THE DINNER

Thanks for all the nice reviews :-) Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend (if you lived in the US). Now on with our story. :-) You will see a lot of things that were used in Attack Of The Clones in this chapter. Just my twist on George Lucas' sandbox, I don't own his sandbox that is Star Wars, I just play in it :-)

Anakin and Padme continued the walk towards her ship, trying to catch up on each other's lives. Anakin telling Padme how he continued his podracing career, eventually becoming the galactic podracing champion seven times in the last ten years. Padme telling him how after her term as Queen of Naboo, the new queen asked her to stay on as Naboo's new senator.

"I heard the people of Naboo tried to amend their constitution so you could remain in office, Padme."

"Popular rule is what the people want Anakin. It is not what they always need."

Padme's ship arrived at the landing bay for her apartment building. Anakin was ready to go back to his hotel and prepare for qualifying tomorrow morning for The Coruscant Open.

Padme on the other had, was not ready for Anakin to leave yet. For some reason, that near kiss in the alley, made Padme see Anakin as for what he was now. For her a handsom young man that had rescued her twice in her life already.

"This is where I take my leave, Padme. I'll see you at the race."

"You're not leaving yet, Anakin. It wouldn't be right of me to let my rescuer leave without some kind of reward."

"You don't owe me any reward, Padme. I would have done that for any lady that was being robbed, not just you."

"At least have dinner with me, Anakin."

Anakin smiled. How could he turn down a beautiful lady like Padme Amidala.

"Okay Padme, you win."

Padme walked over to Anakin and looped her arm around his arm. Anakin suddenly found self control slipping away. How often he dreamed of this, to walk arm in arm with Padme. If people were not looking at him, he would have spun Padme around and kissed her right there. Regaining his composure, he started to walk down the hallways of the apartment building with Padme.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was at the far end of the hallway. He needed to speak to Padme about a serious situation that has arisen, and was concerned for her safty. Looking down the hall, Obi-Wan saw that Padme was being accompained by someone. Obi-Wan did not reconize the young man, and was on high alert.

Padme and Anakin reached her apartment. Obi-Wan greeted himself.

"Hello Padme"

"It's been too long, Obi-Wan."

"Yes, it has been"

Obi-Wan turned his attention to Padme's escort.

"And who are you, good sir?"

Anakin smiled. He figured ten years it has been since Obi-Wan had seen him, he wouldn't remember.

"We have already met, actually."

"We have?"

"About ten years ago, on Tatooine. Your ship was stranded outside Mos Epsa, and your party had no money, nor anyway to barter for the parts you needed to fix your ship. I won the podrace that got you the money to fix your ship."

Obi-Wan became wide eyed. He couldn't be!

"Anakin Skywalker?"

"One and the same."

Obi-Wan walked over and hugged his old friend.

"My, you have grown. I do not get to the Outer Rim very often. When you have the chance we need to catch up."

Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Padme.

"Senator, I am sorry to bother you this evening, but the Jedi have intercepted a message that concerns you, and it has been deemed highly credible."

"Can it wait until morning, Master Jedi? I had hoped to enjoy the rest of my evening."

Padme shot Obi-Wan a look, pleading with him to leave her alone tonight.

"Very well, Senator. I shall tell the Council you had already retired for the evening when I found out where you were."

With that, Obi-Wan left. Once Anakin and Padme went inside her apartment, she had her chef prepare a traditional Naboo dinner for her and Anakin. Anakin, trying to impress Padme, floated the Naboo apple off Padme's plate and over to him. Padme smiled.

"If Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon knew I knew how to do this, they would be very grumpy."

Anakin cut the apple in half, and floated the other half, back over to Padme. Padme took her fork and speared the apple in mid air and took a bite. Anakin looked over at Padme and smiled.

They continued to eat their dinner, exchanging simple words here or there. When their meal was complete, the retired to her living room, the only light in the place being provided by a fireplace. Padme and Anakin were sitting side by side on her couch. Padme, not being able to hold her heart back anymore, finally asked the question she had longingly wanted to.

"So is there someone special in your life right now, Anakin?"

"No. I learned very early in my teen years that many of the girls in Mos Epsa wanted to be courted by the podracing champion, not by Anakin Skywalker."

Padme took this as a cue to inch closer to Anakin. Anakin started speaking to Padme again.

"Is there anyone special in your life, Padme?"

"No. I seem to have the same problem as you. They want to court the Senator from Naboo, not the girl named Padme Amidala."

Anakin responded by inching closer to Padme. The silence in the room wasn't one of tension. It was one of longing. By this time, Anakin and Padme were sitting right next to each other, both Padme's and Anakin's heart beating faster by the second.

Anakin broke the silence.

"You're so caring and beautiful, Padme Amidala."

Padme blushed. It was the first time a boy had actually called her beautiful and in her heart, knowing he really meant it. Padme whispered back to Anakin.

"You are too handsome and caring of a man, Anakin. Someone that only thinks of others, and what he can do for them, if he can help."

Anakin and Padme inched their lips closer to each other, finally meeting each other half way in a soft kiss. Anakin felt like he was on Cloud 9! He was actually kissing the girl of his dreams! Padme felt like she could fly! As their kiss grew more passionate, Padme wondered if she should tell Anakin that this was her first real kiss ever. She chose not to right now, and just enjoy the moment. She snaked her arms around Anakin's neck, when the two finally had to break apart to breathe.

Anakin and Padme were staring lovingly in each others eyes. Anakin seeing the only woman he ever wanted to love in the world. Padme seeing what she was growing to think was her soul mate. A few seconds later they continued their passionate kissing. Not caring what time it was, only thinking and caring about each other.

MEANWHILE SOMEWHERE ON CORUSCANT

"Master, don't you think it is a little out of place for sith lords to race pods?"

The old wrinkly man stared at his student

"I do not. This young man would be a very powerful ally to our cause"

"Very well, Master. I shall enter the race."

Once the red faced young man walked out of the room, the old wrinkly man began to laugh and talk to himself.

"Soon Young Skywalker, you will call me Master, and I will rule the galaxy!"

No one knew it yet, but the old wrinkly man was in reality, the highly regarded Chancellor Palpatine, head of the Galactic Senate. And was putting his plans in place for his takeover of the galaxy!