Chapter 7
"Get away from her!" Officer Piett cried at once, pointing his gun at the man next to Padmé. Even though he could not see very well in the darkness, he managed to recognize a large shadow wrapping her.
The policeman acted quickly, he knew he couldn't fire at the stranger without also hurting the girl, so he fired up in the air to scare him.
The sound of bullets made Padmé scream louder than even when she saw Teckla being attacked. "Don't!" she cried, sitting in front Anakin as if to protect him. "Don't shoot!"
A group of girls appeared behind the two officers. "Oh my God!" Dormé cried. "I tried to warn you!"
"What is going on?" Anakin inquired, more confused than angry.
"Sir," again it was Dormé who spoke. "This is Padmé's boyfriend."
"Fiancé, actually," Anakin corrected amidst the stupor.
Officer Piett looked back at the sorority sisters and then at Anakin and Padmé who were buried in the dim darkness; he hesitated but in the end he put his gun down.
"Alright," Officer Ozzel said as he turned on the lights. "What exactly is going on here, girls?" he sounded somewhat annoyed.
Anakin stood from the bed; he was wearing only a pair of blue jeans, his bared chest and arms made some of the girls turn crimson. He didn't notice that and after putting on also his shoes, he walked to the policemen.
"Sir, why did you try to shoot me?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.
Padmé ran to his side.
She wanted everyone to disappear so she could hide under the bed.
"Really officers," she said, trying to look calm. "There's nothing to worry about here. I am so sorry I kept you here longer than necessary… but you may go now."
Ozzel and Piett interchanged looks of distrust.
"If you say so, Miss," Piett said kindly. "We will leave, by all means. Just one question."
She hated the sudden acceleration in her breathing.
"Why were you screaming for help?" Officer Piett asked, narrowing his eyes.
Padmé looked down, unsure; luckily for her, her best friend again broke in.
"She didn't know he was here," Dormé explained. "I tried to tell her but she left before giving me the chance. After what happened tonight… I am not surprised she freaked out like that."
Goddamn, they know? Padmé thought her heart would snap out of her chest.
"What happened tonight?" Anakin asked, gravely.
"Padmé and Teckla were attacked," Dormé said, not really trying to sound as insensible as she did. "Some crazy bastard jumped on them with a knife!"
Anakin's face darkened with panic and concern. "Oh my God!" he cried, gathering Padmé in his arms. "And you're alright?"
"I am fine," she muttered, oddly shaking her head. Unlike poor Teckla…
"I suppose there's nothing much for us to do for now," Officer Ozzel said. "Let's go back downstairs to continue with the interrogation."
Interrogation? Padmé turned to Dormé with questioning eyes. "What did you tell them?" she asked in her lowest whisper, her anger and fear almost slipping through.
Dormé bit her nails. "Just that we have two missing people here," Dormé said just as quietly. "I was starting to think the number would go up to four. I am glad you're alright—"
"Miss," Officer Piett called Dormé.
The young girl nodded, and the rest of the crowd followed the policemen. Anakin and Padmé were now alone.
No sooner was the door closed and the couple by themselves, that Anakin had taken Padmé with a madly strong grip between his arms. He took her to the bed again and he covered her with wild needy kisses. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, his voice barely containing his fear.
Padmé didn't know what to think or say.
She didn't even nod along to ease his obvious preoccupation and pain.
"Padmé, are you alright?" Anakin asked again.
The young sorority sister took a deep, long breath before speaking. "Where were you tonight?" she asked, not trying to sound as stern and cold as she did.
"Uh?" Anakin seemed confused. "My love, I've been waiting for you here in your room. I know you forgot, but we had a date tonight. I came to pick you up; Dormé told me you went out with one of the girls but that you'd be back soon. So I waited here till I fell asleep."
"You didn't go anywhere else before?" she asked, her voice still cold and unlike any other time she had ever spoken to him.
"No."
She threw her head back and just sank into her pillows. She wanted to believe him. She simply couldn't.
There were a few moments of silence, broken only by the loud breathing that invaded the room when again Anakin started kissing and caressing Padmé. "Do you remember… my friend Teckla?" she asked, barely gathering her breath after her body reacted to the touch of his hands and his full lips.
Anakin didn't stop kissing her skin, his lips were too busy on her neck to form a word, but he nodded with his head.
"She got the worst tonight… and I think… I think she saw him."
Anakin stopped his activity to turn and face her. "Is that really what you want to talk about right now?" he grinned. Padmé was shocked by his lack of tact.
He had a point. That was the last thing she could wish to discuss. Yet again, her question came: "But she can't speak," Padmé said. "She might never speak again. What do you think of that, Anakin?" her voice was beginning to sound strained.
"It's tragic," Anakin said. "It's a real tragedy. I feel really bad for her," he sounded so sincere; so genuinely caring.
Padmé looked down with guilt. What the hell had she been thinking?
Anakin was the greatest man she had ever known! He was the most beautiful, most sensitive, most loving… and she had been machinating some of the nastiest ideas of him.
There was no way he was the killer she feared so much. It was not possible.
Dormé could probably even attest to the fact that he had been sleeping in her room all night. And a person cannot be in two places at once… Teckla's attacker was out there loose, yet Padmé's fears were fading away because the man she loved so much was still her hero—never her villain.
"I'm sorry," the apology left Padmé's lips before she could stop it.
"What?" Anakin looked confused.
"I mean…" she stammered. "For Teckla. I really hope she gets better."
"If you want to," Anakin said with a gorgeous and gentle smile. "I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow, so you can see her."
She smiled too. "Thanks, my love."
There was a knock on the door, but before they could respond, Dormé walked into the bedroom. She barely acknowledged them; she just walked to her bed and threw herself there.
"I'll give you two a minute," Anakin whispered at Padmé's ear, and giving her a quick sweet peck on the cheek, he went to the bathroom.
"That fucking creep killed Cordé," Dormé whispered and started weeping. Padmé was immediately by her side.
"Don't say that," she said amidst her own tears. "She has to be alright!"
"She and Mothma," Dormé sniffed. "Oh shit!" she then exclaimed.
"What?"
"I forgot to tell that to the cops!"
"What?"
"About the man that was in Mothma's room a few nights ago. Goddamn maybe he did it?"
The idea, as horrible as it was, gave Padmé a little peace. Anything to clear Anakin's name…
"They must be alive," Padmé said, almost fooling herself. "What did the cops say?"
"They will search for them," she sighed bitterly. "And they asked us to call if anything weird ever happens again."
"Something weird like…"
"I told them of the creepy phone calls we've been getting."
Padmé distanced herself from her friend. "Dormé," she weakly said. "At what time did Anakin come?"
"I don't know… a little after Teckla's daddy came. Like an hour after you left, I think."
"I see," the answer should've continued to ease Padmé's mind. But it didn't.
"Dormé, I am gonna spend the night in Anakin's room."
"Oh don't worry about me. I can crash in another room—"
"No. But listen to me: Lock the door! Please lock it and tell the other girls to do that too."
"Okay…" Dormé accepted with a grin. "That seems unnecessary. Inside the house we're safe."
"Just do it."
Anakin was confused when Padmé insisted they spend the night in his fraternity house. After all, it was really late and there was no point. But of course he couldn't deny anything to her, that night more than ever. She was scared and she needed comfort, comfort that he was more than willing to give.
He had a much larger bed, where they could cuddle more nicely; there it was very easy to be comfortable. Yet they usually avoided sleeping there, giving Anakin's roommate, but since it was so late, there was no chance he was still up; and with that consolation, Anakin and Padmé entered Alpha Gamma Phi almost happily.
A most short-lived happiness…
When they were by the stairs, they saw a group of frat boys, they were drinking—which was not unusual; but they weren't smiling, which definitely was… some of them even had a few tears.
"Hi, Anakin, hey Padmé…" the couple was faintly greeted.
"What happened, Joe?" Anakin asked, concerned.
They didn't stay too long with those frat boys. Anakin and Padmé simply learned what they knew, and almost escaping, they finally reached Anakin's bedroom.
Padmé struggled to breathe as she took off her coat. She fought tears that fell nonetheless down her cheeks. She sat on Anakin's bed and wished she was anywhere else…
This can't be happening, she told herself. This is a dream. A nightmare! Oh when will I awake? When will this end!
"It just can't be happening," she said amidst burning tears.
"It's insane," Anakin agreed and sighed. "It seems like campus is no longer safe."
Padmé passed her hands through her hair. "It just doesn't make any sense." She cried. "How were they all killed?!"
"Shhh," Anakin gently quieted her. "You'll awake him." He said, pointing to his roommate's bed.
Padmé bit at her nails as she dedicated a few seconds to look at Jar Jar. He was oddly quiet; usually he snorted a lot…
"I never even got the chance to thank them," Padmé said, her voice completely broken.
"Neither did I," Anakin sighed again. "They saved you, my love. I will always be in debt to them."
The group of frat boys that had helped Padmé and Teckla, every single one, was found dead…
"I am not even gonna bother going to sleep," Padmé then said. "I have class in an hour. I'm gonna start getting ready."
"Padmé," Anakin softly said. "Maybe you shouldn't go… you should rest."
She didn't listen to his suggestion, as thoughtful as it was; she just got into the shower and cried all the way.
"You didn't have to come with me, you must be tired." Padmé said in the car sitting next to Anakin, later that morning.
"Not at all," he smiled at her. "Really, I don't want to tell you what to do, Padmé. But you should be resting. Is this class really so important?"
"Yes," she said. "I think I'm failing it. I can't help it, I just don't get psychology."
"Yeah, it sounds really boring."
"Well, yeah it is," she faintly laughed. "The professor is really nice, though." Too nice actually...
"Well, have a good time," he kissed her goodbye.
As Padmé walked that cool Monday morning to enter the building in which she had class, she stopped for a moment, wanting to look again at the face of the man she loved. The feeling of his lips lingered for a long time; she felt her heart throb as she saw his smile. So boyish and charming… so sweet and loving!
Oh Anakin.
She truly loved him.
"Miss Amidala! Padmé heard next to her which caused her to rip her eyes from the perfect sight of her fiancé.
"Oh, hi," she smiled taken aback at her professor. "Mr. Clovis, I am on time at last."
He laughed quietly. "I am so glad, young lady," he put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's hope you don't fall asleep in my class this time," he playfully smacked his hand on her back; they both laughed.
Wanting to see Anakin's gorgeous smile one last time, Padmé snuck a last glance at her boyfriend—but now everything had changed.
It was alarming. Unnerving. And shocking. To see just how fast he could change; as if he were another person.
It was like a sunshine that turns into a storm. All light departed him, only darkness reigned in him.
Padmé had never seen him like that, and it was only for a few seconds, more than enough to cool her skin.
He didn't do it. She had to remind herself. He didn't do it! He didn't… he wouldn't.
AN: So now I ask you… Do you think Ani did it? Mmhh….
Please let me know how it's going!
