REDISCOVERY

I am back. It's been a long summer guys. I worked and had quite a to-lazy-to-type streak. Nonetheless, I have much to write. I do apologize though of some of these suck. I get that sometimes I tend to lean into the cheesy and sometimes its like 12pm and I'm writing half awake. I'll try to write a few more one shots, still on the works for a multi-chap fic and yeah. Thank U for your comments and faves, they totally pump me up. This one is somewhat funny so enjoy. -jedimasterroyal

PADME AMIDALA'S APARTMENT COMPLEX, TIME 1900

His feet were propped on her table and his eyes almost shut when he feels her enter. He scrambles awake and makes sure everything is as he found it.

"Ugh, finally. These meetings always seem to drag on forever. Especially when Jar-Jar's around," she huffed as she plopped down next to him.

He turned to his beautiful wife and kissed first her temple, then her nose, and finally her plump lips. "As if you didn't love being there," he murmured against her.

"Yes, well I love you more," she whispered. Slowly her hands trailed into his. So warm, so..safe. Her hands traveled towards his chest, an accessibility made only for her. She had missed him and now that he was here, she had little time to waste.

"Oh, Miss Padme, you are finally home!"

She rolls her eyes. Why did it seem that all the annoying characters in her life had it out for her today?

"Yes, Threepio. What is it?" she replied tersely. Anakin merely chuckled beside her, donning his trademark smirk.

"Milady, I have your correspondence here. It seems that you received a personal letter and it just seemed of the utmost importance," C-3PO handed her holomail and in fact there was a personal letter there.

To: Padme Amidala Naberrie

Carefully she placed her finger among the slot, knowing full well it would only open if it had her print.

Dear Padme,

it has been far too long my love. Me and you shared so much in our past and now it seems that the Force has united is once again. My art show will come to Coruscant's Museum of Contemporary Art next weekend and you are most cordially invited. It would be a great opportunity for us to catch up. Please invite as many friends as you'd like. You shall be my guest of honor. Love and Kindness,

Palo Nutini

"Oh my," she said.

"What?" Anakin replies huskily, all the while slowly nuzzling the area right behind her ear.

"Anakin, remember that guy Palo I talked about?"

"Uhhh, no?" he rolled his eyes. Of course, he did, how could a man forget when his wife was talking about her ex-boyfriend.

Padme moved back away from him. "Yes you do. The one with the dreamy eyes, remember."

"Oh, that Palo," he exaggerated.

"Well, his art show is coming next weekend and he has invited me. I have to go," she said excitedly.

He groaned, "Why? I don't like the idea of you seeing this artist guy you dated."

"First of all, Anakin, I was very young when I liked him and we only shared one kiss."

"-you never mentioned a kiss!"

"Second, me and you are married. You should trust me enough to know that I only want to celebrate his success and see that he's had a good life," she sighed in frustration.

Anakin clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, giving her a stony stare. "It's not you that I'm worried. It's the fact that men invite you to functions for the motive of having a chance at you. You are the most beautiful woman in this galaxy, and nobody knows that you belong to me. You do not even understand how frustrating that is."

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Of course I know how that feels. I have to put up with your body being paraded around those Jedi calendars and I know you get special attention from female Jedi in the Temple."

"Well I take care of myself."

"I do too. Ani, I really do not want us to fight over this. I love you and I would never forget how much you mean to me, to make a mistake," Padme said as she slowly lingered until she was positioned on his lap.

"I'm not arguing," he sighed, "Alright, I trust you. Just stay safe."

"Oh I will be safe. You'll come with me. Palo said I could invite as many friends as I wanted."

He nodded in agreement and so she kissed him in gratitude. Her eyes twinkled and she was suddenly nipping, pulling his pouting lip with her teeth. "I love you."

"I know."

"Thank you for being such an understanding husband," she whispered huskily against his ear. Her body grinded down on him. "You deserve a prize."

"Yes," he moaned out.

She kissed him again and her velvety hands got to work to untie the band on his waist. When she let go of his lips, she smirked and moved to kneel down. She had him wrapped around her little finger.

Next weekend

"Where is Anakin?" she muttered under her breath. He was late, again.

Tonight was Palo's premiere art show and she really wanted to be there for him. Perhaps, Anakin had bailed, but that was unlike him. He had been adamant to show up "this Palo guy."

Soon enough among the Coruscanti traffic that weaved around her apartment, a single speeder came into focus. It zoomed straight at her in an alarmingly fast speed making her jump back. Of course in it, her beloved beau, and a few friends.

"By the Force, Anakin! You know I'm not feeling so well, and you decide to drive like we are in the middle of a damn battle!"

"I'm used it to it by now, Master Obi-Wan but geesh, Skyguy here just loves to push limits."

"Relax guys, we are already late and I did not want Senator Amidala here to be disgruntled by my tardiness," Anakin bowed before her and with such ease grabbed her hand and led it to his lips.

Building up her senatorial facade, she tried her best not to blush. Behind Anakin, and standing quite awkwardly were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin's ever so charming padawan Ashoka Tano. Whilst Anakin linger too much on her hand, she snatched it away and moved towards their friends.

"Obi-Wan! Ahsoka! What a pleasure to see you two again, and on a lighter occasion," she said. Her arms wrapped around first Obi-Wan and then Ahsoka.

"Oh no, milady. The pleasure is all ours, please excuse our tardiness. Seeing as in I'm labeled the 'Negotiator' I was deemed honorable enough to receive an invitation and when Anakin told me you had invited him, we both thought it better if we could all go together," replied Obi-Wan.

Now that she looked at all of them, she saw the effort the three Jedi had committed to actually looking good to this event. She had seen them all their worst. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan wore their traditional Jedi robes but they were finely pressed. Both were well trimmed, Obi-Wan's facial hair was acutely measured and even Anakin's mussy hair was elegantly tamed to the side.

Ahsoka was looking quite the young lady as well. Tonight she wore a longer dress with patterns from her native Shilli embroidered throughout the bodice. Her lightsaber still attached at her hip.

"You all even smell good," she uttered aloud. Her hand immediately came to her mouth. Did she really just say that aloud?

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, well we couldn't have Anakin smelling like Rancor dung, right? Shall we go?"

When they arrived, a swarm of Holonet reporters surrounded them. Anakin made sure she wasn't hounded and extended his elbow so she could hold him. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka stayed back to answer any pressing questions.

Once inside, Anakin let go of her. What they saw astounded both of them. Throughout the main lobby, various large pieces hung from the wall and sculptures littered the floor. Many were of Padme during her reign as Queen. Others were of Naboo and some were simply pieces of art that came straight from Palo's imagination.

From behind them Ahsoka whistled.

"Someone has a little obsession on you, Padme," she whispered to the Senator.

Anakin grunted next to her.

And then the man of the hour arrived.

"Padme! By the Gods!" and suddenly he's there, Palo.

His eyes still the lazy, dreamy grey she remembers. His dark brown hair ruffled and coifed, if one could even explain it as such. He was wearing the most fashionable of male Nubian clothes and even below the layers she could see his muscularity. He oozed masculinity and sexiness.

And yet, none of that impressed her. Not the least.

They hugged and both her cheeks received attention from Palo's mouth. Padme was sure that Anakin seethed beside her.

"It is so good to see you again. Looking at you is like a breath of fresh Nubian air," Palo says.

"Only as good as it is to see you, old friend," she replied courteously.

"Indeed. And these must be your-," Palo looked behind her. His beaming smile shone at Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and then… Anakin beheld a scowl and Palo, well he seemed to give him a critical glance as well.

"-guests. General Kenobi, General Skywalker, I am simply humbled by your presence," Palo said and bowed.

"Please, not Generals. We are here to celebrate your art, something that is still part of Jedi culture, we are Jedi Knights in your presence," Obi-Wan said in what Anakin would call his "Master Kenobi" voice.

"Yes, of course. Forgive me, Masters. I have followed your triumphs amongst the Holonet. I thank you for your service in the Republic."

Padme cut in, "And this here, is Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who is an apprentice to Knight Skywalker."

"Pleasure to meet you, Apprentice," and Palo bowed to her as well. "Please let me show you my art."

For the next hour or so, Palo showed them around his gallery. The first part of the gallery held nature pieces that demonstrated the beauty of the planet. The second part of the gallery contained Palo's abstract pieces. And the final part of the gallery, to Anakin's disdain, held only pieces of Padme and her handmaidens during her reign as Queen of Naboo.

The whole time through Anakin kept seeing red, as Padme and Palo walked beside each other, regaling the group with stories of their past and the 'adventures' they had.

"Well, this is it. It seems that in talking so much I hurried through. Do you mind observing my art while I whisk away the lovely Senator for a while?" Palo asked.

Obi-Wan smiled, "Of course. I certainly will have another observant look around."

Palo went arm in arm with Padme, mixing into the crowd and back to the lobby, so it seemed.

Anakin growled, "Did you know this womp rat used to be Padme's boyfriend?"

"Well, don't seem so amused Anakin. The Senator has had many suitors and has fancied quite a lot of men, including yours truly. The good thing is that we have yet to hear anything but good things about her," said Obi-Wan as he grabbed a glass of wine from a serverdroid.

"Wait a minute, you! She fancied you?" Anakin's mouth stood agape.

"I believe so, during the Naboo crisis we chatted."

Now Anakin laughed, "I was there during the Naboo crisis and she was not all up on you."

Obi-Wan sipped and scratched his beard quizzically, "Why does it matter to you anyways? She's nothing of yours and besides you live by a higher code. Be mindful of your thoughts, Padawan."

Ahsoka, who had stayed relatively quiet the whole time finally chuckled beside them.

Meanwhile…

"Padme, it really was such a pleasure to see you again tonight. Not a day has gone by in which I don't think of you," said Palo as he brought her towards a terrace that was attached towards the main lobby.

She tried her best to be courteous but this situation looked like it was getting a little bit out of hand.

"That's very…nice. I would love to say the same but…."

"-say no more. You have and continue working arduously for the Naboo. For this I am very grateful." His eyes smoldered into the night sky. He seemed to be pondering something, and Padme was not to thrilled of this unspoken unknown, that is, until he finally spoke.

"Padme, I need your opinion of well…something," Palo said as he leaned into the baluster.

Her face contorted into one of confusion. "My opinion, what about Palo?"

"Anakin Skywalker, he is your…friend?" he whispered and looked at her pointedly.

Now the situation turned quite dangerous. Padme mustered all her strength to carry on.

"Yes, he is my friend. Why do you ask?" she said nonchalantly. In the inside she was desperate to run and hide under a rock.

At this Palo turned away.

"I'm afraid you'll have to forgive me Padme. You see I have invited you tonight more for your ties with the Jedi rather than simply enjoying your company. I am so ashamed but..." Suddenly he was besides her and he snatched her hand, pulling her back inside.

*What in the blazes was going on?*

In and out they weaved among the throngs of people and droids that littered the gallery until arriving in front of a door.

Exasperatedly she pulled away from Palo's clutch, "What is going on?"

Palo paced in front of the door, until finally he looked into her eyes and sighed, "It's just that after me and you terminated our relationship, I threw myself into my artistry and I simply….rediscovered myself. I had always been confused but I truly did find myself in art. Well now, all I have to show is this that you have seen today. But…there is one final part of the gallery. This is what I have been working for the past year and it is what truly marks me as a unique man of desire and passion."

Palo zoomed to the panel next to the double doors and inserted the security access code.

"Nobody has ever looked at this, except now you will be the first, my dear. Come," and Palo ushered her in.

It was dark but when the door slid shut behind her, the hall illuminated with light.

What she saw, was utterly peculiar.

"Oh my."

Much Later

She drove with tears in her eyes. It was simply too much.

Beside her, surprisingly not driving, was her husband Anakin Skywalker. His face seemed as if he had seen the Sith Lord himself.

"He…he…by the force…he said…you were his muse," she said between stifles of laughter.

Anakin turned to look at her and then looked right back out to the traffic. A little while after he, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were wandering around the refreshment, Palo came about and called everyone to the lobby where he announced a final part of the gallery. Padme was smiling like a little girl and she avoided his eye. That's when he knew something was up.

Lo and behold, there was.

He sighed, "How embarrassing."

Padme continued giggling, "At least….oh my…at least…Palo promised that none of those were for sale."

"That's great," sarcasm oozed out of his mouth. That creep was going to keep all of them to himself.

"It is," she said grabbing his hand, her other still on the speeder's wheel, "I'd rather not have women all over the galaxy with artistic renditions of your body or anything involving you."

Soon enough they were back at her (their) apartment. But Anakin was still in a shocked, drunken haze. The only thing he had managed to utter to Obi-Wan was that he would be escorting the Senator back to her home.

Now Anakin just sat in their bed, trying to grasp at everything that had occurred. Portraits, paintings, all of him, or him with Obi-Wan, or him with troopers hung in that gallery. Some he was half nude, others he was in compromising positions with his lightsaber. In all of them it was obvious that he was the star, the main focus.

No wonder Palo had eyed him the minute they were introduced. What was worse was that both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had witnessed everything first hand. They would never let him live it down.

Padme found him like this. His eyes still staring straight ahead. She no longer wore the elegant dress but rather a simple nightgown. She walked until she was standing right in front of him and began undressing him.

First, his belt. Carefully she set his lightsaber next to table on his side of the bed.

Then, his sash.

Next, his tabards.

Finally, she parted his inner robe, leaving him half naked.

His eyes were still stationary, being much too distraught. That is until her fingers ghosted over his chest and abdomen. Now she had piqued his attention.

She pushed him back into the bad and continued onto his boots.

It was only after she had taken the right boot off that he spoke.

"This does mean, he doesn't want you," he uttered.

She held his left boot in her hand ready to pull, when she paused to respond. "I think he stopped 'wanting' me along time ago, Anakin. Palo…rediscovered himself. He likes men."

"Oh," the boot was off and now she straddled him. "Well good for him."

Her hands rubbed his chest once again and Anakin saw her eyes dilate into the liquid pools of chocolate passion only he knew.

"Besides," she bit his ear and grinded unto him, "there's only one man that I want."

He moaned but managed to utter, "This man deserves a better reward than last time. Too much has happened tonight."

She smirked. Her lips pressed into his in a chaste kiss.

"Why of course….I aim to please, Jedi Skywalker."

FIN