Padmé and Anakin sat on the kitchen floor.

"Anakin...it's too early," Padmé murmurs, voice shaking. "I'm only 35 weeks. I can't go into labor."

"Do these contractions feel worse than the others?" he asks.

"...I think so," Padmé responds. "But every time it gets worse, and my water hasn't broken, so I'm not totally—" She's interrupted by another contraction. "...not totally sure."

"Padmé," Anakin says softly, not wanting to alarm her. "Do you want to head to the Emergency Room?"

"No," Padmé says. "I want to stay h-" She gasps as a contraction hits, momentarily taking her breath away.

Anakin lifts Padmé off of the ground, helping her to stand up. "I have to take you to the hospital," he tells her.

Padmé crosses her arms and says simply, "I wasn't planning to give birth at a hospital. I'm giving birth here - I planned that weeks ago."

Anakin frowns. "Absolutely not. That's too risky."

"Doctor Eni says I'm perfectly healthy," Padmé retorts.

"You just said you were going into labor too early. It's dangerous, Padmé," Anakin says sternly.

Padmé is about to respond when she has another contraction. She clutches onto Anakin's real hand desperately, holding it to her like a vice.

"...If you're squeezing my hand that hard, maybe the contractions are real?" Anakin winces.

"...it's too soon," Padmé whispers. "I'm scared, Ani. What happens if-?" Padmé trails off.

Anakin gives her hand a reassuring squeeze despite his own fear. "It's okay. We'll just go to a hospital and they can make sure you and the twins are okay."

Padmé slides her hand down to her tummy. The twins are uncharacteristically still. "...They're not moving. Anakin, they're not moving!"

Anakin pauses. "I can feel them through the Force. They're the same as always...still, we need to go."

Anakin picks up Padmé with ease, carrying her bridal style. "Do you have a bag you can take to the hospital?"

"I did, back on Coruscant." Padmé sniffs. "I'd have to check my closet and see what I have."

Anakin shakes his head. "I'll...send someone for your things. We need to get moving."

Padmé tries to protest, but her next contraction stops her. She makes her way to Anakin's side when he sets her down.

She tries to ask Anakin to help her, but she is too weak to suggest it. "...Ani...can you...?"

"I'm here," Anakin says, taking one of her hands. "Are you sure you're okay walking?"

Padmé nods, letting him lead her out of the apartment. "I'm sure," she replies. "You don't have to carry me."

Anakin raises an eyebrow. "You're barely standing."

"Then go as fast as you can." Padmé can barely speak. Her voice is quiet and weak, and she has to pause between each syllable.

Anakin's grip on her hand tightens. He pulls her up and then takes off with her in tow.

Padmé isn't entirely sure what planet they're on. When they make it to the landspeeder, she examines Anakin's face for a moment. She's used to seeing him piloting ships or fighting, so she can't bear to see the pain in his expression. "Are you okay?"

Anakin pauses. He foresaw her death during childbirth - and he has no idea how to stop it. He's filled with desperation. He needs to call Palpatine as soon as he has the chance. "...Don't worry about me, Padmé."

Padmé places a hand on his arm gently. "I'll be okay,"

Anakin's eyes tear up. He sniffles a bit, and then he bites his lip.

"I had a vision," he whispers. "I saw it all play out, over and over, with every choice we've made since I started to...worry." Anakin pauses, swallowing down another lump forming in his throat. "I don't know how to stop it. I let my mother die...and now I'm about to let the same thing happen to you."

Anakin falls silent as soon as the words leave his mouth. He resists the urge to slam his foot on the accelerator.

Padmé doesn't say anything at first. She'd kept reminding him that the pregnancy was within the bounds of ordinary, but he didn't care. She could tell that he was worried - but it wasn't about the babies.

"You don't know that. It was only a dream." She tries to remain calm, but her voice is shaking.

"They're my children, Padmé! What if my vision comes true? I can't just sit back and see what happens." Anakin stops himself, realizing what he's said. He wasn't going to tell her what he had seen. He couldn't.

"We'll keep them safe. I know we can," Padmé says softly.

Anakin sighs. "I don't know that, I can't do anything," he admits. "I can't undo what I've seen."

Padmé groans in pain as another contraction hits, making Anakin grow more alarmed. "...How much longer 'til we get to the hospital?" Padmé asks breathlessly.

"Just a few minutes. Just...remember to breathe, okay?" Anakin responds.

They arrive at a back entrance to the hospital, and Padmé is quickly whisked away to a private room.

Padmé is examined quickly - Anakin leaves for a few minutes. He takes his commlink with him.

"Ah, Lord Vader. How nice of you to finally respond to me on your own time," Palpatine hisses.

"Padmé is in labor. I expect you to tell me how to prevent her from dying," Anakin sneers, tone hard as durasteel.

Palpatine's hologram offers a dark chuckle. "Perhaps it was nothing more than a dream. Didn't the Jedi ever teach you to take your visions with a grain of salt?"

"Tell me now, old man! Tell me now! How can I stop this?" Anakin yells.

"You're more stupid than you look, boy," Palpatine growls. "I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually... as riveting as this conversation is, I have more pressing matters on my mind."

"You can't do this to me! I'll kill you, you bastard!" Anakin shouts.

Palpatine laughs and gives Skywalker a wry smile. "I'd like to see you try. You're a failure." He ends the transmission.

Indignant from Palpatine's indifference, Anakin storms past several guards, slamming the first door in his path. Numbly, he finds himself in a completely deserted hallway.

He cries out in frustration before bowing his head and placing his forehead against the door.

"I can't lose you, Padmé," Anakin whispers, feeling his stomach burn with acid as he starts to hyperventilate.

Anakin falls to his knees as he lifts his arms to the ceiling, desperately begging for answers.

The Force is silent. He can't feel anything - there is nothing but the emptiness.

After a few moments, he summons the energy to make his way back to Padmé. He reenters the room and can't help but feel sorrow. His normally soft Padmé has turned completely icy, and a veil of unhappiness is now draped over her.

"Hey," Anakin says. "How are you feeling?"

"...I don't know," Padmé whispers. "They're going to give me tocolytics."

Anakin lets a flicker of fear show. "What does that mean?" he asks.

"They said...it means that they'll delay my labor so the twins can get antenatal corticosteroids to speed up their lung development," Padmé responds.

Anakin shifts uncomfortably. "Do they know when labor will happen?"

Padmé places a hand on her belly. "At some point tomorrow, I think."

"A nurse is on their way to give you your tocolytics and ACs," Doctor Eni says curtly, before leaving the room. "I'll be back to check on you soon."

"Ani," she says. "I..."

Anakin smiles in an attempt to be reassuring, but his brow furrows. "What do you need?"

"Water?" Padmé submits. "Could you grab me some water?"

Anakin hesitates but then turns to go get it for her. He makes it just a few steps when Padmé groans in pain.

Anakin's eyes widen and he goes to Padmé in a rush.

She waves him away, attempting to speak through her contraction. ".... 'M fine," she says. "'M fine."

Anakin frowns. "P... Padmé... you're not very..."

Padmé's expression darkens and she brushes him off with a look. "I said I'm fine. Get the water," she growls with a frown, still trying to go through her contraction.

Nonplussed, Anakin leaves her there and returns with the water. "Here," he provides with another worried frown.

"Thank you, Ani," she says, taking the glass.

Anakin watches her for a moment, unsure of how to comfort her. "H...how are you doing?"

"You asked me that already," she says before taking a sip.

"Well... are you... okay?" Anakin tries to find the right words.

Padmé looks down at her hands, which are wrapped around the bottle. She tips it back and drains the contents in a single gulp. "I... don't know, Ani," she whispers. "I have a lot on my mind. It's just... really hard for me to think about anything else."

Anakin moves in close to her, his stomach churning with regret. "Don't worry about it. The twins are getting the best we can give them."

Padmé bites her lip, trying to force another contraction to pass faster.

"Breathe, Padmé," Anakin says gently, "The contractions will be over in a minute when the nurse comes."

Padmé groans, trying to focus on something other than the pain. "Do you...do you look at me like that because you t-think I'm pretty or something?" She breathes.

"I'm looking at you like that because you're healthy, and because I'm looking at the mother of my children," he responds.

"Oh," she responds, relaxing a bit. "I could get used to you looking at me like that."

"Good," Anakin responds.

Padmé nods, searching for a new topic. "Hey," she says, her voice wavering only the slightest bit, "I've been thinking...Well, actually, I can't decide on names. What do you think about Luke for a boy?"

Anakin doesn't get a chance to respond before the nurse comes in.

She gives Padmé the medication, and after she leaves Anakin and Padmé sit in silence. He doesn't have an opinion on names. Names didn't matter. Anakin wraps an arm around Padmé.

"Luke..." Anakin whispers to himself. "Luke. I like that."

Doctor Eni returns shortly after, and she takes a step to the side to look at the monitors. "Well," she says, "your contractions are slowing."

"Can you do anything?" Anakin asks, looking over the doctor's shoulder to the readouts.

"For the time being, no. We'll give the tocolytics a little time to work, so for the time being I recommend resting as much as you can," the doctor responds before setting a datapad down on a nearby table. "I'm going to have one of the nurses bring in some food for you. If you throw up, you have to tell us immediately, okay? We don't want you aspirating on your own vomit," Doctor Eni warns.

Padmé nods. "I will, thank you," she says, then let out a short, worried breath. "What happens if the contractions don't slow?"

Doctor Eni sighs. "Well, first we'll do a serial ultrasound, to make sure the cervix isn't dilating. But, the contractions should slow. We'll be checking on you every so often. You've already been administered your ACs, so again, your job is to just rest for now."

Padmé gives the doctor a weak smile. "I think I can manage that."

The doctor nods before departing the room.

Anakin sits down next to Padmé, taking her hand. "Let's talk about the twins. What name would you pick if we're having a girl?"

"Hmm...Luke and..." She trails off. "Luke...and...Leia?"

"Leia," Anakin echoes, testing it on his tongue. "Leia...Luke and Leia. I like it."

Padmé smiles. "I like it too."

Anakin's smile broadens. "And a boy and girl." He chuckles. "Imagine that."

Padmé smiles, but it's a cold, bitter smile.

Anakin frowns. "What's wrong?" he asks.

Padmé bites her lip. "Nothing..."

Anakin picks up her hand in his, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. "It's not nothing. Tell me, Padmé," he says.

Padmé sucks in a breath. "Ani... What happens... to Luke and Leia if something goes wrong? There's a million things that could go wrong, and they'll probably have to spend time in the NICU, and-"

Anakin interrupts her. "Okay, okay. Slow down, we can talk about this in detail."

Padmé studies Anakin. "We're having twins, Ani. There's two of them. Two. Two babies! What happens if they get sick? Or what happens if..." She stops herself, feeling tearful, "What happens if they don't make it?"

Anakin squeezes her hand. "Hey," he whispers, "it's okay, it's okay. I'm here, it's okay, Padmé."

A nurse comes in with Padmé's food, which consists of a watery soup, crackers, and a cup of juice.

Anakin watches Padmé carefully as the nurse sets the tray down on the bed stand. "Carefully," the nurse warns before leaving the room. "Don't put too much in your stomach."

Padmé grabs the soup with shaking hands. "Thank you," she says weakly.

Padmé picks at her soup quietly, playfully throwing an extra cracker to Anakin, who catches it and munches on it.

He smiles slightly despite his inner turmoil. He wants his children to be healthy. That's the only thing they need to be.

He can only pray that everything will turn out alright. That his little family will be safe and healthy, and, most of all, together.

He looks over at Padmé and can see she's already planning everything out. What they'll do if the kids were boys or girls; what they'd name them.

In response, Anakin recalls his own worries. How angry he was at the Jedi for violent and short-sighted political moves, and how frustrated he was with Padmé, who was so against what an idealistic Anakin thought to be the right thing.

Anakin sighed. "Can I tell you something, Padmé?" Anakin says, breaking the silence between them.

Padmé nods.

"...No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you. I promise you."

Padmé smiles. "I know, Ani."

"I love you," Anakin says, running his fingers through her hair.

She kisses him on the cheek. "I love you too."

The next morning, Padmé is getting checked on by Doctor Eni. Meanwhile, Anakin was in the cafeteria, getting himself something to eat.

"...Lady Vader, I have to ask," Doctor Eni speaks up, taking a deep breath. "Do you feel safe at home? I'm in no place to judge but, I'm a bit worried about that bruise on your neck."

Padmé's heart races. "...Of course I do," she says, her voice shaky.

Doctor Eni's concerned look does not fade.

"Well, even if I didn't, it's not worth losing your job, or something worse over. Please, I promise you I'm fine," Padmé pleads, a note of desperation in her voice.

"Of course, my lady. It's standard policy to ask everyone, so I had to make sure," Doctor Eni replies diplomatically.

"Well, Anakin isn't-" Padmé is cut off when Anakin opens the door.

Doctor Eni excuses herself after she finishes examining Padmé.

With the couple now alone, Padmé fidgets uncomfortably. Anakin stares at her, an odd look on his face.

"You were talking about me," Anakin states. It's not a question, he simply stated it as a fact.

"What gave you that idea?" Padmé replies, struggling to keep her voice even.

"Stop lying to me," Anakin says lowly. "I heard you say my name. What did you tell her?"

Padmé swallows, her throat dry. "...She asked me if I felt safe at home and I told her I did - because I do, of course."

Anakin hums in response.

In an attempt to deflect the conversation to something else, Padmé muses, "So I wonder when I'll go into labor. I'm guessing tonight at the earliest."

Wordlessly, Anakin gets up.

"...Where are you going?" Padmé asks.

Anakin pauses. "I need some fresh air," he says simply.

Padmé bites her lip, feeling conflicted.

What did she do wrong?

Padmé picks at her dinner, watching a medical droid draw blood.

"Excuse me," Padmé says. "...What planet are we on?"

"I am not authorized to tell you, Lady Vader."

Padmé frowns. "I don't understand."

"You are not authorized to know," the droid replies simply, shuffling out of the room.

A few moments later, Anakin returns.

"Where have you been?" Padmé asks.

"I needed to take a walk, okay? I'm here now, aren't I?"

Padmé eyes him carefully. "Yes, but-"

"But what?" Anakin interjects.

"...Nothing," Padmé mumbles.

Minutes pass, when Padmé finally decides to change the subject.

"So, this is my last meal til after I give birth, probably. Since I'm high risk for a C-Section."

Anakin hums.

"Which is a shame, because I'm still hungry," Padmé adds with a laugh.

Anakin does not respond, looking out the window.

"You know, you could at least pretend to care, Anakin."

Anakin glares at her.

"Sorry," she says quickly, hands folded in her lap.

He simply scoffs at her.

"You have to push soon, Lady Vader. You're just about fully dilated!" Doctor Eni chimes in.

"I can't...Anakin, I can't do it!" Padmé shrieks.

"You can do it, Padmé. I know you can...Just breathe. Please."

Padmé shakes her head rapidly, sweat pouring down her brow. "I can't," she repeats, panting.

A painful contraction strikes, causing Padmé to scream.

"Padmé, I'm right here." Anakin clasps her hand. "Keep breathing."

"You really need to push, my lady. We need to get the head out."

"It hurts," Padmé says weakly.

"I know, but you need to push," Doctor Eni states, calmly.

"N-no." Padmé pants. "I can't."

"It's no use, my lady. You have to push, sooner or later."

"But I can't. I can't do it," Padmé says desperately. Another contraction rips through her, making her yell out in pain.

"The head will have to come out," Doctor Eni says with resignation.

"I can't do this, Anakin."

"I'm not leaving you, Padmé. I'm staying with you. I'm right here, I promise."

"I don't want you to leave," Padmé cries, reaching for his arms. "Anakin, I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes, you can. I promise I won't leave you unless you tell me it's okay." Anakin kisses her forehead. "We'll be seeing our babies soon."

Padmé offers him a weak smile.

The doctor looks between the two and nods. "When the next contraction comes, push."

"I don't know if I can do it," Padmé says, shaking her head.

"You can do it, Padmé," Anakin encourages. "You're a force to be reckoned with."

"Okay, ready?" Doctor Eni asks.

Anakin squeezes her hand. "You can do it, Padmé. I'm right here."

Padmé nods. "Okay," she says softly.

"Anytime now." Doctor Eni says.

Padmé closes her eyes and breathes deep and steady.

"Here it comes..." Doctor Eni says.

Padmé cries out and tries to push. She clenches her jaw and groans as she strains with all her might.

"Almost there. You're almost there," Doctor Eni encourages.

"Can you see the head?" Anakin asks.

"Just a little bit longer." Doctor Eni says.

"Almost done, Padmé. Just a little bit longer," Anakin murmurs.

Padmé growls in anguish. She pushes and pushes, straining with all of her might.

"That's it. You're almost there," Doctor Eni says encouragingly. "One more time, my lady..."

"I can't," Padmé cries. "I can't."

"Yes you can, Padmé. Just breathe," Anakin says, his voice firm and confident.

Padmé clenches her jaw and bears down with all of her might. Her face contorts in pain, her eyes narrowed to slits. Doctor Eni leans in and nudges the baby's head to help it through. A muffled cry comes from the baby.

"...You did it, my Lady." Doctor Eni winks.

Doctor Eni gently lifts the tiny, squirming baby boy into a swaddling blanket. "It's a boy," she announces, hearty.

"A boy," Padmé whispers. "Luke."

Luke is placed in her arms, his cries stop to a halt and Padmé smiles at him tiredly, then winces as another wave of pain washes over her. Anakin presses a soft kiss to her forehead.

"You did it, my lady. You did so well. The next one will be easier, I promise," Doctor Eni assures.

"I'm happy he's here, Ani. I'm so happy," Padmé says, looking up at him. "He looks like you." She gently hands Luke over to Anakin as she prepares to push again.

Anakin takes the squirming newborn in his arms. "You did so well."

Padmé grunts and bears down with all of her might, but her second baby refuses to budge.

"Push for me, my Lady," Doctor Eni says. "You can do it. You have to do it now."

Frustrated tears fall from Padmé's eyes as she looks at Anakin.

Doctor Eni looks worriedly at Padmé, whose face has gone pale, then grunts as she pushes once more. "...I can't do this again," Padmé says weakly.

"You can do it, Padmé," Anakin reassures her. He gently strokes her hair and kisses her temple. "You have to push. I promise you can do it."

No more words are spoken between them as they wait for the next contraction to begin.

Doctor Eni looks on with a worried frown, then nods as it begins.

"I can't," Padmé says softly as the contraction comes to a halt. She shakes her head. "I don't think I have it in me to do it again." She's never felt weaker in her life.

"Yes you do, my lady," Doctor Eni says gently. "You have to just try...for the baby..."

Padmé nods weakly. "Okay...I'll try." She puts her hand on her stomach and takes deep breaths as the contraction comes to a halt.

"Breathe in...and out again..."

Padmé grunts loudly and bears down once more.

"I can see the head," Doctor Eni says encouragingly. "Just a couple more pushes."

Padmé cries out and strains to push one last time, feeling the energy drain from her body with the push. She sinks backward, completely spent.

This time, as the contraction comes to a halt, a baby girl is cradled in the doctor's hands.

The cry of a baby brings Padmé away from the edge of unconsciousness, an instinctual reaction. Her eyes fly open, a brief burst of renewed energy flowing through her.

"It's a girl!" Doctor Eni says cheerfully.

"...Leia," Padmé whispers as Leia is placed on her chest. She presses a gentle kiss to Leia's head.

Doctor Eni smiles. "A beautiful baby girl, my lady."

Anakin whispers in Padmé's ear with a tender smile as Leia is bundled and handed off to the nurse.

"You did so well," Anakin says, Luke still in his arms, kissing her gently. "I'm so proud of you."

Later, Anakin is walking back to Padmé's room after visiting the twins in the NICU.

He doesn't notice anything is amiss until he gets a chill up his spine.

"...M-Master. You're here."

"...Genius," the tyrant hisses. "Always so sure that the Force knows what you want, and always so wrong."

Anakin's face changes immediately. He stands, looking Palpatine in the eye. The pure animosity emanating off of Anakin is almost palpable.

Anakin frowns deeply. "What do you mean, Force knows what I want?"

Palpatine laughs. "That is exactly what I mean, Anakin. The Force certainly seemed to know what you wanted, as you murdered the Tuskens. As you murdered the Jedi on Coruscant. As you murdered so many innocents on Kuat." Palpatine's voice is cold and precise. "You are the most talented apprentice I have ever seen. But the Force has finally forsaken you. You are too lost to know what you want, Anakin."

Anakin's expression falls. "...I have been distracted lately, but I don't...don't think-"

Palpatine stops him with a swift zap of lightning, only a few seconds but enough to stun Anakin. "You don't think, Anakin. Consequences are not of your concern, only results. That's why you fail, and that is why you are lost. You can't even be bothered to listen to my teachings."

Palpatine zaps him again. The pain seems to be instant, and Anakin falls to his knees, arms splayed out in front of him. He looks up at Palpatine, drool spouting from the corner of his mouth.

"If you don't learn to rein in the Force...you'll fail. You will fail not only me, but your wife, your children, and the Galaxy at large. You need to harness your power properly. And...for motivation's sake, if you don't figure out how to control yourself, I'll be overseeing your children's training myself, considering how much of a failure you are."

Palpatine blasts Anakin again, and Anakin collapses on the ground.

"Consider that for now. I'll be reaching out to you soon, and this time you'd better answer." Palpatine says. Anakin is on his knees, facing Palpatine.

Palpatine pauses.

"Your children are quite strong in the force already," Palpatine says, facing the door. "Do send my congratulations to your dear wife."