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"Anakin, something wonderful has happened."
Ever since Padme said the words, Anakin had been running them over and over in his head.
Five months, they'd been stuck in the Outer Rim, fighting battle after battle, and Anakin had begun to wonder if they'd ever get to go home. At one point, he was sure he'd heard the word 'indefinite' come down through the ranks, supposedly directly from the Chancellor himself.
But now the war would soon be over. Anakin had nearly ended it single handedly by finally killing Count Dooku. The leader of the Separatist movement was dead, and now all that was left was to track down and apprehend General Greivous. The war would be finished. Ahsoka and her contingent of Clones were making headway on Mandalore, and soon she would come back to the Order. He was sure of it. Soon, the Jedi could become peacekeepers again. Things could go back to the way they used to be. The revelation brought with it a sense of calm, even as his stomach twisted with dread.
The end of the war.
Anakin should have been completely glad at the idea of it, but truthfully, there was a part of him that dreaded the end of the Clone War. For so long, he had lived it, savored each victory over the Separatists, even as he longed for the space between battles. Without the war, Anakin was unsure of his place. And now... with Padme's news, both of their lives would change. He could leave the Order, she could leave the Senate... he could hear Obi-Wan's admonishment now, see the disdain in Master Windu's eyes.
But the longer he was with Padme that day, the more his fears faded away. She talked of leaving for Naboo, having the baby there, and all Anakin could focus on what how truly lucky he was. Obi-Wan had said time and time again that he relied too much on luck, jumping into situations without thinking and figuring it all out as he went along. Only now did Anakin truly feel lucky, back on Coruscant with Padme, their bright future laid in front of them.
Hours later, there was only screaming.
Padme crying out in great pain. Crying out for help, crying out for him.
Anakin woke with a start in a dark room, springing upright as he gasped for air, his heart racing. It had only been a dream. But it'd been years since he'd had a dream like this one. His mother, in great pain as well , crying out for help. He hadn't completely known what it meant then, at least not until it was too late. Not until he'd found her and...
My grown up son. I'm so proud of you, Ani.
Padme was going to die. Anakin couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. He was sure of it. He'd been late before, if he had left Naboo just a day earlier, if he had gone to her against the Council's wishes, then she'd be alive now. He couldn't let it happen again.
There was a long moment before Anakin remembered where he was, shaking off the last bits of sleep and trying to will the images of the nightmare away. Only, where there should have been Padme's apartment on Coruscant, there was somewhere else entirely. And his wife, who should have been resting next to him, was nowhere to be found, nor could he sense her.
Standing, Anakin reached out with the Force, focusing his thoughts. He'd find answers to this, he just needed to be patient. For once, he was willing to try it.
Ever since Padme said the words, Anakin had been running them over and over in his head.
Five months, they'd been stuck in the Outer Rim, fighting battle after battle, and Anakin had begun to wonder if they'd ever get to go home. At one point, he was sure he'd heard the word 'indefinite' come down through the ranks, supposedly directly from the Chancellor himself.
But now the war would soon be over. Anakin had nearly ended it single handedly by finally killing Count Dooku. The leader of the Separatist movement was dead, and now all that was left was to track down and apprehend General Greivous. The war would be finished. Ahsoka and her contingent of Clones were making headway on Mandalore, and soon she would come back to the Order. He was sure of it. Soon, the Jedi could become peacekeepers again. Things could go back to the way they used to be. The revelation brought with it a sense of calm, even as his stomach twisted with dread.
The end of the war.
Anakin should have been completely glad at the idea of it, but truthfully, there was a part of him that dreaded the end of the Clone War. For so long, he had lived it, savored each victory over the Separatists, even as he longed for the space between battles. Without the war, Anakin was unsure of his place. And now... with Padme's news, both of their lives would change. He could leave the Order, she could leave the Senate... he could hear Obi-Wan's admonishment now, see the disdain in Master Windu's eyes.
But the longer he was with Padme that day, the more his fears faded away. She talked of leaving for Naboo, having the baby there, and all Anakin could focus on what how truly lucky he was. Obi-Wan had said time and time again that he relied too much on luck, jumping into situations without thinking and figuring it all out as he went along. Only now did Anakin truly feel lucky, back on Coruscant with Padme, their bright future laid in front of them.
Hours later, there was only screaming.
Padme crying out in great pain. Crying out for help, crying out for him.
Anakin woke with a start in a dark room, springing upright as he gasped for air, his heart racing. It had only been a dream. But it'd been years since he'd had a dream like this one. His mother, in great pain as well , crying out for help. He hadn't completely known what it meant then, at least not until it was too late. Not until he'd found her and...
My grown up son. I'm so proud of you, Ani.
Padme was going to die. Anakin couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. He was sure of it. He'd been late before, if he had left Naboo just a day earlier, if he had gone to her against the Council's wishes, then she'd be alive now. He couldn't let it happen again.
There was a long moment before Anakin remembered where he was, shaking off the last bits of sleep and trying to will the images of the nightmare away. Only, where there should have been Padme's apartment on Coruscant, there was somewhere else entirely. And his wife, who should have been resting next to him, was nowhere to be found, nor could he sense her.
Standing, Anakin reached out with the Force, focusing his thoughts. He'd find answers to this, he just needed to be patient. For once, he was willing to try it.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-07-17 02:13 am (UTC)The subject he brings up next, however, is enough to get Anakin to pause.
"Yes," he says, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach as he tries to put his nightmare behind him, if only for the moment. More than anything, he knows that he needs to go to her and make sure she's safe.Explaining to Obi-Wan why that's his first priority, however, is easier said than done.
"I sensed the Senator when I arrived. Did you end up here together?"
(no subject)
Date: 2020-07-19 05:44 pm (UTC)He feels as though now is also not the time to tell Anakin what he knows. There is just so much he must hold onto, at least for a little while, though he must balance this carefully. The last thing he wants is his Padawan to once again feel as if he's been lied to. If they're to repair what has happened in the past, they must both be honest and it is up to Obi-Wan to find the correct way to make this happen.
"You will have quarters here," he says. "And credits. You'll want for nothing."
Except, perhaps, a war to fight in.