Well hello Obidala shippers! Thank you so much for all the reviews! And I promise, this IS an Obidala story. There's just not many scenes where they're actually together right now, but we're getting to the good stuff! On that note, I'm kinda just sticking with my favorite scenes here, which is why some will be missing. (The one with Watto is not one of my faves, but idk it kinda fit...) Scenes that I skip will at least be mentioned or dealt with later, as will the whole AnakinXPadme issue... Enjoy! Oh, italics are quotes from movie, and nothing recognizable is mine anyway. I'm just a writer who likes to play "what if..."!

Episode II- Attack of the Clones, Part 5

"I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly," Obi-Wan promised, lifting a hand to her cheek. "I won't let any harm come to you, Padme."

It was just the two of them, standing on the landing platform. A light drizzle of rain fell around them and speckled his robes. She looked up into his cerulean gaze. He stared back at her as though she were the most precious thing to him in all the galaxies. Padme suddenly felt the strongest urge to beg him not to go. A plea for him to stay waited on her tongue, but instead she said softly, "I know."

He dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. She melted into his embrace, standing on her toes to wrap her arms about his neck. A pleasant warmth wrapped around her, making her feel safe and cherished. Of all the places she'd travelled, this was where she belonged.

Too soon, he broke their kiss, stepping away to board the ship that awaited him. Padme touched her fingers to her lips, smiling when he turned back one last time.

"Padme," he called, a grin dancing over his handsome features, "I love-"

She didn't hear the rest. There was a deafening explosion and bright flash as what was left of the ship burst into flame. The scream that tore from her throat as she fell to her knees frightened her. It could scarcely be recognized as human. She hadn't known she could make such a sound. Then again, she hadn't ever known this level of agony.

"Obi-Wan!" she cried, dark eyes flashing as she jerked up into a sitting position. Still gasping, she frantically looked about the familiar room, her hands gliding over the sweat-dampened sheets beneath her. A trembling sigh of relief passed her lips as she fell back against the pillows. Thank the stars, it was only a nightmare.
She rolled onto her side, hugging the pillow close. Just a nightmare, but one that had felt so real. Her mind was playing tricks on her. It had replaced Corde with Obi-Wan, and… She shuddered. Rising from the bed, she pulled her silk robe over her nightgown and padded out into the hallway that led to the common room and kitchen of the suite. Tea. Obi-Wan always made tea when something was bothering him, or when he had a difficult decision to make. Perhaps it could bring her some comfort now.

Filling a pot with water, she suddenly heard a cry from Anakin's room. "… no, don't!"

She stood completely still, wondering if he had woken himself up, as she had from her own nightmare. There was a part of her that wanted to check and make sure he was alright. This was not the first nightmare that he'd endured during their time together. She couldn't help but worry when she saw the dark bruises beneath his eyes in the morning.

She had just poured the water over her tea, when Anakin emerged from his room, heading out to the balcony as he pulled a tunic over his head. So wrapped up was he in the lingering images of his nightmare, he didn't even notice her. She moved to watch him through the open archway. The sun was rising, and Anakin turned his face toward it. He sighed deeply, folding his arms behind his back, and standing with his feet shoulder length apart. It was a meditation stance she knew well. One Obi-Wan had used himself. But Obi-Wan's fingers hadn't twitched, curling into fists before stretching out again. He hadn't alternated from swaying back and forth to rising on his toes. She smiled, thinking how long it must have taken Obi-Wan to coax Anakin into even this small amount of meditation.

She was about to go back to her own rooms, when she saw Anakin's shoulders fall, and his head drop onto his chest. "Oh, Ani," she sighed.

Ever so quietly, she slipped out onto the balcony. She knows Anakin hears her when he straightens back up once again. She turns to go, thinking perhaps he'd rather be alone, but he calls her back. "Don't go."

"I don't want to disturb you," she said softly.

Anakin took a deep breath, his eyes still closed. "Your presence is soothing."

"You had a nightmare again last night."

"Jedi don't have nightmares," he said, as if it were something he had memorized. She wondered how many times he had been told that as a child.

"I heard you."

Anakin opened his eyes. "I saw my mother. She's suffering, Padme." He turned to look at her and Padme moved closer, wanting to comfort him, but unsure how. "I saw her as clearly as I see you now." Padme watched as he moved toward the balcony rail. A shaking sigh fell from his lips. Her heart ached for him. She remembered Shmi and the kindness she'd shown her. She also remembered how lost Anakin had been when they'd left Tatooine. How much he had missed her then and must still. "She's in pain," Anakin said with such conviction, Padme wondered if he wasn't right. "I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you, Senator," he continued, facing her fully now, "but I have to go. I have to help her."

Padme nodded. "I'll go with you."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a choice." He looked so torn. So desperate for her guidance in this terrible situation he found himself trapped in.

"There's no choice to make. What if it wasn't just a dream? I couldn't live with myself if we don't at least go try and help her. So neither do I," she told him, and she could see relief wash over him, "you can protect me just as well there as you can here."

Padme peered out at the wasteland of Tatooine from beneath her hood. She had not missed it.

She took Anakin's hand when he offered to help her off the rickshaw, and followed him to the front of Watto's shop, where Watto himself sat, fiddling with a broken droid. Padme barely repressed a shudder when she saw him and this place. This place where Anakin had been enslaved for years. She hated that she had not managed to completely eradicate slavery during her time in office. She could only guess at what must be going through Anakin's mind, being back in this place again.

"I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker," Anakin said in Huttese as he worked with the broken droid he'd taken off Watto's hand. The shop keeper looked suspiciously at Anakin and then Padme. She met his beady eyes with a cold stare.

Watto looked back up at Anakin. "Ani? Little Ani?"

The droid in Anakin's hand came to life.

"You are Ani!" Watto laughed. "It is you! You little womp rat."

Padme saw Anakin stiffen when Watto gave him a hearty slap on the back.

"A jedi! Waddya know? Hey, maybe you could help me wit some deadbeats who owe me money, eh?"

Anakin glared down at his former master, and said through a clenched jaw, "My. Mother."

"Oh. Yeah. Shmi," Watto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Padme felt her hands curling into fists. "She's not mine no more. I sold her."

"Sold her?" Anakin growled.

"Years ago," Watto waved his hand, as if it were no matter. "Sorry, Ani, but you know. Business is business. Sold her to a moisture farmer named Lars. Least I think it was Lars… Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her! Can ya beat that?"

Chancing a glance toward Anakin, she would not have been surprised if he reached over the table and grabbed Watto by the neck. Though he may be surprised if she did. She was definitely thinking about it.

"Do you know where they are?" Anakin asked.

"Long way from here. Someplace on the other side of Mos Eisley, I think," Watto shrugged.

"I'd like to know."

Something in Anakin's voice made Padme's blood run cold, but she couldn't blame him. Watt must have gotten the hint too. "Yeah… Sure… Absolutely," he fumbled. "Let's go look in my records."

Padme sat outside the house of Cliegg Lars, staring up at the night sky. She wondered where Obi-Wan was. What he was doing. If he was safe. She had hoped to hear from him by now. Anything to let her know he was alright. Where had his quest taken him? Somewhere unexpected, as hers and Anakin's had? She certainly never expected to set foot on Tatooine again. But Anakin… She sighed heavily, tears pricking her eyes. She'd tried so hard to help him. When she'd come upon him after his nightmare, he so reminded her of the little boy they had first found on this desert planet. She wanted to help him, to fix it for him, but… She wished Obi-Wan were here. He would know what to do.

How long would Anakin search? As soon as the thought entered her mind, she nearly laughed aloud. She knew the answer to that. Anakin would never stop searching. When Anakin Skywalker loved someone, he loved them fiercely. He would never leave someone behind, especially not when there was a chance he could save them.
Eventually, she went back inside, but not before whispering a plea for both her Jedis' safety and blowing a kiss to the stars.

To wherever Obi-Wan might be.

The room was spinning. The walls closing in. She could scarcely breathe. And yet, she couldn't take her eyes off the faltering blue hologram of Obi-Wan. "… Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an… Wait!… ah… attack…" Padme flinched as Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber and began to deflect the laser blasts flying toward him, defending against an unseen attacker. "I don't… make it…" his voice came again, and as much as her heart had longed to hear it once more, not like this. Never like this. He screamed and the image cut out. Padme could only stare in silent horror.

Anakin jumped up. "I'm going after him!"

Padme closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking her head slightly. "Obi-Wan said to retransmit the message to Coruscant. We need to do that first."

Though his hands clenched into fists at his sides, Anakin nodded. "Yeah. You're right, you're right."

As he did, Padme worked to school her features, putting on the mask of a politician even though a tidal wave of emotion was raging within her. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. But none of that would help Obi-Wan now. "… Anakin, stay where you are," she heard Master Windu instruct. "Protect the senator at all costs. That is your priority."

"Understood, Master."

Padme turned to look at the navigation on the control panel of the ship as Master Windu's image disappeared. She shook her head. "They'll never get there in time to save him. They have to come half way across the galaxy," her heart was thundering in her chest. If they waited on the Council, they'd be too late, but, "Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away."

Decision made, she began to prepare the ship, but Anakin placed his larger hands over hers, halting her efforts. She scowled at him.

"If he's still alive," he said reminded her.

He may as well have struck her across the face. "Ani, are you just going to sit here and let him die?" she shrieked, her mask cracking and a bit of panic creeping through. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he tried to stop her. "He's your friend… your mentor…"

"He's like my father!" he snapped, his own emotions rising with hers. "But you heard Master Windu. He gave me strict orders to stay here."

"He gave you strict orders to protect me," she said, snatching her hand away from his and she flicked a few more switches and the engines roared to life. She fixed the cracks in her mask, reigning her emotions back in. Her tone now held the authority Anakin had grown accustomed to hearing. "I am going to save Obi-Wan. So if you plan to protect me, you will have to come along."

Anakin smirked and sat down in the pilot's seat, taking the controls. Padme tried to calm her racing heart. They'd make it in time. He'd be alright.

He had to be.