Nothing belongs to me, everything belongs to George.

Hidden beneath

"I will miss you, Anakin", Padmé called after him, while he slowly strolled down the sunlit path leading him away from her. Anakin didn't look back. He knew it would just make it more difficult for him to go on with the live he had before they have met again. His feet felt heavy on the coarse gravel that shone orange in the sunrise of Naboo.

Determination was with him and he avoided looking at anything connected to the beauty he was about to leave for a long time. How long exactly, he wasn't able to tell.

R2D2 made his typical noises, when he saw Anakin approach his ship, opening it and setting the engine to life.

The strong glass cupola closed on him and he clutched his hands around the steeling wheel, wincing in pain as the durasteel hand sent electrified waves through his injured arm. Off guard he caught a short glimpse of Padmé, who was still standing in the doorway, her arms entangled around her body just covered by her nearly transparent nightgown.

She waved and turned smaller and smaller as he set off for space.

"We are heading for Coruscant, R2", he informed his companion and switched off the autopilot: "I am flying myself."

This might drive his thoughts away from the warmth of his newly wife's body and back to the strict rules of the Jedi. After all he was said to become a Jedi Knight in the next weeks if he could believe Master Windu's words. His marriage would never be appropriate in the eyes of the Jedi Council, which means a love life hidden in the shadows of sin for both Anakin and Padmé.

Anakin gripped the wheel harder and the durasteel attached to the wound sent another jolt of pain through him, clearing his mind a little. His connection with Obi-Wan had luckily been bad during the last days, due to the fact that his Master had been sent off to a mission on the other end of the galaxy. A connection between a Padawan and his Master was always strong but hardly ever had enough power to vanquish such distances. Anakin had been glad, so he wasn't forced to shut Obi-Wan out, while he spent time with Padmé, intimately. His Master would have sensed the delicate difference in the Force at once.

Now it was Anakin's task to prevent his Master from entering his mind too deeply and therefore discovering his heart desire. He still wanted to be a Jedi Knight, nothing has changed that wish, but still he felt bifid. He never seemed to be truly satisfied, whichever path he chose.

Obi-Wan greeted him on the landing patch on Coruscant and Anakin felt him trying to enter his mind immediately. He was not ready for it, yet.

His Master frowned slightly.

"Why are you hiding, my young Padawan?", he asked eyeing him with a mixture of concern and suspicion.

"I still am in pain, Master", Anakin replied with his expression set: "The wound heels slowly. I don't want you to feel my pain as well. It is a burden I have to carry alone."

"As repulsive as you may have acted on Geonosis, it has not been your fault."

Obi-Wan placed an assuring hand on his Padawan's shoulder leading him into the cool building ahead. Anakin felt a sudden guilt rising within his chest as he stepped over the border into the Jedi Temple. His mind, never been free from possessive love, now overloaded with fear to lose said loved one.

"Master Yoda wants to see you. He already set a date when you are to become a Jedi Knight. You want to go straight to him or rest and meditate first?", Obi-Wan asked and couldn't keep the small trace of excitement our of his voice.

"Later, please. I need to rest a while to settle down my thoughts", Anakin said calmly while a storm of emotions rushed through him. He tried to ignore them and indeed concentrated on hiding. Yoda was far more sensitive when it came to reading minds. Anakin knew he would not be able to fool him with his desire going crazy.

"I await you later to receive your report about the mission", Obi-Wan reminded him and set off into the library.

"Yes, Master."

Anakin chose the other direction to his and Obi-Wan's private room, careful to keep his mind away from thoughts about Padmé. He would meditate on her and store all his feelings and his beautiful memories of her into the depths of his mind to hide them.

Forever, if he had to.

End

What do you say? This is my first English story and I hope it is appropriate (I am not an English native-speaker).

I also hope there aren´t too many mistakes in there.

Thank you very much for reading ^^

Rina