(Six days later)
“I will be home soon. I am looking at one more place for the twins. How are you feeling? I will be home, before you go into labor.” Anakin sat back in his chair, as he was flying around an asteroid.
“Ok. I am doing great and I thank the gods that I am having only one baby this time. I am glad to know that you will be here in time. I miss you so much.” Padme sat back in her chair and took a sip of her tea.
“I know, and I miss you too. Well, I need to go. I am about to land on Haruun Kal.” Anakin heard a beep coming from R2-D2.
“Ok. You think he is here with them?” Padme reached over for her toast.
“Yes, I believe they are here, because I feel them. I can feel his presence too.” Anakin began to descend down towards the planet.
“It's great to hear that they are there. Got to go, your Mom is here. I will see you guys soon. Love you.” Padme heard the doorbell chime, to let her know that her mother-in-law was here.
“Ok, love you too. Say hello to Mom for me and let her know that we will be home soon.” Anakin began his landing procedures.
Padme blew him a kiss, just before Shmi came out of the house, and she disconnected the Holo-cam.
“Good morning. I hope I did not interrupt anything?” Shmi came over to Padme and leaned down and gave her a hug and kiss.
“Morning. Oh, no. You did not interrupt anything. I was talking to Anakin and he believes he found the twins. He also sends his love to you too.” Padme reached up and gave Shmi a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
“Well, that is great news, that they all will be here soon. So, how are you feeling today?” Shmi sat down at the small table.
“Yes, that is such great news. I am feeling pretty good. I told Anakin that I am so glad that I am having just one baby this time, because it was a little painful with the Luke and Leia. They seemed to fight on who was going to lay where, and I believe it was Leia, who always won the fights.” Padme gave a small laugh, as she felt the baby not only kick but change positions.
“I bet. Anakin used to do that all time; kicking and punching me all the time, mostly in the kidneys and bladder.” Shmi laughed as she remembered when she was pregnant with Anakin.
“So, how was Anakin as a baby?” Padme took another sip of her tea.
“He was good baby most of the time. Of course, when he got older, he started to tinker in maniacs.” Shmi laughed, as she remembered Anakin as a baby and then as a toddler.
“He sounded like he was a handful at times. Oh great, more tea and eggs with bacon.” Padme looked up, as Threepio came out onto the patio, with a tray of food for both her and Shmi.
“That smells so good, and I am hungry.” Shmi nodded to the droid, who came over to put tray down on the table between the two ladies.
Padme and Shmi both sat there in the early morning and watched the water fowl float on the lake below them. They also watched the hummingbirds come up to the bright red flowers that were planted on the railings and hanging on the sides of the house, while they ate their breakfast.
Anakin landed the ship, got up from his seat, and then walked into the lounge area, only to see Obi-Wan walking into the room too.
“So, how is Sabe?” Anakin asked, as he went over to the small desk area, opened the drawer and found his lightsaber.
“She is doing fine. She tells me that the baby is doing a lot of moving around at the moment, mostly at night. She is finding it a little hard to get some sleep.” Obi-Wan smiled, as he was so expected to be there for the birth of his child.
“That is great to hear. Yes, Padme says the same thing. She was telling me when she was pregnant with the twins, that they moved around a lot. I do know that she was very uncomfortable at night, when she was trying to get to sleep. Well, speaking of the twins, I think we need to go and get them from him.” Anakin put the saber onto his belt, then he felt them. He closed his eyes, so he could focus on the twins, but not only did he feel them, but he felt him too.
“Um . . . Anakin, are you ok?” Obi-Wan watched Anakin and noticed that he closed his eyes.
“Yes, I know where they are, so let us get going. I get a feeling that he is about to move them again.” Anakin opened his eyes, went over to the hatch and hit the button that opened up the door.
Anakin went down the ramp and Obi-wan followed. Anakin headed off towards the place where he felt Luke and Leia’s life Force. Twenty minutes later, they came upon a house and Anakin could tell the kids were right inside the house.
“Ok, you go to the back side of the house and I will take the front. This way, we can trap him in the house.” Anakin pointed to the back of the house and then he nodded towards the front.
“I have a better idea. Why don’t I take the front and you take the back? If you go into the front, then you may not get the kids out of there alive.” Obi-Wan thought about the plan and thought it would be better, if he confronted the person as he does not cause a threat to him.
“Ok, then let’s do this.” Anakin agreed that Obi-Wan’s plan was better than his.
Obi-Wan left their hiding place, went up to the front door and knocked on the door.
“Obi-Wan, what a surprise! So, what can I do for you?” the person opened up the door and saw Obi-Wan standing there.
“Hey, Mace. Well, I was here looking for a place to hide out, when I remembered that you came from here.” Obi-Wan looked at the ex-Jedi Master.
“Really? Please, come inside and have a seat. Can I get something to drink?” Mace moved over and invited Obi-Wan inside the house.
“Yes, please. That sounds good. So, how have things been for you?” Obi-Wan went over to the couch, sat down and saw a couple of toys.
“Mace, we need to go into town and get some food for the babies. Oh, hello.” A young lady came out of the bedroom that was in the back of the house.
“Um . . . ok. Here is some credit. Go get some and take the babies with you too.” Mace went over to a desk, opened up the drawer and took a small pouch that had some money inside.
The young woman just nodded, took the pouch and headed back to the room that the twins were in. Then, he watched the girl and the twins head out of the house, through the back side.
“So, you have a family now?” Obi-Wan looked up at Mace Windu, as he came over to him with a glass of rum.
“Um . . . yeah, I have a family now. So, what about you? Do you have a family?” Mace Windu went over to his chair and sat back down.
“I see. My wife and I are about to have a baby in about a week or so.” Obi-Wan tuned in to Anakin and he felt that he took the woman by surprise and took her and the twins back to their ship.
“That is great to hear. You know, there are times I miss being a Jedi and living in the Temple. From what I heard, it is nothing but rubble, and that the Emperor built part of his Palace on the site of the Temple.
“Um. . . yeah, he did. There is some of the Temple that is standing, but it is a ruin. Well, I do have to go. I have a meeting in the city, so I will see you later.” Obi-Wan put down his drink that he did not take a sip of, because he got a feeling that Mace drugged it.
“Oh, ok. Well, it was good to see you Obi-Wan. Please stop by any time that you are around this sector of the galaxy.” Mace put his glass down too and stood up as did Obi-Wan.
“Ok, I will. You have a great day.” Obi-Wan walked out of the house and began to head off in the opposite side of where the ship was located, just in case Mace followed him.
“Hello, Mace. Long time no see.” a voice came up from behind Mace Windu.
“You... how did you get here?” Mace turned and came face to face with his worst nightmare.
“That is my secret and you know why I am here . . . Now, you are going to pay for what you have done.” Anakin gave the older man an evil smile.
“Yeah, I took your kids and you are nothing but a traitor to the Jedi. You don’t even deserve to be call a Jedi Knight, not after what you did to all those children.” Mace Windu looked at Anakin with fear in his eyes, because he knows how powerful the man standing right in front of him is.
“Well, there is one thing you do not know, I never harmed those children. As a matter of fact, I saved them. I helped them escape the Temple, and no, I do not know where they are. But as for you, you are going to pay for kidnapping my children.” Anakin took a step close to the older man, but as he got closer, he heard the sound of the lightsaber.
“You really expect me to believe that? I will not go anywhere with you. You will have to take me by force.” Mace Windu took the battle stance.
“I really do not want to hurt you, Mace. So, please, let’s not do this.” Anakin put his hand on the hilt of his saber.
“Oh yes, we do have to do this, Anakin. Or should I call you Darth Vader?” Mace took a step closer to Anakin and swung his blade.
“I do not go by that name. My name is Anakin.” Anakin took a step back, before grabbing his saber and activating it.
Then, the battle began. Anakin remembered that Mace was the Master of the Combat step VII, but it was Anakin, who put his own twist on that step. Within ten minutes, the dual was over, with Mace Windu’s head laying on the floor, next to Anakin’s foot.
Anakin turned around, left the house and the body of Mace Windu just disappeared and became one with the Force. Anakin got back onto the ship and found Obi-Wan playing with the twins. They ran to him, when he came into the lounge area.
“Daddy!” both Luke and Leia came up to Anakin and wrapped their arms around his legs.
“Hey there guys! Lets go home. Mommy is waiting for us to come home.” Anakin picked up the two kids and brought them to the cockpit. He started up the ship and they flew home to Naboo. Waiting for them, was the whole family. They lived very quietly for the next couple of days, until they have a new member of the family.