Padmé watched silently from afar as her children finally stopped on a nearby walkway, carefully she listened as Leia began.
"Luke, what's wrong?" She inquired, just as perceptive as ever. "If this is about Padmé, I was only teasing-"
"Look," Luke cut her off, as he stared for a moment. "Do you...Leia do you remember your mother, your real mother?"
Padmé felt her heart begin to race, immediately clued in on her son's intentions, though she wasn't prepared for her daughter's response.
"Just a little bit, she died when I was very young," Leia found herself admitting. "Of course, it's been getting strangely clearer, as of late."
"What do you remember?" Luke asked, his voice sounding a bit more serious.
"Just...images, really. Feelings," Leia responded.
Padmé stared at her daughter, noticing a slight tension in Leia's tone. Luke, you should calm down, maybe this isn't the best time-
Unfortunately, Luke wasn't listening, as he seemed to grow only more insistent.
"Tell me," he almost demanded, much to Leia and Padmé's shock. Leia paused for a second, only adding to her mother's fears, however, she did decide to relent.
"She was very beautiful. Kind, but...sad."
Padmé looked away somewhat, Is that truly all my daughter remembers of me?
"Why are you asking me all this?" Leia questioned, causing Luke to stare away as well.
"I have no memories of my mother, from my childhood. I had never known her," He responded, obviously choosing his words carefully.
He's trying not to lie, Padmé silently realized.
"Luke, tell me. What's troubling you?" Leia now seemed to demand.
"Vader is here...now on this moon." He revealed, obviously attempting to warn Leia and Padmé.
Anakin?! He's here? Padmé struggled to remain silent, in fear of being discovered prematurely, as Leia immediately ordered an explanation.
"How do you know?" She asked, clearly alarmed at the news.
Luke paused, once again picking his words delicately, "I felt his presence. I know he's coming for me, he can feel whenever I'm near. That's why I have to go. As long as I stay, I'm endangering the group and the mission here. I have to face him."
Padmé was absolutely livid, I am NOT letting my son go alone! Luke had better not think he's facing Anakin without me, we are a family!
Leia, as opposed to her still seething mother, was more confused than anything.
"Why?" She managed to question.
Luke's face softened as he approached her gently with his answer, "He's my father."
"Your father?!" Leia backed away, almost unable to truly process the information.
Padmé knew this revelation had been kept secret from Leia and the others, though she could almost feel a subtle change in Luke. The Force didn't need to tell her that Luke had grown tired of keeping his friends in the dark.
"There's more," Luke continued, "it won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the alliance."
Leia' face contorted slightly, she had clearly been agitated and didn't dare believe him.
"Luke, don't talk that way!" Leia reprimanded him. "You have a power I-I don't even understand and could never have."
This is it! Padmé smiled, as Luke seemingly noticed the opportunity as well.
"You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too. In time you'll learn to use it as I have. The Force is strong in my family," Luke glanced at his mother's hiding space for a second, before returning all attention to the once again confused Leia. "My father has it, I have it, and...my sister has it."
Leia figured it out rather fast, though Padmé wasn't surprised.
"Yes, it's you Leia," Luke's smile grew wider as his sister looked upon him in a newly discovered light.
"I know. Somehow, I've always known."
"Then you know why I must face him," Luke reiterated.
Leia now resembled her mother as she angrily shouted, "No! Luke, run away, FAR away! If he can feel your presence, then leave this place. I wish I could go with you."
I'm so sorry, I wish you two weren't forced to carry this burden... The sheer desperation in her daughter's voice, burned through Padmé. And, although Luke maintained his composure, she knew it was gnawing at him too.
"No, you don't. You've always been strong!" Luke attempted to comfort Leia as she coped with the horrible prospect of losing her rediscovered brother. "You're so akin to our mother."
Leia stared up at him in awe, "But, you said you never knew our mother!"
Luke shook his head, "I said I HAD never known her, that there were no childhood memories of her." Smirking slightly, Luke turned to his mother's hiding spot. "Padmé, please come over."
Leia's look of anger towards the eavesdropping Padmé was unmatched, sending only further nervousness into her. Luke grabbed Leia, holding her back, as she was at a loss for words.
"Leia, it's definitely not what you think," Luke attempted to explain. "You have to trust me on this, it's going to be...a bit of a shock, and hard to believe, but Padmé is our mother!"
Padmé cautiously approached her children, "Luke's right, Leia. I am your mother."
"No!" Leia immediately shouted, "How is that possible?! I mean you're age-"
"Well," Padmé calmly began, "I'm not from this time."
Leia didn't seem to truly buy the explanation.
Alright, umm...how do I-
"The Force has sent her here," Luke filled in.
"Y-Yes," Padmé nodded. Why am I so nervous? This is only one person, it's not like I'm speaking to the entire senate!
Leia turned to her brother, receiving a gently nod as he slowly released her.
"Well," Leia glared at Padmé, "I hope you didn't assume I'd be so easily swayed."
Padmé knew it wouldn't have been the same level of acceptance as when Luke learned, aside from only Luke's word, Leia had nothing to base this seemingly ridiculous claim.
"If you're truly our mother, why not tell me at the start?" Leia immediately questioned.
"Well, I hadn't known when I first met you," Padmé revealed. "I learned my true connection to you both when Luke did-"
"Hmm, must have been some trip," Leia remarked.
Padmé quietly sighed as he daughter's gaze refused to soften, Perhaps she's more like Anakin than I first thought?
"I also asked her to wait," Luke interjected, "I wasn't ready to tell you that you're my sister, so I begged Padmé not to tell you her story either."
Leia looked as though she was at least willing to accept, however, just barely.
"So, Mother," Leia's inflection nearly drew blood it was so sharp, "why in the entire GALAXY would you have children with Darth Vader?!"
It was Padmé's turn to grow harsh, "His name is Anakin! How hard is that for people to understand?"
Luke reeled at Padmé's words, though she knew he felt the same way. Leia's eyes lessened a bit as well, though it was still tough to decipher her thoughts.
"I'm sorry," Padmé formally apologized, "it's just hard to constantly hear what becomes of the man I love. He is, or at least was, the greatest Jedi I have ever known. He cares deeply for the Republic, in my time he's out there fighting on the front lines! He has saved countless lives, and is determined to end the Clone Wars. I know that 'Darth Vader' has committed horrible atrocities, even those directed at you both, but there isn't a shadow of doubt in my mind that Anakin loves us."
Carefully, Leia dissolved her gaze, opting to greet her mother with a look of compassion. "I'm sorry, but how can you still believe the man you love isn't dead? I told you how he aided in the destruction of my home planet, millions of lives vaporized in an instant, my...parents-"
"Because, there is good in him," Luke argued. "I've felt it. He won't turn me over to the Emperor. I can save him, I know I can turn him back to good side. I have to try," he smiled at his mother, "for all of us."
Leia turned to her brother, unwilling to let him go as she latched her arms around his body. Padmé, however, raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think you're going alone?"