InsaneJournal

Who: Anakin Sr. and Padmé
What: Padmé has some wonderful news, and this time Palpatine ain’t around to eff it up for them.
When: Backdated to Friday, around lunch time
Where: His office at the University
Rating/Warnings: Really low, this is good stuff. Unless you can't read sap, then pass on by.
Status: Complete


It was the end of the first week of classes for Anakin. He had a stack of first-week lab assignments on his desk, waiting for his teaching assistant to drop by to pick them up for grading. His lunch, a sandwich from the University commons area, sat on the opposite side of the almost bare desk. He was standing with his back to the door way, leaning on the desk and ignoring the throng of students passing in the hall. He had positioned a white board behind his desk (if he could have used it to block off the door he would have, but apparently that wasn’t allowed in his department during professor office hours) and was staring at an equation for some design he was working on.

Occasionally he would reach for his lunch, but mostly he was focused on the whiteboard.

That was until he felt a familiar presence moving towards him from across the building. Padmé’s signature had been steadily getting closer to him for at least a half an hour now, but he had not paid it much attention because she could very well be going into the city for any number of things. But when it was clear that she was on campus there wasn’t any doubt in his mind she was here to see him.

Just as she reached the door he pushed away from the desk to turn to face her with a broad smile on his face. He was always happy to see his wife. And for some reason he felt that joy more pressing than usual. It was coming from her, which was odd, because she had been feeling somewhat under the weather and tired this past week, but he was happy to see her nonetheless.

“Finally feeling better?” He quizzed when her form came into view in the doorway.

The past few days had been long in a number of ways. Padmé had felt under the weather for a while and, while it had mostly been mild, she had decided to go to the doctor sooner rather than later. She had been able to take the day off due to illness before her dinner with Leia and Han, resting up for it (and taking her temperature repeatedly to ensure she didn't have anything she could pass on.) Still, she didn't want to draw matters out and potentially risk a bug getting a firm grip on her.

Moreover, she had suspicions that it wasn't simply a bug, but had wanted confirmation for that.

Padmé was elated, nervous, and as a whole felt happier than she thought she was capable of being. The news she had gotten from the doctor required rather immediately going to see Anakin. She smiled broadly at the sight of her husband, unable to help herself.

"No," She answered cryptically, shutting the door behind her as she entered his office. Students would have to be patient and realize he was with someone. "Not in the least. And it might get better or worse for awhile..."

Anakin was both concerned and confused. If she said she was unwell that was cause for worry. And briefly, his mind followed thoughts down extreme roads, and something like panic seized his heart, because he still struggled with the idea of loss. If something were to happen to Padmé he didn’t know what he would do.

He moved around his desk and placed his hands on her shoulders. His look was intense, anxious and, yet, still confused. Because she didn’t look the slightest phased about her pronouncement. And in the Force she felt like she was bursting like a fireworks display during the Festival of Life on Coruscant.

He shook his perplexed head at her. “What-? I don’t understand, you’re- you don’t feel- What’s wrong?”

Padmé about kissed Anakin, out of guilt and adoration, when he looked so intense and anxious. She hadn't meant to confuse him, though she hadn't been terribly specific. Still, she suspected what she was about to tell him would likely not only earn her forgiveness for potentially worrying him, but hopefully make him forget about everything.

"Nothing is wrong. The doctor said it's morning sickness and being tired from the baby developing." She didn't go into the longwinded explanation of how blood amount increased and this and that. The specifics didn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things.

"I'm pregnant, Ani."

Anakin blinked once, then twice, then a few more times as the news sunk into his brain. Part of him was still stuck in that worry for her wellbeing that it took him a while to catch on. His thoughts were far behind his actions, and he was smiling, even laughing, before he fully registered Padmé wasn’t sick, there was nothing wrong with her, but in fact this was wonderful, joyous, and exciting news. The best news.

He pulled her into a lifting embrace. It there had been enough room in his office he would have spun her around, his chest was filling with that same abounding emotion he was feeling from her.

Those three little words, like those other, important three little word, they brought so much happiness into his head.

He set her down again and kissed her. He didn’t want to stop. That grin was plastered to his face and he wasn’t sure how afternoon lectures would go after this moment. Maybe no one was going to have thing thrown at them.

Keeping his forehead close to hers, he said finally, “What did they tell you?”

Padmé's exuberant smile shifted into a teeth-baring grin when her husband swept her up off her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck when he did that, her hands shifting when he sat her back down so that she could continue to have contact. It was something enormous for them. It was something to be celebrated.

"I'm not far along. I can choose my doctor. It's mild morning sickness so far and, hopefully, will stay that way or get better. Even though it's called 'morning sickness,' it doesn't always happen in the morning. And me being tired is - because things are getting ready for the baby to grow." Padmé grinned again at the use of the word "baby." It wasn't something to be ashamed of or worried outside of normal worries for parents. "I just have to take care of myself."

"I thought about waiting for this evening, but - I couldn't wait to tell you." Padmé admitted openly, though she really didn't regret her decision to let Anakin know. "I don't want to interrupt you for too long, but - Ani..."

Anakin gave up trying to stop his ear to ear grin, not that he put forth a valiant fight in the first place. This news was something that defied Jedi decorum. He tried his best to listen to exactly what Padmé was saying, but that, too, was difficult, his mind wanted to dwell on how thrilled and happy he was. When Padmé said ‘baby’ thoughts shouted for joy and bounced around his mind. They were creating that family he’d – they’d – always wanted.

They were really, truly getting what they wanted.

“You aren’t interrupting, you never interrupt. I’m glad you stopped by to tell me. Oh, Padmé,” he hugged her again.

“What do you need?” He was sure there was more to do than simply waiting. When he had received this news back in their universe, Padmé was already months along, six or seven or so, he had been stuck out in the Outer Rim territories when she had found out and had missed this part of her pregnancy. Here, he wasn’t called away by duty and could help. He fully intended to do everything right this time around.

Padmé grinned back at Anakin, quite glad that he was so happy. Really, everything felt like it was somehow perfect, despite reality still being ever the same. She was doing her best to focus and answer Anakin's questions, still.

"You're going to have to clean Sonya's litter box for awhile. I need you to. There can be a parasite in the litter box. While normally it's not a big deal, can cause problems now. The risk of it being in there is low if the litter is changed every day, but better safe than sorry. There are a few foods I can't eat, but they gave me a paper list with those items on it. I should, if possible, avoid extremely high stress." Something Padmé doubted she listened to when she was - or would be - pregnant with Luke and Leia. That wasn't something she was going to think about or dwell on, of course, as this child was someone entirely different and conceived in a different galaxy.

After a moment, the seriousness melted away to giddiness again. "And I need you to work with me as we consider a nursery."

Anakin made a slight face, and he wanted to protest. When he had gifted the cat to Padmé he had done so with the assumption he would have nothing to do with her, aside from residing in the same set of rooms. Least of all did he think he would ever have to take care of that end of the cat.

But… He understood the need. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to Padmé, especially now.

However…

“Could we assign that task to Ani?”

Anakin’s eyes lit up again when Padmé switched to the topic of the nursery. Last time he had given very little helpful input on the subject. But this time… “What did you have in mind?”

Padmé laughed at the suggestion. "I'll leave that matter between you two. The only notable detail is that hands have to be washed properly after and the scoop can't be tossed somewhere carelessly. I have to avoid all possible contact."

After a moment, she moved into give Anakin a hug, grinning. She was having a hard time not feeling excited about it. "Well, I'm thinking that - while we might want the crib in our room for awhile, or a second one in our room, I imagine your old room may... need to be put to use in that regard. As for what - I really am open to seeing what sort of things they have here. I thought we might pick things out together."

“Whatever you want, Padmé.” Anakin acquiesced out of self-preservation, really. He wanted to be a part of the process, but he was also certain he would contribute little that Padmé wouldn’t conclude on her own. “I will try to make this as easy this time as I made it difficult in our universe.”

A chime from the clock on the wall announced the hour and though Anakin wanted to ignore the call to work and talk to his wife more about their plans for the future, he couldn’t.

“I have a lecture now.” He frowned, expressing his great displeasure at the time.

“Though how I am to teach anything when I will be thinking of you and our child until I can see you again, I don’t know.”

Padmé shifted from her goal being a hug to leaning up to give Anakin a brief kiss. "You're going to have a lot of days ahead of you where you're going to have to think on teaching instead. Just know that I'll be waiting back at the castle when the day is over."

Giving Anakin one last smile, Padmé withdrew and then left his office. She had every hope for the evening and for the future as a whole.