Chapter Text
Based on this post (x) of Senator Skywalker.
“Assign Jedi Master Kenobi, we shall,” Yoda told him and Anakin wished there would have been a different option. It wasn’t as if he didn’t trust the Jedi, but the threat on Padme’s life wasn’t something that he felt should be assigned to merely one person.
Still, with the war having just ended, he supposed he should be grateful that they had anyone to spare at all. The galaxy was in chaos with the chancellor dead, leaving the senate leaderless and a death threat on a senator seemed like the least of everyone’s worry. It was all about who was going to be running for chancellor, what reparations were needed, what grievances had to be addressed. It was exhausting and it was times like this Anakin had wished he’d turned down the position of the newly freed planet, Tatooine’s, senator.
But to Anakin, it wasn’t some random senator. It was his wife and in turn, his unborn children. It was everything Anakin had in his life. He wished, that he would be able to watch them himself but he knew he couldn’t. Padme would never forgive him if he were to miss the newest bill being discussed. She said someone needed to be there in her place and though Anakin was merely a senator from a dirtball outer rim planet, his work in the destabilization and eventual overthrow of the Hutt’s regime on Tatooine was well known.
“If anyone can convince them to change their mind it’s you,” Padme told him, and he cupped her pregnant belly, giving her a kiss as a Jedi stood stiffly in the doorway.
“I wish I could go with you,” Anakin told her, “The death threats from the Trade Federation are no joke Padme.”
“They are only mad about the new demands and concessions being forced on them,” Padme assured him, “They loathe to lose what little power they’ve got over the mid-rim, especially now that they are to be regulated by the Senate following the war. It will be okay, Ani, I promise.”
“That makes them people with nothing to lose,” Anakin reminded her seriously, “And people like that are dangerous.”
“I’ll be fine,” Padme told him, cupping his face in her hands, “I’ve got Master Kenobi to watch over me. He was a general in the GAR. I’m sure he can handle a few bounty hunters sent by the Trade Federation.”
“I’ll protect her with my life,” the man at the door promised with a small bow, “However we really must be going. We’ve received word that negotiations have fallen through for the third time. It’s imperative we stay away until things have settled down.”
“Please,” Anakin told the man, stepping forward to meet him, looking at him seriously, “She’s everything I’ve got. Her and our children.”
“I’ll do my best,” the man, Obi-Wan, told him and then turned to her, “Do you need help with your things, Senator?”
“I’d appreciate that,” she told him warmly, “Ever since I’ve been pregnant everything has become a little harder. Although if we are to spend as much time together as they think we will, I must insist you call me Padme.”
“Of course Sen- Padme,” Obi-Wan corrected at the last moment, “Is there anything else besides this that you need to take with you?”
“This should be everything,” she said looking at the three bags she had, “I know it must look like a lot but some of it is in preparation for the birth of our children. They are due in two months and your Council has mentioned we may be gone for up to four, possibly longer.”
It sat wrong with Anakin, his instincts flaring as he realized what he was really doing. He was leaving his pregnant omega wife in the hands of someone they barely knew. Someone who may get to meet his children before he did.
He breathed in, comforted in the fact that the man had a neutral beta scent coming off of him. He didn’t know how he would have felt leaving her with an alpha and it was well known that the Jedi had an unusual amount of alphas among them.
“Please be safe,” Anakin pleaded with her once more, giving her a kiss and stepping back, his stomach heavy with the knowledge that this could be the last time he saw her for months.
“I will,” she promised him, stepping next to Obi-Wan, and then they turned and walked away.
“Your mate seems to really love you,” Obi-Wan mentioned as they settled into their sixth safe house. They’d decided that they were going to go to a neutral planet that was out of the way, but Obi-Wan had been insistent that they should change ships on different legs of the journey.
It was beginning to be much of the same. Obi-Wan didn’t seem particularly keen to talk about himself much, although he was happy to answer any questions Padme had about the Jedi. Still, she was running out of questions to ask about the Jedi.
And if she was being honest, she wanted to know more about the man protecting her. He seemed so closed off and lonely, like he could use a friend.
“He does,” Padme agreed, hands rubbing her stomach absently as she started to get her bed ready, “Ani has made it his life’s work to make sure I know it. I’m very lucky.”
“If you don’t mind,” Obi-Wan told her and then hesitated before pushing the words out in a blur, “Is your mate force sensitive? Wait- no, I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”
“It’s okay,” Padme assured him, “He is. That’s what he credits to helping him take down the Hutt’s regime, although I believe he doesn’t give himself enough credit.”
“Ani,” Obi-Wan said absently and then looked at her sharply, “Like Anakin Skywalker? The man who freed the slaves of Tatooine?”
“That’s him,” Padme agreed, “I suppose you’ve heard of him then.”
Obi-Wan blushed red, slipping his hands into his robes.
“I’ve heard,” Obi-Wan agreed, “It’s a story that floats around the Temple a lot when they were talking about negotiations. The Hero with No Fear, who fought a war for the slaves of the Hutt’s while the Jedi were paraded around like pawns in a game of dejarik.”
“Well he certainly had help,” Padme told him, “It wasn’t just him. He was the face of it though. There was a lot going on behind the scenes. A lot of people died for that freedom.”
“Still,” Obi-Wan told her, “I would have much rather fought for the freedom of the slaves than in a war orchestrated by the Sith.”
“The Jedi were not the only ones fooled,” Padme told him gently, “The Senate is just a culpable. And if I remember reading the holonet right, you were the one to discover the Sith in the senate and the one to put an end to Sideous. Surely, they couldn’t have done it without you.”
Obi-Wan let out a shaky sigh and Padme watched as his jaw clenched.
“I can’t take the credit for that,” Obi-Wan told her, “My second-in-command, Cody actually discovered it, with a help of some of the men from the 501st and 212th. They were the ones who discovered the chips and had us begin to disable them. Without them, we never would have survived Order 66.”
“They are heroes,” Padme smiled at him, “They should be proud.”
Obi-Wan swallowed hard, “They would have been. If they were still here.”
“I’m sorry,” Padme apologized softly, “I didn’t mean to bring up such a sensitive topic.”
Obi-Wan gave her a rueful smile, “It’s not your fault dear. I think you’ll find that after the war most things have become sensitive topics. But I’d rather hurt and tell their stories for the rest of my life than let their sacrifices go in vain.”
“Then would you mind telling me what happened?” Padme asked, patting the bed next to her, “Come lay down, Obi-Wan. You must be exhausted. You will sense if anything is amiss, right?”
“I don’t know if your husband would appreciate that,” Obi-Wan told her wryly, “But I’ll tell the story if you’ll be willing to hear it. I’ll tell anyone who would listen.”
“He won’t mind another omega in my bed,” Padme assured him and then laughed lightly at his look of bewilderment, “You might have everyone else fooled, Mr. Jedi, but I saw you taking a pill only a few days in. It’s your suppressor right?”
“It is,” Obi-Wan agreed and then sighed, “If you’re sure he won’t mind.”
“If he tries to give you any trouble I’ll take care of him,” Padme promised him, “You can’t keep sleeping in chairs. It’s got to be uncomfortable.”
Obi-Wan nodded his head stiffly, heading to the fresher and emerging a few minutes later, in sleep clothes that covered most of his body, before sliding into the bed next to her.
“I’d say I would ask for two beds but we are supposed to be undercover as a beta-omega pair,” Obi-Wan explained, “I will say you look very nice as a blonde. Although I think your husband would disagree.”
“He says he likes me no matter what,” Padme smiled at him, “And it’s okay. It’s different when it’s another omega. It feels safer. Now tell me the story of your men.”
Obi-Wan gave her a sad smile, “Well I met Cody when I first was assigned a garrison. He was the captain in charge at the time. I think I may have surprised him a bit, to be honest, I wanted his name and he seemed to be a little confused. You see, they usually gave their number designation but I wasn’t very interested in that. At the end of the war, he was the Clone Marshall Commander by the time he- he passed.”
“It sounds like you two were close,” Padme said.
“We were,” Obi-Wan told her quietly, “Very close.”
Padme shook her head in understanding, “The clones? Did they have a second gender?”
Obi-Wan swallowed hard, “Not usually. It was very rare. The Kamonians tried their best to get rid of them and most who were found to have one were-.”
He seemed like he wasn’t quite there without Padme anymore, “They were decommissioned. As soon as we found out, we put a stop to it of course, but as a consequence, very few of the clones had any designation. I only knew of a handful myself.”
“Did Cody have one?” Padme asked.
Obi-Wan bit his lip, looking down and then looking back up with glassy, wet eyes, “Yes. He was an alpha.”
He allowed the implications sink in before he sniffed and changed the subject, “So there was a trooper named Tup. He was from the 501st, actually, a garrison led by my mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn. He shot him. He lived, Rex was there and stopped him the best he could, although he is retired now, the bullet lodged in his hip and it shattered it. After, it was like he couldn’t remember doing anything. Then next thing we know Fives tried to assassinate the chancellor- or at least that’s what the chancellor told us- and in his last breath, he begged Rex to look into it. Rex talked to Cody and Cody had Five’s body pulled and Crys took a look at it. He found the chip.”
Obi-Wan stopped and took a deep breath. He shook his head as if to clear out bad memories and then opened his mouth again.
“Cody told me what they found. We began to deactivate the chips of the 501st and 212th in secret. Then we reached out to other garrisons to do the same. It was difficult but we didn’t know who had planted them- we didn’t realize Fives hadn’t had his chip activated- and we knew that a Sith had to have done it. We- I thought it must have been a Jedi. I was wrong.”
He closed his eyes and Padme put a hand on his arm, “It’s okay. You’re allowed to make mistakes.”
“My mistakes led to deaths. I-I got Cody killed,” Obi-Wan told her thickly, “If we’d pointed a finger at the chancellor at first, then Cody wouldn’t have been found snooping. He’d still be alive.”
Obi-Wan’s voice broke and he gritted his teeth, closing his eyes, “Cody was looking into the Senate. Dooku had told us there was a Sith in the senate and Cody along with Rex were going through the names, with the help of a close friend - Bail Organa. They found money from the Separatist’s side leading to Pal- to Sideous. They told me about their findings, sent me all the information and Sideous realized he’d been caught. He executed Order 66. Ten percent of the clones were still chipped. So many people died. And so many clones killed themselves after realizing what they’d done.”
“I told the council about my findings,” Obi-Wan told her emotionlessly, “We stormed the Senate and I’m sure you know the rest. But I was too late. Cody died protecting the younglings in the Temple. He managed to fight off the twelve troopers that had been guarding the Temple. We should have known, to de-chip those in the Temple first."
He huffed, unamused, "But we didn’t and Cody paid the price. And because of our arrogance so did Tup and Fives. My apprentice, Ahsoka, left with Rex after the ceasefire was ordered. She said she couldn’t believe in the Jedi after what had happened. I’m not sure I can blame her.”
“Why did you stay?” Padme questioned, “You don’t sound like you believe in them anymore either.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” Obi-Wan told her quietly, “I was planning to leave when Cody was still- but after he died I didn’t see the point. I can’t change the Jedi from the outside and now there’s nothing to stop me from staying.”
“That sounds like you think it’s an ending,” Padme told him, “But it seems to me you’ve got plenty of time left to rewrite it. To find your true purpose, maybe to find new love.”
“Attachment is forbidden by the code,” Obi-Wan recited and then gave her a serious look, a flash of bitterness overtaking his expression before he forced it back, “I will never find love. It’s not the Jedi way. They make very few exceptions.”
“But the courtship!” Padme exclaimed, confused, “How can you allow one of your Jedi to marry one of the clones if you forbid it?”
“Bly and Aayla are different,” Obi-Wan explained, “They accidentally mated during a heat the Aayla experienced after the failure of a suppressor. They are the exception, not the rule.”
“So we need to find you an exception,” Padme told him firmly and Obi-Wan gave her a sad smile.
“You seem very invested in this,” Obi-Wan told her.
“Of course I am!” Padme insisted, “I’m always invested in my friend’s happiness.”
“Is that what we are?” Obi-Wan asked dryly, “Friends?”
“Yes,” Padme insisted, “We’ve spent every hour of every day together for a month. You can’t tell me we aren’t friends!”
Obi-Wan chuckled, giving her a small smile, “Okay, okay. We’re friends. Now, it’s your turn. How did you meet your mate?”
Padme smiled, “Now that’s a story I love to tell. You see, I met Ani when he was only a boy. He won a podrace and bought his freedom from Watto, his owner. But he refused to sell his mother and so Ani decided that he needed to…”
Anakin was tired of arguing with the Trade Federation and he supposed it was starting to show, if the break Bail had called was anything to go by. He gritted his teeth, turning and walking out of the chambers, as he tried to quickly make his way to his office.
“Skywalker!” a voice said and Anakin turned to see Bail trailing after him.
“Bail,” Anakin said, slowing down so the older man could catch up to him, “What could I do for you?”
“Well you could stop biting the heads off of leaders of the Trade Federation for one,” Bail told him with a wry grin, “Although I highly doubt that you will do that for me and unfortunately it seems most of the Senate is on your side in that regard.”
“Well, then I suppose it would be foolish to ask,” Anakin told him firmly.
“Luckily that wasn’t the question I was going to ask,” Bail informed him, “I was rather hoping I might be able to convince you to do something for me. For the good of the Republic, of course.”
“And what might that be?” Anakin asked as he walked into the elevator, allowing Bail to step beside him before allowing the doors to shut.
“We will soon be going forward with the elections for a new chancellor,” Bail explained, “The people of the Republic are looking for someone to lead them. Someone who is the opposite of everything Sheev stood for. Someone loyal, family-oriented, trustworthy and honorable- someone who wears their heart on their sleeves. Perhaps someone who dotes on his wife and is a firm believer in doing what’s right. A man who destroyed the regime of the Hutt’s.”
“Absolutely not,” Anakin told him firmly, “I refuse.”
“The Republic needs you,” Bail told him persistently, “They need someone to believe in. Who better than you, Anakin?”
“There are so many people better for it than me,” Anakin argued, “You- for one, definitely Padme would be a better choice, hell there are plenty of Senators vying for the position.”
“I’m much too close to the age of the chancellor,” Bail told him and then put his hand up, “I'm closer to fifty than forty and Padme is away. They cannot vote for someone they cannot see. Not to mention she is from Naboo, just like Palpatine was. They need someone young, idealistic, someone, who speaks their mind, someone not from the core or inner rim. They need you Anakin.”
“I don’t want it,” Anakin argued.
“That’s exactly why it needs to be you,” Bail asserted.
“I can’t,” Anakin insisted, “I’ve got Padme and the twins to worry about.”
“Padme is taking maternity leave,” Bail reminded him, “To be with the twins and you know her handmaidens will be more than enough help for her. We aren’t asking you for all of your time. Just enough to be the leader the Republic needs.”
“Fine,” Anakin conceded, “Put my name in. But don’t be surprised when someone else wins.”
Bail gave him a grin and Anakin felt like he was missing part of the story.
“It’s nearly impossible to get around now,” Padme told Obi-Wan, taking his hand to help with her balance, “And I must admit that my instincts are out of control. It just- doesn’t feel safe. I know it is, but I suppose without Anakin-.”
She trailed off, looking out the window to take in the bright day.
“It may not help that I am suppressed,” Obi-Wan admitted to her, “Your body is looking for a natural scent to cling to and with just me and my artificial scent it may be your body is warning you of an intruder.”
“I see,” she said, slowly walking to the kitchen, “Well I suppose I should just get used to it.”
“I-I could stop taking them,” Obi-Wan offered, “It’s not- I’ll of course have to go back on them before we go back, but that way you’ll feel safer. I wouldn’t want to impede the birth of your children.”
“If you’re sure,” Padme replied cautiously, “Then I think that might help a lot with these feelings. I apologize. I knew it would be hard to leave my mate while I was pregnant but it’s been more difficult than I imagined.”
“It’s fine,” Obi-Wan assured her, “I have a stim that will flush the suppressants from my system. Our backup safe house was located on a planet that doesn’t allow suppressants.”
“Thank you,” Padme replied gratefully, “You’ve been very accommodating about this whole thing.”
“I enjoy my time with you,” Obi-Wan told her, “And I especially enjoy hearing about your life. It’s nice to hear about your husband and friends and you’re a fantastic storyteller.”
“Thank you,” Padme laughed lightly, gesturing for him to sit, “Wait until you hear about the time Ani got into a fight with the former chancellor. He was always at odds with him because of how he felt they were complacent in the slavery on the outer rims…”
Anakin sat in his office, trying to ignore the fact that he knew that they would be finishing the vote count shortly and the new Chancellor would be announced. He tried to ignore the fact the Padme would be due any day now.
Soon word would be passed to her and the Jedi that the Trade Federation had come to an agreement and she could return home. He couldn’t wait. He missed his mate and he was becoming increasingly agitated as the days went by, ticking down until his children were due. Now that the bounty on her had been lifted, she could return home and they could continue preparing for their children.
His door opened and he looked up to see Bail.
“May I come in?” Bail asked and Anakin nodded in permission.
Bail sat down, giving him a look that told him nothing.
“Well?” Anakin asked, “Who is the new Chancellor? Did that senator from Mon Cala win? I always did like him.”
“No I’m afraid not,” Bail told him and Anakin blinked.
“Well then who Bail?” Anakin asked, “C’mon don’t leave me in suspense.”
“Congratulations Chancellor,” Bail told him with a warm smile.
“Oh kark,” Anakin responded as he realized what had happened.
“I thought you’d like to see this flimsi,” Obi-Wan told Padme as he brought it in, “The new Chancellor has been elected.”
“Really?” Padme perked up from the bed, “Let me see!”
Obi-Wan passed her the paper and watched as she skimmed it, her eyes going wide as she looked up at him with a grin, “Ani has been elected the new Chancellor! I knew he’d be perfect for the job!”
“Didn’t you just get done telling me he was the most impulsive man you’d ever met?” Obi-Wan asked with a knowing grin.
“Well, he is,” Padme agreed, “But he’s loyal and sincere. He believes in doing the right thing, no matter how hard that might be. He’s the perfect choice. I really believe that.”
“You know you talk about him so often I feel as if I know him,” Obi-Wan teased her, “You’ll have to properly introduce us when it’s time to return.”
“I’d love to,” Padme said, “I’m glad you aren’t going to try to give me the slip.”
“Something tells me that would be futile,” Obi-Wan noted.
“It would,” Padme agreed and then gasped, grasping her stomach.
“Padme?” Obi-Wan asked, rushing to her side and cradling her elbow, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Padme told him, “But I don’t think they are Braxton-Hicks anymore. I think I’m going into labor. You need to call for the midwife.”
“Of course,” Obi-Wan said and swallowed as he turned to leave. It was safer, for them to be hiding on a planet with no technology but he had to admit he would feel more comfortable with a medical droid or two.
The midwife wasn’t too far away and Obi-Wan was able to get to her quickly, already panicking as they started to return.
“Is it your first birth?” she asked him kindly as they entered the house.
“Yes,” Obi-Wan answered honestly. It wouldn’t do to blow their cover. An omega-omega pair was rare but celebrated on this tiny planet. No harm would come to them here.
“Just wait,” she said, “It will all be with it when your babies are here. Would you like your shot now? It will take at least 8 hours to take effect.”
“Um, my shot?” Obi-Wan asked, confused.
“Your hormone shot,” she told him as if he should already know, and he supposed if he was from the other settlement on the planet, he would have, “You really should have it right about now.”
‘Of course,” Obi-Wan said smoothly, “If you think it’s best to get it now I will defer to your expertise.”
Obi-Wan pulled his sleeve back. He still felt weird out of his robes but he’d had to discard them halfway through their travels, lest someone see a Jedi and follow them. She pricked him with it, pushing the liquid through and then putting a piece of cotton on top to stop the bleeding.
“There you go,” she told him cheerfully, “You’ll be ready to feed your children within eight hours.”
“Excuse me?” Obi-Wan’s head shot up to look at her incredulously.
“Well we wouldn’t your wife to have to bear all the burden,” she explained, “This way you can both get in bonding time with your children, and your wife can sleep some extra time instead of getting up every three to four hours.”
“Yes of course,” Obi-Wan agreed as he panicked inside. How the hell was he going to explain this to everyone?
“And please welcome our new Chancellor!” Bail announced to the Senate and Anakin wanted to step away from the roar of applause that resounded. He hadn’t even done anything yet. He was weird being acknowledgedfor just being chosen.
Bail stepped back from the mic, gesturing for Anakin to step forward. Anakin wished right about now that he had prepared a speech. He’d been so sure that he wouldn’t win that he’d done nothing.
“Thank you, Senator Organa,” Anakin told him, “I have to admit that this is a surprise but a welcome one. I became a senator to serve my people and to make this republic the best that it could be…”
“Something’s wrong,” Obi-Wan told the woman as he started to panic, “Padme, Padme! She’s not responding!”
“I’m going to need you to step out,” the woman told him sharply and Obi-Wan looked up at her panicked, “Please let me handle this.”
This couldn’t be happening. Padme had survived a war, an attack on the senate, and the newest death threats. This couldn’t be the way that she went out. He wouldn’t- he couldn’t lose his mate like this. Their children were counting on him.
He sat down outside, putting his head in his hands as he tried to breathe. She was going to be fine. She had to be.
Anakin waited for the applause to taper off and then turned to leave. His throat burned and he crashed to the ground, losing his balance as he felt a bond snap.
“Anakin!” Bail called, bending down to help him.
“Padme!” Anakin called, clutching to the hand that was held out to him and looking up at Bail in terror, “Padme!”
Obi-Wan wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It felt like years but he knew it couldn’t have been longer than a few hours when the midwife walked out carrying two bundles.
Obi-Wan straightened out, holding out his arms as she placed his daughter into his arms. She snuffled, mouthing at his chest and he could feel how heavy his chest felt, so close to ready to feed her.
“I’ve given her a bottle in the meantime,” the woman told him and handed him his son, “And I’ve given one to him too.”
“Why didn’t- why didn’t my wife?” he asked looking up at her with tears in his eyes. He was sure he already knew the answer.
“I’m sorry Ben,” she told him gravely, “But your wife didn’t make it. You should be ready to feed them within a few hours so you shouldn’t need to give them another bottle. We have plenty of resources for single parents. I know that this is devastating news but we will do whatever we can to help.”
Obi-Wan clutched his children closer, letting the tears fall down his face. His wife was dead. He was a single parent. He- No one was here to help him. Except-.
He pulled the picture from his pocket of the alpha that Padme always talked about. Their mate. He could rely on their alpha.
But he couldn’t right now. Their alpha was away. It was too dangerous. He’d have to wait for him to come to get them. He could do that. He would wait for his alpha to come to get them. They could go through this together.
He let the tears fall and pressed their children closer to him.
“What happened?” Anakin demanded as he stormed into the council chambers, ignoring the pleading of the guard meant to keep people out.
“I’m sorry Masters,” the young woman said, “I tried to tell him he couldn’t enter but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Okay, it is,” a green creature told him, “Stop the Chancellor, foolish would be.”
“The-the?” she looked shell shock as she bowed to him, “I’m sorry Chancellor. My mistake.”
“I’m not here as the Chancellor,” Anakin said whipping around to stare at the council, “I’m here about my wife. How could you let this happen?”
“I’m afraid we don’t follow Chancellor Skywalker,” a man replied. His face was kind, surrounded by graying hair the fell past his shoulders.
“My wife was under the care of Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Anakin said, teeth gritted, “And she’s- she’s dead. I want to know what went wrong. I thought the bounty was called off.”
He heard sharp intakes of breath and looked around at the stunned council.
“You didn’t know,” Anakin said quietly, “You don’t know what happened either. You don’t know if my children are okay.”
Anakin felt the tears start falling down as he fell to his knees.
“Please,” he pleaded, “I need to know where to find them. I need to get to her.”
“She’s on a small planet in the mid rim,” a woman answered and Anakin looked up into the kind blue eyes of a Togruta, “They don’t use modern technology. We will give you the coordinates so long as you agree to take a Jedi with you. If we- we may have to retrieve a body if your wife is dead.”
Obi-Wan. If Padme was dead, he’d probably be too. He’d promised Anakin that he would lay his life down to protect his wife. Anakin wasn’t alone in his loss but it was anything except comforting to know that two lives had been lost to this foolishness.
“Of course,” Anakin agreed, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“It’s not possible,” the first man said, “I’d have felt if Obi-Wan was dead. We’d have felt it in the force.”
“Clouded the force is,” the green creature- Yoda, Anakin thought his name was- told them gravely, “Blocked Obi-Wan’s force signature has been. Know, we may not.”
“I’ll come with you,” the man told Anakin firmly.
“That won’t be necessary,” a bald man said, putting a hand up to cut off whatever the other was about to say, “You are retired from fieldwork. If this has really been an assassination we may need to apprehend the bounty hunter.”
“I’ll go,” a Kel Dor said, “I will take a communicator with me and bring word back as soon as possible.”
“Go you shall,” Yoda agreed, “Find the Senator and Obi-Wan, you will.”
“Of course Master,” the Kel Dor said with a bow, rising and standing in front of Anakin, “I am Plo Koon. It would be my honor to escort you Chancellor Skywalker. I only wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Anakin,” Anakin told him firmly through his tears, looking up to the man, “My name is Anakin.”
Obi-Wan was feeding a fussy Luke when the news came.
“Ben! Ben!” Rose came busting through the door and Obi-Wan shushed her as he gestured to Leia who was sleeping in her bassinet.
“Sorry,” she told him quietly, “But you’ve got to come see. The Chancellor is here! He is visiting our small planet! The first planet he’s visited!”
“I’m afraid I’m a little busy,” Obi-Wan told her, grimacing as Luke gave a particularly hard suck. His nipples were very sensitive and often ached from feeding two hungry newborns.
“But you’ve got to see Chancellor Skywalker!” she told him excitedly, “There’s a Jedi as well.”
“Skywalker?” Obi-Wan’s head shot up to look at her, “You mean Anakin Skywalker?”
“Yes that’s the one,” she told him, “Apparently he is looking for his mate. I’ve never heard of them but to be honest I hadn’t really ever heard of the new Chancellor until recently either. We don’t get much news here.”
“I see,” Obi-Wan told him, “Rose could you do me a favor?”
“Of course! Do you need me to watch the children for you why you go see for yourself?” she asked, “I’d be happy to burp Luke and put him to bed for you.”
“I need you to give something to the Chancellor,” Obi-Wan told her carefully, “It’s very important.”
She blinked at him but then took in his serious expression, “Of course I can. I can run it to him now. Or rather I can give it to his guard. I can’t believe he’s got a real Jedi with him!”
Obi-Wan stood, rocking Luke, who wasn’t too happy to be jostled, and going to the drawer to retrieve two letters and a photo.
“Please give him this,” Obi-Wan told her, pushing the papers into her hand.
“This is a picture of the Chancellor,” Rose said, eyes widening, “Ben are you-? Were you and Naberrie?”
“Please just give it to him,” Obi-Wan pleaded, “It’s urgent.”
“Of course Ben,” Rose agreed, “I’ll be right back.”
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief as he adjusted Luke, getting ready to burp him. His mate was here. He’d take care of everything. It would all be okay now.
“Mr. Chancellor!” a woman came barging through the crowd and Plo stepped in front of her as she got closer.
“I’m sorry!” she said, hands on her knees as she panted out of breath, “I just had to run quite a bit but I’ve got something for you. Ben said that you needed this right away.”
Anakin watched as Plo took the papers, looking at them as he turned them over in her hand and then looking up sharply at her, “Is Ben an older man, a little on the short side? Reddish-brown hair and blue eyes?”
“Yeah that’s him,” she nodded with a smile, “He said you needed these.”
Plo turned to Anakin, handing him the documents and Anakin stared down at the picture of him and his mother in front of the senate building, her face turned up to Anakin, a proud look across it. He looked at the envelopes, fingers caressing his name. He’d recognize Padme’s handwriting anywhere. He figured that the other must be Obi-Wan’s. It was neat but cramped, his name scrawled across the flimsi.
“Where is he?” Anakin demanded, looking up sharply.
“He’s back at his house,” she told him, “I can take you there if you want.”
“Yes,” Anakin stood up straighter and then as an afterthought, “Please. Does he- are there children with him?”
“You mean Luke and Leia?” she asked brightly, “Yup. I think he’s just finished feeding them.”
Anakin breathed out a sigh of relief. They were alive. His children were okay and Obi-Wan had taken care of them, even as he felt small licks of anger. How was Obi-Wan alive if his wife was dead?
Anakin didn’t know what he was expecting. He wasn’t sure anyone really knew what they were walking into but even he had to admit that this isn’t what he’d been picturing.
Upon seeing him Obi-Wan had rushed, a child in his arms to Anakin, burying himself into his arms.
“Alpha,” he purred and Anakin was stuck looking down in horror.
Because the man had his shirt pushed to the side and his daughter was- she was suckling from his chest. And Obi-Wan had just called him-.
Anakin pushed him away, ignoring the hurt whine that left Obi-Wan’s mouth as he looked up at him. Anakin took a step back. He didn’t understand what was going on.
“What- what the hell?” Anakin asked face screwed up in confusion.
“Alpha,” Obi-Wan whined, pressing forward again to try to curl up against him again, “Please. I missed you.”
“What are you talking about?” Anakin asked, raising his voice.
“You’re going to disturb our pups,” Obi-Wan told him softly, “Please be quiet Alpha. I’ve got so much to tell you. Padme, she- I’m sorry but she’s gone. She died during childbirth. There was nothing I could do.”
Our pups.
Obi-Wan thought he was the parent. He’d- he’d imprinted Anakin’s children. He turned to Plo who looked just as lost as he did. Luckily, he recovered before Anakin did.
“Obi-Wan,” Plo said and Obi-Wan turned to him, adjusting Anakin’s daughter as she fussed a bit.
“Is it time to go home?” Obi-Wan asked, “I’m ready to go home, please.”
“I think we should get you back to the ship,” Plo agreed, looking up at Anakin, trying to convey something to him. Anakin had never been good with subtle. Either way, he needed to get his kids and Padme’s body home and Obi-Wan fixed.
“Obi-Wan,” Anakin asked, feeling like his throat was closing, “Where is Padme’s body?”
It took a while to get ready to leave. It seemed Obi-Wan had made quite a few friends while he was stuck planetside. And the amount of stuff they insisted he take seemed never-ending. Once they were on the ship, Anakin looked down to where he had his son cradled in his arms and back up to Obi-Wan who was rocking his daughter.
It seemed like they had a lot to talk about once they got back to Coruscant.