Anakin and Padmé had been together for a few months, but it still was surreal to Anakin. He'd been pining for Padmé since he was nine, before his Jedi days. The Jedi were forbidden this attachment, but Anakin was for the most part, a good Jedi. He just had these feelings for one woman he met before it was forbidden.
The couple were in secret but still managed to get alone time. It was mainly Padmé's home where they got their alone time, but it was enough. It was enough for Padmé to be in his arms while lying in bed after their romantic night.
Knowing he had to get up early for training, Anakin sighed and realized it was getting late. "As much as I would love to spend the rest of the night like this," he lifted his head and turned on his side to hover over her, "I have to get up early for training and I've already been late several times."
Anakin gave a playful smile, "No thanks to you, Senator Amidala." He leaned down and captured her lips in his own.
Enveloped in Anakin's arms was Padmé's favorite feeling. So wrapped up in politics, Naboo, the conflicts with the separatists, Padmé didn't have time to even begin to consider she'd be in this position. But now Anakin Skywalker installed this new passion she never planned on but would never regret.
As she admired this change, Padmé rested her head against the warmth of her beloved's chest, moving just barely with the rise and fall of his breath and becoming lost in the ticking of his heart, accelerating at her touch.
The Jedi began a phrase that Padmé could finish without him doing so. She sighed as he pulled away, hovering over her instead. Before she could give a playful groan and accept Anakin's departure as she'd had to many times, the man joked and stole her words in a kiss.
He tried to pull away but Padmé denied the attempt and entwined her fingers in his unruly locks, something Obi Wan would be blind not to notice upon Anakin's return.
Anakin had only stayed very few nights with Padmé. He had just recently become a Jedi Knight so his time was more strained and a lot of the things he had before like free time were swept away with the new ranking. However, Anakin was still the same mischievous man that had fallen in love with a former queen and now a senator.
"You are making it nearly impossible to leave." Anakin chuckled and brought his hand up to caress his loves cheek, Padmé still having a hold on his hair. Maybe if he got up a little bit earlier, he'd still be on time for training. Anakin pondered the idea for a moment.
Anakin's chuckle, watching the boyish joy flood his features, never failed to earn a grin from Padmé. And a grin that was greater than any anyone else could earn.
"Then I am successful." She teased and pressed another kiss to the inviting lips. Falling back into the pillows, Padmé's brunette locks flew out beneath her, the curls scattered about her face in a beautiful frame. The smile refused to relent on her features and burning cheeks. She eyed her love above her, not encouraging his departure but not verbally accepting it either.
Just those playful words and the warmth he felt with Padmé was enough convincing. Anakin rested his head back on the pillow next to his angel. He was facing Padmé and taking in all her features, unable to comprehend such beauty. His feelings for Padmé could never be expressed completely in words, but he wanted to spend every day of his life proving his love for her.
"I love you." The jedi breathed out, smiling happily and once again, putting his arm around her securely.
Not even the thought of waking up earlier than usual could rupture his good mood. Everything was working out for him it seemed. Anakin was still a Jedi and he got to have a secret relationship with Padmé that had complications, but was worth it.
The three words multiplied Padmé's joy by three. Anakin fell to her side, allowing a closer view of the features she so admired. Padmé's comfort and peace only encouraged sleep more and as slumber began to drag the senator away, her image of Anakin slowly blurred.
"I love you too," she yawned, wrapping her arms around the man beside her and tucking her tired eyes into his warmth. Not long after that, the woman drifted to sleep only to be woken by the orange sunrays of morning.
Despite Padmé's stirring and shifting away from her beloved's unconscious hold on her, Anakin did not even begin to wake. Padmé understood he had places to be but couldn't help her selfish belief that maybe the scheduled training was later and keeping him now wouldn't be so bad.
To make up for mischievous plan, Padmé began fixing breakfast for the two, setting the table at finely as she knew how. She was just setting the last ceramic plate of the meal down when a large arm wrapped about her waist. For a split second Padmé acknowledged the grip as Anakin's. He was always playfully scaring her, trapping her in his arms. But the hand brutally slapped over her mouth immediately ruled out Anakin's characteristics.
Padme's scream was muffled but the smashing of the plate slipping from her hand resonated throughout the house and destroyed her captor's cover.
Anakin slept peacefully. It wasn't unusual for him to have the best rest when with Padmé. Her body pressed to his soothed the Jedi and brought nothing but comfort and warmth.
Ripped away from his deep sleep, Anakin groaned quietly to himself at the non stop buzzing next to him. As predicted, he was running late for his training. Though he convinced himself to stay the night and convinced himself that he would wake up early, a part of him knew that a night with Padmé meant almost completely ignoring his responsibilities.
Finally managing to open his eyes, he muted the comlinks buzzing and sat up slowly. Realizing Padmé was no longer next to him, he smelt the breakfast she must have been working on. Then he realized something was off and felt a disturbance and tug at the force. Someone was with her in the other room and he didn't recognize their force signature.
Worry overcame him as his first thought was that it was someone that could possibly find out about his relationship with Padmé. Then he felt Padmé struggling and jumped from the bed with his lightsaber in hand.
Without any hesitation, Anakin attacked the man that had a firm grip on Padmé. He ripped the man aggressively away from her and tossed him to the ground. Not knowing this man and feeling threatened of his motives, Anakin began force choking him without question.
"You are going to regret coming here." Anakin closed his hand tighter as he watched the man struggle for air.
The jedi didn't grant anything but death after a moment. Anakin smirked for a moment, but then his adrenaline and anger faded. Taking a step back, he looked at what he had done. The man had dropped his weapon when Anakin grabbed him so that made him unarmed. He didn't even question the guy and his motives.
"What have I done?" Anakin dropped his lightsaber that he didn't end up using.
The sight of Anakin's rapid entry cooled Padmé's fears and sure enough the ruthlessly tight grip about her waist and mouth was released. The woman staggered forward. As she caught her breath, her captor lost his.
Padmé initially trusted in Anakin's Jedi skills and tactics, understanding that this man deserved punishment for his attempted kidnapping or worse of Senator Amidala. But as the life and color began to drain from the features, Padmé's response changed.
"Anakin, that's enough." The Jedi didn't even seem to acknowledge her presence at all, consumed by his hatred and intent on revenge.
"Anakin!" She called again. But it was too late. A thump marked the collapsing of the lifeless body.
Padmé was astonished. She'd understood Anakin's power and even his rage as he displayed in Tatooine, but witnessing the combination of these in person..
"He's.." she couldn't complete her statement.
Anakin was in shock. He knew he had anger within him, but it never had gone so far to the point of no return. The only people Anakin has ever killed was droids, the people that forced his hand, and the animals on Tatooine that took his mother from him. This man hadn't even been armed anymore and Padmé wasn't hurt. The risk was too much.
Once he processed the image before him, the Jedi Knight stood up straight to call someone to take care of the body. It would be simple to say that the senator was under attack and Anakin had done what he must, but he'd also have to explain why he was at Padmé's in the first place.
"I'm late for my training." Anakin spoke quietly. He didn't want to talk about what happened. Anakin needed a distraction from what happened and the best way was to practice his fighting with his master.
The couple stood in silent shock for a moment before Anakin proceeded like the sin he'd commuted was normal. He called for assistance in moving the lifeless body, ignored Padmé's shock, and prepared to leave for training. How could he go to training after this? After Padmé was traumatized, it was revealed that she was in danger, and he murdered someone.
"Anakin." Padmé called, catching up to the Jedi. Grasping his arm, she demanded his attention and prohibited further action.
"You want to leave right now?" Padmé couldn't be alone with this death and lack of safety. What if there were more? What if-
Droids rushed in, passing by the couple and quickly caring for the lifeless form. Still, they needed to talk about this. Padmé's eyes continued to search her love's.
Anakin was almost out the door when Padmé grabbed his arm and pulled him back. His mind was elsewhere, but he stared down at her blankly. In that moment, he wanted to be alone with his thoughts and not talk about it.
"We can talk later about this, Alright? I'm late as it is and I can process what happened yet." Anakin spoke averting his eyes to the droids taking care of the body. "As for your safety, do not worry. I wouldn't let anything happen to you, angel."
The Jedi felt his heart falter at the look on his loves face and he also knew what he had to do, but didn't know how he could do it. Anakin hid the pain and leaned in to kiss his loves forehead lightly. "I'll be back tonight."
Something was missing in Anakin's eyes. The joy, carelessness, and love. He seemed empty, liike the shock of what he'd just done had carved everything out of him.
The promise of safety meant nothing to Padmé. She doubted its truth.
Something flickered in the hollow sapphire eyes and Padmé felt it in her stomach as well. The situation had already been awful but there was more beneath Anakin's surface.
There was no warmth in the kiss pressed to her forehead and the emptiness seemed to consume Padmé as well. She nodded absently.
"Bye," the word was barely audible before Padmé released the man she held and shut the door behind him.
With no meetings today, she was left to work at home on documents and messages. Really, she was left to her own consuming thoughts and fears and waiting impatiently for the night.