Padme POV
Anakin was a loud person. He had a rowdy laugh, a deep booming voice, and a rather deafening snore. So when Anakin got quiet, I learned to get worried about him, and Anakin was quiet right now. It had started when we got back from our honeymoon. He would talk about how he was training to combat Sidious in his mind, and then he would just trail off. He said he would handle it, and he did not want me to worry about it.
I sat at my desk chewing on my lower lip when Shmi walked in with a report.
"What is this?" I asked.
"The report on the trade federation and the Naboo. If you want my opinion, Padme, I don't trust them," she stated.
"I don't either," I said. "I have told the Queen we want peace, but to be cautious."
"Do you think they will start a war?"
"The Nemodians are cowards. They want power, but are not willing to get their hands dirty. No, it won't come to war, they will just throw a fit." I sighed, and my mind wandered to Anakin. I began to chew on my bottom lip again.
"What are you thinking about?" asked my mother in law.
"Your son, actually. It has been a month since the honeymoon, and he has not settled down. He is not himself for some reason."
"What makes you say that?"
"Anakin has become quiet."
"Quiet. How?"
"You know Anakin," I said, getting up from my desk and filing away the paperwork. "He has always been rambunctious and loud. Always excited to get into some sort of trouble without thinking of the consequences."
Shmi nodded, smiling.
"Well, now he seems guarded. It's like the light in him died. He will smile and laugh but not like he used too."
"He lost his family, and then his entire purpose," Shmi reasoned. "Even though you two are back together now, it will take time for him to feel young and light-hearted again."
I nodded. "You are probably right. I just hope he becomes himself soon."
"Don't worry. I am sure that Anakin will be alright."
"It's just, he got like this before Sidious made his move. Ani seemed anxious and distressed about something all the time, and then all of a sudden he was a different person." The memories of Anakin's behavior on Mustafar was etched in my mind. Tears pricked my eyes as I thought of my husband acting so coldly.
"That was different, Anakin thought you were going to die. He did all those things to save you. But now things are better. He is away from the dark side," Shmi said comforting me.
"You should have seen him,, Shmi. He was going to stab himself that night if I did not wake him," I said.
"He was having a nightmare. You know how vivid they get. Ani is going to be fine," she said.
I did not look at her. She came over to me, and hugged me. "I promise. It is all going to be fine," she said.
I looked at the chronometer on the stove top. Anakin should have been home an hour and a half ago. Dinner was back in the refrigerator, and I had politics on the HoloNet in the living room. But, I was not watching anything, in fact, I was trying not to pace.
Finally, I decided to be the pestering wife, and I called Anakin. But there was no answer on his comms. I tried again, but there was still no answer. I decided that Obi-Wan was the best way to reach him.
"Hello," came Obi-Wan.
"Hi, is Anakin there? I expected him home an hour and a half ago. Is he meditating with anyone?"
"Well, he meditated with Yoda this morning, and we trained together this afternoon, but I haven't seen him since then. I am sure he got busy doing something and forgot to call. You know how he gets."
"Oh, Okay," I said.
"Call Rex and Ashoka and see if he stopped by their place and lost track of time? If not then he is probably in a garage somewhere determined to make a ship go a little faster."
"Yep that's Anakin," I said smiling.
"If you still cant find him, call me again, then get some rest. He can take care of himself."
"He has been struggling lately. I am worried about him," I admitted.
"He is probably fine, Padme. He is a skilled warrior and an excellent pilot. Common sense skills aside, he can't get into too much trouble."
I laughed. "No, I guess not. Okay, I'll relax. Good night, Obi-Wan."
"Good night. Padme."
I hung up and immediately called Ahsoka. She picked up quickly, and I noticed she was not wearing her norman Jedi robes, but a beautiful teal dress with matching earrings.
"Hello," she said.
"Hi Ahsoka, I take it I am interrupting date night."
"Kind of. Rex and I are headed to the cinema. There is a clone wars documentary that goes into how they made the clones on Kamino. Rex wants to see all of the genetics and stuff. It sounds interesting."
"Very," I lied. "So I have a dumb question. Have you spoken to Anakin at all today?"
"Nope. Why?"
"He is getting distant, and I was just wondering if he was opening up to anyone. He does not seem to be talking to me."
"Wait. Y'all just got married, and you guys are already having problems? Yikes. Well when Skyguy is stressed he does not talk it out like a normal human being, he blows something up."
"Yeah, that what I am afraid of."
"No. I don't mean like Darth Vader. I mean like General Skywalker. He probably has given himself a mission to just clear his head. When he feels accomplished he will come back and be all sweet again like nothing happened. Seriously, he did it all the time. No big deal."
"Really," I scoffed. "What do I do? Wait by the phone until he is done clearing his head."
"Well, yeah," Ashoka said. "I mean, what did you do during the Clone Wars?"
Search the HoloNets to make sure he was still alive, I thought to myself. "Worried a lot," I said.
"I don't think this is going to be much different Padme. I mean sure, Skyguy's changed and were all happy about it, but he did not change that much, ya know?" she said. "I got to go. Hoping for the best. Bye."
"Bye," I said as the comms broke off. I starred out the window. "He did not change that much," I thought.