Saga How to Save a Life (Obi-Wan/Padme/Vader/Bail short story) (Post-RotS AU) UPDATED 10/30!!!

Up?

Also - am looking for a beta. Hit me up if you're interested.

-Krystal

 

Ack! How did I miss this, Master-of-mine?

A excellent story so far. That dream of Padme's was very vivid, and chilling. The little insights into her mind were fascinating as well. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've read a story starring her, but I must say you're doing a fine job! My favorite bit:

Padmé did not hold stupid ideals about love anymore. She did not think a kiss could heal a cut, or make things better. Love did not conquer all, or save people from death. Love was not cause for miracles.

But it?s worth fighting for. It?s worth dying for.

And Padmé would fight to save her children, because she loved them, and she?d fight to save Obi-Wan, wherever he was, because she loved him.

And Anakin, Padmé still loved. If she could get past that darkness in him, that Darth Vader ? maybe she could get her Anakin back.

I'd offer to beta, but my forte is more spelling and grammatical stuff than plot. Still, if you need somebody, I'd be happy to help! Great job, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Could you add me to the PM list, please? Thanks!

~Your Padawan

 

Wow-- your insight into Padme's thoughts is really stunning. I loved the image of how she thought she needed to protect Anakin, and how she ran around writing Amidala on things. She is such a strong character, really and truly, and I adore how you've managed to tie all her strength into Anakin's faults and show how they have become both strengths and weaknesses at the same time. Such an amazing way of treating that paradox. The description of this entire thing was just gorgeous as always, KB--really, truly, I love seeing Padme in this way. I had no idea that you wrote Padme, but my goodness, I love it that you do!

Much , KB--this is just breathtaking.

*baby bump and scurry*

 

Ooooh this is a good one. I'm a little confused on the last chapter-did she try to seduce Obi-Wan because she had feelings for Obi-Wan, or because she had gone mad and thought it was Anakin? Too bad Vader had to find them at just that time! It backs up all his prior suspicions..

And I think Obi-Wan fouled up with those Force suggestions; maybe that was how Vader sensed and found them.

If you need a beta let me know. Great job, please add me to the PM list!

 

Sorry I didn't get here earlier!

Great update; very nice insight into Padme's thoughts.

 

Brilliant. I loved the way you got into Padme's head. The way she did everything fiercely, and the way she scribbled her name on everything - it's exactly how a person who's been elected into royalty would behave. Wonderful.

Can't wait for more, though.

Psst: Any chance of your updating the other one??

 

Ohhhhhhhh very interesting story! I hope you will update it soon.

As for the betareader, I could help you to brainstorm, check the plot, see if the characters are in character etc. but not with the grammar, because, being not English-speaking-born I still committ my good share of mistakes...Anyway I am here if you need me.

 

Padme's dream was fantastic. I hope she can find the Ani in Vader...

 

IM me with updates please

 

Apologies for skipping last week's update. It was terribly busy for me in the best way, but I didn't get a chance. I hope I haven't lost any of you, and thank you for reading.

Starrie: Hey, Padawan! Thank you for reading and I'm glad you're liking Padme. It's a first for both of us, you reading and me writing her. I shall also let you know if I need help and thank you for the offer!

Luna: Hello dearest. You always make me . Keep doing it. I love getting reviews from you, Luna, they're always a joy.

ROTSfan: Hi! 'm a little confused on the last chapter-did she try to seduce Obi-Wan because she had feelings for Obi-Wan, or because she had gone mad and thought it was Anakin? All shall be revealed in due time, dear reader. Must keep some facade of mystery - don't know who I would be without it! Thank you ever so much for your kind words and readership!

Alley_Skywalker: Thank you so much!

P_A: Welcome and thanks for coming! I love seeing you in my stories. I'm glad you liked the way Padme acted - it's a challenge getting her down becuase I've never done her before. As for the other... eh. Maybe.

Lincoln_6_Echo: Thank you for reading and the generous offer! If I need you I'll let you know for sure.

Anakin_Panda: Hello and thank you for reading!

Darth_Drachonus: I don't do PM updates but thank you for asking and reading.

Next post in a few minutes!

-Krystal

 

Chapter Three

[Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness]

The view of the sun coming over the Daski Mountains was beautiful from the palace. It always took Bail?s breath away when he was in rooms, standing on the balcony right as the sun rose. It amazed him at this natural beauty, at this thing that wasn?t man-made. It never failed to stun him, and it always made his mornings more alive, much more alive than went he went to the Empire Center and began his workday.

Breha came up behind him, wrapping arms around his waist and standing on her toes to put her chin on his shoulder. He leant into her embrace, nuzzling her cheek with his own and gripping her hands around him. She always smelled like flowers, not one, but all of the ones they grew in the garden out back. She was there whenever she could get away, tending to them and helping the gardeners.

It gave her peace, and Bail was thankful for anything that let his wife live easier these days. The healer had told them two years at the most, sorry. Two years in which to live the rest of their lives and try to fit another lifetime into. If he wasn?t called away to Coruscant all the time, he?d never leave her sight. If he didn?t have to go to the Empire Center everyday, he?d be with her.

?It?s beautiful,? she said, the same thing she said every morning she found him standing out here.

?It?s alive,? he whispered against her cheek.

?We?re alive,? she reminded him, a playful giggle on her lips. ?And don?t forget it.?

At that, he turned in her arms, taking her in his, kissing her softly on the lips in the coming dawn. He could have stood that way forever, not even kissing her, just knowing she was safe and near in the gorgeous light show. They kissed for a bit, slowly, passionately and with familiarity, the way married couples do. Bail had heard people scoff at the idea of kissing one person forever, but he thought perhaps it was the greatest gift imaginable, to be able to know another person so well, their mind and thought and body so completely you kissed with enough familiarity to make it passion.

His greatest joy was to kiss Breha like this, with no sexual thoughts, or roaming hands. He loved kissing her in that slow way, the way that made him feel home, loved and warm in this galaxy that no longer made him feel as such. She was his anchor, his guide and lifemate.

Bail loved her without abandon.

Sighing at last, she pushed him away from her. ?Get going,? she reprimanded. ?You?re going to be late.?

He groaned at her, but obliged and went back to his closet, where he put on layers of robes for his day. There was a meeting with the senator from Textri, and reports to be filed. The Emperor would be coming soon to give his bi-annual inspection, and of course would bring his lapdog Vader. That would be fun, Bail reflected with purse lips.

And tonight ? tonight he would meet the senator from Chandrila, Mon Mothma again.

It was getting time to put their grand plan into motion.

Breha kissed him on the way out, but he couldn?t linger.

---

[i]It was all over the news.

Emperor Palpatine dead ? Vader in command!

Vader in full command!

Dawn of a new Empire!

Palpatine dead?[/i]

The headlines kept streaming in.

Bail stood with the rest of his staff in the lobby area, the HoloNet the only audible sound. The news ticker at the bottom had turned monotone, its blinking letters saying only one thing, over and over, reiterating everything the news anchor was saying.

[i]Lord Vader in command?[/i]

Over and over.

After what seemed an eternity at the screen, Bail finally stumbled away and back to his office. His staff didn?t seem to catch the cue; all stayed listening to the report, as they had been for the past hour or so. Bail didn?t really mind and couldn?t blame them. Besides, he had other matters to attend to as well as thoughts that needed to get out of his head before he could press forward in the day.

He had messages; thank the Force that his secretary Char

 

Hmmm...this is deffinetely interesting. I'm starting to wonder about some things

Great job Update soon!

 

At that, he turned in her arms, taking her in his, kissing her softly on the lips in the coming dawn. He could have stood that way forever, not even kissing her, just knowing she was safe and near in the gorgeous light show. They kissed for a bit, slowly, passionately and with familiarity, the way married couples do. Bail had heard people scoff at the idea of kissing one person forever, but he thought perhaps it was the greatest gift imaginable, to be able to know another person so well, their mind and thought and body so completely you kissed with enough familiarity to make it passion.

His greatest joy was to kiss Breha like this, with no sexual thoughts, or roaming hands. He loved kissing her in that slow way, the way that made him feel home, loved and warm in this galaxy that no longer made him feel as such. She was his anchor, his guide and lifemate.

Bail loved her without abandon.

That was really sweet.

That security officer sounds a lot like Anakin, you know - blond, blue-eyed, scarred...just saying.

 

What an amazing update!

First of all, the romance between Bail and Breha is beautiful. Familiarity as becoming passion and passion becoming familiarity is a wonderful description. Very beautiful to describe exactly what they are to each other. I love how tenderly they treat each other.

Your delicate treatment of Palpatine's death, the arrival of an Imperial official, and Bail's treatment on Alderaan was masterful. I could feel it exactly as an Empire-age event with Republic flavor. It is very, very realistic the entire way through. I especially like Bail speaking with Mon--I was quite pleased to see Mon appear.

But you know who I'm more pleased about?

Yup. Daravan showed up! And I know who he iiiiiiis, I know who he iiiiis.



Much , KB. Absolutely fantastic. I can't wait for more!

 

I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your story so far. I look forward to your next update.

 

Great update and wicked cliffy. I'm wondering who that last surviving Jedi on that planet may be....

Nice to see some time between Breha and Bail. So sad that the love of his life is slowly dying.

I can only guess that Vader took over the Empire because he found Padme and figured it was finally time. Hate to say it, but I think it could only get better under Vader's rule with the influence of Padme (it's not like it could get worse than Palpatine! )

Somehow I didn't get this update

Please put me on the PM list

 

Again, I'm terrible at updating on time. It always gets away from me!

Alley_Skywalker: Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy the next update.

Valairy_Scot: Hmm... never thought about Daravan being like Anakin but I see the resemblance now. Thank you for bringing that to mind! It suddenly adds a whole different dimension for him to me now.

Luna: Your delicate treatment of Palpatine's death, the arrival of an Imperial official, and Bail's treatment on Alderaan was masterful. I could feel it exactly as an Empire-age event with Republic flavor. It is very, very realistic the entire way through. I especially like Bail speaking with Mon--I was quite pleased to see Mon appear.

Thank you so much! Handling the events of Palpatine's death is one of the hardest things for me to write and I'm glad you think it's being done well. I've always been fascinated with the immediate post-RotS atmosphere and I'm glad someone thinks I'm doing it right.

But you know who I'm more pleased about?

Yup. Daravan showed up! And I know who he iiiiiiis, I know who he iiiiis.

Yes you do! And I hope you're ready to see a whole lot more of him.

Kitten: Thank you so much for reading!

ROTSFan: Nice to see some time between Breha and Bail. So sad that the love of his life is slowly dying. <-- Thank you.

I can only guess that Vader took over the Empire because he found Padme and figured it was finally time. Hate to say it, but I think it could only get better under Vader's rule with the influence of Padme (it's not like it could get worse than Palpatine!


Mayhaps... thank you very much for reading!

Next update in a few minutes!

-Krystal

 

Chapter Four

[And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life.]

Padmé, please.

Obi-Wan found himself unable to speak as he stared down at the woman his Padawan had loved. Her beautiful face was ceased into a line, eyes wide and in agony. She had not yet started pushing, yet already she was whimpering and laboring under the heavy contractions of the two children nestled inside her. He wanted to whisper words of comfort that could somehow ease her pain, but it was all overcome by the torrid emotion inside him that begged her to live.

?Padmé,? he managed to get out.

Her wild eyes found his, and she tried to press a smile. ?Obi-Wan.?

?Padmé, you must be strong!? he pleaded with her. ?Padmé, don?t give up.?

She shook her head, eyes now steadfastly miserable. ?Obi-Wan? Luke if it?s a boy. Leia if it?s a girl. Please, Obi-Wan.?

He glared at the medical droid. Had no one told her? What if there were two girls, or two boys? He opened his mouth to let her know, but she let out a groan of pain that wiped the thought from his mind. He took her hand, and she squeezed it with enough strength to make him think she had Force-enhanced powers. For a while, the only sound was her labored breathing and the whirl of the medical droid at her feet.

?Don?t give up,? he told her again. ?Padmé, you have twins to live for.?

Her eyes grew wider in shock. ?Tw- twins??

He smiled gently at her. ?Yes, Padmé, two babies.?

Beautiful brown eyes disappeared behind dark lashes, and two tears raced down her cheeks. Obi-Wan wiped them away with his knuckle, caressing her sweaty cheek. Here was former Queen Amidala of Naboo, recent Senator, Padmé Naberrie Skywalker, dying?

Of a broken heart.

The words seared through Obi-Wan?s mind, and he frowned suddenly at Padmé. He didn?t know where the words had come from, or why, but he didn?t doubt the truth behind them. He closed his eyes, searching Padmé?s body for any signs of stress other than the labor. What he found didn?t surprise him: she was completely healthy, the picture of health for a woman carrying twins who had been almost choked to death. Her body, heart rate, breathing ? it was all fine, completely fine.

?Padmé,? he said sharply. ?You?re not dying.?

Her eyes fluttered at him. ?I? Anakin??

?Focus, Senator,? said Obi-Wan. ?You are about to give births to twins. These are Anakin?s children, Padmé. These are your children! You must live.?

?But?Anakin??

?Padmé!? he exclaimed. ?Do you want your children to grow up without a mother??

Tears started falling and suddenly she cried out in pain.

?Baby,? the medical droid said. ?Baby coming.?

She was squeezing his hand again, so very hard. Her face was scrunched up in pain, and the whimpers grew louder until she was crying out. All he could do was squeeze back and watch helplessly as Padmé began the miracle of life, pushing the babies out from inside her. If he hadn?t been so schooled in tenacity, he would have left then, because seeing her in so much pain was almost too much for him to bear.

?Padmé,? he murmured to deaf ears, for her cries far out sounded him.

The next half hour contained an eternity as Padmé was told with increasing frustration she had to push. Her grip was staggering, her cries heartbreaking.

?You can do it,? he encouraged. ?Just keep pushing.?

And then, without fanfare, a child appeared in the medical droid?s claws. The droid cleaned the baby up, wrapped it in a blanket and gave it to Obi-Wan with a reassuring beep and the sign for ?male?.

Obi-Wan smiled down at him, holding him close to him, feeling the small heartbeat and awed by this power that was in his arms. He turned around, and lowered the baby to Padmé. ?It?s a boy.?

?Luke!? she cried, reaching a hand to trace a circle on her son?s cheek. A smile broke out on her face. ?Oh, Luke, my darling.?

She suddenly gasped, and cried out again. Obi-Wan stepped away and laid the still silent baby into the already prepared crib, then with a sig

 

That was a good chapter, well written! Do you have a PM list or should I just add it to my favorites list?

She shook her head stubbornly, and Vader said no more. He was not a patient man but for her he would be. Until she was able to accept him now that they were finally together again. He?d committed acts he knew she did not agree with. He accepted that; he loved her all the more for the strong convictions that were etched into her soul. But, he knew, she would forgive him, and forget. She?d forgive him.

?Lord Vader,? she spoke to him. ?I request the presence of my husband, Anakin Skywalker. I have no doubt that you have him, and I assure you anything we say to each other you can watch.?

Lord Vader?s eyes widened and he stopped a small step back before straightening. She stared at him resolutely, completely still now except for the small rise and fall of her chest. She narrowed her eyes at him when he didn?t move after a minute and began to impatiently tap her foot on the wood floor. What was so wrong with this man that he could not process this request? She did not think it a strange request ? there was nothing to be gained now by keeping the two of them apart. Lord Vader was in complete command now.

Really wierd "reunion" between Ani/Vader and Padme/Amidala. He must think she's going nuts, and I can't really blame him! I don't understand exactly whether he's partially, or fully disfigured (as in burned, scarred etc), or why his eyes are yellow when he's not angry and talking to her. What can I say, she drives a hard bargain (for getting her husband back), and that's good for him!

Glad that Obi-Wan talked the sense into her when she was giving birth and talked her out of dying. Maybe if that approach was taken in canon she wouldn't have died...

 

I love this story. Padme has so much strength!!!

I have a feeling that she will eventually get through to him.
It's too bad that you don't do pm's because I don't want to miss this.

 

Great story ! Your writing of Padme is to say the least unique and intriguing.One moment she seems to have lost her mind and when she is face to face with Vader she is strong,angry yet seemingly poised.I cannot wait to see what her battle plan is for getting Anakin to return. Please add me to your PM list and update soon

 

Well, well, well...Padme is deep deep deep in denial as it seems. Interesting psycological thing you have going on here.

Can't wait to read more!

 

Up!

I miss this

 

Missing the story. Is the muse dead?

 

It's that time again! I can't believe I've got this long without updating. I do truly apologize for it - I have been writing ever so slowly on this fic, bit by bit. I do hope to get back into the mood for writing, and it seems to be coming along just fine. I hope you don't hate me too much for taking so long.

ROTSfan: Thank you ever so much for your dedication to this little ficlet! It makes me happy that someone wants to read it as much as you. I truly thank you for enjoying.
I don't understand exactly whether he's partially, or fully disfigured (as in burned, scarred etc), or why his eyes are yellow when he's not angry and talking to her. What can I say, she drives a hard bargain (for getting her husband back), and that's good for him!

All shall be revealed at a later date but I do enjoy speculation!

Amidala66: I'm glad you're liking Padme. Since this is my first serious foray into her, it means a lot.

indigrl: I'm sorry; I don't do a PM list. But thank you for asking and certainly thank you for reviewing!

Alley_Skywalker: I'm glad you're reading and thank you!

Next post in a few minutes!