Breathe, part one
Sep. 5th, 2006 03:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilHad a nice day yesterday; we spend the morning babysitting some friends' kids who are close to our kids' ages. It's always good to have them actually interacting with peers. ;) Then in the evening we went to a park on the shore in Salem. They had lots of little carnival-ish kiddie rides and carnival-ish foods as well - we gave our leftover fries and fish to some very eager seagulls. Emma, when looking at the ocean, kept saying "wawi" (another variation for water) and Luke used the potty in the dingy old public restroom. On purpose! Yes, that's right; he's used the potty twice now without being under protest. We'll see if this particular trend continues or not, but we're feeling just a little more positive about it.
So, feeling optimistic, I've decided to begin posting a rather lengthy SW AU I began writing some time shortly after Episode III came out. AU's for the prequels are pretty popular, being cathartic and all that, particularly after the very dark ending of ROTS, but I've restrained myself and only worked on this one. And it's not going to be entirely sunshine and flowers, just as a warning. (Actually, I have ideas for another AU which is decidedly darker than canon, in which Anakin defeats Obi-Wan on Mustafar and takes his pregnant, stricken wife to Palpatine and - well, I don't know if I'll ever summon up enough angsty-ness to write that). Anyway! This is fairly long, at least compared to my one-shots, and I've written most of it, though I've been stalled on it since devoting most of my time to my original series - hopefully starting to post it here will provide the incentive to finish the darn thing. ;) So, enough blathering. Here we are.
Evening came suddenly on Naboo. Anakin supposed that must often be the case on small worlds. Its suddenness was not what held his attention. It was the one sun that was sinking below the horizon, a single orb of gold that seemed lonely without its pair.
Over ten years on Coruscant had not been enough to accustom him to seeing only one sun in the sky. He was grateful for the cooler air, for the abundant Coruscant rain that could never come on Tatooine, and knew that a planet with twin suns was not a home to be envied.
But it was home. Tatooine, and nowhere else.
He didn’t suppose he would ever go back.
The events of the last few months had been something of a blur, though a few images stood out starkly in his memory. The grim discovery of the Chancellor’s body on Greivous’s ship, his chest run through with a blade that could only have been Dooku’s. The startled faces of the Senators who greeted them upon their return, as Obi-Wan soberly announced the assassination. The chaotic hallways of the Senate building as the leaderless body of politicians struggled to regain a semblance of control and order. And one Senator, whose white face and frightened eyes had little to do with Palpatine’s death.
Pregnant.
The word had been enough to drive all other thoughts from his mind, to push aside any other concerns, even the brutal end of his old mentor and friend. It had brought Anakin here, four months later, though it had taken a great deal of contriving to find a plausible reason for the Council to allow him to go. The riots in Theed over the death of their own citizen-turned-Chancellor were an unexpected blessing, an excuse for Anakin to suggest that a Jedi be sent to prevent further violence.
After a token appearance at the capital, Anakin slipped away to the Lake Country, where Padmé waited for him, her smile of greeting weighted down somewhat by the enormous burden she carried. He had seen her just before she left for Naboo, but it seemed every day they were apart her abdomen had swelled just a little more. How she bore it he couldn’t even imagine.
“You’ve found a midwife to help us?” he asked anxiously. Padmé nodded, her smile carrying something strange with it. And then she offered a pronouncement that was as thoroughly startling as the first.
“I’m carrying twins, Anakin.”
Again he had no response, no words to fill his open mouth. “Twins?” he managed at last.
“Well, it explains my size, doesn’t it?” she said wryly.
He put a hand on her stomach wonderingly. “Twins.” Abruptly, he gave her an anxious look. “Are you all right? It’s –”
“Frightening, yes,” Padmé acknowledged. “And I am a little scared. But Anakin, think of it! Two babies...can you imagine?”
“It’s – it’s wonderful,” he said carefully. And part of him was rejoicing.
The other part was horrified.
--
As he watched the solitary sun disappear, Padmé came to his side and put a hand on his. “Any day now,” she said quietly.
“I know.”
“They had better come quickly,” she smiled, “or the Council will start wondering what’s taking you so long.”
“I’ll tell them the riots started up again,” Anakin shrugged. “I’m not that worried about that.”
She regarded him. “Then what are you worried about?”
His brow furrowed. “Does it show that much?”
“You’ve never been much for hiding your emotions.”
“I suppose not.” He swallowed. “I was thinking – the Republic’s in a terrible state right now. The provisional Chancellor – he’ll want to step down any day, the stress of it is just too much. Palpatine was the only man capable of handling it, and now he’s gone.”
Padmé gripped his hand. “You don’t know that. There may be someone who can take charge, put things back in order...perhaps even restore some of the freedoms we had before the war,” she added hesitantly.
Anakin rounded on her. “What are you saying? That Palpatine was – becoming a tyrant?”
“I didn’t say that.” Padmé frowned, pulled back a bit. “I know he was your friend – he was a good man; he cared about Naboo as much as the entire Republic. But –”
“What?” he demanded coolly. “If you’re going to insult him, come out with it.”
“I’m not insulting him.” Padmé’s face had taken on the stubborn look it always did when she was disagreeing with him. “Even the best of men can allow themselves to enjoy power a bit too much, once they’ve gotten a taste of it. I’m sure Palpatine thought he was acting in the best interest of the Republic.”
“I think he was,” Anakin said, glowering. “The war might have even ended by now, if he were still alive to guide the Republic’s actions. Since he was killed, things have only gotten worse. The Republic’s in danger of collapse –” Abruptly he recalled the original direction of their conversation and sighed. “And we’re about to bring two children into this chaos. Two helpless, innocent children.” He put his head on his hands glumly. “It seems almost cruel.”
Padmé immediately softened and came closer. “It’s not cruel,” she whispered, “and it’s not a mistake. I don’t regret it. Do you?”
He couldn’t look into her face and deny her optimism. “No,” he said, shaking his head, “I don’t regret anything we’ve done.”
If he had known what was coming the next day, he may have said otherwise.
So, feeling optimistic, I've decided to begin posting a rather lengthy SW AU I began writing some time shortly after Episode III came out. AU's for the prequels are pretty popular, being cathartic and all that, particularly after the very dark ending of ROTS, but I've restrained myself and only worked on this one. And it's not going to be entirely sunshine and flowers, just as a warning. (Actually, I have ideas for another AU which is decidedly darker than canon, in which Anakin defeats Obi-Wan on Mustafar and takes his pregnant, stricken wife to Palpatine and - well, I don't know if I'll ever summon up enough angsty-ness to write that). Anyway! This is fairly long, at least compared to my one-shots, and I've written most of it, though I've been stalled on it since devoting most of my time to my original series - hopefully starting to post it here will provide the incentive to finish the darn thing. ;) So, enough blathering. Here we are.
Evening came suddenly on Naboo. Anakin supposed that must often be the case on small worlds. Its suddenness was not what held his attention. It was the one sun that was sinking below the horizon, a single orb of gold that seemed lonely without its pair.
Over ten years on Coruscant had not been enough to accustom him to seeing only one sun in the sky. He was grateful for the cooler air, for the abundant Coruscant rain that could never come on Tatooine, and knew that a planet with twin suns was not a home to be envied.
But it was home. Tatooine, and nowhere else.
He didn’t suppose he would ever go back.
The events of the last few months had been something of a blur, though a few images stood out starkly in his memory. The grim discovery of the Chancellor’s body on Greivous’s ship, his chest run through with a blade that could only have been Dooku’s. The startled faces of the Senators who greeted them upon their return, as Obi-Wan soberly announced the assassination. The chaotic hallways of the Senate building as the leaderless body of politicians struggled to regain a semblance of control and order. And one Senator, whose white face and frightened eyes had little to do with Palpatine’s death.
Pregnant.
The word had been enough to drive all other thoughts from his mind, to push aside any other concerns, even the brutal end of his old mentor and friend. It had brought Anakin here, four months later, though it had taken a great deal of contriving to find a plausible reason for the Council to allow him to go. The riots in Theed over the death of their own citizen-turned-Chancellor were an unexpected blessing, an excuse for Anakin to suggest that a Jedi be sent to prevent further violence.
After a token appearance at the capital, Anakin slipped away to the Lake Country, where Padmé waited for him, her smile of greeting weighted down somewhat by the enormous burden she carried. He had seen her just before she left for Naboo, but it seemed every day they were apart her abdomen had swelled just a little more. How she bore it he couldn’t even imagine.
“You’ve found a midwife to help us?” he asked anxiously. Padmé nodded, her smile carrying something strange with it. And then she offered a pronouncement that was as thoroughly startling as the first.
“I’m carrying twins, Anakin.”
Again he had no response, no words to fill his open mouth. “Twins?” he managed at last.
“Well, it explains my size, doesn’t it?” she said wryly.
He put a hand on her stomach wonderingly. “Twins.” Abruptly, he gave her an anxious look. “Are you all right? It’s –”
“Frightening, yes,” Padmé acknowledged. “And I am a little scared. But Anakin, think of it! Two babies...can you imagine?”
“It’s – it’s wonderful,” he said carefully. And part of him was rejoicing.
The other part was horrified.
--
As he watched the solitary sun disappear, Padmé came to his side and put a hand on his. “Any day now,” she said quietly.
“I know.”
“They had better come quickly,” she smiled, “or the Council will start wondering what’s taking you so long.”
“I’ll tell them the riots started up again,” Anakin shrugged. “I’m not that worried about that.”
She regarded him. “Then what are you worried about?”
His brow furrowed. “Does it show that much?”
“You’ve never been much for hiding your emotions.”
“I suppose not.” He swallowed. “I was thinking – the Republic’s in a terrible state right now. The provisional Chancellor – he’ll want to step down any day, the stress of it is just too much. Palpatine was the only man capable of handling it, and now he’s gone.”
Padmé gripped his hand. “You don’t know that. There may be someone who can take charge, put things back in order...perhaps even restore some of the freedoms we had before the war,” she added hesitantly.
Anakin rounded on her. “What are you saying? That Palpatine was – becoming a tyrant?”
“I didn’t say that.” Padmé frowned, pulled back a bit. “I know he was your friend – he was a good man; he cared about Naboo as much as the entire Republic. But –”
“What?” he demanded coolly. “If you’re going to insult him, come out with it.”
“I’m not insulting him.” Padmé’s face had taken on the stubborn look it always did when she was disagreeing with him. “Even the best of men can allow themselves to enjoy power a bit too much, once they’ve gotten a taste of it. I’m sure Palpatine thought he was acting in the best interest of the Republic.”
“I think he was,” Anakin said, glowering. “The war might have even ended by now, if he were still alive to guide the Republic’s actions. Since he was killed, things have only gotten worse. The Republic’s in danger of collapse –” Abruptly he recalled the original direction of their conversation and sighed. “And we’re about to bring two children into this chaos. Two helpless, innocent children.” He put his head on his hands glumly. “It seems almost cruel.”
Padmé immediately softened and came closer. “It’s not cruel,” she whispered, “and it’s not a mistake. I don’t regret it. Do you?”
He couldn’t look into her face and deny her optimism. “No,” he said, shaking his head, “I don’t regret anything we’ve done.”
If he had known what was coming the next day, he may have said otherwise.
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Date: 2006-09-07 02:44 pm (UTC)Yes, we were ever so slightly influenced by our Star Wars fandom when naming our son...but seriously, I've always liked the name Luke for its own sake. It's a good solid Bible name. And in spite of also liking the name Anakin a lot, I have no intention of subjecting any future sons to it. Just a little too fannish. ;)