Anakin's POV

I watched the pinkish orange glow emanate from the setting sun before my attention was drawn back to what was in my hand. I stared at Padme in the picture then glanced at the door to her office.

"The chancellor will see you now." A young brunette who looked too smart for her own good glared at me as the words left her mouth.

I decided to be a smart ass." Do you mean me?" I looked around the empty waiting room pointing at myself.

She rolled her eyes and went back to work but I made sure to give her a big grin before walking in. Inside the large obsidian doors lay the chancellor's office it brought back memories.

One year ago

"How could you?" The chancellor gasped for air searching for an answer in my eyes. "I was- I was" He looked at my light saber impaled into him while trying to hold on to life. "I was the only one who understood your power I could have made you the most powerful" He ran out of breath again and took one last small gasp." You could of ruled every" Air flowed from his lungs before his eyes rolled back.

I looked over his corpse and ran to his desk hoping to find hard evidence to justify the murder of someone I called a friend. Activating the screen I saw images of children and Jedi being mowed down in the temple. I froze for a few second before making a mad dash to the door only to be stopped by her.

"Anakin?" Padme's hands reached out and the moment they touched me I stopped.

"Senator it's you" When she glanced at the body I saw she was scared and my feeling for her kept me frozen.

"Ani I don't know what's going on I heard the chancellor is corrupt and making a power grab!"

Sense returned to me and I looked towards the exit." It's something like that just stay here I have to go to the temple it's under attack."

She grabbed onto my hand again." You don't understand Anakin I'm here to remove him from office and to take over as chancellor."

I pulled away from her and smiled" I'm happy for you but I have my duties too".

"Wait Anakin!"

I told myself not to but I looked back." I have to go padme I can't talk now."

A second later her arms enveloped me." I need your help to do this Anakin it's the only way we can stop what he's set in motion."

"No not now don't pull this shit on me." I tried to pull way but she wouldn't let go.

"Anakin what about the Jedi scattered all over the universe if he used his powers as chancellor to start this only me getting that power can fix it." I continued to try and dislodge her until she pushed herself up and kissed me. "Anakin you have to do this. It's the only way to save the Republic and the Jedi."

"I don't know Padme all the younglings and Jedi that will die."

She smiled and slid her fingers up my face. "Think off all the future Jedi you'll be saving" A grin crossed her face." Think about the future of us."

She had me at the moment her lips meet mine." What do you need done?"

She let go and relaxed herself." This is where the speaker of the senate lives escort him here safely. "The moment she slide me the slip of paper I dashed to the door.

Two hours later

After Padme took the oath of office and called off the clones I headed to the temple. Outside the piling up of bodies had already began and Obi wan ran over as I got out.

"Where the fuck were you!" He couldn't hide the anger as he rushed over to me. "Look at this how could you!"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ahsoka carry the body of barriss adding it to the long line. A moment later I was on the ground while Obi Wan landed more punches on me. It all was so surreal that I didn't react I just laid there letting him hit me.

Present

I walked in the door and spoke just as she was mustering a smile." Don't worry Padme you don't have to play fake happy for me."

Her fingers massaged her forehead before she talked back. "I told you I was sorry about everything that happened with the coup and the invasion."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're sorry, well that fixes everything."

"Cut that crap Anakin I don't have time for it."

I thrust my finger right in front of her face. "You don't have time for it! Well I've waited a year to talk to you alone so grow the fuck up and flatter me."

She immediately pulled back in shock and sat quiet.

"Now you're shocked, how about when you left me to die on Raxus?" I sat down on the chair at her desk and waited for her well crafted lie.

"You were expendible or so the council thought so." She chuckled" Tell me Anakin how does it feel to head home every night and realize no one wants you there?"

I wanted to yell back at her but I couldn't what she said hurt me and it showed.

"So the mighty Anakin Skywalker is lost for words now I am shocked."

The moment I saw a self gratifying smug emerge I lashed back. "Not lost for words just seeing if you're still that save the world politician I remember. From the looks of it though she's dead and whatever you are is all that's left. Now why don't you tell me how you feel when you look at yourself in the mirror every day?"

Her eyes sank into the floor before she forced them back up. "Your one of the few people who can still think of me as that person and I'm the reason people forget her." Tears welted up in her eyes. "You always knew what to say Anakin just this time you." Her hands rushed for a tissue to stop her make-up from bleeding.

I just looked on as she tried to fix her make-up but couldn't stop crying. I didn't know if this was a ploy or if she was really at wits end.

I chose the latter and grabbed her hand trying to comfort her." I'm sorry you know I'm no good with words. It's just you know-"

She pulled away "You know what Anakin, how can you try and comfort me? Look at how I've treated you. Look at the person I've become!"

"It doesn't-"I choked up but held in my feelings." It hurt but I'm no saint myself and you know that more than anyone."

She calmed down and relaxed sinking back into her chair. "Even the wars darkest days were easier than most of the ones I have now. You know I wonder sometimes what would have happened if I didn't let you go or I took you back after I became chancellor."

I sighed "Maybe in a different life I guess."

Padme squeezed my hand "I'm sorry".

"So am I"

We looked into each other's eyes for a moment looking for the spark we felt years ago. The sad realization was that we were different people now and that young couple that fell in love in the mid summer's heat were gone.

She let go of my hand before pulling out a data pad. "I have a mission for you the specifics of which are on the data pad." A red beeping button went off on her desk as the words left her mouth.

"I can take it from here and thanks for this I need some time off planet."

I saw her smile back and I headed for the door. On the way to my speeder I took out the picture of her and balled it up before tossing it in the trash. We had our closure for whatever it was worth. Now there was no excuse to keep holding on.

Ahsoka's POV

I dragged myself into the joint room in the temple. Inside I saw Anakin throwing supplies into a satchel.

My eyes lit up." We're leaving?"

He looked back at me confused as to my sudden excitement. " Yeah" he chuckled. "You ok?"

"I'm great, when are we leaving? " I didn't hide my excitement.

"Are you sure? I've never seen anyone so happy to do some small planet regime change."

"Well I don't have anything tying me here anymore so yeah "My brief meeting with Lux at the restaurant earlier flashed in my mind.

Just thinking about it lowered my excitement I knew Anakin could see it.

"You give him too much credit." He laughed "You know if we find another eighteen year old politically motivated boy who can't fight I hope you can control yourself."

His joke put a smile back on my face." I don't know Anakin I spend most of my time dealing with you so the moment a good looking boy comes up I might just run off."

"Oh, so not only am I a burden on your time but I'm also ugly. That hurts Ahsoka it really does."

I kept grinning as I packed things into my satchel. "I'm sorry if you want ill leave and you can shed a few tears." I put on a fake sympathetic face to play along.

"Grown men cry, grown men cry so what?" He said it in an overly masculine tone and laughed afterwards.

I looked over at him and was silent for a few moments before busting out laughing with him.

Looking at how happy he was I felt something that had been lost to me for a long time. Even though we haven't left yet I thought we both might be moving in the right direction toward something new. I had hope for the first time in a long time.