i have been waiting for months to get around to this! I wasn't sure about it for a while, partially because I haven't seen anything like this, and some of the content might be a little... heavy. But I wanted to give it a go, so here it is.

Hope you like it!

-DFD

Chapter 1

If it had been anyone else, she would have said no. If it had been something more daring than going to a bar, she would have said no. Bars were not her favorite places to be. They brought back memories of her college days when she was far from the mature adult she is now. But, here she was, sitting at a high table, her glass of wine long empty while her closest friends giggled drunkenly as they ranked the men there from zero to ten. Padme glanced at her watch, hoping she could leave soon. Unfortunately, Dorme caught her and gripped her wrist.

"You can't seriously be thinking of leaving yet!" She said, much louder than a sober person would.

Padme sighed, "I really shouldn't stay out too late." She said, "I have that rally to go to and I can't very well show up there with a hangover."

Dorme shook her head, "Oh no you don't." She started, pointing a finger at her, "You have had your panties in a knot for far too long. Ever since you didn't get that nomination, you've been busting your metaphorical balls." Dorme slammed her fist on the table, ratting the condiments rack in the center of the table, "No more! You hear me? No more, say I!"

Padme stared at her clearly drunk friend, "No more gin for you." She said as she slowly reached to take her drink of gin and tonic from her grasp and pushing it to the other side of the table out of her reach.

"You're no fun." She said. Padme shook her head and excused herself to go get her a glass of water. It wouldn't do much to alleviate the hangover, but at least it would stop her from getting another drink. Dorme was the type of person who after reaching this point, can't tell the difference between alcohol or water.

Approaching the bar, she hadn't expected the man next to her to turn so suddenly. He knocked into her and the drink in his hand spilled all over his shirt. "Shit." He muttered as he looked at his now wet black shirt.

"I'm so sorry." Padme hurriedly said, "Let me buy you another one."

The man laughed and leaned back up against the bar, "I thought it was the guy's job to buy the drinks." He said with a smile.

She looked at him with wide eyes. Was he flirting with her? It sounded like it. "Well, I don't think they do if the girl doesn't even know who the guy is."

The smile on his face reached his eyes as he held out his left hand to her, "Anakin." He said. Padme looked at the offered hand, slightly confused by the offer, but reasoned it made sense given he was leaning on his right.

"Padme." She returned.

Anakin shook her hand firmly before releasing it, "See? Not total strangers now, are we?" He said and she laughed. "Let me buy you that drink."

She turned her head to look back at the table of her friends, most of which were still in the middle of their drinks. Dorme was far too busy chatting with Sabe and Teckla to even notice she had slipped away. Turing back to Anakin, she had to admit there was something interesting about him. The ease with which he spoke and those deep blue eyes had peaked her curiosity. Flashing him a smile of her own, she nods, "White wine." she replies.

He bows his head in a mock gentlemanly gesture before calling over the bartender and ordering her drink and his whiskey on the rocks. They find seats along the bar and chat while they sip at their drinks.

He isn't the most extraordinary person she has ever met. But talking with him is… nice. Ever since she decided she wanted to go into politics, she had spent most of her time building the necessary relationships with the right people to put her on the right track to being elected into a position. She made it as far as running for the House of Representatives, but had unfortunately lost out to a more experienced politician. But this election was different. Following this term, that politician is retiring, leaving the door open so she can stand a good chance of being elected. She was terrified, but the excitement for the bright future ahead of her stood out far more.

Talking to Anakin was so different from the types of conversations she was used to having. Most of the time, her conversations are very formal and involve debating policy civil rights issues. But with Anakin, they were talking about simple things. Where she was from, hobbies and interests, exchanging funny stories; nothing at all what she normally talks about and it is such a nice change. For the first time in a long time, she is just Padme.

As he talks, he shifts his right arm so it is no longer hanging under the bar but rests it on the bar top. Her eyes catch the movement and she has to look again to make sure she is seeing it right. The arm that is now resting on top of the bar is not made of flesh like his left. Instead it is made of a black alloy that reflects some of the dimmed light. At the end of the arm is a curved hook. Her eyes quickly return to his, hoping he didn't notice her staring at it and by the way he kept talking, either he was used to people staring or he hadn't noticed. She knew it was rude, but she couldn't help but wonder what had happened. Looking at his face he didn't look older than twenty-six. What could have caused such a terrible thing to happened to someone so young?

Padme forces herself to focus on his words rather than the questions racing through her head. It wasn't easy, and it was certainly a challenge not to try and look at the arm again. But she had been raised to be better than that. Losing an arm is extremely traumatic and she has no desire to ruin this nice conversation by bringing it up. Besides, he's just a guy in a bar. What are the odds she will ever see him again?

"So basically the only reason I'm here tonight is because Obi-Wan needed a wing man." He said gesturing back to a ginger haired man and a blonde woman sitting at one of the booths in the back. "What about you?" He asked, his eyes glancing back towards her group of friends who now seemed to notice them, "I take it you didn't come here of your own free will."

Padme buried her head in her hand, "Is it that obvious?" He laughed and nodded his head. "They mean well." She said, "They just thought I needed a night to relax, but this… really is not what I would normally call relaxing."

"I take it tonight is the exception?" He asked, leaning forward ever so slightly.

It was obvious what he was asking. He wanted to know if she enjoyed his company. And surprisingly, she did. Padme smiled as she nodded, "Yeah, I guess it is." She said. She noticed how he shifts again, as if debating with himself over what he should do next and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss him. Her eyes shift to the side to clear her head. "So, what do you do for a living?" She asked, breaking the tension and dashing any chance of something happening later tonight.

Anakin blinks at her, caught off guard by the change of subject, but he recovered quick with a smirk and a shrug. "Nothing too special, I'm afraid." He started. And Padme listened intently as he told her about his work. To say she was surprised he was a mechanic, would be an understatement. She can't imagine that job being particularly easy given his… situation. But from the way he talks about it, it seems he gets by just fine. Along side his job at the mechanics shop, he's also studying for his masters in mechanical engineering. It's impressive. More impressive than he makes it sound and from the way he talks about it, it is clearly something he is passionate about. He quickly goes into a tangent talking about the project he is currently working on. She doesn't understand the technical stuff, but she knows it is some kind of robot. "I must be boring you…" He says, his voice trailing off as he rubs the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed by how he went off on her.

"No, No," Padme holds her hand up to reassure him, "It's fine, really. You're clearly passionate about it and there is nothing wrong with that."

She must have said something right because he perks up at her and smiles, "And what are you passionate about?" He asked.

Her eyes briefly catch her friends watching them as if they are the most interesting people in the bar and resists the urge to shake her head about how nosey they are. How should she respond to Anakin's question? There are a lot of things she is passionate about- civil rights issues, political bribery and corruption, the influence of big business in politics; none of which she thinks he expects as an answer. Besides, politics isn't something people who just met should talk about. If her father could be mad at her for weeks because she supports gay marriage, she can't imagine what a buzzkill it would be at a first encounter. Instead she shrugs, "I love swimming." She said, "Not Olympic swimming- I'm far from being that good. But I grew up near the ocean so my sister and I would swim for hours when we could." Padme smiled at the memories her words had triggered. They had been so long ago, and it was hard to believe they were over. Her eyes find Anakin's again and notices how intently he is staring at her. "What?"

He gives a shrug, "You have a beautiful smile." He says and she must be blushing from the way her cheeks feel heated and how he laughs.

Behind him, the ginger man and the blonde woman he was with approached them. Clasping Anakin on the shoulder, he pulls his attention away from her. "Sorry to interrupt." He says, his accent clearly of British origins, "But it's already passed eleven. We have that thing to go to in the morning, remember."

Anakin looks down at the watch on his wrist, almost surprised at the lateness of the hour. Looking back at her, he has that strained look on his face as he weighs the option of staying and continuing talking to her.

The look on his friend's face- Obi-Wan, if she remembers correctly- is stern as if trying to mentally convey the importance of whatever it is they have to do. "It's okay if you have to leave." She said after a moment. As nice as it is talking to him, she doesn't want to impose.

He still looks as though he wants to stay, but after glancing up at his friend's face, he sighs in defeat, "I guess I have to go…" He said, disappointed at how he has to leave.

"It's perfectly alright." She said, "I had better make sure my friends get home safe as well." She said, glancing back at her friends.

Anakin nods in understanding before scratching the back of his neck again, "Hey, um… would it be alright if we do this again? It doesn't have to be a bar but… I-I'd like to see you again. If that's alright with you, of course." He stutters over his words, clearly nervous.

She feels the same way though, "Give me your phone." She said, passing him hers as well. They each take the other's phone and fill out the fields for a new contact before returning it to the rightful owner. The look of relief on his face brightens her own smile as they bid each other goodnight. Padme watches as he leaves and watches as he climbs into a cab with his friends. His eyes meet hers one last time and he flashes her a smirk just before the cab pulled away. She can't wait to see him again. With a sigh, she heads back to her friends, well aware of the interrogation she would face from them.