Disclaimer: GL owns Star Wars and everyone in it. We only play in it 'cause it's fun.
AN: The next chapter of Forbidden Longing is here! Enjoy!
Warnings: Rated M for strong sexual situations, language and violence. You have been warned.
Forbidden Longing
A collab fic by Lilac Moon and PyramidHead316
Chapter 20 – Adjustments
Several weeks later, the dinner incident was almost forgotten. Anakin had thrown himself into daily life, doing his best to forget the episode that almost cost him the Naberries' trust. He was still haunted by the image of Padme getting killed by that beast, along with her whole family. He trained almost constantly, working to get the shape where he could finally destroy his unhinged Master if necessary. It was one day afternoon while he was training outside the Naberrie house that Ruwee and Jobal approached him.
"Hello, Anakin," Jobal greeted him.
"Hello Mrs. Naberrie, Mr. Naberrie," Anakin said politely.
Ruwee issued a mock-sigh. "Anakin, I've told you several times already. None of this Mr. Naberrie stuff. Call me Dad."
Anakin chuckled. "Okay, Dad."
"How are you doing with Padme?" Jobal inquired.
"Not bad. She's starting to get more frequent morning sickness. Were you…" he trailed off, not sure how to phrase the question to his mother-in-law.
"The same when I was pregnant? Yes, I was. I remember when I first got pregnant with Sola. I couldn't keep anything down for weeks."
"And the cravings?" Anakin asked fearfully. That was the thing he'd heard about and dreaded the most.
"Those will come later. Don't worry, you'll do fine," Jobal told him, amused by the young man's expression.
Ruwee took this time to speak. "Anakin, we wanted to tell you we're here for you, if you ever need to talk to us about anything. We know Sola's been giving you a hard time, but we want you to know not everyone feels that way. The rest of us respect your privacy and Padme's. We don't know what's happened with Kenobi or the Jedi, but that doesn't matter. We're not your parents, but if you ever need anyone to talk, we're here for you," Ruwee told him.
Anakin smiled. He was touched by the Naberries' acceptance of him. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me."
"Anakin…" Ruwee warned him playfully.
"Sorry. Thank you Dad, Mom," Anakin corrected himself. "If only Sola felt that way…"
"Don't worry about her. She'll come around," Jobal assured him.
"I hope so," Anakin muttered. Sola was the least of his worries right now. She had avoided him for the past several weeks, for which Anakin was grateful. Still, it frustrated him that she couldn't wait for them to give a suitable explanation. He knew how much it hurt Padme to have her sister prying into their personal lives.
"Are you hungry? We made a nice lunch for you," Jobal said
Ruwee smiled sheepishly. "Well, Jobal did most of the work, and I just kind of floated around her handing her the vegetables."
Anakin smiled. "Now that you mention it, sure."
Suddenly he thought of something. "Where's Padme?"
"Oh, she went shopping with the girls," Jobal explained. "The girls" were Ryoo and Pooja, Padme's nieces.
Anakin had taken a liking to them. They were sweet and kind, and didn't judge him for keeping a secret. Unlike some people…
They walked back to the house. Suddenly he noticed the plants looking drenched in the nearby garden. "What happened there?"
Ruwee and Jobal exchanged a look. "Oh, Threepio tried to water the plants. He kind of misjudged the amount of water needed to do that," Jobal explained. "He was complaining earlier about his circuits being waterlogged."
"Sure sounds like Threepio," Anakin shook his head.
"We have some speeder bikes and an old speeder in the garage that we'd really like to be able to use. We haven't found anyone willing to fix them yet. They say they're too old. Would you like to take a look after lunchtime?"
Anakin grinned. "Sure would, Dad. Did you even have to ask?"
"No, I guess not," Ruwee chuckled.
The elder Naberrie put an arm around him, while Jobal looked on smiling. There was nothing to worry about. They were going to get along all right with Anakin.
The blades clashed violently with one another in a display of light that underscored the skill of their wielders. Despite the height difference in the combatants, the smaller figure kept up surprisingly well, blocking most of the attacks by her enemy and parrying the others harmlessly into the air. At last the Master signaled that their session was complete, and they switched off their blades with a snap-hiss.
Obi-Wan Kenobi clipped his saber onto his belt and smiled at his young charge. "That was a good practice. You did well, Padawan."
Scout wiped the sweat off her brow and smiled weakly in response. She'd spent the past three weeks training with Obi-Wan, working on her saber skills and getting used to having a Master around. It was an odd thing at first, having the Padawan bond between them that allowed them to feel each other's feelings and thoughts. After she got past that, she found that it was actually very pleasant, having someone around to rely on.
Her skills had improved too. Amazingly, Obi-Wan had shown her a new type of meditation, one that increased her connection to the Force. Now the Force felt like it was there, rather than a distant companion. He wasn't at all the Master she expected him to be. She expected him to be harsh and stern, uncaring and aloof. Instead he was polite, warm and sympathetic. He was caring with the way he handled her and never lost his temper when she failed at some of the tasks she'd been given, as other Masters would have.
Those thoughts unsettled Scout. Was she warming up to Obi-Wan Kenobi? She knew how dangerous that was… getting attached to someone who was untrustworthy. But then, Obi-Wan hadn't shown any signs of being that way in the past several weeks. It left Scout feeling utterly confused.
Perhaps she was right. Perhaps Obi-Wan simply did lose his temper on that occasion, and now that enough time passed, he'd gone back to his being his usual self. She wasn't sure that was entirely true, but Obi-Wan hadn't given Scout reason to doubt him, and he seemed to be growing fond of her himself.
"Thanks, I think," Scout said uncertainly.
"Oh, it's definitely a compliment. You've improved considerably in the past several weeks," Obi-Wan said. When he first started training her, she was a moderately skilled duelist, but was hampered by her lack of a strong Force connection. Not so anymore. With a little training, Scout was maturing into one of the deadliest combatants he had seen in her age group. He was certain she could crush most of the other Padawans her age, provided they did not result to massive uses of the Force.
"I wasn't expecting that move you pulled just now. Was it a burst of brief inspiration?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Well, I figured I had to do something to keep up. I was just doing what you told me to," Scout said.
"It was more than that. You showed quick thinking where others would have stumbled. I'm proud of you, Padawan."
Scout smiled a genuine smile. "Thanks, Master."
"Are you ready for the Padawan tournament?" Obi-Wan questioned.
The annual Padawan tournament held in the Jedi Temple was a source of much attention for the Jedi. Unlike the Jedi Temple Apprentice Tournament, this one pitted Padawans from all ages against each other. These were students who had already been chosen as Padawans by Knights and Masters, and such did not need to worry about making a good impression the way apprentices did. This was about pride, not impressing a teacher. The combatants were divided into age groups, to make things fair on everybody. Nonetheless, there was still a healthy amount of competition for the competitors.
Scout had entered this year's tournament, on account of her Master's urging. No one was expecting her to go far, least of all the Masters on the Council. That didn't matter. After hearing from Scout of how she struggled during the Apprentice tournaments, Obi-Wan decided she needed to do this. She needed to see that she was every bit as good as any other Padawan.
"Yeah, I think so," Scout responded. She had been working out for it all week, training as hard as she could in preparation.
"You seem nervous," Obi-Wan picked up on her emotions.
"I don't know, Master. All these Padawans seem so much more advanced than me," the girl answered shakily. Scout could not deny it. She was nervous. What if she screwed up in front of the Masters and Council members? How would she ever convince them she was worthy to be among them? She was nervous around Obi-Wan as it was. The last thing she wanted was to disappoint her new Master.
Obi-Wan took her by the shoulders. "Scout, there's nothing to worry about. You'll do fine. And even if you don't, that doesn't mean I'll respect you any less. You're a youngling, by my standards. You've still got much to learn."
Scout didn't get a chance to respond. Obi-Wan's comlink chose that very moment to beep, alerting him he had a message.
"Let me take this," he said. He stepped away a short distance.
"Yes?"
Scout listened in.
"I see. We'll be right there," Obi-Wan said.
"What is it?"
"It seems we've received a summons," Obi-Wan stated.
"From who?" A moment passed before Scout kicked herself for being so dumb. "Oh. You mean, from the Council?"
"Not exactly," Obi-Wan answered. And even though she'd only known him for a short time, it was easy for Scout to see the displeasure on her Master's face.
Sola went about fixing the curtains in the Naberrie home. Technically, she didn't need to be doing this. There was nothing wrong with the curtains. She was just avoiding contact with the others. Her family was outside having fun. Her parents in particular were enjoying the relaxed atmosphere that had settled over the home, enjoying spending time with their new son-in-law. Not her. The tension had grown between her and Padme over the past several weeks, lingering beneath the surface like a splinter. And the reaction of the others was the same. They were all treating her like a villain, just for asking the questions they were too afraid to ask. She wanted nothing to do with them at the moment, even if it meant resigning herself to a repetitive needless task like this.
She was still burning over the lecture her father had given her after the dinner incident those few weeks ago…
Ruwee looked at his oldest daughter in exasperation.
"Sit down Sola," he said. She crossed her arms in defiance.
"Why? So you may lecture me on why I should be nicer to my perfect little sister?" Sola snapped. Ruwee sighed.
"Sola, you have to respect Padme's privacy," he said.
"Doesn't it bother you at all, Dad? Don't you think we deserve to know what they are hiding? We've barely seen her in the last three years and suddenly she comes home with a husband! And not just any husband, but a Jedi, who has left the Order for reasons he won't share! If they are going to be a part of this family, then they should respect us enough to tell us what is going on!" Sola shouted.
"And I believe they will when they feel comfortable in doing so. But you've put them both so on edge, that they may never tell us now," Ruwee replied. Sola scowled.
"You should be happy for them right now, Sola. They are going to have their first child this spring. You remember how wonderful and new it was for you and Darred," Ruwee said.
"What does Padme know about raising children? She's spent her whole life in politics for Force's sake," Sola spat.
"I'm sure she will do just fine. She'll be a natural, I'm sure," Ruwee replied. Sola grimaced.
"Oh yes, I forgot, Padme's good at everything," she rolled her eyes with bitterness. Ruwee sighed. Sola tended to get a bit jealous of Padme at times. Ruwee sighed again.
"All I ask is that you give them time. Anakin may have been a Jedi, but I've been around and I have a feeling the boy hasn't had an easy life. The pain is his eyes is fresh and he's still healing. It's plain for me to see how much he loves my little girl and that makes him okay in my eyes. It should be enough for you too," Ruwee said. Sola nodded to appease him and he patted her shoulder, before going back inside. Sola watched her baby sister walk hand in hand with her husband, down to the beach. The couple had donned their bathing suits and seemed oblivious to her stare.
"Sorry Daddy, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this if it's the last thing I do," she said, as she disappeared inside.
Sola felt a burst of anger at the recollection. How it burned to be dressed down like a child, by her own father, no less! But no matter, she was going to get to the bottom of this. And she knew exactly where to go for information. She hadn't wanted to do this, but Padme left her no choice. If she wanted to be secretive, then Sola would just have to dig the information out of those around her.
More determined than ever, Sola headed to the bedroom to make an important call. Padme was not going to get away with keeping secrets forever.
Obi-Wan and Scout rode the turbolift to the Supreme Chancellor's office. They had received the summons from the Chancellor's office earlier through the Council. Although neither of them particularly wanted to go, there was no denying the Council on this.
Obi-Wan wondered what the man had to say to him, especially given his last broadcast on the HoloNet. The secret of Anakin and Padme's marriage was not one Obi-Wan wanted to get out in the open. Not yet. While he had considered exposing them to the public, the information he knew about them was very valuable, and would serve him better once he had an exact plan to go by. The knowledge of their situation was not one the Council would have wanted to get out into the open either. The Council didn't even know the full extent of their relationship until that broadcast, and they had all been flabbergasted to find out the truth.
What could Palpatine possibly have to say to them now? Was he going to apologize for compromising the Jedi's integrity? Was he going to explain himself to Obi-Wan and give some inane reason for why he did this? Not that it mattered. The damage was done. The Jedi were a joke now thanks to Palpatine. Their greatest pupil had been having an affair right under their noses and they hadn't even known about it until he quit. Once again, Obi-Wan cursed Anakin for his impulsiveness. If he had only controlled himself around Amidala…
It wasn't for the sake of the Council. Obi-Wan didn't care about the Council in that regard. But the damage done to his reputation was incalculable. And that would not do. He would not be known as a Master who couldn't handle his own Padawan.
The lift stopped at the appropriate level. Obi-Wan and Scout bypassed the secretary and went inside. Sure enough, there was Chancellor Palpatine waiting for them.
"Master Kenobi, welcome! I'm glad you were able to make it," he shook hands with Obi-Wan.
"And you must be Padawan Esterhazy," he said, turning towards Scout. "I'm delighted to meet you."
The young girl looked nervously at the man regarding her with a grand fatherly expression. "Um, thank you, I think." Scout started to bow, but was stopped by the Chancellor.
"Don't trouble yourself, my dear. I'm just an old man who's seen better days. You shouldn't have to bother with that formal display. It's not often I have children in my office."
"I'm sure you are wondering why I called you here" he said to Kenobi. "After that HoloNet reveal…"
Kenobi said nothing. He merely crossed his arms, waiting for the Chancellor to speak.
"You must understand my actions, Master Kenobi. It was never my intent to harm your reputation and that of the Jedi Order. When I discovered this information, I was astonished. The galaxy needed to know what their servants were doing behind their backs," the old man mused. "I acted impulsively. I know I should have waited to consult you and the Council about this. But I just couldn't stand the thought of Amidala and your former Padawan getting away with this deception any longer."
"With all due respect, Chancellor, you should have waited," Kenobi responded. "Do you have any idea of the damage you have caused to our reputation? The Jedi are a joke now. We have lost the respect of many in the public, who now see us as having no control over our own Padawans."
"I know. Believe me, that was not my intent." The Chancellor breathed a weary sigh. "But I will make it right. I will make sure the public knows that it is Anakin who is to blame, not the Jedi Order. Anakin's power is beyond measure. It is not implausible that he was able to fool you and the Jedi Council."
"How do you know about that?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.
"Anakin told me," the Chancellor replied.
"Ah. Rather arrogant of him to assume that, don't you think?" Obi-Wan said dryly.
"I know! But you know Anakin. He was always so impulsive; always wanting to do things before his time. That's why I told him that he was an extremely gifted Jedi, but that the Council would recognize his talents in time. I had to maintain that control over him, so that he would not risk his position in some foolish tirade. If Anakin got the chance, he would go before the Council and do something impulsive. On the other hand, if I told him that he was not as skilled as he believed and he was being arrogant, he would think that nobody was on his side and do something impulsive. I had no choice. I had to tell what he wanted to hear, without making you seem like the villains in all this."
Obi-Wan took in everything that Palpatine was saying. The words were almost too perfect, but suddenly, he was seeing the situation through brand new eyes. The Council had always considered Anakin's friendship with the Chancellor to be a threat, but if he was to be believed, the Chancellor was actually safeguarding their relationship with Anakin, making sure the boy didn't turn away from them in arrogance. He sensed no dishonesty on the Chancellor's part. It appeared that Palpatine was telling the truth.
The older man continued, "I know you think I was trying to manipulate him, but I was simply looking out for your best interests. You have no idea how many things I defended you to him, asking him to be patient," he said, much to Obi-Wan's surprise. The Chancellor mused on that, exhaling wearily. "Too bad it seems I failed him."
There was a moment while they mulled on that. "We both failed him, Chancellor. I should have been sensitive to his needs. I should have seen what was happening to him before it was too late," Obi-Wan replied.
"Alas, all we can do is more forward," Palpatine stated, staring out the window.
He looked at Obi-Wan. "There is another reason I called you here. I know how hard Anakin's departure has been on you. I wanted you to know that if you needed someone to talk to about anything. You need not worry about scheduling an appointment. The door is always open."
Obi-Wan was at a loss on how to respond. "Thank you, Chancellor."
Palpatine continued. "I know I am not a Jedi or Master like the Council members, but I do like to think my experience counts for something. Anakin always found my advice rather useful. Regardless of what you think, I did not turn him against the Jedi Order." Obi-Wan colored at the accusation there. But the Chancellor held nothing malicious in his tone.
"Thank you, Chancellor. I'll keep that in mind."
Palpatine smiled widely. "I had hoped you would. Good day, Master Kenobi, Padawan Esterhazy."
"Good day, Chancellor." Obi-Wan bowed. Scout copied his movement, and the two were soon out the door. They boarded the lift that would take them down to the lower level where their landing pad was.
It was a few minutes before somebody spoke.
"There's something off about the Chancellor," Scout remarked. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's there."
Obi-Wan looked surprise. "Very perceptive, Padawan," he complimented. He was impressed that she had been able to pick up on that, with her senses being on the weak side.
"Yes, there is something odd about the Chancellor. But I can't quite put my finger on it," Obi-Wan declared.
It was an odd thing, the elusive sense of something in the air just beyond his reach. It mystified his senses, urging him to reach out and grasp it with his senses. He wondered what it could be.
There was no way to find out at the moment. He would just have to be very careful.
Padme sat the picnic basket down on the blanket. She took out their sandwiches and some Shurra fruit. Padme had returned from her shopping trip a short while ago and they decided to go for a picnic on the beach. It was one of their favorite things to do, with the chance it allowed them for privacy. Anakin enjoyed seeing Padme so carefree. She was usually so intense when they were serving the Republic, always focused on the Senate, it was nice to be able to see her just be herself.
"Is that cloudberry jam?" he asked. She smiled.
"Of course it is. I know what my man likes," she said playfully.
"No doubts there," Anakin said, as he took a bite of his sandwich.
"Because I certainly like the way you look in that swimsuit too," he added, eyeing her in the soft pink two-piece.
"Oh believe me, I bought this with you in mind," she replied, as she ate her own sandwich. He watched her bite into a piece of sweet Shurra fruit, taking in how beautiful she was. There was something different about her though and he soon realized what it was. She was glowing.
"You're glowing," he said out loud.
"Hmm?" she asked.
"You're glowing, Padme. I always thought when they said pregnant women had a glow about them, it was just an expression. But you are radiant," he said. She smiled shyly at his sincere admiration.
"I'm just so happy," she gushed.
"Me too. The woman I love more than anything is carrying our baby. It doesn't get much better than that," he replied.
"That's because we conceived our baby from love," she said, scooting next to him. He looked into her eyes and was humbled by the love shining in her beautiful brown eyes.
"This proves it, Ani. This proves that were going to be okay, as if we need any proof. No matter where we decide to go, it will be all right, because we'll be together, as a family."
"I love you and I promise I will protect you and our baby, no matter what," he said.
"I know and I will protect us also. I love you, Ani," she said, as she caressed her cheek. Their lips met after that, as they drowned in the depths of their love, oblivious to anything else at all for those moments. They lay on the beach together for sometime, exchanging soft, tender, and passionate kisses, before eventually trekking into the water for a cool swim…
Sola waited patiently for her intended recipient to respond to her call. Finally, Dorme's face appeared on the screen.
"Sola! What an unexpected surprise. Is anything the matter?" Dorme asked.
"Hello Dorme, I'm sorry to bother you, but I was hoping you could answer a few questions," Sola said. Dorme looked hesitant.
"What is it that you wish to know?" she asked.
"Well, my baby sister refuses to tell me what happened to force them to leave Coruscant so abruptly," Sola asked flat out.
"I'm sorry Sola, but I don't exactly know all the details on that and even if I did, I would never betray Padme," Dorme said.
"They are hiding something, Dorme, and I need to know what it is. Were you aware that our good little girl secretly married her Jedi lover? And I'm talking about before the news broke on the HoloNet," Sola said.
"Captain Typho and I were trusted with that secret," Dorme replied.
"Funny how she chose to tell the two of you and not her own family," Sola said irritably.
"She couldn't tell you, Sola, no matter how much she wanted to. How would you feel if you were in love, yet you were told you could not be together, because of some outdated, silly rule?" Dorme responded.
"I know something happened to Anakin and it has to do with this Obi-Wan Kenobi. Just please tell me what you know, because they are not talking," Sola replied.
"I'm sorry Sola, but even if I did know, I could not betray them like that. I must resume my duties," Dorme said, as the transmission blinked out. Sola sighed in frustration. It seemed that she would have to go directly to the source. Now, it was just a matter of getting Anakin alone long enough to drag the truth out of him.
A few hours later, Anakin and Padme entered the kitchen fully dressed. They had just cleaned up from their swim and had their arms wrapped around each other. Jobal noticed how happy they were and with good reason. Having a baby was a wonderful blessing.
"Hi Mom. Dinner smells great," Padme said.
"Thank you, sweetheart. Would you mind setting the table? I don't know where your sister has disappeared to," Jobal said.
"Sure," Padme replied.
"Ruwee is out in the garage tinkering with something or another. As much as he wishes he knew what he was doing, he doesn't have a clue. Padme tells me that kind of thing is your forte," Jobal mentioned to her son-in-law. Anakin smiled.
"I do love to fix things. I'd be happy to go help him for a bit," he said.
"Good. Dinner will be ready in an hour," Jobal said, as Anakin headed out to the garage.
As Anakin entered the garage, he saw Ruwee poking his head under the hood of an old speeder.
"Anakin…good to see you. Just trying to fix this hunk of scrap," Ruwee said.
"That's what your wife told me," Anakin replied.
"Tattling on me, is she?" Ruwee chuckled. He smiled.
"A bit. I thought I might be able to help you with this," Anakin said.
"Don't mind if you do, my boy. I ain't afraid to admit I don't know up from down when it comes to this stuff. Can you see what I'm doing wrong?" he asked. Anakin spotted it right away.
"Well, it looks like you've got the alternator in upside down and the wiring is crossed. But it also looks like the power converters need to be replaced. You need T-390's. But I can make the 880's work if we have to," Anakin said. Ruwee was floored.
"You can tell all that, just by looking at it?" he asked. Anakin shrugged.
"Sure," the young man replied, as he picked up the wrench and jarred the alternator out. He turned it around and then grabbed a pair of safety goggles.
"Can you hand me that wielding tool, sir?" he asked.
"Sure," Ruwee said, as he patted the young man's shoulder.
"And it's 'Dad' to you, son," he reminded him. Anakin smiled.
"Thanks," the young man replied, as he went to work.
Thirty minutes later, Anakin had fixed the alternator, repaired the wiring, and installed the new power converters, as Ruwee watched him work in amazement.
"Okay Dad, it should turn over now," Anakin said. Ruwee's face glowed with surprise, as the speeder turned over smoothly, humming quietly. He laughed.
"I'll be damned. Where'd you learn how to work magic like that?" he wondered.
"It's kind of something I've just been doing all my life. I taught myself mostly working in the junk shop where I grew up," Anakin said.
"Junk shop?" Ruwee asked.
"Yes…my mother and I used to be owned by a junk shop dealer," Anakin said.
"Owned?" Ruwee asked in confusion. Anakin swallowed hard.
"We were slaves," he revealed quietly.
"Slaves?" Ruwee asked. The concept was foreign to him.
"Slavery is not illegal on Tatooine. But that's how I met Padme. She crashed on Tatooine during the blockade. Master Qui-Gon freed me, so I could become a Jedi. But then he was killed…and Obi-Wan took me instead," Anakin said.
"I'm sorry Anakin…I had no idea," Ruwee said. The idea of owning someone…it was downright repulsive. To think of what this young man and his mother must have endured…
"It's okay," Anakin said, smiling slightly.
"After all, I'd never have met Padme if I hadn't been in that junk shop that day," he replied.
"You…you never talk about your mother, son. Is she still a slave?" Ruwee asked timidly. Anakin swallowed painfully again.
"No…she's dead. She was murdered by Tusken Raiders," he replied. Ruwee clapped him on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean to bring up such painful memories. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need to talk," the older man said. He really wanted to ask about Anakin's father, but he had suspicions that this was a painful topic as well. He would broach that subject at a later time.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me," Anakin replied.
"Well, dinner is probably about ready. You comin'?" he asked.
"I'll be along in a minute. Thanks," Anakin responded, as Ruwee left. A few moments later, as Anakin put the tools away, Sola came in unexpectedly.
"Oh, I just came to tell you and dad that dinner is ready," she lied.
"Thanks. I'll be up in a second," he replied. Anakin was unnerved by her presence, as he felt her eyes on his back.
"Congratulations on the baby. You must be thrilled," she said. Anakin smiled.
"Yeah, we both are. Thanks," he replied, as he relaxed a little.
Sola regarded him closely. He was a handsome man. Tall, and blue-eyed, and blonde…he was the perfect poster boy for the Jedi Order. He looked trustworthy too. There was a certain charming nature about him. He radiated honesty and reliability, as well as a certain empathy for those around him. She could see what Padme saw in him.
"Anakin, I want to apologize. I know I haven't respected your privacy and my sister's privacy these past few weeks. I've been intrusive, and disrespectful, and I've been a major pain in the ass for you guys," Sola stated, instantly catching Anakin's attention. "I'm sorry. You have to understand. I've never really been a part of Padme's life before. Padme doesn't share much with me. I'm curious about her life. I guess I let that curiosity get the better of me. I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Anakin brushed aside her apology, uncomfortable with the direction this was taking. This was Padme's domain to forgive her sister, not his.
"No, it's not. I haven't been fair to you and Padme. I'm surprised she hasn't choked me yet from all the badgering I've done. I know I would have, if someone were bugging me and Darred that much," Sola replied.
Anakin was torn. On the one hand, he really wanted to let her sweat for a little, so that she would understand just how much she'd hurt him and Padme. On the other hand, it was in a Jedi's nature to bestow forgiveness.
"It's okay. I know you were just concerned," he said. He wasn't going to make this worse by holding a grudge. "Of course, it's Padme's forgiveness you'll really have to seek."
"I know," Sola answered. She hesitated, then decided she'd waited long enough. She decided to plunge ahead.
"What really happened between you and Obi-Wan?" she asked frankly.
Anakin stared at her in disbelief. Hadn't she just said she wasn't going to but in anymore? The young Jedi kicked himself mentally. He couldn't believe he'd fallen for that. She'd fooled him. She'd fooled him and he'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
"I don't want to talk about this," Anakin replied, turning away from her.
"You never seem to, except with Padme," Sola said.
"She's my wife!" Anakin snapped.
"And we're your family! You should talk to us!" Sola prodded. Anakin sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"I will…when I'm ready," Anakin stated.
"And who knows when that will be," Sola snorted.
"I just ask that you respect our privacy. If you care at all for Padme, then you'll do so," Anakin said, as he dashed out without another word. But Sola was getting angry and was not going let this go. She'd tried going the sympathetic route. She'd given him the chance to come clean in private to her. But it seemed he was choosing a public omission. Her parents and Padme would be angry with her, but she was getting Anakin to talk…and soon. Sola knew how to play dirty if she had to, and she definitely felt she had to. If Anakin wanted to be a part of this family, then he would be honest with them. No more hiding…
When Anakin came into the kitchen, Padme immediately noticed something was off. He was slightly out of breath like he'd been running, and she could tell something was bothering him by the look in his eyes.
"Ani, what's wrong?" she asked, picking up the salad bowl.
"Nothing…I'm fine. Just took a jog back to the house. I'll take that," he said, as he kissed her forehead and carried the salad bowl into the dining room. Barely a moment later, Sola came in.
"Where have you been?" Padme asked.
"None of your business," she replied.
"If it has to do with Anakin, then it is my business," Padme replied.
"He's a big boy, Padme. Can't he take care of himself, or does he need you to hold his hand all the time?" Sola asked.
"Leave him alone. He's been hurt enough, Sola. Please, I'm begging you to just let him alone," Padme said. Sola was silent.
"Dinner is on the table. We should go, before it gets cold," she replied as she left. Padme took a deep breath and followed her. They sat down together and dinner was uneventful while they ate. Ryoo and Pooja finished early and ran off to play, leaving Sola with her opportunity.
"So, I talked to Dorme today," Sola mentioned off hand. Padme dropped her fork to her plate.
"What?" she questioned.
"You know it's hard to swallow the fact that Dorme knew of your marriage and I didn't," Sola replied.
"You called Dorme to pump her for information, didn't you?" Padme exclaimed.
"Yes, but she wouldn't tell me anything. It seems she's prepared to keep secrets for you, even if she's not your employee anymore," Sola said.
"How could you?! Why must you keep prying into our lives?" Padme snapped.
"I will until we get the answers we deserve!" Sola retorted.
"Sola, that is enough! We discussed this earlier today and you will leave them alone," Ruwee interjected.
"Sorry daddy, but I can't do that. It's time for Anakin to tell us the truth," she responded.
"Leave my husband alone. He's been hurt enough!" Padme cried.
"That's what you keep saying, yet we have no idea what that means! If Darred and I were keeping some dreaded secret, mom and dad would be all over us about it. But not you. Not perfect, precious little Padme!" Sola yelled.
"Sola, that is enough!" Ruwee roared. Sola scoffed.
"Daddy's little girl through and through, I see. Why don't you tell your dashing Knight to be a man?" Sola spat. Padme gave her the nastiest look Anakin had ever seen.
"Get out," Padme growled, almost physically shaking with rage.
Sola gave her an incredulous. "What? This is my house too," she scoffed.
"I don't care! GET OUT!" Padme screamed, sounding more distraught than Anakin had ever heard. Looking around, he saw the Naberries were concerned too.
"Sweetheart, this is not good for the baby," Jobal pleaded.
"I don't care, Mom! I want this…this BITCH out of my house!" Padme screamed. Anakin had never heard her use that word before. She was really upset to be resorting to profanity.
"Padme!" Jobal scolded, unused to hearing such language from her daughter.
Sola looked at her sternly. "Fine, I will. But the time is coming Padme, when you and Anakin will have to tell us the truth. This can't be allowed to go on forever."
Sola gathered her things and left the dining room. Darred gave them a helpless glance as he followed, one that was apologetic in tone. Anakin knew he didn't want to put them through this, he just couldn't stand up to his wife when she was this way. He couldn't blame him. Sola was almost scary in her intensity. She had revealed a side of her he wouldn't have suspected existed, and it was one that even shook him with its determination. He wondered how this woman could be related to Padme. Ironically, it didn't take him long to figure out. He could see exactly how she was related to Padme besides the blood link. Determination, persistence, a thirst for knowledge…these were things that defined his Padme's character. Only now they were being used against him, rather than for his benefit.
Anakin went to comfort his angel. Padme was cradling her head in her hands, shaking with full body motions that wracked her form. He could tell she was crying. She was distraught, unable to comprehend why her sister would not respect her wishes. Without a word he slid his arms around her, whispering comforting sounds into her ear. Padme sobbed into his shoulder, clinging to Anakin as though her life depended on it. Silently, Jobal and Ruwee looked on, grateful beyond words that Anakin had not let this drive him away from Padme. Their little girl needed him now.