Chapter 4:
The elevator that was taking them up to Senator Amidala's apartment was starting to feel very cramped to Anakin Skywalker even though the only other person with him inside it was his very relaxed Master, Obi-wan. Anakin kept shifting back and forth on his feet, not seeming to be able to keep still; Obi-wan glanced over at his apprentice and smiled softly,
"Nervous, my young Padawan?" he asked calmly as he stared ahead. Anakin straightened up,
"Of course not, Master." Anakin answered. Obi-wan raised an eyebrow up in both amusement and suspicion,
"Your sweating." He pointed out lightly. Anakin understanding that he wouldn't be able to keep anything away from Obi-wan's sharp observations, sighed in defeat,
"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master. What if she has forgotten all about me?" he asked.
"You're focusing on the negative, Anakin. Keep your thoughts open." Obi-wan replied,
"Yes Master." Anakin replied obediently as he stared down at the floor. After a few more seconds of silence Anakin looked back over at his Master,
"How do you do it?" he asked curiously. Obi-wan turned his head to stare at his apprentice,
"Do what?" he returned.
"Keep so calm….so…controlled. It's like there's nothing in the entire galaxy that can affect you." Anakin stated with awe. Obi-wan chuckled,
"It's a skill you'll develop over the years Anakin. Patience is the key." He answered. Anakin nodded in understanding. Then the two Jedi were silent after that as the elevator reached their floor. When the doors opened up and the two stepped out, Obi-wan couldn't help but glance over at his apprentice and smile softly to himself. To his apprentice he looked calm, but inside his heart was racing just as fast as Anakin's. If anything, he was just as nervous as his apprentice if not more. He knew that wherever Padme Amidala was, the fiery and highly skilled young woman that had stolen his heart ten years ago would not be far off; after ten incredibly long years, Obi-wan was finally going to be reunited with his beloved wife, Angela. As the two men passed into the foyer of the apartment, they both spotted Captain Gregar on one side of the room just a few feet away from a young woman who stood looking out of a window,
"Master Kenobi and Apprentice Anakin Skywalker, M'lady." He formally introduced before he slipped from the room. Padme turned away from the window, her brown eyes landing on the two Jedi; a sincere smile came to her face as she walked over to greet the two men. As she approached, Obi-wan and Anakin bowed respectfully,
"Master Kenobi," Padme began as she stopped before them, "It's been far too long." She stated. Obi-wan smiled and nodded back,
"It's good to see you again, Senator." He answered. Padme's smile widened softly before she turned her brown eyes upon the tall young man standing next Obi-wan,
"Ani?" she asked in disbelief as she eyed the handsome Jedi before her, trying to picture in her mind the small boy from Tatooine. When Anakin smiled the familiar smile she recognized from ten years ago, she just couldn't believe her eyes. "My you've grown." She stated lightly.
"So have you," he quickly replied, "….only more beautiful that is...…I mean for a Senator." As he stumbled over his words, Padme smiled once more and Obi-wan came to his apprentice's rescue,
"I assure you Senator; our presence here will not interfere with anything. We will quickly get to the bottom of these attacks." He promised. Padme glanced over at the older Jedi and nodded,
"Your speed on this will be greatly appreciated Master Obi-wan." She replied as the three of them walked over and took a seat, Padme on a couch, Obi-wan and Anakin in two separate chairs.
"We'll find out whose threatening you Padme." Anakin promised. Hearing his tone, Obi-wan turned and looked over at his apprentice,
"We'll do nothing more then what we were instructed to do by the council." Obi-wan reminded.
"How's that going to help?" Anakin asked defiantly, "What's the point of protection if we're not going to investigate?"
Obi-wan frowned softly, "That is not why we are here Anakin. Our purpose is to protect Senator Amidala, not start an investigation. We are to follow the Councils orders……and you will learn your place, my young Padawan." Obi-wan answered disapprovingly as he eyed Anakin in warning.
"Forgive me, Master." Anakin answered obediently as he looked down at the floor.
"I am certain that I'm in good hands." Padme stated breaking the awkward silence as she rose from her chair, "Now if you'll excuse me, I shall retire." She added. Both Obi-wan and Anakin rose with her in respect and nodded as she turned from them and walked away with her lady in waiting. As she disappeared around the corner, another door slid open and Captain Gregar strolled back into the room, carrying something in one hand. Obi-wan's eyes landed on it and recognized it instantly. Angela's saber. Obi-wan softly cleared his throat,
"Captain Gregar….." he called, catching the man's attention and bringing him over to where Obi-wan stood.
"Master Kenobi?" he returned politely.
When the two men stood face to face with each other, they started talking.
(Outside……)
Angela carefully landed her ship right outside a very large building that she knew to be the place where Padme was staying at. As she climbed out of the cockpit and hopped to the ground, the moment her boots touched the solid pavement, Angela quickly set off into the building. Her long black cloak flowed out behind her as her swift strides carried her through the lobby of the building to an elevator. As people saw her pass by, they stared in wonder and began whispering about, knowing just by her appearance who she was. The elevator door slid open and Angela quickly stepped inside, pushing the button on the wall that would take her up to Padme's floor. When it started in its upward motion, Angela let out a huffed sigh and leaned back against the wall. As her back touched the solid glass barrier behind her, a surprising but very familiar bolt of electricity shot up her spine causing her to tense up; the feeling was not a warning, it was more of a connection to something or someone.
"Odd….." she murmured to herself as she tried recalling when it was the last time she had felt that strong sensation. She kept pondering the idea for the few silent moments she had inside that elevator but was brought to her senses when she felt the machine come to a stop and open its doors. With a soft shake of her head, Angela left the elevator and turned right; she passed through a narrow hallway which opened up into a larger room and spotted Captain Gregar talking to a man in a light golden brown cloak. She spotted her saber that he held in his grasp and smirked before she extended a hand out towards him; with a quick pull of the force, her saber tugged itself free from his hold and flew right across the room into her outstretched hand. Captain Gregar practically jerked himself around to face Angela, his face held the expression of utter astonishment before he realized who it was and relaxed while laughing at himself.
"God I hate it when you do that." He teased lightly with a soft shake of his head, Angela laughed too.
"I would think that you would be use to it by now Captain." She returned as she gracefully strolled farther into the room.
"With you Angela, I never know what to expect." He answered. Angela smiled behind her hood as she approached the Captain and the man he was talking to. When she turned her eyes upon the tall man in the golden brown cloak, Angela swore that her heart stopped beating for a few moments; as she turned her head up slightly to stare up into the other man's face two very familiar blue-green eyes stared back. Her turquoise eyes quickly traced over his features, not fully believing what they were seeing; his hair was longer and he had grown a beard but underneath all that, Angela knew that without a doubt, it was Obi-wan. In a trance like state, not being able to pull her eyes away from Obi-wan's face, Angela reached both hands up and gently pushed her black hood off her head; Obi-wan's mouth turned up in a soft smiled.
"Hello Angela." He spoke. Angela's heart pounded beneath her breast when he spoke her name; even after ten years his voice was just as she remembered. Angela drew in a silent, shaky breath,
"Hello Obi-wan…" she replied. "Its…..its been a while." She stated. Obi-wan shifted on his feet slightly,
"Yes…..yes it has." He answered. Understanding that they had an audience, Angela glanced over at Captain Gregar, in her mind she thought,
"Let me and Obi-wan catch up privately." Captain Gregar straightened up like he had hear her words out loud and cleared his throat,
"Please excuse me, I have some matters I need to attend to at the moment. Good day, Master Kenobi….Angela." he stated almost robotically before he turned and walked off, leaving and Angela and Obi-wan alone. Understanding what Angela had done, Obi-wan chuckled.
"Same old Angela." He stated playfully; Angela turned her eyes back upon her handsome Jedi and smiled softly,
"Same old me." She agreed; her smile softly faded from her lips and Angela glanced down at her feet for a quick second before looking back up into Obi-wan's eyes, "I can't believe you're here." She breathed out before she took a few steps closer to Obi-wan. She reached a hand up and lightly ran her hand through Obi-wan's hair that stopped right at the base of his neck, "I see you went for a new look." She teased playfully before she moved her hand over to his cheek to softly stroke the beard he had grown on his face. Obi-wan smiled before he raised his larger hand up and placed it over Angela's hand, holding it to his face before their hands seemed to entwine themselves naturally. With his hand in hers, Angela felt that familiar bolt of electricity shoot through her body and she understood at that moment why she had felt it earlier in the elevator, she and Obi-wan were reconnecting.
"You haven't aged a day…." He murmured lovingly as his eyes traced over every inch of her face. Angela felt herself blush softly before she smiled.
"Obi-wan…." She started, "You're my husband....you're suppose to say that!" she pointed out. Obi-wan chuckled and took a step closer; their chests were practically touching now,
"I see you're wearing my necklace." He murmured softly as he eyed the piece of jewelry she wore around her neck;
"I take it with me everywhere I go….that along with this." She replied while she reached a hand up to where the crystal hung and subtly showed him her wedding ring as well. Obi-wan smiled before he too reached a hand up to the neckline of his white tunic and pulled it down slightly before he pulled out a chain of his own which hung his own wedding band on it.
"Looks like we had the same idea." He stated. Angela innocently shrugged a soft shoulder,
"Great minds think alike." She replied while her eyes flickered down to his lips before they raised themselves back up to Obi-wan's. Obi-wan smiled and started leaning his head down, Angela started tilting her head up, their lips were just about to meet when Angela sensed another presence in the room.
"We're no loner alone." She stated softly, not even bothering to hide her disappointment in her voice as she and Obi-wan quickly pulled back and put some distance between their bodies, making the scene look as casual as two good friends. Obi-wan straightened up,
"We'll continue this later." He whispered so that Angela could only hear just as another person walked into the room they were in. Angela gave him a soft mischievous smile and winked before she looked over at the tall, young man in black who entered. He seemed to stop in his tracks as he spotted Angela before a huge boyish grin came across his young handsome features.
"Angela!!' he happily exclaimed as his long legs started up again and quickly crossed the room to where she stood. It took her a moment but when Angela spotted the bright blue eyes and Padawan braid hanging down his shoulder, she grinned back.
"Well, well…." She started as she quickly looked him over, "Anakin Skywalker, look how you've sprouted." She teased as she had to tilt her head backwards to stare up at his face. "Come here, give me hug!" she demanded playfully as she held her arms open for him. Anakin didn't have to be asked twice; before Angela could blink Anakin pulled her into a tight bear hug. Angela laughed at his enthusiasm as she wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace him and softly kicked her feet which were now hovering above the ground since Anakin had slightly lifted her off the floor when he returned the hug. When the two pulled away, they were grinning like children and Anakin took a step back to quickly look Angela over.
"Wow Angela….." he stated approvingly, "You're the exact same as I remember you."
Angela softly rolled her eyes at the compliment, while Obi-wan chuckled,
"That's what I said." He added in. Angela turned her attention back onto Obi-wan,
"Oh shut up!" she snapped playfully before she looked back at Anakin, "So what brings the two of you here?" she asked curiously.
"Chancellor Palpatine sent us to protect Senator Amidala after someone blew up her ship when landing here on Corescant." Anakin explained; Angela tensed up
"What? There was another attack?" she asked; her lips turned down into a soft frown, "I was not informed of such a thing." She grumbled. Anakin cocked his head to the side,
"Another? Wait…..this wasn't the first?" he returned.
"No the first time was back on Naboo, a Bounty Hunter broke into our manor and tried killing her when she was asleep in bed." Angela explained.
"A Bounty Hunter?" Obi-wan repeated, his brows were furrowed in deep thought, Angela nodded before she turned away from the two Jedi and started pacing back and forth across the floor,
"Yes. I sent Padme to Corescant after chasing away her attacker the first time, I then tried leading him off Padme's trail by staying behind, pretending to be her to lure the him back so I could take him down. Regrettably, I did not succeed and now it looks like he has followed her here." Angela stated as she turned about faced her Jedi friends once more, "Do we have a lead yet?" she asked.
"No…..we are just as clueless as you." Anakin replied. Angela groaned in frustration and started pacing again. She bit her lip in deep thought as she went over in her mind the many possibilities of their situation. A theory came to mind and Angela brought her pacing to a stop,
"What if there's more than one person involved in this?" she asked out loud, her back facing Obi-wan and Anakin. The two Jedi exchanged a quick worried glance as that idea settled over them,
"Do you really think there's another person behind this?" Anakin asked. Angela turned around to face him,
"There has to be." She replied firmly, "Someone had to have hired the Bounty Hunter in the first place. And for him to be able to locate Padme so quickly when she had the head start in escaping…..that could only mean that whoever this Bounty Hunter is, he's not working alone."
"Anakin," Obi-wan spoke up, "Get a hold of the Council and inform them of this information. Angela and I will start setting up security. If Angela is right and I have a feeling that she is, we must be prepared for anything." Obi-wan ordered. Anakin nodded his head,
"Yes Master." He replied obediently before he turned and left the room. Angela walked over to a window and stared out at the city, the sun was starting to set. Her arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest protectively, behind her she listened as Obi-wan footsteps approached.
"Angela…." His low velvety voice was soothing to Angela's ears and nerves; she turned her head to look back over her shoulder at Obi-wan, "What are you thinking about?" he asked curiously. Angela shook her head before she turned around to face him,
"Whoever is responsible for these attacks Obi-wan," she began, "…..they know what they are doing."
