Chapter Text
Padmé Amidala had had a very long day. Really she had been having a long day for over two years now. She knew she wasn’t the only one. The Clone Wars had taken its toll on everyone in the galaxy. Padmé may not have been on the front lines but fighting for peace and clone rights on the home front wasn’t much easier. Less dangerous, yes. But easier? She wasn’t sure. After a grueling and almost laughable senate vote, Padmé wanted nothing more than to get home and sleep. She had been especially fatigued lately and she wasn’t fully sure why. She hadn’t had the time to really think about it. Maybe it was her divorce from Anakin. It had been a mostly mutual agreement, but that hadn’t made it easier. Especially given that his reasons were not the same as the ones she hid from him. He felt they had grown apart and didn’t want to risk leaving her a widow after the war. She had loved him once upon a time. Before whatever shadows were lurking behind his eyes became quite so dark. Padmé had hoped she could change him. Could save him. But that was a girlish delusion. It wasn’t her job to fix Anakin. That was Anakin’s job. And so she had quietly sent a message to Obi-Wan Kenobi after the divorce was settled, warning him about the growing darkness in Anakin. Time had already begun to heal the wounds Anakin had left on Padmé’s heart but she was nowhere near who she used to be. She often wondered if she’d ever feel quite that light again.
“Are you alright, my lady?” Sabé’s voice shone through her fatigue and brought her back to the present.
Padmé was walking back to her apartments accompanied by her handmaiden-turned-aide Sabé and her guard escort Commander Fox. They always made this journey together for more than one reason. There was the official reason and then there was the secret reason. Officially, they were in a way all coworkers. Secretly, Padmé had been brought into the fold of the others’ relationship in the past few weeks. She fit in perfectly with the two and knew she had made the right choice.
“Just tired, Sabé,” Padmé said, giving her the best diplomat’s smile she could manage at this hour.
The senate vote had run long by several hours before it was decided they would reconvene the next day anyway. Padmé had almost screamed. All that work, all that time and energy, just to do it all again tomorrow? Technically, at this point, it already was tomorrow. But she hadn’t screamed. That would’ve accomplished nothing. Instead, she had accepted the announcement with practiced grace and left. Her partners had been close behind her as always.
Finally they reached Padmé’s apartments where they were greeted by C-3PO. The sight of the anxious but friendly droid gifted to her by Anakin was difficult to stomach lately. But Padmé would never let the droid know that. It would break his mechanical heart. Sabé had headed straight to the spa-like refresher that had shocked Fox on his first visit. Padmé could hear the faucets turning on and knew Sabé was filling the large tub with water so hot it would almost be painful. Perfect. Once Fox made sure the doors were locked behind them, he took his helmet off and sighed. He never spoke on their walks home, it wouldn’t be considered proper if other senators overheard a clone talking with a senator outside of work, but in their sanctuary he was free. Especially since his surgery. Padmé still wasn’t sure what had happened that led to him needing surgery and Fox refused to tell her or Sabé. He kept saying it was for their own safety which was horrifically ominous. Many things were these days.
Padmé turned around and approached Fox. She cupped his cheek and kissed him softly.
“Welcome home, Fox.”
“Welcome home, mesh’la.”
Padmé took a step back and began to help Fox undo the seals on his armor. The first time she had done this had been slow and cautious. Like a teenager dancing with her school crush. Now it was closer to a routine. Not the kind of routine you dread, but the kind you relish in. The kind of normalcy and comfort you crave after a long day. By the time they had finished removing Fox’s armor, Sabé had turned off the taps and rejoined them.
Sabé nuzzled her face against Fox’s now exposed neck and placed a kiss there. She then pressed a reverent kiss to Padmé’s lips and reached for her headpiece.
“Your turn, love,” Sabé said.
As Sabé helped her undress, Padmé was once again grateful that she had found partners who truly loved her for who she was and cared about her enough to help her relax after a stressful day even when they themselves were exhausted. Once she was in her small clothes, Padmé made her way towards the bath. It was her job to set up the candles while Fox helped Sabé change. Sabé didn’t really need the assistance, Padmé knew, but it was less about practicality and more about love. Fox knew it too.
Padmé finished lighting the candles and had just decided on a vanilla and amber scented centerpiece when her partners joined her. After lighting the scented candle, the three of them stripped off their small clothes and climbed into the bath which used to be far too big in Padmé’s eyes but was now the perfect size.
Their shared baths were a quiet affair full of relaxation and peace. Padmé liked to wash Sabé’s hair for her as a repayment for all the times Sabé had helped her with her own during her reign as queen of Naboo, Fox would massage Padmé’s back after a long day of sitting in the senate chairs which all had terrible back support, and Sabé would rub Fox’s feet which were always sore after his long shifts.
Today, Padmé’s back was aching more than it usually was and she reveled in the massage. Now that she had some time, she decided to wonder about it. She had been sensitive, both emotionally and physically, lately. Her stomach had been working against her for a few days now. She had attributed these things to stress and the strange delicacies she had been served at a diplomatic banquet earlier that week. But when she thought about them together, it occurred to her something else was strange about her health. She was late. The realization dawned on her. She was pregnant. The blood drained from her face and she audibly gasped.
Her partners, who had been talking softly about something, turned their attention to her. Concern was clear on Sabé’s face while Fox searched the room for signs of a threat.
“Love?” Sabé prompted. “What is it?”
Padmé opened and closed her mouth a few times. She wanted to tell them. She needed to tell them. But she couldn’t make the words come out.
Finally, she said, “I’ll tell you over breakfast. I promise.”
“Mesh’la,” Fox began.
“Fox, it can wait,” Padmé insisted, taking his hand.
He held her gaze for a time before nodding slowly. Padmé looked over to Sabé.
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
Not long after that, the three of them stepped out of the bath. Drying off took little time, cleaning up the candles took a bit longer, and finally they managed to eat something. Before they knew it, they were in their nightclothes and climbing into Padmé’s large bed. They had successfully made it through another day. All their worries could wait a few more hours. Right?