The three Jedi had escorted the chancellor back to the Senate Building—with Luke taking care to keep his distance from the Sith—and now, as the chancellor strode away among a gaggle of senators, Obi-Wan and Anakin bantered back and forth in a verbal fight of compliments that Luke supposed was somehow meant to decide who got to spend the day with the senators. It amused him to watch, especially when his father eventually admitted defeat.

"All right, but you owe me! And not for saving your skin for the tenth time!" Anakin told Obi-Wan with a smirk.

"Ninth time," Obi-Wan corrected him. "That business on Cato Neimoidia doesn't...doesn't count. I'll see you at the briefing," Obi-Wan said with a smile and wave of his hand.

"I'll come with you, Anakin," Luke piped up, stepping past Obi-Wan off of the shuttle to stand next to his father.

"Are you sure? Politicians tend to be a bit...much," Anakin replied.

"Hey, my sister's a politician!" Luke said, feigning offense.

Obi-Wan chuckled and Anakin blushed a little. "Well, I didn't know that!" Anakin said in defense.

Luke grinned. "It's fine; she can be a bit much herself," Luke laughed.

"Well, then you see my point," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan shook his head in amusement. "I will see you two at the Temple later. The Council will want to meet you Luke." With that he left on the same shuttle they'd arrived on, and Luke fell into step just a little behind his father as they were swamped by senators congratulating and complimenting them, as well as voicing their own concerns and opinions on the war. Luke just nodded and smiled, leaving all the talking to his father since Anakin was the one who actually knew what was going on in the war. Luke had only been involved in three battles so far, and he'd mostly been on the sidelines for all three by now.

Eventually, most of the senators dispersed, and Anakin and Luke found themselves walking with a Senator from Alderaan. Luke hadn't been paying enough attention to get his name, though.

"The fighting will continue until General Grievous is...spare parts," Anakin was saying to the man. The lapse in his father's statement caused Luke to glance curiously at him, trying to figure out what had caused Anakin's focus to waver.

"Well, I will do everything I can in the Senate," the Alderaan Senator replied.

A smile was gradually growing on Anakin's face and he waved a goodbye at the two a little as he struggled to control his expressions. "Excuse me for a moment," he said, backing away.

"Certainly," said the senator. Luke was trying to figure out why Anakin was ditching him when he knew that Luke wasn't even from this time period; what was he supposed to do?

Luke was going to continue on, thinking that he'd disobeyed and annoyed his father enough today, before he had a feeling he should stay behind. Obeying the feeling, Luke drew into the shadows as Anakin ran over to someone who was hiding in the darkness of one of the Senate Building pillars, and Luke stayed just within in range to hear and see everything but where he wouldn't be dangerously close. He watched in surprise as Anakin picked up the second figure in a tight hug, twirling them around in the air before setting them back down. Realization started to fall over the stunned Luke as the two shared a kiss in the shadows, and Luke blushed as he realized he was intruding on a very, very private reunion.

Mother.

"Oh, Anakin." The sweet voice fell upon Luke's ears, and he was filled with a rush of warmth as he heard his mother's voice for the first time. The couple embraced and she sighed again in relief.

"I've missed you, Padmé," Anakin told her softly as they pulled away once again.

Padmé...so that's my mother's name, Luke thought, awestruck by the sight he had never thought he would see; his mother and father, together.

"There were whispers...that you'd been killed," his mother—Padmé—said in a hushed voice.

Anakin smiled at her. "I'm alright," he laughed softly. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime."

His hand was cupping her cheek as he spoke in low tones. "And we might have been if the chancellor hadn't been kidnapped; I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim Sieges," Anakin murmured, his voice getting lower as he leaned in to kiss Padmé again.

"Wait, not here," his mother said suddenly, turning away from the kiss.

"Yes here," his father said gently, exasperation coloring his tone. "I-I'm tired of all this deception, I don't care if they know we're married," Anakin continued, his voice worn and reckless.

"Anakin, don't say things like that!" Padmé said with a tremble in her voice.

Luke frowned. His parents had been secretly married? If they had been married, why had it had to be secret?

Anakin hugged her to comfort her, but pulled away suddenly, studying her intently. "Are you alright?" he asked, worry soaking his tone. "You're trembling..."

Suddenly Anakin tensed and a fierce protectiveness rippled through him. "What's going on?" Anakin asked her firmly; he looked ready to take on an army of Sith if he needed to.

"Something wonderful has happened," Padmé told him gently. Luke strained his ears as she spoke lower, trying desperately to hear what had his mother so on edge.

"Ani..." she whispered. "I'm pregnant."

Luke was floored. Utterly stunned didn't even begin to cover it. Faintly, he sensed his own father's feelings through their growing Force Bond despite the haze of awe that had settled over Luke. Anakin was shocked, just like Luke, but also suddenly filled with an insurmountable joy as realization of what she'd said settled over him. Then came his father's quick, rational thinking. Suddenly Anakin felt fear, panic, careful calculation, worry, protectiveness, dread, though all the while that shock and astounding joy resonated from him.

"That's..." Luke suddenly heard his father say, trying to find the words to describe what this moment meant for him. "That's, well that's...wonderful," Anakin finally said with a small, wild laugh, the words rushing out of him. The joy was overcoming all of the other feelings now, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"What are we going to do?" Padmé whispered.

Anakin's smile grew. "We're not going to worry about anything right now. All right?" he cupped her cheek in his hand. "This is a happy moment...

"The happiest moment of my life."

With that last statement from Anakin, Luke's emotional control shattered at how touched he was, and he even caught himself tearing up. So much love and affection from his parents towards each other, and now towards the baby—babies, and towards Luke himself, though they didn't know it—was something that Luke had needed to see. He'd needed to see this unconditional love from his parents, and it brought Luke a peace of mind he hadn't even known he'd been missing.

Luke, however, was snapped out of his blissful dream world when he suddenly heard his father's sharp, dangerous voice. "Who's there?"

Luke froze, not sure if he wanted to bolt at his father's tone or step forward and be honest. He decided the latter would probably be the best option and slowly he stepped out of the shadows, hands up in defense and a guilty smile slipping across his face. "It's just me," he said soothingly

Anakin held Padmé behind him, as if shielding her from an attacker. "How much did you hear?" he asked Luke warily.

"Enough," Luke answered softly.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Padmé suddenly asked, pushing herself out from behind Anakin.

Luke took in his mother as she stepped out of the shadows. Leia looks exactly like her, Luke thought with further awe. He shook his head as he gathered his voice. "No, no of course not; not if you don't want me to," Luke did his best to reassure them.

"Honestly?" Anakin asked. His eyes were prodding, taking in every slight movement Luke made. Luke realized his father was also probing him through the Force to figure out if Luke was telling the truth. Luke resisted the urge to raise his defenses, determined to show his father he could be trusted with such a precious secret.

Luke nodded. "I swear I won't. It's your secret, and it's not mine to share with anyone, under any circumstance," Luke told him calmly.

Anakin stared skeptically at Luke for a few more moments and Luke couldn't help but admire the way that Anakin stood so protectively in front of Padmé, like he would fight to the death at any given moment for her. It gave Luke some peace of mind to see that his father had loved his mother so much.

Finally, Anakin relaxed his protective stance in front of Padmé. He nodded slowly, stepping aside just a little. "Thank you Luke," he said quietly. He glanced at Padmé, then back at the Jedi. "Um, Luke, this is Padmé Naberrie Amidala...Skywalker. Padmé, this is Luke. Obi-Wan and I ran into him while we were on a mission in the Outer Rim."

Padmé nodded and confidently walked up to Luke, as if that entire scene hadn't happened just moments ago. She shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said softly. She peered up into his eyes curiously. "You're eyes are practically identical to Anakin's," she noted lightly.

Luke blushed. "Thank you." I definitely get my height from my mother. I'm barely taller than her! Luke thought to himself.

Anakin put an arm around Padmé and brushed his lips across her forehead for a moment. "Padmé...we'll have to catch up more later...the Council want to see Luke," he said very quietly.

Luke grimaced just a little. "You just had to remind me," he groaned.

Anakin chuckled softly, though it sounded a little off. He must still be shaken from coming so close to his secret being blown. He is rather lucky it was me and not anyone else, Luke thought.

Anakin squeezed Padmé's hand lightly before he walked over to stand next to Luke. "I'll come by and see you after we talk to the Council Padmé, I promise."

She nodded. "All right, Anakin. Maybe you could bring Luke with you?"

Anakin shook his head a little but relented with a small smile. "I've given up trying to argue with you."

Luke crossed his arms with a hint of a smile. "What am I? Scrap metal?"

Anakin chuckled. "No, Luke, it's just that...I haven't been around Padmé for quite a while...and I would like some time alone with her..."

Luke blanched just a little, unable to help the instinctual reaction. "Alright, I get it."

Padmé laughed a little. "Oh, Anakin, don't make him so uncomfortable. Yes, Luke, you can come with Anakin to my apartment later. And Anakin will behave."

Anakin smiled at her with a glint of mischief sparking in his eyes. "No promises."

Padmé smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, go on you two, I believe you have somewhere you need to be," she chuckled.

Luke sent a few more wistful glances his mother's way as Anakin steered Luke back to where they arrived for another shuttle. Luke paused and raised an eyebrow at Anakin. "Weren't we supposed to stay with the senators?"

Anakin chuckled. "Oh, they can survive without us. Besides; the quicker we're out of the Senate Building, the better."

"You really don't like senators, do you?"

"I've only got three or four that I like," he replied gently.

Luke chuckled. "I see."

Anakin shook his head. "Come on Luke, the Council will be expecting you."

Luke sighed as they both got on the shuttle, running a hand through his hair. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Perhaps even a little scared out of my wits."

"That's right...you said you didn't have the Order in your time, though I still don't understand how not. But you've never had to answer to a Council, have you?"

Luke shook his head. "Not at all."

Anakin chuckled. "Well then, don't worry...it's just as scary as it sounds."

Luke laughed. "Well that's reassuring, Anakin!"

"It got you to lighten up," Anakin said cheerily. Hearing of Padmé's pregnancy had put his father in a radiant mood; it was great to see him this way. The two of them took their seats, sitting in silence for a few moments before Luke voiced the question nagging at the back of his mind.

"So, Anakin...something I'm confused about...why do you and Padmé have to keep your marriage a secret?" Luke asked quietly.

Anakin gave him a surprised look. "You're a Jedi! How do you not know? It's part of the Jedi Code!"

Luke stared at him, his confusion only growing. "What are you talking about? I don't remember anything about getting married in the Jedi Code..."

Anakin gave him an incredulous look. "The part about attachments: the Jedi are forbidden to form attachments. The best we can have is a friendship, or a Master/Padawan relationship."

Luke looked completely startled. "What are you talking about? Neither Master Yoda nor Obi-Wan said anything about attachments being forbidden; not once. And I have multiple attachments: my sister, my friends, even my...even my father," Luke said softly.

Anakin sat in stunned silence for a few minutes, mulling over this new revelation. "Are you telling me...that they changed the Jedi Code and...and allowed attachments?"

"I guess I am," Luke said with a small smile.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Anakin got up and started pacing the length of the shuttle, deep in thought as the shock wore off. "Do you happen to have any clue as to how far this time is from your time?" he asked urgently.

Luke thought for a moment. If his mother was pregnant, then this couldn't be long before his birth. "Roughly twenty-three years, if I'm not mistaken."

Anakin nodded. "Then...then that means...maybe there's hope that...if we can hold out long enough...they might change the rule. But what caused their change of mind?" He seemed to be talking to himself more than he was talking to Luke by now.

Luke shrugged. "I don't know what changed. Force, I wasn't even aware that there was a change."

Anakin seemed a little surprised, almost like he'd forgotten Luke was there. He sighed. "I guess it would help if we knew what caused the change."

Luke thought for a moment, thinking of how his father's love for his son had been what saved him and brought him back to the light side of the Force. "Maybe they came to realize that attachments...while yes they could be used against a Jedi, like my sister was used against me once and was in fact successful in getting a reaction out of me...though my attachment to my father was what brought me back to my senses, and it's also what ultimately brought my father back from the dark side as well, is his love for his children. Perhaps they realized that attachment could also save, perhaps even more than attachments could harm. Though I think they would have to see that fact in action if they were to believe it," Luke said, his chin resting on his fist as he spoke.

Anakin clasped his hands behind his back, looking out over the city of Coruscant as he contemplated Luke's words. "I guess that's a suggestion to just let time tell?"

"It's probably safest. If we were to try and force it, it might not turn out so well. I'm sure there's a time and place for it."

Anakin sighed. "Back to letting the Force decide when it's time for something, huh?"

Luke cocked an eyebrow. "Just curious; why does that bother you so much? It means you wait for the right moment. So what's wrong with waiting for when the Force tells you it's time?"

Anakin shrugged. "I just prefer to be in charge of my own destiny; to decide when I do something and why I do it," he mumbled.

"Maybe you should learn to trust the Force a little more," Luke said gently.

Anakin sighed, glancing back at him. "Perhaps."

They settled back into a comfortable silence, leaving each other to their own thoughts as they neared the Jedi Temple.

What's going to happen? Luke found himself wondering.