A/N- I'm shocked at the response I'm getting for this; you guys are amazing! This might…might be the last update for a few days. Unfortunately being in college doesn't allow me a whole lot of time to write for leisure, but I'm going to definitely write when I get free time. And not to worry, this will be finished! This story is one of my top priorities, so I will get it done. I'm hoping to finish this by the end of summer!
You guys are going
to hate me, and I'm so sorry for this chapter…well not really:-D.
Don't hate me too much please!
Disclaimer- Didn't own it yesterday, don't own it today, won't own it tomorrow.
Unrequited
Chapter 7
Padme didn't get the chance to ask Teresa what she meant, because Teresa was sleeping for most of the day and Padme had other patients to tend to. She took a deep breath and stretched her arms above her head. Padme left the Healer's Ward and headed to her quarters. She needed sleep desperately. As soon as her head hit the pillow she fell fast asleep.
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Padme woke up and to her disappointment didn't have a dream with Anakin last night. She was actually looking forward to.
I wonder why I didn't have a dream last night. She bit her lip thoughtfully.
Padme got ready for work and hurried down the hall to the dining hall to grab a quick bite to eat. She bumped into Mina and Stephen on the way.
"Padme!" Mina said looking surprised and a little flushed. Stephen also looked at Padme strangely.
Padme raised her eyebrow at them; something was up.
Mina and Stephen looked at each other and then at Padme nervously.
"Alright, what's going on with you two?" Padme asked crossing her arms across her chest.
"Um, well…Stephen and I got married last night." Mina blurted out.
Padme stared at them, waiting for the punch line, "I'm sorry what?"
Mina looked at Stephen and he nodded and left, "I know…it's a surprise for you. But I told him my feelings yesterday and he has felt the same way since forever and we decided to get married."
Padme still stared, her mouth hanging open.
"Please say something Padme." Mina pleaded.
"I…what do you want me to say? This is a huge shock." Padme finally said.
Mina sighed, "I know it is, but it was the right thing to do. I love him and he loves me."
"Are you certain this was the right thing? I mean will you look back on this in ten years and still be certain?" Padme asked.
"Absolutely."
"And are you happy with your decision?"
"I'm so very happy Padme." Mina said looking at Padme apprehensively.
Padme sighed, "Well then…if you're certain and you're happy then I'm happy for you."
Mina's expression cleared and she gave Padme a huge hug, "Thank you so much Padme. You know if it hadn't been at your insistence to tell him, I wouldn't be married to him now."
Padme raised her eyebrows briefly, "Well…you're welcome?"
Mina laughed, "Let's go eat. I'm starved."
Padme shook her head and walked with Mina to the dining hall. This week alone had been filled with one too many surprises for her. They sat at a table and Stephen joined them. Seeing the newlyweds made Padme a little jealous, but she was happy for her friend. Although at the same time she thought they were insane for jumping into marriage so soon. She ate in silence, still trying to figure out her dreams and why Masters Yoda and Kenobi were acting so strange.
"Padme? Can I speak to you?" She turned and saw Anakin looking at her seriously.
She looked at her tray, deciding she was done stood up and said yes. She bid goodbye to Stephen and Mina, who watched her and Anakin with interest. She followed Anakin out.
"Come with me to the Healer's Ward, I have a lot of work today." She said to him. He complied.
"You don't mind if I give Teresa her medication first do you?" Padme asked him as she headed to Teresa's room.
"Of course not." He replied.
They entered Teresa's room, who was just waking up. She groaned.
"Hi Teresa, how do you feel today?" Padme asked her approaching her bed.
"Like I got ran over by a herd of bantha's." She replied.
"I'm sorry Teresa. I have some medication to help you with the effects of chemotherapy." Padme said, "Oh I forgot it, let me go get it I'll be right back." Padme rushed out of the room.
Teresa looked at Anakin standing near the entrance, "You can come in, I won't bite."
He flushed slightly and stepped further in.
"You're Anakin Skywalker right?" She asked him.
"Yes I am." Anakin said, studying her.
Teresa narrowed her eyes briefly at him, "Do you love her?"
Anakin looked at her startled, "Love whom?"
She raised her eyebrows at him, "You know whom I speak of. And you should tell her before it's too late."
He's jaw dropped; he was at a loss for words.
Teresa chuckled, "I've seen the way you look at her and I think you should tell her before you lose the chance to."
Anakin closed his mouth and opened it, "I…she doesn't feel the same way."
Teresa smiled at him, "You never know. Tell her." She said and Padme walked into the room.
"Sorry that took so long, I got sidetracked." Padme said handing Teresa her medicine.
Teresa took them and swallowed them.
"I'll be back in a little while to check on you Teresa." Padme said. She left the room and Anakin turned to follow her, but looked back at Teresa in disbelief.
"Don't worry; your secret is safe with me." Teresa said closing her eyes.
He took a deep breath and left the room. Love?
I don't love her. It's just an…infatuation. Beside I'm getting married. This has to stop. I'll let her down easy. Anakin tried convincing himself. Anakin followed Padme to her office.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Padme asked him, closing the door to her office.
Anakin looked uncomfortable, "Padme I like you, and you're a very nice person…"
Padme tilted her head, "But…?"
"But…I don't think we should…see or talk to each other…at least for now." Anakin finished biting his lip.
Padme opened her mouth and snapped it shut. She tried again, "What? Why…what's wrong?"
Anakin sighed, "I am getting married." He said lamely.
"So? What's your point?" She asked frowning.
He swallowed, "Well…when I'm with you…I feel…" He trailed off sighed and the continued, "I can't allow this to continue. I'm getting married. I have to focus on Rania and our relationship."
She didn't reply, but stared at the floor.
"I'm sorry Padme. I really am, but…I can't see you anymore." He said.
Padme looked at him and bit her lip, "So am I Anakin."
Anakin sighed and ran his hand through his hair uncomfortably, "I better go. Take care of yourself Padme." He said and quietly left the room.
Padme stared at the door in disbelief. Her heart crying and constricting painfully. Before she could stop herself, she began to cry, harder than she ever could remember crying. She sat at her desk and buried her face in her hands. She finally stopped weeping and looked up at the chrono, feeling her anger mounting.
Damn you Anakin Skywalker. This is the last time I let you toy with my emotions. I am DONE with you. I'm never wasting another tear or minute on you for as long as I live. I swear as the Force as my witness, this is finished. Never again will I fall victim to your charms. You've messed with my feelings for the last time, Skywalker. I never want anything to do with you again. She thought furiously as she dried her eyes and stood up. Padme angrily threw her door opened and went back to work.
After lunch, she went back into Teresa's room. Padme pursed her lips and entered the room.
"How are you feeling Teresa?" She asked.
"I'm alright. What's going on with you?" Teresa asked her.
Padme glanced at Teresa's vitals and then looked at her, "Nothing's going on with me. Why do you ask?"
Teresa studied her, "You seem really upset. What is it? You can tell me."
Padme sighed, "Well, I've lost the chance to tell him any of my feelings permanently. He wants nothing more to do with me."
Teresa looked at her with surprise, "Oh, I'm so sorry Padme."
She shrugged, "So am I. But you know what; I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm through with him for good."
Teresa frowned at Padme, "Ok…"
"I have to go, I have more work. I'll be back to check on you after dinner." Padme said and left.
Teresa shook her head after Padme.
This is all wrong. It's so obvious he loves her. Why did it cut off all ties with her? Teresa pondered it for awhile.
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Padme sighed irritably and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She walked to the dining hall and sat down at a table for dinner. Mina joined her almost immediately.
"What's going on Padme?" Mina asked her.
She tore off a piece of bread and took a deep breath, "Well…he wants nothing to do with me anymore. I can't figure it out for the life of me and frankly I don't care anymore. I'm so done with him and the constant messing with my feelings."
Mina frowned quizzically, "Who is done with you?"
"Anakin." Padme replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry Padme." Mina replied.
"I was too for a little while. But maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Now maybe I can finally be free of him." Padme said.
Mina looked at her unconvinced.
Padme shrugged and glanced around the dining hall. She saw Anakin with Rania; he didn't look particularly happy. She grimaced and looked away.
"I have to go check on Teresa and then do some paperwork. I'll see you later Mina." Padme said and left the dining hall without another glance in Anakin's direction. Padme walked quickly to the Healer's Ward and entered Teresa's room.
"How do you feel Teresa?" Padme asked her.
"I'm alright. I really hate the medicine though." Teresa said, "How long do I have to keep taking it?"
Padme pulled up a chair, "Well you'll be taking the chemotherapy once a week for a month, and then we'll run some tests on you to see if it's working. If it is, you'll continue with chemo only you'll be taking it once every six weeks until you complete all six doses."
"And if it isn't working?" Teresa questioned.
Padme sighed, "Well, we'll start radiation therapy as well for a few months…"
"What happens if that doesn't work either?" Teresa asked Padme.
Padme gave her a look of pity and didn't say anything.
"Ah, right…" Teresa replied softly.
"Let's hope it won't get to that thought." Padme said. "That's what the chemotherapy is for, to ensure it doesn't come to…death."
"I'm sorry Padme." Teresa said.
Padme looked at her startled, "Sorry? What are you sorry for?"
"That it didn't work out the way you wanted it to…" Teresa said.
Padme cringed, "Don't be sorry. I'm not sorry. It's better this way anyway."
Teresa muttered something.
"What did you say?"
"I said how can it better to not be with your true love? And I'm not speaking just about you…I wish I had told him…" She trailed off sadly.
Padme looked at her sympathetically, "I'm sorry Teresa. I sincerely wish it would have turned out better for you. You deserve much more than this."
Teresa shrugged, "Ah well, life doesn't ever turn out the way you expect it to does it?"
"No it really doesn't." Padme agreed.
"Even though he decided to cut you out, I think you should still tell him."
Padme sighed, "I can't just tell him. It's a lot harder now. He said he had to focus on his relationship with Rania."
"But then you'll spend the rest of your life regretting not telling him. What if something could have happened if you told him" Teresa argued.
Padme shrugged, "Well I guess I'll just live with the regret. I promised myself I would never let myself think about him like that again. I'm done with him for good."
Teresa shook her head sadly, "Then I guess there really is no hope for you two…"
"Was there ever any?" Padme asked rhetorically.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Teresa's eyes began to droop so Padme decided to leave to let her rest.
"Good night Teresa, sleep well." Padme said and quietly left the room.
Padme went to her office, did paperwork for a couple of hours and went to sleep.
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The next month passed by uneventfully. Padme avoided bumping into Anakin at all costs. She did run into him a couple of times but she usually continued on her way without acknowledging him. Padme had also gone out on a couple more dates with Jon. Her uneasy feelings about him were loosening up only slightly though. Yesterday she ran a couple of tests on Teresa to see if the chemotherapy was working, and unfortunately it hadn't. In fact, Padme was disheartened to see the tumor was back and had begun to spread. Today she had to deliver the bad news to Teresa.
Padme slowly walked to Teresa's room, knocked and entered the room. Teresa was sitting in a chair looking out at the city-planet skyline. She turned when Padme entered.
She started to smile but faltered when she noticed the grim look on Padme's face, "It didn't work did it?"
"I'm so sorry Teresa." Padme said sadly. During the past month, Teresa and Padme had gotten close. They considered each other good friends now. Both felt like they could confide in each other.
Teresa looked away for a minute then looked back at Padme, "It's ok. You tried. So what happens now?"
Padme sighed, this was the hard part. "Unfortunately Teresa the tests revealed that the tumor is back and this time it has spread."
Teresa's mouth opened slightly, "What does this mean?"
Padme's eyes filled with tears and shook her head slightly.
Teresa sucked in her breath, "Oh…how long?"
"Anywhere from one month to one year. I'm not sure."
Teresa looked away, "Ok. Thank you Padme." She looked back at Padme, "I'd like to be alone for awhile, if you don't mind."
"Of course. I'm sorry Teresa." Padme said and left the room. Padme rubbed her eyes tiredly. This was going to be rough for Teresa and her. Padme walked into her office to do some quick paperwork. She closed the door just as Anakin walked into the Healer's Ward. Padme didn't know it but Teresa and Anakin had also been talking. She was trying to talk some sense into Anakin, but so far it had proved itself fruitless; at the same time she was getting to know him and he her.
He knocked on Teresa's door and then entered it.
"Hi Teresa. How are you today?" He asked her.
Teresa wiped her eyes, "Well I just found out that I'm dying but other than that I'm good."
Anakin looked at her in shock, "What? But I thought the medicine was helping."
"That's what we thought too, but apparently not. Padme just told me that it has been unsuccessful. She said that I have anywhere from one month to one year left."
At the mention of Padme's name Anakin cringed. Did he regret he decision? Oh yes he did. He wished he could take it back, but it was too little too late. She was really hurt by his actions and he felt like the biggest pile of bantha fodder in the galaxy. It was clear she didn't want anything to do with him anymore and Anakin couldn't go back on his word. He had promised Rania that he'd focus on them and their impending wedding. He tried reasoning with Rania at first, but she was beyond reason. And when she was beyond reason she was impossible to get along with. Anakin did not want his marriage starting off on the wrong foot. But the more and more he thought about the wedding, he felt like he was about to head into the worst decision of his life.
Should I have this many doubts about getting married? This doesn't seem normal. Anakin wondered.
"You have a year left?" Anakin repeated in disbelief.
Teresa shrugged, "That's a guess, but yes."
"I'm sorry Teresa." Anakin said.
Anakin felt awful; she didn't deserve to die. Teresa was such a nice person; she deserved to live a long happy life. Not death.
"I wanted to talk to you about Padme Anakin." Teresa said dully.
He bit back a groan, not this again.
"Tell me truthfully, do you love her?" She asked.
"I…I don't know. I barely know her." Anakin replied.
"You either know or you don't know. Listen to your heart not your head. Do you love her?" Teresa asked.
Anakin sat and thought about it for awhile. He felt so conflicted. Maybe he did love her, but it was too late for that. She clearly didn't want anything to do with him anymore and he was getting married in less than a year.
No I can't love her. I love Rania…Anakin tried convincing himself.
"I love Rania." Anakin replied avoiding the question.
Teresa shook her head, rolled her eyes upwards and sighed, "Tell her before you lose the chance altogether, tell her before you lose her."
Anakin sighed, "No. It's better this way. We just aren't meant to be. If we were, we'd already be together."
"If that is truly what you believe." Teresa said unconvinced.
Those two are the most stubborn people ever. When will they realize that love each other? Teresa wondered.
"You both are foolish." Teresa said with a slight trace of annoyance.
He looked at her with astonishment, "What…?"
Teresa rolled her eyes, "You both are foolish to throw away the chance of true love. Very few people in this galaxy are lucky to ever find it, and when they do they usually grasp it. But you and Padme are throwing it away so carelessly. Maybe the two of you don't deserve each other."
Anakin stared at her in wonder, before he had the chance to say anything his comlink beeped at him. He glanced down at it and then sighed.
"I have to go. There is a council meeting. I'll see you later Teresa." He said and quickly left the room.
"You both are fools." Teresa whispered to the empty room.
A/N- There's the latest chapter! I'm sorry if you guys are mad at what I did, but…oh well! Thank you all for the reviews, I really appreciate them! And as always please, please, please, please review! I hope to have another update later this week so be on the lookout for that! Also, I probably won't be writing responses to your reviews at this time, it's not that I don't appreciate it, it's just that I don't have time now…sadly. I hope you guys liked this chapter! Please let me know!
