One Path Chapter 37--Nightfall
Title: Nightfall
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: "I guess Dad made a mistake," Padme smiled, gently disentangling herself from his embrace.
Rating: PG
Length: Around 2300 words
Category:Gen
Pairings/Charaters: Obidala
A/N: One Path Chapter 37. Set during an alternate RotS.
Nightfall
Padme found both Obi Wan and Anakin on the floor with her son when she walked into the apartment. Ani scrambled up and ran over to hug her. He rested his cheek against her abdomen, then craned his neck and grinned up at her.
"Did you stick it to that old Chancellor, Mom?" he asked.
Anakin tensed, shooting a hard look between her and Obi Wan. Her husband looked back apologetically, and Padme fought a tired sigh. Running her fingers through her son's hair, she murmured, "No, Ani, I didn't."
"Dad said you were gonna," he frowned in disappointment.
"I guess Dad made a mistake," Padme smiled, gently disentangling herself from his embrace. As she threaded her way past Obi Wan to the couch, her hand drifted automatically to his cheek. With the same almost unconscious air, he turned his head to kiss her fingers as she passed.
"Dad don't make mistakes," Ani declared, flopping back down between him and Anakin. "Right, Uncle Anakin?"
"Dad makes a lot of them," Obi Wan spoke up quietly, hoping to rescue the suddenly charged atmosphere.
Anakin coughed. "Maybe I should go."
"Not yet, Uncle Anakin!" Ani pleaded. "You said you'd stay for dinner again!"
"Yes, Anakin, you have to stay," added Padme, leaning forward on the couch to rest her hand on the Knight's shoulder.
He turned his head to look at her and smiled faintly. "How can I resist an invitation like that?"
Padme smiled in return, then let her gaze move to encompass her husband and son. "What about you, Ani? How was your talk with Master Yoda?"
"He's short," Ani shrugged.
"Short?" Padme laughed.
"Real short," nodded Ani.
"That's it?" Padme tilted her head expectantly.
Ani shrugged again.
"Well, what did you and he talk about?" his mother wanted to know.
"Force stuff, Mom," replied the four-year-old with a patient shake of his head. "I don't think you'd get it."
"Oh, I see," Padme nodded seriously, ignoring the fact that Obi Wan and Anakin were now both hiding snickers behind their hands. "Well, what did you do after you talked to Master Yoda?"
"I'm not s'posed to tell you," Ani replied.
Padme's eyes widened, then narrowed. She cast a suspicious glare at the two men, who had suddenly stopped smirking. Then she smiled brightly at her son. "Why aren't you supposed to tell me, Ani?"
"Uncle Anakin's s'posed to do the talking," he explained.
"Oh?" Padme arched an eyebrow.
"They have a deal," nodded Ani.
"And what deal is that?" she asked.
He shrugged.
Padme turned to Obi Wan, who feigned a bright smile. Clearing his throat, he shrugged and gestured weakly toward Anakin. Tapping her long nails on the arm of the couch, Padme looked expectantly at the Knight.
"Obi Wan needed a distraction during the rescue. You know, Padme, something to settle his nerves," he started.
"A distraction? I thought distraction was to be avoided," she said.
"Not a distraction from the battle," replied Anakin smoothly. "Just something to help take his mind off of how much he hates flying."
"Of course," smiled Padme. "And you distracted him how?"
"Just a little bet," Anakin explained with a dismissive wave.
"The kind of bet that Ani wasn't supposed to tell me about?" she persisted.
Anakin shook his head and gave a slow shrug, indicating that he had no idea what Ani might have meant. Padme eyed him in disbelief. He pushed out his lower lip in thought and cleared his throat again.
"You know kids. He probably just misunderstood," he attempted.
"Sure," Padme replied, still not believing a word.
"See?" nodded Anakin. "Nothing to worry about."
"Except that you still haven't answered my question," Padme reminded him.
"I haven't?" Anakin frowned.
"No."
"Oh. Well, um…" he glanced at Obi Wan again.
"Only a lunch date, darling," smiled the general before shooting his former Padawan a glare. "Wonderful explanation."
"Don't look at me. You're the Negotiator, remember?" Anakin pointed out.
"Yes, and you are supposed to be the Hero With No Fear," Obi Wan retorted.
"Separatists and Sith Lords, I can handle," shrugged Anakin. "Annoyed mothers are best left to those with a smoother approach."
"Why thank you," Obi Wan rolled his eyes.
"Of course, General," Anakin inclined his head.
Realizing that the duo could keep this up indefinitely, Padme pressed a palm to her forehead. Shaking her head, she turned to her son, who was watching the banter with mischievous grin, and asked, "What did you have for lunch, Ani?"
"That's what Uncle Anakin's s'posed to tell you," he shrugged.
Obi Wan and Anakin both hissed and winced painfully. Padme eyed them again. She said nothing for a minute, then her mouth popped open. "Obi Wan Kenobi! Did you let him have cake for lunch?"
"Of course not!" he replied, managing to work up enough indignation that she didn't doubt him.
"He said you'd kill him if he gave me cake," Ani related.
"He was right," Padme said flatly. "So what did you have?"
He glanced nervously at his father and uncle. "Uncle Anakin better 'splain it."
Padme waved her hand. "Never mind them. I want you to explain it."
"We had the Skywalker Special," Ani confessed with a heavy sigh. He hung his head, shoulder slumping as if he had just admitted to taking off Threepio's head and putting it on backwards again.
"What's the Skywalker Special?" Padme asked, looking from one culprit to another in confusion.
"Nerfsteak," Ani continued in the same tone.
"Nerfsteak…?" asked Padme. It was a common enough food. The shaggy herbivores were native to Alderaan, but raised now on many other planets throughout the galaxy. Their meat was used in a variety of foods, in fact, and Padme had no objection to serving it herself. There had to be more going on than that.
"Fried nerfsteak," Ani nodded.
"Fried nerfsteak?" Padme forced a smile as she began to understand.
"Pickled Garto eggs too," Ani looked up at her apologetically.
"And would this pickled Garto eggs and fried nerfsteak happen to have been at Dex's Diner?" Padme asked pleasantly.
"Mmm-hmm," Ani nodded. "Dex is funny, too. He picked Dad and Uncle Anakin right up and hugged 'em. Like they were my age!"
"Sometimes I think they are your age," Padme replied.
"Ani," said Obi Wan with a smile, "Why don't you take Uncle Anakin inside and show him your room?"
"He already saw my room, Dad," Ani reminded his father with a raised eyebrow.
"Show him your room again," Obi Wan told him pointedly.
"Yeah, I might've missed something," Anakin nodded, scrambling hurriedly off of the floor.
"I know. I always miss the good stuff," Ani sighed, more to himself than the adults. He climbed to his feet as well, trudging obediently off in the direction of his room.
Anakin followed, and when the door had closed behind them, Padme crossed her arms. Obi Wan gave her a winning smile, to which she returned a scowl. His smile faded and he glanced at the floor, stroking his mustache uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry," he offered.
"Then why did you take him into Coco Town?" she asked.
"It…seemed like a good idea at the time…?" he trailed off, biting his lip. "Look, Dex is my friend. The fact that he lives and works in Coco Town doesn't make him dangerous or a bad influence on Ani."
"His past does," Padme pointed out.
"Everyone has a past," Obi Wan reminded her.
"I know that. And you don't have to lie to me or go behind my back. I thought you knew that," she frowned.
"I just didn't want to worry you, or--fight over nothing. Honestly," he held up his hands in a profession of innocence.
"Are you sure it didn't have anything to do with the thrill of getting away with something?" she asked, a smile beginning to play over her lips.
He lowered his chin to give her a mock-stern glare. "Now. What would you know about that, Senator Kenobi?
"I don't know, maybe a thing or two," she smirked.
He smiled and pushed himself off the floor. Sliding onto the couch beside her, he curled an arm around her shoulders and drew her against his chest. "Am I forgiven?"
"Well…I guess you can be forgiven. This time," she grinned.
***
Anakin did stay for dinner again, but tensions broke out between him and Obi Wan shortly afterward. Padme was tired after the long hours and stress of the Senate's debate, and as she often had during this pregnancy, was experiencing sharp abdominal pain which made it difficult to move and almost impossible to maintain the air of a gracious hostess. She had learned to ignore the discomfort in most situations, but there was no way to hide it from two men trained in the ways of the Force. Obi Wan immediately knew what was wrong, and though Anakin did not, his senses were strong enough to tell him that something was amiss. Both of them began to hover, and quickly found themselves clashing in their efforts to make her comfortable.
"Here, darling," said Obi Wan, hurrying up from the table to offer her his arm. "Why don't you come sit on the sofa?"
She nodded and slipped her arm through his, letting him guide her to her feet, and by the time she was standing, Anakin had reached her other side. She started to protest that she was fine when another pain shot out from her womb, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her husband's arm.
"Let me help," Anakin said. "Are you all right, Padme?"
"Yes," she nodded, forcing a reassuring smile to her lips. "Thank you, Anakin. I--I guess something didn't agree with me."
"Are you sure that's all?" he frowned.
"Of course she's sure, Anakin," Obi Wan cut in as they moved out of the kitchen.
"I only wanted to be certain," Anakin said stiffly.
"Well, let's worry about it when she's sitting down, all right?" Obi Wan replied pointedly.
Anakin glared at him over Padme's head, and she pressed her eyes closed. Obi Wan stared back, and finally Anakin inclined his head. "As you wish, my…General."
When they escorted her to the couch and both attempted to offer her the same pillow for her back, Padme knew that the situation was quickly going to become untenable. Watching from the doorway, Ani gave her a worried look and bit his lip. She raised a hand to her face and massaged her eyes with the tips of her fingers.
"Thank you. Both," she smiled from one to the other. "But I think I'm going to lie down."
Anakin took the hint, and a wounded look crossed his face as he drew back. "Very well. I should be going, then. Good night, Padme."
"Good night, Anakin," she smiled again, more gently this time, but he was already backing away.
He took a few steps and spun, striding toward the door. Padme saw a concerned frown darken her son's face, and she closed her eyes against the sudden threat of tears. Obi Wan's hand moved comfortingly to her shoulder, but the warmth of his touch didn't reach the knot of cold dread that was forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Bye, Uncle…" Ani's voice trailed off as Anakin swept into the hall.
"Come on, Ani," Obi Wan sighed, pushing himself to your feet. "Let's have your bath and let your mother rest."
Ani slowly turned his gaze away from the door. He frowned softly, but his father walked over and offered him a hand. The frown melted as he took it, and Padme watched the pair disappear up the hall toward the 'fresher. She smiled though her throat tightened with tears, and she placed her left hand protectively on her belly where the twins were still restless. Her right arm rose to wipe her eyes on the edge of her sleeve, and she waited there until she heard the water for Ani's bath start to run. Then she reached for the arm of the couch and pulled herself to her feet.
She wasn't quite sure why Anakin's abrupt departure had shaken her so much. It always hurt to realize that she had become the dividing force between him and Obi Wan, but she had resolved long ago that she would not allow Anakin's feelings for her to mar her family's happiness. The war forced them to spend so much of their time apart that the last thing she wanted was to have their brief moments together clouded by tension and jealousy. Obi Wan needed positive memories to hold on the front lines even more than she needed them here at home. She wanted to give them to him, and yet it seemed that he was the one able to accept Anakin's behavior where she could not. As she slipped thorough the bedroom door, she tried to tell herself that it was the pregnancy which was affecting her so deeply. It made her overly sensitive and emotional; she was fatigued--more so, in fact, than she had been with Ani, because she was not only often in pain but had to pretend that she was not, had to maintain the appearance of physical strength and activity. Her deepest feelings, though, whispered of something more--something coming, and Padme sank down on the bed and buried her face in her hands, certain that this war, which had changed them all so much already, had more in store for her family. All of them.
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: "I guess Dad made a mistake," Padme smiled, gently disentangling herself from his embrace.
Rating: PG
Length: Around 2300 words
Category:Gen
Pairings/Charaters: Obidala
A/N: One Path Chapter 37. Set during an alternate RotS.
Nightfall
Padme found both Obi Wan and Anakin on the floor with her son when she walked into the apartment. Ani scrambled up and ran over to hug her. He rested his cheek against her abdomen, then craned his neck and grinned up at her.
"Did you stick it to that old Chancellor, Mom?" he asked.
Anakin tensed, shooting a hard look between her and Obi Wan. Her husband looked back apologetically, and Padme fought a tired sigh. Running her fingers through her son's hair, she murmured, "No, Ani, I didn't."
"Dad said you were gonna," he frowned in disappointment.
"I guess Dad made a mistake," Padme smiled, gently disentangling herself from his embrace. As she threaded her way past Obi Wan to the couch, her hand drifted automatically to his cheek. With the same almost unconscious air, he turned his head to kiss her fingers as she passed.
"Dad don't make mistakes," Ani declared, flopping back down between him and Anakin. "Right, Uncle Anakin?"
"Dad makes a lot of them," Obi Wan spoke up quietly, hoping to rescue the suddenly charged atmosphere.
Anakin coughed. "Maybe I should go."
"Not yet, Uncle Anakin!" Ani pleaded. "You said you'd stay for dinner again!"
"Yes, Anakin, you have to stay," added Padme, leaning forward on the couch to rest her hand on the Knight's shoulder.
He turned his head to look at her and smiled faintly. "How can I resist an invitation like that?"
Padme smiled in return, then let her gaze move to encompass her husband and son. "What about you, Ani? How was your talk with Master Yoda?"
"He's short," Ani shrugged.
"Short?" Padme laughed.
"Real short," nodded Ani.
"That's it?" Padme tilted her head expectantly.
Ani shrugged again.
"Well, what did you and he talk about?" his mother wanted to know.
"Force stuff, Mom," replied the four-year-old with a patient shake of his head. "I don't think you'd get it."
"Oh, I see," Padme nodded seriously, ignoring the fact that Obi Wan and Anakin were now both hiding snickers behind their hands. "Well, what did you do after you talked to Master Yoda?"
"I'm not s'posed to tell you," Ani replied.
Padme's eyes widened, then narrowed. She cast a suspicious glare at the two men, who had suddenly stopped smirking. Then she smiled brightly at her son. "Why aren't you supposed to tell me, Ani?"
"Uncle Anakin's s'posed to do the talking," he explained.
"Oh?" Padme arched an eyebrow.
"They have a deal," nodded Ani.
"And what deal is that?" she asked.
He shrugged.
Padme turned to Obi Wan, who feigned a bright smile. Clearing his throat, he shrugged and gestured weakly toward Anakin. Tapping her long nails on the arm of the couch, Padme looked expectantly at the Knight.
"Obi Wan needed a distraction during the rescue. You know, Padme, something to settle his nerves," he started.
"A distraction? I thought distraction was to be avoided," she said.
"Not a distraction from the battle," replied Anakin smoothly. "Just something to help take his mind off of how much he hates flying."
"Of course," smiled Padme. "And you distracted him how?"
"Just a little bet," Anakin explained with a dismissive wave.
"The kind of bet that Ani wasn't supposed to tell me about?" she persisted.
Anakin shook his head and gave a slow shrug, indicating that he had no idea what Ani might have meant. Padme eyed him in disbelief. He pushed out his lower lip in thought and cleared his throat again.
"You know kids. He probably just misunderstood," he attempted.
"Sure," Padme replied, still not believing a word.
"See?" nodded Anakin. "Nothing to worry about."
"Except that you still haven't answered my question," Padme reminded him.
"I haven't?" Anakin frowned.
"No."
"Oh. Well, um…" he glanced at Obi Wan again.
"Only a lunch date, darling," smiled the general before shooting his former Padawan a glare. "Wonderful explanation."
"Don't look at me. You're the Negotiator, remember?" Anakin pointed out.
"Yes, and you are supposed to be the Hero With No Fear," Obi Wan retorted.
"Separatists and Sith Lords, I can handle," shrugged Anakin. "Annoyed mothers are best left to those with a smoother approach."
"Why thank you," Obi Wan rolled his eyes.
"Of course, General," Anakin inclined his head.
Realizing that the duo could keep this up indefinitely, Padme pressed a palm to her forehead. Shaking her head, she turned to her son, who was watching the banter with mischievous grin, and asked, "What did you have for lunch, Ani?"
"That's what Uncle Anakin's s'posed to tell you," he shrugged.
Obi Wan and Anakin both hissed and winced painfully. Padme eyed them again. She said nothing for a minute, then her mouth popped open. "Obi Wan Kenobi! Did you let him have cake for lunch?"
"Of course not!" he replied, managing to work up enough indignation that she didn't doubt him.
"He said you'd kill him if he gave me cake," Ani related.
"He was right," Padme said flatly. "So what did you have?"
He glanced nervously at his father and uncle. "Uncle Anakin better 'splain it."
Padme waved her hand. "Never mind them. I want you to explain it."
"We had the Skywalker Special," Ani confessed with a heavy sigh. He hung his head, shoulder slumping as if he had just admitted to taking off Threepio's head and putting it on backwards again.
"What's the Skywalker Special?" Padme asked, looking from one culprit to another in confusion.
"Nerfsteak," Ani continued in the same tone.
"Nerfsteak…?" asked Padme. It was a common enough food. The shaggy herbivores were native to Alderaan, but raised now on many other planets throughout the galaxy. Their meat was used in a variety of foods, in fact, and Padme had no objection to serving it herself. There had to be more going on than that.
"Fried nerfsteak," Ani nodded.
"Fried nerfsteak?" Padme forced a smile as she began to understand.
"Pickled Garto eggs too," Ani looked up at her apologetically.
"And would this pickled Garto eggs and fried nerfsteak happen to have been at Dex's Diner?" Padme asked pleasantly.
"Mmm-hmm," Ani nodded. "Dex is funny, too. He picked Dad and Uncle Anakin right up and hugged 'em. Like they were my age!"
"Sometimes I think they are your age," Padme replied.
"Ani," said Obi Wan with a smile, "Why don't you take Uncle Anakin inside and show him your room?"
"He already saw my room, Dad," Ani reminded his father with a raised eyebrow.
"Show him your room again," Obi Wan told him pointedly.
"Yeah, I might've missed something," Anakin nodded, scrambling hurriedly off of the floor.
"I know. I always miss the good stuff," Ani sighed, more to himself than the adults. He climbed to his feet as well, trudging obediently off in the direction of his room.
Anakin followed, and when the door had closed behind them, Padme crossed her arms. Obi Wan gave her a winning smile, to which she returned a scowl. His smile faded and he glanced at the floor, stroking his mustache uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry," he offered.
"Then why did you take him into Coco Town?" she asked.
"It…seemed like a good idea at the time…?" he trailed off, biting his lip. "Look, Dex is my friend. The fact that he lives and works in Coco Town doesn't make him dangerous or a bad influence on Ani."
"His past does," Padme pointed out.
"Everyone has a past," Obi Wan reminded her.
"I know that. And you don't have to lie to me or go behind my back. I thought you knew that," she frowned.
"I just didn't want to worry you, or--fight over nothing. Honestly," he held up his hands in a profession of innocence.
"Are you sure it didn't have anything to do with the thrill of getting away with something?" she asked, a smile beginning to play over her lips.
He lowered his chin to give her a mock-stern glare. "Now. What would you know about that, Senator Kenobi?
"I don't know, maybe a thing or two," she smirked.
He smiled and pushed himself off the floor. Sliding onto the couch beside her, he curled an arm around her shoulders and drew her against his chest. "Am I forgiven?"
"Well…I guess you can be forgiven. This time," she grinned.
***
Anakin did stay for dinner again, but tensions broke out between him and Obi Wan shortly afterward. Padme was tired after the long hours and stress of the Senate's debate, and as she often had during this pregnancy, was experiencing sharp abdominal pain which made it difficult to move and almost impossible to maintain the air of a gracious hostess. She had learned to ignore the discomfort in most situations, but there was no way to hide it from two men trained in the ways of the Force. Obi Wan immediately knew what was wrong, and though Anakin did not, his senses were strong enough to tell him that something was amiss. Both of them began to hover, and quickly found themselves clashing in their efforts to make her comfortable.
"Here, darling," said Obi Wan, hurrying up from the table to offer her his arm. "Why don't you come sit on the sofa?"
She nodded and slipped her arm through his, letting him guide her to her feet, and by the time she was standing, Anakin had reached her other side. She started to protest that she was fine when another pain shot out from her womb, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her husband's arm.
"Let me help," Anakin said. "Are you all right, Padme?"
"Yes," she nodded, forcing a reassuring smile to her lips. "Thank you, Anakin. I--I guess something didn't agree with me."
"Are you sure that's all?" he frowned.
"Of course she's sure, Anakin," Obi Wan cut in as they moved out of the kitchen.
"I only wanted to be certain," Anakin said stiffly.
"Well, let's worry about it when she's sitting down, all right?" Obi Wan replied pointedly.
Anakin glared at him over Padme's head, and she pressed her eyes closed. Obi Wan stared back, and finally Anakin inclined his head. "As you wish, my…General."
When they escorted her to the couch and both attempted to offer her the same pillow for her back, Padme knew that the situation was quickly going to become untenable. Watching from the doorway, Ani gave her a worried look and bit his lip. She raised a hand to her face and massaged her eyes with the tips of her fingers.
"Thank you. Both," she smiled from one to the other. "But I think I'm going to lie down."
Anakin took the hint, and a wounded look crossed his face as he drew back. "Very well. I should be going, then. Good night, Padme."
"Good night, Anakin," she smiled again, more gently this time, but he was already backing away.
He took a few steps and spun, striding toward the door. Padme saw a concerned frown darken her son's face, and she closed her eyes against the sudden threat of tears. Obi Wan's hand moved comfortingly to her shoulder, but the warmth of his touch didn't reach the knot of cold dread that was forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Bye, Uncle…" Ani's voice trailed off as Anakin swept into the hall.
"Come on, Ani," Obi Wan sighed, pushing himself to your feet. "Let's have your bath and let your mother rest."
Ani slowly turned his gaze away from the door. He frowned softly, but his father walked over and offered him a hand. The frown melted as he took it, and Padme watched the pair disappear up the hall toward the 'fresher. She smiled though her throat tightened with tears, and she placed her left hand protectively on her belly where the twins were still restless. Her right arm rose to wipe her eyes on the edge of her sleeve, and she waited there until she heard the water for Ani's bath start to run. Then she reached for the arm of the couch and pulled herself to her feet.
She wasn't quite sure why Anakin's abrupt departure had shaken her so much. It always hurt to realize that she had become the dividing force between him and Obi Wan, but she had resolved long ago that she would not allow Anakin's feelings for her to mar her family's happiness. The war forced them to spend so much of their time apart that the last thing she wanted was to have their brief moments together clouded by tension and jealousy. Obi Wan needed positive memories to hold on the front lines even more than she needed them here at home. She wanted to give them to him, and yet it seemed that he was the one able to accept Anakin's behavior where she could not. As she slipped thorough the bedroom door, she tried to tell herself that it was the pregnancy which was affecting her so deeply. It made her overly sensitive and emotional; she was fatigued--more so, in fact, than she had been with Ani, because she was not only often in pain but had to pretend that she was not, had to maintain the appearance of physical strength and activity. Her deepest feelings, though, whispered of something more--something coming, and Padme sank down on the bed and buried her face in her hands, certain that this war, which had changed them all so much already, had more in store for her family. All of them.