The team and the Chancellor were taken straight to the Senate, as welcoming party, plenty of Senate guards and Senators eagerly hoping to speak with Palpatine and the Jedi.

  The second the ship landed, all four of them stood up; when gate opened and the ramp slid down, they walked out with the Chancellor leading the line, being followed by Anakin, Allana and their astromechs. When he was a few steps away from the ship, Anakin realised Obi-Wan had stayed by the ship's gate, reclining his weight on one arm by the edge of the door with his eyes pinned to the politicians.

"Are you not coming, Master?" Asked Skywalker as he stayed by the gate. Allana stopped walking and turned around, folding her arms over her chest as she approached the men.

"Oh, no. I'm not brave enough for politics." Obi-Wan answered and the young Jedi chuckled at his words. "I have to report to the Council." Anakin and Allana stepped closer to the vessel's gate.

"Shouldn't we be there too?" Asked Lana.

"No need." Said Kenobi. "This isn't the formal report. Besides, someone has to be the poster boy and girl." He added looking at the HoloNet crew that was already stepping closer to the circle of politicians, trying to get an exclusive from the Chancellor. Anakin looked pained at his Master while Allana smirked at him.

"Poster man." Said Skywalker.
"Poster woman." Naberrie pointed out at the unison.

"Alright, alright. Poster man and woman." Truth is, Obi-Wan seemed not to want to acknowledge they have grown up. He has known it for a while, a very long while, but it's hard to look at a pair of kids that you've known for most of their life all grown up from time to time. In his eyes, they're always going to be a boy and a girl with dragon hearts that are too passionate about things they love or are a part of.

"But...hold on. This whole operation was your idea." Anakin commented.

"Yes, but let us not forget, Anakin, you rescued me from the buzz droids, you killed Count Dooku and rescued the Chancellor carrying Allana unconscious on your back." Anakin smiled at his Master.

"All because of your training." He said, trying to humble down the rain of compliments Obi-Wan was dropping onto him.

"But Obi-Wan's right." Said Allana, both men turning towards her. "Let's be fair, Anakin. Today you were the hero, you deserve to be the poster boy and a glorious day with the politicians." Anakin rolled his eyes and smiled at her as he nodded his head.

"Alright, but both of you owe me one," Said Anakin. "and not for saving your skin for the tenth time."

"Ninth time." Said Obi-Wan. "That business in Cato Neimoidia doesn't- doesn't count." Anakin chuckled and nodded his head. "Are you coming, Allana?"

"Oh, no. Thank you. I'm pretty sure Senator Amidala would like to have a word with me in a moment." Lana told her Jedi friend.

"Alright then, I'll see you both at the briefing." Both Jedi nodded and the gate closed as Obi-Wan stepped back into the ship, they watched the vessel fly away.

"You know? I don't keep count on how many times you've saved my life, but I'm pretty sure it hasn't been over eight." Said Allana, making Anakin smile one more time.

"Pretty sure it's been more, but who's counting?"

"Definitely not me. But I have saved you more than you've saved me." Anakin smiled at the ground as he chuckled, then, back into her gaze that looked attentively and lovingly at him.

"Yes. And you have no idea how much." She smiled at him and he looked at the ground like a little kid in love.

  They stepped close to the Senators and heard a part of the conversation between Windu and Palpatine in which it was agreed that the Jedi Council would make catching Grievous their highest priority.

"Welcome back." Bail Organa said to the Jedi Knights.

"Thank you, Senator." Said Anakin.

"The Republic cannot praise you enough for your efforts."

"We appreciate it." Said Allana, Bail looked at her and realised she was frowning, her arms crossed over her chest.

"But..."

"But this isn't over. Our efforts weren't enough."

"But Dooku is dead because of you."

"Perhaps," Said Anakin. "but the fighting will continue until General Grievous is spare parts."

"Agreed." Said Lana. "I'm sorry, I'll join you in a moment, I must call my Padawan and see how he's doing." Bail bowed his head at her, a gesture Allana returned before walking away. Her eyes met Anakin's briefly, silently asking him to go with her.

"Well, I'll do everything I can in the Senate to give you a hand." Bail told Anakin, who smiled and nodded. Skywalker looked over Bail's shoulder and saw Allana patiently waiting behind one of the large pillars of the building, hiding from everyone's sight in the shadow the stone casted.

"I'm counting on it, Senator Organa." Bail smiled at him. "If you'll excuse me, I must report back to the Council."

"Certainly." Bail walked away at a steady pace while Anakin made his way towards the pilar slowly, when he saw no one was looking at him, he smiled and ran towards Allana, who opened her arms as he approached her, gifting him a smile of her own. A moment later, they met in the shadows and were in each other's arms. He carried her and twirled in the air, causing a whispered laugh to escape from her lips and reach his ear.

The second Anakin found himself in Allana's arms, he sighed with relief. Lana ran her hands through his curls before connecting her lips to his, as their lips met, their universe became one last time, perfect. She sighed too as he hid his face in her neck, when her arms were around him, he relaxed immediately.

"I've missed you." He said against the skin of her neck.

"I've missed you, too." She told him. "I was so focused on the missions I couldn't tell you how frightened I've been for the past months." He frowned when he felt her whole body trembling. "There were whispers that you'd been killed." His hand found the back of her neck and he placed a loose curly lock behind her ear.

"Shh, shh. It's alright, I'm alright." The trembling began to fade as he cupped her chin and gently raised her face to look into his eyes. "You never need to worry about me. Don't you understand? No one can hurt me." She smiled at his cocky tone. "No one will ever hurt either of us." Anakin sighed as his hand moved to the back of Allana's neck once more. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime." He kissed her neck, the corner of her lips, then her lips.

"Wait. Not here." Lana whispered.

"Yes, here." Anakin whispered back, a little louder, though. "I'm- I'm tired of this deception. I don't care if they know we're married, I want them to know you are my wife." He kissed her again and she had to pull away in order to grasp air.

"Anakin, don't say things like that." Anakin breathed out and hugged his Angel again, his arms around her torso, as well as hers. Allana's eyes moved in all directions as her thoughts passed in her head at light-speed, her breath increasing, her body trembling again. She closed her eyes and tried to get lost in Anakin's scent to calm down and organise her thoughts but she was far too nervous, Anakin frowned and pulled away slowly, concerned.

"Are you alright?" He asked. "You're trembling." A beat. "What's going on, Lana?" Allana breathed in and out, a small smile on her lips.

"I...I've been meaning to tell you something, but I hadn't find the words or the time to tell you." She breathed out again. "Ani, something wonderful has happened." Lana added. Anakin's blue eyes looked in those honey-like orbs for the words she was struggling to find. "I...I'm pregnant." She finally spoke the news and Anakin released a breath he didn't notice he was holding as silence fell upon them; Skywalker frowned and looked at her belly, the way his shirt was loose around her body, now it made sense why she felt different. "Please say something." Anakin smiled and looked at the ground before looking back into her eyes, sighing.

"But...but we've been apart for..." Lana arched an eyebrow and Anakin remembered the passionate night they spent together before he was dispatched to the Outer Rim. "Oh."

"Five months." She nodded and he chuckled.

"Five months? Five months." Lana laughed at his sudden nervousness as Anakin breathed in and out and his eyes looked at her belly again while his hands reached to the spot below her waist. "That's...this is won-wonderful news." He said as he gulped. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel scared all of the sudden, but that fear was quickly replaced by excitement. His smile widened, causing Lana to smile and chuckle softly.

"What are we going to do?" Anakin felt his chest fluttering with happiness, this is the happiest he has been in a very long time. Perhaps the happiest he has been in his life.

"We're not going to worry about anything right now. Alright?" His hands found the back of her neck, his thumbs caressing the skin of her cheeks, Allana's eyes started pooling with happy tears, the same way the eyes of her man started watering. "This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life." She smiled at him and the tears fell as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

Allana threw her arms around his neck and Anakin placed his arms carefully around her waist, his hands on her back. He kissed her again before pulling away, his hands on her waist still; Anakin smiled.

"We're having a baby." Naberrie chuckled at Skywalker's words.

"Yeah, we are." She sighed and wiped her tears away.

"Does anyone else know?"

"Padmé, of course." Anakin nodded. "She let me borrow her medical droid, he's back home and has been keeping an eye on me and the baby these past months. Turns out it's healthy and everything's going on smoothly. She has also lent me a few loose dresses I could use eventually."

"Is it...a girl? Or a boy?" Lana smiled and chuckled at his questions.

"I don't know. I told the MD not to spoil the surprise." Anakin chuckled and nodded again. "I wanted to tell you since I found out, but you were so far away. I didn't want to worry or distract you, plus, I wanted to see your reaction in person, not through a hologram."

"I figured." They giggled and heard some people approaching in the distance, little by little they separated from each other.

"I suspect some reporters would like to talk to you." Anakin sighed and nodded as his hands found his hips.

"And you do have to contact Cal, see if he's alright, needs assistance or has arrived at the Temple." Lana nodded.

"And we have to join Obi-Wan for the official report."

"Yeah...it'll be a busy afternoon."

"Indeed. But we'll have all night to ourselves." She smiled at him and he smiled back. Lana looked around before approaching Anakin, pressing her palm against his chest gently and leaving a kiss on the corner of his lips. Skywalker's smile widened and brightened up as Allana moved away. "I love you." His hand found hers over his heart.

"I love you, too." She smiled more and her hand slipped away from his grip slowly as she stepped into the daylight while he remained in the shadows. "See you later." Naberrie hummed in response and walked away, communicating with Cal as she walked towards a transport that would take her to the Jedi Temple.

Anakin's eyes didn't leave her figure until the speeder was too far it barely looked like a dot in the horizon, and he was smiling like an idiot. Until then, he walked in deeper into the Senate at a slow pace until he met again with Bail, who was with Padmé —his sister-in-law looked at him with a complicit smile, gesture which he returned—, and talked to the press afterwards.

The day was boring for them, the HoloNet crew did ask a bunch of questions and Anakin was very professional in answering them. Eventually, he headed back to the Temple to go on with his Jedi duties, handed in his report, talked to the Council, heard Allana and Cal's report, watched a training session between said Master and her Padawan, and went home long after.

When he walked in, the lights were off and turned on as he stepped towards the living room. He looked around but Lana was nowhere near by. When he called her name, she replied all the way from the bathroom 'over here'.

Anakin made his way into the bedroom and the bathroom gate opened slowly, revealing Allana, whom was wearing her baby blue silk nightgown and her curled hair fell damp over her back, Skywalker smiled when he saw the jappor snippet necklace hanging from her neck, a necklace that she never takes off, not even for taking a shower or a bath. He smiled wildly at her and she approached him to kiss his lips.

"Goodness, haven't I missed you dearly?" She said against his mouth. His hands fell upon her waist and held her close.

"So have I." She giggled and kissed him once again before pulling away slowly and make her way towards the balcony. There, she watched the speeders drive by as she brushed her hair gently, while Anakin remained by the doorframe and just watched her every move meticulously and lovingly.

It was as if he had to memorise the way she moved, now she seemed so different even if she remained the same, it was as if she glowed and appeared more elegant somehow. Anakin breathed in and out as he was mesmerised by the love of his life. "Back out there...every second I was thinking of you." She turned to look at him over her shoulder briefly as he spoke. "You were the only thing that motivated me to keep going. Protecting the endless, nameless Outer Rim settlements became a torture." Lana looked back at the front and frowned sadly, she wasn't willing to let him see her cry about the past, for he was with her now. The worry was supposed to have evaporated because he was here with her again, but it was as if there was a hole in her chest that would remain and could never be filled up again. "The battles were easy, the longing became unbearable...I've never been so happy as I am at this moment." She smiled at the night sky before looking back at him, a silent and small tear rolling down her cheek, but Anakin missed it, or he pretended to have missed it, at least. And she was thankful for that.

"Me too." She sighed through her nose silently and looked back at the front as she took a deep breath. "Ani, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo." She informed, changing the subject for a moment. "Like you said, we could go to the Lake Country where no one will know...where we could be safe." Anakin was able to see her smile growing on her face as she talked about the future their life could hold now that the war was nearly over. "I could go early and fix up the baby's room." She added, turning around to face him as she twisted a chocolate lock on her finger, thinking. "I know the perfect spot. Right by the gardens." She meant her old room, the one she used to share with Padmé as a baby.

"You're so beautiful." He said all of the sudden, causing her to smile more and turn around.

"It's only because I'm so in love." Anakin smiled at her.

"No." He chuckled. "No, it's because I'm so in love with you."

"So love has blinded you?" He started laughing melodically. Lana smiled to herself, she finally made him laugh, not only chuckle.

"Well, that's not exactly what I meant." She chuckled and smiled as he approached her slowly, laughing as well.

"But it's probably true." In seconds, his hands were around her waist and hers over his shoulders, his lips on her shoulder climbing onto her neck.

"I haven't laughed in so long." He kissed her skin, that weak spot in between her ear and jawline, causing Lana to close her eyes.

"It's good that you're back. I'll make you laugh constantly." He smiled against her skin.

"I'm counting on it." She moved away slightly to be able to kiss him. "Wanna sleep?" She nodded and he held her hand as they both walked inside. Lana made her way towards their bed and laid down underneath the bedsheets while Anakin got undressed, his dark brown and black leathered clothes fell to the ground onto a pile next to his boots and his belt, he took off the black leather glove from his robotic arm and placed it over the nightstand, right next to his lightsaber as he laid down next to his Angel. Anakin hugged Lana from behind, his left hand over her belly, he remained so still as to be able to feel a kick, but there was no movement. Lana smiled and placed her hand on top of his as she drifted into sleep, it surprised her how fast she could fall asleep if Anakin was sleeping beside her when, at his absence, she'd find herself moving around for at least two hours until she found something to do that would wore her out into tiredness to fall asleep easier. "I love you."

"I love you." He kissed her cheek and both fell asleep soon after.

Hours of sleep went by for both, Anakin moved quite a lot on his sleep tonight, until he started dreaming.

At first there was only darkness until little by little light filled up the room. He found himself in a bright and white hospital room. Skywalker quickly realised he couldn't see himself, he could only see what was going on around him, and he didn't like one bit of it.

Allana was laying down on a metallic table, a white gown over her body, and she was giving birth to their child. She was groaning and crying in pain as the baby's cries filled the room, joining hers. Suddenly, it seemed as if Allana looked straight into his eyes, her glance begging as she groaned.

"Anakin, help me!" She cried and groaned again, tears streaming down her face like waterfalls, unstoppable. She was in severe pain, pain he could feel. It also felt as if he was suffocating, as if he was being held underwater and couldn't breathe. "Please! Anakin, please! Help me!" She sobbed and started screaming. Her screams topped the baby's crying until Anakin's ears rang.

  Skywalker covered his ears as the sobs of her beloved suffering became utterly unbearable. He screamed too as his knees felt weak and made him collapse until, ever so suddenly, everything fell quiet as he watched Lana fading, her arm falling from the table. Dead. Then, darkness flooded the room and swallowed Lana whole as the baby's cries faded into the darkness.

Anakin woke up with a gasp as he felt his body extremely warm, then cold. He panted as he looked beside him, to his right, Lana was peacefully asleep and she was breathing calmly; she even moved closer to the bedsheets to be warmer as Anakin pushed the bedsheets aside because he couldn't handle the heat.

His feet made contact with the cold floor as he placed his elbows over his thighs and held his head in between his hands, still breathing with difficulty. After a couple seconds, Anakin stood up and grabbed his black robe from the edge of the bed, throwing it on as he walked away and out of the bedroom, towards the kitchen. While Anakin grabbed a glass from the counter, filled it up with cold water and chugged it down, Allana woke up due to the weight shift of the mattress.

She frowned as she heard noises coming from outside their bedroom and stood from their bed to make her way towards the noise. She stood by the door frame and watched Anakin as he sat on the sofa's arm and stared at the city lights and the ships shining over the night sky. Lana made her way towards him at a steady pace, the living room lights turning on gradually as she moved.

When Allana reached Anakin's side, her hand gracefully climbed from his back towards the ends of his hair at the back of his head. Skywalker closed his eyes with relief of having her close, but the creeping fear of his nightmare continued to burn in his chest.

"What's bothering you?" She asked gently, her eyebrows furring into a concerned frown. He turned to look at her, a frown of his own matching hers. Anakin sighed as he shook his head and smiled when he saw the pendant hanging from her neck, his fingers found it in an instant and started playing with it as he forced a smile.

"Nothing." He lied as a dry chuckle left his lips. "I remember when I found out Padmé had given this to you." He added after a while. "I was so angry at both of you for days until I understood her reasons. I'm glad you have it." It was Allana's turn to sigh.

"Don't do that."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yes, you are. You're shutting me out. How long is it gonna take for us to be honest with each other?" Anakin looked at her face, dropped the necklace and looked away, his eyes shifting back into the darkness of the night.

"It was a dream." He said with honesty after a hot minute had gone by.

"Bad?"

"Like the ones I used to have about my mother," It was bad, those dreams Anakin had usually were glimpses of the future. "just before she died." Her hand kept on brushing his curls softly.

"And?" Anakin breathed in and out before looking into her brown eyes.

"And it was about you." He said out of breath, fearing that speaking it could make the dream come true. Lana felt her heart skipping a beat, she knew what Ani's premonitions meant, and she'd lie if she didn't say it frightened her to think she could die, specially at this point in their lives where they could actually start to live.

"Tell me." She traced circles on his back to calm him down. Anakin closed his eyes, shook his head, sighed and stood up.

"It was only a dream." He took a few steps away from her slowly.

"Anakin..." Anakin felt his eyes salty, he felt his lungs lacking air, he couldn't breathe. He couldn't look at her. His eyes moved in all directions, he looked at the city, at the deck, at the stars, and he found no place he could bare to see. All he could do was close his eyes.

"You die in childbirth." Now, Allana felt as if she couldn't breathe as well.

"Oh." That was all. "And the baby?" She asked as her hands found her baby bump.

"I- I don't know." She blinked and walked up to him.

"It was only a dream." Lana added as she shook her head and shrugged, trying to take importance off the subject as she kept on feeling anxiety growing in her chest, the same way Anakin was feeling.

"I won't let this one come true. It won't happen, Lana. I won't let it. I could have saved my own mother...a day earlier, an hour, I..." He bit his lip trying to suppress the rising pain inside of him, and spoke through clenched teeth. "This dream will not become real." Lana breathed in and out slowly.

"This baby will change our lives." Suddenly, every thought that had deprived her of sleep for the past five months came rushing through her head. "I doubt I'll be able to hide it much longer, the Council will expell me, and if they discover you're the father, you'll be expelled from-"

"I know, I know." He said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. He looked away from her as he thought of what could happen in the future, the situation they found themselves in, no matter how wonderful and how blessed it might be, was still extremely delicate and complicated.

"We can count on my sister but...do you think Obi-Wan might be able to help us?" Anakin frowned.

"I...we don't need his help." He knew what he had to do, he had to quiet her mind, and perhaps that could quiet his own. "Our baby is a blessing. We'll figure it out, we always do." She smiled at him and nodded before hugging him, her hands around his torso, his arms around her shoulders. They stayed there for a while, the warm air of the summer in the city hitting their faces. Anakin's chin rested on Lana's head and he closed his eyes, getting lost in her touch, her scent, synching his breath with hers and calmed down.

"Let's go back to bed." She whispered and moved away from their embrace to look at him once she felt the muscles of his back relaxing. "We should get some sleep." He smiled and nodded.

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a second." She tilted her head softly. "I need a glass of water first."

"Alright." She left a quick peck on his lips and walked away, her hand slipping from his with every step she took. Anakin did make his way towards the kitchen and poured more water into the glass he had previously used and chugged it down again as he watched his wife walking into their bedroom.

A moment later, he walked in and watched her sleep peacefully. She was tired, very tired, for she had fallen asleep the second her head had made contact with the pillow, at least that's what he thought.

Anakin walked out onto the balcony and broke down into tears in silence. He had felt scared before, those nightmares he had of Shmi were absolutely terrifying, but he hadn't felt so scared in his whole life before. The fear that could compare to the one he's feeling right now would be the sensation of cold whenever he used to dream about the man wearing black clothes, and an odd helmet whose breath sounded like death itself.

Skywalker turned around and looked at Allana as he reclined his weight on the wall, right at the entrance of the balcony. He then washed his tears and walked in to sit at the edge of the bed by Lana's side, his eyes never leaving her face. He didn't stay still much longer, for he moved to kneel before her, his left hand under his chin, resting on the mattress, his right hand on her baby bump. Anakin felt Allana's breath on his face and waited to feel a kick of his baby. He moved closer to her belly.

"Hey." He whispered against her womb. "I don't know if you can hear me, but...I'm your dad." Allana opened her eyes when she heard her husband's voice. "I just want to tell you that I already love you so much." Ani smiled to himself as Lana's eyes pooled with tears. "You make your mommy and I very happy, and you don't even know it yet, which is crazy." A pause. "I also want to tell you that I'll protect your mom, little one until my dying day, until I give my last breath." Anakin cleared his throat as quietly as he could when he felt a knot forming in it, and his eyes watery. "Both of you will be safe from those stupid dreams, I promise you that. Alright?" That's when he felt a small kick on the palm of his hand, and he couldn't help but chuckle and smile. "Alright. I'm glad we're on the same page." Anakin kissed Allana's belly and felt a hand falling onto his own. He looked over at his wife and watched a tear sliding down her cheek. "I swear to you, my love, we'll be fine." She frowned and nodded as he moved over to kiss her lips. "I swear nothing will happen. We'll be alright."

"I know."

"I'll keep both of you safe."

"I know." She kissed him again and brushed his hair backwards, then, her hand slid down to cup his cheek. "I love you." He smiled and a tear of his own fell from his eye, Lana brushed it away with her thumb softly.

"I know." She smiled at him. "I love you, too."

"I know." He kissed her again.

"Close your eyes." He said to her, his hand caressing the locks on her hair carefully. "Get some sleep, okay?" Lana breathed in and out and closed her eyes, her palm falling from his face onto the pillow beside her head, her other hand still holding Anakin's over her belly.

And Anakin stayed there for a while, kneeling beside the bed, just looking over his beloved wife. His mind had not quieted down, instead, it was rushing thinking of all the possible and impossible ways that he could use in order to save his Angel's life because he was not losing her. He was not losing Allana. He'd much rather die than live without her. He wants to see the bright future they had planned for themselves with his own eyes, he wanted to live by her side and raise their child together by the lakes. That dream was the one that'll come true. This nightmare will be just that, a bad dream and a vague and distant memory in the future. Something that simply would never happen and never will.