Hey Everyone!

AN: Just plain sappiness. So enjoy! Oh, yeah! Ami is 22 and Ani is 18.

Summary: Anakin is missing Padme while he is away on a mission.

POV: none

Paring: Ani/Ami

Disclaimer: George owns Star Wars... not me

Heartbeat

Anakin strode from the balcony of he and Obi-Wan's quarters in Baroonda. The rain had been going on for about 3 days now. They were on some lame ass mission to breech settlement of some dumb peace treaty violation. Being a coward, the senator of Baroonda withdrew offending troops from whatever planet it was that he was invading and the negotiations ended in less than an hour... but bad weather conditions had prevented the two Jedi from leaving this Gods-forsaken planet.

His heart yearned for the wonderful planet he loved so much... the planet where his beautiful fiancé was waiting for him... his angel... his Padme. Anakin sighed, and stared back out at his open window. The rain continued pouring at a harsh steady pace. *Well great* he thought. *Another night spent here* Anakin allowed his fantasies to linger back to Padme... or should he say Queen Amidala? "Well," he mused to himself; "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." He smiled. It mattered nothing to him what she was called; he loved her... for all that she was worth and more. And right now he missed her.

Anakin sat on his bed and reached for the new data chip that sat on his bedside table. "When did this come?" He asked nobody. Sullenly, he picked it up and placed it in the hologram projector beside the bed, and hit the "Play" button. His eyes widened at the sight before him

A holographic image of Padme stood before him. She was not in her royal gala, but wearing a white crushed velvet dress, with long sleeves that flared out from the elbows. Her brown hair was tied half into a braided bun and the rest hanging down. White flowers decorated the wavy locks, and made them shine... even more so then before. Her face was free of makeup... and Anakin never thought she looked more beautiful...

"Hello Anakin! I know that you wanted to be here for this... but since you are stuck on Baroonda... I can understand why you could not make it to the bridal gown fitting."

Anakin smacked his forehead, tore his eyes from the projection, and flopped onto the bed. The bridal gown fittings! He forgot about them completely!

"Well I forgive you, but you better make it up to me!"

Anakin smirked. Oh he could think of SOMETHING! Anakin may have been a Jedi... but he was no stranger to the temptations of the flesh. On many occasions, he let himself have a little fun with his love, and once the two began something... they couldn't seem to stop.

"Well this is the dress the I have chosen. Do you like it?" She spun around for him to get a better view. The dress was a pure white that clung to her waist, but flowed like the falls of the palace from her hips down. She stopped spinning and slowly, the dress came to a stop, swirling around her legs, and falling back into place. She looked down at the dress and then back up again, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I don't know if I should've picked virginal white though, Ani..." a mischievous smile crept upon her lips, "I mean it's not exactly the truth..."

Anakin smirk turned into a devilish smile. The truth indeed. Sure, she hadn't slept with another man other then him... but she had sex before marriage... a big no no in morals... alone with politics. But that didn't matter at all to him, or Padme. They loved each other... so it was more then just sex... it was love. Physical love. Now they could do that sort of thing legally... and wouldn't have to endure Obi-Wan's constant scoldings and safe-sex talks.

The holographic image coughed. "Anyway, I hope to see you soon Ani." She paused and looked down... then back up again... this time with tears in her eyes. "I love you..." Then she faded out, her words lingering in the small room.

Anakin sighed and stared out at the rain. It's steady beat depressed him even more so then before. It made him think of Padme's steady heartbeat. He loved that.

He remembered the first time they spent the night together. It had been a terribly rainy day... and twilight was approaching quickly... still the rain showed no signs of letting up. He had been at the palace for three days then... and he was 16 at the time. He and Obi-Wan had been on a vacation, and were leaving again the next day for Coruscant to receive their next mission.

Padme had been sad about their upcoming departure, and wished to say good-bye to Ani alone. He finally received the courage he needed to tell her his feelings, when her tear filled eyes met his own and she took his hand, placed it against her heart, and asked him:

"What do you feel?"

He had been caught off guard by the statement, but replied: "Your heart, Padme." She had smiled, her sad brown eyes boring into his blue ones, placed her hand over his heart and said, "Just know that wherever you go... this heart, my heart... will beat with yours... wherever you may go."

He kissed her then, explained his feelings... and then they let all the emotion that had been bottled up and bubbling inside of them explode into actions.

He remembered the pleasure he had felt... but the most vivid and pleasurable memory of the whole experience... was lying awake, listening to the thundering of the rain outside, and holding Padme in his arms... feeling her heartbeat against his own as she slept beside him. That had been two years ago... and the memory still shook him to his very core.

The thunder outside shook him from his daze. Anakin sighed, and decided it was time for him to sleep. He slipped under the covers and let his body relax. Anakin slowly drifted to his dreams... hoping that tomorrow the sun would shine through his window... telling him he was free to go back home...

That night Anakin Skywalker slept in peace, with his hand over his heart... little did he know that in Naboo, a young queen did the same.

THE END!