When Anakin returned home an hour later, he found Padmé stretched out on the settee.

"The twins just went down," she told him. "I thought I would try and catch up on some sleep myself." Nonetheless, she stood up and bestowed her husband with a kiss. "Hello, my love," she said with a smile. Anakin buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her flowery scent. From the first moment he met her, he'd always loved her smell. He inhaled deeply before he responded.

"Hello, my wife," he whispered back.

"You're so…attentive today," Padmé said carefully, not wanting to end his gallant overtures. "Is everything all right?"

"I have to tell you something," he said. Padmé's face paled. Even after all they'd been through, that never yielding fear that he was going to leave her still remained. A plethora of scenarios ran through her mind in an instant, and her heart caught.

"Ani, tell me," she demanded worriedly. Anakin took a deep breath.

"You smell…incredible," he said lamely.

Padmé looked at him oddly in surprise.

"Oh! Well, thank you," she replied awkwardly. Anakin's fists clenched in anger. He couldn't believe that he'd been too afraid to tell his own wife that he was in love with her. He blew a sigh through his nose and bit his lip. He watched her smile at him, then go and check on the twins.

"Wait," he called to her before he lost his nerve. She turned slowly towards him, looking at him expectantly.

"Ani? Is everything alright?"

"I love you," he blurted out. Padmé went still. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she could swear that she could feel all the blood rushing to her head. She blushed furiously, embarrassed by her husband's words.

"What?" she asked as tears filled her eyes. Anakin moved towards her, stroking her cheek.

"I love you," he said softly. "I love everything about you. You're beautiful, kind, gentle, caring, loving, the mother of my children and I…I love you more than I love to breathe every day."

Padmé was silent.

"Why today, Ani? Why not yesterday, or the day before, or weeks before that? Why do you love me today?" she begged as she began to cry. Anakin took her hands in his, desperate for her to understand.

"I did yesterday, and the day before, and so many before that! I…I couldn't tell you, then. But I can now. You love me, even though I'm a man who's committed countless atrocities against others for no reason other than the fact that I was told to! You're in my very soul," he exclaimed as he fell to his knees before her.

Padmé remained silent.

"I don't…I don't know what to say," she faltered. Her heart ached when Anakin looked up at her, heartbreak in his eyes.

"Tell me that you love me," he said as he rose. "Tell me that you'll only be in my bed for the rest of our lives. Tell me that you want me, right now, as much as I want you."

"Ani," Padmé began, not sure of what she was going to say. The words suddenly tumbled from her lips.

"Say it again," she whispered, her fingertips slowly tracing his mouth. Anakin gulped, slowly running his tongue down her finger, and sucking it.

"I love you," he replied in a husky whisper.

"I love you too," she murmured before bringing his head down for a kiss. Anakin groaned into her mouth as she sucked fiercely on his tongue. He reached around her waist, undoing the ties of her gown while she hurriedly removed his pants.

"Are you sure you're okay to…?" Anakin asked. Padmé nodded, pulling his mouth back down to her. Anakin backed them against the wall, wrapping Padmé's legs around his waist. It was then that, for the first time, they consummated their love for one another.

They lay together, wrapped in a tauntaun skin blanket, enjoying the afterglow of their frenzied coupling.

Padmé sighed in contentment, as she placed soft kisses over Anakin's collarbone.

"This…is nice," Anakin said with a sated smile. He could barely keep his eyes open, so great was his exhaustion. "I'm surprised you didn't wake the twins up with your-"

"Shh!" Padmé hissed. "You're one to talk. I'm surprised your moans didn't send up your entire command!"

Anakin chuckled, pulling her towards him. This was absolute bliss. To hold the mother of his children in his arms, and never let her go.

"I love you," he whispered to her. She smiled at him.

"I love you too," she replied. He kissed her then. It was a kiss the likes of which they'd never shared before. It was one of promise and hope. It told of passion and triumph, and the love that they had for their children. It was a kiss that spoke of what was yet to come.

Eternal, everlasting love.

And that, for him, was more than enough.