It was winter on Naboo, everything brisk and cold, clouds congesting the once blue skies. Frost was gathering along the edges of the lake, the trees had gone bare, and the approach of snow could be felt on the air.

The staff at the lake house on Naboo was nothing but attentive and friendly. Obi-Wan strongly disliked the idea of being waited upon, but he hated to be rude to the people who lived there. They rarely had guests and seemed absolutely thrilled with the idea of having one. He spent quite a bit of time in conversation with each of them, getting to know them by name. They weren't even concerned with the fact that he was here hiding as a fugitive. They were used to secrets and he had reason to believe that they enjoyed his company as well.

There was only so much that he could do to follow what was happening in the rest of the galaxy. Coruscant was the focal point of everything that was happening—where Padme was—and he had to subdue the inclination to be anxious or angry about leaving her there. It was her wish to have him here and safe, where he would not be an unnecessary distraction on her work. He trusted her and knew that she did what she did best there as the politician. There was nothing for him there at the moment, and he was wrapping himself in his patience until it began to feel like it was smothering him.

Finally he got to speak with her on the hologram. Seeing her face, even in its worry, was soothing. Any comfort he was able to have was immediately chased away when he heard C-3PO's voice from out of the range of the scanning lasers of the hologram.

"Senator! Master Anakin is here!"

He couldn't tell what that meant. He didn't want to think Anakin's reasons for being there were anything more than being a friend. Padme wisely ended the transmission, promising to call him back. He had no expectation of when. But as the hours went by, something felt wrong.

And with each hour that passed, Obi-Wan could not stop himself from doing what he had not done since he was a padawan: He was pacing.

Then he heard it.

It was distant at first, but getting so loud, so quickly he knew it was coming directly towards his location and it was a sound as familiar to him as the thrum of a lightsaber. It was the droning roar of an LAAT—a Clone Gunship. When he looked out the window, there were three of them flying over the calm waters of the Varykino Lake, the water spraying in white mist behind them.

"Master Kenobi!" The caretaker, Paddy Accu, came in breathlessly, his white hair plastered to his sweaty forehead. "There are—"

"Clones," he finished for him, grimly.

At first, the logical conclusion was that they had come to arrest him at last. But that conclusion was dashed when he saw the puff of smoke that trailed behind multiple missiles fired from the top of the LAATs.

There was no time to run, so Obi-Wan did the only thing that he could in those seconds. He raised his hand, willing the Force through his body to shield him and the old caretaker from the brunt of the explosion and the mountain of stone that dropped on them as the tower of the lake house collapsed.

The missiles didn't stop. They fired until the opulent, historic home of the Naberrie family was reduced to a pile of rubble, the debris cloud trickling into the lake and muddying the waters.

Her hands were raw from wringing, her nerves frayed to the last after hours of trying to call Obi-Wan, or even Bail. She could not get past the Clones at her door, and she had no way of knowing what was happening out there.

Maybe nothing was happening and she was afraid for no reason. Anakin said the war was going to end tonight, that was supposed to be a good thing.

Promise me that whatever happens, you'll stay here.

No one says that when nothing happens.

Then she felt it—like a blow to the head—and she nearly buckled onto the floor as the air was forced from her lungs. She was afraid, she felt devastated, and had no idea why.

"Obi-Wan…" all she could conjure was his name, tears falling.

She had seen her own country invaded, bombed, attacked, her people corralled and killed. But never had she felt so helpless or lost. It was all a bad feeling—so bad that it made her sick.

Her fears came true when she happened to look out the window. Smoke. Plumes of it and they were rising from the Jedi Temple. She ran to her balcony and stared in numb silence.

The temple, which had always been a symbol of stability and peace, was burning.

More fretful hours passed, and finally there was a ship approaching her apartment. It must have been Anakin... He was alive! It passed the lobby balcony, but it was coming in for a landing, as it had in the past when they were married, towards the personal landing platform of her veranda. She ran to meet him, arriving just in time as he stepped out of his fighter.

"What's happening?" She had to cling onto his arms, her legs shaking so badly she could hardly stand. "I can see the smoke from here! Are you alright?"

He was calm and he stopped with one foot still on the wing of his ship. "I'm fine…" He supported her by the elbows.

"Why did you block my communications? Anakin, please tell me what's going on!" She was close to screaming now.

"The Jedi have tried to overthrow the Republic."

The gravity in his voice, the flames at the temple. It meant death, but it didn't make sense. He was so calm.

"I can't believe that…" she was dumbfounded.

"I saw Master Windu attempt to assassinate the Chancellor myself," his voice took on a sharper edge.

The Jedi, all enemies of the Republic? It was unfathomable. Anakin's loyalty had always been torn between the Order and Palpatine. Was he right about the Jedi? Was Obi-Wan right to resign?

At that moment, R2-D2 came rolling out onto the platform as well. He whistled a cheerful greeting to his master. Anakin looked to the little droid and slipped out of her grip to approach Artoo. He lowered onto one knee, his cloak fanned out behind him. He hunched forward, opening the front of the droid and tinkering quietly. He removed a small component and crushed it in his robotic hand.

"Your communications aren't jammed anymore…"

"Artoo had the jamming signal?" she frowned.

Artoo let out a high fweeep of surprise.

"How could you not know you had that sort of modification?" Threepio spoke as he stepped out onto the platform.

"Anakin…" Padme took cautious steps towards him. "What are you going to do now?"

"I've already done it." He rose to his full height before tossing the crushed object over the edge. He then approached her. "There are no more enemies of the Republic left. No Grievous… No Separatist leaders… No Jedi…"

"What about Obi-Wan? He's not a Jedi anymore. Is he safe? Please tell me if you know…"

He inhaled slowly, his mouth tight. "Jedi or not, he's still a traitor to the Republic."

Her heart was reaching, clawing for Obi-Wan, tearing itself to pieces with regret that she had sent him away, but infinitely glad that she had, or he could be dead already. All she could do now was form one logical question next as she continued to search his strange eyes.

"Anakin… Am I safe? I was already under suspicion…"

Would she even be able to leave the planet?

He was inching closer to her now, a small smile on his face that told her nothing. "Of course you're safe… I would never let anything happen to you…"

"But… if the Chancellor considers me an enemy… The petition that we signed against him…" In spite of herself, she was afraid. She could already imagine the Clone Troopers marching in and arresting her.

"You're safe because I want you to be. That's all. The Chancellor understands and made it so. There are no more Jedi between us and I'm no longer a Jedi myself… I need you to know, Padme, that everything I do, everything I've done… It's all been for you…"

What did you do? The question screamed in her head, but as she met his gaze, she could not speak. He drew in close, only a breath away, and she felt his hand on the back of her neck, warm and firm, but not gripping. Only lightly stroking the sensitive skin. She shuddered, but could not act on her need to pull away. His eyes were dragging her in.

He leaned in, his lips close to hers. She couldn't pull away, what held her in place was cold and familiar and it was wrapping around her mind, telling her that she wanted that kiss.

"Anakin…" she whimpered.

He pulled away, withdrawing his hand suddenly, and she was free again. His eyes were closed as if in pain. "No… I'm not going to do that to you again, Padme… I never wanted to… I want you to want me… And you will…."

No matter how quickly she pulled in air, she couldn't get her lungs to hold it. "You have to stop this, Anakin…" She moved away from him, her hand out defensively, though she knew with an icy terror that she was no match for a Jedi. Yet, in spite of how afraid she was, she was more afraid for him. This wasn't the Anakin she knew, something was terribly wrong. "Whatever you've done, or plan to do, it won't change my mind. I love Obi-Wan." To say it so plainly made her voice steady with certainty. "And I am so sorry… I'm sorry that I hurt you…"

His eyes were still closed. "I do not fear pain… I use it…"

It was spoken eerily like a mantra. Before she could begin to question what that meant, his eyes were on her again, steady and dark.

"You say you love him, but he'll never return it. He isn't capable. He'll disappoint you as much as he disappointed me… Then you'll see. You'll choose me. And I'll wait. I'll prove to you that I can wait. The future is ours…"

In a few quick strides, he was slipping back into his ship. The canopy closed and he took off, leaving her stunned and shaking on the landing pad with C-3PO and R2-D2. The little astromech let out a sad, low whistle as he watched his master leave without him.

Padme's heart was pounding so fast in her chest she was dizzy. There was only one thing on her mind. She sprinted into her apartment and put in the private channel for Obi-Wan.