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TWO YEARS LATER
NEAR THE END OF THE CLONE WARS
Anakin strode towards Chancellor Palpatine's office at the topmost level of the Senate building, his dark brown Jedi robes billowing behind him. He could feel his lightsaber hilt tapping gently against his thigh in tandem with his long strides.
Palpatine had called him to his office minutes ago, interrupting the precious time Anakin had been spending with Astrid. It had been two months since the last time he'd seen his wife, and he had been fully intending to maximize their time together. He'd only been with her for fifteen minutes before he was summoned by Palpatine via a comlink call from Master Windu.
Anakin tried to push away his annoyance at Palpatine's interruption. After all, Palpatine was like a father figure to him. Besides Obi-Wan, he had been the first person to reach out to him when Anakin had first arrived at the Jedi Temple. Palpatine had offered him a helping hand and listening ear when Anakin had been nothing but overwhelmingly homesick and lonely, providing him kindness and compassion when nobody else in the Order could possibly understand Anakin's nostalgia and yearning for his mother's comfort.
Palpatine deserved nothing but kindness and gratitude from Anakin.
So, Anakin had departed for the Chancellor's office, promising Astrid he would see her later. Now, as he raised a hand to knock at Palpatine's office door, a raspy voice from within--Palpatine's voice-- said, "Come in, Anakin," as if he'd already sensed the Jedi outside.
Anakin swung open the door with a hand and spotted Palpatine seated at his desk upon a small platform, backdropped by the large window behind him that offered a brilliant view of Coruscant. The walls were crimson red, giving Anakin the impression of walking into the innards of an animal.
Palpatine, himself, was dressed in his formal, red senatorial attire, and a smile blossomed on his pale, wrinkled face as Anakin approached his desk. "Anakin, how good to see you," Palpatine greeted warmly as he beckoned towards the seat in front of his desk with a gnarled hand.
As Anakin sat down in the chair in front of Palpatine's desk, he gave the Chancellor a smile and replied, "I'm glad to be back. I've been fighting in the Outer Rim for months now."
He gave a small chuckle with a tired shake of his head, even though he hadn't truly minded being at the war front. He didn't mind the fighting, only the distance separating him from Astrid when they were forced away to fight.
"Yes, yes," Palpatine murmured with a nod, folding his wrinkled hands in front of him. "I heard General Katarn joined you in the Outer Rim just briefly two months ago." He paused before adding, "I had the chance to speak with her when she arrived back at Coruscant about a month ago. She seemed... quite unwell."
Anakin's brow furrowed at Palpatine's words, and he repeated with concern, "Unwell?"
Anakin hadn't noticed anything when he'd been with her just moments before, and she'd never mentioned anything to him either during their occasional holographic calls when they were both fighting in the Outer Rim.
"Oh, yes," Palpatine replied nonchalantly as he leaned back in his seat. He settled a stare on the young Jedi. "She seemed a bit faint." He gave Anakin an amused look as he added, "I insisted she visit the medical wing, and I believe she did. She appears to be fine now, which I am glad. We need all of the Jedi we can get for the war."
Anakin let out a breath and replied with forced calm, "Yes, I am glad General Katarn is better, as well."
Why hadn't she said anything? Anakin supposed it wasn't anything serious if she hadn't mentioned it to him. It must have been a passing cold or something. He forced away his concern and lingering worry.
There was a moment of silence before Palpatine inquired with paternal concern, "How are you faring, Anakin?"
Anakin gave Palpatine a reassuring smile as he replied, "I've never been better, Chancellor. I find the war suits me better."
"Better than?"
"Better than ordinary life," Anakin elaborated with a smile as he ducked his head bashfully. If the Council heard him utter such words, they would disapprove. It wasn't exactly Jedi-like to enjoy fighting. Anakin continued, "I suppose war is all I've ever known. I've been fighting-- or at least training to fight-- since I was nine years old."
Palpatine nodded sagely. "Indeed. It would only make sense that war would suit you. Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately for you, this war is about to be put to an end."
Anakin's head snapped up at the Chancellor's words, and he asked in surprised bewilderment, "The Clone Wars is about to end? How do you know?" He leaned forward eagerly in his seat, his back straight with attention.
Palpatine offered him a smile as he replied cheekily, "I just know it." He mimicked Anakin as he leaned forward in his seat, and he rested his gnarled, pale hands on the desk as he added, "The Republic has been winning for some time now, Anakin. The final blow is upon us."
Anakin was filled with a mixture of elation and disappointment at Palpatine's words. "Is there any idea on where the final battle may occur?" Anakin asked, fully intending to make sure he would be present at the final battle to end the Clone Wars.
Palpatine shook his head. "We do not know for certain, of course, but there has been talk that it may be in the Outer Rim."
That made sense to Anakin. The past two years had been spent trying to put an end to the Separatist's Outer Rim sieges to no avail. If Anakin had to guess, the final battle would be taking place on one of the Outer Rim planets under siege.
Palpatine began gently, "I do hope that you feel comfortable coming to me about anything that... displeases or conflicts you, Anakin. I want you to know that I am always here as a listening ear."
Anakin gave Palpatine a grateful smile as he replied, "Of course, Chancellor. You've been my closest friend, even more so than Obi-Wan, especially in light of recent events."
Of course, Anakin wasn't including Astrid in this contention. She was something else entirely to him.
"What has Obi-Wan Kenobi been doing to irk you?" Palpatine inquired pleasantly, eyes filled with mild curiosity and paternal concern.
Anakin ran a flustered hand through his air as he explained, "Obi-Wan hasn't been necessarily doing anything, but it's just-- it's just the way he is. He's constantly badgering me, and he scolds me like I'm still his Padawan." He shook his head in annoyance and disgust.
Palpatine nodded sympathetically and proffered, "Yes, that would be quite frustrating. It is simply unbelievable to me that the Jedi Council has not promoted you to Jedi Master. You did teach a Padawan, yourself." Anakin winced at the slight mention of Ahsoka, the familiar ache at the sound of her name pooling in his chest.
Palpatine continued, seemingly oblivious to Anakin's reaction to the mention of Ahsoka, "You would think Master Kenobi would recognize your talents and raw power in the Force, and advocate for you in the Council chambers." He gave a sad shake of his head. "If I were a part of the Jedi Council, I would've promoted you to Jedi Master two years ago."
Anakin smiled ruefully as he remarked, "Thank you, Chancellor. I am glad to have you as my friend."
Palpatine only smiled in response. He opened his mouth to say more, but suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Anakin twisted around in his seat to find Senator Mas Amedda enter the room with his gilded, gold staff in hand.
"Chancellor Palpatine, the next Senate session is about to begin," the senator informed Palpatine without a glance towards Anakin.
Palpatine nodded as he stood from his seat, and Anakin did the same, sensing their conversation was over. Palpatine's gaze landed on Anakin before he said, "I hope to talk to you again soon, Anakin."
"Of course," Anakin replied amiably.
He began walking towards the door, and Palpatine's voice sounded from behind him, "Tell Astrid Katarn I said hello."
Anakin's step faltered at Palpatine's words, and he stopped before glancing back at the Chancellor with a slight frown. Why would Palpatine say such a thing? Why would be bother bringing up Astrid-- and for the second time now? Was he hinting that he knew the extent of his and Astrid's relationship?
No, Anakin decided. He couldn't possibly know.
Maybe Palpatine was saying this because he knew him and Astrid were friends due to them both being Jedi.
Anakin forced a smile on his face before he dipped his head in acknowledgment to Palpatine's words. Palpatine gave him a slow smile, but Anakin was already turning away and striding out the room.
The horned, blue-skinned senator threw Anakin a vicious looking grin as he passed, and Anakin gave the senator a cursory glance as he sidestepped the senator on the way out the door. The tension left Anakin's body as he stepped into the white and grey colored hallways of the Senate building, a great contrast to the Chancellor's blood red office.
Upon remembering his promise to return swiftly to Astrid, Anakin quickened his step.
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This was bad. Oh, this was really, really bad.
It was actually a good thing Anakin had left when he did to see Chancellor Palpatine because Astrid had been beginning to feel nauseous, and now she'd been throwing up into a bucket off and on for the past thirty minutes in her room.
The nausea had never gotten this bad before. For the past month, Astrid had managed to conduct her Jedi duties relatively easily without feeling too sick, but she feared she was reaching the point of no return.
Not to mention it was only a matter of time before everyone knew. The news would be written all over her body soon enough. But not even Anakin knew yet, and Astrid still wasn't quite sure how to break the... fortunate, or was it unfortunate, news to him.
Astrid let out a low, miserable moan as she leaned her head against the side of the bed from where she was slumped on the ground, the bucket resting between her legs. Her forehead was slick with cold sweat.
How long had Anakin been gone?
It felt as if time had blurred in the time she'd been throwing up since he had left, so Astrid wasn't sure if Anakin had been gone for just two minutes or for an hour.
Suddenly, the door flung open, startling Astrid enough that she nearly tossed the bucket into the air, which wouldn't have been very good. She looked up from her spot on the floor to see Anakin stepping into the room, and he halted at the sight of her on the ground, face pale and sweaty with the bucket of vomit settled in her lap.
His eyes widened in surprise before he rushed towards her, and he crouched beside her as he asked, "Are you okay? You weren't like this when I left you earlier." His voice was slightly hysterical, rising in both volume and pitch with concern and alarm.
Astrid gave him a feeble nod and said, "Yeah, I'm okay. I think I just ate something bad, that's all. It should clear up soon."
His brow furrowed with concern, and he retorted with slight accusation in his voice, "Is this the same cold you had when you returned to Coruscant a month ago? Palpatine told me he saw you. He said you looked faint."
Astrid scrunched her nose up as she said defensively, "I-- I was fine!" She scrambled for words for a stronger defense, but she could only muster up, "Why would Chancellor Palpatine tell you that? How did that topic even enter the conversation?"
Anakin only shrugged before he answered, "He brought it up. Not me." He moved the bucket out of her lap as he suggested gently, "How about you rest on your bed? The floor doesn't look too comfortable."
Astrid allowed him to help her up to her feet and into the bed. She pressed her face into the cool pillow as he fretfully and gently draped a couple of sheets over her. A fresh wave of nausea passed over her, and she squeezed her eyes tightly against it.
Oh, she was in so much trouble.
Anakin must've noticed her grimace because suddenly the bucket was hovering just below her, and Astrid turned her head above it just in time to dry heave over it, all of the contents in her stomach long since emptied.
Anakin brushed her sweaty hair out of her face with gentle fingers as he murmured, "It's okay. Just let it all out." Astrid was too weak to tell him she'd already emptied it all out, and instead, she simply flopped back onto the bed, her eyes fluttering closed as she pressed a hand to her stomach.
She heard Anakin move away from the bed, and a moment later Astrid felt something wet and fabulously cold settle on her forehead. Her eyes drifted open to find Anakin arranging a wet cloth on her forehead.
"Thanks," she murmured.
He only nodded before prompting with giddy anticipation, "Guess what I heard?"
"What?" Astrid asked weakly with a tired smile at his obvious excitement.
Anakin pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat in it before leaning his arms on the edge of her bed with his head resting on the top of his hands. "Palpatine told me the end of the Clone Wars is approaching. He thinks the final battle will be in the Outer Rim."
His blue eyes were alight with excitement.
Astrid managed a smile. Two months ago, she would've been overjoyed at the prospect of fighting in the final battle, but now, the thought worried her. Because now she had two to worry about in a fight; her own life and--
"That's wonderful," Astrid replied as she smoothed Anakin's hair out of his eyes. His hair had gotten a little longer throughout the Clone Wars, and as a result, it was much wavier. She had to admit, he looked more handsome with the new hair.
Anakin propped his head up on his black gloved cybernetic hand and gazed down at her as he told her, "Obi-Wan needs me in Yerbana in the Outer Rim. Apparently he and the 212th clone legion are at a stalemate with the Separatist there." He ran a languid hand through Astrid's hair. "I have to leave tomorrow."
"Do you know how long you will be gone?" Astrid asked, fear gripping her heart in its icy grip at the prospect of Anakin being in danger's path.
Anakin shook his head regretfully. "No, but I will try to be back as soon as I can, my love." He grasped one of her hands in his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I bet you will be whisked away to an Outer Rim planet soon. The Jedi Order is placing all of their resources and energy on the Outer Rim sieges in preparation for the end of the Clone Wars."
Astrid nodded and popped a mint in her mouth as she said, "Master Secura is headed to Felucia in the Outer Rim now. She said she wants me to join her in a couple of days."
Astrid tried not to think of her vision she'd had two years ago that she'd never managed to forget. She realized now that one of her visions had taken place on the planet Felucia. In her vision, her and Master Secura had been shot down and killed by their own clone troopers. Astrid took an unsteady breath at the thought of the old vision, her hand drifting to her stomach once more.
It was impossible for her vision to be true. The Republic clone troopers would never turn on the Jedi. The Jedi commanded them, and the clones and the Jedi generals had formed a close bond to each other through the events of the Clone Wars.
Suddenly, Anakin's comlink began to beep urgently, startling them both, and Anakin dropped her hand as he straightened in his chair and glanced down at his wrist. He tapped the device with a finger, accepting the call, and a small, hooded holographic figure appeared above the comlink. Astrid's stomach dropped.
Obi-Wan.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan began pressingly, "I need you to leave now for Yerbana with the 501st."
Astrid recognized Yerbana as an Outer Rim planet, one of the planets under siege. Anakin's brow dipped into a frown, clearly unhappy at being called away so soon, but he nodded nonetheless. It was always duty first for the Jedi.
"Okay, I'm on my way," Anakin told Obi-Wan, rising to his feet.
Astrid sat up in the bed as she watched Anakin's face with a worried look. Her already roiling stomach squirmed with anxiety and fear, and her throat began to burn as her eyes pricked with unwanted tears.
"Good," Obi-Wan replied from the other end of the comlink. "I'll send you my exact coordinates. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you," Anakin echoed before Obi-Wan's hologram vanished. Anakin looked down at Astrid and noticed her worried look. His face softened as he knelt beside the bed and cupped her face in his hands.
"I'll be alright," he assured her. "We've done this a million times before, and every time we've been called away for fighting, we've both been fine."
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Astrid sank into him as she kissed him back, desperation tinging her movements. He lingered a moment longer before he broke away, his breathing slightly heavy, and he rose to his feet as he said, "I'll be back soon. I love you."
"I love you, too," Astrid replied quietly, voice wavering. She watched helplessly as he strode towards the door and slipped out of the room, leaving her for perhaps the last time.
At this last thought, Astrid's fear overcame her, and she broke down into tears as she buried her face into her hands, shoulders shaking with the force of her cries.
Oh, it was all too soon. Anakin was supposed to leave tomorrow. She was supposed to have another day to figure out how to tell him the news she so desperately needed to share. News he would probably be overjoyed-- or maybe not overjoyed-- to hear.
She was pregnant.
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Sorry for the long-ish wait! I decided to stick to canon in regards to the whole pregnant thing, so I hope you don't mind haha. I hope your week is going well!! As for me, I have been insanely busy.
--Paradise_Palms <3