Chapter 23

Padme looked up to see Sabe coming into the dining room, looking half asleep.

“ Morning, Sabe. I do hope that you slept well.” Padme reached over and picked up her cup and took a sip of her Caf.

“ Morning, Padme. Yes, I did sleep well and I should ask you the same thing.” Sabe put down a few things that Padme had left on Coruscant.

“ Yes, I did sleep very well. So, is everything out of the office and the apartment too?” Padme took another sip of her Caf.

“ Yes, everything is out of both places and Dorme will be taking some of the stuff to her home and I will take some of the stuff too. So, with the stuff that is not taken, what would you like for us to do with them?” Sabe went over to the serving hutch and poured herself some Caf.

“ Um . . . put them into storage and then, we can ask the Queen what she would like to do with them. A couple of the things I did get from the palace, after I left. Um . . . did you bring the stuff here? I will go and see tomorrow and see what is left and I will take them.” Padme watched her friend pour herself some Caf, then coming over to the table and sitting down.

“ Yes, we did bring it all here. Um. . . where are the children?” Sabe sat down and realized how very quiet the house was.

“ They are still asleep. I am so glad that I have children that sleep through the night and like to sleep in, some, in the mornings.” Padme gave Sabe a smile, as she thought of her two children, who were upstairs still asleep.

“ That is so great that you have children who like to sleep. I wish mine were like that.” Sabe gave a small laugh, as she thought of her son, who was at home with his father.

“ So, how is Ben? Is he enjoying family life?” Padme looked at her friend and to let her know that she knew who her husband is and deep down, she really does miss her old friend and guardian.

“ He is doing great and yes, he is enjoying family life. Every time Owen cries, he is right there to take care of him. It is a shame that Anakin will never know his children, and the kids will never know their father.” Sabe gave Padme a sad look, because she remembered that next week will be the one year anniversary of the fall of the Republic and the Order 66, when the Jedi were hunted down and killed. From what she was told, there was only two Jedi that survived the slaughter.

“ I am so glad to hear that he is enjoying his fatherhood. Yes, it is a shame that Luke and Leia will never know their father. Anakin was really looking forward to becoming a father too. He used to tell me all the things that he wanted to show and even teach them. It hard to believe it has been a year already.” Padme felt her eyes welling up with tears, as she thought about a life without the one person, she truly loved and loved her for herself and not as a rich and powerful Senator.

“ Yes, it is very hard to believe it has been a year now. Well, I need to get going, because I have to save Ben and it is almost time to feed Owen. I will be back later.” Sabe stood up and gave her best friend a sisterly hug, before going into the kitchen and putting her cup in the washer.

“ Ok and I need to check on the twin, get them feed and dressed for the day. We are going over to my parents today.” Padme stood up and walked into the kitchen too and put her cup down on the counter.

“ I will see you tonight and I will make you dinner.” Sabe walked towards the door.

“ No, you can stay home tonight, because I am having dinner with my parents and sister, along with Sola’s family tonight.” Padme walked to the door with Sabe and opened the door for her.

“ Ok, then. I will see you in a couple of days. Say hey to your parents and sister for me.” Sabe gave Padme one more hug, before walking out of the door and headed down to the dock to her waiting watercraft.

Padme closed the door and then headed upstairs to the nursery and saw Leia was waking up. Bending over, she picked up her daughter, went over to the swing and put her in the sea,t before getting Luke and getting him cleaned up, before cleaning Leia up, so she could take them downstairs and make them breakfast of pancakes. An hour later, Padme had the twins fed, cleaned and dressed. Now, they were getting into the watercraft, so that way, they could head into the city, so they can stay at Padme’s parent’s house for dinner and overnight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Two weeks later)

Padme was lounging on the couch, after she had put Luke and Leia to bed for the night. She was just relaxing and drinking her herbal tea and watching her favorite show on the Holo-Net, when it was interrupted by a News report.

“ Ladies and Gentlemen, we just got confirmation that Emperor Palpatine is dead, along with him, his right hand man Darth Vader. It was earlier this morning, that explosions rocked Coruscant governmental area. When the cloud of smoke had cleared up, Imperial Palace was leveled down to the ground. It was twenty minutes later, the Palace that belonged to Lord Vader, was leveled down to the ground by explosions. Once it was safe enough for the emergency personal to search both Palaces, they found both the bodies of both Sith Lords. We will keep you all updated, when we get more information on who could behind these attacks. Action News Coruscant.” the newsperson gave the reports of the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.

“ Oh my gods, Ani!” Padme cried out, when she saw the destruction of both Palaces on the Holo-Net.

“ What, my Angel?” a voice came from behind Padme.

“ Anakin! Oh my gods, you are . . . they said that you are dead, but you are alive. Then, the Emperor is too?” Padme jumped, when she heard the nickname that Anakin gave her. She turned around and saw the love of her life, standing right behind her and next to the couch.

“ Yes, I am very much alive. Yes, I know what they are saying, and as for Palpatine, he is finally dead. Yes, I did kill him, before I set off the explosions that destroyed not only his Palace, but mine too.” Anakin came around the couch, so that way, he could see Padme.

“ Well, that is great to hear. What if they take off Vader’s mask, to see who is really behind it?” Padme stood up and Anakin took a hold of her hands.

“ They will find a body of one of the Red Imperial Guards. I missed you so much, Padme.” Anakin pulled Padme into his arms.

“ I missed you so much too, Anakin.” Padme put her arms around Anakin’s neck. He picked her up and carried off to the bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, they undressed each other and then Anakin picked up Padme again and carried her to the bed, where he gently laid her down on the bed. He joined her and began slowly and passionately making love to Padme. An hour later, they held each other in their arms and drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(A Month Later)

It was on the fourth wedding anniversary, Padme and Anakin in front family, friends and the Queen of Naboo, renewed their wedding vow, with Leia and Luke acting as ring bear and flower girl. After the reception, everyone left the Palace and went their separate ways, while Anakin and Padme took the children back home, where they began a very quiet life as a family. It was two days before the wedding, they learned that they were expecting another baby, but until it is born, they are going to be a regular family, doing regular stuff in the small Lake County on Naboo.

The End