Walking in the Rain

By infinitykat

"When you're all alone,
and you need a friend,
someone to help you to the end,
when you need someone to catch you when you fall,
I'll be there through it all."

A/N: Hi all. I was bored and wanted to write a story that "fills the gap". A sort of prequel to "Only in Dreams". It's just a long one chapter piece. Have a nice day. The parts in italics are either a quote from the AOTC book or a quote from a song. You'll be able to tell the difference.

----- ---- --- -- -

As Anakin and Obi-Wan walked over to the exhausted Yoda, Padmé rushed in, running to Anakin and wrapping the sorely wounded young man in a tight, desperate hug.

"A dark day, it is," Yoda said quietly.

"Ani…" Padmé whispered.

"Oh, Force, I thought I lost you out there," Anakin replied, sighing on her neck and making her shiver.

"Shh…It's alright, everything…everything is going to be alright…"

"Padmé" he breathed, and fainted in her arms.

----- ---- --- -- -

Two cloaked figures walked together in silence down the hospital corridor. Their deep magenta cloaks were quite a contrast to the blindingly white, clean walls.

They passed door after door until they reached the end of the hall. One was left. The smaller figure nodded to the other and opened the door quietly. She slid into the room and closed the door behind her.

A medical droid was standing at a bed in the center of the room. No decorations were on the walls, just more of brightness of what was the hall. The bed was the only furniture in the room, save a bedside table with a pitcher of water and a cup. The droid turned to the sound of her entry, but didn't seem to mind as it finished its work.

As the droid rolled away, she could finally see whom she came to visit. The woman slowly approached the bed and sat down.

A young man lay there, asleep. He was covered with a brown, scratchy blanket that concealed his bare chest. His arms were above the blanket, one folded across his chest and the other…or what was left of it, was laying at his side.

The woman sat, staring at this arm. It was like any other arm until just above the elbow, where metal met flesh. The rest of the arm was like an uncovered droid, a metal frame holding together wires and circuits and whatnot. It was slightly a shock to see at first, but she tried to accept it.

She carefully took the metallic hand in her own and gasped when it gripped back.

The man's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Padmé? Is…Is that you? Where am I?" he muttered. In response, the woman threw back her hood and leaned down to kiss him. The taste of her sweet lips against his was like a wake up call. When she sat up, he was wearing a small smile.

"You're on Coruscant. We arrived yesterday. How are you feeling, Ani?" she asked quietly. He sat up, exposing his torso. She blushed.

"Better…now." Padmé smiled and squeezed his new hand. Anakin looked at the hand and his smiled faded. He raised the arm, letting go of her hand. He brought the hand close to his face and examined it.

Anakin frowned. "It's ugly," he decided.

"Don't say that," Padmé immediately responded. She entwined her fingers with his. "It's not…ugly." She softly kissed one of the fingers. "It's you. It's…beautiful." She blushed again.

Anakin smirked and sighed. "Come here. I'm…cold." He invited her with opened arms and she slowly slid next to him and put her arms around his neck. She hoped he wouldn't feel her trembling as Anakin squeezed her to him. "I'm sorry. I just need to get used to it, I guess." Padmé nodded.

"I spoke with Obi-Wan. He wants you to escort me home. How much longer do you need to rest?" she asked, raising a hand to cup his face.

"Just one more day is all. I'll be ready. And then we could…" it was his turn to blush. "How is your back?" he asked, needing to change the subject. Padmé raised her top a bit to show her torso wrapped in white gauze.

"I'm healing. It still hurts sometimes though. All that sand…" she lowered her top.

Anakin slowly began to rub where the Nexu had racked her back and Padmé leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

A knock on the door caused Padmé to sit up, ruining their lovely moment.

"That's Dormé. I have to go." She kissed his cheek and stood to leave. Padmé walked slowly to the door, not wanting to go.

"Padmé?" She turned and Anakin blushed. "Thanks for loving me."

----- ---- --- -- -

The sleek Naboo royal cruiser rose from the Senatorial Apartment building landing platform, gleaming in the early morning light. It sped off, weaving between skyscrapers in little-used traffic lanes as it rose. It jumped almost immediately into hyperspace after breaking the atmosphere.

"We can just leave it on autopilot for a while." Anakin pressed a few keys and swiveled his chair to face the autopilot controls. He punched in a code and pulled down the lever.

Padmé leaned on her elbow at the center ridge of the cockpit. She watched the elongated stars and swirling blue of hyperspace.

She sighed. The galaxy was at crossroads. The first full-scale war since the formation of the thousand year-old Republic was in progress. Everything that she had worked so hard to beat for a year was being realized.

"Don't you hate not knowing?" she asked, still watching the stars speeding by.

"What?" She sighed again.

"Anything?" Anakin chuckled.

"Yes. What has happened to this little galaxy of ours?" He shook his head and turned his gaze also to the outer space.

"I don't know. And I don't know if there is anything I can do to stop Palpatine." Anakin gave her a side-ways glace.

"What do you mean?" Padmé put down her arm and looked at him.

"Haven't you noticed? He has gone from Senator to Chancellor to Emperor in a matter of years. It's almost like…like he's been planning to do this for a while now." Anakin narrowed his eyes. Of course he noticed. But he wasn't going to hold that against him.

"Well, however it is, I still think he's a good man." Padmé frowned and shook her head.

"You trust him too much." She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. Well, she knew there was at least one thing they disagreed on.

----- ---- --- -- -

Padmé and Anakin walked hand-in-hand down a narrow beach on the lake's shore. Naboo's night sky was filled with angry, dark clouds. There was a slight rumbling of thunder in the distance, but not a drop came down as of yet.

Anakin stared distantly off at those clouds. He was mysteriously nervous all evening. He dropped his utensils often at dinner, and had trouble keeping eye contact with Padmé for very long. She had repeatedly asked what was wrong, but he would just shake his head and change the subject.

She wouldn't let him this time.

"Please tell me, Ani. What's wrong?" He looked down at her and looked back at the clouds. He had a certain look in his eyes. Was it…fright?

"It's always hard to leave a place like this." He stated. Padmé looked down.

"I know," she replied, with a bit of an angry bite in her words, showing her disappointment, "I leave here all the time." Anakin looked at her, surprised by her tone. He took a steadying breath, as if preparing for something.

"Padmé…can I ask you something?" Anakin asked timidly. She looked up at him and smiled. Finally.

"Anything."

Suddenly, Anakin got down on one knee in the soft, damp sand.

"Will you marry me?"

…to be continued!!!

Post note: okay, I lied. I want to see what you think of this first. REVIEW and I'll luf you forever.