A/N: More dialogue used from Revenge of the Sith. I don't own so please don't sue. And put those tissues away, everybody!!!! This is a happy chapter....well.....sort of. Actually, just keep them nearby because it's not going to be that easy of a chapter.

The next time Padmé wakes up, she can't remember much but sees a face that she recognizes. She feels that she is on some kind of cot somewhere.

"Obi-Wan," she calls out weakly, squinting her eyes to keep out the bright light. She struggles to breathe. She can feel his hand on her shoulder and leans into his touch with the little strength she has left. "Is Anakin alright?" she asks. In response, Obi-Wan moves a hand to her head and slowly strokes the side of it. She weakly nestles her head into his hand, relishing in the comfort it brings. Obi-Wan is someone safe and someone she can trust. Padmé lapses back into unconsciousness from exhaustion, trying to remember what had happened as she lets sleep take her.

She doesn't know how much later but she wakes up again this time with more bright lights shining down on her. She squints her eyes to allow them to adjust.

"Obi-Wan!" she calls out again, her voice cracked and weak from being choked by Anakin. The door to the room opens and Padmé weakly cranes her neck to see who it could be. She can't quite see who it is.

"Padmé," she hears Zaja's voice say as she enters the room, "how are you feeling?"

"I...I don't know," Padmé replies weakly, "Where's Anakin? Is he alright?" Padmé sees Zaja not really give much of an answer.

"I don't know how to tell you this, Padmé," she says sadly, "No one really knows for certain what happened to him."

"What?" Padmé starts to ask but is interrupted by a contraction attacking her lower abdomen. She gasps at the pain. Medical droids start to come over and Padmé realizes that she must be in a medical center. She looks down and for the first time notices the white gown typically associated with medical centers. Her hair lays out around her on the gurney, taken out of the style she had it in earlier. The medical droids start to help her body manage the pain. Padmé shuts her eyes, feeling so tired, so sad, so drained. Everything has fallen to pieces and she just can't do it anymore.

"Padmé, you need to stay with us," Zaja begs.

"We have to save your babies," one of the medical droids says.

"Babies?" Padmé breathes out. She can feel her breathing getting weaker by the minute.

"Yes, you are carrying twins," the droid answers.

"Twins??? Ani and I never planned on..." Padmé starts but Zaja shushes her. She leans over Padmé and through the haziness of her vision, Padmé notices that Zaja isn't wearing all of her robes as she was earlier. She's only wearing a flowy outer tunic. Padmé, though she just thinks that she's seeing things due to her poor state of health, thinks she sees some kind of round swelling in Zaja's abdominal area just as the fabric of the tunic moves a certain way.

But she can't be sure and her eyes flutter back shut.

She wakes back up again to Obi-Wan in the room with her this time.

And her abdomen is hurting like it never has before.

"Obi-Wan?" she asks and her Jedi friend moves closer to her bedside.

"I'm right here, Padmé," Obi-Wan replies. He gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and tries to wipe some of the sweat from her forehead, "The medical droids are inducing you. They think that's the best thing to do right now." Padmé gives another shaky breath as she looks up at Obi-Wan. Another contraction hits her abdomen, causing her to cry out. She gasps as the pain secedes for a moment.

"It will take some time for the birthing process to begin," the medical droid informs them both, "Her water has not yet broken." Obi-Wan nods at the droid and turns back to Padmé, gently stroking the back of his hand down her arm. She looks up at him, so sad and so drained. She doesn't even know how or what to feel anymore. The end of an era has come and she feels as though everything she once knew and loved has disappeared forever...even Anakin, except there's still hope for him.

"Where'd Zaja go?" Padmé asks weakly. She blinks away the blinding light. It feels just like whatever was preventing her from seeing the truth before, making it impossible to see what is right in front of her.

"She's resting," Obi-Wan says softly, "It will take some time for her to heal. She's very tired and we need every Jedi that we can find right now." Padmé gasps as the pain latches onto her again.

"Obi-Wan," she whispers faintly, "I'm not sure I can do this."

"Padmé, you must," Obi-Wan begs her. She gasps her way through the pain again and Obi-Wan takes her hand and squeezes it. "Your children are counting on you," he reminds her. Padmé finally feels the pain secede for an instant.

"I know," she breathes out softly, her breathing shaky as the pain slowly leaves her body. Obi-Wan gives her hand one last gentle squeeze before letting go.

"You're going to be a great mother," Obi-Wan reassures her, "Your children will love you." Padmé is silent as she thinks about the fact that her children will be born into the galaxy without a loving father. She doesn't know how she'll be able to keep the twins safe from the evils of the Empire, especially if both of her children are as Force sensitive as the Jedi have told her they are. Her eyes, with great effort, flick down to her swollen abdomen. She almost has a sense of impending doom. The pain courses through her body, causing her to gasp again and weakly move a hand to her lower abdomen to stem it.

"Thank you," is all Padmé can manage once the pain slows down a bit. Obi-Wan turns to the medical droids.

"Is there anything you can do to help her manage the pain?" he asks.

"If we give her the sedatives now, her body may stop the birthing process and we will lose her and the children when she dies," the medical droid explains. Padmé overhears this and tries to fight the tears away but she can't help it. She's going to die and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Tears roll down her cheeks and sobs start to escape her body. More contractions wrack her body and she cries at the pain of the entirety of her situation. She's lost Anakin, the Republic and now she's going to lose her life. Anakin's nightmares will come true and she will die giving her children life. She hopes that she will be able to have them before she dies but she knows she doesn't have much time.

Everything hurts so badly and she just wishes that the pain would end.

Forever.

Obi-Wan wanders back over to her and leans his hands on the gurney.

"You're going to survive this," he says encouragingly. He has a sad smile on his face as he looks at her which makes her look away and not wish to answer.

A Kallidahin medical official rolls up the sleeve of her tunic and sticks her with something. 

A few minutes later, she feels a warm liquid rushing through her nightgown from around her abdominal area.

Her water is breaking and with it, she can feel a little bit more of her strength ebb away.

The contractions start to hurt more and come more often. The droids begin to prepare Padmé for birth by putting a shield over her lower half for privacy so Obi-Wan can be in the room with her. They begin to give her sedatives to help with the pain. Padmé struggles through labor for a short time but she is dying and won't be able to persevere through it much longer. The droids start to give her things that push her body to move the birthing process along a little bit further. The contractions step up in intensity immensely as Padmé begins to give birth. Her breathing becomes even weaker and shakier than before as she struggles to stay alive.

"Obi-Wan,"

She starts to cry as the pain makes it nearly impossible to think on anything else. The pain of her first child entering the world is greater than any other pain she has ever experienced. Her face crumples up in pain as she sobs aloud, her cries joining those of her first child. She takes a deep breath, trying her best to steady her breathing. Obi-Wan smiles at her as the droid brings the baby over to him. It warms Padmé's heart to see such a genuine smile on his face just for the briefest instance. His smile is one of hope. The medical droid says something that tells Padmé she had a boy.

"Luke," Padmé breathes out, naming her son. Obi-Wan takes Luke from the medical droid and brings him closer to Padmé so that way she can see her son.

Joy and hope fills her heart at the sight of her son. Obi-Wan smiles at the joy that the baby brings them both. Luke coos in Obi-Wan's arms as Padmé reaches over and strokes her son's head with great effort.

"Oh Luke," she says softly, smiling at her newborn son. Her breathing becomes more faint as the exhaustion from giving birth to one baby sets in. Obi-Wan looks on her with concern and Padmé's sadness washes over her again, but the hope for her husband, her son and her unborn child fight for her life as another contraction hits her hard, much harsher than her ones with Luke did. She cries out in pain as she delivers her second child. She takes another deep breath as the contractions come hard and fast, her second child racing to join her son. She struggles to breathe through the pain, her breaths coming in short and she screams again as the pains of childbirth rip through her body.  She cries out as her second child enters the world, crying right along with her.

The medical droid holds her baby and brings it closer to her, announcing the gender of the child as it does.

 "It's a girl," Obi-Wan says softly to her.

"Leia," Padmé breathes out weakly, so tired from having both of her children. Her breathing begins to weaken as the pain relaxes. She has delivered her children. Now she can finally relax and get some sleep. She has done what she has to do. Her eyes struggle to stay open and breathing becomes much more of a chore. Obi-Wan looks on her in concern.

"Obi-Wan," Padmé begs weakly as she can feel herself slipping. She struggles to breathe and say the next words.

There is still good in Anakin. He was once a great person. He can become that person again. She doesn't want anyone to lose hope in him. He was once a man that she had loved and she hopes he can become that same man again.

"There's good in him," she breathes out, feeling her consciousness slipping. She can see her son in Obi-Wan's arms, wiggling and full of life.

Full of something that she knows is leaving her.

She doesn't have much time. She takes another deep, shattering breath.

"I know..." she continues, "There's...." she takes another deep breath, "still..."

She lapses into unconsciousness.

Until she wakes up with a jolt and a gasp. Her breathing is ragged as a hand weakly flies up to her heart. She looks up to see the face of a Polis Massa medical official, who screams in response.

Obi-Wan comes running into the room with Bail and Master Yoda on his heels.

"Padmé!" he gasps at seeing her alive. She gasps, trying to catch her breath before collapsing back onto the bed, in great pain. Tears roll down her cheeks as she tries to fight the pain away. Obi-Wan rushes to her bedside. "You're alive!" he exclaims.

"We thought we had lost you," Bail explains as he rushes over to her, "I think the medical facility even thought you had passed."

Padmé is too in shock to answer. By all reasoning, she should be dead right now and yet here she is, alive. 

Bail asks the medical faculty to give her something to help her come out of shock. 

Zaja races in with a datapad in her hand.

"Masters!" she exclaims, "Look!" A HoloNet news headline flashes across the screen in bold lettering.

SENATOR AMIDALA DIES UNEXPECTEDLY , MANNER OF DEATH UNKNOWN.

"What?!" Bail asks, "But she's...."

"Alive?" Zaja asks, looking at Padmé as she slowly starts to come out of shock, "But we felt her slip...."

"Deceiving our feelings can be," Yoda says, "Deceived by the Emperor, we all were. Trusted our feelings, we did." Zaja looks on in surprise at her friend as she starts to wake up.

"Obi-Wan....?" Padmé calls out softly, "What....what happened?"

"You're alive, Padmé," Obi-Wan answers. Zaja comes over and smiles at her.

"Congratulations!! I'm so excited for you!! The twins are adorable," she says with a warm smile on her face, "You're going to be such a great mother, Padmé."

"Zaja..." Padmé says with a soft smile, "I'm glad you're doing better."

"Me too," Zaja replies, "Don't talk too much. You still seem weak and I want you to get some rest."

"Don't worry about me," Padmé says weakly, "I'm just happy to be alive. I trust that the medical droids and personnel will take care of me."

"Padmé," Bail joins the Jedi by Padmé's bedside, "It's good to see you alive. We were afraid that we had lost you. Everyone thought that you were gone for good."

"I thought so too," Padmé answers in shock, "I really thought I was never coming back. I don't understand how that could have happened. Nevertheless, it is good to see all of you."

"Despite our great joy in you being alive, there's a great deal that we have to discuss," Bail states gently, "But, I'm sure we can wait until you're able to move, can't we, Masters?"

"Long we cannot wait. Quickly the medical droids must work," Master Yoda responds. Bail sighs.

"She's in no condition to speak about the heavy matters that we think we're going to have to discuss," he protests respectfully.

"Masters," Zaja says, "don't you think we could wait at least a little while? I don't think the Empire will find us immediately."

The three Jedi exchange looks as they think through the situation.

"A short time we will wait," Yoda finally declares, "Soon, we will have to decide what to do."

"Thank you," Padmé breathes from the bed as she shifts to get more comfortable. Bail, Obi-Wan and Yoda exit the room. For the next couple of hours, Padmé rests and the medical droids help her heal as quickly as they can.

Within a few hours, Padmé is sitting up in her bed with several pillows supporting her. She is holding Leia and Zaja is with her, holding Luke in her arms. Padmé looks down, watching as Leia's dark eyes blink open and look up at her. She sees that she has passed her eyes down to her daughter. Leia squirms and makes a loud baby noise and Padmé gently rocks the baby back and forth.

"They're so wonderful, Padmé," Zaja says, "They're going to do great things." Padmé smiles sadly. She wishes Anakin could be here to see the children but she knows that isn't possible anymore. At least not now. She hopes that he could someday be the father his children need him to be.

"I hope so," Padmé says as she gently strokes Leia's cheek. She looks up to Zaja and Luke to see Luke resting peacefully in her arms. A smile crosses over her face for the first time in days. Zaja looks down at him and continues swaying lightly to ensure that the baby stays asleep.

"So I take it you weren't expecting twins?" Zaja asks curiously, glancing at Padmé to gauge her reaction. Both women avoid any mention of Anakin to save on any heartache. The wounds are too fresh to discuss him openly.

"No," Padmé says, "I only thought I was carrying one. I didn't want to find out the gender to keep things a surprise and I didn't want any scans done to keep the fact that I was pregnant a secret if at all possible." She glances down at Leia in her arms, rocking her arms a bit more intensely to try to get the baby to calm down. Leia squirms some more and makes some kind of squeak. Padmé smiles at her and tucks the cloth around her just a little tighter. "I'm glad I get to have two," she notes, "It brings me more joy than I know how to describe."

She hopes that her children will help her be able to bridge the gap between herself and her husband. There is still good in him even though it is now hidden and buried deep down. With the childrens' help, she'll be able to show him that he can be that same man again. She strokes Leia's cheek as she thinks through everything.

"I don't know how much you'll be able to stay together," Zaja says, "The Emperor and...." she stops and both women grow very solemn at the name implied there, "will be able to sense the children through the Force and they will eventually be able to sense that you aren't really dead. I'm not sure what Master Kenobi and Master Yoda will come up with but....I wouldn't count on getting to mother your children. At least, not at first."

Padmé looks at her children as she thinks this over. It makes sense. She would need to hide herself and the twins but she wants them to all stay together. She'll know they're safe if they all stay together.

As if on cue, Bail knocks lightly on the door, Obi-Wan and Yoda behind him.

"Can we talk now?" Bail asks, "We're afraid we're going to be found sooner than we wish to be."

"Of course," Padmé says. The three men enter the room, bringing seats in for everyone to sit down on. Zaja looks gravely at her Jedi Masters as she notices their solemn expressions. She sits down on a seat next to them, holding Luke in her arms. Once everyone is seated, the whole group is silent at the gravity of the situation.

The very decisions that they make could alter the fate of the galaxy....forever. They have to be very careful.

"Masters, Senators," Zaja says softly, "I think we have to be very careful with how we proceed. The entire rest of the galaxy thinks Padmé is dead. And yet, everyone survived."

"Safe forever, they are not," Yoda replies, "Play along with the idea of her death, we must."

"I don't think I'm going to be strong enough to escape from a tomb," Padmé says, "I might be willing to try but the time the droids have been saying I need to heal is much longer than the officials of Naboo will be willing to wait for a funeral."

"True," Obi-Wan agrees, "But we still need to somehow provide the illusion that you are dead. We don't know for certain whether or not the Sith know you're alive. If they find out you're alive, they'll know for certain that the twins survived and then they'll go looking for the children. It is of utmost importance that we find a way to make it look as though you died."

"Pregnant, her body must appear," Yoda says, "Hidden, the children will be if pregnant she looks."

"Padmé, do any of your handmaidens still act as your decoy?" Bail asks.

"No," Padmé says, "None of them have in a long time. Sabé was the one who did it the most and she may be able to help us." She mulls over an idea for a moment. Sabé may not be able to lie in the casket and escape from the tomb but she may be able to do something else. Padmé thinks as the conversation shifts to being about the twins. If any of the handmaidens would be willing to handle such a delicate and daunting task, it would be Sabé.

And yet, she doesn't want to ask this of Sabé. It seems like too much especially because of how much Sabé has done for her over the years. But at the same time, Padmé knows Sabé would want her to feel like she could ask this of her.

"Do we have any way of contacting her?" Obi-Wan asks, "It would be nice to have her here." Padmé rattles off the information and requests that he tell Sabé to bring some of Padmé's clothing and some of Sabé's and Bail exits the room to contact her.

"Is there any way that the twins and I can stay together?" Padmé asks, her gaze flicks over to Zaja for a brief instance before moving back to Obi-Wan and Yoda. "I would love for all of us to stay together if at all possible."

"If we send them to a place where they won't be able to be sensed, they could maybe stay together," Zaja suggests.

"Difficult to find, a place would be," Yoda states.

"It can still be done, can't it?" Zaja asks, "Padmé's been through so much. How do we expect her to handle this too?"

"If they're together and they're found, then the Empire will kill them all there," Obi-Wan states, "I don't like the idea of separating them either but it's not safe to keep all of them together. The Empire would expect for us to keep them together." Zaja's face saddens but she nods her head.

"I understand, Master," she says sadly, "There is more hope for the galaxy if we split them up."

"No!" Padmé protests, "Please....we've lost so much." She feels a fresh batch of tears preparing to roll down her face.

"Yes, but if you're found and the Empire discovers who you truly are, they won't hesitate to kill you," Zaja says sadly, "And if you have the twins with you, there's nothing stopping the Empire from killing them too."

"We don't want this either," Obi-Wan says, "The twins will just bring the Empire to your doorstep if either the twins discover their abilities or the Empire discovers their heritage."

"Strong the twins are in the Force," Master Yoda says, "Danger, they will attract if kept together."

"I never wanted this to happen," Padmé sobs, "I just wanted to step down from being the Senator and raise my children back home on Naboo in the peaceful countryside and yet," she stops as she cries, "I'm not even certain that's going to happen."

"It will be safer for all of you," Zaja says, "And I'll come visit you wherever you are unless I'm raising one of the twins."

"No!" Yoda says, stomping his gimer stick on the tiled floor, "Too dangerous that would be. Raise the children, you will not."

"Padmé," Zaja reassures her friend, "Have hope. There's a lot of fighting that has to happen to bring down the Empire before there can be peace in the galaxy again."

Hearing Zaja say that gives Padmé an idea.

Bail reenters the room with a sad smile on his face. "I was able to contact Sabé," he says, "She's flying out here immediately."

"Thank you, Bail," Padmé answers as she shifts again. The tears still roll down her face at the thought of the fate of her family. She looks down at Leia and gently strokes the side of her head once again.

"So, what else was discussed?" he asks as he sits back down.

"We've decided that we are going to have to separate the twins," Obi-Wan says sadly, "We don't know how yet."

"I'd be willing to take Leia," Bail says, "My wife and I have always wanted to adopt a girl. She would be safe and very well loved." Padmé nods her head sadly in agreement. She wouldn't want Leia to be taken by anyone else.

"Is there anyone else you know of who you would trust Luke with?" Zaja asks.

"The Lars. Anakin's mother married and had a son, who has a girlfriend back on Tatooine. That's been three years ago. They're probably married by now and may take him," Padmé suggests.

"To Tatooine, he must go," Yoda says.

"I will go there and watch over him," Obi-Wan says, "When the time is right, we'll train them."

"No!" Padmé pleads, "We shouldn't. I don't want them to get involved in the conflict. There has to be another way we can restore democracy and diplomacy to the galaxy." 

"Too strong are they in the Force," Yoda says, "If he finds out about their power, leave them alone, the Emperor will not. Dangerous it would be to the galaxy to leave them untrained."

Padmé lets all of that sink in and lowers her head.

"Alright," she says, "I'm not happy about it, but I understand if it's what needs to be done." She just wants a peaceful life for both of her children and it doesn't seem like they're going to get that just because of something they were born with. Tears flow down her cheeks at the thought of that.

"Padmé, we still need to find a place for you to go," Zaja says, "And I don't think you should go back to Naboo."

"I agree and I don't think Tatooine's a good place for me to go either," she says, "I also would like to be in a place where I can finish what the Delegation of 2000 started, in secret. And Alderaan wouldn't be a good place to go because Leia will be there."

"What if....I contact someone else from the Delegation who might be willing to help you? I'll create a cover story for you so that the person I contact doesn't have to know who you truly are," Bail suggests, "It is up to you whether or not you could tell them and I don't think the Empire would be quick to figure everything out if we do it in this way."

"How can we know that this person can be trusted?" Obi-Wan asks, skeptically. His gaze flicks to Padmé with concern.

"I have good relations with many of the Senators in the Delegation and there is a great deal of trust among those in the Delegation," Padmé explains, "I think it's worth trying." Obi-Wan shrugs but doesn't look thrilled at the prospect.

"I'm glad you agree. Now if you'll excuse me again, I need to go suggest this to my contact. I'll see you soon," Bail says as he exits again.

"I should depart as soon as possible," Obi-Wan says standing up, "I want to get Luke to a place where I know he will be safe."

"More training I have for both you and Zaja Mar before disappear into hiding, we do," Yoda says, "Come. Tell you before you leave, I will."

Zaja hands Luke off to Padmé and Luke opens his eyes slightly, revealing piercing blue irises.

Eyes that look just like Anakin's. Padmé gasps at the resemblance and sadness overwhelms her as she holds him. She leans down weakly to press a kiss to each of their foreheads.

"I love you both" she tells each one as she does, "And I'm going to be doing my best to make the galaxy a place where we can all be together again safely. I really hope it doesn't take long but if it does, always remember that you have a mother who loves you dearly and wants only the best for you." She sits with her children, hugging them to her and just enjoying the precious moments that she has with them. She knows she doesn't have long with them.

Bail reenters the room and smiles at Padmé.

"I have a place for you to go," he says with a smile. He explains the cover story he told the contact and then continues, "Sabé should be on her way and unless the Jedi think I should stay, I should probably take Leia with me to Alderaan. My ship is waiting."

"What about the droids?" she asks.

"We'll wipe 3P0's memory and I'll take them with me. I don't think they should be seen with you," Bail reasons and Padmé agrees, "No one will question it if I have them." She nods her head as she glances down at Leia. Bail exits again to speak with the Jedi. A couple of moments later, he returns with Zaja Mar and Obi-Wan in tow.

"I'm staying with you until you and Sabé carry out your part of the plan," Zaja informs her, "As protection and moral support."

"I'm taking Luke with me as soon as possible," Obi-Wan says, "I'm sorry I couldn't do better." Padmé presses a kiss to the top of Luke's head.

"I love you, Luke," she whispers, "I hope to see you again someday." She hands Luke to Obi-Wan who hands him to Zaja. Obi-Wan embraces her tightly. "I'm a little worried about letting him go with you," Padmé admits.

 "I will protect him with my life and you if you ever need the protection," Obi-Wan promises, "I'm just so sorry that it has to be this way for you."

"It will all work out someday" Padmé replies as she feels herself start to tear up, "I'm going to miss you terribly, Obi-Wan."

"I'll miss you too, Padmé," Obi-Wan says. Bail enters the room and takes Leia from Padmé.

"Take care of her, Bail," Padmé instructs. The tears start to slip down her cheeks.

"I will, Padmé. I promise," he says, "I hope to see you soon." Padmé nods her head in agreement as they hug tightly. Padmé presses a kiss to Leia's head and tells her the same thing she told Luke.  Obi-Wan leaves with Luke and Bail leaves with Leia. The moment they are out of sight,  Padmé holds her head in her hands and lets the emotions go. She mourns the loss of her friends, her family and her work. What's done is done and there is no going back. Zaja comes over and hugs her.

She misses her twins so dearly and she fears she will never see them again.

A/N: *fangirling because Luke and Leia are finally here*

*sadness because they're gonna be separated*

I love the moments she had with Zaja Mar and Obi-Wan though. The meeting was fun to write too.

Writing moments in with her and the twins is also absolutely adorable.

AND YEAH SHE SURVIVES THIS TIME!!!!

She's literally gonna be the Mother of the Rebellion (see what I did there?)

She gives birth to Luke and Leia.....

She also founds the Rebellion....

Mother of the Rebellion......

:)

Still a sad chapter because she really doesn't want to say goodbye to her twins but she has to. Zaja is such a good friend to her though and Sabé's on the way. Obi-Wan would've stayed if he wasn't taking Luke to Tatooine.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the plot twist. :) I hope this whole book has been enjoyable so far. I'm excited to reveal what I've been building up too this whole time. Thank you so much for reading, commenting, voting and doing whatever it is you do.

-Aisling