolled her eyes, playfully glaring at him when his eyes flicked up to cheekily wink at her. "But don't worry, she's not that bad. You might have a chance of keeping it down, I promise…"

Padme shook her head at him. She was not that bad! "You used to say you liked my cooking!"

Anakin snorted, "That was before we were married, Angel."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," he smirked, "It's a lot easier to lie to your girlfriend than your wife… Besides, my mom told me it would hurt your feelings if I told you." Padme shook her head as he sniggered, and slumped slightly in her seat. Sure she was never the best cook in the world, but she'd never had the patience to learn properly, not like Sola. She could prepare wonderful, multiple course meals on a whim. Padme had always had other things to do. Studying, debate club, swim club… Dating Anakin… It was all his fault really. He kept her distracted.

"Well, I guess this is your lucky night then because I'm not going to force my terrible cooking skills on you." Her words only made him snigger harder, even as the babies came to a mutual decision to kick at her at the very same time.

"That's alright… I was craving take out anyway."

"Come on, Padme! Push!" The midwife urged loudly as she gave a long, pained cry, grinding her teeth together in concentration as she bore down with all her rapidly fading energy. She was so tired. It hurt so much worse than she imagined, and not even squeezing Anakin's hand to near breaking point helped. No one had told her it would be this painful! Nothing in the books or the classes could have prepared her for this – it was horrible. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. It was the worst thing she'd ever felt. "We're almost there, the head is crowning now. I need you to push harder!"

The room was filled with the high pitched wailing cries of their first baby, the little boy Padme was so sure she'd been carrying. He was finally here. She couldn't believe it… They really had a baby, a little baby boy! She only wished there was a moment, just one short second she could have held him before the contractions began again, so she could see his tiny little face. But he'd been whisked away almost immediately to be cleaned, weighed and wrapped up warmly in soft blankets by the nurse while her efforts were focussed on his sibling.

Beside her, Anakin whispered words of encouragement, and love and support whilst glancing between Padme and the baby across the room, but she barely heard him. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears making everything sound distant and quiet. All she could focus on was the pain and ending it, praying the other baby would come quickly so it would be over. Twin tears rolled down Padme's cheeks, melting into the dampness of sweat as she sat up slightly, leaning on her elbows in order to push just a little harder.

"That's it!" The midwife encouraged, "Here we go!"

Anakin's hand swept the damp hair which clung to her forehead away as her head fell back with an exhausted cry. She'd been in labour for sixteen hours before becoming dilated enough to finally give birth, her energy was zapped and all she wanted to do was collapse back against the pillow behind her and fall asleep. But she couldn't. She had a second baby to deliver and after stealing a glance toward the nurse dressed in a light lilac who bounced Padme's son in her arms to calm him, she was filled with a renewed determination to make it through. She'd already done it once, she could do it again.

With one long, agonising push, forcing every last piece of energy she had into the act, Padme closed her eyes, grit her teeth and heard Anakin hiss as her fingers squished his in a vice grip. It only took another minute before she heard it. The high pitched shout of a new-born testing their little lungs. Beside her, Anakin laughed breathlessly as Padme fell back against the bed, exhausted. "Oh my god," he said, "Angel, you did it! She's here! She's here – they're both here." She felt his lips pepper her forehead and eyes with short, excited kisses and forced herself to open her eyes despite how heavy they were.

She. He said she.

"It's a girl?" Padme whispered, looking between her husband and the midwife who smiled fondly from where she sat at the foot of the bed.

"It's a girl." The woman nodded and Padme felt more than heard a small bubble of elated laughter fall from her lips. A boy and a girl! They had one of each. They had two tiny little perfect babies all of their own. Suddenly, despite how tired she felt, how the pain lingered on between her legs and along her back, Padme's arms ached suddenly to hold them, to meet her children.

"Let me see them." She asked and gently released her husband's hand from his, much to Anakin's relief no doubt. "I want to hold them." The nurses helped her to sit up, supporting her back with the stiff uncomfortable hospital pillows so she could properly balance two babies in her arms at once. Maybe it was just a little selfish to take them both at the same time, rather than allowing Anakin to hold one, but Padme needed her babies. She couldn't wait another minute.

Carefully, so carefully, her son was placed into her arms, swaddled tightly in a soft, pale blue blanket. His crying had subsided already and he yawned peacefully in his mother's arms, blinking his big blue eyes open to peer up at his parent's faces. A teary peel of laughter fled both Skywalker's lips as their son's eyes met theirs for the first time and Padme gently traced the tip of her finger along his soft cheek. "Hi…" She whispered, "We've been waiting so long to meet you…"

Anakin pressed his lips to her forehead, but Padme looked up as he began to pull back, amazed and more in love with the tiny creature in her arms than she'd ever felt about anything before. She felt overwhelmed with love. For their son, for their daughter who they were about to meet, and for Anakin. He'd given her these babies to love just as much as she'd given them to him. In that moment, gazing into her Ani's eyes, Padme fell in love with him all over again, head over heels and swore she'd never loved him more. Their lips met briefly, soft and gentle and over far too quickly for her liking. But she was distracted when the nurse returned on the other side of the bed, arms full of a squirming, yelling little bundle wrapped in pink.

"And here is your daughter." The woman smiled and helped Padme to balance both twins in her arms and the heavy weight of both babies took a little adjustment, and a moment to get used to, but once they were settled, even their unhappy girl managed to pause in her indignant crying at having been born long enough to stare curiously at her parents. Anakin positively melted beside her as their little girl's tiny fist wrapped itself around his finger and Padme smiled widely. It looks like we have a Daddy's girl already…

Eventually, Padme begrudgingly allowed Anakin to take their son into his arms, and though she hated the idea of him leaving her protective hold, the sight of her beloved husband holding their son was truly heart-warming. While she smiled at their daughter, leaning down to gently press the softest kiss to the tip of her little nose, Padme listened to Anakin tell their son everything they were going to do together. Baseball games, playing catch in the yard, fishing, he was going to teach him to fix up cars better than any mechanic, all the boy's stuff… It was adorably sweet and she never wanted this moment to end.

"We did this…" She heard Anakin whisper as he leaned down to brush his lips against their daughter's forehead.

"What do you mean?" Padme asked quietly not willing to tear her eyes away from the closed ones of the baby girl in her arms.

"Us." Anakin breathed, in his quietly excited voice that told her he was overwhelmed, "We did this – made them… Angel, just look at them… We did this."

Padme craned her neck higher, hinting that she wanted him to come down to her, and he did, pressing their foreheads together for a moment, simply savouring this time. "Yeah… We did." It still didn't feel real. Not yet. They finally had their babies, the family they wanted for so long – it was all about to start. Still, Padme struggled to believe it. To believe these precious babies were hers and Anakin's, that there was a nursery at home waiting for them… That their families would swarm to the hospital room the very moment they were able to, to see and hold the newest little Skywalkers.

They were parents now.

When Padme voiced this, Anakin barked out a small laugh and for a moment, she was sure she saw the shine of happy tears in his eyes. "How're we gonna do this?" He asked with a grin she couldn't help but return.

"I don't know." She laughed, "They're going to run circles around us, I can tell."

"They wouldn't be Skywalkers if they didn't."

"Oh no," Padme shook her head. "These two are not getting themselves into half of the shenanigans you got yourself into, Anakin." She knew the stories of his adventures, most she'd been there to see for herself after all, and there was no way her babies were going to be like that. They were going to be studious and get good grades in school, not stealing their family car for a joyride with friends or sneaking into bars too young, or skipping classes to make out in closets…

"I seem to remember you didn't complain about your part in our shenanigans, Angel…" Anakin teased her with a sly smirk. If it had been any other time, she might have continued the argument, or as he liked to call it, aggressively negotiate her point until he relented, but she was too tiredly happy to bother. Maybe another time. Instead, she settled for urging her husband downward again, to take his lips with her own as the nurses prepared to take them to the recovery room.

"I love you…" Padme whispered as they parted, leaving only a breaths space between them.

"I love you too – all of you."

"Doctor, you had a parcel in the mail today." The receptionist, Rabe entered his office after a small knock, sifting through the various envelopes and catalogues dropped off by the local mailman. From behind his desk, Mundi reached forward to receive the package, frowning as the wrapping seemed to be that of a gift. Strange… With Rabe curiously lingering under the guise of sorting the mail, Mundi carefully began to unwrap the item.

The delicate gift wrapping of deep blue paper tore away easily, and when he discarded it into the small, sterile trash can just to the left of his desk, a childish scribbled drawing in pinks and blues and reds in a beautiful silver frame was revealed. At once, the doctor's face lit up with amusement, and a small chuckle left his throat. Ah… Another little present from a child of one of his clients. Which one now? Hm.. Mrs Secura's little one was born just over a year ago now; he'd overseen the insemination process himself… No, he didn't believe it was her… But who…

"What is it?" Rabe asked, pulling Mundi from his thoughts and he turned the frame over, proudly displaying the hand drawn picture to the woman. At once, she smiled knowingly and glanced up at the countless other pictures just like it hanging on the walls. "Another one… Where are you going to put it?"

"First, I want to see who sent it… Maybe there's a… Ah, here we are." At the very bottom, beneath the childish scribbles was evidence of adult handwriting which had been scored through by a purple crayon. "Thank you, Doctor Mundi." He read aloud, "Love from, Luke and Leia Skywalker."

"Aww." Rabe sighed and turned to leave as Mundi admired the picture for another moment. Luke and Leia Skywalker… Those little ones had to be almost two now! Time passed quickly, didn't it? When he'd checked up on the Skywalker family, Mundi was overjoyed to hear that the babies were born healthy – and surprised to hear there was more than one. With Padme's condition, it was a miracle that they'd been able to conceive and carry one child, but two? Unheard of. And he was extremely happy for them, all four of them.

Standing, the doctor smiled at the picture in his hands and turned to the wall behind his desk. This one deserved to go somewhere special.

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