Disclaimer: unfortunately, none of these characters are mine.

Opening New Doors

The ringing of his phone woke him from a peaceful slumber. Tonight was one of those rare nights he even allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep, as he almost always slept with one eye open. Call it paranoia; call it whatever you wish, but deep sleep was something that didn't come natural to Obi-Wan Kenobi after Qui-Gon died. So, when the phone rang and roused him from the one night he was sure he would get some real sleep, he was reasonably irritated. His hand groped for the phone until he finally grabbed hold of it. He gave himself a few second to simmer down before he replied as politely as he could, "Hello? Obi-Wan Kenobi here-"

"Obi!" shouted a voice so loud he cringed and pushed the receiver away slightly before the urgency of voice registered in his dulled mind. A pang of fear shot through him and he was suddenly very awake.

"Padmé?" he asked, although he knew it was her, and wondered what could have possily scared her so much into calling him in the middle of the night.

"Obi-Wan, please, I need you here right away. I can't tell you why, just come over". Her voice was horse as though she'd been crying.

"Yes, or course", he said, trying to soothe her, "I'll be there right away."

Obi-Wan didn't wait for her to respond before hanging up and, grabbing his robe, ran out the door.

Obi-Wan rapped on the door and began pacing a total of three feet back and forth along her doorway. On the way to her house Obi-Wan tried to conjure reasons for Padmé's fear. The list started with her and Anakin's relationship revealed, a secret she had let Obi-Wan in, claiming she just wanted at least one trustworthy person to know. The conclusion he had come to was that she was surrounded by Siths that were using her as bait to lure the Jedi and kill them. His worries were getting the best of him and his fingers had unconsciously trailed to the end of his light-sabor. All Obi-Wan's nerves were wound so tightly he felt they would snap at the slightest movement and so his heart leapt at joy when unharmed Padmé open the door. As soon as she saw him Padmé threw herself at Obi-Wan and began to sob uncontrollably into the soft folds of his robe. If Obi-Wan had been confused earlier he was positively baffled now. He simple stood there kind of awkwardly not really knowing what was expected of him until he gathered his wits enough about him to pat her back.

"Oh, Obi-Wan! I haven't got my period in months and I threw up twice in this week alone and I would have thought nothing off it except I have been getting the strangest urges for the oddest foods and oh! What do I do? What if I'm pregnant!"

What she was saying hit Obi-Wan so fast that he didn't know what to make of it. He was so stunned he even found himself wishing that he had found her tied up by a handful of Siths, so at least he would be in his element. Oh, what was thinking! What a horrible thought, Obi-Wan Kenobi! He knew he had to say something and so he started, "This...wow...um..." What are you trying to say? Spit it out! Why couldn't you have just kept silent? Oh great, now you look like a gapping idiot. Padmé is crying in your arm! She needs someone to comfort her, for goodness sakes! You are providing as much comfort as a wall! What an unfair burden Padmé had placed on him. Was he supposed to be an expert on pregnant people? His mind jolted suddenly as though he had been smacked. Pregnant people? Padmé. Pregnant. Padmé was pregnant. Padmé was going to have a baby. He felt what she said sink in and without really knowing what he was doing he pulled her up by her shoulders and gently lifted her chin so her could see her eyes. Beautiful, soft eyes.

"This...This is amazing Padmé," he said, grinning wildly, because if he didn't he would have kissed her and started to dance. A look of hope flashed through her eyes and she smiled weakly. He felt his insides cave slightly at her smile but remind himself to stay composed.

"You really think so?"

"Padmé, you ought to be happy for yourself! As soon as Anakin gets back--" he seemed to have struck a nerve because Padmé broke down sobbing again.

"Oh, Obi-Wan, you don't understand! That is why I am so worried! What will Anakin think about the baby? Will he be happy, or angry? How am I going to tell him?"

Obi-Wan realized he didn't have an answer for her, as he felt Anakin had become less predictable day by day. He felt crushed and struggled hard once more to find words of comfort.

"Are you even positive you are pregnant?" he asked, and she shook her head, studying the floor.

"I-I have the test, but, Obi-Wan, I am so scared."

Obi-Wan hugged her softly and kissed her forehead. A slight shudder ran through his body at the sensation of her skin on his lips, but he tried to swallow it. Suppress it...suppress it...stop being to childish. He looked down at her and was pleased to find she had calmed down.

"Let's go take the test now."

Obi-Wan was once again separated from Padmé by a door. He tried to refrain from being angry at inanimate objects as much as he could, but right now he wanted nothing more then to destroy all the doors in the worlds. Or at least all the doors in this house. Fine, then just Padmé's bathroom door, which was his current adversary. Luckily, restraint was something he had had much practice in. But that didn't prevent him from jumping up on down on his toes and breathing deeply, and unconscious nervous action that he often connected with being trapped behind a force shield watching...no, he couldn't think about that now. Now was not a time for painful memories. But it did prove his bad history with doors. They were nothing but irritating ways to block you from precisely where you always wanted to be. What the blazes was talking her so long? She could rule Naboo at the age of 14, help them destroy clones in a major battle, and speak as a senator, but she couldn't pee on a stick?

"Are you alright?" he asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"I...I can't do this."

"How hard it is to—"Obi-Wan quickly stopped himself, realizing what he said was going to come out sounding very rude. Calm down, he chided himself. What was it about this woman that broke away all logical blockades and forced him to give into to impulse?

"I can pee on a stick fine, Kenobi," Padmé snarled, obviously picking up on his sentence even though he hadn't finished it and he flinched inwardly. "I am just worried, okay? You know, this whole thing is very foolish. I don't know why I brought you here. So I threw up a couple times, maybe I just have a stomach flu. You should just go home."

"Padmé," Obi-Wan said softly in a voice that could calm a storm, "please let me in."

There was a small pause, and then a small, "it's opened."

Obi-Wan opened the door to see Padmé slumped sideways in the dry bathtub with her feet dangling over the rim. She was fiddling with the box in her hands and her brown deer eyes gazed up sadly at Obi-Wan. He sighed and, lifting his robe slightly, sat down next to her and propped his feet up next to hers. She nestled her head on his shoulder and Obi-Wan tensed slightly, hoping she wasn't expecting him too do something because he had no idea what to make of that small but intimate gesture.

"It's just...I can't decided what is worse, if I'm pregnant, or not. I still can't help thinking about Anakin's reaction--"

"You have to stop being so negative. I agree that we shouldn't get our hopes up, it is still very possible that you are not pregnant, but--"

"Keep our hopes up?" Padmé repeated, startled, "Obi-Wan, have you been listening to me? Do you know what will happen if I have a baby? I will be kicked out of the senate, Anakin will be expelled from the Jedi council, and our secret will be exposed. If I find out that I am pregnant, it will be--"

She stopped because Obi-Wan grabbed her hand in his and was staring at her with that famous twinkle in his blue eyes.

"It will be," he said, "the best news I have heard in a long time."

"Now," he continued, that invisible smile lingering on his lips as started to rise, "I will give you some privacy to take that test--"

But before he could finish Padmé jumped up and pushed him back so roughly that when he hit the ground he felt slightly winded.

"No," she said, and quickly pulled the curtain closed on startled Obi-Wan, who was now alone in the bathtub.

"You stay right there. I'll take the test. It will only be a second."

Obi-Wan tried once more to escape, saying, "I really shouldn't--" But just as his fingers touched the curtain he heard her shout, "Kenobi, you fiend! I am not wearing any underwear! Stay in your bathtub."

Obi-Wan was trying to sound solemn, but it was hard to do when he couldn't keep a straight face. My goodness, she was a tricky one. Well, she might have won the battle, but she didn't win the war. He faked irritation and sighed a little too loudly.

"Do you know what the punishment of capturing a Jedi is, my lady?" he asked and she smirked before replying.

"Its not considered capture if the Jedi is trapped willingly."

After a small pause, Obi-Wan surrendered with a, "touché"

"Okay, done," Padmé said and pulled open the curtain, while searching the box with her free hand.

"It says you have to wait fifteen minutes to get sure results."

"What?" Obi-Wan said as he struggled to rise, "what are we going to do for fif--" Just then Obi-Wan slipped and before he could think grabbed a handle to steady himself with. "Sith," he yelped as cold water tumbled out and he struggled to reverse his doings. It wasn't until he turned the water off did he realize Padmé was doubled over, laughing hysterically.

"Do-do you think this is funny?" he said, with such an expression of discomfort that Padmé laughed harder.

"Do you find it amusing when a master Jedi gets soaked to the bone because his host was too lazy to simply turn off the water?"

Padmé had now sunk to the floor because her legs couldn't support her. Obi-Wan was going to make another comment but he couldn't keep a straight face anymore and let out a laugh himself. He squeezed a handful of water out of his robe and flung it at Padmé who squealed and scurried out of his range. She laughed again and caught his eye just quick enough to see that coy, smug smile that always managed to catch her off guard. She loved--no--she liked the way that Obi-Wan always surprised her and did things she would never expect. One second he was a soothing and calm Jedi master, the next a playful Padwan. Anakin had been too young to remember Obi-Wan as an arrogant, young padwan. But not Padmé. She would have never guessed that the young, cocky, Padwan would turn into such a mature, responsible master. Well, mature with exceptions.

Obi-Wan finally sighed, realizing there was no way she was going to let him pelt her with water. "I give up", he said, slowly peeling off his wet robe, "just help me dry this thing"

Just as she took hold of his robe she felt cold water smack her face. She gasped and before he could protest she turned on the water again. Thinking quickly, he yanked her so she toppled into the bathtub with a yell of fear and joy.

Five minutes later they were both slightly drier and very exhausted. Padmé was sprawled on the couch looking tensely at the stick on top of the box on the table. Obi-Wan finished hanging his robe and walking into the living room feeling slightly exposed without it.

"Well, I guess we figured out what to do in ten minutes," he smiled as he sat next to her. Padmé smiled but couldn't seem to tear her eyes off the stick. Obi-Wan felt her anxieties were troubling her again and he scooted closer. She looked up at him and was so surprised the breath caught in her throat. Obi-Wan's thick hair was still wet and disheveled and made his eyes an stunning bright blue in contrast. The sight of him sitting so casually not a few feet from her made her flush and turn her eyes back to the safety of the stick on the table. Obi-Wan tried to focus on the mounting drama that would explode in minutes once the test was ready, but somehow his eyes couldn't stray from Padmé. Padmé with her damp hair teasing her shoulders, Padmé with her soft features ceased with worry, Padmé with her clothing that had not entirely dried...Obi-Wan swallowed hard and tried to clear his mind. Padmé was staring at the stick so hopefully that he knew he had to break the silence to comfort them both.

"Padmé, you really have to be happy and stop thinking so much about Anakin." she smiled.

"I must admit, I am happy. You can't guess how long I have secretly wished for the impossible. It's just, this experience has really put me and Anakin's relationship into focus and..." her smile faded and she stared sternly at Obi-Wan. "Have you ever woken up and realized that someone you thought you loved you actually didn't? That you had been lying to yourself this whole time and you were not their love but their...obsession?"

Obi-Wan had to think about this for a while. Indeed, when Qui-Gon had so hastily replaced him with Anakin Obi-Wan had felt hurt and used. But he soon realized that Qui-Gon did actually love him, he was just acting on what he felt he must do. However, he knew that even he couldn't positively tell her that Anakin loved her.

"Yes," he said, looking away least his voice betray him and release his uncertainty, "but then I learned that that person really did love me and I felt horrible to think otherwise."

Padmé looked down at the floor. They knew each other too well. She knew what he was doing, knew what he wasn't telling her so not to hurt her.

"The truth is," she said quietly, so quietly that Obi-Wan had to shift closer to hear her. "Now that I think about it, I don't care if Anakin is happy or not. And that is what scares me the most. Whatever attracted him to me has been slowly slipping away and I don't feel like I can relate to him anymore. I feel like a trophy wife sometimes. I kind of even wish that he will be angry, so I can run away from him and take care of the baby, and he wouldn't even be expelled from the Jedi council. I think I could take care of a baby, although it would be kind of daunting to take can of it alone--"

Obi-Wan put his hand on hers and squeezed a little, whispering, "You will never have to worry about being alone."

Padmé looked up and found his face a lot closer then he expected. She suddenly tensed at the feel of his breath on her face and couldn't move, let alone take his eyes off hers. The sound of a droid approaching brought them both to their senses and Obi-Wan quickly pulled away. The droid was carrying a tray with two glasses of water and a pitcher and offered it to them. Personally, Obi-Wan had had enough of water, but he kindly accepted. His throat had mysteriously gone dry anyway.

"Thank you, C3PO," Padmé said and after exchanging a few words with the droid it disappeared

Obi-Wan decided that now was a good time to change the conversation to a lighter direction.

"What are you going to name your child?" he asked

"We don't even know if I am pregnant. We shouldn't keep our hopes up."

"Right."

Silence.

"But hypothetically--"

"Leia."

"Pretty."

"Yeah."

"What if it is a boy?"

"Um...how about Curt?"

Obi-Wan snorted.

"What?" Padmé said in in an accusing tone.

"No, no, nothing, " Obi-Wan said, turning his head away and covering his smile with his hand, which he masked as scratching his bead. But the crinkles around his eyes gave him away.

"Hey," Padmé laughed, playfully shoving him a bit too hard and his hand jerked down to steady his balance, revealing his grin.

"What's wrong with Curt?"

"Well," Obi-Wan said, making a tee-pee with his hands and looking at her sternly, but as soon as he made eye-contact his lip quivered and he turned away in a fit of laughter.

"Shut up!" Padmé said, but couldn't stop laughing herself. "Okay, Master Jedi, what name would you recommend?"

Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed his beard unconsciously.

"Hmm...What about Luke?"

Padmé laughed at him. "And you thought Curt was stupid? My goodness, Obi-Wan, you can't judge the names I come up with if you can't come up with any good ones yourself."

Padmé took a sip of her water all the time thinking: Luke? Hmmm, Luke. Luke come to bed. Luke stop playing with your toys. Luke be careful. Luke I love you...Luke, Luke, Luke.

Her hands started shaking and she quickly put down her glass of water so not to spill it and began working her hands violently in her lap. She looked at Obi-Wan and whispered, "How much longer?"

Obi-Wan glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "You can check now."

Padmé stood and Obi-Wan followed suit, giving her shoulder a small squeeze of encouragement. Padmé studied the stick and the box, the stick and the box and let out a deep sigh. Obi-Wan was practically dying with anticipation but he let her slowly turn around and take another deep breathe.

"It's positive."

"Positive?" Obi-Wan cried out with joy, "It's positive! Oh Padmé, this is wonderful! You are going to have a baby! You are going to be a mother!"

Padmé let out a laugh like someone who had been holding their breath for a long time. She laughed again and Obi-Wan grabbed her in his arms and without thinking kissed her roughly on the lips. He pulled away quickly and his face turned all different shades of red.

"I...sorry...that didn't...I didn't..." but before he could even conjure up a proper sentence Padmé had dropped the box and stick and pulled him into another kiss. Obi-Wan's heart was pumping hard and he struggled to keep himself conscience but the only thought he could find was Padmé, Padmé, Padmé... they tumbled to the couch and Obi-Wan felt a little bit of sense coming back, enough to mutter, "no Padmé, we shouldn't-" before forgetting himself and kissing her softly but hungrily again. Obi-Wan heard himself shudder a moan though it seemed like far away and then the ringing of the phone brought him back to life once more.

"The phone!" Obi-Wan shouted as he ripped himself off Padmé and leaped off the couch. Padmé was disoriented and out of breath when she said, "hello?" she listened for a moment then eyed Obi-Wan. "Yes, he's here, do you want to speak with him?" Padmé put her hand over the phone and stated the obvious, "it's for you."

Obi-Wan took the phone and cleared his throat before saying, "Hello, Obi-Wan Kenobi here-"

"Kenobi," said a voice Obi-Wan would recognize even if he had been deaf. "Important mission for you I have. Come to the Jedi council now, you must."

"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied, secretly wondering how Yoda managed to track him down, but knowing it was no use trying to figure Yoda out. "I'll be there right away."

He hung up. Obi-Wan turned to Padmé but could hardly look at her for the shame he felt and instead quickly put on his robe, which was nearly dry by now.

"I must attend an important meeting now. Congratulations, really, I mean it...good night." Obi-Wan opened the door and was halfway through the doorway when Padmé called out, "wait!"

He stopped and turned. How beautiful she was, her bright eyes searching his own. Obi-Wan was struck with a sudden urge to take her in his arms and embrace her tightly, but he restrained once more. In fact, he restrained from quite a number of desires running through his body that he would never confess to, not even to himself.

"Thank you," she said, and brushed her lips against his own before quickly closing the door. In a giddy daze, Obi-Wan turned and ran straight into Mace Windu.

"Mace!" Obi-Wan cried, startled, "what are you--?"

Mace made a motion with his hand for Obi-Wan to stop and, rubbing the spot on his head he had collide with Obi-Wan, began to walk away, calling behind him, "Already forgotten, Kenobi. Just tell Yoda, if he doesn't already know."

For the thousandth time that day Obi-Wan was speechless, and beginning to get very irritated at his lack of words. Obi-Wan rubbed his hand over his face. How he wanted to be back at his own house lost in a deep, desperately needed, meditation. Oh Force, what have you gotten yourself into this time, Obi-Wan Kenobi? but what annoyed him the most was that little fluttering in his stomach that made him reel, the way his heart still thudded rapidly, and the way his lips still ached for her own...

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