Author's Note: Before you read this latest chapter, I just wanted to say a quick thanks to those of you who've followed, favorited and reviewed! I love sharing my ideas and stories with other like minded people. This chapter will be the last T rated chapter, the next will be M rated and you'll see why when you read how this chapter ends...
I hope you enjoy!
And a quick note, I updated the last couple of chapters, fixing a couple of things and adding just a tad bit. It's not overly important, but some things were overlooked and I had to correct them.
The Bounty Hunter: Ch. 3
There's a ringing in my ears and I feel Padmé move under me. That's good, at least. It means she's still alive. I push myself up to my knees and grab her, looking her over for any injuries. I don't see any apparent injuries, but her eyes are locked on the carnage behind us and I can see the pain there in those beautiful orbs of hers.
I don't need to turn around to know that Cordé's dead, I can feel it. Everybody onboard is too. But Padmé isn't, and as callous as that may sound given the situation, she's all I care about.
Cordé and all the others knew what they were signing up for. They all knew the risks. They accepted them when they joined the RNSF and accepted an assignment to be on her security detail. Padmé didn't, she's only trying to serve in the best interests of her people, the rest of the people in the galaxy.
Padmé gets to her feet and pulls away from me. I don't stop her. I don't sense any more immediate danger. It's past for now. I only wish it'd be the last and that Padmé wasn't still being hunted.
How ironic that Padmé is being protected by me, a bounty hunter, when she's being pursued by bounty hunters. I push the irony to the side and get to my feet, now isn't the time for irony, not when Padmé is still being hunted.
Besides the ship that's crippled and the dead decoy, security officers and pilots, nothing else looks to be affected.
In a few short moments, we're being surrounded by the Coruscant police force and emergency responders. Padmé's whisked away by her remaining security team, and I closely follow suit.
A short time later, we're all in the senate building and the loud voices coming from the senate chambers are hard to miss. It makes me think of all the cheering back at the Boonta Eve Classic, I could distinctly remember the loud cheers of all the people as I flew by them at breakneck speeds and was the first human to ever win. Except these loud voices sound angry, accusing, ready to fight, not cheer.
"This is exactly why Count Dooku was able to convince so many systems to secede," Padmé says to one of her handmaidens. I don't listen to her response and tune out their conversation. I decide to focus more on the currents of the Force and reach out with my senses to see if there are any threats to Padmé closeby.
I don't sense any. But that doesn't mean that danger doesn't lurk through these halls, around every corner.
Jango's first attempt wasn't a success. He'll try again, I need to keep on alert and be ready for anything. He's a professional killer, one who kills more than he captures. He doesn't care if his bounty lives or dies. Something I always avoided, I'd rather freeze them in carbonite and have them face the consequences of their actions. It usually brings in more credits too, a win, win in my book.
Eventually we step into a pod and I look around in wonder as the hover pod brings us towards the middle of the large chamber filled with thousands of senators, of all different species. The room falls silent as they all lay eyes on Padmé. I know the feeling, she has that affect on people.
"My noble colleagues," Padmé says loudly into the microphone. "I concur with the Supreme Chancellor. At all costs, we do not want war!"
Then, to my surprise, the chambers are engulfed in a thunderous outburst of cheering and applause. It takes me by surprise, especially since at least half these people are against her. I hear the Supreme Chancellor say something but can't make out exactly what he says over the loud cheering. I don't really care what he has to say either, if I'm being honest.
I'm only here for Padmé and I keep on alert for anything that can harm her. Physically.
It's a little while later when we walk into the Supreme Chancellor's office. Padmé walks in the lead, I stay in the back of the group. I don't want any eyes on me and I don't care much for political nonsense where there's talk talk talk and no action. At least in the Outer Rim we don't have to deal with this. How could anyone expect a body so big to be able to function efficiently? Tens of thousands of worlds, thousands of different species, not all are going to agree on the same bills.
It's all just a big pile of bantha poodoo if you ask me.
But what do I know? I'm just a former slave boy from the Outer Rim, turned podracing star turned bounty hunter. The only law in the Outer Rim is the Hutt's, and I'm one of their...enforcers, if you will, for one of their most prominent and nefarious members. At least Jabba is open with you, instead of telling you something to your face and stabbing you in the back like most of these people who lack the courage of a fair fight.
Force forbid they actually get their hands-
I feel eyes on me and my stomach churns as my eyes snap onto a small figure. Master Yoda is staring at me with wide eyes that are full of knowledge and as wise as they come. I didn't even notice him, which isn't saying much considering how small he is. It's not just him either. Master Windu is here. As well as a few other Jedi, all of which are staring at me like an amoeba under a microscope. Testing me. Judging me. I stare back at each of them, giving them each a cold hard glare. I refuse to look weak or uncomfortable in front of them. I'm not nine any more.
I'm a grown ass man. A hardened bounty hunter. Jedi don't scare me.
Their attention shifts to Padmé and the ongoing discussion. I breathe a sigh of relief. All of their eyes on me were suffocating, just like all of those years ago...
"Chancellor, if I may comment, I do not believe the-"
The Chancellor swiftly cuts her off and finishes her sentence for her. "-situation is that serious," he turns from looking out the expansive panoramic view of the city-planet to her, looking concerned. "No, but I do, Senator."
"Chancellor, please!" Padmé pleads, something I never thought she'd do. Even if it is to the Supreme Chancellor of the most powerful government in the galaxy. "I do not want any more guards!"
I can't say I blame her, I wouldn't either. But I'm not going to point out that she could use some guards right about now, especially since many of hers were just killed, she's more vulnerable now than she was before we arrived here.
The Chancellor tries to persuade her to accept Jedi protection. "But perhaps someone you are familiar with, an old friend," the Chancellor focuses on me, he smiles slightly. "Master Kenobi?"
Padmé tries to brush it off but the Chancellor is relentless and manages to get her to accept Obi-Wan as her protection. I'm glad it's him and not another Jedi. Like Windu. I can't think of a more insufferable Jedi than him. He took one look at me ten years ago and curled his lip at me in disgust, like the freed slave boy wasn't even worthy of stepping foot in his precious Jedi Temple. I'll never go back there for as long as I live.
I did just fine without them. I'll do just fine without them.
The fanfare begins to die down when we're all in Padmé's senatorial apartment. I'm impressed, too. It comes with an amazing view of the city-planet far below and it's high up in the clouds. I guess living in 500 Republica, the most exclusive address on the planet, maybe even the whole galaxy, has its perks.
Padmé changes, changing out of her formal senatorial garb and into something more relaxing, revealing. I can't help taking her in and appreciating her natural beauty. Her legs and arms bare, nothing but creamy smooth skin. If I could only see one thing for the rest of my life, I'd choose her. I don't think there's anything or anyone that could ever be more beautiful.
I'm sure of it. Angelic for sure.
"I'm sorry about all of this, Ani," Padmé says, sighing as she comes to stand beside me on the veranda as we look at the view- or at least, while she looks out at the view outside. I'm having a hard time looking at anything but her. She's standing so close to me that her beautiful, intoxicating, earthy scent wafts upwards into my nostrils and I have to take a deep breath to try and gain my composure. It doesn't help, it only makes things harder. And Padmé's completely unaware of the affect she has on me, even just standing next to me. "Because of me-"
"Because of you," I interrupt and wrap a hand around her arm and turn her to face me. I cup her cheek in one shaky hand and my lips curl into a smile when she doesn't bat my hand away or tell me to fuck off, she only looks right into my eyes as if she's as mesmerized as I am. "Because of you, I'm right where I want to be." There's no way I'd stand by and let anyone harm her. I'd sooner die first, even burn to death in agony, than see any harm come to her. "You're so-so-" I have no words to describe her beauty, I'm not even sure if there are words that accurately describe her beauty. Even angelic doesn't do her justice. But I can't just leave it there, so I tell her exactly what I think, fumbling over my words like a preteen making my face heat up like I'm under those twin suns and my hands shake even more and begin to-
"You think, you think I'm-" she fumbles her words too, which makes me feel a little more confident and I finish her thought for her.
"Beautiful?" I finish for her and tilt my head down towards her. "I don't think there's a strong enough word to describe your-"
Before I know what she's doing, she fists my brown RNSF leather vest in her small hands and pulls me down to her, our lips crashing together like two airspeeders in a head on collision. I freeze, completely not seeing this coming. Force be damned. Her lips are soft, perfect, against mine and my eyes flutter closed. In no time, my lips start to move in tandem with hers, I tilt my head to the side to deepen the kiss and then I'm the one taking control and lower my other hand to her waist so I can draw her closer to me until our bodies come together.
She moans into my mouth as our bodies connect and I waste no time in licking my way between her full parted lips and seek out hers.
The second our tongues touch, I groan into her mouth. I've never felt this incredibly turned on before in my life. I'll readily admit that this is my first time kissing anyone, and not because no girl ever wanted to kiss me. The Twi'lek slave girls in Jabba's palace or those in the cantinas throughout the Outer Rim were more than sexually suggestive with me, even lowering or raising their scant dress to show me what they're offering, some even taking the perogrative and trying to make physical contact. But it never felt right and I turned them down, even pushed some of them away when they wouldn't take the hint. Because I was waiting for this, even if consciously I didn't think it'd ever happen. And I think I'm doing pretty good for the first time, after all, Padmé's moaning and gasping into my mouth and still kissing me, so I can't be doing that bad. It isn't like I never imagined doing this before, after all.
This though, the real thing, is mind blowing. Feels like a dream, and if it is, I don't want to ever wake up. I keep my eyes closed and keep moving my lips, my tongue, my hands that are cupping her soft, smooth face and round waist, I press my fingers into the supple skin down there and grunt as Padmé pulls back and ends my life-altering kiss when we both need to come up for air or die where we stand.
Blinking my eyes open, I think to myself that I wouldn't really mind dying that way. At least I'd be doing something I love with the person I love.
She makes my heart skip when smiles up at me with a smile I never saw on her angelic face, she looks as radiant as I've ever seen before. Then she breaks eye contact, wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "Wow," is all she manages to say, giggling and sounding as breathless as me.
I give a husky laugh, at a bit of a loss for words myself. "Yeah, I never…" I brush a hand through my hair that's damp and trail off. I never felt that way before or believed something like that was even possible. And we only kissed. I can only imagine- no, no I can't actually. If something like kissing can feel like this, then I can't imagine what it'd be like to have her naked and-
Nope. Not going there. I wipe my own mouth more in disbelief than anything. Did that really just happen? I shake my thoughts away and look back up at Padmé to find her blushing with those beautiful brown eyes of hers focusing below my waist and when she notices me watching her, her face turns beet red and she takes a few steps back, stumbling as she almost falls onto the sofa and quickly disappears into a room I imagine is hers.
I know what she saw, how could she not? I'd be surprised if she didn't feel how turned on I was when I had her body flush against mine. I never thought I'd have her even that close, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to explore as much of her as she'd let me.
Even if we never do more than what we just did, at least I'll have this memory. If I die in one minute, I'd die the happiest man in the galaxy.
Padmé avoids me until Jar Jar, who was way too enthusiastic when he recognized me earlier, welcomes Obi-Wan into Padmé's apartment. Jar Jar is just as enthusiastic with him, and I smile at Obi-Wan's obvious discomfort even if he tries to hide it to be polite. He never really liked Jar Jar, even nine year old me who knew nothing of the Force, sensed that.
He smiles when he sees me though, the smile genuine. Real. "You've grown," he says in greeting, like everyone else has so far.
"And you've shrunk," I say right back and he laughs and gives me a firm handshake and even pulls me in for a hug. "It's good to see you, Obi-Wan."
He nods against my shoulder. "It's good to see you, old friend." Padmé, who's wearing a robe now, then comes out to greet Obi-Wan and he bows politely to her, and promises that he'll be invisible while he's here.
"I'm very grateful that you're here, Master Kenobi," Captain Typho says as he comes in from another room. "The situation is more dangerous than the senator will admit."
He's right and I say as much, even if it gets me an annoyed glare she has to know what I know. "Padmé, your chief of security is right." The danger is more serious than she knows, and I do know exactly how dangerous it is. He is. "Jango Fett and Zam Wessel aren't to be underestimated. And even if we manage to thwart them again, even kill them, it won't stop the Viceroy from hiring more bounty hunters to try and finish the job." She may never be safe.
Obi-Wan strokes his beard, that's new, I think to myself, as he digests what I just said. "I sense something more is at play here, Senator." I sensed that too, on my way to Naboo. If Obi-Wan is also getting that impression, it can't be good. He would know more than I would about the Force, being a Jedi Knight and all. "You're the opposition against the military creation act, you made a lot of enemies for taking that stance, enemies who stand to gain much by the outcome of creating and building such a military. The timing of all this…it can't be a coincidence."
Padmé and Typho exchange a look. "Our intelligence suggests that the Trade Federation has entered into an agreement with the Separatists." Captain Typho tells us. "I guess, it is possible that the Viceroy demanded the Senator's head as part of that agreement."
That's the first I'm hearing about this, yet it doesn't surprise me in the least. The Viceroy isn't the type to get his own hands dirty, as I already knew, just like he didn't ten years ago. He's nothing but a sniveling little coward, like all Neimoidians really.
Obi-Wan nods. "Yes, that makes sense. I'll need to see your schedule Senator, and Captain, I'd like for you to show me the security office. I need to see the systems and protocols you have in place. We might need to make some changes."
Typho jumps right to it and they disappear, leaving Padmé and myself- and Jar Jar, who manages to pick up the social cues and our looks at him and leaves us be. I clear my throat when he's gone and we're finally all alone. "Was I that...bad a kiss?" I ask, giving her a self deprecating smile, because I know there's no way that that kiss was bad. I never felt more turned on or alive before in my life.
There's no way she didn't feel it, too. And she kissed me. "It's, it's," she sighs as she tries to come up with the words. "It just took me by surprise is all," she finally says. "It's been ten years and I'm glad to see that you're alive and well...I just didn't expect to feel the way I did- the way I do," she quickly corrects herself and I find myself smiling. I didn't think she got flustered over anything, I'm glad she's showing me another side of her. A side I'm sure she doesn't let many others see. If anything, it only makes my love for her grow, and that's not something I imagined possible. "I've been under a lot of stress from this bill and seeing you made it feel like...made it feel like it didn't matter. It made me feel something, besides stress. You made me feel like there are other things that are important besides just work." I don't stop her stammering, I find it rather cute and endearing and her words wrap around my heart and squeeze almost painfully.
It's even more cute and endearing when it's because of me. I cup her cheek like I did earlier and I watch her carefully to see if I'm reading and feeling her right, and when she places a hand over mine, I give her a reassuring smile before leaning down and taking her lips gently with mine. I start slowly, but she quickly sinks into the kiss, deepening it and when she parts her lips in open invitation, I lick my way inside her mouth again and explore every contour like it might be my last, because it very well could be.
Padmé pulls me closer again, making me groan as she throws herself head first into this, her small hands fisting back into my vest which I'm starting to like, only because of how much she seems to like fisting it as she pulls me farther down to her. I lower my other hand back down to her waist, then lower to the back of one of her thighs and I lift her up effortlessly into my strong arms without breaking the kiss for a second. Her legs wrap around my waist without hesitation, like she was always meant to be here in my arms and she pulls back for just a moment, breathing quickly with me, her eyes darkening to a near black and she unfists my vest and wraps her arms around my neck.
I start to carry her towards her room, slowly, giving her time to say no but when she crashes her lips back onto mine, I know we're both thinking the same thing.
A/N: Had to end it there. As I said in the beginning, the next chapter will be rated M, and yep, we'll see exactly where that goes though I'm sure you can guess. I decided to quicken things between them, their feelings and attraction to one another is undeniable and there's nothing preventing them from loving one another or loving on one another.
Prepare for it to get steamy, and cute. I also want to say that even though Anakin's a complete sap and soft with the woman he loves (like any man, really), he's still that boy and man that grew up on Tatooine. He's a hardened bounty hunter and even if his life radically changed in the matter of just a couple of days, with his angel back in his life, his upbringing and life until this point hasn't negated the past. Even in this alternate universe where he's not a Jedi that borders on the dark side, you don't mess with those he loves (no matter what universe or galaxy he's in). His mother, and his angel. If you do...well, you'll soon see what he does to them. Don't mess with the Skywalkers.
Until next time…
Please follow, favorite and review! Thanks!