A Missing Moment
A missing scene during "Chapter Thirty-Six: Enough of This War" of "Secrets of the Negotiator"
"Anakin! Ahsoka and the missing padawans are en route to...Cor...u...scant - what's wrong?"
Anakin held his comlink in his hand, looking vaguely green while he stood in front of the booth. His voice was hoarse while he whispered, "My dad's dying."
"What? Anakin, I-"
"Can you just -"
"Anakin I want - how come no one ever tells me -"
"You never ask, Obi-Wan!" Anakin snapped, glaring at him a moment. "You never ask about anyone's lives! I could tell you a million things that are happening in my life but none of that even -"
"Anakin -"
"Master, stop." Anakin turned on his heel, his back stiff while he walked to the door. "Let's just go, okay?"
Anakin had to smile when he walked through the halls of the Mountain Palace, brushing a hand through his hair. Everybody was sleeping, exhausted from having being in the presence of 'the Dynamic Duo' - and maybe tad hungover too. The Viceroy, despite the Queen's protests, always knew to keep the wine flowing at every large gathering of politicians. Alcohol caused loose tongues and lowered inhibitions, proving it valuable to many people.
Especially now. He could walk to his wife's rooms in peace, without fear of anyone seeing him.
He sighed, finding the servants lift that Padmé had told him led directly into her apartment. She had been pale during the dinner, only picking at her food and looking like she might collapse in exhaustion any moment. It killed him to have to stay and mingle when she had discreetly slipped away and went to bed.
The loft was playing a bad rendition of 'Across the Stars,' and Anakin tapped his foot while the lift painstakingly went up the floors. He half-wondered what Obi-Wan was doing, then grimaced, remembering how many times he had flirted with Satine and grinned like an idiot every time she laughed.
The lift dinged, then opened ever so slowly.
At least he's happy, Anakin thought while the rooms were gradually revealed to him. The hallway he was dumped into was painted a pale pink, decorated with murals of animals. He glanced down at the white carpet, sighed, and tugged off his muddy boots and tossed them onto the mat near the lift before following the low voices.
Captain Typho was drinking tea in the living room and quietly talking to Dormé. He glanced up when Anakin approached and nodded in greeting. "Sir - got away from the populace?"
"Somehow," Anakin muttered, sitting in a plush white armchair and rubbing his eyes. "They don't ever want to stop talking."
Dormé - curled in the corner of a couch, teacup clutched in her hand - gave a small smile. "Well they must be excited to have the 'Hero-With-No-Fear' in their midst."
"No fear." Anakin shook his head, leaning his elbows against his knees and glancing to the windows. It was still dark out, but dawn would be coming soon. He studied the stars for a moment before sliding his gaze to where he presumed his wife's bedroom was. Quietly, he murmured, "How is she doing?"
"Not too bad - we only got here about eight hours before you did. I think the hyperspace and jet lag made her nauseous." Dormé took a sip of her tea. "She's supposed to be sleeping, but I hardly doubt the Padmé Amidala will allow the day to be wasted."
Anakin chuckled, standing and rubbing his neck. "Sounds like my wife."
He walked quietly to the bedroom, palming it open. The room was dim, save for a lamp by the bedside. There were no handmaidens in the room - usually, Padmé only took Dormé and Captain Typho with her on short diplomatic missions... especially ones that he would be joining her.
Which speak of the devil…
"Don't give me that look." Padmé - sitting in the window seat of the bedchamber, reading a datapad - smiled a bit at his huff.
"What look Angel?"
"I'm sitting, aren't I?"
Anakin leaned against the molding, staring down at her and raising his eyebrows. "I've been here a minute and I'm already in trouble."
"You're not in trouble." She looked at him and grinned. "But you are blocking my light, Anakin Skywalker."
He shook his head, lowering into a crouch and touching her fleece-covered thigh. "You feeling okay?"
Padmé clicked the datapad off and reached out, putting a hand on his jaw. "I'm okay - just tired." She studied him, brow crinkling together. "I think the better question is how you're doing."
"I…" Anakin swallowed, glancing away and letting out a harsh breath. He remembered the anger he had felt towards Obi-Wan, the frustration that the man had not even noticed how miserable he had been the past few weeks. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Ani…" She drew her thumb over his jawbone, feeling rough stubble beneath her skin. "Ani, look at me. It's okay to feel this way."
He rubbed at his eyes, sitting cross-legged on the carpet and sighing. "I barely knew him Mé...what sort of son am I if I can't even be there for -"
"You couldn't have been there...there's no use blaming yourself for something that could not have been avoided."
"I feel like I failed Mom - I knew her husband was dying and I did nothing! I could have been there instead of finding out on a karking ship halfway across the galaxy two weeks later!"
Padmé knew there was nothing she could do to keep her husband from blaming himself. She simply shifted to the floor, gathering him in her arms and letting him cry. It had been a bit of a shock when Beru had commed just after the Senatorial Banquet, tearfully informing her that Cliegg had passed in his sleep. It had been odd - she didn't exactly mourn, but she was upset. Without much fanfare, she had forwarded enough money to pay for the final health and funeral fees, and waited for her husband to contact her about what happened.
But as the days had dragged into weeks, she figured out that Anakin had probably been informed by Owen, and was doing his best to ignore his grief until a time came for him to break down.
"He's with Shmi," Padmé murmured, brushing her lips against his temple, feeling him shudder and cry.
Anakin shouldn't have been surprised when his comlink bleeped angrily just before dawn. He moved out of bed carefully, grimacing at the tight feeling of dried tears on his face while pressing the answer key, making sure to switch the projection capabilities were off. "General Skywalker."
"Sir," it was someone from the Alderaan command center. "Jedi Master Windu is attempting to contact - he needs to speak to you and General Kenobi."
"Alright - give me a minute."
"Copy that sir."
He sighed, glancing over at his sleeping wife while he changed into the spare set of clothes she had brought with her. It was a relief to be out of the armor, he realized when he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her brow.
The halls were still quiet while he made his way through them. There were a few more people, but not enough that would question why he was awake at an ungodly hour of the morning.
"Cody," he greeted the hologram when he walked into command. "Where's Obi-Wan?"
"I'm fine General Skywalker, thanks for asking."
He rolled his eyes at the clone commander, glancing at the two security guards and one technician. "You guys can head out - Jedi tend to be fussy about who hears what."
They glanced at each other, then bowed and walked out stiffly, muttering to each other.
"Well they have sticks up their asses."
Cody shook his head in amusement. "General Windu had to cut the connection momentarily - something about that Caleb Dume spilling caf on the controls."
Anakin - punching in Obi-Wan's frequency code - had to laugh. "That sounds like Caleb - man why isn't Obi-Wan - hey Master the Council - holy Force, my eyes!"
Author's note: I know I don't usually do this, but I had an idea about what was happening in Anakin's life and what he wasn't telling Obi-Wan and I had to write it down.
Let me know what you think!
ii Digestive Reader ii
P.S I may try to attempt to write a Phantom Menace prequel within the near future, which mainly revolves around Obitine after the year on Mandalore. I know I attempted it a long time ago, but I deleted it because - if I'm perfectly honest here - I was writing that during a very bad time in my life and couldn't stand writing it. So that should be coming within the next few months. Hopefully.