Change the Fate's Design

I'm Begging for You to Take My Hand

"Padmé." He appeared again after the twins had fallen asleep. He was in his own robes this time, with no suit or helmet. Padmé was pacing around the cell as she bounced Luna, who was grizzling. She looked at him briefly before turning her attention back to the baby.
"What do you want?"
"Padmé, you have to believe me. I had no idea they were going to capture you." He entered the cell, the bars reappearing quickly behind him.
"It doesn't matter. We're here, and I'm expected to keep a newborn quiet without having any thing she needs." She muttered.
"Oh," He lifted up a piece of grey fabric, which she assumed was an old robe. "I brought this. It's not a blanket, but it's the best I could find on the ship." He held it out cautiously. Padmé watched him suspiciously before snatching it out of his hands and wrapping the baby. Luna began to calm down at the new found warmth.
"Thank you." She told him, sounding like a stern senator. They stood in silence for a moment as she watched Luna slowly close her eyes and doze off.

Padmé looked up to see Anakin watching them. He was looking at the baby like he was seeing a new planet for the first time, eyes wide with awe. Padmé noticed the flecks of blue in his yellow eyes and cleared her throat. "Do you want to hold her?"
Anakin looked at her with surprise.
"Could I?" He asked hesitantly. Padmé walked over and slowly eased the baby into his arms. He held her like she was a precious jewel, looking at her with such happiness. Padmé recognised the same look from when he held Luke and Leia for the first time.
"What's her name?"
"Luna," Padmé said.
"Luna," he breathed, smiling at the baby.
"She looks just like you," he told her.
"No, she has your eyes." She replied softly, gazing at her sleeping face.
"Padmé.."
"Shh. Put her down and then we can talk."
He gently put the sleeping baby into the crate, tucking the swaddle around her with care. Padmé watched his gentle display before he turned towards her. She held up a hand before he could say anything.

"I need to say a few things first." She said, and he nodded silently. "Leaving hurt, but I do not regret it. My children come first, and I was not going to stand by and watch him twist their minds like he did to you."
"But why didn't you tell me?" He looked at Luna and she knew he was referring to her pregnancy.
"I wanted to, but you only seemed to care about what Palpatine thought. You would do anything to please him, even if it meant corrupting our children. I didn't tell you for her safety."

"Padmé, if you had just talked to me..." he reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away.

"I tried!" She cried. She lowered her voice so to not wake the children. "Ani, I didn't trust you. I didn't trust that you would tell me the truth anymore, you cared more about his opinion than your family. You have no idea how much you hurt me," the tears that had been building up for months finally burst out.

"I know. I realised what I had done when it was too late. I didn't understand why you had left me, and I was so angry. But, I thought about everything you said, every time you told me your concerns, and I brushed them off. I was brainwashed and I was a horrible husband and father. You and the kids are my world, and I didn't realise I had been taking you for granted until you were gone." His eyes were still flickering between blue and yellow as he struggled to get his words out. Anakin took in a deep breath before tears welled up in his eyes.

"I missed the birth of my child." He muttered painfully, his shoulders dropping like gravity had just pulled him down. Padmé's temper flared again.
"You did. You don't think I spent the whole time writhing in pain, wishing you were there to hold my hand? To tell me everything would be okay? She almost didn't survive!" Her anger turned into despair as she sobbed again.
His head snapped back to meet her eyes.
"What?"
Padmé took a shaky breath to calm down before replying.
"They took her away so quickly, and I didn't know what was happening. She couldn't breathe properly and they had to hook her up to machines for a while before she was stable." Padmé wiped her eyes, looking down at her miracle baby.

Anakin also looked at Luna with fear in his eyes.
"Is she okay now?" He questioned.
"She has a heart condition that's going to affect her for her whole life."
"Do they know what might have caused it?"
Padmé wouldn't meet his gaze, guilt consuming her again.
"Padmé?"
She looked at him with tears eyes.
"Before I left, Palpatine had used his powers on me a few times. He thought I was a spy and was trying to make me confess." She let out a chocked sob. "It's possible that she somehow absorbed the attack and it effected her heart."

Anakin hesitantly reached out to touch her, and when she didn't move away, he gently pulled her into his arms. When he spoke, his voice was angry and cold. But she wasn't scared.
"He will pay."

She couldn't forgive him yet. She didn't even know if she could trust him. But in that moment, when she was in his arms, Padmé felt like she was home.