Disclaimer:
I actually wrote this last year and posted it p here, but I decided I didn't like it all that much, took it down and decided to edit some bits. Stupidly, I deleted around 50 reviews while I was at it…*hint*This is just a little bit of sap to add to your lives, as I nearly swim in it every day. I have a humor/romance type fic involving one of my fave SW couples – Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade, involving a costume party and Batman absolutely super glued into the recesses of my brain – I just got to find time and the creativity to write it…yes I was watching Batman at time of idea…I don't think this follows the actual time line of the almighty George Lucas' amazing Sci-fi adventure at all, but it's a little side scene thing heh…
Rating
: PG// =Thoughts. [ ] = Speaking through Force.
Summary:
Can't do summary's. Can never make them sound right. All I can tell you is that this is an A/A romance with a little bit of O-W/S on the side, just as a little extra.A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
By chibi-yukito."Ha! I finally won against you Master!"
Nineteen-year-old Anakin Skywalker was very excited as he walked, or rather skipped down the hall from the Training Room in the Jedi Temple. (A/N o_O Anakin, calm and secuer ANAKIN SKIPPING??? Don't ask…)
"Padawan, you look like an idiot, skipping down the hall like that. Besides, you only won against me because I let you."
The excited look on Anakin's face fell as he glared at his so-called master and slowed a little. "You're supposed to be helping me with my lightsaber skills, not teasing me about them."
Obi-Wan Kenobi just grinned and said, " only kidding Padawan, but you still have much to learn."
Anakin rolled his eyes at his Master's pathetic attempt at humor as they continued down the hall towards their quarters.
"I am so excited, Master," Anakin said, barely controlling his emotions.
"I figured," said Obi-Wan.
"I finally, finally get to see Padme again." He knew she was here for a bunch of boring meetings but he hoped they would have time to talk and he could take on a tour of the Jedi Temple. "Her Highness," Obi-Wan corrected him.
They walked in silence for a while. " I hope she recognises me."
"What?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Come back to Coruscant, Master. I said, I hope she recognises me."
"Why wouldn't she recognise you? You're still Anakin."
Anakin sighed. "Master, can you look at me and honestly say I haven't changed since I last saw Padme?"
He spun around for emphasis and nearly knocked another Padawan over. Her name was Lyra and as she went past she said, "watch it shortstuff!" Anakin had to laugh at that because he was at least a foot taller than she was and she was one of his best friends.
Obi-Wan laughed. "No Padawan, I cannot honestly say you haven't changed in the past nine years."
"See? How's she supposed to recognise me?"
"Relax. She'll recognise you especially with that smile of yours," said Obi-Wan staring pointedly at Anakin.
"Okay, okay I get your point. Can we go to dinner now?"
Obi-Wan smiled wistfully, thinking of his years as a Padawan before . . . he shook his head. "Of course Anakin."
* * *
Later that night, Anakin tossed and turned in his bed.
Padme was walking down a corridor in the Theed Palace. Her usual entourage of her Handmaidens and Captain Typho were following close behind her, always ready to protect their queen. Sabe was walking right up next to her and was whispering animatedly in her ear. Oh, how he would like to know what she was saying! Suddenly one of the handmaidens, Rabe, yelled something out aloud and they all dropped to the ground. However, the attacker had good aim, and the two shots hit Padme in the arm before she could get to the ground. Anakin could see a shadowy life form running off to the left. Sabe had also spotted him and jumped up then started running after him. She fired a stun blast and the attacker fell to the ground, unconscious. Then . . .
Anakin woke up, sweating. He looked at the chrono next to his bed. 0331 am. Damn. He wanted to be up early so he could get ready for Padme, er, Her Highness, as he was sure Obi-Wan was saying in his sleep by now, he had reminded him so many times.
He thought about the dream he just had. Padme was walking down a corridor somewhere, then she was. . . shot.
At 0600 in the morning, Anakin was still pondering whether it was a vision or a nightmare. He soon got sick of staring at his bedroom wall and went to the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
He was just sitting down on the bench seat of the fountain farthest away from the door, when a Jedi Master called Bant came out of the shadows. Bant was extremely sensitive to other Jedi's feelings. This is probably how she has got very good healing powers. He jumped. "Master Bant! Sorry I didn't see you there."
"Padawan Skywalker, are you alright? You seem jumpy."
Anakin was glad Bant was there. She had a good view on everything and she was easy to talk to, unlike some of the Padawan's who would not leave him alone when they found out he was the Chosen One.
"I had a dream and I was thinking whether it was a nightmare or a vision," he briefly explained.
Bant saw that she was couldn't help Anakin very much, he had to sort things out for himself, but she told him to trust his instincts, feel, don't think.
That reminded Anakin of what Qui-Gon had said right before the podrace that he won for Qui-Gon and Padme so they could go back to Coruscant. She had probably been hanging around Qui-Gon a lot, since her and Obi-Wan were close friends.
Padme. . . .
That got him thinking about the dream again. He took Bant's advice and decided that it was a vision. But he felt it happened a while ago. He would ask Padme after she got here.
He suddenly realized that Padme was coming. Today. He was so psyched that he jumped up and ran towards his quarters so that he could have a shower and change.
Bant stared after him.
* * *
Anakin rushed into his quarters and jumped into the shower. He turned it on then heard an agonised yell come from his Masters quarters.
[Master?] he asked through their Force bond.
[Turn your shower off! Too hot! Too hot!]
Anakin turned his shower off then got out and dried himself, smirking at himself in the mirror.
[Sorry Master. I forgot you don't like hot showers.]
[Thank-you.] Obi-Wan said through their Force-bond, sounding like he needed a good sleep. Probably from dealing with Anakin the past few days.
Anakin got dressed in the cleanest robes he could find, and hurriedly pulled a comb through his hair. He made sure he looked presentable then went into his room to look at the chrono. It said 0800am. Padme would be arriving in an hour.
He went up to his Masters room, knocked on the door, then without waiting for an answer, walked right in on Obi-Wan shaving off his beard.
Anakin looked at him, speechless.
"That's the first time I've seen you with nothing to say, Padawan," Obi-Wan said cheerfully. Large difference from through their bond. //I guess he remembered that Sabe was coming with Padme// he thought.
Anakin finally found his tongue and said "Master, I thought you liked the beard?"
"I wanted to look presentable in front of the Queen."
Anakin smirked yet again. "Are you sure there isn't anyone else that you want to look presentable for? A young handmaiden named Sabe, for instance?"
Obi-Wan blushed furiously. "Okay, okay you got me. I want to look presentable for Sabe as well as the Queen."
Anakin shot him a knowing look then turned and walked out of the room. //he is so easy to push over//
* * *
"A little help here would be great here you know."
Padme Naberrie was rushing around the small cabin on a Naboo Cruiser throwing simple yet formal clothes into a suitcase.
"Don't we help you enough already?" Sabe grumbled. The other handmaidens muttered words of agreement.
Seeing Padmes crestfallen face Sabe said, "we're only joking you twat! You know we're always here to help."
Padme sent her a withering look as Sabe began folding the dresses and putting them into the suitcase properly.
"We're coming out of hyperspace in two minutes." Rabe said as she walked into the room. "Better strap yourselves in."
They dropped out of hyperspace a few minutes later. Two Jedi were waiting in the hanger for them. Padme recognised the older one immediately, but had a little trouble with the taller, younger one to his left.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" she cried, and gave him a huge hug. Sabe just turned red.
"How are you?" she asked, then turned to Anakin. She looked him in the eyes. They were very blue. She had only seen one other pair of eyes that colour, on a little nine-year-old boy, ten years ago.
"Ani? Is that you? Oh my goodness! You have grown. A lot," she added as an afterthought.
Anakin simply said "Hi" then "what am I thinking?" Then nervously enveloped her in a hug. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Anakin," she replied into his tunic.
Obi-Wan tapped Anakin on the shoulder, breaking them apart. "You and Her Highness can catch up later. Let's just leave them to unpack for now."
"Okay Master. 'Bye Padme. I'll see you later," he said with a disappointed look on his face.
"'Bye Ani," she answered equally disappointed.
* * *
"Anakin! Get up. We have company for breakfast a 0800."
Anakin looked at his chrono. 0700. One hour to go. Anakin hoped it would be Padme and her handmaidens.
"Anakin! Hurry up."
"Alright, alright, I'm getting up."
"Good."
Anakin got out of bed and found the cleanest Jedi robes he could find around his room. Pulling a comb through his hair he walked into the kitchen that he and Obi-Wan shared and turned on the kettle to make coffee.
It turns out that the breakfast guests were not Padme and her handmaidens – to both Obi-Wan's and Anakins disappointment – but was Bail Organa and Chancellor Palpatine.
Anakin groaned inwardly. //They would have to be the two most boring people in the entire universe.//
[I heard that Anakin. Just put up with them for a few hours.]
//Damn! Forgot to raise my shields again.//
[Yes Master.]
Two hours later, Anakin was half listening to Bail Organa talk about something or other about Alderaan.
He noticed Obi-Wan almost falling asleep in his coffee. //Where was he last night?// Anakin hadn't felt his presence in their quarters.
They were both relieved when the Chancellor and Bail Organa said they must leave to go to some important meeting.
After they left, Anakin was talking to Obi-Wan.
"Master, how can they live like that? Going to meeting after meeting after meeting."
"Their politicians. It's their job."
"They've got to live a little." Anakin said thoughtfully after a moment.
"I agree."
"Master! You need to live a little," he exclaimed.
"I know. That's why I organised us to go to a ball the Senate is organising for Saturday night."
Anakin stared at him.
"Yes, I've asked someone already, don't bother asking who, since you know already." Obi-Wan said seeing the questioning look in his eyes.
"Let me guess. . . it's Yane isn't it or Rabe right?"
"No, it's Sabe."
"I knew that Master. I was just being stupid."
"And who, may I ask, are you planning on asking? Padawan." Obi-Wan asked.
"Do you think Padme would go with me?"
"Her Highness," Obi-Wan corrected. "You'll never know unless you ask her."
"So what do I do?"
"Go and ask her," he said pointedly.
"Oh."
"So go and ask her."
"I'm going, I'm going," Anakin mumbled.
"Don't be long!" Obi-Wan called after him.
* * *
"Um, Your Highness? Would you, no, um, what about - no."
"Anakin?" a voice broke into the silence.
It was Lyra. Lyra was a tall (though not taller than Anakin) dark haired padawan to the Jedi Council member, Adi Gallia. One of Anakins partners in crime when they were younger. "You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."
"Yes, I know Lyra."
"You must be mad then."
"No! I'm just trying to figure out how to ask someone out to the ball on Saturday."
"Who?" Lyra demanded.
"The Queen. I'll introduce her to you there. You are one of the special guests aren't you?"
"Yeah, 'course. All the Jedi on the High Council and their Padawans are invited."
//Sometimes I wonder how the heck she got Master Adi as a Master// "Oh yeah. Um . . . so how would I ask her?"
"She's royalty, so don't ask her at all."
"Fat lot of help you are."
"I was only joking you nerf. You said she was a nice person and hated titles. Just ask her. Say 'will you go to the ball with me on Saturday?"
"I'll try that then. Bye!" Anakin turned to leave.
"Wait. Can you ask Jarred if he'll go with me?"
"Sure. No problem," he answered, looking happier.
"Thank-you so much! Bye!" She left.
* * *
"What the heck am I meant to wear?"
Padme Naberrie was rummaging through her many suitcases, half of which she hadn't bothered to unpack yet.
"How about this one, your highness?" Eirtae asked.
Padme looked it over. Eirtae had picked a good choice. It wasn't as ornate as any of her other gowns she had. And it was comfortable. Unlike most of the others, it also had no headdress to go with it.
"Excellent choice Eirtae, I'll wear this one, thanks," she said. "Sabe, who are you going with? Wait, don't answer that. The answer is obvious. You seem to be talking to Obi-Wan a lot."
"Well, yes I do have a soft spot for Obi-Wan," Sabe said, blushing.
"You won't have to wear any make-up on Saturday if you blush like that every time you hear his name."
Padme and her handmaidens turned around, startled.
"Anakin! Who let you in?" Yane asked.
"Captain Typho did. He said you didn't have anything important to do so I came to talk to Padme. But if you want me to go. . ."
"Oh no, Anakin, you can stay. We were just picking dresses to wear to the ball," Padme said. "Oh by the way, what do you think of this one?" She held it up to her body, the fabric
Anakin simply said "Beautiful."
Padme blushed crimson and everybody noticed especially Sabe and Anakin. Sabe winked at him.
"That reminds me, Anakin, who are you taking to the ball?" Sabe asked.
Anakin turned to Padme and said "Padme. That is if she would like to, I mean, if nobody else has asked you, which I'm sure have, seeing how beautiful you are…um…yeah." He scratched his head.
In truth, three men had asked Padme to the ball, but she had politely declined each of them, deciding to ask Anakin herself, but he had beaten her to it. Padme blushed again and said "I'd love to."
"Okay thanks." Anakin looked pleased and relieved at the same time. "I've got to go back to Obi-Wan. He told me not to be long. I'll come with Obi-Wan when he comes for Sabe."
"Okay. See you tomorrow then?" she smiled at him.
"Sure, good-bye."
* * *
Anakin rushed into his and Obi-Wan's quarters and nearly tripped over something on the floor.
"Master!" he yelled. "Can't you pick up the bed when you're – oops! I meant your clothes when you're finished with them!" obi-Wan came out of the bathroom combing his hair. "Padawan, you really should learn the names of household items before you're twenty." Anakin glared at him. "I was thinking of something else. It was a simple mistake. Now, do you know where Jarred is? I've got to ask him to go to the ball with Lyra."
"Last time I saw him he was in the Training Room," Obi-Wan threw back.
"Okay, thanks!" Then he was back out of the door and running towards the Training Room.
"Padawan Skywalker, careful you must be when running," a voice said.
Anakin looked down. "Sorry Master Yoda. I'm in a hurry that's all."
"See that I can. Hurt yourself you can before ball tomorrow. Sad that would be."
Master Yoda turned and kept walking.
Anakin continued down the hall. He got to the Training Room. He saw Jarred sparring with his lightsaber against a practice remote. He noticed Anakin standing in the doorway.
"Hi Anakin. Want to have a duel with me?" he asked.
//did Obi-Wan tell everybody about my dueling problem?// "Sure." He ignited his lightsaber.
Jarred attacked while Anakin blocked all of his attempts. //I really am getting better!//
"So, what brings you to the Training Room?" Jarred asked.
"Oh, Lyra wanted me to ask you if you'll go with her to the ball tomorrow."
Jarred dropped his lightsaber and Anakin stopped himself just in time and switched off his lightsaber.
"WHAT! Are you kidding? I've been waiting for her to ask me out for ages!"
"I'll take that as a yes," Anakin turned and walked out of the door leaving a stunned Jarred behind.
* * *
Lyra took one look on Anakins face and said, "Let me guess-he said no didn't he?"
Anakin looked down.
"Sithspit! I made such a damn fool out of myself."
She heard a laugh come from Anakins direction.
"What?" she demanded.
"He said yes der-brain. He's been waiting for you to ask him out for ages," said Anakin.
Lyra threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thanks! I've got to go and choose what to wear!" She ran off. //What is it with girl's and choosing their dresses? // Anakin thought as he walked back to the apartment that he and his master shared.
* * *
"Master! All of my Jedi Robes have got mud on them and I can't find my formal robes for some damn reason!"
Anakin was rushing around his room at a hundred miles an hour. Literally.
Obi-Wan came into the room. "Looking for this?" he said, holding up Anakins formal robes on a coat hanger.
"Oh thanks." Anakin reached for his robes.
Obi-Wan pulled them back. "A Jedi must always know where his possessions are."
"Yes I know, Master."
"You were too busy with your hair to notice I took them," Obi-Wan teased.
Anakin was getting exasperated. "Can I have them back please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with sugar on top?" Anakin said in a ten-year-olds voice.
"Oh all right." Obi-Wan handed them to him. "Go get changed. And grow up a bit. It's not good for your health. Then we'll pick up Sabe."
"And Padme," he said grumpily.
"And Padme, sorry." Obi-Wan went back into his room.
Anakin shrugged and started putting on his robes.
* * *
"ARRGH! I just can't get this hair right!" yelled Eirtae.
"Your hair? I could be nicknamed Aff!" Padme yelled back.
Sabe poked her head into Padme's bathroom. "Oh, we've got to look presentable!"
"You mean you've got to look presentable for a certain Jedi Knight." Yane said in a teasing voice.
"Shut up! All of you. We'll never get it done this way." Rabe shouted from hers and Sabe's bathroom.
Half an hour later Sabe was helping Padme into her dress.
They heard a wolf whistle come from the doorway.
"Nice underwear!"
They turned around to find a grinning Anakin and a giggling Obi-Wan.
Sabe whipped around, blushing and grabbed the nearest piece of material to cover herself up. It just turned out to be a lace curtain, which made Obi-Wan laugh even harder.
"Would you mind turning around while we're getting dressed?" Padme hissed at Anakin and Obi-Wan.
Anakin turned red and led a still laughing Obi-Wan into the living area.
"Master! Get a hold of yourself. I know you've seen her in her underwear before, maybe even less, so stop laughing as if you just saw Master Yoda trip backwards down the stairs!"
Obi-Wan calmed down with difficulty. "Sorry," he said.
"Come on Anakin, are we going?" Padme stood in the doorway with her arms crossed.
"Sorry to abandon you you Master, but duty calls."
He walked over to Padme. "Sorry about that."
"That's okay. I only wish I had a camera to take a picture of Sabe when you said 'nice underwear.' "
* * *
"You know, you look absolutely beautiful tonight?" Anakin whispered in her ear.
"You don't look half bad yourself," she whispered back.
They saw Obi-Wan and Sabe dancing extremely closely to their left. They suddenly broke apart and went off to the side.
"Wonder what they're doing," Anakin mused.
"Why don't we go and find out?" Padme asked.
"Master Obi-Wan would feel my presence a mile away." Anakin replied.
"That's the whole point. We go see what they're doing, eavesdrop a little, then come back and dance as if nothing happened." Padme grinned. "Besides they'll be so wrapped up in themselves, they won't notice we're there."
"I never knew you had it in you," said Anakin.
"Had what in me?"
"This wild streak. Spying on your handmaidens. I bet you don't do that often."
"Well there was this one time. Eirtae and Chancellor Palpatine were-" she was cut of by Anakin.
"Okay, okay. I get the picture. No need to know all the gory details."
Padme laughed. "Can you sense them with the Force or something?"
"Don't need to. I saw them walk out to the balcony a couple of minutes ago."
Padme groaned. "Never miss anything do you?"
"Nope." He grinned at her. "Let's go then." Anakin suggested.
They broke out of the swarm of politicians and dignitaries, and walked out around until they got to the door that led to the balcony.
They looked around and saw Sabe sitting on Obi-Wans knee with the shoulder of her dress slipped down, and Obi-Wans hand on the small of her back. They were passionately kissing.
"Maybe we should go," Padme suggested.
"Yeah, I've seen enough."
[Yes Padawan, maybe you should go.]
Anakin's eyes went wide. They turned and hurried back inside.
"Now I've got something to tease Sabe about tomorrow." Padme said gleefully.
"Same with me. Except I'll be teasing my Master."
"We're good, we're really good," Padme said, laughing.
An extremely slow song came on and Anakin turned to Padme.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, bowing and holding out his hand.
"Of course." She took his hand daintily and allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor.
They were dancing closer together than they usually would have done. He looked into her eyes. Was she more beautiful than when he had asked her if she was an angel? Was that possible? There was a spark of electricity between them at the moment he looked into her eyes, and Anakin knew he was in love. He just hoped she felt the same way. The moment was destroyed when Obi-Wan tapped him on the shoulder.
"May I have this dance?"
Anakin glared at him as he pulled away from Padme.
[It's payback for spying on Sabe and me.] Obi-Wan said through their Force bond.
* * *
Later on that night as Anakin was dancing with Padme again, he noticed she favoured her right hand.
"Padme, do you want to go and sit down? Your hand seems to be hurting you."
"Thanks Anakin," she said in relief.
They went and sat down at the nearest table, which was outside on the balcony. They watched the city's lights blinking on and off.
"What's wrong with your hand?" Anakin asked, concerned.
"Well, I was just going along to a meeting in the palace at Theed, when somebody shot at me. The two shots both hit my hand and I got taken to the medical wing. Luckily whoever shot me was only fooling around.
"When did this happen?" Anakin asked.
"About three weeks ago. Why?"
"I was just wondering because I had this vision of you getting shot with two blaster shots in the Palace at Theed," Anakin said, remembering the dream.
He called the waiter and got two glasses of Alderaani wine.
She looked up at the Stars. He put his hand over hers and watched them as well.
* * *
Padme looked at him. //Had he just said he had a vision of me getting shot?//
"You said-you said you had a vision of me getting shot?" she asked him.
"Um, yeah. On the day you arrived.
"Were you worried?' she asked.
"Worried? I was dead scared!"
They sat for a minute.
"Don't worry about me Anakin. Sabe stun blasted the person who shot me. It was a village boy who got dared by one of his friends. They are both in jail."
A huge sense of relief settled over Anakin. It must have showed in his face because Padme stood up and undid the hairnet that held up the buns on the sides of her head.
"Urrgh! That hairstyle makes me look like I've got two cinnamon buns on the stop of my ears!" she exclaimed.
She shook out her hair. A few people stared at them.
"Would you like to dance?" she asked Anakin.
"Of course, m'lady."
She pulled him to his feet. "Come on then."
* * *
Later that night as Anakin and Padme ordered some food and sat down, Lyra and Jarred came and sat down with them.
"You were going to introduce us Anakin?" Lyra demanded.
"Oh yes, um, Lyra and Jarred, this is Queen Amidala. Padme, this is Lyra and Jarred, my friends from the temple."
"You know I don't like titles, Anakin." She turned to Lyra and Jarred. "Nice to meet you," she said, smiling.
She started eating her salad, then looked down and said, "Chippy?"
Anakin jumped. "Chippy! Where?"
"In my salad," she said her voice shaking.
Lyra and Jarred looked at them, puzzled, as Anakin went give Padme a hug.
"You remembered!" Anakin whispered in her hair.
"I know. You were so cute when you were nine, always making up jokes to make me laugh when the Trade Federation invaded."
Lyra and Jarred were still staring at them.
"An old joke," Anakin explained.
They looked at him oddly.
"He made it up when he was nine when the Trade Federation invaded Naboo, six years ago, to make me laugh."
"Did it work?" Jarred asked.
"Of course it worked. Especially with that lopsided smile of his."
"You met when he was nine?"
"Yeah. On Tatooine. We had to land our ship for repairs to the hyperdrive, and he won the parts for us in a podrace."
Sadly, the ball was coming to an end, and as the band packed up almost everyone was gone. Including Sabe and Obi-Wan.
"Would you like me to walk you to your quarters?" Anakin asked Padme as Lyra and Jarred left the room hand in hand.
"That would be great, Anakin."
He took her up to the top floor of the Senate building and stopped outside her door.
"Hey, um, if you're not doing anything tomorrow would you like me to take you on a tour of the Jedi Temple?" he asked her.
Padme had only been on Coruscant for a week, but practically the whole time she was at Senate meetings. Tomorrow was the one day she had off.
"I would love to Anakin. Tomorrow is the only day I have off."
He bent over and kissed her on the cheek.
"Thank-you for the most wonderful night I've had in a while," he said.
"And I too." She hugged him. "See you tomorrow Ani." She stood up on tiptoe and brushed his lips with hers before going inside.
* * *
"Was that a kiss I just saw outside the door?" Sabe asked Padme as soon as she locked the door behind her.
"Sabe! You've been spying on me!"
"I didn't think you'd mind, considering you were spying on me and Obi-Wan."
"He's taking me on a tour of the Jedi Temple tomorrow," she said, trying to change the subject.
"Stop trying to change the subject! Now, tell me, do you have feelings for him?"
"Sabe! He's only nineteen!"
"So? You're only twenty-four." Sabe insisted. "So, do you have feelings for him?"
"I . . . . Um . . . . Er . . How can I put this?"
"How about 'yes'?" sabe suggested.
"Sabe, he's nin-"
"Don't give me all the nineteen year old crap! You have feelings for him! Everybody can tell except you godammit! Everyone saw how you blushed when he asked you to the ball, even him!"
Padme flopped down on her bed and started brushing her hair.
"Are you drunk?" she broke off when Sabe glared at her. "Okay, okay, I do have feelings for him. But-"
"Oh shut up about how he's only nineteen! Hello? Obi-Wan's thirty and I'm only twenty-four, but the last time we were together I was only sixteen!"
Padme smiled a sly smile. "I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say- What? You were together when the Trade Federation invaded?"
Sabe sighed. "Yes we were, in case you didn't just hear me. What were you going to say?"
"Never mind." Padme yawned. "I'm going to bed."
* * *
The next morning at 1030, Anakin knocked on Padme's door as they had planned.
"Who is it?" someone spoke from inside.
"Anakin Skywalker," Anakin called back.
"Wait. Don't come in yet. I need to get dressed."
A few minutes later Padme appeared at the door.
For a moment he just stared. Padme looked at him, then looked down. She had put her shoes on the wrong feet.
She turned red and swapped them around.
"Shall we be going then, m'lady?" Anakin asked Padme with an exaggerated bow. He offered her his hand and she took it.
* * *
Later that day as they were exploring the room of a thousand fountains, Lyra and Jarred ran up to them.
"Can we join you on your tour?" they asked. They had been pretty much inseparable since the ball the night before.
"Sure. 'Course you can," Padme said from across the room.
They finished exploring the Room of a Thousand Fountains and headed for the cafeteria on the floor below them.
When they had sat down for lunch, Lyra and Jarred were asking questions about Anakin when he was nine.
"What was he like?"
"Oh he was a sweet little boy. He blew up the Trade Federation Droid Control ship by himself. At the ceremony afterward, he had a little fun with my clothes. . . Whoa! That did not come out right! What I meant was he used to fiddle around with all the jewels and feathers on my gowns."
She looked down embarrassed as everybody at the table laughed, including Anakin. After a couple of seconds she started laughing with them.
//I wouldn't mind fiddling with your clothes now. // Anakin thought.
After they had finished eating, Padme stood up and pushed in her chair.
"I must be going. I promised Sabe that I would meet her in the lobby to look at some files on her computer."
She went over to Anakin and kissed him on his cheek.
"Thanks for the tour. It was wonderful."
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips.
"You're the one who made it happen," he said. (A/N *Drowns in overflow of sap*)
She smiled at him and headed off towards the lobby.
"You really like her a lot, don't you?" Jarred asked, bringing Anakin out of his daze.
"Yeah," he said absently.
"She likes you too. You can tell easy," Lyra added.
"I think I'll go meditate in my quarters for a while." //Yeah, right// He stood up. "See you later."
He headed off to his quarters, but not to meditate.
* * *
"Anakin! Get up. We're going to the Training Room to work on your lightsaber skills."
"Okay, whatever." He rolled over.
"Anakin, now!"
"I am getting up." He got out of bed and pulled on the first robes he found.
He walked into the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine, then noticed Obi-Wan standing against the bench arms crossed.
"Gods! How long have you been up?"
He nodded at the chrono on the wall.
"1100!" Anakin groaned. "Why didn't you wake me earlier?"
Obi-Wan smiled. "I guess I lost track of time. No actually, I've been telling you to get up since 1000."
"Hello? Why didn't I wake up?" Anakin asked.
"I don't know. Good dream, perhaps. Come to the Training Room."
"Alright I'll come."
* * *
They went up to the Training Room and stood at the doorway. Padme and Sabe were in there practising their self-defence. Anakin stood there watching for a while just admiring their style. He suddenly had a brainwave.
"Use the Vulcan neck pinch!" he yelled to them.
(A/N I know it's from Star Trek but I read it somewhere and I thought it sounded cool)
"What's the vul-" Padme started to ask.
Sabe touched the side of her neck.
"Anakin you distracted me!" she yelled at him.
Obi-Wan and Anakin walked over to them.
"You shouldn't let your concentration lapse, even when someone-I won't mention any names-yells out 'use the Vulcan neck pinch', even if they take you totally by surprise," Anakin said with a grin.
"Oh don't be stupid Ani," Padme groaned.
"I wasn't," he insisted.
Obi-Wan and Sabe had gone off somewhere leaving Anakin and Padme alone in the Training Room.
"Do you want to go for a walk in the gardens?" Padme asked Anakin.
"Sure," he answered.
Anakin's hand found Padme's and they walked slowly towards the gardens.
* * *
They were walking around the gardens when Padme took Anakin's hand and led him to one of the seats around the fountains.
"Anakin, I want to go back to Naboo. Do you want to come with me? Obi-wan is welcome to come, it's just that, you guys haven't been there ever since Trade Federation…and Iwantyoutomeetmyparents," she said with a rush.
"Sure," he replied. "I'll have to check with the council first, but they'll let me if Obi-wan comes along heh…"
"Oh that's great! You can stay where you did last time if you'd like, and there's a few parties on sometimes and…I'm babbling aren't I?"
He silenced her with a kiss. The kiss was soft, gentle, but told her what she needed to hear. She looked surprised, then came to her senses and kissed him back, passionately.
He was surprised by all the passion that went into her kiss.
"I'll always be here for you Padme," he whispered then kissed her forehead and hugged her close to him.
They heard a whistle come from behind the fountain they were sitting at.
Padme looked around and saw Obi-Wan, Sabe, Lyra and Jarred whistling and clapping.
She looked up at Anakin, smiled and pulled his head to hers.
And that's the end. Nice bit of sap for you, please review??? I'll love you forever if you dooo…
