Change the Fate's Design

This Pain Wouldn't Be for Evermore

"How is he?"
It had been two days since their return from Hoth, and Padmé hadn't had the chance to check on Obi Wan personally. She was trying to organise something for the twins while also attending daily meetings with the other rebels. She had also began to experience more fatigue which slowed her down a bit.

"He's doing good. A couple more days in the bacta tank and he'll be good as new," Ahsoka told her.
"That's good," Padmé said as the two women looked through the glass window to where the bacta tank was. They were both silent for a minute, each lost in their own minds. Padmé was the one to break it when she hunched foward and let out a shaky breathe.
"Are you okay, Padmé?" Ahsoka placed a hand on her shoulder in concern. Padmé straightened back up, the pain disappearing as fast as it had appeared.
"I'm okay." She smiled and quickly changed the subject. "I was actually wondering if you could help me with something."
"Of course, what do you need?" Ahsoka said.
"The twins seventh birthday is next week and I'm trying to plan a small party for them. They're so confused about leaving their father, and I just want to make them happy."
"Then we'll do whatever we can to make that happen." Ahsoka nodded.

——

"Obi Wan?" Padmé hadn't expected the visitor at her door.
It had been a week since they found Obi Wan and he had been released from the medical ward the day before.
"May I come in?"
"Oh of course, please, make yourself at home. The kids are playing at Lyra's now but they'll be back soon if you want to meet them." She stepped aside so he could enter the quarters.
"Actually that's why I came. Ahsoka said that it's their birthday next week?" He sat on the couch, fiddling with his robe.
"Yes. She's helping me organise a small party. We'd love you to come if you feel well enough."
"Of course. But that's not really why I'm here," he paused for a moment before he pulled two objects out of his robes. Padmé immediately recognised them.
"Lightsabers?" She gasped.
"I wasn't sure if you'd want them to have them so I decided to give you the option for their birthday,"
He handed one of them to her. Padmé twisted it around in her hands with a strong feeling of déjà vu.
"It's Anakin's."
Obi Wan nodded solemnly.
"This is Ahsoka's old model," he said, passing her the other one.
Padmé held both in her hands, her brow furrowed. She finally looked up at Obi Wan.
"Do you think they're ready? I don't know how much Palpatine tried to teach them, but they may have started to learn some Sith practices,"
"If you allow it, Ahsoka and I can train them in the light side of the force. We'll override any of Palpatine's teachings."
"Alright." Padmé sighed, holding the lightsabers. She let out a shaky breath as she clutched the weapons in her fists.

——

Leia woke up first and decided to throw a pillow at her twin brother. It smacked him in the face and he groaned in annoyance.
"Wake up! It's our birthday!" She yelled. Luke's eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly.
"Let's go wake mum!" He exclaimed, almost tripping over his blankets as he leaped out of bed.
Leia followed and they ran into their mother's room.

"Mummy! Wake up!" Luke said. Him and Leia climbed onto the bed and jumped on either side of their mother.
Padmé stretched, opening her eyes with a sigh.
"Good morning my darlings."
"Mum! Get up! It's a special day!" Leia exclaimed.
"Is it?" Padmé teased.
"It's our birthday!" Luke said like it was the most obvious thing.
"That's right! You're turning six?" She joked.
"Seven!" Leia protested.
"Oh, of course. Does that mean you're too old to have cuddles with your mother?"
"No," Luke pouted. Padmé laughed and opened her arms.
"Good, now come here!"
The twins flopped down on either side and cuddled up to their mother.
Padmé just held them, a stray tear escaping her eye. Luke looked up as it hit him on the forehead.
"What's wrong mummy?" He asked.
"Are you sad because we're turning seven?" Leia frowned. Padmé laughed, placing a kiss on each of their foreheads.
"No honey, I just love you two so much."
"We love you too!" Leia told her, and Luke hummed in agreement.
The small family lay there for a few more minutes before Luke started to squirm.
"I'm hungry." He told them, and the two girls laughed. Padmé sat up, ready to prepare for the day's events.

——

"Where are we going?" Luke asked for the tenth time.
Padmé moved down the hall, the twins bouncing around her.
"You'll see,"
"Muuuuum!" Luke groaned. Padmé laughed as Leia shushed her brother. "We're here!" Padmé stopped at a door, pressing the button to open it. A collective exclamation came from inside.
"Surprise!"

——

It wasn't a huge party, but it was perfect. There was Ahsoka, Obi Wan, Nova, Bail, Mon, Rex, Galen, Lyra and Jyn.

Padmé stood in the corner with Lyra and Galen, watching her children. Luke was currently hanging off Rex's arm and Leia was talking avidly to Bail, who knelt down to her height and was nodding along.

"It looks like they're settling in," Galen observed.
"I think they like it here, I'm just waiting for them to start asking about their father," Padmé frowned. It was the twins' first birthday without him, and she hoped it wasn't affecting them as much as it was for her.
"You did the right thing, Padmé. I'm sure they understand that." Lyra said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Padmé nodded gratefully, her eyes going back to the kids.

"Everybody gather around! It's time for the cake!" Ahsoka came back into the room with a small cake. It was plain due to the rationed resources, but Padmé knew the twins would still stuff their faces. Luke and Leia jumped up, running towards the table where the cake was put down.

Padmé watched the way their eyes lit up, and for a moment all her worries didn't matter. Her kids were safe. They were happy, surrounded by people who loved them.
And that's all she could ask for.