On the Field
A SW story
Padmé was awake long before she opened her eyes. She felt the cold bed sheets where a warm chest had been the night before. Anakin had already woken up to be shipped off, leaving Padmé alone once again. The senator let out a single self-pitying sigh before getting out of bed.
She knew other women had to wake up to cold beds with the knowledge their husband was off to war, the only difference between herself and those women was that she couldn't run into Anakin's arms the moment he got back to Coruscant.
She sighed again and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before beginning her morning routine. There was no real reason to keep moping about when Anakin was gone other than to be dramatic or when she was just missing that dazzling smile, childlike curiosity, warm eyes, broad chest...
Padmé decided she needed a moment to either collect her thoughts or push them to the side until after the day's work ended.
Taking a small breath to calm her thoughts, Padmé allowed herself to dwell on the reckless charmer that was Anakin Skywalker. Ani was always in the forefront of her mind when he leaves for a new mission.
It wasn't that Padmé was worried Anakin couldn't handle himself, it was more of the opposite. She knew exactly how well Anakin could handle himself due to the sheer number of shenanigans she's pulled that boy into.
That's what worried her. She knew Ani could get reckless when he was trying to complete a mission or was trying to save someone and that's what scared her. That Anakin's recklessness, born out of his desire to save everyone close to him, would someday be his downfall.
A shiver went down her spine at the thought of it and Padmé shook her head to get the gloomy thoughts out of her head. She couldn't think like that, not if she wanted to be alert and awake today at the Senate meeting.
She had to trust Ani like she always did. Anakin would come back to her. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and Rex would make sure of that...hmm, maybe she should put together a "Thank you for keeping Anakin alive" gift basket one of these days...
Padmé continued her morning routine, all while planning out what gifts she could make without being too obvious. Ahsoka, the spunky sweetheart, would accept any kind of meat grilled with spices or something sweet. Obi-Wan would probably appreciate a new set of tea flavors (or maybe a new cloak he could dramatically discard), and Rex? Well, that man would appreciate anything from a box of sweet cake to a long well-deserved nap.
Just then Threepio knocked on her door and waddled in "Mistress Padmé! There are two clone troopers here to escort you to your office, today. Shall I let them in?" Padmé smiled, of course Ani would ask Butch and Claw to come fetch her before the day started.
Guess Ani knew just how reckless Padmé could be too. Padmé felt a warm smile form on her face as she slipped a Nabooian pistol in the holster at her hip. "Let them in, Threepio." She said warmly, covering the holster with her many layers of clothing.
When the troopers came in, they were sporting the dark red colors of the Coruscant Guard, but Padmé knew them as the blue -painted 501 men she braved the Blue Shadow virus with. "Welcome, gentlemen." She said, bowing to both of them (she learned the hard way that hugging a clone in full armor was not necessarily the most comfortable thing).
"I have to collect some things before we leave, so please help yourselves to some candied nuts on the table." She smiled as the two men bowed back to her before removing their helmets and dashing to the table for the candied nuts.
As she watched them politely indulge themselves, Padmé knew one thing that would be the ultimate "thank you" gift to Rex. She gathered up her data pad and a few data cartridges before joining the two in the living room to head out.
She could worry about Anakin's well-being later, right now, she had corrupt senators to argue with, conspiracies to unveil, a clone's rights bill to create, and make sure there was still a working Senate by the time Anakin got home.
It had been a long day. He, Ahsoka, and Rex were now two weeks into their mission of protecting a young, bratty, prince of the planet's royal family and his handmaid who was too exhausted and exasperated to deal with her charge.
The planet was currently undergoing a civil war and had enlisted the help of the Jedi to protect the boy from assassins while his parents had to try and create a treaty or something.
Normally something like that would not require the presence of two ARC Troopers and a Clone Captain, but there had been rumors that the Trade Federation was involved with stimulating the civil war so they were also there to investigate.
Which translated to Echo and Fives stay behind to figure things out while Rex goes with the Jedi to be the voice of reason.
As of right now, the five sentients were currently sprawled out on the ground, attempting to get sleep before the next day. Anakin was still awake as it was his watch, and that allowed for his thoughts to stray while he gazed up at the stars and scanned the horizon.
The planet was mainly a flat grassland terrain, with the occasional mountain or hill to break the smoothness of the planet's surface. This was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because it meant Anakin could see practically everything, but a curse because it meant whoever was looking for them could also see everything.
The tall grass scattered around the plains served some kind of protection, but if Anakin's experience on that planet with the small lemur-aliens taught him anything was that their enemies could use the same tall grass to stage an ambush.
As Anakin kept watch, he felt himself dozing off yet unable to sleep. Sure the task of watching waiting for something to happen was mundane and would put even an experienced Jedi to sleep if done long enough, but Ani's thoughts were currently filled with enough images and longing for a certain Paradise that made him unable to properly sleep.
Padmé.
Even after being married to her for nearly two years now, he still had that wonderful woman constantly in his thoughts. Every time he was apart from her he felt like he had left part of his soul behind.
Anakin knew that sounded ridiculously sappy but it was true! Whenever he was with Padmé he felt like he was safe and loved. Not that he didn't feel safe when surrounded by the 501st, or when he was with Obi-Wan or Ahsoka, but none of them offered the affection and sense of home Padmé did.
Padmé was an honest Force-send to him. She knew just how to make him laugh and feel like there was nothing in the galaxy besides him and her.
Anakin's gaze suddenly became relaxed at the thought of her.
He thought of the way she'd smile at him when she slipped into bed next to him, placing a kiss to his head before resting her head on his chest, allowing him to wrap his arms closely around her. He thought of the way she'd have this look of utter excitement when she was able to spend so much as an hour with him alone and unbothered by her work or his.
Ani felt a small, wishful smile on his face. He just couldn't wait to get home to see her again. Sure, two weeks was practically nothing compared to other assignments he's had in the past, but…
Two weeks protecting a kid that is the most frustrating little brat who felt self-entitled to everything is more than enough to want to just fly home straight into Padmé's arms to rest and recover from this trip.
Anakin let out a small sigh and rubbed the back of his neck before looking at said brat who was currently curled into a tight ball beside his handmaid who was dead to the world. When the kid was asleep he didn't look to bad…..
Kids…..Anakin had wondered sometimes what it would be like to have a child with Padmé.
He'd often fantasize they had a little girl he could call his own and that they lived someplace where there was no war, no galaxy where he was the Chosen One, just him, Padmé, his daughter and his friends (which included but not limited to Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Rex).
Yeah…that would be nice….
"Sir, you ready to switch?" Rex's voice cut in through Anakin's daydream, briefly startling him. Trying to act like he wasn't just caught having a daydream about his wife, Anakin nodded and forced a yawn.
"Thank you, Rex." Anakin said, clapping Rex on the shoulder before heading to his arranged sleeping spot. As he settled in for the rest of the night, Anakin's gaze floated upwards to the starry night sky.
Reaching out with the Force Anakin sent a goodnight message to Padmé, pretending she was there in his arms and she could hear him. Goodnight, Padmé, sleep well. I promise I'll be home soon. I love you.
Nearly a month had passed since Anakin left Padmé for his assignment and she was expecting him to return anytime now. Anakin had called her at nearly 1am the night before, leaving a message that said the mission was successful and that everyone was okay and he was coming home to her.
When Padmé had woken up to that message, she felt relieved and impatient. She knew Anakin had a lot of work, doing reports, catching up with anything he missed at the Temple, and whatever else a Jedi did, but she couldn't help but feel that apprehension of having Anakin so close yet so far lfrom her.
Sighing, she rubbed her eyes to focus on the datapad in front of her. She needed to at least get a rough draft of her letter to a clone-rights activist in the Senate before the end of today. She bit her lip in thought before typing out her request.
Padmé knew that fighting for clone rights would be a hige uphill battle, and she wanted all the allies she could get. Especially since she only had a limited knowledge of what rights the clones did and didn't have.
She knew it was so much less than they deserve and there were only so many rights they actually did have, but as soldiers.
Padmé stared at the letter for a little longer, the little line on the document blink, waiting for her to write the next word. She sighed again, why was there an unspoken rule that all letters between sentors had to be long and formal?
Huffing, Padmé shook jer head and forced herself to concentrate. She got halfway through the letter before deciding to call it a day after her stomach growled. Normally she'd go back to her Nabooian Senatore Suite, but since Anakin was scheduled to be back home she decided to head to their home.
Padmé could hardly wait as her speeder pulled into the parking platform, she was stuck between hoping Anakin was there and telling herself that it was perfectly logical for Anakin to be a no-show tonight.
As she exited her speeder, she saw no sign of Anakin. Her heart dropped a little but she shook her head and took a deep breath. She knew this was a possibility, she just had to toughen up and wait for Ani to call her, saying he was back at the Temple and safe.
Still hoping her initial search of the launchpad was wrong, Padmé quickly rushed through the apartment, hoping for a sign of a dramatically discarded robe, a misplaced lightsaber, or a reckless yet loving husband.
Once her search turned up empty, Padmé allowed herself to feel disappointment. With a heavy sigh she trudged over to the bathroom and prepped herself for a nice hot shower. She spent her time hopping in the luxury shower, taking extra care to work out all the knots from her hair, hoping to wash away the disappointment.
As dramatic as it was, Padmé allowed herself time to wallow in her sorrow of having another night without Anakin despite him being on Coruscant.
As she finished her bath time routine, Padmé wrapped herself in a bathrobe and wrapped her hair up in a towel before exiting the room. Steam poured out as the sliding door opened, and Padmé exited.
She yawned widely, eyes closed in thought, trying to figure out what to eat.
"Well hello, beautiful."
Padmé's eyes snapped open and she dashed to the vase located just outside the bathroom before throwing her hand inside and grabbing the blaster "Padmé, wait-!" The sound of a lightsaber igniting was followed closely by a gunshot.
Which was easily deflected by a shimmering blue saber. Padmé stared at none other than Anakin who was looking like a little boy who got caught trying to sneak in, lightsaber activated. "A-Ani?" Padmé said breathlessly, slowly putting down the blaster.
"Er….h-hi, Padmé….." Ani said sheepishly, deactivating his saber with a click. "Anakin!" Padmé rushed forward and tackled her husband in a tight hug, which resulted in both of them crashing to the floor, laughing.
"Force, Padmé, I can't tell you how glad I am to be home!" Anakin cried, planting butterfly kisses all over her face. Padmé giggled like a lovestruck schoolgirl and reciprocated Anakin's affections full heartedly.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to have you home!" Padmé laughed, wrapping her arms around Anakin tightly. Anakin picked himself and his wife up off the floor before twirling her around once before bringing her in for another hug.
"I missed you, Padmé." Anakin said softly, burying his face in her hair "I missed you too, Ani." Padmé sighed, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I, uh, sorry I scared you…." Ani said sheepishly.
Padmé laughed "It's alright, Ani." She pressed a kiss to his cheek and flicked him teasingly "I'm just glad I'm able to help you get some lightsaber practice in." Anakin laughed loudly before kissing her.
Padmé felt herself grow limp for a moment as Anakin dipped her backwards before kissing her and she threw her arms around his neck to keep herself steady. Anakin's kiss didn't last very long as both Anakin's and Padmé's stomachs growled.
The husband and wife took one look at each other before bursting out laughing. "Guess we should get some food, huh?" Anakin said with a chuckle. Padmé laughed and nodded "I believe we still have some nectar in the fridge as well as some spicy curry I had made for some guests."
"Anything sounds good to me, Padmé." Anakin said with a sigh "I'd even eat out of a dumpster if it meant I had real food!" Padmé laughed as she led Anakin to the kitchen area.
"Says the boy who thinks a blue-beetled grub with the green insides that you find under logs in the Haku-Atta system." Padmé said with a smirk. "thAT WAS ONE TIME!" Anakin pouted "And besides, I was hungry!"